Chapter 100 Su Yuanshan's Idol
"Our strength is still too weak, so we can only follow behind the big players and sip the soup," Su Yuanshan said as he and Xi Xiaoding walked behind Sheng Guangfeng toward the R&D center, constantly sighing along the way.
Sheng Guangfeng couldn't help but laugh: "Your technical prowess is already famous in Silicon Valley. Some people even believe Yuanchip must be a state-backed project. And you call that weak?"
"Heh, if we really had the whole country behind us and still couldn't stand firm in Silicon Valley, wouldn't that be even weaker?"
Sheng Guangfeng smiled awkwardly.
He had to admit — Yuanchip had the technology, but it lacked deep roots and global influence.
Thus, it had no choice but to expand its influence by "selling itself" while buying up companies.
When they arrived at the R&D center, Su Yuanshan discreetly wiped the sweat off his palms with a tissue.
After all — he was about to meet his idol.
Even he couldn't stay completely calm.
Just like TI President Vincenti, Dr. Zhang Rujin had cleared his schedule after receiving the appointment request.
He sat in his office trying to work, but couldn't focus.
This year marked his fifteenth year at Texas Instruments.
Over the past decade, he had built wafer fabs around the world — from Silicon Valley to Japan, from Europe to Taiwan.
His reputation as a master fab builder had spread far and wide.
Next month, he was scheduled to go to Singapore to build yet another 8-inch fab.
His nickname had traveled throughout the semiconductor world — and even into his own home.
But it was one simple comment from his aging father that had shaken him deeply:
"When are you going to build a fab in the mainland?"
At that moment, footsteps sounded outside the door.
Zhang Rujin adjusted his glasses and looked toward the young man entering first.
"Hello, Dr. Zhang. I'm Su Yuanshan," the young man said.
Before Sheng Guangfeng could introduce them, Su Yuanshan stepped quickly to the desk and bowed deeply.
Though the bow wasn't very formal, it showed genuine respect — surprising even Xi Xiaoding and Sheng Guangfeng.
Since when was this brat so polite?
But Zhang Rujin didn't overthink it.
He assumed it was just a Japanese-style formality.
He leaned forward, shook Su Yuanshan's hand warmly, and said with a smile:
"President Su, you're too polite. Please, have a seat."
When he withdrew his hand, Zhang Rujin realized Su Yuanshan's palm was slightly sweaty.
He smiled silently.
After shaking hands with Xi Xiaoding, they all sat down in the reception area.
Sheng Guangfeng, acting as the perfect secretary, began making tea.
Su Yuanshan pressed his lips together, slowly calming his emotions.
He knew that Zhang Rujin was about to head to Singapore.
Next year, he would recruit 300 people from China to train there — though in the end, fewer than 100 would actually return.
If Chen Jianguo's destiny hadn't changed, he would have been among those 300.
"I heard that Xinghai wants to collaborate with Texas Instruments.
Is there an idea to build a fab?"
Zhang Rujin asked kindly.
He looked so approachable that even though Su Yuanshan was nervous, he quickly found his rhythm.
"Please, Dr. Zhang, just call me Xiao Su," Su Yuanshan said with a smile.
"I didn't call you President Zhang, after all."
"Haha, alright then."
Su Yuanshan exhaled slowly:
"Dr. Zhang, Yuanchip does plan to build fabs eventually.
After all, the mainland's most advanced fabs are still stuck at six-inch lines, and the processes are lagging far behind."
"But building fabs is a huge step.
Yuanchip is still a purely private company, and right now... we simply haven't saved enough money."
Zhang Rujin laughed heartily but noted carefully that Su Yuanshan spoke of "Yuanchip" and not "Xinghai."
"Still, while building fabs can wait, talent development cannot.
We heard you're headed to Singapore, so... if Dr. Zhang would consider recruiting some people from the mainland..."
Before Su Yuanshan could finish, Zhang Rujin clapped his hands:
"Exactly what I was thinking!"
Su Yuanshan breathed a huge sigh of relief, stood up, and bowed again:
"On behalf of the people of China — thank you, Dr. Zhang."
Zhang Rujin froze.
So did Xi Xiaoding and Sheng Guangfeng.
When Su Yuanshan finished his bow, Zhang Rujin hurriedly stood up, grabbed Su Yuanshan's arm, and urged him to sit down again, muttering:
"I don't deserve such thanks."
"You do," Su Yuanshan said with a big smile as he sat down.
"China's reforms are now irreversible.
Yuanchip is rising on the back of this wave.
The future here will only get better.
If you ever return, Yuanchip will welcome you with open arms."
Zhang Rujin smiled and nodded:
"I believe it."
"I'll be waiting for you in the mainland," Su Yuanshan said.
Su Yuanshan politely declined Zhang Rujin's invitation to stay longer.
This was just an unofficial visit, and he had a tight schedule.
On the plane, Xi Xiaoding couldn't stop staring at him, full of confusion.
"Senior Brother, don't look at me like that," Su Yuanshan said, lounging in the business class seat with his eyes half-closed.
"Everyone has an idol."
Xi Xiaoding was speechless:
"I just find it odd.
Dr. Zhang is a great fab builder, sure.
But you're not even in the same field!
Shouldn't Robert Noyce be your idol instead?"
Of course he meant the legendary "Father of Silicon Valley."
"Robert Noyce is my idol too," Su Yuanshan said quietly, closing his eyes.
But in his heart, he knew —
Zhang Rujin deserved it more.
Because he had sacrificed everything —
his savings, his career, even his nationality — to return and build China's semiconductor industry from scratch.
When building Guoxin in Shanghai, Zhang Rujin personally lived at the muddy construction site, working day and night.
He once invited another heavyweight engineer to join him.
But because the salary was much lower than abroad, the man hesitated and said he had to discuss it with his wife.
Zhang Rujin said:
"I'm just an islander standing here knee-deep in mud.
You're a native of Shanghai — and you're hesitating?"
The man immediately signed the contract — then called his wife afterward.
Later, when TSMC sued him twice and he was forced out of Guoxin, banned from working in semiconductors for three years, Zhang Rujin wept like a child.
That's why Su Yuanshan had said:
"I'll be waiting for you in the mainland."
Those words echoed something a Chinese delegation had once said to Zhang Rujin in 1996:
"We're waiting for you in the capital."
Those words had such power that Zhang immediately resigned and returned.
Such a man deserved to be Su Yuanshan's idol.
And deserved the title of "Godfather of Chinese Semiconductors."
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