He got hit…

His little sister hit him…

…

“Isn’t it only natural to like your little sister?”

“Smack!”

“Xiao Xi, just hear me ou—”

“Smack.”

“Hey, listen to me—”

“Smack.”

Luo Chen stopped talking. His cheek was bright red… not from nerves, but from the girl’s palm smacking it.

Still, he smiled as if it didn’t bother him.

“…If I don’t tell you now, it’ll be too late…”

He looked at her with an expression the girl couldn’t understand.

…

That’s right. She couldn’t understand.

Not now.

But she would someday.

…

Luo Chen and Luo Xi weren’t related by blood.

Their parents had adopted Luo Xi when she was very young. As far back as he could remember, his little sister had been by his side, growing up with him.

Later… their parents had an accident and passed away. The two of them lived off the inheritance they’d left behind.

If things had gone on as they were supposed to, then a month later, an unexpected phone call would have come… Luo Xi’s birth parents had found them.

But they took only Luo Xi with them.

And after that…

Luo Chen took one last deep breath. The careless look on his face softened, and his eyes filled with warmth.

“Hey, you idiot, Xiao Xi… I found your birth parents’ phone number…”

Luo Xi froze.

Luo Chen’s eyes reddened for no reason he could explain. His voice trembled a little as he continued, “It’s real. I’ll give you the number now. Listen carefully.”

He recited a string of digits he hadn’t forgotten in all these years. It was the only way he’d have left to talk to her.

Luo Xi entered the number on the dial pad and called.

“Go ahead and talk. I’m going to bed.”

He turned stiffly and walked to his room. Just before he closed the door, he heard the call connect.

…

…

He couldn’t sleep anymore.

If the timeline stopped a month later, when Luo Xi’s birth parents asked to take her away… while she was still hesitating, he’d said the words himself: “Get lost.”

He’d said them to Luo Xi.

“Just get out of here already…”

“You’re a burden to me…”

“Why should I have to share Dad’s inheritance with a stranger like you?!”

Luo Xi stared at him blankly, tears streaming down her face as she nodded.

On the last night before they parted…

In his sleep, Luo Chen felt someone gently kiss the space between his brows. Then a hot tear landed on his face and was softly wiped away by a warm little hand.

He thought he heard her whisper… “Goodbye.”

That’s the terrible thing about the word “goodbye”: it can mean meeting again, or saying farewell.

Never to meet again.

…

That night, he opened the window and watched the stars outside until morning.

…

The next morning.

Sunlight streamed through the window, bright enough to seem within reach. Luo Chen glanced at himself in the mirror… His dark circles were awful.

He’d spent the whole night thinking about all of it.

Even though he’d been reborn… there were still some things he apparently couldn’t change.

But what he’d been given in return was already the best he could ask for.

After six years of memories had settled in, at least he was more mature and levelheaded than he’d been before.

He’d given Luo Xi that phone number because he wanted to make her happy, even just for a little while.

That was it. He just wanted to make her happy for a little while.

This time, if you leave, I’ll go with you.

It’ll be okay.

Thinking of that, he finally smiled happily… and then realized how sleepy he was.

“Staying up really is bad for you… I should catch up on sleep.” Luo Chen flopped down and fell asleep.

…

…

Luo Chen had forgotten something.

It was Wednesday.

He was a student.

…He had class.

His phone rang and woke him. Still half-asleep, he fumbled for it and opened his eyes. The screen showed the caller: [Lin Yuqi].

“Why… aren’t you at school yet?”

Luo Chen looked up at the time… and sat there stunned for a moment.

“I’ll be there soon.” He scrambled out of bed, got dressed, and checked himself in the mirror.

A white shirt, jeans, white sneakers… It was great to be young. He smiled at himself in the mirror.

He opened his bedroom door and saw Luo Xi still sitting on the sofa, fingers clutching the hem of her skirt.

“How did it go?” he asked softly.

“They’re coming over tonight. I’m waiting here.”

“Okay.” Luo Chen nodded, then said, “I’ll head to school, then.”

Before Luo Xi could say anything, he’d already run out of the living room.

The girl’s eyes were clouded. Her hand hung in midair, as if she’d wanted to grab hold of something, but in the end it fell helplessly back down.

…

…

The sun was shining, the birds were singing, the flowers were blooming, and the breeze was gentle.

When he reached the classroom, the door was still closed… He checked the time on his phone. Eleven o’clock.

He took the earphones from his ears and knocked gently on the door.

The door opened.

Luo Chen remembered that his homeroom teacher in his sophomore year had been a fairly easygoing middle-aged man.

As for the teacher’s name… he’d forgotten it.

The class was obviously having a study period. The teacher turned to look at him. He wasn’t angry; he simply waited for an explanation.

“I had a fever last night… I went to the hospital this morning to get some medicine, and I didn’t have time to let you know. I’m sorry.” Luo Chen lied without batting an eye.

“Are you feeling better?”

“Much better.”

“Go on in.” The teacher nodded gently and didn’t press him for more.

Luo Chen felt a little warmth in his chest all the same. His gaze traveled over the rows of desks until he finally remembered where he sat.

The last row, at the only desk by itself.

He sat down. The books on the desk in front of him hid his face as he quietly rested his head on his arms and stared into space.

After a moment, he took out his earphones again and put them in.

…

…

Think back.

Back in middle school, he’d gotten into this school with the second-highest score in the entire school. But then, during the summer before ninth grade, something happened to his family. He’d had no heart for studying after that.

So from his first year of high school on, his grades had always been at the bottom of the class.

It wasn’t until after he confessed to Lin Yuqi that the girl half coaxed and half bullied him into picking up his textbooks again, and his grades slowly began to improve.

…

…

If you’re good at spacing out, people call you deep.

Even he didn’t know what he was thinking. Little by little, he sorted through his jumbled memories and thoughts, organizing the bits of future knowledge that might come in handy.

He didn’t snap out of it until class ended.

It was time to eat in the cafeteria, and people began leaving the classroom one after another.

He’d been resting his head on the desk for a while when a fair arm suddenly appeared in his field of vision. He looked up. A slender, delicate finger was pointing at the tip of his nose.

His gaze shifted, and a pretty little face came into view.

Lin Yuqi was wearing a white T-shirt too. Her long, ink-black hair was tied back with a pale pink ribbon. Her long lashes fanned over bright, limpid eyes.

“Did you have a fever?”

“A little.”

He’d told one lie, and now he had to use another to cover it up… Luo Chen answered helplessly.

“No wonder you didn’t come last night…” The girl mused, then sat down on the chair in front of his desk and leaned her arms on it too.

“Hey, what did you want to see me about yesterday?” Lin Yuqi asked quietly. Even though she was the one asking, her eyes kept darting away.

Their eyes met. They were so close that Luo Chen could almost feel her breathing.

To Luo Chen, her expression looked a lot like… embarrassment.

【No way…】he grumbled silently. His thoughts raced before he answered, “It was nothing. I just wanted to treat you to some milk tea… but my head was all fuzzy, so I forgot…” His voice was full of apology and awkwardness.

“Okay, it’s fine.” Lin Yuqi waved a hand, then finally stood up from her seat and asked, “Aren’t you going to eat?”

“I don’t feel like moving.”

“Want me to bring you a couple of buns?”

“No need, thanks,” Luo Chen replied flatly.

“Oh.” Lin Yuqi answered, a wave of disappointment welling up inside her. Her hopes had fallen flat, leaving her chest aching a little.

【So he wasn’t going to tell me he liked me after all…】

Lin Yuqi felt a little hurt.