Rebirth: Once Again With You

The twins spent the rest of the afternoon playing in Li Chunhua's room. They played mobile games and talked about various things. Although Li Chunhua seemed to be against talking about Dai Zhiqiang, she was calm when Li Caiyi spoke about her friends, unlike before.

"So you will have your first session starting this week?"

Li Chunhua hugged the pillow in her arms tighter. "En. I don't know what to feel about this. Should I look forward to it, or should I feel worried about it?"

Li Caiyi grabbed her hand with a warm smile on her face. "Neither. Just be yourself, and everything will be fine. You are on the right track, and I will support you just like promised."

"Right! It's my first time, so I got confused a little. There is nothing to do even if I mull over it."

"That's the spirit. I'm so proud of you."

"If you are, will you pat me on the head?" Li Chunhua shoved her head in her sister's way.

Li Caiyi laughed seeing her twin's cuteness and stroked her head several times, making her purr in satisfaction.

"What should I do with you? You are like a spoiled kitten." Li Caiyi said. Half helpless and half-amused.

"Hehe, I feel better whenever you pat my head. Please pat my head more."

Their giggle could be heard outside the room. Su Suyin, who stood behind the door, smiled before pushing the door open. "Girls, dinner is ready. Would you mind coming down now?"

"Yes, Mom/Mother!"

The three of them went to the dining room on the first floor. Li Caiyi thought she would only see her brother downstairs, but Meng Renshu was still there. After spending quality time with her sister, her mood had just turned better, but it was dampened again just looking at his face.

Faced with displeasure in the girl's eyes, Meng Renshu, who sat beside Li Junjie, grimaced.

Li Caiyi's disdain was so apparent that Li Junjie couldn't help but intervene so as not to make the situation awkward.

"What are you doing just standing there? Don't you want to eat dinner? Mother has spent a lot of effort making these for you."

Li Caiyi glared at Li Junjie. She was tempted to refuse the dinner invitation and leave but stopped herself.

She glanced at the sumptuous meal on top of the table. Almost all of them were her favorite, showing Su Suyin's effort in this.

There was no way she could leave after seeing these. So she reluctantly sat down on the only seat left, which ironically was on the opposite side of the person she liked to avoid the most today.

"It's very rare to have everyone gather here. Thank you, Renshu, for accepting my request to come today." Su Suyin was the first to break the ice.

"Auntie, please don't say that. Naturally, I will visit you like this. Isn't it always like that?" Meng Renshu responded kindly. He didn't look out of the place sitting with the Li family, and she had a complex feeling inside.

'So it wasn't Brother Jie who called him here?'

Li Caiyi glanced at Li Junjie, who showed no interest in partaking in any current conversation. He just sat there and waited for everyone to start eating.

"Xiaoyi, how are you these days?"

Everyone shifted their attention to her hearing Su Suyin's question, including Meng Renshu.

"I'm fine, and the school is fun too, Mother."

"Your grade is improving, and your book is doing pretty well, I heard? Congratulations, Xiaoyi. Mother made a lot of your favorite dishes today. Eat a lot."

Li Caiyi's heart warmed. Su Suyin was against her decision to publish a book before, but now she wanted to celebrate it. It meant a lot for her, having her mother acknowledge her, so Li Caiyi was extremely elated.

Meng Renshu, who sat across from Li Caiyi, felt his heart flutter seeing that soft smile on her lips. A slight blush colored her white skin, and the happiness that emanated from her made her face glow.

It was so beautiful that Meng Renshu wanted to caress her face.

He had never seen Li Caiyi this happy before. To think she would be that pleased hearing congratulatory remarks from her mother, how much must she have craved for that in her previous life?

Nobody knew she had published one of the best-selling books in the country. Not even herself. He wondered if she would be happier if she knew. Would she smile beautifully like that again if he told her about it?

"Renshu, are you listening?"

"Ah? Huh?"

Meng Renshu snapped out of his reverie when he felt a nudge on his side. That was when he realized that Li Junjie was staring at him strangely.

"We can start eating now. Stop staring, or you will melt her skin. Move your chopsticks instead."

Thankfully, Li Junjie didn't say that loudly, so only he could hear it. However, knowing that his friend caught him staring longingly at her sister still made the young man's heart race in embarrassment.

"Y-you didn't see anything."

"Sure, if you said so." Li Junjie replied with a light teasing in his tone. Meng Renshu wanted to smack him so bad.

Meng Renshu watched how Li Caiyi interacted with her family. He never paid too much attention before, but after Li Jirong left, the atmosphere got considerably lighter now. Even Li Junjie would speak from time to time.

Meng Renshu used to eat alone, or in the rare chance he could eat with his family, he had to eat in a perfect manner. This sight was refreshing for him, especially how Li Caiyi would laugh freely from time to time.

His eyes and ears were mesmerized by the scene. He couldn't take his eyes off her, and her smile was contagious. It brought a smile to his lips as well.

'So she can laugh like that too. She is beautiful.'

Meng Renshu thought he could watch her forever, but his imagination was cut short when the person he watched suddenly glared menacingly at him and hissed.

"Stop staring at me, or I'll gouge your eyes out."