“This competition has always been a big one.”
Qiao Nian’s cell phone lit up after she finished speaking. Gu San was calling. He and Ye Wangchuan were probably already waiting for her outside. Qiao Nian picked up her cell phone, pulled out her chair, and said to Jiang Li, “Let’s go. I’ll go to your place and install the software for you.”
“Okay.”
Jiang Li picked up his jacket and got up to follow her.
…
Qiao Nian wanted to participate in the competition.
Rhine Apartments had been much quieter these days.
Whether it was Qin Si or Jiang Li, everyone knew that Qiao Nian was participating in the competition. Basically, no one would come to the apartment to disturb her.
Qiao Nian also focused on preparing for the competition.
For the next three days, she basically watched the videos of the previous competitions in her room.
The qualifying round was not a group competition.
Hence, the theme of the qualifying round was different every year. They would first give contestants a theme and then let them develop softwares according to it.
The theme was different every year.
No one knew what theme would be chosen this year.
Ever since Qiao Nian made it clear that she was going to be participating, the domestic software organization had sent her many possible themes on WeChat.
For example, recently popular live-stream softwares.
Accelerators.
Communication systems.
Qiao Nian took a look at them one by one. She also marked down the questions based on the theme of the previous competitions. She chose two popular topics and made preparations in advance.
September 8th.
The weather in Beijing was clear and cloudless.
Qing University was the same as usual. Students were in class or having their allocated recess breaks.
However, the teachers of the various departments were in a completely different state from the students. All of them were tense.
Cars had been driving into the campus since nine in the morning. People in formal business attire entered an arts building next door to the Chinese Medicine Faculty.
Someone else saw the staff carry computers in.
Yin Wenzhi studied advanced mathematics in her first year of high school. She woke up early and went to the school canteen to eat. She passed the school building with her books and bumped into a few students walking toward her. They were discussing happily.
“I just saw that the school’s security guards have sealed off the arts building beside the Chinese Medicine Faculty. They won’t let anyone inside in the morning.”
“I know about that. A freshman was selected for the World Software Competition. I heard that the qualifiers are held online. In order to prevent the contestants from cheating, they sealed off the arts building to prevent anyone from entering.”
“This competition seems to be held in China this year. Our school will be proud if that freshman can enter the group stage!”
“That’s right. Nanjing University next door is compared to our Computer Science Department every year. If our school gets results in this competition…”
Yin Wenzhi subconsciously tightened her grip on the book in her hands when she heard someone mention Qiao Nian and the Chinese Medicine Faculty, almost wrinkling it.
Her face was sallow, and there were heavy dark circles under her eyes. It was obvious that she had not rested well in the past few days.
Her face was so dark that it looked like she could squeeze water out of it. She looked coldly at the sealed arts building not far away and bit her lip.
She was also shortlisted for the competition, but in the end, the organizing committee chose Qiao Nian but not her. Now, the school was discussing this matter everywhere. No one remembered her name when the competition was mentioned.
No one remembered that she was also from the Chinese Medicine Faculty.
She was also a freshman!
One of the three people selected by the school was her!
Yin Wenzhi gritted her teeth so hard that they almost shattered. She stood in place and took out an old-fashioned cell phone with worn edges.
She wanted to check for notifications.
But, there were none.
Not a single one!
