Chapter 12 Simplified Algorithms
During the break between evening self-study sessions, Jiang Wan sorted out several test papers and piled them in front of Zhou Chong.
"I have some questions I don't understand, and I'd like you to teach me."
"Okay." Zhou Chong finished writing the word and turned to look at her exam paper.
The one on top is the math monthly exam paper. Jiang Wan scored 145 points, only missing the last sub-question of the last big question.
The last big question was indeed quite difficult, so the math teacher had explained it in detail in class today. Logically, Jiang Wan should have understood it.
Zhou Chong subconsciously looked at the area marked with a red cross. The blank space there had been filled with the solution steps in a different color of red pen, which should be the content corrected by Jiang Wan.
He quickly glanced at it, found no problems, the corrected answer was correct, and the process was very detailed.
"Is there anything you still don't understand about this question?" Zhou Chong pointed to the last sub-question of the last big question. "The correction process is correct, and the answer is also correct."
“I understand that one.” Jiang Wan glanced at the last big question, then looked back at it, her pen poking at the fill-in-the-blank question in front of her. “I don’t quite understand this one.”
Zhou Chong followed her gaze and saw that it was the last fill-in-the-blank question, testing the transformation of logarithmic functions. Although the question was flexible, it was not particularly difficult.
Moreover, and most importantly, Jiang Wan got this question right.
"This question," Zhou Chong paused, looking at Jiang Wan with some suspicion, "didn't you get it right?"
"Ah, I... I did it right." Jiang Wan scratched her head with her pen cap, her eyes darting left and right. "But... I'd like to ask you, is there... any other way?"
After saying that, she nodded heavily again and repeated it resolutely, "Yes, that's it. Is there any other better way?"
Other good methods?
That depends first and foremost on what method she uses.
That's what Zhou Chong thought, and that's what he asked, "What method did you originally use to solve it?"
"Um, I..." Jiang Wan chewed on her pen, clicked her tongue in frustration, "Oh, just teach me what method you used."
Zhou Chong turned his head to look at her, his delicate eyebrows furrowed, and his bright eyes were fixed on the question on the test paper.
He didn't press further, reread the question, pondered for a few seconds, and then wrote a few lines of calculation on the draft paper. "This is how I did it..."
Jiang Wan quickly leaned closer, looking at the calculations on the draft paper, and listened attentively to Zhou Chong's explanation of the problem.
Zhou Chong speaks concisely and to the point, and he explains the solution to problems in just a few words.
"Did you understand?"
"...Yes, I understand."
Jiang Wan nodded. She understood what Zhou Chong was saying, but the method he used didn't seem to be high school math.
She hesitated, then looked up, asking uncertainly, "Does your method involve calculus?"
Zhou Chong paused, then nodded. "Yes, I taught myself university-level advanced mathematics."
"Oh, I see." Jiang Wan suddenly realized and muttered to herself, "No wonder, it sounded familiar, I was thinking the same thing just now."
Just then, Zhang Chi, who had just returned from outside, passed by the two of them and overheard their conversation. He stared in astonishment, "What?! You two have both taught yourselves advanced mathematics? That's incredible!"
Jiang Wan looked up and smiled sheepishly, "No, I'm just learning casually, haha."
"Just...learn something?" Zhang Chi's eyes widened even more.
"Alright, do you think you can chime in on a conversation between top students?" Li Yang stood up, making way for Zhang Chi to return to his seat. "Go sit down now."
Zhang Chi pursed his lips and quickly moved back to his seat.
Jiang Wan looked down at the test paper again and said to Zhou Chong beside her, "But I feel like doing it this way is a bit of going the extra mile. Is there any simpler way?"
Zhou Chong frowned and thought for a moment, then took the test paper back. "Let me think about it some more."
Jiang Wan held a pen in one hand and rested her chin on the other, blatantly scrutinizing Zhou Chong's profile with her head tilted to the side.
His features weren't as sharp as they would be later, but they were still very three-dimensional, with deep brow bones, a high and straight nose, and a clean and distinct jawline.
When he is focused on solving problems, his thin lips are pursed into a straight line, his eyes are calmly focused on the paper, and his thick, dark eyelashes cast a shadow.
Everyone says that the most handsome men are those who are serious, and she had seen Zhou Chong working seriously before; he was indeed very handsome.
But he is different from the man before me.
Jiang Wan couldn't quite put her finger on what was different about her; perhaps she had lost some of her aloofness and gained more of the youthful vigor that was unique to young people.
She didn't know why, but looking at Zhou Chong beside her, her eyes suddenly felt a little sore.
"Okay, we can use this simple method."
Zhou Chong suddenly turned his head and looked over. Jiang Wan was startled and didn't have time to dodge. Her red eyes met his.
"What...is wrong?" Zhou Chong was also taken aback. He put down his pen and cautiously moved an inch closer to her. "Did you get sand in your eyes?"
"No." Jiang Wan smiled, blinked, and rubbed the corner of her eye. "It was probably from the wind."
She sat by the window, and to keep the room ventilated, the window would be opened a crack when class ended.
Although the winter night wind was biting, not much wind actually blew in through such a small gap; Jiang Wan was just making up an excuse.
Unexpectedly, the moment she lowered her head, a tall shadow fell beside her.
Zhou Chong propped himself up, stretched out his arm, and reached over Jiang Wan's back to close the window next to her.
With a "click," the lock tightened, sealing it securely.
Jiang Wan lowered her head, and Zhou Chong's school uniform jacket collar hung in front of her eyes. The pleasant soapy scent emanating from the boy instantly enveloped her.
The clean and crisp scent easily reminded her of the familiar aroma of wormwood.
She instinctively held her breath, not knowing what she was nervous about.
Zhou Chong quickly closed the window and sat back down.
He picked up his pen again, pointed to the calculation process on the draft paper, and said, "Let me explain this simplified algorithm to you again."
“…Oh, okay.” Jiang Wan quickly raised her head, moved her upper body over, and looked at the manuscript paper next to him.
Zhou Chong's voice was calm, and his pace was neither too fast nor too slow. When explaining the problem to her, he was patient and persuasive, without a trace of impatience.
Even though Jiang Wan asked him question after question, and even though she had answered correctly, she insisted that he provide a simpler solution.
Before they knew it, their heads were getting closer and closer, and their arms, which were pressing against the test papers, were almost touching.
Jiang Wan smelled a strangely familiar scent on him, and her thoughts wandered uncontrollably.
She thought she had truly fallen in love with Zhou Chong.
It's a kind of liking that's a little bit more than just being in love.
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