18 The handsome boss nicknamed "B King"
Xu Zhiqian guessed right.
Professor Xu’s “latest published” “book” is not a publication in the true sense, but a book that her daughter had someone print and bind.
I lied to Professor Xu and told him that the book had been published.
Like her beloved student, Xu Zhiqian, Professor Xu felt something was amiss the moment she saw this book. In her more than forty years of academic career, she has read countless books and published no fewer than ten, several of which have been translated into multiple languages and published overseas. These books are treasured on the shelves of her study, and she would occasionally pull them out and flip through them when she was able to walk freely.
So, how could she not know what a formally published academic work looks like?
However, since she returned to work after retirement five years ago and bid farewell to the university campus, her academic publishing journey seemed to have come to an end. The drafts piled high on her desk, like her, were no longer read by anyone and no one admired her.
Aunt Xu's daughter went to the school to talk to her and received the reply that Professor Xu's research on the same topic was not in-depth enough and his methods and ideas were somewhat outdated. In comparison, the research results of several young professors in the department were more up-to-date and in line with international standards.
Times are changing rapidly, and Professor Xu is inevitably left behind.
"We understand that Professor Xu still wants to make contributions in the academic field, but to be honest, it was the department's hard work that secured her re-employment after retirement last time. In fact, her physical and mental condition is no longer suitable for teaching and research work. We are also very sorry. Now that she has retired, she should just rest at home and do some square dancing, and stop struggling!" The department head consoled her.
In fact, the department head and those young professors were all students of Professor Xu.
Professor Xu was not satisfied. She worked hard at home every day to revise her manuscript, study online, and stay up late into the night. However, despite revising her research results countless times, she still could not get the school's endorsement and it was difficult to publish.
Professor Xu began to become withdrawn and quiet, and even locked his drafts in a cabinet and refused to touch them for a long time.
Until she was diagnosed with depression, her daughter was afraid that she would do something stupid because of depression, so she paid for it out of her own pocket and helped her "publish" the book.
The first print run was twenty copies.
Holding the book in his hands, Professor Xu, like Xu Zhiqian, was stunned for a moment, then asked his daughter with red eyes: "Is this the only print the publisher is willing to give me?"
"Mom, the economy is bad recently and the publishing house is having a hard time. Can we find an opportunity to publish a hardcover edition in the future?" The daughter replied tearfully.
So, Professor Xu selectively ignored the obvious abnormal signals, such as the poor binding, lack of typesetting and proofreading, and no book number... He asked his daughter to keep the book as if it were a treasure, and told her to give it to old colleagues and students when they came to visit.
However, Professor Xu's old colleagues are as old as she is, and her former students are all busy and overwhelmed in their own lives. Except for the people sent by the department to express their condolences before the Spring Festival every year, few people come to visit her.
Later, Professor Xu's depression became more and more severe. He was stiff in bed every day and found it difficult to complete even the basic tasks of eating, drinking, defecating and urinating independently.
She never mentioned sending the book again.
If Xu Zhiqian had not suddenly appeared today, the books would probably have spent the rest of their lives in the cold palace like their owner.
…
Professor Xu's daughter lowered her head and wiped away her tears.
She was chatting with three people from Shangshanruoshui in the stairwell.
Professor Xu talked too much and was too excited today. After helping Xu Zhiqian sign the book, he was so tired that he tilted his head and fell asleep.
She had just had the opportunity to speak her mind.
The more they talked, the sadder they felt, and the three of them sighed as well.
However, besides being sad, Zhang Chenling wondered, what else could they do?
Once people retire, they bid farewell to the social roles they used to play and become "idlers" in a sense, no longer needed. The pain and gap brought about by this identity change are experienced by almost every retired elderly person. Some people can adjust their mentality and respond positively as soon as possible, but some people need a long time to adapt and digest.
Even her mother, Chen Hongmei, who had no aspirations, went insane for a while after retirement. Aunt Xu had such a brilliant life resume before retirement. It was naturally even more difficult for her to accept that she had gone from a university professor who was admired by everyone to an elderly person who was ignored by everyone.
Unfortunately, aging is not an elective course, but a compulsory course that no one can escape.
Zhang Chenling sighed silently, her eyes falling on Xu Zhiqian intentionally or unintentionally, and found that he looked a little dazed, and still tightly held Professor Xu's book in his hand.
"Among people over 65, one in seven may suffer from depression. However, due to aging itself, the mental health problems of the elderly become hidden and complex. To solve these problems, we need to start by understanding the helplessness and fear of the elderly about aging..."
"Depression is not simply a psychological problem, but a mental illness that involves both psychological and physiological factors. From a physiological perspective, depression is related to insufficient secretion levels of chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine in the brain..."
"In the early stages of depression, proper companionship and comfort can help patients alleviate their symptoms, but once it develops into a severe depression, patients usually just want to stay away from people, and in extreme cases, they may even want to commit suicide..."
On the way home, Ni Yue turned on the Xiaoyuzhou podcast, found an episode about elderly depression, and played it out loud for everyone to listen together.
On a damp and rainy day, listening to the popular science lecture on depression and thinking about Professor Xu's situation, Ni Yue felt like he was wearing a thick, wet and sticky coat, which was extremely heavy from the inside out.
The van turned a corner and drove onto Changle Road, where we saw the "Xiaoshengbb" sign from afar.
Remembering that he and his cousin hadn't had a drink together for a while, Ni Yue turned off his phone and suggested that everyone go over for a drink.
Xu Zhiqian also felt like a heavy stone was pressing on his chest and wanted to relax with the help of alcohol. Besides, this place was very close to the Scream Youth Hostel, so he could leave his car here after drinking and walk directly home.
So I happily agreed: "Okay, I'm craving those sea salt lychees too!"
After saying that, he secretly glanced at Zhang Chenling in the rearview mirror.
Unexpectedly, I met a bone-chilling gaze.
Realizing he had nearly crossed the line, he swallowed hard and added, "I just remembered that the car is too dirty and covered in mud. I need to go wash it. You two go drink."
"Remember to come back to us after you wash the car!" Ni Yue didn't want to leave his teammates behind, so he turned back and reminded them before getting out of the car.
The whispers on rainy days are as lively as ever.
Young people have strong liver fire, and when they gather together, they burn into a ball, which can even dispel some of the haze. When they walked into the crowd, Ni Yue and Zhang Chenling both felt a lot more cheerful.
Go straight to the window to buy wine.
"Hey! You guys haven't been here for a long time!"
Unexpectedly, the handsome boss nicknamed "King B" by the person who whispered took the initiative to greet them.
B Wang has an angular face with an aggressive crew cut. He wears a very slim-fitting denim shirt that hugs his chest muscles tightly. The rolled-up sleeves reveal his muscular forearms and half-length tattoos. He looks quite wild.
The age of most men who love to show off and exercise is unknown. Ni Yue guessed that he was about thirty years old.
"Huo, boss remember us?" she asked with a smile.
B Wang's mouth curled up to his ears. "Of course! I remember every customer who came to drink with me, especially you." He raised his unshaven chin and nodded at her. "You scolded one of my customers and drove him away that night. He was my super VIP and a big spender. He hasn't been here since!"
"Aha!" The two sisters smiled at each other, and Zhang Chenling spoke to help Ni Yue out. "Then we have to make it up to the boss and drink a few more bottles tonight!"
"That's not necessary," King B smiled, shook his kirin arms, turned around and took out two dark red beer bottles from the shelf nearby. As he poured beer, he said, "We recently launched a new flavor - Bayberry Radler. I'll give you two bottles to try!"
Free gift? Is there such a good thing? The two sisters stared at each other in amazement.
King B presented two freshly brewed bottles of craft beer, put away his cynical smile, and spoke in a serious tone, "By the way, you are bath assistants, right?"
Zhang Chenling had a keen business sense and immediately replied, "Yes, does your family need assisted bathing?"
A faint wry smile appeared on the corner of King B's mouth. "Let's add WeChat and chat!"
The two sisters bought two more bottles of sea salt lychee, carried the four heavy bottles, and sat under the umbrella of the cafe next door.
Drinking and being messy.
Ni Yue glanced at the airplane head not far away, then asked Zhang Chenling with a smirk, "Hey, is King B interested in you?"
Zhang Chenling smiled wryly, "How is that possible?!"
"How is that impossible?! I gave you two bottles of wine and even added you on WeChat!"
"Don't make wild assumptions. Didn't he say he wanted to ask about bathing assistance?"
"You're kidding me! You think others can't tell it's a smokescreen? When he was talking to you just now, his eyes were about to fall into your cleavage!"
“…Don’t do anything pornographic!”
"He added you on WeChat just to sleep with you!" Ni Yue raised one eyebrow high, his eyes becoming lustful. "I have a feeling that the two of you together can make the bed collapse!"
Their eyes met and the two sisters burst into laughter at the same time.
Zhang Chenling laughed until her stomach hurt, and she stopped after a while. "Don't underestimate King B. He's not short of women. Every day, there are countless girls pressing their breasts against his window and refusing to leave... Look, there's one right now!"
Upon hearing this, Ni Yue looked over again, and sure enough, a girl in a black tight skirt was lying on the window with her butt raised high. Without even looking at her face, one could tell that she was flirting with a man.
"...So, let's not dwell on this sexuality!" Zhang Chenling stretched out her finger and poked Ni Yue's forehead lightly. "You have an extra love brain, even more than me. Adding this to your sexuality brain makes you easily deceived by men!"
Ni Yue pursed his lips but said nothing, sighing in his heart: I will never be able to tear off the label of being a love-brained person in my lifetime!
The two sisters drank and chatted happily.
Unexpectedly, Wu Xia suddenly sent Ni Yue a voice message on WeChat.
A few days ago, Ni Yue's series of soul-searching questions left her speechless, and the mother and daughter never contacted each other again after hanging up the phone.
Zhang Chenling, the first pride of the village, brought her daughter Ni Yue, the second pride of the village, to help people take a bath in Shanghai!
It took Wu Xia a long time to digest this matter.
But this time she kept her mouth shut and didn't gossip around. After all, family disgrace should not be made public.
But I still felt unsure and wanted to know more, but I didn't dare to call, so I had to send a voice message: "Yue'er, does your cousin help you pay for the five insurances and one fund? Do you have medical insurance, social security, etc.?"
Ni Yue's two thumbs jabbed at the phone screen reflexively: Of course I pay! Besides, what if I don't pay? I'm so young, how can I be hospitalized?
"Pooh, pooh, pooh!" Wu Xia replied loudly in an instant.
Ni Yue seemed to feel his mother's salty and fishy saliva spraying on his face, and he quickly wiped it with his hand.
The next second, another photo was sent, "Help Yingzi correct his English homework!"
Yingzi is Ni Ying's nickname.
His brother's homework was the top priority, so Ni Yue said no more and immediately clicked on the photo. It was an English composition with the title: "My Family".
From the chaotic handwriting, she discerned a "masterpiece":
I have a happy family. There are three people in my family: my mother, my father, and I!
Huo, where have you put me, your sister?
My father like fish, he go fish every morning, and give me fish in night, some time small fish, some time no fish, my mother say he is stupid pig......
“Hahahahahahahahahaha…”
Ni Yue laughed like a pig and handed the phone to Zhang Chenling, who was standing beside her with a stunned look on her face. The latter took a quick look at it and handed it back to her, "You have news!"
Could it be Wu Xia again? Ni Yue took the phone suspiciously.
No, it’s a reminder from an online literature app - Running Ball Sister has finally updated!
"Changle Road Love and Night" has been out of update for four days. Sister Paoqiu asked for leave in advance, but she is still being harassed by fans who are urging her to update.
Ni Yue could hardly hide his excitement and put Ni Ying's English composition behind his mind. He enjoyed reading the text while drinking.
However, the chapter updated today is very short, just over two thousand words, and I finished reading it in a few swipes of my thumb.
Sister Paoqiu knows how to time the show: at the end of this chapter, the domineering male lead and the Neptune male second appear downstairs of the heroine's company at the same time, both wanting to send her home, and it starts to rain at the right time.
The next chapter will usher in a Shura scene where two men fight for one woman in the rain!
If you think about it, the scene is both stupid and exciting.
Ni Yue sneered and wrote a comment casually: The first male lead is an idiot and the second male lead is a rotten cucumber. Don’t want these two men!
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