The rhythmic noise of the city train, which usually fades into the background of Mei Lin's thoughts, bothered her today. She looked at her watch with annoyance, as if the numbers were making fun of her running out of time. A sudden, unplanned delay in public transportation messed up her carefully planned morning and made her late for an important class. Not only did she miss a lecture, but she also lost precious minutes, even hours, from her busy schedule that she had set aside for her true passion: the hard work she needed to do to win national and international hacker competitions.
She let out a sigh of frustration. Every moment of her day was a carefully planned investment, either in her academic success or in the never-ending quest to achieve her ultimate hacking goal. These kinds of delays weren't just annoying; they were direct attacks on her progress, making it harder for her to improve her skills, learn new tricks, and get ready for the intellectual duels that really got her blood pumping. It was almost too much for her independent and goal-oriented nature to handle the thought of being held back by something as small as a train that was late.
This constant logistical nightmare made her really want an electric bike. It wasn't a silly want; it was a desperate need, a vision of freedom. She imagined herself easily weaving through Shanghai's traffic, avoiding delays, and getting back those lost hours. Every minute she saved on travel would give her more time to spend in front of her screen, where she could learn about complex algorithms, practice penetration tests, and get really into the details of cybersecurity. The bike stood for independence, which was a direct way to make her busy life more efficient.
When Mei Lin finally got off the delayed train, she felt a new surge of determination that made her more determined. This small setback didn't stop her; it made her more determined. It made her realize how important it was to get her own reliable transportation, which would let her carefully plan her time and use every free moment to become the best hacker in the world, which is very competitive. The anger was only temporary; the determination was permanent.