Genius Playground

”I’m for it.”

Cheng Mengxue raised her hand without hesitation.

”I don’t think there’s anything to hesitate about. Isn’t the whole point of our research into the Time SMS to fix regrets and prevent tragedies?”

”If it were a stranger, fine. I’m not so naive as to think we can save everyone.”

”But Xu Yan is different! She’s not just my sister, she’s your friend. And it’s thanks to her help that we were able to get back the Positron Cannon.”

”Now that we can send messages to the past using the Positron Cannon, don’t you think Xu Yan deserves some of the credit for that? How can we just stand by and let her die?”

She turned her head to look at Jiang Ran.

”I’m against it,” Jiang Ran said.

”You!”

Cheng Mengxue’s eyes widened.

”I feel the same way you do. I want to save Xu Yan, too.”

Jiang Ran looked up, meeting Cheng Mengxue’s gaze.

”If it weren’t for that mysterious message, for that meaningless string of numbers... I would absolutely fire up the Positron Cannon, send a Time SMS, and save her without a second thought.”

”Just like you said, there’s nothing to agonize over. She’s our friend, your sister, and my childhood playmate. If it wouldn’t cause any damage or have any consequences, then of course we should save her.”

”But in this situation, who can say for sure that the message, that string of numbers, isn’t a ’dangerous warning’? Or a ’danger signal’?”

He paused, then let out a long sigh.

”I’m afraid that if we act rashly, we won’t just fail to make things better... we’ll make them worse.”

”Is it possible that after we send another Time SMS, Xu Yan is saved, but you die? Or I die? Or Qin Feng dies?”

”Besides, I’m not saying we should just let her die. I’m just proposing that we first figure out what that message, what that string of numbers, actually means. Once we’re sure there’s no risk, then we can go save Xu Yan.”

Cheng Mengxue scoffed.

”But we can only send messages three days into the past. We can only change history within a three-day window.”

She pointed to the calendar, reminding him,

”Today is March 26th. If we can’t crack that string of numbers by March 29th, we’ll lose the chance to save her forever!”

”We can probably improve it in the future.”

Jiang Ran clenched his fists.

”We should be able to find a way... to send messages further into the past.”

”You’re just treating me like a child!” Cheng Mengxue slammed her hand on the table and shot to her feet, furious.

”Whoa, whoa, whoa, don’t fight, don’t fight.”

Qin Feng quickly ran between the two to mediate.

”I think Jiang Ran has a point. It’s better to be safe, to be cautious. That’s more important than anything.”

”We still have two days, anyway. How about we hold off on the decision and focus all our efforts on cracking this code first?”

...

「Three days later, on March 29th.」

Morning. The rooftop terrace.

Qin Feng pushed open the stairwell door and saw Jiang Ran sitting on the edge of the roof.

”Why aren’t you in the activity room?”

Jiang Ran sighed.

”You know why.”

For the past three days, the three of them had tried many methods to crack the string of mysterious numbers. The result was frustrating; its true meaning remained a mystery.

Jiang Ran lowered his head.

”You must think I’m being too cautious, too paranoid.”

”A little,” Qin Feng answered honestly.

”But I understand.”

”Because you’re different from us. For some unknown reason, you can retain memories from before a timeline changes and physically experience the shift. That’s why you have a deeper understanding of the nature of time and space, and naturally, more reservations.”

Jiang Ran stood up and looked at the fiery red sunrise.

”I’m conflicted, too. I’m not made of stone.”

He turned back.

”But this whole Time SMS business started because of me, and I’m the one who dragged you two into it. I have to be responsible for your safety, for your lives.”

”Don’t say that.”

Qin Feng walked over.

”You didn’t drag us into this. We chose to follow you and listen to you. We like you, and we believe in you.”

”You’re my best friend. I’m willing to share any of your burdens and face any adventure with you.”

”Ever since we met in high school, you’ve always been the idea guy, with a head full of endless schemes. Your grades weren’t the best, but you really did have a lot of interesting ideas. I always admired that about you.”

”Come on...”

Jiang Ran said, exasperated.

”My grades were plenty good, okay? Is a 680 on the college entrance exam considered bad? Not everyone can score a 740 like you.”

”If you’re bad, just practice more.”

”Oh, listen to you. If that’s the case, why don’t you practice more at video games and try to beat me?”

”Everyone’s constitution is different.”

...

Jiang Ran stared at Qin Feng, speechless.

”Heh.”

He couldn’t help but laugh.

’Qin Feng’s probably gloating inside right now, huh?’

Those were the exact words Jiang Ran had used to tease Qin Feng a few days ago when they were moving the Positron Cannon in the warehouse.

Back then, Qin Feng had been so flustered he’d turned red and was left speechless. Now, he’d thrown the exact same line right back at him.

”You’re so high and mighty. With a 740, you could’ve gone to Qinghua. Why’d you have to cram in here with the two of us?”

”If I went to Qinghua, I wouldn’t be with you guys, would I?”

Qin Feng looked at Jiang Ran.

”To me, you two are more important than Qinghua... much more important. You’re the only two friends I have. I hope we can stay this close forever.”

”Don’t be so sappy.”

Jiang Ran glanced at his watch.

9:37

Xu Yan had drowned at noon three days ago, and the Time SMS could only be sent three days into the past.

So, if they didn’t make a decision soon... it would really be too late.

”Let’s vote.”

”What?” Qin Feng asked, confused.

”You haven’t voted yet, have you?”

Jiang Ran turned around.

”On the question of whether to use the Time SMS to save Xu Yan, Xiaoxue and I have already cast our votes. It’s one for, one against. But you... you still haven’t voted.”

”Since we’re a team, let’s follow our old rule: majority rules. Now, we’re just waiting on your tie-breaking vote.”

The sun climbed higher, and their shadows shortened, overlapping until they were one.

”Just as you said, the three of us are best friends. We should decide things together.”

”So, make your choice, Qin Feng.”

Jiang Ran placed his hand on Qin Feng’s shoulder.

”I trust you.”

...

Qin Feng was silent for a few seconds before speaking in a low voice.

”I’ve done a lot of thinking these past two days. But I feel like we’re stuck in a rut, and there’s no way out if all we do is speculate baselessly about that string of numbers.”

”This might be risky, but what scientific experiment isn’t? Besides, we have no idea what those numbers mean. Your guess about some kind of dangerous warning... honestly, it might not even be right.”

”And anyway, we’re only changing the history of the last three days. It won’t create any drastic Butterfly Effect.”

”If some unexpected consequences do pop up... can’t we just send another message to the past? We can find a way to fix it.”

Jiang Ran looked at him.

”So your decision is?”

”I’m for it,” Qin Feng said firmly.

”I vote that we use the Time Machine we built to send a message to ourselves from three days ago...”

”’Save Xu Yan.’”

Sparrows took flight from the telephone wire, leaving in a flock, just like on the day they were filming the movie.

The rooftop. Slanted shadows. Two people, locking eyes.

...

...

Finally.

The silent Jiang Ran nodded.

”...Alright.”