Genius Club

This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation

Boom—

The roaring Harley motorcycle sped across Coney Island, heading towards northern Brooklyn.

Lin Xian rode into the night breeze, dressed in a black suit that made him look like he was part of a gang. He wore a wool felt hat and dark sunglasses, his long coat tails flying wildly on either side of the bike. It was like a scene straight out of “Terminator,” as if they were in the middle of a Hollywood blockbuster.

After being bullied by so many “Terminators” in the past, Lin Xian was finally the one becoming the “Terminator.”

Behind him, the petite CC sat on the back seat, her hands resting on Lin Xian’s shoulders as she watched the scenery flash by. Her long, wavy, dark brown hair streamed behind her, exposing her smooth, fair forehead. Her ponytail, tied with a band, bounced in the wind like a spring.

Who would have thought…

She was really heading to Manhattan. Her biggest dream in life was about to come true, just like that. And all of this—this amazing twist of fate—was thanks to the mysterious yet wonderful man in front of her.

She looked away from the night scenery and turned her gaze forward, staring at his broad, sturdy back. Her right hand slipped down from his shoulder, resting against his back over the soft, woolen fabric of his coat. Even though the cold wind blew against them, even though the night was freezing, she could feel Lin Xian’s warmth beneath her palm—a warmth that reached her heart.

She lowered her head. Nestled between them was a small silver suitcase, packed full of cash. The case wasn’t big, about the size of two books. But inside—there was a lot of money. Bundles of crisp hundred-dollar bills, easily over ten stacks. Tens of thousands of dollars…

CC could hardly imagine what such an amount even meant. She lifted her head again.

“Huh?”

She blinked, leaning closer to Lin Xian’s ear and shouted over the roaring engine, “Lin Xian! I think you’re going the wrong way!”

The motorcycle was speeding, and the engine was loud, so she had to shout for him to hear.

“To get to Manhattan, we need to go left, not this way!”

Lin Xian turned his head and shouted back, “Before we go to Manhattan, shouldn’t we prepare a little? After all, this is your biggest dream coming true—we need to make it special, it can’t be just a casual thing.”

He smiled slightly. “Remember what you told me at the pier outside the church? You said the people in Manhattan wouldn’t wear clothes like ours—that the men were always in suits and the women were always glamorous.”

“So before we cross into Manhattan, we need to get dressed up too. After all, we’re rich now—we need to look the part.”

“I think my outfit is fancy enough, even if I don’t know the brand of this hat and coat. It’s probably a luxury brand, and I really like the style.”

“But you’re still wearing your old wanderer’s clothes. I want to get you something new, so we can ride across the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan looking our best. Didn’t you always say you wanted a light, lacy, fluffy, beautiful white dress? Well, we’re going to head to the shopping district in the wealthy area—”

“[And get you the prettiest white dress in all of Brooklyn!]”

…

CC listened, holding her breath.

“You… you remembered even such a small thing,” she whispered in disbelief. “How do you remember every word I say so clearly…?”

“Huh?”

Lin Xian couldn’t hear her over the engine and wind and shouted back, “What did you say just now? The wind’s too loud, I can’t hear!”

CC shook her head. “Nothing… I didn’t say anything.”

She closed her eyes, hugging Lin Xian’s waist tightly and pressing her face against his back to shield herself from the biting wind.

“I just meant… the weather’s getting colder. Is it going to snow soon?”

…

They entered the commercial district, and Lin Xian slowed the bike, scanning the shops along the road.

But—

“Why is everything closed?” he muttered, frowning at the darkened storefronts, almost all of them shut tight. “Isn’t it too early for everything to be closed? This should be the prime time for business.”

“Brooklyn’s a rough place,” CC said, leaning forward now that the bike had slowed down. She no longer needed to cling to him just to stay balanced. “Even in the rich areas, there are still robberies, so the shops close early.”

Lin Xian drove through several more streets. All the clothing stores were shut, not a single one open for business.

It was a little awkward.

They could easily break the windows and take what they wanted—maybe even leave some extra cash to compensate the shop owner. But that would probably bring trouble.

With his forced avoidance, Lin Xian was basically invincible, unkillable—but still. If the police or some “helpful citizens” decided to restrain him and hand him over… that would be a mess. In a foreign country, better to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Besides—

CC was a kind, simple girl. She had scolded him once for just taking a newspaper from a kid. She was full of justice and morals—could she really accept a white dress that had been stolen?

Lin Xian shook his head. It wasn’t just about CC accepting it. From his own perspective, he wanted to buy her a white dress fair and square—properly, openly—no shadows, no guilt. He didn’t want her to carry any burden, didn’t want that dress tainted in any way. He wanted her to be a true, radiant princess.

“There!” he said, relieved, as he spotted a shop window still lit up, displaying several white dresses. “That shop’s still open. Let’s check it out.”

CC nodded, also noticing the lit-up window. Even from afar, she could see the plastic mannequins wearing those glowing, fluffy white dresses.

“They’re so beautiful,” she breathed. “So elegant.”

Lin Xian twisted the throttle, speeding towards the shop’s lights. Soon, the Harley rumbled to a stop in front of the clothing store.

Lin Xian turned to look at the display window, then looked up at the sign above the door, and his eyes widened in surprise.

“Wedding… wedding dresses? It’s a bridal shop!”

He’d been puzzled before—why would a clothing store display nothing but white dresses? One dress, sure, but all of them? Now it made sense.

It was a bridal shop! Of course it was full of white dresses—wedding gowns, to be exact.

“Um…”

Lin Xian scratched his head. “Technically, are wedding dresses considered white dresses? What do you think, CC? Do you think they count as… Huh? Where did you go?”

He was about to turn to ask CC’s opinion—if she thought it didn’t count, they’d leave and keep looking for another store. But when he turned—CC was gone!

“CC?” he called, looking around. And there she was—that tiny, ragged figure, already off the bike and pressed against the store window, staring at the wedding dresses inside.

“Ha.” Lin Xian couldn’t help but laugh.

Alright then. No need to ask—the answer was clear. To CC, there was no real difference between a wedding dress and a white dress. Or maybe… maybe she even preferred the extravagant, sparkling style of a wedding gown. White, fluffy, lace-edged, and shining—a wedding dress met all her dreams of a beautiful white dress.

He reached over and turned off the motorcycle, stepping towards her.

“Do you like it?” he asked.

“Mhm!” CC nodded eagerly, her eyes glued to the gowns.

“Alright, let’s go in and pick one,” Lin Xian said, heading for the main entrance.

But suddenly—

Click.

A quiet sound, and all the lights in the shop and window display went out. A man and a woman, both wearing employee uniforms, stepped out of the store, ready to lock up.

The female employee paused, startled at the sight of Lin Xian in his black outfit. She quickly bowed, saying, “Sorry, sir. We’re closed for the day. Please come back tomorrow.”

Lin Xian smiled slightly. “We’re in a bit of a rush. Could you stay open just a little longer?”

“Stay open? No way!” the male employee snorted. “The union fought hard for our rights, for fair working hours. There’s no way I’d work overtime and ruin that. Come back tomorrow, sir. Overtime? Not happening. Not even for a second!”

Lin Xian pulled a wad of hundred-dollar bills from his coat pocket, splitting it into two stacks and pressing one into each employee’s hand.

“Perhaps… tonight could be an exception?”

Click!

The male employee moved with lightning speed, spinning around to flick on all the lights again! In an instant, the entire shop, including the window display, was brightly lit once more.

He threw the door wide open, bowing at a perfect ninety-degree angle, gesturing towards the entrance with a booming voice:

“Welcome, esteemed sir! Please come in! Take your time browsing and trying things on! We are at your service until you are completely satisfied!”

The female employee, belatedly realizing what had happened, widened her eyes and followed suit:

“W-Welcome! Please, come in!”

Lin Xian walked over to the window and took CC’s hand.

“Come on, let’s go inside. There will be even more styles to choose from, and you can pick the one you like best.”

…

Clothes truly make the person.

Once CC had taken off her ragged clothes, the female employee, now eager and excited, helped her try on one wedding dress after another. Each time, she couldn’t help but praise her:

“Oh, miss, your figure is just perfect. Every dress looks so good on you. You’re a natural for these gowns.”

Lin Xian sat in a plush chair, watching as CC tried on dress after dress. The male employee stood behind him, pouring tea, offering water, and never stopping with his compliments:

“This young lady is the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen! No exceptions!”

“And sir, you’re the most handsome, coolest, and most gentlemanly man I’ve ever met!”

“Are you getting married? Or maybe… are you here for a photoshoot? The two of you look just like models—your looks and figures are incredible!”

Lin Xian took the teacup, smiling without a word. He had just thrown away a few thousand dollars in tips, but the emotional value was worth it. CC was blushing slightly, clearly overwhelmed by the praise she’d never heard in her life.

“Do I look good?” she asked, blinking up at Lin Xian with hopeful eyes. She didn’t really care what the employees thought—she wanted to know what Lin Xian thought.

“You look great,” Lin Xian nodded, then added, “But we could also try some more refined styles.”

He wasn’t sure if it was just because of the year—1952—but these wedding dresses seemed a bit old-fashioned to him. If he were honest, he wasn’t quite satisfied yet. He wanted something more refined.

Two “Danger” signs seemed to pop up above the employees’ heads. They looked tense, clearly sensing that this young man wasn’t fully happy.

“S-Sir, don’t worry! We have many more wedding dress styles in the shop. These are just some of the more common designs… Yes, yes, I see now—how could we have made such a mistake? With this young lady’s outstanding figure and appearance, she shouldn’t be trying common designs! I’ll go prepare something else right away!”

The female employee nodded rapidly: “My mistake! I forgot to do the young lady’s makeup! Even though she’s naturally gorgeous, she still needs the right makeup and accessories to match a wedding dress. Miss, please follow me—I’ll help you freshen up and add a little makeup.”

After some fussing around—

CC timidly stepped out of the changing room again, now in the most refined white gown, her hair styled elegantly. Her face, already delicate and pretty, now glowed under the touch of makeup, like a fairy that had wandered into the mortal world.

“Do… do I look good?” she asked nervously, her voice soft as she looked to Lin Xian for reassurance.

Lin Xian looked at the girl standing before him. She reminded him of Chu An Qing, in her light blue evening gown, when they’d waltzed together at the New Year’s Eve gala of the Donghai Business Association. The same style, the same charm—only, without the self-assurance and poise that came from being a princess of Donghai.

“You look beautiful,” Lin Xian said truthfully. “Absolutely stunning.”

CC’s eyes lit up instantly, her smile turning her eyes into crescent moons. The dimples at the corners of her lips showed faintly.

“Then this one it is! I like this one best!”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The two employees both sighed in relief.

“Sir, we’ll go ahead and pack up this wedding dress.”

“No need to pack it,” Lin Xian said, standing up from his chair. He picked up his black hat from the side table and placed it back on his head.

“She’ll wear it out. CC, let’s go.”

Boom—

The roaring Harley sped along Brooklyn Avenue, the speedometer pushing past 100 mph.

Up front was Lin Xian, dressed all in black. Behind him, CC clung to his back, her white wedding gown trailing behind them. The flowing, white dress fluttered wildly in the night air like the tail of a comet—carrying hope and dreams towards the magical metropolis, the center of the world—New York, Manhattan.

Even though it was night, CC felt as if Manhattan ahead of them was shining like daylight—bright, glorious. She lifted her head from Lin Xian’s back, her eyes set on the Brooklyn Bridge ahead, her gaze fixed on Manhattan just beyond.

So close. So very close. The other side of the Brooklyn Bridge—there, soaring skyscrapers awaited in Manhattan. This wall. This barrier between Brooklyn and Manhattan. She was finally about to cross it!

The Brooklyn Bridge… It was just a bridge—

“CC! Are you ready?” Lin Xian called over his shoulder, grinning as he tightened his grip on the throttle. “We’re going to cross the Brooklyn Bridge! Once we’re across—that’s Manhattan!”

“Yes!” CC said, her lips pressed together. A thousand emotions surged within her, all words stuck in her throat, turning to tears that sparkled, scattered by the last gusts of Brooklyn’s cold wind.

She straightened up, biting her lip, her palms pressed against Lin Xian’s shoulders. And she stood, right up from her seat on the back of the motorcycle! She looked ahead at the lights drawing closer.

Memories flashed through her mind—the orphanage and its warmth. Wandering the streets of Brooklyn—the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, with its view of the city. The blanket in that old motel room. The first bite of a hot dog, its flavor filling her senses. Riding the Ferris wheel to its highest point, gazing down on a city she thought she’d never be able to escape.

“Charge!!” She screamed into the open expanse of bridge and sea. “Brooklyn!!!”

Boom boom boom boom boom!

Lin Xian twisted the throttle to its limit. The roaring Harley shot up at the start of the Brooklyn Bridge, the front wheel lifting into the air as it launched off the ground, before crashing back down onto the steel surface of the bridge and racing towards the center of the world.

The century-old steel bridge, its thousands of thick steel cables holding it above the water, couldn’t hold back the dreams of this nineteen-year-old girl.

The antenna at the top of the Empire State Building shone like a beacon, welcoming the arrival of Brooklyn’s new queen.

Drip… drip… drip…

The motorcycle roared towards the middle of the bridge. Lin Xian felt something warm dripping onto his neck. It trickled down his collar, down his chest.

He slowed the bike, glancing back. And there was CC—standing on the seat, her face streaked with tears, makeup smudged, her eyes fixed on the glowing lights of Manhattan ahead.

She was biting her lip. But her eyes—those eyes, reflecting the lights of Manhattan—were already brimming with tears, tears spilling one after another.

“I… I’m fine,” CC said, wiping her eyes. “I’m not crying.” She shook her head. “I’m really not crying.” She took a deep breath and gave Lin Xian a genuine smile, her eyes bright with joy.

“These are happy tears!”

CC lowered her head, whispering, “Lin Xian, now I believe you—you really are a magician.”

Lin Xian smiled as he steered the bike. “Riding a motorcycle doesn’t take any magic. The Brooklyn Bridge has been here for a hundred years—I didn’t make it appear.”

CC sat back down, settling on the motorcycle’s rear seat. She wrapped her arms around Lin Xian’s waist, her face pressed against his broad back, against the soft, black wool coat—warm, comfortable.

“But to me… this is magic. The most wonderful, incredible magic in the world,” she whispered, her eyes closed.

“Meeting you… is the luckiest thing in my life.”