CHAPTER 426: CHAPTER 143 IF YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH IT, YOUR CONTRIBUTION WILL BE GREATER THAN NEWTON!_2

In this way, a deep sleep often feels incredibly refreshing.

...

For a child who decided in the fifth grade to shoulder the responsibility of supporting the family, Qiao Yu knows one thing very clearly: this is a world full of competition.

No pie will fall from the sky. If you want something, you have to strive for it yourself.

To achieve this, you must do the right things at the right time according to your goals.

For example, if he wants to become a star-level professional gamer, he needs to spend a lot of time practicing every day, studying the strengths and weaknesses of each game character and skill, continuously honing his techniques, mastering various strategies, and building rapport with his teammates...

But now, he wants to become a mathematician, so he must spend time and energy studying and researching, and achieve results that are recognized by others.

In Qiao Yu’s view, this is very fair. Just like he once said to Zhou Shuang, if your efforts don’t pay off, you should pull back in time.

If your efforts yield satisfactory returns, and you can get along well with those around you, this indicates that not only are you suitable for the job, but also you can achieve a win-win situation with the people you cooperate with.

Without a doubt, Qiao Yu now thinks he is indeed suitable to be a future mathematician. The good guy who helped him choose this path did a pretty good job; it suits him well.

Therefore, he must seize the opportunity to make some achievements, meeting everyone’s expectations while also fulfilling himself.

So even if he went to bed at three in the morning, Qiao Yu still energetically got up at 7:30 AM the next day to continue his research.

Even though Professor Zhang Yuantang’s lecture starts at ten today.

Doing some preparations in advance means that during the Q&A session Director Tian arranged for him, he can improve efficiency somewhat.

In other words, he can squeeze more knowledge and experience out of the teacher invited to teach him.

There’s nothing to feel guilty about.

After all, inviting a professor to do this kind of academic lecture isn’t something you can achieve merely by having connections. It’s ultimately about paying money.

Qiao Yu feels he’s just making Director Tian’s money more cost-effective.

...

The two-hour lecture was packed, but actually, after listening to the whole thing, Qiao Yu felt he didn’t gain much.

Because the content discussed in a public lecture is quite similar to the ideas expressed in a paper.

Qiao Yu can understand this.

After all, professors care about their reputation too, and in public, they are hesitant to discuss overly radical or uncertain topics.

For instance, during mathematical proofs, many people like to use the word "obviously." Some professors even frequently add these words to their blackboard notes during classes.

So much so that these words often appear rather casually.

It doesn’t matter in private, but if a prominent figure uses these words during a lecture and someone questions their "obviousness" during the Q&A, two things might happen.

First, the prominent figure may easily explain and prove it in a few lines, and it turns out to be genuinely obvious, making the questioner look foolish.

Second, the prominent figure might attempt to prove why it’s obvious but finds it’s not that apparent and can’t prove it quickly, making the lecture presenter look foolish.

This situation would not only be awkward at the moment but also embarrassing if it spreads.

Therefore, prominent figures avoid discussing things not well-thought-out or uncertain during lectures.

Even if they have such content, they place it in the concluding remarks section.

However, private discussions are different; since there’s no concern about losing face, professors can be more daring. They can discuss new ideas without any reservations.

So compared to public lectures, Qiao Yu looks forward more to the private discussions in the afternoon.

This was something Tian Yanzhen promised him yesterday.

However, to Qiao Yu’s surprise, after the morning lecture, Director Tian didn’t invite him to lunch together.

He simply mentioned for Qiao Yu to go to his office at two in the afternoon, where Professor Zhang would also be present.

Well, one could say there’s a sense of distance.

But Qiao Yu felt this was fine; at least it gave him an extra hour in the afternoon to organize his thoughts.

So at two in the afternoon, Qiao Yu, with a backpack filled with a thick stack of manuscripts he reorganized at noon, dashed into Tian Yanzhen’s office.

Great, the mentors were punctual. He arrived two minutes early, but the two professors were already in the office having tea.

"Director Tian, hello! Professor Zhang, hello!"

Although feeling very excited, Qiao Yu maintained his basic politeness.

"You’re here, have a seat. Shall we continue with our discussion from yesterday, or..."

After getting sufficient rest, Zhang Yuantang decided to have a good exchange with Qiao Yu this afternoon.

Although yesterday’s discussions were exhausting, after ample rest, Zhang Yuantang felt in good spirits today.

This was also something Tian Yanzhen was glad to see.

Frankly, as Qiao Yu thought, inviting Professor Zhang to this lecture was indeed to give Qiao Yu a personal session.

This was arranged in advance.

No matter whether Qiao Yu can solve a series of Prime Number problems as he and Elder Yuan hoped, but at least Qiao Yu is the most promising person in this direction for now.

Being Qiao Yu’s mentor, he naturally wouldn’t hesitate to continue investing in this direction.

After all, there’s a budget every year for inviting high-caliber professors to conduct lectures at the Mathematics Research Center.

As for whom to invite, that’s a matter of personal opinion. Popular and cutting-edge research directions are naturally one of the choices.