Chapter 511 I Have Considered It For Half A Year

Princeton Institute for Advanced Study, Office of the Dean.

After the cleaning lady watered the spider plants by the window sill, she wiped the dust off the glass windows.

After finishing all these tasks swiftly, she picked up the bucket and walked out of the office.

Before leaving, she took a surprised look at Professor Peter Sanak who was sitting behind the desk.

Although she didn't know much about academic matters, after so many years, it was the first time she saw this old man who was always serious, showing a embarrassed expression in front of others.

Of course, even though he assumed the post of dean, it was only five or six years ago...

Sitting at the desk in silence for a while, the white-haired old man pushed his glasses on the bridge of his nose, looked at the young man standing at the desk, and said with a soft sigh.

"At the beginning of this year, someone proposed to include you in the team of tenured fellows of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. I know it's not a good time to say this, but...you really don't think about it anymore?"

Each research school of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton has a small lifelong research team. The scholars who make up this team are the world's top scholars, and the research they are engaged in is also the most cutting-edge research in various fields.

In academia, the status of a tenured fellow of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton not only means the guarantee of research funding and living standards, but also means the highest honor.

At present, there are only ten tenured researchers in the School of Mathematics, and Lu Zhou's tutor, Professor Pierre Deligne, is one of them. If he continues to stay here, it may be this year if it is fast, and it will only be two or three years if it is slow, he will become the eleventh.

but……

Lu Zhou shook his head and said softly.

"I've been thinking about it for half a year."

Before he won the Nobel Prize, the resources he could obtain in China were far inferior to Princeton's. After winning the Nobel Prize, the resources he can obtain in China are far greater than here.

It is not wrong to say that he is selfish. After all, when he is doing multiple-choice questions, he really considers the problem with the "best choice" as the starting point.

Hearing what Lu Zhou said, Dean Peter Goddard didn't say anything, opened the drawer, and took out an application form from it.

"Really? Now that you have considered it, I have nothing more to say. Serve the country, serve the world... This is the motto of Princeton, and I think your choice is correct."

Gently placing the application form on the desk, Dean Peter Goddard seemed to have let go of his burden, leaned back on the chair and watched Lu Zhou continue.

"In addition to the researcher position of the Princeton Institute for Advanced Study, there is also a teaching position at Princeton University... I guess you plan to resign when you come back this time."

Lu Zhou: "Yes, I will go to Nassau Hall later."

Dean Goddard smiled and said, "Remember to say hello to Professor Isgrubb for me."

Picking up the application form from the table, Lu Zhou nodded slightly.

"I will."

After leaving Dean Goddard's office, Lu Zhou didn't stop at the Institute for Advanced Study, and went straight to Nassau Hall of Princeton University.

Compared to Dean Goddard's reluctance, Principal Isgrubb's reaction was mild, or calm.

After listening to Lu Zhou's intention to resign, he didn't say much, and took out a form with similar specifications from the drawer.

"...I remember about 20 years ago, when I was the dean of academic affairs. Mr. Faltins found me and told me that he was going back to Germany. I also tried to keep him, but now that I think about it, it is not at all. There is no need for this. This kind of choice cannot be made in a day or two, nor can it be changed with a few words."

Pushing his glasses, he handed the form to Lu Zhou.

"It's our loss that we can't keep you."

Speaking of this, Principal Isgrub paused for a moment, and continued in a joking tone, "So, to make up for our loss, I hope you can at least accept the title of honorary professor while resigning from the professorship."

Lu Zhou who took the application form was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "It's my honor."

...

It was already dusk when we left Nassau Hall.

He left here with two application forms. On the way home, Lu Zhou walked very slowly, and even took a long detour.

This kind of mentality is probably like a person who is about to travel far and wants to spend more time in the place where he lived in the past.

After all, having lived here for so long and experienced so many things, he still has a lot of affection for Princeton.

When passing Carnegie Lake, when Lu Zhou was thinking about whether to go for a late run after a long absence, he accidentally saw a familiar figure sitting on a bench by the lake.

With a smile on the corner of his mouth, he walked to the vending machine, bought a can of sports drink and a can of coffee, and walked towards the lake.

When he approached, Molina, who was wearing a blue sportswear, was wiping the sweat from her face with a towel.

Suddenly, a can of drink appeared in her field of vision.

Slightly stunned, Molina turned her face to the side and saw Lu Zhou standing there.

With delicate eyebrows raised, she took the drink without politeness, and after saying "thank you", she took off the tab of the soda can, and took a sip with her head raised.

"You're welcome."

Lu Zhou smiled, sat on the other side of the bench, took off the tab of the coffee can, and took a sip slowly.

Although he still likes to drink instant coffee, this kind of factory-produced canned frozen coffee also has a special flavor.

Molina: "When did you come back?"

"I just arrived around noon. Originally, I planned to save some time to come for a run, but after I finished my work, it was getting dark before I knew it." Looking at the students running late by the lake, and the students on the lake The training kayak team, Lu Zhou said in a chatty tone.

Molina glanced at Lu Zhou.

"Speaking of which, it must have been half a year since you were not here at Princeton."

"Yeah, time flies," Lu Zhou said with a smile, looking at the sparkling lake in the setting sun, "Sometimes I have the illusion that I just graduated yesterday, but I'm already 25 years old. gone."

Molina: "...I think most people are 25 and just graduated."

Lu Zhou smiled embarrassedly: "It seems reasonable for you to say that... What about you? How is the project between you and your tutor going?"

A smug smile appeared on the corner of Molina's mouth: "I've already graduated, and now I'm a lecturer at Princeton University."

Lu Zhou gave her a slightly surprised look: "Have you graduated? Then congratulations... Although I want to help you hold a party to celebrate your new colleagues, but now I have resigned."

"Is it."

Molina's expression was not surprised, as if she had guessed it.

Looking at the can of drink in her hand, she continued, "So this can of drink is my favor?"

"That's right. Although a can of drink may not be enough," Lu Zhou patted the dust on his trouser legs, stood up from the bench, looked at her and said with a smile, "When you have a chance next time, you come to China to travel , I'll treat you to another drink."

Molina joked: "What if there is no chance?"

"Then we may just have to wait and meet at an academic conference someday."

They usually meet each other while running late at night, and the communication between the two is basically the same.

It started without warning and ended without warning.

Looking at the back of Lu Zhou leaving, Molina picked up a stone and threw it into the lake without saying anything.

Apart from mathematics, she has no other interests, and she and Lu Zhou can only be regarded as ordinary friends.

However, thinking that this guy will not be here in the future, it still made her feel a little lonely...