Chapter 28

 Chapter 28: Professor He's Critique

Fang Ling carefully read through this script twice and then fell into silence.

She found it challenging to describe her precise feelings.

Objectively speaking, "In Your Eyes" didn't have a grand or dramatic plot. It revolved around everyday elements like home life, the schoolyard, and more. The protagonist wasn't a remarkable hero; he was just an ordinary kid with a mischievous streak and paralyzed legs.

Yet within these everyday details, there were many sincere emotions that resonated with the reader.

Especially the three plot twists in the story, while they used the same material and events, took on entirely different meanings when viewed from different perspectives.

So, when looking at the protagonist from the mother's perspective at the end, it unleashed a burst of accumulated emotions.

This script not only detailed all the character dialogues and actions but also included clear descriptions of various set details, sound effects, and even musical cues. Its completeness was remarkable and didn't seem like the work of a student.

"Did you find this script online?" Fang Ling asked.

Zhang Yiyang hurriedly shook his head, "No, these two scripts are original creations by Lu Zhixing, a fellow student. Do you remember him? I mentioned before that he has a great original song, and the talent scouts from 'University Talent Show' even snatched it up."

Fang Ling was surprised, "It's him again? He created a song and two language-related acts all by himself? Are you sure they're original?"

Zhang Yiyang nodded, "I'm sure, Professor Fang. I searched online extensively, and I couldn't find anything similar or even remotely related. It's 100% pure original work."

Fang Ling was also amazed, "It seems like our college has a genius on our hands? This is truly incredible!

"He put in so much effort. When it comes time for judging, I'll talk to the leaders and make sure to give him more attention.

"Oh, by the way, there's a question. The script mentions that 'In Your Eyes' requires a substantial amount of art assets. Let's not even talk about the set pieces, but during scene transitions, there are supposed to be projected images on the backdrop portraying a different art style. These resources shouldn't be ready yet, right?

"Time is running out. Here's the plan: I'll talk to the college leadership and see if we can allocate some funds to collaborate with the Fine Arts College to create the necessary resources..."

The students were so responsible that they hadn't bothered their mentor with these matters until now, and Fang Ling finally realized where she could be of assistance.

Seeing Fang Ling about to make a call to arrange things, Zhang Yiyang quickly interrupted, "Professor Fang, there's no need. All the art assets are already prepared."

"Already... prepared?" Fang Ling, who had just picked up the phone receiver, showed an expression of disbelief.

Zhang Yiyang nodded and took out a USB drive from his pocket. "Yes, everything is prepared."

Fang Ling took the USB drive and inserted it into the computer, asking, "How was it prepared? Did you find alternative resources online? The projectors on stage require high-quality materials, and low-quality junk resources won't cut it."

However, the next moment, Fang Ling was stunned as she opened these resources on her computer.

This wasn't some free, low-quality junk resource. The precision was high, and honestly, she doubted you could even buy something like this with money!

"Where did these materials come from?" Fang Ling asked in bewilderment.

Zhang Yiyang remained silent for a moment. "I'm not entirely sure. Lu Zhixing said he's currently developing a game with the same title and had these resources ready to use. But as for where he got these resources... he said he drew them himself."

"I think he might not want to reveal the exact source of these resources, but Professor Fang, rest assured, I checked briefly, and there shouldn't be any copyright issues."

A brief silence filled the office.

Fang Ling had a lot to say, but she decided it wasn't worth it. Seriously, he drew them himself? Could he have come up with a more ridiculous lie?

However, considering all the bizarre things Lu Zhixing had been doing lately, drawing his own art assets didn't seem that far-fetched.

Which freshman could write a song, create two scripts, and even develop a game within such a short time after enrolling? And not only that, but he also had the resources for the game?

Fang Ling didn't ask further questions; was it even worth her attention? As long as the Freshman Welcome Evening proceeded smoothly and the live performances were impressive, what did it matter where these resources came from? As long as there were no copyright issues, it didn't matter if Lu Zhixing had drawn them himself, paid for them, or had help from friends.

"All right, these two language acts are confirmed! I'll inform the management at the Science Hall later, and you and that student, Lu, can find a time to go over there together and test the equipment, ensuring the stage can achieve the best effects."

Seeing Fang Ling so pleased, Zhang Yiyang decided to push his luck a little further. "By the way, there's one more thing. Professor Fang, since these two language acts and the virtual sets are all set, could the college allocate a bit more funding so we can purchase costumes and props?"

Fang Ling instantly understood. "Hah, you've been waiting for me to say that, haven't you? Okay, I'll submit a report to the college right away and try to secure some additional funding for you!"

With laughter and joy in the air, Zhang Yiyang wrapped up his report and left Fang Ling's office.

He breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to himself, "Indeed, having a limited-edition 'cheat code' of a student is quite handy! Without these two language acts, I wouldn't know how to complete my task."

"However, it's not a problem now. Let's start rehearsing quickly. After the holidays, when the college funds come in, we can go and purchase costumes and props. We'll be all set!" Zhang Yiyang was genuinely looking forward to the Freshman Welcome Evening this year, unlike last year when he was just a freshman himself. Last year's event felt routine and unimpressive, but this year, with these two language acts, he felt a significant change was coming.

As he hummed a tune and was about to leave, he spotted Professor He Cheng walking towards him with a thermos in hand. Zhang Yiyang's heart skipped a beat. He thought, "Did I step out of my house without checking my horoscope today? It feels like I'm going from the frying pan into the fire!"

He Cheng had quite a reputation, especially among the second-year students, as he had given them a hard time.

What made it even worse for Zhang Yiyang was that, as a student cadre, he often had to visit the college office, where he would receive special attention from Professor He Cheng, making his life quite miserable.

Since they had crossed paths, Zhang Yiyang couldn't pretend he hadn't seen him and had to greet him.

When Professor He Cheng saw him, his expression turned stern. "Hm? Xiao Zhang? Perfect timing. Come to my office."

Zhang Yiyang's heart sank, feeling like he was in for a rough time. However, there was no way around it, so he obediently followed Professor He Cheng to his office.

"What's the deal with your last assignment? It was too perfunctory! Didn't I explain during class that a good level design should be rich in content, resource-efficient, and should frequently have designs that make players feel 'enlightened'? What's with your level?!" Professor He Cheng scolded Zhang Yiyang mercilessly, his words like a torrential downpour.

Zhang Yiyang's good mood from earlier had evaporated entirely. He hung his head in dejection, looking like a defeated rooster.

It took quite some time before the storm in Professor He Cheng's office finally subsided. After every issue with Zhang Yiyang's level design had been sharply criticized, the tempest had passed.

Professor He Cheng took a sip of tea from his thermos. "You, lately, are you too busy with the Freshman Welcome Evening and neglecting your assignments? I understand that you have duties in the Student Union, but you can't put your academics on the back burner, right?"

With his head still lowered, Zhang Yiyang replied, "Yes, Professor He Cheng, I'll definitely pay more attention to it from now on."

Professor He Cheng waved his hand. "Alright, that's it for now. You may go. Remember to redo this assignment. I'll check it after the holiday."

"Wait, there's one more thing." Zhang Yiyang was about to leave but turned back. "Professor, please go on."

Professor He Cheng asked, "Do you know a freshman named Lu Zhixing?"

Zhang Yiyang nodded in puzzlement. "Lu Zhixing? Yes, I know him."

He didn't know many freshmen yet, given that the semester had just begun, but the ones he knew were mostly involved in the Freshman Welcome Evening. It was surprising that Professor He Cheng asked about someone he was familiar with.

Professor He Cheng continued, "Do you know what he's been up to recently?"

Zhang Yiyang thought, "Lu Zhixing has helped me a lot. I should say some good things about him in front of the professor."

"Oh, Lu Zhixing, I know him quite well! He's been a tremendous help. Professor, you might not be aware, but he's really talented. First, he composed an original song for our college's Freshman Welcome Evening, and he even wrote two scripts for language acts himself. Besides, although I'm not sure about the details, he seems to frequently do part-time jobs outside the campus, and he's very diligent and ambitious..."

Most of what Zhang Yiyang said was true, with some embellishments to create a favorable impression of Lu Zhixing in front of the professor.

Though he didn't understand why Professor He Cheng was so interested in this freshman, he didn't see any harm in praising him.

However, as Zhang Yiyang spoke, he sensed something was amiss because Professor He Cheng's expression darkened noticeably.

"This is ridiculous, isn't it? A talented person like him, why isn't he focusing on his studies and instead diverting his attention to the Freshman Welcome Evening and part-time work?

"It seems like you've all lost your minds. Have you forgotten what your main focus should be? Do you think you can become a star with this attitude?"

Zhang Yiyang's heart sank. Oh no! I made it worse!

He initially wanted to speak well of Lu Zhixing in front of Professor He Cheng, but it seemed he had unintentionally done the opposite.

He needed to quickly rectify the situation before Lu Zhixing held a grudge. If he lost his limited-edition cheat code, it would be a disaster.

"No, no, Professor, you've misunderstood. Although Lu Zhixing has been doing a lot, it hasn't affected his game development at all. In fact, the stage play 'In Your Eyes' that we're working on right now is an adaptation of his game. Take a look."

Zhang Yiyang handed over the script for "In Your Eyes." Although it was a script, not a game design document, with Professor He Cheng's expertise, he could easily visualize the game elements from it.

Professor He Cheng looked puzzled. "In Your Eyes? What's that? Isn't he working on a game called 'Ordinary Life'?"

He accepted the script and quickly flipped through it.

The realization that this was a completely new game and that its design was already so polished left Professor He Cheng dumbfounded. According to the script's details, the original design documents for this game should have already been completed, possibly even ready to move into the production phase.

"In such a short time, he designed another game??"

Professor He Cheng was stunned. Both games designed by Lu Zhixing were of high quality, almost like masterpieces. Even for "Ordinary Life," he could find a few minor flaws, such as excessive resource consumption or some challenges related to featuring copyrighted works. However, when it came to "In Your Eyes," he couldn't find a single fault.

As an independent narrative-driven game, it had a complete story, a tight structure, and was resource-efficient. It was nearly flawless.

Professor He Cheng was at a loss for words.

Neglecting academic responsibilities?

If Lu Zhixing was too busy with other matters, which delayed his game design work, it would indeed be considered neglecting his academic responsibilities. But what if he excelled in other areas while also completing his assignments twice as efficiently?

That wouldn't be neglect; that would be time management mastery!

Professor He Cheng looked at Zhang Yiyang, his expression turning stern once again. "Look at your fellow student, and then look at yourself! How can he manage to handle the Freshman Welcome Evening, work part-time jobs, and still create such excellent designs? Meanwhile, you can't even design a simple level properly!

"In the future, learn from him! Go back and do this assignment twice, create two different levels! Submit them after the holiday!"

Zhang Yiyang felt as if he had turned into stone.

…...