When Sheldon heard that he was fired, his face registered complete shock.
"Why? What I said is the truth," he asked, genuinely puzzled.
He had always been like this, saying exactly what he thought. While people had occasionally tried to correct him, they had invariably given up due to Sheldon's stubborn nature.
"Why are you being so narrow-minded? I just stated a few facts, and you're going to fire me over it. This is completely unreasonable!" Sheldon frowned, indignant at what he perceived as unfair treatment.
When Gablehauser saw that Sheldon not only refused to apologize but was actually blaming him instead, he was so angry he almost laughed.
"Shut up and get out, or I'll call security," he snapped furiously.
"I'm sorry, Dr. Gablehauser." Seeing the situation rapidly deteriorating, Leonard knew they needed to leave immediately. He quickly grabbed Sheldon's arm and dragged him away from the party.
"Hey, why are we leaving? I didn't say anything wrong," Sheldon protested as Leonard pulled him along.
Watching the entire scene unfold, Raj couldn't help but shake his head in dismay.
Usually, Sheldon's poisonous tongue was primarily aimed at their circle of friends. For example, he had commented that Leonard had no original experiments and that all his scientific research projects were worthless, even suggesting he switch careers and become a history teacher instead. He constantly mocked Howard for being a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who only had a master's degree but no doctorate. He repeatedly made pointed observations about Raj's Indian culture and customs. Sheldon also claimed to be the smartest person in the world, insisting that everyone else was as stupid as a dog and incapable of proper intellectual communication.
Because they were all friends and understood that his nature was simply like this—not driven by subjective malice—they all forgave him and chose not to hold it against him. This tolerance, however well-intentioned, had caused Sheldon to remain completely unaware of his shortcomings. He genuinely believed that everyone appreciated his blunt honesty, which explained why he hadn't made any changes over the years. He had always been exactly the same.
But Dr. Gablehauser was not his friend. He was Sheldon's immediate superior, and he had no intention of indulging these obnoxious habits.
So today, Sheldon had finally met his match.
To be honest, seeing this scene unfold, Raj not only didn't feel distressed on Sheldon's behalf, but actually felt a small surge of pleasure.
After all the times Sheldon had been so dismissive and condescending toward others, perhaps he deserved to suffer the consequences a little bit now.
"Wow!" Penny, standing beside him, had also witnessed the entire exchange, and she looked absolutely stunned.
She had originally assumed that today's faculty party would be tedious and boring, just another obligatory social event. But she certainly hadn't expected such dramatic entertainment to unfold right before her eyes.
"Honey, should we say something? Should we intercede for your friend?" She turned to Raj, her expression shifting to one of genuine concern. "What if he actually gets fired over this?"
"Don't worry about Sheldon," Raj replied, waving his hand dismissively with a knowing laugh. "He's the prized treasure of the university. He studies the most difficult, high-end, and cutting-edge string theory in the entire field of physics, and he's considered a leader in that specialized area. The school would never let someone of his caliber go so easily."
He paused, then added, "And even if we take a step back and imagine the worst-case scenario where he actually is fired, well, with his achievements and academic reputation, there would be dozens of prestigious universities and scientific research institutions rushing to recruit him. So there's really no need to worry about his future."
"Oh, well that's a relief," Penny said, nodding with visible reassurance.
Although she had only met Sheldon a handful of times at various gatherings, she had formed the impression that despite his eccentric personality and often harsh, cutting manner of speech, he was still fundamentally good-natured at his core. She genuinely didn't want anything truly bad to happen to him.
"Honey, would you mind fetching us two glasses of wine?" Raj asked, flashing her a charming smile.
"Of course," Penny agreed readily, heading toward the refreshment table.
Seizing the opportunity, Raj approached Dr. Gablehauser with a diplomatic smile. "Dr. Gablehauser, please allow me to apologize on behalf of my colleague. I think his evaluation of you was completely unfair and thoroughly lacking in objectivity."
"Well, I appreciate that, Dr. Koothrappali," Gablehauser responded, glancing at Rajesh with a slightly softened expression and a curt nod.
Just then, Penny returned carrying two champagne flutes.
"Champagne," Raj announced smoothly, extending one of the elegant glasses toward Gablehauser.
"Thank you," Gablehauser said, accepting the glass with a more genuine smile this time. "So Rajesh, what research are you currently pursuing?"
"I'm presently studying the Kuiper belt and its various properties," Raj explained enthusiastically. "My latest paper, 'Edgeworth-Kuiper Debris Disk,' has just been accepted for publication by The Astrophysical Journal."
"Wow, that's quite impressive," Gablehauser said with unmistakable appreciation in his voice.
The Astrophysical Journal was widely recognized as the most prestigious and high-end publication in the entire field of astronomy. The fact that Raj's paper had been accepted by such a distinguished journal clearly indicated that his work possessed considerable academic value and significance.
"Thank you very much," Raj acknowledged modestly. "However, before the official publication date, I was hoping to make some refinements and revisions to strengthen certain arguments. It would be extremely valuable if someone with experience could review it and offer me some expert guidance." He paused deliberately, then added, "Dr. Gablehauser, I don't suppose you'd have any time available in the near future?"
Gablehauser's eyes immediately lit up with interest at the suggestion.
He hadn't conducted any original research in many years, a fact that had earned him considerable contempt and dismissive attitudes from those in the orthodox academic circles who valued active scholarship above administrative work.
If his name were to appear in The Astrophysical Journal—even if merely as an acknowledged consultant rather than a formal co-author of the paper—it would give him something to be proud of for quite some time. It might even restore some of his tarnished credibility among his peers.
"Well, although my administrative duties keep me extremely busy," he replied almost immediately, unable to hide his eagerness, "I'm always willing to make time in my schedule to help mentor promising young researchers like yourself."
"Then I'm truly grateful for your generosity. Cheers to productive collaboration," Raj said warmly, raising his glass with a satisfied smile.
After another day, Raj handed over his thesis to Gablehauser.
"Dr. Gablehauser, please, I don't want to trouble you, but would you mind taking a look at this?" He said respectfully.
"It's no trouble at all." Gablehauser smiled warmly, and then began flipping through the pages.
After reading it carefully, he was full of praise for the paper.
"Rajesh, you truly are a genius," he said with genuine admiration. "This paper is exceptionally well written. I believe that from now on, it will fundamentally change the way people approach research on the Kuiper belt."
"Thank you for your valuable opinion, Dr. Gablehauser," Raj nodded appreciatively. "I will make sure to specifically mention your contribution in the acknowledgments section at the end of the paper."
There is an acknowledgment section at the end of academic papers, where authors express gratitude for the guidance and assistance received during the completion of their research. This is a display of humility and professional courtesy from the researcher, recognizing that scientific progress is rarely achieved in isolation.
It is also considered an honor for the person being thanked, as it publicly associates them with quality research.
"Thank you, Rajesh. That's very thoughtful of you," Gablehauser said with a slight smile. "I will remember this."
Raj also smiled, knowing this response was exactly what he had hoped for.
"You are most welcome," he replied. Then, seizing the opportunity, he continued, "Actually, I still have some new ideas about the study of the Kuiper belt that I've been developing. If you are interested, I would very much like to strengthen our collaboration and work together on future research."
"Well, yes, I think that would be excellent. I also conduct research in astrophysics, and I would be quite willing to cooperate with you on this," Gablehauser nodded thoughtfully.
From Rajesh's paper on the "Edgeworth-Kuiper Fragment Disk," it was clear that his research on the Kuiper belt was exceptionally insightful and methodologically sophisticated. He was already establishing himself as a rising leader in this specialized field.
If Gablehauser collaborated with Rajesh, he could also expect to be acknowledged in future papers. Even better, if he could secure a position as co-author, then he could equally share in the scientific research results and add considerable prestige to his own academic resume.
"Then it's a deal," Raj nodded and said with satisfaction.
He had mentally catalogued approximately forty or fifty paper topics and had identified the coordinates of more than a dozen potentially habitable terrestrial planets from his future knowledge. In addition to these, he possessed revolutionary concepts like superfluid surface tension theory, quantum navigation systems, quantum communication systems, and the groundbreaking super asymmetry theory, among others.
These scientific research results were more than enough to make him a prominent leader in the academic world and ensure his place in the annals of physics.
But reputation and status alone were not enough for his long-term goals. He also needed to leverage these achievements to secure greater material benefits and institutional support for himself. That's precisely why he needed to cultivate a strong collaborative relationship with his immediate superior, the department chair, Dr. Gablehauser. A powerful ally in such a position could open doors that brilliance alone could not.
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