Chapter 1118 - 833: Can You Tell What Theoretical Foundations Are Behind This?

Looking at the expression on the dean’s face.

Director He sighed heavily and had to ask, "Who is your friend? Sounds like a master’s or doctoral advisor from Beidu Normal University?"

The dean went along and said, "Yes, if they weren’t from over there, I wouldn’t even consider this proposal..."

...

After finishing a consultation in the morning and an ideology and politics class in the afternoon, Nan Zhubin returned to the research group and found the office as orderly as usual—

No, it was even more orderly than usual.

Nan Zhubin focused his gaze and looked at the largest and most central desk in the office.

That desk was the best in the research group, piled with a stack of professional reference books clearly beyond the master’s level, and occasionally used for stacking printed materials. But this spot had always been vacant—at least since Nan Zhubin joined the group.

Only Chonghui or Shi Qianqian would occasionally sit there to sort materials or operate something. For instance, borrowing a lab required using the user and key inside that computer.

But today, Bai Qinghua was sitting there. Not only sitting, but with several documents spread in front of him, and a laptop additionally opened, its screen bright as if displaying some files.

He would operate on the desktop for a while, compare on the laptop for a while, occasionally looking at paper materials, appearing completely focused and diligent.

Nan Zhubin paused his steps, quickly restored them, and figured out the secret behind this peculiar scene in the research group.

Even with his facial expression management skills, the corners of his mouth started to uncontrollably lift.

"Senior brother, you’re back?" Mo Kai looked up from his workstation.

"Mm."

Nan Zhubin put down his backpack and couldn’t help but ask, "Why is the teacher sitting outside today?"

When some people ask a question knowing the answer, their goal often isn’t the answer itself, but to enjoy the value that the Q&A brings.

Mo Kai’s mouth started to uncontrollably lift too, showing a "finally you came back to ask this" expression.

"Because of Senior Sister."

Mo Kai lowered his voice, avoiding being heard by the focused Bai Qinghua.

"She makes sure the teacher stays at his workstation during regular class hours."

Nan Zhubin took a deep breath, controlling his conditioned reflex to initiate Emotion Rebalancing. It would be too wasteful to suppress his emotions now.

"So, the teacher can’t go back to the gaming room anymore?" Nan Zhubin asked.

"He can during lunch break and after work in the afternoon," Mo Kai said, starting to press against the corners of his mouth with his fingers, "Otherwise, unless it’s a business trip or meetings, he has to stay at his workstation."

Nan Zhubin blinked: "Does the teacher have any meetings to attend?"

This almost made Mo Kai fail to hold his smile, having to use both hands to stabilize it.

"...Mm, ahem." Luckily, Mo Kai’s emotion and expression management aren’t weak now, quickly adjusting himself, "Not now, but there will be in the future."

Understood.

Seeing that Mo Kai was almost bursting, this topic couldn’t be further explored regrettably.

Nan Zhubin didn’t use Emotion Rebalancing, instead leaned back in his chair, quietly enjoying the lingering feeling of positive emotions.

"Senior brother," Mo Kai suddenly said from beside.

"What’s up?"

"Now what I look forward to every day is when you come back to study." Mo Kai awkwardly changed the subject to control his emotions.

But it’s an interesting topic.

"What do you mean?"

"Just don’t know why," Mo Kai said earnestly, "When I usually read those English papers, I want to check my phone after two pages."

"But once you sit back, I can somehow calm down, and my study efficiency is particularly high."

Nan Zhubin didn’t comment, his gaze pausing on Mo Kai’s face for a moment: "...Alright. Then while I’m here, continue your reading."

After speaking, Nan Zhubin turned to face his computer screen, his pupils slightly unfocused. In less than a breath, all his attention had sunk into the document before him.

Flow Mode·Intermediate, activated.

Almost in the next instant, Mo Kai also inexplicably felt his heart calm down, like a turbulent river finally merging into the sea, being assimilated to silence.

Swish—swish—

The office quieted down. The sound of Bai Qinghua’s pen against paper, the turning pages by Mo Kai, and the keyboard tapping by Shi Qianqian at a nearby workstation, all seemed organized by some invisible rule.

Time slid by in this silence.

"Phew—"

Nan Zhubin finished reading the paper before him, recorded the key experiments, and organized them into a folder before finally lifting his eyes from the screen.

It was transitioning from summer to autumn, but the days were still long, and looking out the window showed little signs of the day passing.

But the office had people with a more precise sense of time than the daylight.

A noise came from the central desk. Bai Qinghua put down his pen and leaned back in his chair.

"It’s about dinner time. Everyone, take a break. Time for meals, gatherings, and dates—"

The students all displayed amused expressions.

"—especially you first-year master’s students, I’m telling you, if you can’t find someone in your first year, it’s impossible to imagine later, and your social circle will just be within the research group." Bai Qinghua seemed in a particularly good mood, getting chatty, "Of course, Zhuren... and Xiao Kai, you don’t need me to worry about."

As he spoke, he was already heading towards the gaming room, seemingly uninterested in eating: "Second, third-year masters and Ph.D. students, watch out. Although I don’t support internal dating as a principle, but—"

Bai Qinghua’s mood was genuinely good, even his wording had become whimsical.

But just as he touched the gaming room doorknob.

"Teacher."

A voice interrupted both his chatter and movement.

Weng Pinting walked in carrying packed food, along with a heap of milk tea and coffee.

"For the teacher." She handed the lunchbox to Bai Qinghua, picking and choosing among the milk tea, her tone unexpectedly gentle.

Bai Qinghua looked down at the lunchbox and milk tea, hesitating a bit: "...You bought this?"

Weng Pinting nodded as a matter of course: "After a day’s work, it’s time to take a good break."

Bai Qinghua’s expression gradually brightened.

Mo Kai nudged Nan Zhubin, his expression full of curiosity: "Senior brother, why do I feel... Senior Sister has some deeper meaning?"

Nan Zhubin nodded: "Indeed, it has a theoretical foundation in Behavioral Psychology."