Chapter 549: The most sought after elective class!
Total Reputation Points: ~100,000.
Skills: Trivial amount.
Stats: Trivial amount.
Merchant Shop Items:
1. Memory Search Capsule.
2. Taiji Fist Skill Experience Book.
3. Lucky Halo (Upgraded).
Inventory Items: Difficulty Adjustment Die (1), X-ray Vision Eye Drops (1), Pause Game (1), Strength Potion (20), 1-Up (1).
This was all that Zhang Ye had up until now. After taking note of his inventory items, he went to sleep. After so many days of rest, it was about time to prepare for his next job.
……
The next day.
In the morning, Zhang Ye woke up much earlier than usual. He was heating up the milk in the kitchen and boiling a few eggs. One of them even cracked, but it still got cooked in any case as he somehow managed to finish making breakfast.
His mother who had just woken up, was surprised to see him, "Oh, did the sun rise from the west today?"
"Little Ye made breakfast?" his father said as he walked out from the bedroom.
Zhang Ye laughed. "Just eat, you two."
His mother found fault with him by saying, "The eggs cracked, didn\'t they? Next time, add some salt before boiling them. Then the water\'s temperature wouldn\'t get too high."
"Enough. It isn\'t every day that Little Ye cooks for us, yet you\'re picking on this and that," his father said as he walked to the bathroom to wash his face. "I\'ll have the cracked one."
Zhang Ye sat down and said, "No, I\'ll have it instead."
He switched on the television and the morning news was already halfway through its report.
"Yesterday, the Japanese Prime Minister…"
"To negotiate on on issues regarding economic and trade cooperation…"
"Turning to a new page on the relations between China and Japan…"
The news went on for quite a long time. At the end, it even gave an overview of the past two years of icy relations between the two, China and Japan, and how it was slowly thawing again. In this world, many of the historical characters and events had some slight changes to them, but the overall major events in history were still similar. For example, the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Nanking Massacre. Some historical events slightly differed in name and time of occurrence only.
He did not listen to the news too seriously as he wasn\'t interested in these matters.
After his father had washed his face, he came over to eat. "Eh, there even an education cooperation? There will be people coming from the Japanese universities? There will be a meeting at Peking University today?"
Zhang Ye who also heard from the news, said indifferently, "I guess so."
"Son, don\'t you have to go to school now?" his mom asked.
"I do. Today is the first back-to-school day for Peking University. They already informed me yesterday. But there won\'t be any classes until a few more days. I haven\'t even thought of what I will be speaking about for this semester. Since I am in charge of an elective course, I guess there\'s no rush for now, since Peking University has allowed me free reign when it comes to planning for classes." After Zhang Ye had been unbanned, he had not taken up any new roles or jobs yet, and there wasn\'t a need to rush to do it as well, because he knew that Peking University\'s "Appreciation of the Classics" class was still his first priority that he needed to handle. Any other things could wait.
His mother instructed him, "Then you better dress well and neatly. Don\'t be late."
"I won\'t be late," Zhang Ye said.
His father also added, "Lecture well. Don\'t deceive others or slack off."
Zhang Ye laughed. "Rest assured, I won\'t lead my students astray."
After breakfast, Zhang Ye went downstairs to his car and drove straight for Peking University.
When the car had almost reached its destination, he saw quite a number of students going in and out of the school. Some of them looked like they had just gotten back today, like they had just gotten off the train and headed straight here. Some were carrying large bags and luggage, while others had their parents come along to help them with their belongings. Since the area was considered a university zone, with several universities all located close to each other, the school reopening was staggered. Some a day earlier and others a day later, so it led to the streets being very busy with many students choosing to come back today.
He drove in through the main entrance.
When he just got into the campus grounds, Zhang Ye\'s car was immediately recognized by someone.
"Look, it\'s a BMW!"
"That license plate belongs to Teacher Zhang!"
"Teacher Zhang!"
"It\'s Zhang Ye! I need to get a few photos with him!"
The Peking University students were very excited and kept peering into the car. Some of them even shouted.
Zhang Ye had only just won the most unpopular celebrity award and had initially felt a little depressed. But when he saw the students showing him so much support, the gloom of it suddenly went away. Look, what most unpopular celebrity award were we talking about? This bro was still as popular as ever! His mood was extremely good because of this. This illustrated just how wonderful a place school could be. At this place, he could find good memories, he could find youth spirit. Seeing all these cheerful and smiling faces, Zhang Ye was also infected by the positiveness of it. Compared to the entertainment industry, he definitely liked the school more.
Yao Jiancai\'s daughter, Yao Mi, was also in the crowd. She waved at the car with all her strength. "Uncle Zhang! Uncle Zhang!"
The twins, Li Ying and Li Li, who were basically inseparable from Yao Mi, were all from the same class and had a very good relationship. Li Li said, "I wonder what Teacher Zhang will be teaching this semester. I\'m so looking forward to it."
Li Ying threw his hands up in resignation. "Whatever he teaches, we won\'t be able to sign up for Teacher Zhang\'s classes anymore. We have already gotten the credits for the \'Appreciation of the Classics\' elective last semester."
Yao Mi said, "If it\'s a public class, then we could join in too."
Zhang Ye did not notice them and slowly drove the car away.
Only then did Yao Mi stop waving. She looked to her side and said, "Let\'s go. I\'m going back to the hostel first. I heard that there will be many Japanese university students coming in the afternoon. They are even holding some kind of a welcome ceremony for them and we are required to attend it. How meaningless! What\'s the point of welcoming that group of people? I get annoyed when I see them!"
Li Li quipped, "When did you become a nationalist as well?"
"I\'ve always been one, didn\'t you notice?" Yao Mi said, giggling.
Li Ying helplessly said, "Our relation with them last year was pretty bad, but it turned better this year. Aren\'t the media and so many others advocating a Sino-Japanese friendship?"
A Peking University student who was passing by them said, "Bah, what friendship could there be with them? Why would they bother holding a welcome ceremony anyway? I\'d rather think of how I can sign up for Zhang Ye\'s \'Appreciation of the Classics\' elective class!"
"Eh, you signed up as well?"
"Yeah, I signed up at the end of last semester."
"Me too. I heard that the enrollment has already been filled."
"RIght, I wonder how it will turn out. With so many applicants, they couldn\'t possibly accommodate us all."
In the past, Peking University\'s elective classes had always required the students to sign up beforehand or at least be surveyed to find out the interest in it. The elective classes that did not get much interest would be adjusted and the classes rearranged. However, it was different this semester as Zhang Ye\'s elective class had become one that was up for grabs due to the sensational Dream of the Red Chamber talk last semester. On top of that, with Zhang Ye\'s popularity also increasing to a point that was unimaginable, it seemed that 80% of the students were all registering to join the class. This would definitely not be arrangeable by the school.
……
Peking University Chinese Department.
Upstairs in the teachers\' office, many people were also discussing this matter.
The Chinese Department Dean, Chang Kaige, was surrounded by several teachers who taught other elective classes. Su Na and a few other Chinese Department teachers didn\'t know whether to laugh or cry as they watched them.
A middle-aged teacher who was handling the liberal arts elective course said in anger, "Old Chang, in the past, whenever the elective course applications have filled up the quotas, they would stop taking in new applications. Why is it that your Chinese Department\'s elective course is exempted from this? Just how many people have applied up until now? The students are still able to send in their applications? Just what sort of a class are you all holding with so many people?!"
Chang Kaige was former classmates with the person complaining to him and had a good relation with him too. "Old Hai, there was a problem with the application system previously. That was why the issue occurred."
Another female elective course teacher said, "Still, shouldn\'t you have left some for us?" As she said so, she felt very unfairly treated and distressed. "Right now, basically every student had applied for \'Appreciation of the Classics.\' You might not have seen the number of students who have applied for my course, but there\'s only nine of them! Nine! How am I supposed to teach this semester then?"
Another male teacher said, "Only 11 applied for my course! I might as well field them as a soccer team!"
The female teacher said, "It was the same last semester when Zhang Ye held his public classes. All of my students skipped class to go attend his class. How do you expect me to conduct a lesson then!?"
Everyone complained and looked very frustrated. It would be a wonder if they weren\'t. If an elective class had too little applicants, they might have to stop the class for the semester.
Chang Kaige smiled as he tried to appease them. "Dear teachers, I\'ve already reported the situation to the school leader. As for how this will be handled, I\'m sure they will let us know soon. Don\'t worry about it. Teacher Zhang Ye\'s class definitely won\'t be able to accommodate so many people. I\'m also certain that there won\'t be any public classes held like last semester."
At this time, Zhang Ye was just walking into the teacher\'s office. When he saw that there were so many people around, he smiled at them and greeted, "Dean Chang, Teacher Wu. Yo, Teacher Su Na is so early as well?"
Su Na made a signal to him.
Another young teacher of the Chinese Department also smiled while nudging Zhang Ye\'s attention over to the other side.
When the the female teacher who taught the elective course saw him, she suddenly said, "You\'re finally here, Teacher Zhang. The elective application has already ended but your elective class has too many students applying for it. Surely you wouldn\'t be able to take such a large class, so why don\'t you send 50 of them over to me."
The middle-aged liberal arts elective course teacher said, "Little Zhang, I won\'t beat around the bush. Can you spare me 30 students?"
A few teachers did not hold back and just started asking for students.
Zhang Ye said in surprise, "Ah? We can even decide like that?"
Chang Kaige said in a speechless manner, "You can\'t ask for students this way. It\'s not right. We still need to let the students choose for themselves what elective classes they want to attend. I suppose when they reapply for the electives, all these issues will be sorted out very quickly."
It was a mess over here.
Zhang Ye, who was still a little unsure of the situation, turned around to ask.
Su Na covered her mouth and giggled, telling him in a whisper, "2,100 students applied to join your elective class. Most of them are second and third year students, while quite a few are freshmen, so the other elective classes had almost no applicants. Some had at most a dozen or so, and that was already quite a high number for them. When I arrived at school today, I overheard that there was even one elective class that only had two applicants. I guess that\'s the reason why all of them are here looking for you."
Zhang Ye was a little anxious as he was wondering why that bunch of teachers had come looking for him and sounded so aggressive.
Over 2,000 applicants? And that was only for one elective class?
This was, in the full history of Peking University or any other institute of higher learning, something that had never happened before! Too many! This number of applicants was totally unbelievable!
There was no other way! Zhang Ye was too popular!
Finally, when the Chinese Department\'s Secretary, Zhen Shuquan, came back with the chancellor\'s answer, it was announced that only applicants up till the quota limit were allowed to join Zhang Ye\'s class. The rest would be required to reselect their choice of elective class.
Only then was the matter resolved.
Otherwise, these elective teachers really would have ended up surrounding Zhang Ye to pick a fight with him!