Chapter Twenty-Five: Things Are Not Simple

  It's finally a lot better...... but I got back late from getting the shot, and the doctor said that if it's much better tomorrow, then I won't need to get another shot. But if it's still not good, then I'll have to keep getting shots...... and I still have to take medicine, and poor little Chao even caught a cold...... this is so frustrating!!

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  "This thing is a bit strange to me, but it's good that everything went smoothly!" Xia Zhendong smiled and said: "We don't have much time to drag our feet. The agreement has been signed, the next step is for us to rush to Yang City. First, we will report this situation to the General Administration. Second, we will get things moving as quickly as possible!"

  Liang Sanping nodded, having already come this far. It's too late to back down now, all he can do is grit his teeth and push forward. Until the very end, whether it's success or failure.

  Liu Lao and the others had already rested, while Xia Zhendong was busy getting Liang Sanping to help him sort out the documents for the report to the headquarters. Fortunately, Liang Sanping had done this kind of thing many times before, so he wrote it with ease.

  He only needs Xia Zhendong to review some of the wording, and he can basically complete the rest. After working hard until midnight, the two finally finished writing the report.

  At this time, in the northern Guangdong city of Yangcheng, Director Wang Changhu of the Northern Guangdong General Bureau was reading a photocopied report. It would be more accurate to say that it was an instruction rather than a report.

  Because the report was not clearly printed out, but instead the instructions on top were fully printed.

  No restriction, no advocacy. Can report directly, cannot easily intervene directly.

  A brief two sentences have revealed the attitude of the commentator. In connection with the identity of the commentator, Wang Changhu sighed that Liu Lao and others had jumped to a high branch this time.

  But Wang Changhu was not envious at all, he knew better than anyone what this instruction would bring. Indeed, having this instruction is like having an amulet.

  But if things go wrong, you'll have to take responsibility for it.

  "Hello! Is Secretary Zhou Cheng? I'm Wang Changhu." After a moment's consideration, Wang Changhu picked up the phone and dialed Secretary Zhou Cheng of the bureau.

  This matter still needs to be discussed with Zhou Cheng.

  "Comrade Changhu, it's so late and you're still reading this report?!" Zhou Cheng asked directly on the other end of the phone.

  "Yes, Secretary Zhou! This report, the instructions on it are a bit..." Wang Changhu knew that if he could get his hands on this instruction, then Zhou Cheng would definitely be able to get it too.

  As expected, Zhou Cheng on the other end of the phone was taken aback. Apparently, Zhou Cheng thought Wang Changhu had only obtained the report from Liu Lao and others, but not the instructions. But if Wang Changhu also got the instructions, the meaning would be different.

  "Director Wang, I think it's better for us to follow the instructions above and make things convenient." However, Zhou Cheng from the other side reacted quickly and said to Wang Changhu: "This matter, I think we can discuss it at the work meeting."

  Within our authority and without violating national laws, we can provide them with appropriate assistance. This is also in line with the spirit mentioned above...

  "What Secretary Zhou said is absolutely right, I also think so." However, Wang Changhu smiled slightly and said: "Liu Lao and others are after all scientific researchers, often with a bit of a temper. It's better for us not to make a fuss..."

  "Haha... Director Wang's view is the same as mine! It's better to mention this matter at the work meeting, lest other comrades are not careful and cause unnecessary misunderstandings..."

  After a round of official rhetoric, the two reached a consensus in their implicit and explicit language: to provide assistance to Liu Lao and others as much as possible without touching the root of the issue.

  Since the top has already made a decision on this matter, following their instructions will definitely be correct.

  Of course, doing things is possible. But you can't sacrifice yourself in the process. At least not until the situation becomes clearer, Wang Changhu and Zhou Cheng don't want to get themselves involved.

  After waiting for a day in the imperial capital, Liu Lao and others hastily took the train from the imperial capital to Guangdong after learning that there was nothing else from Gao Donglei.

  It's not easy to come to the capital even once a year, and it's even harder to leave. Airplanes are not popular, trains have not accelerated, and even electric locomotives have not been achieved.

  The Jingjiu Railway was not yet completed and the existing Jingguang Railway was already overloaded. Although construction of a second track began in 1955, it would not be completed until the late 1980s.

  At that time, the train from Tokyo to Yangcheng Old South Station needed to run for more than 90 hours to arrive. In other words, Liang Sanping and his party had to take a train for three whole days or more when they set out from Tokyo to Yangcheng.

  But for this train ticket, you still need to have connections in order to buy it.

  "Why buy a soft seat ticket?! A hard seat ticket is fine, it saves us several bucks! Forget the soft seat ticket, we'll all be on hard seats! When we're tired, we can lean on each other and take turns sleeping..."

  For the first time, Liu Lao and Liang Sanping's face turned red. At first, Liang Sanping suggested buying a soft sleeper ticket, directly scolding Liu Lao and Xia Zhendong as prodigal sons.

  Ma bought a soft seat ticket, Xia Zhendong did not object, but Liu Lao and others made trouble again.

  "My teacher Liu! You are all so old, how can you still buy hard-seat tickets?! From the Imperial Capital to the City of Sheep, it's a whole three days! What were you thinking?!"

  "What?! You think you can look down on us old folks?! Yellow Lao glared at him with a fierce gaze and said, "There's plenty of land in the farm, but it was all opened up by us old guys! At that time, you little brat didn't even know where to hide..."

  The old man's words made Liang Sanping both admire and pity them. The oldest of these elderly men were all rushing to be sixty years old. These elderly men, just for the sake of a few remaining dollars, would rather stand on hard seats for three days from Beijing to Yangcheng...

  More than 2,000 kilometers, in just three days. Not to mention the elderly, even a robust young man like him would find it mind-boggling.

  "No way! You old men must not sit in hard seats, I'll go persuade Nelson again to buy you all plane tickets!" Liang Sanping's eyes turned red this time, and he stubbornly refused to give in.

  In his opinion, several old men are national treasures of our country! In their respective fields, they have worked hard for the country. Indeed, now the country is poor and can't afford to buy anything for the elderly. Even going out doesn't have a car.

  But Liang Sanping felt he had a responsibility and an obligation to provide the best environment possible for these elderly people who regarded him as their student, children or younger relatives.

  "Hey! How come you're being so stubborn?! Once you open your mouth, the nature of our conversation changes! I'd rather stand all the way to Yangcheng than ask that Nelson for help!"

  Both sides were red in the face, neither giving in. Even several old men with flushed faces rolled up their sleeves, ready to give Liang Sanping a good beating.

  "Teacher Liu, you definitely can't be standing. All of you teachers are so old, if we let you stand, wouldn't that be slapping me and Xiao Liang in the face?!"

  Xia Zhendong smiled wryly and persuaded: "I and Xiao Liang are fine standing, we're still young after all. Hard seat to Yangcheng, can still hold on. You teachers, it's better to buy soft-seat tickets! What do you and the other teachers think?"

  Liu Lao, Huang Lao and several others looked at each other, thinking this was the best way to end the current debate. Then they glanced at Liang Sanping, seeing that he had no intention of opposing with his head hung low in grief, so they smiled and agreed to Xia Zhendong's request.

  "Hmm... let's do it then!" Liu Lao glanced at his old partners, and seeing that no one objected, he nodded in agreement. Then, facing Liang Sanping, he said: "Little Liang, we know you're doing this for our own good, but try to save some money whenever possible... Our farm, our country, is not wealthy now..."

  At this moment, Liu Lao suddenly caught the fleeting smile on Liang Sanping's face. Suddenly he understood! The big hand that was originally pressed on Liang Sanping's shoulder slapped onto the back of his head!

  "Ah yo! Teacher Liu, why are you hitting me?!" Liang Sanping cried out in grievance, while Old Liu scolded with a smile: "You little stinker! You're teaming up with that little rascal Xia Zhendong to cheat us old men, aren't you?"

  As soon as Liu Lao's words came out, all the old men immediately reacted. When they usually travel domestically on business, they almost always buy hard-seat tickets. Few people are willing to spend money on soft-seat tickets.

  If it had been done in the usual way, everyone would have definitely done so. But with Liang Sanping making a fuss, the old men's standing tickets immediately turned into soft seat tickets.

  "You stinky brat! When I forced you to study, you were never so enthusiastic. But when it comes to these wicked and heretical things, you're using them with such gusto!"

  Huang Lao also quickly came to his senses, pinching Liang Sanping's ear and scolding with a smile: "We old guys were really deceived by you young man..."

  Liang Sanping was yelling "ouch" while saying something like "You esteemed teachers are highly respected, once you've spoken, it's like a team of horses that can't be caught! It must be fulfilled!" Then he made several bows and dragged Xia Zhendong away, leaving behind the old men's burst of laughter.

  "This young fellow! He's got a lot of wild ideas, but he's a good kid at heart. It's just that his extravagant habits are not good..."

  After a burst of laughter, the old people began to pack their luggage.

  Xia Zhendong and Liang Sanping, on the other hand, were able to buy train tickets smoothly with the help of the Agricultural Reclamation Bureau. The elderly had soft seats, while they had hard seats.

  The ticket was quickly settled, and a group of people rushed to Yangcheng in a hurry.

  Nelson also urged the American side to ship via Shanghai and enter Yangcheng. However, due to sea transportation, this would take some time. Liang Sanping's work in Yangcheng went unexpectedly smoothly.

  The General Administration simply listened to the report and directly approved it.

  All aspects of the work have been arranged properly, and even the receipt of the humidifier has been arranged. Director Zhou Cheng and Director Wang Changhu patted Liu Lao's shoulder to ensure that not a single humidifier would be short of being transported to Hainan Island.

  And urged them to start work as soon as possible, and even warmly entertained them for a meal at the headquarters. Then sent them on their way, letting them return to Qiong Island.

  Even Liu Lao and others started to feel suspicious, anyone could see that things were not simple anymore...