When Xu Mumu returned to the small courtyard, Madam Chen and the others were still waiting for her. Professor Song was surprisingly reading a children’s book to the little one, who seemed very happy listening, though it wasn’t clear if he understood.

Watching this heartwarming scene, Xu Mumu’s heart was instantly filled, and she suddenly felt like getting married sooner.

"Mumu, you’re back, are you hungry?" Madam Chen immediately asked with concern upon seeing Xu Mumu. As soon as she returned, Mrs. Liu brought out the dishes they were going to eat.

"Sir Song, what made you decide to read stories to the little one?" Xu Mumu asked with a smile while eating, as the little one clumsily used the spoon by himself, not needing to be fed.

"It’s boring sitting inside, and Ji Xiaofeng sent over a couple of storybooks, and Fengfeng is quite adorable," said Professor Song gently, while placing a piece of tofu into the little one’s bowl.

"Professor Song’s reading is really wonderful, I like listening too," Old Xu said excitedly. At home, he would also go to others’ houses to listen to the radio, but the radio was nowhere near as interesting as these stories, even he was very intrigued.

"Grandpa, if you like, I can read for you next time too." Xu Mumu was slightly surprised; she rarely saw her grandpa interested in anything.

"Oh no, we’re just listening casually, we can’t delay your studies," Madam Chen quickly shook her head, insisting they couldn’t hold their granddaughter back.

"It’s no bother, I’ll read two stories for them every day," Professor Song said nonchalantly. When they got to the countryside, unlike the rejection from other families, the Old Xu Family never did anything to them. After Yin Yang and Xu Mumu got acquainted, she helped them a lot, and they remembered this kindness.

"Mumu, are you done with your work over there?" Yin Yang asked gently, shifting the topic silently.

"Yes, I finished it. Tomorrow I’ll organize all the materials and submit an application to the dean," Xu Mumu said with a smile, her voice filled with joy and relaxation. Now that her work was done, she intended to have a good rest for a while.

"Good to hear you’re done. You’ve lost weight being so busy lately," Madam Chen said happily.

"I haven’t lost weight, it’s all meat. Grandma, feel my face, I’ve gained weight for sure," Xu Mumu said with amusement, thinking her grandma always saw her as having gone skinny from hunger.

"No matter how I touch, it feels thinner; you need to make up for it this period," Madam Chen said seriously.

The next day, Xu Mumu continued her leave; she needed to organize her pile of materials and write an application. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Yin Yang didn’t go to school either; studying anywhere was the same. His progress in learning was pretty good recently, and the knowledge points weren’t difficult for him, so studying was relatively easy, except for being more memory-intensive.

Xu Mumu carefully checked her completed application twice, felt confident there were no issues, and felt relieved. This meant another big income, which felt delightful just thinking about it.

Early the next morning, Xu Mumu did a quick wash-up and went to the dean’s office with Yin Yang.

The dean’s experiment had concluded, and the papers were published, so there wasn’t much to be done at the moment. However, the dean had taken up scheduling a public lecture to be conducted in a few classes.

When Xu Mumu and Yin Yang arrived, the dean was bent over writing something.

"Mumu, why are you here?" The dean put down his pen and removed his reading glasses upon seeing them.

"Dean, I’m here to see you. The equipment I told you about the other day has been improved. Here is my application along with the improved design drawings and procedures," Xu Mumu said with a smile, handing over what she had prepared.

"Oh wow, these old bones have to work again," the dean said delightedly, examining the improvements Xu Mumu had made. It indeed looked much improved.

"Leave these with me, I’ll review them slowly," the dean put on his reading glasses again, his gaze full of warmth as he looked at Xu Mumu.

Xu Mumu smilingly explained some principles to the dean. Having researched these things for decades, the dean readily understood the key points after a simple explanation.

After Xu Mumu and the others left the office, the dean reflected, holding the files she brought, feeling grateful. Surely, as the River Changjiang’s waves drive the former waves, prospects seemed promising with each review of her work, face increasingly lit with smiles. He realized Xu Mumu was very suitable for this path, confident she could surpass them all.

Xu Mumu walked into the bustling classroom, where discussions centered around domestic conferences. The school had a radio that broadcasted various domestic news every noon and evening.

The hottest topic lately was undoubtedly the convening of the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee. Although it hadn’t started yet, it was already stirring lively discussions outside.

With a gentle smile, Xu Mumu thought, it was all ending soon, thankfully so.

"Mumu, why have you been taking leaves lately?" Su Yue’e asked curiously.

"I’ve been doing experiments in the lab," Xu Mumu replied lightly with a smile, nothing much to hide.

"It’s nice to have a private lab," Su Yue’e said enviously, then inquired, "What experiment are you doing? Please let us admire it."

As soon as Su Yue’e spoke, Xu Mumu noticed several pairs of eyes turning towards her.

"It’s not exactly an experiment, just improving equipment. Those devices aren’t precise enough; compared to foreign ones, the precision is far off. With no high-precision options to buy, I have to find a way myself," Xu Mumu said with a smile.

"Wow, amazing," Su Yue’e said admiringly, looking at Xu Mumu. She often felt like what they were studying was different from what Xu Mumu was learning. While they were still studying basics and expanding their knowledge in the library, they saw that Xu Mumu was on a whole different level.

Su Yue’e refrained from asking in detail, knowing some things were more private.

"Not really," Xu Mumu said, feeling the pressure of being admired by so many gazes.

"Mumu, may we consult you on things we don’t understand?" Jiang Zhenghao asked, blushing slightly.

"Of course, we can learn from each other," Xu Mumu nodded with a smile. She didn’t feel she had mastered everything, and her classmates, who were accepted into Hua University through their own efforts, naturally had strong abilities. Their thought patterns were different from ordinary people, and interacting with them was beneficial.

Xu Mumu also attended the public lecture. The dean was late, and seeing his glowing face, she could guess the reason for his tardiness.