Study Monster Cultivation System-Chapter 344 - 343 Peak Refreshed Again

After bidding farewell to Huang Ying, Li Zheng, following Jie Qifen’s instructions, headed to Ji University Science Teaching Building with Zhang Xiaoke.

As a relatively new building, the Science Teaching Building’s distinctly modern geometric design seemed somewhat out of place against the campus’s overall quaint atmosphere.

This aesthetic shift might also symbolize a gradual transition from the smooth and moderate to a more distinct individuality.

As the main building for sciences, it indeed should have a more defined edge.

Li Zheng stood in front of the main entrance, looking up at the glass facade and sighed, "Looks like we’ll be coming here often."

Next to him, Zhang Xiaoke also couldn’t help but put her hands on her hips and wiped her nose, "Yeah, looks like we’ll be coming here often."

"Hearing about Bright Academy a couple of times really went to your head..." Li Zheng shook his head as he climbed the steps.

"Ay, isn’t this all about building momentum and determination?" Zhang Xiaoke followed and asked, "Master, are you about to discuss something important? Otherwise, I’ll just find a classroom and do some practice tests."

"Hmm…" Li Zheng was about to nod when he suddenly remembered something, "Wait, you must be good at matchmaking, right?"

"Matchmaking? Master, you’ve got sharp eyes." Zhang Xiaoke got excited at that and jumped up, raising her right hand in a pose, "Ren Da Fu’s number one matchmaker, at your service."

"Then you’d better come with me." Li Zheng explained with difficulty, "Someone asked me to introduce Teacher Zhifei Tang to the teacher we’re about to meet..."

"Wow!" Zhang Xiaoke immediately gasped, "Then I’ve really got to look out for Teacher Xiao Tang."

"A little supervision will do, as Teacher Tang has quite particular tastes."

"So you mean I just handle the matchmaking part, right?"

"Pretty much."

"Great!" Zhang Xiaoke immediately took out her phone and followed Li Zheng up the stairs.

"What are you doing?" Li Zheng asked.

"Editing photos."

"??"

"Gotta make it look good to bait him, right?"

"Wouldn’t it be better to keep it real? "

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"Yet all you men like them fair-skinned and big-eyed."

"Not really."

"Then why are you with Jingjing and not with Qiao Bixia?"

"Jingjing is good at studying."

"…"

Zhang Xiaoke was rendered speechless.

Indeed, there probably isn’t a girl in the world who is a better student than Jingjing.

Compared to traditional buildings, the Science Teaching Building felt more like a major unit, with its ample spacious corridors and rest areas. Its bright light design also inspired a desire to learn.

However, their destination was a gloomy corner.

Li Zheng and Zhang Xiaoke followed twists and turns, finally finding Jie Qifen in a hidden fire exit.

Under a no-smoking sign, Jie Qifen looked tidier than usual with his hair and beard neatly trimmed; not only was he dressed in a suit, but he also held a briefcase convincingly—like a dusty poet turned business executive in a blink.

This made Li Zheng gape.

Not because of the change in style.

But because.

[Jie Qifen]

[Academic Power: 5871]

[Scholastic Wealth: 0]

What the hell is going on???

After Academician Shen Yuecen, the peak of Academic Power was refreshed again.

But why is this dude’s Scholastic Wealth so low?

According to the system description, his personal Academic Power is also part of Scholastic Wealth, so shouldn’t Scholastic Wealth be at least five or six hundred?

Could it be that resources and prestige are in the negatives?

Hmm…

It certainly seems possible.

"Wow…" Zhang Xiaoke leaned towards Li Zheng’s ear and said, "pretty handsome…"

"Yeah, why did he have to look so handsome today…"

Across them, Jie Qifen took a deep breath, stamped out his cigarette, and waved, "Yo, did your little girlfriend come along too?"

As soon as he spoke, his image completely collapsed.

All that appearance of a business elite was fake, every one of them dressed like that is just a real estate agent.

Seeing Jie Qifen like this made Li Zheng finally feel comfortable.

"We’re classmates, just here at Ji University to catch some air," Li Zheng stepped forward and introduced, "This is Teacher Jie Qifen from the School of Physics, and this is... Zhang Xiaoke, a student who aspires to enter the Bright Academy."

"Bright is good, a bright future ahead," Jie Qifen said as he drew another cigarette pack and gestured to Zhang Xiaoke.

"Ah…" Zhang Xiaoke was startled and sent an inquiring look to Li Zheng.

If it’s for the sake of my master’s social network, Xiaoke can force down a smoke!

"Stop messing around," Li Zheng sent a look back, "did you get Teacher Tang’s photo yet?"

"Got it, got it," Zhang Xiaoke hurriedly took out her phone and said to Jie Qifen, "Hello Teacher Jie, I’ve long admired you, our whole class knows about you, especially our homeroom teacher…"

"Hold on," Jie Qifen put the cigarette away and raised his hand, "let’s talk about that later, I want to discuss something important with Li Zheng first."

With that, he pulled out a stack of papers from his briefcase and handed them to Li Zheng, "Take a quick look at these, you have a little over half an hour, that should be enough for you."

Li Zheng glanced briefly at the papers, they were two pure English quantum-related papers, with "Y.-H. Chu" as the first author.

He had not even had time to look closely when Jie Qifen pointed to a label at the corner of the documents.

"’Nature’?" Li Zheng was immediately stunned.

"The one behind is ’Science’," Jie Qifen pointed at the documents, "Chu Youhua has classes today, but I managed to convince him to spare 30 minutes for you after class, so you better take this time to read through these quickly."

"Chu Youhua is who?" Li Zheng asked blankly.

"Aren’t you fucking crazy about physics?" Jie Qifen rubbed his eyes painfully, "Well, let me put it this way, Chu Youhua, in the realm of quantum physics... oh no, in the whole field of physics... no, no, no, in the entire scientific community, is the most promising guy. I didn’t expect to be able to schedule him, but perhaps you’re so famous, he actually agreed to spare 30 minutes…"

"Wait a minute…" Li Zheng swallowed and raised his hand, "so you’re saying, you’re introducing me to a mentor who is a top giant in the field of quantum physics?"

Jie Qifen also swallowed hard, "Yes."

"But didn’t you say those who are into quantum are all bullshitters and scammers?"

Jie Qifen swallowed again and nodded, "Right."

"I’m a bit lost…" Li Zheng rubbed his forehead, "you’re introducing me to someone you despise?"

"Pretty much," Jie Qifen grabbed Li Zheng by the shoulder, raised his finger solemnly, and said, "Listen, no one knows what the future of physics will look like. Quantum mechanics being all about scammers and bullshit is just my personal opinion, which I still stand by, but it doesn’t relate to you. Whether I approve of someone isn’t important; what’s important is whether ’Nature’ and ’Science’ approve, do you agree on this point?"

"... probabilistically agree."

"The key point is, this man isn’t just theorizing on paper; he’s handling condensed matter and quantum materials with one hand, and playing with quantum computing with the other, indeed bringing some stuff into reality. Now, resources, funding, and prestige are all tilting towards him. Just so you know, he’s got more money than he can spend, what he lacks are people. If you follow him, you might just…"

Jie Qifen spoke thus with bloodshot eyes, snatching the paper from Li Zheng’s hands and said with some neurotic force, "You could even make it onto ’Nature,’ ’Science,’ perhaps in three years, maybe just two..."

After he spoke, he stuffed the paper back to Li Zheng, and grabbed his shoulders again, "Do you understand? Damn it, fate is beckoning to you!"

"Teacher Jie..." Li Zheng trembled as he lowered his head, looking at his own shoulders, "I should... already have scratches from your grip..."

Jie Qifen, startled, released his hands immediately, waving them and said, "Too excited, sorry, have a quick look."

"I may not understand it..." Li Zheng sighed with his head down, "Besides, it’s entirely in English, containing a lot of cutting-edge physics terminology, probably beyond my vocabulary."

"You still need to look!" Jie Qifen turned his face and got excited again, "Just remember a few nouns, offer them some compliments to their face, do I really need to teach you that?!"

"..." Li Zheng felt his mood wasn’t quite right, so he didn’t argue back, signaled that he accepted the task, and really started to look through it heads down.

Only then did Jie Qifen somewhat dazedly nod his head, pulled out a cigarette and put it in his mouth, then tried to light it, failing several times.

The feeling was just too twisted.

Suits and leather shoes, quantum, piles of papers...

It was as if... everything Jie Qifen despised was gathered together.

Standing aside, Zhang Xiaoke was extremely awkward, and very afraid.

After watching for a while, she mustered her courage, took over the lighter that Jie Qifen couldn’t ignite, fiddled with it a bit, then easily lit it and handed it over.

"Teacher, your cigarette..."

Jie Qifen took a deep puff in the flame, letting out a long sigh, and finally eased up.

"Thanks..." He slowly took back the lighter, shaking his head and laughing, "Look at me now, do I even dare introduce you guys to your teachers?"

"Ah... it should be, all for Master’s good..." Zhang Xiaoke wiped her sweat and forced a smile, "Although I don’t understand quantum, research and the like at all, you are introducing a real big shot to Master, right..."

"Master?... Hmm... can be, very thematic." Jie Qifen chuckled, fiddling with his cigarette, "That’s basically it, if your Master could get on board with Director Chu, then it really would be a rocket launch—fame, experience, credentials, SCI, everything."

"But..." Zhang Xiaoke leaned over, tentatively asking, "You must really like Master... to desperately introduce such characters to him..."

Jie Qifen grinned and said, "Like what? He doesn’t even share a smoke with me."

"Anyway, you must really like him," Zhang Xiaoke pursed her lips, "Clearly liking a student so much... yet having to hand them over to someone else... it must... really hurt..."

"..." Jie Qifen stiffened for a moment, then laughed heartily, "What kind of thinking do you young girls have? This is about academia, not love."

"But... that’s the feeling," Zhang Xiaoke murmured with her head down, kicking her legs aimlessly, "Clearly having someone you like, yet feeling unworthy... considering the other’s future... personally handing them over to someone distasteful but competent... oh my, oh my, it’s making me feel nauseous."

"That is quite bitter, but..." Jie Qifen turned his head with a troubled smile, "Isn’t that what reality is like?"

"..."

"You go back and tell your teacher clearly, I’m not even an associate professor." Jie Qifen leaned against the wall, casually smoking, "Don’t look at my age, actually I’m nothing, might not even earn more than her, plus I have a bad temper, smoke, drink, blame everyone else—just the most unsuccessful kind of person."

"Whether you’re unsuccessful or not, I don’t care," Zhang Xiaoke pouted indifferently, "Master has a moral obsession, anyone who can be friends with Master must be a good person."

Jie Qifen laughed out loud, "That’s because he has never met a bad person."

"Can’t argue with that..."

"Alright, it’s not worth having a young girl sort out my issues," Jie Qifen flicked away the cigarette butt and gestured with his mouth, "Show me your teacher."

Zhang Xiaoke hesitated for a moment, eventually pulled out her phone, revealing a fake smile

"Wow! That’s a real beauty!"

...

Once the bell rang, the three of them returned to the hall, and Zhang Xiaoke tactfully withdrew, searching for the exam preparation classroom.

Jie Qifen then hurried Li Zheng along as they walked, talking all the way.

"Director Chu doesn’t have an office here, we’ll meet him in the teachers’ lounge. By the way, how’s the reading going?"

"I totally don’t get it." Li Zheng shook his head as he handed back the paper, "My learning policy has always been about laying a foundation. I exercise restraint in specialized knowledge and, influenced by you, only scratched the surface of quantum mechanics."

"My bad." Jie Qifen tapped his head and said, "No worries, just take the opportunity to showcase your experimental skills. After all, you have the foundation of a Physics Competition Champion, and you can also talk about the things you’ve been involved with in the Yellow 2 project. You can learn the rest slowly."

"I’ll manage it myself." Li Zheng shook his head and sighed, "Just take it easy, Teacher Jie, if it happens, it happens; if not, then let it be. No need to act as if I’m unable to find a job."

"Young people, you haven’t suffered enough," Jie Qifen said with a wry smile. "Back in my days, I was even more awesome. Those who weren’t as clever or as wise as me shouldn’t have been above me. I wouldn’t even greet the Dean of the School of Science and Physics."

"Or perhaps that’s why you’re not a professor."

"Haha, well scolded!" Jie Qifen laughed loudly. "I despised following procedures for those ridiculous evaluations back then. Now, it’s pointless even if I attend."

The two of them spoke as they pushed open the door to the teachers’ lounge.

This was a public space that provided beverages and newspapers for teachers waiting for their class breaks. At the moment, a teacher was sitting upright, casually flipping through a newspaper. Jie Qifen peeked inside, saw it wasn’t Chu Youhua, and then pulled Li Zheng to the other side.

"Let me give you a few more tips."

"Chu Youhua has overseas experience, but he doesn’t like it being mentioned because the school wasn’t great."

"Besides being a professor, he’s also the director of the Institute of Quantum Engineering and Quantum Materials at the School of Physics, established just the year before last. Several national key projects have already been set up, though I didn’t pay attention to the specifics. Just boast about it."

"Lastly, and most importantly, do not praise me, don’t talk about my matters."

"In the School of Physics, I am the entire quantum field’s enemy. Don’t mention any of my physical views; if he asks, just emphasize our exchanges in mathematics. Do not bring up physics at all."

After giving his instructions, the door was pushed open again.

A man about Jie Qifen’s age and dressed similarly walked in.

However, his demeanor was completely different; Jie Qifen often looked scornful, but this man wore a generous smile and looked kindly, exuding a superior demeanor from every pore, despite his heavy hair that seemed a bit out of place.

"Director Chu!" Jie Qifen hurriedly pulled Li Zheng to greet him, "This is Li Zheng."

"Ah, I’ve heard a lot about you," Chu Youhua smiled politely, extending his right hand, "A five-subject gold medalist and a key member of the rocket team, it’s my first time hearing about and seeing such a person."

Li Zheng was initially stunned, and only remembered to shake hands after being nudged by Jie Qifen.

The reason for his astonishment was quite blunt.

[Chu Youhua]

[Academic Power: 817]

[Scholastic Wealth: 138327]

This number left the inexperienced Li Zheng completely dumbfounded.

Is this even human??

More than 130,000? All the people I met today combined times ten wouldn’t reach this number, right??

On the other hand.

817 Academic Power...

Not to mention Jie Qifen...

I, Li Zheng, could even be your elder brother.

Witnessing this bizarre scene,

Li Zheng was first dumbstruck,

then shocked,

and finally curious.

Who exactly is Chu Youhua... to have grown so wildly?

Wish I could give a fraction of one percent to poor Fen Bao’er.