Genius Club

Lin Xian pushed open the door to the office. Brother Wang was already waiting inside.

“Lin Xian, you’re here,” Brother Wang said, rising from the couch. He sighed, pointing towards the floor-to-ceiling window at the MX building across the street. “It’s the same as yesterday—there’s a crowd gathered outside President Zhao Ying Jun’s office.”

Lin Xian walked to the window, gazing out at the twin towers in the distance. The two buildings were made of one-way glass, so you could see clearly from the inside, but from the outside, it was nothing but a mirrored wall reflecting the blue sky.

He narrowed his eyes, focusing on the twenty-second floor of the opposite tower. It was practically at the same height as his own office, and only about three hundred meters away.

Under the bright midday sun, the windows across from him were nothing but gleaming blue glass, concealing everything behind them.

Lin Xian could imagine what was on the other side of that glass—Zhao Ying Jun, sitting tirelessly at her desk, reviewing documents, with department heads standing by, waiting for her instructions. Although MX Company was always busy, it was never to this extent—no breaks, no rest for two days straight.

Just as Brother Wang had said, Zhao Ying Jun was trying to keep herself occupied. When you’re busy, there’s no time to think. On the surface, it might seem like she was calm, but in truth, she was only filling her life with trivial tasks, pushing away the thoughts she didn’t want to face.

She hadn’t gone home in two days. Instead, she stayed in the office with the lights on through the night.

Lin Xian sighed softly.

During the day, she had her whole company keeping her busy. But at night, when silence settled in, who was there to accompany her?

Perhaps… only the robot vacuum VV.

Suddenly, Lin Xian remembered the image from his third dream—the museum’s Zhao Ying Jun exhibit, the projection in the hallway. An older Zhao Ying Jun sat in her living room, rolling up a tissue and tossing it onto the floor. The trash robot VV would cry out, “Trash! Trash! Trash spotted!”, rushing over to pick it up with its claw, popping open its lid to toss the tissue inside, and every time it made her smile.

Now, over these heavy, sleepless nights, was she still playing that six-hundred-year-old game of tossing tissues with VV?

Brother Wang approached from behind, standing beside Lin Xian as they both stared across at the other tower.

“What happened between the two of you?” Brother Wang asked.

Lin Xian pressed his lips together, remaining silent.

Brother Wang patted him on the shoulder. “Every family has its struggles, and everyone has secrets they can’t share. I’m not nosy. If you don’t want to tell me the details, that’s fine,” he said. “But… there’s a lot you don’t know. President Zhao Ying Jun told me not to say anything, but I think it’s time you knew.”

Brother Wang looked Lin Xian straight in the eye. “Lin Xian, you don’t know this, but President Zhao Ying Jun has always kept an eye on you, cared for you. It’s not just after you left MX Company to found Rhine. No, even before then—ever since she considered making you her secretary, she’s been different.”

He paused, then added, “There’s no point in listing out every little thing. But just know this—President Zhao Ying Jun knows more than you think. She’s far smarter than you give her credit for. With her watching you this closely, how could you keep anything from her? And, well… to be honest, both Xiao Li and I have basically been her ‘spies’ around you.”

Lin Xian gave a small smile. “I’d have to be an idiot not to notice that.”

Brother Wang threw up his hands. “Exactly! We never really tried to hide it. She’d often ask us about your activities and your schedule. It was never meant to be a secret, just something unspoken between us. And we did it out of care. It’s not like President Zhao Ying Jun would ever hurt you. Apart from your family, she might be the one person in this world who’d never betray you.”

He hesitated, then went on, “Honestly, calling Xiao Li and me her ‘spies’ isn’t quite right. We’re more like double agents. We’ve passed along things from her to you, too. But that’s beside the point. What I’m trying to say is that President Zhao Ying Jun genuinely cares about you, even when she knows you’re hiding things from her. She still chooses to stand by you, even considering things from your perspective, trying to understand your reasons.”

“I’ve been with President Zhao Ying Jun since the very beginning. No matter what crisis or blow she’s faced, she’s never been like this before. In my opinion, the way she is now, it’s like…” He paused, then said slowly, “It’s like her world’s collapsed.”

Lin Xian turned his gaze away from the window. “Don’t worry, Brother Wang. Her world hasn’t collapsed yet,” he said firmly. “That’s why I’m here today. I won’t let her world collapse. Even if it does, I’ll be there to put it back together.”

Brother Wang’s eyes widened, and after a moment, he took a deep breath and gave Lin Xian a thumbs-up. “Good! That’s what I like to hear! I knew you were that kind of man!”

“You wanted to come over yesterday morning, but I convinced you to wait. I thought it’d be better to cool down for a day. Sometimes it’s better not to rush into things.” Brother Wang smiled. “Now that you’ve had a day to think, it’s the right time. What do you need from me? I can head over to MX Company now, see what’s on President Zhao Ying Jun’s schedule, and get you an exact time.”

By evening, the night had settled in. Most office workers were already home, enjoying hot dinners. But on the twenty-second floor of the MX Company building, the lights were still on in the president’s office.

“These, these, and here…” Zhao Ying Jun murmured, her left hand propping up her tired face while her right hand circled three spots on the report from the marketing department. “These are the areas I mentioned earlier. Make sure to revise them when you get back. Times are changing, and it’s been two years since the Rhine brand launched. We can’t just rest on our laurels. We have to keep up.”

“Especially the marketing department,” she continued, “you need to stay on top of trends, social media, internet buzz—the world moves fast now. Things come and go in two or three months. We have to stay sharp.”

The head of the marketing department took the revised report, nodding. “Understood!”

“Good. You can go,” Zhao Ying Jun said, pointing towards the door. “Send in the next department head on your way out.”

The marketing head hesitated, looking at Zhao Ying Jun. “President Zhao Ying Jun… there’s no one else. I was the last one.”

“Oh,” she said softly, setting down her pen. A faint smile appeared on her face, and for the first time today, she turned to look out the window at the darkness beyond. It was already so late.

“Alright, then. It’s time to call it a day.” She looked at the marketing head. “You can go. I’ll finish up a few things here.”

“Take care, President Zhao Ying Jun,” the marketing head said before leaving.

The heavy double-layered security door closed with a soft thud.

The large office was empty, quiet for the first time that day. Zhao Ying Jun stared at the vast space around her, her mind still filled with the hustle and bustle of the day—the people, the voices. Now it was all silent.

The office was brightly lit, but beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows was the thick, dark night, like black water ready to pour in. She suddenly felt uneasy. It was as if a flood was rising within her, a chill spreading through her body.

She longed for some noise, some movement.

With a rip, she tore a sheet from her notebook, crumpled it, and threw it towards the distant coffee table.

“Trash! Trash! Trash spotted!”

The vacuum robot VV in the corner came to life, its indicator flashing, dashing towards the paper like a hungry wolf.

With a whirr, its brushes swept up the paper, swallowing it into its compartment.

A faint, almost reluctant smile crossed Zhao Ying Jun’s lips. The silly little robot could always bring a smile to her face, even when she didn’t want to smile.

The smile faded as quickly as it came.

She tore another sheet, crumpling it and throwing it further towards the office door.

“Trash! Trash! Trash spotted!”

VV rushed forward again, this time heading straight for the door.

Click.

The office door opened from the outside.

A tall figure stepped in, his leather shoe landing squarely on the crumpled paper.

VV froze, as if its system had crashed.

Then, “Trash! Trash! Trash spotted!” It announced loudly, charging towards Lin Xian’s ankle with an unusual force.

“Ouch!” Lin Xian winced, rubbing his ankle.

“Lin Xian?” Zhao Ying Jun blinked, staring at him. “What are you doing here?”

She watched as VV swallowed the paper, still a bit puzzled. “Why does that robot always bump into you?”

Lin Xian chuckled, shaking his head. “Maybe it’s complaining, or maybe it’s urging me.”

He straightened up, meeting her gaze across the office. “Have you eaten yet?”

“No,” she answered softly. “I don’t have much of an appetite.”

“How about going out for a drive?” He pointed towards the neon lights beginning to glow outside. “I bought a car. Want to go for a ride?”

Zhao Ying Jun sighed, crossing her arms. “You finally bought a car? Did you get it from your old friend Gao Yang?”

“I almost forgot about that,” Lin Xian said with a laugh. “No, I didn’t buy it from him. It’s an old car, but I think you’ll like it.”

The roar of a purple Bugatti Veyron echoed on the elevated expressway as it sped towards the other side of the city.

Zhao Ying Jun finally understood why Lin Xian had bought an old car. She knew this car well—she had ridden in it with him. It was the day after her birthday this year when Lin Xian had driven her to Disney Castle in this very car, putting on the most splendid fireworks display.

“Why did you decide to buy this car?” she asked, turning towards him.

Lin Xian signaled to take the right exit off the highway. “I wrecked your Bentley and totaled your Ferrari. I figured I owed you a car. I offered the owner a price they couldn’t refuse. It hasn’t been officially transferred yet, but it’s yours now.”

“A gift for me?” Zhao Ying Jun smiled faintly. “That’s a bit extravagant, isn’t it?”

“It’s nothing,” Lin Xian replied softly. “Compared to what you’ve given me, it’s nothing at all.”

Soon, the Bugatti pulled up by the riverbank.

Zhao Ying Jun stepped out of the car, recognizing the view of the Huangpu River. Across the river, the colorful Oriental Pearl Tower glowed brightly, and just a few meters away, a railing separated them from the flowing waters.

“Do you remember this place?” Lin Xian asked.

“Of course,” Zhao Ying Jun said, stepping towards the river in her high heels, the wind blowing around them. “I remember every place you’ve taken me. Every time, something unforgettable happened. Here, on the riverbank, it was right before New Year’s in 2023. After the Donghai Business Association’s New Year party, you brought me here. I remember it clearly—this was where I asked if you wanted to be my secretary, and where I gave you the office door’s password.”

Lin Xian followed her, and together, they leaned against the railing, looking across at the city lights without speaking for a long time.

The night breeze ruffled Zhao Ying Jun’s hair, her long strands sweeping through the air, brushing against memories, against time, against the years that had passed.

Zhao Ying Jun closed her eyes, feeling the sharpness of the wind, just like the chaos in her heart. Whether her eyes were open or closed, she saw her daughter, Yu Xi.

Even while sitting in the Bugatti Veyron that had taken them to Disney, she thought of the night she and Yu Xi watched the fireworks. The fireworks weren’t as bright as Yu Xi’s smile as she stood on tiptoe, looking up at them.

“Are you feeling any better?” Lin Xian asked quietly.

Zhao Ying Jun shook her head. She didn’t want to lie to him or pretend to be strong. “No, I’m not,” she admitted.

“Did Brother Wang tell you?” she asked, looking down. “That I haven’t been going home these past few days.”

Lin Xian nodded slightly.

“I knew it would be him,” Zhao Ying Jun said with a small laugh. “He’s such a fence-sitter… though I suppose that’s not fair. You are his real boss, after all.”

She leaned back against the railing, her expression softening. “I didn’t want to trouble you. I didn’t want you to waste your precious time on me. I know you have important things to do, and I didn’t want you distracted by my problems.”

“Over these past two days, I’ve thought about it a lot. I understand what you said—that Lin Yu Xi isn’t truly ours, that she’s not our future, and aside from sharing our blood, she doesn’t really belong to us.”

“I can understand it all, but…” she bit her lip, her face filled with sadness. “I just can’t let go of Yu Xi.”

“I thought I was independent and strong enough, that I could face anything on my own, without relying on anyone. I thought I could accept anyone’s departure, and for years, I did fine. I endured every sadness, moved past every loss.”

“I’ve always feared causing trouble for others, always worried that my emotions might affect them,” she continued, her eyes meeting Lin Xian’s, reflecting the shimmering lights of the river. “Most of all, I never wanted to be a burden to you.”

“No.” Lin Xian shook his head. “You’ve never been a burden to me. If anything, I am where I am today because of you.”

“I mean it,” he said sincerely. “It’s all thanks to you—some things you know, some things you don’t, some things were done by you, and some weren’t, but in the end, they were all because of you.”

“Yu Xi’s loss is my loss too,” he said. “She is our daughter, and we should face this pain together. If you keep staying in the office, avoiding home… If you make yourself sick, then it will all be for nothing.”

Zhao Ying Jun remained silent for a long while, listening to Lin Xian’s words.

Eventually, she spoke, her voice trembling. “It’s not that I don’t want to go home. It’s just… how could I?”

“Everywhere at home, there’s a piece of Yu Xi. Everywhere I sit, everywhere I look, I see her,” she whispered. “Yu Xi kicking her blanket off on the bed, Yu Xi watching TV on the couch, Yu Xi brushing her teeth at the sink, Yu Xi twirling in the dressing room, showing off her dress.”

“She talked to me about so much, about how much she missed her mom every day, about how her greatest wish was to go to Disneyland with her parents. She looked at that picture a dozen times a day. I bought her so many clothes, but she only ever loved that one outfit.”

Zhao Ying Jun closed her eyes as if she could vividly see those warm, happy moments before her.

“I know I shouldn’t be like this,” she said quietly. “I know I’m not the only one who’s grieving Yu Xi.”

“But at home, her clothes, her toys, her pillow, her hairpins, her snacks, her towels… Everything is hers,” she said, her voice breaking. “When I’m home, all I can think about is her. Lin Xian…”

She opened her eyes, looking at him.

Lin Xian gazed back at her, this woman who had always seemed so strong and indomitable. He had never imagined that she could ever be so fragile.

“I want to go home,” Zhao Ying Jun said, her voice barely above a whisper. “But I can’t stop thinking about her. I can’t just throw all her things away, can I?”

She was always like this.

Lin Xian watched her, this woman who was always like this, each version of her.

Whether she was Yellow Finch across time and space, the white jade statue of Rhine Sky Castle, the brave mother driving a Ferrari into danger, or Zhao Ying Jun, swallowing her pain to avoid troubling anyone—she was always like this.

Gently, Lin Xian reached out, taking her hand.

“Let’s go home,” he said softly.

“We don’t need to throw Yu Xi’s things away,” he continued. “Her toys, we’ll keep them for when she grows up and wants to play with them again. Her clothes, we’ll save them for her to wear when she gets bigger.”

“Her hairpins, they’ll find their way back to her someday,” he said. “The couch will have Yu Xi watching TV again, and in front of the mirror, she’ll be twirling in her new dress. We’ll keep a stool ready by the sink for her, waiting for her to grow taller, to grow up.”

“Trust me, Ying Jun,” Lin Xian said, his voice full of conviction. “Everything that belongs to Yu Xi will be hers again.”

Zhao Ying Jun held her breath, her eyes wide as she looked at him.

“You mean…” she began.

“Yes,” Lin Xian said, his eyes resolute.

He tightened his grip on her hand, pulling her closer.

“Let’s bring Yu Xi home.”