Chapter 109 - 78: I Do
He no longer just followed along with Entry-Level video tutorials he found online to write code. Instead, he began to systematically and thoroughly study cutting-edge open-source large model frameworks and algorithm papers.
Of course, in between all this, Chen Lin had also started chatting with Shen Yan on WeChat regularly, unlike before, when they would only exchange a few words on the rare occasion that something came up.
The two didn’t chat very frequently, exchanging maybe a dozen or so messages a day, but every conversation left Chen Lin feeling very comfortable.
That afternoon, Chen Lin had just defeated the boss "Manic Maurice" in *Hollow Knight*. He was leaning back in his chair and flexing his slightly sore fingers when he casually sent Shen Yan a message on WeChat.
Chen Lin: [Are you busy?]
Shen Yan replied almost instantly: [Just got back from the library]
Chen Lin smiled, his fingers flying across the screen as he began to share his future plans with her.
Chen Lin: [Besides working on my graduation thesis lately, I’ve also started researching AI large models again.]
Chen Lin: [My plan is, after we establish our company, besides providing math consulting services, we’ll also set up a dedicated AI department once we have enough capital. This field is definitely going to have a massive boom in the next few years, so we need to get a head start.]
The other end of the line went silent for a few seconds, as if she were digesting the information.
Shen Yan: [That’s a great idea.]
Shen Yan: [Actually, back in my sophomore year, I audited several programming classes in the computer science department, like Data Structures, Introduction to Algorithms, that sort of thing.]
Shen Yan: [In my spare time, I also read a lot of books and papers on AI on my own.]
Shen Yan: [I completely agree with your assessment. With your skills in mathematics, if you really set your mind to entering the AI field, you’ll definitely achieve amazing things.]
Reading Shen Yan’s replies, Chen Lin’s heart felt incredibly soothed.
The feeling of being acknowledged—especially by someone he liked, and a true academic prodigy at that—was undeniably amazing.
On an impulse, he decided to share a part of his most significant work from recently.
He picked up his phone, aimed it at the several pages of scratch paper spread across his desk—covered in complex formulas and derivations—and took a few pictures with a CLICK, CLICK, then sent them over.
Chen Lin: [Check out the results of my graduation thesis research [smirk]]
After the message was sent, silence once again fell on the other end.
A full five minutes passed. Just when Chen Lin was beginning to wonder if she had put her phone down to do something else, Shen Yan’s message finally trickled in.
Shen Yan: [...]
Shen Yan: [It’s too advanced. I don’t understand it at all.]
Chen Lin looked at the message and almost burst out laughing.
That reaction was more direct than any compliment could ever be.
Before he could even reply, Shen Yan’s next message popped up.
Shen Yan: [But even though I don’t understand it, I have faith in you. I think, given the depth this paper demonstrates, if you polished it and got it published, it would absolutely have a shot at one of the top-tier math journals.]
Seeing the word "published," Chen Lin was suddenly reminded of something and asked curiously.
Chen Lin: [Have you ever written an academic paper before?]
Shen Yan: [Not independently. But during the first semester of my sophomore year, I helped a PhD student in our department by processing some data. When his paper was published, he listed me as the third author.]
Chen Lin: [What’s a third author?]
Shen Yan: [Academic papers can have several co-authors. Generally, the person listed first is the ’first author,’ meaning they contributed the most to the paper. Following that logic, the person listed third is the ’third author.’]
Shen Yan: [Oh, and that paper ended up being published in a Q2 SCI journal.]
Chen Lin got the gist of it. He thought for a moment, then immediately typed out a reply.
Chen Lin: [How about this: when I’m done with my paper, we can publish it together? I’ll be the first author, and you can be the second. What do you think?]
To him, it was a trivial favor. He didn’t care much for empty accolades anyway. If he could easily add a distinguished achievement to Shen Yan’s resume, why not?
But unexpectedly, Shen Yan rejected his proposal without a moment’s hesitation.
Shen Yan: [There’s no need.]
Shen Yan: [I’ve already decided that I’ll come work at your company right after graduation. I don’t plan on pursuing further studies in grad school. Being the first or second author on a core journal paper is most valuable for someone taking the academic route. For me, it’s not that significant.]
Chen Lin was looking at her reply, about to say something, when Shen Yan’s next message came right after.
Shen Yan: [Besides, I’ve done a lot of thinking since the modeling competition. I can’t just rely on you to solve every difficult problem I run into.]
Shen Yan: [What I hope for is to be by your side, learn from you, and then use what I’ve learned to truly produce results of my own. That’s one of the main reasons I agreed to join your company that night.]
Chen Lin stared at the two messages from Shen Yan on his phone screen, momentarily lost in thought.
He silently put down his phone and leaned back in his chair, an inexpressible emotion welling up inside him.
He had to admit, a girl like Shen Yan was exceedingly rare.
She came from a well-off family and could have easily lived the so-called "refined" life that countless girls her age pursued.