Chapter 284 You didn't expect this, did you? This is quite a big deal.

The next morning, Jiang Jing stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling mirror in his hotel suite, having rarely dressed in a well-tailored dark suit.

Zhou Wanqin had helped him tie his tie. This usually cool and aloof female captain appeared exceptionally focused and deft when handling such details.

Her slender fingers nimbly twisted and wove, and soon, a full, standard Windsor knot took shape.

"Not bad, Captain Zhou, you've got quite the skill," Jiang Jing teased, looking left and right in the mirror with a smile.

Zhou Wanqin's expression remained unchanged, though the tips of her ears flushed slightly. She took a step back, her tone remaining flat, "Just a basic skill."

Lin Hong, standing to the side with her arms crossed, looked Jiang Jing up and down, clicking her tongue, "Clothes make the man, I suppose. Dressed up like this, you actually look somewhat presentable."

Jiang Jing wasn't annoyed. He adjusted his cuffs in the mirror and sighed deliberately, "Sigh, can't help it. I'll be on a live broadcast in front of 1.4 billion countrymen in a while. I can't be too casual, or I'll embarrass our country, right?"

Before long, the car sent to pick him up arrived downstairs at the hotel.

The group took the elevator down. At the hotel entrance, three black Hongqi sedans waited quietly.

The sleek car bodies reflected a steady luster in the sunlight. Beside the door of the middle car stood a driver in uniform, standing straight and tall.

With Zhou Wanqin and Lin Hong guarding him on his left and right, Jiang Jing bent down and sat in the back seat of the middle vehicle.

The motorcade started immediately, smoothly merging into the morning traffic of the Imperial Capital.

Jiang Jing leaned back in the rear seat, his gaze sweeping over the streetscape rapidly receding outside the window—lofty classical buildings, rows of modern skyscrapers, crowds of hurried people... He couldn't help but feel a bit dazed.

In just a few short months, the trajectory of his life had undergone an earth-shattering change.

From an ordinary young man in a rented room, fretting over winning or losing games and confused about the future, to now sitting on wealth and status unimaginable to ordinary people.

Xingchen Technology was like a powerful blood-making machine, continuously pumping huge amounts of capital for him.

Qianda Film and Penguin shares, looking back now, could only be considered small change.

And now, he was about to don the halo of an Academician.

In the past, this was something he wouldn't have imagined.

What kind of normal person, eating a cheap meal delivery in a rented room, would think about becoming an Academician in the future...

"It's a good thing I have the System..." Jiang Jing sighed silently to himself, giving the System a thumbs up, "System Daddy, you're awesome!"

As his thoughts drifted, the motorcade had slowly driven into a solemn and respectful area.

"Mr. Jiang, we have arrived." The driver's voice from the front seat pulled Jiang Jing's drifting thoughts back.

He looked up; the car had already entered a solemn complex of buildings, and the silhouette of the National Convention Center came into view.

The security along the way was noticeably tighter than usual, with vigilant security personnel visible everywhere.

Guided by staff, Jiang Jing passed through a dedicated passageway and arrived outside the main venue where the ceremony would be held.

As soon as he walked into the preparation area, the scene before him made him pause slightly.

Inside the hall, there were no ordinary audience seats; instead, rows of cameras and photographic equipment were set up.

Reporters from major official media outlets were already standing by.

That array of "long guns and short cannons" was enough to indicate the scale of this broadcast.

In the front area, although there weren't many people sitting, the aura of every single one was extraordinary.

Many of them were "big shots" Jiang Jing often saw on cctv news, people capable of influencing the country's direction.

And what shocked Jiang Jing the most was that sitting in the very center main seat was the very old man who had spoken to him kindly just yesterday.

He actually came in person?!

Jiang Jing really hadn't expected that an Academician conferment ceremony would actually alarm this person, and that he would present it personally.

This setup far exceeded his expectations.

Just as he was a bit dazed, Commander Zhao Tieshan walked up to his side without him noticing.

He gently patted his shoulder, lowered his voice, and said with a hint of banter, "How is it, kid? Stunned, right? Didn't expect the setup to be this big, did you?"

Jiang Jing came back to his senses, nodded honestly, and responded in a low voice, "A bit, yeah... I thought it was just going through the motions. I didn't expect this lineup; it's completely unexpected."

Hearing this, Commander Zhao Tieshan snorted through his nose, his tone carrying a complex nuance.

It was like teasing, but also sounded genuinely a bit jealous: "Hmph, you kid, just be secretly happy!"

"This is just because it's you. This is definitely favoritism. For a normal Academician conferment, where would you get this kind of treatment?"

"To be able to have these few attend simultaneously, and have him personally present the award—you are the only one!"

"Back in our day, we... sigh, it's maddening to compare people!"

Jiang Jing heard the faint "jealousy" in Commander Zhao Tieshan's words and knew he wasn't truly dissatisfied, just lamenting.

So he chuckled, and without batting an eyelid, replied, "Well, can't help it. Who told me to have made such big contributions?"

"Or maybe it's because I'm also quite likeable?"

"Hey! Give you an inch and you take a mile!" Commander Zhao Tieshan was amused by his unabashed clowning.

He couldn't help but laugh out loud and patted his back, "You kid... this thickness of your skin can also be considered an amazing achievement!"

Jokes aside, the ceremony was about to begin, and a staff member in charge of the procedure immediately stepped forward to give Jiang Jing the final briefing.

"The ceremony flow is very simple. First, XX will speak, expressing affirmation and gratitude for your outstanding contributions to the country's scientific and technological cause."

"Afterward, when we present you with the Academician certificate and medal, you will come onto the stage after hearing your name and receive the certificate and medal from XX."

"Subsequently, you need to deliver a short acceptance speech, mainly to inspire people and look to the future."

"Finally, you just need to take a group photo with XX and the other leaders."

"Throughout the whole process, we will have someone there to guide you."

The staff member's tone was respectful and clear.

Jiang Jing listened carefully and nodded, indicating he understood.

At the same time, he was pondering in his heart that the old man would definitely mention his contributions in the speech, but he estimated it would mainly focus on projects that had already been made public and benefited people's livelihood, such as the neural Prosthetic limb and Brain-controlled robot.

As for the "Water-powered Engine" that could trigger a global energy earthquake, and the far-reaching Super Material, the country would definitely keep them temporarily shelved as top-secret.

At least until full preparations were made, they would absolutely not be made public.

After all, those things were too monstrous; once leaked, the storm they would cause would be unimaginable.

"I understand, thank you." Jiang Jing thanked the staff member, then straightened his already meticulous collar and tie, casting his gaze toward the spotlight-focused podium, waiting for that moment that would capture the attention of the entire nation to arrive.

Inside the hall, the lights were brilliant, camera red lights were flashing, and everyone's gaze converged on the excessively young figure at the entrance.

A special Academician conferment ceremony was about to spread across the length and breadth of the country via live broadcast signal.