章 32: A Sense of Loss

The same Li Chunhua who risked everything for her was actually scheming against her the whole time? It was hard to believe.

However, Feng Nian's words were reasonable as well, so Li Caiyi was so confused; it felt like her body had been split into two factions.

"Oh, there she is!"

Speak of the devil.

Li Caiyi could hear Li Chunhua's voice coming from the front. She raised her head and found Li Chunhua and Meng Renshu, who walked over with a frown on their face.

"Where have you been? I have been calling you forever, but you didn't pick up. We got so worried we were searching for you all over the school."

Li Caiyi was so distraught she didn't notice her phone rang. "I'm sorry."

"Are you okay? Your face didn't look good." Meng Renshu said worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm good."

"But why are you coming from the backyard? What are you doing there?" Li Chunhua asked with a suspicious face.

Li Caiyi was about to answer truthfully when she recalled Feng Nian's advice not to trust other people blindly. It wasn't such a big deal anyway, so Li Caiyi thought it would be fine if she lied a little.

"The teacher asked me to put away some unused chairs in storage. It's done now."

Li Chunhua made an ambiguous hum of acknowledgment like she doubted her words. "Well then, shall we go home? Brother Renshu said he will take us home."

Li Caiyi looked at Meng Renshu, and he flashed a friendly smile. "I rarely see you these days, Xiaoyi. So how about I take you two to play in an amusement park today? I have already gotten Auntie's permission."

Li Chunhua beamed and tugged Li Caiyi's arm in excitement. "That's awesome! Xiaoyi, let's go!"

Amusement park? It wouldn't be fun even if she went there because they couldn't play anything besides those which Li Chunhua could ride. Besides, she already has another plan in mind.

Li Caiyi slowly pulled her arm out of Li Chunhua's grip and smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, but I have something else to do today. You guys have fun without me."

"What? But you used to like amusement parks so much!" Li Chunhua protested while Meng Renshu's expression turned gloomier.

"That's the story when we were still kids. I don't like it that much anymore. Be careful and don't trouble Brother Renshu too much, Xiaohua."

"Then, we can go somewhere else, instead," Meng Renshu offered, but Li Caiyi shook her head.

"I wouldn't be able to come with you anyway, so it's better if you stick to your plan."

Li Chunhua pouted. "If you aren't going, then I won't, too!"

Li Caiyi didn't miss the crestfallen look on Meng Renshu's face when he heard that. He must be disappointed if his plan to have a date with Li Chunhua was ruined, just like that.

'Let's help them a bit,' Li Caiyi thought.

"Xiaohua, have you forgotten what I told you last time? What did I say?"

Li Chunhua groaned in displeasure. "Are we going to talk about that again?"

"You promised me! Don't go back on your words now." Li Caiyi said with a smiling tone.

"Tsk, fine." Li Chunhua begrudgingly agreed.

"Then it's settled. I'll go first. Have fun, you guys!" Li Caiyi walked away as she waved at them. Although the bitterness was still there somewhere, Li Caiyi didn't feel hurt anymore when she saw these two together.

Li Caiyi smiled in satisfaction as she praised herself inwardly.

Now, she had to find Shen Qiang.

***

Meng Renshu watched Li Caiyi's retreating back with complex emotion. At first, he thought it was just his imagination, but now he was convinced. Li Caiyi had been avoiding him. Or at least, she didn't like him as much as she did previously.

But why? What mistake did he commit to make such a tolerant girl like her grow distant from him? Meng Renshu felt sad and lonely, knowing that one of her little sisters disliked him. Was this how it felt for a father when he saw his daughter growing up? There was a sense of loss in Meng Renshu's heart.

For him, Li Caiyi was the pure and innocent little sister he had to protect, so to be rejected by her was like a hit of a hammer in his head.

Meng Renshu planned to talk about it with Li Caiyi during this trip to the amusement park. He even had the tickets ready at his disposal. But that girl refused him, so firmly at that, without a shred of hesitation. It made his mood suddenly became gloomier.

"Xiaohua, what promise did Xiaoyi talk about earlier? It sounds very important."

"She said we were growing up, so we promised to do things independently from now on."

When he heard that, Meng Renshu was a bit surprised.

He felt like the current Li Caiyi was slightly different from the one he knew. She would usually smile shyly while saying thank you in a small voice whenever he brought her some gifts or followed him quietly because she wanted to do things together but did not dare to ask. Since when did that little girl grow up so much?

Meng Renshu wasn't ready for this change just yet.

Even though he knew Li Caiyi was bound to leave him someday, he still wanted to make more memories with this girl who he had considered as his biological little sister and cherished dearly.

"Don't you think Xiaoyi was acting differently these days?"

"Yeah. She became different after she fell sick last time. She even calls people's names in her sleep sometimes."

"Really? Who is it?"

Li Chunhua shrugged her shoulders. "It is usually one of our names, or father and mother. But she looked like she was having a nightmare when she called us."

Meng Renshu fell into deep thought. "That's right. She mentioned her friend named Shen Qiang last time. Do you know that person as well?"

Li Chunhua's face turned several shades darker when she heard that. "I don't want to hear that name anymore."

"Why? What happened?"

Li Chunhua recalled how often Li Caiyi called that name in her sleep, and she got so irritated she developed an aversion to it. "I just don't like it, okay? Can't I dislike something?!"

Her sudden outburst took Meng Renshu aback, but his heart still raced from how cute she sulked. He chuckled while stroking her head tenderly. "Alright, big brother is the one in the wrong, so don't be mad anymore. We can play a ton of rides in an amusement park later."

Li Chunhua was still a bit upset, but she decided to let the matter go for now. However, her mind was settled on one thing.

She had to meet this Shen Qiang person.

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