The Heart of Genius Episode 4 Recap
> The Heart of Genius Recap
Lin Zhaoxi and Zhang Liang began their competition. Ji Jiang, seeing Zhang Liang’s friends from Experimental Elementary School gather to cheer him on, tried to rally support from Hongxing Elementary School students for Lin Zhaoxi. However, only Lu Zhihao joined him, and even Lu Zhihao temporarily switched allegiance to Zhang Liang. Pei Zhi observed silently, occasionally offering Lin Zhaoxi subtle guidance. Zhang Liang, overly eager to win, made a crucial mistake.
Lin Zhaoxi, composed, capitalized on his error to secure an easy victory, leaving Zhang Liang to depart dejectedly. Lin Zhaosheng, hearing of the commotion, arrived just in time to witness Lin Zhaoxi’s triumph, which greatly impressed him. Intrigued, Lin Zhaosheng decided to test Pei Zhi's abilities. After losing twice, Pei Zhi promptly bowed and asked Lin Zhaosheng to be his master.
Lin Zhaoxi and Ji Jiang also expressed their desire to learn, explaining they wanted to excel in math to qualify for Zhang Shuping’s Math Olympiad training camp. Lin Zhaosheng reluctantly agreed, humorously revealing that he and Zhang Shuping were rivals in love, and that Zhang Shuping had been his classmate and had been defeated by him. He advised them not to mention his name to Zhang Shuping, or even a perfect score wouldn't guarantee admission.
Lin Zhaoxi then requested a photo with Lin Zhaosheng at a future date and time of her choosing, to which he readily agreed. Meanwhile, Pei Zhi's mother, believing math to be useless beyond academic excellence, pressured him to take Go lessons. However, Pei Zhi disliked Go and secretly skipped his classes to learn math from Lin Zhaosheng.
Lin Zhaosheng tailored his teaching methods to each student; Lin Zhaoxi and Ji Jiang were given endless test papers, while Pei Zhi, being more advanced, was assigned mathematical literature, a task he found enjoyable. Ji Jiang, feeling the unfairness, complained about the arduous test-taking regimen compared to Pei Zhi's relaxed study. Lin Zhaoxi reminded him that persistent practice was essential for passing the training camp exam, urging him to focus and avoid being a "trainee" in this world.
She reminisced about their time in Strawberry World, recalling Ji Jiang’s optimistic and carefree nature, even when he faced a scandal with a female celebrity, which he dismissed as an attempt to leverage his fame. The day of the training camp selection exam arrived. Zhang Liang, Pei Zhi, Ji Jiang, and Lin Zhaoxi were all present. Lin Zhaoxi waited anxiously for Lin Zhaosheng, disappointed when he didn't appear. Pei Donglai, Pei Zhi's father, brought him to the exam.
Lin Zhaoxi, recalling that Pei Donglai had passed away during Pei Zhi's junior high years in her original timeline, felt a pang of concern. Ji Jiang suggested warning Pei Zhi, but Lin Zhaoxi, unsure of the details and fearing it would cause unnecessary alarm, decided against it. Zhang Liang confidently declared his intention to win. Thirty minutes into the exam, Pei Zhi had already finished and submitted his paper.
Zhang Liang and Lin Zhaoxi, both facing the challenging final question, eventually completed their tests. As Lin Zhaoxi exited, she found Lin Zhaosheng and Pei Zhi waiting for her, with Ji Jiang soon joining them. Lin Zhaosheng, claiming to be "just passing by," casually asked about the last question's answer, which Pei Zhi and Lin Zhaoxi both confirmed as two-thirds. Lin Zhaoxi explained that she remembered the answer from a dream about Strawberry World.
She then insisted Lin Zhaosheng pay for their celebratory meal, which he reluctantly agreed to after a humorous exchange about him footing the bill for their free lessons. They then raced off, eager to celebrate. Soon after, Pei Donglai received a phone call from his wife, informing him that Pei Zhi had been skipping his Go classes. They rushed to the Youth Palace, where they encountered Lin Zhaosheng and the children.
Pei Zhi's mother immediately accused Lin Zhaosheng of being a swindler and misleading her son. Pei Zhi bravely interjected, stating clearly that he disliked Go and preferred studying math with his master. Lin Zhaosheng, to defend himself, presented his academic credentials, including his undergraduate degree from Yongchuan University and his postgraduate studies at Sanwei University, along with his published math thesis from 1993, to prove his expertise.
Ji Jiang tried to smooth things over by comparing Lin Zhaosheng to the "Sweeping Monk" from a martial arts novel, highlighting his hidden talents despite his humble appearance. However, he also inadvertently mentioned Lin Zhaosheng's rougher edges (smoking, drinking, long hair, swearing, and "beating people"), which only agitated Pei Zhi's mother further.
Lin Zhaoxi tried to explain that mathematicians were respected professionals, but Pei Zhi's mother remained prejudiced against math as a career path, declaring that her son's math skills were already sufficient and forbidding him from returning to the Youth Palace for lessons. The selection results for Zhang Shuping's Math Olympiad training camp were released. Out of 1245 applicants, only 80 were chosen.
Zhang Shuping noted that Pei Zhi, Zhang Liang, and Lin Zhaoxi were the only three students to achieve perfect scores, with many others missing only the last challenging problem. At home, Pei Zhi's father attempted to cheer him up, but Pei Zhi remained focused on convincing his mother to let him attend the training camp.
With his father's help, Pei Zhi used Euler's Seven Bridges problem to illustrate the profound and unexpected discoveries that can stem from seemingly simple mathematical questions. He passionately argued for the importance of math and the opportunity to make new friends and broaden his horizons at the training camp. His father supported him, emphasizing the value of childhood friendships. After much persuasion, Pei Zhi’s mother reluctantly agreed to let him go, prioritizing his social development and happiness.
Lin Zhaoxi and Ji Jiang were overjoyed to learn they had also been accepted into Zhang Shuping's Math Olympiad training camp, feeling one step closer to their goal of returning to Strawberry World. As they prepared to depart, Lin Zhaosheng was nowhere to be found. Lin Zhaoxi went to the mail room, where a colleague informed her that Lin Zhaosheng had left a package for her. Unbeknownst to them, Lin Zhaosheng was secretly watching Lin Zhaoxi from Yao's dance studio, while Yao tried to teach him some dance moves, remarking on how well they matched.
