Genius Club.

Chapter 142 Curiosity
"What a joke!"

Gao Yang slammed the table:

"There are only 41 people at our class reunion! How did you count 42 people? Can you make it up out of thin air?!"

Xia Yuan, who was standing next to him, suddenly coughed twice and pulled Gao Yang aside:

"Ahem... It's New Year's Day, don't talk nonsense."

……

42.

Lin Xian suddenly felt sober.

It’s this mysterious and strange number again.

He squinted his eyes and looked at Gao Yang:

“How many people came today?”

"It must be 41! Even if the king of heaven came, there would still be 41!" Gao Yang stood up and took out a wrinkled list from his pocket to show Lin Xian:
"look!"

Lin Xian took the wrinkled list, on which the names of his classmates were printed in three lines, and the last number was indeed 41.

There is a check mark behind each student's name, and everyone is present.

"I don't believe in evil anymore!"

Gao Yang burped, turned around, and counted the tables one by one with his fingers:
“1、2、3……39、40、41！”

After counting, he snorted and looked at the waiter:
"See? There are clearly 41 people in this room!"

"..." Lin Xian looked at Gao Yang speechlessly:

"You're not a human being, are you?"

"Huh?" Gao Yang scratched his head and suddenly realized!
The whole private room suddenly burst into laughter, hahahahahaha the atmosphere was full of joy.

Lin Xian looked down at the list in his hand again...

Sure enough, Gao Yang’s name was not on the list. This guy simply forgot to count himself!

"You are such a talent." Lin Xian complained.

"Hahahaha! Blame me, blame me! Waiter, 42 servings will be fine! Hahahaha..."

Gao Yang smiled awkwardly and sat down, raising his glass again:
"Come on! Let's celebrate!"

"What are you celebrating for? Class monitor, you should drink three cups as punishment!" the classmate at the table joked.

Everyone laughed together again.

But only Lin Xian...

For some reason I couldn't laugh.

He knew that the number 42 this time was neither man-made nor had any special meaning. It was completely a mistake made by Gao Yang.

but……

It happens to be 42 again.

If every mistake points to 42 in the end, are they still mistakes?
The sample size was too small, and Lin Xian was unable to make a judgment.

He just felt weird.

There were two people at this class reunion who gave him a strange feeling.

One is Tang Xin and the other is Zhou Duanyun.

[They are both too familiar with me... maybe even too familiar.]

Zhou Duanyun was okay. Even though we didn't have much interaction in high school, we had been together for three years after all. It was understandable that he remembered me very clearly in terms of appearance.

But Tang Xin...

We were only classmates for a few days at the beginning, and we were almost like strangers who met by chance.

But Tang Xin recognized him at first sight from a distance and was so sure of it... This was something Lin Xian could not understand.

Then I thought back to what happened in Zhao Yingjun’s office before.

The woman who called herself Huang Que had all kinds of information about herself at her fingertips, and she even knew the laws of time and space that she had randomly set up...

What's going on with these people?

Are they all capable of mind reading? Or am I just like Truman in The Truman Show, with no privacy and my entire life being broadcast live on a TV station 24/7?
……

Lin Xian picked up the wine glass and, at Gao Yang's call, celebrated the arrival of the watermelon plate by drinking a toast.

I really drank a little too much today.

His head was already a little dizzy, but his confused thoughts combined with the chaotic alcohol made Lin Xian have a strong urge to figure out everything.

I have been too passive all along.

Being pulled to and fro by various whirlpools.

Now that all clues about the Genius Club have been cut off, and that Hitman has warned him that even if he doesn't cause trouble, trouble will come to him, and he even said that his cat-and-mouse game has already begun.

The only straw I can grasp now is [cosmological constant 42].

He didn't know if the 42nd classmate who was involved in the previous misunderstanding was reminding him of something.

but……

It is indeed time to set off and go to Shemsey University to meet the original author of "Introduction to the Cosmological Constant".

The 42nd student?
Lin Xian took a bite of the watermelon and chuckled unconsciously.

interesting thought.

So who is the 42nd student?

Gao Yang forgot to include himself?
Tang Xin, who is not even a classmate?
Or was it Zhou Duanyun, the last one to arrive at the hotel?
"What's wrong, Lin Xian? You look so happy."

Turn around.

Tang Xin was looking at him with a smile. Lin Xian smiled slightly and shook his head:
"Nothing much, I just feel like I was just a student, reminiscing about the good old days."

"Well said!" Gao Yang slapped the table and raised his glass high:

"Everyone, bring one more! To our youth!"

“……”Lin Xian felt that Gao Yang might really be a genius.

"Come on, Lin Xian, let's clink glasses. I haven't had a drink with you yet today." Zhou Duanyun walked over with a smile, holding the wine glass, and clinked glasses with Lin Xian:
"Actually, when I was in school, I always envied you."

"Why should I be envious?" Lin Xian smiled politely.

"On the contrary, you are so successful now, you deserve everyone's envy."

"You can't say that." Zhou Duanyun shook his head and looked at Lin Xian with eyes full of nostalgia for his youth:
"When you were in high school, you were popular and good at sports. You even won three parkour championships. Boys and girls in class all clung to you. Everyone liked you. You were also a very nice person. You always stood up for everyone. I really admired you."

"It may be a little embarrassing to say this, but my biggest dream in high school was to become someone like you, respected, trusted, and recognized by everyone."

"That's over, you're exaggerating."

Lin Xian was a little surprised by Zhou Duanyun's flattery this time. He thought this guy drove a Rolls-Royce to show off, and he praised himself so highly, maybe there was something else going on:

"There's a saying that goes, 'A child who is good at something may not necessarily be a good person when he grows up.' I am actually one of those people. I could run and jump when I was young, but when I grew up and entered society, I showed my true abilities."

"To put it bluntly, I only have some ability in high school. I am still a wage earner. I am far from being a big boss like you. You are a late-stage hero who is exerting his strength in the late stage."

Lin Xian smiled and looked at Zhou Duanyun:
"If we were to swap our lives, you definitely wouldn't want to do it."

"I am willing."

Zhou Duanyun obviously drank a little too much, his eyes were red, but he answered firmly:

"Of course I do." He smiled.
"In fact, I have worked so hard these years just to catch up with you guys back then."

"You've drunk too much." Lin Xian patted Zhou Duanyun's shoulder, drank it all with him, and returned to their respective seats.

It’s not that he doesn’t understand Zhou Duanyun’s feelings.

Some people use their lifetime to heal their childhood, while some people use their childhood to heal their lifetime.

For Zhou Duanyun, a high school student from a poor family with low self-esteem, this Rolls-Royce Phantom he owns now may not be as good as a pair of sneakers he had in high school.

Lin Xian knew it.

In high school, Zhou Duanyun's clothes were always torn and worn, as were his shoes. He often sat on his desk and didn't want to come out, for fear that others would see the cracked rubber on his shoes.

Even the classmates in the class were considerate of Zhou Duanyun's feelings.

But it is this deliberate "care" that is sometimes the needle that hurts Zhou Duanyun the deepest in his heart.

Good intentions turned into malice.

But fortunately, Zhou Duanyun has made it in the world. At today's class reunion, he is the most handsome guy. A Rolls-Royce Phantom is enough to make everyone forget all the shame and humility he had in high school.

in fact.

Everybody has forgotten it long ago.

I'm afraid the only one who can't forget is Zhou Duanyun himself.

……

After five years of not seeing each other, the classmates still have endless things to say.

People left one after another, but those who stayed kept gathering together to share tables. In the end, the people at Lin Xian's table were left and drank until the early morning before leaving reluctantly.

All the girls had already left.

Only Tang Xin was left, sitting silently beside Lin Xian. She didn't really follow up on the topic everyone was talking about, she just listened with a faint smile, looking very happy, and stayed up so late with these drunkards.

All good things come to an end.

The class reunion finally ended. Everyone at the last table drank a lot... After all, with Gao Yang, the drinking maniac, everyone couldn't drink less.

Everyone arranged to go home one after another. Zhou Duanyun had a driver, and he also took along classmates who were going the same way. Others found designated drivers if they needed them, or took taxis if they needed them.

Lin Xian and Gao Yang will definitely be the last to leave.

Gao Yang went to the service desk to pay the bill, and Lin Xian sent Tang Xin to the hotel entrance:

"Tang Xin, how did you get here?"

"I came by taxi."

Tang Xin pointed to the taxi waiting on the roadside:
"I'll just take a taxi back."

After that, she smiled and waved to Lin Xian:

"Then I'll go first, Lin Xian. You and Gao Yang should drive slowly. We'll see you in Donghai City later!"

Lin Xian smiled and nodded:
"Then we'll meet in Donghai City. Be careful on the road, it's so late after all."

Like a conditioned reflex, Lin Xian raised his wrist and looked at his watch——

00:41
"Wait a moment!"

Lin Xian took a step forward and grabbed Tang Xin's delicate wrist.

"Eh?"

Tang Xin looked back with some surprise.

Looking at Lin Xian, looking at his wrist that was being held tightly, even slightly painful.

She blinked.

Looking at Lin Xian.

Somewhat puzzled.

Lin Xian did not let go of her wrist. He could feel the strong smell of alcohol on his breath, but he still reacted and said with a smile:

"Actually...there are some things I want to talk to you about."

"all right."

Tang Xin turned around with a smile, still as calm and graceful as ever:
"Then let's go to another place to talk or..."

"It's fine right here."

Lin Xian let go of her wrist only after he confirmed that she would not go down the stairs.

He admitted that his actions were a bit abrupt...but thinking back to the night when Professor Xu Yun died, he couldn't help but worry whether something would happen to Tang Xin at 00:42.

after all……

Tang Xin’s research area is also hibernation.

Lin Xian looked at the taxi parked on the side of the road.

The driver inside was lazily scrolling through his phone, and there were no other vehicles on either side of the road, not even a single one in the distance...

Maybe I'm really too sensitive.

但不管怎么说，能拖过00：42还是拖过去吧。如果自己的推理没有错，凶手们是只会在00：42-00：43这区间杀人的。

"What's wrong, Lin Xian?"

Tang Xin scratched the short hair behind her ears, then put her hands behind her back, swayed her body, tapped the floor with her toes, and smiled at the silent Lin Xian:
"Why don't you speak?"

Lin Xian came back to his senses and looked at her:
"Actually, there is one thing I am still a little curious about."

"what is it then?"

"You just said that the side effects of hibernation are not just amnesia, there are other more serious side effects."

"Yes." Tang Xin chuckled twice and nodded as if she was relaxed.

She put her hands down, her body stopped shaking, and she stood still:
"Are you curious?"

"I'm a little curious."

Lin Xian smiled and said:

"Can you give me some general knowledge?"

(End of this chapter)