Rebirth: Once Again With You

The whole trip to Dai Zhiqiang's house, Li Caiyi barely said anything, which confused the young man. She was usually very chatty when she was with him, but she was very silent today. He couldn't help but think that perhaps what happened earlier at the library caused that.

Since she made no attempt to start a conversation, Dai Zhiqiang thought he should take the initiative. However, he was clueless about the topic girls usually liked to talk about. His expertise basically ended with talks about weather or books. He was pretty sure she wasn't in the right mood to discuss those things, though.

He racked his brain to work for him when a horde of people suddenly barged into the train. The last trip to the Dai family's house was pretty easy because there were only a few people on the train then, but it seemed like they weren't so lucky this time.

The train became so crowded that Dai Zhiqiang and Li Caiyi were pushed to the corner and stuck against each other.

Dai Zhiqiang quickly tried to shield Li Caiyi by pulling her to the safer side and creating space for her using both of his arms.

"Y-you don't have to do this…." Li Caiyi said shakily while clutching her bag tightly in her arms.

"It's dangerous for a girl to stand in the middle of a crowd of men. Stay like this until we arrive at our destination." He replied in a low voice.

Li Caiyi hesitantly looked up but quickly avoided her eyes again. "It wasn't my first time riding a train, so I'm okay. I can protect myself."

"Yes, but I'm worried about you." Those words slipped out of his mouth before he knew it. Dai Zhiqiang glanced at Li Caiyi to see her reaction, and as expected, she looked uncomfortable.

Feeling a tad disappointed, he added, "Don't be stubborn and just stay like this. It's not like I'm doing it because I want to, either."

"I-I see… You're right."

Dai Zhiqiang wanted to curse himself so badly. Out of all things he could say, why did he choose the worst options ever?

"Then, you come closer too."

"Huh?"

Dai Zhiqiang hadn't finished registering her sentence yet, when Li Caiyi suddenly yanked him forward by his tie, making the distance between them become much closer. He was so shocked his mind went blank instantly.

Li Caiyi looked up and gazed at him embarrassedly, with cheeks puffed up in a pout. "You are reducing the space for others by creating space for me. It's fine as long as I stand beside you, right? I'll stay here, so you can come closer."

Dai Zhiqiang's heart swelled with affection when he saw the slight tremble in her eyelashes and the pink hue on her cheeks as she said that. It felt like there were thousands of ants biting his heart, causing it to feel itchy. They were so close together that he was worried she could hear how noisy his heartbeat was.

If this was a dream, he hoped he would be stuck in this train forever with her, never waking up again.

He didn't expect Li Caiyi to be so daring. To pull a guy's tie like that while making a lovely expression at the same time. It was a low blow for him. Men could easily misunderstand and take it as an invitation.

Dai Zhiqiang gulped nervously as he vaguely caught the smell of her shampoo. He knew this wasn't the right time to think about this, but he thought the scent of lavender suited her so much.

"Don't stare at me like that." Li Caiyi whispered softly, almost like a sigh.

"S-sorry…"

Meanwhile, the train kept getting crowded, with more people coming in at each station. Dai Zhiqiang tried not to press the girl who was almost in his embrace right now, but it was easier said than done. He would move in discomfort once and twice with a frown on his face just so he could find a better position while not disturbing her.

"You can move closer, you know?" Li Caiyi said with a hint of worry in her voice upon noticing how awkward his position was.

"No, that's a bad idea. It's dangerous." Dai Zhiqiang replied automatically.

"Huh? I guess it is too cramped here, but you can stand more easily if you take a step closer. Don't worry about other passengers."

"Not that. I'm talking about another kind of danger."

Li Caiyi didn't understand what he was trying to say at all. "What are you talking about?"

"Nevermind. Just stay where you are, and try not to squirm too much." Dai Zhiqiang replied with a guttural voice, causing her confusion to double. However, she decided not to press the issue further, as she didn't want to annoy him.

They kept that position until they finally arrived at their destination, with Dai Zhiqiang reciting the national anthem repeatedly in his mind.

***

When Dai Shenqiang opened the door, it confused him when he saw the contrasting expression on two people standing in front of the door. Li Caiyi looked bright and energetic, while his brother looked exhausted.

"Brother, did something happen?" He asked curiously while Li Caiyi went to the kitchen and put down the groceries they had just bought on the kitchen counter.

"Don't ask. I'm exhausted right now." Dai Zhiqiang replied as he rubbed his eyes. Then he threw himself onto the couch and heaved a long sigh.

"It's rare to see you so tired. The librarian job must be hard if you are this exhausted."

Dai Zhiqiang couldn't be bothered to reply anymore, so he just nodded his head absentmindedly. He needed a break from the whole train ordeal earlier.

"Let him rest, Shenqiang. Zhiqiang protected me in the library and on the train earlier. He helped me twice today." Li Caiyi said from behind the kitchen counter before busying herself again.

Dai Shenqiang immediately had an idea when he heard the word 'protect'. His eyes squinted as he threw a knowing smirk at his brother. "It seems the train is pretty cramped today."

Li Caiyi, who was unaware that the sentence wasn't directed for her, obliviously replied, "Yeah. If it weren't for him shielding me, I might have been crushed into a paste by now."

"I see, I see. I think I understand why he was so exhausted now."

Dai Zhiqiang shot a glare at his brother, and the latter only shrugged his shoulders lightly with a playful grin on his face.