The Reincarnated Science Whiz

Chapter 26: Return

Qin Yuanqing’s face beamed with joy as he held the team gold trophy in his left hand and his individual gold medal in his right—he was truly the ultimate winner in life. Had he not reached Math Level 10 at the very last moment, he likely wouldn’t have achieved a perfect score of 42 points; he would probably have scored 40 points, just like the other top competitors. Although they all won individual gold medals, the significance was different. “Fellow students, congratulations on bringing honor to our country!” A Huaxia reporter approached; the prominent “CCTV” logo on his microphone made his affiliation immediately clear: “I’m a reporter for CCTV News. May I interview you?” Just then, the team leader walked over and shook hands with the reporter: “Hello, sir. I’m the team leader of the Huaxia Math Olympiad Team!” “Hello, Coach!” the reporter replied promptly. “Qin Yuanqing, please cooperate and give this reporter an interview!” the team leader said to Qin Yuanqing and the others. Although they had won a team gold medal and four individual gold medals this time—unlike previous years when they had secured six individual gold medals outright—it was still an excellent result. Qin Yuanqing, in particular, had achieved the only perfect score of the entire competition. This was truly a rare feat. As the head coach of the Huaxia Math Olympiad Team, he had been working alongside the head coaches of other nations over the past few days to prevent cheating. He knew full well that while competitors from other countries hadn’t even come up with a single solution, Qin Yuanqing had provided two on his exam paper. If the perfect score hadn’t been capped at 42 points, Qin Yuanqing’s score would undoubtedly have been even higher. Good results deserve thorough coverage—this is also a source of pride for the Mathematical Society. “First of all, congratulations on winning the team gold medal and bringing honor to our country. How do you feel right now?” asked a female reporter. “We’re so excited!” “Super excited!” One by one, the team members expressed their excitement, their hands trembling. When it was Qin Yuanqing’s turn, he said with a smile, “I’m overjoyed to bring honor to our country. Through our actions, we’ve shown the experts back home that we, the ’90s generation, are not a ‘lost generation.’ We’re getting stronger with each generation—the disciples surpassing the masters!” The others were taken aback for a moment; they hadn’t expected Qin Yuanqing to say that. The reporter was also somewhat taken aback, but still asked with a smile, “Qin Yuanqing, you were the only contestant in this competition to receive a perfect score. Do you have any secrets to your success?” “There’s no secret. If there is one, it’s one percent talent and ninety-nine percent hard work!” Qin Yuanqing replied. “Comrade Reporter, on the final problem, Qin Yuanqing used two different solution methods, both of which were correct,” the team leader added. The reporter was taken aback; he hadn’t expected Qin Yuanqing to be so impressive. The reporter then asked, “One last question: Do you have a university in mind that you’d like to attend?” Qin Yuanqing paused for a moment, looking pensive. He had thought about this question before, but hadn’t reached a conclusion. Shuimu University and Yan Da University were, of course, the two top universities in Huaxia, with the greatest reputations; the very best students almost always ended up at one of these two institutions. However, Qin Yuanqing harbored some reservations about both schools, which was why he hadn’t accepted their offers. “I haven’t made up my mind yet!” Qin Yuanqing finally said. “Well then, I hope you get into the university of your choice!” After the interview, Qin Yuanqing and the others, led by their team leader, returned to the hotel to pack their bags; they would be returning to China the next day. Afterward, the team posed for a group photo as a memento. This year’s Math Olympiad team was unique—every member was a senior in high school, and this was their final year on the team. Next, they would each go their separate ways. The next day at noon, the Huaxia Math Olympiad Team boarded an aircraft from Germany back to Huaxia. On the aircraft, Qin Yuanqing still felt quite moved. This trip had truly been well worth it—not only had it broadened his horizons and allowed him to meet mathematical prodigies from around the world, but he’d even encountered several students who scored 38 or 40 points, despite being the equivalent of freshmen in high school. To possess such a level of ability as early as their freshman year was truly admirable. Moreover, winning both the team and individual titles—a double sweep—was a source of pride for the nation. The aircraft traveled at breakneck speed, and before they knew it, they had arrived in Beijing. Looking down from the aircraft window, they could see a massive, modern metropolis—a city that had been built in just over two decades, a true miracle in the history of human industry. As the political and cultural center of Huaxia, Beijing is truly the heart of the nation, boasting immense advantages. Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen are Huaxia’s four major first-tier cities, each with a population in the tens of millions. Qin Yuanqing did not return directly to Fujian Province. Because of their outstanding achievements this time, they had to stay in Beijing for three more days to meet with leaders from the Mathematical Society and the Ministry of Education—after all, just like the Olympics, this was an occasion to bring honor to the nation. They stayed in Beijing for a total of one week, touring the city under the guidance of local team members. In his previous life, he had never visited Beijing, the capital of the Republic. This trip finally fulfilled a long-held wish of his. As the Chairman once said, “He who has not been to the Great Wall is not a true hero”—and this time, he had gone and become one. The Great Wall, hailed as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, stretches for 20,000 kilometers. In ancient times, it formed a formidable defense line for Huaxia against northern nomadic tribes, spanning more than 2,000 years of the country’s feudal dynastic history and serving as a vital historical testament to Huaxia. Qin Yuanqing could hardly imagine the wisdom and sacrifices his ancient Huaxia ancestors must have expended to build these 20,000 kilometers of the Great Wall. Qin Yuanqing then boarded an aircraft straight to Lushi Island, and his bank account had already been credited with 200,000. Thinking about it, Beijing wasn’t very generous—in fact, it was quite stingy. The rewards for the group and individual categories were each 100,000, which wasn’t even as much as what the county offered. Still, Qin Yuanqing put the money away—even a mosquito’s leg is meat, after all! Upon arriving at Lushi Island, Qin Yuanqing paid a visit to Jianfa. The sales office had already processed the three certificates for him, and it was now time for the official handover. “This place is nice—no hidden tricks. It really is fully furnished!” Led by a property management representative, Qin Yuanqing went up to his unit. The registered area was 120 square meters, but the actual living space was only 100 square meters; the remaining 20 square meters were common area. That accursed “common area” was truly the best tool for exploiting homebuyers, effortlessly skimming off 20 percent. It was a three-bedroom, one-living-room unit, and the finishings were quite nice; Qin Yuanqing was very satisfied. He couldn’t help but reflect that as Xiamen’s largest real estate developer, Jianfa had always enjoyed a good reputation. When he bought his home, Jianfa’s properties were consistently 10,000 yuan per square meter more expensive than neighboring developments; back then, Jianfa was synonymous with quality of life. Then he thought back to the R&F property he’d bought at the time. It was supposed to be “fully furnished,” but the finish was so shoddy it made him want to throw up. By Qin Yuanqing’s own estimate, they probably didn’t spend more than 700 yuan per square meter on the finishes; the front door was warped, and the whole place had a cheap, low-grade feel from start to finish. If he were to buy now, property prices here would surely be enough to drive the average person to despair in just a few years. After the 2017 housing price surge, that apartment would be worth tens of millions. Qin Yuanqing took a look around; all that was needed were an air conditioner, a bed, and some kitchen appliances. Once those were in place, the place would be ready to move into. So Qin Yuanqing decided to do it himself. After spending two days setting everything up, he locked the door, satisfied with the result. At Jinpu No. 1 High School, the eye-catching banner was impossible to miss. At the school entrance stood a life-sized photo display: on the left was a picture of Qin Yuanqing holding a team gold trophy in his left hand and an individual gold medal in his right; on the right was a group photo of the Huaxia Math Olympiad Team, with Qin Yuanqing standing right in the center, beaming. Qin Yuanqing first dragged his luggage back to the dorm. Having been away for so long, the dorm smelled musty. He cleaned it himself, sprayed some air freshener—which helped a bit—and then opened the windows to air it out. Just then, his phone rang. Qin Yuanqing glanced at the screen and saw it was Principal Fang. He immediately answered the call: “Principal!” “Qin Yuanqing, are you back!?” the principal asked with concern. “Principal, I’m already back on campus. I just finished cleaning my dorm room!” Qin Yuanqing replied. “I see…” The principal paused for a moment, then said, “Qin Yuanqing, could you please come to my office? City leaders and officials from the municipal bureau will be visiting in a few days, and there are some important matters I need to discuss with you.” Qin Yuanqing had long been prepared for this. On this trip back to China, the highest-ranking official he had met was a vice-ministerial-level bigwig. In comparison, municipal leaders were a far cry from that level—not to mention the municipal bureau. “Sure, I’ll come see you in your office in half an hour!” Qin Yuanqing agreed. Qin Yuanqing took a shower and washed his hair. He always kept his hair cut short, so it dried quickly after a quick blow-dry. Then he changed into a short-sleeved shirt. When he wore long sleeves and sweaters, Qin Yuanqing’s physique wasn’t immediately apparent, but now that he’d switched to a short-sleeved shirt, his muscles were impossible to hide. Qin Yuanqing had changed into casual pants and a shirt—items he’d bought on Lushi Island that he happened to like—since his old short-sleeved shirt no longer fit him. Qin Yuanqing left the dormitory and headed toward the school. Since classes were still in session, he didn’t run into a single student. The security guard saw him and let him in without even asking him to sign in. Having been there several times before, Qin Yuanqing knew his way around well and quickly reached the principal’s office. The principal was brewing tea, and the office was filled with a rich aroma of tea. The last time he overheard their conversation, he’d heard that this tea cost two to three thousand per jin, and brewing it required a special tea table; the set of teapots and cups was reportedly worth tens of thousands. Qin Yuanqing admitted he didn’t understand the behavior of these tea connoisseurs. “Qin Yuanqing, you’re here! Please sit down, please sit down. I just brewed a pot of fine tea—it’s perfect that you’re here!” The principal’s enthusiasm was so overwhelming that Qin Yuanqing found it a bit unnerving. This time, with Qin Yuanqing and the Huaxia Math Olympiad Team winning the team gold medal at the IMO—and Qin Yuanqing also securing an individual gold medal as the only contestant to achieve a perfect score—news of Qin Yuanqing even made it onto television. As Qin Yuanqing’s school, Jinpu No. 1 High School naturally received significant exposure. Media outlets at the county, city, provincial, and even national levels all reported on the story, giving the school a massive boost in prestige. Meanwhile, the high-ranking county official who had previously said he needed time to consider the matter had already approved, at a meeting, a financial allocation for Jinpu No. 1 High School to construct two dormitory buildings and improve students’ living conditions. Speaking with deep emotion at the meeting, the high-ranking county official said, “No matter how poor we are, we cannot skimp on education; no matter how hard things get, we cannot let the children suffer.” The county has resolved to help the school solve its housing problem no matter what. Now, the special account for Jinpu No. 1 High School has been credited with 20 million in dedicated funds. The principal is currently reaching out to the municipal government to see if he can secure additional subsidies from higher authorities.