The Day After Rebirth
When Shen Xiyan opened his eyes and stared at the aged ceiling, he felt a moment of dazed sorrow—then came a wave of quiet relief.
He tiptoed out of bed, washed up softly, careful not to wake his aunt.
By the time he was ready and about to wake Wenwen up, her door creaked open—she stepped out, yawning.
“…Morning, Ge.”
Shen Xiyan glanced at her. Come to think of it, he’d never seen Wenwen in a bad mood.
She always seemed so full of energy—bright, cute features and a clean, pretty outfit.
Well, except for that tiny crust in the corner of her eye… but even that, in his eyes, made her look even cuter.
“Come brush your teeth.”
He’d already squeezed the toothpaste onto her brush.
Shen Wen replied with a casual “Mm,” grabbed her toothbrush, and got ready. Then the two of them slung on their backpacks and headed out.
With summer vacation just around the corner, there wasn’t much to pack—just a campus ID and whatever books they needed for the day.
As they walked out the door, Shen Xiyan nudged her and pointed next door.
“You go knock.”
“Knew you were gonna boss me around!”
Wenwen knew she wasn’t exactly welcome next door, but she still shuffled over and knocked.
“Lin Ci-jie?”
The door opened—it was Lin Ci’s mother, a gentle and elegant woman.
“Oh, Wenwen. Lin Ci just left. She didn’t call for you?”
Wenwen looked surprised.
“No, she didn’t…”
“Maybe something came up at school. She only left a few minutes ago—you should still catch her if you hurry.”
“Thank you, Auntie!”
Wenwen perked up instantly, grabbing Shen Xiyan’s arm as they broke into a jog.
Without Lin Ci chatting with her along the way, the road felt unbelievably dull.
Her brother? A total blockhead. Couldn’t even keep up with a simple joke.
***
Shen Xiyan had a feeling.
Over the course of the night, Lin Ci must’ve realized what had happened—she probably noticed that her skirt had slipped a bit.
No wonder she left without even a word this morning.
Downstairs, Lin Ci wandered ahead absentmindedly.
She hadn’t slept well. The thought of facing Shen Xiyan after what happened had her feeling a tangled mess of anxiety and guilt.
She panicked and bolted.
Was that rude of her?
Lin Ci hesitated.
Suddenly—
“Lin Ci-jie!”
A voice behind her—and a gentle pat on her shoulder.
Startled, Lin Ci stiffened, jumped slightly, and stumbled forward a step before turning around.
“Wenwen?”
Wenwen cheerfully wrapped her arm around Lin Ci’s.
“Why didn’t you wait for me today, huh?”
“I… I… There was something at school…” Lin Ci looked away, her voice trailing off.
She was dressed in a beige blouse and stone-washed jeans that showed off her long, slender legs. Her ponytail was neat, her skin fair and clear, her features delicate and bright.
By most standards, Lin Ci was the very picture of the ideal high school girl—radiating youthful charm.
But the moment she saw Shen Xiyan, her face flushed visibly red.
She only dared glance at him once before immediately lowering her gaze.
“M-Morning…” she stammered.
“Morning.” Shen Xiyan rubbed his neck with an exaggerated grimace.
Neither of them looked particularly well-rested.
Wenwen glanced left, then right—then her eyes lit up with mischief.
“Did you two sneak out like thieves last night or something? Those dark circles are serious!”
“Seriously, do you even hear yourself?” Shen Xiyan groaned. “What would I even steal? People?”
Lin Ci: “!!!”
She suddenly froze, and Shen Xiyan, walking just behind, couldn’t stop in time—he bumped right into her.
Her body was soft. The impact didn’t hurt at all.
He tilted his head to look at her, and Lin Ci—already thin-skinned—couldn’t handle the attention.
She quickly averted her gaze, focusing instead on a crack in the pavement.
“Lin Ci-jie?”
“Hmm?”
“Aren’t you walking?”
Still dazed, Lin Ci didn’t move until Wenwen turned back to glance at her in confusion. As if her soul finally returned, she trudged forward, eyes cast down, trailing behind.
She peeked back at Shen Xiyan from time to time—and every time their eyes met, she would quickly look away again, heart pounding like mad.
Wenwen kept up a steady stream of chatter the whole way. Meanwhile, Shen Xiyan and Lin Ci shared a strange, silent understanding.
When they reached the school gate, they parted ways.
Inside the school, there were plenty of pretty girls—but Lin Ci always stood out.
It wasn’t just her looks or her fashion. She had an innate spark in her bones—a quiet kind of beauty that set her apart.
As they walked, Shen Xiyan noticed how many boys were sneaking glances at her, pretending to be casual about it.
“BT…”
He was still rubbing his neck.
Lin Ci finally noticed.
Frowning, she asked, “What’s wrong with your neck? You’ve been rubbing it all morning. Did you sleep wrong?”
Finally! Someone he could vent to.
“It’s from hiding under your desk skirt yesterday!” he blurted out.
“KR—!”
It was as if someone had splashed red dye all over Lin Ci’s face.
“Shhh! Keep your voice down!” she hissed. “What if someone hears?!”
“Sorry, sorry… But really, that space was so cramped. I couldn’t even lift my head. I was stuck there for hours—it still hurts!”
Thanks to the ten extra years of life experience he had, Shen Xiyan had developed a thick skin and nerves of steel. As long as he acted like nothing happened, Lin Ci would never be able to tell.
Hearing how relaxed he sounded, the weight on Lin Ci’s chest finally began to lift.
He really didn’t see anything?
Thank god!
She nodded shyly and let out a soft hum like a kitten.
“Poor thing.”
“Yeah. So please, don’t ever ask me to help blow-dry your hair again.”
“Nope! I definitely will!” Lin Ci grinned.
She wrinkled her nose playfully.
“How about I give you a shoulder massage during lunch?”
“That’s not a good idea. Might send the wrong message.”
In school, when a boy and girl get too close, rumors are bound to fly.
“I don’t care…” Lin Ci said softly.
But Shen Xiyan still refused. “Better not. I’m scared.”
“Scared of what?” she asked, raising her head—only to feel her heart skip again.
“Scared people will get jealous and ask, ‘Why is a girl as pretty as Lin Ci massaging that guy?’… OW!!”
Before he could finish, Lin Ci pinched a soft spot on his waist—hard.
She looked delicate, but her grip was fierce. Her thumb and forefinger twisted his skin mercilessly.
“Forget it!”
She understood what he meant.
From his perspective, it was nothing—boys didn’t care about that kind of gossip. Some would even brag about it.
And Lin Ci was confident in her appearance.
But if any rumors about them started spreading, she’d be the one under scrutiny. People would definitely start speculating about her with malicious intent.
“Come on, let’s go. It’s boiling out here—I need some classroom AC!”
When they finally reached the classroom, it was already packed.
But spending time in school didn’t always mean studying. It was about how you spent it.
Many students who arrived early weren’t hitting the books—they were just copying homework.
This trend was the same from elementary through high school.
“Old Shen! Finally! Lend me your homework, quick—just need to copy!”
Shen Xiyan didn’t reply. He frowned.
Because the moment he and Lin Ci stepped into the classroom—the world fell silent.