Chengming Liu finally saw what Hongqi was after, plain as day. Dressed up nicely, they called it "buying technology," but stripped of euphemism, it was trying to take someone else's engine know-how and stick their own badge on it.
Across the table, Chenggong Xia realized he had pushed too far and tried to smooth things over. "Ahem, Old Liu, that's a bit much. We're all state-owned companies. Technical support between us is normal. For Audi, engine R&D is child's play." He turned with a practiced smile. "President Lu, please don't take offense. I know this request is excessive, but we won't ask you to contribute for nothing. We'll certainly pay a generous fee."
He kept smiling as he poured wine for Heifeng Lu, trying to coax him. He knew it was a little shameless, but he was only the messenger. His job was to convey the ask. Whether it landed wasn't his concern.
Heifeng merely glanced at him and shook his head inwardly. What went through the head of whoever proposed this? Because we are all state-owned, I am supposed to hand over my technology. Are you out of your mind?
As Chenggong reached to refill his glass, Heifeng said, "President Xia, don't bother, I'm not drinking. Go back and tell the person who came up with this to develop it themselves and stop looking for crooked shortcuts. Acting like this only makes me look down on you and feel ashamed for you."
He stood, nodded to Chengming, and kept it courteous. "Brother Liu, I have something to attend to, so I'll leave first. Enjoy your meal."
Hearing that, Chengming rose too. He was embarrassed, since he was the one who had brought Chenggong today. He had not expected a request this over the line. Whether they would agree or not, the ask itself was shameless. He also worried Heifeng would think he was part of it and start keeping him at arm's length. "President Lu, wait for me. I'll go with you; we can talk later."
Left behind, ignored, and fuming, Chenggong pushed back his chair. In his mind, even if the ask was significant, they could sit down and bargain. Walking out without even talking was looking down on him. He shot to his feet, ready to leave and report on what had happened.
A waiter stepped into his path. "Sir, excuse me, you haven't settled the bill."
"The bill," he blurted, stunned. "Wasn't this Liu's treat. Why would I be paying?"
"Your party of three spent a total of ¥2,659, which is about $380 at a common conversion. The other two just left without paying," the waiter said, polite but firm. "Please settle now, card or cash."
For a moment, the world went blank. Not only had the matter fallen through, but he was also paying for their meal. The money wasn't much, but it felt like a scam. "Card," he ground out. After he paid and headed for the door, he heard the waiter whisper to a colleague that the man in a suit had been playing dumb to freeload and had been caught in the act.
His chest tightened. A dignified technical director at a car company freeloads over a few thousand yuan. You, a waiter, who exactly are you looking down on?
"Damn you, Chengming. Damn you, Heifeng. Just wait," he muttered, forcing himself to leave before anger swallowed him.
On the other side, after leaving, Heifeng got into Chengming's car, and they headed back to the hotel. In the car, Chengming asked, half joking, half worried, "Brother, you don't blame me for bringing Xia along, do you. I really have nothing to do with him."
Heifeng smiled. "What do you think, Brother Liu?"
"Haha, good," Chengming chuckled, then couldn't resist a little mischief. "I did vent your anger a bit. I didn't pay before I left."
"I bet his face is black right now," he added, openly pleased with himself.
He had left the bill on purpose to disgust Chenggong. "You're terrible," Heifeng said, amused despite himself. Then he frowned, thinking back to what had been said just now. "Xia wouldn't have made that request without someone behind him. They sent him to test my attitude. They'll try another route."
Back at Hongqi, after returning, Chenggong called the person in charge and reported everything that had happened. "President Xu, Heifeng's reaction was firm. It looks like swallowing Audi's technology won't be easy."
On the other end, the answer was flat. "I know. Leave this to me."
After hanging up, Chaoran Xu sat and thought, then sneered. "You took Hongqi's orders. If you don't take something out, how is that justified?"
Ever since the Hongqi C5's R&D ran into trouble, he had been anxious, because the car's development was tied to his own future. Whether he could satisfy the leaders was his biggest concern; nothing else was in scope. So much money had been poured into R&D, and after so many years, there were still no tangible results.
Now the leaders were very dissatisfied.