Without further hesitation, Su Tang stood up and followed Sun Dahai quickly outside.
...
The military green "Liberation" jeep bounced violently on the dusty dirt road, and the scenery outside the window rushed past, all that could be seen was monotonous yellow earth and sparse weeds.
Su Tang sat in the back seat, her hands unconsciously twisting together. She wasn't looking at the scenery; instead, she closed her eyes, her mind replaying every detail of what had just happened in the cafeteria like a movie.
Looking at the desolate scenery rushing past the window, I couldn't calm my mind.
Wang Xiaoya's words, "I'll wait for you to come back," and her dazzlingly bright smile, played repeatedly in her mind like a scene from a movie.
Something's not right.
That feeling was like the calm before a storm, a calm that made one's heart race.
The car suddenly stopped, the tires screeching on the gravel, interrupting her thoughts.
"Comrade Su An, we've arrived."
"Comrade Su An, are you... are you carsick? You don't look well." The driver, a young guard, noticed Su Tang's pale face in the rearview mirror and asked with concern.
"It's nothing." Su Tang opened her eyes, her voice a little hoarse.
She forced herself to calm down. There was no point in overthinking now.
The destination was a small conference room in the military district's guesthouse. This was a heavily guarded place used by the military district to receive important guests.
Sun Dahai led her smoothly to a door on the second floor. He nervously straightened his collar before cautiously knocking on the door.
"Please come in." A steady voice came from inside.
As you push open the door, a scent mingled with the aroma of tea and a faint smell of ink wafts out.
There were three people sitting in the conference room.
The leader was an elderly man with gray hair and silver-rimmed glasses. He was dressed in a faded Zhongshan suit and had a refined and scholarly air about him, like an old pedant.
Beside him sat a middle-aged man in a crisp military uniform. The two bars and four stars on his shoulder insignia gleamed under the light, revealing his rank of senior colonel. His expression was serious, exuding an air of authority.
The other one was Zheng Hongyi, a vice minister from Beijing and an old acquaintance of Su Tang.
"Greetings, Vice Minister Zheng, and esteemed leaders." Su Tang composed herself, stepped forward, stood at attention, and saluted with perfect, unhurried movements.
"Haha, young comrade, don't be so reserved, please sit down, please sit down." The refined old man stood up with a smile, personally pointed to the chair opposite him, and his attitude was as kind and friendly as a neighbor's grandfather.
Zheng Hongyi also stood up, a smile of appreciation on his face, and introduced her: "Comrade Su An, let me introduce you. This is Qian Rong, the chief engineer of the Fifth Research Institute of the Ministry of Ordnance Industry of our country. This is Senior Colonel Li Wanshan, the vice president of the Fifth Research Institute."
The Fifth Research Institute of the Ministry of Ordnance Industry!
Su Tang understood. This was the most advanced conventional weapons research institution in the Dragon Kingdom. The development of almost all army equipment, from guns and cannons to tanks, was inseparable from them.
It seems that my little muzzle brake has really caused a huge problem.
"Hello, Professor Qian. Hello, Vice President Li." Su Tang greeted them again, sitting down opposite them with neither servility nor arrogance, her back ramrod straight.
"Good, what a spirited young lady!" Old Qian looked at her, becoming more and more satisfied, his eyes like those of someone appraising a peerless gem.
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