The class bell rang, and the attendance rate for eight o'clock classes in the morning was generally the lowest.

Although university students with nightlife are in the minority, it doesn't stop those without nightlife from staying up all night.

Especially for some non-major courses, if the teacher doesn't frequently take attendance, the classroom often becomes deserted.

Professor Zhu never takes attendance.

Li Zhiyuan witnessed firsthand the change in the number of students in his class from many to few and then from few to many again.

Some students, even if they looked drowsy, would still yawn and stagger into the classroom.

Students can tell the difference between good and bad.

Actually, teachers understand the kind of confident appeal that maintaining student numbers without taking attendance requires, but unfortunately, they don't have the level for it.

There were fewer and fewer people deliberately opposing in class, and even many former "troublemakers" have now become those who actively think and eagerly enrich the teaching content with their input.

The political theory classes were about to finish this semester, and before class ended, Professor Zhu asked everyone to open their books and start marking sections.

"This is the first question."

"This is the second question."

"This is the third question."

The students, initially incredulous, were ultimately all smiles.

This was no longer marking a range, it was equivalent to giving them the answers directly.

Professor Zhu closed the book and said:

"Classmates, I will be very strict during the exam."

The students laughed.

After the laughter subsided, Professor Zhu earnestly said:

"The reason why I marked the answers for you early is that I don't want you to cheat during the exam. I hope you'll have plenty of time to memorize these contents.

Actually, from primary school to middle school and then to university, you've learned a lot of knowledge, but most of it won't be used when you enter society."

But it..."

Professor Zhu raised the book in hand and gently patted it:

"It can help you understand and perceive society better, serving as a resource for reflection throughout your life."

The class was over.

Li Zhiyuan still sat in the last row of the lecture hall, having just finished recording the fourth wave of the "Chasing Faraway Secret Scroll."

Recording was only the first step, and the next main task was to revise the "Walking River Behavior Regulations."

This was a massive project, which included reconsidering and reshaping the results of this experiment.

In theory, his fourth wave was already completed. He had proactively reached it before it even arrived.

But absorbing previous lessons, he knew he couldn't become complacent and that there was still a long way to go.

Professor Zhu habitually came to the last row where Li Zhiyuan was seated, after all the other students had left.

"Xiao Yuan, writing something?"

"Yeah, doing a summary." Li Zhiyuan closed the "Chasing Faraway Secret Scroll," and as he put down his pen, he looked up and asked, "Professor Zhu, there's something I'd like to ask you."

"Go ahead."

"There's something that's pushing and influencing my life, and it makes me very repellent."

"That's normal, have you observed it?"

"I've been observing it all along."

"Go on."

"Sometimes, I'm very resentful of its influence and control over me. I suspect it inherently harbors a kind of malice toward me.

But at other times, I partially agree with some of its logic. I might even actively use it for...my benefit."

"You're wrestling with it?"

"That's right."

"Does it know?"

Recalling the last "Seal of the Five Senses" wave, Li Zhiyuan answered, "I think it should be aware."

"The point of your confusion lies in not knowing or being unsure about how specifically to face it?"

"Yes."

Professor Zhu nodded and said:

"The process of development is the result of the unity and struggle of contradictions. Unity is the foundation of development, and struggle is its driving force."

Li Zhiyuan imagined a river flowing before his eyes.

He smiled.

Professor Zhu also smiled and said, "So, no need for me to elaborate further?"

Li Zhiyuan stood up, bowed deeply to Professor Zhu, and said sincerely, "Thank you, Professor."

In facing the river, he had once tried to find a fixed pattern and answer, only to realize he was wrong. Now, he was conducting experiments to find new angles to understand it.

Unexpectedly, the answer had long been summarized and written on paper.

Professor Zhu shook his head and pointed to the recently closed "Chasing Faraway Secret Scroll" saying:

"I merely repeated the concept to you. You're able to understand it because you've done the investigation and practice."

"You're right."

"Moreover, even the same segment of a concept, even the same sentence, can evoke different understandings at various stages in the future."

"I'll keep striving, thank you, Professor."

"I should be the one thanking you for helping fulfill my wife's last wish. I dreamt of her last night; she was very happy in those beautiful mountains and rivers."

I'm planning to retire to her hometown once I can't teach anymore, to enjoy my twilight years."

By the way, do you have any plans for the afternoon?"

"Do you need something, Professor Zhu?"

"It's nothing." Professor Zhu pulled two tickets from his pocket, "The university is holding a Jinling University Students' Art Gala, would you like to watch it?"

Li Zhiyuan took out an identical ticket from his pocket.

It was given to him by Tan Wenbin earlier that morning.

Recently, the college asked each class to present a program, and Tan Wenbin was the class monitor.

Initially, it was a voluntary sign-up within the class, but the result was zero participants.

The class really was a cultural wasteland.

Fatty Wu explicitly told Tan Wenbin that the school highly valued this selection, even the preliminary rounds in the faculty would be watched by the school leaders, so not to just get by with a group poetry recitation.

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