Early the next morning, July 15.
After a night's rest, Li Qiwei felt more or less recovered, so he went to see Professor Planck and told him he was leaving.
Planck was surprised that he was leaving so soon. Li Qiwei was vague, saying only that he was going to Switzerland to visit a friend.
That was right. He planned not to return to Britain by the way he had come, but to take a detour through Switzerland and France before heading to Britain.
That way, he could at least lower the odds of anyone continuing to keep tabs on him.
Besides, going to Switzerland would give him a chance to visit Einstein. Two birds with one stone.
Planck urged Li Qiwei to keep in touch by letter, and said he could return to Berlin after graduating. Li Qiwei agreed.
That afternoon, once the three of them had packed up, they boarded a train from Berlin to Munich.
They would change trains in Munich and continue on to Zurich, Switzerland.
The straight-line distance from Berlin to Zurich was about 600 kilometers. With the detour, the journey might stretch to 800.
Fortunately, this trip finally lifted the trio's spirits a little, since the entire way was filled with beautiful, enchanting countryside.
The scenery was so different from Huaxia's that it gave them a taste of the exotic.
Hong'er kept leaning against the window, exclaiming in wonder, then sneaking glances at Li Qiwei.
Li San looked calm, but in reality, he was alert to every movement around them.
Li Qiwei suspected that if he had spiritual sense, he could probably cover the entire train with it.
He patted Li San's shoulder and smiled. "Third Brother, relax. There are so many people around in broad daylight. Nothing's going to happen."
Li San nodded, then joined Hong'er in their usual bickering.
Two days later, the three of them got off at the train station in Zurich.
This time, Li Qiwei didn't spend his days visiting universities and giving physics talks, as he had in Germany, rushing around without a moment to spare.
Now that they were in Switzerland, the famous skiing country, he could finally unwind a little.
And he could take Hong'er and Li San around to have some fun.
Although the original Li Qiwei had been in Britain for three years, he had never let the two of them enjoy this kind of freedom.
But Li Qiwei's soul came from a later era, and he knew that being under pressure for too long could lead to depression, especially since neither of them was very old.
So the trio spent several days enjoying themselves before Li Qiwei finally decided to visit Einstein.
ETH Zurich had been founded in 1854. Though it couldn't hold a candle to Cambridge, it was still a world-renowned university.
Besides Einstein, it had produced many famous figures, including Wolfgang Pauli and Peter Debye.
It had also produced dozens of Nobel Prize winners.
When Einstein spotted Li Qiwei at the university, he was so astonished he could hardly believe it. "Oh, my goodness, Bruce! You actually came! Why didn't you let me know in advance?"
"I-I really am so lucky to see you again!"
Li Qiwei smiled. "Einstein, I came to Switzerland as a tourist and thought I'd stop by your university. I wasn't sure you'd be here."
Einstein said, "Ah, don't remind me. I'm graduating this August, but I still haven't finished my thesis."
"So I've been staying at the university ever since the holidays began."
"Ah, Bruce, I'm so jealous of you. While I'm still fretting over my thesis, you've already published world-class academic work."
Listening to Einstein's envy, Li Qiwei felt thoroughly pleased. To be praised like this by a future great—this trip through time was worth it!
He smiled. "I just had a sudden flash of inspiration and did a little work, nothing significant."
As Einstein listened to Li Qiwei brag, he led him to a grassy spot by a lake on campus.
It was a lovely place for students to gather and chat. The sun shone brightly, and the breeze was intoxicating.
Li Qiwei talked at length about his time with Professor Planck. Einstein listened with great enthusiasm, regretting that he hadn't been there too.
Then Li Qiwei told him about Berlin University and his talk at the physics conference, including Minkowski's question.
When he heard about the exchange between his teacher and Li Qiwei, Einstein grew excited.
"Really, Bruce? You also think the key to solving the first cloud is the problem of the speed of light?"
Li Qiwei looked him in the eye and answered firmly, "That's right. I've been working on it lately, but the mathematics involved is far too complicated."
"More importantly, it also involves problems of spacetime transformations. Honestly, I think the first cloud is far more difficult than the second."
"Still, I'm confident I'll solve it!"
After hearing this, Einstein felt his blood racing and his whole body tingling with excitement. He loved talking with Li Qiwei, loved that air of looking down on everything.
Just then, a voice suddenly rang out. "Hmph, typical Oriental. You people love to make grandiose claims."
Li Qiwei turned around. The newcomer was tall, with a chiseled face and the typical features of a white man.
Einstein frowned when he saw him, then leaned close to Li Qiwei and quietly explained, "His name is Federico. He's the top student in the physics department at ETH Zurich."
"Don't mind him. He's extremely self-absorbed and arrogant, and he likes to bully people."
Sure enough, when Federico heard Einstein, he sneered. "You foolish Jew can't even get full marks in calculus. No wonder you can only mix with inferior races. You're an embarrassment to this school."
The popular story that Einstein had been bad at mathematics was actually a misconception. His math scores had been very good, though still a little below those of the very best.
If you looked only at exam results, however, Einstein might indeed have fallen short of others.
But who did this Federico think he was? Li Qiwei had never even heard of him.
Just as Li Qiwei was about to speak, another young man walked over and said, "Federico, that's going too far. I won't let you insult Einstein."
Einstein quickly took his hand and introduced him to Li Qiwei. "Bruce, this is my best friend at the university, Grossman."
Whoa!
Li Qiwei perked up at once. This was another extraordinary figure. Einstein had received help from him with Special Relativity.
Grossman had an exceptionally strong foundation in mathematics and had helped Einstein tremendously.
Li Qiwei warmly shook his hand. Since he was Einstein's good friend, he was certainly worth getting to know.
Grossman assumed he was just an ordinary friend of Einstein's and thought nothing of it. They exchanged a few pleasantries.
Seeing the three of them acting as if he weren't there, paying him no attention, Federico grew furious.
"Hey, Grossman, are you sticking up for these two inferior people?"
Li Qiwei could no longer stand the way this guy spoke. He shot back, "Shut up, you damn rude fool! Is this how your alma mater taught you to behave?"
"You should know that there will always be someone smarter than you in this world."
"What good are your grades if even your classmates look down on you? If I were you, I'd go home and raise pigs."
Grossman couldn't help laughing. Who would've guessed this Oriental had such a temper? He sure knew how to dish out insults.
But Grossman liked it. He thought Li Qiwei had hit the nail on the head. Federico used his excellent grades to act high and mighty around the university. Sometimes he didn't even show respect for the teachers giving lectures, believing none of them were fit to teach him.
Someone needed to cut him down to size.
Sure enough, Federico's face twisted with rage. He pointed at Li Qiwei and said, "You're nothing but an ignorant Oriental. What gives you the right to criticize me?"
"You said there are people smarter than me. Where are they? Do you dare to compete with me?"
"Hmph. Three fools."
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