Chapter 235 A Tough Attitude
Wang Zihua was still indignant: "This Hans is too despicable, actually using such a shady trick!"
Jiang Haitang folded up the messed-up drawings and traced the outlines of Sun Wukong's golden cudgel with her fingertips. "The more anxious he is, the more guilty he seems."
She suddenly remembered something and turned to Vice Minister Zhou and said, "During the customs inspection just now, I noticed that Hans and the hook-nosed official exchanged glances. They might be related."
Deputy Minister Zhou nodded. "You've observed very carefully. There's something fishy about these two people. I'm afraid we won't be so successful this time."
Jiang Haitang then told the Jincheng Textile Factory that she suspected Hans was blackmailing the factory and demanding a high repair fee before he would repair the machines.
Vice Minister Zhou did not expect that there was such a connection.
He only knew that Jincheng Textile Factory had solved a mechanical problem that cost more than $100,000 to find foreign experts, but he never thought that they would meet in Country D.
"Haitang, the issue you raised is crucial. Hans is obviously a narrow-minded person. We must be more careful in the future."
After he finished speaking, he stared at Jiang Haitang and said, "Haitang, especially you. Right now, the other party doesn't know, and you're the one who ruined their plans. Once they find out, I'm afraid it will be even more disadvantageous to you."
It was because Jiang Haitang thought of this that she told her guess to Vice Minister Zhou.
"I'll be careful, Vice Minister Zhou."
The group quickly left the airport and were boarded a dilapidated minibus with broken seats and unbearable heat.
The driver was a burly man with a face full of flesh. He kept a cold expression throughout the journey and deliberately drove the car in a bumpy manner.
Wang Zihua almost vomited while sitting in the back seat.
"This treatment is really 'enthusiastic'." Jiang Haitang whispered sarcastically.
Vice Minister Zhou frowned, but said calmly, "Be patient and don't let them catch you."
Finally, the car stopped in front of a dilapidated hotel with peeling walls, garbage piled at the door, and several drunks shouting and cursing on the side of the road.
Hans got out of another limousine and said with a fake smile, "Sorry, I've had so many meetings lately that all the good hotels are fully booked. I have no choice but to ask you all to stay here."
Jiang Haitang walked into the hotel and found that the room was small and damp, the sheets were yellowed, the faucet in the bathroom was dripping, and there were even a few cockroaches crawling quickly in the corners.
Wang Zihua lost his voice and said, "This...is this where people live?"
Vice Minister Zhou's face was also extremely ugly. He had led delegations to many countries before, but this was the first time he had received such treatment.
"Haitang, what do you think?"
"Deputy Minister Zhou, we can't give in again and again. Our concessions will only make the other side think we are weak and easy to bully."
"You're right. In that case, there's no need for us to give them more face."
Vice Minister Zhou said this seriously. Jiang Haitang guessed that Vice Minister Zhou already had something in mind.
Sure enough, Vice Minister Zhou Z called the front desk directly and said, "Please transfer to the Foreign Affairs Office of the Ministry of Industry of Country D."
The receptionist was stunned: "What?"
Jiang Haitang immediately stepped forward to answer the phone and translated Vice Minister Zhou's words.
Vice Minister Zhou added, "If no one comes to address the accommodation issue within five minutes, I will contact our embassy directly and cancel tomorrow's technical exchange."
Jiang Haitang translated Vice Minister Zhou's meaning strictly according to what Vice Minister Zhou said.
After translating Vice Minister Zhou's words, she said in a cold tone, "I think your country doesn't want the friendship between the two countries to be affected by a 'mistake in hotel arrangements', right?"
There was silence on the other end of the phone for a few seconds, followed by a hurried conversation.
Ten minutes later, a brand new business car pulled up at the hotel entrance. The previously arrogant driver bowed and invited them in: "Sorry! Wrong arrangement! Everyone, please follow me to the new hotel!"
Hans stood in the distance, his face livid.
He didn't expect that these yellow-skinned monkeys would dare to confront him head-on. Did they really think he couldn't do anything to them?
Jiang Haitang happened to see Hans. As she walked past him, carrying her luggage, she casually said, "It seems that your country's 'civilized world' is nothing more than this."
Despite some twists and turns, the group finally found a place to stay. This time, the hotel facilities arranged for them were up to standard, and everyone settled down.
Vice Minister Zhou asked everyone to rest first and go out for dinner together in the evening.
Jiang Haitang was indeed tired. After she simply washed up, she lay down on the bed and fell asleep quickly.
Jiang Haitang was awakened by a knock on the door.
After opening the door, Jiang Haitang saw the accompanying logistics staff.
"Comrade Jiang Haitang, Vice Minister Zhou wants you to go to room 9018 immediately."
Jiang Haitang knew that Room 9018 was Vice Minister Zhou's room, so she immediately agreed.
"Please wait a moment, I'll be there right away."
Jiang Haitang packed up briefly and followed the staff to room 9018. After the staff knocked on the door, Vice Minister Zhou's voice was immediately heard.
"Come in!"
"Deputy Minister Zhou, Comrade Jiang Haitang has arrived."
"Xiao Jiang, please come in." Deputy Minister Zhou immediately invited Jiang Haitang in.
After Jiang Haitang entered the room, he immediately discovered that there was not only Deputy Minister Zhou in the room, but also a Chinese.
She didn't ask any questions, but just waited for Vice Minister Zhou.
"This comrade is Zou Ming. He's the representative of Chinese students studying in Country D. He heard we were coming and came to the hotel to see us." Deputy Minister Zhou immediately introduced Jiang Haitang: "This student, Zou Ming, is studying textile machinery."
Jiang Haitang immediately greeted with a smile: "Hello, Comrade Zou Ming, I am Jiang Haitang, it is an honor to meet you."
Zou Ming was very surprised that Vice Minister Zhou suddenly called a female comrade over. Moreover, when she greeted him, she only said her name and didn't even mention her work unit.
"Zou Ming, don't underestimate Comrade Jiang Haitang. She's an expert in textile machinery. In recent months, she's solved many difficult problems in textile machinery. She's even fixed the faults deliberately set up by foreign countries for our machinery."
Zou Ming immediately opened his eyes wide, obviously finding it hard to believe what Vice Minister Zhou said.
He has studied abroad for many years and has some understanding of the domestic situation. At present, there is probably no technology in China that can solve the faults deliberately set by foreign countries on imported equipment.
But Vice Minister Zhou is not the kind of person who speaks without thinking. Since he said so, it proves that it is true.
"I wonder which university Comrade Jiang Haitang graduated from?" After thinking about it, Zou Ming felt that Jiang Haitang should have experience studying abroad.
But Jiang Haitang shook his head slightly: "I didn't go to college. All the skills I mastered were self-taught."
Hearing Jiang Haitang say frankly that he was self-taught, Zou Ming said he was not surprised and that it was fake. He looked at Vice Minister Zhou, as if he wanted to confirm through Vice Minister Zhou whether what Jiang Haitang said was true or false.
"Comrade Xiao Jiang has indeed not received any systematic training, so I asked her to come and meet you. Can you help Comrade Xiao Jiang get some books?" Deputy Minister Zhou put forward his request.
"I do have some books here, but even if I can bring them here, you won't be able to take them back." Zou Ming said with a frown.
After listening to Vice Minister Zhou's words, he thought that the situation in the country had become so difficult that there were no talents who had received systematic training.
As a Chinese, he must of course contribute to his motherland.
"Please find some core books for Comrade Jiang Haitang to study during this period. If you can't bring them back, then try to read as much as possible. Every bit you learn counts."
Deputy Minister Zhou sighed. It was indeed a huge problem that he could not bring anything back. However, Comrade Jiang Haitang had a very good learning ability. Perhaps, he could learn a lot during this period of time.
Although Zou Ming felt that the content that could be learned in such a short time was limited, he did not object in the end, but agreed readily.
"Deputy Minister Zhou, I'm here today on behalf of Mr. Qian and the Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Qian will host a welcoming party for you and the comrades in the delegation in the evening. We will set off in half an hour. Do you think it's feasible?" After finishing his business, Zou Ming asked for Deputy Minister Zhou's opinion.
Vice Minister Zhou nodded.
This is also a routine operation. When the Chinese delegation comes, the local Chinese Chamber of Commerce will come forward to receive them, and the officials of Country D will not have any objections.
After all, it was just a dinner party, and even if some information could be conveyed, it would be very limited.
What's more, most of the people attending the dinner are from the business world and have no involvement in technology.
Zou Ming, along with Vice Minister Zhou, Jiang Haitang and others, left the hotel and went to the reserved restaurant.
Mr. Qian from the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Country D was already waiting at the door. He was wearing a well-ironed Mao suit and looked like an elderly man who was very wise.
He greeted the person with a bow and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Vice Minister Zhou! We overseas Chinese are looking forward to the arrival of our motherland."
Vice Minister Zhou and Mr. Qian were obviously acquaintances, and they also greeted each other with a smile.
"You're so polite! I'm going to make you spend money again tonight."
"It's rare for us overseas people to meet people from our motherland, so we should do our best to be a good host."
After a few polite words, the group entered the banquet hall. There were more than ten people on Mr. Qian's side, and with the more than ten people on Vice Minister Zhou's side, the scene was quite spectacular.
Mr. Qian poured red wine for Vice Minister Zhou and sighed, "I heard you were wronged right after you arrived?"
"It's not that I'm wronged. It's just that our fists aren't strong enough right now." Vice Minister Zhou said with a wry smile, "I'm not used to this kind of drink. Do you have any baijiu? We Chinese are more suited to baijiu."
"We have homemade rice wine. How about we drink some?" Mr. Qian said, and arranged for someone to deliver the rice wine immediately.
"Mr. Qian, do you know Hans Müller?" Vice Minister Zhou lowered his voice and asked Mr. Qian who was sitting next to him.
"Hans and his gang have always looked down on us. A few years ago, they forced a 30% price cut on a shipment of textile raw materials shipped from China, simply because we were a Chinese company. They said, 'This is how much Chinese goods are worth.'"
Jiang Haitang was sitting next to Vice Minister Zhou and happened to hear these words. She felt heavy in her heart.
I have long known that life was not easy for overseas Chinese at that time because the motherland was not strong enough, but I did not expect it to be so difficult.
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