Tolerance.
Since childhood, Ke Ni had always been the obedient girl with a calm temper in the eyes of outsiders—so mild that even when facing Feng Zi’an, she maintained a respectful distance.
She had never done anything to wrong anyone.
Today, after visiting Jing Sicun’s home and reflecting on her sharply sarcastic drunken words…
After apologizing, Ke Ni finally put a troubled mind to rest.
The only thing that annoyed Ke Ni a little was:
Jing Sicun said he didn’t care, yet he stopped Ke Ni’s bow with just three words: “Don’t bow.”
Bow for what?
Did Jing Sicun really think he was the Tathagata Buddha?
This little annoyance turned into a self-directed and self-acted scene that came to her in a dream.
Before opening her eyes, Ke Ni still saw Jing Sicun sitting cross-legged on the Thousand-Petal Lotus Throne in her dream.
His golden body gleamed brilliantly, his Dharma appearance solemn.
He even formed a mudra with his hands and said to Ke Ni: “Don’t bow.”
It was just absurd…
***
On Tuesday, running around the living room like parkour, Ke Ni rubbed her eyes and sat up from bed.
When she reached for her phone, she only caught a fleeting shadow of Tuesday dashing past the bedroom doorway.
Her phone was flooded with unread messages.
Ke Ni had a premonition and instantly became fully awake.
Sure enough, it was the group chat for the “Extreme Brainpower Challenge.”
The production team had announced the recording time for the next episode, and a series of “Received” replies filled the chat.
Ke Ni scrolled up to the start of the conversation.
The staff had added two newcomers to the group without any notes.
Maybe new crew members?
Suddenly, Lin Xirun’s caller ID popped up on her screen.
Ke Ni answered.
Lin Xirun was babbling—
“Today’s really hot.”
“I just got back from running and saw the group messages.”
“Ke Ni, are you up yet?”
Ke Ni replied, “Whether I’m up or not, I’m still answering calls.”
Ke Ni had grown somewhat distant from Lin Xirun lately, and Lin Xirun noticed.
After a brief silence, Lin Xirun cautiously asked, “Have you heard something?”
There’s no point in hiding it.
Ke Ni bluntly asked back, “Lin Xirun, don’t you have anything you want to tell me?”
Lin Xirun fell silent again.
Lin Xirun was the type of student who knew how to navigate things well, meticulous and adept at pleasing teachers.
Ke Ni’s father valued Lin Xirun very much.
Even if they fell out, Ke Ni still had to interact with Lin Xirun and meet him during lessons at Professor Wang’s house.
Since Lin Xirun didn’t want to be honest, so be it.
Ke Ni frowned, about to hang up.
But Lin Xirun suddenly spoke: “Ke Ni, during the last recording, did someone tell you something…”
Ke Ni said, “I was right next door.”
Lin Xirun sighed, “People really shouldn’t do bad things; if you do, you’ll get caught red-handed.”
Ke Ni said nothing.
Having been overheard by Ke Ni, Lin Xirun seemed somewhat relieved.
Lin Xirun chatted endlessly: “Isn’t the next room the Polytechnic University lounge? You and Jing Sicun are really close, huh? No wonder Jing Sicun provoked Feng Zi’an during the competition.”
Ke Ni was provoked too that day.
Jing Sicun was about to compete while Ke Ni was closing her eyes to rest.
Why would Jing Sicun provoke Feng Zi’an?
Wasn’t it Feng Zi’an who first acted shamelessly, feigning injuries to provoke Jing Sicun?
Ke Ni asked suspiciously, “You’re saying Jing Sicun provoked Feng Zi’an?”
Lin Xirun replied, “No, not provoked, just a bit of genuine disdain for Feng Zi’an.”
Ke Ni thought maybe Feng Zi’an was just overly sensitive.
That Tathagata Buddha probably looks down on everyone like that.
Lin Xirun’s voice turned dry, “Ke Ni, I’m sorry.”
Lin Xirun wanted to always compete alongside Ke Ni; he even wanted to team up for the upcoming group battle.
“I’m no match for their skills, so I have no say…”
Feng Zi’an had been treating Lin Xirun badly lately.
Even at Professor Wang’s place, he showed no restraint.
Ke Ni’s furrowed brow never relaxed: “Lin Xirun, can’t you have some backbone and stop cozying up to Feng Zi’an?”
Lin Xirun said, “Actually, Feng Zi’an has been connecting with other players recently.”
Ke Ni’s brow twitched.
Lin Xirun mentioned “Xia Jiyi.”
Xia Jiyi was that player with a talent agency who had even guest-starred in TV dramas.
Somewhat famous, bringing his own fanbase.
This also meant more opportunities and potential shortcuts for Feng Zi’an and Lin Xirun.
Lin Xirun couldn’t just ditch Feng Zi’an.
Nor could he abandon this new big shot.
Lin Xirun laughed weakly, “Maybe I’m the next one Feng Zi’an kicks out.”
Ke Ni wanted to ask why he still took the risk despite knowing all this.
The words were on her lips, but she softened and asked, “You haven’t been doing well lately, huh?”
Lin Xirun said, “Yeah, nervous, afraid of elimination. You don’t seem to hate competing as much anymore; Professor Ke would be happy.”
Ke Ni’s aversion to recording shows and competing had gradually lessened.
Maybe it was because she had met a relaxed group like Jing Sicun, Song Yi, He Zhi, and Dai Fanze;
Maybe it was numbness, Maybe it was because she had glimpsed an even more despairing abyss.
Ke Ni recalled the faint scent of laundry detergent at Jing Sicun’s home and the worrying health condition of the elders there.
That was Jing Sicun’s shackles.
And also the tenderness he guarded.
Many disasters came uninvited, unsolvable.
Unlike brain competitions, where problems always had solutions—or if none were found, it was only a matter of skill.
In reality, too many things had nothing to do with strength.
Ending the call with Lin Xirun, others in the group were still replying “Received.”
Compared to her dislike for the next episode’s recording, the first thing Ke Ni thought of was He Zhi’s repeated worry at the café yesterday—
Could Jing Sicun continue participating in the show?
Speak of the devil.
He Zhi called just then, saying Song Yi had gone to the high-speed rail station to pick up Dai Fanze.
There were six days left until the second episode’s official recording, and He Zhi worried whether Jing Sicun, who hadn’t responded with “Received,” might withdraw.
“Ke Ni, I want to call Jing Ge to ask.”
Ke Ni said, “Don’t rush. Jing Sicun is taking his uncle to the hospital for dialysis this morning. He should contact you once he’s done.”
He Zhi asked, “Ke Ni, have you already been in touch with Jing Ge?”
Ke Ni said she’d seen Jing Sicun yesterday at the grocery store.
He Zhi was a bit frustrated: “Why didn’t Jing Ge come find us? I want to see him too.”
He Zhi criticized Ke Ni and Jing Sicun for lacking team spirit and secretly meeting without telling the others.
Ke Ni didn’t even know when they had become a team.
Besides…
He Zhi’s words sounded weird to Ke Ni’s ears:
As if accusing Ke Ni and Jing Sicun of having a secret romance behind everyone’s backs.
Ke Ni’s throat felt like it was stuck with Tuesday’s fur, and she covered the phone, coughing for a long while.
Remembering Jing Sicun had gone inside yesterday, Ke Ni ended the call feeling guilty over He Zhi’s concern for her health.
Only a few hours later, He Zhi called again: “Bad news, Ke Ni, Jing Ge went to meet the show’s director!”
“What’s going on…”
Was Jing Sicun really going to withdraw?
Ke Ni’s heart leapt to her throat, but then heard Song Yi calmly say, “Azhi, Jing Ge just went to report the current family situation to the director. Don’t be so nervous.”
Dai Fanze’s slow voice floated over, “I told you not to tell Azhi.”
He Zhi wailed in frustration, “Isn’t that basically preparing to quit? Dai Ge, did I misunderstand?”
Ke Ni heard Dai Fanze’s embarrassed voice, “Not really.”
He Zhi: “Wah!”
Dai Fanze sped up his words tenfold: “Ah! Don’t step on my foot!”
Maybe because Tuesday was at Ke Ni’s place, maybe because Ke Ni’s rented apartment was near the grocery store,
Before the second episode’s official recording, Ke Ni and Song Yi had met several times at the grocery store.
Jing Sicun never showed up.
***
Jing Sicun was like the description in “Tales of Dragons”—“You see its head but not its tail, or sometimes just a claw or a scale appears from the clouds.”
Ke Ni, however, always had news of Jing Sicun:
His father’s condition had clearly improved after two rounds of blood dialysis;
His hallucinations had turned into drowsiness;
He briefly recognized Jing Sicun and his mother when waking up.
As for whether Jing Sicun would continue participating in the next episode, the answer had shifted from “uncertain” to “almost.”
On the day of the recording, Jing Sicun notified the show and arrived slightly later than other contestants.
When he entered the makeup room, he immediately spotted Ke Ni.
Ke Ni was dressed in a very collegiate style: a suit jacket paired with a short skirt, hair styled in a fluffy bun with a butterfly hairpin on top.
She obediently closed her eyes, leaning against the makeup chair while the artist applied her eye makeup.
The brush swept across Ke Ni’s eyelids.
The touch was probably a little ticklish, causing her lashes to flutter like flower stamens in a gentle breeze.
Just like last night during their video call, when Jing Sicun suddenly switched from the rear camera to the front camera.
He glanced, lowered his head with a smile, and continued walking toward the waiting area inside.
To find Song Yi and the others.
The show’s makeup and styling seemed to be getting more and more exaggerated.
Unlike this director’s usual style.
Jing Sicun was nearly two hours late, yet some contestants hadn’t even started makeup.
Jing Sicun heard He Zhi’s curious voice: “Song Ge, you have this too?”
Jing Sicun pushed aside the curtain—
He Zhi was holding a small ornament that looked like a keychain, turned around and exclaimed excitedly: “Jing Ge, you’re here! I was so worried you wouldn’t make it!”
Jing Sicun said, “Didn’t I say last night I’d come?”
He Zhi blushed, “I was just nervous.”
Song Yi held the same ornament and joined Jing Sicun: “How’s Uncle doing today?”
Jing Sicun said, “Okay, someone helped him stand up and walk a few steps.”
Song Yi said, “Thank heavens!”
He Zhi went to the restroom and entrusted the little item to Song Yi for safekeeping.
Repeatedly reminding him with utmost care, like it was a precious treasure, afraid Song Yi would lose it.
Jing Sicun leaned back in his chair and glanced at it twice:
A round ornament.
On the front was a chubby, Q-version koi fish pattern strangely familiar in style.
The back was designed like an ancient coin with a four-leaf clover pattern.
Quite exquisite, not unattractive.
Song Yi held two and proudly waved them in front of Jing Sicun and Dai Fanze.
Dai Fanze said, “I have one too.”
Song Yi asked, “Where’d you get it?”
Dai Fanze said, “You know, I had a gout flare-up a couple of days ago…”
As they talked, both turned their heads simultaneously to look at the indifferent Jing Sicun.
Jing Sicun lazily asked, “What?”
Song Yi widened his eyes and waved the item twice in front of Jing Sicun.
Like a Taoist exorcist.
Song Yi called himself a fashionista who often spent money on trendy toys.
Jing Sicun had no interest whatsoever.
Jing Sicun woke at five to help Old Jing change clothes, tidy up, and take him to the hospital.
Now he was a bit sleepy, didn’t ask or think much.
He dropped a sentence, “Not interested in this kind of thing,” then closed his eyes.
Song Yi and Dai Fanze exchanged glances.
Then Song Yi said, “Jing Sicun, I noticed you’re kind of different around Ke Ni.”
Jing Sicun opened his eyes and smiled gently while lowering his gaze.
Lately, Jing Sicun did video calls with Ke Ni at night, chatted a bit, then looked at Tuesday.
Ke Ni would light a night lamp in her rented room, sitting in the hazy light.
Her hair casually tied back, stray strands dyed a fuzzy amber in the night lamp’s glow.
She’d set her phone on the table, pick up Tuesday, pinch his paw, and smile as she greeted him.
She also asked about Old Jing’s health with concern.
The round ornament in Song Yi’s hand kept waving before Jing Sicun’s eyes: “Ke Ni didn’t give you one?”
Jing Sicun squinted, “Hm?”
Song Yi proudly said, “My little sister designed and handcrafted this koi lucky coin. It brings good luck. The three of us all got one.”
Jing Sicun glanced at Dai Fanze.
In front of Jing Sicun, Dai Fanze slowly slid his hand into his pocket and then pulled it out, taking twenty-seven seconds to match the koi lucky coin in his hand with Song Yi’s, forming three in total.
All three waved in front of Jing Sicun.