historical

A small house with faded blue painted house looked very serene under the sunlight. Spurred by her worry, Li Caiyi opened the gate urgently and walked briskly to the front door.

She knocked on the door several times, but no one answered. This situation reminded her about the previous times she came here to find Dai Zhiqiang.

"As expected, he isn't home," Li Caiyi muttered to herself. The time showed 8 AM, so Dai Shenqiang must have already left for school around this time.

Once again, her search ended up with nothing. Confused and tired from experiencing anxiety, Li Caiyi crouched in front of the door facing the gate, thinking about what her following action should be.

Judging by the situation, it was less likely that she would find Dai Zhiqiang soon. Should she leave behind a message and go to K city without him?

"Even though we promised to go around together..." Li Caiyi muttered dejectedly for a moment before she sprang up again. "Don't be discouraged. This is because he is busy. He'll surely contact me after he finishes his work."

"Really? You are pretty optimistic for a person who has been ditched twice."

Li Caiyi didn't have to raise her head to know who that was.

Ignoring how she ignored him, Meng Renshu walked over lazily. "Didn't I tell you it's useless to check on him here?"

Li Caiyi wanted nothing but to treat him like air, but with how he constantly followed behind her and talked a lot, it was hard to do so.

Glaring at him, she retorted, "And didn't I tell you this is none of your business? Why are you following me anyway?"

"I can't let you run around freely, or who knows what stupid thing you will do for that guy."

Li Caiyi rolled her eyes. "Stop following me like a stalker. You creep me out."

"I will if you stay within the range where I can monitor you." Meng Renshu smirked.

Baffled with his shamelessness, Li Caiyi looked disdainfully at him before leaving her spot.

"Where are you going?" Meng Renshu followed her like a little chick following its hen.

"Stop following me!"

"I can't let you do that." Meng Renshu's expression turned severe, but Li Caiyi, who walked in front of him, had no way to know that.

She didn't want to waste her time talking with Meng Renshu, and she couldn't stay in the same spot for long.

Meng Renshu didn't utter a single complaint and silently watched over her.

A serene and nostalgic feeling filled him, sensing how familiar this scene was. The only difference was that their role was reversed this time. Previously, it was Li Caiyi who liked to follow him anywhere.

He wondered if this was also what she felt when she looked at his back while keeping her unrequited feeling deep inside her?

As he drowned in his thoughts, Li Caiyi stopped in her tracks and looked back at him hatefully.

"You really are persistent. Even if you do this, nothing will change."

"Yes, do as you please. But you can't prevent me from doing as I please either."

Li Caiyi stomped towards Meng Renshu, making the latter raise his brows in anticipation.

"Spill it out. What are you hiding this time?"

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"Don't play dumb with me." Li Caiyi raised her chin, so her big clear eyes were right in front of his face. "How many years has it been since I've known you? Even if I can't tell what's in your mind, I can at least tell whenever you feel restless."

Meng Renshu blinked his eyes in astonishment before bursting out in laughter.

Annoyed by his response, Li Caiyi snapped, "What's so funny?"

Meng Renshu held back his laughter when he noticed her displeasure. "Nothing. I was just happy you paid so much attention to me."

"Don't flatter yourself. Unless I'm a masochist, I will be damned if I don't learn a thing or two about you."

Which meant her observation about him came from vigilance, not care or affection. Considering their past record, Meng Renshu would still take that.

"I already told you I'm here because I'm worried for you. How you can trust a guy, you barely know and even actively get involved with like that is beyond me."

"Zhiqiang is not just any guy for me. He is my..." Li Caiyi's words trailed off when she noticed her voice was too loud. Feeling self-conscious, she lowered her voice before continuing, "He is my boyfriend."

Meng Renshu shrugged. "So what? This isn't the first time he went missing on you without news. I bet he also broke so many promises with you before this. Tell me, how can a guy like that be worthy of your trust? Are you sure he is not hiding something from you?"

Li Caiyi took a deep breath to calm herself down. This person was really a professional in riling her up. But she would lose if she gave in to his provocation.

Li Caiyi kept her composure as she answered firmly, "Yes, he is worthy of my trust. Being his girlfriend doesn't mean he needs to report everything to me. I will never doubt his sincerity for me."

Her gaze was full of conviction, making her look refined as she declared that. Her clear eyes had no doubt at all, and it vexed him so much.

Deep down, he knew from where this unpleasant feeling emanated. This fuzzy and stuffy feeling was the same feeling he felt when he discovered that Li Caiyi had spent a night with another man.

Meng Renshu tried his best to stay calm even though the seething anger inside him almost made him explode.

"I wonder where you get so much confidence. As far as I remember, you shouldn't have interacted with him before turning back in time. It's only been months, yet you already have such a profound connection with him."

Li Caiyi sneered. "Stop changing the topic and tell me what you are hiding. Walking with you without knowing your motive makes me uneasy."

Meng Renshu's brows twitched, and a disturbingly cold smile pasted on his lips.

'She has no qualms putting her trust in a guy she barely knows anything about rather than me, who has spent years with her? No matter how low her opinion of me, isn't this just too much of a biased treatment?'

"Fine, then. Since you seem to leave your brain behind when the time rewound, I'll tell you. What do you know about the guy you committed suicide with? Knowing you, I'm pretty sure you think that guy who died with you that day was Dai Zhiqiang, right?"

Taken aback by his sudden question, Li Caiyi took a step back. "What are you trying to say?"

"I don't know what kind of sweet talk that guy did to win your heart. But that guy who jumped from the roof with you that day is not a simple man you think he is."

Meng Renshu was stunned by how quickly Li Caiyi's expression changed to an anxious one at the mention of that man. He unknowingly paused, contemplating whether he should continue or not.

But Li Caiyi suddenly went forward and grabbed him by his collar.

"Don't you dare hide anything from me. Continue what you are saying! What about him?"