I'm Not Some Kind of Devil

He entered the official website of Publications mathématiques de l'IHES and found the submission page.

Following the submission steps, Xiao Yi successfully submitted his paper.

"Finally got it done."

Xiao Yi shook his head. Just submitting a paper had required him to register all kinds of accounts, which had taken quite a bit of effort.

"So, as Professor Liu said, all I can do now is wait for news."

Xiao Yi felt a little excited.

After all, it was the first paper he had ever published, and also his first time submitting to SCI. It was hard not to be excited.

According to what he had found online, submitting a paper to SCI was a very difficult matter for most people.

At some less prestigious universities, publishing a third- or fourth-quartile paper might allow a lecturer to become an associate professor, or an associate professor to become a full professor.

A first-quartile paper was even more impressive. When applying to a Project 985 university, a first-quartile paper published as the sole author would probably earn the personal attention of the dean.

As for top journals, the best universities would basically welcome them with open arms.

The saying that one paper could support someone for a lifetime was no fabrication.

"I just wonder whether this paper will pass the review."

Thinking of that, Xiao Yi became a little nervous again.

"Forget it. I shouldn't think about this anymore. Time to study."

"I still haven't finished reading that paper on the Twin Prime Conjecture."

With that thought, Xiao Yi temporarily put the matter of the paper completely aside and resumed studying according to his original study plan.

Of course, he did not forget to tell Professor Liu Bin that he had already submitted the paper.

Alright, I understand.

After receiving Xiao Yi's message, Liu Bin quickly replied. Then he left his office and went to Hu Guangde's office once more to tell him the news.

Hu Guangde nodded, then said, "Okay, his paper should arrive tomorrow. When it does, I'll give Bojielun, the editor-in-chief at IHES, a call."

"If all goes well, his paper might be published within three months."

Liu Bin nodded slightly. He could already imagine the waves this paper would create in the academic world once it was published.

However, just then, there was another knock on the office door.

"Come in."

The door opened, and a vice dean from the Mathematics Department walked in.

"Dean Chen."

Hu Guangde glanced at the man and greeted him with a smile.

"Academician Hu." Dean Chen responded. After approaching Hu Guangde, he handed him an A4 sheet of paper. "The list of applicants for this year's Hua Luogeng Mathematics Class is out. Please take a look."

"A total of 130 students applied. Based on their college entrance examination scores or independent admissions scores, we selected 45 students for the second-round examination. Of them, 23 freshmen are from the Gifted Class and Young Creators Class, while 22 are freshmen from the Mathematics Department. We will ultimately select 30 students, a ratio of three to two."

Hu Guangde nodded and looked over the list. He quickly spotted Xiao Yi's name, then asked, "Does this exam have to be taken?"

Dean Chen said, "Yes. It has all been filed with the Ministry of Education. After admission, the examination results must also be publicly announced. It's a necessary procedure."

Hu Guangde nodded. He had been thinking that this exam was purely a waste of Xiao Yi's time and had planned to let Xiao Yi skip it.

Now, there really was no way around it. Just like those coveted positions where tens of thousands competed for a single opening, they still had to hold a public recruitment examination. It was all part of the necessary procedure.

But then...

Hu Guangde suddenly said, "How about this? I'll write the written examination questions for their second round."

Dean Chen froze.

Huh?

Academician Hu was actually going to set the questions himself?

Was this a joke?!

They were just a group of eighteen-year-olds, perhaps some not even eighteen yet!

And he was going to be this ruthless?

Dean Chen carefully asked, "Um, you... won't make the questions too difficult, will you?"

"Hmm... they might be a little difficult." Hu Guangde gave a vague laugh. "Don't worry about such details. This is the written test for the mathematics class, after all. It's perfectly reasonable for it to be a bit harder. In any case, the final evaluation is based on score rankings, and there's also an interview stage."

Dean Chen fell silent. Would they really be only "a little" difficult?

Of course, the students daring to apply for the Hua Luogeng Mathematics Class definitely had enough talent in mathematics, and quite a few had won awards in the Math Olympiad.

But an academician setting questions for a group of students who had barely begun their academic journeys...

Dean Chen did not dare imagine it. He could only sympathize with this year's freshmen in his heart.

"Don't make that face. It'll be fine." Hu Guangde waved his hand. "It's settled, then. I'll give you the questions I write after a while."

"It just so happens that I haven't set questions for young fellows like these in a long time. I'll give it a try this time."

Dean Chen sighed. He knew he could not stop Hu Guangde. After all, the Mathematics Department only had this one academician.

Even the university president probably would not be able to do anything about it.

So he said, "Alright, I understand, Academician Hu. I'll go report this to Dean Zhao now."

Dean Zhao was their dean. Naturally, a matter like changing the person who set the mathematics class written examination questions had to be reported to him.

"Go on." Hu Guangde waved his hand, signaling that he could leave.

Before leaving, though, Dean Chen could not help but say to Hu Guangde, "Please don't make the questions too difficult."

Then he left.

"That Dean Chen!" Hu Guangde laughed and scolded, "I'm not some kind of devil."

Then he turned to Liu Bin and said, "Help me think this over. What kind of questions could stump Xiao Yi? If I remember correctly, you're also a teacher on our country's Math Olympiad Exam Question Committee."

Liu Bin: "..."

He was starting right off by trying to stump Xiao Yi, yet he claimed he was not some kind of devil?!

Time passed quickly. A few days later.

Paris, France, Institute for Advanced Study, editorial office of the journal Publications Mathématiques de l'IHES.

"Ahhh~~ Time to start work again."

Editor Evans let out a long yawn. Holding a cup of coffee, he walked to his desk. While exchanging a few pleasantries with the colleagues beside him, he turned on his computer.

"Alright, time to start reviewing manuscripts again today. I hope there'll be a few decent papers. Even one that can be accepted would mean the day wasn't wasted."

After stretching one last time, he opened the submission management software. He looked at how many papers he still had to review, then sharply inhaled.

"Damn it, I still have more than fifty submissions left unread!"

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