Let's Get Married on the First Day of Rebirth - Chapter 38

Xu Mi lay in bed for three days before her landlord in S City called to urge her, asking when she would come to collect her belongings from the room.

Xu Mi finally forced herself to muster a bit of energy and replied, “In the next couple of days.”

She thought she had mustered enough energy, but her voice still came out weak and feeble. The landlord sounded a bit worried and asked, “Are you sick? I’m not in a hurry, really.”

Xu Mi cleared her throat. “No, I just woke up.”

Her voice was still a little hoarse.

After finishing the call, she left her room and saw her mother watching TV in the living room. Her mother looked at her with a cautious expression and asked, “Mimi, do you want to go out for a walk? Your friend came by again this morning.”

Xu Mi shook her head.

She went to the fridge, grabbed a bottle of water, and drank it. As she turned to go back to her room, her mother called out again, “Are you sure you don’t want to go out?”

Xu Mi turned to look at her. “Do I seem that off to you?”

Her mother hesitated. “…You haven’t eaten much in two days.”

Xu Mi was genuinely surprised.

She hadn’t even realized it.

After a moment’s thought, she explained, “I’m just not very hungry.”

Her mother said, “I ran into An Ge’s mom this morning. She asked about you and wondered if you knew what An Ge has been up to lately.”

Her heart twisted painfully again.

Xu Mi even felt a little angry.

Why ask her what Qu An Ge was doing?

She shook her head. Just then, her phone rang—it was Tan Zhenzhen calling. As she answered, she said to her mother, “I’m going to S City this afternoon to pick up the rest of my things. I’ll be back tomorrow.”

Tan Zhenzhen overheard on the phone and said, “You’re going to S City? I was just about to ask if you wanted to come see our place. We rented an apartment in your neighborhood—it’s really nice! Not only is it spacious, but the rent is only one-fifth of what it is in A City!”

“I’ll visit next time.”

She hung up, packed a few things, and was about to head out when Qiu Shuiyi and Lin Wanzhao appeared at the door. Qiu Shuiyi said, “I happen to have some business in S City. Let me give you a ride.”

Xu Mi glanced at Lin Wanzhao, who smiled and raised her hand. “I want to come too. I just feel like getting out and about.”

Xu Mi agreed.

She didn’t want to trouble others, but she also couldn’t be bothered to refuse. A few thoughts drifted through her mind before settling on, “Whatever.”

Whatever. It doesn’t matter.

Just let me talk less.

A strange feeling enveloped Xu Mi.

It was like floating underwater, rising and falling, looking up toward the surface where the sky was obscured by the water’s veil, dim and unclear.

Her ears felt blocked, as if stuffed with water. Sounds from outside were muffled, as though separated by a glass barrier, creating a kind of interference.

She sat alone in the back seat while Qiu Shuiyi and Lin Wanzhao chatted up front.

They talked about their study abroad experiences, future goals, music, movies, and the seafood they’d eaten recently.

Suddenly, Lin Wanzhao turned around and looked at Xu Mi. “Does she seem off to you?”

Though she was looking at Xu Mi, it didn’t seem like she was speaking directly to her.

Sure enough, Qiu Shuiyi was the one who answered. “I’ll book her an appointment with a therapist. She really does seem off.”

Xu Mi finally spoke up. “No need.”

Qiu Shuiyi said, “Don’t be polite. It’s a therapist I’ve known for a long time. But judging by how I am, you can tell I don’t need therapy myself. This is for a friend who’s been seeing him.”

Lin Wanzhao said, “Don’t be afraid. I’ve been seeing a psychologist since I was little, and psychologists are all very nice people.”

Qiu Shuiyi was taken aback, glancing at Lin Wanzhao out of the corner of her eye as she asked, “Why do you see a psychologist?”

Lin Wanzhao smiled brightly. “I had autism when I was a child, and sometimes my behavior can be a bit odd. Haven’t you noticed?”

Qiu Shuiyi seemed a bit flustered. “Odd? Not at all. You seem perfectly normal… Oh, I don’t mean that autism isn’t normal. I mean, you look super cute—and I’m not saying autism isn’t cute either…”

Lin Wanzhao burst into laughter, then turned to look at Xu Mi.

Xu Mi acted as if she hadn’t heard anything, staring blankly out the car window.

By evening, Xu Mi, Lin Wanzhao, and the others had arrived at their destination.

Rubbing her hands together eagerly, Qiu Shuiyi offered to help. Before Xu Mi could even utter a “no need,” Qiu Shuiyi had already barged into the room. The first thing that caught her eye inside were some flowers that had long since withered—leftovers from bouquets Qu Ange had bought but hadn’t managed to sell.

A layer of dust covered the floor, and as Qiu Shuiyi walked in, she left a trail of footprints. Next to the television stood a ceramic dog figurine—something she and Qu Ange had bought during a trip to a scenic spot. Back then, they had talked about getting a puppy someday, inspired after watching Hachiko. At the time, they both thought the dog in the movie must have been an Akita.

She remembered watching Hachiko in a hotel room, crying so hard she could barely catch her breath. Qu Ange had held her, stroking her head, and said, “Don’t be sad, it’s just a movie.”

Xu Mi replied, “But isn’t it based on a true story?”

Qu Ange said, “Well, there’s nothing to be done about it. Dogs just don’t live as long as humans.”

Xu Mi: “…”

She cried even harder. Qu Ange stuck out her tongue and imitated a dog’s bark to cheer her up. After a while, they embraced, holding each other tightly and sharing a long, deep kiss. Qu Ange then said, “Anyway, we’ll be together forever. We’re the same age, so even when we’re old ladies in a nursing home, we’ll definitely be there together.”

The sweetness of those memories now felt more terrifying than poison.

Xu Mi crouched on the floor, sweeping everything into a cardboard box. Lin Wanzhao helped by sweeping the floor, and from under the sofa, she unearthed a large ethnic-style earring adorned with peacock feathers. Holding it up, she said, “This is so pretty. Where’s the other one?”

Xu Mi remembered buying these during their trip to Yunnan—one pair for her and one for Qu Ange. Qu Ange had lost this one and couldn’t find it anywhere. Xu Mi had gotten angry, and they had a huge fight, followed by a week of cold silence. In the end, Qu Ange came to apologize, promising she would never be so careless with her things again.

This room was filled with suffocating memories. She should have hired someone to clean it out from the start, instead of thinking about taking these things back. It would have been better to just pack everything up and toss it all in the dump.

But after taking the earring from Lin Wanzhao, Xu Mi found herself reluctant to throw it away. In the end, she tossed it into the box.

Lin Wanzhao said regretfully, “So it won’t be a pair anymore?”

Though spoken without malice, the words struck a nerve with Xu Mi. She looked up, glaring at Lin Wanzhao, and snapped, “You don’t know how to sweep properly. You’re just scattering dust everywhere without actually cleaning up the real mess. Get out, you’re just in the way.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Wanzhao immediately looked hurt, while Qiu Shuiyi was even more displeased. “Xu Mi, what’s wrong with you? Wanzhao was just trying to help you out of kindness.”

Xu Mi replied coldly, “From the very beginning, I never asked for your help. You were the ones who insisted on meddling. Aren’t we strangers? You forcing your help on me—isn’t it just to satisfy your own savior complex?”

Qiu Shuiyi was visibly shocked. Honestly, in all her life, no one had ever spoken to her like that. The impact left her momentarily speechless. Lin Wanzhao tried to smooth things over, saying, “It’s fine, I really don’t know how to sweep the floor anyway.”

Qiu Shuiyi pulled Lin Wanzhao aside, so angry she almost laughed. “You’re something else. I don’t know how Qu Ange puts up with you. If it were me, I would’ve dumped you long ago with that attitude of yours.”

Xu Mi sneered at this, her heart aching so much it felt as if it had been smashed to pieces, leaving her numb. She glared at Qiu Shuiyi and said, “Get out.”

In the tense silence, it was Lin Wanzhao whose expression changed the most. She tugged at Qiu Shuiyi’s sleeve and asked, “What does ‘dumped’ mean? Are they… are they a couple?”

Qiu Shuiyi softened her tone when speaking to Lin Wanzhao, suppressing her anger as she said gently, “Wanzhao, you’re still young, so you might not see it. I could tell at a glance. They’re a couple, and the kind that’s on the verge of breaking up.”

After saying this, she looked triumphantly at Xu Mi and asked, “Am I right?”

No sooner had she spoken than someone panted from behind, “We’re not breaking up. Stop talking nonsense.”

Qiu Shuiyi turned around in surprise and saw Qu Ange leaning against the doorframe, drenched in sweat. The evening sun streamed through the window behind her, casting a golden glow over her, making her look as if she were sprinkled with shimmering gold dust.

…

Qu Ange had returned from the suburban hotel the previous evening.

After the script reading, the crew had officially started filming, though her scenes weren’t scheduled to begin so soon. The director had told her she could take three days off and join the set afterward. Even if her scenes weren’t shot immediately, arriving early would help her get familiar with the environment.

Since she had terminated the lease on her apartment in City A, she was staying at a budget hotel. Seeing the latest transfer from Zuo Qingyan in her bank account, she transferred 500,000 yuan to her mother first thing the next morning and then went to buy a plane ticket.

Ten minutes later, her mother called, her voice tinged with alarm. “How did you earn this money, Qu Ange? You haven’t done anything illegal, have you?”

Qu Ange sighed helplessly. “I made it from stock trading. Don’t worry, it’s nothing illegal. The issues with the company have been resolved too, and I have a new project lined up… Everything’s fine, really…”

They talked for a long time, and her mother finally believed that the money had been earned through legitimate means. Though still a bit dazed, she was happy and said with a laugh, “A few days ago, I heard that Mimi was back and thought you’d be returning soon too. I even asked Xu Mi’s mother if Mimi knew what you were up to.”

Qu Ange’s breath hitched. After a moment, she asked, “How is Xu Mi? Is she doing okay?”

Her mother immediately replied, “Speaking of that, I wanted to ask you. Aunt Yang said Mimi seems really off—she’s been lying in bed for days, not even eating… Qu Ange, be honest with me. Is Mimi going through a breakup?”

Qu Ange lowered her gaze. A month ago, she had actually wanted to tell her mother that she and Xu Mi were lovers.

But at that time, she was in an awkward situation—deep in debt and unemployed. She believed that if she had brought it up then, her mother would have done nothing but kick her out of the house.

Now, however, things were different. Everything was moving in a positive direction. Perhaps it was a good idea to come clean to her mother.

For one thing, Xu Mi was back in their hometown. If her mother could coordinate with her, things would be much easier to handle.

She licked her lips.

Her lips were dry and peeling, so much so that her tongue stung slightly.

She began, “I didn’t get dumped. We just had a fight.”

Mother Qu said, “She fought with you? What did you argue about that made her so angry? Qu Ange, I have to say, you’re really ungrateful. Back when you were struggling like a stray dog, Mimi was the one helping you. She’s a sensitive person—why can’t you just give in to her?”

Qu Ange replied, “She wants to break up with me to end our relationship.”

A long silence followed.

A full minute passed. Qu Ange glanced at her phone screen to confirm the call was still connected and couldn’t help but utter, “Hello?”

Her mother’s voice lowered but grew sharp: “What do you mean? Explain it to me clearly.”

Qu Ange decided to lay it all out: “We’re not just friends—we’re a couple! Now she wants to break up with me, and I don’t want to. Is that clear enough for you?”

She had actually considered mentioning marriage but felt it wasn’t appropriate to discuss over the phone. She wanted to say it in person.

Even so, Mother Qu was already deeply shocked and raised her voice uncontrollably: “Get back here and explain this to me!!!”

Qu Ange said, “I’ll come back. I’m going to find Mimi.”

With that, she hung up, anticipating that her mother would only curse at her next.

By noon, her mother called again.

Suspecting it was to scold her, Qu Ange hesitated for a long time before answering. To her surprise, her mother’s voice was calm, even carrying a hint of cold elegance: “Hmph, lucky you picked up, or you’d never find out—Mimi went back to S City this afternoon to pack her things. You two share a rented place, right? Let her do all the packing—how shameless of you.”

Qu Ange was rushing to catch a flight and replied, “Mom, this news couldn’t have come at a better time. I love you to death.”

Her flight that afternoon was direct to S City. She had originally thought she wouldn’t see Xu Mi until the next day after returning home, but now Xu Mi was in S City.

She wanted to see Xu Mi immediately.

This urge felt even stronger than the day she was reborn.

Faster, just a little faster.

By the time she got off the plane, dusk was approaching. Qu Ange hurriedly hailed a taxi, but perhaps because it was rush hour, it took a long time to get one.

As the car reached the city center, traffic congestion from the evening commute slowed them down. Impatient, Qu Ange got out midway and rushed to take the subway.

She ran the whole way but barely felt tired.

A flame inside her grew brighter and hotter, unknowingly transforming into a blazing bonfire that gave her endless strength.

Because.

I want to see you.

Xu Mi.

Can you feel it?

Can you hear it?

Her ears filled with the sound of her own panting. Just as she felt she couldn’t catch her breath, Qu Ange finally reached her destination. Then she heard Qiu Shuiyi inside say—

“…I could tell at a glance they were a couple, and the kind that’s going through a breakup.”

No, that’s not it at all.

Though she was panting so hard that breathing had become difficult, her words still came out with surprising force.

She said, “We’re not breaking up. Don’t talk nonsense.”

All three people in the room turned to look at her. Backlit, her expression was unclear, but they could see her chest heaving as she gasped for air. After speaking those words, it seemed as if she had used up all her strength. She bent over, hands on her knees, and it took a while before she could speak again: “Sorry I’m late. I’ve come to help pack.”

She took a deep breath, straightened up, and walked into the room, heading straight toward Xu Mi.

It was at this moment that Lin Wanzhao finally got a clear view of the other’s expression.

Qu Ange’s face wore a gentle smile.

Though sweat was dripping awkwardly from her forehead, though her white T-shirt was clinging to her back, revealing the color of her skin beneath, it instead highlighted a startling beauty. Her eyes shone like precious gems.

Qu Ange walked up to Xu Mi, opened her arms, and embraced her. Xu Mi stood there in a daze, seemingly not yet processing what was happening. When Qu Ange’s body pressed against hers, she couldn’t maintain her balance and stumbled backward. The two of them fell together, landing beside the sofa.

Lin Wanzhao hurried over to help them up, but as she crouched nearby, she realized they didn’t seem to need assistance.

They held each other tightly, like hermit crabs finally finding their shells. Qu Ange buried her face in the crook of Xu Mi’s neck, taking long, deep breaths.

…

Xu Mi was packing her things in the bedroom.

Qu Ange was showering in the bedroom.

Lin Wanzhao sat on the living room sofa, chin in hand, lost in thought. Qiu Shuiyi was also sitting there but was growing restless. She spoke up, “What are we eating tonight?”

Lin Wanzhao replied, “We can ask them in a bit.”

Qiu Shuiyi pursed her lips, “You still want to hang out with them?”

Suddenly feeling puzzled, she recalled how surprised Lin Wanzhao had been upon learning that the two were lovers. She couldn’t help but stare at Lin Wanzhao and ask, “Were you really that shocked to find out they’re a couple?”

Lin Wanzhao nodded, her expression hesitant, “Yeah, it’s the first time I’ve seen a couple where both are girls.”

Qiu Shuiyi raised an eyebrow and smiled.

Such a kid.

She then asked, “Do you really like Xu Mi that much?”

Lin Wanzhao appeared completely open, “Yeah, I think she’s great. She’s just going through a tough time right now, not feeling well emotionally.”

She didn’t seem to have any complicated thoughts about it.

Qiu Shuiyi breathed a sigh of relief, then thought to herself that she was overthinking things. What was so great about Xu Mi? With such a difficult personality, aside from Qu Ange who couldn’t see straight, who else would like her?

Lin Wanzhao smiled and said, “I also want to discuss music with Qu Ange. I just don’t know if they’d be willing.”

Qiu Shuiyi thought of Xu Mi, curled her lip, and said, “Hard to say.”

By now, Xu Mi had already packed everything in the bedroom into boxes and contacted a courier.

Qu Ange emerged from the bathroom and, seeing that Xu Mi had finished packing, said apologetically, “I came too late. I didn’t get to help much.”

Xu Mi looked up at Qu Ange.

The other was wearing old clothes she had left here before, her hair wrapped in a towel. Still, a few droplets of water rolled down, tracing paths across her fair skin like water droplets sliding over a white porcelain bowl. Xu Mi felt an inexplicable dryness in her throat and averted her gaze, asking, “Why did you suddenly come here?”

It still felt unreal.

When the other had appeared like a sun god, bringing the sunlight with her, it felt even more surreal than a dream.

“My mom told me you came to pack your things.”

Qu Ange roughly towel-dried her hair, sending droplets flying through the air. Since there was no hairdryer here, she could only rely on the towel and wait for it to air-dry naturally.

Fortunately, it was summer, and her hair would dry quickly.

Random thoughts flickered through Xu Mi’s mind as she said, “That’s not what I meant. What about the film crew? Haven’t they started shooting yet?”

Qu Ange replied, “They’ve started, but I don’t need to join them yet. I have three days off.”

A strange feeling washed over her.

It was as if a tiny leaf bud had sprouted within her heart.

A little painful, a little itchy.

But also joyful.

Like spotting the first tender shoots of spring after a long winter—even if the chill lingered, the sight still brought happiness.

Xu Mi thought to herself, though my words were harsh, I truly wasn’t prepared to leave Qu Ange.

Now that Qu Ange had reappeared before her, she felt as if she had resurfaced from deep waters, and the sky seemed to brighten.

Even though, in reality, it was already completely dark outside.

After sending off the packages, all four of them felt hungry.

There weren’t many decent food options nearby—mostly small, unremarkable eateries. Qiu Shuiyi didn’t want to eat at any of them and insisted on going to a restaurant farther away. But when Qu Ange spotted a supermarket, she said, “Mimi, I feel like having noodles.”

So, they bought some ingredients at the supermarket and headed home to cook. Qiu Shuiyi, unable to persuade Lin Wanzhao, reluctantly followed them back. Before long, a simple bowl of green vegetable and shredded pork noodles was ready, filling the room with its savory aroma.

Qu Ange took a bite and smiled contentedly, thinking it tasted just as she remembered. Plus, today, Tan Zhenzhen wasn’t around to fight her for it.

Qiu Shuiyi took a mouthful, paused for a moment, and glanced subtly at Xu Mi.

Lin Wanzhao, after tasting it, cupped her cheeks and exclaimed, “This is so delicious! Who knew plain noodles could taste this good? Did you add something special? What’s the secret?”

Qiu Shuiyi retorted stubbornly, “You’re just hungry. We’ve barely eaten all day.”

Lin Wanzhao shook her head, “I don’t think so. I’m actually not that hungry.”

Qu Ange said proudly, “Everything Xu Mi cooks is delicious. Is this your first time trying her food? Didn’t you have any the past couple of days?”

Qiu Shuiyi replied, “Xu Mi stayed holed up at home these past few days. We hardly even saw her, let alone tasted her cooking.”

Qu Ange was reminded of her mother’s words, and her proud smile gradually faded. She glanced at Xu Mi with concern.

By now, Qiu Shuiyi wasn’t really angry anymore, but she still avoided speaking directly to Xu Mi. Instead, she turned to Qu Ange and said, “You’re really something. Flying all the way here with just a few days off.”

Qu Ange watched Xu Mi’s expression as she replied, “There’s someone I wanted to see.”

Qiu Shuiyi made a gagging gesture. “You’re so cheesy.”

After the three finished eating, Qiu Shuiyi looked around the room and decided there was no way she could sleep there. She firmly insisted on taking Lin Wanzhao to stay at a hotel.

Watching this, Qu Ange grew a bit worried. She pulled Lin Wanzhao aside and whispered, “Call me when you get there. Make sure you get separate rooms, okay?”

She thought Lin Wanzhao seemed a bit naive and was concerned she might be taken advantage of by Qiu Shuiyi.

Lin Wanzhao nodded obediently. Qiu Shuiyi, who hadn’t heard their exchange, called out from outside, “Hurry up, let’s go!”

After Qiu Shuiyi and Lin Wanzhao left, the familiar room was finally left with only Qu Ange and Xu Mi once more. It felt as though life had instantly returned to how it was a year ago—those simple, repetitive days filled with the mundane routines of daily life.

Yet the room now felt emptier than before, stripped bare of everything.

Qu Ange also sat down on the sofa, carefully positioning herself about half a meter away from Xu Mi.

After a while, she spoke up: “I can sleep in the living room again tonight.”

She glanced at Xu Mi and noticed she showed no particular expression.

Suddenly, the familiar opening theme of a show came from the TV. Qu Ange looked over in surprise and saw The Chivalrous Thief of Three Hundred Taels playing on the screen.

Qu Ange said, “You’re still watching this.”

Xu Mi finally spoke, answering a question with another question: “When are you leaving? Only three days off?”

Qu Ange replied, “Yeah, but I can still go back to our hometown with you tomorrow.”

Xu Mi said, “Then you’ll have to come back the day after to catch your flight.”

Qu Ange scratched her head, “Seems like it.”

Suddenly, thunder rumbled outside, signaling an impending storm.

Rain was rare in City A, but in City S, it rained at least once a week during the summer. Qu Ange stood up to close the window, feeling the oppressive humidity. Just as she shut the window, the rain poured down in torrents, splashing against the glass like water being thrown.

She turned back with a smile and said, “You don’t see rain like this often in City A, do you? It feels a bit unfamiliar.”

She walked over to the coffee table to pour water for Xu Mi and herself when Xu Mi suddenly spoke: “Aren’t you tired? Why did you come all the way here?”

Qu Ange looked up at her, her expression earnest—

“I just wanted to see you, even if it’s just for a moment.”