Break out of the courtyard

The capital city, Houhai.

Grandma Zheng wandered around the frozen lake for a long time, but still couldn't find Grandpa Hua fishing in the ice hole.

In the end, it was her niece, who had come along, who spotted the guard, Xiao Qin, squatting on the stone embankment by the river.

It was only through Xiao Qin that they found Old Hua in the middle of the ice, where he was discussing bait preparation with several anglers.

Escorted by her niece and guard Xiao Qin, Old Lady Zheng slowly approached Old Man Hua, who was wearing a military overcoat and a dog-skin hat.

When the others saw Grandma Zheng and her two companions arrive, they did not recognize Grandma Zheng, who looked much younger than before.

Because the trial of the Lifespan 120 drug was not publicized in China, most people only knew that there was such an expensive drug, but did not know how to apply for a free trial, which was also Zhang Heping's dissatisfaction.

Zhang Heping wasn't dissatisfied that the application for free drug trials wasn't made public; rather, he was dissatisfied that Elder Hua held the initial review authority for the free trial of the Life Essence 120 drug, yet he had no say in the matter, and that his eldest sister had to resign to demonstrate the Zhang family's stance.

If Zhang Heping had all the free trial opportunities for the Lifespan 120 potion, Zhang Zhaodi would never have put up with such humiliation!

Grandma Zheng didn't ask the guard Xiao Qin to remind Grandpa Hua. The three of them stood silently behind Grandpa Hua like spectators, watching him exchange ideas with a few air force fishing enthusiasts.

It wasn't until Xiao Qin's phone rang that Old Hua turned around, only then noticing that Old Madam Zheng was also nearby.

"When did you get back, sir?" Old Hua asked with a smile as he stood up and patted the moisture off his clothes.

"I just got back and heard you were fishing here, so I came to check on you." Old Mrs. Zheng looked at the empty bucket at Old Mr. Hua's feet with a smile in her eyes. "Keep going, and we'll go back after you catch a few."

Old Hua picked up a hemp rope from beside his feet and pulled a small iron hook with bait that hadn't been eaten yet from the ice hole.

"I'm leaving first, you guys continue!" Old Hua called out to the other air force fishermen, filled an iron bucket with hemp rope and bait, picked up a small wooden stool, and handed it to Xiao Qin, who was standing next to him with outstretched hands.

Seeing this, Grandma Zheng didn't say anything more and, with her niece's help, carefully walked towards the shore.

After getting ashore, Mr. Hua stamped his foot and, seeing that Mrs. Zheng had no intention of getting into the car, followed her and strolled around Houhai Lake.

It wasn't until the four of them reached the vicinity of Yinding Bridge and could see the Zhang family's three-story building on the other side of the ice that Old Lady Zheng stopped and said to Old Man Hua beside her, "I heard that you've been throwing a tantrum, refusing to attend all meetings and not receiving guests."

"At first I didn't understand, but after I learned the reason why Zhao Di resigned, I realized what those people were up to behind the scenes."

Looking at the crowds coming and going on the other side of the river, Hua Lao calmly said, "Shenzhen Peace Hospital has reopened to the public, and all forms of single and double rooms have been cancelled."

“I’ve been thinking about why Hong Kong Island Peace Hospital can maintain 3-person wards, even when the Eagle King was admitted, he didn’t get a single room; while Shenzhen Peace Hospital has so many single and double rooms.”

"The rules and regulations are the same as those in Pingdingshan, and the medical staff are all drawn from various hospitals, so why is there such a big difference!"

Grandma Zheng listened quietly, without rushing to interrupt.

She recently inspected the construction of Hope Primary Schools in Yunnan and Guizhou. She was originally scheduled to return after the New Year, but unexpectedly, she received a series of calls from people in the capital, hoping that she would come back and persuade Xiao Hua next to her.

Although Hua Lao was also respectfully addressed as "Lao" (old), he was actually more than ten years younger than Zheng Laotai.

In addition, since Elder Hua was close to Elder Zheng and Elder Li, those who wanted to meet with Elder Hua to discuss the Longevity 120 elixir turned their attention to Elder Zheng.

Hua Lao did not explain why he refused to attend the meeting, but only said what he had been thinking about recently, from the Shenzhen Peace Hospital to the research projects there, and Zhang Heping's recent secret research on brain-computer interfaces in Hong Kong.

"After much thought, I've finally come to a conclusion!" Old Hua put his hands in the pockets of his military overcoat, exhaled a breath of stale air, and continued, "I shouldn't have gone to Shenzhen to interfere in those matters!"

Grandma Zheng neither confirmed nor denied this conclusion, but instead asked, "What are your plans next?"

Refusing to hold meetings and communicate will obviously not solve the problem.

In particular, there is the issue of follow-up medication for the Life 120 drug. Whether to continue free trials or to set a price and charge for it, a plan needs to be devised, given that there are so many elderly people in China waiting in line.

……

On December 31st, Grandma Zheng, Grandpa Hua, Grandpa Li, Grandpa Yang, and others flew to Shenzhen.

When they arrived at the intersection of Heping College Road in Shenzhen, they were stopped and checked by the security guards as usual, but unlike before, they were not searched one by one. They only needed to walk through the security gate without triggering the alarm.

This speeds up the process of people coming and going.

After receiving the ID card from the guard, Mr. Hua left the checkpoint and stood beside Secretary Chen and Brigade Commander Chu. Looking at the crowds coming and going at the intersection, and the three electric sightseeing vehicles already full, he asked:
"Since the intersection was reopened, are so many people coming to see a doctor every day?"

Secretary Chen leaned close to Elder Hua and whispered, "The Peace Group has spent a billion yuan on advertising in various provinces and claims that it will treat and save lives with zero profit for the next three years."

“I think they recruited so many patients so that Director Wang could implement the three-person ward system and, incidentally, squeeze out those retirees who were staying in the hospital.”

Hua Lao nodded slightly, gaining a deeper understanding of Zhang Heping's determination to reorganize Shenzhen Heping Hospital from the two points of one billion yuan in advertising fees and zero profit.

Looking at the three electric sightseeing vehicles full of people heading to the hospital, and another electric sightseeing vehicle approaching from the other side, Old Hua continued to ask, "Are Xiaolong and Xiaohu in the underground laboratory right now?"

"They're still printing the game pods!" Secretary Chen chuckled as he looked at Old Li, who was undergoing an inspection, and softly replied to Old Hua, "Sisters Xie Wan and Xie Ting met with Consultant Zhang's underground laboratory this morning."

"The equipment inside is all the same equipment we handled, it's just that the entire laboratory is covered with a layer of sheet metal inside and out."

"Qian and his colleagues analyzed that the purpose of covering it with iron sheets was to isolate and weaken the dissipation of spiritual energy."

After seeing that Elder Hua and Elder Yang had finished their inspection and retrieved their ID cards, Elder Hua gently instructed them, "Director Wang will continue to oversee things on Hong Kong Island. You just need to keep an eye on things on Shenzhen."

Secretary Chen nodded in agreement. He had originally wanted to ask about the joint ventures and factories of the Peace Group in other places, but since Elder Yang and his group had come, he had to give up for the time being.

As for Commander Chu, who was standing nearby, he seemed not to have heard anything until Elder Yang and the others approached, at which point he followed Secretary Chen forward to greet them.

"Dear leaders, I'm so sorry!" Brigade Commander Chu said apologetically, "Our regulations require that we cannot greet visitors before they have completed their inspection, in order to prevent collusion between insiders and outsiders to smuggle dangerous items in!"

"I understand! I understand! Elder Hua explained it to us on the way here." Elder Yang shook Commander Chu's hand with a beaming smile. "You've worked hard!"

"It's not hard work!" Commander Chu replied with a smile. "Every time we see those disabled comrades going in in wheelchairs or with crutches, and then watching them come out happily, we feel that guarding this place is very meaningful and necessary!"

Elder Hua and his team came here to discuss the Life Extension 120 potion with Zhang Heping, but when Brigade Commander Chu arrived, he subtly mentioned the significance of the regeneration and repair fluid for the soldiers, giving the impression that he was supporting Zhang Heping.

Old Yang didn't know if the other party was saying this on purpose, or if he was overthinking it, but he didn't show it on his face.

After the vehicles underwent internal and external inspections, they drove into the intersection, carrying Elder Hua and his group inside. "Is that white building the Pigeon Eye Air Defense System?" Elder Qin, who was visiting this area for the first time, curiously pointed to a white area on Nanshan Mountain.

Following their gaze, Commander Chu quickly replied, "That's not it. Our Pigeon Eye air defense system now uses the latest optical concealment technology. If you don't know its location, it's very difficult to spot with the naked eye."

These words immediately attracted the interest of many people on the bus.

An old man wearing an old-fashioned green military cap said loudly, "Young comrade, tell me, where is your air defense system? I want to see if it's really invisible to the naked eye."

Commander Chu looked at Elder Hua and Secretary Chen with a troubled expression, somewhat regretting that he had spoken too quickly and been too busy showing off.

Seeing that Elder Hua nodded to him, Secretary Chen pointed to the red flag on the mountaintop and said with a smile, "Look at the mountaintop, is there anything unusual?"

"Isn't there just a rock and a red flag on the mountaintop? What's so unusual about that?" an elderly man in the carriage asked in confusion.

The other elderly men and women who hadn't spoken were all carefully observing the situation at the top of the mountain.

However, even after their convoy arrived at the entrance of the Peace Academy, no one noticed anything amiss.

Then an old man got upset, acting like a child, insisting on going to the top of the mountain to get a clear view before entering the academy.

After communication, Brigade Commander Chu led the veterans who wanted to go to the top of the mountain, while Elder Hua led the others into the academy.

Old Yang knew about the new optical concealment technology, so he didn't follow along to see what was so special about it. Instead, he was puzzled by the deserted campus. "It's Friday today, why don't I see any students? Are they all in class?"

In other universities, there would be a few students on the road or on the playground, but at this moment, there wasn't a single student in Peace Academy.

Secretary Chen quickly replied, "Professor Yang, it's the end of the semester now. Most students have gone to factories and laboratories for practical learning. Only a small number of students who didn't pass the academic exams are still studying in the library."

Old Yang asked in confusion, "If you don't pass the academic exam, does that mean you don't need to do practical learning?"

"No, that's not it!" Secretary Chen said with a smile. "Students who didn't pass the academic exams will go to the factory or laboratory in the evenings to study with the night shift staff."

"There are fewer people at night, so the staff can take better care of them."

"That's a good idea!" Elder Yang nodded, then asked, "But won't this disturb the students' rest?"

Secretary Chen did not answer the question directly, but said with a smile, "Many experts and professors here go to sleep at one or two in the morning and get up at five or six in the morning."

“When Consultant Zhang lived here, you could see him doing his morning exercises at the artificial lake and playground every day at 5 a.m.

When Yang Lao heard that there were so many role models here, he stopped caring whether the students took a break or not. Anyway, they would only be studying here for three or four years, and they could just tough it out.

The convoy arrived at the villa area. After getting out of the car, Old Hua looked at the people getting out one after another and said, "Old Yang, I need to go to the underground laboratory. How about you all go to the villa to rest first?"

Old Li asked in confusion, "Old Hua, what's the rush? You don't even have time to take us to your villa!"

Hua Lao didn't hide anything and casually said, "Advisor Zhang's twin sons are building a game pod in the underground laboratory. I'm going to go see how their construction is going."

"Can we go?" Old Yang asked tentatively.

“The process for registering your access rights to the underground base is a bit complicated; it also requires Zhang’s approval from the back office,” Old Hua said, frowning. “By the time your visitor access is approved, I reckon those two lads will be out.”

"Besides, some of these projects..."

Upon being reminded of this, Elder Yang immediately realized that some of the weapons projects here were classified at a certain level and were not suitable for most people on this trip to know about.

"I misspoke. You go about your business, we'll go to your room and see what good tea or wine you have!" Old Yang turned around and walked towards Villa No. 4 first.

"Mr. Hua, do you have any good cigarettes in your villa?" Mr. Li asked with a smile as he followed Mr. Yang.

Seeing this, the remaining people followed Secretary Chen to the villa, while only Old Lady Zheng followed Old Man Hua into the car driven by the guard, Xiao Qin.

The game pods that Zhang Long and Zhang Hu made in this 3D printing lab are the latest virtual dream game console equipment developed by their father, Zhang Heping.

To be precise, what they built here is just an outer shell.

The internal components, such as the gold brain machine, gold transmission lines, and biological brain servers, all need to be installed on Hong Kong Island.

Even so, it has still attracted the attention of many brain-computer interface researchers here.

"Teacher Zhang, how exactly do we connect the mental energy receiving module and the amplification module? We've tried 3589 times, but haven't succeeded!"

"Are you asking the wrong question? It should be: the brainwave receiving module is connected to the mental energy conversion module, and then to the mental energy amplification module; the mental energy receiving module should be connected to the mental energy reverse conversion module, then to the brainwave frequency reduction module, and finally, we should consider whether to connect the brainwave blocking module."

"Teacher Zhang, can't the mental energy receiving module be connected to the amplification module to further amplify mental energy?"

"Are you trying to make weapons like mental energy bombs? My dad tried it, but failed; he also tried layering mental energy amplification modules, but the effect wasn't very good either."

"Teacher Zhang..."

When Mr. Hua and Mrs. Zheng arrived, they happened to hear Zhang Long answering questions from other researchers in the crowd.

Instead of interrupting the conversation, they quietly went around the crowd to see the automatic printing machines and Zhang Hu, who was directing his assistants to check the dimensions of the parts.

"Little Tiger, are you busy right now?" Old Hua approached and asked with a smile.

Zhang Hu turned around, recognized the people who had come, and greeted them politely, "Grandma Zheng, Grandpa Hua, what brings you here?"

"Isn't tomorrow your dad's birthday?" Old Hua said with a smile. "We thought he probably wouldn't be in the lab tomorrow, so we wanted to talk to him about something."

Zhang Hu nodded and said, "When you arrive tomorrow, you can have your bodyguards contact my dad or me directly, and we'll meet you at the entrance!"

Grandma Zheng looked at the little girl next to Zhang Hu and asked with a smile, "Is this Xie Wan? Or Xie Ting?"

"Grandma Zheng, I'm Xie Ting!" The twin sister, Xie Ting, stepped forward and greeted her with a smile.

Grandma Zheng held the little girl's gloved hand and said with a smile, "I held you two sisters when you were a month old. I never imagined you would grow up so fast!"

...(End of chapter)