Chapter 13 For Love

“Little one?” The middle-aged man saw her standing there in a daze and called out to her again.

“I haven’t decided if I want to look for him,” rubbing her dizzy head, Wang Jiexiang stepped aside for him. “Can you give me a moment to process my thoughts?”

Why did the world reset?

Still following the same line of thought from before entering the house: she cleared the house, Rabbit Yin Xian remained unchanged, so the change could only have occurred within her. She saw his past with her own eyes and understood that his poor personality had its roots, which stirred some pity. Their relationship was repaired and developed through the process of clearing the house.

But the adult Yin Xian in this world—his actions had hurt her feelings.

So the world reset.

That’s right! That had to be it!

Wang Jiexiang wanted to grow another mouth just to kiss her own clever little brain.

Brother Xu glanced at the child at the door—she still hadn’t left. She stood in the corner, one moment with a grimace, the next deep in thought, then suddenly laughing silently.

“You’re here.” Yin Xian stood up from the mahjong table and patted him on the shoulder.

Brother Xu came back to his senses and greeted him.

“Brother Xu, take over my spot. I’m heading to the cafeteria for a bite, and this afternoon I’ll check in at the factory.”

“Oh sure, go ahead. Come back after eating and keep playing. There are people watching the factory—no need for you to worry about that.”

He sat down in the seat Yin Xian vacated.

After putting on the new work uniform a coworker handed him, Yin Xian walked over to Wang Jiexiang.

“Jerk!” She glanced at him, pouting unwillingly and muttering, “Who wants to reload and be your one true love again? I was planning to delete the save file entirely.”

He walked straight toward the door, and the two of them were about to pass by each other.

“Hmph.” Wang Jiexiang jumped out with her hands on her hips and blocked his path.

Yin Xian hadn’t seen her at all. His abrupt stop made him stumble a step. To keep his balance, he pushed his hand forward.

Like a leaf blown by the wind, Wang Jiexiang floated backward toward the floor… “Smack!” Her butt hit the ground first.

The moment she landed, her expression froze. Then the pain kicked in and awakened the instincts of her young body—she burst out crying, “Waaahhh!”

Quick as lightning, Yin Xian covered her mouth, tucked her under his arm, and carried her to the door.

“…,” Wang Jiexiang was speechless: Bro, that move was way too smooth and practiced.

At the doorway.

She covered her butt with one hand and stretched the other toward Yin Xian.

“My butt hurts. Compensate me.”

She had already planned the next lines.

He’d ask, “What do you want?” and she’d answer, “I want you to take responsibility for me in the next life.” It would be the iconic scene marking the start of true love—a full-blown romance novel moment that she herself was very pleased with.

Yin Xian said nothing.

Then Wang Jiexiang was picked up again.

“What are you doing?” She kicked her legs in the air, struggling. “It’s just a minor injury! No need to destroy the evidence!”

Moments later, Wang Jiexiang was set down.

In front of her was a familiar office, a familiar graceful woman… that same floral dress, long hair over the shoulders, and striking beauty.

Her again?

Could it be that, for the sake of true love, a battle between the female lead and supporting female was unavoidable?

Wang Jiexiang instantly felt guilty: Damn, I was totally going to pick He Shan as the female lead—this pretty girl is really pretty.

“At this hour, you’re not playing mahjong with them and have time to come find me?” He Shan played with her hair and smiled at Yin Xian.

He motioned toward Wang Jiexiang beside him.

“I was careless when going out. I bumped into this kid. Can you check if she’s hurt anywhere?”

Yin Xian’s natural tone when asking for help made Wang Jiexiang feel a bit sour.

The first time was for a ball, the second time to check injuries—he always went to He Shan. Back when they were together, had he ever trusted her like this? Wang Jiexiang couldn’t even recall a single time he had asked her for help.

He Shan nodded and prepared to take the child back into the office.

Wang Jiexiang backed away and avoided her hand.

“Are you two dating?” she asked with her head down.

“Yes,” He Shan answered without hesitation. “You don’t need to be afraid, sweetheart. Big sis isn’t a weirdo. Come with me and I’ll check if you’re hurt.”

“Truly dating? Not just in name?”

He Shan was confused by the strange question, but replied, “We’re a couple.”

Wang Jiexiang cursed Yin Xian in her heart: Liar!

Then silently apologized to He Shan: Sorry, girl, but this scumbag’s destined true love is me.

She looked up and did her best to sound as innocent as possible. “That’s strange. My sister also said she and Yin Xian were dating.”

He Shan looked at Yin Xian.

He didn’t avert his gaze at all and asked directly.

“What’s your sister’s name?”

“My sister is…” She announced her name with conviction. “Wang Jiexiang.”

Yin Xian shook his head. “Don’t know her.”

“Must be some misunderstanding then.” He Shan smiled and tried to smooth things over.

Wang Jiexiang gritted her teeth and went all in: “That’s what my sister told me!”

“Strict parenting from a young age—Yin Xian was reciting difficult classical poems at four. He wasn’t allowed inside until he got them right. His parents were busy with work, so he walked to and from school alone from a young age. He doesn’t know how to ride a bike because no one ever taught him. He’s the type who wouldn’t ask someone for help and was too afraid of falling to try learning on his own.”

“Yin Xian’s dad worked in bridge construction, moving from site to site. He moved around a lot, constantly transferring schools. His parents divorced in high school, and he lived in a boarding cram school.”

He Shan kept her smile. “Sweetheart, do you really know what ‘dating’ means? Could your sister and Yin Xian have just been childhood friends or neighbors?”

“No. Definitely not. My sister told me—Yin Xian didn’t have childhood friends, and no close classmates at school.”

Desperate to provide compelling proof, Wang Jiexiang racked her brain. “What else… oh! He’s afraid of cockroaches and rats. He holds his liquor well and doesn’t talk nonsense when drunk. He loves spicy food—really loves it. But if it’s just fried eggs with rice, then no chili peppers, absolutely none.”

Yin Xian’s furrowed brow deepened at her final sentence.

“Fried eggs with rice and chili? That’s just wrong. Who does that? That’s inhuman.”

Wang Jiexiang countered, “You like spicy food, so why not?”

“Because I’d have to pick the chili out. Egg fried rice is eaten by the spoonful.”

His response was exactly what he said during one of their fights. She remembered her plate of fried rice being thrown out and couldn’t help arguing again.

“I used chili sauce. There’s barely any pepper in it.”

“Even a little is still something. Chili sauce has minced peppers.”

“If you’re so particular about spoonfuls, then pick out the chili first before eating!”

“Too much trouble.”

If He Shan hadn’t stepped in, they could’ve gone on arguing for another five minutes.

“Yin Xian, no need to argue with a kid. Isn’t everything she said just made up?”

His eyes darkened.

“The interesting part is, everything she said is true.”

He Shan’s expression froze.

After a moment, she came to. She gave a self-deprecating laugh, eyes showing acceptance.

“I knew you were planning to quit and would break up with me eventually. I’ve always known we weren’t going to last. But the fact that… I didn’t know a single one of those things she said…”

“Forget it.”

Disheartened, she backed off coolly. “Are we breaking up?”

“Let’s break up.”

He said it so calmly, it was as if he had planned it long ago.

He Shan couldn’t stop herself from cursing at him.

“You’re a real piece of trash. Being with you felt like not being with anyone at all.”

He didn’t say a word.

She gave him a satisfying slap and ran off.

What a shame this wasn’t the real world—Wang Jiexiang would’ve loved to sit down and buy her a drink.

Felt like not dating? No kidding. She dated Yin Xian for five years and never even figured out if he loved her.

“Why didn’t you explain?”

She turned to glare at Yin Xian. “If there’s a misunderstanding, just explain it!”

At this point, he was indeed innocent. He didn’t know any “Wang Jiexiang.” That clumsy lie she made up—there were thousands of ways he could’ve cleared it up.

He looked surprised: the person who started all this was now staring at him angrily, as if unhappy with the mess she herself had made.

“Nothing worth explaining.”

Yin Xian’s tone was flat and indifferent.

“She’s right. I was going to quit. It was only a matter of time. If we’re done, we’re done.”

Wang Jiexiang felt a strange sense of grievance—as if he had just dumped her all over again.

“Do you even know what love is? Is there no love in your relationships at all? Have you ever been unable to let someone go? Ever truly loved someone and tried to explain, tried to hold on?”

Call Yin Xian a scumbag thirty thousand times and it still wouldn’t be enough—he said:

“In this world, aren’t we all just passing strangers?”