The Lighter and Princess Gown

5

The day before each of her classes, Zhu Yun would preview the material for the next lesson. Her first class was on theory. Zhu Yun skimmed a few pages, and then she flipped the page back. The contents of the page caused her eyes to widen.

Although she didn’t yet understand exactly what those functions meant, the structure of it left a very deep impression on her. Wasn’t this crossing the river to die? Zhu Yun started flipping through the pages, faster and faster. In her hands, the book rustled. After she finished looking over the last page, she let out a sigh.

She closed the book and looked over the bold text on the cover. “C Programming…” It was the first time since the college entrance exam that she’d felt this fighting spirit ignite within her.

She studied late into the night, and then before 6 in the morning, she woke up to continue.
By the time class started, she’d gone over three chapters.

Teacher Lin taught the C programming course. She’d heard that he was very famous and respected. A bit older than 50, he was already bald. He also liked to laugh, which led to the doubling of wrinkles on his face. He looked just the way an old man would.

The class met in the multimedia classroom. It was really easy to slack off in a classroom like this.

With several rows of computers running, as well as many bodies emitting heat, the room got really stuffy. Just half an hour inside was hard to bear. And with the computer monitors to act as barriers, as long as the professor remained at the lectern in front, you could fall asleep without anyone noticing.

Zhu Yun didn’t know who to set as her rival, but she knew that she wanted to do well in the class. So, she decided to sit in the front row.

The bell rang to signal the start of the class. Zhu Yun’s eyes flit to and fro unnaturally. No one?

…There was no need to be like this.

As she was thinking that, Top Score Li strode into the classroom. He’d likely just woken up from an afternoon nap because his hair looked like a Super Saiyan’s. When he walked into the room, he headed straight for the back row. A student told him, “This computer doesn’t turn on. It’s broken.”

“….”

Li Xun got up and looked around.

Zhu Yun couldn’t help laughing inside—You had to fight for a seat in the last row of a college classroom. You don’t understand that, and you even took a nap?

Old Lin had finished his preparation for the lesson. His tea was ready, and he cleared his throat, about to start class. Then he discovered Li Xun standing up in the back. He waved at Li Xun and pointed to the seat beside Zhu Yun.

An ominous feeling overcame Zhu Yun. No, no, no, no, no…

Oh, yes. Teacher Lin said, “Student, this seat is open.”

Inside of Zhu Yun’s head: No—!

The Saiyan walked over and sat down. Zhu Yun looked down at her book, expressionless.

Teacher Lin started class. He held his cup of tea and asked the students, “Is there anyone who already knows C or has used C to write some small programs?”

Zhu Yun gave Li Xun a sidelong glance. Raise your hand. Don’t you know about crossing the river and dying?

Having received no response, Teacher Lin smiled and said, “Ah, everyone’s still a bit shy.”

He put down his cup of tea. “Everyone knows that this is the Information Age. Computer technology is being developed at a very fast pace, and programming languages have also been developed very quickly. Compared to all the new languages available now, C is, like myself, quite old.

“As the saying goes though, ‘the older the ginger, the hotter its spice.’ It is rich and compact. In the future, whether you want to continue studying algorithms or compilers, work on databases or operating systems, what you learn from C is enough to form a very solid foundation for all your future programming desires.

“But I have one more thing to say to everyone. Remember, just one short phrase—art exists beyond technical skill.”

The students listened without making a sound. Old Lin raised one finger, his eyes glimmering. “You should all be very proud of yourselves for getting into this school. But remember not to make the mistake that good students often make—fighting with the textbook.”

Zhu Yun felt like someone had just choked her.

“You will learn about many programming languages in your four years of college. Remember, don’t get caught up with all the technical things. You have to look at the big picture, the overall problem, even when you’re dealing with simple programs.

“Alright. You students won’t completely understand the frightening things I’m talking about now. You’ll just have to slowly experience it for yourselves. For now, everyone, look at your screens. It’s time to start class.”

Zhu Yun was savoring the words that Old Lin had just imparted. Unintentionally, she saw that beside her, Top Score Li was playing on his phone.

Li Xun was tall, and he didn’t know quite how to rest his legs. When the class first started, he sat with his legs together, but as the class continued, they grew more slack. Slowly, they started to encroach on Zhu Yin’s territory. In the end, Zhu Yun could only sit with her legs together, not moving an inch.

Her legs were really stiff. She really wanted to move them. Why was this class so painful…

“To study C, we must first learn about its history and characteristics. So, who can tell us a bit about the history of C?” Old Lin raised the first question.

Zhu Yun wasn’t ordinarily the type of student to raise her hand and answer questions, but she just really wanted to move. Her hand popped into the air as if she’d had no control over it.
Since she sat up front, Old Lin saw her immediately.

“You.”

The material she’d previewed yesterday appeared in her head and she repeated its content without a hitch. After she answered the question, her blood seemed to have gotten flowing. She felt refreshed, the same feeling you get after using the restroom.

Zhu Yun sat back down leisurely. She caught a glimpse of Li Xun looking at her, a faint smile in his face.

“It’s you.”

You just realized it was me?

Zhu Yun nodded to him courteously. Then she saw Li Xun sneer before returning to the game on his phone.

“….”

Old Lin said, “I said before that you were all too bashful. When I asked if anyone knew about C, no one raised their hand.” He asked her, “What’s your name?”

Zhu Yun quickly replied, “Zhu Yun.”

Old Lin searched for her name on the class roster and then made a check mark. “You’re the class representative.”

Zhu Yun: ?!

I had no such desire for that, Teacher!

She heard a laugh beside her. Zhu Yun glanced over. Li Xun’s head was still bowed, so she wasn’t quite sure if he was laughing at her or his phone.

The first lesson was about the basics, and the professor had only taught very basic content. Just as he finished lecturing, the bell rang. Old Lin didn’t rush. He put the cover back on his cup and said, “If you’ve finished, you can go. Leave your computers on for the class representative to check.”

Li Xun put down his phone and tapped away at the computer keyboard for a bit. A bit. Well, actually, not even five seconds had passed before he got up and left.

Old Lin handed Zhu Yun the class roster. “If they finished, put a checkmark. If not, put an X. Thanks for your work.”

“….”

The program they were to write was very simple, so the students finished one after another. Zhu Yun grabbed the roster and took a look at Li Xun’s computer first.

Hit the spacebar to run. A row of characters appeared on the screen—

Zhu Yun looked at it, and for some reason, she suddenly laughed.

Half a month after classes started, the attendance rates for the morning and evening study halls were so low that the class advisor had to step in. Zhu Yun had already foreseen that day. And she’d thought that with Golden Weirdo and Cake Girl’s wonderful personalities, the class advisor was in for a big argument. But, contrary to her expectations, after not more than two days, this battle came to an end.

So, did Li Xun and the rest start attending the study halls? Nope.

Was it because the advisor couldn’t handle them? That wasn’t it.

Fang Shumiao was the one to tell Zhu Yun about it.

This Li Xun really did know how to play tricks.

When the advisor sought him out for a talk, Li Xun presented a series of documents that he wanted to submit to the department. Then, the next day, the department head personally approved the formation of a freshman “digital technologies practice seminar.”

There were three important privileges allowed to those in the seminar—
1. It counts as an extracurricular.
2. It affords for additional course credits.
3. For the duration of the seminar, students are exempt from morning and evening study hall.

“….”

After Zhu Yun finished listening, she asked, “So this seminar will continue all throughout the day, for 24 hours, right?”

“Yep! 24 hours! All day, non-stop!” Fang Shumiao pat her thighs. “I guess this works. Everything’s taken care of! I won’t have to worry about attendance records anymore!”

While the seminar was formed under the department head’s name, the old man rarely made an appearance, simply leaving Li Xun in charge. On the other hand, Old Lin was very interested in this project and became an unofficial advisor, stopping over at the base whenever he had time.

When this matter was made public, the entire department was in an uproar.

Gossip and rumors floated all around, like snowflakes flying through the air, all revolving around one main theme. Everyone was trying to guess at Li Xun’s family background.

Stories flooded in from all directions, and Zhu Yun seemed to hear a new version every day. Each version was so detailed and vivid, told with such resoluteness, that she could believe each and every one of them.

The days passed on as such.

One day, when Zhu Yun went to hand in her assignment to Old Lin, she ran into Li Xun, who was having a discussion with the teacher. Old Lin had on a pair of glasses as he worked on Li Xun’s laptop. The strict look in his eyes made Zhu Yun wary of taking another step.

Finally, they finished speaking and Li Xun took his laptop and left. When he saw Zhu Yun, he nodded to her and said casually, “Hey, class rep.”

“….”

Zhu Yun put her assignment on Old Lin’s desk. He was drinking his tea with a smile on his face, seemingly in a great mood.

A passing teacher joked to Old Lin, “That student of yours sure has a personality.”

Old Lin laughed.

The other teached added, “There are a lot of rumors.”

Old Lin said, “That’s nonsense! Let me tell you—”

The other teacher’s phone rang, so they waved goodbye and turned to take their call.

Old Lin then turned to Zhu Yun and promptly continued, “I’m telling you—You guys will see in the future.”

….

?

Zhu Yun stood still for several seconds.

Why don’t you just say what you know now?

But then Old Lin started talking about the homework, so that topic came to an end.

One week later, the situation around the seminar calmed, but Li Xun’s simple name seemed to have left an impression in many people’s minds. When his seniors spoke of him, they were equivocal. When his dormmates spoke of him, they were evasive.

Li Xun was still the same as before though. Skipping morning study hall, typing out his code at the fastest pace, napping in the afternoon, always appearing with a golden head that looked like weeds.