Chapter 006: Class Reunion

I had a falling out with the people in my dormitory, and now I am living off-campus by myself. What do you think

How are you? Are you feeling happy at university?

I will ask Jun'er for you, as she is in the same class as me now. Let her bring her father out to help; at least he can clarify some basic issues for you.

Oh, what? Lu Yin wants to know what could possibly stump this clever young man

Lu Yin rested his chin on one hand and pondered for a long time before saying, "What is your relationship with Jun'er like? Her father is a professor of Modern Chinese at the Chinese Department of Fudan University"

Her greatest pride is that I cause less trouble than anyone else. The perpetually low-key Lü Zhenyu smiled. Aside from the college entrance examination, where he gave his all to avoid any regrets, throughout his entire high school career, he was seen as an absolutely mediocre student in the eyes of other teachers

Aren't you studying computer science? What are you doing looking at this?

Lu Yin also smiled. She is very observant; since the second half of her sophomore year when the science class was formed, she has been the class monitor. The class consists of various types of boys, and she has always meticulously observed each one, out of interest and a sense of responsibility as the class monitor. In her eyes, Lu Zhenyu has always been a bit peculiar; she has never seen anyone who dislikes being in the spotlight so much. She can clearly sense that Lu Zhenyu is always holding something back. His performance in exams and assessments is never fully reflective of his abilities, yet when classmates seek his help with problems, he appears so relaxed, as if the challenges that others find daunting are completely trivial to him. In her eyes, Lu Zhenyu has always been a bit peculiar; she has never seen anyone who dislikes being in the spotlight so much. She can clearly sense that Lu Zhenyu is always holding something back. His performance in exams and assessments is never fully reflective of his abilities, yet when classmates seek his help with problems, he appears so relaxed, as if the challenges that others find daunting are completely trivial to him.

Okay

Lü Zhenyu took a book out of his bag, Saussure's "Course in General Linguistics." The slightly worn crimson spine appeared oddly colored under the flickering lights of the room.

You are indeed her prized student

Lü Zhenyu revealed a sly smile on his face and said, "Guess what?"

In a few more years, those who are working will be busy with their jobs, those preparing for graduate school will be focused on their studies, and those going abroad will be occupied with their plans. Those who are doing well have no time, while those who are struggling lack the motivation. It has indeed become very difficult to gather together.

Both of his parents are in other cities, and the relatives in Shanghai have not been very engaging for Lü Zhenyu. Although traditional family activities are lively, Lü Zhenyu, who prefers to immerse himself in his own thoughts, finds them tedious. Therefore, during the National Day holiday, Lü Zhenyu quietly stayed in his rented apartment, preparing lesson plans and studying some foundational knowledge in linguistics, which seemed to be a completely unrelated world compared to the computer and software he was familiar with. A friend from the Chinese department provided him with a reading list, and after purchasing books according to the list on Fuzhou Road, Lü Zhenyu found that he had only a little over 400 yuan left in his bank account. If it weren't for October 1st and his father transferring 1,000 yuan for living expenses on time, he really wouldn't know what to do. Although he had resolved to stay in and avoid socializing, he could not miss the class reunion with his high school classmates that had been arranged long in advance, and the foundation for participating in any activity is money. If it weren't for October 1st and his father transferring 1,000 yuan for living expenses on time, he really wouldn't know what to do. Although he had resolved to stay in and avoid socializing, he could not miss the class reunion with his high school classmates that had been arranged long in advance, and the foundation for participating in any activity is money.

"It is rare for everyone to gather like this. In a few years, no one will really know when we can get together like this again," Lu Yin sighed. Lu Yin had always gotten along very well with everyone, and an important reason for this was her deep emotional sensitivity. She possessed the delicacy typical of women, but also understood the brotherly bonds among men. In any situation, she would never make sarcastic remarks about such feelings like some petty-minded girls do, and this alone made her very well-liked by many boys. However, precisely because Lu Yin understood the brotherly sentiments among boys so well, they regarded her more as one of them. Throughout her three years of high school, this stunning beauty surprisingly had no suitors.

"Translation software? Voice software?" After thinking for a long time, Lu Yin said uncertainly

How could this be

I want to participate in the development. "Lu Yin said, "I know this is very specialized, purely in the field of expertise. Whether it is programming or linguistics, I cannot be of much help. However, this project is definitely a large one, and you certainly cannot handle it alone. I hope I can take charge of the project management aspect, as a way to assist you.

"Hehe, it's alright, don't take it to heart," Lu Yin said with a smile. "Not long ago, I called our homeroom teacher, Ms. Song, and she mentioned that she would like to meet you"

Sitting in the corner, Lu Zhenyu watched his cheerful classmates, as if he had returned to the carefree days of high school. After a while of lively chatter, Lu Yin suddenly sat down beside him and asked, "Lu Zhenyu, you seem a bit down, don't you?"

"I have conditions." Lu Yin laughed like a little fox. Lu Zhenyu had never seen this straightforward girl display such a cunning smile, which sent a slight chill down his spine

Lü Zhenyu cautiously asked, "What conditions?"

Lü Zhenyu's statement is not incorrect. Strictly speaking, what he needs to do now is to develop a voice engine capable of bidirectional conversion. As long as this engine is successfully developed and integrated into Xiaoyu, Xiaoyu will possess language capabilities. However, the difficulty of developing this engine is unexpectedly high.

See me? Why?

"Well, that's fine. Then I will trouble you," said Lü Zhenyu gratefully. He understood very well that different fields are like different mountains. Although his intelligence was extraordinary and he learned things very quickly, it could not compare to the decades of dedicated research that others had put in. If he could receive help from the father of Jun Er, the mischievous girl originally named Fang Youjun, it should save a lot of time

"Jun'er, the biggest troublemaker in the liberal arts class? It's just a matter of acquaintance; getting too familiar with her could lead to trouble." Lü Zhenyu smirked.

Essentially, it is a voice software that can input and output in both directions. For the audio part, sampling is sufficient; however, the core of the program that converts speech to text and can simultaneously reverse the conversion is always elusive in terms of where to start.

At the university where Lü Zhenyu is studying, there are two ways to obtain tutoring jobs. One is to seek opportunities independently, and the other is to join the school's work-study center, which arranges suitable students according to a mutual selection process. This is said to ensure the quality of tutoring and maintain the school's reputation. However, to join the work-study center, one must take a so-called ethics examination. With the National Day approaching, many students from outside the city are busy returning home, while local students in Shanghai are occupied with preparations for entertainment activities during the holiday, rendering the qualification examination for the work-study center somewhat perfunctory. After easily passing the exam, Lü Zhenyu received a small green card, and then a staff member from the student union came to have him fill out a form, after which he just had to wait for the center's notification.

Lü Zhenyu said: "That should be fine. As for the specifics, let's schedule another time to discuss in detail. You should first take care of Jun'er and her father before proceeding."

After a brief silence, Lü Zhenyu said: "I have some ideas and am currently gathering information. You know, I have some programming skills, and I have been working on a project recently. Some of the materials are quite far from my knowledge structure, making it difficult to get started."

"So what have you been busy with lately?" Lu Yin asked

On October 2, Lü Zhenyu arrived at the prearranged location, the Qian Gui next to Fuxing Park. This place had been a popular topic among classmates during their senior year, as it seemed to be the most famous karaoke venue in all of Shanghai. Lü Zhenyu was not particularly fond of such a noisy environment, but he came nonetheless, adhering to the principle of the majority. About half of his classmates from the science class in high school were present today, totaling more than 20 people. In a class dominated by boys, the beautiful Lu Yin, who had been elected class monitor due to the admiration of many boys, was also present. Now, Lu Yin has secured a position in the student council at Fudan University, and with her combination of beauty and talent, she remains the focal point of attention among everyone today.

"It's a small issue, but it's precisely these damn small issues that are the easiest to go wrong." Unconsciously swearing, Lu Zhenyu quickly apologized, "I'm sorry"

"As you know, I prefer quietness." Lu Zhenyu did not hide his lack of enthusiasm for such collective activities