Awakening Elementary School System in University

Professor Figali himself was a crucial reason for Feng Yunhai’s turmoil.

In the contemporary international mathematics community, the attitude of most scholars toward their Huaxia counterparts could be roughly divided into three categories.

The first and largest group was very similar to how Annie had initially felt. Their impression of Huaxia’s mathematics was stuck a decade or more in the past—students who excelled at problem-solving and dominated the Olympiads, but a research scene that was largely unremarkable at the highest levels, with its few geniuses mostly ending up abroad.

The second group was also considerable in number.

They were well aware that Huaxia’s mathematical prowess was no longer what it once was. When recruiting graduate students, they even showed a strong preference for the diligent, hardworking, and highly-skilled students from Huaxia.

However, because their research funding mostly came from the Beautiful Country’s government or closely affiliated institutions, they tended to deliberately keep Huaxia at arm’s length when it came to public academic exchanges and collaborations.

As for the third group, they were few and far between.

Not only did they have a full appreciation for Huaxia’s mathematical prowess, but they also held in high regard the Huaxia government’s open, inclusive, and welcoming attitude toward scholars from around the world. They were genuinely willing to engage in all kinds of in-depth exchanges and collaborations.

Professor Figali was one of the most prominent representatives of this third category of scholars.

He had maintained close academic collaborations with several of China’s top universities for years. Furthermore, two years ago, as a foreign scholar in the Imperial Capital, he had personally accepted the inaugural Frontier Science Award at the International Congress of Basic Science, presented by the Huaxia government.

The conference’s organizing committee had scheduled his speech as the final one in the main hall before the closing ceremony, a self-evident testament to the high regard in which he was held.

To slight such a prominent scholar who was so friendly and well-disposed toward Huaxia could have consequences that extended far beyond the academic sphere.

The thoughts raced through Feng Yunhai’s mind in an instant. He immediately wiped the conflicted look from his face, replacing it with an expression of deep apology. He lowered his voice and said to Professor Figali, "Professor Figali, I am terribly sorry. Professor Deligne’s suggestion was unexpected and has disrupted your schedule.

Please rest assured, we will strictly adhere to the established procedure. We ask that you still prepare to begin your presentation at the originally scheduled time."

However, after listening, Professor Figali just smiled warmly and gently shook his head.

"Director Feng, you’ve misunderstood. I’m not here to complain."

His clear blue eyes shone with sincerity. "Quite the contrary. I came over specifically to support the request Professor Deligne just made of Mr. Chen Lin."

Upon hearing this, Feng Yunhai froze for a moment. Then, as if a realization had dawned on him, an expression of utter disbelief spread across his face.

Seeing his reaction, Ficari’s smile deepened. "I knew Director Feng was a man of wisdom."

Hearing this, Feng Yunhai knew his guess had been correct.

A wave of warmth washed over him, but he still hastened to protest, "How could we possibly do that! Professor Figali, you’ve come all this way. As hosts, how could we be so discourteous to our distinguished guest!"

"Please, don’t make it sound so serious."

Ficari waved his hand with a dismissive smile, his tone light. "Director Feng, you’re aware of my research area and the topic of my talk, aren’t you?

Ultimately, I’m doing this to satisfy my own pursuit of mathematics as well."

He said this while gently patting Feng Yunhai’s shoulder, a gesture of reassurance. Then, without another word, he turned and strode with his long legs directly toward the stage.

Under the curious and bewildered gazes of the entire audience, Professor Figali ascended the stage with a steady gait.

He first approached Chen Lin, cupped a hand over his mouth, and leaned in to whisper a few words in his ear.

A flash of surprise crossed Chen Lin’s eyes, but it quickly melted into understanding and gratitude. He nodded solemnly and voluntarily yielded the microphone to the respected senior scholar.

With this gesture from Professor Figali, the murmuring in the hall instantly died down, and the entire venue fell silent once more.

Professor Figali adjusted the height of the microphone, scanned the audience with a warm smile, and began to speak in clear, fluent English.

"First, I am deeply honored to have been invited by the organizing committee to visit Huaxia once again. Every time I set foot in this country, I can clearly feel its day-by-day development.

And progressing just as rapidly is its level of science and technology."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over his colleagues from around the world in the audience.

"I believe that for many of you attending here, this conference has completely changed your impression of Huaxia."

"As a self-proclaimed ’Huaxia expert,’" Professor Figali said, his tone tinged with proud humor, "I sincerely suggest that all of you here today try to engage in more exchanges and collaborations with universities and academic institutions in Huaxia.

I promise you, the returns will far exceed your expectations."

The words had barely left his mouth when the entire hall erupted in thunderous applause.

The Huaxia professors and students in particular were so moved their faces flushed, and they clapped with all their might.

Even Chen Lin, standing on the stage, couldn’t help but be deeply moved by these words, offering his heartfelt respect to the scholar who had come from so far away.

Before the applause had even died down, Professor Figali smiled and raised his hands, gesturing for quiet before he continued.

His voice, warm and magnetic, echoed clearly throughout the vast hall.

"The topic of the lecture I was invited to give is on variational methods and partial differential equations, with a special focus on the latest research developments in problems related to optimal transport and the Monge-Ampère equation."

At this point, he turned to look at Chen Lin beside him with an expression of pure admiration. Then, turning back to the audience, he gave a helpless shrug.

"However, it is quite apparent that Mr. Chen Lin’s lecture just now has already provided a brilliant discourse on optimal transport and the Monge-Ampère equation. And, to be frank, the depth of the research he presented has already surpassed the content I had prepared to share over the next forty-five minutes."

Professor Figali’s tone then shifted, and a mischievous, slightly self-deprecating smile appeared on his face.

"When I was a student, my advisor once told me that the most heartbreaking situation in academic research is when you’ve painstakingly studied a problem for a long time, and just as you’re about to publish your paper, you discover someone else has beaten you to the solution."

"However," he said, deliberately drawing out the word, causing many in the audience to look up in curiosity, "what I didn’t know back then was that this isn’t actually the most heartbreaking situation.