The Heart of Genius Episode 11 Recap
> The Heart of Genius Recap
When Ji Jiang's enthusiastic fans gathered outside the company building, his manager, Lu Zhihao, employed their usual tactic to help Ji Jiang escape. However, feeling guilty about the fans who had come to support him, Ji Jiang returned to address them directly. He clarified that he was not currently in a relationship with anyone but, as an adult, would eventually find a girl he liked.
He promised that if he were to fall in love, he would make an official announcement immediately and would not hide it from them. After a deep bow of thanks, the fans cheered, and Lu Zhihao quickly pulled Ji Jiang away. Back inside, Lu Zhihao presented Ji Jiang with a new script for a film to be shot in Yinchuan, suggesting it would be a good opportunity to avoid the recent troubles.
Ji Jiang flatly refused, leading to a persistent argument with Lu Zhihao. Ji Jiang eventually confessed that he had fallen in love with Lin Zhaoxi, admitting his competitor was strong and that leaving now would ruin his chances. Lu Zhihao was surprised, realizing Lin Zhaoxi was their high school classmate, but Ji Jiang clarified that she and Pei Zhi had never dated in high school.
Lu Zhihao then urged Ji Jiang to be sensible and consider the company's employees and his fans before acting, to which Ji Jiang responded that he felt he had already lost his mind. Ji Jiang later sought out Pei Zhi at a boxing gym where Pei Zhi worked as a coach and occasional competitor.
Pei Zhi, shrewdly deducing Ji Jiang's romantic interest in Lin Zhaoxi and his purpose for visiting, explained that Ji Jiang must see him as a rival to seek him out, as they were not close. Ji Jiang, confirming his intentions, directly asked Pei Zhi about his feelings for Lin Zhaoxi, suggesting Pei Zhi be decisive and put an end to Lin Zhaoxi's hopes if he had no romantic interest. Pei Zhi rebuffed him, stating it was none of his business.
Concerned for Lin Zhaoxi's well-being, Ji Jiang then revealed that Lin Zhaosheng was seriously ill with Alzheimer's disease. As Ji Jiang pressed Pei Zhi to visit Lin Zhaosheng and clarify things with Lin Zhaoxi, he even offered Pei Zhi a bank card containing 1,453,524 yuan. Moments later, Pei Zhi’s mother, Luo Jing, returned from shopping. Ji Jiang made a quick exit, but Pei Zhi returned the bank card to him.
That night, unable to sleep, Pei Zhi looked at a childhood photo of Lin Zhaoxi, which brought back memories of their high school days. He recalled studying math with Lin Zhaosheng and spending a lot of time with Lin Zhaoxi, during which they developed feelings for each other and exchanged childhood photos.
He remembered teasing her about her big head in a photo and betting on how many stairs there were, resulting in a playful chase when she tried to trick him with a different photo. The next day, Pei Zhi visited Lin Zhaosheng. He saw Lin Zhaosheng and Lin Zhaoxi playfully running home, with Lin Zhaosheng eager to watch "Slam Dunk" and Lin Zhaoxi comically threatening to spoil the outcome.
Pei Zhi, having been informed by Ji Jiang, feigned curiosity about Lin Zhaosheng's "time-travel" story. Lin Zhaosheng, remembering Pei Zhi as his math student and confirming his knowledge with a complex math question, warmly invited him inside. While Lin Zhaoxi prepared lunch, Pei Zhi and Lin Zhaosheng chatted, discovering a mutual connection and quickly bonding. Lin Zhaosheng remarked that he wished Pei Zhi were his college classmate, finding him much more engaging than an old acquaintance named Zhang Shuping.
He also wished Pei Zhi was his son, lamenting that his daughter couldn't play basketball with him. After lunch, Pei Zhi joined Lin Zhaosheng for a game of basketball. When Lin Zhaosheng grew tired and sent Lin Zhaoxi to buy water, Pei Zhi revealed he was a boxer and invited Lin Zhaosheng to his gym.
Realizing Lin Zhaoxi had forgotten her phone and wouldn't be able to pay for the water, Lin Zhaosheng asked Pei Zhi to take it to her. Left alone, Lin Zhaosheng noticed a small boy riding a balance bike and began happily trying it out himself, even singing along to a song. When Lin Zhaoxi returned to get her phone and encountered Pei Zhi, she became worried about her father being alone.
Rushing back, she found Lin Zhaosheng joyfully circling the basketball court on the balance bike, which finally eased her mind. Afterward, Lin Zhaosheng, covered in sweat, was urged by Lin Zhaoxi to shower. He then asked her to see Pei Zhi off.
As they walked, Lin Zhaoxi fondly recalled their childhood, including times she’d walk with him under the pretense of buying ice cream, and confessed that she had once changed her name to "Lin Dong Xi" (with 16 strokes) to match his, believing it would increase their chances of being together. Pei Zhi, however, corrected her, explaining his name actually had 17 strokes. He then urged her to forget him, stating they were not suitable.
Lin Zhaoxi refused to accept his abrupt dismissal, tearfully demanding an explanation for his distant behavior since his return from Germany. Pei Zhi eventually admitted that he had many unresolved issues and asked her to wait a little longer, promising to tell her everything once matters were settled. Lin Zhaoxi, having already waited four years, agreed to his request.
Later, Lin Zhaosheng remembered Pei Zhi as his postgraduate student and himself as a math professor at Sanwei University who was currently on vacation. Lin Zhaoxi had to quickly invent excuses to manage his confusion, even warning him not to look up any future math research online to prevent him from "cheating." The next morning, Ji Jiang arrived at the Lin's home with a large lobster to nourish Lin Zhaosheng, startling him awake.
Lin Zhaoxi discreetly updated Ji Jiang on her father's current delusion, explaining that he believed he was a Sanwei University math professor on holiday and expressing concern about him wanting to go to work. Ji Jiang had no immediate solution, and they quickly changed the subject when Lin Zhaosheng asked how to prepare the lobster. The three comically struggled with the online instructions to "let lobsters pee" before deciding to simply boil it.
Meanwhile, Pei Zhi continued investigating the cause of his father Pei Donglai’s death. He sought assistance from police officer Uncle Cao, a former colleague of his father's, who located a recording device identical to Pei Zhi's from a scrap warehouse. Playing the recording, Pei Zhi recognized his father's voice describing a car accident.
However, Uncle Cao revealed that Pei Donglai had died in 2009, while this particular model of recording device wasn't designed until 2010 and the department only began using them in 2011. Furthermore, the recording was dated February 22, 2013, and the details of the only hit-and-run incident from that month did not match the recording. Despite the logical impossibility, Pei Zhi firmly believed it was his father's voice.
Uncle Cao advised Pei Zhi to let go, reminding him that many officers still cared about him. During their lobster dinner, Ji Jiang eagerly inquired about Lin Zhaoxi's "negotiation" with Pei Zhi. Lin Zhaoxi truthfully recounted Pei Zhi's assertion that they were not suitable, which visibly disheartened Ji Jiang. Lin Zhaosheng, observing Ji Jiang's reaction, directly asked if he liked Lin Zhaoxi. Ji Jiang quickly denied it, claiming he was merely wondering why Pei Zhi had abandoned math for boxing.
Lin Zhaoxi then shared her ambition to enroll in a postgraduate entrance exam prep course and apply to Sanwei University's math department. Lin Zhaosheng fully supported her, though he cautioned her about the difficulty given her current mathematical foundation. Later, as Ji Jiang drove Lin Zhaoxi to check out prep courses at Henghui Square, his manager, Lu Zhihao, called, urging him to return to the company for a meeting. Ji Jiang promised to return once he was done and, at Lin Zhaoxi's request, asked Lu Zhihao to research the best postgraduate entrance exam prep courses in the city.
