Chapter 2189 - 709: Winter, Night, Outside the Car Window (2)

Plus, under Teacher Jiang’s meticulous guidance.

From the basic syntax of Python, to the deep learning framework of TensorFlow, and then to the latest computer vision algorithms...

She was like a dry sponge, diligently absorbing every drop of the nectar of knowledge.

"Buzz buzz buzz—"

The vibration of the phone interrupted her focus.

Seeing the familiar avatar on the screen, the seriousness on her face instantly melted away, replaced by a genuinely radiant smile.

[Brother: "Sister, remember to let me know before you leave school tonight."]

Qian Lele immediately replied: "Okay, I’ll leave on time."

Then, she glanced at the time.

Packing her things, she slung her backpack and walked swiftly towards the teaching building.

This afternoon, she still had two important professional courses.

Now with the lab as a fixed "base," she no longer had to painstakingly search everywhere for a study room like before.

That dedicated workstation had become her new home on campus, holding all her books and study materials.

The bell signaling the end of the first class rang.

Qian Lele, while discussing the post-class assignments left by the teacher with her classmates, picked up her phone.

She noticed an unread WhatsApp message.

[Sister Xiao Jing: "Lele~ It’s Friday today. I invited Qianqian to join me at TC Club for a spa this evening. They’ve got a new batch of body wraps that are supposed to be amazing. Would you like to join us?"]

Seeing the message, Qian Lele quickly typed a reply: "Ah, sorry Sister Xiao Jing, I have something important to do tonight."

[Sister Xiao Jing: "Alright then, that’s too bad. I’ll come to your school next time to hang out with you, and you can’t refuse me."]

Qian Lele: "Okay, thanks for thinking of me, Sister Xiao Jing."

After replying to the message, she discreetly breathed a sigh of relief.

Sister Xiao Jing was just too enthusiastic.

Ever since they met, she often chatted with her, giving her a bit of psychological pressure.

After parting with her classmates.

Qian Lele returned to the quiet lab.

Just as she pushed open the door, she saw Teacher Jiang sitting in the innermost seat.

She was holding an extra-large cup of full-sugar bubble tea, with bags of "Gold" and "Oreo" by her side.

Qian Lele clearly remembered that after eating the afternoon tea she brought yesterday, Teacher Jiang sternly "criticized" her.

Telling her absolutely not to bring her any more afternoon tea, saying she needed to seriously lose weight.

That stern tone had left Qian Lele, who respected teachers deeply from a young age, feeling guilty for a long time.

This—

Qian Lele first greeted the seniors in the lab softly, then tiptoed over to her workstation.

"Good afternoon, Teacher Jiang."

Seeing Qian Lele come in, Jiang Yourong’s face instantly showed a trace of embarrassment, and she subconsciously tried to hide the cup of bubble tea.

Explaining: "Ahem... Shanshan and the others bought these snacks for me, I really didn’t want to eat them, but I was afraid of hurting their feelings, so... hehe..."

Seeing her mentor’s adorable "no silver here" expression, Qian Lele struggled to suppress her laughter and nodded vigorously.

Sincerely flattering: "I understand, Teacher Jiang! You’re just too soft-hearted and too gentle to refuse the students’ good intentions."

She was kind and simple, but her emotional intelligence and intellect were certainly exceptional.

She naturally understood her mentor’s current situation and knew what words were "pleasant" to say at that moment.

This thoughtful "exit" brought a relieved smile to Jiang Yourong’s face.

"Have a seat, Lele. The question you asked me on WhatsApp, about ’the application of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) in image recognition,’ had a very good perspective. While we have time now, let me explain it to you in detail."

"Great, thank you, Teacher Jiang."

Qian Lele’s eyes instantly lit up, and like a diligent student, she immediately pulled over a chair and sat next to the teacher, listening attentively.

...

After spending more than half an hour in the lab, and completing the last class in the afternoon, Qian Lele returned to the dormitory like a bird returning to its nest.

From the depths of her wardrobe, she retrieved the outfit she had boldly bought on sale last month—

A cream-colored duffle coat and a light gray plaid pleated skirt.

She carefully applied a layer of bare face cream and put on the reddish-brown lipstick that Qianqian had given her, which added a nice touch.

Looking at the transformed Cinderella in the mirror, her cheeks couldn’t help but flush.

She glanced at the time; it was already past five.

Outside, it was pitch black.

She placed the meticulously wrapped scarf in her canvas tote bag and quickly walked out of the dormitory building.

Her warm heart charged into the piercing cold wind of the winter night.

The hem of her skirt swayed gently.

The streetlight’s glow fell on her face, and the hint of mauve lipstick made her look both nervous and radiant.

She jogged all the way to the bus stop.

The wind was cold, and her breath was full of white mist.

But the palms of her hands were slightly sweaty.

5:41 PM.

The warmly lit 31 bus, a route she knew too well, emerged from the night.

"Beep—"

She followed the rush-hour crowd, swiping her card to board.

Because it was Friday night, the bus was crowded, the air mixed with heating and various smells.

She found a small corner to stand and held onto the cold overhead strap.

She lowered her head and sent him a message on WhatsApp: "Brother, I’m on the bus now."

No immediate reply came.

But she wasn’t anxious, just smiled lightly, her eyes looking out the window.

The neon lights flowed across the glass, like a dream.

With each streetlight that passed, her heart fluttered a little.

Normal university south intersection, Sports Street south... Wanda Plaza east...

One stop, then another...

The familiar station names sounded in her ears and gradually faded away.

She had seen each station name on the map countless times.

She had also sat alone, taking this route, many times to the entrance of that community, yet never having the courage to truly go in.

The bus interior was noisy.

The sounds of honking cars, young students laughing, passengers talking softly, and the station announcements looped continuously...

This ebb and flow created the most authentic soundtrack of the urban night.

But in her world.

At this moment, all the noise seemed to be automatically filtered out, leaving only the warm and lively background music.

Her heart was beating quickly, strongly, and expectantly.

Brother, will he like my outfit today?

When we meet later, what should I say to him?

Countless fragments filled with teenage musings flickered in her mind like stars in the sky.

At the third stop from the end, the bus crowd began to thin out.

With each brake and startup, she stealthily moved a short distance closer to the back door through the gaps in the crowd.

The movement was gentle and courteous.

Ensuring no disturbance to those who wanted to disembark.

The bus moved slowly, stop-and-go, through the crowded city center on a winter night.

She raised her head and looked out the window.

Tall buildings like a forest, flowing neon, massive LED screens shifting light and shadow, car lights converged into a warm and distant golden river.

"Next stop—YJTC."

The familiar female voice echoed in the bus.

Qian Lele unconsciously arrived at the back door.

Her heartbeat seemed to merge with the pulse of the city, each beat full of strength.

Her clear bright eyes reflected the outline of YJTC outside the window.

She instinctively leaned her body slightly, trying to see more clearly through the bus window glass.

The 31 bus signaled and slowly left the main road, approaching the bus stop by the roadside.

Qian Lele suddenly froze, as if bound by a spell.

A tall, slender figure quietly stood not far ahead under the relatively bright area of the bus stop.

The dim yellow halo of the streetlight tenderly outlined his clear profile.

He wore a dark long coat, seemingly with a light-colored turtleneck sweater inside.

His hands were casually in the coat pockets, slightly tilting his head, watching the slowly approaching bus with calm eyes.

His gentle demeanor sharply contrasted with the hurried passersby and the chaotic environment, as if he had his own soft light filter.

Time suddenly slowed down.

The world outside the window blurred into light and shadow.

Winter, night, outside the bus window, the windy bus stop.

He seemed to see her too, with a clear smile on his face.

Hands reached out from his pockets, waving vigorously in her direction.