PCJ – Chapter 602 University Campus

Time flew by, and Zhang Jiaohua had already started his college life.

Attending the best university in the country, the one thing Zhang Jiaohua liked most was that no matter how outstanding his grades were, he wouldn’t attract too much attention. That suited him perfectly.

Sitting alone in a quiet corner of the library, holding a book in his hands, reading quietly without being disturbed or noticed—this feeling was wonderful. University life needed such peaceful places, free of noise and distractions.

Zhang Jiaohua had chosen to major in Life Sciences. Even as a cultivator, he remained deeply curious about the mysteries of life.

Who am I? Where do I come from? Where am I going?

Zhang Jiaohua couldn’t see where he came from, nor where he was going. Whether one was an ordinary person or a cultivator, the confusion remained the same.

Even with their long lives, cultivators were but a drop in the ocean when compared to the vastness of time. Many answers had to be discovered by Zhang Jiaohua himself. Even if he read every book in the library, he probably wouldn’t find those answers.

But he didn’t want to stop searching. The scientific system could answer many complex questions. Fine—Zhang Jiaohua had to admit that, even as a cultivator, he couldn’t replace science in handling precise matters.

To dissect a piece of tissue, isolate the cells within it, and peer through the cell membrane to see the organelles—beyond those organelles, even more intricate structures existed. The cell nucleus held countless secrets. The professor said that genes hidden there governed life, aging, illness, and death.

The professor also said that the source of human strength lies in the cell’s glucose metabolism pathway. Nutrients entering the cell become the energy that drives human activity. But what confused Zhang Jiaohua was this: cultivators could release tremendous energy in an instant using spiritual power—how could that possibly be supported by such tiny cells?

Ding-ling-ling…

The bell for the fourth morning class rang. Students in the library began to stand up, return books to the shelves, and prepare to leave.

Zhang Jiaohua also returned his cell biology book to the shelf and began packing up his things to leave.

“I knew I’d find you here.” Ji Jiaxin stood at the entrance of the library with a smile. Seeing Zhang Jiaohua come out, she walked up quickly. Her long hair flowed like waves behind her, fluttering as she hurried over.

“You were waiting for me here?” Zhang Jiaohua asked.

“Yes, I waited for you all morning. Who would’ve guessed you’d spend the whole morning reading in the library?” Ji Jiaxin said.

“Really?” Zhang Jiaohua scratched his head.

“Of course not,” Ji Jiaxin giggled. “I was in class nearby. After class, I came to see if I’d run into you. Are you really not planning on attending classes?”

“The pace is too slow. It’s a complete waste of time,” Zhang Jiaohua said bluntly. One wonders how the professors would feel if they overheard that.

Ji Jiaxin laughed, “If all students were like you, universities wouldn’t be able to function. They’d have to convert entirely into libraries. Professors would be out of a job and stuck writing books instead.”

“Wouldn’t that be great? Green and eco-friendly,” Zhang Jiaohua replied.

For some reason, Xu Xiaoting ended up choosing another prestigious university in the same city. Perhaps it was because Zhang Jiaohua always auctioned his Jade Spirit Tea through the Xu family’s auction house, and she didn’t want others to think her feelings for him were based on personal gain. For a girl like Xu Xiaoting, love was something pure and untainted.

Zhang Jiaohua sensed this, but had no intention of changing anything.

After eating with Ji Jiaxin in the cafeteria, they returned to their respective dorms.

Zhang Jiaohua got along well with his roommates.

When he walked into the dorm, the other three were already there.

“Zhang Jiaohua, skipped class again? Be careful or you’ll fail every subject at the end of the semester,” said Xia Hui, who had just come back.

Zhang Jiaohua smiled, “Spending all your university years in a classroom is a waste of time.”

“Where’d you read that theory?” Xia Hui asked.

“I forgot who said it.” Zhang Jiaohua tossed his bag on the desk and picked up a book from the shelf.

Xia Hui laughed, “Man, you never put down a book.”

At that moment, their other roommates, Ma Zhenyuan and Luo Huaping, entered.

“Zhang Jiaohua, you’re in trouble. The professor called your name in class today. He said our university always has a few geniuses, but if you don’t get excellent grades by the end of the semester, you won’t pass,” Ma Zhenyuan said, patting his shoulder.

“Was it the physics professor or the philosophy one?” Zhang Jiaohua asked.

“Physics, of course. That philosophy guy is so out of touch—he probably doesn’t even notice you’re not in class,” Ma replied.

Zhang Jiaohua nodded. “Fair point.”

Luo Huaping chimed in, “Professor Zhao said you’re the first student in university history planning to finish four years’ worth of coursework in just one year. Are you serious?”

Zhang Jiaohua didn’t hide it: “I don’t want to waste time here.”

“So what are you planning to do then? I’m telling you,” Xia Hui said, “sometimes, the process is just as important as the result. You can’t ignore the journey for the sake of the destination.”

Zhang Jiaohua knew Xia Hui was trying to be sly, so he didn’t answer.

Ma Zhenyuan cut in: “Stop preaching. It won’t work. Don’t you see a girl from the journalism department having lunch with Zhang Jiaohua every day? Haven’t you noticed?”

Xia Hui scratched his head. “They sit in the same spot showing off their relationship—how could I miss it? I’m just warning this guy not to chase only results. And when one of us gets rich, he should think about helping the group too. With so many girls in journalism, he ought to consider his brothers’ futures.”

That was what Xia Hui really wanted to say.

Zhang Jiaohua couldn’t help but laugh when he realized Xia Hui had been circling around to get to that.

“If you guys want, I can ask Ji Jiaxin if she can arrange something—like a social event, maybe an outing,” Zhang Jiaohua offered.

“Deal! If you pull that off, you’re officially exempt from doing dorm chores,” Ma Zhenyuan declared.

“No more laundry for you either—we’ll handle yours too,” Luo Huaping added.

Xia Hui quickly said, “If the professor takes roll call, I’ll risk getting marked absent just to answer for you.”

Zhang Jiaohua had thought university would be full of bookworms. Instead, he found a bunch of lovable goofballs.

However, his counselor, Mei Qing, was very concerned about his lack of class attendance. One afternoon, she came to the dorm to find him.

Knocking on the open door, she walked right in.

“Zhang Jiaohua, finally caught you! I heard you’ve only attended a few classes since the semester began. All the professors already know your name. If this keeps up, you might not even graduate,” she said, clearly frustrated.

“I told the admissions counselor before I enrolled that I’d decide for myself whether to attend classes,” Zhang Jiaohua said calmly.

Mei Qing couldn’t believe it. “What kind of counselor would agree to that?”

“Go ask. I believe the dean agreed to it,” Zhang Jiaohua replied.

Mei Qing called the dean immediately. As she listened, her eyes widened, and when she hung up, she stared at Zhang Jiaohua in disbelief.

“You really plan to finish all your undergrad coursework and thesis in one year?”

“That’s exactly why I can’t waste time sitting in class every day. I need to study faster.”

“You don’t need to put so much pressure on yourself. College isn’t just about getting a diploma—it’s also about enjoying the experience. These are the most unforgettable years of your life. Shouldn’t you try to enjoy them?” she said earnestly.

“Pfft!” Zhang Jiaohua burst out laughing.

So did the others.

“What are you all laughing at?” Mei Qing asked, confused.

“Someone else just said the exact same thing you did a minute ago,” Zhang Jiaohua said.

“Well, putting that aside, since the higher-ups already approved your plan—no matter how unreasonable it seems—I can’t stop you. But I came for something else. I heard you’re the only one in your class who doesn’t participate in group activities or join any clubs. That’s not good. College is also about learning things outside of books. If you never join group events, it’ll be hard to adapt in society later.”

“I’m way too busy studying right now,” Zhang Jiaohua replied, clearly uninterested.

Once they finally saw Mei Qing out, the others burst into laughter again.

“Xia Hui, you and Mei Qing really are soulmates,” Ma Zhenyuan joked. “You should go for it—she only graduated recently and still lives in the single staff dorm.”

“Get lost. I’m not into teacher-student romances,” Xia Hui replied seriously.

Every weekend turned into a reunion of the Meizi’ao gang.

Qi Xia, Nie Tong, and Mute all went to Zhang Jiaohua’s new apartment in the capital. It was lively. Zhang Youping and Liu Qiaoye had returned to Meizi’ao after he got accepted to college. Not because they wanted to leave him alone, but because they understood he had grown up. People from the mountains knew one thing well: once a fledgling spreads its wings, it should be allowed to fly. Otherwise, it will never fly far.

“Yuanbao calls our dorm every day, complaining about how boring it is in the provincial capital. Unlike us—we meet every week,” Qi Xia laughed.

“He only has himself to blame. He should’ve studied harder. We told him to focus before the college entrance exam, but he didn’t listen. Who can he blame now?” Nie Tong said.

Mute scratched his head. “That guy is just lazy. He could’ve made it into a sports college if he tried. He’s just afraid of hard work.”

“Don’t listen to his whining. He’s actually showing off. Didn’t he brag about eating a fancy meal the other day? I bet he’s going to become a chubby guy soon,” Qi Xia added.

Everyone had some cooking skills, or at least could lend a hand. On weekends, they’d gather to cook authentic Meizi’ao-style meals with vegetables and fruits brought by Zhang Jiaohua.

Zhang Jiaohua thought Mei Qing would leave him alone after understanding his situation, but unexpectedly, she ended up managing him even more closely.

After spending some time in the library, Zhang Jiaohua felt it was time to enter the lab and gain practical experience. He was genuinely interested in biotech experiments.

As soon as he submitted a request to join the lab, Mei Qing pulled him in. Though a part-time counselor, she was actually a PhD candidate in the School of Life Sciences, busy with her own research. The dean had asked her to oversee first-years, but no one wanted the job. First-years in a research lab? Ridiculous. Although labs needed a lot of “lab rats” to run endless experiments, you couldn’t just bring in anyone.

Mei Qing wasn’t thrilled either, but curious. Then she realized the student was from her own class.

“You’re new here, so you’ll start with the basics. I just happen to have a ton of things that need doing,” Mei Qing said.

By “things,” she meant menial tasks: cleaning mountains of petri dishes, sterilizing and drying equipment. Tedious and time-consuming work. She handed it all over to Zhang Jiaohua, hoping he’d get scared off and return to class.

Zhang Jiaohua glanced at the mess on the lab bench, said nothing, and started cleaning. He’d never done this before, but the lab manual clearly explained how to clean equipment. At first he was slow, but he quickly picked up speed. Soon, he was cleaning faster than even the most seasoned lab assistants—faster than Mei Qing had ever seen.

“How are you doing this?” she asked, astonished.

“Just a matter of practice,” Zhang Jiaohua replied coolly.