When it was time for bedside monitoring, the nurse measured Mr. Adams' vital signs once more. Apart from the original high blood pressure and fast heart rate, he remained the same, so the doctor had to resort to medication intervention.

"Mr. Adams, you really don't need to worry, leave the professional matters to the professionals." Dr. Li didn't want to get entangled with him anymore. This back and forth could go on indefinitely, solving one problem only for another to emerge, a cycle that perhaps suited Adams' character, which seemed perfectly attuned to studying mathematics.

Mrs. Adams also constantly shot him glances, urging him not to dwell further. This was no longer normal patient-doctor communication but a form of entanglement that would waste a lot of the doctor's time.

"I just have some questions, Dr. Li. Could you arrange a one-on-one meeting with Professor Yang for me? Half an hour is all I need to understand the doubts in my mind." Adams regarded Dr. Li as just a minor figure who couldn't answer his questions, believing only Professor Yang himself could clarify the issues for him.

Half an hour? At this pace of questions, half a day might not even suffice.

Dr. Li seized this opportunity to extricate himself: "Professor Yang is very busy. I can only say I'll do my best to arrange it."

With that, Dr. Li left the ward with the nurse, but not before reminding Mr. Adams and his wife that they could call for a nurse anytime if they felt unwell.

Dr. Li breathed a sigh of relief, yet he still conveyed Adams' request to Yang Ping when he returned. After some thought, Yang Ping decided to make time to meet him, to talk for half an hour and unravel the doubts in his mind. Being a mathematician, Adams approached medical issues with a purely theoretical mindset, leading to a paradox that was difficult to resolve, as medicine is a highly practical science, fundamentally different from pure theoretical mathematics.

In the afternoon, Yang Ping took some time to visit the International Medical Center, creating excitement for Adams. Yang Ping initiated the conversation right in his ward.

"Please sit!" Adams prompted his wife to bring a chair, intending to clarify each issue with Yang Ping.

As Yang Ping sat down, Dr. Li and Mrs. Adams stood nearby. Adams reflected, bringing out all the questions he had asked Dr. Li in the morning. He had prepared many questions but didn't intend to reveal them all at once, choosing instead to release them one by one.

After he finished speaking, Yang Ping thought for a moment and said, "Mr. Adams, you study mathematics. I assume you also have some understanding of physics?"

Generally speaking, mathematicians aren't usually poor in physics, and physicists often have strong mathematical skills.

"Yes, if I weren't so passionate about mathematics, I might have become a theoretical physics researcher. I like pure theoretical things because they are so perfect. I don't like experiments because they always fall short of perfection," Adams admitted candidly.

"Alright! Before I answer your questions, I'd like to ask you one. If you can answer my question, you'll naturally understand the question you just posed." Yang Ping didn't want to answer directly, unwilling to be led by the nose, preferring instead to lead Adams.

Of course, Adams was eager to answer Yang Ping's question. He enjoyed asking questions and answering them, finding it a particularly pleasant activity.

"This is a very simple question that once trended on our Chinese web, but it also stumped many mathematicians and physicists."

Upon hearing it was a trending question that challenged many mathematicians and physicists, Adams became fully focused: "Go ahead, I'm ready."

His wife handed him a pencil and notebook with perfect synchrony, even providing a clipboard to facilitate writing and calculations while sitting on the bed. Naturally, a calculator was also available at his bedside.

"Over the center of London, would a 0.05mL droplet falling from 5000 meters be able to penetrate a human skull?" Yang Ping posed the challenge.

Adams quickly jotted down the question, looked at it, and began muttering to himself.

"This requires considering air resistance. Air density varies in different places, and even differs at various altitudes. What's the air density in London? What's the average thickness of a person's hair, and how much cushioning does it provide? What's the thickness and density of the human skull? Its strength? Yield strength and tensile strength? This requires a large amount of data..."

Indeed, it could stump many mathematicians and physicists. It wasn't a straightforward problem; it was exceedingly complex, seemingly a simple case of near-free-fall, but involving numerous factors. One needs precise calculations of the droplet's impact force on the skull, as well as the skull material's resistance to damage. Many mathematical and physical models are required to solve this issue.

Adams had already filled several pages listing the factors to consider. Gradually, his forehead became moist, and his few sparse hairs clung to his damp forehead.

"Don't rush, Mr. Adams. We have half an hour for this discussion. You can take your time with the calculations. I'll wait for you," Yang Ping reassured him, seated calmly and unhurriedly.

Beside him, Dr. Li was bewildered by this approach. The professor, being a professor, had cleverly redirected the problem to Adams, thus preventing him from focusing on asking more questions; he was now occupied with solving the problem.

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