Chapter 71: When Did the Gap Between People Become So Huge?

Xu Qingzhou returned to the dormitory at exactly 8:50; Xu Zhengyang was still struggling to get a girlfriend, scrolling through group messages, while Kong Xianbo, Zhai Ziqiang, and Zhang Shuyi had planned to visit the Summer Palace and hadn’t returned yet.

He had no desire to go out, took his new clothes to the laundry room, then turned on his computer to translate his paper.

After writing for a short while, his phone vibrated—a number he didn’t recognize.

After answering, a strong, resonant voice came through.

“Are you student Xu Qingzhou? This is Zhao Shengwen.”

“Professor Zhao, hello,” Xu Qingzhou greeted with a smile; the voice was familiar, yet different from his memory—stronger, more forceful. Back then, Zhao Shengwen had already been over sixty.

The voice asked: “Has Professor Gu told you about the project?”

“He has.”

Even after Xu Qingzhou left the classroom, everyone remained bewildered.

Read! {

Xu Zhengyang had been chatting with Dong Shan, but when he looked up, he saw Gu Zhi Zhong staring at them—he instantly shuddered, thinking: College isn’t supposed to ban phones!

“Professor Gu,” Xu Qingzhou called out.

“Just browsing when bored,” Liang Quanjie relished this subtle display of superiority.

At that moment, the class bell rang.

Kong Xianbo adjusted his glasses, his cultivation nearly shattered, yet silently marveled: This was the ultimate form of showing off—endure to the extreme, then stun everyone.

“Still, Liang Dongni mentioned you several times while chatting—I think she’s definitely interested in you,” Xu Zhengyang analyzed, then sighed again:

The classroom fell silent again, all eyes fixed on Xu Qingzhou and Gu Zhi Zhong, none understanding how Xu Qingzhou had been called up.

Kong Xianbo still thought like a high schooler; seeing the professor watching them, he elbowed Xu Zhengyang hard: “Stop playing with your phone—the professor’s watching!”

Xu Qingzhou, meanwhile, gazed out the window, waiting for class to begin.

Xu Qingzhou’s group took the second row by the window; Xu Zhengyang pulled out his phone to chat with Dong Shan, while Kong Xianbo and Zhai Ziqiang opened their *Mathematical Analysis I* textbooks to prepare.

“It’s a qualitative leap,” Xu Zhengyang hummed, almost proudly: “Today, with Liang Dongni tagging along, we’ve gone from five people down to three—sweet double dates are just around the corner!”

Hearing this, Gu Zhi Zhong laughed and shooed them: “Get out, get out, don’t waste my time here.”

Shen Yueqing immediately zeroed in: “You’re amazing—I struggled with high school math, and you were already reading papers.”

Seeing Xu Zhengyang seemed in good spirits, Xu Qingzhou asked: “Old Xu, how’s it going?”

September 15, Monday.

In the classroom, Xu Zhengyang and the others stared blankly at the two men chatting on stage.

“Alright, Xiao Xu has been borrowed by Professor Zhao Shengwen from the Physics Institute to join a project—we won’t worry about him. Let me introduce myself first: I’m Gu Zhi Zhong, your instructor for Mathematical Analysis.”

They came to class; Xu Qingzhou came to waste time. When did the gap between people become so vast? Gu Zhi Zhong continued: “Old Zhao’s project is urgent. Want regular grades? Fine—score full marks on the final exam, and I’ll give you all of them. Fail, and you get zero.”

“Old Xu, you should piss on a mirror.”

They spoke plainly, set a time, hung up, and Xu Qingzhou returned to his paper.

“Our instructor today is Professor Gu—this guy’s a giant in mathematics. I’ve read several of his papers before; never imagined he’d become our teacher,” Liang Quanjie sighed. 8:55.

Until 11 p.m., after he’d showered and was lying in bed scrolling his phone, Xu Zhengyang and the others slowly returned.

He told Xu Zhengyang: “Old Xu, bring my books back.”

A fat old man with glasses, holding a transparent teacup, entered; the noisy classroom instantly fell silent, all eyes turning to Gu Zhi Zhong. “Relax, class hasn’t started yet,” Gu Zhi Zhong waved, amiable. Suddenly, his gaze locked onto Xu Qingzhou; he frowned slightly and gestured for him to come forward.

!.

Gu Zhi Zhong wrote his name and phone number on the blackboard.

“Fine, I’m free all morning. After class, go straight to Physics Institute Building 2. Call me when you arrive.”

The others were equally confused—how well did Old Xu know Professor Gu?! What crushed them most was: what did “wasting time” even mean?!

Xu Qingzhou had nothing to say, only silently wished Xu Zhengyang would find a girlfriend soon.

Everyone below felt dazed: You’re a freshman, barely familiar with campus, and you’re already joining a project? And judging by Professor Gu’s tone, this isn’t some menial task like what Liang Quanjie and Kong Xianbo do! Shen Yueqing’s face burned—suddenly her cheeks hurt; yesterday she’d boasted about Liang Quanjie publishing a paper and winning the professor’s favor.

Xu Qingzhou felt speechless—this sounded like attending class was a mistake. “It’s class—regular grades are worth twenty points.”

Looking at Xu Qingzhou, Gu Zhi Zhong asked in confusion: “Why are you still here?”

“Nothing, just someone calling me,” Xu Qingzhou reassured Xu Zhengyang.

Xu Qingzhou’s going to help the Physics Institute? And he’s joining a professor’s project?!

“Yes, I only have one class this morning.”

Xu Zhengyang nodded dumbly, his mind offline—he vaguely understood where he’d lost: the reason was simple—Old Xu was just a damn show-off king!

The seats behind Zhang Shuyi and the other girls had already been taken by other boys, who were chatting merrily.

Since he already had the regular grades, Xu Qingzhou had no reason to stay—he found undergraduate math barely challenging.

“Alright, I’m off then.”

Although they’d been here half a month, today felt like the true start of university learning; everyone arrived early, full of anticipation.

“Are you free tomorrow morning?”

The classroom was lively; students chose seats freely, could bring phones and laptops—everything felt novel to these youths just freed from strict high school rules.

“Tell me, what kind of luck do you have? Why do so many girls like you? Your looks? I’m not worse. Your IQ? I got in legitimately too. I still can’t figure out where I lost.”

Room 101 woke up early again; the first class was Gu Zhi Zhong’s Mathematical Analysis.

Clearly, he still had much to learn.

Liang Quanjie felt utterly crushed—he was supposed to be the protagonist, so how had he been completely overshadowed?

Xu Qingzhou left the classroom and headed straight for the Physics Institute’s experimental building.

Fifteen minutes passed; he stood beneath Building 6, waiting to be picked up. Access here required a door card—every device inside was extremely valuable.

(End of Chapter)