Chapter 1, The Rain of Departure

We truly came to know each other through ordinary drinking water

Southern Jiangsu

Su Nan arrived early, found an inconspicuous corner to sit down, and buried his head in reviewing his speech materials. Several pages of the manuscript were crumpled at the corners, and his palms were sweaty.

I am a graduate student of Professor Lin Han, Su Nan

Su Nan received a text message from his mentor Lin Han, and only when he walked out of the library did he remember that he had forgotten to bring an umbrella

At dusk, it began to rain. The light drizzle of early autumn pattered on the leaves, casting a dim and tranquil atmosphere over the campus

Chen Zhiyu reached into the pocket of his trousers, took out a cigarette case and a lighter, "I apologize, I need to smoke a cigarette"

Chen Zhiyu took a sip of tea and slowly said: "A few years ago, the dean had a doctoral student who extended his studies twice, and his thesis was delayed for a long time. The dean couldn't stand it any longer and asked me to help tutor him... The dean was my doctoral supervisor back in the day, and this person is also my junior, so I had to lend a hand... In the end, I guided him step by step to revise his thesis, and he graduated. This matter was quite uninteresting. Everyone has their strengths, and challenging oneself in areas of weakness only adds trouble for oneself and others."

In the blink of an eye, autumn has arrived

After a moment of hesitation, I knocked on the door

There are still classes to attend after going back

"... ... Teacher Chen, where is the parking lot?"

Fifteen minutes passed, and those students finally left

Do you want me to give it to you

But which direction is south

Su Nan stood at the door, "Sister Han, Teacher Chen."

By the window, sat Chen Zhiyu

The door was not closed, slightly ajar, and the sound of conversation came through the crack.

He still needed to decline politely, but Chen Zhiyu waved his hand, leaving no room for discussion

She stood still for a few seconds before moving forward again

The office is divided into two parts: the interior consists of three offices, while the exterior features a tea room for guests. A small, pale yellow lamp is lit on the table, next to which is a low, green plant.

Laughter erupted from below

After finishing the meal, Su Nan prepared to return to the hotel to pack his belongings and head to the station

Chen Zhiyu's comment, does it not just happen to prove once again that her decision to pursue graduate studies at that time was a mistake

The sky is darkening, and the barbecue stalls outside the school are gradually being set up, with smoke swirling in the night air. ... Milk tea shops, stationery stores, cake shops ... . ... They are lined up in succession, much like the streets outside every city and every university.

Su Nan's mentor Lin Han has been an old friend of his for many years and has instructed Su Nan to be sure to greet him during this visit

He could only brace himself and walk over, "Teacher Chen."

The library is three hundred meters from the office. She hesitated for a moment, pulled up the hood of her sweatshirt, and ran into the rain

Sit down and have some hot tea. Lin Han picked up the kettle and poured some hot water into a disposable cup

Exit the office, walk south for five hundred meters, and turn west to arrive at your destination

Su Nan held his backpack, momentarily hesitating

The student reception at the check-in desk on the first floor has not yet left. Su Nan signed in, took the conference materials, and went to the arranged hotel to rest

She has also been criticized by Lin Han for lacking new ideas in her thesis. While research in the field of empirical studies may be acceptable, once it comes to studies related to the Frankfurt School, she can only operate within the old framework.

selected

Sunan nodded slightly

He seemed to have drifted away in thought, his gaze unknowingly resting somewhere in the space around him

I will go and get it for you

Chen Zhiyu was looking down at the collection of papers when he heard the words and raised his head

There is no ... ... '' instinctively denying.

Chen Zhiyu held the microphone, stood up, and said, "I heard that there were originally eight students invited, but when they found out that I was the host, four of them declined the invitation."

"I have hands and feet, so I won't trouble you." Chen Zhiyu smiled, thought for a moment, and said, "You go to the hotel to get the things now, and I will return to the report hall. Later, you can go directly to the parking lot to find me."

Please come in

After asking for directions several times, just before it became completely dark, I finally saw the sign of the "School of Journalism and Communication" hidden beneath the shadows of the trees

Why not take a stroll in Chongcheng

After finishing his speech, Su Nan sat down unsteadily in his seat, his heart pounding, unsure if he had missed any key points.

She is preoccupied with making a living; reading a few more pages of a book only adds to her anxiety and melancholy. This mindset certainly does not lend itself to scholarly pursuits. She knows she is not cut out for it and just wants to get through these two years and find a job. If pursuing a master's degree has any benefit, it might be that when discussing offers, she can confidently negotiate an additional one thousand in base salary.

Lin Han sat down, propping her head with one hand, looking at Chen Zhiyu, then glancing at Su Nan, and said with a smile: "This year, Teacher Chen has been invited to teach an elective course, have you heard about it?"

He held the cigarette and lit it, took a puff, but did not rush to leave. He slightly tilted his body and looked at her, "Do you know why I haven't commented on you?"

After a brief pause, Chen Zhiyu closed the menu and picked up the teacup, asking, "Is it really that fragile when faced with criticism?"

However ... ...

Chen Zhiyu specializes in the study of the history of communication. Su Nan is not a student at Chongcheng University, but has also heard that he has strict academic standards and a very high failure rate.

She took a seat in the corner of the table, brought over a cup of water, and quietly said, "Thank you, Sister Han."

It must have been a late summer afternoon, and I still remember the fibers of the wind clinging to the short cuffs.

People gradually gathered, and just before starting, I put away the speech and glanced at the front row

Chen Zhiyu suddenly paused, "If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have almost forgotten about the 'bricks' you brought..."

After the conclusion, everyone gradually left the venue, while Chen Zhiyu remained surrounded in place, with a few students beside him, asking questions one after another

The vehicle travels east, heading straight to the train station

Since she was young, she has not known how to interact with her elders, and there has always been a lingering fear of being criticized in her heart

Chen Zhiyu picked up the suit jacket draped over the back of the chair and slung it over his arm, "Let's go"

Starting from the second year of graduate studies, the students in the professional master's program have begun to participate in successive rounds of campus recruitment, while the academic master's program is faced with an even more compact schedule of courses

Upon arriving at the office building, I took off my hat, patted the rainwater off my clothes, and proceeded to Lin Han's office

Two cups of tea, the pale white steam gently disperses

Chen Zhiyu stared at her for a moment, paused, and said nothing further

It did not rain when I went out ... ... I was in the library all afternoon

A teacher beside me chuckled, "What is this?" Curiously, I took it and weighed it in my hand, "Oh, it feels like a brick. Did you carry it over from Dancheng? Teacher Lin is quite amusing; why not just send it by express delivery?

I asked you if there is enough food, and whether we should add a bit more

This visit to Chongcheng is in response to the request of my mentor, Lin Han, to participate in the Communication Studies Summit Forum held at Chongcheng University. Last year, Lin Han recruited three graduate students: one academic master's student and two professional master's students. The professional master's students, one from the south and one from the north, are busy with internships, and most of the menial tasks are being handled by the student from the south.

Su Nan entered Chongcheng University carrying a luggage bag

Twilight envelops the surroundings, with only a faint trace of daylight remaining

Then Chen Zhiyu raised his head, looked around, and his gaze fell upon me

In the third seat of the first row sits Associate Professor Chen Zhiyu from the School of Journalism and Communication at Chongqing University.

In the midst of silence, upon arriving at the underground parking lot of the train station, Su Nan took his luggage and expressed his gratitude to Chen Zhi.

You didn't bring an umbrella

This point is clear to oneself, however, being criticized by one's own mentor and being criticized by others are two completely different concepts

You have no reverence for knowledge, making you unsuitable for academia

Outside the School of Journalism at Chongcheng University, there is a pathway leading to the gate on the other side. In early summer, a few roses are still blooming in the flowerbeds along the way

She hurriedly said, "No... you are right."

My roommate sent a WeChat message asking when she would return to Dancheng. Just as I was about to reply, I heard Chen Zhiyu cough lightly, so I quickly locked the screen and looked up.

She gave a hesitant "mm" sound

She opened her mouth but could not speak. Lowering her head, she pressed her lips together and made a sound, barely audible to herself, saying "mm".

She shook her head

No need, Teacher Chen, taking the subway is convenient, and the luggage is also light

Chen Zhiyu smiled, thanked Su Nan, and invited her to take a seat first. After the meeting concluded, he promised to treat her to a simple meal.

A few remarks subtly avoided direct commentary on Su Nan.

With a dejected demeanor, he arrived at the restaurant.

The forum will last for two days and is divided into four sessions. The first session will feature speeches from student representatives. After all three students have finished their speeches, the host of this session will pose questions and provide comments.

In this season, the smoke and willow catkins are not particularly noteworthy. Let winter come, as the snow scenery is quite pleasant

Oh, hello," Chen Zhiyu said as he stood up from the pages of the book, extending his hand towards Su Nan, "Teacher Lin has already told me about you.

Saturday morning, the hospital office report hall

It is just right that you have chosen that; Teacher Chen is not familiar with our school, so you can assist him as a teaching assistant

Jian Mei's "April Rips the Silk"

After a moment of silence, Chen Zhiyu turned to look at her and smiled, "Make sure not to report me to Lin Han when you go back"

Teacher Chen

Upon exiting the hospital building, Chen Zhiyu came to a halt, and Su Nan quickly followed suit.

It was only then that Su Nan came back to his senses from his thoughts, and upon raising his head, he happened to meet Chen Zhiyu's gaze.

She was taken aback for a moment, "... ... Alright, Sister Han."

His car looks somewhat old and is still a manual transmission, while most cars on the market today have switched to automatic transmission. The interior is kept very tidy, without any air fresheners, just a dry scent.

No need to say busy

Chen Zhiyu propped his elbow on the car window, lit a cigarette, and uttered a nonchalant "mm".

After returning from Chongcheng, Sunan continued his rather dull graduate student life. He read books weekly, prepared reading reports, assisted his advisor, and earned some extra money by providing tutoring for the graduate entrance examination on weekends

Chen Zhiyu drives steadily, signaling and changing lanes without any mistakes

I have known Lin Han for ten years; if I were to comment, I fear that my relationship with her classmates would be irreparably damaged today

Have you chosen or not

Chen Zhiyu looked over, smiled faintly, with a hint of carefree charm, "I greatly appreciate your assistance, classmate Su Nan"

Su Nan could not help but sit up straight

Chen Zhiyu first commented on the papers of the other two students, raising several questions, "... ... Next is the report by student Su Nan ... ..." He paused for a moment, "... ... There has been a great deal of research on group dynamics, so I will not mention any specific issues here. This forum has allowed me to see the new perspectives and angles of the emerging forces in communication studies, which has been very enlightening for me ... ..."

Sunan leaned slightly towards the side of the car door, creating some distance from Chen Zhiyu

The surroundings are damp and dim, with a row of white lights overhead extending into the distance, leaving only a glowing line behind.

She nodded

When he heard the sound of the door opening, he raised his head, and from behind the lenses, two indifferent gazes were cast.

The southern part of Jiangsu is somewhat perplexing

In fact, she did not choose; upon seeing the name "Chen Zhiyu" immediately following "Trends in Communication Studies" in the morning, she instinctively avoided it

Sunan quickly reached out to shake his hand, then took off the backpack he was carrying on his back and pulled out a paper box from inside, "This is what Teacher Lin asked me to bring to you"

Su Nan nodded

Chen Zhiyu made a judgment and turned to continue walking forward

To say it is not awkward is certainly false

Chen Zhiyu took it and said, "So heavy?"

She unconsciously lightened her footsteps, as if she were a wisp of a ghost, silently walking away.

Teacher Lin expressed that she is not at ease with sending express deliveries

That could be a gold brick