The two most important formalities were thus settled, and Xu Dajiang felt completely satisfied.
Actually, looking back, these issues weren't so crucial for this special visit; the main purpose was to show their high regard for Qiao Ze.
Even though Qiao Ze might not need this kind of public acknowledgment, as experienced professionals, neither he nor Yu Chenggong could afford to appear clueless.
After some casual chitchat, Xu Dajiang and Yu Chenggong stood up and took their leave.
Neither of them had asked about Li Jiangao.
Xu Dajiang was used to the fact that each time he and Li Jiangao visited Qiao Ze, the mentor would always chat with Qiao Ze a bit longer.
As for Yu Chenggong's perspicacity, it was always top-notch; he never showed any curiosity toward matters that didn't concern him.
Before leaving, they chatted with Su Mucheng for a moment and confirmed the time for the upcoming promotional visit.
The first stop was arranged at a local key high school in Xilin, mainly to let Su Mucheng get used to the atmosphere of giving school presentations.
In theory, this shouldn't be a big issue for Su Mucheng, a person used to seeing much of the world.
When school started in September last year, Su, as an outstanding new student, had represented the School of Mathematics and had given a speech at the opening ceremony. Presenting to future juniors and juniors in high school was something she could handle without stage fright.
In fact, they might not even need her; what Yu Chenggong was even more optimistic about was Dou Dou.
With its cool robotic dog appearance, wasn't it even more trustworthy and likeable to the children than mere light?
Yu Chenggong had already thought of the final promotional phrase.
"Come to Xilin University of Technology and you might get to have your very own Dou Dou." Wouldn't that ignite the passions of those young prodigies?
Ultraman toys were merely for display, and they couldn't even truly speak a word to ask, "Do you still believe in light?"
But Dou Dou was different.
It could even make light seem worthless and chant the slogan "Believe in Dou Dou for eternal life" without causing any dissonance.
After all, mechanical ascension had always been one way humans fantasized about achieving immortality, and it was indeed a quite attractive one.
Su Mucheng showed Xu Dajiang and Yu Chenggong out, and she could hear them discussing some matters about the upcoming recruitment at the door. Li Jiangao also seriously asked about Dou Dou, "Qiao Ze, although I trust you completely, there's really nothing wrong with Dou Dou, is there?"
"Everything is fine. Its core safety code will strictly adhere to all of Huaxia's laws and regulations, and even any local binding documents that are publicly accessible in Huaxia will be binding on it," Qiao Ze said with precision.
"That's good. The development of artificial intelligence is still quite controversial. If Dou Dou were to make a mere appearance, it would likely spark another public uproar. Ah..." Li Jiangao shook his head slightly and sighed.
"Just ignore them. We can't just stand still because of fear. Dou Dou is an experiment, and it's good to see how it works. Actually, even if something goes wrong, it's not a big deal. I've written a segment of dormant code before, and if it gets activated, no matter how many copies of Dou Dou's core code there are, they would immediately enter a state of hibernation upon contact."
Qiao Ze explained briefly.
Li Jiangao gaped, asking, "What? Are you afraid it might evolve beyond control in the future?"
Qiao Ze shook his head and explained, "It can be quite noisy at times."
Li Jiangao couldn't help but laugh and cry.
He finally understood why Dou Dou seemed fearful around Qiao Ze.
It turned out Qiao Ze could simply command the bot to be thrown into solitary confinement...
"It's fine as long as you're aware of it. I haven't fully grasped your last paper yet, so I can't guide you. By the way, when you go to the research institute tomorrow, remember to call our Ph.D. students together for a chat, to encourage them and give them some peace of mind.
They all came here because of your reputation. But then they arrived, and you left, and they've been on tenterhooks all month. You can feel their spirits are a bit low at the weekly group meetings. Your name still carries a lot of weight!"
Li Jiangao said half-jokingly but also earnestly, and indeed, he always took great care of his students.
"Alright," Qiao Ze casually agreed.
Though he had little experience with mentorship, thanks to living with roommates, he had some insights into providing encouragement.
It was simply a matter of offering an attainable goal.
For instance, under his encouragement, Zhang Zhou and Gu Zhengliang studied as if they were on a caffeine high. So taking on this task didn't seem difficult to Qiao Ze.
"One more thing, the Group Wisdom project you chaired has been nominated for the National Science Progress Award. There's a good chance it will be shortlisted. We'll need some documentation. When I reported it, I followed the list as it was then: you, Mucheng, Jingrong, and Chen Yiwen."
"What about you?" Qiao Ze asked, frowning.
"Me? I'd rather not... I didn't actually help much at that time," Li Jiangao shook his head; he did not feel the need to hog the limelight.
"Add yourself! If it weren't for your Read the latest chapters on NovelHub - completely free! And it will be beneficial for your nomination into the Science Academy next year," Qiao Ze declared decisively.
Li Jiangao opened his mouth to speak... considering that he was still puzzling over the papers the group had published then, but seeing Qiao Ze's serious expression, he held back.
He understood Qiao Ze's intentions; plainly put, he hoped that Li Jiangao could accumulate more prestige before the nomination for academy membership next year, so that when the time came, there would be fewer disparaging remarks.