CH 136 Respect
Translated by The BL Muse (ko-fi)
Jiang Chen glanced at the guests in the audience. Most of them were unfamiliar faces. They all had different expressions, scrutinizing and curious, but they hid them under polite smiles, forming faces that were not much different.
In the past, he was not good at dealing with these things, but later he was still unwilling and did not need to deal with them. He thought that after returning to the He family this would be inevitable, but just now He Yanfeng told him: He was Jiang Chen, still Jiang Chen, and would always be Jiang Chen.
The young man on the stage had calm eyes, slightly drooping eyelashes, and his eyes seemed to fall on the people looking at him lightly, quietly but hard to ignore. The continuous discussion gradually disappeared, and everyone unconsciously showed a look of waiting, and their breathing also slowed down in anticipation.
Jiang Chen walked to the microphone, his voice bright and clear, unhurried: "It's the first time we meet, I'm Jiang Chen." He smiled slightly, and took half a step back to return to his original position.
It took two or three seconds for the people who were waiting for his next words to come back to their senses.
It's over?
That was it?
Shouldn't there be a speech?
Everyone was confused and looked at each other, but for some reason, they didn't speak.
If the students of the Department of AI Technology Development and Application of the Federal University of the Interstellar Era saw this situation, they would definitely wave their hands and tell them that there was no need to be surprised. This was a common thing in Professor Jiang's class. They would unconsciously quiet down and listen to his lectures, which was more effective than the most stern and uncompromising dean in the department's scolding.
The guests present didn't know this, and before they had time to notice why they couldn't speak, He Yanfeng on the stage had already taken over the microphone.
"This was something to be announced, and the next thing is to celebrate." The smile on He Yanfeng's face deepened, and there was a trace of pride in his tone that was not difficult to detect. He raised the champagne glass in his hand and said with a smile: "My son has already received a letter of acceptance from Yan University and Hua University, and will enter the Department of Computer Science at Yan University in September this year. Let us congratulate him in advance!"
The guests subconsciously raised the wine glasses in their hands. Before their brains even began to turn, their mouths were already uttering words of congratulations, the atmosphere harmonious and cheerful:
"Congratulations!"
"Direct acceptance to Yan University and Hua University at the same time, the tiger father has no canine sons."
"Congratulations."
Halfway through the congratulations, someone came back to his senses, and turned his head in a daze to ask a good business partner next to him: "Who is the son that Mr. He just mentioned?"
The business partner smiled, turned slightly sideways, and breathed out from the corner of his mouth: "It must be He Qianjian, who else can it be?"
"I've always heard that the eldest young master of the He family has good grades. I didn't expect it to be so good. But this Jiang Chen is a bit pitiful. He just got recognized back and a banquet is held to announce his identity but he is just brushed aside after a few words, and the rest is celebration for the adopted son. It's no wonder he didn't even bother to change his name, the He family doesn't care too much about him."
"You can't blame the He family. He Qianjian has been so outstanding since he was a child. Who doesn't say a word of praise whenever they see him, envying He Yanfeng's fortune? He has been raised for eighteen years. How can the relationship of so many years be comparable to a child who just got back?"
"That's his own son too, he's related by blood."
"Some people pay attention to this, and some people don't care. Didn't the He family still bring him back? Although they didn't change his name, they didn't let him continue wandering outside. It can only be said that the He family still cares more about feelings than blood."
…….
This kind of dialogue happened in many places in the banquet hall, but a small group of people conversed on the same topic as them, but they had completely different opinions.
"The He family is too partial." A young man in the corner raised his eyebrows, crossed his legs and said to the middle-aged man next to him: "Dad, if you find out that I am not your biological son, would you also be so partial to the biological son who came back."
The middle-aged man slapped him on the head: "If you weren't my own son, I would have used a broom to sweep you out of the house long ago. Don't talk about partiality, I wouldn't even give you a look."
Zhang Yanjing rolled his eyes, put down his legs and looked very excited, "What do you think Uncle He is thinking? After tonight is over, He Qianjian will lose all face. How will he still survive in our circle in the future? Damn, could it be that Uncle He doesn't want his fake son at all, and is going to kick him out."
"What are you talking about." The middle-aged man gave him a warning look: "Don't let your mouth run outside, don't meddle in the He family matter, and now that you've graduated, don't always trouble He Qianjian in the future."
Not far away, someone was warning:
"Don't bother Jiang Chen all the time."
Li Nanfeng was annoyed: "What do you mean I bother him? We are cooperating. I give him several million yuan every year, okay?"
Shi Fengyue raised his eyebrows, obviously not wanting to discuss this topic with him, he just rested his chin on a hand and looked at the swaying red wine in his wine glass.
"Hey, tell me, is there something going on in the He family? Does He Qianjian have the character of easily letting himself be swept out casually without doing nothing? Besides, old Mr. He has always liked him. I imagine it will not be so easy for Jiang Chen to drive He Qianjian back to the Jiangs'."
"Who said Jiang Chen wanted to drive He Qianjian back to the Jiangs'?"
Li Nanfeng was stunned for a moment, and seeing that Shi Fengyue was still looking lazily at his wine glass, as if he hadn't spoken just now, he leaned over and asked curiously: "What do you mean? Jiang Chen still wants He Qianjian to stay in the He family?"
Shi Fengyue raised his eyelids and glanced at him with a very obvious expression.
"No way." Li Nanfeng had a tacit understanding with him for many years, and he could see the other's meaning behind his look of disdain at a glance, and said in surprise: "Is Jiang Xiao Chen planning to not even give a single way for He Qianjian to survive? Not letting him stay in the He family nor go to the Jiang family, could He Qianjian's biological parents agree?"
Shi Fengyue didn't say a word, and raised his eyes to look forward. Sure enough, He Yanfeng waited for the people in the audience to discuss for about half a minute, and then continued: "I'm honored to invite Professor Xiang to come to give a congratulatory speech for my son, welcome."
The hale and hearty old man stepped onto the stage. His serious expression was three parts softer than usual. He took the microphone, and the first sentence he said was: "I didn't want to come."
Without waiting for everyone to be surprised, he continued: "At the beginning, I asked Hua University to send a letter of direct acceptance first, and I did everything to persuade this kid to go to Hua Uni, and even told him that my good student is teaching in the mathematics department in Hua Uni. He could enter the research institute ahead of schedule, get guaranteed graduate school admission after graduation, and directly enter the National Research Institute after. But who knew that he entered the National Research Institute all by his own merit in just his third year of high school. And in less than a year, he already has research and development results under his belt."
"Besides that, not only did Yan Uni rob me, but the Military Research Institute is also trying to snatch him from me. Originally, I thought that although his undergraduate degree will be at Yan Uni, he will still be able to enter the National Research Institute after graduation, and he will still be my student at that time. But who knew that the Military Research Institute signed the contract with him without even a heads up, and even the research project plan had already been approved directly, with the research being able to begin right after the team is established."
"But when I thought that even though I couldn't directly become Jiang Chen's teacher, I can at least stand out from the crowd by winning against old Zhao and young Wu, who tried to fight me over giving Jiang Chen's congratulations speech. So that's why I came here in the end."
Professor Xiang was rigorous and meticulous in his research, but he was vigorous and decisive in his life. His words were uttered without any slowing down and when he finished speaking, the guests had yet to recover from the huge amount of information within.
First of all, the most shocking thing, and the most shocking news to everyone present——it turned out that the person He Yanfeng said to celebrate just now was not He Qianjian at all, but his biological son Jiang Chen.
At this time, most of the guests remembered that the young man on the stage had been standing between He Yanfeng and his wife from the beginning to the end, and was wearing the same style of formal wear as his younger siblings. As for He Qianjian, apart from following beside old Mr. He and making a brief appearance, there was no sign of him at all now.
In other words, they had thought wrong from the beginning.
If the He family really valued He Qianjian more, no one would have noticed that he was not there at this time, unless the He family clearly knew about it but ignored it. As for Jiang Chen, He Yanfeng and his wife have protected him tightly from the moment he came out onto the stage, which not only made him an existence that could not be ignored in the banquet hall, but also blocked any scrutiny and curiosity that he might have directed at him.
Was this not showing value and importance? Clearly, the He family had already told them at the very beginning, who was the protagonist of this banquet!
Before when He Yanfeng said that he would not change Jiang Chen's name, they thought it was because the He family cared more about He Qianjian, so they didn't care if their biological child changed back to the He family's surname.
However, listening to Professor Xiang's long string of congratulatory words just now, there was actually not a single word that was not a compliment or words of showing off. Who would have thought that the old man who could speak eloquently academically would also be so unscrupulous when he praised people. Was that just a simple congratulatory message? There was practically glee and pride even in the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes.
Wait, what else was there? Entering the National Research Institute in high school and having research results in less than a year. Now he had even signed a contract with the Military Research Institute, and the plan for the next project had been approved. He just needed to wait for the team to be formed and the research could then be carried out?
Everyone recalled what Professor Xiang said just now, and the more they recalled, the more they couldn't believe it. Could this be true? Or did they actually get it wrong?
Although it was rare to enter a research institute in high school and have research results in less than a year, it was relatively easy for everyone to accept that due to the existence of Shi Fengyue who had two patents under his belt by fifteen. But signing a contract with the Military Research Institute? And after the plan was approved, just wait for the formation of the team?
If it was a simple contract, it was to enter the Military Research Institute and become one of many general researchers of the Military Research Institute. Although at this age it was rare enough, it could only prove that he was smart enough and had talent in scientific research. Although everyone would just think that the He family had good fortune, their biological child was so outstanding after being away for more than ten years, which was quite enviable, but it would only be enviable.
But——being able to form a research team?
Even if the people present were not in the scientific research circle at all, they knew that not everyone could set up and head a scientific research team, let alone a scientific research team approved by the Military Research Institute. The scientific researchers who could independently form a team were all the best in the field, and most of the leaders of the teams that could be established with the approval of the Military Research Institute have already achieved multiple achievements in at least one field, and many of them have even won authoritative scientific research awards at home and abroad, and was a top-level figure in their field.
For example, Professor Xiang who was next to Jiang Chen, and Major General Wu who was exceptionally awarded a military rank because of the great significance of scientific research results to the country mentioned by Professor Xiang.
But…..
Everyone looked up at the young man on the stage who was clearly under 20 years old. After making sure that they had heard correctly, they digested the news little by little, and couldn't help feeling terribly jealous.
Where did the He family get such good fortune, to be able to find and bring back a child who had been mistakenly switched for more than ten years, and even come back with such great achievements. It was no wonder that He Yanfeng felt that there was no need to change his name. Unlike other fledgling heirs, he did not need to use the surname given by his family to gain the respect and convenience of others.
It was not difficult to imagine that after tonight, there would only be Jiang Chen as the eldest young master of the He family, even if his surname was not He, even if there was another He Qianjian who had been the eldest young master of the He family for more than ten years, whose name was more like a member of the He family.
Everyone would only recognize the one on the stage in front of them.
Because, Jiang Chen himself was enough to earn everyone's respect.