My IQ has been increasing year by year.

Chapter 238 Free Time

It was a quiet evening in late May in the dormitory.

Chen Zhuo sat in front of the computer.

He added a missing half-width right curly brace between the lines of code on the screen.

Click to compile.

A reading window popped up a dozen seconds later.

The document is forty-three pages long and neatly formatted.

Chen Zhuo slid from the first page to the last page.

I have confirmed that there are no garbled characters, no misaligned images, and that the reference numbers are correct.

Below the title, signature:

Chen Zhuo.

Chen Zhuo moved the mouse and closed both the reading window and the editor.

He closed the editor and opened the browser.

Visit the official website of the Journal of Mathematics.

Fill in your name, organization, and title, then drag the generated PDF into the upload box.

Click Submit.

The funnel icon spun for two seconds.

Page refreshed: Submission successful.

My email popped up with a notification—an automated initial review email.

Click to open.

"Dear Chen Zhuo, we have received your submission, manuscript number MATH-06-4092. It has now been forwarded to the editorial department for initial review. Please wait patiently for further notification."

Chen Zhuo glanced at the number.

I closed my email, and the computer screen returned to its original blue sky and white clouds.

Press the power button on the computer case.

He opened the drawer, took out his keys and meal card, and put them in his pocket.

Push the door open and go out.

Chen Zhuo walked down the stairs.

As I turned the corner on the first floor, my phone vibrated in my pocket.

He stopped and took out his phone.

I answered the call.

Are you free?

Su Wei's voice came through, a little hoarse.

"On the stairs."

"Come to the North Gate," Su Wei said.

"All the funds have been withdrawn. I made a reservation at that time-honored Anhui cuisine restaurant outside the North Gate. I'll have a quiet meal today."

"Okay." Chen Zhuo didn't waste any more words.

"You order first."

"I've finished ordering," Su Wei said.

"Hang up."

The receiver was busy.

Chen Zhu put his phone back in his pocket, went downstairs, and walked along the main road toward the north gate.

Outside the North Gate.

A time-honored Anhui cuisine restaurant.

There weren't many people inside, and there wasn't the noise of a typical food stall.

Chen Zhuo pushed open the door and went in.

Su Wei sat at a small square table by the window.

Short hair, wearing a plain short-sleeved shirt and jeans.

She was holding a teacup and looking at the water glass on the table.

Chen Zhuo walked over, pulled out the chair opposite him, and sat down.

Su Wei put down her cup, picked up the teapot on the table, and poured a cup of tea into the empty cup in front of Chen Zhuo.

"The food is taking a little long to arrive," Su Wei said.

Chen Zhuo picked up his teacup and took a sip.

Warm barley tea.

"Have you taken care of things?"

Chen Zhuo put down his cup and asked a question.

"nailed it."

Su Wei picked up her chopsticks and moved the plate in front of her closer to the center.

"The market sentiment has been off these past two days. When it hit my profit target, I sold everything."

"I won't earn the last penny," Chen Zhuo said.

"Yes." Su Wei nodded.

"They sold out right away, and then the market crashed in the afternoon. There was a lot of wailing and panic."

"How much did you earn?"

"I didn't calculate it carefully."

"But that should be enough for me to not work for many years."

"Good."

"And you?" Su Wei asked, looking at him.

"What?"

"Have you finished your article yet?" Su Wei asked.

"Just finished," Chen Zhuo said.

"Just posted?"

"Just posted."

"The call you made to me was sent a while ago."

Su Wei swallowed a mouthful of tea.

She didn't pause, nor did she show any surprise.

Pick up the teacup beside you.

"Successfully." Su Wei looked at him.

Chen Zhuo also picked up his cup.

Two white porcelain cups bumped together in the middle of the table.

"You are the same," Chen Zhuo said.

The two took back their cups.

The waiter came over carrying a tray.

A plate of braised pork, a stinky mandarin fish, and two bowls of rice.

Enjoy.

The waiter put down the dishes, turned around, and left.

The smell of stinky mandarin fish spread.

Su Wei picked up her chopsticks and put a piece of braised pork into her bowl.

"The Yearbook of Mathematics?" Su Wei asked while eating.

"Um.

""

Chen Zhuo picked up a piece of fish and removed a large bone from it.

"We're just waiting for their approval."

"How long will it take?" Su Wei asked.

"It should be quite fast, after all, my teacher is still listed in the Journal of Mathematics."

Su Wei nodded and didn't ask any further questions.

She picked up a piece of fish with her chopsticks.

"The fish at this restaurant is pretty good," Su Wei said.

"It's good," Chen Zhuo said.

"I've passed by a few times before, but I thought it was too expensive, so I never went in," Su Wei said.

"I tried it today, and it was worth the price."

"Haven't you been getting enough rest these past few days?"

Chen Zhuo looked into her eyes.

"Watch the market."

Su Wei poked the rice with her chopsticks.

"I've been spending real money in there, I can't close my eyes, and I've slept less than 60 hours in the past two weeks."

"You can sleep now," Chen Zhuo said.

"Okay, I'll go back and catch up on my sleep after I finish eating."

Su Wei nodded.

"What are your plans for the future?"

Chen Zhuo took a bite of rice.

"I don't have any plans."

"The school's academic affairs office waived the final exams."

Su Wei paused for a moment.

"Completely free?"

"Fully waived, credits awarded immediately."

Su smiled.

"What about the procedures for going to Country M?"

"My teacher found someone to specialize in this."

"6

Chen Zhuo picked out a slice of ginger.

"I don't need to worry about visas, invitation letters, or document transfers. I just need to be there when the time comes."

"I'm completely free now," Su Wei said.

"Yes." Chen Zhuo nodded.

"What time was the plane?"

"At the end of August, I'll fly to New York, and then go to Princeton."

"What about the two months in between?" Su Wei asked.

"I went home in early July, stayed at home for more than a month, and then went directly from home to the airport at the end of August."

Su Wei looked at Chen Zhuo across from her.

She put down her chopsticks, picked up her teacup, and took a sip.

"I'm leaving in early July," Su Wei said.

Chen Zhuo looked up.

"Where to?"

"Shanghai"

"Teacher Shen recommended a quantitative trading group at a securities firm in Lujiazui to me, asking me to go there during the summer vacation to see how real big money operates, and stay for two months."

Chen Zhuo nodded.

"Have you bought the tickets?" Chen Zhuo asked.

"I bought it," Su Wei said. "The flight is on July 2nd."

Chen Zhu finished the last bite of rice in his bowl and put down his chopsticks.

He took the teapot, added some water for Su Wei, and then filled it up for himself.

The two people's timelines were laid out on the table.

I went back to my hometown in early July.

I went to Shanghai on July 2nd.

It's the end of May now.

Su Wei looked at the barley tea cup filled to the brim in front of her.

She looked up.

"You're free now."

"You could say that."

Chen Zhuo leaned back in his chair.

"I also need to rest for half a month. I don't want to read books or watch the market," Su Wei said.

Chen Zhuo looked at her without saying a word.

"There are several other restaurants with good reputations near the school, but I haven't been to any of them to save money and time."

Su Wei's tone was very calm.

Chen Zhuo nodded.

"For the next twenty days, we'll have dinner together."

Su Wei made a decision.

"This debt will be covered by my profits this time; it's on me."

Chen Zhuo looked into Su Wei's eyes.

He smiled and didn't try to argue about the deal.

"OK."

"You decide on the location every afternoon at 5:30."

Su Wei picked up her teacup.

Chen Zhuo also picked up his teacup.

"but."

Chen Zhuo's cup stopped in mid-air.

"I'll pay for your dinner before you leave in early July. Your school scholarship should arrive by then."

Su Wei looked at him.

clink.

"make a deal."

The two put down their cups.

The waiter came over and took away the empty rice bowl.

"Add another soup."

"6

Su Wei said to the waiter.

"What kind of soup?"

The waiter took out a small notebook.

Vegetable and tofu soup.

"6

"OK."

The waiter turned and left.

Chen Zhuo picked up the last piece of fish with his chopsticks.

"Does the accommodation in Shanghai include a room?"

"Wrapped."

"The brokerage firm has employee dormitories, two rooms for four people."

"The conditions are alright."

"A bed is all I need."

"Teacher Shen told me that if I didn't want to squeeze into the staff dormitory, I could stay in a hotel. She told me to keep the receipts and she would reimburse me when I got back."

"Is Teacher Shen going along?"

"No, she's staying at the university to supervise graduate students."

"It's like letting me go out and see the world."

The waiter brought over the vegetable and tofu soup.

Su Wei took two small bowls and filled them with soup.

He handed Chen Zhuo a bowl.

When will your money arrive?

"Waiting for the new 'Annals of Mathematics' to be published."

Chen Zhuo took the soup bowl.

"How do you plan to spend this money?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"I might send half of it back home."

"What about the other half?"

"Stay in Carrie; you'll need to buy some warm clothes before going to Princeton."

"Is it very cold there in winter?"

"I heard it's snowing heavily."

Su Wei nodded.

"It doesn't snow much where I live in winter."

"Um.

""

The two finished the soup.

Su Wei stood up and went to the counter to pay.

Chen Zhuo sat in a chair waiting for her.

After paying the bill, Su Wei walked back.

"Let's go," Su Wei said.

Chen Zhuo stood up, pushed open the door, and the two went out.

It was a little cooler in Huizhou at night.

There were still not many people on the street outside the North Gate.

The two walked side by side toward the school gate.

There is a small distance between them.

"What are we eating tomorrow?" Chen Zhuo asked.

There's a local restaurant outside the south gate.

Su Wei looked at the road ahead.

"I heard their braised chicken in a clay pot is pretty good."

"5:30 PM?"

"It's about the same on Teacher Shen's end."

"Then I'll go at 5:30 to reserve a seat."

"OK.