Corinthia Hotel lobby.
He handed his passport to the staff at the front desk and looked at Professor Fefferman, who was standing at the door. He suddenly spoke in a casual tone.
"The security level here seems a bit unusual … Other than the International Congress of Mathematicians, is there anything else going on here?"
"No, sir." The front desk staff handed the passport back to Professor Fefferman and said, "The highest-level conference in the next 30 days is the International Congress of Mathematicians. During the conference, the Corinthia Hotel will provide the highest level of service. I wish you a pleasant week."
"I see, thank you."
Professor Fefferman put away his passport and nodded at the receptionist with a smile. He then walked over to Professor Deligne, who was looking at his watch.
"He's here! I told you, he wouldn't miss such an interesting conference! "
Professor Fefferman spoke with excitement on his face. It was like he was watching the first goal in the last ten minutes of a football game. He excitedly said, "I wonder how far his research has progressed, I'm looking forward to it!"
Professor Deligne looked at his old friend with a blank expression. He sighed and said, "Don't worry, Professor Deligne is too slow.
"You didn't read the paper he posted on the official website?"
Fefferman: "I did, why?"
Deligné: "Then why are you asking this question? If he has any new research results, you should have seen them on the paper. If not, then I don't know what you're looking forward to. "
Fefferman: "Because my intuition tells me that his research results in the past year are definitely more than that."
Professor Deligné raised his eyebrows.
"So, you know him very well?"
There was a hint of mockery in his tone. Most Princeton professors were more or less arrogant like Princeton professors.
However, Professor Fefferman just nodded and spoke with a confident smile. Maybe it was because Fefferman was used to his old friend's personality, so he didn't take it to heart.
"Of course, after all, we've worked together before, so I'm confident."
Hearing his old friend's confident words, Deligne smiled faintly and said disapprovingly.
"Then you're probably too confident. I've paid attention to all of the papers he has published over the past year. The quasi Riemann conjecture and the hyperelliptic curve method are his only research results on the Riemann zeta function. He even went to study economics with that old man Krugman, I think it's called the L-Z model … Anyway, something like that."
Generally speaking, the direction of a scholar's research could be found from his recently published papers.
From the end of last year to the beginning of this year, from the Sullivan's conjecture in differential topology to the L-Z model in economics, none of the research results had anything to do with the Riemann zeta function.
No matter how optimistic Professor Deligne was, he couldn't believe that Lu Zhou was still researching Riemann's hypothesis for the past six months. He hadn't given up yet …
Honestly speaking, Deligné was a little disappointed with this result.
His disappointment didn't stem from the results that Lu Zhou had already achieved. After all, Lu Zhou's current results were quite impressive, and he couldn't find fault with them at all.
However, this was only true for ordinary people.
For a scholar like him, only by truly taking off the crown that stood on Mount Everest and solving the propositions that puzzled most scholars in the world could he make further progress in his academic achievements.
Therefore, Lu Zhou had already achieved so much in the research of the Riemann conjecture, but he chose to give up in the end. This was what made Professor Deligné feel regretful.
If even he couldn't solve this problem, then maybe this conjecture would have to wait until the end of the century for a scholar who was more talented than him and had a sharper mathematical intuition to solve it …
Professor Fefferman could tell from Professor Deligne's expression that Professor Fefferman was worried. However, Professor Fefferman just smiled and spoke casually.
"I think you're worrying too much."
Professor Deligné raised his eyebrows and spoke in disbelief.
"Oh? You know what I'm worried about? "
Fefferman: "Of course I know, after all, we've worked together more than once. You're always so confident in your analysis, but you have to admit that sometimes when people care too much about something, their vision is often narrow."
"You're saying I'm narrow?"
"Yes, especially the way you look at the problem. Have you never thought about this possibility? Maybe it's because he found a connection in these problems that we didn't? This isn't uncommon. "
Professor Deligné said, "But the possibility of this is very small. I've carefully studied several of his theses. I can't say much outside of mathematics, but in terms of mathematics itself, the mathematical methods used in the Riemann zeta function don't make much sense. There isn't even a linear or progressive connection between the several theses."
Professor Fefferman: "Maybe it's just that we can't see it … It doesn't matter, do you want to make a bet?"
Professor Deligné frowned and said, "Bet on what?"
Professor Fefferman smiled confidently and said, "I bet that his research results are definitely more than what he published at the beginning of the year. He definitely hasn't given up on Riemann's conjecture.
"Otherwise …"
"He wouldn't have scheduled his sixty-minute report as the last report before the closing ceremony."
…
The two old men in front of the elevator were still arguing about whether or not Lu Zhou was still researching Riemann's conjecture. Lu Zhou and Schulz were sitting in a taxi heading to the suburbs of St. Petersburg, and they were talking about Riemann's conjecture.
"… You haven't made any progress in the past six months?"
"Maybe not just six months, maybe six months." Lu Zhou had a helpless expression on his face. He leaned back in the back seat of the taxi and shook his head as he said, "I've tried to improve the hyperelliptic curve analysis method, and I've also tried to find an answer from the Group Structure Method, but it didn't help. I even have some scary thoughts that maybe Riemann's conjecture is correct, but it can't be proven. "
"You're not the only one who thinks this, but I think you should be a little more optimistic." Schulz patted Lu Zhou's shoulder and said, "At the very least, you were able to create an excellent mathematical tool like the hyperelliptic curve analysis method, and you even proved the quasi Riemann's conjecture. You're better than most people."
"But that doesn't mean anything to me." Lu Zhou sighed and said, "I think you can understand this feeling."
Schulz: "No, I can't, thank you."
Lu Zhou: "…?"
After nearly 40 minutes of driving, the taxi finally arrived at the suburbs of St. Petersburg. The nearby buildings gradually changed from bustling to simple.
According to the taxi driver, this area was a famous mathematics mecca. The Steklov Mathematical Institute was located on this old stone road, and a mathematician who refused the Fields Prize also lived nearby.
At the same time, the Fontanka Canal flowing through the center of St. Petersburg, with its stone pavement, street lamps and benches, was also the place where the hero and heroine of Dostoevsky's "White Night" met.
After Schulz got out of the taxi, he took Lu Zhou to a nearby residential area.
Most of the houses in the area were similar to apartments in China, which was very suitable for young people to live in. However, it was hard to say how many young people would want to live in this remote suburb.
Wang Peng followed Lu Zhou and Schulz for a while before he suddenly spoke.
"… You've already walked around here."
When Schulz heard this, he had a helpless smile on his face. He stopped walking and scratched his long hair.
"Actually, the last time I was here was a long time ago. This kind of apartment building with densely packed windows is very tricky. If I didn't come here often, I wouldn't even remember where it is …" Seeing that Lu Zhou was speechless, Schulz stopped talking. He awkwardly coughed and said, "I should ask someone."
Schulz happened to have a photo of Perelman on his phone. It didn't matter if he didn't have it, he could easily find it on Google.
Lu Zhou had to admit that being handsome had some advantages. Whether it was a man or a woman, most people would be very enthusiastic to help him after hearing his request.
As for his shabby looks …
Of course there were benefits.
At least when he was living in seclusion, he didn't have to worry too much about being disturbed.
"Do you know this person?"
The Russian girl stared at the photo on Schulz's phone and suddenly frowned.
"Who is this? Terrorist/terrorist? Or some kind of performance artist? "
It was no wonder she looked disgusted. After all, the man in the photo didn't look good.
A scruffy beard covered his chin, and his sparse curly hair drooped back like green foxtails. Although his hair style was somewhat similar to Schultz's, it showed two completely different styles.
It was like a plaid shirt. Some people looked like an idol, but some people looked like a coder.
Schultz sighed and said in a troubled tone, "Sorry, I'll go ask around."
The Russian girl smiled and said, "Good luck, but I think it's better for you to give up. I've lived here for two years, and I haven't seen this person."
After asking around, there was no one who recognized the photo.
Occasionally, there were a few people who recognized him. This person seemed to be a well-known mathematician, and he had been on the news before. However, when they heard that he lived nearby, the few people who recognized him shook their heads.
She did not deny the possibility that he lived here.
It was just pure. He didn't have any impression of having seen it before.
Lu Zhou couldn't help but wonder if this recluse had moved. Finally, not only did an old man recognize the photo in Schultz's hand, but he was also very familiar with Schultz's face. He rubbed his chin and spoke.
"I know him. He used to work at the Steklov Mathematical Institute. He's a very famous mathematician …"
Lu Zhou immediately asked, "How long ago?"
The old man laughed and said, "About ten years ago, when I was still a guard at the Steklov Mathematical Institute, I often saw him wearing a pair of torn jeans and a shirt to work. In addition to being a mathematician, this guy was also one of the weirdest people in the research institute. "
Lu Zhou: "…"
More than ten years ago …
He was still in high school at that time, right?
Speaking of which, was it already so far away?
Schulz continued to ask Lu Zhou, "Then do you know where he lives?"
"If he didn't move or die, he probably lives over there." The old man raised his hand and pointed at an apartment building next to him. He said, "I only know which building he lives in, but as for the specific location, you should ask his neighbors."
When Schultz and Lu Zhou saw the direction the old man was pointing, they breathed a sigh of relief and showed a grateful expression on their faces.
"Thank you! You've helped a lot. "
After that, Schulz took Lu Zhou and Wang Peng and walked in the direction the old man was pointing.
They soon arrived at the apartment building. While Lu Zhou and Schulz were discussing which floor to start with, they happened to see two foreign people standing at the entrance of the apartment building.
Coincidentally, Lu Zhou knew one of them.
It was Professor Paul Krugman, whom he met in Shanghai a while ago …
The two obviously didn't notice him. They were standing in front of the entrance of the apartment building and whispering to each other.
"I wonder if we're in the wrong place." Albert looked at the apartment building in front of him and muttered, "Does this look like a secluded place?"
"Definitely, this is the address given to me by the secretary general of the ICM." Krugman looked at the small piece of paper in his hand and confirmed that this was the address. He then said in a confident tone, "I'm not in the wrong place."
Albert asked, "But what if he doesn't want to open the door for us? If he doesn't open the door, we won't even know if he's inside or not. "
Krugman: "You don't know him. Even though he looks like an unapproachable guy, as long as you ask him some mathematics questions, he will answer you very patiently."
Albert raised his eyebrows and said, "You've talked to him before?"
"No, but I know a beautiful lady who used to work at the Steklov Mathematical Institute. She told me this." Krugman paused for a second and said, "Listen, my friend, we can't be discouraged. Other than the arrogant Princeton, this is the only place that can help us. "
Albert sighed and said, "Actually, I'm more inclined to work with Professor Lu. His Lu Bewley model and LZ model are amazing. Especially his research on macroeconomics, it coincides with my research!"
"Don't even think about it. If possible, I want to invite Faltings, but is that even possible? I just met that guy at the beginning of the year. He's a young man, but sometimes he's more stubborn than the old guys at Princeton. Not to mention, our plan — "
While Krugman was talking about Lu Zhou, a familiar voice suddenly came from the side.
"I think I heard my name, and it sounds like he's talking bad about me."
The two of them, who were talking, were startled by this sudden voice.
Especially Krugman, he looked at Lu Zhou as if he had seen a ghost.
"Sh * t, where did you come from?"
"I came to St. Petersburg to attend the ICM conference." Lu Zhou answered truthfully. He then looked at Schulz and said, "This gentleman invited me to visit his old friend, so I came."
Professor Krugman stared at Schulz for a while. He didn't recognize this young man, so he frowned and spoke.
"You are …"
"Schulz." Schulz reached out his right hand and shook hands with the two old men. He smiled and said, "Nice to meet you two."
"… Krugman, an economics professor at Princeton University. This is Albert László Barassi, a physicist more famous than his knowledge."
"Hey, wait a second, what do you mean more famous than his knowledge? You old thing, are you sure you're not blind — "
Professor Krugman ignored Albert and looked at Schulz. He asked, "Are you close with Perelman?"
When Schultz heard this question, his expression became a little subtle. He shrugged and said.
"I think we're close, but … I don't know what he thinks of our friendship —"
"What are you guys doing here? Are you having a party? "
A voice suddenly came from the side and interrupted Schultz in the middle of his sentence.
Just like what happened to Krugman and Albert, a tall and burly man in tattered jeans and a shirt walked next to them with two plastic bags filled with cheap food in his hands.
It had to be said that with his slovenly appearance, his sense of presence was really low. He had already walked so close to them, but no one had noticed his presence.
However, when Professor Krugman saw him, he immediately smiled and reached out his hand.
"Hello, Professor Perelman … I'm Krugman, I made an appointment with you in the email."
"I'm not a professor anymore," Perelman muttered in Russian. He glanced at the people and suddenly stopped when he saw Lu Zhou's face.
After a while, he suddenly spoke.
"You're Lu Zhou?"
"That's me." Lu Zhou nodded and said in a friendly manner, "Nice to meet you."
"Me too." Even though Perelman wanted to raise his arm and shake Lu Zhou's hand, his hands were full, so he shrugged and gave up.
"… Let's talk in the house, you guys will block the hallway."
Before Schulz and Lu Zhou could speak, Professor Krugman had a bright smile on his face. He quickly agreed.
"Thank you for your invitation, I also think it's better to talk in the house."
Perelman didn't care about Professor Krugman. He glanced at the faces of several people and stared at Wang Peng for a while.
"You don't look like a scholar, and you don't look like you came with a question."
Lu Zhou's tone didn't look like he was welcoming.
Wang Peng nodded and was about to explain the nature of his job, but he was interrupted by Lu Zhou.
"Just wait for me here for a while, I'll be down soon."
Wang Peng looked a little hesitant, but after taking a glance at Perelman's complexion, he finally nodded.
"Okay."
"If there's anything, remember to call me."
Of course, this so-called call wasn't the type that would dial a number. It was an alarm that Lu Zhou set up on his phone.
When Lu Zhou saw the worried expression on his face, he smiled and patted his arm.
"It's good to be careful, but don't be too nervous.
"Wait for me here, I'll be down in a bit."
After that, the group of people left Wang Peng behind and walked upstairs.
(I have some things to do in real life, so I won't write a chapter today. Even though it's only one chapter, it's the same as two chapters ~)
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