Liu Mengshi, the protagonist of Liu Jinghong’s The Legendary Life of a Foolish Genius, was the reincarnation of a strange stone. He was so astonishingly foolish, and so uniquely foolish, that from childhood to old age, his classmates, neighbors, friends, relatives, and coworkers all thought he was an extraordinary fool. Liu Mengshi loved to dream: in his sleep, standing upright, even while walking. His dreams had plots and characters, and were bizarre and fantastical. His life was full of hardship. He faced danger time and again and was repeatedly swindled and robbed, but he always had extraordinary encounters that pulled him back from the brink and ultimately led him to achieve rare miracles. For instance, while relieving himself beside a railway, he inadvertently saved the lives of five boys. Liu Mengshi’s words and deeds moved three extraordinary figures: a high monk, a Taoist master, and a priest. They believed that Liu Mengshi could face life’s hardships with a smile and strive courageously, so they decided to entrust their primordial spirits to the jade stone within him. After a fire, Liu Mengshi rose from the ashes like a phoenix. As the saying goes, fools have their own good fortune: he received the Transmigrate robot phone from the Huaxia Institute for the Study of Scientific Mysteries. To his amazement, he became young again and traveled to different eras and dimensions, organizing “Mystery Exploration Time-Travel Tours” to investigate emotions, nature, and technology. During these journeys, he protected marine and natural ecosystems, punished evil and upheld good, and treated the sick and saved lives. Society came to recognize him as a foolish genius.
