Chapter 9: Temptation and Ideals (New week, please click, recommend, and collect...)

Chen Geng's heart stirred, but he looked at Li Jianguo with a puzzled expression and asked, "Director, what is Mr. Kindler doing here...?"

Li Jianguo felt a bit regretful, but he was more relieved and happy as he said, "Of course Mr. Kindler is here for you. He hopes you can return to Pusan to help him."

"Ah?" Chen Geng "surprisedly" opened his mouth wide, looking at Li Jianguo and then at the refined Christian Kindler, seemingly speechless from the shock of the news.

This expression, in the eyes of Director Ma and Aunt Dong, was naturally one of extreme surprise.

In the 1980s, the Chinese people had just emerged from chaos a few years ago. They learned that the people in capitalist countries, whom they had thought needed to be liberated, were actually living much better than they had imagined. They also learned that the people in capitalist countries were extremely wealthy, almost completely颠覆ing their worldview. Their view of foreigners changed from "poor people living in dire straits, suffering, and in urgent need of liberation" to deep envy.

Those who could work abroad became the envy of everyone, as they were seen as enjoying a happy life. Those who occasionally had overseas connections and could immigrate were thought to have entered a paradise of happiness, able to live in villas, drive small cars, eat beef every day, and have already entered the communist era by rocket.

Would Chen Geng accept Kindler's invitation to go to the headquarters in Wolfsburg? No one had any doubt about this. No one thought Chen Geng would refuse: that was an annual income of at least tens of thousands of dollars, and the company was a world-renowned large company like Wolfsburg.

However, Kindler misunderstood Chen Geng's meaning. He grabbed Chen Geng's arm and said urgently, "Chen, will you please come back to help me? I can't stand that idiot anymore. Oh, right, your annual salary can be..."

He paused slightly and then said, "Converted to the dollars you Chinese are most familiar with, it's about $14,000, and I can assure you that your salary will increase by at least 20% each year."

An annual income of $14,000?!

An increase of 20% each year?

Doesn't that mean Chen Geng could earn an annual salary of $20,000 in just two or three years?

In 1985, when the average annual income was only about 500 RMB, how attractive was an annual salary of $20,000 to the Chinese people? It was roughly equivalent to someone standing in front of you 30 years later, saying to a newly hired civil servant who earns only about 3,000 RMB a month, "Kid, work with me, and I'll give you an annual salary of 10 million RMB."

An annual salary of 10 million RMB! Can you imagine how shocking that would be?

If you still can't imagine it, just look at the reactions of the people in the personnel department: they were so shocked that they forgot to breathe, and their eyes were almost popping out.

Aunt Dong, the battalion typist, said enviously to a colleague, "Forget the $20,000 annual salary; I'd do it for $5,000."

"Forget $5,000; I'd do it for $3,000..."

"Hey, $3,000? Do you think capitalists are running a charity? They're willing to pay Xiao Chen $20,000 because he's worth it. Do you have that kind of ability?"

"I... I can serve tea and water..."

No matter how quietly everyone discussed, one thing became a consensus: no one thought Xiao Chen would continue to stay in the National Defense Department. They were sure he would follow this German to Wolfsburg. The logic was simple: people move to higher places, and water flows to lower places.

Even Li Jianguo, though he felt very regretful, didn't say anything to retain Chen Geng. Instead, he patted Chen Geng's shoulder and encouraged him, "Xiao Chen, I know you are talented. Although you just started, you are also a part of our National Defense Department. After you go to Germany..."

Chen Geng interrupted Li Jianguo and said with a smile, "But, Director, I don't plan to leave."

"I know, I know..." Li Jianguo nodded repeatedly, responding subconsciously. A moment later, he finally realized what Chen Geng meant and was stunned, "Huh? What did you say?"

Chen Geng said helplessly, "I said, I don't plan to leave."

"What did you say? You don't plan to go with Mr. Kindler?" Li Jianguo was incredibly shocked. Can you imagine how a small soldier under you refuses a rich boss's offer of a million-dollar annual salary and a beautiful secretary? That's how Li Jianguo felt at the moment.

"Yes, I don't plan to go," Chen Geng repeated, his expression very serious, "If I can provide some help to Pusan, I would be very happy, but I won't go there to work... You should remember my ideals."

Chen Geng's ideals? Li Jianguo was stunned for a while before he patted Chen Geng's shoulder heavily, "Good job."

Previously, Li Jianguo had been particularly kind to Chen Geng, not because he was Chen Geng, but because Chen Geng was a student from Tsinghua University. Chen Geng coming to the National Defense Department was like a calling card for the department. But at this moment, Li Jianguo truly looked at Chen Geng with new eyes.

The people around them immediately let out a huge sigh, their tone full of regret, as if their own children were unwilling to pursue democracy and freedom.

Although Kindler didn't understand what Chen Geng said, he wasn't stupid. From the expressions and actions of the people around him, he could guess what decision Chen Geng had made, and he immediately became anxious.

If it weren't for the fact that he couldn't stand the assistant sent by the Chinese side, would he have come all the way to the capital of this country to find Chen Geng? The question of whether Chen Geng would refuse was not even in Kindler's consideration.

Having lived in this country for almost two years, Kindler was very clear about the income situation of the people and their views on foreigners. He didn't think anyone in this country would refuse the opportunity to work and study in Wolfsburg. Faced with the conditions he offered, Chen Geng would surely wag his tail like a dog. But the reality was a solid blow to Kindler, making his eyes sparkle with shock.

If it were the former Chen Geng, he would have turned around and followed Kindler nine times out of ten. But now, Chen Geng's mindset was completely different. He sincerely said to Kindler, "Mr. Kindler, I am very grateful that you thought of me at this time, and I am very grateful for the help you once provided me. But I have my ideals. I hope to achieve my ideals and am willing to pay the price for them. If there is anything I can help you with at Pusan, it would be a great honor, but please forgive me, I won't go to Shanghai with you."

"Why?" Kindler asked in German, immediately understanding, but becoming even more shocked, "Is it because of the salary? If you think this salary is not satisfactory, I can try to negotiate for you... Yes, I am confident I can get you to the $18,000 level. What do you think?"

Chen Geng was deeply moved, very moved. Although he hated some people at Wolfsburg, he always felt grateful to Kindler. He was one of the few good foreigners he knew. In the previous life, if it weren't for his strong recommendation, he might not have been able to go to Pusan. This was a foreigner he genuinely appreciated, but this time he had to refuse him.

"It's not about the money. I want to achieve my ideals," Chen Geng's voice was full of regret.

"Your ideals?"

For some reason, Kindler recalled what Chen Geng had said to him last year: "I want to make an advanced engine for China."

At the time, he had kindly mocked this young Chinese man in his heart: "Kid, you're still too young. Do you think an engine is what?" But unexpectedly, this kid had already started moving towards his ideal.

But because of this, Kindler wanted to take Chen Geng even more. He seriously suggested to Chen Geng, "Chen, if you really want to achieve your ideals, I think you should go to Wolfsburg to study. To be frank, with the current situation in your country, you won't learn any advanced engine technology or design concepts. Only in Germany, only in Germany, can you learn everything you need."

Chen Geng admitted that Kindler was right. If he hadn't been reborn and didn't know the engine technology and development trends of the next 30 years or more, then going to Germany to study for a period of time would indeed be the best and most correct choice for him at this stage. But now, he could skip this stage.

Knowing that Kindler was thinking of him, but unable to explain what had happened to him, Chen Geng hesitated for a moment and said to Li Jianguo, "Director, can I have a private conversation with Mr. Kindler?"

In this era where ideology still held significant importance, having a conversation with a German in the National Defense Department and the Military Committee Office Building without supervision was somewhat taboo. Li Jianguo hesitated for a moment and asked, "What is it about?"

"It's like this. Mr. Kindler came to me because the student sent by the state to work with him couldn't cooperate well. He hopes I can go to Shanghai and be his assistant. I think this is because the German way of thinking is different from ours, and both sides are not used to each other's thinking patterns. I want to talk to Mr. Kindler about how to communicate and interact with Easterners."

Actually, the main reason was that what he was about to say to Kindler was not suitable for others to hear.

Li Jianguo breathed a sigh of relief.

Although he wasn't sure if Chen Geng was going to talk to Kindler about this, the excuse was perfect: "I see. Alright, wait a moment, I'll arrange a small meeting room for you."

"What are you talking about?" Kindler's expression was somewhat confused.

"I said, can we have some private space to talk alone?"

"Is that so? Great!"

Unaware that he had been put in a small pocket, Kindler was still excited.

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