Can following the rules be called rebirth?

Chapter 227, Section 225: Best Sisters

Even when a beautiful girl is disheveled, she still retains her charm.

The delicate blush on Gu Caiwei's nose had not yet faded, her thick, curled eyelashes were wet and stuck together, and her large, almond-shaped eyes were glistening with moisture.

It looks just like the lake surface reflecting starlight after a rainstorm.

Wipe your nose, wipe your eyes, wipe your mouth.

After doing all this, she finally looked up and noticed Zhou Mingyuan's expression.

"What's with that impatient look on your face!"

"Are you in such a hurry to see the photos?"

With an unconsciously coquettish charm, she glared at the instigator beside her.

Gu Caiwei reached out and opened a bag not far away as she spoke.

How can I describe it to you?

Her voice was slightly hoarse from the violent coughing, like silk polished by sandpaper, which added an unprecedented languid allure.

The girl calmed her breathing and bent down to rummage through her bag.

She paused, thinking of her best friend whose fate had been intertwined with hers since childhood, like a mirror image, and a smile unconsciously curved her lips.

She held up two fingers, gesturing a small distance between them; her fingertips shimmered like jade under the warm orange light.

"She should be like... a size enlarged proportionally?"
"Oh~"

Zhou Mingyuan couldn't help but become curious.

The hot pot between them was still steaming. He moved closer to Gu Caiwei, leaning even more towards her.

His broad shoulders almost completely pressed against the outside of her pale arms, and his breath was warm, like feathers.

The light brushed lightly across Gu Caiwei's cheek, the skin on her neck turning pink, sending a slight shiver down her spine.

"Get away from me!"

"Some photos can't be viewed~"

Gu Caiwei finally found her phone among the pile of lipsticks, powder compacts, and small mirrors, and with a hint of smugness in her fingertips, she swiped to unlock the screen.

The unlocking light instantly illuminated.

As if suddenly remembering something, she turned around and covered the screen again.

Photo albums are a girl's little secret!
You can't show it to him.

All that remained was her sweet, ever-present laughter: "Wait a minute~"

"I remember a photo of the two of us from kindergarten."

"Found it!"

Gu Caiwei giggled, holding her phone screen, and turned back to Zhou Mingyuan's side.

Naturally, the two leaned against each other again.

Shoulder to shoulder, arm to arm, through two thin layers of clothing, body heat was clearly transmitted as if by electric current.

But nobody pays attention to these things anymore.

Zhou Mingyuan's gaze was completely drawn to the content on the screen almost instantly.

cute.

So fucking cute!
This word, like the most precise arrow, pierced his imagination instantly and struck straight to his heart.

It was even better than Vivi described.
The background of the photo is a corner of an old Shanghai-style villa covered with gnarled grapevines.

The afternoon sun in midsummer is cut and filtered by layers of grape leaves, turning into countless golden spots of light that fall to the ground like shattered diamonds.

The absolute focus of the old photo is the little girl standing where the vines intertwine.

The little girl, dressed in a well-tailored pale yellow dress, blended seamlessly into the light.

Very cute.

"Oh my god."

"It turns out she had long hair when she was a child."

"so cute"

With his eyes glued to the screen, Zhou Mingyuan couldn't help but sigh.

"You're talking nonsense! Girls love to look pretty when they're little, and their personal style isn't that strong yet. What kindergarten girl has short hair?"

Gu Caiwei rolled her eyes at him and added to the photo.

"This photo was taken when she came to Shanghai. At that time, our family had not yet moved and was living in the old house."

"That's not right, she came to your house to play, so why are there only photos of her in the pictures?"

Zhou Mingyuan discovered the blind spot with a smile.

"What about you?"

"Logically speaking, shouldn't it be a group photo?"

The photo shows a miniature version of Li Zhi.

The fair complexion, nurtured by the soil and water of Lingnan, is so delicate that not a single pore can be seen.

Her small face still retained a hint of babyishness, but her features, including her eyebrows and eyes, were already remarkably clear.

Her eyebrows were delicate, and her nose was small and straight.

His eyes were incredibly bright, pure and without a trace of impurity.

Little Li Zhi stood in the sunlight, her big eyes slightly upturned, as if carrying an innate, undisguised arrogance, looking straight at the camera.

Her little mouth pouted slightly, showing a hint of dissatisfaction at being forced to become a model.

Her arms were tightly wrapped around the teddy bear that was almost as tall as herself.

It’s amazing!
Zhou Mingyuan became more and more engrossed in watching.

Time is indeed a magician.

More than a decade has passed, yet the natural aura and vivid charm of little Li Zhi are exactly the same as those of today's short-haired girls.

Especially those clear, bright eyes, yet with a sense of distance.

"Look! Aren't they exactly the same?"

"My mom always says she hasn't changed at all, she's just a copy and paste."

Gu Caiwei pursed her lips, a hint of undisguised smugness in her eyes, and gently tapped her phone screen with her fingertip, as if pinching her best friend's exquisitely sculpted face through the glass.

"It really is true."

Zhou Mingyuan picked up his cup, took a sip, and nodded as he tried to distract himself.

"She's been like this since she was little, not easy to get along with at all."

Perhaps it was because the atmosphere was too intimate today, Gu Caiwei leaned back in her seat, feeling completely relaxed, and drifted into memories.

I recall the long years we've shared, and the unbreakable bond I share with my best friend.

"Let me tell you, even though Xiaolizhi and I are so close now, like sisters, don't let that fool you."

The girl tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, paused, and then her clear voice rang out again.

“We used to argue all the time when we were kids.”

"They snatched things, toys, food, and even got into fights."

"what?"

Zhou Mingyuan, who was listening attentively, stared wide-eyed.

"You can't tell from that."

"Look, like this one."

Gu Caiwei reached out and pointed her fingertip at the little bear in the photo that Li Zhi was holding tightly in her arms.

"Why don't you guess why I didn't come out and take a picture with her?"

"Hmm, you're worried you're not as pretty as her?"

Zhou Mingyuan stroked his chin, pretending to have thought about it for a while, and asked a question he already knew the answer to.

"What nonsense are you talking about!"

Gu Caiwei sat up straight, pouted, and rolled her eyes at the man, clearly dissatisfied with the answer.

"She came to my house to play, and she took my teddy bear. I was so upset, I hid in my room and cried. Don't you understand?"

"Hahahahahaha."

Zhou Mingyuan couldn't help but laugh out loud, shifting his gaze from the photo to Gu Caiwei. Her delicate cheeks were especially radiant from the spicy food, the light shifting and intertwining on her face, highlighting her incredibly vivid features.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Is it funny?"

Gu Caiwei looked at the man's exaggerated movements and said angrily.

"I really can't imagine the two of you fighting. I'm sorry."

"There are many stories of fighting when I was a child."

Amidst the rising steam, Gu Caiwei completely opened up and started talking.

She took a sip of soy milk, leaning almost half her weight against Zhou Mingyuan, and brought her phone screen even closer, as if trying to cram every detail into his eyes.

"Look, this photo has me in it, it's a picture of the two of us."

"Wow"

As the girl's slender fingers flipped through the pages one by one, Zhou Mingyuan was treated to a feast for the eyes.

"Alright, alright, that's all the photos."

The good times didn't last long, and Gu Caiwei put her phone away.

"Hey, I've always been really curious, you two are from different cities, one in Shanghai and the other in Guangzhou, how did you become best friends?"

Zhou Mingyuan picked up his long chopsticks and precisely scooped up a few slices of meat from the bubbling red pot. He placed them in a strainer to drain off the excess red oil and then shoved them into the oil dish in front of Gu Caiwei.

"Let's eat and talk at the same time, no rush."

"Our two families, well, have a deep connection."

After accepting the food, Gu Caiwei continued speaking without pausing.

"The relationship between my mother and Li Zhi's mother, also known as Aunt Gu, dates back to their university days."

"I think there was some kind of debate competition back then, but I don't remember the specifics. Anyway, I heard that my mother was studying at the University of Finance and Economics, and Aunt Gu was studying at the China University of Political Science and Law. Apparently, they argued fiercely over a topic and almost slammed their fists on the table. Later, they became close friends who appreciated each other."

"The Central University of Finance and Economics?"

Zhou Mingyuan blinked, filled with awe.

"Uh-huh."

Gu Caiwei continued.

"So even after they graduated, got married, and had children, they kept in touch and became best friends."

"Little Lychee and I were destined to be bound together from the moment we were still in our mothers' wombs."

The girl's tone became melodious as she rested her chin on her hand, her eyes filled with memories of her distant childhood.

"My mom said that we used to fight every time we met when we were little."

"When I first went to Guangzhou, she had a crystal ball music box at home that could spin, sing, and light up."

Gu Caiwei stuck out her tongue, and for the first time, her micro-expression showed a hint of embarrassment.

“I thought the snowflakes in that crystal ball were so beautiful, and I wanted to play with it, but she wouldn’t let me, saying it was a gift my dad brought back from abroad.”

"and then?"

Zhou Mingyuan looked over with a half-smile.

"Then, well, kids don't know any better, so I went and snatched it."

Neither of us would give in, and we ended up rolling around in the living room, her clutching the music box tightly, and me grabbing at her new dress.

"Both sides suffer losses."

Gu Caiwei cleared her throat and drew out the sound.

"It is said that we cried so loudly that it startled both families."

"In the end, I also got the same music box."

As she spoke, she couldn't help but giggle, her beautiful eyes sparkling with a hint of embarrassment.

"The story that followed became a back-and-forth exchange."

Gu Caiwei picked up the iced soy milk and took a big gulp, moistening her throat, which was a little dry from reminiscing. Her long neck was slightly raised under the light.

"She's also developed a temper; she hits me every time we meet."

"They'll fight over the latest Barbie doll, the last almond cookie, who gets to play on the swing in the garden first, and even argue on the sofa about what cartoon to watch at night."

"That's interesting."

Zhou Mingyuan smiled and listened attentively.

In fact, when a girl takes the initiative to share her family background with a man, it is a sign that she feels very secure.

The family is one of the most private and core spheres.

Sharing family details, especially the imperfect aspects involving emotional conflicts and embarrassing moments, often means that she is willing to take off her mask in front of you and show a more authentic side of herself.

This is a high level of trust being granted.

Subconsciously, Gu Caiwei had already regarded Zhou Mingyuan as a safe person to confide in.

"What then?"

"I want to hear the important part: how did you two go from being mortal enemies to best friends?"

Zhou Mingyuan made no attempt to hide his interest.

"Later"

Gu Caiwei composed herself, and her gaze softened.

"The real turning point was probably during that summer vacation, right?"

“Our two families went to Sanya together and stayed in a resort hotel where you could see the blue sea and silver sand as soon as you opened the window.”

The girl's voice returned to its soft, sweet tone.

"Many scenes from that trip are etched into my mind."

"The most memorable moment was one day when we were building sandcastles on the beach."

"I ran barefoot on the beach, searching for the prettiest white seashells to decorate, the smoothest pebbles to make windows, and colorful broken coral to use as flags."

"We spent an entire afternoon pouring all our energy into building this dreamlike crystal palace."

"but."

Gu Caiwei's tone suddenly changed.

"The tide came in, and a huge wave came without warning, crashing over us all at once."

"When I saw the Crystal Palace being half destroyed in an instant, the walls collapsed, the towers fell, and the moat was filled in, I was stunned. I felt that all my efforts that afternoon had been wasted, and the world had turned gray."

"Huh? The waves are coming and you'd better run!"

Zhou Mingyuan quickly grasped the key points.

"Yes, I was also swept in, and I was terrified."

"Because I can't swim, but she has been able to since she was little."

Gu Caiwei said softly.

"I rely on!"

The straight man's voice suddenly rose, revealing a worried expression.

"And guess what happened to Little Lychee?"

"She didn't panic at all. She didn't even call for her parents. She just ran to the side, grabbed a swimming ring, and swam back to shore."

Gu Caiwei gently turned her head and leaned close to Zhou Mingyuan, her eyes sparkling with a captivating light.

The girl's unique sweet fragrance also wafted into the man's nostrils.

"Then, we walked back to our parents, soaked to the bone, with sand and mud in our hair and under our fingernails. We were so tired we could barely lift our arms, and our voices were hoarse from shouting."

"."

Zhou Mingyuan remained silent, maintaining a smiling posture and listening attentively.

"Everything changed after that trip to Sanya."

Gu Caiwei concluded with a resolute tone, her smile warm and firm.

"Although we still bicker occasionally, the arguments and disagreements have gradually become less frequent."

"More often than not, we started to work together, enjoying the scenery, feeling the evening breeze, cycling, swimming, sharing screams and laughter, and even falling into flower fields together."

"Little by little, day by day, we became true sisters, connected by blood, sharing the same heart, and inseparable."

(End of this chapter)