Technology invades the modern world

Chapter 226 Lin Ran's First Lecture of the New Semester

"What I want to say is that the environment the country has created for us is good enough now."

Even with the Goldbach Conjecture, after completing his work, Mr. Chen Jingrun could only gaze at the mathematical stars in a room of at most 20 square meters.

Gauss lived on Kurzer Street for nine years before moving to the Göttingen Observatory, while Hilbert lived at 29 Wilhelm Weber Street after arriving in Göttingen. Their living conditions were not exactly pleasant.

When I returned to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, they arranged an apartment for me that was much better than the one I had before.

When I decided to return to China, I didn't think about the environment. The environment is something we have to create with our own hands.

Material conditions and personal reputation are all external things. Whether it is mathematical research or scientific research in other fields, the most important thing is the person.

Hilbert was on Wilhelm Weber Street, in Göttingen, a global center of mathematics, and this street was the heart of the Göttingen academic community.

Here, Hilbert discussed academic issues with Felix Klein, debated transfinite numbers and set theory with Ruiz Brouwer, and mentored a group of students including Hermann Weyl and Richard Corenter.

However, in 1943, Hilbert died in Göttingen, deeply saddened. Before his death, he lamented the decline of Göttingen: Mathematics? Nothing left!
why?
Because the person is gone.

Hilbert's students are scattered all over the world. Hermann Weyl helped found the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, establishing a new world center for mathematics in Princeton; Richard Courant went to New York University, which is now the Courant Institute at NYU.

People are the most important. The most important component of the environment is people.

When Chinese mathematicians have many Fields Medalists, top-tier journals, and cutting-edge mathematical research in China, I think such an environment can attract mathematicians from China and even the world.

Therefore, when I made the decision to return to China, I was very clear that I came back to create an environment, not to have the country provide me with one.

Lin Ran was wearing a mask and protective clothing, and only his determination could be vaguely seen through his goggles.

The leaders from Shenhai who came applauded while inwardly marveling that it was indeed as flawless as the Baihua News Agency's report had portrayed.

Lin Ran's impromptu speech conveyed the idea of ​​President Kennedy's famous quote, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."

He frequently cited classical texts, using examples from Chern, Hilbert, and Gauss, to demonstrate both the superiority of the environment provided by the state and to express his own mission.

Anyone who comes here will find it impeccable.

Even if you asked someone to write it for you beforehand, it wouldn't be this good.

The "good" here refers to being in line with Lin Ran's identity as a great mathematician.

If someone else were to write it, it might be more ornate and elaborate, but it's unlikely to be as heartfelt and authentic as the author's identity.

Actually, it's because there was a previous interview with Baihua Society, so the Chinese side also hoped that Lin Ran could say a few words this time.

Let's give morale a good boost.

The provincial government always says that China's top talents go to America, second-rate talents go to Europe, and third-rate talents stay in the country.

This phenomenon has clearly improved significantly in recent years, but it has recently started to be touted again.

The local academicians from the Shanghai Mathematical Academy who came to the welcoming ceremony all found it a bit strange after hearing this.

Göttingen again.

You didn't graduate from Göttingen either, have you ever been to Göttingen?

Why does he keep quoting Gauss and Hilbert, even citing their residences?

Shouldn't you mention Yang Zhenning, who taught at Stony Brook University for a long time? Or perhaps Shing-Tung Yau and Sing-Shen Chern, the former having taught at Stony Brook for two years and the latter having a deep connection with the university?

Talking about Göttingen isn't wrong, after all, it's a former mecca of mathematics, but something just feels off.

This speech, after being published by local media in Shanghai, has been widely circulated on social media.

Netizens' opinions mainly fall into two categories: one is that Lin Ran has a grand vision, and other scholars who stay abroad due to their circumstances should take a good look at him; the other is that they are just waiting to be proven wrong, waiting for Lin Ran to go abroad and then slap himself in the face.

However, Lin Ran no longer cared. He stayed in the hotel for fourteen days, working with NASA at night to continue the Apollo program in 1960, and refining his Apollo moon landing plan for 2020 during the day. At the same time, he directed the staff assigned to him by Shanghai Jiao Tong University to do this and that.

Xiao Li is an administrative staff member at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

To be precise, he is a newly appointed counselor in the Department of Mathematics at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

I just graduated with a master's degree and then stayed on at the university as a counselor.

Only in the last few years has the market been relatively good, and it hasn't been too difficult for master's graduates to stay at the university.

After all, in Shanghai, it's practically impossible to buy a house while staying on as a counselor; the salary isn't even as good as that of a food delivery driver.

Therefore, the competition is not fierce.

After all, these days, math master's graduates have plenty of good jobs to choose from.

Xiao Li's decision to stay at the university was considered unwise, because his family was not well-off and could not afford to buy him a house in Shenhai.

The first task assigned to him by the School of Mathematical Sciences was to coordinate with the newly recruited experts who had returned from abroad and meet all their requirements.

Xiao Li thought to himself, "It's a good thing I'm a man. If I were a woman, would I have to meet all her requirements?"

This job actually has some characteristics of a personal assistant.

Looking at history, this is absolutely a top-notch good thing.

Like the secretary Zhang that China arranged for Dean Qian after he returned to China, he was promoted all the way up to the division level.

Based on his age, seniority, and ability, Lin Ran's eloquence and political acumen alone would be more than enough to secure a position as vice president or president at Jiaotong University.

By then, wouldn't I be the other party's absolute confidant, and getting an office director or an administrative management position in the mathematics department would be a piece of cake?

So Xiao Li was incredibly dedicated, feeling like he'd been given a windfall. If he hadn't just arrived and hadn't been assigned specific counselor duties, this good thing wouldn't have happened to him.

Needless to say, Lin Zhongqing, the president of Shanghai Jiaotong University, added him on WeChat. After exchanging a few pleasantries, he asked Xiao Li to do a good job in providing services and to report on the tasks Lin Ran had instructed him to do on a weekly basis.

Lin Ran added him on WeChat when he was still in America and started giving him work instructions.

"Xiao Li, I've rented a room near Jiaotong University. I need your help to contact a renovation company and renovate the room according to the style of the photos I sent you."

Regarding the specific costs, please send me the quote later, and I will transfer it directly to the renovation company.

"Ok"

Then there's a batch of photos, addresses, and the specific location of the rental property.

(Photo of American Air Force barracks in 1962)
The dormitories assigned to early NASA employees were very similar to this.

After learning the details of the mission, Xiao Li was completely numb.

Because the house Lin Ran mentioned near Jiaotong University is not actually near Jiaotong University; it's in Kunshan.

Moreover, it went to Huaqiao in Kunshan, so it can't be considered Shenhai at all.

Even there, in a very remote location, the villas were all rented by Lin Ran, one on each floor of a duplex villa.

Only then did Xiao Li realize that Kunshan was actually next to Jiaotong University.

The real estate agents in Kunshan must be going crazy advertising that our property is in the Jiaotong University district. Do you know Professor Lin Ran? He's a newly arrived mathematics professor at Jiaotong University who personally certified it.

The renovation involved transforming the original house into an American Air Force dormitory style, with four people to be crammed into each room.

Some of the paint schemes also feature typical American Air Force logos.

(Inside the abandoned Shanut Air Force Base in Lantour, Illinois.)
Something like this.

Xiao Li was completely baffled by this.

What exactly is Professor Lin trying to do?

Not only was he puzzled, but Lin Zhongqing, who knew what Lin Ran was doing, was also puzzled. At the same time, he seemed to have caught a glimpse of inspiration.

"Is Lin Ran going to play a cosplay game with these old men?"

He knew what cosplay was, and in college he was always more up-to-date than his peers.

"No, what kind of new cosplay project is this?"
They transported a group of men, at least eighty years old, to China to participate in cosplay of characters they had previously portrayed.

Send this group of people to that godforsaken place, Kunshan, trick them into thinking they're going to the moon, and then swindle them out of their pensions.

The money will be transferred monthly.

Want to participate in NASA's moon landing cosplay? If so, send the money now.

Ten thousand US dollars is never too little, and one hundred thousand US dollars is never too much.

Lin Zhongqing felt that he had figured things out.

Isn't this just the perfect time for a virus outbreak?

Everyone was stuck inside the villa, unable to leave, spending their days playing this niche cosplay game with Lin Ran.

Lin Ran's background in mathematics and aerospace engineering enabled him to improve the realism of the Apollo program cosplay; at least he could explain things like orbit calculations and launch simulations clearly.

They swindled all of these old men's pensions by using niche and bizarre cosplay tourism projects.

What an amazing money-making strategy!

The forest clearing was clear.

What Apollo moon landing? Its full name should be Apollo Moon Landing Program Simulated Retirement Tourism Project.

Lin Zhongqing thought to himself, "This guy is truly amazing. He can come up with such a niche and unconventional way to make money."

If it were me, I would never have imagined it.

Of course, there are still many questions that cannot be clearly explained.

For example, how did Lin Ran find out the exact location of these people, how did he persuade them, and how did he make them willing to pay the fees later?

But once the overall strategy is established, these are all minor details.

Lin Zhongqing thought to himself, "Will Lin Ran have to hire white maids to cook for these old white men?"

The food cooked by the Chinese auntie wasn't quite authentic.

That's true. However, Lin Ran doesn't plan to look for the Americans, but rather the Slavs.

Moreover, older Slavic women had to be specifically brought in.

Lin Zhongqing immediately dialed the number: "Is this Xiao Li?" he asked.

Xiao Li answered the phone immediately, practically standing at attention: "Principal Lin, it's me. What are your instructions?"

"That's right. Do a good job with Professor Lin's arrangements, and the school will definitely not treat you unfairly."

It's all just empty promises.

How could a leader not make empty promises?

Lin Zhongqing knew that Xiao Li must live near the school and was going to Kunshan every day to oversee the renovations. Even at a time like this, wearing a mask and taking the subway for two or three hours was really tough. "In addition, the school has given you another task, so your office will be based in Kunshan most of the time from now on."

These villas will eventually be occupied by Americans.

There should be 27 Americans in total, and you are responsible for taking good care of them.

We cannot allow anything to happen to anyone.

Xiao Li looked completely bewildered: "27 Americans? Huh?"

Lin Zhongqing recounted the list Lin Ran had given him, then shared his general guesses, and finally said sternly, "Little Li, you know who Aldrin is, and who these Americanians are."

They are all prominent figures in America. If something were to happen to them in China, we would have no way to explain it.

So this task is assigned to you!

You will need to be stationed in Kunshan permanently to take good care of them and ensure that none of them suffer any accidents.

Also, if they run around, you have to stop them. In short, you have to keep all these American people under control!

Xiao Li was on the verge of tears.

I truly wanted to cry but had no tears left.

No, Principal, what are you talking about?
I not only have to take care of them, but also manage them. Do I even deserve that?
Xiao Li felt that he hadn't landed a good job, but rather a terrible one.

If you don't do this job well, you might ruin your life.

What a massive pitfall!

After making the call, Xiao Li finally understood that what is meant by fortune or misfortune, and what is meant by the gift of fate, all come with a price tag.

He made a phone call to his best roommate from college, who had chosen to work as a data analyst at a major company after graduation.

There were four people in their dormitory, and none of them chose to continue their doctoral studies.

Everyone knows they're not cut out for this.

"Zhao Gou, holy crap, I'm in huge trouble! Give me some advice!"

"Hey, wait a minute, I'm still at the company. Let me find a quiet corridor to talk." Xiao Zhao was clearly having a tough time too.

"Hello, hello, can you hear me?" Xiao Zhao said.

Xiao Li nodded: "Yes, what's going on? Why are you still working so late?"

Xiao Zhao sighed, "It's not easy to make it in a big factory."

Moreover, while the math department claims to be related to data analysis, it's actually completely unrelated. The little bit of statistics we learn in university has zero overlap with the tools used for data analysis in big companies. There's a lot of catching up to do.

Moreover, big companies are incredibly pushy, and their leaders are all masters of manipulation. Sigh, let's not even talk about it. Let's talk about you instead. What's wrong? Why are you in such a hurry all of a sudden?

Didn't you follow the true God?

"What's there to complain about when you're with the true God?"

Lin Ran's nickname among them wasn't "God Lin," but "True God."

After all, there are too many gods and so-called gods in the School of Mathematical Sciences; only a true god has enough prestige.

The moment Xiao Li was assigned to work with Lin Ran, he immediately shared the good news in the dormitory group chat.

Everyone congratulated him.

Being able to associate with Lin Ran means that the path to success within the Jiaotong University system has been paved.

Combined with Lin Ran's remarks during his interview with Baihua Society, everyone agreed that Lin Ran was definitely a fighting expert no less than Tian Gang.

With top-notch academic abilities and first-rate fighting skills, Xiao Li can just wait to rise to prominence along with Lin Ran.

They even suggested that Xiao Li could see if there was an opportunity to work with Lin Ran and get a PhD in pure mathematics.

Being a student and pursuing an academic career would be great.

In short, everyone felt that Xiao Li had struck gold, and some even regretted not choosing to stay at the school.

So Xiao Zhao was very curious about what Xiao Li had encountered.

"No, the task he assigned me was very unusual, extremely niche and bizarre," Xiao Li said.

Xiao Zhao drawled out in a low voice, "Could it be..."

Xiao Li quickly interrupted, "Of course not. He found 27 white men over 80 years old in America and brought them here to live out their retirement. Then the school asked me to take care of these 27 old men."

Holy crap, I have to watch over them and keep an eye on them to make sure nothing happens to them.

With my English level...

How can I manage this?
Am I worthy?
And Aldrin was among those 27 people.

"Aldrin?"

Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, was a famous American astronaut.

To be precise, these people are all former NASA employees, each with an impressive resume. After complaining, Xiao Li told the other party about the principal's guess.

Xiao Zhao's voice rang out: "It's really quite niche and bizarre."

I've never heard of a senior citizen tour group based on the Apollo moon landing before.

These living fossils from the Cold War era, every single one of them must have a substantial pension. The true god is going to extract a huge amount of gold from them this time.

Holy crap, Lin Ran, that's a really good name.

These living fossils of the Cold War era, who dedicated their lives to the Apollo program during the Cold War, are now nothing but embers, on the verge of extinction.

Lin Ran wanted to squeeze every last drop of value out of them, which was like igniting the embers one last time.

This is amazing! How could someone come up with such a way to make money? I never would have thought of that.

He's strong in mathematical research, gives impeccable interviews, and even comes up with this niche and unconventional way to make money.

Xiao Li was on the verge of tears: "No, Zhao Gou, the problem is, what am I supposed to do now?"
If anything happens to any one of these people, I'm finished!

Xiao Zhao said, "I support the use of stun guns in rural areas. I'll buy one first, and if they don't listen, I'll just use it to shut them up."

Xiao Li was speechless: "You're a real dog. I dare to electrocute them, and they dare to get into trouble and send me to jail the next day."

Can you be serious for once? I'm really panicking!

Xiao Zhao organized his thoughts and said, "What are you panicking about? Just wait for the real god. This is not something you can handle. Let's see what he has to say."

He definitely has a way.

Lin Ran, who has a knack for finding solutions, is currently at the hotel preparing to participate in a CCTV program.

School Starts Now

This is a program that CCTV puts on every September 1st.

Almost all primary and secondary school students across the country watch the live television broadcast.

As the first lesson of the new semester.

This year, after Lin Ran finished her speech at the airport, the publicity team in Yanjing decided that Lin Ran would be the speaker for the first episode of "Back to School" this year.

Let him teach the first lesson of the new semester to primary and secondary school students across the country from his hotel via remote video link.

No one is more qualified than Lin Ran.

"Students, school is about to start. Are you ready to greet the first lesson with full enthusiasm? Don't put it off until tomorrow. There are so many tomorrows. If I wait for tomorrow, everything will be wasted."

The first lesson of the new semester is a new beginning and a new hope. I wish everyone can cherish their time and strive hard.

My greatest takeaway from learning is that the joy derived from knowledge is endless. "When you have leisure time, you should study," I hope all students cherish the precious years of their lives dedicated to reading.

This year's first lesson for students will be given by Professor Lin Ran, a renowned Chinese mathematician who recently solved a century-old problem.

Professor Lin Ran had just returned to China and was still in his hotel, so we could only send our footage to him remotely.

I hope this lesson will inspire and motivate everyone.

After Sa Beining's brief opening remarks, the camera focused on Lin Ran, who appeared slightly blurry.

Yesterday, fully equipped staff delivered the equipment and conducted tests.

The picture is blurry, but the sound is clear.

Lin Ran patted the microphone and then said:
"Hello everyone, I am Lin Ran. I am very happy to have the opportunity to give the first lecture of the new semester to primary and secondary school students across the country."

It's my pleasure.

As we all know, Mr. Liang Qichao once said, "When the youth are strong, the nation is strong." You are the hope of the nation and the pillars of the country.

I hope that today's lesson will bring you a little inspiration.

I'm known for my work in mathematics, but I'm good at much more than just math.

I majored in aerospace engineering for my undergraduate degree, and then earned two doctoral degrees in mathematics and artificial intelligence, so I have experience spanning many fields.

Actually, if I wanted to, I could probably get another PhD in philosophy.

What I want to tell you through the above is not how amazing I am, but that human potential is limitless, and you can do far more than you think.

Life is like walking along a long corridor, facing one choice after another at each juncture.

Choosing which kindergarten to attend, which primary school to attend, which subject to choose in junior and senior high school, which major to choose in university, and then pursuing postgraduate studies, employment, studying abroad, and so on – countless choices await you.

But you'll find that the number of doors to choose from is gradually decreasing.

When you're a child, the possibilities in your life are endless. People say they want to be astronauts, pilots, or scientists. But when you get to high school, nearsightedness reminds you that you're no longer destined to be an astronaut; a door closes.

The medical examination results will tell you that you are not destined to be a pilot; another door has closed.

A less-than-stellar score on the exam will tell you that you're no longer a scientist; another door has closed.

Upon graduating from university, I realized that I wasn't very interested in my major and that I wasn't doing very well. I felt that I might be more interested in other majors, but there was no time left for another four years.

The major you feel might be more suitable or more interesting is no longer an option; some doors have closed.

As life progresses, more and more doors close, until it seems you can only move forward and never look back.

　I'm offering 10,000 words; basically, I'm asking for monthly votes.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)