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

But his nonchalant demeanor held a different meaning in Gu Ming's eyes.

Is this the composure of a genius?

He took a deep breath, trying to make his tone sound calm: "Uh, shall we begin the remaining two today?"

"Okay, no problem," Chen Lin replied readily.

The two went to the conference room next door again.

The process was exactly the same as yesterday. Gu Ming laid out the remaining two exam papers—Differential Geometry and Manifolds—in front of Chen Lin.

Chen Lin picked up his pen and began answering the question directly.

Having learned from yesterday's experience, Gu Ming didn't even prepare any draft paper this time. He simply sat down opposite Chen Lin, opened his laptop, and pretended to read the paper, while actually observing Chen Lin's problem-solving carefully out of the corner of his eye.

It was a pure appreciation.

In the conference room, only the steady scratching of pens on paper echoed, like a stable and harmonious melody.

Time flies when you're focused to the extreme.

4:05 PM.

There were less than two hours until the exam was scheduled to begin.

Chen Lin slowly put down his pen and gently pushed the last completed test paper to the center of the table.

"Professor Gu, I'm done."

Upon hearing the sound, Gu Ming immediately closed his laptop and strode over. He picked up the two exam papers, not even bothering to ask the pointless question, "How did it go?"

The answer is obvious, even to a fool.

He looked at Chen Lin with anticipation and eagerness in his eyes, and moved on to the next point: "Chen Lin, when are you free next? I think... we can start talking about your graduation thesis. I can use this time to give you some guidance, teach you how to choose a topic, how to write a proposal, and how to complete an academic paper in a standardized way."

Graduation thesis?

Chen Lin quickly made a mental calculation.

His research on the Monge-Ampère equation was scheduled to be completed in just two days.

Today is the 21st, which means it won't be completely finished until the evening of the 23rd at the earliest.

So he thought for a moment and replied, "Professor Gu, how about we meet on the 24th? I'm free all day that day."

"The 24th?" Gu Ming paused for a moment, then immediately nodded, a knowing smile spreading across his face. "Okay! No problem! The 24th it is! Young people should balance work and rest, and should relax for a couple of days after the exams!"

He clearly misunderstood, thinking that Chen Lin wanted to rest for two days before starting to work on his thesis.

Chen Lin didn't explain, he just smiled and nodded.

.....

.....

Chen Lin and Professor Gu Ming said their goodbyes and left the conference room.

As he walked out of the mathematics department's office building, the warm afternoon sun poured down, casting his long shadow on the ground.

He took a deep breath of the unique campus air, a mixture of grass and earth, and felt refreshed.

The assessment of the five professional courses was easier than he had imagined.

In total, it took less than five hours over the two days.

Next, I just need to spend two more days getting the core part of my graduation thesis done, and I'll have almost finished the tasks I need to complete to graduate early.

At that time, apart from learning the methods and rules of writing papers from Professor Gu, I will be able to devote most of my time and energy to the company's preparation work.

Chen Lin was in a great mood and was planning what to eat to treat himself that evening when his phone suddenly vibrated twice in his pocket.

He took it out and saw a WeChat message notification pop up on the screen, which made him unable to stop the corners of his mouth from turning upwards.

It's Shen Yan.

Shen Yan: [I'm back in Tianjin.]

Shen Yan: [Are you free tonight? I'd like to treat you to dinner.]

Chen Lin looked at the two short and direct lines on the screen and remembered that Shen Yan had mentioned to him on WeChat a couple of days ago that her and Li Zihan's team's trip in the capital had been extended.

They were supposed to be back on the 17th.

As a result, Academician Liang Tianshi personally intervened and persuaded the leaders of Tsinghua University to secure a valuable three-day opportunity for the top-performing teams in the modeling competition to exchange and learn on the Tsinghua campus.

During these three days, not only did they have someone guide them on a tour of Tsinghua University's campus, but they also had several renowned professors from the Department of Mathematics and the Department of Computer Science give them several informative open lectures.

When Chen Lin heard Shen Yan mention this on WeChat, he couldn't help but sigh.

This Mr. Liang truly devoted himself wholeheartedly to discovering and cultivating future talents for the country.

My thoughts returned to the present moment.

Chen Lin was not at all surprised that Shen Yan would keep her promise to treat him to dinner.

Based on his understanding of Shen Yan's personality, he knew that she focused on her studies and was always straightforward in her dealings with people, never engaging in any pretentious formalities.

However, Chen Lin's secret smugness was genuine.

Let Shen Yan invite him first; that gives him a legitimate reason to do so.

After this meal, wouldn't it be perfectly reasonable for me to use the excuse of returning the favor to ask her out again?

After a while, isn't that the same as starting to date?

It's very comfortable.

Chen Lin thought to himself with delight as his fingers flew across the screen.

Chen Lin: [Okay.]

The message was sent and received a reply almost instantly.

Shen Yan: [Where are you now?]

Chen Lin: [I just came out of the Mathematical Sciences Department office building; I'm downstairs.]

Shen Yan: [Wait for me a moment.]

Chen Lin closed the WeChat window, leisurely walked to a large tree in front of the office building, leaned against the thick trunk, and opened a long video app on his phone.

He skillfully found the Hollow Knight walkthrough video he had been watching during the day for the past few days in his history, and continued watching it with great interest.

On the screen, the content creator is controlling the little knight, navigating the complex underground world while muttering explanations about the locations of hidden paths and amulets.

Chen Lin was engrossed in watching when a familiar and pleasant voice suddenly rang in his ears.

"Chen Lin".

He subconsciously looked up, shifting his gaze away from his phone screen.

At just one glance, Chen Lin's eyes involuntarily lit up.

Shen Yan stood two or three steps in front of him, quietly watching him.

Today, she is completely different from the high school student Chen Lin remembered, who always wore simple black or white T-shirts and ordinary trousers.

She was wearing a soft, off-white knitted cardigan with a V-neck that perfectly revealed her delicate collarbone.

Underneath the cardigan was a light blue cotton dress, the hem of which was just knee-length, with some natural folds, swaying gently in the breeze.

On her feet were a pair of small white flat shoes, which looked clean and neat.

This carefully coordinated outfit softened her aloofness and added a touch of freshness and gentleness, like a girl next door.

Chen Lin smiled sincerely and didn't hold back his praise: "You look great today."

Shen Yan was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.

A faint blush gently touched her fair cheeks.

However, this blush lasted for less than two seconds.

She quickly regained her usual calm, but subconsciously avoided Chen Lin's direct gaze, and answered in a soft voice:

"Um... thank you."

"....."

After a few seconds, Shen Yan spoke up, breaking the slightly awkward silence between them, "Is there anything you'd like to eat?"

Chen Lin smiled and readily handed over the initiative: "Since you're treating, of course I'll do as you say."

Shen Yan hummed in agreement, then pondered for a few seconds.

She took out her phone from her small white handbag, tapped it twice, and then Chen Lin's phone vibrated.

It's a WeChat share.

When Chen Lin clicked on the link, a review page popped up. The name of the restaurant and the average cost per person at the top of the page made his heart skip a beat, followed by an exclamation of "Wow!"

【Yunlan: Creative Fusion Cuisine】

Average cost per person: ¥1000+

One thousand yuan! And that's per person!

This meal will cost at least two thousand yuan.

Chen Lin's first reaction was to say, "Let's go to another place, this is too expensive." After all, the most expensive meal he had ever eaten in his life was when he graduated from high school, when his parents took him to a seafood buffet that was said to be the best in Jiangdu at the time, and it only cost five or six hundred yuan per person.

But he swallowed the words back down his throat.

He then thought that since Shen Yan had chosen this restaurant, it meant that she considered this meal very important.

If I make excuses, it might embarrass her.

Besides, she's treating, so you can just enjoy your meal in peace.

Having figured this out, Chen Lin raised his head, a relaxed smile on his face.

"Okay, this is the place, whatever you say."

……

……

Half an hour later, Didi smoothly stopped at the entrance of a quiet alley in the city center.

The two got out of the car and followed the navigation on their phones. They walked along a stone-paved path, making several turns, for a few minutes before finally stopping in front of a two-story building that looked quite old.

The building has a small facade with a dark wooden signboard bearing the two characters "Yunlan" in freehand running script. Apart from that, there is no other decoration.

As Chen Lin and Shen Yan reached the door, a slender waitress in an elegant suit approached them with small, quick steps, a professional smile on her face, and a slight bow.

"Hello, do you have an appointment?"

Shen Yan shook her head: "No, but I applied for a card before, the last four digits are 7391."

The waitress checked her phone with the machine in her hand: "Oh, it's Miss Shen. Welcome. This way, please."

She turned to the side and gestured "please" to indicate that the two should follow her inside.

Once you step inside, it's like entering a completely different world.

The restaurant's interior is decorated in a warm and elegant style, with warm yellow light shining from the bamboo lampshades overhead, illuminating the smooth wooden floor underfoot.

A faint sandalwood scent filled the air, mingling with the aroma of food, which unconsciously relaxed the mind.

Led by the waiter, the two arrived at a uniquely decorated private room.

"Please have a seat, both of you."

The waitress first thoughtfully set out the exquisite tableware for the two of them on the table, and then picked up the Pad that was standing on the table and handed it to Shen Yan with both hands.

"Would you like to order something, or would you like me to recommend some dishes?"

"Give us a recommendation," Shen Yan said, taking the Pad but not looking at it before putting it back on the table. "It's been a while since I've been here, so I don't know if your menu has changed recently."

"Okay." The waiter's response was clearly well-trained; he immediately smiled and began to introduce the dishes, "Besides our signature truffle-seared shrimp cakes, we've recently added some new dishes like braised pork ribs with chilled yellow croaker jelly, Wagyu beef fried rice, and Iberian ham stir-fried with porcini mushrooms. They're all very popular new dishes; would you like to try them?"

"Sure," Shen Yan nodded. "For the two of us, please have another serving of matsutake seafood soup for the other person, thank you."

"Okay, please wait a moment."

The waitress crossed her arms in front of her, bowed respectfully, and left the room, carefully closing the door behind her.

"The service here is really excellent."

Chen Lin sighed sincerely.

From the moment I entered until now, every detail has shown professionalism and care. As expected of a restaurant with an average cost of over a thousand yuan per person, it truly makes one feel at home.

This was his first time eating at a place like this, and he had certainly broadened his horizons today.

"Do you come here often?" Chen Lin asked curiously.

Shen Yan shook her head and explained, "Actually, my parents came to Tianjin to visit me last year and brought me here to eat once. I thought the food was pretty good, so I got a membership card. Later, I would occasionally bring Hanhan and the other two to the dorm for meals."

After listening, Chen Lin was secretly amazed.

It seems my previous guess was right; Shen Yan really is a rich and beautiful woman.

Although it's not very noticeable from their usual clothes and appearance.

However, for a child from an ordinary family like him, it is indeed a bit exaggerated to be able to readily pay 1,500 yuan for tutoring and to use a restaurant that costs 1,000 yuan per person as a place to entertain guests.

However, Chen Lin did not feel inferior or resentful.

He was well aware that people's backgrounds were inherently different.

Instead of envying others' innate advantages, you should focus on how to improve yourself.

He's a man with a system by his side now.

Once Principal Chang and General Manager Peng have finalized the investment and company-opening arrangements, my personal assets will experience another surge.

When the time comes, with the "Little Financial Planner" providing a stable 20% monthly increase, it won't be too much of a burden to treat Shen Yan to a meal of the same caliber.

Thinking about this, Chen Lin's mindset became more and more peaceful, and he even had the mood to make a joke.

"Then I'm going to make you spend money today."

When Shen Yan heard Chen Lin's words, she knew he was joking because she was quite familiar with him. Instead, she looked at him with her clear eyes and a serious expression.

Her voice was soft, but it was exceptionally clear in the quiet private room. "I invited you to dinner today to formally thank you."

She paused, as if organizing her thoughts or perhaps recalling something.

"From helping me solve difficult problems in the modeling competition, to giving me lessons and helping me learn math, to later standing up for me on stage... you've helped me so many times."

Shen Yan's tone carried sincerity and promise: "Besides, what I said after you stepped off the stage that day was serious. From now on, it's not just about treating you to meals; I'll do my best to help you with anything you need."