Ji Xingmi settled into Elder Hua's courtyard. Ye Yu and Ji Haoqi had already been taken by Elder Ye. Although she was reluctant to part with them, they had their own matters to attend to. Besides, it wasn't ideal for too many people to stay here; who knew what outsiders might speculate!
Mother Ji felt a pang of sadness. She felt her daughter hadn't even spent a few days at home before being whisked away again, this time to a place she couldn't accompany her. She missed her daughter.
Gu Jingyi had finally come to terms with his feelings. He had fallen for Ji Xingmi, his heart captured the moment they first met. However, family matters still needed his attention. He had also heard that Ji Xingmi had left again, though he didn't know her exact destination. Thus, he wasn't in a rush to find her. He wrote a letter and entrusted it to Ji Haocheng to help deliver.
Feng Changze was also looking for someone. He had inquired for a long time but found no news of Ji Xingmi. However, he had people keeping an eye on the Ji family's affairs, adopting a "wait and see" approach.
Ji Xingmi, on the other hand, wasn't overthinking things. She spent her days engaging in a battle of wits with Elder Hua. To her surprise, Elder Hua had boundless energy, not only managing numerous affairs but also finding time to tease her.
"Elder Hua, the test flight for this aircraft has failed! Fortunately, there were no casualties. Here is the report!"
Ji Xingmi was in Elder Hua's study reading when Secretary Sun hurried in, reporting directly to Elder Hua. Yes, she practically lived in the study, and neither Elder Hua nor Secretary Sun ever excluded her, even from discussions about experimental results. Was this something she was supposed to know?
However, she didn't leave to avoid it. The last time she had done so, Elder Hua had pulled her ear and scolded her. So, she had resigned herself to it, no longer surprised by what she heard.
"Failed again? It's alright. Let them continue the experiments. People progress by making mistakes."
"Understood. They should be holding a seminar these next couple of days. It's about funding. Engineer Zhang has been saying they don't have enough and hopes we can provide more support."
"Have the finance department allocate funds. We still need to develop these things, or we'll be vulnerable to other countries' planes flying over our territory in the future. We have too few aircraft, too few of any kind of aircraft. If we continue like this, we'll be throttled by other nations."
"The finance department says there isn't that much funding available right now. Funds are tight."
"Then we'll have to find another way. I remember DG was interested in our tillers, wasn't it? Sell them at a suitable price!"
"Understood, I'll have someone inform them!"
Secretary Sun left. Elder Hua stared at the failed report for a long time before placing it in the safe behind his desk, then returning to his work.
Ji Xingmi had heard the entire conversation and had some thoughts brewing. A lack of money and technology. Money, she had. Not a lot, but she had a stash from when Da Bai had taken her to find some, untouched. But living with Elder Hua now, she couldn't just produce two chests of gold out of thin air. Entering and exiting required inspections; how could she explain its arrival? Just this alone was difficult to justify.
Technology, that was something she had always been hesitant to get involved with. She disliked research. Otherwise, in her previous life, she would have joined a national research center. Her initial exploration into this field was a preparation for her foreseen transmigration. Although the situation was now similar, she hadn't decided whether to delve into it.
She just wanted a peaceful life, buying a few plots of land and being a landlady. Occasionally seeing patients when she felt like it, and not when she didn't – how great would that be?
Ji Xingmi set down the book in her hands, slumping dejectedly onto her small desk. Her mind was in a jumble, torn between her desire for a stable life and Elder Hua's words from earlier.
"What's wrong? Tired?" Elder Hua noticed Ji Xingmi's subtle movements and assumed she was tired, perhaps a young girl growing restless. He suggested she take a stroll. "Would you like to go for a walk? There's a small park nearby. You can ask Mantis or Spider to take you."