Chapter 920: Chapter 921 Professor Song
The university semester began. Song Xiaodong arrived at Ningjian Medical University on Friday. It was his first time stepping onto the campus, but not as a studentâhe was here as a professor.
He first went to Chen Qingmingâs office, where Chen Qingming immediately stood up warmly to greet him.
"Mr. Song, here are your professor materials. From now on, youâll be a visiting professor of traditional Chinese medicine at our university. Due to procedural issues, the formal paperwork for the full professor position will take some time. The way our country evaluates professors can really give people headachesârequirements for papers, this and that. Itâs easier for researchers to meet these demands, but real doctors simply donât have that kind of time. Recently, we even had some scandals about fabricated papers. While those were individual problems, the issues with the system are quite serious too."
Song Xiaodong smiled and said, "Being a visiting professor is fine; thereâs no need for official bureaucracy. You know my purpose is to nurture talent, not to seek fame or profit. I donât lack those things anyway."
Chen Qingming praised him, saying, "Mr. Song, you truly have lofty morals. Being able to invite you to our university as a professor is simply an honor for us. Iâd like to make an important announcement and have you give a lecture. What do you think?"
Song Xiaodong quickly replied, "Thatâs not necessary. I donât like to draw attention to myself, especially since I donât want others to know my identity as the Patriarch of the Su Family. It wouldnât benefit my teaching. The students I want to cultivate not only need to have strong abilities but, most importantly, good character. If they knew about my background, I fear it might affect their motivation to learn."
Chen Qingming admired him even more and said, "Mr. Song, from this moment on, at our medical school, you are simply a professor! Simply a scholar!"
"Exactly so!" Song Xiaodong nodded with a smile.
Chen Qingming continued, "Dean Wen has scheduled your class for 1:30 PM every Wednesday. Itâs a two-hour lecture straight through. Is that alright for you, Mr. Song?"
"No problem at all, the timing works perfectly. After class, I can still make it back in time."
"Great, then itâs settled. Itâs almost noon nowâlet me treat you to lunch."
"No need. Iâll have lunch in the school cafeteria. To be honest, Principal Chen, Iâve never attended university in my life, and I canât help but feel a hint of regret. Experiencing university life now can make up for that regret a bit."
"Haha... fine, then! Let me treat you at the cafeteria."
The two of them left the principalâs office together, chatting as they headed toward the nearby cafeteria. Along the way, they encountered several teachers and students, who all curiously watched Song Xiaodong and Principal Chen.
Inside the cafeteria, the place was already buzzing with peopleâall faculty. There were teachers of all ages, sitting together in small groups of threes and fives. Thankfully, there wasnât a long line for food.
"Ah, I forgot to get you a meal card for the cafeteria. Todayâs on me," Principal Chen said with a laugh.
Song Xiaodong laughed as well. "Then Iâll have to trouble Principal Chen to spend some money."
The two of them got their meals and found a seat together, chatting as they ate. Before long, Dean Wen joined them with his own food, exclaiming in surprise, "Professor Song, youâre already here."
Other teachers in the cafeteria glanced over and simply assumed that the person dining with Principal Chen must be one of his relatives or something. No one suspected that he was a new faculty member.
After all, it was unheard of for Principal Chen to sit down for a meal with any of the teachers. But when Dean Wen, with his booming voice, called him "Professor Song," multiple people nearby perked up, staring wide-eyed.
What was going on? The person having lunch with Principal Chenâa professor? And so young, too?
In the medical school, there were plenty of professors, but they were all over forty years old at the very least.
Song Xiaodong, on the other hand, seemed to be only about twenty-five or twenty-sixâbarely the age when one finishes undergraduate studies, let alone graduate school. How could he possibly be a professor?
Smiling, Song Xiaodong said, "Dean Wen, didnât you say my class is on Friday? Of course, Iâm here."
Dean Wen seemed quite excited. "Haha, fantastic! Professor Song, Iâve been looking forward to this dayâI even want to sit in on your lecture."
"If youâre interested, I donât mind at all," Song Xiaodong replied with a smile.
Oh, come on!
The surrounding teachersâ eyes grew even wider. Not only had Dean Wen just addressed him as "professor," but now he wanted to attend his lecture? What was going on?
Everyone knew that Dean Wen was a very traditional figure in the hospital. There werenât many people he genuinely admired, and he certainly didnât feign politeness. For him to speak with such respect, the young man must truly be extraordinary.
Still, if the person sitting there had been in their forties or older, it wouldâve made sense. But this young man? In the field of medicine, unlike other professions, it takes years of accumulated experience to achieve mastery. No "young genius" could skip that step, let alone become a professor.
The sudden appearance of Song Xiaodong had instantly ignited the curiosity of every teacher present.
At this point, Principal Chen said, "Old Wen, lower your voice. Professor Song doesnât like being in the spotlight."
"Oh, right. I got a bit carried away." Dean Wen hurriedly apologized before adding, "Professor Song, that server from last time went in for a check-up, and sure enough, not a single issue remained. Your acupuncture technique is truly miraculous."
Principal Chen couldnât help but laugh, saying, "Old Wen, come onâProfessor Song is the Divine Needle himself. How could it not work?"
"Itâs not that I didnât believe it. But when the patient came back, I obviously wanted to check the results myself." Dean Wen showed no embarrassment and, with eagerness in his eyes, said, "I was serious earlier. Professor Song, may I sit in on your lecture?"
Song Xiaodong smiled and said, "If a dean sits in on the lecture, the students might feel pressured. Besides, what Iâll cover in the beginning will probably be things youâve already learned. If youâre truly interested, we can always have private discussions. Also, our hospitalâs He Wenbai has received a lot of guidance from me. If you have frequent exchanges with him, you might gain even more."
"Wonderful! Iâve met He Wenbai before; heâs indeed an excellent doctor." Dean Wen nodded repeatedly.
After the meal, both Principal Chen and Dean Wen wanted to accompany Song Xiaodong further, but he declined. He preferred to explore the campus on his own and savor the atmosphere of university life.
Not long after he set off, a few people followed himâit was the same teachers who had been eating in the cafeteria earlier.