Chapter 512 They Are the Wealth of Civilization

When Lu Zhou returned home, the sky was almost dark.

Back to the hut where he had been away for a long time, the moment he opened the door, the dust on his face made him choke and sneeze.

"I should have hired a housekeeping company to clean it on a regular basis." Lu Zhou reached out and slapped his nose, and Lu Zhou looked at the dusty entrance with some headaches.

How about going to a hotel tonight to deal with it all night?

After thinking about it, Lu Zhou decided to forget it.

When he went from here to the hotel, it would take him enough time to clean the bedroom.

It took about an hour, he took a broom and a rag, and finally cleaned up the study and bedroom.

Leaning the broom against the wall, looking at the restored and tidy study room, Lu Zhou wiped the sweat from his forehead and showed a satisfied smile on his face.

"Next, there is only one last thing left."

Before going to bed, he intends to finish today's work.

Although there is only one thing left to do.

Sitting at the familiar desk, Lu Zhou spent about half an hour writing his resignation.

Looking at the completely darkened sky outside the window, he put the two resignation papers in the drawer, turned and walked towards the bedroom.

...

A special ceremony was held in Lecture Hall 1 of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton.

After approving Lu Zhou's resignation, Dean Goddard awarded him the title of honorary researcher.

This title is similar to the honorary professor of a university, and it is mainly awarded to scholars who have made significant contributions to a research institution but are unable to serve or continue to serve here due to various reasons.

"Even if you go back to the history of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, you are one of the most outstanding scholars. As your colleague, your research achievements also impress me."

"Although it is a pity that I cannot work with you, I still hope that, no matter where you are, you can continue to advance on the academic path."

Lu Zhou nodded: "I will."

There was applause in the lecture hall.

From the hands of Dean Goddard, Lu Zhou took over the certificate symbolizing the title of honorary professor.

Counting the honorary professors awarded to him by President Isgrubb before, as well as the previous Columbia University and Jinling University, he has won the titles of honorary professors from three universities before that.

Although he didn't intentionally collect titles in this area, Lu Zhou was very curious. When he passed away that day, the history books would use a whole page to display the academic titles he had won.

After the ceremony, Lu Zhou was about to spend the remaining time wandering around here, when Professor Fefferman, who had worked with him to solve the NS equation problem, suddenly stopped him.

Taking out a pen from his pocket, he said in a joking tone: "Although there is no such tradition in Princeton, I still want to give you something. This pen was collected at the International Congress of Mathematicians in Helsinki." , is also my favorite one, and I will give it to you for safekeeping in the future."

Princeton has been famous for a while because of the beautiful mind photographed by Ron Howard, and the most talked about by outsiders is probably the Princeton-style tribute to the pen.

However, according to Nash himself in an interview, the gift of the pen is just an exaggerated part of the director, and there is no such tradition in Princeton. However, after the film was broadcast, this stalk was unexpectedly welcomed by the teachers and students of Princeton.

After all, for the professors here, the most things in the drawers are probably the pens collected during academic conferences.

As for the International Congress of Mathematicians in Helsinki that Professor Fefferman mentioned, it was the one he won the Fields Medal.

"Thank you," Lu Zhou solemnly accepted this meaningful pen, smiled, and joked, "You gave me such an expensive gift, I would be embarrassed if I didn't return it."

Professor Fefferman laughed: "You should give me something. Gifts should be given to each other. I remember this proverb in Huaguo."

Lu Zhou guessed that what he wanted to say was probably reciprocity, but that thing is not a proverb, but an idiom.

Smiling, Lu Zhou took out a pen from his pocket and handed it to him.

After taking the pen from Lu Zhou, Fefferman glanced at him in surprise.

"I didn't expect you to be ready."

"I just carry it with me all the time." After a pause, Lu Zhou continued, "By the way, this is what I collected at the Mathematicians Conference in Rio de Janeiro."

"Really? Then I have to keep it safe," Fefferman smiled and continued, "By the way, speaking of which, do you still have those manuscripts?"

Lu Zhou: "I still keep it, what's the matter?"

Fefferman: "If you don't plan to take it away, I suggest you donate it to the Flintstone Library. Although the old librarian seems a little out of order, he is quite good at maintaining paper documents."

Hearing this proposal, Lu Zhou was slightly taken aback.

Donate a manuscript to a library?

He hadn't considered this question before.

Originally in his plan, he planned to give it to his students as a souvenir. But if you think about it carefully, leaving it to amateurs for safekeeping is obviously not as good as leaving it to professionals for safekeeping.

Maybe one day he has a whim, and he can come back and have a look.

After all, he poured his heart and soul into that page.

Lu Zhou asked in an uncertain tone: "Will the Flint Library store those pieces of paper?"

Fefferman said with a smile: "Of course, and I think not just the Flint Library, I believe any museum would be happy to take over these materials."

...

After leaving the Institute for Advanced Study, Lu Zhou went straight to the Flint Library.

When he arrived here, the old man in nightgown was reclining on a chair and taking a nap.

Even in Princeton, where "freaks" are everywhere, there are still not many weirdos who are so unkempt that they wear their nightgowns in the library.

Lu Zhou still remembered that last time he came here to borrow Lyman Spitzer's manuscript, the old man played tricks on him a lot.

However, although he has many eccentricities, his love for books is really beyond words.

Perhaps it is precisely because of such weird people that the original historical documents and materials here can be preserved so well.

Seeing Lu Zhou appearing at the door, the sleepy-eyed old man sniffed and let out a weird laugh.

"You came?"

Seeing that weird smile that could scare away people who came to borrow books, Lu Zhou sighed and said, "It's been so many years, don't you plan to change your look? And that shriveled laugh."

"What does it matter, who cares what a bad old man wears?" The old man smiled, reached out to touch the crutch, and stood up tremblingly, "What's more, in Princeton, which is full of weirdos, I'm the normal one .”

No, you're probably the most abnormal one.

Lu Zhou silently complained in his heart, but he didn't say it, he just greeted him casually.

"When do you plan to retire?"

The old man smiled: "Retirement? That may have to wait until the day I lie in the coffin."

Hearing this sentence, Lu Zhou looked at him in surprise.

"I thought the word coffin would be more or less taboo at your age."

"Why should we avoid it? Can death be avoided just by avoiding it? We will all decay one day, but our wisdom and knowledge will remain for future generations to admire," staring at Lu Zhou with cloudy eyes, the old man's face showed Smiling, "Tell me, are you here to borrow books, or are there other things."

Lu Zhou: "I plan to return to China after a while."

The old man said "oh" indifferently, without any response.

After all, he was only in charge of this library, and the personnel changes at Princeton University and the Institute for Advanced Study were not within his concern.

After organizing the language in his mind, Lu Zhou continued: "When I was cleaning the house, I found a bunch of manuscripts, including some about Goldbach's conjecture, and some about NS equations. It may take a little time to sort them out. ...I mean, if you're interested, can you keep it for me?"

Hearing that Lu Zhou planned to donate the manuscript to the Flint Library, the old man finally showed an expression of interest.

"Of course, these are the treasures of civilization. Give them to me, and I will keep them safe for you."

Lu Zhou smiled: "Whether it is the wealth of civilization or not, I will leave it to future generations to judge. I just think it would be a bit troublesome to bring all those things back, and a few suitcases may not fit them. Moreover, if there are One day, I hope they stay the same."

The old man grinned: "Don't worry about this, just like you are an expert in the field of mathematics, I am also an expert in document preservation."

"Really? Then I'm relieved." After a pause, Lu Zhou joked, "By the way, by the way, if I borrow my own manuscript, do I need to swear to the Bible?"

However, the old man does not seem to have a sense of humor in this regard.

Regarding this joke, he said sternly.

"What nonsense are you talking about, they are the treasures of civilization, and the moment you finish them, they are not just yours."