Rebirth: Once Again With You

The sky outside the window was turning dark, casting a shadow inside the room. Almost similar to his heart.

"I can finally say it directly. Meng Renshu, I want to thank you for every good memory in the past. My unrequited first love had ended, and quite miserably at that. But I will always remember the days when my heart shone brilliantly for you."

"Xiaoyi, I… I can't… let you go…just yet. Can't you give me one last chance?" Meng Renshu stuttered while trying hard to keep his voice from cracking.

It was ironic how a person he had hurt before could smile so radiantly as she let him go while he wailed and begged her not to go.

Meanwhile, Li Caiyi thought how bizarre the scene in front of her was. Seeing Meng Renshu like this was disorienting.

If it were previous Li Caiyi, she would probably forgive him for everything. Because she loved him that much. To hear the word love from Meng Renshu had always been her dream.

But the past her had died at that abandoned building. And she hoped there would be no lingering feeling between them anymore.

"No. I hope this will be the last day we discuss our relationship in the past."

"You want to make a clear line between us, huh? Because of that rumor?"

"That's right. If Zhiqiang were to hear about this, it would undoubtedly hurt him and make him worried. That's why I will take care of this before he finds out about it. I want to make this clear with you first."

"Ha." Meng Renshu sneered. "You have been making a cliff between us since we regressed. I can't see how you can become any clearer."

Li Caiyi could sense his spite from those words. That was the sign that she shouldn't provoke him any more than this.

Meng Renshu was a gentleman in normal circumstances, but he was, by no means, a saint. He was capable of doing something extreme if he wished to.

'Now is the perfect time to tell him about Xiaohua's case.'

"Brother Renshu, there is something I want to tell you about Xiaohua's condition—"

It was just a coincidence her gaze fell on the door behind him. She didn't notice it before, but the door was slightly open. From that gap, Li Caiyi could see a shadow of someone hiding behind it, alarming her.

"Who's there behind the door?" Li Caiyi half-shouted towards the door.

Meng Renshu followed her line of sight and immediately stood up, shielding her from whoever was lurking in the shadow. "Eavesdropping is not a good habit. Do you want to come out, or should I force you?"

There was a brief silence before the door slowly pushed open, creating a creepy creaking sound.

"Y-you are…?!" Meng Renshu exclaimed in surprise. Li Caiyi had to stretch her neck to see past him.

She was shocked when she saw Dai Zhiqiang enter the room. "Zhiqiang?! Why were you here?"

Li Caiyi kicked her blanket and was about to approach him when she heard him say, "Stay in the bed. I'll come to you."

He walked past Meng Renshu and stopped beside her bed. Li Caiyi's heart skipped a beat when he stared at her. His unexpected appearance made her somewhat nervous.

"Why are you here? Don't you have work today?"

Dai Zhiqiang put his hand on her forehead to check on her temperature. "You don't have a fever, thank goodness. And no, I don't have any more work today."

As inappropriate as it was, Li Caiyi's smile bloomed when she heard that. Then, did he come here to pick her up? Were they going to spend some time together to make up for the lost time?

Meng Renshu hated to see that, but he had to swallow his unhappiness. "Don't just conveniently avoid the topic. Why are you here at this time, when school is long over? And since when have you been standing outside?"

Dai Zhiqiang cast a stern look at him. "What about you? Why did you keep her here when the school was long since over? Both of you seemed to talk seriously, so I waited, but if it weren't for Caiyi noticing my presence, it didn't look like you would stop bothering her."

"What?"

Li Caiyi was taken aback. Dai Zhiqiang appeared normal from the outside, but she could tell vexation was lurking behind his calm face. Was he angry because she spent too much time talking?

"Zhiqiang, sorry for making you wait. We have something important to talk about, but that's already over. How about we go home now?"

There was prickling friction in the air. She was afraid both of them would suddenly start fighting again. Better to retreat for now.

However, Meng Renshu had a different idea. "Xiaoyi, you were in the middle of asking me something before. What was that about?"

"Let's talk about it some other time. I'm tired and want to go home now."

"Then do you want to come to my place? You can rest while telling me the rest of the story there," Meng Renshu flashed his gentleman smile, causing Dai Zhiqiang to frown.

"No need," He said before suddenly yanking her, causing her to lose balance and fall onto him. Using that momentum, Dai Zhiqiang slipped his hand under her and carried her effortlessly in his arm.

Li Caiyi's face immediately turned red in embarrassment. "Zhiqiang! I can walk by myself just fine!"

"No, you don't. I will carry you home."

"Seriously, there's no need—"

"No."

He flatly rejected her rejection. Although she felt like hiding in the hole of sheer embarrassment, she secretly felt happy. The previous gloominess she felt about him was cleared up just like that. She shyly wrapped her hand around his neck while leaning her head on his broad shoulder.

Meng Renshu's nose soured, seeing how happy she was. She could have told him if she liked to be held like that, and he would gladly do it for her. He was upset at the discrepancy in her attitude. She had never behaved in a spoiled manner like that to him!

"Do you still have something to say?" Dai Zhiqiang asked him, which roughly translated to, 'why-are-you-still-here?'

It irked Meng Renshu to no end. If it weren't for this guy taking advantage of her when she was in her weakest time, he would never have lost her like this.

The bubbling anger and jealousy inside him almost made him explode, but he painstakingly held it down. If he wanted to win her over again, he had to be patient.

Based on their previous conversation, he was convinced that Li Caiyi needed to talk with him again. He would use that chance to foster their relationship again.

Thus he took a long breath before smiling. "Xiaoyi, you can talk to me about anything. You have my number. Contact me if you need something, alright?"

"Oh. Yes. Thank you, Brother Renshu, for staying with me today." Li Caiyi answered stiffly.

Meng Renshu bade them goodbye and left the infirmary first. Li Caiyi sighed in relief. She thought a fight would break out for a second because Dai Zhiqiang's tone grew fiercer as time passed.

'I knew it. He must have had a wrong idea about this.'

Li Caiyi bit her lips before hesitantly opening her mouth. "Zhiqiang, about earlier…."

"Let's talk about it later. I will take you home first."

He left her no room for refusal. Li Caiyi could tell from his brooding look that he was thinking about something unnecessary again.

Her shoulder slumped as she let him take her away from school.