Genius Club

“Since neither of us knows where to go…” Lin Xian shrugged his shoulders. “How about we just wander around? We can hop on a bus, get off wherever it stops, and explore whatever attractions we come across.”

To be honest, he was genuinely surprised. Both he and Liu Feng had thought Yellow Finch must have had some hidden agenda for coming to Copenhagen, given her usual secrecy and the temporal constraints they believed she was under. Yet, it seemed she truly just wanted to wander around aimlessly…

Aimlessness was often the hardest thing to achieve.

Having no better option, Lin Xian had to suggest this plan. Fortunately, Copenhagen was an international tourist city with a well-developed tourism industry and infrastructure. They could catch a tourist bus right from the airport, with routes thoughtfully planned to allow for spontaneous exploration, just as Lin Xian had suggested.

Lin Xian pointed to the tourist bus that had just arrived at the stop nearby. “Let’s take this bus. It has many stops at various attractions, so we won’t have to worry about making decisions.”

Yellow Finch nodded. “Sounds like a good idea.”

The bus doors closed automatically, and the vehicle set off towards the suburbs. There were not many passengers on board, with only half of the seats occupied, and the traffic was light, allowing the bus to move swiftly.

Yellow Finch gazed out of the window at the rapidly receding scenery, her thoughts unclear. Perhaps she was genuinely admiring the view.

Denmark’s vast landscapes and sparse population created a serene natural beauty, though few animals were visible, likely due to the prevalence of large-scale farming.

Lin Xian, peering over Yellow Finch’s furry hat, admired the lush green hills outside the bus.

“My main knowledge of Copenhagen comes from that famous debate between Einstein and Bohr on quantum mechanics.”

“I’m aware of that,” Yellow Finch responded softly. “But that debate didn’t actually take place in Copenhagen. It was in Brussels, Belgium, during the Fifth Solvay Conference.”

“That debate gathered the world’s top physicists… Einstein, Planck, Curie, Schrödinger, Heisenberg, Lorentz, Richardson, Born… all renowned geniuses.”

“Even though they argued fiercely over different views on quantum mechanics, their debates were ultimately aimed at the advancement of human civilization. That historic debate had a profoundly positive impact on the development of physics over the following century.”

“After the debate, they took a famous photograph, often referred to as the ‘All-Star Photo’ of physicists, capturing the smartest people on Earth. Even today, a hundred years later, no other photograph has matched its significance.”

“Those people were true geniuses…” Lin Xian sighed. “In many fantasy novels, the older something is, the more powerful it is. But why does the scientific community also have this illusion? Many modern scientists have achievements that surpass those of the past, whether compared horizontally or vertically.”

“Yet, whenever we talk about great scientists, we keep mentioning the same old names: Newton, Gauss, Galileo, Einstein, Edison… Ask who won the Nobel Prize in Physics recently, and most people wouldn’t know.”

Yellow Finch remained silent, looking out at the scenery. She then turned to Lin Xian. “I suddenly want to ask you, who is your favorite scientist?”

“Me?” Lin Xian hadn’t really thought about it. “It doesn’t have to be a scientist. Among all the historical geniuses, who do you admire the most?”

“Hmm…” Lin Xian pondered. “The first name that comes to mind is Einstein, probably because his name is so famous.”

“If we include geniuses from the arts as well… I’d say I really like Da Vinci or Beethoven.”

Yellow Finch smiled mysteriously. “Beethoven is a good choice.”

“Why not Da Vinci?” Lin Xian asked.

Yellow Finch just smiled and said nothing.

Just then, the bus stopped. The English announcement informed passengers that they had arrived at the Hans Christian Andersen Cemetery.

“Want to take a look?” Lin Xian pointed to the sign outside.

“Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales… must be the same Andersen.”

“Of course, there aren’t many famous Andersens in the world.” Yellow Finch stood up and walked toward the door.

Lin Xian had never actually read “Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales,” yet here he was, visiting Andersen’s cemetery before reading his works. Most of the foreign fairy tales Lin Xian knew were not from reading fairy tale books but from hearing them from various sources. He knew that Snow White was revived by a kiss from the prince; the Little Match Girl died in the hallucination of flames; the Ugly Duckling endured humiliation to become a swan; and the Emperor’s New Clothes was a satirical story whose ending he didn’t remember.

Suddenly, he realized, “It seems that many fairy tales don’t have proper endings.” Everything starts and ends abruptly, with decades of time often glossed over.

Lin Xian and Yellow Finch strolled through Andersen’s cemetery. It was surprisingly quiet, with no other tourists in sight. Perhaps most travelers weren’t interested in graves and cemeteries.

But Lin Xian enjoyed the cultural atmosphere, wandering through Andersen’s cemetery as if walking through his whimsical fairy tale world. Thinking about it… He and Yellow Finch made quite a fairy tale-like pair: a time traveler from the future and a dreamer who dreams of the day before an endlessly repeating apocalypse. It sounded like a compelling fairy tale.

Yet, how could the weight of 600 years and fate be summed up in a fairy tale?

Eventually, they arrived at Andersen’s grave. A small plot with a small tombstone, surrounded by a short black iron fence that seemed unfit for the world’s greatest fairy tale author. But in the end, life in the ground is equally modest for all.

Lin Xian lowered his head and noticed a small toy mermaid at the corner of the fence. He picked it up and examined it—it was a small Disney-style mermaid.

“The Little Mermaid,” Lin Xian said. “I learned the full story of this fairy tale in college. I used to think it was a warm story, but it turned out to be a tragedy. In the end, the little mermaid turned into sea foam for love.”

“How is that a tragedy?” Yellow Finch took her gaze from the tombstone and looked at the toy mermaid in Lin Xian’s hand. “Not all stories have to end in mutual love and growing old together to be happy. For the little mermaid, enduring such pain and giving up years of life to become human, even if only to spend a few days with the prince, was enough.”

“If you read the fairy tale from the perspective of the prince or others, it might seem like a tragedy, regret, or pity. But from the little mermaid’s perspective… even given the choice a thousand times, she would endure the pain and transform into a human to meet her prince.”

“Because that’s the meaning of her life. Swimming in the sea for a thousand or ten thousand years cannot compare to walking on the sharp-edged shore to see her beloved prince. From a rational viewpoint, the little mermaid might seem irrationally lovestruck, but isn’t love inherently blind and impulsive?”

“Without rationality, there is no love, only transactions, balance, and distribution of benefits. Under such conditions, the little mermaid’s brave spirit to love and hate passionately is even more precious.”

Yellow Finch took the toy mermaid from Lin Xian’s hand, cleaned the dust and dirt with a handkerchief, and placed it on a nearby white plaster statue. She smiled at it. “You haven’t read the original text of ‘The Little Mermaid,’ so you might not understand what I’m saying. When the little mermaid turned into sea foam, she left with a smile, with no regrets and no sense of loss.”

Listening to Yellow Finch’s words, Lin Xian felt there was more to her meaning. “Are you suggesting the little mermaid refers to—”

“Yes.” Yellow Finch nodded. “Chu An Qing.”

Lin Xian was confused. How did the conversation switch topics so quickly? Weren’t we talking about you?

“I appreciate you talking to Chu Shan He ahead of time,” Lin Xian continued along Yellow Finch’s line of conversation. “If I had to face the eager, expectant parents alone, I wouldn’t have known what to say.”

“Let’s move on to the next spot,” Yellow Finch said, turning away from Andersen’s grave. She tucked her hands into her coat pockets and started walking back the way they came.

Wandering aimlessly made the journey feel more relaxed and carefree. They continued along the tourist bus route, visiting numerous attractions around Copenhagen: the National Gallery, Roskilde Cathedral, the Round Tower, the Gefion Fountain, the University of Copenhagen, and even the Langelinie Promenade where they saw the Little Mermaid statue.

The Daughter of the Sea truly seemed lonely.

Finally, as the sun set, casting a fiery glow over the high latitude skies, they reached the last stop of their day’s journey: Amalienborg Palace.

Compared to the Forbidden City in this country, this palace seemed a bit modest. But every palace and every king’s statue bore witness to an era’s history.

The most famous event at Amalienborg Palace was the royal guard change at noon. The soldiers, nearly two meters tall, wore bearskin hats and old military uniforms, exuding a solemn and majestic presence.

But by the time Lin Xian and Yellow Finch arrived, it was the orange-red dusk, with the sun nearly set into the horizon, warming the earth with its last rays.

At this hour, most attractions were closed.

They stood outside the palace gates, gazing at a towering statue of a hero on horseback. The statue was several stories high. Reading the inscription on the plaque, Lin Xian learned it was a statue of Frederick V, a former king of Denmark.

Engraved on the plaque were his last words:

“I have never offended anyone, my hands are free of blood. At the end of my life, I find great comfort in this.”

Yellow Finch scoffed. “Though I don’t know much about this part of Danish history, I believe a king who can say such words was not a qualified king. If he happened to live in peaceful times, his ministers might maintain stability. But in a time of war, such a king would be a disaster for his people.”

Lin Xian smiled at her. “Seems like you’re quite the warrior.”

“But now I agree with you. Achieving victory without shedding any blood is a bit too naive. Now, I’m prepared.”

“I also understand what you meant on the space shuttle when you said Xiang Yu wasn’t a hero, but Yu Ji was. If I were Xiang Yu, I’d charge out and die fighting, truly living up to the saying ‘better to be a ghost with a hero’s name than a coward in life.’”

“I only want to become strong quickly, to unlock the secrets of the Universal Constant, infiltrate the Genius Club, and root out those treacherous individuals. And finally… bring Chu An Qing back.”

“I know it won’t be easy, but saving something is never as simple as destroying it. That’s why saving is more meaningful.”

Yellow Finch turned from the statue, her blue eyes reflecting the orange glow of the setting sun. She smiled, pleased. “I’m glad to hear that from you. It seems you’ve really grown up.”

“I like people like you, Lin Xian. People love stories of saviors, but many forget that saviors weren’t born that way. They start as helpless children, making mistakes, feeling fear, hesitating, wandering, and doubting…”

“That’s normal and reasonable. It takes time, sometimes a long and winding journey, to grow into a savior. But many don’t realize that. They think saviors are born perfect, without any flaws.”

“Just like many seek a perfect partner in marriage, not realizing that generals weren’t always generals, and heroes weren’t always heroes. Everyone needs time to grow from ordinary to great.”

Lin Xian tilted his head, looking at Yellow Finch. “I’ve always been curious, hope you don’t mind. Have you ever been married?”

Yellow Finch laughed, shaking her head. “I can’t say.”

Lin Xian shrugged. “Then let me ask differently. Would you choose an excellent, great man, or an ordinary, imperfect one?”

The shadow of Amalienborg Palace stretched long under the last sliver of sunset, reaching the other side of the sky. Flocks of birds took flight from the palace eaves, disappearing into the dusk.

Yellow Finch slowly raised her head, her blue eyes glowing anew in the night. “I would stay with him through his ordinary days, teach him to be excellent, and wait for him to mature. Then… I’d watch him slowly become great.”