180: Chapter 180 Cousin

On the podium, Teacher Wang's lecturing style suddenly changed, becoming extraordinarily cautious. He weighed every word carefully, as if afraid of making even a single mistake in front of Chen Youhua.

Meanwhile, the students below were restless, their attention wandering. Their gazes frequently drifted towards the back row, then they'd quickly lower their heads and type furiously on their phones. An air of barely suppressed excitement filled the classroom.

Chen Youhua felt as if sitting on pins and needles. He let out a helpless sigh.

He knew listening to the lecture was impossible now; his own presence had become the biggest distraction.

Seizing the moment when Teacher Wang turned to write a complex formula on the board, he swiftly and silently gathered his things. Hunched over, he slipped out through the back door.

The instant the door closed behind him, the classroom erupted into commotion.

"Holy crap! Where's Professor Chen? He was right there a second ago! How did he vanish in the blink of an eye?"

A male student whirled around, pointing at the now-empty seat in shock.

"He left! I just saw him sneak out the back door! Ugh, my seat's too far forward, otherwise I'd definitely have chased him down for an autograph!"

A girl in the front row thumped her desk in frustration.

"Quick, check the group chat! Xiao Zhang and the others from the next class used the bathroom as an excuse and already tailed him!"

"Really? That's so sneaky! Text them right now, ask them to get me an autograph! I'll make it worth their while!"

"Wahh, my idol, gone just like that... I was dreaming of getting a photo together, now that's ruined. It hurts, it hurts so much!"

"We'll just have to wait for the next chance encounter with God Chen... Sigh, the odds are slim..."

Chen Youhua hadn't walked far at a brisk pace when hurried footsteps and slightly nervous calls came from behind.

"Professor Chen! Please wait!"

"God Chen! Could you please give us an autograph? Just sign my book! Please!"

"Professor Chen, could we take a photo together?", "I... I was only determined to apply for Z University's School of Information Engineering after reading your paper on information engineering! I truly admire you so much!"

Chen Youhua turned to see four or five students catching up to him, panting, their faces a mix of excitement, nervousness, and anticipation.

His heart softened. Seeing that class was almost over anyway, he stopped and nodded gently.

"Alright, but make it quick. Once class ends, there will be more people."

He took the offered pen, signing his name on textbooks like *Advanced Mathematics* and *University Physics*, even on the flyleaf of a notebook, and obligingly posed for a few photos.

The students thanked him profusely, over and over.

"Thank you, Professor Chen!"

"Thank you so much! I'll keep working hard!"

After quickly fulfilling these students' wishes, Chen Youhua immediately put his sunglasses back on and practically jogged away from the teaching building area.

Just as he stepped out of the main building's entrance, the bell signaling the end of class rang. He finally let out a long sigh of relief, grateful he had run fast enough.

He took out his phone and saw several more messages from his cousin, urging him to reply.

Walking leisurely towards the school gate, he began typing a response.

"Just got out of class. It was nothing, just a spur-of-the-moment idea to sit in on a lecture and soak up the atmosphere."

He omitted the awkward scene of being recognized.

"Your dad is really okay with you being out alone during the holiday instead of going home?"

A reply came almost instantly.

"Hehehe, don't worry! I already checked in with Dad!", "I told him I'd stay in the school dorm for a couple of days this month during the break and come find you to hang out, so he shouldn't worry!", "He already agreed! [Victory emoji]"

Chen Youhua smiled wryly. Using a map app, he checked the distance between his cousin's school and his own location, finding it wasn't far at all—just a twenty-something minute taxi ride.

"Alright then. Where do you want to go?"

His cousin immediately sent back an ecstatic sticker.

"Hooray! You're the best, cousin! First, Honeyland Dessert Shop! I've been craving their Mango Snow Mountain Glutinous Rice Balls forever! Oh, and cousin..."

Her tone suddenly took on a hint of caution and a touch of wheedling.

"I also want to bring my best friend along, is that okay? She's super nice too! [Puppy-dog eyes emoji]"

Chen Youhua didn't mind at all and replied.

"No problem. I'm heading to the school gate now. About how long will it take you to get there?"

"We're leaving right away too! Probably about half an hour to Honeyland! See you soon, cousin! [Heart emission]"

Chen Youhua arrived first at this rather famous Internet celebrities dessert shop.

The shop's decor was cozy and Instagram-worthy, filled with a faint scent of milk and sugar. The clientele consisted mostly of young women and students.

He found a booth by the window, ordered an iced Americano, and settled in to scroll through his phone while waiting, occasionally glancing outside.

About twenty minutes later, two girls in blue-and-white school uniforms, carrying backpacks, appeared at the shop entrance. They stood on tiptoe, peering through the glass window and looking around.

One of them was Chen Xinran. She spotted Chen Youhua by the window immediately, waved excitedly, and pulled the other, somewhat shy girl inside.

"Cousin!"

Chen Xinran fluttered to the table like a happy little bird, her face glowing with youthful energy.

"Have you been waiting long? This is my best friend, Zhang Yutian!"

The girl named Zhang Yutian seemed quieter than Chen Xinran. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and she greeted him somewhat stiffly in a small voice.

"P-Professor Chen... hello."

She clearly knew who Chen Youhua was; her eyes were full of curiosity and awe.

"Just call me cousin outside, or brother is fine too. No need to be so formal."

Chen Youhua smiled gently and gestured for them to sit.

"Take a look at what you'd like to eat. Order anything, it's on me."

"Yay! Cousin, you're the best!"

Chen Xinran unceremoniously picked up the menu, and she and Zhang Yutian put their heads together to study it.

"I want the Mango Snow Mountain! The large one! Sweetie, what do you want? This tiramisu looks good too..."

Zhang Yutian said softly, "I... I'll just have a mango pomelo sago, please."

Once the order was placed, Chen Xinran's chatterbox opened completely.

"Cousin, what class did you just go listen to? Are university classes all super hard?"

"Does your laboratory have lots of really cool equipment? Like the moving robotic arms people talk about online?"

She chattered away about funny things at school, the ridiculously hard monthly exam questions, her yearning for university life, radiating boundless energy.

Zhang Yutian was much quieter, spending most of her time taking small bites of her mango pomelo sago.

Occasionally, she would steal a glance at Chen Youhua, her eyes still filled with disbelief, as if observing a figure from a textbook up close.

Chen Youhua listened patiently, occasionally answering a question or two. The atmosphere was relaxed and pleasant.

Looking at his energetic cousin before him, he felt as if he had been rejuvenated by a few years.

While enjoying their desserts, Chen Xinran suddenly blinked her big eyes and asked curiously.

"Cousin, is that super popular Qiming Smart Assistant online related to you? The one that sometimes talks back so annoyingly but seems to know everything?"

Zhang Yutian immediately looked up too, clearly extremely interested in this topic.

Chen Youhua pondered for a moment before choosing a somewhat vague but truthful answer.

"Hmm... you could say it's within the same broad project direction. There are indeed some technical connections."

He didn't want to reveal too much, but there was no need to completely deny it either.

"Really?! That's so cool!"

Chen Xinran almost jumped out of her seat.

"So many kids in our class use it! It's just that it's always sassing people!", "I asked if I could get into Z University, and it actually told me to finish dreaming after I got the last problem on my math paper right first.", "It made me so mad! But it explains problems really well..."

Zhang Yutian also chimed in softly.

"Mhm... it... it seems to know everything, and it remembers everything you've ever said..."

Chen Xinran suddenly lowered her voice and leaned in conspiratorially.

"Cousin, then... can you get that kind of... that super special internal account? The kind that doesn't scold people and has super high privileges?"

Chen Youhua was amused by her antics and lightly flicked her forehead.

"Wishful thinking. Just use the public version properly; it's good enough if it helps you study. Besides,"

He paused, a hint of teasing in his tone.

"maybe it sasses you precisely to make you study harder?"

"Aww~ How could you say that."

Chen Xinran collapsed onto the sofa seat with a dramatic wail, making even Zhang Yutian cover her mouth and laugh.

The three chatted for a while longer, mostly with Chen Xinran talking and Chen Youhua and Zhang Yutian listening.

After finishing their desserts, Chen Xinran dragged the other two to browse the nearby commercial street.

This street was the liveliest commercial area nearby, packed with various small shops, milk tea stalls, snack vendors, and Cultural and creative industries stores, brimming with youthful energy.

"Cousin, cousin! Look at that Cultural and creative industries shop! All our classmates say their stuff is super fun!"

Chen Xinran, with one arm linked through the still-somewhat-shy Zhang Yutian's, pointed at a uniquely decorated shop ahead and excitedly pulled Chen Youhua inside.

The shop was filled with all sorts of interesting stationery, creative little ornaments, joint IP merchandise, and more.

The two girls were instantly captivated, picking up this item to look at, touching that one.

"Sweetie, look at this cat blind boxes, so cute!"

"This metal bookmark is so exquisite, it would make a good gift..."

Chen Youhua followed behind, watching with interest as they chattered away in discussion, occasionally offering an opinion.

"The streamlined design of this pen is more ergonomic for long writing sessions." Or, "The heating principle of that constant-temperature cup warmer is actually quite simple..."

Chen Xinran took a liking to a small night light shaped like an astronaut, fiddling with the switch as the light changed colors softly.

"Wow, this is so cool! It'd be perfect on my bedside table in the dorm!"

Zhang Yutian, meanwhile, couldn't put down a set of antiquity poetry Journal notebooks, carefully flipping through the illustrations inside.

In the end, seeing how much his cousin genuinely liked that little night light, Chen Youhua proactively paid for it as a gift for her monthly break.

Chen Xinran was so happy she nearly jumped, hugging the box tightly.

"Thank you, cousin! You're the absolute best!"

In the spirit of fairness, he also thoughtfully asked Zhang Yutian.

"Is there anything you like, Zhang Yutian? Don't be shy."

Zhang Yutian, blushing, shook her head and said it wasn't necessary, but Chen Youhua insisted and paid for her chosen item as well.

Next, they browsed a nearby Fine shop, trying on some hair clips and small accessories, giggling in front of the mirror.

Chen Youhua waited patiently outside the shop, watching the bustling crowd of students coming and going on the street.

After finishing their shopping spree, all three were a bit tired and sat down to rest on a bench by the street.

Chen Xinran, thoroughly satisfied, hugged her astronaut night light. She and Zhang Yutian shared the photos they had just taken, discussing what kind of social media post to make once back at school.

Chen Youhua simply smiled.

Happy times always pass quickly.

As evening approached, Chen Youhua checked the time and felt it was about right.

"Alright, you two, that's probably enough, right? Should I take you back to school? Or see Zhang Yutian home?"

"No need, no need!"

Chen Xinran quickly waved her hands.

"Sweetie lives nearby, I'll walk her back! Cousin, you spent a lot today and wasted your time too!"

Zhang Yutian also hurriedly stood up and bowed.

"Thank you, Professor Chen... I mean, thank you, brother, for the desserts! I really had a great time today!"

Chen Youhua hailed a taxi for them, watched them get in, and reminded the driver to drive safely.

"Send me a message when you get home and when you're back in the dorm."

"Got it, cousin! Bye! We'll find you to hang out again next time!"

Chen Xinran leaned out the car window, waving energetically.