137: The phone number in Chapter 137, was it just gilded?

Beijing.

Upon receiving a call from Zhou Fan, Chang Hongsheng's face was full of smiles; he was clearly in a very good mood.

"You brat, you haven't contacted me for so long, yet you suddenly call me. There must be something up, right?"

Chang Hongsheng knew how busy Zhou Fan was; it was impossible for him to call just for a simple chat.

"Academician Chang understands me. There really is something this time, and I would like to ask for your help!"

On the other end of the line, Zhou Fan did not beat around the bush and went straight to the point.

"Do you know anyone at the Haicheng Institute of Optics and Machinery? I want to borrow their laboratory. I wonder if there's any way to manage that?"

"Haicheng Institute of Optics and Machinery? What do you want to borrow their laboratory for?" Chang Hongsheng was stunned for a moment, feeling a bit puzzled.

"I want to synthesize a light source!"

"A light source?" Chang Hongsheng furrowed his brows.

"Yeah, is there a way?"

"This matter is a bit troublesome. I can only say I'll try!" Although he was puzzled, Chang Hongsheng did not refuse, and his tone became a bit more serious.

"Alright, then I'll trouble you!"

"Why are you being so polite with me!"

"..."

After hanging up, Chang Hongsheng was still somewhat puzzled. He only knew that Zhou Fan had deep research in software engineering and materials, but he didn't know he was also interested in light source technology.

The Haicheng Institute of Optics and Machinery... He was not familiar with this research institute; after all, it was not in the same research field, and they usually had no contact.

"What's wrong, Old Chang? You look so worried. Whose call was that just now? Did the project run into trouble again?" A voice suddenly came from the side.

Wang Bingsheng looked at Chang Hongsheng's expression and couldn't help but ask.

"It's Zhou Fan!"

Chang Hongsheng replied absentmindedly, still thinking about how to contact the Haicheng Institute of Optics and Machinery. Borrowing a laboratory was not that simple.

"Zhou Fan?" Wang Bingsheng's eyes instantly lit up, and he became interested.

A few months ago, Zhou Fan helped them upgrade the quartz glass material, solving the problem with the external protection system's optical windows and protective covers, which made the project progress very smoothly.

He had always been thinking about how to repay this favor.

Although they had already applied for a project bonus for Zhou Fan and paid the technical patent fees, these were standard procedures, and this was a separate matter.

Compared to the contributions Zhou Fan made, material rewards were certainly far from enough!

"Did Zhou Fan run into any difficulties?" He looked at Chang Hongsheng's expression and asked, guessing.

"It shouldn't be much of a problem, right? He wants to borrow the laboratory at the Haicheng Institute of Optics and Machinery. He called to ask for my help, but I'm not familiar with them, so I'm trying to figure out what to do!"

Chang Hongsheng said with a bitter smile.

"You're not familiar with them? Then just find someone who is. If that doesn't work, apply to the higher-ups!" Wang Bingsheng said: "Zhou Fan should still hold the position of technical consultant for your project team, right?"

"Talk to Chief Engineer Zhao?"

"Now that you mention it, that's true! How did I not think of that?" Chang Hongsheng's eyes also lit up.

Although neither of them knew anyone at the Haicheng Institute of Optics and Machinery, as the chief engineer of the rocket engineering project, Zhao Chengping surely had a way.

Thinking of this, he made a decision in his heart.

rocket engineering project base.

Chief Engineer's office.

"Zhou Fan wants to use the laboratory at the Haicheng Institute of Optics and Machinery?" After listening to Chang Hongsheng's report, Zhao Chengping's face wore a look of confusion.

"Isn't he into software engineering and materials? Why is he suddenly working on light source technology?"

"I'm also completely confused, but since Zhou Fan has asked, I have to try to find a way. After all, he has helped us a lot!"

Chang Hongsheng also had a bitter smile on his face, but then he continued, guessing:

"Before I came, I thought about it. Although Fanmi Technology makes mobile phones, it has always been targeted by some foreign tech giants. I think his research on light source technology... might be related to the lithography machine?"

"lithography machine?" Zhao Chengping's expression became serious, and he fell into deep thought.

"You mean his research on light source technology is aimed at breaking through the bottleneck of domestic lithography machines and paving the way for the localization of future chip manufacturing?"

"It's very possible!" Chang Hongsheng nodded.

"Then that's a good thing!" Zhao Chengping was silent for a moment, then said:

"Look into this matter a bit more. If it's really as we think, I'll find a way to borrow the laboratory, and you should personally go to the Haicheng Institute of Optics and Machinery!"

"Okay!" A look of joy appeared on Chang Hongsheng's face, and he immediately turned and left the office.

...

...

Suburbs.

Haicheng Institute of Optics and Machinery.

A closed laboratory was located by the Huangpu River. Within a 5-kilometer radius, there were almost no commercial facilities, but the transportation was very convenient, the surrounding greenery was good, and it was quiet and peaceful.

In an office within the research institute campus.

Two figures were communicating, one of whom had just put down the landline phone.

"Director Lan, was that a call from above?"

"Yes, they said a comrade wants to borrow our laboratory equipment and will arrive tomorrow!"

Lan Bowen nodded slightly, his expression serious, with furrowed brows.

"Borrow the laboratory? What kind of person has such a big background that they can get the higher-ups to call directly?" Deputy Director of the Institute He Xingwei asked with some curiosity.

"They didn't say, only that the person will arrive tomorrow. It is said they want to research the light source technology for a 45nm Lithography Machine..." Lan Bowen's tone was even more serious.

"45nm... Are you kidding me?" He Xingwei was stunned for a moment, and also furrowed his brows.

"I haven't heard of any laboratory in the country with faster progress on light source technology than us. If the problems with laser devices and high-end lenses aren't solved, it's useless whoever comes!"

"Could it be that the higher-ups got lenses from abroad? But that doesn't seem right either. Even if they got high-end lenses, why would they come here to experiment?"

"..." Lan Bowen did not speak, just shook his head slightly, evidently also having no clues.

"Regardless, since it's a task assigned by the higher-ups, we definitely can't neglect it. Let's see who exactly is coming tomorrow!"

"I'm actually a bit curious. How many people are coming? I'll go prepare!" He Xingwei thought for a moment and spoke again.

"It seems there's only one..."

"One person???"

The two looked at each other, staring blankly.

What can one person do?

They aren't here to pad their resume, are they??

He Xingwei furrowed his brows again and couldn't help but mutter.

One person borrowing a laboratory to research light source technology for a 45nm Lithography Machine sounds inexplicably strange no matter how you look at it.

The only thing he could think of was that some second-generation heir had a sudden whim and came here to pad their resume!

Things like this had happened before.

Some overseas-returned graduate students, with no real ability but very arrogant, relied on their backgrounds to slack off here, often leaving after half a year or a year.

In fact, it was just to make their resumes look better so they could get better treatment when they went to big companies outside.

Such people not only waste resources but also waste their time. He disliked them extremely and couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed.

The research tasks were already very heavy, and now they had to specifically clear out a laboratory for someone else to use, and it wasn't even a team, just a suspected second-generation heir here to pad their resume?

"Did they say how long they would be here?"

"Not clear..."

Hearing this, He Xingwei's heart sank again.