Reborn: The Return of the Villainous Mr. Liu



As if a rock had divided the free flow of water, the divide in the atmosphere reached their hearts too. Xie Nuying and Zhou Yichen would always find ways to bicker with each other, pointing out the hundred faults they found in them but today the struggle to even meet each other's gaze was real.

Why would Ai want us together? Isn't that ridiculous?

She clearly remembered the time when Ai and Jun were hospitalized because of a sudden high fever. It was then when she had urged them to give their relationship a second chance. She wanted them to patch their differences no matter what.

Why would Ai be so stubborn after so many years?

Zhou Yichen, too, fanned himself to dissipate the heat despite the temperature in the church being cool and pleasant. He wasn't able to stay still ever since he caught the garter.

Of course that was just a silly game, he internally placated his mind that was pacing back and forth like a game of ping pong.

Yes, it was just a silly game. Just a tradition. It doesn't mean anything.

Inside his pockets, he was fidgeting with his wedding ring, running it circles around his palm and fingers as if that would ease the tension.

"The wedding was so much fun, right?" He randomly babbled, unable to bear the silence.

Xie Nuying released a deep breath of relief. The awkwardness was eating her from within too. "Indeed, it was," she stood straight, trying to pose an indifferent stance. "So much young energy around."

"You are saying that as if we have become a bunch oldies."

"Not oldies but we are not exactly young either."

"You are talking about yourself, right?"

Xie Nuying gazed at him with a soft glare. "Naturally, I am talking about both of us."

"Don't count me in," he snorted. "Just look at me. I am still as charming as ever~"

"And how many skincare products do you use to retain that 'charm?'" She raised her brow.

"As if I need to use any beauty products! You are just jealous!" He scowled.

"I don't need to be jealous of an old man who is growing out grey hairs just like me," she remarked.

His gaze darkened. "That man is still swoon worthy to many women. But I don't expect you to understand. You always had a bland taste before you met me."

Her cheeks plumped up in displeasure. "My taste was never bland. It's classic unlike your blasphemous bright taste. But I don't expect you to understand."

Zhou Yichen leaned back with a playful smile. "Classic taste as in that buffoon who you were almost about to marry to?"

Her brow violently twitched. "That was my parents' taste, I remind you, not mine."

"Ah how can I forget? Your tastes turned out to be quite adventurous for a young girl having a bright future set in becoming a top class professor."

She threw him another glare. "Don't look at me like that. You weren't any less of a troublemaker either."

"Well that was always part of my job description," he chuckled.

"As was flirting with women like a hooligan. I can only imagine your inflated sense of confidence now that you caught a garter though that was just a fun game and has nothing to do with reality."

"How rude!"

"Be honest. You must be thinking that you might get lucky soon with some woman as if this garter catching was a hint."

She indirectly wanted to get a read of his mind.

"What if I want to get lucky with you?"

She blinked rapidly, her question buzzing in her ears. "What?"

She felt as if she heard the question but at the same time she didn't. She was sure her heart would pop out of her chest at any moment.

"Hah!" Zhou Yichen grinned. "Look how you got so serious. W-Why will it be you knowing that we are separated? I was just pulling your leg haha…"

He loosened his collar, trying to breathe. The earlier question had slipped out of his mouth before he could stop it. The moment she made that expression and he realized his error, his brain was working at full speed without brakes. He gripped the ring harder in his pockets.

"Oh," Xie Nuying nodded in understanding, "Now I get it. You are a pro at joking around."

Um…

Zhou Yichen could feel it in his guts. They knew each other's moods and mannerisms so well that they could easily detect if there was anything unusual in the other's tone.

Xie Nuying sounded just like that as if she was dropped from a great height. Her response didn't have the usual pitch of her comeback and throwing knives back at his goofiness. She did make it sound like a normal taunt, but the hurt in her eyes failed to hide itself.

Fuck, I messed it up!

"Oh it's getting late now," Xie Nuying calmly got up. "I will head back."

No, no, no! Wait, where are you going? I cannot let it end like this!

He grabbed her hand abruptly and almost shook her off her balance. A gasp escaped her lips. "Yichen! What is this?"

Zhou Yichen cleared his throat. "I am sorry."

She pursed her lips in dissatisfaction. "What are you up to? Let it be quick. I am tired."

That was just an excuse to return to her room and be alone. To her it was like she suddenly flew to the highest point of a blissful expectation possible only to crash down miserably.

"Ti-tickets," his throat felt dry.

"What?"

"I won two tickets to the favorite musical band's concert you like so much. I won them in a lottery haha. Their next show is in Beijing."

"So?"

"Well…" he loosened his collar again, "there are two tickets. You like the band so much. So how about…we…g-go together?"

She stared at him. "You never liked that band and its music. You had the nerve to fall asleep."

"I-It has been growing on me since the years you forcefully made me listen to it."

She darted a suspicious look at him. "Why don't you go with Ai then?"

"She is newly married. Let her enjoy her honeymoon phase with Jun-cute."

"..."

Ah please please agree!

Xie Nuying's expression changed through a myriad of permutations and combinations in the next several seconds with Zhou Yichen feeling that every new look meant rejection.

He had given up on hope when she said, "Okay."

His eyes widened. "Really!?"

"Yes. Let's go to the concert together."

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