Rebirth: Once Again With You

Meng Renshu's expression was ugly. His sharp gaze felt like it could pierce Li Caiyi's skull.

For precaution, she told him everything except that Hu Jian had something to do with Dai Zhiqiang. Before revealing it to anyone, she wanted to hear the latter's explanation.

"So you want to say that this Hu Jian person has attempted to kill you not only once but twice. At that time in the mountain, you said you got lost on your own and fell off the cliff. Why did you hide such a big matter like this?"

"I wasn't sure who he was and wanted to settle the matter quietly so it wouldn't alarm the culprit. Besides, I figured out that Hu Jian probably wasn't a student from our school, and it proved true later."

Meng Renshu smiled sarcastically. "Isn't that amazing?"

"Look, you are focusing on the wrong matter. Hu Jian repeatedly warned me that I shouldn't involve myself in a place where I don't belong. He must be talking about Xiaohua's circumstances and that organization. I'm sure of it!"

"Xiaoyi, don't you think you are being too nonchalant about yourself. That guy will most likely come after you again. Aren't you afraid?"

"Even if I am, I have no intention of entertaining such emotion. I'd rather use this chance to pull the evil from its root than hide in fear." Li Caiyi replied firmly while putting her hand on her chest. "Brother Renshu, I killed myself once, so something like this couldn't stop me."

Meng Renshu's brows furrowed in displeasure. He really hated the sound of that. "All the more reason for you to stay back and treasure your life more. No miracle happened twice. Are you going to throw away your second chance in life that easily? You should just leave this to Detective Tang and me. Didn't you say you want to live for yourself this time? Then be more selfish!"

"I'm not planning on dying. I'm doing this precisely because I want to live. Someone as smart as you must have realized it too. There's something more behind this than it looked like from the outside. None of us realized it until it became too late in our previous life, and that's why we were granted another chance. Please have some faith in me!" Li Caiyi stubbornly argued.

Faced with Li Caiyi's determined and earnest gaze, Meng Renshu found it difficult to retort. "It's not like I don't have any faith in you. I just don't want to see you get hurt. If something were to happen to you again, I think I would really go crazy."

​ She understood Meng Renshu was just trying to protect her. Still, she believed there was a reason why she was the only one who regressed with complete memories from the beginning.

"Brother Renshu, I'm going to be alright because I'm not alone this time. I have you, Detective Tang, and Mr. Chu with me," Li Caiyi smiled. "I know you will give me that push I need if I'm stuck, so I'm not worried."

Her radiant smile pierced through the thickest fog in his mind. Meng Renshu wanted to cherish her like a pearl in his palm, but Li Caiyi wouldn't like that. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry at her bravery.

"Alright. I have nothing to say if you have said that much," Meng Renshu chuckled helplessly. "Recently, I have had a hard time differentiating you from Xiaohua. That stubbornness of yours can exceed hers sometimes."

Li Caiyi laughed before staring at her own hand with a long gaze. Her mind replayed the scene when she barged into her sister's room last night.

At that time, Li Chunhua painstakingly mouthed something to her. And Li Caiyi felt like she had an idea of what she tried to convey.

[Run Xiaoyi!]

"There are so many things I want to do and learn from Xiaohua. She is a very important person to me, so I can't just be a backburner when her life is in danger." Li Caiyi clenched her hand into a fist before raising her head again. There was a fire inside her eyes, blazing with passion. "We can't lose to Hu Jian and whoever is behind him!"

Meng Renshu's eyes widened in surprise before he burst into laughter. Li Caiyi pouted. "Did I say something funny?"

"Hahaha, no." He wiped the tears from the corner of his eyes before continuing, "I just thought it's a relief that you are on my side. It's very reassuring to have you as my partner."

Li Caiyi couldn't understand what was funny about that, but his laughter was contagious. Her lips curved up in amusement too. "I'm glad we can talk like this."

It was a remark implying a deeper meaning. Meng Renshu was pleased to hear that. At least he had leveled up from an 'enemy' to 'someone she could trust'.

"You must be worried about Xiaohua? How about we go visit her together?" He offered, but Li Caiyi refused.

"Thanks for the offer, but I'm fine. You should go back and have some rest first, Brother Renshu. I know you haven't slept a wink since last night."

Meng Renshu was stunned. "How do you know that?"

"I just had a feeling." Li Caiyi smiled mysteriously. "Anyway, even if you think you can still move around, you still have to rest. Sitting on a chair for a whole night is surely uncomfortable for you. Besides…"

Li Caiyi giggled before continuing, "I think you must change your slippers to a pair of shoes first."

***

After sending Meng Renshu off, Li Caiyi prepared to go to the hospital. She also didn't forget to pack some of Li Chunhua's stuff before departing.

When she arrived at the hospital, the sun was already high in the sky.

As a frequent visitor to the hospital, she hadn't any problem navigating through the place anymore. She quickly found Li Chunhua's room and bumped into Su Suyin, who just came out from inside.

"Xiaoyi!" Su Suyin ran towards her and pulled her into a tight embrace before she could say anything.

Li Caiyi patted her back gently. "Mother, it must be hard on you."

The older woman shook her head before separating herself from her. "I should be the least of your concern here. My kids are all in danger, but I can't do anything but stay in my room. I'm so ashamed of myself!"

"Please don't say that, Mother," Li Caiyi didn't know what else to say. From what she knew, it seemed Li Junjie forced their mother to stay put in her room and even locked it from the outside. She was surprised when she heard about it from the police officer last night.

That explained why Su Suyin was nowhere to be seen until everything was over. In Li Caiyi's opinion, her brother made a good call. If their mother followed them and witnessed what Hu Jian did to Li Chunhua, she would be hysterical and make everything more complicated.

"Xiaoyi, I'm sorry for leaving you all alone again." Su Suyin caressed her face gently with concern written all over her face. "Oh my, look at your tired face. You must have been shocked. Did you get hurt anywhere?"

The warmth from her mother's palm slowly permeated through her skin and spread all over her body. She remembered her mother used to gently caress her face like this before getting fed up with her, which made her nose sour in nostalgia.

Li Caiyi promised herself she wouldn't waver, but she couldn't help but feel happy.

"I'm not hurt, Mother. Thank you for caring about me."

"Isn't it natural for a mother to be worried about her child? If only I could split myself in two, I would never let you sleep alone at home."

Based on her words, Li Junjie didn't tell her about Dai Zhiqiang and Meng Renshu staying over last night. That was understandable since it would indeed cause more harm than good for her mother's mental health.

"Mother, I'm a big girl, and I can take care of myself alone, so you don't need to worry about me."

Li Caiyi meant to appease her mother, but contrary to her expectation, Su Suyin's face turned gloomier. She bit her lips while looking down sadly. Her hand fell from Li Caiyi's shoulder and hung limply on her sides.

"That's right. It's because I neglected you all the time. You can't depend on anyone else but yourself."

"Mother, that's not what I—"

"No, please don't console me," Su Suyin interjected. "I'm well aware that I'm a failure as a mother. You probably can't open your heart to me, but I hope you are not hiding your wound anymore. If you can't talk to me, your siblings will surely help you."

Li Caiyi was unsure how to respond. Her mother had completely missed her point, and now she looked despondent.

"What are you doing here?"

Right when the atmosphere turned awkward, Li Junjie showed up. Li Caiyi could never be more grateful.

"Brother Jie! I'm here to visit Xiaohua."

"I can see that." He replied curtly before shifting his gaze to Su Suyin. "Since Xiaoyi is here already, we will take a turn watching over Xiaohua. Mother, you should take this chance to go home and rest."

"....Alright." Su Suyin agreed immediately. She left a few more words, reminding them not to skip their meals before walking away. Li Caiyi could feel something was amiss.

"Did something happen to Mother? She seems more down than usual."

"Mother has a lot of things on her mind lately. Just pretend you don't know anything."

Li Caiyi didn't understand but decided to leave that matter for another time. Now, there are more pressing issues at hand. Following Li Junjie, they entered Li Chunhua's room.