Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
The ordinary differential exam started the exam week, next was mathematical analysis, complex analysis, and discretely, the students were all complaining. The last exam was physics, and that was the worst of them all.
Actually, these exams were okay.
At least, it was okay for Lu Zhou. He was more worried about the exam on politics.
He nearly failed modern history last semester. This exam was on the state of affairs and policies, and he was probably going to fail it. He could usually just write some bullsh*t and faked his way through, but he did not have any bullsh*t to write about…
Due to this, the class teacher specifically looked for him to talk.
“… Lu Zhou, if you fail your politics exam, that wouldn’t be good. This class carries a significant amount of credits. The leader of the department already wrote your name down for the party. But the school committee has some opinions about your grade in politics. So the department has a plan. We’ll let you submit the party application first, then go with other party activists to attend the party class. What do you think?”
There was a limited amount of spots for the party, and every class had two spots. Usually, the class leader and class secretary would get the spots.
If Lu Zhou stole the spot, that meant that either the class leader or the class secretary would have to be kicked off.
There was no other way, the genius had priority.
No one in the entire department could solve something like Zhou’s conjecture. Even if the school committee was unhappy with his politics grades, they could not do much about it.
However, Lu Zhou was unhappy.
Why are you making decisions for me?
Did I even ask to join?
Lu Zhou coughed and euphemistically refused, “Teacher, can I not join? I’m really not interested.”
He was completely disinterested in civil service. He did not care if he joined or not.
In the academic world, qualifications were important, the background was important, the tutor was important… But the most important was the ability.
If he got a Fields Medal, everything else would not matter.
“You’re not joining?” asked Instructor Zhang with his eyes widened. He said, “It’s such a good opportunity! Are you sure?”
Instructor Zhang hoped that Lu Zhou would seriously reconsider the matter. After all, listening to a few lectures and writing an essay was not too difficult…
He could not believe that someone would give up on this opportunity.
However, from Lu Zhou’s perspective, he did not want to waste time on those useless classes. He rather read theses instead, and it was not like he had free time…
Lu Zhou asked seriously, “Do I have to?”
Instructor Zhang shook his head and said, “No, you don’t. If you’ve decided… then I’ll forward your decision.”
Lu Zhou nodded, “Ok, thank you, teacher.”
Instructor Zhang could not bear to watch this student throw away a “bright future”. He still wanted to say something but then, his phone started to ring.
“Hello, Professor Wu, hi. Why are you calling me?”
“What? Project? Of course! I’m going!”
“Ok, I’ll be right there!”
Instructor Zhang hung up the phone and pretended as if nothing had happened as he said, “Oh, my PhD supervisor needs me to help with the research project. About entering the party thing, try to reconsider. Anyways, I have to go.”
Lu Zhou: “…”
Why is this guy so persistent…
Lu Zhou took his transcript and was ready to leave the office when suddenly, Instructor Zhang stopped him.
“Oh yeah, another thing.”
Lu Zhou stopped walking and turned around, “What?”
Instructor Zhang, “When you finish the last exam on the 20th, don’t leave yet. Wait till 10th of January.”
Although Lu Zhou had not planned to go back home that early, he still had a meeting in Princeton. However, he was curious as to why he had to wait.
Lu Zhou asked, “Why?”
Instructor Zhang smiled and said, “Great things. University of Jin Ling’s 10 annual special scholarship awards. You’ve been chosen from the mathematical department. Just remember to prepare an award speech.”
…
The physics exam finally ended, and the entire mathematics department was full of joy and liberation.
Regardless of the exam results, the exams were finally over.
At the same time, graduate entrance exams also came to an end. The fourth-year students could finally relax.
Chen Yushan and Lu Zhou were at the KFC near the campus. They sat across from each other and each had a set of hamburger meal.
Unexpectedly, both of them loved fast food.
Lu Zhou asked, “How was the exam?”
Chen Yushan smiled and said, “Fantastic! I think I can start preparing for the interview.”
Lu Zhou, “Impressive.”
Chen Yushan said confidently, “Of course! How about you?”
Lu Zhou sighed and said, “Other than politics, the other subjects were pretty easy, so probably full marks.”
Chen Yushan sighed, “Full marks? You’re too good. I almost forgot that you’re the smartest mathematical student in our school. If a professor could come up with a question that you couldn’t solve, that professor would probably get a promotion.”
As he listened to her, Lu Zhou nearly choked on the coke. He said, “You’re exaggerating…”
“Maybe,” said Chen Yushan before she sipped her coke and looked at him with a smile. She then said, “Speaking of which, little brother. Next year it’s going to be your last second year semester. Do you have any plans for your future?”
Lu Zhou thought and said, “Right now, I still haven’t planned anything, but I am considering getting a physics degree as well.”
Chen Yushan, “Wow… Physics and mathematics? They’re pretty different, right? Can you do them both at once?”
Lu Zhou, “Should be fine. If you understand mathematics, most of the physics questions aren’t that hard to solve. After all, physics equations are derived from mathematics.”
“What else? Do you want to study abroad? I heard Princeton has a high status in the field of mathematics. You should be able to get an offer, right?”
Lu Zhou thought for a second before saying, “Maybe, but I don’t have plans to study abroad right now. I’ll wait till after I finish my bachelor’s. I think the University of Jin Ling is a good fit for me.”
In fact, he had been thinking about studying abroad for a long time.
After he got the one million yuan reward, he had enough money to study abroad. He could theoretically go to a high ranking university like Princeton or Berkeley.
However, he did not know if the environment there would be suitable for him. He felt like he needed to look at it with his own eyes first.
During the Princeton academic conference in February, he could talk with some mathematics peers and maybe look around the school, and try to figure out what exactly would it look like.
Lu Zhou was quite looking forward to it.
“Okay then, when school starts next year, I’ll be at the University of Yan. I won’t be able to take care of you. So, here, cheers!” said Chen Yushan as she held her cup of coke. She then said, “I wish you success in your future!”
Lu Zhou thought, “Did you even take care of me? Wasn’t I the one teaching you mathematics this whole time?”
However, he did not say this out loud. He was not that emotionally retarded.
Lu Zhou clicked cups with her and said with a genuine tone, “I wish you a bright future as well!”
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