Genius Club

Three question marks popped up over Liu Feng’s head as he glanced back and forth between Lin Xian and Yellow Finch. The air between them felt thick with an ambiguous tension, almost like they were flirting.

“Ahem,” Liu Feng coughed, trying to break the awkward silence. “I’m, uh, going to the bathroom. You guys can continue your chat.”

With that, he quickly picked up his phone and headed towards the door.

Lin Xian looked at Yellow Finch, about to say something, but before he could speak, Liu Feng rushed back in, grabbed a roll of toilet paper, and dashed out again.

“Actually, I think I’ll take a number two. It usually takes me a while, like half an hour, sometimes even an hour. Anyway, I’ll be off.”

Bang. The door closed behind him.

Lin Xian stared at the closed door for a moment before turning back to Yellow Finch. Maybe he had imagined the earlier tension. Perhaps it was just the way the sunlight hit her eyes, making them appear dull for a moment. Now, standing in the shadows of the laboratory, her pupils seemed bright again.

“I received an invitation to the Genius Club,” Lin Xian said softly. He had meant to ask why she was here, but Liu Feng’s interruption made him skip straight to the point.

Yellow Finch smiled and walked to the center of the lab, gently stroking the space-time clock Liu Feng had left on the workbench. “Being a hindsight hero is pointless. No normal person would stare at a mirror for 24 hours. Getting the invitation now isn’t too late.”

“Or rather,” she continued, “even if you got it earlier, it wouldn’t have helped much. The invitation is only the first step. If you can’t answer the three questions correctly, you still can’t join the Genius Club.”

“Life is like that. You never know if you’re making the right steps or when to persist or give up. Like I told you before, Lin Xian, if you think it’s right, do it. If you’re wrong, be wrong to the end. Being hesitant is the worst.”

Lin Xian unzipped his sports jacket, revealing a sweatshirt underneath. Pinned to his chest was the Genius Club’s golden badge. He pointed to the badge for Yellow Finch to see.

“I’m curious if I got this invitation through legitimate means or if there was some cheating involved. From my understanding, those who receive the invitation should easily answer the three questions, not be clueless like me.”

Yellow Finch blinked her blue eyes. “You’re right about that. Anyone who gets an invitation can answer the three questions. It’s a cause-and-effect relationship. As for the origin of your invitation… you probably have some idea yourself, but don’t ask me. I can’t tell you.”

Lin Xian nodded, zipping up his jacket without further questions. “I’ll find the answer myself.”

Yellow Finch smiled meaningfully, staying silent. Lin Xian then remembered his initial question and looked up at her. “From what Liu Feng said before being interrupted, have you been here before? Were you looking for me?”

Yellow Finch nodded. “I wanted to invite you to Copenhagen.”

“Copenhagen?” Lin Xian repeated, recognizing the name. Copenhagen is Denmark’s capital and largest city, once rated as the world’s most livable city and one of the happiest places on Earth. Its climate is mild year-round, with summer highs around 22 degrees Celsius and winter lows just a few degrees below zero.

But Lin Xian’s familiarity with the city stemmed from one of the greatest debates in the history of human science—the century debate between Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr. This debate, centered on quantum mechanics, involved some of the smartest scientists in history, with fierce, unresolved arguments.

Niels Bohr, founder of the Copenhagen interpretation, made significant contributions to modern quantum mechanics. Notably, even today, there’s no definitive conclusion on who won this century-old debate.

In 2022, the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to researchers in quantum entanglement, leading many to believe the Copenhagen interpretation won and Einstein lost. However, quantum mechanics remains a largely theoretical field, with many ideas unproven by experiments. Therefore, there’s no evidence Einstein was wrong.

Many scholars even believe both Einstein and the Copenhagen school were wrong. In any case, Lin Xian couldn’t fully understand or learn from these debates. He just remembered Copenhagen deeply because of it.

And now, Yellow Finch specifically wanted to go to Copenhagen. Lin Xian wondered if there was some deeper meaning. He thought of the unsolved code in “Sad Einstein” and the geniuses of the Copenhagen debate. Could Copenhagen hold some secret? Or was Yellow Finch trying to give him another hint?

However, as Lin Xian pondered the puzzle, Yellow Finch laughed at his furrowed brow. “Lin Xian, you don’t need to think too deeply. My invitation to Copenhagen has no hidden meaning, no hints. It has nothing to do with the Genius Club, the Millennium Project, or space-time particles. I just want to visit that beautiful city.”

Lin Xian was surprised. This didn’t seem like Yellow Finch’s style. “Have you been to Copenhagen before?” he asked.

“No,” Yellow Finch shook her head. “That’s why I want to see it. So… can you? Will you come with me?”

Lin Xian stared at Yellow Finch. Finally, he nodded. “Okay.”

…

“This, this doesn’t seem right!” Liu Feng hurried back into the lab after Yellow Finch left. Hearing Lin Xian recount Yellow Finch’s invitation, Liu Feng looked incredulous. “This isn’t something Yellow Finch would do… It’s too out of character, inviting you on a trip abroad. We know Yellow Finch well by now.”

“If it were someone like Chu An Qing, maybe. But Yellow Finch… unless it’s a miracle, or she… Oh no, could it be she likes you? But that’s impossible, right? How should I put it, Lin Xian…”

Liu Feng frowned, thinking for a moment before speaking solemnly. “I did say Yellow Finch looks at you weirdly. At first, I thought she liked you. But after spending more time with her, I realized I might have misunderstood her… Don’t be offended, Lin Xian. My latest impression is that Yellow Finch doesn’t like you that way.”

“Her gaze is complicated. It seems like she’s looking at you, but not at you. Does that make sense?”

“Do you understand yourself?” Lin Xian retorted. “Who could understand such nonsense? Besides, I told you, don’t assume every woman likes me. I’m not that charming. Yellow Finch… how to say this, I have mixed feelings about her too.”

Lin Xian was honest. He knew Yellow Finch was likely Zhao Ying Jun from a future timeline. But he couldn’t see them as the same person.

“Yellow Finch looks at you like she’s looking at a son!” Liu Feng blurted out. “Exactly, like a disappointed son!”

“Huh?” Lin Xian looked at Liu Feng, puzzled. “The more you talk, the more ridiculous it sounds. Can you focus on your research instead of gossiping? You can’t consider yourself an expert just because you’ve dated once.”

“Forget it, forget it. I won’t interfere with you two.” Liu Feng waved his hand. “So what’s your plan? Didn’t you agree to go to Copenhagen with her?”

Lin Xian was silent for a few seconds before speaking. “That’s because I think… Yellow Finch is lying.”

He looked at Liu Feng. “Before our space shuttle mission, I asked her why she insisted on taking Chu An Qing to space, if it was because the space-time particles were targeting her. She casually denied it, saying it was just for backup, an extra hand. But we know the truth. Yellow Finch knew Chu An Qing was the key to capturing the space-time particles. Only she could see the depleted particles.”

“Of course, we understand it might be due to the ‘forced avoidance’ law of space-time. So no need to dwell on it.”

“Similarly, this time Yellow Finch says it’s just a sightseeing trip. But in reality? The truth is likely far more complex. She must have a plan.”

Liu Feng nodded thoughtfully. “That makes sense… In that case, going to Copenhagen with her is a good idea. Yellow Finch wouldn’t harm you. She might lie, but it’s harmless. She definitely wouldn’t harm you.”

“So you can go without worry. Yellow Finch always appears like a timely rain, bringing key hints. You’re stuck on the ‘space-time coordinates’ problem, right? Maybe Yellow Finch, though saying she can’t, will hint at it through her actions.”

“After all, Copenhagen is a pilgrimage site for many science enthusiasts. You might find something there.”

Lin Xian nodded. “Even if she deceives me, it doesn’t matter.”

He waved at Liu Feng and left the lab. “I owe her too much.”

…

The next day.

At Pudong Airport.

Lin Xian pushed their luggage, following the click-clack of Yellow Finch’s high heels like a small follower. Yellow Finch looked relaxed. Despite wearing her signature high heels and sapphire earrings, her outfit was more casual today. No professional attire. Wearing large sunglasses and a woolen hat, she truly looked like a wealthy lady going on a tour.

But Lin Xian was anything but relaxed… He didn’t think this was a good time to travel or a good point for a vacation. If not for going along with Yellow Finch, he wouldn’t be traveling abroad.

VV’s message warned that Smiling Tiger Elon Musk was far from friendly. Kevin Walker, who knew about capturing space-time particles, had vanished after the sky battle. Who knows what he’s up to?

And Copernicus, who likely knows he killed Ji Xin Shui, also shows no activity. These people, each with hidden agendas, make Lin Xian nervous… fearing they’re planning something big.

However, he looked up at Yellow Finch, walking briskly to the boarding gate. With Yellow Finch around, he wasn’t worried about safety. He was more curious about her real purpose.

The first-class boarding had a special fast track. Yellow Finch was ahead, showing her ticket. Lin Xian glanced at it.

Name: Yellow Finch.

Her name is really Yellow Finch! It made sense. This woman had the means to handle the Satellite Launch Center and the space shuttle. Getting a new ID and information should be easy, a piece of cake.

Lin Xian wanted to peek at her age on the ID. But after showing her ticket, Yellow Finch put the ID and boarding pass back into her handbag, looking at Lin Xian.

“It’s rude to check a woman’s age.”

Lin Xian shrugged. “Your ID’s age is probably as fake as your name.”

Yellow Finch chuckled. “Not necessarily.”

She walked ahead in her high heels.

Rumble————

The familiar feeling of takeoff as the Boeing plane soared into the sky. Lin Xian had experienced this countless times, spending more time in the air than on the ground.

A direct flight from Donghai to Copenhagen took 13 hours, nearly half the globe. On the space shuttle at the first cosmic speed, it would take 40 minutes. Now, it took a long 13 hours.

Fortunately, due to the time difference, they landed in Copenhagen in the morning, with no need for adjusting to the time zone. After landing and completing various procedures, Lin Xian pushed their luggage out of the terminal, bathed in sunlight. They looked up at the not-so-warm sun.

“Where to now?” Lin Xian asked.

“You must have places you want to see, right?”

Unexpectedly, Yellow Finch gently shook her head. “I know nothing about Copenhagen. You decide where we go.”

This stumped Lin Xian. He thought Yellow Finch had a plan, a purpose, or some important clue to give him here. Could it be… Was he wrong?

He chuckled, looking at Yellow Finch in her blue scarf. “You don’t know Copenhagen, so why do you want to come?”

“Because a man promised to bring me here. He loved Copenhagen.”

Yellow Finch looked at Lin Xian. “But he broke his promise.”

Lin Xian’s smile froze. He closed his mouth. After a few seconds, he asked tentatively. “Was it me?”

Yellow Finch laughed. The Danish wind blew, lifting her hat’s brim. “Of course not. You never broke a promise.”

She turned back, gazing at Copenhagen’s skyline. “You’re here, aren’t you?”