After the lecture, Lu Zhou spent around ten minutes answering the student’s questions. He then put away the textbook and left the classroom.
Perelman, who was sitting at the back of the classroom, stood up and followed Lu Zhou out of the classroom.
He had a pensive look on his face as he suddenly spoke.
“That was a normal lecture.”
Lu Zhou smiled and said, “It’s only a class for undergraduate students.”
Perelman: “Why do you teach undergraduate students?”
Lu Zhou: “Because revisiting what makes the obvious, obvious, can help us understand what makes the complex, complicated… In fact, this is what Fermi thought as well, and I agree with him. Maybe some of my students will become Fields Medalists, that will be very fulfilling.”
Perelman’s expression didn’t change.
His attitude toward mathematics was always a pursuit of purity. Therefore, he did not resonate with Lu Zhou’s words at all.
He thought for a while and spoke.
“… What makes the complex, complicated.”
“Yeah…” Lu Zhou nodded and said, “For example, motive theory and the Langlands program, these seemingly easy theorems explain less obvious principles. What is the essence of numbers? Our civilization has been thinking about this problem ever since the existence of mathematics. Great mathematicians are often theologians or philosophers.”
Perelman: “Are you a theologian?”
Lu Zhou: “Unfortunately, I’m a materialist… This is my office.”
Lu Zhou opened the door and turned on the lights.
Normally, there would be people here, but today was a Saturday. His three assistants left after four o’clock. While he did not require his students to come in on the weekends, most of them spent their weekends in the library.
“Help me move the whiteboard from the corner.”
“Okay.”
Perelman walked forward and dragged the whiteboard out of the corner while Lu Zhou took out a marker from his desk drawer.
Lu Zhou walked up to the whiteboard and was about to answer questions from his foreign friend when he suddenly heard footsteps outside of his office. An acquaintance of his knocked on the door and walked in.
“Academician Lu, sorry to bother you… Wait, are you Professor Perelman?” Dean Qin said as he looked at Perelman standing next to Lu Zhou.
He had just come back from his meeting and wanted to discuss with Lu Zhou on how to deal with this matter. He didn’t expect to see this big fish standing in Lu Zhou’s office.
Perelman looked at the old man and nodded.
“Yeah… Is there a problem?”
“No, no problem, I just didn’t expect you to be here,” Dean Qin said as he tried to contain his excitement. “You should have told us in advance, we can give you a visit around the campus.”
Perelman looked at him strangely and said, “I’m just here to ask Professor Lu questions, do I have to apply in advance?”
“No, no, I didn’t mean that, I’m just saying…”
Dean Qin awkwardly tried to explain as Lu Zhou shook his head and spoke first.
“It’s fine, Perelman.”
Dean Qin sighed in relief and said, “Okay then… I’ll talk to you later.”
Dean Qin left the office and closed the door.
Perelman was confused. He looked at Lu Zhou and asked, “What was that about?”
“Nothing.” Lu Zhou smiled and looked at the whiteboard as he said, “Let’s continue.”
…
Perelman was obviously prepared for his visit to China.
He even carried around a little notebook, filled with commonly used Chinese phrases, as well as notes he made when he was reading Lu Zhou’s paper.
Honestly, Lu Zhou had a hard time answering Perelman’s questions. He could only answer around 60% of them.
“… That’s an interesting question, but that’s all I can answer. I might have to get back to you after I finish my research.”
“No worries.” Perelman closed his notebook and shook his head as he said, “I thought we could discuss these questions together, I didn’t expect you to answer so many of them…”
Lu Zhou: “…”
The f*ck.
Why didn’t you tell me that earlier!
Lu Zhou thought Perelman’s questions came from reading the paper. However, he didn’t expect the problems to be unrelated to the paper.
Lu Zhou smiled and spoke humbly.
“Judging from your questions, clearly you’re also interested in the Grand Unified Theory. It just so happens that my research group still needs people… I don’t know if you’re interested.”
Lu Zhou did not have a lot of hope. After all, Perelman was infamous for his introverted temperament.
However, Perelman’s answer surprised Lu Zhou. Perelman spoke without any hesitation.
“If you think I can be of help, please let me join.”
Lu Zhou was speechless. Perelman frowned and spoke.
“… Is there a problem?”
“… Nothing, I just didn’t expect you to agree so readily.”
Lu Zhou snapped back to reality and said, “Of course you can be of help, we can build this mathematical tower together… Welcome, partner.”
Lu Zhou turned around to his desk and took out a document from his drawer. He glanced at the document and made sure he had the correct one before handing it to Perelman.
“This is a visiting and exchange document, it has already been stamped. Just sign your name, you’ll be able to receive a long-term visa with this.
“Also, I’m assuming you don’t have a place to stay. The newly-built dorms at the Jin Ling University apartments are pretty good, they’re around 90 square meters, located near campus, close to the mathematics department buildings and library. I can apply a visiting scholar status for you, you just have to sign this document—”
Perelman paused for a second and interrupted him, “Wait a second, what is a visiting scholar?”
Lu Zhou: “Like the name implies, you’ll be working at Jin Ling University with an equivalent role of a distinguished professor.”
Perelman said, “I don’t want to work, I’m not interested in teaching. I’m leaving here after we finish the Grand Unified Theory of algebra and geometry. I can sleep on the sofa if needed, I don’t need an apartment.”
Lu Zhou shook his head and said, “No, we can’t do that. Even if you want to sleep on a sofa, you need a roof to sleep under.”
Perelman shrugged and said, “I heard Schultz say your house is pretty big.”
Lu Zhou said, “… Forget about it, no one outside of my family has slept in my house before.”
Perelman: “…”
Seeing how Perelman was hesitant, Lu Zhou said, “You don’t have to worry about teaching. Being a distinguished professor doesn’t mean you have to teach. Of course, if you want to, I’m sure the students would be grateful for your generosity. You’ll also receive more salary.”
Perelman said, “It’s not that I don’t like teaching, I just don’t want to waste time on trivial matters.”
Lu Zhou: “I’m not forcing you.”
“Okay, thank you.”
“No worries.” Lu Zhou smiled and reached out his hand as he said, “It’s an honor to work on this great project with you.”
Perelman shook Lu Zhou’s hand and smiled.
However, he quickly realized something as he spoke.
“I… need a favor.”
Lu Zhou smiled and spoke.
“Go ahead.”
Perelman coughed and spoke.
“90 square meters is too big, can you get me a smaller apartment, maybe 20 square meters… I feel uncomfortable in large spaces.”
Lu Zhou looked at him strangely and said, “I thought you lived in a small apartment because it’s cheap.”
Perelman spoke.
“The price is only one of the reasons.”
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