In name only: I will break the chess game in Handong

At this moment, Chen Zhengshu and Li Xinyue were picking vegetables, while Zhang Nian was sitting in a chair scrolling through her phone. The stove was bubbling away, and the aroma of meat filled the room.

"Uncle Chen!"

Li Xinyue was the first to see Chen Luo, and she waved to greet him. Chen Luo nodded and then silently took out his phone.

"Xinyue, you've made rapid progress lately! How many dishes can you cook now?"

Yes, the reason Li Xinyue comes over every now and then is to learn how to cook from her future mother-in-law.

Upon hearing Chen Luo's question, Li Xinyue excitedly introduced, "Uncle Chen, this is the braised beef I made. Would you like to try some? Auntie said it's very flavorful!"

Chen Luo didn't refuse. He picked up a piece with his chopsticks, took a bite, and said, "Hmm, he has the potential to be a great chef."

Chen Luo picked up another slice, but this time he didn't eat it directly. He first took a picture of the neatly arranged beef slices on the plate, and then walked out of the kitchen to take a picture of himself tasting the beef.

Finally, I opened Secretary Li's private WeChat account. There were no chat messages between them yet; they had only added each other in the afternoon before leaving the Discipline Inspection Commission.

A video of myself eating beef, a photo of neatly arranged beef on a plate, and an accompanying audio.

"Secretary Li, Xin Yue's cooking is really good. The sauce is so flavorful and delicious. It makes me feel so happy after eating it."

After clicking send, Chen Luo sang a tune as he walked into the yard, set up a new recliner, and lay down comfortably.

The phone he was holding kept buzzing, but Chen Luo ignored it and only checked it ten minutes later.

Yes, Secretary Li was very enthusiastic, sending more than a dozen 60-second voice messages, along with more than a dozen exclamation marks.

In response, Chen Luo rubbed his earlobe, did not click to listen to the voice message, and simply replied with a smiling emoji.

At the same time, in a courtyard inside the central government compound, looking at the bland four dishes and one soup on the table, and then at the tempting picture of beef on his phone, Secretary Li lost all appetite, and his hand holding the chopsticks was trembling.

"That brat Chen Luo really holds a grudge!"

Secretary Li laughed in anger. Sure enough, there is no tree that can block out the sky. There is only one thing that can subdue another. Secretary Li, who seems to have the power to reach the heavens in the eyes of outsiders, has to make an appointment in advance if he wants to have a meal with his beloved granddaughter.

As a result... now, "Sigh, daughters really are hard to keep at home once they grow up. But compared to others, Chen Luo's little pig is quite outstanding. Let him be."

Shaking his head, he said, "Everyone says that children and grandchildren have their own blessings, and Secretary Li understands this principle."

Sitting opposite me is Secretary Li's wife.

Seeing her husband muttering to himself, she couldn't help but ask, "What are you babbling about?"

Secretary Li did not hide anything and recounted how Chen Luo sent the photos.

The old man smiled at this.

"That's easy. It's a good thing that Xinyue is learning to cook. At least she can take care of herself. As for showing off... no one has taken care of that plot of land in the yard yet. The guard said he would take care of it, but I refused. How can we let outsiders help us farm?"

Upon hearing this, Secretary Li slapped his thigh and instantly understood.

"Haha, right, right, who makes guards hoe the ground? We're old, it's best to let the younger generation help us. Tomorrow I'll have Xinyue bring his son, Zhengshu. He won't leave until that plot of land is hoeed clean!"

At Chen Luo's home, Chen Zhengshu, who was picking up food with his chopsticks, seemed to sense the impending hoeing project. He lost his grip and the food fell onto the table.

Life is always full of little episodes, and work and life need to be coordinated. For Chen Luo and Secretary Li, joking around is a spice of life, making work less boring.

Later that day, a driver came to pick up Li Xinyue and take her away.

The next morning, Chen Luo went to work as usual, and Chen Zhengshu also left at the same time.

In the afternoon, Chen Luo received a video from Secretary Li. In the garden, Chen Zhengshu was vigorously wielding a hoe, digging and loosening the soil, and was covered in sweat.

"Tsk, is that all? I've been annoyed with this brat for a long time. It's normal to suffer a little when you're in a relationship."

Although he didn't care, Chen Luo still replied to Secretary Li with an angry emoji with his hands on his hips, just to amuse the old man.

Chapter 510 Diplomatic Turmoil, First Appearance

A few more days passed in the blink of an eye.

At the entrance of the courtyard house, Chen Luo was adjusting his collar. His crisp and neat suit was different from his usual business jacket; it lacked the heaviness of his usual business jacket and instead exuded a touch of dashingness.

Zhang Nian was tying his tie in front of him.

"Honey, you look so handsome in that suit!"

Chen Luo smiled upon hearing this and twisted his neck. "It's alright, it's just that I'm used to wearing business jackets, so wearing a suit feels a bit strange now."

"Pfft, there will only be more times like this in the future. Okay, it's all bandaged up. I hope to see your handsome face on the news!"

With a blink, Zhang Nian took a step back.

Chen Luo smiled and nodded, waved, then got into the car, started the engine, and quickly disappeared from the spot.

At the airport, Chen Luo arrived at 9:10 a.m., forty minutes before his departure for America.

The delegation that went to the United States for high-level talks was led by Director Yang, who is in charge of foreign affairs, and also by Minister Yi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Chen Luo was just there to make up the numbers and broaden his horizons.

He arrived early; apart from the staff, Director Yang and Minister Yi had not yet arrived.

A dozen minutes later, several Hongqi cars slowly drove up. The doors opened, and Director Yang and Minister Yi got out, along with other comrades who had come to see them off.

"Comrade Chen Luo, you've arrived quite early!"

"Director Yang! Minister Yi!"

Chen Luo strode forward, smiling. It would be a lie to say he wasn't nervous, as this was his first time participating in such a major power diplomacy event.

We shook hands, which was considered a greeting.

"Comrade Chen Luo, the higher-ups specifically requested that you and us go to the United States for this high-level dialogue."

You have no experience dealing with foreigners, so this is a good opportunity.

Let me tell you, these foreigners look intimidating, but they're all paper tigers. If they really get angry, you could slam your fist on the table, and they'd all tremble.

"Director Yang's words may be rough, but they make sense. Comrade Chen Luo, we won't let you hide in the back this time when we get to America."

"You've been instructed to speak, and regardless of whether your words are reasonable or not, you need to project a strong presence!"

"I understand, thank you Director Yang, thank you Minister Yi!"

Seeing this, Director Yang smiled and waved his hand, "No need for thanks. The younger generation surpasses the older. We believe you can successfully complete this mission. Let's go, it's getting late, let's board the plane."

After Director Yang finished speaking, Chen Luo followed him onto the plane.

Unlike ordinary commercial airliners, the interior of this plane is noticeably different, with comfort levels that are off the charts.

The three sat in a row, with Director Yang in the middle.

"Comrade Chen Luo, you can rest if you get sleepy later. This trip is quite long, crossing the entire Pacific Ocean, and will take fourteen or fifteen hours of flying."

When we arrived in America, it was nighttime here, but daytime there, so the schedule was quite tight.

"It's alright, Director Yang. I'll take care of myself and rest if I get sleepy!"

At this moment, Minister Yi also spoke up.

"Comrade Chen Luo, what do you know about the United States? We're not going there for friendly exchanges."

Upon hearing this, Chen Luo thought for a moment and replied, "Minister Yi, I have been paying attention to the international situation in the past two years. The trade friction has reached this point, and both sides need to slow down for a while."

As for the United States, it's a hegemonic power, and it's used to sitting in the top spot, so it certainly won't give it up easily.

Of course, even a starved camel is bigger than a horse.

Whether in military or economic terms, the United States appears to be somewhat weaker than us.

But it's no longer the time when we can be bullied like before!

A firm stance is necessary, but ultimately it depends on whether the other party is willing to negotiate.

At this point, Director Yang took over the conversation.

"The United States has always been known for its aggressive tactics, trying to intimidate its opponents with its sheer force of will."

Unfortunately, we Chinese don't buy into that.

Comrade Chen Luo, once you arrive, just relax a bit. If we treat you with courtesy, we'll discuss things politely; if you're arrogant and rude, we'll give you a cold shoulder.

Seventy years ago, the United States was no longer qualified to boss us around, and now they are nothing but a paper tiger.

Of course, verbal sparring is fine; both sides know that the happiest people in a real large-scale clash would be the jackals and hyenas waiting to watch the show.

"understand!"

After discussing the current situation in both countries for a while, the three of them, even though they weren't very tired, needed to rest.

After more than ten hours of flight, the plane successfully arrived in the United States.

As the plane slowly descended, Chen Luo exhaled a breath of stale air for the first time, his expression becoming solemn and dignified, his entire demeanor reaching its peak.

As the cabin door opened, Director Yang and Minister Yi walked at the front, with Chen Luo following closely behind.

The people who greeted Chen Luo and his group at the airport were not high-ranking American officials such as the Secretary of State, but local Alaskan officials and Ambassador Cui Chengyuan to the United States.

"Director Yang, Minister Yi, Minister Chen!"

Cui Chengyuan greeted them with a smile, standing ramrod straight. Director Yang and Minister Yi nodded slightly in response, and the staff from the United States who came to pick them up also smiled in thanks.

Without any fancy scenes, everyone got into the car and headed straight to the hotel, which had been prepared in advance by the embassy.

After flying for more than ten hours, even though the schedule was tight, we still needed some time to catch our breath.

After eating something, everyone went to their respective rooms to rest. To say they were resting was a euphemism; in reality, they were preparing for their conversation.

There are many issues to be resolved in this high-level dialogue, and both Director Yang and Minister Yi are well aware that they cannot be resolved in one session.

Chen Luo was also assigned a task. After looking at the document in his hand that reiterated the One China principle, Chen Luo smiled helplessly.

Okay, he really doesn't have diplomatic experience...

Time passed slowly, and both Chen Luo and Director Yang Yi continued to supplement and refine the content of the conversation.

Two hours before the start of the conversation, the group set off. After a half-hour drive, the car arrived at the hotel where the meeting was to be held.

The ground was covered with red carpet, and the area was filled with cameras and microphones from media outlets around the world. This meeting was attracting global attention.

The car door opened, and Director Yang got out first, followed by Minister Yi, and then Chen Luo.

For the United States, the meeting was led by Secretary of State Blinken, Assistant to the President Sullivan, and Treasury Secretary Janet.

The two sides shook hands, and the media took photos.

The atmosphere seems very relaxed now; after all, we're in front of the world, so we have to put on a show.