Rong Yu went to the office to request leave.
Pei Yaru, upon learning that she was heading to Haicheng University, guessed it was likely to meet Professor Yun and readily approved the leave slip.
The moment Rong Yu stepped out,
Teacher Yang, the homeroom teacher of the elite class next door, remarked, "Taking leave during such a critical period in senior year? Clearly not college material."
Pei Yaru couldn’t stand such comments and retorted, "Rong Yu is an outstanding student..."
She nearly mentioned that Rong Yu had become a student of the renowned Professor Yun in the mathematics world,
but this wasn’t something she could disclose.
Pursing her lips, she added, "In the recent physics competition, Rong Yu scored full marks in the preliminaries. Fewer than ten students in the entire city achieved that..."
Teacher Yang sneered, "Teacher Pei, why don’t you think critically? How could a mediocre student possibly get full marks in physics? If she were truly that talented, why would she be repeating a year? Why wouldn’t her name be on the honor roll?"
Pei Yaru didn’t argue further.
The monthly exams were approaching—facts would speak louder than words.
Rong Yu had the driver take her to Haicheng University. As soon as she got out of the car, she saw Lin Rang waiting at the school gate in a wheelchair.
"Yu, over here." Lin Rang handed her a cup of milk tea. "The girls in my class have been obsessed with this lately. Thought you might like it too."
"Thanks, Senior."
She took a sip—sweet, slightly rich, but oddly soothing and uplifting. No wonder it was a hit among young girls; almost everyone carried one.
"I called you here today to show you around the research institute. It’s housed within Haicheng University," Lin Rang explained with a smile. "The equation I sent you the other day is part of their current project—calculating planetary trajectories for the Aerospace Institute..."
As they spoke,
a figure emerged from a nearby teaching building: Professor Min Shenyan.
Fresh from a research meeting, he squinted at the two figures ahead. One was Lin Rang, Yun Xiaoyuan’s only student. The other girl... wasn’t that the high schooler Rong Yu he’d seen at Haicheng No. 1 High?
Back then, Rong Yu had said she already had a teacher.
Could she be Lin Rang’s student?
Lin Rang was a rising star in mathematics, but his achievements were still modest given his youth.
Adjusting his glasses, Min Shenyan approached with a chuckle. "So, Rong Yu is Professor Lin’s student."
"Academician Min."
Lin Rang greeted him politely.
In their circle, people usually addressed each other as "Professor" or "Teacher." "Academician" was reserved for formal or distant contexts—which, in their case, was an understatement. Their relationship was far worse than mere distance.
"Professor Lin, with your mobility issues, I suppose you take on students to run errands for you?" Min Shenyan continued, still smiling. "But a seedling like Rong Yu is wasted under you. How about this? I haven’t taken any students this year. She can join my research team. Don’t misunderstand, Professor Lin—this isn’t about poaching. It’s about nurturing talent for the nation’s sake."
Lin Rang smiled. "Apologies, Academician Min, but Yu is my junior sister."
Min Shenyan froze.
Rong Yu was Yun Xiaoyuan’s student?
That sluggish old woman Yun, who’d never shown urgency in anything, had actually snatched up Rong Yu first?
If she were Lin Rang’s student, he could’ve easily taken her.
But Yun Xiaoyuan...
His phone buzzed before he could dwell on it.
Lin Rang grinned. "I just informed my teacher about your poaching attempt."
Min Shenyan took a deep breath and answered the call. Yun Xiaoyuan’s voice blasted through: "Min Shenyan, you old fool! You take on a student every year—thirty-plus under your belt now. What, need pallbearers lined up already? Why hoard so many?"
Min Shenyan: "..."
The old woman’s insults were brutal.
And he had no rebuttal.
Around Yun Xiaoyuan, he always felt lesser.
All because, decades ago, he’d misjudged his chances and confessed to her—only to be brutally rejected.
He’d never lived it down.
Rong Yu caught fragments of the scolding and stared in shock.
In her memory, Professor Yun wasn’t exactly gentle, but she was always composed. Yet here she was, cursing like a sailor?
"Ahem." Lin Rang interjected. "You’ll get used to it."
In media reports, both professors were portrayed as rigorous, high-achieving pillars of mathematics.
Privately? They were rivals locked in petty feuds.
Their students inherited the animosity too.
Previously, Lin Rang had faced off against Min Shenyan’s thirty-odd disciples alone.
Now, at least he had his junior sister for company.
"Let’s head to the lab first."
Rong Yu nodded and followed him up the steps.
Nearby, Shen Lin stepped out of another building after her class.
Her gaze landed on Rong Yu—and she stiffened.
Why was Rong Yu at Haicheng University?
"That’s Professor Lin!" a student beside her gasped. "Rare to see him on campus."
Shen Lin knew of Lin Rang, but only distantly. As a mere music instructor, the chasm between her and a mathematical prodigy like him was insurmountable.
Another student added, "I heard he’s involved in a major national project, so he’ll be around for a while."
Shen Lin had heard the rumors too.
Something about a top-secret Aerospace Institute initiative delegated to Haicheng’s Mathematics Research Institute.
The project was so critical that every prominent mathematician and physicist in the city had been summoned to assist.
Only elite researchers could enter the institute during this period.
So why was Rong Yu there?
By the time Shen Lin looked again, the figures had vanished past the institute’s doors.
Maybe she’d imagined it.
Lin Rang swiped his ID to bypass security. The elevator required fingerprint access, and the lab door demanded facial recognition—protocols were airtight.
Inside, seven or eight people hunched over computers, screens alight with equations that instantly drew Rong Yu’s attention.
Lin Rang tugged her along. "Over here. There’s a task we need your help with."
In the innermost office sat four of his research partners.
He clapped lightly. "This is Rong Yu—a math prodigy. I think she can help us crack the problem that’s stumped us these past few days."
The four blinked at her, momentarily stunned.
Not just because of her youth, but because she was a girl—an exceptionally pretty one.
In mathematics, male dominance was stark. By high school, the gender divide in STEM was pronounced. By college, female math majors were scarce. By grad school and beyond? Women were nearly invisible.
They’d never seen someone so young and striking in their workspace.
The surprise lasted only seconds.
After all, Lin Rang had brought her in. His standards in mathematics bordered on fanatical.
No one doubted he’d treat the subject lightly.
So, the group opened the document on the computer and began discussing it carefully.
