Zhou Cheng leaned back in his comfortable leather chair, flipping through a thick stack of documents.
There were two computer monitors, a pen, and a large ashtray on his spacious desk.
Other than that, there was nothing else.
Behind the desk was a floor-to-ceiling glass curtain wall, through which he could see the magnificent night view of the city and the illuminated sky.
Footsteps could be heard outside the study, and a woman entered carrying a fruit tray.
Although there were some signs of aging on her face, she still had a graceful and elegant figure, exuding the unique charm of a mature woman in her every move.
She was Zhou Cheng’s wife, Shen Manling, also a professor at Tsinghua University, specializing in astronomy.
“Zhou, have some fruits! These tropical fruits sent by your student are very fresh.”
Zhou Cheng put the documents in his hand on the desk and picked up a piece of fruit from the tray and put it in his mouth.
His gaze was somewhat absent-minded, still pondering the contents of the documents.
Shen Manling placed the fruit tray on the desk and sat beside Zhou Cheng.
“Is it Wen’s paper?” she asked.
Zhou Cheng’s eyes trembled slightly, and he snapped back to reality.
“Yes, Super Wen will present his paper and research findings at the National Physics Academic Conference tomorrow.”
A faint smile appeared on Shen Manling’s delicate face.
“There’s nothing to worry about. In all these years since Wen became your student, he has never caused you any worries in academia. I still remember the day you brought him back from high school and talked about that talented young man for hours.”
Shen Manling’s smile grew wider.
Meanwhile, Zhou Cheng spoke with a self-deprecating tone.
“Well, I can no longer be his teacher! In the five years he has been at Tsinghua University, including his year at the European Organization for Nuclear Research, he has obtained degrees in theoretical physics, astrophysics, condensed matter physics, high-energy physics, organic chemistry, and even mathematics. He has received numerous domestic and international awards, almost except for the Nobel Prize.”
Zhou Cheng placed his hand on the paper on the desk.
“Once this paper is published and experimentally verified, the Nobel Prize will be within his grasp. How can I still consider myself his teacher with a student like him?”
Shen Manling’s smile remained as it was, perfectly balanced.
It was more than a smile and a little less than laughter.
“I am not knowledgeable about your field of theoretical physics. But when it comes to astronomical observations, Wen has consulted me, and he does indeed have great talent in that area as well. His speed of learning and ability to make connections have amazed me.”
Shen Manling lightly placed her hand on her husband’s shoulder and continued, “However, this child is still young. The way he looks at you is no different from how he looks at his high school homeroom teacher. In his eyes, you are like a life mentor. Even if he wins the Nobel Prize, the teacher-student relationship between you two is well-deserved.”
As she said this, the serious expression on Shen Manling’s face gradually returned to a smile.
“In these past few years since Wen came, you’ve been spending more time at home. You can spend more time with me and our daughter.
No need to come home after a whole day of work at school and lock yourself in the study until late at night. Look at your study, it used to be filled with materials and ashtrays.”
Zhou Cheng absentmindedly opened a drawer and took out a box of cigarettes, lighting one up with a wry smile.
“Hehe, for every academic project of mine, as long as I bring up the project title, Wen will hand me a complete project proposal within a week. He can even write up the experimental plan. And the actual research process is almost identical to his proposal!”
Shen Manling asked curiously, “Haven’t there been any mistakes?”
Zhou Cheng shook his head.
“What mistakes? It’s more accurate than a computer. He finishes the work that used to take me months in just one week. Why should I work overtime?”
Zhou Cheng pointed at the paper:
“The paper that will be presented at the physics conference tomorrow is a groundbreaking discovery. It is a discovery that can be recorded in the annals of human history, and it may even change the fundamental understanding of the existing world.”
The smile on Shen Manling’s face gradually faded, replaced by astonishment and confusion.
Although she had witnessed the extraordinary achievements of this young genius before, the news she had just heard from her husband surprised her. Winning a Nobel Prize at the age of 23 was unprecedented in history and went against objective laws.
Her elegant and gentle voice was now filled with astonishment and incredulity.
“Have you thoroughly examined his paper? The National Physics Conference tomorrow will be attended by top experts from around the world. Any mistakes will be immediately pointed out. If there are any flaws or incomplete theories, I’m afraid he will be questioned like Yang Lao at the conference.”
Zhou Cheng took a deep breath, placed the half-smoked cigarette in the ashtray, and picked up the stack of documents again, pointing at the title of the paper, “
The Final Force of Quark Confinement under Strong Interaction”:
“I’m not worried about that. You work in astronomical observations, but you still have a basic knowledge of physics. Just look at the title of this paper, and you’ll understand how revolutionary its content is.”
Shen Manling shifted her gaze to the line of text Zhou Cheng was pointing at, and her face changed dramatically. She spoke with a trembling voice:
“Oh my god! Super Wen’s research findings are about unraveling quark confinement and the particle structure beneath quarks?”
Zhou Cheng remained calm and handed the paper to his wife.
He then picked up the partially smoked cigarette from the ashtray slot and took a puff.
“Yes, Super Wen gave me this paper a month ago. It’s his usual style. The physics proofs and mathematical derivations in the paper are very detailed and virtually flawless. I haven’t done any other work in the past month. Several colleagues and I have thoroughly examined it, and there shouldn’t be any theoretical problems. Academically speaking, the paper is sound, at least not falsifiable.”
Shen Manling quickly skimmed through the paper, and her previous anxiety faded somewhat.
“I read the abstract, but I can’t understand the later sections of proofs and derivations. But Super Wen’s hypothesis about the vibrating strings beneath quarks, where the frequency of vibration determines the properties of quarks and is correlated with strong interaction, isn’t that an already existing theory?”
Zhou Cheng countered, “Are you saying that it aligns with string theory and simply improves the precision of calculations?”
Shen Manling nodded, and Zhou Cheng extinguished the cigarette butt, waving his hand.
“Generally speaking, that’s true. But Super Wen’s vibrating string theory differs greatly from previous theories in terms of string composition, vibration modes, and the mechanism for explaining the macrocosm. I can’t explain all this in a few sentences.”
“But what I can say is that Super Wen has proposed an experimental plan to verify his theory. It goes into detail, even including the modification plan for the large proton collider under construction.”
Shen Manling exclaimed in surprise, “If everything is correct, then the quark confinement that has remained a mystery for over a century will be resolved in a short period?”
Zhou Cheng stretched lazily, stood up, and looked at the night view outside the window.
“It’s more than that. We might have obtained the key to unifying the four fundamental forces. Do you think this achievement can be considered groundbreaking?”
Shen Manling furrowed her brows lightly.
“Super Wen studied at the European Organization for Nuclear Research last year after you recommended him. Did he gain inspiration from there?”
Zhou Cheng chuckled, “When he went to Europe, those European physicists were astonished. It’s not uncommon for scientists to excel in both theory and experiments. But he managed to grasp the detailed structure of high-energy colliders in just one year.”
Zhou Cheng turned around, his face alternating between anticipation and unease.
“If everything in the paper is true, the storm that will be stirred up in the scientific community may be as influential as the impact of relativity and quantum mechanics in their time. The edifice of physics, which has weathered countless storms, might need to be completely renovated.”
Shen Manling stood up, placing the paper back on the desk.
The graceful smile returned to her face.
“For you, isn’t this a good thing? If your student achieves such a high accomplishment, as his mentor, you should be proud of him!
Stop thinking about this for now.
Rest early and get ready to witness Super Wen’s amazing presentation tomorrow.”
Shen Manling stood up and looked at the top shelf of the bookcase, where several new science books on human anatomy and brain structure had been added.
She reached out and took a book titled “The Structure of the Brain,” gently caressing its exquisitely bound cover.
“Hey, Zhou, when did you, a physics professor, start studying medical topics? Are you thinking of switching careers?”
Zhou Cheng quickly approached, snatched the book from his wife’s hand, and placed it back on the shelf, looking a bit embarrassed.
“Who said that physicists can’t read medical books? Don’t make a big deal out of it! You don’t have to stick around here. Hurry downstairs and prepare dinner. Lao Cao will be here soon.”
