It Seems I’m Not The Only One Who Reincarnated - Chapter 12: Pure Love

Jian Sichun, who knew the way from the university to the Shi family’s home like the back of her hand, arrived at the entrance of the subway station near the school earlier than Shi Hai and waited for him.

Since secretly following him would be considered stalking, there should be no problem if they go together openly, right?

“Ha…”

Seeing Jian Sichun looking at him expectantly, Shi Hai sighed, holding his forehead.

It seemed today’s hardships were not over yet.

“You really beat me… Are you sure this is okay?”

Shi Hai finally understood why Senior Tian Shui had emphasized those few words at the end; she had probably already noticed Jian Sichun’s intention to go home with him.

Jian Sichun knew that she was causing trouble for Shi Hai by doing this. Following someone home on the first day was quite shameless, especially since she wasn’t a homeless girl with nowhere to go.

Even in their past life, their relationship had progressed gradually, and they had started living together because she had issues with her roommate, and Shi Hai couldn’t stand it, so he let her stay at his place.

So, no matter how you look at it, slowly building the relationship was the better choice…

But!

Jian Sichun thought that since she had already given up on becoming his girlfriend, why should she care about his feelings towards her? In the future, she would just be his friend who assists and supports him. So it didn’t matter if she was annoying now!

Recently, or rather in future anime, there are characters like that, right? The little sister who, under the pretext of taking care of the reclusive senior, engages in various ridiculous entanglements…

That’s right! She could do the same! Visiting a friend’s house, meeting his mother, and staying overnight was totally normal, wasn’t it?

Convincing herself, Jian Sichun mustered up the courage to speak.

“As… friends!”

“As friends?”

Jian Sichun nodded heavily.

“Yes! As your friend, visiting your house should be a normal thing, right?”

“…”

Becoming friends on the first day wasn’t unusual.

What’s unusual was becoming friends in less than an hour and wanting to visit each other’s house…

Shi Hai felt that trying to argue would be a loss.

“Alright… I understand.”

“You agreed!”

“Just so you know, I don’t live alone. My mom might be at home.”

“Okay!”

Jian Sichun didn’t mind at all. She had been living at Shi Hai’s house since university and had long known his mother.

In fact, her relationship with Shi Hai’s mother was beyond harmonious in-law relations; they were almost like mother and daughter.

Actually, Jian Sichun’s concern for Shi Hai’s future was partly influenced by Shi Hai’s mother.

Seeing that she was not deterred at all, Shi Hai thought that since the worst-case scenario wouldn’t happen, he might as well give in.

If she didn’t mind, why should he care so much? A girl willing to visit his home was a good thing, wasn’t it?

“Then let’s go.”

“Yay!”

Jian Sichun jumped happily to Shi Hai’s side and entered the subway station with him.

Upon entering the station, she initially wanted to take out her phone to scan the QR code but suddenly remembered that in 2012, QR codes were not yet widespread.

“What’s wrong? Didn’t you bring your card?”

“Wait a minute, let me find it…”

Jian Sichun searched herself and found a brand-new cross-stitch wallet.

She remembered this wallet; back then, she was transitioning from cross-stitching to making clothes, but making clothes was much harder.

So, she soon realized that needlework wasn’t for her and turned to learn drawing instead.

However, later on, Shi Hai inherited her interest and started making handmade clothes, doing it much better than she ever did.

In the future, most of Jian Sichun’s cosplay outfits were handmade by Shi Hai.

Jian Sichun especially loved the clothes Shi Hai made. She kept them in a separate wardrobe, away from other clothes.

Because they were her most treasured possessions…

“Did you find it?”

“Ah! Found it, found it! I’m coming!”

Jian Sichun, snapped out of her thoughts, quickly took out her subway card and passed through the turnstile.

While waiting for the subway, Jian Sichun rubbed her cheeks hard and mentally warned herself.

Stop thinking… Stop reminiscing.

Otherwise, it would be harder to let go…

Shi Hai saw all this but didn’t ask.

At four o’clock in the afternoon, the subway wasn’t crowded yet, and they found empty seats.

After sitting down, neither spoke, making the atmosphere awkward.

Jian Sichun didn’t know what to talk about, as anything might trigger her memories.

Even now, she was thinking, “When were we ever this awkward? We got along so well from the start…” and felt very aggrieved.

As for Shi Hai, he simply wasn’t good at starting conversations.

He could respond or be a listener, but initiating a chat was difficult for him.

Should he say, “The weather is nice today”? Better not; that might just freeze the atmosphere.

Jian Sichun realized that excluding all shared topics, the only thing left to talk about was Tian Shui.

Suppressing her annoyance, she asked anyway.

“Shi Hai, what do you think of Senior Tian Shui?”

“Are you asking my opinion of her as a person or my feelings towards her?”

“Both.”

“Hmm… I think she’s a very impressive person.”

Indeed, quite impressive… maybe too impressive, Jian Sichun thought.

Shi Hai continued analyzing her character.

“Her confident attitude likely comes from her strong belief in her abilities rather than her family background, and she isn’t arrogant, making her quite approachable.”

Though she does enjoy teasing people.

But that’s also a sign of approachability.

A truly aloof person wouldn’t even look at you.

“I believe whatever career she pursues in the future, she will shine and continuously rise, achieving great things beyond ordinary people’s reach.”

Shi Hai gave his final assessment with crossed arms.

“In summary, Senior Tian Shui is someone people will naturally follow. If she were my boss, it would be a very fortunate thing.”

“I see, very suitable as a boss… What about as a romantic partner?”

“So that’s what you really want to know.”

“Yes…”

“She’s indeed very beautiful.”

Shi Hai admitted this in front of Tian Shui, so it was his genuine thought.

“She’s the kind of woman who evokes a strong sense of possession in men. To put it bluntly, ‘I want her to be my woman.'”

Jian Sichun felt a pang of jealousy.

Even though she asked, she still felt envious.

It was the first time hearing Shi Hai straightforwardly express interest in another woman.

He had never shown interest in other women before! “But I won’t pursue Senior Tian Shui.”

“Eh? Why?”

“A flower that attracts bees and butterflies just by standing still… It’s pointless for someone like me to approach her.”

Shi Hai still felt that Tian Shui was likely teasing him for fun.

But Jian Sichun’s woman’s intuition told her that Tian Shui genuinely liked Shi Hai.

She hesitated whether to help Tian Shui and asked.

“So, you won’t pursue her just because you think you can’t catch her?”

“Well… it’s more because I don’t know her well enough.”

This answer stunned Jian Sichun, and she blurted out.

“Because you don’t know her well enough?”

“Yes, didn’t I say before? I only met Senior Tian Shui at noon today. How can I know what kind of person she is in such a short time?”

“Haven’t you fallen for her at first sight?”

“Does having a reaction occur on the spot on my crotch upon seeing her can be counted as love at first sight?”

“Uh, I think there should be some difference…”

“Then I haven’t fallen for Senior Tian Shui at first sight.”

“How can you be so sure? She’s so beautiful and rich…”

That’s a perfect rich woman!

The dream girl of all men!

Men who fall for her at first sight could fill a football field!

“Senior Tian Shui is very beautiful, every man would desire her, and she’s likely wealthy and powerful. I also want to be rich… So aren’t these just my selfish desires?”

“Eh?”

Shi Hai continued to explain.

“I like beautiful women. This applies to any woman who meets my aesthetic standards. The ‘wealthy’ attribute is similar, and Senior Tian Shui just happens to have both.”

“Um, that sounds convoluted…”

Shi Hai agreed that his explanation was a bit verbose.

“In simple terms, if I only like beautiful and wealthy women, then it doesn’t necessarily have to be Senior Tian Shui, right?”

“—Ah!”

Exactly.

Jian Sichun realized.

That’s why Shi Hai said, “I don’t know her well enough.”

For most people, these external factors might be the most important since many seek partners to “live better.”

But Shi Hai didn’t care about external factors.

“I don’t really understand what love at first sight feels like… But it should be a fateful encounter, right?”

Shi Hai thought that if “love at first sight” truly existed, it should be an emotional impulse excluding “external factors.”

At least for now, Shi Hai believed he hadn’t met a woman who triggered such an impulse.

“…Yes… A fateful encounter…”

Jian Sichun, recalling their sweet dating memories, suddenly felt enlightened.

Indeed, he had never done anything to make her doubt him, not once.

I see…

Shi Hai was a principled pure love devotee!