Vocational College

Unbelievable.

Jiang Ran was so shocked he couldn't speak.

Although he had a premonition just now that in this new worldline with a changed historical trajectory, he might not have come to Donghai University to study.

After all, the main reason he applied to Donghai University was because Cheng Mengxue wanted to come here, so he followed.

Since Cheng Mengxue died unexpectedly two years ago on this worldline, he likely had no reason to apply to Donghai University.

But he never expected it!

He didn't even get into an undergraduate program, he went straight to a vocational school, a junior college!

He had argued it well, but in his original worldline, he scored 680 on the college entrance exam... Even if he fell, he shouldn't have fallen to the level of a junior college, right?

For a moment, his throat felt dry.

He recalled Qin Feng's evaluation of Wang Hao back then:

"Even if a person is stupid, can't they still score 500 points?"

Sorry, they really can't.

However...

Thinking about it this way, he could probably understand why he ended up hanging out with Nan Xiuxiu and her group of colorful girlfriends.

"Um, I want to ask a question."

Jiang Ran hesitated, but he had to ask.

Looking at Nan Xiuxiu's fair face, Jiang Ran asked softly, "Um, we haven't... haven't... done that before, right?"

He made a gesture.

Nan Xiuxiu immediately turned to him, "What are you thinking!"

"Ouch." His arm hurt.

"We've only been dating for 4 days! We haven't even held hands, and you're thinking about that kind of thing!"

Nan Xiuxiu turned away, "I'm very traditional about this! Unless you marry me, I won't do those things with you! Absolutely not!"

"Okay, okay, I get it, I get it."

Jiang Ran motioned for her to be quiet, "I was just asking casually."

"You can't even ask casually!"

"Got it, got it, stop yelling."

[Very good.]

Jiang Ran felt relieved inwardly.

This was probably the only good news among the many bad tidings after the worldline change.

He didn't like Nan Xiuxiu at all and didn't want to be involved with this girl in the slightest.

Nothing was more comforting to him than being pure and innocent.

[He had only been dating Nan Xiuxiu for 4 days, no intimate relationship had occurred, he hadn't taken advantage of her in any way, and they hadn't even held hands.]

This way, he had no burden on his conscience.

He'd find an opportunity to break up.

He thought to himself:

I don't have time to play around with you.

Now...

This junior college, This magical girlfriend, He didn't care about any of it.

After he used the spacetime message to change the worldline... all of this would become non-existent history.

He would return to his original worldline, revive Cheng Mengxue, find Qin Feng again, and live his original life at Donghai University.

Jiang Ran had no lingering feelings or reluctance about everything that was happening now.

Because he didn't belong here in the first place.

His history wasn't here;

His future wasn't here either.

On the way back by taxi, listening to Nan Xiuxiu chatter, Jiang Ran finally understood what had happened last night.

Yesterday was Nan Xiuxiu's best friend's birthday party, and they were both invited to attend.

He was the only male at this birthday party.

Nan Xiuxiu was a very traditional girl, so when it was time to sleep, Jiang Ran had his own room, Nan Xiuxiu and her best friend shared a room, and the other girls were distributed in the guest rooms on the third floor.

In the WeChat chat history with Wang Hao, Wang Hao had sent many angry messages, constantly questioning why he wasn't brought along to such a delicious-sounding party! He looked as anxious as a baboon in heat.

But this was Nan Xiuxiu's best friend's birthday party, not Jiang Ran's, and it was up to the host to decide who to invite. Jiang Ran understood the principle that guests don't bring guests.

Finally.

The reason for the shocking scene by the window was that Nan Xiuxiu's best friend was showering in the bathroom at the time, and Nan Xiuxiu needed to use the toilet... There was no other option but to borrow the bathroom in Jiang Ran's adjacent bedroom.

Seeing Jiang Ran fast asleep, Nan Xiuxiu tiptoed in without disturbing him.

She had intended to gently push the door open and quietly leave, but just then, Jiang Ran experienced a Worldline Jump and was on the phone with Wang Hao, shouting loudly.

Thus.

The cause and effect were now clear.

But it wasn't enough.

Jiang Ran still had things he wanted to understand.

The taxi stopped outside the gate of Donghai Vocational College of Foreign Economy and Trade, and the two got out.

Jiang Ran looked up at the shabby and dilapidated school gate and couldn't help but recite a poem:

"You might have been last in your high school class, but here, last place is just the threshold to see me. The exceptional students your teachers talked about, there's a whole playground full of them here."

Nan Xiuxiu turned her head:

"What gibberish are you spouting?"

"Nothing."

Jiang Ran yawned:

"You go back first, I'm meeting Wang Hao for a meal."

In this worldline, he and Wang Hao had applied to the same junior college and became classmates after both were admitted.

After bidding farewell to Nan Xiuxiu, he met Wang Hao at the cafeteria.

Wang Hao was voraciously eating, while Jiang Ran twirled his chopsticks and began to probe:

"Wang Hao, my high school grades should have been pretty good, right?"

"Very good." Wang Hao stuffed a bun into his mouth.

"Then why did I go to junior college?" Jiang Ran stopped twirling his chopsticks.

Wang Hao looked up:

"Did you lose your memory?"

"Seems like it... a little."

"You missed two exams."

Wang Hao swallowed his bun:

"The day Little Xue had her accident was the day before the college entrance exam... It happened right in front of you. You followed her all the way to the hospital and didn't take the exam at all."

Jiang Ran breathed a sigh of relief.

No wonder.

This reason he could accept.

"But it seems Nan Xiuxiu doesn't know about this."

Jiang Ran asked again:

"She seems to assume my academic level is just this."

"Of course she doesn't know."

Wang Hao hugged his bowl:

"Why would I tell her about these things? If you hadn't acted crazy yesterday, she wouldn't have known about Little Xue's incident."

"These things are all in the past, and they're your psychological trauma. If you don't bring them up, I won't either."

"That's where the problem lies."

Jiang Ran pushed his basket of buns over:

"How did I end up dating Nan Xiuxiu? How did she become my girlfriend?"

"Xiuxiu is great!"

Wang Hao happily accepted the soup dumplings:

"Little Xue died unexpectedly, and you were so devastated you felt like you were dying. Your parents, afraid you'd do something drastic, didn't dare let you repeat a year, so you came to junior college with me, looking miserable."

"You were really down during that time. Your parents called me often, asking me to keep an eye on you, worried you might do something."

"Ever since Xiuxiu met you in freshman year, she's been by your side, doting on you, trying to cheer you up. I've personally witnessed your condition improve little by little over these past two years... To put it bluntly, it's all thanks to Xiuxiu."

"So when Xiuxiu confessed to you a few days ago, you accepted. I was really happy to see you two end up together. What, are you not satisfied with Xiuxiu?"

Jiang Ran remained silent.

It wasn't just that he wasn't satisfied with Nan Xiuxiu.

Of course... he wouldn't interfere with Nan Xiuxiu, nor would he offer any opinions.

Because he didn't like her.

So, it didn't matter what she did.

"The past is the past. Don't blame yourself all the time."

"Xiuxiu is really great. Sometimes I really envy you."

Wang Hao continued to chatter on:

"Look, not only is she so beautiful, but she's also considerate, and her personality is--"

"Enough."

Jiang Ran stood up, interrupting him:

"Keep eating. I'm going to Donghai University."

"Huh?"

Wang Hao was taken aback:

"What are you going there for? Didn't you just come back from there this morning?"

"I'll explain later."

Jiang Ran took out his phone, deleted that dating app, and instructed Wang Hao:

"Don't tell Nan Xiuxiu where I'm going."

He repeated himself:

"Absolutely don't tell her!"