The Heart of Genius Episode 23 Recap
> The Heart of Genius Recap
Lin Zhaoxi and Pei Zhi marvel at the success of their thief-catching program, though Lin Zhaoxi notes a significant time error in their calculations. Pei Zhi suggests they overlooked the psychological changes in the thief, who might speed up initially out of nervousness and then slow down after gaining distance. Lin Zhaoxi adds that their program assumed the thief wouldn't follow traffic rules, but he might have waited at intersections to avoid drawing attention from police.
Soon after, Pei Zhi receives a call from Pei Donglai, who shares good news: the higher-ups are highly interested in their program's code, and Director Wang has agreed to provide a year's worth of traffic data and access to city surveillance for a day of testing. Pei Donglai also secured a video detailing the thief's escape route, which will be useful for their review. Later, Pei Donglai and Pei Zhi spar, with Pei Zhi effortlessly outmaneuvering his father.
Pei Donglai, proud, boasts to his friend Yu that his son is a boxing champion. Pei Zhi confesses that upon returning to Strawberry World, he no longer wishes to pursue boxing but instead wants to continue studying mathematics. Pei Donglai, to Pei Zhi's surprise, fully supports his decision, declaring his happiness that his son is talented in both martial and academic pursuits, embodying the saying "Knowledge and literature can bring world peace; power and martial can determine the universe."
Pei Donglai then asks about Luo Jing's well-being in Strawberry World. Pei Zhi somberly reveals that since Pei Donglai's death in that world, Luo Jing has lived alone, struggling and appearing somewhat abnormal, making it difficult for him to connect with her. Hearing this, Pei Donglai urges Pei Zhi to take on the responsibility of being the sole man of the house and care for his sensitive and vulnerable mother.
Driven by concern for Luo Jing, Pei Zhi attempts a delicate conversation with her about dealing with profound sadness, using a hypothetical situation where Pei Donglai might die. Luo Jing is immediately horrified, demanding he touch wood and say "pei pei pei" to ward off bad luck. Her imagination runs wild, first suspecting Pei Donglai of having an affair, then fearing he has cancer.
Pei Zhi repeatedly tries to clarify that it's just a hypothetical, but Luo Jing remains distressed, even fearing her son might commit a crime. Realizing he is only upsetting her further, Pei Zhi suggests she continue her yoga, leaving her still demanding answers. Meanwhile, Lin Zhaoxi's classmate, Qi, expresses concern for Bao Xiaomeng, who has become despondent about the upcoming college entrance exam and feels disconnected from Lin Zhaoxi, believing they now belong to different worlds.
Lin Zhaoxi dismisses the school rumors about her own leave of absence and decides to create a study group to help her Cheese World self and her friends improve their grades. She records tutorial videos, focusing on high school math for her other self. Her father, Lin Zhaosheng, finds her "talking to herself" and, understanding her intention, brings in Ji Jiang, teasingly calling him "Hua Juan" to join the "one-on-one cross-time education" session.
Ji Jiang is initially confused by Lin Zhaoxi teaching the camera but eventually accepts his father's explanation and joins the lesson. Later, Lin Zhaoxi holds an English study session at school, teaching her friends an efficient vocabulary method for exams. Bao Xiaomeng briefly appears but quickly flees. Lin Zhaoxi pursues her, trying to persuade her to join the study group.
Xiaomeng, feeling stupid and overwhelmed by her academic struggles, believes she is destined for a life of waiting tables and cannot possibly catch up to Lin Zhaoxi's brilliance. She tearfully expresses her frustration, feeling that Lin Zhaoxi is merely visiting her "world" and will soon float away, leaving her stranded on the ground. Lin Zhaoxi tries to reassure her, sharing her own past struggles to catch up with Pei Zhi and emphasizing the importance of overcoming oneself.
She confesses her admiration for Xiaomeng's resilience and resourcefulness, admitting that without Xiaomeng's help and friendship in college in Strawberry World, she wouldn't have known how to live. Despite Lin Zhaoxi's heartfelt plea, Xiaomeng remains unconvinced and leaves angrily. Undaunted, Lin Zhaoxi writes an encouraging note, telling Xiaomeng that Lin Zhaosheng's tutoring class will start on Sunday and that their study group will meet there. She has a classmate discreetly place the note in Xiaomeng's schoolbag.
Back home, Xiaomeng finds the note and is visibly touched. She eventually makes her way to Lin Zhaosheng's tutoring class, where he is lecturing students on Fermat's Last Theorem and the perseverance of Andrew Wiles. Lin Zhaoxi, waiting at the door, is delighted to see Xiaomeng.
In a separate moment, as the day of their return approaches, Lin Zhaoxi attempts to share a poignant farewell with Pei Zhi through a mock hypnosis session, but her tickling fails to induce the desired effect, leaving them to simply acknowledge the impending departure. With only three days left before their return, Lin Zhaoxi and Pei Zhi instruct Lin Zhaosheng and Pei Donglai to memorize the key conversations from a voice recorder to ensure a smooth transition back.
Pei Donglai expresses his aversion to memorization, while Lin Zhaosheng, ever philosophical, muses on the "chicken or egg" dilemma of the accident's cause. On Lin Zhaoxi's birthday, Lin Zhaosheng surprises her with a cake. Lin Zhaoxi makes a wish for both her and her other self's wishes to come true, hoping for double luck. Ji Jiang arrives home, playfully complaining about being excluded from the cake and vowing to treat them all to a seafood feast once he's famous.
During their conversation, Lin Zhaoxi asks Lin Zhaosheng about the hardships of his other self, and Lin Zhaosheng clarifies his own past, confirming he raised her himself in Strawberry World. Lin Zhaoxi still wonders why her Cheese World self became an orphan while she didn't. Lin Zhaosheng gives her a card with "P=NP" on it. Later, Lin Zhaosheng secretly records a video message, wishing his Cheese World daughter a happy birthday and professing his love for her.
Finally, the day arrives for Lin Zhaoxi and Pei Zhi to return to Strawberry World. Pei Zhi and Pei Donglai wait silently outside Lin Zhaosheng's house. As Lin Zhaosheng and Lin Zhaoxi emerge, the four exchange a quiet glance. Lin Zhaosheng and Lin Zhaoxi begin their walk to Sanwei University. Lin Zhaoxi, wearing a Bluetooth earphone, relays crucial route details and potential accident spots to her father, emphasizing vigilance as this is a parallel world.
Pei Zhi and Pei Donglai drive to Sanwei University, waiting for the academic conference to conclude, which Pei Zhi estimates will take about three hours. During the wait, Professor Zeng Qingran, a renowned master in mathematics, recognizes Lin Zhaosheng. He is intrigued by a freshman named Pei Zhi, who reminds him of Lin Zhaosheng's younger self, only to learn that Pei Zhi is Lin Zhaosheng's student.
Professor Zeng approaches Lin Zhaosheng, acknowledging past misunderstandings and offering him a position back at the university. Lin Zhaosheng, however, politely but firmly declines, stating he will only return with his own research achievements, not through charity. He maintains that he will not admit fault for something he did not do. After this tense exchange, Lin Zhaosheng returns to the car, feigning a headache to rest, emphasizing that the journey back will be the true challenge.
As the academic conference ends, Lin Zhaosheng and Lin Zhaoxi begin their walk back along the pre-determined route, with Pei Zhi guiding Lin Zhaoxi via her Bluetooth earphones. Passing a subway tunnel where young musicians are performing, Lin Zhaoxi pauses, drawn to the music. Lin Zhaosheng, too, is stirred, recalling his own youthful dream of being a musician.
This moment triggers a profound reflection on his life, including a memory of a conversation with his young daughter about facing life's difficulties rather than avoiding them, culminating in his poignant recollection of the moment he first learned he had a daughter.
