Chapter 00028: We Are Innocent! (Thanks to rwxdx's Alliance Leader)
# We Are Innocent! (Thanks to rwxdx's Alliance Leader)
Chapter 28
Novel: Above Destiny
Chapter 28: We Are Innocent! (Thanks to rwxdx's Alliance Leader)
“Uh—”
In the silence, Ji Jue squirmed in his seat for a moment and swallowed hard.
He thought to himself, stretching his neck would lead to death, and pulling it back would still lead to death.
So, it might as well be a quick death.
After hesitating for a while, he finally spoke, “I feel… it’s not too bad?”
“It’s indeed acceptable.”
Professor Ye nodded, her expression emotionless, “It barely managed to change from being non-combustible trash to ordinary garbage. I really don’t know how you had the gall to submit it. A few days ago when I received it, I even checked the date to see if it was April Fool’s Day. How long did it take you to put this together?”
She asked, “Five days? Three days?”
“Almost…”
Ji Jue lowered his head and hesitated for a long time, ultimately not daring to admit that he had used only four hours to finish it.
He no longer tried to argue and instead pulled his medical record book out of his pocket, presenting it with both hands.
“There was a little incident. I got hit by a car and had to stay in the hospital for a while.”
To be honest, although he knew this pile of work was not too impressive, it wasn’t that terrible either.
With some tidying up, it would be passable enough for a thesis.
But if Professor Ye only needed something of that degree, why would she come to him?
There were so many universities outside, both wild and domesticated, their quality rich and tender.
Plus, the night owls who worked hard had coffee by their side; couldn’t she just pull someone from the street who could do the work?
Professor Ye didn’t even look at the medical record book he put on the table.
After glancing at Ji Jue, confirming he was intact and in one piece, she pointed to the stack of papers on the desk. “Besides the framework and data sections, you need to rewrite everything else, especially the argument and main points. Don’t reuse the old parts just to fill space. If I see more meaningless drivel like ‘the banana is larger than the banana peel’ again, you should just leave gracefully.”
“Ah? Oh, okay!”
Ji Jue was taken aback.
He hadn’t expected Professor Ye to show a little mercy this time.
In the past, many from the group had been ruthlessly scolded over a single symbol or a matter of weight.
Realizing it, he hurriedly snatched the paper back.
However, its thickness took him by surprise.
He hadn’t written that much.
Upon opening it, he found numerous dense notes and questions marked around the thesis.
Many said things like ‘nonsense’, ‘useless chatter’, and ‘of no practical value’, but even more troubling were the questions and revision comments that made Ji Jue break out in a cold sweat.
Of course, the most eye-catching part was the cover.
In the position of co-author, the name circled in red ink, alongside a question mark that occupied nearly half the page.
— [Ye Chun].
It was obvious that she had seen through Ji Jue's desperate attempt to drag Senior Sister into his mess.
Ji Jue wiped his cold sweat, “Ah, this was just a joke, just fooling around.”
“I know.”
Professor Ye took a sip of tea, speaking with indifference, “The co-author on that piece of junk submitted by her was also you.”
“……”
For a moment, Ji Jue felt like calling the police.
Indeed, for every dim sum, dumpling, or oat bun that fate charged him for, there was a hidden price.
Not only could he be lazy fishing for benefits, but he also implicated others?!
He thought to himself, why was she so enthusiastic today? Clearly, there’s no such thing as free lunch!
“Come on, go. Don’t you still need to take your family out to see Tianmen?”
Professor Ye capped her tea cup and waved her hand: “Remember to come back this afternoon. There’s still something I need to give you.”
“…”
In silence, Ji Jue hesitated for a moment, opening his mouth to speak.
Professor Ye looked over, “What’s wrong?”
“Professor, I… this afternoon…”
He stammered, explaining, “I have plans.”
It wasn’t that he was trying to be lazy, but Wen Wen had insisted that he must make time this afternoon, threatening consequences if he didn’t, as it seemed to be something extremely important that he couldn’t refuse.
“Hmm?”
In the brief silence, Professor Ye studied him, her brows slightly raising in surprise.
Soon after, as if understanding something, she nodded knowingly: “I see.”
Suddenly, she asked, “Are you in a relationship?”
“No, no, no, no, no!!!"
Ji Jue was so frightened he almost jumped out of his chair, waving his hands in a panic, fearing Wen Wen would hear him from hundreds of kilometers away.
He hammered his chest with his tiny fist, “It’s just a friend asking for help. I owe them a favor, and I really can’t back out.”
Professor Ye didn’t press further.
She merely waved her hand, signaling there was no need for more details.
After pretending to organize his thesis, Ji Jue ran out in a cold sweat.
Naturally, he couldn’t catch up with the already-escaped Ye Chun.
After searching several rounds, he could only send a message on his phone saying something like, “Don’t let me run into you on Tianmen Street,” as a display of his impotent rage.
He even received a mocking sticker from Ye Chun making fun of him.
After a busy morning, after wandering Tianmen with Lu Ling, meeting some instructors and classmates, and just as he finished lunch in the cafeteria, he got a call from Wen Wen.
“Where are you?”
On the other end, the roar of a motorcycle engine could be heard, “Have you cleaned yourself up? Don’t dawdle, hurry up and get outside.”
“Where else could I be? Tianmen, of course,” Ji Jue sighed, “Wen Sister, I’m starting school today.”
“Great, just in time, wait for me.”
The call ended abruptly.
Within ten minutes, Ji Jue heard the familiar roar of a motorcycle and saw it boldly ride into the school, an orange-red blaze racing by on the campus road, drawing the attention of countless eyes.
Then, just as Ji Jue sensed something was amiss and was about to run, it stopped right in front of him.
“Do you have to be this extravagant, big sister?”
Ji Jue was puzzled, “What’s the matter?”
“Didn’t I mention I had a good opportunity for you? I found a path!”
Wen Wen took off her helmet, her spirits high. “Other selected talents can live off the land, but you, Yu Jin, without a guide or inheritance, are stuck. Even if given a matrix, you won’t know how to use it. I’m introducing you to one of the city’s few alchemy masters. They just announced they are looking for an apprentice, and many are rushing to apply without even getting a chance to meet them. This meeting was arranged by me at great effort, so make sure to show a bit of respect. Whether you succeed or fail, it’ll depend on you!”
“Ah?”
Ji Jue was dumbfounded.
He hadn’t expected that just after being asked to redo his thesis, Wen Wen would directly enroll him in some extracurricular program for selected talents.
He instinctively wanted to decline, “But I haven’t finished my paper yet…”
“You can write it tonight, it’s fine! Let’s go!”
Wen Wen tossed him a helmet, pointing at the back seat of the motorcycle, “Hurry up and get on!”
With just a tug, Ji Jue found himself uncontrollably sitting on the motorcycle, hurriedly putting on his helmet without even noticing the familiar scent of perfume inside.
The motorcycle shot forward.
He could only subconsciously hold on firmly, “Where are we going?”
“Not far! Just a turn away.”
The motorcycle curved along the lakeside, crossed the main road, and climbed a slope, winding through lush greenery.
However, the further they went, the more uneasy Ji Jue felt, his scalp tingling.
This direction…
“Wait a minute, Wen Sister.”
As he followed her into the lobby elevator, Ji Jue tried to stop her.
“Hey, don’t be scared. Just watch me.” Wen Wen raised her brows and smiled.
“No, I…”
“Don’t worry.”
She waved her hand dismissively, signaling him to stay quiet, “Just wait for my good news!”
And thus, they boldly marched forward.
With heads held high, Wen Wen breezed through the corridor, pushing open… the door to Professor Ye’s office!
Ji Jue froze in place.
He felt the world turn black.
Uh… was it still too late to run now?
In his shock and daze, he heard a familiar voice emanating from within through the slightly ajar door.
“Ms. Wen, I’m sorry to trouble you with this. To be honest, I’ve already decided on the apprentice candidate. Although not quite what I wanted, I don’t plan to replace them for now.”
“Oh, Master Ye, it wouldn’t hurt to take a look. This lad I brought is particularly bright and capable, full of talent. He’s more than willing to work hard, and he can even pull his weight like a draft horse! You should at least give him a glance!”
Saying that, afraid she might change her mind, Wen Wen pushed the door open and roughly pulled Ji Jue, who was trying to hide and escape, right into the room, pushing him towards Professor Ye’s desk, patting him firmly on the shoulder:
“See? What do you think? Ji Jue, come on, introduce yourself.”
Do something useful!
Damn it! Get out! Ignore!
“Ah… uh… um…”
In the silence, Ji Jue stammered for a long time, not daring to lift his head, much less perform a backflip.
He could only weakly greet her, “…Hello, Professor Ye.”
Wen Wen couldn’t hold back and discreetly kicked him under the desk, thinking, what a good lad, why is he suddenly so shy? Bring out your usual charm!
If looks could talk, Ji Jue could write a fifty-thousand-word essay in his eyes.
He could surely banter, but he didn’t dare!
Especially under Professor Ye’s gaze, which slowly turned from astonishment to amusement.
She looked at Ji Jue, then at Wen Wen, who was helplessly watching from the side, and suddenly asked, “Is this the matter you had this afternoon?”
“Mm-hmm.”
Ji Jue nodded obediently, his face practically buried into his chest.
“Didn’t you talk about it?” Professor Ye asked again.
Ji Jue shook his head furiously, “Really didn’t, everything clear as day!”
Professor Ye stopped speaking.
Or rather, having lived for over forty years, she momentarily didn’t know how to handle such an absurd and awkward situation.
The research talent she had reserved was suddenly introduced back to her by someone else when he was supposed to be out there turning the tables.
Until Wen Wen’s obliviousness finally detected something was off.
She glanced at the two of them in confusion, slowly bewildered.
“What’s going on between you two?”
“……”
In the brief silence, Professor Ye cleared her throat twice, her usually stern face twitching a little, and said as calmly as possible, “Miss Wen, allow me to introduce to you… this young man beside you is a member of my new fuel power structure project at Tianmen University, and he is also the apprentice I planned to recruit.”
Wen Wen turned slowly to look at Ji Jue, then at Professor Ye, the air thick with the tension of overloading brains.
“So, you’re saying…”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Professor Ye nodded straightforwardly, “You introduced my apprentice to me as my apprentice. I have to say, your insight is quite commendable.”
And thus, a long silence fell.
In the awkwardness, Ji Jue gazed at the dust swirling down from the corner, trying to shrink his presence to almost nonexistence.
He could hear the sounds of excavation from the office floor below.
Once the excavation was completed, they even built a six-hundred-square-meter garden, along with a football field and gym, to accommodate the embarrassment and suicidal impulses of this awkward encounter, and ultimately, a grave for Ji Jue!
“…Sorry to intrude.”
Wen Wen lowered her head, politely slipping out from the opening created by the quick digging.
Moments later, she pushed the door open again, came back, and grabbed Ji Jue, nodding to Professor Ye, politely bidding farewell, “Sorry to borrow him for a moment.”
“Don’t forget to close the door.”
Professor Ye turned her head, ignoring Ji Jue's pleading gaze, looking out the window.
The weather was bright and beautiful, clear skies without a cloud in sight.
The weather really was getting more interesting lately.
She lifted her teacup, took a sip, and finally couldn’t help but chuckle.
(The End of This Chapter)