Reborn in 2005, starting with repairing mobile phones

Chapter 135 Innovation Cup

Zhou Lin looked up at him, frowned slightly, and didn't say anything.

Zhang Yang didn't care. His gaze swept over Lin Dong's table and lingered on Li Hu for a moment.

He pursued Zhou Lin for over a year, but she wouldn't go to dinner when he invited her, she was always busy when he asked her to see a movie, and she would only reply with "Mm" once out of ten text messages he sent.

He thought he had enough patience, but what did he stumble upon today? Zhou Lin was having dinner with a table of boys, and she was laughing quite happily.

He pulled up a chair, sat down directly, and smiled naturally.

"Zhou Lin, who are these people? Introduce them to me."

Zhou Lin put down her chopsticks and frowned.

"What's it to you? What's there to introduce?"

Zhang Yang wasn't angry at all, and said with a smile, "Don't be so formal. What's wrong with getting to know each other?"

He turned to look at Lin Dong and the others, and extended his hand.

Zhang Yang, a third-year computer science student.

Li Hu didn't reach out, but glanced at him.

"Freshman, Li Hu."

Zhang Yang's hand hovered in mid-air, stunned for a moment, his displeasure growing. This arrogant freshman? Zhou Lin rejected him, and now even a freshman was giving him attitude?

He put it back, smiled, and asked, "Which department are you from?"

Li Hu said, "Computer Science Department."

Zhang Yang's eyes lit up.

Computer science? What a coincidence. If it were another department, he might have a harder time making a move, but computer science is his domain.

Their teacher must have mentioned the Innovation Cup in class. He first heard about the competition when he was a freshman and was excited for days, but unfortunately, his skill level wasn't high enough at the time, so he could only watch the seniors receive awards on stage.

This is a good opportunity to put them down and show them what a difference there is. They should admire their senior.

He leaned back in his chair, and his tone changed.

"A freshman in the computer science department? You should know about the Innovation Cup, right?"

Li Hu shook his head.

"have no idea."

Zhang Yang laughed even harder. They don't even know about the Innovation Cup, yet they dare to have dinner with Zhou Lin? Perfect, let them know what a difference in skill really means.

He sat up straight and began his introduction.

"The Innovation Cup is a programming competition that Shenzhen University has been holding for twenty years. It's the most popular competition on campus. Freshmen to seniors can participate, and teams are formed within the same year. Last year, I was the champion."

He glanced at Zhou Lin as he said this.

Zhou Lin pursed her lips.

She knew Zhang Yang would pull this stunt—always showing off, always wanting to control the situation, acting like he's the best in the world. He'd been pursuing her for so long, and she'd never given him a kind look, precisely because of this. And yet, he was like a leech, impossible to shake off.

Zhang Yang paused for a moment, then laughed.

"It's normal for a freshman. If they don't even know about the Innovation Cup, it means they haven't been paying attention in class."

He shrugged.

"But that's normal, they're freshmen, it's normal not to know anything. It's just a pity for Zhou Lin, what did she talk about when she ate with you guys? Which food stall in the cafeteria was the best? Or which professor didn't take attendance?"

He glanced at Li Hu.

Do you know what an algorithm is? Do you know what a data structure is?

Li Hu remained silent.

Zhang Yang laughed even more heartily.

"You don't know, do you? That's why freshmen should just focus on attending classes and stop thinking about all that other stuff."

Zhou Lin frowned and put down her chopsticks.

"Zhang Yang, that's enough."

Zhang Yang glanced at her, smiled, and said nothing.

As Li Hu listened, he put down his chopsticks, his face turning dark.

"After saying all that, you just want to say you're awesome?"

Zhang Yang paused for a moment, then laughed.

"I'm just reminding you all that freshmen should focus on your studies. Don't be idle and not even know what the Innovation Cup is."

Li Hu was about to speak...

Lin Dong put down his chopsticks.

He leaned back in his chair, looking at Zhang Yang.

Having been at the school for over a month, he just wanted to experience university life quietly, without seeking the limelight or causing trouble.

But that doesn't mean he can stand by and watch his brother be trampled on. This guy couldn't catch Zhou Lin, so he came here to show off, trampling on Li Hu and them. His brother being trampled on like that, and he's supposed to just stand by and do nothing? He can't.

He spoke.

"You've been pursuing her for so long, has she even paid any attention to you?"

Zhang Yang's smile faded, and he looked at him.

Lin Dong didn't look at him, picked up his water glass and took a sip.

"You can't get a date, and you don't reply to my messages. I finally managed to run into you today, and you wouldn't even look at me. Don't you think about why?"

Zhou Lin paused for a moment, then looked up at Lin Dong.

Zhang Yang's expression changed.

"you..

"

Lin Dong didn't give him a chance to speak.

"You just think you're something special because you won some lousy competition, don't you?"

He put down his water glass and looked at Zhang Yang.

"But they don't care. You can win a hundred championships, and they still won't want to talk to you."

Zhang Yang's face flushed red.

"What do you know..."

'

Lin Dong continued.

"So you come here to bully freshmen and show off your meager skills. You think belittling them will get you someone? You think belittling them will make them like you?"

He glanced at Li Hu.

Li Hu was stunned for a moment before he realized what was happening.

He stood up and looked at Zhang Yang.

"Would you like to make a bet?"

Zhang Yang looked at him and smiled.

"What are we betting on?"

Li Hu glanced at Zhou Lin.

"We won. Don't harass Zhou Lin again."

Zhang Yang's smile faded slightly.

"You guys? Freshmen? What makes you think you can win?"

Li Hu did not back down.

"Just tell me if you dare or not."

Zhang Yang looked at him and twitched his lips.

"Okay. What if you lose?"

Li Hu said, "Go ahead."

Zhang Yang thought about it.

"You lost. From now on, when you see me, call me 'Hello, senior'."

Li Hu shook his head.

"It's boring."

Zhang Yang was stunned for a moment.

Li Hu looked at him.

"We lost, and we'll never appear in front of you again. But you lost, so don't bother Zhou Lin anymore. That's fair."

Zhang Yang looked at him, remained silent for two seconds, and then smiled.

"Okay. It's settled then."

He left with his men.

Li Hu sat down and glanced at Zhou Lin. Zhou Lin's ears were a little red, and she lowered her head to eat.

Li Hu withdrew his gaze and looked at Lin Dong.

"Thanks, fourth brother."

Lin Dong glanced at him.

"What are you thanking me for?"

Li Hu scratched his head.

"Thanks for standing up for me."

Lin Dong didn't reply, but picked up a piece of fish and put it in his bowl.

"Have a meal."

Li Hu paused for a moment, then smiled.

"Okay, let's eat!"

He took a bite, then suddenly remembered something.

"By the way, that competition—what exactly does it test? How do I register?"

Zhou Lin looked up at him and her lips curved slightly.

He doesn't even know what a competition is, yet he dares to stand up for her. This Li Hu, I don't know if he's stupid or what.

But deep down, I felt a mix of happiness and worry. This competition was incredibly popular; a freshman winning was a feat achieved by only one person in the last twenty years. Could they pull it off?

"The competition consists of three rounds. The first round is a written test, which tests basic algorithms, consisting of multiple-choice and short-answer questions. This round will eliminate half of the participants. The second round is an on-computer programming test, where you are given a problem and have to write code on the spot; if it doesn't run, you're eliminated."

The third round of the finals involved on-site coding, and the problems were very difficult. Last year, only two people in the entire school solved the last problem.

C

Zhao Yu added from the side, "Registration closes at 5 PM tomorrow."

Li Hu was stunned for a moment.

"tomorrow?"

Zhou Lin nodded.

"right."

Li Hu looked at Lin Dong.

"Then we'll go register first thing tomorrow morning."

Lin Dong nodded.

"OK."

Li Hu glanced at Lin Dong again, feeling a little touched. His fourth brother had been busy for over a month, and upon returning, he immediately stood up for him and even accompanied him to the competition.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but Lin Dong glanced at him.

"Stop talking nonsense. Eat."

Li Hu smiled.

"Okay, let's eat!"

Everyone laughed.

Chen Lu glanced at Lin Dong, and the corners of her mouth curved slightly.

Lin Dong didn't look at her, but picked up a piece of fish and put it in her bowl.

Chen Lu lowered her head and ate the fish without saying a word.

The next day. The Computer Science Department office building.

When Lin Dong and his group arrived, there was already a long queue in the lobby on the first floor.

The line stretched from the lobby all the way to the entrance, filled with students who had come to register. A red banner reading "Shenzhen University Innovation Cup Programming Contest" was displayed on the wall, along with photos and introductions of past champions, creating a lively atmosphere.

Li Hu stood at the back of the line, tiptoeing to look ahead.

"So many people?"

Chen Long pushed up his glasses.

"The most popular competition at Shenzhen University naturally attracts a large number of participants."

Li Hu nodded.

"Too."

The line moved slowly forward. A few people at the front were filling out forms, with staff members providing guidance. Some were discussing team names, some were discussing tactics, and some were reviewing last year's questions.

Li Hu craned his neck to look.

"What's our team's name?"

Chen Long thought for a moment.

"casual."

Li Hu was not satisfied.

"Anything is fine. It needs to have a powerful name."

He thought about it.

How about calling it "Shenzhen University's Number One"?

Chen Long glanced at him.

"That's outrageous."

Li Hu thought about it again.

"That's called the champion team?"

Chen Long shook his head.

"That's so outdated."

Li Hu scratched his head.

"Then what should I call it?"

Chen Long remained silent.

Xu Zang stood at the very back, head down reading a book, as if the commotion around him had nothing to do with him.

Li Hu turned to look at Lin Dong.

"Fourth brother, what did you say your name is?"

Lin Dong thought for a moment.

"The Four Heavenly Kings"

Li Hu was stunned for a moment, then his eyes lit up.

"The Four Heavenly Kings? That's awesome! So imposing!"

Chen Long pushed up his glasses.

"Isn't it outdated?"

Li Hu waved his hand.

"Not at all corny! The Four Heavenly Kings—that sounds incredibly powerful!"

He turned to look at Xu Zang.

"Second brother, what do you think?"

Xu Zang didn't look up.

"casual."

Li Hu chuckled.

"Then let's call them the Four Heavenly Kings!"

When it was their turn, Li Hu walked to the front of the stage, picked up the registration form, and wrote the team name stroke by stroke.

"The Four Heavenly Kings"

The staff member glanced at it and laughed.

"That's an interesting name."

Li Hu smiled smugly.

"Of course."

He filled out the form and handed it to the staff.

The staff checked and confirmed the information.

"Freshmen? Four people?"

Li Hu nodded.

"right."

The staff member smiled.

"It's very difficult for freshmen to win the championship, good luck to you guys."

Li Hu nodded.

"Yes."

The four people walked out of the office building; the sun was shining brightly.

Li Hu walked at the front, his steps light and quick.

"The Four Heavenly Kings, march forth!"

Chen Long laughed from behind.

"Keep your voice down, everyone's watching."

Li Hu didn't care.

"Let them watch. We're going to win the championship anyway."

He turned to look at Lin Dong.

"Fourth brother, don't you think so?"

Lin Dong's lips twitched.

"Yes."

Li Hu smiled.

"It's settled then! Four Heavenly Kings, charge!"

Two o'clock in the afternoon. The library.

When Lin Dong arrived, Li Hu had already taken a seat, with several thick books spread out on the table.

Chen Long sat next to him, holding a book called Introduction to Algorithms. He flipped through it quickly, scanning the pages one by one, occasionally pausing to think for a moment, and then continuing.

Xu Zang sat at the very back, with a data structures book in front of him. He had already flipped through half of it and was reading very slowly, but he was looking at each page very carefully.

Li Hu saw Lin Dong and waved.

"Fourth brother, over here!"

Lin Dong walked over and sat down.

Li Hu pushed a book in front of him.

"Take a look at this, it's a question from last year."

Lin Dong took it and looked at it. The questions weren't difficult. He could write them down with his eyes closed.

But he still glanced at it a few times and put the book down.

Li Hu came closer.

"How is it?"

Lin Dong thought for a moment.

"good."

Li Hu nodded, took the book back, flipped through a few pages, glanced at it, and then closed it.

Chen Long glanced at him.

"Finished watching?"

Li Hu leaned back in his chair, his hands behind his head.

"I've finished reading it. It wasn't difficult."

Chen Long didn't say anything and continued flipping through his book.

Li Hu glanced at him.

"And you?"

Chen Long pushed up his glasses.

"I watched half of it."

Li Hu nodded, then looked at Xu Zang.

"The second child?"

Xu Zang didn't look up.

"Almost finished watching."

Li Hu chuckled.

"Okay, you guys are pretty fast."

He picked up another book, opened it, glanced at a few pages, and then closed it again.

Chen Long glanced at him.

"Finished watching it again?"

Li Hu nodded.

"Hmm, this one is alright too."

Chen Long didn't say anything and continued flipping through his book.

With nothing else to do, Li Hu picked up another book, flipped through a few pages, and suddenly stopped.

"This question is interesting."

Chen Long leaned over and took a look.

"What's so interesting about it?"

Li Hu pointed to a question in the book.

"This algorithm can be optimized. The conventional way of writing it is O(n^2), but by changing it to this structure, it can be reduced to O(nlogn)."

'

O

Chen Long watched for a while and then nodded.

"Can."

Li Hu chuckled.

"Then I'll give it a try."

He picked up a pen, wrote a few lines on the paper, crossed them out, and rewrote them. After writing for a while, he stopped, frowned, looked at it again, and revised a few more lines.

Chen Long leaned closer to take a look.

"The pointer is wrong here."

Li Hu glanced at it and slapped his forehead.

"Yes, no, that's wrong."

He corrected it, wrote a few more lines, and then put down his pen.

"alright."

Chen Long read it once and nodded.

"Can."

Li Hu smugly pushed the paper in front of Xu Zang.

"Second brother, take a look."

Xu Zang glanced at it, said nothing, picked up a pen and added two lines below, then pushed it back.

Li Hu looked down, paused for a moment, and then laughed.

"Awesome. They can even lower the price further."

He put the paper away and leaned back in his chair.

"Alright, we've got this year's championship in the bag."

Chen Long glanced at him.

"You're already thinking about winning before it even starts?"

Li Hu spoke with righteous indignation.

"Registration is just a formality; winning the championship is about skill."

Chen Long didn't speak, but the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

Xu Zang turned a page of his book.

Lin Dong leaned back in his chair and looked at them.

Li Hu can find optimization directions after flipping through a few pages, Chen Long can spot problems in the code at a glance, and Xu Zang can easily add another layer to the algorithm.

These guys are definitely got something out of them. But that's normal; getting into Shenzhen University means they're not ordinary people. Having some talent isn't surprising.

But it doesn't matter. Let them do whatever they want. If they really encounter problems, we can handle it ourselves.

He looked away, picked up a book, and flipped through it.

Although he didn't need to see it, he didn't want to appear too special.

The four of them sat there for the entire afternoon.

Li Hu read several books, closing each one after flipping through only a few pages. Chen Long finished reading Introduction to Algorithms and picked up another book. Xu Zang still read very slowly, but he remembered every page clearly.

The library was quiet, with only the sound of turning pages. Sunlight streamed in through the windows, falling on the table, the books, and the four people.

Just before closing the door, Li Hu closed the last book and stretched.

"That's about it."

Chen Long put the book back in its place. Xu Zang carefully put the book away and put it in his bag. Lin Dong put the book back on the bookshelf.

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