My IQ has been increasing year by year.

Chapter 223 Interview

The corner by the window on the third floor of the old library at USTC.

The weather in Huizhou was chilly and gloomy as winter vacation approached.

The heating in the old building wasn't very strong, and the occasional breeze from outside would make the windows rattle slightly.

The area where the interview was being conducted had been cleared out in advance. On the table by the window, there were several stacks of yellowed Russian mathematics journals.

They didn't use those glaring fill lights like those used in TV stations.

The natural sidelight in the afternoon shone through the glass onto the table, outlining a soft silhouette.

Chen Zhuo was wearing a thick, dark gray sweater and sat quietly in the chair.

The sound engineer, a chubby young man, was rubbing his hands together as he carefully clipped a black lavalier microphone to Chen Zhuo's sweater collar and tucked the cord behind his back.

"Is it tight?" the sound engineer asked in a low voice.

Chen Zhuo shook his head.

"Perfect timing, thank you."

Two video cameras were set up two meters away from the table.

Beside the equipment, Director Zhang from CCTV was politely handing a stack of bound A4 papers to Li Jianming, who was standing to the side. "Professor Li, Dean Fang, this is our outline for later. Would you two like to go over it again?"

Li Jianming sat at a long table off-camera, holding a thermos in his hands.

Upon hearing this, he put down his thermos, took out his reading glasses from his pocket, put them on, and took the few pages of paper.

The sorcerer sat next to him, but didn't go over to look; he just stared at Chen Zhuo, who was tidying his clothes.

I watched it for about a minute.

Li Jianming pulled a red pen from the inside pocket of his down jacket, removed the cap, and made a few clean strokes on the paper.

Director Zhang peeked out and was stunned for a moment.

The questions that were crossed out were several that were specifically prepared for the sake of the show.

Phrases such as "studying diligently through countless late nights," "the sense of mission to serve the country when facing global challenges," and "the enlightenment of a genius when climbing the peak of science."

Director Zhang opened his mouth, about to explain the need for the segment to be elevated during its broadcast.

Li Jianming capped the pen, put it back in his pocket, and pushed the outline back.

"Director Zhang, let's cut these guys off."

Li Jianming's voice wasn't loud, and his tone was very easygoing, but it conveyed a resolute determination that left no room for negotiation.

"He's only thirteen years old. It's too much of a burden to put such a big label on him. He can't bear it. Let's just sit here in this old library and have a simple, down-to-earth chat."

Director Zhang glanced at the outline, then at the gentle-looking young man sitting by the window, finally nodded, and turned to give a gesture to the host, Lin Yue.

Lin Yue adjusted the shawl draped over her shoulders and sat down in the chair opposite Chen Zhuo.

"Chen, are you cold?"

Lin Yue asked with a smile, trying to ease the atmosphere.

"It's not cold; it's warmer here than outside."

Chen Zhuo smiled and placed his hands naturally on the table, folded over each other.

"Alright, all departments, get ready."

Director Zhang called out in a low voice from behind the camera.

"Three, two, one, go!"

The red light on the machine came on.

Lin Yue didn't immediately look at Chen Zhuo opposite her. She straightened her posture and looked straight at the camera in front of her.

Her expression was natural, and her voice was calm, without using the kind of formal, stilted pronunciation typical of a variety show.

"Hello everyone, I am currently on the third floor of the old library of Huaguo University of Science and Technology in Huizhou."

She paused for a moment.

"There are no spotlights here, no heating in the studio, and a very cold wind is blowing outside."

Recently, there have been many rumors about geniuses and child prodigies.

Newspapers and news reports were filled with news of a Chinese teenager being accepted as a student by a top international mathematics master; it was quite a sensation.

At this point, Lin Yue turned slightly to the side.

"But when we pushed open the door and actually sat in this somewhat old library, we discovered that the seemingly omnipotent protagonist in the rumors was actually just a boy sitting here quietly."

Lin Yue shifted her gaze from the camera and naturally looked at Chen Zhuo, a gentle smile on her face.

"Hello, Chen. Many people across the country are paying attention to you. Not long ago, Professor Pierre, the winner of the highest international mathematics award, traveled a long way to USTC and publicly announced that he would accept you as his only student."

Lin Yue's voice carried a professional composure and curiosity.

"Everyone is eager to know, how did you, at such a young age, manage to attract the attention of this world-class authority? How did you two establish this connection?"

Chen Zhuo looked at Lin Yue, a faint smile appearing in his eyes.

Actually, there's a misunderstanding here.

Chen Zhuo's voice was steady, without the awkwardness of someone facing the camera for the first time, as if he were chatting with an acquaintance.

"Misunderstand?"

Lin Yue was somewhat surprised.

"Um."

Chen Zhuo nodded.

"A few months ago, Professor Li Jianming, along with my senior colleague Wu Tao and me, submitted a paper to the Annals of Mathematics, where Professor Pierre happened to be an editor."

He spoke slowly, as if he were recounting the most ordinary little thing.

"Shortly before that, another physics professor at Princeton invited me to visit via email, but I couldn't travel abroad, so I replied and declined."

Chen Zhuo paused, a hint of helplessness in his voice.

"My wording at the time might have been a bit vague; I wrote that the objective conditions did not allow it."

Director Zhang, behind the camera, slightly raised his eyebrows.

"Professor Pierre later told me..."

Chen Zhuo continued.

"He read the paper and felt that the derivation method was rather... crude, coupled with the statement in his reply that the objective conditions did not allow it."

Chen Zhuo shrugged.

"He always thought I was an old professor who had retired from the University of Science and Technology of China and lived a secluded life doing research."

In the quiet old library, a soft cough suddenly rang out; it was the sound engineer who couldn't help but laugh.

Lin Yue was also stunned, her eyes widening slightly.

"So, he came to China to exchange ideas with older generations of scholars."

Chen Zhuo calmly revealed the truth.

"When the door opened, the old man was quite surprised to find that I was only thirteen years old."

Lin Yue couldn't help but chuckle softly.

This turn of events was completely unexpected.

There was no child prodigy, no legendary friendship between people of different ages, just a daydream of two foreign old men.

"And then what happened?"

Lin Yue continued the conversation.

"Later I found out it was a misunderstanding, but the mathematical methods used in the paper just happened to match his current research direction. He thought my foundation was okay, so he asked me if I would like to go to Princeton to take classes with him."

Chen Zhuo looked at the camera and gave a brief summary.

"It was just a normal international student recruitment event, nothing as amazing as people are saying."

Only the faint sound of the wind remained in the old library.

Director Zhang stood behind the monitor, unconsciously rubbing his chin, his eyes lighting up.

These few lines of plain language are more vivid than any well-written script.

Lin Yue adjusted her posture, leaning slightly forward.

"I see. However, Professor Pierre's interest in you stems from your highly significant article published in the *Annals of Mathematics*. As the lead author, what role did you play in the entire research process?"

This is actually a slightly tricky question.

The media always likes to portray lone heroes who single-handedly turn the tide.

Chen Zhuo glanced at Lin Yue and shook his head slightly.

"The fact that that article was published was not solely due to my efforts."

His tone changed from relaxed to serious.

"Professor Li Jianming set the direction and controlled the overall situation, while my senior brother Wu Tao..."

"Chen Zhuo recalled those months."

"My senior colleague worked in the office for months, without counting day and night."

"He used up dozens of pen refills and piled up half a table of draft paper. He painstakingly derived those extreme topological logics stroke by stroke."

He didn't mention himself.

"And what about you?" Lin Yue asked.

"I just helped them calculate that dimensionality reduction matrix in the middle."

Chen Zhuo's tone returned to its usual calm.

"This article was a team effort; I was just a skilled test-taker who happened to be good with numbers."

"You are currently studying in the University of Science and Technology of China's gifted youth program."

Lin Yue changed the subject, driven by a degree of public curiosity.

"Everyone must be curious: you two thirteen or fourteen-year-old geniuses living in the same dorm, do you usually discuss profound academic issues before lights out?"

Chen Zhuo chuckled softly.

"It's not as exaggerated as everyone thinks."

He leaned back slightly in his chair, relaxing his posture.

"Before lights out, we generally don't discuss academic issues."

"Then what should we discuss?"

"Let's discuss who will be responsible for taking out the trash tomorrow morning," Chen Zhuo said.

"Or, in this cold winter, who's going to get out of bed to turn off the light?"

Lin Yue smiled.

"After a long day of classes, no one wants to use their brain when they get back to their dorms."

Chen Zhuo added a sentence.

"You didn't experience the middle school entrance exam or the college entrance exam, and you came directly to USTC."

Lin Yue continued to ask.

"Don't you feel a little regretful that you skipped the kind of striving youth that everyone else experiences?"

Chen Zhuo looked at an old journal on the table and thought for a moment.

"No regrets."

"When I was in junior high school, my teacher asked me to take the national junior high school math and physics competitions. I was lucky and got first place in both."

He said this in such a calm tone that it was as if he were saying he ate two steamed buns that morning.

There was no emotional fluctuation.

"Then the admissions office of the University of Science and Technology of China's Junior Class sent the admission notice to the school, saying that I didn't need to take the middle school entrance exam or the college entrance exam."

Chen Zhuo raised his eyes and looked at Lin Yue.

"Since the school says there's no need for an exam, I'll just pack my bags and come over."

Lin Yue's breath hitched slightly.

The photographer paused for half a second while adjusting the focus behind the camera.

I took the test and got first place in two places. The acceptance letter was sent home, and I packed my bags and came here.

The logic is flawless, leaving no room for rebuttal.

Lin Yue calmed herself down and posed the next question, which was also the question that parents across the country were most concerned about.

"Many parents are probably watching this program on TV, eager to learn from your experience. How did your parents raise you? Did they subject you to rigorous intellectual development from a young age?"

Chen Zhuo smiled helplessly when he heard the question.

"No, really."

"My parents are just ordinary workers, and they are usually quite busy with work."

He thought back to his childhood.

"Actually, when I was five years old and started kindergarten, I was very slow to react and would not speak for a long time."

Chen Zhuo spoke sincerely, even with a touch of self-deprecation.

"My mom was frantic. She even took me to the hospital for a checkup because she thought I had a mental problem and was an idiot."

Lin Yue was stunned.

A genius who was recruited by Fields Medal winners at the age of thirteen was suspected of being mentally challenged by his own mother when he was five.

"So how did you finally understand?" Lin Yue asked.

"I've grown up a bit, or maybe it's just because I'm bored."

Chen Zhuo looked out the window at the bare tree branches.

"My dad likes to tinker with old parts at home. Once he broke a pocket watch and couldn't put it back together."

"I didn't have any other toys, so I just lay on the table, staring at that pile of gears. Since I had nothing else to do, I tried to put them in one by one."

He described the extremely tedious movements.

"Later I discovered that as long as they fit together perfectly, the clock would start spinning."

"I found this rule quite interesting. Right is right, and wrong is wrong. Later, I went to the library to borrow books to try and figure out why the wheel turns."

Chen Zhuo looked at the camera and made his conclusion.

"There's really no advanced education involved; it's all about passing the time."

Lin Yue felt a pang of emotion.

There were no tutoring classes, no tiger moms or wolf dads, just a bunch of old, worn-out gears and boring afternoons.

"Now that you've achieved such great results and are going to Princeton next year, what do your parents usually talk about with you on the phone?"

Chen Zhuo sighed.

"They don't really understand what papers I've published or which countries I'm going to visit. When I call home, my mom only ever cares about two things."

"Which two items?" Lin Yue asked.

"First, do you like the food in the USTC cafeteria? Have you put on extra clothes since the temperature dropped?"

Chen Zhuo counted on his fingers.

"Secondly, sit up straight when you read, and don't let your eyes become nearsighted, otherwise it will be difficult to find a partner in the future."

In the quiet library, Director Zhang finally couldn't help but chuckle softly, and Lin Yue laughed along with him.

The atmosphere was so harmonious that it didn't feel like a formal interview with CCTV.

Lin Yue flipped through the notebook in her hand.

"I heard that the dimensionality reduction matrices you derived before are very cutting-edge mathematical tools. Will these tools be applied to specific national construction or engineering projects in the future?"

The problem arose.

The Taoist priest, who had been sitting silently behind the camera with a thermos in his hand, suddenly moved.

He placed the thermos on the table.

I tapped it lightly.

The Taoist priest raised his head and looked at Director Zhang.

"Director Zhang, this question is passed."

The sorcerer's tone was very flat, without any discernible fluctuations.

"Application-level matters involve data from other laboratories in the institute, but he's just a kid, he doesn't worry about those things."

The Taoist priest glanced at the camera.

"This part cannot be broadcast."

Director Zhang, having seen his share of big events, immediately understood.

Some things are marked with a red line.

"Okay, I understand. We'll skip this question."

Director Zhang was decisive and efficient.

The interview is coming to an end.

The winter sunlight slowly moved along the windowpane, and the light became somewhat dim.

"Chen, the interview is about to end."

Lin Yue closed the notebook in her hand and looked at the boy in front of her.

"You'll be heading to Princeton across the ocean next year. Through CCTV's lens, is there anything you'd like to say to your family or friends back home?"

This is a standard closing, and respondents usually thank their parents, the school, or make a few grand pronouncements.

Chen Zhuo sat in the chair and did not answer immediately.

He thought about it.

His gaze passed over the camera and looked into the void.

"Actually, there's nothing I'm particularly worried about."

Chen Zhuo's voice was very soft and natural.

"It's my hometown. I have a childhood friend who I grew up with. He'll be taking the high school entrance exam next year."

Lin Yue listened quietly.

"He usually struggles a bit with science subjects and it's quite hard for him to learn."

Chen Zhuo looked at the camera as if he were looking at that idiot in Zeyang who always drew the force analysis backwards.

"I just hope he can do well on this exam and perform well."

Chen Zhuo smiled.

"Get into a good high school."

Director Zhang stood behind the monitor, watching the clear-eyed boy on the screen.

"Okay, stop."

The red light on the camera went out.

"Thanks for your hard work."

Lin Yue stood up and let out a long breath.

The sound engineer stepped forward and helped Chen Zhuo untie the microphone from his collar.

Chen Zhuo lowered his head and straightened the collar of his sweater, which had been pinched.

The library returned to its previous bustling state, with staff beginning to tidy up cables and tripods.