59: Chapter 59 Within the Boundary

Monday afternoon.

The fourth period was a self-study class.

Head teacher Lao Liu stood at the classroom door for a while, and the back row, which had been whispering, instantly fell dead silent.

Lao Liu's gaze swept across the classroom and finally landed on Jiang Lin by the window.

He walked over quietly, bent down slightly, and lowered his voice: "Come to my office for a moment."

Jiang Lin was writing the "Investigation Report on Mechanical Stress Hysteresis and Error Chains of Low-Frequency Drift in High-Stability Interferometric Measurement Devices". Seeing that it was Lao Liu looking for him, he put down his pen and followed him out.

Lao Liu walked very slowly. It didn't look like his usual brisk and decisive posture when going to catch rule-breaking students; rather, it looked as if he had something on his mind, weighing his words as he walked.

Pushing open the door of the teachers' office.

There weren't many people in the office. As soon as Jiang Lin entered, he saw the director of student affairs sitting in a chair next to Lao Liu's desk, holding an enamel tea mug printed with the Jiangcheng No. 7 High School Alumni Association, looking at him with a smile.

"Hello, Director Wang."

"Ah, hello, student Jiang Lin. Don't just stand there, please sit down."

The director of student affairs waved to Jiang Lin, signaling him to sit next to him.

Jiang Lin obediently sat down on the prepared folding round stool and noticed a printed email on Lao Liu's desk.

Sender: Professor Lu Zhixing, School of Physics, Jiangcheng University.

Email Subject: [Preliminary Communication Regarding Jiangcheng No. 7 High School Student Jiang Lin Participating in Weekend Basic Scientific Research Training]

Just then, the director of student affairs put down his tea mug, cleared his throat, and said: "Jiang Lin, the Student Affairs Office received an email from the School of Physics, Jiangcheng University, saying that a professor invited you to participate in their high school student scientific research training project, planning to go to the School of Physics, Jiangcheng University on weekends to participate in basic scientific research training, and asking if our school is aware of it and supports it."

When he said this, his gaze was truly very complicated.

To call it criticism was completely unlike it; after all, Jiang Lin was currently No. 7 High School's top seed for competing for this year's provincial top scorer.

To call it joy wasn't pure either; it was mixed with too much of the prudence adults use when weighing pros and cons.

It felt more like he was looking at a feature not written in the factory manual, not knowing how to categorize it, afraid of breaking it, yet feeling it would be a shame not to use it.

Lao Liu beside him looked at Jiang Lin, as if waiting for him to show an expression of surprise or panic.

"Hmm, there is indeed such a matter." Jiang Lin simply acknowledged it.

Lao Liu's eyebrows twitched. He picked up the piece of paper and scanned his eyes over it: "After this email was sent, Director Wang and I specifically checked Jiangda University's official website. Professor Lu Zhixing, associate professor, the official website says he is a young PI of a key laboratory, in charge of some high-stability interferometric measurement direction. Jiang Lin, when did you get to know such a professor?"

Jiang Lin said: "During the winter break, when I saw Teacher Lu's science popularization video, I happened to have some questions that I couldn't figure out, so I sent a private message to ask for advice."

"Ask for advice?" Lao Liu's voice raised slightly, "You asked for advice to the point that a dignified doctoral supervisor specifically wrote such a formal email and sent it to the school's Student Affairs Office?"

Actually, Lao Liu's tone didn't mean to blame, but it was obviously not relaxed either.

As a senior high school head teacher with twenty years of teaching experience, upon finding that his student was completely beyond his control, he naturally developed an instinctive anxiety.

Jiang Lin hadn't planned to hide it anyway, so he explained: "Teacher Lu's laboratory was stuck in a bottleneck before, with a low-frequency drift problem, and could never find the cause. I happened to be reading their literature, so I casually gave a suggestion for troubleshooting. They verified it according to the suggestion and found it a bit useful. So Teacher Lu wants me to go over on the weekend, write a report on this troubleshooting process, and take a look along the way."

The director of student affairs, whose heart was itching with curiosity, finally couldn't help asking: "What low-frequency drift?"

Jiang Lin thought for a moment and replied: "This matter might not be easy to explain."

The director of student affairs was silent for a few seconds, then asked: "How did you know about that so-called low-frequency drift?"

"I have a little research in this area, happened to know about it, and just brought it up." Jiang Lin's expression remained normal.

What kind of bringing it up would make a doctoral supervisor anxiously send an email to ask for someone?

Lao Liu also fell silent along with him.

Lao Liu didn't not believe Jiang Lin.

He was reprocessing his overall judgment of this student.

Last month, Jiang Lin took first place in the city's first mock exam.

At that time, Lao Liu's explanation to himself, and to the principal and grade director, was that this kid's foundation had actually never been bad; it was just that his state wasn't good during the first and second years of high school, and he suddenly became enlightened in the third year, rushing up all at once.

This explanation was very convenient, logically self-consistent, and also the most common dark horse script he had seen in his decades of teaching career.

Parents liked to hear it, the school liked to hear it, and Lao Liu himself believed it too.

But now, the script was wrong.

The student sitting opposite him now was calmly telling him that during the winter break, with nothing better to do, he communicated with a 985 doctoral supervisor, and then casually helped the university's key laboratory troubleshoot a core failure of experimental equipment. Now that doctoral supervisor felt he was a rare talent and wanted him to report to their university laboratory every weekend.

Is this something a high school student can do?

Lao Liu picked up the email, as if wanting to dig out the words on it to see them clearly, and read out one of the paragraphs.

"This Professor Lu said in the email that at the current stage, on the premise of the school and parents' consent, he hopes to let you go to the School of Physics, Jiangcheng University on weekends in the capacity of an observation object for high school student scientific research training. The main tasks are report sorting, basic metrology cognitive training, and going to the Engineering Training Center for low-risk visits and basic operation training."

Reading up to here, Lao Liu raised his eyes and looked at Jiang Lin.

"Whether to participate long-term in the future depends on the results of safety training and the school's opinion."

"The premise is that it must absolutely not affect academic grades." Director Wang added a timely blow from the side.

"It won't affect them." Jiang Lin nodded.

Lao Liu looked at him, his gaze gradually becoming serious: "You say it won't affect, of course the teacher believes you, and your current learning state doesn't require me to worry. However, Jiang Lin, you are no longer who you were when you were seventy-first in the grade. Every move you make, the school is watching, your parents are watching, and I am watching too."

Jiang Lin met Lao Liu's gaze and said: "I understand."

Lao Liu gave an acknowledgment and said: "Personally, I don't oppose you contacting higher-level things. Some birds cannot be caged, I understand this principle, but I have three conditions."

"Please go ahead."

"First, the school must clearly know where you go every weekend, who you contact, what time you go, and what time you come back. There cannot be any blind spots in information."

"Understood, I will send you the schedule in advance."

"Second, regarding this matter, your parents must be fully informed, and they must come to the school in person to sign and agree. This is a matter of responsibility."

"I will tell my parents tonight."

"Third, your grades cannot drop. Even if they drop just a little bit, no matter what earth-shattering project you are doing at Jiangda University, stop it immediately. The main business of the third year of high school is the Gaokao, and no matter who comes to plead, it's useless."

Jiang Lin still nodded very calmly.

"Jiang Lin, don't think the teacher is utilitarian, and don't think the teacher is worldly."

Lao Liu was worried that he would feel uncomfortable inside, so he sighed and said earnestly.

"The Gaokao is the most stable path you can take right now, and it is also the path your parents and society can best understand. The teachers at Jiangcheng University appreciate you; that is your ability and a good thing. But you must know that once you step out of this school gate, many things are no longer up to us. You are a student; don't put yourself in a position where no one is protecting you from behind."

Jiang Lin did not answer immediately.

He sat there quietly, digesting Lao Liu's words.

He knew Lao Liu wasn't holding him back, nor could he possibly be jealous of a student's talent.

On the contrary, Lao Liu was using the maximum authority he could understand as a grassroots educator to draw a protection circle for Jiang Lin.

Teacher Lu's side of the boundary was the safety rules of the laboratory and rigorous scientific research procedures.

Lao Liu's side of the boundary was the school's management system, the parents' right to know, and the absolute red line of the Gaokao.

His parents' boundary was safety and peace, not delaying his future.

Everyone was protecting him using the system they were in.

These boundaries were actually very cumbersome and troublesome, which somewhat tied Jiang Lin's hands and feet.

But Jiang Lin knew very well in his heart that without these seemingly lengthy and rigid boundaries, if a high school student with no background rashly got involved in colleges and universities or even deeper levels of scientific research whirlpools, that would truly be dangerous.

Rules were sometimes constraints, but more often they were armor.

"Okay, Teacher, Director, I can accept all three conditions." Jiang Lin said in a sincere tone.

Lao Liu let out a long sigh in his heart, and his somewhat tense expression finally relaxed: "Alright then, on the school side, Director Wang and I will also communicate with your parents first. After verifying it clearly, we will formally reply to Jiangcheng University. During this time, just attend classes with peace of mind and don't be too rushed."

"Okay, thank you, Teacher, thank you, Director."

Saying this, Jiang Lin stood up.

Lao Liu looked at him, his lips moving as if he had a bellyful of words he wanted to ask.

Where on earth did you learn all these things?

But in the end, he swallowed those words back, and just looked at his most proud yet most inscrutable student, saying in a slightly emotional tone: "You are walking faster and faster now, so fast that the teacher can't even understand what you are doing."

Jiang Lin didn't speak, just listened quietly.

Lao Liu sighed and waved his hand: "It's not a bad thing for young people to walk fast, but remember the teacher's words: don't just blindly rush forward, and don't walk to a place where none of us can see you."

Jiang Lin's heart moved slightly. Looking at Lao Liu's somewhat graying sideburns, he nodded earnestly: "I will look back at the road, rest assured."

Director Wang on the side saw that the emotional card had been played enough, cleared his throat, and switched back to the official channel.

"Jiang Lin, this project, no matter what name Jiangda University calls it, is essentially a key university's endorsement of your ability. This is a tremendous good thing for you personally, and for our No. 7 High School, it is also a very rare student science and technology innovation case. As long as your parents have no objection and agree, the school can file a record for you in the name of extracurricular science and technology innovation practice special activities."

Director Wang, with a seasoned demeanor, tapped his finger in the air: "In the future, in school or outside, if anyone asks you what you went to do on the weekend, you will unify your talking points and say you participated in the high school student scientific research training of the School of Physics, Jiangcheng University. As for what instruments you specifically repair inside or what work you do, those details do not need to be elaborated to others."

"Okay, Director." Jiang Lin nodded, gaining a trace of recognition for this director of student affairs who was well-versed in the philosophy of survival.

"Alright, there's nothing else, go back and attend the self-study class. He who travels a hundred miles half-way through counts as ninety; although the mock exam went well, pay attention not to slack off too much."

Lao Liu waved his hand and gave a final admonition.

Emerging from the office, Jiang Lin also let out a long breath.

Things were smoother than he had anticipated.

This handling method by Lao Liu and the school, although carrying a strong institutional color, was currently the safest one.

Returning to the classroom, there were less than twenty minutes left in the self-study class.

Sun Ming beside him was resting one side of his head with one hand and spinning a pen with the other, his eyes seemingly staring at the test paper, but actually without the slightest focus.

Sensing the movement next to him, he moved slightly, without raising his head, and asked in a voice like someone half-asleep and startled awake: "What did Lao Liu want with you? It couldn't be that he was giving you some special tutoring again, right?"

"Talked about something." Jiang Lin casually pulled over the unfinished matrix draft paper on the table and picked up his pen to continue writing.

"What matter, so mysteriously?" Sun Ming tilted his head slightly, revealing the earphone nestled in his ear.

"A project cooperating with the school."

"What cooperation, are you going to represent the school to participate in some competition?"

"A project on Jiangcheng University's side." Jiang Lin replied absentmindedly while writing down the inverse operation of the matrix.

Hearing Jiangcheng University, Sun Ming's consciousness became a bit clearer, and his brain operated at high speed, trying to understand why the dignified Jiangda University would look for a third-year high school student to cooperate.

However, he quickly realized that this question had seriously exceeded the upper limit of information a regular high school student like him could handle.

"Forget it." Sun Ming gave up thinking, sank back down like a puddle of mud, and said in a muffled voice, "Just don't tell me one day that you are already correcting papers for university teachers."

Jiang Lin wrote his report on his own, ignoring him.

Until the class bell rang.

The classroom instantly became as noisy as boiling water.

Jiang Lin packed his things and prepared to go back, only to see Lao Liu standing outside the corridor, waving at him through the glass window.

Jiang Lin walked out.

Lao Liu was holding a document bag in his hand, pulled out several printed materials from it, and handed them to him.

The topmost one had a bold and enlarged title, impressively reading: [Informed Consent Form of Parents of Jiangcheng No. 7 High School Students Participating in University Scientific Research Training Projects]

Neatly stacked below were two more copies, the "Safety Notice for Extracurricular Scientific Research Practice" and the "Description of Student Basic Information".

Lao Liu handed this thick stack of paper to Jiang Lin, patted his shoulder, and his tone returned to its usual casualness: "Take it back and show it to your parents first, and let them read it word for word and make it clear. If they are willing, let them come to the school tomorrow afternoon to sign and confirm. The school still needs to go through a set of approval procedures. After all the procedures are completed, you can go to Jiangda University to participate in formal training."

This was the first time No. 7 High School had encountered such a situation, and no matter how cautious they were, it wasn't an exaggeration.