Chapter 459: The Question That I Make Is Knotty
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
In truth, the question was rather tricky for Chi Xuanzi to solve as well.
While the Beijing University group talked about Lin Jingyuan, Professor Jiao was brainstorming the next question with Peng Jiayou and Pang Xinlu.
The three of them agreed tacitly that Chi Xuanzi and Du Zeyang were already at their limits.
The two would be responsible for making the question the next round.
If everything played out according to the script, that question should be within Peng Jiayou’s and Pang Xinlu’s capabilities to answer.
After the following round, it would be Hua University team’s turn to make the question. They could then increase its difficulty.
When that happened, Du Zeyang and Chi Xuanzi most likely wouldn’t be able to solve the question.
Obviously, if Du Zeyang and Chi Xuanzi made another question for them, they might not necessarily know how to answer it either.
However, that was the first-move advantage for the Hua University team.
Once Du Zeyang and Chi Xuanzi could not answer, it would be considered Hua University’s victory.
The Beijing University group wouldn’t even have the chance to make another question.
Then, the Beijing University’s bunch would be at their wits’ end as to what to do.
They were too caught up in the discussion about Lin Jingyuan. Hence, the task of making the question slipped through their minds completely.
Professor Yao turned to Du Zeyang and Chi Xuanzi and questioned, “Have you prepared the next question already?”
“We came up with a plan when we accepted their challenge earlier,” Du Zeyang said. “Their team has the first-move advantage. I’m worried that if we follow our original plan, things might not go as we expected. If their team manages to solve the question, we will lose our advantage after this round.”
Just as everyone was looking like helpless puppies, Mr. Zhu shot Tan Mo a glance.
At that, Tan Mo heaved a deep sigh and asked, “Professor Yao, could you please allow me to try?”
“You?” Professor Yao was taken aback as he stared at Tan Mo.
Mr. Zhu immediately said, “Professor Yao, please let her display her talents. She’s pretty excellent in the studies of aerospace engineering. Only Ming Yeqing and her can answer the topics drafted by Professor Yue. Additionally, she even came up with multiple ways to answer them. Even as we speak, she’s a part of Professor Yue’s research team.”
Upon hearing that, the Beijing University group was flabbergasted as they gaped at Tan Mo.
Zhang Zhipeng, too, was stupefied.
Song Mingqi and the rest only knew Tan Mo was a part of Professor Gu’s and Professor Tang’s research team. They had never caught wind of her being a member of Professor Yue’s research group.
Aside from Tan Mo and Ming Yeqing, Professor Yue’s team was comprised of Ph.D. students. These people did not interact with others during regular days.
So, it was only natural that the others had not learned of the news.
“Lin Fuxi, you’re Tan Mo’s roommate. Have you heard about this?” Du Zeyang did not know Lin Fuxi was not on good terms with Tan Mo.
Lin Fuxi was stunned for a while before shaking her head. “I didn’t know either.”
“Tan Mo, why didn’t you fill me in on this before?” Lin Fuxi asked.
“We’re not close with each other. Why should I tell you about this?” Tan Mo retorted mercilessly, taking everyone by surprise.
Having heard that, Lin Fuxi was shocked as she did not expect Tan Mo to not play by the rules.
At once, the atmosphere turned into a dead silence.
Had Tan Mo always been such a straightforward person?
“I see. No wonder Professor Yue asked you to help scout talents for him.” Professor Yao had an epiphany moment about the situation.
“Okay, please hear me out. I’m not saying this because I’m not on good terms with Tan Mo or anything.” Lin Fuxi paused for a moment and said, “Tan Mo may be doing great in the area of aerospace engineering, but it doesn’t mean she’ll do the same in mathematics. After all, the two aren’t the same field.”
“The mathematics majors may not necessarily think what Tan Mo deems a tough question as a difficult one.” Lin Fuxi bit her lips. “In that case, wouldn’t we basically be giving the Hua University team a bonus question deliberately if they could solve it without breaking a sweat?”
“Not in the cards. My question will be knotty.” Tan Mo waved her hand.
“I believe in Tan Mo,” Mr. Zhu declared. “Previously, all of us thought that Tan Mo was only outstanding in history and Chinese literature. Who would’ve thought that she would be so exceptional in aerospace engineering as well? I may not have spent much time with her before, but there was one thing Professor Yue told me. Tan Mo will never say things she is unsure of. She’ll only state facts she can confirm.
“Professor Yue also added that she’s a humble girl who won’t reveal her real strengths unless it’s necessary. That’s why he advised me to look for Tan Mo if I faced any difficulty academically. He also said that Tan Mo could solve the problem if she agreed to help.”
Their match with Hua University at that time was only between students. So, it’d be inappropriate for lecturers to participate.
Besides, Mr. Zhu was not even a mathematics lecturer in the first place.
When push came to shove, there was no better proof than a fact.
With that in mind, Tan Mo took out a tablet from her backpack.
There was a stylus pen hooked at the slot in the tablet case.
After taking the stylus pen out, Tan Mo opened the notes app, created a blank page, and began scribbling on it.
Tan Mo finished writing in no time. She showed it to Professor Yao, Du Zeyang, and Chi Xuanzi. “Please have a look. Tell me what you think.”
The display screen on her tablet was big, so the three of them stared at it together.
Professor Yao might have just been a senior lecturer of mathematics, but he wasn’t in any way lacking in his professional knowledge.
In the blink of an eye, he could already tell it was a tough question.
However, Du Zeyang and Chi Xuanzi’s expressions became increasingly stern as they knitted their brows together.
“This question… I need to work through it properly.” Du Zeyang took in a deep breath and uttered, “This one is way tougher than the one Chi Xuanzi and I came up with.”
Professor Yao turned to Tan Mo and asked, “Do you know how to solve this problem?”
No one should have held Tan Mo accountable if she could solve the question. It was no longer important whether she made it herself or looked it up somewhere else.
If the Hua University team could not solve this problem, they had to admit defeat in the end.
“I can.” Tan Mo nodded.
“Alright, then.” Professor Yao had faith in Tan Mo and did not ask her to solve it first.
“By the way, where did–”
Before Professor Yao could finish his sentence, Lin Fuxi interrupted. “Professor Yao, why don’t you let either Du Zeyang or Chi Xuanzi write the question on the blackboard?”
“Why do you say that?” Mr. Zhu was upset. “This question was drafted by Tan Mo.”
Lin Fuxi lowered her head in grievance and whined, “Tan Mo is a finance major. She is known for her splendid works in Chinese literature and history, but none of them have anything to do with mathematics. That being so, how can she represent the Department of Mathematics? What if the Hua University team blatantly ridicules us, calling our mathematics majors a bunch of incompetents because we even allow Tan Mo to write the question?”
“I disagree,” Du Zeyang answered in a deep voice. “This question was written by Tan Mo. I won’t take the credit for her work.”
Chi Xuanzi added, “I’m against the idea too. I don’t condone claiming other’s hard work as mine.”
“But I think… Tan Mo must have seen this question somewhere else.” Lin Fuxi couldn’t buy the idea that Tan Mo was the one who came up with the math problem herself. It was a feat that would usually require years of experience with a lecturer. She was a young teenage woman, so it was impossible that she could do that.
With that, Lin Fuxi surmised that Tan Mo must have seen that question from another source.
“Since it’s a question Tan Mo saw elsewhere, it won’t matter who writes it.. After all, she was not the one who made it.”
