Chapter 62: Math Treasure Hunt
"What are you looking at?"
Rachel felt uncomfortable when her best friend suddenly stared at her intensely.
"Nothing, nothing,"
Monica said, but in her mind she was thinking, "Perfect! After Thanksgiving dinner, when Ross and the others leave, I can take advantage of Chuck's distraction and maybe make Rachel's symptoms worse. That way, she'll be stuck in the bedroom and won't be much different than if she weren't here. Maybe it'll even be better..."
At this thought, she subconsciously clenched her fists.
At that moment, the door opened.
Everyone looked over and burst into laughter.
"Don't laugh, don't laugh,"
Joey, the dark-haired Italian guy, stood at the door grumbling helplessly at their reactions.
He was the only son among seven sisters in his family and should have been home for Thanksgiving. However, a few days ago, as a struggling actor, he had been offered a public service announcement gig. After filming, he realized it was about sexually transmitted diseases.
Even worse, the ad was now prominently displayed across New York City. His face was now forever linked to VD awareness. It had even reached his family back in Queens, who misunderstood and told him not to come home for the holidays until he "got better"...
"Don't laugh! Don't laugh!"
Monica laughed too, but then suddenly realized the situation and shouted, "No one is allowed to mention this to Chuck!"
"Will that work? Unless Chuck is blind, he can't miss the billboards all over New York,"
Chandler teased.
"..."
Joey's face fell.
Monica's reaction was a bigger blow than what his family had given him.
"Maybe I should just leave?"
Joey said dejectedly.
"No, no, no..."
Monica wavered, but ultimately didn't ask Joey to leave.
She was willing to physically sabotage a friend for a date, but she couldn't bring herself to crush their spirit.
Knock, knock, knock.
There was a knock at the door.
"He's here!"
Monica exclaimed nervously, scanning the apartment. She glared at each of her friends with warning looks before straightening her clothes, opening the door, and flashing her brightest smile. "Chuck, you're here."
"Happy Thanksgiving,"
Chuck handed over a rolled canvas.
"Is it Jackson Pollock's 'Number 1, 1950'?"
Monica happily accepted it.
"No,"
Chuck shook his head.
"Let me see, let me see!"
Rachel grabbed the canvas and unrolled it, only to see a group of dogs sitting at a table playing poker. She couldn't help but burst out laughing. "What is this?"
She had heard Monica say that Chuck's artistic abilities were exceptional, that he could copy masterpieces, but now she saw this somewhat comical work. The contrast was jarring.
"This... I like it."
Monica smiled awkwardly after seeing it.
Professor Alicia Harper had received a sophisticated work like the Pollock piece, but she was getting a funny picture of dogs playing cards. What did this mean?
"It's 'Dogs Playing Poker,'"
Chuck said calmly. "It's a painting I genuinely enjoy."
"Really?"
Monica was stunned.
"Yes,"
Chuck nodded. "Dogs don't actually gamble, so this painting represents something absurd and out of place. I appreciate that kind of incongruity. A lot of bars have this painting hanging on their walls, and you used to spend time at the bar downstairs, so I thought you'd appreciate it."
"I love it, I really love it!"
Monica suddenly understood and was overjoyed.
She had originally expected to receive the same Pollock piece, so she could have what Professor Harper had. But now she realized this painting was better. Not only was it approachable and amusing—something she could actually enjoy—but it was also one of Chuck's personal favorites, specially chosen for her.
Wasn't this better than a Pollock she already owned?
"Who doesn't love dogs?"
Chandler quipped. "And on a special night like tonight, it's very appropriate."
Monica caught the innuendo, her face flushed, and she glared at Chandler.
"Sorry, it just brings back some childhood memories,"
Chandler shrugged with self-deprecating humor.
"..."
Monica was speechless, pretending she didn't understand the implication. She lovingly put the painting away and gestured for Chuck to sit down.
"So, Chuck, what have you been up to lately?"
her best friend Rachel asked, gingerly touching her bruised face.
"Teaching, research, treasure hunting,"
Chuck said casually, his eyes focused on the injury on her face.
"Treasure hunting?"
Everyone perked up. "Like in the movies, where you find a treasure map and then go searching for it?"
"Here,"
Chuck pulled a small tube of ointment from his pocket and handed it to Phoebe. "Apply this to her wound and massage it gently. It should help significantly."
"Really?"
Rachel was thrilled.
Her injury wasn't serious, but it was incredibly painful for someone who had never experienced physical violence before. If she had health insurance, she would have gone to the hospital immediately.
"Yes,"
Chuck nodded.
"You know us well,"
Phoebe said with a smile as she took the ointment and began applying it to Rachel.
She worked part-time as a massage therapist, among other odd jobs.
"I can tell by your hands,"
Chuck observed her technique.
"Stop interrupting and tell us about the treasure hunt,"
Ross interjected unhappily, not liking how Rachel and the others were fawning over Chuck.
"Yeah, I'm interested in treasure hunting too,"
Chandler said, rubbing his hands together eagerly. "Remember when Ross got dumped by Carol, and he was moping about being single and wanting to be someone's knight in shining armor, and then literally the next second Rachel showed up in her wedding dress, running away from her own wedding? I made a wish that day."
"I remember. You threw your hands up and said you wanted a million bucks,"
Joey recalled the scene, then widened his eyes and pointed at Chandler.
"Exactly! That's what I wished for!"
Chandler said jokingly, "Maybe this is my wish coming true."
"The prize money is indeed one million dollars,"
Chuck confirmed.
"See!"
Chandler was stunned, then jumped up shouting, "I knew it!"
"Prize money?"
Ross caught something: "Isn't this a treasure hunt? Why is there prize money?"
"It's a mathematical treasure hunt competition,"
Monica suddenly realized, "Is Paige participating in that one?"
"Yes,"
Chuck nodded.
"Mathematical treasure hunt?"
Everyone exclaimed: "How does it work? Can we participate?"
The prize was a whopping million dollars. Even though they knew they probably couldn't win, what if they could?
"It's a common puzzle-solving game in the mathematics community,"
Seeing everyone's curiosity, Chuck explained: "Each level presents a mathematical problem. After you solve it, you get coordinates or send your answer to the organizer, then receive a clue to the next level. You progress step by step, and those who complete all levels receive the prize money from the organizer."
"Who's the organizer? Someone that generous?"
Rachel was now particularly interested in money, her eyes lighting up. "Do you mathematicians play these games often? Are mathematicians really that wealthy?"
"There are various organizers—the Clay Mathematics Institute, university departments, tech companies, and many anonymous sponsors,"
Chuck said. "The prize money is usually quite substantial."
"A million is just 'substantial'?"
Ross was flabbergasted.
Chuck gave him a look that said 'you wouldn't understand.'
Ross: "..."
(End of Chapter)
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P@atreon/Soulforger (45+ advanced chapters)