Chapter 040: Getting Away with It
When Lin Luoyou was called by Wen Chuan, she had just slipped into the classroom and hadn’t even had time to put down her backpack.
“Here!” she answered quickly, standing up at once.
“The research topics you recommended for us focus mainly on two areas: stocks and banking. For stocks, you gave examples such as examining the correlation between stock liquidity and volatility, the practical application of hedging in our country’s stock market, and long-term investment strategies. In the banking sector, you mentioned risk management in the banking market, forecasting exchange rate fluctuations, and the relationship between bank efficiency, capital, and risk.”
Wen Chuan had intended to catch a latecomer off guard and make an example of them, but he hadn’t expected Lin Luoyou to answer almost word for word. Unconvinced, he pressed further:
“Then tell me, when did I say you have to submit your topic selection? And when are the first draft, the second draft, and the final paper due?”
This question still didn’t trouble Lin Luoyou:
“Topic selections are due November fifteenth, with the proposal presentation the following weekend. The first, second, and final drafts are due respectively after this semester’s final exams, the fourth week of next semester, and after next year’s May Day holiday.”
“All right, you pass this time,” Wen Chuan said, moving aside the part of the whiteboard that had been covered and continuing with the notes relevant to the project proposal. However, every student in the classroom could tell the old professor was feeling quite vexed.
Lin Luoyou didn’t care in the least whether the professor was annoyed by her flawless answer. She plopped down next to Jiang Xiaohan with a bright smile and made a heart gesture at her.
Her seamless response was entirely thanks to Jiang Xiaohan’s timely cooperation. Knowing Wen Chuan never wasted words in class, Jiang Xiaohan had the quick wit to give Lin Luoyou a live update. Even though Lin Luoyou had still been several kilometers away, she managed to catch all the key points of Wen Chuan’s lecture in real time. That was why she could deliver a perfect answer even when called upon unexpectedly.
This seminar, truth be told, was just a brief meeting between students and mentors before the project proposals. Although they’d all been in the same department for three years, with so many people, Wen Chuan couldn’t possibly remember every student. This was simply a chance to meet and put faces to names.
“Hey, Wen Chuan just said we can work solo or form pairs for the project… What are you thinking?” After the meeting ended, Jiang Xiaohan probed for Lin Luoyou’s intentions.
“Me?” Lin Luoyou paused for a moment. “Honestly, I haven’t thought about it yet. I don’t even have a clue what I want to research.”
“Ha, as if I know what to do,” Jiang Xiaohan shrugged and sighed. “I really don’t know if letting you talk me into working with Wen Chuan is a blessing or a curse.”
“But I think, even though either solo or pair work is fine, the grading for pairs will probably be stricter,” Lin Luoyou said, her outlook a bit more optimistic than her friend’s. “You’re at GS now, aren’t you? Don’t you guys research the stock market all the time? That’s a great platform. Go ask your supervisor what his specialties are—it’ll be much easier for you.”
“That’s a great idea!” Jiang Xiaohan immediately felt this was the right approach and decided on the spot to sound out her boss the next morning. She had already done so much work for him without asking for overtime pay; she could take this opportunity to “take advantage” of him a little and it wouldn’t be out of line.
“Come on, I’m in a good mood now. Let’s go have some fun!”