Professor Thomas, who was hosting the ceremony, deliberately drew out the final syllable, thoroughly whetting the audience’s appetite.
“Congratulations to her on winning the Basic Medical Research Award!”
After saying it once in English, he repeated it again in Chinese.
In an instant, thunderous applause erupted across the venue.
Camera flashes flickered nonstop.
“Now please welcome the award recipient, Miss Jiang, to the stage!”
Amid waves of cheers, Jiang Fuyue rose from her seat, stepped out, and then walked onto the stage with a smile.
She was wearing a black-and-white color-blocked suit dress, simple in style, sleek and imposing, with traditional embroidery elements adorning only the collar and cuffs.
She was tall, with a great figure. Below the knee-length hemline were a pair of straight, long, beautiful legs.
Under the stage lights, her skin looked porcelain-like, luminous and smooth.
The five-centimeter black pointed-toe heels further elongated her overall proportions.
Even among the women of Country M, whose average height generally surpassed that of Huaxia, she could still be described as “fair-skinned, beautiful, and long-legged.”
Professor Thomas said: “Jiang is a very young and exceptionally capable research scholar. She developed the A+ vaccine and discovered the F active enzyme, making indelible and tremendous contributions to preventing the continued spread of the Schankwo virus and its infection of all humankind, and rescuing the F-continent from the shadow of the pandemic. Therefore, after deliberation by the review committee, it has been decided to award her the 2052 Lasker Basic Medical Research Award!”
Applause rang out once again as everyone rose to their feet.
Jiang Fuyue stood on the stage, wearing a composed smile.
This scene was captured by Huaxia reporters on site using professional broadcast equipment and simultaneously streamed on a domestic live-streaming platform.
In less than half an hour after going live, the number of viewers had already surpassed ten million.
The comment section was even more densely packed, impossible to read it all,
【Sister Yue is the most beautiful in the whole venue! No rebuttals accepted!】
【Among a sea of old men, Sister Yue is the only focal point, okay?】
【Those old M guys’ eyeballs practically stopped moving, probably never expected our Sister Yue to be so young and gorgeous, she’s simply an “outlier” in academia】
【The suit dress is a win. Sister Yue’s aura in this outfit is insanely strong】
【I also want to talk about the dress, the cut is amazing. Which brand is it? There’s not even an obvious logo. Asking for the same style!】
【Girls asking for the same style should probably just wash up and sleep. If I’m not mistaken, what Sister Yue is wearing should be a private piece by Miss Guo, the number-one haute couture designer in Huaxia. The cuffs and collar have her signature embroidery elements】
【Is that the Miss Guo whose haute couture even a top-tier female star couldn’t get to wear despite spending tens of millions some time ago?】
【That’s right, that big shot. What Sister Yue is wearing isn’t haute couture, but it is Miss Guo’s private work, there’s only one piece like it in the entire world】
【Then how much would that cost?】
【Since it’s not circulated or sold on the market, priceless!】
【The moment Sister Yue appears, an academic award ceremony instantly turns into a film-festival red-carpet scene. How can she be even prettier than celebrities? [scratches head]】
【Go check Weibo, Miss Guo posted an update!】
Guo Pei V: A one-of-a-kind outfit for a one-of-a-kind person [heart]
【Teacher Guo, who doesn’t post for two or three months at a time, actually responded this quickly, solid proof she’s surfing online!】
Guo Pei V replied: 【Watching the live stream [yeah]】
【Shocking! Huaxia’s number-one haute couture designer is actually a Jiang Fuyue fan! Headline already drafted, just waiting for the report】
【I can’t believe I’m squatting in the same channel as Teacher Guo, watching the same live stream】
After Guo Pei, many celebrities from the entertainment industry also posted screenshots, cheering for Jiang Fuyue online.
Xue Heng V: The pride of Huaxia!
Yang Caier V: What was I doing when I was 19? Falling into deep thought…
An academic award ceremony live stream unexpectedly turned into a grand event for the entire entertainment industry, even developing into a nationwide carnival.
…
Jiang Da and Han Yunru closed their shop early today, ending business four hours earlier than usual.
The couple returned to their villa, turned on the live stream, and cast it onto the television.
The moment they saw their daughter appear on screen, the two excitedly clasped each other’s hands.
Jiang Da: “Yueyue! It’s Yueyue!”
Han Yunru nodded, her gaze filled with pride,
Looking around, her daughter was indeed the most beautiful person in the entire venue!
…
The Han family.
The Four Great Vajras, plus Han Ting, plus Little Mang, were all sitting on the living-room sofa, eyes unblinking as they stared at the screen.
Suddenly, Han Ting exclaimed, “She’s out! Sister Yue is out! Ah, she’s so pretty!”
Han Shen didn’t look at him, but said, “Brat, do you even know what ‘pretty’ means?”
“How would I not know? Anyway, Sister Yue like this is pretty! In the future I’m going to marry a wife as pretty as Sister Yue!”
Han Ke clicked his tongue. “Don’t think so lightly. Planning to die alone at such a young age? Our old Han family is still counting on you to carry on the line.”
Han Ting: “?” When did I say I’d die alone?
Han Heng cleared his throat. “You think someone like your Sister Yue can just be found casually? If you can’t find one, won’t you be doomed to singlehood for life?”
The old man spoke earnestly: “Little Ting, as a man you have to be realistic. Your standards can’t be that high, or you won’t be able to marry a wife.”
Han Ting: “…” That’s a tiny bit of damage!
But then again, thinking it over, he really wasn’t as outstanding as Xie Dingyuan…
Then he’d look for someone a bit worse than Sister Yue, yeah, just a bit, no more than that.
After all, his eyes had already been spoiled; if someone was too ugly, he really couldn’t look at them.
“They’re starting to announce the awards!” Han Heng stared straight at the screen, then suddenly thought of something and took out his phone, turning on the camera function.
The old man followed suit.
Mm, take a few photos first, so he could post them to Moments later and make those old buddies jealous.
No helping it, who told his old Han family’s daughter to be this outstanding?
Sure enough, once the photos were posted, likes and comments poured in one after another.
Old Buddy No. 1: 【Showing off! Showing off again!】
Han Qishan replied: 【I like it. What’s it to you [hmph]】
Old Buddy No. 2: 【Congratulations, congratulations, bringing honor to the country again】
Han Qishan replied: [fist salute]
(He was quite modest.)
Old Buddy No. 3: 【How about marrying your Yueyue to my grandson?】
Han Qishan replied: 【Not awake yet?】
Old Buddy No. 4: 【If anyone’s marrying her, it should be into my family!】
Old Buddy No. 3 replied to Old Buddy No. 4: 【If I remember correctly, you don’t have a grandson?】
Old Buddy No. 4 replied to Old Buddy No. 3: 【But I have a younger son, 28, unmarried, in his prime, pick your fill~】
Han Qishan: 【Unified reply: not lacking a son-in-law. [smile] You few should go wherever it’s cool and stay there.】
Right, Jiang Fuyue was already together with that kid from the Xie family.
Alright then, can’t compete. Disperse on the spot!
…
Back at the award ceremony venue.
After Jiang Fuyue went on stage, Professor Thomas continued, “Next, let us invite Professor Xie to the stage to present her with the award!”
Professor Xie?
Professor Xie?
Xie Dingyuan!
Jiang Fuyue was momentarily stunned, and the viewers watching the live stream in front of their screens were also dumbfounded.
【Did I hear that right? After ‘Professor’ came ‘Xie’? Xie as in Professor Xie?】
【What’s going on?】
【Even Sister Yue is stunned, hahaha, so cute】
【Here it comes, here it comes! The camera’s moving to the audience!】
【Ahhh! It really is Professor Xie! Oh my god! Does this count as a surprise?】
【Whether it’s a surprise or not I don’t know, but Sister Yue was genuinely startled, look at that dazed little expression, love it, love it】
Standing on the stage, Jiang Fuyue saw that among the guest seats, a certain someone who had insisted on staying behind in the room on the pretext of not having an invitation was now standing up from the far-right corner of the front row.
Black suit, straight and upright.
The shirt was buttoned all the way to the top as usual, revealing a slightly protruding Adam’s apple, abstinent and aloof.
The spotlight shone on his face, making his already deep-set features appear even more defined.
The man walked slowly onto the stage, then gradually made his way toward her.
Throughout, the applause did not cease.
The guests also couldn’t help but exclaim,
“Oh! It really is Xie!”
“Last time he was the award recipient; now he’s become the presenter.”
“He seems not to have changed at all, still so handsome, and of course, just as serious as ever.”
“That’s more like him, the legendary Stagana iceberg that never melts!”
“Oh! I saw a piece of news a few days ago saying he and Jiang are a couple.”
“Really?”
“It was revealed by official Huaxia media, so it should be true.”
“OMG (Oh my God), ”
Xie Dingyuan took the trophy symbolizing victory over disease and death, the Winged Victory of Samothrace statue, from the tray beside him and personally placed it into Jiang Fuyue’s hands.
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
The two shook hands, embraced, up to this point, everything was still perfectly normal.
At that moment, someone in the audience suddenly shouted: “Kiss, Kiss, ”
Then the entire hall began to stir: “Kiss, Kiss, ”
In front of the screen, viewers also boiled over.
【Holy cr*p! These old foreigners really know how to do it!】
【Professor Xie, kiss her hard for me!】
【Oh my god, is this something I can watch without paying?】
【Kiss one! Kiss one!】
【It’s over, the bullet comments have gone crazy】
【The whole screen is ‘kiss one,’ trypophobia sufferers are struggling for their lives, must see a kiss to survive】
【High sugar alert!】
【Ready to take screenshots at any time】
【Ahhhhhhh……】
【Chicken coop warning!】
……
Linhui, Yutianhua Residence, the Jiang family villa.
Jiang Da’s face darkened.
“What are these foreigners doing? How can they make such a request?! Too much!”
Han Yunru, however, looked at the well-matched pair on the screen and revealed a faint smile.
Although at first she couldn’t accept her daughter dating at such a young age, after thinking it over carefully, if Yueyue were to date, it seemed there really was no better choice than Xie Dingyuan.
Whether in looks, values, or interests and talents, the two were extremely well matched.
It wasn’t that Han Yunru, as a mother, was snobbish or had her standards set too high and looked down on ordinary people, but given Yueyue’s own circumstances, how could ordinary people possibly understand her pursuits and ideals?
In comparison, Jiang Da was far more willful, he didn’t care whether they were a good match or not; he only knew that Xie Dingyuan was about to steal his precious little cotton jacket!
How could that possibly be tolerated?
“I think this kid’s calmness is just an act, right now he’s probably secretly gloating and smiling inside!”
Ever since the relationship was exposed, Xie Dingyuan had gone straight from “Professor Xie” to “this kid” in Jiang Da’s eyes.
Han Yunru: “M country has an open culture; this is actually very common…”
“I don’t care how open it is.”
“…Not happy?” Han Yunru finally realized. “Alright, as long as the daughter is willing, what are you angry about? Besides, Xie Dingyuan really is quite good…”
“Hmph!” Jiang Da lifted his head high, won’t listen, won’t listen, just won’t listen.
Han Yunru: “……”
At the same time, at the Han family home.
The Four Vajras already had faces as dark as ink. Little Mang sensed the unusual tension in the air and anxiously barked “woof woof” in agitation.
Han Shen: “What kind of organizer is this?”
Han Ke: “Pulling this kind of nonsense, so unprofessional!”
Han Heng: “If Xie Dingyuan dares, I’ll, ”
The old master, meanwhile, clutched his heart, breathing in and out, in and out…
It hurt! His precious little girl was about to be rooted by a pig.
……
On stage, Xie Dingyuan opened his arms toward Jiang Fuyue: the meaning was, I’m ready, what about you?
The girl froze for a moment. In her ears were the increasingly raucous cheers; before her eyes was the man’s indulgent smile.
She suddenly smiled, stepped forward, and openly and calmly leaned into Xie Dingyuan’s embrace, wrapping her arms around him in return.
One lowered his head, the other rose onto her toes.
The next second, lips met lips.
Along with the screams erupting at the scene came the rapid clicking of camera shutters,
Freezing this moment into eternity.
【Ahhh! I’m dead!】
【Professor Xie is so suave!】
【Sister Yue is the one who truly has the words ‘poised and graceful’ etched into her bones, clearly doing something so feminine, yet every gesture is bright and magnanimous, without the slightest bit of affectation】
【I’m begging you, don’t stop! Kiss until the ends of the earth!】
【What kind of academic-version romance novel is this? It’s way too addictive!】
【Is there footage after the lights go out? One-person blood letter kneeling to beg】
【Want to see +10086】
……
Meanwhile, sitting in front of the television, Xie Yunshu was already grinding her teeth in anger, her whole body trembling.
Little Nine had always presented himself with a serious and dignified image. How could he, in front of so many people, do this with Jiang Fuyue…
And be watched like a monkey, this was simply absurd!
Her husband noticed her expression was off and asked with concern, “What’s wrong? No one upset you, why do you look so angry?”
“Nonsense! Look at this, what does it even look like?” As she spoke, she raised her hand and pointed straight at the two sweetly kissing figures on the screen. “Jiang Fuyue doesn’t know how to behave, but how can Little Nine also fool around with her?!”
“How is that fooling around? M country is just that open. On someone else’s turf, of course you follow local customs. Besides, the two are already a couple, being a little intimate is perfectly normal…”
Xie Yunshu glared angrily. “Normal my *ss! Little Nine is a scientist! And scientists are mostly rigorous, restrained, and professional, how could they kiss in front of so many people?!”
Her Little Nine, such a reserved and self-respecting person, had actually turned into this frivolous and casual appearance after dating Jiang Fuyue.
“Little Nine isn’t a celebrity. He doesn’t need to show his face everywhere and court attention.”
Husband: ?
This counts as courting attention?
Xie Yunshu: “Don’t you understand yet? Little Nine is being led around by the nose by that Jiang woman, step by step ruining his own image.”
Truly a femme fatale!
Her husband waved his hand. “Not to that extent, it’s not as serious as you think…”
But Xie Yunshu was immersed in her own speculation and assumptions and couldn’t listen at all. “That’s it, she and Little Nine are in a competitive relationship. If she doesn’t ruin Little Nine, how can she rise? How can she become ‘the one and only’?”
“Yunshu, you’re getting more and more ridiculous. It’s just that the atmosphere reached that point, didn’t you see the whole place screaming and applauding? At that moment, Little Nine satisfying everyone only proves he’s a gentleman, considerate and approachable. Not only does it not damage his image, it actually makes him more flesh-and-blood in the public eye.”
The former Xie Dingyuan, though successful, was cold, strict, and unapproachable, not the least bit down-to-earth.
Now he finally seemed to have a bit of human warmth.
This was a good change, not the “self-destruction of image” Xie Yunshu spoke of.
Unfortunately, some people simply couldn’t understand this.
One could only say that prejudice makes people narrow-minded.
“Why do you always help her speak?” Xie Yunshu raised her delicate brows slightly.
Her husband opened his mouth in astonishment.
“Enough, stop talking. I don’t want to hear it!” After saying that, Xie Yunshu picked up her phone and went to the balcony.
“Hello, Yunxi, it’s me…”
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