Genius Club

This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation

Even though the cold wind howled and snowflakes danced in the air, Lin Xian still felt a strange warmth spreading from the palm of his hand, seeping into his arm, and wrapping his entire body in its embrace. For a brief moment, his staunch materialistic beliefs wavered.

“Maybe,” he thought, “there is no God, no higher power… but perhaps… there really are angels?”

Just like the one in front of him, with her eyes closed in earnest prayer, surrounded by swirling snowflakes that looked like feathers falling from an angel’s wings, isolating them from the world atop the Empire State Building.

“Hehe,” she giggled, lifting her head and slowly opening her eyes. “I don’t know if my wish will work, but still, I’ve saved this opportunity for over ten years, just for you. I believe you can be the one to save the world!”

The snowflakes that had been swirling around them began to lose their strength, falling gently to the ground, covering everything with a pure white blanket.

“It will definitely come true,” Lin Xian said seriously.

Yes, it definitely would. He thought to himself. After all, hadn’t he made promises like this to so many people before? Even if there was no God to hear her wish, he had taken it on himself. He was like Aladdin’s lamp, and he would grant her wish.

“Achoo!” She sneezed, letting go of Lin Xian’s hand and rubbing her nose. “Maybe wearing a dress in this weather wasn’t the best idea. It’s still too cold.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Lin Xian smiled, brushing the snow off his hair. “Let’s head back. Tomorrow—actually, today—we can go to a mall in Manhattan and buy you some warmer clothes.”

“The stores in Manhattan are definitely more upscale than those in Brooklyn,” he added with a grin, “and you’ll find plenty of clothes you’ll like.”

The wind was getting colder, and Lin Xian gently guided her back inside the Empire State Building.

Instead of heading straight to the ground floor, they exited the elevator at one of the middle levels and entered the “Empire State Hotel.” With its 102 floors, the Empire State Building was the tallest structure in the world in 1952, housing not only offices and observation decks but also restaurants, clubs, conference halls, and even a hotel. There was no need to search for accommodations elsewhere; staying here was good enough.

Money wasn’t an issue—the Coney Island gang had already paid for everything. The suitcase full of cash they’d been given was a fortune in these times. Short of buying a house or a car, it would be hard to spend it all quickly.

Lin Xian chose a suite. It had two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a spacious living area, which made things much more comfortable.

When they’d had no money, sharing one room had been a necessity. But now that they were flush with cash, Lin Xian was determined to make things more comfortable for her.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

With a click, Lin Xian opened the door and flipped on the light switch. Instantly, the crystal chandelier in the suite’s grand living room lit up, the small bar’s record player started playing soft music, and the red carpet at the entrance lay immaculately clean.

She widened her eyes in amazement. “It’s like a castle,” she whispered.

Lin Xian shook his head. “Not quite a castle, but…” He walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows at the far end of the room, gazing at the dazzling night view of Manhattan below. “You could say this is the tallest hotel on Earth. There’s no arguing with that.”

She plopped down on the long, plush sofa, hugging a cushion as she rolled around. “Wow, I never thought I’d get to stay in such a fancy place! No, no… every second here costs several cents. I can’t waste it!” She sprang up, scanning the room eagerly, and finally set her sights on the minibar with its drinks and snacks. She dashed over. “Lin Xian! There’s cream cake! And juice! But… no cola?”

Lin Xian scratched his head. “Maybe a place like this doesn’t think cola is healthy, so they don’t provide it. Let me check.”

Eventually, he found a bottle of cola in the minibar’s fridge, and she was satisfied.

The two of them sat around the small bar, soft music playing from the record player. They gobbled down the cream cake, raising their drinks.

“Cheers!” she said with a giggle.

“Cheers,” Lin Xian echoed, their glasses clinking together.

Lin Xian drank his fresh juice in one go, while she took a long swig of her cola.

“Ahhh…” They both sighed with contentment.

Finally, they could relax. It had been about two days since they’d arrived in 1952—they’d arrived on the morning of October 28th, and now it was the early hours of October 30th. They’d been on the move constantly, often going hungry. Now, they could finally enjoy some “gourmet food.” It was a rare treat, and they didn’t hold back.

After devouring the snacks, they ordered more—grilled meat, roast chicken, anything they could get their hands on—until they were stuffed and couldn’t eat another bite.

“That was the best meal I’ve ever had,” she said, lying on the sofa with a satisfied sigh. “Even in my dreams, I never dared imagine eating anything this good.”

“Same here,” Lin Xian agreed wholeheartedly. “I guess the quality of the food doesn’t really depend on the chef’s skill—it depends on how hungry the customer is.”

To be honest, Lin Xian didn’t think the hotel’s grilled meat and roast chicken could compare to dishes from his homeland. There was no soup or congee either, which made things a bit uncomfortable for him, as he loved drinking soup. He had to make do with juice and soda instead.

No wonder the obesity rate in America was so high—with this kind of diet, it’d be surprising if people didn’t get fat. Still, after two days of hunger, even a plate of dry turkey would have tasted amazing to Lin Xian.

The day had been long and exhausting, and both of them were starting to yawn.

They each went to their rooms to wash up, wishing each other goodnight before closing their doors. Lin Xian took a comfortable hot shower, then lay in bed, glancing at the clock on the wall. It read 3:24 AM.

With the U.S. on daylight saving time, the time difference between here and his homeland was exactly 12 hours. It was afternoon back home, just about time for a nap.

“I’ll give it another try tonight,” he murmured to himself.

The rigorous nature of scientific experiments meant he couldn’t conclude anything based on just one night. He pulled the blanket over himself, turned off the bedside lamp, and closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep.

Knock, knock, knock.

A knocking sound woke Lin Xian. He opened his eyes and sat up immediately, finding himself still in the bedroom of the suite. Everything around him was just as it had been. He glanced at the clock—it read 9:21 AM.

“So it’s true,” he muttered. “I’ve lost the ability to dream, and even light knocks can wake me up. I’ve really become just an ordinary person.”

Then he looked at the door. “Who is it?”

“It’s me,” her voice called from outside. “Lin Xian, get up! The waiter brought breakfast.”

“Oh, okay,” Lin Xian replied, getting up to brush his teeth and wash his face. Then he walked out of his room, seeing her dressed in the hotel’s provided pajamas.

Since she only had one wedding dress, she couldn’t keep wearing it forever. Thankfully, this was a high-end hotel, dedicated to providing top-notch service to its guests. Last night, the hotel staff had gone out of their way to bring her pajamas and some casual clothes for today’s outing.

Lin Xian joined her at the table, where a “rich breakfast” had been laid out: corn porridge, milk, sandwiches, bacon, and salad. Lin Xian suddenly found himself missing millet congee, soy milk, and steamed buns. Could Americans really eat like this every day and not feel sluggish?

“Oh well,” he thought.

Perhaps today, while they were out exploring, they could find a X Country restaurant and enjoy some traditional dishes. Nothing too fancy—just a bowl of noodles, some soup, or scrambled eggs with tomatoes would be enough to make him happy.

She waited for Lin Xian to sit down before starting to eat—ever so polite. She’d already turned on the small black-and-white TV nearby, tuning in to the news.

The news was all about international affairs, and Lin Xian listened while munching on his sandwich. It seemed to be mostly about the “Cold War” between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, tensions running high.

After World War II, the U.S. and the Soviet Union had entered a long standoff that lasted decades. Though they never fought directly, they were constantly making moves. The arms race, the space race, and technological competition were all heated during these years.

From a technological point of view, the Cold War period was actually one of the fastest times of human advancement. Electronic computers, integrated circuits, chips, the internet, satellites, manned spaceflight, fighter jets, moon landings, mobile communication, and global navigation—all of these were products of that time.

It’s hard to say how many more years it would’ve taken for humans to develop these technologies without the Cold War and the massive investments made by both sides. In a way, it was an unexpected boon for human civilization.

From the news anchor’s tone, it was clear that people were still on edge in the years shortly after World War II—as if a Soviet nuclear bomb might drop any day.

As someone who had lived through it, Lin Xian knew that the Cold War never escalated into a full-blown conflict—not a single bullet was fired. The only real crises were the Cuban Missile Crisis and one involving a nuclear submarine; the rest of the Cold War was full of tense moments but ultimately harmless.

But of course, that was easy for him to say now, in hindsight.

For people living in 1952, it wasn’t that simple. Across the U.S., air-raid shelters and nuclear bunkers were being built. Even in Brooklyn Heights, there were ads for family bomb shelters—everyone was preparing for a nuclear war that could happen at any time.

“Do you think there’s going to be another war?” she asked, frowning in worry while watching the news and eating her sandwich.

Lin Xian thought for a moment. He hadn’t realized before, but she was born in 1932, which meant she had witnessed World War II in its entirety.

War and sacrifice were probably deeply ingrained in her mind.

“No, there won’t be another war,” Lin Xian said, swallowing the last of his bread and washing it down with milk. “Trust me, there’s not going to be another war. Even though there were some dangerous moments and misunderstandings, it never actually came to that.”

“But…” she pointed to the black-and-white TV. “The news anchor isn’t saying that. They’re saying the situation is really dangerous, and an expert said the Soviets already have nuclear submarines.”

Lin Xian chuckled. “That’s impossible. The world’s first nuclear submarine, the USS Nautilus, is still being built here in the U.S. It’s not even close to finished.”

He smiled at her reassuringly. “You really don’t need to worry. Trust me, there won’t be a war. Not this time.”

“I hope you’re right,” she sighed. “I’m really scared of war. The matron at the orphanage lost her entire family in World War I, and during World War II, we heard news of people dying every single day. I just want the world to be peaceful forever. I want everyone to be safe and happy. It doesn’t matter if we don’t have much to eat or if we don’t have warm clothes, as long as we’re all alive and don’t have to feel the pain of losing loved ones.”

Lin Xian watched her silently. It seemed that the scars left by the war ran deep for people of this time.

Even a child who had never been on the battlefield, who had never truly experienced the war, carried that emotional burden.

Lin Xian didn’t say anything more. He came from a time of peace and prosperity, a place without war, and he could never truly understand what that tension felt like. He wasn’t going to stand here and try to offer hollow reassurances.

He finished the last of his milk and stood up. “Come on, let’s go explore Manhattan. Whatever happens out there, whether there’s a war or not, it’s not something the two of us can change.”

He smiled. “And even if a war does break out, don’t worry. Manhattan is one of the safest places in the U.S. Have you heard of the Manhattan Project?”

She shook her head. “I haven’t.”

“Oh, I see,” Lin Xian said, slightly surprised. He’d thought the legendary orphanage matron knew everything, like a living encyclopedia who could explain anything to her. But it seemed like even her knowledge was selective, more focused on the human experience than cold facts.

“The Manhattan Project was the plan to create the atomic bomb,” Lin Xian explained. “You know about the atomic bomb, right? I’m sure you do. They keep mentioning it on the news. It’s the thing that everyone fears the most these days—a weapon powerful enough to destroy an entire city.”

“The Manhattan Project was the most secretive program

in America. I’m not sure if it’s declassified now, but just listen to me. Lots of brilliant physicists were involved in that project—Oppenheimer, Edward Teller, John von Neumann, Enrico Fermi… And of course, the one who started it all, Albert Einstein.”

She suddenly put down her knife and fork, her eyes widening in surprise. “Einstein?”

She stood up quickly, walking to the coffee table to pick up today’s edition of The New York Times. Then she walked back over to Lin Xian, pointing to the front page picture of a wild-haired physicist. “You mean this Einstein?”

“Yeah,” Lin Xian nodded. “That’s him.”

He chuckled. “You’ve never been to school, but you recognize Einstein. Did the matron teach you that? Or did you already look at the paper earlier?”

She shook her head, still staring at the picture before looking back at Lin Xian. “No, I saw him in Brooklyn!”