Classmate Li Zhuangsheng doesn’t want to be reborn

"Oh, good."

Li Zhuangsheng nodded. He stretched his legs and then slowly got up from the ground.

He walked along the wall to the desk, which was diagonally opposite the bed, near the windowsill. Dim night light seeped into the bedroom, making the desk appear pale and dark.

Suddenly, Li Zhuangsheng noticed a pile of scraps of paper scattered on the ground. He instinctively picked one up and discovered it was a fragment of a photograph.

He looked at Hu Mengdie, who had already turned off her phone and was lying in bed, unsure whether she was asleep or not.

Perhaps due to obsessive-compulsive disorder, Li Zhuangsheng picked up the scattered fragments one by one and slowly sat down in the chair.

Sitting down in the chair made him feel much better, and he could stretch his legs out. Li Zhuangsheng's eyes had gradually adjusted to the darkness, and out of boredom, he picked up the fragments and began to piece them together.

This is not difficult, because photos are usually torn in half, or at most torn into three pieces.

Li Zhuangsheng quickly pieced together a photo of the two of them. The background was unclear, but it seemed to be by a river. Hu Mengdie was holding his arm, smiling radiantly.

Li Zhuangsheng turned around and glanced at Hu Mengdie again; she had her back to him.

Scratching his face, Li Zhuangsheng stopped piecing together the puzzle and instead stacked all the photo fragments together, gently placing them on the table. He thought it would be easier for Hu Mengdie to throw them in the trash.

He lay on the table, which was empty except for a few books.

To be honest, he was a little hungry. He hadn't even taken a few bites of dinner when Hu Mengdie interrupted him. At that moment, he really missed the braised pork ribs on the table.

He wondered if she was hungry... The table was cool, and drowsiness washed over him. Li Zhuangsheng slowly closed his eyes.

Li Zhuangsheng didn't know how long he had slept when he suddenly shuddered and opened his eyes.

It's so cold. He touched his legs.

Half a month has passed since the Lantern Festival. Although it is slightly warmer than in winter, it is still quite cold with the lingering chill of spring.

He glanced at the air conditioner; it was on, but the temperature wasn't high. Hu Mengdie, covered by a down comforter, was finally asleep, emitting soft snores.

Li Zhuangsheng licked his lips, feeling a chill in his legs. He then stood up gently and rubbed his legs vigorously.

He stood by the window, where all was quiet outside, and the cold starlight twinkled in the sky.

He carefully pushed the chair away, crawled under the table, curled up into a ball, and felt a little better.

However, after crouching under the table for a while, Li Zhuangsheng felt that the space was too cramped, restricting his movement. He couldn't bend or stretch his limbs and was also prone to bumping his head.

After thinking for a moment, she still crawled out. She tiptoed back to the corner behind the door, took a cotton slipper and put it under her bottom, squeezed her two feet into the other slipper, and then curled up, hugging her legs tightly.

Feeling deeply sleepy, Li Zhuangsheng quickly fell asleep again.

"Wake up..."

Suddenly feeling someone calling him, Li Zhuangsheng slowly raised his head.

He forced his eyes open and felt his head was heavy, as if something was hanging around his neck.

The first thing I saw was Hu Mengdie's face; it looked so unfamiliar.

"Why are you sleeping here again? Didn't I tell you to sleep on the table?" Hu Mengdie asked softly.

"Oh, my legs are cold from sleeping..."

Li Zhuangsheng rubbed his eyes, feeling his face burning. He tried to get up, but perhaps his legs were numb, or perhaps it was because he had just woken up, he couldn't get up immediately.

He took a deep breath, braced himself with his hands on the ground, and finally slowly stood up.

His back ached, and his head felt a little dizzy. Li Zhuangsheng thought he might have caught a cold.

"Are you alright? My mom just called us out for dinner..."

"Oh……"

Li Zhuangsheng nodded vigorously and blinked hard, trying to clear his mind.

Hu Mengdie glanced guiltily at the stack of photo fragments on the table. When she woke up, she thought to herself that she had been a bit impulsive, making someone huddle in the corner all night because of her.

"I...I'm sorry about yesterday..." Hu Mengdie stammered, her eyes flickering. "It's alright." Li Zhuangsheng waved his hand, glanced at the time on his phone—9:30—"Then let's go out."

Hu Mengdie nodded, and the two walked out of the dormitory one after the other.

"Finally awake!" Mrs. Hu smiled at the two of them. "Zhuang Sheng, I've squeezed the toothpaste for you. That toothbrush is the one you used last time you came. No one else has used it."

"Oh, thank you, thank you Auntie." Li Zhuangsheng nodded haphazardly.

Hu's mother glanced at Hu Mengdie again, thinking that the two of them had slept together that night, so even if nothing had happened, their relationship should have improved and progressed.

Hu's mother smiled and said, "Your father went to the shop early this morning. You two should eat quickly. I'll go to the shop in a bit too. I'll have my sister take you home later."

Li Zhuangsheng turned his head and glanced at Li Xiuyu, who was sitting on the sofa with a blank expression.

"Oh, alright."

"Then you can come home again tonight..."

"No trouble at all, no trouble at all. We'll come to visit you again in a couple of days!"

Li Zhuangsheng shook his head hurriedly, then suddenly felt dizzy and stumbled, plopping down on the sofa.

"What's wrong?" Mrs. Hu asked.

"Oh, it's nothing." Li Zhuangsheng pretended to stretch.

"Haha, then come and eat!"

Li Zhuangsheng nodded, when suddenly Li Xiuyu grabbed him.

Before he could react, a cool, warm hand had already reached out.

"You have a fever?" Li Xiuyu said coldly.

"Hmm, maybe I caught a bit of a cold..."

"Where did you sleep last night...? You didn't sleep on the floor, did you?"

Li Xiuyu narrowed his eyes, quickly figured out the reason, and his expression instantly turned cold.

Li Zhuangsheng desperately lowered his voice: "We'll talk about it when we get home..."

Li Xiuyu was furious and immediately stood up, but Li Zhuangsheng held him back.

Li Xiuyu turned her head and saw Li Zhuangsheng's earnest expression. She slowly exhaled, her chest trembling slightly, and pulled Li Zhuangsheng up without giving her a chance to refuse: "Let's go home!"

"What's wrong? Aren't you going to eat?" Mrs. Hu asked in surprise.

“He has a fever, so I took him to the hospital for an IV drip.” Li Xiuyu said without turning her head.

"Have a fever?"

Startled, Hu's mother quickly stepped forward to touch Li Zhuangsheng's head.

"I'm fine, I just caught a bit of a cold... I'm a restless sleeper, haha... It's really nothing, Auntie, I'll be going now, I'll come see you again in a couple of days!"

Li Zhuangsheng quickly dodged and stumbled out the door as he was pulled along.

"You can take a taxi home yourself in a bit."

Li Xiuyu turned his head and gave Hu Mengdie a cold look before slamming the door shut.

"Xiuyu, don't get so agitated, I'm really fine!" Li Zhuangsheng was pulled downstairs and then pushed into the car by Li Xiuyu. "Look at you, I haven't even eaten yet!"

"Eat shit, you idiot!"

Li Xiuyu couldn't help but curse and threw a punch at Li Zhuangsheng. But his fist stopped a few centimeters away from Li Zhuangsheng, and he slammed his fist on the steering wheel angrily.
"You filthy bitch!"

"Um... I, I volunteered..."

"You're a slut too!" (End of Chapter)