After Lv Yongchang departed, the classroom descended into a tense silence. Professors stared gravely at the blackboard, their expressions etched with awe.
Tian Zhixuan exhaled slowly, breaking the stillness.
"This young man... he's no ordinary student."
Jiang Yongxing nodded solemnly.
"Indeed. I can find no logical inconsistencies in his work."
Guan Hualiang's eyes widened in astonishment.
"Dean Jiang—you're suggesting this fusion plan is feasible?!"
Jiang hesitated, choosing his words carefully.
"Perhaps my limitations prevent me from fully grasping it. After all, I specialize in nuclear physics, not controlled fusion."
He turned to Tian Zhixuan.
"Dean Tian, what of the new material's molecular formula?"
Tian's face contorted with frustration.
"I... I don't recognize it."
The room erupted in shocked gasps.
"Preposterous!" Jiang exclaimed. "You're one of Sandao'ou's preeminent materials scientists! How can this formula perplex you?!"
Tian approached the projector screen, his fingers brushing its surface.
"Materials science reveals only how little we truly know. This formula—it's unprecedented. Its thermal and compressive resistance must be extraordinary. My scientist's sixth sense tells me: this derivation holds the key to revolutionizing fusion."
The professors exchanged glances, understanding the weight of this intuitive insight. History's greatest discoveries—Kekulé's benzene ring, Mendeleev's periodic table—often began with such inklings.
Jiang Yongxing stood abruptly.
"If Dean Tian feels this way, I propose an immediate conference. All Materials and Nuclear Physics professors must attend. Bring the fusion lab team as well. If this works..." His voice trembled. "The revival of Xia could begin today."
Meanwhile, on campus...
September sunlight seared the asphalt, casting fractured shadows through the trees. Lv Yongchang walked slowly, haunted by visions of the previous life's helium flash.
"Do you know why I did this?"
"Because I love you."
Memories of Su Yutong, his former assistant, flooded his mind. He clenched his fists, vowing not to repeat past mistakes.
His phone rang, playing "The Brightest Star in the Night Sky"— a melody from happier times. He answered, voice trembling.
"Mom?"
"Yongchang? You sound... off."
He forced a laugh. "Just choked on water. What's up?"
"Your father and I want to discuss your future. You're a sophomore now."
Lv paused, resolve hardening.
"I'm committing to scientific research."
"Scientific research?" His father's roar erupted. "Waste of time! I told you not to study physics—now look!"
Lv smiled faintly as his mother intervened.
"Enough, Guoging! Yongchang, we support your choice. Call if you need anything."
The line went dead. Lv sighed. His father, a successful businessman, had always envisioned him inheriting the family company. But Lv Yongchang was destined for greater things.
In Beijing...
"Qingru, you're coddling him!" Lu Guoging fumed. "Scientific research is a dead end!"
His wife smiled indulgently.
"Relax. You know how stubborn he is. Let him chase his dreams—he'll return when reality hits."
Lu's eyes lit up.
"Brilliant! Let him learn the hard way."
Unaware of his parents' conversation, Lv focused on the fusion lab. What verdict would the professors reach? The future of humanity hung in the balance.