In fact, the contributions of Ruan Wenye and his two colleagues were significant; they just didn't realize it themselves. Their research helped to increase the conditions needed for studying the God's Code.
This was a critical task.
The seemingly 'messy' research conclusions they had come to were extracted and became the conditions that laid the foundation for the research on God's Code.
Moreover, the most direct contribution came from Zhang Qican's initial mathematical proof of 'light propagation methods.' It was because of Zhang Qican's proof that Zhao Yi was able to deduce how to arrange high-energy photon beams and proceed with the anti-gravity experiment involving photons as soon as possible.
Without Zhang Qican's proof, it would have been ordinary for the experiment to be delayed by months.
Zhao Yi did recognize the research outcomes of Ruan Wenye's trio, however, the difference in their contributions was still quite significant.