Genius Playground

Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. No matter how small the probability of an event, it is bound to happen.

Therefore,

Even if only a 0.01% chance of suspicion remained, he didn’t dare to let his guard down in the slightest.

...

Afterward, the three of them left the teahouse and went to the mall for a while. They played the claw machines, browsed some boutiques, and even sang for a bit at the karaoke bar on the top floor.

Carefree.

Full of laughter and joy.

Everything was just like the old days with their trio, except Wang Hao had taken Qin Feng’s place.

That evening, Jiang Ran treated Wang Hao and Cheng Mengxue to dinner at the Black Pearl Restaurant, the best in Hang City.

It was the first time either of them had been to such an upscale restaurant, and they were stunned by everything they saw.

To say nothing of the fact that Jiang Ran had booked the most luxurious private room on the top floor. From its expansive floor-to-ceiling windows, they could overlook all of Hang City.

Even someone as mischievous as Wang Hao quieted down while sitting here.

He looked at Jiang Ran’s calm and composed demeanor, a little annoyed.

”Bro, don’t act so cool. You just came into money, so this must be your first time here too, right?”

Jiang Ran chuckled.

”Something like that.”

His composure wasn’t an act. He had been to far more luxurious places.

That was back in World Line 0, aboard the most luxurious cruise ship in East Sea City. Qin Feng had spent a fortune to book the top-floor luxury suite to throw him a belated celebration banquet.

By all accounts, that was probably the happiest night of Jiang Ran’s life.

He was young and wealthy,

his career was a success,

he wielded the power to change spacetime and alter the world,

and he was standing at the highest point above the ocean with the best friends of his life.

Fireworks drifted down as their glasses were raised, a girl’s blush and a brother’s high spirits—it was the most passionate flame of youth.

”I want to be a Rhine Cat designer!”

”I want to do research at one of the world’s top laboratories.”

Beneath the colorful sky, Cheng Mengxue and Qin Feng had spoken their most cherished dreams.

And as for Jiang Ran, who had no specific plans...

Cheng Mengxue swirled the blood-red wine in her glass, her eyes hazy.

”Then just... keep being a hero, like you are now.”

Then,

With a THUD, her face hit a king crab shell, and she passed out.

That was her alcohol tolerance for you.

Back then, Jiang Ran had even joked with Qin Feng that a single liqueur-filled chocolate could knock Cheng Mengxue out. Her alcohol tolerance was that absurd—about the same as an ant’s.

Alcohol tolerance...

The same as an ant’s...

Jiang Ran slowly opened his eyes, looking up from the thick, heavy menu.

”How about... some red wine?”

He smiled slightly and tried to persuade them.

”The afternoon tea doesn’t count, and Xiaoxue missed the class reunion yesterday. So tonight’s dinner is really the first official reunion for our trio after being apart for two years.”

”So, for such an important and memorable occasion, shouldn’t we have a little red wine to celebrate?”

”Got any beer?”

Wang Hao grinned.

”Red wine doesn’t taste good!”

Jiang Ran stared speechlessly at his liability of a teammate.

’First of all, an upscale place like the Black Pearl Western Restaurant wouldn’t possibly have beer.’

’Second, to test Cheng Mengxue’s alcohol tolerance, scientific rigor demands using red wine to control the variables.’

’Last time on the cruise ship, Cheng Mengxue had half a sip of red wine and blacked out completely. To verify if her tolerance is the same, red wine is obviously the more suitable choice.’

’That’s right.’

’An alcohol tolerance like an ant’s—that’s Cheng Mengxue’s ultimate authenticity seal!’

’Appearance, knowledge, personality, voice... all these external and internal traits could potentially be imitated.’

’But alcohol tolerance is different. It’s part of one’s innate physical constitution!’

’Constitution is unique to every individual, making it the most foolproof mark of authenticity.’

’He had never met anyone with as low an alcohol tolerance as Cheng Mengxue.’

’And he didn’t believe any impostor could so realistically fake that level of tolerance, or the way she acted when drunk.’

’Perhaps...’

’This very moment...’

’...was the final climax of the grand drama, The Real or Fake Cheng Mengxue!’

He was certain that the Cheng Mengxue from before she was eighteen had never had a single drop of alcohol.

Her parents didn’t allow it.

And she didn’t dare to.

She had always been obedient and responsible. She wouldn’t touch a drop of alcohol.

And precisely because she never touched it, she had no idea what her tolerance was.

It was a black box whose contents were unknown to anyone.

Anyone.

Including the Jiang Ran of World Line 1.

’Only him, the one from World Line 0...’

’Only him, the one who had personally witnessed Cheng Mengxue’s first drink at the celebration banquet...’

’...was the only person in the world, in the universe, in all of spacetime, who knew Cheng Mengxue’s true alcohol tolerance.’

He narrowed his eyes.

He looked at Cheng Mengxue across the table.

’Is she real, or, is she fake...’

’Her performance in a few moments will decide it all!’

”Okay, sure!”

Cheng Mengxue really liked the restaurant’s style and was very happy today.

”I’ve never had alcohol before! Students in the United States are always having parties, but... their parties are too wild, not like what we think of as parties back home. I never went, and my parents wouldn’t let me go either.”

”Today is such a rare opportunity, with us finally reunited after so long. Of course we should celebrate properly!”

”No problem!”

Wang Hao made a move to take off his shirt.

”Then I’ll gladly risk it all to keep you company!”

”Whoa, whoa, whoa—”

Jiang Ran quickly stopped him.

”This isn’t some street stall! Why are you taking your shirt off? Can you act normal, please!”

”Sorry, haha!”

Wang Hao was indeed very happy today, happier than ever.

”I’ve really never been to such a fancy restaurant. It’s making me a little nervous, to be honest.”

「After a while.」

Two exquisitely prepared appetizers were brought out. A waiter used silver utensils to serve portions onto three plates, placing one in front of each of them.

Next, a male waiter in white gloves appeared, carrying the decanted red wine. He poured a small amount into each of their oversized wine glasses, bowed, and departed.

The three of them raised their glasses.

”Come, let’s all toast to Xiaoxue’s return.”

Jiang Ran eagerly raised his wine glass.

”And also, a toast to... the best trio in the world, reunited once again. Cheers!”

”Cheers!” ”Cheers!”

Jiang Ran and Cheng Mengxue each took just a tiny sip, while Wang Hao downed his in one go.

”Tomorrow, you’re going to Xu Yan’s—to your uncle’s house, right?” Jiang Ran asked while eating his appetizer.

”Yes.”

Cheng Mengxue nodded.

”I can’t stay in a hotel forever, and I need to tell my cousin and uncle what happened with my family. Can you two come with me?”

She speared a piece of seared salmon with her fork, full of praise.

”If I go by myself... how do I put it? I’m still a little nervous. After all, what happened to my family is so hard to explain. It would be much better if you were there with me to help.”

”No problem.”

Jiang Ran agreed without hesitation.

”We’re on summer break with nothing to do anyway, and we have a car. We’ll pick you up tomorrow, and we’ll all go to Xu Yan’s house together.”

”Oh, speaking of Xu Yan, that reminds me of something...”

The map was unrolled, and the dagger was revealed.

The conversation had finally reached this point.

Jiang Ran put down his fork and knife and wiped his mouth with a napkin.

”A while ago, I met with Xu Yan. We talked about you, and she mentioned how she used to spend two months at your house every summer.”

”She told me... that one year, you two must have watched some cartoon or movie, and on a whim, you decided to write letters to your future selves from 20 years later. You buried them in the yard as a Time Capsule for your future selves.”

”Haha.”

Cheng Mengxue looked down, eating her salad.

”Did that really happen?”

”It did.”

Jiang Ran continued.

”Xu Yan remembers it clearly. She said you each wrote a letter to your future self from 20 years later, put them in a glass bottle, and buried it in your yard.”

”She remembers exactly what her letter said. It was to urge herself to stick to her dream of making a great movie and becoming a great director.”

”So... what about yours?”

Jiang Ran raised his wine glass, smiling as he looked at Cheng Mengxue.

”Xiaoxue, do you remember what was in your glass bottle? The letter you wrote to yourself from 20 years in the future...”

”What did it say?”