The long-awaited commendation segment finally arrived.
Xu Hongmei looked at Jiang Mian with a face full of envy:
“Get ready, it’ll be your turn soon. When you go on stage, don’t make a fool of yourself!”
Jiang Mian glanced at the eager Xu Hongmei:
“Why don’t you go instead, if you think you can?”
“Ah, I—”
“No!” Xu Haibin, sitting one seat away, interrupted immediately. “This is a national conference. We can’t fake anything. Getting criticized would be minor—bringing shame to the farm would be serious!”
Jiang Mian thought about it and realized it was true. If someone else went up to accept the award in her place and it was discovered later, the consequences could be big or small.
Why make trouble for herself?
Forget it!
If reunion is a battle, then she’ll draw her blade and step onto the battlefield!
Who’s afraid of whom?!
With trembling hands, Jiang Mian held her large pregnant belly, silently encouraging herself.
The awards were presented by category, one group after another.
First came breakthroughs in military industry technology.
Then advancements in water conservancy research.
Batch after batch passed—more than a dozen already—and still Jiang Mian’s name hadn’t been called.
Xu Hongmei grew anxious:
“They wouldn’t have removed our winter strawberry project, right?”
Jiang Mian: Better if they did!
“Next, we will present an award related to agricultural technology—”
Jiang Mian: This doesn’t look good!
But the Xu siblings, Xu Haibin and Xu Hongmei, were full of anticipation, ears perked up.
Their hearts pounded in their chests.
Their palms were already sweating.
The host held the microphone and read from the script on stage:
“Comrades all know that in the northern regions, once winter arrives, thousands of miles are frozen, and snow drifts endlessly.”
“Nothing can survive in the fields—no crops, no seedlings.”
“Especially in the Northeast, where winter temperatures can drop to minus thirty degrees. Even dripping water freezes instantly!”
“…”
Xu Haibin and Xu Hongmei were overjoyed.
It was them!
It was the winter strawberry cultivation technique from their farm!
The anxiety hanging in Jiang Mian’s heart suddenly snapped.
“But just this year, at the Beidahuang Farm on the northern border of our country, a young comrade relied on an unyielding spirit and a bold, daring attitude to accomplish something even agricultural experts said was impossible!”
“This comrade broke through the limits of agricultural techniques and successfully grew strawberries in temperatures as low as minus thirty degrees!”
“…”
“Today, we will present this honor to this trailblazing comrade. Please welcome this year’s Agricultural Technology Model—Comrade Jiang Mian—to the stage to receive the award!”
“Quick, quick, go! It’s your turn, it’s your turn!” Xu Hongmei’s voice trembled with excitement.
She pushed Jiang Mian to her feet.
Applause rang out again in the hall.
But the applause was clearly not as enthusiastic as before.
Some people even whispered:
“What kind of technique is this?”
“Exactly, isn’t this just agriculture? This is a science conference.”
“Who knows? Probably someone who got in through connections to grab an award.”
Jiang Mian didn’t hear these murmurs.
Expressionless, she held her belly and stood up, walking down the aisle toward the award stage.
Only then did everyone notice—
“Ah, she’s pregnant?”
“Oh my, she really is! A pregnant woman managed to grow winter strawberries—how incredible!”
“She carried such a big belly and still won the award without delaying anything.”
“Hey, do you think one day we’ll really be able to eat fresh strawberries in winter?”
“That’s hard to say.”
“But even if they can be grown, they must be expensive. Can ordinary people like us afford them?”
Thinking of the sweet and tangy taste of strawberries, many researchers were already swallowing unconsciously.
As Jiang Mian walked to the front, her prominent belly became more and more visible.
The previously scattered applause gradually grew warmer.
…
At this moment, beside the stage.
The old professor responsible for presenting the award was already exhausted, his vision blurred.
Clenching his fist, he kept pounding his aching lower back.
“Professor Sun, let me present this award on your behalf.”
Professor Sun turned his head. Standing beside him was a tall and upright young man:
“Professor Lu—”