Chapter 284 Wu Lien-teh
Zhang Xingjiu and Lang Zhiwan were both a little surprised. Thomson had just said at the dinner that the speech would start tomorrow and asked the teachers and students of Cambridge not to disturb Zhang Xingjiu's rest tonight. Why did someone come? "Who is it?" Zhang Xingjiu asked curiously.
"He's also a Chinese. His name is Wulian." The waiter awkwardly announced the visitor's name.
Zhang Xingjiu immediately remembered that this should be Dr. Wu Lien-teh who cured the plague in Northeast China? He was also the first Chinese to be nominated for the Nobel Prize, so he hurriedly said, "Please come in."
After a while, a young man who was about the same age as Zhang Xingjiu, wearing glasses and with a side-parted hairstyle, walked in. When he saw Zhang Xingjiu from a distance, he saluted with his fists clasped together, "I, your humble disciple Wu Lien-teh, greet Mr. Zhang!"
Zhang Xingjiu returned the greeting with a look of surprise, then quickly stepped forward and held Wu Lien-teh's hand, "I didn't expect to meet a Chinese person in Cambridge. This is really exciting. Please come in!"
After entering, Zhang Xingjiu quickly asked Ma Zongwen to pour tea, "That's the West Lake Longjing tea that Mr. Qian gave me. Foreigners can't drink such good tea. It's just right for Mr. Wu to taste it."
Wu Lien-teh hurriedly thanked him, then sat down on the sofa and began to introduce himself. He said that he was originally from Taishan, Guangdong. His ancestors had gone to Southeast Asia to make a living very early, and they accumulated some wealth by doing business there. They settled down in Penang, Malaya, and gave birth to him.
When he was 17 years old, the same year that Zhang Xingjiu came to France, Wu Lien-teh also won the Queen's Scholarship of that year with the outstanding result of ranking first in the Malaya region. He came to Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge, England to study medicine. He was also the first Chinese to study here.
Over there, Lang Zhiwan saw that Zhang Xingjiu had a friend come, so he briefly introduced himself and told Wu Lien-teh that he could visit him when he was free in the future. Then he said goodbye and left. Only three Chinese were left in the room.
"It's really amazing that my dear brother Xinglian can get the first place in Malaya. Come, I will use tea instead of wine to toast Xinglian. You have a speech tomorrow and it's really not good to drink. I will treat Xinglian to the Shaoxing rice wine I brought from my hometown tomorrow or the day after tomorrow." Zhang Xingjiu raised the teacup.
When they introduced themselves to each other just now, they also reported their birthdays. They were born in the same year, Zhang Xingjiu was born in February, and Wu Lien-teh was born a month later, in March. So Zhang Xingjiu simply called him Brother Zhouping, so naturally he had to call him Brother Xinglian.
Wu Lien-teh waved his hands repeatedly, "I really can't compare with Brother Zhou Ping. I am still studying hard day and night, afraid of falling behind those English classmates and losing face for us Chinese. But Brother Zhou Ping has already given a lecture, and senior scientists like Professor Thomson have listened carefully. I even heard that the former president of the Royal Society of London, Lord Kelvin, William Thomson, will come to listen to your lecture."
"I am also a fool. Brother Xinglian is talented and hardworking. He will surely achieve results that will shock foreigners in the future." Zhang Xingjiu said firmly.
"Haha, Brother Xie Zhouping, thank you for your words. If that day really comes, I will have no regrets in my life."
The two sides chatted enthusiastically while drinking tea. Zhang Xingjiu asked about the living conditions of the Chinese in Southeast Asia. Wu Lien-teh shook his head again and again, "To be honest, Brother Zhou Ping, we Chinese in Southeast Asia have indeed made some money in recent years, but we only have money but no status. Foreigners and natives bully and oppress us at any time. Life is actually difficult!"
"They are unwilling to return to the Qing Dynasty despite such difficulties, which shows how corrupt the Qing Dynasty is! I have also heard some of the experiences of the elders in Southeast Asia, especially the massacres, which made people cry. It was really too difficult and tragic! Today's international community is like a jungle society, where wolves eat sheep and sheep eat grass. If we don't have a strong motherland behind us, we Chinese who are stranded abroad can only be bullied!"
"Who said it wasn't!" Wu Lien-teh's eyes suddenly turned red. He held Zhang Xingjiu's hand and kept telling him about the various disasters that the Chinese in Southeast Asia had encountered. When he talked about the sad parts, even Zhang Xingjiu, who had experienced several worlds, couldn't help but be moved.
"We Chinese are no less intelligent and talented than Westerners. One day we will be able to stand tall among the nations of the world. Just sit back and watch, my dear Xinglian. You will definitely see that day." Zhang Xingjiu patted her hands and comforted her.
Wu Lien-teh died in 1960. At that time, he must have known that the new China had defeated the coalition forces on the peninsula. I believe he must have been very excited at that time. It's a pity that he didn't catch up with the atomic bomb explosion, otherwise he would have been happier.
"I won't just sit there and watch. I also want to contribute to the rise of China. I can't do anything else, but I hope to learn advanced Western medicine and give back to the Chinese people in the future." Wu Lien-teh was quite ambitious, and he really fulfilled his words later.
But Zhang Xingjiu's expectations of him are more than that. "Xinglian should not only study medicine himself, but also spread this knowledge to more Chinese students!"
Wu Lien-teh later served as vice president and president of a medical school in mainland China for a period of time, but it was not for long. In the end, he was arranged by the Republic of China to serve as the director of the Port Quarantine Administration, which was really a waste of talent.
If there is an opportunity in the future, it would be best to set up a medical school specifically for him so that he can display his strengths.
The two of them got along better and better as they talked, and forgot about time for a moment. It was not until they saw Ma Zongwen's head drooping that Wu Lien-teh came to his senses and quickly stood up to say goodbye. "I was so happy that I didn't even notice that we had been chatting for so long. Brother Zhouping and sister-in-law, please take a rest. I will come to listen to Brother Zhouping's speech tomorrow."
"I do have something to do tomorrow, so I won't keep you, brother Xinglian. Come over tomorrow, and we can drink and chat happily together."
Zhang Xingjiu stood up and walked him to the door of the hotel. While watching his back gradually disappear into the distance, he muttered to himself that in the original history, Wu Lien-teh only received a nomination but did not win the award in the end. This was a pity. Now that the two knew each other, he had to get him an award.
After returning to the room and washing up, the couple soon fell asleep.
When he woke up in the morning, Lang Zhiwan was already waiting downstairs. After having breakfast with him, he took him to the auditorium and introduced the guests to him. Baron Kelvin was indeed there.
He had to come. He had been announcing the completion of the Physics Building a long time ago. He didn't expect that Zhang Xingjiu would create such a big hole in his mind. Now that Zhang Xingjiu was coming to give a speech, he had to be there in person. After the speech, he might even stand up and ask questions.
When the time came, Zhang Xingjiu walked onto the stage and began his speech.
The next chapter may be late, it's almost the New Year and there are so many things to do
(End of this chapter)
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