Let Me Go, My Childhood Sweetheart [Rebirth] - Chapter 30

As soon as Qu Yin finished speaking, Chu Weiran watched Jin Yi brush her hair back with extreme awkwardness, revealing the reddened tips of her ears. Jin Yi then tugged at Qu Yin’s sleeve and gave her a sharp, frowning glare.

It was a clear case of “shame turning into anger.”

Qu Yin chuckled twice and patted Jin Yi’s hand. The action was so natural that it made Chu Weiran feel a twinge of discomfort. Even though she knew nothing was going on between the two, such intimate behavior made her unhappy.

She gently pulled Jin Yi’s hand away from Qu Yin’s sleeve, tucked it onto her own lap, and said softly, “Xiao Yi has always been like this with me.”

She looked at Jin Yi as she spoke, but the remark was clearly directed at Qu Yin.

Being a total gossip, Qu Yin didn’t notice any edge in Chu Weiran’s tone at all; in fact, she felt like she was witnessing a “ship” sailing.

But what was the deal with Jing Miaomiao and Chu Weiran?

From the moment Jin Yi tugged at Qu Yin’s sleeve to the moment Qu Yin patted Jin Yi’s hand, Jing Miaomiao had been wondering: Why hasn’t Chu Weiran acted yet?

Chu Weiran was someone with an incredibly strong sense of possession. Forget a person she loved; it was hard to even borrow a simple object from her unless she intentionally wanted to give it to you. And once she gave something away, she never asked for it back.

“Alright, let’s just eat,” Jing Miaomiao said, nudging Qu Yin, who seemed to have zero situational awareness.

She thought her nudge would make Qu Yin settle down, but the next sentence nearly sent her over the edge.

“Since we ran into each other, why don’t we all eat together?” Qu Yin asked.

She didn’t care at all and had no reaction to the tension. Jin Yi, sitting there, didn’t see a problem either and added, “Yeah, Senior, let’s eat together!”

She didn’t notice that Chu Weiran’s face had gone completely dark. Before Chu Weiran could refuse, Jin Yi was already calling for the owner.

“Boss, we’re ready to order!”

She and Qu Yin came here often, so the owner recognized them. Seeing Qu Yin, he assumed they were eating together, which was why he hadn’t greeted Qu Yin and Jing Miaomiao earlier.

The only thing Qu Yin did that pleased Jing Miaomiao was making Jin Yi move over to sit next to Chu Weiran.

However, after a while, Jing Miaomiao noticed something was off. Qu Yin’s eyes were practically glowing as she watched the two of them; her gaze wasn’t on her date at all. Unable to bear it any longer, Jing Miaomiao whispered to Qu Yin, “Why are you staring at them so much?”

Her voice was quiet, but Qu Yin’s reply was even softer, like a mosquito in her ear: “I think they’re the real deal. What do you think?”

“What’s the real deal?” Jing Miaomiao didn’t catch the first part, only the word “real.”

Qu Yin pouted and raised her voice slightly to explain, “I used to think Jin Yi liked Senior Chu, but Jin Yi wouldn’t admit it. But look at them now.”

She wasn’t entirely wrong, except she had the roles reversed. It was Chu Weiran who liked Jin Yi, not the other way around. Jing Miaomiao nodded, signaling Qu Yin to drop it for now.

Their whispered conversation didn’t escape Jin Yi and Chu Weiran’s notice. Chu Weiran didn’t mind, but Jin Yi felt uneasy. She couldn’t hear what was said, but Qu Yin had glanced at them right after speaking. They were clearly the topic of discussion.

Moreover, Chu Weiran hadn’t let go of her hand. She was still holding it, even lacing her fingers through Jin Yi’s.

Ten fingers intertwined.

It was soft. Jin Yi felt a surge of indescribable excitement in her heart, yet on the surface, she remained as solemn as possible.

“Should we get some drinks?” Jing Miaomiao asked. She loved to drink, and BBQ always had to be paired with alcohol.

“We drove. Does Xiao Yi want to drink?” Chu Weiran tilted her head toward Jin Yi, blinking with a gentle gaze.

Only Jin Yi knew that Chu Weiran’s hand was swaying underneath the table, taking Jin Yi’s hand along with it.

“Whatever,” Jin Yi replied. She didn’t have a strong preference either way.

“Then let’s drink. Little Yin, call the boss.”

“You got it!” Qu Yin smiled and ordered a case of beer.

The two of them were in the honeymoon phase of their relationship; they found each other perfectly agreeable and shared almost the same hobbies. Even if Jing Miaomiao hadn’t suggested it, Qu Yin probably would have.

Qu Yin poured for Jing Miaomiao first, then for Jin Yi, and finally for Chu Weiran. But just as she was about to pour, Jin Yi blocked the glass.

“She isn’t drinking.”

Her tone carried an undeniable authority. Chu Weiran felt a warmth in her chest, and she squeezed Jin Yi’s hand tighter. It wasn’t that she couldn’t drink, she just didn’t like the taste. She hadn’t expected Jin Yi to remember.

Back when they were close, Chu Weiran truly never drank. With Jin Yi around, she didn’t need to. But during the years without her, in the endless dark nights, only alcohol could make her feel a little less lonely—a little less like she was aching for Jin Yi.

“Oh, then just the three of us,” Qu Yin said. She wasn’t the type to pressure people into drinking, but she was surprised Chu Weiran didn’t drink at all; she thought she’d at least have a little.

The case of beer disappeared quickly. Jin Yi didn’t drink much, but Qu Yin and Jing Miaomiao were heavy hitters. Qu Yin lit a cigarette, and seeing this, Jing Miaomiao clamored for one too.

As the two of them sat there enveloped in smoke, Jin Yi began to feel restless. She used to smoke, but that was in her past life. Now, she didn’t have an addiction. Since she had asked Qu Yin for a single cigarette once before, she had decided that not smoking was actually quite nice, so she hadn’t given it a thought.

But now, the mental craving hit her.

She took a sip of beer and quietly reached for the cigarette pack. Qu Yin, busy chatting with Jing Miaomiao, saw Jin Yi’s hand and instinctively passed the pack over. “Here.”

The tone was natural, and Jin Yi didn’t think twice. She pulled her hand out of Chu Weiran’s grasp to take the pack.

She tapped one out, lit it, and took a deep drag. The movements were practiced and smooth, leaving Chu Weiran stunned. When Jin Yi moved, Chu Weiran had assumed she was just curious; she didn’t expect Qu Yin to hand them over so naturally, nor for Jin Yi to light up with such ease.

That movement was definitely not that of a beginner.

Chu Weiran had actually tried smoking once, but she found it choking and unpleasant. Now, she watched those slender fingers hold the cigarette, bring it to those lips, and blow out a smoke ring.

It blurred Chu Weiran’s vision. She felt she shouldn’t like it, but this version of Jin Yi had a different kind of charm. Her heart skipped a beat. She really wanted to kiss her. And she really wanted to be kissed back.

Chu Weiran’s gaze was so intense that Jin Yi couldn’t ignore it. She turned her head and asked, “What is it?”

Her lips moved slightly. Chu Weiran shook her head and said, “Nothing.”

She was starting to regret it now. Why didn’t she drink? She could have used the alcohol as an excuse to kiss her.

“Oh.” Jin Yi clearly didn’t notice anything and went back to clinking glasses with Qu Yin and Jing Miaomiao.

Qu Yin was getting high on the alcohol, her cheeks flushed as she spoke with a slight slur. “Hey, should we all go out together in the next few days?”

Jin Yi rolled her eyes and didn’t bite. She didn’t want to go, but she didn’t know how to refuse. “We’ll see.”

That “we’ll see” just fueled Qu Yin’s persistence. She leaned in toward Jin Yi. “Don’t ‘we’ll see’ me. When you say that, you’re usually rejecting me.”

“I am not.”

“Yes, you are!”

While they were arguing, Jing Miaomiao sent Chu Weiran a WeChat message.

Jing Miaomiao: What’s wrong?

She had noticed Chu Weiran’s expression wasn’t great—she looked quite dejected. But she didn’t feel like anything had happened, so she couldn’t ask directly.

Chu Weiran: Nothing. Jing Miaomiao: Isn’t your Little Yi being quite good to you? Why are you still unhappy?

Chu Weiran looked at the message and fell into deep thought. Is Xiao Yi being good to me? She was certainly much better than before. But it wasn’t the kind of “good” she wanted. She wanted the kind of “good” where she could kiss her.

Chu Weiran: I don’t know what to do. No matter how I flirt, she doesn’t budge. Jing Miaomiao: I’ve been reading a novel lately, Blind Date with my Omega Rival. The Alpha in it doesn’t like the Omega at first either, but pheromones are a great thing. Chu Weiran: What do you mean?

Chu Weiran didn’t understand the reference at all. A moment later, Jing Miaomiao sent a link.

Jing Miaomiao: Read it yourself when you have time.

Chu Weiran’s curiosity was piqued. She wanted to read it now. She glanced at Jin Yi and found her chatting happily with Qu Yin, not noticing her at all. Pouting slightly, she reached out and grabbed Jin Yi’s hand again.

Jin Yi startled for a second, then continued her conversation with Qu Yin, her hand holding Chu Weiran’s firmly.

Chu Weiran looked down and started reading the novel Jing Miaomiao had sent. She got through about ten chapters. After finishing, she understood what Jing Miaomiao meant. She felt that the protagonist, Chi Ruixi, was much luckier than her—the characters had pheromones to help them along, while she had nothing. Annoyed, she stopped reading.

By the time they called it a night, the other three had drunk quite a bit. Jing Miaomiao and Qu Yin were kissing, hugging, and clinging to each other; Chu Weiran could hardly bear to watch.

She didn’t have time to look anyway, because Jin Yi had also had a fair amount to drink. Chu Weiran struggled a bit to support Jin Yi’s weight as they walked.

“We’re heading home now. You guys take care too,” Chu Weiran said as she bid them farewell.

She helped Jin Yi toward the back seat of the car, but Jin Yi suddenly broke free. She wanted to sit in the front.

“Be good, okay? You need to lie down in the back for a bit.” Since they were alone, Chu Weiran’s voice was incredibly tender as she stroked Jin Yi’s face, as if coaxing a child.

“Child” Jin Yi pouted and said unhappily, “But if I sit in the front, I can see you.”

Hearing this, Chu Weiran’s heart turned to mush. She licked her lips and gave Jin Yi a quick peck on the corner of her mouth. Just as she was about to pull away, Jin Yi suddenly wrapped her arms around her waist.

She buried her head in the crook of Chu Weiran’s neck, mumbling incoherently. Chu Weiran listened for a long time but couldn’t make out a word. “What are you saying?”

Jin Yi was already feeling miserable from the alcohol, and Chu Weiran’s questioning made her lose her patience. She tightened her hold, lowered her head, and began to nuzzle and bite at her neck.

Chu Weiran shuddered, her body turning weak. If Jin Yi hadn’t been holding her, she might have collapsed.

Mm… actually, I don’t have to be as lucky as Chi Ruixi with her pheromones, she thought. I have a drunk Jin Yi.

“Next time, if you have needs… hic… I can help,” Jin Yi mumbled. Her breath hit Chu Weiran’s ear, making her flinch from the ticklish sensation. She didn’t hear her clearly.

“Help with what?”

“Sigh.” Jin Yi let out a heavy breath, tightened her grip on Chu Weiran’s waist, and pressed her nose against Chu Weiran’s. “If you have needs… I can help you. You’re always swaying around in front of me. I can’t handle it either.”

Chu Weiran’s voice went hoarse. “I need help right now.”