Genius Playground

A brief silence fell.

Cheng Mengxue lifted her head from Jiang Ran’s shoulder and sat up.

”He probably would.”

She whispered the answer that Jiang Ran also considered obvious.

He knew Qin Feng well.

If their roles were reversed, and it was Jiang Ran who wanted to save a father who had died ten years ago, Qin Feng would definitely agree.

He wouldn’t just agree.

He would agree without a moment’s hesitation.

That was just the kind of person Qin Feng was—resolute, decisive, and fiercely loyal. It was one of the things Jiang Ran admired most about him.

But Jiang Ran didn’t consider himself disloyal, either.

He was just always extremely cautious.

Even if Qin Feng often said he was too cautious.

He simply had more reservations and worries than most people.

If Qin Feng’s father had died a month ago, or even ten months ago, instead of ten years ago... he might have agreed.

Ten years.

It was just too long.

Who could guarantee that the tornado of the Butterfly Effect wouldn’t sweep them all away—him, Cheng Mengxue, and even Qin Feng himself?

”Xiaoxue, there’s something I’ve never told you.”

Jiang Ran looked up at the small blackboard.

The string of numbers, 289269426494642, was still written on it, along with the message that had been decoded using a nine-key input method—

”Don’t Trust. Hah.”

”I’ve always felt that final ’Hah’...”

he said in a low voice,

”...is referring to Qin Feng.”

?

!

”Huh?”

Cheng Mengxue cried out in shock. She had never once considered this possibility.

”Jiang Ran... wh-why would you think that?”

”I can’t say for sure.”

Jiang Ran shook his head.

”It’s just a gut feeling. From the moment I first saw that string of numbers, I felt like it was trying to remind me or warn me about something.”

”Especially after seeing the two words, ’Don’t trust,’ my first thought was of Qin Feng... I thought my future self had sent me a Time SMS, warning me not to trust Qin Feng.”

”I know it’s wrong to think like that. How can I suspect my own friend? But that’s been my biggest concern, and it’s the reason I’m against saving Qin Feng’s father.”

...

Having confessed his true feelings, Jiang Ran felt a weight lift from his shoulders.

Torn between trusting his friend and suspecting him, he had been unable to make a decision.

After a long silence,

Cheng Mengxue looked at him.

”Can I tell you what I think?”

”Of course.”

”Jiang Ran.”

Cheng Mengxue took his hand.

”Do you think Qin Feng is hiding anything from you?”

”No.”

Jiang Ran shook his head without hesitation.

Qin Feng always spoke his mind; he wasn’t hiding anything from him.

Even his desire to use a Time SMS to save his father couldn’t be called a secret. In fact, he’d told Jiang Ran about it plainly when asked, which was a mark of his sincerity.

Besides, it was only natural for Qin Feng to have such a desire.

Any boy who had lost his father at a young age, endured years of bullying, and was now given the chance to reverse the tragedy... who wouldn’t jump at that opportunity?

”Then do you think Qin Feng has done anything secretly behind your back?” Cheng Mengxue asked again.

Jiang Ran shook his head.

”No.”

Qin Feng was open about everything he did.

He had shared every single detail about the modifications to the Positron Cannon. As for doing something in secret...

Frankly,

if Qin Feng really wanted to do something in secret, it would have been ridiculously easy.

He was the one who fixed the Positron Cannon, and before the control panel with the knobs was installed, he was the only one who could operate it.

The spare key to the clubroom was hidden under the flowerpot by the stairs—a long-standing tradition of the Film Club that they had no intention of changing.

The clubroom’s flimsy wooden door was only a deterrent to the honest, not the malicious. A single kick could break it down; the key was practically just for show.

So,

if Qin Feng had really wanted to secretly activate the Positron Cannon and send a Time SMS to his past self, it would have been incredibly easy.

Qin Feng could have gone behind their backs and saved the father who died ten years ago.

But he didn’t.

Instead, he left the choice to them, which was the same as leaving it to Jiang Ran.

”Qin Feng trusts us a lot,”

Cheng Mengxue continued.

”And he treasures our friendship. He could have sent the Time SMS secretly, behind our backs, but he never did.”

”I know.”

Jiang Ran opened his eyes.

”But at the end of the day, I’m responsible for both of your safety.”

He stood up and began his usual refrain.

”Neither of you has actually experienced a change in spacetime or felt a Worldline Jump... You can’t possibly understand that feeling of powerlessness, that passivity, that fear in the face of the laws of time and space.”

”Every time the worldline shifts, I’m terrified before I even open my eyes. I’m afraid I’ll never see you again, afraid you’ll be devoured by the Butterfly Effect.”

”I really can’t risk it! Ten years is just too long!”

Cheng Mengxue stood up too, a small smile on her face.

Then, with a POP, she opened the lid of the Rhine Cat-shaped rice cooker and took out the faintly blue, perfectly round Time Particle Rhine Cat, holding it out to him.

”What for?”

Jiang Ran was a little confused.

”Here, it’s yours for now.”

Cheng Mengxue pressed the Time Particle Rhine Cat into Jiang Ran’s hand.

”According to the backstory of the Time Particle Rhine Cat... this is something that can bring about miracles and grant power.”

”You sound like you’re describing a Magician Girl.”

”Hey, don’t interrupt me!”

She gently stroked the Time Particle Rhine Cat’s fur, which felt like a faint electric current, her expression softening.

”They say it’s a symbol of courage and the bonds between people, representing the most sincere friendship and the ultimate form of trust.”

”Is this from *Boruto*?”

”Are you going to let me finish?!”

Cheng Mengxue threw a light punch at him.

”Anyway!”

she said, puffing out her cheeks,

”Just like Qin Feng, I trust you, I believe in you, and I’ll support whatever you decide!”

”Haven’t we always been like this, ever since we were kids? I’ve always just tagged along right behind you. Wherever you went, I went.”

”So, no matter what you choose... I’ll always be right behind you.”

Cheng Mengxue blinked, her eyes seeming to sparkle like stars.

”And I think Qin Feng feels the same way.”

...

「Two days later. The rooftop of the club activities building.」

CREAK—

Jiang Ran pushed open the iron door to the stairwell and saw Qin Feng gazing into the distance, silhouetted against the setting sun.

The scene was just like the one from over ten days ago.

One person stood at the edge of the roof, the other had just emerged from the stairwell.

Only this time, their positions were reversed.

The setting sun draped Qin Feng’s long shadow over Jiang Ran as he slowly walked forward.

”I’ve done a lot of thinking these past few days,”

Jiang Ran said as he walked.

”A Butterfly Effect spanning ten years is completely unpredictable.”

”And that mysterious string of numbers... that baffling message it decoded into. We can’t just ignore a hint like that. We should—”

Qin Feng slowly turned around.

Faced with that look of hope and panic in his eyes, the words caught in Jiang Ran’s throat. He couldn’t speak.

All his arguments were stuck in his throat.

He couldn’t get them out, and he couldn’t swallow them down.

’That’s right.’

’Qin Feng is so smart.’

’Does he not understand all this?’

’Is he not aware of the risks?’

’What’s the point of spelling it all out?’

”Qin Feng.”

CLATTER, CLATTER, CLATTER.

A gust of wind sent empty cans rolling across the rooftop. A plane left a contrail that sliced the sky in two.

Beneath the fiery clouds, Jiang Ran met Qin Feng’s slowly dimming gaze.

”I’m sorry.”

he said softly.

...

...

...

Qin Feng lowered his head.

He walked over, his hands in his pockets.

Stopping just a step away, he placed his right hand on Jiang Ran’s shoulder.

”It’s okay.”

He smiled faintly.

”I don’t blame you.”