The Heart of Genius Episode 14 Recap
> The Heart of Genius Recap
Pei Zhi and Lin Zhaoxi found their mall excursion rather uninteresting, so they used mathematical calculations to analyze how long different people typically spend shopping. Lin Zhaoxi expressed a desire to return to class but worried her mother, Luo Jing, might still be at their house. Observing a pair walking slowly, Lin Zhaoxi initially assumed they were a couple, but Pei Zhi, through keen observation, quickly deduced they were just friends.
He explained his reasoning, noting their lack of intimate physical contact despite their slow pace, their happy conversation, and the man's rigid posture, always walking a step behind the woman, trying to leave a good impression. Lin Zhaoxi, realizing their mutual disinterest in shopping, joked that they weren't suited for it and admitted she missed calculus. She suggested returning home, but they agreed that they should keep walking to avoid Luo Jing.
As they continued, Lin Zhaoxi's eyes lit up at a claw machine. She mentioned she had never played it before, and Pei Zhi, embracing the role of "Brother Pei," enthusiastically took her to try. They played together, catching several dolls and genuinely enjoying themselves. Meanwhile, at a meeting with Director Zeng, Ji Jiang and Lu Zhihao were present as Director Zeng passionately described a dramatic love triangle script. The plot resonated uncomfortably with Ji Jiang's own unspoken feelings.
Overwhelmed, Ji Jiang excused himself, sending a message to Lu Zhihao to handle the contract. Lu Zhihao then finalized the deal with Director Zeng. Later, Ji Jiang, driving by the mall, saw Pei Zhi and Lin Zhaoxi holding hands as they exited, looking joyful and reluctant to part. He then followed Pei Zhi to a boxing gym and challenged him to a match.
During their intense fight, Ji Jiang revealed that he had seen Pei Zhi's father, Pei Donglai, in the Cheese World and knew of an impending misfortune, though they hadn't known how to warn him. He also provocatively suggested Pei Donglai might already be dead. After Pei Zhi landed a powerful punch, Ji Jiang playfully complained about his face, which he claimed was his livelihood.
He then admitted that while Lin Zhaoxi was a reason for his challenge, he and Pei Zhi's counterpart in the Cheese World were also close friends. Ji Jiang offered to tell Pei Zhi the method to travel to the Cheese World, hoping that once there, Pei Zhi would "never come back," leaving Lin Zhaoxi to him.
Pei Zhi, however, revealed he already knew the method by deducing it from CCTV footage of Lin Zhaoxi and Ji Jiang entering and exiting the old tower, noting their changed behavior and finding the formula on the wall. Pei Zhi confessed his hesitation to use the method, fearing he might stay there and disappoint Lin Zhaoxi again. Ji Jiang, amused, remarked on how similar Pei Zhi and Lin Zhaoxi were in their concerns.
Upon returning home, Lin Zhaoxi found Lin Zhaosheng engrossed in the P-versus-NP problem, one of the seven Millennium Prize Problems. He enthusiastically explained its profound implications, particularly for medical advancements like targeted cancer treatments without chemotherapy. Lin Zhaosheng expressed his lifelong dream of solving it but conceded that he might have to pass this ambitious goal to the next generation, suggesting Lin Zhaoxi.
Lin Zhaoxi, feeling unqualified, demurred, stating her humble goal was simply to learn math, and shared her belief that intelligence isn't the most crucial factor; rather, it's about holding a firm dream, maintaining passion, finding joy in research, and remaining steadfast. After this profound discussion, Lin Zhaosheng suddenly declared he was hungry. Meanwhile, Pei Zhi, seeing a pair of boxing gloves in his cabinet, was transported by a flashback to his childhood birthday.
His father, Pei Donglai, had given him those gloves. A playful banter ensued between his parents and his younger self about how his father, with limited pocket money, needed Luo Jing's approval for purchases. The memory underscored his deep connection to his father. The next morning, Ji Jiang arrived at Lin Zhaosheng's home with a large box of fresh oysters, which he cooked for them, showcasing his newfound culinary talent.
Over a meal, Ji Jiang announced his departure, explaining that he would soon begin filming a new drama and then relocate his company to Shanghai for more opportunities, implying it was his last time visiting them. After the meal, Lin Zhaoxi walked Ji Jiang out, directly asking if his move was because of her. Ji Jiang confirmed it, expressing his deep affection for her.
He told her that while others might share his triumphs, she was the only one who had shared his hardships, making her incomparable in his heart. He recounted his fight with Pei Zhi the previous night after seeing them holding hands, admitting that Pei Zhi had won the fight. Ji Jiang passionately asserted that he, who loved her more and had traveled through time with her, should be her partner, not Pei Zhi.
He then confessed to telling Pei Zhi about the formula, hoping he would travel away and not return, only to discover Pei Zhi already knew. At that moment, Ji Jiang realized he had lost and that Lin Zhaoxi and Pei Zhi were meant to be together, concluding that he was "the extra fool." Lin Zhaoxi gently told him he was "a good person," a label Ji Jiang accepted with a wry joke.
Before leaving, he gave her a small box of Oreos, asking her not to see him off as he feared he might cry. He wanted her to remember him as "the always optimistic Hua Juan" with a smile. After he left, Lin Zhaosheng commented to Lin Zhaoxi that Ji Jiang was a good kid, but it was "a pity that Pei Zhi is here." Later, Lin Zhaoxi went to see Pei Zhi.
She acknowledged that Ji Jiang had told her everything and apologized for not sharing the method of travel with him sooner. She then gave him her full support for his desire to go to the other world to see his father, reassuring him: "But if you want to go, just go. I'll wait for you in this world." Concurrently, Bao Song and Section Chief Sun were playing mahjong.
Section Chief Sun inquired about some missing money from the school and expressed suspicion about Lin Zhaosheng's memory loss, suggesting he might be faking it to avoid responsibility. Knowing Bao Song's connection to the Lin family, he asked him to tell "Old Lin" to collect his personal belongings from the school. The next day, Bao Song went to Lin Zhaosheng's house. Lin Zhaosheng didn't recognize him at first until Bao Song mentioned his daughter, Bao Xiaomeng.
Lin Zhaosheng agreed to go to the school with Bao Song, curious to see his workplace. During the drive, Bao Song probed about Lin Zhaosheng's injury, but Lin Zhaosheng couldn't recall anything about who hit him. Lin Zhaosheng attempted to explain his memory loss as a complex scientific phenomenon related to time, space, and cosmic philosophy, which Bao Song, admittedly not well-educated, struggled to grasp.
When they arrived at the school, Section Chief Sun and some students were already moving boxes of books. Sun informed Lin Zhaosheng that these were all his personal items. Lin Zhaosheng, bewildered, didn't recognize Sun either. Sun, assuming Lin Zhaosheng's "Alzheimer's disease" was the cause, reintroduced himself as "Section Chief Sun, Sun Peigen," recalling their ten years of working together in the Finance Department. Lin Zhaosheng was stunned, insisting he was a "math professor," not an "accountant."
He challenged their assertion, asking if an accountant would read "Surface Theory," a book he held. In the car on the way back, Lin Zhaosheng suddenly experienced a flash of clarity, remembering everything, including that it was Bao Song who had struck him from behind. Bao Song, sensing the shift, became visibly nervous.
Later, at the ancient tower, Lin Zhaoxi instructed Pei Zhi to wait until she had left before erasing the formula, promising to wait for him to return to their world. Back home, Lin Zhaoxi discovered Lin Zhaosheng was missing. She immediately called Pei Zhi for help. While she was telling him that Old Lin was gone, Pei Zhi, at the tower, erased the formula on the wall, causing both of them to be transported to September 25, 2012.
Lin Zhaoxi awoke in the school infirmary, where Bao Xiaomeng informed her she had fainted from heatstroke. Disoriented, Lin Zhaoxi frantically asked for the current year, month, and day, realizing she was 17 years old and in her senior year of high school. Lin Zhaosheng soon arrived, concerned for her well-being. Lin Zhaoxi, overjoyed to see him in this past world, laughed and exclaimed, "It's good to see you!"
Lin Zhaosheng, mistaking her behavior for feigned illness to skip class, chided her. After confirming she was fine, he left for work, asking Bao Xiaomeng to look after her. Lin Zhaoxi, eager to find Pei Zhi, quickly questioned Bao Xiaomeng, who revealed that Pei Zhi was not only in the same class but was also Lin Zhaoxi's deskmate. Still somewhat bewildered by her new reality, Lin Zhaoxi asked Bao Xiaomeng to lead her to their classroom.
