Chapter 84

In the afternoon, the English class was held in the multimedia classroom. Liu Meng, who rarely attended classes, surprisingly showed up. His classmates were somewhat surprised to see him. The leader, with a sly smile, sat next to Liu Meng and whispered, "Where have you been these days? Your phone is always off, and I can't find you. I was really worried."

Liu Meng widened his eyes and looked at the leader, teasingly saying, "Really? What do you need me for? Didn't you get a tutor? These days, the parents were away, so I stayed up late to study with her."

This piqued the leader's interest. "A little girl or a handsome boy?"

"Um, a little girl, but she's quite mischievous!" Liu Meng told the truth.

The leader punched him playfully and said with a sly smile, "You're quite something, aren't you? Raising a little girl! This is the top choice for high-end people. Every successful person is like this."

"Stop it, stop it." Liu Meng thought of how Zhou Shiyuan had teased him multiple times, and his hair stood on end. He didn't want to get into this topic and changed the subject, "If you didn't need a girl, why were you so eager to find me? It's not like you, Leader."

The leader cursed, "Damn, when it comes to this, I have to find a girl. Remember the girl from Jianghai who wanted to meet you during the midterm exam? She's so soft-spoken, and I've hooked up with her."

"Damn, Leader, you're really something!" Liu Meng couldn't help but mimic the leader, punching him and flattering him.

The leader, still angry, said, "What a joke. This girl kept talking about you. She was trying to get information about you from me. Jiang Weixin, damn, he hooked up with a girl right away and almost got her pregnant. Dongdong has a childhood friend, Cheng Cheng has a sweet girl, and Old Ma is a faggot. I'm the only one left. Tell me, am I not pitiful?"

Old Ma often came and went early, and the leader had already assumed he was a certain type of person, forgetting that Old Ma watched porn more enthusiastically than anyone else.

"Am I not pitiful?" the leader asked again.

"It does sound a bit pitiful," Liu Meng said with a low laugh.

"As my best brother, shouldn't you help me solve my lifelong happiness?" The leader stared at Liu Meng with a seductive look, making Liu Meng feel uneasy. He quickly waved his hands in surrender, "Alright, alright, what do you really want to say?"

"It's still about Xiao Di's girl. The leader really likes her, and she admires you. I want to find an opportunity to introduce you to her. Then, you say some harsh words and make her cry. I'll come to comfort her. What do you think?"

After hearing the leader's plan, Liu Meng couldn't help but frown. This was a mess. He pondered for a moment.

"Damn, Xiao Meng, how has the leader treated you? Is it good or not? This is about the leader's lifelong happiness. Will you help or not?" The leader put on a fierce look.

"Of course, I'll help. But will this method work? Alright, you write the script, and I'll read it. This is too mean, isn't it?" Liu Meng reluctantly agreed to the leader's request.

"Once it's done, it will be a good thing. You will have done a great deed, and the leader will not let you down." The leader smiled slyly.

As they were whispering, Yang Yun came in. She first scanned the class with an unusually serious look. Seeing Liu Meng, her expression softened, and her lips twitched, but she held back a smile.

"Classmates, we won't do exercises today. We'll watch a movie, 'Forrest Gump,' to appreciate persistence and determination."

As soon as Yang Yun finished speaking, the class erupted in enthusiastic applause. Compared to the dull listening and reading classes, watching a movie was much more enjoyable. Although there were no subtitles, they still had to listen carefully to understand.

All the lights were turned off, and Yang Yun started the movie, projecting it onto the multimedia devices in front of each student.

Even though many students had seen it before, they still watched with great interest. In the classroom, everyone paid extra attention and remembered it more vividly.

The class passed pleasantly with the movie. Liu Meng thought Yang Yun would come to him, but she didn't after the movie ended, leaving him with many questions.

After class, Yang Yun gave Liu Meng a subtle look, and he immediately understood.

The leader came over to walk with him, but Liu Meng found an excuse to decline. The leader reminded him, "I'll write the script right away and implement it tonight. Wait for the time and place. Keep your phone on. After it's done, the leader will reward you heavily."

When most of the students had left, Yang Yun walked out of the classroom, and Liu Meng quietly followed. He wondered what was so mysterious. He quickly caught up with Yang Yun and whispered, "Teacher Yang, what's going on? You made it sound so serious. It can't just be about watching 'Forrest Gump,' right? I've seen it before."

Yang Yun smiled lightly and replied, "Of course not. Follow me to the office, and you'll see."

Liu Meng blinked, thinking, "Did I see that right? Yang Yun actually smiled. Is this real? I always thought she couldn't smile."

However, after meeting Gu Pan and Donggua privately, Liu Meng understood that some women could show completely different sides at home and outside. He suddenly got distracted, wondering if Yang Yun watched soap operas at home with messy hair.

This was the first time Liu Meng visited Yang Yun's office. It was a large room with about eight teachers inside. He even saw an old acquaintance, Dean Chen from the Basic Studies Department.

In the middle sat an elderly man with silver hair, looking very spirited. Dean Chen was talking to him, and the other English teachers were standing, occasionally joining the conversation.

The old man had a loud, clear voice and sharp hearing, a typical example of someone who was still vigorous in old age.

Yang Yun walked over and said, "Old Nan, I've brought Liu Meng."

The old man was Professor Nan Huairen from the Foreign Languages College. Upon hearing this, he quickly stood up and saw a simply dressed young man standing there, neither nervous nor looking around. He looked very ordinary but exuded a presence that no one could ignore, with a calm expression that seemed to disregard everything.

Nan Huairen approached and warmly shook Liu Meng's hand, saying excitedly, "You must be Liu Meng. Very good, very good. The Basic Studies Department should have more students with a solid foundation like you."

Dean Chen hurried over, nodding in agreement, and invited Liu Meng to sit and chat with Old Nan.

When they sat down, Liu Meng felt quite uncomfortable. He was sitting while the teachers stood. Respecting teachers was important, so he tried to stand, but Dean Chen said, "Sit down if I tell you to."

Nan Huairen was even more reassured by this, appreciating Liu Meng's politeness. He held his hand and said earnestly, "Young man, your classical English poem in the midterm exam was excellent. I've been reading it in my free time. The rhythm is beautiful, and the imagery is profound. It's a rare masterpiece."

Liu Meng felt a bit embarrassed by the praise. The exam environment might have stimulated his potential. If he were to write it now, he might not be able to. He replied, "Old Nan, you're too kind. I just wrote it on a whim. There was an element of chance. I was quite anxious after writing it, worried that the teachers wouldn't like it."

Seeing Liu Meng, Nan Huairen felt he was a kind and respected elder. He genuinely admired people like Teacher Kong Jidao and answered honestly.

However, Nan Huairen picked up on another meaning and said to Dean Chen solemnly, "That's true, Dean Chen. I heard that during the grading, it almost got a low score. It was only because Yang Yun insisted and brought it to me that this masterpiece wasn't buried. If not for Yang Yun's persistence, what would have happened to this rare work? It would have rotted and stunk in a pile of exam papers!"

Nan Huairen was quite angry, and Dean Chen nodded in agreement, glaring at the teacher who had graded the paper.

Nan Huairen continued, "Talent is the hope and future of the country. A strong youth means a strong China. Burying talent is a crime, the most serious one. Schools are places for teaching and learning, not for committing crimes. Especially in the Basic Studies Department, freshmen still have the hardworking spirit of high school and the curiosity of entering university. It's easy to produce results. Young people need more encouragement and support. This is more important than any performance!"

Dean Chen nodded in agreement. He wasn't just being polite; he genuinely admired this elder who cared for the country. He looked at Liu Meng with satisfaction, thinking, "I, Old Chen, have a good eye. I saw this young man was extraordinary from the start, and he proved it!"

Liu Meng listened quietly, deeply moved. Old Nan was indeed a noble scholar with a broad perspective.

Interacting with elders like Kong Jidao and Nan Huairen, Liu Meng felt his horizons broadened and his thinking elevated.

"Young man, I came to see you today for two reasons. One, to see what kind of young person could write such a beautiful article. The other, I took the liberty of submitting it to 'Research on Classical Poetry Translation and Annotation.' The reviewers are my close friends. They were eager to review it and, like me, greatly appreciated it. It has been accepted and will be recommended for publication in foreign journals, bringing glory to our Chinese translation community. Ha ha ha..."

Nan Huairen couldn't help but laugh proudly.

"Young man, you won't blame me for taking the initiative, will you? Good things should be shared, not hidden."

Liu Meng wouldn't blame him; he was grateful. Without Old Nan's recommendation, if he submitted it himself, even if it were recognized, it would take a long time. This was the benefit of standing on the shoulders of giants. He replied, "Of course not. I thank Old Nan for your recognition."

Liu Meng couldn't help but feel a sense of reflection. Often, it's not about whether you can do something, but whether you have the opportunity to do it. And with so many people capable of doing it, why should it be you and not someone else?

In situations where abilities are similar, reputation becomes crucial!

Liu Meng believed that in the entire Basic Studies Department, he wasn't the only one who could write classical English poetry. Over the years, others might have tried, but the key was that no one had been discovered or recognized.

A thousand-mile horse always needs a wise eye. Thousand-mile horses are common, but wise eyes are rare.