The baby slapped me, and I said, "Sit on my lap and slap me."

The three-day intense competition schedule passed in the blink of an eye.

When the last experimental report was submitted, Su Qingyao and her teammates breathed a long sigh of relief, finally able to relax their nerves after several days of tension.

Next, we waited for the results to be announced and the awards to be presented.

As evening fell and the lights came on, the closing ceremony and awards ceremony were about to begin inside the auditorium.

Teachers, students, experts, scholars, and media reporters from all over the country gathered together in a solemn yet enthusiastic atmosphere.

Su Qingyao followed the Peking University team into the auditorium and took her seat in the designated area.

Her position offered a great view, allowing her to clearly see the red-carpeted podium and the huge competition logo on the backdrop.

Just as she adjusted her posture and her gaze inadvertently swept across the VIP seats in front of her, she stopped.

In the center of the first row of guest seats, there was a tall and upright figure that was hard to hide even when seated. Who else could it be but Wen Yu?

He wore a perfectly tailored dark gray suit with a light-colored shirt underneath. He wasn't wearing a tie, and the collar was slightly open, giving him a more casual and elegant look rather than the rigidity of a business suit.

He was tilting his head slightly, seemingly talking in a low voice to a middle-aged man beside him who appeared to be a leader of the organizing committee.

His profile appeared particularly handsome in the soft lighting of the auditorium.

Just as Su Qingyao looked at him, Wen Yu also happened to raise his eyes, his gaze piercing through the crowd and landing directly on her.

Eyes facing each other.

His previously indifferent expression instantly melted like ice melting in spring, his brows and eyes relaxed, and a gentle smile with a hint of smugness spread across his face.

Then, he waved in her direction, completely ignoring the stares that might be coming from all around.

Su Qingyao's heart skipped a beat, and her cheeks felt slightly hot.

She forced herself to remain calm and returned his sweet, soft smile.

She then lowered her head, her fingertips curling slightly to conceal the fleeting shyness and surprise in her eyes.

How come he's in the guest seats?

She took out her phone and opened the pinned chat window.

My darling wife: [What are you doing in the VIP section? /The kitten looks puzzled]

The message was replied to instantly.

My dearest husband: [The Wen family invests in and sponsors many scientific research and education projects, and this competition is one of them. The organizers have been inviting the Wen family to send a representative to the awards ceremony, and I couldn't refuse their kind invitation, so I reluctantly came~ /shrugs]

My dearest husband: [By the way... I can finally see my wife's heroic figure on stage accepting the award in a perfectly legitimate, first-hand, and clear-cut way! Take a picture to remember it forever! /The kitten is rolling around affectionately]

Su Qingyao looked at the cute kitten emoji she often used, which he had "stolen," on the screen and smiled.

My darling wife: [Why did you steal my emojis! /cat with hands on hips]

My darling wife: [You'd better watch out, I'm definitely number one! /Proud little cat]

My dearest husband: [Of course! Don't you know who my baby is?! My wife is the most amazing woman in the world! /The kitten spins happily]

My dearest husband: [The camera and cheers are all ready, just waiting for my champion to come on stage.]

My dearest husband: Are you nervous, baby?

My darling wife: [A little bit... but mostly I'm excited and looking forward to it.]

My dearest husband: [Don't be nervous, the fan club is ready and waiting. /smug little cat]

The two of them, separated by several rows of seats, moved their fingers back and forth lightly in the gradually dimming auditorium light.

Just then, the lights dimmed and a spotlight shone steadily on the awards stage.

The host walked confidently to the center and announced in a warm and enthusiastic voice: The awards ceremony is now officially beginning.

After the opening remarks, the speaker expressed gratitude to the organizers, sponsors, participating universities, and judges and experts who had traveled from afar.

Next came the introduction of the attending guests.

"Now, please allow me to introduce some of the distinguished guests attending this awards ceremony."

"Mr. Si Yuesi, Vice Minister of Education!"

Amid applause, a refined-looking middle-aged man stood up to offer his greetings.

"Professor Zhang Yifan, Deputy Director of the Department of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, National Natural Science Foundation of China!"

After introducing several academic and official representatives, the host raised his voice slightly, with a hint of respect.

"At the same time, we would like to express our special thanks to Mr. Wen Yu, Executive President of Wen's Group, our long-term strategic partner and important sponsor of this competition!"

The spotlight instantly shone on the center of the first row of guests.

Wen Yu stood up calmly.

That innate air of nobility and composure stood out even among a group of highly respected scholars and officials.

A slight commotion arose in the audience, and the gazes directed at him were complex and varied.

There was surprise and shock, there was stunning attraction, there was also disdain and contempt, and some even turned their gazes toward Su Qingyao.

Wen Yu seemed oblivious to the focused gazes and whispers, nodding gracefully in greeting and taking his seat with elegance.

After the guest introductions, the usual opening remarks from leaders, the president of the Physics Society, and the closing remarks from the chairman of the competition organizing committee followed.

The tense and expectant atmosphere in the auditorium relaxed slightly as the speeches proceeded, and even a few yawns could be faintly heard.

The lengthy speech finally came to an end.

The host returned to the center of the stage, his voice once again becoming high-pitched and full of suspense.

"Next comes the most exciting moment of the evening—announcing the final awards for this National Undergraduate Physics Academic Competition!"

The atmosphere in the auditorium was instantly reignited, and all the participating students straightened their backs and held their breath.

The awards ceremony began with a number of supplementary awards, such as the "Best Theoretical Modeling Award," "Best Experimental Design Award," "Best Teamwork Award," and "Best Newcomer Potential Award."

While these awards may not be the highest honors, they represent recognition of the participants' achievements in a specific field.

Whenever the name of the winner is called and they go on stage to receive their award, the corresponding team area erupts in enthusiastic cheers and applause.

After the additional awards were presented, the atmosphere became increasingly tense, as if an invisible current was emanating from the air.

Everyone knew that the main event was about to begin.

The host paused briefly, his gaze sweeping over the countless pairs of burning eyes below the stage, before slowly beginning to speak.

"Now, we will unveil the four most important awards of this competition."

"These are: the individual champion in the written theoretical exam, the team champion in the comprehensive experimental exam, the overall team champion among universities, and—"

Her voice rose slightly, each word landing clearly and distinctly.

"The highest individual honor in this competition is the Best Physics Academic Performance Award."

"This award is given to only one person, recognizing them as an 'all-rounder' who demonstrates top-level skills, outstanding physics literacy, and comprehensive scientific research potential in both theoretical and experimental aspects."

Holding the final results card, the host began to reveal the four core awards one by one under the spotlight.

"First, let's announce the top three scorers in the written theory exam for this competition!"

"Third place goes to Li Mingzhe from Shanghai Jiao Tong University!"

"Second place goes to Zhao Jingshu from Tsinghua University!"

"The first place winner, who is also the individual champion of this competition—"

The host deliberately dragged out his words to create suspense, his gaze sweeping across the audience.

"Congratulations to Su Qingyao, student of Jingbei University!"