The officer walked straight up to Jiang Jingguo and Li Guiqin, gave them a military salute, and spoke.
"Your son's name is Jiang Fan, correct?"
"Yes, yes!" Jiang Jingguo answered, then cautiously asked the officer, "Sir, has Xiao Fan done something wrong?"
The officer froze. They were probably overthinking things, but there were too many eyes and ears here, so he offered no lengthy explanation and simply said,
"Sorry for the trouble, but please all come with me!"
Several SWAT officers then took positions on either side of Jiang Jingguo and Li Guiqin.
Seeing this formation, Jiang Jingguo's heart lurched up and down even more. He glanced at his wife, whose face was likewise full of confusion and worry.
Whatever Xiao Fan has done, as his father, I must keep my son safe!
He took Li Guiqin's slightly trembling hand and followed the officer toward the residential complex!
At the entrance to Building Three!
"Elder Long, I didn't expect you to come too. Heh heh..." an elderly man said.
"Brother Qiao, if I hadn't come today, you would probably have snatched that boy Jiang Fan out from under my nose!" Elder Long said bluntly.
"Ha ha... Elder Long, what are you saying? I'm merely here on behalf of Huaqing University to have a chat with Jiang Fan," Qiao Shan replied with an evasive smile.
He had originally come to see Jiang Fan on behalf of Huaqing University, and with his reputation alone, recruiting him to his university should have posed no problem at all. But Elder Long's sudden arrival had made things rather troublesome!
"You think I don't know what you're thinking? We've dealt with each other for decades. Stop hiding things!" Elder Long said directly.
Elder Long and Qiao Shan were both national-level academicians, and both had received the National Lifetime Achievement Award. Throughout Dragon Country's history, no more than five people had received this award, and only the two of them were still alive. That showed just how high their standing was!
Seeing that Elder Long wanted to throw open the skylight and speak plainly, Qiao Shan thought that suited him perfectly. He would compete with him openly and aboveboard. Huaqing University had granted him considerable authority in this contest for Jiang Fan!
As long as he could snatch Jiang Fan over, everything else was negotiable!
"Elder Long, you want to take Jiang Fan as your own student, don't you?"
"So what if I do?"
With Qiao Shan laying his intentions bare, Elder Long knew Huaqing University had come prepared this time. It seemed he would have to pay a hefty price to win Jiang Fan over!
Fortunately, before he left, President Lu had granted him absolute authority. As long as he brought Jiang Fan to Dragon University of Science and Technology, he could offer any terms!
"Heh heh... Elder Long, look, you're getting on in years. How could you have that much energy? Look at me, I'm only in my fifties, in the prime of my life and brimming with energy..."
"If we're talking energy, why don't we have a contest? I can run a forty-two-kilometer marathon in one go!"
Elder Long rolled up his sleeves as he spoke, refusing to concede!
Qiao Shan knew that a few years earlier, when Elder Long was sixty, he really had completed a full marathon and had even placed quite well.
In a marathon, Qiao Shan admitted he fell short. He was certainly no match for Elder Long!
"Elder Long, I definitely can't compete in a marathon. How about a swimming race instead? Five hundred meters or a thousand, take your pick. I'll even give you a hundred-meter head start. How about it?"
"Bull-fucking-shit! Everyone knows I'm a landlubber!" Elder Long cursed outright.
In the end, Elder Long and Qiao Shan argued until their faces and ears were red, their whiskers bristling and eyes glaring, all but ready to come to blows!
A representative from Dragon Country Peking University stepped forward to persuade them.
"Elder Long, Elder Qiao, please stop arguing. When Jiang Fan comes back, why not just let him choose for himself?"
Elder Long glanced at the representative from Dragon Country Peking University and said disdainfully, "What? A junior like you wants to compete with us too? Why don't you weigh yourself and see how many pounds and ounces you're worth!"
The representative from Dragon Country Peking University was speechless.
Fine!
I really shouldn't have stepped in and meddled.
In the end, he could only retreat a few steps in embarrassment and stand beside the representatives from Jing University, the Hua Academy of Sciences, and several other institutions!
All of them had arrived brimming with confidence, certain they could recruit Jiang Fan to their own institutions. But the moment they saw Elder Long and Elder Qiao, they knew they had no chance!
Even all their institutions' representatives combined could not match the clout of either Elder Long or Elder Qiao!
They had privately reported the situation to their presidents. Once those presidents learned that Elder Long and Elder Qiao had personally gone to compete for Jiang Fan, they knew there was no hope!
But when they saw Elder Long and Elder Qiao fighting over him, they suddenly felt they might still be able to pick up a bargain!
As the saying went: when the snipe and the clam fought, the fisherman reaped the rewards!
Just as these representatives of the country's top institutions were each harboring their own schemes in the contest for Jiang Fan,
an officer came over with Jiang Fan's parents!
Before the officer could speak, Elder Long walked straight up, clasped Jiang Jingguo's hand, and said,
"You're Jiang Fan's father, Jiang Jingguo, aren't you?"
Elder Long had seen Jiang Jingguo's photograph and an introduction to him in Jiang Fan's file.
Caught off guard by this sudden development, Jiang Jingguo said with a bewildered expression, "Y-yes!"
"Hello, hello! I'm Long Zhenguo from Dragon University of Science and Technology!"
The name sounded somewhat familiar to Jiang Jingguo, but he could not place it!
Long Zhenguo from Dragon University of Science and Technology...
Dragon University of Science and Technology... Long Zhenguo...
He repeated it twice in his mind! His eyes suddenly widened in shock, his face full of disbelief!
Long Zhenguo of Dragon University of Science and Technology was one of Dragon Country's top academicians. He had made major contributions to the country's scientific research in nanotechnology and rocket fuel, and had even received a lifetime achievement award.
Jiang Jingguo had watched an interview with Elder Long on television before.
But how had such an important figure suddenly appeared before him, and even taken his hand?
What was going on?
Could this have something to do with my son?
Just as Jiang Jingguo was trying to make sense of the situation, a middle-aged man in his fifties took his other hand!
"Hello, hello! I'm Qiao Shan from Huaqing!"
Hearing the man introduce himself, Jiang Jingguo's eyes filled with astonishment.
Academician Qiao Shan of Huaqing might not have been as famous as Elder Long, but his achievements were also considerable, and he too had received Dragon Country's lifetime achievement award!
Two towering figures at the pinnacle of the country's scientific research were holding Jiang Jingguo's hands at the same time, leaving him overwhelmed by the honor!
What virtue or ability did I possess to deserve such an honor in this lifetime!
Seeing Qiao Shan copy him, Elder Long immediately said angrily,
"You, Qiao! I took Brother Jiang's hand first. What are you fighting me for? Don't you know to respect the elderly and cherish the young!"
"You're holding that hand of Brother Jiang's, and I'm holding this one. Neither of us is getting in the other's way. How is that fighting you for anything?" Qiao Shan argued speciously.
Just as the two were about to go to war again over holding Jiang Jingguo's hands,
the officer said to them, "Elder Long, Elder Qiao, let's attend to business first!"
Only then did Elder Long and Qiao Shan release Jiang Jingguo's hands and let the officer lead Jiang Fan's parents upstairs!
They followed close behind Jiang Jingguo and Li Guiqin, as though afraid they would run away!
Watching this scene, the representatives from the other institutions sighed helplessly. They had thought they might still pick up a bargain, but in the end, they did not even get a chance to speak to Jiang Fan's parents!