Classmate Li Zhuangsheng doesn’t want to be reborn

Chapter 678 Birthday Celebration
"To be honest, that was really what I thought at first," Li Zhuangsheng said with a wry smile.

"It's alright. With such a beautiful woman sleeping at home all day, it's hard to be anything less than a beast."

"You're being sarcastic again," Li Zhuangsheng chuckled. "I used to think I should respect her. But I only realized a couple of days ago that I was just being self-righteous in my respect. True respect isn't about imposing your own ideas on someone, but about facing what they really need. Actually, you told me before not to be a fake good person."

Being overly concerned with moral purity can sometimes lead to hypocrisy; an unwillingness to get one's hands dirty is merely a facade of high-mindedness. As Mencius said, "When a sister-in-law is in distress, her brother-in-law helps her; this is a matter of expediency."

Although Hu Mengdie pointed it out, and Li Zhuangsheng intended to repent, he had been wearing the mask for too long, and he would unconsciously put it back on again.

"I have heard about Yi Yunshui's matter."

After a moment of silence, Hu Mengdie spoke.

"How strong was the smell?"

“Last year, when I learned that she had taken a leave of absence from school, I went to find out more about her situation.”

Why do you want to know so much about her?

Li Zhuangsheng was a little curious. Hu Mengdie and Yi Yunshui were not familiar with each other, and it would be a stretch to call them "friends".

Hu Mengdie fell silent for a moment.

“Tell me, what can’t we say between us!” Li Zhuangsheng patted Hu Mengdie’s bottom.

Hu Mengdie turned her head and glared at him, and after a long while, she said somewhat reluctantly, "I want to help you solve this problem."

She had worn her mask for far too long, longer than Li Zhuangsheng's mask of hypocrisy, so long that it had become fused to her face. She didn't even know if her current appearance was genuine or just an act of arrogance for Li Zhuangsheng's benefit.

"Huh?" Li Zhuangsheng asked, puzzled.

“If you knew about Yi Yunshui’s situation, you would definitely take action. I don’t want you to have anything to do with her anymore, so I want to resolve this trouble for you first.” Hu Mengdie turned her face away.

"What do you mean by solving this problem for me? You're clearly trying to solve it for yourself, aren't you?" Li Zhuangsheng said with a smile, teasingly.

"Is there a difference?" Hu Mengdie's eyes widened, her face burning. "But after learning about her situation, I gave up. I know I can't do it!"

"Indeed... her situation is rather complicated."

“I originally thought she might become the next Zhu Zhixue, but after getting to know her, I realized that she is a bit like me.”

Li Zhuangsheng's smile gradually faded.

“A person cannot heal themselves.” Hu Mengdie shook her head. “I also cannot give her what she wants.”

Li Zhuangsheng remained silent, scratching his head.

"Oh right, it's a good thing you didn't get into a fight with Li Xiuyu today," Li Zhuangsheng said.

"Do you think we'd be like kids pulling each other's hair when we're together?" Hu Mengdie let Li Zhuangsheng change the subject.

"I've noticed that you and Zhu Zhixue seem to fight every few days..."

"She provoked me first," Hu Mengdie said coldly. "That's what I hate about her. She'd never vent her anger on you, only on others! What a spoiled wife!"

"Cough cough, she probably won't do it again." Li Zhuangsheng kept coughing. "Oh right, when you guys start school, I'll treat your roommates to a meal again."

"why?"

Didn't you change dorms?

"But we're basically the same, except we moved from off-campus to on-campus. Oh, the number of people in the dorm has changed, so we have to kick out two people. I kicked out the two who were trying to seduce you."

"Good heavens, you're taking this opportunity to retaliate!"

"Reluctant?"

"No, no, no, well done, well done!" Li Zhuangsheng quickly waved his hand. "Then treat your remaining roommates to dinner!" "Why do my roommates need you to treat them? Even if they think we're dating, you have no obligation to treat them to dinner."

"Isn't it normal for a boyfriend to treat his girlfriend's best friend to dinner?"

"Normal my foot! I don't need you to create a facade of happiness for me like this! Do you have a lot of money?"

"...There are quite a lot."

"Anyone who didn't know better would think you'd become the world's richest person!" Hu Mengdie sneered.

"I've never had a girlfriend in college, so I don't really know much about it... But your birthday is coming up soon, so I'll treat you to a meal on your birthday."

“It’s a birthday… How many years have we been back? Almost three years, right?” Hu Mengdie said.

“Yes, it’s been almost three years. We came back in September of 2013,” Li Zhuangsheng said.

"It's been three years. I thought you had forgotten what day my birthday is."

"How could that be! Even if I forget my own birthday, I will never forget yours!"

"Haven't you forgotten for three years?"

"I was..."

Li Zhuangsheng could tell that Hu Mengdie's words were filled with resentment accumulated over the past three years. Of course, Li Zhuangsheng hadn't truly forgotten Hu Mengdie's birthday; on the contrary, he remembered it every year.

He simply had no grounds to do so and could only pretend not to know.

"I miss it so much..." Hu Mengdie said softly, tilting her head back. "I still remember that gift. When I opened all twenty-odd items, I was so happy that I wished I could die right then and there. I wonder if you can move me like you did last time this time."

"I will do my best!" Li Zhuangsheng nodded solemnly.

“Those 17-shot fireworks were really beautiful. I hope yours won’t be any worse this time,” Hu Mengdie said.

"Huh?" Li Zhuangsheng looked extremely embarrassed.

"Actually, I know that those fireworks were originally meant for me, weren't they..."

Actually, that's not true. The fireworks he gave Zhu Zhixue were something he came up with again after he traveled back in time. But under these circumstances, Li Zhuangsheng really didn't dare to explain it to Hu Mengdie.

"Then I'll have to trouble you this time. If you can't move me, then you don't need to come see me again." Hu Mengdie smiled.

Li Zhuangsheng's lips twitched: "Can you guarantee that Zhu Zhixue won't find out?"

"Heh." Hu Mengdie chuckled.

If I don't let Zhu Zhixue know, then all those 17 fireworks displays will have been for nothing!

Zhu Zhixue and I live in the same neighborhood. Damn it, I watched from beginning to end, and I didn't miss a single firework on the road!

"No!" Li Zhuangsheng cried out, almost in tears. "I really can't handle this arms race!"

"Then forget it, you don't need to celebrate my birthday. Anyway, I'm just a shameless bad woman. Sigh..." Hu Mengdie sighed self-deprecatingly, "Our love is as vast as the Milky Way, like sunflowers basking in the spring sun. But our hearts are as turbulent as fire and water, and all evils have gathered within us."

"Go for it! Go for it! I'll make it incredibly grand and beautiful! Okay?"

Li Zhuangsheng immediately surrendered, thinking to himself that if he didn't make up for the birthdays he missed over the past three years, he would really become a Chen Shimei (a notorious figure in Chinese folklore known for abandoning his wife).

"Oh, don't force yourself! Three years have passed, and I've gotten used to spending my birthday alone."

"Enough said. It's my honor to celebrate Mengdie's birthday! Just you wait and see!"

(End of this chapter)