Rebirth: Once Again With You

"Did something happen? You look like you are in a bad mood," Zhou Ya asked carefully.

Li Caiyi was eating her lunch with her friends as usual, but it seemed her facial expression gave away her foul mood today. She was so upset with Meng Renshu this morning that it affected her mood for the rest of the day. Even though she would revisit Dai Shenqiang after school, her spirit did not improve at all.

Li Caiyi thought that Meng Renshu's fickleness only started after their marriage, but after talking with him this morning, Li Caiyi was certain now.

Meng Renshu had always thought of Li Caiyi as a spare, even before marrying her. He did not love her, but he did not want to lose her, either. And he expected her to go along with it again in this life? What kind of nonsense was that? Just how much further Meng Renshu was going to look down on her?

'Thinking about it again always makes me mad. This is not good. I need to distract myself. There is no use wasting time thinking about scum like Meng Renshu.'

"No, it's nothing important. Where are Feng Nian and Chen Ruolan?" Li Caiyi looked around, but she could not find them.

"They are going to the school store to buy some bread."

"What? Have they made up already?"

Zhou Ya shook her head helplessly. "Feng Nian insisted that this is just a temporary truce because you must want to spend time with Chen Ruolan too, so she feels bad if you restrain yourself out of consideration for her. Chen Ruolan's excuse is even weirder. She said you are going to miss her if she's not around, so she will hang out more with you."

Li Caiyi was dumbfounded but later broke out into laughter. "What's with that? The way they used me as their excuse is very similar. I guess that's just how it is with your best friends!"

Zhou Ya laughed alongside her. "Really. It's thanks to you that their stance got softened. I think I have to learn to be more proactive from you. I was too cautious of each side; preventing them from fighting against each other is already the best I can do."

"It's all thanks to you too, Zhou Ya. If it were not for you, I wouldn't be friends with all of you, and Feng Nian and Chen Ruolan wouldn't open up to me. It's because you allowed me to sit with you that day that I could smile and have fun with you guys. I'm always grateful to you, Zhou Ya."

Zhou Ya's cheeks reddened a bit upon hearing that. "Gosh, you really have your way with words. My heart fluttered for a second back there."

"Hehe, I'm just saying what I genuinely feel, though? Zhou Ya is just too shy and humble."

Zhou Ya coughed awkwardly. "Ahem, anyway. What are your plans after this? Are you going to join another competition? You did say you want to earn money, right?"

"Right… I'm thinking of publishing a book." Li Caiyi said with a finger on her chin.

"That's an amazing plan! You should try it, Caiyi!" Zhou Ya said with excitement.

"What? What are you guys talking about? Sounds fun!" Chen Ruolan, who had just come back, immediately joined in the conversation, while Feng Nian sat down casually as she gazed at Li Caiyi inquisitively.

"Well, Zhou Ya was asking me what my plans were after I won the last competition. I want to earn more money, so I'm going to publish a book!"

Chen Ruolan whistled. "Man, way to develop from a timid girl to an ambitious woman. Your shy side is cute, but the confident you are more awesome!" She said with a thumb up. "I support you, girlie!"

"Did you already start with the manuscript?" Feng Nian's reaction was more realistic.

"Not yet. I'm going to the library after this to find some inspiration, though. Do you guys want to come with me?"

Feng Nian quickly raised her hand in refusal. "No, sorry. I don't like the library that much."

"I fell asleep as soon as I arrived at the library, so I doubt I can be of much help," Chen Ruolan grinned sheepishly.

"Me too. I have something to do after this. I'm sorry, Caiyi." Zhou Ya tilted her head apologetically.

Li Caiyi thought it would be fun to brainstorm with her friends, but they all had their interests and schedules, so it could not be helped. "It's fine, guys. Don't worry about it."

"Oh yeah, if you want to publish a book, why don't you try talking to Shao Jingfei? You knew him, right?" Chen Ruolan said while biting on her pizza bread.

"Yes, I do know him. But what about it?"

Chen Ruolan's brows raised. "Have you ever heard of Glorious Days Company?"

"That famous publishing company? Of course, I ever heard about it." Li Caiyi answered in confusion. "But what does it have anything to do with Shao Jingfei?"

"His family owned that company! I thought everyone in this school already knew about that?" Chen Ruolan exclaimed with a mouth full of bread.

***

That was a surprising revelation.

Li Caiyi did not know that Shao Jingfei, who looked friendly and down-to-earth, came from a wealthy and prestigious family. It was not that she looked down on Shao Jingfei; it was just after spending three years within high-class society after her marriage she had an idea how to differentiate those who came from prestigious families and those who didn't.

The most fundamental difference was the aura they brought. Most young masters and ladies would receive etiquette class from their early childhood, so their gestures and ambiance were usually controlled and elegant, like Meng Renshu. However, Shao Jingfei was too approachable and clumsy to be one, so Li Caiyi was very surprised when she heard Chen Ruolan's news.

Besides, if Shao Jingfei came from such a great family background, it was strange Li Caiyi did not remember ever meeting or at least hearing about Shao Jingfei before. Her mother-in-law forced her to remember every important face within their circle, but Li Caiyi had never heard of Shao Jingfei even once.

As far as she knew, the Shao family from Glorious Days Company only had one son, Shao Junfei. Perhaps Shao Jingfei was a son of the branch family?