CHAPTER 300: CHAPTER 298: THE APOLOGIZING OLD PROFESSOR

With the old professor stepping forward as a guarantor, Chen Xin finally released the young researcher he had captured.

The researcher, after being freed by Chen Xin, quickly darted to the old professor’s side, glaring at Chen Xin with resentment, and complained to the professor, "Professor, this is the fraud! This person is too barbaric. I told him that you wanted to see him, and he twisted my arm and wouldn’t let me go!"

On hearing his student’s words, the old professor didn’t jump to conclusions but instead confirmed with Chen Xin, "Is this what happened? My student came to get you, and you twisted his arm?"

"That’s roughly accurate, but he left out some details." Chen Xin, seeing that the old professor didn’t seem unreasonable and wasn’t losing his temper, calmly explained, "I had just returned from outside when your student came charging at me with a brusque ’The professor wants to see you, come with me,’ and even grabbed my arm. If I wasn’t someone who exercises regularly, I would have been pulled down immediately.

If you were in my position, wouldn’t your first instinct be to resist and subdue the person?"

Hearing Chen Xin’s explanation, the old professor’s face twitched, and he turned angrily to his student, scolding him, "I asked you to invite him, and this is how you do it? How many times have I told you!"

Watching the old professor scold the young researcher, Chen Xin didn’t react or say much, just observed everything with indifference.

However, while Chen Xin remained indifferent, the young researcher was visibly unwilling, arguing to the old professor, "Professor, this is a fraud. Why should we be polite to someone like him? He’s surely thinking of some new tricks to fool us! You can’t be deceived by him!"

Hearing this, Chen Xin couldn’t help but find it amusing. He had never interacted with this young researcher, yet the guy was quick to brand him a barbarian and a fraud. This amused and felt ironic to Chen Xin, considering this person was a researcher at the Polytechnic College, responsible for crucial research in these end times. It was utterly absurd and ridiculous.

With these thoughts, Chen Xin turned his gaze to the old professor, curious about how he would handle the situation.

To Chen Xin, if this professor had produced such a student, he probably wasn’t someone to be respected as a venerable elder.

Yet, the old professor’s handling of the situation surprised Chen Xin and everyone else.

"I’m sorry, my failure in teaching is to blame for not imparting proper manners to him as his professor." The old professor bowed to Chen Xin, sincerely apologizing, and then explained, "Previously, I admittedly had some prejudices, thinking you were one of those con artists peddling so-called high-tech concepts for money, so I had a negative opinion of you. My student overheard those words, which created a bad impression of you.

But today, I’ve checked the boiler you improved, and it indeed shows significant enhancement compared to before. This proves you’re not a fraud, and I apologize for my previous prejudice against you.

Originally, I wanted my student to invite you over to discuss some technical issues and formally apologize, but I didn’t expect things to turn out like this, causing you trouble. I’m truly sorry."

"There’s no need for such formalities, sir! I can understand why you might have thought of me as a fraud. Were I in your shoes, I wouldn’t have believed it either." Chen Xin was taken aback by the old professor’s humble attitude and quickly assured him that he wasn’t bothered.

If the old professor had confronted him head-on or ignored him, Chen Xin would have accepted it and not cared much. But for an elder, regardless of whether he was truly at fault, to apologize so sincerely in front of a crowd, Chen Xin felt he had to be magnanimous.

The old professor’s apology was certainly genuine. After apologizing, he looked at the gathered crowd around, understanding his actions might have troubled Chen Xin, so he didn’t linger longer. He simply said to Chen Xin, "It seems today is not the suitable opportunity, so let’s leave it at that for now. I will pay you a visit when the time is right."

With those words, the old professor turned to leave, seeing his student still looking rebellious, he didn’t scold him further, just said, "Come back with me first."

Then he left with his students.

As for the others who saw the outcome, they whispered amongst themselves but didn’t say much and soon dispersed.

But Chen Xin stayed behind, unconsciously rubbing his chin, pondering over what exactly was going on.

If all of this was just as it appeared on the surface, there wasn’t much of an issue. Perhaps the old professor did have a moment of prejudice, and now that he could sincerely apologize, Chen Xin could forgive him and his student.

But if this was all premeditated... Chen Xin could only say that the darkness of human nature exceeds our imagination.

However, he didn’t think the old professor was doing it intentionally. After all, from a certain perspective, the old professor could have apologized even more sincerely, even staging an act with his student to play the victim, forcing Chen Xin to a corner, turning his justified stance into unjustified.

But the old professor didn’t do that. After apologizing, he turned and left cleanly and straightforwardly, without going through the motions, which made it hard for Chen Xin to judge whether this professor was good or bad.

Shaking his head, he decided not to dwell on it and went back to his room.

Although this matter had troubled Chen Xin somewhat, it was merely an episode. After thinking it over, he decided to ignore it. In his current situation, he truly couldn’t spare the time or energy to worry about such things.

Instead of worrying about such scheming maneuvers, Chen Xin felt it was more practical to spend some time considering the isotopic generator.

It’s already the end times, yet some people are still focused on personal gain and schemes. It’s truly shallow.

To bicker with such people would just drag oneself down to their level and then be beaten by their extensive experience.

Moreover, even if one managed to win such disputes, it wouldn’t bring any benefits, nor would it improve or help the survival situation of Flame Country or humanity at large.

Even if Chen Xin could alter the boilers and heating systems of all the city’s shelters, he could only save this one city. For the Flame Country, which is nearly engulfed in blizzards, it would be like a drop in the ocean, given that 99.9% of Flame Country’s people are suffering from the blizzards.