Chapter 110: Do You Know Philip K. Dick?
“Professor Lin, do you hate Europe?” Jenny, sitting next to Lin Ran, asked.
Lin Ran rolled his eyes and said: “The last time I went to Europe was in early November, and it’s only been half a month since then. Now I’m going to Europe again.
I don’t hate Europe. What I hate is making such frequent long-distance trips.”
Lin Ran had previously sensed that Jenny’s identity was suspicious.
At that time, the reporters stationed in Geneva covering international news were all balding middle-aged white men, and among them, Jenny was a striking sight.
In the early 1960s, it was still very difficult for women to get such job opportunities.
This time it was just confirming it again.
The other party had first transformed from a Geneva-based international news reporter to a White House news reporter.
Then, when he went to Oslo, Norway, to receive this year’s Nobel Peace Prize Awarding, she became a reporter tracking and reporting on the entire event.
That’s when Lin Ran learned her full name was Jenny Hearst.
Her grandfather was William Randolph Hearst, the newspaper king of the 19th century, a Donkey Party congressman who was elected to the House of Representatives twice, ran for President in 1904, for New York City mayor in 1905 and 1909, and for New York State governor in 1906.
Even up to 2020, the Hearst family remained one of the richest and most influential families in America, mainly through the Hearst company they controlled, with annual income exceeding 11.8 billion US Dollars. Main assets included ESPN, Vogue, Elle, and other magazines, as well as Fitch Group.
Fitch Group might be less familiar, but one of its companies was the renowned international rating agency Fitch Ratings, one of the big three.
William Hearst was a bit like old T, always trying to get into the White House, but without old T’s base.
He could be considered one of the earliest self-media figures—not that he was self-media, but his irresponsibility toward content was no different from self-media.
The most classic case was the 1898 explosion and sinking of the America warship “Maine” in Havana Harbor, Cuba, which killed 266 soldiers.
This became one of the triggers for war.
Hearst’s New York Journal quickly blamed the explosion on Spain, even though there was no conclusive evidence it was Spain’s doing at the time.
The newspaper headline blared in huge font: “Remember the Maine, fuck Spain!”, inciting public anger against Spain.
Not only that, Hearst sent reporters and illustrators to Cuba to fabricate unverified stories.
Subsequently, war broke out between Spain and America, and Hearst’s New York Journal proudly declared on the front page that it had pushed for the war.
Hearst was a congressman, and his father was also a Donkey Party senator.
Jenny Hearst, as the fourth generation of the Hearst family, and with this White House being Donkey Party, transferring to cover White House news was as simple as drinking water for her.
“Alright, Professor Lin, you’ve proposed the concept of Cultural China. In terms of mate selection, do you also follow this principle and hope to marry a woman of Chinese descent?” Jenny asked.
Lin Ran was helpless; this was too direct.
After learning her identity, Lin Ran knew that with her background, she couldn’t possibly be a swallow.
Through this period of contact, Jenny and Lin Ran had become more familiar, and it was clear she wanted to go straight for it.
But Lin Ran had no intention of further contact with her.
It wasn’t about being self-righteous or looking down on her; purely because Lin Ran knew he would eventually leave America and couldn’t afford any leverage.
The Hearst family believed in the Presbyterian Church.
In this era, the Presbyterian Church was a quite conservative existence. This kind of woman wasn’t someone you could casually play with and then drop.
“Sorry, I do hope to marry a woman of Chinese descent,” Lin Ran had to answer.
Jenny’s eyes dimmed, and the special plane suddenly fell silent, the atmosphere becoming somewhat heavy.
Lin Ran had no mind to care what she thought; he turned his head to look outside the window, his thoughts already drifting to New York half a month later.
Recently back at Redstone Arsenal for work, he took time to give two number theory classes to the PhDs at Columbia University.
It was called two classes, but actually it was two full half-days.
In between, he discussed with Harvey Cohen, who came to invite him to the number theory seminar, that he could attend their number theory seminar during the Christmas holiday.
Lin Ran casually suggested, why not hold a banquet on Christmas Eve evening, the day before Christmas, and make it a tradition in the New York mathematics community?
Plus, Princeton in New Jersey was only 80 kilometers from New York by car, so the contemporary masters at Princeton Institute for Advanced Study could fully come to New York to participate, and driving back slowly the next morning would be more than enough time.
Even some heading home for Christmas could fly out from New York much more conveniently than from Princeton.
With Lin Ran’s attendance, plus Harvey Cohen’s long-term network in New York, this proposal received Harvey Cohen’s high approval, and he said he would certainly prepare it wholeheartedly.
What Harvey Cohen didn’t know was that Lin Ran simply wanted to create a noisy environment to say a few words to Chen Jingrun.
If there was a tradition like the New York Mathematicians’ Christmas Party, it meant he would have a chance to say a few words to him every year.
As in previous years, the 1961 Nobel Prize awarding ceremony was on December 10, the day Nobel died.
But unlike the other awards presented in Stockholm’s concert hall, the Peace Prize was held at Oslo University’s auditorium in Oslo, Norway.
From deciding the winner to the awarding, the Peace Prize was in a completely different style from the other four awards.
Including the awarding, which was done by the Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, not by Swedish King Gustaf VI.
“Randolph, congratulations, and thank you for your outstanding contribution to European peace.” Norwegian King Olav V specially came to chat with Lin Ran before it started.
Lin Ran actually felt nothing for this award; in the eyes of later old Chinese, this prize had long lost credibility.
If Lin Ran had come from 2025 and knew about America’s antics in 2025, he would probably despise the prize’s value even more.
It was only 1961 now, and considering no Chinese person had won the Nobel Peace Prize yet, plus Lin Ran felt he needed to win some prestige for himself to prepare for potential future suppression, so he made a special trip to Norway to receive it.
Otherwise, Lin Ran would never have made a special trip.
Lin Ran said flatly: “Thank you to the Norwegian Nobel Committee for not sticking to conventions. I hope to bring true peace to the world.”
The ceremony opened with the Norwegian national anthem or short music, followed by an address by Gunnar Jahn, Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee:
“1961 is a stark reminder of humanity’s fragility, with the world teetering on the brink of destruction. The Third Berlin Crisis cast the shadow of Cold War tension over the globe, as America and the Soviet Union faced off in dangerous confrontation, the ghost of nuclear conflict looming over the world. It was in the crucible of this crisis that Randolph Lin became a lighthouse of hope and determination.
Today, we award him the 1961 Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his extraordinary contribution to peace.
Randolph Lin conceived a bold and innovative solution to the escalating crisis: a direct communications channel ‘hotline’ connecting the White House in Washington and the Kremlin in Moscow. This groundbreaking idea stemmed from his profound understanding that misunderstanding and distrust could lead to unimaginable disaster. With extraordinary foresight, he recognized that a rapid, barrier-free dialogue mechanism between the leaders of the two countries could be a bulwark against catastrophe.
Through tireless efforts, Randolph Lin overcame immense obstacles to turn his vision into reality.
He spared no effort in persuading both sides to accept this unprecedented tool amid suspicion, political resistance, and entrenched hostile forces.
In the crucible of the Third Berlin Crisis, his efforts succeeded, and the hotline became a lifeline, enabling the US and Soviet sides to exchange critical information, clarify intentions, and avoid misunderstandings that could escalate into open conflict.
By promoting this dialogue, Randolph Lin played a key role in defusing the crisis, maintaining peace, and protecting countless lives.
However, his contribution goes far beyond resolving that moment’s crisis. The establishment of the hotline set a powerful precedent for crisis management in international relations, demonstrating the effectiveness of preventive diplomacy. It proved that even in the darkest hours, communication and mutual understanding can light the path to peace.
Randolph Lin’s work leaves an indelible mark, providing future generations with a model for resolving disputes through dialogue rather than force.
We praise Randolph Lin not only for his specific achievements but also for the qualities he embodies: the courage to challenge the status quo, the wisdom to look beyond immediate tensions, and the firm commitment to humanity’s shared future.
In awarding the 1961 Nobel Peace Prize to Randolph Lin, we both honor his contribution and issue a clear call to leaders worldwide: let us follow his example. Let us choose dialogue over confrontation, understanding over ultimatums, cooperation over conflict. By doing so, we can preserve global peace, this fragile and precious gift.”
Applause erupted from the audience below; for Europeans, Lin Ran’s proposal had indeed given them a bit of a sense of security.
Not much, but it was there.
However, the most sincere applause from below the stage probably belonged to Jenny, Jenny Hearst.
That day’s celebration banquet was held in Oslo’s main hall.
During the banquet, guests toasted each other, but Lin Ran wasn’t used to such an atmosphere—Chinese people didn’t have this custom.
But he wasn’t unused to it, having attended an Elephant Party fundraising dinner.
Just that this banquet probably wouldn’t be as wild as that Elephant Party one.
During the banquet, a small string quartet played works by Norwegian composer Grieg.
When the ball began, the music shifted to more upbeat waltzes.
Jenny Hearst, as Lin Ran’s dance partner, didn’t get her turn to dance with him until the fifth piece. “Professor, you sure are popular.”
Lin Ran didn’t answer directly but changed the subject: “Jenny, do you know Philip K. Dick?”
Jenny Hearst is not the female lead, to avoid misunderstanding, but she has a very important role both now and in the subsequent plot.
Begging for monthly votes! There’s another chapter later.
