After the campus job fair ended.
Qi Huan and her roommate Lanlan were walking back to their dorm. The early summer sun wasn't too scorching yet, filtering through the tender green new leaves and falling on the two of them, coating them in a soft, lustrous light.
Despite the beautiful weather, Lanlan was sighing heavily: "What if I graduate and end up unemployed?"
Thinking of the grim job market this year, she joked deliberately: "I hereby declare, I've taken over all the trash cans in S City! ...Huan Huan, don't you dare compete with me for cardboard and water bottles."
Qi Huan nodded: "Alright, I won't compete."
"I'll go home and inherit the family business."
It was as if she had VIP status when being reborn, reincarnating as the daughter of the Shanxing Express Group.
Loving parents, privileged background, born with a silver spoon in her mouth, growing up in a bubble of comfort.
If there was any imperfection, it was that she still hadn't found Li Shuchen...
Her past life felt like a dream.
When she woke up, there was no A Shu, and no system either.
Qi Huan blinked, suddenly feeling the sunlight a bit harsh on her eyes...
At this moment, Lanlan clung to her arm and whined: "Rich girl, do you need a human accessory?"
"Or, do you have a brother?"
"I have a cousin."
Just as she finished speaking, a black BMW M8 pulled up beside them and honked.
After attracting their attention, the window slowly rolled down, revealing a handsome face, bright and clear.
"Huan Huan, Grandma asked me to pick you up for dinner at home."
"Huan Huan, is this your cousin?"
After the initial surprise, Lanlan asked excitedly: "Does he have a girlfriend?"
"If not, can you ask him what color of sack he prefers?"
"...He doesn't have a girlfriend, but he has a partner."
Lanlan: ?
I don't understand, I'm shocked!
However, Qi Huan didn't elaborate further, only asking her to help take the remaining resumes back to the dorm, and promised with a grin: "I'll bring you back some Dongpo pork when I return."
"And Four Happiness Meatballs too."
"Okay~"
Bidding farewell to Lanlan, Qi Huan opened the car door and instinctively sat in the back seat behind the driver.
Because...
The passenger seat had a sign that read [A Ye's Exclusive Seat]
As soon as she got in the car, she leaned forward, holding onto the seat, and asked: "Any news about A Shu?"
"Young mistress, we've checked every person named Li Shuchen in the country, and none of them meet the requirements. Either he changed his name, or he's not in this time and space."
Qi Huan retreated dejectedly, slumping in her seat. She turned to look at the rapidly receding scenery outside the window, murmuring: "...I really miss him."
In her past life, she lived to ninety-nine years old.
Before she died, the system said it would grant her one wish.
She wanted to reunite with Li Shuchen in her next life.
The system only said: "If it's meant to be, you'll meet again. The host can only make wishes about herself."
So she had to make a new wish:
"...I want to remember A Shu."
So, she was reborn with her memories intact.
Later, she discovered that her cousin Song Jingche also retained memories from his past life.
In this life, Song Jingche had a healthy body and became a doctor saving lives.
Three years ago, he met Ximen Ye.
A talkative Chinese language teacher.
Whenever students drove him crazy, Ximen Ye would grind his teeth and say: "I must have killed someone in my past life to be teaching Chinese in this one. You're truly the worst class I've ever taught!"
Due to his occupational hazard, he had chronic pharyngitis and accidentally made an appointment with Dr. Song.
The moment he walked in, Song Jingche froze, a glimmer flashing behind his glasses.
After the consultation, Song Jingche took the initiative to add him on WeChat.
"You can contact me on WeChat if you have any issues in the future."
Ximen Ye tilted his head, smirking playfully: "Can I contact you even if I don't have any issues?"
In an instant, Song Jingche beamed, his smile like a spring breeze in March: "Of course."
After becoming very familiar with each other.
One day.
Ximen Ye's throat was still uncomfortable, so he chatted with Song Jingche on WeChat.
After Song Jingche finished giving precautions, he couldn't help but ask: "Do you have a partner?"
Ximen Ye: ?
What does having a partner have to do with a sore throat?
Does dating strain your vocal cords?
His slender fingers quickly typed out a line: "No, is Dr. Song going to introduce someone to me?"
After sending it, he followed the doctor's orders and poured himself a cup of honeysuckle tea.
Just as he took a sip, his phone dinged with a message notification.
He held the cup in one hand and slid his phone with the other, suddenly spraying water far across the room...
Song Jingche had replied: "How about me?"
He had asked him to help introduce a partner, and he actually nominated himself?
Ximen Ye narrowed his eyes dangerously, let out a light snort, curled his lips, and swiftly typed a "Sure".
Afterwards, Qi Huan changed Ximen Ye's contact name to [Cousin-in-law]
Seeing these two feeding each other dog food on social media every day made her miss A Shu terribly.
She began using comics to record her past with A Shu.
Twenty years was too long, long enough for her to fear forgetting.
She didn't want to forget a single thing about A Shu.
After returning home, she took out her iPad, opened Procreate, and drew down all of today's experiences.
In the future, when she meets A Shu again, she can show him these comics and tell him stories of these years.
After finishing, she casually shared it on her Weibo and checked her unread messages.
[I Love Dog Food]: Why isn't the blogger continuing the story of Little Li and Little Qi?
[98 Pervert]: Why are there no more Little Li scenes after the story moved to modern times?
[Super Handsome and Clever]: Haven't modern Little Li and Little Qi met yet? That's not right! They're already over eighteen, he should have appeared by now!
...
Ten minutes later.
The number one trending topic became: #Millennium-spanning Love of Li and Qi#
Qi Huan's comics went viral...
Viral in an unexpected way.
The first Weibo post under the trending topic was from a familiar ID.
[Super Handsome and Clever]: "Wuwu, it's so shippable, please [Qi the Great Leftover] draw some modern life of the "Li Qi" CP!
Please let Little Li appear soon!
Your wife seems to be past the legal marriage age already!"
After reading it, Qi Huan clicked into its profile and scrolled through it thoroughly.
Finally, she sent a private message: "System?"
"...No! No! Absolutely not!"
"I'm not the super handsome and clever Daily Good Deed System!"
"Host, don't try to trick me into coming back to babysit for you!"
Qi Huan had to quickly reassure it:
"Don't be nervous, don't get excited, don't be afraid."
"I haven't met A Shu yet, so I can't have Wan Wan for now."
"...I just wanted to ask you, where is A Shu?"
After a long while.
The system sent back a long message.
"Li Shuchen was supposed to reincarnate in the Emperor's Well.
But he gave up power and status in exchange for three lifetimes of love with the host.
The Fate God said that dating before eighteen wasn't allowed, so he sealed his memories in this life.
The Matchmaker God said the Fate God was making things difficult for him.
They argued for two days and two nights, then fought for another two days and two nights, and finally reached a bet.
They bet on whether Li Shuchen would fall in love with the host again?
If the answer is yes, the host and Li Shuchen can have an eternal love.
...Then they refused to tell this system the rest, fearing I would leak it to the host.
But don't worry, host.
Online fate brings people together, all thanks to this system's money.
This system bought trending topics for the host, perhaps Li Shuchen will see it."
However, Li Shuchen didn't even have a Weibo account.
Before he was twenty-two, he had been living with his family in Country Y.
It wasn't until after his grandfather's 70th birthday that they yearned to return to their roots.
The family business gradually shifted towards the domestic market, and he boarded a plane back to China.
The first news he received upon landing was that his aunt Li Shunhua was keeping a male celebrity named You Zhu as her lover.
(The reincarnations of Princess Longqing & her male favorite You Zhu)
Grandpa Li was so angry his head hurt.
"We're a respectable family, how can we keep male lovers? What would people say?"
Li Shunhua nodded: "Thank you, Dad. I understand. I'll marry him tomorrow!"
Grandpa Li: ?
"Is that what I meant? I meant you should keep yourself pure and not engage in keeping lovers."
"Moreover, this young man is so young, why would he want to be with you? Is it because you're older? Because you have more wrinkles?"
Li Shunhua instantly became displeased: "Dad, don't slander me. I'm only 35 years old and just had a hydration injection. Where are my wrinkles?"
However, Grandpa Li was still dissatisfied with the age difference between them and even felt that You Zhu was after her money and resources.
"Dad, don't overthink it. You Zhu and I are truly in love... I always feel like I owed him something in my past life, and in this life, I want to give him a proper status."
Grandpa Li blew on his beard and glared: "I heard that male celebrities often get criticized when they announce their relationships. Are you sure he wants the status you're offering?"
"I'm sure."
Li Shunhua raised her phone, unlocked it, and showed him the news notification she had just received: "You Zhu has made our relationship public."
Grandpa Li couldn't find his reading glasses at the moment, so he called his eldest grandson to help him take a look.
Li Shuchen saw the second trending topic: #YouZhu'sOlderWomanYoungerManRelationship#
After reading it aloud to Grandpa Li, he accidentally hit the back button and saw the top trending topic.
As if possessed, he clicked on it.
Scene after scene, it all seemed strangely familiar.
Grandpa Li also leaned in to look, and the more he saw, the more he felt that the handsome man in ancient costume in the painting resembled his eldest grandson.
Interesting!
Grandpa Li said to Secretary Wang: "Ten minutes. I want all the information on this artist."
*
One month later.
July 7th.
Every year on this day, Li Group would donate a sum to the welfare institute.
Their CEO seemed to have particular sympathy for orphans.
Li Shuchen couldn't quite explain why.
He had also accepted the invitation from the director of the welfare institute and, despite his busy schedule, came to visit these children in person.
In addition to clothes, milk, and other items, he also donated a large number of books and promised to help solve the problem of college tuition fees for the children.
It wasn't just about creating a corporate image of social responsibility, but also because he remembered that someone had once said:
"When you give roses to others, the fragrance lingers on your hands."
"Accumulate kindness and virtue, and blessings will come in mysterious ways."
Just before leaving, he happened to see a girl who had come to volunteer, smiling brightly as she greeted the director.
Behind her, the sun shone brilliantly, radiating light in all directions.
At that moment, Li Shuchen's heart suddenly began to race.
Love at first sight?
Attraction to her beauty?
Or was he dazzled by her brilliant smile?
After finding out when Qi Huan came to volunteer, he made time to come and help, successfully becoming acquainted with her as he had hoped.
After that, Qi Huan would always call him with a smile: "A-Shu."
Again and again, it touched his heart.
Just as he was preparing to propose to Qi Huan, his grandfather suddenly called, arranging for him to go on a blind date with the daughter of Shanxing Express.
"Not interested."
Hanging up the phone, Li Shuchen invited Qi Huan to see the aurora together.
Under the brilliant and gorgeous aurora, he said earnestly: "Qi Huan, I'm in love with you."
"Will you marry me?"
His words overlapped with those from his previous life, and Qi Huan couldn't help but tear up.
She tilted her head, teasing him on purpose: "But I just received a text from Grandpa Li saying that Brother A-Shu wasn't interested in me."
"...I'm sorry, I didn't know it was you."
At that moment, on the winding river in the distance, small boats carrying river lanterns gently floated along with the waves. In this romantic atmosphere, Li Shuchen knelt on one knee, took her hand, held up a diamond ring, and asked again: "Will you marry me?"
"...Yes."
In an instant, all the memories from her previous life flooded back like a tidal wave.
The aurora and stars shimmered together, the river lanterns dotted the water like a blanket of stars, and in the midst of heaven and earth, a man and woman embraced, kissing passionately and tenderly.
When their lips and tongues were numb from kissing, Li Shuchen finally released her, his beautiful phoenix eyes filled with intense love.
"Qi Huan, do you now believe that in millions of reincarnations, I will always steadfastly choose you?"
"Even if you shed your fairy-like aura and have no special abilities, you are still you. You are sincere and kind, bright and sunny, lively and lovable. These are precious qualities that no one can take away."
"I will always be devoted to this version of you."
"I will love you forever."
As he finished speaking, Qi Huan smiled sweetly and responded passionately: "I love you too."
"Qi Huan will love Li Shuchen forever."
"And... I miss Zhaochao and Wanwan."
Li Shuchen smiled knowingly and lifted her up in his arms.
"Let's go home."
