Eating Meat

Xiao Huang scratched his head in distress. "My family isn't rich, I have no connections, I can't make a living off my looks, and I don't dare to rob a bank. I'm just hoping for this small doctoral stipend, but they're dragging their feet on giving it to me. Teacher Ou, do you think it's easy for me?"

Looking at Xiao Huang's comical appearance, Ou Ye said expressionlessly, "If you knew this would happen, why bother learning math?"

Xiao Huang innocently spread his hands and said, "What could I do? Starting from the math Olympiad in high school, I was directly admitted to Peking University's doctoral program in mathematics. I had no choice."

"You'll definitely get your doctoral stipend; it's just a matter of time. Just wait," Ou Ye said fairly, and then began her academic research.

You expressionless, Teacher Ou, are so cold... Xiao Huang thought to herself, with your unlikable personality and pale, expressionless face, how did you manage to marry the handsome and lovable Academician Shen?

Shen Qi has countless admirers in the School of Mathematical Sciences, and everyone knows that Ou Ye is Shen Qi's woman.

Does number theorist Ou Ye, a recipient of the Morning Star Mathematics Award, have no fans?

Of course there are, but it's definitely not Xiao Huang.

Xiao Huang was quite depressed. His only support, his supervisor Director Wang, was hospitalized with prostate problems. His Doctoral Thesis was still in the works, and he didn't know when his doctoral stipend would arrive. His sweetheart, the high school class monitor, was about to get married. His mother was suffering from chronic lumbar disc herniation. His younger brother was taking the college entrance exam this year and would soon be going to university... He needed money for everything. Without money, he didn't dare to go back to his hometown, didn't dare to see his relatives and friends, and even had to give up the woman he loved most.

Everyone says that being recommended to Yenching University brings honor to one's ancestors and a bright future.

That's utter nonsense!

Xiao Huang, who wakes up every morning feeling lost because of poverty, has a childhood friend from his hometown who never went to university, yet his net worth exceeds ten million. Although his friend was recently arrested in a crackdown on organized crime, he has at least enjoyed the luxurious life of a multi-millionaire.

Xiao Huang had no interest in studying his doctoral thesis. He stared blankly, feeling aggrieved, and prayed that money would rain down from the sky.

Expecting money to fall from the sky is unrealistic, so Xiao Huang turned to his professional expertise in analysis, specifically Bernoulli - Fermat probability analysis of lottery trends.

Ou Ye, observing this, suddenly asked, "Xiao Huang, are you really relying on the doctoral stipend to pay for your Mom's medical treatment?"

"My mother's medical treatment and my younger brother's university education both cost money," Xiao Huang said.

Ou Ye asked, "Where's your dad?"

"My dad passed away from cancer," Xiao Huang said sadly.

Ou Ye, who had always been cold and aloof, suddenly felt inexplicably sad. "I'm sorry."

Xiao Huang regained his composure and said magnanimously, "There's nothing to apologize for. What's most important is what's in front of me. I'll take good care of my mom and brother, and I believe my dad can rest in peace down there."

Ou Ye: "I'll lend you the money; you can pay me back when you have the money."

Xiao Huang was stunned, then shook his head repeatedly. "No, no, no, Teacher Ou, this won't do, this won't do!"

Bite!

Without saying a word, Ou Ye transferred a sum of money to Xiao Huang via her phone.

"Teacher Ou, this..." Xiao Huang was stunned. What was going on?

"I'm not very good with words, but in short, take this money and use it to help your family." Ou Ye only stated the result, not the reason, which was her consistent style.

The strong and optimistic Xiao Huang's eyes instantly welled up with tears. He hated himself. Why was he so poor? Why did he secretly criticize Teacher Ou? In fact, Teacher Ou was also a patient. Her health had never been very good. Beneath her cold exterior was a kind heart.

"Teacher Ou, I'll pay you back as soon as my doctoral stipend arrives!" Xiao Huang was genuinely short of money. He was the only one among his high school classmates pursuing a doctorate, while the others had already started earning money.

Ou Ye: "Keep this year's doctoral stipend for yourself. Don't you need to eat?"

Xiao Huang: "Next year, I'll definitely pay you back next year!"

Ou Ye: "I told you there's no rush, I don't need this little bit of money."

Ou Ye and her family business, the Ye Group, are truly not short of money; this is common knowledge within the Big Mathematics Department at Yenching University.

Must wealthy people always lend money to those who are poor?

There is no such regulation in the country.

So Xiao Huang was quite grateful to Ou Ye. Ou Ye's style of doing things was rather strange, but Xiao Huang could feel that Ou Ye genuinely wanted to help him.

Xiao Huang thanked Ou Ye profusely, Ou Ye said, "Stop researching the lottery, get down to business."

"Hmm!" Xiao Huang's fighting spirit was ignited. There is true love in the world! He finally understood why Academician Shen wanted to marry Teacher Ou. It was because Teacher Ou was beautiful, kind, had a unique temperament, and was also very rich!

The most important thing for a doctoral student is, of course, to work on their doctoral research. Director Old Wang's prostate is a concern, but Xiao Huang's doctoral research cannot be stopped.

Xiao Huang, engrossed in her research, quieted down, while Ou Ye focused on her own project, intently reviewing literature and occasionally jotting down formulas on paper.

The morning began with a commotion, but eventually calmed down.

Ou Ye's current physical condition only allows her to conduct academic research for half a day while her brain is working at high speed.

After a fruitful morning of academic research, Ou Ye dragged her tired body home. With no appetite for lunch, she leaned against the sofa and drifted off to sleep.

She couldn't sleep soundly. After dozing off for about fifteen minutes, Ou Ye got up, went to the kitchen, heated up some white porridge, and drank a few mouthfuls to finish her lunch.

Around 1 p. m., Aunt Cuiping picked up Nuofei from school. Starting today, Nuofei will receive home-based education every afternoon.

As soon as Cuiping got home, she complained with concern, "Little Yezi, you didn't even finish a bowl of porridge. That won't do. You're not getting enough nutrition if you eat so little."

"Sister Cuiping, I'm full, really."

"Let me heat up a bowl of sesame paste for you. You're eating so little, it really won't do." Cuiping had been taking care of Ou Ye for many years, and Cuiping knew the young lady very well. The young lady's poor appetite meant that her body was in a weak state, and the weaker she was, the more she needed to eat.

"Hmm." After seeing her daughter, Ou Ye's appetite suddenly improved.

"Nofi, what did you eat for lunch at kindergarten?" Ou Ye abandoned her cold, aloof demeanor from the office and became full of love in front of her daughter. She was no different from any other mother; she paid attention to every little thing about her daughter—what she ate, who she played with, and whether she was happy.

Nofi exclaimed excitedly, gesturing wildly, "I ate meat, I ate so much meat, it was so delicious!"

"Nofi is amazing!" Ou Ye felt happy and gratified. She had been tormented by illness for twenty years, but that was nothing. She could endure it, she could persevere. As long as her daughter grew up healthy and strong, that was the best news.

"Have you eaten any vegetables?" Ou Ye asked, maintaining the rationality of a science student. From a nutritional perspective, Nofi shouldn't just eat meat and not vegetables.

Nofi nodded and said, "I ate the Xiao Bai and carrots."

"Good girl." Ou Ye patted Nofi's head. She couldn't believe that her well-behaved little angel was actually the bully of Xicheng Weihua Kindergarten?

Nofi looked into Ou Ye's eyes and said very earnestly, "Mommy, you need to eat meat and vegetables too, okay?"

"Okay!" Ou Ye affectionately squeezed Nuofei's little hand and said to Cuiping in the kitchen, "Sister Cuiping, could you stir-fry some green peppers and shredded pork for me? I'm suddenly very hungry."