After the divorce, I became a rich girl

Li Jiawei looked at Professor Xu Zhili, whose face was filled with regret and resignation, and asked, "Professor Xu, how long will it take for this engine to reach your desired performance?"

After a moment's thought, Xu Zhili responded, "If the R&D funds are in place in time and I'm given another year, I'm confident I can double its current power."

"Then how much more research and development funds do you need?" Li Jiawei asked immediately.

Xu Zhili sighed helplessly, held up three fingers, and said, "It will probably take another three billion!"

"So many?" Even though Li Jiawei had prepared herself mentally, she was still shocked when she heard the number.

I also truly felt how expensive it is to do a research project. It costs 3 billion a year, and this is based on certain R&D results.

Xu Zhili saw Li Jiawei's surprised expression and felt bitter in his heart. He thought that Mr. Li might be frightened by the high amount of R&D funds and was about to back down.

After all, R&D, especially in the mechanical field, burns money at an alarming rate, almost in seconds.

When he led the team to start the engine research and development project, there were several bosses willing to invest in him at the beginning. However, after witnessing the speed at which money was burned, those bosses said frankly that they could not afford such a speed of consumption and withdrew halfway. It was for this reason that the progress of his project was so slow.

Xu Zhili secretly wondered if he should reduce the amount of R&D funding. After all, Mr. Li was the only investor who could possibly support him in continuing R&D, and he couldn't afford to scare him off right at the beginning of the cooperation talks.

Just when Xu Zhili was struggling with whether to understate the amount by a few hundred million, he suddenly heard Li Jiawei say, "Our Li Group wants to invest in this project!"

Although the 3 billion yuan proposed by Xu Zhili was not a small amount, it did not exceed Li Jiawei's psychological tolerance.

After all, the Li Group has invested 600 million US dollars in Huanyu Automobile, which is more than 4 billion Chinese yuan when converted into Chinese currency. So in comparison, she thinks the funds required by Xu Zhili are still within a reasonable range.

Advanced foreign technologies are also built with huge amounts of capital. What's more, Li Jiawei doesn't believe that the Li Group will get any return on the 600 million US dollars it invested in Huanyu Auto. She really doesn't trust the credit of foreigners.

In recent years, foreign capital has intensified its technological blockade against China, and many Chinese companies' overseas investments have suffered heavy losses.

Some Chinese companies originally hoped to exchange funds for technology, but in the end they lost all their money and learned a lesson.

Therefore, Li Jiawei feels that instead of investing a large amount of money in overseas R&D projects, it is better to fully support domestic R&D work.

At least this way, no matter what the final result is, you can gain something.

In contrast, foreign companies often only bring difficult cross-border lawsuits to Chinese companies, and the probability of winning is almost negligible.

After Li Jiawei and Xu Zhili reached a preliminary cooperation intention, they hurried back to Xishi.

In the chairman's office, Li Jiawei presented the carefully prepared project plan to Li Ronghua and said, "Chairman, I have carefully studied Professor Xu Zhili's current research and development results. The engine he developed has excellent performance.

If we invest in Professor Xu's project, the ultimate return will surely be several times the current investment."

Li Ronghua listened to Li Jiawei's report while looking at the information in his hand.

Li Ronghua was no stranger to Xu Zhili, having met him several times at national science and technology exchange conferences.

As a well-known domestic mechanical expert, Xu Zhili often gives speeches as the organizer's special expert.

Therefore, Li Ronghua is still somewhat interested in Professor Xu Zhili's research and development project.

However, when Li Ronghua saw the investment amount of 3 billion, his brows couldn't help but frown more and more.

He looked up at Li Jiawei and asked, "Jiawei, are you sure the R&D funding is 3 billion? This investment is really too much!"

Li Jiawei said: "Chairman, you can take a look at the data I marked. These are the various parameters of the engine currently being developed by Professor Xu Zhili.

As long as there is sufficient funding, Professor Xu is confident that he can take engine performance to a higher level based on the existing data.

By then, the performance of this engine will reach the world's top level!"

Li Ronghua looked at the data Li Jiawei mentioned and said, "Even if the engine developed by Professor Xu Zhili achieves the performance he promised, it will not be very practical for our company.

After all, we have invested in Huanyu Auto's R&D project. The engine developed by Professor Xu Zhili has no advantages compared with the one being developed by Huanyu Auto.

Jiawei, the group cannot invest twice in the same project. This is not in the group’s interest.”

Li Jiawei looked at Li Ronghua and said, "Chairman, I... have always been negative about investing in Huanyu Automobile."

Li Ronghua looked at Li Jiawei with disapproval, sighed and said, "Jiawei, investment is not a small matter.

I know that you and your eldest brother are in competition now, but you must understand that the basis of your competition is not to harm the interests of the group.

Besides, the investment in Huanyu Auto has already been approved by the board of directors. Even if you voted against it, the result wouldn't have changed, right? Could it be that none of these directors see the matter as clearly as you do?

Li Jiawei took a deep breath and said, "Chairman, I am not denying the directors' judgment on the project. I will not mix personal emotions into the company's decision-making. I will only speak based on facts.

You should be aware that many places abroad are now imposing technological blockades on China.

You might as well think about it, if Huanyu Auto really develops the world's most advanced engine, will the local government allow Huanyu Auto to share the technology with us?

By then, the contract we signed with Huanyu Auto will be a piece of waste paper. Foreign companies have done the same thing before.

By then, not only will we not be able to obtain the technology we want, but we will also probably become the laughing stock of our peers.”

Li Ronghua closed the documents in his hand, looked at Li Jiawei and said, "The contract with Huanyu Auto has been signed, and the initial investment has been paid. Do you think the group has any other options now?

Investing another 3 billion in Professor Xu Zhili's project? This is simply unrealistic. Not to mention that I won't approve it, even if this project is submitted to the board of directors, this investment plan will not be approved.

So, you don't need to mention this matter anymore. As for Professor Xu Zhili's project, the group can provide 100 million yuan, which can be regarded as support for him."

Li Jiawei took a deep breath, still wanting to fight for it, and just opened her mouth: "Chairman..."

Just as she opened her mouth, she was interrupted by Li Ronghua. He said seriously, "Jiawei, if you had given me this information before we started working with Huanyu Auto, I would definitely have invested in Professor Xu Zhili's R&D project. But unfortunately, you missed the opportunity."

Li Jiawei came out of Li Ronghua's office with a bad look on her face, and happened to see her sister-in-law Zhong Xinlan coming out of the elevator with a document in her hand.

Li Jiawei immediately adjusted her expression and greeted with a smile: "Sister-in-law!"

When Zhong Xinlan saw Li Jiawei, she also responded with a smile: "Jiawei, do you have something to do with your father? Why don't you go in first?"

Li Jiawei shook her head and smiled, "I have already reported my work to the chairman." As she spoke, her eyes fell on the document in Zhong Xinlan's hand and said, "The chairman is not busy now, so I won't delay your report."

Li Jiawei nodded to Zhong Xinlan and walked straight into the elevator. As the elevator door slowly closed, her expression became solemn again.

Ever since her sister-in-law, Zhong Xinlan, came to the company, she would always run into her sister-in-law after reporting to her father. She didn't believe that her sister-in-law wasn't spying on her.

However, Li Jiawei didn't care much about Zhong Xinlan's surveillance.

She had nothing to hide regarding company matters, and she knew her father wouldn't hide anything from her eldest brother.

Although the uncle asked her father and Uncle Liang not to interfere in her competition with her eldest brother, it was understandable that the father and son exchanged feelings on the phone and discussed work opinions.

However, although Li Jiawei didn't care about being monitored, she was really disgusted by her sister-in-law's behavior.

Li Jiawei returned to the office, stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the city scenery outside, feeling frustrated.

Just as his father Li Ronghua said, the group has already invested in Huanyu Auto, and it is indeed unlikely that it will allocate another 3 billion to Professor Xu Zhili's R&D project.

After all, to invest more than 700 billion yuan in research and development in just one year, even if the Li Group has strong financial resources, it cannot afford such expenses.

However, when Li Jiawei thought about Professor Xu Zhili's current research project, she felt unwilling to give up. She had full confidence in Professor Xu Zhili, and all he lacked now was research and development funds.

If Professor Xu Zhili terminates the project research and development due to lack of funds, it will undoubtedly be a huge loss for the country.

However, Li Jiawei was not one to give up easily. In the following period, she visited several group directors one after another, hoping to gain their support.

But the results were not satisfactory and both proposals were rejected. After all, as my father Li Ronghua said, a group would not invest two large sums of money in the same project.

Li Jiawei came out of a director's house and sat in the car with her eyes closed to rest.

The person she visited today was the last director she planned to meet, and as expected, she was rejected again.

Li Jiawei secretly calculated the number of directors who rejected her. Including the one today, even if a board meeting was held, the number of people who opposed her would already be in the majority.

In this case, there seems to be no point in visiting other directors.

Just then, Li Jiawei's phone rang. Seeing the name on the caller ID, she couldn't help but sigh, but still picked up the phone and pressed the answer button: "Professor Xu!"

Xu Zhili could hear the fatigue in Li Jiawei's voice on the other end of the phone. He seemed to have the answer in his mind. He smiled bitterly and asked, "Mr. Li, is this investment hopeless?"

Li Jiawei was silent for a moment, and after a long while she said, "Professor Xu, I'm sorry, I failed to fulfill my promise."

Xu Zhili seemed to have anticipated this outcome and said, "Mr. Li, I'm actually prepared for this outcome. After all, three billion is not a small amount, and it's not just the Li Group that's scared away investors."

Xu Zhili looked at the revised drawings in front of him and the densely packed calculation data, his heart filled with emotion.

During this period, his team thought they had finally received investment. Everyone was in high spirits and worked overtime day and night to draw drawings and calculate, with the sole intention of developing the engine successfully as soon as possible.

This group of people all dream of making China's engine technology surpass the top level abroad. However, the shortage of R&D funds is like an insurmountable gap, making the dream seem out of reach.

"Mr. Li, I understand that you have tried your best to get this. I am really grateful to you."

Li Jiawei listened to the deep helplessness in Professor Xu Zhili's words, and her heart was filled with mixed emotions, which eventually turned into a long sigh.

For the next few days, Li Jiawei didn't go to the group. It happened to snow heavily, so she stayed home, sipping tea and playing with her two children. Without the constant distractions of company matters, Li Jiawei found her days leisurely and comfortable.

She lay on the recliner, looking at the snowflakes flying outside the window, thinking that no matter who would take over the Li Group in the end, the fact that she was the second largest shareholder of the group would not change, and making money would still not be a problem. Why should she worry about the company's troubles?

Li Jiawei looked at Sui Sui and Nian Nian sleeping peacefully in their small beds, and out of boredom she picked up her phone to browse social media.

Perhaps because I used to read entertainment news frequently, the content pushed by big data is mostly entertainment information, occasionally interspersed with a few social news.

Suddenly, Li Jiawei's fingers stopped sliding the screen and her eyes fixed on a post.

"Professor Xu Zhili's project has stalled due to funding shortages and other issues, and several members of the R&D team have been poached by Huanyu Auto for high salaries!"

Li Jiawei sat up from the recliner instantly, hurriedly found Professor Xu Zhili's contact information in the address book, and dialed it.

The phone rang more than ten times before it was connected. Professor Xu Zhili's voice on the other end was filled with fatigue: "Mr. Li, why are you calling?"

Li Jiawei quickly said, "Professor Xu, I saw a blogger online saying that your R&D team is going to be disbanded, and that some R&D staff have been poached by Huanyu Auto. Is this true?"

Professor Xu Zhili rubbed his brows wearily and said helplessly, "I can't even pay their salaries right now, and they all have families to support and need to eat and live. I understand if they want to leave."

Li Jiawei was speechless for a moment. She had seen the data on the engine development of Professor Xu Zhili's team and knew that if these talents flowed into Huanyu Auto, it would undoubtedly be a huge loss for China's engine research and development.

She asked, "Professor Xu, have they accepted Huanyu Auto's invitation?"

Professor Xu Zhili replied, "Not yet. They are all hesitant. But the salary offered by Huanyu Auto is quite generous. To be honest, even I am a little tempted. I think they will eventually agree. After all, ideals cannot be eaten."