Let Me Go, My Childhood Sweetheart [Rebirth] - Chapter 15

Jin Yi had originally intended to keep her distance from Chu Weiran, but the moment Chu Weiran actually distanced herself, Jin Yi felt a wave of irritation. This was especially true under the gossiping stares of Jing Miaomiao and the little freshman in her arms.

Junior Jin? Junior Jin my foot! Just moments ago, Chu Weiran had been affectionately calling her “Xiao Yi.”

“Senior, I’m done ‘passing by.’ I’m going back now.”

It wasn’t clear which “senior” she was addressing, but as soon as the words left her mouth, Jin Yi turned and walked away without looking back. It was so infuriating! She had been thinking about protecting Chu Weiran, only to be treated like…

Fine! If she wanted to be with that “Phoenix Man,” let her. At the very least, Jin Yi was determined not to end up with Qin Zhaomu in this life. If she couldn’t protect her childhood friend, she would at least protect herself.

Simmering with frustration, Jin Yi walked much faster than usual. Just as she reached a corner, Chu Weiran called out to her. Jin Yi turned around to find three pairs of eyes fixed on her.

“Xiao Yi, remember to pick me up tomorrow morning.”

Jin Yi nearly short-circuited. She felt like she was being bullied again, especially because Chu Weiran was wearing a sly, mischievous smirk behind the other two’s backs.

“Uh…” Jin Yi scratched her head, feeling the meaningful weight of the stares from the other two.

“Didn’t you agree to drop me off and pick me up?”

Since she had already agreed, was it really necessary to say it again in front of others? It was so embarrassing!

“See you tomorrow,” Jin Yi muttered. Ignoring the looks from the onlookers, she fled.

She slammed the dormitory door shut with a loud bang, giving Qu Yin a massive fright. Qu Yin was in the middle of a horror movie and nearly jumped out of her skin.

“What are you doing?! I thought a pack of wild beasts was chasing you!”

“It… might as well be.” Jin Yi leaned against the door, gasping for air. She had indeed run back quite aggressively, and honestly, the experience wasn’t much different from being chased by predators. Why was Chu Weiran still so terrifying?

The next morning, Qu Yin noticed that Jin Yi woke up slightly earlier than usual. Normally, Qu Yin was the first to wake, finishing her makeup before Jin Yi even stirred. But this morning, the moment Qu Yin opened her eyes, Jin Yi was already dressed and heading for the door. Qu Yin assumed Jin Yi was being kind and going out early to buy her breakfast.

“I want buns! The ones with chicken broth!”

Just as Jin Yi opened the door, she heard Qu Yin’s shout. She looked back to see Qu Yin struggling to crawl out of bed, her messy hair completely obscuring her face—looking remarkably like the ghost from the horror movie they watched yesterday.

Qu Yin yawned and rubbed her eyes, noticing Jin Yi staring. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I have things to do. Go to the cafeteria yourself.”

Clack. Jin Yi shut the door and left, leaving a stunned Qu Yin behind.

Qu Yin thought it was just a one-time thing, but for several days in a row, Jin Yi was gone early and back late. Despite living in the same dorm, Qu Yin barely saw her outside of class. Furthermore, rumors began to swirl around campus: Chu Weiran was dating a “little junior.”

Compared to Chu Weiran, very few people knew Jin Yi’s name, so no one connected it to her at first. But as the rumors grew more specific, the descriptions of the junior’s major and year matched Jin Yi perfectly. Qu Yin started to suspect, but since her schedule never aligned with Jin Yi’s lately, she hadn’t found a chance to ask.

That changed one day when Qu Yin went to the campus’s famous “Lovers’ Holy Ground” with a girl she’d just met. There, she saw Jin Yi and Chu Weiran.

She was now certain.

Chu Weiran was wearing a peach-pink, puff-sleeved dress with a cinched waist. She looked both cute and sexy absolutely perfect. The only “problem” was,  why was she leaning in Jin Yi’s arms?

Because Qu Yin kept staring at the pair, the new girl she was with got annoyed and stomped off. Let her go, Qu Yin thought, the next one will be even better. Using the trees as cover, she continued to spy.

“Can you… can you stand up first?” Jin Yi’s face was awkward; she felt hot and stifled. Chu Weiran was way too close.

“My feet hurt~” Chu Weiran cooed softly, leaning even further into Jin Yi’s embrace. Her hands moved from clutching Jin Yi’s clothes to wrapping firmly around her waist. “It’s my first time wearing these shoes today. They’re so uncomfortable.”

“Then I’ll take you back.”

“But I still want to walk around a bit.”

Jin Yi chose to ignore that last part and looked away, but Chu Weiran tilted her head up from her chest to look at her. Jin Yi’s attempt to look serious despite her obvious nervousness was simply too cute. The adult Jin Yi is so beautiful; if only she could be a bit more proactive, Chu Weiran thought.

“Your shoes are uncomfortable. I’m taking you back.”

Take you back, take you back. Hearing that same phrase over and over sparked a bit of fire in Chu Weiran’s heart.

Over the past few days, Jin Yi had strictly kept her promise, picking her up every morning and evening. In truth, Chu Weiran didn’t have many classes left, but to ensure Jin Yi would come for her, she pretended her schedule was packed every day. Occasionally, Jin Yi was skeptical, especially since she had seen Jing Miaomiao sleeping in late several times when she went to the dorm. They were in the same major, yet their “schedules” were worlds apart.

“I’m just a very studious person, okay?”

Faced with such an excuse, Jin Yi had no rebuttal and could only silently shoulder the burden of her promise. Tonight was an exception, however. Since tomorrow was the weekend and Jin Yi wouldn’t need to pick her up, Chu Weiran had planned to take her out for a nice dinner.

Well… she was rejected. They ended up eating at the cafeteria again.

After the meal, Chu Weiran suggested a stroll. Jin Yi wanted to refuse, but once again, she was trapped by her own word.

“You said you’d walk me back tonight.”

“Yes.”

“But I want to walk around before going back.”

Jin Yi couldn’t say no to that logic. She hadn’t expected that as soon as they reached this spot, Chu Weiran would complain of foot pain. Initially, Jin Yi thought she was lying again, but seeing Chu Weiran’s red and swollen heel, she felt a pang of guilt.

Taking advantage of that moment, Chu Weiran dived straight into her arms. “My shoes are uncomfortable! I can’t walk!”

Chu Weiran had a temper, which she usually suppressed only in front of Jin Yi because she was terrified Jin Yi would ignore her again. But right now, she really couldn’t hold it back; her voice took on a sharp edge.

In her irritation, she lost her cool, but she regretted it the moment the words left her mouth. She shouldn’t have been mean again. Jin Yi likes gentle girlfriends, she thought. But… being gentle is so hard!