My girlfriend was reborn.

Chapter 16, Act Two: Qiao Jinchen's Adventures
"Compared to the eye-catching brilliance of the first act, the unexpected twists of the third act, and the lingering ending of the fourth act, the second act is always disappointing."

Swipe away.

Qiao Jinchen scrolled through several short videos, and things that usually amused him now only made him feel annoyed.

He put down his phone.

"Once you get there, you'll start missing home-cooked meals."

His mother, Sheng Jing, looked at her phone and said that Qiao Jinchen hadn't eaten much at noon, and she guessed that the boy would be hungry in the evening. The aunt was busy in the kitchen, and the aroma of food wafted over.

“I’ve said it before, I’m not transferring schools or going abroad.”

Qiao Jinchen persisted relentlessly.

"If you're not going abroad, are you really going to take the entrance exam for a lousy second-tier university and actually go there to study?"

Sheng Jing looked up and glanced at her good-for-nothing son.

"Things are different now than before. Even with money and connections, it's hard to get into a good school. It's better to go abroad early and come back as a returnee, no matter what."

Qiao Jinchen didn't reply because he received a message on his phone.

[Zhou Heming]: We'll be going to your house later. Just Xu Youyou, me, and Cheng Shuangjiang.

[Qiao Jinchen]: ?

[Qiao Jinchen]: You betrayed me?

[Zhou Heming]: To tell you the truth, I am actually a reborn Zhou Heming.

[Qiao Jinchen]: ? ? ?

[Zhou Heming]: I know you went abroad because you stayed abroad for many years and even got married.

[Qiao Jinchen]: You're kidding me!
[Qiao Jinchen]: Is my future wife pretty?
[Zhou Heming]: That person is not Xu Youyou.

hum-

Qiao Jinchen's heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason.

What the hell?

This guy suddenly claims to have been reborn, but why is he dragging Xu Youyou into it?
[Zhou Heming]: Because I was reborn, I know that you like Xu Youyou, but you feel that you are not good enough for her because of your poor grades, so you feel inferior and dare not confess.

thump--

Qiao Jinchen's phone fell onto the wool carpet with a muffled thud, but messages continued to be sent on vibrate.

[Zhou Heming]: You married someone you had no feelings for, and you divorced them after a few years. At that time, you were even more afraid to face Xu Youyou, so until I was reborn, you two never met again.

[Zhou Heming]: I was reborn and want to change this future.

[Zhou Heming]: I know how to stop your family from sending you abroad, but the premise is that you have to trust me, trust Sister Youyou, and trust yourself.

Qiao Jinchen stared blankly at the words that didn't sound like something her friend would say, and countless images flashed through her mind.

For example, on the first day of high school, he, who was used to spending money lavishly, bought a drink for his deskmate and shared a lot of his expensive chocolate snacks with her. As a result, the next day, this petite girl brought him a small bag of homemade cookies as a return gift.

This was the first time someone had returned a gift to him. After all, he lacked nothing, and no one would think of returning a gift to a rich second-generation.

But I must say, the cookies were really delicious.

It was only then that Qiao Jinchen learned that this girl had a lovely name: Xu Youyou.

Later, whenever Qiao Jinchen treated her to a meal, she would always buy something else as a return gift, and this continues to this day.

For example, he always rushed over to borrow his classmates' homework to copy in the morning. One day, he asked his deskmate, a girl with excellent grades, for help. After hesitating for a moment, she gave him her homework and then seriously said that she would explain the problems to him after class, and that he couldn't just copy them without thinking.

That day, for the first time in her life, Qiao Jinchen didn't go to play ball after school. Instead, this girl with glasses dragged her around and talked about her homework for the entire extracurricular activity time.

For example, at the New Year's Eve party in the second year of high school, he and Xu Youyou were the hosts. The two argued and rehearsed their lines, but they always spoke in unison and had no chemistry. However, on the day of the actual performance, on the stage surrounded by tables, they did not make any mistakes and gave a perfect curtain call.

He still remembers the scene of the two of them sitting by the window after the last announcement.

At that time, a light winter rain was falling outside the classroom window. Xu Youyou didn't look at him, and he didn't look at the rain.

Pick up the phone.

Qiao Jinchen thought the idea of ​​being reborn was a bit far-fetched, but the future Zhou Heming mentioned was one he absolutely did not want to embark on.

So the boy sent a reply.

[Qiao Jinchen]: I believe it.

*
This was the first time in two years that Xu Youyou had visited Qiao Jinchen's home.

"Don't be nervous, Sister Youyou."

Zhou Heming joked, trying to ease the tense atmosphere.

"I'm not nervous."

Xu Youyou stood downstairs in that high-end riverside apartment building and looked up at it.

She's so naive, really. All she knows is that Qiao Jinchen's family is rich, so she definitely wouldn't live in an old city like Zhongshan South Road. Riverside areas like Jiangqiao are where the rich live.

That damned Qiao Jinchen, she lied to me for two years!

"Stop teasing me. I didn't think you were very composed when you met my uncle either."

Cheng Shuangjiang held Xu Youyou's hand with her left hand and glanced at Zhou Heming, who was too engrossed in his role.

"If you put it that way, you'd probably be nervous if you met my dad, right?"

"It's not like I haven't seen it before."

The girl, who considered herself reborn, pursed her lips and said that she was indeed very experienced in this topic.

"You two, can't you stop showing off your love in front of me?"

Xu Youyou was actually not that nervous anymore, and even started complaining about the "couple" on either side of her.

drop--

The door opened, and the three of them entered the high-rise building and pressed the elevator button for the thirty-first floor.

"So it's true that riding an elevator can cause changes in air pressure in your ears."

Cheng Shuangjiang was clearly visiting such a high-end residential area for the first time. As the elevator sped upwards, she couldn't help but pinch her ear.

Qiao Jinchen opened the door. When he first saw Xu Youyou standing at the back, he paused for a moment before stepping back to make way.

"Hello, Auntie. Teacher Ding said that Qiao Jinchen is not feeling well, so she asked us to bring over today's class notes. We came to visit him while we were at it."

As the only person who had come, Zhou Heming immediately displayed the generosity and politeness that a "reborn person" should have.

Qiao Jinchen was dumbfounded. He turned his head and looked at Xu Youyou, as if asking if something was wrong with her, since she was so cheerful.

But Xu Youyou only met his gaze once before immediately looking away.

"Okay, thank you. Have you eaten yet? Our housekeeper is preparing dinner. Why don't you stay and eat with us?"

Sheng Jing had only met Zhou Heming before, but when she caught sight of the two girls, her gaze lingered briefly on Cheng Shuangjiang's right hand cast before quickly settling on Xu Youyou. "Is this Xu Youyou?"

"Auntie, do you know me?"

Xu Youyou's eyelids twitched, feeling a guilty sense of having been caught secretly dating by her homeroom teacher.

“My son, Achen, often mentions your name, saying that you have helped him a lot.”

"Yes, it's the right thing to do."

Although Sheng Jing's words seemed normal, for some reason, Xu Youyou always felt that the other person had a deeper meaning.

"Who is this classmate?"

"Hello, Auntie, I am Cheng Shuangjiang."

With a flawless smile, the beautiful girl's first words caused Sheng Jing's expression to change.

"That student who's always first in the grade?"

To be honest, Sheng Jing couldn't remember many of Qiao Jinchen's names, but every time there was a parent-teacher meeting, they would pass by the leaderboard on the first-floor corridor, and Cheng Shuangjiang's name was ranked first the most times, which left a deep impression on them.

"Auntie, you flatter me. I was just lucky."

Upon receiving confirmation, Sheng Jing's expression immediately brightened with joy. It seemed that her son's friends were all excellent, so at least she didn't have to worry about him being led astray.

"It's Ah Chen's luck to have you as friends."

“Auntie, Qiao Jinchen told us about transferring schools, so we wanted to talk to him more today.”

Zhou Heming got straight to the point, and his words made Xu Youyou tremble. Sheng Jing, upon hearing this, glanced at her son.

"Yes, as you know, his grades aren't very good, so we thought we'd give him a change of environment and let him go abroad for a few years to gain experience while he's still young."

"I'm not transferring schools."

Qiao Jinchen muttered something, then went to the door and changed her shoes.

"Where are you going? Dinner will be ready soon."

Sheng Jing frowned.

Qiao Jinchen did not respond, only glanced at Xu Youyou, and then opened the door and left.

"Auntie, he might be in a bad mood. Let's walk with him and have a good chat."

Zhou Heming smoothed things over.

Sheng Jing wanted to say something, but when she saw Cheng Shuangjiang and Xu Youyou, she swallowed her words and just nodded.

"Please help me persuade him; I'm doing this for his own good."

"okay."

The three of them quickly went out, but as soon as they took the elevator to the first floor, they saw Qiao Jinchen waiting there.

"Hey."

He forced a smile and greeted them.

"Let's go for a walk together?"

Qiao Jinchen looked at Xu Youyou.

"Just the two of us."

The girl wearing glasses paused, then turned to look at Zhou Heming and Cheng Shuangjiang.

Zhou Heming simply waved to signal her to hurry up, while Cheng Shuangjiang gave him a thumbs-up.

Xu Youyou adjusted her glasses and followed.

After the two had gone far away, Cheng Shuangjiang watched the setting sun drag their shadows before looking at Zhou Heming beside her.

"So, your script is to pretend the reborn individuals tell them about the future, and then let them decide for themselves now?"

"Yes and no."

Zhou Heming spoke leisurely, with a gentle and understated smile.

"The problem between Achen and Youyou is not the separation in reality, the difference in their grades, or the gap in their families. They are just trapped in their own expectations."

"You'll only call them that when you grow up."

Cheng Shuangjiang looked at the eighteen-year-old Zhou Heming and felt a sense of familiarity.

"Then my profile was quite reasonable."

The boy always wore a smile, a smile that seemed to have seen through the bleakness of the world, yet still chose to love it.

"To make them waver and believe in that terrible future, I, as the person closest to them, need to play the role of a 'reborn person'. So, based on your description, I profiled myself at thirty-five. After all, I'm not an actor; I can only play myself."

The things that the young Zhou Heming wouldn't have explained in such a complicated way were narrated by him, word by word.

"Let's leave my own affairs aside for now and get back to the two of them. Both Achen and Youyou are very serious, cherish, and value their relationships. Therefore, they want to give each other their best selves and fulfill all expectations, especially their own. This is the root of their inferiority complex."

but.

Eighteen-year-old Zhou Heming glanced at the beautiful girl beside him, his gaze unwavering.

"But this seemingly insurmountable problem is only a problem for them."

Qiao Jinchen is concerned about her less-than-ideal grades, but Xu Youyou doesn't care at all.

Xu Youyou was worried about the difference in their family backgrounds, but Qiao Jinchen didn't care at all.

They are troubled by problems that others may see as pretentious and awkward, simply because they are only eighteen years old and because they face them alone.

"After all, dating is a matter between two people. If you don't express your feelings, communicate, understand each other, and face things together, you'll never escape the self-imposed prison you've built for yourself."

The last rays of the setting sun fell on Zhou Heming's face, illuminating it with a dazzling brilliance.

"Therefore, all expressions of love should be made as early as possible."

Cheng Shuangjiang stared blankly at Zhou Heming, looking lost and melancholy. She bit her lower lip lightly, and then, as night fell, she sighed and said...

What you just said really sounds like what you would say at thirty-five.

Zhou Heming did not answer, but simply smiled.

"So now, we just wait for them to come back?"

Cheng Shuangjiang looked in the direction of the community exit.

"That's why I said the script is more than that."

Zhou Heming adjusted the backpack on his back.

"I also need to add a touch of fantasy to the ending of this story."

*
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(End of this chapter)