Rebirth: Once Again With You

Li Caiyi called out to that name softly while carefully studying his reaction.

"Are you…Zhiqiang?"

The masked man: "...."

There was no answer again, but it only made her even more confident. This person's demeanor and gestures were very similar to Dai Zhiqiang's, and it would explain why he would saved her from those drunkards earlier.

Li Caiyi missed him so much, so she reached out to hold on to his hand firmly, as though he would disappear again if she let go of him.

"I'm right, aren't I? Why are you wearing that mask? You can just approach and talk to me directly." Her voice slightly shook as she continued, "Is it because you don't want me to know? You are keeping your real job secret from everyone; that's why you did this."

The masked man's hand twitched but gradually relaxed and even caressed Li Caiyi's soft hand tenderly with his thumb. It made her heart swell and ticklish.

"Hey, can I see your face? I missed you."

Maybe because he was wearing a mask, or perhaps because she hadn't seen him for a long time, but Li Caiyi felt a surge of courage to say that.

"....Go home, and don't come here anymore. It's dangerous." The masked man, or rather, Dai Zhiqiang, said deeply.

Li Caiyi's face brightened when she heard his voice. Sure enough, it really was Dai Zhiqiang. Her hunch was correct!

"Zhiqiang, don't you want to go home? Your father and brother are waiting for you." Li Caiyi paused briefly before adding, "...and me too. I'm also waiting for you all this time. There is something I have to tell you."

"I will return, but not now." He replied curtly, but the way he tenderly held her hand betrayed that indifferent tone.

Li Caiyi was so overwhelmed that she grabbed her blazer's hem gingerly and said, "Can't you tell me what your real job is? I want to know you better, and if you are struggling, I want to be by your side to help you. Zhiqiang, towards you, I…hmph—"

Dai Zhiqiang covered Li Caiyi's mouth with his hand so she couldn't finish her sentence. Li Caiyi looked up at him in confusion before she could hear a peal of soft laughter from him.

"Don't say it now, or I won't be able to focus on my work."

Li Caiyi blushed hard, knowing he had read her mind. Her heart was pounding so fast as she lowered her head in embarrassment.

"There are many things I can't tell you right now. But I will tell you when the time comes." Dai Zhiqiang said, almost peacefully.

"Will you really? I mean, I can understand if you don't want to tell me…."

"I will, because you are important to me."

It felt like something was squeezing her heart, but it wasn't painful at all. It was a sweet and fulfilling feeling. After days without seeing or talking to him, she felt so complete now hearing that line from him.

Li Caiyi initially thought she would be fine if she could talk to him for a bit, but now that she had met him, she became greedy and wanted to be with him longer.

"I need to go now. Don't wander around anymore and get back safely." Dai Zhiqiang explained while slowly loosening his hold on her hand.

"Wait!" Li Caiyi clutched his blazer in a hurry. "Can we meet again like this tomorrow? If you can't come to me, then I'll come to you, instead!"

Dai Zhiqiang: "...."

Li Caiyi realized how selfish her words sounded when he fell into silence. She wanted to spend more time with Dai Zhiqiang so badly that she said those things, but what if she only made him feel troubled?

Dai Zhiqiang should have had a lot on his plate even without her disturbance. Thinking it like that, Li Caiyi's face flushed in embarrassment.

"Oh, uhm. I'm sorry. I shouldn't say that when you are so busy." Li Caiyi laughed dryly before letting out her hold on him.

However, Dai Zhiqiang caught her retracting hand and pressed it on his lips, or rather, his mask-covered lips. Li Caiyi lost her breath, feeling the hard surface of the mask on the back of her hand, but the scorching temperature of his hand holding hers.

It was clearly too intimate of a gesture between friends. When she thought about what he was thinking when doing all these, her cheeks reddened, and her face became hot.

"Don't say that, or I would always want you to stay by my side." Dai Zhiqiang said with a deep, magnetic voice that seemed to suck all the oxygen out of her lungs. Li Caiyi couldn't avert her eyes from him at all.

"You should go back and not wander around this place alone. There will be a lot of strange guys preying on you if you do that. I can't always be with you to save you, so listen to me, okay? I'm saying this because I'm worried."

Li Caiyi felt like she was hypnotized by his voice, movement, and everything. She was trapped under his spell and didn't want to wake up. All she could do was nod her head obediently.

"Good girl," Dai Zhiqiang patted her head. "And don't misunderstand. I also…"

Li Caiyi waited for him to finish his sentence, but Dai Zhiqiang only shook his head. "No, never mind. Hurry and go home now."

"Zhiqiang, why didn't you ever reply to my messages and calls?"

"There is an unavoidable situation, and my phone is not with me right now; that's why I can't reply to you. But it's nothing for you to worry about. I should be able to return to school by the midterm exam."

"Then, I'll wait for you. You will be alright, right?"

"Yes. Don't worry too much and wait for me. I'll be back soon." He said while stroking her head again. "Be careful on your way. I really have to go now. See you, Caiyi."

Then, he left without looking back. Li Caiyi watched how his back kept getting farther, and when he was out of her sight, she held her cheeks with both of her hands to cool down her burning cheeks.

"What was all that? He is too cool…." Li Caiyi murmured dreamily. "He reminds me more of Shen Qiang as time passed by. Could it be…it really is him?"

Li Caiyi was only fifty percent sure before, but now her certainty has increased to eighty percent. She didn't know if this was just her wishful thinking, but she wanted to believe that Dai Zhiqiang was the person she had been looking for. If it was him, then this attraction towards him would make sense.

The way he kissed her hand, reassured her and stroked her head was all too similar to be a coincidence. Li Caiyi's heart couldn't calm down when thinking about that possibility.

"I hope he is him. How good will it be if Dai Zhiqiang really is Shen Qiang?"

A small smile escaped her lips as she turned around and returned to Shao Jingfei's cafe. The weight that burdened her heart in the last few days was gone, and only excitement to meet Dai Zhiqiang again remained.