Chapter 188: When She Hits Me, She Doesn

Two more days passed in the blink of an eye.

On April 4th, with the final report on analytic geometry concluding, the seven-day mathematical feast officially ended; that evening was the long-awaited banquet.

Xu Xu Qingzhou still didn't go; since the report ended, he had been in seclusion, declining every invitation—whether seminar, coffee party, or collaboration offer.

At 8 p. m., Xu Xu Qingzhou typed the final character and clicked "Submit."

Ding~ "Huh~"

Xu Xu Qingzhou stared at the submission-success email, exhaled deeply, and grinned—after half a year of hard work, it was finally done.

The journal he submitted to this time was still *Mathematical Invention*, an old acquaintance—fast review, no page fees.

Elton sipped his coffee, ready to clock out; for the past half-year, his mood had been excellent—he'd published several high-quality papers, especially the proof of the Cramér theorem.

Read! {

Avanisha blinked, curious: "Oh? What's it about?"

He didn't go to Jianqiao Grafton Centre; instead, he turned down King Street. Jianqiao's signature souvenirs weren't his priority—every tourist spot worldwide was the same; memorabilia were all much the same, lacking any real distinction.

"Good evening, sir," the old man greeted him in Chinese.

"Good God, you've finally put down that damn work—pick a place."

Xu Xu Qingzhou closed his laptop, packed his manuscript into his bag, and prepared to shower and head out. The paper was done, but there was still one urgent matter—to buy Song Yao a gift.

Besides, this young man had announced at the Jianqiao seminar a few days ago that he would prove the twin prime conjecture. Many around him scoffed, treating it as a joke, dismissing him as just another braggart—but Elton thought it had real potential and planned to email Xu Xu Qingzhou that night; if the man intended to submit, he'd gladly accept it.

Xu Xu Qingzhou tightened his collar; a cool breeze blew in. April here was early spring—even with westerly winds strengthened by the North Atlantic Current, the air still carried a faint chill.

After finishing his coffee, he called his old friend: "Hey, James, want to grab a drink later?"

At 9 p. m., night had deepened; streetlamps cast orange-yellow light, stretching the shadows of passersby long and thin.

Six months—just six months—and the deputy editor position would be his! All thanks to that young man from Xia.

But this man was Xu Xu Qingzhou—the prover of the Cramér theorem! Elton took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement, opened the paper, and was soon lost in it.

The old man pointed left: "You can check over there—everything was handwoven by my wife."

Xu Xu Qingzhou took a hot shower and finally felt most of his fatigue melt away; from the 2nd until today, he'd been working nonstop on complex tasks.

Elton checked the time, decided to rest a moment, and prepared to clock out.

"Good evening," Xu Xu Qingzhou greeted with a smile, glancing around the shop's wares, then asked: "Can you understand Chinese?"

Silver-white, no elaborate decoration, simple yet refined design—the chain intricately woven with tiny geometric patterns, matching Song Yao's icy demeanor.

Elton reminded: "Mr. Hajiye, you must attend the mayor's banquet."

Knock knock~ Ten minutes passed; someone tapped the table.

"I hold the Meteor Crescent Blade, shouting a bold slogan: Who goes there? If you've got guts, don't run!"

"Elton, if this paper succeeds, we're all witnesses—screw this damn party, all of it!"

The other had just cursed, but Elton had already hung up—and at lightning speed, he opened the file.

Xu Xu Qingzhou walked over; the shelf held over a dozen bracelets, varied in style—some golden and luxurious, others modest and delicate. Of course, they couldn't match the precision of world-class master carvings, but they carried meaning.

"Proving the twin prime conjecture." "What?"

Compared to the bustle of recent days, the hotel was nearly empty—most had gone to the banquet, others had left early. Inside, Xu Xu Qingzhou hummed a cheerful tune as he slipped into the bathroom.

"Mr. Hajiye, I've received a document from Xia's Xu Qingzhou." Elton's face glowed with unparalleled excitement.

To his surprise, only half an hour had passed, and the manuscript had already entered "Awaiting Reviewer Assignment."

"Proved the twin prime conjecture."

He pushed the door open; a crisp bell rang. The shop was small, like the wand store in Harry Potter.

Xu Xu Qingzhou turned in a circle, finally stopping before a shop named "Faulkner's General Store."

"I want to buy a bracelet," Xu Xu Qingzhou said directly, thinking to himself—true masters hide among the common folk. As for how the man instantly knew he was from Xia—that required experience, like deducing from body language, clothing style, and other cues.

The old man nodded, smiling gently: "I speak five languages, including Chinese."

"."

"Thank you."

"James, I'm sorry—I'll have to work late. Let's drink another time."

"Then... huh?"

Avanisha's expression hardened. He didn't leave; he turned back to his office to pull up the paper.

!.

But this street had many uniquely creative shops selling handmade goods.

Across the ocean, at *Mathematical Invention*'s editorial office.

Girls, though they say they don't want anything, will never refuse a gift brought back.

Twin prime conjecture, Goldbach conjecture, Riemann hypothesis— the editorial office received at least a dozen such papers every year.

Elton was about to shut down his computer when a notification popped up—a new submission, from Xu Xu Qingzhou!

Elton looked up to see the editor-in-chief, Avanisha Hajiye, standing beside him, saying with mild exasperation: "Elton, at this hour, you really should go out for a drink with a friend."

Jianqiao, Louis Hotel.

"I'll take this one," Xu Xu Qingzhou picked up the bracelet on the far right.

With a sigh, Xu Xu Qingzhou pulled on his coat—his first time stepping out of his room in days.

Paper title: *Study on the Distribution Pattern of Primes and Proof of the Twin Prime Conjecture*. Elton stared at the submitted paper on screen, swallowed hard—proof of the twin prime conjecture?! Had that young man from Xia actually proven it? If anyone else had sent this, he might not have even opened it, dismissing it as a waste of time that would keep him from his beer at the Blues Bar.

The other asked: "Buddy, what's your address?"

4:30 p. m.

Amazing efficiency.

The old man looked at the bracelet in Xu Xu Qingzhou's hand and sighed: "Good eye—this is also my wife's most prized creation."

"Besides being beautiful, there's another very important reason," Xu Xu Qingzhou thought more and more it suited her.

The old man's face lit up as if meeting a kindred soul: "I'd love to hear your reason."

"When she hits me, she won't hurt her own hands."

(End of Chapter)