"Decided where you're applying yet?" Li Mu asked Zhao Kang as they walked toward campus.
Zhao frowned, pulling out his college application form. "Yanjing Institute of Information Technology. Computer science."
Li Mu nodded. A vocational college, but proximity mattered. "It's two kilometers from Renmin University. Close to you," Zhao added casually.
Had the term "bromance" existed in 2001, Li Mu might've teased him. Instead, he chuckled. "Big city, big opportunities. We'll figure it out together."
Zhao's tone turned earnest. "I'm no genius like you, but if you'll have me, I'll stick by you. Trust goes both ways."
Li Mu clapped his shoulder. No need for grand speeches—actions would speak louder.
After splurging 200 yuan on a lavish Western buffet ("Top-tier dining in Haizhou!" Zhao marveled), they arrived at school for the final ritual: submitting college applications.
Memories flooded Li Mu. Last life, he'd slashed his dreams here, settling for mediocrity. Now, "Renmin University" blazed defiantly on his form—a middle finger to fate.
A voice cut through the chatter. "Li Mu."
Su Yingxue approached, effortless in her summer dress. Zhao vanished with a knowing smirk.
"So," she began, those obsidian eyes dissecting him. "Renmin… You're serious?"
Li Mu leaned against a sycamore, all newfound swagger. "Think I'm joking?"
A flicker of concern. "What if… What if you miss the cutoff?"
He grinned. "Then I'll retake the gaokao. Still Renmin."
Her lips parted—shock? Admiration?—before schooling into neutrality. "I applied there too. As first choice."
"Smart move."
"But I listed Yanjing Tech as backup. Code 10007. You should—"
"Nah." Li Mu waved his application, solitary "Renmin" glaring up. "All or nothing."
Su's cheeks flushed. For a girl who'd spent years perfecting emotional armor, this was uncharted territory. "You're either insane or…"
"Or what?" He stepped closer, catching her jasmine scent.
"...the most confident person I've ever met."
"Stick around," Li Mu murmured. "You'll see."
She turned to leave, then paused. "If you actually get in…"
"When."
"When you get in," she corrected, smile blooming like a secret, "dinner's on you."
As Li Mu watched her stride away, Zhao materialized, grinning. "Smooth. Real smooth."
"Shut it."
"Nah, man. That's how you do it." Zhao mimed a mic drop. "No survivors."
Li Mu snorted, but his gaze lingered where Su had vanished. Renmin wasn't just a school now—it was a battleground.
And for the first time in two lifetimes, he felt ready for war.