"What are you laughing about? You don't even know where the room is yet!"
Li Si slid the door open and immediately saw Bai Shasha and Cao Yufan sitting across from each other, with four barely touched dishes on the table.
"And you're concerned about someone else laughing? What are you holding in your hands?"
Bai Shasha rolled her eyes at her, her gaze already fixed on the bag in Li Si's hand.
"Someone, not naming names, insisted I bring local specialties, didn't they? How could I not fulfill the request? Here, take it, but don't get too emotional, okay?"
Li Si handed over the specialty products she had just retrieved from her space. Meanwhile, the smaller dishes had been tucked away in the space storage.
Cao Yufan eagerly reached out to take the bag, but Bai Shasha snatched it from him with an ungrateful glance. She opened it and gasped, "Oh my god, Sisi, I love you so much! How did you know I've been craving roast duck? And it's from Quanjude! Donkey roll cake—my favorite! And tuckahoe pastries—I love those too. Muah, I love you so much, Si!"
Afterwards, she blew kisses dramatically at Li Si, leaving Cao Yufan cringing in secondhand embarrassment.
"I'm a great friend, right? Take your time eating though, don't choke. By the way, why'd you guys order four dishes? There's already braised ribs—why'd you also get ribs with beans? Are you trying to pick a fight with ribs or something?"
Li Si picked up a pair of chopsticks and stared at the table in disapproval. Four dishes? Seriously? At least there was caramelized sweet potato and stir-fried shredded pork with garlic sauce, which suited her taste.
Cao Yufan chuckled as he explained, "Shasha's been eating way too light during the holiday. We figured we'd get her something hearty! Oh, by the way, Li Si, what were you doing in Beijing? Just got back, right? Otherwise, there's no way this roast duck could be so fresh."
"Eh, just had some business there. Yep, only arrived this morning!"
Li Si secretly stuck her tongue out. Forgive her for lying. The roast duck had actually been purchased when she first arrived in Beijing, but her storage's preservation ability was top-notch. No wonder these two hadn't noticed a thing.
After a satisfying meal, Li Si rested her chin on her hand, idly watching Bai Shasha devour the roast duck. In the midst of their casual chatting, Cao Yufan's phone rang. He stepped out to take the call, and when he returned, he announced that two friends nearby were coming over.
Li Si exchanged a curious look with Bai Shasha. Who could they be? Li Si suddenly smacked her forehead. Could it be Meng Zijun? She recalled how he and Cao Yufan used to be tight back in the day. If not, how else would Bai Shasha have ended up attending Li Fei and Meng Zijun's engagement party?
And wouldn't you know it, Li Si was right. Among the arrivals was indeed Meng Zijun!
Meng Zijun was undeniably handsome, living up to his name and reputation. Standing at 1.8 meters tall, his lean yet proportional build was complemented by strikingly good looks. No wonder he'd been a heartthrob among so many girls back in school. Except for his average family background, everything about him seemed exceptional.
Cao Yufan introduced everyone to one another. The other visitor, a shorter guy named Dong Lei, was around 1.7 meters tall, with an average appearance but a humorous and lively personality. Li Si remembered him from later days; he went on to become a business manager at a company and did reasonably well for himself.
Li Si responded indifferently before sitting down next to Bai Shasha. Bai Shasha gave her a playful wink, and Li Si perfectly understood the meaning: *Look at him, what a catch! If you like him, go for it!*
If only Bai Shasha knew the things Meng Zijun would do later. Li Si thought Bai Shasha might have cursed out Cao Yufan on the spot for inviting him. Ah, destiny—entwined fates, indeed. Thankfully, she had been reborn into her second year of college, before it all started. What a blessing!
Cao Yufan and the others dove into a discussion about some technical aspects of their computer science studies. Meanwhile, Li Si and Bai Shasha exchanged desultory small talk on their side.
Yet, Li Si's mind drifted to the past. It must've been around the beginning of their third year. She often went to a small grove on campus to study and daydream. On several occasions, she ran into Meng Zijun there. Subsequently, he began pursuing her. Clichéd as it was, she still fell for it. Maybe it was because she'd been lonely for too long or because life at her second uncle's house had been so suffocating. She longed for a pair of broad shoulders to lean on, and Meng Zijun came along at just the right time.
At first, their relationship was a secret. Other than Bai Shasha, none of their classmates knew. It wasn't until Yao Meiling accidentally caught sight of them holding hands in a boutique that their relationship became known.
At some point, Li Fei found out. She always had a way of worming herself into their plans, turning their duo into a trio. Li Si had once confided in Meng Zijun about the happenings in her second uncle's household. Initially, he seemed irritated with Li Fei. But gradually, his gaze lingered on Li Fei more and more, while his attention toward Li Si waned. During that period, Li Si and Meng Zijun constantly fought and gave each other the silent treatment because of Li Fei.
Right before graduation, he finally broke up with her, citing the reason: "We're not right for each other!" What an impeccable excuse and pretext, wiping out all the love and joyful memories they'd shared with a single phrase.
Fine, breaking up was fine. After all, once separated, they'd just be strangers passing by. She had questioned him, and when she knew the reason, she didn't plead. But why did rumors spread among their classmates, claiming she was shamelessly trying to seduce Meng Zijun, that she had no parents to instill manners in her, and that she kept pestering Meng Zijun to steal her little sister's boyfriend?
When she confronted the two of them, Li Fei's pitiful, teary expression and Meng Zijun's glare of hatred were images she'd never forget. So this was what it meant to twist the truth, to play the victim. She'd seen it all now.
And then? Oh, she could only laugh bitterly. Later, Meng Zijun's mother approached her, telling her not to cling to her precious son anymore. She made it clear that her son and Li Fei were a match made in heaven. And her? What was she supposed to be? A year of love and companionship, and what did they amount to?
Her aunt had told her, "If I were a man standing between you and Fei'er, I'd pick Fei'er too. Our Fei'er is perfect in every way—looks, family background, you name it! Your second uncle's business is flourishing, and we can provide plenty of support in the future. And you, Li Si, what do you have to offer? Mediocre grades, no parents...you're no different from an orphan! What can you bring to Zijun? Don't you understand? If it weren't for your uncle and me being so kind as to take you in, you would've been out on the streets long ago!"
Oh, she understood all too well. What was there not to understand? Meng Zijun was the phoenix man, while Li Fei was the peacock woman. She had simply died too early in her previous life to know whether they got married or if they lived happily ever after.
Now in this lifetime, her father's inheritance had not fallen into the hands of her second uncle's family. She had gained the space storage, invested in real estate, and pursued her business ventures relentlessly. Let's see if her second uncle's business could still flourish as it had in her last life. As for Li Fei and Meng Zijun, they could entangle themselves however they liked—it was no longer her concern!
With these thoughts, Li Si smiled radiantly, making Meng Zijun, sitting opposite her, stare in a daze. Cao Yufan noticed Meng Zijun spacing out and patted him on the shoulder. "Hey, snap out of it, Zijun."
Meng Zijun composed himself with a faint smile. "I was just reminded of something and got distracted for a moment!" He cast a fleeting glance at Li Si before continuing, "Li Si, have we met before? You look awfully familiar."
Bai Shasha sneered, "What kind of outdated pickup line is that? Even middle schoolers wouldn't use that on a girl these days!"
"Never met you. I don't recall."
Li Si's reply was curt. Bai Shasha instantly picked up on her friend's unnatural demeanor. Normally, Li Si was warm and polite to everyone. This was the first time Bai Shasha had seen her so cold.