Flowers of the Motherland

"The mayor came personally to congratulate you on earning a second-class merit?"

Li Guiqin and Jiang Jingguo gaped in shock!

But... how was that possible?

They had heard that only people in the military who made major contributions to the country could earn a second-class merit!

And those who earned one were usually either wounded or disabled!

But their son was perfectly fine from head to toe, and he had never joined the military. How could he have earned a second-class merit?

"Son, since when did you start joking around?"

Li Guiqin spoke with a chuckle!

"Mom! Didn't I develop solar photovoltaic panels? They saved the country a lot of energy! That's why I earned a second-class merit!"

Zhou Huaide had specifically called to tell him to give this reason.

Originally, Jiang Fan hadn't wanted a medal awarded with such fanfare, but for his parents' sake, to make them happy, he had agreed to the higher-ups' decision!

"Really, son?"

Jiang Jingguo sounded utterly incredulous. They hadn't known that inventing things could earn someone a second-class merit!

"Yes!"

Jiang Fan nodded!

Jiang Jingguo and Li Guiqin both knew that their son had never lied to them since he was little!

Actually, the reason Jiang Fan had just given wasn't a lie. It was just that the state strictly forbade him from telling them. He couldn't exactly say he had developed controlled nuclear fusion. His parents would find that even harder to believe!

"Wonderful! My son has earned a national second-class merit!"

With their son's confirmation, they were instantly overwhelmed with excitement!

Jiang Jingguo was so excited that he jumped up!

Hearing the thunder of gongs and drums below, he hurried to the window and peered out. Sure enough, the mayor was standing downstairs with a waist-drum troupe!

"Guiqin, quick, quick! Let's go down and welcome the mayor!"

Jiang Jingguo turned around, only to find that Li Guiqin had run straight into the bedroom. A moment later, she emerged in a beautiful outfit!

"At a time like this, why are you changing clothes?"

"Our son earned a second-class merit and brought us honor. I can't embarrass him!"

"Enough talking. Let's hurry downstairs!"

"With all those neighbors down there, don't you know to bring a couple of packs of cigarettes?"

"Right, right! I'll get them now!"

"..."

Watching his flustered parents, Jiang Fan felt quite happy.

A minute later, Jiang Jingguo and Li Guiqin hurried down the stairs!

When the mayor saw them come down, he clasped Jiang Jingguo's hand!

"Congratulations! Congratulations!"

"Congratulations on raising a pillar of the nation, Mr. Jiang!"

"Thank you, Mayor. It's all thanks to your excellent leadership! Heh-heh..."

Jiang Jingguo couldn't have been happier. Only then did the surrounding neighbors realize that Jiang Fan was the one who had earned the second-class merit!

They immediately began talking!

"Just as I guessed! It was Old Jiang's boy who earned the second-class merit!"

"That boy Jiang Fan really is impressive."

"Yes, Jiang Fan really has made something of himself."

"Ah, if only I had a child as accomplished as Jiang Fan!"

"Old Wang's wife was just showing off about her son earning a third-class merit, and now Old Jiang's family has gone straight for a second-class merit! Haha..."

"..."

Hearing everyone's praise, Jiang Jingguo felt absolutely fantastic. He took out his good cigarettes and hurried to hand them around to the neighbors!

"Here, Old Li, have a smoke."

"I may have quit a month ago, but these are celebratory cigarettes. I've got to have one. Hehe..."

"Old Liu, have a smoke, have a smoke!"

"Congratulations! Your son really has made something of himself. You'll be walking sideways through this neighborhood from now on! Haha..."

"Haha..."

"..."

Jiang Jingguo made a round handing out cigarettes, giving away several packs in their entirety.

The mayor then addressed the neighbors!

"Jiang Fan invented a material for solar photovoltaic panels, making a contribution to the country. The relevant departments have therefore decided to award Jiang Fan a second-class merit..."

When the mayor finished, everyone applauded!

A little girl of six or seven looked at the bright red certificate of honor and the gleaming medal with envy all over her face. In her childish voice, she asked the mayor!

"Uncle, I'm going to be a scientist when I grow up too. Will you give me a certificate and a shiny five-pointed star then?"

Everyone was amused when they heard her!

Mayor Deng said to the little girl, "All right. If you become a scientist and contribute to the country, I'll give you a great big certificate too. How does that sound?"

"Yes!"

The girl jumped for joy. Then the other children began calling out too!

"I want to be a scientist too!"

"I want to be a scientist too! I'll contribute to the country!"

Watching this group of adorable children all clamoring to become scientists, Mayor Deng felt deeply gratified!

If the next generation of Dragon Country's young people all aspired to become scientists and took the country's prosperity and strength as their goal, what worry would there be that Dragon Country wouldn't flourish in the future?

He spoke to all the children.

"Good, you're all good children. In a little while, Uncle Mayor will reward each of you with a little badge. How does that sound?"

Hearing that the mayor would reward them with little badges, all the children shouted excitedly in unison!

"Yes!"

Mayor Deng said to his assistant, "Go get the custom-made gold badges from the car!"

"But, Mayor, those are for rewarding..."

"Go ahead. I'll pay for another batch myself!"

Looking at these flowers of the motherland's future, Mayor Deng wanted to give them some encouragement!

He hoped that, along their path of learning, they could hold fast to their present aspirations and goals!

The assistant soon brought the gold badges over.

Mayor Deng gave one to each child. Looking at the badges glittering in the sunlight, every one of them wore an excited expression!

The children's parents were full of praise for Mayor Deng's gesture.

"Mayor Deng, let's head upstairs. Jiang Fan usually keeps a low profile! So..."

"I understand!"

Mayor Deng wasn't displeased that Jiang Fan hadn't come down. Instead, he praised Jiang Fan in his heart!

Researchers who could settle down and concentrate on their work tended to keep a low profile, just like God Wei, the mathematician at Dragon Country Peking University, whose meal consisted of two steamed buns and a bottle of mineral water.

Mayor Deng went upstairs with Jiang Jingguo and Li Guiqin. They also invited a few neighbors they usually got along well with to come up and sit for a while.

They all looked proud. It was thanks to Jiang Fan that they could get so close to the mayor!

Meanwhile, Jiang Fan was in the living room, looking at the admission letters covering the coffee table. Finally, he picked up the one from Dragon University of Science and Technology and put it away!

Suddenly, the system's voice rang out in his mind!

[System]: "Ding: Congratulations, host, on obtaining an admission letter from Dragon University of Science and Technology and completing the mission. Reward: Introduction to Blue Star Super Mathematics!"

[System]: "Would you like to learn Introduction to Blue Star Super Mathematics?"

"System, what is Introduction to Blue Star Super Mathematics?"

[System]: "Introduction to Blue Star Super Mathematics contains all the mathematical knowledge currently mastered on Blue Star!"

All mathematical knowledge?

Jiang Fan was startled. As a researcher, he knew very well that mathematics was the foundational discipline for all science and research.

If he mastered all the mathematical knowledge on Blue Star, didn't that mean he would instantly become a mathematician? And it would greatly help his future research work!

At this thought, Jiang Fan spoke to the system without hesitation!

"Learn it immediately!"

Then a ray of golden light shone down, and a vast amount of mathematical knowledge poured into his mind...