Genius Club

Chapter 1278: Chapter 2 Can Talk (Asking for Monthly Tickets~)_3

Therefore, Lin Xian made clear his plan of action for the next month—

[To stay by CC’s side, act together with her, in order to further understand the secrets of the Millennium Stakes, uncover the essence and truth, and witness this segment of history firsthand.]

He lifted his head.

"Huh? Where did she go?"

Only to find...

The CC who was leaning against the wall just now was gone!

"Oh no, damn it."

He quickly ran toward the opposite alley, fortunately spotting CC not too far away before she disappeared at the alley entrance on the other side.

"Hey! CC!"

Lin Xian shouted and chased after her, catching up with CC in the gap between the next buildings.

"What are you doing?"

CC looked at him with annoyance:

"I’m warning you, don’t stick to me. I saved you purely out of goodwill, out of fellow countrymen helping each other, but don’t repay kindness with trouble for me."

She spread her hands:

"As you can see, I’m penniless, a homeless, jobless, and foodless wanderer; I can’t help you with anything, let’s part ways amicably."

"Just a kind reminder, don’t wander in that neighborhood anymore, it’s the territory of the black gangs, escaping once was lucky, next time when you steal something... no one will save you."

Lin Xian chuckled softly.

Putting his hands in his pockets... but realized the Otter Suit has no pockets.

So he changed his stance, looking at CC:

"I definitely will return to that street."

"Are you crazy?" CC glared at Lin Xian:

"Incomprehensible!"

"Because I want to return the money for this newspaper to that child."

Lin Xian shook the newspaper he had crumpled in his hand:

"I mean what I say, I don’t have money now, but I will find a way to earn it... even if I have to move bricks and collect rubbish, I have to pay back the newspaper money."

"Keeping one’s word is a traditional virtue in China, a man’s word cannot be chased after with four horses... well, that phrase sounds weird in English, not exactly what it means; in short, since I’ve promised to pay the newspaper, and not let that little black kid get punished, I will do it."

"That’s your own business."

CC folded her arms, speaking coldly:

"It has nothing to do with me, don’t cause trouble for me. I’ve helped you enough, I hope you appreciate it."

Lin Xian smiled, stepping forward:

"You’ve misunderstood CC, I don’t plan to bring you trouble, nor drag you down."

"It’s just... to be honest, I also just smuggled here, not familiar with Brooklyn at all."

"So, could you, out of our ties as fellow Chinese compatriots, let me tag along? Whether you take me as a subordinate or need my help with anything, two people are stronger than one."

"I’m a capable adult man, you don’t have to look after me like a child, I can handle everything myself, I definitely won’t be your burden."

"Just hoping you let me tag along, even if it’s to do a good deed to the end, guide me through the so-called rules and survival laws of Brooklyn, okay?"

He put his hands together, posing a plea:

"Please."

...

CC remained silent, looking at the Chinese man with black hair and black eyes standing before her.

Recalling her grandmother’s teachings.

When abroad, compatriots should help each other,

Maintain a warm and kind heart towards anyone,

When encountering someone in need, extend a helping hand,

Like... the welfare institution her grandmother dedicated her life to, passing on the love.

"Hmm..."

She bit her lip:

"Alright."

In the end, her inherent kindness convinced her.

"But let’s be clear first!"

She suddenly pointed her index finger at Lin Xian:

"You can temporarily follow me, but being strong and able-bodied, once you’re familiar with Brooklyn and find a way to make a living here, you must leave me! You can’t keep clinging on."

"No problem." Lin Xian nodded.

"Also, you don’t have to be my subordinate, I’m not a gangster taking in subordinates... but since you know nothing and are prone to causing trouble, you must listen to my commands on whatever you do, and avoid doing anything I disapprove of to stay out of trouble."

"Naturally, BOSS."

Lin Xian smiled and extended his hand for a friendly handshake:

"I will be absolutely obedient."

CC’s eyebrows twitched:

"Don’t call me BOSS."

"Then how should I address you?" Lin Xian asked.

"CC."

The woman didn’t shake hands with Lin Xian, instead casually giving him a high-five:

"Just call me CC."

...

For a moment.

Lin Xian felt a bit bewildered.

This scene felt familiar.

That was already 3 years ago, to be precise, 203 years ago.

At the end of 2022, he first encountered Big Face Cat and CC in a dream, getting involved in a bank robbery, and plunging into the beginning of everything.

After the first failed attempt to crack the safe, Lin Xian continued the next day to enter the dream again, forming a temporary cooperation with CC after Big Face Cat was shot again, to crack the safe combination together.

At that time, that’s how the situation was.

Lin Xian was saying "pleased to cooperate" while extending his right hand, asking how to address CC.

That was exactly what she did then, saying exactly the same words.

Right now.

Just like then.

Gurgle gurgle gurgle————

A loud hungry gurgle came from Lin Xian’s stomach, unusually loud in the quiet, narrow corridor.

"..."

"..."

The two of them exchanged glances, an inexplicable awkwardness.

Lin Xian was aware of his own embarrassment and felt helpless.

It wasn’t really his fault.

Before boarding the Time Shuttle Machine, Liu Feng and Gao Wen specifically instructed him to fast for 24 hours, and to be safe, it’s best to time travel on an empty stomach.

He was already starving when he first arrived here.

And now he bumped into this situation.

Forcing himself to parkour and run for his life consumed the little energy he had left inside.

At this moment, his stomach couldn’t help but protest.

"Uh..."

Lin Xian awkwardly scratched the back of his head:

"Sorry, can you give me a piece of bread? I’ll pay you back too."

"You!"

CC’s forehead veins popped out, clenching her teeth:

"How can you be so pushy! And didn’t I tell you eight hundred times? I have no money on me, not a single penny!"

"Then how do you usually eat?"

Lin Xian rubbed his stomach:

"The way you eat, I’ll mooch around too, I’m easy to please, as long as I can fill my stomach."

CC took several deep breaths.

Suppressing the urge to turn around and leave... she decided to hang on a little longer, after all, she had just promised this strange man she’d help him one final time, she couldn’t back out so soon.

She took a deep breath through her nose and looked up:

"Are you a Christian?"

"No."

Lin Xian shook his head:

"I’m an atheist, a materialist."

"You don’t believe in Jesus?" CC asked.

"Absolutely not."

Lin Xian answered honestly:

"Atheists don’t believe in anything, I only believe in science."

"That’s not going to work."

CC shook her head:

"Then you won’t have any food."

?

Lin Xian couldn’t wrap his head around this logic:

"Wait a minute, what’s the connection between being a Christian and having no food? Are you saying if I believe in Jesus, I’d get food now?"

"Of course."

CC raised her hand and pointed to the rising sun on the East Coastline:

"There’s a church over there at the dock, built with donations from a shipyard owner. As long as you go there in the morning for service and listen to the priest read the Bible, you’ll get a free breakfast afterward."

"In fact, many dockworkers didn’t originally believe in Jesus, but after talking and being inspired by the priest, they became devoted Christians."

"But for you... since you’re an atheist, we won’t force you, the priest said to respect everyone’s beliefs."

Saying this, CC turned around, waved her hand, and left:

"I’ll go attend service, you figure out how to fill your stomach, then come find me at the dock."

"Wait a minute!"

Slap.

Lin Xian grabbed CC’s wrist from behind.

CC turned her head:

"What?"

"What did you just say?"

CC thought for a moment:

"I said, since you’re an atheist, we won’t force you..."

"No, no, no."

Lin Xian interrupted her:

"The sentence before that."

CC tilted her head:

"The sentence before... that would be, many dockworkers, after talking and being inspired by the priest, became devoted Christians. Is there a problem?"

Lin Xian smiled slightly.

He released CC’s hand and mimicking Jesus in the "Savior" painting, stretched out his right hand, pointing his index and middle fingers upward.

"All people can be inspired."

Lin Xian’s eyes were devout and sincere:

"I can talk too, I can also believe in Jesus."