90: Chapter 90: Successfully won the bid!

Three days after the review meeting at the National Academy of Materials Science, in the afternoon.

Chen Fan was in the office of Fanxing Technology; the production line equipment for the "Xuanniao" was also fully set up. Sunlight streamed through the glass, casting bright patches of light onto the polished floor.

A soft knock sounded at the door.

"Come in."

The door opened, and in walked the honest and simple driver from the fleet—Liu Dazhu.

He carefully carried a bulging cloth bag in his hands, his face showing a mix of nervousness and hard-to-conceal excitement.

Behind him followed a middle-aged woman whose face was still a bit pale but who seemed to be in good spirits; she was his wife, who had been bedridden for many years.

"Chen... President Chen." Liu Dazhu's voice choked up slightly as he pulled his wife forward to bow.

Chen Fan immediately stood up, walked quickly around the desk, and supported them. "Master Liu, what are you doing? Please sit, sit down and talk."

Liu Dazhu pointed to the woman beside him. "This is my wife."

Chen Fan nodded politely and greeted her.

Liu Dazhu's wife's eyes instantly turned red, and she held Chen Fan's hand, refusing to let go. "President Chen, President Chen... thank you, thank you so much! Dazhu told me everything. It was you, it was that foundation of the company, that helped find a suitable kidney donor and paid for all the surgery and medical expenses... The doctor said I'm recovering very well and will be like a normal person after resting for a while... We, our couple, really don't know how to thank you..." she said, starting to tear up again.

Liu Dazhu stood by, honestly rubbing his hands and nodding repeatedly. He carefully placed the cloth bag on the coffee table. "President Chen, we don't have anything valuable at home. These are some dried sweet potatoes my mother dried herself, and a few pairs of insoles she embroidered... Please don't look down on them, it's just a small token of our gratitude..."

Chen Fan looked at the simple cloth bag, a warm current rising in his heart. He remembered this matter; some time ago, Liu Dazhu had been threatened by Long Zaitian and almost did something wrong because of his family's difficulties. Chen Fan had stopped him just in time after finding out.

At that time, he had Lin Hao handle it in the name of the company's newly established "Spark Mutual Aid Foundation" and had Xiao Zhi perform high-precision matching and priority coordination within legal medical data resource banks. Ultimately, they found a highly compatible and voluntarily donated kidney at a hospital in the south. The foundation covered all costs in full.

"Master Liu, sister-in-law, you're being too polite." Chen Fan invited them to sit and personally poured water. "The company wouldn't be where it is today without brothers like Master Liu who work so diligently. The original intention of establishing the foundation was to help our own people resolve their worries. Your recovery, sister-in-law, is the best news, better than anything else. I'll accept these things; thank your mother for her kindness."

He then asked in detail about Wang Xiuzhen's recovery and urged her to rest well, telling them to inform the company of any future difficulties. The Liu Dazhu couple left the office with a thousand thanks.

Watching their departing backs, a trace of a smile appeared on Chen Fan's lips. With great power comes great responsibility. Protecting these kind and ordinary people around him and making their lives better because of him—this sense of accomplishment was sometimes even more grounding than conquering a cutting-edge technology.

---

The next morning, Chen Fan took the preliminary design drawings completed by Xiao Zhi to find Wang Defu.

Wang Defu was watching the unloading of a batch of special scrap metal. Seeing Chen Fan arrive, his face lit up with a smile. "Xiao Fan!"

Wang Defu was no longer the gloomy old man guarding the scrap yard. He wore clean work clothes, looked hale and hearty, and his eyes glinted with shrewdness and drive, giving him the air of a minor leader.

Wang Defu asked impatiently, "Xiao Fan, I heard from Lin Hao that we beat out that Jinfeng Materials from the Long family for that big project at the National Academy of Materials? That really brings us honor!"

"It's basically settled; we're just waiting for the official announcement." Chen Fan nodded with a smile, then changed the subject. "Grandpa Wang, have the procedures for the property rights dispute of your old house been completed?"

The smile on Wang Defu's face faded slightly, and he sighed. "It's done. Now that I have the property deed, I feel at ease."

"Then let's tear down that old house and rebuild it," Chen Fan said directly. He opened the tablet he brought and pulled up the design drawings. "I had Xiao Zhi make a preliminary design plan based on the terrain of your land and your lifestyle. Take a look."

An artist's impression of a modern, minimalist-style two-story small building appeared on the screen. The exterior was simple and elegant, yet full of detail.

"This... this was designed for me?" Wang Defu's eyes widened as he leaned closer to the screen.

"Yes." Chen Fan swiped through the images, introducing them. "Considering your age, it's a completely barrier-free design with level, non-slip floors. The highlight is this smart home system—"

He tapped an interface. "Voice control for the whole house. If you want to turn on the lights, close the curtains, or adjust the temperature, just say the word. Air purification and a fresh air system are standard. The kitchen has smart anti-dry-burn and leak alarms. The bedroom and bathroom have emergency call buttons connected directly to my phone and the community hospital. I've left a plot in the backyard for you to grow some vegetables, and I've also designed automatic irrigation. The whole house's energy can be connected to the grid, or we can consider using solar power; you basically won't have to pay electricity bills."

Wang Defu listened in a daze, especially when he heard terms like "voice control," "smart," and "emergency call." He found it novel but also felt a bit overwhelmed. "This... how much will this cost? It's too high-end; it's a waste for an old man like me to live in..."

"You don't need to worry about the money; thank you for your trust and support from the very beginning." Chen Fan's tone brooked no refusal. "A house isn't just for living; it's to put those who care about you at ease. Qingyue also always mentions that it's unsafe for you to live in the old house alone. With this, we'll all be at peace. If you think anything is inappropriate, just say so, and I'll have Xiao Zhi change it."

Wang Defu looked at the warm, bright "home" on the screen, then at Chen Fan's sincere face. His eyes reddened slightly, his lips moved, and finally, he nodded heavily, patting Chen Fan on the shoulder. "Good! Xiao Fan, Uncle Wang will listen to you! This house... is good! Truly good!"

Once the matter of building the house was settled, a weight was lifted from Chen Fan's heart.

---

A few days later, a heavyweight announcement was officially posted on the website of the National Academy of Materials Science and in authoritative media of related industries:

"Public Notice on the Results of the Selection for the Winning Bidder of the Special Research Project 'Heat-Resistant High-Temperature Insulation Tiles for New Aircraft Engine Turbine Blades':

Following procedures such as public solicitation, formal review, expert evaluation, on-site defense, and comprehensive assessment, the winning bidder for this project is hereby determined as follows:

Winning Bidder: Fanxing Technology Co., Ltd.

Project Leader: Lin Hao

Winning Bid Amount: 2 million yuan (Initial R&D funding)

Public Notice Period: 5 working days..."

The announcement's wording was rigorous, but the information was clear. The name of Fanxing Technology was prominently listed at the top.

When the news broke, the industry was shaken once again. Fanxing Technology's another success in a top-tier national materials project completely solidified its status as a "technological dark horse" and even one of the "leaders." Many downstream manufacturers and investment institutions that were still on the fence completely dispelled their doubts and began frantically seeking cooperation opportunities.

Inside the Long Group, however, there was a deathly silence. The crushing defeat of Jinfeng Materials was like the last straw that broke the camel's back, making the already tottering Long Group materials sector even worse. Long Zaitian tried to use his last connections to file an "appeal" or "challenge," but it was like a stone sinking into the ocean, failing to stir even a single ripple.

The tide had completely turned toward Fanxing.

Lin Hao held the tablet, excitedly reading various positive comments from the internet and the industry regarding the bid announcement. "Fan Zi, this time we've completely established a firm foothold in the field of aviation materials! Orders and cooperation requests are flying in like snowflakes!"

Chen Fan picked up his phone and sent a message to Fu Dong: "Engineer Fu, thank you for your constant trust in me. We won the bid for the insulation tiles for the National Academy of Sciences."

Fu Dong replied: "It's all because your technology is excellent; I didn't help much."

An image of a meteorite was sent over. "Look, I found a meteorite in the Gobi Desert. I'll give it to you. Look at the texture on it; doesn't it look like your name, CF?"

"It really does. Then thank you very much, Engineer Fu." Chen Fan was still very moved by Engineer Fu's thoughtfulness.

"Alright, I'll find a courier to send it to you in the next couple of days," Engineer Fu said.

"Hao Zi, you handle the interface with the National Academy of Sciences regarding their requirements," Chen Fan said, looking up at Lin Hao.

"Okay, leave it to me. You can rest easy ten thousand times over." Lin Hao smiled and readily accepted the task.