Genius Club

“Enough!” Big Cat Face shouted, shoving Lin Xian back. “Do you ever stop? Question after question! Are you some kind of walking encyclopedia? Why do you need to know everything?”

Lin Xian recoiled but remained curious. “Is your dad in good health?”

Big Cat Face snorted, taking an angry drag from his cigarette. “He’s fine! Just gone a bit mad with all his studies. Locks himself up all day!”

These scholars, the more they study, the crazier they become,” he continued, passing the cigarette to Ah Zhuang.

“Yeah,” Ah Zhuang agreed, taking a puff. “Scholars just babble nonsense. Learning a trade is far better.”

“Exactly,” Er Zhuzi chimed in, taking a puff before passing the cigarette to San Pang. “Scholars are unreliable, not straightforward.”

“It’s better to start working early and marry well, like my sister-in-law,” San Pang added, smoking the last of the cigarette.

Big Cat Face nodded. “Honestly, I don’t even want my daughter to continue her studies. It’s better she starts working and finds a good match.”

Lin Xian realized the truth of the saying that economic foundations shape superstructures. In this impoverished area, limited perspectives prevailed. These four men were likely illiterate or semi-literate. He decided it was futile to press Big Cat Face further and thought it best to speak directly with his father. In this dream-like reality, Big Cat Face’s father was still immersed in math.

“Why not! You’re a friend now; it’s no trouble,” Big Cat Face replied, checking his watch. “But it’s too late today. He lives a bit far, and I promised my son I’d bring home roast chicken for dinner.”

“You have a son?” Lin Xian was surprised.

“Yeah, my youngest—he’s six. My daughter wanted a sister, but we had another boy instead,” Big Cat Face said, his face brightening. “He can be a handful but also pretty cute.”

“Great!” Big Cat Face clapped Lin Xian on the shoulder. “You seem to be drifting. Why not stay at my place? We’ve got extra rooms, and you can join us for dinner.”

“Tomorrow, I’ll take you to see my dad on my motorcycle. You’d never find his place alone.”

Lin Xian nodded, grateful for Big Cat Face’s hospitality. Dinner would be an opportunity to learn more about this world. Meanwhile, he was curious about “An Introduction to the Universal Constant” and Big Cat Face’s father’s obsession with it.

“Alright, tomorrow then,” Lin Xian agreed, planning to follow Big Cat Face’s lead in the next cycle of this seemingly endless dream loop.

…

After a bit more chatting, it was time to head home. Ah Zhuang, Er Zhuzi, and San Pang said their goodbyes, and Big Cat Face led Lin Xian back.

“Big brother…” Ah Zhuang leaned in and whispered something to Big Cat Face, who nodded.

“Everything as usual,” Big Cat Face confirmed as the trio departed.

“You guys have plans tonight?” Lin Xian noted their secretive exchange.

“Just gang stuff,” Big Cat Face laughed it off. “Let’s go get that roast chicken.”

…

Navigating the crowded, winding paths, Lin Xian felt claustrophobic, surrounded by endless houses. He looked at Big Cat Face, humming a tune as they walked.

“Brother Face, how do you support your family without a job?”

“Protection fees!” Big Cat Face proudly declared.

“Seriously…” Lin Xian was skeptical. “Is that even legal?”

“Watch it! I run this place. They owe me those fees!”

“Or maybe you’re actually collecting property fees?”

“Nonsense! Don’t look down on me like that!”

…

Arriving at Big Cat Face’s house—a three-story building like its cluttered neighbors—Lin Xian was welcomed by his hospitable and attractive wife. Lin Xian wondered how Er Zhuzi ever dared flirt with her. But perhaps that was just a past dream. Now, Big Cat Face seemed on the right path, though Lin Xian suspected the “protection fees” might be more about property management, like a housing association using a security service.

“Dinner’s ready~” Big Cat Face’s wife called, setting out hot dumplings. The family gathered—laughing and chatting. Big Cat Face’s daughter was charming and bright, his son a mini-version of him.

As they enjoyed dinner, Lin Xian thought of Xu Yun’s tragic fate and Xu Yi Yi’s dire circumstances. Changing history had improved one family’s life but disrupted another’s. He hoped for a future where Xu Yi Yi could thrive like Big Cat Face’s daughter, free from the constraints of their current reality.

Regrettably, the technological advancements needed, like the hibernation pod, seemed unachieved here.

“I don’t want to work! I want to continue studying!” Big Cat Face’s daughter argued. “If I don’t study, what will my future hold? I don’t want to end up like you!”

“Let it go, Brother Face,” Lin Xian interjected, clinking glasses with Big Cat Face. “Support her dreams. Knowledge can change fate. Does Niuniu want to be a mathematician or teacher like her grandpa?”

“I don’t want to be a teacher,” she pouted.

“What do you dream of becoming?”

“My only dream is to leave this place! I want to live in New Donghai City!”

Lin Xian’s glass paused mid-air. “New Donghai City?”

“No, just New Donghai City,” Big Cat Face corrected as he ate. “Are you confused?”

“What do you mean by New Donghai City? Isn’t this Donghai?”

“This is Old Donghai.”

“And where’s New Donghai?”

Big Cat Face looked at Lin Xian as if he were clueless. “Are you joking? You really don’t know?”

“I truly don’t,” Lin Xian insisted.

Sighing, Big Cat Face stood, pulling Lin Xian upstairs. “You must be messing with me!”

On the rooftop, the reality of their location became clear. Below was the old, dilapidated village; in the distance stood a vibrant sci-fi city encased in steel. The stark contrast between their humble surroundings and the advanced metropolis was overwhelming.

“There! That’s New Donghai City!” Big Cat Face pointed to the neon-lit skyline, where futuristic skyscrapers and flying vehicles illustrated a world apart from their own.

Stunned, Lin Xian absorbed the breathtaking view. This dream, blending past and futuristic realities, was a vivid reminder of the enduring power of human aspiration and innovation.