Award Ceremony

The awards ceremony was held in the afternoon, and the huge auditorium was packed. The lights were focused on the stage, creating a solemn yet enthusiastic atmosphere.

Shi Xu and Yun Xi sat in the audience, their palms slightly sweaty. Although they were confident in the project, everything was still uncertain until the results were announced.

"...The project that won first prize in this year's provincial youth science and technology innovation competition is—" the host drawled, creating suspense, "'Complex Environment Perception System Based on Dynamic Adaptive Data Fusion,' from No. 1 Middle School of the city, students Shixu and Yunxi! Congratulations!"

A huge round of applause erupted instantly, and spotlights shone down on them.

Yunxi practically jumped up from his seat, excitedly grabbing Yunya's arm, his eyes shining brightly. Shixu maintained a calm facade, but his clenched fists and the fleeting brilliance in his eyes betrayed his inner turmoil.

They walked side by side onto the stage, receiving the weighty trophies and certificates from the award presenters. At that moment, all the fatigue, pressure, and difficulties from all sides seemed to have been rewarded. Standing under the spotlight, receiving everyone's attention and congratulations, Shi Xu felt for the first time that breaking free from constraints and following the path chosen by his heart was so right.

However, just as they were holding their trophies and preparing to leave the stage, the middle-aged judge who had previously questioned them, and who was also the vice chairman of the judging panel, happened to be standing to the side as a guest. He looked at Yun Ya and suddenly said in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft, but loud enough for several people nearby to hear:

"Shi Xu, you truly are a son of a tiger. Professor Shi Chongyuan would be very pleased to know of your achievements."

These words, though seemingly a compliment, were like a bucket of ice water, unexpectedly poured onto my heart, which had just begun to warm up.

Several leaders and teachers who overheard this immediately showed expressions of "I see," and their gazes toward Shi Xu seemed to carry something else mixed in with their pure admiration—was it recognition of his abilities, or an "aha" moment about his background?

The color drained from Shi Xu's face instantly, and his fingers gripped the trophy so tightly that his knuckles turned white. The honor he had worked so hard to achieve seemed, at this moment, to be casually attributed to his father, to the surname and shadow he so desperately wanted to escape!

Yunxi keenly sensed the sudden stiffness and suppressed anger in the flow of time. She immediately stepped forward, her face beaming with a radiant, untroubled smile, and addressed the judge and the surrounding crowd:

"Thank you for your encouragement, teacher! We will continue to work hard and strive to achieve good results in the national competition, bringing glory to our school and our team!"

She skillfully shifted the focus back to their "team" and "their own efforts," defusing the implied awkwardness and disapproval with a bright smile.

Applause erupted again from the audience, overshadowing that delicate moment that had just passed.

But Shi Xu knew that some things could not be covered up by applause. The invisible hand from his family still followed him like a shadow, trying to absorb all his efforts into that enormous shadow.

The awards ceremony concluded amidst the clamor. They were greeted with congratulations and flowers, but also with a more complex future. The victory in the provincial competition was not the end, but the beginning of another, even more difficult battle. The undercurrents never ceased; they only grew stronger because of their victory.