Chapter 547: If You Say It Out Loud, It Won't Work

The weather is fine, the photinia is swaying its fiery red tender shoots, and a faint scent of pepper is floating in the air.

Lin Sicheng stands by the side of the road, staring at a road sign.

It is very ordinary and very simple; on the white-based sign are inlaid four black characters: Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation.

Wang Qi Zhi glances at it: "What's wrong?"

Lin Sicheng casually brushes it off: "Nothing, just looking!"

He is merely curious.

This is the leading enterprise in China's semiconductor field, and also a pioneer and bellwether in the chip technology sector.

But since its establishment, it has either been on the road to lawsuits with peers or on the road to being sanctioned and blockaded by European and American countries.

At any moment, it could be listed by the United States Ministry of Commerce on the entity list of "threatening United States national security and foreign policy interests."

One can see how bumpy the development path of China's technology enterprises is, and one can see the vigilance, as well as the arrogance and double standards, of European and American governments and enterprises toward Chinese companies. If even the leading enterprise is like this, what about a small, broken Center whose name no one has even heard of?

Lin Sicheng can already foresee today's outcome.

Just across the road is a four-story building, with an English sign standing on the roof.

Translated, it reads: Saishi Technology (China) Co., Ltd.

After entering the lobby, the receptionist comes forward, says a sentence in English first, and seeing that the few people do not respond, then switches to Chinese:

"Hello, what can I do for you?"

"Hello, my surname is Lin, we have an appointment with Assistant General Manager Sun."

"Oh, Beijing Lin Sicheng Cultural Relics Artifact Research Center?" The receptionist flips through the register, "Please come this way, go to the third floor!"

Pressing the elevator, the group goes upstairs, and another girl comes to greet them and leads them to the reception room.

"General Manager Lin, I'm sorry, General Manager Sun has a meeting on short notice, please wait a moment!"

Lin Sicheng nods: "Okay!"

The girl closes the door of the reception room, and the four people sit on the sofa.

Zhao Xiuneng looks at his watch: "We agreed on nine o'clock, there are still ten minutes left, and suddenly a meeting? It must be on purpose..."

Lin Sicheng is noncommittal: "An old trope from the movies!"

But it is not strange: after all, they were the ones who came knocking on their door, so leaving them to hang for a while is quite normal.

Lin Sicheng estimates that there will be something even more excessive later.

He smiles: "Teacher, Senior Brother, keep your cool!"

Indeed, they must keep their cool.

This damn place is at least a foreign enterprise, right? After the guests arrived, they were just dumped here; it would be one thing if there was no one to accompany them, but they didn't even pour a glass of water? Zhao Xiuneng and Wang Qi Zhi nod in unison: just endure it.

Subsequently, Lin Sicheng looks at Tan Zheng beside him: "Lawyer Tan, please bear with us!"

Tan Zheng smiles: "It's fine!"

She is just a bit curious: a twenty-year-old young man advising a teacher in his thirties and an old man in his sixties to keep their cool. Does this count as overturning the natural order?

What is even stranger is that these two are actually quite convinced?

Subconsciously, Tan Zheng recalls the words Yun Hui said when she called her:

This lawsuit is very simple, anyone can win it, you don't need to use your Dragon-Slaying Saber. I just think that kid is quite interesting.

Looking at it now, it is indeed a bit interesting.

There is a coffee machine nearby; Lin Sicheng does not stand on ceremony and brews four cups.

After more than half an hour, having drunk several cups of coffee, there is finally movement outside the door.

First comes a slightly younger girl, followed by a slightly older woman who is very beautiful and has a lot of class. Both are wearing the same suit skirts and empty-framed glasses, typical white-collar beauties.

Thinking this is General Manager Sun, the group stands up.

The woman smiles, her gaze sweeping over the four, finally landing on Lin Sicheng's face: "This must be General Manager Lin, hello! I am the legal counsel for Saishi Company, my surname is Jiang..."

"A client arrived on short notice, requiring Assistant General Manager Sun to receive them, so I was entrusted along with Secretary Xu to receive you! Whatever requests General Manager Lin has, you can tell us, and we will truthfully relay them..."

Lin Sicheng is stunned for a moment: legal counsel, secretary?

Before this, he had thought that, barring any accidents, he should be able to meet the General Manager of Saishi China, that American man named Smith.

After making the call, the specialist who answered said President Smith did not have time, but arranged for the Assistant General Manager to receive them, which is Assistant General Manager Sun. As a result, after arriving, they say Assistant General Manager Sun has to attend a meeting?

Fine, no problem, I can wait.

But after waiting for nearly an hour, they only get an assistant to the Assistant General Manager and a legal counsel?

Lin Sicheng holds onto a last shred of hope: "Is Lawyer Jiang the Legal Director of Saishi Company?"

"No, General Manager Lin!" Jiang Ying adjusts her frames, "I am a legal specialist!"

That is the most ordinary staff member in the legal department, the kind who doesn't even have a lawyer's license?

They couldn't even be bothered to send a Supervisor?

Lin Sicheng sighs: this is no longer about wanting to leave them hanging for a while, but about not wanting to see them at all.

To put it bluntly: we refuse all meetings or negotiations without a third-party mandate.

But the problem is, why not just make it clear when they were in contact yesterday?

Why did they have to make them come all this way and pull such a humiliating stunt?

Because the other party is emboldened, and at the same time, they are measuring their stress tolerance.

To use a term that doesn't exist in this era yet: PUA test.

Using humiliating actions to strike at the other party's self-confidence, and further probing how to resolve this incident with the minimum cost. After pondering for a moment, Lin Sicheng stands up: "Fine, thank you Specialist Jiang, if there is a need, we will make another appointment next time!"

He says nothing else and makes no demands, but Jiang Ying is not surprised.

Because the status of the two of them has already indicated Saishi Company's attitude: you are not qualified enough to negotiate with us.

Anyone who isn't a fool can see it...

"Take your time, General Manager Lin!" Jiang Ying took out a business card and handed it over, "If you make an appointment next time, you can call my number!"

The implication was: even if you come next time, the only person you will be able to see is me.

Lin Sicheng smiled: "Alright!"

The four of them exited the conference room and walked straight toward the elevator.

Jiang Ying and that Secretary Xu closed the door to the reception room and entered the work area.

Wang Qi Zhi was so angry he laughed: forget about seeing them out, they didn't even offer a polite nod?

Honestly, sometimes he truly admired Lin Sicheng. If it were anyone else, even if they didn't point at the other party's nose and curse or shout things like "We'll see each other in court," at the very least, their face would have darkened.

But Lin Sicheng was fine; he was polite when he should be, and he smiled when he should.

The four of them went downstairs, and Tan Zheng pressed her key, causing the white BMW to flash its lights twice.

"Little Lin, why don't you come back to the law firm with me first?"

We really need to tally things up.

But not for today's matter; rather, to prepare the standard litigation process.

"Thank you, Lawyer Tan!" Lin Sicheng did not stand on ceremony and sat in the front passenger seat.

Wang Qi Zhi and Zhao Xiuneng sat in the back.

Tan Zheng drove, and her driving skills were quite good. Every so often, she would take a glance in the rearview mirror.

It was clearly visible that the two in the back seat were heavily affected by their emotions and were currently just holding it in.

But looking at Lin Sicheng, he was not only stable but also indifferent. It was as if what had just happened had never occurred at all?

He really could keep his cool.

No one spoke; the atmosphere in the car was slightly oppressive, so Tan Zheng pressed the play button on the player.

The music was very soft, and the emotions of the two in the back seat clearly eased. Lin Sicheng remained the same: head bowed, silent, lost in thought. After about half an hour, the BMW arrived at the Bund, where Tan Zheng's law firm was located.

The floor was very high, facing the Huangpu River directly, and the scenery was quite nice.

Upon entering the office, Tan Zheng gestured toward the Assistant: "The three of you, coffee or tea?"

"Boiled water is fine!"

They had drunk several cups at Saishi, and their mouths still tasted bitter.

The water was brought over, and Lin Sicheng said thank you, then got straight to the point: "Lawyer Tan, I want to entrust the subsequent litigation entirely to you. Tell me what agreements need to be signed or what documents need to be supplemented!"

"You're not talking to Saishi anymore?"

"Not anymore!" Lin Sicheng shook his head, "At least not at this stage."

That meant he was still planning to talk later?

Tan Zheng felt it was better to offer a reminder: "Little Lin, based on my professional experience, regardless of the stage—whether before filing suit or after winning—whether through negotiation or mediation, the possibility of reaching a settlement with Saishi Company is not high!"

It was not that Lin Sicheng was unwilling, but that Saishi Company was unwilling.

Lin Sicheng nodded: "Lawyer Tan, I know!"

Tan Zheng paused, as if asking: Since you know, why do you still want to go?

And even, why are you planning to go a second time, and a third?

Lin Sicheng spoke bluntly: "Actually, I just want to see Saishi Company's attitude in responding, so I can infer their subsequent public relations strategy!" Tan Zheng was even more confused: What was there to observe?

Lin Sicheng didn't need to infer; she could give the answer directly:

Step one: Issue an internal investigation report and fire the involved Executive.

Step two: Report to the Economic Investigation Division and characterize this case as "personal embezzlement."

Step three: External PR, shifting the conflict to the individual. Roughly: "Individual employees broke the bottom line, the company is also a victim," "Awaiting the results of the public security organ's investigation, as well as the Court's verdict..."

As for whether the judgment will be executed, that is a matter for the future.

Especially step two: A company like Saishi will inevitably have signed a "Disclaimer Clause" with its management personnel; if an economic dispute or criminal case occurs that damages the company's image, the Court will very likely attribute it to "personal professional crime."

If you don't understand, you can refer to bank credit officers.

The reason Lin Sicheng's case is easy to fight is, first, the Contract was signed in detail, and second, the chain of evidence is too complete:

The procurement channel is Saishi Company's, and the transportation channel, customs clearance channel, as well as installation and debugging, are all the responsibility of Saishi Company. But as the saying goes: winning the lawsuit is one thing; the hard part is what happens after winning.

According to Tan Zheng's understanding and professional experience: there was no need to have contact with Saishi Company at all.

The more you rush to negotiate, the more it shows you are anxious, and Saishi Company will be even less so.

No, that's not right... From beginning to end, Saishi Company never needs to be anxious. Having committed theft many times, they have experience; they have plenty of ways to deal with it. Wang Qi Zhi raised a hand: "Lawyer Tan, I have never understood: why is Saishi Company not anxious, and why do they drag their feet on execution even after a verdict?"

"Are they not afraid that if the matter gets too big, it will affect their reputation in the China market?"

"Because they are certain you don't dare to make a scene; you should know this, right?"

Tan Zheng pointed to the Contract, "There is an option clause here: if the equipment has problems, Saishi Company can re-order on behalf of the Party A, rather than refunding cash."

No need to guess, even if Saishi Company is willing to compensate, they will only choose this option. Otherwise, it would be equivalent to admitting that Saishi Company participated in fraud... which also means you would ultimately still have to use their machines."

The point is here: Saishi Company holds the lock on the Bottom-layer Password for all equipment. Suppose, just suppose: they find some excuse not to authorize the full password, and the equipment cannot perform at full capacity, it is equivalent to being half-crippled."

"Secondly, after-sales technology monopoly: all your equipment is maintained by Saishi Company..."

Pausing slightly, Tan Zheng sighed: "Professor Wang, you know about this, right?"

"I know!" Wang Qi Zhi realized belatedly, "Does that mean if the machine breaks, they will deliberately drag their feet and not fix it for us?"

"It's more serious than that!" Tan Zheng gestured, "For example, occasionally, through a Backdoor program, they can remotely lock the equipment system. Or even worse, send a set of error codes from time to time. No matter which one it is, your equipment will have only one result: paralyzed on the spot!"

Wang Qi Zhi's eyes popped: They can do that?

That means if we offend Saishi Company, even if they compensate us with a batch of brand-new machines, they will become scrap metal?

Damn them to hell;...

A wave of fury rushed to his head, and the curse was on the tip of his tongue, but Wang Qi Zhi suddenly froze: It seemed... not quite right.

As long as it is smart equipment with a chip, or semi-smart equipment that requires system operation, it indeed requires Underlying Code and indeed has Backdoor programs. But the problem is, they were all decrypted by the technical investigators Lin Sicheng hired, right?

The key point is that Lin Sicheng has a brand-new set of keys in his hands, which are even at a higher level than those of Saishi Company.

If they weren't high-level, there would be no way to normally run the instruction code of a Third Generation Machine within the systems of first-generation machines and Refurbished Machines.

This means that as long as it is equipment of the same brand and series, Lin Sicheng has a way to make the machines run as usual without authorization from Saishi Company? Thinking of this, Wang Qi Zhi finally understood why Lin Sicheng insisted on taking a trip to Saishi Company to see their attitude toward the situation. Because he needed to judge whether Saishi Company knew what that Vice President Liu had done, and what the nature of this incident was.

The answer is obvious: Saishi Company does not know, and they are even less aware that this batch of equipment had backdoors opened by the Senior Engineers of the original manufacturers, namely Bruker and Keyence.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration crossed Wang Qi Zhi's mind, just like the loose thread on a ball of hemp; as long as he grabbed it, the whole tangled mess could be unraveled:

Lin Sicheng definitely does not want to trick a batch of equipment back to unlock it with the keys in his hands, because that is illegal, and the original manufacturer would win any lawsuit. He must have another way.

But what exactly is it?

For a moment, Wang Qi Zhi was so anxious he was scratching his ears and cheeks.

When in doubt, ask your apprentice; he stared blankly at Lin Sicheng.

Lin Sicheng did not speak and avoided his gaze; Wang Qi Zhi let out a "Ha!"

He understood: it is not that Lin Sicheng won't say, but that the timing is not yet ripe.

In Lin Sicheng's own words: if it's said out loud, it won't work anymore...