Rebirth: Once Again With You

"Hi Junjie, you seem to be in a bad mood," Meng Renshu chuckled as he walked over, causing a deeper frown on Li Junjie's face.

"I'm fine. Do you have some business with us?"

"Well, I saw the three of you walking and thought I could drop by at your house before going to my supplementary class today."

"You can visit, but the house is probably messy right now."

"With your birthday preparation? It's okay. I can play with the twins outside." Meng Renshu smiled as he stroked Li Chunhua's head. Then, he leaned down to peek at Li Caiyi, who was hiding behind her brother. "Let's play together, Xiaoyi."

Li Junjie could feel her sister's hold on him tighten before she shyly said, "Y-yes, Brother Renshu."

"How cute. Then, shall we go?" Meng Renshu said as he clasped Li Chunhua's hand, so each boy held a girl by their side.

Li Junjie looked at him in confusion. "Aren't you going to ride your car?"

"Why? When I can have fun with you guys here?"

It was evident that riding a car would be more comfortable than walking while holding someone else. Li Junjie really couldn't understand Meng Renshu sometimes.

"Do as you wish, then." Li Junjie shrugged his shoulders indifferently before continuing walking.

Their house wasn't that far from the school, so they quickly reached it. However, when they finally arrived in front of the door, Li Junjie could faintly hear the sound of glass breaking coming from inside.

Li Junjie: "??"

His hand that already held the doorknob halted, causing the little girl beside him to look up. "Brother? We aren't going to enter?"

Li Junjie didn't answer immediately and heard another sound coming from inside again. This time, it sounded like there was a fight inside. He subconsciously guessed that something wasn't right.

"Xiaoyi, go play with Renshu and Xiaohua first in the garden." Li Junjie said while handing her hand to Meng Renshu, causing the girl to yelp in surprise.

Meng Renshu said nothing but gently held Li Caiyi's hand in his other hand. "Your brother is right. Shall we play in the garden? The weather is nice, and I want to see some flowers."

"Oh, I know where the good flowers are!" Li Chunhua voluntarily raised her hand. "It's there! Let's go, Brother Renshu!"

"Yes, let's go." Meng Renshu cast a side glance at Li Junjie and nodded his head before leaving with the twins.

Li Junjie was grateful that Meng Renshu was quick to pick on his cue, but what's with his nod at the end? He also put on a strange expression, almost like a sympathetic look. It unsettled him, and Li Junjie didn't like it.

He shook his head and finally turned on the doorknob. As soon as he entered, the sound became louder and clearer. Li Junjie looked around to find the living room was empty, so he walked towards where the sound was coming from gingerly.

Apparently, the sound came from the kitchen.

"If you are doing your job right, would everything become messy like this? It's not my problem if you aren't doing your job right!"

"But can you be a little lenient towards them? They are still so young. There's no need to be so strict with them."

"It's because they are still young everything should be done properly. Or they would grow up and become useless like you in the future!"

Li Junjie hid behind the wall as he eavesdropped on his parents' conversation. His heart plummeted, and his stomach churned as an uncomfortable feeling arose within him. He really didn't want to see this and regretted that he didn't go to play in the garden with her siblings.

"Junjie already has enough playing with kids his age. You could tell he was born different from the rest and was meant for a successful life. I won't let you ruin that future of his with your unreasonable answer." Li Jirong roared once again.

"Husband, Junjie is already good with his study, but he is lacking in other parts."

"Don't force your silly idea onto him. Many people will follow him and kill each other to be his friends when the time comes. What could you possibly know about this?" Li Jirong sneered, causing the trembling Su Suyin to bite her lips.

She couldn't say anything back to her husband. Still, her belief that Li Junjie needed more time to spend on other things besides study remained, so albeit scared, she persisted.

"That kid is still young, and there will be plenty of time to study. He doesn't need additional cram lessons and this many supplementary classes. He already had too much, and it takes a toll on his body and mind." Su Suyin explained.

"He doesn't need anyone but Young Master Meng as his friend! How often do I have to tell you that until you understand?!" Li Jirong shouted.

"If you have so much time thinking about unnecessary stuff, why don't you use that time to properly raise the twins? Xiaohua is still decent, but what about Xiaoyi? She can't even speak what's on her mind and stutters a lot. I won't ask you something impossible; just make sure neither of them would bring shame to our family!"

Li Junjie clenched his fist, hearing that while feeling a burning sensation in the pit of his stomach. He really hated this.

"The girls are fine. They are eating and studying well. Xiaoyi is a bit on the slower side, but she isn't doing badly, either. Husband, you are too harsh on the kids."

SLAP!

There was a fierce slapping sound, followed by a thud, like something–or someone–had fallen. Li Junjie held his breath while peeping from behind the wall. Then, for the first time in his life, he saw her mother pitifully sitting on the floor while his father was standing there with a cold and scary look on his face.

His little hand trembled, looking at the unfamiliar sight. Li Junjie had seen his father scold his mother several times before, but he had never seen her mother cry. Looking at the red mark on her mother's face, it wasn't hard for him to guess that it must have hurt so much.

"You are too naïve! This is why you are a failure as their mother. You can't see what's good for them, that's fine, but don't hinder their way!"

Su Suyin trembled under the ferocious roar of her husband. The drop of tears kept running down her cheek, but it only made Li Jirong even more impatient and furious.

"Can't you do anything but complain and cry? This is why women are so…" Li Jirong clicked his tongue in annoyance. "I can't talk to you at all! Every time we talk, you always waste my time by crying; it's getting annoying."

,m Li Junjie had a reasonably good relationship with his parents. It never came to him that his father would be so violent towards their mother. He vaguely remembered the sympathetic look Meng Renshu had given him earlier. Was it because he could guess what was happening inside?

Although Li Junjie was a calm and rational kid, he was still a child nonetheless. Witnessing his parents having a physical fight for the first time created the first fear in his young heart and affected him greatly.