It Seems I’m Not The Only One Who Reincarnated - Chapter 38: Protection

Right now, in the rooftop, he’s alone with two women who are exuding a dark aura…

Are they planning to chop me up?

No, no, it can’t be that bad.

Shi Hai didn’t think he deserved such a fate.

In fact, he didn’t even think he had done anything wrong.

What’s wrong with introducing a handsome guy to you?

Jian Sichun stood with her hands on her hips, squinting at Shi Hai.

“Look at your expression. You don’t seem to feel guilty at all.”

“I don’t think I did anything wrong… Meeting a handsome guy is nice, right? He’s the most handsome guy in our engineering department…”

“Stop arguing! You think I don’t know what you’re up to?!”

Jian Sichun was really getting angry.

Because she knew Shi Hai so well, she knew exactly what his ‘real intention’ was.

“You definitely thought that if you brought a handsome guy to us, we’d lose interest in you and stop bothering you, and you’d be free again… That’s what you were thinking, right?”

“Uh…”

Shi Hai averted his eyes, feeling guilty.

Jian Sichun hit the nail on the head.

That was indeed his hidden agenda.

“Other guys like to show off, wanting to impress girls with their best sides and never give other men a chance… But you, you directly brought a handsome guy to use as a shield! Who does that?!”

Almost all guys try to break down the psychological defenses of the girls they like, steal their hearts, and move in themselves.

Even Zhu Lingjie couldn’t stay silent, looking at Shi Hai with disappointment.

“Although I know… you don’t like attracting attention… you could have discussed it with us instead of directly bringing another guy over…”

Jian Sichun hugged Zhu Lingjie, venting for her friend.

“Exactly! Look how scared Lingling is! You know she has a fear of men, yet you brought another guy over!”

“I’m truly sorry for that. I didn’t consider it thoroughly…”

Shi Hai had noticed Zhu Lingjie’s reaction when she ate earlier.

She kept her head down during the meal and didn’t touch any dishes that Chu Chen had taken from.

At that time, both Chu Chen and Shi Hai noticed this, so they kept eating one dish to leave the rest for Zhu Lingjie.

And Jian Sichun, seeing this, thought it was too gay and started giving some of each dish to Zhu Lingjie to stop them from doing that.

“I thought you could already interact normally with guys.”

The main reason was that after meeting Zhu Lingjie again yesterday, seeing that she could talk to him normally, Shi Hai assumed her androphobia had somewhat improved since starting university.

Otherwise, considering her fear of men, he wouldn’t have brought Chu Chen over.

But the reality was that Zhu Lingjie’s improvement only applied to Shi Hai.

With other men, not only had it not improved, but it had worsened.

Because she only needed to open her heart to Shi Hai, expressing everything to him, and her loyalty to love gave her a reason to avoid other men.

But Shi Hai didn’t know this.

“I think if you want to continue treating your androphobia, you should interact with more guys. At least you should be able to have a normal conversation.”

He didn’t see himself as a special person to them.

“Chu Chen is a reliable guy. Although he doesn’t talk much, you could try to get to know him.”

Zhu Lingjie didn’t listen to any of this.

She finally understood the difference between the past Shi Hai and the present one.

The past Shi Hai was her ‘husband.’

He would say things like, “It’s okay, It’s okay, I will always be with you anyway, and I don’t have to be jealous.

But the current Shi Hai was just a ‘friend.’

Although he made suggestions with her in mind, he didn’t see himself in a special position.

In fact, Jian Sichun was also angry for a similar reason.

Because it showed…

Shi Hai wasn’t interested in them now, and had no intention of pursuing them.

He didn’t see them as romantic interests or have any intention of conquering them.

But this was understandable… After all, it was only the second day of knowing each other.

He wasn’t someone who valued looks above all else and wouldn’t pursue a girl just for her appearance or figure…

However, it still felt frustrating.

Or rather, the contrast of ‘once having and now losing’ made it hard for them to adapt.

— If you don’t say it directly, even if he understands, he’ll play dumb —

Chu Chen’s words still echoed in Zhu Lingjie’s mind.

Yes, she couldn’t hesitate anymore!

Otherwise, what was the point of being reborn! “I… don’t want to get close to other men…”

Zhu Lingjie raised her head and looked at Shi Hai with a burning gaze, gathering her courage to speak.

“I only want to get close to you.”

Jian Sichun, next to her, was stunned.

She never expected Zhu Lingjie to be so bold.

That was practically a confession, wasn’t it?

It wasn’t like those subtle hints like “The moon is beautiful tonight” or “I want to drink the soup you make every day.”

It was a clear declaration equivalent to “I like you.”

Even the dumbest guy would understand this.

Shi Hai, of course, understood.

In fact, he had noticed it yesterday.

But instead of responding, he asked a question in return.

“Only want to get close to me… Or ‘can only get close to me’?”

“—!”

Zhu Lingjie’s face turned pale.

She realized she had made a big mistake.

This could lead to a disaster!

“If you had many options in front of you and still chose me, I’d be happy… But your current situation is ‘this is the only choice,’ isn’t it?”

Shi Hai’s thoughts weren’t surprising, given that Zhu Lingjie had hardly interacted with him for ‘fifteen years’ in the past, and now she suddenly approached him and confessed on the second day.

Anyone would find it suspicious, right?

This seemed more like ‘settling for him’ out of helplessness rather than genuine affection.

“If it’s just settling, then there’s no need—”

Smack! 

A slap landed on Shi Hai’s face.

Jian Sichun had moved.

After the slap, she held her hand, tears welling up.

It was her first time hitting Shi Hai.

She hadn’t hit him even in the previous life.

It hurt more to hit him than to be hit herself.

But she had to step forward and said through tears,

“Don’t… jump to conclusions so quickly!”

She wasn’t blaming Shi Hai, nor did she mean to.

She just forcefully interrupted ‘Shi Hai’s rejection of Zhu Lingjie’s confession.’

Because now that Shi Hai had read yesterday’s letter, he would be wary of any girl showing obvious affection.

But Zhu Lingjie didn’t know this.

So if Zhu Lingjie failed due to this, it would feel unfair.

This was only the ‘first trial’ of the confession…

It wasn’t time for the final verdict yet!

“I’ll help her! Prove that her feelings are genuine!”

Jian Sichun decided to be Zhu Lingjie’s ‘love defense attorney.’