"This isn't fair! Why does Professor Han get to pick his students first again this year? Professors aren't even supposed to recruit students until the second semester of freshman year or even sophomore year. The first year is meant for students to adjust before making those choices!"
It was Professor Chen's voice:
"He's abusing his fame! Every year, he breaks the rules to pre-select students for his team. It's completely unfair to the rest of us in the same department."
"He snatches up all the promising students before we even have a chance. How are we supposed to compete? I'm not putting up with it this year!"
Vice Chancellors Gao Chen and Wan Ruihua exchanged looks.
To be fair, with Han Weicheng's reputation and teaching ability, he did enjoy a few unofficial privileges when it came to selecting students. No one had ever openly opposed it before.
Why? Because of the benefits he consistently brought to the university.
But the problem was, last academic year, Han Weicheng's team got caught up in a scandal—Shu Lanzhou quit, there were plagiarism accusations, nasty rumors, and even bullying within his group.
Then there was Guo Jialiang, the student who got expelled and later landed in prison. On top of that, Han's research project was canceled, among other things. All of this had caused a shift in how faculty viewed him.
So now that Han Weicheng was once again trying to scoop up a fresh batch of top students for his team, it was no surprise that other professors were pushing back.
After all, who didn't want top talent? And when everyone's supposedly on the same level, why should he always get first pick?
Gao and Wan shared another glance.
"Professor Chen, please calm down," Gao began. "Strictly speaking, the school never granted him any special privileges. It's just that many students voluntarily enroll in his classes during course selection."
"Once the registration system went live, students from both inside and outside the department scrambled to sign up for Professor Han's classes," added Wan Ruihua, looking visibly stressed. "As of now, his classes are fully booked. Several excellent students didn't make it in…"
He trailed off. There was no point in making excuses.
Everyone knew what was happening—Han Weicheng simply wanted to cherry-pick the best students, and the school chose to turn a blind eye.
It wasn't like they could do anything. If the other professors didn't have his reputation, that wasn't the university's problem.
Just then, Mu Yanning knocked and stepped into the room.
"Vice Chancellors, I may have a solution—one that will satisfy everyone and allow more students to find professors who truly suit them. It could also help prevent cases like Shu Lanzhou's from happening again."
"What do you mean by that?" Han Weicheng suddenly stood up, face flushed. "Who was persecuted? Be clear about what you're accusing me of. Shu Lanzhou's doing just fine—what persecution are you talking about?"
Mu Yanning gave him a cold look. "Shu Lanzhou was too kind to hold you accountable—for letting her thesis get delayed, for monopolizing her time. But everyone could see the kind of life she led in your team. Do I need to spell it out?"
"Alright, alright, let's stay focused," Principal Gao quickly interjected. "That's all in the past. Let's deal with what's in front of us."
He was well aware of what had happened. Shu Lanzhou had been seriously mistreated. If she'd chosen to expose everything that happened in Han Weicheng's team, the school would've had to shoulder a great deal of responsibility.
Since she hadn't, the administration preferred to sweep it under the rug.
"I have a suggestion," said Mu Yanning, shooting Han a sideways glance. "Why not make it an official rule? Professors are not allowed to privately approach students or form teams in advance. No early selection of mentors during the first semester."
"In the second semester, students can choose their own mentors based on their experiences and interests."
"How is that any different from what we're doing now?" Han Weicheng responded confidently. "Those excellent students will still choose my team. The only difference is I'll lose one semester to start training them."
Professor Chen looked momentarily embarrassed.
Because the truth was, Han Weicheng's pull was undeniable. Every year, students flocked to join his team, and the rest of the professors were left to pick from the leftovers.
Mu Yanning smiled coolly. "Since you feel it's the same, then you're not opposed. Professor Chen, I think this is a fair proposal. Don't you?"
"I agree." She didn't have a choice. If she wanted top students, she'd need to boost her reputation and teaching standards.
That was one area where she simply couldn't compete with Han Weicheng. The real reason she brought the issue to the principals was her distaste for Han's arrogance—treating the university like his personal marketplace.
He was insufferably smug, and she just wanted to put him in his place.
"Hmph!" Han shot Mu Yanning a venomous glare. "So I wait one more semester—so what? If someone can't compete, they just can't. Professor Mu, I hope you get what you're wishing for."
Mu Yanning smiled faintly. "Oh, I will. And I hope you can stay as radiant as you are now, Professor Han."
Once Han left, the two vice chancellors finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Professor Chen, let's leave it at that. You'd do better to spend your time improving your teaching skills. That way, when the real mentor selection comes around, you won't lose too badly."
"…"
Mu Yanning frowned slightly. "Vice Chancellors, I don't think the school should focus only on teaching ability while ignoring a professor's ethics and character."
"Everyone says university is a microcosm of society, but the manipulation and scheming among adults can be far more dangerous than among minors. Workplace bullying can destroy lives."
"Shu Lanzhou is a textbook example. I hope in future, the two of you will pay more attention to students' well-being—and give them the right guidance as they find their way in life."
Both vice chancellors turned pale, then red, under her words. All they could do was nod repeatedly—they didn't dare argue.
After all, aside from being a professor, Mu Yanning was also the heir to the Mu family's prestigious medical legacy.
The entire Mu Medical Group was her support system.
In fact, she had significant influence across the entire national medical field. Who would dare cross her?
Watching the two vice chancellors get scolded into silence, Professor Chen felt thoroughly satisfied as she left with Mu Yanning.
The semester wasn't over yet. No one knew who would ultimately win. If she kept teaching with heart and dedication, someone would notice her efforts and skill.
Outside in the corridor, Shu Lanzhou had been waiting the whole time. When Han Weicheng exited, he immediately saw her.
"I heard you've officially become Professor Mu Yanning's apprentice—the 107th inheritor of the Mu family's medical legacy?" he said, looking down at her.
"I was personally chosen by Elder Mu once too, you know. I almost became the 106th inheritor of the Huo family's medical arts. If I had accepted, there would've been no place for Mu Yanning."
He sounded as though he were boasting, not even giving Shu Lanzhou a chance to respond before continuing:
"Do you know why I rejected Elder Mu back then? Do you even know what really happened with the Mu family?"
"Shu Lanzhou, don't think you're the lucky one. What you've been given now is something many people didn't want. Mu Yanning doesn't have the talent or ability to carry on the Mu family's legacy."
"And those outdated acupuncture techniques? Not worth preserving. As her student, you'll only be worse than her."
With that, he flung his coat sleeve and walked away.
Shu Lanzhou sighed. "Professor Han, they say teaching is about nurturing people. I used to think you just didn't have time for me—that's why I was being exploited by those senior students."
"But now I realize I was wrong. You didn't forget me. You never saw me to begin with. You don't just want excellent students—you want obedient ones."
"You're not trying to raise top talents—you're trying to use their excellence to boost your own reputation. Is that why my defiance infuriated you?"
"Are you trying to sow discord between me and my new teacher? Or are you simply afraid that the brilliance of Mu family medicine will overshadow your own accomplishments?"
"Professor Han, I don't care why you refused to become the Mu heir. I don't care what happened to the Mu family back then."
"Because time moves forward. Let's just wait and see—whether Professor Mu deserves to inherit the Mu legacy, and whether I'll surpass every student you've ever trained."