The Heart of Genius Episode 6 Recap
> The Heart of Genius Recap
Lin Zhaoxi gathered the other students, proposing they split into two teams of five, with herself and Pei Zhi as leaders. She confidently stated that neither team's average score would fall into the bottom three, but Yao Xiaotian and some others lacked confidence, worrying they would hold the teams back. Lin Zhaoxi, determined to help them, explained her motivation, saying, "Just take it as my dislike of Zhang Shuping. I want to go against his rules."
She encouraged them, reminding them that their goal was for everyone to achieve high scores, emphasizing, "not one person less." To uplift their spirits, she drew an analogy to Harry Potter, likening Zhang Liang to Slytherin's Malfoy, Zhang Shuping to Professor Snape, and their group to Gryffindor—brave, united, and helping each other. Ji Jiang passionately reinforced this message, urging them to be courageous. Although still hesitant, the students reluctantly agreed.
Zhang Shuping then led the students to the library, revealing that an entire multi-tiered bookshelf of mathematics books would be the scope for their upcoming elimination exam, to be completed within a month. The students were shocked by the sheer volume and protested, but Zhang Shuping called upon Pei Zhi to explain his strategy.
Pei Zhi calmly outlined his method: identifying the logical connections between the books, categorizing them, and then summarizing the key points to build a mental knowledge system. Zhang Shuping commended Pei Zhi's approach, emphasizing that this was the learning method they should master – to discover weaknesses through exams and then address them with questions during short lecture sessions. Zhang Shuping then awarded Gryffindor ten points, a reference some students didn't understand.
The training camp routine settled into a pattern of short morning lectures followed by extensive self-study. Lin Zhaoxi prepared a study outline, guiding her team to focus on key knowledge points and seek help from her or Pei Zhi when needed. Rules were strict: return library materials promptly, be back in dorms by 8 p. m. , and lights out at 10 p. m. to prevent late-night studying.
In this atmosphere, some students started identifying with Harry Potter characters: Lin Zhaoxi as Hermione, Pei Zhi as Harry Potter (the "Miracle Boy"), Ji Jiang as Ron, and Lu Zhihao as Neville Longbottom. Meanwhile, Lin Zhaosheng, having broken up with Yao, made calls to friends seeking job recommendations, hinting at a new job as he was "quitting again."
The day of the first elimination exam arrived, and Yao Xiaotian, overwhelmed by pressure, broke down in tears, fearing she would drag her team down. Lin Zhaoxi reassured her, promising, "I'm here." After the exam, Zhang Shuping announced the results: out of fourteen teams, the bottom three would be eliminated. Zhang Liang's team secured first place with an average of 85. 8 points, while Pei Zhi's team ranked seventh, aided by Pei Zhi's perfect score of 100.
Lin Zhaoxi's team, with an average of 68. 8 points (and Lin Zhaoxi scoring 95), ranked eleventh and narrowly avoided elimination by a mere 0. 5 points, much to Ji Jiang's relief. Zhang Shuping warned Lin Zhaoxi's team to work harder. Zhang Shuping then instructed Jie Ran to inform the parents of the eliminated students, wishing those leaving a pleasant summer.
He then announced the rules for the mid-term exam, scheduled in ten days: students could freely form new teams until the day before the exam, but any team with fewer than five members would be disbanded, forcing remaining members to join other groups or go home. The most daunting rule was that half of the remaining teams would be eliminated, with an odd number of teams meaning the middle-ranked team would also be cut.
The news sent a wave of anxiety through the students. Yao Xiaotian, struggling with the pressure, declared her intention to quit, lamenting her 60-point score and feeling like a "burden." Shao Mingchen, sharing her sentiment, also expressed a desire to leave rather than face inevitable elimination. Lin Zhaoxi pleaded with them not to go. Since Yao Xiaotian was one of the people in the crucial photograph she was trying to recreate, her departure would jeopardize Lin Zhaoxi's entire plan.
She then rushed to a public phone after Yu Tianjiao informed her of a call from her "master." It was Lin Zhaosheng on the phone, who tried to lighten the mood with a joke before Lin Zhaoxi poured out her frustrations about the intense exams and high-pressure environment. Lin Zhaosheng, criticizing Zhang Shuping's methods, described him as a "talent theorist" and advised Lin Zhaoxi to show her talent and play by his rules to gain leeway.
However, Lin Zhaoxi questioned what would happen if she didn't want to follow his rules, to which Lin Zhaosheng simply replied that she would be "done." Later, Ji Jiang asked Lin Zhaoxi about the call, and she revealed Lin Zhaosheng offered no concrete advice. Meanwhile, Pei Zhi, observing the frequent clandestine conversations between Lin Zhaoxi and Ji Jiang, grew suspicious. Lu Zhihao openly speculated that they were in a "puppy love" relationship, but Pei Zhi vehemently denied it.
Concurrently, Zhang Liang attempted to replace Chen Chengcheng in his team with Li Ming, who scored 85. When Chen Chengcheng refused, Zhang Liang cunningly suggested Chen Chengcheng prove his "value" by helping him "get rid of Lin Zhaoxi." Unable to shake his suspicions, Pei Zhi cornered Ji Jiang, pressing him for the real reason behind his secret talks with Lin Zhaoxi.
Finally, under pressure, Ji Jiang swore Pei Zhi to secrecy and divulged that he and Lin Zhaoxi had traveled from a "parallel world" known as Strawberry World. Early the next morning, as Lin Zhaoxi was sweeping the grounds, Zhang Shuping approached her, acknowledging her punctuality and diligence. He expressed confusion as to why she, a "rare genius" like Pei Zhi, chose to associate with "students with poor qualifications."
Lin Zhaoxi, standing her ground, challenged his rules, arguing that they were designed to "destroy confidence" and foster hatred for mathematics, rather than cultivating interest and happiness. She asserted that childhood setbacks could affect one's entire future, declaring, "I am the example." Zhang Shuping dismissed her concerns as youthful idealism, stating she would understand when she reached his "age" and "height." Lin Zhaoxi promptly retorted, "Now I'm as tall as you."
Zhang Shuping, unfazed, reiterated his hope that she and Pei Zhi would represent the municipal team but firmly stated that he would not alter the rules for anyone, "even for a genius." Shortly after Zhang Shuping departed, Pei Zhi found Lin Zhaoxi, reassuring her, "Don't worry. You will return to the Strawberry World." Surprised by his belief in Ji Jiang's story, Lin Zhaoxi learned that Ji Jiang had indeed shared their secret.
Pei Zhi promised to help both her and Ji Jiang return home, vowing to keep their secret. Later, observing a tourist car, Lin Zhaoxi and Pei Zhi separately checked their dorms, fearing more students were leaving. Lin Zhaoxi found Wang Lu packing, revealing that Li Ming had joined Zhang Liang's team, leaving her group with only four members and forcing them to disband. Wang Lu and Qu Ge, however, expressed a desire to stay.
Seizing the opportunity, Lin Zhaoxi invited Wang Lu to join her team and Qu Ge to Pei Zhi's, filling their vacant spots. Wang Lu questioned Lin Zhaoxi's motives for helping them, to which Lin Zhaoxi replied that choosing to stay was "the power of courage" and encouraged them to join, promising mutual support.
Upon their return, Shao Mingchen, still disgruntled by the academic performance of Qu Ge and Wang Lu, announced that he and Yao Xiaotian would leave before the next exam to avoid impacting the team's average score. Feeling helpless, Lin Zhaoxi was comforted by Pei Zhi, who affirmed that "boys should protect girls." She confided in him, lamenting the possibility of never seeing her "nagging and stubborn" father from her world again.
Pei Zhi noted that "Master" (Lin Zhaosheng in this world) seemed different. Lin Zhaoxi pondered if her existence was the cause of Lin Zhaosheng's differing personalities across worlds, drawing a parallel to Digimon Evolution: "Boys-mon Evolution! Papa-mon!" In her distress, Lin Zhaoxi called Lin Zhaosheng again. He sensed her low spirits and, after playfully chiding her for calling without a reason, asked her to come to the mailroom at the base gate to help him move some heavy books.
Lin Zhaoxi rushed there and embraced him tightly. Lin Zhaosheng, a full-time security guard and night watchman at the base, joked about her sudden appearance and his habit of changing jobs. He admitted he had no books to move and was "just kidding," calling himself a "liar," which made Lin Zhaoxi remark on his improved ability to deceive.
