Reborn in 1977, I will no longer be my brother's blood bag.

The third day after that rain.

The first internal review of the Qiming Project has officially begun.

The conference room on the third floor of the automation building was much quieter than usual.

A list was posted at the entrance; everyone involved in the project was present.

Because after today, some people will stay, and some will be eliminated.

It's 8:30 in the morning.

Professor Chen entered the conference room on time.

Two people followed behind him: the deputy director of the Department of Automation and Director Qin of the Research Institute.

When they saw Director Qin, many students visibly straightened their posture.

As everyone knows, the Qiming Project has never been just a school project.

It is backed by research institutes and may even determine the future of many people.

Professor Chen cut to the chase and said, "The rules are simple. Present your proposal, ask questions, and get a comprehensive score. The top three will stay."

The first person to go on stage was Li Mingyuan.

He was wearing a gray sweater and holding a thick stack of documents.

His very first sentence made many people look up: "I think all the current solutions have one thing in common—they are too idealistic."

Over the next twenty minutes, he disassembled the entire system and re-analyzed it. From hardware costs to the operating environment, every step was meticulously executed.

It's not fancy, but it's flawless.

Director Qin listened and nodded, and Professor Chen also showed a rare smile.

The meeting room erupted in applause as the report concluded.

Li Mingyuan returned to his seat, his face showing no smugness, but silently noted down the question he had just asked.

The second one is Zhao Guodong.

Completely different from Li Mingyuan's, his proposal was more radical, even boldly proposing several entirely new optimization directions.

The deputy director frowned: "The risk is too great."

Zhao Guodong did not back down: "If we're just doing what others have done, then why bother competing?"

That one sentence stumped many people.

Director Qin suddenly laughed: "Young people should have some spirit."

Zhao Guodong's ears turned slightly red, but he stood even straighter.

It was nearly noon when it was Lin Xiuhe's turn.

She walked up to the podium with the materials in her hand. Many eyes in the conference room fell on her.

With her major being her priority, Professor Chen provided her with focused training, and the institute's early attention made her the center of attention.

When she stepped onto the podium, Zhao Guodong had already put down his pen, and Li Mingyuan had closed the documents in his hand. Even Director Qin looked up at the projection screen.

But Lin Xiuhe wasn't nervous, because she had gotten used to it over the past few months.

The projector lights up, and the first page contains only two words.

spare.

Many people were taken aback, including Zhao Guodong and Li Mingyuan.

Because they all remembered that during the first presentation, Professor Chen asked her—why make an extra set of models.

Now, the answer is here.

"The future will change," Lin Xiuhe said calmly. "Therefore, the solution cannot have only one outcome. If the environment changes, the system must have the ability to adapt."

She didn't show off her skills, nor did she pile up complicated formulas.

Instead, it starts with the simplest questions: What if the equipment breaks down? What if the parameters change? What if the environment is unexpected?

The deduction was made layer by layer.

Finally, the entire backup logic was presented.

The meeting room grew increasingly quiet.

Because everyone noticed that she considered things further ahead than others.

After the report concluded, the deputy director was the first to ask: "You mean the future is unpredictable?"

"No," Lin Xiuhe shook her head. "The future can be predicted, but we cannot rely on predictions."

Director Qin's eyes suddenly lit up.

Professor Chen slowly leaned back in his chair, a smile spreading across his face.

This statement is no longer just about the project.

The questioning lasted for twenty minutes.

As Lin Xiuhe was about to step down from the stage at the end, Director Qin suddenly spoke up: "One last question. If you were in charge of a project, what do you think would be your biggest advantage?"

Everyone looked at her.

This was the first time someone had publicly asked the person in charge a question. Zhao Guodong sat up straight, and Li Mingyuan also looked up.

This answer could determine a lot of things.

Lin Xiuhe was silent for a few seconds, then said, "I don't think I have the biggest advantage."

Director Qin raised an eyebrow: "Oh?"

"Li Mingyuan is more steady than me, and Zhao Guodong is more daring than me."

Many people in the conference room were stunned.

Even Zhao Guodong himself didn't expect her to say that.

But the next second, Lin Xiuhe continued, "But if we must point out an advantage, it should be—"

She paused for a moment, her gaze sweeping across the conference room before finally settling on the words "Qiming Project".

I know what I don't know.

Professor Chen suddenly smiled, and Director Qin smiled too. Because for many students, the hardest thing is never that they don't know, but that they don't realize they don't know.

After the review concluded, everyone left the meeting room.

The results will be announced tomorrow.

In the corridor, Zhao Guodong called out to her for the first time: "Lin Xiuhe."

"Um?"

"I will not lose." The tone was still firm, but there was no longer any hostility; it was more like a declaration.

Lin Xiuhe smiled and said, "What a coincidence, me too."

Li Mingyuan, who was standing next to him, burst out laughing: "Can you two change your lines?"

The atmosphere immediately became more relaxed.

As evening fell, the automation building gradually quieted down.

Lin Xiuhe finished packing up the documents and prepared to leave.

As soon as I got downstairs, I found Professor Chen standing there, as if he was waiting for someone.

"teacher?"

Professor Chen looked at her, remained silent for a few seconds, and then suddenly asked, "Would you like to do something even more difficult?"

Lin Xiuhe was stunned: "What?"

Professor Chen did not answer, but simply handed over a brown paper document bag.

There is no project name above, only two words: "[Confidential]".

A breeze swept through the campus, causing the file folder to sway gently.

Professor Chen's expression was more serious than ever before: "Go back and look at it again, but don't tell anyone."

When you're done, turn around and leave.

Lin Xiuhe was left standing there, looking down at the file bag in her hand.

My heart suddenly skipped a beat.

She held the corner of the file bag, and the two words on it swayed slightly in the wind.

This is by no means an ordinary project.