Relatives in a Foreign Land (5)

Zhuifeng chuckled, "Alright, I'll call you Uncle Wang then. These friends of mine are just here to protect me. A well-traveled man like you wouldn't be intimidated by them, right?"

"You…" Wang Jian froze. The implication in Zhuifeng's words felt too precise, almost as if this newly met nephew already knew his identity. The shock left Wang Jian momentarily speechless. Even his father, Uncle Wang, had no idea what he did for a living—a testament to how tightly controlled the secrecy around his work was.

Glancing around at the strangers in the room, his gaze lingered on Qiu Nuo's faint, almost mocking smile, sending a chill down his spine. As Wang Jian's mind raced, a sudden realization dawned. Shangguan? The surname wasn't common, and coupled with Zhuifeng's casual assertion that these individuals were his bodyguards, Wang Jian pieced together the puzzle. That smug-looking man, Qiu Nuo, was likely from the Ministry of State Security. With a sigh of relief, Wang Jian asked hesitantly, "Are you the Young Master?"

"Young Master?" Zhuifeng tilted his head in confusion.

After meeting Pu Shan and the others, Zhuifeng had already asked his mother, Xiao Liji, why they insisted on calling him "Young Master" rather than just "Little Master" like Qiu Nuo and Zheng He did. His mother explained that "Young Master" was an honorific used by the military to acknowledge his parents' contributions, whereas "Little Master" was a term reserved for trusted subordinates. While Zhuifeng could understand why the military addressed him this way, he was puzzled as to why Wang Jian—a researcher—would use the same title.

Seeing that Zhuifeng didn't deny it, Wang Jian's face lit up with excitement. He jumped up from the sofa. "So you really are the Young Master! Ha! Just as people say, you're truly a remarkable figure!"

Zhuifeng scratched at the scar on his face with a self-deprecating chuckle. "Remarkable? With this face? People certainly won't forget me, but not for the reasons you think. Uncle, you don't need to flatter me."

Wang Jian froze, only now noticing the scar partially hidden beneath Zhuifeng's hat and hair. Embarrassed, he smiled awkwardly. "Young Master, I…" He silently cursed himself for forgetting the rumors about the Young Master's disfigurement. Damn it, he's just a young man. Of course, he cares about his appearance. What a thoughtless mistake.

"Uncle, don't worry about it. I was just joking," Zhuifeng said quickly, trying to ease the tension.

Wang Jian grew even more uneasy. "Young Master, calling me uncle is far too generous. How about this…" He hesitated, glancing nervously at his father before continuing, "If you don't mind, I'll just call you 'Little Brother.' Does that work for you?"

"Uh…" Zhuifeng hesitated.

"Jian'er, you…" Uncle Wang, who rarely saw his son in such a deferential posture, was stunned. He knew Wang Jian's personality well—proud and unyielding—so to see him acting this way left him dumbfounded. "What's going on?"

Turning to Zhuifeng, Uncle Wang demanded, "Xiao Feng, do you know what's happening here?"

Zhuifeng shrugged helplessly and gave a bitter smile. "Grandpa, don't ask me. I'm just as clueless as you. Uncle Wang, care to explain?"

Wang Jian thought for a moment and sighed. "Fine, there's no harm in telling you both…"

"Dad, you know I work in a research institute. Four years ago, our project was on the verge of being abandoned. We'd hit an insurmountable technical and hardware bottleneck, and the idea of wasting generations' worth of effort was unbearable—it nearly broke us."

"Generations of effort?" Uncle Wang's eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Jian'er, what exactly were you researching?"

Wang Jian avoided his father's gaze, guilt flickering across his face. Though his secrecy was meant to protect his family, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was deceiving them. "Animal genetics," he replied, emphasizing the word animal unnaturally.

Uncle Wang's expression shifted, as if he had realized something, but he remained silent, simply staring at Wang Jian.

Wang Jian's heart clenched. His father's disapproval seemed to fade, replaced by understanding, concern, and even a hint of support. It was clear Uncle Wang had grasped part of the truth.

Exchanging glances, Zhuifeng and Qiu Nuo understood what Wang Jian meant by "animal"—he was talking about humans.

Wang Jian gave his father a subtle nod before continuing. "Just when we were at our lowest, Director Xiao—that's the Young Master's mother—returned to the country with all the technology and materials we needed."

Of course, it's Mom's doing again. Zhuifeng leaned back into the sofa, laughing bitterly to himself. "Uncle, you don't have to be so formal. Whatever my mother did has nothing to do with me."

Wang Jian shook his head. "Young Master, you don't understand the significance of Director Xiao's contributions. It's not just about the impact her work has had on our world…" He glanced at his father, softening his tone as he spoke the word world, clearly trying to downplay the truth. "Let's just say that her efforts have driven the advancement of science in ways that benefit all of humanity. And that's to say nothing of her contributions to our country—economically, technologically…" Wang Jian struggled for words, eventually settling on a vague statement. "What she's done for us… it's immeasurable. The Shangguan family deserves our utmost respect—not just from us, but from countless others. That respect isn't personal; it represents the gratitude of millions of Chinese people, and of generations yet to come."

Zhuifeng remained silent, unsure how to respond.

Stealing a glance at his father, Wang Jian hesitated before adding, "To put it plainly, without Director Xiao's contributions—her technologies and resources, from military advancements to biotech—we might still become a global superpower, but it would take us decades longer. With her work, however, once those technologies are fully integrated, our country will undoubtedly dominate the world."

Though he was visibly excited, Wang Jian lowered his voice as he spoke the last few words, aware of his father's presence.