His dad, Li Chuang, was clearly puzzled by the X-Men's arrival, but still welcomed them warmly into the living room.
After asking what they wanted to drink, he poured a cup of hot water for each of the three visitors.
"Xiao Ge, come downstairs! Someone's here to see you."
In fact, even without his dad calling him, Li Ge was already heading downstairs.
Since they had come right to his door, he would have a proper talk with them.
His design ability and the godhead he had already manifested were his greatest sources of confidence.
Besides, the moment he saw Cyclops, Scott Summers, he had come up with a wonderful idea, and he could hardly wait to put it into practice.
"What would you teachers like to discuss with my boy?"
"Is there anything I can help with?"
His dad, Li Chuang, was still somewhat wary of the professor and his companions' visit and wanted to probe their true purpose.
After all, the professor and his companions hardly looked like ordinary teachers.
Apart from Phoenix, Jean Grey, who looked relatively normal, one of the other two wore sunglasses, while the other sat in a wheelchair.
They looked strange no matter how he looked at them!
The professor and his companions were not surprised by Li Chuang's wariness. They knew they did not quite look like normal teachers.
Still, the professor offered an explanation.
"My apologies, Mr. Li! I know our visit is somewhat presumptuous, but there are some important matters we must discuss properly with Mr. Li Ge."
"I wonder how much you know about mutants, Mr. Li. Our school was established specifically to teach mutant students who have awakened their abilities."
In truth, the professor had not initially intended to reveal their identities as mutants outright.
But considering the special circumstances of this boy named Li Ge,
the professor felt that being straightforward might make him less resistant to their visit.
And as Li Ge's father, Li Chuang had a right to know the truth. The professor did not want to keep it from him.
Most importantly, Li Chuang was not a native-born citizen of the United States of America, but had grown up in that wondrous Eastern nation.
As far as he knew, people in that country did not harbor much hostility toward mutants.
On the contrary, they even envied mutants who had awakened their abilities.
They regarded the abilities mutants awakened as innate divine abilities awakened by exceptionally gifted people.
They also kept talking about things like the revival of spiritual energy, the arrival of a great age of immortal cultivation, and the awakening of spiritual roots. In short, things were quite harmonious.
Unfortunately, most countries in the world rejected mutants.
That was also why he felt comfortable openly admitting his identity as a mutant.
"Hm? A school for mutants!"
"Does that mean that boy Li Ge has awakened an ability?"
"That little brat! He even kept it from his own mom and dad. Did he really think we'd reject him?"
Just as the professor had expected, his dad, Li Chuang, showed no rejection. Instead, he seemed rather annoyed that Li Ge had not told him and his wife.
Li Ge found nothing strange about his dad Li Chuang's reaction.
When he was little, Li Chuang had often told him all kinds of xianxia stories, and after learning that mutants existed, he had even expressed envy of their abilities.
The reason Li Ge had not told him and Alice about his identity as a mutant from the outset was that he wanted to surprise them once he had accumulated enough energy.
He had not expected Professor X to lay his cards on the table and reveal their identities as mutants right away.
But Li Ge did not mind.
Because he was about to leave his energy shortage behind and achieve energy freedom.
"Dad, I'm here."
"Hello! Whatever you're here for, you can just say it!"
Li Ge gave his dad a placating look, greeted the professor and his companions, then went straight over to sit on the sofa opposite them.
Li Chuang returned a look that said, At least you know how to behave. He said nothing and simply watched them.
Although the professor and his two companions had established Li Ge's identity from the outset, they were still surprised by his youth.
After all, this young man might have resolved both of the mutants' shortcomings-the uncontrollability of their abilities and the limitations of the X-Gene-shortly after awakening his ability.
That was something their mutant community had never managed to accomplish.
"Hello, Mr. Li Ge! I believe you've already heard our conversation, so I'll get straight to the point."
"We would like to invite you to join our academy. Everyone there is one of our kind. I'm sure you'll come to love it."
Professor X did not assume the air of an elder because of Li Ge's age, but spoke to him as an equal.
Although both Phoenix, Jean Grey, and Cyclops, Scott Summers, wanted to take Li Ge straight back to the academy, neither spoke.
They simply sat quietly beside the professor and let him handle the discussion, trusting him to deal with everything appropriately.
"Professor, your main reason for coming here today probably isn't to have me join your academy, is it?"
"After all, I've sensed psychic power lingering around me several times now!"
"That psychic power belongs to you, doesn't it-the famous Professor X!"
Seeing that the professor did not want to tell the truth, Li Ge laid his own cards on the table, indicating that he already knew his identity and about his psychic probing.
The professor was somewhat surprised by Li Ge's directness, as well as his calm, composed manner, as though he knew everything.
But thinking of the brilliant mind Li Ge had displayed throughout his childhood, as described in his file, there was nothing particularly unusual about such maturity.
As for his identity?
After Li Ge awakened his ability, if he wanted to learn about mutants, a genius like him would have little difficulty finding information about them in obscure corners of the internet.
"All right, Mr. Li Ge!"
"You're correct. Our real purpose isn't to have you join our school. What we really want is to confirm a few things about you."
"Of course, if you wish to join our school, we would certainly welcome you."
Li Ge was a little puzzled by the professor's wish to confirm a few things. He had not had any contact with any mutants, so what issue could possibly have anything to do with him?
But as his gaze swept over Professor X's bald head, a flash of inspiration crossed his mind.
Psychic energy, sensing, X-Gene energy signatures...
In the movies from his previous life, when Professor X sensed mutants, he seemed able to directly sense the strength of the X-Gene energy signatures within them.
He now had only an energy signature, while his X-Gene energy signature was gone. As a top-tier psychic who frequently sensed mutants, Professor X would surely be able to detect the changes and differences.
Could the reason behind that be what they really wanted to know?