Xie Zhao had heard Xiao Cheng mention Bai Yiheng and generally understood this person.
However, Xiao Cheng only spoke highly of him, filled with compliments, and there was a lot of flattery mixed in, so Xie Zhao couldn’t believe it all. At least Xiao Cheng hadn’t mentioned that his boss had an unusual interest in him.
Bai Yiheng exuded a strong aura of maturity. His voice was deep and gentle, carrying an almost magnetic charm that made people subconsciously want to obey him.
To Xie Zhao, this made Bai Yiheng someone to be cautious and wary of.
Xiao Cheng had a very good impression of Bai Yiheng, and Bai Yiheng always knew how to put on a considerate and understanding front. Their conversation was filled with an intimacy that was hard to ignore.
From the very first meeting, Xie Zhao could sense a great deal of threat from Bai Yiheng.
He couldn’t help but pursed his lips and thought to himself, ‘Luo Jingshu must have been guarding against the wrong person. Bai Yiheng is a really formidable opponent.’
At least Xiao Cheng wasn’t wary of Bai Yiheng’s proximity.
“Mr. Bai, what brings you here?” Xiao Cheng asked.
He had also questioned the coincidence earlier, since it seemed a bit too perfect. However, Bai Yiheng didn’t seem like the kind of person who would go out of his way for such a thing, and Xiao Cheng didn’t think he was important enough to warrant such attention.
Bai Yiheng smiled, his gaze subtly sweeping over Xie Zhao, who was standing next to Xiao Cheng.
“I’m just accompanying my niece out for a stroll,” Bai Yiheng said casually.
Xiao Cheng instinctively looked around, curious about Bai Yiheng’s niece, who, according to his description, was a lively and cute little girl.
But he didn’t see anyone else around him. In fact, when Bai Yiheng had called him earlier, Xiao Cheng had noticed the absence of others.
“Where’s your niece?” Xiao Cheng asked, genuinely curious, with no suspicion.
Xie Zhao, who had been silent, chuckled. “Yeah, where is Mr. Bai’s family?”
Xiao Cheng had shared many stories about Bai Yiheng, nothing too private, just amusing anecdotes, and from those, Xie Zhao had deduced that Bai Yiheng probably didn’t have a partner.
But that didn’t stop Xie Zhao from saying this on purpose. Most guys would naturally feel some level of competition when it came to rivals, especially someone like Bai Yiheng, who even Luo Jingshu seemed to find difficult to deal with.
“They’ve already headed back,” Bai Yiheng replied smoothly, without a hint of a lie in his voice. He added, “I saw your back from upstairs and thought it looked like you, so I came down to look.”
His explanation neatly explained why he was alone and why he came to find Xiao Cheng.
“Would you like to continue shopping with your friend?” Bai Yiheng asked.
His tone was warm and casual, completely different from the hostility Xie Zhao felt. It seemed like Bai Yiheng was genuinely treating him as just another ordinary friend of Xiao Cheng’s.
Xiao Cheng had a certain sensitivity in some aspects, but there were moments when he could be incredibly oblivious. He had noticed Xie Zhao’s feelings for him and could vaguely sense something amiss in some of Bai Yiheng’s words, but at that moment, he failed to notice the undercurrent of tension between the two men. Or perhaps his attention had already been distracted by other things.
“Mr. Bai, do you want to continue shopping?” Xiao Cheng asked, politely.
Bai Yiheng had originally come with his family, but now that he was alone, Xiao Cheng couldn’t just ask Xie Zhao to leave. If they were going to continue shopping, they’d have to go together, the three of them.
Both Xie Zhao and Bai Yiheng could see the reluctance in each other’s eyes, but Xie Zhao, thinking it over, decided that if they went back now, Xiao Cheng would leave with Bai Yiheng.
He sighed inwardly and looked at Xiao Cheng, seeing a trace of exhaustion on his face.
“You should head back and rest,” Xie Zhao said quietly.
Xiao Cheng had already been feeling down today, and after walking around for so long, he was genuinely tired. If it weren’t for the feelings of the two people around him, he probably would’ve suggested going home much earlier.
Bai Yiheng also looked at Xiao Cheng. “Let me give you a ride home?”
He was surprised by Xie Zhao’s generosity but understood after noticing Xiao Cheng’s tired expression. Xie Zhao had taken a taxi, so with Bai Yiheng around, it was naturally impossible for him to offer Xiao Cheng a ride.
Moreover, Bai Yiheng had a more legitimate reason for taking him home—he knew Xiao Cheng’s family and was his superior at work.
After Xiao Cheng parted ways with Xie Zhao outside the mall, he waited until Xie Zhao’s taxi arrived and watched him get in before heading off with Bai Yiheng.
Once in the car, Xie Zhao took out his phone and, as expected, received a message from someone.
However, something seemed off. Luo Jingshu’s attitude toward him wasn’t as hostile as before.
Xie Zhao remembered the last time they ate a barbecue together, and after seeing the photos, Luo Jingshu rushed over. This time, however, he just asked: [You two?]
Xie Zhao found this a bit strange and thought that Luo Jingshu might focus more on dealing with Bai Yiheng.
His mood became more complicated.
[Originally, it was just the two of us.]
Xie Zhao didn’t know much about Bai Yiheng, but he believed Luo Jingshu must know a lot of the inside details.
With the emergence of a new rival, Xie Zhao subtly acted as though Luo Jingshu was on his side, seemingly trying to stir up conflict between Luo Jingshu and Bai Yiheng.
Luo Jingshu wasn’t buying it. As soon as he heard Xie Zhao’s words, he immediately asked, [Did Brother Cheng leave you and go with Bai Yiheng?]
A deadly blow.
Xie Zhao’s expression became incredibly complex. Although Luo Jingshu’s words were true, hearing them made him uncomfortable.
[Xie Zhao: Mr. Bai seems to care a lot about Xiao Cheng.]
After a moment, Xie Zhao received a message from Luo Jingshu: [Stop being so dramatic in front of me. You’d be better off washing up and getting some sleep.]
Their conversation ended there.
Meanwhile, Xiao Cheng had gotten into the passenger seat of Bai Yiheng’s car. After a brief silence in the car, Bai Yiheng took the initiative and asked, “I thought you were already home resting.”
Bai Yiheng had also attended the Chu family’s banquet that evening. Still, Xiao Cheng had been following Xiao Yu, busy greeting other uncles and relatives, so they hadn’t had much chance to talk.
“I went home for a bit, but then I got hungry, so I came out to grab a bite,” Xiao Cheng explained, leaving out many details, including the fact that he had left with Luo Jingshu.
He didn’t want Bai Yiheng to misunderstand that he and Luo Jingshu were rekindling their past relationship. He simply didn’t know how to explain the fact that he had been meeting with Luo Jingshu so often.
Perhaps, to others, it might seem like they were getting back together.
“Do you want me to take you home?” Bai Yiheng didn’t specify a location, but Xiao Cheng knew he was referring to the Xiao family villa.
Xiao Cheng didn’t want to go back now. His parents and sister were probably already asleep, and he didn’t want to disturb them. Besides, he had told Xiao Yu that he wouldn’t be going home tonight.
If he suddenly showed up, it would probably lead to questions.
Xiao Cheng was in a complex mood. He was still digesting the truth, and he was afraid of revealing anything in front of his family.
“I’m not going home,” Xiao Cheng replied.
Bai Yiheng glanced at him. It hadn’t been noticeable when they were at the mall, but now that they were outside, he could sense that Xiao Cheng’s mood was quite low. The smile on his face seemed to be for politeness, a forced one.
“Are you feeling down?”
Xiao Cheng didn’t feel like confiding in Xie Zhao, but in front of Bai Yiheng, he didn’t have as many reservations.
Perhaps because every time he spoke to Bai Yiheng, his mood seemed to calm down, Xiao Cheng subconsciously felt that Bai Yiheng might be able to understand his doubts.
“I wouldn’t say it’s that I’m in a bad mood, I’m just in a very confused phase right now.” Xiao Cheng organized his thoughts, then asked, “Mr. Bai, if something happened that shocked you and might even impact your future, what would you do?”
It seemed like a big issue.
Bai Yiheng kept his eyes on the road but smiled. “Do I know exactly what impact it would have on my future right now?”
Xiao Cheng thought for a moment, “Yes.”
It was just like how Luo Jingshu had discovered his secret about being reborn. The worst-case scenario was that Luo Jingshu might tell others, but at the same time, Luo Jingshu’s own secret about being reborn would be exposed.
Xiao Cheng didn’t think Luo Jingshu would tell anyone, but he was unsure of how crazy that person could get. What he feared was that Luo Jingshu might use this secret to threaten him.
Unlike him, Luo Jingshu didn’t have many people he cared about, so he was unrestrained.
On the other hand, Xiao Cheng had a family that loved him and friends he cared about. He didn’t want the people he cared about to look at him strangely, or worse, distance themselves from him.
“I already know the worst-case scenario. What I need to think about is how to solve it when it happens,” Bai Yiheng said calmly. “Start with the worst thing you fear.”
“For example, if my dilemma is bankruptcy, then I just need to think clearly about how to survive after that. Build up my strength, make a comeback, and come up with a clear, feasible plan. Bankruptcy wouldn’t be a big problem for me.”
Xiao Cheng: …
Xiao Cheng: “Mr. Bai, please don’t jinx it!”
It sounded like something that wasn’t too difficult.
But that was Bai Yiheng.
Bai Yiheng had the ability and means, and he was never short of the courage or skill to start over, so he had the confidence to say such things.
He wasn’t afraid of losing.
Xiao Cheng thought to himself that he probably didn’t have Bai Yiheng’s mindset.
Because his life was so good now—he had loving family members and close friends, things he never had before he was reborn.
So, he was especially afraid of losing them.
Everyone had their own way of life. What Bai Yiheng said was his perspective, and maybe it wouldn’t apply to Xiao Cheng’s situation, but Xiao Cheng still gleaned an important conclusion from his words:
The way to eliminate fear is to face it head-on.
So, he had to meet with Luo Jingshu.
All his worries stemmed from Luo Jingshu, and the most direct solution was to talk openly with him. After all, they knew each other’s secrets, and Xiao Cheng even knew a little more than Luo Jingshu.
The worst-case scenario was probably just Luo Jingshu using this to threaten him into reconciling. It didn’t seem like such a big deal when he thought about it carefully.
Xiao Cheng slowly let out a breath. After the cold wind outside and the air conditioning in the car, he started to relax, but soon he felt a throbbing headache.
Then, he realized they weren’t headed in a direction he was familiar with.
“Mr. Bai, where are we going?” Xiao Cheng asked, glancing at the man beside him.
Bai Yiheng chuckled. Sometimes, he thought Xiao Cheng was quite interesting—his moods changed quickly, from being troubled one second to relaxed the next.
“You only just asked now, after we’ve been driving for so long?”
Bai Yiheng sighed inwardly. He couldn’t decide whether to say that Xiao Cheng was clueless or simply too trusting of him. Still, there was a great sense of satisfaction in being looked at with such unquestioning trust.
“Is this the direction to your house?”
Xiao Cheng guessed randomly, but to his surprise, the man beside him nodded.
“You said you weren’t going home, so I had no choice but to take you to my place.”
There was a hint of testing in his words. If Xiao Cheng didn’t want to, he could easily turn and take him to a hotel.
Xiao Cheng didn’t think much of it. Back in A city, he had lived with Bai Yiheng every day and had long been accustomed to staying at his place. This was just a change of location.
“Sorry for bothering you again, Mr. Bai.”
Xiao Cheng slumped in his seat, sighing, “Good thing I don’t have to get up early tomorrow.”
With his current state, he was sure to sleep until ten in the morning tomorrow.
Bai Yiheng enjoyed being with Xiao Cheng, maybe because the young man was always open around him, and his every action was full of authenticity.
Xiao Cheng’s mood infected him, and his smile grew more relaxed. “Do you have plans for tomorrow?”
“I need to go home for dinner in the evening.”
Xiao Cheng’s grandparents had both passed away, and his mother, He An, was an only child. Xiao Yu had an older brother, but he lived abroad and only came back to visit during holidays.
Bai Yiheng’s mind conjured an image of a person. “Mm.”
Xiao Cheng hadn’t made a point to learn about his uncle’s family, and having lost memories from the past ten years, he was worried Bai Yiheng might ask about his uncle. He didn’t want to be caught off guard and feel embarrassed.
Fortunately, Bai Yiheng wasn’t interested in other people’s family matters. He simply replied with an “mm” and didn’t press the issue.
Xiao Cheng settled deeper into the soft chair, feeling his eyelids growing heavier. If he weren’t trying to stay awake, he’d probably fall asleep in the next second.
His phone had been resting on his lap, and notifications kept popping up, the dinging sound never stopping.
Xiao Cheng was getting annoyed, so he glanced down and noticed that Luo Jingshu had sent him a message a few minutes ago.
[Brother Cheng, are you home?]
Could something be wrong with the necklace he had taken earlier?
Xiao Cheng became a little more alert, sitting up straight and replying to the message.
Bai Yiheng noticed his movement and narrowed his eyes slightly.
Xiao Cheng didn’t notice and replied to Luo Jingshu: [What’s going on?]
[Luo Jingshu: Xie Zhao said you’re not feeling well.]
The information in that sentence was quite revealing.
Luo Jingshu was in contact with Xie Zhao?
Their relationship had never been good. Xiao Cheng thought they disliked each other and would never speak.
[Xiao Cheng: What did he tell you?]
Luo Jingshu immediately sent two screenshots, fully exposing the conversation between him and Xie Zhao.
Xie Zhao hadn’t said anything particularly outrageous, but his words had a clear insinuation, and Luo Jingshu’s final sentence highlighted his intent.
This wasn’t entirely Xie Zhao’s fault—every time Xiao Cheng met with Luo Jingshu, his attitude toward him was always cold.
In Xie Zhao’s eyes, Xiao Cheng had probably already deleted Luo Jingshu’s contact information.
He likely never expected that the two not only remained friends but that Xiao Cheng would still respond to Luo Jingshu’s messages.
Xiao Cheng: …
Was this really something Xie Zhao said?
It didn’t seem like it.
He couldn’t connect the gentle and polite senior to the sarcastic person in the screenshots. The atmosphere between Xie Zhao and Bai Yiheng had seemed fine earlier, hadn’t it?
[Xiao Cheng: Is this the full conversation?]
It wasn’t surprising that he doubted Luo Jingshu. After all, he was the type of person who might do something like this.
[Luo Jingshu: …]
[Luo Jingshu: You’d rather suspect me than believe him?]
In Brother Cheng’s mind, is even Xie Zhao better than me?
Luo Jingshu’s resentment practically spilled out of the screen, and Xiao Cheng rubbed his nose, replying: [Isn’t that just the way it is?]
Luo Jingshu could hardly believe his own audacity, thinking that he could occupy a position in Xiao Cheng’s heart greater than that of Xie Zhao. After all, Senior Xie had never lied to him and had helped him numerous times.
Luo Jingshu was likely irritated by this remark, as he didn’t respond for a while.
Xiao Cheng furrowed his brows, wondering if this was what he had wanted to talk about. What a waste of two precious minutes of his life.
Xiao Cheng: [You took the necklace, what were you trying to do with it?]
Earlier, Xiao Cheng had not admitted Luo Jingshu’s suspicion in person, but now, with his question, it was clear that something must have happened during that time.
Luo Jingshu: [Did you find anything else?]
His sensitivity was almost frightening.
Xiao Cheng was never one to expose his “pining” evidence in front of Luo Jingshu, even though Luo Jingshu probably knew better than anyone what had happened in the past five years. He replied, [No]
Luo Jingshu: [I plan to send it for testing]
A few years old item suddenly appearing at Xiao Cheng’s home made Luo Jingshu wonder if it had anything to do with the concept of “rebirth.”
Luo Jingshu: [Brother Cheng, if you find anything else, feel free to hand it over to me.]
How dare he?
Xiao Cheng’s face remained expressionless as he replied, [Haha.]
Did he think Xiao Cheng was broke? Or did the Xia family have no connections? Why did it have to go to Luo Jingshu?
Xiao Cheng now regretted not discovering the plane ticket and photo earlier. If he had, he would never have handed over the necklace to Luo Jingshu.
Luo Jingshu: [Brother Cheng, don’t stay at your apartment for now.]
Although Xiao Cheng had planned the same thing, hearing it from Luo Jingshu felt like a command.
There was always a difference between doing something voluntarily and being forced into it. Luo Jingshu’s tone stirred up a feeling of dissatisfaction in Xiao Cheng.
Xiao Cheng: [I wasn’t planning to stay there anyway.]
Xiao Cheng: [Let’s not talk about it, Mr. Bai is calling me.]
He thought for a moment and added, [And don’t bother me if there’s nothing important.]
He’d taken advantage of Bai Yiheng’s name a little, feeling guilty about it, and cleared his throat. Meanwhile, he couldn’t help but glance at Bai Yiheng’s face.
Bai Yiheng noticed Xiao Cheng’s glance but showed no signs of breaking. After Xiao Cheng seemed to relax, he looked at him thoughtfully.
Who was Xiao Cheng chatting with? Secretive about it.
Could it be an ex or another one of his “friends”?
Bai Yiheng couldn’t help but grit his teeth. This young man really was popular. First, there was the persistent Luo Jingshu, then Xie Zhao, and who knew who else?
Bai Yiheng didn’t feel like the one who came after. He thought to himself, ‘Maybe it’s time to step up my game. If I want to cook the frog in warm water, I need to be sure it’s still in the pot.’
If someone else grabs his frog, what’s the point?
—
Luo Jingshu kept sending a barrage of messages. Xiao Cheng could almost feel the anger and panic emanating through the screen.
He chose to ignore them all.
Not receiving a reply from Xiao Cheng, Luo Jingshu seemed to realize that the latter didn’t want to engage and stopped texting.
“You asked me to contact that institution, and I’ve already spoken to the person in charge,” said Fu Ju, setting down his phone. He noticed Luo Jingshu’s sour mood and couldn’t help but joke, “What’s wrong with you? Your face looks like you’ve lost a fortune.”
“Did your wife run off with someone?”
Just a casual remark, but Luo Jingshu’s face turned darker, and his gaze almost seemed murderous.
Fu Ju: …
Fu Ju continued, “Go beat up your rival, what are you staring at me for?”
He’d sacrificed his valuable time to accompany Luo Jingshu for an infusion at the hospital last night, and now he was rushing over because of a call, yet Luo Jingshu was still giving him the cold shoulder.
Well, he deserved to lose his wife.
Fu Ju couldn’t help but remember the “issues” between Luo Jingshu and Xiao Cheng. “How did Xiao Cheng even fall for you?”
He genuinely didn’t get it. Could it be that Luo Jingshu was really good at pretending? The first time he saw them together at the fruit garden, Luo Jingshu acted so sweet and innocent that it was hard to believe it was him.
Suddenly, Fu Ju was struck with an idea. “Luo Jingshu, have you ever thought that maybe Xiao Cheng doesn’t actually like you as much as you think?”
Luo Jingshu’s expression immediately turned sharp, his face darkening as if he could kill.
“Are you looking for death?”
His voice was low, filled with a palpable chill.
Fu Ju wasn’t intimidated at all, and instead felt more confident in his words.
“You see, how long have you two known each other? And you’re already in a relationship. Do you think love really comes that quickly?”
“Jingshu, have you ever heard the saying ‘love at first sight is just lust’?”
Fu Ju acted like a seasoned advisor. “Maybe Xiao Cheng only likes your face.”
“Besides, isn’t it always him chasing you?” he added, silently calculating the timeline. The last time he saw them in the fruit garden, they’d barely known each other for a short while, yet Xiao Cheng treated Luo Jingshu with so much care and tenderness, almost like a long-time crush.
Was that reasonable?
If it wasn’t “love at first sight,” Fu Ju found it hard to believe.
Luo Jingshu suddenly seemed lost in thought, his expression uncertain.
“See? I’m right, aren’t I?”
Fu Ju pressed on, “Think about it, you two barely knew each other, and Xiao Cheng was already chasing you.”
Luo Jingshu’s mind began to wander. He recalled how, despite Xiao Cheng’s initial indifference, he became very warm and eager after that, constantly caring for him. Even though the occasional “straight guy” remarks would make him mad, it wasn’t hard to see that Xiao Cheng was being genuine.
Before, Luo Jingshu believed Xiao Cheng was just taken in by his looks, as Fu Ju said, “love at first sight.”
But now, as he reflected, he realized Xiao Cheng wasn’t someone who was easily swayed by appearance alone.
Xie Zhao and Bai Yiheng both had impeccable looks, yet Xiao Cheng never showed any romantic interest in them.
Maybe, just maybe, Luo Jingshu thought, ‘he might have been right where Xiao Cheng’s aesthetic was concerned.’
But there was another possibility that suddenly crossed his mind.
What if Brother Cheng and Xiao Cheng from his previous life are the same person?
The more he thought about it, the more he felt a striking similarity in the way Xiao Cheng pursued him compared to the past.
At first, he thought they weren’t the same person because Brother Cheng’s life experiences were so different, and he didn’t know anything about his past life.
The contrast had created a sense of disconnection.
But then, Luo Jingshu recalled that rebirth itself was a fantastical idea. Just like his own life had changed after his rebirth, it was completely reasonable for Xiao Cheng to change too.
As for Xiao Cheng’s lack of knowledge about his past, maybe he had lost some memories after his rebirth?
Luo Jingshu’s thoughts suddenly took a new direction, and a new realization began to form.
If he were to compare Brother Cheng with Xiao Cheng from his past life, he could think of the past Xiao Cheng as someone trapped in a cage. He always suppressed his true feelings, clearly liking someone, but unable to take that step forward.
In this life, Xiao Cheng has broken free from that cage, living without constraints. That’s why, when he saw Luo Jingshu for the first time, he acted decisively, not only helping him but also eagerly asking for his contact information.
To put it simply, in his past life, there was something that held Xiao Cheng back, preventing him from doing what he truly wanted to do.
Now, that something is gone.
That’s why Xiao Cheng displays such a different approach from his past life.
Luo Jingshu furrowed his brows. Could that “something” be the very reason for his rebirth?
He couldn’t shake the feeling that he was starting to grasp something important.
