Chapter 237 - 178: Graduation Ceremony

Chapter 237: Chapter 178: Graduation Ceremony

Chen Lin smiled and left the company group chat.

Then, he opened his old dorm room group chat. They hadn’t been very active in it lately, but their bond was as strong as ever.

[Room 406: Crouching Tigers, Hidden Dragons]

Fatty Zhao: [Holy crap! Brother Lin, you’re trending *again*?! How’d you shoot straight to number one this time? @everyone]

Li the Monkey: [I just watched the video, and I’m still reeling. Brother Lin, fess up. Were you possessed by an alien? Doing calculations live on stage? Dude, you were copying my notes right before our advanced math final freshman year!]

Wang Tao: [Don’t be a hater. Lin was just strategically hiding his true strength. What do you know, Monkey?]

Wang Tao: [But seriously, Lin, you’re on another level now. We’re still stressing about exams, and you’re out here changing the world?]

Seeing his friends’ usual banter, Chen Lin was in high spirits and decided to play along.

Chen Lin: [All in a day’s work. I’m ready to accept your worship, you mortals.]

Fatty Zhao: [Get outta here! You’re getting more and more arrogant!]

Li the Monkey: [But real talk, that was seriously awesome. Brother Lin, now we’ll have some serious bragging rights when we’re out with the boys!]

Chen Lin smiled and sent another red packet.

This one was for the four of them, two hundred each.

Wang Tao: [Holy crap! Thanks, President Chen!]

Fatty Zhao: [You’re slipping, President Chen! Just send an 888 packet next time!]

Li the Monkey: [Shut it, Fatty. Be grateful you got anything! Thanks for leading us to riches, Brother Lin!]

Chen Lin shot the breeze with his friends for a bit longer before leaving the group chat, satisfied.

As for the group chat [Li Na and the New Energy Solid-State Battery Project Team], he just glanced at it. He politely replied to the congratulations from Professor Tang Xuebing of the Science and Technology University, who had specifically tagged him, but said nothing more.

Chen Lin couldn’t be bothered to even open the rest of his group chats, simply marking them all as read.

Just then, he saw a new message in his pinned chats from Chang Kai, the principal of Yannan University.

Chen Lin opened it.

Chang Kai: [Chen Lin, congratulations on your brilliant achievement at the International Congress of Mathematicians! You’ve brought great honor to Yannan University and to our country! [Thumbs Up]]

Chang Kai: [And I have more good news. The Ministry of Education officially approved your application for early graduation yesterday afternoon!]

[Since the leadership of the School of Mathematics has already agreed to waive your thesis defense, you can complete your graduation procedures at any time.]

Chang Kai: [The university has discussed it and would like to hold a private graduation ceremony for you. When would be convenient for you?]

Reading this message, Chen Lin’s thoughts immediately turned to his parents.

If it were up to him, he would have just picked up his diploma and skipped the ceremony altogether.

But Chen Lin knew his parents would definitely want to attend their son’s graduation ceremony. For them, it was an important life milestone.

So, Chen Lin replied to Chang Kai.

Chen Lin: [Thank you, Principal! And thank you to the university and its leadership for your consideration! I’ll discuss the timing with my parents and get back to you once we’ve decided.]

Chang Kai: [Of course, no problem! I look forward to hearing from you!]

Chen Lin immediately backed out of the chat and opened the small three-person group.

[One Big Happy Family]

Chen Lin: [Dad, Mom, the university just told me my application for early graduation was approved, and they want to hold a ceremony for me. Do you have time to come over next week?]

The message had barely been sent when his mom, Lin Xiaoqi, replied almost instantly.

Lin Xiaoqi: [A graduation ceremony?! Really?! We have time, we have time! We’ll definitely make time!]

The string of exclamation points made her excitement palpable.

But soon, as if remembering something, she added another message.

Lin Xiaoqi: [Oh, I got so excited I forgot to ask your father. @Chen Xian, Old Chen, can you get time off work next week?]

Chen Lin didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. ’They’re probably just a few meters apart at home, and she’s still tagging him in the group chat.’

The group chat fell silent for about half a minute.

Then, his father Chen Xian’s terse reply appeared on the screen.

Chen Xian: [Got the time off. Can go on Monday.]

Lin Xiaoqi: [@Chen Lin, son, we’ll arrive in Jinmen Sunday night and stay over.]

A warm feeling spread through Chen Lin’s chest as he read his parents’ replies.

Chen Lin: [Okay, I’ll let the principal know right now.]

With that, Chen Lin switched back to his chat with Principal Chang Kai.

Chen Lin: [Principal, I’ve spoken with my parents. They can come on Monday. Would Monday morning work for the ceremony?]

Principal Chang Kai’s reply was just as swift.

Chang Kai: [No problem! Monday morning it is! A professor will contact you with the specific arrangements. For now, just get some rest and prepare for your graduation ceremony!]

...

...

「November 3rd, Monday.」

It was a clear and sunny day in the late autumn of Jinmen.

At 8:30 in the morning, Chen Lin, dressed in casual clothes, arrived right on time at the south gate of Yannan University.

Before long, a taxi slowly pulled over to the side of the road. The door opened, and two familiar figures stepped out.

It was his parents, Chen Xian and Lin Xiaoqi.

"Dad, Mom!" Chen Lin greeted them with a smile.

"Oh, my dear son!" The moment Lin Xiaoqi saw Chen Lin, her face lit up with a huge smile.

She hurried forward to look him up and down, fussing, "You’ve lost weight. You look even thinner. Have you been too tired with your research to eat properly?"

"That’s not true, Mom. I’ve been eating well and sleeping soundly," Chen Lin said, exasperated.

Chen Xian, standing to the side, was his usual taciturn self. He simply patted Chen Lin’s shoulder, his eyes filled with unconcealable pride and gratification.

Lin Xiaoqi had clearly been too excited to sleep well last night. She had faint dark circles under her eyes, but they did nothing to dampen her high spirits.

"Come on, let’s go! The graduation ceremony is about to start, isn’t it? We can’t be late!" she said, pulling Chen Lin by the hand and heading onto campus.

Chen Lin led his parents to the university’s largest auditorium.

When they saw the magnificent building—large enough to hold several thousand people and typically reserved only for major events—both Lin Xiaoqi and Chen Xian were stunned.

They knew their son was successful and that the university valued him, but they had never imagined it was to this extent!

To use such a massive auditorium for one person’s graduation ceremony!

The three of them walked into the auditorium. It was vast and quiet inside.

A staff member was already waiting to receive them. She smiled, led the three of them to seats in the front row, and poured them hot tea.