Chapter 1643 Scholarly Spirit
Zhang Qiyan's conversation with Li Ye made Li Ye feel a pang of sadness. Although Zhang Qiyan repeatedly said that he was in good health and could live for many more years, Li Ye still felt uneasy.
When they got home, the considerate young wife noticed something was wrong with Li Ye.
"What's wrong with you today? You were daydreaming when Xiao Dou was talking to you."
"Huh? Did I zone out?"
"Why would I lie? What happened to you today? You seem like you've lost your soul."
"."
Li Ye is a typical doting father to his daughter. Even if Xiao Dou'er asks some ridiculous questions, Li Ye will answer them carefully and seriously.
Moreover, Li Ye has always been broad-minded and can take any setbacks and hardships in stride, so how could he be absent-minded? Therefore, Wen Leyu is quite nervous at this moment.
"My teacher was hospitalized today, and when I went to see him, he said some strange things to me. Could you use your connections to find out what's wrong with his health?"
Li Ye repeated what Zhang Qiyan had told him to Wen Leyu, and then tried to find out more about Zhang Qiyan's condition.
Wen Leyu slowly shook her head: "Professor Zhang's medical records must be under special control. It's not that I can't find them, but it's almost impossible to find them silently."
Li Ye: "."
Anyone who can influence national policy will be subject to various forms of protection and restrictions. Zhang Qiyan is no longer an ordinary person.
However, Wen Leyu then said quietly, "Although it's inconvenient to check Professor Zhang's medical records, I can actually guess a bit. What he said to you today was clearly meant to make you inherit his mantle."
"Hiss~"
Li Ye couldn't help but gasp. Passing on the mantle in the Chinese nation was almost like making arrangements for one's death, which was truly terrifying.
Moreover, Wen Leyu's judgment coincided with some of the things Zhang Qiyan said to Li Ye at the end: Li Ye had some advantages that his other fellow disciples did not have.
Li Ye shook his head vigorously and said frankly to Wen Leyu, "The teacher said I have the ability to withstand pressure, so he wants me to promote unity among my fellow students in the future."
But you say the teacher has so many students, each one a genius, and I'm nothing special! If I were the head disciple, who would listen to me?
"How much do you weigh?"
Wen Leyu blinked her beautiful big eyes and asked in great surprise, "Aren't you a person of extraordinary talent?"
"No way."
Li Ye fell into intense self-doubt.
After all, although he entered Peking University with the title of the top student in the province, he knew his own situation. He was just a second-tier college student decades later. It was one thing to rely on cheating for a while, but to really think of himself as a peerless genius would be too immodest.
But Wen Leyu laughed. Her husband was always like this, unaware of how others perceived him, only seeing himself as an ordinary person.
“Li Ye, Professor Zhang’s students may all be amazing in terms of talent and knowledge, but have you noticed that over the years, very few have remained true to their original aspirations? And you are the one that Professor Zhang can trust the most.”
"Very few people remain true to their original aspirations?"
Li Ye couldn't help but chuckle, always feeling embarrassed when his wife praised him.
However, Wen Leyu asked Li Ye seriously, "Think about it, how did you get Professor Zhang to take you as his disciple?"
How spirited and confident you were when you discussed current affairs at Professor Zhang's home back then? How many of you still hold onto some of the beliefs you held so firmly back then?
"Back then, we were full of youthful idealism."
"Yes, Professor Zhang and you both still retain that scholarly spirit from back then, don't you? You care about national affairs, family affairs, and world affairs. Can you do that? Can others do that?"
The idealism of a scholar is a state of mind unique to student days. Back then, the issues we discussed were pure and idealistic, and we all wanted to make the world a better place through our own efforts.
But decades from now, how many of those successful people will still retain their scholarly spirit?
Perhaps Dong Ge, who shouted, "Some people have gotten rich first, but they have not led everyone to common prosperity. This is a disgrace to us rich people!", is one of them!
Perhaps it was the scholarly spirit that Li Ye still retained from over a decade ago that made Zhang Qiyan so fond of him.
Perhaps Zhang Qiyan wanted Li Ye to carry on this scholarly spirit forever, which is why he wanted him to inherit his mantle!
Looking back on his student days, Li Ye felt a sense of loss: "National affairs, family affairs, world affairs? Did I do anything?"
Wen Leyu said, both angry and amused, "Didn't you do it? How much money has passed through my hands over the years? Su E and his group, we invested in so many projects without regard to cost, isn't that a matter of national importance?"
In the past few years, you've contributed to the fighter jets in the southwest; in the last two years, you've contributed to satellite navigation. Isn't this a global issue?
If your senior classmates had that much money, are you sure they would settle down in China like you, or go abroad to enjoy a carefree life?
"."
Wen Leyu rattled off a long list of things Li Ye had done, some of which might have been casual, unintentional actions by Li Ye, but Wen Leyu remembered them all clearly.
Because she is the family's financial manager, she feels the pinch every time Li Ye does something "regardless of the cost"!
Li Ye blushed a little from his wife's "praise."
Over the years, I've done a few things that I can be proud of.
However, Li Ye humbly said, "We can't generalize. The students the teacher selected are very farsighted. Cai Minying came back from studying abroad, didn't she? Everyone knows that going overseas to live a carefree life is like picking up a sesame seed and losing a watermelon."
Wen Leyu chuckled and said, "Yes, that's the belief I was talking about. You are the person I've met who has the most confidence in the future of China, even more so than my parents!"
Li Ye: "."
Many people in later generations say that you can question the character of those who are virtuous and talented, but you can't question their intelligence. These artists, who are both virtuous and talented, live a carefree life in California. Do you think they are all fools?
However, according to Li Ye's understanding, the social hierarchy in this world has strict conditions for advancement. In money-driven countries like the West, the wealthy can indeed enjoy many pleasures that they cannot experience in China.
But if you want to climb to the top of the pyramid, you only have the opportunity if you stay in China. Once you go overseas, the ceiling for the top few floors is sealed off for Runren.
If Zhang Qiyan's students stay in China and don't make any mistakes, their potential for development will definitely be higher than if they stayed abroad.
Although such development opportunities are certainly fraught with uncertainty, having an opportunity and not having one are definitely different things.
Wen Leyu glanced at Li Ye, then said reassuringly, "Alright, it's not just Professor Zhang who thinks highly of you. My dad, my mom, and many uncles and aunts also think highly of you."
So it's Professor Zhang's business if he wants to pass on his mantle to you, and it's your business whether you accept it or not. What others desperately want is nothing to us. Do as you please, do what makes you happy."
"Hehehe, honey, you saying that really makes me proud."
"That's exactly right!"
Wen Leyu rolled her eyes, then continued, "If you don't want to take on this responsibility, you should reveal your thoughts sooner rather than later, otherwise it might affect your relationship with your fellow disciples."
"."
Li Ye was slightly taken aback. He suddenly remembered the change in his senior brother Peng Rui. His senior sister Yu Xiufen had said that Peng Rui had developed a grudge against Li Ye because Professor Zhang thought too highly of him.
"Honey, do you think I'm being too slow to react? Peng Rui changed his attitude towards me last year. Could it be that the teacher's health was already compromised back then?"
"Heh~"
Wen Leyu chuckled lightly and said sarcastically, "Li Ye, you don't know this, do you? Just think about the thoughts of those princes and emperors in ancient times, and you'll understand everything."
The emperor feared that the crown prince's power would become too great and threaten his rule, so he both cultivated and guarded against the crown prince.
The Crown Prince's attitude towards the Emperor was outwardly respectful, but inwardly he hoped the Emperor would die quickly; otherwise, he would live in constant fear, always wearing a fake smile.
Therefore, an ambitious person is already preparing for succession even before their superior dies.
Li Ye: "."
[What do you mean? So, while your brother was still in his prime, you were hoping he'd fall from grace so you could rise to power, and you even made contingency plans for it?]
I had to go out with the kids today and got back late. Chapter Two will be updated tomorrow at noon.
(End of this chapter)
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