Chapter 535: Seeking Advice

One team of workers was applying sealant in the restroom, while another team was inspecting the power distribution box, sockets, and light fixtures.

They were all wearing uniform work clothes, with the "Shanghai Rongde" logo embroidered on their backs.

This was a top-tier domestic laboratory professional engineering company, and their comprehensive implementation capability was beyond doubt. For a Research Center of less than two thousand square meters, with the experimental area being just one thousand square meters, they took on dozens of such projects a year; the branch office could handle it completely.

But for some reason this time, the headquarters attached great importance to it, and as it neared completion, they specifically sent a Vice President to inspect it.

The General Manager and Vice President of the Beijing branch accompanied them the whole way: "General Manager Lu, the company signed the Contract with the Party A in mid-January, officially moved in on January 18th, and started civil construction. By February 5th, the structural demolition was basically completed..."

"Half a month later, the ventilation and air conditioning systems, along with the Universal Hood, Atomic Hood (laboratory dust-proof and purification equipment), etc., were installed. By about early March, the main partitions and ceiling suspensions were basically finished."

"At the same time, we arranged for electrical, water supply and drainage, gas piping, fire protection, and concealed engineering systems to be constructed one after another, finishing around the 20th. We then began floor treatment..."

This meant the large-scale engineering was basically over, leaving only some finishing work: such as sealing, touch-up painting, installing signs and labels, and so on.

General Manager Lu nodded: "How many days does the floor hardening take?"

"We used Polyurethane Flooring, which is fully load-bearing; theoretically, it takes a week. But in reality, four to five days is enough."

"What is the delivery date agreed upon with Party A?"

"April 15th!"

Today is only the 24th, with twenty or so days left, the time is more than enough.

General Manager Lu smiled: "Thank you for your hard work!"

The few people from the branch office all let out a sigh of relief in unison.

The person came today, but the notice was only received yesterday afternoon; it was as sudden as could be.

They had thought something had gone wrong with the project and that Party A had complained to the headquarters.

The key was that after General Manager Lu arrived, he looked particularly carefully and asked even more carefully. It was down to the level of how a low-voltage wire was threaded and how a cabinet for utensils was placed.

It made the whole group terrified and uneasy.

"General Manager Lu is too kind, it's our duty!" The General Manager forced a smile, "General Manager Lu, you've been walking around the construction site all day, and it's dusty; why don't you go back to the hotel to change your clothes first? I've booked a casual meal at a nearby hotel..."

This meal definitely had to be eaten, otherwise the people at the branch office would let their imaginations run wild, but it didn't necessarily have to be today.

"General Manager Zhang, don't overthink it. I didn't come here this time for the sake of the project!"

Halfway through, General Manager Lu felt that explaining it was too troublesome, so he might as well be direct: "How about this, General Manager Zhang, can you contact the Person in Charge from Party A and arrange a time? I would like to ask for some advice."

General Manager Zhang was stunned: Ask for advice?

A small private center, what is there to ask for advice about?

Although he thought this in his heart, General Manager Zhang dared not be negligent: "General Manager Lu, I will contact them shortly. Which day do you think would be appropriate to arrange?"

As soon as General Manager Lu heard this, he knew that Zhang Xu had not understood.

"General Manager Zhang, I am talking about the actual Person in Charge of this center, that is, the boss, not that Professor Wang who is responsible for the renovation!"

General Manager Zhang was stunned again.

He recalled for a long time before a young face floated into his mind.

The first time they met was when the Contract was signed, and he had only seen him that one time. It had been more than two months now, and General Manager Zhang's impression was already a bit blurry. He only remembered that he was very young and seemed to have the surname Lin.

He was still a student, only responsible for paying the money, and didn't care about anything else; why go see him?

In an instant, Zhang Xu's thoughts went astray: Could it be the child of some leader?

Of course, he was only curious in his heart and absolutely dared not ask.

"Alright, General Manager Lu, I will contact Professor Wang now."

"Be polite; it doesn't matter if the other party doesn't agree!"

Seeing him being so polite, Zhang Xu's thoughts went even further astray: "General Manager Lu, I understand!"

The group walked downstairs, and Zhang Xu prepared to return to the car to call Wang Qi Zhi.

But just as they reached the entrance and the driver had just driven the car over, a Santana stopped by the side of the road.

Lin Sicheng got out of the back seat, with Zhao Da and the driver following behind.

Zhang Xu narrowed his eyes, trying hard to recall.

He had only seen him that one time, over two months ago; to say he remembered him clearly would be deceiving himself.

But the temperament on Lin Sicheng was very special: at first glance, he was as green as could be, like a high school student.

But after a few words, that calm, introverted, and gentle temperament was fully revealed; he didn't look like a young person at all.

So Zhang Xu was very certain that this was the person who brought the official seal and signed the Contract on the day it was signed.

He took two steps forward: "General Manager Lu, it's this person!"

General Manager Lu didn't understand: "What?"

"The Person in Charge of this Research Center."

General Manager Lu opened his mouth.

This, is he still a student?

Fang Yanlin and He Luzhou had both said that the Person in Charge was very young. But General Manager Lu did not know he was this young?

In his surprise, he took two steps forward: "Teacher Lin, hello!"

Lin Sicheng paused: "Hello!"

He knew Zhang Xu, and he also knew the two Vice Presidents; he had met them when the Contract was signed.

But this person was indeed a bit unfamiliar.

The key was this form of address: Teacher Lin?

No one on the construction site called him that, including the newly signed partners; as long as they had met him, they all called him General Manager Lin.

Lin Sicheng did not like this form of address, but thinking that there wouldn't be many dealings in the future, he couldn't be bothered to correct it.

General Manager Lu took the initiative to reach out his hand: "Teacher Lin, my surname is Lu, and I am a senior Partner of the Rongde company, usually based in Shanghai. I came here this time specifically to visit Teacher Lin."

A Partner of the Rongde company definitely counted as a big shot in the industry.

But Lin Sicheng was baffled: What did I have that was worth visiting for?

It wasn't that it was impossible, but rather that the two sides had very little intersection: one was in laboratory engineering, the other in Artifact Research.

This time was a one-off deal; they would basically have no further dealings in the future.

"General Manager Lu, 'seeking advice' is too formal; if there is anything I can help with, just say the word!"

General Manager Lu gestured behind him: "Teacher Lin, I would like to ask about the planning and design concepts of your Center, if that is possible."

At first, Lin Sicheng was still wondering: Just for this?

But immediately, he realized: This planning and design concept really did not exist in the country at the current stage.

It didn't exist abroad either, because the culture was different, and the work and living habits of the Researchers were even more different.

It was just some design ideas, nothing that couldn't be said; the fact that they had made a special trip showed their sincerity.

If it were someone less decent, they would have just copied it.

Lin Sicheng was only curious: How did General Manager Lu know that this design was done by him?

He nodded: "Yes, that's fine."

"Thank you, Teacher Lin. If it is convenient for you, let's set a time and a place."

General Manager Lu was very happy; he hadn't expected Lin Sicheng to be so easy to talk to. "Most of the projects at the Cultural Relics Research Institute are done by us, and I am very familiar with Dean Fang. Also, Director He Luzhou, he and I were college classmates! You see, which one would be appropriate to invite?"

Lin Sicheng finally knew where General Manager Lu had learned that the design plan for the Center was done by him.

He Luzhou was a childhood friend of Wang Qi Zhi and was at the park management committee. Before renting the venue at that time, Lin Sicheng had made a rough preliminary plan. When Wang Qi Zhi went to find He Luzhou, he had specifically shown it to him.

At the time, He Luzhou had been amazed.

It was likely that after he found out later that the Rongde Company was doing the construction, he had specifically told General Manager Lu.

Seeing that the sealing of the panels was imminent, General Manager Lu had come to visit in advance, wanting to understand it a bit.

Lin Sicheng also finally knew where this "Teacher Lin" from General Manager Lu came from: it must have been after learning that he had done the design himself, he had specifically asked people in the industry, and happened to ask Dean Fang.

It was only because of a coincidence that they bumped into each other today; otherwise, this General Manager Lu would likely have invited him through Fang Yanlin.

"General Manager Lu, no need for that much trouble. Just find a quiet place and brew a pot of tea!"

How could that be?

General Manager Lu had made a special trip not just to ask about the design concept of this Center, but because of this "functional positioning" design concept that was the first of its kind in the country.

To put it simply: there were very few places in the country that could clearly define the experimental type, experimental flow, multi-equipment collaboration, and fully consider the work habits of the experimental personnel during the initial decoration phase of the laboratory process.

To put it in a fantasy sense, General Manager Lu saw four words in Lin Sicheng's design plan: Man-Machine Unity.

The most crucial, most critical thing was Lin Sicheng's batch of instruments: they were truly advanced and truly high-efficiency.

If used well, it would definitely set a trend in the industry. Since he was in this line of work, knowing that this model could make money, why not learn it? He was just about to say something, but Lin Sicheng waved his hand: "General Manager Lu, I appreciate the sentiment, but firstly I am too busy, and secondly, I don't drink! To be honest, I just met with the purchasing agent and just came down from the wine table." Lin Sicheng smiled, "The two Partners are currently hugging the toilet in the hotel vomiting, but we have an agreement with the purchasing company that the machines will enter the site this Friday, so I took the time to come and take a look at the floor hardening."

"It just so happens that several leaders are here, so please pass the message to the engineering team; I won't go up. Whatever General Manager Lu wants to understand, you can ask now." General Manager Lu felt a bit moved: dealing with such a person was truly comfortable.

Dean Fang was like this, and this one was also like this: if it works, it works; if they can help, they definitely will, never beating around the bush.

Even if they hadn't known each other at all before.

"Teacher Lin, how could I be so bold?"

"General Manager Lu, you are too polite: the construction quality of Rongde is indeed good, and the schedule is fast; I am just returning the favor."

This was the truth: just the demolition and renovation of the original structure had caused quite a bit of trouble for the Rongde Company.

It had to comply with safety and fire regulations while also meeting Lin Sicheng's requirements; the designers and construction workers had racked their brains quite a bit.

General Manager Lu said nothing more: If a person respects me by a foot, I will respect them by ten feet.

He had already begun to calculate how much of a discount to give Lin Sicheng after the project inspection.

"Alright, Teacher Lin, if it's convenient, let's find a quiet place."

"General Manager Zhang, please help arrange it and tell the masters to be careful."

"General Manager Lu, don't you worry!"

The client's payment was very timely; the construction site was equipped with heaters and even humidifiers, running twenty-four hours a day without shutting down.

He told General Manager Lu that full hardening would take four to five days, but that was just a conservative estimate. If Lin Sicheng was in a hurry, the machines could enter the site on Wednesday. After having his secretary book a tea room, Zhang Xu arranged a car to take General Manager Lu and Lin Sicheng over.

Zhao Da and the driver drove the Santana, following behind.

After giving a few instructions to the Person in Charge at the site, Zhang Xu prepared to return to the company.

Just as he got into the car, his cell phone buzzed with a "hum."

Glancing at it, he pressed the answer button: "General Manager Fang, what instructions do you have?"

"How would I dare to give instructions to General Manager Zhang?"

Fang Yin's laughter came through the phone, "The client is in a hurry and requires the machines to be installed on Friday. I'm asking General Manager Zhang if it will be in time!" The two companies cooperated a lot, so they were very familiar:

It could be said that at least in Beijing and Shanghai, as long as it was a slightly larger research unit and used imported equipment, more than 70% were designed by the China Electronics Engineering Design Institute, renovated by Rongde, and ordered and installed by Saishi.

If he hadn't just met Lin Sicheng and heard him say that the machines would enter the site this weekend, Zhang Xu might not have been able to recall which client Fang Yin was talking about.

"Thank you, General Manager Fang. Teacher Lin just came by; Friday is definitely no problem, Thursday is fine too!"

Teacher Lin, that kid?

Isn't it General Manager Lin?

Fang Yin muttered to herself: A day earlier or a day later didn't make much of a difference.

But if it were any earlier, that wouldn't work. It's better to be safe than sorry...

"Alright, just giving General Manager Zhang a reminder!" After replying, Fang Yin changed the subject, "Also, there is a small matter I would like to seek advice from General Manager Zhang about: it's almost time for the inspection, and I haven't worked with this General Manager Lin before, so I don't know if the follow-up procedures will be easy to handle. I wonder if General Manager Zhang could do me the honor of having a chat?"

He could, but Fang Yin's worry was also normal: after all, with millions in payments, every extra day of delay was a loss.

Zhang Xu paused: But was there a need to make a special trip for a meal?

The two companies cooperated so closely, and Zhang Xu and Fang Yin were so familiar. These things could be asked entirely over the phone.

More importantly: Zhang Xu didn't have the time.

"Sorry, General Manager Fang, the headquarters leaders are here for an inspection these past few days, and I really can't get away."

"It's alright, I can go visit General Manager Zhang instead. A friend just happened to gift me some good tea..."

Zhang Xu did not refuse.

Fang Yin was a woman who knew how to handle affairs well, and she was easy on the eyes too.

"Good, I await your arrival, General Manager Fang!"

After hanging up the phone, Zhang Xu notified his secretary: "Tell Little Wu (the driver) to let me know when General Manager Lu returns."

"Understood, General Manager Zhang!" The secretary made a note of it, "Should I arrange a banquet?"

"Of course you should arrange one, pick a decent place!"

Whether the leader eats or has time is one thing; whether you have made the arrangements is another.

The secretary called to book a restaurant, the driver opened the car door, and Zhang Xu got into the back seat.

Fastening his seatbelt, he began to ponder again: Did General Manager Lu make a special trip just to ask Lin Sicheng about the design concept of this Center? It was likely an excuse.

In any case, Zhang Xu felt that the layout of this Center had nothing worth praising.

On the contrary, it seemed to be doing things the hard way: frame renovations, ground reinforcement, and replacing the ventilation system.

Especially the ventilation, air conditioning, and those Universal Hoods and Atomic Hoods; it was his first time seeing such equipment installed in a Cultural Relics Protection laboratory. Usually, only chemistry, chemical engineering, and materials laboratories would use them. As someone doing Artifact Research, could you really produce any harmful gases?