Can following the rules be called rebirth?

Chapter 293, Section 291: Whispers at Night (Part Two)
"Yes."

"So I find it particularly funny."

Gu Caiwei picked up a truffle chocolate from the coffee table, unwrapped the gold foil, put it in her mouth, and her dimples bloomed with sweetness.

"He usually seems very polite and proper."

"Actually, I'm very rebellious inside, like there's a rebellious child inside me who despises conventional behavior."

"Oh no, you can't say that."

The little princess's voice was a little muffled, and her gaze drifted toward the television screen.

"He was just a kid after all."

"She's a few months younger than me."

"."

Li Zhi didn't ask any further questions, but silently took a big gulp of the infused water.

The icy liquid slid down my throat, but it couldn't extinguish the crackling sound burning in my heart.

The topic seems to keep revolving around an invisible center.

Zhou Mingyuan.

Why do you keep mentioning Zhou Mingyuan?

Who spoke first?

And who is it that keeps talking nonstop?
The short-haired girl suddenly became irritable.

The plot of the TV series has quietly progressed to the point where the male and female leads separate due to a misunderstanding.

The old-fashioned and melancholic background music flowed slowly, while Gu Caiwei watched with great interest, her slender legs crossed and her jade feet swinging back and forth in the air.

Li Zhi remained silent and took several deep breaths.

The half-empty bottle was placed back on the coffee table. The short-haired girl turned around to face her best friend, put her legs together again, and stretched out her arms to lean closer.

"Oh, right, Vivi~~~"

The warm yellow light cast a shadow on her face.

"Ok?"

Gu Caiwei turned her face to the side, slightly raising her chin.

Why didn't I see you wearing that brooch today?

"Uh"

Her best friend's seemingly casual question made Gu Caiwei pause, and she thought for a few seconds before speaking again.

"I'm just too lazy to explain to my elders. After all, it's a Christmas gift from someone else. Aunt Gu has such a sharp eye. If she talks to my mom on the phone later, she'll definitely say that I accepted people's gifts without permission."

"You didn't accept gifts randomly! It's not like you didn't give him a Christmas present in return."

Li Zhi squinted and cautiously probed forward little by little.

"What gift did you give him in return?"

"Just a watch."

What brand is it?

The short-haired girl pressed for details.

Rolex.

"Wow"

Li Zhi immediately sat up straight, looking incredulous.

These days, even the cheapest Rolex has a list price of 4 to 5 RMB.

Not to mention the popular models.

"Gu Caiwei! I've never seen you so generous when choosing a Christmas present for me!"

It's been a few days since Christmas.

However, both Li Zhi and Gu Caiwei tacitly avoided discussing the topic of Christmas gifts.

From Gu Caiwei's perspective, she was a "beneficiary," so of course she wouldn't bring it up on her own initiative.

Li Zhi received two concert tickets, but she hasn't decided yet who to invite to go with her.

So even though she was curious about what her best friend had given her, she kept quiet about it.

It wasn't until today that I belatedly realized how shocking it was.

"I was just repaying a favor."

Mentioning this made Gu Caiwei blush, and her soft voice lowered a few decibels.

“Look, he spent so much on his birthday, so I thought I’d send him a similar gift back.”

Reasonable.

That explanation makes perfect sense.

"And it's not much money!"

"He even taught me how to trade stocks. Combined with the profits from the coffee shop over the past few months, it wasn't actually that much money."

The more explanations one gives, the more guilty one feels.

Facing her best friend's intense gaze, Gu Caiwei's voice grew softer and softer. She simply turned her head away, pretending to be engrossed in the plot on TV.

"Okay, okay, but then again..."

"What you said to Mom during dinner tonight."

"If you meet someone you like, be brave and take the plunge."

"Are you serious?"

Li Zhi stared intently at her best friend's flawless profile, then added, "Are you planning to start dating?"

"."

Gu Caiwei blinked, put down the cushion in her hand, and her expression was quickly masked by a bright smile.

"Well, I was just saying that casually."

"Although people say that it's easy for a woman to pursue a man, you should at least make sure he's interested before you make a bold move, right?"

"Girls should be more reserved."

"And what about your feelings?"

Law students are always very logical when they chat.

Li Zhi was not swayed by her at all.

Whether her best friends are laughing and joking or going around in circles, nothing can stop the short-haired girl from peeling back the layers and getting straight to the heart.

If you've also decided how you feel, would you take the initiative?

"me."

The air seemed to thicken suddenly, and Gu Caiwei's smile slowly faded, her watery peach blossom eyes darting around.

She didn't answer immediately, but instead picked up the remaining half bottle of sparkling water, tilted her head back, and took a big gulp, her throat moving slightly.

Only the sad lines of couples breaking up on TV echoed in the living room.

"."

Li Zhi stared intently at Gu Caiwei, not missing a single subtle change in her face.

She saw her best friend's lips purse slightly and her chest rise and fall a little more.

"Although I haven't tried it yet, I probably will."

Gu Caiwei shrugged, leaning forward slightly, a few strands of brown hair almost brushing into Li Zhi's collarbone.

"Didn't you say you didn't want to date during summer vacation? Why do you keep asking me these questions now?"

"no."

Li Zhi opened her mouth, but hesitated to speak.

Times change, fortunes turn, how can things be the same now as before?

"Or is it that our little lychee has a crush on someone?"

Gu Caiwei opened her arms, rested her chin on her best friend's shoulder, and giggled as she moved closer, taking the initiative.

No. I didn't.

Li Zhi lowered her eyes and subconsciously shook her head, avoiding the other person's gaze: "Then do you have someone you're interested in?"

"Yes, I have."

"Oh, wait, what did you say?"

The short-haired girl initially breathed a sigh of relief, but then suddenly realized something was wrong with her ears and quickly looked up again.

Did you hear me wrong?

"Weiwei, what did you say?"

"I said, I have been a little tempted lately."

When Gu Caiwei talked about these things, she smiled, her eyes crinkling, and every little movement exuded charm.

"."

Li Zhi was completely stunned.

This is wrong!

You vehemently denied it, but how could you...
"No, huh? Who are you interested in? Who is this person? Do I know them?"

Overcome with emotion, even the usually clear-headed Li Zhi became incoherent, saying things like, "We know each other."

Gu Caiwei giggled and nodded generously.

The clever and intelligent little princess, with the help of the red wine that Gu Qionghua was serving her tonight, was able to completely let loose.

After all, there was always some unspeakable resentment in her heart.

Fortunately, I've always known that Xiao Lizhi doesn't want to be in a relationship at this stage.

When they first probed, the other party acted as usual.

She said she didn't have a crush on any of the male guests.

No, there isn't any!

"Who? Who do I know? Zhou Mingyuan?"

"Uh-huh."

With her innermost thoughts finally laid bare in the sunlight, Gu Caiwei smiled, radiating boundless energy.

"It's him"

Li Zhi unconsciously raised her hand to touch her temples, trying to tuck the stray hairs back behind her ears.

But the hair there had just been styled with a hairdryer, looking exquisite and neat.

"When did you... start dating him?"

The crisp Cantonese dialect suddenly became dry and lifeless.

The short-haired girl was at a loss, so she quickly grabbed the sparkling water from the coffee table, tilted her head back, and took a big gulp.

"Actually, I can't quite explain it either."

Gu Caiwei rested her chin on her hand, her eyes seemingly filled with countless stars.

When exactly did I start to fall for him?
In fact, she had repeatedly searched her mind for that moment and that emotion more than once.

Can't tell.

I really can't tell the difference.

She couldn't remember when it started, but she found herself unconsciously beginning to pay attention to Zhou Mingyuan's movements.

I secretly follow Nanhu University's official WeChat account, refresh Zhou Mingyuan's social media updates every day, take a second look at news about Mingli Company, and quietly prick up my ears when I hear coffee shop employees talking about him.

On one occasion, when she saw a boy of similar height and build wearing a similar style of white shirt on the campus of the University of Finance and Economics, her first reaction was not to greet him.

Instead, she turned her back, took out a small mirror, and looked at herself.

Something is wrong!
Gu Caiwei, Gu Caiwei, when did you become so concerned about someone?
Something's not right at all!
When she realized something was wrong, she discovered that she had already fallen completely in love.

Especially when I'm alone, I always think of Zhou Mingyuan's angular face.

She saw couples strolling hand in hand along the South Lake, the girl smiling radiantly.

Then, she couldn't help but think of Zhou Mingyuan.

I remember his well-defined fingers when he taught me how to mix drinks.

She saw the lights still burning late into the night in the Nanhu Industrial Park and the busy figures in the CBD.

Then, she couldn't help but think of Zhou Mingyuan.

I recall Li Zhi saying that overtime work is common in legal consulting firms; I wonder if he's also under some lamp at this moment.

She saw long queues outside the newly opened dessert shop, and the sweet aroma wafted for miles around.

Then, she couldn't help but think of Zhou Mingyuan.

Remembering how he traveled through the night just to bring her a small cake, she couldn't help but laugh out loud, then quickly covered her mouth.

She saw balloons released in the square, swaying and rising into the night sky, chasing the moon.

And so, she couldn't help but think of him again.

The city of Jiangcheng suddenly became filled with his shadow.

Those fragments about Zhou Mingyuan were both clear and blurry, like fireworks suddenly exploding in the night sky, bursting and blooming in her heart.

This left her with nowhere to escape, and she no longer wanted to escape.

Yes.

It wasn't until she let herself sink into her memories that she belatedly realized what was happening.

The so-called attraction may have been foreshadowed long ago.

On a bright and sunny morning, he rolled up his sleeves and together they opened the shutter door of the Relief Cafe.

Life also flipped a switch, causing all the vague feelings of affection to converge into a river called "heartbeat".

But from which exact moment did it begin?
Even she herself couldn't explain it.

So when she finally revealed the other person's name tonight after being pressed by Li Zhi, she felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from her heart, and she became incredibly clear-headed.

"."

The world seemed to have been muted.

The tearful farewell of the male and female protagonists on TV, the occasional passing of a car horn outside the window, the air flowing between my lungs.
Everything came to an abrupt end, fading into a blurred background.

After Gu Caiwei uttered that name with a smile, Li Zhi felt as if her hearing had gone blank.

All that remained was the roar of blood rushing to the top of my head, screaming wildly in my eardrums.

The fingers gripping the knee tightened subtly, the nails digging deep into the palm, leaving deep crescent-shaped marks.

My mind went blank for a moment, and my thoughts were instantly formatted.

Immediately afterwards, countless thoughts, accompanied by jarring noise, surged in like a flood bursting its banks.

she.
Does she like Zhou Mingyuan?

How could she possibly like Zhou Mingyuan?

I was right first.
Despite having a premonition and having mentally rehearsed it countless times, the sudden impact of hearing the other person so frankly admit it still far exceeded my psychological preparation.

It's not a guess, not a doubt, it's a confirmation.

Youth only comes once?
So, we should be bold and take action?

These words weren't meant for me at all.
That was her pre-battle mobilization, her confirmation of her own inner self!
Li Zhi opened her mouth, but her throat felt like it was blocked by something, and she couldn't make a sound.

What should I say?
congratulations?
I wish you both a speedy and successful marriage.
Good luck!

My brain finally started working again, frantically searching for a suitable response, but every option felt incredibly unfair.

The short-haired girl could even feel that her lips seemed to have lost control.

She tried to force a sweet smile to offer her blessings, but she knew without looking in a mirror that the smile was incredibly stiff.

strangeness.

Why does my lychee-flavored sparkling water taste so bitter today?
It's so bitter.
"But he..."

"he"

Li Zhi knew she had to say something.

We must break this suffocating silence, or it will be too obvious.

He is an Aquarius.

"Yes, he's an Aquarius, a typical jerk."

The short-haired girl struggled to organize her thoughts, each word seemingly squeezed out from between her teeth, her train of thought fragmented and barely coherent.

"With so many beautiful women around, if we get together in the future, I'll inevitably be jealous all the time, and it will be exhausting."

"How about we..."

The second half of the sentence, which carried a sense of dissuasion, swirled in her mind repeatedly, but ultimately got stuck in her throat.

Pale and powerless.

In fact, she couldn't even convince herself of these things.

What right do we have to advise others to back out?
"Weiwei, what do you like about him?"

Li Zhi shook her head vigorously, finally managing to come up with a question that was genuinely heartfelt.

"Do I need a reason to like someone?"

The little princess spoke frankly, with an almost innocent purity, and her eyes were bright.

Don't you want it?

Li Zhi mechanical repetition.

"Want it?"

Gu Caiwei stretched, looked out the window, picked up the remote, and turned off the long, third-rate romance drama.

"Perhaps it's just a matter of a single moment."

"Let's go back to the room and talk."

"Don't you think he's pretty romantic?"

"."

The master bedroom lights were off.

A long beam of moonlight slanted in, illuminating the center of Gu Caiwei's profile as she spoke softly.

"right."

Li Zhi forced a smile, her right hand gripping the corner of the bed sheet tightly, the veins bulging beneath the darkness.

At this moment, although the moon was not full for her, its gentle moonlight did indeed shine upon her.

(End of this chapter)