The night before the college entrance exam results were released, I redeemed my Peking University ad

"What time is it? Stop keeping us in suspense." Someone snorted in dissatisfaction.

The man wasn't annoyed and slowly asked, "Do you know which school Ji Bai applied to?"

Peking University.

Someone said coldly.

This was no secret; Ji Bai's college application choices had been thoroughly investigated long before the verification conference.

"Do you know what major Ji Bai applied for?"

The private room was quiet for a moment.

Mathematics!

This is everyone's subconscious reaction.

Peking University's mathematics department is in a league of its own, and Ji Bai became a legend because of his mathematical skills. What else would he choose if not mathematics?

Judging from what this person is saying, isn't that right?

Everyone in the room was stunned.

How is that possible!

A mathematical genius who has solved five century-old problems, what major could he choose if he didn't go to Peking University's top mathematics department?

"Stop beating around the bush, what exactly is your major?" Someone asked impatiently, leaning forward.

The man slowly uttered three words:

Materials Science.

As soon as he finished speaking, the private room fell into a deathly silence.

The air seemed to freeze for several seconds.

"Materials science?" someone exclaimed, their voice filled with disbelief.

"Which of the four major pitfalls in biology, chemistry, environmental science, and materials science is materials science?"

"Are you kidding me! He's a math genius, and instead of studying math, he's plunged headfirst into materials science? Has he lost his mind?"

"Even if you don't study mathematics, which of the following fields wouldn't be better: computer science, physics, or finance? Which of them isn't more promising and more likely to yield results than materials science?"

The group of people were all talking at once, completely puzzled.

They've seen geniuses and unconventional people, but they've never seen anyone abandon the top track and willingly jump into a notoriously difficult pitfall.

Is the world of geniuses really this outrageous?

But the doubt didn't last long, as a burst of laughter suddenly erupted in the private room.

"The ingredients are great!"

"You need to study materials!"

The mysterious bigwigs all smiled.

"I thought he was very farsighted and shrewd, but it turns out he's just a young lad who impulsively chose a terrible major."

Materials science is not like mathematics, where all you need is a pen and a stack of scratch paper to solve world-class problems from home.

Throughout history, many mathematical masters have completed their masterpieces in poverty and hardship.

But materials science is different!

What is the key to achieving results in the field of materials science?

It relies on top-notch laboratories, sophisticated equipment, massive funding, and countless trials and errors!

Without cutting-edge equipment, high-purity raw materials, and research funding of tens of millions of dollars, even if you are a genius, you cannot imagine molecular structures out of thin air and then turn them into physical objects.

Those high-performance alloys, polymer composites, and nano-coatings—aren't they all the result of thousands upon thousands of formulations, sinterings, and tests in the laboratory?

Otherwise, why would it be called a "sinkhole major"?

Equipment is more expensive than people, funding is sky-high, and publishing a paper is harder than climbing to heaven.

Without resources, no matter how talented you are, it's useless; you can only talk about things from textbooks!

It's fantastic that Ji Bai has chosen this major!

"Given Ji Bai's personality, he probably won't even need us to say hello."

An elderly man with gray hair leaned back on the sofa, his tone carrying a sense of relief and exhilaration, as if he had finally let out a long sigh after being suppressed for so long.

"Those big names in the materials science field, aren't they all arrogant and proud? You, a mere math kid, come to their territory asking for equipment and funding, do you think they'll give you a warm welcome?"

"We don't even need to lift a finger; he'll run into a bloody mess on his own."

"With the meager funding of the Materials Science Department at Peking University, it's impossible to buy a decent scanning electron microscope without waiting in line until the year after next."

"Ji Bai is a man of immense influence in the mathematics world, but who knows him in the materials science field?"

"No matter how smart he is, without equipment, reagents, and experimental facilities, he can't do anything."

"In the world of mathematics you're the Pope, but in the world of materials science you're not even a teaching assistant."

"You want to do materials research? Sure, go learn from your seniors how to wash test tubes, grind samples, and remove ash from the sintering furnace."

"Those tasks can't be solved by simply writing a few formulas on a blackboard with chalk."

"I can imagine his expression on his first day in the lab, looking at the aging furnace that was older than his grandfather, and asking his senior, 'How do you turn this thing on?' His senior replied without looking up, 'Get in line, there are seven samples ahead of you to burn.'"

"Once he's toiled away in the materials pit for three to five years, his edges smoothed out, and his spiritual energy depleted, who will remember his current glory?"

"By then, even if I wanted to go back to math, I would have already fallen behind."

The people in the room became more and more relaxed as they talked, and the previous gloom and despair were swept away, with relieved smiles appearing on their faces.

I thought it would be a tough nut to crack, but it turns out they chose a dead end themselves.

There's no need for them to go to great lengths to suppress you; choosing the wrong major is tantamount to crippling yourself.

Ji Bai went to the Materials Science Department, which is like cutting off his own arm.

Come to think of it, what does an eighteen-year-old know about career planning?

Choosing a terrible major based on a momentary interest, it's too late to regret it when reality hits hard.

"Alright, let's call it a day."

The person who answered the phone first waved his hand and slowly stood up.

"If we had known he was choosing materials, why would we have gone through all this trouble and taken such a big risk?"

"I've lived an honest and upright life, but I never imagined that in my old age I would become a villain."

"Sigh, we're just trying to do what's best for the young people!"

……

Ring ring ring~

The shrill ringtone of a cell phone blared from the bedside table. Ji Bai fumbled around for a while, still half asleep, before finally managing to pull the phone out from under his arm on the pillow.

My girlfriend was very clingy last night.

Clinginess in a physical sense.

"Feed..."

As soon as the call was answered, Academician Wang's urgent and heavy voice came from the other end.

"Ji Bai, what major did you choose for your college application?"

"Uh... Mr. Wang, you're asking what major I applied for?"

Ji Bai was stunned for two seconds, his mind still not fully activated.

correct.

What major did I apply for?

He only remembered that he had looked up the school code of Peking University at the time, and as for the major code, he seemed to have just randomly filled in 01 or something.

Anyway, I didn't think I could pass the exam, so I didn't care what major it was.

Only when Academician Wang asked did Ji Bai come to his senses.

Yes, what major did you choose?

At that moment, Academician Wang's heartbroken voice came through the phone again:

"Ji Bai, even if you don't come to our School of Mathematical Sciences, you shouldn't apply for Materials Science!"

"Even if you don't want to study pure mathematics, you can study physics, computer science, or finance! Why did you plunge headfirst into the bottomless pit of materials science?"

"Without equipment, funding, or a core laboratory, even the most talented person has to wait for years and seniority to accumulate, eventually wearing away their talent!"

Ji Bai then realized that he had applied for materials science.

The old man grew increasingly anxious: "How about this, I'll contact Peking University for you, and you can change your major!"

"Or, why don't you just skip Peking University and come directly to our School of Mathematical Sciences!"

"We'll keep the academician benefits for you, and you can establish an independent research institute whenever you want. Isn't that a million times better than working in the materials science department, having to put up with people and wait for seniority?"

Upon hearing this, Ji Bai fully woke up and chuckled softly while leaning against the headboard.

So they were waiting for him here.

"Mr. Wang, thank you for your kind offer, but there's no need to change your major."

"Others think the materials are a bottomless pit, but that's because they don't have the ability to fill the pit."

"I'm going! This sinkhole has to be turned into a road to heaven!"