My whole family is involved in diplomacy, so you dare to flex your muscles?

At Beijing Capital International Airport, outside the window of China Airlines flight CA001, the familiar city skyline gradually becomes clear in the morning light.

Gu Yun leaned back in his chair, his eyes closed, seemingly dozing.

After a relentless and intense battle, with everyone on edge, we finally have a chance to catch our breath.

His assistant, Xiao Wang, sitting next to him, had been itching to get started.

The blush of excitement never faded from his baby face. Holding a tablet in his hands, he lowered his voice, but couldn't hide the excitement in his tone:

"Brother Gu, Brother Gu, look! It's gone viral! The whole internet is buzzing!"

"Your quote, 'Our journey is to the stars and the sea,' is now trending at number one! No, it's trending from number one to number ten!"

Xiao Wang swiped the screen, reciting a menu.

"#Gu Shen's Battle for Godhood#"

"#The light of a lighthouse is only fit to illuminate a small plot of land#"

"#My mom asked me why I watched the final on my knees#"

"#I'm totally smitten by the new face of the diplomatic team#"

"And another thing, the state media just published a commentary titled 'He made the world rediscover China, and even more so, made young Chinese people rediscover themselves,' and it was forwarded over ten million times in just a few minutes! Brother Gu, you're now a national icon, in a league of your own!"

Gu Yun didn't even lift his eyelids, only a faint smile played at the corners of his lips.

Top influencer? He prefers another nickname given to him by netizens—"The bell ringer of the old order".

The plane landed smoothly and moved slowly along the taxiway.

Over the cabin intercom, the captain's clear and excited voice came through: "Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport."

On behalf of the entire crew, I would like to extend our highest respect to our special passenger on board, Mr. Gu Yun, a hero of China! Welcome home!

"Whoosh—"

The entire cabin erupted in thunderous applause.

First class, business class, economy class—all passengers, regardless of age or gender, stood up and applauded enthusiastically.

A middle-aged man returning from a business trip, his eyes reddening, clapped and shouted, "Well done!"

A young girl traveling with her companion was so excited that her face turned red, and she held her phone high, wanting to capture this historic moment.

There was even an elderly man with white hair who, supported by his family, stood up shakily and solemnly saluted Gu Yun in his direction.

Xiao Wang was stunned by the scene, while Gu Yun finally opened his eyes.

He stood up, said nothing, but bowed deeply to all his compatriots in the cabin.

A thousand words are contained within.

The hatch slowly opened.

A wave of heat, mixed with a roar like a tsunami, instantly hit us!

"God Gu!!"

"Gu Yun!!"

"China is awesome!!"

Looking around, the entire arrival hall of the airport, and even extending to the plaza outside, was packed with people!

The bright red five-star flags formed a sea of ​​red, and countless faces, young or no longer young, were filled with the same heartfelt pride and joy.

They held up all sorts of banners and slogans.

"Welcome back, Master Gu!"

"Those who offend China, no matter how far away, will be punished!"

"Persuade people with truth, and persuade ghosts with strength!"

"Gu Shen, my mom asked me to ask you if you need a girlfriend. Look at me!"

The flashbulbs were as bright as day, and countless microphones were thrust at us from all directions. Reporters shouted themselves hoarse, trying to grab a chance to ask a question.

"Mr. Gu Yun! What are your thoughts on winning the championship?"

"Mr. Gu! Your speech at the finals sparked global discussion. What were your thoughts at the time?"

"Gu Shen! Scott declined to be interviewed after the game. Is there anything you'd like to say to him?"

When Xiao Wang saw this scene for the first time, he was so frightened that his legs went weak, and he instinctively wanted to protect Gu Yun and walk inside.

Gu Yun gently patted his shoulder, signaling him to calm down.

He stood in the center of the crowd, still with that gentle and refined demeanor, as if the surrounding noise had nothing to do with him.

His gaze swept across the excited faces, seeing the college students who stayed up all night to watch the live stream, the office workers who took time off work to come, and the uncles and aunts with tears in their eyes.

He cleared his throat, and miraculously, the entire noisy scene fell silent.

Everyone held their breath, waiting for their hero to speak the first words.

Thank you everyone.

Gu Yun's voice, transmitted clearly through the microphone, resonated throughout the entire hall.

"Thank you everyone for waiting so late at night. It's hot, so go home early."

He paused, then a genuine smile appeared on his face.

"I am not some god, I am just a young Chinese man who did what he was supposed to do."

"This championship does not belong to me personally; it belongs to our great motherland and to every one of you who strives for a better country."

As for my thoughts...

His gaze passed through the crowd and landed on the azure sky outside the airport.

"My feeling is that it feels so good to be home."

There were no grand speeches or condescending lectures; it was like a friendly older brother chatting with his family.

But these few simple words instantly ignited everyone's emotions.

"Waaaaah, I'm so upset! He really... I'm going to cry!"

"Such vision! Such magnanimity! I'm a fan now, forever!"

"Home...yes, welcome home! Our heroes!"

The crowd erupted in cheers once more, with shouts of "Welcome home!" rising in waves and echoing through the sky.

Meanwhile, the grand occasion at the airport was being broadcast live on giant screens in the central squares and office buildings of major cities across China.

In the university cafeteria, students crowded together, staring at their phone screens and excitedly pounding on the tables.

On the speeding high-speed train, passengers put on their headphones and smiled knowingly.

In countless family living rooms, elderly people wiped away tears from the corners of their eyes, murmuring to the screen, "We've finally produced someone like that..."

Weibo, Zhihu, Douyin, Xihongshi... all social media platforms were completely dominated by the four words "Gu Yun returns to China".

[The video is here! My goodness, the crowds are incredible, it's like the Spring Festival travel rush! This is the kind of star we should be idolizing in this era!]

Listening to him speak, I really wanted to cry. He was neither arrogant nor humble, gentle yet powerful—that's the true demeanor of a great nation!

[Hilarious! My boss just sent a notice in the work group saying we're having a day off today. The reason? To celebrate Gu Shen's triumphant return, everyone should go home and watch the rebroadcast of his speech. What a great boss!]

Hey upstairs, don't leave! Is your company still hiring? Even cleaning toilets is fine!

[Am I the only one who noticed the terrified little assistant next to Gu Shen? Hahaha, she looks just like me the first time I went to the city.]

Western media are so sour, calling it "nationalist fanaticism." Screw them! We're celebrating our heroes, what's it to them? They're just jealous!

With the help of security personnel, Gu Yun and his entourage finally managed to squeeze into a black Hongqi sedan that was already waiting outside.

The moment the car door closed, it shut out the noise from the outside world.

Xiao Wang slumped into his seat, panting heavily; his shirt was already soaked with sweat.

"My goodness... Brother Gu, you're more popular than any big star right now! This is incredible!"

Gu Yun leaned back in his chair, rubbing his throbbing temples. His face didn't show much joy, but rather a hint of barely perceptible fatigue.

The airport revelry was just the prelude.

The real storm is yet to come.

The car smoothly drove away from the airport and merged into the traffic heading into the city.

Gu Yun looked at the scenery rushing past the window and silently recited in his heart.

Grandpa, I'm back.