Chapter 56

"Is something wrong? You don't look too good."

Hu Jiefang had been having fun and broadening his horizons these past few days. They say that after a climax comes emptiness, but he now felt like he didn't want to go anywhere at all. He had even checked out of the suite at the Central Park Hotel, saying that living in such a place made him feel uneasy, as he wasn't meant for such a luxurious life.

After much deliberation, Hu Wenhai reluctantly asked the old man to return to the small hotel they had stayed at before. Director Lin Qianjun of the General Logistics Department, upon seeing them move back, inquired about the contract he had signed with the Pentagon. Seeing that Hu Jiefang was getting along well with William and that the contract was being executed without any issues, he didn't say anything more.

Recently, Hu Jiefang had become fond of a local TV station in New York's Chinatown and was following a Singaporean drama called "Journey on the Road."

"Never blame fate for its mistakes, unafraid of the rugged journey. Heading towards the place of dreams, even if I make a mistake, I won't regret it..."

To the upbeat and stirring opening theme, Hu Wenhai pushed open the door with a serious expression and walked into the hotel's lobby. Opposite the sofa, there was a TV stand with an 18 or 19-inch color TV, its casing looking old and worn.

In the TV, the theme song of "Journey on the Road" was playing, and the female protagonist, Ye Qianyun, was striding confidently down the modern streets of Singapore.

Hearing the door open, Hu Jiefang turned his head and saw Hu Wenhai enter, his expression indescribably strange.

"Oh, nothing, there's just some trouble at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory," Hu Wenhai said, taking off his coat and hanging it on the coat rack by the door.

The weather in October was getting colder, and Hu Wenhai, who didn't like wearing denim jackets, wore an American-style trench coat over his shirt, giving him a somewhat "elite" look.

"Is the research progress not going well?" Hu Jiefang asked, turning off the TV with the remote and sitting up straight, his tone serious.

"Not exactly. The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory wants to buy my patent, but we haven't agreed on the price. Now they've hired a lawyer and are preparing to sue me."

"Hmm?" Hu Jiefang couldn't sit still and stood up, asking, "What exactly is going on? Tell me in detail. Why does the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory want to buy your patent, and why are they suing you? If we Chinese have to sue in America, will the American judges be fair to us?"

"Dad, don't worry. I signed a contract with them. There's always a place to reason things out with the law," Hu Wenhai said with a smile. "I don't know if American judges will be fair, but our embassy will surely support me. With the country behind me, how can I lose?"

Well, of course, he would lose. Hu Wenhai silently criticized. In 1984, during the Sino-American honeymoon period, even the Americans were thinking of selling F-14s to China. How could they let their subordinates cause trouble in Sino-American relations?

But on the other hand, Hu Wenhai wasn't very confident in the diplomatic strength of his country at that time. It wasn't that others looked down on him, but he was afraid of looking down on himself.

If someone really thought that in such a civilized society as America, the court would surely be fair, Hu Wenhai would have nowhere to cry. Moreover, to use official power in this era, you first needed official influence or rank. At the embassy, they would ask, "Which unit's project is this? What is your rank?"

"Oh, it's a private transaction, and I'm just a civilian? Alright, tell me how much your project is worth? You say at least a hundred billion dollars? Ha, are you out of your mind? The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is world-renowned; they'd be generous to give you ten million dollars. Don't cause trouble for the country; just sell it to them."

Hu Wenhai wasn't exaggerating. In 1986, the Chinese Academy of Sciences sold the patent for the "two-step fermentation method" to artificially synthesize Vitamin C for 5.5 million dollars. Were the people at the Chinese Academy of Sciences foolish? This groundbreaking technology could revolutionize the production cost and scale of Vitamin C. How big was the Vitamin C market? Why did they sell it for only 5.5 million dollars?

In addition, China had decades of research on oak silkworm diseases, Xuan paper in Anhui, and the legendary cloisonné. Even if there were different opinions on the cloisonné technology, what about the supercomputers that were sold off in the 1980s?

Hu Wenhai was genuinely worried. If his technology was "friendly" sold, he would have nowhere to cry. In a few decades, when the market size of the blue pill was proven, people would say, "Oh, it was really worth that much," and the decision-makers would still eat and drink as usual, with no consequences, treating it as a tuition fee for reform.

Hu Wenhai didn't want to become a negative case study in an MBA class decades later.

"Ah, it's better to avoid trouble. Don't cause trouble for the country!"

Well, not just the embassy, even Hu Jiefang had this attitude. In this era, it wasn't that everyone had a weak backbone; it was just that... how to put it...

Lack of confidence, and the fear of the market economy under the planned economy. Most of the time, it wasn't that they intentionally betrayed the country's interests, but they truly didn't believe their own things were that good. Selling technology and then paying patent fees and re-importing it wasn't unique to China.

When the Soviet Union collapsed, the chaos was truly a free-for-all. The advanced technology that the West obtained from the Soviet Union in 1991 was truly eye-catching. In the end, a weak country has no diplomacy. Although China and the Soviet Union weren't weak, the mindset during this special historical period was such that what could be done?

"Dad, don't worry. I have a way to handle it and won't cause trouble for the country." Hu Wenhai comforted Hu Jiefang and then asked, "By the way, has Director Lin Qianjun returned? I need to talk to him."

"Director Lin? Oh, I heard the negotiations didn't go well, and he came back early this morning."

"I'll go out for a bit."

Hu Wenhai said goodbye to Hu Jiefang and walked out of the room.

The entire Chinese delegation's rooms were on one floor. At that time, the discipline for official trips abroad was very strict, with collective living and the requirement of at least two people going out together. If someone ran away, the team leader would be held responsible.

If the Hu family wanted to change their nationality, they wouldn't need to run away; the United States would welcome them with open arms. And Hu Jiefang's security clearance wasn't high, or he might have also been subject to the strict foreign affairs discipline.

Hu Wenhai walked to Lin Qianjun's room at the corridor's stairwell and knocked lightly. After a moment, someone opened the door.

"Oh, it's Xiao Hu, come in quickly." The person who opened the door was Zhang Tianqiao, who shared a room with Lin Qianjun. It was rumored that he worked for a "China's top gossip organization" and had a very deep background.

"Xiao Hu, you're a rare guest. Come in and sit down. What brings you here today?" Lin Qianjun was sitting on the sofa, reading a book full of English. Seeing Hu Wenhai, he waved him in.

"Director Lin, Brother Zhang, I have a situation to report today." Hu Wenhai sat on a single-seat sofa next to Lin Qianjun and said seriously, "I met a Soviet, and he wants the photo from me."

"Photo? You mean the photo of the plane the Americans gave you?" Hu Wenhai's straightforwardness made Lin Qianjun immediately serious. Just as they arrived in the United States, a Soviet had approached the key figure, Hu Wenhai. Was it an American leak or an insider in the Chinese delegation? Confidentiality issues always needed to be taken seriously.

"Yes, that photo." Hu Wenhai recounted in detail what had happened today, including his conflict with the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

After listening to his account, Lin Qianjun and Zhang Tianqiao's expressions were hard to read, but they were certainly very vivid.

"Is this Yulia the legendary 'Swallow'?" Lin Qianjun and Zhang Tianqiao looked at each other. Both were officials from domestic government agencies and knew bits and pieces of information.

But the Soviet "Swallow" was famous. In the 1980s and 1990s, street books were full of such "popular" topics, making it hard not to know.

"Regardless, this situation is worth paying attention to." Lin Qianjun nodded and comforted Hu Wenhai, "But don't worry, Xiao Hu. The relationship between our country and the Soviet Union has improved in recent years. As long as you don't leak state secrets, you don't need to worry too much. This isn't a serious matter."

"But Yulia is in charge of my project's production design, and I will have to work closely with her..."

Lin Qianjun thought for a moment and said thoughtfully, "The Soviet scientist in the United States is likely a public spy. So don't worry; just be open and honest in your work. This might be a way for the United States and the Soviet Union to communicate indirectly, just like how the Americans gave you the photo."

"Does this mean the Soviet Union might intervene in the sale of the F-14 to us?"

Lin Qianjun nodded and sighed, "Yes, if the Soviet Union really pressures the United States, well—"

Judging from his expression, the situation didn't look good.

"Director Lin, may I ask how the negotiations are going?"

"Hmm?" Hu Wenhai's question immediately changed the atmosphere in the room.