Chapter 165 Notice
The moonlight outside the window was as cold as water, and the closed notebook lay quietly on the corner of the table, as if hiding a silent secret.
Gu Qiuyue's fingertips unconsciously slid across the hard cover of the notebook, and the fragments of the sudden dispute downstairs were still echoing in her mind - "sample validity", "data model", "controllable risks"... The familiarity brought by the vague silhouette was like a tiny thorn, piercing her heart.
She shook her head, trying to shake off the inexplicable doubt. Perhaps she had misheard because of the pressure of preparing for the exam? It was normal to have a few arguments when academic opinions differed.
Zhou Wangshu took a deep breath and spread out her Political Economy review materials again. The halo of light from the desk lamp stretched her figure into a slender shape, casting it against the silent wall. It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that she fell into a deep sleep, a trace of fatigue and unresolved confusion.
…
The atmosphere in the postgraduate entrance examination preparation class of the Academy of Social Sciences was warm and focused. The white-haired old professor quoted from classics on the podium, and the future students below were writing furiously. Gu Qiuyue was quickly infected by this pure academic atmosphere and temporarily put aside the little episode of the previous night.
Zhou Wangshu absorbed knowledge eagerly, his mind working at high speed. Occasionally he raised his hand to ask questions. His views were clear and to the point, which made the professor nod in approval.
During the break, she took her notebook and squeezed in next to Professor Zhu who was drinking tea and taking a break.
"Teacher Zhu, I have an idea about the issue of resource allocation efficiency under the dual-track pricing system that you just mentioned..." She briefly elaborated on her thoughts, inadvertently incorporating key words such as "data model" and "sample" that she heard last night, carefully observing the teacher's reaction.
Professor Zhu pushed his glasses up, his eyes flashing with surprise and admiration. "Qiuyue, you have a sharp mind and a good approach. This problem is indeed complicated. There are some related research in the institute, involving model construction and sample selection..."
He paused, as if thinking of something, and added casually, "Well, speaking of which, a research group has been working on this recently. It seems they've run into some minor trouble with data verification, so they're recalculating."
Gu Qiuyue's heart skipped a beat. A little trouble with data verification? She remained expressionless and nodded modestly, "Thank you for your guidance, teacher. I only have preliminary ideas and need to study them further."
"That's pretty good." Professor Zhu smiled gently. "Prepare well, and there's hope."
At this time, Researcher Li passed by and interrupted with a smile: "Teacher Zhu, have you discovered another promising student? Comrade Gu is really working hard."
"Yes, Qiuyue is a very down-to-earth and talented student I have ever taught." Professor Zhu praised her generously.
Gu Qiuyue felt a little embarrassed and said quickly: "It's the teachers who taught me well. I need to work harder." The brief exchange made her gain a lot, but also made the "little trouble in data verification" quietly buried in her heart.
…
After school, the first thing Gu Qiuyue did was to find a public telephone booth and dial the familiar number. After several transfers, Xie Shiyu's low and reassuring voice came from the receiver.
"Is everything okay?" he asked. In the background, he could faintly hear the sounds of Shuangshuang and Huahua playing.
"Yeah, the tutoring class is great, and the teachers are all very good." Gu Qiuyue's lips curled up unconsciously, "What about the children?"
"She's crying out for her mother." Xie Shiyu chuckled. "Shuangshuang has put the little red flower she got on the chest of drawers and said no one is allowed to touch it. We have to wait for her mother to come back and see. Huahua has learned a new nursery rhyme and is eager to drink it for you to hear."
Warmth and longing instantly filled her heart. As Gu Qiuyue listened to her husband describing the trivial matters of the children, she felt that the distance of the capital was no longer so far away.
She was about to remind him to take his stomach medicine, but Xie Shiyu spoke first, his tone filled with uncontrollable joy: "Qiuyue, my notice has arrived."
"What notice?"
"I've been accepted into the military academy's graduate program." His voice was steady, yet radiant. "You'll be enrolled around early September. Then, I'll bring Shuangshuang and Huahua to Beijing to find you."
Gu Qiuyue was overwhelmed by the huge surprise and she almost couldn't hold the microphone: "Really?! That's great!" This meant that the day when their family would be reunited had a clear hope and was no longer a distant wait.
She immediately said, "As soon as I finish my exams, I'll go back to the Pingcheng Military Region Family Compound to sort out my work and my family. Oh, and Granny Li's illness can't be delayed any longer. I've discussed it with my parents and we'll bring her to Beijing for treatment."
…
After hanging up the phone, Gu Qiuyue felt full of strength. The support of her family was her strongest backing for moving forward. She returned to her parents' home and devoted herself more fully to reviewing. However, the unintentional words that Professor Zhu said in class always quietly surfaced in her mind when she was analyzing economic model cases.
One afternoon a few days later, after tutoring class ended a little late, Gu Qiuyue walked out holding a book. The setting sun cast a warm golden hue on the old building of the Academy of Social Sciences.
She was thinking about a difficult problem with her head down, and when she looked up inadvertently, she saw Brother Wang Wei talking in a low voice with someone under the shade of a tree not far away.
The man had his back to her, he was tall and thin, wearing a rare windbreaker. Wang Wei's expression seemed a little serious, and he nodded occasionally. Suddenly, the man in the windbreaker turned sideways, as if he was about to leave, and half of his face flashed by in the twilight.
Gu Qiuyue's footsteps suddenly stopped.
The outline of that face, that indescribable sense of familiarity... It was like a weak electric current, instantly hitting her memory.
Was it him? The one who was arguing downstairs that night?
She subconsciously wanted to get closer to see more clearly, but Wang Wei had already noticed her. He immediately put on a familiar, enthusiastic smile and waved at her: "Junior Sister Gu! get out of class just ended?"
The man in the windbreaker quickly lowered the brim of his hat, turned around and walked away quickly, soon disappearing at the end of the path leading to another building.
Wang Wei walked over and said in a natural tone: "I met a friend and chatted about something. How is it going? Have you been able to keep up with your studies these past few days?"
Gu Qiuyue tried hard to look calm. "It's okay, but some parts are quite deep. Brother, who was that just now..."
"Oh, an alumnus, here looking for some information." Wang Wei answered smoothly, changing the subject naturally. "By the way, I brought you my notes from the postgraduate entrance exam. I hope they'll be helpful to you."
Gu Qiuyue thanked him, and the two chatted for a few more words about daily life before they parted, but Gu Qiuyue's heart was still unsettled.
She raised her head and saw stars gradually appearing in the night sky of Beijing. She knew that the road ahead was not just the examination hall. Beneath this seemingly calm and pure academic ocean, there seemed to be undercurrents that she did not quite understand.
But thinking of the upcoming reunion and her own goals, her eyes became determined again. No matter what, she had to pass this exam first.
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