514: Chapter 59 Preparing to poach talent

and a name and phone number.

Xia Xue.

Shen Yan dialed that number.

The phone rang for a long time before it was picked up.

"Hello, who is this?" A female voice came through, clearly tired and hoarse.

"Hello, may I speak with Ms. Xia Xue?"

"I am. What is it?" The other party's tone was somewhat impatient.

"I picked up a set of design drafts named 'Dawn'." Shen Yan said calmly.

The other end of the line instantly fell into a dead silence.

A full five seconds passed.

The female voice rang out again, now urgent and trembling.

"You! Where are you? I'll be right there!"

"Wutong Road, Iris Coffee Shop."

"Don't move! Absolutely do not move! I'll be there in ten minutes!"

After speaking, the other party hastily hung up the phone.

Shen Yan put away his phone and walked back into the coffee shop, sitting in his original spot.

He ordered another cup of coffee for himself.

In less than ten minutes.

A taxi screeched to a halt outside the coffee shop.

A woman wearing a white shirt and jeans rushed out of the car.

She looked to be around thirty, with her hair tied in a simple ponytail and wearing black-rimmed glasses.

Her eyes beneath the lenses were bloodshot and filled with anxiety.

She rushed into the coffee shop, her gaze sweeping around quickly.

When she saw the brown paper tube on Shen Yan's table, her steps stopped.

She walked over quickly.

"Sir, was it... was it you who found my things?" She panted, her voice trembling.

"Ms. Xia?" Shen Yan looked up at her.

"Yes, yes, I am Xia Xue!"

Shen Yan handed the tube over.

"See if it's yours."

Xia Xue snatched it up and opened it to check, almost trembling.

After confirming it was correct, she seemed to instantly lose all strength and collapsed into the chair opposite.

"Thank you... thank you so much... truly..." She spoke incoherently, her eyes turning red.

"These drawings... they are more important than my life."

She took out her wallet from her bag and pulled out all the cash inside, about two or three thousand yuan.

"Sir, this is a reward. I know it's not much, but right now I..."

"No need." Shen Yan interrupted her. "Just buy me a cup of coffee."

Xia Xue was stunned.

She looked at the man in front of her.

He was wearing well-tailored casual clothes, possessing a calm and unhurried temperament.

He didn't seem like someone who would make a special phone call over two thousand yuan.

"You..."

"Shen Yan." Shen Yan introduced himself.

"Mr. Shen, no matter what, thank you so much for this time." Xia Xue composed herself and said sincerely.

She beckoned the Waitress over, having a refill for Shen Yan and ordering a cup for herself as well.

"Judging by your appearance, are these drawings very important?" Shen Yan asked as if casually.

When the drawings were mentioned, Xia Xue's eyes instantly lit up.

The fatigue from before vanished, replaced by a fanatical gleam.

"More than important," she clutched the paper tube in her hand. "It is the crystallization of our entire team's effort, and it is the future of China's semiconductor industry."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it was full of power.

"The 'Dawn' Project sounds grand," Shen Yan remarked.

"We aim to bring about the dawn for China's own chips." Xia Xue's tone carried an almost obsessive pride.

"But as far as I know, currently in the domestic semiconductor industry, whether it's lithography technology or EDA software, we are dependent on others." Shen Yan's words were calm, yet very sharp.

The light in Xia Xue's eyes dimmed slightly.

"Yes, you are correct." She gave a wry smile. "Funding, equipment, talent... we lack everything."

"Our team, seven or eight people, all returned from overseas."

"We gave up high salaries and comfortable environments abroad just to create something of our own."

"But only after returning did we realize how difficult it is."

"We approached countless investment institutions, but as soon as they heard we wanted to develop core architecture, they couldn't even be bothered to look at the project proposal."

"They are only interested in projects that are quick to launch and fast to profit. No one is willing to take on this kind of arduous task with huge investment and a long return cycle."

Her voice was filled with disappointment and helplessness.

"So, you are currently funding it yourselves?" Shen Yan asked.

Xia Xue nodded.

"We rented a small workshop, the equipment is all second-hand, and we can barely pay salaries now."

"These drawings are the preliminary design draft for our latest generation chip architecture. I was planning to take it to an elder to seek some advice and support, but I never expected to lose it."

"If we couldn't find it, all our efforts over the past few years would be completely wasted."

Saying this, she looked at Shen Yan again, her eyes full of gratitude.

"Mr. Shen, you are a good person."

"I am not a good person." Shen Yan shook his head. "I am just a businessman."

Xia Xue paused.

"janus, have you heard of it?" Shen Yan asked.

Xia Xue's eyes suddenly widened.

"I am its owner."

Xia Xue was completely stunned.

She looked at Shen Yan as if meeting him for the first time.

The sudden emergence of 'janus' was no less than an earthquake for people like them engaged in cutting-edge technology research.

It meant that behind it was an entity possessing terrifying technical strength and immense capital.

And the owner of this entity was currently sitting opposite her.

Picking up her drawings for a two-thousand-yuan reward?

She wasn't a fool.

She instantly understood something.

"CEO Shen... you..."

"I am very interested in the 'Dawn' project." Shen Yan got straight to the point.

"I can not only provide you with funding, equipment, and a laboratory."

"I can also provide you with the computing power support of 'janus'."

Every word Shen Yan spoke exploded like a heavy bomb in Xia Xue's heart.

Funding!

Equipment!

Laboratory!

And the computing power of 'janus'!

For a field like chip design that requires massive data computation, she knew better than anyone what the computing power support from 'janus' meant.

It would increase their R&D efficiency by a hundredfold, a thousandfold!

Her breathing became rapid.

"CEO Shen, you... are you serious?"

"I never joke." Shen Yan looked at her. "What I want is the entire team."

"I want you to merge into Star Technology and establish an independent Semiconductor Business Unit."

"You will have independent R&D rights and unlimited funding support."

"I have only one requirement."

"Within three years, I want to see China's own high-end chips appear on the market."

Shen Yan's terms were domineering and direct.

Yet they were filled with fatal temptation.

Xia Xue's heart pounded violently.

Everything she had dreamed of was now placed right in front of her.

But...