Chapter 61: You Don't Attend My Class
The day after Liu Shang returned to school, his roommates dragged him to their Advanced Mathematics class.
When the class monitor saw Liu Shang arrive, his eyes lit up and he breathed a visible sigh of relief.
As soon as the teacher walked into the classroom, the monitor hurried forward to whisper a report. It couldn't be helped; everyone was under immense pressure. If Liu Shang didn't show up soon, they were all going to become anxious wrecks.
Ever since Liu Shang had brilliantly solved Professor Li Wenzhong's difficult problem in Surfactant Chemistry, the Advanced Mathematics teacher had taken notice of him.
The teacher was curious. Was the student who was said to have bested Professor Li Wenzhong truly that strong in mathematics?
What angered him, however, was that this student, Liu Shang, had failed to show up for seven or eight consecutive classes.
Thus, with a combination of curiosity and anger building, the teacher began to apply pressure. Before he could even confront Liu Shang directly, his classmates were already starting to crack.
"Student Liu Shang. So nice of you to finally grace us with your presence, isn't it?"
At the teacher's call, Liu Shang stood up, slightly embarrassed, and gave the professor a placating smile.
Unsurprisingly, his smile was instantly swallowed by the teacher's accumulated fury.
"Perhaps it's my lack of teaching ability, or maybe my own mathematical skills are insufficient. Is that why you barely attend my class?!"
"However, at this university, we don't believe in teachers using their authority to suppress students."
"Like Professor Li Wenzhong, we persuade through merit."
"Come and solve this problem. If you can prove your abilities, I will keep my word and never make things difficult for you again!"
As he spoke, Chen Hongsheng, the Advanced Mathematics teacher, wrote a very difficult problem on the blackboard—one he had prepared long ago.
Upon reading the question, all the students from several different majors and classes gathered in the large lecture hall couldn't help but groan.
No one believed Liu Shang had the slightest chance of solving it.
Are you kidding? They felt dizzy just looking at the problem Professor Chen had written, let alone trying to solve it!
And how could Liu Shang, who skipped class every day, possibly do it?
After writing the question, Chen Hongsheng handed the chalk to Liu Shang, who had already walked to the front.
"I haven't covered this question, and it's not part of this semester's curriculum."
"However, I'm not deliberately trying to stump you. This problem is still within the scope of your university studies."
"If you can solve this problem smoothly, it proves you have already mastered the mathematical abilities expected at the university level."
"I assume the reason you've been skipping my classes so often is that you already possess that level of ability?"
"And as long as you solve this question, I, Chen Hongsheng, will keep my word. You won't have to attend my class in the future!"
At this, Liu Shang's eyes lit up as he took the chalk. He offered a playful grin.
"Professor Chen, you said it yourself. If I really solve it, you won't fail me at the end of the semester?"
Chen Hongsheng shot him an angry glance. "Enough with the games. Solve the problem first!"
Liu Shang nodded repeatedly. Then, without seeming to even study the question carefully, he began writing formulas and solution steps on the blackboard without pause.
In less than a minute, Liu Shang had completed the solution.
Objectively speaking, if Chen Hongsheng were grading it, the answer deserved full marks—and even extra credit for its novel approach and elegant methodology.
The scene left everyone, including Professor Chen Hongsheng, completely stunned.
Who could have imagined that a student who skipped class every day could so easily solve a difficult problem that Professor Chen had deliberately prepared—one that involved content that wasn't even part of the curriculum?
Of course, in his previous life, Liu Shang had been the lead assistant to a world-class expert in oilfield chemistry. How could his mathematical ability be anything less than stellar?
A few minutes later, Chen Hongsheng slowly emerged from his shock as the sound of his students' exclamations and discussions filled the classroom.
He still found it hard to believe. Could a student who skipped class every day truly possess such extraordinary mathematical ability?
"Liu Shang, have you seen this problem before? Or have you studied textbooks from higher-level courses?"
Facing the question, Liu Shang simply smiled and shook his head.
Still not convinced, Chen Hongsheng quickly erased the board and wrote another problem—this one at the graduate, if not doctoral, level.
"Liu Shang, I keep my word. You don't have to come to my class in the future."
"However, try to solve this one!"
"If you can answer this as well, I'll give you a perfect score for attendance, regardless of your absences!"
Amidst an uproar from the students, Liu Shang actually picked up the chalk again. Again, as if he barely needed to read the question, he wrote out a series of exceptionally precise and elegant solution steps on the blackboard, as if performing a magic trick.
Two minutes later, he had completed his answer. It was, once again, perfect.
Professor Chen Hongsheng, who had been standing to the side, took a few deep breaths, then stepped forward and patted Liu Shang on the shoulder.
"Very good, Liu Shang. You can go back to your seat."
After Liu Shang returned to his seat and the classroom gradually quieted down, Chen Hongsheng spoke in a loud voice.
"Let me be clear: Liu Shang's solutions to both problems are completely correct. His full marks are beyond question."
As another wave of exclamations swept through the classroom, Chen Hongsheng continued slowly, "Although I was previously very dissatisfied and angry about Liu Shang's constant absences."
"I must say that his level of mathematical ability has truly surprised me. It's refreshing!"
"Objectively speaking, his mathematical ability has surpassed that of an undergraduate and is even stronger than that of most doctoral students."
"So, Liu Shang, I even think it's a waste of your mathematical talent for you to be studying petroleum chemistry."
"If you ever want to change your major or pursue a double degree, you can come to my office to find me at any time."
Hearing Chen Hongsheng's words, another wave of exclamations, discussion, and disbelief rippled through the classroom.
At this, Chen Hongsheng sighed and then addressed the class earnestly:
"The purpose of a university education is to teach and to nurture, to train you to become true talents who can contribute to the country after you graduate and enter the workforce."
"To put it more simply, it's to ensure you can get a good job, get married, have children, and support your family."
"Don't mind how angry I was before. To be honest, when I witnessed Liu Shang's high-level mathematical ability today, I felt a sense of pride and immense happiness."
"I keep my word. Liu Shang's attendance score will be perfect. He truly doesn't need to attend my class in the future."
"At his level, it would be completely unnecessary and a waste of his time to sit in class with all of you learning such elementary theories."
Hearing this, the students below couldn't help but curse inwardly: *Professor Chen, even if that's the truth, you don't have to say it out loud, do you?*
*Please, have some consideration for our pride!*
But Chen Hongsheng's next words made everyone fall completely silent, unable to even manage a bitter laugh.
Some of the more sensitive students even felt like crying.
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