"We won! Haha, He Tiantian finally won!"
"Champion, Asian Games champion, and I heard it’s Hua Country’s first gold medal in archery, no easy feat! Truly, it’s no small accomplishment!"
"Brother Jianguo, Sister-in-law Xiuzhi, you two are remarkable, nurturing such a talent as He Tiantian for our country!"
"Your He Family Village is really something, emphasizing the improvement of the villagers’ physical education, which brought about an Asian Games champion like He Tiantian!"
It was still the yard of He Family Village, still a small twenty-one-inch color TV, still surrounded by over a hundred people.
But, unlike the previous two days, the ones seated in the front row today weren’t just He Jianguo, Liu Xiuzhi, and the He Family, but also town and county leaders.
With a Golden Phoenix emerging from their own small village, the leaders were extremely delighted.
They put aside their official duties temporarily and all hurried over to He Family Village in the shortest time possible.
It was just that archery was really rather niche; if it had been a more popular event, the city leaders might even have rushed over upon hearing the news.
However, a gold medal in a niche event is still a gold medal,
A gold medal that fills a gap in the nation’s sports achievements, no less valuable.
The leaders, together with the He family and the villagers, witnessed He Tiantian’s victory firsthand, their joy and excitement simply indescribable.
The first home-hosted Asian Games, and in archery, the first gold medal... This great honor wasn’t just for He Tiantian alone, but a glory for the entire He Family Village, for all of Rose Town, for the whole of Lu County.
He had been ecstatic for a while, and now, seeing the high-ranking leaders that he normally wouldn’t even be able to touch, he was even more nervous and at a loss.
He fidgeted with his hands, his dark and weathered face taut with tension. Upon hearing the leaders’ congratulations and commendations, he squeezed out a goofy grin after much effort.
His image as a simple and honest old farmer was as vivid as could be.
Liu Xiuzhi too was nervous, but she was, after all, stronger than her husband.
Besides, their daughter had won the Asian Games championship and might win at the Olympics in the future. Maybe they’d meet national leaders at the victory celebration.
Such an accomplished daughter was born to her, Liu Xiuzhi.
Now it was just a few leaders from the town and county visiting them; what was there to fear?
Liu Xiuzhi psych herself up in her mind, thinking she’d managed a proper smile, though it was also quite stiff.
But no matter what, Liu Xiuzhi’s demeanor was better than her husband’s.
At least when the leaders reached out to congratulate her, she could hurriedly wipe the sweat off her clothes and then shakily shake hands with them.
When the leaders said, "You two have done amazing," she managed to stretch her mouth into a dry smile and uttered a few words, "We haven’t done much, just, just let our girl do whatever she wants!"
"Ha ha, just being able to support He Tiantian’s career, you’ve done something truly admirable!"
The leaders saw the couple’s nervousness and awkwardness, but they were accustomed to such ordinary folk as they encountered them regularly.
However, He Jianguo and Liu Xiuzhi were no longer ordinary people; they had raised an Asian Games champion and filled a gap, making them meritorious servants of the nation.
And those who contribute to the nation should indeed be rewarded.
"...By the way, do you have any—" difficulties in life?
The county leader inquired warmly.
They genuinely wanted to offer help to the Asian Games champion’s parents, and they figured, based on experience, that these kinds of parents who raised excellent children would also have high moral standards.
Even if they were uneducated, plain old farmers lacking in sophistication, they would often politely decline, for their children’s sake, or for their own face and reputation.
But this time, the leaders had got it wrong.
The He Jianguo they saw might have stammered, "No, no difficulties!"
But he wasn’t the head of the household; moreover, without his wife’s permission, he didn’t dare to speak.
Liu Xiuzhi, on the other hand, was well-known across the region as a fierce woman—a top-grade fighter plane.
She could argue her way out of anything and would try to squeeze water out of a stone.
Now that her own daughter had truly brought honor to the country and the leaders had taken the initiative to offer, she felt no sense of pressure—
"Oh, leaders, you truly are good leaders who prioritize the people’s welfare!"
Liu Xiuzhi excitedly grabbed the county leader’s hand.
Leader:... While I’ve seen a lot in my time, I must admit, when gripped by the hand of an Asian Games champion’s real mother, I was rather flustered!
"We truly do have difficulties in our household!"