Chapter 39: A Sudden Promotion to Assistant Instructor

Two hours later, Zhong Yuxiu put down her pen and flexed her wrist.

“Principal Guo, Professor Ding, I’ve finished writing.”

“So quickly?” Professor Ding’s eyes widened in astonishment.

Principal Guo was no less surprised, remaining seated, lost in thought.

Zhong Yuxiu organized her answer sheets and stood up to hand them to Professor Ding. “Professor Ding, thank you.”

“Let me take a look.” Accepting the papers, Professor Ding pulled out his reading glasses from the drawer and put them on, then began marking the answers with a red pen. He had assumed that finishing so fast would hardly yield good results, but as he graded, his heart grew ever more unsettled, and by the time he reached halfway, he was trembling with excitement.

A genius, truly a genius!

She had answered questions they had never taught, and more than that, some of the problems included knowledge points from the next three years’ curriculum. Many of her answers featured innovative theories and methods of deduction.

After marking the last page, Professor Ding’s eyes were red as he looked up and asked, “Zhong, may I ask how you learned all this?”

“Solving problems, reading, exploring related books, and integrating theory with practice,” Zhong Yuxiu replied honestly.

Principal Guo was perplexed. “Old Ding?”

“Principal...” Professor Ding’s eyes grew misty as he choked out, “There’s hope for our technology now. Zhong is born for research! Look at her problem-solving methods—I feel ashamed by comparison.”

Principal Guo stepped forward, picked up the answer sheets, and read them. In his impression, Zhong Yuxiu was outstanding, but not to this extent; after reading, he couldn’t help but sigh.

“Since ancient times, heroes have emerged from the young!”

Professor Ding swallowed his tears and cleared his throat, agreeing, “Three years, Principal. Let’s let Zhong advance to the third year; our department is five years in all. She can take the next exam after three years, or whenever she’s ready to test for the fourth and fifth years, it’s all fine.”

“Professor Ding, do you have exams for the fourth and fifth years now?” Zhong Yuxiu’s heart stirred.

“You want to take more tests?”

Zhong Yuxiu nodded. “Yes.”

“So confident?” Professor Ding’s moist eyes gleamed. Previously, he might have doubted her abilities, but after this exam, he could no longer doubt.

“I am confident.”

Professor Ding nodded and shifted his gaze. “Principal, what do you think?”

“If Zhong wants to take the exam, let her. She already holds the title of Associate Professor; if she passes, I’ll arrange for you to be Professor Ding’s teaching assistant.” Having seen the answer sheets, Principal Guo and Professor Ding reached a tacit consensus.

“Thank you, Principal Guo.” The associate professor title was only nominal, everyone knew that; if she passed this time, she would be a true associate professor, saving much time for recognition.

There is a marked difference between a nominal and an actual title. For the latter, one must not only possess knowledge but also accumulate experience, the requirements are rigorous indeed.

Principal Guo chuckled, “The five-year curriculum has just been organized recently, and the questions are coming out progressively. The professors have written up the fourth-year exams, and you’ve just taken the first to third-year ones, so you can only take the fourth-year papers for now.”

“Thank you, Principal Guo and Professor Ding,” Zhong Yuxiu said, delighted.

“Wait here,” Principal Guo said as he left the office.

Professor Ding smiled, “Zhong, you used several novel theories and methods in your answers. Could you explain them to me?”

“I dare not presume, but maybe we could discuss together?” Zhong Yuxiu answered modestly.

“You certainly can.”

Professor Ding handed her the answer sheets and raised several points of doubt, which Zhong Yuxiu answered one by one, providing examples and evidence. Their discussion grew animated, engrossing Professor Ding more and more, and when Principal Guo returned, he found them deep in conversation.

“Old Ding, what are you discussing?”

“The Principal’s back, and the papers have arrived.” Professor Ding pushed the marked sheets aside and handed Zhong Yuxiu the exam papers Principal Guo brought. “Zhong, do your best. I believe in you.”

Zhong Yuxiu nodded solemnly, returned to her seat, and began working through the papers.

Professor Ding, smiling broadly, lowered his voice, “Principal, Zhong’s knowledge is remarkable. I hear she once spent time in the countryside. Her learning isn’t the work of a day or two; I imagine she persisted even during her time there. Many of her ideas are fresh, clear-headed, well-founded. No wonder she can work on projects alone—I couldn’t do it.”

Most projects require the support of many, just as he himself needed seven or eight, sometimes even more, for each project.

“Indeed,” Principal Guo replied, glancing toward Zhong Yuxiu, leaning on the desk and speaking quietly, “She no longer needs our guidance.”

Professor Ding agreed wholeheartedly. They saw the future in Zhong Yuxiu, and continued their proctoring while discussing the direction of future development.

This time, Zhong Yuxiu finished in just over an hour. Outside, the setting sun cast its glow across the sky.

“So fast—time slipped by unnoticed.” Professor Ding’s eyes and brows brimmed with joy. “Zhong, your speed in solving problems is extraordinary.”

Zhong Yuxiu smiled gently. “Thank you for the praise, Professor Ding.”

“Sit down, it won’t take long to grade.” Professor Ding took the papers back to his desk, picked up the red pen, and began marking with utmost seriousness—even her reasoning, he filtered through his mind step by step.

Half an hour later, he finished grading. Professor Ding’s face was radiant. “Zhong, being a teaching assistant is a waste of your talent.”

“For now, let’s keep it that way. Zhong is a busy person, isn’t she about to start a new research project? Once she presents her project, we’ll promote her again.” That would give her a proper title.

“Absolutely,” Professor Ding couldn’t stop smiling.

From their expressions, it was clear she had done very well. Zhong Yuxiu asked, “Professor Ding, Principal Guo, may I take leave after this?”

“Of course. Focus on your research and produce results soon,” Principal Guo agreed promptly. “Before you have results, you need to report in at least once a week; schedule as you please, and come to me if there’s anything.”

“Thank you, Principal Guo, Professor Ding. I’m sorry to have taken up your time for my affairs.” Zhong Yuxiu’s smile was bright, her eyes alive with excitement.

Seeing this, Principal Guo’s smile grew even wider. “Go on, and do your research well.”

“Yes, goodbye Principal Guo, goodbye Professor Ding.” With a smiling gaze, Zhong Yuxiu left the office, headed to the classroom, where she saw Xu Hongqi still at her seat. “Xu, class is over—you haven’t left?”

Xu Hongqi turned around, visibly relieved. “You’re finally back. I wanted to go find you in Professor Ding’s office but was afraid to disturb you. Seeing your things still here, I watched them for you. By the way, what did Professor Ding want you for?”

“It was a good thing,” Zhong Yuxiu replied as she sat down. “Thank you, Xu, for watching my books.”

“No need to thank me—you’re always busy with something. Every class, you rush in and out, and I never get a chance to talk to you. But you still haven’t told me, what did Professor Ding want? You weren’t distracted today for once.”

Black marks from the past—some things really can't be left behind, can they?