Jiang Yubai had a somewhat forced sense of hospitality.
He led his classmates through the door of his home.
Lin Zhixia was the first to exclaim, "The ceiling is so high!"
She looked up at the chandelier hanging overhead. Its branches were all outlined with gold threads, and the bulbs were shaped like white jade, exuding an air of luxury and elegance.
Lin Zhixia clasped her hands behind her back and hesitantly stepped onto a floor tile.
The tile and the coffee table in the center of the main hall were seamlessly integrated, both carved from solid white marble with exquisite craftsmanship. Black sofas sat quietly around the table, so pristine they seemed untouched by the mundane world.
Lin Zhixia couldn’t help but walk toward the coffee table. On it sat an enamel-colored vase holding a bouquet of vibrant roses. She reached out and gently touched a petal.
"My family has a rose garden," Jiang Yubai said to her. "If you like roses, you can pick a couple."
Lin Zhixia shook her head. "I’m not studying botany at the moment."
Jiang Yubai slipped his left hand into his pocket, silently marveling at how Lin Zhixia truly lived up to being his rival.
To the southeast of the main hall, two housekeepers were still cleaning. Both around forty years old and dressed in uniform, they were carefully polishing a marble statue with soft cloths.
It was a three-meter-tall statue of Plutus—the Greek god of knowledge and wealth—so lifelike it seemed to breathe as it stood quietly beside the staircase railing.
All the children were stunned.
Except Jiang Yubai.
Having grown up in this environment, he was long accustomed to it. He led his five guests to his home theater.
Dong Sunqi, as the class monitor of Grade 4 (1), prided himself on being well-traveled. But Jiang Yubai’s family wealth surpassed all his imagination. He gasped, "Jiang Yubai! You even have a home theater?"
Jiang Yubai didn’t respond.
Dong Sunqi grabbed Nie Tianqing’s hand. "Nie, tell me, how much would it cost to build a house like this?"
Nie Tianqing replied, "A few hundred million, probably."
Stepping through the theater’s entrance, he chuckled. "This home theater alone is bigger than my entire family’s living space."
Nie Tianqing was the only one among them still carrying a backpack. He didn’t look like a guest—more like he was here for school. Compared to the other four, he was noticeably more reserved and rigid. He sat upright on the theater sofa with Dong Sunqi, waiting for the movie to start.
At that moment, Jiang Yubai opened a temperature-controlled fridge and took out a glass bowl filled with plump, bright red strawberries. Carefully carrying the bowl, he placed it in front of Lin Zhixia.
Lin Zhixia, seated, looked up at him in surprise.
Casually, he said, "No need to thank me. I just happened to buy strawberries yesterday."
Lin Zhixia picked one up, took a bite, and smiled, her eyes curving. "So sweet."
She asked, "Have you tried them too?"
Jiang Yubai paused, then answered, "I tasted one when I first bought them..."
"Thank you," Lin Zhixia said, her clear gaze seeming to pierce his soul. "Thank you for knowing I love strawberries, for preparing them specially for my visit, for tasting them beforehand. You even washed them and put them in the fridge. You’re truly my best friend."
Jiang Yubai’s breath hitched.
Yes, Lin Zhixia was smart—unnaturally so. He had always known that.
The screen ahead flickered to life, and familiar music filled the room. The movie Jiang Yubai had chosen for them was Doraemon: Nobita in the Wan-Nyan Spacetime Odyssey .
The reason he had picked Doraemon out of all possible anime characters was simple: Lin Zhixia’s backpack and pencil case were both Doraemon-themed. To defeat an opponent, one must first understand them.
As the movie began, Jiang Yubai glanced at Lin Zhixia. Sure enough, her eyes sparkled with fascination.
Jiang Yubai relaxed.
The opening theme of Doraemon played, and Lin Zhixia softly sang along: "Konna koto ii na dekita ra ii na, anna yume konna yume..."
She sang and smiled.
Gan Shuli, sitting beside her, asked, "Do you speak Japanese?"
Lin Zhixia replied, "Nihongo ga motto umaku naritai."
Gan Shuli looked confused. "What does that mean?"
Lin Zhixia translated, "I hope my Japanese gets better."
"How old were you when you started learning?"
"Last year."
"How many languages do you speak?"
"Four, for now."
Gan Shuli was astonished. "You’re amazing!"
"No, I’m not amazing at all. It’s nothing worth mentioning," Lin Zhixia insisted. "Languages are just tools and bridges. For example, French theoretical mathematics is very advanced, so some mathematicians learn French to read French papers. Have you heard of natural language processing algorithms? Like NLP. The best scientists in this field usually know multiple languages. I’m trying to catch up to them. They master languages to advance the world, reduce cultural barriers, and make it so most people on Earth don’t have to struggle with foreign languages."
Gan Shuli was skeptical. "Are you... self-studying at home?"
"Yep," Lin Zhixia admitted honestly. "Self-study is the fastest way to learn."
By then, Jiang Yubai had returned to his seat.
He focused on the screen, thoroughly enjoying the movie. But Ding Yan whispered in his ear, "Jiang Yubai, you only gave Lin Zhixia strawberries?"
Jiang Yubai said, "There’s other fruit in the fridge. If you want some, go get it yourself."
Ding Yan was shocked. "You’re treating Lin Zhixia so well... personally serving her fruit. Do you really want to defeat her?"
"Shh," Jiang Yubai raised a finger to his lips. "No talking during the movie."
Ding Yan warned him, "Jiang Yubai, don’t forget your original goal."
Jiang Yubai stretched. "I haven’t forgotten. There are things I want to protect too."
Ding Yan asked, "Like what?"
Jiang Yubai couldn’t answer. He leaned back into the soft, spacious seat. In the enclosed, dim theater, only the screen emitted a gentle glow.
Jiang Yubai knew that in the movie, Doraemon and Nobita would inevitably triumph in the end, Gian would waver between good and evil, Shizuka would stand up for others, and even timid Suneo would show bravery. Years from now, the audience would grow up, but the anime characters would remain forever unchanged.
He suddenly remembered a question Lin Zhixia had once asked him:
Do you think consciousness and time can measure this world?
Can consciousness?
Can time?
By what standard should this world be measured?
Jiang Yubai fell into thought. He even felt that, at this very moment, Lin Zhixia might share a similar sentiment—what she often called "quantum entanglement."
He turned to look at her again.
Lin Zhixia was hugging Gan Shuli’s shoulders excitedly. "A kitten... Shizuka found a kitten!"
Gan Shuli said, "The kitten is so cute."
Lin Zhixia declared, "Keep it! Nobita should keep it!"
Jiang Yubai was slightly surprised to see Lin Zhixia acting so much like a typical fourth-grade girl. He turned his attention back to the movie.
Time flew by as they watched.
After the screening, Jiang Yubai invited everyone to stay for lunch.
His home had several dining rooms. One was located inside the rose garden—a hexagonal building with floor-to-ceiling windows on all sides. The light brown wooden floors were adorned with decorations inspired by "vegetation and flower satin."
All the tableware on the long dining table, as well as the cushions on the seventeen chairs, featured the same pattern: dark green leaves as the base, accented with deep red roses.
"Wow," Ding Yan marveled. "It’s like a European palace."
He pulled out a chair to sit but caught sight of Jiang Yubai’s mom out of the corner of his eye.
Jiang Yubai’s mother was home today, making her one of the hosts.
Flustered, Ding Yan straightened up and blurted, "Hello, sis—uh, ma’am!"
Jiang Yubai introduced, "This is my mom."
Ding Yan stammered, "You... you look so young." (In his mind: Is she really your mom? )
Upon closer inspection, Jiang Yubai and his mother did share some resemblance—or perhaps they were just both exceptionally good-looking.
As everyone took their seats, Jiang Yubai’s mother sat at the head of the table. The butler placed menu cards designed like letters in front of each guest.
Ding Yan, Gan Shuli, Dong Sunqi, and the others grew nervous—they had never experienced such grandeur. Only Lin Zhixia picked up the menu and cheerfully read aloud, "Matsutake mushroom soup, beef salad, fish maw with halibut, mango sago... So lavish! Thank you for hosting us."
Jiang Yubai’s mother asked her, "Are you Jiang Yubai’s deskmate?"
"Yes!" Lin Zhixia explained. "All of us sit near Jiang Yubai."
His mother smiled. "How nice, surrounded by friends. What games do you usually play at school?"
Before Lin Zhixia could answer, Jiang Yubai cut in, "Same as what I played in Singapore. Chess, military chess..."
Lin Zhixia hesitated.
To her knowledge, Jiang Yubai never played chess at school. He preferred rushing to the playground during breaks to swing on the horizontal bars like an overexcited kid. Why was he crafting this persona in front of his mom?
Regardless, no one called him out at the table.
Everyone ate quietly.
Partly because they were young and inexperienced, with little to say. Partly because the meal was so impressive they couldn’t bear to put their chopsticks down.
Jiang Yubai’s mother, however, was great with kids. She chatted with everyone, making sure no one felt left out. But when she spoke to Nie Tianqing, his spoon slipped into his soup bowl, splashing hot broth onto the table.
"Be careful while eating. Don’t burn yourself," she reminded him gently.
The butler replaced Nie Tianqing’s tableware.
Nie Tianqing thanked her repeatedly, then kept his head down for the rest of the meal.
After lunch, though hesitant, Jiang Yubai took his classmates to his playroom.
Pushing open the double doors, they were met with a dazzling sight.
The spacious room had deep blue carpeting, walls covered in spaceship murals, and four spherical chandeliers hanging from the ceiling—representing the sun, moon, Venus, and Mars.
Scattered throughout were forts, slides, suspended tunnels, ball pits, plastic castles, and indoor ziplines—it was like a Star Wars theme park!
"My god!" Ding Yan exclaimed. "You could charge admission for this! Ten yuan a ticket, Jiang Yubai, you’d make a fortune!"
Dong Sunqi added, "Jiang Yubai, the ‘Kids’ Paradise’ in the Walmart on South East Street isn’t half as fun as this!"
Jiang Yubai calmly closed the door. At first, he felt a little embarrassed. When he was six and moved to Singapore, this playroom was what he missed most.
Now, at nine, was it childish to want to play here with his classmates?
Before he could speak, Lin Zhixia dove headfirst into the ball pit.
She giggled, sending balls flying everywhere, and announced, "There are six of us! Let’s split into two teams—Team A and Team B!"
Even Nie Tianqing, along with everyone else, eagerly agreed.
Lin Zhixia had initially thought the 13-year-old Nie Tianqing might not want to play with a bunch of younger kids. But then she realized—13 was still young! Besides, what boy didn’t love Star Wars ?
She laid out the rules: "Okay! I declare Team A’s base is the castle, and Team B’s is the fort! At the start, Team A gets 40 red balls, Team B gets 40 green balls, placed in their respective bases. Then, players from each team sneak into the enemy base to steal balls—maximum two at a time. Same for defending your own balls—you can only carry two at once."
"What counts as losing?" Jiang Yubai asked.
Lin Zhixia continued, "If two opposing players meet, they play rock-paper-scissors. The loser gets ‘frozen’—stuck in place for three minutes. The game lasts three hours. After that, we count the balls in each team’s base—one point per ball. Highest score wins."
Jiang Yubai added, "If someone falls into the ball pit..."
"They get frozen too," Lin Zhixia finished quickly.
Jiang Yubai was eager. "Great! Let’s start!"
The six drew lots to divide into teams—Lin Zhixia, Jiang Yubai, and Dong Sunqi formed Team A, while Gan Shuli, Ding Yan, and Nie Tianqing were Team B.
Lin Zhixia designated central zones for both teams, where balls had to be placed to count.
Then, she shouted, "Game on!" and everyone scattered.
Jiang Yubai was ready to shine. Starting from the castle, he sneaked through a tunnel into the fort, stole two balls, and stuffed them into his pockets. Ding Yan immediately chased after him like a madman.
Jiang Yubai, agile as ever, grabbed a hanging ring and ziplined to the ground.
Ding Yan sprinted after him. "Jiang Yubai, stop! Give them back!"
Jiang Yubai taunted, "Not only will I not return them, I’ll steal all your balls."
Furious but helpless, Ding Yan got lost in the tunnels.
Jiang Yubai triumphantly returned to Team A’s base and deposited the stolen balls. This is too easy , he thought.
But pride comes before a fall. A few steps later, he stumbled into the ball pit.
He had to freeze himself for three minutes.
Just then, Nie Tianqing descended from a slide.
Nie Tianqing only took two balls at a time—but he scattered all of Team A’s balls across the castle.
In other words, he turned their neatly organized base into chaos.
Jiang Yubai was stunned. He called over Dong Sunqi, who, burning with rage, retaliated by doing the same to Team B’s balls.
The battlefield was in shambles. Jiang Yubai summoned Lin Zhixia. "Use your 174 IQ to fix this."
"Fix what?" Lin Zhixia asked, puzzled.
Jiang Yubai pointed at the mess. "The balls are everywhere. There are over two hours left. Don’t you want to win?"
"I’m not afraid of losing," Lin Zhixia said. "Games are about fun. I’ve never cared about winning. But since you want to win this time, so do I. Let’s use Dijkstra’s and Floyd’s shortest path algorithms... We’ll definitely be faster."
Jiang Yubai hesitated. "I don’t have a pen or paper."
"You have me," Lin Zhixia said firmly, locking eyes with him. "I’m really fast at mental math!"
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