Chapter 17: Do You Know Me?

Bai Yifan glanced at Bai Xiqin and Leng Yebai slowly sipping their coffee, stomped his foot, and decisively stood up to leave.

If he didn’t leave now, he’d embarrass himself.

A restroom, he desperately needed a restroom.

After Bai Yifan left, only Bai Xiqin and Leng Yebai remained.

Leng Yebai gently set his coffee down, his fingers lightly rubbing the cup, his eyes on Bai Xiqin.

This face was the same as in his dream.

The dream and reality overlapped, leaving him momentarily confused.

Could he still be dreaming?

"What... is your name?"

Leng Yebai looked at the girl in front of him, yet in his mind, he saw that smiling face like a blooming flower.

She said — why don’t we die together?

The deep, hoarse voice echoed, making Bai Xiqin momentarily dazed.

The last thing she heard during the explosion was this.

Before she could answer, she knew nothing else.

The deep, hoarse voice pulled her back to before her rebirth.

A flash of sorrow appeared in Bai Xiqin’s eyes, quickly masked by her.

"My name is Bai Xiqin."

Bai Xiqin’s crisp voice rang out.

Leng Yebai quietly watched Bai Xiqin for a long time, then picked up his cup and sipped his coffee.

Bai Xiqin.

So, her name is Bai Xiqin.

Leng Yebai seemed to have solved a mystery that had troubled him for years, feeling much lighter and even a bit exhilarated.

Finally, she answered him.

To others, it might seem absurd.

It was just a dream.

But Leng Yebai was very certain in his heart that the girl in the dream was this girl before him.

"You, do you know me? I—"

Leng Yebai looked at the quiet girl in front of him, blurting out, but then forcibly held back the words that followed.

I’ve seen you many times in my dream.

Leng Yebai’s face showed slight discomfort.

In her view, it might be the first time she’s seen him.

"I’ve seen you."

Bai Xiqin nodded obediently.

"Where... was it?"

A glimmer of hope flashed through Leng Yebai’s eyes, almost blurting out if they had met in a dream.

"Last Sunday, Xiao Fan and I were grocery shopping, and we saw Uncle Leng running on the street."

Bai Xiqin answered calmly.

She just remembered, the tall and upright figure she saw that day looked familiar.

As soon as she saw him, she remembered.

Isn’t that the running guy!

Leng Yebai’s face froze a little, his once bright eyes dimmed somewhat.

His slender fingers gently rubbed the cup, an aura of faint melancholy emanating from him.

"Xiao Niu, how old are you this year?"

Leng Yebai softly asked.

"Uncle Leng, I’m 24 this year, in my senior year, about to graduate."

Bai Xiqin looked very well-behaved.

"I’m 26, two years older than you."

Leng Yebai enunciated each word slowly.

Just two years apart, yet it felt like a whole generation’s difference.

"Don’t mind these details."

Bai Xiqin casually savored her coffee.

An aura of coldness emanated from Leng Yebai, his eyes fixed on Bai Xiqin.

If Bai Xiqin saw his eyes, she would surely notice the air of a resentful woman emanating from him.

Bai Yifan returned swiftly with the ribs, practically running back.

"Sis, I’ve got them, let’s head back!"

Bai Yifan dashed into the café, carrying a bag of ribs.

Bai Xiqin finished the last sip of her coffee, stood up to leave.

Leng Yebai was quicker than Bai Xiqin, with his long legs paid the bill, then left the café.

Bai Yifan didn’t bother with him, simply grabbed Bai Xiqin to head home.

Bai Xiqin gave Leng Yebai’s back a deep look, her eyes flickering slightly.

Unexpectedly, she’d encountered him again.

That ’what’s your name’ nearly made her feel as if she was back to the moment of her explosion.

Bai Xiqin slightly shook her head, dispersing her thoughts, walking shoulder to shoulder with Bai Yifan down the road.

"Sis, keep a distance from Uncle Leng, I think there might be something off about him." Bai Yifan said.

"Why?"

Bai Xiqin wasn’t as wary as Bai Yifan.

After all, he was the savior of her past life; she still trusted his character.

"Think about it! He was running like a crazy man in broad daylight and grabbed my hand outside the supermarket, maybe he has some mental issues." Bai Yifan mumbled.

"He grabbed your hand?"

Bai Xiqin was slightly puzzled.

"Yeah, he grabbed my hand tightly, even asked who I went shopping with last time, and asked for your name!" Bai Yifan said.

Bai Xiqin fell into contemplation upon hearing Bai Yifan.

Could he have been reborn too?

He didn’t seem like it though!

If he were a reborn individual, he should be busy gathering supplies now, why would he be fixated on her name?

Bai Xiqin furrowed her brows, thinking for a long while, but didn’t figure out what was going on.

A black luxury car suddenly stopped in front of Bai Xiqin and Bai Yifan.

Bai Xiqin lifted her gaze and saw those sharp eyes.

"Get in."

Leng Yebai tried his best to speak in a calm voice.

He usually spoke with a cool demeanor.

He was an orphan, raised in an orphanage, starting his own business in college, then founding his own company.

Every step, he took alone.

He was rather aloof, by nature, speaking without much emotion.

Only when facing those dark eyes did Leng Yebai feel the need to be a bit gentler.

She was different from others.

"Wow—"

Bai Yifan’s eyes lit up upon seeing Leng Yebai’s luxury car.

In that moment, Bai Yifan’s impression of Leng Yebai began to change.

"Uncle Leng, is this your car? Are you giving us a ride home?"

Bai Yifan’s eyes sparkled, his tone showing a hint of familiarity while calling him uncle.

Which boy hasn’t dreamed of driving a luxury car?

"Mm, I’ll give you a ride home." Leng Yebai nodded slightly, his peripheral vision fleetingly glancing at Bai Xiqin, "From now on, just call me Brother Leng!"

"That works too!"

Bai Yifan didn’t feel anything about it.

Being sixteen, calling an adult ’uncle’ or ’brother’ was all the same to him, it didn’t matter.

Bai Yifan’s eyes sparkled as he opened the car door, making a gentlemanly gesture.

"Sister, please."

Bai Xiqin looked at Bai Yifan’s gleaming eyes, slightly shaking her head before getting into the car.

Bai Yifan sat beside Bai Xiqin, closing the car door, his eyes bright while examining the car’s interior.

The car had barely any decorations, yet Bai Yifan was keenly interested.

Leng Yebai adjusted the rearview mirror slightly, lifting his eyes only to meet Bai Xiqin’s dark, deep eyes through the mirror.

Those eyes happened to glance at the mirror, two pairs of eyes meeting briefly.

The dark, deep eyes slightly curved with a hint of a smile.

Leng Yebai’s body stiffened slightly, as if caught peeking, he immediately faced forward.

"Turn right up ahead."

Bai Yifan was oblivious to the subtle atmosphere between the two, eagerly guiding Leng Yebai back home.

Leng Yebai’s heart pounded fiercely, he no longer saw the road, not even registering the road signs, merely following Bai Yifan’s guidance robotically.

The road to Bai Xiqin’s home from the café wasn’t far; they arrived in just five minutes.

"Yes, here it is."

Bai Yifan cheerfully rubbed the car door, reluctantly opening it to get out.

Bai Xiqin glanced at the stiff Leng Yebai, raising an eyebrow, unsure of his situation.

Arriving home, she got out as well.

Leng Yebai stiffly turned his neck, watching Bai Xiqin and Bai Yifan walk into the complex.

This was the second time she smiled at him with those dark, deep eyes.

Leng Yebai subconsciously considered the smile in the dream as the first time she smiled at him.