The Most Powerful Brain in the Interstellar Space

Chapter 588 Firm
The banquet was a fine one, and the people present were all courteous and respectable.

Jiang Hui shared a warm dinner with the father and son, and as always, there were no other trivial topics at the table. However, she keenly sensed a subtle change in the man's attitude towards her.

It's not that it's gotten worse, but rather better; it remains gentle, but with an added touch of warmth.

When Commander Zhou wanted to treat his subordinates with respect, he did it so naturally, without any trace of artifice. Indeed, the other party was worthy of being Zhou Xiuwen's father; they shared the same lineage. Zhou Xiuwen still has much to learn.

However, Jiang Hui also saw the elder's true state, completely undisguised, and the other party didn't seem to have any intention of hiding anything from her.

He was even thinner than the last time we met. Even though he had no room to lose any more weight, every time we met, he gave the impression of being weak. Now, it seemed like he was just a skeleton.

Despite his pale complexion and listless appearance due to recent overwork, his demeanor remained remarkably gentle. Honestly, if he hadn't witnessed the other man's sharp and imposing side, he would have mistaken him for a frail, kind uncle.

He urged the children to eat properly, earnestly shared the delicious food he thought was good with them, and interspersed a few casual words, just like he was interacting with his own nephews and nieces.

Although only the three of them actually had dinner together, Zhou Yuanjing was still surrounded by people. Apart from Faria, they were all Zhou Yuanjing's close confidants who had watched Zhou Xiuwen grow up.

They thought... their young master was too much; he wouldn't even pretend to be mature. They hadn't seen him act so childish in ages, was it really necessary to be so happy?
But they also knew that Zhou Xiuwen had indeed been under a lot more pressure in recent years, with pressure from all sides piling up on his shoulders, and in order to grow, he had gradually abandoned some of his own qualities.

From the perspective of these subordinates, it is a good thing that their successor has become mature, reliable, and authoritative.

However, they were also people who had watched Zhou Xiuwen grow up, and seeing him suppress himself like this made them feel bad. After all, forcing a child to grow up like a broken bone to take on things that adults should do is indeed dishonorable—it made them feel incompetent.

But this is exactly what they need right now, and what their legion needs most.

There wasn't much time left for the other side to grow at a normal pace. Even if they were unwilling to admit it, with the day Zhou Yuanjing completely weakened, they had finally reached this point.

Intentionally, they even began to distinguish themselves from Zhou Xiuwen as ruler and subject. The fact that they, now holding high positions, stood by to receive Jiang Hui, a guest, shows that Jiang Hui was a friend invited by Zhou Xiuwen, and to some extent, he was also expanding his network of connections for his future.

If Huan Xian were here today, the situation would be the same.

After the cozy dinner ended, the next thing to do was chat.

Having learned from her previous experience, Jiang Hui was not impatient. She stared at the tea that was served, somewhat lost in thought.

The father and son above picked up their teacups and took a sip in a similar manner that they themselves were unaware of.

The younger boy was genuinely savoring the fragrance of the tea, while the elder's attention was elsewhere. He glanced around, noticing not only his son, who seemed somewhat dazed after eating, but also Jiang Hui's calm demeanor. The child seemed surprisingly composed.

He took the handkerchief Faria promptly offered and rubbed his fingertips together. What a promising talent.

"I heard from Xiaowen that you haven't finished your current level exam yet," Zhou Yuanjing said, finding a relatively easy topic to start with, but this was indeed something Jiang Hui was currently concerned about.

So she naturally picked up the conversation, her face contorted with a pained expression, and said, "You've heard about it too?" It seems this matter...

Why do I say that? Because Zhou Yuanjing knew and described it as incomplete. If it were simply a matter of postponing the exam or needing to contribute in another form, the other party would probably have said so directly, instead of questioning her with a known outcome. So, it's highly likely that some information has leaked out, but the higher-ups haven't yet determined any course of action.

It's still not resolved... More than twenty days have passed, almost a month, and there's still no result. Whether to take the exam or not, whether to retake it or make up for it, whether it counts or not—there needs to be some kind of explanation, right?
Regardless of the outcome, this lingering uncertainty is truly awful for them. Jiang Hui would rather the other party give them a result immediately, even if it's bad, at least it would be a resolution.

"The students just wanted to finish the exams quickly, but they didn't expect to encounter so many problems."

After hearing this, Zhou Yuanjing couldn't help but shake his head and laugh, "So you have no confidence? With your abilities, it would be a disservice to your performance these past few days if you didn't get an A grade."

Jiang Hui: "...Just lucky." Good heavens, what is Commander Zhou saying? Is he praising her for being capable? But how can he demonstrate her capability, whether it's because she saved someone or killed a star beast? She was somewhat flattered.

It seems neither of those are the case. Jiang Hui herself didn't think it was a big deal either, and in the end she could only say, "You're joking."

Unexpectedly, the elder shook his head: "No need to be so modest. I have read your file and records, and they are truly amazing. Five life-threatening rescues in three years, and to accumulate such good deeds at such a young age is extraordinary."

Jiang Hui didn't think she was anything special. However, she was somewhat surprised to hear the other person say that she had saved five people in three years; it turned out that she had already had so many interactions with this new world. Being able to save so many lives in this unfamiliar world actually made Jiang Hui feel gratified.

This young master's friend is really mature beyond his years, not at all like an impulsive teenager. Are all kids these days this amazing?

Seeing Jiang Hui respond with both humility and generosity, the elder remarked with some emotion: "I see that you have grown a lot and are more determined than before. It seems that the question that troubled you years ago has been answered."

Jiang Hui nodded silently. But this time she didn't say yes or no, because the answer was already in their hearts, and there was no need to say it aloud. She figured this elder already had the answer too.

Firm and steady, exceptionally talented, not prone to stubbornness, and clear-headed, aside from lacking experience and a bit of boldness, this person was exactly the kind of person he liked and admired. What a pity…

"These past years have been a lot of trouble for you to take care of my good-for-nothing son. Although he can be stubborn at times, he is indeed a good boy," Zhou Yuanjing said with a smile, completely ignoring his own son's stunned expression.

Zhou Xiuwen: ? ?
(End of this chapter)