101: Chapter 101 A Medal with Even Larger Numbers?

Vice-Ministerial level.

Li Li looked down and swept a glance at the ragged clothes he was wearing, then glanced at the several black official cars behind Minister Xu Jianguo.

Then, he thought about the residential complex where he had helped put out the fire that day.

The building was at least thirty years old, half the exterior wall tiles had fallen off, the unit door lock was broken, and there wasn't even a voice-activated light in the hallway.

A vice-ministerial level official living in that kind of old, broken-down place?

Either he was truly incorruptible, or the leader at home managed the finances strictly.

This thought only crossed his mind for a fraction of a second.

Standing in front of him was the family member of the person whose life he had saved, and a vice-minister at that. Regardless of what kind of complex the man lived in, he should shake hands when appropriate and be polite when necessary.

Li Li reached out with both hands and firmly shook Minister Xu Jianguo's hand.

"Minister Xu, welcome to the orphanage for inspection and guidance. Was the situation alright when Yaya and your wife were sent to the hospital?"

Minister Xu Jianguo's facial muscles twitched at the phrase "inspection and guidance."

This kid had just finished roasting everyone and everything, including the police, on the livestream, yet he was actually quite articulate in person.

"Yaya is recovering well and has already been discharged. My wife is also fine. I heard from the Fire Department captain that it was all thanks to your information."

Minister Xu Jianguo released his hand and stepped half a step to the side.

"Come, let me introduce you."

He pointed to the several middle-aged men in dark jackets standing behind him with serious expressions.

"Director Zhou from the Literature and Art Bureau of the Publicity Department."

The tall, thin man wearing black-rimmed glasses nodded slightly.

"Director Zhao from the Talent Bureau of the Organization Department."

He had a round face and was smiling, looking like a dean of students.

"Deputy Director Chen from the Department of Social Affairs of the Ministry of Civil Affairs."

She was a woman in her forties with her hair tied up meticulously.

"And—" Minister Xu Jianguo stepped to the right.

Two people carrying video cameras got out of the car, with four large characters on the ID badges on their chests—CCTV.

"The interview team from the CCTV News Channel."

Li Li stood in front of the peeling red brick wall, looking at the line of people in front of him.

The Publicity Department. The Organization Department. The Ministry of Civil Affairs. CCTV.

He blinked twice.

He was just someone who had recently taken over the orphanage, had just been berated by the entire internet, and was standing in a dirt courtyard wearing a ragged undershirt, while facing people from four ministries plus CCTV equipment.

In his previous life, the highest-ranking official he had ever met was the lady from the neighborhood committee who urged him to pay his utility bills.

"Minister Xu," Li Li cleared his throat. "Is this... a routine visit, or—"

Minister Xu Jianguo waved his hand to interrupt him.

"Let's find a place to sit and talk. A table will do."

Five minutes later.

The orphanage cafeteria.

The long table where they had eaten Hotpot last night had been wiped three times by Teacher Wang, and a faint scent of beef tallow still lingered on the surface.

Li Li sat at one end of the long table, with Minister Xu Jianguo and the directors sitting opposite him. The CCTV camera was set up, and the red recording light was on.

Minister Xu Jianguo took a document stamped with an official seal out of a red envelope and pushed it in front of Li Li.

"Comrade Li Li."

Minister Xu Jianguo stood up.

The other directors stood up as well.

The atmosphere in the cafeteria changed instantly.

Minister Xu Jianguo, who had just been quite easygoing, straightened his back, tucked in his chin, and put on a completely different expression.

"Following the decision of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, you are hereby awarded—the national may 1st labor medal."

Sitting on the plastic stool, Li Li's mind went blank with a buzz.

The national may 1st labor medal.

It wasn't a silk banner, not an "Advanced Individual" award, and not a "Good Deeds" little red flower from the neighborhood committee.

There were only a few dozen recipients nationwide each year. The winners were either scientists or master craftsmen of the nation. Occasionally, there might be someone who performed a heroic act, but that would be the kind of person who saved a bus full of people.

He had carried one child out of a fire.

It was important, but not enough to bring out something of this level.

"Minister Xu," Li Li didn't take the document. "I just carried one child out of a fire. Isn't this... a bit too big?"

Minister Xu Jianguo looked at him.

"Li Li, this medal—is not because of the fire."

Li Li's hand stopped.

"This is for your performance in a special incident overseas. The specific details involve confidentiality regulations, and I don't have the authority to access them. You just need to know it yourself. The instruction from above is very clear—to commend you on behalf of the country."

Overseas, a special incident.

The F-18.

That Hornet he had flown onto the deck of the 001 Aircraft Carrier.

In the Middle East war zone, he had piloted a carrier-based aircraft that didn't belong to this country and completed a theoretically impossible landing.

The avionics systems, fire control data, and stealth frequencies carried on that plane—all of them had landed on the deck with him.

He didn't know how many good things the East had scavenged from that F-18.

But judging by the current spectacle—they had scavenged quite happily.

He didn't ask again.

If the organization said it was a "special incident," then it was a "special incident."

"Understood."

Li Li stood up and took the document.

Minister Xu Jianguo took out a gold medal and a red certificate from the file envelope. The CCTV camera zoomed in, and the recording light flickered.

The moment the medal was pinned to his chest, the weight of the metal frame caused the fabric to sag, and the pin poked a small hole directly into that ragged shirt.

The camera faithfully recorded this scene—the peeling walls of the cafeteria, a row of stainless steel rice steamers, and the recipient of the national may 1st labor medal wearing an undershirt that could double as a rag, though his posture was quite standard.

After filming the last set of shots, the photographer packed up the equipment.

The directors began to walk out.

Li Li followed Minister Xu Jianguo out of the cafeteria to the courtyard, where the driver of the black official car had already opened the back door.

Director Zhou, who was walking in front, suddenly stopped and turned around.

"Comrade Li Li."

Li Li stopped.

Director Zhou took off his black-rimmed glasses, wiped them, and put them back on.

"The medal today is only the first one."

Li Li's eyebrows twitched.

"The military side... might also give you a medal with a bigger number."

Director Zhou patted him on the shoulder.

"When that time comes, don't be startled."

He turned around, bent down, and climbed into the car. The door closed.

Minister Xu Jianguo hadn't left yet.

He stood where he was, the steady composure on his face completely gone.

Bigger than the May 1st, awarded by the military. A bigger number.

Minister Xu Jianguo went through the honors of the military system in his mind—the national may 1st labor medal was already a top-tier national-level award, so what could be bigger on the military side...

The August 1st Medal.

It was the highest military honor awarded to an individual since the founding of the People's Republic of China. The total number of recipients did not exceed ten, all of whom were generals, academicians, or titans of the military industry.

A twenty-five-year-old civilian? He wasn't a soldier; how could he receive this?

Minister Xu Jianguo looked at Li Li.

Li Li was looking down, fiddling with the medal on his chest—the small hole poked by the pin made him frown, and he pressed his fingers there, trying to smooth out the hole.

The potential recipient of the August 1st Medal was currently fretting over a needle prick.

"Li Li."

"Hmm?"

Li Li looked up.

Minister Xu Jianguo opened his mouth, but in the end, he only patted his arm.

"Keep up the good work."

He turned and got into the car. The motorcade drove off the dirt road of the orphanage, kicking up a cloud of pale yellow dust.

Li Li stood at the main entrance, watching the rear of the cars disappear around the bend of the mountain road.

He looked down at the medal on his chest, then looked at his own attire.

"Teacher Wang."

"Yes!"

"Where is that decent-looking outfit of mine? The one I wore for the Dating Reality Show."

"It's drying on the clothes rack—what do you need it for?"

"I've got a national-level medal pinned to my chest; I can't pair it with a ragged undershirt."

He flicked the needle hole on his chest.

"Once this thing is hung up, the value of my undershirt has gone up."

When passing by Zhang Qiang, Zhang Qiang was using a broom to clean up the red oil on the ground at the entrance—the residue of the Hotpot base he had splashed on the internet celebrity that morning. Under the sun, it was wafting a scent of beef tallow and chili.

Zhang Qiang looked up and saw the golden medal on his chest.

"Brother Li! What is that? A medal?"

"The national may 1st labor medal."

Zhang Qiang was stunned for two seconds.

"Awesome! How much is it worth?"

Li Li slapped him on the back of the head.

"Get back to sweeping."

He stepped over the threshold and walked into the main building.

In the small room at the end of the third floor, the hotel planning sketch he had drawn until four in the morning last night was still spread out on the table. Beside it was that ragged notebook, with the open page reading— "12mm Rebar Threaded × 480 pieces / ton price 3850."

He took off the medal and placed it next to the sketch. The metal struck the tabletop with a clink.

Jiajia's voice came from the doorway.

"Brother Li Li! What are we having for dinner!"

He pushed the medal aside.

"Guess."

"Hotpot again!"

"No, the Hotpot base was splashed on someone this morning; there's none left."

Jiajia tilted her head and thought for a moment.

"Then let's have beef noodles!"

"Alright. Go tell Teacher Wang that there's plenty of eggs and beef tonight."

Jiajia ran off cheering, the sound of her slippers slapping against the floor echoing in the hallway.

Li Li picked up his ballpoint pen again.

The tip of the pen landed next to the words "Resort Hotel" on the sketch, and he wrote a line of small text in the blank space—"August 1st?"

He added a question mark.

He turned the page and continued calculating the rebar quote.

When he reached the third line, his phone lit up. It was a text message from an unknown number.

[Comrade Li Li, this is the General Political Department of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. Regarding subsequent matters, we will contact you in the coming days. Please keep your communication line open.]

The ballpoint pen stopped on the paper, and the ink bled into a small dot.

He stared at the three characters "General Political Department" on the screen, biting the pen cap, his teeth clicking against the plastic.

The question mark on the sketch hadn't dried yet. It seemed the answer was coming soon.