In the end, Li Caiyi stayed behind, while the other Li family members left first. Qin Xiangjun scrutinized her son and Li Caiyi alternately, noticing that there was something different between the two of them since the last time she saw them.
She knew her son had a soft spot for the twins, but she always thought he cared more about the younger sister than the older one. At least her son looked visibly brighter when he was with Li Chunhua. That was why Qin Xiangjun was actually pretty surprised when she found out that Meng Renshu asked Li Caiyi to be his partner and not Li Chunhua.
Moreover, she never knew that her son wasn't the type to act spontaneously like this. Asking a girl to stay behind after a party usually has a deeper meaning behind it.
However, Qin Xiangjun didn't try to stop it because she was curious about how this event would turn out.
The three of them stood at the entrance in silence after the Li family left.
"Oh my, it has been so late already. Renshu, why don't you invite our guest inside? It must have been cold for her to stand outside like this with her sleeveless dress."
Meng Renshu, who seemed out of it, finally snapped out of his daydream when he heard her mother's advice. He quickly glanced at Li Caiyi, to which the latter replied with a shake of her head.
"It's okay, Auntie. We can just talk here."
"How could that be okay? Renshu, be a gentleman and escort her inside immediately." Qin Xiangjun said in a final tone, "I still have some guests that need my care. I'll ask some maid to deliver some refreshment to you later."
"Thank you, Mother." Meng Renshu said with a visibly relieved expression, while Li Caiyi felt doubtful about this.
If she didn't have her memory of her previous life, she must have already been fooled into thinking that Qin Xiangjun was a very considerate woman. However, after years of knowing her, Li Caiyi understood her ex-mother-in-law's personality very well. Qin Xiangjun was never one to offer 'free lunch' without reason.
Li Caiyi promised herself to be on guard and careful of her words.
After Qin Xiangjun had left, Meng Renshu cleared his throat awkwardly and made a gesture to Li Caiyi to follow him. "Then, shall we go?"
Li Caiyi nodded and walked behind him as they went through the hallway and entered a medium-sized room at the end of the corridor, right beside the main venue where the party was held.
There was a red couch in the middle of the room, with a glass wardrobe filled with exotic, gorgeous plates on the side. Meng Renshu sat down on one of the couches while loosening his necktie and unbuttoning his first button.
"Ah, finally I can relax," He sighed.
"You have worked hard today," Li Caiyi said as she also sat down on the couch across from him.
"I'm sorry for asking you to stay behind like this. However, there is just something I have to talk with you privately."
"It's okay. You can speak comfortably. I assume this has something to do with your dreams?"
Meng Renshu scratched his cheek sheepishly. "Is it that obvious? Actually, yeah. I want to continue our previous conversation because I was concerned and wanted to know more about something."
"En, you can talk, Brother Renshu."
Meng Renshu fiddled with his fingers while looking down at the carpet. He mulled over on how he should explain it to Li Caiyi for a good few seconds before raising his head, "I have a feeling that I have changed a lot ever since I experienced those dreams, and since my dreams usually centered on you, I feel like consulting you would be a better help than consulting with a professional."
Li Caiyi put on her best poker face before she replied, "What makes you think that? I think it's very ideal to seek professional help. I don't understand why you think talking with me would be any help to your problem."
Meng Renshu hesitated for a moment before he finally confessed, "I feel the safest when you are by my side."
"Huh?" His response rendered Li Caiyi speechless.
"The last time we accidentally fell asleep beside each other at the hospital, that was the first time in a while when I didn't see any nightmare. I slept like a baby, then."
Li Caiyi waited for a moment to let him finish his words, but he said nothing else.
"That's it? Just because you slept soundly that one time you think it was all thanks to me?"
Meng Renshu chuckled. "Of course, you would find it strange if I said this, but I'm serious. I know my body the best, and it told me that being with you brings a sense of peacefulness to me. Something that I had lost recently after a series of nightmares."
Li Caiyi stared at Meng Renshu's severe expression and felt like he wasn't playing around when he said that. His face oozed desperation everywhere, and it could easily make any woman pity him and want to care for him. Fortunately, Li Caiyi wasn't one of those women anymore.
"Even so, I still think it would be better if you don't take your symptoms lightly. How could you suddenly get better when I'm beside you? That's just illogical."
"I don't know you are the type that puts so much emphasis on logic, Xiaoyi."
Li Caiyi frowned. "Is that sarcasm I just heard?"
Meng Renshu laughed as he messed up his hair with his fingers. "No, it's a compliment. It means you have grown so much."
For some reason, he looked very sensual when he did that, with his shirt's button loosened and collarbone exposed.
'Wait, what the hell am I thinking? Focus, Li Caiyi!' she berated herself inwardly.
"You are practically saying I don't use my head that much in the past," Li Caiyi complained, "But forget about that. When you say you want to talk about me, is it really only about this?"
Li Caiyi wanted to know whether he remembered anything else from his dream. There must have been some catch in this rebirth phenomenon. Something she hadn't paid attention to before. She would absolutely need to find out!
pan,da n<0,>v,el Meng Renshu stared at Li Caiyi deeply for a few moments with an indescribable gaze, making Li Caiyi shift in her place awkwardly. "W-what is it? Why are you looking at me that way?"
"How about we test it, then? Right here and now?"
"What do you mean?"
"I'm talking about my theory before. If I can sleep peacefully again with you by my side, it should have been enough to prove my theory, right?"
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