Yun Fei stood at the school gate the next morning, his backpack slung loosely over one shoulder, but his heart sharp with anticipation.
Today was the day.
The first domino in a chain of tragedies was about to fall—and he was here to stop it.
The school buzzed like always. Students rushed past him, laughing, arguing, dodging teachers. But Yun Fei wasn't looking at them.
He was watching her.
Ruo Lan.
She stood quietly under the notice board, her uniform crisp, her hair tied back neatly, clutching a worn-out copy of The Old Man and the Sea. Her expression was calm, but Yun Fei could see it now—the blue hue of internal anxiety hovering over her form, invisible to everyone else.
He took a breath and stepped forward.
"Ruo Lan," he said gently.
She turned to him, confused. "Yes?"
"I'm Yun Fei. We're in the same year. Literature class."
"I know who you are," she said, eyeing him warily. "What's going on?"
He hesitated. In his old life, they'd never spoken until much later. Now he was rewriting the script completely.
"I just wanted to say… you're not alone. No matter what happens today, don't believe what they tell you."
Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Why would something happen today?"
Before he could reply, the bell rang. Students began rushing toward their first period.
"Just… trust me," he said.
Ruo Lan gave him a strange look and walked off.
Yun Fei stood there for a moment, the regret shard burning faintly in his chest.
He wasn't just here to stop her from being expelled.
He wanted to give her back something the world had stolen: her voice.
---
By the second period, the rumors began to spread.
Whispers snaked through the hallways. "Did you hear? Someone got caught cheating." "It was a girl." "They found answer sheets in her bag."
Yun Fei sat in the back row of Literature, his fingers tapping the desk as the plan unfolded.
At precisely 11:05 AM, the intercom buzzed.
> "Ruo Lan, please report to the principal's office."
Gasps rippled across the classroom.
Yun Fei stood up too.
The teacher blinked. "Yun Fei? Where are you going?"
"I need to speak with the principal. It's important."
---
The admin office was small, grey, and suffocating. Principal Chen sat behind a massive wooden desk, flipping through a file. Two teachers flanked him. Ruo Lan stood in the corner, pale but composed.
There was a sealed evidence bag on the table—containing a folded cheat sheet.
Zhang Tao stood off to the side, arms crossed, looking smug.
"She's been caught with unauthorized material during the mock exam," Principal Chen said. "It's a serious offense. We'll have to—"
"She didn't do it," Yun Fei interrupted.
All eyes turned to him.
"Excuse me?" Principal Chen said.
"I have proof. She's being framed."
Zhang Tao's smirk faltered. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Yun Fei stepped forward. "I recovered forum logs from last week. Zhang Tao used a proxy to create a fake post pretending to be Ruo Lan, asking for the answer key. He also accessed a teacher's login to download a copy of the chemistry exam. I have the metadata."
He plugged in his USB.
Principal Chen squinted at the screen as Yun Fei displayed chat logs, IP comparisons, and screenshots from the old forum.
The teachers leaned in.
Ruo Lan blinked, stunned.
Zhang Tao lunged. "That's fake! He's making it up!"
But he was sweating now. His voice too loud. His colors flared red—rage, fear.
Principal Chen looked up slowly. "Zhang Tao… is this true?"
"I… I…"
Yun Fei didn't wait.
He looked at Ruo Lan. "Tell them."
She looked at him, wide-eyed.
"In another world," he whispered, "you didn't speak. You trusted people would see the truth. They didn't. But now you have your voice. Use it."
She swallowed, then stepped forward.
"Yes. Zhang Tao's been bothering me for weeks. I never said anything because I didn't want drama. But he's the one who offered me answers. I rejected him. He called me arrogant. And now this happened."
One of the teachers turned to Zhang Tao. "We'll be calling your parents."
Zhang Tao paled.
> Regret Shard #002 Neutralized.
Regret Points: +20
New Trait Unlocked: Persuasive Presence (Lv. 1)
Your sincerity and words now carry subtle influence. Easier to gain trust during truth-telling moments.
---
Outside the office, Ruo Lan caught up to him.
"You… saved me," she said softly.
"I just did what I should've done a long time ago."
"Why?" she asked. "We barely even spoke before."
He looked at her.
"You reminded me of someone who deserved better. And I promised myself I wouldn't stay silent this time."
She studied him. "You talk like an old man who's seen too much."
He chuckled. "Maybe I have."
"Still…" She hesitated. "Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Then, unexpectedly, she added, "If you ever need help with Literature homework, come find me."
A small smile tugged at her lips.
And with that, she turned and walked down the hallway—shoulders straighter than before.
---
That evening, Yun Fei walked home under a quiet sky. His phone buzzed.
> Regret Index Updated
[✓] #001 – Mother's Accident
[✓] #002 – Ruo Lan's Expulsion
[ ] #003 – Xinyu's Isolation
[ ] #004 – Future Business Collapse
New Shard Detected:
[ ] #005 – Missed Love Confession (High Regret Score)
He paused.
> Estimated Date: June 17th. Estimated Target: Lin Xiya.
Lin Xiya.
His first love.
His only love.
In his past life, he had ignored her feelings. Taken her kindness for granted. She had waited, waited, waited… until one day, she left without a word.
And when he tried to find her again—she was already gone, overseas, engaged, unreachable.
He clenched his fists.
This time, things would be different.
He had five days before the confession would fail again.
This time… he'd be ready.