Chapter 303 Award
After a pause, the leader opened the list of award winners in his hand.
Like the awards presented earlier, the National Patriotic Supporter of the Military Model Award is not given to only one person.
Besides military families, there are also some caring people from the community.
To be honest, Jiang Si didn't have high expectations for winning the award.
As the old saying goes, Lesser Fullness (小满) brings victory over Greater Fullness (大满).
In her opinion, being shortlisted is already something to be very proud of.
However, in that moment of distraction, she seemed to hear her own name.
"Comrade Jiang Si, while supporting her husband's dedication to national defense, has also achieved remarkable success in her own professional field!"
"It fully demonstrates the self-respect, self-reliance, self-confidence, and independence of military spouses in the new era..."
As soon as he finished speaking, the audience erupted in enthusiastic applause.
A total of twelve people received the honorary title of "National Model of Patriotism and Support for the Military" this time, and Jiang Si is the only representative of an active-duty military family member.
This undoubtedly gave Huo Tingzhou's Fourth Division, and even the entire Yangcheng Military Region, a great boost.
Amidst the congratulatory gazes and applause of the crowd, Jiang Si took a deep breath, then slowly rose and walked to the center of the stage.
The award was presented to them by a high-ranking leader.
Huo's father, as one of the award presenters, was also present.
Compared to his usual stern demeanor, Mr. Huo was clearly in a different state of mind today.
His face was visibly happy.
The awards ceremony began soon after.
After receiving the medal and certificate personally awarded by the leader, Jiang Si felt an indescribable sense of pride.
Just when she thought it was all over, the leader kindly extended his hand.
"Congratulations, Comrade Jiang Si, and thank you for your contributions to national defense."
Although Jiang Si's palms were starting to sweat slightly with excitement, she managed to stay calm.
She extended her hand to shake hands with the leader, saying, "Thank you, leader. I will continue to work hard, stay true to my original aspirations, and forge ahead!"
The leader smiled and glanced at Mr. Huo beside him.
The admiration in his eyes was palpable.
Mr. Huo straightened his back, and the smile on his face never faded.
After the awards ceremony, the next step was the report on exemplary deeds.
An officer from the border defense force described his company in simple and unadorned language.
The story of guarding the national border and defending the country's territory on a plateau at an altitude of over 4,000 meters.
The representative of military spouses shared her decades-long dedication to caring for the elderly and children at home, while supporting her husband's daily life while he guards the border.
When I heard that military wife say, "Although it's tough to support a family all by myself, I feel it's all worth it when I think about how my husband is protecting thousands of families right now!"
These words deeply touched everyone present.
Jiang Si also felt deeply about this.
The last item on the agenda was a cultural performance.
There were choral songs praising soldiers, as well as dances showcasing the close bond between the military and the people.
The awards ceremony concluded perfectly with everyone singing together.
Although the awards ceremony has ended, the winners cannot leave yet, as they still need to cooperate with the interviews conducted by various newspapers.
By the time the interview was over, it was already past five in the afternoon.
The square was crowded with people, but as soon as Jiang Si stepped out of the Great Hall, she immediately spotted Huo Tingzhou guarding the exit.
He stood there with an upright posture, looking like he had been waiting for a long time.
Jiang Si walked over quickly, her face beaming with undisguised joy.
Huo Tingzhou accepted the certificate and medal from her hand quite naturally.
He held it in his hand and examined it carefully for a while before taking her arm and walking towards the parking area.
"Where are Grandpa and Grandma?" Jiang Si looked around.
It's the weekend, and their whole family came over this morning.
"They've already gone to the restaurant."
Huo Tingzhou's lips curled up, a faint smile in his eyes.
"My parents booked a table in advance to celebrate with you, and now they're just waiting for us to arrive."
Are you so sure I'll win?
Jiang Si turned her head to look at him, her tone slightly teasing, "What if I don't get selected? Wouldn't this celebration banquet have been a waste of time?"
"unimportant."
After a pause, Huo Tingzhou's gaze settled firmly on her. "Whether you win an award or not, you deserve it!"
Jiang Si was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.
Then she smiled, her eyes crinkling, "Let's go, don't keep them waiting."
It's not far from here to the restaurant; it only takes a few minutes to drive there.
But today seemed to pass by exceptionally quickly.
Halfway through the celebration banquet, it was time to leave.
Huo Tingzhou originally planned to go alone, but he couldn't persuade Jiang Si otherwise, so he finally agreed to let her deliver the package.
However, Sui Sui and Zhao Zhao are too young. Huo Tingzhou took them out to play all day today, and they didn't get much rest at noon.
The two little ones were already starting to get a bit drowsy.
Before setting off, Huo Tingzhou bent down and kissed the two little ones on the face repeatedly.
At that moment, they did not understand what this meant.
When they felt their little faces being kissed repeatedly by their father until they were almost squeezed together, Sui Sui and Zhao Zhao instinctively frowned.
When Huo Tingzhou kissed them again, the two little ones buried their heads in the arms of Huo's mother and father.
Seeing this, Jiang Si felt a mix of sadness and tenderness. "Let's go, or we'll miss the train."
Huo Tingzhou nodded.
His gaze lingered on the child for a while before he greeted everyone.
Mrs. Huo was still worried and gave a few more instructions, "Take good care of yourself when you get there, and remember to call back often."
"Yes, I know."
Mr. Huo didn't say anything, but stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder, "Go on, drive carefully."
On the way to the train station, the two of them barely spoke.
It was already time for security check, and at Jiang Si's insistence, Huo Tingzhou bought a platform ticket.
It's called a delivery, but it really means accompanying them the whole time.
The suitcase was too heavy, so Huo Tingzhou preferred to make two more trips, and he never let go of her hand with his right hand.
In fact, I said most of what I needed to say last night.
But when the moment of parting truly arrived, Jiang Si couldn't help but offer a few more words of advice.
"No matter how busy you are with training, remember to eat on time. Call me if you need anything."
Huo Tingzhou turned his head to look at her, "Okay."
Jiang Si thought for a moment and then said, "If you don't have enough money, remember to let me know, and I'll transfer it to you."
Huo Tingzhou repeated his previous statement, "Okay, I'll do whatever you say."
Next, Jiang Si muttered a few more words.
No matter what she said, Huo Tingzhou just watched her quietly.
He would chime in with a few words every now and then.
After she finished speaking, Huo Tingzhou said, "You too, you should also take care to rest while you're working, don't overwork yourself. As for things at home... thank you for your hard work."
Jiang Si hummed in agreement, "I know."
It was already dark by then.
Huo Tingzhou took a deep breath. "It's getting late, you should go back now."
I know he's worried, and I know it will be tough for him there.
Saying that each day feels like a year might be a bit of an exaggeration, but that's roughly the idea.
Jiang Si shook her head, "I'll leave after you get in the car."
She wanted to spend more time with him.
"Sweetie, go back now." He spoke in a tone that sounded like he was coaxing a child.
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