1.
The spring breeze of May drifted southward along the Southampton docks, following the same route as the Titanic once did, carrying it into the vast and deep waters of the English Channel.
On the quaint yet bustling portside street, people came and went. Though summer hadn't yet arrived, the streets were already filled with youthful energy and the sight of short skirts swaying in the wind.
Gu Ran stood outside a Costa Coffee on the street corner, his eyes wide like light bulbs, staring blankly at the café's reflective glass window.
No, he wasn't staring at the fluttering skirts outside.
Nor was he paying attention to the blonde couple inside the café engaged in an intense exchange of... vocal techniques.
He was looking at his own reflection.
Young. Handsome. And utterly bewildered.
Pulling out an iPhone 4, he checked the time—May 20, 2010, 11:38 AM.
Did I… just get reborn?
And not just anywhere, but back to my high school days in Southampton, studying abroad in the UK?
Just a few minutes ago, his last memory was of November 17, 2022, when he and his teammates were celebrating after two of his friends—who usually played casual games with him—helped their local county team pull off a shocking upset against Beijing Guoan. They had partied all night, drinking until they blacked out.
Then, when he woke up… he was suddenly standing outside this Costa Coffee in Southampton?!
Everything happened too suddenly.
I didn't even get to watch the Qatar World Cup!
Feeling the familiar sea breeze of Southampton and looking at his own face in the reflection, Gu Ran tried to control his emotions.
But in the end, he couldn't hold it in.
A wild, uncontrollable grin spread across his face.
I hit the jackpot… I freaking hit the jackpot!
After reading so many web novels, it was finally his turn to experience a rebirth!
All the regrets from his past life… all the wrong choices he made…
Finally, he had a chance to—
Wait! Calm down! Let's not jinx it!
No matter what, at the very least, he had gained 12 years of youth back!
"Beep—beep—beep—"
Just then, his iPhone 4 started ringing.
Caller: Sophie Turner.
Gu Ran's eyebrows twitched as memories from the past surfaced.
Sophie Turner.
His classmate from his time studying in the UK.
The daughter of his landlord.
Sophie was the school beauty of Southampton Private High School. Not only was she an excellent student, but she also had impressive acting talent and was the leading actress of the school's drama club.
And—no one knew this yet—but in six months, Sophie Turner would land the role of Sansa Stark in the legendary TV series Game of Thrones. She would rise to global stardom with her outstanding performance.
Of course, back in the day, Gu Ran had no clue about Sophie's future fame.
At that time, he was just an ordinary bookworm, completely focused on studying and getting into Southampton University.
When his landlord's pretty daughter left to film some TV show, he barely paid attention. It wasn't until years later, when he watched Game of Thrones on screen, that he realized he had unknowingly brushed shoulders with a future superstar…
Cough, cough…
After roasting himself internally, Gu Ran quickly adjusted his mood and answered the call.
"Good aft—"
Before he could even finish greeting her, Sophie's frustrated voice exploded through the phone.
"Shit! You stood outside the café grinning like an idiot for five whole minutes, and all you can say is 'good afternoon'?! Are you trying to make everyone in school think I'm dating a moron?!"
"...Uh."
Only then did Gu Ran remember—back in the day, he and Sophie had a one-month-long "relationship."
Well, a fake one.
To get rid of an annoying senior who was pestering her, Sophie had convinced Gu Ran, her rented tenant, to pretend to be her boyfriend. They would occasionally go on public "dates" to throw off her countless admirers.
To Sophie, all these immature high school boys were not worth her time, so she found this arrangement convenient.
In return, she agreed to tutor Gu Ran in "British Poetry Recitation" and help him correct his accent whenever she had free time.
And today… this Costa Coffee was the place for their first "public date."
Of course, in his previous life, this fake relationship only lasted four weeks before Sophie got an audition for Game of Thrones. After that, she never returned to school, and Gu Ran graduated without ever seeing her again.
They had gone their separate ways, stepping into completely different worlds.
"…"
After a brief silence, Sophie huffed.
"I just said all that, and all you can give me is 'uh'?! Even if we're just pretending, at least respect the contract, alright? Ugh! You Chinese guys only care about studying and exams—you can't even act in a simple date scene! Hurry up and get in here already! Stop dawdling outside!"
And with that, she hung up immediately.
Heh… this girl sure has a temper.
Gu Ran chuckled helplessly, shoved his phone into his pocket, and pushed open the café door.
A warm aroma of coffee beans filled the air, mingling with the soft, melancholic melody of My Heart Will Go On from Titanic, playing in the background.
Just as Gu Ran was scanning the café for his "girlfriend," he failed to notice a waitress hurrying toward him with a tray in her hands.
Unfortunately, she was too focused on balancing her tray and didn't see Gu Ran standing in the way.
BAM!
They collided head-on.
Quick reflexes kicking in, Gu Ran instinctively grabbed the tray, preventing it from flipping over.
Luckily, the tray was saved.
But… the coffee cups on it tumbled to the ground, spilling coffee everywhere.
"I'm so sorry, sir!" The waitress apologized immediately.
"It's fine."
The moment Gu Ran replied, a sudden system notification echoed in his mind.
"Ding~"
"You have absorbed 38 points of negative emotions from Tina Simpson. Generating emotion bubble…"
Tina Simpson? That must be the waitress.
38 points of negative emotions?
Huh. Who would've thought this polite girl was actually this annoyed deep down?
Well, it made sense.
Not only did she have to clean up the mess, but she probably had to remake the coffee, deal with impatient customers, and maybe even get scolded by her boss.
Wait… hold on!
Did the system just say 'bubble'?!
Gu Ran's heart pounded wildly as he suddenly noticed a faintly glowing gray bubble at Tina's feet!
It was about 20 centimeters in diameter, hovering in the air… and no one else seemed to see it.
Neither Tina, who was kneeling to clean up the mess, nor the other customers glancing over seemed to notice the mysterious floating bubble.
Am I the only one who can see this?
Keeping his expression neutral, Gu Ran casually moved forward and nudged the bubble with his foot.
Pop!
The gray bubble burst, turning into a wisp of light that flowed into his body.
"You have obtained the skill: Hand Brewing +1. Daily absorption progress: 1/10."
…
Hand Brewing?
Gu Ran suddenly felt a strange stream of knowledge flood into his mind.
He instantly understood the skill—it allowed him to brew coffee, tea, and other mixed beverages for an hour straight without getting tired.
Gu Ran: "…"
What the hell do I need a "one-hour coffee-brewing endurance skill" for?!
It's not like I plan on working at a café!
This system is trolling me, right?!
Just then, a clear, slightly annoyed voice called out from across the café.
"Gu, over here! What are you standing around for?!"
In the corner of the café, a tall, stunning blonde girl waved at him.
16-year-old Sophie Turner.