Huaxia time, August 16th, 6:00 p.m.
The special plane arrived at the Imperial Capital Airport, and the group was arranged to pass through a special channel.
Zhong Ziang and Yici returned to the military district with the main group.
Xie Dingyuan, meanwhile, was picked up by a black Hongqi sedan.
Before leaving, he squeezed Jiang Fuyue’s hand. “I’ll go report on work first. Once I’m done, I’ll come find you.”
Jiang Fuyue nodded obediently. “Okay.”
Xie Dingyuan loved her obedient little look to death. He couldn’t help lowering his head and kissing her. “Good.”
Jiang Fuyue: “……” Her old face flushed red.
After Xie Dingyuan left, Jiang Fuyue was also picked up by another sedan.
She didn’t need to report for work, and directly had the driver head toward the Han residence.
This return to the country was a confidential operation, so no one came to receive them.
If the old master and the three uncles had known, they probably would have been waiting at the exit long ago.
……
Woof woof woof,
“Ah Ting, what’s going on with Little Mang? Why is he barking so much? In heat?”
“Little Uncle,” Han Ting’s mouth twitched, “he was neutered last year.”
Han Heng’s eyes widened when he heard that. “Brat, didn’t your teacher teach you to speak in complete sentences? Your little uncle hasn’t been neutered, perfectly normal!”
Just then, Han Qishan came down from the second floor. Hearing this, he snorted disdainfully. “Doesn’t even properly date anyone. What difference does neutering or not make?”
Macho man Han Heng: “?” The whole family is bullying me!
“Woof woof woof, ”
Little Mang was still barking.
He couldn’t take it anymore. “Stupid dog! Bark again and I’ll punch you, okay?”
Han Ting immediately shielded the dog behind him, afraid Han Heng might really do it.
The old master snorted lightly. “Picking a fight with a dog, this is all the ability you’ve got.”
Han Heng: “……”
“Woof, woof woof, ”
Han Ting frowned. “Little Mang is a bit strange today. He’s been barking nonstop since noon.”
Han Ke walked over and casually patted the dog’s head. “Is he hungry?”
Han Ting: “He was just fed, and even got snacks.”
“Then that’s strange. You don’t usually see him this restless… did he see other little female dogs while being walked?”
Han Ting: “……” Little Uncle, can you think of something proper?
Han Qishan directly threw out a line: “Disrespectful to elders.”
Han Heng was just about to retort when suddenly Little Mang, who had been lying by his feet, sprang up and bolted straight toward the door.
Han Ting let out an “Eh” and immediately took off after him.
Han Ke shook his head, looking helpless.
Half a minute later, Han Ting’s shout of “Ah” suddenly came from outside, followed by him running back in excitedly,
“Sis, sister…”
The four Han men: “?”
Han Ting caught his breath. “Sister is back!”
“Where did you get a sister from? Boss, did you secretly have an illegitimate daughter?”
Han Shen’s handsome face darkened. “If it were possible, I’d really like to poison you mute.”
Han Heng: “That’d get you sentenced. Think twice.”
Han Ting looked at the elders who hadn’t reacted yet and was about to die of anxiety. “Sister Yue! Sister Yue is back!”
There was a brief pause on the scene, then,
“Yueyue is back?!” The old master was the first to run out, not even taking his cane.
Han Shen, Han Ke, and Han Heng followed close behind.
At the entrance of the villa, Jiang Fuyue was holding Little Mang and smiled gently at them. “Grandpa, Eldest Uncle, Second Uncle, Little Uncle, I’m back.”
Han Qishan’s old eyes reddened as he went forward. “How did you get so thin?”
His words were full of heartache.
Although he used to habitually say this sentence and it was inevitably somewhat exaggerated, this time there was not the slightest bit of falseness.
Jiang Fuyue was visibly thinner. She was already slender to begin with; now it seemed like the wind could blow her away.
Her chin was sharp, and her collarbones were even more pronounced.
When she left, it was still winter; now it was already midsummer.
In over half a year, she must have endured a lot of hardship.
The old master had never felt such heartache before. Several times, the corners of his eyes glistened with tears, shimmering in the sunset.
But in the end, he still held them back. The old man cared about his pride, how could he cry in front of the younger generation? That would be too disgraceful.
He had just scolded the third one earlier; he absolutely couldn’t commit the same mistake himself. Hold it in!
But it really hurt so much……
Han Shen stepped forward, looking at Jiang Fuyue. “It’s good that you’re back.”
Han Ke nodded, then sighed. “You really are thinner.”
Han Heng rushed over directly and gave her a bear hug. “Ying! Little Yueyue, you’re finally back~ I missed you so much……”
Jiang Fuyue felt he probably still left out a few words, “the plush toys in the room.”
……
Dinner was naturally made as lavish as possible.
The old master immediately instructed the kitchen to add dishes, sweet-and-sour spare ribs, poached fish slices… he rattled off seven or eight dish names without repeating any, all of them Jiang Fuyue’s favorites.
Once ready, the whole family gathered around.
Han Qishan didn’t bother eating himself, exerting all his effort to put food into Jiang Fuyue’s bowl. “Eat more, let’s get the flesh back.”
Han Ke nodded. “Girls should have a bit of meat on them, more or less.”
Han Heng: “Yueyue, the way you look now is especially suitable for the camera. Want to come make a cameo in my new film?”
Han Shen shot him a glance. “Eat your food, don’t cause trouble.”
Han Ting sat next to Jiang Fuyue, specifically responsible for helping her serve rice. “Sister, give me your bowl.”
By the end of the meal, Jiang Fuyue had received full concern and care from the Han family’s five men, from old to young.
Until…
“I really can’t eat anymore.”
Only then did the Han men stop feeding her.
She let out a light breath.
After the meal, Jiang Fuyue was surrounded on the sofa, Han Heng and Han Ke on her left, Han Ting and Han Shen on her right, the old master Han Qishan opposite her, with Little Mang lying at her feet.
Her: “……”
This lineup was just… very solemn.
Starting with the old master, then Han Shen, Han Ke… and finally Han Ting, the Han men launched a variety of questions, such as:
“Was the virus hard to deal with?”
“Did you have to wear protective gear every day?”
“Did you often come into contact with patients? What if you got infected?”
As long as it didn’t involve secrets and she could answer, Jiang Fuyue answered them one by one.
Especially Han Ting, his excited little eyes never rested from beginning to end, just short of having the words “I really admire you” written on his face.
In the end, it was the old master who spoke, “After traveling so far back, Yueyue must be tired. Any questions can wait until tomorrow. Let her go upstairs and rest first!”
And just like that, Jiang Fuyue returned to her room.
Pink walls paired with soft lighting bathed the entire room in warmth.
She hadn’t been back for half a year, yet there wasn’t a speck of dust in the room or on the desk, spotless and clean.
Jiang Fuyue took a shower, washing away the dust of travel and fatigue. She picked up the phone she hadn’t touched in a long time and dialed Han Yunru.
“Mom.”
The moment she spoke, just the first word, the woman on the other end couldn’t hold back her tears; they rolled down at once.
“Yueyue, you, you’re back?”
“Yes, I’m back.”
“Jiang Da, Jiang Da, ” Han Yunru shouted loudly on the other end, “Yueyue is back! Hurry and come!”
After a burst of clattering sounds, Jiang Da’s voice appeared. “Yueyue? Is that Yueyue?”
“Dad.”
Jiang Da, a big grown man, heard that call and his eyes instantly reddened.
“As long as you’re safe, that’s good, that’s good……” At that moment, he was still wearing an apron, holding a spatula in his hand, repeating the words while nodding nonstop.
“Is it Sister?!” Little Brother Jiang was also helping out at the shop during summer vacation. He had been over at the cashier; hearing the sound from the bakery area behind, he rushed over impatiently.
Then he snatched the phone. “Sister!”
“While I was gone, did you behave? Did your academic grades fall behind?”
Jiang Chenxing: “I behaved! Final exams, first in the grade!”
Jiang Fuyue smiled and praised him a couple of times.
It wasn’t hard to imagine that the boy on the other end of the line must have flushed red in the cheeks again.
Half an hour later, the call finally ended.
But Han Yunru said, “Yueyue, Mom and Dad will go to the Imperial Capital to see you tomorrow.”
Jiang Chenxing: “Me too!”
That night, Jiang Fuyue lay down before ten. She originally thought she wouldn’t be used to it, but she soon sank into sleep.
A good night’s rest, sleeping soundly until dawn.
At six in the morning, Jiang Fuyue woke up.
Opening her eyes, what met her gaze was a clean, bright ceiling; the chandelier swayed gently in the morning breeze.
A soft, thin blanket covered her body, and beneath her was a mattress with just the right firmness.
No longer the crude surroundings, nor the almost harsh living conditions of the scorching summer,
She was back in the country!
Jiang Fuyue got up to wash and freshen up, then changed clothes and went for a morning run.
After finishing, she just made it in time to have breakfast together with the old man.
In the afternoon, Jiang Da and Han Yunru arrived in the capital with Little Brother Jiang on a flight; Han Shen personally drove to the airport to pick them up.
After more than half a year apart, the family of four was finally reunited.
During Lunar New Year’s Eve, Jiang Fuyue hadn’t had time to accompany her parents and younger brother; now she finally had the chance to make it up.
She took them to watch the flag-raising ceremony, climb the Great Wall, tour the Forbidden City, and eat the most authentic Beijing cuisine.
They also took a group photo beneath the city wall.
The one helping take the picture was a college student. Jiang Fuyue said, “Thank you.”
The girl handed the phone back to her. “You’re welcome,” then suddenly her gaze paused. “Wow! Miss, you’re so pretty, like Goddess Yue.”
Jiang Fuyue: “……”
“Ah, but Goddess Yue is in F Continent right now, doing big things. There’s no way to even run into her by chance. You really look just like her, both stunning beauties!”
Uh!
Seeing her slightly blank expression, the girl said, “You don’t know Goddess Yue? She’s that super awesome genius girl. She balabala…”
Jiang Fuyue got a full-on science lesson about her own exploits.
After listening, she suddenly began to doubt,
Was she really that amazing?
The other party said, “Goddess Yue is really incredible!”
Jiang Fuyue: “……”Alright then~
Jiang Da and Han Yunru stayed in the capital for three days. Calls came urging them back from the Linhuai shop; otherwise, the two really wouldn’t have wanted to leave.
Little Brother Jiang took the initiative and requested to stay.
There was a talent show being recorded right there in the capital. He had previously received an invitation from the director and originally hadn’t planned to go. Now it was just right, first, to broaden his horizons; second, staying in the capital would give him more time to be with his sister.
The second point was the main reason.
Little did he know that ideals are full, but reality is skinny,
Later he found out that the show required closed training. Forget spending time with Jiang Fuyue, seeing her even once would be difficult.
If he’d known earlier, why participate at all…
A miscalculation!
……
On the fifth day after returning to the country, Jiang Fuyue was called away by the higher-ups.
This trip kept her at the State Guesthouse for nearly a week, various report briefings, lectures, large and small exchange meetings. Everyone she met was a big shot among big shots.
The most “thrilling” was the so-called interview and communication session with the “Huaxia Expert Delegation.”
Jiang Fuyue was arranged to sit at the head, the main seat.
Given her current achievements, sitting in that position was not excessive. Moreover, today was originally a report and summary related to Schankwo.
But she was really too young. In front of a group of white-haired grandmasters, Jiang Fuyue, a young girl not yet twenty, completely pressed them down a notch, whether in rank or seating.
An ordinary person would probably have chickened out before even opening their mouth.
At best, they’d be sitting on pins and needles; at worst, they’d lose composure on the spot.
Unfortunately, Jiang Fuyue was not an ordinary person. She sat calmly at the head, with neither timidity nor arrogance on her face, only tranquility.
The older generation exchanged glances with each other. Though there was no dissatisfaction or jealousy, their desire to test her had been stirred.
Then they took turns going into battle, firing off questions one after another, each more tricky than the last.
Jiang Fuyue answered them one by one, unhurried and composed.
At the time, she had no scripts or materials at hand, yet detailed data flowed from her mouth effortlessly.
She could even do mental calculations on the spot, reporting the answer in two seconds.
The elders were stunned and no longer dared to underestimate this young girl.
For a full seven days, Jiang Fuyue was either in meetings or in symposiums.
Fortunately, from the second day on, Xie Dingyuan also arrived.
He attended in the capacity of Doctor X.
The two of them had plenty of sneaky private meetings. As for what they did when they met… ahem!
Anyway, the next day Jiang Fuyue’s lips were swollen.
“Teacher Jiang, what’s wrong with your lips? It looks like an allergy.”
She said, “It’s nothing, a mosquito bite.”
The mosquito itself, Doctor X: “Cough…”
“What’s wrong? Doctor, did you catch a cold too?”
Xie Dingyuan: “……A bit.”
“Do you need us to escort the two of you to the infirmary?”
The two said in unison: “No need!”
……
The day after the briefing ended, Jiang Fuyue returned to Ming University.
En… make-up exams.
Although her file stated overseas exchange, to graduate smoothly, each semester’s final exams still had to have grades.
Before Jiang Fuyue returned to the country, the Ministry of Health had already submitted a deferred exam application to the school on her behalf.
Xiao Shan signed and approved it.
Logically speaking, there shouldn’t have been many people at school during the summer vacation, but somehow the news leaked. As soon as Jiang Fuyue stepped through the school gate, a black mass of students all turned to look at her in unison.
As if they had been waiting for a long time.
She went, “?” Holding a sports meet?
If it were being held, it should be on the field, why block the main gate?
“One, two, three!” Someone in the crowd started counting.
After counting, a banner was unfurled, red background, white characters, bright and eye-catching,
Welcome back to school, Sister Yue!
“Sister Yue! You’re finally back!”
“Sister Yue! Wuwuwu, you’re amazing! The evening news is full of you. I told my dad you’re my classmate and he didn’t believe me!”
“Before, reporters came to school to interview us and asked what major you study. I answered them: all-rounder!”
“Sister Yue, while you were away, we all studied hard and made progress every day.”
“The clubs kept developing and expanding!”
“The campus supervision committee also performed its duties seriously.”
“In short, we definitely didn’t disgrace you!”
Jiang Fuyue looked at pairs of eyes filled with excitement and admiration. From spoiled second-generation rich kids to good students, everyone was striving,
“You all did very well. I’m proud of you.”
“No! Sister Yue, you’re the pride of us Ming University students, ”
“Right! You’re the pride!”
“Sister Yue yyds (forever the god)! Ming University yyds!”
“Can I get an autograph? I’ll take it home to enshrine it. Next semester’s finals, I’ll definitely score high.”
“Me too!”
“Me too!”
“+10086!”
“Hehe, I want a group photo…”
“Yeah! How didn’t I think of that? Everyone who hears gets a share. I don’t care, I want one too!”
Just like that, before even entering the exam hall, Jiang Fuyue first did a wave of autograph giveaways, plus transformed into a photo-taking mascot.
After everyone dispersed, she finally walked into the teaching building.
Here, an exam room had been specially set up just for her alone.
Four proctors, full-process monitoring and recording.
This level of treatment, from the founding of the school until now, was unique.
Though it was an exchange, the academic affairs system still selected courses for Jiang Fuyue.
Required plus electives, twelve subjects in total: mathematical modeling, basic physics, linear algebra, mechanics and engineering, biological genetics…
On average, Jiang Fuyue spent about a quarter of an hour on each subject. For foundational subjects like math, physics, and biochemistry, she basically wrote the answers after one glance, so the speed was very fast.
Courses like Mao Zedong Thought and Ideological and Moral Cultivation, which required written responses, were a bit slower.
After all twelve subjects, the total time spent was two hours and twenty-eight minutes.
The proctors were dumbfounded the whole time. Every so often they’d hear, “Hand in the paper.”
After a while, they’d hear again: “Next subject.”
After another while, it continued: “Change to the next test paper.”
Proctors: “……” Just, so outrageous!
By the time Jiang Fuyue finished and came out, it was already evening. Sunset at dusk, rosy clouds filling the sky.
Drifting fire-clouds dyed the sky a mottled orange-red.
Two years ago, the day she was reborn, it was also such a calm and beautiful evening.
Han Shen arrived right on time, driving to the school gate to pick her up.
“Tired?” Taking so many subjects in one day.
Jiang Fuyue: “It was okay. The questions were simple.”
Next came waiting for the results.
But what came out even earlier than the grades was the announcement of this year’s Pulitzer Prize for News Photography,
A photograph of a man and a woman embracing each other amid bombardment, protecting a little girl in the middle, won the grand prize!
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