Hungry

In Xicheng, Beijing, in the gentleman's courtyard.

A staff member hurried over to the gentleman and whispered something to him.

The gentleman's hand suddenly froze, his teacup still raised.

"He's awake?"

"Yes. Academician Li Dong has woken up, and all his vital signs are normal. He can already get out of bed and walk."

Only then did the gentleman let out a long sigh of relief.

Then he drained the cup of freshly brewed tea in one gulp.

Once the tea was down, he slowly settled back into his wicker chair.

"That boy certainly knows how to give people a scare."

The administration building at Peking University.

Gong Qi was reviewing documents when his secretary came in and told him that Li Dong had regained consciousness.

After hearing the news, he put down his pen and leaned back in his chair, saying nothing for a long while.

Since becoming president of Peking University, he had seen countless classes graduate, and the colleagues around him had changed several times over.

Yet he had always been the one standing onstage to address the incoming students.

Today, Li Dong had woken up, and he, too, had made his decision.

He took out the document that had sat in his drawer for nearly half a year.

<Written statement declining another term as university president.>

Then he signed his name on the signature line.

"Let the young people walk the road ahead themselves."

The president's office at Tsinghua University.

Zeng Rong had barely hung up before immediately calling the West Campus Project Office.

"Pick up the pace on construction. I won't hold you up on approvals, so stop dragging your feet."

"Academician Li Dong could come back to check on your progress at any moment."

And just like that, the incident of Li