Let Me Go, My Childhood Sweetheart [Rebirth] - Chapter 12

Her tone was domineering to the extreme. Jin Yi instinctively wilted and remained silent, though she couldn’t help but wonder: When exactly did I get the idea that Chu Weiran had become less bossy?!

Even more bossy behavior followed. When Qin Zhaomu didn’t immediately react, Chu Weiran smiled and said to Jin Yi, “Isn’t she a member of the staff?”

“Looks like it, yeah.”

Before Jin Yi could answer, Jing Miaomiao beat her to it.

At that moment, the manager happened to pass by, and Jing Miaomiao called him over. She gave him an exaggerated account of what had happened, adding plenty of oil to the fire. As she spoke, Qin Zhaomu’s face grew increasingly ugly until she looked absolutely miserable.

Jin Yi hadn’t expected Qin Zhaomu to have much of a connection with the manager, but she was stunned when she saw Qin Zhaomu take on a fragile expression and grab the manager’s arm.

Chu Weiran’s name was famous throughout Lingda University. Most students in the business school were from wealthy or influential families, though there were a few exceptions from ordinary backgrounds, like Ye Yuan and Qin Zhaomu. Seeing that Qin Zhaomu had offended Chu Weiran, cold sweat broke out on the manager’s forehead. He knew if he didn’t handle this well, he might as well pack his bags and go home.

Although he was the cinema manager, the theater was located on campus. Chu Weiran’s personal reputation was one thing, but the “Chu Corporation” name carried far more weight. He shook off Qin Zhaomu’s hand and shot her a look, hoping she would be smart enough to apologize immediately.

Qin Zhaomu understood the reality of the situation, but because her opponent was Chu Weiran, she found it hard to swallow her pride. Still, she had to make a living. For students from families like hers and Ye Yuan’s, maintaining a polished life in a big city required immense effort. She could suffer, but she couldn’t let Ye Yuan suffer.

Chu Weiran saw the looks being exchanged between them clearly. She instinctively glanced at Jin Yi first, finding her frowning and looking away. Jing Miaomiao, on the other hand, was watching the drama with great interest.

“Trust me,” Jing Miaomiao whispered to Chu Weiran, “those two definitely have something going on.”

Chu Weiran agreed, even without the tip-off. Besides, she hadn’t actually planned to make Qin Zhaomu lose her job so quickly. She just wanted Qin Zhaomu to bow her head—preferably, to beg her.

“Manager, seeing how pitiful she is, I don’t necessarily want her fired, but…”

Qin Zhaomu and the manager both relaxed slightly at the first half of the sentence, but the second half hit hard.

“Even if she isn’t fired, there has to be a fine, right?”

“Absolutely! When an employee makes a mistake, they must be punished. Let’s fine her…”

“Fine her one month’s salary,” Chu Weiran cut in.

If anyone else had said that, the manager would never have agreed, but this was Chu Weiran. If she were unhappy enough, she could buy the whole cinema just to fire him.

“Consider it done…”

In a few short sentences, the matter was settled. Qin Zhaomu’s face was full of resentment. She looked at the manager with a pitiful gaze, but he ignored her completely. He was annoyed to death; if he weren’t still interested in “sampling” this pure college girl, he wouldn’t have bothered protecting her at all.

When the manager remained unmoved, Qin Zhaomu turned her gaze toward Jin Yi, acting as if nothing had happened.

If the Qin Zhaomu who cheated in her past life had shocked Jin Yi, the Qin Zhaomu of this life was constantly shattering her worldview. I must have been blinded by grease back then, Jin Yi thought. Jing Miaomiao’s “Green Tea” label was spot on.

Unaware of the full context, the manager assumed there was some hidden history and turned his gaze toward Jin Yi as well.

“What’s the use of looking at me?” Jin Yi snapped. “You’d be better off having her beg the person she actually offended.”

Great minds think alike, Chu Weiran thought with a satisfied internal sigh. Though, begging her wouldn’t necessarily work either.

At this point, Qin Zhaomu had no choice but to beg. The manager glared at her, signaling her to apologize.

Qin Zhaomu was reluctant. She pursed her lips in a flirtatious pout, tears brimming in her eyes. She felt truly wronged—in her mind, she had done nothing yet was being bullied by Chu Weiran. She was furious but helpless.

“I’m sorry, please let me go…” As she spoke, her tears finally fell.

However, no one felt sorry for her. The manager was too afraid of offending Chu Weiran to care about her, and the rest were just there to watch the show.

Chu Weiran smiled, walked slowly to her side, and leaned into her ear. “Working so hard to earn money to support your man… I really feel it’s not worth it for you.”

Qin Zhaomu’s face went white instantly. She stared at Chu Weiran in shock. Ignoring her expression, Chu Weiran reached out to straighten Qin Zhaomu’s collar and added, “What you love but cannot have, I am the one trying to avoid.”

“How do you know?”

“Why don’t you guess?”

People knew she liked Ye Yuan, but the two of them never showed affection in public. Almost no one knew the specifics unless Ye Yuan had told Chu Weiran. Thinking this, a twisted darkness grew uncontrollably in her heart. Only she knew how much she had sacrificed for Ye Yuan. Even if it was her own choice, how could Ye Yuan tell Chu Weiran everything?

Jin Yi didn’t know what Chu Weiran had whispered, but she saw Qin Zhaomu’s expression shift from terror to emptiness, and finally to a dark gloom.

Chu Weiran and Jing Miaomiao left without seeing a movie. As they passed Jin Yi, Chu Weiran gave her a sweet, charming smile.

That night, Jin Yi stared at the moonlight outside the window and sighed. She was suffering from insomnia again. Looking at Qu Yin sleeping soundly beside her, Jin Yi suddenly felt that life without worries must be nice.

It had been a week since her job at the cinema ended, and a week since she last saw Chu Weiran. Yet, she couldn’t stop thinking about her. She remembered how cool Chu Weiran looked making Qin Zhaomu wither with just a few words. Compared to her wretched state in the past life, this version of Chu Weiran was wonderful.

So, the reason for Jin Yi’s insomnia was… she kept thinking about that smile. It was so sweet and playful; Jin Yi couldn’t get it out of her head.

Eventually, she drifted off to sleep with a smile on her own face. She dreamt of herself and a young Chu Weiran setting off fireworks in the snow. A small Chu Weiran held an even smaller version of her, her childish voice carrying an inexplicable strength: “Don’t be afraid, Xiao Yi. Sister Weiran will protect you.”

The autumn sun was bright. Qu Yin watched Jin Yi sleeping soundly while clutching the corner of her blanket.

“Sister Weiran…”

Qu Yin sat on the edge of the bed and listened to her call the name again. She rubbed her forehead in exasperation. Jin Yi’s love is a bit too fierce; I can’t handle this. Jin Yi had always been “allergic” to romance, but from the moment Qu Yin woke up, she had heard her say “Sister Weiran” several times in her sleep. Calling someone’s name in your sleep, she must really be obsessed.

Seeing that it was almost time for class, Qu Yin gave Jin Yi a shove. “Wake up! Your Sister Weiran is here for you!”

“Sister Weiran?!”

Jin Yi bolted upright, the name still on her lips. She sat in a daze for a moment before realizing Qu Yin’s face was inches away from hers. Her face flushed red instantly.

“Did you… hear anything just now?”

“Oh, I did. You called out for your ‘Sister Weiran’.”