"Can you translate your bird sounds?"
Professor Alicia Harper was at a complete loss.
"Sure,"
Chuck said matter-of-factly, "I said he was wrong, and he said yes."
Everyone burst into laughter.
While they didn't understand how Chuck had pulled it off, seeing the previously arrogant and conceited little genius rendered speechless and panicked by this verbal sparring, they realized they were just as delighted as the blonde girl. After all, few people actually liked such a pompous little know-it-all!
"Can you get him to stop making bird noises and speak English?"
Professor Alicia Harper said helplessly.
"Sure."
Chuck looked at the system's notification about doubled positive and negative points (+5 points), met Alicia's pleading gaze, and used his ventriloquism skills. "Cock-a-doodle-doo!"
This time it was a rooster's crow.
"Ahhh!"
The sound echoed through the hall, and little Sheldon, trapped in his traumatic memory, screamed and bolted from the classroom.
A side effect of his eidetic memory transported him back to age seven at the sound of a rooster crowing. He'd been chased up a tree by the rooster from his neighbor Billy Sparks' farm. Though he knew this wasn't his seven-year-old self, nor was he back in East Texas, he instinctively chose to flee.
After all, when faced with danger, all living creatures instinctively fight or take flight.
And he, Sheldon Cooper, would always, always take flight!
"There we go,"
Chuck said seriously, pleased to see the system's +10 points for both positive and negative categories.
Everyone: "..."
Professor Alicia Harper shot Chuck an exasperated look and hurried after Sheldon.
Little Sheldon was the dean's pet project, and even if he wasn't, as a professor, it was her responsibility to comfort and care for such a young child who'd been frightened like that.
"Dude, that was awesome!"
As the professor left, the entire lecture hall erupted in laughter. The more outgoing male students nearby began whooping and giving Chuck thumbs-up.
Chuck looked indifferent and didn't respond. What he was thinking was that the points little Sheldon brought him were far beyond his expectations.
Hmm.
Living a quiet, ordinary life is the real deal. Not only could he earn positive points, but negative points too, and he could earn 5 or 10 times as much. That's fantastic!
The guy who'd spoken saw that Chuck ignored him, shrugged, and didn't bother continuing the conversation. He turned to talk to someone else.
Anyone who could get into Princeton's Physics Department was among the chosen few. Nobody needed to kiss up to anyone!
Seeing this, the others figured that Chuck was so young yet had a PhD and was pursuing a second degree. Now he was acting all aloof. He was probably another little Sheldon, so they gradually lost interest.
Except for the blonde girl who'd laughed initially—she kept glancing back at Chuck and whispering with the girl sitting next to her, giggling occasionally.
Chuck ignored all this and was still calculating the positive significance of little Sheldon to his goals. At that moment, his cell phone buzzed. He picked it up, glanced at it, and nodded after answering: "Got it."
Then he stood up, grabbed his briefcase, walked down the stairs, and headed for the exit.
This action once again drew everyone's attention.
"Hey, where are you going?"
The blonde girl noticed first, and as Chuck walked past her row, she couldn't help but voice what everyone was wondering.
"Dean's office."
Chuck glanced at her, nodded, and walked out.
"Oh no, someone snitched on him."
The blonde girl said with concern.
"Come on, Cheryl, he's got a PhD at such a young age. He must be some kind of prodigy. The dean won't do anything to him."
Next to her sat another blonde girl. Compared to the sweet-looking Cheryl, this blonde was more plain-featured but had a tomboyish quality. After offering reassurance, she began teasing her roommate and friend, "And even if something does happen, what's it to you? Don't tell me you're crushing on him already."
"So what if I am?"
Cheryl playfully shoved her friend and said coyly, "Justine, you have your high school sweetheart Leonard. Can't I like someone new?"
"Sure, sure,"
Justine grabbed Cheryl's hand and continued teasing. "College is about freedom. I'm just surprised someone as gorgeous as you didn't have a boyfriend in high school."
Cheryl's expression darkened.
"Sorry."
Justine, vaguely aware of her roommate's family situation, regretted the comment and quickly apologized softly.
"It's fine,"
Cheryl brightened again. "Now that I'm in college, I have my freedom. I can do whatever I want. I want to follow your example and find my own Leonard."
"My Leonard,"
Justine said, seeing her friend didn't mind, "Are you sure it's just me and Leonard that's got you acting like this? And not some twin telepathy thing with your sister getting you all worked up?"
"Oh my God!"
Cheryl got flustered and started playfully wrestling with Justine.
This youthful energy was truly captivating.
Let's not dwell on the excitement in the classroom, but focus on Chuck answering his phone and heading to the dean's office.
"Hello! Dr. Wolfe, good to see you,"
the dean said, stepping forward to shake Chuck's hand.
"No, it's not."
Little Sheldon, having finally overcome his bird phobia thanks to repeated reassurances from Professor Alicia Harper and the dean, had hoped to see the dean take his side, but hearing those words immediately annoyed him.
The dean gave Chuck an apologetic smile, walked back to her desk, gestured for Chuck to sit, and then looked at little Sheldon, who was glaring at Chuck angrily while waiting for her support. She felt utterly stuck.
One was a young genius who served as a poster child to attract donors and funding.
The other was also a genius, and already an established figure in his field.
Now that the two were in conflict, how to handle it was a real headache.
"Ahem, Dr. Wolfe, I heard about the incident from Professor Harper. We're all colleagues here, so it's better to keep things civil, don't you think?"
The dean cleared her throat and tried to mediate with a diplomatic smile.
"No!"
Little Sheldon said indignantly: "He bullied me!"
"Then what do you want me to do?"
The dean frowned and kept shooting meaningful looks at Professor Alicia Harper, signaling her to help mediate.
"Dr. Wolfe..."
Professor Alicia Harper, seeing this, could only grit her teeth and look at Chuck, ready to ask him to be more understanding and not argue with a child. But as soon as she started to speak, she thought of little Sheldon's arrogant personality and worried that saying so would only trigger another round of arguments. She got stuck there, not knowing what to say, feeling completely helpless.
She was clearly a physics professor, supposed to teach physics, not referee these kinds of disputes.
(End of chapter)
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