NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1:
Chapter 1: Can You Stop Dreaming?:
“Hello, classmate! Excuse me, are you and Yan Xinran in the same dormitory?”
“Yes!”
“Classmate, may I ask if Yan Xinran is single?”
“Yes!”
“Classmate, can you tell me what kind of boys Yan Xinran likes?”
Chen Fan stared at his phone, waiting patiently for a response. But even after several minutes, there was no reply from Yan Xinran’s roommate.
Did he scare them off by being too straightforward? Just as he was deep in thought, a hand tapped him on the shoulder.
“Hey, Brother Chen, what are you up to?”
“It’s over already; let’s head to the internet café for some intense gaming!”
“Let me tell you, I scored some seriously cool gear yesterday, but my level isn’t high enough to equip it!”
“Once I level up today, I’ll use it and take you along for an epic run!”
The person talking to Chen Fan was a chubby young man named Zhang Jun, one of his high school buddies.
Chen Fan glanced at Zhang Jun and smiled. “You go ahead to the internet café; I can’t make it today. I’ve got some things to handle.”
Hearing this, Zhang Jun pursed his lips and said, “Something to handle? I’ve got to ask, Brother Chen—what’s up with you lately? You and I are both slackers; there’s no need to act all serious!”
“Why are you so tied up all the time?”
“Brother Chen, you’ve been acting weird lately! No internet cafés, no gaming—what’s going on?”
Zhang Jun paused, then cautiously added, “Don’t tell me, Old Chen, you’ve fallen for someone!”
“Come on, spill it! Which girl is it? Is it Chen Ling from our class?”
Zhang Jun and Chen Fan had been close friends since high school, spending most of their time together in internet cafés and gaming marathons. So when Chen Fan suddenly stopped these activities, Zhang Jun couldn’t help but assume a romantic interest was involved. But the real reason wasn’t love—it was because Chen Fan had been reborn!
In his previous life, Chen Fan had barely managed to get into a second-rate university due to his poor grades. After graduating, he faced many hardships at work and realized the true value of education.
Determined to change, he spent his evenings studying while working during the day.
By the age of 35, he had successfully built a small company and even got it listed. But after one fateful night of heavy drinking at a celebration dinner, he found himself back in high school.
For Chen Fan, losing everything he had worked so hard for in his previous life didn’t matter. This was a second chance—a chance to make up for all the regrets and missed opportunities.
Looking at Zhang Jun, Chen Fan smiled knowingly, “Brother Zhang, you’re half right!”
“My love interest isn’t Chen Ling. It’s Yan Xinran!”
“Yan Xinran!?” Zhang Jun exclaimed, his eyes widening. “Are you kidding me?”
“That’s a total daydream!”
Suddenly serious, Zhang Jun grabbed Chen Fan’s arm. “Come on, let’s head to the internet café. You need to play some games to clear your head!”
“Yan Xinran! Can someone like her even notice guys like us? Get real!”
The high school Chen Fan attended was called No. 4 Experimental Middle School, one of the top schools in the city. It was well-known throughout Tianhai City, with many attractive students walking its halls.
If one asked any male student who the most beautiful girl was, Yan Xinran’s name would come up without a doubt. She was stunning, had a great figure, excelled academically, and came from a good family. Practically every guy had a crush on her.
Seeing Zhang Jun’s disbelief, Chen Fan chuckled. “Calm down! I was just kidding.”
“I’m not actually with Yan Xinran.”
“But… I am planning to pursue her. What do you think?”
“What do I think? I think you’re out of touch with reality!” Zhang Jun scoffed. “I told you, if you go after Chen Ling from our class, you might stand a chance.”
“But Yan Xinran? That’s a whole new level of difficulty!”
“To put it bluntly, for guys like us, winning her over is as hard as reciting Pi to a thousand digits.”