The competition exam lasted from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
After handing in her paper, Lin Zhixia quickly reunited with her teammates.
Her teammate Du Cunkang asked anxiously, "Did you solve the last problem, Lin Zhixia?"
"I did," Lin Zhixia answered honestly.
Du Cunkang took a light breath. "For the sixth problem, I solved half of it. The fifth problem was quite challenging—I used a new method to approach it..." He picked up a pen and began writing on his palm. He listed formulas and defined parameter ranges, completely unconcerned about the ink staining his hand.
The other three teammates listened attentively to his reasoning. Lin Zhixia led the applause: "Impressive! You should get full marks for the fifth problem."
As Lin Zhixia spoke, a Russian contestant happened to pass by her.
Switching to English, Lin Zhixia praised her teammate: "Great! I'm proud of you for finding such an elegant solution."
Du Cunkang was momentarily stunned, then reciprocated the praise: "You solved all the problems efficiently. You're highly intelligent."
He complimented Lin Zhixia on solving all the problems and praised her intelligence. Lin Zhixia sensed the exaggerated tone in Du Cunkang's words. Were they encouraging each other, or trying to intimidate their opponents by exchanging such praises in front of the Russian contestant?
In the noisy corridor, Alexandrov from the Russian team suddenly halted his steps.
Alexandrov looked toward Du Cunkang.
Du Cunkang genuinely admired Alexandrov.
His parents had specifically asked a friend from Northeast China to help him purchase one of Alexandrov's books from Russia. When Du Cunkang opened the book, he encountered authentic Russian text—he couldn't understand a single letter and could only repeatedly ponder the formulas and illustrations.
He thought Alexandrov might say something to him.
Standing in place, he gave a slight nod toward Alexandrov.
Alexandrov smiled at him. Du Cunkang saw the laughter in his eyes, like ripples spreading across a blue sea.
The nearby glass window was clean and bright, golden sunlight flooding the corridor and illuminating the Russian contestant's golden hair. Outside the window stood Romanian-style architecture, with white clouds drifting across the vast blue sky. Du Cunkang suddenly felt much more at ease. It was as if he had experienced an epiphany in the midst of competition, shedding the heaviest burden of pressure from his heart.
Earlier, because he hadn't solved the third problem while all his teammates had, he had been tormented by guilt, believing he had dragged the entire team down.
But now, his feelings of irritation, worry, shame, and panic had all vanished. He murmured to himself, "Everyone, no matter the outcome of this competition, we've done our best and achieved our utmost. I'm glad to have been your teammate. In the days to come, let's continue striving and reach even greater heights."
Lin Zhixia chimed in, "Alright."Then, in the next second, Lin Zhixia darted in front of Alexandrov.
Du Cunkang didn't even react in time. When he regained his senses, he saw Lin Zhixia blocking Alexandrov's path, striking up a conversation in English with the Russian mathematical genius.
Lin Zhixia directly threw out a graph theory problem, and Du Cunkang vaguely heard her say words like "Erdős–Rényi graph." Both Du Cunkang and their other two teammates were astonished. In their memory, Lin Zhixia never proactively provoked others—why was she acting out of character today?
In reality, Lin Zhixia had misunderstood Du Cunkang.
From her perspective, she only saw Du Cunkang and Alexandrov exchange a glance. Then Du Cunkang furrowed his brows tightly, sighed, and assumed a thoughtful expression. She thought Alexandrov had provoked her teammate, so she decided to reclaim their dignity.
Alexandrov stood over 190 centimeters tall.
Lin Zhixia had to tilt her head back to look at him, and her neck grew sore.
Alexandrov began speaking to her. She was quickly deeply shocked—his Russian accent was so thick that every English word he uttered carried a strong Russian flavor. He spoke extremely fast, his brain working quicker than his words could keep up. Lin Zhixia was bewildered, only able to dig into his mathematical thinking from his fragmented phrases.
She weighed his words and acknowledged his extraordinary talent. She had also met very intelligent and hardworking classmates in domestic winter camps—everyone's talents might manifest in different areas, and there was no need to compare or determine who was superior.
That was the logical reasoning...
Yet Lin Zhixia couldn't help but compete with Alexandrov.
She mimicked Alexandrov's speaking speed, pouring out mathematical deductions from her mind like rapid-fire, her English words blending together so quickly they seemed glued. Alexandrov showed a hint of surprise.
Although both of them could speak English, they now seemed unable to communicate effectively.
Du Cunkang smiled awkwardly. He interrupted Lin Zhixia's lengthy discourse and led her out of the examination hall. The other two teammates were laughing heartily, and one of them asked, "Lin Zhixia, why were you discussing graph theory with Alexandrov? The book he published in middle school was about graph theory."
Lin Zhixia herself didn't know why she had gotten caught up in that impulsive competition earlier.
Perhaps it was because the entire Russian team carried an air of unwavering confidence. Lin Zhixia wanted to probe whether they truly had victory in the bag.
The final competition results would be announced on the last day of the Romania Masters.
Before the results were revealed, Du Cunkang suggested they all go downtown for a stroll.
On one hand, Lin Zhixia wanted to go shopping with her teammates; on the other hand, she remembered the horror stories her Brother had told her. Her heart was filled with conflict.
Senior Luo Ying gently comforted her in a soft voice: "The team leader teacher is coming with us. With the teacher here, you don't need to be afraid—we'll all pay attention to safety. I'll hold your hand; there's no way I'll let you get lost."Lin Zhixia discussed with her: "Senior, can you hold my hand the whole time?"
Luo Ying replied: "Sure."
Luo Ying extended her hand to Lin Zhixia, who grasped it tightly.
When Lin Zhixia was little and crossed the street with her brother, he would look after her just like her senior did now. All her worries melted away, replaced by a profound sense of security.
The entire team of students marched in a grand procession toward the city center.
Bucharest, the capital of Romania, was hosting the Romanian Masters competition. Du Cunkang, holding a copy of "Bucharest Travel Guide," volunteered to be the group's tour guide.
The streets of Bucharest retained many ancient buildings, evoking a tranquil and serene atmosphere. Restaurants and cafés along the street featured outdoor dining areas, with arched awnings shielding them from the brilliant sunlight. Tourists sat leisurely under the awnings, holding wine bottles and relaxing.
The team leader suggested they take a short break at a restaurant.
Lin Zhixia asked softly: "Can we try some Romanian home-style dishes?"
Luo Ying scanned the area and picked a bustling spot. She led Lin Zhixia over and said to the waiter: "Table for eight, please."
Their team consisted of eight people—four main members, two substitutes, and two team leaders. So, Luo Ying followed the waiter to a large table that could seat all eight of them in a circle.
Lin Zhixia reverently picked up the menu, studying the Romanian restaurant dishes. She memorized every dish name and illustration. Jiang Yubai hadn't been to Romania yet. Lin Zhixia planned to document all her experiences in detail to share with him.
Lin Zhixia ordered a dish called "sarmale cu mămăligă." Du Cunkang mentioned that this dish embodied rich Romanian flavors, and Lin Zhixia trusted his recommendation.
When the plate arrived, Lin Zhixia couldn't wait to use her knife and fork, directly slicing into the sausage on the plate. Unaccustomed to cutlery, her movements were fierce and aggressive, starkly contrasting with her innocent and cute appearance.
It seemed less like she was dining in a city-center restaurant and more like she was handling prey she'd caught in the wild. She chopped the sausage into chunks, dipped them in sauce, placed them in a cornmeal flatbread, and took a determined bite—she was satisfied; it tasted good.
"Is it delicious?" Luo Ying asked her.
"Very delicious!" Lin Zhixia replied repeatedly.
Luo Ying smiled and asked: "Compared to your home-cooked meals?"
Lin Zhixia spoke her mind: "Mom's cooking is the best. I want to go home soon and see Mom, Dad, and Brother."
Lin Zhixia's brief remark stirred homesickness among her teammates.
After the meal, they hurried to the market to pick out gifts for family and friends.
Romania joined the European Union in January 2007. However, Romania's currency is not the euro but their nationally issued "leu," translated into Chinese as the Romanian leu.Before setting off, Lin Zhixia exchanged 400 yuan worth of lei at the Bank of China. For Lin Zhixia, 400 yuan was already a substantial amount. She needed to buy gifts for her parents, brother, Jiang Yubai, various teachers, and classmates. The variety of goods at the market dazzled her, and senior Luo Ying served as her advisor.
She purchased some economical yet beautiful items, stuffing her backpack until it was bulging.
Returning to the hotel in the evening, Lin Zhixia took a shower and sat by the window to watch the sunset in a foreign land.
The sunset glowed as red as blazing fire, the church spires pierced the clouds, clear bell chimes echoed from afar, and birds in the sky flew back to their nests. Lin Zhixia couldn't help but wonder: Were Mom, Dad, and Brother asleep at this hour? Were they still worried about her?
Her heart yearned for home like an arrow flying toward its target.
On the day before returning to China, the final results of the Romanian Master of Mathematics were announced.
Lin Zhixia had mixed feelings.
The joy came from her teammates' outstanding performance. They successfully won the team gold medal, with a total score surpassing the Russian team. Russia wasn't even second place—the Serbian team took that spot.
The worry stemmed from Lin Zhixia's total score ranking first, tied with the Russian contestant Alexandrov.
Even so, Lin Zhixia could still receive a gold medal. But she wasn't the sole champion of 2007. When she saw the results, she was completely stunned. Alexandrov might genuinely be smarter than her. Because she had previously read a paper related to the sixth problem, it was equivalent to her already knowing the answer in advance. Whereas Alexandrov might have devised a rigorous theory on the spot. In that brief time, he maintained a stable condition and fully utilized his strengths.
Lin Zhixia began reflecting on her competition mindset. Originally, she didn't care about winning or losing, nor did she care about the answers to the problems. However, at the 2007 Romanian Master of Mathematics, she had placed excessive importance on the outcome, thereby overlooking the process of thinking itself and the beauty of mathematics.
Lin Zhixia engaged in profound self-analysis. She recalled the words Alexandrov had spoken to her, tried to slow down his speech rate in her mind, and suddenly understood what he meant to express.
So that's it!
Du Cunkang was right—Alexandrov truly possessed considerable strength.
But his teammates lost to Lin Zhixia's teammates.
The team finals weren't a battle fought by one person alone.
Lin Zhixia felt the gold medal around her neck was heavy.
Du Cunkang, who hadn't performed well on the first day, chose to bear the immense pressure alone, putting on a happy facade to prevent his teammates from being negatively affected. And the other two teammates—they made no mistakes whatsoever in this competition.
The competition in the international mathematics contest circle is extremely fierce. If a participant is slightly careless or distracted, they might lose a few points. One person's failure could drag down the whole team, while one person's success cannot save the entire group.
Participants who lose shouldn't be harshly criticized—they have already done their utmost to solve the problems. Completing the competition earnestly itself embodies a "spirit of sportsmanship."After careful consideration and feeling inspired, Lin Zhixia said to her teammates on the return flight: "We were able to win first place in the team competition thanks to everyone's concerted efforts. This team gold medal represents the sweat we've all shed, and I will cherish it dearly."
Her teammates laughed heartily, filling the air with a relaxed atmosphere.
Du Cunkang reiterated: "I'm really happy to be teammates with you all..."
Lin Zhixia completed his sentence: "In the days to come, let's continue striving and reach even greater heights!"
On the plane, the six young students high-fived each other, celebrating their brilliant victory in this international competition.
The trip to Romania left Lin Zhixia with many reflections.
When she finally returned home and reunited with her parents, she eagerly opened her suitcase and presented the carefully selected gifts to them while sharing her unique perspective: "Mom, I kept thinking about you while I was abroad, and I'm sure you were thinking about me too. I dreamed about you twice, which means you must have missed me for at least two days."
Lin Zeqiu coldly addressed her: "Mommy's cling-on."
Mom immediately scolded him: "Lin Zeqiu, your sister just got home. Speak nicely to her."
Dad had temporarily closed the supermarket. Having missed his daughter for so long, he completely lost interest in doing business the moment she returned from abroad—during the week Lin Zhixia was away, her parents had hardly slept well.
Unaware of her parents' condition over the past week, Lin Zhixia rummaged through her suitcase and said excitedly: "I bought Mom a bracelet, Dad a hat, and Brother an Easter egg... I also bought two packs of candy. The day after tomorrow when I go back to school, I'll share them with my teachers and classmates."
Mom really liked the bracelet Lin Zhixia gave her. She examined the simple-styled bracelet over and over, asking Lin Zhixia: "How much did this cost? Was it expensive? How was the food and sleep in Romania? You didn't deprive yourself, did you?"
Lin Zhixia replied honestly: "It wasn't expensive. I went to the market with my classmates and bought several things. I ate well every day in Romania and slept fine at night. But I don't like long flights—I couldn't sleep on the plane."Mom felt deeply sorry for her: 'Xia Xia is so young, running around everywhere must be exhausting.'" I changed your bedsheets, duvet cover, and pillowcases—washed them last night, dried them this morning, and left them in the sun all morning. Go take a bath soon and get to bed early. Whatever you want to eat, just tell me. I'll make it for you so you can have it when you wake up."
Lin Zhixia pushed open her bedroom door to find her room clean and tidy, as if she had never left. The quilt and pillow retained the warm residual heat from the sun—a warmth that was not just from the sunlight, but also from home.
After taking a bath that washed away her fatigue and weariness, dispelling all distracting thoughts, Lin Zhixia climbed into bed holding Little Penguin, relaxing completely from head to toe. Just as she closed her eyes, her brother knocked on her door: "Lin Zhixia."
Lin Zhixia responded drowsily: "What?"
Her brother said: "Lin Zhixia, give me your Little Penguin."Lin Zhixia grabbed the blanket and covered her head: "I don't have Little Penguin."
Brother walked into Lin Zhixia's bedroom and stood by her bed: "Your penguin has been staying with you at the hotel for a week. How could you still hold it? Your bedsheet, duvet cover, and pillowcases are all clean, and you've taken a bath. Your penguin is dirty."
Brother's words weren't very pleasant. But he was right.
In a daze, Lin Zhixia reached out from under the blanket and personally handed Little Penguin to Brother. Brother carried the penguin out of the room. Lin Zhixia hadn't realized what was wrong yet. She was simply too exhausted. She had endured over ten hours on the plane without sleeping, and now, lying in the most familiar place, drowsiness overwhelmed her mind.
In her haze, she heard splashing sounds coming from the balcony. Only then did it occur to her that Brother was terrified of penguins and had even had many nightmares about them. Brother might have been a fish in the Antarctic Ocean in his past life—so why had he suddenly taken away Lin Zhixia's Little Penguin plush toy? Was he going to throw it away?
As soon as this thought emerged, Lin Zhixia abruptly woke up. She hurriedly put on her slippers and went looking for Brother.
At that moment, Lin Zeqiu was sitting on a stool on the balcony. Beside his feet was a wooden basin filled with tap water. Wearing a pair of rubber gloves, he was scrubbing Little Penguin with a washboard.
Usually, Mom hand-washed Little Penguin. But this time, Lin Zeqiu had taken the initiative to handle the task. He was scrubbing with extra effort, and in his pocket was the Romanian decorated egg that Lin Zhixia had given him.
Lin Zhixia had told him that the Romanian decorated egg was a symbol of good luck. She had given it to Brother, hoping he would have good fortune, pass every exam smoothly, and be happy every day.
As he recalled Lin Zhixia's words, he willingly scrubbed the penguin. He also planned to help Lin Zhixia unpack later, properly organizing the things she had brought back.
Lin Zeqiu pulled up his pant legs, moved the basin, and cold water splashed onto his ankles. He heard Lin Zhixia's voice: "Brother, aren't you afraid of penguins anymore?"
Lin Zeqiu looked up abruptly: "Weren't you sleeping?"
Lin Zhixia yawned: "I heard you using the washboard."
"Did I disturb you? I'll be done soon." Lin Zeqiu turned on the balcony faucet and rinsed Little Penguin directly.
Just as Lin Zhixia was about to step onto the balcony, Lin Zeqiu stopped her: "Go back and close your bedroom door tightly. Don't come over—the floor is damp."
"Thank you, Brother. You're the best brother." She said solemnly.
Lin Zeqiu, wearing rubber boots, had his hands immersed in the water basin. The temperature in early March was quite low, and a cold breeze seeped through the window cracks, gently brushing against his neck. He lowered his head slightly, his wrists sinking another inch into the cold water. He didn't respond, only saying in a deeper voice than usual: "Alright, stop sweet-talking me. Go back to sleep."
"Okay, Brother should rest early too." Lin Zhixia agreed.
Brother, who was so terrified of penguins, had unexpectedly changed tonight, diligently and thoughtfully helping to bathe Little Penguin. Why was that? After a moment's thought, Lin Zhixia came up with a reason—perhaps it was because the gift she had given Brother had deeply moved him.In fact, Lin Zhixia had bought two Easter eggs.
She gave one to her brother.
The other egg was placed in Jiang Yubai's hand.
In early March, a giant banner was hung across the campus of Provincial No. 1 High School. Against a red background, golden characters proclaimed: "Warm congratulations to our student Lin Zhixia for winning the individual championship and team first prize in the 2007 Romanian Master of Mathematics competition!"
Lin Zhixia walked calmly past the front of the banner with her backpack.
She heard students from various grades discussing her, some calling her the "Eighth Grade Math Goddess," while others referred to her as the "Competition Princess." She was amused by those exaggerated titles. She ran through the junior high school building and cheerfully dashed into Class 17 of the eighth grade.
At 7:30 in the morning, Jiang Yubai had already arrived at school. The seat beside him was empty. Lin Zhixia unhesitatingly went to his side and called out to him in a playful tone, "Jiang Jiang Jiang Jiang Yubai!"
Jiang Yubai was taken aback for a moment. He took out his pencil case and textbooks, placing them on the desk, and responded nonchalantly, "Lin Lin Lin Lin Zhixia."
Lin Zhixia pulled a Romanian decorated egg from her pocket. She pushed the eggshell with her finger, rolling it over to Jiang Yubai.
She looked at him and said, "Jiang Yubai, this is a gift I brought back for you from Romania. This kind of decorated egg represents good luck. You must have heard of its origin—it's a symbol of Easter and also represents the awakening of all things in spring. I hope Jiang Yubai always has good luck, always lives in the spring sunshine, and that the sunlight will sweep away all gloom, filling your future with brightness."
"You too," Jiang Yubai grasped the decorated egg, "your future will be filled with brightness."
Jiang Yubai seemed to greatly appreciate the gift Lin Zhixia had given him. He placed the egg in his pencil case, occasionally taking it out to play with. He even poked it with his fingertip, making the egg spin gently on his desk.
Nearby classmates saw it and wanted to borrow the egg to play with, but Jiang Yubai firmly refused. He came up with various excuses, and in the end, no one managed to take the egg away from him.
After Jiang Yubai finished playing with the egg, Lin Zhixia handed him the gold medal from the Romanian Master of Mathematics. He opened his backpack and handed her his life record notebook from this period. Lin Zhixia also placed her own notebook into his drawer.
"We really haven't been separated," Lin Zhixia hugged her notebook, "No matter where Captain Lin Zhixia goes, she will always return to that Spaceship."
Jiang Yubai flipped through Lin Zhixia's Romanian travel journal and cooperatively summarized, "Captain Lin Zhixia has concluded her Romanian expedition, gaining a gold medal and an Easter egg."
"This Saturday, can I come to your house to play?" Lin Zhixia asked.
"Yes," Jiang Yubai gave a very definite reply.
Jiang Yubai had originally thought that since Lin Zhixia had won the Romanian Master of Mathematics championship, she would be too busy to be seen after returning. Unexpectedly, Lin Zhixia still remembered their agreement—right, Lin Zhixia never forgets. She can remember everything.
Since last month, Jiang Yubai had been preparing to host Lin Zhixia. At the beginning of this month, he informed his parents in advance. His Mom suggested that he not invite Lin Zhixia alone, but rather bring other classmates or friends along. Jiang Yubai declined his Mom's suggestion. His Mom didn't say anything, but his uncle remarked, "If that young girl comes to our house alone, she should still have someone accompanying her..."
Jiang Yubai relayed his uncle's words to Lin Zhixia.
Lin Zhixia and Jiang Yubai had known each other for three years. She had carefully observed his every word and action, and to be honest, she deeply trusted his character and demeanor.Therefore, on Saturday morning, when Jiang Yubai arrived at the entrance of Ancheng Residential Complex in his family's car, he only saw Lin Zhixia alone. Lin Zhixia, carrying her backpack, came trotting happily toward him.
She said, "I've talked to Mom and Dad. I told them I'm going to play at a classmate's house, and they both agreed. But I didn't tell Brother. If Brother guessed I was going to play with you, he definitely wouldn't let me go out."
Jiang Yubai hadn't expected Lin Zeqiu to be so hostile toward him. Coincidentally, he didn't have a favorable impression of Lin Zeqiu either.
He changed the subject and began discussing the Romanian Master Competition with Lin Zhixia. Lin Zhixia enthusiastically described the details of the problems, and Jiang Yubai followed her train of thought as they pondered mathematics together. Before they knew it, they had arrived at Jiang Yubai's family estate.
Jiang Yubai stepped out of the car first. He opened the car door and led Lin Zhixia out of the parking lot.
It was a tranquil Saturday morning. The estate was carpeted with lush green grass and adorned with blooming flowers. During her previous visit to Jiang Yubai's home, Lin Zhixia hadn't noticed the spectacular beauty of the back garden. As she walked and looked around, she couldn't help but exclaim, "Jiang Yubai, your garden is so beautiful!"
"The scenery is even better in summer," Jiang Yubai commented objectively.
Lin Zhixia asked him, "What flowers bloom in summer?"
Jiang Yubai said, "There are lotuses in the pond."
Lin Zhixia caught sight of the distant pond. In the center stood a statue of a black horse galloping with its hooves raised, perched on a rock. On either side of the rock were two openings spraying clear streams of water downward—this was the fountain of a wealthy family.
Gardeners were working in the garden, meticulously trimming shrubs into intricate and clever shapes. Lin Zhixia looked around, her eyes feasting on the sights. Jiang Yubai continued leading the way ahead. When they reached the entrance of the private museum, she clutched her "Museum Pass," taking a ceremonious step forward.
Lin Zhixia said cheerfully, "Thank you for the pass, Jiang Yubai."
Jiang Yubai pulled open the glass door and only released it after Lin Zhixia stepped inside. He closed the door again and reminded her, "That's a Permanent Pass."
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