The Heart of Genius Episode 10 Recap
> The Heart of Genius Recap
Lin Zhaosheng felt like his life had been a failure. Once considering himself a genius, he now faced Alzheimer's disease and the abandonment of his mathematics research. He remained depressed, prompting his daughter, Lin Zhaoxi, to stay by his side, constantly trying to cheer him up with tales from their childhood.
Lin Zhaoxi recalled his past encouragement, how he taught her that "it's not a big deal" and that there would always be a solution, emphasizing that the effort itself brings rewards and that as long as one isn't changed by the world, they can change the world. Despite her efforts, Lin Zhaosheng remained deeply troubled by his current state, especially when he asked if the P=NP problem had been solved and if his own research had been successful.
Upon learning his research remained unfinished, he lamented that his brain was broken. Witnessing his despair, Lin Zhaoxi knew she had to act. She resolved to resign from her job, pursue mathematics, find Pei Zhi, and dedicate herself to caring for her father and herself. After bringing Lin Zhaosheng home, where he sat motionless on the sofa, Ji Jiang offered to hire a caregiver for him.
Lin Zhaoxi thanked him, and Ji Jiang noted that she had become unusually polite since returning to Strawberry World. Lin Zhaoxi acknowledged the change, admitting she couldn't treat him like their carefree days in the Cheese World now that he was a celebrity. Soon after, Lin Zhaoxi went to her workplace to tender her resignation. Her supervisor, dismissive of her decision, accused her of being dramatic.
Lin Zhaoxi firmly expressed her determination, explaining that a good education allows women to achieve financial and spiritual independence, giving them the courage to refuse people and things they dislike. She walked out, reflecting on her father's words that it is never too late to pursue what one truly desires in life. Meanwhile, Bao Xiaomeng wanted to visit Lin Zhaoxi.
Her father, Bao Song, who had heard about Lin Zhaosheng's discharge, gave her some money to buy comfort items for him. Later, Ji Jiang received a call from his manager, Lu Zhihao, who was frantically trying to locate him, worried about potential scandals. To reassure him, Ji Jiang sent a selfie of himself with Lin Zhaosheng, explaining he was visiting a friend of his father's.
Shortly after, Bao Xiaomeng called Lin Zhaoxi, and upon learning that Ji Jiang was at Lin Zhaoxi’s house, she immediately speculated about a romantic relationship between them. Lin Zhaoxi quickly denied it, insisting they were just friends and schoolmates, urging Xiaomeng not to spread rumors that could harm Ji Jiang's career. During their call, Lin Zhaoxi suddenly spotted Pei Zhi across the street getting into a taxi. She abruptly ended the call and hailed another taxi to follow him.
Her pursuit led her to a boxing gym, where she found Pei Zhi working as a boxing coach. Their reunion was filled with emotion. Lin Zhaoxi remarked on how nervous Pei Zhi seemed, to which he confessed he had always been nervous around her, especially when visiting her home, but had learned to hide it.
She asked why he had never replied to her emails after going to Germany, stating that he had been back for "8 months and 27 days" without contacting her. Pei Zhi admitted that he felt he had let both Lin Zhaoxi and her father down by not pursuing mathematics in Germany. Lin Zhaoxi, however, declared that his academic path didn't matter to her.
To prevent him from disappearing from her life again, she publicly confessed her long-standing affection for him to everyone in the gym, asking them to be her witnesses and to help keep an eye on him. Pei Zhi was visibly taken aback by her sudden and bold declaration, while his colleagues clapped and cheered. Later, as Pei Zhi reflected, he remembered his father, Pei Donglai, teaching him boxing when he was a child.
He recalled his coach, Mr. Yu, praising Pei Donglai as an "invincible" boxer who had given up the sport to become a traffic police officer to please his mother-in-law. Pei Zhi had wanted to follow in his father's boxing footsteps, but Pei Donglai had insisted he focus on his studies, suggesting boxing could be a hobby. Meanwhile, Lin Zhaoxi received an urgent message from Ji Jiang.
Rushing home, she found Lin Zhaosheng happily absorbed in watching a 1994 World Cup match. Lin Zhaoxi was confused until Ji Jiang explained. After Lin Zhaoxi had left earlier, Lin Zhaosheng had regained some awareness but believed he was in his twenties. When he saw Ji Jiang's modern phone and other appliances, he grew suspicious of the current year. Ji Jiang, recalling their previous time travel experience, impulsively told Lin Zhaosheng that he had time-traveled from the past to 2018.
Lin Zhaosheng accepted this explanation, feeling a sense of relief. Lin Zhaoxi worried that the lie would eventually be exposed, but Ji Jiang persuaded her that giving her father a "mission" to complete before returning to his own time would provide him with purpose and stability, allowing them to slowly help him accept reality. Lin Zhaosheng, referring to himself as a genius, used logical deduction and online searches to confirm his "time travel."
He eagerly asked Lin Zhaoxi and Ji Jiang to take him out to see the world 20 years into the future. He even suggested that they drop the formal address and call him "Old Lin," and he would call her "Little Lin." Lin Zhaoxi agreed, reminding him not to call her "Dad" when they were out. That night, Pei Zhi returned to his place, and memories surfaced of his father, Pei Donglai, who had died in a car accident.
The next day, Lin Zhaosheng, Lin Zhaoxi, and Ji Jiang went on a drive. Lin Zhaosheng, with his memories fixed in his youth, was overwhelmed by the rapid developments of the modern world, marveling at the bustling city and its new technologies. He exclaimed how happy he was and how he didn't want to go back. Lin Zhaoxi gently suggested he stay in the present.
However, Lin Zhaosheng, driven by his supposed mission, asserted that he must return to his original time to contribute to society. He argued that if everyone simply enjoyed the fruits of development, no one would build the future. He also felt that as a twenty-year-old soul in a forty-year-old body, he had missed out on two decades of youth. He believed he had a task to complete to return, though he didn't know what it was.
Lin Zhaoxi and Ji Jiang reassured him, telling him to take his time figuring out his mission, and he continued to express excitement about watching the 1994 World Cup online. After spending a full day showing Lin Zhaosheng around, they drove home, with Lin Zhaosheng asleep in the back. Lin Zhaoxi confided in Ji Jiang about finding Pei Zhi and his current job as a boxing coach.
Ji Jiang expressed surprise and a desire to see Pei Zhi, noting that Pei Zhi must have changed a lot over the four years he was gone. Lin Zhaoxi wondered aloud what had truly happened to Pei Zhi in Germany, as he hadn't replied to any of her emails, and Ji Jiang agreed they needed to find out, acknowledging that people change over time.
As Ji Jiang pulled up to his building, a crowd of his fans had gathered, but his manager, Lu Zhihao, arrived, using an old trick to distract them and clear the path.
