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

The dean's office was filled with smoke, resembling the alchemy furnace of Laozi (the founder of Taoism).

Dean Zhang sat behind his peeling desk, his brow furrowed so deeply it could crush a crab. His cigarette, a half-burnt-out cigarette, hung in the air, the long ash swaying precariously—a testament to his deep worry.

"Xiao Ye," Dean Zhang sighed, shoving his cigarette butt into the mountain of ashtrays, "isn't this interventional device you mentioned a bit too advanced?"

Ye Zhen sat on the wooden chair opposite him, her posture upright and her expression calm, as if she were discussing what to eat in the cafeteria for lunch, rather than talking about imported equipment worth millions of dollars.

"Don't be ahead of your time." Ye Zhen put down her teacup and tapped her knee lightly with her finger. "You saw yesterday's surgery. Why did I encounter the mutated blood vessel? Because we are blind."

Dean Zhang's eyelids twitched.

"We're gambling with experience, feel, and even luck." Ye Zhen's voice wasn't loud, but every word was piercing. "If we had DSA equipment, we could have seen the blood vessel's path before the surgery, and that bleeding point yesterday wouldn't have ruptured at all. It was just that I was quick; what if it had been someone else?"

Dean Zhang remained silent. If it were someone else, that child from yesterday would have died, and he would have had to take off his hat as dean.

"With interventional devices, some congenital heart disease surgeries can be performed without open-heart surgery. You have to understand how much suffering such a young child would endure if they had their chest opened!"

"But..." Dean Zhang scratched his thinning hair, his face full of bitterness, "Where's the money? Even I, who don't know anything about these things, know that one of these costs hundreds of thousands of US dollars. How much is our institute's annual budget? We also have to get foreign exchange approval from the ministry, and those leaders have never even heard of this kind of thing, how could they possibly approve it?"

In the early 1980s, foreign exchange was more precious than gold. It was meant for the country to buy machine tools, airplanes, and strategic materials. To use it to buy a bone-setting machine? That was an impossible task.

Gu Zheng, who had been sitting on the corner sofa like a statue, suddenly moved.

He crossed his long legs and fiddled with a lighter in his hand, the metal cap clicking open and closing.

"As for the money, my grandfather can figure it out." Gu Zheng lifted his eyelids, his eyes deep and thoughtful. "But since this is a strategic material, money alone isn't enough; someone has to be willing to sell it. The COCOM agreement (the embargo against China) is there, and they might not be willing to part with high-end medical equipment."

Ye Zhen turned to look at him, a hint of admiration flashing in her eyes. This man knew more than just how to fight.

"So, we need an opportunity." Ye Zhen smiled faintly.

"Knock knock knock".

The office door was knocked on, the knock was firm and rhythmic, typical of German precision.

"Please come in." Dean Zhang straightened his collar.

The door was pushed open, and a middle-aged man with a high nose, deep-set eyes, and a full head of blond hair walked in. He was wearing a well-tailored gray suit, and even in the hospital corridor filled with the smell of disinfectant, he maintained an aristocratic air of composure.

It's Klaus.

That arrogant German expert from before.

At this moment, he held a top hat in his hand, his azure eyes scanning the room before finally settling on Ye Zhen. His originally arrogant gaze became complex the instant it met Ye Zhen's eyes—a mixture of resentment, inquiry, and above all, awe for the strong.

"Dean Zhang, Dr. Ye," Klaus said in broken Chinese, bowing slightly. "Dean, you wanted to see me?"

Gu Zheng snapped the lighter shut, leaned forward slightly, and stared warily at the foreigner like a leopard guarding its prey.

Dean Zhang briefly mentioned his desire to import interventional equipment from Germany and asked Klaus if he could help.

"Dr. Ye, I watched the video of yesterday's surgery. Although I hate to admit it, in the field of small incision heart surgery, your hands are truly kissed by God."

Klaus took out a gold-embossed invitation from his briefcase and handed it to Ye Zhen with both hands.

"Next month, there will be a European Congress of Cardiothoracic Surgeons in West Berlin. This is the highest-level medical conference in Europe, and I would like to invite you to attend."

Klaus paused, his gaze intense. "The president of Siemens' medical division will also be attending. If Dr. Ye can present yesterday's surgical video at the annual meeting and give a speech on 'The Future of Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery'... I think there will be a lot of room for negotiation regarding the introduction of Siemens' latest equipment."

Ye Zhen accepted the invitation, her fingers tracing the thick texture on it.

This is the fish she was waiting for.

This is not just an academic exchange, but also an admission ticket. In this era, the only way to break through technological blockades is through absolute technological superiority, demonstrating the value of cooperation to the other party.

"What are the conditions?" Ye Zhen raised her eyes and looked directly at Klaus. "Mr. Klaus won't help us make connections for no reason."

Klaus shrugged, a sly smile playing on his lips. "I'm a doctor, but I'm also German. I need to prove to the world that my judgment was correct. I recommended an Eastern genius, and if she can shake up the European medical community, it will be a huge boost to my personal reputation."

In this era that was not yet fully open, information was scarce. The Western world's impression of Chinese medicine was still limited to barefoot doctors and herbal remedies.

Klaus wanted to be the Columbus who "discovered the New World".

"Furthermore," Klaus lowered his voice, "I also want to see whether your Eastern magic is more powerful, or whether our German precision machinery is superior. Is this... a declaration of revenge?"

Ye Zhen smiled.

That smile, like a plum blossom blooming in the cold winter, carried an air of pride and confidence.

"Okay." She waved the invitation in her hand. "I accept this challenge. But don't cry if I do a really bad job on your colleagues."

Klaus burst out laughing: "I'm really looking forward to it!"

After Klaus left, a brief silence fell over the office.

Dean Zhang held the gold-embossed invitation, his hands trembling. This wasn't just paper; it was a ticket to modernization! But then, his face fell.

"Xiao Ye, this matter... is difficult." Dean Zhang slumped in his chair. "West Germany? That's the heartland of capitalism! How will we pass the political vetting? Will the higher-ups feel comfortable letting such a precious gem of yours go?"

These days, getting a government-sponsored trip abroad is harder than climbing to heaven; the layers of approval can strip you bare.

"I'll go."

Gu Zheng, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke.

He stood up, walked to Ye Zhen's side, and placed his large hand on her shoulder, like a majestic mountain that instantly blocked all the wind and rain.

"I'll go with her." Gu Zheng looked at Dean Zhang, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I'll handle the political vetting, I'll sign the guarantee. I'm an active-duty military officer, and I'm going with her—this is a military mission. If anyone dares to detain her, I'll lead my troops to raze the embassy to the ground."

Dean Zhang's eyelids twitched violently: "You idiot! That's diplomacy! Don't you understand diplomacy?! Leading troops to pacify... do you think we're suppressing bandits?"

Gu Zheng scoffed, unconcerned: "The principle is the same. As long as your fist is strong enough, it's the same principle everywhere."

He lowered his head, looking at Ye Zhen. His fierce gaze instantly softened into a gentle, warm one, and his voice was low and tender: "Wife, do you want to go?"

Ye Zhen looked up and met his deep eyes.

"Yes, I do." She didn't hide it. "The equipment in China is too outdated. If we want to save more people, we have to bring these machines back."

"Then go." Gu Zheng ruffled her hair. "If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up. You're in charge of blowing up the place. Leave the rest of the mess, the approvals, and the fly-swatting to your man."

Dean Zhang looked at the two people in front of him—one daring to think, the other daring to act—and felt a headache coming on. What sins had he committed to deserve such a pair of living ancestors?

"Fine, fine! I don't care anymore!" Dean Zhang waved his hand, took out a blank sheet of paper from his drawer, and said, "You write the application, and I'll go to the ministry right now and block the leader's door! I'll throw away my pride and get this done for you!"

……

Stepping out of the administration building, the sky was a clear blue, and the wind was biting cold.

Gu Zheng turned up Ye Zhen's coat collar, wrapping her up tightly, leaving only her cold eyes showing.

"Why did you agree so readily just now?" Ye Zhen asked. "If you go to Germany and it doesn't work out, your future will be affected when you come back."

As a military officer, if Gu Zheng were to privately guarantee foreign-related activities, and Ye Zhen were to run into trouble there, or return in disgrace without obtaining the equipment, he would undoubtedly face severe punishment.

Gu Zheng stopped and turned around to tidy her bangs, which had been ruffled by the wind. His rough, warm fingers brushed against Ye Zhen's delicate cheek, sending a slight electric current through her.

"young married woman."

Gu Zheng looked at her with an unprecedented seriousness in his eyes, "I married you not to keep you locked up in a compound to have my babies and do my laundry."

Ye Zhen was taken aback.

"You're an eagle, not a sparrow." Gu Zheng pointed to the vast sky above. "The sky in Beijing is too small for you to fly in. Since you have the ability to fly up to the clouds, I can't hold you back."

The woman Gu Zheng sets his sights on must be radiant. Even if that radiance is too dazzling and attracts countless admirers, he'll accept it.

"Besides," Gu Zheng suddenly grinned, reverting to his usual carefree and roguish demeanor, and whispered mischievously in her ear, "once we're abroad, far from the emperor's reach, maybe we can... go on a honeymoon?"

Ye Zhen's emotional thoughts were instantly interrupted. She rolled her eyes at him speechlessly and stepped on his spotless military boots, leaving a gray mark.

"Can't you think about anything serious?"

"How is this not a serious matter?" Gu Zheng exclaimed dramatically, taking her hand and putting it in his pocket. "Making a baby is responding to the nation's call to continue the revolutionary flame; it couldn't be more serious!"