The distant waves form a white curve, gently surging towards the beach. In the height of summer, you can see graceful white gulls riding the subtropical sea breeze, fluttering from the horizon and kissing the white waves.

It's early winter now. Although the coldest months have passed, I doubt there will be any sailing enthusiasts hoisting their beloved white sails at this time, nor will there be any pretty women in bikinis lying under parasols applying sunscreen—it's the off-season on the beach.

This place not only boasts Haishan's most famous beaches, but also Haishan's most prestigious university—Haishan University.

If Haishan is a dazzling pearl of the East, then Haishan University is the most captivating ray of light on that pearl.

Haishan University is one of the most scenic universities in the world.

Imagine a picturesque campus, with century-old plane trees lining the roads. Climb any corridor and gaze into the distance; your view is either of the dreamlike plane tree grove or the boundless blue sea. Studying on such a campus, even with the most abstruse text like "The Basic Principles of Marxism," would feel like experiencing the poetry of Shelley.

Duanmu Ci is preparing to apply for a lecturer position at this university, specifically in the Department of Chinese Language and Literature. If you think that name is too high-sounding and incomprehensible, you can use a more colloquial term—the Department of Chinese Literature.

As one of the seventy-two true disciples of Confucius, having studied the classics for two thousand years and possessing a thorough understanding of the various developments and changes in Chinese culture, there is probably no one more suitable than Duanmu Ci to teach this course. As for which specific major he will teach, that will depend on the arrangements.

Originally, Duanmu Ci didn't have the interview qualification because he studied neurobiology at Harvard, which is completely unrelated to Chinese literature. The fact that Duanmu Ci received the interview invitation was entirely due to a large bribe from Bu Tongxun.

—She donated a building to the school…

...

...

Duanmu Ci sat in a small classroom with a long table in front of him, behind which sat six interviewers.

One of the bald old men adjusted his glasses and said, "Please introduce yourself."

Duanmu Ci straightened his back and said, “Gentlemen, I am Duanmu Ci. I studied at Harvard Medical School in the United States, under the guidance of Professor Goli Kunman. I graduated with an A+, the highest grade among my classmates over the years. I believe I am qualified to serve as a lecturer at your esteemed institution.”

The question-and-answer session, reminiscent of ancient times, coupled with the young man's Zhongshan suit and extremely elegant demeanor, instantly transported the professors back to the Republic of China era, as if they were sitting before a pioneer of the May Fourth Movement.

In reality, Duanmu Ci was imitating a trick used by scholars in the past. In 1916, he helped Cai Yuanpei recruit professors for Peking University, including Lu Xun and Hu Shi. He had also learned a few tricks during the interviews, except that he was the examiner, not the examinee.

"Your appearance and demeanor are quite good," the interviewing professor said, regaining his composure. "Your grades at Harvard are excellent, but you studied medicine, which has absolutely nothing to do with literature, especially Chinese literature."

Duanmu Ci sat in a chair, his hands resting on his knees, leaning slightly forward. "Although I am a medical student, I come from a family with a long tradition of learning and I am confident that I also have some knowledge of traditional Chinese culture. I am willing to accept the examination of you gentlemen."

This is about proving oneself.

Professor Xia Zongzhou, who was sitting next to him, had long disliked Duanmu Ci. As an upright man, he despised people with improper conduct. After learning about Duanmu Ci's "bribery," he made up his mind to get rid of this "black sheep"!

Xia Zongzhou then spoke first, asking, "Where was Confucius in 489 BC?"

An elderly professor nearby frowned and whispered a reminder, "This is the Chinese Literature Department, not the History Department!"

If a history professor were here, he would probably say, "Even history professors don't test such obscure topics!"

Xia Zongzhou remained unfazed. "This question comes from the classics, and those who are well-versed in ancient literature will naturally know it."

Duanmu Ci, however, remained calm and composed, saying, "In 489 BC, the sixth year of Duke Ai of Lu, Confucius was trapped between Chen and Cai."

Xia Zongzhou's face twitched. He had deliberately only mentioned the Gregorian calendar and not the Spring and Autumn period calendar, which was undoubtedly intended to increase the difficulty. However, he did not expect that the young man who had "gotten in through connections" could answer the question without hesitation. This was really beyond his expectations.

What he didn't know was that the story of "Confucius being trapped in Chen and Cai" was not only something Duanmu Ci had personally experienced, but something he had personally rescued. Back then, Confucius was besieged in Chen and Cai and had not eaten for seven days. If it weren't for Duanmu Ci traveling thousands of miles to the State of Chu to persuade the King of Chu to send troops to rescue him, there probably wouldn't have been this sage in later generations.

Duanmu Ci continued, “The ‘Lüshi Chunqiu’ records that Confucius was in dire straits between Chen and Cai, and did not eat grains for seven days. The ‘Analects’ also says: ‘Those who followed me in Chen and Cai did not even reach my door.’”

Alright! They've already pointed out the source and the original text, what more can you say? Xia Zongzhou sighed helplessly, fell silent, and gestured for someone else to continue setting questions.

The old man in the middle chuckled and said, "Young man, you have a solid foundation—I am Yan Zhigui. I will test you with a question. If you pass, then you have passed the test."

Duanmu Ci nodded. "Please speak—"

Yan Zhigui said, "As a literary worker, memorization is a basic skill, so I'll test you on that."

As expected, experience matters!

Yan Yingjun's first move was a killer one: testing memorization. It seemed simple, but it was incredibly difficult. Chinese classical literature is vast and complex; who knows which book, volume, or chapter you'll be testing? Moreover, we live in the information age, where accessing materials and classics is extremely convenient, unlike in ancient times when memorization was absolutely necessary. Given this, how many young modern scholars are willing to put in this kind of arduous, time-consuming effort?

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