Rebirth: Once Again With You

There was a white cloth table decorated with red roses in front of her. Slow and joyous music resonated throughout the spacious room. The light from the luxurious chandelier was reflected on the silver tableware. A giant cake occupied the main table that looked majestic invited the attention of most of the guests in the room.

It was the sight Li Caiyi saw at the moment. She had repeated the same question for the nth time in her mind, doubting whether the view in front of her was real or not, but she still couldn't quite believe it.

Li Caiyi didn't believe this wedding was truly happening.

Everyone was happily smiling and chatting, too immersed in the joyous occasion. Some even could be seen playing games on the table in the corner. The bright weather today also contributed to the good mood in the room, but that spirit didn't quite reach a few people in it.

For example, her legally wedded husband sitting beside her.

Li Caiyi sneaked a glance towards Meng Renshu, who had been sitting there quietly for some time. He occasionally talked with some people who came to congratulate their wedding with a smile on his face, but those smiles were more like an obligatory smile and not his genuine smile.

Li Caiyi understood his feelings. Although a part of her heart felt happy with this situation, most of it was drowned in the sense of surreality and guilt. Everything happened so fast and so suddenly.

Meng Renshu was very attentive to her, but she knew his attentiveness didn't come from romantic feelings but more like mandatory acts.

Seeing him treating her so gently, all while smiling painfully at times, brought an ache to her heart every time. It reminded her all over again of how wrong this situation was.

Li Caiyi shouldn't be the one experiencing this happiness. This spot should be reserved for someone else.

"Xiaoyi…"

Li Caiyi was snapped out of her thoughts when a familiar voice called out to her. A beautiful woman with her long black hair tied to the back and wearing an ivory-colored dress smiled at her.

"Xiaohua." Li Caiyi smiled back at her twin sister. "Have you tried the cake yet?"

"No. Not yet. I thought I should congratulate you once again before I walk around."

Li Caiyi noticed the swell under her sister's eyes, proof of all night crying. There was a new hint of red too on the corner of her eyes, as though she just came back after crying. Despite her effort to hide it with make-up, it was still discernible if one looked at it close enough.

A pang of guilt hit Li Caiyi's chest again when she looked at Li Chunhua's weak smile. People would think that Li Chunhua was so happy for her sister that she cried from happiness in a normal setting. However, the reality was always more bitter than people's imagination.

Faced with her sister's sincere gaze and congratulatory words, Li Caiyi could do nothing but lower her head in shame. While her sister was crying her eyes out, she secretly enjoyed this situation. Just how despicable she could be?

The word of apology was already on the tip of her tongue when a deep voice came from beside her.

"Thank you, Xiaohua…." Meng Renshu smiled weakly. He also had dark circles under his eyes, signaling his lack of sleep.

They stared at each other for a few seconds before Li Chunhua looked away first and smiled at Li Caiyi. "Then I'll go and eat first. See you later, Xiaoyi."

She didn't say a word to Meng Renshu throughout all that.

Meng Renshu didn't show any emotion on his face, but Li Caiyi knew he must be hurting inside since he never cast his gaze away from Li Chunhua's figure.

Li Caiyi knew he put on that front for her. On this happy day, it would be weird if the groom looked grim and filled with sorrow. His consideration of her only brought more pain to her heart.

"Aren't you going to chase after her?"

Before she could stop herself, Li Caiyi already said that out loud. Meng Renshu was astonished and broke out of his stupor when he heard that. Then he let out a self-deprecating laugh.

"What will change if I do that? Besides, I can't leave my wife to chase after my ex-girlfriend on an important day like this, right?"

'Even though you must have wanted to comfort her so badly,' Li Caiyi bit her lips.

She opened her mouth to apologize once again, but Meng Renshu's finger on her lips stopped her once again.

"I know what you want to say, but don't say it. This isn't your fault, Xiaoyi. You don't have to feel bad for us."

Then he grabbed her hand under the table and gave it a light squeeze. "Look at your hand. You clenched it so hard it left a mark on your palm."

"I-I…" Li Caiyi couldn't think of any words but an apology. She felt even more guilty when Meng Renshu treated her gently like this. At times when she should be the one comforting him, he comforted her instead. His smile was weary, but his eyes, which looked at Li Caiyi's, were as warm and gentle as always.

'Ah, what should I do? I really love this person, after all. I know I shouldn't feel like this, but I'm just so happy,' Li Caiyi thought inwardly.

Meng Renshu chuckled. "You are getting teary eyes again. We can't have the bride ruin her beautiful face on her wedding day, or people would think badly of me, so please smile for me, okay?"

"Brother Renshu… I-I don't know what to say." She said while holding back a sob.

"You don't have to worry about anything. Even if this marriage isn't something we both desired, I promise to make you happy. So please thank me instead of apologizing. Can you do that?"

He was treating her like a child again. Meng Renshu had always been like that. Always so patient and understanding when coaxing her.

'Someday, I want to be a person worthy to stand by his side….'

On that day, Li Caiyi made another vow inside her heart. She swore she would do anything to make this person happy. No matter what.

That was all she could do for him.