Top Student: Wasteland Technology Invasion

After hanging up the phone, Lin Chuan saw his roommates looking at him and waved his hand in front of them. "Hey, what are you two looking at? If you want to compliment my looks, you don't need to do this. Just say it."

"Damn, Lin, what does Assistant Li want with you?"

"It's nothing, it's just that there's a 'Modern Algebra' class at Hai Na Yuan tomorrow morning, and Professor Tang wants me to attend," Lin Chuan replied directly, without hiding anything.

"Professor Tang Beichen? Chuan Chuan, you really got into the Qiushi Class! And Professor Tang will give you special tutoring." Sun Ang felt like he was a little jealous of Lin Chuan.

Everyone here is a high school senior taking the college entrance exam, so why did Lin Chuan go to the Qiu Shi Class by himself?

Isn't it said that there are very few spots available for rotation?

"Hey Lao Sun, do you want to listen to what kind of class Lao Lin is teaching?!" Yuan Qi pointed out the crux of the matter. "It's 'Modern Algebra,' a third-year elective course. You'd go to it in your first year? I wouldn't go even if it were given to me; I'd lose a lot of hair."

"This..." Sun Ang was speechless.

Yuan Qi patted Sun Ang on the shoulder, "So I think we worried about Lao Lin for nothing. Zheng Quanxun can't outsmart Lao Lin. While everyone else is still struggling to learn 'Higher Algebra' and 'Mathematical Analysis,' Lao Lin is already learning group theory with Professor Tang. Lao Lin, can you tell us, with your amazing mathematical talent, why don't you participate in competitions? I feel you're no worse than Xie Zhixing or Zheng Quanxun, right?"

"He might suddenly have an epiphany, and it won't be long before he does."

Lin Chuan responded that he couldn't very well tell his two roommates that he learned all of this in the wasteland world.

……

Tang Beichen's office, Building 2, Hainayuan.

Professor Tang sat at his desk, flipping through the journal "Algebra Magazine," occasionally turning to the roster on his right and marking up each student's name.

The nominal head of the Qiushi Class is Academician Zhu Shaohui, but Academician Zhu only comes to Hainayuan occasionally, and Professor Tang Beichen is usually in charge.

Of course, saying "manage" isn't quite accurate either.

The Qiushi Class implements a one-on-one mentor system, where each student has a professor as their mentor. At the same time, the student's class assignment remains the same, and their dormitory will not change.

Only when teaching certain algebra classes would Tang Beichen, as the professor in charge, say a few more words to the students.

"Including Xie Zhixing and Lin Chuan, this year's Qiushi Class has a total of 21 students."

"Lin Chuan... such a promising talent, and we've only just discovered him now."

After making a few remarks, Professor Tang leaned back in his chair, rubbed his temples, and rested for a bit.

Just then, the office door was pushed open.

The visitor neither knocked nor gave prior notice, a rude attitude that made Tang Beichen frown.

After recognizing the other person, Professor Tang's furrowed brows relaxed slightly, and he smiled, "Old Lu, you seem to have some free time today. What brings you here?"

The visitor was Professor Lu Zhiwei, whom Lin Chuan had met once at the library.

He and Tang Beichen were not only colleagues, but also old classmates and good friends of many years.

"I just happened to be donating a few books to the library today, and I stopped by to sit for a bit."

Upon entering, Lu Zhiwei casually pulled up a chair and sat down.

Tang Beichen turned around, took out two large white enamel mugs from the cabinet, filled them with tea, and handed one of them to Lu Zhiwei.

"Then I have to thank you on behalf of all the students in our department. I'm envious of some of the math books you've hidden away."

Lu Zhiwei took the cup, pointed around the room, and said, "Old Tang, look at your office, there isn't even a single student. It's so deserted."

Tang Beichen waved his hand. "I'm used to it. Tell me, what brings you here?"

Having spent so many years together, Tang Beichen knew his old friend's temperament. If he was being so roundabout, there must be something he wanted to tell him.

Lu Zhiwei said with a smile, "Old Tang, how much do you know about this student, Lin Chuan?"

Lin Chuan?

When the young man was mentioned, Tang Beichen perked up.

In his view, Lin Chuan was better than many students who participated in the CMO or even the IMO. It could only be said that his talent was not discovered by the education system during his high school years.

But what does this have to do with you, Lu Zhiwei?

Besides, how did Lao Lu come to know Lin Chuan?

Thinking of this, Professor Tang said, "Lin Chuan is quite good. He just entered the Qiushi Class today, and I plan to have him listen to a lecture on Modern Algebra tomorrow. How did you two meet?"

Lu Zhiwei smiled. "Hey Lao Tang, I have a favor to ask you."

Tang Beichen held up the enamel mug, staring intently at Professor Lu. "Let me guess, you're not trying to steal Lin Chuan, are you? He's a student in our Qiushi Class."

Lu Zhiwei chuckled, "Look at what you're saying, what do you mean by 'stealing'? I just think Lin Chuan has a real talent for math and wanted to give him some pointers. Of course, in the end, it all comes down to his consent. I'm just letting you know first. He's still in the Qiushi Class, so when the results come out, won't you get a share too?"

"Really?" Tang Beichen looked incredulous. "Everyone in the Mathematics Department knows your standards, Old Lu. Don't even mention freshmen, you wouldn't even look down on ordinary sophomores or juniors who won gold medals in competitions. Well! I was just about to take Lin Chuan as my last student, and you old geezer came in the way."

Lu Zhiwei: "I heard there's a very good student named Xie Zhixing in this year's class. You can't possibly manage two students, and the department doesn't agree either. Why don't you take Xie Zhixing as your last student?"

"That makes sense, but you have to tell me exactly what you like about Lin Chuan," Tang Beichen compromised somewhat.

Lu Zhiwei was right. He really couldn't manage two students. In the entrance test for the Qiushi Class, Xie Zhixing and Lin Chuan performed equally well, but Tang Beichen knew Xie Zhixing's background and believed that Xie Zhixing had more potential.

If he had to choose, he would naturally choose Xie Zhixing.

Professor Lu: "Well, I've said it before, if Lin Chuan is willing to be my student, you're not allowed to pester him."

"Tell me quickly, tell me quickly."

Lu Zhiwei lowered his voice and said, "Wasn't I in the library at noon today? When I came out, I saw Lin Chuan reading 'Algebraic Geometry'."

Professor Tang glanced at him, said nothing, and had an expression that said, "I knew it would happen."

Lu Zhiwei continued, "That's not all. I saw Lin Chuan writing a paper on his laptop, titled 'Spectral Stability Analysis of Non-Self-Adjoint Matrices.' He's researching 'non-self-adjoint matrices,' 'continuous spectrum,' and 'eigenvector completeness'..."

Before Professor Lu could finish speaking, Tang Beichen frowned and pulled a test paper from the documents on the desktop, spreading it out in front of the two of them.

"Old Lu, take a look and see if these are the things?"

Lu Zhiwei picked up the test paper, glanced at it, and nodded. "It's an extension of question eight. Not bad. You've put together a good test paper."

Tang Beichen stared at his old friend. "You mean Lin Chuan produced a paper? Him? A freshman?"

"Yes, that's why I say he's talented. But, I read it quickly at the time. Although I asked him a few questions and he answered them very well, there might still be loopholes. So, I'll listen to Lin Chuan's wishes and help him revise the paper later so that it can be published as soon as possible and the Qiushi Class can also achieve good results."