Chapter 1, Meng Ti (Part 1)

Her throat felt dry, and she laughed awkwardly, saying, "Actually, I haven't completed the credits for my elective courses. My classmate came with me to attend the class. So I randomly chose a course that is said to be easy to pass."

According to modern literary historians, the entire decade of the 1920s represents the first phase of development. Following the New Culture Movement, Lu Xun's collection of short stories "A Call to Arms" and Guo Moruo's poetry collection "The Goddess" were published. These works became the cornerstones of modern literature, and Lu Xun and Guo Moruo emerged as the founders of modern literature

Thus, Zhao Chunian said: "No wonder you fall asleep as soon as class starts"

Zhao Chunian rested one hand on the table, showing no intention of leaving, and politely asked: "In the spirit of reciprocity, could you share your mobile number with me?"

"I said he was looking at you," Wang Xiru whispered at the opportune moment, "with that kind of gaze. I've seen him look at you several times while you were sleeping. He probably just started teaching at the new school, feeling shy and not wanting to wake you up."

Indeed, his name, office phone number, and email address were written on the blackboard. Meng Ti admired the beautiful chalk handwriting. The calligraphy was clearly practiced, perhaps for many years, exhibiting a distinct European style, elegant and effortless; the Arabic numerals and English letters were also quite commendable. However, as an elective course instructor, he provided his students with an excessive amount of information. For an elective course, which is of little consequence, students are primarily concerned only with exam-related matters. However, as an elective course instructor, he provided his students with an excessive amount of information. For an elective course, which is of little consequence, students are primarily concerned only with exam-related matters

I see. Zhao Chunian nodded slightly, appearing to understand completely. However, Meng Ti felt that she could detect a hint of disappointment and regret in his gaze.

There are also teachers who are more relaxed. Meng Ti smiled, resting her head on her hand as she looked at the person on the podium

After enduring for over an hour, as the class was about to end, Meng Ti seemed to regain a bit of her spirit

Wang Xiru shook her head and sighed with emotion: "Even if it is an elective course, this teacher has it too easy."

He held a thick textbook in his hand, spending two-thirds of his time reading it and the remaining one-third observing the classroom. Meng Ti rested her head on one hand, gazing at him, when his bright eyes happened to sweep over her. Deep as the sea, the fleeting sparkle in his gaze revealed a subtle yet elusive message, creating a fleeting illusion that it seemed as if there was only her in the depths of his eyes

On a September evening, the temperature is slightly cool after the autumn rain. The sky is a deep and varied shade of ink, resembling a magnificent curtain that has been drawn open; the teaching buildings in the distance and nearby are brightly lit against the night, with large glass windows radiating an astonishing brightness. From afar, they appear like jewels embedded in a curtain, splendid and resplendent, akin to a string of pearls. A hint of dampness wafts into the tiered classroom at the end of the third-floor corridor, merging wonderfully with the breath of over two hundred people; when mixed with a bit of conversation, the sound of breathing, and the rustling of pages, it creates the most fundamental essence and atmosphere of a university classroom.

The class had already started for ten minutes, and Meng Ti had to muster all his energy to listen. However, the quality of his lecture was almost inversely proportional to his outstanding appearance; he basically read from the textbook without any variation in tone, lacking even the simplest intonation, making it as dull as modern literature itself. If it weren't for his perfect vocal tone, which still held a considerable degree of appeal, half of the people in the classroom would have fallen asleep.

A girl sitting in the front row raised her hand high and asked loudly, "Teacher, are you taking attendance?"

In this day and age, not many college students still use fountain pens. Zhao Chunian held the slender fountain pen, which felt heavy and substantial in his hand, still warm from the heat of his palm. He instinctively tightened his grip on the pen, bent down, and wrote his name, email address, and phone number on the paper

Meng Ti felt a bit embarrassed, thinking how impolite it was to stare at the teacher for so long without blinking. She quickly said, "No, nothing at all." Her voice was even stammering.

Her mind raced as she pondered when she had caught the attention of this young and handsome male teacher—could it be that her behavior of sleeping during class had displeased him? Wang Xiru mentioned that he had glanced at her several times. However, he seemed quite reasonable and wouldn't retaliate to such an extent

It seems somewhat illogical for the teacher to be standing while she is sitting, but if she were to invite him to sit down or stand up, it would create an image of a heart-to-heart conversation, which also feels a bit inappropriate. A battle raged in her mind for a few seconds, during which Zhao Chunian observed her gazing at him with flickering eyes, as if troubled by something, and asked, "What’s wrong?"

I am sorry! I know that the teacher works very hard in preparing and delivering lessons. It turns out he really remembers. Meng Ti was so embarrassed that she was at a loss for what to do. Just as she wanted to stand up, the space between the desks and chairs was too narrow. As soon as she got up, her leg bumped into the desk, and she fell back down. Her face was filled with the embarrassment of being caught with a book. "I won't do it again! I didn't realize class had already started at that time... I am truly sorry."

Time truly is like "the flowing river"; she had barely slept for a few minutes when the class had already begun. Meng Ti rubbed her eyes and immediately straightened her back, adopting a standard, upright posture. Although it was merely an inconsequential elective course, it was still the first class, and sleeping in the middle seat of the fifth row naturally attracted attention. Influenced by her good upbringing, the respect for teachers was deeply ingrained in her. Meng Ti held a nuanced attitude towards university courses: if she absolutely could not attend class, that was one thing, but once she was seated in the classroom, she had to pay attention to the lecture. Although it was merely an inconsequential elective course, it was still the first class, and sleeping in the middle seat of the fifth row naturally attracted attention. Influenced by her good upbringing, the respect for teachers was deeply ingrained in her. Meng Ti held a nuanced attitude towards university courses: if she absolutely could not attend class, that was one thing, but once she was seated in the classroom, she had to pay attention to the lecture.

Zhao Chunian lowered his head, discreetly glancing at the pages of the book in her hand, and the smile on his face deepened slightly. "I just noticed during roll call that you and another student from the Mathematics Department are the only two seniors enrolled in this course. I was a bit curious. I happened to see that you hadn't left after class, so I wanted to say hello."

This matter is simply a deep-seated resentment for Meng Ti, and every time it is mentioned, she feels as if she could weep uncontrollably. It was only in her fourth year that she inexplicably discovered that she had not completed the required credits for her elective courses, which is an immense disgrace for someone like her, who has always been diligent and academically outstanding.

The large classroom, which accommodates three hundred people, is nearly full, with heads almost touching one another, making it nearly impossible to find an empty seat. For this elective course titled "Appreciation of Modern Literature," the attendance rate is astonishingly high, to the point of being frightening

From a distance, one could tell that Zhao Chunian was quite tall, likely no less than 1.8 meters; however, upon closer inspection, it became evident that he was definitely taller than that. Meng Ti had to almost look up to see him. He lowered his head, and the incandescent light poured down from above, almost splitting his face into two halves of light and shadow. His distinct features took on a vivid hue, resembling a figure from an oil painting. The pair of eyes, shrouded in darkness, glimmered faintly, captivating the heart.

Meng Ti has seen this expression many times since childhood. Teachers often express such sentiments—after finally discovering a promising talent, it turns out that the material is not suitable for their needs, inevitably leading to feelings of dissatisfaction.

Recalling his level of teaching, Meng Ti pressed her lips together to suppress a smile: "Ah, alright"

I did not say it was worthless; in fact, Meng Ti's emotions relaxed as she looked into his eyes and replied: "Although I study mathematics, my scores in the humanities are not bad, and I may not necessarily be inferior to the students from the College of Arts"

In just a few minutes, this brief interaction with the picture book has astonished me too many times, to the point where I no longer need to think of reasons. Truly, as someone who studies literature, even asking for a phone number is done with such elegance and courtesy. Meng Ti lowered her head and smiled silently, repeating his earlier gesture, and also took a piece of paper to write her mobile number for him.

Zhao Chunian does not perform particularly well in class, but he has a remarkable way of dealing with girls. He is composed and appropriate, knowing when to advance and when to retreat, and he shows no sign of impatience. This is likely due to his extensive experience in such situations. When someone asks, "Teacher Zhao, can I approach you with questions at any time?" he replies, "You can ask any questions related to this course." When asked, "Teacher Zhao, do you check your emails often?" he responds, "I definitely check them, but I only reply to those concerning the course itself." His skill in deflecting questions is truly exceptional, as he manages to keep every response focused on the course, leading one to wonder if he has received the true teachings of Zhang Sanfeng. He answers, "You can ask any questions related to this course," and when asked, "Teacher Zhao, do you check your emails often?" he replies, "I definitely check them, but I only reply to those concerning the course itself." His skill in deflecting questions is truly exceptional, as he manages to keep every response focused on the course, leading one to wonder if he has received the true teachings of Zhang Sanfeng.

It seems that this Teacher Zhao must have a girlfriend. The young girl looked so dejected, appearing quite pitiful. This fleeting sense of sympathy crossed my mind just as I noticed Zhao Chunian visibly relax, brushing off the chalk dust from his hands and flicking away the nonexistent dust from his clothes. He glanced in my direction and then walked over.

Meng Ti blinked and instinctively turned to look towards the back of the classroom, wondering if there was anyone behind her who knew Zhao Chunian. Of course, apart from the rows of empty seats, she found nothing. Filled with curiosity, she turned back, and Zhao Chunian had already walked up to her, leaning on the desk near the aisle, greeting her in just the right tone: "Are you Meng Ti?"

Why are you only calling me now

Ah, I am, " Meng Ti exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise, " Teacher Zhao, do you need something from me? "

Zhao Chunian returned the paper and pen to her: "Although it is an inconsequential elective course, if you have any questions regarding your studies, feel free to reach out to me at any time"

Wang Xiru stroked his chin and said, "I pushed you twice, yet you remain unresponsive."

Wang Xiru's arm wrapped around her neck, cradling her face and forcibly lifting her head to face the podium, then said: "You are already here! The self-introduction segment has already passed. With such a handsome guy at the podium, how could you possibly be sleeping? The teacher has glanced at you several times, yet you show no awareness at all. It is truly astonishing"

Meng Ti was still resting her arms on the table, merely turning her face to the right at a ninety-degree angle, and weakly said: "Isn't class not in session yet? Disturbing someone's peaceful dreams is an immoral act. Call me when the teacher arrives"

In the subject of literature, those who are fond of it will naturally devote themselves wholeheartedly, loving it with their entire soul; for those who do not like it, no amount of persuasion will be of any use

A slight commotion arose in the classroom, prompting Zhao Chunian to reveal a smile that felt like a breath of spring, diffusing what could have escalated into a wave of chatter. He extended his long fingers to tap on the desk, then gestured for the students to remain calm, speaking in a measured tone: "I am taking attendance not to record your tardiness, but purely to get to know everyone. In my view, it is essential to know each of my students. I have reviewed the roster, and you are primarily students from the science and engineering fields, so you may not have an interest in a course like Literary Appreciation, which I completely understand. Moreover, this is not a crucial elective course, and the final exam will be open book; as long as you can refer to the text, you will pass, so there is no need for anyone to worry."

Zhao Chunian's smile deepened as he said, "Although you chose this course out of necessity, I believe that literature itself has intrinsic value in learning."

Is that so? Zhao Chunian smiled broadly, as if he had discovered a rare treasure, his joy completely unhidden. "Meng Ti, do you have paper and pen?"

Zhao Chunian glanced around the classroom, walked to the back of the lectern, stood in front of the blackboard, and placed his textbook down. He picked up another document-like item from the desk, which, judging by its thickness and appearance, was a roster. This action surprised every student, as teachers typically take attendance before class; he, however, was doing the opposite.

As expected, there was indeed a young man standing at the lectern, dressed in white clothes and long pants, with a face like jade and a tall, well-proportioned figure resembling that of a model; he stood straight, delivering his speech in a deep and pleasant voice.

She looked at her with a gaze that was truly appalling, then patted her face and, in a stern voice that only those nearby could hear, reproached her: "What are you sleeping for! Get up! Aren't you usually very serious!"

After all, the school year has just begun, and the coursework is not demanding. Most of the students taking this elective course are sophomores, clearly lacking the desire to study independently. Over two hundred students dissipated like heated alcohol, and soon the classroom was more than half empty, with only a few girls remaining, surrounding Zhao Chunian and asking questions. The eighteen- or nineteen-year-old girls were sweet and generous, each one so youthful that they seemed to exude freshness, their eyes filled with anticipation, firing questions one after another, their admiration completely unmasked, openly expressing feelings that made even the likes of the library's Meng Ti feel inferior.

Meng Ti, in a fluster, handed the pen in her hand to Zhao Chunian, and then took a loose sheet of paper from her notebook, sliding it slightly across the table.

Compared to her classmates who are filled with enthusiasm, Meng Ti, a senior girl from the Mathematics Department, is remarkably calm and exhausted, dozing off with her head resting on the desk. Although the new semester has only just begun for two weeks, someone as diligent as her certainly does not find this period easy. Last night, after finishing her homework, she picked up a newly bought novel and read for three hours, not going to bed until two in the morning. Today, needless to say, she has been drowsy all day. After enduring a full day, she wanted to go home to sleep, but was dragged into the classroom by her classmate and roommate, Wang Xiru, to attend an elective course.

Yes

Meng Ti occasionally looked up at them, and when she heard the question, "Teacher Zhao, do you have a girlfriend?" she finally couldn't hold back, bursting into laughter, her body collapsing onto the desk, her shoulders shaking with mirth. This intense laughter caused her to miss Zhao Chunian's response. When she finally lifted her head again, the most exciting moment had clearly passed; she could only see a few girls pouting, their faces showing disappointment, before they dejectedly left the classroom. This intense laughter caused her to miss Zhao Chunian's response. When she finally lifted her head again, the most exciting moment had clearly passed; she could only see a few girls pouting, their faces showing disappointment, before they dejectedly left the classroom.

"It's alright, just sit comfortably." Zhao Chunian slightly shifted his steps and moved a little closer to her

Zhao Chunian put away the number, straightened up, and smiled: "Then we will see each other in the next class"

In the midst of conversation, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the teacher turn around, holding chalk and writing the two names that had just been mentioned on the blackboard. He had a tall and slender figure, broad shoulders, a firm waist, and a pair of straight long legs. Meng Ti stared at his back and thought, it is truly a sin to be so good-looking

He just graduated with a doctor's degree and has just come to our school, so this is naturally his first time teaching the course "Appreciation of Modern Literature". Wang Xiru pointed to a corner of the blackboard and said, "It seems he is still not fully awake; isn't everything on the blackboard? Teacher Zhao Chunian, take a closer look."

The timing was just right; roll call was completed, and the class bell rang on time. Wang Xiru returned to the laboratory to continue her never-ending data work, while Meng Ti felt that it was still early and decided to stay in the classroom for some self-study before heading home. Therefore, she did not change her seat and replaced the textbook on her desk from "Appreciation of Modern Literature" to a mathematics textbook.

Meng Ti is actually immune to handsome men, yet no matter how much she tries to restrain herself, a look of amazement still unconsciously reveals itself. She tilted her head and asked softly, "What is his name? Does the College of Arts have such a teacher? Why have I never seen him before?"