Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
The entrance of Jinling Airport.
Professor Rudy Dobrik, who was in a suit, stood by the railings as he repeatedly reached out and straightened his tie. He looked around anxiously.
Even though foreigners were common in this international city, him standing outside the airport and looking around was still somewhat strange.
Over the past half an hour, at least two airport employees had come to ask him if he needed help.
“Oh, Jesus…” Professor Dobrik glanced at his watch and whispered in broken Chinese, “How long before Professor Lu arrives? He is coming back today, right?”
After Lu Zhou sent him an email last time, he was in ecstasy and immediately shared the good news with his collaborator, Professor Wei Hong from the Institute of High Energy Physics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
After hearing that their research had attracted the attention of the head of ILHCRC, the two did not hesitate at all. They immediately prepared a report for the abnormal phenomenon of Z particle gravity, just like Academician Lu instructed in the email. The report meeting was arranged on the fourth day after the end of the Nobel Prize award ceremony, and Academician Lu was notified of the time of the report meeting.
However, just when the two people thought that their academic careers would take-off and they would become famous, Academician Lu did not appear at the report meeting.
Not just that, there were not many people at the report meeting either.
Afterward, they heard that Lu Zhou had delayed his plan to return to China for a few days. Instead of returning to Shanghai as originally planned, he went to Copenhagen to participate in the climate summit.
Actually, this was not a big deal, they could just host another report session.
However, what worried Dobrik was that Lu Zhou, who had missed their report meeting, did not say anything about it. It was as if Lu Zhou had forgotten the matter.
Both Professor Dobrik and Professor Wei Hong felt a little nervous about whether their research was no longer “demanded”.
Therefore, when he heard the news last night that Lu Zhou would return to China today, he immediately took Professor Wei and boarded the train to Jinling. He wanted to impress Lu Zhou with his sincerity and try to “save” his research.
Professor Wei Hong was standing next to Professor Dobrik. He thought for a while and spoke.
“After all, it’s a private flight. The itinerary is arranged by someone else. The plane might be delayed.”
“Speaking of which, what is written on the banner hanging at the entrance? I can’t see it clearly.”
“A warm welcome to Academician Lu Zhou for winning the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics…”
As Professor Wei Hong looked at Dobrik, he couldn’t help but sigh and let out his emotions. “To be honest, xiong di, I think this is pointless. If Academician Lu is really interested in our research, he will go to the ILHCRC and look for us. If he is not interested, waiting for him here doesn’t achieve anything.”
“But this is our only opportunity. No one at the ILHCRC is optimistic about this area… What does ‘xiong di’ mean?”
“It means bro.”
The ILHCRC was becoming the new center of global physics. In addition to learning French, learning Chinese had become another trendy thing for physicists.
The reason was that the latest experimental data from ILHCRC was released in Chinese before being translated into other languages.
Also, some reports published on the official website also tended to publish first-hand information in Chinese.
Although the amount of text involved was not huge, scholars did not like to read translated material.
In order to ensure that the materials they had obtained were the original version without processing, many professors who worked at the ILHCRC for more than half a year had begun to try to learn Chinese.
Even though Dobrik had been living in Shanghai for a year, his language abilities were limited compared to his other abilities.
His language level was only enough for normal communication. He was far from mastering various Chinese idioms.
The two of them passed the time by chatting.
Wei Hong felt a little hungry. He was about to suggest whether to eat something at a nearby fast food place when someone suddenly patted him on the shoulder from behind.
Actually, someone patted both of them on the shoulders.
Wei Hong was about to turn his head when a strange and serious voice came from behind.
“Can you show me your ID or passport?”
Ambassador Du Yanming’s request was within reason.
Lu Zhou, who had just stepped off the airstair at Jinling Airport, felt the grand atmosphere at the airport.
His name was printed on a large banner. The leaders of the city council and the leaders of the high-tech zone were all dressed in formal wear, waiting at the airport.
To be honest, he felt quite embarrassed.
When Lu Zhou saw the people as well as the cameras standing beside them, he was embarrassed to give his girlfriend a kiss.
Chen Yushan stood in the center of the crowd while watching Lu Zhou. She also restrained the urge to come forward and kiss him.
The two of them were public figures. Because of the influence of Star Sky Technology, no reporters dared to dig into their personal lives, but they still had to be careful.
At the very least, they had to stay low-key in crowded places.
After taking a deep breath, Chen Yushan smiled and waved gently in Lu Zhou’s direction. Her eyes were watery.
Lu Zhou blinked at her lightly with a warm look in his eyes.
However, he didn’t know whether it was because he was too handsome or something else, he saw Chen Yushan suddenly blush and look away.
This reaction puzzled Lu Zhou.
Maybe…
She’s shy?
This was his only explanation.
The welcoming team approached him. An old man with shiny black hair came forward and enthusiastically extended his right hand.
“Academician Lu, welcome home!”
Lu Zhou smiled and shook the old man’s hand as he said, “Secretary Zhou, you’re too kind. I only left for less than half a month. There is no need for this grand ceremony.”
Ever since Secretary Liu left, Secretary Zhou, who was transferred from Beijing, was now the leader of Jinling. Lu Zhou only remembered his surname, Zhou. He didn’t really care about his full name.
However, the old man seemed very enthusiastic, and he immediately said, “This is nothing! You were only gone for half a month, but during this half a month, you have received such a huge honor on behalf of our country! As the secretary of Jinling, I welcome you home on behalf of the general public. Please come this way.”
Lu Zhou did not decline Secretary Zhou’s invitation. The two of them walked and chatted.
While chatting, Lu Zhou discovered that Secretary Zhou was an interesting person. At the very least, he was very good at conversing.
The two talked about the Nobel Prize and global climate change, as well as the situation in the Baltic Sea. Finally, they digressed to the celebration at the Bird’s Nest from a while ago.
“Academician Lu, the holographic stadium… Can you also build one in Jinling?”
Lu Zhou was stunned, and he immediately understood what Secretary Zhou meant.
So this is all about the holographic system…
Lu Zhou spoke with a smile.
“The technology is capable. But the system is not cheap. It mainly depends on your budget.”
When Secretary Zhou heard that there was a chance, he immediately said, “The budget is easy, and we don’t need to build one as big as the Bird’s Nest.”
Lu Zhou: “Then how big a stadium are you going to build?”
Secretary Zhou: “Around twenty to thirty thousand people is enough.”
Twenty to thirty-thousand people is not a lot?
That capacity is standard for a first-class stadium, right?
Is the budget really enough?
Lu Zhou actually didn’t know that Jin Ling City had become rich over the past few years.
After the construction of the high-tech zone, their GDP grew exponentially. Of course they could afford a new stadium.
One or two billion yuan in infrastructure investment was a piece of cake for Jin Ling City. Spending money to enrich the spiritual and cultural lives of the people in the city was always a worthy expense.
“I don’t know about the specific business side. I can only say that it is feasible from a technological point of view. Let’s wait and let my CEO… What is going on over there?”
While Lu Zhou was talking, the group of people at the exit of the airport attracted his attention.
A foreign man and a Chinese man were explaining something to the police.
When Lu Zhou saw the two people, they also happened to see him.
The police interrogation and examination were about to end. The tall foreign man screamed in excitement after seeing Lu Zhou. As a result, he was immediately held down by two police officers.
“Academician Lu, Academician Lu Zhou! It’s me! Ouch! I already showed you my passport. I’m really not a criminal. I’m here to study physics! If you don’t believe me, look at my hair! Look, I don’t have any hair left!”
Lu Zhou stared at the man who called his name.
Emmmm…
Who the hell is this guy?