Chapter 173

"Are you sure?" The person in charge, Tulam, looked at Qiewaliye with excitement all over his face.

"Of course I'm sure. It was Goebbels who said it. Sha happened to go inspect the materials department; at the time he was also there doing R&D. Easterners thought Goebbels couldn't understand Eastern speech, but they didn't know Goebbels understood Arabic, so he listened in on their conversation."

Qiewaliye was extremely excited: "Right now, we're discussing with the Germans a joint venture to develop a professional armed helicopter, but those Germans are scheming all sorts of things. So let's just ditch the Germans and team up with Sha instead."

"Exactly!" Tulam burst with excitement: "Sha has money—why didn't we think of just going to Sha before? They provide the funds, we provide the technology; that's far more reliable than their cooperation with the Easterners! Let's go now!"

"Now? Won't it be too late? It's already eleven o'clock..."

"Visiting late at night shows respect, so let's go! Hurry up and hammer out a deal—if we delay, tomorrow Sha might sign a contract with the Easterners, and then we..."

"Exactly, let's go now!"

A group of Frenchmen, excitedly got dressed, coordinated with the Ha Cheng Aircraft Factory for a special car, and sent them to the hotel where Sha was staying.

Ha Gong Da, conference room.

"All right, let's wrap up today's meeting here." President Liu said: "Next, go rest, tomorrow..."

Ding ding ding…… Just then, someone ran in.

"President Liu, President Liu, just got a call from the Ha Cheng Aircraft Factory saying their Frenchmen wanted a car and went to the hotel..."

Smack!

Director Tao slammed his hand hard on the table: "Oh no, these Frenchmen are trying to steal the deal!"

"Exactly, we have to chase them back!" Director Lu was getting anxious.

No matter how nicely put or how lofty the words, it's meaningless; we still need to get it down in black and white on paper for it to be solid.

Just now Qin Miao also said that for armed helicopters we should cooperate with the French; from the French perspective, why not deal directly with Sha and cut out the middleman to pocket the difference?

"Sigh." Qin Miao sighed: "What's all this fuss in the middle of the night? Everyone go home, go find your mom… Let's go!"

Seeing Qin Miao's calm demeanor, everyone realized what was going on.

"San Shui, did you figure it out?"

"Yeah, San Shui… you mentioned this in the lab back then; could it be that you deliberately leaked it to the French?"

"Cough cough, certainly not—deliberate leaking would get you peanuts." Qin Miao quickly shook his head: "I wouldn't do that; don't slander me. If you want to mess around, go ahead. Anyway, I'm going back to sleep. Miaomiao, let's go!"

After that meeting, everyone pretty much understood: this kid Qin Miao had already figured everything out, and maybe the Frenchmen's actions are also part of his calculations.

Chu Miaomiao said goodbye to everyone a bit embarrassedly, then followed Qin Miao out.

"What the heck is this now?" Director Tao lamented.

"Yeah, I can't figure it out." Director Lu also shook his head.

"This project is supposed to be a cooperation with the French, but if we go to them directly, they might ask for the moon—on a $200 million deal they could try to take $180 million, and they'd demand all sorts of harsh terms, basically anything that benefits them most."

President Liu saw it clearly: "So instead, let the French hit a wall first, then come to us voluntarily; whatever we give them will be our goodwill, and they'll have to accept whatever we give. San Shui's move is brilliant."

"Yeah, that's planning three steps ahead, slipping two ghosts…"

Ah-choo!

Qin Miao, walking outside, suddenly sneezed.

"San Shui bro, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, definitely someone's badmouthing me behind my back."

"Yeah, foreigners are all profit-driven, not a single good one." Chu Miaomiao said. She was naturally gentle and kind, but hearing today that the French were trying to steal the deal made her furious; besides, no matter who it is, even if someone just curses their husband behind their back, it makes her angry.

Hotel.

"Your Highness Sultan, you're indeed here—great to see you!" Tulam beamed with excitement: "Let me introduce myself—I'm the team leader sent by the French Aviation Company to the East. Eastern helicopter technology is very backward, which is why we chose to import our Dolphin Helicopter from France..."

Sultan was already about to rest, having put on his pajamas; at this time he was still willing to receive them, which made him happy, showing that Sultan had a good impression of them.

"Hmm, please sit, sit down and then we'll talk."

"Okay, okay."

"Our French Aviation Company is currently developing a professional armed helicopter based on the Dolphin Helicopter; we already have successful modification experience with the Small Antelope Armed Helicopter and will certainly be able to modify the Dolphin Helicopter, and furthermore, our French Aviation Company is actively planning to develop an armed helicopter similar to the AH-1 Cobra."

"In this field our strength is strong, so… if you want to develop an armed helicopter, choosing us French is the best; besides, we already have cooperation in many fields..."

"If you came for this matter, you can leave." Sultan said: "I'm tired today; there's no need to waste time on such an unimportant project."

What? They're just kicking us out?

Your Highness Sultan, our French aerospace company can develop European‑first‑class helicopters; please choose us…

No thanks.

Why?

We have already signed a contract with the East; we will absolutely not do anything to tear up the contract, as that would be extremely rude to our friends.

What? Already signed? Or are we too late?

Turlam and the others were dumbfounded—this……this is impossible! It's too fast!

Generally speaking, weapons procurement requires multiple rounds of negotiation, lasting a long time—it could take several years—but now the other side merely came to Ha Gong Da, took a few glances, didn't even go to Ha Fei, and just signed the contract?

Why?

Because we trust the promise of our Eastern friends.

What is this? International arms agreements can have all sorts of tricks even after signing a contract, and you're relying on just a promise?

Ha Gong Da, the single staff dormitory.

"People who grew up in the capitalist world have only profit on their minds; they won't understand what friendship is." Qin Miao explained: "We Easterners, Mr. Sha and others—those who have been colonized or enslaved—can truly appreciate how precious friendship is."

Actually, befriending Mr. Sha just means buying their oil—buying a hundred million of oil is a hundred million of friendship, buying ten billion of oil is ten billion of friendship; Mr. Sha's refusal of the French is still because of the Sky‑Leaping Monkey project. Of course, this doesn't stop Qin Miao from spouting nonsense now.

"So we're relying on friendship to gain Mr. Sha's trust?"

"That's certain; now we also need to study how to cherish the friendship between husband and wife…"

"Be gentle, the soundproofing here isn't good…"

"How about we go onto the Land Rover?"