CHAPTER 526: CHAPTER 165 THE CHAPTER WHERE A TITLE IS IMPOSSIBLE TO CONCEIVE_3

Zhang Xiao blinked and said, "Are there really that many data sets that need validation? I read his paper carefully too, and it seemed like it shouldn’t be that exhausting, right?"

Qiao Yu thought for a moment and said, "Of course, if you have extensive experience in laboratory data processing, you might not need to spend too much time getting started, but the workload is definitely not small. You also know that our research is just getting started; it’s an opportunity for sure, but it’s also a challenge."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiao stopped walking and extended a hand toward Qiao Yu.

Qiao Yu tilted his head slightly but out of courtesy, also extended his hand, gave a light shake, and then released.

After shaking hands, Zhang Xiao smiled and said, "Then it’s settled. I’m not afraid of challenges, nor too much hardship; what I fear most is boredom."

Does this mean they’ve reached an agreement?

"Wait, I’m not finished. What you’re doing recently might not yield any papers for a long time. Because I’m planning to develop a universal and stable laboratory analysis model, the kind that will apply for a patent later. So, there will be no papers until the patent is secured."

Qiao Yu emphasized.

After all, achievements in mathematics research are seen through papers; there’s no alternative method.

"Will the boss pay me a salary then?" Zhang Xiao asked.

"Um... that’s not a big issue. But you can only get paid after outcomes are achieved! Don’t expect monthly subsidies."

Qiao Yu thought for a moment and replied.

There’s no way around it; making people work without pay isn’t right. After all, Zhang Xiao is different from Chen Zhuoyang; Senior Brother Chen already agreed to contribute his first-year salary to him.

Now he doesn’t need that money, which is like giving it to Senior Brother Chen. Not to mention that Senior Brother Chen also got a major paper as the first author.

It directly helped him establish a footing at Jinzhou University. Now he’s planning to jump to the neighboring Nanjin University.

"That works then. As for the graduate subsidy, the big boss surely won’t skimp on me. So, it’s settled, and as a thank you, how about I treat you to lunch?"

Qiao Yu hesitated for a moment, then nodded and agreed.

The hesitation was because he feared this senior might have taken a liking to him, considering he wasn’t only smart but also quite attractive—a bona fide mathematics heartthrob.

However, considering that the senior was at least twenty-five or six years old and out of the campus environment, he could even call her "auntie."

So, she probably wouldn’t have any improper intentions toward him. Yeah, definitely not.

...

Lunch was in the cafeteria.

After all, at Yanbei University, there’s no better place for two people to eat than the cafeteria.

No need to worry about the selection of dishes; the taste definitely exceeds the average line. Of course, the most important thing is that it’s cheap—a perfect example of being good and affordable.

There’s no doubt about this; over the years, the cafeterias at various schools frequently get exposed for problems.

But for a top 30 university, complaints about food quality are actually rare. Every time there’s exposure, it’s met with envy and jealousy...

Those dishes that look delicious are also insanely cheap!

After eating, the two exchanged phone numbers, added each other on WeChat, and then parted ways.

Qiao Yu needed to go back and quickly develop a function for the lab work at the Huairou Institute.

He planned to leave the subsequent data processing work to Zhang Xiao. As for Senior Brother Chen, he would continue following up on data processing at Professor Zhang’s lab.

Old Xue was, of course, still busy handling the framework introduction for Group Theory.

As for Qiao Xi... well, Qiao Xi was busy preparing for exams...

Qiao Yu’s self-assigned task was coordination. His most important job was to keep everyone from being idle.

It might sound leisurely, but Qiao Yu believed this position was indeed crucial—no one else could do it other than him.

After all, not being idle meant that research progress needed to keep moving forward. So any problems reported to him had to be solved promptly.

And he also had exams. So he had a lot of books to read. At the beginning of the semester, he applied to take five exams early, and at the end of the semester, he planned to pass five more; after all, he aimed to get his undergraduate degree before he turned eighteen.

...

Unlike with Chen Zhuoyang, whom he didn’t manage closely, the data for Zhang Xiao was provided in batches.

Once one batch was completed, he would check it and then give the next stage’s data. After all, building mutual trust takes time. He also needed to consider whether Zhang Xiao’s abilities were sufficient.

A week later, Zhang Xiao completed the tasks he assigned on time. However, for the validation part, Qiao Yu did it himself.

Instead of using the supercomputer on the other side, Qiao Yu directly used Director Tian’s supercomputer card to cut in and use the school’s computing power.

Though for him, Director Tian’s computing power was free for his use. But for the Huairou Institute, this part of the computing power definitely had to be converted into consultancy fees...

All in all, at the end of this semester, Qiao Yu felt everything was getting on track.

He also earned an additional 29 credits. Adding the 26 credits earned at the beginning of the semester, his total credits were now 55.

Gaining fifty-four credits in one semester without attending a single class was already a peak-level achievement. Besides, there was no score below ninety.

However, now he faced another issue: he had almost completed both the core and elective courses for the mathematics major. According to the School of Mathematics’ graduation requirements, he still needed about eighty more credits, which had to come from other courses.

He could earn some credits from the University English series, then from computer courses and other general education courses from the School of Sciences.