Chapter 635
Official Meeting
Chapter 635 Official Meeting
The White House's signal immediately made headlines in many media outlets.
[Committed to building constructive bilateral relations], [Managing differences], [Expanding areas of cooperation], etc., each word seems to have been carefully selected from a diplomatic lexicon, packaged in the gentlest tone, and tied with an inconspicuous ribbon.
Global stock markets responded accordingly.
The Dow Jones jumped, the Nasdaq turned positive, and the Nikkei and Hang Seng were pulled up from the bottom of the water as if by the same hand.
The trader was shouting himself hoarse over the phone.
The numbers flashing on the screen were reflected in their pupils, all of them the image of money.
The smaller countries celebrated their victory.
A spokesperson for a Southeast Asian country told the camera that they welcomed the two major powers back to a rational path.
The prime minister of an island nation in the South Pacific posted a series of handshake and smiley face emojis on social media.
The world breathed a sigh of relief, like someone finally moving the muzzle of a gun that had been pressed against their back half an inch away.
If given the opportunity to speak globally, they would surely say from the bottom of their hearts, "I wish for world peace."
The reactions from Japan and South Korea were somewhat subtle; the media only devoted a small section to the story and did not want to discuss it further.
As for Dongguo, one of the parties involved, it warmly welcomed Gingrich's visit to China, upholding its peace-loving attitude.
After discussions, both sides agreed to schedule the visit for April, giving both sides ample time to prepare.
Busy times always fly by.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of East Asia is holding daily meetings to discuss how to arrange this globally watched meeting.
They needed to demonstrate the East's love of peace while subtly flexing their muscles to deter troublemakers.
After many staff members in the Foreign Affairs Department lost a lot of hair, April finally arrived, neither too hot nor too cold.
In the capital, poplar catkins are flying everywhere.
The plane trees on both sides of Chang'an Avenue have just sprouted new leaves, which are tender and green, and when the wind blows, the silvery-white down on their backs is revealed.
The blue sky seemed to have been washed clean by the spring rain of the past few days and then thoroughly dried by the sun, looking as clean as a piece of freshly made blue crystal.
As soon as Gingrich's plane landed, a red carpet was laid out at the bottom of the gangway.
The welcoming ceremony was of a very high standard.
There's no way around it; foreign media cameras are full of details.
Foreign media outlets were trying to find fault, but unfortunately, the people of Dongguo seem to have obsessive-compulsive disorder. The marching steps of the honor guard, the duration of the handshakes, the seating arrangement, and even the temperature of the soup at the banquet were all measured as if by a ruler, which was quite absurd.
As the convoy passed through Chang'an Avenue, Gingrich looked out the window.
The glass was covered with a dark film, turning the street scene into a series of paintings with a somber tone.
Both sides were well aware that this visit was a show for the world, expressing an attitude, and that the specific details could not be resolved by this one meeting.
The process went smoothly; Gingrich did not cause any trouble or make any outrageous remarks, which relieved the East Korean government, which had been on high alert.
According to diplomatic procedures, after discussing official business, the visiting guests are arranged to tour famous tourist attractions in the country.
Gingrich, however, suggested that he wanted to visit the Changhong Group.
The accompanying staff from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs nodded habitually, but suddenly stopped halfway through.
Changhong Group?!
Director Lin's territory?!
Oh dear, he can't make that decision.
"Excuse me, Mr. Gingrich, I need to consult with my superiors."
Gingrich smiled politely, “Of course. My son and daughter love the dance machines from Changhong Group. They each bought one with their hard-earned pocket money. Ah, every day when I come home, I hear dance music from the East. I’m so glad no one lives next door, otherwise, I’m really worried about getting complaints.”
The accompanying person looked to the leader for help. What should we do? They've already put it this way, is it appropriate to not let him go and see?
The deputy director of the foreign affairs department took a deep breath. He wasn't high enough in rank to be involved in many matters. But he could swear on his more than twenty years of experience that Changhong Group was definitely not an ordinary group!
Is there something else going on with Gingrich's specific request to go here?
"Lord Gingrich, I will go and ask him immediately."
He ran and stumbled to get into the car, then quietly asked his superiors for instructions.
Unexpectedly, it was Lin Xiaohe who called him back.
“Gingrich? Ha, let him come.”
The deputy director of the Foreign Affairs Department breathed a sigh of relief. Even if the sky falls, there's a tall person to hold it up. Director Lin is that tall person; she can handle it.
The following day, the foreign affairs convoy arrived at the headquarters of Changhong Group.
For the first time, this small county town of Anning welcomed so many foreign media outlets. Government officials were extremely nervous, but the locals were incredibly curious.
They all craned their necks, eager to see what this fool who dared to challenge their Eastern Kingdom looked like, and whether he had more legs than an ordinary person.
"Tch, he's just an ordinary old foreigner, with one nose and two eyes."
"This face doesn't look like that of a good person."
"I've done some calculations, and this person is definitely lacking in virtue."
Gingrich can understand Dongguk dialect...
Well, the people of Dongguo are as annoying as ever.
The main gate of Changhong Group faces south, with two rows of poplars at the entrance. The trunks are half-painted with white lime, standing neatly like sentinels on guard.
The tour route was planned in advance.
First, there was the exhibition hall, with a few display boards and some models, the lighting bright but restrained. Then there was the production line, separated by a glass corridor, where robotic arms rose and fell in the cleanroom, like a flock of silent white birds.
Gingrich glanced at it casually; to him, this little thing was like dust, utterly worthless.
On the contrary, the foreign media were shocked and kept taking pictures, wanting to capture every angle.
The last stop on the tour is the experimental center.
The experimental center is large, with equipment neatly arranged and pipelines running down from the ceiling, bundled up in a tidy manner.
The air was filled with the faint smell of new equipment, a mixture of metallic and insulating materials.
They are not allowed to go in here; they can only stand outside and take a look.
Here, Gingrich finally met Lin Xiaohe.
She was wearing a lab coat with the cuffs rolled up, revealing a section of her wrist. She was talking to a technician next to her when she heard footsteps and turned around.
Gingrich's gaze fell on Lin Xiaohe's face.
Lin Xiaohe looked at him calmly, without nervousness, curiosity, or the awkwardness of "finally meeting an important person".
This was the first time Gingrich had used a carbon-based human eye to observe Lin Xiaohe.
Previously, the Lin Xiaohe it saw was a golden divine power, initially as small as a candle flickering in the wind.
Later, the tiny flame seemed to be doused with oil, growing brighter and brighter until it became too bright to look at directly.
To a carbon-based human, she would appear to be nothing more than an ordinary person from the East.
Gingrich found it hard to describe the feeling; the immense power residing within his frail body felt completely natural, which was incredibly strange.
"Lin Xiaohe?"
Lin Xiaohe nodded to him.
The two sides exchanged glances, both understanding that this meeting was not the end, but merely the calm before the storm!