After being separated from my family, I became a darling of the military region thanks to my medical

Fifty thousand dollars.

In an era when the average worker in China earned only a few dozen yuan a month, this was an unimaginable sum of money.

Xu Wenqiang stood behind Zhang Guohua, his glasses nearly slipping off his nose. He subconsciously converted the money into RMB in his mind—the official exchange rate was one to three, but on the black market… it would be over ten thousand.

What does tens of thousands mean?

In the northern part of the city, a dual-income family couldn't save this much money even if they worked for a hundred years without eating or drinking. This amount of money could buy several courtyard houses with gardens in the best locations in Beijing, enough for a person to lie at home from now on, right up until the next life.

The scene erupted in uproar.

Xu Wenqiang's hands trembled as he listened, and he subconsciously looked at Ye Zhen.

However, Ye Zhen did not stop walking.

He didn't even turn his head.

"Ms. Ye, this is a very sincere price." Seeing that Ye Zhen remained silent, assuming she was weighing her options, Jason's smile deepened, carrying a condescending sense of superiority. "I know the current situation in your country. This money is enough to buy a villa with a swimming pool in the United States and live a decent life. All you have to do is give me that videotape and sign an exclusive technology transfer agreement."

"Sorry, not for sale."

Those five simple words were like a bucket of ice water, extinguishing the greed in Jensen's eyes.

"For some people, life can be measured in dollars. But for me, it can't."

She didn't stop walking, and although her voice wasn't loud, it clearly reached everyone's ears.

The president of Siemens Healthineers finally realized what was happening.

He suddenly shuddered.

This minimally invasive technique is not merely a revolution in surgical methods; it involves an entire industry chain. New surgical instruments, new microsurgical equipment, new standards for consumables… If the Americans gain access to the core data and establish the standards first, then Germany's medical industry, which has always prided itself on precision manufacturing, will be completely suppressed by the Americans in the field of cardiothoracic surgery!

This is a market share worth billions, or even tens of billions of marks!

We must not let the Americans take the videotape away!

"Stop her! Stop her now!"

The president of Siemens Healthineers, ignoring the hole burned in his trousers from a cigar, roared at the security guards standing dumbfounded at the door, "If she walks out of this door today, you're all fired tomorrow! And you, Schmidt!" He turned and yelled at the organizing committee chairman, "Are you trying to kill yourself as chairman? That's the future of cardiothoracic surgery! Are you just going to watch it slip away?"

A group of security guards rushed over in a panic, trying to block the exit.

"Is this how Westerners treat guests?"

Gu Zheng's voice was deep and menacing, carrying an aura of ferocity that seemed to have crawled out of a pile of corpses. He took a step forward, and the previously aggressive security guards instinctively took a step back.

"If the deal falls through, you're resorting to outright robbery?" Gu Zheng grinned, revealing a set of white teeth, but his eyes were chillingly cold. "Come on, let's see who dares to lay a finger on her."

He doesn't need a gun. He doesn't even need to assume a fighting stance. Just standing there, he's like a dormant volcano yet to erupt.

"It's a misunderstanding! It's all a misunderstanding!"

The organizing committee chairman, Schmidt, was an elderly man with gray hair. He was out of breath from running and simply spread his arms to block the doorway.

He disregarded all decorum and bowed deeply to Ye Zhen.

"Ms. Ye! Please wait! This was our mistake; our arrogance blinded us!"

The chairman raised his head, his eyes full of pleading. "Please give us a chance to correct this mistake. We are willing to reschedule your speech, anytime... the highest level ever!"

"Yes, yes, yes!" The Siemens president squeezed in as well. "Dr. Ye, I'm Thomas, president of Siemens Healthineers. We can talk about cooperation. China is currently facing a severe shortage of medical equipment, isn't it? We can provide the latest ventilators, the best anesthesia machines, and even CT scanners! As long as you're willing to share this technology, even at half price… no, we can donate a portion!"

Ye Zhen stopped in her tracks.

She turned around and looked at the Western elites who had been so high and mighty just moments before, but were now bowing and scraping.

She knew the time was right.

Some things cannot be obtained by begging.

Only when you hold a whip that hurts them will they sit down and listen to your reasoning.

"Mr. Chairman, and Mr. President."

Ye Zhen spoke. Her voice was still not loud, but in the empty hall, every syllable sounded like a bronze bell being struck, echoing far and wide.

"China is indeed poor, but not so poor that it has to sell its technology to make ends meet."

"We're here to get interventional catheter equipment."

The Siemens CEO's expression changed. Those were items on the COCOM embargo list, representing the core areas of Western technological blockade against the East.

"It's not just the catheter, but also the accompanying digital subtraction angiography (DSA) machine."

Ye Zhen looked into his eyes, her tone calm, yet carrying an undeniable authority.

"If you want to see the second half of the videotape, want to learn how to perform heart reconstruction through that fatal six-centimeter incision, want to know about that special vascular anastomosis technique..."

She slightly raised her chin, her gaze sharp as she swept over everyone present.

"Then show us your sincerity."

"It is not charity, not a transaction, and certainly not condescending aid."

Ye Zhen spoke slowly and deliberately, each word like a hammer blow to the ground, sending sparks flying:

What we want is—equality, dialogue.

The four words, like the resounding tones of a great bell, made everyone present's eardrums buzz.

Zhang Guohua stood behind, his eyes suddenly stinging with tears. He blinked hard to suppress the rising heat.

This is the backbone of Chinese doctors.

She wasn't fighting for personal fame and fortune, nor for a staggering sum of US dollars. She was fighting for the right of a nation, a people, to stand tall and speak out on this dog-eat-dog world stage.

Schmidt and Thomas exchanged a glance, both seeing shock and helplessness in each other's eyes. They knew the initiative had completely shifted. This young woman was far more difficult to deal with than they had imagined.

"Okay." Thomas gritted his teeth, as if he had made a huge decision. "As long as the technical verification passes, I will personally lobby the COCOM. Although DSA equipment is sensitive, if it's done under the guise of 'scientific research cooperation'... I think we can talk."

"Eight o'clock tonight, Kempinski Hotel." Ye Zhen didn't waste any words and gave the time and place directly.

After saying that, she took Gu Zheng's arm and turned to leave.

This time, no one dared to stop them.

The crowd automatically parted to the sides, making way for a wide passage. Ye Zhen, Gu Zheng, Zhang Guohua (who stood up straight), and Xu Wenqiang (whose face was flushed with excitement) strode out of the venue under the complex gazes of the crowd.