Lu Cheng said, "I was surprised by this incident as well, right?"

"Teacher Zhong didn't clearly tell me how he was going to handle it, but today, I indeed felt a bit 'angry'!"

"But thinking about it carefully, it seems like Professor Zhong doesn't owe me anything either. In the beginning, he really did want to teach me more. When I was with Professor Zhong, I sensed the complexity in his eyes."

"Plus, the Lu Cheng of today isn't the Lu Cheng from many years ago."

Lu Cheng continued, "Back in the day, Lu Cheng couldn't catch the attention of Professor Dong."

"But I'm sure that when I first sent a message to Professor Dong, he should have still been alive..."

"Of course, I'm not blaming Elder Professor Dong for anything, we're all adults here, let's speak based on our abilities!"

"It's already pretty good if others can appreciate you based on your results, let alone delve into your process. Apart from parents and close friends, no one really cares."

"For instance, in the workplace, people only care if you show up, not how you got there or what you went through."

"In this world, everyone is realistic; the value of your existence lies in your ability to add value to other things, to bring more value. Otherwise, you are worth nothing."

"So, I can only compromise. For now, it seems I've gained more than I anticipated."

"And Professor Zhong told me that I'm still a free man..."

As Lu Cheng was speaking, Mu Nanshu's phone rang.

Mu Nanshu gestured for Lu Cheng to be quiet, "It's the big boss of our project group, don't say anything."

Lu Cheng nodded.

"Teacher Dong, you haven't rested yet?" Mu Nanshu's voice was gracious and gentle, with a bit less delicacy than when speaking to Lu Cheng, and more confidence.

"Ah? Professor Zhong from the hand surgery department called you just now? Hmm, I know, but I'd still like to hear your opinion, Teacher Dong."

Mu Nanshu then fell silent and listened carefully for a while, her expression gradually turning serious, before replying, "Teacher Dong, yes, we were classmates before high school and have known each other for a long time."

Mu Nanshu intentionally raised her tone in a few places, clearly speaking for Lu Cheng to hear, "As for the matter of the relationship, he hasn't mentioned it now or before, so it's still uncertain."

Lu Cheng was at a loss for words, seeming like neither of them had confessed to the other, just tacitly agreed to hang out, have meals together, and of course, also traveled together.

They almost broke through the final barrier of their relationship, but back then, Mu Nanshu had many concerns, and since they both agreed on an engagement, they thought they'd wait. Once there was no long-distance, having a baby wouldn't be an issue...

"I'm sorry, Teacher Dong. I didn't clarify things with others before, causing some misunderstandings with other teachers. But I said right away that I have a boyfriend."

"If it's convenient, I'll definitely invite you and Lu Cheng for a meal tomorrow, and thank you in advance on his behalf, Teacher Dong."

"Thank you, Teacher Dong, for giving us a chance... No, no, Teacher Dong, we're just two ordinary people, nothing special about us. Hmm, when he was taking his graduate exams, he didn't perform well in the interview..."

"Now he's working, which is actually pretty good. We can have some savings, so we're not too poor. Otherwise, if we both kept studying, many things would be hard to manage."

"Alright, alright, it's settled then. We'll invite you to dinner tomorrow, Teacher Dong!~"

After Mu Nanshu hung up, she said, "I unilaterally postponed your return trip tomorrow, you don't mind, do you?"

Lu Cheng, of course, didn't mind, but he asked back, "What you just said, were you serious, or was it intentional for others to hear?"

"Do you also want a rather unique confession?"

Mu Nanshu rolled her eyes at Lu Cheng, "Who wouldn't want that? There's no girl who doesn't want it, right?"

"But I don't have that kind of luck, who knows when I'll end up rushing myself out!"

At that moment, Mu Nanshu mischievously turned her hand: "See, you didn't know either? And another anniversary is missing..."

Lu Cheng was again at a loss for words, and as he thought about it, he couldn't pull out any memories: "I really don't know which day to consider an anniversary either."

They were openly dating on campus, in front of the teachers, perfectly fine.

But if they said they were clear, honest friends just discussing studies, no one could find fault either.

"Was the process tough?" Mu Nanshu saw that Lu Cheng didn't respond, suddenly warmed her gaze, and her voice turned soft.

"What?" Lu Cheng was puzzled, his fork and watermelon pausing in mid-air.

"Such a perfect method, I couldn't achieve it, but you did."

Mu Nanshu pursed her light purple lips, then scraped her nose with her hand, muttering to herself, "This process must have been incredibly hard."

"How could research projects be easy, and how could techniques be easy to pioneer?"

"What we openly know is that the team at Xiangya Hospital failed. Privately, we don't know how many teams couldn't sleep, racking their brains, yet achieved nothing."

"A minute on stage takes ten years of work off stage."

"You managed to bring about such a big change in Professor Zhong in just one day, and secure so much from him."

While speaking, Mu Nanshu gently caressed Lu Cheng's cheek with her hand: "I can imagine how incredibly challenging it must have been."

Of course, although Mu Nanshu was emotional, she wasn't lost in it: "But paid vacation isn't too bad."

"How can doing research be called a vacation?" Lu Cheng asked Mu Nanshu.

Mu Nanshu explained, "Are you silly? Actually, for this kind of project, you could handle it on your own. Logically, you should be the one leading."

"Professor Zhong considered that you hadn't led a project before, so he thought about finding someone to guide you."

"There were two purposes: the first was to let you experience the complete process from preparation to completion of a project."

"Apply for projects, use of funds, project expansion..."

At this point, Mu Nanshu stopped, as if fishing.

Of course, Lu Cheng didn't ask her what the second purpose was. A true elder, a teacher who wants the best for you, will think about every detail.

The position of mentor is not for just any teacher to ascend the altar of worship of a family lineage.

Of course, Professor Zhong Junyun's operation of flipping over and sitting up startled even Mu Nanshu.

"Tomorrow I'll get my completion certificate, then treat Teacher Dong to dinner, and go home."

"On your side, finish your work handover, then come help me?" Lu Cheng asked.

"Okay," Mu Nanshu replied.

The variety show channel was airing all sorts of antics, which didn't affect Lu Cheng and Mu Nanshu having their conversation at all...

Lu Cheng and Mu Nanshu exchanged a smile, still not knowing what to make of their relationship.