Chapter 222: Wisdom Near Demonic
“No, Xu Xian, when do you think Ran Shen will return to China?” Li Yiqing looked at the news report, which said that the famous Chinese mathematician had “seemingly” solved the Twin Prime Conjecture.
Less than half a year.
It only took three months.
Lin Ran not only added the title of mathematician to himself, but also prefixed it with “famous.”
Xu Xian was completely numb.
He felt that life had become utterly boring.
Your high school classmate ascends on the spot, attaining the Golden Core realm, and upon returning to China, a professor position at Yenching University would be effortless, while you’re still struggling bitterly for a Golden Core—anyone would be numb.
“I don’t know, what’s up?
You want a signature, right? The folks in the Mathematics Department have been lining up to ask me for Brother Ran’s signature, and the queue is already backed up four years.
You’d have to line up too; I don’t even know when I’ll get one.”
A master is always a master.
If the first Zoom meeting had only foreigners attending, with the only Chinese person being Terence Tao.
Terence Tao’s relationship with the domestic mathematics community couldn’t even be called distant—it was practically nonexistent.
But in Lin Ran’s second Zoom meeting, a large number of domestic mathematicians participated.
Stony Brook University originally thought at most a few dozen people would come, but hundreds showed up.
Plus, Zhang Yitang worked on the Twin Prime Conjecture and then returned to teach at Shandong University; Lin Ran’s talk was also related to the Twin Prime Conjecture, so professors, current PhD students, and postdoctoral researchers from China filled the Zoom meeting room.
In this meeting room, China’s mathematics practitioners thoroughly witnessed what a master’s demeanor is.
Because it was very simple: Lin Ran used the most common techniques in analytic number theory.
Lin Ran’s application of the techniques themselves had reached perfection. When Zhang Yitang was interviewed by Tencent News, he said: “Randolph’s techniques are like a blunt sword, great skill appearing clumsy.
His techniques are easy to understand, but you just can’t figure out why he can get the values so perfectly balanced.
I don’t recommend our young students try to learn them, because this embodies profound internal energy; it’s too hard for young students to learn Randolph’s set of techniques.”
At that time, Gang Tian publicly stated that Yenching University would always welcome Lin Ran to teach there.
So, two top-four papers would be the best stepping stone for any domestic university.
This was already perverse enough.
At that time, in Yenching University’s Mathematics Department, those who knew Xu Xian was Lin Ran’s high school classmate had already come knocking in droves, hoping Xu Xian would help get a signature from Lin Ran on their yellow books.
Under Xu Xian’s Zhihu answer, a bunch of people came out saying they stood with the answerer, betting that Lin Ran could win the Fields Medal.
And now, this double shot directly claimed to have solved the Twin Prime Conjecture.
Completely solving the Twin Prime Conjecture.
Any mathematics major student knows this.
If the reason science majors have more value than humanities is that they are more objective, with a more transparent evaluation system.
Then mathematics is absolutely the field in science with the most transparent evaluation system.
A problem being difficult doesn’t necessarily mean it has a long history, but if a problem has a long history, it must be difficult.
As a problem from 1900, the Twin Prime Conjecture has a full 120-year history.
The absolute pearl of the number theory field, second only to the Goldbach Conjecture.
Zhang Yitang, by solving it, could “be most desolate in his life, yet in his later years his poetry and prose stirred the river passes,” rising from an obscure roadside mathematician to entering the hall of fame, becoming one of the representative figures in the Chinese mathematics community.
And that was just solving a part of it.
Terence Tao started a Polymath project, with experts gathering from around the world, also because the problem was the Twin Prime Conjecture.
If Lin Ran really solved the Twin Prime Conjecture, giving him the Fields would be the Fields Medal’s honor; not giving it to him would mean the Fields has no value.
Lin Ran could thereby become a mathematics master on par with Shing-Tung Yau and Shiing-Shen Chern.
More importantly, he is still so young.
Only three months have passed.
“No, I don’t want a signature; I just want to meet Ran Shen once, just once.” Li Yiqing said.
Xu Xian became alert: “You’re not thinking of directly going, ‘Father above, please accept your son’s bow’?”
No way, if Brother Ran really has that hobby, I must be the first son!
Xu Xian thought, can’t let Li Yiqing get ahead.
Simple logic.
If the Twin Prime Conjecture proof passes peer review and is confirmed.
Then Lin Ran could take any position at any domestic university and bring in whoever he wants.
Even a vocational school student—Lin Ran could help them upgrade from vocational to bachelor’s, then bachelor’s to PhD, and PhD to heaven, directly getting a faculty position.
Let alone them, current PhD students at Yenching University.
If they really recognize him as father, after PhD graduation, they directly follow to teach at their father’s university.
Directly ecstatic.
Lin Ran wouldn’t possibly go to some no-name city’s **college, right?
Li Yiqing said loudly: “How is that possible! How could I be that kind of person?”
In his heart, he thought, damn, Xu Xian is such a dog; he even thought of recognizing a father.
“I’ve been thinking, viruses mutate, right?
Do you think Ran Shen got infected with a virus whose side effect is a massive IQ boost?
So I’m thinking, if he returns to China, I must be the first to get infected by him!
This virus is great; it has to spread in waves— what if I mutate too?” Li Yiqing explained.
After hearing this, Xu Xian thought, yeah, that makes sense, but if it’s real, I need to mutate first: “I’ll go try first; if it works, I’ll get infected first, then pass it to you back in the dorm.”
They had gone completely mad.
Unfortunately, they weren’t the only crazy ones.
Mathematicians worldwide who had worked on or studied the Twin Prime Conjecture were urgently reading Lin Ran’s paper.
And Lin Ran’s alma mater, Shanghai Jiaotong University, was even more completely crazy.
Their own true dragon has emerged; now they just need to lure the dragon back to the nest!
“No, how are you doing your work? Why haven’t you established close ties with Dr. Lin yet?” Shanghai Jiaotong University’s President Lin Zhongqing was on the verge of slamming the table.
Li Congming was the dean of the Mathematics Department; he explained: “We have already established contact with Dr. Lin, and he expressed that if he returns to China, he will prioritize considering Shanghai Jiaotong University.”
This time Lin Zhongqing really slammed the table: “No, I don’t want to hear ‘prioritize considering’; I want to hear ‘definitely.’
Recruiting Dr. Lin is the most important work for Shanghai Jiaotong University’s Faculty of Mathematics in recent years.
You need to think carefully about how to make it happen.
I’ve long told you to do the work, to do the work.
Are you not taking it seriously enough?
Two top-four papers are absolutely standout among domestic young scholars.
Shouldn’t you have some sense of urgency?
Satisfied with just a ‘prioritize considering’ promise?
If we had gotten a firm reply back then—like ‘definitely consider Shanghai Jiaotong University if returning to China’—would we be this passive now?
Now we’re completely passive.
Don’t think I don’t know: if he really solved the Twin Prime Conjecture, that’s a nailed-on Fields Medal.
The first Chinese mathematician to win the Fields.
He hasn’t taken American nationality yet, right?”
Li Congming said softly: “No.”
Lin Zhongqing’s voice rose another eight degrees: “Exactly! That’s China’s first native Fields after founding!
What value.
This value surpasses the Nobel Prize in Literature by who knows how much.”
Li Congming thought, “It hasn’t been confirmed solved yet.”
Lin Zhongqing seemed to see through what Li Congming was thinking: “No, what are you still thinking!
Still not convinced, huh!
Seriously, if he proves the Twin Prime Conjecture once, getting the Fields becomes nailed-on.
Then we’ll have even less chance.
You know how crazy Yenching will be by then?”
The rivalry between Yenching University and Tsinghua University’s mathematics departments is better described as the rivalry between Shing-Tung Yau and Gang Tian.
Compared to Yenching with its long history, Tsinghua’s only advantage is that they have a Fields Medalist.
Shing-Tung Yau himself is a Fields Medalist.
And right now, a message is going viral online.
That Tsinghua has secured Caucher Birkar, the 2018 Fields Medalist, who will soon join Tsinghua full-time.
Full-time means this Fields Medalist will spend more time at Tsinghua than Zhang Yitang did at Shandong University.
Zhang Yitang only stayed at Shandong for two short months during summer vacation.
By then, Tsinghua will crush Yenching 2-0 in Fields Medalists.
(In the original spacetime, Caucher Birkar joined Shing-Tung Yau’s Mathematics Center full-time in September 2020)
Caucher Birkar isn’t some old guy at the end of his academic career; he’s only 42, prime of life for a mathematician.
And Caucher Birkar jumped from Cambridge University to Tsinghua.
A prime-age Fields Medalist jumping from Cambridge to Tsinghua would make Yenching panic.
Yenching hasn’t produced its own Fields Medalist; recruiting the first Chinese Fields Medalist would also one-up Tsinghua.
Lin Zhongqing saw this clearly: if anyone in China needs Lin Ran most, it’s Yenching University.
Compared to Yenching, Shanghai Jiaotong University’s only advantage is being the alma mater.
Seeing Li Congming not taking it seriously, he felt infuriated.
Recruiting Lin Ran could transform Shanghai Jiaotong University from a traditional engineering powerhouse to a science and engineering powerhouse—it’s not impossible.
“President Lin, I understand. I’ll definitely communicate well with Lin Ran, appeal to emotion and reason, and strive to secure him!” Li Congming said.
Lin Zhongqing waved his hand: “Take it seriously yourself.
If he ends up at Tsinghua or Yenching, no merit no fault.
If Lin Ran goes to Fudan or even University of Science and Technology of China in the end, just wait and see.”
Lin Zhongqing started getting serious.
Li Congming’s heart tightened: “I’ll go do the work right now.”
How to do it.
Just find professors who taught Lin Ran or have good relations with him to help lobby.
Ever since the paper was posted, Lin Ran’s email, phone, and WeChat have all been flooded.
Mathematicians, university staff, reporters, students—people of all identities seeking Lin Ran.
Until July 1st.
Because that day was Stony Brook University’s remote academic conference for Lin Ran.
Open to global scholars.
5000 audience seats total; Q&A seats require pre-application to Stony Brook University.
Stony Brook University reviews and then grants access.
After a month of fermentation.
The academic community had gradually reached a consensus on the Twin Prime Conjecture.
That Lin Ran’s proof has no major issues in principle.
But some doubts remain, needing Lin Ran to explain personally.
One thing is beyond doubt.
The EH Conjecture has been completely proven by Lin Ran.
Shing-Tung Yau directly said in Tsinghua’s work group: One of the 2022 Fields Medalists is Randolph.
Directly concluding.
Because the EH Conjecture is also a very important problem, closely related to many number theory directions.
On the Chinese Internet, Lin Ran is a household name without exaggeration.
“Can everyone hear me?” Lin Ran asked.
Stony Brook University’s admin staff replied: “Voice OK.”
“Good, then I’ll start. Today I’ll carefully explain my proof to everyone.
Actually, after finishing the EH Conjecture proof.
Solving the Twin Prime Conjecture completely had no obstacles left.
Because the key to this problem is our initial EH Conjecture.
It provides strong distribution estimates for primes in arithmetic progressions, allowing us to raise the distribution level from N^{1/2+ε} to N^{1-ε}.
This improvement has significantly reduced the error terms in the sieve method.
Based on an improved GPY sieve, I introduced multidimensional weight functions, optimizing the counting of prime pairs to ensure the main term exceeds the error term.
Tracing further back, it’s the zero-point relations of L-functions.”
The entire academic conference lasted a full three days.
Number theorists from around the world took turns asking questions.
Lin Ran answered them one by one.
Finally, Lin Ran said: “I believe everyone’s questions have been answered.
Regarding the Twin Prime Conjecture, after 120 years, the flash of wisdom from Göttingen in 1900 has finally been resolved today, 120 years later.”
Mikhail Lyubich in the Zoom meeting room felt something was off.
No, the Twin Prime Conjecture was proposed by Hilbert, the mathematician from University of Göttingen; now isn’t it solved by our Stony Brook mathematician Randolph Lin?
Why mention only Göttingen and not State University of New York Stony Brook?
What does this mean?
The flash of wisdom from Göttingen in 1900, carried forward at Stony Brook in 2020—isn’t that more appropriate?
Mikhail Lyubich felt like Lin Ran had only said half of what he meant.
He could never have imagined that Lin Ran’s sense of belonging to Göttingen far exceeded that to Stony Brook.
After all, Lin Ran’s public resume never mentions going to Göttingen.
Spiritual alma mater is Göttingen—this seems a bit too absurd.
Actually, it really is.
What surfaced in Lin Ran’s mind at this moment was the Göttingen auditorium, blackboards lit up one by one by him, completing the Göttingen miracle under the witness of masters.
Here, it was just another recitation.
Honestly, not the slightest emotion.
Sitting in someone else’s villa third-floor room, facing the camera, lecturing content he had long memorized.
Even if on the internet he was the new generation mathematics master, the iconic figure for Chinese people in academia, to Lin Ran it was still too boring.
With the 1960s threshold set too high.
Just going through the process here.
But the other mathematicians in the meeting room didn’t see it that way.
After Lin Ran finished, everyone felt the inheritance of mathematicians from his words.
They all applauded.
From New York to Boston, from Princeton to Los Angeles, from Paris to London, mathematicians worldwide applauded at this moment for humanity’s another flash of wisdom.
“Randolph, Stony Brook University sincerely invites you to take the professor position in our Mathematics Department.”
Mikhail Lyubich’s voice on the phone was utterly sincere.
To be precise, they had invited him long ago.
Mikhail Lyubich had clearly told Lin Ran: transfer to the Mathematics Department, and upon PhD graduation, directly get associate professor.
This time it was directly professor.
No associate anymore.
Lin Ran said firmly: “Professor Lyubich, I am eager to return home, urgently wanting to go back to my homeland.
My homeland’s mathematics development needs me; my heart is not here.”
Mikhail Lyubich fell silent.
Because this was normal.
Many mathematicians choose to return to their homeland.
“Blessings. Stony Brook University invites you as Visiting Professor.” Mikhail Lyubich continued.
“This is my honor.” Lin Ran said.
“Chinese mathematician conquers world-class problem”
“China’s 23-year-old mathematician conquers Hilbert’s century question”
Chinese Internet directly climaxed.
All kinds of news popping up endlessly.
China’s propaganda outlet
“Confirmed?”
“Director, confirmed. Lin Ran rejected all foreign university faculty positions and chooses to return to China to teach.
He clearly stated this in communications with universities like Yenching, Tsinghua, Shanghai Jiaotong.
He hopes the universities can help arrange his return flight, as tickets are hard to get now.
As for which specific university he’ll work at, he hasn’t given a firm answer.”
“This is good news; we must arrange an exclusive interview.
Top-tier Chinese genius chooses to return to teach, highlighting improvements in domestic research environment and growing appeal to talent.
In the current environment, such propaganda is very necessary.
Have President Zhao prepare; Baihua Society will personally interview him and produce a program.”
At this node of demonizing China, a top Chinese talent choosing to return.
This is absolutely worth making a big deal of.
China’s propaganda outlet keenly realized this rare opportunity.
Directly deploying Baihua Society.
After all, Lin Ran is abroad.
The interview can only be done remotely.
“Dr. Lin, hello, I’m Baihua Society reporter Peng Qian. Can you hear me?” Peng Qian said.
Lin Ran: “Yes.”
Peng Qian: “Honored to have this exclusive interview.
May I ask what your secret to success is? Achieving such astonishing achievements at such a young age.”
Lin Ran said without thinking: “Talent. Mathematics requires effort, but more importantly talent.
Without talent, effort is useless.”
Peng Qian continued: “In 2016, when interviewing Professor Zhang Yitang, who also became world-famous for the Twin Prime Conjecture, he said: Although China’s overall mathematical research level still lags behind Europe, America, Japan, etc., the young generation of mathematicians has great hope, they just need more challenging thinking.
He felt Chinese students abroad have an issue: they rarely ask questions, but American students have no such concerns, they speak up eagerly and boldly. Chinese students have too many concerns, always afraid of saying something wrong upon opening their mouth. But in scholarship, what’s right or wrong?
What’s your view on this?”
Lin Ran said: “I don’t think so.
I think it’s related to the population doing mathematics; China has developed economically for a short time, lacking accumulation in mathematics.
With China’s population density, emphasis on education, and emphasis on mathematics, catching up to Europe and America in overall mathematical research level is just a matter of time.
Moscow surpassing England in mathematics took over 200 years.
From Euler going to Moscow, taking Kolmogorov’s 1930s axiomatization of probability theory as the surpassing node, it took a full 200 years.
We’re just getting started.
Take it slow; mathematics is a process of patiently waiting for flowers to bloom and bear fruit.
I know everyone loves genius stories.
Like Terence Tao: 13-year-old IMO gold medal, 21-year-old Princeton PhD, 24-year-old mathematics department professor.
Or me, in my early twenties, publishing top journals in half a year, solving a century problem.
But when viewing mathematics as a whole, discussing a country’s mathematical research development, we need sufficient patience.
It will be more like Kunihiko Shioda’s story.
In Kunihiko Shioda’s ‘The Lazy Collection: Number Sense and Mathematics,’ it says
‘When proving theorems, mathematicians don’t notice their number sense at work, so they think it’s rigorous logic proof.
Actually, parsing the proof with formal logic symbols reveals it’s not so. That would just yield a string of lengthy logic symbols, utterly unable to prove the theorem. Lately, people often discuss mathematical intuition; mathematical intuition’s foundation is number sense. All mathematicians are born with keen number sense, just unaware of it.’
One day in the future, we’ll be accustomed to seeing Chinese people frequently at the Fields Medal, no longer cheering wildly like now when China produces one Fields Medalist.
We’ll be accustomed to the International Congress of Mathematicians being incomplete without Chinese people.
Such phenomena don’t appear suddenly; like mathematicians’ number sense, it’s long-cultivated, not some talent. When it appears, it’s based on China’s long-term development, not the shine of one or a few geniuses.”
Peng Qian was stunned.
Young mathematicians usually give shallow answers to such questions.
She had interviewed many mathematicians; they get excited about mathematics but are unskilled or uninformed on other topics.
But what Lin Ran said wasn’t just good or bad—it perfectly matched what the old-timers wanted to promote.
First, it explained why China’s cutting-edge tech hasn’t broken through yet: time not ripe.
Second, even if China catches up in math research, it’s not geniuses’ credit, but China’s as a whole.
As a veteran Baihua Society reporter, Peng Qian’s gaze toward Lin Ran changed instantly; she thought, this guy isn’t planning to go from scholar to official, taking the 11G path, is he?
“And I think often slow is fast, fast is slow.
I produced big results quickly, but outsiders don’t see my effort and dedication.”
