Chapter 256: Ah, the Old Routine Again

Xu Xu Qingzhou ate calmly and comfortably, digging into his food with great enjoyment.

Xu Xu Zhengyang's expression was odd, as if he were slapping himself—every time he ended up building a stage for Old Xu to show off.

Kong Xian shook his head, sighing inwardly: Old Xu was still Old Xu, authentic as ever.

Chen Chen Shiqi covered her mouth and laughed, finally understanding what Xu Xu Zhengyang had meant by his frustration, and asked: "Why are you alone? Where's Song Yao?"

"She eats lunch with her dorm mates; she just got out of class."

Xu Xu Zhengyang frowned: "It's exam week already—does the School of Economics still have classes?"

"It's the last one," Kong Xian said while eating, adding from the side.

As soon as he finished, everyone's eyes turned toward him.

Zhang Zhang Changqing studied the prodigy junior curiously—his looks were average, maybe a bit handsome, definitely good-looking, but the key point was, he was a genius in math and physics.

Read! {

There, he met Yang Bing, the head of China's August experimental team, an elderly academician with streaks of gray in his temples.

You picked your own girlfriend—you've got to deal with it.

"Professor Yang."

Fortunately, those of us who get shown off to have grown used to it.

"That's right, I think he and Lao Kong are quite compatible."

The second question involved the Standard Model particles, asking to construct a model coupling supersymmetry breaking with inflation.

Weibo was too boring; better to look at Song Song Xiaohua across the way. Song Song Xiaohua was bent over solving a calculation problem; when she thought, her long eyelashes fluttered slightly, her expression cold and aloof, strands of hair drifting beside her ears, only to be quickly tucked behind them by her hand.

The waves behind push forward the ones ahead; the front ones die on the shore.

Like how hard the questions are, or how many people failed last year, that sort of thing.

Xu Xu Qingzhou left the cafeteria and went straight back to the library, continuing his morning analysis until 4 p. m., finishing all calculations, compiling everything, and sending it to Professor Zhao.

Kong Xian adjusted his glasses and defended himself—he hadn't said this yet: "This girl's math is truly terrible; some problems just need a little thought to solve."

!.

"I'll do my best." Xu Xu Qingzhou knew Professor Yang was testing him—here came the old routine again. He really didn't want to show off, but… Zhang Zhang Changqing thought: the teacher was being a bit unreasonable—this problem was meant for the new junior. Xu Xu Qingzhou was talented, yes, but that was in math and quantum mechanics.

"."

After joking about studying, Xu Xu Zhengyang began imagining life after the exam: "Once I safely get through this, I'm definitely going to relax—travel somewhere."

Xu Xu Qingzhou skipped the first question entirely and turned to the next, mentally working out how to solve it.

Zhang Zhang Changqing smiled: "Young Xu, don't be shy—if you want water, it's over there, help yourself."

"Young Xu," Professor Yang said warmly, waving his hand to signal Xu Xu Qingzhou to sit down.

Quantum mechanics is the fundamental theory describing the behavior of microscopic particles, while particle physics is the branch studying these particles and their interactions—such as electrons, protons, neutrons, and so on.

Besides Professor Yang, there was another doctoral student named Zhang Zhang Changqing.

Kong Xian shook his head: "My interactions with Teng Teng Xiaojuan are purely about solving math problems."

First question: From the valence quark structure of mesons, K*⁰ is a (sd) composite state with j=1; d* is a j^p=1 state. Seeing Xu Xu Qingzhou begin solving, Professor Yang didn't wait—he and Zhang Zhang Changqing continued their data calculations.

"She just asked me a few math questions."

"Yes, here—based on your model's predictions, propose several possible experimental signatures. For example…"

Xu Xu Qingzhou had nearly finished eating and asked: "Where are you planning to go?"

He wanted to first test Xu Xu Qingzhou's level, then decide what materials to assign him during this period.

"Teng Teng Xiaojuan is actually a nice person," Xu Xu Qingzhou said seriously.

He said it aloud, but inside, Kong Xian felt a faint stir—maybe… it wasn't impossible?

"Can't go—no time," Xu Xu Qingzhou said, looking helpless.

"Planning to head northwest—Du-Ku Highway. I've seen videos of it every day; I've wanted to go for ages." Xu Xu Zhengyang paused, then added: "Old Xu, aren't you going out for fun?"

Hmph, clearly just showing off.

Xu Xu Qingzhou pursed his lips and sighed, pulling out the Polignac conjecture materials.

Private messages were all tagging Xu Xu Qingzhou, asking him to take a look and give his opinion.

"."

After teasing Kong Xian, they turned to discussing recent studying. Their own junior hadn't been touched yet—yet Xu Xu Qingzhou had stumbled upon it.

Could it be that all his past showing off had left these guys with psychological trauma?

Xu Xu Qingzhou nodded: "I am indeed interested in particle physics, though I haven't delved deeply—I'm nowhere near top experts—but I do have some basic knowledge, since I've communicated with many particle physicists before."

Still, domestic ones.

"Old Xu, you wouldn't believe how often Lao Kong chats with Teng Teng Xiaojuan."

In the morning, Xu Xu Qingzhou received a call from Director Ji, instructing him to report to the High Energy Physics Institute at Peking University.

"The summer break is forty to fifty days."

This question was basic, but required solid knowledge of superstring theory, supergravity theory, and higher-dimensional spacetime structures.

So, anyone studying quantum mechanics inevitably ends up encountering particle physics.

So tiring.

As if sensing Xu Xu Qingzhou was watching again, Song Yao looked up and made a mocking eye-gouging warning gesture at him.

"I still have to go to Switzerland in August to join an experiment—I have no idea how long it'll take. Sigh, sometimes I think you guys have it better."

However, Xu Xu Qingzhou noticed that chemistry-related material was much scarcer.

"Thank you, Senior Zhang," Xu Xu Qingzhou nodded and began reading the questions.

Poor junior.

Dean Feng nodded and handed Xu Xu Qingzhou something from the corner of his desk: "Here are three problems. Try solving them."

Xu Xu Qingzhou cleared his throat, stood up, and prepared to return to the library: "You guys eat—I'm leaving."

Quantum physics and particle physics appear deeply interconnected, but their actual research domains differ significantly.

"I've studied it before."

Xu Xu Qingzhou narrowed his eyes: Last meal, this guy had talked nonstop with Teng Teng Xiaojuan: "Lao Kong, how come you know so much about economics?"

Then he pulled out his phone and checked Weibo for two minutes of relaxation.

Twenty minutes passed.

Zhou Lei, a math enthusiast, apparently an amateur scientist.

Oh, someone else claims to have proven the Polignac conjecture.

This problem was simple—solved in minutes.

First construct the symmetry-breaking pathway, then the extra-dimensional geometry and moduli space.

Many romances seem to begin with friends teasing each other.

Professor Yang asked: "You have great expertise in quantum mechanics—have you also delved into particle physics?"

Xu Xu Qingzhou instantly lost interest—in amateur science forums, it was common to see claims that physics' grand edifice had collapsed today, and mathematics' had collapsed tomorrow.

Quantum mechanics provides the theoretical foundation and framework for particle physics, enabling particle physicists to understand and explain phenomena in the microscopic world.

"You don't need to explain to us—we believe you," Xu Xu Zhengyang said, though his face wore the unmistakable expression of someone savoring gossip—as if Kong Xian and Teng Teng Xiaojuan had already… ××00.

Consider, within the superstring theory framework, a spacetime structure with compact extra dimensions, featuring a specific gauge group symmetry-breaking pattern (e. g., E8 or F4), which does not directly correspond to the Standard Model gauge group SU(3)×SU(2)×U(1) in the four-dimensional low-energy limit.

Maybe chemistry fails because it's not properly pursued—the edifice really does collapse?

Xu Xu Qingzhou truly felt moved; seeing Xu Xu Zhengyang and the others look disgusted, he added: "This time, I'm genuinely sincere."

Xu Xu Qingzhou clarified his thoughts, picked up his pen, and quickly sank into calculation.

The rainy Monday passed; on Tuesday, the rain stopped.

The third question concerned superstring theory.

Professor Yang finally noticed that Xu Xu Qingzhou, who had been hunched over his calculations, had stopped—seemingly waiting for him.

"Young Xu, it's tough, isn't it? Don't be discouraged—these three problems were originally meant for a new doctoral student I'm mentoring."

"I've solved them."

"Hm?"

(End of Chapter)