My IQ has been increasing year by year.

Nine o'clock the next morning.

Terminal 3 of Beijing Capital International Airport.

Sunlight streamed through the massive glass curtain wall, casting large, bright geometric patterns onto the floor tiles.

The waiting hall was bustling with noise.

Professor Wang took the ID cards of several people to the counter to check in their luggage and get their boarding passes.

Miao Shi'an and the other three went to the restroom together.

Chen Zhuo and Lin Yi stood in front of the bench.

Chen Zhuo rubbed his neck. He felt like he had slept poorly last night and his neck had been stiff ever since he woke up today.

Chen Zhuo looked around.

Walk to a vending machine not far away.

Insert coin, press the button.

The two bottles of mineral water fell into the pickup slot with two loud thuds.

Chen Zhu bent down to take out the water and walked back to the bench.

Lin Yi had already sat down, so Chen Zhuo simply sat down in the empty seat next to Lin Yi.

Lin Yi took a mint out of his pocket and popped it into his mouth.

Chen Zhuo placed the extra bottle of water in the empty space between the two of them.

He unscrewed the cap of the bottle in his hand and took a sip.

The water was a bit cold, so I screwed the cap on and pressed it against my neck, not knowing if applying it to my stiff neck would help.

"The admissions team from Huazhong University of Science and Technology shouldn't have missed you last night, right?"

Chen Zhuo looked at the crowd of people coming and going and asked Lin Yi a question.

Lin Yi looked out the floor-to-ceiling window.

A Boeing passenger plane with a red tail is taxiing on the runway, preparing for takeoff.

The sunlight shone on the aircraft, making it somewhat dazzling.

"How is that possible?"

Lin Yi leaned back in his chair, his eyes half-closed.

"Didn't you fill out an expression of interest form?"

Chen Zhuo turned his head and glanced at her.

"Not filled in."

Lin Yi shook his head.

"dislike."

Lin Yi waved to Chen Zhuo.

"After two weeks of intensive physics training, including a three-hour individual experiment, I spent four hours yesterday in that tin can at the training center." "Look, I was covered in sweat. I washed my hands twice, but I could still smell the odor. I feel like I'm being pickled."

She put her hands back into her pockets.

The sound was gentle and melodious.

"Chen Zhuo, I am different from you and Zhou Kai."

You guys are interested in those instruments, data, and screws, but I'm not. I find all of that too much trouble.

"When my physics teacher signed me up, he said it would be so easy, just a matter of doing some problems, and there wouldn't be any lab work involved." "But it turned out there were tons of labs."

Lin Yi couldn't help but nag Chen Zhuo for a while.

The announcement in the waiting hall came on.

Passengers are reminded to prepare for boarding.

Lin Yi stood up and stretched his arms.

"We've gone off on a tangent."

"The gifted youth program sounds like a nightmare. I just want to go back to sleep. It's so much better. Nobody wants to go to the gifted youth program and go through all that trouble with you guys."

"There's also the National Mathematics Finals on July 2nd."

Chen Zhuo casually mentioned it to Lin Yi.

"I know, I know."

Lin Yi waved his hand.

"Look how great mathematics is. You don't need to go to a dusty laboratory, you don't need to warm cold ceramic pieces with your hands, and you don't need to test for any environmental interference."

She stretched out her right hand, making a gesture as if she were holding a pen.

It made two cursory gestures in mid-air.

"When I arrived at the examination hall, I had a pen and a few sheets of scratch paper."

Lin Yi took it back.

"If you can figure it out, hand it in and leave; if you can't, forget it. Clean and simple."

"In two years, I'll use these competitions and the like to get through high school, get a guaranteed admission spot, and then study basic mathematics."

"No need to do experiments, no need to deal with data errors, just stay at the university, a pen and a piece of paper to get by for a lifetime, and then spend the rest of the decades resting, retiring and just getting by. How wonderful is that?"

Professor Wang walked over with a boarding pass in his hand.

Four people followed behind to the restroom.

"Let's go, get ready for security check."

Professor Wang distributed the boarding passes.

Lin Yi stood up.

He patted the wrinkles on his pants.

She looked at Chen Zhuo, still with that same nonchalant tone.

"Let people like you and Zhou Kai handle the task of changing the world."

"I just want to be an ordinary person without so many troubles."

1:30 PM.

The flight landed at the provincial capital airport in Jiangsu Province.

It slowed down, glided, and finally came to a stop beside the covered bridge.

After collecting their checked luggage, the group of seven walked out along the passageway.

In the summer in the south, the air is filled with abundant moisture.

Various vehicles were parked on the passenger pick-up lane outside.

Taxis lined up in a long queue, and drivers kept honking their horns to urge them on.

Professor Wang stopped in his tracks.

He unzipped the old leather bag in his hand and took out a transparent plastic bag.

It contained the ID cards of the six of them.

"Come here, everyone, and make sure you have your ID cards safe so you don't lose them."

Professor Wang read out the names and handed out ID cards to them one by one.

After sending the last picture, the old man zipped up his bag again and tucked it under his arm.

He looked at the six students in front of him, each carrying a backpack and pulling a suitcase.

"Alright, this mission is now completely over."

Professor Wang's tone carried the composure of an elder, without any sentimental words.

"Go back and get a good night's sleep. Don't worry about your grades. The province will notify your respective schools directly if there is any news."

Professor Wang looked around at the crowded people waiting to pick up passengers.

"Have you contacted the parents and the teachers in charge?"

He pointed to an empty space next to him.

"No one is allowed to wander off until we see the person who's coming to pick us up. Just stand here and wait with me until we get the person."

Professor Wang's words immediately quieted the previously somewhat disorganized group.

It's like a signal.

Tell them your trip is over.

Next, everyone went back to their own lives.

"Hey, wait a minute."

Wang, who was usually quiet, suddenly shouted.

He pulled the backpack from his shoulder to his chest, unzipped it, and rummaged through it for a bit.

He pulled out a math notebook with a curled-edge cover and then a ballpoint pen.

He flipped to a blank page in the middle, pinched the edge of the page with his fingers, and ripped it open.

With a ripping sound.

A piece of paper was torn into six strips.

"Write down your contact information."

"We've all trained together, and we've been through thick and thin together, so let's exchange contact information and keep in touch."

As he spoke, he looked down and wrote a string of numbers on each of the six slips of paper.

"This is my home phone number, and this is my number 00. Remember to add me when you go online. My name is Chasing the Wind Boy. Don't add the wrong number." Zhou Kai took the pen, wrote down his home phone number on the slip of paper, and handed it to Miao Shi'an.

Miao Shi'an took the pen.

He wrote down a string of phone numbers.

"This is my own number. I might turn it off during class, but it's always on weekends. If you ever come to the provincial capital, call this number and I'll treat everyone to a meal."

Chen Zhu left his home phone number.

He handed the note to He Gui.

He Gui held that ballpoint pen.

The pen tip hovered on the paper, not falling for a long time.

He doesn't have a landline at home.

He had no idea what number 00 was; he had only heard of internet cafes, but had never been to one.

He gripped the pen a little tightly, thought for a moment, and then wrote a line on the note.

A six-digit postal code.

Guanlong City, Senior High School, Grade 9, Class 2, and Guishou.

He wrote slowly, each stroke powerful and penetrating.

After writing them down, He Gui handed the slips of paper to the other people.

He handed the last one to Chen Zhuo.

He Gui looked at Chen Zhuo, his voice not loud, but with a hint of unease.

"Captain, my family doesn't have a telephone, and long-distance calls are expensive."

"If you'd like, you can send a letter to our school at this address; I can receive it."

He Gui paused for a moment, as if he had thought of something, and then added a sentence.

"If I go to high school in another place in the second half of the year, I will write to you in advance to tell you my new address, so that no one will receive the letters you send."

Chen Zhuo took the slip of paper with uneven edges.

The writing above is in blue ballpoint pen ink, with some ink smudging.

He looked at the address on the slip of paper, then folded it in half, holding the top and bottom ends with both hands.

Fold it in half again.

Fold it into a square.

He unzipped the innermost compartment of his backpack, carefully placed the folded paper strip into the inner pocket, and zipped it up.

"I've saved the address."

Chen Zhuo raised his head and looked at He Gui.

He reached out and patted the strap of He Gui's faded backpack.

"In the training center, with that system and those thirty turns of enameled wire, you're the only one in the entire place who can wind it perfectly."

Chen Zhuo's tone was calm, carrying an undeniable certainty.

"You're very capable, at least more capable than me. If you encounter any problems you can't solve, feel free to write to me anytime."

He Gui paused for a moment, his lips moved, and his eyes reddened slightly, but he still nodded vigorously.

Chen Zhuo turned around and looked at Wang Huashao.

Wang, who was not talkative, was stuffing the notes written by everyone into his pocket.

"A young man chasing the wind?"

Chen Zhuo looked at him, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Go to internet cafes less often, or your dad might catch you."

Wang, who spoke little, shook his hand and chuckled.

"It's okay, I can run away quickly."

Chen Zhuo nodded, his gaze falling on Miao Shi'an.

Miao Shi'an maintained that gentle smile.

Chen Zhuo looked into his eyes and softened his voice.

"In the past two weeks, you haven't made a single mistake with the data you've been controlling. When you get home, try to relax a little sometimes. Don't be so tense all the time. Get a good night's sleep." Miao Shi'an was taken aback.

He pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses, looked at Chen Zhuo, and nodded seriously.

"it is good."

This can be considered a complete farewell.

There were no hugs, no long speeches.

It was Lin Yi's turn.

Zhou Kai handed her the pen.

Lin Yi quickly scribbled a landline number on the paper.

The slips of paper have been exchanged.

The brief gathering was followed by a reunion.

Professor Wang stood by and watched them the whole time.

A black Audi A6 slowly pulled up from the traffic and stopped on the side of the road.

The driver's cab door opened, and a middle-aged man wearing a short-sleeved shirt got out.

The man walked straight up to Professor Wang.

He bent down slightly and reached out to grasp Professor Wang's hands.

"Professor Wang, thank you for your hard work on this trip. Mr. Miao has been saying he wants to treat you to a meal."

The man's tone was neither humble nor arrogant, but conveyed a professional politeness.

"Don't mention it, it's all work."

Professor Wang nodded.

"Shi'an is a good child. He must be exhausted these past two days. Take him home and let him rest."

The man then walked up to Miao Shi'an and took the suitcase from his hand.

"The lady asked, 'Did the exam go well this time?'"

Miao Shi'an's expression returned to that gentle, proper, and flawless smile.

"It went smoothly, without any mistakes," Miao Shi'an replied.

The man nodded and put the suitcase into the trunk.

I walked to the back seat and opened the car door.

Miao Shi'an walked to the car door.

He didn't sit down immediately.

He straightened up, raised his head, and looked over the huge ceiling of the airport terminal.

I looked up at the azure sky.

An airplane is climbing, leaving a white contrail.

Miao Shi'an looked at it for two seconds.

He lowered his head, bent over, and got into the car.

The car door closed.

The black Audi A6 merged into the traffic and quickly disappeared from sight.

He Gui stood next to a cement pillar.

A black Santana 2000 with its right turn signal on slowly stopped in front of He Gui.

The car body is a bit old, and there are several scratches on the front bumper.

The passenger door was flung open.

A chubby man squeezed off the bus.

He is the Dean of Students at He Gui Junior High School.

The director was wearing a gray POLO shirt, the back of which was soaked with sweat.

He was holding a bottle of chilled cola with water droplets on it, which he originally intended to hand directly to He Gui.

But as his gaze swept across the room, he saw Professor Wang standing to the side.

The director abruptly changed direction, taking three steps at a time to reach Professor Wang.

"Oh, Professor Wang! You've gone to so much trouble!"

The director gripped Professor Wang's hands tightly with both, shaking them up and down a few times, forcing a bright smile onto his face. He then quickly reached into his pocket for cigarettes.

"After a bumpy journey, have a smoke to relieve your fatigue."

"I don't smoke, thank you."

Professor Wang waved his hand and took a step back.

"He Gui is a very down-to-earth and good child. Give him more encouragement when you get back."

"Absolutely! He Gui has always been the pride of our school!"

The director nodded repeatedly before turning around, walking up to He Gui, and shoving the bottle of iced cola into He Gui's hand.

"He Gui, you must be tired from your journey."

The director took out a tissue from his pocket and wiped the sweat from his forehead, his eyes fixed on He Gui's face.

"How did it go? Um... how's your score?"

He Gui held the bottle of ice-cold cola in his hand.

Water droplets slid down the bottle and dripped onto the back of his hand.

"We got full marks in the team competition this afternoon. The grading hasn't come out yet, but the results should be good."

He Gui looked into the director's anxious eyes.

The director stopped what he was doing.

The wad of tissue he was using to wipe his sweat fell to the ground.

The flesh on his face twitched slightly.

Then, an uncontrollable ecstasy burst forth from his eyes.

"Good! Good! Good lad!"

The director patted He Gui's shoulder hard, so hard that He Gui swayed.

"You've done a great service to our school! When we get back, I'll have the principal hold an awards ceremony! You'll definitely get a bonus!" The director turned around, frantically reaching for his phone in his pocket.

The flip phone is opened.

He walked toward the car while rapidly pressing the numbers.

"Feed? Principal Wang! It's me, Old Liu!"

The director's voice became shrill with excitement, and it could be heard clearly even in the noisy arrival area.

"Got it! Got it! The Hegui team is perfect! Yes! Our school's quota is secure this year!"

He Gui stood still.

The Coke in my hand was cold.

He watched the back of the director, who was perched on the roof of the Santana, bowing and scraping to his phone, his face flushed with excitement.

A drop of water slid down to the base of his thumb.

He Gui did not look down.

He looked at the congested traffic ahead.

In the training center, he was afraid that if he twisted a single thread incorrectly, it would implicate the entire team.

At school, he was afraid of not doing well on the exams and afraid of not being able to afford the study materials.

But now, the director is standing under the blazing sun, buying him an iced cola, promising him a bonus, and announcing the good news over the phone.

It all comes down to that one score.

That score, earned through sweat and fear.

Scores can be exchanged for metrics.

Indicators can be exchanged for political achievements.

Achievements can earn you bowed heads and smiling faces.

This is much simpler than physics formulas.

He walked over quietly, opened the back door of the Santana, and got in.

The car door closed, shutting out the heat from outside.

I waited a while longer.

Wang's taciturn parents arrived in a van.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Professor Wang, Wang, who was a man of few words, slung his bag over his shoulder, waved, and got into his car.

The roadside near the airport arrival gate.

Only Professor Wang, Chen Zhuo, Zhou Kai, and Lin Yi remained.

Professor Wang looked at the three of them.

"Are the three of you going straight back to the province for the experiment?"

Are you going back to Zeyang?

Lin Yi turned to look at Chen Zhuo.

The training camp will be held in the provincial capital, specifically at the Provincial Experimental High School.

Running around is pointless.

"I'm not going back," Chen Zhuo said.

"The training camp is at your school; I'll go straight there."

Professor Wang nodded after listening.

"Let's go to the waiting area."

The old man walked ahead, leading the three students to the taxi queue.

After waiting for a few minutes, a green taxi stopped in front of me.

Professor Wang stepped forward and opened the back door of the car.

"Get in the car."

Lin Yi and Zhou Kai climbed into the back seat, and Chen Zhuo opened the passenger door and got in.

Professor Wang didn't rush to close the door.

He took off the old leather bag he was carrying, unzipped it, took out his wallet, and pulled out a fifty-yuan bill.

The old man slipped the money through the passenger window and placed it in Chen Zhuo's hand.

"Here's the fare," Professor Wang said.

Chen Zhuo paused for a moment, just about to hand the money back.

"Teacher, I have money..."

"Take it."

Professor Wang waved his hand, interrupting him directly.

The old man bent down slightly, his gaze passing over Chen Zhuo and looking at Zhou Kai and Lin Yi in the back row, his tone becoming serious.

"You two are local bigwigs at the provincial experimental school, while Chen Zhuo is a complete stranger here."

Professor Wang looked at Zhou Kai.

"When we get to school, show Chen Zhuo around and let him get familiar with the place. Make sure he doesn't get bullied."

Zhou Kai quickly sat up straight and nodded vigorously.

"Don't worry, Professor Wang, I've arranged everything."

Professor Wang then looked away and turned to look at Chen Zhuo in the passenger seat.

"You've managed to get through the physics hurdle with them."

Professor Wang reached out and gently tapped twice on the edge of Chen Zhuo's lowered car window.

"Do well on your math exam too."

Chen Zhuo held the fifty-yuan note in his hand.

He looked at Professor Wang outside the car window and nodded seriously.

"Don't worry."

Professor Wang straightened up and helped Chen Zhuo close the passenger door.

She took a step back and waved to the driver.

"Master, let's go, be careful on the road."

The driver stepped on the gas.

The taxi drove out of the airport's waiting area and onto the overpass.

Chen Zhuo glanced at the rearview mirror.

Professor Wang, still carrying that old leather bag, stood in the exhaust fumes and heatwave, watching the direction their car had gone. Only after confirming they were far away did he turn around and join the queue for his own car.

The car drove through the city for nearly forty minutes before finally stopping in front of the Provincial Experimental School.

The three got off the bus.

The security guard was enjoying the air conditioning in the guardhouse. He glanced at Lin Yi, that lazy girl, and then at Chen Zhuo beside her, but didn't stop them.

Entering the school gate.

A wide, tree-lined avenue stretches straight ahead.

On both sides are tall plane trees, their canopies meeting in mid-air, cutting the sunlight into fine spots that sprinkle onto the asphalt road.

The cicadas chirped incessantly, carrying the unique clamor of midsummer.

The entire campus was quiet and vast.

Zhou Kai walked ahead, slowing his pace.

"The gray four-story building on the left."

Zhou Kai pointed to a building on the left side of the tree-lined avenue.

"The one on the right with the glass corridor is the biochemistry laboratory building."

Zhou Kai continued his introduction.

"The second floor is for inorganic chemistry, and the third floor is for organic and biological chemistry. Most of the equipment is imported from Germany, and the fume hoods are also independent." Lin Yi said, following beside them.

Don't listen to his bragging.

Lin Yi was lazy and listless.

"That biochemistry building has terrible central air conditioning in the summer. It's so hot that you could die from the heat while doing titration experiments inside, and the smell of chemicals can't dissipate for half a month."

Zhou Kai frowned.

"That's a laboratory, a place for conducting experiments, not a place for you to sit in air conditioning."

Lin Yi rolled her eyes, too lazy to pay him any attention.

She pointed to a huge red brick building in front of her.

"See that? The library."

Lin Yi looked at Chen Zhuo.

"The first and second floors are crowded, don't go there. Go to the third floor, the innermost corner by the window. That's where they put old editions of foreign magazines, and nobody ever goes there."

The corners of her mouth curled up slightly.

"The air conditioning is the strongest there, and there's a row of sofas. You can sleep there in the afternoon and wake up naturally."

Chen Zhuo remembered that red brick building.