Chapter 76
Chapter 76: Dinner Together—They Were Master and Disciple
Following Xue Yi Wei’s gaze, Su Xu Bai caught a familiar figure.
Even he—always steady, always composed—froze for a beat. His lips parted without him meaning to.
In the world of physics, Yuwen Ming Bo’s contributions were immense. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been named an honorary professor at Yun Jing University, nor been chosen to represent the Shen Zhou mainland and Yun Jing University abroad at the Global Center for symposiums.
But he only appeared at Yun Jing University’s opening ceremonies and certain professional public events. People who didn’t follow the quantum field wouldn’t recognize him.
So even if he strolled across campus like he owned the place, no one stopped him.
Su Xu Bai and Xue Yi Wei were different. They’d transferred to No. 7 High School in River City in high school. With their backgrounds, they’d received the best education resources in Yun Jing, and both had seen Yuwen Ming Bo from afar more than once.
“Xu Bai—Professor Yuwen, right?” Xue Yi Wei’s voice trembled with excitement. “I didn’t see wrong. That hair is unmistakable. Why would he come to No. 7 High School in River City?”
Yuwen Ming Bo only went two places in his daily life: Yun Jing University’s laboratory and the Rong Family.
“Yes.” Su Xu Bai drew a slow breath. “You’re not mistaken. It’s Professor Yuwen.”
He didn’t know why Yuwen Ming Bo was here, but this was an opportunity too good to ignore.
“Let’s go,” he said.
They didn’t get far before they saw another figure emerge from the main building and fall into step behind Yuwen Ming Bo.
From a distance, it looked like a grandfather taking his granddaughter out—quiet and unexpectedly warm.
Ye Wan Lan.
Xue Yi Wei’s pupils contracted. Her fingers clenched tight at her sides as she stood there, stunned.
Su Xu Bai wasn’t much better. He watched, almost in a daze, as Ye Wan Lan and Yuwen Ming Bo walked out the gate and got into a private car.
“What does the principal mean by this?” Xue Yi Wei’s throat tightened. “Professor Yuwen comes to school, and fine—he doesn’t give a lecture. But he only lets Ye Wan Lan take him to lunch?”
Her voice sharpened. “No wonder the principal had her go to his office alone half an hour ago!”
Did Ye Wan Lan even understand wave-particle duality, quantum entanglement, or quantum tunneling?
Su Xu Bai lowered his lashes. “She is the principal’s favorite student lately. It’s not strange he’d handle things that way.”
Xue Yi Wei refused to believe Ye Wan Lan had any real connection to Yuwen Ming Bo.
Who was Yuwen Ming Bo?
He only associated with the very top of the physics world. If your physics wasn’t good enough, he wouldn’t even spare you a glance. That was just his temperament—strange and absolute.
“No.” Xue Yi Wei’s voice hardened. “I’m going to ask the principal what he’s thinking. If he wants to push her, there are limits.”
Su Xu Bai stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. “Eat first. The principal will be eating now too.”
Xue Yi Wei took a breath, barely holding herself together. “Fine.”
—
Rong Yu drove.
Twenty minutes later, Professor Yuwen sat before a table piled with food and stared at it like it was a miracle. Tears actually welled in his eyes.
When he got back to Yun Jing, he was going to file a complaint. International flight meals were an affront to humanity. All he’d managed to do was drink plain hot water in misery.
A plate of noodles, three dishes, and a bowl of soup disappeared in what felt like a blink.
Professor Yuwen patted his belly and burped, satisfied. “Now I’m finally alive again.”
Rong Yu’s temple twitched. “It’s only been a few months, and your appetite got even bigger.”
“Physics burns energy,” Professor Yuwen snapped. “What’s wrong with eating more? Being able to eat is a blessing.”
He shot Rong Yu a look. “Keep talking, and I’ll tell your father to spank you.”
Rong Yu shut up at once, looking wronged.
That was absolutely something Yuwen Ming Bo would do.
Professor Yuwen took another look at Rong Yu and clicked his tongue. “Learn from Ting Feng. He’s so much more well-behaved than you.”
Rong Yu stared. “?”
Yan Ting Feng—well-behaved?
What kind of alternate universe was this?
Yan Ting Feng’s fingers idly rubbed the jade token in his palm. He lifted his eyes and smiled. “Senior Yuwen, may I ask what relationship you have with Miss Ye?”
“Master and disciple,” Professor Yuwen said brightly.
“Online friends,” Ye Wan Lan said at the same time.
The air went quiet.
Professor Yuwen stared at her, wounded. “…Are we really that distant?”
Ye Wan Lan didn’t hesitate. “Master and disciple.”
“That’s more like it!” Professor Yuwen waved a hand triumphantly. “I rushed back from the Global Center just to see Little Wan Lan. You have no idea what kind of talent she has in physics—one in a hundred million.”
In his entire life, he’d only seen two people with that level of gift: Ye Wan Lan and Yan Ting Feng.
The three of them were the most stable master-disciple trio in existence.
Rong Yu, unable to resist, added, “But Classmate Ye studies history.”
Professor Yuwen turned a death stare on him.
Rong Yu instantly felt cold air sweep over his face. He leaned toward the attendant and asked for a blanket.
“Ting Feng, Little Wan Lan—eat,” Professor Yuwen ordered. “If you spend too much time with Little Rong, what if he drags your IQ down?”
“Uncle Yuwen!” Rong Yu protested. “That’s slander!”
Ye Wan Lan calmly picked a tender piece of fish for Professor Yuwen. “Professor, don’t worry. No one can shake my resolve.”
It worked like a charm.
Professor Yuwen lit up, ordered a bottle of baijiu, and drank with gusto.
“Brother,” Rong Yu muttered to Yan Ting Feng, “this old boss is terrifying when he drinks.”
He lowered his voice. “He’s too happy today. Later, the two of us will have to carry him back.”
Yan Ting Feng nodded once. “That’s you.”
Rong Yu: “….”
He shot Yan Ting Feng a look. “He just said you were well-behaved.”
Yan Ting Feng blinked, smiling softly. “Aren’t I?”
“Sure. Yeah. Definitely.” Rong Yu sighed. “I’ll do the heavy lifting. I won’t bother you.”
After a full bottle, Professor Yuwen’s eyes glazed with warmth and alcohol. In his vision, the world became endless strings of symbols. He grabbed Rong Yu and started slurring, “Little Rong, listen. This quantum entanglement, it…”
Rong Yu kept smiling.
His head was about to split.
Across the table, everything was suddenly quiet.
“Miss Ye is really different from four years ago,” Yan Ting Feng said softly, a faint smile in his eyes. “I didn’t expect you to know Teacher Yuwen.”
“We were online friends,” Ye Wan Lan said. “We met on a physics forum. As for the past four years…”
Her gaze dimmed. “They were the darkest time of my life.”
She had never surrendered to fate.
Even in her past life, when her illness struck, she still forced herself out to handle the great plague and save Shen Zhou from disaster.
If she died, then she would die with purpose. Even death had to be worth something.
Everything she did had to mean something.
But the Transmigrator’s arrival—her body being taken—made her understand, for the first time, that she had weaknesses too.
Yan Ting Feng watched her quietly. Flowing Light shimmered in his phoenix eyes like a shower of stars.
He lifted his hand and, as carefully as last time, drew her hand to his face, pressing it there and rubbing gently.
That smooth, cool touch returned—like jade, like melted cream in her palm.
“Last time you said this could improve your mood,” he murmured. “So now, Miss Ye… do you feel a little better?”
Ye Wan Lan didn’t pull away. She looked at him.
He stood right in front of her, intact—and yet she had the strange sense that he was already shattered.
What kind of hardship did he live through to carry that much sadness… that much madness?
Ye Wan Lan thought for a moment, released him, and tossed a piece of candy into his palm. “It’s sweet. Eat it.”
Her mood did lift—just a little.
Yan Ting Feng looked down at the candy. Clear wrapper, green candy—apple flavor.
He tore it open and put it in his mouth.
It was his first time eating candy.
It was… sweet.
—
After lunch, Xue Yi Wei and Su Xu Bai went together to the principal’s office.
The principal had just finished eating. “What is it?”
“Principal,” Xue Yi Wei said evenly, “I want to ask why, when you invited Professor Yuwen, you only let Ye Wan Lan take him to lunch.”
She didn’t hesitate before pressing harder. “Don’t you understand Professor Yuwen’s personality? Talking to people who don’t understand physics is an insult to him.”
It was a heavy accusation.
Su Xu Bai’s brow tightened, but he didn’t object.
The principal stared. Then his expression shifted into fury. “What nonsense are you talking about?”
He leaned forward. “Are you saying I deliberately had Classmate Ye spend time with Professor Yuwen and kept you away from him?”
Xue Yi Wei frowned. “Isn’t that what happened?”