Genius Club

"Haha, Lin Xian, look!"

She slipped the golden ring onto her right index finger and waved her small hand for Lin Xian to see:

"Doesn't it look like a ring?"

Lin Xian chuckled:

"It is a ring. A ring is a ring, after all."

"Can I take it with me?" CC blinked expectantly with big eyes.

"Definitely not."

Lin Xian said:

"It's a game prop. Once the carousel stops, you have to return it to the staff. But you can ride again."

"Ah...okay."

CC grudgingly removed the ring from her index finger and held it in the palm of her left hand.

On the second ride, CC caught the golden ring again.

On the third ride, it was her again.

On the fourth ride, still her.

On the fifth ride, the chubby boy behind her cried, and CC comforted him by handing over the ring:

"Here, take it, chubby boy. It's for you."

The chubby boy took the golden ring, beaming with a wide grin:

"Thank you, sister! Here, this is for you!"

The chubby boy was quite well-mannered and handed CC a rainbow lollipop wrapped in plastic.

After this round of spinning stopped,

CC jumped off the carousel and brought the lollipop to Lin Xian:

"An unexpected gain."

"Great." Lin Xian gave a thumbs up.

"I'll share half with you."

CC held the rainbow lollipop with both hands, trying to break it in half.

Lin Xian, finding it both funny and exasperating, stopped her:

"You don't need to share everything with me."

He recalled the half hard bread pressed into the corn soup yesterday morning and half of the hot dog CC gave him this morning.

This girl, she thought of him in every way, wanting to share everything in half.

"You can eat it yourself. You haven't had a lollipop before, have you?"

"Then I won't eat it now either."

CC stuffed the rainbow lollipop into her pocket:

"Let's save it for when we both have nothing to eat."

...

Then, CC methodically enjoyed every attraction, leaving nothing out, savoring every moment.

Her eyes were like a camera, carefully capturing these moments in her memory as the happiest and most brilliant times of her life.

As the sun set and night fell, the amusement park lit up, with night activities gradually opening.

Lin Xian and CC watched a circus animal show, saw a fairy tale theater performance, and finally... arrived at the last highlight—

The Ferris Wheel.

"The journey in an amusement park usually ends with the Ferris Wheel."

Lin Xian said softly.

"Why?" CC was curious.

"I don't know either."

Lin Xian shook his head:

"It's like an unspoken rule, or maybe... it feels customary. I think it's because the Ferris Wheel is slow and gentle, making it suitable for the end?"

"And the Ferris Wheel takes you high up to overlook the entire amusement park, offering a sense of reflection and reminiscence."

"Alright."

CC nodded and exhaled through her nose:

"It really should end. We've done everything else, only the Ferris Wheel is left."

At this moment.

The amusement park's loudspeakers announced that the park would close in half an hour, with all attractions entering their final round, reminding all visitors to mind the time.

The two of them went to the Ferris Wheel.

They sat in a small cabin.

Once the staff locked the cabin door, the giant iron wheel took them away from the ground, slowly ascending.

CC pressed herself against the window, watching the lights outside.

The amusement park's colorful lights painted a vibrant picture on the ground below; gradually, as the Ferris Wheel reached its peak, they could see the highest skyline of Brooklyn, while distant, towering Manhattan... remained out of reach.

CC looked outside and softly said:

"This might be the farthest, highest place I've ever been. I've never seen such a view."

"You're still young."

Lin Xian looked at her:

"This is far from your limit. There are even farther and higher places waiting for you."

"It's really been a happy and blissful day..."

CC turned to Lin Xian:

"Thank you so much, Lin Xian. Even though we've known each other for less than two days, you've let me experience so many things I couldn't have imagined before."

She counted on her fingers:

"You took me to Brooklyn Heights to see Manhattan,

took me to the amusement park, rode the carousel and the Ferris Wheel,

even let me stay in a hotel for a comfortable sleep,

all of these are firsts for me... I'm so lucky to have so many first experiences with you."

"Oh, right, how could I forget the hot dog?"

She chuckled with two dimples faintly appearing at the corners of her mouth:

"Hot dogs are the best-tasting thing in the world! Number one!"

Lin Xian looked at CC and said nothing.

Hot dog.

Is it truly the best-tasting thing in the world?

Obviously, it's not.

There are thousands of things tastier than hot dogs.

Just that, for CC... she's only ever had hot dogs.

Her world is just that small.

In her world, hot dogs are number one, and she's convinced of it.

"Here, have some candy."

CC took out a rainbow lollipop from her pocket, snapped it in half with both hands, and handed it over:

"We don't have money for dinner, you must be hungry, right? Have some candy to hold you over."

"We ought to thank that chubby kid for swapping a golden ring for such a big lollipop, we've really hit the jackpot."

Lin Xian took half of the rainbow lollipop.

Semi-circle shaped, like the protractor commonly seen in pencil cases.

He put the candy in his mouth.

"Is it sweet?" CC asked.

Lin Xian nodded:

"Sweet."

...

The moon rose, the amusement park closed, the last of the sparse visitors trickled out the gate, and a day's play came to an end.

CC walked ahead toward the bus stop, but noticed Lin Xian hadn't followed.

"Lin Xian?"

She turned her head:

"Why are you zoning out again?"

She saw Lin Xian standing there, hands in pockets, with no intention of getting on the bus.

"Sorry, CC."

Lin Xian said:

"I'm sorry, we don't have money for the bus ride back."

"Ah?"

CC tilted her head:

"Didn't you calculate all the money beforehand?"

"I made a mistake."

Lin Xian spread his hands:

"I didn't expect hot dogs at Coney Island to cost 5 cents, so... we spent all our money, not a penny left."

"Oh, that's it."

CC was unconcerned, like a breeze:

"Then let's walk back, we can walk back to our old neighborhood."

?

Lin Xian looked at CC, surprised by her reaction:

"You're so calm."

He sincerely marveled:

"I thought you'd blame me."

"No way!"

CC scoffed:

"What are you thinking, Lin Xian... I've been spending your money all day, you bought me hot dogs, took me to the amusement park, how could I turn around and blame you? What do you take me for...?"

"Look, anyway neither of us has a home, so it doesn't matter if we go back or not. We'll walk back in that direction, find a park or a bridge to sleep under for the night... for us drifters, it doesn't matter where we sleep."

Lin Xian nodded:

"That's actually what I initially thought too, but now I've thought of a brand new [B-plan]."

CC squinted her eyes:

"B-plan? What do you plan to do?"

Lin Xian smiled slightly:

"You were right earlier, Coney Island's specialities aren't just hot dogs and amusement parks, there's also gangs!"

"Gang members have money, and most of it is not gained legally. We should mess with them, stir up some trouble, and steal some money, we're just redistributing the wealth, doing some good."

"Ah?"

CC widened her eyes, thinking she misheard:

"No, are you joking? Those are gangs! You saw this morning... gang members have guns, and at night they usually go out in groups. Messing with them is practically suicidal."

Lin Xian was undeterred:

"Guns, huh? Yeah, I should upgrade my gear."

"Lin Xian, are you crazy?" CC shouted.

"Remember what I told you this morning?"

Lin Xian interrupted CC, hands in pockets:

"I said... our tough days are over. Just a mere gang, nothing to fear? They're just our cash cows."

CC walked over, concern in her eyes as she looked at Lin Xian, tip-toed, and pressed her palm on his forehead:

"You're not running a fever, are you?"

"Haha, just wait and see if you don't believe me."

Lin Xian, full of confidence, removed CC's small hand from his forehead and looked up at the round moon in the sky:

"From now on, Brooklyn's Lin is Lin Xian's Lin. Let these Coney Island gangsters...

"Welcome their new Godfather!"