Let Me Go, My Childhood Sweetheart [Rebirth] - Chapter 1

The first snow in Ling City usually arrives in early November, but this year it came half a month earlier.

And it fell quite unexpectedly. The weather forecast had predicted clear skies for the past few days, with temperatures above zero. Who would have thought it would snow on such a fine day?

Jin Yi watched the snowflakes drifting outside the window, thinking that Qin Zhaomu would surely nag her again when she returned home that evening.

After all, when she left home that day, she had only worn a black trench coat and a pair of jeans.

Just as she was lost in thought, Qin Zhaomu called. Hearing her girlfriend’s gentle voice on the other end of the line, Jin Yi’s expression softened, and a faint, almost imperceptible smile touched her lips.

Qin Zhaomu told her that she wasn’t sure what time she would get off work and would let her know later.

“Oh, got it.”

Qin Zhaomu had assumed Jin Yi was at home, but she suddenly heard some noise in the background.

“You went out?”

“Yeah, Qu Yin invited me.”

“With Qu Yin again?” Qin Zhaomu’s tone carried a hint of jealousy. Jin Yi, thinking she was upset, softened her voice to comfort her and asked if she might have a day off tomorrow so they could go out for a meal.

Qin Zhaomu paused briefly before saying it wasn’t certain.

Then she changed the subject, mentioning that it would surely get colder after the snow and asking if Jin Yi had dressed warmly. Jin Yi glanced at her outfit, hesitated for a moment, and said, “I dressed warmly.”

“Alright, then take your time coming back. The roads are slippery.”

“Got it. Can you come home early today? I have something to tell you.”

The person on the other end of the line hesitated before replying, “I’ll try my best, okay?”

Her tone had returned to its usual gentleness, and Jin Yi couldn’t help but smile.

Even after hanging up, she kept the smile on her face. When she turned around, she happened to be spotted by Qu Yin, who had just arrived.

Qu Yin was Jin Yi’s university classmate. After graduation, she became a history teacher with a permanent position.

Jin Yi, on the other hand, pursued a master’s degree.

The two of them would occasionally hang out, usually going out for meals. But today’s gathering was a bit different, they were at a karaoke bar. Qu Yin had recently started dating someone new and wanted Jin Yi to meet her.

Earlier, the new couple had been a bit too lovey-dovey, and Jin Yi, feeling bored, had stepped out for some fresh air.

“Why did you come out?”

Qu Yin didn’t answer but walked over to Jin Yi, patted her shoulder, and teased, “What? Did your girlfriend call to check up on you?”

“Don’t talk nonsense. Zhaomu was just concerned about me,” Jin Yi said, frowning as she pushed Qu Yin’s hand away.

Qu Yin chuckled, leaning lazily against the wall. She pulled a pack of cigarettes from her pocket, put one in her mouth, and offered another to Jin Yi. “Want one?”

Jin Yi didn’t take it. Instead, she gave Qu Yin a once-over her hair tied up, a white blouse paired with a black pencil skirt, and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses. With her delicate features, she looked every bit the mature, sophisticated woman, yet her demeanor carried a hint of mischief.

“Don’t you realize how contradictory you look right now? And you call yourself a role model for students?”

Qu Yin shrugged indifferently and asked again, “Smoke or not?”

“No, Zhaomu asked me to quit.”

Qu Yin took a drag and blew a smoke ring. “How boring.”

“Yeah.”

Jin Yi agreed so readily that Qu Yin found it even more dull and stuffed the cigarette back into her pocket.

“You’re so boring. I bet you’re even more boring in bed. Aren’t you afraid your Zhaomu might cheat on you?”

“You!”

Jin Yi wanted to retort, but thinking about her relationship with Qin Zhaomu, she felt a little guilty.

She and Qin Zhaomu had been together for almost a year, and at most, they had only kissed on the cheek.

When they first started dating, she hadn’t thought much about that kind of issue. Later, when she and Qin Zhaomu moved in together, Qu Yin kept asking, and she could no longer avoid the topic, so she vaguely said they had done it.

Qu Yin then asked, “Which one of you is the top and which is the bottom?”

How could Jin Yi answer that? She had no experience, and to save face, she could only reply, “Either is fine.”

“Tsk, tsk, your Zhaomu sister is so gentle. I really can’t imagine her being the top.”

Not only could Qu Yin not imagine it, but Jin Yi couldn’t either, so she refused to answer Qu Yin’s question.

Just like the current issue, she didn’t want to answer it either.

“Can’t you change your glasses frames? Something like mine, mature and sexy. Why do you insist on wearing black frames? And can’t you wear clothes with some color? It’s all black.”

Jin Yi looked down at herself: black short hair, a black trench coat, black pants, and a black sweater underneath.

“What’s wrong with that? It’s so convenient.”

“Do you even know how radiant you were back in college?”

During her college years, Jin Yi had waist-length hair. Though it was also black, long, straight black hair was different from short black hair. Her clothes were pure and cute, nothing like now dull and lifeless, looking not like someone in her twenties but almost forty.

Jin Yi thought back to her former self and shook her head. “I was never radiant back then either. I just wore clothes with a bit of color, that’s all.”

Hearing this, Qu Yin didn’t want to argue anymore and waved her hand. “Let’s go, time to head back.”

“Forget it, I feel a bit awkward with the two of you.”

“Awkward about what? We’re all friends here.”

How shameless of her to say that, she had just seen Qu Yin kissing that girl, and now she was acting all innocent.

“That girl looks pretty young. Is she just starting college?”

“She’s an adult, and besides, she’s willing, okay?”

“You’re so trashy!”

“Trashy people know how to flirt, just like your Zhaomu.”

Qu Yin was at it again. Ever since she found out about Jin Yi and Qin Zhaomu’s relationship, she never missed a chance to say things like this, acting like a love expert even though she was just as trashy herself.

“Let me tell you, I’ve had plenty of relationships, but it’s always been ‘together if it works, apart if it doesn’t.’ I’ve never two-timed anyone.”

“Oh.”

“What do you mean, ‘oh’? Don’t believe me?”

“I believe you.”

“Good. I just met this girl not long ago, and we’re still in the getting-to-know-each-other phase.”

“Well, you take your time with that. I need to get back early to cook.”

“You’ve really become quite the devoted homemaker,” Qu Yin teased.

Jin Yi ignored her and waved her hand. “Tell your future girlfriend I had something to do, so I’m heading back first.”

Jin Yi and Qin Zhaomu had just bought a house, and both their names were on the deed. Jin Yi had saved up a lot of New Year’s money over the years, and Qin Zhaomu worked in sales at a building materials company, earning a decent income.

Of course, a house in the city center was still out of reach, so they chose a place near the suburbs, where transportation was relatively convenient.

The place where she met Qu Yin wasn’t too far from home, so Jin Yi walked back.

When she reached the entrance of the residential complex, she greeted the security guard as usual.

Honestly, this greeting wasn’t really necessary since the uncle already knew Jin Yi. However, Jin Yi felt that this uncle was simple, honest, and somewhat resembled her late grandfather, just much younger. So, every time, Jin Yi would cheerfully greet the uncle before heading inside.

Today was no different. After exchanging greetings, Jin Yi continued walking into the residential complex, but she hadn’t gone far when the uncle called out to her.

“Xiao Jin, wait a moment. There’s a package for you looks like some kind of document.”

Jin Yi took it with a puzzled expression. She hadn’t applied for any services or bought anything recently, so why would there be a package for her?

Oh well, she’d check it out later when she got home.

She tucked the document under her arm, bid the uncle goodbye, and went inside.

Once home, Jin Yi wasn’t in a hurry to look at the document. Instead, she tidied up the house.

Although she was busy with her studies, Qin Chaomu’s work kept her even busier. So, Jin Yi usually took care of the household chores and cooked dinner.

They were living together now, but they actually spent less time together than before. When they hadn’t lived together, they would make time to call each other every day. Now, aside from the occasional chat before bed, their conversations mostly revolved around asking how the other was eating or dressing, there was hardly anything else to talk about.

By the time she finished tidying up, it was almost five o’clock. Qin Chaomu would be off work in about two hours, so Jin Yi decided to call and ask what she wanted for dinner. But after several attempts, Qin Chaomu didn’t answer.

In the end, Jin Yi decided to cook based on her own judgment. They had been together for a year and shared many meals, so she remembered Qin Chaomu’s preferences well.

Qin Chaomu preferred lighter flavors and loved soup especially pork rib soup.

Ling City was a northern city where snowy days were common, so Jin Yi didn’t like using an umbrella in the snow.

However, before heading out, Jin Yi suddenly remembered Qin Chaomu often reminding her to take an umbrella on snowy days, so she grabbed one before leaving.

It hadn’t been snowing when she left in the morning, so she hadn’t brought an umbrella then. But now, Jin Yi made sure to take one with her.

She went to the nearest fresh market near the complex, bought some pork ribs and other ingredients Qin Chaomu liked, then walked back home under her umbrella.

Before starting to cook, she tried calling Qin Chaomu again. Still no answer, but Qin Chaomu sent a message saying she was still busy and asked if anything was wrong.

“Don’t worry, it’s nothing,” Jin Yi replied via WeChat before continuing with her cooking.

Truthfully, Jin Yi wasn’t much of a cook. She had only learned to make these few dishes because Qin Chaomu enjoyed them so much.

And the more she practiced, the better she became.

With the ingredients prepped and the ribs simmering in the pot, Jin Yi found herself with some free time.

She thought about grabbing a couple of books and heading to the recliner on the balcony, but when she went to the study to get them, she spotted the document lying on the sofa.

In all the busyness, she had completely forgotten about it.

Picking up the document, she walked over to the recliner on the balcony.

There was no sender’s name on the document only the letter “R.”

R?

So mysterious, almost like some kind of secret code.

Just as Jin Yi opened it, she heard a rustling sound.

The window was open, and a gust of wind had blown through, lifting the two books she had left on the table earlier.

Putting down the documents, Jin Yi got up to close the window. Just as she was about to finish closing it, the wind picked up again, stronger than before.

Jin Yi glanced outside, the snow was falling even heavier now.

After securing the window, she returned to the recliner. As she reached for the documents, she realized they were empty. The gust of wind had blown the contents out.

Everything had scattered on the floor.

Jin Yi was slightly nearsighted, but it didn’t affect her daily life much, so she only wore glasses when reading.

Now, as she lowered her head to look at the few photos, she couldn’t quite make out the faces.

But…

It didn’t hinder her from seeing the actions clearly.

Though she couldn’t discern the woman’s face in the photos, it still felt familiar.

She squinted, took a deep breath, and leaned in slightly to get a better look, but it remained blurry.

Left with no choice, Jin Yi went to fetch her glasses.

Once she put them on and saw the photos clearly, she could no longer deceive herself.

Her nearsightedness wasn’t severe.

In fact, she had already glimpsed the person in the photos earlier.

She just hadn’t wanted to believe it.

Now, she could confirm it.

In the photos, a woman, scantily clad, was straddling a man’s lap. Though the details were hazy, her expression was one of extreme pleasure and indulgence.

There was another photo where the man was pressing her head down, though unclear.

But as an adult, Jin Yi knew exactly what was happening.

Each photo grew more explicit than the last.

By the time she reached the final one, Jin Yi was so disgusted she retched.

The woman pinned against the steering wheel, looking back over her shoulder.

Was her girlfriend, Qin Zhaomu.

The pure, gentle, and kind Qin Zhaomu.

The woman who would shyly dodge even a peck on the cheek was now gazing with infatuation at the man thrusting into her.