Under the wisteria tree behind the cottage, Yan Qian calmly accompanied Ruan Chen as they brewed tea.
She said she wanted to try the specialties of the Elven race, so the two of them started cooking in a red clay stove behind the hut.
She has a fiery temper and an impatient personality, but Ruan Chen has cultivated a calm and composed demeanor over the years, remaining unperturbed even if the sky were to fall.
Ruan Chen warmed her hands by the fire and complained in a low voice, "I didn't know the Northern Islands would be so damp and cold before I came here."
Yan Qian was still not in a good mood, "You can still leave now."
"Didn't I already take care of your spirit sorcerers? Why are you still angry with me?" Ruan Chen tilted her head to look at Yan Qian's face and nudged her with her shoulder.
Yan Qian moved to the side, avoiding Ruan Chen, "If you really think that way, then I can only say that you really don't understand us Spirit Clan people. Chu Xun is still young, and you can probably fool her generation. But those old folks who were sitting with you just now... your cunning is probably no match for theirs."
Ruan Chen wasn't naive enough to think that once he signed the contract and received a sum of money, the two sides could live in peace from then on.
The fact that those shamans agreed to this so readily is itself suspicious.
However, Ruan Chen did not mind making another investment in the Northern Islands. She keenly realized that she could develop derivative products based on the cultural characteristics of the Spirit Clan, and incidentally develop the tourism industry.
As for when and how those spirit witches will turn against her, those are things to consider later. For now, Ruan Chen needs a semblance of peace so that she can freely handle things in the Northern Islands without fear.
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China base.
Yan Qian waited outside the base, along with several researchers from China who were stationed there.
At first, these people waited outside the room, but when Ruan Chen connected his mental energy to the machine, the strong impact made them retreat again and again until they left the base's area before the dizziness subsided slightly.
Ruan Chen's mental world was in an endless wilderness, and this was the first time she had seen a shield that incorporated China's top technologies.
Standing in the north, she could clearly see that this part of the protective shield was riddled with scars, while the shields in the east, south, and west were obviously much sturdier.
Below the protective shield is the location of China, crisscrossed by red lines, and above it is a shimmering net, seemingly as ethereal as a soap bubble, flowing with dazzling light.
Beautiful yet dangerous.
"[Scanning the spectral characteristics of the technology sieve,]" Ruan Chen continued Fu Jianzhi's work, reinforcing the shield, "[Could we replicate one? Or incorporate the spectral characteristics of the technology sieve into our own shield? Has any other civilization done this before?]"
nobody: [No, your civilization was the first to think of using shielding.]
Ruan Chen: [Then let's give it a try. You stay here and do the band scan.]
nobody: [Are you going to deal with the Eldar?]
Ruan Chen: [I'm going to the bank to complete the transfer procedures.]
"You're leaving already?" Yan Qian asked as Ruan Chen came out and followed beside her. "How did it go? Did you leave your computer there?"
“Hmm,” Ruan Chen said, “I’ll leave the computer there to scan the bands of the technical screen and see if we can incorporate them into our shielding.”
Yan Qian's eyes lit up. "You mean, add a layer of camouflage to our protective shield? Make the technical screening think we're on their side?"
"clever."
Ruan Chen wrapped her coat tighter around herself because of the cold. Yan Qian took off her own coat and gave it to Ruan Chen to wrap herself in, then casually squeezed Ruan Chen's hand. "Why are you so cold? Didn't you bring any warm clothes?"
“I didn’t expect it. The temperature wasn’t low either, so I was too lazy to bring warm clothes,” Ruan Chen sniffed. “I forgot about the damp and cold weather in island countries.”
Ruan Chen had arranged a time with the bank for the first installment payment, which required her to personally go there to sign and authenticate before the funds could be transferred.
"I'm leaving now," Yan Qian said as she saw Ruan Chen to the bank entrance, leaving her the car keys as well. "Contact me anytime if you need anything."
"By the way, isn't there a medical without borders rescue team that started from the outlying island? Do you know where they are now?"
“If it’s a non-profit organization, then stay at the Red Cross Hospital. It’s the only public hospital in the Northern Islands,” Yan Qian said with a self-deprecating tone. “Our medical resources are monopolized by outsiders like you.”
In the bank office, Lingwu was still wearing her traditional ethnic clothing made of coarse cloth, with her face painted. She had also brought several young people with her, probably because she was afraid she wouldn't understand the complicated terms and conditions.
Ruan Chen saw that Chu Xun was among them. Chu Xun's eyes lit up when she saw her, but because the spirit witch was there, she didn't dare to be too presumptuous and just smiled at Ruan Chen.
Ruan Chen sensed that these young people treated her quite well, and there was no distance between them.
The formalities were completed in about an hour. Lingwu clutched the rather thick stack of contracts, her cloudy eyes fixed on the bank's business manager. "Kid, now that the formalities are done, when will the money arrive?"
The business manager, who was also Chinese, felt a little uneasy under her gaze. He recalled the strange legends about this ethnic group that he had heard and nervously said, "Grandma, the money will be in the designated account in the contract by 11 a.m. at the latest tomorrow."
"Is there any place where this old woman and this young man are still needed?"
After asking the question, the shaman added, somewhat as if trying to cover up the truth, "I'm getting old, and my body can't take the constant running around. This young man isn't a local either, so it's not good to keep troubling him."
"Without Grandma, the contract has been approved. We can then coordinate with your designated business contact person."
"That's fine, that's fine."
At this moment, Ruan Chen was being pulled along by Chu Xun and his group, who were eagerly inviting him to set up a tent with them on the beach that night. One of the older boys asked Ruan Chen somewhat shyly if he could work for the company if it was established.
“Yes, that’s fine,” Ruan Chen smiled gently. “Everyone can go. I’ll talk to HR and give priority to hiring locals, and then to migrants.”
Another, younger girl asked, "Sister, what is human affairs?"
"That's the person in charge of recruitment."
In the past few days, Ruan Chen has directly experienced how severely the resources of the local Lingzu people have been exploited.
It's not that there aren't good schools here. Ruan Chen passed by a branch of a high school this morning. That high school is ranked among the top ten in China. However, Ruan Chen noticed that there were no locals in the crowd.
Those outsiders are more or less unconsciously demonizing these local natives.
The spirit shaman walked over, handed the contract to the older Chu Xun, and then sternly reprimanded the group, "What are you chatting about? The matter is over. Those who are working should go back to work, and those who are going home should go home."
The group smiled at Ruan Chen, mouthed that she must come to the beach that night, and then scattered.
"Young man, you wouldn't mind taking this old woman home, would you?" Lingwu, leaning on her cane, walked shakily to Ruan Chen's side and said.
"Of course."
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