Genius Club

After finishing his speech, Professor Xu Yun courteously asked Lin Xian to leave.

“Take care of your health, Professor,” Lin bid farewell without delay. Through a slight opening, he caught a final glimpse of the professor by the hospital bed, tenderly holding his daughter Xu Yi Yi’s frail hand and sharing lighthearted stories from the past week.

The following day, Lin Xian arrived early at Zhao Ying Jun’s office to discuss his encounter with Professor Xu Yun.

“Professor Xu Yun is even more obstinate than we anticipated,” Zhao Ying Jun remarked, propping her head on her hand and knitting her eyebrows together.

“Yes, he’s far too overly cautious,” Lin Xian replied. “While his concerns have some merit, they aren’t completely rational. I attempted to persuade him, but he steadfastly refused to sell the chemical compound unless it’s absolutely necessary. He’s unwilling to initiate the profit-driven trends in scientific research.”

“Under such stress, it’s hard for him to trust, which explains his rigid views,” Zhao Ying Jun sighed deeply, her eyes briefly closing. “People can’t always choose wisely. Sometimes, you don’t realize a path leads nowhere until you’ve walked its length.”

“But let’s not be quick to judge since we’re only outsiders. From his perspective, what he’s doing to save his daughter may seem justified,” she remarked, meeting Lin Xian’s eyes with resolve. “We should drop the matter and not trouble Professor Xu Yun further.”

Lin Xian nodded in agreement. Since they couldn’t assist with Xu Yi Yi’s treatment, it was best to ease the professor’s burden.

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“We should rethink the initial products for the Rhine brand,” Zhao Ying Jun pondered aloud. “You’re free to go, Lin Xian. Thanks for your effort.”

“As for the Rhine Cat plush toys, they’re in full production,” she added. “Next, we need to develop 3D models for future animations and ads, and finalize its voice, slogans, and personality traits.”

Lin Xian noted down her directives and exited the office, the security door closing with a resonant thud behind him.

Facing the formidable door, Lin Xian reflected on the unattainable Genius Club invitation. His status was leagues apart from Zhao Ying Jun’s, granting him no right to inquire further. Probing into personal matters unrelated to work would be intrusive and improper.

In the subsequent days, Lin Xian dedicated himself to expanding the Rhine Cat intellectual property. His team focused on two primary objectives: designing 3D models for the cat and elaborating on its expressions, actions, outfits, slogans, and dialogues. Inspired by the myriad of Rhine Cat toys and books from the dream world’s toy store and a 24-hour children’s bookstore, Lin Xian was flooded with creative ideas. Despite delving deep into Rhine Cat’s lore, the true origin of its creator remained a mystery, the tales varying widely over six centuries.

During this creative surge, Lin Xian’s passion for the charming cat was evident, knowing a successful toy line could translate to substantial income.

As usual, Lin Xian found himself lost in his dream world of toy stores and bookstores. Though he did not engage in Big Cat Face and CC’s adventures, he occasionally glimpsed them from the toy store’s window, humorously mismatched as they entered a van together—a lean Ultraman and a rotund Rhine Cat side by side.

Unbeknownst to bystanders, these innocuous cosplayers were on the brink of a perilous showdown in a bank vault.

“This world is strange indeed,” Lin Xian mused, his work serving as a distraction from the enigmas of CC, the Genius Club, and his dream’s reality. Perhaps he was avoiding facing something…

On the morning of the much-anticipated World Cup final between Argentina and France, Lin Xian and Gao Yang shared a meal before heading to a lottery shop to purchase football tickets. Buoyed by his recent winnings, Gao Yang strutted confidently, ready to gamble big.

“All in! Betting on Argentina to win!” Gao Yang declared, transferring 60,000 yuan to the shop owner without a second thought.

“Going all in again?” Lin Xian questioned, skeptical of Gao Yang’s newfound confidence as a betting guru.

“Why not? Sometimes, you just have to trust your instincts!” Gao Yang chuckled. “Didn’t your dream show Argentina clinching the World Cup?”

Lin Xian nodded, recalling the dream’s book. “Yes, it said Argentina triumphed in a penalty shootout against France.”

Bang!

Gao Yang’s hand slammed onto the lottery machine, startling the owner. “Wait! Don’t print that ticket yet!”

Pulling Lin Xian outside, he asked urgently, “Did you mention a ‘penalty shootout’?”

“Yeah, why?” Lin Xian responded, puzzled by his friend’s sudden anxiety.

Taking deep breaths, Gao Yang’s complexion lightened with relief. “Good thing you mentioned that… I almost lost everything!”

“Just a bit more and my 60,000 yuan would have been gone!”