Chapter 3: Rebirth

Dorm Building No. 9, Room 402, Qinghai University.

“Brother Yanming…Brother Yanming…”

Bi Qiao’an mumbled incoherently under her breath.

“Qiao’an, Qiao’an, wake up. Let’s go to the school clinic.” Feeling Bi Qiao’an’s forehead, Song Wennuan found it burning hot and damp with sweat. Frantic with worry, she shook Bi Qiao’an awake.

“Ah!” Bi Qiao’an bolted upright, greeted by whitewashed walls and a familiar voice. “Qiao’an, you have a fever. Let’s go to the clinic, okay?”

Bi Qiao’an slowly turned toward the voice. Song Wennuan?

With another glance around, she realized. This is…my dorm?

Clutching at her heart which pounded erratically, Bi Qiao’an said slowly, “Sis Wennuan, I’m fine. I just want to lie down for a bit.”

“Do you have any fever medicine? You should at least take some before sleeping. Really, you just went to the library last night. How could you have gotten sick right after?”

Song Wennuan poured water from her thermos into Bi Qiao’an’s cup and handed it to her.

“Hehe, even I didn’t expect this,” Bi Qiao’an chuckled weakly. “I guess I wore too little last night. Let me see if my medicine is here.” She tremblingly clambered down from her bunk and unlocked her cabinet, then rummaged through it by memory.

After swallowing two pills, she dazedly clambered back onto her bed.

The last moment she remembered was hearing Brother Yanming’s voice pleading with her to open her eyes. How was it possible that after that excruciating effort she was suddenly back in her dorm?

Bi Qiao’an jolted awake with a gasp, realizing she was caught in a dream within a dream, the layers obscuring the distinction between past and present. Was the woman shivering in the snowstorm truly her, or a phantom memory? Were both aspects of her being real, or figments of a mind struggling to grasp its own existence? In the depths of this dream, Bi Qiao’an clung to the desperate hope that this moment, however fabricated, was the spark of her rebirth.

“Sis Wennuan, how did you know I had a fever?” She asked after seeing that there was only Song Wennuan in the dorm.

“It’s half past nine already! You’re usually up by now,” Song Wennuan explained and took a sip of coffee after answering. “I waited for so long, but you still weren’t getting up. Then I saw you sweating.”

“Do you want some coffee? I don’t know if you should drink right after taking meds. Maybe wait until lunch, and I’ll make you a cup!” Song Wennuan said after noticing Bi Qiao’an’s gaze on her coffee, and mistook it for desire.

“Sure, it smells incredible.” Bi Qiao’an smiled while tears welled up in her eyes. Her current life felt so incredible that she could eat whatever she wanted. She hadn’t tasted coffee in over two years, so just one whiff made her mouth water with craving.

“Sis Wennuan, what are you working on?”

“My graduation thesis, ugh. I’m the only one out of our four dorm mates still not done. Look, the ones who finished get to go out partying while I’m left struggling in solitary!” Song Wennuan complained, but her fingers never stopped typing on the keyboard. Bi Qiao’an’s interruption didn’t break her train of thought.

Hearing this, she recalled completing her graduation thesis with plenty of time to spare in her past life. Her defense had also gone very smoothly.

Meanwhile, Song Wennuan, who held to high standards, had tirelessly refined her thesis to remain in Hai City and clinch the Outstanding Graduate Award.

“You can do it! I’m positive you’ll produce an exceptional thesis.” Bi Qiao’an beamed encouragingly.

“Ha, I’ll take your blessing!” Song Wennuan was happy to receive the praise.

Lying in bed, Bi Qiao’an checked her phone for the date. March 6th, 2257, she had roughly a year to prepare before the apocalypse.

She scrolled through news articles and videos until lunchtime, where she accompanied Song Wennuan to the cafeteria.

Upon seeing the menu, Bi Qiao’an felt overwhelmed by choices. “I want braised pork, big fried chicken drumsticks, sweet and sour pork ribs, broccoli, mapo tofu…”

“Can you really finish all that? Pick just two for now and have the rest next time. Besides, you’ve never been one for braised pork before?” Song Wennuan questioned, surprised.

“It’s been too long. I’m craving it,” Bi Qiao’an explained, her voice laced with a barely suppressed tremor.

She opted for a small bowl of rice topped with braised pork and broccoli, while Song Wennuan got tomato egg fried rice.

She pushed both dishes to the middle of the table and said, “Let’s share, Sis Wennuan.”

Bi Qiao’an ate a piece of braised pork with her chopsticks and savored the familiar flavors as they danced across her tongue. It was pure bliss. It had been far too long since she had enjoyed a simple meal like this. Not just meat; it had been ages since she last ate her fill.

As she ate, tears welled up in her eyes again, escaping and tracing glistening tracks down her cheeks.

“Oh no, what’s wrong, Qiao’an? Why are you crying?” Song Wennuan asked as she reached for the tissue box in her bag and gently dabbed it on Bi Qiao’an’s face.

“Thank you, Sis Wennuan,” she choked out, her voice thick with emotion. “I’m just…feeling incredibly grateful to be able to eat whatever I want. It reminds me of how fortunate I am.”

Although Song Wennuan was bewildered by her friend’s emotional outburst, she didn’t think too much and just patted her shoulder reassuringly. “Hehe, I’m glad you’re happy!”

They returned to their dorm room after lunch.

“Oh, you’re both back?” Song Wennuan was surprised to see the door unlocked as she entered.

Bi Qiao’an, who followed her behind, noticed a familiar face—Chen Jin.

“We went to that job fair this morning, but good positions are hard to find!” Jiang Shanshan sighed dejectedly and collapsed onto her chair.

“That’s because your standards are too high, Shanshan. There are still plenty of opportunities out there.” Chen Jin’s voice was as sweet and melodic as always as she consoled her friend.

Despite maintaining a calm exterior, Bi Qiao’an couldn’t help but clench her fist. The familiar sight of Chen Jin triggered a surge of conflicting emotions within her—the lingering pain of betrayal and a burning desire for revenge. She silently reminded herself. Stay calm and focus on the bigger picture!

Chen Jin now stood at 165 cm tall with a slender figure. Her big double-lidded eyes, slightly curled lashes, perky nose, and naturally upturned lips combined with fair skin, straight bangs, and long, straight hair lent her an air of sweetness. It was easy to understand why she was the crush of many male students.

“But you—with your good grades and pretty looks will, of course, get many offers. I’m not so lucky. Finding a good job is tough!” Jiang Shanshan threw her hands up helplessly with an exaggerated eye roll to demonstrate her resignation.

“Plus, you’re locals. As an out-of-towner, finding a good job is particularly tough! I have to think about rent too. Those low salaries won’t even cover my living expenses.”

“Why did I even choose Marketing?” Jiang Shanshan smacked her textbook against her forehead in mock despair.

As a girl from the Northeast Region, Jiang Shanshan stood at 170 cm tall and had a curvy figure which gave her a certain charm despite her slightly darker complexion.

“Qiao’an, Wennuan, have you started job hunting yet?”

Chen Jin posed her question gently, as always. Bi Qiao’an recognized that Chen Jin’s beauty and charm could have easily captivated her, had she not been the cause of so much pain in her previous life. The memories of betrayal remained etched deep inside her and hindered any possibility of forgiveness or genuine warmth towards her.

Unknown to both Chen Jin and Jiang Shanshan, fate had already played a hand in Chen Jin’s job prospects. She had unknowingly passed the second interview at Shen Group and was awaiting the final interview—an opportunity many graduates would fiercely compete for. The prospect of working for such a prestigious company would offer her a secure future and significant career advancement.