The Heart of Genius Episode 8 Recap
> The Heart of Genius Recap
Lin Zhaosheng adopted a stray cat named Mimi, and Lin Zhaoxi joked that raising a stray cat was much easier than raising a stray child. She then asked Lin Zhaosheng if he preferred being alone or having a child. He initially said he preferred being alone, as being a single father sounded tiring, but then added that a child might make life feel more meaningful, giving him something to care about.
Lin Zhaosheng quickly clarified that he was talking about the cat. Zhang Liang anonymously reported to Zhang Shuping that Lin Zhaoxi's and Pei Zhi's groups were secretly receiving tutoring from Lin Zhaosheng after lights out. Zhang Shuping went to the library and found all twelve students asleep at their desks, confirming his suspicions. That night, the students again sneaked out for their private lesson with Lin Zhaosheng.
After the class, Zhang Shuping arrived with Jie Ran and Xiang Ke, catching everyone by surprise. When asked who led the group, Pei Zhi started to stand up, but Lin Zhaoxi stopped him and took full responsibility, explaining she was afraid of failing and that Mr. Lin was an excellent teacher. Zhang Shuping was furious and sent the students back to their dorms to sleep.
As he left, Zhang Shuping told Lin Zhaosheng that he always knew nothing good would come from seeing him. On their way back, Lin Zhaoxi worried about Lin Zhaosheng, but Pei Zhi reassured her that Lin Zhaosheng was a temporary worker and she wasn't to blame. She felt she was ready to live in this world with her friends.
She also revealed that she was an orphan who felt lonely on her classmates' birthdays and used to try to avoid them. Later, Jie Ran pleaded with Zhang Shuping on Lin Zhaoxi's behalf, stating that the students' rule-breaking was motivated by a desire to learn and that Lin Zhaosheng seemed harmless.
Zhang Shuping then revealed Lin Zhaosheng's past: he was once a brilliant math postgraduate at Sanwei University, but his arrogance, chaotic lifestyle, getting a student from another university pregnant, and plagiarizing a professor's thesis led to his expulsion. Zhang Shuping emphasized that he instilled strict rules to prevent his students from ending up like Lin Zhaosheng. Jie Ran understood and dropped his plea.
The next morning, Zhang Shuping announced in class that Lin Zhaoxi's and Pei Zhi's groups were disqualified from receiving certificates of completion, and Lin Zhaoxi was expelled immediately. He told Lin Zhaoxi that her parents were being contacted and she should pack her belongings. Ji Jiang immediately stood up, declared that he would leave if Lin Zhaoxi did, as there was no point in staying without her.
Lu Zhihao and many other students also stood up, expressing their desire to leave with Lin Zhaoxi. Zhang Shuping agreed, warning them that their disciplinary violations would be reported to the Education Bureau and recorded in their files. Just then, Pei Zhi rushed in with his phone, telling Zhang Shuping to answer a call. It was Zeng Qingran. Lin Zhaoxi realized Pei Zhi had solved the Kongming Chess puzzle Zeng Qingran had given him and had sought his help.
During the call, after Zeng Qingran vouched for the students, Zhang Shuping revealed their secret tutor was Lin Zhaosheng, which saddened the old professor to hear how his former star student had ended up. While Zhang Shuping was on the phone, Zhang Liang tried to provoke the other students, calling Lin Zhaoxi an "attention-seeker" and trying to recruit Pei Zhi to his team. Pei Zhi, enraged, lunged at Zhang Liang but was held back by his classmates.
After his call, Zhang Shuping re-entered the classroom. He praised Pei Zhi as the second most brilliant student he had ever met, cautioning him not to abuse his talent like the "first genius" he knew – Lin Zhaosheng. Zhang Shuping portrayed Lin Zhaosheng as someone who played with life, broke rules, and ended up as a gatekeeper. Lin Zhaoxi fiercely defended Lin Zhaosheng, refuting Zhang Shuping’s claims.
Zhang Shuping then announced that he would revoke all punishments for the two groups and wouldn't inform their parents or schools, but Lin Zhaoxi must still leave the camp, stating that "no one can save you." As Lin Zhaoxi began to pack, Xiang Ke offered to help, but Lin Zhaoxi politely declined. All her classmates gathered downstairs to see her off.
Lin Zhaoxi looked at a photo, recalling a promise she made to Lin Zhaosheng when he was hospitalized in Strawberry World, feeling sad that she couldn't fulfill it. When Zhang Shuping ordered Pei Zhi and Ji Jiang to come down and watch Lin Zhaoxi leave, they appeared carrying their own luggage, declaring they would leave with Lin Zhaoxi. Before getting into the car, Lin Zhaoxi delivered a heartfelt speech, thanking her friends and expressing her enjoyment of their shared journey.
She admitted that she used to be unconfident and feared her future and destiny, but now she was no longer afraid. She told Zhang Shuping that she understood him, because they were both "losers" who struggled with math talent, envying and even idolizing true geniuses like Lin Zhaosheng and Pei Zhi, forgetting their own willpower. She also voiced her dislike for Zhang Shuping, equating it to her past self-hatred, and criticized his method of denying effort from the outset.
She asserted that math isn't only for geniuses, and success isn't only for the highly intelligent, adding that scores shouldn't define one's life. She vowed to continue studying math. Just then, Director Li from the Red Star Children's Welfare House arrived with a group of children, revealing that Lin Zhaoxi and Ji Jiang were orphans from their institution and had come to take them home.
Lin Zhaosheng then appeared, dramatically declaring his intention to undergo a paternity test with Lin Zhaoxi, suggesting that they might be father and daughter due to their shared "bad luck." Zhang Shuping, still insisting that rules cannot be broken, got a slap from Lin Zhaosheng, who then forced Zhang Shuping to drive them to the hospital for the DNA test. During the car ride, Lin Zhaosheng and Zhang Shuping bickered.
Lin Zhaosheng was hesitant about the blood draw, offering hair, nails, or oral cells instead. While Lin Zhaosheng was inside, Director Li pleaded with Zhang Shuping to give Lin Zhaoxi a chance, emphasizing how difficult it was for orphans like her to get this far. Zhang Shuping then asked Lin Zhaoxi about her biological mother, and Lin Zhaoxi replied that she only knew her name was Qiu Yue and she died during childbirth.
Zhang Shuping looked deeply affected, seemingly having known Qiu Yue. Zhang Shuping explained to Lin Zhaoxi that his harsh elimination system was a "comfort" mechanism for children, allowing them to blame the system or the teacher for their failures rather than denying their own talent. He said admitting lack of talent is hard and often unnecessary. Lin Zhaoxi countered that excessive childhood comfort might be why people give up easily later in life.
Zhang Shuping acknowledged this but maintained that the Olympic Mathematics training camp was inherently cruel, not a basic school, and that many things are "destined" by talent. He confessed that after ten years of teaching, he could no longer be moved by hard work alone, having seen too many students fall. He said those without talent would eventually give up.
Despite this, he encouraged Lin Zhaoxi not to abandon math, offering a final chance: if the combined average score of her group and Pei Zhi's group exceeded Zhang Liang's group in the last elimination exam, all twelve of them could stay, taking up only one completion certificate spot. Lin Zhaoxi accepted.
She also mentioned that students privately called him "Snape," to which Zhang Shuping wryly commented that the character must be annoying, but Lin Zhaoxi added, "Sometimes he is annoying, but he is a good man." Lin Zhaosheng left the hospital first to make a call to a friend and learned that his and Qiu Yue's child had been sent to a welfare home years ago. Overjoyed, he returned to Lin Zhaoxi.
Although the official DNA results weren't out, he was certain she was his daughter. In the car, he provoked Zhang Shuping by mentioning how much Lin Zhaoxi resembled Qiu Yue, particularly her stubbornness. A furious Zhang Shuping kicked them out of the car. Lin Zhaosheng then apologized to Lin Zhaoxi for not being able to raise her. He formally introduced himself as Lin Zhaosheng, her father, promising to take care of her from then on.
Lin Zhaoxi affectionately told him that she would take care of him. Later, back at the camp, Pei Zhi asked Lin Zhaoxi if Lin Zhaosheng was really her father, as the DNA results wouldn't be back so soon. Lin Zhaoxi replied that sometimes emotion is more accurate than science. The students then enthusiastically agreed to Zhang Shuping's challenge, ready to face Zhang Liang's group.
