I feel right at home in the world of the courtyard house.

"Chief Wang, yes, this is Jing'an. I'm currently in Japan, just wanted to give you an update. I've already sent back the price list from this negotiation. I'm calling to ask you to urge us to complete the audit as soon as possible. I still think the sooner we finalize the deal with our mine, the better. The other party has promised us that if we complete the audit quickly and place an order, they will prioritize supplying us. Yes, yes, yes, yes."

Li Jing'an made a phone call back to China from his hotel room: "Also, I want to report to you that the manufacturer we ordered this time is not Komatsu or Sumitomo. After our assessment and on-site visits, we decided on Furukawa Corporation. Although they are not top-tier companies like them, only mid-sized, their technology is not bad. They just can't compare in scale, and their price is fair. Those big companies overcharge too much. After discussion and evaluation, we selected Furukawa Corporation's equipment. Moreover, they hope to establish a friendly relationship with our government and have voluntarily given up most of their profits. This will save us a lot of money, and we can use the original budget to buy several more sets of equipment, further enhancing the expansion capacity of the mine in Shandong Province."

"Yes, yes, it's no trouble at all, it's what we should do. Right, we still have some scattered itineraries to finish in a couple of days, but once that's over, the delegation will return home immediately. Okay, okay, thank you for your concern, Chief Wang."

After hanging up the phone, Li Jing'an felt that his task was basically completed. He only needed the national audit confirmation and the State Council's approval to finalize the order. He made the call hoping that Chief Wang could simplify the process so that he could secure the deal.

---

The Tokyo University Embassy in Japan was brightly lit and bustling with people, the sound of glasses clinking constantly. Tomorrow, the metallurgical delegation led by Li Jing'an will leave Japan to return home, and the embassy held a farewell banquet today to send him off. Representatives from the Japanese side were specially invited, including personnel from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, and related associations. Companies such as Komatsu, Sumitomo, and Furukawa were also among the invitees.

Guhe will definitely participate, after all, he has already reached an understanding with Li Jing'an, and they are just waiting for the domestic confirmation before signing the order.

Komatsu and Sumitomo won't develop a grudge against the University of Tokyo because they weren't selected this time—after all, if it doesn't work out this time, there's always next time. If they don't show up this time, they won't have a place in the University of Tokyo's market anymore.

So even though they had put in a lot of effort and used all their skills to entertain Li Jing'an, they were still stood up. They still had to swallow their anger and put on a smiling face, for fear that Li Jing'an would be angry.

---

"boom--"

Li Jing'an sat in the living room, slamming his hand on the table in front of him, pointing angrily at Li Shuo sitting opposite him: "Fine! Fine! I just got back from Japan, and you send me such a huge gift as soon as I land! You've really gone too far, you've really stirred up a hornet's nest!"

"Alright, alright, you just got back and you're already taking it out on your son. I don't know where your anger comes from." Wei Jialing sat on the single sofa opposite her, reached out and pulled her son to her side, letting him sit on the armrest of the sofa.

"You don't know? What don't you know? Don't you know what he did at school? Tell me!" Li Jing'an was still angry as he stared at Wei Jialing, who looked completely indifferent.

"What's wrong? It's just a little conflict with the teacher, what's the big deal?" Wei Jialing rolled her eyes.

"What kind of teacher is this? What does the teacher have to do with this? I'm talking about him bullying people at school, he's even going so far as to bully the Chinese Academy of Sciences!"

"Oh, you mean that thing? Hey, I thought it was something serious." Wei Jialing suddenly realized, then said nonchalantly, "What's wrong? They're just kids, making friends, what's the big deal?"

"Make friends? With his pathetic appearance, he wants to make friends? That's just being a scoundrel! He's being a scoundrel!" Li Jing'an glared at Li Shuo, pointing at him with exasperation.

"It's not as serious as you say. Our son is so young, would he even have such thoughts?" Wei Jialing continued to argue.

"No intention of having that? He doesn't learn the good things, but the bad! He blocks people, wants to date them, and threatens them when they don't agree! Where did he learn that? Huh? How did our family produce such a thing?" Li Jing'an said in annoyance, then glanced at Wei Jialing, "I think he inherited the genes from your side of the family. He looks like you too."

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Wei Jialing rolled her eyes at Li Jing'an. "He's just someone from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, what's the big deal?"

"You know nothing! Do you know who's in charge of the Chinese Academy of Sciences now? It's President Hu!"

"What's wrong with him? What's so great about him? Isn't he a minister-level official just like you? What, does he think he can control you?" Wei Jialing said nonchalantly.

"He can't control me, but the people behind him can! Not only can they control me, but they might be able to control everyone in the future!" Li Jing'an didn't say these words out loud, but they churned in his heart.

"Do you know who sent him? He was sent by the Giants! He's one of the Giants!" Li Jing'an was furious. These old revolutionaries had always been indifferent to him, unapproachable, and unreliable. Now, Li Shuo had directly tried to sow discord between him. Li Jing'an had maintained this relationship—not particularly close, but not bad either—after all, he wasn't one of them. But this time, Li Shuo had stirred up a hornet's nest. If the Giants started to have any negative thoughts about him, how could he possibly survive? Thinking about this, Li Jing'an's anger flared even more.

"So what? Don't you know Zhang Qiuqiao too? Aren't you one of his men? Why are we afraid of him?" Li Jing'an's expression changed as soon as Wei Jialing said this.

"What nonsense are you spouting? Who's his person? Huh? This is slander! This is slander!" Li Jing'an stood up abruptly, looked around the room, and then glanced out the window, afraid that someone was eavesdropping.

Wei Jialing was startled by his actions, wondering what was wrong with him. Li Jing'an then realized—he was scaring himself. He couldn't talk to this bitch anymore; he'd almost been led astray by her.

He then picked up his things and angrily walked straight to the study.

"Hey, where are you going? Did you bring me anything back from Japan?"

Wei Jialing's words almost made Li Jing'an's head hit the ground—"What time is it for this woman to still be thinking about things!"

"Baka! I brought it! I brought you, my foot!"