82: Chapter 82 I Participate

Watching the reporters leave Software Park in twos and threes, Wang Shuo finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He had looked impressive just now, but inside, he had been extremely nervous, terrified that he would forget his lines... That's right, these were all prepared remarks he had scripted beforehand.

After all, it was his first time experiencing a scene like this, so he had to prepare what needed to be prepared.

Fortunately, these reporters were not as persistent as the rumors suggested; otherwise, he really wouldn't have known how to get away.

From this, one could tell that he wasn't as famous as he had imagined. Compared to him, news about the Chen Group was more valuable. In fact, if this matter hadn't involved the Chen Group, it was uncertain whether he could have attracted so many reporters.

This news would probably spread quickly; he just had to wait and watch the show.

Just as he was preparing to re-enter Software Park, Wang Shuo heard someone clapping softly. He turned back to look and saw The Figure of two people standing a few meters away—one was about forty years old, and the other was in his early twenties.

It was young man in his early twenties who was clapping.

"Brilliant, brilliant." young man flashed a faint smile. "Wang Shuo is truly deserving of being the developer of the system; your perspective on issues is indeed unique."

Wang Shuo frowned. Although he hadn't met this person before, he inexplicably found him very annoying. He immediately turned his gaze to the other person beside him. This person... looked strangely familiar.

"Who are you?"

"You don't recognize me so quickly?" The Middle-aged man smiled. "If Principal Ding hadn't told me about your deeds, I wouldn't have known you had such great capabilities, and I would have missed today's wonderful show. Student Wang Shuo, you are quite the pretender."

"Professor... Qian?" Wang Shuo asked tentatively. Anyone who could casually address Principal Ding must certainly be a professor at the college, but why did he have absolutely no memory of him?

As for young man beside him... Wang Shuo subconsciously ignored him.

"Student Wang Shuo has a pretty good memory." Professor Qian Qidong walked up to Wang Shuo with a chuckle. "I even wanted to put in a good word for you, Student Wang Shuo, but now it seems I was completely blind."

"Professor Qian, you flatter me." In front of his elders, Wang Shuo was a well-behaved junior. He said, "Professor Qian, what brings you here?"

"Oh, I've stayed in school for too long and got bored, so I came out for a stroll and just happened to wander here," Professor Qian Qidong said nonchalantly.

Heh... Wang Shuo thought to himself. I'd have to be a ghost to believe you. Could it be that he came specifically because I took his seat? This guy is a professor, too; surely he wouldn't hold a grudge like that, right?

With no one paying attention to him, young man immediately felt the atmosphere become somewhat awkward.

"This..." young man just started to speak.

"By the way, Professor Qian, our counselor told me to return to school immediately; I assume there's something important. You see..." Wang Shuo acted as if he had just remembered something important, his face full of apology.

"That's perfect; I have things to do back at school too. Let's go together."

Go together, my foot! Are you really going to latch onto me?

Too exhausted to complain, Wang Shuo simply said nothing and started walking. Professor Qian Qidong followed along quite happily.

"Student Wang Shuo, I heard..."

Watching the two walk away rapidly, the smile that had been plastered on young man's face finally stiffened. He fiercely threw the water bottle in his hand onto the ground, causing a loud pop. Water splashed everywhere, instantly soaking half of his pant leg.

young man finally couldn't hold it in anymore. While frantically trying to clean his expensive clothes, he glared in the direction where Wang Shuo and Professor Qian Qidong had left, gritting his teeth.

"Wang Shuo! I, Matsumoto Bieyun, will remember you!"

...

By the time Wang Shuo reached the campus, twenty minutes had already passed. This was all the fault of Professor Qian Qidong, that old man who didn't act his age. He kept talking about how young people need exercise, completely disregarding the fact that Wang Shuo was in a rush, and dragged him all the way from Software Park to the school gate.

A distance that would have taken five minutes by taxi had been forcibly turned into over twenty minutes.

That would have been fine, but along the way, Professor Qian Qidong kept talking non-stop about topics Wang Shuo wasn't very interested in—like the embarrassing stories of Dean Ding from years ago, the embarrassing stories he and Dean Ding had experienced together, or reminiscing about past embarrassing stories.

Please, if you don't know how to make conversation, just don't force it. What is this even about?

Wang Shuo listened helplessly.

Fortunately, in the last minute or two before reaching the teaching building, whether intentionally or unintentionally, Professor Qian Qidong finally changed the subject and started talking about his work. Although he didn't reveal too much, Wang Shuo still managed to glean a little bit of information.

"Professor Qian, are you a professor at the School of Materials Science and Engineering?"

"Ah." Seeming to realize he had let something slip, Professor Qian Qidong replied vaguely, "Suppose so, why?"

"Nothing, I'm here." Wang Shuo stopped and pointed to the teaching building beside them.

"Oh, we're here already?" Professor Qian Qidong chuckled. "It seems I'm getting old; I just can't keep my mouth shut when I talk to young people, haha."

"It's fine, walking is good. I'll head in then." Wang Shuo turned and climbed the steps. After walking a few paces, he turned back around and called out to Professor Qian Qidong, who had already walked a few steps away, "Professor Qian!"

Professor Qian Qidong turned back, looking somewhat puzzled.

Wang Shuo said, "If the material properties aren't up to standard, why not try to improve them? The Tempering Method is actually quite good, isn't it?"

Professor Qian Qidong shook his head with a smile. Watching Wang Shuo turn and enter the building, he then continued on his way back.

"Tempering Method?" Professor Qian Qidong thought of Wang Shuo's words and couldn't help but find it amusing.

"There's no such thing as a Tempering Method. This kid, after all, isn't in materials research, or he wouldn't have made up a term himself. Tempering Method? Heh, if there really were such a thing as this Tempering Method, I would... Wait, Tempering Method?"

Professor Qian Qidong stopped abruptly. If he remembered correctly, hadn't he seen this term somewhere before?

Once the thought occurred to him, he could no longer stay still and bolted toward the office building.

Sprinting at the speed of a hundred-meter dash, he burst into the dean's office. Ignoring Dean Ding, who was staring at him in astonishment while holding a teacup, he shouted immediately, "Old Ding, quick, which computer is connected to the internet? Let me use it!"

Meanwhile, Wang Shuo had already walked into Teacher Ding Runan's office.

Teacher Ding Runan was answering a phone call while writing something intently. Seeing Wang Shuo walk in, she gently gestured with her eyes. Wang Shuo understood instantly and sat quietly to the side.

"Okay, I understand, Mr. Leavenden. I will relay this information to him promptly. Do you have anything else? Okay, thank you."

This sentence was spoken in English. Wang Shuo could barely understand it; he could write code fluently in English, but that didn't mean he could communicate normally in English.

After hanging up the phone, Teacher Ding Runan placed her mobile phone on the table to the side and looked at Wang Shuo with a complex expression.

Wang Shuo was somewhat baffled.

"Two things," Teacher Ding Runan said. "First, based on the core content you described earlier and the partial core code you wrote for me, I have restructured my thesis outline and content, and submitted it with you as the first author and myself as the corresponding author."

"The editor-in-chief, Mr. Leavenden, from the United States Science magazine personally called me back just now to express his admiration and approval of the paper. He promised to expedite the review of the manuscript and insisted that I invite you to attend the upcoming Artificial Intelligence conference to be held in Suhang."

Wang Shuo looked at Teacher Ding Runan speechlessly. What thesis? What Science magazine? What editor-in-chief Leavenden? What forum summit? What was all this? Teacher Ding, is it really okay for you to make decisions on your own without your student's consent?

Seeing the dazed look on Wang Shuo's face, Teacher Ding Runan felt a bit of frustration that he wasn't living up to expectations. "This is the seventh paper our school has published in Science magazine, and it's a results paper. Furthermore, it is the first paper authored by a freshman who has been enrolled for less than a year as the first author. The department and the school attach great importance to it. So, the second thing..."

"The school has decided to recommend you for admission to graduate school without examination. As long as you graduate successfully, you can directly join a research team led by a professor. You can freely choose which group to join."

Wang Shuo was somewhat astonished. Just like that... recommended for admission?

Teacher Ding Runan continued, "The third thing..."

"The teacher and I have separately applied for a new research project, and the application has been approved and officially established. You are one of the predetermined candidates for this team." Teacher Ding Runan looked at Wang Shuo, who wanted to speak, and said, "You don't need to rush to refuse. This matter cannot proceed without you. After all, we are continuing the research using the source code and ideas you provided. We believe that if we can continue along this line of thought, we might be able to create an unprecedented Artificial Intelligence."

This... Wang Shuo felt deeply speechless. If he said now that he had already completely created a finished product, would he be beaten to death?

"Of course, creating a new Artificial Intelligence is one of the goals, but it is not the ultimate goal. The teacher's and my goal... is talent accumulation. We have already selected twelve students with outstanding achievements in all aspects to join this project team for observation and learning, which might lead to unexpected results."

"This is... to cultivate research thinking?"

Wang Shuo understood. Creating something is not difficult; what is difficult is fully mastering how to create that thing. This was the idea Teacher Ding Runan and Professor Zeng had in mind. They hoped to cultivate a new generation of computer talent, even disregarding personal gains or losses for this cause.

Professor Zeng really was selfless in his dedication to education, Wang Shuo sighed with emotion.

Thinking back to Professor Zeng's sentiments, was it to strive for world-leading advancement?

The older generation of scientific research pioneers really are... people one cannot help but admire.

"I will participate!"

Wang Shuo said.