But a man pushing 30 going back to school was something Wu Fang hadn’t expected.
"How should I put this?"
"I plan to build up my body with muscle and strengthen my mind with knowledge."
"Going back to university will also let me get back into a campus environment, rediscover some youthful energy, and make myself look less old!" Chen Jue started spinning a tale, seeing a flicker of curiosity in Wu Fang’s eyes.
"You’ve lost so much weight recently. You really do look a lot more energetic than before!"
"So after you go to Jiang University, will you still come here to film your stunt videos?" The moment the words left her mouth, Wu Fang realized she had spoken too quickly, without thinking. She had let her true feelings slip out, and a rosy blush instantly bloomed on her cheeks.
Hearing this, Chen Jue smiled faintly and accepted the recommendation letter Wu Fang was holding out. "Jiang University is only a 10-minute drive from here. I still need to continue practicing Tai Chi with Teacher Zhao, so as long as it isn’t raining, I’ll definitely be back."
When a woman starts to feel anticipation and curiosity toward a man, the outcome is self-evident.
After taking the recommendation letter, Chen Jue thanked Elder Wu profusely. ’I wonder if I should bring some gifts like cigarettes and alcohol next time I visit,’ he thought.
After all, a top-tier institution like Jiang University wasn’t a place you could just send someone to audit classes on a whim. The old man must have pulled some strings.
This was a rather significant favor for Chen Jue.
However, seeing Wu Fang’s slightly flushed face beside him, Chen Jue knew he’d have to think carefully about this thank-you visit. ’Best to put it off for now!’
...
After getting the letter, Chen Jue went to the small grove where he practiced Tai Chi as usual.
Unexpectedly, Zhao Jianguo wasn’t there today. He’d apparently left word that he had to go on a long trip for an important matter and that the students should practice on their own for the next few days.
Chen Jue didn’t mind. After all, he had only paid a thousand yuan and had already learned much of the essence of Tai Chi from the Daoist Layman.
’I’ve practically squeezed Teacher Zhao dry of all his skills!’
He spent two hours practicing his Pile Skills and forms. His Skill Level increased rapidly, and his Free Attribute and [Constitution]each rose by another 0.01.
After leaving the park and eating breakfast, Chen Jue moved all his luggage from the talent apartment into his car and took the recommendation letter to Jiang University.
Presumably, Elder Wu’s influence had worked wonders, because the registration process for an auditing student went incredibly smoothly.
He handed the necessary enrollment materials to a male teacher in the admissions office, and in less than half an hour, Chen Jue’s Jiang University student card was ready.
With this card, he could now freely enter Jiang University’s classrooms to audit classes.
As for which subjects and courses to attend, Chen Jue would have to select them himself on the Jiang University intranet.
Each credit cost 100 yuan in tuition, and he also had to provide his own textbooks and materials.
Moreover, with this student ID, everything from the library, student cafeterias, and sports facilities to the on-campus clinic was open to him, with the exception of specialized laboratories.
It was basically an all-access pass to Jiang University.
’I guess I can say I’m a student at a top-tier university now!’
’Our family’s ancestral tomb must be smoking with pride!’
Chen Jue resisted the urge to take a picture and post it on his Friends Circle. Instead, he took his new student card and headed to the nearest cafeteria for a meal.
Looking at the throngs of fresh, young faces in the cafeteria, Chen Jue felt like he had traveled 10 years back in time.
They say that if you spend enough time with young people, your mindset becomes younger too. After just one lunch, Chen Jue could really feel the truth in that.
The food at Jiang University was also beyond reproach. The ingredients supplied to a top-tier university were clearly better than what Hengtong Group provided.
After all, this food was for nurturing the nation’s budding talents. No one would dare to tamper with it by mixing in some new species like a "rat-duck."
...
After lunch, he drove to Wangyang Apartment as planned.
The fourth-year student who was subletting the place was already waiting. The room had been cleaned thoroughly; it was clear he had put in a lot of effort.
After waiting in the room for less than five minutes, the landlady, who was a teaching assistant at Jiang University, also arrived.
However, from the very first moment he saw her walk in, Chen Jue felt his hormones start to stir again.
She wore a snow-white trench coat that looked a bit like a doctor’s lab coat. Underneath was a chiffon blouse, and a chic, hip-hugging skirt enveloped a pair of long, slender legs in black stockings. The high heels on her feet made a soft clicking sound on the floor.
With her stylish, wavy black hair and a chiseled, oval face, she didn’t look like a university teaching assistant at all. Instead, she gave off the vibe of a Hong Kong movie star from the 80s or 90s.
In terms of that retro-chic style and aura, she was easily on par with Wu Fang.
Most importantly, her figure was just as fiery.
A single glance was all it took for Chen Jue to recall a famous saying that circulated in lecherous circles: ’They say a slender branch with heavy fruit is a sweet and satisfying treat!’
"Teacher Xia, this is the upperclassman who wants to rent your apartment," the fourth-year student hurriedly said, making the introduction as soon as the landlady arrived.
When Teacher Xia saw Chen Jue, her brow furrowed slightly. "Are you a graduate student or a PhD candidate? Let me be clear beforehand: this apartment is only for students. You can’t sublet it privately or let non-students move in with you."
"Hello, Teacher Xia! I’m an auditing student at Jiang University." Hearing her, Chen Jue immediately reined in his improper thoughts and handed her the student card he had just received.
"An auditing student?"
"That’s quite rare!"
This Teacher Xia was slightly taken aback. She checked Chen Jue’s information on the university intranet, and only after confirming his status as an auditing student did she take a rental contract out of her small bag.
The contract was in duplicate. Both parties signed and fingerprinted it, and they also filmed a short video of the signing as evidence.
Once the full year’s rent was paid in person, the agreement was considered effective.
Of course, while signing, Chen Jue also saw the beautiful teaching assistant’s name.
’Xia Xue? Snow in summer? That’s an interesting name,’ Chen Jue muttered to himself internally.
...
After signing the contract and adding the landlady on WeChat for emergencies, Chen Jue changed the code on the door’s digital lock and watched the fourth-year student and the fiery Teacher Xia leave.
He moved all his belongings from the SUV into the room and spent the rest of the time arranging and tidying everything up, inside and out. Just like that, the afternoon was gone.
He glanced outside and saw that the sky had already darkened. His stomach rumbled, his biological clock reminding him it was time to eat.
He didn’t look for food near the apartment, as his lunch in the Jiang University cafeteria had left a great impression on him.
So, he decided to invite Zheng Yuan out for a meal, partly to thank him for his help in finding the apartment.
More importantly, Zheng Yuan was Wu Fang’s cousin and pretty much the only person Chen Jue knew at Jiang University. In the future, he could ask him for help with any academic matters he didn’t understand.
’As a guy with just a community college diploma who’s now auditing classes at a top-tier university, I definitely need to learn from these academic superstars.’
He sent a WeChat message asking Zheng Yuan to meet him at the cafeteria, then left Wangyang Apartment.
But when he saw that only a single wall separated the apartment complex from the Jiang University campus, an absurd thought popped into his head: ’The shortest distance between two points is a straight line!’
’If I take the long way around via Hebei Road, it’ll take at least 15 minutes.’
’Hopping the wall shouldn’t be a big deal, right?’
Taking advantage of the darkness, Chen Jue slowly approached the wall to take a look.
The wall was about two and a half meters high; he could touch the top if he jumped. The area was also dark and unlit, outside the range of any streetlights, so no one was paying attention to this spot.
So he took a running start, kicked off the wall with one foot, hooked his hands over the top edge, and then, with a powerful push using the arm strength he had built up over the past few days, hoisted the upper half of his body onto the wall.
The other side of the wall was just a normal concrete path lined with a few roadside trees. There were no dangerous spots to land.
After a quick glance, Chen Jue nimbly swung his legs over and jumped down.
Unexpectedly, a notification popped up on his panel at that moment:
——————
[Ding!]
[You have completed an excellent climbing and vaulting maneuver.]
[Climbing Skill Level +5]