Fate's Playful Hand!
"Name?"
"Ji Mo."
"This is a police station, not your home! Stop with the slick talk and answer honestly. What is your name?"
"Officer, my name is Ji Mo—Ji as in 'season,' Mo as in 'end of term.'"
"…"
"Gender?"
"Male."
"Age?"
"19."
"Occupation?"
"Student."
"Which school?"
"Northern Shanghai University. I have the admission letter in my pocket. Classes start tomorrow."
"Not bad, kid, you did well on the exam. Do you know what you’ve been accused of?"
"Officer, I’m innocent. I had a bit too much to drink and was a bit disoriented, which led me to mistakenly enter the women's restroom."
"It’s not as simple as just saying you made a mistake. The person is now accusing you of assaulting her."
"Officer, I swear I’m innocent. I was so dazed that when I entered the restroom and opened a stall door, she struck me without me doing anything or even seeing anything. How could I be accused of assaulting her when I didn’t even get the chance to retaliate against her for attacking me?"
Ji Mo rubbed his bruised eye. The woman had been so harsh—beating him to such a state despite him doing nothing. If he had done something, she might have just sent him away outright.
"Your words alone aren't sufficient; accusations require evidence. Unless you can obtain her forgiveness, you are responsible for this matter. The restaurant’s surveillance footage captured you entering the women’s restroom."
"Officer, could you please speak to her on my behalf? I am willing to apologize and acknowledge my mistake. I truly didn’t mean to offend her. As a patriotic youth, how could I possibly commit such an act? Moreover, I am about to start university tomorrow. I wouldn’t be foolish enough to get into trouble today, right? Don’t you agree, Officer?"
"I’ll see if I can talk to her." The officer thought it might indeed be a misunderstanding, as the young man seemed rather normal and unlikely to commit such a perverse act.
After a tense wait…
"Alright, you can go. Be sure to apologize sincerely when you meet her later," said the officer, releasing Ji Mo from the handcuffs.
"Thank you, Officer. I’m truly grateful."
"Let’s go, I’ll see you out."
…………
When Ji Mo was escorted to the door by the officer, he saw a woman sitting in the lobby, engrossed in a book.
She appeared to be in her twenties, with bright eyes and a refined nose. Her lips were red, her teeth white, her eyebrows like distant mountains, and her face as lovely as a lotus. A small tear mole at the corner of her eye added a touch of allure, making her breathtakingly beautiful and impossible to gaze at directly.
Ji Mo was momentarily stunned before approaching her.
"Hello, I’m Ji Mo. I apologize for the discomfort I caused you today. Please forgive me," Ji Mo said sincerely, bowing to the woman.
The woman closed her book and stood up.
Wow, she’s quite tall, at least 175 cm.
"Yes, you’re from Northern Shanghai University?" Her tone was very*, and*.
"Yes, a freshman starting tomorrow."
"Study hard." Without waiting for Ji Mo to respond, she turned and left the police station.
As Ji Mo walked out, he saw a black Range Rover drive by, and through the window, he glimpsed the woman’s flawless profile behind sunglasses.
"That woman is quite impressive."
Ji Mo stared at the departing Range Rover in a daze, then sharply rubbed his cheeks.
Alcohol is harmful!
…………
Ji Mo was reborn.
Without warning. Unexpectedly.
Before his rebirth, he had been a procurement officer—an unremarkable job title with a promising future.
Throughout his life, Ji Mo had been a good student, at least academically.
As for other matters—skipping classes, fighting, and extravagance—he had indulged freely.
He never smoked, as he was allergic to nicotine; his first attempt in middle school nearly ended badly.
During the college entrance exams, Ji Mo successfully received an admission letter from Northern Shanghai University.
However, life took an unexpected turn just days before he was set to continue his misadventures at university.
His father accidentally broke his leg while hunting in the mountains, so the funds initially set aside for Ji Mo’s education had to be redirected for his father's treatment.
The villagers tried to pool resources to help him continue his studies, but since his father’s leg would take at least a year and his younger sister would also need funding for college next year, Ji Mo decided to forgo his education. He boarded a train to Shenzhen to shoulder the responsibility of supporting his family.
Perhaps fate was kind, as after struggling in that alien metropolis for over a year, Ji Mo happened to save an elderly man from being hit by a red-light runner. The elderly man turned out to be the dean of a university, which led to Ji Mo being appointed to the university’s procurement department.
The university's procurement department, as one would understand.
However, in his fourth year at the job, while flying home for the Mid-Autumn Festival, Ji Mo took a brief nap on the plane.
When he awoke, he had been reborn, back to two days before his father’s accident.
The unexpected rebirth left Ji Mo a bit disoriented but mostly thrilled.
He had successfully prevented his father’s injury and could now embark on a brand-new life.
Experiencing the joys of university life as a student, rather than envying others’ youth from the perspective of a procurement officer.
…………
With only a backpack, Ji Mo arrived in Shanghai.
After spending a day exploring the bustling city where he would spend the next four years, he chose a promising-looking hotpot restaurant to celebrate his new beginning.
In a bit of excitement, he ordered several bottles of beer. Unbeknownst to him, his current body was still a naive one unaccustomed to alcohol.
So, after just a few beers, he became intoxicated, stumbled into the women’s restroom, and was subsequently beaten by a woman. He was later sobered up and brought to the police station.
Ah, fate’s cruelty.
…………
The next morning, Ji Mo woke up early, went for a run in the vicinity, had breakfast at a nearby stall, then returned to his small hotel to pack up and head to the university.
Before eight o’clock, Ji Mo arrived at the university.
Gazing at the grand, culturally rich entrance of the campus, his heart swelled with excitement.
As he wandered through the campus, he noticed there weren’t many people around, so he took the opportunity to explore.
He meandered until he found himself in front of a library. Just as he was about to enter to experience the esteemed atmosphere of a top Chinese university, he spotted a familiar tall figure nearby.
Upon closer inspection, it was the woman who had beaten him the previous day.
What was she doing here? A senior?
Ji Mo instinctively rubbed his sore face, and before the woman could notice him, he decisively turned and left.