Chapter 236
The freshman class of the Archaeology Department at Jing University consisted of just one group. Over forty students were crammed into a rather modest-sized classroom, and with only five girls among them, it was undeniably a male-dominated environment.
When Shen Nanchu and Pei Yunzhou walked into the classroom side by side, the buzzing murmurs instantly stopped.
Dozens of gazes shot over in unison, blanketing the two of them like a spotlight.
Shen Nanchu wore a loose, long goose-yellow sweater that covered her hips, making her figure look even more slender. On her lower half, she wore a white cotton skirt with the hem resting just above her ankles, paired with black lambskin shoes.
Her slightly wavy long hair draped over her shoulders. Standing there, she was dazzlingly bright. Compared to the surrounding students who mostly wore old gray, blue, and black clothes, she looked like a flower suddenly blooming in a patch of dusty weeds.
Many boys stared at her, their cheeks quietly turning red.
In the back row, Zhang Qiang stopped halfway through flipping his textbook, staring blankly for quite a while.
He gently nudged Li Zhe, who wore glasses, with his elbow.
Hey, that is Shen Nanchu, right? I heard earlier that a huge beauty joined the Archaeology Department. I thought it was an exaggeration, but I did not expect her to look even better than the rumors!
Li Zhe pushed the black-framed glasses up his nose, his eyes also landing on Shen Nanchu, and nodded.
Her aura is really something else.
A few boys around him echoed the sentiment, whispering about Shen Nanchu's outfit and looks, their eyes full of admiration.
The girls' reactions were much more complex.
Liu Min, sitting in the third row, gripped the pen in her hand so tightly that her knuckles turned a bit white.
Just a moment ago, as one of the few relatively pretty girls in the class, she had received a lot of attention. But the moment Shen Nanchu arrived, all the eyes were stolen away.
She felt a bit bitter, sour, and somewhat resentful.
So what if she is a bit prettier and dresses a bit more fashionably? What is the big deal?
[Disgust Value +3]
[Disgust Value +4]
[Disgust Value +2]
...
When the two arrived at the classroom, there were only five minutes left before class started.
The seats in the classroom were almost entirely full, leaving only the front few rows empty. The first row, in particular, was completely avoided.
Everyone knew that sitting in the first row made you the easiest target for a teacher's questions.
Shen Nanchu swept her gaze over the room and, without a moment's hesitation, walked straight toward a window seat in the very first row, pulled out the chair, and sat down.
Pei Yunzhou followed behind her, feeling a sense of dread.
He was naturally terrified of drawing a teacher's attention. Back in middle school, he always hid from the front rows. Now, having to sit in the first row made his scalp tingle just thinking about it.
The probability of getting called on was basically one hundred percent!
But he looked at Shen Nanchu, who was already seated, and remembered that as her brother-in-law, he could not just leave his sister-in-law to fight alone in the front row. So, he bit the bullet and took the empty seat next to her.
After sitting down, he kept silently praying in his heart: Please do not let the teacher call on me, please do not call my name...
Seeing this, the surrounding students could not help but whisper among themselves.
Are they a bit too bold? Did they not hear that the first class today is Professor Zhao's?
Exactly! Who can withstand Professor Zhao's questions of death?
Last semester, a senior was questioned by him until he cried on the spot. Sitting in the first row is basically asking for torture!
Pei Yunzhou heard them loud and clear. His palms grew even colder as he kept his voice extremely low,
Sister-in-law, how about we move to the back row?
Shen Nanchu turned to look at him, the corners of her lips curling up.
This is a good spot! I like it.
Pei Yunzhou: ...
Pei Yunzhou wanted to say something more, but the class bell suddenly rang, drowning out all the whispered discussions.
The students instantly sat up straight, their eyes shooting toward the classroom door in unison, their breathing growing lighter.
Soon, an old professor wearing a gray Mao suit walked in.
His hair was graying but combed neatly. He wore a pair of thick black-framed glasses, and his eyes behind the lenses were bright, exuding a sense of strictness.
Carrying a lecture notes folder and a few books, he walked steadily up to the podium, taking out his notes and spreading them open with meticulous movements.
This was Professor Zhao Wenshan, famously strict within the Archaeology Department. In private, the students all called him Hell-King Zhao.
It was not because he had a bad temper, but because his questions were too ruthless. No matter who it was, once he locked eyes on them, they could not endure it without some real knowledge.
Professor Zhao pushed his glasses up and slowly swept his gaze across the entire class.
His gaze was not exactly sharp, but it carried an invisible pressure.
The classroom fell instantly silent.
Professor Zhao cleared his throat. His voice was booming, slightly hoarse, yet exceptionally clear.
Before we begin the lesson, let me first ask everyone a fundamental question—what is archaeology?
As soon as his voice dropped, the classroom grew even quieter.
No one volunteered to stand up and answer. Everyone kept their heads down, either pretending to read their books or picking at their fingers, not even daring to breathe loudly.
Professor Zhao was not in a hurry either. He just stood there at the podium, his gaze leisurely scanning back and forth across the room.
Finally, his eyes stopped on Zhang Qiang in the second row.
The student in the blue workwear, you tell us.
Zhang Qiang was suddenly stunned, his body stiffening. He clearly had not expected to be the first one called upon.
He stood up in a panic, not knowing where to put his hands. His face flushed bright red as he stammered,
Ar... archaeology is... is just digging up graves, right? Like digging up ancient emperors' tombs to find gold, silver, jewelry, antique paintings, and calligraphy inside...
As soon as he finished speaking, the classroom erupted into roars of laughter.
Someone deliberately shouted,
Zhang Qiang, are you treating archaeology like tomb raiding? Have you been listening to too many tomb-raiding stories from the older generation!
Zhang Qiang's face turned even redder, like a cooked shrimp. He buried his head low, his voice as quiet as a mosquito.
The... the elders in my village all say that...
Professor Zhao's face darkened, his brows furrowing tightly, and his tone became much more severe.
Nonsense! Archaeology is a serious academic discipline. How can it be conflated with grave digging and tomb raiding?
Tomb raiding is for personal gain; it destroys cultural relics and historical sites, and it is illegal. Archaeology, on the other hand, is for studying history, protecting artifacts, and restoring the developmental course of human civilization. There is a fundamental difference between the two!
Sit down and listen carefully. Next time you answer a question, use your brain first. Do not take hearsay as the truth.
Feeling as though he had been granted a massive pardon, Zhang Qiang quickly sat down. A thin layer of sweat had seeped out on his back, and he did not dare look up at Professor Zhao again.
Professor Zhao's gaze continued to sweep across the classroom. This time, it landed on Liu Min in the third row.
The female student with the braided pigtails, tell us your thoughts.
Liu Min took a deep breath, trying hard to calm herself down.
She had gotten good grades in history back in middle school and had read a few books about cultural relics, so she felt she should be able to answer well.
She stood up, puffed out her chest a bit, and spoke in a fairly steady voice.
I think archaeology is the study of ancient artifacts, such as ancient pottery, bronzeware, and porcelain. By studying the age, craftsmanship, and purpose of these artifacts, we can understand the historical culture of ancient societies and people's ways of life.
After speaking, she sneakily glanced up at Professor Zhao, hoping to receive some validation.
But Professor Zhao simply shook his head slightly, his tone flat as he spoke.
"What you described is merely a part of archaeology. It is not comprehensive enough."
"Archaeology is more than just studying artifacts. If you only focus on the relics and ignore the other aspects, you are only seeing the tip of the iceberg. Have a seat."
The anticipation on Liu Min's face instantly dissolved into disappointment. She gave a small nod and slowly sat back down.
Next, Professor Zhao's gaze landed on Li Zhe in the back row.
Li Zhe was an avid reader of history books and had a particular fondness for articles on archaeology, so he had his own unique understanding of the subject.
Seeing the professor looking his way, he wasn't nervous at all; instead, he felt a surge of excitement.
He pushed up his glasses, stood up confidently, and spoke in a clear voice.
"Professor Zhao, I believe archaeology involves using scientific methods to excavate the physical materials left behind by ancient humans. Then, by studying these materials, we are able to gain a better understanding of the past."
His answer was far more professional than those given by Zhang Qiang and Liu Min. Several students nodded in agreement, feeling that this response would surely satisfy Professor Zhao.
Pei Yunzhou also whispered to Shen Nanchu,
"That guy gave a pretty thorough answer. He should pass, right?"
Yet, Professor Zhao shook his head once more. His tone remained calm, but it carried an undeniable air of authority.
"You touched upon the methods, subjects, and goals of archaeology, which is an improvement over the previous two students. However, you still haven't grasped the core of the discipline. If we merely stop at reconstructing history, the true significance of archaeology is diminished. Have a seat."
Li Zhe froze, the confidence slowly draining from his face. He opened his mouth, wanting to add something, but upon seeing the professor's stern expression, he ultimately swallowed his words.