Chapter 45
Among the exceptional children in the chess association, not everyone could achieve such feats. Yet, here stood Quinlyn, confidently claiming her mastery.
Danny had no doubts about the truth of her statement; after facing her across the chessboard, it was clear that her skill was outstanding.
However, as he looked down at the board, he wondered how her ability could have been achieved merely through memorizing.
‘What is really going on with Quinlyn?‘ With this question on his mind, Danny started to approach their match with a new seriousness, his pacing becoming more deliberate.
The others in the living room gradually shifted their focus to the chessboard, their attention sharpening. They all knew the game and could see how Danny’s initial advantage was slowly slipping away while Quinlyn continued to gain strength.
It felt as though she had found a worthy opponent. She was learning from their exchanges on the board, trying to mimic his strategic insights until she eventually pulled ahead.
In a moment of tension, Danny thought he had escaped a carefully set trap, but then he realized, with a chill, that his piece had landed in a dangerous spot, causing a bead of cold sweat to trickle down his spine.
As he surveyed the board again, his hand shook in surprise, nearly bumping into the other pieces as he distractedly tried to think.
Stanley, left speechless, stared at the board in disbelief and whispered, “Did Quinlyn just win?”
Leonard adjusted his glasses and nodded. “Yes, and she captured six pieces in the process.”
Quinlyn’s victory was clearly well–earned.
Staring blankly at the board, Danny finally lifted his eyes to Quinlyn and pointed at the very first move, asking, “Did you start your strategy from this position?”
Quinlyn explained, “I figured you would relax at the beginning, so I had to set my position early. Otherwise, with my current skills, I wouldn’t stand a chance against you.”
For Quinlyn, Danny’s experience and skill felt like a huge gap that couldn’t be bridged in a short time. Even if she could catch him off guard with her clever moves, he would counter them eventually. Her only choice was to prepare meticulously.
Danny’s expression changed as he glanced back at his friend and asked, “Edward, where on earth did you find this genius? I can’t believe such talent is from your family.”
Edward hesitated but soon regained his composure and replied, “Nonsense. You want to challenge me for my granddaughter just because you can’t beat her? Move along, next.”
Danny snorted in frustration, eager to challenge Quinlyn to yet another game, but the encroaching night forced him to relent.
After thinking for a moment, he handed her a business card and declared, “Don’t waste your talent. Come find me during the holidays.”
Even though he still tried to hold onto his air of superiority, his gaze toward Quinlyn shone with newfound excitement, quite different from the previous indifference.
Quinlyn accepted the card, noticing it read “President of the National Chess Association“. Although she didn’t fully understand its significance, she was excited at the idea of competing against a master again and responded, “Okay.”
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Chapter 45
Her adorably earnest demeanor nearly made Danny ruffle her hair affectionately.
Next came Leonard’s lesson. After the earlier game, he quickly recognized Quinlyn’s unique talent.
He said. “Your memory and logical thinking are incredible. It’s rare to find such a good balance between left and right brain development. Your ability to learn is clearly beyond that of most kids.”
Leonard casually set a prepared lesson plan for elementary school on the table and pulled out a whiteboard, saying, “Now, I will present a basic formula, and then you can solve some problems.”
He swiftly wrote down a simple formula and instructed Quinlyn to memorize it, then posed an application problem for her to tackle
Stanley, watching the seemingly easy question, scoffed. He wanted to warn against underestimating Quinlyn, a brilliant mind capable of understanding programming algorithms easily.
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However, after examining the problem for a moment, Quinlyn shook her head, her small face showing confusion as she said, “I can’t solve it.”
The room fell silent in surprise. Even Edward could figure out that question.
“Do you all find it that simple?” Leonard observed their shocked faces and adjusted his glasses with a smirk as he continued, “That’s because your understanding of physics is based on established principles.”
He added, “But for Quinlyn, her mind is like a blank slate; without an explanation for how each element works, even the simplest formulas are hard for her.”
Realization swept through the others as they understood Leonard’s sly humor, recognizing that he was illustrating the complexities of physics. Nevertheless, Leonard remained undeterred.
His enthusiasm didn’t fade as he continued, “Many people don’t realize that before learning physics, one must grasp worldviews, principles of conservation, and the importance of overarching perspectives right from the first lesson. This foundational understanding is essential for studying physics.”
He added, “Now, let me show you just how impressive a genius can be in their pursuit of knowledge in physics.”
Quinlyn, in the center of the living room, began to explore a wonderful new field.
Leonard continued sketching on the whiteboard, illustrating mountains, rivers, plants, stars, the human body, and blood flow, all explained in the clearest and simplest terms.
This was a world not captured in the code or in her beloved storybooks; it felt as if each flower and blade of grass were being analyzed and revealed in an entirely new light.
Captivated, Quinlyn rested her chin in her hands and stared at the illustrations, her mind drifting in wonder for some time.
When Leonard finished and bent down to gently place a hand on her head with a smile, he asked, “Quinlyn, do you understand? This is the law of the universe, stretching back through countless ages.”
Quinlyn looked up at him, nodding, her eyes shining with excitement as she eagerly replied, “It’s really fascinating.”
She had discovered that the universe was infinitely rich and vibrant within the world of physics.
“Those who can’t understand physics lack taste and don’t appreciate our joy.” Leonard laughed heartily, his spirits soaring. But as his laughter faded, he fixed a serious gaze on Quinlyn. “Now, let’s see just how strong your abilities are.”
In a fluid motion, Leonard wiped the board clean of all drawings, then, as if in a rush, wrote down a series of advanced formulas.
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Chapter 45
Stanley, watching equations well beyond high school level–suitable for graduate students–gasped. “This is quite a jump. No matter how amazing she is, Quinlyn is just beginning to learn physics. Is this really the level of difficulty we should expect?”
Leonard, hearing this, shot him a side–eye. “Who was it just moments ago that thought this was too easy?”
Stanley could only remain silent in astonishment.
Leonard finished writing and replied with a smirk, “Your limitations do not reflect Quinlyn’s potential.”
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