Chapter 222: Academic Salon, Important Figures
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In the evening, the crimson clouds dyed half of the sky red.
A black Mercedes stopped in front of a villa.
A waiter approached to open the car doors for the two.
Shen Qiannan stood still, looking around, “Old Zeng really knows how to pick a place. He renamed the serious academic seminar to something called an Academic Salon, and immediately changed the whole atmosphere.”
“If you didn’t know, you’d think we were here for a business reception or a private party. Look at how fancy the environment is, all dressed up nicely.”
Xie Dingyuan adjusted his sleeve and said nothing. Following the lead of the waiter, he stepped inside.
Shen Qiannan sneered: Pretentious!
Then, he followed.
Inside, the hall was bright, with brilliant lights.
Tea tables of varying heights were arranged around, where tea could be brewed and enjoyed. Sandalwood chairs were available to sit and enjoy the tea, with screens placed between every two tables for privacy.
Porcelain and green plants were placed on the shelves, with four incense burners at the highest point, emitting a faint fragrance.
Shen Qiannan said, “This Old Zeng really knows what he’s doing. Last time it was a pear garden, this time it’s a tea garden. Will it be a vegetable garden next time? Hahaha…”
As soon as he spoke, several gazes fell on him, then swept over to Xie Dingyuan standing quietly beside him.
Immediately, someone came over with a tea cup in hand.
“Professor Xie, Professor Shen, I didn’t expect to see you here today. It’s a pleasure to meet you…”
Shen Qiannan raised an eyebrow, “Who are you?”
The person didn’t seem to feel offended at all, smiling as he introduced himself, “I’m Sun Xi, specializing in superconducting quantum research at University A.”
“Oh, ‘Polaron Imaging and Application in Interaction Systems of Light and Matter’, are you the first author?”
The man was pleasantly surprised, “Professor Shen actually knows my paper?! Oh my, this is truly… a great honor!”
“You’re exaggerating,” Shen Qiannan waved his hand, “I just happened to have read it with my graduate students recently.”
Actually, they had just had an internal session of ridicule, throwing around terms like two-qubit Rabi model, strong coupling, polarons, collapse of energy spectra, entanglement entropy, all completely jumbled up and illogical.
Sun Xi, with a beer belly, smiled with his eyes narrowed, subtly shifting his gaze to Xie Dingyuan —
“What have you been busy with lately, Professor Xie? Haven’t seen you at academic seminars for almost half a year.”
He was older than both Xie Dingyuan and Shen Qiannan, yet he called them “professors” and a formal “you” without any sense of burden.
In fact, academia values “rankings” more than any other industry.
And these four characters seem to be reflected in age, with qualifications deepening as age increases.
But in reality, what matters is research output — how many SCI papers one has published, how many national research projects one has led or participated in, the annual output of papers by graduate students and doctoral students, and so on.
Although age does imply more accumulated research results to some extent.
But there are exceptions to everything.
Like Xie Dingyuan and Shen Qiannan, one is a scientist with the reputation of a “national master”, and the other publishes at least five SCI or equivalent level papers every year.
They were both more formidable than these old bones.
Moreover, they were so young, with limitless potential for the future.
If they weren’t revered and courted now, and given some respect, when they reached higher positions in the future, others might not even be able to reach them even if they stood on tiptoes.
Usually, whenever the two of them appeared in similar occasions, they were like walking honey cakes.
Everyone wanted to take a bite, or at least smell the aroma.
This time was no exception.
Soon, the two were surrounded, exchanging pleasantries here and there.
Just as Xie Dingyuan began to feel impatient and was preparing to find an excuse to leave, the host of today’s salon arrived —
“Old Zeng!” Shen Qiannan waved, signaling for him to come over and break up the crowd.
Zeng Chuan approached with a smile, “I was wondering why everyone was gathering here. Turns out it’s because our physics world has two flowers budding.”
The first flower, Shen Qiannan, whispered through gritted teeth, “Shut up, hurry up and get rid of these people!”
The second flower, Xie Dingyuan, remained expressionless, exuding a cold fragrance.
“Cough! Shouldn’t everyone return to their seats first? We have an important figure to introduce to you tonight. It’s a bit… impolite to crowd around like this.”
“Important figure?”
“Who did Professor Zeng invite this time, another heavyweight?”
Everyone looked expectant.
Zeng Chuan, however, sipped his tea leisurely, smiling, “Allow me to keep you in suspense for a moment. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed!”
“Alright, let’s go back to our seats for now.”
“Professor Xie, Professor Shen, we haven’t finished our conversation from earlier. Let’s continue later!”
Shen Qiannan’s mouth twitched: Who the h*ll wants to continue chatting with you?
Xie Dingyuan simply averted his gaze, proud as ever.
Zeng Chuan said, “It’s rare for both of you to make an appearance today, distinguished guests. No wonder you’re swarmed by a bunch of bees.”
Shen Qiannan said, “And you still have the nerve to say? You’ve turned the venue into this, and after a few sips of tea, everyone’s lounging around lazily. What academic discussions? Might as well lie down and take a bath, smoke and mist it up, perfect.”
Upon hearing this, Zeng Chuan’s mouth twitched, leaving behind a sentence: “Lacking in taste.” Then he turned and left.
“Eh, why are you leaving?”
“Going out to pick someone up!”
“Who? Is there really an important figure?”
Zeng Chuan waved his hand, leaving them with only his retreating figure.
Shen Qiannan asked in a low voice, “Who is it?”
Xie Dingyuan shook his head, “I don’t know.”
Ten minutes later, when Zeng Chuan re-entered, the first thing everyone noticed was not him, but the wheelchair he was pushing…
The important figure still hasn’t appeared, but the stage is set, and next chapter will be all about them!
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