Genius Playground

”The R-R-R-Rice Cooker Rhine Cat! Oh my god! The ONE PIECE! To think I’d actually get to see one in my lifetime!”

...Her excitement was palpable, and she was starting to ramble.

”Thank you, Jiang Ran!”

Cheng Mengxue was naturally overjoyed as well. She took the Rice Cooker Rhine Cat, untied the ribbon on the packaging, and couldn’t bear to put it down:

”Hehe, sorry about this, you really spent a lot. This thing is crazy expensive right now!”

”Hmph.”

Wang Hao snorted disdainfully:

”It’s just a doll. How expensive can it be? Are you looking down on my Young Master Jiang Ran?”

”The market price is over 9,000,”

Chi Xiaoguo reminded him in a low voice:

”And on top of that, you can’t even find it in stock. If you really want to buy one, you’d probably have to pay a premium, over 10,000!”

PFFT—

Wang Hao spat out his juice, his worldview shattered:

”Over ten thousand! For this! That’s insane! Why the hell is this thing so expensive?!”

”Hehehe~”

Cheng Mengxue seemed to have been waiting a long time for a straight man.

She grabbed the Rice Cooker Rhine Cat’s forehead with her fingers, and with a ”POP!”, pried open its cranium, taking out a shimmering blue sphere from inside:

”Because—ta-da! Because there’s a Time Particle Rhine Cat hidden inside!”

”Hahaha, you didn’t expect that, did you! There’s another one hidden inside! It’s a buy-one-get-one-free deal, what a bargain!”

...

Jiang Ran watched the familiar scene unfold before him and couldn’t help but recall an identical conversation that had once taken place on World Line 0.

Cheng Mengxue’s reaction back then was identical to the Cheng Mengxue before him now, without the slightest deviation.

Were it not for Teacher Zhang Yang’s profound ”scientific” teachings, and the unexpected ”flaw” from just a moment ago... Jiang Ran absolutely would have been shaken.

The gift-giving segment ended.

Everyone ate and chatted.

After they had mostly finished eating, someone started clamoring to play games. Xu Yan rummaged through her bag and pulled out some games she had prepared in advance for everyone to choose from.

They were all boxed card games, like *Werewolf*, *Flying Chess*, *Who is the Spy?*, and *Truth or Dare*.

Taking into consideration the gaming experience of their overseas guest (Fang Ze) and their low-intellect patient (Wang Hao), everyone chose the simplest game—

*Truth or Dare*

The cards were pre-made, with corresponding forfeits already written on them. All they had to do was take turns drawing cards and follow the instructions on whatever they drew.

The Truth cards had amusing or slightly awkward questions written on them. But if you drew one, you had to play by the rules and answer the question honestly.

The Dare cards, on the other hand, had commands for actions. Some were easy to complete, while others required a thick skin. But again, if you drew one, you had to do it. Rules were rules.

The deck also contained a few interesting ”Designated” cards.

For example, Designated Truth allowed you to choose anyone present and ask them any piercing question you wanted, and they had to answer truthfully.

Similarly, there was also Designated Dare, which allowed you to choose anyone present and give them any command you wanted, and they had to obey.

These two were the most powerful cards in the entire deck. Everyone hoped to draw one so they could properly mess with someone.

The first Designated Truth card was drawn by Wang Hao.

’I’m screwed,’ Jiang Ran thought. ’This bastard is definitely going to mess with me and ask some mortifying, awkward question.’

But as it turned out, he was being a little narcissistic.

Wang Hao seemed to have a target in mind already, choosing Fang Ze as the subject of his Truth.

”Me?”

Fang Ze was a bit surprised. He hadn’t expected this new friend he’d just met to be so interested in him. He asked curiously:

”Alright, Wang Hao. What question are you going to ask me?”

”Ahem!”

Wang Hao cleared his throat, his expression mysterious:

”So, I’ve always heard that when students in the United States throw parties, things get pretty wild! They say the scenes are exciting and spectacular! Quick, tell me, what was the wildest American party you’ve ever been to like?!”

As soon as she heard the question, Chi Xiaoguo covered her eyes.

Oh-ho?

Jiang Ran caught this.

’As expected of a master who’s read 500 romance novels, watched 300 romance dramas, 200 romance animes, and played 100 romance games...’

’She really gets it! You can tell she’s watched her fair share of American TV shows too. As I thought, she was holding back when she listed her credentials!’

In comparison, Fang Ze was quite the disappointment.

He gave a helpless smile:

”Haha, sorry to disappoint you, Wang Hao, but I’ve never been to an American school party.”

”Keep pretending!” Wang Hao scoffed.

”Don’t be a spoilsport! You might not have been to one, but you’ve heard the stories, right? Just tell me about those!”

This time, Fang Ze was cooperative.

He really hadn’t attended those kinds of wild parties, but he had heard plenty of rumors. The stories he shared truly shocked the group of Dragon Country students.

The first Designated Dare card was drawn by Fang Ze. He immediately took his revenge, making Wang Hao go to the private room next door and sing a song at the top of his lungs.

The room next door also happened to have a group of female university students celebrating a birthday; they had just heard them singing the birthday song.

Wang Hao chuckled slyly:

”Thanks, bro!”

?

Fang Ze was stunned. This was clearly a punishment, so why was the other guy so happy about it?

Jiang Ran patted his shoulder:

”You’re underestimating Wang Hao’s shamelessness, and you’re also underestimating his social skills.”

Sure enough.

Wang Hao went to the neighboring room full of female university students, delivered a rambling opening speech, and was instantly surrounded by a flock of chattering girls. In the end, he managed to eat half their cake, drink two bottles of juice, and get seven WeChat contacts before he reluctantly returned.

As soon as he came back, he threw an arm around Fang Ze:

”This is a bro worth having!”

This whole performance left Fang Ze utterly shocked, marveling that Dragon Country University was also a place of hidden dragons and crouching tigers.

...

After a few rounds of drawing cards, the game grew more and more intense, and the atmosphere livened up.

Finally, only two cards were left, and the last two people to draw were, fittingly, Jiang Ran and Cheng Mengxue.

So there was no need to draw. Xu Yan simply handed the last two cards to them.

Jiang Ran flipped his card over and saw it was a Designated Truth. The people around them immediately started hooting and hollering.

This card allowed the holder to choose anyone in the room and ask them any question, and that person had to answer truthfully, without lying.

Everyone looked at Jiang Ran, wondering who he would choose.

And Jiang Ran, as expected, looked at Cheng Mengxue:

”Can I save this card to use later?”

Cheng Mengxue was taken aback:

”Save it for later? You mean... for after the birthday party is over? For some day in the future?”

”Mhm.”

Jiang Ran nodded and smiled slightly:

”Since I drew this card at your birthday party, you wouldn’t go back on your word, would you?”

”Of course my word counts!”

Cheng Mengxue secretly glanced at the card in her hand and also gave a mysterious smile:

”The real question is, Jiang Ran, can *you* handle it?”

”Of course I can handle it.” Jiang Ran naturally didn’t show any weakness.

”Good!”

Cheng Mengxue flipped her card over, drawing gasps from the crowd.

It was, coincidentally, a—

Designated Dare!

Its effect was similar to Jiang Ran’s card; she could also choose anyone and make any request, and that person had to follow the command.

’Who would have thought...’

Through a strange twist of fate, it had turned into a head-to-head standoff!

”Then I’m saving my card to use later, too!”

Cheng Mengxue chuckled slyly:

”What do you say, Jiang Ran? Do you dare make a pinky promise? Whoever backs out is a little puppy!”

”Heh, I’d be delighted.”

Jiang Ran had been worried Cheng Mengxue wouldn’t be able to handle it, so he stood up and hooked his pinky around the one she extended.

”Then it’s settled. A promise is a promise.”

Jiang Ran held up the Designated Truth card:

”’At some point in the future, I will present this card and ask you a question. You must speak from the heart and tell me the truth.’”

”No problem.”

Cheng Mengxue’s agreement was decisive. Clutching the Designated Dare card, she looked into Jiang Ran’s eyes:

”’Then at some point in the future, I will present this card and make a request of you... and you must listen to me and complete the dare as I demand!’”

...

Their gazes intertwined as they stared at each other.

It seemed that this perfectly timed card would be useful to both of them.

”Alright.”

Jiang Ran nodded solemnly:

”Then we have a deal!”