“Shinichi, Shinichi...”
Shinichi Mochizuki was leaning against the plane seat, napping. He opened his eyes in a daze and saw the student sitting next to him.
“Yes?”
Hoshi Yuichiro grinned, showing his white teeth.
“Professor! We are almost there!”
Almost there...
Back to Japan?
Shinichi Mochizuki was wrapped in a blanket. He tilted his head blankly and looked through the window.
Outside the window was the runway and terminal of Kansai International Airport. There was no doubt that they were already in Japan.
The arrival announcent was heard in the cabin.
Shinichi Mochizuki took off the blanket and gave it to his student. Mochizuki removed the gold-rimd glasses from his collar and put them on. He unfastened the seat belt and stood up from the seat. Finally, he followed the flow of people and walked down from the plane.
Half a month ago.
He vaguely rembered when the incident on Mars had just happened. His student Hoshi Yuichiro took a special flight to China and begged him to return to Kyoto University to continue teaching.
Since there was no chance to talk with Lu Zhou about the future of the quantum encryption algorithm, Shinichi Mochizuki finally chose to go ho.
There was nothing valuable left in Jin Ling.
The TV in the terminal building’s waiting hall was showing the latest news.
When he first left Japan, the news was still showing clues about the discovery of “alien people” on Mars. In just a few months, the news had developed from “Human Alliance holding a second congress eting” to “establishing a defense system for a community with a shared future for mankind” and “border set on Kuiper belt”.
Honestly, if aliens actually invade Earth, is there anything we could do?
And the border in the Kuiper belt, how many people can even go there?
Shinichi deeply doubted all of this.
Hoshi Yuichiro struggled through the crowd dragging two suitcases. He caught up with the footsteps of the professor and said breathlessly, “Professor, you’re walking too fast!”
Withdrawing his gaze from the TV, Shinichi Mochizuki said seriously, “Even a mathematician can’t neglect to exercise.”
“Yes... Professor, but I’m carrying two suitcases.”
“That is not an excuse.”
“Yes, sir...”
While the two were walking to the pick-up point, a reporter with a microphone suddenly ca over with a photographer and stopped the two of them.
“Hello, are you Professor Shinichi?”
“Yes.” Mochizuki looked at the cara behind the reporter and said blankly, “Is there anything wrong?”
“Here’s the thing, I want to interview you about the ABC conjecture—”
“It’s been almost two months since the proof of the ABC conjecture. Can’t you ask questions that are more relevant?”
The reporter had an awkward look on his face.
“Um... After all, many people care about you. We couldn’t contact you during your stay in China.”
Mochizuki looked at his watch and said concisely, “Just ask what you want. I can only give you two minutes at most.”
“What was your role in the LSPM research group?”
“A mathematician.”
“Of course, but what we want to know—”
“How important my work was for the final result... Is that what you wanted to ask?” Mochizuki paused for a while and looked at the airstrip outside the terminal. He said, “This question has no aning at all. More than 60% of the paper and the most critical proof idea were done by Lu Zhou. And for the remaining 40%, so of them were done by , so by Professor Schultz and Perelman. It is difficult to distinguish whose results are more important.”
Reporter: “Do you think highly of Academician Lu?”
“Very high. He shouldn’t be evaluated by .” Shinichi Mochizuki continued after a pause, “There’s only one title worthy of him.”
Reporter: “... What title?”
Shinichi Mochizuki said confidently to the cara.
“God of Mathematics!”
...
The departure of Lu Zhou had affected many people.
Ever since the first lecture he held in Princeton, his life was firmly tied to academia. Academia was what carried the imagination and hope of human civilization for the future.
Because of this, when the bad news ca, the academic community had the greatest impact.
“I have had many teachers in my life, but he is the one I respect the most. I will rember his teachings throughout my life and carry forward what I have learned from him.”
In an interview with Nature, Professor Hardy, the youngest dean of the Mathematics Departnt at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, said this with a heavy expression.
Earlier, Nature tried to contact Professor Deligne. Unfortunately, Professor Deligne declined the interview.
Fortunately, although they did not interview Professor Deligne, they managed to contact Professor Fefferman, who had worked with Lu Zhou on the Navier–Stokes equations.
Professor Fefferman’s expression was also full of sadness. He barely maintained his emotional composure and answered so of the questions raised by the reporter.
“... His death is undoubtedly a loss for the entire academic community, but it’s also a loss of the world. I once talked about this issue with a physics professor at the Institute for Advanced Study. Because of his sudden leave, many unfinished research will be brought to a standstill.
“There might be people with more talent than him in the future, but Professor Witten is pessimistic about this. The birth of a genius like him is very rare.
“It’s a sha as he was only in his early thirties, the golden age of a scholar. He would have solved many great problems...”
...
Jinling.
Yida Plaza.
The movie about Academician Lu was shown in the theater.
After a year of shooting and nearly half a year of editing, the film was originally planned to be released at the end of the year.
However, because of various things, the schedule was disrupted. The film was advanced to premier during the sumr.
As for the title of the movie, it was simple but quite charming.
[Scholar]
Most of the people sitting here watching the movie were students, especially middle and high school students. So were organized by their schools to watch the movie, while so ca here with their parents.
Chen Yushan, on the other hand, brought her sister here.
The length of the film was around two and a half hours. It depicted the growth of Lu Zhou and his choices in life from when he was a student to the ignition of a controllable fusion reactor.
When the Pangu reactor was successfully ignited, everyone around him cheered, but Academician Lu collapsed due to fatigue. Many people in the theater clenched their fists with tears in their eyes.
The scene changed. They were now inside a hospital ward.
A child about five years old sitting near Chen Yushan asked his mom in a quiet voice, “Mom, will Lu Zhou wake up?”
The mother gently patted her son’s hand and said softly, “He will, he is a great scientist. He has helped many people. He will live in the hearts of many people.”
The child nodded.
For so reason, Chen Yushan began to tear up.
I said I wasn’t going to be sad anymore...
Worried, Han ngqi squeezed her sister’s hand.
“Sis...”
“I’m fine.” Her mood gradually cald down. Chen Yushan sniffled and tried to force a smile on her face. She said, “It’s just... We ca to this movie theater for our first date.”
She still rembered the horror movie they watched.
When buying tickets, Lu Zhou even said to buy two different movie tickets and et up after the movies.
He was so cute back then...
Back then, she didn’t realize this.
“Sis...”
“What?”
“I... never told you,” Han ngqi whispered quickly while dodging her eyes. She stared at the credits flashing on the screen as she said, “Actually, I... think I like soone.”
“If you like them, go for it, don’t have any regrets for your youth.” Chen Yushan smiled and said, “Don’t be like and wait too long.”
“What are you talking about? You are only in your early thirties, you look so young and beautiful, and you know how to dress... You look like you’re in your twenties.”
“No way.” Chen Yushan smiled and continued, “Speaking of which, can I know which lucky boy caught your attention?”
Han ngqi’s cheeks flushed as she said shyly, “This... Can I keep it secret?”
“At least tell where you t him.”
“While filming...” Han ngqi’s cheeks were red from the lie.
However, Chen Yushan didn’t notice the change on her sister’s face. She smiled and replied, “A cast mber?”
“No... I’m not interested in pretty boys, but he is quite well dressed.” Han ngqi smiled embarrassedly and continued in a low voice, “Actually, I am very grateful to him. He changed ... No, he saved .”
“Oh, really? He sounds like a very good person.” Chen Yushan said with a smile, “Treasure him, there are not many boys like this.”
“Yeah...”
After a pause, Chen Yushan thought for a while and said, “In the afternoon... I’m going to Jiangling to visit Lu Zhou’s parents. Xiao Tong is also there. Do you want to go with ?”
Han ngqi asked with surprise, “Xiao Tong is back from Arica?”
“Well, she seems to have applied for a leave of absence. I saw her at the airport yesterday. She was crying; her nose was swollen. I ate with her, but she didn’t stay in Jinling for long. She went back to Hubei that day. You and Xiao Tong are good friends. If you want, you should go comfort her.”
“Ok! I’ll go with you.”
Chen Yushan smiled and reached out and stroked her sister’s hair gently.
“Thank you.”
Chen Yushan was afraid that her emotions would be uncontrollable in front of the two parents who had just lost their only son...
...
The magnetic levitation train from Jinling to Jiangcheng was opened at the beginning of the year.
In just one hour, the two sisters arrived at the capital of the Hubei Province.
After traveling from high-rise buildings to folksy towns, the two finally arrived at their destination.
Although Chen Yushan had only been here a handful of tis, this place felt familiar to her, as if it were her own hotown.
Chen Yushan hesitated before she reached out and knocked on the door lightly.
Soon after, the door opened. An old woman with a haggard face appeared in front of the door. Chen Yushan almost didn’t recognize her.
When she saw Chen Yushan, her face showed a touch of surprise.
Before she could speak, Chen Yushan, who was standing at the door, spoke first.
“Mom, I ca to see you... This is my cousin, Han ngqi, Xiao Tong’s friend.”
Han ngqi bowed politely and greeted the old lady.
“Hello, Auntie.”
“Hello, hello, co on in...” Fang i smiled reluctantly. She looked at Chen Yushan and said, “Don’t call mom anymore... You’re a good girl, my son failed you.”
Chen Yushan shook her head and said with a smile, “I already prepared to be bullied by him for the rest of my life, and he didn’t fail anyone. If you don’t mind, just treat like your daughter.”
“Oh, of course I don’t mind, I’m just afraid... Sigh, how unfortunate.”
The old lady sighed and turned around.
Chen Yushan nodded toward Han ngqi and led her into the house.
After entering the living room, Chen Yushan saw that Lu Zhou’s door was closed.
Her heart quickly skipped a beat, but she quickly realized that the idea that flashed in her heart was impossible.
Lu Zhou is not there.
It should be Xiao Tong.
The bedroom door opened, and a familiar face appeared.
The two made eye contact.
Xiao Tong walked out of the bedroom with red and swollen eyes.
“Sis...”
“Hey, don’t cry...” Chen Yushan hugged Xiao Tong and gently rubbed the back of her head. She said softly, “I’m here.”
Han ngqi asked in a quiet voice, “Did you get a haircut?”
“...”
Xiaotong’s face was buried in Chen Yushan’s chest, and she did not reply.
Han ngqi realized sothing.
Maybe...
She wants to take on the role of her brother.
When they were eating, Xiao Tong’s mood finally eased a bit.
Although there was still an atmosphere of sadness in this ho, perhaps because there were guests here, the emotions were not as obvious.
While eating, Chen Yushan asked Xiao Tong in a chatty tone.
“Do you have any plans for the future?”
“I think... After returning to China, I will accompany my parents first, then... Follow the unfinished path of my brother and help him continue.”
Xiao Tong asked Chen Yushan sincerely, “Can you help ?”
“Of course.” Chen Yushan held Xiao Tong’s hand and a gentle smile appeared on her face as she said, “You are my sister.”
Xiao Tong’s cheeks blushed slightly as a smile appeared on her face.
“Thanks...”
“No need to thank family.” Chen Yushan said with a smile, “Hurry up and eat, let’s talk about sothing else.”
Han ngqi’s eyes showed a trace of envy.
She suddenly understood.
Why Lu Zhou, who was indifferent to so many temptations, would fall in love with her sister.
Although Chen Yushan also had monts of sadness and defeat, her gentleness and self-confidence in monts of hardship were dazzling.
They stayed in the small city of Jiangling for one night. Because there were still a lot of things to deal with at Star Sky Technology, Chen Yushan said goodbye to Lu Zhou’s parents and Xiao Tong. She took Han ngqi back to Jinling.
Chen Yushan sat on the high-speed rail heading to transfer to the magnetic levitation train. She was staring outside the window when she suddenly spoke.
“Lu Zhou kept telling what he wanted to do for science, like setting up so special awards to recognize outstanding research and outstanding young scholars.
“But he had always hesitated because he was too young to na a world-class academic award in his own na. He wanted to be humble.”
Han ngqi looked at her sister in confusion. She didn’t quite understand why Chen Yushan was talking about these things.
“I want to use his na to establish a world-class award... What do you think?”
“I think it’s a good idea.” Han ngqi hesitated for a mont. Her eyes lit up suddenly as she continued, “He will definitely be happy that his na will be able to help so many people...”
Chen Yushan smirked and looked outside the window.
“If only I could share this joy with him...”
While the high-speed rail slowly entered Jiangcheng’s high-speed rail station, a Magpie Bridge slowly docked on the Moon Palace space station hundreds of thousands of kiloters away.
Half a month ago, it unloaded supplies and reinforcents on Mars. It also recovered the mbers of the diplomatic mission sent to Mars, as well as samples collected from the remains of the Martian civilization and a wrist-mounted computer with a damaged screen.
On the other hand, the signal light on the quantum computer mainfra buried deep under the Institute for Advanced Study flickered.
An unmanned aerial vehicle flew up slowly and flew in the direction of the elevator. It began to fulfill the last command left by its owner...
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