Chapter 144: Quit While You Are Ahead

"Hey, Yu! Isn't your reach a bit too long? We waited so long for this batch of postgraduate students to graduate and had everything planned out, yet here you are, swooping in to reap the harvest. That’s not very honorable, is it?"

Deputy Director Zhang of the Fengtian Institute stormed directly to the guesthouse, blocking Chief Designer Yu at the entrance.

Chief Designer Yu didn't recognize the man, but based on his words, he could easily guess his identity. Besides a powerhouse like the Fengtian Institute, who else would dare claim they had already secured all the aerodynamics postgraduates from the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics? Yu had anticipated this reaction from Fengtian, so he wasn't particularly surprised to be cornered.

"You can't put it that way. What’s wrong with us recruiting some research personnel? Students are allocated to various units upon graduation; how can you claim they were already 'planned' for you? The Republic has more than just your design institute, and everyone is short on talent, right?"

Hearing this "provincial peasant" from the Southwest speak with such righteous indignation, Deputy Director Zhang’s anger flared.

"Short on talent? Does that mean you can just snatch up more than half of the graduating class? That’s underhanded. Everyone in the country is short on talent—you just admitted that yourself. This is a classic case of saying one thing and doing another."

Saying one thing and doing another—the point had some merit, but Chief Designer Yu wasn't about to let that bother him. Once the meat was in his mouth, he wasn't about to spit it out.

"That's not it at all. We are simply respecting the wishes of these graduates. They want to come to our 0011 Base; it’s a matter of mutual consent."

With that, Yu tried to push past the deputy director. The negotiations with the British were entering the final stages, and he couldn't afford any mishaps. However, it wasn't that easy. More of Zhang’s men had arrived, forming a wall of people to block him.

"Where do you think you're going? You aren't leaving until you explain yourself. Let me tell you, it’s not that easy to steal our recruits."

Seeing there was no way out, Yu had no choice but to continue the verbal sparring: "This is your own fault. If you had paid more attention to these students, it wouldn't have come to this. These postgraduates haven't even conducted a few wind tunnel tests—what kind of postgraduates are they? We are the ones collaborating with them, giving them the opportunity to gain that experience. Naturally, they want to come to our base."

When it came to student training, Deputy Director Zhang was left speechless. Professor Zhu had contacted Fengtian several times to discuss wind tunnel practice opportunities for these students, only to be brushed off by Zhang every time. Now, Zhang tried to use the same excuse he had given the professor.

"Wind tunnel testing is a school matter. Our research capacity at Fengtian is sufficient to complete all designs; there is no reason for us to outsource aerodynamic projects to the school."

Chief Designer Yu, a man who paid attention to details, seized on this. "Look at what you just said. If your research strength is sufficient for all designs, then why are you fighting over these postgraduates? You don't need them anyway."

What did he mean, "don't need them"? Despite the slip of the tongue, the people from Fengtian were thick-skinned enough to pivot immediately.

"That’s not how you should interpret it. Our research strength is sufficient for now, but we will be short on people tomorrow, next month, next year."

Shamelessness truly is invincible. Since Fengtian was acting this way, Yu decided to stop playing nice.

"Whatever you say, we have an international project currently, and we absolutely cannot let it fail. Marshal Nie said to provide whatever people and resources we need. We need them now. What you are doing is contrary to the spirit of the Central Committee and is damaging the very trend of cooperation."

With that, the fifty-year-old Chief Designer Yu took the lead, charging into the defensive line Zhang had painstakingly built. The "peasants" from the Southwest proved to be formidable. As soon as Yu moved, two young, sturdy men flanked him, protecting him like the tip of a sharp spear as they broke through the human wall.

The folks from Fengtian were "civilized" people who had grown soft in the bustling city. They could only watch helplessly as these "peasants" broke through their line and marched away.

Watching them leave, Deputy Director Zhang felt the sting of Yu’s dismissive smile and a surge of malice. "Barbarians, just a bunch of barbarians. Their quality is truly abysmal. This won't end here. You just wait, Yu."

Furious, Zhang labeled them barbarians, conveniently forgetting that he had been the one to block the guesthouse entrance.

"What are you standing there for? You lot are always stuffing your faces, and when it comes to the crunch, you're useless. You’ll pay for this when we get back." Venting his anger on his subordinates, Zhang felt slightly better. He turned to leave; he would go back to his old mentor and demand a direct order from above to have these students' household registrations and work assignments transferred to Fengtian.

Meanwhile, Yu’s team was in high spirits. With this momentum, they might even gain an unexpected advantage in the upcoming negotiations with the British.

"Chief Designer Yu, that was a real breath of fresh air. When Fengtian tried to sabotage our trainer aircraft project last time, they never expected this, did they?"

The entire base was aware of Fengtian’s antics and held a deep grudge. The image of Fengtian as the "big brother" had completely shattered.

The team launched into a critique session, counting off the various misdeeds of Fengtian over the years. Yu, knowing that too much of a good thing is bad, soon called for a halt. "Alright, that’s enough. We all know what they are; no need to dwell on it."

The team entered the conference room in high spirits. The British gentlemen were punctual, already seated and ready. Seeing the high morale of the Republic’s negotiators actually caught the British off guard—did the Republic have some new move up their sleeve?

Under this pressure, the negotiations proceeded smoothly. Whether or not to give Fengtian a one-ton medal for their "contribution" was a thought that crossed their minds.

A few days passed peacefully. With the negotiations progressing well and Yang Hui’s wind tunnel tests moving efficiently, things were looking up. However, the Ministry of Aviation and the Science and Technology Commission were now at odds. After Zhang returned to his old mentor and embellished the story, the old man was furious and tried to seize the students' files from the university. But the files had already been taken by Director Yang.

When the old leader realized the Science and Technology Commission was involved, he knew he was in a bind. "Xiao Zhang, this is tricky. The 0011 Base went through the Commission to take their files. We can't afford to offend them right now."

Deputy Director Zhang was desperate. If they let this go, how could Fengtian maintain its status as the leader?

"Old leader, is there really no other way? If we back down now, how can we keep our position?"

Seeing his protégé so worried, the old leader decided to make one last effort. "I'll approach the Commission and see if we can split the students between us."

This led to the confrontation between the Ministry of Aviation and the Commission. Director Yang was having a headache, but knowing the 0011 Base needed personnel for the trainer aircraft project, he stood firm.

"I know the situation, but the 0011 Base has a massive project and a desperate need for aerodynamic designers." Seeing the others unmoved, he added, "How about this: the 0011 Base takes more this time, and you get a larger share of next year's graduates."

Fengtian didn't get the people back, but with the promise of more next year, they regained some face. Still, they insisted on quality. "If you say so, we will support our southwestern brothers. We’ll keep the numbers as they are, but since 0011 Base got to pick first, it’s not fair. We demand a re-selection: we pick one, then they pick one, until the numbers are filled."

It was a thorny but logical request. Director Yang stalled, "That’s not unreasonable, but those fifteen are currently working on the new aircraft's aerodynamic design. Let’s wait until they finish the high-speed wind tunnel tests."

Fengtian agreed; they had time.

Director Yang immediately contacted Yang Hui and briefed him. Yang Hui, naturally, was not about to let them be poached. He decided that as soon as the tests were done, he would whisk the fifteen students off to the Southwest.

Yang Hui worked overtime to finish the tests, and they immediately boarded a civilian flight, heading straight for the Great Southwest.

As the plane took off from the capital airport, someone whispered, "Team Leader Yang, we’ve studied aviation for so many years, but this is our first time ever flying on a plane!"