Chapter 77 - 58: Waiting Outside the Venue
Chatting as they walked, the group of six passed through the tree-lined paths of Huaqing University and arrived outside the venue for the in-person event.
When they arrived, the waiting area outside the auditorium was already bustling with people, the air thick with an excited energy.
Teams from major universities across the country were gathered in small groups. Some were chatting excitedly, others were using the last few moments to review materials on their laptops, and several reporters carrying professional cameras were searching for interview subjects.
Chen Lin’s vision, enhanced by his "Little Champion" title, keenly caught a detail—the moment Shen Yan stepped into the waiting area, the gazes of several guys who had been talking drifted toward her in unison.
However, these top students seemed to be rather reserved. As soon as their eyes met Shen Yan’s calm gaze, they immediately looked away, pretending to be casually observing something else.
Chen Lin couldn’t help but laugh to himself.
’Guess the laws of hormones apply everywhere, regardless of whether you’re a top student or not.’
Just as their group walked through the door, two men noticed them and headed straight over.
Chen Lin immediately recognized the man in front: Chang Kai, the president of Yannan University. He vaguely remembered the president’s relaxed and humorous speech from the freshman opening ceremony.
Accompanying Chang Kai was a younger man with gold-rimmed glasses and a refined, scholarly air. This must be the deputy head of the School of Mathematics that Qu Chengfeng had mentioned, Professor Gu Ming.
"President, Professor Gu," Qu Chengfeng immediately went up to them and greeted them respectfully.
"Teacher Qu, thank you for your hard work." Chang Kai wore his signature approachable smile and clapped Qu Chengfeng warmly on the shoulder.
"Not at all, not at all," Qu Chengfeng said, quickly waving his hands. "The students have all been very easy to manage."
Chang Kai’s gaze then shifted to Shen Yan. His tone was as gentle as a kind elder’s. "Shen Yan, don’t be nervous later. Just relax, present your results, and let nature take its course."
"Okay, thank you, Mr. President," Shen Yan replied with a poised nod.
After a few more words of encouragement, Chang Kai smiled and said, "Alright, Professor Gu and I have some other matters to attend to, so we’ll be taking our leave. We’ll be cheering for you from the audience."
With that, Chang Kai and Gu Ming turned and left.
Watching them leave, Chen Lin made a mental note. ’After the event, I have to find a chance to talk to the president about changing my major.’
Qu Chengfeng led the group to a relatively secluded corner of the venue and sat down.
As soon as they settled in, Li Zihan’s mischievous gaze darted between Chen Lin and Shen Yan. Winking at Chen Lin, she unceremoniously pulled him into the empty seat next to Shen Yan and pushed him down into it.
Once that was done, she contentedly pulled Zhang Rong and Sun Jing to sit further away, leaving behind a subtle space for just the two of them.
Naturally, Qu Chengfeng saw this happen as well.
He was taken aback at first, but then, as if he understood something, a knowing smile touched his lips. He shook his head, said nothing, and found a seat for himself.
An almost imperceptible blush crept onto Shen Yan’s cheeks, but she quickly masked it with her usual cool expression.
She didn’t look at Chen Lin or say anything, simply opening her laptop to review the presentation slides one last time.
Of course, Chen Lin wasn’t going to disturb her at a time like this.
He took out his phone and, while scrolling idly through some forums, quietly activated the enhanced hearing granted by "Little Champion." Like a radar, he scanned the various conversations in the noisy environment, trying to catch any useful information.
Soon, a conversation from a group a few meters away caught his attention.
"...The expert panel basically has their minds made up before the interviews even start. The interview is more to verify the authenticity of your paper, to see if you actually did the work yourself."
A guy in a striped shirt was leaning back in his chair, speaking with the air of a veteran to a few people from other teams. "I’ve been here twice already. I know the drill."
A few listeners immediately gasped in surprise. "So you’re saying the list of winners is basically decided in advance?"
"The press release is probably already written!" the guy, who had the distinct look of a top student, said with a confident smile.
"You’re a legend! What school are you from?" someone asked admiringly.
Hearing this, the guy’s expression suddenly turned serious. He cleared his throat and recited, "By Boya Tower, the pines are resilient; by Weiming Lake, the bridge extends afar!"
The surrounding crowd was instantly filled with awe.
The corner of Chen Lin’s mouth couldn’t help but twitch.
’Seriously? Couldn’t you just say you’re from Yanbei University? Did you really have to show off with a poem?’
’Still, if that guy isn’t bluffing, doesn’t that mean he’s won the national first prize three years in a row? As expected of a Top 2 university in the country. They really are full of brilliant people.’
’I wonder if he’s from the Yanbei School of Mathematics. Even though I’m not that familiar with the country’s math programs, I remember seeing classmates in our group chat rave about Yanbei’s math program back when we were applying to colleges.’
’And the information he provided is actually pretty useful.’
Chen Lin turned his head, leaned slightly toward Shen Yan, and said in a low voice, "Don’t be so nervous. I overheard someone say the judges basically have their minds made up before the interviews. The presentation is just a formality. They might even ask you something unrelated to the paper, so relax. Your mind will work faster that way."
Hearing this, Shen Yan finally looked up from her presentation slides and turned to him.
Her eyes were clear, holding a hint of understanding. "Mm, I saw similar comments online before I came. But it never hurts to be fully prepared."
As she finished speaking, the corners of her mouth suddenly curled up slightly, forming a beautiful arc. She said softly,
"But if I do get asked a really tough question, I might have to call you in for reinforcements."
Chen Lin was slightly taken aback by her words, then broke into a smile as well.
He leaned back in his chair, clasped his hands behind his head in a relaxed pose, and replied in a lighthearted tone, "No problem. Consultation fees will be extra, of course. But that’s assuming the judges even agree to let an unofficial member like me on stage."
His words were half-joking and half-serious—both a tease and the truth.
「Meanwhile, at the judges’ panel inside the venue.」
Liang Tianshi had arrived earlier than most. He sat in the very center, his eyes closed as he rested and composed himself.
He was long accustomed to the lengthy judging process that was about to begin, but today, he felt a secret flicker of anticipation.
Suddenly, a familiar voice, gentle and laced with respect, sounded in his ear.
"Elder Liang, hello."