Genius Club

“Wh-what do you want to bet?” Chu An Qing whispered hesitantly, her voice barely audible over the clinking of coffee cups around them.

“Anything you want,” Su Su replied with a casual shrug and a confident smile. “I’m your aunt, so I’ll let you choose. Whatever you decide, you won’t win anyway.”

Chu An Qing thought for a moment before replying, “If I win, you have to listen to my mom. Go on blind dates like she says, find a good man, get married quickly, and settle down to raise a family!”

Su Su sighed, covering her forehead with her hand in exasperation. “You three are always meddling in my business! Why is it such a big deal that I’m young, single, and not interested in dating or getting married? Just because I’m your aunt by generation doesn’t mean I’m much older than you. I’m only three or four years older, for crying out loud! I’m still young!”

“And besides, I’ve already decided I’m not getting married. I told your mom that when you get married and have kids, I’ll just be their godmother. I’ll leave all my money and assets to your children and let them take care of me when I’m old.”

Chu An Qing shook her head, trying to reason with her aunt. “But that’s not how it works, Auntie! If you become their godmother, it doesn’t change the fact that you’re still their great-aunt. It wouldn’t make sense.”

“Pfft,” Su Su scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Why would I want to be called grandma when I’ve never been married or had kids? Forget it. We’ll just stick to our usual roles. You call me Auntie, and your kids call me godmother. Easy.”

“Auntie, you can’t just do whatever you want!” Chu An Qing said, exasperated. She sighed inwardly, feeling helpless in the face of her unpredictable and troublesome aunt.

Su Su had always been like this—fiery, carefree, and a bit of a loose cannon. She never followed rules and constantly worried her parents. Her mom could sometimes manage to scold her aunt due to the authority of being the older sister, but her dad was too sentimental and indebted to Su Su to discipline her effectively. He always remembered how a young Su Su had broken her piggy bank to help him out of a financial crisis.

The family had concluded that the best way to handle Su Su was to marry her off to a reliable man who could manage her. They hoped that becoming a wife and mother would mellow her out.

“Hehe,” Chu An Qing smirked, feeling she had the upper hand. “What’s the matter, Auntie? You were the one who suggested the bet. Don’t tell me you’re afraid of losing?”

“Bring it on! Who’s afraid of whom?” Su Su couldn’t resist a challenge. She slammed her hand on the table. “Alright, if Lin Xian can beat Kevin Walker in the World Hacker Competition, I’ll start going on blind dates intensively. I promise to go through with it!”

Su Su sneered. “Not that you’ll win. You’re smitten with Lin Xian and can’t see straight. Do you really think he can beat the greatest hacker in history? Miracles like that only happen in anime where friendship and love create miracles.”

Suddenly, Su Su’s eyes lit up mischievously. “Oh, I know what I want to bet! Since I’ve agreed to your terms, you must agree to mine.”

“What… what do you mean?” Chu An Qing asked nervously, sipping her drink to calm her nerves.

“Don’t worry, it won’t be too outrageous.” Su Su’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Since your bet involves romance, mine will too.”

Su Su pointed a long, red-nailed finger at Chu An Qing. “If I win, you have to go after Lin Xian! Stop letting him hang around that MX Company woman, Zhao Ying Jun!”

Chu An Qing’s eyes widened, and her cheeks turned red with embarrassment. “What?!”

Her outburst drew the attention of nearby diners, and she quickly covered her mouth, apologizing with hand gestures before glaring at Su Su. “Auntie, you can’t bet on something like that! Feelings aren’t a game!”

“Oh, so your feelings matter, but mine don’t?” Su Su teased, her smile never fading. “I’m not forcing you to marry anyone. And besides, Lin Xian is your match, not mine. Why are you playing matchmaker?”

“Stop pretending, An Qing. I’m not blind. If I’d known about your feelings, I wouldn’t have gone on that date with him. But it’s not just about you and Lin Xian. I can’t stand seeing Zhao Ying Jun win.”

Su Su clenched her fist. “She’s so arrogant! She humiliated me at the restaurant and beat me in a car race. She’s always targeting me for no reason!”

“She’s not like that…” Chu An Qing started to defend Zhao Ying Jun, but Su Su cut her off.

“I don’t care what she’s like. I just want to see her lose. If she likes Lin Xian, then you should be with him. That’ll show her!”

“No, no, no!” Chu An Qing shook her head vigorously. “That would be immoral. I can’t do that.”

“Immoral? Are Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun married? Are they even dating?” Su Su pressed, her gaze intense.

“No…”

“Then what’s immoral about it? Just tell me the truth, An Qing. Do you like Lin Xian?”

Chu An Qing looked up and met Su Su’s gaze. Finally, she nodded slightly, her cheeks still burning. Despite her complaints about Su Su, she trusted her like a sister.

Su Su smiled gently, her tone softening. “In my twenty-something years, I’ve never been in love or liked any man. But I’ve loved things—clothes, shoes, cars, houses, luxury items. It’s probably the same feeling. But people are unique, one of a kind. Love isn’t about logic or fairness.”

“I won’t tell you to do anything immoral, but liking a single man isn’t wrong. I’m sure many girls like Lin Xian. You’re not the first or the last.”

“The best advice I can give you is this: if you like something, go after it.”

Chu An Qing stared at Su Su, confused.

“What are you waiting for? For someone to hand him to you on a silver platter?” Su Su downed her drink in one go and slammed the glass on the table, her eyes blazing with determination. “Remember my words, An Qing. If you like something, go after it!”

“What nonsense…” Chu An Qing muttered, rubbing her cheek in frustration. “I’m not betting with you anymore!”

“Aw, come on! It’s a fun bet!” Su Su teased, her laughter filling the air. “Stop being so serious. Let’s go; I’ll take you home.”

In the following days, the World Hacker Competition remained a hot topic online, with many worried about the safety of the nation’s cyber defenses. The head of the National Security Agency, Liu An, reassured the public on TV, saying, “Our internet security wall is impenetrable. We have top-notch professionals safeguarding it around the clock.”

This calmed many, though there was still concern over the formidable American hacker, Kevin Walker. The final team representing their country in the competition was announced, including a surprise addition: Lin Xian, a young man recently honored for bravery.

Many were puzzled by this choice, but they trusted the authorities’ decision. The competition’s results were less important than protecting the nation’s cyber security.

Meanwhile, in the Chu family’s dining room, Su Xiu Ying paused while watching TV. “Isn’t that Lin Xian? Why is he in the World Hacker Competition? He’s an art major, right?”

Chu Shan He explained to his wife, “I think the authorities, especially the Academy of Sciences, want to boost his credentials. They appreciate his work and want to support him. This competition might be part of that.”

Su Xiu Ying smiled. “Lin Xian must be quite talented to catch their eye.”

She then noticed her daughter’s somber expression. “An Qing, what’s wrong?”

Chu An Qing was scrolling through comments online, all predicting Lin Xian’s defeat. She put down her phone and resumed eating, but the food felt tasteless.

“It’s nothing,” she said quietly, feeling a sense of impending disappointment.