The great prodigy

Mo Kio had not disturbed her as she was coding with all her concentration, but now he couldn't hold it in any longer. He jumped down from the desk where he was sitting and said, "Okay. So 13 minutes, that means I get 13 points, and this proves that I am better than the rumoured computer prodigy."

Yu Chen only smiled and said nothing.

But Xi Hua cut in, "Oh please. The competition is not over yet, the checking of your codes is still to be done."

Huo Zenghai also chimed in, "Yeah. You don't know how many mistakes you have made. Chen could still beat you."

Mo Kio sat in front of the computer where Yu Chen had written her code, and said, "Okay. Let's start by finding out syntax errors."

"Hmm." Yu Chen nodded and also sat down, but not before she had done some stretches.

Nobody saw Si Xia's face while he sat in a corner. He was looking at Yu Chen as though she was his most prized treasure, with his black eyes twinkling.

As the checking of the codes continued, Mo Kio's face went from absolute joy to frustration, then horror and finally admiration. As he finished reading the code, he mumbled, "Amazing. Absolutely amazing. Not a single syntax error." then he walked up to Yu Chen to see her reading his code with full concentration.

From time to time she would write something on a piece of paper, then delete some of his code and type something in place of it. Mo Kio moved closure and saw what was written in the paper. His eyes nearly popped out of his head when he read it.

On the paper, Yu Chen had made three columns with headings as 'line number' , 'error' and 'correction'. "I tried to remember every mistake at first, but there were too many." she said when she saw him looking at the paper. Mo Kio noticed that there were around 8 to 9 mistakes written there. He asked, "How far along have you gotten."

Yu Chen replied, even without looking up, "I am a bit slow. I have only read about half the code so you are going to have to wait a bit longer."

Mo Kio was shocked, "You mean to say that there are so many mistakes in just half of my code?"

But Yu Chen did not reply. She had went back to reading the code with full concentration. Mo Kio went and sat beside Si Xia, as Xi Hua and Huo Zenghai were busy swarming around Yu Chen like bees. Looking at him sulking like a little child, Si Xia said, "Don't get so sad on being beaten by her. She is a one in a million genius. And I am pretty sure that she will definitely win the competition also. After all, she has been working hard for it."

Mo Kio replied, "Yeah yeah. Look at you all smitten over her." Then he came to a sudden realisation and looked at him, "Did you say she has been working hard? But how could it be? I only asked her to complete this morning."

Si Xia looked at him as though he was an idiot.