"Yanhua University.
Zhao Yi stood in the hallway of the second floor of the staff dormitory, looking out of the window at the bustling campus. When he thought of mathematical research, he felt a profound, isolating loneliness that made him contemplate ending his research in mathematics, as if it had entirely lost its aning for him.
"This must be how the world’s wealthiest person feels, I suppose?"
He pondered.
What does it feel like to be the richest person in the world? After all, money to the wealthiest is nothing more than a colossal pile of digits.
What’s the point of pursuing more wealth when one already has more than anyone else?
Anyway, they couldn’t spend it all or find anyone wealthier than themselves.
In the field of mathematical theory research, Zhao Yi had a similar feeling. After completing Fermat’s Last Theorem, he beca the world’s ’number one mathematician’, and couldn’t even find a worthy opponent.
Although there are many branches of mathematics, analytic number theory is considered the most ’prestigious’, and the most challenging field to make substantial progress in. Yet he successfully proved the most attention-grabbing conjectures in the field, Goldbach’s Conjecture and Fermat’s Last Theorem. Everyone acknowledged him as the number one mathematician, and he couldn’t find anyone on the sa level.
"This is perhaps even lonelier than being the wealthiest person because a wealthy person’s assets may shrink, causing them to lose that status..."
Zhao Yi reflected, in a sowhat ’sorrowful’ mood.
He didn’t understand why, after Wiles conquered Fermat’s Last Theorem, he spent the next decade behaving like a celebrity rather than a mathematician, continually giving speeches and touring universities while collecting various awards.
Of course.
This was quite normal. They were all honors that one should rightly receive after achieving such a significant breakthrough.
However, Wiles didn’t continue to devote his energy to mathematical research and didn’t produce any noteworthy accomplishnts in the following decade.
Zhao Yi thought Wiles had ’regressed’.
Now he understood.
Wiles probably ’gave up on mathematical research’ because of experiencing similar feelings.
"It’s so lonely at the top!"
"No choice!"
"Now that I am already the world’s number one, what difference would a few more breakthroughs make? It’s like the world’s wealthiest person. What’s the difference between wealth worth two hundred billion and three hundred billion?"
"Anyway, nobody else is as good as !"
Zhao Yi, once again ’sorrowfully’ shook his head, his mood seed to lift a little at the thought of the upcoming prize money.
In proving Fermat’s Last Theorem, not only did he gain the world’s recognition, but he also received a direct monetary reward.
The Technology Office conferred a reward of two million yuan, plus a project fund of five hundred thousand. Adding up to a total of two and a half million yuan. Although the amount was not substantial, this was just the beginning. He was sure to receive a series of mathematics and research awards in the future.
For Zhao Yi now, making money seed too easy.
So top-ranking dostic universities had invited him to give lectures at prices starting from ’fifty thousand per lecture’. Capital University had even offered ’two hundred thousand’. Going over there to hold one public lecture and getting two hundred thousand for it was sowhat unimaginable.
Zhao Yi found it amusing. Like a movie star on a ’movie tour’, he would run from place to place, make appearances, ’give performances’, and get tens of thousands...
"Doesn’t this salary level match that of A-list stars?"
Furthermore.
So local manufacturers had sent him emails, or even co directly to his door, hoping that he would beco their ’spokesperson’. For instance, a certain educational device manufacturer wanted him to be their ’spokesperson’ and earn millions just by shooting an advertisent.
Zhao Yi felt like he had beco a celebrity. However, he had no plans to take the celebrity route, at least not in the short term.
He was not short of money for now.
And there was a high likelihood that he would never be in the future.
For example, he already had hundreds of Bitcoins in his account just waiting to appreciate in value, enough for a lifeti of expenses.
With his ’lonely’ heart, Zhao Yi left the staff dormitory and walked down the main road towards the School of Sciences.
He was in the midst of ’celebrity treatnt’.
Students he encountered on the road greeted him by na, and there were even specially invited ’fans’?
They were fans, I suppose?
Zhao Yi turned his head to see several attractive girls collectively wearing oversized T-Shirts. His na was printed on the T-Shirts, accompanied by a few lines of tiny text. Upon closer inspection, he saw words like ’Fermat’s Last Theorem’, ’Goldbach’s Conjecture’, in other words, his mathematical achievents.
Upon seeing Zhao Yi, the group of female fans squealed, "Zhao Yi! I love you!"
"I’ve finally seen you in person!"
"You’re so handso!"
"Could you give an autograph? Sign here!" A non-mainstream girl with her hair dyed green and red and styled in a ponytail held up a pen, pointing to a spot about ten centitres below her chin.
Zhao Yi took the pen. After hesitating for a long while, he looked around and said, "Don’t film this! Why are you filming? Can’t you respect my privacy, my freedom..."
"Ahem."
"How about I sign on your back?"
Zhao Yi awkwardly made a suggestion, triggering good-natured laughter from the people around. The non-mainstream girl imdiately turned around, while playfully sticking out her sowhat attractive little bum.
After signing his autograph reluctantly, more female fans ca forward requesting pictures and autographs with Zhao Yi. Not just the female fans, but several classmates also joined in the fun. So even asked him to autograph their books.
Zhao Yi signed more than a dozen nas, posed for countless photos, and finally seized a mont to excuse himself, "I have so work, sorry" "I must go now", "Sorry about this".
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