Leaving Yunxi Village
"You can go," she continued, her voice low.
Zhou Zhenguo and Qiao Jianmin breathed a sigh of relief almost at the same time, but when they heard Zhong Ling continue to speak, they immediately tensed up and waited for her next words.
"This place," Zhong Ling's eyes swept over the vague shadows of villagers peeking outside the courtyard wall, "is indeed not peaceful anymore."
Zhou Zhenguo and Qiao Jianmin breathed a sigh of relief, but their hearts were not completely at ease. They knew that Zhong Ling's words usually had a second half.
As expected, Zhong Ling's eyes swept over the old man, then the two people behind him, and continued, "However, my conditions need to be more specific."
The old man nodded and made a "please speak" gesture: "Go ahead."
"First, a place to live." Zhong Ling held up a finger, "I want an absolutely independent courtyard, similar to the environment here, but bigger and quieter.
Security measures are fine, but they can't be pervasive surveillance. Perimeter security is fine, but I have the final say on the interior."
"Second, the cultivation base." She held up a second finger. "The ownership, use, and management rights of that land must be completely in my hands. What to plant, how to plant, how much to plant, when to plant, and when to harvest are all my business. No one is allowed to interfere under any pretext, including so-called 'technical guidance' or 'assisting management.'"
The old man nodded slightly, indicating that he was listening.
"Third, the acquisition of the results." Zhong Ling's tone remained unchanged. "The price, according to the price you sent people to buy last time, 200 per kilogram is the base price. It will only go up and not down depending on the situation.
I'll also need some upfront funding for start-up and ongoing expenses. The specific amount is up to you, but it shouldn't be too shabby."
This made Qiao Jianmin's mouth twitch. She had actually set the price of two hundred yuan per kilogram as the base price, and had even explicitly stated that she wanted a price increase and prepayment.
"The fourth and most important point." Zhong Ling looked at the old man, her eyes calm but firm, "I reserve the right to terminate the cooperation and leave Shangjing at any time.
Whenever I want to leave, you cannot stop me or force me to stay for any reason. I am free to come and go, this is my bottom line."
As soon as this last condition was announced, everyone's faces turned grave. Although the first three conditions were harsh, they were still within the scope of negotiation.
But this last condition was almost a test of the bottom line. Giving someone so much freedom, especially when she wielded unknown power, was too risky.
The smile on the old man's face finally faded a little. He was silent for a long time, tapping his fingers lightly on the stone table, obviously making an intense weighing of the pros and cons.
Zhong Ling did not urge him, but just sat there quietly, as if she was sure that the other party would agree.
She is very clear about the value of what she has and where her bottom line is.
The resources in Beijing are good, but if it comes at the cost of losing absolute freedom, then she would rather continue to stay in this small mountain village. Even if it is a little troublesome, at least she can be free.
Time passed minute by minute, and the knocking stopped.
The old man raised his head and looked at Zhong Ling again, as if he had made up his mind, his eyes filled with determination: "Okay."
Zhou Zhenguo and Qiao Jianmin looked at the old man with questioning and worry in their eyes.
The old man didn't look at them, but continued to speak to Zhong Ling: "In principle, on behalf of the country, I agree to your conditions.
Regarding the specific details, we will have people from the relevant departments contact you later to draft a formal agreement.”
He paused and added, "Regarding the advance payment, it will be put in place as soon as possible."
Zhong Ling looked at the old man and added, "Also, all transition arrangements must be completed in one go. I won't handle any trivial matters; you can just move in directly."
These words are not a discussion, but just a notification.
Upon hearing this, the old man smiled genuinely and nodded, "As it should be. The state fully respects your core request."
We will prepare everything for you, an independent, safe environment that meets your requirements.
Comrade Qiao Jianmin will be fully responsible for coordinating specific matters to ensure efficiency and simplicity, and you will not be bothered by cumbersome procedures. "
He looked at Qiao Jianmin, who immediately straightened up and nodded solemnly: "Yes, I promise to complete the task."
"Well then," the old man stood up, and Zhou Zhenguo hurried forward to support him. "We look forward to our cooperation with Comrade Zhong Ling in Shangjing to proceed smoothly and truly benefit the people."
Zhong Ling also stood up, without saying anything, but just nodded slightly as a response.
The deal was done, and the atmosphere relaxed. The old man didn't linger any longer, and, accompanied by Zhou Zhenguo and Qiao Jianmin, turned and walked out of the courtyard.
The chief researcher took a last deep look at Zhong Ling with a complicated expression, then left.
The courtyard door closed again, isolating the two worlds inside and outside.
In the open space outside, security personnel quickly gathered and escorted the old man to the car.
Only then did the provincial and municipal leaders dare to move closer and have a few whispered words with Zhou Zhenguo and Qiao Jianmin.
The convoy started quickly and drove out of Yunxi Village quietly, just as low-key as when it came.
It was not until the taillights of the convoy disappeared around the corner of the mountain road that the villagers seemed to be freed from the spell and were instantly in an uproar.
"Leaving? Leaving now?"
"Who was that just now? Was he really a big boss?"
"Ms. Zhong really invited an important person here! They even sat down in the yard to talk!"
"What did they talk about? Didn't Zhong come out to see me off?"
"Look at that grandeur! My goodness, something big is going to happen in our village!"
Wang Jianguo stood on the edge of the crowd, feeling a little confused.
He used to think that Zhong Ling was aloof and difficult to get along with, but now she has become so mysterious without his knowledge.
He wanted to go forward and ask what was going on, but he couldn't move his feet. The sharp looks of those "plainclothes officers" just now still made him feel scared.
He could only wave his hands, telling the villagers who were still gathered nearby to disperse quickly: "Go back! Go back! Go back! Go do what you need to do! Stop making noise here!"
The villagers dispersed, looking back every few steps, but the topic about Zhong Ling and the "big leader" was destined to be discussed for a long time in Yunxi Village.
In the courtyard, Zhong Ling stood alone beside the stone table.
It seems that the "vacation" in Yunxi Village has ended early.
Going to Beijing?
Okay.
It seems like a good idea to continue my "vacation" somewhere with better conditions and more abundant resources. At least, it can save me a lot of obvious trouble.
And since we are leaving, it would be a waste to keep the vegetables in the field. It would be better to dispose of them and settle some causes and effects.
Having made up her mind, she found Wang Jianguo's phone number and called him.
Not long after, Wang Jianguo hurried over, a hint of respect on his face. "Zhong... Zhong Ling, are you looking for me?" He didn't even dare to call her "girl" anymore.
"Village Chief," Zhong Ling nodded and pointed to the vegetable patch, "I'm going to get rid of all these vegetables."
Wang Jianguo was stunned, then a look of regret appeared on his face: "This... is such a delicious dish, what a pity." He was worried, did the talks fall through?
"I'm ready to leave," Zhong Ling told the village chief. "Let's sell these vegetables to the villagers. You all helped a lot when my grandmother passed away. I'll keep the same price as last time, 20 yuan per pound, as a thank you gift."
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