Sun Yuanqi didn't stay in Berkeley for a long time, because there were still reception staff from Yale and MIT around him, so it was not appropriate to delay for too long. After listening to Sun Yuanqi's speech, Rutherford quickly took a ride back to McGill to prepare the spectrometer and other equipment needed for the experiment. When he stepped on the train, Professor John Martin was preparing to verify the experiment that Sun Yuanqi had said, and Professor David Lint personally saw him off, saying that the American Chemical Society would greet him at the New York station.

On the train, the person who talked to Sun Yuanqi the most was not Mr. Mike Donaldson of the Yale University Alumni Association, nor Professor Mexe Rossi of the MIT School of Science, but Professor Elona, the daughter of Professor Rossi. This seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl, now a first-year student in the Department of Education at the University of Chicago, can only be described as a middle-aged person, with good facial features and many freckles on the bridge of her nose, which is a common disease of Caucasians. The figure is not bad, and this is the advantage of the white race. Wearing a long skirt, like a big butterfly, running around in the carriage, "giggling" and chuckling from time to time, she is a lively and active girl. The so-called "eighteen no ugly girls", and when she speaks, she is more straightforward, not a nasty person. Even a person like Sun Yuanqi, who likes to be quiet, can temporarily forget the melancholy of being away from home and country at this time.

Elena seemed to be full of curiosity about Sun Yuanqi from the Far East, and in less than a day, she inquired about the details that Sun Yuanqi could make public. When Sun Yuanqi looked out the window and pondered, she sat aside and stared at Sun Yuanqi, and when Sun Yuanqi found out, she "giggled" and ran away.

When he was with Mr. Mike Donaldson of the Yale Alumni Association, Sun Yuanqi was very worried that Mr. Donaldson would ask about his time at Yale, even if he asked a little about Yale, Sun Yuanqi would immediately reveal his stuff. Mr. Donaldson, however, was very understanding, and never spoke to him about it, and in the conversation he seemed more interested in Chinese food and customs.

Professor Mex-Rossi is a rigorous scholar of physics, and he has always been cautious about the energy particles and light quanta proposed by Sun Yuanqi. Based on the feeling of debating with him, Sun Yuanqi could almost guess that he was most likely a special commentator for a certain issue of Science that criticized him. However, with him, you can avoid worrying questions and answers with Mr. Donaldson, physics is his own strength, and he knows the past and present life of physics development well, so he talked nonsense with him, and talked about mechanics, electromagnetism, thermal, optics and other branches of physics. It is estimated that anyone who has studied physics can give a rough idea, but it is rare to be able to say that he is ugly, one, two, three, four, according to Sun Yuanqi.

It was a long journey, and the train crossed the United States at a speed of thirty or forty kilometers per hour, which took more than a week of work. Many times, Sun Yuanqi was discussing the future of physics with Professor Rossi, and Mr. Donaldson and Elena were loyal listeners. For example, with the development of physics, the gradual improvement of human means of communication, the emergence of radio and television and the general principles of their realization, all three listeners were moved by this fantasy like Verne's story.

Elena asked stupidly, "If the radio and TV are so fun, why don't you make them?" ”

"It's very simple: one, I don't have any money; Two, I don't have time. Sun Yuanqi spread his hands.

Mr. Donaldson, who had rarely spoken, suddenly said, "York, if possible, I think Yale University would be willing to set up a laboratory for this purpose, and hire you as a professor to conduct research on this subject." ”

Professor Rossi also said: "Although Yale University is famous, its natural science research strength has always been relatively weak, and if Professor Johnson stays in the United States, MIT, as a specialized polytechnic school, will sincerely invite you to work at MIT." Of course, if you teach at another school, we can work together in other ways. ”

Sun Yuan waved his hand: "Thank you two for the invitation." Later this year, I will go to McGill University in Canada to verify the electron distribution pattern outside the nucleus with Professor Rutherford ......"

"Electron distribution patterns outside the nucleus...... What's the use of that? Or are radios and televisions fun, why don't you study them first? After all, Elena is a student of the Department of Education, and she is not interested in such advanced things, but she is more attracted to this kind of entertainment things.

When the train arrived in New York, I saw someone holding a sign at the exit of the station, which was much better and more formal than Rutherford's handmade in San Francisco. Elena ran over and asked, sure enough, it was from the American Chemical Society.

Sun Yuanqi hurriedly walked over and greeted everyone.

Today, on behalf of the American Chemical Society, Mr. Sun is Edard Hart, a professor at Lafayette University and now editor-in-chief of the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS). After the introductions, the fifty or sixty-year-old jokingly said, "Yank—I think I may call you that—your youth makes us jealous!" ”

Among this group of people, except for Elena, Sun Yuanqi is the youngest. Sun Yuanqi had no choice but to shrug his shoulders: "Do you know, the biggest disadvantage of being young is that it is difficult for others to believe what you say. ”

The people around him burst into laughter.

Mr. Hart took Sun Yuanqi's hand: "Time and practice will tell." By the way, we got calls from John and Davy, who reported on your lectures. David said that your lecture was very successful and his students became your followers. John is in the lab doing what you said about the 'nuclear reaction' experiment, and the results will be coming soon, and hopefully we can witness history together. ”

"Thank you to the American Chemical Society for your help and support, especially the honorable Professors Martin and Lint!" Sun Yuanqi also thanked them for their reception.

Said as he walked. The hostel has already arranged it and they will arrange to deliver the luggage to your accommodation. Old Hatra walked out with Sun Yuanqi, "By the way, we hope that you can give us a detailed introduction to the ideas expounded in your excellent book, "Principles of Chemistry". Do you know? They're simply obsessed with your point of view! ”

"That's my pleasure!" Sun Yuanqi arched his hand and expressed his gratitude, "I just don't know how chemistry will be arranged in terms of time?" ”

"It's a long and arduous journey from the West Coast of the United States to the East Coast, and I think you should rest for two or three days." Hart Sr. was very considerate, "Then we have more than a week to schedule three or five lectures. What do you think? ”

"I don't think there's a problem." What Sun Yuan is thinking about now is how to stretch the contents of the book into a long way like ramen. If it really doesn't work, I will dig up something from the chemistry books of later generations, such as the properties of various elements.

Old Hart suddenly remembered something: "That's right, Yank. The transcripts of your two presentations in San Francisco, they're almost coming together, and they'll be sent here along with the results of the experiments. We hope you'll review it once and publish it in the most recent issue of the Journal. Do you think it's okay? ”

"Ah, that's going to be hard for you!" Sun Yuanqi did not expect that his article would one day be featured in "Science", "Nature", and "Philosophy", and then be honored to be published in "JACS". In the 21st century, with such achievements, it is impossible to evaluate professors, become doctoral supervisors, and recruit students, and it is not too much to use the word "like picking up grass mustard".

Because Sun Yuanqi was going to stay in New York for nearly two weeks, and Boston, Massachusetts, and New Haven, Connecticut, were not very far from New York, Mr. Mike Donaldson of the Yale University Alumni Association, and Rossi and Rossi of MIT both went back first, and agreed to go to Yale University in two weeks, and then visit MIT. Why go to Yale in the first place? That's not because Yale is his "alma mater," but because New Haven is on the way from New York to Boston.

In the next few days, Sun Yuanqi was busy preparing the speech, and then went to a hall of the American Chemical Society to give a lecture at the appointed time. If the previous Principles of Chemistry – from the atoms and their structure to the elements, the periodic table, the molecules and the nature of chemical reactions – were somewhat akin to detective notes, with a bit of a process of confirming conjectures and verifying reasoning, the current lecture is a popular science book for the general public. Soon after, after Sun Yuanqi and Rutherford proved the electron distribution mode outside the nucleus, the lecture at the American Chemical Society was also sorted out and named "Introduction to Chemistry", which became a must-read for chemistry departments in European and American universities. Of course, that's an afterthought.

Let's say that Elena and her father returned to MIT, and Professor Rossi went to report to the school without mentioning it. Elena, a young and lively girl, can't be idle, especially after going out to play for such a big circle, if she doesn't show off with her best friend, she will probably suffocate herself into internal injuries if she just puts it in her stomach.

It was July, and Elena's girls classmates were on summer vacation, and they hid in the attic, eating snacks, while listening to Elena's description of what she had seen, and occasionally chirped a few words:

“…… In addition to us, there are also Yale University, the University of California, Berkeley, the University of San Francisco, and by the way, McGill University in Canada. Elena counted them one by one on her fingers, "That professor at McGill University is very young, and he seems to be very famous, called Rutherford or something, Sister Vera, have you heard?" ”

A handsome and elegant girl next to her nodded: "Well, he is a New Zealander, graduated from Cambridge University in the United Kingdom, and only arrived at McGill University last year, and is a very good scholar." ”

"We were waiting for someone outside the dock and chatting. According to those people, that Chinese man is very powerful and subverts many traditional views, so many universities invite him to give lectures in the United States. But his thesis is strange, the first half is very perfect, the second half is very bad. Everybody said that the top part of his paper was half angels, and the bottom half was devils—"

"Wow! The top half is angels and the bottom half is devils? Isn't that a peerless beauty, an angel's face, a devil's figure......" A crisp voice interrupted Elena's speech.

"Lilith, listen up, I'm talking about the thesis, the thesis, understand?" Elena was a little upset that her speech was interrupted, "And then after a while, I saw a young man coming up, yes, very young, according to my observation, no more than twenty years old, but he himself said that he was twenty-five, and we didn't believe it. ”

"That's the mysterious witchcraft of the East, which can stay young forever, maybe he is already seventy or eighty years old!" It's that crisp voice again.

"Lilith, I'm going to be angry if you interrupt me again!" Elena said angrily.

The lively Lilith grinned and said, "Okay, it's my fault!" Now I ask the beautiful Miss Elena to continue her adventures around the world. ”

"Nasty!" Elena continued: "It was a Chinese, but he was wearing a suit and tie, he was tall, his skin was fair, and he looked very good. ”

"Suits? Tie? High? White? Is that Chinese? Are you sure you're not seeing a handsome American? Lilith said confusedly.

The little girl sitting opposite Ellie, who looked to be only fourteen or fifteen years old, said timidly: "Speaking of Chinese, aren't they all black?" Moreover, he was very short, dirty, and dragged a pig's tail......"

"Nina, don't listen to Lilith's nonsense, you'll be spoiled by her!" Elena was furious.

Seeing that Elena was showing signs of madness, Vera came out to relieve the siege: "Don't make any noise, everyone, listen to Ella continue." ”

Everyone was quiet, and Elena cleared her throat and continued, "By the way, that's it?" …… Oh, he's a Chinese, very, very handsome. Although he is Chinese, he speaks fluent English because he previously spent time in the United States and is said to be a graduate of Yale University. He was very gentle, especially with the ladies, very polite. But many times he didn't like to talk, so he just sat there quietly, looking out the window, his eyes were very melancholy, as if he was missing something......"

Lilith saw that Elena's eyes had turned into a peach, and quipped, "Ella, you won't like a Chinese, will you?" ”

Elena stood up: "Lilith, I'm angry!" So, I'm going to punish you severely! ”

Lilith quickly flashed to the other side of the table: "Then you come!" ”

Elena chased Lilith around the table, and every time she was close to the corner of her clothes, she was always dodged by Lilith. Vera and Nina cheered and watched the battle, and the laughter of the girls drifted down the attic window.

Circling around the table and bed countless times, Elena couldn't catch the eccentric Lilith. Eventually, Jiao gasped and stopped her useless work: "Lilith, when you meet Professor Johnson, you will change your opinion, absolutely!" ”

Nina tilted her head: "Professor Johnson? Is it the young and handsome Chinese? ”

"Yes!" Elena nodded with great certainty, "His English name is Yank Johnson." ”

"Yank Johnson?" Vera had some questions, "Ella, is that Yank Johnson the one who wrote Principles of Chemistry?" ”

Elena scratched her head and thought for a moment: "Principles of Chemistry, I heard people, it seems that he wrote such a book. Vera, have you heard Professor Johnson's name too? ”

Vera nodded in affirmation: "Well, he's a great scientist!" ”

Elena suddenly jumped up happily as if she had won a big victory: "Lilith, did you hear that?" Did you hear that? Sister Vera also said that Mr. Johnson is a great scientist! ”

Lilith pouted: "Even if he is a great scientist, he is an ugly Oriental!" ”

"Lilith!" Elena waved her little fist angrily, "In a few days, Mr. Johnson will come to MIT, and then you will definitely find out about your mistakes and prejudices!" ”

For the next few weeks, Elena felt that time was passing too slowly, and she wished that Sun Yuanqi would immediately appear on the MIT campus, especially in front of herself and Lilith, so that the annoying Lilith could fully realize that she had made an unforgivable mistake in ignorance. But a week passed, and the guy didn't show up; Another week passed, and the guy still didn't show up. It was as if he had disappeared from this world, or that there had never been such a person in this world. This made Elena feel very depressed.

Elena's frustration lies in the fact that she has nowhere to vent, and she can't ask her father about the whereabouts of Professor Johnson every day, right? Even if he asked, his father would probably reply vaguely, "Oh, that young man must still be lecturing in New York, right?" "Who knows, young fellow, where might he be having fun?" "Who? Johnson? Ah, he's, maybe, maybe, he's almost at Yale, right? ”…… What an infuriating answer!

That morning, Elena, who had just finished washing, sat bored at the dining table, waiting for her mother to bring her a hearty breakfast. My father sat on the other side of the table, and although Professor Rossi was a rigorous and dedicated physicist, he valued the time he spent with his family. While waiting quietly, Professor Rossi likes to flip through the newspaper he has just arrived. Today, nature is no exception.

As soon as he picked up the newspaper, Professor Rossi was captivated by the headline on the front page, which read, "Alchemy: Science, Not Witchcraft!" Then open the front page and read carefully:

Associated Press News: Alchemy is a technology that transforms cheap metals such as lead and tin into precious metals such as gold and silver by means or by adding some magical potion to the refining process. Alchemy has long been considered a form of witchcraft, or simply a reaction of substitution, rejected by orthodox scientists. A recent scientific discovery suggests that alchemy is achievable.

On August 2, Professor John Martin of the University of California, Berkeley, announced that he had successfully validated an experiment in which helium was successfully converted into oxygen. The experiment was first proposed by Professor Yank Johnson from China in a June 21 speech at the University of Berkeley, and was named 'Nuclear Reaction'. This aroused great interest from Professor John Martin and others, who subsequently repeated the experiment with complete success, thus verifying the results of Professor Johnson's lecture on the experiment.

According to Professor Johnson's definition, the so-called nuclear reaction is the process of causing the nucleus of one or two elements to change into one or more elements through a certain technology or means. The conversion of helium into oxygen is a type of nuclear reaction. In this way, it is not impossible to turn iron into gold. That is, alchemy: science, not witchcraft!

This scientific discovery opened a new chapter in the natural sciences. To this end, the reporter has interviewed famous scholars in the domestic scientific circles, and they have paid great attention to this, believing that the experiment is of great significance, making mankind's understanding of matter go further.

……”

Professor Rossi read it so carefully that Mrs. Rossi didn't pay much attention to it when she brought her breakfast. This made Mrs. Rossi a little dissatisfied: "Honey, maybe you should read the newspaper later, it's breakfast time!" ”

"Oh, I'm sorry, dear." Professor Rossi reluctantly put down the newspaper, picked up the milk, took a sip, and said to himself: "This news is so shocking! ”

"What's wrong, what's going on?" Mrs. Rossi asked.

"Alchemy, is the method of refining tin into silver, do you believe that there is?" Professor Rossi looked at his wife.

"Alchemy?" Mrs. Rossi put down the bread in her hand, "Isn't that a trick of those wizards in the Middle Ages?" Why, now someone is using it to cheat again? ”

"Science now shows that alchemy is possible. In other words, there are ways to turn one element into another. This is also confirmed by the experimental results. The news was published in today's newspaper......"

"Liar, huh?" Mrs. Rossi retorted subconsciously, reaching out and picking up the stack of newspapers, and began to read. After a while, he spoke: "It seems to be true?" 'The experiment was first proposed by Professor Yank Johnson from China in a lecture at the University of Berkeley on June 21, where should you have been? What's going on—"

"Yank Johnson?" Elena, who had been sluggish, suddenly jumped up, ignoring etiquette, snatched the newspaper from her mother's hand, and read it quickly, "Yes, alchemy, Yank once said that it can be achieved!" …… Sure enough, it was a repetition of Yank's experiment, and they succeeded! ......'This experiment was first proposed by Professor Yank Johnson from China in a lecture at the University of Berkeley on June 21,' and yes, that's it, I listened to that talk as well...... Hahahaha! ”

Mrs. Rossi looked at her daughter talking to herself a little nervously, and frowned, "Ella, are you okay?" ”

"Mom, I couldn't be better!" Elena quickly rolled up the newspaper in her hand, then got up and ran out the door, "I'm going to find Lilith!" ”

"Ella, your breakfast—" Mrs. Rossi was about to say something, but Elena was briskly running away.

Running 800 meters on the playground on weekdays feels like purgatory for Elena. At this moment, there is a distance of more than a kilometer between coming out of the house and then to Lilith's house, but he is refreshed and not tired at all.

When she arrived at Lilith's house, her mother, Mrs. Bergman, was preparing breakfast in the kitchen: "Good morning, Mrs. Bergman. What about Lilith? ”

"Good morning, Ella." Mrs. Bergman looked at the girl who was running a little out of breath with a smile on her face, probably some kind of private matter between best friends, "Lily is still in bed." ”

"I'm going to find her!" Elena knew Lilith's house inside out, and she made her way to the second floor and into Lilith's bedroom. Lilith, who is usually lively and active, is now curled up in bed like a delicate kitten, sleeping soundly, not realizing that someone has broken into her bedroom.

"Big lazy cat, get up!" Elena didn't pity her, and she knocked Lilith on the head with a newspaper and shouted.

Lilith writhed on the bed a few times, then calmed down again.

Elena had no choice but to knock her on the head again: "Lily, I have big news for you!" ”

Lilith was unmoved, not even twisted.

Elena had no choice but to twist her ears and shout in her ear: "Big news, don't you want to hear it?" ”

Lilith subconsciously waved her hand to knock off the entanglement in her ears, muttering "Nasty ......" and rolled over to the other side of the bed.

Elena's eyes rolled and she changed her voice: "The chocolates are all mine!" Lilith's share of the chocolate is mine, too! ”

Lilith immediately sat up from the bed and exclaimed, "Chocolate! It's mine! No one is allowed to rob it! Then he saw Elena: "Ella, so early, where is the chocolate?" ”

Elena had a treacherous look on her face, and then opened the newspaper as if she were offering a treasure and put it in front of Lilith: "Look, big news! About Professor Yank Johnson of China! ”

"What professor? …… There is no chocolate! Then I'll sleep a little longer......" Lilith fell back on the bed and wrapped herself tightly in the sheet, leaving Elena with no reaction to any toss.

Elena tinkered for a long time, but there was no effect, and she could only be completely speechless. Annoyed, he lifted the sheet and gave Lilith's ass a five-cent hair.

"Smack-"

Frightened, the sparrows outside the window fluttered their wings and flew away.

;