As Qiao Hansong and Ji Yanzhi listened, national pride welled up within them, so strong it threatened to overflow.
Qiao Hansong smiled. "Little Ji, I'm really looking forward to that day."
Ji Ting made no promises. He simply nodded.
Qiao Hansong left after that. Ji Ting felt the gaze directed at him from beside him. "What is it?"
Ji Yanzhi stared at him without blinking, as though all his unspoken, fervent admiration had gathered in that bright, burning gaze. "I felt like you were glowing all over when you said that."
Just now, he had even wondered whether it was precisely because Ji Ting had devoted himself to his country without regard for his own life that heaven had given him a second chance to live.
Ji Ting did not understand why he would be glowing. He blinked. "Was I?"
Ji Yanzhi lifted his hand and pressed a kiss to it. "Absolutely."
Ji Ting shyly withdrew his hand. "Just eat."
Ji Yanzhi picked up his chopsticks. After only a couple of bites, his eyebrows rose in surprise.
"The food in your cafeteria is pretty good. I think it's even better than the chef's cooking at the Old Residence."
"Mm." Ji Ting swallowed his food. "The chefs here are nationally recognized master chefs too. Everything they make tastes good."
Ji Yanzhi narrowed his dark eyes. "So, with food this good, you're only this thin because you don't eat regularly, right?"
Ji Ting pressed his lips together. "...It's because I've grown taller."
Ji Yanzhi paused, then laughed in amusement. "Oh? Academician Ji has learned to make excuses for himself."
Ji Ting turned away and went on eating, ignoring him.
After they finished their meal, Ji Ting had to head to the research room. Before leaving, he asked Ji Yanzhi to compile the