Chun Niu worried that Zi Ye would be exhausted by the long journey, but Zi Ye was quite happy exploring the entire Ling Si University space station complex before finally settling down at Station 2.

Station 2 belonged to the Kaga Higher Education Center and was a major gathering spot for students. She had originally intended to stay at Station 12, within the Ling Si University residential zone, but it wasn't open to the general public. Since she hadn't enrolled yet and lacked a student ID, she had no choice but to give up on that plan.

Station 2 was mostly inhabited by professors, giving it a distinctly academic atmosphere. The only drawback was the cramped living space. Zi Ye had thought her quarters on Kira Station were small, but this place was half that size again.

She had no choice but to make do.

As soon as she entered, Chun Niu’s comm buzzed. Seeing his exasperated expression, Zi Ye said, "I can handle things myself, thank you."

Chun Niu shook his head, deciding not to mention it was Cang Yun Lang. After a moment’s thought, he walked to the balcony edge and grumbled, "What do you want?"

Cang Yun Lang cackled weirdly, "Niu Niu, tell me quickly—is little sprout Meng Ya Mei pretty? Are her breasts big? Are her hips perky?"

Chun Niu’s eye twitched uncontrollably. He looked at the man grinning increasingly lewdly on the screen, then suddenly broke into a bright smile, saying mysteriously, "I won't tell you."

Cang Yun Lang roared, "How dare you? If you don't send a picture over, I'll crash into Kaga!"

Chun Niu smiled faintly, "Aren't you supposed to be in armor drills this month? Aren't you busy?"

Cang Yun Lang grit his teeth, "Wait till I get back…"

Chun Niu glanced at him. "Goodbye." Without waiting for a reaction, he cut the connection. Turning around, he saw Zi Ye staring wide-eyed. He explained, "If Cang Yun Lang asks you anything, just ignore him."

Zi Ye recalled Cang Yun Lang’s gossipy and flippant behavior on the forums and nodded, "Okay."

After settling in, Chun Niu enthusiastically helped her clean the apartment. Zi Ye was astonished. No matter how gentle Chun Niu usually was, she had always assumed a "young prodigy" like him would possess an inherent arrogance, making him difficult to approach. Instead, Chun Niu was not only mild-mannered but also thoughtful, much like an older brother next door.

Luckily, she had bought some local specialties on impulse; otherwise, not having anything to thank him with would have been truly awkward.

After seeing Chun Niu off, she immediately assembled the two robots she had purchased and put them to work, while she returned to furiously accepting assignments on the forum to earn money.

The Warrior-class model had drained her entire savings; she was practically penniless now.

The round-trip fare alone for traveling from Station 2 to Station 9 for the interview would cost a significant amount. Zi Ye sighed as she flipped through the interview guide.

Taking an exam was truly not easy.

The Ling Si University interview process involved both a personal interview and a practical portfolio presentation.

To be interviewed, one first needed to secure a potential mentor.

Chun Niu helped her find seven or eight professors willing to take on students in the Mecha Repair track and compiled the information into a dossier for her. His compilation was meticulously detailed, clearly listing each professor's biography, awards, stylistic tendencies, and representative works.

She favored a professor named Alva Hile, one of the most distinguished experts at Ling Si University, boasting forty years of clinical experience with mechas, specializing in military-grade armor renowned for its resilience.

He was also Chun Niu’s mentor.

However, Alva Hile was extremely sought after; almost every prospective student entering the Ling Si Mecha Academy wished to study under him, yet he only accepted five students annually. Gaining acceptance into his tutelage was akin to a thousand armies crossing a single-plank bridge.

Zi Ye shook her head and sighed, deciding to try her luck. In the meantime, she needed to look at slightly less ambitious options and find a few more mentors. Unfamiliar with most of the mentors' body of work, she ended up taking the dossier and Little Sprout to the Pilot Training Base, intent on linking the professors to their actual creations and studying them one by one.

The Pilot Training Base, originally established for pilots, had been utterly transformed into Zi Ye’s mecha research hub.

Once she had made her selections, she nervously scheduled a time with Chun Niu.

In the period between the written exam and the start of the interviews, most students would visit their preferred professors to cultivate familiarity, increasing their chances of acceptance during the actual interview. Zi Ye understood nothing of the "politics of networking" or social graces; she could only feel fortunate to know Chun Niu, immediately pestering him for help once his own exam was over.

Chun Niu had gone through this process before and was an expert in this area; having him there made Zi Ye feel much more at ease.

Fortunately, Chun Niu lived up to expectations. The next day, he brought good news: "I spoke with my mentor. He has time tomorrow and is willing to meet you."

The process of securing a mentorship involved three steps: first, securing an appointment—success here counted for a third of the battle; second, the meeting itself—a positive meeting led to the mentor potentially serving as an interviewer during the formal interview; and finally, the assessment of the practical portfolio.

Zi Ye immediately beamed, though a knot of anxiety formed in her stomach. "What if he asks me questions and I can’t answer?"

Chun Niu laughed, "This is just a discussion right now, not the formal interview. He won't deliberately corner you."

Zi Ye remained tense. "What materials do I need to prepare?"

Chun Niu paused in thought. "Don't worry about it; I’ll handle that preparation for you."

Zi Ye was surprised. "That's fine? You won't fake anything, will you?" Chun Niu wasn't familiar with her style or skill level; if he fabricated things, wouldn't she be in trouble if questioned?

Chun Niu shook his head. "I'll pick from the assignments on the Mobile Forum."

Zi Ye was delighted. "You're wonderful, thank you so much."

Chun Niu smiled without speaking. In truth, he had benefited far more from her help. Ever since he discovered her talent for assignments, he would meticulously review every piece of work she submitted, even those he wasn't grading, studying it thoroughly. If necessary, he would compare her work with similar submissions to analyze them closely.

From her assignments, he learned countless things that instructors couldn't teach in the classroom. He was certain that many of her ideas and concepts would greatly impress Alva Hile.

Zi Ye, however, remained unaware of this. She was only happy that she didn't have to prepare the materials, and since Alva Hile was on the same space station, she even saved the fare for the Higher Education Center bus—she could reach him directly using the magnetic levitation vehicle assigned to her residence.

On this day, with stable space currents and soft lighting inside the station, Zi Ye, guided by Chun Niu, went to visit Alva Hile. Alva Hile was a professor well past sixty; in this era, lifespans commonly reached two hundred, so "past sixty" didn't even qualify as middle-aged.

He possessed a kind appearance, always smiling faintly, giving the impression of being perpetually in high spirits. The three met in Kaga Academic Lecture Hall 265, where Zi Ye was visibly nervous.

Chun Niu considerately presented her materials to the professor and offered a brief introduction: "Teacher, this is Zi Ye, the student I mentioned to you. These are some of her regular assignments."

Alva Hile’s eyes lit up. "Student Zi Ye? You are Student Zi Ye?"

Zi Ye looked bewildered. "You know me?"

Alva Hile narrowed his eyes and sighed, "The younger generation is truly formidable."

Zi Ye didn't understand the meaning, and Alva Hile offered no explanation, chuckling instead, "Come, sit over here."

The two followed him toward the back, stopping in a lounge area. Alva Hile said, "There are tea sets here; let's have tea here."

For the next hour, the three enjoyed a pleasant tea party, sipping tea, eating dried fruit, and chatting.

Alva Hile was remarkably approachable; they discussed everything from heaven to earth. Yet, he never mentioned whether he would take her on as a student, nor did he say a single word about the upcoming interview.

As they prepared to leave, Chun Niu finally couldn't help but ask tactfully, "Teacher, could she be my junior apprentice sister in the future?"

Alva Hile neither refused nor accepted, merely smiling. "I would certainly like that, but current school regulations prevent accepting students early. Everything must wait until after the interview."

Zi Ye couldn't detect the refusal in his words, but Chun Niu understood perfectly. He wanted to press the matter, but Alva Hile gestured for him to stop. Disappointed and confused, he left with Zi Ye.

Generally, a mentor would first focus on a few exceptional students and serve as their interviewer on the day of the practical exam. If they passed, they would be officially accepted as the mentor's protégé.

Although Ling Si University always publicly stated that mentors did not accept students prematurely, the instructors knew the reality. Alva Hile saying this clearly indicated he did not intend to give Zi Ye an opportunity.

Why?

Chun Niu was puzzled. Before the written exam scores were released, he had already asked Alva Hile about her. At that time, Alva Hile had smiled and said, "A student introduced by the genius Li Chun Yu must be exceptional. Make sure to bring her to see me when the time comes." Why the reluctance after the scores were posted?

No matter how poorly Zi Ye had scored, she had still met the Ling Si cutoff line! He glanced sideways at Zi Ye; she was oblivious to the underlying complexities, her face still radiating a bright smile.

Chun Niu briefly closed his eyes, suppressing the negative thoughts, telling himself, The hardest part of Ling Si University isn't the written exam, it’s the practical work. I trust Zi Ye’s portfolio will stand out!

However, just to be safe, he accompanied Zi Ye to visit several other professors.

What unsettled him was that the other mentors also rejected Zi Ye!

This was truly bizarre!

Chun Niu racked his brain, unable to figure it out. Was it because Zi Ye was too young? Impossible! While younger students might sometimes be less experienced, they also had the advantage of more active, unrestricted thinking; if mentored well, their future growth potential was immense.

It was a win-win situation for both mentor and student—why were they refusing Zi Ye? He genuinely believed Zi Ye was a future talent!

With the interview date rapidly approaching, Chun Niu didn't know which professor to approach next. There were many professors in the Mecha Repair track, but only a few were names that commanded respect.

He wanted to discuss this with Zi Ye, but she couldn't grasp the rejections hidden in the professors' polite words. If he explained, he feared it would hurt her feelings, so he kept the worry bottled up inside.

The interview was set for the next day.

Zi Ye looked at the interview time notification sent by the school and passed it to Chun Niu. "Do you know which building the Practical Skills Center is?"

Chun Niu opened the notice and froze upon reading the information. The fatigue of the entire day vanished instantly.

The interview location was the 99th floor of Practical Skills Building 1.

Zi Ye was interviewing on the 99th floor tomorrow!