Bedroom.
"Do you really believe in the multiverse theory?"
"Absolutely. It's the most elegant interpretation of quantum mechanics."
"So, you truly think there are infinite parallel universes?"
"Stephen Hawking believed in it, so I believe in it too."
"If there really are infinite parallel universes, then I think this theory is equally ridiculous in every single one of them."
While playing chess, Peggy steered the conversation with young Sheldon. Seeing him left speechless by her comment, taking a deep breath with his eyes closed, she smiled slightly and shifted the topic.
"It's really fun hanging out with you. At school, I can't talk about these topics with other kids. What about you?"
Young Sheldon held back and nodded. "I can't either."
Juno: ...
Adam: (╰_╯)#
"Have you ever wished you were like everyone else?" Peggy asked.
Young Sheldon looked up and thought for a moment before shaking his head. "Not at all."
"Heh, me neither."
Peggy laughed again, glancing at Adam and Juno briefly before saying, "I enjoy feeling smarter than everyone else."
Young Sheldon stared at Peggy in a daze, suddenly feeling an affinity for her. Compared to Adam and the others, Peggy seemed to be the same kind of person as him. He nodded. "Me too."
Most of the hostility from earlier dissolved, and a smile unknowingly spread across his face as he responded to Peggy's blooming smile, until...
"Checkmate!"
Peggy burst out laughing. "You lost! Haha! Looks like I'm the smartest one here, huh?"
Young Sheldon was stunned.
This wasn't like their first verbal spar in the university classroom. Back then, although Peggy had rendered him speechless, it was mainly because he was attending a public high school while Peggy was in a private high school. The disparity in resources meant that there was much knowledge he hadn't yet encountered.
It's worth noting that in the U.S., intellectual property rights are highly protected. Books are incredibly expensive, and specialized books can cost hundreds of dollars, truly embodying the phrase "knowledge is wealth."
The collection of a public high school library couldn't compare to that of a private high school.
So, because of this, he was temporarily at a disadvantage. Although it was frustrating, he could barely accept it.
But in chess, which he considered a pure test of intelligence, Peggy, who was the same age as him—albeit younger by a month—defeated him outright and even proudly declared herself the smartest.
Young Sheldon couldn't handle it. He exploded, flipping over the chessboard.
Peggy was a little surprised but then shrugged and smiled. "Another game?"
Young Sheldon glared at her, fuming. "Fine."
He simply couldn't believe it. As a super-genius with an IQ of 187, he believed himself to be the smartest of his peers throughout history.
While IQ levels rise with societal development and there may indeed be younger geniuses in the future who break the records he set, he thought that would only happen centuries later with semi-mechanical, semi-human brains. A purely human brain could never surpass him.
In the second game, he lost again.
There was no third game. Young Sheldon was on the verge of shutting down entirely.
"Impressive," Adam finally managed to suppress his inner frustration, recalling his original purpose, and interjected dramatically, "Peggy, you're truly a genius."
"I know," Peggy replied with a cheeky grin, glancing at Adam before turning to tease the sulking Sheldon. "Hey, Sheldon, what else do you usually play?"
"..."
Adam's lips twitched, his theatrical smile nearly collapsing. What's going on? Was plain old Adam completely ignored by Peggy?
Even after saying goodbye and leaving, Adam still felt dazed.
"She's such an interesting little girl," Juno remarked, looking at the disheartened Adam with an amused expression. "Still thinking about how she completely ignored you?"
"Yeah, it doesn't make sense."
Adam murmured in confusion.
"What's so nonsensical about it?"
Juno chuckled. "She and Sheldon are the same type of person—true geniuses."
"I know that," Adam argued. "But Sheldon didn't act like that, did he?"
Sheldon, difficult as he was, gave Adam a system notification upon their first interaction, recognizing a boost in intelligence. Could Peggy be even harder to crack than Sheldon?
"Geniuses see the world differently from ordinary people. It's not that they don't understand social norms; they just only care about what interests them. Everything else? They simply don't bother to waste their energy, like your attempts to befriend her."
Juno pointed out incisively. "Isn't Sheldon the same? Even though we're his friends, have you ever seen him truly integrate with us?"
"Hasn't he?"
Adam began doubting himself. Reflecting on it, Sheldon's frequent disdainful glances seemed to confirm Juno's statement. However, Adam had grown so accustomed to this behavior in his past life that he hadn't given it much thought.
"No, we are his friends," Adam countered, remembering the system's recognition.
"That's because Mrs. Cooper wanted him to make friends with us," Juno replied. "Sheldon is just following his mom's wishes."
"..."
Adam was speechless, finally coming to a realization.
In "The Big Bang Theory," who truly reached Sheldon's inner world?
Leonard, Penny, and Amy.
Leonard had been passively trained as a "Sheldon companion" since birth, enduring over twenty years of preparation. Combined with his IQ of 173 and shared interests, Leonard eventually passed Sheldon's bizarre roommate interview, moved closer to him, and endured for years before being fully accepted by Sheldon.
Penny embodied the essence of Sheldon's mother, earning the nickname "Sheldon's second mom" for a reason.
Amy, a blend of science and femininity, pursued Sheldon persistently for five to six years before finally winning him over.
Adam, on the other hand, lacked Leonard's intelligence, shared interests, and willingness to be a devoted companion. After just over a year of knowing young Sheldon, he naïvely thought that the system's notification meant they were genuine friends.
It had to be said—he was too naïve.
The only reason Sheldon considered Adam a "system-recognized friend" was because of Mrs. Cooper's influence. She wanted Sheldon to make friends, and as a momma's boy, Sheldon begrudgingly accepted Adam.
Just like how Sheldon didn't believe in God, but for his mother's sake, he went to church and even participated in Bible outreach programs.
In the future "Big Bang" friend circle, Stuart, who often sought a sense of belonging and shared an interest in comic books, still got bluntly dismissed by Sheldon: "He doesn't vibe with us."
At the time, Adam found it amusing. But now, looking back, the indifference was undeniably rooted in the depths of Sheldon's soul.
As Juno had said, geniuses are inherently aloof. Peggy's behavior reflected Sheldon's true nature.
*(End of Chapter)*