Chapter 104: Renewal

When the opening ceremony concluded, if anyone shone brightest today beyond the seven recipients of the major awards, it was undoubtedly Wu Tong. She was lavished with boundless praise from the President of the International Mathematical Union during the International Congress of Mathematicians. Mathematicians from all corners of the globe came to truly recognize this prodigious young woman, whose name now sparkled on the international stage, almost predestined for the Fields Medal. The three great conjectures she solved were her most illustrious badges of honor.

Nearly every mathematician of note immediately logged onto the ICM official website after the meeting, eager to download and study Wu Tong’s keynote address for this congress. The clarity of her chosen topic delivered yet another seismic shock to mathematicians worldwide. In just a few days, following her breakthrough on the Twin Prime Conjecture, she had also formally conquered the Polignac Conjecture?

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, young lady, Miss Wu Tong!” The President of the International Mathematical Union, Lavas, and the Congress’s chief, John Bowers, greeted Wu Tong with smiles, pointedly addressing her as “Madam”—a mark of their sincere respect and recognition of her equal status.

They felt that merely calling her “Miss” was far too perfunctory.

“Hello, President Lavas, Professor Bowers!” Wu Tong replied.

After exchanging greetings, Bowers smiled and said to her, “Pardon me, but due to the brilliance of your achievements, we have rescheduled your presentation as a one-hour lecture, to be held in Hall One at two o’clock in the afternoon, three days from now. This will allow everyone the opportunity to listen to your report in greater depth!”

“Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness and care!” Wu Tong expressed her gratitude amid the excitement of her mentors, her own heart leaping with joy at this unexpected honor.

After seeing off the two distinguished guests who had come especially to meet Wu Tong, Zhou Wenping and Li Yisheng exchanged a celebratory fist bump, remembering to do so gently before lightly patting Wu Tong’s shoulder—she was their treasure, not one of those rough-and-tumble boys who only knew brute force.

To have her presentation extended from forty-five minutes to a full hour marked a qualitative leap.

The International Congress of Mathematicians is an open, collaborative platform; besides the ten-minute sessions for general scholars, any participant could apply to present in their area of interest—a space for all to enjoy.

A forty-five minute talk already signified moderate international renown, a forum for scholars to present their results or latest progress. But a one-hour lecture was reserved for those of international repute or even top-tier standing—an invitation-only, high-quality session for those with outstanding contributions. Each Congress had about 160 forty-five-minute presentations across various sections, but only twenty one-hour lectures—a truly unprecedented honor.

“Congratulations, Wu Tong, congratulations!” Professors Xu Chenyang, Zhang Shouwu, and other newly acquainted scholars, as well as Academician Shen, President of the Chinese Mathematical Society, and Professor Peng from Luda University, all came forward to offer their heartfelt congratulations.

Wu Tong had leapt in a single stride to the pinnacle of glory, bringing immense pride to China.

Shen Yuehua made a mental note to propose the discussion as soon as he returned home. Wu Tong had already begun her international journey with the Ramanujan Prize, and more accolades would surely follow. Yet, to date, no domestic award had been bestowed upon her—a situation that risked making their country a laughingstock in international eyes!

For a prodigy like this, any lingering tendencies toward rigid seniority and hierarchy at home must not be tolerated.

Of course, he suspected that even if he didn’t raise the matter, the fiercely protective faculty at Jingda University were already working on it. In the Chinese mathematical community, their mathematics department still carried considerable weight. And who could blame them for being proactive? This child’s extraordinary achievements deserved every honor the nation could bestow! In fact, it was the awards themselves that would be ennobled by being given to Wu Tong, not the other way around. The future of Chinese mathematics rested with such young talents; as president of the society, it was his duty to add his voice in support.

“We look forward to your lecture in three days!” Terence Tao and others, before leaving, smiled and gave her a thumbs up in open anticipation.

The Ramanujan Prize was a splendid beginning. Previously, they had all won it at an older age than Wu Tong. She had broken the record for the youngest laureate of the prize, and, if nothing unexpected happened, she might soon shatter the minimum age record for every major mathematical honor.

After greeting several top mathematicians, including new Fields Medalists, Wu Tong was at last able to return to her hotel with her mentors.

The welcome banquet from six to eight that evening was, of course, another lively occasion. On this platform, Wu Tong met and conversed with numerous leading scholars from home and abroad. Even the most cursory exchanges sparked flashes of intellectual inspiration, making Wu Tong even more eager for the official commencement of the lectures the following day.

The next day, Zhou Wenping arranged for Li Yisheng to accompany Wu Tong. The delegation of Chinese attendees split up, each pursuing presentations in their respective fields of interest. These sessions represented the latest advances in every domain of mathematics, with the authors themselves explaining their innovations—a rare learning opportunity. Many participants had come at their own expense or had been sent by their universities for further training.

To waste such a hard-won chance by not being attentive would be a pity. The more they learned and reflected, the more they could distill insights that might even lead to publication in reputable domestic journals—valuable additions to their academic records.

Yet amid the joy, there was an undercurrent of bittersweetness; after all, not everyone could be like that prodigy who stunned the world with breakthrough after breakthrough. Before her, every barrier seemed to exist only to be broken. Many people could not help but think ahead on her behalf.

For most, their resumes would need to be carefully built up, step by step. Such accumulation was essential for career advancement.

Number theory, algebraic geometry, partial differential equations, dynamical systems and ordinary differential equations, mathematical physics... This year’s International Congress of Mathematicians featured twenty sections, each brimming with brilliant presentations—nearly two hundred in total, enough to dazzle anyone uncertain where to begin.

Wu Tong, however, was not without clear objectives. She knew it was unrealistic to try to attend every session—there were inevitable scheduling conflicts between different sections. She had already reviewed the program and selected the topics that most interested her, excluding those on mathematical history or areas not of immediate relevance, drawing up a detailed plan.

“Professor Li, please choose your own favorite sessions. I’ll stay in the conference hall and won’t go elsewhere, so there’s no need for you to follow me around,” Wu Tong suggested. There weren’t many overlapping topics between her and Professor Li; there was no need for him to waste his valuable time. He was here to learn as well—he shouldn’t miss out because of her.

(End of chapter)