Previously, Xiao Shan had been eager to recruit talent but unable to do so. Now, with a large influx of faculty, he instead became the one holding the initiative, beginning to select the best candidates, with standards growing ever higher.
In his own words: “Our Ming University now has presence and competitiveness too. Only high-quality faculty are worthy of it.”
After a round of careful selection, he really did filter out quite a number of professors who possessed both strong academic credentials and solid teaching ability.
When Jiang Fuyue saw the list, she was mildly shocked.
Because quite a few professors had actually come from Finance University, Trade University, and Ocean University.
Of course, Q University and B University, these two little fat sheep, were not spared either.
Jiang Fuyue: “When you poach people, why do you always pick nearby ones?”
There was no need to even mention Q University. They were neighbors.
B University was only about ten minutes away by car.
Finance, Trade, and Ocean were all in the same district. Otherwise, back then, the joint training of seven universities would not have been held together.
Xiao Shan snorted with a laugh. “How can this be called poaching? It’s our Ming University’s charm that attracted these professors.”
Jiang Fuyue: “If you weren’t so smug, I might believe you.”
Xiao Shan touched his face. “Is it that obvious?”
“…” Simply too arrogant.
Very soon, several major universities in Shilin District discovered that their professors had been taken away.
They immediately tried to keep them, but unfortunately—
“Sigh, I’ve already finalized things with Ming University. Let’s part on good terms.”
Principal: “Say no more. We’ll double whatever Ming University offered!”
“Really?! Ming University prepared an apartment for me in the city center. Not big, just about 120 square meters, fully renovated, in a high-end residential complex, plus a sedan for transportation.”
“Oh right, they also reimburse 3,000 yuan a month for fuel, plus water, electricity, and gas subsidies, dining vouchers usable at will, and it can include two family members…”
Principal: “You should just go.” People might not believe this, but the moment I heard “a city-center apartment,” I completely wilted.
I don’t even have a fully renovated apartment in the city center myself. And it’s 120 square meters!
The Principal felt sour.
This time, Ming University came on strong. The ones it provoked were no longer just neighbor Q University. Other schools were dragged into it as well.
At some moment, Zhou Zhengqi actually felt strangely comforted.
In the past, only Q University ever got fleeced. Now that a few new little fat sheep had joined, better to fleece together than fleece alone. Everyone suffering like him, how nice.
Instantly, the whole world felt brighter.
It was said that, in order to respond to this “poaching storm,” the presidents of several universities even took time to hold a video meeting.
The first agenda item of the meeting was—
To curse Xiao Shan.
“He really has no scruples at all! Even rabbits don’t eat grass near their own burrow!”
“You don’t touch a friend’s wife, and you don’t touch another school’s faculty either!”
“Bandit! Thief!”
“And he calls himself a cultured person, with no sense of propriety at all.”
“I knew the moment I saw his face that he was up to no good, and sure enough… tsk!”
“Speaking of which, Old Zhou really is something. He’s been fleeced so many times already, and he didn’t even think to warn everyone.”
“Just fleece Q University, that would be fine. Q University has plenty of professors. Even if they lose some, they can recruit more. Why did he have to set his sights on us?”
“Exactly! Q University has plenty of wool. It’s not afraid of being shaved bald.”
Zhou Zhengqi: “?” Please, just be human.
After enough cursing, the group grew hoarse and thirsty, some drinking tea, others gulping water, and only then did things settle down.
Next came the second agenda item—
Discuss countermeasures.
But there was really nothing to discuss. Things had already come to this, the die was cast. They could not offer conditions more generous than Ming University’s, so they could only watch helplessly as excellent faculty continued to tilt toward Ming University.
“What’s there to discuss? Is discussion even useful?”
“Ahem… saving face is still necessary.”
“So what if Ming University has money?”
“Well… that really is impressive.”
“…” D*mn it!
How the other schools were thrown into chaos, Xiao Shan neither knew nor cared to know. Even if he did know, he would pretend not to.
What he cared about most right now was the students’ response.
Because of the massive influx of faculty, the number of courses had almost doubled, but the choice lay in the students’ hands.
So many courses. If they didn’t choose them, it would all be for nothing.
Given Ming University students’ past laxity and lack of ambition, frankly speaking, this was really possible.
However, through observation, Xiao Shan found that although the situation was not particularly optimistic, it was not terrible either.
Some people did indeed choose to remain lax, but another group showed great interest in these courses that previously only prestigious universities could offer.
For example, nuclear physics. Before Ming Yu came, Ming University did not even have this major.
At first, these students chose the course because of Ming Yu himself. After attending a few sessions, they unexpectedly became attracted to the discipline itself.
Someone who did not want to take even a single graduate student was actually willing to accompany a group of undergraduates?
When the news spread, it shocked the field for a time.
“Professor Ming… what kind of stimulus did he receive?”
“Is there any point? For a bunch of playboys from Ming University? Isn’t this a waste of precious educational resources?”
“Exactly! If Professor Ming could come to our Q University…”
Xiao Shan had heard such remarks vaguely, but he was secretly pleased. You can’t stand me, yet you envy and resent me at the same time. You look so funny.
Everyone: “…” Really want to hit him.
It was not that all Ming University students suddenly became diligent and strove for progress every day. That was impossible.
Xiao Shan never set that as a goal either.
Among those who remained lax, some were busy with student organizations, while others had neither academic talent nor interest, let alone the ability to calm down and study a specialized course. But they were often active in social practice activities organized by the school.
If theory doesn’t work, then play practical.
There is always a position suited to you.
Only a small number truly did not want to improve, muddling through life, even stirring up trouble.
But with the campus inspection committee led by Li Chen and others in place, they did not dare go too far.
So overall, Ming University moved forward steadily, full of vitality.
……
In the blink of an eye, it was the end of December. The old year was about to pass, and only a thin few pages remained on the calendar.
During this time, Jiang Fuyue received two messages from Xie Dingyuan.
One time was in the morning. At that moment, it should have been the middle of the night in F Continent.
He first sent a message: 【Good morning】
Jiang Fuyue was washing up, with her phone on the bed, so she did not see it immediately.
By the time she noticed, five minutes had already passed. She was not sure whether he was still there, so after thinking for a moment, she replied—
【Good evening】 corresponding to the day and night on his side.
Unexpectedly, the man replied instantly: [image]
It was a picture of the starry sky. The night was dark as ink, the firmament hung high, and the sky was filled with brilliant, twinkling stars.
Beautiful in its vastness and vitality, dazzling in its fine details.
Jiang Fuyue: 【Very beautiful. Are you watching the stars?】
Xie Dingyuan sent a well-behaved nodding emoji, cute and adorable.
Then he asked her: 【Can we do voice?】
Jiang Fuyue originally wanted to say that video would be better, but on second thought, if a video call were possible, how could Xie Dingyuan not bring it up himself?
Most likely, video was inconvenient.
Thinking again of where he was, there were probably confidentiality agreements he had to observe.
Jiang Fuyue proactively sent a voice call request. The other side connected quickly, and the man’s deep, magnetic voice crossed oceans and continents through the phone to reach her ears—
“Yueyue.”
A smile rippled at the corner of Jiang Fuyue’s lips. “It’s so late over there. Why aren’t you resting yet?”
“Network security checks. The signal is temporarily connected, so I’m seizing the time.”
Doing what?
Of course, talking to you.
“What a pity. I wasted five whole minutes just now.”
“Not a pity.” Waiting for you is also a kind of happiness.
Jiang Fuyue seemed to know what he wanted to say in the second half. Her gaze shifted slightly. “But as far as I know, Professor Xie hates waiting for people the most.”
“You’re the exception.”
“Ahem… watching the stars alone?”
“Who else would there be?” he asked helplessly.
“A young nurse, a pretty stationed female soldier from Continent F, or… female medical staff in your team?”
“There are no nurses here and no female soldiers. There are no female medical staff in my team either. But there is a sour girlfriend.”
Jiang Fuyue laughed. “Who are you calling sour?”
“What, only you’re allowed to say that to me? I’m not allowed to say it to you?”
“I was just joking. Why are you taking it seriously?” Jiang Fuyue was not that jealous.
But the other side was not satisfied. “How can it be a joke? No, you really are sour!”
Jiang Fuyue: “?” This is forced now?
The next second, she heard him murmur softly, “Being jealous means you care about me.”
She laughed helplessly.
This person really is—
Childish! Immature! Too immature!
Jiang Fuyue asked again, “Is everything going well over there?”
Xie Dingyuan did not elaborate. A soft “Mm” was enough.
“When are you coming back?”
“…I don’t know.”
“Then can I come find you?” Jiang Fuyue said lightly.
“What?!” The man was startled. “Don’t do anything foolish! It’s very dangerous here!”
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