Bai Ranran’s eyes widened, and she sniffled.
“That’s… that’s great. I have a friend now. Please, have this.”
Bai Ranran unwrapped a candy and tried to stuff it into Jiang Ran’s mouth.
Jiang Ran quickly stepped back, putting some distance between them.
“Wait, I only agreed verbally. Don’t go taking it seriously. If you act like this, I won’t hang out with you next time.”
Jiang Ran’s gaze swept over Bai Ranran, and she soon noticed the girl was still reaching into her pocket for something.
‘Is that girl’s pocket some kind of Dimensional Space? How does she keep pulling things out?’
Bai Ranran waved her hands.
“I… I wasn’t. I just got a little too excited.”
Jiang Ran scratched her head.
“Then I’m heading back. If something happens… actually, don’t contact me even if something happens.”
“Oh, okay~”
Bai Ranran didn’t chase after her this time.
Jiang Ran walked several steps before looking back; Bai Ranran really hadn’t followed.
She recalled the scene of meeting Bai Ranran today.
She had a feeling that Bai Ranran also possessed a supernatural Ability, though she wasn’t quite sure what it was.
Was it that flickering Hidden Figure, or was it that strange pocket?
It seemed like she could pull anything out of it.
It would be fine if she only took things out, but she feared the Ability was strong enough to stuff a person inside.
If that were the case… she would just surrender immediately.
Jiang Ran opened her phone and noticed the class monitor was tallying things for the Freshman Performance in the Class Group.
The group announcement stated that anyone who wanted to perform a talent could find the monitor to submit an application form.
If it passed, they could earn Academic Credit.
Croissant: “@Jiang Ran, how about we go up and perform some Crosstalk?”
A notification pinged in the group.
As soon as she saw Croissant’s profile picture, Jiang Ran felt a headache coming on.
“No way. I don’t know how to do Crosstalk. If you want to go, go by yourself.”
Jiang Ran sent a private message.
She absolutely did not want to show her face in the Class Group; heaven only knew how many lurking Yandere types were there.
“Why not, Jiang Ran? I thought you loved Academic Credit the most.”
“I don’t. If you want to go, go.”
“But you haven’t talked to me in so long.”
“Have you ever stopped to think about why I’m ignoring you?”
“I can’t think of anything. Oh, right, my mom wants me to go home next week. Are you going back to your Old Home Village? It feels like you haven’t been back in forever.”
The old home…
Jiang Ran thought about the people back there.
Since her parents were already like that, the situation at home would likely be even more chaotic.
“I’m not going back. I’ve been doing work-study lately, so I don’t have time. You should find a job if you have the time, too. Always relying on borrowing money from others will eventually use up their trust. It’s not a long-term solution.”
“I don’t want to work! If my mom finds out I’ve earned money, she’ll definitely come to the city and beat me half to death, then take my money away.”
“…”
Jiang Ran reminisced.
That village of hers was indeed a place of desolate and treacherous lands.
Some people there couldn’t wait to throw their daughters into a drainage ditch.
Even worse than the start in a Vocational High School restroom was the Vocational High School in her Old Home Village.
It was said that a young girl had even been expelled because of something like that.
Years ago, there had been similar incidents at Jiang Ran’s School.
“Then your mother is the problem. If it’s no good, just don’t go back. You should probably apply for legal aid for things like this. I’ve said all I can. I have to go to work now. Goodbye!”
Jiang Ran took the initiative to end the chat.
If she let that girl keep talking, who knew what time it would get to.
Scrolling through her message list again, Jiang Ran noticed a message from Su Wanqing.
It was a Battle Defeat Image.
“Why is this game so hard? Jiang Ran, do you have time to play together?”
“No.”
“You’re so busy. It took you this long just to send me one message.”
“Because I already told you I was busy.”
Inside the villa, Su Wanqing sent a string of exclamation points.
She lay in her bed, her head pressed against the pillow, as she rolled over with her legs kicked up.
She was so annoyed.
She had said so much to Jiang Ran, only for her to reply with a single sentence.
She was busy.
She had originally planned to start a game while waiting for Jiang Ran, but she hadn’t expected to lose so quickly.
With a nervous heart, Su Wanqing had sent the Battle Defeat Image, hoping for a quick response from Jiang Ran.
Instead, 2 hours passed.
She had scrolled through several rounds of short videos, yet Jiang Ran still hadn’t replied.
‘Could she be out playing with other girls?’
The thought popped into her head.
Logically, she shouldn’t care about this, but for some reason, she just didn’t want Jiang Ran to be too close to other women.
Wait, men weren’t allowed either!
While Su Wanqing fixated on these pointless problems, Jiang Ran had already boarded the bus and was heading home.
Outside the window, the twilight deepened.
The moon’s blurry outline was visible, and the buildings of varying heights passed by the window like film in a projector.
They left behind blurred shadows and light, reflecting on the faces of the numb passengers inside the bus.
Jiang Ran pulled out her phone and boredly opened her message list.
After seeing it was just those same few people, she closed the glowing screen again.
She gazed aimlessly at the city receding outside the window, feeling somewhat dazed.
The announcement for her stop sounded on time, pulling Jiang Ran out of her numbness.
She checked her belongings and stepped off the bus.
The streetlights on both sides cast a dim yellow glow, illuminating the green belt on the way home.
Jiang Ran returned to the old apartment as usual.
She thought about the house Su Nian had taken her to see today.
Once the renovations there were finished, she should be able to leave this place.
Jiang Ran adjusted the bag on her shoulder, a comfortable smile appearing on her face.
She picked up her bag to head upstairs but spotted a familiar figure at the corner of the street.
Dressed in casual black clothes, Gu Ge held a small bag.
Her chestnut hair draped over her back.
She was leaning against the door while holding the bag, hair sticking to her forehead and fine beads of sweat on her face.
“Sister Gu Ge, what happened to you?”
Jiang Ran bit her lip, putting on her usual timid expression.
“Jiang Ran, you’re here. I was in a hurry and accidentally sprained my ankle today. It hurts so much now that I’m afraid to even open the door.”
“Ah, it’s that serious?”
Jiang Ran’s eyes widened as she looked Gu Ge over in surprise.
‘Can someone with a sprained ankle still grip a bag that tightly without letting go? Shouldn’t it hurt too much to stand steadily?’
“Then why didn’t you go to the Hospital? I’ll call someone to take you.”
Gu Ge shook her head.
“It’s just a minor injury. Jiang Ran, can you help me open the door? The keys are in my right pocket.”
Jiang Ran looked and noticed a set of keys in Gu Ge’s right pocket.
“Is it this one?”
Jiang Ran pointed at the pocket.
The smile on Gu Ge’s face deepened, and a flush of red lingered on her cheeks.
“Yes. Quick, take them out for me. Thank you, Xiao Ran.”
“O… Okay.”
Jiang Ran reached in, half-doubting, only to discover to her surprise that the pocket seemed extremely thin.
She could feel the contours of Gu Ge’s abdomen through her fingertips.
A strange, soft hum reached her ears.
Gu Ge looked at Jiang Ran with a mischievous gaze, breathing softly into her ear.
“Xiao Ran, what’s wrong? Are the keys too heavy to take out?”
Jiang Ran grabbed the end of the keys and carefully pulled them out.
Holding the slightly warm keys, she inserted them into the lock and pushed the door open.
A second later, a warm, soft body pressed against Jiang Ran.