Chapter 147: Escort

"Grandpa, Grandma, please take your time and enjoy yourselves!" Wu Tong waved goodbye to her family early in the morning. After some coordination by Cai Yi, Wang Jie and An Wenshu set off with Wu Tong’s family to look after them as they continued their sightseeing.

Cai Yi arrived a little later to pick up Wu Tong and accompany her to the conference.

"Tongtong, just go and focus on your work!" Her grandparents had been accompanied by her for five or six days in a row; that was already more than enough.

"Wu Tong, get in the car!" At the entrance of Yan Garden, Pan Wenhua and Zhou Wenping waved from a seven-seater business van. Li Yisheng, who had just returned the previous night, was also there.

"Dean Pan, Professor Zhou, Professor Li!" After greeting them one by one, Wu Tong got into the back seat with Cheng Yi.

"Let’s go!" Thinking of the news he had just received, which was now basically confirmed, Pan Wenhua smiled with profound meaning.

At the Beijing Conference Center, red carpets were already laid out and banners hung high. The electronic screens scrolled with messages warmly celebrating the convening of the 10th National Congress of the Chinese Mathematical Society. The atmosphere was already thick with excitement.

Many mathematicians had arrived in Beijing the previous day, checked into nearby hotels, and arrived early this morning dressed in formal attire. Before the conference began, attendees gathered in small groups, and one could frequently hear enthusiastic voices calling out to various professors, expressing how honored they were to meet them.

Beyond the fundamental academic exchanges, these conferences served a more important purpose: to seize the opportunity to make new acquaintances. If one could befriend a heavyweight more accomplished than themselves, it would be a major career boost.

Pan Wenhua and Zhou Wenping, accompanied by Wu Tong and Li Yisheng, did not arrive particularly early; the other attendees from Peking University were already there. Whether it was Pan Wenhua, a titan of the Chinese mathematical world and Dean of the School of Mathematical Sciences at Peking University, or Zhou Wenping, a candidate for the Academy of Sciences and a pillar of the Chinese mathematical community soon to reach the highest honors, both were figures of immense prestige.

With their arrival, Wu Tong, walking in their midst, only added to the attention they commanded.

A series of sensational reports had made Wu Tong’s face widely known throughout the Chinese mathematical community. No one would dare question her due to her youth anymore. Having already successfully established herself on the international stage—a platform most people present could never hope to reach—she had brought glory to the nation. If those who had lived for decades longer without achieving anything didn't feel ashamed, they certainly should!

"That must be Wu Tong from Peking University. Their luck really is hitting the jackpot this year!" Many mathematicians from other universities looked on from afar, their hearts boiling with envy.

Of course, there were those who were jealous of Wu Tong. She was so young yet possessed so many achievements; if they were granted even one of them, it would be enough to earn them international renown.

To have the Dean and Vice Dean of the Peking University School of Mathematical Sciences acting as her protectors, guarding her like the apple of their eye—what a prestigious treatment.

Wu Tong was already experienced in facing such complex, mixed gazes. She learned to ignore them, following the guidance of her two mentors, moving forward steadily, step by step. As they introduced her, she met many outstanding representatives of the Chinese mathematical community, most of whom were peers of her mentors.

The two men were genuinely using their connections and resources to pave the way for Wu Tong, ensuring that those sour remarks never reached her ears.

Cheng Yi, disguised as an assistant, followed behind Zhou Wenping. This way, when he later followed Wu Tong alone, people would simply assume it was a special arrangement made by Professor Zhou out of concern for Wu Tong traveling by herself.

As the opening ceremony drew near, all participants took their seats. The Chinese Mathematical Society’s congress was modeled after the International Congress of Mathematicians, so the highlight of the opening ceremony was likewise the outlook on new developments in Chinese mathematics, followed by an awards ceremony.

At nine o'clock, the conference officially opened. Academician Shen, President of the Chinese Mathematical Society, stepped onto the stage and delivered the opening address under the gaze of everyone. Immediately following, international guest of honor and Chinese mathematician Shing-Tung Yau stepped onto the stage to deliver his remarks, warming up the event by summarizing the present and looking toward the future.

The atmosphere of the opening ceremony grew increasingly enthusiastic, and the event moved to its centerpiece: the presentation of the Hua Loo-keng Mathematics Award and the Shiing-Shen Chern Mathematics Award.

The Hua Award was intended for veteran scholars over the age of fifty who had contributed to the Chinese mathematical community, while the Chern Award was for mid-career and young scholars under fifty.

For each award, only two recipients were selected per term.

In addition to certificates and medals, the awards included a cash prize of 100,000 yuan. For many of the big names, 100,000 yuan was not a significant sum, but the prestige attached to it was unique. The Shiing-Shen Chern Mathematics Award, in particular, was known as China’s Fields Medal.

"The recipients of this year’s Hua Loo-keng Mathematics Award are..." Following Academician Shen's congratulatory announcement, the two winners were revealed. Wu Tong was familiar with both: one was Professor Wen from Peking University, whose lectures Wu Tong had even attended, and the other was Professor Peng from Shandong University, with whom she had traveled to the International Congress of Mathematicians in Hyderabad to deliver one-hour reports.

Both winners had made significant contributions to the field of Chinese mathematics; their selection was well-deserved and met with universal approval.

Soon, the moment arrived. Amidst the enthusiastic applause and gazes of all attendees, Shing-Tung Yau stepped forward, shook hands with Academician Shen, and took the microphone.

The Chinese Fields Medal—the Shiing-Shen Chern Mathematics Award—was to be presented by this genuine Fields Medalist.

As the applause subsided, Mr. Yau smiled and began: "From the War of Resistance to the founding of the nation, from turbulent times to today’s prosperous and stable era, Chinese mathematical scholars have traveled a rugged path to arrive here. This could not have been achieved without the persistent efforts of everyone present."

He flipped open the card in his hand. Although he had already known the name on it in advance, he still felt a sense of wonder.

"Today, I am honored to announce the winners of this year’s Shiing-Shen Chern Mathematics Award. I hereby announce that the first recipient is Wu Tong. Her major achievements, I believe, are already well-known to you all. From the Zhou Conjecture that stunned the world, to the Twin Prime Conjecture, the Polignac Conjecture, and the infinite group proof method—she has transformed the three great conjectures into the Zhou Theorem, the Twin Prime Theorem, and the Polignac Theorem.

"In the history of world mathematics, she has firmly etched the name of a Chinese person. The world is proud of her, and the motherland is proud of her! I am very happy that mathematics is becoming terrifyingly young, and I am also delighted that, driven by China, mathematics is taking great strides forward!"

He was pleased that the domestic atmosphere was shifting, moving away from a focus solely on seniority and toward a recognition of true academic merit.

Before Mr. Yau had even finished speaking, the audience was in an uproar. The name "Wu Tong" was no stranger to them; in the last few months, she had swept across both domestic and international circles like a storm.

But this was the Shiing-Shen Chern Mathematics Award! People two or three generations older than her were still waiting in line for it. How could it be awarded to such a young child?

What qualifications did she have? She had only just started university; she hadn't even graduated, let alone attained any advanced degrees! Wasn't this pure madness?