novelraw Chapter 44 The Script
Chapter 44 The Script
“Oh, Senior Sister.”
The male student pointed outside the window.
“Senior Sister Xu Yan is spacing out on the track field. She’s in a really bad mood—better not go provoke her.”
Jiang Ran let out a breath.
Good. That meant Xu Yan was still alive.
But why was she in such a bad mood?
He asked out of curiosity.
“Because of the University Student Film Festival.”
The boy gave a wry smile.
“Look, the submission deadline for the University Student Film Festival is almost here, but our Film Club can’t produce anything decent.”“Senior Sister Xu Yan will be a senior next year, so this year is her last chance. Her biggest dream is to win an award at the University Student Film Festival. But judging by how things are now…”
He sighed, leaving the rest unsaid.
The boy explained that because they didn’t have a good script, Xu Yan had been exhausting herself day and night creating, yet nothing satisfied her.
Long-term fatigue coupled with repeated frustration had pushed her emotions close to collapse.
“So that’s how it is.”
Jiang Ran understood—and figured it out.
Perhaps this, too, was an effect of the temporal butterfly effect.
In the original worldline, because he had written a script for Xu Yan and helped her resolve her biggest worry, she had gone out on March 26, and then jumped into the river to save drowning children.
But on this worldline, no one had given Xu Yan a script. She was burning herself out worrying day and night—how would she even have the mood to go out?
Thus, by sheer accident and without anyone noticing, she had unknowingly avoided a death.
“Thanks. I’ll go find her on the track.”
Jiang Ran thanked the boy and headed straight for the track field.
Sure enough.
From far away, he could see Xu Yan slumped over the fitness equipment, listless.
“Hey.”
Jiang Ran greeted her.
Xu Yan turned her head.
As if she’d seen a ghost, she suddenly jumped down from the equipment and stood straight.
“Jiang Ran!”
She shouted his name, utterly shocked.
That left Jiang Ran not knowing how to respond, his hand frozen mid-wave.
“Heh… sorry.”
Xu Yan smiled a little awkwardly.
“I just didn’t expect you to come looking for me at school. These past two years, you’ve been avoiding me, and I didn’t really dare to disturb you.”
?
Jiang Ran tilted his head.
What kind of new development was this?
But he immediately thought of Cheng Mengxue’s death.
Wang Hao had said that Cheng Mengxue’s accidental death had dealt him a huge blow, leaving him mentally drained, half-dead.
Could it be…
Because of that incident, he himself had grown distant from Xu Yan, with no contact or interaction for two whole years?
Very possible.
At the very least, from Xu Yan’s reaction just now, the two of them clearly weren’t as close as he’d imagined.
“Sorry if I disturbed you,” Jiang Ran replied.
“No, no, of course not.”
Xu Yan waved her hands quickly, looking at him.
“Actually, you seem to be in good shape now. I’m really happy for you.”
“No matter what, just like we told you before, […]Xiaoxue’s death wasn’t your fault. You don’t need to blame yourself so much. No one ever blamed you[…].”
“Ah, let’s not talk about that. You suddenly came to Donghai University to find me—did you need something?”
Jiang Ran handed over the Club Dissolution Notice and explained his purpose.
As an outside junior college student, he really couldn’t think of any reasonable explanation for why he wanted to save Donghai University’s Film Camera Club.
It had nothing to do with him at all.
He fabricated a friend, starting with “I have a friend,” and forcefully made up a story about loving film cameras, hoping Xu Yan would help—help them keep the Film Camera Club alive.
Honestly, Jiang Ran himself thought the excuse sounded clumsy.
He had also considered that Xu Yan on this worldline might refuse him—and that would be perfectly reasonable.
But as he kept talking, he realized…
The stories he was making up didn’t actually matter.
From the look in Xu Yan’s eyes from the very beginning, it was already decided: no matter what request he made, Xu Yan would agree.
The feeling was strange, yet unmistakable.
It was as if Xu Yan hadn’t even listened carefully to his fabricated story, just nodding along, waiting for him to finish.
“No problem.”
Sure enough, the moment Jiang Ran finished speaking, Xu Yan immediately agreed.
“Leave this to me. I’ll take care of it for you.”
This…
Jiang Ran scratched his head.
Her readiness made him feel a little embarrassed.
For some reason, he felt that Xu Yan was especially gentle with him—careful, considerate.
Just like his initial intuition: today, no matter what he said, Xu Yan would agree.
Why was that?
Seeing his confusion, Xu Yan smiled faintly, open and straightforward.
“You don’t have to look like that. It’s fine. It’s simple to begin with—not a big deal.”
“Heh, do you know who my boyfriend is?”
This…
That question completely stumped Jiang Ran.
On this worldline, was Xu Yan’s boyfriend still the same person as on the previous worldline?
Who exactly was this mysterious figure?
But.
Never mind who the boyfriend was.
As long as he could get things done, he was a good boyfriend.
“Come find me at the Film Club tomorrow.”
Xu Yan shook the Club Dissolution Notice, turned around, and waved, still just as brisk.
“See you tomorrow.”
……
The next day.
After a long trip, Jiang Ran arrived at Donghai University’s Film Club as agreed.
“Thud.”
Inside the screening room, Xu Yan handed Jiang Ran a Petition.
He didn’t need to look to know what was on it.
Because this piece of paper… he was receiving it for the second time.
The feeling was strange.
The Petition from the original worldline, following a brand-new historical trajectory, had once again ended up in his hands.
He flipped to the front of the Petition.
It was densely covered with the signatures of presidents from various clubs, as well as the signatures of five advisors.
“Thank you.”
Jiang Ran said solemnly.
This thanks came from the bottom of his heart.
Because he knew very well how ridiculous and far-fetched the excuse he’d made up yesterday had been.
Yet Xu Yan hadn’t asked a single question.
Even if she knew those reasons were fabricated, fake… she hadn’t said a word. She had unconditionally agreed to help Jiang Ran, unconditionally supported him.
That kind of trust was hard not to be moved by.
Although Xu Yan was only one year older than him and Cheng Mengxue, in every reminder, she truly was a very reliable senior sister.
“We’ve been friends for so many years—why be so formal?”
Xu Yan punched Jiang Ran lightly on the shoulder.
“Pulling yourself together again is a good thing. You look just as handsome when you’re fired up. Keep it up!”
The unexpected encouragement warmed Jiang Ran.
He looked at Xu Yan and wanted to ask something.
“I heard you’ve been having a headache over a script lately?”
At the mention of the topic, Xu Yan immediately sighed, rubbed her forehead, and shook her head.
“Sigh, isn’t that the truth. This year is my last chance to participate in the University Student Film Festival, but I still can’t polish a single satisfactory script.”
“Sometimes I think, if it really comes to it, I’ll just shoot some random short film—but I’m still unwilling to settle.”
Jiang Ran smiled slightly.
“Do you have a laptop here?”
Xu Yan looked up, puzzled.
“We do. Do you need to use it?”
“Yeah.”
Jiang Ran nodded.
“I have a ready-made script here. I think it’s pretty good.”
“If you don’t mind…”
“I’d like to write it out and let you take a look.”