Chapter 95: Tremors

“All done, that’s good. Today, Tongtong, you must think of nothing else—just be the birthday girl and enjoy your special day!” In Grandma Jin’s traditional view, the birthday girl is the most important person.

“Alright, today I’ll just wait to be pampered! Grandpa, Grandma, I have some free time now. How about we go for a walk nearby? Is there anywhere you’d like to visit? Brother, you contribute half your pocket money—this time, the expenses are on us!”

There were still nearly half a month left before her trip to Borneo, so at this moment, she intended to spend quality time with her family. Learning and research were pursuits for a lifetime, but her life could not consist of study alone. Being with her family was a central arrangement that could not be neglected.

She worked hard when it was necessary, and made sure to spend more time with her family when she could. Those moments were also her time to relax and unwind.

Within a month, she had solved two world-class conjectures, each more challenging than the last. Though the Twin Prime Conjecture and the Polignac Conjecture were connected in a certain causal progression, they remained distinct and could not be conflated. Despite her exceptional deductive abilities, solid foundations, and powerful logical understanding, she still felt her mind being squeezed dry.

Fortunately, the Stele of Enlightenment had provided timely nourishment for recovery. Otherwise, she would have needed a few days of rest to fully recuperate.

The challenges were formidable, but the rewards were immense. Completing the proof of the Polignac Conjecture and creating the Infinite Group Proof Method not only solved a world-class mathematical problem but also allowed Wu Tong to reorganize her mathematical framework, deepening her understanding and making the knowledge she had accumulated over the past six months clearer and more accessible.

“A well-fed person doesn’t know the hunger of the needy! You just love exploiting the poor masses like me!” Jin Xin rolled his eyes at his sister, annoyed. How much pocket money did he have? She knew very well. Compared to her recent string of scholarship deposits, he was practically destitute!

“Sis, let’s make a deal. You pay, I provide the effort—how about we combine forces for a perfect partnership?”

“Not a chance. The family has prepared everything for you already. Why do you need pocket money? Planning to save up for your own kids?” Xu Meifeng shot her son a sideways glance. “A grown man should take on more responsibility. Stop whining! Use your pocket money to arrange this outing. Tongtong worked hard for her scholarship—she bought you a computer and gifts for the family. How dare you ask her to pay?”

“Alright, alright… I’ll pay, I’ll pay. Comrade Xu Meifeng, you’ll break your precious son’s heart this way!” Jin Xin acted melodramatically, clutching his chest. He was just joking, trying to lighten the mood. Since childhood, when had he ever truly made Tongtong pay?

He turned to Mr. Jin, “Aunt, Uncle, are you sure Tongtong and I weren’t switched at birth? I feel like Tongtong is Mom’s real daughter!”

“Jin Xin, you and Tongtong weren’t born on the same day, month, or year—don’t get it wrong!” Wu Jingzhong put down his bowl of porridge, smiling as he clarified the facts. No one could confuse his precious daughter!

Jin Xin, the family clown, was especially lively with Tongtong around.

“Your mom dotes on Tongtong, and your aunt dotes on you. How about I give you fifty yuan later to buy some sweets?” Aunt Jin laughed, rubbing her nephew’s head. She never expected that the family’s sweet child wasn’t her own Tongtong, but this tall, burly boy.

Tongtong’s temperament was calm unless provoked. If her temper flared, she could be quite formidable.

“Brother, I’ll spoil you too!” Wu Tong swallowed a bite of flaky pastry, avoiding a messy embarrassment, and added a witty remark.

The whole room burst into laughter. Jin Yongqing laughed especially heartily, proud that his granddaughter had the family’s bold spirit.

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While the Jin family enjoyed their happiness together, far away in Hydra, Alvin’s mood was far from pleasant, bordering on a second bout of exasperation.

With the usual expectation for promptness from Chinese scholars, Alvin assumed Wu Tong would submit her report early, just like the other invited experts, without needing the full ten days.

But one day passed, then two, then three—a week, and still no report from Wu Tong. He wanted to urge her, but it hadn’t yet reached the deadline. He had to suppress his anxiety and patiently wait, consoling himself that geniuses always have their quirks, and late submissions were just habitual. He hoped she would uphold the Chinese reputation for quality and punctuality. A delay of a day or two would be acceptable.

On the tenth day, Alvin kept refreshing the submission site, hoping for updates. When the backend finally showed a new uploaded report, it felt like divine intervention. “Thank God, Wu is a punctual genius who respects deadlines!”

“You can finally put a perfect end to your work. Celebrate with a drink tonight!” a colleague congratulated him, happy that the report had arrived so they could wrap up their tasks.

But their joy lasted only until they opened Wu Tong’s report and saw the title. Alvin’s eyes widened in shock and he blurted out, “A New Group Proof Method and Proof of the Polignac Conjecture!”

“What?” The colleague wondered if his hearing was failing. “Isn’t Wu, the Oriental Pearl, supposed to be submitting the proof of the Twin Prime Conjecture? Or maybe the Zhou Conjecture?”

“Oh, my God, these capricious geniuses!” Alvin rubbed his aching head. “Wu writes in the abstract that she combined topology, sieve methods, and group theory to construct an infinite group proof method, and used it to extend K to the infinite natural numbers—proving the Polignac Conjecture!”

“Heavens… my Allah, she’s solved the Polignac Conjecture too?”

“Topology, sieve methods, group theory—aren’t you describing the Langlands program?” another colleague chimed in, perplexed.

“Ha, just read it for yourselves!” Alvin moved aside with a wry smile, and the others gathered around.

A chorus of shock followed. They could imagine how this report would shake the mathematical community.

This genius from the East—if her report was validated, she would be instantly legendary. Solving two major world problems in a month—her achievements would rival those of Fields Medal laureates!

Every top mathematician studying primes had worked on these conjectures. Yet in just a few months, she had resolved three mathematical conjectures, all world-class challenges, and she was only sixteen—no, today she turned seventeen!

These were all results from her sixteenth year. The world would be astounded by her.

(End of chapter)