The next morning, under Zhang Zhen's arrangement, Xu Qiang got on the department's special car and went directly to Xu Yuanming's home.

Since Xu Yuanming himself needs to recuperate, it is obviously not suitable for Xu Qiang to meet him now, but being able to visit his family at this time is also a gesture and a clear statement.

In addition to Xu Qiang himself, those who visited with him included Guo Rui and other members of the 8702 project. The department also contacted reporters from several BJ media outlets to participate in the entire process of the condolences.

Generally speaking, this kind of thing is just a formality. After all, Xu Yuanming himself didn't even meet him. However, Xu Qiang took it very seriously and changed into a new set of clothes. Moreover, when meeting Xu Yuanming's family, in front of several reporters, he paid 200 yuan out of his own pocket in the name of a disciple and left it to Xu Yuanming's wife. Guo Rui and others also gave 50 yuan each.

This amount of money is not worth mentioning at all to Xu Qiang, but as a consolation payment, it is already quite sincere. You know, Xu Qiang is currently the director of the Shanghai Institute, and his basic salary is only more than 100 yuan a month, which is almost equivalent to his salary for one and a half months.

After some caring and concerned words, Xu Qiang made an impassioned speech, saying that he would inherit Professor Xu Yuanming's spirit in the future and make more contributions to the country's military industry. He also hoped that Professor Xu would take good care of his health and return to his scientific research position one day.

From the beginning to the end, Xu Qiang behaved very modestly. Even when talking about the success of the 8702 project, he did not take credit for it at all. He only stated that the success of his project was largely due to the foundation laid by Professor Xu Yuanming in the early stage, and he was just doing the finishing work.

In fact, Xu Qiang knew clearly that with Xu Yuanming's current injury, it would be almost impossible for him to return to his scientific research position in the future. So even if most of the credit was given to Xu Yuanming, it would not affect Xu Qiang's current position as the number one expert in the field of high explosives research and development. On the contrary, he could win the favor of everyone in the academic circle. The most important thing was to completely win over the hearts of Professor Xu Yuanming's disciples.

After the condolences, Xu Qiang did not forget the media reporters who came with him. He immediately led these reporters to the Quanjude Roast Duck headquarters and hosted a banquet for everyone.

These days, a roast duck at Quanjude costs eight yuan. Xu Qiang ordered three at once, and also asked for two bottles of Maotai, and a lot of other fine side dishes.

Xu Qiang has not had many opportunities to meet friends in the media, but he knows that the power of the media is very great these days. With just a pen, he can easily drag people into a whirlpool of public opinion, or he can help you to the sky. Especially since he currently holds a public office and is also engaged in business, so no matter what, he has to find a few media friends who can speak for him. This will definitely be beneficial to his future development.

"Reporter Wang, Editor Liu, it is my honor to meet you today. I would like to offer a toast to both of you."

At the dinner table, Xu Qiang stood up, raised his glass and spoke to the two of them.

The so-called reporter Wang and editor Liu are reporter Wang Yue and editor-in-chief Liu Songlin of BJ Science and Technology News. They previously had a contact point next to the Fifth Ministry of Machine Building. Whenever there was news about science and technology, they would cooperate with the Fifth Ministry of Machine Building to report. Currently, the newspaper is also a very influential media in the domestic science and technology circle.

Although there is only one media outlet, these newspapers and periodicals reprint each other's news. So once the Science and Technology Daily reports Xu Qiang's news, it will soon be reprinted by other media outlets and its influence will spread rapidly.

"Director Xu, I'm sorry to have cost you a lot of money today. Such a big table must have cost a lot of money, right?" Liu Songlin saw this and raised his wine glass, saying a little embarrassedly.

At present, the income of domestic scientific research experts is generally not high, and most people's salary is even lower than that of old workers in state-owned enterprises. So although Wang Yue and Liu Songlin have interviewed many top domestic experts and scholars, this is the first time they have encountered such a lavish invitation as Xu Qiang's.

"This amount of money is nothing. Last time I won the National Science and Technology Silver Award, the prize money was 5,000 yuan. As an unmarried young man, I can't spend it all. The rest is just for food and drink..."

"Hahaha!" Liu Songlin laughed out loud when he heard that.

"More than 5,000 yuan, such a high bonus..." Wang Yue on the side couldn't help but say.

Wang Yue was actually just a new reporter who had been in the job for less than two months, and he was obviously surprised by Xu Qiang's bonus.

"He is the winner of the National Science and Technology Progress Silver Award, the highest national award awarded by the State Council!" Liu Songlin said to Wang Yue.

"Oh, so that's it..." After hearing this, Wang Yue looked at Xu Qiang with a little more admiration in his eyes.

"In fact, most of my bonus last time was distributed to other people in the project team. I only kept less than 2,000 yuan for myself." Xu Qiang paused, and then said: "I have never been stingy with my friends who have sincerely helped me..."

"Director Xu is a young and promising man, which is really admirable. In fact, with your resume, you should have a better development in Beijing, but why did you choose Shanghai?" Wang Yue said.

"You two are my friends, so I might as well tell you the truth. The reason why I chose to develop in Shanghai is mainly because of my personal reasons." Xu Qiang paused, and then said: "On the one hand, my hometown is in Jiangxi, which is relatively close to Shanghai. I used to be an employee of a third-tier enterprise there. I only have one mother at home, so it is relatively convenient for me to go home and take care of her. On the other hand, my girlfriend's father is the former director of our factory. Before, their family also moved from Shanghai to Jiangxi, and they have always had feelings for Shanghai..."

"So that's how it is." Upon hearing this, Wang Yue and Liu Songlin suddenly understood.

"Apart from family reasons, the last point is that I have established cooperative relations with some township enterprises in Shanghai. In other words, I work for them. They hired me with a high salary, which allowed me to earn a very high income and live a very good life. But this kind of thing is basically impossible in BJ." "You help township enterprises? Provide them with technology?" The two were surprised when they heard this.

You have to know that Xu Qiang is a national-level technical expert with a job and a professional title. The technology he develops can only serve the country or the military. In any case, he should not establish a relationship with private enterprises. This is obviously a violation of regulations.

"Yes, I provide technology to township enterprises and have signed a technology support contract with the local government." Xu Qiang nodded and said, "But no matter what, I do this to promote the country's economic development, and those technologies are all developed by me in my spare time, and there is no leakage of information."

"It's very dangerous for you to do this..." Liu Songlin said with a frown.

As the editor-in-chief of the magazine, Liu Songlin has a very keen political sense. He immediately felt the potential danger of Xu Qiang's actions, and this danger is very likely to be fatal!

"The world needs some people who are brave enough to try new things, and I don't think this is illegal."

"You don't have the final say on this. Does the department know that you did this?" Liu Songlin asked in a questioning tone this time.

"All the main leaders in the department know about it..."

"You're allowed to do this knowing that?"

"Because the country has no relevant policies prohibiting state officials from engaging in commercial activities!" Xu Qiang raised his eyebrows and continued, "And my service targets are local governments. I can help them boost the local economy, which is actually encouraged by the country. Nowadays, with the country's reform and opening up, in order to attract foreign investment and technology, the country has given those foreign companies a lot of policy and land tax support. Since I can provide technology, how could the country not agree?"

Xu Qiang's words are well-founded. In fact, in later generations, the state explicitly stipulated that government officials were not allowed to engage in business, but in those years, there was no such restriction. It was not until December 1984, 12 that the state issued relevant documents and made the "Decision on Strictly Prohibiting Party and Government Organs and Party and Government Cadres from Engaging in Business and Running Enterprises."

It emphasizes that party and government organs shall not use public funds (including administrative expenses, party and league fees, special funds for veteran cadres, etc.), loans, and funds raised by in-service cadres to run their own enterprises or jointly run enterprises with the masses, and shall not be linked to the economic interests of enterprises run by the masses; in-service cadres of party and government organs at the township (including township) level and above (including retired cadres) shall not engage in business or run enterprises as sole proprietorship or joint ventures, part-time pay, or share dividends; nor are they allowed to use their power to seek profits for enterprises run by their family members, relatives, and friends.

So in this day and age, it is not illegal for government officials to engage in business, and Xu Qiang signed a cooperation contract with the CZ Municipal Government, and he also has a government background. Even if it is illegal, the CZ Municipal Government will be the first to investigate.

"That makes sense!" Liu Songlin nodded slightly after hearing this.

"If you have time in the future, you can come to Shanghai and I will personally receive and arrange it." Xu Qiang smiled and said, "As for all the expenses in Shanghai, I will bear them, whether it is travel expenses, accommodation, meals, shopping, including your family, I will take care of it all!"

Xu Qiang knew that he was not a scholar from BJ after all. In this era before the Internet appeared, if he wanted to establish a strong and profound influence in the domestic academic community, he had to have some "friends" in the media to act as his mouthpiece to expand his popularity.

Therefore, Xu Qiang is also willing to spend some money to win over practitioners in the media circle. In this way, the success of any scientific research project in the future can give him twice the result with half the effort.

"That's great!" Wang Yue's eyes suddenly lit up.

"This is too expensive for you. The magazine's rules don't allow us to do this." Liu Songlin smiled when he heard this.

Liu Songlin obviously saw what Xu Qiang was thinking, so he seemed a little hesitant.

"Can you only report on the academic success in BJ and ignore the research institutes in other parts of the country?" Xu Qiang asked.

"That's not the case. We will also participate in some scientific and technological seminars held by various provinces in the country," said Liu Songlin.

"That's all!" Xu Qiang spread his hands and said, "As long as you are willing to come to Shanghai, I promise to open your eyes. If you think I'm dangerous, just stay away from me in the future. But at least I think a journalist should constantly broaden his horizons instead of living in his own world. Do you think I'm right?"

"If you say so, I really want to go to Shanghai. When the time comes, I'll have to trouble Director Xu to receive me." Liu Songlin said after hesitating for a moment.

"Haha, no trouble, no trouble!" Xu Qiang smiled when he heard that, and then raised his glass.

The next moment, the three wine glasses clinked together crisply... (End of this chapter)