Rebirth of Bloody Romance

The sunlight shines through the sparse clouds and dapples on the teaching building of Yenching University, giving this historic institution a golden coat.

In the classroom, hundreds of students were sitting or standing, and the noise was deafening, but they were all waiting for a special moment - the roll call of the History of Science class.

"Wang Yong!" Zhong Yuemin's voice was deep and magnetic, penetrating the entire classroom with a barely perceptible smile.

"Here!" A handsome boy sitting in the corner, wearing black-framed glasses, responded quickly. He was Wang Yong, a top student in the Department of Physics who was curious about the mysteries of the universe. His desk was piled with various scientific books, each of which recorded his footprints in exploring the unknown.

"Liu Kai!" Professor Zhong's gaze immediately turned to the other side, where sat a young man with a sturdy build and a determined look.

"Here!" Liu Kai's voice was loud. He was a leader in the law department and had his own insistence on fairness and justice in the future legal community. Although his major was different, he also had a strong interest in the history of science and often discussed it with his classmates in the physics department until late at night.

"Zhang Wei!" This time, Zhong Yuemin deliberately raised his voice and his eyes fell on a girl with a ponytail who was taking notes seriously with her head down.

"Here!" Zhang Wei looked up and smiled warmly. She was the rising star of the Department of Biological Sciences and had an almost obsessive love for the exploration of life sciences. Zhong Yuemin knew that she would be a leader in the field of biomedicine in the future.

Now Zhong Yuemin’s favorite thing to do in class every day is to call the roll.

Every time he was in class, he felt an inexplicable excitement when he looked at the huge crowd of people in the audience. These people are the future pillars of the country! Many of them will become experts and academicians in their respective fields, and may even become senior officials at the central or local level! When he thought of this, Zhong Yuemin felt a special sense of accomplishment.

Zhong Yuemin once secretly made a list of students from different majors in the Brief History of Science class.

Among them, several students will become academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the future; there are at least a dozen provincial and ministerial officials; and as for those who have made achievements at the local level, there are even more.

Unfortunately, although Zhong Yuemin knew the list, he could not match each face to each name. He was not very clear about the future achievements of these students. But just knowing that these people existed made him feel extremely satisfied.

Therefore, Zhong Yuemin is full of enthusiasm for calling the roll. He is probably the only teacher in the whole school who can make calling the roll so creative.

Every time he called the roll, he would call the students' names in various interesting ways, making everyone spend the class in a relaxed and happy atmosphere. And he himself would enjoy the unique fun in the process.

The afternoon sun shines through the sparse clouds and onto the tiles of the bathroom, adding a bit of stuffiness.

Zhong Yuemin had just finished a busy day and decided to simply wash off the sweat and fatigue in the bathroom. Amid the splashing water, he seemed to temporarily forget the hustle and bustle around him and enjoy the quiet and coolness of the moment.

Just as he was about to end this short bathing time, a familiar laugh came from outside the door, followed by Zhao Hongliang's hearty voice. "Zhong Laoer, you are hiding here and enjoying yourself!"

Zhong Yuemin turned around and saw Zhao Hongliang standing at the door with bags in his hands, smiling. Sweat was streaming down his forehead, but it did not diminish his smug look at all.

When he was assigned a job after graduation, Zhao Hongliang was indeed dissatisfied with his job in the grain system, but now it seems that he has completely adapted to the environment there and even began to enjoy the small privileges that come with this job.

"Hey, isn't this Xiao Zhao! What's the wind that brings you here today?" Zhong Yuemin walked forward with a smile, wiping his body with a towel and patting Zhao Hongliang's shoulder. The familiarity and teasing in his expression were self-evident.

"Go to hell! Don't call me Xiao Zhao, Xiao Zhao. I'm only a few years younger than you. You call me that, and I feel like I'm meeting some big boss."

"Haha... one year younger is still younger, right?"

Zhao Hongliang handed the local specialties in his hand to Zhong Yuemin and said with a smile, "Look, these are gifts from our subordinate units. I can't finish them all by myself, so I specially sent them to you. Zhong Laoer, you are free now, but I am so busy here!"

Zhong Yuemin took the local specialty, weighed it, and said with a smile, "Okay, Xiao Zhao, you are doing well now, and people are giving you gifts. But having said that, I envy you for your smug look!"

Zhao Hongliang sighed in a helpless manner. "Alas! Where can you relax? You teach and educate people here every day, how comfortable it is."

Zhong Yuemin laughed. "Okay, stop complaining. Come on, I'll treat you to a meal, and we can have a good chat."

So, the two met again in the sultry afternoon, and walked towards the restaurant together with laughter and jokes.

After enjoying a delicious dinner at Zhong Yuemin's place, Zhao Hongliang's expression became a little unnatural, and he began to hesitate in his words, as if there was something that was difficult to talk about.

Seeing this, Zhong Yuemin had some guesses in his mind, so he spoke directly. "Tell me, Xiao Zhao, what do you need my help with? Do we still need to be polite to each other? It would be really awkward to hide it any further."

When Zhao Hongliang heard this, a relieved smile immediately appeared on his face. He put his arm around Zhong Yuemin's shoulders and laughed, "Then I won't be polite with you. It's like this, I've recently started dating someone and plan to get married, but I'm short of money. I thought that if I borrowed 50 yuan from each of our unmarried classmates, that should be enough. I won't bother the married classmates, as they have families to support and it's not easy for them either."

At this point, Zhao Hongliang scratched his head a little embarrassedly. "Actually, I didn't want to come to you, because I knew my sister-in-law started working early, and your family has two working parents, so the conditions are better than ours. But I really had no choice, so I thought of you first. Yuemin, can you help me?"

After hearing this, Zhong Yuemin secretly laughed in his heart. Zhao Hongliang's plan was quite good. According to his idea, single students spend less. Everyone should have some savings, so they can borrow some.

However, Zhao Hongliang forgot that who among the people at this time didn't have a big family waiting for support?

Zhong Yuemin's face was filled with a sincere and warm smile. He patted Zhao Hongliang's shoulder gently, with a firm light in his eyes.

Zhong Yuemin's tone was filled with unquestionable sincerity, as if he was telling the other party his determination. "Just tell me how much you need, and I'll lend it to you alone. Don't look for other classmates. These days, it's not easy for everyone, so any help is appreciated."

When Zhao Hongliang heard this, a hint of surprise and gratitude flashed in his eyes. However, he soon hesitated again, as if he was having trouble speaking.

Zhao Hongliang scratched his head and said awkwardly, "Is this...really possible? I still need a lot of money! If my sister-in-law knew about this, she would definitely be unhappy. Wouldn't you and your wife have a big fight? Although we are good friends, I don't want to embarrass you because of this."

Although Zhao Hongliang had a good relationship with Zhong Yuemin, he knew very little about the specific circumstances of Zhong Yuemin's business. He only knew that Zhong Yuemin had some additional sources of income, but he didn't know how much these incomes were.

Zhong Yuemin laughed heartily, revealing a kind of open-mindedness and confidence in his laughter. He waved his hand and said nonchalantly, "Hey, you are a grown man, please stop being so fussy, okay? Just tell me how much money you need, and I will give it to you right away. Don't worry, I can handle the family affairs, and your sister-in-law will not bother you for such a small matter as borrowing money."

Zhao Hongliang stretched out his hand, his eyes flashing with anticipation and anxiety. Seeing this, Zhong Yuemin raised his eyebrows and asked, "5000?"

Zhao Hongliang waved his hands hastily and hastened to clarify, "It's 500. 500 yuan will do. That's all I really need."

Zhong Yuemin stared at Zhao Hongliang with a deep gaze, which made him feel uneasy. Zhao Hongliang felt a little uncomfortable being stared at, scratched his head and asked, "What are you looking at? Is there something wrong?"

Zhong Yuemin chuckled and shook his head. "You're planning to get married with only 500 yuan? You're thinking too much. This is Beijing, Comrade Zhao Hongliang. Even buying a color TV would cost more than 1000 yuan, right? Not to mention other things."

Zhao Hongliang gave a bitter smile and explained, "I still have 600 yuan in my pocket. I won't buy a TV or any other electrical appliances for now. I'll just buy some furniture. I know it's a bit shabby, but there's really no other way. I'll just leave it like this for now."

Zhong Yuemin sighed, took out 3000 yuan from his memory card, and handed it to Zhao Hongliang. "I'll give you 3000 yuan. You can pay me back when you have money. Is that ok? Don't worry about your sister-in-law. I'll explain it to her."

Zhao Hongliang looked at the money in his hand, his eyes slightly red. He waved his hands quickly, wanting to refuse. "This, this is too much. Besides, if my sister-in-law knew about it, would it be okay? I really can't make things difficult for you."

Zhong Yuemin patted Zhao Hongliang on the shoulder and said firmly, "Alright, stop being so fussy. We are classmates, and we should help each other. You can use the money first, and it won't be too late to pay me back when you are able to. I will take care of your sister-in-law, don't worry."

Zhao Hongliang felt a pang of sadness in his heart. He never expected Zhong Yuemin to be so generous and lend him so much money at one time. Looking at the money in his hand, he couldn't help but feel a little moved.

The woman's family was a cadre, and he, a mud-legged peasant who had just come out of the countryside and whose feet were still muddy, felt somewhat mocked in the marriage. If the marriage seemed shabby again, where would his face be?

Zhao Hongliang made up his mind and decided to accept Zhong Yuemin's money. "Okay, I'll take it. I'll let you know on the wedding day, and this money will be considered as a wedding gift."

Zhong Yuemin laughed and said jokingly, "You are beautiful, so don't think you are that beautiful. This money is a loan to you, not a share of your money. Remember to pay me back!"

Zhao Hongliang chuckled and scratched his head a little embarrassedly. He knew that he would never forget this friendship in his life.

After seeing Zhao Hongliang off, Zhong Yuemin sat alone in the restaurant, unable to help but sigh at the passage of time and the changes in people.

Zhao Hongliang, the once innocent middle school boy, has now become a seasoned speculator. He has become more and more utilitarian and has even learned how to arrange political marriages.

But Zhong Yuemin also understands that everyone has their own path to take. Having a good father-in-law can indeed help people avoid many detours. In this realistic society, marriage is often not just a matter between two people, but also a union of two families.

Several people in the office have been keeping their heads down these past few days, not saying a word, with no smile on their faces, and looking very unhappy.

Zhong Yuemin really couldn't figure out what was going on, so he turned his attention to the older sister Xie Min and asked softly, "Sister, what's wrong with them these days? I see that they are all listless, like eggplants hit by frost. What happened?"

Xie Min leaned close to his ear and answered in a low voice, "It's all because of the job title evaluation this time. None of the three of them got the job title. Do you think they can be in a good mood?"

Zhong Yuemin felt a little strange when he heard this, and couldn't help asking, "They should have no problem with teaching, right? And they also meet the standards in terms of scientific research, papers, monographs, and awards. As long as they hold on for a few more years, they will definitely be promoted. What's there to worry about? Besides, they all have postgraduate degrees, but their qualifications are there. If they want to be promoted, they have to wait at least three to five years. There's no need to be so dejected!"

Xie Min couldn't help laughing and explained, "Hey, this can be described by the phrase you often say, 'No comparison, no harm.' The teacher in the biology department downstairs has about the same qualifications as them, and he will be promoted to associate professor soon. Think about it, they are usually arrogant, can they accept this?"

"There's nothing we can do about it, but it's understandable." Zhong Yuemin said with a sigh.

Zhong Yuemin knew that there was an unbridgeable gap between lecturers and associate professors. In the seemingly pure ivory tower of the school, there was actually a strict hierarchy, which was no different from other units.

If a person cannot make it in school, then he will miss out on all kinds of benefits and quality resources. For example, lecturers and those below the level can only sigh in despair when it comes to housing allocation and salary adjustment.

What's worse, many important research projects are only open to associate professors and above, and they are not even qualified to apply.

Even after death, this gap still exists. When a professor dies, the president personally presides over the memorial service, while a lecturer can only receive a perfunctory wreath from the school.

The level of professional title not only affects one's social status, but also determines the development trajectory of one's life. No matter how noble a person is, facing such a reality, he dare not underestimate this key factor.

After all, this involves all aspects of life, not just clothing and food.