Rebirth: Once Again With You

Li Caiyi was browsing through the web as her eyes read the information regarding empty rooms currently rented. She had been doing this since two weeks ago, but she couldn't seem to find a suitable place for her.

At first, as long as it was cheap and decent enough for her to live, she wouldn't ask for anything else. However, now her requirement increased to a place near the school, making it difficult for her to find a place.

Of course, this didn't mean she could move right away, but there was no harm in preparing. According to the report of her book's sale in the first week she heard from Shao Jingfei, her book seemed to be doing pretty well. At least for a newbie author with no fan base yet.

He also said that the banner worked wonders in promoting her book and that the response and review so far were good.

Li Caiyi wasn't expecting her work to suddenly become booming or famous, so the news was enough to satisfy her. She planned to do this step by step and didn't want to rush things. Unlike in her previous life, no one would obscure her way anymore.

Half an hour passed since she started browsing, and she sighed in disappointment. "There is nothing to see either today."

If her plan worked well, she should have enough money to rent a place for herself by the next month. She couldn't possibly bother Shao Jingfei forever.

Right when she thought like that, her phone rang. Li Caiyi reached out for it and checked on the caller ID. It was from Su Suyin.

"Hello? What's wrong, Mother?"

"Xiaoyi, how are you lately?" Su Suyin's soft voice from the other end sounded weak, confusing her.

"I'm fine, Mother. Did something happen?"

"Can't I call my daughter even when there's nothing?"

"No, I didn't mean that." Li Caiyi replied awkwardly. After her parents were divorced, Su Suyin turned reclusive and refused to leave her room for a few days. No matter how Li Junjie and Li Chunhua tried to coax her, Su Suyin only smiled weakly while chasing them away.

The concerned Li Chunhua told her about it. That was why she took the initiative to visit while bringing a gift the other day. At first, Li Caiyi wasn't confident her arrival would bring any change, but she thought she could at least try.

To her surprise, not only did Su Suyin become much brighter, but she also came out from her 'seclusion' on her own two feet. There was no need for any coaxing.

"What did I say? Mother is missing you, Xiaoyi." Li Chunhua said to her at that time.

Honestly, the current situation was still confusing for Li Caiyi. She was used to being forgotten and seconded by her mother. Now, the same Su Suyin was very clingy and dependent on her.

After her last visit, Li Caiyi constantly texted her mother or called her almost every day, reminding her to eat and sleep well. Su Suyin would occasionally ask her if she would visit again soon, but she never forced her either.

Li Caiyi guessed that it was her mother's effort to understand her. As much as it moved her heart, Li Caiyi still thought that was for the best.

"It's just your voice sounds weaker than usual. Have you eaten yet, Mother?"

"Is it? Maybe it's because I just woke up from a nap," Su Suyin cleared her throat before continuing, "Anyway, what are you doing right now?"

Li Caiyi felt there was no need to hide anything from her mother, so she answered honestly. "I was looking through the website for a good place to live. I can't stay in my friend's place forever."

"Then, why don't you just come back here?" Su Suyin asked in excitement. Then in the next second, she seemed to snap out of it and said in a milder tone, "I mean, just for a while until you can find your own place. Now that your father is not here, there is no need to live separately."

That was her mother's first time asking her to come back directly.

Li Caiyi could sense the gloominess in her voice when she mentioned Li Jirong. The wound left behind by the person who once meant the world to you would never truly disappear. You could only learn to live with it.

Among everyone within the Li family right now, Li Caiyi was probably the one who could relate to her mother the most.

'Is that why she keeps looking for me?'

Li Jirong was gone, so she didn't have any moral burden in leaving the Li family behind. She had no plan to return to that house because she felt her resolve might weaken if she lingered around too much.

"No, Mother. I will stay here until I find a new place. But don't worry because I will visit you again soon."

"I see," Su Suyin sounded disappointed. "Do you hate to stay in this house so much?"

Li Caiyi restrained the urge to sigh. "That house reminds me of many bad memories I don't like to remember again."

Su Suyin: "...."

There was a long silence from the other end. Li Caiyi checked on her phone, but the line was still connected. She might have gone overboard by saying that to her mother, but that was just the extent of her reluctance to go back. Su Suyin had to know eventually, anyway.

"I'm sorry, Mother. But my decision is firm on this one. You will find no discomfort now, so you should also live for yourself more. Fath—I mean, that person is not here anymore. I hope you can live more freely now."

The last sentence was her sincere thoughts. She had done everything she could do, but whether she wanted to break free from Li Jirong's shadow or not was her choice.

"Yes, thank you. Actually, I called you today because there is something I want to talk to you about. This is about Xiaohua's condition."

Li Caiyi's body always felt rigid whenever someone mentioned her sister with that tone. It might be because she was self-conscious of her sister's condition that any mention of that made her think of the worst automatically.

"What's wrong with her?"

"She came to my room last night, and she confided in me, mostly about what you have suggested to her."

"Mother, do you mean…."

"Xiaohua said she wanted to receive psychological help. She said something was wrong with her, but it wasn't about her body. Xiaoyi, is this your idea too?"