Genius Club

Chapter 78: Chapter 78 East Sea

“Enough!!”

Big Face Cat was pushed to the brink and shook off Lin Xian:

“Little brother, when will you ever be done?! Ask, ask, ask, ask, ask! Are you a walking ‘Why’ encyclopedia? Where do you get so many questions from!”

“Just stop it! No more questions! If you have any, go directly ask my old man! You two might actually go crazy together!”

He shook off Lin Xian’s arm again, puffing angrily on his cigarette.

Lin Xian stood in place, thinking.

Looking at it this way… Big Face Cat’s father clearly hadn’t died; he was still alive and probably kicking.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have said to go ask his dad:

“Your dad… um, is he in good health?”

“Very well! It’s just his mind, gone stupid from studying! Holes up in his room all day without coming out!”

Big Face Cat said with contempt, took a deep drag of his cigarette, and passed the half-smoked stick to Ah Zhuang:

“These bookish people, the more they learn, the crazier they get! Ah Zhuang, tell me, what’s the use of reading books?”

“No damned use at all!”

Ah Zhuang took a couple of puffs of the cigarette, shaking his head:

“All learned folks are dazed – the world we live in… better to learn a trade.”

“Exactly, exactly.”

Er Zhuzi, clenching the cigarette butt in his mouth, looked suspiciously at Lin Xian:

“Bookish people are the least reliable; not sincere at all.”

He took another drag, another puff, and then handed the last bit of the cigarette to San Pang:

“Better to work early, marry a wife as good as Sister-in-law Lian. What do you think, San Pang?”

San Pang, wise beyond his years, nodded while smoking the stub:

“I think it’s possible.”

Big Face Cat nodded in agreement:

“To be honest, I don’t even want my daughter to keep going to school, either. Better for her to start working early and marry into a good family – that’s a real future.”

“Don’t, don’t, don’t Brother Lian, let your girl continue with school,” Lin Xian urged.

He realized…

That the statement “the economic base determines the superstructure” was truly accurate. In such impoverished and backward places, people’s level of thinking had a ceiling, and they saw things from different perspectives.@@novelbin@@

Looking at the state of these four men, all bluster and fuss…

They were likely illiterate or semi-illiterate.

Lin Xian gave up trying to get any key information from Big Face Cat, who as he said, was indeed less informative than his father would be.

Obviously, even in the altered dreamscapes, Cat Dad was still engaged in mathematical research.

In this era, he probably hadn’t received the Fields Medal, but whether such an award even existed in this poor and backward world was another matter.

But Cat Dad’s ability to delve into the arcane subject of “Introduction to the Cosmological Constant” suggested he was highly knowledgeable, no awards needed to prove it.

Before the change, in “The First Dreamland,” Lin Xian never inquired what Big Face Cat’s father was researching.

But intuitively… it was likely not much different from what he was studying now: the cosmological constant.

Lin Xian couldn’t say for sure why.

He always felt that history had a certain inevitability to it; for instance, Big Face Cat’s destiny seemed to have changed, his family life joyous and content.

But it seemed that many things hadn’t changed and remained as ever.

It was an indescribable feeling.

“Can I pay a visit to your father?” Lin Xian asked.

“I’m actually quite interested in mathematics too, and I’d like to have a discussion with him, to ask for some guidance.”

“Why not! You’re my bro now, a small matter like this is nothing to worry about,” Big Face Cat raised his hand and checked his watch:

“But it’s definitely too late for today, the place where he lives is a bit far, and I’ve promised my son I’d buy him roast chicken to eat today.”

“You have a son?” Lin Xian was surprised.

“Yeah, my little boy, he’s six years old now. Before, my daughter kept clamoring for a sister, so we had another one, turned out to be a boy.”

When it came to his children, Big Face Cat’s face was filled with happiness:

“The lad is quite mischievous, but sometimes he’s also pretty cute.”

“How about this!”

Big Face Cat, with a grand gesture, put his arm around Lin Xian:

“Since you’re wandering with nowhere to go, just come stay at my house! There are plenty of rooms, and it just so happens you can join us for dinner tonight.”

“I’ll take you to my dad on the motorcycle tomorrow, you won’t be able to find your way there by yourself. Mainly because it’s too late today, otherwise, I would have taken you.”

With such enthusiasm from Big Face Cat, Lin Xian was indeed tempted.

Because regarding this dream, he had many questions he wanted to ask Big Face Cat, to quickly get a sense of the worldview, and they could have a good chat over dinner.

But at the same time…

“Introduction to the Cosmological Constant,” Big Face Cat’s father going mad from his research, constantly muttering a phrase…

He was also very concerned about this matter.

He really wanted to understand, what exactly is the cosmological constant? And what does it have to do with the Genius Club?

But Big Face Cat was right.

In this poor and backward little village, with its rugged paths and disordered buildings, Lin Xian wouldn’t even be able to tell north from south without someone guiding him… Not to mention that every house looked extremely similar; he definitely wouldn’t be able to find it on his own.

Lin Xian thought for a while and nodded.

After all, the dream would still cycle, no one could escape, everyone had to endlessly repeat this day, so any time was good to visit Cat Dad.

“Alright, tomorrow then.”

Lin Xian planned to catch an early connection with Big Face Cat after entering the dream tomorrow, then have Big Face Cat take him on the motorcycle to find Cat Dad.

…

After some idle chat, it was time for everyone to head back to their own homes.

Ah Zhuang, Er Zhuzi, and San Pang waved goodbye to Big Face Cat, who led Lin Xian back home.

“Brother…”

Ah Zhuang snuck over quietly, glanced at Lin Xian, and whispered to Big Face Cat:

“About tonight’s business…”

Big Face Cat nodded:

“Business as usual.”

After saying that, the three of them left.

“You guys have activities tonight?” Lin Xian naturally noticed their subtle actions; the four of them were on the same wavelength intellectually.

“Hahaha, no, no, it’s just gang stuff,” Big Face Cat laughed it off:

“Let’s go little bro, time to buy some roast chicken.”

…

Walking along the crowded, winding paths, Lin Xian really felt oppressed.

Except for the sky directly above his head, he could hardly see anything. All around were houses, houses, houses… It felt like being stuffed in a maze.

Lin Xian watched Big Face Cat humming a tune as he walked:

“Brother Lian, you don’t have a regular job, so what do you rely on to provide for your family?”

“I collect protection fees!” Big Face Cat said proudly.

“Really…?” Lin Xian couldn’t believe it:

“Is that even legal?”

“Hey! Look at what you’re saying! I, Big Face Cat, cover this area! Shouldn’t they pay me protection fees?”

“You’re not actually just collecting property management fees, are you?”

“Put that crap aside! Who do you think you’re looking down on!”

…

By the time they arrived at Big Face Cat’s house, night had also fallen.

Big Face Cat’s home was a three-story small building, no different from the surrounding cluttered self-built houses.

His sister-in-law was very enthusiastic and beautiful, which made Lin Xian doubt where Er Zhuzi got the guts to flirt with her.

But that was Er Zhuzi from the last dreamland… perhaps he had since reformed.

At least, from what Lin Xian could see at the moment, Big Face Cat’s life was very happy and he was on the right track.

As for that stuff about collecting protection fees, Lin Xian didn’t believe a word of it.

Just look at his “volunteer thief-catching”, “playing the hero” and how the neighbors treat him… Lin Xian felt Big Face Cat was most likely collecting property management fees.

Or maybe, considering the secretive whispers with Ah Zhuang and Er Zhuzi when they’d parted ways just now… there was definitely something fishy.

[Big Face Cat must be hiding something from himself.]

“Dinner time~”

Sister-in-law Lian was gentle and refined, smiling as she served up the steaming dumplings and dishes. Big Face Cat’s daughter and son also took their places at the table, and the family began to eat amidst laughter and chatter.

Big Face Cat’s daughter was also pretty, and luckily, hadn’t inherited a single trait from Big Face Cat.

She appeared to be in her teens, with a hint of rebelliousness in her speech.

Big Face Cat’s son, on the other hand, was unlucky, the spitting image of a mini Big Face Cat.

Lin Xian was happy to see this warm scene. But then… his thoughts turned to the image of Xu Yun lying dead in the street and the emaciated Xu Yiyi on her sickbed.

Some families were joyous, while others were filled with sorrow.

His actions in changing history and altering the future had changed Big Face Cat’s life, but also the lives of Xu Yun and Xu Yiyi.

One family became happy, while another was torn apart by life and death.

How Lin Xian wished the Hibernation Pod could be successfully developed… how he wished that Xu Yiyi could one day be cured from her vegetative state, and, like Big Face Cat’s daughter before him, could argue with her father while living freely and comfortably.

Unfortunately.

Considering the level of technological development in this dreamland, it was highly likely that the Hibernation Pod had still not been developed in these 600 years.

“I don’t want to work! I want to study!”

Big Face Cat’s daughter was still arguing with him:

“If I don’t study, what will I do in the future? I don’t want to live this kind of life like you all!”

“You!”

Big Face Cat’s face turned beet red, but he was too tongue-tied to outtalk his daughter.

“Let it go, Brother Lian.”

Lin Xian laughed, raised his glass, and clinked it with Big Face Cat’s:

“Although I, as an outsider, shouldn’t interfere with how you discipline your child… studying is still the right thing to do. Knowledge changes fate, right?”

“If a child wants to study and has dreams, you should support them. Niuniu likes learning so much, do you want to grow up and be a mathematician like your grandpa, or a teacher perhaps?”

“Hmph!”

Big Face Cat’s daughter pouted:

“I don’t want to be a teacher at all.”

“Then what do you want to be when you grow up?”

“I only have one dream when I grow up!” Big Face Cat’s daughter said, sticking her lip out:

“I want to leave this place! I want to live in [New Donghai City]!”

Lin Xian’s lifted glass paused mid-air…

New Donghai City?

He looked at Big Face Cat:

“The third New Donghai City?”

“There’s no third! Just [New Donghai City]!” Big Face Cat swallowed the chicken in his mouth and glanced at Lin Xian:

“What’s wrong with your brain? Did you get it second-hand?”

“Wait a second.”

Lin Xian put down his glass and looked at Big Face Cat:

“What does New Donghai City mean? Isn’t this Donghai?”

“This is Old Donghai.”

“Then, where is New Donghai?”

Big Face Cat looked at Lin Xian as if he were an idiot:

“Brother, are you drunk or just teasing me? You don’t know about New Donghai City?”

“I really don’t know!” Lin Xian frowned: “Where exactly is it?”

Big Face Cat frowned in disgust.

He stood up, pulled Lin Xian up the stairs, and headed for the rooftop on the third floor:

“You, always talking nonsense with your eyes open!”

With considerable strength, he dragged Lin Xian all the way up to the roof of the three-story building.

This was the first time since entering this dreamland that Lin Xian felt a sense of spaciousness, his view finally unobstructed by the convoluted self-built houses.

“There! Turn around!”

Big Face Cat forcefully turned Lin Xian around.

A vista of neon lights flooded Lin Xian’s vision—

Just a few kilometers away, a futuristic sci-fi city encircled by towering steel walls rose forcibly into view!

Skyscrapers reached into the clouds, their tops unseen!

Various types of transportation vehicles zipped through the air!

Multicolored neon lights painted a distinct tableau against the night sky!

Gigantic screens on the walls of high-rises played advertisements, countless robots bustled at every corner of the city, and the steel walls, rising about a hundred meters high, wrapped the entire city tight as if it were a colossal otherworldly entity!

Frozen in place, Lin Xian gazed upon the scene as if it were straight out of a science fiction movie.

Below… was a poor and outdated small village, tiny and old.

In front of him… stood a magnificent, highly developed sci-fi city, flanked by a great steel wall stretching for tens of kilometers, a veritable chasm between them.

The difference between ants and mountains.

Though this was a dreamland, it was also reality—a real world 600 years in the future.

“You see now!”

Big Face Cat chuckled, pointing at the resplendent and colorful city in the distance:

“That! That is—[New Donghai City]!”