Prodigy’s Playground

Chapter 45 A Spectacular Performance

Clatter-clack, clatter-clack.

Jiang Ran’s fingers flew across the keyboard. Strings of text surfaced on the screen, assembling into dazzling stretches of script.

In the original worldline, he had written a script for the Film Club once before.

That script had been adapted from a chūnibyō setting collection he’d written in middle school, Prodigy’s Playground, and in the end it had been performed by him and Qin Feng together.

It was said the finished short film had been very high quality and received unanimous praise.

Now, he was simply writing the script out again from memory—effortless.

Xu Yan stood behind Jiang Ran, eyes fixed on the screen, reading line by line as it appeared, occasionally propping her chin and thinking.

At first, she hadn’t held much hope. She’d only thought Jiang Ran was kindly trying to help, and she didn’t have the heart to dampen his enthusiasm, so she’d lent him a laptop.

But…

The situation right now!The more she watched, the more something felt off.

“Brilliant.”

At last, she could no longer suppress the excitement in her heart and spoke up in praise.

The Film Club members nearby looked at one another, faces full of confusion.

What… was going on?

During this period, because of the script issue, Senior Sister Xu Yan had long since entered “hedgehog mode”—completely untouchable, volatile and explosive.

But what had she just said?

That heartfelt “Brilliant”—anyone could hear the surprise and admiration in her tone.

Curiosity overflowing, more and more club members gathered around, forming a circle behind Jiang Ran to watch.

“Damn, this twist is insane.”

“Holy crap, god-tier setup! Where did Senior Sister find this master?”

“Shh… keep it down, don’t disturb the creation.”

“My god, there’s another reversal! The structure of this script is incredible!”

At first, everyone kept their voices low, whispering.

But as the plot grew increasingly intense, the chatter became unstoppable. Every single person was drawn in by the thrilling, suspense-laden story… all eyes locked onto the blinking cursor, waiting for the next line to appear.

Jiang Ran, meanwhile, was completely immersed in writing, unaffected by the noise behind him.

It wasn’t that he thought his writing was especially good.

Rather…

What he was typing now was precisely the duel scene he had performed with Qin Feng on the rooftop that day.

Crimson clouds, setting sun, lengthening slanted shadows, a lone wild goose flying in unison.

Both onstage and off, he and Qin Feng had stood in that kind of near-yet-far opposition more than once.

“So this was the trap you designed.”

“We’ve known each other since high school…”

“So will you vanish with a whoosh and travel back to 2009? Or is it just your consciousness crossing over, while your body stays here?”

“So that’s your secret. But I still want to say—your fireworks went off too early.”

“You’re wrong. The one who exposed their hand… was you.”

“You will never defeat me in history. Because in this game played along the river of time…”

“I am history!”

……

Those familiar, uncannily fitting lines flashed through his mind.

He remembered the look he gave Qin Feng as he jumped from the rooftop.

He also remembered Qin Feng’s final glance back before the worldline changed.

An uncanny coincidence, to the extreme.

【As if the ending of their story had already taken its final bow during that rooftop performance.】

In the film, Jiang Ran was the protagonist. In reality, it was Qin Feng’s stage.

With a magician’s dazzling performance, he deceived Jiang Ran, deceived everyone, and in the blink of an eye caused a Worldline Transition—achieving a performance that could be called perfect.

Tap!

The final press of the Enter key landed.

The script was finished.

Jiang Ran lifted his hands from the keyboard and quietly looked at the ending on the screen.

A silence lasting dozens of seconds…

Then—

Clap, clap, clap, clap!

Xu Yan took the lead in applauding. The applause exploded like thunder, and the entire Film Club erupted.

“So the ending is that big of a reversal—these two protagonists’ face-offs are insanely hype! Both enemies and allies, both righteous and wicked!”

“This is the good script we’ve been searching for! Senior Sister Xu Yan, if we shoot this, we’re guaranteed to win an award at the University Student Film Festival!”

“Senior Sister, Senior Sister, hurry and introduce him to us… where did this god-tier senior come from?”

“Yeah, yeah, where did you find this reinforcements? He’s like rain in a drought!”

Facing the juniors’ excitement, Xu Yan smiled slightly and didn’t say much.

As club president, she understood everyone’s psychological pressure during this time.

She herself was no exception.

Long-suppressed tension burst the instant she saw such an outstanding script, leaving her feeling much lighter.

“This handsome guy is named Jiang Ran.”

Patting Jiang Ran on the shoulder, Xu Yan said proudly,

“He’s my childhood friend.”

Then—

She looked at Jiang Ran with a hint of worry.

“Jiang Ran, such an excellent script… are you really willing to let us use it?”

“Of course.”

Jiang Ran smiled.

“This was written specifically for your Film Club to begin with.”

“And besides… you went through so much trouble, pulling so many strings to save the Film Camera Club for me. This counts as mutual help—please don’t be polite with me.”

With the author’s personal permission secured, the entire Film Club was overjoyed, itching to get to work immediately.

After all, the submission deadline was close. They had to rush casting, filming, and editing.

“Senior Sister, Senior Sister, can we use this script to enter the film festival?”

Facing the juniors’ watery, hopeful eyes, Xu Yan smiled and sighed.

“Since the author himself says it’s fine, then we’ll shamelessly accept it.”

“But on the production credits, Jiang Ran’s name must be written down—and clearly marked as original work, script, and screenwriter… placed in the most prominent position.”

“No need, no need.”

Jiang Ran waved his hands, feeling a little embarrassed.

After that,

The Film Club members printed several copies of the script and went to the adjacent activity room to discuss task assignments. The crowded room scattered like startled birds, leaving only Jiang Ran and Xu Yan behind.

“This time, I should be the one saying thank you.”

Xu Yan crossed her arms.

“Jiang Ran, I really didn’t expect you to have this kind of talent.”

“I’ve always thought you were smart since we were kids. Honestly, someone with your brain going to a junior college really is a waste.”

“But, um… the road ahead is still long, and all roads lead to Rome. As long as you walk it through, it’s fine!”

As if realizing she’d misspoken, Xu Yan showed a flicker of panic.

Though it vanished in an instant.

Jiang Ran still caught it.

【Strange.】

This feeling was strange.

Whether it was Xu Yan or Wang Hao, whenever they talked about Cheng Mengxue’s death and how it affected him…

They always hesitated.

They were always cautious.

【Something’s off.】

Very off.

Suddenly,

Jiang Ran realized something—

It seemed—

They always strongly associated Cheng Mengxue’s death with him, repeatedly urging him to “let it go,” “move on,” and the like.

Especially what Xu Yan had said yesterday:

“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.”

And what Wang Hao had said:

“The past is the past. You shouldn’t keep blaming yourself.”

Yes.

That was the problem.

That phrasing was too strange!

【Cheng Mengxue clearly died in a car accident—an accident, an accident. That alone means it wasn’t my fault. So why were Xu Yan and Wang Hao emphasizing this so deliberately?】

Could there be some hidden truth behind Cheng Mengxue’s death?

Thinking carefully.

Since the Worldline Transition, all he knew was that Cheng Mengxue had died in a car accident two years ago. No one had ever explained the details of how it happened.

His thoughts tangled chaotically.

“Xu Yan, I want to ask you something.”

Jiang Ran slowed his breathing.

“Xiaoxue’s death two years ago… it couldn’t be that it had a lot to do with me, right?”

He paused.

Then lifted his head.

“Was it me… who caused Xiaoxue’s death?”