Kyoto, Yan University.
In the office of the International Cooperation and Exchange Department, a phone started ringing.
Wang Hai was just about to take a sip of water when the ringing interrupted him.
A few of his colleagues nearby were in the middle of a lively chat.
"Did you guys hear? Last week, some university from South America emailed again, saying they want to send two professors to our Yan University for an academic exchange."
A female colleague said.
"I looked up that school. Its QS ranking is outside the top one thousand. The most impressive academic achievement on their homepage is a paper the university president published twelve years ago with zero citations."
Another colleague chimed in with a laugh.
"That’s nothing. Last month, some diploma mill from Eastern Europe sent a three-page draft for a strategic cooperation framework agreement directly to our director. The wording made it sound like a United Nations declaration."
The office erupted in laughter.
This sort of thing was all too common at Yan University’s International Cooperation and Exchange Department. As one of Huaxia’s top institutions of higher learning, Yan University received a massive number of exchange applications from all over the world every year.
While there were plenty of legitimate collaborations with prestigious universities, the majority came from lesser-known institutions with low rankings.
Wang Hai, who was responsible for the initial screening of these applications, had long since grown used to it.
"All right, all right, let me get the phone."
Wang Hai put down his cup and picked up the receiver of his desk phone.
"Hello, Yan University International Cooperation and Exchange Department."
The person on the other end was speaking English.
Wang Hai listened, grabbing a pen to take notes.
His colleagues continued their conversation nearby, and one of them even shot Wang Hai a wink.
Wang Hai ignored them and kept listening to the call.
Then, he suddenly froze.
"You said you are...?"
Wang Hai’s tone changed noticeably.
The colleagues chatting nearby noticed his strange reaction and turned to look at him.
"Yes, yes, yes, I understand."
"Okay, I’ll make a note of it... Mm, yes, we will definitely get back to you."
"You said his name is... Li Dong? Okay, I’ve written it down."
The call ended.
Wang Hai stared at the words he had just jotted down on the sticky note, stunned for several seconds.
"Xiaowang? Who was that?"
Before the person could finish, Wang Hai had already shot up from his seat, grabbed the sticky note, and bolted out the door.
His colleagues looked at each other, baffled.
"What’s wrong with him? Did he see a ghost?"
"I don’t know, he was fine just a moment ago..."
A meeting was in progress in the third-floor conference room.
Zhao Mingyuan, Director of the International Cooperation and Exchange Department, sat at the head of the table, discussing the allocation of international exchange student slots for the next semester with several department heads.
"Our partner universities in Southeast Asia have given us an extra fifteen exchange slots this year, so we need to arrange for a corresponding number of students to host..."
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.
Someone was knocking at the door.
Zhao Mingyuan frowned. ’Who could be so ill-mannered as to interrupt a meeting?’
The door cracked open, and Wang Hai’s head peeked in.
His expression was a mixture of urgency and restraint. Upon seeing Zhao Mingyuan, he subtly gestured, as if to ask, "Can you step out for a moment?"
Zhao Mingyuan glanced at him.
’Whatever made a veteran employee like Wang Hai interrupt a meeting must be important.’
"You all carry on, I’m just stepping out."
Zhao Mingyuan stood up and walked out of the conference room.
As soon as the door closed, Wang Hai hurried over, his voice hushed.
"Zhao Chu, just now... there was a call."
"Professor Arthur Penrose from Princeton University. He said he wants to come to our Yan University for a long-term academic visit."
Zhao Mingyuan was taken aback for a moment.
"Penrose? From Princeton?"
"Yes! The Professor Penrose from the Princeton Department of Mathematics."
Wang Hai nodded emphatically.
"He said he’s planning to apply to be a long-term visiting scholar at Yan University for six months to a year. Not one of those short-term lecture tours that last a week or two, but a long-term stay!"
Zhao Mingyuan’s brow furrowed.
He had worked in international cooperation for over a decade and had seen countless cases of foreign scholars coming to Yan University for exchanges.
But the vast majority of those visitors were from second-tier institutions in Europe or Asia. The ones who actually came from top-tier universities like Princeton, Harvard, or MIT were mostly just on short-term reciprocal visits, leaving after giving a lecture or two.
’A current professor from Princeton’s math department, proactively requesting a long-term visiting position at Yan University?’
’Something like this, in the history of Yan University...’
Zhao Mingyuan thought for a moment.
It wasn’t entirely without precedent. In previous years, a few top overseas scholars had indeed come to Yan University for medium-to-long-term visits through various talent recruitment programs.
But those were almost always initiated by the university, and they went through national-level, high-caliber talent recruitment channels, with preparation periods often lasting more than half a year.
"Did he contact us through Princeton’s official channels, or personally?"
Zhao Mingyuan asked.
"Personally," Wang Hai confirmed.
"He didn’t go through Princeton’s Office of International Affairs. He just called directly himself."
Zhao Mingyuan nodded, then asked again.
"Did he say specifically when he would come? Or how long he expects to stay?"
Wang Hai shook his head.
"None of that is decided yet. He said... he wants to contact someone first, and he’ll finalize the schedule after he gets in touch with them."
"Contact who?"
"Someone named Li Dong."
Zhao Mingyuan pondered for a moment.
’Li Dong?’
’That name isn’t exactly uncommon.’
He mentally scanned the list of all faculty and staff at the university. ’Is there a Li Dong?’
’I think... there is one?’
"Isn’t there a teacher in the School of Physics named Li Dong?"
Zhao Mingyuan tapped his forehead, vaguely recalling seeing that name on the university-wide faculty roster.
"Yes, yes, yes, there is one."
Wang Hai remembered too.
"An associate professor, I think? Teaches fundamental physics?"
"Yes, I have some recollection."
Zhao Mingyuan nodded.
He recalled seeing this Associate Professor Li Dong’s name on an annual review form from two years ago. He was a diligent teacher and had published several papers with decent impact factors in a few good domestic physics journals. His evaluation was quite good.
But that was all.
’How could an associate professor from the School of Physics be connected to a professor from Princeton’s math department?’
Zhao Mingyuan couldn’t figure it out, but he also knew this wasn’t the time to dwell on it.
"Alright, I understand. I’ll follow up on this."
Zhao Mingyuan pushed the conference room door open again.
The meeting was still going on, but his mind was no longer on exchange student quotas.
His gaze swept across the conference table, finally landing on Professor Zhou from the School of Physics.
Professor Zhou was there today representing the School of Physics to discuss a joint doctoral program with the French Higher Normal School, and he was currently flipping through his materials, bored.
Zhao Mingyuan walked over, leaned down beside him, and lowered his voice.
"Old Zhou, do you have the phone number for that teacher from your School of Physics, Li Dong? Can you ask him to come over?"
Professor Zhou was stunned.
’Li Dong?’
’Of course he recognized the name.’
’The associate professor was a pretty down-to-earth guy, a serious and responsible teacher. Although his research output wasn’t particularly outstanding, his work in a few niche areas of condensed matter physics was still quite solid.’
"I have it," Zhou said, confused. "What’s wrong? Did something happen?"
Zhao Mingyuan explained briefly.
After hearing the explanation, Zhou’s eyes went wide.
"A math professor from Princeton? Looking for the Li Dong from our School of Physics?"
He also found it inconceivable.
’Still, an order from the university leadership was an order.’
Professor Zhou took out his phone and searched for "Li Dong" in his contacts.
Two Li Dongs popped up.
One was the number for the associate professor from the School of Physics, with the note: Li Dong (Condensed Matter).
The other...
"Li Dong (Loves Physics Most)"
And then he froze...
’A math professor?’
’Princeton?’
He suddenly remembered the rumor that had been spreading like wildfire around the university recently.
The Li Dong who "Loves Physics Most" had submitted a paper to arXiv that sent shockwaves through the international analytic number theory community...
’It couldn’t be... this kid, could it?’
Professor Zhou raised his head and looked at Zhao Mingyuan with a strange expression.
"Zhao Chu, this Li Dong... I’m afraid he’s not the one from our School of Physics."
「Elsewhere.」
New Jersey, Princeton University.
The department head’s office.
Rodnianski sat behind his desk, an application for academic leave resting in front of him.
Applicant: Arthur Penrose.
Application Type: Paid Academic Sabbatical for an Emeritus Professor.
Requested Duration: One year.
In the "Reason for Leave" section, there was just a single, simple line: "For personal academic research purposes."
Rodnianski looked at the line and shook his head helplessly.
Of course, he knew why Penrose was requesting leave.
During that budget allocation meeting, the old man and Clark had gotten into a furious argument and had a complete falling out on the spot.
Although he had stepped in to smooth things over, the look on Penrose’s face as he left was as black as ink...
"Oh, Arthur, Arthur..."
Rodnianski sighed.
As a professor emeritus, Penrose was entitled by Princeton’s regulations to apply for a one-year, fully paid academic sabbatical every seven years. It was his right, and no one could refuse it.
What’s more, given Penrose’s academic standing in the field of analytic number theory over the years, even if he wanted to take a two-year leave, no one in the department would dare say a word against it.
’He must have been truly infuriated.’
Rodnianski picked up his pen and signed his name on the application form.
’Getting out for a change of scenery might do him some good.’
「Meanwhile.」
Outside the Huaxuan Technology Headquarters Building in Shanghai.
Li Dong and Liu Ruochuan walked out the main entrance.
The early winter wind tousled Li Dong’s hair, but the look in his eyes was even more of a mess.
His steps were noticeably unsteady.
Liu Ruochuan called out.
"Li Dong!"
No response.
He called out again.
"Li Dong!"
"Ah? Professor!"
Li Dong finally snapped out of it.
Liu Ruochuan frowned.
"You’ve been completely out of it since we came outside. What’s on your mind?"
Li Dong gave a wry smile.
"Professor, in my entire life, I haven’t just never seen this much money—I’ve never even dreamed of it."
Hearing this, Liu Ruochuan smiled.
He understood Li Dong’s feelings, of course.
But Liu Ruochuan quickly dropped his smile, his tone turning serious.
"Li Dong, listen to me."
He stopped walking and turned to face Li Dong.
"Money is a good thing, I won’t deny that."
"But you have to remember—"
Liu Ruochuan said very seriously.
"For us academics, having money is certainly good. But you can’t let its arrival cause you to lose the passion you feel when you’re sitting at your desk."
"Money can make your life better, but it can’t replace the joy you feel when you’re deriving formulas at a blackboard."
"You’ve gotten to where you are today not because of money, but because of your love for knowledge."
"If that love is gone, even a billion would be useless to you."
Li Dong’s expression gradually grew solemn.
"Professor, don’t worry."
Li Dong’s voice was steady.
"So... are they really going to give me another billion?"
The corner of Liu Ruochuan’s eye twitched.
"Another billion? In your dreams."
Li Dong chuckled, just about to say he was only kidding...
Just then, his phone suddenly started vibrating.
He pulled it out and looked.
The caller ID read: Professor Zhou (Homeroom Advisor).

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