Please refer to https://www.luogu.com.cn/article/a3qbh1bl for the complete Chinese version.

Introduction

The sound of keyboard taps is now as sparse as autumn rain, a sign that it's all coming to an end. I stared blankly at the lines of code I had written. Those characters were once like lively little spirits, full of possibilities — but now they're trapped on the screen, lifeless. My thoughts feel stuck in an endless loop. Every time I try to trace back, I end up at the same mistake, but it's too blurry to really catch. It doesn’t feel like a heroic failure — more like a slow, quiet defeat. I can almost see the test cases I couldn’t pass, like ghosts floating through the code, laughing at me.

I thought coding could build a bridge to the stars. But in the end, I couldn’t even cross a simple line. When the exam proctor announced the end, all the noise in the world went silent. I didn’t feel the relief I expected — instead, a huge emptiness rushed in from all sides. It was like a carefully prepared party that ended before any guests arrived.

This is already my third time taking this exam. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve walked out of this computer lab. It used to feel like home — where my dreams began. Time slipped quietly through my fingers as I typed. Three years should be enough to grow from a beginner into a skilled coder. But I feel stuck in an endless cycle — every fall, I come back to this familiar place, face new problems, and go through the same journey from hope to disappointment.

I can’t accept it — I can’t accept that three precious years of my youth were swallowed by the same goal with nothing in return. And I really can’t accept that even though I gave it my all, I always fell just a little short. When the proctor announced the end, what I heard was the echo of my own fight against fate — faint, but not yet gone.

Hello codeforces!

Hello everyone, I am Ma Haoxuan, a middle school student from the Tianhuan Campus of Chengdu No.7 Middle School, Chengdu, China. My current mood is excitement and joy. Just eight hours ago, I finished my first CF competition in life. But I didn't complete the competition, I only worked for 3 hours, and because I was too tired, I didn't have the level to complete the remaining questions.

I didn't do it very well, in fact, I would like to know how the top few bosses completed the A question in just one minute. Today, I am want to introduce my path to learning programming to you. It's my pleasure.

I have studied programming for seven years and now I have a good foundation. I also understand the three languages of Chinese, English, and Russian (Russian is not very good). Of course, I apologize for any errors in the following articles. My Journey of Learning Programming My interest in programming began when I was 7. At that time, I was fascinated by the idea of creating something from scratch and making it work. However, I had no idea where to start, so I began to learn the basics of coding by reading books and online tutorials. My first programming language was Python, and I struggled with it at first. I found it difficult to understand the syntax and to write code that actually worked. However, I was determined to learn, and I spent countless hours practicing and debugging my code. As I became more proficient in Python, I began to explore other programming languages, such as Java and C++. I found that each language had its own unique features and strengths, and I enjoyed learning how to use them to solve different problems. Along the way, I also became interested in web development. I taught myself HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and I began to create my own websites. It was exciting to see my designs come to life on the screen, and I loved being able to share them with others. As I continued to learn and grow as a child, I also began to practice more problem. It was a great way to apply my skills in a practical setting and to learn from others who had more experience than I did. One of the most challenging projects I worked on was developing a mobile app. It was a complex project that required me to learn new programming languages and to work with APIs and databases. However, it was also one of the most rewarding experiences of my programming journey. Seeing my app come to life on a smartphone was an amazing feeling, and I was proud of what I had accomplished. Throughout my journey of learning programming, I have faced many challenges and setbacks. There were times when I felt frustrated and overwhelmed, but I never gave up. I always reminded myself of why I started in the first place and kept pushing forward. Today, I am a School Team Leader for Robotics and Programming with Innovation, Creativity, and Creation in Artificial Intelligence with a deep understanding of several programming languages and web development. I have also gained valuable soft skills, such as problem-solving, collaboration, and perseverance. Learning programming has been a challenging but rewarding journey for me. It has taught me to be patient, persistent, and creative. I am excited to see where this path will take me in the future and to continue to grow and learn as a student.

I have been writing this article for a long time, and I hope that in the future, I can ask for more guidance from all the leaders. Finally, I wish everyone good luck in the upcoming competition!