Changing advisors might not be a major issue, but it's certainly not a minor one either. Upon hearing the news, the dean rushed over.
"What's going on? Why change advisors all of a sudden?" This student had been personally selected by the dean and assigned to Ye Qiusuo, who initially seemed outstanding with high scores and a good background.
"He doesn't adapt well to my teaching style." Ye Qiusuo didn't mention that the student had requested the change; she didn't really care about that.
The dean was taken aback, then tried to persuade her: "This student transferred from Tsinghua or Peking University, his foundation is solid, he'd be easy to guide. Why not give it another try?"
Ye Qiusuo was a new advisor. Having a student with a strong foundation would save a lot of trouble.
"I've already contacted another advisor for him to transfer to."
The dean: "...Alright then."
But the matter wasn't so easily resolved.
Ye Qiusu, of course, was willing to take on a high-achieving student, especially since the student's family had some connection to hers. She had had her eye on him during the initial assignment but he was given to Ye Qiusuo by the dean's office.
Now, with Ye Qiusuo approaching her directly, Ye Qiusu seized the initiative. She agreed to take the student, but on the condition that Ye Qiusuo also take one of her own students.
"I have too many students to manage properly. An exchange would be just right," Ye Qiusu said, sitting in her office and pulling out a student file. "This student. You take him."
Ye Qiusuo frowned. Taking on another student wasn't the issue, but swapping students so openly as an advisor—what would the student think?
Ye Qiusu had held significant sway in the department for years and never considered the students' feelings. She had been dissatisfied with that particular student for a long time. He had transferred from an ordinary second-tier university, his foundation was terribly weak, and he was all thumbs in the lab.
Since Ye Qiusu wouldn't budge, the matter was settled.
To avoid making the student feel awkward, Ye Qiusuo called her students together and specifically explained the situation.
"Ding Hong isn't very familiar with the lab yet. Make sure you all help him out," Ye Qiusuo said, not mentioning the departing student, just instructing her group to look after the new arrival.
This was partly the dean's oversight. He had thought Ding Hong, despite his weaker foundation, might fare better under Ye Qiusu's guidance, never expecting she would dislike him.
As soon as Ye Qiusuo left, her students erupted in discussion. If they had reservations about her before the semester started, after these few months, everyone was convinced by her competence and grateful she was their advisor.
"Meng Weiren kept saying he didn't belong here recently. Did he ask to change advisors?"
"Most likely."
"I heard Professor Ye Qiusu called Ding Hong in yesterday and told him to leave."
"That's not very decent of Professor Ye."
It all happened very suddenly, especially for Ding Hong. That day, he had even gone to the lab to record his latest data, wanting to see things through properly.
Meanwhile, Meng Weiren had already moved all his belongings in and was chatting amiably with the other lab students as if he, not Ding Hong, had been working there all along.
Ding Hong had worked so hard, transferring from a second-tier university to the flagship program at Huajing University, arriving full of hope. He never imagined that within just a few months, his advisor would tell him to change his research topic and switch advisors.
Technically, the student's consent was needed, but with the advisor holding so much power, refusing risked future retaliation. Ding Hong had no choice but to agree.
"Ding Hong?"
Someone stood at the lab door, knocked, and called his name.
Everyone inside looked over. Seeing it was Ye Qiusuo, Meng Weiren averted his eyes, quietly turned his back to the door, and pretended to calibrate an instrument.
Ye Qiusuo didn't enter, just stood at the doorway. "Get your things. I'll take you to see the new lab."
No one expected Professor Ye to personally come and collect the student. For a moment, all the students in the lab looked at Ding Hong with surprise.
Ding Hong, a young man in his twenties, suddenly felt his eyes sting. He lowered his head, pressed his lips together, swallowed the lump in his throat, and gave a low acknowledgment.
Ye Qiusuo waited quietly for the student to record his final set of data on the computer. After he came out, she didn't say much, simply leading him to the new lab.
Thanks to her instructions and the other students' sense of empathy, Ding Hong was met with rare warmth.
"You've really landed a sweet deal," Lin Lu said, pulling Ding Hong aside after their advisor left. "Let me tell you, our advisor is more than just a bit better than the other professors in the department. You'll see. Meng Weiren is the fool for jumping ship in such a hurry."
"Exactly. He'll probably regret it someday."
...
With the student matter settled, Ye Qiusuo found some free time to sort out her finances.
Apart from Tianqiu Tech, she also took on interesting projects from other companies and even owned a few firms herself. Consequently, she had accumulated a decent sum. However, after calculating everything, she realized her funds would only last a year or two at most.
Time to make money.
For the first time, Professor Ye, who had never worried about money, felt a sense of urgency.
Thus, she requested payment from Xie Xi's agent.
They had agreed on an hourly rate, so Ye Qiusuo calculated it based on the standard fee for a Tsinghua/Peking University professor mentioned in the original book.
Sister Wei didn't find this odd. She mentioned it to Xie Xi, who, to her surprise, seemed somewhat reluctant.
During their weekend tutoring session, Xie Xi looked at Ye Qiusuo. "What if I pay you with a song instead?"
Xie Xi didn't know what came over him to suddenly suggest such a thing.
"No." Ye Qiusuo flatly refused. She wanted money. What good was a song?
She didn't voice that last thought, but her expression conveyed it perfectly, thoroughly irritating Xie Xi.
The papers on the desk rustled loudly as he flipped through them, betraying his agitation.
Professor Ye sat at another desk, listened for a moment, then turned her head. "Are you a child?"
Xie Xi: "..."
Once Xie Xi had calmed down, he couldn't stand the quiet in the room and struck up a conversation. "What's it like being a PhD?"
Having been paid, Professor Ye dutifully answered his question. "Not much to it."
She had skipped grades all through school and was used to being strong.
Xie Xi glanced at Ye Qiusuo, clearly dissatisfied with her perfunctory answer, but he didn't press further, switching topics instead.
"How did it feel seeing yourself on TV?"
"Didn't feel anything." A laptop sat open in front of Ye Qiusuo. She glanced at the literature website, then at his motionless hands. "Xie Xi, stop stalling."
Xie Xi: "...So annoying. Every time she says my name, the back of my neck goes cold."
