Let Me Go, My Childhood Sweetheart [Rebirth] - Chapter 29

After saying those words, Jin Yi felt a wave of inexplicable shyness. She glanced down at her toes for a moment before looking back up at Chu Weiran.

Chu Weiran hadn’t said a word; she was simply smiling. It was an exceptionally gentle smile.

Jin Yi had almost never seen Chu Weiran like this. She froze for a moment, and without even realizing it, her own lips curled upward, reflecting the smile back at her. As she smiled, the scene from last night suddenly flashed through her mind.

She couldn’t help but size Chu Weiran up. Sitting on the sofa with her legs crossed, Chu Weiran revealed a glimpse of her fair ankles. Above that was a waist so slim it seemed one could wrap a hand around it, and then the prominent curves of her chest.

When dressed, Chu Weiran looked quite slender, but the soft contours of her body became evident once the clothes were gone. She wasn’t fat, but she was clearly soft and supple. Jin Yi felt she shouldn’t be thinking such things, yet she couldn’t help but feel that Chu Weiran would be very comfortable to hold. She felt a twinge of regret that she had missed the chance to hug her when Chu Weiran came to her dorm before the holiday.

As Chu Weiran’s smile faded, she noticed Jin Yi staring fixedly at her chest. Her face flushed instantly. Although she firmly believed that Jin Yi would eventually be hers—and she would be Jin Yi’s—nothing had actually happened between them yet. Being stared at like that was still a bit embarrassing.

However, her own eyes refused to obey her as she looked toward Jin Yi’s long, slender fingers. She bit her lip, remembering her own impulsive behavior last night. She felt a bit aggrieved; if Jin Yi would just be with her, she wouldn’t have to spend so much time fantasizing.

It was time. She needed to take the next step in their relationship; otherwise, how much longer would she have to live in her imagination?

“Xiao Yi, where are we going for BBQ?”

Jin Yi was lost in thought, and Chu Weiran’s sudden voice startled her. She looked up to find Chu Weiran watching her with a half-smile.

“Anywhere… anywhere is fine.”

She wasn’t sure what her feelings for Chu Weiran were—whether she was genuinely moved or if she was just influenced by her desire to be good to her. But she couldn’t deny that Chu Weiran was becoming increasingly pleasant to look at. Whatever, she thought, let nature take its course. When the time is right, I’ll understand.

“Let’s go to a street stall?” Jin Yi suggested.

Unlike her, Chu Weiran lived an exquisite and delicate lifestyle. She wasn’t sure if Chu Weiran would be willing to go to such a place.

“Sure, okay.”

Jin Yi nodded and then looked at Chu Weiran uncertainly, her lips twitching. As if reading her mind, Chu Weiran smiled and said, “Didn’t you say you wanted to go? As long as I’m with you, I’ll go anywhere.”

Feeling like she was being flirted with again, Jin Yi pursed her lips and gave a low “mm” before saying, “Let’s get ready then.”

“Okay.”

They both went to their rooms to change. Jin Yi finished first and stood by the stairs waiting for Chu Weiran. She didn’t have to wait long; within two or three minutes, she heard footsteps. When she turned around, she was stunned.

Chu Weiran was wearing a pale pink tracksuit. She had removed her makeup and tied her hair into a ponytail. She looked vibrant and youthful.

And… Jin Yi looked down at herself. Her own grey tracksuit was almost a perfect match for Chu Weiran’s pink one. The styles were nearly identical.

Jin Yi cleared her throat. “Ready? Let’s go.”

“Yes, let’s.” Chu Weiran stepped forward with a cheerful stride and intimately took Jin Yi’s arm. “Let’s go.”

When it came to choosing a car, they had a disagreement. Chu Weiran wanted to drive the 911 her father had recently given her, but Jin Yi vetoed it.

“The street stall will be crowded; that car is too flashy.”

“Then…?”

“Go to my house.”

After Jin Yi turned 18, Jin Hai had asked her what kind of car she wanted. She told him she just wanted something simple for getting around. Jin Hai thought she was just being modest and brought up Chu Weiran as an example. “Zhenglong bought Weiran a Ferrari recently, you…”

“I don’t need that. Just a daily driver is fine.” She truly felt it wasn’t necessary, as she didn’t drive that often anyway. Jin Yi pointed casually toward her garage. “Let’s take this one.”

Chu Weiran followed her gaze. Jin Yi was pointing at the most low-profile car in the garage: a Volkswagen Golf. She didn’t mind and nodded. “Okay, let’s take that one.”

Jin Yi drove while Chu Weiran sat obediently in the passenger seat, her hands resting on her lap. She had some thoughts. Compared to Jin Yi’s low profile, her own cars were indeed a bit flashy. But she didn’t even like them; it was her father’s doing. As a car enthusiast, he bought her whatever cars he liked, claiming he was too old to drive them himself and asking her to drive them on his behalf. In reality, she didn’t drive them much at either. It wasn’t that she insisted on the 911 earlier; it was just that her other cars were similar.

“Xiao Yi…”

“Hmm?” Jin Yi had just buckled her seatbelt and was about to release the handbrake when Chu Weiran called her. She glanced over. “What is it?”

Tugging at her seatbelt, Chu Weiran smiled. “The cars at my house aren’t really what I want.”

Both of them came from wealthy backgrounds, but Jin Yi had always been different from her. In truth, Chu Weiran had never even been to a street stall. She had only heard of them. Without Jin Yi, she wouldn’t have any desire to go, but with her, she wanted to go anywhere Jin Yi wanted to go. Anywhere was fine, as long as they were together.

Jin Yi blinked and said naturally, “I know.”

She said it so casually that Chu Weiran asked reflexively, “How do you know?” Her voice wasn’t loud, and she hadn’t really expected an answer.

“My dad told me. Uncle Chu loves cars but feels like many models don’t fit his age anymore, so he buys them for you just so he can go to the garage and admire them.”

Jin Yi laughed as she spoke. She found it quite amusing. Who would have thought the formidable Chairman Chu would have such a cute hobby?

“Oh.”

For some reason, seeing Jin Yi laughing so happily made Chu Weiran feel a bit strange. It was unexpected. Jin Yi also noticed her cooling slightly, but not knowing why, she simply said, “Let’s go.”

Jin Yi had been to this BBQ stall many times and expertly parked the car by the roadside. They got out and walked toward the stall, one behind the other. Chu Weiran didn’t like that. She stepped forward, took Jin Yi’s arm, and said coquettishly, “This is my first time at a place like this; I want to hold onto you.”

Jin Yi looked down at Chu Weiran’s “peach blossom” eyes, which were radiating charm, and sighed internally. A month ago, this behavior would have terrified her. But now, she was thinking: Why did Chu Weiran wait until now? Why didn’t she take my arm as soon as we got out of the car?

She tightened her arm around Chu Weiran’s and said softly, “Then hold on.”

They reached the stall after walking less than a hundred meters. It felt like a long time since Jin Yi had been there, but for the owner, it had only been a month. He greeted her warmly. “Busy with the new semester? Haven’t seen you in a while.”

Jin Yi nodded and smiled at him. The owner smiled back and told her to grab a seat, saying he’d be over in a moment. As they sat down, Chu Weiran looked around. It was noisy and a bit dirty, but undeniably lively. This was the kind of environment Jin Yi liked.

Chu Weiran had always known that Jin Yi preferred places like this over high-end restaurants, and she had always tried to find ways to fit into Jin Yi’s life. Being three years older, Chu Weiran was already in a prestigious private primary school before Jin Yi even started school. Her classmates were all wealthy or powerful, and their standards for food and fun were very high. Yet, back then, Chu Weiran always felt that what they had wasn’t as fun or as tasty as what the little girl next door had.

The little girl liked playing with mud, playing cards, and various balls Chu Weiran couldn’t name. It was a bit messy, but the little girl was happy every day, unlike her classmates who always looked competitive even when playing. It was always about whose toy was more expensive or who ate better. So, Chu Weiran, who should have belonged to the “rich and beautiful” social circle, had distanced herself from it. For years, her only close friend was Jing Miaomiao, because Jing Miaomiao was also unique—she was the illegitimate daughter of a powerful family in the capital and used her mother’s surname.

As she drifted into thought, Chu Weiran’s gaze became vacant. When her thoughts reached Jing Miaomiao, she almost thought she was hallucinating. It seemed Jing Miaomiao really was right in front of her, accompanied by a girl who looked very familiar. It looked like Qu Yin.

“What do you want to eat?”

Chu Weiran had been spacing out for a while. Jin Yi had waited for her, but when the owner came over, she ordered what she wanted and then called out to Chu Weiran. If she didn’t call her now, the owner would be busy again. She didn’t notice where Chu Weiran was looking. Seeing no reaction, she asked again, “What are you having?”

Chu Weiran snapped back to reality and realized both Jin Yi and the owner were looking at her. Her face turned red. “You decide.”

“Let’s start with this then. You can go ahead and get busy,” Jin Yi told the owner.

“You got it.”

Once the owner left, Chu Weiran spoke up. “I think I just saw Miaomiao.” She was certain. Although Jing Miaomiao often did the unexpected, she hadn’t mentioned coming to a street stall. She added, “I think your roommate is there too.”

Hearing this, Jin Yi looked back but didn’t see them. Not that it mattered. She handed the utensils to Chu Weiran. “Probably. Qu Yin loves BBQ; she’s actually the one who first brought me here.”

Chu Weiran nodded and remained silent.

“Is there anything else you want? I didn’t order much.”

“I don’t know. Just whatever you order is fine.” She truly hadn’t been to a place like this and had no idea what was good. She decided to follow Jin Yi’s lead and added, “Whatever you like, I’m okay with.”

“Oh.”

The unintended flirting was the most dangerous kind. Jin Yi brushed her hair back uncomfortably and decided she’d see what Chu Weiran liked later before ordering more. Then she took out a wet wipe and cleaned the utensils; she had forgotten to do it earlier. After cleaning her own, she expressionlessly took Chu Weiran’s and cleaned them before handing them back.

Chu Weiran didn’t say a word the whole time, just watched her with a gentle gaze. Jin Yi was about to crack a smile when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around to see Qu Yin, who was arm-in-arm with Jing Miaomiao and wearing a mischievous grin.

“Tsk, tsk. Caught you.”

“Caught what? Don’t talk nonsense,” Jin Yi said, her cheeks flushing. Just a moment ago, she had…

“You were just cleaning Senior Chu’s utensils. Is that something you normally do?”