Arriving at the venue, it was just as the competition was about to begin. The technology competition involved showcasing one's invention and writing a description. The judging panel voted based on applicability, and the project with the highest overall score won first place. Besides the judges, audience members also voted to prevent monopolization.
Zhao An wasn't worried about the results. He didn't need to issue any warnings; his abilities were more than enough. If anyone tried to cheat, they shouldn't blame him for being ruthless.
When Zhao An appeared, all eyes were on him. As a genius, a current media sensation, a man with his own built-in aura of fame and influence, he immediately attracted most of the attention.
Zhao An entered riding an unprecedented self-balancing scooter—a strange contraption with two wheels and a shell. It looked cool, and Zhao An didn't seem to be controlling it; he simply read a book, and the scooter automatically accelerated and stopped—everything seemed incredibly intelligent.
This entrance was a real eye-opener. Humans are always curious about new things. This seemingly fun gadget actually seemed pretty good; it was a bit flashy but surprisingly practical.
Bai Junlin, in the audience, was immediately intrigued. Her husband had never told her about this invention, always keeping it a secret, which had made her quite curious. Now, seeing it, she was truly impressed, but also deeply puzzled. What exactly was this thing? Was it just a means of transportation?
Many people in the audience shared the same question: what was it?
Suddenly, a buzz of discussion erupted, like a pot of ice being thrown into boiling water, causing an immediate uproar.
"What is this crap? All flashy and fancy, is this an invention? A useless condiment clown!"
"My ass! You haven't even seen it yourself before spouting nonsense, fuck your mother!"
A reporter in front angrily turned around, wanting to see who it was, only to see a bald, burly man in a vest staring at him menacingly. He immediately shrank back, "How dare you swear at me!"
"Swear? So what if I swear at you, you bastard? Someone invented something, and you don't even understand it, yet you discourage their enthusiasm for invention. If you're so great, why don't you go up there? You're just a useless piece of trash who talks nonsense. I'll fuck your mother, and that's too lenient. You better watch out when you get out of here!" The bald, burly man kept using the word "fuck your mother," clearly a gangster, the kind of person you shouldn't mess with.
The reporter shrank back, feeling incredibly annoyed. He'd been paid to gather information to defame Zhao An. Taking money to do a job is only right. In the past, he would have taught the other party a lesson and maybe even staged a scam. But now, to complete the task, he ignored them. "Ignorant commoner," he thought.
The two's farce attracted a lot of attention, but seeing that a fight wasn't happening, interest waned.
Zhao An's expression remained enigmatically calm and composed, as if nothing could affect him. He simply looked at the book, a recently purchased publication from a foreign academic institute. Although the paper lacked specific methods, it contained ideas and hints of some kind of experiment and innovation.
That was enough; a paper was supposed to include this kind of content. Not knowing the specific steps didn't matter, as long as the direction was there.
After reading it for the fifth time, Zhao An understood what this so-called polymer materials experiment was all about. He closed the book; it was no longer of any use to him.
"What book are you reading?" The team leader was Lin Cui. As the dean of studies, it was normal for her to lead the team; she wouldn't let anyone else have the opportunity to gain experience. Besides, the deputy director is the one who does the real work; she, as the director, doesn't need to worry about anything else.
"The latest papers on polymer materials—learning from others' experiences and innovative spirit, seeing the world differently, can bring unique inspiration." Zhao An's expression was somewhat smug, making him look like a professional graduate student. Actually, he wasn't someone who rose to prominence through cheating; the only reason he wanted to read other people's papers was because it would allow him to cheat.
Lin Cui smiled charmingly, her expression quite serious. "I thought you never needed to study."
"I'm a very studious man; how could I not study?" Zhao An looked at Lin Cui's already protruding belly, his eyes gradually filled with pride. Not many students could get their teachers into bed; he was just one of them. Compared to other students, he not only slept with his teacher but also got her pregnant—that was quite intriguing. Who else could do that!
Lin Cui clearly noticed the man's gaze and glared at him with her beautiful eyes. "Watch your step, it'll be your turn soon."
In public, flirting was inappropriate. They were teacher and student, after all, and such behavior was forbidden. It wouldn't benefit Zhao An. Some things could be done secretly, where no one knew, and he could do whatever he wanted. Even gathering female teachers together for a nude dance or group activities was acceptable. But in public, it was better to be discreet.
Zhao An understood this perfectly well. Although he was pleased, he wouldn't let himself go. He wouldn't do anything reckless; he'd just play the role of a good student in public.
The student in front was demonstrating his invention—a simple cardboard assembly that turned cardboard into a trash can. It wasn't technology; at best, it was just recycling waste, a craft.
Expecting middle school students to invent high-tech gadgets was simply unrealistic.
When it was Zhao An's turn to go on stage, he brought his self-balancing scooter. This was a modified version he'd created, featuring a joystick that reached his calves to reduce the learning curve.
"This self-balancing scooter was something I invented by accident. I originally intended to design an intelligent robot, but I ended up designing this scooter, which is pretty good," Zhao An said, setting the scooter down and demonstrating his creation.
"Forward, backward, turning—it can do all of that, even uphill," Zhao An said, snapping his fingers. "Bring me the props, the ramp prop."