CR: Extra One – Choice

After turning to the real world, Xiao Lou called Yu Hanjiang first. This was followed by contacting his teammates according to the numbers in his memory. He successively contacted Chief Shao, Ye Qi, Old Mo, Liu Qiao, the Long Qu couple, Chu Huaying and Tang Ci.

Xiao Lou built a WX group and called it ‘Card secret Room’. Then he pulled his teammates into the group one by one.

The people who survived the disaster looked at the familiar names in the group and their hearts were full of emotions.

They greeted each other in the group.

After a round of filling the screen with emojis, Ye Qi took the lead in realizing that something was wrong. He came out and asked, “How come there are only 10 people? Brother Jiu and Old Gui haven’t entered the group yet?”

Yu Hanjiang explained, “Brother Jiu is on a mission and his mobile phone might be turned off. I will pull him in again at night. As for Old Gui, he belonged to the hunter’s camp when we cleared the instance and he didn’t exchange contact information with us. We don’t know his phone number so we can’t contact him at present.”

Chu Huaying added, “I know where he actually lives so we can visit him in person another day.”

Everyone unanimously agreed with Huaying’s suggestion. If it wasn’t for Senior Gui’s sacrifice, they all wouldn’t have been able to pass the instance clearly. Time had gone back three years and right now, Senior Gui hadn’t yet died suddenly due to a heart disease.

It was just that so far, they didn’t know the rules of the Card World’s selection. The time reversal was likely to trigger a butterfly effect. Many things would no longer be the same as everyone remembered. If Senior Gui had a heart attack in advance then they wouldn’t be able to save him.

Xiao Lou thought about it carefully and made a decision. “Yes, this weekend, the people in Jiangzhou will go to visit Senior Gui’s home together. Xiao Ye and Liu Qiao, you are in other places and you are currently students. If you can’t come then there is no need to force it.”

It was indeed difficult for two high school students to persuade their parents to ‘visit a master of calligraphy and painting in the distant Jiangzhou City on the weekend’. Their parents would most likely think they were crazy. Ye Qi wanted to go but it was three years in the past. He was going to be a student again at the beginning of high school. He couldn’t help sighing. “Okay, I’ll just report to school honestly.”

Shao Qingge sent a ‘touching head’ emoji and asked Ye Qi, “@XiaoYe, now that you are back in high school, you should know the topic of the university entrance exam in three years right? Do you want to try to get into Tsinghua University or Peking University?”

Ye Qi was depressed. “I took the art exam and have no impression of the university entrance examination…”

Liu Qiao saw this and couldn’t help coming out. “I am ready to study hard for three years in order to be admitted to Peking or Tsinghua University in the future. It is just a pity to not be in the same university as Professor Xiao.”

Everyone gave Liu Qiao a thumbs up. “Xiao Liu, jiayou!”

”We are optimistic about you~”

Liu Qiao had always been an assertive girl and Xiao Lou admired her courage. If she was admitted to Peking University or Tsinghua University, her sister wouldn’t need to come to Jiangzhou to send her to school. Naturally, there would be no car accident. Moreover, she said it was a pity to not be in the same school as Xiao Lou but Xiao Lou might not necessarily continue to be a teacher at Jiangzhou Medical University.

In the Card World, they only went back five hours and they could change their fate. Now that they went back three years…

In three years, there was so much that could be changed.

Xiao Lou said in the group, “In three years, all of us can rewrite our fate. Perhaps this is the biggest reward for us after clearing the Card World.”

Everyone felt it made sense. Long Sen said excitedly, “Wanyue and I have decided to hold the wedding this winter vacation. Once the time comes, please attend and drink the wedding wine!”

The team members naturally congratulated them with flowers.

Old Mo joked. “Chief Shao, which stocks will rise in the next three years? Take everyone to earn some extra money!”

Shao Qingge sent a row of grinning emojis. “No problem. I will take everyone to get rich together.”

The group was lively for a while. Then a message popped up.

Yu Hanjiang invited ‘September Nine’ to enter the Group chat. Everyone knew this was Brother Jiu as soon as they saw his profile picture because it was the photo he took when he joined the army. The man in military uniform stood under the red flag, upright, heroic and cool. (The Jiu in Lu Jiuchuan’s name means ‘nine’)

Xiao Lou wanted to care about him but Tang Ci’s message was faster. “@September Nine, Brother Jiu, are you okay? Are you hurt?”

Lu Jiuchuan smiled. “I just came back from the mission. It seems that after going back in time, I really can change my fate. Originally, I was supposed to die on this mission but today I chose a different route and settled the target. Everything is fine. Don’t worry.”

Tang Ci finally sighed with relief.

Lu Jiuchuan found out that there were 11 people in the group and they were just missing Senior Gui. He quickly reacted to what was going on and asked, “When are you going to visit Old Gui?”

Yu Hanjiang replied, “This weekend.”

Lu Jiuchuan calculated the time. “Okay, I’ll go too.”

The group agreed and went on their separate ways.

They had returned to three years ago and had to adapt quickly to their surroundings. Xiao Lou looked at the calendar on the table. It was August 20th and this was the time he stayed at school to teach. He came to the school today to handle the entry procedures.

His mentor was the head of the Department of Forensic Medicine and admired him very much. He always boasted that Xiao Lou was the most gifted among the students he had taught. Xiao Lou had planned his career before he graduated. He would stay on to teach and become an expert professor in the field of forensic science like his mentor. He liked the atmosphere of the school and he was confident that he could be a good teacher.

At that time, he hadn’t thought about going to the front line of criminal investigation at all. Now it was different.

After being tempered by the Card World, Xiao Lou had seen various bloody crime scenes and brutal murderers. He believed he could complete the task of investigating crime scenes and he was confident that he wouldn’t drag back the criminal investigations team.

Besides, the criminal investigations team had the person he cared about most.

How could he let Yu Hanjiang face all types of dangers alone?

Xiao Lou thought of this and immediately picked up his phone to call a familiar number. “Hello, Teacher. Are you in the office? I thought about it carefully and I don’t want to stay in school to teach…”

The following conversation with his mentor lasted for the whole afternoon.

The doctoral supervisor who had looked after Xiao Lou for several years didn’t understand why Xiao Lou suddenly changed his mind. Xiao Lou explained with a smile, “I just think there is no shortage of students in school. I have studied forensic medicine for so many years and I want to apply what I have learned. It will be more meaningful for me to go to the scene of the crime myself and assist the police in solving the case.”

Facing the young man’s determined gaze, his mentor had to shrug helplessly. “Okay, I respect your decision. However, you have already graduated with a doctorate. In fact, you can be a forensic consultant behind the scenes and it will be a lot easier. Going to the front lines is harder than you think. Sometimes you might encounter a report in the middle of the night. You always have to be on call.”

Xiao Lou thought to himself, ‘Isn’t it the same for Yu Hanjiang?’

In the bitter cold winter or a night with heavy rain, no matter the time or place, the criminal investigations team must arrive at the scene as soon as possible as long as a criminal case occurred. It was due to their protection that ordinary people could rest peacefully and steadily.

If Yu Hanjiang could do it then he would definitely be able to do it as well.

Besides, he wanted to be by Yu Hanjiang’s side. According to the original timeline, Hanjiang would be transferred to Jiangzhou in two years to serve as the group leader of the criminal investigations team. If he became the number one forensic doctor of the criminal investigations team of Jiangzhou City by that time, he would be able to work together with Yu Hanjiang to solve unsolved cases.

It was like when they tacitly caught the murderers in the Hearts secret rooms of the Card World.

Xiao Lou thought this and felt that it didn’t matter how hard or tiring it was. If someone was destined to carry this weight forward then he was willing to bear this weight with Yu Hanjiang.

Xiao Lou met his mentor’s eyes. “Teacher, I have already decided.”

The doctoral supervisor smiled and pushed up his glasses. “Okay, I will tell Old Ren tomorrow. The police force is really short of forensic doctors right now and a doctoral graduate like you is even rarer.  He will be very happy after hearing that you are willing to go and help.”

*** 

Xiao Lou was relieved when he came out of the office.

He made what he thought was the most correct choice and his footsteps became even more relaxed when walking. He took a taxi and asked the driver to drive him home. It was only when he saw the familiar gate that he remembered the house he bought here was bought two years later. At present, he had just graduated and hadn’t saved enough for even the down payment of the house…

Xiao Lou looked at the familiar community and was a bit embarrassed for a moment.

The driver pressed the meter. “Sir, we’re here.”

Xiao Lou’s ears were slightly hot and he coughed softly. “Sorry, I remembered incorrectly. I should go to Binjiang Apartment.”

The taxi driver didn’t say much. He just nodded and continued driving toward the apartment.

At present, Xiao Lou was still renting a small suite with one bedroom and one living room. The conditions were limited. Xiao Lou had just returned home when a message from Yu Hanjiang popped up on his WeChat. “I have already booked a ticket. I will go to Jiangzhou tomorrow night.”

Xiao Lou’s fingers trembled. He was about to see Yu Hanjiang again in the normal real world. Somehow, his mood was full of uncontrollable excitement and nervousness. It felt like he had woken up from a big dream and everything was finally back on track.

There was no need to worry about being eliminated every day. They could finally sit down and enjoy a meal.

Xiao Lou said, “I’ll treat you to dinner.”

At almost the same time, Yu Hanjiang also sent a message. “I’ll invite you to dinner.”

Xiao Lou, “……”

This time, they didn’t use Heart has a Tacit Exchange of Romantic Feelings but the messages were sent out within one second.

Yu Hanjiang’s lips curved slightly. “I will treat you to make up for the meal you sent me a WeChat message about at that time but I didn’t reply.”

On the seventh day of the Chinese New Year, there was no time to reply on WeChat. Xiao Lou was in a car accident and Yu Hanjiang accidently encountered an explosion while on a case. The two of them were pulled into the Card World…

The meal that was owed could finally be made up.

Xiao Lou wasn’t polite with him and sent a smiley emoji. “Yes, I want to eat hot pot.”

“No problem. I’ll drive to pick you up.”

---

The next night, Yu Hanjiang drove to Xiao Lou’s building. Xiao Lou quickly got into the car on the side of the road. The two of them turned to look at each other and smiled.

The face in front of him was Yu Hanjiang of three years ago that Xiao Lou had never seen, but he was still the Yu Hanjiang in Xiao Lou’s heart. So handsome and extraordinary that people couldn’t take their eyes off him. It was just that the first time they met, Yu Hanjiang’s expression was so serious that he almost poked holes into Xiao Lou’s face. Now the man’s eyes were extremely gentle.

Xiao Lou was stared at deeply by these eyes and his cheeks gradually heated up. “What are you looking at?”

“Three years ago, you are…” Yu Hanjiang carefully considered the adjective before smiling slightly. “A bit young.”

Xiao Lou’s expression sank. “I just graduated this year and I stayed in the laboratory every day. I don’t have much contact with people apart from my mentor and fellow students. Perhaps that makes me seem not very mature?”

Yu Hanjiang suddenly leaned over and kissed Xiao Lou.

Xiao Lou’s eyes widened but Yu Hanjiang simply raised his chin and deepened the kiss.

His mouth was full of Yu Hanjiang’s familiar yet unfamiliar breath. Xiao Lou couldn’t help his face turning red. Group Leader Yu’s habit of throwing a straight ball seemed irreversible. They were chatting only for Yu Hanjiang to suddenly kiss him…

Yet thinking about it, was this their first kiss?

In the Card World, their lives were hanging by a thread every day and there was no time to talk about relationships. However, his kiss with Yu Hanjiang was Xiao Lou’s first kiss. Now it was three years in the past… judging from the date, this was the first time the two of them kissed, right?

Xiao Lou’s mind was a mess and his body was a bit weak as he was kissed by Yu Hanjiang.

Yu Hanjiang had deliberately parked the car in an undisturbed parking space in the corner. He really had foresight.

The gentle kiss lasted a long time before Yu Hanjiang reluctantly let go of Xiao Lou. Yu Hanjiang saw Xiao Lou blushing and gasping for breath and his heart softened. He couldn’t help raising the corners of his lips in a gentle smile. “I’ve been waiting for this day for too long. We can finally fall in love with peace of mind.”

Xiao Lou couldn’t help laughing. “Yes, there is no need to be afraid of hunters wanting our lives.”

Yu Hanjiang took out a folder and said softly, “Xiao Lou, I came this time and brought you a surprise.”

Xiao Lou took deep breaths to calm his breathing. Then he opened the folder curiously. “What surprise?”

There was no need to ask. He saw it as soon as he opened the folder.

It was a transfer order.

Yu Hanjiang was transferred to the Jiangzhou City Criminal Investigations Police Force to serve as a group leader.

Yu Hanjiang explained, “In fact, there was an opportunity for me to go to Jiangzhou City three years ago. It was just that as a child, I grew up in Jiangzhou and my home is also here. I had some contradictions with my father at that time and was worried I would be controlled by my father after I transferred. Therefore, I didn’t go. Now that I have the chance to choose again, I went to the leader in the afternoon and agreed to the transfer.”

It is because I want to spend more time with you.

There was no Heart has a Tacit Exchange of Romantic Feelings but they still had this thought together.

Xiao Lou saw the vigorous and powerful characters that stated ‘Yu Hanjiang’ on the transfer folder and his eyes became hot.

Yu Hanjiang came to Jiangzhou in advance for him.

He thought about how he also had a surprise that Yu Hanjiang would soon know about. At the fork in the road of life, they had a rare opportunity to choose again. Yu Hanjiang chose to come to Jiangzhou in advance and Xiao Lou also changed from his originally stable and relaxed life trajectory. He decided to go to the criminal investigations team and become a hard working front-line forensic doctor.

He also wanted to spend more time with Yu Hanjiang.

From now on, no matter the wind or rain, they would walk forward side by side.

Proofreader: Paranoid Kitten