220: You drip, drip, honey; I'll surely splash, splash, oil.

Hangzhou, Fanchen Trading Co., Ltd. conference room.

Lu Fan sat at the head of the table, listening to reports from several key company personnel.

Outside the window was Hangzhou's bustling night scene, a world apart from the blood, fire, and smoke of Shanghai in 1937.

Financial Director Liu Zhicheng adjusted his glasses and was the first to speak: "CEO Lu, allow me to report on the recent financial situation.

The cumulative revenue from the antiques we sold in batches through several reliable channels has already exceeded 500 million yuan.

The funds from the previous batch of silver and gold we offloaded have also been fully recovered, approximately 700 million yuan.

Currently, the company has around 1.3 billion yuan in usable funds on its books."

"Uncle Liu, I trust your work." Lu Fan nodded: "There might be a relatively large military... hmm,

a large equipment procurement final payment that needs to be made soon. The other party may request partial payment in hard currency.

When the time comes, you coordinate directly and use the gold and silver from our warehouse to pay."

"Understood, CEO Lu." Liu Zhicheng noted it down.

At this moment, Jiang Fang, who was fully in charge of antique sales, spoke up with a troubled expression: "CEO Lu, entering the international market has been very difficult.

Recently, several art funds and companies with japanese backgrounds seem to be deliberately targeting us.

Some antiques we recently consigned for auction have been repeatedly reported by them on grounds of 'suspected stolen excavated goods',

leading to failed auctions or suspensions. It's a troublesome situation."

Lu Fan frowned slightly and gave instructions: "Jiang Fang, from now on, prioritize selling the items in our possession through domestic auction houses.

It's fine if the price is a bit lower. We mustn't let good items flow abroad."

Then, changing the subject, he continued: "This time, I brought back quite a few items, all artifacts from the time of the japanese invasion.

Contact CEO Xia. In the company's name, arrange a batch of targeted donations to major domestic War of Resistance memorial halls and museums."

"Yes, CEO Lu, I'll arrange it immediately!" Jiang Fang immediately grasped Lu Fan's intention.

This was openly slapping their faces and seizing the moral and public opinion high ground.

After handling this matter, Lu Fan took several bottles of differently packaged wine from a few wooden crates in the corner and placed them on the conference table.

"Everyone, take a look. Do these bottles of wine have any market value?"

These wines were gifts of thanks from Zheng Yaoxian.

That warehouse was stacked with quite a lot of foreign liquor: there was red wine; there was whiskey; there was brandy; and there was also some sake.

Lu Fan knew a little about red wine and understood that some famous estate wines were extremely valuable.

But he wasn't very familiar with other types of alcohol. He brought them back following the principle of not letting things go to waste.

Everyone's gaze was drawn to them.

Purchasing Manager Chen Bao, who usually enjoyed a casual drink, saw the wine on the table and his eyes instantly went wide.

He first picked up that bottle of whiskey, his voice changing pitch: "This... this is Karuizawa 1930 'Water of Life'.

It's hailed as the 'King of Whiskey,' with extremely few bottles in existence! Last auction, one bottle seemed to sell for nearly a million US dollars!"

He then tremblingly picked up that bottle of brandy, "This... is this Château d'Yquem 1935? A golden vintage! The cream of the crop!

This red wine... Romanée-Conti 1890?

My heavens... this bottle of sake... Kikumasamune 'Secret Family Reserve,' ancient sake from the Edo period?

This... CEO Lu, where did you get these? Each of these bottles is a top-tier, sky-high priced collectible treasure!

These few bottles combined are probably worth... probably close to ten million!"

Chen Bao listed them off like treasures, his face flushed with excitement.

The other key personnel, though they didn't understand foreign liquor,

were all shocked upon hearing words like "close to ten million," staring at those seemingly ordinary bottles.

Lu Fan remained quite calm. He knew they were valuable, just not *this* valuable.

"Since Manager Chen is knowledgeable, I'll leave the hundred or so crates of wine in the warehouse entirely in your hands. Liquidate them as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, Chen Bao was completely stunned.

He thought these few bottles were impressive enough, but there were nearly a hundred more crates?

Selling several hundred crates of such wine, even with your eyes closed, would start at over a billion yuan.

It must be remembered that their year-end bonuses were directly tied to the company's profits.

This suddenly opened another revenue channel, and one at the level of several billion yuan.

Damn, their year-end income was about to skyrocket.

"Rest assured, CEO Lu! I'll handle it properly!" Chen Bao carefully put the wine away... Meanwhile, at the Jinling Military Region, in a heavily guarded conference room.

Southern Aircraft Design Institute's Chief Engineer Gongsun was speaking animatedly, explaining the new fighter jet design.

The large screen in front displayed processed, summarized diagrams with key data redacted.

"...Commander Zhao, Chief of Staff Huang, President Hu!

I, Gongsun Ming, guarantee with my forty-year aviation career!

This aerospace fighter design blueprint isn't just leading by ten or twenty years; it's leading by an entire era!

No, more accurately, it redefines the rules of aerospace warfare.

Its value is inestimable! Absolutely inestimable!"

Commander Zhao, seated at the head of the table, lightly tapped his fingers on the desk, his gaze sharp.

"Chief Engineer Gongsun, are you sure this isn't a fantasy?"

"Commander!" Chief Engineer Gongsun almost jumped up, "Although many of the technologies inside far exceed current levels, even seeming a bit fantastical,

its theoretical framework is self-consistent and has a path for engineering realization. Just because we can't achieve it now doesn't mean we can't in the future.

It's like... like people in the 1950s seeing the design blueprints for an F-22.

Given time and resources, we might... no, we *must* build it!"

Commander Zhao made the decision: "Alright then, the project is approved. You allocate personnel and begin verifying the design's feasibility!"

Military Region Chief of Staff Huang pondered and said, "Such a crucial piece of equipment, donated for free just like that? What's his background? What does he want?"

Everyone's gaze turned to Wu Xue, who was attending the meeting.

Wu Xue took a deep breath and reported what she knew: "Lu Fan's background is very mysterious; not much effective information can be found.

He mainly procures some... rather special decommissioned or stockpiled equipment through my company.

This time, when he produced the blueprint, he jokingly mentioned, asking how one could obtain a military technical advisor title."

"Just a title?"

Commander Zhao and Chief of Staff Huang exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise and deep thought in each other's eyes.

Huaxing Heavy Industry's President Hu interjected, "We must firmly secure such talent, or rather, the holder of such resources.

But we can't be too abrupt, causing unnecessary speculation.

How about directly placing him in our company, giving him a vice president title or something."

"Old Hu, what are you thinking? Are you the Jade Emperor! Just assigning him to your side with a single sentence!"

Chief Engineer Gongsun immediately became anxious upon hearing this and started arguing back.

Once this opening was made, disputes immediately broke out in the conference room, everyone wanting to claim him for their own side.

After a tense discussion, Commander Zhao ultimately made the final decision.

Lu Fan was granted the nominal title of Director of the Special Procurement Office under the Military Region Logistics Department.

The rank would be given according to the military region's highest authority, but for now, it wouldn't involve access to core secrets or specific duties.

Simultaneously, Comrade Wu Xue would continue maintaining contact and satisfy his reasonable procurement needs.

To ensure his safety, the delivery of his supplies could be conducted domestically, and at a heavily discounted 'bone-breaking' price.

After all, you drip honey, I pour oil.