Chapter 25: The Professor Demands Someone

The late autumn sunlight slanted across the tree-lined paths of the university campus. A gentle breeze stirred, sending golden ginkgo leaves fluttering to the ground, adding a touch of poetic charm to the surroundings.

Li Yifei had been incredibly busy lately. Ever since Professor Lu Guocai had introduced him to Dean Yi, the professor had taken a profound liking to his exceptionally gifted student, keeping Li Yifei by his side at every opportunity. The time Li Yifei spent learning economics systematically under Professor Lu proved to be a major turning point in his academic life. Previously, while Li Yifei had achieved minor successes in the field of economics through sheer talent, his lack of foundational knowledge had always been a source of anxiety. Professor Lu’s meticulous guidance acted like a key, unlocking the vast treasury of his knowledge.

Li Yifei focused intensely during every one of Professor Lu’s lectures. He not only grasped obscure economic theories rapidly but also possessed the ability to draw inferences and integrate knowledge across different domains. This extraordinary learning capacity provided Professor Lu with an unprecedented sense of achievement. Whenever he saw Li Yifei grasp a concept instantly, the professor felt an immense excitement, as if he had discovered a rare gem in the field of economics.

However, this joy was accompanied by a hint of distress. Li Yifei’s learning pace was so swift that Professor Lu began to feel that his own decades of accumulated knowledge were becoming stretched thin in the face of this student. To satisfy Li Yifei’s thirst for knowledge and to introduce him to other outstanding talents in the field, Professor Lu changed his teaching strategy. He began frequently taking Li Yifei to visit various renowned economics professors.

Everywhere they went, Li Yifei’s solid academic foundation and unique insights earned him the praise of the professors. Throughout this process, Li Yifei’s knowledge base expanded, and his perspective broadened. At the same time, the professors felt the joy of teaching and clarifying doubts through their exchanges with him, and their affection for the young man grew significantly.

Time slipped by, and November was fast approaching. One day, Li Yifei arrived early at Professor Lu Guocai’s office, ready to ask his mentor about some new problems. However, he waited and waited, but Professor Lu did not arrive. Feeling bored, Li Yifei took out his laptop, thinking he might as well use the time to check the stock market. Since purchasing those shares last time, he had been too busy with his studies to pay much attention to them. Now, relying on his sharp intuition, he judged that the stock had reached its peak.

As his fingers danced across the keyboard, Li Yifei became increasingly immersed in the shifting tides of the stock market, the outside world seemingly ceasing to exist for him. He analyzed the data with intense focus and seized the perfect moments to buy and sell, entering a state of total self-forgetfulness.

Around 10:00 AM, Professor Lu Guocai hurried into the office. Seeing Li Yifei busy at his computer, he remarked casually, "Yifei, I hope you haven't been waiting too long!" Receiving no response, the professor, feeling puzzled, stepped forward to see what the boy was so engrossed in. When he saw the contents of the screen, he could not help but gasp—Li Yifei’s stock account showed a balance of nearly 900 million!

Professor Lu’s eyes widened in disbelief. He rubbed his eyes and checked again; yes, that string of digits was undeniably there. In an instant, his expression turned grave, and he patted Li Yifei’s shoulder firmly.

Li Yifei finally snapped back to reality and said hurriedly, "Teacher, when did you arrive? I didn't even notice. I'm so sorry, I was just too absorbed in this."

Professor Lu asked with a heavy tone, "Yifei, what is going on here? You are so young to be involved in this. The stock market is unstable; what if you lose other people's money? Do you think they would let you off the hook? You are still young; do not take such risks."

Li Yifei looked blank, completely failing to understand his teacher’s meaning. "Teacher, what do you mean? Whose money? I don't understand."

"Isn't the money in this stock account provided by some investment firm for you to manage? Are you working a side job?" Professor Lu pressed.

"Ah! Teacher, I am not! This is my own account. The money is all mine. I haven't invested for anyone else," Li Yifei quickly explained.

"What? It’s all yours? What do your parents do to have so much money? Even if they were wealthy, they wouldn't just hand you this much to play with in the stock market!" Professor Lu said in astonishment.

"Teacher, my parents are farmers; they don't have money. This was all earned through my own trading. I started with a 15,000-yuan scholarship I received after graduating from middle school, and I've just been building it up since then," Li Yifei said calmly.

Professor Lu’s mouth twitched. To him, these understated words sounded like a thunderclap. He never imagined that the young man before him had turned an initial principal of 15,000 yuan into a fortune of 900 million in just over two years.

Li Yifei then explained his trading journey in detail and showed the transaction records. Looking at the staggering data, Professor Lu felt his heart rate spike, nearly triggering a relapse of his heart condition. At that moment, he had only one thought: this student was invincible. His mastery of economics was nothing short of supernatural. His decision to take him on as a disciple was absolutely correct; his eye for talent was truly peerless.

After calming his nerves, Professor Lu said earnestly to Li Yifei, "Yifei, you aren't a member of the organization yet, are you? Find some time to write an application. I will be your sponsor; it will be good for you to get it done soon."

"Yes, Teacher! I’ve already written the application; I just hadn't had the courage to bring it up to you. I will print it out for you right now," Li Yifei said excitedly.

After some busy work, Li Yifei completed the application. Professor Lu took him to the main campus, and thanks to the professor's connections and Li Yifei’s own stellar credentials, it wasn't long before the process of joining the organization was successfully completed.

On the way back from the main campus, Li Yifei and Professor Lu ran into Professor Zong from the Law School. Professor Lu greeted him warmly, but the words that followed from Professor Zong instantly placed him in a difficult position.

"Old Lu, I was just looking for you. Yifei has been studying with you for a long time now; it’s time for him to come over to my side, isn't it?" Professor Zong said.

Professor Lu suddenly remembered his previous promise to let Li Yifei study at the Law School for a period. He slapped his forehead in vexation, secretly regretting the arrangement. Had he known Li Yifei was this brilliant, he never would have agreed to it. But a gentleman’s word is his bond, and he could not refuse.

Helpless, Professor Lu had to say goodbye to Li Yifei. Li Yifei followed Professor Zong to the Law School. At this moment, he did not yet know what kind of shock his arrival would bring to the students and faculty there. Meanwhile, the students following Professor Zong had no idea that their "nightmare" was about to begin. In the days to come, Li Yifei would once again make the lives of the Law School students a living hell.