Chapter 173
Zheng Fa took out his phone and glanced at the profile picture of the senior.
In the picture, the senior smiled with a pure and friendly demeanor, which didn’t quite match the image of someone so full of tricks.
(End of this chapter)
**Chapter 170: Old Companion**
When Zheng Fa walked into the gymnasium, many students were already seated.
The freshmen were arranged in square formations according to their departments.
He found the section designated for the Physics Department, walked a bit further back, and chose a seat near the back.
Next to him sat a boy wearing glasses, with a slightly thin face. When he saw Zheng Fa sit down, he nodded in greeting.
While waiting for the ceremony to begin, Zheng Fa opened the smallest folder he had and took out his student ID and dormitory key.
Inside, there was also a sheet of paper detailing his dormitory number, move-in date, and dormitory regulations.
“Are you in 308 too?”
The boy next to him suddenly asked.
“You are...?”
“I’m Dai Yuan. Looks like we’re going to be roommates.”
That was a bit of a coincidence.
“All the boys in the Physics Department live in Building 45, while the girls are in Building 48, I think,” Dai Yuan said, as if he had done his research. “But there aren’t many girls.”
Indeed, there weren’t many.
In the entire Physics Department’s formation, the ratio of girls was probably less than twenty percent, maybe even just ten.
Zheng Fa noticed that Dai Yuan’s gaze kept drifting toward the few rare girls, and he seemed to be muttering something under his breath.
Noticing Zheng Fa’s gaze, Dai Yuan shrugged lightly and said, “I’m just looking for my potential future partner.”
“…”
Zheng Fa turned to look at the screen on the podium displaying the words “Freshman Orientation Ceremony,” and couldn’t help but ask, “Isn’t that a bit early?”
“Statistically speaking, the Poisson distribution tells us that if someone is destined to date 100 girlfriends in their lifetime, by the time they’ve dated 37, the second-best option will have already appeared. From then on, as long as there’s someone better, that’s the best choice,” Dai Yuan adjusted his glasses and explained. “In other words, dating around forty girls gives you a one-in-a-hundred chance, which is quite cost-effective.”
“…”
“You have to start early.”
Zheng Fa understood.
But he was still quite shocked.
“From a biological perspective, anyone who can get into this place has guaranteed intelligence, which is beneficial for reproduction.”
As he listened, Zheng Fa found himself thinking that Dai Yuan made a surprising amount of sense.
“From my life plan, college is the ideal place to solve the marriage problem.” Dai Yuan had a way of treating everything as a task, as if finding a girlfriend was just another level to conquer.
“So you’re currently…”
“I’m looking for my first target.”
Dai Yuan cast a careful glance at the girls from the Physics Department, then shifted his gaze to students from other departments.
Zheng Fa shook his head, choosing to ignore him, and his gaze fell on a girl.
Tang Lingwu was looking back at them, seemingly searching for someone.
When she spotted him, a big smile broke out on her face, and Zheng Fa smiled back.
…
The ceremony at Jingcheng University wasn’t particularly special.
Same old speeches from leaders, same old speeches from student representatives.
The only difference was that one of the speakers was some kind of academician.
The student representative might have been on TV or something.
In any case, they all had impressive titles.
But that didn’t stop people in the audience from playing on their phones or chatting quietly.
Dai Yuan was still on the hunt for his “prey.”
Zheng Fa, however, pulled out his phone and looked down at a message from the old man in their group.
“Xiao Tian has been hospitalized. I’m going to check on her. You guys can come by later if you have time.”
Zheng Fa pressed his lips together.
When he last saw Teacher Tian, she had said she might have six months left.
But that was just over two months ago.
Zheng Fa hadn’t dealt with this matter yet, mainly because he didn’t have the spiritual talismans needed to heal her.
It wouldn’t be good to give her false hope.
But now, it was clear that Teacher Tian’s condition had deteriorated faster than expected.
Tang Lingwu also sent him a private message.
“Shall we go together later?”
“Sure.”
Even if he couldn’t help much right now, it was the least he could do to visit.
Teacher Tian had always been warm and welcoming to both him and Tang Lingwu.
After a while, the orientation ceremony finally concluded.
Tang Lingwu walked over to him, and Zheng Fa stood up.
“Do you know her? I saw her smile at you a few times,” Dai Yuan suddenly asked, watching Tang Lingwu approach.
“Yeah, we were classmates in high school.”
“Quite the catch.”
“Huh?”
“I’ve observed the 42 girls nearby, and she’s the prettiest.” Dai Yuan glanced at Zheng Fa and explained, “She’s a one-in-a-hundred—Jingcheng University girls are already one in a thousand, and she’s at least one in a hundred among them.”
“…”
“You seem to have a head start.”
As he watched Dai Yuan slowly walk away, Zheng Fa felt a bit speechless.
This guy had quite the eye.
“What were you two talking about?” Tang Lingwu asked curiously, noticing Dai Yuan’s departure.
“He was probably just complimenting your looks,” Zheng Fa thought for a moment and replied.
“Oh.”
Whether it was because she was used to it or still thinking about Teacher Tian, Tang Lingwu simply acknowledged it with a nonchalant “oh.”
The two of them took a taxi to the hospital.
When they arrived, they saw Grandma Wu pushing Teacher Tian, while the old man was saying something beside them.
Upon seeing Zheng Fa and Tang Lingwu, Teacher Tian smiled at them. Though she tried hard to appear cheerful, they could still see the weariness etched on her face.
The old man waved them over and said to Grandma Wu, “You wait here for us. We’re just going to grab some medicine.”
Grandma Wu nodded at them.
Her expression was quite calm. The three of them headed toward the pharmacy, and just as they turned a corner, Tang Lingwu asked, “Grandpa Bai, how is Teacher Tian doing?”
“She suddenly couldn’t get out of bed at home, complaining of pain, so we brought her to the hospital,” the old man sighed. “The doctor said her condition has worsened faster than expected. Now she struggles to walk, and she refuses further treatment. The doctor had no choice but to prescribe some palliative care and painkillers.”
He glanced at Zheng Fa, and the meaning in his eyes was clear.
Zheng Fa shook his head gently. “I probably need about a month…”
The ninth talisman required him to reach the ninth level of Qi cultivation before he could condense it.
“That’s the problem,” the old man sighed again. “The doctor privately told me that her rapid deterioration is largely related to her lack of will to live…”
“…”
Thinking back to what Teacher Tian had said before, it sounded like she wasn’t very keen on living.
Zheng Fa couldn’t help but feel at a loss for words.
“Grandpa Bai, I can make you a promise,” Zheng Fa said after a long silence. “Even if Teacher Tian doesn’t want to join a nursing home, I will help her as much as I can, without expecting anything in return.”
The old man was taken aback, looking at Zheng Fa with a hint of gratitude in his eyes.
He knew that Zheng Fa’s promise was largely due to his own influence.
“...But will Teacher Tian be willing to accept my help?” Zheng Fa interrupted the old man before he could speak, continuing, “Or rather, would saving her be a good thing for her?”
Zheng Fa’s own nature was certainly to cherish life.
But everyone has their own pursuits.
He couldn’t make decisions for Teacher Tian.
“On the other hand, even if we disregard Teacher Tian’s feelings, she needs to hold on for another month,” Zheng Fa said softly. “Otherwise, I won’t be able to do anything; I can’t bring the dead back to life.”
Both the old man and Zheng Fa fell silent.
Given Teacher Tian’s current display of will to live, it was uncertain whether she could last another month.
Teacher Tian was unwilling to be hospitalized.
After they got the medicine, they returned to Teacher Tian’s home.
However, the last time they visited, she could still walk.
This time, she could only sit in a wheelchair.
Yet, she seemed quite happy, joking with the old man, “Maybe I’ll even save a bit of money.”
The old man twitched his lips but said nothing.
“Time for your medicine.”
Grandma Wu brought a cup of water and the new medication prescribed by the doctor.
“I’ll take the painkillers, but let’s skip the rest.”
To everyone’s surprise, Teacher Tian said this.
A heavy silence fell over them.
…
The old man signaled Zheng Fa and Tang Lingwu with his eyes.
The two of them took Grandma Wu out of the room.
Only the old man remained with Teacher Tian.
“Is there something you want to say to me?” Seemingly understanding his gaze, Teacher Tian asked.
“Do you… really not want to live?”
The old man hesitated, unsure of how to start, and stammered his question.
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