“Top science scorer in college entrance exam Pei Chuan turns himself in.”

“Former victim, present-day twisted individual.”

“The story behind the top scorer’s downfall”

…

Throughout July and August, C City was covered by such news.

Later, elderly people would often lecture their descendants: “See this person? Smart, good grades, but if you don’t learn to be good, then you’ll only end up squatting in prison.” Once someone went to jail, no matter how brilliant the medals they once wore, they seemed to instantly lose their luster. Years of effort could turn to bubbles in a single day.

All the students at Yishan Number One High School learned about this.

Jin Ziyang was initially shocked when he first learned about it, but later, hearing such words, he became very angry and shouted: “What nonsense are you spouting! Do you even know him? Do you know what kind of person he is? Keep blabbering and this young master will beat you up!”

This time, Zheng Hang didn’t hold him back either.

Several young men gathered together, wanting to find Pei Chuan. However, society taught them the most vivid lesson—when you haven’t completely grown up yet, you don’t have the ability to overturn everything.

Jin Ziyang covered his face and squatted on the ground. For the first time, he understood that when a friend was in trouble, he couldn’t do anything.

Three years of brotherhood.

Pei Chuan had turned himself in.

He probably had this plan very early on, so on the day of the teacher appreciation banquet, he had pointed out a future direction for each of them.

When they first met Pei Chuan, he was an aloof and silent young man. He liked very few things, had no particular hobbies, and sometimes had quite a bad temper, but later on, no one would dislike that Pei Chuan.

Ji Wei was extremely sad, even sadder than when he himself failed the college entrance exam.

Jin Ziyang clenched his fist: “In the future, I’ll study hard under my dad, earn lots and lots of money, find Brother Chuan and bring him out.”

Zheng Hang patted his shoulder: “Yes!”

Pei Chuan had too few friends in this lifetime. If he lost even them, what would he have left?

When Ji Wei went to register for the repeat class in August, he waved goodbye to everyone: “I don’t know which year I’ll get into university, but when you find Brother Chuan one day, you must notify me immediately. No matter where he is, I want to go see him.”

When Pei Haobin learned about this, he ran around asking people everywhere that very day.

He had been team captain for so many years, but this was the first time he swallowed his pride to beg people for a private matter. However, after searching for people everywhere, what they finally told him was: national important case, cannot reveal more information.

Media reports gradually died down by August. By then, Pei Haobin had already seen many news articles analyzing Pei Chuan’s upbringing.

These news reports tore open his family background and past for him to see, making Pei Haobin understand exactly who had caused Pei Chuan to become the way he was later. He was wrong. He wasn’t a good father.

Pei Chuan had originally been standing at the edge of an abyss, but when he needed help, Pei Haobin, this father, had never once reached out to pull him up.

By the time he realized his mistake, he could never get this son back.

That day, Pei Haobin changed his will. This time his determination was exceptionally firm, and he also invited a lawyer over to witness it. That day, Cao Li held their newly born son, and Bai Yutong was also there.

Pei Haobin said: “After I die, except for the second child’s support payments, all the money will be left to Pei Chuan.”

When he said these words, his face showed some weariness. He was no longer in his prime. No longer the dad who could ride a motorcycle to take Pei Chuan to school.

“No matter which year Pei Chuan is released from prison, whatever the final verdict is, even if he can never get out in this lifetime, this money is his. If it cannot be delivered into his hands, then leave it to the country.”

After Pei Haobin did these things, Cao Li’s expression was very unpleasant, but this time no one could shake Pei Haobin’s determination. Cao Li’s tears couldn’t, and neither could the infant in swaddling clothes.

The honors they had walked out with by stepping on Pei Chuan’s broken legs should have been returned long ago.

This resolve from Pei Haobin came more than ten years late, but it was also the last thing he, as a father, could do for his eldest son who was somewhere unknown.

~

In early autumn September, the weather was cool and clear. Bei Yao went to the capital to attend university. Zhao Zhilan was especially worried about her daughter. The matter with Pei Chuan was like a stone suddenly thrown into water—it splashed up countless ripples, then quietly and soundlessly calmed down again.

The day Bei Yao was to leave for the capital, Bei Licai specifically wanted to request leave to accompany his daughter for registration. Bei Yao refused.

The entire summer vacation was especially long, enough for her to use to calm her emotions.

Before Bei Yao left, she once again found the notebook that had accompanied her since childhood.

Even though she didn’t have complete memories, Bei Yao also knew that the development of these two lifetimes was completely different.

The notebook was written like this—

“That man is called Pei Chuan. He’s a man the whole world considers very bad. He was taciturn and protected Bei Yao for two years. Finally, on the day she died, Pei Chuan told her, ‘She was the sweetheart he didn’t dare love for a lifetime.'”

However, in this lifetime, Pei Chuan didn’t become such a bad person. He turned himself in.

In two lifetimes, only Bei Yao’s arrival was the sole variable.

She was the final cage that trapped Pei Chuan.

Pei Chuan had known long ago what consequences would come from the momentary joy of being with her, yet he still accompanied her through this period of youth.

Before Bei Yao went to university, the young men and women who were still home in the residential area all came to see her.

Everyone was very envious that she could go to university and gave her many gifts.

Later, when going to the train station, Chen Yingqi said: “Bei Yao, I’ll see you off!”

The two of them walked together on the road.

Chen Yingqi’s face was wrinkled up. After a good while, he stammered and spoke: “Did you find Pei Chuan?”

Bei Yao said: “No.”

Chen Yingqi took a deep breath: “Bei Yao, do you really like him?”

Above the old residential area’s sky, a few electric wires crossed occasionally. The autumn swallows hadn’t flown away yet and tilted their little heads to look down at them.

Bei Yao quietly looked at Chen Yingqi.

Chen Yingqi spoke all at once: “Not because you sympathize with him, and not because you pity him, but admiration—the kind of liking where you want to be together for a lifetime.”

Bei Yao’s eyes brimmed with moisture. Finally, she nodded.

This was the first time she had confessed her feelings so openly to an outsider.

Chen Yingqi seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, but then became even more melancholy. He said: “You like him, but he loves you. Bei Yao, you’ll never be able to know how much he loves you.”

The chubby young man took out a card from his pocket: “This is the money he saved over these years. The night before your college entrance exam, he suddenly found me and asked me to look after you and Auntie Zhao from then on. He said men understand men best. He was afraid you’d be bullied or deceived, so he asked me to screen people well for you. In case…”

The chubby boy’s eyes reddened: “In case you end up with someone in the future and that person treats you badly, use money to teach him a lesson too.”

Bei Yao pressed her lips together, her eyes brimming with tears.

Chen Yingqi said: “He had already decided to turn himself in at that time. Even he didn’t know how many years he’d be sentenced to, what the final outcome would be. Whoever you like is fine. Don’t think about him anymore.”

Actually, Pei Chuan had said so much more—that Bei Yao loved to laugh, but sometimes she would cry too. In the future, when screening people for her, it must be a man whose temper wasn’t so bad. What kind of logic was it for a girl to placate a man?

Bei Yao finally understood that sentence.

—”She was the sweetheart he didn’t dare love for a lifetime.”

~

In early September autumn, Pei Chuan was giving statements for the record.

According to legal regulations, for anyone who might possibly be sentenced to death, even if they didn’t hire a lawyer themselves, the state would help them hire one.

That day after finishing the statement, the lawyer was also there.

Pei Chuan looked at the white ceiling: “Is it September yet?”

Inside wasn’t the same as outside. Time was stretched so very long.

The lawyer said: “It’s September 6th.”

Pei Chuan nodded. Then she should already be on the B University campus.

The lawyer frowned: “I just asked people. You didn’t speak according to what I taught you again. Pei Chuan, are you afraid of sentencing or not? In your situation, if you behave well, it’s very likely your sentence could be especially short.”

Pei Chuan said: “Thank you, but I don’t need it.”

When the young man said “don’t need it,” he was exceptionally calm. Lawyer Zhen had practiced for so many years, and this was the first time he’d seen someone so unconcerned.

Sometimes it was clearly the same matter, but using different ways of saying it would have different effects. Pei Chuan understood this principle, yet he stated everything exceptionally calmly—all of it unfavorable to him.

“I was sixteen at that time. Yes, I knew they used it to steal from financial institutions.”

“Drug trafficking? I knew part of it.”

“The 2007 security system was destroyed by me.”

“The final development project was a brain-control chip. Once completed, no matter who it was, they would become a puppet. I didn’t finish it—I did half of it, then completely deleted it. They had doctors and PhDs helping with this. I was responsible for the chip part. There were special people for implantation.”

“I knew that once the chip was completed, they would capture living people to use as test subjects. No one told me—I guessed it.”

The person across from Pei Chuan couldn’t help but ask: “Do you hate this world?”

The young man’s pupils were pitch black. After a long time, he smiled: “No, Officer. I love this world.”

This was an answer that surprised everyone.

At that time, to assess Pei Chuan’s mental state, they also invited a psychologist.

The psychologist put his hands in his pockets and frowned: “His situation is very special. Perhaps because his upbringing environment wasn’t good, and he experienced such terrible things as a child, there was once a part of his personality that had antisocial psychology, but now it’s all gone. When he says he loves this world, it’s not a lie. He stopped. He didn’t become a terrible creator of social chaos. He’s very smart. If he had continued developing that way before, he might have even become the leader of those people.”

Yes, not only did he not become a true Satan, he also completely wiped out the people who should have become his “subordinates” several years later.

Several people looked at each other, finally both amused and exasperated.

Did this count as a genius’s “I killed myself”? Wiping out his own clan.

However, jokes were ultimately jokes. In January of the following year, Pei Chuan’s case had a closed-door trial.

Before the trial, the lawyer was extremely anxious: “Pei Chuan! I’m warning you for the last time. If you want to stay alive, you can’t have a permissive attitude. Think about it! How old are you? Do you want to squat in prison for a lifetime? This isn’t a small matter. You were sixteen when you committed the crime—already at the age to bear major criminal responsibility. Plus it’s high-intelligence crime. What the country fears most is someone like you!”

Pei Chuan remained silent.

Lawyer Zhen shouted: “Pei Chuan! Why won’t you fight to get out earlier?”

Pei Chuan didn’t turn around. He said: “Lawyer Zhen, thank you for everything you’ve done for me, but even if I get out, there’s no difference from being inside.”

A person who had been in prison didn’t even deserve to stand before her.

At least this place could still confine his body, preventing him from being unable to control his emotions and defiling her again.

Lawyer Zhen thought of what he had investigated these past few days and spoke: “Pei Chuan, don’t you want to see her again? Promise me you’ll behave well, and I’ll show you a photo of her from a few days ago.”

The young man’s steps suddenly halted.

Seeing there was hope, Lawyer Zhen couldn’t help but say: “Don’t you want to see it? She’s eighteen years old this year. Believe me, I’ll find a way to bring it in!”

Pei Chuan gritted his teeth: “Today… I’ll speak properly.”

Lawyer Zhen smiled. Stubborn brat, stubborn mule.

The stubborn brat was indeed much more composed today. He finally would say some statements favorable to himself. When he finished speaking, Pei Chuan also provided an account number: “The money they transferred, I didn’t touch a cent. The money I used myself was earned from helping my boss develop software before. The money they transferred is all in this account. The password is 190815. Submit it all to the country.”

When the police officer looked, good heavens!

The money in that account was a full three hundred million!

Lawyer Zhen was also stunned. The young man looked at him, his pale lips pressing together: “You promised me.”

“…Okay, okay.”

After a couple days, Lawyer Zhen kept his word. After receiving approval from many levels, he brought a forum screenshot, printed it in color, and brought it to Pei Chuan.

Lawyer Zhen said: “Sorry, photos are hard to bring in. The paper is a bit rough—don’t mind it.”

Pei Chuan shook his head and took the color-printed paper.

She was eighteen years old this year.

The young woman’s long hair was tied in a ponytail, with slightly curled ends. Her wispy bangs were very gentle. She was reading a book in a lakeside pavilion. This was a December photo. The young woman wore a white down jacket. Outside the pavilion, it was snowing. The lake surface hadn’t frozen yet.

Pei Chuan’s fingertips touched her face in the photo, his dark eyes quiet.

Lawyer Zhen sighed inwardly and patted his shoulder: “Little Pei, she’s very beautiful and very lovely. The image was downloaded from their school forum—number one in popularity for the campus beauty selection! The young lady is very outstanding. If you behave a bit better, one day you can see her again, right? Even if it’s just looking from afar.”

Pei Chuan said in a low voice: “Can I keep this paper?”

The paper was ultimately taken away. For a “dangerous person” like Pei Chuan, they wouldn’t leave him even a blade of grass.

He watched Lawyer Zhen take away that “photo.” He stood up and was pressed back down.

This year, his prosthetic limbs weren’t the most advanced kind yet. When his knee bent, it hurt sharply.

Lawyer Zhen said: “If you want to see her, then one day in the future, see her openly and honorably. What kind of skill is looking at photos!”