They're already in university, and the primary school system is only just starting out?

As they talked, the group of six walked through the tree-lined paths of Tsinghua University and arrived at the venue for the offline exchange.

When they arrived, the waiting area outside the auditorium was already packed with people, and the air was filled with a warm atmosphere.

Teams from universities across the country gathered in small groups, some excitedly exchanging ideas, some making the most of their last moments checking materials on their laptops, and others, carrying cameras and microphones, searching for interview targets.

Chen Lin's eyesight, enhanced by his "Little Champion" title, keenly caught the details—the moment Shen Yan walked into the waiting area, several boys who were originally talking all turned their gazes toward her.

However, these top students seemed to be generally quite reserved. As soon as their eyes met Shen Yan's calm gaze, they immediately looked away and pretended to look elsewhere as if nothing had happened.

Chen Lin couldn't help but feel amused.

It seems that regardless of whether someone is a top student or not, the law of hormones applies universally.

Just as they entered the room, two men noticed them and walked straight towards them.

Chen Lin immediately recognized the man walking in front as Chang Kai, the president of Yannan University. He vaguely remembered the president's relaxed and humorous speech at the freshman orientation ceremony.

Beside Chang Kai was a young man with gold-rimmed glasses and a refined and scholarly demeanor, who was presumably Professor Gu Ming, the deputy director of the mathematics department mentioned by Qu Chengfeng.

"Hello, Principal. Hello, Professor Gu." Qu Chengfeng immediately went up to greet him respectfully.

"Teacher Qu, thank you for your hard work." Chang Kai greeted Qu Chengfeng with his signature approachable smile and patted him on the shoulder affectionately.

"It's not hard work at all," Qu Chengfeng quickly waved his hand, "Your classmates are all very easy to take care of."

Chang Kai's gaze then turned to Shen Yan in the group, his tone as gentle as a kind elder: "Shen Yan, don't be nervous later. Just relax and show your results. Let things take their course."

"Okay, thank you, Principal." Shen Yan nodded neither humbly nor arrogantly.

Chang Kai offered a few more words of encouragement, then smiled and said, "Alright, Professor Gu and I have some things to attend to, so please excuse us. We'll be cheering you on from the audience."

After saying that, Chang Kai and Gu Ming turned and left.

As Chen Lin watched the two figures leave, he silently made a mental note: once the event was over, he would definitely find an opportunity to mention the matter of changing his major to the principal.

Qu Chengfeng led the group to a relatively secluded corner of the venue to sit down.

As soon as they sat down, Li Zihan's mischievous eyes darted between Chen Lin and Shen Yan. While winking at Chen Lin, she pulled him to the empty seat next to Shen Yan without saying a word and forced him to sit down.

After doing all this, she finally pulled Zhang Rong and Sun Jing to sit in a more secluded spot, leaving a delicate space for the two of them.

This scene naturally caught Qu Chengfeng's eye.

He was taken aback at first, then seemed to understand something. A knowing smile appeared on his lips. He shook his head, didn't say anything more, and found a seat to sit down.

A faint blush rose on Shen Yan's cheeks, but she quickly concealed it with her usual cool and aloof expression.

She didn't look at Chen Lin or say anything; she simply opened her laptop and began to review the PowerPoint presentation for her defense one last time.

Chen Lin certainly wouldn't bother her at a time like this.

He took out his phone and idly browsed the forums while secretly using his enhanced hearing, like a radar, to scan the various conversations in the noisy environment around him, trying to capture some useful information.

Soon, a conversation taking place a few meters away from him caught his attention.

"...The selection experts basically have a good idea of ​​what to expect before conducting the interviews. The interviews are more about verifying the authenticity of your papers and seeing if you actually wrote them."

A boy in a striped shirt was leaning back in his chair, speaking to the people in the surrounding lines with the air of someone who had been there before, "I've been here twice already, I know it like the back of my hand."

Several audience members nearby immediately exclaimed in surprise: "So, the winners have already been decided beforehand?"

"The press release is probably almost finished!" The boy, who looked like a top student, smiled confidently.

"Wow, what school did you go to?" someone asked admiringly.

Upon hearing this, the boy's expression suddenly turned serious. He cleared his throat and began to recite: "The pines and cypresses beside Boya Pagoda are resilient, the little bridge by Weiming Lake is secluded!"

Everyone around was instantly filled with awe and respect.

Chen Lin's lips twitched involuntarily.

No, you could just say you're from Yanbei University, why do you have to spout a few lines of poetry?

However, if this guy wasn't bragging, then wouldn't he have won the national first prize for three consecutive years? No wonder it's one of the top two universities in the country; it truly produces many outstanding individuals.

I just don't know if this person is from Yanbei Mathematics Institute. Even if Chen Lin doesn't know much about the situation of mathematics majors in China, he saw his classmates praising Yanbei Mathematics when he filled out his college application after the college entrance examination.

Moreover, the information he provided was quite useful.

Chen Lin turned his head slightly, leaning towards Shen Yan, and said in a low voice, "Don't be too nervous. I've heard that the judges basically have a good idea of ​​what to expect before the interview, and the defense is just a formality. The judges might ask some questions beyond the thesis, so relax and your mind will work faster."

Upon hearing this, Shen Yan finally looked up from the PPT and turned to look at him.

Her eyes were clear, with a hint of understanding: "Yes, I saw similar comments online before I came. But it never hurts to be well-prepared."

As she finished speaking, the corners of her mouth suddenly turned up slightly, forming a very beautiful arc, and she said softly:

"However, if I'm asked a really difficult question, I'll have to ask you for help."

Chen Lin was slightly taken aback when he heard Shen Yan's words, and then he laughed.

He leaned back in his chair, hands behind his head, adopting a relaxed posture, and replied in a casual tone, "No problem, consultation fees are separate. But the condition is that the judges agree to let me, an unofficial member, go on stage."

He said this half-truth and half-jokingly, it was both a joke and the truth.

Meanwhile, the judges' panel inside the venue.

Liang Tianshi arrived earlier than most people. He sat in the middle seat, closing his eyes to rest and adjust his mind.

He was already used to the lengthy review that was about to begin, but today he felt a secret sense of anticipation.

Suddenly, a familiar voice, gentle yet respectful, rang in his ears.

"Hello, Mr. Liang."