The mentor’s meaning

Lin Yuan, with a heavy heart, walked into his mentor's office with his Feng Shui AI Model.

His apprehension wasn't just from worrying that his mentor wouldn't approve of his explanation; it was also due to his concealment from his mentor.

For someone of humble origins and simple character like Lin Yuan, while he understood how to seek advantages and avoid harm, he still felt a trace of guilt deep down for misleading a mentor who had helped him so much.

"Professor, my food delivery algorithm has been tested in HX District for several days now, and it's about to be rolled out across the entire Zijin City."

"That's great. How's your OCR situation?"

Lin Yuan hadn't expected his mentor to not continue discussing the food delivery algorithm, but instead to steer the conversation towards the OCR fishing.

"I'm gradually increasing the proportion of mining time, and it's now up to 30%. I received the first warning email about abnormal training data the day before yesterday."

"Oh?" Professor Zhang immediately perked up. "Such an important matter, why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Lin Yuan hadn't really put much thought into the OCR fishing these past few days.

Researching the Feng Shui AI Model consumed most of his energy, and at the same time, he had to manage the daily algorithm testing for Good Group. There was also a 23-year-old daughter who had just broken up with her best friend and needed his comfort.

For this, Lin Yuan had even skipped many classes.

Naturally, he didn't take that OCR warning email seriously.

"I'll forward the email to you right now."

Lin Yuan opened his phone's email and quickly forwarded the message.

Professor Zhang sat in front of the computer, frowning as he carefully scrutinized the email.

"A very formulaic email," Professor Zhang commented on the email.

"I thought so too."

"This should be a test, a small test of your personal greed."

"Professor, then how should I respond?"

"Adapt as needed, and wait for them to contact you proactively. In my experience, no matter what their specific methods are, their first step always revolves around two points. One is to conduct a character assessment of you, to see how greedy you are, how bold you are, and to find your weaknesses..."

'Weaknesses?' Lin Yuan suddenly recalled a movie line in his heart—'I want to challenge my weaknesses.' So he immediately asked, "Then what kind of weaknesses should I display?"

Professor Zhang got up and paced a few steps, carefully considering for a moment before saying, "Given the current social situation and your current age, it's safer to primarily present yourself as 'greedy and lustful.'"

"This..." Lin Yuan wanted to say, 'For every poor person, isn't that just acting naturally?'

"This might be a bit difficult for you," Professor Zhang suddenly interjected, which surprised Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan felt that his mentor might lack sufficient understanding of today's young people.

Recalling Lin Yuan, who once delivered food in scorching heat and biting cold, the closest beautiful girls to him were all on his phone. Under such a towering reality, it was hard for him not to be associated with the words 'greedy and lustful.'

Although Lin Yuan had been growing, especially after getting into graduate school, he gradually showed signs of wanting to help the world. Although Lin Yuan's innate simple values had always firmly anchored his soul, those words still left some seeds in his heart.

Otherwise, Lin Yuan wouldn't have thought about making money to marry a wife first, but would have immediately aimed for humanity's starry sea.

"I'll do my best," Lin Yuan said with a reluctant expression on his face, though beneath it was a look of 'who else but me?'

"I remember now," Professor Zhang suddenly said as if something had occurred to him. "When the time is right, just be honest. Just tell them about your family background and the fact that your parents don't have retirement or medical insurance. They'll be very willing to put in effort for a kid like you who came out of the countryside."

Lin Yuan was a bit dazed for a moment; he suddenly realized, 'I don't even need to make up a resume background to be a rebel; my pale first 23 years of life are the best explanation.'

The way to express "greed" was already there. As Lin Yuan was curious about how to express the words "lustful," Professor Zhang did not elaborate on that topic.

Professor Zhang continued, "The second step is to analyze your personal value. This depends on what you can offer the other party. Don't worry about this; we will arrange those things."

Lin Yuan felt a little flustered listening to this. Since espionage is a conduct crime, Lin Yuan couldn't help but confirm again, "Professor, if I give them things, there's no risk, right?"

"Don't worry. They are all borderline documents. When it comes to giving sensitive documents, you won't actually be the one to do it. With your resume, a 24-year-old first-year graduate student, you're just small fry in their eyes. If you really provided them with sensitive documents, then they would have to become suspicious."

At this point, Lin Yuan suddenly understood.

His mentor never intended for him to take the main responsibility; he was merely a large bait.

"So, Professor, do you mean I should slowly draw their attention towards you?"

"Not necessarily towards me; it could be someone else, or it could be a fictional, non-existent person. You don't need to worry about this, and you don't need to ask about the specific operational methods now. When the time is right, everything will fall into place naturally. The reason I'm not arranging for someone to teach you some tricks to deal with those people is precisely to avoid any traces of training on you."

Lin Yuan understood, "I see. You value me being an ordinary person."

"That's pretty much it. So, you don't need to worry too much. Because, strictly speaking from legal provisions, the instigators are me and Li Youcai, and the things actually given out through your hands are not truly confidential."

Lin Yuan felt grateful at once, "Professor, you've considered so much for me. I..."

"Hey~~" Professor Zhang quickly waved his hand to interrupt, "You and I are mentor and student in name, but in this matter, we are comrades in the same trench. I am an old soldier, so I should naturally bear more. What's more, you voluntarily jumped into this trench."

Professor Zhang's words were profound, and Lin Yuan recalled the past conversations he had with his mentor.

He suddenly realized that his mentor was not only telling him about his past experiences but also using those stories to observe him.

Professor Zhang recounted his own experiences, firstly to make Lin Yuan understand that fishing for overseas NGO organizations was not as terrifying as it seemed. Secondly, it was to pave the way for Lin Yuan's final decision. Because this kind of 'fishing' must be voluntary; if there's even a hint of reluctance in one's heart, then it definitely can't be done.

Did his mentor decide to bring him onto this path only after testing his ambition and courage? Lin Yuan had no clear answer to this in his heart.

He even wondered if his unintentional actions in various small matters usually influenced his mentor's final decision. For example: his attitude towards his parents at home, his attitude towards whether to publish papers early, his attitude towards study, work, and life.

And what his mentor's purpose was in bringing him onto this path, Lin Yuan didn't know, and he couldn't even ask such a question.

To cultivate him? Not necessarily; appreciating him and giving him an opportunity doesn't equate to valuing cultivation.

Did he casually point out a path of "taking food from the enemy," but unexpectedly, he actually hooked a big fish, so he then cultivated him along the way? Lin Yuan was more inclined to this explanation.

Thinking of this, Lin Yuan once again marveled at the randomness and wonder of fate. If he had refused to help his mentor fish at that time, would his connection with his mentor have ended then?

But no matter what, Lin Yuan didn't want to be a petty person who turns on those who help him. He still sincerely thanked his mentor in his heart.

——

The mentor and student chatted for a while, but they still hadn't gotten to the technical details of the food delivery algorithm.

It wasn't until Professor Zhang wanted to end the conversation that Lin Yuan emphasized his original intention for coming, "Professor, I actually came to show you the technical implementation process of my food delivery algorithm."