Chapter 11: Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Old Zhou’s Present

Old Zhou put his newspaper down and took off his glasses. He said reluctantly, “A young man should eat fewer takeaways and exercise more. Only then can you be healthy. With just a small shower and a breeze, you got sick for two weeks? Your body is really weak.”

Sick? Su Yang got even more confused.

Old Zhou pulled his drawer out to take a small paper box and passed it to Su Yang. “Here are some dried goji berries to brighten your sight and protect your liver. It also heals your weak body and relaxes your mind. Take it for a long time and it can boost your immunity.”

Su Yang blankly accepted the paper box although he did not know what Old Zhou was trying to sell him.

Old Zhou then opened his Thermos flask and cooled it down with several blows, making the goji berries inside rumble about.

He took a sip of the hot water and waved at Su Yang. “It’s okay now. Go back and take care of your body. A young man should work out more. If your class secretary hadn’t told me about you, I wouldn’t have known that you are this weak.” He then tapped Su Yang’s shoulder, but Su Yang did not even budge.

Old Zhou felt awkward at that instant.

Su Yang suddenly recalled that Chu Xia had pleaded on his behalf yesterday and got him a few more days from Old Zhou.

‘So, is this the reason she used? Why didn’t she give me a heads-up? I almost blew it!’

With that in mind, Su Yang said, “Thanks, Mr. Zhou. I feel better already. My immune system did deteriorate a few weeks ago, so I kept getting a cold, but I’m much stronger now. I’m here about the notes…”

Before Su Yang even finished, Old Zhou cleared his throat and interrupted him, “Oh, the notes…You can hand them in next week. You need to know it’s not a punishment. It’s actually a way to educate you. You know, I’m actually doing this for your—”

Right before Old Zhou started his nagging, Su Yang quickly interrupted him, “I finished it!”

“—own…” Old Zhou actually planned to educate Su Yang using this opportunity, but when he heard that the boy had finished copying the notes, his last word of ‘good’ was swallowed back into his stomach and he looked utterly surprised.

However, Old Zhou was still a veteran lecturer, so he raised his Thermos flask for a sip to cover his embarrassment.

After he put down the flask, his face returned to its emotionless expression.

He continued in his heavy tone, “If you’ve already finished it, that’s great. Despite not feeling well, you copied a week’s worth of lecture notes overnight. It seems like you are a hardworking student. However, it’s better to keep it consistent. Copying a week’s worth of notes is…”

“I’ve copied down all the lecture notes from the start of the semester,” said Su Yang, to Old Zhou’s surprise.

Su Yang took the stack of notes out from his bag and handed them over to him with both hands.

Old Zhou accepted it and quickly went over it. At first glance, he knew that it was Su Yang’s handwriting and that he had not asked someone else to help him. He also noted that he had not stolen someone else’s notes.

As he flipped through the pages, Old Zhou realized that Su Yang’s notes were all copied in detail. The main focus of every class had been written down properly and even his own thoughts and little stories were jotted down.

He could not help but suspiciously glance over at Su Yang.

‘Is this kid this hardworking in class? Did I punish him for the wrong reason? But the semester test is an open-book test, yet the notes have all been taken down in such detail. This kid is too hardworking and practical.’

With that in mind, Old Zhou’s gaze at Su Yang suddenly turned softer.

He only flipped through a few pages before closing the stack of notes. He passed it back to Su Yang and said, “Not bad, not bad. If you have anything that you don’t understand or if there’s anything that you want to talk to me about, feel free to come to me. I’m always in my office if I don’t have class.”

Although he did not know why Old Zhou switched his attitude 180° all of a sudden, Su Yang replied with a smile since it turned out well, “Thank you, sir.”

Since the kid was so docile, after a quick thought, Old Zhou pulled his drawer open and took out another paper box. Inside the box were several root-like items that were as thick as one’s little finger.

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He took one of them out unwillingly and put it into a plastic bag for Su Yang. “This is some wild ginseng that my friend gave me. Take one and boil it with the goji berries. It will boost your immune system.”

Shocked, Su Yang quickly rejected the goodwill, “I can’t accept this, sir. The goji berries are enough.”

“No can do! You can only study well if your body is healthy. Don’t let your body hinder your studies!” Old Zhou insisted on giving the wild ginseng to him.

Old Zhou stuffed the pack of wild ginseng into Su Yang’s hands and patted him on the arm. “You’d better study hard!”

No matter how slow Su Yang was, he could feel Old Zhou’s anticipation for him.

In the end, Su Yang failed to reject the lecturer’s goodwill. He left the office with a box of goji berries and a piece of wild ginseng root. He really did not know whether he should cry or laugh at the lecturer’s attitude.

Although Old Zhou’s passion was too much to handle, being cared about warmed Su Yang’s heart.

‘Old Zhou is really a good man. I’ll try to not piss him off in the future and maybe I’ll even have a drink with him when I’m free. It’s not easy being in his position.’

Su Yang bagged the goji berries and the wild ginseng before he looked at the time. It was almost 9.55 a.m. after the meeting and it was time for class.

He slung his bag over his shoulder and sprinted to the academic building.

When he reached the lecture hall, all the students were already there, but thankfully, the lecturer, Qu Xiaomeng, had yet to show up.

Su Yang heaved a sigh of relief. His strategy for English class was to secure a seat in the last row, but the last row had been taken by students from the other classes. He looked around and tried to search for a secluded corner, but Chu Xia called out to him.

Chu Xia wore a floral white silk dress with a V-neckline. The dress set off her slender figure perfectly, making her look like a deity.

However, there was a slight blemish on the perfect deity. Even though she was wearing a V-neck dress, all she showed were her beautiful collar bones. It was not because of the depth of the V-neck collar, but her bust size was too…

That was the only pitiful thing about Chu Xia.

Su Yang paused and asked, “Yes?”

After knowing her secret, the two of them became closer.

Chu Xia looked around, and when she realized no one was paying attention to her, she whispered to him, “Don’t always sit at the back of the class during English. Pay a little more attention! Don’t you know what it means to just barely pass a subject in university?”

Su Yang awkwardly cleared his throat.

Every subject in the university had a final semester test, but other than a student doing poorly during the test or the lecturer catching the student skipping too many classes, the lecturer would rarely fail a student.

Therefore, Su Yang’s 60 marks were actually a token of mercy from the lecturer based on his usual performance.

As for whether he really got 60 marks during his test, everyone knew the answer deep in their hearts. After all, the university practiced a system of adding extra marks to the tests based on a particular student’s usual performance.

After she saw Su Yang take her advice, Chu Xia added, “Don’t forget that in order to get your honorary certificate, you must pass the English subject with Class 4.”

When Chu Xia mentioned passing the test, Su Yang felt an immediate headache come on. For whatever reason, most of the universities in the country required the students to get at least a Class 4 in the English subject to graduate. For an undergraduate university like Su Yang’s, it might be easier since he would still be able to graduate albeit without an honorary degree certificate. The thought alone hurt his mind.

“T-thanks.” Su Yang bitterly thanked Chu Xia and simply sat down near her.

He had not given up on searching for a secluded seat, but Qu Xiaomeng had already entered the lecture hall.

The moment she stepped in, her eyes scanned over the lecture hall and ultimately landed on Su Yang as if she came here just for him.