Chapter 70: Generous Terms

Slender fingers lightly scraped her cheek a few times; the pad of her index finger then gently tapped her chin. Zhong Yuxiu said, "Its function is quite singular—only useful in kitchens and restaurants."

"I see..." Yan Guofeng weighed the matter, considering the current situation in the country. "It won’t sell well domestically. Times are hard for everyone; who would care about such a thing?"

"What about abroad?" With a slight arch of her brow, Zhong Yuxiu asked, half-smiling.

Yan Guofeng drew in a sharp breath. "That’s a good idea."

"It's not as if we won’t need it ourselves. Once life improves here, range hoods will truly become popular. Wouldn't you agree? Give the people another five years or so, and range hoods will absolutely enter most urban households."

"Quite right," Yan Guofeng mused, reviewing the plans once more. "But other countries already have their own production lines; range hoods aren’t uncommon overseas. We have no export advantage, and may even end up with unsold stock."

Range hoods weren’t like the little electric scooters—those would be extremely useful abroad. But the range hood market was already saturated; there simply wasn’t much demand.

Zhong Yuxiu nodded. "I don’t know what foreign range hoods are like—I haven’t seen any samples. But the one I designed is very convenient; it uses sensors, the switch can be voice-activated, and it has a simple built-in chip. It’s not as complex as a robot, nor as advanced as the scooter’s. There are just two commands: power on and power off."

"Voice-activated?"

"Yes." Zhong Yuxiu nodded slightly in affirmation, her star-bright eyes seemingly glancing at Yan Rushan as if by accident. He hadn’t come by this afternoon; so he must have been with the old man.

Yan Rushan offered her a faint smile, his expression apologetic. His lips moved soundlessly.

Zhong Yuxiu understood—he was apologizing for having been called away to a meeting with his grandfather, all for the sake of negotiations. She nodded slightly to show she knew, then looked away, appearing rather indifferent.

Yan Rushan shook his head, laughing silently.

Yan Guofeng took in their silent exchange but acted as though he hadn’t noticed. "If that’s the case, our exports would have a clear advantage. But once the chip and sensor are exported, people will study them. Even if the chip is simple, it’s possible they’ll figure out its core in a short time."

"They won’t," Zhong Yuxiu replied firmly, shaking her head. "The chip needs my program. I’ll set up a destruct sequence. I’ve built four circuits inside the chip to mislead their research direction. A battery can also be installed, storing enough power to support the self-destruct command. This greatly reduces the risk of being studied recklessly."

"When our market stabilizes, even if they do figure it out, it’s only superficial and doesn’t matter. Our products will keep evolving, so let them study if they wish." If they could crack it in the short term, she’d admit defeat.

In that case, there truly was little to fear.

Yan Guofeng almost laughed aloud, feeling exhilarated. "Comrade Zhong is always so thorough."

Steadily ahead!

The more he thought about it, the more delighted he felt. After years of being suppressed, always trailing behind others, struggling to unearth a bit of technology—those days were finally ending.

"Comrade Zhong, I’ll discuss this technology with higher-ups. Now, there’s a problem: Dashan can no longer act as liaison. They intend to send a new person—the one beside me, Xi Nian. From now on, all your results will be submitted through him; Dashan and I can no longer be involved."

The reason he, an almost-retired old man, had handled it all was because his eldest grandson had intervened. Who could blame the grandson for pursuing her? He’d originally hoped the boy would join the system, but when he sat the entrance exams, he chose finance, disrupting those plans.

Judging by current trends, commerce didn’t seem lucrative. Yet the grandson was right—national development needs merchants, especially big merchants. Wealth is one of the country’s foundations.

Just wait a year or two; good times were coming.

Following the old man’s gesture, Zhong Yuxiu’s gaze fell upon the unfamiliar comrade. His hair was neatly cropped, his build average, his looks unremarkable—almost askew. Yet his eyes held a hidden sharpness; one wouldn’t notice unless they looked closely. Indeed, appearances can be deceiving.

His hands rested on his thighs, with a paper file folder laid between them.

"Comrade Zhong, hello. Your reputation precedes you; it’s an honor to meet you in person. Your achievements are remarkable—truly admirable." Xi Nian rose, holding the folder between his waist and elbow, and bowed slightly.

Zhong Yuxiu’s eyes flickered. She stood and bowed in return. "Comrade Xi Nian, the praise is undeserved. Please, have a seat." She gestured invitingly.

"Thank you." Xi Nian placed one hand over his abdomen and took his seat slowly. When Zhong Yuxiu was seated, he opened the file folder and took out several papers—contracts, clearly. "Comrade Zhong, your work has benefited us greatly. Here are five contracts and patent certificates. The patent certificate is for you alone; please review the contracts. If you find them suitable, you may sign."

His words were respectful, putting her in a position higher than himself.

To him, scientists of this era deserved utmost respect and protection. Their existence was the backbone of technological progress, and those who contributed to the nation deserved honor.

"Very well." Zhong Yuxiu accepted them with both hands. "Please wait a moment while I review the contracts."

"Of course." Xi Nian gestured her to proceed.

Zhong Yuxiu nodded and carefully read through all five contracts. The terms were generous, granting her the greatest benefits and advantages, with no restrictive conditions—just what she’d always wanted. She could focus on research, with her results safeguarded and all matters handled for her.

"The contracts are fine, but aren’t your terms a bit too generous?" The most striking was the advance of fifty thousand yuan—not five thousand, but fifty thousand. At this time, such a sum was staggering.

"You deserve it." His reply was sincere and full of goodwill.

Zhong Yuxiu smiled. "In that case, all I can do is dedicate myself to research, and strive to produce more results. We’ll all prosper together."

"Good." Xi Nian dispensed with further pleasantries, accepting her goodwill. "If you’re certain, please sign."

"Just a moment." Zhong Yuxiu called out toward the kitchen, "Dog Egg, turn down the fire and fetch me a pen from upstairs—a fountain pen if possible."

"Beep beep beep."

Receiving her orders, Dog Egg walked out of the kitchen and headed straight to the second floor.

Xi Nian watched Dog Egg intently, his face breaking into a smile. "I heard from my superiors that you left behind a large robot, but I’ve never seen it. Now that I have, it’s even more impressive than expected. May I ask you something a bit forward?"