Forging shields with code

Unbroken spirit

Those around Wang considered his survival a miracle. His return to work came as yet another surprise. He applied for a defense research project immediately after his return.

When they visited Wang in the hospital, his colleagues and students all hoped that he would return to them. Wang said that knowing he was still needed gave him the determination to return.

"My goal has never changed," he said. "Only the way I pursue it has."

He continued to travel alone on business, attend academic conferences, and mentor his students. Those who work with Wang said he has always insisted on self-reliance, never asking others for help as long as he was capable of doing something himself.

To support him, the university installed wheelchair ramps at the entrances to his office building and the campus canteen. Instead of using an electric wheelchair, he insisted on using the manual one to help him exercise more.

Chen Liqian, a professor at the university on Wang's team, said Wang had become even more focused on his work since the illness."He often points us to papers that are closely related to our research, papers we hadn't noticed yet, but he already had," Chen said.

In 2021, Wang was diagnosed with kidney failure. He now undergoes four-hour dialysis sessions three times a week. Yet instead of slowing down, he said he wants to make the most of the time he has. Even during dialysis, he reads academic papers and attends online meetings. "For him, reading papers is a form of rest," his wife said.

On days when he does not undergo dialysis, Wang keeps to a disciplined routine: arriving at the university around 7 am, taking a short break at noon, returning to work at 2 pm, and heading back to the hospital in the evening."Even on holidays, you can usually find him in his office," said Huang Zhen, his driver.

The researcher currently supervises more than 20 master's and doctoral students. Although his own time has become increasingly precious, he remains generous in sharing it with them.

Zhao Jing, one of his students, said Wang's office door is always open for one-on-one discussions. "His smile puts me at ease whenever I run into difficulties in my research," she said.

Fan Kai, one of Wang's master's students, said his mentor's wheelchair soon faded into the background. "Whenever we discussed research, I hardly even noticed he was in a wheelchair," Fan said.

The most noticeable change may be in his diet. According to Wang Ting, who has known Wang Ji for more than 30 years, Wang Ji used to be a food lover, with a particular fondness for the rice noodles sold near the campus. However, since being diagnosed with kidney failure, he has had to strictly control his intake of water and food. To make drinking water more enjoyable, Wang bought a machine for the office to make sparkling water.

"His illness never changed who he was. Even in adversity, he remained as kind, optimistic and passionate about life as he had always been," said Wang Ting.