Chapter 86

After the team members finished their meal, they came over to inquire about the reason Lin Qiangsheng was able to go out. Lin Qiangsheng told them that he had spent 26 Hong Kong dollars to complete the entry procedures.

The team members looked at the young man in surprise, and some of them asked in shock, "Just for a breakfast, you paid 26 Hong Kong dollars?"

"No! I also went out to find a currency exchange shop and exchanged some foreign currency!" Lin Qiangsheng replied.

"What kind of currency exchange shop?" some team members immediately asked.

Lin Qiangsheng then introduced the foreign currency exchange shops outside to the team members, saying, "In such a big city, there are usually foreign currency exchange shops on the streets and corners of commercial areas, and near the airport. It's very convenient! I just needed to exchange some money!"

"Oh! So that's how it is! This exchange shop can exchange RMB for foreign currency, which is quite convenient!" Some people began to consider exchanging some foreign currency themselves, as they had not brought much foreign currency from home, so many of them also brought some RMB, hoping to exchange it abroad. They didn't expect to be able to exchange it near the Hong Kong airport!

After discussing, the team members decided to go outside to exchange some foreign currency and applied to Team Leader Gong. Team Leader Gong understood everyone, even he himself was required by his family to buy electrical appliances to bring back home. Gong Benyan asked everyone to maintain discipline and not to go too far, and for safety, to go out in groups.

Lin Xiangrong asked Lin Qiangsheng, "Did you go to exchange money?"

Lin Qiangsheng nodded, there was no need to hide it, anyway, his parents would know once they were abroad.

Around nine o'clock, Lin Qiangsheng told his parents and walked out of the airport with a plastic box. He went to a pre-selected HSBC bank and smoothly obtained a MasterCard, depositing the money.

Throwing away the plastic box, Lin Qiangsheng walked out of the bank with his suitcase, feeling much lighter.

Around noon, the inspection team boarded a French airline. Interestingly, during this time, they encountered another group from a southern province on an overseas inspection, but the other group was from the education department, consisting of university researchers and experts. They chatted together, but it was like chickens talking to ducks, and due to the dialect differences, they couldn't communicate well, so they gradually separated.

What interested the inspection team was learning about the domestic situation. As a border inland province, information was still quite closed. Now, many coastal provinces were becoming active, starting large-scale international exchanges, while their H province region remained the same as before. This made them feel the gap! Even compared to other domestic provinces, they were far behind!

Around 1978, a wave of overseas inspections swept the country. According to statistics from the State Council's Hong Kong and Macao Office, from January to the end of November 1978, 529 batches of people, totaling 3,213 individuals, went abroad or to Hong Kong for inspections, including 112 batches, totaling 824 individuals, who specifically went to Hong Kong for inspections. These statistics did not include the large number of students who had just started going abroad for further studies.

The French airline made everyone feel more sophisticated. This time, it was genuine foreign service personnel, with flight attendants of various hair colors, and French people with their distinctive facial features, high noses, freckles, and mixed hair colors, speaking nasal French with both热情 and a lack of enthusiasm.

The pretty flight attendants in black suits made the inspection team members quietly observe them, and also made most of the domestic passengers on the same flight quiet.

Often during economic crises, the meals on the plane are the best. Although there was no economic crisis in the West at the end of the 1970s and early 1980s, the oil crisis and price hikes triggered by oil-producing countries in the early 1970s led to a long period of economic stagnation in Europe and America. At this time, Europe and America were experiencing a relatively long period of economic weakness, with a surplus of capital, technology, and products.

With a poor economy, naturally, the meals and service provided by the airlines during this period were better. After the plane entered a steady flight, the flight attendants immediately provided lunch to the passengers. Even in economy class, there were many options available!

Flights to Europe serve two meals, and before serving, a detailed menu is provided to the passengers. The variety of food and drinks is extensive, from drinks to main courses to desserts, all clearly listed, making it feel very thoughtful. The meals include both Chinese and Western options, with bread, ham, salad, yogurt, cheese, desserts, stir-fried dishes, and more. Drinks include champagne, beer, juice, tea, coffee, and more. French bread is also served continuously.

Lin Qiangsheng ordered beef stew with peas, a serving of rice, and a glass of champagne. His father, Lin Xiangrong, and mother, Xu Hongmei, were still discussing, but seeing that their son had already ordered food, they asked Lin Qiangsheng to help them choose, and he picked sweet and sour pork and sweet and sour ribs.

"Mom and Dad, have some wine and onions to help you sleep!" Lin Qiangsheng suggested to his parents.

Xu Hongmei and Lin Xiangrong both nodded, and Xu Hongmei smiled and said, "Okay, I'll listen to my son. The two dishes you chose are good. I didn't expect the meals on foreign airlines to be so good, and there's even Chinese food! I was worried we might not be used to it abroad."

Lin Xiangrong also nodded and smiled awkwardly at the French flight attendant who was smiling at him.

Xu Hongmei pinched her husband and whispered, "Don't stare at her!"

"Oh!" Lin Xiangrong immediately looked at his wife and chuckled, saying, "It's my first time seeing foreigners up close!"

Lin Qiangsheng looked at the French flight attendant and said in French to the young flight attendant, "Let's drink!"

The French flight attendant, with her beautiful dark chestnut hair tied up, had a few cute freckles on her cheeks when she smiled. She smiled at Lin Qiangsheng and said, "Let's drink!"

Lin Qiangsheng smiled awkwardly and switched to English, saying, "Three of these, this... and a glass of champagne, two glasses of wine. Thank you, beautiful lady!"

The young flight attendant smiled and said, "Yes, Miss! Okay, sir, do you need anything else?"

"An onion, to help with sleep, thank you!" Lin Qiangsheng said.

The flight attendant was surprised and said, "Onions can help with sleep? Okay, sir, coming right up!"

The flight attendant smiled, nodded, and took the order back. The other inspection team members saw Lin Qiangsheng fluently conversing with the flight attendant in a foreign language and looked at his family with surprise.

Lin Xiangrong and Xu Hongmei looked at each other and then at their son, nodding happily. Xu Hongmei said, "See! His university education wasn't in vain!"

Lin Xiangrong chuckled and said, "He's always been inconsistent, but he learned pretty well!"

Seeing the envious and surprised looks from the other team members, the two felt proud of their son.

Gong Benyan turned around and asked, "Deputy Director Zhou, do you think that young man's foreign language is standard?"

Zhou Jianjiang, a translator sent by the provincial foreign trade and economic department, was also a high-ranking official, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to join the inspection team to Western Europe.

Zhou Jianjiang, in his 40s, wearing thick glasses, replied, "Not bad, the young man spoke French first, but it wasn't very standard! Later, he spoke a few sentences in English."

Gong Benyan nodded and looked back at Gong Ya. The girl was looking at Lin Qiangsheng, wrinkling her nose and secretly clenching her fists.

The flight lasted about 15 hours. When the plane entered European airspace, Lin Qiangsheng and his family woke up. The onions indeed helped with sleep, and with eye masks and earplugs, they slept all the way to the Mediterranean!

Lin Qiangsheng asked the flight attendant for two baguettes and three cups of coffee, which again surprised the team members.

"Free!" Lin Qiangsheng whispered to everyone.

"Oh! Then give me one too!" The team members became interested.

The 20-person inspection team immediately perked up, all mimicking Lin Qiangsheng and asking for baguettes and coffee, keeping the French flight attendants busy.

After finishing the baguettes, Lin Qiangsheng went to the restroom.

Passing by the flight attendants' rest area, the young flight attendant with dark chestnut hair smiled at him and said, "Salut!"

"Salut!" Lin Qiangsheng smiled back.

The flight attendant had bright brown eyes, a high nose, and a touch of light red lipstick, with a very delicate face.

She rolled her eyes and said in English, "Do you only know a few phrases in French?"

Lin Qiangsheng stopped and smiled, "Yes! French is indeed the most beautiful language in the world, but it's too difficult for me to learn!"

The young flight attendant chuckled, "Of course! French is indeed very beautiful and melodious! But your English is also quite good! You're one of the better English speakers among the Chinese!"

Lin Qiangsheng smiled and chatted with the flight attendant. The Air France flight attendants were quite talkative, and the young flight attendant chuckled from time to time, drawing curious glances from the domestic passengers passing by.

"What do you think of my outfit? Not too country, right?" Lin Qiangsheng asked the flight attendant.

The flight attendant chuckled, "Compared to your compatriots, you look much better! Your physique is also better than I imagined!"

Lin Qiangsheng laughed, "Yes, I do like to exercise!"

The flight attendant asked, "Really? Do you know kung fu? Like Bruce Lee?"

Lin Qiangsheng shook his head, "No, I don't! I know combat sports!"

The flight attendant was surprised, "Really? I can't tell!"

Lin Qiangsheng smiled, "Is that a compliment?"

The flight attendant also smiled and extended her hand, "Hello! I'm Evelyn! What about you?"

Lin Qiangsheng said, "You can call me Qiangsheng, Lin!"

The flight attendant smiled, "Hello, Qiangsheng!"

They shook hands lightly, and Evelyn smiled seductively at Lin Qiangsheng, "Qiangsheng, I'm free today!"

Lin Qiangsheng blinked, was the girl asking him out?

He nodded and said, "I'm free in the evening. Can you accompany me for a walk in Paris?"

Evelyn smiled, "Of course!"

Lin Qiangsheng extended his palm, and Evelyn took a pen and wrote a phone number on his hand, smiling, "Call me in the evening, I'm free!"

Lin Qiangsheng nodded, said goodbye to Evelyn, and returned to his seat, feeling the clear pen marks on his palm.

He actually got a date with a French young lady!

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