Ch 330: You Always Have to Give Others a Little Sweetness

Rong Xingye had no clue about their thoughts; he had his own way of communicating.

He went straight to the point, “The price is negotiable; our department has a generous budget.”

The Minister, “…”

Secretary Peng, “…”

Chen Jinyue loved this kind of straightforward and efficient exchange.

“Alright, I’ll prepare some for you. We can discuss the price in person.”

“No problem, I’ll bring Secretary Peng along.”

“See you tomorrow.”

After hanging up, Rong Xingye turned to face the two pairs of dead-fish eyes staring at him, remaining completely calm. “Any issues?”

The Minister couldn’t hold back. “How can you talk to your own sister like that, so formally? I don’t mean to meddle, but you…”

“Even siblings settle accounts clearly; it’s perfectly normal. Or would you rather negotiate next time? It’d be a good chance for me to step aside and avoid any suspicion.”

“…”

Never mind.

If he stepped aside, they wouldn’t even get a scrap of information.

They’d tried that just a few days ago.

The research institute completely ignored them!

…

Chen Jinyue had just hung up when someone entered from outside the courtyard.

It was Song Tianyu.

He was holding a small, black, square box with a special surface—somewhat like the wear-resistant coating of a starship, but with an even more technologically mysterious vibe.

Perhaps aware of the power of what he’d brought, Chen Jinyue stood up out of respect.

“It’s packed in this box? Not a storage ring?” she asked curiously.

And with such a small box, how much could it even hold?

Song Tianyu carried the little box to the pavilion and set it on the low table. “The storage ring’s ability to prevent leakage is average. My father was worried about risks. We put it in the storage ring first, then layered it with three boxes made of this material. These boxes are airtight and can block everything…”

Not only that, Song Tianhe was concerned their equipment might be inadequate, so he’d included a full set of current research tools.

Plus three research cabins of different sizes.

This setup practically guaranteed absolute safety.

“But that’s just what the experts claim. Neither my father nor I know if it’s truly foolproof. For safety’s sake, take this box back to your sealed lab before opening it.”

“Got it.”

Chen Jinyue lowered her gaze to the small box. “You’ve really thought this through.”

Song Tianyu took it as a given. “Of course we put in the effort—you’re helping us out! Besides, if you get hit too, we’re all done for!”

Chen Jinyue, “…”

Not a hint of politeness.

This honest kid kept going, chattering about his week.

In the week he’d been waiting, he’d been busy beyond belief.

He hadn’t even had time to drop by for a meal.

His mental strength had broken through to SSS level—Chen Jinyue was the first to know, and his father, Song Tianhe, was the second.

His dad was shocked and ecstatic, immediately reporting it to the Star Alliance. With a flurry of fierce moves, he secured him an official position.

Deputy Commander-in-Chief.

Chen Jinyue’s eyes widened. “?!?!”

“Your interstellar society really is ‘strength rules all,’ huh? High mental strength lets you skyrocket like that?” Back when she’d heard he’d be a future commander with absolute decision-making power, she hadn’t thought much of it.

The future was still far off—who knew how long it’d take?

By the time he climbed the ranks step-by-step, her business would’ve already spread across every dimension.

When it came to rewards, sticking to binding rules was still the most effective.

But in just one week, he’d jumped to Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Star Alliance?

On equal footing with his father?

No, disregarding experience and cunning, his cushy post was even a step above his dad’s…

“Of course. When they first found out I was an SS-level mental strength fighter, the Star Alliance groomed me as a successor. Back then, the major military districts had their own agendas and temporarily shelved the matter.”

Now, with his talent leaping another level, no one could hold him back.

He’d gone straight from a nominal title to a real position.

Chen Jinyue was curious. “Mental strength is that important? So if an ordinary person had talent, could they change their fate too?”

Song Tianyu shook his head. “Ordinary people lack resources; even with talent, it wouldn’t show. And even if it did, without power to back them up, they’d never make it to a position of real authority.”

They’d die in the flood of power struggles long before that.

Chen Jinyue’s smile faded, and she nodded knowingly.

Across time and worlds, the essence was always the same.

“Now that you’re in the spotlight, won’t that bring some danger?” she asked again.

Song Tianyu shook his head. “Not yet. At least until they find other resources, they’ll protect me like their lives depend on it.”

Speaking of which, he brought up the aftermath of their last trade. In the end, the Star Alliance had compromised.

But it wasn’t a full compromise.

They’d agreed, after discussion, to offer one stealth reconnaissance ship for the same amount of supplies as before. “Those old geezers still want to keep the Song Family in check.”

“You guys hold the trading rights alone, and now your talent’s spiked—they’re obviously not going to feel at ease,” Chen Jinyue said, understanding the logic.

Song Tianyu pursed his lips. “There’s probably another reason too. I’ve noticed lately they’re sniffing around for something else.”

Chen Jinyue, “What?”

Song Tianyu, “They think my talent boost came from some special method, so they’re monitoring the Song Family’s daily life.”

Chen Jinyue’s mouth twitched. “Haven’t you guys been researching cooking lately? So, this…”

“Exactly! Let them watch all they want—it’ll be their funeral! I’m definitely not missing the chance to mock them later, hmph!”

“…”

Suddenly, she felt this naïve kid wasn’t entirely naïve after all.

Pretty good.

Teasing aside, once he was done, Song Tianyu cautiously asked, “Sister, without two stealth reconnaissance ships, can we still trade for stuff?”

Chen Jinyue blinked, momentarily confused. “That’s up to you. I’m fine either way. If you think one ship staying behind poses a threat to you, I’ll back you up to push for more. If you don’t care, I can roll with that too.”

Song Tianyu instantly beamed, mostly because Chen Jinyue had been so strict before, saying there was no precedent for changing agreed-upon terms.

It’d left a shadow on him.

“My father says the Star Alliance’s resources aren’t too tight right now. Even if we drag it out, they won’t budge anytime soon. Since we already know their moves, we’ll just play it safe. If needed, we can make them suffer a bit—it’s not a bad deal.”

Most importantly, as the newly appointed Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Star Alliance, he didn’t need to push too hard right out of the gate.

In his father’s words: You always have to give others a little sweetness.

Otherwise, they might get desperate and lash out.

Chen Jinyue smiled. “No problem. You came in privately today, right? So for the exchange, should we switch to a different entry point next time?”

Song Tianyu nodded like a bobblehead. “Yes, yes!”

Then he added with a wicked twist, “But those guys are always pushing their luck. We can’t spoil them—they need to hit a wall!”

“Like what?”

“Next time I come to pay the deposit, drag it out a few days before delivering! And even then, don’t give me everything—just two-thirds of what we agreed on! Then throw out some tough talk—wait, I’ll handle that part myself…”

Chen Jinyue watched him ramble on excitedly, the corner of her mouth twitching silently.

She’d never seen someone so skilled at making things hard for themselves.

What a weirdo.