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Chapter 4: An Baili’s True Colors

School, synonymous with youth, innocence, and love. It was the whisper of the unseen sea brought by the wind, the beautiful bubble that entered one’s dreams. At school, Lu Li could temporarily transcend the gap between classes, sitting in a clean and bright classroom with his peers. Everyone wore the same uniform, and they talked not about connections and careers, but about pretty girls and unfinished homework.

When he was young, he despised school, finding his classmates childish and impulsive. He thought he was extraordinary, destined to achieve great things. But now, he missed school very much, yearning for this childishness, enjoying this simple and pure life.

It was the first day of class after the class change, and Lu Li arrived at school early. He didn’t like to be the last one to sit down under the watchful eyes of many people. He liked to curl up in a corner, expressing his protest to the world with silence.

As teenage girls in uniforms entered the classroom one after another, Lu Li’s dusty memories were gradually awakened. Their names and personalities were picked up from the dust.

This was Chuanhai No. 1 High School, one of the top key high schools in the entire country of Shenzhou. Compared to other high schools in small towns that focused on science, Chuanhai No. 1 High School was undoubtedly an anomaly. Its main subjects were liberal arts – literature, art, music, politics, ethics, law… The reason was simple: many of the students here were children of wealthy businessmen and descendants of powerful officials.

They didn’t need to worry about jobs or employment. It was that simple.

“Special recruits” like Lu Li, who entered the school through the government’s talent development program, were relatively rare. In the entire Sophomore Class 1, besides him, there was only An Baili. Yes, An Baili was also an “ordinary person” who entered the school through the talent development program. Her family shouldn’t be well-off, but he heard that her parents used to be respectable people. He didn’t know why their family had fallen on hard times.

Lu Li sat alone by the window, gazing at the blue sky and the cotton-like clouds. A few white birds flew across the sky, and a flicker of envy flashed in his eyes. He liked birds, or rather, he liked the feeling of freedom. In Shenzhou culture, the image of birds had always been given a transcendent meaning, either referring to beautiful love, freedom, or a lonely and vast state of mind. In short, it was a romantic symbol, the impractical ramblings of a scholar.

The empty seats in the classroom gradually welcomed their new owners. There were especially many girls in this liberal arts class, and very few boys. But Lu Li rarely had unrealistic fantasies, because he knew that being able to sit in the same classroom was just a superficial phenomenon. On the surface, they spoke the same language, but in reality, they were two completely different creatures.

He was poor, they were rich, that was all.

This pessimistic thought had haunted him all his life, and even after being reborn, it was not easy to change. Although poor, Lu Li was ambitious. He was a determined person who wouldn’t be swayed by external things. In Zou Yameng’s words, he was sometimes as stubborn as an alien bull.

The class monitor arrived late. The seats in front were all taken, so she could only walk dejectedly to the back row. Lu Li didn’t think she was a scheming person, because her displeasure was written all over her face. High school students of this age, more or less, had their own pride and reservations. The class monitor was obviously not one of them.

She passed by the window, the colorful sunlight falling on her delicate face, as beautiful as a classical oil painting. The frown on her face actually added a touch of Lin Daiyu-esque delicateness. The next second, her perpetually furrowed brows relaxed because she saw Lu Li, who seemed to be in a world of his own.

Please don’t misunderstand, the class monitor wasn’t close to him. The reason she was happy was simply that she had run into a rare acquaintance in this unfamiliar class, which gave her a sense of security. One of the biggest misconceptions in life was that when a gentle girl smiled at you, you thought, “She likes me.” Lu Li was certainly not that kind of person. He smiled back at the class monitor, but his mind was on other things.

“The seat next to you…”

“It’s empty, please have a seat.” Lu Li pulled out the chair for her. He wished someone would sit in this seat, male or female, as long as it wasn’t An Baili.

“Thank you.”

She thanked him politely, smoothing down her skirt before sitting down gracefully. She was wearing shiny leather shoes and thick, well-fitting stockings that covered her slender legs. However, Lu Li didn’t like girls who were too thin. He liked them to have some meat on their bones, and that included their legs. So his gaze only lingered on her fair and beautiful legs for a moment before landing on her side profile.

It was a little embarrassing to admit, but he still couldn’t remember the class monitor’s name.

The lines of her side profile were beautiful. The curve of her full forehead flowed smoothly to her brow bone, then dipped gracefully at the bridge of her nose, drawing one’s gaze to her delicate nose. Lu Li thought she would look good in classical makeup, with a touch of pink at the corners of her eyes, holding a round fan and singing, “Why does the autumn wind grieve for the painted fan?”

Lu Li remembered that she seemed to have organized a talent show for their class in their freshman year. She played the flute at the party, but Lu Li couldn’t remember it clearly. He wanted to recruit the class monitor to his production team and have her be in charge of the music. This would be a difficult task, and the first step was to figure out her name.

Of course, he couldn’t just ask directly, that would be too rude – they had been classmates for a year, and he didn’t even know the class monitor’s name, that was too impolite.

His gaze lingered a little too long, and the class monitor’s neck flushed slightly. Her blush wasn’t the bright red of the lotuses in the southern ponds, but a light, lovely pink that started from her neck, spread slowly to her ears, until she couldn’t take it anymore.

“What are you looking at? Don’t… Don’t look at me like that.” Her tone was an attempt at being tough, but her flushed cheeks made Lu Li want to laugh. This class monitor was so innocent and cute that she couldn’t even bear to be looked at. Perhaps this was the unique shyness of a young girl?

It was understandable. Chuanhai No. 1 High School had a seriously unbalanced gender ratio, with far more girls than boys. Most boys wouldn’t attend Chuanhai No. 1 High School. They would have gone to the affiliated high schools of universities early on. The boys who stayed here were mostly the second sons who didn’t have the right of inheritance in their families. He thought mischievously, the class monitor must have never been in close contact with a boy before. If he suddenly grabbed her hand, he could probably scare her.

Of course, he didn’t do that in the end.

“Class monitor, can you play the flute?” It didn’t have to be the flute, he added silently in his heart.

“Yes. You didn’t know?” The girl’s eyes were a little surprised. She had organized that party very successfully, and her flute solo was also perfect. Lu Li should have known. Unless, Lu Li had slipped away halfway through that day. Thinking of this, the class monitor’s eyes sharpened.

“Lu Li, the new semester starts today. As your class monitor, I won’t indulge you like I did last semester. I will strictly supervise you. You are not allowed to skip class, you are not allowed to go online, and you must hand in your homework on time…” The blush on her face faded, gradually replaced by a hint of authority.

“Or what? Call my parents?” Lu Li smiled cynically, his tone a mixture of self-deprecation, mockery, and something else.

The class monitor looked at Lu Li’s expression, and something seemed to be touched in her heart. She remembered when she first entered high school and was elected class monitor. She was determined not to disappoint the expectations of her teachers and parents and to be a competent class leader. All the students came from respectable families and treated her with superficial respect, except for Lu Li.

He blatantly skipped class and often went to the computer room to tinker with something. She heard that he even had shady connections with people outside of school. At first, of course, she was angry. She tried to persuade Lu Li, but was met with his disdain and contempt. Humiliated and angered, she decided to use her trump card as class monitor: call his parents.

Calling parents was something teachers didn’t like to do. Because the students of Chuanhai No. 1 High School all came from extraordinary backgrounds, teachers rarely interfered in matters outside of their studies. The school implemented a system of student autonomy, so the class monitor had the right to call parents. It was because of this that the class monitor learned about Lu Li’s tragic life and gradually gave up on forcing him. Her naturally soft heart made her turn a blind eye to Lu Li.

“The second year is almost over, and the third year will be all about preparing for the college entrance exam. This year’s study load is very heavy. You can’t slack off like you did last year.” The class monitor was very serious. “Your family is not well-off, so you should study hard and try to get into a good university.”

Lu Li knew why he had always had a bad relationship with this class monitor. It was because she always managed to hurt his pride without holding back. She was clearly the same age as him, but she always managed to lecture him from a moral high ground, using the calmness of a superior to whip him and motivate him. It reminded Lu Li of an old ox in the field.

Of course, he wouldn’t feel ashamed or embarrassed by such words now. He just said lightly, “Then what about my college tuition? More than a hundred thousand yuan a year, I can’t earn that much working part-time during the summer vacation. I can’t afford college anyway, so why bother working so hard?”

The class monitor became anxious, “You can’t give up on yourself like this. You, you can apply for a student loan if you don’t have money, you can, you can participate in the targeted employment program.” Her voice became weaker and weaker because she knew that neither of these methods was realistic. Student loans were not something orphans without guardians like Lu Li could apply for. His actions had no legal effect, and as for the targeted employment program… Would Lu Li be willing?

So she had to change her approach.

“If you study hard in the next two years, I’ll ask my family to pay for your four years of college tuition. My mother listens to me, she definitely won’t refuse.”

Her eyes were shining, as if she really thought this was a brilliant idea, that saving a lost teenager was a great accomplishment for her.

Lu Li didn’t want to get too involved with her. Just because she was naive didn’t mean her parents were. He and the class monitor were not related. Why would her parents help a poor kid for their daughter? Maybe her parents were compassionate and understanding people, but Lu Li wasn’t.

“Actually, I have a plan to earn enough for tuition. I’ve been working on it since last year.” Lu Li finally revealed his fangs. “I’m making a game. If it sells well, I can easily earn enough for tuition. But I need someone who knows music, especially classical music.”

“…That’s what you were doing when you skipped class last year?”

“Uh-huh.”

“And what about your shady connections with people outside of school?”

“Those were fellow enthusiasts I contacted. Unfortunately, most of them were just half-baked amateurs. The few who were truly skilled wanted me to pay them.” Lu Li smiled bitterly. “Where would I get the money? I could only come to you, Class Monitor, hoping to exploit your musical talent for free.”

The class monitor’s chest puffed up slightly. She was a little proud of Lu Li’s compliment. Unfortunately, her chest wasn’t very impressive, so this action only made her look childish. Lu Li found it easy to deal with a girl like her – it was best to be honest when dealing with two types of people: the very innocent and the very intelligent. Being honest with the former would relieve a lot of pressure, while being honest with the latter would add a lot of pressure.

“Then I’ll agree to help you.” She agreed readily.

“Agree to what?” A voice Lu Li knew all too well rang out.

An Baili entered the classroom from the back door like a ghost. She wasn’t deliberately dressed up today. She was still the same old An Baili with her bangs, pigtails, and black-rimmed glasses. Her eyes, hidden behind the thick lenses, would occasionally dart towards Lu Li. An Baili once said that she wasn’t actually nearsighted. The glasses she wore were just plain glass that she had purposely thickened to avoid trouble.

As for what kind of trouble, Lu Li didn’t know. The student management at Chuanhai No. 1 High School was quite strict. There were rarely any conflicts between students on campus. An Baili couldn’t possibly be in any trouble.

“Hello, classmate.” The class monitor was obviously startled. “Are you also assigned to this class? My name is Chu Jingyi, nice to meet you.” The girl was so frightened that she was trembling. She was really timid.

She must have been terrified before the plane crash in her previous life, right? Thinking of that scene, Lu Li couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness. Although he didn’t like the class monitor, he didn’t want to see an innocent girl die in a disaster.

He silently repeated the name Chu Jingyi a few times in his heart, and a smile appeared on his face, “Hello, classmate, I’m Lu Li.” He pretended very well because he was a natural at putting on an act. Many times, the troubles encountered in life could be solved simply by pretending to understand or playing dumb.

But An Baili could always see through his disguise. And she always called him a heartless man.

Unfortunately, this time, An Baili didn’t expect Lu Li to retain the memories of his previous life. She said with feigned excitement, “My name is An Baili. Nice to meet you… both.” She hid it well, at least Chu Jingyi didn’t notice anything.

There was an empty seat in front of Chu Jingyi, but An Baili didn’t take it. Instead, she stared at Chu Jingyi and pretended to be troubled, “Sister Jingyi, I, my lungs aren’t very good, can I sit somewhere with better ventilation?” These words made Lu Li’s mouth twitch. An Baili, An Baili, you’re actually a year older than Chu Jingyi, right? How could you bring yourself to call her “sister”?

Chu Jingyi gasped and immediately wanted to get up and give up her seat, but Lu Li stood up first, “In that case, An Baili, why don’t you take my seat? I’m closer to the window, the air is better here.”

An Baili became a little anxious, “But it’s too cold over there.” It was such a lame excuse, only a fool wouldn’t see through it.

Chu Jingyi looked at Lu Li accusingly, “You want her to sit so close to the window and catch a cold? If she gets sick from the cold, every time… It’ll be very painful, don’t you have any empathy?”

Lu Li looked at her with pity, but he could only go along with Chu Jingyi’s words, “Oh, is that so? I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking straight. Then why don’t you take my seat, Jingyi, and let An Baili take your seat? That way, you can block the wind a little, and it’s easier for girls to look after each other.”

He deliberately called the class monitor “Jingyi” to discourage An Baili and make her give up. They had all been given a second chance, couldn’t they just live their own lives? Why did she have to stick to him like glue? His goal was indeed achieved, but it caused different reactions from the two girls.

Chu Jingyi’s ears turned pink again. She felt that Lu Li’s address was too frivolous, but she was too embarrassed to correct him in front of a third person. She was thinner-skinned than he had imagined. She was so assertive and confident when she was the class monitor, but now she was so easily embarrassed. It was really baffling.

An Baili, on the other hand, was much more interesting. She wanted to be angry but didn’t dare to show it. Her eyes darted between the two of them, her lips moving constantly, but she held back her words. Her acting was terrible, but only she and Chu Jingyi didn’t know it.

Lu Li took his bag and sat down in the empty seat in front of Chu Jingyi. He nodded and smiled at the unfamiliar girl beside him as a greeting, not expecting a response. He sat down straight and looked at the blackboard without squinting. An Baili didn’t get her wish in the end. She sat down angrily in Chu Jingyi’s original seat, making the class monitor wonder if she had said something wrong.

Although Lu Li sat upright, his mind was still on the two girls behind him. An Baili was indeed more scheming. She quickly adjusted her emotions and asked Chu Jingyi what she had agreed to with Lu Li.

When she heard that Lu Li had invited Chu Jingyi to be in charge of the game’s music production, the smile on An Baili’s face could no longer be maintained. That was supposed to be her place, one of the memories she shared with Lu Li. Where did this woman, who had already disappeared from his memory, come from?

Perhaps it was because of their unfortunate backgrounds, but Lu Li felt a natural closeness to An Baili. When she was ostracized and oppressed, it was Lu Li who stood up for her, took her for walks, taught her how to play the leaf flute, and told her that she was actually very beautiful. In their senior year, Lu Li braved the heavy rain and took her out of school just to show her the source of the rainbow after the rain.

For An Baili, the first sixteen years of her life were filled with dark clouds. The world was gray and dilapidated, and she couldn’t find any joy in life. She even had suicidal thoughts. But ever since she met Lu Li, he had become a ray of light that pierced through the dark clouds, making An Baili irresistibly drawn to him like a moth to a flame.

She knew that Lu Li didn’t love her that much, and she knew the real reason – the deeper reason that even Lu Li himself didn’t know. But she still couldn’t help but taste the poison called Lu Li as if she were sacrificing herself. Lu Li was hers, and hers alone. And she could only be Lu Li’s. No one, no matter who it was, was allowed to come between them.

No matter who it was, Zou Yameng, Chen Jianing, Wen Hupo, or any other random woman, they were all her enemies.

In a corner where Chu Jingyi couldn’t see, An Baili’s eyes turned cold and sharp. She had never shown this side of herself to Lu Li, not until the last minute of her previous life.

Chapter 3: An Old Acquaintance Appears

Material is the carrier of spirit, and the body is naturally the carrier of the soul. To put it in a roundabout way, the soul influences the body, and the body reacts to the soul—Lu Li didn’t know if he had returned to the age of sixteen, or if his sixteen-year-old self had gained the memories of the future. He was more passionate, more straightforward, and more resolute than his true self. This was the spirit of a young man, a rare quality that should have disappeared with time and the wear and tear of society.

He didn’t dislike this change.

Back in the low-rent apartment, Zou Yameng made a simple meal of scrambled eggs with tomatoes, stir-fried pork, and braised eggplant. The two sat around the small wooden table, chewing quietly.

Lu Li loved Sister Yameng’s cooking. It had a very homey flavor, warm and comforting. His favorite thing to do when he was young was to sit in the quiet room, listening to the patter of rain, and savor the sweet and sour pork ribs his sister made. He liked them a little sour. Unfortunately, after Sister Yameng’s suicide in his previous life, he never had the chance to enjoy them again.

Lost in his thoughts, his chopsticks bumped against Zou Yameng’s. Their eyes met. Zou Yameng felt that Lu Li was a little different today, more confident than before, which gave her a dangerous premonition. She felt that she should fulfill her educational responsibility as an older sister.

“No puppy love.” After holding it in for a long time, she blurted out.

“Huh?”

“You’re still young, no puppy love.” She forced herself to look directly at Lu Li. “You can’t just say those things to girls, you know? Boys should also respect themselves and love themselves, don’t be a scumbag, always sweet-talking and coaxing people, understand?”

But those words were from the bottom of Lu Li’s heart. He was stunned for a moment, then nodded slightly. He had always been used to listening to Zou Yameng. Sister Yameng respected him very much. Since he entered high school, she rarely spoke to him in a commanding or instructive tone. Did he make her feel insecure because of his behavior?

Lu Li was the one who washed the dishes. He could cook too. When he was a child, the government assigned him a guardian, a snobbish aunt who took the government subsidy but rarely took care of him. Little Lu Li had to learn to cook for himself, fumbling with the kitchen utensils alongside Zou Yameng. He even got a big burn on his arm from the hot oil once.

He still remembered that Zou Yameng was much calmer than other kids her age. She took him to the community clinic, stopping and asking for directions along the unfamiliar streets, comforting him all the while. It wasn’t until later, he didn’t know when, that Sister Yameng suddenly said she could cook and told him to eat the food she made from now on. Only then did he realize why she had been wearing long sleeves in the heat.

After dinner, Zou Yameng went back to her room next door. She used to love hanging out in her brother’s room, but one day she noticed the shy and embarrassed look in junior high school Lu Li’s eyes when he saw her wearing a camisole, and some other desire she couldn’t understand. Since then, she rarely stayed at Lu Li’s place.

Lu Li took a nap and then went out to the milk tea shop where he worked part-time. The kind shop owner paid him an extra five hundred yuan and told him to study hard, saying he could come back to work during the next vacation. Holding the “huge sum” of two thousand five hundred yuan, he was a little conflicted.

He knew he was going to college. Universities in Shenzhou were all private and terribly expensive. Good grades weren’t enough to go to college. A poor kid like him had to go through the government’s special program, which meant targeted employment after graduation. But he didn’t like that kind of work, so he had to save up for the first year’s tuition himself. This two thousand five hundred yuan should be deposited in his little piggy bank.

But he thought of the class monitor’s words, and then he thought of Sister Zou Yameng. As if possessed, he walked towards the phone store.

Zou Yameng had a second-hand phone. Because she needed to keep in touch with her team, she gritted her teeth and bought an old one from a wealthy classmate who didn’t want it anymore. The second-hand phone was in terrible condition. It was obvious that the previous owner didn’t take good care of it, and the system was very laggy, often driving Sister Yameng crazy.

He chose a previous generation flagship phone that cost two thousand three hundred and ninety-nine yuan and asked the clerk to wrap it up, planning to surprise his sister. Suddenly, he felt someone watching him. He turned around and saw a girl who was both unexpected and not.

It was An Baili.

It wasn’t unexpected because An Baili lived near this street, so it was normal to run into her here.

It was unexpected because An Baili, who was supposed to be an ugly duckling in his memory, had actually tidied herself up a bit – she had brushed her thick bangs aside, untied her pigtails, and simply revealed her bare face, which was surprisingly stunning. He had to admit, An Baili was really beautiful in her teenage years.

He always felt that An Baili was a good girl, but maybe they weren’t right for each other. Two people starved for love coming together would only lead to endless friction and torment. Moreover, the current Lu Li was a little afraid of the young An Baili. He was afraid of her disregard for life. The usually weak An Baili actually dragged him to hell with her after he decided to divorce.

Lu Li’s panic only lasted for a moment. He quickly realized that the current An Baili shouldn’t know him yet. He pretended to look around casually, his gaze sweeping past An Baili, but his heart was pounding:

Why was she different from how he remembered? And why was she looking at him? Please, don’t look at me, don’t look at me, pretend I don’t exist, pretend I don’t exist.

Murphy’s Law states that the things you least want to happen are the ones that will happen. An Baili walked towards him with a suppressed smile, not noticing Lu Li’s twitching eyebrows at all.

“Classmate, are you choosing a phone?” Her voice was very pleasant, but to Lu Li, it was the last voice he wanted to hear.

“Uh-huh.” He was a little perfunctory, successfully feigning the shyness and introversion of a teenage boy.

An Baili didn’t say anything more. Lu Li glanced at her curiously, only to see the girl staring at him intently. The emotions in her eyes were all too familiar to him, and they sent chills down his spine. A ridiculous possibility surfaced in his mind.

Could it be that An Baili was reborn too? Otherwise, why would she be here? Why would she dress up?

Playing dumb had always been Lu Li’s forte. He pretended not to see the burning gaze of the person beside him, took the package from the clerk, and walked out with his head down. An Baili followed behind him unhurriedly. If he didn’t have the memories of his previous life, he would never have guessed that An Baili was following him.

Although An Baili was usually clueless, she had a keen sense when it came to matters between men and women, like a special edition Sherlock Holmes. Back in school, An Baili would secretly throw away the love letters he received, and she would always show up when he was alone with other girls. At that time, Lu Li thought that An Baili was helping him, but now that he thought about it, he realized that it was just a reflection of her morbid possessiveness.

He really didn’t want to be reborn with An Baili.

He really didn’t want to have anything to do with her anymore.

Lu Li wasn’t a pushover either. He took several turns through the streets and finally shook off An Baili. By this point, he was certain that An Baili was definitely reborn. The good news was that An Baili didn’t know that he was reborn too.

He returned to the low-rent apartment, thought for a moment, then walked to Sister Yameng’s room and opened the door with his key. By the way, he and Sister Yameng both had keys to each other’s apartments. They had always been family. Sister Yameng, like him, didn’t have a responsible guardian, so they had lived together, eaten together, slept together, and done everything together since childhood.

The little boys in the neighborhood even teased that he and Zou Yameng were a shy husband and wife. Zou Yameng was so angry that she chased them down ten streets.

“Sister, I have a present for you.” The best time to give a gift wasn’t now, but on a holiday or birthday. But Lu Li couldn’t help but present her with the best thing he could find. He didn’t want to wait another moment. She deserved it.

Zou Yameng was watching a variety show on her phone. It was actually about wives’ self-cultivation. Seeing Lu Li approaching, she panicked and returned to the main menu, looking at Lu Li with a blank and innocent expression. Lu Li knew that his sister had two dreams. One was to win a national championship, and the other was to be a good wife. In his previous life, both of Zou Yameng’s dreams were shattered.

She had shouted out these two dreams while drunk on the day of his college graduation. He had never seen Sister Yameng drunk before. That was the only time. At that time, he and An Baili had already confirmed their relationship, and Sister Yameng was the first to bless them.

“What present? I won’t accept anything too expensive.” Her face was still flushed, radiant.

Seeing Lu Li take out the new phone from the package, the first expression on Sister Yameng’s face was not joy but anger.

“Why did you buy me a phone?” She was as nervous as a little housekeeper. “How much did this cost? Where did you get the money? Why didn’t you keep it for yourself to use at school? You, you, you…”

Lu Li found that he enjoyed listening to her nagging more and more. He smiled and sat down next to Zou Yameng, stopping his sister who was about to return the phone. He put on a pitiful tone, “Don’t you want the phone I bought you?”

“I, it’s not that I don’t want it.” As expected, Sister Yameng’s expression softened immediately. “It’s just, well, I’m very happy and touched. But I also feel bad for you. Li, why don’t you keep this phone for yourself?”

As long as he acted like an abandoned puppy, saying nothing, just sitting there pitifully, Sister Yameng would be at a loss and easily persuaded. This was a little trick he had learned.

“I’ll just use your old phone, Sister.” He hugged Zou Yameng. “I still prefer to use Sister Yameng’s old phone. It makes me feel a sense of belonging.”

Zou Yameng pushed him away, “Are you dating someone?”

“Huh? No!”

“No? You’re saying such sweet things, and you’re still pretending to be innocent.” It turned out Sister Yameng wasn’t stupid. “Are you secretly dating someone?”

Lu Li also felt that he was being a little too eager. He was just too happy to see the cheerful and straightforward Sister Yameng from the past. He quickly sat up straight, his head down like a child waiting to be scolded. Seeing him like this, Zou Yameng couldn’t bring herself to question him any further. She felt that her brother wouldn’t lie to her.

Zou Yameng stressed again, “No puppy love…” For some reason, she changed her tune, “No dating. Even if you want to date, you have to let me check her out first, okay?”

“Okay.”

Zou Yameng’s expression softened even more. She hugged Lu Li back, her ample bosom pressing against his chest without reservation. “Okay, I love the gift, Sister is very happy. Thank you, Lu Li, thank you very much, you’re so generous, may you be blessed with good health~” Her words made Lu Li laugh. He rested his head on his sister’s shoulder, smelling the scent of her body, feeling inexplicably peaceful.

His sister’s hair tickled his face, making him itch, and he moved uncomfortably. Zou Yameng’s face suddenly turned red, “Don’t rub… What are you doing, you little pervert.”

Huh? What am I doing?

This time, Lu Li was truly innocent, not his usual act. He lowered his head slightly and realized that his sister was wearing a camisole without a bra. Two small points were clearly visible on the gray fabric, more prominent than usual. He wasn’t a virgin anymore, and he immediately understood.

Although Zou Yameng called him a pervert, she didn’t let go of her arms. Her face was flushed, and her eyes were a little unfocused.

“You use the new phone, Sister will just use the old one.” Still stubborn as a mule, refusing to listen. Lu Li felt that the phone he bought was for her, wasn’t it? If she wasn’t going to use it, why did he even buy it? They weren’t rich.

His sister was usually smart and calm, but at times like this, she was infuriating. Lu Li mischievously hugged her tighter, pressing their bodies closer together. The two protrusions rubbed against the fabric, actually making Zou Yameng let out a soft moan of arousal. The hug was too tight, their body heat, scent, and even the humidity all mixed together. Lu Li felt that he had gone too far and subconsciously wanted to let go.

That involuntary moan also brought Zou Yameng back to her senses. She pushed Lu Li away and said in embarrassment, “Why are you hugging me so tight? You’re hurting me.” She tried to pass off that embarrassing moan of arousal as a cry of pain. This flimsy excuse made Lu Li understand something. He nodded, pretending to be oblivious, and took the opportunity to ask, “Then Sister should use the new phone, otherwise…”

“Okay, okay, I’m going to take a shower, get out!”

“Didn’t you just shower this morning?”

“Mind your own business!”

After kicking the boy out, Zou Yameng sat awkwardly on the bed, looking at the brand new phone on the floor, muttering to herself, “Why are you suddenly being so nice… It’s all your fault.” She took off her shorts and saw the wet mark on her panties, her cheeks flushing red. It was sticky and uncomfortable. Her fingers reached out uncontrollably, and she couldn’t help but picture her brother’s face in her mind.

The next second, she came to her senses and slapped herself.

“What am I doing?”

Chapter 2: Encounter at the Bookstore

Zou Yameng changed into a simple, short-sleeved, beige shirt and washed-out, straight-leg jeans. Her short hair hung refreshingly by her ears, her eyebrows thick and straight, both heroic and delicate. Her temperament was very similar to Lu Li’s. If Lu Li was like a pure white dove, then she was like a spotless snow sculpture.

The two sat on the outdoor seats of a simple breakfast shop, casually chatting while eating their dry noodles. Like a mother hen, Zou Yameng asked him if he had prepared all the textbooks he needed for school and if he had enough money, telling him he could ask her if he needed more. She chattered on and on until she saw the amused look on Lu Li’s face, and she stopped, saying in mock annoyance, “Do you think your sister is too long-winded?”

“I think I’m very happy right now.” He didn’t explain why he was happy, but pulled out two tissues for his sister and stacked them neatly on her hand. He used to prepare tissues for An Baili to wipe her mouth in the same way, as if taking care of a baby.

A blush crept up Zou Yameng’s face, “You’re finally enlightened today, you know how good your sister is to you? Hmph, you have a conscience after all. Then how are you going to repay your sister in the future?”

Repay? There was no need for repayment. Lu Li remembered that when he was a child, he got into a fight with his classmates and was asked to call his parents by a new teacher who didn’t know his situation. He was too ashamed to say that he didn’t have parents, so he could only beg Zou Yameng, who was always running around at that time, to pretend to be his parent, which turned into a big joke. Thinking of this, Lu Li smiled with contentment, only to notice Zou Yameng staring at him blankly.

He never dared to look directly at Sister Yameng before. It was the shyness of a teenager and the awkwardness of his own fantasies. Now that he could look at Sister Yameng with a calm mind, he naturally noticed more of her subtle expressions.

“Sister, what’s wrong? Is there something on my face?”

Zou Yameng quickly lowered her head to eat her noodles, “No.” As if changing the subject, she said, “Are you going to buy textbooks today? I’ll go with you. I don’t have training today.”

Lu Li quickly said, “Then don’t pay today. I’ve saved some money, it’s enough to buy books.” Every time he went out with Sister Yameng, she would always rush to pay, but she wasn’t rich either. Her money was all the bonus from the team, saved up bit by bit. She always said that she had nothing to spend money on, she didn’t wear makeup, and she had to control her diet, so she might as well give the money to Lu Li to spend.

“You’re the one with the brains, studying hard to get ahead.” Zou Yameng mumbled, her head down, focusing on her noodles. “You’ll definitely make something of yourself in the future. Let your sister have some sense of participation by helping you buy books, let me experience the feeling of studying too.”

“Sister, you’ll definitely make something of yourself too. Maybe you’ll even make it to the national team.” Lu Li wouldn’t tell her that his own grades were actually quite average.

“I’ll be lucky to make it to the provincial team!” She laughed. “For athletes like us, once our prime is over and our physical fitness declines, we’ll naturally be eliminated. I’ll be in trouble then, becoming an unemployed bum. I’m investing in you now so that you can support me when you’re successful and don’t let me starve to death under a bridge.”

She deliberately exaggerated, making Lu Li laugh.

Seeing his smile, Zou Yameng’s mind wandered again.

“Sister?”

Zou Yameng put down her chopsticks in a fluster, “I’m full, let’s go.”

“Is there something on my face?”

“No, it’s just that you rarely smile. I was just surprised to see you so relaxed today.” She turned her head away, pretending to look at a young couple flirting.

Lu Li wiped his mouth and walked side by side with Zou Yameng towards the bus stop.

“I can support Sister for the rest of your life.” He said softly. These words suddenly popped out, surprising even himself, and making Zou Yameng’s heart skip a beat.

“What nonsense are you talking about? You really think your sister will starve to death!” She punched him, neither light nor heavy, making Lu Li wince. “Supporting me for the rest of my life, aren’t you ashamed? Save those words for your girlfriend. Oh, right, you’re in a new class this year, right? The liberal arts class, right? I heard there are a lot of girls, any girls you like?”

When she said the last sentence, Zou Yameng looked straight ahead, as if asking casually.

Girls he liked?

After changing classes this year, he did end up in the liberal arts class. It was also in this new class that he met An Baili. Of course, the current An Baili was probably still a slob, wouldn’t dress up, wasn’t very popular, and was even ostracized by her classmates. She was a beautiful girl, but she preferred to wear black-rimmed glasses, tie her hair in ugly pigtails, and her thick bangs almost covered her eyes – what was she thinking?

Noticing Lu Li’s thoughtful expression, as if he was really thinking about someone, Zou Yameng felt a pang of tightness in her heart for no reason. “Is there a girl you like? Who is it? Do I know her?” Her tone was no longer gentle, but with a hint of sharpness and intensity.

She suddenly dreaded his answer. What if he really did have someone he liked? Would she watch her beloved little brother shyly nod? Or would she encourage him to pursue this girl? She couldn’t do either. Instead, she felt a tightness in her chest, as if something that belonged to her had been stolen.

She suddenly realized, what was wrong with her? Shouldn’t she be happy if her brother found someone he liked? Why was she angry? Wasn’t she working so hard so that both Lu Li and she could live a good life…?

Just as Zou Yameng was reflecting on herself, Lu Li snapped out of his memories, “Of course not. I’m in my second year of high school, I’ll be taking the college entrance exam next year, my studies are very demanding, how can I have time for dating?”

Zou Yameng didn’t want to continue this topic either, “Yes, yes, studies are important, studies are important. Didn’t you say you were going to make an indie game recently? How’s that going?”

If Zou Yameng hadn’t mentioned it, he would have forgotten. He was indeed planning to make an indie game during this time. He often went to the school’s computer room, asking the young but balding computer teacher questions about programming, and the idea of game development sprouted in his mind. But when he actually started working on it, he discovered several major problems: lack of manpower.

To make the game he envisioned, he needed artists, musicians… He couldn’t afford to hire anyone or buy copyrights, and he didn’t even have a distribution channel. But settling for something less wouldn’t sit well with him either. If he was going to do it, he was going to do it the best he could at the time.

As for art, he did have some talent in figure drawing. But game art wasn’t just about character design, there was also UI design, concept art, and so on. He couldn’t do it all by himself. As for music, Lu Li was even more clueless. Liking to listen to music didn’t mean he had the ability to write it.

Right, An Baili was very good at music… In his previous life, she was the one who made the first game with him. No, stop, Lu Li, stop thinking about An Baili. He would never have anything to do with her in this life. He would let her live her own life and not disturb her.

Wen Hupo was very talented in art. She even held an art exhibition in her previous life. But by then, their relationship had soured, and they hadn’t been in contact for many years. Occasionally, she would send him a blank letter to mock him.

Of course, the current Lu Li didn’t know Wen Hupo yet. He didn’t even know if Wen Hupo was in the United States or Shenzhou right now.

“The progress is very slow. It’s really hard to do it all alone.”

“Can I help?”

Zou Yameng’s usual training was hard enough. Lu Li had seen the women’s table tennis team training when he went to deliver clothes. Although it was just playing table tennis, they didn’t slack off on their physical training. He even used the thin-lipped female coach as the inspiration for a villain in his game.

“No need. I can take my time with this.” He reassured her.

The two arrived at the bookstore. The sun was a bit harsh. Lu Li hadn’t seen the sun for a long time, and his skin was almost dazzlingly white under the sun, making Zou Yameng envious, “Why are you even fairer than a girl? You’re like a piece of monk meat.” Lu Li touched his arm. His skin was still fair and tender now. After working for many years and staying up late drinking, he naturally lost this youthful quality.

In fact, Zou Yameng’s skin wasn’t dark. It was a healthy, fair color, different from Lu Li’s almost bloodless paleness.

The two entered the bookstore together, only to see it crowded with students who had come to buy textbooks. The staff brought out boxes of new books from the warehouse, but the supply still couldn’t keep up with the demand. Lu Li was a slow-paced person. He wasn’t in a hurry to grab books, but Zou Yameng anxiously pulled him along, “We want one! Over here, over here!”

Lu Li was squeezed into Zou Yameng’s arms by the crowd, their bodies brushing against each other, and he felt a flicker of inappropriate desire. He thought that with his experience, he wouldn’t be easily swayed by a woman’s beauty, but the hormones in this body were a bit too much. His face flushed, and he couldn’t help but bend down slightly. How embarrassing. He wasn’t a little boy anymore, how could he get turned on so easily?

Thanks to Zou Yameng, Lu Li got most of the popular books, except for the last English reading material. The staff said that this book was relatively unpopular, and the store didn’t stock much of it, but there might be a few copies left on the back shelves. He and Zou Yameng finally managed to escape the noisy crowd and came to a secluded corner of the bookstore.

He immediately saw a blue-covered English book in the corner. English had always been his weakness. Shenzhou was the world’s leading superpower, so naturally, there was a sense of national pride, and the acceptance of foreign languages was generally low. He wanted to learn English, not for his studies, but for his dream.

That was probably the only copy of the English book left in the entire bookstore. The author was Handing Jin, an unpopular writer who specialized in writing horror stories.

He reached out for the book, but saw a fair and delicate hand reach out and grab the horror novel first. Lu Li blinked a few times and looked at the owner of the hand.

It was the class monitor.

Calling her “class monitor” seemed a bit impolite, but Lu Li couldn’t recall her name for the moment. The girl was wearing a baseball cap to shield herself from the sun, her hair in a ponytail. She was tall, with delicate features that always reminded Lu Li of the classical beauties printed on banknotes. She had always been his class monitor, before and after the class change. It was just that Lu Li was a free-spirited student, and his impression of the class monitor remained at “the one who tattles.”

Lu Li was a person who didn’t like to be restrained, so he never got along with her.

“Class monitor.”

“Lu Li?” To his surprise, the class monitor actually remembered his name. “Do you want this book too?” Her beautiful eyebrows furrowed, as if she had encountered some problem.

Zou Yameng rarely frowned, her brows only shooting up in displeasure, “We saw that book first!”

Lu Li originally wanted to stop Zou Yameng, but then he felt that contradicting his sister in front of others would hurt her pride, so he smiled apologetically at the class monitor, “Yes, I do want it.” He came here for this book, to copy the classic lines from it for use in his game’s storyline – a horror game.

He wanted this book, so naturally, he wouldn’t be polite. This class monitor was neither family nor friend, there was no need to give in.

The class monitor, whom he had a bad impression of, actually nodded seriously and handed the book to Lu Li, “Then you take it. I can use an e-book. You don’t have a tablet or a phone, a physical book is more important to you.” These words were a bit hurtful to his pride, but the serious way she said them made Lu Li want to laugh.

He had heard that this class monitor was a bit rigid, stubborn, and clueless.

He suddenly remembered the fate of the class monitor in his previous life: she died in a plane crash during a family trip after graduating high school. No wonder his memory of her was so vague.

Taking the horror novel, Lu Li thanked her. They didn’t speak further and parted ways. He and this class monitor were from two different worlds and never had any interaction.

Zou Yameng waited until the class monitor was far away before saying in dissatisfaction, “Who is she, your classmate? She’s so rude, what does she mean you don’t have a phone or a tablet? Hmph, judging people by their wealth!”

“Haha, she’s not judging you by your wealth, she’s just straightforward, a bit clueless.”

“You know her well?”

“We barely talk.”

Sister Yameng suddenly took his hand and walked out.

“What are you doing?”

“Come on, I’m going to buy you a phone and a tablet. We can afford it if we tighten our belts a little! I can’t let other women look down on my brother.” Zou Yameng was so angry that her teeth were itching. She hated it the most when people bullied Lu Li.

Lu Li was both touched and amused, “Sister, I don’t need those things. A woman who looks down on me because of material possessions, is it necessary for me to make her look at me differently? At least I have you, Sister, you don’t dislike me, isn’t that enough?”

Zou Yameng’s face flushed, “Why are you being so cheesy today? What’s the use of me not disliking you? You’re going to find a wife eventually, you can’t let other women look down on you, and I can’t…” Her voice trailed off, her words jumbled and inaudible.

There were some thoughts that Zou Yameng didn’t dare to touch.

Lu Li held his sister’s hand and stood still, smiling freely.

“What are you laughing at…” she said weakly.

“I feel really happy, like I’m the luckiest guy alive.” Being able to see Sister Yameng again, to hear her worry about him, was simply the happiest thing in the world. His biggest regret was not saving Zou Yameng in time in his previous life.

Zou Yameng suddenly felt weak, “You… Don’t talk nonsense…” Lu Li’s eyes, overflowing with happiness and affection, made her afraid to look directly at him. Even though she knew that Lu Li only saw her as family, and that affection was only familial, her heart couldn’t help but pound.

Lu Li really… Didn’t he know that these words could easily be misunderstood by a woman? Her mind was in turmoil. How could he say such things?

On the way back, Zou Yameng was lost in her thoughts, not saying a word.

Chapter 1: It’s Great to Be Young

Tick-tock, tick-tock.

Lu Li loved the sound of the alarm clock. Like the sound of rain, it brought him tranquility, his mind drifting into a forest dappled with light and shadow. Time flowed as usual, from 7:15 to 7:16 in the morning, the Earth continued to rotate, everything was normal.

The date on the calendar was August 26, 2017. This was the only thing that wasn’t normal. No, perhaps the truly abnormal thing was Lu Li himself.

Gone from the face in the mirror were the weariness and the stubble of a beard. His eyes were no longer deep and heavy. He wore a crisp white shirt, his eyes were bright, and there was a youthful softness around his mouth. After a long while, he finally laughed.

He and An Baili were married on October 22, 2022. But their marriage finally came to an end after twenty years.

Lu Li placed the divorce agreement lightly in front of An Baili, his tone indifferent: “I’m tired.”

An Baili’s eyes widened. She was as beautiful as she had been twenty years ago, her features even more striking with time. But her temper, just like twenty years ago, hadn’t changed a bit. “Is it because I can’t give you children?” she asked incredulously.

Was it? Perhaps that was part of the reason. Lu Li added another excuse to the list in his mind. An Baili had once been so important to him, his white moonlight and his red rose. He had been hopelessly lost in her web of tenderness. But when love receded, all that remained besides a pile of feathers was speechless awkwardness.

He didn’t want to come home from a long day at work only to have to coax her like a child. He didn’t want to unconditionally accommodate her as he did when he was younger. He didn’t want to be irritated by her unreasonable tantrums anymore. He didn’t want to come home exhausted and still have to cook every meal himself. He didn’t want to be so broke that he didn’t even have change for parking. He didn’t want… There were too many things he didn’t want; in short, he was just tired.

He also wished to be the one loved and cared for, not the one who was always giving. An Baili would always be a girl at heart, but he, Lu Li, was no longer a young man.

Lu Li didn’t answer An Baili. He lowered his eyelids, as if dozing off.

“I don’t agree!” An Baili said, agitated, then her voice turned aggrieved, “Don’t leave me, okay…?”

Here we go again… Lu Li didn’t look up. He knew he couldn’t resist An Baili’s tears. As long as she cried, he would be at a loss. It was stupid, pathetic even.

An Baili leaned closer, her warm body pressing against his. She hugged her husband pitifully, “I don’t want a divorce.”

Still no answer.

“You’ve been bullying me for so many years, and now you just want to throw me away like a rag?” She rubbed her cheek against Lu Li’s like a kitten, a habit she had developed in her youth. She was infatuated with his scent, his voice, everything about him. To her, Lu Li was the most special and important person, bar none.

“Are you going to find Wen Hupo? Or Chen Jianing?” Her tone became even more pitiful, “Don’t be good to them, okay? Don’t be angry anymore, I won’t force you to make fried ‘Tai Chi balls’ anymore, I’ll eat whatever you cook… Li, don’t be silent, I’m so scared.”

Always the same. Lu Li smiled sadly. He didn’t even know why he was disappointed anymore. An Baili would never understand him, never empathize with him. Was it really just because of the dish he cooked yesterday? Twenty years ago, he thought An Baili would become gentle, considerate, and mature. Ten years ago, he thought she just needed a little more time. And now, Lu Li had no hope left.

A phrase surfaced in his mind: Never expect to change a person, you are not God.

They loved each other deeply, but love wasn’t everything. Now, Lu Li decided to walk away.

“I’ve thought about it for a long time.” Lu Li finally spoke again. As soon as he opened his mouth, An Baili leaned in to kiss him, trying to silence his hurtful words with her body, as she always did. She was a beautiful woman, and she knew Lu Li couldn’t resist her allure.

But this time, Lu Li avoided her, taking her aback. A greater panic instantly washed over her. She hugged Lu Li even tighter.

“I’m really tired, very, very tired. I don’t want to say another word…” Lu Li’s words sent chills down her spine, “I’ll leave with nothing. All my wealth, including the company under my name, will be transferred to you.”

“I don’t want your money. Don’t!” An Baili panicked, her voice shrill, “Don’t say that, please, don’t say that…” The harder she cried, the further Lu Li turned his head away.

“Why are you doing this… Why are you so cruel?” An Baili sobbed, “If I wanted your money, why would I have been with you in the first place? I still remember when we were both broke and could only afford to buy a few extra steamed buns for breakfast at the school cafeteria and nibble on them at noon. We used to laugh about it…”

“Stop it.” As people get older, they naturally don’t want to hear about the past, especially at a time like this. Lu Li interrupted An Baili, “I’m the one who wasn’t tolerant enough, it’s not your fault. I’m sorry. That’s enough, there’s nothing more to say.”

The middle-aged man’s decision was made after careful consideration, no longer as fickle as he was in his youth. He decided to let An Baili calm down.

“I’m going to sleep in the guest room, you calm down first. Sign it when you’ve thought it through.” He ruthlessly pried An Baili’s hands off him, but she clung to him relentlessly, “Let go of me, I want to rest, I’m very tired today.”

“No!”

He looked at An Baili silently, the receding love in his eyes terrified her. The Lu Li before her now was so unfamiliar that she was afraid. She subconsciously loosened her grip, but immediately regretted it. Lu Li decisively entered the guest room and locked the door, leaving An Baili crying and shouting outside.

Their concerned neighbor called, advising them not to quarrel, specifically hinting that Lu Li shouldn’t resort to domestic violence, or she would call the Women’s Federation. Lu Li explained a few words, not even sure what he had said. He lay down on the bed, groggy, his mind replaying scenes from past years. Listening to the ticking of the clock, he finally drifted off to sleep.

He had a dream. He dreamt of his sweet love affair with An Baili in his youth. He didn’t know if it was a good dream or a nightmare.

He was awakened by a pungent smell. Not only was the smell strange, but the air was also thin, lacking oxygen. He felt a little difficulty breathing. Was it because the doors and windows were closed, and the air wasn’t circulating? A bad thought suddenly flashed through his mind. He opened the bedroom door and saw An Baili sitting in the living room, tears streaming down her face, holding the crumpled divorce agreement in her hand.

The doors, the windows, even the curtains were tightly shut. The entire apartment was dark, except for An Baili’s watery eyes, which were particularly prominent.

A strange smell, like rotten eggs, permeated the air. Lu Li looked at An Baili, “What did you do?”

“I want to be with you forever and ever and ever.” She used “forever” three times, “I love you, Lu Li. You promised me you would never leave me, you wouldn’t break your promise, right?”

Lu Li finally understood what she had done. The guilt in his eyes was replaced by fear and anger, “Are you crazy? An Baili, do you even have a brain?! How old are you to be doing this?!” He wanted to open the windows, to stop An Baili.

The lack of oxygen and fatigue made his brain numb, his reactions not as sharp as usual. He didn’t even notice the lighter in An Baili’s hand at first. An Baili’s loving gaze fell on Lu Li, “I want to make you love me again.”

There were no rotten eggs, only the smell of leaking gas. And the lighter in An Baili’s hand.

The next second, flames engulfed the couple.

It was August 26, 2017, a few days before the start of his second year of high school. He had just turned sixteen, at the peak of his youth and vigor. This year, he didn’t have to worry about taking care of his health, he could stay up all night online and still go to school the next day, he could enjoy the air conditioning on rainy days, and he could drink cold drinks without a care in the world.

He laughed freely and heartily. He was actually reborn, back to the age of sixteen. On August 26th, he hadn’t even met An Baili yet. In other words, nothing had happened yet. He had the chance to choose his life all over again.

And those regrets. This time, he wouldn’t let them become regrets again.

An Baili’s final act of madness had shaken Lu Li to his core. He had no idea that the always timid An Baili harbored such a demon within her. It also made him incredibly grateful that he had made the right decision.

In his phone’s memo, he had written “buy textbooks,” followed by “XXX Chinese study guide, XXX math workbook.” Today, he needed to prepare for the start of school.

Lu Li lived alone. He had no parents, no relatives. Although he lived alone, it wasn’t in a villa, but in low-income housing provided by the government for vulnerable groups like him.

This was the country of Shenzhou on planet Earth, a constitutional monarchy. It was also Lu Li’s homeland. It was 2017, the most civilized era in history, and also the era with the most developed entertainment industry.

Lu Li had a dream: he wanted to be a game producer. He loved games, and not just video games. He loved to create rules different from reality, to weave captivating gameplay, and to see the relaxed and happy smiles on people’s faces. In his previous life, he had been chasing this dream, reaching a certain height, but far from success.

He looked around the street, trying to confirm the reality of it all with his sight and smell.

He was standing at the door of his apartment when he ran into Zou Yameng, who was returning from her morning jog.

Zou Yameng was wearing a sports bra, her delicate skin glistening with sweat, her ample bosom a frequent visitor in his teenage dreams. Before he met An Baili, he had fantasized about Zou Yameng more than once. It could only be said that youthful fantasies were always wild.

This time, he didn’t look down shyly but looked at her with joy, “Sister Yameng…!”

Zou Yameng took off her earphones, “Well, well, well, so happy to see me?” Her tone was half-joking, half-affectionate.

Zou Yameng was Lu Li’s neighbor, also an orphan with no one to care for her, living on government assistance. She had shown exceptional athletic talent in elementary school and was recruited by the Chuanhai City Women’s Sports School, becoming an outstanding youth table tennis player. At the same time, Zou Yameng was also Lu Li’s childhood friend who grew up with him, or rather, like a half-sister.

Zou Yameng was a beautiful woman. She had short hair, handsome features, a stunning figure, and a generous personality. It was said that she was very popular in the girls’ school. But this “sister” was a very indecisive person, perhaps with the same innate self-abasement as Lu Li. In the second year after Lu Li and An Baili got married, Sister Yameng committed suicide by hanging.

In her previous life, she had to withdraw from the national team due to an Achilles tendon injury. She refused the offer to be a coach for the youth team and returned to Chuanhai City. No one knew what she was thinking at that time, why she returned to Chuanhai, or why she committed suicide shortly after.

It wasn’t until Lu Li went to clean up her apartment after her death that he discovered the room was filled with empty beer bottles and garbage. He had no idea why she had gone from a cheerful and outgoing athlete to a depressed suicide victim.

An elder sister is like a mother. Most of the time, it was Zou Yameng who took care of him. Although Zou Yameng was only a year older than him, she was very reliable, and Lu Li’s later behavior was somewhat influenced by her.

“Yes, I’m very happy. Very, very happy to see Sister Yameng!” he said subconsciously.

Rebirth, it seemed, wasn’t just a simple regeneration of the soul. The rejuvenation of his body seemed to have rejuvenated his mind as well. This kind of heartfelt confession, which he wouldn’t have easily expressed in his previous life, now easily slipped out of his mouth.

Being able to see Zou Yameng again, he felt it was already a blessing from heaven.

Zou Yameng smiled happily, “You’re so sweet today. Wait for me to take a shower, and I’ll take you to breakfast.”

“Okay.”

He looked up at the blue sky, cloudless and vast. It was good to be alive, good to be young.