Genius Club

Chapter 496: The Best in the World

Chapter 496: The Best in the World

This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation

Space… a gift…

At that moment, Lin Xian had a strange feeling, as if the Ouroboros of time and space had finally completed its circle.

Back then, on the space shuttle, 20,000 meters above the earth, during the Spacetime Particle Capture mission, Chu An Qing had suddenly regained some of her memories. She insisted on leaving the cabin, risking everything to leap out and catch that one crucial spacetime particle.

A gift.

That particle had been the most precious gift Chu An Qing had given him, allowing him to understand the core truths and take the lead.

Could it be…

The memories Chu An Qing had regained then were actually the memories of the original CC?

Time keeps turning.

Maybe, just maybe, his story with Chu An Qing had already begun as far back as 1952.

“Hey!”

Up ahead, CC called out from a distance, “Why are you daydreaming again, Lin Xian? Come on, hurry up! We’ve got lots more rides to go on!”

Lin Xian still stood there, lost in thought. CC didn’t want to waste any more time. She ran back, grabbed his hand, and started pulling him along. “Why are you always so out of it? I swear, out of 24 hours in a day, you spend at least 20 of them daydreaming.”

Lin Xian let her pull him towards the carousel. “I’m not daydreaming, just thinking about things.”

“Haha, don’t tell me you actually believed what I said?” CC turned around, her eyes forming cute crescent shapes as she smiled. “I was just joking. Earth is perfectly fine. Why would I go to space for no reason?”

She continued, “Besides, I haven’t even been to school, but Grandma taught me some basics… Space isn’t exactly a supermarket, right? There’s no place to buy gifts there.”

“Space is called ‘space’ because there’s nothing in it—not even air! So don’t get your hopes up. Even if I went, I wouldn’t be able to bring you anything back.”

“I mean… I couldn’t exactly pluck a star for you, could I?”

Lin Xian smiled silently at that.

A star.

In the “World Hacking Championship,” the super AI VV had once used Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites to send Chu An Qing a five-pointed star.

Kids say the strangest things.

Although, at almost twenty, CC wasn’t exactly a child anymore.

In this old-fashioned era, people were simpler. And considering CC had never been to school, her way of thinking wasn’t fully matured either.

To Lin Xian, who was seven years older, CC seemed like an innocent, “childish” kid.

“Do you want to ride the carousel?” Lin Xian looked at the long queue, puzzled as to why so many people were lining up for such a simple ride.

He took a closer look.

Sure enough, it was mostly young children dragging their parents along.

The roller coasters and flying rides were too scary for them, and parents thought those rides were unsafe for children.

So rides like the carousel and spinning teacups had become the most popular choices.

“Of course I do!” CC pulled Lin Xian to the end of the line and said seriously, “We don’t come to an amusement park every day. We have to try everything! It might be my only chance, so I need to make the most of it.”

“Alright,” Lin Xian said, spreading his hands. “We bought the tickets, and they were pricey. You’re right. Let’s stay till the park closes, till you’re completely happy.”

The carousel filled up, and the staff closed the gates to start the ride.

Happy music played, and the carousel moved up and down, spinning around while the children laughed.

This ride was definitely too childish for Lin Xian, but for CC, who had never experienced anything like this, it was perfect.

“It’s finally our turn!” CC cheered after waiting through three rounds. She chose a pink horse, while Lin Xian took the blue one behind her.

He pointed at the golden ring hanging from a pole ahead of them. “CC, do you see that golden ring?”

“Where?” CC looked around, quickly spotting it. “I see it! What’s it for?”

“It’s called the golden ring,” Lin Xian explained. “If you grab it, you get another round on the carousel for free. But since everything is included in the ticket, it just means you don’t have to line up again.”

“That’s amazing!” CC stared at the ring, eager to grab it. “It doesn’t look that hard.”

“True… but remember who your competition is.” Lin Xian looked at the other riders—mostly little kids with short arms and legs.

It was like a college student competing against kindergarteners.

With her long limbs and natural astronaut’s agility, CC could easily keep riding forever.

The ride started with a slight jolt.

CC kept her eyes on the golden ring.

Other kids tried to grab it, but with their short arms, the horses moving up and down, and the ring swaying, they couldn’t quite reach it.

Finally, CC’s horse reached the ring.

With lightning reflexes, she snatched it!

“Haha! Lin Xian, look!” She slid the ring onto her index finger, wiggling it at him. “Doesn’t it look like a ring?”

Lin Xian chuckled. “It is a ring. The word ‘ring’ literally means ‘a circle you wear on your finger.'”

“Can I keep it?” CC asked, eyes wide.

“Nope.” Lin Xian shook his head. “It’s part of the game. When the ride ends, you have to return it. But you get to go again.”

“Oh… alright.” CC sighed, reluctantly taking the ring off her finger.

On the second round, she grabbed the ring again.

On the third round, she grabbed it again.

On the fourth, she still got it.

By the fifth, a chubby boy behind them started crying. CC, trying to comfort him, handed the ring over. “Here, it’s yours.”

The boy took it, smiling. “Thank you, big sister! Here, take this!”

He handed CC a rainbow lollipop.

When the ride stopped, CC jumped off and showed Lin Xian the lollipop. “Look, an unexpected reward.”

“That’s great.” Lin Xian gave her a thumbs-up.

“Let’s share.” CC tried to break it in half.

Lin Xian laughed, stopping her. “You don’t need to share everything with me.”

He thought of the half piece of hard bread she’d given him that morning, and the half hotdog earlier.

She always thought of him.

“You can have it. You’ve never had a lollipop, have you?”

“Then I’ll save it for later.” CC tucked it into her pocket. “We can eat it if we ever run out of food.”

…

After that, CC tried every single ride, making sure to enjoy each one fully.

Her eyes were like cameras, capturing every moment and storing them as the happiest memories of her life.

The sun set, and night fell. The amusement park lights came on, and the nighttime attractions opened.

Lin Xian and CC watched a circus show, then a fairy tale play, and finally arrived at the Ferris wheel.

“Usually, an amusement park trip ends with the Ferris wheel,” Lin Xian said softly.

“Why’s that?” CC asked.

“Not sure,” Lin Xian shrugged. “It’s like an unspoken rule. Or maybe it’s just tradition. The Ferris wheel is slow, relaxing—perfect for wrapping up the day.”

“Plus, it takes you up high, so you can look down at the whole park. It lets you think about everything you did.”

“Alright,” CC nodded. “It really does feel like the last ride. We’ve done everything else, so we should end with the Ferris wheel.”

The loudspeakers announced that the park would close in half an hour, and the rides were about to start their last rounds.

The two of them got in line for the Ferris wheel, climbed into a small cabin, and the attendant locked the door. Slowly, the giant metal wheel lifted them away from the ground, into the night sky.

CC pressed her face against the window, looking at the colorful lights below.

The park lights painted a beautiful picture on the ground. As they climbed higher, they could see Brooklyn’s skyline, and far off, the buildings of Manhattan.

Staring at the view, CC spoke softly, “This must be the farthest and highest I’ve ever been. I’ve never seen anything like this.”

“You’re still young,” Lin Xian said. “This is far from your limit. There’s so much more out there, higher and farther, waiting for you.”

“This has been such a happy, lucky day…” CC turned to Lin Xian, her eyes glistening. “Thank you, Lin Xian. We’ve only known each other for two days, but you’ve shown me so much I never even dreamed of.”

She started counting on her fingers, “You took me to Brooklyn Heights, we rode the carousel and Ferris wheel, stayed at a hotel…”

“All these things are firsts for me. I’m lucky to have experienced them with you.”

“Oh, and the hotdog!” She giggled, dimples showing. “Hotdogs are the best in the world! Number one!”

Lin Xian looked at her, saying nothing.

A hotdog.

Was it really the best?

Of course not.

There were so many better things out there.

But for CC, she’d only ever had a hotdog.

Her world was that small.

To her, hotdogs were number one.

“Here, have some candy.” CC pulled out the lollipop, breaking it in half and handing one piece to Lin Xian. “We don’t have money for dinner, so you must be hungry. This’ll help a bit.”

“That chubby boy really helped us. Trading a free ring for such a big lollipop—we made a profit.”

Lin Xian took half of the lollipop.

It was a half-circle, almost like a protractor.

He put it in his mouth.

“Is it sweet?” CC asked.

Lin Xian nodded. “Very.”

…

The moon hung high in the sky as the amusement park lights flickered off, marking the end of another day. The last few visitors ambled towards the exit, their laughter fading into the night.

CC walked briskly towards the bus stop, expecting to hear Lin Xian’s footsteps behind her. But when she glanced back, she noticed he wasn’t following. He was just standing there, staring off into the distance, hands in his pockets.

“Lin Xian?” she called out, her voice carrying a hint of impatience. “What are you doing? Spacing out again? Come on!”

Lin Xian shook his head slightly, but he didn’t move. His eyes looked almost apologetic as he met CC’s gaze. “Sorry, CC,” he said. “I think we have a bit of a problem. We don’t have enough money for the bus ride back.”

CC frowned, tilting her head in confusion. “What do you mean? Didn’t you do all those calculations before we left? You even wrote it down!”

“Yeah, about that…” Lin Xian gave an awkward smile and shrugged. “I made a mistake. I didn’t account for those hotdogs costing five cents each. We ended up spending all the cash we had on them. We’re down to zero.”

CC stared at him for a second, and then, to Lin Xian’s surprise, she let out a light-hearted laugh. “Oh, well,” she said, her smile growing wider. “Then we’ll just walk back. No big deal, right? We’ll get home eventually.”

Lin Xian blinked at her, his face softening. “You’re really not mad? I figured you’d be upset.”

“Why would I be mad?” CC replied, puffing her cheeks indignantly. “You spent all day treating me—hotdogs, amusement park rides, everything. Why on earth would I repay you by being mad about something like this? Seriously, Lin Xian, what kind of person do you take me for?”

She paused and then added with a chuckle, “Besides, it’s not like we have a real home to go back to anyway. We’ll just walk until we find a good spot—a park, a bridge, anything. For people like us, a place to sleep is a place to sleep.”

Lin Xian nodded slowly, but there was a glimmer of something in his eyes—something CC couldn’t quite read.

“You know,” he said after a moment, “I thought the same thing at first. But actually, I’ve got a different idea now. A sort of ‘Plan B.'”

CC raised an eyebrow, her expression wary. “Plan B? What’s that supposed to mean?”

Lin Xian’s lips curved into a small, mischievous smile. “Remember what you said earlier? About Coney Island not being just hotdogs and amusement parks? You were right. It’s also got gangsters.”

CC’s eyes widened. “Gangsters? What are you talking about?”

“Gangsters,” Lin Xian repeated calmly. “They have money. A lot of it. And let’s be honest—it’s not like they earned it honestly. So, I’m thinking… maybe we mess with them a little. Cause some trouble, take a bit of cash. You know, rob the rich to help the poor.”

CC’s jaw dropped. She blinked at him, trying to figure out if he was joking. “You’re not serious! Those gangsters—the ones we saw this morning—they’re dangerous! They have guns, Lin Xian! Guns! And they always move in groups at night. Going after them is basically asking to get killed!”

Lin Xian shrugged, an easy grin spreading across his face. “They have guns? Perfect. Then I can upgrade my gear.”

CC stomped her foot, her voice rising in frustration. “Lin Xian, you’ve completely lost it! This isn’t a game!”

But Lin Xian cut her off, his expression turning serious, his hands still buried in his pockets. “Remember what I told you this morning, CC?” he asked quietly. “I said our hard times are over. I meant it. Those gangsters… they’re not something to fear. They’re just cash machines waiting for us to cash in.”

CC stared at him, her concern clear in her eyes. She stepped closer, standing on her tiptoes to press her hand to his forehead, as if checking for a fever.

“Are you sure you’re feeling okay?” she whispered.

Lin Xian laughed softly, gently taking her hand away. He looked up at the moon, shining brightly above them. “I’m fine, CC. Better than fine. Just wait and see. From now on, Brooklyn belongs to Lin Xian. It’s time for those Coney Island gangsters to meet their new boss.”

CC shook her head, her heart pounding in her chest, unsure whether to be terrified or to trust him. But she couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at her lips.

“You really are something else, Lin Xian,” she muttered. And though she still felt the fear gnawing at her, she couldn’t deny it—there was something about his confidence, his unwavering determination, that made her want to believe.

“Alright, boss,” she said with a sigh, rolling her eyes. “Lead the way. Let’s see what kind of trouble we can get into.”