Love Me in Another Universe

Chapter 78. If Memories Could Be Transplanted

July 7, 1999, Wednesday. Gao Xinglang and Guan Xuchen were walking back to school. Today was the first day of the college entrance exams. Xiaoda Middle School was a designated exam venue, so they were lucky—no need to travel to another school, able to take the exams in a familiar environment.

"Soupy, you know what, back in primary school, I always thought the college entrance exams were something far off. Never expected this day to come so fast," Gao Xinglang said, a mix of both excitement and nervousness in his voice.

Guan Xuchen grunted in response, then yawned. He kept his head down as he walked, looking rather glum.

Noticing this, Gao Xinglang teased, "Soupy, what were you up to last night? Why do you keep yawning this morning?"

Guan Xuchen only grunted again.

Gao Xinglang hurried ahead, then stood in Guan Xuchen's path. Guan Xuchen didn't notice—he kept his head down, took a few steps, and bumped right into Gao.

Thinking he had bumped into a stranger, Guan Xuchen hurriedly apologized. Then he looked up, only to find Gao Xinglang grinning in front of him. He complained, "Lang, the college entrance exams are already here—how do you still have the mood to play such a prank on me?"

"That's exactly why! I saw you looking all sluggish, so I thought a joke might liven you up!" Gao Xinglang walked back to Guan Xuchen's side, slung an arm over his shoulder, and asked with concern while walking, "Seriously, Soupy, were you too nervous last night and didn't sleep well? It's the first day of the exams—you need to be on your toes."

Guan Xuchen glanced sideways at Gao Xinglang and said with a bitter smile, "Ugh, I was a bit nervous, but mostly I was messed up by the construction crew on the Inner Ring Road."

"Oh? They're working at night too?" Gao Xinglang asked, frowning.

"Yeah. Before, the construction work was underway only during the day. But last night, the construction crew must have gone crazy—they started demolishing the two buildings next to ours around seven in the evening and kept at it until past one in the morning. Then they started up again around seven this morning." Guan Xuchen looked helpless. "That machinery was so loud, I only managed to sleep four or five hours at most..."

"No way—construction at night during the college entrance exams? That's totally outrageous!" Gao Xinglang said angrily. He thought for a moment, then pulled a small piece of chocolate from his schoolbag and handed it to Guan Xuchen, smiling. "Soupy, don't let it get to you. You'll do your best if you stay relaxed. Here, take this chocolate. My mom says eating a little chocolate before an exam helps reduce anxiety and refresh the mind. Eat it, and you won't feel sleepy during the Chinese exam later."

Guan Xuchen took the chocolate, staring at its fancy wrapper, and said emotionally, "Thank you, Lang."

Then he thought of something and asked, "What about you?"

Gao Xinglang waved his hand cheerfully, grinning, "I've got more. You take this one."

The first exam was Chinese. It was one of Guan Xuchen's favorite subjects, second only to English, so he felt fairly confident.

He spent about an hour finishing the word bank and reading comprehension sections, then used the remaining hour and a half to work on the composition part.

When he first saw the writing topic—"If Memories Could Be Transplanted"—he found it quite intriguing. But he quickly realized this novel topic, so different from the usual ones he had practiced, was actually a big challenge.

Guan Xuchen struggled to think for over ten minutes. One moment his mind was completely blank; the next, it was cluttered with jumbled thoughts. But he just couldn't decide what to write. He started to feel anxious, irritable, sleepy, and even parched. He picked up the mineral water bottle, the label of which already torn off, twisted off the cap, and took a sip. The faint, lingering taste of chocolate filled his mouth. Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind. He screwed the cap back on, set the bottle aside, picked up his pen, and started writing quickly.