I'm back in 1990

Chapter 582: "The Gift"

As the beginning of autumn approached, a phone call across the Pacific Ocean reached Huang Xiaochuan. The person on the other end of the line introduced himself as Selvan Roberts, chairman of the Clark Medal selection committee.

"Professor Huang, in recognition of your outstanding academic contributions to the field of economics, you have been unanimously selected by the award committee to receive the 2001 Clark Medal. Congratulations!"

The sudden news stunned Huang Xiaochuan for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. After calming his turbulent emotions, he replied steadily, "Thank you! I am deeply honored to receive your notification."

Huang Xiaochuan took a deep breath, suppressing the surge of excitement within him, and answered clearly and firmly, "Yes, I am willing to accept this award."

Huang Xiaochuan was naturally aware of the regulation and immediately stated that he would strictly abide by it. Subsequently, the two parties communicated on the details of the announcement, such as the spelling of names and the unit or organization of the award winners.

After hanging up the phone, Huang Xiaochuan, for the first time ever, asked his assistant Gao Song to pour him a glass of champagne. Gao Song couldn't hide his surprise. In his memory, his boss always had tea in his hand during work hours and only drank alcohol when gathering with relatives and friends. Raising a glass in the office was definitely a first for him.

A few days later, the AEA website released the 2001 Clark Medal winners as scheduled.

As the newly crowned winner, Huang Xiaochuan's phone was instantly flooded with congratulations. However, almost all the callers asked the same question: Was the "Xiao Huang" on the EA announcement the same Huang Xiaochuan they knew?

Shanghai University of Finance and Economics is currently in its annual admissions season, and the admissions department is working overtime to send out admission notices.

Because of the heavy enrollment workload and the shortage of staff dedicated to this task, the school arranges for young teachers to take turns helping out each year. This year, it was Ma Yifeng's turn.

Ma Yifeng had originally wanted to quit his job and join An Cheng and the others in running the company, but his wife Sang Weihong was firmly against it, so he had to give up. Now, he was the only one of the four who was still committed to the education front. Thinking of this, Ma Yifeng shook his head and cried out in his heart, "My wife has ruined me!"

Seeing that he had finished his work, Ma Yifeng casually switched the computer screen back to the web browser interface and went online to read current affairs news. As a result, an announcement from AE that was reprinted online caught his attention.

As his gaze swept across the webpage, Ma Yifeng's hand suddenly froze, almost dropping the mouse. He stared wide-eyed in disbelief, zooming in on the page to confirm each word.

"《ARI enoic review》john bates crk dal annou awarded toxiao huang"

"Wow, the Clark Award?" Ma Yifeng couldn't help but exclaim, his sudden voice drawing the attention of the others.

Several teachers gathered around him, looking at the computer screen. One of them even asked, "What award?"

Ma Yifeng did not answer. He was checking the area below the winner's name where the affiliated organization should be indicated, but it was currently blank!

The name of Shanghai University of Finance and Economics is not on it.

In an instant, a complex mix of emotions—shock, elation, regret, and absurdity—overwhelmed Ma Yifeng. He abruptly stood up and slammed his fist on the table: "Holy crap! Huang Xiaochuan, Huang Xiaochuan won the Clark Medal! The Clark Medal in Economics!"

Ma Yifeng's voice trembled with excitement, but he quickly pointed regretfully to the blank space on the webpage: "It's a pity our school's name isn't there. Look here."

[At this point, I hope readers will remember our domain name: 20 ...

As faculty members of the School of Economics, we are naturally aware of the Clark Medal and what it represents for the economics community.

Someone quickly realized what was happening: "Quick! Notify the dean and the principal immediately!"

The news spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of the school in an instant.

In the principal's office, the principal was rubbing his temples as he reviewed a report on the development of disciplines for the second half of the academic year when the telephone on his desk suddenly rang urgently. It was Hong Yongze calling.

Hong Yongze's voice was filled with unprecedented excitement: "Principal, something big has happened! Huang Xiaochuan, Huang Xiaochuan has won this year's Clark Economics Prize, and AEA's announcement was released today."

"What?!" The principal jumped to his feet. He knew the significance of the Clark Medal, one of the highest honors in economics after the Nobel Prize, awarded only to the most promising economists under the age of forty, often referred to as the "Little Nobel Prize." For a Chinese scholar to receive this award was like dropping an atomic bomb on the Chinese economics community! This would be the most glorious and landmark achievement in the history of Shanghai University of Finance and Economics! Enough to propel the university into the ranks of internationally renowned institutions!

He couldn't help but get excited: "That's great, that's fantastic news, this is from my school!" But before he could finish speaking, he suddenly realized something, and his heart sank.

"Vice Principal Hong, should the notice include the name of the relevant unit?"

Hong Yongze's voice, filled with bitterness and regret, came from the other end of the phone: "Principal, the information section for the award recipients' organizations on the announcement is blank!"

The principal suddenly felt a chill run from his feet to the top of his head, his vision went black, and he swayed before collapsing heavily back into his wicker chair. The euphoria and grand vision that had just surged within him were like a popped soap bubble, replaced by a deep sense of loss and regret!

He recalled the personal asset report he would never forget, the dizzying figures that had shocked him. But now, the impact of the head of the Clark Medal-winning institution passing him by far surpassed those nine hundred million! This was an immeasurable honor, representing the pinnacle of academia! This should have been a golden plaque engraved in the most prominent position in the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics' history museum! Now, it was all for naught!

He muttered to himself, his voice hoarse with regret: "How could this happen? Just a few months ago, I was an associate professor at our university!"

The principal's remorseful words traveled through the telephone line to Hong Yongze's ears without missing a single one.

When Hong Yongze learned that his junior had won the award, he immediately opened the AEA website to check the newly released announcement. After reading it, he remained silent for a long time.

His gaze fell on the "xiao huang" on the notice and the glaring blank space, and he recalled the image of his junior brother walking alone across the campus to the classroom during the investigation, facing rumors and gossip.

A complex and indescribable smile slowly spread across Hong Yongze's lips, a smile that conveyed pride and satisfaction for his junior's remarkable achievements.

"It's empty! It's empty!" Hong Yongze muttered to himself, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table. The blank space on the notice was a silent yet resounding slap in the face to the school, a mockery of the rumors, the anonymous letter, and the school's failure to provide sufficient protection and support during the turmoil! This blank space will forever be a regret and scar for the university!

He recalled Huang Xiaochuan's words before he resigned: "Senior, that's not fair of you. You're pretending to be ignorant when you know the truth. Do you think I can continue to teach here peacefully?"

Yes! Deep down, I know, but I'm unwilling or afraid to think about the consequences my junior left behind. Now, the aftermath of this event has come in such a glorious yet tragic way, meaning that they have personally sent away an academic god who was about to be crowned, and that they have personally buried a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the school to reach the top of the international academic circle.

Hong Yongze concluded by suggesting, "Principal, I recommend we convene an emergency meeting of the school committee!"

As the head of the School of Economics, Zhuang Yonghua naturally knew about the news. After reading EAEA's announcement, he sat in his chair in silence for a long time. Then, the usually calm and reserved man smashed his teacup and slapped his right hand several times, because it was his right hand that signed the agreement to Huang Xiaochuan's resignation.

Huang Xiaochuan's former students, Sheng Lei and Pu Shouzhong, naturally heard about this through various channels, and they felt even more distressed!

Ma Yifeng was still immersed in a huge emotional upheaval. He looked at the pile of admission notices on the table, which were waiting to be sent and carried the hopes of countless families. Then he looked at the AEA announcement on the computer webpage and felt extremely ironic.

He recalled the rumors circulating on campus when the investigation team arrived, the gloating faces of some people, and Huang Xiaochuan's calm farewell to the team, his calm announcement of his resignation, and his calm comforting of his students.

He recalled advising Huang Xiaochuan to wait until he was promoted to full professor before leaving, but now it seemed so ridiculous! Would a Clark Medal winner care about a mere "full professor" title? Compared to the brilliance of the Clark Medal, the "full professor" title at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics seemed so insignificant.

The news spread quickly, and Sang Weihong naturally found out as well. She rushed over to Ma Yifeng's side.

Seeing the expression on Sang Weihong's face, Ma Yifeng knew that she knew too!

With a wry smile, I said to her, "Our school is going to be disappointed this time!"

Huang Xiaochuan never expected that after he left, he would leave his alma mater with a deeply unforgettable "gift"!