A Formal Discipline
While top scientists certainly bear the historical mission of exploring the stars, they also have to support their families, take care of their wives and daughters, and support their parents.
What is the ultimate goal of scientists?
Save the Earth?
Breaking the shackles of dimensions?
Or is it enjoying the happiness of being surrounded by children and grandchildren?
Shen Qi pondered this question at home.
Old Shen took Nuofei to kindergarten, Ou Ye went to work, Sister Cuiping went grocery shopping, and Shen Qi was at home alone studying Zhuangzi.
Zhuangzi said I am a butterfly, and the butterfly is me.
Shen Qi suddenly realized, "You big dummy!"
Around 2 PM, Shen Qi left the villa and walked to Yenching University.
The location of Academician Shen's villa is excellent, offering a quiet retreat amidst the bustling city, with convenient transportation.
After walking for a while, Shen Qi passed by Academician Tian's villa.
Academician Tian's villa was built earlier, and is over twenty years old. In all aspects, it cannot compare with Academician Shen's villa, which was built not long ago.
The sun is shining brightly today; the afternoon sun in autumn is very comforting.
Shen Qi saw Academician Tian sunbathing in the courtyard. The old man was over 80 years old and had difficulty moving around, so he was in a wheelchair with a blanket draped over his knees.
Shen Qi greatly respected this old man, and he would always greet Academician Tian whenever he saw him.
Today was no exception. Shen Qi waved to Old Tian with a smile, but his steps did not stop, and he continued walking forward.
Academician Tian is advanced in years and has difficulty moving around, but he is still in good spirits. He beckoned to Shen Qi and said, "Little Shen, come here."
Xiao Shen pretended not to hear and quickened his pace.
"Shen Qi, don't run!" Old Tian roared, his shout revealing the fighting spirit of someone in their eighties.
Helpless, Shen Qi turned around and walked towards Academician Tian.
Old Tian is too old to get angry, otherwise he might suffer a stroke or high blood pressure, and Shen Qi wouldn't be able to take responsibility.
Shen Qi respects Academician Tian because Academician Tian is a national hero.
Academician Tian studies nuclear physics, participated in the "Born Out of the Sky" project in 1964, the year China successfully detonated an atomic bomb at Lop Nur.
Chairman Mao said that if the United States has atomic bombs and the Soviet Union has them, then we must also have them, otherwise we will be attacked.
It was that earth-shattering roar from Lop Nur in 1964 that bought my country precious time to seek development through self-reliance.
In 1964, Academician Tian was still very young. He was an elite force among young scholars and undertook part of the nuclear physics calculation and analysis work for the groundbreaking atomic bomb project.
From 1964 to 1996, Academician Tian and his leaders and colleagues lived in anonymity, and only a very few people knew about their mysterious nuclear testing team.
In the latter half of 1996, China announced a halt to nuclear testing. At that time, Academician Tian was already 60 years old.
In fact, Academician Tian was elected as an academician when he was 65 years old. He dedicated his life to China's nuclear weapons program.
When Academician Tian was 72 years old, he received the State's highest science and technology award, with a prize of 10 million RMB.
Shen Qi felt that awarding Academician Tian, a pillar of the nation, 10 million yuan was far too little; he would have thought 100 million yuan would be too much.
Singers and actors can easily earn tens or hundreds of millions of yuan just by doing it casually.
How much money do you think should be awarded to scientists who safeguard a nation of over a billion people?
Perhaps scientists like Academician Tian cannot be measured in monetary terms; they are priceless treasures.
Shen Qi approached Academician Tian, squatted down, and met Old Tian's gaze to show respect.
"Little Shen, am I a tiger or a lion? Why do you always run away when you see me?" Old Tian said, expressing his dissatisfaction.
"Your imposing presence can shake the entire Haidian district. There's a type of person called Oppenheimer; they simply stick to their original aspirations and push their research to its limits, but they inadvertently change the course of human history. You, Old Tian, are that kind of person." Shen Qi coaxed Old Tian kind words, hoping to make him happy so he could leave.
"Haha! I love chatting with Xiao Qizi the most." Old Tian clapped his hands and laughed. They say that the elderly are like children, and sometimes the temperament of the elderly is similar to that of children. "Xiao Shen, let me tell you, mathematics is theology, chemistry is witchcraft, biologists are no different from cooks, only physics is a legitimate discipline. I am very happy that you have won two Nobel Prize in Physics. You have finally found the right path in life."
"Hehe, you're right." Shen Qi chuckled, agreeing with Old Tian's opinion.
Shen Qi respected Old Tian, but sometimes he didn't want to talk to Old Tian for too long.
Old Tian is similar to Rutherford famous physics fanatic in history. Rutherford's famous quote is. "Science is either physics or stamp collecting."
Apart from physics, Rutherford disregarded all other disciplines.
History is full of surprises. Rutherford, the greatest experimental physicist after Faraday, eventually won the Nobel Chemistry Prize, even though Rutherford never received Nobel Prize in Physics before his death.
Old Tian's academic viewpoint is that "apart from physics, a legitimate discipline, everything else is just pretentious and cheap."
Shen Qi disagreed. Although he had won two Nobel Prize in Physics, he believed that other disciplines besides physics also held significance. He believed that mastering any field of study could lead to enlightenment.
"Xiao Shen, what have you been researching lately?" Old Tian asked with concern.
"I'm researching how to become a qualified stay-at-home dad," Shen Qi said frankly.
"Very good. A man without a sense of family responsibility cannot become a true scientist." Old Tian agreed, proudly stating, "I have five children, all of whom are studying physics, from nuclear physics to Condensed Matter Physics, from astrophysics to geophysics. My wife was a University Physics professor before retirement, and my eldest grandson is pursuing a PhD in physics at MIT. This glorious tradition needs to be continued, don't you think, Xiao Shen?"
"Yes, yes, yes, that's right." Xiao Shen nodded repeatedly.
At this moment, a man came out of Academician Tian's villa. Shen Qi recognized him; he was Academician Tian's second son, Tian Yinli, a researcher at the Capital Astronomical Observatory.
Tian Yinli nodded to Shen Qi in greeting, then went to his father's side, holding a thermos in his left hand and a medicine bottle in his right. He said to Academician Tian, "Dad, it's time to take your medicine."
"I took my medicine yesterday," Academician Tian refused to take any more.
Researcher Tian Yinli is equivalent to a full professor at a university; his research specialty is astrophysics.
As his Tian Yinli's research in astrophysics involves gravity as a crucial factor. A Tian Yinli son, he earnestly urged his father to take his medication, "Dad, please follow the doctor's orders and take the medicine. It has few side effects."
"Gravity, what are you doing running around during working hours? Go back to your observatory! The country needs you!" Academician Tian was very unhappy.
"I'm on my annual leave today, Dad. Did you forget? I told you this morning."
"Oh, annual leave." Academician Tian thought for a moment, and it seemed to make sense, so he took his medicine.
Book Recommendation: <Quick Transmigration: My Son, Don't Be Afraid>, a lighthearted quick transmigration novel about becoming a mother. Various troubled children urgently need saving. It features a quick transmigration script, an interesting setting, and constant laughter. In short, it's a cheerful daily life of a mother; you'll find yourself laughing as you read.