Break out of the courtyard

As the Zhang family's lunch was drawing to a close, and seeing Chen Shuting get up to leave, Old Hua finally spoke up, "Shuting, what do you think about the pricing of the Lifespan 120 potion..."

"Mr. Hua!" Chen Shuting paused, looked at Mr. Hua who had already stood up, and smiled, "For business matters, you can send someone to our company to discuss them."

"Furthermore, our company has not yet reached a conclusion on the pricing of Shouyuan 120 medicine, so there's no point in discussing it now!"

They said they would go to the company to talk, but in the end, just like Zhang Heping, they were unwilling to talk to Mr. Hua.

Old Hua understood their unspoken meaning and left the Zhang family with confusion and worry.

When Mr. Hua returned to the Shenzhen Peace Academy, he told Director Wang, Secretary Chen, Vice President Qian, and others what he had seen and heard at noon. Secretary Chen couldn't help but mention the information he had gathered.

"Zhang Zhaodi is applying for resignation!"

As soon as Secretary Chen said this, everyone in the villa's living room turned their attention to him.

"I only just received news of what happened this morning," Secretary Chen explained in a deep voice. "It seems Zhang Zhaodi wanted to transfer to the tax department, pulled a lot of strings, but it didn't work out!"

"Then, citing his intention to start a business, he submitted his resignation to their director."

When Hua Lao heard about Zhang Zhaodi's matter, he vaguely grasped the gist of it.

Director Wang frowned and said, "In recent years, Zhao Di has been studying domestic and foreign tax laws and believes that China will carry out tax system reform."

"Although we know she really wants to transfer to the tax department, the fact that she can't transfer there right now doesn't mean she can't in the future. There are probably reasons we don't know about!"

Meeting Director Wang's questioning gaze, Secretary Chen shook his head and said, "I haven't found out the specific reason yet, but I think it might involve her promotion."

Seeing that everyone was looking at him, Secretary Chen continued to explain: "First, her superior is only 45 years old this year, two years younger than Zhang Zhaodi; second, in addition to the two deputy directors, their department also has two second-level inspectors."

At this point, Elder Hua, Director Wang, and Vice President Qian understood the situation: they were being suppressed from above, and without being transferred out, they had no chance to advance.

Director Wang shook his head slightly, "Zhao Di is not such an impulsive person. There must be other reasons why she resigned."

After he finished speaking, Director Wang stood up, took out his phone as he walked out, and said, "I'll call and ask Xiuzhen."

……

Compared to outsiders' speculations, even the Zhang family members themselves had many doubts.

No sooner had Ma Xiuzhen hung up the phone than she went to the lobby on the second floor and found Zhang Zhaodi, who was watching TV, and told her that Director Wang had called to inquire about her resignation.

"Mom, what did you tell Aunt Wang?" Zhang Zhaodi asked, aimlessly flipping through channels with the remote control in hand.

Ma Xiuzhen casually said, "I told her, I'm not quite sure what you're thinking."

Zhang Zhaodi looked at her mother and said, "From now on, no matter who asks you, answer like this. If they press for more information, tell them to come and ask me."

"I still don't understand. You were doing so well at your job, why did you suddenly resign?" Ma Xiuzhen asked, puzzled.

“Even if I told you, you wouldn’t understand!” Zhang Zhaodi looked at the TV again. “I also have to worry about you letting something slip one day.”

Ma Xiuzhen was taken aback and sat silently for a while before getting up and going downstairs to chat with someone at a shop outside.

After a while, Zhang Bing, wrapped in a military overcoat, came downstairs and sat on the sofa diagonally opposite Zhang Zhaodi. He frowned and asked, "Did you suffer any grievances at work?"

“No!” Zhang Zhaodi shook her head, looked at her father who rarely cared about her, and smiled, “I have discussed the matter of resigning with Changsheng, my second sister, and my third brother. It was not an impulsive decision.”

Zhang Bing remembered that Chang Sheng hadn't eaten lunch in the cafeteria today, but had come back home for lunch instead.

Furthermore, when Chang Sheng heard Zhang Zhaodi mention resigning during the meal, he showed no unusual expression, suggesting that the couple had discussed it beforehand.

Zhang Bing was never good at communicating with his children, and when he heard that Zhang Zhaodi had discussed it with Chang Sheng and Zhang Heping, he lost the will to persuade them any further.

Zhang Zhaodi didn't reveal much to her parents, but Chang Sheng, on the other hand, when asked about the matter by their bureau chief, seemed to be pouring out his grievances, yet also acted as if he didn't consider the bureau chief an outsider, immediately starting to talk about the reasons why his wife resigned.

"I've dealt with Old Lin from the tax bureau a few times, and he seemed quite easy to talk to. I never expected him to conspire with his nephew to obstruct your wife's career advancement!" The fifty-something-year-old municipal bureau chief paused for a moment, then asked:

"How about I apply to the higher-ups to transfer your wife here, so you can work together to advance the construction of the smart city system in the capital?"

"This..." Chang Sheng hesitated for a moment, then asked tactfully, "Wouldn't it be against regulations for the couple to work in the same unit?"

The city bureau chief laughed and said, "Once the Capital Smart City Center starts construction, one of you will be transferred there, and then you won't be in the same unit anymore, right?"

“You often go to Shenzhen and Hong Kong Island, so you should have seen how powerful the smart city monitoring systems there are.”

“If our municipal bureau can build a smart city system for the capital, not only will the efficiency of solving cases be greatly improved, but I have also heard that the crime rate will be significantly reduced due to the presence of those surveillance cameras.”

Chang Sheng knew that his wife's resignation was a strategic maneuver to advance her career, so he hesitated.

It is worth noting that the "progress" here does not refer to Zhang Zhaodi, but rather leaves room for progress for Chang Sheng, Zhang Pandi, and even their children and grandchildren.

In the capital, you could throw a handful of beans and hit several section chiefs.

Therefore, Zhang Zhaodi was not satisfied with the position of section chief, a low-level management position, because it could not help her third brother, Zhang Heping.

They had all witnessed the fate of Lou Bancheng's family. Zhang Heping's current wealth and power were far greater than Lou Bancheng's back then, and the hidden dangers behind him were naturally much greater than those behind Lou Bancheng. The Zhang family had no choice but to take precautions.

After Zhang Zhaodi shared her concerns and thoughts with Chang Sheng, Zhang Pandi, and Zhang Heping, they finally came up with a solution of retreating to "advance".

That is, she jumped out of the quagmire, and then replaced Hua Lao and Director Wang as the middleman, and re-weaved the Zhang family's network of relationships with herself as the center!
As for the public statement about resigning to go into business and become a capitalist, it sounds like an angry outburst. Anyone with common sense can understand that this is the Zhang family's way of fighting against those opposing voices.

Of course, if those people feel that's not enough, Zhang Pandi said she can resign at any time and leave room for her children and grandchildren to improve.

This is like a spring; the greater the external pressure, the tighter they contract. As long as the internal stress remains, there will eventually be a day when they rebound with full force.

The key point is that the Zhang family has an absolute advantage in terms of time, because Zhang Heping has mastered the technology to develop the Longevity Elixir!
Therefore, when Chang Sheng got home from get off work and told Zhang Zhaodi about their bureau chief's desire to transfer her there, Zhang Zhaodi refused.

“The Smart City System was originally a promotion that He Ping promised you. If I agree to go there, you will miss out on the position of director of the Smart City System Center!” Zhang Zhaodi explained, which put Chang Sheng to rest.

After Chang Sheng told their bureau chief about Zhang Zhaodi's decision to resign and go into business, the news quickly reached the ears of Elder Hua and Director Wang in Shenzhen. However, before they could come up with a solution, Zhang Heping caused trouble again.

World Internet Forum, pinned post!
[Global Recruitment, Genius Training Camp]

"The answers to the online questions used in the first round of interviews can all be found in the teaching videos, e-textbooks, and papers on the World Internet Forum," said Professor Qian, wearing glasses and holding a white tablet computer, frowning.
"Whether you can be recruited into the genius training camp depends on what kind of questions Dean Zhang will ask during the interview!"

Director Wang frowned and said, "Isn't limiting recruitment to 10 to 15 years old a bit too young?"

“Young age isn’t a problem; China’s special programs for gifted children have always been recruiting talented students,” Secretary Chen shook his head and said, “The key is, what is Consultant Zhang’s intention in issuing this recruitment notice!”

"They just unveiled their Virtual Dream game console. Could this recruitment be Zhang's way of cultivating talent in this field?"

Mr. Hua held his phone, looking at the pinned post on the World Internet Forum, his brows furrowed deeply.

"Those who pass all three rounds of assessments will receive a Lifespan Potion Advance Card on the spot!" Old Hua murmured, pondering Zhang Heping's intentions.

While a large group of researchers at the Shenzhen Peace Academy were waiting for him to come and lead a research project, he was in Hong Kong Island, recruiting gifted young people from all over the world.

Hua Lao's first thought was that Zhang Heping wanted to start anew and cultivate his own trusted researchers.

However, people from other countries had different ideas from Hua Lao.

When they learned of the Peace Group's recruitment post, especially the reward for passing the assessment being a Lifespan Potion Advance Card, they did almost the same thing: they had the news widely reported by domestic media, encouraging eligible teenagers to answer questions online.

Among these people are those in power who attempt to gain access to the Lifespan Potion Advance Card through the genius teenager, those who want to indirectly obtain the Peace Group's advanced technology, and of course, those who have other motives.

With the appearance of this post that stirred up the world's media, the number of online users on the World Internet Forum surpassed 1 million for the first time!
Although this number is much smaller than the world's total population of 55 billion, it is still a staggering figure in the current era when computers and mobile phones have only been around for a few years, attracting the attention of almost half of the world's internet users.

Most importantly, the cloud server behind the World Internet Forum handled this surge in traffic without any issues.

He abandoned related domestic research projects!

Reject brain-computer interface!

Ignoring the information on the Sanxingdui underground base!
Retaliating against Japan and the US through indirect means!

Production of Lifespan 120 medicine will be suspended next month!

We are recruiting gifted young people worldwide!

The problems piled up on Zhang Heping's side were getting bigger and bigger, and Hua Lao didn't know how to deal with them for a while.

However, at this critical moment, Director Wang suggested that Hua Lao return to the capital to deal with Zhang Zhaodi's resignation first.

"I've returned to the capital, what about here?" Old Hua stood by the artificial lake, momentarily at a loss.

Director Wang stood beside them, watching the researchers and their families wandering aimlessly around them, and laughed, "Haven't you realized that you can't solve the problem here, or in Hong Kong? Your place should be in the capital!"

"That brat is very clever; he's always had a clear sense of likes and dislikes since he was little!"

“Back when I was the director of the Nanluoguxiang Subdistrict Office, this brat caused me a lot of trouble.”

"If you can resolve the trouble Zhao Di is facing, I have a way to persuade that brat."

Actually, at this point, Director Wang hadn't figured out how to persuade Zhang Heping. He just intuitively felt that Zhang Heping didn't care about the technology or his personal gains or losses.

Thinking back to when that brat recklessly ran back to the capital from Yundu, threatening to resign, and his expression of complete indifference to power, Director Wang felt as if it had happened just yesterday, the memory still fresh in his mind!
Old Hua frowned and looked at Director Wang, asking, "What's your idea?"

Director Wang turned to look at the campus and laughed, "That brat was determined to build a world-class school when he was in Xishuangbanna, and he even produced a whole bunch of textbooks, what a pity..."

Following Director Wang's gaze, Mr. Hua looked at the tall buildings on campus, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

"The trouble that brat encountered back then and Shenzhen now, though different in time and place, is actually quite similar!" Director Wang turned to look at Old Hua and said seriously, "He needs a protective umbrella!"

He needs a powerful protector to safeguard him!

Old Hua was suddenly jolted, a multitude of thoughts flashing through his mind as he recalled various events from the past.

"Professor Hua!" Director Wang said with a serious expression, "I don't know how to persuade Heping to come back and do research."

"But my gut feeling tells me that this brat has been wronged and is being stubborn again!"

"However, that brat is still the same brat he always was. He's just that stubborn. The more you try to lead him, the less he'll go along with you!"

After a long silence, under Director Wang's gaze, Mr. Hua finally nodded.

Finally, Hua Lao extended his right hand, grasped Director Wang's right hand, and solemnly said, "Comrade Su Mei, I'm leaving this to you. I will have Xiao Chen and the others fully cooperate with you."

Director Wang responded seriously, "Don't worry, go back home. I will do my best to bring the Heping family back, just like before."

As soon as Hua Lao returned to the capital, Director Wang took the two twin sisters to Victoria Peak on Hong Kong Island.

At Director Wang's instigation and with Tang Xin's cooperation, Zhang Long and Zhang Hu, who spent their days hiding in the underground laboratory with their father, were kicked out of the house and made to take the two sisters, who were visiting Hong Kong Island for the first time, to go shopping down the mountain.

Seeing Zhang Long and Zhang Hu get into the car with blushing faces, Director Wang said with a smile, "Ah Xin, what do you think of the Xie sisters?"

"Aunt Wang, as you know, our family doesn't care about family background; as long as the children are happy, that's all that matters!" Tang Xin smiled and took Director Wang's arm, leading her back. "Right now, my biggest worry is their marriage!"

"It's rare to meet two girls who can make Xiaolong and Xiaohu feel embarrassed. I sincerely hope they can get together, instead of playing with girls' feelings like other rich kids."

Wang Sumei smiled and said, "If you think it's okay, then I'll tell you about the Xie family's situation."

"If you think it's a good time, then pick a time for both sets of parents to meet and finalize the marriage arrangements beforehand."

"Isn't it too fast?" Tang Xin hesitated. "Xiao Bei and Xiao Nan don't even have boyfriends yet, but Xiao Long and Xiao Hu..." (End of Chapter)