Chapter 9 Geniuses Are Always a Little Eccentric
Before them lay a classical American estate nestled against rolling hills beside a flowing stream. The grounds were filled with towering oak and pine trees, their branches alive with birdsong that harmonized with the spring scenery.
The estate's architecture followed classic Federal style, with red brick walls complemented by crisp white window frames. The expansive lawn was dotted with blooming cherry blossoms and lilacs, whose fragrance carried on gentle breezes. In the distance, a small lake quietly reflected the blue sky and white clouds, its surface occasionally rippling as if responding to the birds' songs.
Following the stone pathway to the main house, they found a silver-haired but vigorous elderly man sitting in a rocking chair on the porch, eyes closed as he swayed back and forth in peaceful meditation.
Like rocking himself to sleep in a cradle.
"Mr. White."
Hearing the familiar voice, Benjamin White jolted upright, but his sudden movement caused the rocking chair to sway violently. He struggled for several seconds before finally managing to sit up properly.
His eyes widened like saucers as he stared at Sophia, who stood just steps away with a radiant smile.
Benjamin quickly rose and strode over, giving Sophia's arm a hearty pat while sniffling with mock indignation. "Good Lord, you finally remembered to visit me! Tell me, how long has it been since I've seen you!"
Sophia rubbed the spot where Benjamin had swatted her, retorting, "Well, I'm here now! And I brought you a prodigy. Do you want him or not? Because I can always leave!"
She turned as if to walk away, and Benjamin quickly grabbed her arm. "No, no! I get so bored out here by myself. Since you've finally come for a visit, stay a while longer!"
Sophia shot him an exasperated look, then pulled Lucas out from behind her and nudged him forward. "This is my brother, Lucas."
Lucas shyly greeted him, "Hello, Mr. White."
"Oh! What a good boy!" Benjamin's eyes crinkled with warmth as he pinched Lucas's cheek.
Then he suddenly paused, his smile fading as he stared at Sophia with confusion. "Wait a minute, since when do you have a brother?"
"I'll explain that later. Where are your tools? I remember you posted on Twitter the day before yesterday about getting a new set, right? Get them out so Lucas can try them." Sophia took Lucas's hand and walked straight past Benjamin toward the study.
Benjamin stood there, stunned for a moment before reacting with alarm, hurrying after them. "Good God! Those are premium handcrafted quill pens! And that ink took me months to perfect—it's incredibly expensive! You can't just let a kid play with them! If he wants to practice, I'll get him something else!"
Sophia stopped in her tracks. "Fine by me."
It didn't matter whether the ink was expensive or cheap—everything in Benjamin's collection was top quality anyway, more than enough for Lucas to practice with.
Terrified that Sophia might waste his carefully crafted black ink, Benjamin hurried to gather a small basket of various quill pens and ink bottles, even preparing special paper.
Finding an empty room with a table, Sophia had Lucas settle in to practice, asking him to write his best piece.
Then she and Benjamin went to the garden pavilion for coffee and conversation.
"So you're telling me you were never really a privileged heiress at all, and your real family is struggling financially?"
After hearing the switched-at-birth story, Benjamin's brow furrowed deeply.
How could such an absurd thing happen? How could biological daughters be switched? Were biological parents all idiots?
After a long sigh, Benjamin continued, "Though it's probably for the best that you left the Smith family. Too many rules and restrictions would have stifled your artistic talent. Since the Johnson family is financially strapped, why don't you come be my apprentice? I'll make sure you live in luxury!"
Sophia sipped her tea and gave him a sideways glance. "Give up that dream, I'm not becoming your apprentice."
Benjamin immediately pouted with a pitiful expression. "I've devoted my whole life to art, never married, no children, not even a single apprentice. Do you really have the heart to watch me die alone with no one to carry on my legacy?"
This tactic didn't affect Sophia, who replied leisurely, "You're only sixty-three, still young. Besides, didn't I bring you an excellent student?"
Benjamin looked disdainful. "You mean that kid? He doesn't look like he has any artistic temperament. Geniuses are always a little eccentric, like you, like me."
Sophia rested her chin on her hand and chuckled. "His calligraphy is quite good, just lacks soul in his writing. That's why I burned all his practice sheets that he'd been collecting."
At this, Benjamin's eyes widened. "That was pretty harsh! You just burned a kid's treasures like that?"
Sophia shrugged indifferently. "Sometimes talent needs to be forced out."
Benjamin shot her a disgusted look. "You think everyone's like you?"
Seeing Sophia's nonchalant attitude, Benjamin waved his hand dismissively. "Fine, fine, you're not normal anyway—talking to you is pointless."
At lunchtime, a servant called them to eat. Sophia and Benjamin walked back to the main house together, stopping first at the study to find Lucas.
Sophia strolled over and glanced at the still-wet practice sheets on the table, her eyebrows raising almost imperceptibly.
As expected, he was talented. In just a few days, he seemed to have begun grasping what she'd told him that day.
"Still lacks emotion—can't call it art yet," she said quietly.
Art expressed emotions, thoughts, and aesthetic concepts through creation or performance.
Lucas, perhaps due to his young age, hadn't developed deep insights into the world around him. He still focused more on technique than emotional investment.
Benjamin followed over and saw the bold, penetrating strokes on the paper. His wrinkled hands trembled slightly.
His throat constricted before his aged voice finally emerged, "How long has he been studying?"
For a nine-year-old to write like this, he must have been trained from early childhood, right?
"Two years."
As soon as Sophia spoke, Benjamin immediately whirled around to stare at her with wide eyes. "What? What did you say? He achieved this level in just two years?"
A prodigy! This was a genuine prodigy!
"For someone so young to reach this level is already incredible!" Benjamin stared at Lucas's practice sheets, unable to look away, exclaiming in amazement, "If he studies with me, he'll definitely become a master!"
Lucas tilted his head in confusion. "Mr. White, are you really that good at calligraphy?"
"Of course I am! In the entire country, if I claim second place, no one dares claim first!" Benjamin boasted without modesty. "So what do you say, Lucas? Want to be my student?"
Lucas hesitated, but Sophia refused for him, "Forget it. You live so far out in the middle of nowhere. Lucas still has to go to school."