The villains are redeemed, and the heroines cry and beg for forgiveness.

Xue Yingsong's tone was rather forlorn and pitiful, and she seemed quite helpless.

231. Gu Ran: Who did I actually marry? (4k)

Gu Ran scrutinized Xue Yingsong again, and said calmly, "So you mean you want me to marry your daughter?"

Xue Yingsong coughed and said, "I can see that Xiao Ling likes you, and looking at the entire Human Alliance, you are the most suitable person for Xiao Ling."

"Furthermore, if you marry Xiaoling, it will reassure many people at Lanxin University and Canglong City. This will be very beneficial for your succession."

"Of course, I'm not saying you have to use these methods. I know you don't really care about power and position, but you chose to take over my job because you've already accepted Lanxin University and Canglong City, right?"

"With your sense of responsibility, you must want to do a good job. Marrying Xiaoling would reduce a lot of the obstacles."

“I did this not just for political reasons, but more for my own selfish reasons as a father. If Xiaoling hadn’t been interested in you, I would never have made this suggestion.”

Xue Yingsong turned his gaze to Gu Ran, his aged eyes filled with sincerity and pleading.

"If you really hate Xiaoling, I will never force you... Alas, it's a pity that my old bones can no longer stay by Xiaoling's side. It's really hard on her."

"My mother passed away when I was young. I finally fell in love with someone, but that person disliked me. I, her only remaining family member, am about to leave her..."

Xue Yingsong sighed.

"Alright, since you say it's my choice, then I..."

"reject!"

"Haha, I knew you'd agree...wait, what did you just say? You refused?"

"I...I didn't hear that right, did I? You just said you refused?"

Xue Yingsong's eyes widened in disbelief, his gaze seemingly saying, "How could you refuse such a generous offer?"

What exactly are you thinking?

Gu Ran looked at Xue Yingsong, who had instantly become energetic as if by some medical miracle, and couldn't help but shake his head slightly:

"Yes, I refused. If you acted any more convincingly, I might have softened and agreed."

Xue Yingsong immediately realized that he had given himself away, and he sat up from the hospital bed with a mix of laughter and tears, no longer pretending to be sick and weak.

"You're a real shrewd guy. I thought I acted pretty well, how did you figure it out?"

Gu Ran said calmly, "This isn't some melodramatic movie or TV show. How can someone who's about to die actually talk so much without even taking a breath? And what I've been finding strange is that although your life force has been weakening, the rate of weakening has actually slowed down after reaching a certain point."

"Furthermore, if you were truly terminally ill, wouldn't the most important thing be to gather all your trusted confidants to give them your final instructions? Especially since you love your daughter so much, I don't believe you wouldn't be eager to say goodbye to her. Even if you're afraid that she might be too heartbroken to bear seeing you, you should at least leave her some last words."

"Moreover, if there are no other witnesses, and you were to die first, and the cause of death is so bizarre, it would raise a lot of suspicion. It's hard to guarantee that someone with ulterior motives wouldn't spread rumors, and then my succession to your position might encounter more obstacles. That's something you probably wouldn't want to see, right?"

"Considering all of the above, I have a rough idea in mind."

"I see." Xue Yingsong suddenly realized, then praised, "Such meticulous observation and careful deduction, you truly deserve to be the successor I have chosen. I have such good judgment."

"Alright, if there's nothing else, get up and walk around a bit." Gu Ran walked to the side, turned on the kettle, took out a cup, and started making coffee.

"Sigh, what a pity. I couldn't fool you this time, and I won't be able to fool you when you're on guard next time." Xue Yingsong got off the bed with regret, stretching lazily with a refreshed expression.

Gu Ran glanced at him and noticed that his vitality was indeed slowly recovering, so she turned her attention back to brewing coffee.

The two of them drank coffee and chatted.

"I won't pry into your secrets, but please don't do anything so frightening anymore," Gu Ran said coldly. "Otherwise, I'll really refuse to take over your job. Being an ordinary researcher is fine too."

"I won't do it anymore, I definitely won't do it again next time. Oh no, no, there won't be a next time." Xue Yingsong looked like she was obediently accepting a scolding.

After a pause, Xue Yingsong sighed and said, "Actually, I'm not trying to lie to you. I really have glimpsed destiny, which is the future."

"In the future, you and Xiaoling will become lovers and work together to make Lanxin University and Canglong City grow and prosper. Everything is turning for the better. This is why I kept trying to bring you two together. I thought you must like Xiaoling too, otherwise how could you be together in the future?"

?

Upon hearing Xue Yingsong's words, Gu Ran couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.

Cheng Caimeng said the same thing before, that in the future, the two of them would be a couple.

How come he and Xue Xiling are a couple in the future?

Could it be that I'll actually be a two-timing scumbag in the future?

Gu Ran was suddenly overcome with self-doubt.

Who did I actually marry?

“And the most important point is…” Xue Yingsong’s words suddenly became serious, “In the prophecy of the first principal, only you and Xiao Ling together can save Canglong City and Lanxin University from falling into crisis in the future.”

"Why are you doing this again—" Gu Ran looked up and paused in her gaze as she looked at Xue Yingsong.

Then, he looked at Xue Yingsong, frowned, and said, "Are you serious? Weren't you just joking with me?"

"I'm not joking. Otherwise, do you think I would be so radical in pushing for reforms in Canglong City?" Xue Yingsong put down her coffee cup. "How can Canglong City be managed well when those insects control power? How can we cope with the impending crisis?!"

"I wasn't sure when the crisis would arrive, I only knew it would happen within the next two or three years, and then I noticed the ambitions of those old guys in the ruling center for Lanxin University... I thought that was the crisis."

"Furthermore, the appearance of the demon legion later reinforced my judgment. After both of these matters were resolved, I breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that the crisis for Lanxin University and Canglong City was finally over."

"However, this thought only lasted until just now, before I used the secret method to peer into fate once again."

Xue Yingsong's face showed no trace of a joke as he looked at Gu Ran seriously.

"During this glimpse into destiny, I still sensed the impending destruction of Lanxin University and Canglong City, and even—"

Xue Yingsong paused for a moment before continuing:

"This crisis is far more severe than before. If before it was only a threat to the destruction of Canglong City and the fact that Lanxin University was just a case of 'no one is safe when the nest is overturned,' then this time it is the entire human alliance, and even the entire human civilization, that could be destroyed because of this crisis."

Gu Ran raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything more.

“If I hadn’t been able to truly glimpse fate, I wouldn’t have believed the first principal’s so-called prophecy. But the fact is, I really did glimpse fate, and the first principal really did make the prophecy—so far, he hasn’t made a mistake. All these reasons combined have made me believe in all of this.”

After Xue Yingsong finished speaking, Gu Ran still seemed unmoved.

"Then, may I take a look at the first principal's diary?" Gu Ran simply asked.

"Okay." Xue Yingsong glanced at Gu Ran. "Actually, I would have shown it to you sooner or later. Since you want to see it today, I will find it for you."

Setting down his coffee cup, Xue Yingsong opened his "underground treasure room," went inside, and soon took out a small booklet.

"Actually, calling it a prophecy isn't very accurate. At least the first principal never said in his diary that it was his prophecy. It's just that we successfully 'predicted' it many times based on the first principal's diary, so it gradually came to be called a prophecy."

Xue Yingsong handed the booklet, wrapped in an extremely precious book cover, to Gu Ran and gave him a sincere message.

"Although the contents of the diary have been video-recorded and backed up, you'd better be careful when you look through it. Putting aside the practical value of this diary, its historical value is extremely important."

"Okay, I'll be careful." Gu Ran carefully took the booklet.

He wouldn't refuse Xue Yingsong for such a small thing.

Opening the booklet, the pages inside were already somewhat yellowed.

Strangely, however, these yellowed papers did not appear to be damaged at all.

Gu Ran rubbed his fingers on it slightly and understood the reason.

Whether it was due to the special material of the booklet or the fact that the later principal found a special ability or method to "enchant" it, the booklet was actually more durable than ordinary steel.

However, even though it is tougher than steel, in the hands of a top expert like Gu Ran, it is no different from real paper.

They can be completely destroyed with just a little force.

The first president of Lanxin University, who was also the true prototype of the "tyrant phantom" he encountered in the ruins.

Gu Ran was actually quite curious about him.

Although he had experienced a virtual reality-like "simulation" in the ruins last time, his understanding of this character was still very limited.

Now that we can see his diary, we should be able to learn more about this legendary figure.

Turn to the first page.

[Insects, they're all insects! How can we run Lanxin University well, or Canglong City well, with such a bunch of insects around?]

Gu Ran now understood the source of Xue Yingsong's scathing criticism of the ruling center.

Gu Ran continued reading.

Judging from the appearance, this must have been written after the first principal founded Lanxin University.

He remembered that Lanxin University was founded by the "tyrant" who was then in power in Canglong City, so this diary entry was written after he became the ruler of Canglong City.

So there must be some records of his administration or his insights into governance.

Gu Ran made a rough guess about what would happen next and continued reading.

[Heh, you actually dare to tell me that universities are useless and that you can just talk to your sects about what kind of talent you need? Do you think I'm stupid? Anyone with a brain can see that I only established the martial arts school and created Lanxin University to suppress you bunch of insects.]

[Don't these idiots know I've already put a knife to their throats? Oh, they know, but they can't do anything about it, hahaha. What can I do? I'm stronger than all of them!]

However, my real enemy isn't these insects; there's no need to waste time on them. I need to build Lanxin University as soon as possible and cultivate a group of talented people. Talent, oh talent, indeed, no matter where you are or when, talent is always the most scarce resource.

[January 1.23rd, my mood is okay today]

The final "1.23" should be the date, because Gu Ran looked at it and the following dates were also handwritten.

None of them have a year.

I don't know if it was intentional or just a habit of the first principal.