Zhong Guoliang was drinking water when he heard Song Jinyue’s words. The tea he had just taken into his mouth was instantly sprayed out. “Pfft—”
Song Jinyue, Secretary Wei, and Factory Director Xiao all turned their eyes toward him at once.
Choking on the tea, Zhong Guoliang burst into a fit of coughing. “Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough!”
His old face turned completely red from coughing, his eyes wide as he stared at Song Jinyue. “You… you really dare to ask.”
Factory Director Xiao gave a helpless bitter smile. “Twenty thousand is an astronomical price, Comrade Song.”
Song Jinyue smiled and asked, “So is it two thousand?”
Director Xiao’s expression grew complicated. He opened his mouth, about to speak.
Song Jinyue’s gaze swept across Secretary Wei, Zhong Guoliang, and Director Xiao one by one before settling on Secretary Wei.
“Leaders, if this negotiation succeeds, it could save several million dollars. Asking for a reward of two thousand isn’t excessive, right?”
“Not excessive.” Secretary Wei was the first to state his position. “If the negotiation succeeds, two thousand as a reward.”
With Secretary Wei having spoken, Director Xiao couldn’t say much more.
“Alright!” Song Jinyue looked at Secretary Wei. “It’s a deal.”
Secretary Wei smiled. “It’s a deal.”
…
Song Jinyue and the others returned. To conceal the fact that she could speak a foreign language, they casually brought in someone from the factory and had Li Huguo step outside.
Li Huguo was a bit confused, but since Secretary Wei had spoken, he couldn’t refuse and walked out.
As soon as Li Huguo left, Song Jinyue looked at Charles and greeted him with a smile.
“Comrade Charles.”
Hearing her greet him, Charles beamed and spoke to her enthusiastically, asking why she hadn’t spoken earlier and why she had suddenly left before.
Song Jinyue responded to each question.
Standing nearby, Secretary Wei, Director Xiao, and Zhong Guoliang watched as she conversed fluently with Charles in a foreign language, all of them somewhat astonished.
Zhong Guoliang felt a bit worried, concerned that she might not be able to negotiate successfully.
He turned to Secretary Wei. “Can she pull it off?”
Secretary Wei looked at Song Jinyue, who was chatting and laughing with Charles. “She can.”
Just as his words fell, Secretary Wei noticed that Charles’s smile suddenly stiffened, his expression turning unnatural, as if something had been exposed.
Song Jinyue continued speaking. A few seconds later, Charles’s smile deepened again, and there was now a hint of admiration in his gaze toward her.
Seeing this, Secretary Wei knew the deal was done.
Sure enough.
The next moment, the two stopped talking, and Song Jinyue turned and walked back toward them.
Secretary Wei, Zhong Guoliang, and Director Xiao all looked at her.
“It’s settled,” Song Jinyue said.
Joy appeared on Director Xiao’s face.
Zhong Guoliang froze for a moment, then broke into a wide grin.
Song Jinyue looked at Secretary Wei. “After discussion, Comrade Charles has decided to use a better staggered broken-tooth repair method. The repair can be completed within eight hours, and the machine can last for the duration I mentioned earlier—between thirty-five to sixty days. During that time, we can contact the heavy machinery factory to replicate the gear, which will take about forty-five days.”
“They will handle contacting the heavy machinery factory. We only need to cover the cost.”
Secretary Wei nodded.
“And…” Song Jinyue paused, looking at the three of them. “Charles said that since we are good friends, our people can stay by his side throughout the entire operation process.”
Hearing this, Director Xiao’s eyes lit up with unconcealed joy.
In the past, they were only allowed to handle basic tasks. When it came to critical stages, the foreigners would drive them away and not let them see.
If they could observe the entire process this time… they could learn and study it.
Director Xiao looked at Song Jinyue. “The entire process?”
“Yes,” Song Jinyue said. “I will stay here until the machine is fully repaired.”
Her words reassured Director Xiao.
“Alright.”
He agreed immediately.
Song Jinyue then asked Director Xiao to find three fitters, two welders, one electrician, and two crane operators—all the best or those with exceptionally strong memory.
Director Xiao nodded and quickly made arrangements.
Before long, everyone had arrived.
Li Huguo was also called back in. He was told to inform Charles that everyone was ready, and then he introduced each person—who was a fitter, who was a welder, who was an electrician…
After finishing the introductions, he asked Charles if he remembered them.
Unexpectedly, Charles replied that he didn’t need to remember.
That single sentence stunned Li Huguo.
Before he could react, Charles added that when he needed someone, he would say so, and Li Huguo only needed to translate and have the appropriate worker step forward to carry out the task.
Being criticized so bluntly by a foreigner made Li Huguo uncomfortable. He cursed inwardly, though his expression remained unchanged.
For the next several hours, Song Jinyue and Director Xiao stayed there.
Secretary Wei and Zhong Guoliang left for a while due to other matters.
From 10:30 in the morning, they worked non-stop until around 5:30 in the afternoon when the repair was completed.
It was finished an hour earlier than the original eight-hour estimate.
At the moment the machine restarted—
Everyone smiled.
Except one person.
Song Jinyue was smiling when the corner of her eye caught Li Huguo standing in the corner.
As he looked at the machine, there was no smile on his face. Perhaps sensing her gaze, he turned his head.
Their eyes met. His heart tightened, and a smile quickly appeared on his lips.
Song Jinyue withdrew her gaze.
Secretary Wei and Zhong Guoliang returned.
As soon as they entered and saw the machine—still under repair when they had left—now running again, both paused.
Secretary Wei looked at the operating machine, a faint smile appearing in his eyes.
Zhong Guoliang excitedly asked if it had been repaired. After receiving confirmation, he grinned from ear to ear.
Secretary Wei had Li Huguo translate to Charles, saying that dinner had been arranged and they could go eat, after which Charles could rest.
Charles agreed.
They went to a private room at a state-run restaurant.
After dinner, Song Jinyue, Secretary Wei, Director Xiao, and Zhong Guoliang escorted Charles and Li Huguo to a guesthouse designated for foreign visitors.
Li Huguo’s room was right next to Charles’s, so Charles could find him if needed.
Plainclothes patrols were also arranged to ensure Charles’s safety.
Once everything was arranged, Song Jinyue and the others left the guesthouse.
Outside, they all got into the car.
Inside the car, Song Jinyue handed the notebook containing the recorded conversations to Secretary Wei.
Secretary Wei took it and glanced at Director Xiao.
Director Xiao quickly took an envelope from his pocket and handed it to Song Jinyue.
“Comrade Song, the money is all inside.”
She took it.
The next moment, four one-yuan bills were handed to her.
She accepted them directly.
Zhong Guoliang asked in surprise, “Secretary Wei, didn’t Director Xiao already give the money? Then why—”
Secretary Wei replied calmly, “The translation fee I promised Comrade Song.”
Zhong Guoliang: “…”
…
Secretary Wei had the driver take Song Jinyue to near the residential compound.
Before she got out of the car, he said he hoped that next time they met, he would see her student ID.
Song Jinyue smiled and agreed.
Secretary Wei smiled back, watching as she left.
As soon as Song Jinyue entered the residential compound—
A sarcastic voice rang out, dripping with mockery:
“Well, well, look who’s back~ Oh, it’s the troublemaker~ So the troublemaker still remembers to come back here? It’s almost dark—who knows where you’ve been fooling around?”