The Heart of Genius Episode 5 Recap
> The Heart of Genius Recap
Lin Zhaosheng's mind was preoccupied while with Yao, his thoughts drifting to Lin Zhaoxi. He wished for her to live a simple life, yet understood her inherent drive, fearing she might later regret not pursuing her true potential. Meanwhile, Lin Zhaoxi, despite outwardly feigning indifference, felt a pang of sadness that Lin Zhaosheng hadn't come to see her off. Ji Jiang, observing her, reassured her, asserting that Lin Zhaosheng was truly her father, "He's your real dad.
He's your dad in every sense. That's the tie of kinship." Ji Jiang then opened a package Lin Zhaosheng had left for Lin Zhaoxi, which, much to their surprise, wasn't pocket money but a thick book titled "Secret to Success," filled with mathematical strategies, leaving Lin Zhaoxi impressed by her father's thoughtfulness. The students soon arrived at Oasis Camp, its beautiful scenery a stark contrast to the competitive atmosphere brewing.
Zhang Liang and his group, the "Winning Five Tigers," immediately began to challenge Lin Zhaoxi's group. Ji Jiang noticed Lu Zhihao among Zhang Liang's contingent and scoffed, reminding him of how Zhang Liang had previously cast him aside in the Strawberry World. Lin Zhaoxi, meanwhile, was discreetly scanning the faces, relieved to confirm that all the individuals from the important group photo she needed were present.
Her optimism waned as Ji Jiang explained the camp's rigorous elimination process: students would be expelled if they failed tests, with only about twenty remaining for the final photo. Lin Zhaoxi expressed her frustration, realizing that the elimination of even one person from the photo would jeopardize her entire plan to return to her own world. Zhang Shuping formally welcomed the students via broadcast, outlining the demanding nature of the "Jin Cup Olympic Mathematics Selection Training Camp for Pupils."
He reiterated that only five students would ultimately represent their city in the Jin Cup competition, and throughout the month, multiple tests would progressively eliminate low-scoring participants. He then announced the immediate first test, requiring students to carry all their luggage to Room 501 on the fifth floor of the teaching building, with papers due by 12:00 PM. The five lowest-scoring students would be sent home that very afternoon. The announcement, particularly the luggage requirement, caused an uproar.
Lin Zhaoxi voiced her concern for her peers, prompting Pei Zhi to propose a "relay" system: he would stay downstairs to watch everyone's luggage while they took the test, confidently stating he only needed ten minutes to finish his own exam. Zhang Shuping, observing this from his office, acknowledged Pei Zhi's "sacrificial spirit" but insisted he must face the consequences of his choice.
Lin Zhaoxi swiftly calculated the time, determining she needed to complete her exam by 11:44 AM to allow Pei Zhi sufficient time. She raced up the stairs to the fifth floor and diligently worked through the questions. Finishing first, she quickly handed in her paper and hurried back downstairs to swap with Pei Zhi. With approximately eleven minutes remaining before the deadline, Pei Zhi calmly entered the examination room and efficiently completed his test.
Zhang Shuping promptly graded the papers, announcing the results to the students. While Liang Shuang scored 72, Lu Zhihao 63, Chen Chengcheng 75, Liu Xu 81, and Yu Tianjiao 65, Lin Zhaoxi achieved 91 points, and Zhang Liang 98. Pei Zhi, to everyone's amazement, earned a perfect score of 100, prompting widespread applause. Ji Jiang, defending Lin Zhaoxi, pointed out that Zhang Liang had taken significantly longer to complete his test.
Zhang Shuping then announced the elimination of the five lowest-scoring students, none of whom had reached 60 points, and confirmed their parents had been notified. This immediate expulsion deeply unnerved the remaining students. Zhang Shuping justified the challenging test conditions, explaining they were designed to prepare students for unexpected, stressful situations, such as taking an exam while unwell.
When Lin Zhaoxi questioned the practicality of preparing for low-probability extreme scenarios, Zhang Shuping firmly stated that in modern society, examinations are a necessary and relatively fair method for allocating educational resources. He then penalized Lin Zhaoxi and Pei Zhi for violating camp discipline with their "relay" scheme, sentencing them to clean the teaching building's courtyard every morning at 6 AM for the next week.
After the class meeting, Zhang Shuping instructed other teachers to escort the remaining students to their dorms. He personally oversaw the departure of the eliminated five students, a somber scene that left the others feeling as if they were in an "Olympic math battle royale." Meanwhile, Lin Zhaosheng, troubled by Lin Zhaoxi's persistent claim of being his daughter, visited the orphanage where she had been abandoned in 1995.
He learned that she was found with only a note bearing her name. This information, coupled with a friend's encouragement to face his responsibilities, further deepened Lin Zhaosheng's internal conflict and doubt. At the camp's opening ceremony, Zhang Liang delivered a formal speech as the student representative. Zhang Shuping then introduced Professor Zeng Qingran, a renowned mathematician and tenured professor from Sanwei University, as the honorary principal.
Unable to attend in person due to an international conference, Professor Zeng presented a captivating video message. He discussed the universe's origin through the Big Bang, emphasizing the vastness of the unknown and its inherent beauty, encouraging the young mathematicians to embrace exploration.
During the ceremony, the camp's official student rankings, based on the two exams, were also revealed: Pei Zhi stood alone in the top tier, while Zhang Liang and Lin Zhaoxi were among the thirteen students in the second tier, considered most likely to reach the finals. The next morning, Lin Zhaoxi arrived for her cleaning duty to find that Pei Zhi and Ji Jiang, now playfully engaged in mock sword-fighting, had already completed the task.
The three then headed to the canteen, where Ji Jiang indulged in the food, celebrating the freedom from the strict diet he maintained as a celebrity in the Strawberry World. Lin Zhaoxi, however, had little appetite, worried about the future eliminations. She showed Pei Zhi a list of the photo-group members' previous test scores, noting that several were barely passing.
Realizing that the elimination of even one of them would derail her crucial plan to return to her world, Lin Zhaoxi resolved to help them all. Professor Zeng Qingran had also sent a Kongming Chess set as a challenge to the camp, which Pei Zhi, ever the problem solver, immediately began to play. Later, Jie Ran announced the rules for the upcoming elimination test, scheduled for the afternoon of the 20th.
Given that the Jin Cup was a team competition, this test would be group-based: students were to form teams of five to six members, and the three groups with the lowest average scores would be entirely eliminated. This shocking news left the students reeling, with Lin Zhaoxi predicting that the system would foster competition rather than cooperation, as no one would be truly willing to help weaker members.
Jie Ran clarified that any students unable to form a group would be randomly assigned to one. As students scrambled to form teams, Zhang Liang, prioritizing high scores, ruthlessly cut Lu Zhihao from his group, despite Lu Zhihao's attempts to appease him with Swiss chocolate. Observing this, Lin Zhaoxi hesitated when other students tried to join her and Pei Zhi's group, her focus on a larger goal.
She realized that seven students, including Lu Zhihao, remained unchosen—precisely the individuals from the old photograph she needed to protect. Convinced this was fate, Lin Zhaoxi approached Pei Zhi, reaffirming their strong friendship and requesting his complete cooperation with her grouping strategy, to which he readily agreed. She then rallied the seven disheartened students, acknowledging their past struggles but proposing a unified effort to pass the next test under her leadership.
All seven, including a grateful Lu Zhihao, accepted her proposition, with Lin Zhaoxi playfully demanding Lu Zhihao's Swiss chocolate as a "toll." She then began to outline her detailed plan for their success.
