The golden age began in 1977

Chapter 299 A Combination of Kindness and Strictness: Preparations Complete

The official trial date is February 29th in Zurich, which is the 2th day of the first lunar month in the Chinese calendar.

On the twelfth day of the first lunar month, the group was about to board the plane and depart.

These days, if you want to travel abroad, there are only two airports you can use: either Shanghai Airport or Beijing Capital Airport.

To get to Europe, you now have to go through the Capital Airport.

The Capital Airport is very large, but there aren't many people taking flights there; the terminal is so empty you can hear echoes.

Outside the massive glass curtain wall, the weather was gloomy, with occasional gusts of sand being whipped up and swirling in the wind.

Because the terminal was spacious and somewhat chilly, Qian Jin put on a military green cotton overcoat with the collar turned up to keep warm.

Sitting next to him were Yang Dagang and Wei Xiaobo.

Both men were wearing brand-new suits and leather shoes, with shirts and sweaters underneath. This was the three of them dressed in matching outfits, which were theoretically all produced by the Taishan Road People's Clothing Factory.

Unlike Qian Jin, neither of them wore cotton-padded coats, revealing their sharp suits and bright red ties, their faces showing the tension and excitement unique to those going abroad for the first time.

Qian Jin couldn't help but ask the two of them, "Aren't you cold?"

Yang Dagang sat upright, meticulous in his posture, and said, "How cold can this be? Can it compare to the minus forty-five degrees Celsius environment that our Volunteer Army veterans faced during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War?"

His expression was cool.

Wei Xiaobo coolly replied, "Director, I'm still a young man, my blood is hot—no, I mean, a young man sleeping on a cold bed—relies entirely on his strong constitution!"

Qian Jin tucked his coat in.

He was also a young man, a lad.

But he couldn't sleep on a cold kang (heated brick bed).

what happened?

Next to him were Wang Zhenbang, the third-in-command of the municipal government, and Li, the counselor of the European Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Counselor Li wore gold-rimmed glasses and carried a bulging black faux leather briefcase. He was dressed in a cotton-padded coat, just like Qian Jin.

However, neither of them led the team. The team that went abroad to fight the lawsuit was led by a director surnamed Zhang from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He went to communicate with airport staff about the flight situation, and it took him a full half hour to arrive.
"No problem, I'll fly to Zurich at 10:00 AM, with a layover in Hong Kong!"

The other five nodded hastily.

Director Zhang then consulted with Counselor Li: "Sir, how about we reiterate the rules for going abroad?"

Counselor Li said solemnly, "Okay, discipline issues must be emphasized repeatedly, even a hundred or two hundred times is not too much."

Just as Director Zhang's voice rose and fell in rhythm, an announcement came over the airport loudspeakers:

"Attention passengers, the flight from Beijing Capital International Airport to Zurich, Switzerland is about to depart. Please prepare to board..."

The sparse number of passengers stood up and began to queue.

With a wave of his hand, Counselor Li said solemnly, "Comrades, let's go!"

The massive engines of the Boeing 707 roared deafeningly, finally tearing through the clouds and quickly leaving the snow-covered, gray-yellow North China Plain far behind.

Qian Jin's seat was by the window.

Yang Dagang wanted to look outside, so he craned his neck and tried to peer towards Qian Jin.

Qian Jin immediately told him to change seats.

This made Yang Dagang quite embarrassed: "Is this in accordance with the rules?"

Qian Jin stood up and pulled him over: "Don't worry, it will definitely meet the requirements."

Yang Dagang stopped being polite and sat by the window, his face almost pressed against the cold plexiglass, his eyes wide open.

Wei Xiaobo appeared somewhat reserved, gripping the edge of the nylon fabric cover of the front seat tightly with both hands, his eyes somewhat unfocused.

Qian Jin handed him a piece of chewing gum.

Wei Xiaobo shook his head, looking miserable, and said, "Director Qian, I... I think I have an ear infection flare-up. My ear hurts."

Qian Jin said helplessly, "It's because the air pressure inside the airplane cabin is different from the air pressure you're used to, which is causing your eardrums to hurt a bit. Chew this, it will make you feel better."

Wei Xiaobo chewed his refreshing gum, a smile quickly spreading across his face: "Wow, really! Director Qian, you're amazing! You know everything!"

Qian Jin distributed chewing gum to the others.

The main purpose is to freshen my breath, and incidentally, to have something to do.

Director Wang was also not in good condition. He closed his eyes as if he was resting, but his brows were slightly furrowed and his body swayed slightly with the turbulence of the plane.

Qian Jin guessed that he might be experiencing some airsickness, which was more troublesome than Wei Xiaobo's situation.

Consul Li and Director Zhang, who were used to traveling abroad by plane, were in the front row and everything seemed normal.

The two of them sat in the front row, opened the small table, spread out their documents on it, and whispered to each other.

Qian Jin couldn't hear the two talking, but he did hear the soft scratching sound of a pen nib gliding across paper.

He offered him chewing gum, and Director Zhang was somewhat surprised: "Director Qian, you've really come prepared, you even prepared chewing gum."

Qian Jin smiled calmly: "When you go abroad, you will inevitably have to talk to foreigners. We will be thirsty after a long flight. Chewing gum will freshen our breath and help maintain our country's image."

Counselor Li nodded approvingly.

The novelty of Yang Dagang and his companion's first flight quickly wore off, and the long flight began to torment them, soon leaving them exhausted.

The monotonous roar of the engine continued to pound against our eardrums, and time lost its measure in the confined space.

During the layover, Yang Dagang smoked like crazy. He was a heavy smoker, and long-haul flights were torture for him.

This time, he transferred to a large plane, and when the plane finally began to descend, Yang Dagang was almost in tears.

Qian Jin looked out the porthole.

The snow-capped peaks of the Alps gleamed with a cold, piercing golden light in the twilight, like silent, ancient behemoths.

He looked down at the gradually clearing landscape below, and then the city surrounded by forests and lakes began to emerge.

We've arrived in Zurich.

As the cabin door opened, a refreshing breeze carrying the scent of pine wood rushed into the group's lungs, instantly dispelling their weariness.

The terminal building at Zurich Kloten Airport was brightly lit, with the smooth, mirror-like terrazzo floor reflecting the cold light from the countless fluorescent tubes on the ceiling, and the air was filled with the mixed smell of disinfectant and high-end cleaning agents.

Swiss customs officers, dressed in dark blue uniforms, questioned departing passengers with meticulous expressions.

Qian Jin acted as a translator for Yang Dagang, Director Wang, and Wei Xiaobo, communicating with customs officers in English.

He soon discovered that the accents of these Swiss customs officials were not as clear as his own.

This is normal. Switzerland is a small country with a small population, but it has a complex set of official languages, including four: German, French, Italian, and Romance languages, but no English.

Qian Jin and his companions were carrying diplomatic passports, and since he answered questions fluently, the customs officers readily stamped their passports and released them.

Seeing this, Counselor Li and Director Zhang, who were waiting behind, looked embarrassed and stammered, "Comrade Xiao Qian, how about you... how about you help me with that... you know what I mean?"

Qian Jin was surprised.

These two diplomatic leaders are apparently not fluent in German, French, Italian, or English?
Then let them lead the team and do the hammer!
The others also realized this, and Director Wang's gaze toward the two leaders from the capital was very strange.

Counselor Li and his companion walked out with their heads down, following the flow of people.

Wei Xiaobo's gaze was drawn to the blond, blue-eyed travelers wearing fashionable wool coats and dragging exquisite small suitcases, his face showing shock every now and then.

Yang Dagang saw a blonde woman dressed like a beauty and shook his head repeatedly: "These foreign women, sigh, they're so indecent..."

Qian Jin quickly stood on tiptoe to look: "Where is it—hey!"

I thought she was showing her buttocks or revealing her pregnancy.

They went to collect their luggage, and Qian Jin discovered that the airport now uses a carousel for baggage claim.

The turntable slowly rotated, spitting out large suitcases with various colored labels.

Qian Jin and his group's luggage consisted mostly of dark-colored faux leather travel bags or canvas bags, which looked somewhat out of place among the shiny hard-shell suitcases.

Counselor Li adjusted his glasses and was discussing in hushed tones with Director Zhang how to arrange for a car from the embassy to pick them up.

Director Wang stood quietly to the side, his gaze sweeping steadily over the orderly yet aloof airport terminal.

Wei Xiaobo hesitated for a moment, then tugged at Qian Jin's sleeve and pointed to the crowd of people waiting at the airport, saying:
"There's a sign over there, Director Qian, it says 'The People's Republic of China's Big Boss Qian Jin—uh, you're not talking about me, are you?"

Qian Jin looked into the crowd and, sure enough, found a sign held high with his name on it.

It was written in both Chinese and English.

He guessed that this might be related to Song Jixiang, so he went over and greeted the person who was picking him up.

The person who picked me up at the airport was a burly man.

After Qian Jin introduced himself, he immediately handed the sign to the young man behind him, bowed slightly, and said respectfully, "Boss, hello. Mr. Song is already waiting for you and the other brothers in the car."

Qian Jin explained the situation to the others, and Yang Dagang was about to leave.

Director Zhang hurriedly grabbed him and said solemnly, "Director Yang, have you forgotten our discipline?"

"Let's wait a little longer, the embassy will send a car to pick us up."

Qian Jin informed the organization of Song Jixiang's existence in advance, and he also informed the organization of Song Jixiang's plan to use his influence to contact foreign media to put pressure on Chuanji Heavy Industry. Therefore, Director Zhang and others knew about Song Jixiang's existence.

However, precisely because they knew Song Jixiang's identity, they were very cautious at this moment.

These are members of the American mafia!
Qian Jin knew how much importance government agencies placed on discipline these days, so instead of sticking to his own opinion, he whispered a few words to the burly man to explain the situation.

He thanked Song Jixiang for his warm hospitality, but due to national conditions and discipline, they could not meet for the time being.

The burly man left, and soon after, a deep and powerful engine roar came from afar, and then three cars came to a steady stop outside the international arrivals gate of the terminal.

This is a car that can't be seen in China. It's all black with smooth lines. It was already night, and the airport lights were bright. The three cars gleamed with an expensive metallic luster under the lights.

Qian Jin didn't recognize the specific model of the car, but he recognized the logo.

Benz!

The car door opened, and the first to get out were two Asian youths wearing well-tailored dark cashmere coats and sunglasses. They were the same height and had upright postures. After getting out of the car, they scanned their surroundings warily.

Immediately afterwards, the rear door opened, and a middle-aged man dressed in a well-tailored dark brown herringbone coat and a cashmere scarf of the same color stepped out of the car.

The burly man who had picked them up earlier got out of the car behind them.

The burly man jogged up to lead the middle-aged man. Qian Jin realized that this was Song Jixiang!
After receiving guidance from the burly man, Song Jixiang quickly put on a warm smile and strode across the road, heading straight for Qian Jin and the others, with the two capable young men following closely behind him.

"Brother Qian!" Song Jixiang's loud voice was penetrating, and his stepping out of the Mercedes convoy drew the attention of many blond passengers around him.

He opened his arms and gave Qian Jin a firm hug.

Qian Jin shook hands with him: "Brother Song, thank you so much for your hospitality. I never expected to trouble you like this..."

"No trouble at all, Brother Qian, please don't stand on ceremony." Song Jixiang patted Qian Jin's back twice with his palm.

He then turned to the several leaders beside him who were clearly taken aback and said calmly, "You leaders have had a long journey. I am Song Jixiang, an old friend of Brother Yang Shengzhang and Brother Qian."

“I just contacted the embassy in Bern, and they arranged a car to pick you up, but I can’t get in touch with them now. It’s very likely that the car has broken down, so you can take my car to the hotel.”

"Please rest assured, leaders, there is nothing wrong with this. I am good friends with Minister Li in Bern. I visited him as soon as I arrived yesterday. If you don't believe me, you can call him from the airport."

Director Zhang really did make the call.

Upon returning, he forced a smile and nodded to Song Jixiang: "Then I'll have to trouble Mr. Song."

"We are all compatriots, all descendants of Yan and Huang. Please don't stand on ceremony. Let's go, the car is waiting, please!" Song Jixiang was very generous.

There were exactly three cars, and Qian Jin arranged for the six people to get on the cars in three groups.

This prompted Counselor Li and Director Zhang to nod gratefully at him.

If he arranges for someone to ride alone in a car, then the two of them won't be able to write their reports later.
Who knows what this man talked about with foreign gangsters in the car? Director Zhang got into the car last, his face already regaining the composure of a diplomat.

Before getting into the car, he shook hands with Song Jixiang again, his expression sincere: "Mr. Song, it's really too much trouble for you. I'm Zhang Mingyuan from the diplomatic department."

"Director Zhang, I've long admired your name. As I always say, we compatriots overseas are all one family. Please come in!" He turned to open the car door, his posture humble, but his aura of control over the whole situation remained undiminished.

Three black Mercedes cars glided silently through the streets of Zurich at night.

The car was unusually quiet, with only the deep, steady sound of the engine and the slight hiss of the heating system blowing air.

Qian Jin looked outside curiously.

Outside the car window was the night view of Europe's financial capital in the early 1980s:

The ancient stone buildings take on a warm ochre hue under carefully placed spotlights, shop windows display a dazzling array of goods, and well-dressed pedestrians hurry across the wet stone pavement, with a string of neon lights lining the roadside.

Wei Xiaobo pressed himself against the car window, greedily gazing at everything outside, his eyes filled with wonder and awe.

Qian Jin sat next to Song Jixiang. The two did not talk much, only occasionally exchanging glances.

The car finally stopped in front of the hotel we had booked in advance.

This is the hotel that the mansion booked for them. The facade is not particularly luxurious, but it exudes a sense of old European composure and solemnity.

Song Jixiang personally got out of the car and opened the car door for each of the leaders: "Counselor Li, Director Zhang, and other leaders, I also live here. If there are any problems, we compatriots can communicate in a timely manner."

He wrote down his room number and the room's internal phone number on a piece of paper and handed it to the group, then said:

"Everyone, I know you mind my identity, but I hope you understand that during the War of Resistance against Japan, regardless of the region or country, we all have a duty to resist Japan!"

"Now the Japanese devils are attacking international trade again. This is a war without gunpowder. As a member of the bandits, I still maintain that no matter where we are from, whether in the north or south, or at home or abroad, as long as we are descendants of the Yellow Emperor, we all have the duty to resist Japan!"

Counselor Li shook his hand firmly: "Mr. Song is absolutely right. Mr. Song's awareness is truly admirable."

Song Jixiang waved his hand magnanimously: "I presume that the embassy has already arranged your rooms. I won't disturb you any longer. Please get some rest and adjust to the time difference. See you tomorrow!"

He turned to Qian Jin, lowering his voice, "Later..."

Qian Jin gave him a wink.

Song Jixiang smiled and patted Qian Jin on the shoulder: "I've taken care of what you needed me to do, don't worry, you should get some rest."

The group of six checked into their rooms.

On the way, Director Wang patted Qian Jin on the shoulder: "Little Qian, you won this case. I will definitely recommend you to the province and even the country for commendation!"

Qian Jin quickly declined, saying he shared a room with Yang Dagang.

The hotel room was small, but the furnishings were in a typical European style, with dark wood furniture, heavy curtains, and a soft bed.

Qian Jin had just put down his luggage and hadn't even had a chance to catch his breath when there was a gentle knock on the door.

Outside the door was one of Song Jixiang's attendants, who whispered, "Mr. Qian, Mr. Song requests your presence downstairs."

The hotel has a conference room on the first floor, which has now been booked by Song Jixiang.

Qian Jin picked up the briefcase he had prepared in advance and led Yang Dagang downstairs. He went to the conference room, pushed open the door, and immediately saw several men in suits sitting around the long conference table.

The leader was none other than lawyer Hayes.

He was accompanied by his assistants, two of whom Qian Jin had met before. They exchanged a nod and that was considered a greeting.

At this moment, Song Jixiang was standing with his back to the door in front of the only window—the window was very high and narrow, and it was pitch black outside, with only the reflection of the indoor light visible.

Hearing the door open, Song Jixiang slowly turned around.

His face was expressionless; the warm and cheerful smile he had shown at the airport and hotel entrance had vanished without a trace, leaving only a deep, still calm that sent chills down one's spine.

The two sides discussed the details of tomorrow's court hearing. As Qian Jin expected, these topics had already been discussed on the phone before, and it was nothing more than some repetitive talk.

They shouldn't have anything to say then.

Because normally they'd be guaranteed to win the case!
However, after the lawsuit was brought up, Robert Hayes' side began to complain bitterly, talking about how powerful the legal team that Kawasaki Heavy Industries had hired was, and how serious the discrimination against Chinese companies abroad was.

Qian Jin translated the contents to Yang Dagang, who became anxious: "Didn't we agree that we would definitely win this case?"

"Didn't we say we were just here to go through the motions?"

Qian Jin patted the back of his hand, signaling him to calm down.

He stared at Hayes, who gave a long explanation, ultimately concluding that they would still win. However, Song Jixiang didn't smile after listening; instead, he coldly said:
“Robert, you know I am Chinese, and Mr. Qian is my brother. His business is my business, especially since this is a lawsuit that involves the dignity of our country.”

He stood up and walked slowly to Hayes, placing his hands on the table and leaning forward slightly, casting his shadow over Hayes.

Hayes instinctively straightened his back.

“Tomorrow in court,” Song Jixiang continued, speaking slowly but with every word carrying immense weight, “I need to see the name of Chuanqi Heavy Industry, like a rotten, stinking pile of garbage, nailed to the pillar of shame.”

"We need to see a fair judgment handed down to my brother's business and my country."

Hayes immediately said, "Mr. Song, there is no problem at all."

"What I mean is that we don't have any problems on our side, but I've received information that Kawasaki Heavy Industries might try to influence the judge, which is something we can't control..."

“There’s nothing you can’t control!” Song Jixiang interrupted him directly.

Hayes' expression turned somewhat unpleasant.

Qian Jin's expression darkened upon seeing this.

Oh shit.

He knew these lawyers were unreliable!
Regardless of what Hayes promised him before, this guy must have contacted Kawasaki Heavy Industries in private.

Faced with Song Jixiang's pressure, Hayes' performance proved that he was not confident of winning tomorrow's lawsuit!
So what's going on?

Qian Jin looked at Hayes with a cold smile.

Having spent many years in the underworld, Song Jixiang was a master at manipulating people's hearts. He understood human nature, especially the nature of American litigators, better than Qian Jin.

These people have no humanity!
His gaze lingered on Hayes's slightly pale face for a moment, and for the first time, a smile appeared on his face:

"As you all know, I, Killer Song, am a reasonable and fair person."

"You must keep your promises to us. If you do this well, you can enjoy the scenery by Lake Zurich with your families. It's on me."

"But what if it goes wrong?"

He straightened up and slowly clapped his hands.

Immediately, a young man took an envelope from the inside pocket of his coat, walked up, opened it, and poured it onto the table in front of Hayes.

Several color photos were revealed.

The photo shows a glamorous blonde woman watering flowers in a garden, a little girl playing on a swing while hugging a teddy bear, and a little boy smiling while holding a baseball bat.

Hayes' pupils suddenly contracted, and the color drained from his face instantly.

His two assistants behind him gasped and froze.

Qian Jin guessed that these were his family members.

Suddenly, the room fell into a deathly silence.

Song Jixiang smiled again:
“If we lose the case, I will personally arrange a plane to send your whole family to a place where you will never have to fight another lawsuit again. I promise you will not be alone on the road.”

Hayes' Adam's apple bobbed violently, and a fine layer of cold sweat instantly appeared on his forehead.

Song Jixiang pinched the shoulders of him and the people around him one by one: "You all know my identity and have a general understanding of my character."

“I, Keller Song, am a businessman who values ​​my reputation highly, wouldn’t you agree?”

Hayes stood up abruptly and said solemnly and sincerely, "Mr. Song, Mr. Qian, please rest assured! We—I swear to God—we will do everything in our power!"

"I will! I will make Kawasaki pay the price! I will win this case! I guarantee it with my professional reputation!"

His assistants also hurriedly stood up, nodding repeatedly, their faces ashen.

Because Song Jixiang's men handed them another envelope, which contained photos of their family members.

The smile on Song Jixiang's face vanished, replaced by a blank, expressionless calm.

"NO, NO, don't use your professional reputation as collateral, use your life and the lives of your family as collateral!"

Hayes gritted his teeth and was about to speak when Song Jixiang preemptively said, "We are all on the same side. Mutual trust is the foundation. There is no need to make oaths."

"Thank you for your trust, Mr. Song." Hayes' smile was forced.

Song Jixiang ignored him and turned to Qian Jin, who had remained silent, his tone returning to normal: "Brother Qian, everything's settled with the lawyer, shall we call it a day?"

Qian Jin nodded, picked up his briefcase, and stood up.

Yang Dagang said, "Director Qian, did you take the wrong one?"

Qian Jin said, "No, this is my bag. Look, there are some snacks I prepared inside."

He opened the bag to show Yang Dagang, who nodded in realization: "Yes, it is. I just didn't expect you and Mr. Song to use the same bag. I thought you had taken the wrong one."

Song Jixiang laughed heartily: "Brother Qian is a formidable figure, how could he make such a mistake?"

He opened the bag and took a look.

There's a thick booklet inside!

He pulled it out and glanced at it casually; it was full of various parameters and circuit diagrams.

This made him extremely happy.

The group left the conference room. There was a coffee shop on the first floor, where several customers were having coffee.

Song Jixiang stood at the door and raised his chin: "Everyone in here is our friend. The lady at the table by the window is Susan; she works for Reuters."

"The bearded man fiddling with his camera at the bar is a photographer for The Wall Street Journal. The bald old man reading a book inside is a commentator for Le Figaro."

"I also asked friends to invite a lot of people from newspapers or TV stations in Europe, but I'm not familiar with them, so there's no need for us to meet."

"They'll probably be very busy in court tomorrow." This was said to Hayes and his group.

The lawyers looked at each other in bewilderment.

How can these Chinese be so shrewd and calculating!

Qian Jin's gaze pierced through the crack in the conference room door and landed on the coffee shop area, which was faintly visible under the dim yellow light of the hotel lobby.

He saw the people that Song Jixiang had introduced.

These people lie in wait quietly in the night in a foreign land, like owls waiting for their prey.

He took a deep breath, and his nerves, which had been tense from the long journey and immense pressure, finally relaxed slightly.

He told Yang Dagang the results, and Yang Dagang breathed a deep sigh of relief.

Song Jixiang didn't say anything more, patted him on the shoulder, and turned to lead his men to the tavern next door.

Qian Jin glanced one last time at Hayes and the others, who were drenched in cold sweat, then turned and left. The heavy wooden door closed silently behind him, separating the two worlds.

Back in his cramped hotel room, Qian Jin didn't turn on the light.

He walked to the window and drew back the heavy curtains.

Outside the window are the quiet streets of Zurich's old town, the dim streetlights casting a soft glow on the road, and the silhouette of the church spires stands silently against the deep blue night sky.

The cold, clear air seeped in through the window cracks.

He raised his wrist and looked at the time; the luminous hands on the dial pointed faintly to 10:15 p.m. local time.

There are less than twelve hours until the court hearing at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow.

It's time to rest.

Just wait for tomorrow's bugle call!

(End of this chapter)