EFB Chapter 20 The "Fake Son" Card - Substitute Play
Chapter 20 The "Fake Son" Card - Substitute Play
A suppressed murmur rippled through the classroom. Many eyes darted back and forth between Ling Jiu and the girl named Liu Yiqiu, and whispers hummed in the air.
"It's Liu Yiqiu! A top student from the School of Humanities, I heard she's taking the civil service exam to become a prosecutor!"
"No wonder she's so outspoken; I heard she can't stand privilege and injustice."
"This is interesting. The one who tried to get in through connections has met his match."
"But Lin Jiu is really something. She always looks guilty when she's questioned. No wonder others dare to criticize her."
The girl, being pulled along by her best friend, stood there awkwardly, staring at the textbook in Ling Jiu's hand. Meanwhile, Liu Yiqiu, the short-haired girl who stepped forward, met Ling Jiu's gaze without flinching.
Ling Jiu opened her mouth, feeling her throat go dry.
The fact that she was able to stand here had already exhausted a lot of her strength.
The words "got in through connections" and "married to a rich man" echoed repeatedly in my ears, mixed with countless similar accusations, disappointed looks, and my father's disapproval over the past decade...
That feeling of guilt for hurting others, that feeling of doing evil, came back again.
She forced herself to remain resolute, preparing to say something.
But all those thoughts swirling in my mind—about fairness, about procedure, about not being entirely useless—were stuck in my chest, unable to form a single complete sentence.
This is the downside of not debating with others enough; even if you want to argue, you just can't find the words to say.
Speak up!
She anxiously urged herself, telling herself, "You're not useless! Tell her you've tried your best!"
But why can't this stubborn person say it?!
In the amniotic fluid, Jiang Yun looked at the panic surging in her mother's mind and the familiar urge to retreat, and sighed softly.
His mother has already endured so much, and what she needs most now is confidence and victory. He cannot stand by and watch the flame that has been supporting his mother's strength be extinguished by the cold stares and silence around her.
In that case, she might never be able to get up again.
Jiang Yun no longer hesitated, and her mind stirred slightly.
The "Mother and Child Connected" initiative has been launched.
This time, it wasn't just superficial emotional comfort or mental support; he directly seized control when Ling Jiu's anxious mood met the conditions for fluctuation.
To outsiders, Ling Jiu at the door was silent for a few seconds before lifting her lowered eyelashes and looking back at Liu Yiqiu's face.
It was no longer the forced strength of someone standing there, but an indescribable sense of calm, to the point that it felt like I was a different person.
"This student,"
Jiang Yun, who held the reins of the conversation, asked the first question: "Do you agree that those who contribute more to society and civilization should receive correspondingly greater preferential treatment?"
Liu Yiqiu was taken aback, clearly not expecting the other party to suddenly raise such a theoretical question, but as a major in literature, she didn't even need to think before answering it:
"Of course, that's why those who are granted titles like King, Star Lord, God Emperor, and even Dao Lord and Profound Lord can naturally obtain more achievements and ranks, thereby elevating their aptitude, because they have made significant contributions to a certain industry in this society. But this has nothing to do with you..."
She paused, as if she had guessed something, and then fell silent.
"Then," Jiang Yun continued, "if the preferential treatment received by these contributors cannot benefit the individuals themselves, shouldn't it, within a reasonable and fair scope, extend to their immediate family members?"
Liu Yiqiu was stumped again.
Her lips moved, but this time she didn't answer as quickly. The whispers in the classroom subsided, and many students looked thoughtful.
"I..." Liu Yiqiu carefully chose her words, "From an emotional and compensation perspective, I can understand a certain degree of benefit. But it must be open and transparent, and within the framework of the law, without infringing on the legitimate rights and interests of other citizens..."
"Very good." Jiang Yun nodded, seemingly acknowledging her caution, and then asked the third question:
"Among the many professions covered by the 'Five Paths and Five Followers,' what is the contribution of the military profession?"
This question doesn't require any thought at all.
Liu Yiqiu blurted out, her voice filled with natural respect: "Of the five paths to enlightenment, the casualty rate of the martial arts path is more than ten times higher than the sum of the other four paths."
"Among the many professions in martial arts, the military profession has the highest contribution, and was once called the 'moving Great Wall of the Stars' by the Imperial Grand Councilor and the senior Mysterious Lord of the Radiant Light.
As she spoke, she seemed to remember something, paused, and suddenly looked at Ling Jiu.
"Could it be that you...?"
"That's right, I do enjoy certain preferential treatment and privileges." Jiang Yun admitted frankly as he unzipped the innermost part of his backpack and took out the small red booklet.
That "Certificate for Children of Peacekeeping Soldiers from Outer Space"
You made the right bet!
In fact, he had no idea about the policies regarding military families in this world.
The three questions posed to Liu Yiqiu were simply questions he raised based on commonalities in society, and the answers could precisely help him understand the world.
At that moment, he took a step forward, holding the booklet, and turned the open pages towards Liu Yiqiu alone: "It involves military personnel information, so please help keep it confidential."
Of course, if she doesn't keep it a secret, or even leaks it maliciously, then Wei Yun will keep it a physical secret.
Therefore, Jiang Yun wasn't worried at all.
He slowly opened the booklet; in fact, this was the first time he was about to see its contents.
After all, Ling Jiu's emotions hadn't fluctuated much before, and she knew the contents, so she hadn't opened it at all. At this moment, she was still very curious about the specific information about her grandfather.
Finally, the booklet was fully opened.
[Certificate for Children of Peacekeeping Soldiers from Outer Space]
Name: Lin Jiu
[Father: Lin Kuo]
[Identity: Military Rank 6: Interstellar Special Forces]
[Realm: King-level (Seventh Realm of Martial Arts)]
[Merits: 6 Special-Class Merits, 28 First-Class Merits, 113 Second-Class Merits...]
[Battles participated in: The Second and Third Wars of National Defense, the War to Reclaim the Realm of Mountains and Seas, the War of the Abyss Prisoners...]
[Cumulative service time: 37621 years]
[Duration of this peacekeeping mission in outer regions: 1121 years]
Status: Not yet returned to China
The paper was a bit old, with slightly frayed edges. The black printed words and red stamps silently told a story under the light.
Liu Yiqiu's breathing caught in her throat.
Her gaze was fixed on the two lines of time that recorded the long years, and the three large characters "King-level", and her fingers unconsciously tightened around her classmate's arm.
Being at the King level means having an infinite lifespan and is already a superpower in the starry sky, but it also means that the possibility of having offspring is greatly reduced.
How lucky would a king-level being who guards the outer star realm and protects humanity have to be to have a child, and how difficult would it be to send the child back to the empire to be raised?
Could a young girl who has just turned twenty have never even seen her father's face during his tens of thousands of years of service and missions that often last for thousands of years?
In an instant, a scenario flashed through her mind: "A special forces soldier stationed abroad, on a dangerous mission, lay dormant for a thousand years, only to unexpectedly have a child. In the perilous foreign lands, she could only secretly entrust her comrades to send the child back to her homeland."
However, due to his mission to the empire, he was unable to return home to be with his children.
As a result, his children not only grew up without their father's company, but also faced criticism from their classmates because of their privileges and preferential treatment, creating a tragic drama.
She certainly believes that the public should guard against privilege and preferential treatment, but she also understands that the sacrifices made by those who give and the separation from their families deserve necessary compensation from society.
Thinking of this, when she looked at 'Lin Jiu' again, her expression even changed slightly.
The families of the greatest contributors are often buried in the deepest loneliness, forgotten and forgotten.