"You finished much faster than I expected. Not bad, not bad."
Professor Gu nodded slightly. "What surprised me even more is that you both actually solved the third problem."
"Although the steps and approaches in your answers are completely different, you both arrived at the same result in the end. Whose is this one?"
As Professor Gu spoke, he pulled out one of the answer sheets.
"Mine," Evan Lin glanced over and replied.
"Hmm, your solution is much more straightforward and decisive. You derived the answer to the third problem with just twenty-eight formulas—very manly." Professor Gu laughed heartily.
"Math is like fighting a battle—you charge forward with a blade until you break through and find the answer."
Then Professor Gu looked at the other paper. "This one, you're Liu Luran, right?"
"Yes." Liu Luran nodded slightly.
"Your solution is more complicated. It's not wrong, but in terms of efficiency, it's a bit slower."
"You used forty-two formulas in total, and even set up equations treating inequalities and probability as opposites. That's a bit of overkill."
After finishing, Professor Gu placed both answer sheets on the table. "What I want to tell you is how to achieve better results in the Olympiad when you already have the basics down."
"First, be fast. Second, be accurate."
"Fast means you solve problems quickly. Accurate means your solution approach is correct."
"Generally, Olympiad problems emphasize a kind of reverse logic. You need to find the key point or points in the problem, and use a breakthrough to find the final answer."
Professor Gu sat there and talked at length, sharing his years of Olympiad coaching experience and common problem-solving techniques. He also picked several representative problems to explain and analyze.
Evan Lin and Liu Luran listened attentively.
The explanation lasted for two hours.
Professor Gu took a sip of water to moisten his throat. "I've said everything I needed to say. Since time is tight, I won't repeat myself."
"As for how much you can absorb, that's up to you."
After Professor Gu finished, Old Man Liu nodded and looked at Evan Lin and Liu Luran. "When you get back, think carefully about what you heard today."
"Right. Also, you can go out and have some fun now. I still need to play a few more rounds with your teacher." Professor Gu started setting up the chess pieces without waiting for a reply. Old Man Liu shook his head. "You just won't quit until you beat me, huh?"
"Of course. I'm definitely winning this round!" Professor Gu looked supremely confident.
"Go ahead and have some fun. You can go upstairs and take a look around, or just head back if you want—no need to wait for me. Who knows how long we'll be playing tonight." Old Man Liu was unusually gentle.
Evan Lin and Liu Luran had no intention of staying, so after saying their thanks, they left the room.
Once the two had left, Old Man Liu turned to Professor Gu. "Are they real talents?"
"Yes," Professor Gu nodded.
"Which one is better?" Old Man Liu pressed.
Professor Gu glanced at him. "That Evan Lin kid."
"Why?" Old Man Liu was curious, wanting to know his old friend's opinion of Evan Lin.
"His thinking is very deep." After a long pause, Professor Gu managed to squeeze out five words.
Seeing Old Man Liu was puzzled, Professor Gu picked up the answer sheet from the table and handed it over. "See for yourself."
Old Man Liu took it, glanced at it, and was first stunned, then shaken.
Professor Gu rolled his eyes. "Where did you even dig up this kid? Did you see how he solved that last problem? Evan Lin's solution was only one formula away from the optimal method I could come up with."
"If he hadn't seen that problem before, then he's a true math genius."
Hearing this, Old Man Liu laughed heartily but said nothing more, focusing on the chess game.
......
"Where are you going?" Outside the room, Liu Luran looked at Evan Lin and asked.
"Of course, I'm going back to sleep. What else would I do here?"
Evan Lin sounded indifferent. As for the Olympiad, he actually didn't care at all.
The only reason he was even competing was to get a good score and show it to his mom—at least it would give her something to brag about.
Joy Zheng had been an outstanding teacher all her life, but because Evan Lin's grades were so bad, people often gossiped behind her back.
If she couldn't even teach her own son, how could she be considered an excellent teacher?
Every time Joy Zheng heard that, she never showed it, but Evan knew deep down it hurt her a lot.
Evan pressed the elevator button. When it arrived and he stepped in, he was surprised to see Liu Luran quickly press the button for the twenty-third floor.
"Since we're already here, might as well go up and take a look before leaving. Just think of it as relaxing." Liu Luran's tone was cool, hard to read.
But as she said it, Liu Luran's heart was racing—she just hid it well.
She herself didn't understand why she suddenly acted on impulse and made that choice.
Seeing Liu Luran had already pressed the button, Evan didn't say anything else.
When the elevator reached the twenty-third floor, the doors opened and the two of them stepped out.
"I've been here once before. From over there you can see most of River City, especially at night when all the streetlights are on—it looks amazing."
Walking beside Evan Lin, Liu Luran felt the atmosphere was a bit heavy, so she tried to make small talk.
They walked all the way to the end. Liu Luran opened the door and entered the twenty-third floor hall.
It was already past nine, almost ten at night.
But there were still plenty of people in the hall.
"This place is usually rented out for banquets and parties. Hotel guests can also come up to sightsee."
Liu Luran spoke as she walked forward on the marble floor.
She stood in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, gazing out at the traffic and lights below through the glass.
"Do you like places like this? Looking down from up high, it feels like the whole world shrinks, like a chessboard." Liu Luran turned to Evan Lin.
With the hall lights shining, Liu Luran could see Evan Lin's sharply defined face.
She suddenly realized that, at some point, Evan's features had taken on a cold, blade-like edge.