Orion Crest, Series_2

Chapter 23: Langton's ant

　　"The Navier-Stokes equations on a Euclidean space R3 can be expressed in the form atμ=△μ+B(μ, μ), where B is a bilinear operator on a divergence-free vector field and μ satisfies the cancellativity 〈B(μ, μ), μ〉=0......"

　　Orion, whose pen tip is lightly tapping on the draft paper and muttering under his breath, suddenly freezes slightly, then laughs and shakes his head.

　　"I promised not to touch maths after returning home, ......, but as a windfall, his research on NS equations has made a considerable amount of progress."

　　Writing down the annotations on the draft paper, Orion stopped the pen in his hand, stood up and stuffed the stack of draft paper into his suitcase, waiting to study it again when he returned to Princeton.

　　For the rest of the time, Orion didn't think about his work anymore, and just like that, had a relaxing and enjoyable holiday.

　　After the New Year, Orion said goodbye to his family and left for Princeton. Sitting in the waiting hall, he was browsing Twitter to kill time when he suddenly received a text message from Isabel.

　　Isabel: [Orion, when are you returning to school?]

　　[I'm about to board the plane.]

　　Ding-

　　A reply text message was quickly received.

　　Isabel: [Ah, you actually didn't wait for me, so bad-﹏-]

　　Orion: ......? You didn't tell me in advance that you were leaving together either ......

　　But speaking of which, when did Isabel learn to be cute. Seeing that -﹏-, Orion thought for a moment that this text message was sent by Cara.

......

　　The quiet town of Princeton seems to flow with a kind of magic that can wash away the impatience in one's heart, and the moment Orion stepped into the place, he felt that everything was back on track.

　　He spent the day at home recuperating. The next day, after breakfast Orion headed to Professor Feferman's office.

　　"Did you have a good holiday?"

　　Orion: "Quite enjoyable, I haven't had a holiday this long in a long time."

　　"Really? It might get a little busy next then."

　　Standing up from his desk, Professor Feferman walked over to the window and suddenly asked somewhat abruptly, "Do you smoke?"

　　Orion: " No, what's wrong?"

　　"Nothing, it's right not to smoke, it's not a good thing," Professor Feferman took out a cigarette, lit it with a lighter, and handed it over to Orion, "However, sometimes it gives me unexpected inspiration."

　　Taking the cigarette, Orion pinched it between two fingers and examined the smoke that billowed up from it. The smoke from the tip of the cigarette was ethereal and upward, a shapely column of smoke that gradually dispersed, as if it were a fluid with a very low coefficient of viscosity.

　　Staring at the cigarette for a moment, Orion vaguely understood something, but asked, "What are you trying to tell me?"

　　Professor Feferman smiled and said in a pleasant manner, "Oftentimes the fluids we study are like it, circling in an orderly fashion to eventually diverging in a haphazard manner, from initially predictable to eventually completely out of control. Even with all the mathematical tools, it is impossible to describe the evolution of this chaotic state."