"Professor Yuan, this is my thesis."
Dai Bai put down the USB drive in his hand, and Yuan Ling took it while nodding, "Okay, you can put it here for now."
He then said to Xiao He on the other end of the phone, "I'll send you a few names in a bit. Take a look and see which ones you're interested in. I'll ask around for you."
"Okay, thank you, Teacher Yuan."
After hanging up the phone, Yuan Ling plugged in the USB drive and prepared to look at the documents in front of him. However, before he could, he remembered something, pushed up his glasses, and asked Dai Bai, "By the way, have you thought about what I asked you before?"
Dai Bai took a deep breath and bowed deeply to Yuan Ling with great remorse: "I'm very sorry, Teacher Yuan."
"Hey, it's okay, it's okay."
Yuan Ling quickly helped the person up, then sighed and said, "You are my most satisfied student, and I also hope that you can develop even better. However, since you are not willing to continue your doctoral studies, I will not force you."
"Education is depreciating quite quickly these days. Going out to work early and gaining a few more years of work experience might be better than staying by my side."
Yuan Ling deliberately made a few jokes to ease the somewhat dull atmosphere.
Dai Bai clenched his fists, and finally could only apologize to Yuan Ling again: "I'm sorry, Teacher Yuan."
"Hey, kid, why are you taking this so seriously?" Yuan Ling waved his hand helplessly. "Don't worry, I'm really not angry. But as my student, even after graduation, you need to find a good place to go. Otherwise, it'll embarrass me. I'll have to help you think of a good place—"
Although Dai Bai hasn't pursued a PhD, he has already worked with their team many times and participated in the code development of several important projects. Therefore, his ability and experience are absolutely no problem. Now we need to consider Dai Bai's main research direction and where would be the most suitable place for him. We absolutely cannot bury or waste his talent...
Actually, many teams that have worked with them have indeed inquired about Dai Bai's future work situation, especially the last project, where the person in charge even called the higher-ups, wanting to poach Dai Bai directly.
If Dai Bai's thesis hadn't still been held by him, his student would probably have been snatched away by someone else long ago.
But for some reason, Yuan Ling suddenly thought of Xiao He, who had just called him to beg for help.
So Yuan Ling laughed and joked, "You guys are always asking me for help. You probably don't know, but that brat Xiao He is also planning to start an AI-focused tech company and is looking for people from me."
"Xiao He is starting a company too?" Dai Bai was also quite surprised. "Isn't he in the entertainment industry?"
Dai Bai has been so busy with his thesis lately that he has no idea what big move Xiao He has made this time.
"Sigh, who knows what this kid is up to this time? He's always jumping around and can't focus on anything."
Yuan Ling complained about Xiao He, but from his smiling eyes, it was clear that he wasn't angry with Xiao He, but rather satisfied.
"Why don't you go directly to his company and give it a try? I remember you young people are quite close, right?"
Yuan Ling said it casually, but quickly contradicted himself: "No, that still won't work. Going to his new company would be too much of a waste of your time. They don't have anything there. It would be a waste for you to go there. I can't let him hinder your development."
Yuan Ling wanted to find Dai Bai a team that would allow him to immediately join the project and start working. Besides, Dai Bai had no shortage of options; the moment he released the information, people would likely start contacting him.
As for Xiao He's new company, it sounded like it was just something he came up with on a whim. Not to mention the company name, there wasn't even a detailed company plan. The staff composition also sounded pitifully small. Yuan Ling couldn't bear to let his prized student waste his time there.
However, Yuan Ling's casual remark caught Dai Bai's attention: "Then I'll go back and ask him first. If he needs help, I can go and see him."
...
So when Xiao He received Dai Bai's call that evening, he was quite shocked: "Ah, Lao Dai, you're graduating soon?"
"Ah, yes—"
Xiao He suddenly slapped his forehead: "Old Dai just graduated with his master's degree this year!"
My goodness, time flies! It feels like they haven't even graduated for long. Dai {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} Bai only started graduate school a few days ago, and now they're already preparing their theses and about to graduate!
It's not that Xiao He didn't think of Dai Bai; it's just that everyone has been busy with their own things lately. Dai Bai has good grades and is truly a good student in everyone's eyes, so they usually don't want to bother him while he's busy with his studies.
Yes, in the eyes of Chinese people, studying is more important than working.
Xiao He also always felt that the other person would be a graduate student and would definitely continue to advance in their careers, doing research and development or academic work, and that they were not on the same path as them.
But now that I think about it, isn't this exactly the kind of talent he wanted?
"But isn't Lao Dai planning to pursue a doctorate?"
Xiao He asked with some concern.
Dai Bai was a true academic star in his dormitory and a top student in the entire department. Moreover, Dai Bai had excellent grades and a good relationship with his advisor, Yuan Ling. If he wanted to pursue a doctorate, he could have stayed with Yuan Ling to continue his research.
Xiao He thought the other person would continue studying and then receive an offer from an important research institute.
“Uh—” Dai Bai scratched his head, “I mainly want to find a job.”
"Why do you want to go to work..."
Xiao He thought of Dai Bai's family situation and fell silent again.
Although Dai Bai had a good relationship with them, Xiao He knew that his family situation was the worst among the dormitory students.
Needless to say, Zhai Zhipeng's father owns a company, and his family is the richest. Although He Junhao's family is not considered rich, they are very open-minded and were able to support him to become a content creator in the early days, which has already surpassed many ordinary families.
Xiao He, on the other hand, had parents who both worked. They weren't extremely wealthy, but their lives were very stable. Over the years, they had accumulated enough to live comfortably, with no worries about food or drink, and they could generally get whatever they wanted. He was a child who was supported by his parents.
Dai Bai is different. Although his family is in Shanghai, there are five children in his generation. His parents worked hard to stay in Shanghai and took on high mortgages, spending almost their entire lives paying them off. Raising several children also put them under immense pressure.
As the middle one, Dai Bai was suppressed by his older sister and two older brothers, and had a younger sister and younger brother to take care of. He was not easily valued because he was in the middle. Fortunately, although life was poor, he did not lack tuition fees for his children, so there was no situation where anyone had to sacrifice anyone else's future.
Dai Bai himself was also very hardworking. He had excellent grades since childhood. With scholarships and various subsidies, plus the meager but always available living expenses from his family, he basically never had to work during winter and summer vacations. In college, he directly participated in the software development of several senior students and accumulated a certain amount of savings. Therefore, he never had to worry about money during his college years.
This money is enough for him to complete his postgraduate studies.
However, if you continue reading, you will feel some pressure.
Moreover, this pressure may not only be financial, but also related to daily life.
Given all these factors, Dai Bai's decision to give up pursuing a doctorate and instead work was unavoidable.
Xiao He didn't know what to say, so he could only advise Dai Bai: "This matter is really too important, you should think it over carefully! If there is anything we can do to help you, we will definitely help you."
"Besides, my company hasn't even started yet, and I don't have many projects at the moment... cough cough, why don't you listen to Teacher Yuan's advice?"
Not only Yuan Ling was worried about this, but Xiao He was also worried. He was really afraid that if he brought Dai Bai to the company, it would actually hinder the other party's development.
Dai Bai thought for a moment and then said, "I'm still busy with my thesis, and I still have a long time before graduation. Why don't you get the company settled first, and then we can talk? When can you return to Shanghai? Let's talk in person."
"Sure."
Xiao He readily agreed.
