Chapter 153: Old Rivals

Professor Zhao was probably aware that she couldn’t squeeze another commitment into her schedule.

However, she kept thinking about it.

Just as this thought once again popped into Tan Mo’s mind, Professor Zhao requested her presence in the staffroom.

Professor Zhao grinned at her. He looked abnormally friendly.

“Professor Zhao, don’t smile at me like this. If you have something to say to me, just get straight to the point.” Tan Mo found his smile rather devious.

Professor Zhao: “……”

“I came up with a question for you. I want you to try to answer it.”

He claimed that it was only one question. However, Professor Zhao ended up digging out a stack of A4 paper that had been stapled together.

It was as thick as the textbooks she used to have back when she was in elementary school.

Tan Mo: “……”

When Professor Zhao caught sight of the despair on Tan Mo’s face, he seemed to rejoice in her misfortune. “These aren’t ordinary exam questions. They are open-ended questions, not multiple-choice questions. They encompass a huge range of topics, an example being the impact of historical characters, as well as a timeline of historical events. You’ll be tested on the present and future influence of these events, as well as on your views on these matters. Of course, it’s completely different from anything you’ll see in college exams. Those types of questions are too superficial.”

“Questions set by you are definitely not going to be superficial.” Tan Mo didn’t even need to read it to understand this fact.

Professor Zhao was tickled by Tan Mo’s bitter expression.

This girl was so lazy. Yet she was so smart.

“Please don’t break into tears. The most capable people are subject to the most work.” Professor Zhao smiled. “Although all these questions won’t require an essay-length answer, a few sentences won’t be sufficient to address them either. Hence, you don’t have to rush to complete it and hand it into me. The questions are college-level and include post-graduate topics as well.

“Go and read up. This is not a closed-book examination.”

Professor Zhao rubbed his fingers against his stubble as he looked at her. Then he said, “If you undertake research from both the Finance and Chinese majors simultaneously, you will have already surpassed the amount of content that 90 percent of students at Beijing University study.”

He felt that 90 percent was a conservative estimate.

At Beijing University, a student focused on a single major would have to work hard just to keep up.

Tan Mo was working in three majors.

Although Tan Mo wasn’t attending every single lesson from the History and Chinese majors, she was still being mentored by Professor Zhao and Professor Guo. So she was being kept as busy as all the other Chinese and History students.

The other students were envious of the status mentees of professors could enjoy. They could receive personal guidance from the professors, be the subject of admiration, and enjoy the benefits of their connections.

However, the other students were unaware of how much pressure these mentees had put on them.

“I won’t rush you about submitting this exam paper.” Professor Zhao chuckled. “What about if you finish it by the end of this term. Submit it to me when you’re finished.”

“All right.” Although Tan Mo was feeling strangely lazy, she would never shirk the responsibilities assigned to her. She would never evade them either.

As long as she had made a commitment, she would definitely put in her best efforts.

…

When Tan Mo left, Professor Zhao left the staffroom with a grin on his face.

He hadn’t told Tan Mo that this set of exam questions were part of the entry requirements to his research team.

When he was establishing the team, he had compiled a list of names.

They were the names of students he had a good impression of.

However, the numbers were too big. There was a limit to the number who could join his team.

So he had decided to distribute a set of questions and requested that the candidates complete it.

By means of the results, he would select the final members who would make it into the team.

Professor Guo’s students had thoroughly accepted Tan Mo.

But he was not sure how his own students would react.

He could only have her complete the same questions as everyone else.

As long as Tan Mo completed them and passed, he could pass her answers to the other students on the team.

Nothing was more convincing then pure talent.

Tan Mo was still unaware that she was going to have a difficult time avoiding joining Professor Zhao’s research team.

At that moment, she was lugging her bag toward Professor Guo’s research room.

Once she entered the building, she took the elevator up.

The moment she stepped out of the elevator, she saw a man around the same age as Professor Guo walking in front of her.

He had probably exited from the elevator adjacent to her.

Tan Mo didn’t think much of it. She walked right behind him.

However, as she walked, she realized that the man was walking in the same direction as she was.

When they reached the door of the research room, the man walked in first.

Just as Tan Mo was about to enter, she heard that man chuckle. “Ha, ha, ha, ha. Old Guo, how have you been?”

However, Professor Guo didn’t seem very happy to see him.

Tan Mo stepped inside and quietly found a seat as she started to observe what was going on.

She remained quiet and kept a low profile.

What’s more, everyone’s attention was focused on the man who had suddenly walked in.

Even if Wang Yuemu and the team had noticed her presence, they wouldn’t have had any time to greet her.

Since everyone was so familiar now anyway, there wasn’t really any need for greetings.

Tan Mo found an inconspicuous spot and took a seat.

She was blocked by the computer screen. Only half her forehead could be seen from behind the screen.

“Liu Jicheng, why are you here?” Professor Guo seemed displeased at his arrival.

This was Tan Mo’s first time seeing Professor Guo seem displeased to see anyone. She became a little curious.

Wang Yuemu and the team greeted him politely, “Professor Liu.”

They obviously recognized him.

Tan Mo hid behind her computer. In any case, she had no idea who this man was.

Professor Liu briskly returned their greetings. He conveyed his greetings without even looking at who was in the room.

He turned his eyes back toward Professor Guo. “Hey, Old Guo. Why are you still treating me so coldly?”

Professor Guo harrumphed. He couldn’t be bothered to answer him.

Professor Liu didn’t take it to heart. He rambled on. “I’ve brought my students on an exchange trip. My students are looking around Beijing University at the moment. I’m really bored, so I came to visit you.”

“Ha, ha.” Professor Guo plastered on a fake smile. “Since you’ve already seen me, you should go and find your students now.”

“No worries, there are other teachers leading the group.” Professor Liu waved his hand, completely unbothered. “Initially, I wasn’t scheduled to come along.”

He was someone who addressed Professor Guo as Old Guo. He most likely held a certain position of authority.

“However, I realized that I could pay you a visit during this trip. Hence I decided to tag along.” Professor Liu didn’t seem to mind Professor Guo’s unwelcoming attitude.

“Eh, why are you being so cold?” Professor Liu chuckled once again. “I can’t believe I specially came to visit you.”

“Ha, ha.” Professor Guo could only laugh coldly.

“Oh, right, have you chosen your participants yet for the Ancient Text Competition?”

“I haven’t decided yet.” Professor Guo couldn’t be bothered to give him any further explanation. “I’m usually busy with research. I don’t have any intention of seeking fame. Even if we do participate, it would be only a formality.”

“Eh? You can’t be trying to protect your reputation, right? If Beijing University loses, you’ll be utterly humiliated. Hence, you claim that it is only a formality. It’ll make it look as though your team never put in much effort and that you’re giving way to us…right?” Professor Liu said mockingly.