The Genius Game - Chapter 13

Qin Man said, “I can only understand some basic things, like when he’s hungry, I can tell. If he gets bitten by a mosquito and scratches himself, I can also figure out where he was bitten.”

“But if he’s thinking something complicated, like ‘This man seems kind on the outside but is evil inside,’ or ‘I don’t want scrambled eggs today; I want steamed eggs,’ there’s no way I can directly read such thoughts. After all, I don’t have mind-reading abilities.”

Jian Tanxi replied, “That’s true… Many thoughts need to be spoken aloud for others to know. Anyway, let Xiao Chen give it a try first.”

Sun Lianhu approached them: “Which one are you choosing? I’m going with No. 3.”

Although Qin Man and Jian Tanxi both disliked Sun Lianhu, they had to cooperate with him for this game.

Suppressing their irritation, they decided to discuss their strategy with Sun Lianhu first.

Qin Man said, “This game only lasts three hours in total. We can’t spend more than two hours inside observing. That way, we’ll still have some time left to discuss. My son can’t speak, so he has to stay inside for the full two hours. The three of us adults can discuss things first afterward.

Also, we must truthfully share what we observe without hiding or deceiving. This is a cooperative game, if we don’t clear it, none of us can leave.”

After saying this, Qin Man looked at Sun Lianhu.

Sun Lianhu said to Qin Man, “Why are you looking at me like that? Are you afraid I’ll lie to you? I’m a genius selected by the aliens… of course, I know how to clear the game. Don’t worry, in this game, I’ll definitely tell the truth.

Anyway, I’m choosing No. 3. Don’t any of you try to take him from me.”

As he spoke, Sun Lianhu placed his hand on the No. 3 paper first. Immediately, the paper emitted a bright light that enveloped him.

Within seconds, Sun Lianhu had vanished.

Jian Tanxi remarked, “Sun Lianhu rushed to choose No. 3 because No. 3 is the most likely candidate. He’s a noble, with no issues in appearance, demeanor, assets, or social status. The only possible flaw is that he might not know how to cook. But that’s just our speculation, maybe he wears gloves when he cooks, so his fingers aren’t rough.

Moreover, even if Sun Lianhu finds out that No. 3 can’t cook, he can try to teach him. Cooking can’t be mastered overnight, but it shows a willingness to learn. That way, if No. 3 is chosen as the groom, Sun Lianhu’s contribution will be the greatest.”

Qin Man nodded. “Yes, I noticed that too. Sun Lianhu is a self-interested person, but he’s also highly intelligent, so he quickly picks the most advantageous path. Tanxi, which one are you choosing?”

“I want to choose No. 5. Even though he’s dressed as a chef, it doesn’t necessarily mean he is one. He might just enjoy cooking. I’ll go in and see what his real identity is. If he’s from the elite class, that would be perfect.”

Qin Man said, “Then I’ll choose No. 6. He seems perfect in every way, except for his slightly forward-leaning neck. If I can improve his posture within two hours, then his weakness will be gone.”

As soon as Qin Man finished speaking, Qu Chen reached out and touched the No. 6 paper.

Qin Man and Jian Tanxi wanted to stop him, but it was already too late.

Soon, Qu Chen was sucked into the number 6 paper.

Qin Man was a little worried, but with time pressing, she had no choice but to say, “Then I’ll choose number 2. Number 2 looks like he has a bad temper, but maybe he was just in a bad mood when the photo was taken. I’ll go in and see. If he really is always angry, I’ll try to help him change his temper. Maybe that will help us pass the level.”

Jian Tanxi nodded without wasting words and directly touched the number 5 paper.

Qin Man touched the number 2 paper.

After a moment of dizziness, Jian Tanxi found herself in a restaurant.

In the kitchen, a chef was busy cooking. He was candidate number 5, and the others called him Steve.

Jian Tanxi’s body was transparent, and no one could see her.

The people here were communicating in English, but their words automatically translated into Chinese in Jian Tanxi’s ears.

Because Jian Tanxi was proficient in English, she could instantly translate what she heard into Chinese.

This game had high requirements for the players’ abilities. If a less educated player were to enter, they might not even understand what these people were saying.

A dishwasher walked into the kitchen and said to Steve, “Steve, several tables are urging for their orders. Can you combine some dishes to speed things up?”

Steve, while continuously working, replied, “I’ve already combined all the dishes I can. Please ask the customers to wait a little longer.”

“Alright, but don’t forget to make them delicious. Many people come here because of your reputation.”

Steve said, “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure the dishes are served quickly and taste great.”

Just then, another server hurried into the kitchen to pick up an order but accidentally bumped into Steve.

Steve lost his balance and knocked into his pot, causing it to tilt and spill all the food onto the floor.

The server repeatedly apologized, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

Steve replied, “It’s okay, I’ll just make another batch.”

“But what if the customers complain…”

“It’s fine. Even if they complain about the slow service, they’ll still come back next time because of my cooking skills. Besides, they might not even complain.”

Steve picked up a broom to clean up the mess, but the server quickly took it from him and started cleaning, allowing Steve to focus on cooking.

Observing from the side, Jian Tanxi thought that Steve not only cooked well but also had a very good temper. These two qualities met Miss Jenny’s requirements.

However, Steve’s appearance wasn’t particularly handsome. Moreover, due to years of cooking, he had developed a slight hunchback, thick arms, and a somewhat bulky physique.

But if he met all the other criteria, perhaps Miss Jenny would be willing to overlook these minor flaws.

Next, she needed to confirm whether Steve’s main profession was indeed a chef, as well as his age and marital status.

Jian Tanxi moved closer to look. Steve was wearing a name tag, but it only listed his name and position: Senior Chef.

There was no information about his age or other details. It seemed she would have to find another way to learn his age.

Jian Tanxi walked to another part of the restaurant.

She noticed a room labeled “Finance Office” and went inside.

Two employees were chatting idly in the office, and on the desk were several sheets of paper, this month’s payroll.

Jian Tanxi wanted to see how much Steve earned, but she felt that directly flipping through the payroll might draw the employees’ attention.

She came up with an idea and blew hard on the corner of the payroll.

The first page of the payroll fluttered, revealing the second page.

The first page was the cover, and the second page contained the employees’ salary details.

Jian Tanxi quickly glanced at it, Steve’s monthly salary was $8,000. That was considered a high income, and he probably received bonuses and dividends during holidays.

So, in terms of assets, he barely met Miss Jenny’s requirements.

However, what Miss Jenny might be looking for was old money, not someone with no family background who relied solely on a salary.

But whether Steve had any family assets, Jian Tanxi didn’t know.

Maybe he had a substantial amount of savings.

The fluttering of the payroll didn’t attract the employees’ attention; they assumed it was just the wind.

Just then, two employees started talking about Steve:

“Steve is already 32, why hasn’t he gotten married yet?”

“I don’t know. I heard he has high standards. He insists on a great beauty under 30, with a gentle and good-tempered personality, who’s also diligent and good at housework. In short, he has a long list of requirements. That’s why he hasn’t found the right one yet.”

“If I were a few years younger, Steve would be a great choice. I’ve never seen him lose his temper, life with him must be wonderful.”

Then, the two employees moved on to other topics.

Listening to them, Jian Tanxi felt both happy and worried.

She was happy because Steve was 32, which met Miss Jenny’s requirement.

But she was worried because Steve had his own standards for a partner, and Miss Jenny didn’t meet them.

Just the age requirement alone would disqualify Miss Jenny.

Moreover, Miss Jenny had a violent temper and would hit people when enraged, which didn’t align with the “gentle and good-tempered” criterion.

Even if Jian Tanxi convinced Miss Jenny to choose Steve (No. 5), if Steve wasn’t willing to marry Miss Jenny, it would cause trouble.

Marriage isn’t that simple, it’s a two-way selection process.

However, the game rules only stated that she had to choose a suitable husband for Miss Jenny, not that the husband had to be interested in Miss Jenny.

In that case, her worries might be unnecessary.

After all, she just needed to complete the game’s objective.

But for now, Jian Tanxi still didn’t know much about Steve’s other circumstances.

She had no idea how to uncover all the details about Steve in such a short time.

What if he had a brief marriage in the past? What if he had children? What if he had some hidden flaws?

Just then, the two employees went to the restroom.

Jian Tanxi noticed that there was internet access here.

The employees had left their phones on the table, still playing short videos.

Suddenly, Jian Tanxi had an idea.

Using one of the phones, she placed an order for the restaurant, selecting a faraway address with a delivery time of 9 p.m.

After successfully placing the order, she returned the phone to the short video interface and hurried to the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Steve was still cooking.

A waiter came in and said, “Steve, a customer just placed an order for 9 p.m. We need to prepare the food by around 8 since it’s a long delivery, about an hour. Can you handle it?”

Steve said, “No problem, I’m here all day anyway, and I don’t get off work until 10 p.m. Let me take a look at the list.”

Jian Tanxi understood that Steve’s main occupation was being a chef.

If he had another job, he wouldn’t be able to stay at the restaurant all day without going elsewhere to work.

So, being a chef probably wouldn’t be enough to satisfy Miss Jenny.

On top of that, his appearance wasn’t particularly outstanding, making it highly likely that he wasn’t the groom Miss Jenny was looking for.

Jian Tanxi felt a bit worried because she had only managed to eliminate one wrong option and still had no idea who the right one was.