Chapter 676: Is It Your Turn to Charge Forward?

Chapter 676: Is It Your Turn to Charge Ahead?

The gloom of the old man's passing hung over Jiang Yu for several days.

During this time, the atmosphere at home was heavy, especially for He Tingyue, whose low mood was obvious.

Jiang Yu understood his feelings and took time off from the research institute to stay home with him as much as possible.

"Why don’t you take some time off from the factory? No need to rush back to work."

He Tingyue rested his forehead on her shoulder and said hoarsely, "Honey, I’m fine. I just need time to process."

Jiang Yu held him, awkwardly patting his back.

"Maybe you should cry. There’s no rule saying men can’t cry. I’ll hold you, and I won’t look."

He Tingyue let out a low chuckle. "I don’t need to cry."

The hardest part had been right after the old man passed away.

These past few days had been better.

He was just stuck overthinking, wondering if he shouldn’t have been so stubborn with the old man.

But he's gone now, and dwelling on it was pointless.

"Alright, go back to teaching at the research institute."

Jiang Yu asked again, "Are you really okay?"

"I’m fine. Your husband's tougher than that."

Jiang Yu disagreed. "Grieving for a loved one is normal—it doesn’t mean you’re weak."

He Tingyue smiled and gave her cheek a playful pinch. "I know. I’m not sad anymore."

Jiang Yu hugged him and patted his back. "If you’re still hurting, tell me. I’ll come back to be with you."

Only after saying goodbye to He Tingyue did she return to the research institute.

As it happened, Lao Song’s application had just been approved.

"By the end of the month, Comrade Qin Yunan can travel with the British delegation."

The delegation was here for exchanges, inspections, and potential collaboration opportunities.

Qin Yunan could also invest and build factories in China as an overseas Chinese.

Jiang Yu pouted. "Shixiong is originally from China."

Lao Song tsked. "These are unusual times. Once policies loosen up, he’ll definitely be able to return."

But for now, the most pressing matter was the chemical fiber factory.

"I’ve heard you're good with languages."

Jiang Yu quickly replied, "I get by, but I can communicate."

"I’ve recommended you to the Foreign Trade Ministry as their interpreter. It’ll help you communicate with Qin Yunan."

This was also a rare opportunity to practice speaking English, so Jiang Yu naturally wouldn't let it slip.

She had no objections, but others did.

Liu Juanxiu volunteered: "Old Song, why did you only recommend Jiang Yu? She's not the only one here for training—don't count us out."

Old Song raised his eyebrows and asked, "You can speak a foreign language too? If you can also do translation work, of course, I can recommend you to the Foreign Trade Ministry as well."

Liu Juanxiu: "...I can't, but we can still tag along. Maybe we can pick up a thing or two."

She'd never dealt with foreigners before.

These people came to China seeking cooperation. If they could be talked into partnering with the textile factory, it would undoubtedly be a big win.

Seeing how insistent they were, Old Song agreed.

"I can mention it to the Foreign Trade Ministry, but they might not agree."

Liu Juanxiu quickly added, "You carry weight—they have no reason to refuse."

She was right. The Foreign Trade Ministry did indeed go ahead and approve it.

It was just coming along—it wouldn’t interfere with their work.

Even if they didn’t go, these foreign businessmen were going to visit the factories anyway.

From the textile base to the steel plant, pretty much all the factories in the northern city were on the list.

But the specifics would depend on the foreign guests’ schedule—they might not be able to visit all of them.

Before long, the end of the month arrived. Jiang Yu accompanied the Foreign Trade Ministry staff to the airport to receive the visitors.

As she looked at the rows of airplanes before her, Jiang Yu couldn't help feeling envious—she had never flown before.

The group of visitors, including Qin Yunan, was just four people in total.

Among them was a married couple, and another foreign businessman named Carl, who was Qin Yunan’s friend.

Qin Yunan, nearing fifty, was dressed in a suit. His Eastern features really stood out among the group of foreigners.

Jiang Yu was so excited she instinctively took a step forward—only to be pulled back by Liu Juanxiu.

"The leaders from the trade ministry are at the front—who do you think you are to rush ahead?"

Biting back her excitement, Jiang Yu watched as Qin Yunan shook hands and greeted the officials before he looked straight at her.

Jiang Yu knew he had recognized her.

She broke into a big smile as she waved.

"Senior brother, I'm Jiang Yu."

Qin Yunan was pretty much how she'd pictured him—tall and upright, with handsome and refined features.

Like the strokes of his pen, he gave off a quiet warmth.

He walked toward Jiang Yu and extended his hand.

"Hello there, nice to meet you. I'm Qin Yunan."

He could've been her father, yet he never acted superior, treating her with equal respect.

Jiang Yu shook his hand, couldn't help grinning.

"Great to meet you, senior!"

Director Lian from the Foreign Trade Department exclaimed in surprise, "Comrade Jiang Yu, you and Mr. Qin here..."

Jiang Yu smiled brightly. "Senior brother's mother was my teacher. He also hails from our Beicheng, so he's basically coming home."

Director Lian finally understood. With Qin Yunan as an intermediary, their trip to China would surely go more smoothly.

"I see. Welcome home, Mr. Qin."

Qin Yunan’s eyes welled up slightly as he glanced at Carl.

According to the information Jiang Yu had received earlier, Mr. Carl was over forty, a member of the British Boot family.

Though not the family’s leading figure, he benefited from its connections, with businesses spanning manufacturing, transportation, automobiles, and more.

As for his wealth, it was more than Jiang Yu could fathom.

Carl shook Jiang Yu’s hand, expecting a language barrier, only to be stunned by her perfect English.

"Leo told me most Chinese don’t understand English. I was quite worried about communication before coming," he said delightedly.

Jiang Yu smiled. "True, but with your arrival, we’ll focus more on international exchanges. Soon, communication between us won’t be an issue."

English was currently the most widely used language, and with the growth of foreign trade, Jiang Yu believed China would prioritize its application.

But more than that, she hoped their own language could reach the world—a sign of our country’s growing influence.

After welcoming the guests, the group headed straight to the Friendship Hotel.

Carl and Jiang Yu hit it off, and he wanted to ride in the same car with her. With Qin Yunan also inside, there was no room left for anyone else.

Liu Juanxiu and the others shared uncomfortable looks. If they didn’t accompany them, what was the point of coming?

"Jiang Yu, scoot over. Let’s squeeze in," Liu Juanxiu urged.

Jiang Yu was annoyed. "There’s space over there, but no matter how we squeeze, we can’t fit three more people."

Liu Juanxiu frowned. "We also want to talk to these foreign friends."

"No one said you couldn’t, but this isn’t the moment. Everyone’s tired from the journey and wants to rest. Is this really the moment for conversation?"

Liu Juanxiu snapped. "You seemed to be chatting just fine with them."

Qin Yunan spoke up. "Do you have a problem with my conversation with my junior sister? Are we to be restricted in whom we speak to during this visit?"

Liu Juanxiu turned red and was pulled away by Qian Zhengzhi.

"Apologies, Mr. Qin. We won’t disturb you further."

Qin Yunan turned away and told the driver to go.