Chapter 177: The Assembly

Since the thermos was not large enough, Gou Dan could only find a thirty-centimeter-wide food box, place the dishes into bowls, and pack them inside the box.

After Zhong Yuxiu and Hao Nan finished their breakfast, they each carried a container—one holding the thermos and the other the food box. Upon arriving at Huada, they delivered the items to Zhong Yuxiu’s office before leaving.

Once they departed, Zhong Yuxiu tidied up and went to the academic affairs office to collect a course schedule. She noted down the dates for her three classes per week: the third period on Monday morning, the second period on Wednesday morning, and the final period on Thursday afternoon.

To make things convenient for her, all the scheduled classes were assigned to Class 1, Grade 1 of the Department of Physics. This arrangement not only facilitated her administrative duties but also allowed her more interaction with the students so she could identify and cultivate exceptional talent.

President Guo had indeed put a lot of thought into this.

Today was Wednesday. However, the freshmen orientation ceremony was scheduled for today. Last year's orientation had been held, though it was delayed by many days; this year, it would not be postponed.

Having memorized the dates and time slots, the schedule sheet was no longer needed. Zhong Yuxiu casually tossed it into her desk drawer and stood up to head out. Meeting Professor Ding outside, she greeted him with a bright smile.

"Good morning, Professor Ding!"

"Good morning to you too, Professor Zhong. Are you heading to the grand auditorium as well?" Professor Ding asked, closing his office door and looking up.

Zhong Yuxiu nodded, "Just about to."

"Then let's go together."

The elder and the younger walked downstairs toward the auditorium. Along the way, they met several familiar freshmen who respectfully greeted them. Professor Ding nodded with a stern face in acknowledgement, while Zhong Yuxiu smiled gently and replied whenever appropriate.

Outside the auditorium, students were walking inside in twos and threes. Professor Ding led Zhong Yuxiu into the hall, where many professors had already arrived and taken their seats.

Some professors, bogged down by busy schedules or unable to spare the time, simply could not make it.

"Professors Zhong and Ding have arrived," Professor Jiang Xiangnan remarked expressionlessly.

Hearing this, the other professors turned their gazes in his direction. Professor Ding and Zhong Yuxiu were walking side by side, having already reached the front row. The professors greeted them with smiles and warm expressions.

"Good morning, everyone. Are we late?" Zhong Yuxiu responded to them one by one.

"Not at all, not at all. Good things are never too late, right?" Tian Yun laughed heartily in reply.

The thin and aged Professor Feng Anan chuckled, "Even if you had come a bit later, it wouldn't matter. The students haven't all arrived yet. The ceremony is set for nine-thirty, and it's not even nine o'clock yet."

"My old bones and legs act up, so I always come early to avoid rushing and making my legs ache," Fang Ning said with a bitter smile.

"Don't talk about yourself; I'm the exact same way! My health was ruined during my time sent down to the countryside. Now, whenever rainy days come, my whole body aches. I always feel like there's dampness trapped inside that won't go out, and my limbs feel so heavy. Who knows how much longer I have to live?"

If they were allowed to continue down that path, they would probably end up discussing when they would die.

Zhong Yuxiu smiled helplessly. "Seniors, please don't speak like that. If your bodies ache and the dampness won't clear out, you can go find iron horse whip, aged mugwort, and pepper weed to boil in water for a bath. Soaking in it for a few days will ease the discomfort. If you want to heal completely, you still need to find a traditional Chinese medicine doctor to prescribe herbal remedies for conditioning."

When it came to internal conditioning, traditional Chinese medicine remained superior; Western medicine treatments often fell short, as many Western drugs had severe side effects. Especially in the current social climate, side-effect-laden Western medications were countless.

"Is it really useful?" Professor Zheng Ning'an, who had spoken earlier, asked. Though he was not yet old enough to be considered elderly, his hair was already completely white, and he looked deeply weathered. Sorrow lingered unremittingly between his brows, showing how miserable his life had been when he was sent down.

"I read about it in a collection of folk remedies. It can also be used when people catch a cold. Those who feel it suits them might as well give it a try." These veteran seniors carried battered bodies full of pain yet still devoted their utmost to serving the country and striving to cultivate more talent.

Zhong Yuxiu continued, "These three herbs are easy to find and are sold in the traditional medicine sections of pharmacies; they aren't rare medicinal materials." There was no need to worry about not being able to buy them, nor were they too expensive to afford.

Although the lives of these senior professors were quite decent now, they had many worries weighing on them—their children's pasts, their own final arrangements. With their health broken, they never knew when they might suddenly need a large sum of money.

Not to mention them, even ordinary white-collar workers in later generations lived this way: part of their income went to daily living, and part was saved. Those skilled in financial management invested their money, while those who weren't put it in the bank. The moment someone entered a hospital, that was where the bulk of the money truly went.

"Alright, I'll go buy the herbs and try it when I get back." A smile appeared on Professor Zheng's face. "If it works, I must properly thank you."

"You flatter me. Your good health is our greatest blessing."

Professor Zheng Ning'an smiled and said nothing more. The other professors memorized the three medicinal herbs, planning to try the herbal baths upon returning. Most of those who had been sent down suffered from various ailments, and dampness was a certainty.

As everyone chatted and laughed, the time arrived, and all the students were seated. President Guo stepped up to the podium, delivered his speech and words of encouragement, and then stepped aside to let the designated professors take the stage.

Following the professors were the freshman representatives, one per class. Class 1 of the Department of Physics had not made prior arrangements, causing Zhong Yuxiu a brief moment of nervousness until she saw that the class monitor, Chen Yuzhu, was the one taking the stage. That relieved her somewhat. Chen Yuzhu had strong improvisational skills, so giving a hastily prepared speech would not be too difficult for him.

Noticing that this freshman from the physics department had been pushed onto the stage at the last minute, Professor Ding asked Zhong Yuxiu beside him, "Did you not arrange for him to prepare in advance?"

"No, I didn't get wind of it beforehand, and it didn't cross my mind." Spreading her hands, she looked quite helpless.

"It was mentioned at last year's ceremony. Since you weren't here then, it's understandable that no one told you. President Guo probably forgot about it this year; I didn't hear him mention it during the meeting." Professor Ding shook his head with a light sigh. "We're getting older, and our memories are failing us."

Zhong Yuxiu chuckled softly. "It's fine. His name is Chen Yuzhu, the monitor we elected in our class yesterday. He has strong improvisational skills, a cheerful personality, and loves to smile. Even if he doesn't look like much right now, as long as he maintains this momentum, he will surely become a prominent figure in the future."

"I can see that." Professor Ding nodded in agreement. "It shows you have a good eye for spotting talent on the very first day. I just wonder how his abilities are in other respects. If he proves capable, we should observe and cultivate him to stay at the university."

Zhong Yuxiu fell into thoughtful silence. The matter of observing and cultivating students to stay on as faculty was a recurring topic. Talent was scarce; while Huada had more talented individuals than the outside world, it was still far from a place overflowing with brilliance.