Let Me Go, My Childhood Sweetheart [Rebirth] - Chapter 27

Even knowing that Chu Weiran liked her, Jin Yi never expected to encounter such an awkward situation.

She didn’t sleep well at all that night. Images of her past and present lives swirled in her mind, refusing to fade. She had always known Chu Weiran was a wonderful person, but she had never imagined they would have that kind of relationship.

Being attracted to women, and with Chu Weiran being such a seductive person, Jin Yi felt that her occasional flutters of the heart were only natural. Even if they weren’t, she would force them to be. But now, she couldn’t stay composed. No matter how much she tried to avoid it, she couldn’t escape the reality.

She blushed when she saw Chu Weiran’s body. She couldn’t control the images that flashed in her mind when she heard those sounds.

Jin Yi didn’t know when she finally fell asleep, but it was a restless slumber filled with bizarre dreams. One moment she was being chased by a large dog, the next she was running from Chu Weiran. She finally found safety hiding in some tall grass, but soon felt the weeds scratching against her face, making her itchy.

She reached out to brush them away, only to find that the “grass” didn’t feel like grass at all. It was soft. She grabbed at it again—still soft.

Realizing something was wrong, she dazedly opened her eyes and found herself staring into Chu Weiran’s smiling face. Her hand was actually holding Chu Weiran’s… and she was stroking it.

What the hell! Jin Yi jerked her hand back and bolted upright. “What… what are you doing?”

Waking up to the leading lady of her dreams gave Jin Yi quite a fright.

“You slept so late today, so I came over,” Chu Weiran said, lowering her head slightly with a piteous tone. Jin Yi felt a wave of inexplicable awkwardness; that tone was suited for couples, yet Chu Weiran used it so naturally. It was part grievance, part acting spoiled.

Jin Yi clutched her blanket and blinked, looking Chu Weiran up and down. She was wearing a burgundy shirt, black high-waisted wide-leg pants, and exquisite makeup. She was all dressed up to go out.

Then why did she wait until now to wake me?

Assuming Chu Weiran wanted her to go out with her, Jin Yi checked her phone. It was already ten o’clock. “Why are you only waking me now?”

“Hmm?” Chu Weiran looked at her in confusion. “Don’t you need extra sleep during the holidays?”

“But didn’t you wake up early?”

Chu Weiran had been squatting by the bed for too long and her feet were asleep. She stood up and stomped them. “Because I have to go out. Hiss… they’re so numb.” Stomping didn’t work, so she patted them a few times. Still numb. “I’m heading out. You should sleep a bit more.”

Seeing Jin Yi’s dazed expression, Chu Weiran smiled and turned to leave. Just as she reached the door, Jin Yi asked, “Where are you going?”

“Meeting a friend.”

Chu Weiran didn’t say which friend or where they were meeting; she just smiled again and told Jin Yi to keep sleeping.

Then what was the point of that whole performance this morning? Jin Yi wondered. She couldn’t get back to sleep. Chu Weiran was making quite a bit of noise outside, walking up and down the stairs.

Disturbed and restless, Jin Yi got out of bed and pushed the door open just as Chu Weiran was returning. She looked even more dolled up than before. She had put on high heels, wore somewhat exaggerated earrings, and had changed her lipstick. Compared to earlier, she looked much more glamorous and seductive.

Chu Weiran seemed taken aback for a second. “You’re up?”

You’re the one who woke me up, and now you’re acting like nothing happened? Jin Yi found this version of Chu Weiran quite annoying.

“I’m not sleepy anymore,” Jin Yi muttered, her mood visibly sour.

Chu Weiran didn’t seem to notice. “Well, the weather is nice. You really shouldn’t spend the whole day in bed.”

The comment made it sound like Jin Yi was wasting her life, even though Chu Weiran was usually the biggest homebody. She had only come back to grab her bag. After a few words, she left.

Proportionally, Chu Weiran’s legs were quite long. Dressed like this, she looked slim and statuesque. In high heels, her walk had a certain flair. Everything about her looked great, yet Jin Yi felt a suffocating tightness in her chest.

Suppressing her muddled emotions, Jin Yi went downstairs to make herself something to eat. Just as she reached the first floor, her phone buzzed. It was a message from Chu Weiran.

“I made Zhajiangmian for you. Eat it while it’s hot. I made it myself this time.”

Jin Yi read the message twice. The first time, she felt a warm glow. The second time, the warmth vanished, replaced by a sense of emptiness. She replied with an “OK” emoji and put her phone away.

The noodles tasted a bit different from yesterday, but they were still delicious. Chu Weiran had made a lot, suggesting she hadn’t eaten much herself. Jin Yi stopped halfway through her meal.

The empty feeling in her heart was becoming undeniable. Didn’t she say she needed me to take care of her? Why is she out having fun on the very first day? And she went out on an empty stomach. Who is she with?

Chu Weiran had just parked her car when her phone rang.

“Where are you?” the person on the other end asked impatiently.

“At the entrance, just parked. What’s the rush?”

The meeting was set for noon; it was currently 11:55 AM. Chu Weiran had timed it perfectly, but the other person was clearly hot-headed.

“Sister, you’re the one who asked me out! Why aren’t you in a hurry?”

“It’s not noon yet. By the time I walk in, it will be exactly twelve.” Chu Weiran’s voice was calm and unhurried.

She hung up, turned off the engine, grabbed her bag, and got out. She checked her makeup in the mirror, perfect. She gave a small smile and locked the car.

The meeting place was a private restaurant where Chu Weiran was a VIP. A server led her to a private room. When the door opened, she checked the time; it was exactly noon.

Inside the room, Jing Miaomiao also looked at her phone. The time was exactly as Chu Weiran had said. She curled her lip, speechless at Chu Weiran’s obsession with precision. She could have been on a date today, but Chu Weiran’s call this morning had ruined her plans, claiming it was urgent. She had rushed through getting ready and hurried all the way here, arriving at 11:30 AM.

“What is so important?” Jing Miaomiao didn’t consider herself an impatient person, but around Chu Weiran, she felt like one.

“Don’t be in such a rush. I’m hungry, let’s order first.” Chu Weiran signaled the server, who brought over the menu. “I’ll have this… and this… and this…” After ordering, she signaled for the server to show the menu to Jing Miaomiao.

Jing Miaomiao waved it off. “No need, that’s enough.”

“The portions here aren’t very large. I suggest you order more.”

“Then two orders of the signature dish.”

“I already ordered those.”

Jing Miaomiao was at a loss for words. She took the menu and picked two random dishes. While waiting for the food, she finally couldn’t help but ask, “What was so important that you had to interrupt my date this morning?”

“Nothing special. I just wanted to see you.”

“Then isn’t your outfit a bit… much?”

Chu Weiran rested her chin on her hand and smiled. “Is it?”

After eating and washing the dishes, Jin Yi went back to her own home. She couldn’t calm her mind, and Chu Weiran’s house felt boring. Yesterday, with Chu Weiran there, she hadn’t felt it, but today, being alone made the place feel empty. She needed her own home to reset.

Her house had a small space dedicated solely to her. It was a mix of a home theater and a study, filled with books, manga, and figurines she loved. Normally, she could find endless entertainment there, but after flipping through several manga volumes, she still felt bored. She started to zone out.

It wasn’t until her phone chimed that she snapped back to reality. It was a friend request.

Archaeology, Zhai Xiao.

Jin Yi knew the person, though not well. Archaeology and History were closely linked, and Jin Yi remembered meeting this senior during the second half of her sophomore year. Thinking it might be important, she accepted the request. Almost immediately, Zhai Xiao messaged her.

“Hello, Junior Jin. I have a question…”

Well, there was indeed business to discuss. However, Jin Yi was a bit puzzled. While she had done some research on ancient scripts, it was a required course; was that really a reason to add her on WeChat? Still, the person asked about things Jin Yi was interested in, so they ended up discussing it for quite a while.

Eventually, as if typing wasn’t enough, Zhai Xiao initiated a voice call. They talked for a bit, and before hanging up, Zhai Xiao mentioned taking Jin Yi out to dinner once the holiday ended.

The intention was quite obvious. No matter how dense Jin Yi was, she could see it. She politely declined. She hadn’t noticed the time, but it was already nearly 3:00 PM, and Chu Weiran wasn’t back yet. Jin Yi frowned, hesitating over whether to send Chu Weiran a message.

The lunch had stretched from noon until three o’clock. Jing Miaomiao was getting sleepy. She yawned and asked, “So, what exactly is ‘wrong’ with Jin Yi?”

Jing Miaomiao hadn’t known about the history between Chu Weiran and Jin Yi until recently, and it all seemed a bit bizarre to her. Chu Weiran was a catch, beautiful and successful. How could she have failed to win over Jin Yi after all these years of a secret crush? She figured Chu Weiran was being too conservative.

She had advised Chu Weiran to take the initiative. Chu Weiran had followed the advice and reported that Jin Yi did indeed have a reaction. But that reaction made Chu Weiran feel like something was off.

“I can’t put it into words, but I just feel like Jin Yi is different.”

She wanted to talk to someone, but she couldn’t reveal everything. She couldn’t exactly tell Jing Miaomiao that Jin Yi was different from the one in her “past life.”

Jing Miaomiao sighed, leaning on the table to chew a piece of meat. She frowned. “It’s cold. Not good.” She sat up straight. “I don’t know if she’s ‘off,’ but you definitely are.”

“Oh? I’ve been a bit too passionate lately. I want to let Jin Yi cool down for a bit.”

Jing Miaomiao snorted. “Cool down? You just want to give her the cold shoulder.”

Chu Weiran didn’t deny it. She shrugged. “It’s working. Xiao Yi just messaged me.”

“What did she say?”

“Asked when I’m coming back.”

As she spoke, another message arrived, asking who she was eating with. Chu Weiran didn’t say. Instead, she asked: “What’s wrong?”

After watching the “typing…” indicator for a long time, three words appeared.

“Worried about you.”