Twenty years of cold chain

Chapter 53 Master and Disciple

When Zhongles presented its data to Minghe, comparing it with the ice energy bidding proposal, the entire technical department of Minghe was shocked. They had to give Zhongles an explanation, otherwise, if word got out, it would be considered a case of fraudulent bidding, and Minghe could not afford such a reputation.

Qi Zhendong, who was in charge of the bidding process, could not bear such responsibility. He also had to give the group an explanation. If this matter was not handled well, he could be dismissed at any time.

Similarly, Bingneng must also provide an explanation to the industry; otherwise, if it uses a data-manipulation scheme to participate in bidding, it will be unable to continue operating in the industry.

The data fabrication left the technical department utterly bewildered. Was Bingneng suicidal? Why would they engage in such unscrupulous practices? In reality, if the scandal hadn't come to light, it would have been a completely different story.

Ice Energy's objective is simple: secure the contract first. Once the contract is signed, execution becomes a different matter entirely, meaning there's a lot of room for maneuver. Because once a genuine cooperation is established, many aspects and steps can be more easily agreed upon privately.

U4 can beat its competitors, but it can't beat the container trucks. To win this huge order, it has to use unconventional methods.

But isn't Bing Neng worried about things being exposed and putting himself in grave danger?

That would be underestimating ice energy. Without proper preparation, who would dare to defy the industry?

Just one night later, Bingneng sent a "severe complaint" to Minghe, and after a thorough internal investigation, the matter has been resolved.

Kang Xingkai was the person in charge of this bidding process, and he was also Hu Shutong's assistant throughout the entire proposal preparation process. This fact can be corroborated not only by people within Bingneng, but also by Pang Shiyou. In order to become the sales director, Kang Xingkai did not hesitate to bribe Hu Shutong with money to have him modify the data.

Kang Xingkai, who considered himself most familiar with Hu Shutong's proposal, applied to be the independent presenter that day. Even Bing Neng was tricked when it came to the data.

Besides these written statements, there was also a thick stack of printed black-and-white photos, which the Ice Energy Group obtained by retrieving surveillance footage during its thorough investigation. The photos showed one person holding a stack of money, while another half-heartedly complied, finally exposing their clandestine affair.

Next came the usual platitudes from Bingneng Group, expressing deep concern about lax internal management and promising to conduct thorough screenings for key personnel in the future.

In an instant, Bing was able to shift all the blame onto "people"!

Bing Neng knew that Ming He had no interest in investigating those things, and didn't even care whether they were true or false. To them, as long as you could make it sound perfect and satisfy everyone, no one would bother to investigate or pester you. This was good for everyone.

In the office, Qi Zhendong was the first person to see the document. He picked up each photo and scrutinized them countless times. His gaze repeatedly lingered on Hu Shutong, recalling many unpleasant memories and wondering why this person always made him unhappy.

"Mr. Qi, if there are no problems, I'll send it to Zhonglesi. They're really pushing us too hard."

Qi Zhendong didn't speak, but got up and went to the window. The evening clouds were sometimes red and sometimes blue, with red edges and blue centers.

Qi Zhendong remained silent, and his assistant dared not move. It was only after a long while that he returned to his desk.

But just as he picked up the materials, he suddenly slammed the letter and photos face down on the table.

"Go and communicate with Zhonglesi, tell them that the group has received Bingneng's explanation, but the group needs to hold an internal meeting to discuss it, and will give them a reply within five days."

"Five days? Mr. Qi! You're not kidding, are you?!"

"Should I say it again?"

"But Zhongles seems to be acting like they've eaten ice energy; I'm afraid word will get out within the company!"

"This is not your concern. Do what you can."

After his assistant left, Qi Zhendong pondered for a long time before finally picking up the phone.

……

In the city hospital, Hu Shutong sat by his teacher's bedside, peeling an orange.

Pang Shiyou looked normal. Apart from wearing a hospital gown, he was not lying down. When Hu Shutong arrived, he saw him sitting on the edge of the bed reading a book.

Seeing Pang Shiyou like this, Hu Shutong felt relieved.

"What happened to your face?" Pang Shiyou asked, staring intently at his face.

Hu Shutong scratched his head with a wry smile, "It was too late yesterday, and it was dark on the road. I accidentally fell into the bushes by the roadside while riding my bike."

"Are you hiding something from me?"

"Teacher, don't overthink it. What could possibly happen to me?"

"I had Xiao Wu contact you all day, and you didn't reply to a single word, but then you suddenly showed up."

"My phone is dead, you can see for yourself."

"It's good that nothing's wrong." Pang Shiyou took the orange from Hu Shutong's hand, and was about to pinch off a segment when he handed it back to Hu Shutong. "No, this one is high in sugar too."

Hu Shutong couldn't help but chuckle. If it weren't for his long-term interaction with Professor Pang, this old professor would have always been seen as a dignified and authoritative figure in his mind. Only after a while did he discover that this was a person who was approachable and full of fun.

"You should take better care of yourself; you look older than me."

Hu Shutong nodded silently, without saying a word.

"Back when Lao Hong was still a PhD student, he was working on a spray-painting method for refrigerated trucks for a company. Oh, Lao Hong was a PhD supervisor at the university, and Li Zhou was someone he mentored from his undergraduate years. Lao Hong is a straightforward person, and after a drinking session, the solution became the achievement of a local university. Ironically, he had already included this solution in his doctoral dissertation's practical report, and his own work was labeled as plagiarism."

"People don't show their evil intentions until they're satisfied with their gains. Old Hong was set up in a complete trap, with the timeline meticulously planned. Before the incident, he was on friendly terms with the person in charge. This incident caused Old Hong to be subjected to a lot of questioning and even become depressed. He didn't dare to leave his house and didn't dare to see anyone. It took him more than two years to recover."

Upon hearing this, Hu Shutong knew that the news had reached Pang Shiyou.

Facing his teacher, he felt immense guilt, his eyes flashed with regret before quickly becoming moist, and he suddenly became restless.

"Shutong, experience will not be lenient with anyone. As long as you move forward, there will be bitterness, hardship, crisis, and even life and death. Facing it is not easy, but there is no other choice. The most important thing is the way you face it. You must always maintain a positive attitude and know what your weapons are, instead of being filled with resentment and abandoning everything in the desire for revenge."

Hu Shutong nodded, tears dripping onto the orange segments. Pang Shiyou knew Hu Shutong's pain and lingering fear. When Hu Shutong lowered his head, he also propped up his glasses and pinched the corner of his eye.

"Kid, if I remember correctly, you're here today to offer my condolences, aren't you?"

"I'm sorry, teacher." Hu Shutong raised his head and smiled slightly.

"That's right, the sky didn't fall, and everyone's still alive. What are your thoughts?"

"The teacher is right. Leave academic matters to academics. I want to do something."

Pang Shiyou slowly stood up and said, "Go, and focus on doing it."

Not long after Hu Shutong left, when Xiao Wu entered the ward, she was shocked to find that Pang Shiyou had already taken off his hospital gown and put on his clothes. "Professor, please don't be so willful."

"Going to process my discharge; I need to get to the University of Minnesota tonight."

"Since Minghe has given us five days, it means this matter definitely won't get out within the timeframe. The technical and equipment teams will certainly keep quiet!"

"There's no such thing as keeping a secret forever. I have to go back and keep an eye on things. If Mingda finds out about this, Shutong will be ruined. I have to nip it in the bud at the slightest sign of trouble. I was the one who spearheaded the ice energy project; I can't let him shoulder the burden alone. That guy's got a lot of ulterior motives!"

"But……"

"What are you standing there for! I've been telling you all this so you can be quick about it!"

……