Rebirth, but baby, where are you?

Chapter 56

Qin Yu walked into the restroom, turned on the faucet to wash his hands, and inadvertently looked up to see himself in the mirror. Compared to his disheveled, self-destructive appearance when he had just broken up with Ning Shen, he now looked much healthier, more spirited. Perhaps this version of himself was more pleasing to the eye.

Qin Yu chuckled softly as he raised his hand to touch his face, slightly lifting his chin to examine himself. The face in the mirror could only be considered clean and handsome, but in front of Qin Huanxi, his face was nothing special. The only thing that might attract people was that he looked rather gentle. In his memories, many people had told him that they felt comfortable being around him.

Qin Yu never understood where exactly he resembled Ning Xue. Was it just because they both played violin? He had seen countless photos and portraits of Ning Xue on the third floor of that villa. Even if Ning Xue were standing next to the current Qin Huanxi, Ning Xue would still be superior.

It wasn’t that he was being self-deprecating or resentful. It was simply the truth. Whether in talent, appearance, or family background, he could never compare to Ning Xue. Ning Xue had only given up his dream of becoming a violin soloist; if he had persisted, Ning Xue’s achievements today probably wouldn’t be inferior to Qin Huanxi’s.

But that was the old Qin Huanxi. The current Qin Huanxi…

Qin Yu’s eyes darkened as he lowered his head to carefully wash his hands. When he looked up again, there was a familiar face in the mirror, startling him so much that he spun around abruptly. Due to the excessive force, his lower back hit the sink hard, making him hiss softly in pain as his brows furrowed.

“Ning Shen, why are you here?” Qin Yu clutched his aching lower back.

Ning Shen smiled nonchalantly: “I just got off the plane and saw a familiar figure enter the restroom, so I followed to take a look. Didn’t expect to actually run into an acquaintance. How have you been? We parted in such a hurry that day, and I never visited the Qin residence again.”

What a load of nonsense!

Qin Yu secretly cursed in his heart. He composed himself, dried his hands, and said coolly: “Since Mr. Ning just got off the plane, you must be in a hurry to get back. I won’t delay your schedule. Huanxi is still waiting for me, so I’ll leave first. Goodbye!”

After speaking, Qin Yu brushed past Ning Shen, but just as he took a step, a strong hand grabbed his arm. He instinctively tried to shake it off, but the other’s grip was incredibly strong. After struggling several times without breaking free, anger surged up: “Let go!”

Ning Shen chuckled softly: “Indeed, those close to vermillion become red. After being with Young Master Qin for so long, even your temper has grown.”

Qin Yu took a deep breath, trying to suppress the rising anger, and looked at Ning Shen coldly: “Yes, I really regret why I didn’t spend more time with Huanxi all those years ago. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have fallen into the abyss and gotten myself so battered and bruised. So I don’t need Mr. Ning’s kind reminders.”

Ning Shen silently raised his hand to gently stroke the hair by Qin Yu’s ear, but Qin Yu turned his head away to avoid it. Ning Shen didn’t get angry, just loosened his grip slightly and said softly: “Are you sure the old Qin Huanxi could bring about such a big change in you?”

“Ning Shen, what exactly do you mean?” Qin Yu narrowed his eyes slightly. “I won’t let you touch Huanxi!”

Ning Shen suddenly snorted with laughter, releasing his grip on Qin Yu and looking away: “You’re still so naive, never able to see the people around you clearly. Is he really the Qin Huanxi from your memories? But I just love this pure heart of yours. Living this way isn’t too hard…”

For the first time, Qin Yu felt that Ning Shen had truly gone mad. Although he couldn’t immediately let go of his feelings for Ning Shen, he wasn’t the type to cling desperately when he knew the other didn’t love him. The happiness and joy he had once shared with Ning Shen, he didn’t want to forget those memories, as they were the most beautiful times for him.

Qin Yu didn’t want to taint those feelings, which represented his most sincere emotions when he had given his whole heart.

Qin Yu closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, they were full of calm: “Ning Shen, I won’t advise you like others do, nor will I cruelly remind you over and over that Ning Xue is dead, because I know what it feels like to love someone deeply. Even if that person is no longer in this world, as long as he lives in your heart, he will always exist. But I am not Ning Xue after all. No matter what, I can never replace his position in your heart. So please stop looking for me. Let me go, and let yourself go too.”

Ning Shen stared intently at Qin Yu, reaching out to caress his face.

This time Qin Yu didn’t dodge, standing still and letting Ning Shen’s hand do as it pleased on his face. That warm touch, he had experienced it countless times over the past year. In the past, he had been so greedy for this warmth that he became intoxicated in the tenderness Ning Shen gave him, afraid to wake up.

Ning Shen gazed at the face so close to him. Qin Yu’s forced composure looked stubbornly amusing to him, and his fingers lingered on that pale face, gently caressing. He slowly lowered his head, bringing his lips close to Qin Yu’s tightly pressed lips. Just then, a knocking sound interrupted his next move.

Qin Huanxi leaned against the door frame, lightly tapping the open restroom door with his fingers. He showed no embarrassment at interrupting someone’s “good moment”, walking over to the two men with a light smile: “Uncle, Uncle Mo and Xiao Yuan are waiting for us to return.”

Qin Huanxi then looked at Ning Shen, still maintaining his perfectly polite smile: “Mr. Ning, long time no see. After parting so hurriedly last time, I was still waiting for your visit. But Mr. Ning must be busy with official duties and managing countless affairs, surely unable to spare so much time. Since we’ve ‘coincidentally’ met again today, why not seize the day rather than wait for another? Allow me to repay the gratitude I owe Mr. Ning?”

Facing Qin Huanxi, the corners of Ning Shen’s mouth immediately curved up: “Then I thank Young Master Qin for his kind intention.”

“In that case, please, Mr. Ning. Let’s continue our discussion in the car. It’s rather improper to conduct business in a restroom.” Qin Huanxi wasn’t surprised, and after speaking with a smile, he said gently to Qin Yu: “Uncle, let’s go. Xiao Yuan is worried about you not coming back and wants to look for you.”

Qin Yu forced a faint smile and followed Qin Huanxi out of the restroom. He didn’t know how long Qin Huanxi had been waiting outside the restroom or how much of his conversation with Ning Shen he had heard. He also didn’t know what was wrong with himself, because faced with Ning Shen’s approach, for that brief moment, his body simply couldn’t resist.

If not for Qin Huanxi’s timely intervention, he and Ning Shen might have gotten out of control again. His heart was indeed greedy. He knew that Ning Shen’s heart wasn’t with him, yet he still couldn’t refuse Ning Shen’s intimacy. After being with Ning Shen for so long, his body had grown accustomed to every intimate gesture from him.

Fortunately, Qin Huanxi had awakened him in time. Qin Yu looked at Qin Huanxi walking beside him with deep gratitude. He was certain that if he hadn’t happened to meet Qin Huanxi while drowning his sorrows in alcohol, he probably would have fallen long ago. It wouldn’t have taken long before he returned to Ning Shen’s side, continuing to live in confused self-deception, pretending that Ning Shen’s tenderness belonged to him.

The three walked silently into the parking garage. Qin Huanxi saw Mo Shaoheng leaning against the car door waiting for them. He quickly walked up to Mo Shaoheng and, glancing back at Ning Shen, said softly: “Something happened.”

Mo Shaoheng looked at Ning Shen with cold eyes, putting his arm around Qin Huanxi’s shoulder: “Get in the car first.”

Qin Huanxi shook his head lightly: “I don’t feel comfortable letting him sit with Uncle. Let me ride with him. I have some things I want to say to him. Don’t worry, he won’t do anything to me.”

Mo Shaoheng frowned almost imperceptibly, looking at Qin Huanxi disapprovingly. Finally, he silently opened the car door, preparing to push Qin Huanxi into the car without question: “I’ll ride with him. Whatever you want to say can wait until we get back.”

Qin Huanxi shook his head with a laugh, patting Mo Siyuan who poked his head out, then turned to Qin Yu: “Uncle, get in the car.”

Qin Yu stood there, instinctively turning to look at Ning Shen.

Ning Shen just smiled indifferently, walking forward to examine Mo Siyuan and sighing: “He’s grown so big.”

Mo Siyuan tilted his little head, asking puzzledly: “Big brother Huanxi, who is this uncle?”

Qin Huanxi was slightly stunned, then said with a serious expression: “This is Uncle Ning Shen.”

Ning Shen’s lips curved meaningfully, his gaze at Qin Huanxi becoming intriguing.

“Uncle Ning?” Mo Siyuan stared at Ning Shen, then looked at Qin Huanxi and the others. He felt the atmosphere was strange but didn’t really understand. He obediently scooted inside and patted the seat: “Big brother Huanxi, Uncle Qin, get in quickly.”

Qin Huanxi let Qin Yu get in first, then got in himself and closed the door without hesitation.

Seeing this, Ning Shen chuckled softly, looking at the expressionless Mo Shaoheng: “No matter how many years pass, how much time goes by, or what form he takes, he’s still so willful. Willfully lovable, right?”

Mo Shaoheng gave him a cold glance and walked toward another car, not caring whether Ning Shen would follow. If not for Qin Huanxi’s genuine care for his uncle Qin Yu, he wouldn’t want to get too involved in the emotional entanglements between Qin Yu and Ning Shen. Once certain troubles got entangled, Qin Huanxi’s identity could easily be exposed. He didn’t want Qin Huanxi to have too many connections with people from his past life.

Many things were clear to bystanders but confusing to those involved. Mo Shaoheng had always felt that in his previous life, Qin Huanxi perhaps hadn’t found his true life purpose, taking the burden of being the family heir too seriously and missing out on much of the life freedom that should have belonged to Ning Xue himself. But since this concert ended, he could clearly sense that Qin Huanxi’s state of mind was slowly changing. He believed that one day, Qin Huanxi would have a life that truly belonged to himself.

Ning Shen seemed quite magnanimous, not minding Mo Shaoheng’s coldness, and calmly got into Mo Shaoheng’s car.

The driver looked surprised when he saw Ning Shen: “Master Mo?”

Mo Shaoheng nodded slightly: “Drive.”

“Yes, Master Mo!” The driver turned back and quickly started the car to leave.

Ning Shen crossed his arms and leaned back in his seat, saying with a smile: “Since I promised him, I’ll obediently follow you back and absolutely won’t do anything to make things difficult for him. After all, in this world, he’s the only person I least want to hurt.”

Mo Shaoheng sneered: “You should have said that to him personally while he was still alive.”

Ning Shen silently lowered his eyelids, and after a long while said dejectedly: “I was careless. The two things I regret most in this life are: first, letting him leave S City and my sight, allowing him to meet you. Second… I clearly wanted to protect him, to let him not live so tiredly, to put down all his burdens and pursue his own dreams. In the end, it was my miscalculation that left him with nothing, even costing him his life.”

Hearing this, Mo Shaoheng disagreed inwardly. Ning Shen’s actions weren’t miscalculations, because how could someone who could firmly control the entire Ning family make such errors? It was only Ning Shen’s arrogance that led to the final tragedy.

But as a rival in love, Mo Shaoheng naturally wouldn’t tell Ning Shen that his arrogance would only make him lose more, ultimately leading to an irreversible ending. Wasn’t Ning Xue’s brief life in his previous existence indirectly caused by Ning Shen?