Chapter 51: The Chess Game and the City - Ned's Brother Undermines His Plans
The final week of experiments went smoothly, and summer vacation was coming to an end. However, when Xu Aida looked at the new algorithm he had just completed, he discovered a big problem: the discriminant function was not working well and the gradient had disappeared.
As a reborn person, she was certainly aware of the various ways to improve things later on.
However, the previous algorithms were all the results of her own research from her previous life. If she were to use someone else's future work in advance to solve the vanishing gradient problem in GANs, that would be plagiarism.
She couldn't get over this.
It would be even more difficult, and unnecessary, to bypass the work of predecessors and find a completely different solution.
Oh dear, how could she forget such a question? Is she having some kind of mental lapse lately?
She went downstairs with a sullen face. In the living room, two boys were playing chess.
She held the iced orange juice, plopped down next to Liang Siyu, stared at the chessboard, and didn't say a word.
Liang Siyu quickly noticed that Cohen was acting strangely, glancing at her frequently, and the advantage quickly shifted in Cohen's favor.
“Ned, you’re doomed within five steps,” Cohen said with an exaggeratedly wicked grin.
Xu Aida couldn't help but purse his lips and reached out to help Liang Siyu take a step.
Cohen was about to tease them when he realized there was something fishy about this step.
He proceeded cautiously, but to his surprise, Ada's seemingly whimsical moves were actually a steady, relentless pressure.
Before he could even figure it out, a crisp "checkmate" came from the other side, and he lost.
Liang Siyu had no idea she was so good at chess. He was about to praise her when he saw her frown, take a sip of orange juice, and walk up the stairs.
Xu Aida was not happy even after winning the game.
She already knew all of this from junior high; bullying them would be so pointless.
Liang Siyu apologized softly to Cohen and quickly caught up: "Ada?"
"There's something wrong with the algorithm, it's so annoying." She gently grasped his finger.
He comforted you, saying, "You only have two samples; it's just a preliminary process. Besides, once we start using sEMG next semester, the data accuracy will be higher, and the problem might just be solved naturally."
“It’s not that simple; there’s a problem with the mathematical principles.” Xu Aida sighed. “Never mind, I won’t go into details. It’s too complicated to explain in a short time.”
Besides, he's not an algorithm specialist, so talking to him is pointless.
Liang Siyu knew, of course, that he couldn't help at all with the math problem.
He hesitated for a moment, then decided to distract her: "How about we go out for a walk? It'll change our mood, and we can have dinner at Ed's house tonight."
Xu Aida hesitated for a moment, then went out with him. Since the problem was unsolvable for the time being, they might as well find some happiness in the present.
Half an hour later, Liang Siyu sat on the sofa in the shop, quietly waiting for the lady to change her clothes.
The fitting room door opened, and she tried on the mint green dress he had recommended.
The silk organza has a beautiful sheen, with alternating mint green and semi-transparent silver stripes. It has an inner petticoat, so there is no exposed skin, but because of the hazy outer layer of gauze, it appears pure, mysterious, and sexy.
“This is absolutely gorgeous.” He couldn’t help but wrap his arms around her waist. Wearing this dress, he was reminded of the Green Halo.
She smiled slightly and said, "Hmm, it looks good. I'll wear this next week."
Huh? Liang Siyu was stunned. Was she planning to wear this to an academic banquet?
Next week, there will be a closed-door seminar on "Intelligent Algorithms and Social Welfare" at NYU's School of Engineering.
Her advisor, Professor Hart, will be attending the welcome dinner next Tuesday, and the professor has invited all three of them to come along.
Although he strongly recommended that she try this one, he secretly felt that, given her usual habits, she would definitely choose the same black dress she wore to the academic banquet.
As for this green tulle dress, it's soft and light, perfect for a candlelight dinner at home.
But how could he say that? That would seem too petty. He could only nod.
That evening, CC was overjoyed by the vase that Xu Aida had given her.
“It’s so beautiful, perfect for summer and autumn. I should put it by the fireplace.” She placed it there and carefully adjusted its position.
Looking at it, Liang Siyu suddenly remembered something: "Hey, where's that Matisse print?"
The painting above the fireplace has been changed. CC is a creative manager at an advertising agency and loves Matisse's vibrant colors; the painting was a anniversary gift from her brother Ed.
Ed shrugged and led them toward the children's room, which was just beginning to be set up: "Here it is."
To be honest, he didn't quite understand why it was put in the children's room, but as long as CC liked it, that was fine.
When Liang Siyu saw the lemon-yellow crib and the dark green carpet inside, she couldn't help but smile: "Oh, what a bright place, perfect for Matisse."
However, his gaze fell on the corner, and he pouted at his brother, "The tent you chose?"
The colorful flags on it look a bit like a circus from the last century; it's definitely not CC's taste.
Ed retorted, "Do you expect me to take some kind of plant photography like you? I certainly don't appreciate those kinds of specimen photos."
He turned back to Xu Aida and said, "Ada, don't tell me you like that kind of thing too."
Xu Aida smiled slightly: "I like it, but it's really not suitable for a children's room."
She certainly remembered that Ned had a large black-and-white photograph of ferns hanging in his Baltimore apartment, a calm and elegant objective view of nature.
“But it can be used for early math education.” Liang Siyu shared a funny story while suppressing a laugh. “When Ada first saw that photo, she liked the curve of the stems and leaves the most, saying it was somewhat similar to the Fibonacci spiral.”
When he heard that, he had only one thought: she was incredibly cute, and he wanted to kiss her.
Ed and CC laughed at the novel angle; this girl with a head full of math was a perfect match for Ned.
Xu Aida's lips also curved into a smile. She had forgotten that she had said such silly things when she was young. Later, she learned to talk about objective perspectives and realism.
Looking at his smiling younger brother, Ed couldn't help but reveal, "Ned, Mom originally wanted to buy Stein's that day, but you insisted on choosing that botanical photography. She almost cried."
That was during his summer break after his freshman year of college, while Ned hadn't even graduated from elementary school yet.
He successfully saw his younger brother's expression change drastically, then turned to look at Xu Aida and slowly added, "He's been like this since he was little; no matter what he likes, he'll stick to it."
Xu Aida blushed instantly.
Ed laughed heartily, but CC pulled him away.
“Ed, come on, let’s go see how your lasagna is going.”
They were the only ones left in the children's room. Liang Siyu wrapped his arms around her waist and said, "Ignore him. He just talks nonsense."
He had finally managed to build a mature image, but his older brother always undermines him.
Xu Aida composed herself, then smiled and asked, "How did you convince Claudia back then? Did you really rely on tears?"
His eyes darted around: "It's just a photo. Mom has bought plenty of them. Don't listen to his nonsense."
He was embarrassed to admit that, in his youthful ignorance, he had his eye on a genuine antique print, not a reproduction.
He stood there and refused to move, so his mother had no choice but to abandon her original plan and give in to his demands.
When his father found out, he had a serious talk with him and agreed that if he continued to act on impulse and stubbornly refuse to change his mind, his allowance would be halved.
“Let me check.” She shook her head, disbelieving his explanation, and squinted her eyes to recall, “What was that photographer’s name again? Bros…”
Actually, she didn't even need to check. The fact that he specifically brought the photo to Baltimore and then moved it back to New York proves that it was very valuable.
Otherwise, why not buy another one? He usually keeps two, or even three, copies of his books, and also copies from Long Island.
“Blossfield,” he added softly, but pressed her hand down, his eyes filled with embarrassment and pleading.
She couldn't help but tiptoe and kiss him. She thought that if Claudia had seen the same look in his eyes back then, he probably wouldn't have needed to shed tears.
"Come on, lasagna is ready. This is my secret recipe," Ed called from outside.
The lasagna was delicious, and Xu Aida drank half a glass of red wine.
Ed was in a great mood as he watched his younger brother trying to persuade him but not daring to.
However, he quickly put down his wine glass and switched to grape juice. CC had been craving wine lately and had glanced at his glass several times.
Taking the opportunity, Liang Siyu changed Xu Aida's juice as well. Looking at the night view outside the window, he casually asked, "By the way, I heard you're moving?"
Lower Manhattan is certainly bustling, but it's not suitable for raising children; it's too crowded.
“I’m thinking about it.” Ed put down his cup and rested the other hand on the back of CC’s chair. “I still want to move back to the Upper West Side. The Riverside is nice, isn’t it wonderful to watch the sunset over the Hudson River?”
CC pursed her lips almost imperceptibly: "I don't like being interviewed by the co-op committee."
Xu Aida was taken aback. Co-op? An interview?
Liang Siyu noticed her confusion and explained in a low voice, "Many older apartments in New York are co-op apartments. Essentially, you are buying shares in a co-op company. Only shareholders are eligible to move in, so there is an interview required to move in."
CC continued to complain: "This is modern society. It's hard to understand why a legitimate business transaction would be questioned by a stranger."
“Sweetie,” Ed smiled, “that’s our future neighbor, and she’ll be our friend too.”
He didn't understand what the problem was; they weren't going to fail the interview.
“My friends have never considered whether I’m qualified to be part of their circle of friends.” CC took a sip of grape juice. “Never mind, we’ll talk about it later.”
Their marital home is a modern high-rise apartment with three bedrooms, which is enough for a child under one year old. She plans to slowly choose the area for their new home.
“Okay, okay, no problem. If you don’t like co-op, then townhouses are fine too.”
Pregnant women come first, so Ed immediately compromised. Although the townhouse on the Upper West Side was slightly beyond his personal budget, his parents had expressed their willingness to support them in moving as soon as they heard CC was pregnant.
However, he couldn't help but add, "I just think that no area in New York City is as great as the Upper West Side, which balances everything."
Liang Siyu nodded unconsciously. The Upper West Side has a central park, a riverside park, countless museums, and is never short of art performances, making it a first-class community atmosphere.
“You brothers all grew up there, so naturally you have a rosy view of it.”
The Upper West Side is quite nice, but she always felt that the atmosphere there was too reserved and too quiet.
CC is looking for allies. "Ada, don't you think so?"
Xu Aida paused for a moment, then quickly replied, "Oh, of course. If you ask me, the best city in the world is Cupertino. It's much more comfortable than New York, whether it's winter or summer."
Upon hearing this, the two brothers could only smile, shake their heads, clink glasses, and say nothing more.
Even if you firmly believe that New York is the best, it's a bit ridiculous to keep arguing about it in the face of California's climate.
Xu Aida clinked glasses with CC. She sighed inwardly; Ed and CC had always been the model couple in her mind, and she never expected that they would quarrel over something like this.
She recalled that two years later, they chose a loft in Tribeca, which was decorated in a very stylish way.
However, seven or eight years later, she heard that they were planning to move back to the Upper West Side because Tribeca had become too touristy and overly commercialized.
When he got home that evening, Xu Aida stood by the bookshelf in his bedroom, touching the commemorative wooden oar he had used in a high school competition, feeling a little melancholy. He later took that oar with him to Hangzhou, to their new home.
She recalled that when she told him that a university in Hangzhou wanted to invite her to be a "specially appointed researcher," he was a little worried and tried to dissuade her several times.
"Ada, don't think about me. Prioritize choosing a school that suits you, okay? Hangzhou is a completely new environment. What if you don't adapt?"
"I'll take on fewer projects next year and take a three-month vacation. Besides, you also have a summer vacation..."
However, once she arrived in Hangzhou, she could clearly sense that he was very happy.
That Thanksgiving, they returned to New York. He packed a few souvenirs, saying that you always need some old things to feel like home and have the taste of life.
When he accompanied her home for a short stay, she also brought several of her "digital antiques" to Hangzhou.
When Liang Siyu came out of the shower, she saw her stroking the old wooden paddle.
"Want to go boating?" He smiled and hugged her. "It's a pity it's still too hot now. Let's wait until autumn, when it's cooler, before we go."
Xu Aida nodded absentmindedly: "Ned, from now on we..."
She suddenly stopped. "Oh, you said you'd teach me how to capsize a boat, next time?"
Liang Siyu smiled and hugged her: "Hey, this is great. It's perfect for practicing in the indoor pool, it won't be too hot."
He looked down at her face: "How have you been feeling lately? If you're feeling good the day after tomorrow afternoon, shall we go out and have some fun?"
She raised her head and said, "Sure, no problem."
He kissed her cheek: "If you feel unwell, say so immediately. The pressure on your heart is different in the water than on land."
"Don't worry," she said, returning his kiss.
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