The Heart of Genius Episode 21 Recap
> The Heart of Genius Recap
Lin Zhaoxi watched a video recorded by the Cheese World Lin Zhaoxi. In the video, Cheese World Lin Zhaoxi tearfully confessed that her life had been taken away. She resented Strawberry World Lin Zhaoxi for taking Pei Zhi from her, explaining that while Pei Zhi took good care of her, he always seemed to be thinking of someone else. She revealed her unrequited feelings for Pei Zhi, admitting her insecurity prevented her from confessing.
She added that she could see everything that happened and felt sad whenever Pei Zhi mentioned his past experiences in the math training camp. Fearing that Strawberry World Lin Zhaoxi might return and take her life again, Cheese World Lin Zhaoxi pleaded for her to leave and take Ji Jiang with her if he also crossed over, so that she wouldn't remain trapped in a "dark house."
After watching this, Lin Zhaoxi (Strawberry World) was more determined to return to her own world. She acknowledged the Cheese World Lin Zhaoxi's presence and thanked her for inadvertently helping her devise a plan to persuade Pei Zhi. Lin Zhaoxi then wrote a letter to Pei Donglai, revealing that she and Pei Zhi were from a parallel world and explaining that the current Pei Zhi was not his true son.
She texted Pei Zhi, requesting a face-to-face meeting the next day and instructing him to bring Lin Zhaosheng's IOU, clarifying that she would not claim the five million. When Pei Zhi initially refused, stating they couldn't convince each other, Lin Zhaoxi sent him a picture of the letter addressed to Pei Donglai, effectively threatening to expose him. Pei Zhi then agreed to meet at the boxing gym at 9 a. m. Lin Zhaoxi arrived at the boxing club.
Yu Minghai, who was managing the club, greeted her before leaving. Pei Zhi arrived shortly after, holding Lin Zhaosheng's IOU. He asked for the letter, but Lin Zhaoxi revealed she had not sent it yet. She explained that she would wait a few months, hoping he might change his mind, but intended to send it in January if he refused. Pei Zhi scoffed at the idea that his father would believe stories of parallel worlds.
Lin Zhaoxi countered that they must return to free their Cheese World counterparts, who were trapped in their deepest consciousness. Pei Zhi then tore up the IOU, declaring their past grievances settled. However, he maintained he would not leave Cheese World and would prevent her from leaving as well. He reiterated his determination to stop Lin Zhaosheng's accident and destroy any recordings that would allow them to return.
He boasted of countless ways to disrupt their plan, from rescuing Lin Zhaosheng himself to destroying any potential evidence or delaying events. He concluded that Lin Zhaoxi had lost the moment the "game" began. Lin Zhaoxi, frustrated, said, "I'm sorry," to which Pei Zhi retorted that she should apologize to the Cheese World Pei Zhi for stealing his life.
Lin Zhaoxi then asked him directly if he truly intended to return to Strawberry World as he had promised before their jump, especially if she hadn't come with him. Pei Zhi admitted his promise was sincere, but since arriving in this world and experiencing life with his father—bragging, boxing, drinking, and eating together—he was unsure what he would ultimately choose. Feeling defeated, Lin Zhaoxi said that she had lost from the beginning and walked out.
Returning home, Lin Zhaoxi discovered the letter she wrote was missing. Her father, Lin Zhaosheng, mistakenly believing it was an apology letter to Pei Donglai, had already put it in Pei Donglai's mailbox while out buying vegetables. Alarmed, Lin Zhaoxi called Pei Zhi, who retrieved the letter from the mailbox just as his father arrived home. Luo Jing was at a class reunion, so Pei Donglai prepared a simple noodle dish.
After hesitating, Pei Zhi left the letter on the table. Pei Donglai began reminiscing about past family memories, subtly testing Pei Zhi. He recalled a trip to Happy Valley where a roller coaster broke down, a family hike where they released a sky lantern, and his 2009 accident where a helmet saved his life. Pei Zhi, having no memory of these events, could only offer vague, agreeable responses.
Pei Donglai also mentioned Lin Zhaoxi visiting him in the hospital and saying she’d be his daughter-in-law. Pei Zhi commented that "Time changes people," to which Pei Donglai pointedly replied, "But time won't make you another person." He then produced Lin Zhaoxi's letter, revealing he had been testing him all along. Pei Donglai directly confronted Pei Zhi, asking, "Who are you?"
Pei Zhi claimed to be his son, but Pei Donglai revealed that the memories he mentioned were deliberately false and Pei Zhi's inability to correct them proved he wasn't the "real" Pei Zhi. He explained that in Pei Zhi's original world, he himself—Pei Donglai—had died in the 2009 accident. Therefore, the Pei Zhi from Strawberry World would have no memory of the events he had shared with his Cheese World son after that year.
Pei Zhi admitted he was the Pei Zhi from another world but insisted he was still his son. Pei Donglai refused to accept this, stating his son was "bright, warm and kind" and wouldn't send Lin Zhaoxi to the police or lie to him. He demanded that Pei Zhi return to his own world and give him back his true son.
Pei Zhi expressed his pain, questioning if his father knew what kind of life he lived without him or how happy he had been for the past few months. Pei Donglai was resolute, kneeling and pleading with Pei Zhi to leave and return his son, even threatening to die if he didn't. Overwhelmed, Pei Zhi finally broke down, repeatedly acknowledging, "I was wrong. Fake is fake after all." He then ran out of the house in tears.
Pei Donglai, chasing Pei Zhi, accidentally sprained his ankle. Unable to reach Pei Zhi by phone, Lin Zhaoxi went to his house, where she met the injured Pei Donglai and learned Pei Zhi had fled. She quickly called Lin Zhaosheng to ask him to go check on Pei Donglai, then rushed to the boxing gym and school in search of Pei Zhi. Yu Minghai and his father, who were practicing boxing at the gym, hadn't seen him.
She eventually found a despondent Pei Zhi on the school playground. Lin Zhaoxi approached him and apologized, explaining she never intended for the letter to reach Pei Donglai so soon. Pei Zhi responded that she had won by attacking his "only weakness." He then revealed the true story of his father's death in Strawberry World.
In 2009, when he was in the third year of middle school, he received an invitation to join the University of Technology's Youth Class to major in math. While he eagerly wanted to go and his father supported him, his mother, Luo Jing, vehemently opposed it. This led to a huge fight between his parents, during which Luo Jing angrily broke Pei Donglai's motorcycle helmet. That same night, while on duty, Pei Donglai chased a motorcycle robber.
During the pursuit, both bikes crashed, and Pei Donglai hit his head on the curb. With his helmet already broken, he died. Pei Zhi blamed himself, believing his desire to study math caused his father's death. Lin Zhaoxi tried to console him, insisting it was an accident. Pei Zhi further revealed that the Cheese World Pei Zhi also received the same invitation but refused it.
He discovered this was because Strawberry World Lin Zhaoxi (who had jumped to Cheese World in 2006) had asked the Cheese World Pei Zhi to take care of his world's Lin Zhaoxi. To honor this promise and remain in the same class with her, Cheese World Pei Zhi gave up the prestigious university offer.
Pei Zhi concluded that the Cheese World Pei Zhi's inability to forget Lin Zhaoxi was the root of all these changes, ultimately saving Pei Donglai in this world. He expressed that without Lin Zhaoxi, he would never have had the chance to see his father again. Lin Zhaoxi apologized, accepting her role in events. Pei Zhi, reflecting on the many regrets in Strawberry World, wondered why she still wanted to return.
Lin Zhaoxi acknowledged the regrets but countered that no life is perfect, and even if they started over, new regrets would emerge. Recalling Pei Zhi's own words, she stated that jumping was like cheating, and while many desired a "cheating" life, she refused. She declared her intention to "face life," confronting challenges head-on like a boxer, "never a coward." Lin Zhaosheng, having been informed by Lin Zhaoxi, found Pei Donglai, who was limping from his sprained ankle.
After Pei Donglai explained that he understood the truth, they started walking to the school. At the school, Pei Donglai spotted Pei Zhi and immediately demanded he come home. Pei Zhi, in turn, offered to carry his limping father home. On the way, Pei Zhi promised his father that he would return his true son to him. Pei Donglai, filled with remorse for his earlier harshness, apologized to Pei Zhi.
Pei Zhi then requested that, before he left, Pei Donglai treat him as his own son, even if just for a little while, and Pei Donglai readily agreed. Meanwhile, Lin Zhaosheng took Lin Zhaoxi home. He reflected that her presence, despite being a "trouble," made his life more interesting and helped him realize that while math was wonderful, it wasn't the entirety of life. Lin Zhaoxi assured him that no matter the world, he would always be the best father in her heart, extending her affection to the entire universe and all three-dimensional space.
