If these two men were indeed of the same profession as they claimed, their hands couldn't possibly be so smooth and unblemished.
Grandpa Nong rubbed his hands, which rested on his lap. They were rough, a state only recently achieved as he'd slowed down in his old age and slacked off a bit.
He then looked at Yao Jian's hands.
Even for his son, even if Yao Jian worked in a big city laboratory, as long as it was related to agriculture, how smooth could their hands truly be?
During their conversation, the two men took out some gifts from their bags and placed them on the table. They were all small but exquisitely precious items. Pan Yue’s gaze was almost fixated on them.
"A small token of our appreciation, Grandpa Nong. We hope to exchange ideas with you more in the future." The latter man smiled with a seemingly naive expression, though his eyes glinted with shrewdness as he watched Grandpa Nong’s every move.
Grandpa Nong’s reaction to these items was rather perfunctory.
Did he see few Cordyceps or other such rare treasures?
As for jade and diamonds, he had seen large pieces; Qiao Yushan sent him piles of them as paperweights every so often. Small items? His study was filled with them, adorning his pens, pen holders, and even his lamps.
Grandpa Nong had seen too much to be easily impressed.
The robust man, seeing Grandpa Nong’s lack of special expression, took a sip of water, concealing the ruthlessness in his eyes.
Was this a case of him refusing their good intentions?
Their words were veiled, but how could a man like Grandpa Nong not understand? Stubborn old fool!
After a few more pleasantries, Grandpa Nong’s replies became increasingly placid.
The man raised his head from his teacup, his expression unchanging, and asked thoughtfully, "Grandpa Nong, is your laboratory also located here?"
The guard’s gaze was deep, and the man whose hair was thinning to a balding state kept glancing at the guard.
Grandpa Nong chuckled twice, his eyes sharp as he looked at the two men before him. "Xiao Han, Xiao Zhu, let Pan Yue show you around the village again. This old man is feeling tired and wants to rest." Wanting to rest so early in the morning, Grandpa Nong’s intention to see them out was quite evident.
The guard eagerly gestured for them to leave.
Xiao Han and Xiao Zhu exchanged glances, struggling to maintain their smiles.
"Please."
Just as Grandpa Nong finished speaking, Xiao Zhu suddenly lunged, grabbing Pan Yue and taking a diamond lollipop from her bag. He pulled off the top, and this lollipop was revealed to be a small, sharp blade pressed against Pan Yue's throat.
"Grandpa Nong, why don't we chat a bit longer?" Xiao Han looked at Grandpa Nong, his smile exactly the same as before, unchanged.
Yao Jian’s first reaction was to shield Grandpa Nong. His eyes widened as he looked at this smiling assassin, unsure of how to react.
The guard was about to call for help, but Xiao Zhu’s dagger immediately pierced Pan Yue’s neck. "We have no ill intentions, we just want to talk. But if you call for help, she will surely not survive."
Seeing Pan Yue crying out in alarm, Yao Jian finally realized he had been deceived by her. What kind of distant relative would unhesitatingly stab their own side and use them as a hostage?
"Help me quickly!" Pan Yue shrieked, and Xiao Zhu quickly stuffed a luxury scarf into her mouth.
The guard dared not act rashly, his eyes darting around, ready to rush out and save her at any moment.
Grandpa Nong looked at Pan Yue, disappointment evident in his eyes. He had always found Pan Yue too pampered and petty; it seemed she had been bought off with a bit of money.
"You should understand our intentions," Xiao Han said, a smirk playing on his lips.
They had cast out so many lures, all to ensnare this old man.
"Impossible."
Their talk of better environments abroad now seemed pointed. But his roots were here; the seeds of his life had long been sown in this land.
Grandpa Nong's firm refusal made Xiao Zhu tighten his grip.
Xiao Han narrowed his eyes. "Everything is negotiable. How about you recommend that person from your team to us? Then everything will be fine, we'll give you all these things, and an additional hundred million."
High-ranking officials in the US had speculated that Grandpa Nong's technological breakthrough must have been aided by a master.
Grandpa Nong was old and couldn't work for many more years. If they couldn't persuade him, their target could shift to someone else.
"He should be with you, shouldn't he..."
As Xiao Han finished speaking, his gaze drifted towards the back of the courtyard.
In the backyard, Huo Rou was distractedly looking at a small pot in front of her.
"Huo girl? What are you spacing out about?"