Xie Dingyuan’s heart trembled slightly, but he remained composed on the surface.
Sure enough, he didn’t need to say anything. Zhong Ziang continued on his own.
“You dressed up too handsomely. Walking beside you, won’t I look plain?” Zhong Ziang remarked.
Xie Dingyuan in his heart, you do look plain.
But what came out of his mouth was, “Stay or leave, let the driver turn back.”
“Don’t, don’t, don’t! I was joking. Your old self has always been handsome. Dressing up or not doesn’t matter.”
But today was truly different because his uncle actually wore a tie for once!
Xie Dingyuan: “Please drop the ‘old’.”
“…” Quite stingy.
The car stopped in front of the arched entrance to the banquet venue, and they both got out.
As soon as Xie Dingyuan handed over the invitation, a voice came from behind.
“Oh! My goodness! Am I seeing things? Professor Xie, is it really you?”
“Mrs. Wilson, it’s been a while.”
“My goodness! I can’t believe my eyes! Your proposal at last year’s SF Summit on industrial nitrite filtration and pollution reduction was so interesting, especially regarding…”
Zhong Ziang also handed over his invitation and once inside, he seemed like a fish in water, not willing to follow Xie Dingyuan quietly.
“Hey!”
Suddenly feeling a tap on his left shoulder, Huo Fanjin turned around abruptly to see who it was, his mouth twitching. “How did you get in?”
Zhong Ziang waved his invitation in front of her. “Didn’t expect this, did you? But I have it.”
“Where did you get it?”
“Little master has his ways.” Zhong Ziang glanced around. “Where’s Jiang Fuyue? Haven’t seen her.”
“They’re over there.” Huo Fanjin raised her hand and pointed across.
“They? Who else?”
“Ling Xuan, Lin Shumo.”
Lin Shumo was fine; he was a brother, so there was nothing to worry about. But Ling Xuan—absolutely unbearable!
“Hey! Where are you going?” Huo Fanjin saw him angrily walking away and hurriedly pulled him back.
Zhong Ziang said, “Keeping an eye on him!”
Trying to encroach on his territory? No way!
Huo Fanjin followed after him, with Fang Canyang close behind.
They soon met up with Jiang Fuyue and the others.
Zhong Ziang happened to have a bunch of roses and was about to give them to his beloved when suddenly—
“We’ve been looking everywhere for you!”
Yan Zhenfeng and Qin Libin walked over, and there was even a tall figure between them.
Zhong Ziang dropped the roses in his hand.
Seeing this, Huo Fanjin couldn’t help but chuckle. She hadn’t been able to hold it in and burst out laughing.
“Let me introduce you all. This is Professor Xie Dingyuan, Professor Xie. You all should know him, right?”
Huh?
Everyone was stunned, completely shocked by this news.
Professor… Professor Xie?
That “Professor Xie”?
Lin Shumo’s eyes lit up; he had recognized him long before the three of them had walked over.
He hadn’t idolized him for nothing all these years. If he didn’t even know what Xie Dingyuan looked like, that would be too unqualified.
Ling Xuan had a similar look in his eyes. Although he disliked Zhong Ziang and Xie Dingyuan was Zhong Ziang’s uncle, it didn’t affect his admiration and reverence for a strong person.
It was no exaggeration to say that Xie Dingyuan now looked like what the vast majority of researchers and scholars wanted to become.
His abilities, his intelligence, his honors, his authority…
How many people dreamt of this?
Fang Canyang looked at the man who was much taller than himself, the national treasure-level professor. So this was what a professor looked like…
Men, regardless of age, always admired the strong.
But Huo Fanjin was different.
She first saw a handsome guy and then noticed his identity.
Oh my! This is a “professor”?
Can professors be this young?
Looking over Yan Zhenfeng and Qin Libin, she finally looked at Xie Dingyuan. Indeed, without comparison, there’s no hurt. This was an exception among exceptions.
Zhong Ziang wasn’t particularly surprised; after all, from childhood to adulthood, his uncle had been surrounded and praised by countless stars. He was used to it.
Jiang Fuyue was only a little surprised at first sight of the newcomer. How did he suddenly appear here?
In an instant, she calmed down again. What did it matter to her?
“Ahem!” Yan Zhenfeng cleared his throat and smiled, “Why is everyone dumbfounded?”
Gulp— Huo Fanjin swallowed. “Professor Xie looks so young! I’m a bit stunned.”
Fang Canyang nodded. “Yeah, yeah! I’m stunned too, so I didn’t react in time.”
Yan Zhenfeng turned to Xie Dingyuan with a teasing smile. “Sorry about that, the kids don’t know how to talk. Pardon their surprise.”
Although it was a modest statement, the tone didn’t sound like blame at all. On the contrary, there was a hint of pride.
See, my students are lively, spirited, and likable!
Xie Dingyuan slowly scanned everyone. “I heard you won four golds and one silver, and first place overall in team points. Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
Finally, he openly looked at Jiang Fuyue’s face. “Perfect score gold medal, special award. Congratulations.”
Jiang Fuyue nodded slightly. “Thank you.”
After a brief exchange, no more unnecessary words were spoken. To leave space for the students, Yan Zhenfeng and Qin Libin led Xie Dingyuan elsewhere.
“Sorry for the interruption, I’ll go greet Professor Smith.” Xie Dingyuan politely excused himself.
Yan Zhenfeng and Qin Libin stood in place, watching him walk away.
“Youth is really formidable,” Yan Zhenfeng sighed.
Qin Libin clicked his tongue. “If we’re talking about seniority, we should be the youngsters. When Jiang Fuyue’s generation grows up, we’ll be the ones left behind on the beach!”
“Wait a minute…” Suddenly, Yan Zhenfeng remembered something.
Qin Libin asked, “?”
“How did Professor Xie know that Jiang Fuyue won the special award?”
Just now, he hadn’t even had a chance to introduce Jiang Fuyue to Xie Dingyuan, but Xie Dingyuan directly congratulated him.
And more importantly, he actually recognized Jiang Fuyue directly among the two girls.
“It’s strange…”
Qin Libin said, “What’s so strange about that? There were so many media present this morning, snapping photos for free. It’s simple to find out who won the special award. Just ask anyone on the scene.”
“Is that so?” Yan Zhenfeng still felt something was off.
“Alright, Professor Hawthorn is raising his glass to us from far away, at nine o’clock direction…”
Halfway through the banquet, Huo Fanjin felt a bit stifled and wanted to go outside to the small garden for some fresh air.
As she reached the edge of the flower bed, she saw Frank embracing a brunette girl and kissing her.
Huo Fanjin’s heart throbbed, unable to describe the feeling.
It was a bit bitter, but not too bitter.
There was even a faint sense of relief, as if she had long foreseen this happening, and what she was witnessing now was simply the realization of that prediction.
She was ready to leave; after returning to the country, she would no longer contact him via email.
But as she turned around, in an instant, she accidentally kicked over a flowerpot…
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