Rebirth: Once Again With You

Li Caiyi woke up with a fresh feeling today. After settling things with Li Chunhua, she wasn't as tense as yesterday anymore. Having the person closest to you supporting you from the back was always reassuring.

Li Caiyi walked out of her room, and the family had gathered at the dining table like always. It was the same view as yesterday, yet Li Caiyi's steps felt so much lighter.

"I was just about to call you. Do you want some congee, too?" Li Chunhua greeted her happily. She looked beautiful and ethereal under the warmth of sunlight peeking through the window.

Li Caiyi couldn't breathe for a second, and her lips curled up in a bittersweet smile. Because Li Chunhua was always like this, she could whole-heartedly support Li Chunhua's relationship with Meng Renshu. If it were any other woman, she probably wouldn't be able to take it so well. Even if it was painful to see her husband and family side with Li Chunhua during her darkest time, Li Caiyi still couldn't hate Li Chunhua. She was too precious for her, and she didn't want to lose her.

"Yes, could you please make one for me, too?" Li Caiyi asked softly while taking a seat beside Li Chunhua. The latter gave a thumb up and went to the kitchen to scoop another bowl.

Li Junjie, who silently read his book, witnessed this and spoke to Li Caiyi. "You seem to be more spirited today."

His sudden remark caught Li Caiyi off guard. To think that his brother was actually paying attention to something besides his book. "Yes, the fever is completely gone now."

"That's not what I mean," Li Junjie was about to speak again when Li Chunhua appeared and put down a bowl full of congee in front of Li Caiyi.

"I scooped a lot for you. Be careful not to get sick again."

Li Caiyi smiled wryly when she saw the portion. It was just too much for breakfast. She didn't even like to eat congee that much, to begin with. However, seeing Li Chunhua's expectant face, she couldn't bring herself to refuse her kind gesture.

Li Caiyi's stomach churned when she finally finished her bowl. Li Chunhua clapped happily from the side like she was humoring a child. "You finished it all. What a good girl."

Su Suyin smiled fondly, seeing the sisterly bond between her daughters. In a good mood, she asked Li Caiyi. "Xiaoyi, do you want to bring lunch too today? Mom will prepare it for you."

Li Caiyi thought deeply before she nodded her head. "Thank you, Mother."

Su Suyin got up and busied herself in the kitchen. Li Caiyi stared at her mother's back, and she felt warm all over inside. A familiar yearning crept up to her heart, but Li Caiyi quickly suppressed it when she remembered what happened in her past life. Su Suyin was undoubtedly a loving mother, but Li Caiyi couldn't let her emotions get the best of her anymore.

It didn't take long before Su Suyin came back with a warm lunchbox in her hand. Li Caiyi accepted it and put it in her bag.

"We'll go to school now," Li Junjie stood up first, followed by Li Chunhua and Li Caiyi. The three of them bade their parents goodbye before they walked out of the house.

***

The Li family's house was pretty close to S International High School. Li Jirong insisted that taking a walk before studying would improve your concentration, so the three of them had always walked to school together.

Yesterday, because of Li Jirong's scolding, Li Caiyi had to go to school alone. She was in a foul mood, so she paid little attention to her surroundings. When she looked at the familiar bustling of the street, her face revealed a nostalgic smile.

A few years later, this street would face a significant change. Li Caiyi thought little of it back then, but now that she was reliving her life again, she intended to etch every single detail to her memory.

"Oh, Brother Renshu!" Li Chunhua suddenly exclaimed in excitement.

Li Caiyi returned her gaze forward and found Meng Renshu standing with his back against a pole. His picturesque figure, combined with refined demeanor, made him look like a noble prince from a fairy tale. He was extremely eye-catching in this busy street. Some aunties from nearby shops even stopped what they were doing for a moment to admire the young man.

Meng Renshu turned his head, and his smile bloomed when Li Chunhua ran over to him. Looking at them, they were like a charming prince with his beloved princess who had just come out of the painting.

'Really. They suited each other so well.' Li Caiyi thought to herself.

Li Chunhua chatted cheerfully with him, making Meng Renshu let out a peal of soft laughter. His gaze on Li Chunhua was very gentle, like he was looking at his most precious treasure.

"What are you doing here?" Li Junjie asked him.

"I was passing by with my car when I saw you were walking, so I asked the driver to drop me off here. I want to walk with you to school."

"We will meet at the school, anyway. Why don't you just wait for us at the school gate?"

"It's rare for me to bump into you in the street, so why not? Do you not want me to come along with you?"

"No way! We are thrilled to have you with us! Isn't that right, Xiaoyi?" Li Chunhua suddenly threw a question at her, so Li Caiyi nodded her head stiffly.

Meng Renshu shifted his gaze to her, making Li Caiyi feel uncomfortable. She noticed the slight change in his expression, as though he had just noticed her presence. Even if Li Caiyi didn't like him anymore, it stung a bit when she was treated like an outsider like that.

"Xiaoyi is here too. How's your body?"

"It's fine," Li Caiyi replied, but her voice sounded curter than what she intended. Thankfully, Meng Renshu didn't seem to notice anything was amiss.

"I haven't seen you for a while now. I'll treat you to your favorite strawberry milk in the cafeteria today, so make sure you come this time, okay?" Meng Renshu approached her with a doting smile on his face.

It was once a smile that Li Caiyi loved so much. She would do anything so that he would smile at her again. When Meng Renshu smiled at her, she could deceive herself into thinking that she was loved, even for a moment. Even if she knew that Meng Renshu didn't see her that way, or he kept misremembering Li Chunhua's preference as hers every time.

Li Caiyi bit her lips and tried to ignore the sinking feeling in her guts. Sure enough, out of all the people she met since her rebirth, Meng Renshu was the toughest one for her to face. Whenever she remembered how he ruthlessly admonished and left her in the abyss of despair, she just wanted to run away and never meet him again.

Meng Renshu looked at how Li Caiyi kept her head lowered. He thought that Li Caiyi was shy and didn't know what to say like always, so he fondly patted her head. "Don't mind what people say. Big brother will protect you if they slander you again."

It stunned Li Caiyi when she felt his touch on top of her head. The contact was gentle, but Li Caiyi was itching to slap his hand away.

Meng Renshu also uttered the same promise to her in her previous life. However, in reality, it was because he abandoned her without looking back she could stand in front of him right now, listening to his empty words again.

'How sickening. I want to vomit.' Li Caiyi let out a mocking scoff.

She never wanted to be touched by this hand again.

The only hand she wished to touch her again... was Shen Qiang's.

Li Caiyi remembered how Shen Qiang reassured her that everything would be fine, and he would always be by her side. That was all she needed.

Shen Qiang's words and hands were the ones that saved her, not this hand on top of her head, which was supposed to belong to her husband.

Thinking that Shen Qiang was somewhere under the same blue sky, Li Caiyi felt a surge of strength and courage wash over her. She straightened her back and calmly took Meng Renshu's hand off of her head, before she looked up at the face she had always avoided since her rebirth.

"There's no need for that, Brother Renshu. I can take care of my affairs by myself." She said firmly while looking him straight in the eye. In this life, she would never beg for anyone's love again.

"I won't come to the cafeteria as often from now on since I have promised my friends I'll eat lunch with them, so no need to worry about me." Li Caiyi walked past Meng Renshu with an inexplicable feeling. Was this the feeling of a prisoner who finally got the first breath of fresh air after years?

"I have class duty this morning, so I'll go first." Li Caiyi paused and looked back when she remembered something. "Oh, Brother Renshu? I like banana milk more than strawberry. Please don't forget it again."

Li Caiyi walked ahead with light steps. If only she could grow wings and fly to Shen Qiang's place right now.

She missed him so much.