Endless Bliss

A freak accident sent me back to high school. The first thing I saw was my brother leading a group of rich kids to bully Gu Jin. My brother tossed Gu Jin’s textbooks into the pond, grabbed him by the collar, and sneered, “Come on, bark like a dog for me.” Who would have guessed that this penniless, dirt-poor kid would one day become a business tycoon, bring my family to ruin, and force me to be his caged bird? Given a second chance, I had to stop my brother from walking down a path of no return and desperately curry favor with this vengeful future magnate.

01

I was reborn, and the first thing I saw upon waking was my brother tormenting Gu Jin. My brother’s name was Zhang Baichen. Born into a wealthy family, he threw his weight around and was, frankly, a real piece of work. Zhang Baichen threw Gu Jin’s textbooks into the water, yanked his collar, and forced him to bark like a dog. The surrounding students let out harsh laughter. Gu Jin gritted his teeth and stayed silent. Until Zhang Baichen said with a sinister smile, “Gu Jin, I heard your mom’s a trash-picking idiot, knocked up by some man. A dirty, disgusting bastard. Just being around you is embarrassing.” Instantly, Gu Jin went berserk like a rabid dog, his eyes wide and bloodshot, and he punched my brother square in the face. My brother had practiced martial arts for years and never lost a fight, but Gu Jin caught him off guard. Gu Jin fought without any technique, relying purely on a ruthless, suicidal frenzy that scared off my brother’s lackeys. My brother quickly lost the upper hand. I had just been reborn and was still processing the scene. I rushed forward like waking from a dream and grabbed Gu Jin’s arm. “Stop fighting!” In my memory, the older Gu Jin worked out constantly. His arms were much thicker than when he was a teenager. Every time he came to the villa to see me, I wouldn’t get any sleep. Crying and begging was useless; it only made him harsher. Those memories were etched into my bones. When our eyes met, I instinctively feared him. Gu Jin’s body went rigid. The ferocity on his face hadn’t faded, but he finally stopped. His gaze shifted to my arm, and his dark eyes trembled. There were several fresh welts across my pale arm, left by my father’s belt. Why had I been beaten? Oh, I remembered. Because Gu Jin got first place, and I dropped to second. My father punished me. My father, Zhang Jianming, was a firm believer in elite education and was extremely strict with me and my brother. He wouldn’t allow me to lose to a poor kid. Because of this, my brother grew to hate Gu Jin and led the bullying. In my past life, though I’d advised my brother not to do it, I’d harbored some resentment and unwillingness, and I’d ultimately looked the other way. So when Gu Jin eventually retaliated, I suffered too, becoming his little plaything for venting his needs. I pulled down my sleeve to hide the scars. Gu Jin silently jumped into the water to retrieve his textbooks. Meanwhile, a crowd surrounded Zhang Baichen, fawning over him. Zhang Baichen held his bleeding nose, seething with rage, and wanted to keep fighting. I stopped him, both pained and angry. “Brother, that’s enough.” “It’s not over… I’ll find a chance to really mess him up next time!” Zhang Baichen spat out a mouthful of blood and walked toward the infirmary, surrounded by his cronies. I was about to follow him to the infirmary, but I glanced back. Gu Jin had climbed ashore. There were bruises on his face, and the textbooks in his hands were soaked and ruined. He clenched his fists, veins bulging on his arms, water dripping from his body. Yeah, he was the perfect picture of a battle-worn beauty. Forget my pathetic excuse for a brother. The most important thing now was to extinguish the spark of hatred in Gu Jin’s heart.

02

I secretly followed Gu Jin, confirmed his home address, then ran to the pharmacy to buy medicine and bandages. Trembling, I knocked on his door. An older woman answered. When she saw me, she smiled and pulled me inside. “Eat dumplings.” Gu Jin’s home was a small, old house with simple furnishings, but it was very clean. Gu Jin heard the commotion and came out of the bathroom. He was only wearing jeans, no shirt. The young man had a lean, tall frame. Years of hard work had given him a nice layer of muscle; he was slender but not weak. “What are you doing here?” “This… is for you.” I pointed at his face. “You need to treat those wounds.” “No need. You’re not welcome here.” Gu Jin grabbed the back of my collar and dragged me out. The older woman grabbed my arm, insisting stubbornly, “Eat dumplings.” Her grip hurt. Gu Jin immediately let go of me, looking annoyed. “My mom… If you don’t mind, stay for dinner. Otherwise, she’ll make a fuss for a long time.” I happily agreed, and the woman went to the kitchen to get the dumplings. Gu Jin put on a shirt, and the three of us sat down to eat. Many of the dumplings in the bowl had burst open, the chive and egg filling mixed with the flour into a paste. They didn’t look great and were a bit salty. I had grown up with the best of everything. Even later, when my family went bankrupt and I was forced to be with Gu Jin, he never skimped on material things. These terrible dumplings were really hard for me to swallow. But Gu Jin ate them with gusto. The woman stroked his head, her innocent face full of affection. “Happy birthday, little Jin. Grow up good and well.” The coldness in Gu Jin’s eyes melted away. He looked at his mother, his gaze very tender. I watched him and couldn’t help but smile. “If you can’t stomach it, give it to me. No need to force yourself. My mom’s mind isn’t quite right. Her cooking isn’t great.” “I can eat it.” I managed half a bowl, then couldn’t take any more. I quietly pushed the bowl over to him. He took it without a word and finished it in a few bites. At this moment, Gu Jin seemed easy to get along with. I seized the opportunity. “My brother went too far today. I apologize to you on his behalf.” Gu Jin’s face instantly turned cold. “He’s him, you’re you. It has nothing to do with you.” So, Gu Jin was someone who distinguished between people. He wouldn’t take his anger at my brother out on me. Then later… what exactly did my brother do that was so terrible to make Gu Jin hate the Zhang family so much? To make Gu Jin bide his time for years, not content with bankrupting my family, but also dragging my father and brother into legal trouble, drowning them in debt, leaving them with no way to make a living. And as for me, he took me by force. Every time I was with him, I could feel his overwhelming hatred for the Zhang family.

03

The next day, I got up early and put the new textbooks in Gu Jin’s desk. I turned and bumped into a hard chest. With the height difference, I only reached his chest. Startled, I stumbled backward, but the young man caught me by the waist. “You got first place and you’re still here this early? That’s so competitive!” I pushed him away in a panic. “I’m going to go do practice problems now. I won’t lose to you next time!” Gu Jin grabbed the back of my collar and glanced at the textbooks. “Thanks.” “Mm, you’re welcome.” I walked away quickly, my arms and legs moving stiffly. I touched my burning cheeks. Why was I blushing? He was just a wet-behind-the-ears kid! I slumped onto my desk. It wasn’t embarrassment from blushing. I had a fever. “Zhang Baichen is going to mess with Gu Jin again. He tricked his crazy mom into coming to school to pick up trash.” “What does Gu Jin’s crazy mom look like? Let’s go see!” I ran outside. A large crowd had gathered near the convenience store. Zhang Baichen smashed a soda bottle at the woman’s feet. “Trash picker, pick it up.” The woman cowered in fear, her body hunched. She was terrified, whimpering softly. By the time I got there, I smelled urine. “Hahaha! Brother Chen, you scared her so much she peed herself!” “What a pain.” Zhang Baichen threw another soda bottle at her feet, glass shattering everywhere. “Brother! Stop it!” I rushed to the woman’s side. She was still leaking urine. A crowd had gathered to watch the spectacle. I took off my jacket and tied it around her waist, then took her hand. “Auntie, don’t be afraid. Let me take you—” Bang! Gu Jin burst out and kicked Zhang Baichen hard in the lower back. Zhang Baichen fell onto the broken glass. The kick was brutal. Zhang Baichen couldn’t get up for a moment. Gu Jin wasn’t a coward by nature. His previous restraint was only for the sake of his studies. On the contrary, Gu Jin’s personality was actually a bit unhinged. I remembered once when I went to a party with him, someone made a pass at me. He flew into a rage and broke the guy’s ribs. At this moment, Gu Jin’s eyes were bloodshot, radiating the murderous aura of a desperado. He picked up a piece of broken glass and walked toward Zhang Baichen. Zhang Baichen was scared. “You… what are you going to do?! What are you all standing there for?! He’s crazy! Help me stop him!” No one dared to stop a madman with nothing to lose. I was afraid of him too, but I had to stop him. I rushed over, wrapped my arms tightly around his waist, closed my eyes, and buried my face in his chest. “Gu Jin… don’t!” His muscles were tense, his breathing heavy. I was crying. “Don’t do anything stupid. Take your mom and go home…” I stroked his back, trying to calm his raging soul. Clatter! Gu Jin finally dropped the glass. His hand was dripping blood. I watched him help his mother walk away until they disappeared from sight. In my past life, this hadn’t happened. “Brother…” Zhang Baichen pushed me away, his eyes dark and menacing. “He’s finished.” My heart skipped a beat. I had clearly stopped my brother from courting death twice. So why did I have this ominous feeling—that our fate hadn’t changed, that we were still sliding toward the predetermined end?

04

I knocked on Gu Jin’s door. He was wearing rubber gloves, washing my jacket. His mother was asleep inside. I grabbed his wrist and pulled off the glove. His hand was simply wrapped in gauze, still seeping blood. “Are you a masochist? Your hand is like this, and you’re still washing clothes!” The world spun, and I collapsed into his arms, fainting. When I woke up, it was dusk. The hospital room lights were off. Gu Jin sat by the bed, his rough palm on my forehead. My brain was fuzzy from the fever. I thought I was back before my rebirth. Gu Jin hated the Zhang family. He only saw me as a plaything, keeping me caged to humiliate my father and brother. But every time I was sick, Gu Jin would be especially gentle with me, patiently feeding me medicine and food, like a nurturing mother. Sick people were always fussy. So, I proactively wrapped my arms around his neck and whined, “I feel so awful. Hold me~” After a long pause, his voice hoarse, he said, “Zhang Yihuan, it’s me, Gu Jin.” Then, I was fully awake… I let him go, my toes curling with embarrassment. I had actually mistaken the teenage Gu Jin for the older Mr. Gu! Gu Jin turned on the light. Remembering how I had just used that ridiculously soft voice to act spoiled with a boy I barely knew, I didn’t know where to hide my face. Gu Jin’s face was expressionless, but his ears were red enough to bleed. In my past life, no matter how intense our fights were, his face was always blank. The only sign of his mood was how red his ears were. I covered my face. “What are you thinking about… Don’t you dare think anything weird!” “Okay, I won’t.”

05

After my fever broke, I rested at home for half a day and only went to school in the afternoon. As soon as I walked into the classroom, my deskmate, Zhao Xiaoxing, started gossiping. “That Gu Jin you hate so much got caught stealing the class fund.” Her sentence contained two rumors. First, I didn’t hate him. I wanted to get on his good side. Second, Gu Jin wouldn’t steal money. I remembered. In my past life, there was this incident of Gu Jin being accused of stealing the class fund. Back then, I was delivering homework to the teacher’s office. His homeroom teacher slammed the table. “Gu Jin, you’ve disappointed me so much! I know your family is poor, but that doesn’t mean you can steal! Talent without virtue, you’ll be a menace to society when you graduate!” The girl beside him, probably their class treasurer, chimed in, “Yeah, if you don’t have money, you can tell us. We can donate to help you. There was no need to steal.” Gu Jin stood up straight, his thin lips pressed tightly together, his face full of contempt and indifference. I sneered at him in my heart. What was the point of scoring higher than me if your character was worthless? Suddenly, Gu Jin saw me. His face changed drastically. He strode over to me. “No… it’s not like that! I didn’t steal!” I didn’t want to talk to him. I turned to leave. Gu Jin went crazy, grabbing my arm with incredible force. The wounds on my arm hadn’t healed yet. I struggled. “What do I care if you stole or not! Let go of me!” The teacher came to pull him away. But he only held on tighter, refusing to let go. Gu Jin had fallen into a state of obsession. He stared at me intently, his eyes reddening. “Zhang Yihuan… what do I have to do… for you to believe me? I really didn’t steal the money!” I didn’t understand. Why was Gu Jin so fixated on me believing him? I barely even knew him. I was almost scared into tears. “I… I believe you. Let go. You’re hurting me…” Finally, he let go. In my past life, the punishment was a disciplinary warning for Gu Jin.

06

Remembering the look of near-despair in Gu Jin’s eyes back then, my heart ached. I immediately went to find Gu Jin. On the hallway, I ran into my pathetic excuse for a brother. Zhang Baichen had his arm around a girl. It was the class treasurer from Gu Jin’s class! “Huanhuan, meet your new sister-in-law.” After Zhang Baichen left, I smiled at the girl. “Tell me quickly, how did you help my brother set up Gu Jin?” The girl, wanting to ingratiate herself with me, said smugly, “I put the class fund in his desk, then pretended it was missing. We searched everyone’s desks and caught him red-handed.” So, Gu Jin had been framed by my brother. I took out my phone and waved it at the girl. “I just recorded that. You have ten minutes to go confess to the teacher. Otherwise, I’ll play this recording on a loop over the school’s PA system.” “You… your brother told me to do it! Why are you helping an outsider!” I imitated Mr. Gu’s expression and said coldly, “You have nine minutes and forty seconds left.” The girl looked panicked and ran toward the teacher’s office. Actually, I hadn’t recorded anything. I was bluffing. By the second break, the news had spread: the class treasurer from Gu Jin’s class had gone to the teacher and said the class fund had been found. The money in Gu Jin’s desk was his own. It had all been a misunderstanding. Zhang Baichen called me to the rooftop. “Zhang Yihuan, are you crazy? If he hadn’t stolen first place from you, would Dad have hit you? I was getting back at him for you! Why are you helping an outsider!” I sighed. “Dad hitting me is because Dad has psychological issues. What does it have to do with Gu Jin? Framing him for stealing was your idea. The way I handled it was already me protecting you out of selfishness. Zhang Baichen, don’t bully the young. You’re tormenting him now, but one day he’ll get his revenge on us.” Zhang Baichen looked unconvinced. “Hah, like he could?” At this point, Zhang Baichen’s desire to grind Gu Jin down was no longer about getting back at him for me. Violence was like a drug addiction. Once you started, there were no limits. “Give me your phone.” Zhang Baichen took my phone, smashed it against the wall, and stomped on it a few times for good measure. “Next time I mess with him, don’t you interfere!” In my past life, I dropped out of high school in my senior year to study abroad. So, I didn’t know how Zhang Baichen plotted against Gu Jin after that.

07

The rooftop wall was curved, blocking the view. After Zhang Baichen left, Gu Jin emerged from the other side of the rooftop. I froze. Had he heard everything? Gu Jin rolled up my sleeve. The higher he went, the denser the scars. My skin was very pale, making the scars look even more gruesome. “Besides your arms… where else are you hurt?” “He only hit my arms. I need to dance, so my dad was afraid others would see.” I looked into Gu Jin’s eyes. They were red, with tears welling up. “Big shot… you’re not going to cry, are you?” Then, Gu Jin pressed my head against his chest and hugged me. “Your dad… does he hit you often?” I avoided his question and said brightly, “I’m not the same person I used to be. If he hits me now, I’ll fight back. I’ll call the police, or tell the elders in the family. He wouldn’t dare then.” When I was younger, I was too afraid to resist. I was afraid that if I fought back, my father would abandon me. But now, my soul was 28 years old. I was no longer afraid of patriarchal authority. I knew how to fight back. “There’s a third option.” The young man’s tears dripped onto my neck, shocking me for a lifetime. “Tell me. I’ll beat him up.” “Assault is illegal.” “Then I’ll break the law.” I laughed, stroking his back, moved by the young man’s fervor.

08

Gu Jin picked up the broken phone. “I’ll fix it for you.” “You can fix it even when it’s broken like this?” “Mm.” After school, Gu Jin and I walked home together. He took out his toolbox and started fixing my phone. He had a complete set of parts. He soldered the circuit board and even replaced the screen with a new one. “You’re amazing!” “It’s not that hard. I learned phone repair to make money.” Besides going to school, Gu Jin also had to work to support his family. “So, how much do I owe you, Master Gu?” “I won’t charge you.” “Then can I invite you to come watch me dance? I have a dance competition next Saturday. Will you come?” “I’ll come.”

09

The dance competition was held at the opera house. To my surprise, I saw Qin Zixu sitting in the front row of the audience. In my past life, we had met at a family dinner. In this life, our first meeting came earlier and in a different setting. Memories from my past life came flooding back… The 18-year-old Qin Zixu loved me deeply. He followed me to study abroad. He pursued me romantically for a year, and we naturally got together. But it didn’t last. In the third year of our relationship, he cheated. When I confronted him, he said, “I just can’t love only you. It’s not that I don’t love you anymore! You’ll always be Mrs. Qin. What are you still making a fuss about?!” I broke up with him decisively, writing off those three years as a waste of my youth. Seeing the 18-year-old Qin Zixu again made me feel physically ill. My hands and feet went cold. Gu Jin steadied me. He followed my gaze but didn’t ask anything. He just helped me to the backstage. Gu Jin poured me a cup of hot water. “Feeling better?” “Mm, I’m fine now. Go take a seat in the audience. I need to get ready to go on stage.” I changed into my dance costume and walked onto the stage. Gu Jin sat in the back row, hidden in the shadows. But I could still spot him at a glance. I smiled at him, feeling an inexplicable sense of calm. Just dance. I wanted to win. The music started. I forgot all the entanglements of my past and present lives, focusing entirely on the world of dance, letting my beauty bloom. The dance ended. Thunderous applause. The chandeliers in the opera house lit up. I looked at Gu Jin, meeting his gaze from afar, my eyes blurred with tears. Gu Jin was stunned. He frowned at me. The audience probably thought I was so immersed in the dance that I was moved to tears by the story of the music. But the truth was, I was crying because I was happy. I had danced this dance for Gu Jin. I wanted him to see how beautiful I was in my youth. In my past life, he never saw it even once. What a waste. After a dance, I was exhilarated. I heard the deep-seated obsession buried in my heart: Gu Jin, how could you not love me? I don’t want to be your canary! I don’t want to be your little plaything for relieving your physical needs! I want to be your first love, the one you revere, the one you love, but dare not touch. I also want to be the enchantress who bewitches you, who possesses all your desires, who makes you unable to live without me. Never able to leave me again… After my rebirth, my desire to stop Zhang Baichen from courting death was real. My desire to protect Gu Jin was real. But I was a ghost. I had prayed to the gods to let go of the regrets in my heart. What the soul within this young girl’s body truly wanted was to possess all of the love from my past life’s beloved!

10

I won first place. Qin Zixu, as the sponsor’s representative, came on stage to present me with the award. “You must be Yihuan. Uncle Zhang recently asked my father for investment. Our families will be seeing more of each other in the future.” Qin Zixu took out his phone, looking confident. “Would you mind giving me your phone number?” Scumbag, go away! Go away! Go away! “I’d rather not. I don’t want to know you.” I saw Gu Jin walk to the edge of the stage. I jumped off the stage like a little lunatic. Gu Jin’s eyes widened in alarm, but he caught me steadily. I wrapped my arms around his neck. “Big shot, was my dancing pretty?” His heart was pounding like a drum. His ears were red enough to bleed. He stared at me without blinking. “Beautiful.” My dance costume was a backless dress. The fabric was thin and showed off my figure. Gu Jin took off his black hoodie and put it on me, zipping it up so high it almost choked me. Me: ??? Gu Jin looked up at Qin Zixu on stage and tilted his head. His eyes were fierce and wild. He looked just like a little wolfdog.

11

On the way back, I was in a state of high excitement. “Yihuan, let me treat you to dinner to celebrate your win.” “Okay!” “What do you want to eat?” “Barbecue! Bring Auntie along!” The three of us sat in the barbecue restaurant. Gu Jin was busy grilling the meat and feeding me and his mother. Under the table, my knee was pressing against his. Gu Jin’s ears got redder and redder. He looked at me thoughtfully. I wrapped a large piece of pork belly in a lettuce leaf, stuffing my mouth like a little hamster, looking like an innocent, naive young girl. Auntie ate very daintily. Judging by her features, she must have been a beauty when she was young. No wonder she gave birth to such a handsome son as Gu Jin. “Auntie, do you remember who I am?” Auntie smiled shyly and said with a straight face, “You’re little Jin’s wife.” “Cough, cough, cough!” Married on the spot? “Little Jin likes you very much.” Auntie took out a ring and put it on my finger. “My little Jin is a stubborn child. If he likes you, he’ll never change his mind for the rest of his life. You two have a good life together.” I looked at the huge plastic ring on my ring finger. Was this… a child’s toy? “Mom… she’s not my wife. She’s my classmate, Zhang Yihuan.” Gu Jin looked at me and cleared his throat. “Don’t mind her. My mom… she’s like a child. ‘Children and fools speak the truth’.” I took a sip of water for cover. “Auntie is very cute.” Suddenly, I remembered that Auntie had passed away from illness very early. I reminded him, “As people get older, their health can easily have problems. You should take Auntie for regular check-ups.” Gu Jin took my advice and nodded in agreement.

12

My pathetic excuse for a brother and I were twins. We always celebrated our birthdays together. Zhang Baichen threw a birthday party and invited a bunch of friends. I wore a pretty dress and put on some light makeup. When I walked into the private room, I saw Qin Zixu. Zhang Baichen had his arm around Qin Zixu’s shoulder. “Huanhuan, Young Master Qin arranged the birthday party for you. Do you like it?” The room was filled with roses, decorated to be dreamy and romantic. Qin Zixu walked up to me holding an exquisite jewelry box. “Huanhuan, happy birthday. This is for you. Open it and see.” If I had known he would be here, I wouldn’t have come. What bad luck. Everyone was cheering and clapping, the atmosphere lively and ambiguous. I was just about to pick up the fruit wine on the table and splash it on him. Just then, Gu Jin walked in carrying a fruit platter. So, Gu Jin was working here. Zhang Baichen had deliberately chosen this place to hold the birthday party, continuing to dance on the edge of courting death. “Oh, isn’t this the top student Gu? Working as a waiter here?” The rich second-generation kids around them burst into laughter, looking down on him from their high horses. “How much can you make waiting tables in a day?” Zhang Baichen pulled out a stack of hundred-yuan bills and threw them at Gu Jin. “Today is your young master’s birthday. If you serve me well, this money is all yours.” My fists clenched. I was so angry I laughed. “That won’t do. I’m very satisfied with him. He’s mine tonight.” As everyone watched with jaws dropped, I grabbed Gu Jin’s hand and stormed off to the lobby. “My brother is brain-damaged. Don’t take it to heart.” I patted him on the shoulder. The young man looked quite handsome in a suit. With his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and long legs, he had a bit of that refined scoundrel vibe of the older Mr. Gu. “Alright, go back to work. I’m leaving.” Gu Jin grabbed my wrist, pulled off his tie, bent down, and smiled at me. It was a beautiful smile, a bit roguish. “Yihuan, I’m yours tonight.” Me: !!! Was he serious?! I thought Gu Jin was going to do something wild. Instead, he took me grocery shopping and cooked dinner for me at home. “Why do you look so disappointed?” This table full of high-end ingredients cost him a thousand yuan. Even by the price standards ten years later, spending a thousand yuan on one meal was very extravagant. I picked the most tender piece of the coral trout and gave it to Auntie. “I just think you sold yourself a bit cheap.” “I’m happy to.” After dinner, Gu Jin brought out a cake and carefully stuck the candles in. Auntie was like a child, clapping her hands happily. “Happy birthday, daughter-in-law. May you soon…” Gu Jin quickly covered his mother’s mouth. “Make… make a wish.” Soon have a precious son? Auntie, you never disappoint. I closed my eyes and made a wish. He said, “Zhang Yihuan, happy 18th birthday.” I wished: For every year after this, Gu Jin would be there to celebrate Zhang Yihuan’s birthday.

13

The next day, I heard that Number One High and Jialan High were going to have a friendly basketball game. Gu Jin was playing. So, I signed up for the cheerleading squad. Zhao Xiaoxing was in charge of organizing the cheerleaders. The uniforms she prepared were miniskirts paired with tight short-sleeved tops. When we got on the bus, the players went wild. I saw an empty seat next to Gu Jin and sat down. Gu Jin was wearing earphones, his head tilted back against the seat, eyes closed, resting. His jawline was sharp, his Adam’s apple prominent. Dressed in his jersey, the muscles in his arms were lean and powerful, exuding a youthful sexiness. I poked the back of his hand. “Can I have one of your earphones?” Gu Jin opened his eyes, looked me over, his gaze lingering on my chest for a moment before quickly looking away. He took off one earphone and handed it to me. I leaned in and teased him, “Today’s a spicy girl look. Like it?” Gu Jin closed his eyes, ignoring me, but his ears turned red. The familiar jazz music. His taste hadn’t changed over the years. Amidst the lazy vocals, memories surged back… In the villa, the man held me and kissed me passionately. “Are you in a good mood today?” Gu Jin stroked the back of my neck. “Not bad.” “Then… can I ask you for a favor?” “Go ahead.” “My brother got cheated by his friends and owes three million in high-interest loans. Dad is sick with worry. Can you… help my brother?” Gu Jin instantly turned cold. He let go of me, got up, and started putting on his clothes. Seeing him about to leave, I jumped off the bed barefoot. “My brother bullied you. He was wrong! You’ve already gotten your revenge. Can’t you just leave him a way out?” Gu Jin scooped me up and sighed wearily. “Yihuan, for your sake, I’ve already left them a way out.” The man kissed away my tears. “Don’t cry. It’s only three million. This is the last time.” I was very happy. I took the initiative for once. But when I woke up in the middle of the night, Gu Jin wasn’t beside me. I went downstairs in my pajamas. Gu Jin was sitting in the living room, drinking. The vast living room made him look even more lonely. There was hatred and pain on Gu Jin’s face. He gripped his glass tightly, veins bulging on his hand. With a sharp crack, the glass shattered, and his hand started bleeding. But he was unmoved, as if he had found an outlet for his pain. He picked up a piece of broken glass and made a cut on his arm. So, helping my brother caused him this much pain. I covered my mouth, hiding behind the stair railing, tears streaming down my face. “Are you carsick?” I snapped back to reality, meeting the young man’s concerned gaze. My face must have been very pale. Gu Jin unscrewed a bottle of water and handed it to me. “If you’re really feeling bad, you can lean on my shoulder.” I leaned on his shoulder, and the melancholy in my heart quickly dissipated.

14

Jialan High was an elite private school. The basketball court facilities were top-notch. The gym was packed with students. As the host, Jialan High had a huge home-court advantage. Qin Zixu was the captain of the Jialan High basketball team. He was also the school heartthrob. The girls in the gym were all shouting his name. Qin Zixu saw me and ran over. “Huanhuan, you look beautiful today.” “Don’t call me Huanhuan. I don’t know you that well.” Qin Zixu grabbed my arm. “Is there some misunderstanding between us?” Gu Jin pried Qin Zixu’s hand off my arm and said coldly, “Don’t put your hands on a girl. She said she doesn’t know you.” Qin Zixu walked away, his face dark. Before the game started, the cheerleaders went on the court to perform their routine. “Who’s that girl leading the Number One High cheerleaders? She’s so pretty!” “That’s Zhang Yihuan, the Number One High school beauty! She’s so cute! Ahhh, she looked at me! Huanhuan baby, your brother loves you!” I finished my routine and walked off the court. Gu Jin and his teammates were going on. As we passed each other, I said to Gu Jin, “Good luck.” “Mm.” Zhao Xiaoxing said excitedly, “Everyone was mesmerized by you during the routine! Did you see? The Jialan cheerleaders were so jealous their noses were out of joint.” I looked at the Jialan cheerleaders. Those girls were indeed glaring at me with venomous eyes. I didn’t pay them any mind. I watched Gu Jin play. “Wow, is Gu Jin that fierce?” “His playing style is so aggressive. Qin Zixu can’t even touch the ball!” “He has such great stamina… I only realized today how handsome Gu Jin is!!” Listening to the praises of Gu Jin around me, I felt a secret pride. He was just that outstanding. The game ended. We won. Gu Jin was the game’s top scorer. His teammates crowded around him, treating him like a hero. The young man I loved should shine this brightly. I really wanted to rush over, hug him tightly, and kiss him fiercely.

15

We had run out of water. Zhao Xiaoxing called me to go buy some. When we got to the convenience store, we were cornered by those girls from the Jialan cheerleading squad. “Zhang Yihuan, you’re pretty full of yourself today, aren’t you?” I shielded Xiaoxing behind me. “Good dogs don’t block the way. Move aside.” They pinned me to the ground. The leader poured milk on my face. “Look at how cheap you are… You’ve even seduced Senior Qin.” “You dared to call us dogs. Come on, bark like a dog for us!” I froze. I thought of Gu Jin. So this was what it felt like to be bullied. Shame, anger, helplessness. The girl raised her hand to slap me. A slender, long-fingered hand grabbed her wrist. Gu Jin’s eyes were red. He restrained himself, then flung the girl away. “Get lost!” The girls were scared off by him. The front of my shirt was soaked with milk, and I was slightly exposed. Gu Jin took off his jersey and put it on me. “Can you stand up?” “Mm.” Gu Jin helped me up, gritted his teeth, and cursed. I copied him and cursed too. Gu Jin froze, then finally smiled. He went to buy water and a towel, gently wiping my face and hair. Zhao Xiaoxing just stood there, looking completely shocked. Back in the classroom, Zhao Xiaoxing fired off three questions. “Don’t you hate Gu Jin? Since when did you two become so close? The way he looks at you… is it what I think it is?” I caught the key point. “What about the way he looks at me?” “Hot and cheesy.” Me: ??? “All melty.” The corners of my mouth turned up. But the way I looked at him wasn’t exactly innocent either.

16

When I got home, I saw Qin Zixu and his parents. In my past life, we were supposed to meet for