Let Me Go, My Childhood Sweetheart [Rebirth] - Chapter 13

…She shouldn’t have asked. She should have just pretended nothing happened.

In this life, she no longer felt the same resistance and fear toward Chu Weiran as she did in her past life. But… why did she have such a strange dream? In it, both she and Chu Weiran were children again, and Chu Weiran was exceptionally gentle, smiling at her all night long.

“Just act like you didn’t hear anything and hurry to class.”

Qu Yin had been laughing, but seeing Jin Yi’s face suddenly darken, she didn’t dare push it too far. Instead, she turned away—and kept laughing. Her whole body shook with the effort to stay quiet.

Jin Yi was utterly speechless. “Is it really that funny?”

Qu Yin turned back, her eyes crinkling into slits from grinning. “Yes! You’re such a closet romantic. You say you don’t like her, but your body is honest, and your dreams are even more honest!”

“Get out!”

During class, Jin Yi was completely distracted, constantly checking her phone. She would look at it for a while, sigh, or simply daze out. She was hesitating. Should she accept Chu Weiran’s friend request? Deep down, she knew the answer; she would accept it eventually.

She was just a little annoyed. She had told Chu Weiran that Ye Yuan was bad news, but Chu Weiran hadn’t listened and even criticized her for dressing “provocatively.” Jin Yi carried this mood all day until even Qu Yin couldn’t stand it anymore.

“What is wrong with you today?”

“What do you mean?”

Qu Yin pursed her lips. “You’re usually the most attentive one in class. Today you’re clearly elsewhere, just staring at your phone.”

If she didn’t tell the truth, Qu Yin would nag her to death. “Chu Weiran added me.”

“Oh, Chu Weiran added…” Qu Yin stopped mid-sentence, suddenly excited. She slapped her thigh. “You mean my goddess, Chu Weiran???”

Jin Yi nodded. “Yes.”

“Why would she add you??”

“How should I know?”

“Oh.”

Jin Yi continued walking toward the cafeteria; she was hungry. Qu Yin followed, realized something was off, and caught up to sling an arm over Jin Yi’s shoulder. “Wait, it doesn’t make sense. Why exactly did she add you?”

Jin Yi knew Qu Yin wouldn’t let it go until she had every detail. She didn’t plan on keeping it a secret anyway. She turned to explain, “Actually, Chu Weiran and I are…”

Qu Yin waited for the rest, but Jin Yi suddenly bolted.

“Hey! Where are you going?? Aren’t we eating?” Qu Yin shouted at her retreating back.

“I’ll tell you when I get back tonight!” Jin Yi yelled over her shoulder, running without looking back.

Up ahead stood a man and a woman: Chu Weiran and Ye Yuan. They were standing under a tree talking, and Jin Yi was running so fast she felt like she was trailing smoke.

“Weiran, I truly love you. Please, be my girlfriend.”

Chu Weiran had actually come here to sneak a peek at Jin Yi, only to be cornered by Ye Yuan. As Ye Yuan spoke, he realized Chu Weiran wasn’t even looking at him; her eyes were fixed on someone behind him. Being rejected was one thing, but being ignored entirely felt like an insult. Though he came from a poor background, he was handsome and a top student—he was used to being chased. Since meeting Chu Weiran, he had been rejected repeatedly, and his temper was fraying.

Taking advantage of her distraction, he suddenly stepped forward, grabbed her hand, and tried to pull her into his arms.

Chu Weiran had been watching the girl running toward her, but suddenly Ye Yuan was far too close. “Weiran, I really love you. Just say yes!”

Ye Yuan had a scent she couldn’t describe—unpleasant and nauseating. She could use money to control the Ye Yuan of her past life, but she had no leverage over this version of him. She frowned and stepped back, but before she could do anything else, Ye Yuan was kicked to the ground.

It was Jin Yi.

Jin Yi followed up with another kick to Ye Yuan’s body, growling, “You scumbag! Stay away from her!”

Chu Weiran’s vision blurred with tears. She hadn’t seen this Jin Yi in so long. When they were kids, Jin Yi was always like this. Because Chu Weiran was pretty, boys had liked her since elementary school, but “bratty” love usually meant bullying. She had always been terrified of bugs, and it was always Jin Yi who fought the boys off and threw the bugs away.

“Xiao Yi, come here. Don’t get your hands dirty.”

At Chu Weiran’s words, Jin Yi felt a bit “dirty” too, though not her hands. “I kicked him. If anything’s dirty, it’s my shoes.”

Ye Yuan stood up and brushed the dust off himself. Seeing it was Jin Yi, he looked indignant. He cursed internally—first she ruined his public confession, now this. But seeing that she and Chu Weiran seemed close, he knew offending her wouldn’t end well. He stood straight and said sincerely, “Weiran, I’m sorry. And classmate, you’ve misunderstood. I just… love Weiran too much.”

His voice wasn’t unpleasant; it actually sounded quite refined. If these two didn’t know exactly what kind of person he was, they might have been fooled. Neither girl spoke; they just glared at him in unison.

In Ye Yuan’s mind, his behavior hadn’t been that bad, so an apology should suffice. “Let me treat you both to dinner to make it up to you.”

“How can you be so shameless?” Jin Yi’s teeth ached with rage—at Ye Yuan and at herself. In her fury, she acted on impulse.

Since Chu Weiran was standing right next to her, Jin Yi leaned in, wrapped an arm around Chu Weiran’s waist, and declared, “I am Chu Weiran’s girlfriend. If you ever dare to harass her again, just you wait and see!”

Ye Yuan’s face turned green. He pointed at them, speechless, especially as Chu Weiran nestled daintily into Jin Yi’s arms, a blush creeping onto her face.

“That’s impossible! I’ve chased her for years, how could you suddenly…” Ye Yuan knew Chu Weiran was cold-hearted; years of hitting a brick wall had given him that much confidence.

That confidence was shattered by Chu Weiran herself. Leaning against Jin Yi, she looked sweet and obedient, her eyes full of devotion as she looked at Jin Yi. “Xiao Yi and I are childhood sweethearts. We’ve been meant for each other since we were kids. I’ve been hers for a long time.”

These words were a mix of truth and lies—the words Chu Weiran had repeated in her heart countless times. Everything except for the part about their feelings being mutual… yet.

Chu Weiran didn’t care where Jin Yi was taking her; she just followed with a smile. When they reached the cafeteria entrance and Jin Yi turned around, Chu Weiran had already tucked her smile away and stood there innocently.

“Chu Weiran, I’m hungry. Let’s eat first.”

“Mm~” Chu Weiran’s voice was soft and gentle, just like in Jin Yi’s dream. If she smiled, the resemblance would be perfect.

Inside the cafeteria, they wandered for a while. Chu Weiran followed silently while Jin Yi felt a bit of a headache, unsure of what to eat. Jin Yi loved spicy food her eyes were locked on Malatang and Spicy Stir-fry but she wasn’t sure if Chu Weiran could handle it.

“Do you eat Spicy Stir-fry (Mala Xiang Guo)?”

Chu Weiran glanced at the stall. “I’ve never had it, but I can try.”

“You should try it; it’s really good.” Jin Yi smiled at her and ordered a large portion. She set the rice and chopsticks in front of her.

Although their families were close and well-off, Jin Yi had never cared much about luxury. She only cared about things she truly liked, and she had high standards for those; anything else didn’t matter. Chu Weiran, however, was a genuine “pampered young lady.” Jin Yi watched her, hoping she would like the food.

Chu Weiran took a bite, smiled sweetly, and said, “It really is delicious. I like it~”

“Eat more then,” Jin Yi smiled back.

When the meal was nearly finished, Jin Yi suddenly said, “Why didn’t you remember what I told you last time? Ye Yuan is not a good person. Stay away from him.”

“I know,” Chu Weiran said, so obediently that Jin Yi wanted to pat her head.

“Also… what I said just now was a joke. It doesn’t count.” Jin Yi felt she should clarify. Saying she was Chu Weiran’s girlfriend was just to stop the harassment, but she hadn’t expected Chu Weiran to add that extra bit at the end.

She waited for a response, but Chu Weiran remained silent. When Jin Yi looked up, she saw Chu Weiran’s eyes were slightly red. For some reason, Jin Yi realized she couldn’t stand seeing her like that. Her heart softened.

“Keep eating, it’ll get cold.” She placed two of Chu Weiran’s favorite meatballs into her bowl, her tone almost coaxing.

After dinner, Chu Weiran needed to go back to her dorm, and Jin Yi offered to walk her.

“Why are you walking me back?” Chu Weiran asked calmly, though her heart was racing. When she had acted upset just now, Jin Yi had actually comforted her. Since they were in different majors and lived far apart, they rarely crossed paths unless she went to find Jin Yi. This offer made her incredibly happy.

The question was just casual, but it made Jin Yi feel awkward. There were some things she couldn’t say. She looked Chu Weiran up and down. Well, I’ll have to start with her looks.

Chu Weiran had been beautiful since they were children. Even in the “bratty” stages of childhood, she looked like a little princess; as she grew older, she only became more stunning. Despite being a bit short, her proportions were perfect, and she had those captivating “peach blossom” eyes—though she seemed unaware of her own charm.

“I said Ye Yuan is bad news. You should stay away from him. Besides, you’re so beautiful; it’s easy for bad people to target you.”

Chu Weiran didn’t quite agree with that logic, but she didn’t show it. Instead, she asked with a smile, “If Ye Yuan is a bad person, are you a good one?”

“Of course I am.”

One was pure, the other alluring. They were different kinds of beautiful. While Jin Yi worried for Chu Weiran, Chu Weiran was also worried about others targeting Jin Yi.

“Then… can what you said about being my girlfriend count?”

“Uh… that!”

“You just said it yourself—I’m beautiful. What if someone targets me?”

It was a difficult situation, but they couldn’t just jump into things so hastily, could they? Seeing Jin Yi’s conflict, Chu Weiran realized she was pushing too hard.

“Then… can you just pretend to be my girlfriend? After all, we’re childhood sweethearts, meant for—”

Terrified of what she might say next, Jin Yi covered her mouth. “Fine!!!”

Just stop talking, I’ll agree to anything!!!

With her mouth covered, Chu Weiran blinked softly, her gaze melting. Jin Yi’s hand is so warm. I really want to kiss it! She pouted her lips slightly, seemingly by accident, and brushed against Jin Yi’s palm.

Even with the lightest touch, the sensation was undeniable. A tingly, numb feeling shot up from Jin Yi’s palm, startling her into letting go instantly. She lowered her head, not daring to look at Chu Weiran.

“Since you agreed, you have to stay away from Qin Zhaomu from now on.”

“I have nothing to do with Qin Zhaomu!” Jin Yi blurted out, her eyes turning red with urgency. She had been blind once; she wouldn’t be blind again!

In her confused state, Jin Yi didn’t stop to wonder why Chu Weiran would say such a thing when she currently had no link to Qin Zhaomu. Similarly, Chu Weiran didn’t realize that Jin Yi’s reaction was strange for this timeline; she was simply too intoxicated by Jin Yi’s closeness.

It’s for the best that they have no connection, Chu Weiran thought. They should never have one.

The moment she realized she was reborn, she wanted to destroy anyone who had hurt Jin Yi’s feelings, to make them disappear forever. But after calming down, she realized it would be better to perform well in this life and make Jin Yi fall in love with her. If that happened, Qin Zhaomu wouldn’t even be a factor.

If Jin Yi liked “gentle,” then she would be gentle.

“That’s wonderful then.” Chu Weiran’s smile was even sweeter than before, and Jin Yi found herself smiling back.

As they walked, Chu Weiran suddenly stopped and turned. “Why haven’t you added me on WeChat yet?”

“Ah…” If Chu Weiran hadn’t mentioned it, she would have forgotten. “I forgot. I’ll accept as soon as I get back.”

“Do it now!”

“Okay!” Jin Yi took out her phone and accepted the request. When she looked up, Chu Weiran was beaming at her.

What was there to be so happy about? Before she could ask, Chu Weiran spoke first. “Can you come pick me up tomorrow too? I’m scared.”

Her voice was so soft and sweet that Jin Yi found it impossible to say no.