Genius Playground

"But I still have to go through the proper procedures. I’ll choose my advisor after I get to East Sea University."

It was no wonder Teacher Zhang Yang thought his and Cheng Mengxue’s lives would never cross paths.

Because...

Cheng Mengxue’s official residency in Dragon Country had been canceled long ago; she was legally declared dead.

Jiang Ran wasn’t sure if someone who already had a death certificate and cremation permit issued in their name could even get a new ID card.

But he figured it would be extremely difficult and complicated. Besides, there was no real need for it.

Cheng Mengxue’s current identity had been created for her by that team of scientists in the United States. She was set up as the daughter of a Chinese-American family who had grown up in the States and held a U.S. green card.

So, on paper, there was no way that Jiang Ran, who had never even been abroad, could have crossed paths with this exchange student from the United States.

"You two know each other well?"

Zhang Yang was completely baffled, but he quickly accepted it.

"Well, since you know each other, that’s not a bad thing. Saves me the trouble of introducing you."

"Just make sure you get along once the semester starts. The university has arranged for you two to share a dorm room. It’ll be more convenient for both your daily life and your studies."

PFFT—

Jiang Ran sprayed a mouthful of water everywhere.

"What the hell!?"

He wiped his mouth, his eyes wide in disbelief.

"Teacher Zhang! You can’t be serious, right? The two of us are sharing a dorm room?"

"Why wouldn’t you be?" Zhang Yang said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"How is that possible!"

Jiang Ran was in total disbelief.

’When did East Sea University get so progressive? Male and female students can share the same dorm room? That’s completely unheard of!’

’As far as he remembered, East Sea University had strictly separate dorms for men and women. Forget childhood friends—not even actual siblings were allowed to share a room!’

’Isn’t that the standard for every major university in the country?’

"What’s so impossible about it?"

Zhang Yang furrowed his brow.

"Jiang Ran, you’re not hoping for a single room, are you? Let me tell you, you may be brilliant and have powerful connections, but this university has rules."

"Here at East Sea University, all graduate students live in double rooms. Foreign exchange students are no exception. No one gets special privileges, and no one gets a single."

"Furthermore, starting next semester, the university is implementing a strict residency policy. All full-time students are prohibited from renting off-campus and must live in the dorms."

Jiang Ran was a little dumbfounded.

’Is that the issue here?’

"Teacher Zhang, are you serious? I really don’t get it—"

"Look, just drop the dorm issue!"

Zhang Yang cut Jiang Ran off, sounding a little impatient.

"Can you just focus on your research, Jiang Ran? I feel like you’re never satisfied with anything. It’s just one complaint after another, all day long!"

"As a student, isn’t it only natural to follow the university’s housing arrangements? That’s enough. Stop being so picky. This is how it is. See you at the start of the semester."

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

With that, Zhang Yang hung up, leaving Jiang Ran utterly bewildered.

’Is this... Is this really the East Sea University I remember?’

Jiang Ran couldn’t make heads or tails of it.

’Even if the worldline had changed, could it really have changed this drastically? To the point that East Sea University’s culture became so liberal?’

’Heh, Teacher Zhang must be joking. He’s never serious.’

Jiang Ran realized he’d been too serious and had fallen for Teacher Zhang Yang’s prank.

’This was probably part of what Zhang Yang considered his ’witty sense of humor.’’

’How childish.’

Jiang Ran tossed his phone onto the bed, deciding not to think about it anymore.

Then,

he lay down on the bed himself.

He laced his hands behind his head, stared at the ceiling, and thought about what would happen once the semester began.

Ever since confirming Cheng Mengxue’s DNA that day, Jiang Ran had stopped dwelling on the question of whether this girl was the real deal.

’Real or fake, it doesn’t matter.’

"This worldline is bound to change, one way or another,"

Jiang Ran said softly.

That’s right.

He had to fix the Positron Cannon, send a Time SMS to himself two years in the past, save Cheng Mengxue at that exact moment, avoid the car crash, and let history diverge from that point, triggering a Worldline Jump.

That way, in the new history, Cheng Mengxue would never have gone to the United States for treatment, nor would her official residency in Dragon Country have been canceled...

Everything would be just like in the original history. They would both enroll at East Sea University and study there together.

That was the history Cheng Mengxue was meant to have, the one closer to World Line 0, and the life Jiang Ran had truly lived.

After the Worldline Jump, everything happening now would cease to exist. At that point, the Cheng Mengxue standing before him once more would undoubtedly be the real one, leaving no room for doubt.

"Ultimately, I have to go back to my own worldline."

Jiang Ran was keenly aware.

To him, this Worldline 1 was just a temporary stop, a place where he was destined never to feel any sense of intimacy or belonging.

...

「Finally, September 1st arrived.」

The start of the semester, which Jiang Ran had been eagerly awaiting, was finally here!

He grabbed his already-packed luggage and eagerly headed to the high-speed rail station, bound for East Sea City.

Before he left, he gave the keys to the Aito M9 to his dad, officially handing over the car.

"Son, take care of yourself at East Sea University!"

As he was leaving, his father patted his shoulder and gave him a thumbs-up.

"In your mom’s and my eyes, you’ll always be the best!"

The high-speed train started up, gradually accelerating.

It sped toward the most prosperous metropolis in all of Dragon Country.

Jiang Ran watched the utility poles blur past the window and realized... his true challenge, his true battle, was about to begin.

Lately, he had been very worried about the Lilith problem.

Although he hadn’t been able to find that Setting Collection from his middle school days,

his memories, and the script he had once written, couldn’t be mistaken.

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