Break out of the courtyard

The fourth day of the Lunar New Year, Saturday.

Hong Kong Island Peace College, Library.

"I'm too busy to go tomorrow!"

When Zhang Zhaodi entered the library, she overheard her third brother, Zhang Heping, talking to Chairman He and Chairman Guo.

"It's hard to say at noon. If I can finish things here in advance, I'll go to the meeting place for lunch last year. If not, then forget it, I can participate next year."

As Zhang Zhaodi approached, she could hear some of their conversation more clearly and guessed that it was related to tomorrow's Chinese Businessmen's Annual Meeting.

After waiting a moment, Zhang Zhaodi smiled and nodded to Chairman He and the others, watching the Hong Kong businessmen leave.

Zhang Heping glanced at his watch and asked, "Big sister, is there something you need?"

"Hmm!" Zhang Zhaodi quickly stepped forward and whispered, "Didn't you ask me to assist Hua Yingxiong Company in donating funds to build a memorial hall for the War of Resistance Against Japan in China before?"

"The Nanjing Museum's inspection team arrived in Hong Kong Island today and approached me, hoping I could help them get in line at the Virtual Dream Lecture Hall. I've already put them in line there."

"I think they didn't come here just to experience it; they might have their eyes on the virtual dream game 'Nanjing Falls'."

Although Zhang Zhaodi didn't continue, Zhang Heping understood what his elder sister meant: how to deal with a shameless request to give away a set of Nanjing Fallen Virtual Dream equipment.

“Sending that equipment to Nanjing is fine; it’s just a change of testing location,” Zhang Heping said nonchalantly. “You and your second sister just need to manage the interpersonal relationships involved. I’m too lazy to get distracted by this kind of thing.”

Seeing that her third brother spoke so casually, Zhang Zhaodi had a plan in mind, but she did not think deeply about Zhang Heping's intention in agreeing to give her the virtual dream device.

"Is there anything else?" Zhang Heping asked casually. Seeing that his older sister was shaking her head at Zhang Zhaodi, he went to the computer room in the corner.

After leaving the library, Zhang Zhaodi went to the lecture hall in the teaching building.

As she arrived at the teaching building, she saw the Nanjing Museum inspection team walking out while wiping away tears, clearly having just finished experiencing a virtual dream game.

"Beasts! The Japanese are truly beasts!"

"Those Japanese devils are worse than animals! I wish I could grab a machine gun and kill them all!"

"Hey bro, wanna join our Ghost Extermination Guild and kill the Japanese devils? We know how to get weapons in the game! Don't worry, membership is free. You just need to record what happens in the game and share it with other members."

As the Nanjing Museum inspection team was feeling uneasy, the conversations around them became increasingly strange.

"The Anti-Japanese Guild is recruiting! Anyone who has time to team up and apply to experience the Fall of Nanjing is welcome to join. As long as you're willing to kill Japanese devils, the guild will organize game strategy sharing sessions from time to time!"

"Anti-Japanese Alliance is recruiting! Our alliance has a master who can kill 59 Japanese soldiers in a single game. If you want to kill Japanese soldiers, come and fill out the information. You only need to register your name and mobile phone number. You can sign up together to experience it. There are no other requirements!"

"The Sun-Shooting Guild is recruiting. Kill one Japanese soldier and you'll get 10 yuan. Kill 100 Japanese soldiers and you'll get 1000 yuan. Rewards are settled after each session. We're fair and honest!"

Seeing that the Nanjing Museum inspection team was standing frozen at the exit and being driven away by bodyguards maintaining order, Zhang Zhaodi quickly walked up to them and called them to the side of the road.

"We've arranged rooms at the Peace Hotel for you. Next time you come to Hong Kong Island, it's best to book your accommodation here in advance." Zhang Zhaodi didn't mention the virtual dream game, keeping her intentions carefully considered.

She continued, "Especially around the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, the world's top Chinese businessmen will come to Hong Kong Island to attend the annual Chinese Businessmen's Conference. This is the period when hotel rooms on Hong Kong Island are in short supply."

The leader of the Nanjing Museum inspection team was a bespectacled old man. Upon hearing Zhang Zhaodi's words, he quickly thanked her and said he would definitely pay attention next time.

The old man had just finished his polite greetings when a team member behind him couldn't help but ask, "Director Zhang, what's going on with those guilds and alliances recruiting people just now?"

The fact that these people could name Cheung Chiu-ti's rank clearly indicates that they had inquired about her before coming to Hong Kong Island.

Or perhaps they were instructed by someone to rush to Hong Kong Island.

As Zhang Zhaodi led the inspection team to the Peace Hotel, she said, "You can apply to experience it repeatedly here. Some people want to kill the Japanese devils to avenge themselves, but they feel that their individual strength is not enough, so they recruit people in the form of guilds or alliances, and then apply together to enter the virtual dream game to kill the Japanese devils."

One member of the inspection team asked hopefully, "Director Zhang, can we apply again?"

“That kind of queue-jumping experience is definitely not going to work!” Zhang Zhaodi said casually. “But you can apply on the Peace Group’s official website and see if you can get another chance to experience it before you go back.”

Zhang Zhaodi and these people exchanged questions and answers until they arrived at the lobby of the Peace Hotel. After watching them retrieve their luggage from the hotel staff, she took her leave.

"Alright, you can go to your rooms with the staff to rest. If you need anything, you can contact the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region team upstairs." After saying this, Zhang Zhaodi turned and walked towards the hotel entrance without waiting for any pleasantries from the others.

The elderly leader of the Nanjing Museum inspection team hurriedly followed, smiling and asking, "Director Zhang, could you please introduce us again? We would like to discuss something with Consultant Zhang in person."

“He’s been very busy lately; he was even working on his research in the library on the first day of the Lunar New Year,” Zhang Zhaodi thought to herself, but her expression remained unchanged. “If you’re concerned about museum funding, you can first ask the Peace Charity Foundation or the Peace Group.”

"However, their employees are still on holiday and will not return to work until the eighth day of the new year."

"By the way, which department did Secretary Ye get transferred to?"

The elderly man leading the group was hesitating about how to begin explaining his purpose when he heard Zhang Zhaodi change the subject, so he followed up with, "Secretary Ye was transferred to the Bureau of Culture two years ago and became the second-in-command there."

Zhang Zhaodi said "Oh" and walked out the door without stopping, heading straight for Heping Hospital.

The elderly leader followed behind, hesitating whether to explain their purpose directly to Zhang Zhaodi and then ask her to relay it to Zhang Heping.

However, if Zhang Zhaodi brings back a message of refusal, they will not be able to trouble her again.

If Zhang Zhaodi introduces them to Zhang Heping first, and Zhang Heping refuses them, they can still ask Zhang Zhaodi for help to facilitate the process, thus giving them two opportunities.

The elderly leader followed them all the way into the neurology ward of Heping Hospital, and then, outside the glass partition, witnessed a clinical trial of brain-computer interface therapy for vegetative patients.

Similar gaming helmets can not only recreate history, but also cure diseases and save lives, which immediately reminded the elderly leader of the instructions given to him by his superiors when he arrived.

The brain-computer interface therapy here looks simple. The attending physician, the patient's family, and the patient put on the brain-computer interface helmet, stand or lie down for more than ten minutes, and then take off the helmet and it's over.

Of course, this is only what outsiders see; the actual treatment process is much more complex.

This involves not only psychology, but also neurology, rehabilitation, pathology, and other fields.

In a ward with three patients, the entire process of physical examination, brain-computer interface therapy, condition analysis, and medical orders can take up an hour.

The problem is that the clinical trial here has increased to 4 wards and 12 patients. "Yi-ge, remember, we don't need to pay attention to what the doctors say!" After Zhang Bei led Zhang Yi and Luo Yi out of the ward, he talked about the experience he had recently summarized.

"Our main tasks are twofold: first, to prevent the biological brain server from leaking its mental energy and harming people; and second, to ensure the activity of the biological brain."

"Therefore, after the doctor finishes using the brain-computer interface device, we can move the device to the next patient."

Zhang Yi frowned and asked, "Xiao Bei, shouldn't we listen to the doctor's feedback on the use of the brain-computer interface?"

“These are obsolete devices anyway, why would they need to provide feedback and make improvements!” Zhang Bei said casually. “However, their treatment experiences are compiled into reports every day and posted on the hospital’s official website and the World Internet Forum. You can take a look when you have time.”

"This ward was arranged by Brother Yi and his wife; the rest of you can observe." Zhang Bei walked into the ward, casually pointed to the small square table on the left side of the bed, and then gestured for the others to step aside.

The elderly leader of the Nanjing Museum inspection team wanted to sneak into the ward with Zhang Bei and his group for a closer look, but he was spotted by the bodyguard at the door and was sternly told to step back, showing no respect for the elderly.

Zhang Zhaodi followed the medical team to the next ward only after listening to the analysis from the attending physician of the previous ward.

Zhang Zhaodi did not invite the elderly team leader, who was standing outside the glass partition and being asked by a group of medical students to move aside, into the ward.

Zhang Heping agreed to provide the Nanjing Museum with a set of virtual dream equipment, on the condition that it would benefit the interpersonal relationships of Zhang Zhaodi and Zhang Pandi.

Zhang Zhaodi was meeting this elderly leader and the other members of the Nanjing Museum inspection team for the first time.

If it weren't for Secretary Ye from Nanjing calling to ask for her help, she wouldn't have paid any attention to these insignificant government officials, especially given the current shortage of hotel rooms.

Speaking of Secretary Ye, Zhang Zhaodi wasn't actually very familiar with him.

She was only received by this Secretary Ye six years ago when she and Ou Yanzi went to Nanjing to donate money for the construction of a museum.

During subsequent holidays, you will receive greeting cards with Nanjing characteristics from them.

As for how he knew Zhang Zhaodi's phone number, that's a bit complicated, but Zhang Zhaodi has some guesses.

The other party's promotion speed is rather fast; at such a young age, he is already the deputy director of the Nanjing Cultural Bureau, so he must have some connections.

Therefore, the matter of arranging a virtual dream game system for the Nanjing Museum had to be negotiated by that Secretary Ye, so that he would owe him a favor.

As for the elderly man who claimed to be the museum curator, he could only be considered a pioneer.

Zhang Zhaodi did not intend to accept his favor unless he had other connections that she could utilize.

Looking at Zhang Yi and Luo Yi, who were wearing gold-rimmed glasses, beside the hospital bed on her left, Zhang Zhaodi felt both helpless and gratified.

Unfortunately, it was because she and her second sister, Zhang Pandi, failed to provide a strong support for the Zhang family and prevent their descendants from having a better starting point.

The relief comes from the fact that the third brother, Zhang Heping, is still able to support Zhang Yi and his family, and that Zhang Yi and his wife are also making efforts.

Seeing her nephew Zhang Yi and his wife Luo Yi, Zhang Zhaodi couldn't help but think of her own children and their future plans.

After the brain-computer interface therapy sessions in the four wards were completed, Zhang Zhaodi called over the leader of the Nanjing Museum inspection team who had been quietly waiting outside.

"Xiao Bei, this is Director Tang from the Nanjing Museum!" Zhang Zhaodi led the group's leader, the elderly director, to Zhang Bei, Zhang Yi, and their group, then said to the director:
“He is Zhang Bei, the son of Consultant Zhang. You can talk to him about anything, and he will pass on the message to Consultant Zhang for you.”

"This..." the old curator hesitated, "Could I speak to Consultant Zhang in person?"

Zhang Bei glanced at Zhang Zhaodi, then looked at the watch on his left wrist, and said, "Auntie, my dad's almost done. Why don't you take him to the library? We need to rush back to deal with these biological brain servers."

“Okay, you can go ahead!” Zhang Zhaodi nodded.

As Zhang Bei and Zhang Yi's group quickly left, Zhang Zhaodi then led the stubborn old man to the library.

Perhaps feeling that it was inappropriate to refuse Zhang Zhaodi twice, the former director of the Nanjing Museum explained with a hint of apology: "Director Zhang, this matter is a bit troublesome. When we came to Hong Kong Island, our superiors specifically instructed us to communicate well with Consultant Zhang."

"If we don't even get to meet with Consultant Zhang, we won't be able to explain ourselves when we get back, don't you think?"

"They have one mouth at the top, and they run themselves ragged down below. I understand!" Zhang Zhaodi replied casually.

Zhang Zhaodi led the elderly leader of the inspection team to the convoy waiting next to the library and briefly explained the old man's background to the bodyguard who came to inquire.

After listening, the bodyguard looked at the old man and said expressionlessly, "Excuse me, if you wait here for our boss, we need to conduct a body search on you!"

Since they were brought by Zhang Zhaodi, the bodyguard captain still showed them a lot of respect, at least speaking to them politely.

The old man leading the team looked at Zhang Zhaodi, and when Zhang Zhaodi nodded slightly to him, the old man replied with a somewhat strange "okay".

Afterwards, two bodyguards stepped forward, conducted a routine check, and then left the old man alone.

Just as they were waiting for Zhang Heping to come out, the old man couldn't help but look around.

The towering glass-walled library failed to attract him; instead, the bodyguards carrying stun guns around him made him think to himself how tight the security was.

At the same time, an absurd thought arose in his mind: if this Consultant Zhang had been born a few decades earlier, with these bodyguards, he would at least be a warlord!

From this point alone, it's easy to see why mainlanders have such a strange view of Zhang Heping having so many bodyguards, and it's no wonder that some older comrades are wary of him.

Although Zhang Heping has mastered a lot of technology, he has not shown a willingness to compromise on some sensitive issues.

Just like Rong Lao of CITIC, after he left CITIC with nothing, he was given great preferential treatment and honorary status by the higher authorities, which can be regarded as setting an example for Zhang Heping.

As it turned out, Zhang Heping went straight back to Hong Kong Island because of some setbacks, and even abandoned the idea of ​​an equal exchange, showing no spirit of selfless dedication whatsoever.

"They're here!" Zhang Zhaodi suddenly reminded him, "You'd better get straight to the point and state your purpose."

When Zhang Heping came out, several teachers who were leading the group were following behind him, seemingly asking him some questions, but Zhang Heping impatiently waved them away.

Zhang Heping walked up to the convoy and casually asked, "Sister, is something the matter?"

"Director Tang of the Nanjing Museum wants to speak with you about something," Zhang Zhaodi replied simply.

After speaking, both siblings looked at the little old man beside them… (End of Chapter)