Lanjing University.
The conference room was spacious and bright. A chandelier hung from the ceiling, unlit, but the recessed lights cast a soft glow. Solid wood tables were joined together to form a long rectangle. The chairs, with their slightly classical design, were cold and hard to the touch, yet all twenty-odd seats were already filled.
Not only that, but late-arriving senior university officials were still trickling in.
Jiangg Ning sat upright on the left side, talking with a teacher from the administrative office next to her.
Strangely, aside from her, there didn't seem to be any other professors whose primary role was teaching. Most of the attendees were from the university administration.
Several members of the board of directors had arrived early. Only the head seat was empty, reserved for the vice principal. Besides the seats at the table, more chairs lined the walls of the conference room, so at least the latecomers wouldn't have to stand, which would have been far too awkward.
Everyone was speaking in hushed tones. Jiangg Ning wasn't quite sure what today's meeting was about.
But Teacher Qi, sitting beside her, knew exactly what was going on.
Normally, the vice principal handled university affairs. Landa's principal was no ordinary person, holding multiple positions and boasting impressive qualifications. He was usually so busy that he was rarely ever seen.
CLICK—
The front door was pushed open, and a middle-aged man walked in. He was slightly heavyset and had a kind, amiable appearance. Carrying a few documents, he walked calmly to the conference table, pulled out the chair, and sat down without ceremony.
This was Vice Principal Zhang.
Everyone rose to their feet as a sign of respect.
"Ahem—" Vice Principal Zhang cleared his throat, gesturing downward with his hand for everyone to sit. "My apologies for disturbing you all so late. I have to go to Kyoto tomorrow for a conference, and I'll be gone for at least twenty days. So, to make a long story short, I wanted to get the university's affairs in order before I leave so I can go with peace of mind."
Several board members and senior university leaders, who were clearly already aware of the situation, nodded in agreement.
"First, Landa University is a top-ranked institution that has made significant contributions in numerous scientific fields. Countless talented individuals have graduated from Landa. However, in recent days, an incident has come to light involving one of our professors abusing their authority, threatening, and persecuting a student under their supervision. This has severely damaged our university's reputation!"
Vice Principal Zhang's solemn tone made the hearts of many administrative teachers sink.
The university had indeed been dealing with this incident recently. A foreign teacher they had hired turned out to be a person of low character, and the matter had blown up online. It was an absolute mess!
Landa had worked so hard to maintain its good image for so many years.
Because of one bad apple, the whole bunch was spoiled.
How could Vice Principal Zhang not be furious? Every student who entered Landa was, without a doubt, a top performer who had triumphed in the grueling college entrance exams. They did not deserve to suffer such unfair persecution.
"Investigate this matter thoroughly, issue a statement, and give a proper explanation to the student and to the members of the public who are following this! Dismiss that foreign teacher first. And I'm not just criticizing you, but what caliber of person are you even hiring?"
With that, he slammed his hand on the table in anger.
Beside him, Qu Xinfeng flinched. He knew the vice principal was calling him out.
"Second, the matter of appointments, which I know you're all concerned about. I'll read them directly."
"Teacher Jiangg Ning: excellent performance at the university, positive student evaluations, capable and young. After discussion by the board of directors, she is appointed as the Deputy Secretary of the Youth League Committee."
"Teacher Yue Binggui: outstanding character, exceptional teaching ability, and sufficient seniority. Approved for transfer to take charge of the new research institute."
"Teacher Su Yan..."
After reading through the long list, Vice Principal Zhang picked up his teacup and took a sip of hot water. The people around him listened in silence, each with their own thoughts and feelings.
Jiangg Ning was, of course, especially surprised. Her eyes widened the moment she heard her name. Only then did she understand why she had been specifically asked to attend today's meeting.
As an associate professor, she had virtually no other duties besides teaching. How could she suddenly be appointed Deputy Secretary of the Youth League Committee? 'I didn't even submit any application materials!'
But after a moment's thought, she understood.
'Since the board of directors has already discussed it, they must have taken care of everything. This must be the family's doing.'
After all, Landa University and the Jiangg Group had very close ties.
"Third, the university must cooperate with the decisions of the higher-ups and proactively develop new initiatives. Take these documents and review them yourselves. While I'm at the conference, you must convey this to all departments. In recent years, Landa's voice in the university rankings has grown faint, and we've lost our former glory. We are all responsible for this!"
This Vice Principal Zhang had a kind face, but he was swift and decisive when it came to business.
In less than ten minutes, the meeting was over.
With a "Meeting adjourned!" he opened the door and left without another word.
Only then did a buzz of discussion begin to fill the conference room. Many people came over to congratulate Jiangg Ning on her appointment, and the atmosphere was entirely amicable.
Jiangg Ning maintained a pleasant smile and responded politely to the other teachers. She spoke courteous words, but inwardly, she was not happy at all...
'This feeling of being controlled is so frustrating. I've been dealing with it for years, but I've never gotten used to it.'
...
That evening, a bleak north wind howled. Down on the athletic field, students' cheeks were flushed red from the cold. Even with gloves and scarves, they couldn't stop the biting wind from seeping through the seams of their clothing.
The lights in the dormitories shone brightly as many students, finished with their self-study sessions, hurried back to the warmth of their rooms.
Calling out to one another, girls ran in small, quick steps, holding hands, while boys hunched their necks and shivered, walking in groups of three or five.
Chen Yuan and his friends had just come out of the Landa University student bathhouse.