Chapter 40.1

After the streetlights were fixed, Che Gulai’s car stopped following her.

She didn’t see her for the next few days either.

Shen Sijin sincerely hoped that Che Gulai would take her words to heart.

She went to class to supervise morning reading as usual, but noticed that the person in the back row hadn’t shown up again.

She asked the class president, “Where is Xiao Sen? Did he skip again?”

Xiao Sen was the aloof boy she had gone to his house to retrieve and bring back to school a few times before.

“No, he’s here,” the class president looked at the back seats. “He was here when I took attendance.”

Shen Sijin walked over and asked his deskmate. She knocked on the table. The boy, who had been sleeping, jolted awake and murmured, “Teacher.”

Shen Sijin asked, “Have you seen Xiao Sen?”

“Xiao Sen?” The boy scratched his unauthorized copy head. “I think I saw him earlier. He had a lot of injuries. Maybe he went to the nurse’s office.”

Xiao Sen was a child who gave Shen Sijin a headache. He was clearly academically gifted but constantly slept, skipped class, and always seemed to have mysterious injuries.

“I understand,” Shen Sijin patted a book. “Don’t sleep during morning reading. Final exams are coming soon.”

“Okay, Teacher Shen.”

Shen Sijin went to the nurse’s office but didn’t see Xiao Sen. She thought of something and went to the rooftop.

Sure enough, a boy was sitting on the rooftop, smoking expressionlessly, his face bruised.

“Xiao Sen.” Shen Sijin walked over.

Hearing the voice, the boy instinctively tried to hide the cigarette.

“Don’t hide it,” Shen Sijin said. “I already saw it.”

“Teacher.” The boy’s eyes were gloomy. He greeted her coldly.

“What happened to you? Did you get into a fight?”

The boy didn’t speak.

Shen Sijin knew he wouldn’t tell the truth. She sighed. “Come with me to the nurse’s office.”

The boy didn’t move.

Seeing his lack of movement, Shen Sijin asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Why does a teacher care about someone like me?” the boy frowned.

Shen Sijin’s heart was soft and gentle. Looking at the bruised and injured child, she couldn’t help but be reminded of her own bleak past. Back then, no one cared about her; they just let her fend for herself.

Now that she was a teacher, perhaps it was out of pity. She always felt that by helping her students, she was also somehow saving her student-aged self.

“I am your teacher.” Shen Sijin took his wrist and started walking downstairs.

“I have the right to care about you.”

Xiao Sen obediently tossed the cigarette and followed her down.

After dealing with Xiao Sen, Shen Sijin quickly rushed to teach her first class.

She had many classes today. After a full day, her legs were numb from standing.

She returned home, wanting nothing more than to lie down. Tomorrow was the weekend, and she could finally rest well.

Before entering the door, she saw that there seemed to be someone next door.

The house next door had been vacant. Had someone moved in?

She didn’t think much of it and walked in.

The next day, she returned from grocery shopping at the supermarket and saw a small yellow dog running toward her from a distance, affectionately rubbing against her legs.

Shen Sijin couldn’t help but crouch down and stroke the dog’s head.

It felt strangely familiar.

Why does it look like the little dog she used to own?

Speaking of the dog, Shen Sijin didn’t know what happened to her pet. After her grandmother died, she was in no state to care for the dog. Realizing she might not be around, she sent the dog to a specialized care facility.

It had been so many years. She wondered how her dog was doing. Shen Sijin suddenly missed her dog very much.

“What’s your name, little dog?” Shen Sijin crouched down, smiling softly as she stroked the dog’s soft, glossy fur. The dog was clearly well-cared for.

The dog didn’t “speak.” It just enthusiastically licked her palm.

Shen Sijin’s eyes curved slightly. “You’re so well-behaved.”

It looks exactly like my dog.

I miss my dog so much.

“Its name is ‘Xiao Gou’ (Little Dog).”

Shen Sijin was focused on petting the dog when a cold female voice suddenly came from behind her.

Her face changed, and her smile vanished.

Che Gulai walked over and crouched down as well. “It’s just called Xiao Gou. It’s your Xiao Gou.”

Shen Sijin lowered her eyes. “How is the dog with you?”

“The company you sent it to went bankrupt. The dog had nowhere to go,” Che Gulai said calmly. “I took it in and looked after it.”

“I’m giving it back to you now.”

“No need,” Shen Sijin stood up. “I didn’t raise it for long. Since you’ve raised it for five years, it belongs to you.”

“This is yours. I’m just giving her back,” Che Gulai looked at her. “Besides, this dog doesn’t stick to me.”

“Look,” Che Gulai lifted her chin slightly. “She only recognizes you.”

Since confirming Shen Sijin’s identity, the dog had been rubbing its paws against her legs, its big, round eyes staring straight at her.

It was extremely clingy.

Shen Sijin saw how fluffy it was, and her heart softened involuntarily.

She knew she should refuse Che Gulai’s gesture of goodwill, but this was her dog, a dog that had been beautifully cared for.

She simply couldn’t refuse Che Gulai’s offer.

“I will pay you back for the expenses of raising the dog all these years,” Shen Sijin said placidly. “And thank you for taking care of her.”

Her tone was gentle and measured, as if she were thanking a complete stranger.

Che Gulai’s fingers curled. “It’s fine. No need to pay.”

“I still have to pay,” Shen Sijin said, looking at the dog. “I don’t want to owe you anything.”

You can owe me, because I owe you so much.

Che Gulai said silently in her heart.

“How about this,” Che Gulai changed her strategy, speaking calmly. “Cook me a meal. Consider it payment for raising the dog.”

Shen Sijin frowned slightly.

“I’ll leave right after I finish eating,” Che Gulai said straightforwardly, seeing her hesitation.

Shen Sijin didn’t want to cook for her. If she could, she wouldn’t even say an extra word to her.

But Che Gulai had taken care of her dog. Otherwise, the dog would have been homeless.

Che Gulai had seized upon the fact that Shen Sijin disliked owing people. Using the dog as leverage, she was slowly and deliberately trying to approach her.

She had to admit, Che Gulai was a shrewd businesswoman. Her actions left no room for refusal.

Shen Sijin closed her eyes briefly. “You’ll leave after eating.”

“Of course.”

Shen Sijin let her into the house.

As soon as the dog entered, it bounced around excitedly. When Shen Sijin called its name, it rushed over to cling to her again.

Shen Sijin’s eyes curved in a smile. She stroked the dog. “Good girl.”

Seeing her smile, Che Gulai felt a moment of jealousy.

Shen Sijin was treating a dog better than her.

“Do you need help?” Che Gulai asked, leaning against the door frame.

“No need,” Shen Sijin said emotionlessly. “Stay out of the kitchen.”

The implication: Don’t come closer.

Che Gulai: “…”

She had no choice but to sit in the living room, occasionally looking at Shen Sijin’s delicate, serene profile.

She only wished time would pass a little slower.

Shen Sijin finished cooking quickly—six dishes and one soup.

“Eat.”

Shen Sijin called her to sit down. She helped herself to some food, then put some into a bowl for the dog.

They sat far apart, eating in silence.

Shen Sijin’s cooking was as bad as ever. The scrambled eggs with tomatoes were just as salty as they used to be.

But Che Gulai ate a lot.

Shen Sijin ate slowly, showing no reaction to having someone else join her meal.

Che Gulai didn’t want to maintain the silence.

“Is this your real body?” Che Gulai asked, looking at her straight black hair and dark eyes. Her features were slightly different from the previous face.

“Yes.”

Che Gulai was awkward at making conversation. Her questions were stiff. “It’s better looking than the previous one.”

“Thank you.”

“Do you…” Che Gulai hesitated, then asked faintly, “Do you have any family here?”

She wanted to know if Shen Sijin had been alone these past years.

“No.” Shen Sijin stopped eating. She said gently, “Che Gulai, I don’t want to talk about the past.”

Che Gulai’s eyelid twitched. “I’m sorry.”

“I just wanted to ask how you’ve been doing these five years.”

Shen Sijin looked at Che Gulai. She had no appetite, so she put down her chopsticks.

“Che Gulai,” Shen Sijin’s voice was clear and clean, unlike the soft tone of the previous Shen Sijin. It was like glass beads touching in clear water—beautiful to listen to, but when spoken without emotion, it sounded distant and calm.

“Five years ago, when I woke up, I had many opportunities to seek revenge on you, but I didn’t.”

Che Gulai’s throat tightened inexplicably.

“Do you know why?”

The dog finished its food and looked at Shen Sijin, panting with its tongue out. Shen Sijin stroked its head and said slowly, “Because I didn’t want any more connection with the past.”

“Even though I hated you, I didn’t want to seek you out.”

Shen Sijin’s nature was always gentle and unhurried. Even when facing Che Gulai, the person she once hated deeply, she rarely became hysterical. She was always calm and mild.

Her gentleness was a soft knife. Every word she spoke added to Che Gulai’s pain, creating a sense of powerless shame and failure.

Che Gulai felt a helpless sadness.

She knew that Shen Sijin was truly resolute, wanting no connection with the past, including her.

She was indirectly telling her not to come again.

Shen Sijin stood up. She knew Che Gulai understood her words. “Eat slowly. I’m going upstairs first. I’ll wash the dishes.”

“You haven’t eaten.”

“I lose my appetite when I see you.”

Shen Sijin went upstairs. Che Gulai sat alone in the living room.

Just like the last time.

They still couldn’t have a proper meal together.

Their relationship had reached a point where having a proper meal was a luxury.

Che Gulai silently finished the food, then washed the dishes for her. She left her house and walked to the house next door.

Shen Sijin sat in her room, frustrated by Che Gulai’s persistence.

She pinched the dog’s ear. “Xiao Gou, do you think she’s crazy? She only started missing me after I died.”

The dog shook its head comfortably.

Shen Sijin’s mood was initially bad after seeing Che Gulai, but seeing the dog made her feel much better.

The weather was nice today. Shen Sijin went to the balcony to Read on BaiLianTaleswater her plants. Someone also came out onto the balcony next door.

Shen Sijin looked over, frowning. “You…”

It was Che Gulai on the balcony next door.

She had moved next door.

Shen Sijin was momentarily speechless. She couldn’t find a word to describe Che Gulai’s relentless pursuit.

“I won’t disturb you,” Che Gulai said flatly, recognizing her meaning. “My branch company is listing nearby. I came here to take up my post.”

A complete lie.

What kind of branch company listing required Che Gulai to move here to take up a post? As the core of the company, shouldn’t she be at the main headquarters?

Shen Sijin had never encountered anyone as persistent as Che Gulai, someone who wouldn’t leave no matter what she said.

Che Gulai wasn’t like this before.

When they were dating, she used to wish they could live closer, or even better, live together.

But Che Gulai always used a casual excuse to dismiss her.

What she had desired in the past was now appearing in her life in a different way.

But these desires were like spoiled apples. They no longer brought her joy.

“You better keep your word,” Shen Sijin said, not looking at her, continuing to water her flowers.

Che Gulai’s words were half-truths. The branch company’s listing didn’t require her presence, but because there were many unstable issues with the branch, she needed to be there. Also, she wanted to be closer to Shen Sijin.

Even if she did nothing but watch her, it brought her peace.

Since moving next door, her nightmares had significantly decreased.

Che Gulai seemed to be telling the truth. She was rarely at home. Even when she was, she didn’t often come out. They only met occasionally on the balcony.

Che Gulai would greet her, but Shen Sijin’s attitude was cold. Che Gulai took the slight with a groan and retreated inside.

Shen Sijin thought Che Gulai must rarely try to show goodwill to people. Her career was successful, and many people fawned over her. Now, she was clumsily trying to approach Shen Sijin.

Che Gulai was naturally cold, yet she was stiffly and awkwardly trying to express warmth to Shen Sijin.

She was doing things she wasn’t good at.

It seemed both comical and ridiculous.