Rebirth: Once Again With You

"It's okay if you disagree. I will drag you to the infirmary if I have to." Li Caiyi said, half-upset and half-reprimanding.

Meng Renshu had a defeated expression mixed with pain on his face before he finally relented. "Alright, if you insist. But you really don't need to bother yourself to help me walk. I can ask Mr. Mu to come here to help me."

"No, please let me do this at least. I'm the one who caused this, after all."

Meng Renshu couldn't win when she stared at him so earnestly like that. In the end, he nodded his head and let her wrap his left arm around her shoulder.

"Be careful. We don't have to rush. Just make sure you don't burden your leg too much." Li Caiyi instructed him gently.

This wasn't an ideal situation he had in mind, but for Meng Renshu, this accident was a blessing and disguise.

If it weren't for this injury, he wouldn't dare to hope that Li Caiyi would willingly stick close to him like this. Although his heart almost stopped when that motorcycle almost hit her just now, he felt blissful now. Not that he would forgive that reckless rider, though.

Meng Renshu was so happy that he deliberately walked slower so he could stay like this with her longer.

"Brother Renshu, does it hurt a lot?" Li Caiyi turned her head to ask him because she felt their pace was too slow.

However, she was shocked by how close his face was to her. Moreover, Meng Renshu looked at her intently, almost making her stagger and throwing them off balance.

"Why are you staring at me like that? You surprised me!"

"Because you are beautiful." Meng Renshu replied immediately, and his face was dead serious.

"Ugh, what are you playing now? Focus on your leg for now and look ahead when you walk."

"I'm serious. It's a rare chance to be able to stand so close to you like this. I have to etch everything in my mind."

Li Caiyi would prefer if he said that playfully or teasingly like he usually did. But when he said it seriously, she felt awkward and weird.

"Xiaoyi, thank you for caring about me. I'm happy."

"Brother Renshu, I hate to break it on you, but I merely do this out of guilt and obligation. I'm still a human, and I have a conscience. No way I'm going to leave you while I was the one who technically caused this to happen."

Meng Renshu laughed mirthlessly. "Yeah, I know. I just want to tell you that. Sorry for saying something that makes you uncomfortable."

Li Caiyi: "...."

She was sometimes wondering if Meng Renshu purposely played with her emotions. He was a pro at making her feel bad about him. Now she felt like a bully who kicked a person when he was at his weakest.

"No, you don't have to apologize," Li Caiyi said reluctantly. "I didn't mean it to sound so harsh. I just don't want to cause any misunderstanding."

"I understand."

"Brother Renshu, thank you so much for saving me. You are always there to help me, even if I act cold and mean towards you. I can't thank you enough. That's precisely why I don't want you to keep holding on to unrequited feelings."

Li Caiyi contemplated a bit about whether or not she should say it. Still, she decided that honesty was the best policy in the end.

"I don't like to see you in pain. Especially because of me."

She was embarrassed after saying that, so she kept her gaze forward.

"That person you like, who is it?"

"It's just someone. You don't need to know."

"Is it Dai Zhiqiang?"

Li Caiyi didn't deny or confirm it. Meng Renshu took her silence as an affirmation and laughed weakly.

"Xiaoyi, I don't think you particularly care about me. You just can't bear the guilt for rejecting me. I already said it's okay if you reject me, but please don't push me away."

"That's…" Li Caiyi's voice trailed off, but no words came out of her mouth. Maybe because she, herself, wasn't sure either.

Her feelings for Meng Renshu were too deep and complicated, like a messy knot that couldn't be untangled. However, it was true that she couldn't seem to leave him alone.

She knew too much about him, and putting a blind eye on him was difficult.

"Brother Renshu, you probably don't believe me, but I care about you more than you think. If you need my help, I'll do whatever I can to help you. But that's it. My care for you will remain platonic forever, so you might want to think about what you want to do about your feelings again. This is my way of showing my care for you."

They kept repeating the same conversation over and over. It was impossible to reach a conclusion because they stubbornly refused to back down.

Hence, Li Caiyi kept her mouth shut and only focused on holding Meng Renshu's body steady. The latter probably also had the same idea as her because he also fell into a deep silence.

The silence was suffocating, and Li Caiyi couldn't feel happier when the infirmary was finally in sight.

"Brother Renshu, we are almost there. Please hang in there just a bit more." Li Caiyi encouraged him excitedly.

"Yes, finally." Meng Renshu replied, but his voice sounded unenthusiastic.

Li Caiyi wondered if his foot was in so much pain and thus tightened her hold on his waist and arm.

"Hang in there. You'll feel better after putting some ice on the swollen part."

"What are you two doing?"

Li Caiyi jumped in surprise upon hearing a familiar voice. She turned her head back, only to find Dai Zhiqiang standing there.

Dai Zhiqiang gazed at Li Caiyi and Meng Renshu, who pressed against each other sharply. His eyebrows slightly frowned upon noticing her arm wrapped around Meng Renshu.

"Zhiqiang, there you are!" Li Caiyi had been looking for him, so she couldn't contain her happiness when she saw him.

Meanwhile, Meng Renshu stared back at Dai Zhiqiang, and it was as if there was a spark flying between them.