Over half an hour later...
Chen Gong took a deep breath, slowly exhaled, and repeated the process several times to fully oxygenate his brain. A spike in dopamine secretion helped him relax.
After all, as a medical student, it's always about applying what you learn.
But... how do you apply surgical studies?
...
Chen Gong then glanced at the timer on his phone, a slight smile curving his lips.
His question-solving speed today had increased by nearly thirty percent compared to usual—a truly terrifying figure.
Moreover, he could clearly feel that his thinking speed had improved a lot from the norm, not just a matter of numbers.
While high-speed thinking was exhilarating, it left him somewhat fatigued afterward.
It was like offering a starving vagrant a stunning beauty; his only thought might be: Can he eat her?
Thus, the secretion of dopamine wasn't much help when hungry and tired!
First, let's check the answers!
See how many I got wrong...
Then, Chen Gong directly opened the answer sheet and started grading.
Across from him, Yang Qingtao watched him in disbelief.
He... he's finished already?
How long has it been?
Half an hour, right?
I've only managed... 37... um... 38 questions?
Yang Qingtao's face flushed with embarrassment!
But he quickly dismissed the thought; it was impossible to finish in half an hour.
The questions were difficult; not even Liu Yuxiao could have finished them.
He must have been guessing!
Right, maybe he didn't get as many right out of 100 questions as I did out of 38.
With that thought, Yang Qingtao couldn't help but focus intensely, cautiously sneaking peeks.
Soon, he heard a voice.
"Eh? I got one wrong?"
Chen Gong muttered to himself, frowning slightly as he looked at the question and sighed in disappointment.
He truly didn't know how to do that one question, the "Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle Electron Transfer Effect." He had borrowed a book but hadn't read it yet.
Well, it gave him a clearer understanding of his own level.
The level of physiology and biochemistry lv1 probably wasn't much more than this.
But it was also good, as he had finally found a direction for improvement.
Only, how to test the lv2 level?
That seemed to be a problem.
At this moment, Yang Qingtao, after hearing Chen Gong's words, was completely flabbergasted.
What?
"He only got one wrong?!"
How is that possible?
Just one mistake?
I left four or five blank.
This is fucking unscientific!
Yang Qingtao suddenly felt that the foundation of his aspiration for grad school was cracking, on the verge of collapse.
What's this supposed to be?
Stealing a chicken only to lose the rice?
Throwing away the wife and losing the soldiers?
No...
This is pretending to be clever and getting screwed over instead!
At this moment, Yang Qingtao was genuinely unsettled by Chen Gong.
He thought he was not bad, but... why was the gap so big?
Could it be that... he was a repeat test-taker? Or even a third-timer?
He didn't look the part!
So young!
After much hesitation, Yang Qingtao decided to ask; otherwise, he couldn't calm his mind.
After hesitating, Yang Qingtao picked out a very difficult question from another set of papers. He didn't ask it outright but greeted Chen Gong with a smile:
"Excuse me, classmate."
Chen Gong was about to start reading when he heard the noise and suddenly saw a familiar figure.
"Yikes! What a coincidence..."
"The guy who threw up?!"
"Hello," Chen Gong nodded, lowering his voice, and said.
Yang Qingtao forced a smile: "Hello...￥￥#%#&"
"Eh? You're working on this set of questions too?"
"It's for the postgraduate entrance exam, right?"
"I was planning to do it today, is it difficult?"
Chen Gong looked at Yang Qingtao; the latter was a lab whiz and should be pretty good, right?
"Getting a perfect score is quite difficult!"
Yang Qingtao: "???"
"But aiming for a low score is also hard, considering there are quite a few basic questions that give away points."
Yang Qingtao: "???"
He suddenly thought of a problem. Chen Gong must have worked on this set before, otherwise how could he be so familiar with it?
Keep pretending, I see how you pretend.
With that thought, Yang Qingtao handed over the question he had found.
"Classmate, how do you solve this problem?"
Chen Gong was momentarily startled. Was his senior testing him?
A string of knowledge flashed through his mind after the lv1 introduction. His knowledge had been neatly summed up as if a catalogue in his head allowed him to access it effortlessly.
It made him all the more eager to see what lv2 would be like!
Yang Qingtao saw Chen Gong's silence and thought he had stumped him. Before he could speak, however, he saw a puzzled look on Chen Gong's face: "You're testing me, aren't you?"
Yang Qingtao froze at the sound, blushing slightly: "No... not really, just discussing!"
Chen Gong sighed,
"Would you really test a medical student with this kind of question?"
"Which medical student can't stand such a test..."
"This is a basic question, right? Pretty simple..."
Yang Qingtao was immediately red-faced, nearly fumbling to a state of palpable awkwardness.
Chen Gong wasn't deliberately embarrassing him though; he explained patiently,
"This question, well, there are many ways to solve it. If it's a multiple-choice question, it's fairly simple, actually involving the relative activity of enzymes."
"The first method: I suggest using the Michaelis-Menten equation, Vmax, Km, and then convert the numbers."
"The second method: Determine the catalytic efficiency using Kcat/Km, then apply the dynamics of bimolecular enzyme reactions. The factors that influence enzyme catalytic efficiency can then be calculated."
"The third... the fourth method..."
"In short, it's quite simple!"
"Well, this is actually from molecular biochemistry."
While speaking, Chen Gong got up and took a book titled "Advanced Molecular Biochemistry" from the bookshelf nearby.
"This is a translation by Professor Delosangwas, a real classic."
Yang Qingtao's expression had been growing increasingly strained since Chen Gong started speaking, and by the time Chen Gong finished, seeing the book made him completely lose his composure.
This guy is definitely not an underclassman!
Right!
Microbiology is something you start learning in your junior year, tapeworms, ugh... no, that stuff is also junior year content.
Impossible for an underclassman!
Wait... Advanced Molecular Biochemistry...
This... could he be a doctoral student from our school?
So young!
I can't believe I foolishly tried to compete with him!
Yang Qingtao hurriedly forced a smile: "Senior, you're... a doctorate student at our school, right?"
Chen Gong was about to reply but froze when he heard the other party's words.
Huh?!
Senior?
Doctorate?!
Chen Gong looked at the other person with some confusion: "Senior, you... are you still hungover from yesterday and came to study?"
"How much did you drink!"
"Vomiting like that, and you still haven't sobered up..."
"I'm a freshman, oh, I just moved up to sophomore."
"You coming to study in such a state is really inspiring, I should learn from you."
Yang Qingtao had just finished giving himself a pep talk when he waited for Chen Gong's response.
And then... this jerk not only exposed my past, but he's also... a sophomore?!
Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!
Yang Qingtao felt like he'd been stabbed in the heart three times, each blow hitting his vitals.
How is this possible?!
A sophomore?!
Physiology and biochemistry aren't taught until sophomore year, right?
And what the heck is this "Advanced Molecular Biochemistry"?
"You... this... this... you're joking, right?"
"Physiology and biochemistry only start in sophomore year..."
Yang Qingtao couldn't help but say.
At this moment, Chen Gong smiled and said: "Isn't it pretty normal to preview the material ahead of time?"
At that, Yang Qingtao's heart completely shattered.
Normal?
Normal my ass!
As a four-time consecutive scholarship recipient, don't I know the effects of previewing material?
This isn't previewing, this is like reincarnating early!
"You sure you're a sophomore?"
Yang Qingtao still doubted his life: "Besides, sophomore physiology and biochemistry aren't that hard!"
"Didn't you just talk about stuff that's beyond the syllabus?"
Chen Gong directly took out his library card, matter-of-factly saying: "Physiology and biochemistry are just the basics of medicine. Without a solid medical foundation, how can we treat patients with difficult and complicated conditions?"
"What we learn during our university stage is just the simplest fundamentals."
"Senior, maybe it has been too long for you, and you've forgotten!"
Upon saying this, Chen Gong with a serious expression stated: "Moreover..."
"Our exams might go beyond the syllabus, but... will a patient's illness adhere to it? Shouldn't we enrich our knowledge system to face those illnesses that go beyond what we're taught?"
"Senior, patients won't get sick following the textbook."
"Exams are just the simplest part of medicine."
While speaking, Chen Gong wrote on his notebook: "To review the old and know the new, one must continually revise and take it to heart."
Yang Qingtao: ???
I can't stay here any longer!
Yang Qingtao felt that if he stayed another minute, his philosophical integrity would completely crumble.
No, I need to leave!
I just want some peace and quiet...
As he spoke, Yang Qingtao stood up and headed outside, his chest felt unbearably congested, and he needed some fresh air.
At that moment, Chen Gong was dumbfounded: "Senior... Senior... where... where are you going?"
"I... I still have some questions to ask you!"
Chen Gong watched Yang Qingtao leave, feeling somewhat disappointed.
He had wanted to inquire about the experimental group's affairs.
This was rather unexpected...
[Ding! Unconventional Points +100!]
Chen Gong: ???
Forget it, forget it.
After some consideration, Chen Gong ultimately opened the translation of Delosangwas's "Advanced Molecular Biochemistry" and began reading.
With the help of "Focusing," he was surprised to discover that his reading efficiency was soaring.
The obscure knowledge that usually required repeated understanding now seemed easier to grasp under his rapidly functioning mind.
It even felt like as this knowledge solidified his foundation, it was also making progressive "irrigation-style" advancements—it was as if the framework was already set, and this knowledge enriched the content, filling in the gaps.
It was like gaining experience points—in accordance with this effect, leveling up was just a matter of time.
More than two hours passed in a blink of an eye.
Only then did Chen Gong reluctantly put down the book.
The feeling of clearly sensing progress was just too wonderful.
At this moment, he suddenly realized that his original progress bar for [Biochemistry lv1 (17%)] had jumped to lv1 (25%).
This discovery filled Chen Gong with joy; it seemed he wouldn't need much time to reach lv2.
The first Biochemistry class was in three days—there should be enough time!
After packing up, Chen Gong borrowed "Advanced Molecular Biochemistry" and left the library.
No sooner had Chen Gong left, a man in his fifties entered the library.
"Dean Yang, hello."
Upon seeing Yang Guangye, the staff member quickly stood up and nodded with a smile.
Yang Guangye too modestly smiled: "Hello, could you help me find the book 'Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle Electron Transfer Effect'?"