234: Chapter 234 Relationship problems, what a hassle!

Solving a problem of the caliber of Goldbachs Conjecture is never a simple task.

Even though Zhao Yang's current mathematics level has reached LV5 and his IQ is as high as 185, he still finds it extremely taxing to face this super mathematical puzzle that has plagued the human mathematical world for centuries.

This was also Zhao Yang's first time attempting to solve a mathematical problem of this magnitude.

He hadn't been the one to solve the previous twin prime conjecture. That was the system directly issuing a complete proof blueprint through a lucky draw; he only needed to restate the logic on the blueprint in mathematical language.

But now, there were no blueprints and no shortcuts.

He could only take it one step at a time.

Sitting in the office of the School of Mathematical Sciences, Peking University, Zhao Yang reorganized the thick stack of manuscripts left behind by Terence Tao before his departure.

After finishing these final tasks, Zhao Yang closed the manuscript papers and rubbed his slightly aching brow.

He glanced at the calendar in the bottom right corner of his computer screen.

He had been at Peking University for a full three months.

It was time to head back to Beijing Forestry University.

The faces of the two women, Gu Qing and Li Yan, flashed through Zhao Yang's mind, and he sighed involuntarily.

Especially Gu Qing.

Three months ago, after the research group's celebration banquet, a drunken Gu Qing had suddenly and directly confessed her feelings to him downstairs at the girls' dormitory building, even forcibly kissing him.

During this time, he had been staying at Peking University in seclusion working on mathematical deductions, and Gu Qing had also tacitly refrained from sending a single text message or making a single phone call.

It was as if the two of them had completely lost contact.

But Zhao Yang knew in his heart that this silence didn't mean the matter was over. He also didn't know what Gu Qing had been thinking during these three months.

No matter what, he had to go and take a look.

Thinking of this, Zhao Yang felt a wave of headache.

When facing such complex problems involving human emotions, even his IQ couldn't provide an optimal solution.

It really is a hassle.

Zhao Yang packed his backpack, left Peking University, and took a car directly back to Beijing Forestry University.

After returning to the school, Zhao Yang went straight back to the Room 302 Boys' Dormitory.

Pushing open the dormitory door, Li Tianqi, Wang Mian, and Sun Xu were all there.

"Holy crap! Brother Yang!"

Li Tianqi was playing games with headphones on; when he caught sight of someone entering from the corner of his eye, he turned his head and jumped right out of his chair.

Wang Mian and Sun Xu also immediately put down the books in their hands.

"You busy man, you've been at Peking University for a full three months; you've finally deigned to come back and see us."

Wang Mian pushed up his glasses and said with a smile.

"I just finished processing the data on hand and came back."

Zhao Yang looked at the three of them and said with a smile.

"Let's go. We haven't gathered in three months. Today it's my treat; I'll take everyone out for a good meal."

Hearing Zhao Yang's words, Sun Xu, who was standing nearby, suddenly stepped forward.

"Brother Yang, no matter what you say, we can't let it be your treat today. I must be the one to pay!"

Sun Xu's tone was very serious.

"You helped me so much before, and Brother Mian and Brother Tianqi helped me a lot too. I received the National Encouragement Scholarship this semester, so I have money now. Today, it must be my treat!"

Zhao Yang looking at Sun Xu's serious expression, knew this was a matter of the other's self-esteem, so he didn't argue further and nodded in agreement.

The four of them left the dormitory and went to a barbecue stall on the snack street outside the school gate.

Finding a seat on the side and sitting down, Sun Xu generously ordered a large table of skewers, stir-fried dishes, and two crates of chilled beer.

The smoky scent of charcoal and the aroma of cumin wafted through the air.

Zhao Yang didn't drink alcohol and still only asked for a bottle of iced red tea. Everyone had long since gotten used to his style and didn't insist.

"Brother Yang, you've really become a god now. During these three months you were away from school, our school's Online forum has been full of legends about you."

Li Tianqi took a bite of a mutton skewer and said indistinctly.

"Yeah."

Wang Mian took a sip of beer and continued.

"The recording of you giving a public lecture on the same stage as Academician Shing-Tung Yau and Professor Terence Tao, we in the dorm have watched it over and over several times. Although we couldn't understand a single word of those formulas, watching you chatting and laughing with world-class figures of that level on stage—that feeling was just incredible."

"And that opening report for Goldbachs Conjecture, the whole internet is watching you now. Brother Yang, give us the inside scoop—how much confidence do you actually have in pulling that thing off?"

Li Tianqi asked Zhao Yang curiously.

Zhao Yang took a sip of iced red tea and said in a calm tone, "It's progressing. With something like mathematics, until you've deduced the very last step, there's no such thing as one hundred percent certainty. I can only say the framework is sound."

"Impressive. We aren't even confident about the Advanced Mathematics final exams right now, and you're already using Goldbachs Conjecture for your doctoral dissertation."

Li Tianqi gave a thumbs up and then changed the subject.

"By the way, Brother Yang, those sixteen mathematical modeling teams you coached went to take the closed-door exams for the National Contest last week. Did you know about that?"

Zhao Yang nodded. Although he was at Peking University, he was aware of the timeline of the competition.

"I heard the exam questions were very difficult. But when those guys came out after finishing, every one of them was quite confident. They said the hell-level training you gave them before was like a dimensional strike in the exam room," Wang Mian added from the side.

"That's good. The rest depends on the judges' review." Zhao Yang didn't comment further. He had taught everything he should have; if they still couldn't win the higher education press cup under these circumstances, there was nothing more he could do.

The four of them ate and chatted at the stall. The topics of conversation shifted from major events in the academic world back down to the daily trifles of the dormitory and the upcoming sophomore final exams.

The meal lasted for over an hour.

After finishing the meal and settling the bill, the four of them walked back along the campus's main road.

When passing the junction to the girls' dormitory building, Zhao Yang stopped in his tracks.

"You guys head back to the dorm first, I have something I need to take care of," Zhao Yang said to the three.

"Sure, then you go ahead and do your thing, Brother Yang."

Li Tianqi and the others didn't ask further and went back to the boys' dormitory together.

Alone, Zhao Yang turned around and walked slowly toward the girls' dormitory area.

Arriving at the bottom of the girls' dormitory building where Gu Qing lived, Zhao Yang stood in the shadow of a plane tree and took out his phone.

He pulled up Gu Qing's name in his contacts, his thumb hovering over the dial button, just as he was hesitating whether to make a call to contact her.

The glass door of the dormitory building was pushed open.

Gu Qing, wearing a simple white T-shirt and light blue jeans, came walking out with her head down, holding two thick professional books in her arms.

Zhao Yang's gaze locked onto her.

He put away his phone and stepped out from the shadows of the trees.

"Gu Qing."

Zhao Yang's voice wasn't loud, but it was still very clear in the quiet area downstairs.

Hearing this extremely familiar voice, Gu Qing's footsteps abruptly halted. She looked up in disbelief toward the direction of the sound.

When she saw the boy standing under the streetlight, with his tall, upright figure and calm face.

In Gu Qing's eyes, which usually held a hint of coldness, a strong surge of pleasant surprise instantly erupted.

She didn't even care about the books in her arms and ran toward Zhao Yang at a quick pace.

Half a meter away from Zhao Yang, she came to a sudden halt.

"You... why are you back? Weren't you researching Goldbachs Conjecture?"