Come! Negotiation
The car slowly drove away from Yunxi Village. Qiao Jianmin calmed down, picked up the encrypted phone, and dialed Zhou Zhenguo's number. His voice was more serious than ever before: "Old Zhou, the situation... may be much more complicated than we expected. She agreed to talk, but she put forward a condition..."
On the other end of the phone, Zhou Zhenguo listened quietly, his brows furrowed tighter and tighter.
The news was reported up the chain of command as quickly as possible.
After listening to this, the leader did not say much, agreed to Zhong Ling's request, and decided to go to Yunxi Village in the name of "inspecting local agricultural development."
After the news was confirmed, the entire relevant system began to operate.
A few days later, the tranquility of Yunxi Village was completely broken.
First, the city sent people to urgently repair, widen and pave the dirt road in Yunxi Village with asphalt.
Immediately afterwards, a working group from the province also entered the village committee, saying that they wanted to investigate typical cases of rural revitalization.
Village chief Wang Jianguo was so excited these days that he couldn't sleep at night, and the wrinkles on his face were all smiling.
He was informed that a "very, very important" leader was coming to inspect the village and specifically wanted to see Zhong Ling's vegetable patch!
This is a great thing, as smoke is coming out of the ancestral graves of Yunxi Village!
Wang Jianguo immediately called together all the villagers and held an emergency meeting in the village committee compound.
"Listen up!" Wang Jianguo stood on a makeshift platform, holding a loud speaker. His voice was booming and filled with irrepressible excitement. "In two days, a high-ranking official will come to inspect our village! This is a huge honor for Yunxi Village!"
The villagers were suddenly in an uproar, talking among themselves, with shock and excitement written all over their faces.
"Which big leader?" someone asked in a hoarse voice.
"Don't ask around!" Wang Jianguo glared at the man. "Anyway, the leader specifically asked to see Zhong's vegetable patch!"
When Zhong Ling was mentioned, the villagers' chatter became quieter and their expressions became complicated.
That girl Zhong who sells vegetables for 200 yuan per pound actually alarmed the central government?
"Remember all of this!" Wang Jianguo raised his voice and his tone became serious. "On the day the leader comes, every household must clean up the front and back of their houses! No littering! No quarreling or swearing! No wandering around outside in slovenly clothes!
Everyone, show your best spirits! If anyone causes trouble for me that day and brings shame to Yunxi Village, don't blame me for being rude! "
He paused, his eyes sweeping across the room. "Especially since the leader might talk to us, we should answer whatever they ask, and don't talk nonsense if they don't ask! Especially regarding things concerning Miss Zhong's family, they know their limits, so let's not gossip in front of the leader, okay?!"
"I heard it!" The villagers responded sparsely.
For the next few days, the entire Yunxi Village was immersed in an atmosphere of excitement and anxiety. Every household was busy cleaning, and even the laziest people were forced to work by their families. The atmosphere in the village was unprecedentedly harmonious.
None of them expected that a seemingly ordinary grassroots inspection concealed secrets that affected the future of the country.
On the appointed day, the atmosphere in Yunxi Village reached an unprecedented peak.
The morning mist had not yet completely dissipated, and many villagers were already standing on both sides of the newly paved asphalt road leading out of the village.
They were wearing what they thought were the most respectable clothes, and their eyes kept looking towards the intersection, their faces full of excitement, curiosity and nervousness.
Village chief Wang Jianguo was even more nervous, pacing back and forth at the entrance of the village with several village cadres, adjusting his collar from time to time and scolding the children who tried to move forward.
At around nine o'clock in the morning, a convoy consisting of several black cars and a minibus drove into Yunxi Village under the guidance of several police motorcycles.
There were no sirens blaring, no colorful flags waving, but the whole village suddenly became quiet.
The convoy did not stop at the village committee, but drove straight to the east end of the village, and finally stopped steadily in the open space outside Zhong Ling's old house.
The car door opened, and the first people to get out were several security personnel in plain clothes. They quickly dispersed and took their positions.
Immediately afterwards, Qiao Jianmin (the carrier pigeon) and Zhou Zhenguo quickly got out of the car and solemnly opened the back door of the middle car.
An old man with a calm face and gentle and deep eyes got out of the car.
He was wearing a simple dark coat, but his every move exuded a profound and majestic aura.
The chief researcher and the main leaders of the province and city were also accompanying them, but they all consciously kept a distance and gave up the central position.
Wang Jianguo watched from afar, his palms sweating with excitement. He wanted to go forward but didn't dare, so he could only stand there with the villagers and watch quietly.
After getting off the car, the old man did not rush to the gate of the courtyard. Instead, he looked up and looked around this ordinary small mountain village before his eyes fell on the gate.
"Is this the place?" he asked softly, his voice calm.
"Yes, Chief." Zhou Zhenguo answered respectfully.
At this moment, the wooden door creaked open from the inside.
Zhong Ling was still wearing simple casual clothes, with short and neat hair, standing calmly inside the door.
Her gaze passed the security guard at the door and fell directly on the old man. There was no fear, no flattery, only a calm scrutiny.
Qiao Jianmin stepped forward and was about to introduce.
The old man smiled and waved his hand, then took two steps forward and stood not far from the courtyard gate. He spoke gently, "You are Comrade Zhong Ling, right? I came here at your invitation."
His voice was not loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly, carrying a reassuring power.
Zhong Ling nodded and stepped aside: "Please come in."
"Chief, be safe..." the security chief next to him whispered a reminder.
The old man waved his hand again, indicating that it was okay, and then took the lead to walk into the yard.
Zhou Zhenguo and Qiao Jianmin followed closely behind, and the chief researcher also came in. The rest of the people were stopped outside the courtyard.
In the yard, the stone table and stone benches are still there, and the vegetables in the vegetable garden are bright green and exude vitality.
The old man looked at the vegetables with interest, and a strange light flashed in his eyes.
"Let's talk here." Zhong Ling pointed to the stone table in the yard, with no intention of inviting them into the house.
The old man didn't mind and sat down on the stone bench without hesitation.
Zhou Zhenguo and Qiao Jianmin stood behind him, and the chief researcher looked at the vegetables curiously.
"Comrade Zhong Ling," the old man said after he sat down. His gaze fell on Zhong Ling again and he got straight to the point. "We already know something about your situation. These... plants you cultivate are extraordinary and may have great significance for the country and the people."
"We come here with sincerity," the old man said earnestly. "The country hopes to learn about the technology you possess and to discuss the possibility of cooperation with you. Of course, the premise is that we respect your wishes and choices."
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