Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
The days passed by quickly, and soon, it was April.
The students studying to the bone was finally able to relax for a bit. They could enjoy life for two weeks without thinking about academics.
The busy Princeton campus gradually quieted down.
Luo Wenxuan was eating at the Institute for Advanced Study with Lu Zhou when he said, “I’m going to Fort Lauderdale. If you want, you can come with me.”
The beach was usually the first choice for spring break locations. Fort Lauderdale was a lot cheaper compared to Hawaii. Ever since 1934, it had become a holy place for American college students during spring breaks. There was a lot of people that came to this place during spring break, it wasn’t just American college students, but many overseas students also visited.
But Lu Zhou had never heard of this place before.
Lu Zhou asked, “Where is Fort Lauderdale?”
Astonished, Luo Wenxuan looked at Lu Zhou and asked, “It’s in Florida… Do you really not know Fort Lauderdale? How?”
Lu Zhou made a helpless expression.
“I only worked on my PhD for a few months, and I finished before spring break.”
Suddenly, there was an awkward tension in the air.
Luo Wenxuan said, “Can we not talk about PhD stuff?”
Lu Zhou: “… Oh yeah, sorry.”
Lu Zhou nearly forgot that while he was still studying his Bachelors, Luo Wenxuan was studying for his PhD under Edward Witten. Now that Lu Zhou was a PhD holder, Luo Wenxuan still hadn’t received his PhD…
Lu Zhou shouldn’t mention such a sad thing on a good day like this.
However, Luo Wenxuan actually had good mental health. After all, the Princeton Institute for Advanced Study was where the world’s most talented people were. They had both a strong mind and a strong brain.
This was the difference between geniuses and normal people.
Luo Wenxuan adjusted his mood and continued to talk about spring break.
“Spring break is a good mating option, or do you plan on staying single for the rest of your life? If you don’t know how to pick up hot chicks, I can teach you. This part is easy.”
Lu Zhou looked at Luo Wenxuan and asked, “You plan on dumping your girlfriend?”
“Actually, I already did.” Luo Wenxuan coughed and looked like he didn’t want to discuss this topic when he said, “It’s a bit complicated, don’t bother asking.”
Lu Zhou: “…”
If Lu Zhou recalled correctly, around February at the Adams Chemistry Prize party, this guy was still with his girlfriend.
Within two months, this guy became single.
This guy changed girlfriends faster than Lu Zhou could write theses.
“This is how life in America is, you should get used to it,” Luo Wenxuan said. He then added, “If you get to know some international students, you will find out that this is a very common thing.”
“This is the problem,” Lu Zhou said as he folded his sandwich wrapper and threw it on the tray table. He sighed and added, “I feel out of place because I’m too conservative.”
Luo Wenxuan wasn’t happy to hear this.
“You’re saying I’m not conservative.”
Lu Zhou: “Are you not?”
Luo Wenxuan: “…”
…
Actually, Lu Zhou was curious about Luo Wenxuan’s offer.
Was spring break in Fort Lauderdale really like the movies, where it was full of youth and alcohol?
If he had nothing else to do, he wouldn’t mind checking it out with Luo Wenxuan.
However, the premise would be that he didn’t have anything else to do…
The first Saturday in April, Lu Zhou gave his students a week-long vacation. They had been working for three months and needed some time off to adjust their minds.
However, Lu Zhou didn’t get to enjoy this vacation.
The first day of spring break, he got on a plane and went to San Francisco to attend the Organic Chemistry Conference hosted by the American Chemical Society.
He would have an hour of speaking time there.
Although this conference wasn’t as big as the MRS Conference, it still had a significant amount of influence. It was one of the top conferences in the field of organic synthesis.
After all, the American Chemical Society had more influence than the Materials Science Society. The former was older than the latter by a century, and it even had ties to politics.
After several hours of flight, the plane landed in San Francisco Airport.
Sarrot was the one picking Lu Zhou up at the airport. This once famous Cornell University professor was looking extra sharp today.
He was wearing a suit and had his hair waxed. His beard also looked a lot cleaner than last time.
This was without a doubt the energy that the thesis brought him.
Although one Science thesis couldn’t change his status, it still somewhat restored his Cornell University reputation.
When he first sold his research institute, he would still ask himself questions like “Is it worth it?”.
But now, he was sure that his decision was wise.
“Welcome, my dear friend, to San Francisco!” Sarrot greeted Lu Zhou with a smile and said, “Congratulations on the Adams Chemistry Prize, you’re one step closer to Stockholm!”
Lu Zhou shook Sarrot’s hand and said, “I’ve already been to Stockholm.”
“The next time you go there will be for the Nobel Prize!” Sarrot smiled and said, “A professor I know told me the committee has been discussing whether or not the modified PDMS material deserves a nomination.”
Lu Zhou smiled and didn’t say anything.
Sarrot’s optimism was as unreliable as his scientific intuition. It was even more difficult to tell if he was lying.
The Nobel Prize wouldn’t be the crown of science if it was so easy to get.
Even the father of lithium-ion batteries, the legendary Mr. John B. Goodenough, hadn’t received a Nobel Prize after waiting for thirty years. It would be difficult for Lu Zhou to receive this prize using his anode material technology.
However, Lu Zhou wasn’t in a hurry.
He was still young; he still had tons of time for scientific research.
Whether it was the modified PDMS material, the HCS-1 material, or the Adams Chemistry Prize, this was only the beginning…
