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Gu Chen said nothing as he silently accepted the test paper. There was only one question on it: "Briefly analyze the necessity and direction of state-owned enterprise reform using the law of diminishing marginal returns."

Gu Chen: "..."

Giving a question like this to freshmen who had just started university. The professor really was ruthless. No wonder no one dared skip his classes.

The professor looked at the silent Gu Chen and leisurely said, "I don't usually take attendance. But on the rare occasion I felt like doing it, you happened to be absent. That proves your luck isn't very good. Life is long; being unlucky once or twice doesn't matter. But people without luck must have ability. Otherwise, they won't be able to get by. Don't you agree?"

There was nothing wrong with that. Gu Chen was completely convinced.

After ten minutes of silence, the professor checked his watch and pressed the recorder. "All right, time's up. You may answer now."

Gu Chen took a deep breath. "The law of diminishing marginal returns refers to the marginal efficiency of capital. In the production process, when technology remains unchanged and variable input is continuously increased, marginal output rises. But once the increase in variable input exceeds a certain threshold, the resulting marginal output begins to decline instead. If variable input continues to increase past a certain point, marginal output will become negative, and production efficiency will fall..."

"The current difficulty in reforming state-owned enterprises lies in..."

Having lived another life, he had at least made it into the management of a Fortune Global 500 company. He had also started businesses and run companies himself. Even if Gu Chen could not personally handle those classic investment and reform cases, he could still analyze them. They were more than enough for theoretical discussion.

As he answered, Gu Chen rapidly organized his thoughts. Taking into account the general direction of the domestic economy over the next decade and the various measures of state-owned enterprise reform, he carefully selected only the parts that absolutely would not expose him and cautiously laid out his views.

—To avoid losing his usual marks, Gu Chen had to say something substantial. At the same time, he had to make sure no one discovered his secret of rebirth. Gu Chen felt that he was truly trying very hard.

Ten minutes later, having finished his answer, Gu Chen cautiously looked at the professor.

The professor was thoughtful and silent. To be honest, when he had discovered that a student had dared to skip class right after the semester began—and a major course at that—the professor had been furious. But he would not casually take out his anger on someone. He had specifically spoken with students in the class to learn about Gu Chen's character. Then he was surprised to find that this student's reputation among his classmates was so sharply divided. Those who liked him liked him immensely, even bordering on admiration. Those who disliked him loathed him in every way; whenever they spoke of him, they were full of malice, even bringing it up to matters of personal conduct.

The professor found this very strange. After looking into it further, he learned that not long after the semester began, Gu Chen had gone to work part-time at a real estate sales office and earned over a hundred thousand in less than half a month. He was also a prominent figure in the basketball club.

The professor immediately understood. No matter what this student himself thought, his actions could easily influence the atmosphere among the students. At the very least, he had that potential.

Since that was the case, Gu Chen's behavior—daring to skip a major course for part-time work and money—could not be overlooked so easily. The old professor did not want other students to follow his example and do something as foolish as skipping class for part-time jobs, putting the cart before the horse.

Whether it was warning the mountain to frighten the tiger or killing the chicken to scare the monkeys, just as the old professor himself had said, people without enough luck ought to live honestly and steadily if they lacked ability.

But the professor had not expected that, faced with a deliberately difficult question that was even somewhat beyond the syllabus, Gu Chen would provide an answer that satisfied him. Some of Gu Chen's views on state-owned enterprise reform had even given the old professor inspiration.

It truly was an unexpected delight.

The old professor's desire to nurture talent immediately arose. Which made it even more impossible to let Gu Chen off lightly. He did not know that Gu Chen had been reborn and had already taken these courses once before. He simply did not want such a promising student to abandon his major courses for petty gains and ultimately squander his talent.

The professor remained silent for a little too long. Gu Chen unconsciously squeezed his fingers, inexplicably growing nervous.

"Professor, I..." Gu Chen pursed his lips and asked, "Did I pass?"

After a long silence, the professor slowly waved his hand, signaling that Gu Chen could leave.

Gu Chen: "..."

Taking a deep breath, Gu Chen stubbornly pressed on. "Then what about my usual marks?"

Gu Chen felt a little embarrassed. In books and on television, so many reborn people could take off from the very beginning, thriving and turning the world upside down. Yet after being reborn, he not only had to follow the plot as though constrained by it, but now he was facing the tragic fate of having to retake exams at the end of the term—he had never had to retake an exam in his previous life. Why was he becoming more pathetic the more he reincarnated?

The old professor looked at Gu Chen's expressionless yet somehow aggrieved face. He found it somewhat amusing, but his own expression remained especially stern. "Just this once. There will not be a next time."

"Huh?" Gu Chen came back to himself and immediately smiled. "I understand. Thank you, Professor."

As he spoke, Gu Chen bowed and slowly backed away. "Then I won't disturb you any longer. I promise I absolutely won't dare skip your classes again."

With that, Gu Chen quickly retreated from the old professor's office.

Inside the office, the old professor watched the door slowly close. He shook his head, put his reading glasses back on, and began writing again. Gu Chen's defense had given him a great deal of inspiration, and he wanted to write an article on state-owned enterprise reform and explore the matter properly.

By the time he left the office building, Gu Chen was already starving. But he had no time to go to the cafeteria for lunch, so he could only buy a loaf of bread and eat as he walked.

After finishing his two afternoon classes, Gu Chen returned to the dorm to change clothes. Gu Xiu was there too.

Gu Xiu looked at Gu Chen apologetically. "Brother, I'm sorry. I caused you trouble. The professor wasn't angry with you, was he?"

"I almost died, but didn't." With a blank expression, Gu Chen reiterated, "Can you stay out of my affairs from now on?"

Gu Xiu looked especially aggrieved. "But I meant well—"

"I can't accept your good intentions." Gu Chen cut him off. "Let's mind our own business. The Gu Family raised you, after all. Can you stop harming me all the time?"

Gu Xiu stared at Gu Chen in shock.