Chapter 398: State’s Dinner

Translator: Henyee Translations  Editor: Henyee Translations

The next day, various news outlets reported on the award ceremony.

[Famous scholar, Lu Zhou, won the first level State Natural Science Award!]

[The youngest first level State Natural Science Award!]

[Shocked, this year’s first level State Natural Science Award was given to three people! One of whom is only 24 years old!]

[The highest honor in China academia, the first level prize State Natural Science Award that you didn’t know about.]

[…..]

Just like the Crafoord Prize, Lu Zhou received an enormous amount of attention for the State Natural Science Award.

Whether the media was trying to create a public image or hype Lu Zhou up for content, Lu Zhou’s name as plastered over the news.

Other than Lu Zhou’s achievements, people were also talking about Lu Zhou’s age.

Most people thought that Lu Zhou deserved the award and that the award committee made the correct decision.

Of course, there were some people who disagreed.

Some people thought that this decision was sloppy. After all, it was ridiculous to award a person under forty a State Natural Science Award.

This discussion wasn’t happening only on the internet; it was also happening in various universities.

At the cafeteria of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Two researchers who had just received their PhD were eating lunch while discussing the sensational academia news.

“Did you hear? This year three first-level State Natural Science Awards were given.”

The researcher in glasses said with emotion, “I heard that this was the first time this has happened since the ’80s, and I’m guessing that the award committee made a difficult decision. There were no winners in the past few years, and three this year. There are so many nutty people.”

The chubby researcher raised his eyebrows and looked at him.

“You think this is a good thing?”

“Why is it not a good thing? The strength of our country’s science and technology is getting stronger and stronger, and it’s becoming more and more influential in the international academic community, how is this a bad thing?”

The chubby researcher asked, “But isn’t he a Princeton professor? Does he count as one of us?”

The researcher, who was wearing a pair of glasses, put a slice of meat in his bowl and shook his head.

“The rules of the first-level State Natural Science Award are clear. The award winner has to be a Chinese citizen. The award criteria are major achievements. He has never given up his Chinese citizenship, so why shouldn’t he be able to win this award? Deligne was working at the Princeton Institute for Advanced Study when he was knighted by the King of Belgium. You’re only seeing the surface and not the essence!”

The chubby researcher asked, “How do you know he will return to China later?”

The researcher in glasses was amused.

“Let me put it this way. With his abilities, as long as he wants, he can become a citizen in any country in the world. But he still has his Chinese citizenship, and he’s still holding a Chinese passport. This proves his loyalty. Compare this to the professor that received the academician title and left the country…

“His glory is the nation’s glory, his brilliance is Chinese academia’s glory. Spend your time doing something else rather than picking a bone with him.”

The chubby researcher frowned and said, “But his age…”

The researcher with glasses said, “What about his age? This is good for us young people! The State is saying that as long as you are good enough, age is not an issue. What is wrong with you?”

The chubby researcher smiled and didn’t say anything.

Your words seem right…

But the problem is that we’re not good enough.

Am I not supposed to be envious?

…

There were still photoshoots after the award; the ceremony ended at night.

The state’s dinner would be held the following evening.

This was different than the Stockholm party as this dinner was classier and more ceremonious.

Also, this was the first time Lu Zhou had truly seen an extravagant party.

There were various cuisines, each of which were divided into different categories. Each dish had its own characteristics, and the only unfortunate thing was that Lu Zhou couldn’t taste all of the dishes.

As the winner of the first level State Natural Science Award, it was inevitable that he received a huge amount of attention.

Lu Zhou responded politely to all of the scholars that tried to talk with him.

Other than the normal scholars that tried to talk to him, the other two State Natural Science Award winners, Academician Li and Academician Tang, also conversed with Lu Zhou.

Lu Zhou didn’t know much about agriculture, so he only exchanged a few words with Academician Li before they wished each other the best on their science journey.

Academician Tang’s research direction was polymers, and he had much to talk about with Lu Zhou…

“Professor Lu, what have you been researching lately?”

Lu Zhou smiled and said, “Do you mean the materials science side or the mathematics side?”

Tang Benzhong was surprised, and he said, “Researching mathematics and materials science at the same time?”

Normally speaking, researching in two different directions was extraordinary. Researching in two different fields was unheard of.

When Lu Zhou saw Academician Tang’s look of astonishment, he smiled and said, “Not both at the same time. The materials side is mainly done by my research team at Silicon Valley and Jinling and also by cooperating with the research team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The theses have already been submitted to Nature. As for the specific content, I’m afraid I can’t disclose it before publication. I can only say that it’s related to superconducting materials.”

Academician Tang smiled and said, “Superconducting materials? I’ll be looking forward to the next issue of Nature then!”

…

After the state’s dinner ended, Lu Zhou climbed into a Mercedes.

Driver Wang Peng started the car and skillfully drove out of the parking lot.

Lu Zhou felt the cold wind blowing on him through the window. He felt like he wasn’t as drunk anymore.

He then asked Wang Peng, “Have you eaten yet?”

Wang Peng said, “Not yet, I plan on eating in a bit.”

Lu Zhou said, “Oh yeah, can I ask you something?”

Wang Peng said, “Go ahead.”

Lu Zhou asked, “When do I have to leave the hotel?”

Wang Peng, who was holding the steering wheel, smiled and said, “Professor Lu, you can stay there for as long as you want.”

“I can’t do that, that’ll cause too much trouble for you guys,” Lu Zhou shook his head and said. He then added, “Check out once I head off to Jinling.”

Wang Peng: “…”

Actually, there was no such thing as checking out the room.

Because that hotel wasn’t open to outsiders; only important national guests or special military personnel could live there.

Even money couldn’t buy one a spot at the hotel.

After Lu Zhou went back to the hotel, he hung his clothes on the hangers before he went to take a shower. Once he dried his hair, he then lay down on the bed.

When the state’s dinner ended, it also meant that his work in Beijing was completed.

Also, because of his first level State Natural Science Award, his system mission was completed. Originally, he planned on receiving the mission rewards yesterday, but he was too busy.

He couldn’t procrastinate any longer.

Lu Zhou went into the pure white system space and walked in front of the translucent information screen. He then walked up and read the text in the center of the screen.

[Congratulations, User, for completing the reward mission!]

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