The meeting was presided over by Wang Dachuan, the president of the Student Association for Chinese Scholars.
He was a doctoral student in the physics department and held significant prestige among the Chinese scholars.
"Classmates," Wang Dachuan began directly, "I've called you all here today because we face an important choice. Our homeland has been liberated, and the new government has issued a call, hoping that we, as overseas students, will return to serve the country. However, the school has created many obstacles…"
He briefly explained the school's new regulations: all overseas students wishing to return to their homeland must pass a series of "departure evaluations" and sign a statement guaranteeing they would not take any "sensitive technology" from the Star-Striped Alliance back to Dragon Country.
Additionally, the school strongly advised Dragon Country students to complete their studies before considering returning home.
"From what we understand, these measures are clearly the result of pressure from the Star-Striped Alliance government," Wang Dachuan said in a deep voice. "Now, please discuss how we should respond."
The venue immediately became lively, with everyone expressing their opinions.
"It's not bad to finish our studies before going back, isn't it better to learn more knowledge?" an economics student said.
"But who knows what other obstacles they'll set? Today it's evaluations, tomorrow they might just directly prevent us from leaving!" another student retorted.
"I think the homeland's call is very timely. The country is now in ruins awaiting reconstruction, and it precisely needs talents like us who have studied abroad."
Discussions rose and fell, Li Ming listened quietly, observing everyone's reactions.
He noticed that most science and engineering students, especially those studying aviation and mechanical engineering, almost all leaned towards returning to their homeland immediately.
However, some students studying economics and law appeared hesitant.
"Quiet everyone," Wang Dachuan raised his hand. "Actually, the choice is in everyone's hands. Whether to return immediately or to complete your studies first, it's a personal decision. But what I want to emphasize is that our homeland is now in ruins awaiting reconstruction, and it is precisely when it needs talent the most. If we, this group of well-educated individuals, don't go back, then who will build our country?"
There was a moment of silence in the venue, then someone asked, "Wang Dachuan, what are your plans?"
"Me?" Wang Dachuan smiled slightly, "Of course I'm going back. Although my doctoral dissertation only needs the final defense, I think the country's needs are more urgent. Knowledge can be supplemented later, but historical opportunities are fleeting."
His words drew a round of applause.
At this moment, Wang Deming stood up: "I propose that we act in two batches. Students who are determined to return to their homeland should complete the procedures immediately and strive to depart as soon as possible; students who temporarily do not wish to return can continue their studies and find opportunities to return to their homeland in the future. This way, we can respond to the homeland's call without forcing everyone to make the same choice."
Everyone nodded, finding the suggestion very reasonable.
Next, the meeting turned into a deployment of concrete actions.
Wang Dachuan took out a form: "Students who wish to return immediately, please sign up here. We will act collectively and look out for each other."
Li Ming was the first to sign the form without hesitation.
Then came Wang Deming, several engineering students, and then more and more people joined… Ultimately, about two-thirds of the students present decided to return to their homeland immediately.
"Excellent!" Wang Dachuan said excitedly. "It seems most classmates have chosen the path of returning to their homeland for construction. Tomorrow morning, we will collectively go to the embassy to complete the procedures, hoping to depart as soon as possible. As for the school's 'evaluation,' we can cooperate, but it will not change our determination to return."
After the meeting, as Li Ming was about to leave, Wang Dachuan called out to him: "Xiao Li, I heard you have a great talent in aerospace engineering?"
"It's alright," Li Ming replied modestly.
"The country is in urgent need of talent in this area now, you will definitely have great prospects when you go back," Wang Dachuan patted his shoulder.
"However… there have been many plainclothes people on campus these past few days. Star-Striped Alliance people are particularly concerned about students like us who study 'sensitive technology,' so be careful yourself."
Li Ming nodded understandingly: "Understood, thank you for the reminder."
The next morning, Li Ming and other overseas students who decided to return to their homeland came to the Dragon Country Embassy.
The embassy staff warmly received them and quickly began processing their return procedures.
"The homeland warmly welcomes talents like you who have completed your studies and returned," the consul smiled and said to everyone. "However, the American side may set some obstacles, so everyone should be mentally prepared."
Sure enough, that afternoon, the school posted a notice requiring all Dragon Country overseas students applying to leave school to attend a "security assessment interview."
At the same time, some overseas students found their dormitories had been rummaged through, and their notes and books had disappeared.
Even more, several students studying aviation and nuclear physics were required to undergo "special investigations."
Thanks to his early vigilance, Li Ming had already stored all important data in his system space, leaving only some ordinary textbooks and notes in his dormitory.
When two men in suits "politely" requested to inspect his room, he cooperated fully.
"We're just doing routine checks," one of the men said, "ensuring no sensitive information is taken out of the Star-Striped Alliance."
"Of course, please do," Li Ming replied calmly, secretly chuckling to himself: What you're looking for is already in my mind; searching until your heads burst won't help.
The men rummaged through his bookshelf, drawers, and even under the mattress, but found nothing but some basic textbooks and ordinary notes.
"Looks fine," they said before leaving. "Remember to attend the interview tomorrow afternoon at three o'clock in administrative building room 203."
Similar scenes played out in many Dragon Country overseas student dormitories.
In the evening, everyone gathered again at the Student Association for Chinese Scholars to exchange information.
"This is too much!" a girl said indignantly. "They took all the botany specimens I organized, saying they needed to 'review' them!"
"All my experimental notes are gone," another physics student said with a bitter smile. "Three years of hard work…"
Wang Dachuan comforted everyone: "The Star-Striped Alliance government is afraid that we will take technology back to our homeland, which is why they are setting up obstacles everywhere. But it doesn't matter, true knowledge is in our minds; only paper and pens cannot be taken away. Everyone should cooperate with tomorrow's interview, but our determination to return to our homeland cannot change!"
Li Ming listened silently, his resolve to return to his homeland growing even stronger.
…
The next afternoon, the interviews began.
Each student applying to return to their homeland was called into a room individually, facing an assessment panel.
When it was Li Ming's turn, he saw three people sitting in the room: a school administrator, a middle-aged man who claimed to be an "Education Department consultant," and an Asian woman who looked like an interpreter.
"Mr. Li, please have a seat," the administrator said politely. "We've asked you here today to understand your reasons and plans for returning to your homeland."
What followed was a series of questions: Why not complete your studies? What are your plans after returning to your homeland? What technologies did you learn in the Star-Striped Alliance? Have you participated in any specific laboratory projects? And so on.
Li Ming remained calm, answering flawlessly.
He emphasized that he was just an ordinary student, learning only basic knowledge, and his return to his homeland was purely in response to the homeland's call.
"Mr. Li, do you know," the "consultant" suddenly said, "the conditions in your Dragon Country are very difficult now, not suitable for cutting-edge scientific research. But here, you can use the most advanced equipment and work with top scientists. Why would you give up such an opportunity?"
