My System Forces Me to Live off Women-Chapter 273 - 240: Reverse Promises

The underlying tone of life is bleak and uninteresting.

So, Li Peifeng has gotten used to adding some color to it in various ways such as writing, speaking, and acting.

Blue appears melancholic, red too intense, black and white too monotonous, and green and gray too plain...

Li Peifeng's favorite is yellow, for it is bright, vibrant, and gentle.

Thus, he also enjoys dabbling in "yellow" themes.

But right now, Li Peifeng is a simple sky blue. After chatting with Zhao Qingge about the thesis for a while, it was mealtime. He made a few stir-fry dishes, and the two had a meal, behaving so properly that Zhao Qingge was a bit surprised.

"Did the food suit your taste?"

"Not bad, quite full."

"I've finished too, you take a rest."

After speaking, Li Peifeng stood up to clear the dishes, and Zhao Qingge helped put the leftovers back in the fridge, then sat in the dining room watching him wash the dishes.

In about three to four minutes, Li Peifeng wiped his hands and walked out of the kitchen. Zhao Qingge withdrew her gaze, "Have you heard anything about your submission 'An Analysis of Female-Oriented Online Literature'?"

Li Peifeng nodded with a bitter smile, "Yes, Professor Duan emailed me this morning, asking about some issues in the article and said that it is under re-evaluation. Moreover, there are a total of five reviewers, so the review might take a long time, and he advised me to be mentally prepared."

Zhao Qingge made a sound of acknowledgment, "Be patient. Submitting to 'Literary Review' as a student is somewhat challenging. I'll give them a call tomorrow to expedite the review, and if things don't work out, I'll quickly let you know to submit to another journal."

'Literary Review' is the highest-ranking journal for literature research in Dong, bar none.

Therefore, its submission threshold is also very high.

If a current master's or doctoral student wants to submit their article to this journal, generally they have to list their supervisor as the first author and themselves as the second; otherwise, regardless of how well-written or outstanding the article is, the editor won't even look at it and will reject it outright.

However, if a submitting student's work is indeed very strong, carrying major projects, or has published with a second author status in 'Literary Review' before, or frequently appears in other authoritative journals, gaining some notoriety in the academic world, or if his supervising professor is highly influential, the editors of 'Literary Review' will naturally make an exception and accept the submission for review.

Even for those young teachers and professors who are qualified and have titles to submit, it is very difficult to publish in 'Literary Review'. Once one's article is included, it is a joyous matter.

In the typical 985 or 211 universities, if a teacher publishes in 'Literary Review', it is worth announcing officially in the school to celebrate.

Li Peifeng submitted to 'Literary Review' upon Zhao Qingge's suggestion, but now it seems that the six-month review period is a bit too long. Perhaps by the time Li Peifeng graduates, the article might not be published yet.

"It would be best if it's accepted by 'Literary Review'. Your article is well-written, with innovative content and high standards. And once you have this lead author paper, it will facilitate your doctoral studies and teaching in the future."

Zhao Qingge paused, gazing intently, "I haven't asked, what are your plans after graduation next year?"

"Stay in the Capital, focus on writing books, and as for the others... do you have any suggestions?"

Zhao Qingge pursed her lips, "Find a girlfriend soon."

"What are you saying? You want me to find a girlfriend?"

Li Peifeng was both amazed and dubious at the thought, wondering if he was being ordered to form a harem.

Old Zhao hesitated a bit, staring at him for a long time, then turned her head slightly, saying somewhat mysteriously, "My mom is setting me up on blind dates again."

Li Peifeng exclaimed, "You mean... after I graduate, announce our relationship to your parents?"

Zhao Qingge nodded slightly.

But as soon as Li Peifeng thought about how Li Xin might react to this, he inevitably began to feel scared.

"Isn't it a bit early? Not that I think it's early, I can meet them anytime, the key is whether you think your parents would agree?"

"..."

Zhao Qingge's eyelids lowered slightly, and her complexion dimmed as well.

Li Peifeng sighed and turned to comfort her, "It's alright, ultimately they will agree, I have that confidence. As long as you have confidence like mine, no difficulty is a difficulty."

Zhao Qingge did not respond, got up and went to the living room. Li Peifeng thought she was about to leave, but unexpectedly, she sat down on the couch.

"What's wrong with you?"

Li Peifeng followed closely behind, sitting down beside her.

Zhao Qingge stared blankly at the floor; her expression was somewhat forlorn. After a long moment, she spoke in a very soft voice, "Do you think I am getting old?"

"No, why would you suddenly think that?"

Li Peifeng, surprised, reached out to hug her shoulders, thinking to himself that he should give her some Peiyuan Pill before she leaves.

Zhao Qingge sat on the couch, leaning slightly forward, her hands covering her face, fingers entwined in her hair, her whole body giving off a melancholic vibe, "I just feel old."

Throughout their acquaintance, it was the first time Li Peifeng saw his advisor so unsettled in real life. He did not know what comforting words to say and could only gently pat her back.

But it had little effect, as Zhao Qingge's mood did not improve and instead became even lower. Her nose detected the familiar light citrus scent from Li Peifeng, which smelled nice, yet she still covered her face, whispering, "We're not suitable, let's... just forget it."

"What do you mean by suitable or not suitable, is your body not feeling well today?" Li Peifeng asked with concern, "Shall I make you some ginger tea?"