Genius Playground

Hmph.

The old man in the Tang suit snorted coldly:

”Impossible.”

He turned his head away, disdainful:

”A paper diary, whether from a physical or energetic perspective, cannot possibly achieve Time Travel.”

”Even if you said this young man had a Time Machine, I might believe you... but a diary? Give me a break. That’s not the least bit [scientific].”

The middle-aged man turned and leaned back in his chair:

”Science?”

He tilted his head:

”After seeing so many miraculous events, you still believe so strongly in science?”

”Of course.”

The old man in the Tang suit said decisively:

”[Everything in this world, in this universe, is science. If you think something is unscientific, it only means our scientific understanding and cognition have yet to catch up.]”

”Long ago, people thought will-o’-the-wisps were some unexplainable mystery, but with the advent of chemistry, it was quickly analyzed that they were simply the spontaneous combustion of phosphine from bones in graveyards. That is a true scientific phenomenon.”

”I’ve already received word that this year’s Nobel Prize in Physics will be awarded for the Quantum Tunneling effect—what you might call the ’Wall-Penetrating Skill’ in the macroscopic world.”

”So, when people hear the term ’Wall-Penetrating Skill’ now, they certainly think of it as some kind of mysterious magic. But in a few decades, when the Quantum Tunneling effect is more thoroughly researched... perhaps the ’Wall-Penetrating Skill’ will actually be reproducible in reality, becoming another understandable scientific phenomenon.”

...

The old man in the Tang suit came from a research background. He was usually a man of few words, but whenever academic or scientific topics came up, he would become endlessly loquacious.

The middle-aged man was long used to it.

But he still stuck to his own point of view, retorting:

”[Is Lilith also science? Can she be explained by science?]”

”Heh, it’s obvious.”

The old man smiled confidently:

”I’ve already said it. Everything in this world is science. The universe itself is science.”

”From the moment of the Big Bang singularity, when all the universe’s parameters were fixed... the rules of science were eternally established.”

”There are no supernatural phenomena in this world. Whether macro or micro, everything can be explained by science.”

”So, there’s no need to question it. Lilith... is also science.”

With that said,

The old man in the Tang suit stopped toying with the gold coin, clenched it in his palm, and turned to leave:

”I’m leaving. I have a meeting to get to.”

”Oh?”

The middle-aged man glanced at his watch:

”Is it Greenwich Mean Time already?”

Indeed, it was.

’Looks like I really have been watching this short film over and over, on an infinite loop. I was so lost in thought I didn’t even notice the time fly by.’

He lowered his wrist and chuckled softly:

”I’m really looking forward to it. I wonder if anything interesting will happen at this meeting?”

”Boring.”

The old man in the Tang suit replied hoarsely:

”It’s bound to be excruciatingly boring. They’re all a bunch of timid, short-sighted fools.”

Reaching the doorway, the old man suddenly stopped.

He thought for a few seconds.

Then, he inexplicably laughed:

”If I had to say...”

”That kid, the [Magician], is somewhat interesting.”

”Although he’s done some foolish things, compared to those who do nothing at all, I actually kind of like him.”

...

「A week before the start of the semester, Jiang Ran received a call from Zhang Yang.」

”Hello? Dingdang Cat.”

Zhang Yang’s opening was as shocking as ever:

”Ready to come back to school?”

”...”

Jiang Ran held his phone, speechless.

’Just how many nicknames is Teacher Zhang Yang going to give me? First it was ’Head Disciple,’ then ’Eldest Senior Brother,’ and now it’s ’Dingdang Cat.’’

’He doesn’t really think this is witty and humorous, does he?’

”Let me venture a guess.”

Jiang Ran said:

”Teacher Zhang, you wouldn’t be so petty as to... be annoyed that I’m insisting on researching the Time Travel Machine, and then, because you associate that with the Time Machine in Doraemon’s drawer, decide to call me Dingdang Cat, right?”

”Your logical reasoning is quite good,” Zhang Yang praised.

’So he really is that petty!’

Jiang Ran sighed.

”Can you please stop using such ancient jokes, Teacher Zhang? Nobody calls Doraemon ’Dingdang Cat’ anymore. That name is as old as a fossil.”

”Haha, I have some good news for you!”

Zhang Yang’s voice was full of joy:

”Jiang Ran! Weren’t you just complaining about being a general without an army, wanting a junior apprentice brother or sister?”

”I’m telling you! Your wish has come true! Our school has gained another talented disciple—”

”I know.”

Jiang Ran interrupted him:

”The exchange student, right?”

”Huh?” Zhang Yang was stunned.

”From the United States, right?”

”Huh?” Zhang Yang was stunned again:

”You... you know everything already?”

He was very surprised:

”That shouldn’t be possible. Logically, the two of you shouldn’t have had any contact.”

Jiang Ran chuckled.

”Your intel is lacking, Teacher Zhang. The two of us are on very good terms.”

’This is just too easy to guess.’

’I don’t even have to think about it. The ”new disciple” Teacher Zhang mentioned must be Cheng Mengxue.’

Over this period, he and Cheng Mengxue had been chatting every day. Although they couldn’t talk much due to the time difference, she had told him a fair bit about her personal situation.

She had submitted an exchange student application to the University of Pennsylvania, asking to go to Dragon Country’s East Sea University, and it was easily approved.

As for which program to study and which advisor to choose, East Sea University had suggested she attend a few different teachers’ classes after arriving, get a feel for things, and then make a decision.

”I’m definitely going to choose your advisor, that way we can be in class together~ It’s Teacher Zhang Yang, right?”

That was how bluntly Cheng Mengxue had put it at the time.