Her voice carried obvious joy and excitement, followed by overwhelming enthusiasm.

Professor Tan frowned slightly. In his impression, Gu Xue Jiao had always been a very composed girl. Why was she so agitated this time?

Xu Jing, sitting below, kept watching Professor Tan with furrowed brows.

She was a hardworking girl. It was difficult for undergraduates to stay in the research group, so she put in tremendous effort.

Every day she was on edge, diligently completing every task assigned by the teacher.

Xue Jiao’s attitude made her angry.

Such a great opportunity to work in Professor Tan’s office, yet she didn’t cherish it at all!

What important matters could a freshman possibly have?

All freshman courses were just foundational subjects, and she had already learned quite a bit before entering university.

Not coming to work on the project now probably meant she had become complacent after entering university. There were too many people like this, and since Xue Jiao was so beautiful, she likely faced even more temptations.

Xu Jing was furious. If she had become slack, she shouldn’t continue occupying a position in Professor Tan’s office!

That position could be given to someone who worked hard.

She didn’t know what Xue Jiao said on the phone, but she saw Professor Tan frown.

“What did you prove?” Professor Tan asked.

“Fermat’s Last Theorem.”

“What?!” Professor Tan suddenly stood up, knocking over the books on the table.

His voice rose, as if he had heard something incredible: “Say that again?”

Xue Jiao took a deep breath, her lips curving into a satisfied smile: “Fermat’s Last Theorem, Professor. I did it. You mentioned before, asking me to try my hypothesis method at Tsinghua, and I… succeeded.”

Professor Tan’s voice became hurried, and he couldn’t help but breathe heavily.

“Professor Tan? What’s wrong?!” On the other end of the phone, Xue Jiao became anxious, suppressing her own emotions and asking with concern.

Professor Tan looked as if something was stuck in his throat. His face showed disbelief, eyes widened, lips trembling, but no sound came out.

Lao Bai and Zheng Jiakun exchanged glances, quickly stepping forward to support Professor Tan.

“Professor! What’s wrong?!”

Professor Tan waved them away, trying to steady his breathing, and finally only said a few words—

“Bring your materials and come here.”

With that, the call ended. Professor Tan sat down with his head lowered, his expression extremely complex.

Shocked, yet joyful, and also doubtful…

“Professor Tan? What happened?” Xu Jing asked cautiously. It was just a phone call with Gu Xue Jiao, what could she have said to make Professor Tan lose his composure like this?

Could it be… that she had given up on her own?

So Professor Tan was angry?

But the professor’s expression didn’t seem like that either.

Professor Tan waved his hand but didn’t speak, just sitting quietly, waiting for Gu Xue Jiao’s arrival.

The others didn’t dare to speak either, just sitting quietly and looking at Professor Tan in confusion.

Since Professor Tan hadn’t asked them to leave, even though they were sitting there bored and confused, they could only continue sitting.

Not long after, Xue Jiao walked in.

Her dormitory wasn’t far from this building. After receiving the call, she quickly gathered her materials and came over to Mai Jiajia’s electric scooter.

Xue Jiao’s hair was simply tied in a ponytail, somewhat disheveled from the wind, and she was dressed extremely casually, just wrapped in a down jacket.

But she carried a thick stack of papers in her hands, walking in with light steps.

“Quickly, let me see it!!” Professor Tan’s voice was excited.

Xue Jiao hurriedly handed over the thick notebook on top, placing the rest on the table.

“Professor, please take a look. The process is all in here. The other materials are things I used for verification.”

After Xue Jiao spoke, Professor Tan quickly took the notebook and began reading it.

For someone knowledgeable like Professor Tan, he could tell the value of something at a glance.

Does it have value?

Is the direction correct?

After looking at it, he would have a general sense.

He quickly flipped through Xue Jiao’s notebook several times, then suddenly looked up at Xue Jiao—

“This is what you’ve been working so hard on all this time? The reason you haven’t been coming to work on the project?”

Xue Jiao nodded, then scratched her head embarrassedly: “Well… I felt like I was about to get results, so I didn’t go anywhere…”

She spoke with embarrassment. Not only had she not come here, but today, without realizing it, she had even skipped two classes…

Thinking of this, Xue Jiao’s face suddenly turned red.

She truly hadn’t paid attention to the time. Last night she had slept in the dormitory, and in the morning she began calculating as soon as she woke up.

When her roommates called her to have breakfast, she didn’t go. Later they brought her a portion and then left.

Before leaving, Mai Jiajia reminded her that there were classes that day. Xue Jiao acknowledged it, but once she started writing… it was already noon when they returned…

Xue Jiao thought Professor Tan was reprimanding her. Her face filled with regret, and she even opened her mouth, ready to apologize—

But Professor Tan looked at her face for a long time, then suddenly burst out: “Gu Xue Jiao! Well done!!!”

So what if she didn’t come to work on the project?

It didn’t matter; she had Fermat.

So what if she was out of contact?

It didn’t matter; she had Fermat.

What could be more important than verifying Fermat’s Last Theorem?

Professor Tan stood up excitedly: “You’re truly amazing. I didn’t even know you still remembered this. I’m proud. Would you mind lending me this notebook? I’d like to take it back and carefully read it, to study it.”

Xue Jiao hurriedly said: “Professor, you’re too kind!”

Professor Tan’s expression was very gratified: “After I carefully review it and check for any issues, if there are no problems, this winter break, student Gu Xue Jiao, you can start writing your paper! Well done!”

Xue Jiao scratched her head shyly, and still bowed respectfully: “Professor, thank you.”

“I’m truly happy, Gu Xue Jiao.” Professor Tan held the notebook and looked at the other students sitting below, his voice still excited, “Let us congratulate student Gu Xue Jiao for proving Fermat’s Last Theorem with a new approach!”

What?

At that moment, the people sitting below thought they had misheard.

They only saw Xue Jiao arrive, and then Professor Tan becoming unusually excited and praising her.

Lao Bai had even whispered to Zheng Jiakun—Little junior sister must have accomplished something.

And then…

Fermat’s Last Theorem?

Was this just “something”?!

This was something terrifying!

In that instant, they felt Xue Jiao’s image in their eyes suddenly grow enormous.

Xu Jing was dumbfounded, feeling her face burn as if she had been slapped.

She thought the reason for not coming was that she had given up, but it turned out she had gone into seclusion to master a great skill!

Zheng Jiakun had already stood up, his face excited: “Professor, Professor, let me see!”

But Professor Tan clutched the notebook tightly and pushed the draft paper aside: “You can look at these. As for the specifics, wait for the paper to be published.”

Although he trusted his students, this kind of honorable work, still unpublished hardcore content—

Professor Tan wouldn’t let people see it yet. Once the paper was out, everyone would be able to see it.

Even for himself, the reason he had kept these students sitting here was to provide some assurance.

After all, he was going to take this notebook away.

Proving Fermat’s Last Theorem with an alternative method, if the work was truly hardcore, even when published by a professor, it would be highly valuable.

Xue Jiao trusted him, and he needed to provide some guarantee.

He couldn’t help but smile again, and said: “Gu Xue Jiao, well done.”

He was truly happy. The most joyful thing in the world was—

Though he was growing old, in the field he loved, his students, these impressive children, continued to emerge one after another.

These children might all become the pillars of the mathematical world in the future.

In the past, Lao Bai and the others were, then the talented Zheng Jiakun was, and now…

Gu Xue Jiao was too.

Constantly praised by Professor Tan, Xue Jiao felt embarrassed, her cheeks slightly red.

“Thank you, Professor…”

She had never been a genius, just someone who found something she loved and then moved toward the direction she adored.

Before, when Xue Jiao heard others talk about “finding yourself,” she didn’t understand and felt lost and confused.

Find what self? Find out what about yourself.

But during this time walking on the path of mathematics, she was truly extremely happy, and in a daze, she realized that she seemed to have found a different self.

Finding yourself means persisting in what you love most and what can accomplish the most.

The happiest thing in this world is being able to follow what you love and continue on that path.

Mathematics was what she loved, what she could embrace wholeheartedly.

She wasn’t the smartest one in this field, but she could be the most persistent one.

Xue Jiao had proven Fermat’s Last Theorem, but this was the result of her entire semester’s work.

Thinking about it during the day, dreaming about it at night, sometimes when she had an idea, she would wake up startled from her dreams, then get up and continue. At those times, it might be three or four in the morning.

She had a bit more talent in mathematics than many people, and she put in more effort than those with talent.

When doing what you love, all hardships cease to be hardships.

Xue Jiao had dark circles under her eyes, but her smile was obvious. Being able to achieve something in a field you love is the greatest encouragement.

“Alright, I’ll take this back and look at it first. Gu Xue Jiao, get some good rest, then focus on preparing for your final exams. You have several subjects with exams in the next few days. I know you haven’t reviewed properly, I don’t expect you to do extremely well, but you can’t fail. After the exams, you don’t need to come to the office, just come find me directly, and we’ll discuss the paper.”

Professor Tan paused, his lips curved in a smile: “If it’s correct, perhaps we can try for the Annals of Mathematics.”

Xue Jiao paused, then her eyes lit up.

Professor Tan left happily with her notebook. Niu senior sister pounced on her, her whole body hanging on her—

“Gu Xue Jiao!! How are you so amazing, little junior sister?!”

Lao Bai senior brother also gave a thumbs up: “Little junior! Beautiful!”

Zheng Jiakun’s lips moved slightly: “Gu Xue Jiao, after the paper is published, we should have an opportunity to exchange ideas.”

They were all sincerely praising her.

Xue Jiao smiled and nodded: “Sure.”

After chatting with the senior brothers and sisters for a while, Xue Jiao left with her things.

It was getting late. She had been very tired recently and wanted to go back early to get a good night’s sleep, then start reviewing when she woke up.

When she reached the third-floor corner, a voice came from behind—

“Gu Xue Jiao.”

Xue Jiao was startled and turned around: “Senior Xu Jing?”

Xu Jing walked up to her, frowning as she looked at her.

“Hmm?” Xue Jiao was confused.

At this moment, Xu Jing suddenly bent down and bowed—

“Gu Xue Jiao, I’m sorry. I apologize for my misunderstanding and looking down on you!”