Chapter Eighty-four Direct Supply Products

  Su Cheng walked up to Professor Huang's side, gently pulled back the telegram, and slowly put it back in the envelope while saying: "Professor Huang, you have been in the domestic oil industry for many years, have you ever heard that Halliburton only buys patents from domestic companies, not equipment?"

  Professor Huang forced a smile.

  "Have you ever heard that Halliburton bought cheap machinery for domestic oil companies?"

  Professor Huang's smile is uglier than his cry.

  "Our twin-screw pump, just a set of drawings, was sold for $12.9 million, Halliburton bought it and can only produce 1,000 sets, Professor Huang... what do you think about this level of technology? Can it reach the domestic advanced level?" Su Cheng looked harmless but had grasped a good card and wouldn't let go.

  The two professors, Sun and Wang, looked at Professor Huang with sympathy, thinking to themselves: It's actually true that Harriet Burton bought their patent. Fortunately, they didn't say anything, so they just pretended not to know and continued eating.

  They ate with relish, as if they hadn't heard others talking. It was the time of year when "missile scientists are not as good as tea egg sellers", and only during the year-end awards period could professors eat something good.

  Professor Huang finally succumbed under Su Cheng's stern gaze after hesitating for half a day, saying: "It can reach the domestic advanced level."

  Su Cheng sighed and said: "When you say it's not reached, you don't look at our design. When you say it's reached, you still don't look at our design..."

  Professor Huang was so angry that he almost burst into tears: I've given in, what more do you want.

  Su Cheng looked at Professors Sun and Wang and asked: "What do you two think?"

  Professor Sun wiped his mouth and said calmly: "Since it can be sold to Halliburton, it means that at least the design is at a world-class level. There's no problem with domestic advancement."

  He didn't have the nerve to say that Harry Burton's experts were better than theirs.

  Professor Wang smiled and said: "It seems to be one of the few good designs in China."

  Being a scholar and being an official are different, reversing black and white has a limit, after all, there is real data and experiments that can be proven. In the domestic academic circle, worshipping foreign things and fawning on foreigners is inevitable when translating a foreign paper. In an era where redoing a foreign experiment can get published in a journal, Dahua Industry's patent was sold to the world's largest oil technology service provider, the implication is clear.

  Professor Huang is now dead, and his stubbornness has finally come to an end. If he had gone out and announced it, he would have become a laughing stock. Forget about being a academic tyrant. As for Sun and Wang, they don't care. They hadn't commented on the design of Dahua Industry before, so whatever they say now won't make them lose face.

  Having obtained a definite answer from the three professors, Su Cheng smiled faintly and put the envelope into his breast pocket, saying: "If there's nothing else, then I'll take my leave first, Director Xu. Thank you."

  Xiao Pang swung his butt and brushed past Xu Fuyou, letting out a heavy hum.

  Xu Fuyou was completely unaware, his mind full of "Director Xu, thank you!", no doubt, due to his "help", the three professors in the expert group naturally held a supportive attitude, and it was a matter of course that Dahua Industry would get one or two "Scientific Achievement Awards". During the time when all sorts of gods were showing off, he really helped people save time and energy.

  Professor Huang let out an "alas" and started drinking his wine in silence.

  Professor Wang chuckled twice, took two big bites of his food, and stood up saying: "Director Xu, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."

  "Go, go." Xufuyou didn't have anything else to say either.

  Professor Huang was in a bad mood, and with the help of wine, he narrowed his eyes and said: "Old Wang, you're not a good person. I asked for your help, but look at what you've done."

  "I didn't take the money." Professor Wang was still not satisfied, he hummed twice and said disdainfully: "I'm just here to keep you company, a mud Bodhisattva, but a river."

  Professor Sun, with a mouthful of fragrant braised pork, chuckled and said: "Old Huang, having walked many midnight roads, you've finally met a ghost. I think you should reflect on your own affairs."

  Intellectuals are timid, he and Professor Wang have never dared to take money from others, at most they just eat and take a little. Professor Huang is a bold master, usually not stingy with sarcastic remarks about these few people. Now that they've fallen into the pit, the two can't help but feel happy for their misfortune.

  After saying a few indifferent words, Wang and Sun left. Professor Huang was left behind, drinking glass after glass of wine, which made Xu Fuyou angry as well.

  "Old Huang, let's go."

  "Where are you going?"

  "Go home." Xu Fuyou and Old Huang were quite familiar, the two had been friends who drank and ate meat together for many years. In recent years, things like awards and evaluations, he all went through Professor Huang to handle.

  Drinking too much wine is easy to get drunk, Old Huang's face was flushed with laughter, saying: "There's no place to go back to, alas, going back to the old home is still okay."

  "Don't talk nonsense." Xu Fuyou still hoped he could help him make connections in the academic circle. Being in a specialized department like the Petroleum Department, if you don't have a few experts and professors who can communicate effectively, it's hard to make your voice heard.

  But Old Huang was already disheartened, smiling foolishly and shaking his head: "Lost face today... lost big face..."

  Watching him stumble away, Xufuyou felt both angry and anxious, but there was nothing he could do.

  ……

  Su Cheng returned to the hotel and dialed Dahua Industrial's external line, then called the number left by Harberton, going through several transfers before finally getting connected.

  Answered the hands-free phone and heard a "hello" from a foreigner inside.

  Huo Changzhang and Qin Yunping held their breath and stared at each other, crouching on both sides of the phone.

  Su Cheng hesitated for a moment before saying in English, "I am Su Cheng, the deputy factory director of China Dahua Industry. I received your telegram and want to purchase the patent for a new batch of double-cylinder oil extraction machines."

  "Please wait a moment, I'll transfer you." The other party covered the phone, and after a while, the "beep beep" sound came from the phone again.

  "Did he get fired?"

  "It's just a transfer." Su Cheng had just explained one sentence when another voice came from the phone.

  The other party's attitude was much more pleasant this time, and he called out: "Mr. Su, are you Mr. Su from Su City?"

  "Yes."

  "I am Jenson, replacing Farrel, representing Halliburton Company, hoping to purchase from you again the patent for 1000 sets of Double Donkey Head Oil Extractors."

  Qin Yun translated the Chinese text with pen and paper for Director Huo to see. The latter was overjoyed, beaming with delight.

  Su Cheng uttered an "oh" and asked: "Where did Farriel go?"

  Jensen naturally didn't know about Farrell's transgression. Apologetically smiling, "He tendered his resignation to the company for some reason."

  Harry Burton is one of the best companies in the industry, and quitting under these economic conditions is a bit like that idiot.

  Su Cheng thought without sympathy, lightly laughed and said: "The patent authorization of 1000 sets of oil extraction machines is no problem. As for the price, it was originally $1299, so... how about lowering it to $1290?"

  "In this regard, it just so happens that I wanted to discuss with you. Since it's the second time we're purchasing the patent, our company is hoping for a lower procurement price, such as below $500."

  "Is your funding under great pressure?"

  "Of course not."

  "If it's like this, suddenly dropping by half, we'll be in trouble."

  "Please consider it, Mr. Su. The company has given me strict restrictions. You know, we are a technical service company, and if the cost is too high, customers will be dissatisfied..."

  "Perhaps I can offer an alternative solution." Su Cheng had the idea while on the phone, and calmly suggested: "We can produce 1,000 sets of twin-head oil extraction machines for you, with a landed price of $3,499 per set. This way, you can save some expenses, and we won't lose too much profit either."

  "In other words, directly provide our products?"

  "Yes." Su Cheng thought of what he said to Professor Huang and couldn't help but laugh. Indeed, there are very few companies in China that only sell patents without selling equipment, because the labor cost and production cost in China are so low that as long as they are given dollars, they are willing to work, and companies that are willing to pay patent fees are also willing to pay equipment costs.

  Jensen said "Just a minute". He started flipping through files.

  "After a while, he bargained again: 'If it can be lowered to below $3,000, then we will proceed with the purchase of 1,000 sets.'"

  "$2990." Su Cheng lowered the price without hesitation. The effect of $1000 is greater than 10,000 RMB. For 1000 oil extraction machines, an additional $1000 would add up to $1 million, which was exactly the price that made Du Lijun from Jinshi General Factory lose face.

  What's more, if they can't sell the equipment, the other party insists on buying the patent for less than $500. He says that he has to agree even if it's not acceptable. In this way, he is making an extra profit of $2,500.

  Of course, Halliburton didn't lose out either. Jansen was delighted that the cost of a set of oil extraction equipment had been reduced by $2,000 and smiled: "Good, let's calculate it at the landed price of $2,990 only. It's just a pity that the production line shutdown will cause some losses."

  Huo Chang saw Qin Yun's translation of the numbers on the paper and was delighted, like a monkey, jumping around the room.

  Su Cheng smiled and said: "Actually, you don't have to buy a production line for production yourself. If we do the OEM, it will save a lot of cost."

  "That's right. Farrel is an idiot and has caused huge losses to the company." Janson cursed, "Actually, we had already planned to move our production line to Mumbai, but since the Chinese side can offer a lower price, this plan will be temporarily cancelled."

  "We can continue to provide products at this price, and you can rest assured," Su Cheng said, but thought: Farrel was trying to make a huge profit back then. If he hadn't registered the patent early, two or three million dollars would have been cheated away, along with a set of patents. However, it's also his fault for lacking patience and not waiting for the result of the patent examination.

  "After exchanging a few pleasantries, Jenson continued: "Regarding the purchase of 1,000 oil extraction machines, although it has already been finalized, would you be able to attend the signing ceremony? Halliburton Company is planning to establish its first branch in China, tentatively scheduled for December 15th, and will hold a signing ceremony and press conference in Beijing, the capital of China..."

  "Of course no problem, congratulations to you. Still busy 10 days before Christmas, really dedicated."

  "Halliburton has branches in over 80 countries and regions around the world, so our employees are used to spending Christmas abroad," Jansen said with a smile. "I'll leave soon and will ask the embassy to send you an invitation letter first."

  Su Cheng sighed and hung up the phone.

  Behind him, Director Huo had already started humming a song: One chicken in his left hand, one duck in his right hand...

  ……