Clickety-clack, clickety-clack.
Jiang Ran’s fingers flew across the keyboard, and strings of words appeared on the computer screen, forming one dazzling section of script after another.
In the original worldline, he had once written a script for the film club.
That script had been adapted from the chuunibyou setting collection he’d written in middle school, Genius Amusement Park, and in the end, both he and Qin Feng had acted in it.
It was said that the finished microfilm had been quite good, receiving unanimous praise.
Now, he was merely writing the script out again from memory. It was effortless.
Xu Yan stood behind Jiang Ran, staring at the screen, reading each sentence as he wrote it, occasionally propping up her chin in thought.
At first, she hadn’t held out much hope either. She had only thought Jiang Ran was kindly offering to help, and since she didn’t want to dampen his enthusiasm, she had borrowed a computer for him.
But…
This situation!
The more she read, the more it felt off!
“Brilliant.”
At last, she could no longer suppress the excitement in her heart and spoke up in praise.
Beside her, the film club members looked at one another, exchanging baffled glances.
What was going on?
Because of the script lately, Senior Xu Yan had been in hedgehog mode for a long time. She was completely untouchable—flammable and explosive.
But what had she just said?
That heartfelt “brilliant”—everyone could hear the surprise and admiration in her voice.
Filled with curiosity, more and more club members gathered around, forming a circle behind Jiang Ran to watch.
“Damn, that twist is amazing.”
“Holy crap, god-tier concept! Where did Senior invite this expert from?”
“Shh… keep it down when you’re discussing. Don’t disturb his writing.”
“My God, there’s another twist! The structure of this script is incredible!”
At first, everyone still kept their voices low and whispered among themselves.
But as the plot of the script gradually intensified, their discussions grew impossible to stop. All of them were drawn in by this exquisitely suspenseful and thrilling story… Each person’s gaze followed the cursor closely, anticipating the next sentence.
Jiang Ran, meanwhile, was completely immersed in his creation, undisturbed by the commotion behind him.
It wasn’t that he thought what he was writing was especially good.
Rather…
What he was typing now was precisely the rooftop confrontation scene he had performed with Qin Feng that day.
Red clouds, the setting sun, slanting shadows stretching long, a lone wild duck flying with the dusk.
Both inside and outside the film, he had stood opposite Qin Feng like this several times—seemingly close, yet seemingly far.
“So, this is the trap you designed.”
“We’ve known each other since high school…”
“Will you vanish with a whoosh and travel back to 2009? Or is it only your consciousness that goes back, while your body remains here?”
“So this is your secret. But I still want to say, you set off your fireworks too early.”
“You’re wrong. The one who exposed his trump card is you.”
“You can never defeat me within history. Because in this game across the river of time…”
“I am history!”
……
These familiar yet unbelievably fitting lines flashed through his mind one by one.
He remembered the look in Qin Feng’s eyes when he leapt from the rooftop;
He also remembered Qin Feng’s final glance back before the worldline changed.
It truly was no coincidence—an uncanny convergence.
【It was as though the ending of the story between them had already fallen with the curtain in that rooftop performance that day.】
In the film, Jiang Ran was the protagonist, but reality was Qin Feng’s stage.
With a magician’s magnificent performance, he had deceived Jiang Ran, deceived everything, and in the end, right under his very eyes, caused the worldline to leap—completing what could only be called a perfect performance.
Tap!
The final press of the Enter key landed.
The script was finished.
Jiang Ran also lifted both hands from the keyboard and quietly looked at the ending on the screen.
Silence stretched for several dozen seconds…
Then.
Clap, clap, clap, clap!
Xu Yan took the lead in applauding. Soon after, thunderous applause erupted, and the entire film club boiled over:
“To think the final twist was that huge! The confrontation between these two protagonists is so gripping! Enemies and friends, righteous and wicked at the same time!”
“This is the good script we’ve been desperately searching for! Senior Xu Yan, if we film this script, we’re guaranteed to win an award at the College Student Film Festival!”
“Senior, Senior, hurry and introduce him to us… Where did you invite this godly senior from?”
“Exactly, exactly! Where did Senior bring this savior from? He’s literally a timely rain!”
Faced with the excitement of her juniors, Xu Yan smiled faintly and didn’t say much.
As the club president, she understood very well the psychological pressure everyone had been under lately.
Even she herself was the same.
The long-suppressed tension erupted the moment they saw such a brilliant script, leaving her whole body feeling much more at ease.
“His name is Jiang Ran.”
Patting Jiang Ran on the back, Xu Yan said proudly:
“He’s my childhood playmate.”
Afterward.
She looked at Jiang Ran with some concern:
“Jiang Ran, are you really willing to let us use such a good script?”
“Of course.”
Jiang Ran smiled.
“It was tailor-made for your film club to begin with.”
“Besides… you helped me so much, using so many connections to keep the Film Photography Club alive. This counts as us helping each other, so don’t be polite with me.”
With the author’s own permission, everyone in the film club was beyond excited and wished they could throw themselves into work immediately.
After all, there wasn’t much time left before the film festival submission deadline. They had to hurry with casting, filming, and editing.
“Senior, Senior, can we use this script to enter the film festival?”
Faced with the puppy-dog eyes of her juniors, Xu Yan also smiled and sighed:
“Since the author himself says there’s no problem, then we’ll shamelessly accept it.”
“But on the production credits, Jiang Ran’s name must be written in, and specially marked as original creator, scriptwriter, screenwriter… Put it in the most conspicuous place.”
“No, no.”
Jiang Ran waved his hand. This was making him a little embarrassed.
After that.
The film club members printed several copies of the script and went to the activity room next door to discuss the division of labor. In an instant, the crowded room scattered like birds and beasts, leaving only Jiang Ran and Xu Yan behind.
“This time, I’m the one who should thank you.”
Xu Yan folded her arms.
“Jiang Ran, I really didn’t expect you to have this kind of talent too.”
“Ever since we were kids, I always thought you were very smart. Honestly, for a mind like yours to go to a junior college really was a waste of talent.”
“But, uh… there’s still a long future ahead, right? All roads in life lead to Rome. As long as you make it through, that’s what matters!”
As if realizing she had said the wrong thing, Xu Yan actually revealed a trace of panic.
Though that panic vanished in a flash.
Jiang Ran still caught it.
【Strange.】
This feeling was strange.
Whether it was Xu Yan or Wang Hao, whenever they mentioned Cheng Mengxue’s death, as well as the effect this incident had on him…
They were always hesitant.
Always cautious.
【Something’s wrong.】
Very wrong.
All of a sudden.
Jiang Ran realized something—
It seemed.
They always strongly linked Cheng Mengxue’s death with him, and repeatedly urged him to “let go of the past,” “move on,” and so on.
Especially what Xu Yan had said yesterday:
“No matter what, just like we advised you before, Xiao Xue’s death wasn’t your fault. You don’t have to blame yourself too much. No one has ever blamed you.”
And what Wang Hao had said:
“What’s past is past. Don’t keep blaming yourself.”
Yes.
The problem was right here.
That way of saying it was too strange!
【Cheng Mengxue clearly died in an accidental car crash. An accident was an accident—by nature, it wasn’t his fault. Why did Xu Yan and Wang Hao have to emphasize it so specifically?】
Could it be that there was some hidden truth behind Cheng Mengxue’s cause of death?
Thinking carefully.
Since the worldline leap, he really only knew that Cheng Mengxue had died in a car accident two years ago. But regarding the details of how she died, no one had ever explained them to him.
For a moment, the more he thought about it, the more terrifying it became.
“Xu Yan, I want to ask you something.”
Jiang Ran slowed his breathing.
“Xiao Xue’s death two years ago… it couldn’t have had a lot to do with me, could it?”
He paused.
Then he raised his head.
“Was it me who caused Xiao Xue’s death?”