Let Me Go, My Childhood Sweetheart [Rebirth] - Chapter 36

Early the next morning, just as dawn broke, Jin Yi got up. She wanted to slip away quietly.

She didn’t want Aunt Zheng to catch her, but to her surprise, the moment she stepped out of Chu Weiran’s bedroom, she ran right into her. Zheng Yuan was clearly preparing breakfast. Seeing Jin Yi emerge from her daughter’s room, she beamed with a massive smile.

“Xiao Yi, why are you up so early? Go back and sleep a bit more. I’ll call you when breakfast is ready,” Zheng Yuan said naturally, though the words made Jin Yi’s face turn beet-red.

Back in the room, Chu Weiran was also awake and had overheard the exchange. She teased the blushing Jin Yi: “You did those things to me last night, so why are you blushing now?”

“You… don’t talk nonsense…”

“Nonsense? Weren’t you the one tossing and turning me last night?”

Chu Weiran actually quite liked Jin Yi’s “fierce wolf” behavior from the night before, but she was amused to see that after a night’s sleep, Jin Yi had reverted to her shy, awkward self—nothing like the person who had pinned her down so dominantly.

“Alright, I’ll stop teasing. Come here and let me hold you~~”

Jin Yi didn’t move at first, standing by the bedside. The stalemate lasted until Chu Weiran moved to get out of bed; the moment her feet touched the floor, Jin Yi rushed over.

“Don’t get up. I’ll get in.”

For Jin Yi, physical contact was easier to handle than the visual of the aftermath. The two of them fell back into a morning slumber. When Jin Yi woke up again, it was past ten. Zheng Yuan hadn’t called them.

Chu Weiran was still drowsy, clinging to Jin Yi and acting spoiled: “Just a bit longer… I’m so sleepy. You exhausted me for so long last night~”

Jin Yi’s face flamed again. She truly hadn’t controlled herself last night, pinning Chu Weiran down, touching and biting until that place was red and swollen. But the way Chu Weiran said it made it sound like they had gone all the way.

“Yesterday… didn’t you touch me too?”

“But you touched me for much longer.”

Well, she couldn’t argue with that.

After lingering for another half hour, Chu Weiran finally got up. She sat on the bed and coaxed Jin Yi into helping her put on her bra.

“Put it on yourself,” Jin Yi said, bringing it over and tossing it aside. Chu Weiran was only teasing; she hadn’t really expected the help.

When they went downstairs, they saw Zheng Yuan on the sofa making a phone call.

“Yes, the two children slept together last night… I ran into Xiao Yi this morning and she even blushed~ hehe~”

Zheng Yuan’s laughter was so exuberant that even without seeing her face, Jin Yi could imagine the ear-to-ear grin. Of all things—the two mothers were actually sharing the gossip.

“Ranran…” Jin Yi pouted slightly, looking at Chu Weiran with a pained expression.

Knowing she was upset, Chu Weiran smiled and stroked her hair. “Don’t feel bad. I’ll get back at them for you.” But Jin Yi wondered: how could you possibly “get back” at them for something like this?

“Oh, you’re awake! I made some congee, go have some…” Zheng Yuan didn’t hang up the phone, just gave them a quick instruction before heading upstairs to continue her call.

Jin Yi and Chu Weiran exchanged a helpless look. Growing up together, Jin Yi knew Aunt Zheng’s culinary skills… she only knew how to boil congee.

“Do you think Aunt Zheng…?”

“Yes,” Chu Weiran said. “She just wanted an excuse to see you and boil the congee. I bet she hasn’t even had a bowl herself.”

The congee was just plain white rice porridge—hardly appetizing. Chu Weiran leaned on Jin Yi’s shoulder, wrapping her arms around her waist. “I’ll eat whatever you eat.”

“Then let’s get soy milk and fried dough sticks.”

“But today is our first official day together! I think we should celebrate.”

“Can you please not make excuses just because you don’t want to eat fried dough?”

“Hmph… fine. I want soup dumplings.” Chu Weiran gave her a charming smile and kissed her. “I’m going to change. Meet you at the door.”

When Jin Yi went back to her own house, the place was empty. Her mother was out again, just as she’d said. Compared to Chu Weiran, who had her mother’s constant company, Jin Yi’s childhood had been quite lonely. Only on weekends would Jiang Qiong accompany her, and even then, she would often leave for work emergencies. Most of the time, Jin Yi was with her grandfather.

She changed into a white shirt with a jumpsuit and a light jacket, applying some light makeup. She let her hair down. It looked good, but it was getting long. In her previous life, she had cut it short before graduation and preferred the convenience of short hair. Long hair was just a hassle to wash and style.

She sent a WeChat to Chu Weiran, telling her to bundle up because it had rained yesterday and the temperature had dropped. Chu Weiran didn’t reply. Jin Yi stood at the door, thinking that if Chu Weiran wasn’t dressed warmly enough, she would force her back inside to change.

Fortunately, Chu Weiran was sensible. She wore leggings under her skirt and a thick coat. Her makeup was a bit bolder today, the bright red lipstick making her skin look even paler. She was stunning.

Just as they finished breakfast and were about to go for a stroll, Chu Weiran’s phone rang. She looked at Jin Yi apologetically after hanging up.

“My mom called. Grandma wants us to go over…”

Chu Weiran’s grandmother lived in the suburbs; a trip there usually meant staying overnight. They had just made it official, and Chu Weiran had wanted to spend more time together before the busyness of school started.

“Will you be back tomorrow?” Jin Yi asked, feeling a bit of a mood dip.

“Yes. Wait for me. We’ll go back to school together tomorrow.”

When they returned to the driveway, Zheng Yuan was already waiting. She ran over, apologizing for “disturbing their date.” Jin Yi, embarrassed, urged them to get going.

When Jiang Qiong returned that night, her house and the house next door were both dark.

“Xiao Yi??” After searching the whole house, she heard a noise in the basement. Jin Yi was alone, punching a sandbag.

“What’s wrong with you?”

Jin Yi was drenched in sweat, breathing hard. “Nothing… just felt like moving.”

She couldn’t tell her mother that she missed Chu Weiran the moment she left. She looked at the time: 9:00 PM. “Mom, I’m going to shower and sleep.”

Chu Weiran was missing her too. They were in the honeymoon phase, after all. At the dinner table at her grandmother’s, Chu Weiran kept checking her phone for a message. Nothing. Not even one.

After dinner, Chu Weiran’s older cousin, Zheng Ye, sidled up to her. “Ranran, what’s up?”

Chu Weiran looked at her and said quietly, “Nothing.” This cousin was a bit of a socialite and four years older. In her teens, she had been a “player,” never keeping a partner for more than a month. Chu Weiran disliked her attitude toward relationships.

“Are you in love? I can see it on your face.” Zheng Ye’s “expert” tone annoyed Chu Weiran. Zheng Ye was attractive—tall and sophisticated—but the moment she spoke, she came off as shallow.

Then, Jin Yi’s message arrived: Are you busy?

Chu Weiran’s face lit up instantly. She replied: Eating dinner, I miss you so much.

Zheng Ye leaned in again. “Ranran, as someone who’s been through it, don’t get too invested. Falling too deep isn’t good. Partners are just accessories.”

Chu Weiran gave her a look of pure annoyance. Zheng Ye, oblivious, kept rambling. Normally, Chu Weiran was polite, but for someone this dense, she didn’t feel the need to hold back.

“Cousin, just because you’ve been hurt doesn’t mean there are no good people in the world. Do the people you’ve dumped think you’re a good person? You’re a player and you don’t even realize it. Do you still think about the person who broke your heart at midnight?”

Zheng Ye’s face went from red to white, and her eyes welled up. Chu Weiran had hit the nail on the head.

Chu Weiran stood up and went to her grandmother. “Grandma, I’m heading back. I’ll come see you again soon. Mom, I’ll pick you up tomorrow.”

She drove back, receiving several messages from Jin Yi on the way. She didn’t reply until she got home and called her.

“Hello… why the sudden call?” Jin Yi’s voice sounded lazy and husky from bed. Chu Weiran loved it.

“I ran into someone I didn’t like at dinner and said some things I didn’t like. So, I’m at your front door right now. Can I sleep with you tonight?”