Chapter 3 ACM

Lu Zhihang looked at her calmly—he had almost no expression, but Xiao Meng swore that she saw on his face a look that seemed to say, "Why are you making such a fuss?" It was not difficult.

"ACM requires problem-solving skills. Practicing problems can enhance these skills, but overall, it is not very significant. Algorithmic ability is fundamental; it allows you to view programming from a higher perspective," said Lu Zhihang

Hmm?

Knuth's The Art of Computer Programming, Cormen's Algorithms Unlocked, Sedgewick's Algorithm

The gaze of the master calmed Xiao Meng down. Xiao's father is a senior engineer, and under his guidance, Xiao Meng has acquired some knowledge in engineering, allowing for certain analyses: "The positioning device used on bicycles must not be large, ideally not exceeding half the size of a mobile phone. The internal components should include a GPS chip, a sufficiently capacious battery, an antenna, and a SIM card that can connect with the outside world... The device can be installed on the bike lock or seat, and its design should not be too conspicuous, while the battery should also be easy to remove. An analysis can be made: 'The positioning device used on bicycles must not be large, ideally not exceeding half the size of a mobile phone. The internal components should include a GPS chip, a sufficiently capacious battery, an antenna, and a SIM card that can connect with the outside world... The device can be installed on the bike lock or seat, and its design should not be too conspicuous, while the battery should also be easy to remove.'..."

Lu Zhihang listened quietly to her analysis, and his expression gradually softened. Thus, he spoke the longest sentence he had ever said since they met.

It is one thing not to have the opportunity to interact with a master like Lu Zhihang, but since there is a chance, even if she might be considered a shameless person, she still wishes to learn from the other party.

Indeed, within the realm of top competitors, the opportunities for female players to showcase their abilities are indeed limited. However, limited opportunities do not equate to none, and Xiao Meng hopes to become an "exception".

Xiao Meng composed himself and asked, "Senior brother, are you currently preparing for the next ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest Grand Final? I hope you achieve good results"

He pushed the bicycle forward without glancing aside, simply saying: "I could install a GPS locator."

Lu Zhihang mentioned several website names, all of which Xiao Meng is familiar with: "I am currently practicing questions on these websites."

Although the conversation between the two began in a rather strange manner, his suggestion indeed allowed Xiao Meng, who had been tormented by the loss of her car, to see a glimmer of meaning in life. Xiao Meng thought that although it seemed impossible to assemble this set with her current abilities, it would be fine to try and conduct some preliminary research.

Xiao Meng seriously began to consider the feasibility of this proposal. Equipping bicycles with positioning devices seems uncomplicated, as thousands of shared bicycles have done so; however, behind shared bicycles is a powerful technical team.

Xiao Mengfei blinked rapidly, and the image of the deity seemed to grow several times taller— it turned out that the deity was not only skilled in theory but also a hands-on expert, tinkering with hardware himself

Lu Zhihang tilted his body slightly and pointed to the front wheel of his bicycle

Your thoughts are not wrong; there is no need to listen to what others say. Merely doing exercises is not advisable, said Lu Zhihang, "You can read more related books."

I will provide you with the circuit diagrams. I have designed three options for you to choose from.

There should be no finished products available, can such equipment as that used for shared bicycles be purchased externally?

Xiao Meng is still explaining: "The girls in our dormitory want to form a female team to participate in the competition"

"Senior brother, thank you, I am very inspired." Xiao Meng took a photo of the small device and stood up to thank Lu Zhihang

... ...

What books are there? It's rare to have such a long conversation with a master, and Xiao Meng felt a bit excited. She looked at him with anticipation and said, "Senior brother, could you send me some titles of reference books?"

Xiao Meng's face was filled with surprise: "Senior brother, thank you so much."

Lu Zhihang also reported his phone number, and then said: "I can give you my book. Come find me next Monday to pick it up"

Now that her heartbeat had calmed down, Xiao Meng silently shed tears in her heart, realizing that she had misunderstood. Lending books for her to copy was something that a responsible senior might do to take care of a junior. The thought of being able to see the master's book next, and perhaps even notes within it, filled Xiao Meng's heart with sunshine, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of joy. She had just mustered the courage to call out to him, and she had done nothing wrong! Therefore, her sister was right; learning to ask for help is not a shameful thing, and sometimes having a thicker skin is not a bad thing. The thought of being able to see the master's book next, and perhaps even notes within it, filled Xiao Meng's heart with sunshine, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of joy. She had just mustered the courage to call out to him, and she had done nothing wrong! Therefore, her sister was right; learning to ask for help is not a shameful thing, and sometimes having a thicker skin is not a bad thing.

Before she could speak, Lu Zhihang had already reached up to remove the headphones hanging around his neck and put them back on. After giving her a slight nod, he exerted force with his long legs, and the high-performance mountain bike shot forward like a long arrow, speeding towards Suzhou Road.

It is a 3G card that can transmit data, sending the bicycle's location to my mobile phone

Lu Zhihang nodded to her, seemingly intending to ride away, but Xiao Meng quickly called out to him again

The long legs of the road straddle the mountain bike: "I am going home"

Senior brother, it is like this, I would like to participate in the ACM competition, and I would like to ask if you have any good materials to recommend

Senior brother, there is another matter I would like to consult you about

As she spoke, she unconsciously raised her voice. Lu Zhihang glanced at her, then turned his gaze away and said: "Alright."

However, is it really appropriate for you to show me this? I believe that this system is eligible for patent registration

"Senior brother, did you install this positioning system for theft prevention?" Xiao Meng couldn't help but ask

Xiao Meng naturally agreed, as she was eager to see the circuit diagrams designed by the master, to understand what the electronic and circuit designs by the computer science expert truly looked like. Immediately, Lu Zhihang announced his QQ number, and Xiao Meng quickly added him as a friend. She discovered that Lu Zhihang's online name was Freddie. This QQ account was very clean, with the original default avatar and no other information.

Oh, I see... Alright... Senior brother, I am truly very grateful

Are you using it yourself? What does it mean?

"I will make copies of the books for you," Lu Zhihang said, "These books are from abroad, and some cannot be purchased domestically."

Alright, I will go online to buy books as soon as I return

Xiao Meng silently straddled her new bicycle and set off, riding at a rapid pace. The distance between her and Lu Zhi Hang increased quickly, and within a few dozen seconds, he vanished into the torrent of bicycles.

Is that so

"Senior brother, thank you," she explained her recent behavior, "My bicycle was stolen a few days ago, so I just bought a second-hand bicycle from that senior brother.

Lu Zhihang had no expression, and the words he spoke were quite cold: "The women's team has never performed well in ACM."

After several seconds, Xiao Meng's phone received three circuit diagrams

This is probably a case of like-mindedness among heroes, and the expert has already looked into the patent registration matters

Ah? Assemble it yourself?

Xiao Meng is genuinely interested in computer science. It can be said that she has aspired to become a computer expert since high school. In order to achieve her goal, she has not completely relaxed even after the college entrance examination, dedicating at least half of her time to practicing problems. Currently, she has stocked up several large volumes of exercise books in her dormitory and regularly practices her typing speed. She knows that she may never reach the level of Lu Zhihang, but in terms of determination, she will not be outdone by anyone.

This is my modification, you can take a look

Seeing the bustling traffic on the long street outside the campus, Xiao Meng asked, "Senior, where are you going? I am heading towards Suzhou Road."

Yes

Xiao Meng was somewhat surprised, but not overly so. This is the demeanor of a champion, where what ordinary people find rare and impossible is merely seen as a "meaningless competition" by the expert. However, he possesses confidence; standing at the pinnacle of the mountains with his championship title, he perfectly demonstrates his abilities. Thus, wasting another year indeed seems pointless; it is far better to dedicate his precious time to the laboratory to produce a few useful papers.

Ah? What? Xiao Meng's hand trembled, and she was so shocked that she almost deleted the phone number she had just saved. She could hardly believe her ears

Is this a SIM card

The power of the battery is sufficient. I have calculated that a single AA battery can last for half a month, while a 3-volt lithium battery can last for ten days

Up until today, she and Lu Zhihang have only met twice, and their familiarity is slightly better than that of strangers, but still limited. Introducing her to bicycle anti-theft methods and recommending a reading list can be considered actions of a "qualified senior brother," but giving her books that he has used himself truly crosses the line—if the other party were not Lu Zhihang, or if Lu Zhihang's expression were a bit more ambiguous, she would almost suspect that he was preparing to pursue her.

Lu Zhihang spoke a string of English as soon as he opened his mouth, and his speaking speed was even faster than that of Chinese. Xiao Meng spent her entire middle school years in a foreign language school, and her English proficiency was quite good. However, it was still difficult for her to keep up with Lu Zhihang's speed and rhythm. She could only vaguely remember the titles of the books, managing to recall the keywords of each book, and she could eliminate the incorrect options by searching online later.

So he is a local from this city—Xiao Meng also got on her bicycle, and she really wanted to ask if Lu Zhihang was also heading towards Suzhou Road, so that they could ride together for a while.

Lu Zhihang looked at her strangely, as if she were the one who was odd

Lu Zhihang glanced at her and said, "I do not know any girls who excel in ACM."

In the midst of their conversation, the two individuals had already pushed the cart out of the school gate

Lu Zhi Hang nodded: "You can choose one from these. I personally use the third one, the most complex one"

Actual research topics are somewhat more interesting than solving problems

Indeed, I think the same way. I am currently reading "Introduction to Algorithms." Many people say it is meaningless, but I do not share that view. My ultimate goal in participating in competitions is to enhance my algorithmic skills through this method.

There are other issues, "Xiao Meng felt a bit troubled: regarding the book, this involves modifying the circuit myself, and I am truly not skilled in this area."

I will no longer participate in programming competitions, as they have lost their significance for me.

Thank you, senior brother, I will go back and take a closer look

"I want to participate in ACM not to compete with boys, but because I love computers, I love programming, and I hope to challenge my own limits," Xiao Meng said defiantly. "Moreover, I do not think I am intellectually inferior to boys. If we are to discuss differences, it should be noted that girls are generally less capable than boys in terms of physical strength. Perhaps I cannot stay up late writing code like boys do, but I will also do my best to strive for it"

If it cannot be purchased, one can buy the hardware to assemble it oneself

Lu Zhihang paused for a moment, and only when Xiao Meng turned to look at him did he reluctantly reveal the answer: "This is my fourth bicycle; the previous three were stolen."

Hmm? Xiao Meng was taken aback for a moment, then suddenly enlightened, "Senior Brother, are you suggesting installing a GPS locator on the bicycle for anti-theft purposes?"

Lu Zhi Hang nodded

Road: "Registration not possible, a similar patent already exists"

Clearly, it is the same direction, but there is no such thing as "riding together".

No, no, no," Xiao Meng's forehead was sweating, and her heart was racing. "Senior brother, you don't need to give me the book; you still need it yourself.

Xiao Meng developed a mutual admiration for this senior master. As for her own broken bicycle, it was not worth mentioning; the loss from its theft was not significant. However, Lu Zhihang's bicycle—this mountain bike from Scott right in front of her—was certainly worth no less than 10,000. Such a valuable bicycle should be well-prepared against theft

The GPS positioning module on the bicycle is mounted on a fixed lock, along with the battery and other small accessories, all encapsulated in a small black box measuring 3 centimeters on each side. Lu Zhihang squatted beside her in the summer, reaching out to remove the back cover of the small box, while Xiao Meng crouched down to study it carefully.

Xiao Meng thinks that if there were a cold water splashing competition in this world, Lu Zhihang would definitely be able to win another championship.