Chapter 29: The Fallen Divine Temple

  Situ Xuan made two phone calls in a row before finally digging out Xiao Gen, who had been hiding in the dormitory for the whole day. The two sat side by side on a long bench next to the fish pond near the boys' dormitory. Situ Xuan originally wanted to scold him severely, to thoroughly scold away the foolish thoughts in his head.

  However, when she saw his withered hair and completely dimmed eyes, those angry words couldn't be spoken. In the end, she could only stare blankly at the carp swimming back and forth in the pool, and after a long time, she asked: "What do you plan to do next?"

  Xiao Gen shook his head, as if he had completely lost the ability to think. His appearance made Si Tu even more worried. After a while, he covered his face and buried his head in his knees, muttering: "I really want to drown myself in this pool! Otherwise, what face can I use to see my parents and family? They tightened their belts to support me for four years, my younger siblings all went to work, the whole village only had one seedling like me who was admitted to a key university, everyone is watching, how can I tell them that I need five years to graduate from a four-year undergraduate program?"

  Situ Xinyin thought to himself, he finally knew the consequences were severe now. Fortunately, what he was worried about now was his studies, whether he could graduate smoothly, and not Tan Shaicheng's ruthless treatment of him anymore. It wasn't to the point where he would go crazy and be beyond salvation.

  "Making up for a compulsory course is no trivial matter. You're usually nervous when you're late to class, so how dare you this time..."

  "I really didn't mean to." Xiaogen said with a sob: "The night before the make-up exam, I had two more beers and thought that since I was nothing in her eyes, it didn't matter what I did. The next day when it was time for the exam, I didn't get up until late, and after the effects of the alcohol wore off, I immediately broke out in a cold sweat. By the time I rushed to the examination room, everyone had already dispersed. I knew then that this time I was thoroughly done for."

  Although Xiao Gen didn't say what Tan Shaocheng said when he refused him from start to finish, and didn't say anything wrong about her afterwards, Situ Xuan could guess with his toes that she absolutely didn't utter any good words. It seems that after hitting a nail in Wujiang, she immediately found someone to vent her anger on.

  Don't look at her usual low eyebrows and humble eyes, people who are used to being humble in life often have the opportunity to trample on others. Xīu Yuè's dislike for Tán Shǎo Chéng increased again, and the little sympathy she had for her because of her background also dissipated, regretting that she shouldn't have given the scholarship money to Qǐ Yún, letting him secretly give it to her after Tán Shǎo Chéng returned to school.

  The biggest problem at hand is not how to secretly resent someone in one's heart, but rather how Xiaogen will get through this difficult situation.

  "Don't worry for now, think of a way, since the retention notice hasn't come down yet, there's still a chance." She encouraged Xiaogen.

  "What can be done? The hospital has an iron-clad rule in place, I'm at a loss. Sutou, you're more resourceful than me, is there still room for maneuvering?"

  Situ Xuan thought and thought again, finally gritting his teeth, "I'll give it a try, I have to try before I can be at peace."

  She looked at Xiaogen's eyes, which had reignited the last glimmer of hope, and in that instant, her "try" had become the only lifeline that this boy, who was always timid and occasionally reckless, could grasp. If Yiqun were present, she might have scolded her for giving someone hope without a clear grasp of the situation, but Xiaogen was her friend, and this matter was also related to that kid Wu Jiang; a faint hope was better than none at all.

  After forcing the disheartened Xiaogen to eat something in the cafeteria, Situ Ke bumped into Wu Jiang, who was also anxiously pacing back and forth like an ant on a hot skillet. In Wu Jiang's own words, he had lived for over twenty years without doing anything bad, but this time, blinded by his own desires, he had urged Xiaogen to confess to Tan Shaochen, who had just rejected him, resulting in such consequences. Every night, when he looked in the mirror, he felt that the person standing in front of him had a severely damaged conscience. Thinking about Xiaogen's possible retention, Wu Jiang couldn't eat or sleep at night.

  The two of them immediately began to discuss a countermeasure. The proctor from the pharmacy school, the teaching secretary who calculated the scores, and even some familiar teachers like Sutou Yue were all contacted by her, but their responses were similar: if Xiaogen had taken the exam that day and his score was only a few points away from passing, there might be hope for him to pass privately. However, he didn't show up at the examination room at all, and the make-up exams were taken by classmates in the school. Everyone witnessed this, and it would be impossible to fabricate a test paper and score for him even if they had the courage to do so. The recent meeting in the school also emphasized the importance of rectifying academic integrity.

  Situ Xuan begged the newly appointed teaching secretary, who was also a senior fellow teacher, but the other party shook his head and sighed, saying that this matter was just one word: difficult! Unless Vice President Zou, who was in charge of teaching, would make an exception to give Xiaogen another chance to retake the exam, otherwise Xiaogen's "big five" was basically set. But what kind of person is Zou Yanwang? Forget about other things, when it comes to academic and teaching matters, he can't tolerate any nonsense.

  The secretary brother said this to make Si Tu give up, but unexpectedly, this narrow road made Si Tu smell a glimmer of hope. Wu Jiang patted his chest and said that he had obtained a medical certificate from the hospital where his mother worked, which was no problem at all. He would say that Xiao Gen was suddenly ill on the day of the exam, so he couldn't help but be late, the key is whether Director Zou will recognize it or not.

  "Hey, isn't your 'Wen Jie' a favorite student of Director Zou? What are you waiting for? Hurry up and ask her to put in a good word for you with her mentor. I think this is going to work!" Si Tu Xuan said excitedly to Wu Jiang.

  "Hey, I'm telling you, it's not going to work!" Wu Jiang was nowhere near as optimistic as her. "Don't think I'm so slow-witted, I brought this up with her early on, and even if she wasn't familiar with Xiao Gen, just for my sake, you know what kind of temper she has, where is she the type of person to do something like that? She immediately turned me down, and I don't know why she's been so difficult lately, in the past she used to think her mentor was a guiding light, now it's simply impossible to mention, one mention and it's like stirring up a hornet's nest."

  "What kind of girlfriend are you looking for? I think you're looking for a Bodhisattva, one made of mud, who only eats incense and offerings, doesn't eat human food, and can't even open her eyes to speak.

  Situ Xuan usually found it amusing to see Wu Jiang spoil Qu Xiao Wan so much, but now that things have come to this point, Qu Xiao Wan won't even lift a finger to help, and she's ignoring Wu Jiang's distress, which makes Situ Xuan, as an onlooker, also feel somewhat indignant."

  Wu Jiang replied with a smile: "After all, this matter has nothing to do with her, she is willing to help is kind, not willing also can't be blamed..."

  "Save that for fooling yourself, Xiaogen has nothing to do with her, and I don't think she's particularly concerned about you either." Situ Qian hastily retorted.

  Wu Jiang opened his mouth, but nothing came out. The two fell silent for a while, and Wu Jiang hesitantly spoke up: "It seems that Zou Jin has a good impression of you, aren't you still planning to take his graduate exam? Why don't...you...try?" He felt embarrassed after saying this, rubbed his hands awkwardly and said: "No matter what, I always feel that Xiaogen's situation is related to me. If I could speak up for him in front of Zou Jin, I would have gone already..."

  Situ Xuan stared at him for a few seconds, then pointed to his nose and scolded: "How did I end up with someone like you!"

  That's what people say, but in the end, Situ Xuan also knew that Wu Jiang was hopeless. Good friends are for what? At critical moments, they block and cover your eyes. In Situ Xuan's creed, lovers are like hands and feet, friends are like clothes, hands and feet cannot be replaced, but people can't run naked all their lives.

  To be honest, friendships also have their ups and downs. If it weren't for Wu Jiang getting involved in Xiaogen's matter, Situ Xuan helping out to this extent would already be considered doing one's part as a human being. But unfortunately, this trouble is inseparable from Wu Jiang. Who is Wu Jiang? Even if she were just a piece of clothing, she would still be the warm down jacket that Situ Xuan has worn since childhood. Ever since she can remember, whenever she had conflicts with her parents, wasn't Wu Jiang's place her refuge? Whenever he got something good, did he ever forget about her? In times of urgency, aside from Qiyun, the first person she would think of to look for was definitely Wu Jiang. Many things that she couldn't share with Qiyun, Wu Jiang was also her confidant. She thought, if she were in Wu Jiang's position now, she would say the same thing to Wu Jiang, because she knew that even if others were unreliable, at least Wu Jiang would stand by her side.

  Two days later, Sito Wen repeatedly borrowed excuses to linger around Zou Jin's office, hoping to find an opportunity to ask him for help in private. However, Zou Jin's office had been closed tightly for several days, and not even his shadow was seen in the institute. It wasn't until he asked around that he found out that Zou Jin was on a business trip in another province. Sito Wen then remembered something that everyone in the pharmacy school and even the whole campus had heard about recently - Zou Jin's microbiology and biochemistry laboratory, led by him, had achieved a new breakthrough in scientific research, not only filling the gap in domestic related projects but also being at an absolutely leading level internationally. As a result, he himself was greatly honored, with numerous awards for scientific progress at all levels, and even the entire pharmacy department felt proud. At this time, conferences and award ceremonies that required his presence were coming one after another, and he was already a very busy person, now even more so.

  Xīu Xīn felt a chill, according to the rumors from the school office, it's likely that the notice of retention will be officially issued in these few days. By then, it would be too late and irreversible. She had no choice but to muster up her courage and dial Zhōu Jìn's phone number which she had secretly copied.

  The phone rang several times before it was answered, and Zou Jin heard Si Tu Jue's voice with great surprise. He understood the purpose of Si Tu Jue's call, and although his tone was gentle, he clearly expressed his refusal over the phone.

  Zou Jin said that no matter what reason Xiao Gen was absent from the make-up exam, it has become an established fact. If he gave Xiao Gen another chance, it would mean being unfair to students who had been held back in previous years or suffered the same fate this year, so all he could say was how regrettable it was.

  "Director Zou, please reconsider. He really was delayed due to sudden illness during the exam and I have a doctor's note here as proof. Whenever you return, I can bring it over for your review." Of course, Situ Xue knew that so-called hospital certificates were just an excuse, but she remembered her mother's teachings on how to handle things: when asking someone for something, one must show sincerity and face-to-face conversation was key. Never expect a phone call to achieve your wishes, as the distance of the telephone line made it easy for people to refuse.

  "But I've been quite busy recently," Zou said over the phone.

  Mom also said that this kind of words often represent perfunctoriness and negation.

  Situ Xin and Zou Jin were separated by nearly a thousand miles, and she couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed. It seemed that not only Wu Jiang and Xiao Gen, but also herself, had overestimated her own importance. Professor Zou Jin's past politeness towards her was probably just basic courtesy, yet she had naively thought she could use this good impression as leverage.

  She hastily said a few words to wrap up the conversation, and was about to hang up in a hurry. However, Zou Jin added at this time, "Recently, meetings have been too frequent. I'm currently in Dalian, and tomorrow I need to rush to Changchun for an important event. In the short term, I won't be able to extricate myself, but before departing, I still have some important documents at home that require me to personally sort out and bring with me. So tonight, I'll temporarily fly back, then take the earliest flight to Changchun tomorrow. Around 7 pm, I'll arrive home. I really can't spare more time to deal with other issues. If you don't mind, after landing, you contact me, and we can meet up near my place. You can bring that certificate for me to take a look."

  Zou Jin lived off-campus, and when he heard that they were meeting near his home, Situ Xuan couldn't help but hesitate for a moment. It seemed like Zou Jin had also sensed her concerns from the other end of the line, as a few gentle laughs came through the phone.

  "Don't worry, I'm not the kind of 'beast' who randomly brings female students home. Time is pressing, if you're willing, let's find a nearby place to sit down and you can tell me everything in detail. We'll decide what to do next when I get back."

  Situ Xuan's face turned red with embarrassment, feeling ashamed of his "petty heart". He then asked for Zou Jin's address and ended the call quickly as if he was busy on the other end.

  Before going out at night, Yao Qiyun had not returned from the hospital where he was interning. Si Tu Jue thought of calling him to talk about this matter, but considering that he did not have a high opinion of Zou Jin and she had asked for his help out of necessity, thinking that it's better to have fewer things on her mind, she put the phone back in her backpack after taking it out.

  She told her mother that she was going to Wujiang for a walk, and her mother didn't say anything. As for her contact with Wujiang, her mother had always been tolerant, even saying "wait and see".

  Zou Jin's residence was in a famous wealthy area of the city, and Situ Xuan easily found the white, standalone villa hidden under the shade of trees according to the address he provided. Born into a rich family, Situ Xuan had an amusing preconceived notion that people who did scientific research were mostly frugal, but she didn't reject this kind of simplicity. So when she first saw Zou Jin's extremely well-located and undoubtedly very valuable private house, she was somewhat surprised.

  The sky was just getting dark, and Zou Jin had already gotten off the plane and was on his way home. Situ Xuan wasn't in a hurry either, so she took a stroll around the house. The sparse but well-placed trees and hedges looked lush at first glance, but were actually carefully manicured. The small yard's lawn was neat and tidy, with elegant decorations that suited Situ Xuan's taste just fine. Her family's house was located in the golden district of the old city, where everything was prosperous enough, but somehow lacked a bit of leisureliness. She used to think that such villas only existed in the suburban streets of middle-class neighborhoods abroad.

  She kept looking up with her chin raised, until the sound of wheels approached, she turned back in surprise, saw Zou Jin's car, and only then realized that he had returned faster than expected.

  Zou Jinyao rolled down the car window and smiled at Situ Ke, pulling over to the side of the road. "I think it's only reasonable that I ask, Situ classmate, would you like to come in and have a cup of tea?"

  Xī Shū Huán hastily shook his head, "I won't disturb you then, Director Zōu..."

  She seemed to never know whether to call him Professor Zou or Dean Zou. Zou Jin smiled again, although Situ Xuan didn't know what was so funny about this silly little detail that made Zou laugh.

  "This is Wei Yougen's hospital proof of suffering from acute herpes zoster, please take a look, Director Zou. Just give him one more chance to graduate smoothly. He usually works very hard and his family is counting on him, it's not easy at all. The absence was just an accident, it won't happen again in the future."

  Zou Jin took over Wu Jiang's "masterpiece", glanced at it hastily, rubbed his forehead, "I'm tired, really can't compare to you young people, let's talk in our courtyard."

  Xīng Tuò Jìn only then noticed that he still had a suitcase in one hand, with his coat slung over his wrist. Although his demeanor was undiminished, his face couldn't hide the exhaustion. She silently scolded herself for being too impatient and merely nodded slightly.

  On the lawn of the courtyard, there was a set of leisure tables and chairs painted with white paint. Situ Xuan went to carry Zhōu Jìn's bag on all fours, but Zhōu Jìn smiled and refused. The two sat down in the chairs, and Zhōu Jìn put down his things, as if he had let out a heavy sigh.

  "Director Zou, you are now a big celebrity. I also heard about your recent award-winning achievement. Everyone says that you are the treasure of the School of Pharmacy and everyone's goal to strive for." Ci Xue's words were as sweet as honey, but in her opinion, what she said was indeed true.

  "Really?" Zou Jin's mouth corners only slightly hooked upwards, "Situ Xuan, when you said 'everyone', did that include you too?"

  "Of course!" Situ Jin said with a sincere face. "But I know it's not easy to reach your level."

  "But falling from such a height is easy." Zou Jin, who should be basking in the glory of recent success, doesn't have much joy on his face. Instead, there's only fatigue and a hint of helplessness. "Honors are great, achieving results is the lifelong dream for people like us, but once things involve interests, many unpleasant things come along with it."

  Situ Xuan stared blankly at the middle-aged professor, who was basking in fame and wealth, with achievements piling up like a raging fire. She didn't know why he suddenly had such a sigh, but looking at his expression, it didn't seem like a lie.

  Zou Jin subconsciously fiddled with the small root's "hospital certificate", suddenly asked: "Situ Xuan, in your eyes what kind of person am I?"

  "Ah?" The question was so abrupt and strange that Si Tu Jue didn't have any preparation at all. She jumped in fright, then followed her own intention and said: "I wasn't thinking too much, you are my respected teacher, a predecessor who is admirable in academic circles." After thinking for a moment, she added with embarrassment, "Although many people say that you are usually a bit strict, just a bit!"

  Zou Jin smiled and said, "I think it's not just a little bit." His smile slowly carried a hint of self-mockery. "Actually, I'm not very good at dealing with the world. I've never learned to be smooth-tongued. Apart from academics, in other areas, I'm too impulsive. To some extent, I think I'm a failure because I don't have enough rationality."

  "No one is perfect, Professor. I think you are already perfect enough. What you said is completely rational, but only a sage can do that. However, sages are very lonely." said Si Tu Xuan.

  "My wife once asserted that a character like mine is not suitable for development back in our home country, but I didn't listen to her. Now I'm starting to think she was right."

  "This is the first time I've heard you mention your wife." Situ Jin still couldn't hide his curiosity, everyone had heard that Zou Jin was married, but no one knew who his other half was, not even his own students had rarely heard of her.

  "Zou Jin said, 'My wife is a woman worthy of admiration.' He then mentioned a name to Si Tu Jue, who widened his eyes in surprise. It was a renowned name among pharmacy students, with research achievements and academic status that were no less than Zou Jin's, or even surpassed his. Si Tu Jue only knew she was in the United States but had never associated her with Zou Jin."

  "She has given me a lot of help, just like a good teacher and friend in my life, and I always feel like a student who makes mistakes easily when facing her, involuntarily lowering my head. So I insist on choosing to return home for development, not in the same galaxy, far away from the sun, maybe I will think that I am not so dull." Zou Jin said with a self-deprecating smile.

  For some reason, when Situ Xuan heard someone praise her partner in such a polite and admiring way, she always felt that something was off. She thought that maybe the higher level of union was beyond her understanding, just like Beauvoir and Sartre, or Cai Qin and Yang Dechang. Anyway, she couldn't reach that realm, and even if she and Yao Qiyun were to merge into one, they would still be the closest star in the universe.

  "My wife thinks I will inevitably be frustrated in my home country, and I want to prove her wrong. At first, I was full of ambition, wanting to make a big show, but later I found that the entire academic circle is not what I imagined. I couldn't tolerate the sloppiness and superficiality, but even my carefully selected students couldn't escape these strange circles. They think I'm strict, maybe it's just that our ideas are different. As for my colleagues... never mind, I often feel like a soldier wearing heavy armor walking through the swamp.

  Saying this, Zou Jin seemed to realize he had said too much, shook his head and smiled: "Look, what am I telling you these things for? You're a very simple kid, it's good that you've always been like this... just take it as an old man's complaint... As for the classmate with the surname Wei..."

  Situ Xin hurriedly pulled the focus of the conversation back to her most concerned core, "Wei Yougen! Professor Zou, please, let him retake the exam!"

  Zou Jin pushed the "hospital certificate" back to Si Tu Xuan with one finger, "If he is facing retention, then this is his third time not passing the make-up exam. From my standpoint, I think it's not a bad thing for him to repeat a year. The medical industry is different from other industries. The mistakes of practitioners can bring unpredictable serious consequences, so I hope every graduate student is competent."

  "If you give him one more chance for a makeup exam and he still doesn't pass, being held back is what he deserves. Just one more chance, Professor Zou!"

  Facing Su Tu's plea, Zou Jin asked indifferently: "This is his business, why didn't he come to me in person, but instead let you be the intermediary? Even if it's herpes, it shouldn't affect his ability to talk and send emails, should it?"

  Situ Xuan was momentarily speechless, she couldn't say that with Wei Yougen's character and his fear of Zou Jin, he would rather stay back himself than let him come to beg Zou Jin. She couldn't find a reason to gloss over it, so she directly asked Zou Jin: "It's not his fault, I was the one who suggested coming in his place. But Professor Zou, if Wei Yougen had come to ask you himself, would you really have agreed?"

  "He's lucky to have a friend like you." Zou Jin raised an eyebrow and said slowly, "Whether it's him himself or you putting the treasure on yourself, both are correct. You know I find it hard to refuse you."

  Before Situ Xin reacted, Zou Jin covered her hand that was flat on the wooden table with his single hand, seemingly giving a gentle pat of approval, but also somewhat caressing.

  Situ Xuan's mind suddenly went blank, and he quickly withdrew his hand, standing up abruptly, almost knocking over the chair behind him. The various rumors and gossip about Zou Jin that had floated past his ears before flashed before his eyes.

  She never believed it, she always respected him so much.

  "Professor Zou, you..."

  Zou Jin didn't expect her reaction to be so intense, and for a moment he felt a little embarrassed when he withdrew his hand, but he quickly regained his composure.

  "Did I scare you? Sit down first."

  Situ Xuan did not say a word, she took a step back, but did not immediately turn around and leave.

  "I came for Xiao Gen's sake, Teacher Zou. If you're willing to help him, I'll thank you on his behalf. If you refuse, all I can say is that I've tried my best."

  "I've told you, sit down first. You don't have to look at me like I'm that scary. Yes, I admit it, I like young and beautiful girls, it makes me feel like I also possess youth and a fresh spirit. Situ Xuan, I really do like you, I guess you're not completely unaware, I'm not good at hiding these things, maybe this is my weakness. But honestly, I'm not lacking in women, and I've passed the age where I need to swallow everything that looks good."

  "I regard you as the most respectable teacher!"

  "You can still look at me like that, it's not contradictory." Zou Jin also stood up and tried to walk to her side, but Si Tu Jue took another step back.

  "I've seen the list of recommended students for graduate school in our department. You want to be my graduate student? That's great! You'll be my last disciple, with your intelligence, as long as you're willing, maybe one day you can stand even higher than me. I don't mind being your stepping stone, and you don't need to give me anything in return... Don't believe me? It's just like the stars in the sky, liking them doesn't mean you have to pick them."

  "Professor, your metaphors are numerous and interesting. So you're far away from the sun just to look up at the stars, and I guess your sky must be full of stars!" Si Tu Jue said coldly, she was sarcastically mocking the person who was still revered as a god by her just a few minutes ago, he had fallen from his pedestal in her heart, covered in dust. At this moment, Si Tu Jue felt a little sad, not for anything else, but for her own foolish beliefs in some things, even Qi Yun had told her to stay away from Zou Jin, she had thought it was just rumors, she had insisted that perfect and flawless things existed.

  Just then, the lights in the house lit up, and the sudden brightness was within arm's reach, like a cluster of light sources rising from chaos, illuminating many unbearable things. Situ Xuan did not expect that there would be someone in the house, but it was not just her, even Zou Jin's face was clearly shrouded in confusion and shock.

  Accompanied by a rapid footsteps, the tightly closed door was opened from inside.

  "You're back, I didn't even know, I waited for a long time and fell asleep..."

  This familiar voice is gentle and beautiful.

  Situ Xueru stood in the courtyard, surrounded by stone sculptures. She thought she was having a bizarre and eerie nightmare. Although this dream did not bring her fear, it was filled with filth beyond her imagination.

  The person inside the door was also stunned, still maintaining the posture of keeping the door half open.

  A silence like death. As if any word would be a spark that ignites a poisonous snake.

  "Is this really the true reason you've been distant from me?" The first person to speak was filled with a sense of desolation.

  Zou Jin said in a low voice: "No, don't think that way."

  Xīng Xī suddenly woke up from her dream and stared at another girl, dazedly only able to ask one question: "Why? Wú Jiāng is so good to you."

  Qu Xiao Wan didn't respond to Si Tu Jue's words at all, her eyes were fixed on Zou Jin.

  "I and she..." Zou Jin said dejectedly to Situ Xuan, who picked up the "hospital certificate" from the table and turned around to leave.

  "This has nothing to do with me."

  Xī Tù Xīn rushed out of the small courtyard and ran to the edge of the trees on both sides, when he suddenly heard the rustling sound of branches and leaves.

  "Who?"

  She had some doubts that she was mistaken, the night color came quietly at some point, and behind the tree shade where the street lamp couldn't reach was a dense thicket of shrubs, soon there was no sound from there.