Only God knows, how this situation came about. 

 

The slag male lead was buying clothes for the minor side character. 

 

“Xiao Junyao, try this one ba.” 

 

“Xiao Jun, do you like this color?” 

 

“Turn around, let brother see ba.” 

 

“Enough is enough, I repeat it again – this father doesn’t want to owe you!” said Rong XingLi to the n-th time. 

 

To his misery, the thick-skinned Ruo Chen discarded his opinion and the previous oppositions like used air. 

 

“Yeah, this one doesn’t suit you. We pick the other one, take it to the other stuff. I will pay with credit card ba," said Ruo Chen mildly to the sales clerk. 

 

The saleswoman wrapped up the mountain of clothes and returned the card with a bright smile. 

 

Heavens, it’s finally over… 

 

Or so he thought, after the casual clothing store, Rong XingLi was dragged by the hand to a business specialized clothes shop. There were suits in all kinds of styles, colors and sizes. 

 

“How may I be to your assistance, Young Master Ruo?” a tailor inquired as soon as they stepped into the store. This one also operated under the banner of the Ruo Group. 

 

“Take his measurements and prepare four sets, two for business, one for summer and one for festivities,” uttered Ruo Chen without batting a lid. 

 

“Stop, I can’t pay for it and I won’t accept your charity!” protested Rong XingLi vehemently. 

 

“Xiao Jun it’s not charity, it’s compensation,” Ruo Chen paused and whispered softly beside Rong XingLi’s ear, “…or was our kiss mutual consent?” 

 

“You-” Rong XingLi blushed instantly and retorted angrily, “I don’t know what you are scheming, but I will never trust you. Don’t think, you can bribe me with these gifts!” 

 

This male lead was hard to read. Did he change his tactics? Get the sister through the brother? 

 

Ruo Chen smiled helplessly, “I simply want to reconcile with Xiao Junyao, okay? We had a bad start and I didn’t act my part as the older one. Of course, it must’ve felt like a stranger stole your sister, as twins you must be especially close to each other. I wasn’t considerate enough. Don’t be so hostile anymore. I want to be good to you, take it as a token of my goodwill ba.” 

 

Rong XingLi put on a complicated expression on the surface. In reality, he already made up his mind to maintain a simple hello-bye relationship. Just as he wanted to reject Ruo Chen, a familiar mechanical voice reported the results of the investigation. Rong XingLi looked at Ruo Chen profoundly as he received the new information. 

 

Being the recipient of this intense stare, Ruo Chen grew tense. He didn’t know the reason, but his heart began to race faster as soon as those sharp peach blossom eyes focused on him. Those dark eyes drew people in and imprisoned one like a spell. 

 

The same eyes that looked at me in adoration and the same eyes I destroyed in my past life… 

 

They stood in a deadlock for several seconds, until Li Junyao’s tender voice broke the silence.  

 

He shook off Ruo Chen’s hand, that held him down all this time and replied, “Humph! Good, I will accept the compensation, but only one suit and stop calling me ‘Xiao Junyao’. I’m not that much younger than you, don’t treat me like a kid ba.” 

 

Ruo Chen was ecstatic, he already prepared himself to be rejected, but God gave him the chance to remedy his past mistakes. This time he will treat the Li twins better. 

 

“En, let’s get along... Jun-er,” said Ruo Chen earnestly. 

 

Ba-thump, ba-thump 

 

“…En,” spat Rong XingLi out hesitantly. 

 

What was this reaction? 

 

After signing the peace treatment Rong XingLi obediently let his measurements taken, but under Ruo Chen’s insistence, they still ordered two sets of suits, one for business and one for festivities. Of course, he also gifted Rong XingLi lots of accessories. 

 

They stayed a whole hour, added to the time spent in the first clothes store it was now 1:40 pm. 

 

He didn’t want to waste any more time, his appointment with the broker was at 3:00 pm. 

 

“Jun-er, let’s buy a nice watch for you ba," proposed Ruo Chen mildly. 

 

“No, I have an appointment. Let’s part here Ruo Chen ba,” rejected Rong XingLi firmly. 

 

“Oh, that’s a pity...” said Ruo Chen dejectedly.  

 

“...” Rong XingLi was speechless. Why did the slag male lead resemble a little puppy? He could almost see the dropping ears. 

 

“Jing Yi, is Ruo Chen truly reborn? How should I say it, he seems...” he tried to sound out his family’s system, but was interrupted from the side. 

 

“Look who is there! It’s brother Chen and uhm, may I ask who this gentleman is?” asked a rough, yet cheerful voice. 

 

Ruo Chen instantly regained his vigor and stood ramrod straight. He looked quite heroic and intimidating. With a smile that wasn’t a smile, he lied through his teeth, “Xiao Heng, it’s just a junior from my alma mater ba. I met him by chance and what coincident brings you here?” 

 

“Nothing particular, I was bored and came out to play before meeting a friend. I thought brother was supposed to inspect our affiliated stores today. Thus, I nearly mistook you for some random guy on a date with his boyfriend. Where are my manners, Mr. Junior, my name is Ruo Heng, I’m younger than elder brother Chen by one-year. May I inquire your name?” said Ruo Heng unperturbed. 

 

Rong XingLi, who was forcefully roped into the conversation, pursed his lips in discontent, this Ruo Heng was obviously picking a fight with Ruo Chen. The kind of people, who call you “darling” on the surface, but stab you in the back in secret, were the most despicable. 

 

Since the enemy of my enemy is my friend, Rong XingLi sided with Ruo Chen and blatantly pointed out, “Eh, I thought senior was an only child? By the way, what’s so fun here for you to come all the way from downtown? The Ruo family owns this mall, isn’t it like coming to work in your free time? I would be sick of it, after being here so often. But I have to admit, that the stores here have a pretty good assortment. Sigh~, thanks to senior’s guidance, I haven’t left a single store without one or two of their pieces.”  

 

Ruo Heng’s smile cracked for a short moment before restoring on its own. With great difficulty, he gave a random answer, “Hehe, as you said, there is plenty to buy!” 

 

Of course, he wasn’t here to play, but to expose Ruo Chen’s slacking! However, who knows, what possessed this trash lately, for him to do his tasks seriously and stop his former scandalous lifestyle altogether!  

 

Rong XingLi’s words hit Ruo Heng in his sore points, even though he had the qualities to handle the family businesses, he wasn’t allowed to, because he was an illegitimate child. To boot it, his shameful background hindered him to stay openly in public – he was a bastard from an affair with a high school student.  

 

After the first wife, Ruo Chen’s mother, died in an accident, Ruo Heng’s mother, took the place of the legal wife. Therefore, under her influence, his ambitions were high. 

 

The Ruo family environment was too harsh for the Li twins to fit in. Thus, Rong XingLi wanted the twins to, as little as possible, have something to do with them. 

 

Ruo Chen, who stood at the side, didn’t conceal his glee one bit, he “earnestly” apologized for Rong XingLi, “I’m sorry Xiao Heng, my junior tends to talk without a filter. It’s also because of his clumsiness, that he’s still single. He wanted to depart anyway. Have fun with your friend ba,” and took the clumsy junior away.  

 

Ruo Heng’s face was ugly. 

 

It felt like a deja vu, Ruo Chen apologized on his behalf just like Li Mengyao did back then at the gate. Being shielded was so nice. 

 

“Jing Yi, was that stinking brat, the brother, who killed Ruo Chen before his rebirth?” asked Rong XingLi incredulously. 

 

“Ding— Yes. Please pay attention to Ruo Heng, he is partly responsible for the original body’s death,” informed Jing Yi flatly. 

 

“En, I thought so. Besides, does he know Li Mengyao?” he tossed out the question randomly, but the answer made the familiar pain in his balls return. 

 

“Ding— Positive, he’s in love with Li Mengyao since the engagement party.” 

 

“...Ahh, the classic love triangle. No wonder, that Li Mengyao is the female lead and let me guess, Ruo Heng is the second male lead, the villain, who can’t get the woman. With so much backstory, I don’t think Li Junyao’s death was a simple suicide,” contemplated Rong XingLi. 

 

“Ding— Host is correct. Please persist in your efforts to reveal the whole story. You may receive bonus points!” encouraged Jing Yi. 

 

For the sake of bonus point, Rong XingLi disregarded his little tiger image and questioned Ruo Chen directly, “Ruo Chen, what’s up with your brother? Why did he pick a fight with you?” 

 

However, Ruo Chen simply dragged him towards the parking lot, keeping quiet. 

 

He was angry, but much more, he panicked. Why did Ruo Heng have to show up here, today of all days? 

 

Trepidation hit him, he intended to never let Ruo Heng know of Li Junyao’s existence. To prevent this boy’s prior dreadful ending, he never should have let them encounter each other in this life. 

 

The one he owned the most from his last life was Li Junyao. 

 

Because he was a self-centered prick, he ruined this boy. 

 

Because he was crooked and careless, he r*ped this boy ruthlessly, like a beast over and over again. 

 

Because he was stupid and trusted the wrong people, he tormented this innocent boy until he broke apart, physically and mentally. 

 

Because of him, Li Junyao was pushed into a corner and his only way out was death. 

 

He killed Li Junyao. 

 

The picture of the boy’s lifeless body reverberated in his head, Ruo Chen’s breathing became irregular, his face ghostly pale, surroundings blanked out. It felt like every drop of blood left his body. Like the final shot of his last life, after the ecstasy, only a rotten shell of emptiness remained. 

 

So cold... 

 

Ruo Chen almost fainted, when a worried face appeared before him, which he saw so often in his past life and longed for in this life. 

 

Ah, again... 

 

Rong XingLi’s hands touched his face, it felt like the sun was flowing through these hands. 

 

You were always there... 

 

“Hey, are you okay? Breath in through your nose and breath out through your mouth, don’t crook your back and relax your stomach ba. Lean slightly forw..." Li Junyao’s voice echoed in Ruo Chen’s ears, the content faded away as he plainly listened to this voice’s melody. 

 

If I can just see this boy’s smile forever... 

 

As he finally figured out his rebirth’s goal, Ruo Chen smiled contently, his arms wrapped around Li Junyao’s smaller body and hugged him tightly like the most precious treasure in the world. 

 

Please let this moment never end... 

 

You are my salvation. Jun-er.