Ji Xingmi had no idea the two old men beside her had thought so far ahead. At the old men's signal, she also printed three copies of contracts for her newly developed creations. After Ji Xingmi signed them, Yi Hao also signed. There were two copies each, and both received three contracts. Yi Hao patted her head and asked, "Does this have any other uses?" He then pointed at the large cube in front of them.
"It can do everything a supercomputer can do, but it's more compact and convenient. This has many uses, as I mentioned in the report I submitted earlier."
Ji Xingmi thought for a moment, then got up and went out. She returned with a chip and a report in her hands.
"This is a chip I made while building the computer. You can send it for research. I believe it has many potential applications. This is the design diagram and breakdown of the chip, which should be quite detailed."
Elder Hua took the small cube, which was about the size of his hand, and looked at it. He never imagined such a small object could be so useful. He then handed everything in his hand to Yi Hao, who was also very excited. He had initially thought it would take some time, but with this chip and its annotations, many things could proceed simultaneously.
However, he then thought about what she had just drawn and asked her, "What you drew is a weapon, isn't it?"
"Yes, but I modified it based on the design diagrams of the researcher who framed me. Although her character is poor, her designs had some merit."
"Didn't her research fail?"
"Yes, her core data was incorrect, and the components were wrong. It was bound to fail. An explosion was the least it could have done."
"So you saw the problem just by looking at it? And this is an improved version?"
"The incorrect data was obvious! I made some adjustments, and it should be better than what she intended to create. It's still lacking something, though!"
"What is it lacking? You mean it can be even more powerful? Beyond your expectations?"
"Yes, but the materials are not right. With our current technological capabilities, we cannot achieve better materials, so the effect will be relatively reduced." This was why she didn't directly present the latest weapon designs from the 21st century.
With the current technology, those designs were impossible to realize. Presenting them would only lead to sighs of helplessness. It was also why she had studied the data of various machinery factories and steel mills before drawing her designs. The plan was to first create what was feasible, then improve the material production technology, and then move on to invention and creation. Besides, she couldn't always rely on cheating, could she? People needed time and space to progress. One person couldn't achieve much!
Ji Xingmi suddenly sat up straight. A flash of inspiration struck her, and she thought of what needed to be done next. Since she wanted to give others room to progress, she could focus on logistics. Material upgrades were not out of the question. With computers now available, wouldn't it be excessive not to have CNC machine tools?
The two men, who were still examining the items in their hands, saw Ji Xingmi suddenly sit up straight, her eyes shining as if she had discovered something precious. What had she thought of?
Elder Hua was almost immune to it; she always came up with something new every time. You could call her greedy, but she always prioritized national interests. You could say she was devoted to the country's greater good, but she was also motivated by laziness and the desire for a share of the profits. Yet, you couldn't fault her, which was infuriating.
"What have you thought of?"
"I've thought of some things, but I can't accomplish them alone."
"Need people? How many? I'll find them for you."
"Many people! It's not a manpower issue, it's a technical one. Grandpas, there are some things I want to discuss with you seriously. But these are just my personal thoughts for now. You can choose not to blame me if I say them?"
Ji Xingmi looked earnestly at the two old men. They exchanged glances and fell silent for a moment. Finally, Elder Mao, accompanied by others, returned to his own courtyard. He couldn't stay at Elder Hua's place for too long.
"Alright, you can say whatever you want now!"
Ji Xingmi was mentally complaining at the moment! She had no desire to speak freely at all. Changing locations made her even more nervous, and seeing him sitting there so formally made her feel even more so!
"I just want to talk about our current situation. I visited a research institute before, and although I didn't meet many people, I gained some understanding. Most of the researchers in the institute are highly educated individuals who have returned from overseas. While most are decent, a small portion are arrogant or look down on the current environment. I don't think such an institute is what I envision!"
"I am aware of what you're saying, but we still depend on them."
"Our country is vast and rich, and the last thing we lack is population. However, right now, both adults and children are either farming or idle. I'm not saying farming is bad, but I believe we need talent in all fields. With universities closed, we have no new intellectuals to replenish our ranks. If this generation grows old and passes on, and the remaining researchers are restless, will we stagnate?"
Hearing her words, Elder Hua's heart leaped, and he immediately exclaimed, "Xing'er!"
"Old Hua, what are you doing? Don't glare. She's not wrong! Xing'er, do you want those people to return, and then what? Not everyone was innocent back then!" This matter had been weighing on Yi Hao's mind for a long time. Initially, the decision might have been right, but gradually it led to more people suffering, and he began to doubt it. However, overturning a decision was not something he could accomplish with a mere word. The country had just emerged from turmoil, and the people were still reeling. Even if he realized something was wrong, he couldn't change it. Over the years, he had been continuously suppressing that faction, preventing them from having opportunities to eliminate their rivals.
"I do want universities to reopen to bring in new blood. This would also create a sense of urgency among current researchers; if they don't perform well, more capable individuals will take their place. However, I don't believe a sudden lifting of restrictions would be the right course of action. Some individuals might genuinely have problematic ideologies. We have encountered spies among the educated youth. What we need to bring back are scholars who love this country! They endured hardships but still loved this nation, and I believe their students will inherit their virtues!"
"You want to restore the college entrance examination? Reopen universities!"