Classmate Li Zhuangsheng doesn’t want to be reborn

"What are you saying? You think you can only choose a man based on whether he's rich or poor?"

Xie Jiangqing lightly tapped Li Zhuangsheng.

“That makes sense!” Li Zhuangsheng agreed wholeheartedly, “I think money isn’t everything; what’s most important is whether there’s feeling between two people! Without feeling, there’s no love!”

Xie Jiangqing laughed and poked Li Zhuangsheng on the back: "Pfft, you really have the mindset of a child! Love, can love put food on the table? These days, apart from online, where can you find love in real life?"

Li Zhuangsheng didn't argue with Xie Jiangqing, but asked in confusion, "Then why didn't you feel anything?"

"Because his hometown is Suzhou, and I hate people from Suzhou."

"why?"

"People in Suzhou have no manners; there's dog poop everywhere in the neighborhood and on the streets."

"how do you know?"

“I used to work in Suzhou, and I had to pay close attention to where I was going every day on my way to work. I’ve personally witnessed several people walking their dogs and letting them poop on the road.”

"Isn't there a saying that there is heaven above and Suzhou and Hangzhou below? I went to Suzhou Amusement Park two years ago... oh, no, I went when I was in the third year of junior high school. It was quite fun."

"It seems Suzhou Amusement Park has moved to a different location, and I heard it's not as fun as it used to be. But I haven't been to either the old or new one."

“Actually, there are good people and bad people everywhere,” Li Zhuangsheng said. “You can’t attribute one person’s experience to all the people of Suzhou. In other words, we are all Chinese, and even from an alien’s perspective, we are all Earthlings.”

"Hey, you little brat, you want me to lecture you?" Xie Jiangqing gave Li Zhuangsheng a big flick on the forehead.

Li Zhuangsheng winced in pain, then said sullenly, "Reason doesn't depend on age..."

Xie Jiangqing gave him another flick on the forehead upon hearing this: "Who are you calling old?"

Li Zhuangsheng dared not speak further, and could only mutter to himself, "Whoever gets impatient, I'll talk to them."

"Actually, it's not that I dislike people from Suzhou," Xie Jiangqing said. "I just don't like him. Yeah, I don't feel anything for him!"

"Pfft, you think the same thing as me?"

Xie Jiangqing remained silent, only continuing to berate him.

Li Zhuangsheng winced in pain: "Why don't you like him?"

"You need a reason to like someone, but you don't need a reason to dislike them. Do you like everyone in the world?"

“You’re right, it’s just that I don’t feel anything,” Li Zhuangsheng nodded in agreement, but then added, “But at your age, you should be a little more realistic.”

"What age am I?" Xie Jiangqing immediately flew into a rage, grabbing Li Zhuangsheng's ear. "I'm asking you, what age am I!"

"It hurts! It hurts!" Li Zhuangsheng immediately begged for mercy, "I was just trying to give you some advice, just listen to me if you want."

"What do you know, you little brat?" Xie Jiangqing said angrily. "Besides, we're not the same age!"

Oh right, Li Zhuangsheng suddenly felt a pang of sadness. He had inexplicably lost the best ten years of his life… Although, according to Li Xiuyu, he had basically been idle and unproductive during those ten years. He had only started dating in the last two years.

The so-called best time wasn't actually that great. So it's not too much of a pity.

"I was wrong, I was wrong!" Li Zhuangsheng apologized tearfully. "A marriage without love is unhappy, and I support your choice!"

"Hmph!" Xie Jiangqing kicked Li Zhuangsheng. "Get on your bike!"

Li Zhuangsheng pouted and started pedaling his bicycle again.

"This kid is really infuriating..." Xie Jiangqing thought to herself.

Shortly after, the phone rang.

"Oh my god..."

Xie Jiangqing glanced at the incoming call and frowned in pain.

"Who is it?" Li Zhuangsheng asked.

“My mom,” Xie Jiangqing said.

"Then answer it."

"I'm not answering! That guy must have complained about me!" "Complained about what... Oh my god!" Li Zhuangsheng belatedly realized what was going on and quickly stopped himself. "Your blind date must have misunderstood, right? But didn't you say we were classmates?"

Xie Jiangqing was too lazy to pay attention to him. She hesitated for a moment while holding the phone, but still answered it.

"Hey."

"I'm outside."

"Who? It's me and my friend!"

"So what if he sees it? Can't I have my own life? Who is he to be so nosy?"

"What's wrong with letting him see? Why would I need to sneak around?"

"What's your relationship with him? We're just friends!"

"I'll show you Hu Mengdie's husband too!"

"Hey, who do you think it is?"

"What's there to explain? Do whatever you want, I'm his mistress, I'm his other woman, and I'm happy with it! Who do I need to explain to?"

"So what if you're rich? Money isn't everything. What's most important is whether there's feeling between two people! Without feeling, there's no love!"

Xie Jiangqing hung up the phone.

"Don't argue with your mom..." Sensing Xie Jiangqing's anger, Li Zhuangsheng weakly advised, "Your mom is only doing this for your own good."

Although he didn't hear what Xie's mother said, he could vaguely guess the content of their conversation from Xie Jiangqing's words.

"Stop talking nonsense, ride your bike!" Xie Jiangqing said angrily.

Li Zhuangsheng dared not disobey, and rode his bicycle to Shanshui Park, his back damp with sweat.

Xie Jiangqing jumped out of the car and watched Li Zhuangsheng lock it.

"Is this where you lost your memory?" Xie Jiangqing asked.

“Yes, this should be it.” Li Zhuangsheng pointed to the pavilion not far away.

Xie Jiangqing walked over quickly: "Do you remember what happened in between?"

Li Zhuangsheng shook his head: "I don't remember anything before. I just remember that when I opened my eyes, I saw Hu Mengdie and me lying on the ground, and the ground was covered with snow."

"and then?"

"Then we went to KFC, but we didn't have any money on us and didn't know how to pay with our phones. So we asked about the time and then I took Hu Mengdie home."

Why didn't you call?

"My phone died and shut down."

"What about Hu Mengdie's?"

Li Zhuangsheng paused for a moment: "...She probably doesn't know how to use it. It's okay, I took her home and then walked home by myself."

"She didn't say anything?"

"what did she say?"

"You took her home, and then you went straight home?"

"Well, she called her mom first, probably to confirm that her house was still there. Then I took her to her doorstep, watched her open the door and go inside, and then I went straight home."

"You didn't say anything on the way, and she just let you go home as soon as she got there?"

"Yeah, what else can I say?"

Xie Jiangqing fell silent.

It's not surprising that Hu Mengdie could unlock the phone; after all, her biometric information was still there, allowing for facial recognition unlocking. But since she could unlock the phone and make calls, she must have also seen the photo of the couple on the phone's home screen. She must have known something back then, right?
"You walked alone for so long?" Xie Jiangqing licked her lips, her gaze wistful. "I remember it was quite cold that night, the last snow of the year."

"It's really cold. Luckily, someone gave me a scarf beforehand, otherwise I would have frozen to death!" Li Zhuangsheng nodded vigorously. (End of Chapter)