I Don’t Want to Be Reborn With You 18

Chapter 18: Ah, Youth

A soft knock interrupted their conversation. It was Chu Xiaodong. “Am I interrupting? Little Lu, do you have a moment? I’d like to have a word with you.”

Here comes the main course, Lu Li thought to himself. His interactions with Chu Jingyi’s mother and Silly Goose were just the appetizers. This was the real deal. He excused himself and followed Chu Xiaodong into his study, taking a seat on the leather sofa, though he couldn’t seem to relax.

The study was surprisingly modest: three walls lined with bookshelves, a large desk with a computer and three monitors, and a simple leather sofa. Lu Li’s sharp eyes spotted a small picture frame on the desk, a picture of a happy family of three. It seemed that Chu Xiaodong was a family man.

Chu Xiaodong didn’t stand on ceremony and sat casually beside him. “So, Little Lu, how old are you this year?” he asked conversationally.

“Sixteen. Turning seventeen next month.” His birthday was in October.

“Haha, relax. This isn’t an interrogation. Just a friendly chat.” Easy for you to say. I’m just a poor student, at your mercy.

Lu Li’s household registration was tied to his school enrollment. Legally, he was considered a minor with limited rights. Chu Xiaodong could easily make him disappear with a single phone call. This was also why he couldn’t apply for student loans.

“How long have you and Yi Bao known each other?”

So that’s what you call her in private, huh? Lu Li thought to himself. It was a fitting nickname. Silly Goose was as pure as distilled water, her occasional blunders endearingly naive. Yi Bao suited her perfectly.

“We were placed in the same class last year, but we weren’t close.”

Chu Xiaodong smiled mildly, his expression unreadable. This was the most dangerous type of person – calm, collected, capable of stabbing you in the back with a smile. Lu Li finally understood why Chu Xiaodong always seemed to squint when he smiled. It was to conceal his eyes, his true emotions hidden behind a carefully constructed curtain.

“I heard from Yi Bao* that your guardian ran off. Why didn’t you report it to the authorities? It must have been difficult for you all these years.”

“I didn’t have the opportunity to contact the authorities.”

A lie. When he was younger, Sister Yameng had taken him to the government building, where they had waited for an entire day, only to be dismissed with a, “Your paperwork isn’t in order. Come back when you have everything.” What followed was a bureaucratic nightmare, the two children shuttled between departments, their pleas falling on deaf ears. In the end, both Lu Li and Zou Yameng had collapsed on the sidewalk, their cries a mixture of exhaustion and despair. That was when he learned that the world could be a cruel and indifferent place.

He hated bureaucrats.

They represented his helplessness, his sorrow, his despair. Chu Xiaodong could never comprehend the profound sense of detachment that had gripped seven-year-old Lu Li as he sat on that sidewalk, his tears drying on his cheeks. It was as if he didn’t belong in this world.

Chu Xiaodong seemed to sense his shift in mood. “The reason I wanted to talk to you is precisely because of this matter. I’m aware that our local government’s work at the grassroots level is far from ideal. There’s a disconnect between policy and implementation. There are things that those of us in positions of power can’t control. So, Little Lu, I have a proposition for you. I need you to do something for me. Compile a list of all the minors living in your district without guardians, along with their circumstances. Consider it a small way for us, who seem to just sit around and eat for a living, to make amends. What do you say?”

Why me? What is he playing at? These were the only thoughts running through Lu Li’s mind.

“As someone who’s experienced this firsthand, I trust you to handle this matter with care,” Chu Xiaodong continued.

“But I have school. I don’t have much free time…”

“You can work on it during the weekends.” Chu Xiaodong winked, this time making no effort to hide the amusement in his eyes. “So, what do you say?”

It dawned on Lu Li. Chu Xiaodong was getting back at him for bossing his daughter around. What a petty man. However, he couldn’t deny that he was tempted. With Chu Xiaodong’s backing, the lives of those children in his district could improve significantly.

“Alright. I’ll do my best.”

“Just compile the information into a digital file and send it to me. By the way, you do have a computer, right?” Chu Xiaodong suddenly asked, clapping a hand to his forehead as he noticed Lu Li’s stunned expression. “Ah, my apologies. How about this? I’ll lend you a laptop. Consider it a work expense.”

He walked over to his desk and pulled out a brand new laptop bag from a drawer. It was clear that this had been planned all along. Lu Li accepted the heavy bag without a word. “Thank you, Uncle Chu,” he mumbled.

“Think nothing of it. And thank you for taking on this task.” Chu Xiaodong patted him on the shoulder. “I heard you achieved top marks in the recent exams. Impressive! Do you have a university in mind?”

In his past life, he had attended an affordable art school in another province.

“Not yet.”

“I suggest you consider Chuanhai University of Political Science and Law. It’s a good fit for ambitious young men like yourself.” His words were laced with implication, causing Lu Li’s eyebrows to furrow. Chuanhai University of Political Science and Law, formerly known as Chuanhai Youth Cadre Training Center, wasn’t highly ranked academically, but it was considered one of the most prestigious institutions for aspiring politicians. A significant portion of Chuanhai’s officials were alumni.

Of course, online, it was commonly referred to as “Corruption University.”

This wasn’t a school you could simply apply to. Without the right connections, you wouldn’t even make it past the initial screening process.

Was he suggesting a career in politics?

Chu Xiaodong didn’t elaborate further. He steered the conversation towards lighter topics, and before Lu Li knew it, it was lunchtime. Chu Xiaodong insisted he stay for lunch, and despite Lu Li’s repeated refusals, he eventually relented when Chu Xiaodong’s jovial facade faltered, replaced by a look of genuine disappointment.

At the dining table, everyone seemed to be in a different world. The happiest person wasn’t Silly Goose, but her mother. She was practically beaming, showering Lu Li with food. The second happiest person was Chu Jingyi. She seemed thrilled to have her new friend at the table, her eyes constantly flitting towards him. Whenever he caught her gaze, she would grin sheepishly.

He was certain that her feelings for him were purely platonic. She was too young to understand love, the late-blooming type.

Then there was Chu Xiaodong, his perpetual smile unreadable. Despite his experience, Lu Li couldn’t decipher the man’s thoughts.

After the strange lunch, Lu Li couldn’t wait to escape. He grabbed his laptop bag and made his excuses, practically fleeing the house. Chu Jingyi followed him out.

Silly Goose’s smile hadn’t faltered once. She skipped ahead of him, her yellow dress fluttering around her like butterfly wings. Lu Li couldn’t tell if it was his imagination, but she seemed even more clueless than usual. She was practically bouncing off the walls, a danger to herself and others.

“Are you always this happy? You look like you’re about to take flight,” Lu Li remarked. “Hey, watch out! Don’t trip.”

“Do I?” She seemed oblivious. “I feel perfectly normal~”

Try wiping that goofy grin off your face, will you? Your teeth are blinding me, Lu Li thought to himself.

“Maybe I’m a tiny bit happy,” she admitted, holding up her thumb and index finger, the space between them barely noticeable. “My parents really like you. Whenever I invited friends over before, they were always so serious and intimidating. It scared them all away.”

“You’ve invited male friends over?”

“No! Why would you even ask that?”

Lu Li stroked his chin, suddenly concerned. What if the Chu family had gotten the wrong idea? Their behavior had been rather strange. What if they thought he was some sort of gold-digger?

He couldn’t be sure what they were thinking. He couldn’t jump to conclusions. He decided to subtly clarify things with Silly Goose. “Silly… I mean, class monitor, you do know that An Baili and I are…” He almost slipped up.

“I know,” she said, giving him a strange look. “Why are you stating the obvious?”

“Right… Well, you should head back in. I’ll get a ride home.”

He was immediately proven wrong as he spotted Uncle Long’s car waiting for him at the entrance of the community. They even provided transportation?

Chu Jingyi came to a stop, her reluctance evident. “Oh.” After a moment of silence, she blurted out, “I’ll make sure to perfect the music.”

“Right.” Lu Li’s mind was elsewhere. He responded absentmindedly.

She pouted. “I’ll make it amazing! You won’t have a single criticism!”

“Uh-huh.”

“You’ll be blown away!” Her sudden outburst caught him off guard. What was with her?

She clasped her hands behind her back and whispered, “Come visit again sometime.”

Again? No, thank you. “Sure, if I have the time,” he replied with a strained smile.

She suddenly held out her pinky finger.

“What’s that for?”

“Pinky promise.”

“We’re not children anymore.”

“Are you promising or not?”

“No.”

Her eyes welled up.

“Fine, fine, fine,” he quickly relented. This girl was impossible.

Under the warm glow of the afternoon sun, their pinky fingers intertwined. From a distance, Uncle Long shook his head, a wistful smile on his face.

“Ah, youth,” he murmured.

 

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(T/N)

The nickname “Yi Bao*” (怡宝) for Chu Jingyi:

• 怡 (Yi): Means “happy,” “joyful,” or “pleasant.” It suggests a cheerful and amiable disposition

• 宝 (Bao): Means “treasure,” “precious,” or “baby.” It highlights her status as a cherished daughter from a wealthy and influential family.

Can be interpreted in english as:

• Happy Treasure

• Joyful Baby