XX Xinyue Xiang Quantitative developer building distributed systems, risk infrastructure, and research-grade AI tools.

Hidden Door

More About Me

A hidden page for the personal details behind the work.

Back home

Off the Clock

The clues behind the objects.

If you clicked into the hidden objects, you are probably the kind of person who notices details and follows curiosity. I like that. This page holds a more personal map of my life: the animals at home, the road trips, the cameras, the cooking tools, the old competition hobbies, and the moment AI became real to me.

Pets

Nebula, Luna, and Nova

I live with one dog and two cats. Nebula is a golden retriever, labrador, and greyhound mix. Luna is a purebred Siamese. Nova is an orange cat mixed with British Shorthair energy.

Road Trips

I really love driving

I love cars and I love long drives. The longest road trip I have done was relocating from Edmonton to Toronto after undergrad, around 3500 km over seven days.

Photography

Fuji, Ricoh, and film later

I like photography because it changes how I look at ordinary things. I own a Fuji and a Ricoh, and I want to spend more time with film cameras and developing photos later on.

Cooking

Knives, cookware, and forging

I like cooking, beautiful kitchen tools, and well-made knives. Recently I have become especially interested in blade forging.

Fun Fact

PAL, but no gun yet

I passed the firearms licence process, but I do not own a gun yet. It is more part of a broader curiosity about tools, mechanics, and training than a collecting habit.

Origin Story

AlphaGo changed the direction

The 2016 Lee Sedol versus AlphaGo matches were the turning point that made me decide to study AI seriously. That same year, I learned Python.

Relocation Drive

Edmonton to Toronto

That relocation drive is still the one I remember most clearly.

  • Jan 15: Saskatoon, 520 km
  • Jan 16: Regina, 260 km
  • Jan 17: Winnipeg, 570 km
  • Jan 18: Manitoba to Ontario border, 150 km. Heavy snow closed the road, so I ended up staying briefly in the mountains, where I ran into a red fox.
  • Jan 19: Thunder Bay, 570 km
  • Jan 20: Sault Ste. Marie, 700 km
  • Jan 21: Toronto, 700 km

Total: around 3500 km.

More Miles

The trips I keep planning around

I have also driven Edmonton to Vancouver and back, Toronto to Quebec City and back, and I am about to do Toronto to Ann Arbor to Chicago and back for my Michigan graduation.

Models

I grew up building and competing

I have loved models since I was little. Starting in junior high, I trained in vehicle model competitions, won many awards, took second place in the Asian Cup women's division, placed top three in national, provincial, and city-level competitions, and once took a photo with a world champion in vehicle models. I also know robot programming.

Life

I am married, and I am very happy

I have built a life that feels full, grounded, and deeply loved. That matters to me more than any polished career summary, and it is a big part of why the rest of my work feels steady.

Why This Page Exists

The personal side is part of the signal

A lot of my work is technical, serious, and structured. But curiosity is one of the reasons that work is good in the first place. This page is here for people who notice the smaller clues.