Ruan Chen was distracted during her classes the next morning.
Fu Jianzhi probably didn't know her class schedule, or he wasn't aware that Ruan Chen's major had a very full schedule, which is why he set the time for the afternoon.
But it doesn't matter, Ruan Chen is a professional truant.
In the afternoon, Ruan Chen went in and out of the dormitory several times, picking up and putting down her textbook for her major courses. In the end, she picked up the thick textbook and headed towards the classroom.
After passing the school gate, Ruan Chen was supposed to walk straight to the end and turn to go to Building 1 for class, but after passing the school gate a few steps, she turned back, hesitated for a moment at the school gate, sighed, and walked out.
Xicheng Bookstore.
As soon as Ruan Chen stepped inside, a waiter opened the door and asked in a low voice, "Miss Ruan, Mr. Fu is at table number three. Would you like something to drink?"
"American style, thank you."
What kind of beans would you like?
"casual."
Ruan Chen was surprised to find that Xicheng Bookstore had improved so much in the few years since she last visited. Their Americano used to be just commercial beans, but now they even have SOE.
Ruan Chen was led by a waiter to table number three, which was the best seat in the entire Xicheng Bookstore.
From this angle, you can see the commercial street outside, a corner of the sky above the architecturally distinctive roof, and the dim yellow light above the seats creates a just-right ambiguity. Three sides are surrounded by handmade bookshelves from the 18th century, each book on them a masterpiece.
The only remaining side is a short walkway with impressionistic paintings hanging on both sides.
The overall design is both private and open, which suits Ruan Chen's preferences very well.
"This bookstore is also an asset of the Fu family? When did they take it over?" Ruan Chen asked casually as she sat down.
Ruan Chen used to frequent this bookstore and had even considered taking it over and renovating it, but after Loranze's investigation, he declined, citing a lack of investment potential.
Therefore, Ruan Chen knew a bit about this store; the original owner didn't have the resources to make this kind of renovation.
Fu Jianzhi smiled gently, "It was about when you first came back. I thought that now that you're back, you should have some space to relax. You like reading, but it's not convenient to eat and drink at the provincial library, and it's far from the First Affiliated Hospital. After thinking about it, I decided that Xicheng Bookstore would be suitable."
Just then, the waiter brought over the coffee.
Ruan Chen took a sip, and Fu Jianzhi looked at her expectantly.
These are Ruan Chen's favorite beans; he specifically requested them.
Ruan Chen spoke up.
"I never mentioned to you that I liked this bean. Did she tell you?" Her expression was indifferent and cold.
"Who?" Fu Jianzhi was taken aback, then added arrogancely, "Fu Chengyu? What does he know? I don't talk to him."
“Stop pretending,” Ruan Chen sighed, not taking another sip of the rich, fragrant coffee. “Jianzhi, it’s her. Didn’t you come into my world for him? The timeline has converged; I survived, but she…”
Ruan Chen carefully chose her words, her thoughts churning. "Back then, I was careless in going to that timeline. I thought I could evade the laws of the universe, but it must have been because there was no longer the mark of time that my appearance led to her being erased... In this matter, I am sorry to you."
Given Ruan Chen's proud nature, it's truly rare for her to say "I'm sorry."
Fu Jianzhi's initial confusion gradually turned into surprise, followed by an undisguised smile. He suppressed his laughter and said, "Ruan Chen, why don't you say it again, and I'll record it? This is truly the first time I've heard you apologize so earnestly and seriously; it's really rare."
Ruan Chen: "...Do you love her or not?"
She was actually a little annoyed. How could Fu Jianzhi, that heartless man, react like this?
She had decided to come here today to keep her appointment and explain everything to Fu Jianzhi, including Ruan Chen's matter in the main timeline and Cong Rao's matter.
She had even thought about the outcome: the two of them would calmly finish talking about these things, and the best result of owing each other would be to cancel each other out and have no debts left.
From then on, we parted ways.
But what kind of attitude is Fu Jianzhi?
Sensing the annoyance in Ruan Chen's tone, Fu Jianzhi stopped laughing and coughed twice. "Alright, I won't tease you anymore. So, Ruan Chen, seven years have passed, and you still haven't remembered, have you?"
Ruan Chen: "...What did I forget?"
Fu Jianzhi looked at her with an undisguised love and affection, and a hint of tenderness, and said seriously, "There have never been two Ruan Chens. What you see is everything you have experienced."
"At that time, the energy injected into the Ark was not from the three of us, but from the four of us—Yan Qian, Duan Jingfu, you, and me."
"So you are you, it's just that in the timeline that was torn apart, the timeline I entered was when you were twelve years old, while the timeline you entered was the first day you came into this world."
"Your strange dreams are probably a problem you've had since childhood."
"Back then, we created Crescent Bay to counter the technology screen, but we overlooked 'them.' Crescent Bay shielded us from the universe's prying eyes, while they are omnipresent. We were far from success, and you actually chose to cooperate with them behind everyone's back."
"As you know, they are parasites of human civilization. When our civilization is destroyed, they will also cease to exist. So you joined forces. At the time, everyone thought you betrayed our civilization, but I knew you wouldn't—although you deliberately showed hatred for this world, I knew it was all a disguise."
“I don’t know the specific details of your cooperation, but in the end, I don’t know what happened that completely triggered the technology screen. Our civilization will be completely suppressed, and you and many other people with extremely high status at the time will be wiped out by the universe as punishment for your resistance.”
"At the time, everyone was in unison: it was a fight to the death."
"Rather than being imprisoned on this planet until the complete extinction of civilization, we would rather take a gamble, which is to tear open another timeline and replay the process of these years, even though the chance of success is only one in three thousand."
"You're back again. It was the four of us who made this possible."
"So it was the four of us from beginning to end, but after experiencing the time turbulence, memories always become distorted. Strangely, in the memories that Yan Qian and Duan Jingfu retrieved, your part seems to have been erased."
“But I remember you, sister, I remember you.” Fu Jianzhi’s eyes were gentle, completely enveloping Ruan Chen. “I remember everything you did, everything we went through, and every single one of your preferences.”
He recounted, “Back when we stepped into the turbulent flow of time, I said that if anyone could do all this, it could only be you.”
"You've succeeded. The two timelines have converged, and we've evaded the laws of the universe."
After listening, Ruan Chen showed no relief in her eyes. She asked, "But I really can't remember."
"That's normal. They can't remember either. Only I can."
Ruan Chen wanted to think this through carefully, but the more she tried to clear the fog in her mind, the more her temples throbbed with pain.
She was in so much pain that she felt like vomiting, and her face turned pale.
"Ruan Chen, are you alright?"
Ruan Chen shook her head reluctantly and asked her question, "Fu Jianzhi, tell me, was my mother's death also part of your planned scenario?"
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