The Task Assignments (Third Update)

"I have to admit, Peter Schultz is a genius," Professor Muller said.

"He's more like a madman, a mad genius," Professor Faltings said.

Schultz, Muller, and Faltings were all Germans. Germany is a tiny country, so these three German mathematicians must have known each other.

"Then I don't understand, why would a genius like Schultz's wife, Mary, divorce him?" Shen Qi's doubts were palpable; he even began to question Schultz's character.

The fact that a female PhD student who loves mathematics resolutely left her top mathematician husband indicates that she suffered extremely great harm.

Husband having an affair? Husband abusing her? Husband gambling away all the family's savings? Husband taking illegal drugs to gain mathematical inspiration?

This was the only reason Shen Qi could think of.

"Being around a mad genius can be stressful," Professor Muller said with the air of someone who had been there. Before coming to Princeton, he taught at the University of Bonn, so he should know Schultz's character and personality very well.

"I understand." Shen Qi understood.

Schultz became famous in the Mathematics Community at a young age, probably because this German God of Mathematics loved to show off so much that even his wife couldn't stand it. So his wife ran away to the United States and wanted to divorce the German King of Show Offs -off.

While keeping an eye on Schultz, Shen Qi also gave himself a reminder.

It's fine to show off to anyone, but never do it in front of your parents or wife. Otherwise, you'll lose your relationship with your parents, and your wife will remarry and sleep with other men.

Before heading to Italy, Shen Qi issued a meeting notice, requiring all the core members of the team to gather in Princeton for a research seminar.

Why go to Italy?

ICTP is headquartered in Italy. Shen Qi will attend this year's Ramanujan Prize award ceremony and give an academic presentation in the Italy city of Trieste.

Shen Qi drove his Mercedes-Benz SUV to Columbia University to pick up Ou Ye.

"Little Yezi, don't move, I'll help you with your bag." Shen Qi took Ou Ye's baby and slung it over his shoulder.

"This bag is very light, I can manage."

"Little Yezi, be careful of the platform drop when you go downstairs."

"Uh, I'm not in good health, but I'm not disabled. I can go downstairs."

"Little Yezi, this necklace is for you. I hope you like it."

"Tiffany, oh, that's so expensive. Thank you, Qi, I really like it."

"Little Yezi, my SUV has too high a ground clearance, making it inconvenient to get in. Come on, let me help you in."

"No, wait... people are watching!"

Shen Qi started the car and drove Ou Ye towards Princeton.

On the way back to Princeton, Ou Ye asked, "Qi, why are you so nice to me?"

Shen Qi: "That's a must, you're my woman."

Ou Ye chuckled and said, "I got my American driver's license."

Shen Qi nodded. "So you can drive for me now."

Ou Ye: "I want to buy a car."

Shen Qi asked, puzzled, "Buy a car? Don't I already have a car? My car is your car."

"It's so tiring for you to pick me up every time. I can drive to Princeton," Ou Ye explained, feeling sorry for her boyfriend.

In the National First Prize person to own one car or even several cars.

Since Ou Ye wanted to buy a car, Shen Qi agreed, "Alright then, which car do you want? I'll take care of it for you. I've been around cars since I was a child, so I know a lot about them."

Ou Ye took out a bank card, placed it in the center console, and said, "Bentley has an SUV, let's buy that one."

Bentley only releases one SUV, with 4.0T and 6.0T engine options. Shen Qi asked, "That Bentley SUV is called the Bentayga. Which engine size do you want to buy?"

Ou Ye: "The 6.0T."

Shen Qi was somewhat surprised. "Really? The Bentayga 6.0T has a 12-cylinder engine. Little Yezi, you're a girl, do you really need such powerful performance? I know you like large SUVs, but you could just buy an Audi Q7 for commuting."

"No, I just like Bentley." Ou Ye insisted on buying the Bentley 6.0T SUV.

"The Bentayga 6.0T sells for 4.8 million RMB in China and $300,000 in North America, while my Mercedes-Benz GLS is less than $100,000. Little Yezi, can we be more practical? The Q7 is more than enough for your commute between New York and New Jersey. It's all-terrain capable, handles well, and is suitable for women." Shen Qi, from a professional perspective, strongly recommended that his girlfriend buy the Audi Q7.

"Do you like Bentley?" Ou Ye asked.

Shen Qi: "Of course I like Bentley! What car enthusiast doesn't dream of owning Bentley?"

"Then buy... Bentley... please." Ou Ye suddenly gasped for breath as she rummaged for medicine bottles in her bag.

"Bentley, buy Bentley! A 6.0T twelve-cylinder Bentley!" Shen Qi quickly pulled over to the side of the road to help Ou Ye take her medicine.

Princeton is a small town; there are no Bentley dealerships there, only in New York.

Before buying the car, a meeting was held where Shen Qi, Ou Ye, Mary, and Jonas, four key front-line members, gathered to discuss the topic of the RT Third Expression.

Such internal meetings with full participation are necessary, and we can't keep Ou Ye hidden away all the time. She is a member of the team and needs to be integrated into this joint research group from Princeton University and Columbia.

Ou Ye would steal glances at Mary every now and then, and Mary was also observing Ou Ye.

"I've said it before, we've cast too wide a net. From now on, we must focus!" Shen Qi stood in front of the blackboard and banged it loudly.

"The framework is basically complete. To obtain the RT Third Expression, I've set up four paths... Mary, what are you looking at? Pay attention! And you, Ou Ye, look at the blackboard."

Shen Qi is under a lot of pressure. Leading a high-end mathematics team is not easy, and the competition is extremely strong.

This was the first research project that Shen Qi had undertaken as the project leader. He knew he would succeed; the biggest challenge, perhaps, was time.

"The first path, based on the twin matching method, starts with the logζ(s) function and finds a reasonable third expression, or an important basis to support the third expression—a theorem, a corollary, anything will do. Ou Ye, hand over your part of the research data on the logζ(s) function to Jonas; Jonas will be in charge of this path from now on." Shen Qi integrated internal resources and redistributed tasks according to the academic characteristics of the team members.

"Hmm." Ou Ye nodded and handed Jonas a USB drive.

"Thank you, beautiful Chinese lady, your beauty makes the sun lose its luster." Jonas accepted the USB drive and praised Ou Ye with great elegance.

"Oh," Ou Ye replied politely, her gaze fixed on Shen Qi.

"Very good," Shen Qi said, continuing to assign tasks, "The second path is to start from the prime number theorem itself, combine it with the first two expressions, and derive the third expression, or the important basis for supporting the third expression. Mary will still be in charge of this path."

"OK." Mary accepted the task; she was good at handling this route.

Shen Qi: "The third path requires forgetting the twin matching method and the first two expressions, starting with the zero-point equation, and obtaining the third expression in an unexpected way, or the important basis supporting the third expression. This path is being led by Ou Ye, who has been researching it for several months."

Ou Ye nodded. "Okay."

"The most difficult path is the third one." Mary shuddered habitually. She glanced at Ou Ye, somewhat skeptical, but did not openly object.

"I..." Ou Ye wanted to explain something, but couldn't find the right words. She discovered that Mary had a special skill: shaking herself. And this German woman was so unrestrained that she didn't wear a bra.

"No, the most difficult one is the fourth path, which I will be responsible for," Shen Qi said. He did not explain the fourth path in detail, as it would be useless to do so. This unconventional path was something only he could handle, and theoretically, he could manage it.

"Next week I will be traveling to Italy. At the academic conference in Trieste, I will present the latest research progress on the RT Third Expression, namely the basic framework based on four paths. It will be a framework presentation, not going into too many technical details. As for the specific technical details, I will leave them to the three of you." Shen Qi finished arranging everything and adjourned the meeting.