After spending a few days in the capital with Sun Li, Zhou You received a call from his teacher.
"Zhou You, I've sorted out the details for your doctoral studies. In a few days, there's an academic seminar in Jiangcheng. Come with me, and I'll introduce you to the right person in person."
Professor Wang was doing his utmost for his student Zhou You. After all, seeing his student become more accomplished and show greater filial piety, he naturally wanted to give him a few more pushes.
"Alright, teacher, no problem. I'm in the capital now, but I'll head back right away. I'll come to your place to discuss it further," Zhou You replied immediately.
These past few days, Sun Li had been very happy too. Life was improving in every way, her studies were showing initial results, and things weren't as fraught with difficulties as before.
In the meantime, Zhou You invited Teacher Miao to dinner again, asking her to put in extra effort.
Miao Xia was also delighted. Thanks to Zhou You's introduction last time, her business had expanded into CCTV. Especially after hearing that Zhou You had bought another house just for Sun Li's studies, she realized just how wealthy he was.
As a result, Sun Li received even better treatment.
At its core, education—aside from the exceptionally gifted—mostly comes down to resources. This is why educational competition has become increasingly fierce. Rural kids have a lower chance of getting into good universities because urban kids are constantly taking extra classes and hiring tutors, which boosts their grades and secures more high-quality educational resources.
When Sun Li heard Zhou You's teacher calling him, she urged him to go back immediately and not delay important matters.
"Look at me—inspired by your drive, I've asked my teacher for help too. I'm planning to pursue a part-time doctorate to boost my credentials. Otherwise, if you end up on the same level as me, where will my dignity be?" Zhou You was indeed influenced by Sun Li's situation; otherwise, he wouldn't have thought to pursue a doctorate so soon.
"Nonsense. Whether you get a doctorate or not, we're equals. And sometimes, I'm even on top," Sun Li shot back without missing a beat.
These days, they lived like a young couple, keeping house together. Zhou You hadn't expected Sun Li to have some cooking skills, but considering her background, it made sense—someone who relied on themselves would have starved long ago without knowing how to cook.
Learning that Zhou You was leaving tomorrow, Sun Li felt a pang of sadness at the thought of not seeing him for months. She sat on the sofa, lost in thought.
Seeing this, Zhou You walked over, sat beside her, and wrapped an arm around her waist. "If you miss me, just send me a message. I'll hop on a plane and be here in no time."
Sun Li was only a little melancholic. Her independent nature had long been ingrained, and seeing that Zhou You genuinely cared about her feelings, she cheered up again.
She leaned over and rested on his lap, thinking that since she wouldn't get to enjoy this for a while, she might as well savor it while she could.
...
Back in Luzhou, Zhou You went straight to his teacher's home.
"Jiangcheng University has a doctoral program. Their department head and I have a good relationship. In a couple of days, there's an academic exchange conference in Jiangcheng, and they're the hosts. You'll come with me, and I've already mentioned you to him," the teacher said calmly.
"Do I need to bring anything? What preparations should I make?" Zhou You had never pursued a doctorate and didn't know the process for a part-time one.
"No need. Just go. A part-time doctorate is different from a regular one, and each school has its own admission process. You probably won't need to take an exam—just an interview should suffice." Although his own school didn't have a doctoral program, he was well-traveled and knew the procedure.
Zhou You was thrilled. If he had to take a standardized exam, he honestly didn't have the confidence to pass. But with his teacher's recommendation and just an interview, it shouldn't be a problem.
Going to Jiangcheng for a doctorate was also fate. In the future, when a major disease outbreak occurred, Zhou You would have better access to firsthand information. In the early stages, he might even save his future advisor's life.
But that was a distant solution to a near-term problem. He'd have to see what kind of person his future advisor was. If they were decent, they could help each other. If they were too harsh, he could just drop the doctorate—it was only a bonus anyway.
Returning to his own place, Zhou You saw how clean and bright it was and could only envy himself for having the chance to enjoy such a fortunate life.
After resting at home for a few days, he went swimming at the pool and found Wang Pengfei still studying. He could only marvel at the twists of fate—their genetic differences were just too vast.
Wang Fangfang had accepted her lot. With a brother like that, there was nothing she could do. It wasn't that he wasn't trying; he worked hard, but he was just slower than most. All she could do was compensate with diligence.
Now, whenever Zhou You finished swimming and Wang Fangfang was around, she would give him a massage, leaving Wang Ping watching enviously, cursing his own lack of skill.
Several times, Zhou You even dozed off from the comfort.
He had to admit, a massage after swimming felt even better for recovery and health than swimming alone.
Wang Fangfang noticed that Zhou You hadn't flirted with her these past few days and, seeing his tired look when he returned, guessed what had been going on outside.
But this was all within her expectations. She had no regrets and just served Zhou You attentively, even learning massage techniques from a professional.
Zhou You silently observed all this and kept it in mind.
After a few days of rest, he was full of energy again.
He packed a simple bag and flew to Jiangcheng with his advisor.
After landing, following the conference itinerary, someone was there to pick them up. They found the contact person and took a car straight to the hotel.
"Teacher, I've never been to this kind of academic conference before. What's it mainly about? Do we need to give a speech?" Zhou You was a bit curious.
"Honestly, nothing much. In our field, there aren't any major innovations. It's just a chance to chat about industry trends and get together," Professor Wang said honestly. It was essentially a disguised form of travel.
The conference location changed every year, rotating through cities that had this specialty. Luzhou had hosted it before, but Zhou You was a student then and hadn't participated, so he didn't know the details.
Hearing his teacher explain, Zhou You understood. Unlike other technical fields, theirs didn't have new breakthroughs every year. People gathered to exchange ideas and discuss things, maybe sparking some academic inspiration.
Their field was half-cultural. Everyone talked about enrollment, graduation rates, employment, and a few library directors would share their experiences on running libraries—how to better serve the public and students.
The rest involved visiting schools, checking out local university libraries, provincial libraries, city libraries, and some famous scenic spots and local cuisine.
There was also free time for attendees to visit friends and family, have meals, and network.
Please keep reading—the author, like Zhou You, wants to reach the next level.