Chapter 78

After watching Feng Jingxin and He Zhangbai leave, Feng Tingshen and Lin Wu got into the car and headed for the restaurant.

A few minutes after they arrived at the private room, Nan Zhizhi arrived.

“Mr. Nan.”

Seeing Nan Zhizhi push open the door, Feng Tingshen and Lin Wu stood up to greet him.

Seeing Lin Wu, Nan Zhizhi showed no surprise.

Lin Wu politely introduced herself again: “Mr. Nan, hello, I’m Lin Wu—we met before at the tech expo—”

“I know.” Nan Zhizhi’s expression remained blank as he extended his hand to shake hers.

After Nan Zhizhi sat down, Lin Wu took the seat beside him and said: “I deeply admire you and have always hoped for a chance to meet you face-to-face to discuss AI expertise.”

Nan Zhizhi: “Mm.”

At that moment, Feng Tingshen’s phone rang. He stood up and said to Nan Zhizhi and Lin Wu: “I’ll step out to take a call. You two talk.”

Lin Wu nodded.

After Feng Tingshen left, Lin Wu picked up the menu and handed it to Nan Zhizhi: “Mr. Nan, shall we order first, then eat and talk?”

Nan Zhizhi pushed the menu aside: “Not yet.”

Lin Wu paused, still unsure how to respond, when Nan Zhizhi spoke directly: “You want to be my student?”

Lin Wu hadn’t expected him to be so direct.

Though he stood at the pinnacle of AI, she didn’t flinch. Calmly and confidently, she admitted: “Yes. I’m deeply interested in AI and hope to learn under you, striving for greater progress.”

Since she came to meet him, she naturally had prepared thoroughly.

She pulled out her laptop and said: “Let me show you my doctoral thesis project?”

Nan Zhizhi scrolled through her graduation work with the mouse.

After reviewing several sets of data, he said coolly: “As a graduation project, it’s significantly better than most doctoral students’ work.”

Hearing this, Lin Wu’s smile deepened, her confidence rising. She opened her mouth to speak, but Nan Zhizhi released the mouse and shifted his gaze from the screen: “Is this your work from this year?”

Lin Wu: “Yes.”

“Nothing else?”

Lin Wu hesitated, unable to tell if he was satisfied and expecting more, or dissatisfied but willing to give her another chance since she was already quite strong.

She had always ranked at the top of her class, won numerous awards, and her doctoral advisor praised her endlessly.

Her advisor was a major figure in A-country, having participated in several of its space programs.

Her advisor’s praise carried immense weight.

So she remained confident in her own expertise.

Thinking this, her composure returned. She said: “I’ve done a technical analysis of one exhibit from the last tech expo. Would you like to hear it?”

“Speak.”

Lin Wu began a technical breakdown of the autonomous vehicle from the three core aspects: perception, planning, and control.

She spoke for over ten minutes. During this time, Feng Tingshen returned briefly, saying he had another important call to make.

Soon after, just as Lin Wu was about to continue, Nan Zhizhi suddenly looked up and said: “That’s enough.”

Lin Wu fell silent.

Nan Zhizhi stood up and delivered his final judgment: “Your foundational knowledge is decent, but it still falls short of my standard for accepting students.”

Lin Wu froze, then pressed her lips together.

This wasn’t the answer she wanted.

As Nan Zhizhi turned to leave, Lin Wu stepped forward quickly: “Mr. Nan, then what should I improve?”

Nan Zhizhi paused, his tone cold: “Study more. Pay closer attention to new developments in the field.”

As he finished speaking, Feng Tingshen returned.

Before he could say anything, Nan Zhizhi said: “I’ve done what I needed to. I’ll contact you again in a few days.”

Feng Tingshen: “Understood.”

Nan Zhizhi left without another word.

Feng Tingshen looked at Lin Wu, noticing her pale expression: “The result wasn’t good?”

Lin Wu nodded frankly: “He didn’t accept me.”

“What did Mr. Nan say? Tell me.”

Lin Wu recounted the entire exchange, including his evaluation and advice.

“Your ability is genuinely strong,” Feng Tingshen said. “His advice strikes me as fair.”

Lin Wu paused.

Lately, she had indeed devoted less effort to her field and paid little attention to new developments. Had Nan Zhizhi seen her lack of dedication and discipline, judged her attitude toward her profession as flawed, and thus rejected her?

Realizing it was her own attitude—not her ability—that had cost her the opportunity—Lin Wu’s spirits lifted.

Feng Tingshen added: “Try again next time.”

Lin Wu: “Okay.”

She believed that with a corrected attitude, her expertise would make passing Nan Zhizhi’s threshold no longer difficult.

Thinking of this, she regretted having poured too much energy into racing lately.

Otherwise, wouldn’t she already be Nan Zhizhi’s student?

…

Nan Zhizhi returned to his villa.

Inside, Rong Ci and Yu Moxun had just finished buying and washing ingredients, preparing to cook hotpot.

Seeing him return, Yu Moxun asked: “Back so soon?”

Nan Zhizhi took off his coat, his tone still cold: “Mm.”

Yu Moxun glanced at Rong Ci, who was bringing out bowls and chopsticks from the kitchen, then teased: “So… we won’t be getting a new junior sister, then?”

Nan Zhizhi ignored him, took the bowl Rong Ci handed him, and sat down.

Silence meant no.

Yu Moxun grinned, raising an eyebrow at Rong Ci: “I told you—I sized her up the moment we met.”

Rong Ci smiled, telling him to go fetch the remaining meat from the kitchen: “Yes, you’re the most perceptive.”

Yu Moxun brought out the meat, then asked curiously: “Teacher, what level would you say she’s at in the field?”

“Slightly above the average outstanding doctoral graduate.”

“Great minds think alike.”

In the past decade, AI development in the country has surged; its internal technological capabilities likely already surpass global standards.

As one of the most central figures, Nan Zhizhi daily encounters the world’s top products, technologies, and talents in this field.

Lin Wu’s level is indeed very impressive among ordinary people.

But only among ordinary high achievers.

Compared to those around Nan Zhizhi, she still falls far behind.

As for him and Rong Ci—forget it.

They’re not even on the same level.

After all, Lin Wu is twenty-five this year—and still can’t even reach the edge of what Rong Ci created years ago with CUAP.