The discussion room "mole-catching" activity did not end with Dean Niu’s reply, but instead escalated.
Investigation was certainly not their forte, and as Zhou Yi had said, situations like stealing a thesis mostly ended without consequences. Many injustices in the world ended this way—without the need for criminal forensic methods, relying solely on individual efforts yet having no way to begin.
Furthermore, many individuals’ efforts to "investigate" were themselves illegal acts, just like Lin Yujing had eavesdropped on conversations among Huihu teachers and students, which could make her the only real criminal if things were to be debated thoroughly.
Returning to the matter at hand, if they were to conclude that Liu Yuwei was responsible, then infiltrating her electronic devices and finding the original thesis seemed the only way to obtain conclusive evidence.
Technically, it wasn’t complicated; even Lin Moming herself could achieve it through physical means.
But the act itself was not mildly illegal, and even if something was found, convincing others would be difficult.
Think about it, if you already had the ability to infiltrate someone’s electronic devices, then what’s forging some document records?
Thus, the situation spiraled into a vicious cycle of "finding evidence."
You want evidence, so go file a case!
Not qualified to file a case? Find evidence to file a case!
No evidence, so file a case!
By the end of the discussion, Mo Nian leaned back in his chair in despair.
"If Brother Tu were here, he would have already stolen Liu Yuwei’s computer..."
"Calm down, Brother Mo... I believe Brother Tu has that boldness," Li Zheng shook his head, "but if he really did that, he might have to be persuaded to withdraw, and he could even be detained."
"Then how about... I secretly use her computer tonight?" Lin Moming said, "If I just hide under the blanket, no one will discover me."
"Alright, she’s the kind of person who would definitely have a password," Chang Keqing sighed, "In fact, we already missed the perfect opportunity. If we had known this earlier, during the momentum of the project meeting, we could have forcibly searched her computer. Now, she’s probably already deleted it..."
"Technically, deleted files can still be recovered," Li Zheng said, pursing his lips, "That itself is not a problem. The problem is doing this legally and rightfully in the presence of a notary, but if we don’t have sufficient evidence and only suspicions, we can’t support a reasonable, legal investigation."
"Enough, enough, don’t mention it anymore. Aren’t we already deep in a vicious circle?" Shi Yang said, scratching his head furiously, "If you ask me, Mo Nian and Brother Tu are so ruthless, just storm in and investigate her thoroughly!"
"Come on, being good at studying doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want," Li Zheng stood up, "Let’s stop here for today. I’ll weigh this matter. Thinking is one thing, but please don’t do anything inappropriate."
He then nodded at Lin Moming: "Especially you, must not startle the snake, just do what you need to do."
"Ah... but, I can’t hide my intentions..." Lin Moming said, gesturing pitifully, "I will definitely look at her with the eyes I use for a villain..."
"Sigh..." Chang Keqing shook her head helplessly, "Then come stay with me during this time. My roommate is mostly a commuter and hardly stays in the dorm."
"Yay!!" Lin Moming cheered, but then her cheeks started to hurt again, and she quickly covered her face, "But... but you mustn’t pinch me."
"A maximum of five times a day," Chang Keqing held out her hand.
"No, no more than three times."
"Then four times."
"3.5 times a day, three times one day, four the next."
"Deal."
"Yay!"
Watching this scene, Li Zheng recalled the VPN thesis incident, and the Tu Yikou forex exchange incident...
Li Zheng, too, kind of wanted to do business with Lin Moming.
But attending classes was still important, it seemed he was already late.
Missing other classes didn’t matter much...
This content is taken from fгeewebnovёl.com.
But this particular afternoon class...
was Grandma’s!
Li Zheng was scared of that.
After some instructions, the group members continued their discussion and shared good news they received from people around, while Li Zheng headed upstairs alone, rushing to grab his "Basic Mathematics" book to leave.
However, just as he opened the door, he ran into someone.
Unlike Zhang Shandong, Wu Yue had waited a long time for such an opportunity to speak alone.
And unlike Zhang Shandong, his fear was visibly overwhelming, undisguised, his body even trembling slightly just from standing.
Actually, this trembling had started during the project meeting; it’s just become lighter now due to exhaustion.
Li Zheng did not know that since the meeting ended, Wu Yue hadn’t returned to his dorm but had sat with his knees to his chest on the rooftop alone.
The more burdened with thoughts, the greater the anxiety at such times.
Especially Li Zheng’s last words, "It’s not over until I say it’s over."
Whether it scared others wasn’t clear, but it completely terrified Wu Yue.
Plagiarism, preemptive publication...
Disciplinary actions, being persuaded to withdraw...
Each word was something Wu Yue dared not even think about; he was just blending into the scene, who knew it would lead to all this...
He began recalling that ever since Li Zheng first saw him, he seemed to have inadvertently revealed a look of indifference (low academic power).
Even reluctant to talk more (because of making a joke about Yang Jun).
To avoid more interactions with him, he even let someone like Tu Yikou be the head of the dorm (fostering a sense of responsibility in leadership).
Though clearly the most terrifyingly skilled in the class, he had no intention to run for class president, presumably thinking that competing with someone like him... was itself a demeaning affair (that man only wanted to study).
In this series of self-inflicted scares, Wu Yue increasingly felt that in Li Zheng’s eyes, he was like a piece of gum on the floor... just lacking a tool to scrape it off.
Now, the tool had arrived.
He surely would tell the dean that I had a problem...
He certainly would ask for a severe punishment...
And those few fierce-looking guys...
By the end, Wu Yue had even imagined himself returning home in disgrace, mocked by neighbors in his empty house...
Because of this, he couldn’t sit still at all.
He hadn’t eaten lunch and had been staring down the hallway for a half-hour, just waiting for this chance to talk.
At this moment, he was leaning on the doorframe, looking at Li Zheng; without support, he might have knelt down right there.
"Li Zheng… I’ve thought it through carefully… I really made a huge mistake…" The words Wu Yue had rehearsed in his mind several times still came out stammering, "Any... anything is fine... Do I still have a chance..."
This was probably what Zhang Shandong meant by how a normal student should act.
"I have class." Li Zheng had only his stern grandfather’s strictness on his mind, quickly turned to lock the door and said, "Let’s talk later."
"Don’t… Li Zheng…"
As the door closed, Wu Yue, having nothing to lean on, saw Li Zheng walking away, and his knees buckled...
Li Zheng quickly supported him: "Don’t be like this."
"Give me a chance… any way is fine…" Wu Yue nodded vigorously.
Seeing his nose and eyes already mixing with tears, Li Zheng found it seemed cruel to just leave him there.
As for the class... being 3 minutes late, or 30 minutes late, basically made no difference.
"Stand up properly," Li Zheng gradually let go, making sure he wouldn’t do anything excessive, before saying, "Tell me what you know that I don’t."
"I’ve sorted it all out…" Wu Yue, clutching at straws, said desperately, "From when you asked me to transfer the leave request, I’ve been informing Zhang Shandong about your situation, all of it public, when to take leave, what times you’re in the dorm each day… Later, Zhang Shandong said he wanted to cooperate with the Biology Institute, maybe entrusting me and Yu Wei… I was scared then, thinking about refusing... but Yu Wei persuaded me to seize this opportunity, saying it was the teachers’ trust… Then, last Friday, we went to a small classroom and sat with Teacher Hu Haibo, talked about the same things as at today’s project initiation meeting, about 20 minutes, then Zhang Shandong and I left, Liu Yuwei didn’t leave, she said she had something to ask Hu Haibo, I don’t know exactly when she left… that’s everything, I’ve told you everything…"
"Is Liu Yuwei very knowledgeable in chemistry or biology?"
"I’m not sure, at least more than I am, able to chat with Hu Haibo…"
"What about the content you talked about?"
"I don’t remember clearly… but it was also very vague, even more so than what was discussed at today’s project meeting."
"I see." Li Zheng thought for a moment then asked, "Anything else, no more details worth mentioning?"
"I… can’t think of anything… Oh yes… I come from an ordinary family, I have always worked hard in assisting teachers to get to where I am today…" Wu Yue said, his face falling, eyes welling up, legs going soft again, "I was wrong, Li Zheng, I should have studied hard…"
"Enough, enough." Li Zheng reluctantly supported him again.
This guy… truly is pathetically miserable.
The entire world was using him as a shield, yet he himself was unaware... and thought he was the true culprit.
"Alright, do as you see fit." Li Zheng sighed, "If what you have experienced is as you described, you haven’t made any mistakes, maybe there’s a slight loss in your attitude or morals, but no issues with discipline."
"Ah… is that so? I just checked the school regulations… Academic discipline issues are supposed to go on record, it could even affect my degree certificate…"
"Calm down, you’re not at that level," Li Zheng said patting Wu Yue, "Let me know if you think of anything else, let’s leave it at that for now."
"This, this counts as over?"
"It’s over." Li Zheng waved his hand, "Go eat something."
"Thank you… thank you!!" Wu Yue vigorously wiped his eyes, "I will study hard from now on, no more doing errands for the teachers."
Li Zheng didn’t know why, but at that moment, his Scholastic Wealth...
increased by 1 point.
That was really substantial.
After consoling Wu Yue for a bit longer, Li Zheng finally dared to head downstairs.
Actually, he wasn’t really a soft-hearted person, shouldn’t have wasted more words, especially since Grandma’s class was ticking by every second, truly shouldn’t have wasted time on trifling matters.
But when Wu Yue asked, "Do I still have a chance?"…
Li Zheng really felt somewhat uneasy.
Yes, yes, yes, you must have, and I must too.
…
Science Teaching Building, large classroom on the third floor.
The students were almost filling the seats, though they almost couldn’t understand what the teacher was lecturing about.
It couldn’t help it, in the past era scarce of intellectuals, scholars who hadn’t studied abroad were called local PhDs, not only at the bottom of the academic pecking order but also struggling for resources.
Except for mathematics.
Fierce, just fierce.
Awesome, even in its simplicity.
Shen Yuecen was exactly such a person, with a pen and paper, under the dim light of an incandescent bulb, he existed as though born from a brilliant supernova explosion.
Legend has it that during the decades when the national college entrance exam was neglected, countless local tycoons had no choice but to devote themselves to fields and workshops.
In contrast, the year when the national college entrance exam was restored, talents that had been suppressed for over a dozen years surged into universities like a spring unleashed.
Shen Yuecen was one who emerged at this time, slaughtering his way through the chaos, directly climbing to the top of the "Four Heavenly Kings" of the Mathematics Institute, known as the "Study Demon."
It is said that when he was young, the circumference ratio could no longer satisfy him. Compared to that endless and chaotic series of irrational numbers, he preferred the simple and elegant list of prime numbers.
No one knew how many digits he had memorized.
Nor did anyone know whether he had memorized them or derived them himself.
Perhaps, it was etched in his DNA.
Legend has it that he was very strict with himself. Even after retirement, he still insisted on an hour of intensive physical exercise every day. At the age of 20, his physical fitness surpassed all his twenty-year-old peers. At the age of 70, his physical fitness still surpassed all the twenty-year-olds.
Without a doubt, he was just as strict with his students.
His classes had a pass rate that never exceeded 30%.
In the most brutal year, no one passed.
Yet even so, many students still chose his class.
Some were defiant, some simply wanted to see what he looked like, and others… were very tragically assigned to it.
In any case, attending his class was an ultimate form of torment and also a supreme test and enhancement.
If you could withstand it for a semester and pass the exam,
then you would indeed have trained to become a true man of mathematics!
Not only was he strict academically, Shen Yuecen was also strict about discipline.
From the moment the class bell rang, anyone who entered would face an extremely tragic outcome.
But today, at this very moment,
Shen Yuecen was deeply engrossed in lecturing, and the door…
suddenly was pushed open very bluntly!
The reason it’s described as very bluntly, is because without concealing it at all, normally sneaking in through a small gap, Shen Yuecen might not even notice. But this fool, behaving so incredibly squarely and upright, swung the door open at 90 degrees, confronted the shocked Shen Yuecen, and instead of ducking and running, he caught his breath, steadied himself under that gaze, and firmly nodded his head.
Report, Grandpa.
I’m late!
Upon seeing this, Shen Yuecen first widened his eyes, then clenched his teeth, and finally felt aggrieved.
Widening his eyes in disbelief that someone could be so boldly late!
Clenching his teeth because the bastard really managed to complete the experiment on his own and even bloody got into "Science" at lightning speed!
Feeling aggrieved because it seemed that from then on, Jingjing would probably not be able to keep him under control, and there was nothing he could do to help!
Amid a rush of mixed feelings, Shen Yuecen forcefully adjusted the microphone at his collar.
"The 169th prime number."
The students erupted.
It appeared!
The test for being late!
Being late of course merits a punishment…
Unless, your academic prowess allows you to do whatever you want.
Li Zheng then instinctively glared.
We’ve dealt with this problem at home before, hadn’t we, Grandpa? You really had a moment of leniency.
"1009!" Li Zheng blurted out.
"Hmph." Shen Yuecen grunted and then continued the lecture.
The students couldn’t help but marvel.
Wait… this is just like the first class of the semester… with that person who locked eyes with Teacher Shen…
Don’t… don’t move forward…
Don’t go to the first row…
Ah…
Teacher Shen, don’t ask him any questions.
Ah!
It’s starting again!
Damn, is it easy to choose a class?
What exactly is the reason?
Is it because he’s handsome?
This way, during the course of two classes, the two fiercely clashed again.
Li Zheng also found it amazing, how a person could still be so robust and enduring at such an age.
Shen Yuecen found it even more strange why Jingjing would like someone who ended up like this academically.
Could it be because he’s handsome?
After class, just like before, neither of them acknowledged the other, both acting tough as they entered the teachers’ lounge.
After sitting down, they stayed silent for another two minutes, but Shen Yuecen could no longer hold back.
"Speak."
"What?"
"What do you think?"
"What?"
"The favor I did for you last time, if you didn’t come to me, and completed the project yourself..."
"Right, right, right, I totally forgot." Li Zheng chuckled, his face beaming as he yelled, "Grandma!"
Shen Yuecen grimaced for a long while, finally made up his mind.
"...Hey."
Hahaha!
Li Zheng laughed inwardly.
First capture the king.
This Jingguo, is it just like this?
Shen Yuecen took a sip of tea before he barely calmed down, then asked, "I only heard about it at noon today, I just glanced at the topic and summary, it’s really interesting, but it seems a bit like picking up leftovers. It’s certainly pleasing that it got into that journal, but you need to understand that this project isn’t really solid work, and luck won’t always be on your side."
"Yes, of course," Li Zheng naturally nodded in agreement, "I didn’t think this was some incredible achievement either. If I must say, the electron microscope itself is a great invention; we are merely standing on its shoulders, merely describing the scenery we saw. Anyone could do this; I was just lucky to bask in Ji University’s glory and climb faster."
"Alright, who are you trying to fool here?" Shen Yuecen scolded, "Getting into ’Science’ at 19, you must be thrilled, huh?"
"Eh, somewhat thrilled."
"Remember to properly thank Zhou Yi, such selfless people are rare." Shen Yuecen continued, "I just didn’t expect his international influence to be so great that ’Science’ expedited your article for you?"
"That’s an interesting story."
Li Zheng then detailed the whole story, whether it was problems at the Chemical Institute or issues with Yingpei, how Hu Zengwu helped, how Zhang Shandong meddled, until Hu Haibo’s sudden appearance, and Liu Yuwei’s suspicious behavior.
Having heard it, Shen Yuecen only then understood the complexities involved and couldn’t help but get a bit annoyed, "Why didn’t you come to me about Zhang Shandong’s issue?"
"Grandma said not to bother."
"That’s a separate issue, teacher’s problems should be solved by the teachers." Shen Yuecen thought for a moment, then firmly nodded, "It’s my fault for imposing that constraint on you. I’ve also collaborated with Niu Gang; I’ll contact him later and explain your situation."
"No need, Grandma, Dean Niu has already expressed his intention to rush back to the country to handle it; bringing this up now might seem like exerting background pressure," Li Zheng gestured, "I’ll handle this matter myself, it’s a good chance for me to get to know Dean Niu. If he is someone I can work with, I’ll stay in touch in the future; if not, I’ll do my own thing and not provoke him. An extra call from you might not let me see things clearly."
Shen Yuecen nodded in rare approval, even more approvingly than solving a prime number.
"Since you’ve thought this far ahead, you probably already know how to handle it?"
"I suppose so," Li Zheng paused slightly, hesitating for a moment.
"What, still can’t make up your mind?"
"Yes, I do have a method I could try, but..." Li Zheng frowned and sighed, "I’m not sure if it makes any difference. I can invest time and effort, take risks, to bring fairness to this matter, but what then? What does it change? My thinking is rather superficial, deeply believing that everything depends on the environment. Me alone, no matter how hard I try to remove the weeds, they always grow back with the spring breeze. It might be better to spend that time studying and contribute more."
"I understand you, but actually, this is a math problem."
"???"
"Look, consider this question: A person asks, ’If one does not sweep one’s own chambers, how can one sweep the world?’ Another replies, ’A true man, when managing worldly affairs, ought to sweep the world; how can he be worried about a single room?’ This is essentially a problem of mathematical logic, including the concept of sets. My previous collaboration with Niu Gang was similar, trying to deduce philosophical questions using the principles of logic and mathematics."
"I’d love to hear Grandma’s wisdom."
"There’s no particular wisdom, it’s just from a logical standpoint..." Shen Yuecen gestured with a smile, "When sweeping the world, you’re also carrying a broom. Just wave it twice at the dirt you see, and that’s it. As someone tasked with sweeping the world, you must set such an example. If trash lands on you, wouldn’t you just toss it into the bin?"
"!" Li Zheng’s eyes widened, "True to your form, Grandma, simplicity is the ultimate sophistication!"
"Alright, who are you trying to fool here?" Shen Yuecen waved his hand again, "Just remember one thing, this is a school. You know what I used to tell people when I was studying? — Doing well in studies means you can do whatever you want. It’s still the same now, have you ever seen me treat Chu Youhua kindly?"
"Wow."
"Alright, contact me anytime if things aren’t going smoothly, and you can mention me whenever needed," Shen Yuecen stood up straight without any support, "Just make sure not to break any laws or rules."
"What about morality?"
"I am the morality," Shen Yuecen smiled, walking out, "and so are you."
Watching Grandma leave, Li Zheng no longer hesitated.
Boss... Grandma is awesome!
Casually, he tossed the trash into the bin.
How many times had he done such a thing to be so composed about it?
Li Zheng no longer overthought, straightened his collar, and also left the lounge.
Let it begin.
The first step of cleaning up trash—
Bend down to pick it up.