Jingyuan

Choosing A was definitely an option.

Since it was his alma mater and the person he was looking for was someone he knew, Shen Yi's thoughts were very clear.

The atmosphere at the university was good, with no one to restrain him, and he could come and go freely.

In principle, even graduates could go back anytime to sit in on a lecture, as there were so many people that no one would notice.

However, Shen Yi chose B because it was faster.

[You decide to ask a senior who stayed at the university for information.]

[You open the long-unused university group chat and find a senior you used to chat with frequently, asking about Shu Yunyi's situation.]

[Upon hearing your inquiry, the senior fell into reminiscence; perhaps he was also one of her admirers back then.]

[But human memory is too fleeting, and only when you mentioned her did he realize he hadn’t heard any news about this once-prominent figure in a long time.]

[The last time he heard about her was a long time ago, and it was said that her family had gone through a major upheaval.]

[Under your persistent questioning, the senior said it was just a rumor. He only knew that she had stopped teaching, but beyond that, he had no further details.]

[Although the senior didn’t know Shu Yunyi’s current situation, he didn’t let you down and recommended another person who might know more.]

[Because Shu Yunyi had once been this person’s mentor.]

[You contacted her, and she asked about your intentions.]

[After you explained your identity and made a sincere request, she eventually agreed to take you to visit.]

[You arranged to meet at the university gate.]

In a flash, Shen Yi was transported into the scene by the text.

Shen Yi blinked, and suddenly he was standing at the entrance of Jingyuan University.

“Are you Shen Yi?”

A woman’s voice came from across, asking him.

The person approaching was a woman in her late twenties, not very tall, wearing glasses, and in a hurry.

Her face was bare, without makeup, and while not particularly beautiful, her appearance was generally passable.

“Yes, senior, hello, I’m Shen Yi.”

Shen Yi stepped forward and gently shook her hand, then continued,

“Thank you, may I know how to address you?”

“Just call me Shi Jing, no need to be polite.”

Shi Jing released his hand and gave Shen Yi a once-over, her first impression of this graduated junior was quite good.

“Senior Shi, I really appreciate you taking the time for this...”

Shen Yi said politely, noticing her hurried demeanor, which suggested her time was precious.

Shi Jing waved her hand,

“It’s fine, I was planning to visit Professor Shu anyway, so you just happened to catch me.”

“Shall we walk and talk?”

Shen Yi suggested.

“Sure, follow me.”

With that, Shen Yi followed Shi Jing into the campus.

A large stone monument stood in front of them, engraved with Jingyuan’s motto: “Rectify the heart, be sincere in intent, and pursue knowledge.”

Returning to his alma mater, Shen Yi felt a wave of nostalgia; after all, it was where he had spent several years studying.

Shi Jing led the way, explaining as they walked:

“Professor Shu no longer teaches. She mostly stays in her apartment now, so if you want to see her, you’ll have to go there.”

The apartment referred to the university-assigned temporary housing for professors. It wasn’t very big, usually around fifty to sixty square meters, but definitely enough for a single person.

“Is Professor Shu already a full professor?”

Shen Yi asked her.

Shi Jing shook her head,

“No, she’s still an associate professor.”

Whether by age, experience, or qualifications, Shu Yunyi should have no problem being promoted to full professor. The fact that she hadn’t been yet surely had a reason.

Shen Yi thought for a moment and then asked,

“Is it related to her not teaching anymore?”

Shi Jing hesitated before replying:

“It’s related, but not entirely. The main reason is something else. She chose to stop teaching herself, and I was the last student she mentored.”

“In other words, she’s on an indefinite break.”

Shen Yi nodded in understanding, thinking to himself,

“A break? I doubt it’s that simple.”

Once a prominent figure at the university, she had remained single until now, reaching the age of 34 and becoming what society would call a “leftover woman.”

This seemed almost impossible, given that back in the day, her admirers could form a line from the university gate to the department cafeteria, including lecturers and professors who had taken a liking to her.

The secrets and complexities involved were not trivial, and to understand more, he would need to dig deeper.

It was no wonder she had a comprehensive score of 94; the difficulty level had just shot up.

The two walked toward the apartment, and Shi Jing stopped in front of a store.

“Wait here for a moment.”

She went into a convenience store and bought four cans of beer. After some hesitation, she put one back and came out with only three.

“Let’s go.”

Shen Yi glanced at her and asked,

“Why did you buy beer?”

Shi Jing lifted the bag and smiled wryly:

“Professor Shu loves drinking. Every time I visit her, I have to bring some, or she’ll get angry.”

Shen Yi hadn’t expected Shu Yunyi to have this habit, so he simply nodded in understanding.

Entering the apartment, Shi Jing pressed the elevator button.

While waiting, she said,

“You’re the first person in a long time to come visit Professor Shu.”

Shen Yi was surprised,

“Oh? No one else has come before?”

“People from the department have visited, but Professor Shu was in a bad mood and hard to communicate with, so gradually, no one came anymore.”

She smiled faintly,

“She’s become a forgotten corner.”

As they walked, Shen Yi’s curiosity grew, and he couldn’t help but ask Shi Jing,

“Can I ask why this happened? Why did Professor Shu end up like this?”

Shi Jing was silent for a while before shaking her head,

“It’s Professor Shu’s personal matter. I can’t say much, and you... shouldn’t ask too many questions.”

They exited the elevator, and Shi Jing led Shen Yi down the hallway.

Before reaching the door, she turned around and reminded him,

“If Professor Shu gets angry at you later, just bear with it. She’ll calm down after drinking.”

“Alright,” Shen Yi agreed.

Shi Jing didn’t knock but instead entered a code and opened the door directly.

Walking in, they were greeted by the living room.

The chairs were askew, the table was cluttered, and the coffee table in the center was covered with various bottles of alcohol.

Fortunately, the floor was relatively clean, or there would have been no place to step.

Shi Jing, accustomed to the scene, walked toward the bedroom, where the door was slightly ajar.

She gently pushed it open and called softly,

“Professor Shu?”

Shen Yi followed Shi Jing inside, where a woman lay on the bed, fast asleep.

Her hair was disheveled, obscuring her face, and one pale leg dangled over the edge of the bed.

Beside the bed were glass bottles and crushed beer cans, with one slipper standing upright and the other missing.

The wardrobe door was wide open, with clothes hanging haphazardly and many having fallen out.

The floor was also littered with clothes, and Shen Yi even spotted a few pieces of underwear in various colors.

Their styles varied, and they seemed to be of a larger size.

Shi Jing glanced at Shen Yi, realizing the awkwardness, and quickly bent down to tidy up and cover the items.

Then she walked to the bed and gently shook Shu Yunyi,

“Professor Shu, wake up.”

Shu Yunyi seemed to startle awake, sitting up groggily.

As she sat up, the liquid in her chest seemed to flow and gather, forming a captivating curve.

This swaying charm reminded one of the autumn harvest in the fields.

The wheat gently swayed, and the golden ears shimmered.