I Studied Abroad in the Modern Times

Chapter 46: Changed

To prove his claims, Old Bai led Zheng Fa and Tang Lingwu into a room they had never entered before.

The room was small, about ten square meters, with tall, cluttered bookshelves lining the walls. Books lay scattered across the floor and chairs, half-open as if abandoned mid-read. The disarray marked it clearly as Old Bai’s domain.

The only exception was the desk by the window. Unlike the rest of the room, the desk was meticulously neat, holding only a stack of thick draft papers and a penholder filled with pens. The stack of drafts was arranged so perfectly that it resembled a block of smooth tofu.

“Is this your new book?” Tang Lingwu asked, her attention drawn to the peculiar stack of papers.

Old Bai scratched his head, now adopting a rare humility. “Just something I’ve been working on for years.”

He turned to Zheng Fa. “I really don’t have time. I agreed to write this book before I retired, and it’s been five or six years since. I haven’t finished it yet.”

“Publishers really do call me to hurry up. I wasn’t lying…” His voice trailed off under their doubtful gazes. “Well, maybe I exaggerated a bit. A little. Five, six, seven, or eight times.”

Zheng Fa glanced at the immaculate desk and nodded. “You must care a lot about this book.”

“Not really,” Old Bai said, running his hand over the stack of drafts. “Like I said, I’m no big deal in mathematics.” After a pause, he asked Zheng Fa, “Do you know why I’ve been reluctant to teach you?”

“Because I’m slow?”

“Uh… Being dense is part of it,” Old Bai replied with his usual bluntness.

“Because I have to focus on the college entrance exam?” Zheng Fa guessed again.

“That’s also a factor. But the main reason is that you’re not the type of person suited for mathematics.”

Zheng Fa frowned, puzzled.

“It’s not a character issue,” Old Bai clarified. “But doing mathematics requires a certain detachment. And you…” He glanced at Zheng Fa. “Are you learning topology for the love of it, or just to decipher those strange diagrams?”

Zheng Fa’s brows furrowed deeper.

“Isn’t being practical a good thing?” Tang Lingwu muttered.

“What is mathematics?” Old Bai suddenly asked.

“Huh?”

“Mathematics fundamentally studies things that don’t exist,” Old Bai declared. “Does the imaginary unit exist? Do natural numbers exist in nature? Can you find the points, lines, and planes of geometry in the real world?”

Zheng Fa remained silent, unsure where this was going.

“Mathematics is an abstract system, a set of axioms that don’t actually exist. You could think of it as a purposeless set of rules humans invented—a game. It just so happens that this game can explain parts of the world,” Old Bai explained animatedly, relishing the role of a university lecturer once again.

“That’s why pure mathematicians often look down on applied mathematicians. We were supposed to be the ‘mother of sciences,’ but some of us ended up bending over—” He abruptly stopped, glancing at their young faces, and corrected himself, “—like certain... fallen figures.”

Still seeing confusion on Zheng Fa’s face, Old Bai continued more plainly: “If you’re learning topology just for those diagrams, have you considered that topology might not actually solve all of them?”

Zheng Fa nodded slowly.

“That’s the paradox of science. A thousand successes don’t prove you right, but one failure makes you wrong. If that happens, will you still want to study topology?”

Finally understanding, Zheng Fa realized Old Bai was advising him not to lose sight of the bigger picture.

“I still want to learn,” Zheng Fa said firmly. “Even if I’m slow, I want to learn.” His interest in knowledge extended beyond just the diagrams.

“Then my advice is to study seriously with me,” Old Bai said, softening. Seeing the determination in Zheng Fa’s eyes, he added encouragingly, “It’s okay to be slow. You haven’t even mastered high school material yet, and topology is a second-year college course at Jingcheng University. It’s normal to struggle right now.”

Despite Old Bai’s good intentions, Zheng Fa shook his head.

“I still want you to help me decipher the diagrams.”

Old Bai sighed. “I really don’t have the time!”

Turning to Tang Lingwu, Zheng Fa pointed at her. “Didn’t you say she’s already studying college-level material?”

“Hmm?”

“If I need to start with high school math, I can learn from her.”

When in doubt, borrow someone else’s brain. If that doesn’t work, borrow another one.

Tang Lingwu blinked, pointing at herself. “Me?”

“I’ll teach you martial arts in exchange for you teaching me math. Deal?” Zheng Fa proposed.

Tang Lingwu hesitated, glancing at Old Bai.

Old Bai frowned but didn’t dispute her qualifications. “That’s one way to do it. If you hit a roadblock, bring the questions to me. Teaching him might also improve your own understanding of the material, but it’ll waste your time…”

“I’ll do it! I want to learn martial arts!” Tang Lingwu agreed eagerly.

“Didn’t you say you didn’t want to?” Old Bai grumbled.

Tang Lingwu simply smiled, her lips sealed.

Zheng Fa pulled out his drafts, grinning. “So, which one should we start with today?”

Old Bai gaped.

Pointing at Tang Lingwu, he said, “She gets to be your teacher and learn martial arts from you?”

“Yep.”

“And she won’t scold you. I can’t scold you. You’re getting a pretty girl as a teacher, and I’m stuck doing grunt work for you?”

Zheng Fa’s grin widened. “Seems so.”

“And I lose the joy of berating you?”

Old Bai’s logic was flawless, leaving him utterly defeated.

“At least you’ve learned a lesson,” Zheng Fa said, patting his shoulder. “Next time, don’t threaten to quit so easily.”

…

Since Tang Lingwu needed martial arts training, Old Bai’s cramped house wasn’t suitable. The group headed to the open space where Zheng Fa had first demonstrated the Pine Crane Stance.

While Old Bai resumed practicing the stance with newfound seriousness, Zheng Fa guided Tang Lingwu closely. Standing face-to-face, he corrected her posture as the faint scent of her hair tickled his nose.

But as he began circulating his internal energy, Zheng Fa noticed something strange. Unlike in the Xuanyi Realm, where a mysterious force in the void resonated with him, this world had none of that.

The difference intrigued him, prompting a cascade of thoughts.

“Zheng Fa, you smell nice,” Tang Lingwu remarked suddenly.

“…Huh?” Zheng Fa looked at her, stunned.

Realizing her words sounded awkward, Tang Lingwu avoided his gaze, flustered.

Zheng Fa studied her intently, searching her face for a hint of someone else.

“…Gao Yuan, is that you?”

…

“Zheng Fa! I found something weird!” Gao Yuan called out, running toward him.

“Stop. Keep your distance,” Zheng Fa said, closing his eyes.

“?”

“I’m still not used to how ugly you’ve gotten.”

Gao Yuan touched his confused face but quickly let it go. He leaned closer and whispered, “It’s not me who’s changed—it’s the Seventh Young Master!”

“Changed? How?”

“Well…” Gao Yuan scratched his head, struggling to describe it. “He’s… starting to resemble me.”

Funny coincidence. I know someone else who’s starting to resemble you too.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!