Orion Crest, Series_1

Chapter 199: Go out more

　　Because he couldn't make up his mind, Orion told his mentor, Professor Deligne, about that invitation letter from the Max Planck Society. After listening to Orion's statement, the pen in the old man's hand stopped and he raised his head to look at Orion.

　　"You intend to go to the Max Planck Institute?"

　　" I am thinking about it," Orion said after some thought, "Actually, I prefer to hold this presentation in Princeton."

　　Germany was just too far away.

　　Having just returned from a business trip to Columbia University, there was a time when he didn't want to travel any further.

　　Deligne, to Orion's surprise, didn't agree with him, " President Eisgruber would certainly be happy to hear you say that, and would certainly be willing to go to great lengths to organise it for you, but I wouldn't recommend it."

　　Orion: "Why?"

　　"This place is like a monastery, good for monasticism, but not for preaching. There is a wider world outside the Institute for Advanced Study," putting down the pen in his hand, Deligne looked at his former student and continued, "My advice is that you should go out more when you are young. No matter what you're researching, interacting more with scholars in the same field is far more helpful to your research than closing your door and persecuting yourself."

　　In Deligne's eyes, the way Orion delves into his problems is really no different from "persecuting himself".

　　Orion made a helpless face and shrugged, "Well, I'll seriously consider your suggestion."

　　"I hope you will. Also, remember to say hello to that old guy Faltings for me when you go over there." Speaking of his old friend's name, a rare smile appeared on Deligne's serious face, "It's been more than twenty years since he left Princeton, I don't know if he's been cured of his arrogance."

　　Recalling his last encounter with the old gentleman back in Stockholm, Orion's expression instantly became somewhat subtle.

　　Although it was not quite clear what Professor Faltings was like twenty years ago when he was still at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton.

　　But it was thought that it was probably not cured ......

　　After leaving Professor Deligne's office, Orion returned to his own office.

　　Sitting in front of his computer, he pondered for a while, edited an email, and replied to the invitation from the Institute of Condensed Matter Physics of the Max Planck Society, following the email address left on that written letter.

　　In the end, he decided to make a trip to Germany.

　　Since the Max Planck Society had already promised in the invitation letter to cover all of his expenses during his visit to Germany, it was not bad to go out as a publicly funded trip.

　　But then, he had to prepare the PPT for the presentation as soon as possible. ......

　　After working all day, it was finally dinner time. Orion stretched and saved the unfinished PPT. He had some special things to do when he got back in the evening, and intending to finish the day's work early, he told Vera that she didn't need to bring up the bacon sandwiches for him later on, and headed to the dining area on the ground floor on his own.

　　Coincidentally, just as Orion was about to start his meal, he met Edward Witten, who had just finished picking up his food.

　　"Didn't go to the Ivy Club for dinner?" Taking a seat across from Orion with his tray, the chatty Jewish professor, said in a casual tone, "There was a new chef there during the time you were on an exchange visit to Columbia."