Can Help, So Help

In the latest global rankings of mathematics programs, Princeton once again took first place, with the ENS Paris coming in second by a narrow margin.

Yenching University and the University of Minnesota Twin Cities are tied for fifteenth place. UCLA is ranked one place ahead of them, and Imperial College London is ranked one place behind them.

Yenching Big Mathematics Department has made steady progress in its international standing, rising one place every two years, and is expected to enter the global top 10 in ten years.

As the only university in China to be ranked among the top 30 in the world for mathematics, Yenching Big Mathematics Department represents the strength of mathematics in China. With the concerted efforts of the entire school, it is capable of accomplishing great things.

Because it was a major project led by Shen Qi, Yenching University fully supported Lu Guozhen's research project on the Mathematical Analysis of the Hodge conjecture.

Lu Guozhen's project is progressing smoothly, and Shen Qi has confidence in his alma mater, Yenching University.

After a video call with Director Wu of the Morning Star Mathematics Center, Shen Qi learned that Director Wu's team had encountered some trouble.

The Morning Star Mathematics Center is weaker than Yenching University, and the topology section that Director Wu is in charge of is very complex and not so easy to handle, which was within Shen Qi's expectations.

Shen Qi said to Director Wu in the video, "In short, Director Wu, if it were so easy to solve, it wouldn't be called the Hodge conjecture. You must face the difficulties head-on. There are some hurdles you need to overcome on your own for the center to truly grow. Of course, during the center's period of rapid development, I will provide appropriate assistance. It's hard to explain things clearly online; we should have the opportunity to discuss it in person."

"Professor Shen, when will you be returning to China next time, or perhaps we could go to the United States...?"

"I'll probably be... Excuse me, Director Wu, someone's knocking on my office door. That's all for today's video call. We'll talk later."

Those knocking on the door are usually Princeton insiders. If there are outside visitors visiting Shen Qi, his administrative assistant Barbara will first call Shen Qi by landline to ask for his permission.

Shen Qi ended the video chat and said towards the office door, "Please come in."

The door opened, and a person walked in —Mary, a colleague from the Mathematics Department.

Mary, now a research fellow in the Princeton Mathematics Department, sat down on Shen Qi's sofa, looked around, and asked, "Qi, do you have any coffee beans? I've run out."

Shen Qi readily agreed, "Yes, you can go get it from Barbara later. I don't know where she hid it."

"Thank you," Mary replied with a smile, showing no intention of taking her leave.

"You're welcome."

"I'm so bored lately," Mary said, sounding somewhat empty.

The divorced young woman hasn't started dating anyone new, so Researcher Mary must be feeling somewhat empty, lonely, and bored.

Mary was definitely looking for a man, Shen Qi suggested, "Mary, you need a new boyfriend. I think Jonas is pretty good."

Mary immediately objected. "Him? Forget it, he's drunk all the time, I hate alcoholics. And you know, Jonas... he's not really interested in women."

Shen Qi: "That's not right. Jonas had a girlfriend last year, but they broke up recently."

"His girlfriend isn't very interested in men." Mary clearly had more gossip information than Shen Qi.

Shen Qi was puzzled. "Why would a man who isn't interested in women and a woman who isn't interested in men become a couple? At least they were a couple for a period of time."

"Who knows?" Mary shrugged, then asked expectantly, "Qi, is there any new assignment for me?"

"How could I possibly have time to start any new research projects? Hodge conjecture has me completely confused." Shen Qi shook his head and said, "Mary, you are a researcher; you are qualified to start your own research projects and apply for academic grants."

"But I have absolutely no inspiration right now. I really miss the time when we tackled the Riemann Hypothesis together." Mary was in a low point in her life, experiencing an unhappy marriage and academic stagnation.

They're colleagues from the same university and department, so I'll help them out if I can. Shen Qi opened a drawer, seemingly looking for something. "Mary, I can give you some inspiration."

"Oh?" Mary got up and walked to Shen Qi's desk, her fingers sliding back and forth on the surface, the provocative little gestures revealing the loneliness in the heart of the divorced young woman.

Shen Qi took out a pair of binoculars and placed them on the table. "Here, you can borrow them for a few months. They'll give you endless inspiration."

"A telescope?" Mary asked, puzzled. "What can a telescope do?"

"Take these binoculars and head to the bushes three miles south of Princeton."

What are you going there for?

"Observing the stars will inspire you, believe me, Mary. That's what I did, and it worked wonders. Binoculars are the simplest Astronomical Observation Equipment; even high school students can use them skillfully. I don't think this can stump a Princeton researcher."

"Really?" Mary asked skeptically. She picked up the binoculars and said, "Astronomical observation can only be done at night. I feel very unsafe as a woman going out in the countryside late at night."

"Then find a man to go with you, Mary. I understand how you feel right now. You need a more considerate man. Watching the stars together is a very romantic date excuse."

Where can I find a man?

Shen Qi: "You understand men better than I do, don't you?"

"It's because I chose the wrong man that I got divorced. I don't understand men at all," Mary said with a hint of resentment.

"Sorry, Mary, what I meant was... I wish you find even better love." Shen Qi realized he had misspoke and apologized.

"Schultz is competing with you again, this time in his area of expertise, Algebraic Geometry." Mary was well-informed; she knew that her ex-husband and her colleague were both tackling the Hodge conjecture.

"I've never been afraid of competition, Schultz is a good competitor," Shen Qi said.

"Okay, thank you for the telescope and the coffee beans." Mary walked to the door, opened it, and prepared to leave. She had received some heartwarming little gifts.

Just then, Zhou Yu'an arrived at Shen Qi's office door with a worried look on her face and bumped into Mary: "Mary, you're here too?"

"Hello, Zhou." Mary nodded and left.

Zhou Yu'an sat on the sofa and noticed a woman's hair on the cushion. It wasn't long, straight black hair, but long, wavy blonde hair. "Shen Qi, I see. Mary wants to seduce you. That's how foreign women are. They don't care if you have a girlfriend or not; as long as you're not married, you can compete fairly."

"Zhou Yu'an, you're overthinking it. Divorced women have very complex mindsets. They crave new love but remain wary of men. You wouldn't understand even if I explained."

"Okay, okay, you know best, you're a friend of women."

"Stop talking nonsense, just tell me what you want. You look so downcast, what happened?" Shen Qi asked.

"My Doctoral Thesis was rejected by Professor Faltings..." Zhou Yu'an clutched his head in anguish, as if he had been through excruciating pain.