Chapter 250: Stockholm Awards Ceremony
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
25th of May, Stockholm airport.
A bright silver airplane slowly landed on the airway.
Soon after, Lu Zhou carried his luggage and dashed through the crowd to get out of the airport.
This was his first time in this country. He felt a rich artistic atmosphere.
Actually, Lu Zhou was not an artsy guy. He was more logical and rational. Even then, he could still feel the rich art and history coming from the subway station.
It was no exaggeration to say that this place was like a museum.
The 108-kilometer subway network housed the creative works of more than 100 artists.
No wonder that Edward Witten recommended taking a subway instead of a taxi in Stockholm.
According to the n.o.bel Prize rules, the winner was arranged to stay at the Stockholm Grand Hotel.
At the entrance of the hotel, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences academician, Staffan Normark, opened his arms and gave Lu Zhou a big hug.
“Welcome, Professor Lu Zhou!”
“Hope you didn’t wait too long.”
“What do you mean?” asked Staffan as he smiled. He then said, “Let me introduce you to…”
A few scholars from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences stood next to him.
Lu Zhou greeted them one by one. He then walked to his room with Academician Staffan.
Standing in front of the door, Academician Staffan smiled and politely spoke.
“If you have any needs, please let the hotel front desk know.”
Lu Zhou smiled and said, “You’re too kind.”
“This isn’t kindness, this is respect for a scholar,” said Academician Staffan with a smile. He added, “Actually, I was very surprised to see you in person. I thought Tao Zhexuan was young. I didn’t expect that in four years, another young mathematician would break this record.”
Tao Zhexuan won the Crafoord Prize in 2012, and he was only thirty years old at the time. In the same year, he made a breakthrough in the weak Goldbach’s conjecture, which led to Helfgott’s special proof of the problem.
Now in 2016, it was Goldbach’s conjecture again.
It came full circle.
Lu Zhou smiled and modestly said, “Mathematics is an ancient and energetic subject. The people that study it will become younger and younger, maybe in the future, someone younger than me will break this record.”
Academician Staffan smiled and said, “That might be a little difficult.”
Academician Staffan did not stay for long. He informed Lu Zhou of some important things before he left.
Lu Zhou placed his luggage next to the bed. He did not immediately go outside.
Although he was interested in this city, he had just got off a 12-hour flight. He needed rest at the moment.
Lu Zhou went to take a shower before he laid in his bed.
Just as he was about to sleep, he suddenly remembered that he had not shared this joy with other people. Therefore, he got up from his bed and grabbed his phone. He took a photo of the view outside the window and posted it in his friends’ news feed.
This time, he did not add a caption, just the photo.
Soon, his Weibo was flushed with comments.
[G.o.d Lu, where did you travel to now?]
[Where is this?]
[I’m guessing Princeton, or it’s close to Princeton. The houses don’t look tall, unlike New York.]
[I’m taking the college entrance exams soon, please G.o.d Lu give me luck!]
[Oh my G.o.d! G.o.d Lu didn’t bullsh*t this time!!]
Lu Zhou looked at the comments and smiled.
What are you talking about!
Am I that kind of person!
…
The next afternoon…
The antique Starrmore Concert Hall was filled with the melody elegant and cla.s.sical music. More than a thousand people were already seated in the hall.
After a simple opening remark, a short-haired, middle-aged woman walked on stage and announced the beginning of the ceremony.
Her name was Barbara Cannon, the dean of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Although her face was covered in wrinkles, it was obvious that she was a scholar of value and knowledge in her younger years.
In the sound of applause, Staffan Normark, the lifelong academician of Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, took over the microphone and read out the list of winners and awards.
“… Mankind’s future is in the distant sky. One day we will reach the places we can see. Let us send them our applause and blessings! Thank them for their contributions on black holes!”
“… The astronomy award winners were Professor Roy Kerr from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, and Professor Roger Branford from Stanford University!”
The voice of Academician Staffan ignited the crowd.
The two professors, one from New Zealand, one from America, walked on stage. They received the medal under the eyes of King Adolphus.
Lu Zhou was under the stage. He took a deep breath and adjusted his tie.
Normally, he was very calm, but in these last few seconds, he had to control his breathing and heartbeat.
This was different than the s.h.i.+ng-Shen Chern Mathematics Award by the China Mathematics Society, and the China Mathematics Society from the Federal Mathematics Society. The entire natural science community honored this award.
Academician Staffan stood on stage and continued, “… Mathematics is the language of G.o.d. Prime numbers are the codes he keeps in the world. Many propositions aren’t great themselves, but it is exactly because of this simplicity that the world and our civilization changes.
“… Thank him for his outstanding contributions toward prime numbers! And the proof of Goldbach’s conjecture!
“The mathematics award winner is…
“Professor Lu Zhou from Princeton University!”
The crowd began to applaud even harder.
It was like a tsunami, wave after wave.
Lu Zhou walked steadily onto the podium.
He was the first Chinese scholar to stand here.
Behind him, more than two hundred scholars of different nationalities and different fields offered their blessings and applause for Lu Zhou’s contribution to the world.
At the same time, King Adolphus XVI and his wife, Queen Sylvia, stood in front of Lu Zhou.
“Congratulations, Professor Lu Zhou!”
The white-haired old man smiled and handed Lu Zhou the medal and certificate.
Lu Zhou received the two and shook hands with this king, “Thank you!”
The applause was even louder.
Lu Zhou stood aside. Academician Staffan came forward again and the applause subsided.
However, for Lu Zhou, unlike the applause, his excitement did not stop.
He felt the weight of this heavy medal. He listened to cla.s.sical music until the end of the award ceremony, and until all of the guests began to leave the venue.
Only until then, did Lu Zhou calm down.