Chapter 115: Such Shamelessness

Both teachers were masters in their field; a single glance was enough for them to discern the quality of a translation.

"Not bad, though a few places could still use some refinement," Professor Cao said. He looked over the simpler piece first, handed it to Professor Jin, and then picked up the more challenging one.

"You found this part difficult?" Professor Cao frowned, noticing some disjointed phrasing.

"Yes. The previous pieces were short poems, but this is a *fu*—a rhapsody. There are certain lines where I simply cannot find the right words or phrasing. No matter how I write it, it lacks the spirit of the original."

Upon hearing Chen Xin’s words, Professor Jin reached over to take the manuscript from Professor Cao to examine it.

"I see. You haven't covered this material yet; typically, one wouldn't encounter this until after graduate school. Still, what you have managed to translate so far is quite impressive. Tell you what, set this piece aside for now. I’ll give you a reading list. Take a look at these, and once you’ve finished, translating this should be much more manageable."

Professor Jin was not one to stand on ceremony; she picked up a pen and paper and quickly scribbled down several titles for Chen Xin.

"Go look for these first. Two of them are quite hard to find. If you really can't get your hands on them, come to Jin University during the summer break; our library has them."

Jin University’s collection in this field was second to none in the country. C University had historically focused on engineering and technology, only beginning to develop its humanities departments in recent years. It could hardly compete with Jin University’s depth, just as Jin University could not compare to C University in engineering.

Professor Cao wasn't worried about Professor Jin poaching his student. In their field, cooperation was far more likely than poaching. After all, as long as the lead professor was capable and the student was promising and hardworking, graduation was usually a smooth process. However, making a name for oneself in this circle required more than just hard work—it was incomparable to the high-stakes, cutting-edge world of technology and fundamental sciences.

Chen Xin understood this well, so she thanked them graciously. Her composed attitude left a very favorable impression on both professors.

"Alright, go ahead and get to work. I have some other things to discuss with Professor Jin."

Having finished showing off her student, Professor Cao began to shoo her away. Chen Xin didn't mind; she smiled, signaled for the staff to bring over freshly brewed black tea and a set of milk-sugar cups, and then gathered her books and materials to find a corner where she could continue her work.

"That student of yours is quite good. No wonder you’re so happy to mentor her," Professor Jin said, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Are you truly not planning on coming back to Jin University?"

"I’m not. I’ve reached the age where one wishes to return to their roots. I’m not a young man anymore; I have elderly family members to care for, and my wife is happy living here. My children have their own futures; I can’t watch over them forever. Now, I just want to teach, do some translation work, and perhaps take a trip with my wife once a year. As for the rest, whatever is meant for me won't run away, and whatever isn't, I can't force."

"You’ve certainly seen through it all," Professor Jin replied. She sat up straight, lifted her teacup, and took a small sip. "This tea is excellent. Have your student pack some for me before I leave; I’ll be staying in town for another week or so."

"You certainly don't stand on ceremony," Professor Cao said with a chuckle. "Fine. I owe you quite a few favors; it's only right that my student helps me repay a little of that."

Professor Jin didn't linger much longer; she had a dinner engagement that evening with several friends in the industry.

After seeing the two teachers off, Chen Xin tapped the reading list with her pen. Not wanting to sit still any longer, she decided to bike to the library to borrow the books.

Not long after she left, a bespectacled male student came looking for her, claiming to be a senior from her graduate program. He wanted to discuss something with her and even asked the staff for her phone number.

"We don't have it. Only the manager does, and she isn't here right now. Perhaps you should go back to school and ask your classmates," the girl at the front desk, who was responsible for orders and payments, politely declined his request.

"Look, I’m here on official business. If this gets delayed, don't blame me," the male student said, looking at the cashier with an arrogant expression, his finger pointing directly at her face.

"I really don't have it. If you worked at a company, would you expect the CEO to hand out her private number? Besides, if you’re a classmate of the boss, go find her at school. Your professors would have it, or at the very least, your teaching assistant, Han. Go ask him."

After a pause, the girl looked at him with suspicion. "Two professors were just here having coffee; I heard that they are your mentors. If there was something important, why wouldn't the professors just tell the boss themselves instead of making you run all the way here?"

The skepticism in her voice was so thick that the male student’s face flushed red. He muttered a few curses and hurried out, clutching his books.

"To think that such people exist even in university. I thought all college students were polite," the cashier whispered. She had graduated from a vocational school and had a natural admiration for university students, but after meeting this so-called graduate student, she felt her illusions shattered.

"Hey, don't paint everyone with the same brush. We aren't like that guy; we’re very polite," a group of students sitting at a nearby four-top table, who had been chatting and reading magazines, chimed in to restore her faith. "There are 'bad apples' in every group. Don't let one ruin the whole bunch."

The cashier couldn't help but burst into laughter. The other young people joined in, defending themselves with humor that kept the mood light.

Song Yi, who had been listening from the staff room doorway for a while, smiled and told the cashier to bring them each a pudding, thanking them for cheering her up.

That so-called "senior" might have been a student, but his intentions were clearly suspect. It was likely he was trying to strike up a conversation with Chen Xin to take advantage of the situation.

"Wait a minute," Song Yi paused before entering the room, turning back to the cashier. "I recall the boss saying her mentor was new and hadn't taken on any other graduate students yet—that she only had Teaching Assistant Han. Where did this 'senior' come from?"

When he pointed this out, the others were stunned. No one had expected someone would actually impersonate a senior to try and take advantage of a girl!

"I do remember seeing him at our school," one of the two girls sitting on the swing chairs said, her round face hesitant. "If I’m not mistaken, this 'senior' is a graduate student of Professor Zhan—the one who was rumored to be the boss’s original mentor before she was admitted through the recommendation system. After that whole mess, the boss transferred to Professor Cao. This guy has absolutely no connection to the boss at all. Why would he come looking for her?"

These students were regulars; while they couldn't come every single day, they dropped by at least once a month. The shop had been open for over two years, and they had essentially watched it grow. They knew the boss was their alumna and that she was raising her sister’s child on her own, so they were always happy to support the business.