Chapter 9

Shuangyun was re-examining Cheng Lang for the first time.
She admitted that before this, she'd simply treated Cheng Lang as a hunting target. His high intelligence was part of the sexual appeal, not something Shuangyun truly cared about.
But at this moment, Shuangyun had a different feeling.
Cheng Lang stood behind the kitchen island, white shirt sleeves rolled up to his forearms, quietly waiting for the kettle to boil.
The sun had completely risen. Bright light spread into the apartment and fell on Cheng Lang's face.
Shuangyun asked, "Do you personally help with everything your students can't do?"
"If they really can't do it."
"What if they're just lazy?"
"Then I won't."
Shuangyun asked again, "Then how do you determine if I'm lazy or if I can't do it?"
The kettle finished boiling. Cheng Lang said, "I'm not sure, but you have very strong competitive drive."
"What do you mean?"
Cheng Lang took out two cups and asked if she wanted coffee.
"Freeze-dried coffee doesn't count as coffee." Shuangyun decisively refused.
Cheng Lang didn't look offended at all, his expression still calm. He said, "So I said your model has no real-world significance."
Only at this moment did Shuangyun finally react. Cheng Lang might have discovered earlier that her asking him to help with the model was a trap. When? Was it when she got too sleepy last night and wanted to end early, so she directly suggested using the simplified module? Or even earlier?
So he'd realized this was a trap and went along with it, saying her model had no real-world significance to provoke her competitive drive?
"How do you know I have strong competitive—" Shuangyun didn't finish asking before she stopped.
Of course he knew. He wouldn't give her his WeChat, and she had to get back at him. He knew her competitive drive too well.
Thinking about this, Shuangyun couldn't help but laugh.
But she also increasingly found the person in front of her interesting.
From beginning to end, he didn't seem sharp. Instead, he was very calm. But his boundaries were clear, laying everything out in the open.
"What if I hadn't stayed up all night perfecting this model last night and just left it like that?" Shuangyun asked.
Cheng Lang set down his coffee. "Then that would be you. Different choices create different people."
"Then why did you help me?"
Cheng Lang said, "You can think I like being a teacher."
Shuangyun laughed. "You said you don't know if you like being a teacher. I think you like it quite a bit. Otherwise why would you sponsor PhD students? You could just hire graduate students to do the work."
Cheng Lang didn't answer. His coffee cup was empty. He also didn't seem to want to keep Shuangyun for breakfast.
Shuangyun understood. She wouldn't be an annoying guest.
Shuangyun cheerfully stood up and picked up her laptop.
"I'm leaving, Teacher Cheng."
Cheng Lang helped her open the door. "Take a sick day today. Don't come to the company."
Shuangyun: "I was thinking the same thing, but..."
She dragged out her words. Cheng Lang looked at her.
"Do you know how to be a good teacher?"
"What do you mean?" Cheng Lang asked.
"I'll tell you next time."
After saying this, Shuangyun winked at him and turned to walk down the hallway.
The door closed.
Cheng Lang stood at the door for a while, feeling like Shuangyun's chattering voice was still echoing in his mind.
No one had ever talked this much in his home.
What did she mean? How to be a teacher?
What opinion did she want to give him? She didn't even finish her sentence before leaving.
Next time she'd tell him. When was next time?
But why did he need to know her opinion?
Cheng Lang took off his glasses and pressed his eyes with the heel of his palm, then walked into the bathroom.
He slept for a few hours and woke up at 11 AM.
There was an online meeting at noon—a weekly group meeting with his students.
He supervised three students in total. After leaving academia, Cheng Lang hadn't completely cut ties with the university. He still had an appointment there and served as a co-supervisor for PhD students. His company also sponsored one PhD student each year.
In the online meeting, students reported on their work for the week and raised some questions. Cheng Lang discussed with them and tried to solve problems together.