My girlfriend is from the future!

Old people often reminisce about their childhood, while every young person longs to grow up quickly.

This seems to be a "regret in life" that everyone will experience.

However, these words coming from the mouth of "young" He Tianran made Cao Aiqing and Wen Liang, who knew his situation well, feel a vague unease, because it meant that "young" was beginning to resist the personality transformation.

Both women remained silent. They could certainly offer many answers and comforting words to this question, but…

How could this boy, who gets nosebleeds from a mere tease from Wen Liang, be allowed to get close to Yu Naoqiu?
Or are we expecting him to calmly lead a film crew of dozens or even hundreds of people, involving countless conflicts of interest?

Or perhaps, let him effortlessly attract investment for those two plots of land that are about to be handed over and whose future is uncertain, amidst the clinking of glasses and laughter?

Most things in this world are indeed unrelated to age, but to do them well, they are inevitably closely linked to experience. And life experience, which seems intangible, is something that is gradually solidified over time in real life.

Therefore, the things He Tianran is about to face are far beyond the control of this "boy" whose heart is still stuck at seventeen.

But who will lay bare this cruel reality and take the blame?

Cao Aiqing and Wen Liang's eyes met briefly in the air, and they both saw the same struggle and reluctance in each other's eyes.

Just then, Jiang Xixi, who had been subconsciously ignored by the two women, broke the heavy silence with her unusually clear voice. However, this time, her tone was no longer sweet and gentle, but instead carried a different kind of seriousness and maturity.

"Brother He... if you are truly firm in your current thoughts... then may I ask you a question?"

"……what is the problem?"

She already knew some of He Tianran's situation, and based on the conversation and He Tianran's reaction just now, the girl had already guessed most of his situation.

"Do you remember when you came to my house in a daze and told me that you suddenly stopped at the age of seventeen?"

Jiang Xixi squatted down, and He Tianran lowered his gaze so that the two looked at each other.

"……Remember."

Jiang Xixi's gaze swept over Cao Aiqing beside her, her expression complex and unreadable, as if recalling something and stating a fact:

“Back then, you asked me what our relationship was and why we knew each other. I said I was your ex-girlfriend, your pet cyber canary… But actually, we were never really together. I lied to you.”

Wen Liang's eyes flickered as she looked at the group of people. She had overheard Cao Aiqing mention this matter while she was changing clothes in the bedroom, but her intuition told her that if the other party didn't seem inclined to continue the conversation, she shouldn't ask any more questions.

Cao Aiqing showed no intention of stopping Jiang Xixi, only surprise at her bringing up the past.

"You...I...why did you suddenly bring this up...I...I don't blame you for lying to me..."

The one who couldn't stand it the most was He Tianran. Facing the gazes of the three girls, he felt like he was sitting on pins and needles, and was very uncomfortable. He didn't know why Jiang Xixi had brought up this "battleground" topic.

"You don't blame me for lying to you, but I can't lie to myself. Brother He, since you're sure you're the 'He Tianran' we know, then fine. There's one thing I've always been bothered by: you rejected me back then and chose Sister Cao. Now..."

Jiang Xixi's gaze was fixed on He Tianran, not allowing him the slightest chance to look away:

"If you had to choose again, knowing it might hurt me and make Sister Cao sad, what would you choose? Brother He, you said you are 'He Tianran,' so He Tianran must know what to choose..."

The boy's lips moved, as if there was a wad of cotton stuck in his throat.

This is not a rehash of old grievances about girls fighting over a man, but a fundamental questioning of why "He Tianran" is who he is.

This issue concerns responsibility, decision-making, and even more so, He Tianran's deeply ingrained principles when facing emotional and moral dilemmas, principles he would follow regardless of the circumstances.

When he returned to his "teenage" and faced this problem again, his mind went blank.

Fragments of memories from before I turned seventeen surged up: those vague moments of exhilaration about falling in love, the weight of making choices, the painful struggle between hurting others and staying true to myself...

He remembers that feeling.

That suffocating feeling that no matter which path you choose, you might lose something important.

This is the most honest reaction from a "teenager".

He was afraid of making choices, afraid of bearing the consequences of his choices, and afraid of seeing any disappointed or hurt looks in anyone's eyes.

This hesitation is a reflection of the naivety and confusion of youth.

“I…” he finally managed to say, “I… don’t know.”

It wasn't a defiant denial, nor a well-thought-out answer, but rather an almost instinctive retreat.

He curled up on the sofa, as if trying to hide himself, his voice so low it was almost inaudible: "...Isn't...isn't it all in the past? Why...do we still have to choose?"

Cao Aiqing took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, as if to expel the tightness in her chest. She did not look at He Tianran's obvious evasive posture, but instead turned her gaze to the window.

The He Tianran she knew was actually very decisive in some matters, but this trait was not innate; rather, it was accumulated through repeated choices involving gains and losses, regrets and triumphs.

However, it is still somewhat cruel to place such a cruel choice in front of an innocent "young person" again.

This was the first time Wen Liang had ever seen He Tianran in such a naive and almost laughable state of disarray...

Jiang Xixi remained squatting there, looking up at him. He Tianran's answer did not seem to surprise her, and she did not show any disappointment or dissatisfaction on her face.

"It's over...?"

She repeated those three words, her voice very soft, with a hint of something indescribable:

"Yes, for you, Brother He, many things can be said as 'it's over,' and you can truly pretend they never happened. But the 'He Tianran' I know wouldn't say such a thing. He wouldn't give me a vague explanation. When it comes to facing things, he has the courage to do so. He doesn't just throw out 'it's over' and then slowly wait for it to truly be over, wasting a lot of his youth. He's someone who can carry memories full of regrets into the future. That's the kind of person I admire, because I've seen his departing figure..."

But that figure wasn't you.

During their university years, Cao Aiqing, as the victor in this love triangle, did not share Jiang Xixi's feelings. As a taboo subject in their relationship, He Tianran rarely mentioned it to her in the days that followed, and could even be said to have avoided it altogether.

So apart from the parties involved, no one knows what He Tianran said to Jiang Xixi that day.

But the few words revealed by her former rival left Cao Aiqing with mixed feelings.

At this moment, Wen Liang, the female celebrity who should have taken the initiative in this situation but had remained silent, sighed almost imperceptibly...

She understood the meaning behind Jiang Xixi's words, even better than Cao Aiqing, and... even more deeply. He Tianran seemed to be burned by Jiang Xixi's words. Looking at Jiang Xixi, he saw a reflection of his own childish and pathetic self in those large eyes that always reflected the glow of games and anime...

There was no anger or accusation in those eyes, but rather a kind of...

A calm judgment that separates him from the "real" He Tianran.

He is not the kind of person who can carry regretful memories into the future...

Nor is he the one who can give a definite answer or bear the consequences of his choices...

At least, he isn't like that now.

By the way, this cute anime girl, the little girl who keeps calling him "Brother He," the girl who stays up all night with him playing games, doing quests, and chatting about anime, is already twenty-four years old.

And he was merely a gaming partner, a playmate to fool around with, someone hiding in the shell called "He Tianran," unable to even offer a decent choice—

coward.

"I...I didn't..."

He futilely repeated his pale denials, his voice as weak as a mosquito's buzz, unable to even convince himself.

A wave of immense shame and helplessness overwhelmed him.

The boy felt suffocated. The air in the living room became thick and heavy. The gazes of the three women were like tangible chains, binding him firmly to the judgment seat belonging to the "adults." He couldn't make any choices. He didn't want to hurt anyone. He just wanted to experience being surrounded by people like the protagonist in an anime...

Everyone was chatting and laughing, everything was under control, everyone believed in themselves, no one brought up any sensitive topics, and no one would get hurt...

Is this...difficult?

He clutched his head again, this time not out of spite, but out of a breakdown in the face of reality, erecting another defense to try and completely isolate himself from this world that left him feeling lost and helpless.

He closed his eyes tightly, curled up, and trembled like an ostrich drenched in a downpour, burying its head in the sand.

escape.

This was the only instinct he was familiar with, and also his last.

Looking at him like this, Cao Aiqing felt as if her heart was being squeezed by an invisible hand. Pain mixed with helplessness. She knew that although Jiang Xixi's words were cruel, they hit the nail on the head.

Wenliang lowered her arms, instinctively wanting to step forward, but her feet remained rooted to the spot. She knew that any comfort or tugging at this moment could be the last straw that broke him.

Silence spread, broken only by He Tianran's suppressed, tearful gasps...

Then, the violent trembling stopped without warning.

His arms, which were holding his head, seemed to have all their strength suddenly drained away, slowly and stiffly sliding down to rest on his knees. His rapid breathing was also forcibly suppressed within seconds, turning into an overly steady, even somewhat stiff, rhythm.

He kept his head down, his black hair obscuring his expression.

But a certain change has already occurred.

The panic and vulnerability that had almost overflowed vanished like the receding tide. In its place was a deep, weighty silence.

He slowly raised his head.

The eyes no longer held the clarity, panic, or stubbornness of a "teenager."

He raised his hand and pressed his temples very slowly and forcefully with his long knuckles. The movement carried a restraint and rhythm that was completely different from that of a "boy," belonging to an adult, as if he was resisting some kind of intense, mental pain.

He let out a soft breath, a breath that seemed to carry the weight of many years of pent-up emotions.

Then he spoke, his voice low but unusually steady, carrying a resigned indifference:
"The adult world is very tiring..."

Cao Aiqing held her breath and tentatively, almost in a whisper, called out:

"……writer?"

The man, or rather, the "writer" persona that had regained control of this body, glanced at Cao Aiqing and Wen Liang, whose eyes held complex concern, before finally settling on the pale-faced Jiang Xixi. The man seemed to have a thousand words to say, but in the end, it all boiled down to a simple sentence:

"Thank you."

What should he thank? Should he thank her for shattering the "boy's" illusions? Should he thank her for forcing him to confront reality?
Maybe both.

Jiang Xixi pursed her lips and did not respond.

The "writer" He Tianran turned to look at Cao Aiqing and Wen Liang, his lips twitching very slightly, forming an expression that was hardly a smile:
"I'm sorry to have shown you such an embarrassing side of yourself."

"Is the 'young man' alright?"

Wen Liang asked with some difficulty.

"do not know……"

The man gave the exact same answer as the boy had given him earlier.

The three girls were somewhat taken aback by what they heard, but looking at the man who had returned to normal, they were momentarily dazed, vaguely sensing—

It seems that all those so-called "He Tianrans" are just one person...

This "writer," who seemed to have experienced many hardships, was ultimately forced to return.

Forced back into this shell of someone who must always be "proper" and "reliable" by that unbearable "boy" who only knows how to escape, by the reality that can no longer be excused by "the past," and by these concerned yet invisible gazes.

The unbridled and chaotic nature of "youth" is like a soul that has briefly escaped, only to be stuffed back into the cage called "maturity".

Instead, there's only He Tianran, who must pretend to be an adult until his death. He makes another appearance, picking up his social script and adult mask...

That's all. (End of Chapter)