Difficult
He looked at Zhou Zhenguo and said, "Comrade Zhenguo, your department has come into contact with many strange people and things. This time, you will take the lead."
Zhou Zhenguo immediately straightened up: "Yes! Chief!"
"Change your strategy," the old man said firmly. "Stop all covert reconnaissance and probing. Prepare a formal document and make a formal visit in the name of the relevant state departments."
The carrier pigeon was slightly startled, then it understood the leader's intention.
"Our purpose is not to plunder or force."
The old man continued, “First of all, I want to express the great importance that the country attaches to this discovery.
Secondly, we need to understand clearly whether this is a special "skill" mastered by an individual or involves a deeper and broader phenomenon.
What we need is information and the possibility of cooperation, not the creation of an enemy."
He looked at the carrier pigeon and said, "Comrade Qiao Jianmin, you will lead the team on this visit. Your identity is the representative of the National Center for Agricultural and Biotechnology Research.
You should have a correct attitude, be humble, express respect, and state your purpose.
We need to make her understand that the country is aware of this and hopes to communicate on the basis of equality and mutual benefit."
"Yes!" The carrier pigeon responded in a deep voice, knowing in his heart that this mission was more difficult and more important than any previous one.
This is no longer a secret operation by the intelligence agencies, but a formal contact at the national level.
"As for whether the other party accepts it and how to respond, that's the next step."
The old man stood up. "But we must take this step. This matter cannot be delayed any further, and we must not allow some external forces to take the lead."
Remember, the bottom line is to ensure that this discovery, which could affect the future of our country, is in our own hands, or at least does not pose a threat to us."
When the meeting ended and everyone left the conference room, they all understood that the future had begun to change.
Qiao Jianmin personally selected the accompanying personnel. In addition to Xiao Chen, who was familiar with the situation, he also added an expert in the agricultural field and a person in charge of record keeping.
The group of four formed a small official delegation.
Before departure, Qiao Jianmin reiterated the importance of discipline: "Remember, we are representing our country. We must be respectful and equal. The goal is communication, not pressure. We must be careful in what we say and do."
A few days later, two black cars with special passes drove into Yunxi Village in a low-key manner.
This time, there was no sneaking around as before, and the vehicle drove directly towards Zhong Ling's old house.
The villagers had experienced the last incident where the "college student" was taken away by the police, and they were more wary and curious about unfamiliar vehicles and outsiders.
When they saw two cars parked in front of Zhong Ling's house, many idle people peeked in from afar and whispered, but no one dared to go forward.
Qiao Jianmin straightened his Zhongshan suit, took a deep breath, and got off the car first.
He motioned for the others to stay by the car while he slowly walked towards the gate.
Gently knock on the door.
After a moment, the door opened from the inside.
Zhong Ling stood inside the door, her eyes sweeping over Qiao Jianmin, then over the people and vehicles not far behind him. There was no surprise in her eyes, as if she had already anticipated this scene.
"Hello, Comrade Zhong Ling." Qiao Jianmin extended his hand with a sincere smile. "I'm Qiao Jianmin from the National Center for Agricultural and Biotechnology Research. I'm sorry to bother visiting you and hope to have a conversation with you."
Zhong Ling didn't shake his hand, but just glanced at him. "Isn't your last name Liu? Why is it Qiao now?"
Qiao Jianmin was choked. He didn't expect Zhong Ling to choke him.
He paused, adjusted his expression, and smiled, "Ms. Zhong has a really good memory. What happened before was my fault. Let me formally introduce myself again. My last name is Qiao, and my name is Qiao Jianmin. I'm so sorry, Miss Zhong."
Zhong Ling sneered, said nothing, and just stepped aside to let Qiao Jianmin in.
Qiao Jianmin didn't care and walked into the yard.
He looked around. The yard was not big, but it was kept clean and tidy. The vegetable garden looked vibrant, and the air seemed to be filled with a faint fragrance.
Zhong Ling didn't invite him into the house, but stood by the stone table in the yard.
Qiao Jianmin got straight to the point: "Comrade Zhong Ling, we're here on behalf of relevant state departments. Our preliminary analysis shows that the agricultural products you've cultivated are of great value and have attracted great attention at the national level."
His tone was calm, trying to appear objective. "We'd like to know if this unique cultivation method involves any special techniques or conditions. The country hopes to collaborate with you on this area, conducting joint research for the benefit of society."
Zhong Ling listened quietly, her face expressionless. Only after Qiao Jianmin finished speaking did she slowly speak, her voice light but unmistakable: "Director Qiao, right? I understand your intentions."
She paused and looked directly at Qiao Jianmin: "We can talk about cooperation."
Qiao Jianmin's heart tightened slightly. He didn't expect her to agree so readily, but his intuition told him that things would never be that simple.
Sure enough, Zhong Ling’s next words made the experienced Director Qiao feel tremendous pressure.
"However," Zhong Ling's tone remained unchanged, "if we want to discuss this, we should find someone who can actually make the decision. You, or the person behind you, are not at the right level."
Qiao Jianmin's pupils shrank slightly. He hadn't expected Zhong Ling to speak so directly and boldly. What on earth gave her the confidence to say such things?!
"You should know how much my things are worth," Zhong Ling said calmly. "If you want to cooperate, show enough sincerity. Have the person who can make the final decision come to Yunxi Village to find me in person."
Several names flashed through Qiao Jianmin's mind, and his heart was shaken. Could she be referring to...
He calmed himself down and asked tentatively, "Comrade Zhong Ling, what do you mean..."
"My meaning is very clear." Zhong Ling interrupted him, "Let him come here. Otherwise, forget it."
The yard was silent for a moment, with only the rustling of leaves in the breeze.
Looking at the seemingly ordinary young woman in front of him, Qiao Jianmin felt an indescribable sense of difficulty for the first time.
The conditions she proposed were far beyond his ability to handle, and even beyond the authority of the entire department.
This is no longer a question of technical cooperation, it is simply...
Qiao Jianmin was silent for a moment, then replied solemnly, "I will report your request truthfully. Thank you for your honesty today."
"Goodbye, I won't see you off." Zhong Ling nodded slightly, which was considered an order to leave.
With mixed feelings, Qiao Jianmin turned and left the courtyard.
Qiao Jianmin sat back in the car and closed his eyes. For the first time, he felt exhausted. All the prepared words and documents were useless. After all these years, this was the first time he had encountered such a person and such a thing. Sigh...
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