"The Genius Club..."
The moment Lin Xian saw these five words, he felt as if he had been detached from the entire world.
The bustling hall, everything disappeared, leaving only endless ringing in his ears.
He found it increasingly hard to breathe!
Like a dolphin with weights tied to it, sinking deeper and deeper into the icy water...
Thud, thud, thud, thud...
"What's wrong? Standing here?"
Suddenly, a familiar voice brought Lin Xian back to reality.
He turned around and saw Zhao Yingjun standing behind him.
She was wearing a black coat today, and the diamonds on her black earrings sparkled.
"Have you made the Rhine cat?" Zhao Yingjun saw the Rhine cat doll in Lin Xian's hand, took it directly, and looked it over:
"Well, it's really nice, even cuter than I thought. The workmanship is also good. We can cooperate with this factory for a long time in the future."
Flipping to the back of the doll, Zhao Yingjun even flicked the small tail of the Rhine cat.
Seeing Lin Xian still standing there motionless, Zhao Yingjun looked at what was in Lin Xian's hand, pointing to the dark red card:
"Is this also for me?"
"Huh? Um..."
Lin Xian snapped back to reality, reflexively handing over what he was holding to Zhao Yingjun.
Taking it in her hand, Zhao Yingjun looked at it, then flipped it over, and then held it along with the Rhine cat, clacking her high heels as she walked towards the elevator...
"Zhao Zong is still so beautiful today!"
"Yes... and she wears different clothes every day! It's really so fashionable!"
"Ah, Zhao Zong's temperament is truly innate gracefulness. We can't envy it."
"The most important thing is that she has the ability and strength! She's just perfect!"
After getting on the elevator, the receptionists outside were discussing, all revealing their envy and admiration for Zhao Yingjun.
Lin Xian looked at his empty hands...
He was still feeling the touch of the dark red card, as if it was still in his hand.
"What if that's not an invitation letter?"
Lin Xian tried to convince himself. "What if it's an advertisement? Or a wedding invitation?"
...
After arriving at the office, Lin Xian took the latest design drawings and prepared to report to Zhao Yingjun's office.
22nd floor. Waiting in front of the heavy password door for a while.
"Come in."
As the voice from the video intercom came through, the password door also opened.
Lin Xian walked in.
The office was still devoid of any signs of life.
Lin Xian even doubted whether Zhao Yingjun had ever sat on the sofa in the office. In such a spacious space... the only sign of human activity was the desk piled with documents.
"Okay, continue to push forward like this."
Zhao Yingjun trusted Lin Xian's work very much. After quickly scanning the documents, she closed them and handed them to Lin Xian.
"Oh, by the way."
Just as Lin Xian was about to take the folder, Zhao Yingjun looked up at him:
"Have you inquired about Professor Xu Yun's matter?"
"I inquired a little bit."
On the subway to work this morning, Lin Xian called his former counselor and asked about Professor Xu Yun:
"I contacted my former counselor and some classmates who were studying postgraduate at the university." Lin Xian took the folder and continued:
"I learned... the reason why Professor Xu Yun is so obsessed with researching cryogenic chambers is because of his paralyzed daughter."
"Professor Xu Yun has only one child, and his wife died of an amniotic fluid embolism during childbirth. He has been single-handedly raising his daughter, with no remarriage."
"But there was an accident while playing at an amusement park. His daughter fell from a height and hit her head hard... not only did she suffer from quadriplegia, but she also fell into a coma and never woke up." [Plant person]
"His daughter has been lying in the affiliated hospital of Donghai University for almost ten years. It is said... there is no hope of waking up, as both domestic and foreign experts have said."
Lin Xian swallowed, paused:
"Many people have advised Professor Xu Yun to give up on his daughter, who has no hope of waking up, and start his life anew. But Professor Xu Yun's attitude... as you have seen, he is determined to research cryogenic chambers, to study something that has absolutely no hope."
"Professor Xu Yun's idea is like this, he believes that current human technology and medicine cannot cure plant people, but that does not mean that it cannot be done in the future. So... he hopes to use the cryogenic chamber to send his daughter to the future and use future medical technology to cure her."
...
As Lin Xian spoke, Zhao Yingjun frowned.
After Lin Xian finished speaking, she sighed, put the stray hair behind her ear:
"It's like a science fiction novel I've read before, 'The Three-Body Problem,' have you read it?"
Lin Xian nodded:
"The protagonist in 'The Three-Body Problem' is also like this. If infected with a virus that cannot be cured, they are put into a cryogenic chamber and thawed out for treatment when future technology is developed, saving a life."
Zhao Yingjun shook her head:
"Trouble always targets those who are already in misery..."
"But science is a gradual process, how can a completely unsupported and unaccumulated field succeed just like that?"
"Science fiction novels are ultimately people's fantasies, something that cannot be realized in reality. I guess Professor Xu is just desperate because of his love for his daughter, lost in confusion."
With that, she bent down and continued to review the documents:
"Lin Xian, when you have time, buy something and go to the hospital to visit Professor Xu's daughter."
"Um, okay."
Lin Xian turned around to leave.
But...
This was not the purpose of his visit to report work this time, and the stack of design drawings was just a cover-up.
His real purpose was to figure out what that piece of card with "The Genius Club" written on it was all about.
Was it an invitation?
Was it an advertisement?
Or just a prank?
"Oh, by the way, Manager Zhao, there's one more thing."
Lin Xian pretended to suddenly remember and turned back:
"I forgot to tell you when you left in a hurry this morning."
"What is it?" Zhao Yingjun stopped writing and looked up.
"It's about that red invitation card, do you remember? The one you took from me along with the Rhine cat." Lin Xian gestured with his hand:
"I forgot to tell you who sent it. It wasn't delivered by express delivery. The front desk said... it was delivered in person by a woman."
"Oh, that."
Zhao Yingjun didn't take it seriously, lowering her head to continue reviewing the documents.
"Is it... an invitation?" Lin Xian asked tentatively.
"It's an invitation letter," Zhao Yingjun said casually.
She stopped writing and looked up at Lin Xian:
"Anything else?"
"No, that's it."
Bang!
The heavy password door closed again.
...
Lin Xian stood outside the door.
His heart rate was skyrocketing!
An invitation...
It turned out to be a real invitation letter!
He had just dreamed about it last night, and now it appeared right in front of him today!
Lin Xian's heart rate increased:
"What on earth is... going on?"