TCPUAAV Chapter 99

 

Double update today so we can reach 100 chapters!! Enjoy!

 

 

 

In the blink of an eye, the day of the academic exchange conference arrived.

 

The conference was scheduled to last two days, with Ruan Shiqing’s presentation arranged for the second day. However, his curiosity about the event led him to attend from the very first day.

 

After organizing his materials and bringing along his invitation, he sent a short message to Mr. Hawthorne[mfn]He uses a very polite and respectful way to address him, basically it’s Teacher Hawthrone, for those who are used to watching anime, it’s like calling him Sensei[/mfn] , his neighbor across the hall, asking if he was ready to leave.

 

Having stayed at the hotel for nearly a month, Ruan Shiqing had become somewhat familiar with Hawthorne. After several chance encounters and casual conversations, they had exchanged contact information.

 

Hawthorne quickly replied, saying he was ready and could leave at any time.

 

With that, Ruan Shiqing finished his preparations and headed out.

 

Since this was a professional event, it wasn’t appropriate to bring the cubs along. He had to first soothe their disappointed expressions before steeling himself and leaving.

 

In the hallway, Garland was already waiting for him.

 

Seeing a small dragon cub peeking out from the crack of the door, Garland chuckled. “Mr. Ruan[mfn]Same thing with Garland, he uses the same polite title, but since neither are ‘teachers’ or ‘professors’, I kept it as Mr to make it less confusing![/mfn], it’s not easy for you to go out alone, is it?”

 

Ruan Shiqing turned back and, sure enough, spotted the tiny head poking out through the door gap.

 

“The conference will be over by four-thirty. I’ll take you all out for dinner when I get back,” he said helplessly.

 

The cubs, left behind at the hotel, sulkily responded with a drawn-out “Oh…” but still obediently waved him goodbye.

 

Garland glanced at the reluctant cubs, then fell into step beside him as they walked toward the elevator. Casually, he remarked, “You’ve raised them well, Mr. Ruan. From what I know, dragon, nine-tailed fox, and merfolk cubs all have rather difficult temperaments. Cubs as well-behaved as yours are quite rare.”

 

It wasn’t an exaggeration.

 

The four ancient clans considered their cubs to be exceptionally precious and raised them with extreme care and indulgence. As a result, many of them had rather spoiled temperaments—perhaps not outwardly apparent, but their pride was deeply ingrained.

 

Yet, Ruan Shiqing’s cubs were well-mannered, affectionate, and sensible. They could be playful and mischievous but never crossed the line, indicating a strict yet caring upbringing.

 

Ruan Shiqing chuckled. “They’ve had their fair share of hardships. Naturally, they’re more mature than most cubs.”

 

Thinking back, he felt a wave of nostalgia.

 

Aside from the little dragon cub who had unexpectedly hatched in his home, the other cubs had all suffered difficult times before he took them in. When they first arrived, they were cautious and wary. It had taken a long time before they finally opened up and learned how to be spoiled and playful.

 

Garland feigned surprise. “The cubs of the four great ancient clans are the most precious of all. How could they have suffered hardships?”

 

“They were strays when I found them.” Ruan Shiqing kept his response brief, not elaborating further.

 

Observing his reaction, Garland didn’t press the issue. Instead, he smoothly shifted the conversation to other topics.

 

The two arrived at the venue on time. After verifying their invitations, they entered the conference hall.

 

The venue was divided into two sections:

 

One was the official academic conference area, where Ruan Shiqing’s presentation was scheduled for the following day.

 

The other was a lounge for scholars to engage in casual discussions, furnished with comfortable seating, refreshments, and the latest updates on technological advancements.

 

By the time they entered the lounge, it was already buzzing with activity. Scholars had gathered in small groups, engaged in lively discussions. Since the main conference wouldn’t begin until eleven o’clock, the two of them found a seat while listening to the surrounding conversations.

 

Not far from them, a group of scholars was currently debating antimatter.

 

It seemed that academic disputes in reality were no different from those on the interstellar web.

 

Many people remained skeptical about the existence and application of antimatter, while some extreme critics outright dismissed it, claiming the paper’s author was merely seeking attention and fame.

 

“I heard that the author of the paper is quite young—less than twenty years old,” said a middle-aged man, whom his companions addressed as Harrison. He was short and stout, his eyes squeezed into slits by the excess fat on his face, giving him a shrewd and greasy appearance.

 

“If antimatter was actually viable, it would’ve been discovered ages ago. There’s no way it would fall into the hands of some snot-nosed kid,” Harrison sneered, rolling his eyes. “Young mechanics these days are getting worse and worse. They lack patience for proper research and spend all their time chasing fame with flashy nonsense.”

 

Another scholar chimed in, “I’ve also heard some rumors. Apparently, the association invited him mainly to use his name to boost the conference’s visibility. Whether his paper is valid or not, at least his presence has attracted experts who usually don’t bother attending.”

 

“He’s got guts, I’ll give him that. This conference is full of elites—if he dares to show up tomorrow, he’s in for a rough time.”

 

The surrounding scholars chuckled in amusement, seemingly certain that the author would make a fool of himself.

 

Garland listened silently, his gaze subtly observing Ruan Shiqing’s reaction.

 

Meanwhile, Ruan Shiqing calmly sipped his cocktail, his face completely unbothered. There wasn’t a hint of anger—as if the person being ridiculed wasn’t him at all.

 

If Garland hadn’t already known that Ruan Shiqing was the author of that controversial antimatter paper, he might have been fooled by his indifferent facade.

 

To remain this composed at such a young age… Garland found himself reevaluating him once again.

 

After sitting for a while, Ruan Shiqing received a message from Dace, asking if he had arrived at the venue.

 

“Mr. Hawthorne, I have a friend who’s also attending. I’ll go pick him up—please wait here for a moment.” Ruan Shiqing set down his glass and spoke to Garland.

 

Garland nodded and watched as he strode toward the entrance.

 

A moment later, he returned with a young man with golden curls.

 

Upon seeing the newcomer, Garland subtly raised an eyebrow.

 

“Mr. Hawthorne, this is my friend, Dace.” Ruan Shiqing introduced them. “Dace, this is Hawthorne, a new acquaintance of mine.”

 

“A friend of Master Ruan must surely be a master as well.” Dace shook Garland’s hand enthusiastically, his broad grin making him seem as eager and straightforward as any young mechanic meeting a renowned master.

 

But Garland knew better.

 

Dace’s mentor was none other than Clay Gore—the honorary professor of Sikkim University and the former president of the Mechanic Association.

 

Garland had interacted with Clay Gore several times and naturally recognized Dace as well. He was Clay Gore’s most favored last disciple, personally guided through nearly every project, to the point where some people even speculated that Dace was Clay’s illegitimate son.

 

Yet, Ruan Shiqing and Dace were friends. That was unexpected.

 

Of course, someone from the distant Agana Star like “Hawthorne” wouldn’t possibly know Dace. So Garland simply maintained his assumed identity, exchanged greetings, and then sat back down.

 

Meanwhile, Harrison—the very same man who had been loudly criticizing the antimatter paper earlier—perked up when he spotted Dace. He eagerly approached with his wine glass, his enthusiasm almost palpable.

 

“Mr. Dace! What a surprise to see you here.” Harrison’s small, shrewd eyes flickered as he scanned behind Dace, quickly noting that he had come alone. Adopting a tone of false familiarity, he continued, “It’s been a while. Please give my regards to Professor Clay.”

 

Dace frowned in confusion. “And you are…? I don’t recall seeing you at any of my teacher’s gatherings.”

 

Generally, those who asked Dace to pass along greetings to Clay Gore were close acquaintances of his teacher.

 

As Clay’s last disciple—and since his father was a distant relative of Clay’s—the professor had always treated him as his personal successor. While Clay was rigorous in his academic training, he also frequently brought Dace to various social events, using his own connections to pave the way for him.

 

And yet, Dace had no memory of this person at all.

 

He had always been blunt—whatever came to mind, he said.

 

Harrison’s expression stiffened.

 

He had merely been trying to flaunt his “familiarity” with Professor Clay in front of the other scholars, hoping to boost his own reputation. It was a common tactic he used.

 

But he hadn’t expected Dace to call him out so bluntly.

 

Recovering quickly, Harrison forced a chuckle. “You might have forgotten. We met at Duke Lawrence’s banquet. I had a long and engaging discussion with Professor Clay—we really connected as kindred spirits.”

 

Of course, this was a complete fabrication. In reality, he had only seen Clay Gore conversing with others from afar at the banquet.

 

Afraid that Dace might respond with another cutting remark like “I don’t recall my teacher having an engaging conversation with you,” Harrison quickly changed the subject.

 

“These two gentlemen are also your friends?” He studied Ruan Shiqing with a keen eye, immediately offering exaggerated praise. “What an outstanding young man.”

 

At this, Dace, who was practically Ruan Shiqing’s personal cheerleader, instantly lit up and beamed.

 

“You have sharp judgment! Master Ruan might be the youngest master mechanic in the entire association. If I hadn’t been away on a business trip with my teacher, I would have introduced him long ago.”

 

Harrison had only been casually complimenting Ruan Shiqing, but now, hearing that this seemingly young man was already a master, his flattery grew even more effusive.

 

“Truly a young genius! No wonder I felt he had such an extraordinary presence the moment I saw him.”

 

Ruan Shiqing arched a brow at Harrison’s sudden change in attitude.

 

I wonder what his face will look like when he realizes I’m the author of that paper he was mocking earlier.

 

It seemed the conference was full of brilliant minds—but it wasn’t short of opportunistic bootlickers either.

 

After some casual conversation, the official conference sessions began.

 

Naturally, Ruan Shiqing sat with Dace and “Hawthorne.” Harrison, ever thick-skinned, shamelessly took a seat right next to Dace.

 

By now, he had figured out Dace’s admiration for Ruan Shiqing. So, at every opportunity, he brought up Ruan Shiqing, subtly riding along with Dace’s praise.

 

It wasn’t until the first speaker took the stage that he finally quieted down.

 

One presentation after another followed. Each session ended with scholars in the audience eagerly posing questions, sometimes even engaging in spontaneous debates. The academic atmosphere was intense and stimulating.

 

Ruan Shiqing diligently noted down key points that piqued his interest and occasionally raised insightful questions.

 

By the end of the day, he felt he had gained a great deal.

 

There were still many topics he wished to discuss further with Dace and Hawthorne, but knowing that a group of little cubs was impatiently waiting for him at the hotel, he decided to head back first.

 

Before leaving, he arranged to meet with them early the next day for further discussion.

 

*

 

As promised, Hawthorne arrived early at Ruan Shiqing’s door.

 

Today was Ruan Shiqing’s presentation, so in addition to his notes, he also carried experimental equipment and a small amount of antimatter.

 

When “Hawthorne” saw what he was bringing, he raised a brow in surprise. “What’s all this?”

 

Ruan Shiqing smiled. “For the presentation.”

 

When they arrived at the venue, Dace had already arrived. Surprisingly, Harrison was there as well.

 

The moment he saw them, Harrison eagerly stepped forward to help carry Ruan Shiqing’s equipment, clearly intent on sticking to them.

 

Ruan Shiqing gave him an amused, knowing look but didn’t refuse.

 

After all, the one who’s going to be embarrassed soon won’t be me.

 

Dace, completely oblivious to Harrison’s scheming, was too preoccupied with excitement.

 

“Finally, we’ll get to see the author of the antimatter paper in person! My teacher wanted to come today but couldn’t find the time, so he specifically asked me to record the session and send it to him.”

 

Hearing how highly Dace spoke of the author, Harrison couldn’t help but interject.

 

“That author is just a kid, probably hasn’t even graduated from university yet. What could he possibly have discovered? Professor Clay is wasting his time on these attention-seeking gimmicks.”

 

Dace frowned, displeased. “My teacher and I both reviewed the paper. It was well-founded, and the experimental data was extremely meticulous.”

 

Seeing Dace’s dissatisfaction, Harrison awkwardly fell silent—but still muttered under his breath, “You haven’t seen it with your own eyes. He could’ve just made it all up.”

 

As they chatted in the lounge, a conference staff member approached them with a respectful expression.

 

“Mr. Ruan, we need you to come over and discuss the presentation logistics. We’ve reserved a full five hours for your session.”

 

Dace’s eyes widened in shock. “Five hours?”

 

He had known Ruan Shiqing would be speaking today, but he hadn’t expected such an extensive time slot. Most presentations only lasted one or two hours.

 

“Yes.” The staff member smiled. “Mr. Ruan’s antimatter paper has drawn immense interest. Many scholars have come specifically for his session. To ensure smooth discussion, we’ve allocated at least five hours. If more time is needed, we can extend it further.”

 

Dace’s jaw slowly dropped.

 

Meanwhile, Harrison, sitting next to him, looked like he had just swallowed a lemon.

 

His face turned red, his seat suddenly unbearably uncomfortable, and his beady eyes darted everywhere—anywhere but at Ruan Shiqing.

 

 

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Dang that was embarrassing lol!

 

Thanks for reading!

For every three ko-fis, I will upload a bonus chapter~