I Might Have Fallen in Love With My Childhood Sweetheart-Chapter 27 - 24: Don’t Fall in Love Too Early

Several students called away by Old Wu didn't attend the last two classes, and they did not return even when the school bell rang.

Qingran returned home after school, Li Qingmo had not come back yet.

She lay on the sofa, somewhat dejected, which startled Aunt Liu who came to cook.

Aunt Liu went over to touch her forehead, muttering, "This child, really, has she gotten a fever? It's not hot though."

Qingran opened her eyes and sat up, "Aunt Liu, I'm fine, just feeling a bit tired."

"Oh," Aunt Liu was relieved and began to comfort her incessantly, "I know your studies are heavy now, but you also need to rest properly, don't overexert yourself, it's not worth it."

Qingran forced a smile as she watched Aunt Liu put on an apron and enter the kitchen.

The memories from the afternoon disrupted all the rhythms she arranged for her life, perhaps no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't escape the fate of the Li Qingran in the book.

If one cannot escape destiny, one must bear it.

She needed to bring forward her schedule to go to F University, at least to meet the gentle and erudite Professor Lin from the book before marrying him.

She didn't feed the cat last night, seeing that it was still early today, Qingran went out carrying cat food.

There wasn't much cat food left at home, she walked while taking out her phone from her pocket to power it on, unable to charge it yesterday, the battery icon at the upper right corner had turned red, showing only 18% left.

Qingran worried that the phone might turn off due to low battery, so she put it back in her pocket and ignored it.

The continuous vibrations from incoming WeChat messages kept her phone buzzing, and she could already see the silhouette of stray cats ahead, losing interest in checking her phone.

The stray cats recognized their feeder and crowded around Qingran, jostling against one another, waiting to be fed.

Under that ancient tree, Qingran habitually looked up.

The dark-clothed youth, cap on backward, sat on the tree trunk, looking down at her.

Perhaps because in the book, they both similarly faced grim fates, Qingran didn't dismiss Ji Yanchen's presence this time.

Ji Yanchen jumped down from the tree when he saw her. The tree branches weren't very high, and the youth was agile, landing steadily.

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A few stray cats ran off in fright, but after a while, sensing no danger, returned one by one, wagging their tails.

Ji Yanchen mimicked Qingran and crouched down by the stray cats.

"Senior Brother Ji," Qingran broke the silence first: "Do you come here every day?"

Ji Yanchen looked up at her, his tea-colored eyes surprisingly clear. He paused for a full minute before responding: "Yes, I come here every day."

Because I don't know when you might come, so I come every day.

Qingran couldn't remember why God Ji in the book turned evil, like him, who doesn't fight or contest, living in his own world, what exactly made him confront Xie Ying'an to the end?

What did he learn about the story's end that made him choose to jump from a skyscraper?

Time stood still, Qingran's eyes lost focus, two lonely souls sat together, neither warming the other.

Suddenly, Qingran asked, "Senior Brother, if fate is unfair, and one cannot fight against it, what should be done?"

Ji Yanchen was taken aback, but he didn't let Qingran wait too long this time, "One should try."

"Try..." Qingran laughed wryly.

Since it's already known you can't fight it, what can trying a hundred times change?

Ji Yanchen's fingers trailed over the smallest stray cat's spine, his voice low, almost to himself: "Since you know you can't fight destiny, why not struggle a bit more?"

It was an eye-opener for Qingran, the ending in the book was predetermined, and knowing it, she should make some effort, how could she let things just unfold?

The setting sun's afterglow shone on the two, coating Ji Yanchen, who stood against the light, in a warm orange glow. In that moment, Qingran suddenly perceived a sense of liveliness from this senior.

At that moment, the loneliness she perceived didn't seem so frightening.

After the stray cats had their fill, they began to leave in twos and threes, Ji Yanchen still holding the smallest stray cat, seemingly reluctant to let it go.

Qingran stood up, "Senior Brother Ji, I need to go back now."

Ji Yanchen stood up with a cat in his arms, his eyes looking towards the path Qingran had come from, "You're, going back now..."

Qingran nodded, pulling a smile: "Goodbye, Senior Brother."

Taking a few steps, she turned back, pulled out her phone from her pocket, "Senior Brother Ji, can I add your WeChat?"

Ji Yanchen was momentarily stunned, then reached for his phone.

He handed his phone to Qingran.

Qingran hesitantly took the phone, realizing that perhaps Senior Brother Ji was letting her add him.

Ji Yanchen's phone didn't have a password lock. Qingran opened his WeChat, his profile picture was a lone boat in the sea, and his WeChat name was just the character 'Ji'.

Qingran searched for his QR code; the interface popped up immediately. She quickly saw his WeChat list was exceptionally simple, apart from daily news pushes, there was a message from someone named Ji He, and at the bottom was the Class Group of Senior Year Two, marked with a red dot.

Qingran had no interest in snooping through someone else's privacy, hastily found his personal QR code, scanned and added him, noting 'Li Qingran' in the verification message before handing the phone back to Ji Yanchen.

"Senior Brother, if you need me to feed the cat in the future, you can contact me on WeChat, goodbye." She waved, this time not looking back.

Ji Yanchen, still holding the phone, stood there in a daze.

After a while, his lips curled into a slightly gentler smile.

Qingran ran into Xie Ying'an at the corner; he was leaning against a tree, his presence somewhat dejected.

Seeing her, Xie Ying'an straightened up, his gaze falling on the cat food in her arms.

"Feeding the cats?"

he asked.

Qingran nodded, "Why are you here?"

"Looking for you."

"Is there something you need?"

Xie Ying'an's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, swallowing back the words he had reached his lips.

He lowered his eyelids, his dark, long lashes like a pair of wings, "Never mind."

Qingran, slightly perplexed, asked him, "Want to come to my place?"

"Not anymore, you go back," Xie Ying'an looked towards the direction Qingran had come from, where a dark figure could vaguely be seen, he pointed in that direction: "I'll go this way."

Qingran, intent on keeping her distance, didn't care which way Xie Ying'an went, nodded and walked past him.

"Li Qingran." Xie Ying'an called her name from behind.

Qingran paused in her steps.

"Don't fall in love too early!"

There seemed to be a hint of pleading in the young man's voice.

Qingran shook her head, doubting her ears, proud as Xie Ying'an was, living life on a cloud in the book, even the female lead Shiyi couldn't make him bow and scrape.

To say something demeaning about herself, what was she, Li Qingran, in the heart of Xie Ying'an?

"Let's encourage each other." Qingran lifted her foot, continuing to walk forward.

The least qualified person to talk about not loving too early was Xie Ying'an, who in the book confirmed his relationship with Wen Shiyi right before the college entrance exams, stepping straight into a premature romance.

On the other hand, Li Qingran had always harbored a secret crush on him, never daring to confess.

Now he turns around telling her not to fall in love too early?

Hah, ridiculous!