Oh no! I've only been a freshman and I've already been targeted by a mean upperclassman.

Zhou Yan looked at him.

"Did you stay up late?"

"no."

"When was this framework created?"

Before 11:30.

Zhou Yan stared at him.

"Open."

Li Chen opened the program framework and sample table.

He spoke slowly.

Input item.

Offset determination.

Explain the output.

Remind the wording.

Ethical restrictions.

Zhou Yan would interrupt after each segment of the story.

Why does this variable have a high weight?

"Changes in sleep and diet together are a better indicator of state shifts than changes in study duration alone."

"What makes you this judgment?"

"The first version is a set of rules, not a training model. It will be adjusted using validation data later. At this point, we can only explain the logic, not draw any conclusions."

Zhou Yan nodded.

"It's fairly clear."

Li Chen continued speaking.

Ten minutes later.

Zhou Yan closed his laptop.

"stop."

Li Chen looked at him.

Zhou Yan said, "The stuff is very rough."

"Um."

"But it's not empty."

Li Chen did not laugh.

He waited for what followed.

Zhou Yan picked up a pen and wrote a few lines on the paper.

"I can give you a chance."

Li Chen sat up straight.

Zhou Yan continued, "I'm not taking you on as a student. I'm giving you seven days to create a fully functional prototype. Input ten sets of simulation data, and output status alerts and explanations. Code, documentation, and ethical guidelines are all required."

Li Chen nodded.

"Can."

Zhou Yan looked up.

"Don't answer too quickly."

"I can do it."

"Where are my teammates?"

"Chen Mo was responsible for data organization and document structure, while I was responsible for the model and implementation."

Where is Yan Xi?

Li Chen paused for a moment.

"She won't join the project team."

Zhou Yan looked at him.

Why?

"She helps me find the right direction, but I have to do the project myself. She can give me reminders, but she can't write it for me."

Zhou Yan finally smiled.

"That's the kind of sentence she would teach."

Li Chen did not deny it.

Zhou Yan handed him the paper.

"Bring your materials seven days later, on Friday at 4 PM. If you pass, I'll personally guide you. If you fail, you can find another teacher."

Li Chen took the paper.

"Thank you, teacher."

Zhou Yan waved his hand.

"There's one more thing."

Li Chen looked at him.

Zhou Yan's voice was calm.

"Don't let Yan Xi shield you from the future. She can find your way, but you have to knock on doors yourself."

Li Chen nodded.

"I know."

Zhou Yan looked at him and suddenly asked, "Do you know why she chose me?"

Li Chen said, "The direction is right, and there's a lot of project experience."

"Anything else?"

Li Chen shook his head.

Zhou Yan turned over an old photograph on the table.

The photo shows a younger version of Zhou Yan, with Yan Zhen standing next to her.

Li Chen paused for a moment.

Zhou Yan said, "I owe the Yan family a favor."

Li Chen didn't speak.

Zhou Yan stared at him.

"But I'm not seeing you today to repay a favor."

He put the photo back in the drawer.

"Yan Zhen doesn't know she's investigating me. Yan Xi doesn't know about this relationship either."

Li Chen tightened his grip on the documents.

Zhou Yan lowered his voice.

"So, don't let her know."

Li Chen stood still.

Yan Xi sent a message from outside the office door.

Are you done talking?

Li Chen looked down at the line of text and did not reply immediately.

Zhou Yan then said something else.

"Also, Yan Zhen came to school this morning."

Li Chen suddenly looked up at Zhou Yan.

"Has Uncle Yan been here?"

Zhou Yan did not evade the question.

"7:50."

"He came to see you?"

"Um."

Li Chen held the documents, trying to keep his tone calm.

"What did he say?"

Zhou Yan looked at him for a few seconds.

"You're very nervous."

Li Chen did not deny it.

"Because Yan Xi is downstairs."

"She doesn't know?"

"have no idea."

Zhou Yan put the pen cap back on.

Yan Zhen didn't want her to know either.

Li Chen remained silent.

Zhou Yan said calmly, "Their father-daughter relationship is none of my business. But let me remind you, don't rush to make decisions for anyone."

Li Chen looked up.

Zhou Yan continued, "Yan Zhen came not to ask me to take you in."

"Why is that?"

"He asked me if the university project would affect my studies. He asked me if I would be discouraged if I couldn't complete it. He asked me if Yan Xi helping me with these things would interfere with her own affairs."

Li Chen was stunned.

Zhou Yan looked at him.

"He didn't say a single word asking me to go easy on him."

Li Chen's throat tightened.

Zhou Yan said, "In the end, he said, 'If you really can't do it, then you should refuse directly, without considering the Yan family's feelings.'"

Li Chen asked in a low voice, "Then why didn't he tell Yan Xi?"

What do you think?

Li Chen did not answer.

Zhou Yan spoke for him.

"I'm afraid she'll think he's interfering."

The office fell silent.

Li Chen looked down at the seven-day task sheet in his hand.

The paper is not heavy.

But when he held it, he used a little too much force with his fingers.

Zhou Yan said, "Li Chen, I don't know how far things have progressed between you and Yan Xi. But I can tell that she's seriously paving the way for you."

Li Chen nodded.

"I know."

"Knowing is not enough."

Zhou Yan's voice was not loud.

"You need to be able to handle it."

Li Chen looked up.

"I can."

Zhou Yan looked at him.

"I don't believe you yet. Bring the item in seven days."

Li Chen nodded.

"it is good."

Zhou Yan waved his hand.

"Go out."

Li Chen walked to the door, then stopped.

"Teacher Zhou."

"explain."

"Yan Xi asked me about what happened today, and I can't lie to her."

Zhou Yan looked up.

Li Chen said, "She can tell."

Zhou Yan remained silent for two seconds.

"Then don't lie."

Li Chen nodded.

"Thank you, teacher."

He pushed open the door and went out.

The corridor was quiet.

My phone vibrated again.

Yan Xi: [Li Chen.]

Only two words.

Li Chen replied immediately.

"I'm coming down now that we've finished talking."

Yan Xi: [Within three minutes.]

Li Chen put away his phone and went downstairs.

Yan Xi stood at the entrance of the computer building, holding an unopened cup of hot milk in her hand.

When she saw him, her first question wasn't about the outcome.

"You were forty seconds too slow."

Li Chen walked up to her.

"Teacher Zhou said a few more words."

Yan Xi looked at his hands.

"Paper."

Li Chen handed her the task sheet.

Yan Xi took it and quickly scanned it.

"Seven days."

"Um."

"Complete sample"

"Um."

"He's willing to see me a second time."

"Um."

Yan Xi looked up.

"All you can do is 'hmm'?"

Li Chen smiled.

"I'm afraid that if I open my mouth, you'll hear something else in my voice."

Yan Xi looked at him.

"I can tell."

Li Chen didn't speak.

Yan Xi handed him the hot milk.

"explain."

Li Chen held the milk, feeling the warmth emanating from his palm.

"Teacher Zhou said that Yan Zhen came this morning."

Yan Xi's gaze froze.

But she didn't ask immediately.

Li Chen continued, "He didn't ask Teacher Zhou to accept me. He asked if the project would affect my studies, and if helping you research these things would delay your own studies. He also said that if I couldn't do it, I should just refuse, without considering the Yan family's feelings."

Yan Xi looked down at the task sheet.

She didn't speak for a long time.

Li Chen did not urge him.

After a while, she asked, "What time did he arrive?"

"7:50."

Yan Xi took out her phone.