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The young restoration specialists who had come with the Cultural Heritage Management Bureau to help survey and map the site, along with quite a few interns who were simply there to learn from the restoration of a large ancient building, gradually became thoroughly convinced by Gu Jiuque's performance.

When Grandpa Gu had arranged for Gu Jiuque to take overall command and direct the restoration specialists in surveying the Gu Family Ancestral Residence, no one had dared object aloud, but inwardly, none of them had been convinced. They all believed Professor Gu had made the arrangement purely out of nepotism, hoping to make a name for his own grandson. In terms of real ability, Gu Jiuque surely could not compare to them. After all, Gu Jiuque was only eighteen this year. Even if he had started learning in the womb, it had only been a little over a decade.

And during those years, he would also have had to study the identification and restoration of all kinds of cultural relics. Ancient books, calligraphy and paintings, rubbings and inscriptions, silk, wool, cotton, hemp, ancient lacquer, wood, bamboo, large-scale work, fine work, leather, bone and horn, gold, silver, jade artifacts, ceramics, bricks and tiles, murals, and painted decorations—what category of artifact did not require years of study for identification and restoration? Not to mention that Gu Jiuque had also needed to complete nine years of compulsory education and work his way into university!

On average, he might not even have spent a full year learning each skill. At most, being born into a prestigious family had given him the advantage of easy access. If they were being serious, the theoretical knowledge and technical skills Gu Jiuque possessed might not necessarily exceed those of professional restoration specialists like them.

By comparison, restoration families like the Gu family, who still relied on ancient methods passed down through generations, only had their reputation and experience left. Hadn't Grandpa Gu and Grandma Gu failed to recognize any of the instruments and electronic equipment they had brought in?

They did not even recognize the equipment, yet they wanted to direct them?

Those people did not dare say much in front of Gu Eight Blades and Yue Jinmei, but they dared question Gu Jiuque to his face. "Can you use AutoCAD for surveying and mapping?"

If he could not even use CAD, what right did he have to immediately start directing people like them, who used modern equipment for surveying? Wasn't that an amateur instructing professionals?

Being run ragged under the direction of veteran experts like Gu Eight Blades and Yue Jinmei was one thing. Even if the two old experts did not understand modern technology, the experience, skills, and past accomplishments they possessed still deserved respect. But what was Gu Jiuque? Just a brat fresh out of high school, not even in university yet, and he wanted to direct professionals like them, people with master's degrees or even doctorates?

Just because his surname was Gu?

More than one person was dissatisfied with Gu Jiuque. Now that someone had spoken up, the others were happy to remain silent, merely watching Gu Jiuque with expressions of anticipation, eager to see a show.

Of course Gu Jiuque knew how to use it, but eighteen-year-old Gu Jiuque should not have known how. So, in front of everyone, Gu Jiuque hand-drew a 3D model diagram of the entire Gu Family Ancestral Residence. Afterward, he added all the structurally complex wooden and stone components, along with complete restoration recommendations. Every stroke flowed without pause. He did not even use a ruler, yet the data was precise, the structure rigorous, and the drawing beautiful enough to be displayed as artwork.

"I don't know CAD, but I'm familiar with the ancestral residence. I've lived here for eighteen years. When Grandpa and Grandma used to lead people in maintaining and caring for the house, I helped out too."

Though the group was proud and arrogant, they knew exactly how impressive it was to draw a 3D model of the ancestral residence by hand without using measuring or drafting tools. They were instantly convinced.

What left everyone even more dumbfounded was that, when faced with the restoration specialist who had questioned him, Gu Jiuque openly admitted that he did not know how to use CAD, then humbly asked the other man to teach him. After the man demonstrated it a few times himself, Gu Jiuque effortlessly learned the entire CAD drafting process.

—It was not exactly effortless. Gu Jiuque discovered that there was still a certain gap between the mastery in his memories and actual hands-on mastery. In addition, the drafting software from ten years ago inevitably differed in some functions from the software of ten years later. So, Gu Jiuque spent an entire afternoon adapting before he truly mastered the CAD software from a decade earlier.

But the others had no way of knowing that.

Thus, in everyone's eyes, Gu Jiuque had learned CAD in less than half a day.

He had learned it?!!!

For a moment, everyone was so shocked their eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

Chapter 11

"You really never learned CAD before?" A group of restoration specialists crouched behind Gu Jiuque, staring in disbelief as he operated the program with effortless ease.

After an afternoon of practice, Gu Jiuque was now even more skilled at CAD drafting than they were.

Everyone watched as Gu Jiuque spent the afternoon creating a 3D structural model of the Gu Family Mansion. Due to time constraints, what was on the computer screen was still only a simple structural sketch, less complete than Gu Jiuque's hand-drawn 3D architectural diagram. But considering that Gu Jiuque had only just encountered CAD software that afternoon, wasn't it a little too monstrous for his first attempt to produce something like this?

"How is that possible? That's absolutely impossible!" Fang Zhimiao still could not believe it. "You must have learned CAD before, right?"

"How could someone who's never learned it draw such a perfect structural sketch? You're lying to me..." Fang Zhimiao muttered over and over. It was easy to imagine just how deeply shaken he was by the fact that Gu Jiuque had learned CAD drafting in a single afternoon.

Gu Jiuque smiled faintly and explained sincerely, "Although I never formally studied CAD drafting, I had looked into related drafting software before."

Gu Jiuque had only wanted to use that afternoon of learning to legitimize skills that he should not have possessed at his age. He had not intended to rely on his pre-rebirth experience to bully others. Seeing Fang Zhimiao so devastated by the blow that he was beginning to question his life, Gu Jiuque kindly comforted him. "You taught very well. You have a talent for teaching."

"Really?" Hearing Gu Jiuque's praise, Fang Zhimiao scratched his head sheepishly. "Actually, I barely taught you anything! You just learn fast. You're the fastest learner I've ever seen!"

Fang Zhimiao knew his own situation. Although he had spent an afternoon teaching Gu Jiuque how to use CAD, he had never intended to truly instruct him. He had simply not expected Gu Jiuque's talent for learning to be so absurd, and had ended up getting thoroughly shown up.

Now, hearing that Gu Jiuque had not formally studied CAD drafting but had at least explored related software before, Fang Zhimiao finally breathed a sigh of relief.