After the match, Shen Qi met with Xu Rui.
Xu Rui, who is 1.9 meters tall, squatted in a corner outside the stadium, curled up and sobbing uncontrollably, like a little wife who had been bullied by her mother-in-law. "It's all over, it's all over, I'm fucking finished!"
"Don't be like that, Xu Rui. A bronze medal in the national competition is already very good," Shen Qi patted Xu Rui's head to comfort him.
"What good is a bronze medal! I want gold, only gold matters, Shen Qi, do you understand? I've been training in track and field since junior high, do you know how much hardship I've endured, how much sweat I've shed, how many beatings I've taken? All I want is a gold medal!" Xu Rui wiped away his tears, but his heart was bleeding.
"Does the Shuimu University Track and Field team really only want gold medalists?" Shen Qi asked cautiously. "If you get a bronze medal, at least you'll have a chance to be selected again, right?"
"Bullshit! Shen Qi, if you hadn't won the gold medal in the International Mathematical Olympiad, would Tsinghua University and Yan University be fighting over you? Where are all those silver and bronze medalists from your International Mathematical Olympiad? They still have to take the college entrance exam, at most they get a few extra points, no more than 20. I... I could get 200 extra points on the college entrance exam and it would be useless!" Xu Rui roared in despair. He hated his terrible start; his reaction time at the start of the 100-meter final was probably the worst start he'd had in six years.
"Sigh." Shen Qi sighed softly. He didn't know how to persuade him anymore. The sports arena was so cruel, and the difficulty of choosing this path to break through was no less than that of the college entrance examination.
If Xu Rui doesn't get on the Sports Recommendation exam, he won't have much hope for the college entrance exam either. His total score in academic subjects has been around 200 points for a long time, and sometimes he doesn't even get 200 points.
A test score equivalent to a first-class athlete might earn a few extra points, and even in special circumstances, the total bonus points for the college entrance examination (Gaokao) cannot exceed 20. For Xu Rui, 20 extra points would be of no use unless his total Gaokao score exceeded 600, in which case he might have a chance to attend Shuimu University, but that was virtually impossible. Therefore, Xu Rui staked everything on winning the National Champion; he was going all in, his only National Champion being to secure a direct admission spot.
However, reality did not go as planned, and Xu Rui failed.
"Xu Rui, a man doesn't cry, stand up and masturbate!" Shen Qi finally spoke after a long silence.
Xu Rui stood up, gritting his teeth, and said, "No, I won't give up. There are still more than half a year until the college entrance examination. I have one more chance before June next year, my last chance. I must win the National Champion!"
"Okay, you can definitely do it!" Shen Qi cheered Xu Rui on.
At this moment, a female athlete wearing the track and field uniform of the Nanyue Province Track and Field team walked over. She was nearly 1.8 meters tall, a little taller than Shen Qi.
The female athlete is very strong, and her weight is estimated to be over 180 pounds.
"Xu Rui, I've been looking for you for so long. Let's go, it's time to rejoin the team and go home," the female athlete said with concern, her voice a little rough.
"Qianqian, I... I only won a bronze medal." In front of the female athletes, Xu Rui changed his rude manner and became gentle and obedient like a child who had done something wrong.
"Xu Rui, if you've tried your best and strived for it, you won't have any regrets," the female athlete comforted him.
"This female athlete, you are...?" Shen Qi looked at the female athlete and thought she looked familiar. He seemed to have seen her photo on Xu Rui's phone.
The female athlete looked at Shen Qi and said, "My name is Du Xianxian. I'm Xu Rui's teammate on the Guangdong Provincial U19 Track and Field Team. My event is shot put."
"Slender athlete, it's a pleasure to meet you." Shen Qi remembered that this female shot putter was Xu Rui's unofficially revealed girlfriend.
Athletes are generally mature beyond their years, so it's not surprising that young people on the same team fall in love.
"Qianqian, have you finished your shot put? What place did you get?" Xu Rui asked. Since Du Xianxian arrived, Xu Rui's mood had been much more stable.
Du Xianxian: "Yes, just finished the competition, first place."
"The... first..." Xu Rui was stunned, his feelings were very complicated.
"Qianqian, you won the gold medal, and I'm useless. I'm a piece of trash, a piece of trash... Waaah, a piece of trash..." Xu Rui broke down in tears again. If Qianqian went to Shuimu University, and I can't go anywhere, what the hell is the point?
Du Xianxian hugged Xu Rui tenderly. "Don't cry, don't cry, Xu Rui, you'll always be number one in my heart."
Xu Rui hugged Du Xianxian tightly and burst into tears. "Wait, I will definitely win the National Champion to show you, to all of you!"
"Mmm, I support you, Xu Rui." Du Xianxian gently patted Xu Rui's broad back.
Seeing this, Shen Qi left. Sometimes men need a little encouragement or stimulation. It seems that Xu Rui has been stimulated. He probably won't give up on the path to the championship. At least he still has half a year to prepare for the next national competition.
The following day, Xu Rui returned home with the Guangdong Provincial U19 Track and Field Team, while Shen Qi remained at Yenching University, as this session of the Golden Autumn Camp was not yet over.
Today, the various specialized camps regrouped into a larger camp, and the instructors from the specialized camps withdrew, with the instructors from the larger camp leading the teams.
The participants in the Math Camp, physics, biochemistry, literature and history, and arts camps were randomly scattered and regrouped into several small groups.
Shen Qi, Zhou Yu'an, and Ou Ye, three students from the Math Camp, were grouped together. This group had nineteen members, and the other group members came from other professional camps.
This session of Yenching University's Golden Autumn Camp is coming to an end. After intensive professional training courses in each major camp, today's camp activities focused on fun and engaging activities.
Shen Qi's group first introduced themselves, then played games. Students from different majors got to know each other better and deepened their understanding of one another. Social skills are also a valuable asset.
Relaxed and pleasant times always pass quickly. After a sumptuous buffet, the camp instructors led Shen Qi's group into a small auditorium.
A piano was placed on the stage of the small auditorium, and a very elegant woman sat in front of it with a smile on her face.
Instructor Teacher Xu said, "Dear students, I know that most of you are multi-talented. On the last day of this Golden Autumn Camp, each group will perform a group program. I've thought about it, and our group will perform a choral song. Before we practice, let's invite Lulu to sing a song to warm up the atmosphere."
Clap clap clap
A round of enthusiastic applause erupted, and some mischievous boys even whistled.
The most beautiful girl in this group, or rather, in this Golden Autumn Camp, stepped onto the stage. That girl is Lulu. She sings exceptionally well and can also dance.
Lulu discussed it with her music teacher at the piano, and they decided to sing Mary's "Hero".
As the accompaniment of the piano began, Lulu passionately sang "Hero," her poise and radiance winning thunderous applause from the audience.
"Awesome, really awesome! Lulu's stage presence was amazing!" Zhou Yu'an exclaimed. "Without a doubt, Lulu is our year's goddess."
Shen Qi said, "Judging from her figure, appearance, and talent, Lulu is indeed a goddess."
"But from a scientific point of view, she is a goddess." Shen Qi turned to look at Ou Ye.
"Oh." Ou Ye's lips barely moved, her face expressionless.
"Thank you Lulu, for your wonderful performance. Next, let's play a little game." Instructor Xu walked onto the stage, holding a stack of A3 paper, and addressed the group members. "The rules are simple. Each of you nineteen will have one minute to memorize a set of numbers. Memory is an important part of intelligence. I don't care what your major is; I hope your intelligence meets the standard."
"Sigh, life is full of challenges, even playing a game requires an intelligence test," Zhou Yu'an habitually complained.
"It's just memorizing numbers, are you scared, Zhou Yu'an?" Shen Qi asked.
Zhou Yu'an: "Of course I'm not afraid. I just make random sarcastic remarks; I'm used to it."
"And you, Ou Ye?" Shen Qi glanced at Ou Ye.
"Heh." Ou Ye's lips moved slightly; she was probably laughing.
"First one, Yang Bo." Instructor Xu called out a boy's name while showing a set of numbers on an A3 sheet of paper.
This set of numbers contains 90 numbers, arranged randomly: 1, 9, 0, 1, 3, 2, 4, 5, 7, 6...
Yang Bo stared at the numbers with wide eyes, his pupils turning into cross-eyed bulges.
A minute passed quickly.
Instructor Xu put away the blank paper and said, "Yang Bo, please repeat these 90 numbers in order. You pass if you miss one number, and you fail if you miss two or more."
After a moment's hesitation, Yang Bo answered, "1, 9, 0, 1, 3, 2, 4, 5, 7, 6... 7, 2, 0. Answer complete."
Instructor Xu checked the numbers on the white paper. "The 72nd and 83rd numbers are wrong, you fail."
"Teacher Xu, I'm from the Biochemical Camp!" Yang Bo objected.
Instructor Xu said, "Number memorization has nothing to do with your major; it's only related to innate intelligence. Of course, memory training can also improve the speed and accuracy of number memorization. You may not know this, but that popular variety show recently, the one that tests brainpower, requires auditionees to undergo an intelligence test before becoming challengers. Most of the questions in the audition intelligence test were created by Peking University."
"With so many contestants across the country, only a few make it onto the TV show each week. The vast majority of applicants are eliminated in the preliminary rounds. I believe you're no worse than those who are eliminated, are you?" Instructor Xu countered.
"This... memorizing 90 randomly arranged numbers in one minute, that's really difficult. This isn't memorizing pi, it's speed memorization," Yang Bo started complaining.
Instructor Xu: "I remember there was a female contestant on that show, also a high school student, who was studying humanities and had learned piano. She could memorize 100 numbers per minute and became a challenger to appear on the TV show. There was also a deliveryman with only a junior high school education, who could also memorize 100 numbers per minute. So, as I said, memorizing numbers has nothing to do with any particular profession. Yang Bo, do you have any further questions?"
"That's it." Yang Bo shook his head dejectedly. In Instructor Xu's opinion, his intelligence was below par, how helpless he was.
"Zhou Yu'an, please memorize this set of numbers," Instructor Xu continued calling roll.
Zhou Yu'an took the test with ease, repeating 90 numbers in 55 seconds, all of which were correct.
"Zhou Yu'an did well, full marks!" Instructor Xu praised.
"Zhu Yiwen, please memorize this set of numbers."
Zhu Yiwen spent 1 minute remembering 3 numbers incorrectly, and failed.
"Tan Lulu, please memorize this set of numbers."
Tan Lulu took 1 minute, misremembered 1 number, and passed.
"Wow, Lulu's memory is so amazing, she's a true goddess!" Zhou Yu'an may have fallen for Tan Lulu, as he would steal glances at her from time to time.
"Shen Qi, please memorize this set of numbers."
When it was Shen Qi's turn to be tested, he completed the shorthand in 40 seconds and got them all right.
"Shen Qi got a perfect score, very good!" Instructor Xu gave a thumbs up.
"Wow, the people in the Math Camp have amazing memories." The other students couldn't help but agree.
"Ou Ye, please memorize this set of numbers."
Ou Ye completed the shorthand in 35 seconds, then repeated the 90 numbers at an extremely fast pace, "8, 6, 2, 6, 5... 1, 2, 9."
"Student Ou Ye... impressive!" Even Instructor Xu was shocked. Ou Ye's numerical memory ability is considered very strong in the international mental skills community.
"Are you trying to kill us? You Math Camp people are insane!" Yang Bo from the biochemistry camp exclaimed to the heavens in exasperation, feeling intellectually attacked.
Shen Qi looked at Ou Ye beside him and whispered, "The Goddess of Numbers, the Calculation Ji, I, Shen Qi, am impressed."
Ou Ye is too sensitive to numbers. It's possible that she has mastered a set of numerical codes. In her eyes, 0-9 are not 0-9, but rather the names of people like Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, and Zhuge Liang, or other kinds of codes.
Shen Qi whispered in Ou Ye's ear, "Ou Ye, are you going all out?"
Ou Ye: "No."
Shen Qi laughed and said, "Neither do I."