His dark eyes stared quietly at the girl's profile. He didn't like seeing Wen Qian so hesitant.
Wen Qian really wanted to agree with Gu Mian, but reality wouldn't allow it. Besides, she wasn't considering others right now—she was considering herself!
'She'd be drowned in angry comments if she actually walked all the way to the academic building with him. He probably has no idea he has a fan club at University A...'
She didn't dare openly declare war on his little fangirls. Sure, Gu Mian was handsome, but in this day and age, was being handsome really more important than staying alive?
Besides, when it came to handsome guys, she had one living in her own home!
Stealing a glance at Gu Mian, Wen Qian put on an eager-to-please smile. "Professor, why don't you go on ahead?"
Gu Mian narrowed his eyes, just watching her quietly. He waited until his stare had her completely unnerved before speaking coolly, "Qianqian, you want me to walk ahead that badly?"
"Mhm!" Wen Qian nodded frantically, not noticing at all that his name for her had changed.
His expression turned a little cold. His slender fingers tapped twice against his leg, a seemingly unconscious gesture. She had no idea what it meant.
Sensing the sudden shift in the atmosphere, Wen Qian gulped. 'All I did was ask him to walk in front. Why does he seem so against it...'
'Maybe... I should walk in front instead?'
Wen Qian furrowed her brow in thought. Just as she was about to act like nothing had happened, a familiar figure entered her line of sight. Her eyes widened in pleasant surprise, and once she registered who it was, she jumped up and down, waving at him.
Thankfully, her advisor noticed her too. He walked over unhurriedly, glanced at his watch, and immediately chided her in the tone of an elder, "Still smiling? If you don't pick up the pace, you're going to be late!"
Wen Qian beamed. "On my way!"
Dressed in his work uniform, the advisor looked kind and affable, not at all intimidating. After hurrying Wen Qian along, he quickly greeted Gu Mian. "Professor Gu, you're here early too. Do you have a class this morning?"
"It was a last-minute arrangement." Gu Mian's eyes were downcast, and he seemed somewhat aloof. He was an external hire and didn't know the university's faculty very well, but since the man had initiated the conversation, he had to keep up appearances.
"Well, uh, I'll be off to class then..." Wen Qian raised her hand timidly, acting like a first-grader. 'After holding out for so long, my savior has finally arrived.'
Gu Mian said nothing. It was the advisor who spoke up cheerfully, "Go on, go on."
'This kid is great in every way, just a little slow,' the advisor thought. 'Can't she see that look of impatience on Professor Gu's face? She must have annoyed him by talking too much.'
"You got it!" Wen Qian replied crisply. She then bowed to both Gu Mian and her advisor before turning and running toward the laboratory building.
Her movements were fluid and smooth. She didn't dare look at Gu Mian once during the entire escape, though she wasn't sure what she felt so guilty about.
"This kid, honestly..." the advisor said with a helpless sigh.
Gu Mian was a professor, and he was also a hot commodity at University A. Everyone knew that over the past two years, he had made tremendous achievements in Beastman genetic research, contributing significantly to medicine.
Now that University A had managed to hire him, they wouldn't have to worry about future student recruitment.
Thinking of this, the man's smile widened. "Professor Gu, if you're heading the same way, shall we walk together?"
"Our paths diverge." The man pulled his gaze away from the girl's retreating back and offered a polite, if perfunctory, smile.
The advisor scratched his head. 'Am I getting old?' he wondered. 'I don't remember saying where I was going!'
But facing the man's handsome features, he inexplicably nodded. "Well, that's a real shame."
...
Once she was out of Gu Mian's line of sight, Wen Qian finally breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn't afraid of Gu Mian himself, but of this era of rampant social media and keyboard warriors... All she wanted was to fly under the radar.
She took the elevator to the third floor. The classroom was already quite full. Wen Qian picked a seat in the middle and began organizing last week's notes.
This class was Animal Physiology, taught by an associate professor from a well-known university. His research focused on animal bodily functions, such as digestion, circulation, respiration, excretion, reproduction, and stimulus response. However, with the emergence of Beastmen, the textbooks had been revised, and the course content had changed accordingly.
Wen Qian's major was Zoology and Beastman Studies, which primarily involved the study of the structure, function, behavior, classification, distribution, and evolution of animals and Beastmen. Wen Qian loved her major and was very interested in her courses.
Wen Qian's reluctance to see Beastmen on Blue Star wasn't due to disgust, but because she feared they would be harmed. She knew in her heart that far too many eyes were watching the animals that could transform at any moment.
'Darkness may be fleeting, but not a day goes by without it.' That saying felt so fitting no matter the context.
From the bottom of her heart, Wen Qian hoped the Blue Star she lived on was an inclusive and harmonious place that could accommodate all living beings. And from the bottom of her heart, she wanted to understand and protect the Beastmen. It was just a pity that her own abilities were limited, and for now, there was nothing she could do for them.
Just as she was lost in thought, the noisy classroom suddenly fell silent, leaving only the sound of a man's slow, distinct footsteps.
Wen Qian's hand, which was turning a page, froze. She had a very strange feeling.
She looked up instinctively, and her eyes were met with the sight of Gu Mian's tall, slender figure. He was leaning against the lectern with one hand, showing off his handsome profile.
Before she could get a better look, he was surrounded by students from the front rows, who chirped and chattered as they pelted him with all sorts of questions. Gu Mian showed no impatience on his face, only politeness and distance.
Wen Qian shook her head helplessly, an 'I-knew-it' expression on her face. 'As expected, I didn't underestimate the professor's charm. But speaking of which, isn't Teacher Meng supposed to be teaching this class? Why is it Gu Mian instead?'
The girls didn't disperse, however reluctantly, until the class bell rang.
Gu Mian maintained his cool and distant demeanor. He picked up a piece of chalk, his voice deep and pleasant. "You can all close your books. Today, we're going to cover some material that isn't in them."
The hand he held the chalk with was long and strong. The sight of the blue veins and pale knuckles made everyone gasp.
'He's totally the type who looks slim in clothes but is ripped underneath!'
"Today, our main topic will be the relationship between Beastmen, humans, and animals." The man's handwriting on the board was strong and forceful. His gaze swept over Wen Qian, deliberately pausing for a few seconds. "The two most common questions are: do Beastmen and humans have an adversarial relationship, and is there conflict between Beastmen and animals..."
Gu Mian: "From the perspective of demonstrated abilities, a transformed animal's strength and endurance are both enhanced. Their intelligence is no different from a human's, and in some cases, it can far exceed it..."
Gu Mian: "Under certain circumstances, parties may come into conflict over resources or territory, as all three are essentially animals. If one were forced to establish a hierarchy, it could only be judged under specific conditions..."