Genius Club

Yu Xi adjusted her oversized sunglasses, turning her head from the passenger seat. She had been staring at the right-side mirror for what felt like hours. Even with her enhanced vision, her eyes were getting tired.

“Isn’t Elon Musk coming?” she asked, her voice tinged with worry. “It’s already 11 a.m., and he’s an hour late. He said he’d be here by 10.”

Keeping his eyes on the left-side mirror, Lin Xian replied calmly, “What would be the point of him tricking us now? We don’t have any leverage. If you said that time-space assassin had entered Donghai City to hunt us down, it might make sense. But you’ve checked several times, and she hasn’t entered the city yet, right?”

Yu Xi nodded, her gaze fixed on the mirror again. “Yes, I can sense that the assassin hasn’t entered Donghai City. In fact, she’s moving further away, heading toward the northern seas.”

“Maybe she’s frustrated that she can’t find a way in here and is trying her luck elsewhere. For now, we’re safe. We don’t have to worry about the assassin showing up suddenly.”

Lin Xian thought carefully. The country’s National Security Bureau, led by Director Liu An, had set up a tight security net around Donghai City. That’s probably why the assassin couldn’t get in. But if she tried to enter through another city up north, where security might not be as tight, she could succeed. No security is perfect, and with the length of X Country’s coastline and the assassin’s extraordinary abilities, it’s only a matter of time before she finds a way in. Fortunately, Yu Xi could sense the assassin’s movements and warn him if she got close.

“So,” Lin Xian continued, “since we’ve ruled out the possibility of the assassin coming after me, there’s no reason for Elon Musk to deceive us. Besides, the whole world knows he’s supposed to visit Zheng Xiang Yue and give her that ticket today. It would look terrible if he didn’t show up.”

“Also, this trip isn’t just about him; he’s accompanied by important officials from Donghai City. Elon Musk’s Tesla super factory here is heavily backed by the city’s government. He wouldn’t dare offend them by skipping their plans, right? That would risk his relationship with them and cause unnecessary trouble.”

“Unless…” Lin Xian paused, considering a different possibility. “Unless something really important came up, something that made Elon Musk willing to deceive the entire world, even risking the anger of Donghai City’s officials. If that’s the case, then his move would be brilliant. Everyone thinks he wouldn’t dare skip the hospital visit, but if he does, it would catch everyone off guard.”

“But I still think he’ll come. After all, Zheng Xiang Yue has a congenital heart condition. Elon Musk promised her a ticket to the moon. Being late is one thing, but if he doesn’t show up at all, it could be disastrous. He can’t let down a poor little girl like her, can he? If she gets too upset and has a heart attack, that could stir up a massive public outcry. People have a soft spot for kids, and Elon Musk wouldn’t want to break that trust. Let me check his Twitter; he might have updated his status.”

Meanwhile, at the Tesla super factory in the Lingang New Area of Donghai City, a black convoy pulled into the compound, heading toward the building where Angelica had previously stayed. Inside a luxurious SUV, Angelica, her female secretary, Elon Musk, and a small refrigerator sat quietly, each in their own seat, not bothering one another.

Angelica noticed Elon Musk furiously typing on his phone, the sound of his fingers tapping away filling the silence.

“What are you doing?” she asked. “You’ve been typing for a while. Writing a paper?”

“No, I’m arguing with people online,” Elon Musk replied, his focus still on the screen. “They’re all saying I’m a fraud for not visiting Zheng Xiang Yue on time.”

Angelica scoffed, “Well, you were late.”

“To fool Copernicus, you have to fool everyone else first,” Elon Musk finally looked up, ending his online battle. “No one knew about my change of plans, not even my secretary.”

The female secretary, sitting behind them, pushed her red-rimmed glasses up her nose and nodded. “You better come up with a good explanation for the high-ranking officials of Donghai City. Being late to see Zheng Xiang Yue is one thing, but keeping those officials waiting without a word, that’s a whole different level of disrespect. It’s going to make my job a lot harder.”

“I never thought you’d have the guts to ditch an official meeting like that,” she added with a sigh.

Elon Musk smiled helplessly and spread his hands. “It couldn’t be helped. I’ll apologize later. But if I hadn’t fooled everyone, how could I have fooled Copernicus?”

He leaned back, his expression serious. “Copernicus acted today because he was sure I wouldn’t skip the meeting with the Donghai officials. The whole world knows my Tesla revival was made possible because of Donghai City’s support. If they hadn’t helped build this super factory, Tesla would’ve gone bankrupt long ago. And no matter how many times I think about it, it still amazes me.”

“You know what X Country speed is? This super factory was built in just 11 months, from breaking ground to delivering the first car. Eleven months! That’s a miracle only X Country could pull off.”

“Copernicus knew I wouldn’t skip the meeting, so he felt safe making his move to steal my little fridge. That’s why I set this trap, doing exactly the opposite of what he expected. And now that I know his target was the time-space particles, I can figure out a lot of other things.”

He turned to Angelica, “Tonight, I’ll take you to see Lin Xian, but until then, don’t contact him. I still have some concerns and need to confirm a few things. If you contact him now and our plan gets exposed, all our efforts will be wasted.”

“Trust me, if you really want to help Lin Xian, a few more hours won’t make a difference. We need to let Copernicus think his plan is working, that he’s about to succeed. Only then can we catch him off guard and save Lin Xian.”

“I’ll be honest with you, that blue-eyed girl chasing Lin Xian did leave from my place, but I never ordered her to kill him. I suspect someone else is controlling her. We need to find out who’s behind all this and take them down. That’s the final piece of the puzzle for Lin Xian—and for us.”

In the parking lot outside the inpatient department of Donghai University’s affiliated hospital, Lin Xian refreshed his Twitter feed. A new post from Elon Musk popped up.

“Elon Musk just updated his Twitter,” Lin Xian said, holding his phone out for Yu Xi to see.

In the post, Elon Musk apologized for being late to see Zheng Xiang Yue, explaining that there had been an accident at the factory. He claimed he had to return to personally oversee the situation because safety comes first. Luckily, it was just a mechanical issue with no injuries. He was now back on his way to meet the officials and then head to the hospital.

Lin Xian put his phone away, turning to Yu Xi, “He’s coming. He’ll be here in less than an hour. We should get ready.”

An hour later, a long convoy entered the hospital grounds. Elon Musk and an official from Donghai City stepped out of a luxury car, heading straight into the inpatient department.

For Zheng Xiang Yue’s health and to avoid unnecessary disruptions, no media or outsiders were allowed on this visit.

“Yu Xi, let’s go,” Lin Xian said, opening the car door.

“I think I’ll stay here,” Yu Xi replied from the passenger seat. “Elon Musk probably knows about me. That time-space assassin must have told him I’m protecting you.”

“If I go with you now, it might make Elon Musk suspicious. And if the assassin didn’t tell him, it’s better if I stay hidden. That way, we still have a hidden card to play. No need to show all our cards to Elon Musk.”

Lin Xian thought about it and agreed. Whether or not Elon Musk knew about Yu Xi, it was better to keep her hidden.

As Yu Xi said, she wouldn’t be much help in the negotiation, and the assassin was still far away. There was no need for her to appear.

But then he remembered what Yellow Finch had told him…

“Don’t leave Yu Xi.”

Yellow Finch often complained that Lin Xian didn’t take her advice seriously. But in Yu Xi’s case, he had been very careful, never letting the distance between them exceed 10 meters, almost like they were chained together.

“Don’t worry, Lin Xian,” Yu Xi reassured him, sensing his hesitation. “I’ll keep track of the assassin’s location. If anything happens, I’ll be on the 17th floor with you in a flash. The assassin is still far away, and it’ll take her a while to get here.”

“Besides, Elon Musk’s team didn’t block off the inpatient building, but they’re definitely on alert. If they notice me, it could cause unnecessary trouble. You don’t need me for the negotiation, so I’ll just wait here. Better to avoid any complications.”

Lin Xian weighed his options. “But staying in the car is too far from me. I won’t be comfortable. Come with me and wait by the stairs on the 17th floor. Elon Musk won’t see you there, and you’ll be close enough to step in if something happens.”

On the 17th floor of Donghai University’s affiliated hospital, outside Zheng Xiang Yue’s room, a nurse knocked on the half-open door and smiled at the girl inside. “Xiang Yue, look who’s here to see you!”

Zheng Xiang Yue, sitting up in bed, looked up, blinking in surprise. Seeing the tall foreign man walking in, she sat up straighter. “E-Elon Musk?!”

Elon Musk smiled, waving as he slowly walked over and pulled up a chair next to her bed. “Hello, Xiang Yue. It’s been a while since we last talked on the phone. But you didn’t believe me then, did you? You thought it was a joke.”

“Is it really true?” Zheng Xiang Yue’s eyes widened in disbelief, her excitement barely contained. “Do I really have a ticket to the moon?”

Actually, she had known about this for a while. The day after Elon Musk’s moon travel press conference, a nurse had told her the good news. But everyone whispered that it was just a kind lie. After all, a ticket to the moon costs $12 million! Who would give such an expensive gift to Zheng Xiang Yue?

No, $12 million can’t just be called expensive—it’s an astronomical sum, an almost impossible number.

Zheng Xiang Yue didn’t have any wealthy relatives; her only brother had died in a car accident. She was just a poor orphan, though her medical account had a decent amount of money, and both MX and Rhine companies were covering her future medical expenses, including the hibernation pod costs. But that money was still far from $12 million.

So, everyone assumed that the ticket was fake, just a kind lie. The money was one issue, but more importantly, Zheng Xiang Yue’s body wasn’t strong enough to handle the moon trip. It was uncertain if she could even survive that long. And even if she could, how could her weak heart and fragile body endure the rocket launch’s g-forces and the vacuum of space?

This was a harsh reality—Zheng Xiang Yue simply wasn’t physically capable of going on a moon trip.

Zheng Xiang Yue was a sensible child. She overheard the adults’ conversations and understood the truth. Maybe her moon ticket was fake after all. $12 million—that’s nearly a billion X Country dollars, more money than her brother could earn in several lifetimes. Without that kind of money, how could she buy a ticket?

She didn’t fully understand the rocket’s g-force problem, but after watching a lot of science videos, she grasped the basics. She knew she couldn’t handle it. After all, her real dream was to be buried on the moon after she died, not to stand on it while still alive.

With these conflicting thoughts, Zheng Xiang Yue passed each day. Everyone who met her smiled kindly, encouraging her to stay strong, fight her illness, and one day travel to the moon.

So she smiled back, accepting their encouragement without letting them down.

She had received a phone call from someone claiming to be SpaceX’s CEO, Elon Musk. He congratulated her on getting the ticket and confirmed that she was indeed eligible for the moon trip. Zheng Xiang Yue had just happily thanked him. She didn’t fully believe it. Maybe it was still a kind lie, something everyone had made up to keep her spirits high… How could she disappoint them?

Days turned into weeks, and the talk of the moon trip faded. The plan seemed distant, almost forgotten. Zheng Xiang Yue continued her treatment, waiting for a suitable heart, and each night, she would hold her brother’s ashes, sitting on the balcony, gazing at the moonlight that bathed the earth, looking at that distant, unreachable star 380,000 kilometers away.

But today, SpaceX’s CEO Elon Musk was really here in her room!

“Yes,” Elon Musk smiled, pulling out the moon ticket from his suit pocket and handing it to Zheng Xiang Yue. “Xiang Yue, that call was real, and so is this ticket.”

“But… $12 million…” Zheng Xiang Yue stammered, her hands trembling as she took the ticket.

Elon Musk chuckled. “It’s already been paid for.”

He reassured her, “Although revealing this might ruin someone’s surprise, I don’t want such a sweet girl to doubt the ticket’s authenticity. So, I’ll tell you the truth.”

“Xiang Yue, this moon ticket was a gift from Lin Xian. He paid for it with an anonymous check for exactly $12 million. Do you know Lin Xian?”

Zheng Xiang Yue nodded eagerly, “Of course, I know him! Brother Lin Xian! He even celebrated my birthday with me last year!”

She shifted, pulling out a giant Rhine Cat plush from behind her and grinning. “Look! This is the birthday gift Lin Xian-gege gave me! He said it’s a super limited edition—only two in the whole world!”

“Wow, that’s amazing,” Elon Musk clapped along, impressed. “Yes, that same Lin Xian gave you the ticket. Does he visit you often?”

Zheng Xiang Yue bit her lip and shook her head softly, “It’s been a long time since he last came… The last time he was here, he took Xu Yi Yi to the Science Institute and put her in a hibernation pod. He hasn’t come since…”

Xu Yi Yi? Elon Musk immediately recognized the name. She was Professor Xu Yun’s comatose daughter. Two years ago, Professor Xu Yun had shocked the world by announcing the hibernation pod’s filling solution, and Elon Musk had seen the news everywhere.

He didn’t need to guess—Copernicus was definitely behind Professor Xu Yun’s death. The signs were too obvious. So Xu Yi Yi had been sharing a room with Zheng Xiang Yue all this time…

Elon Musk looked back at Zheng Xiang Yue, continuing, “Xiang Yue, delivering this moon ticket was the first thing on my agenda today. The second is a promise I want to make to you… and it also involves the hibernation pod.”

“Personally, I think it would be best if you used the hibernation pod as soon as the technology is ready. Sleep through to a future where congenital heart disease can be cured. Then, when you’re fully healthy, you can take that moon trip.”

“I guarantee that this moon ticket will never expire. Whenever you wake up, whenever you’re ready for the trip, I and my company will send you there, no matter what. Even if you’re the only passenger, the flight will still launch, and we’ll get you to the moon safely.”

Zheng Xiang Yue took a deep breath, her eyes wide with disbelief. “Really? Is that true?”

She had always worried about this, so when Lin Xian-gege asked her if she wanted to join Xu Yi Yi in hibernation, she had refused. If this ticket was truly valid forever… she wouldn’t mind waiting, getting healthy first, and then going on the moon trip.

“It’s true! Absolutely true!” Elon Musk smiled, pulling out his phone. “How about we take a photo together? I’ll post it on Twitter to respond to those doubters and make sure our promise is recorded online, so it lasts forever.”

He turned on the front camera and took a selfie with the beaming Zheng Xiang Yue and her moon ticket. Then, he wrote down his promise and posted it online.

“There, it’s done. Xiang Yue, the whole world now knows you have a moon ticket that will never expire. So focus on getting better first. Whether it’s decades later or even centuries, even if you lose the ticket, it doesn’t matter. Elon Musk and SpaceX will always owe Zheng Xiang Yue a trip to the moon, ready to make it happen anytime!”

He put away his phone, glancing toward the door.

It seemed like the person he had been waiting for still hadn’t arrived. Was Lin Xian taking too long? I’ve already been late for hours, and you still haven’t shown up? Since you’re still not here, I guess I’ll chat a bit longer.

Elon Musk turned back to Zheng Xiang Yue, asking, “So, Xiang Yue, why do you want to go to the moon so badly? What do you want to do up there?”

“I want to bury my brother on the moon,” Zheng Xiang Yue replied with a smile, her words carrying a deep meaning.

“Your brother?” Elon Musk tilted his head in confusion.

Zheng Xiang Yue pointed to the urn on the bedside table. “Yes, that’s my brother.”

Elon Musk saw the urn and immediately understood, clasping his hands together in respect. “Oh, I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Actually…” Zheng Xiang Yue continued, placing the moon ticket on the urn and gazing at her brother’s black-and-white photo, speaking softly, “My original wish was for my brother to bury me on the moon. My brother always told me that after our parents passed away, their souls went to the moon, watching over us from there. So I wanted to be buried on the moon after I died, so I could reunite with them.”

“I mentioned this wish to my brother many times, but he never agreed. He said he wouldn’t let me die and would find a way to cure me… I never thought that such a strong, brave brother would die before me.”

“Since my brother is gone, I’ll have to bury his ashes on the moon. If I can’t come back, I’ll be buried with him, and we’ll be a family again with our parents on the moon. If I do return to Earth, I’ll look at the moon every night, knowing that my parents and brother are watching over me from there.”

Listening to her, Elon Musk felt a lump in his throat. He rubbed his nose with his left hand and scratched his stubbly chin, feeling a pang of sadness. He realized that Zheng Xiang Yue’s life was filled with kind lies, each one shielding her from the harshness of the world and allowing her to chase her dream of the moon with a smile.

“And you, Uncle Elon Musk?” Zheng Xiang Yue suddenly turned her clear, innocent eyes to the silent man in front of her. “I’ve looked up a lot of information about you because of your moon project. I didn’t understand most of it… but I know you’re a great man. You’re sending people to space for tourism and planning to send them to live on Mars.”

“So why do you want to go to the moon? Do you have someone you want to see there? What do you plan to do once you get there?”

Elon Musk rubbed his chin, thinking. “I haven’t really thought about it in detail because, honestly, landing on the moon isn’t an easy thing, and it’s not something that can be done quickly.”

“The moon is too close to Earth, with a temperature difference of over 300 degrees between day and night and a rotation period of a month. It doesn’t have much value for development, far less than Mars. So humanity probably won’t establish a base on the moon.”

“But, to be honest, I do have a crazy idea. I’ve always thought the moon is a natural ‘billboard.’ Think about it… because of tidal locking, the moon’s rotation period and orbital period are perfectly synchronized.”

“This means the moon always faces Earth with the same side, and people on Earth never see the far side. Plus, the moon reflects sunlight, making it the brightest object in the night sky…”

“Doesn’t that make it the perfect celestial billboard? If I put a logo on the moon, wouldn’t people all over the world see my company’s logo every time they look up at the sky?”

“My original plan was to use reflective materials to create a giant letter, stretching from the North Pole to the South Pole. It could be a ‘T’ or an ‘X,’ representing my company’s logo… What do you think, Xiang Yue? Doesn’t that sound cool?”

Zheng Xiang Yue’s eyes widened in shock, and she quickly shook her head. “Uncle Elon Musk, how could you do that? The moon is so beautiful and pure… How could you write on it?”

“Huh?” Elon Musk laughed. “Don’t you think it’s cool?”

“It’s not cool at all… It’s actually really scary!” Zheng Xiang Yue frowned, her face full of concern. “If the moon looked like that, I think a lot of people would be too scared to look up at the sky anymore. Since my parents are on the moon, there must be many others who have loved ones up there too, right?”

“When we miss them, we can look up at the moon, and when they miss us, they can look down at the Earth… But if your big black logo blocks our view, we… we won’t be able to see each other anymore.”

Zheng Xiang Yue’s innocent words left Elon Musk momentarily speechless. He had never considered such a sentimental perspective. Even when people complained about his Starlink satellites polluting the night sky, he had dismissed it, thinking that a few more twinkling lights wouldn’t hurt anyone.

But Zheng Xiang Yue’s words made him realize there was more to consider.

“Uncle Elon Musk…” Zheng Xiang Yue shifted closer, her small hands gently holding Elon Musk’s large one. “Please…”

Her eyes were clear and pure as she looked into his. “Please let the moon stay just as it is… Can you promise me that?”

Elon Musk looked into the girl’s eyes and saw the medical wires and monitoring patches stuck to her neck. He chuckled lightly and shrugged. “How could you take my joke seriously?”

He smiled, trying to ease the mood. “It was just a joke! Don’t worry, Xiang Yue, the moon will always stay clean and clear, just like your eyes.”

He glanced toward the door. Finally… he saw the young man he had been waiting for.

Elon Musk stood up, waving goodbye to Zheng Xiang Yue. “Goodbye, Xiang Yue. Take good care of yourself.”

“I believe one day we will meet on the moon!”