Courtyard House: Home Alone

He looked at Old Master Tang, hoping that this seemingly venerable old man could say something to ease the tension.

However, Old Master Tang simply sat there, closing his eyes to rest, as if the tense confrontation in the study had nothing to do with him, handing over all the initiative to Lin Yifan.

Hans, standing to the side, dared not utter a sound. He now realized that his previous interactions with Lin Yifan were nothing compared to this. The young "master" before him possessed a negotiating appetite and methods that were far beyond his reach.

Reinhardt put his glasses back on, his gaze behind the lenses flickering, clearly indicating a fierce internal struggle.

He knew that each of Lin Yifan's demands required the head of state's personal approval and might even spark heated debates among high-ranking officials. But he also understood that the head of state's desire for those technologies had reached a fever pitch.

"Mr. Lin,"

Reinhardt's voice became hoarse. "I cannot make a decision on the conditions you have proposed on my own. I need to report to Berlin immediately."

Lin Yifan nodded, as if it were a matter of course: "Sure. I'll give you time. However, I hope you can give me a reply as soon as possible. My patience isn't unlimited."

He paused, then added, "Furthermore, I hope your country will give priority to those Jewish experts and scholars. In my view, their value is no less than that of the production lines."

Reinhardt gave a wry smile. He now understood that the young man before him not only possessed a mind and methods beyond his years, but also had an extremely accurate vision and a greedy appetite.

He could only nod: "I will report all your requests to the head of state without missing a single word."

"very good."

Lin Yifan stood up. "Then, I won't disturb Mr. Reinhardt's 'report' any longer. Old man, I'll head back now."

Grandpa Tang opened his eyes and nodded to Lin Yifan: "Go ahead, wait for news. Oh, by the way, Xiao Fan, I'll have the telephone company install a phone for you, otherwise it won't be convenient for us to contact each other."

Lin Yifan's eyes lit up. Having a telephone was indeed much more convenient, saving him the trouble of running around or sending someone to relay messages, especially when he needed to communicate information quickly.

"That's wonderful, thank you so much, sir," he said gratefully.

Grandpa Tang waved his hand: "No need to thank me, it's all my pleasure. Which room in your yard is convenient? Let them go there and install it."

Lin Yifan thought for a moment and said, "Let's install it in the main room, near the window."

"Alright, I'll have someone arrange it right away. It should be installed by the afternoon," said Grandpa Tang.

Lin Yifan bid farewell to Grandpa Tang again, nodded slightly to Reinhardt and Hans as a greeting, and then turned and left the office.

Old Zhou had been waiting anxiously outside. Seeing Lin Yifan emerge, he rushed forward and asked in a low voice, "Young Master, how did it go? Did you reach an agreement?"

Lin Yifan shook his head, his face expressionless: "It's not that easy. I made some conditions, and they need to go back and report. Uncle Zhou, let's go back first."

"Okay, okay." Old Zhou didn't dare to ask any more questions and quickly turned around to see him out of the municipal committee.

On the way back, Lin Yifan felt less anxious than when he arrived, and instead felt more relaxed. He knew that Reinhardt's return would inevitably cause a huge uproar in Berlin.

Although his conditions were demanding, he was confident in his ability to secure them. Those advanced technologies were incredibly tempting to Germany, which was eager to wage war.

What he needs to do now is wait patiently while also preparing for both possibilities. If Germany hesitates or tries to bargain, he doesn't mind extending an olive branch to other countries.

Although the Soviet Union and the United States each had their own problems, in the face of absolute interests, there are no permanent enemies, only permanent interests.

Back in the courtyard, Wenxiu, Xinyi, and Xiayan immediately surrounded him. "Young Master, you're back! Did everything go smoothly?" Xiayan, the most anxious, asked first.

Lin Yifan smiled and ruffled her hair: "Yeah, it went pretty smoothly. Let's wait for news. How's your revision going?"

Wenxiu said gently, "We've almost finished reviewing, and we even asked each other some questions just now."

Xinyi nodded: "Yes, we understood everything the young master said."

Lin Yifan nodded in satisfaction: "That's good. By the way, someone will be coming to install a telephone in our courtyard this afternoon, in the main room. Please be careful not to let anyone in."

"Install a telephone?"

The three girls were somewhat surprised; in those days, telephones were a rarity. "Yes, it was arranged by Grandpa Tang. It will make it easier to contact him in the future," Lin Yifan explained.

"Very good!"

Xia Yan clapped his hands excitedly, "I won't have to run around anymore. I can call you back when I go out, and I won't have to wait for you anxiously anymore."

Lin Yifan laughed and said, "Of course you can, but phone calls aren't cheap, so don't make unnecessary calls."

Xia Yan stuck out her tongue and made a face: "Okay, young master!" Seeing the three girls' happy faces, the slight unease in Lin Yifan's heart dissipated a lot.

After finalizing the deal with the Germans, I'm going to Chongqing. I wonder how my parents are doing there, and my little sister who's less than a year old. I wonder if she's learning to talk yet.

Thinking of his family, Lin Yifan's eyes softened, and a sense of longing filled his heart. He secretly resolved to finalize things here as soon as possible, then go to Wudu to visit them and give them a surprise.

Of course, the main task is to bring Qi Haishan and Tang Juye's families out. If what they wrote is true, there are five families, which would amount to nearly thirty people, mostly the elderly, women, and children. The burden on this journey will be immense.

These thirty-odd people traveled from Chongqing to Shanghai, and then on to Tianjin. The journey was long and arduous, and along the way they not only had to evade the Japanese army's blockade and inspections, but also had to deal with various unknown risks.

Lin Yifan had to plan the route in advance, arrange sufficient supplies, and ensure their safety. He also had to consider the health conditions of these family members, especially the elderly and children, and whether they needed to prepare some commonly used medicines and emergency food.

Thinking of this, Lin Yifan frowned slightly again. One thing after another, and none of them could be taken lightly.

He glanced at the three girls laughing and playing in the yard. Their carefree nature strengthened his resolve to protect this peace and create a stable life for more people.

At nine o'clock the next morning, the newly installed telephone rang. Lin Yifan answered the phone almost immediately, wondering who it could be.

Grandpa Tang's voice came from the other end of the phone: "Xiao Fan, this is much more convenient."

"Yes. Sir, you're calling so early because the Germans have news?" Lin Yifan asked.

"Yes! They just came to my office and said they received a reply from Berlin. Could you come over here for a moment?"

He took a deep breath and replied in a low voice, "Okay, I'll be right there."