Chapter 287 - 287 Are You Serious About Your Reactions?
287 Are You Serious About Your Reactions?
After the mistake last time, Yuan Yu went back to study Luo Feng’s connections.
The camera swept across the Dean of the Mathematics Faculty, Professor Vincent, Professor Jing, and Yuan Yu could all make a connection. Only the old man sitting in the middle of the judging table was unfamiliar to her.
She felt that Professor Vincent and Professor Jing respected him very much.
“Who is he?” Yuan Yu asked softly.
“Elder Tang? It’s Elder Tang!” The cameraman’s hand that was holding the camera trembled slightly.
“Elder Tang?!” Yuan Yu’s eyes widened.
While she had never seen Elder Tang’s face, anyone who knew mathematics knew this name. That was the name that appeared in the books. She did not expect to see him in person one day!
Just now, Yuan Yu had thought that the two heavyweight professors who partic.i.p.ated in Luo Feng’s thesis defense valued Luo Feng very much. She did not expect this person to be even more heavyweight.
Luo Feng walked onto the stage and was surprised to see the unfamiliar old man between the two professors.
He had only seen photos of someone like Elder Tang after all. He didn’t expect him to appear at the thesis defense today. It seemed like he was going to be a judge.
This was a little too much for an undergraduate thesis defense.
Elder Tang realized that Luo Feng was looking at him and nodded at him with a smile.
Luo Feng smiled. He suppressed his chaotic thoughts, his expression changed slightly, and he began thesis defense.
He had already given a speech on the thesis before. Now that he was facing three people, he seemed to be familiar with the thesis defense. He just had to simplify what he had done and repeat it.
Therefore, it was as smooth as silk from the moment he opened his mouth.
Yuan Yu sat at the back of the cla.s.sroom and asked the cameraman to point the camera at the three of them and record their reactions.
In the camera, Professor Vincent’s eyelids drooped and his eyes were lifeless. From time to time, he would reveal a difficult expression, like a hardworking bottom-feeder who was listening attentively but did not understand anything.
In comparison, Professor Jing was much better. He could understand most of it, and he knew what he could not understand the best. He scratched his ears and cheeks, looking very anxious. He wished he could ask Luo Feng to speak slower.
Elder Tang was the calmest.
He nodded lightly as he listened, one hand holding a pen. Was he writing something on the paper? He was especially serious.
Yuan Yu had the misconception that the three of them were here to listen to the lecture.
She looked at the three of them with admiration. As expected of scholars who were humble and curious. They could ask humbly and focus on learning no matter who it was… Wait, they were here to judge, not to listen to the cla.s.s.
Yuan Yu’s feelings were a little complicated.
If the reactions of the three of them were included in the doc.u.mentary, would they be unhappy? Would they be worried that their current state would affect their respected image?
What a dilemma!
The Dean of the Mathematics Faculty, who was standing at the door and inspecting, also had mixed feelings.
He had long known that it was impossible for Luo Feng’s thesis defense to be normal…
Just by looking at Professor Vincent, one could tell that he usually did whatever he wanted in school. He did not give anyone face, no matter whether it was the Dean from his faculty or from other faculties.
Now, he was sitting upright like an obedient student, listening to the teacher’s lecture with a dumbfounded expression.
There were still reporters and cameras behind him. He had to pretend to be calm.
Moreover, Professor Vincent was not the only one who worried him. Even Elder Tang took out a small notebook from somewhere and wrote very seriously.
It was as if he had made up his mind to listen to the cla.s.s from the beginning.
You’re the number one Chinese mathematician, so you have to hold the fort!
The moment the Dean of the Mathematics Faculty saw Luo Feng, he felt endless worry. He had never been as envious of Dean Qi as now. He left without saying anything.
He didn’t care about the thesis defense at all.
He shook his head helplessly. If he had known that this thesis defense was so meaningless, he would not have promised Luo Feng in advance.
“My thesis defense is over. Thank you, teachers.”
After Luo Feng finished speaking, he bowed to the three judges. The three people below the stage immediately stood up and actually returned the same courtesy. They were just short of saying, “Teacher, you’ve worked hard.”
Professor Vincent bit his lip indignantly.
He didn’t want to do this either, but his body moved without permission. It was all the fault of the atmosphere. It was too much like a cla.s.sroom, making him dream of his student days.
The thesis defense ended. This time, the time was much shorter.
After the three judges bowed, they returned to their seats and stopped talking.
Silence.
The cla.s.sroom fell into a long, deafening silence.
After some time, the Dean of the Mathematics Faculty finally couldn’t take it anymore and jumped out to get the process going. “Guys! Next, it’s time for the mentors to ask questions!”
Even though it was already very wrong for the thesis defense to become a cla.s.s, the camera was recording behind them. They still had to go through the process.
Unexpectedly, the three of them still did not move after the Dean of the Mathematics Faculty reminded them.
Helpless, the Dean of the Mathematics Faculty suddenly became the host and began to call out, “Professor Vincent, do you have any questions?”
Professor Vincent rolled his eyes at him.
He had a belly full of questions, but could he say them? No! Didn’t he care about his face? Besides, the questions were for the instructors to examine the students, not for the instructors to consult the students.
It was fine to ask in private, but not during the thesis defense!
Professor Vincent looked at the blackboard and pretended not to hear.
The Dean of the Mathematics Faculty didn’t expect him to be so disrespectful, so he turned to the gentler Professor Jing and asked, “Professor Jing, what about you?”
“…Can you repeat it again?” Professor Jing was very sincere.
He also had a stomach full of questions. If he asked them one by one, he might not be able to finish them by tomorrow morning. He might as well repeat them.
“No!” The Dean of the Mathematics Faculty held his forehead. Are you all here to cause trouble?
Fortunately, Elder Tang was there to support them!
The Dean of the Mathematics Faculty couldn’t help but admire his foresight. If he could invite the current generation’s top mathematicians, he would definitely be able to protect the dignity of the older generation!
Let the youngsters have a taste of it!
“Elder Tang, do you have any questions?” The Dean of the Mathematics Faculty smiled warmly with antic.i.p.ation in his eyes.
“…”
Silence.
It was the exact same silence.
Elder Tang was focused on his small notebook and writing something seriously. He did not notice the situation in the cla.s.sroom.
The Dean of the Mathematics Faculty maintained his expectant look. His face was so stiff that he almost couldn’t smile anymore. He called softly again, “Elder Tang? Do you have a question?”
“Hm?”
Elder Tang slowly came back to his senses and looked up at the Dean of the Mathematics Faculty.
The dean of the Mathematics Faculty asked again, “Sir, do you have any questions to ask this student? We’re now entering the question segment!”
“Yes!” Elder Tang nodded.
It was finally time for the thesis defense!
The Dean of the Mathematics Faculty looked at his two professors with disdain. He still had to step in at this critical moment!
“Please ask away!” The Dean of the Mathematics Faculty beamed with joy.
“Luo Feng, are you interested in coming to Harvard to study? I can give you the t.i.tle of a tenured professor there. I can promise on the spot that the school will treat you with the highest sincerity. Tell me what you want. As long as you’re willing to come, Harvard will definitely satisfy you!” Elder Tang smiled and was sincere.
“…”
What was with the poaching at the scene?