Rebirth: Once Again With You

Li Chunhua's words felt like a punch in her gut.

Li Caiyi was very disappointed when she found out that Dai Zhiqiang was absent again from school, and he didn't even inform her about it. Even though she had messaged her asking him if everything was fine, he only replied with a concise 'I'm fine.'

He was very concerned about her before, but it didn't feel like that today. Although she didn't hope for him to stay by her side all the time just because of this, she was expecting him to be in school today. At least to spend some time with her.

Her heart constricted when she thought about how aloof and distant he was.

'Did he not care about me anymore? He didn't even ask me if I was okay in his message today.'

Li Caiyi felt childish for nitpicking about his treatment of her. As an adult, she should be more accommodating. Love is not about the time they spend together, after all.

"I always ask you what you like about him, and I still don't understand it. He is too cold and selfish. A guy like that will never fully dedicate his time to you. Xiaoyi, I stand my ground. He is not the right guy for you!"

"Xiaohua, just because I keep quiet and listen to you doesn't mean you can say whatever you want. Zhiqiang is not a person like that. He is a warm and earnest person."

"Hmph. You let Dai Zhiqiang do whatever he wants but complain when I do the same. You are too biased."

Li Caiyi waved her hand. "Forget it. You wouldn't understand because you have never experienced romantic love before. What would you know about it?"

Li Chunhua flinched at that. "W-who said I know nothing about it?"

"Oh? Are you saying you know how it feels? This is the first time I have ever heard about this?" Li Caiyi smirked. "Now tell me, who is this lucky guy who can steal the heart of our princess?"

Li Chunhua slightly blushed. "What stealing? That's so ridiculous! No one is stealing anything from me! You are just making fun of me, aren't you?"

"I did no such thing. You weren't exactly being subtle about it. It was pretty obvious something had changed between you and Jingfei."

This time, Li Chunhua literally jumped in shock. The blush on her cheek spread all over her neck and ears. "W-what? W-what kind of shitty conclusion is that? Wh-Who the heck would fall for that shortie?!"

"You know that your reaction right now shows otherwise, right?"

"No! You are wrong! I have no romantic feelings whatsoever for him. Definitely not!"

Li Caiyi shrugged. "Then, let me ask you a question. What if Shao Jingfei said he likes you? What will you think of it?"

"Did he say that to you? He likes me?" Li Chunhua's eyes widened with a trace of expectation in them.

She was being so obvious and still wanted to deny it. Li Caiyi found her sister very adorable like this.

"No, he didn't say that. It was just an "if" question. Would you hate it if someday he confessed to you?"

Li Chunhua brooded over it for a few moments before she scoffed. "If he thinks he can win me over with only a confession, he's got another thing coming. I'm not that easy to get, you know? He has to show me his sincerity first."

'So you weren't against the idea. Xiaohua, you must have got it pretty bad for him, huh?'

"Really? Like what?" Li Caiyi decided to humor her sister.

"Well, first, I have no intention of going out with someone shorter or just slightly taller than me. Before I can approve of him, his shoulder must be around the same height as my head."

"But there is only so much you can do about your height. What if it's naturally in his gene? You are asking too much here."

"It's not! Someone as perfect as me should at least get that much, don't you think? Anyway, my ideal boyfriend is a tall person. That means Shao Jingfei is out of the question."

"Wow. I don't know if Jingfei would be happy to hear that."

Li Caiyi shook her head helplessly. She just didn't want to admit defeat.

But then again, that was so like Li Chunhua. She was someone who always had a clear idea of what she wanted, regardless of the method she used to achieve it. That was why she could always charge forward without fear.

'As for me, do I really understand what I'm doing right now? I feel like I'm still stuck in the same place. Is it because I refuse to face my past head-on?'

After that, no one said another word. They later parted ways, each drowned in their own thoughts.

***

Li Caiyi waited restlessly for Detective Tang to arrive. Everything changed so rapidly around her, and it made her feel the need to quickly tie the few loose ends first.

She was unsure whether this had anything to do with her past life, but this might be the step she needed to take to get behind everything that happened in the past.

'Right. I have to be more like Xiaohua. Always playing safe will not get me anywhere. I have to use everything around me to better grasp the situation.'

However, that drive would bring her nowhere if she didn't have sufficient information. Li Caiyi hoped Detective Tang would get her some new information she could use.

"Oh, here you are. Did I make you wait for too long?"

Li Caiyi raised her head, and her gaze met Detective Tang. He pulled the chair across her, and she noticed his outfit seemed well-prepared this time. Did he just come back from another appointment again?

"To ask for a meeting again after only a few days is the first time. Did something happen?"

Something DID happen, and that was what she planned to ask him today.

"Detective, do you happen to know about an anniversary party being attacked by a group of a terrorist?"

"Of course, I know."

Li Caiyi was slightly taken aback. He admitted it so readily. Did he already figure out what she was trying to ask him?

"That attack was the most sensational news nowadays. I don't think there is anyone who doesn't know about that. Why do you ask?"

On second thought, he probably had zero ideas about what she was trying to ask.

"I didn't mean it on a superficial level like that. I was asking if you have some kind of appointment with someone on that night of the party?"

Detective Tang didn't look surprised, but his face became more serious when he heard that.

"Little Miss, I don't understand what you are trying to say here. Care to elaborate?"

"I was there that night. And I saw your secret meeting with the Chairman of Meng Pharmaceutical,  Meng Yaoshu."

He was still unfazed, but his gaze on her grew colder with each passing second. Li Caiyi clenched her hand under the table.

This was probably the first time Detective Tang had ever looked at her like this, ever since their first meeting. He used to look at her with the same eyes full of suspicion as this in the past.

"I don't see any reason I have to tell you about that, Little Miss. We technically aren't friendly enough to share our private matters with each other, are we? Or should I take this as a sign of you wanting to get to know me better?" He tilted his head while smirking.

Li Caiyi had expected this reaction. His presence was intimidating, but she wouldn't back down that easily!

Straightening her back, Li Caiyi stared at him with an unyielding gaze. "Depending on your answer, I probably have to terminate our contract. Didn't you say that trust is important between you and your client? Then, I'd like you to prove the sincerity behind those words."

"I'm afraid I don't follow—"

"Meng Yaoshu must have something to do with that organization, am I right?"

It should be like that. The timing was just too perfect for everything to happen that night. Detective Tang's relation with Meng Yaoshu—a leading figure in the pharmaceutical world, the attack from an unknown group, and what that masked man told her…

If she tried to find a string that could tie everything together, there was only one plausible conclusion.