Chapter 18 - 2#

Wang Zheng’s expression was complicated. She remained silent, and when she saw me, she seemed to want to say something but held back. Wang Huizheng cut her off: “Zhengzheng, you just heard. Don’t disappoint Third Master’s expectations. You can put aside school matters for now and focus on the exam. Don’t let Third Master or the young master laugh at you.”

Wang Zheng let out a soft “Mm,” gave me a meaningful glance, and followed Wang Huizheng downstairs.

That look sent a chill through my heart, even my spine felt cold.

I had to admit, I was familiar with that look. Back when I got engaged to Shu Yuan, got married, and had a son, I had endured more than a few of Wang Zheng’s glances like that.

To be honest, I once thought… thought that Wang Zheng had some feelings for me.

Now that I think back, whenever Wang Zheng was plotting something, she always used that kind of look when staring at people.

After a while, Uncle Jing came out from inside. When he saw me, a glint seemed to flash in his eyes. Probably because he saw my spirits were commendable, and my complexion wasn’t as stiff as before. Even his tone carried a bit more warmth than usual: “The young master has had a tiring night as well. I’ve already given orders to have some soup simmered a bit longer. The young master can drink some before bed to calm the nerves.”

I nodded. Uncle Jing continued, “Third Master is in better spirits. Young master, go in and see him.”

Since Third Uncle was fine, I wouldn’t bother him further. I should let him know to rest more…

These almost-escaped words were finally swallowed back down.

Entering the room, a complex mix of smells hit my nose. The air was laced with disinfectant and that sandalwood scent. For a moment, I frowned slightly, feeling a bit nauseated. But as I turned to look at Third Master Ren lying on the bed with his eyes closed, resting, I saw his forehead had been carefully treated, wrapped in white gauze with no trace of blood.

Third Master Ren’s bedroom had always been large and empty. In my past life, there had been a piano in here. Now it was hollow, with only a wide white bed, a vast expanse of pale, deathly stillness.

Third Master Ren had rather eccentric habits. Apart from Uncle Jing, he had no other personal attendants. Besides playing the zither and painting, I’d never heard of him having any other pastimes. He never brought company matters home. There wasn’t even a desk or computer in the room—just endless white, giving a sense of isolation from the world.

Instinctively, I looked over at the easel by the window.

There was indeed an unfinished painting—just a blur of green.

Last time, I must have been seeing things.

When I turned back and gently closed the door, a soft click sounded.

Suddenly, a hoarse, husky voice came from behind.

“Ah Jing… has he left…?”

My heart leaped. That “he”… was it Wang Zheng…?

Swallowing my saliva, I called out hoarsely, “Third Uncle.”

He froze, then suddenly opened his eyes.

That look almost made me step back in fright.

He looked at me, his lips murmuring, and he sat up, leaning on the edge of the bed. I mustered my courage and stepped closer, only then noticing his face was utterly pale, even his lips were white tinged with purple.

His handsome brows slowly knit together. Cold sweat broke out on me as I forced out a sentence, “Third… Third Uncle… do… do you feel a bit better?”

Third Uncle pressed his lips together and, for once, nodded to me amiably. At least he didn’t fly into a rage and kick me out this time.

I sat on the chair by the bed, somewhat nervously.

For a moment, I didn’t know what to say.

Actually, it had been like this since my past life. Even before that incident happened… my relationship with Third Uncle was indeed very distant. Come to think of it, in my past life, after he left the Ren Corporation, he started his own company, which grew rapidly and eventually almost rivaled the Ren Corporation.

Back then, I admired him more than I feared him.

At that time, I didn’t know about his entanglement with Wang Zheng. For a while, I visited his company frequently, and I genuinely learned a lot from him.

I understood that I couldn’t compare to him. The Ren Corporation was declining day by day, and the shareholders hadn’t split up yet only out of respect for the deceased Grand Master Ren and Old Madame Ren.

“Well… Third Uncle, thank you… I mean, sorry—”

Regardless of whether this matter had anything to do with me, one thing was certain—the flying cup was aimed at me, and Third Master Ren shielded me in his arms, taking the hit for me.

I understood that, in the end, it was still Old Madame Ren’s poor aim.

But I still had some conscience, especially at times like this. I had to say a few polite words.

Although my expression wasn’t very natural, you couldn’t really blame me. Under Third Master Ren’s gaze, I figured even if I died and was reborn a million times, I still couldn’t act naturally.

As it turned out, no matter how lofty Third Master Ren was, he was still susceptible to flattery. These words still pleased him.

For once, Third Master Ren’s eyes softened. He lightly patted the edge of the bed and called softly, “Qi… Qi Ri.” I paused, but then heard him say, “…Come sit here.”

My heart chilled again.

His eyes dimmed, and his tone grew even softer: “Come… talk with Third Uncle.”

Clearly, my body moved faster than my mind.

I didn’t know if this could be explained as a deep-seated sense of resignation. Li Ling had once simplified this complex feeling into two words—servility!

President, this is your innate servility!

I was deeply melancholy. Strictly speaking, I was now a few years older than Third Master Ren. But in front of him, my backbone seemed more than a little short.

I sat up straight, trying to compose myself. Perhaps my eyesight wasn’t too good, but I felt Third Uncle lean slightly toward me, until a chill touched the corner of my eye, jolting me back to reality.

I looked at him and called out nervously, “Third Uncle…”

He acted as if he didn’t hear.

When Third Master Ren tilted his head and said nothing, there was always an indescribable ethereal quality about him, even his gaze becoming vague.

“Third Uncle once said…” He paused, his hoarse voice seeming to rise slightly, but becoming even more indistinct: “Will not… let… harm…”

I couldn’t hear clearly. He seemed to repeat it a few times, but it was as if he was saying it to himself.

His fingertips lingered at the corner of my eye, then traced down to my nose bridge, lips, and further down to my chin, neck… Just when I had a feeling he might suddenly press down hard, that hand retracted instead, then slowly covered my hand.

He said, “Don’t blame Third Uncle.” I was speechless, then said guiltily, “…Third Uncle, you’re tired. I’ll call Uncle Jing—”

Third Master Ren grabbed my arm with such force that I stumbled and fell backward onto the bed. I struggled a bit, but it was futile.

I called out a few times, only to be met with an even tighter hold.

Sigh.

I suddenly felt like a human pillow, a wave of sorrow washing over me.

The thick scent of sandalwood inexplicably made me feel drowsy.

I let out a soft sigh. In the hazy murmurs at my ear, it seemed a nursery rhyme began to play.

The melody was very familiar, and the chill enveloping my body also felt strangely intimate.

That sense of familiarity was from long ago, as if it were something from a distant past.

Qi Qi… be good…

Qi Ri…

Qi Ri…

When I suddenly opened my eyes—

The glaring sunlight hit me. It was already the next morning.

About This Story

Regarding Rebirth: Cloud Seizes the Sun, I’d like to say a few things.

First, Xiao Qi in this life no longer harbors any romantic feelings towards Peacock.

His current feelings for Peacock are more like an elder’s towards a younger generation.

Xiao Qi’s personality is indeed relatively mild, but he is not spineless.

I think a spineless person is one who only knows how to escape, or who blames others for their own shortcomings.

In the process of writing this story, many people reacted by saying that Xiao Qi should leave them, or treat them coldly, or even inflict the suffering he experienced back on them.

But in fact, I think I’ve made Xiao Qi’s personality quite clear.

He is a very kind person. He does not lack disgust for what they did to him in his past life. That’s why he now has a deep-seated aversion to them.

He doesn’t resort to harsh words, but he instinctively keeps a distance.

That’s the resistance of a gentle person, combined with his easygoing personality.

In other aspects, I think Xiao Qi is still someone who takes responsibility.

When the company had problems, he didn’t shirk responsibility. He did everything he could to save it, facing it positively, even going so far as to swallow his pride and beg Third Master Ren, whom he resented.

His biggest outburst was when he yelled at Third Master Ren and Wang Zheng and splashed wine (at the Ren Corporation banquet). Does using fists make someone a real man?

Xiao Qi is civilized. His personality is indeed soft. He knows exactly what he’s worth, but he never stops trying his best.

For example, when he married Shu Yuan, you could say he was too weak to resist Old Madame Ren.

But from his perspective in that past life, a dying, gravely ill elder, tearfully expressing her last wish to you—with Xiao Qi’s kind nature, could he harden his heart and say no?

Moreover, after he got married and had a son, Xiao Qi never did anything to betray that family.

He never brought company problems home. Is a man like that spineless?

Even when the company later had problems, he confided in his wife, not because he wanted Shu Yuan’s help, but because he wanted to tell her that maybe he could no longer provide her with such a comfortable life. But Shu Yuan didn’t love him, so she twisted his meaning.

Many people say, why not just run away from them as soon as he was reborn?

First, Xiao Qi was still young, and he did try, but it was futile.

Remember? At the beginning of the story, Xiao Qi changed elementary schools and moved out of the Ren residence.

Later, Wang Zheng attached herself to him. Then the incident happened, and Third Uncle forced Xiao Qi back in a soft way. Plus, Xiao Qi knew that Third Master Ren had people watching him all the time.

Second, is his attitude towards them weak and fawning?

Obviously, everyone can see that it’s not. Xiao Qi’s feelings for Peacock in this life—how much love is left? Maybe there’s still a little bit of a knot or a flutter, after all, he had feelings for him in his past life. Now, Xiao Qi keeps his distance from him. Even when they interact, he chooses to tolerate Peacock’s stubbornness or bad temper—the sum of their ages is almost fifty, and Peacock is only eighteen now. Can he really hate him? Moreover, he finally understood Old Madame Ren’s scheme in making him marry Shu Yuan, so didn’t he clearly refuse?

Third, Xiao Qi will leave. The time hasn’t come yet.

This involves plot issues and is inconvenient to reveal. But I can only say that Xiao Qi will definitely leave the Ren family.

During this period, something will happen that Xiao Qi cannot tolerate.

In conclusion, you can’t force me to write from the start that Xiao Qi is full of hatred and plots revenge against others. I think everyone understands that after revenge, you’re still trapping your heart in a dead end.

Xiao Qi chooses to face things positively. His thinking is—this is a second chance. They haven’t done those things to him yet. Who is he supposed to take revenge on? At most, he resents them, at most, he keeps his distance, dealing with them cautiously, without any other illusions.

Xiao Qi also wants to leave this mess, but he currently lacks the ability. We have to look at the reality: a teenage child, how big is Singapore? Where can he go if he leaves home? Abroad? Please, for minors, even a passport requires a parent’s signature.

Ah, maybe this makes some readers uncomfortable, and my writing is a bit messy.

These are just what I wanted to say. No other meaning.

It’s not easy for the author to write, and I know it’s not easy for everyone to read either.

It’s fine to have opinions about the characters, but I don’t want prejudice.

Finally, I have to say, maybe you don’t understand people like Xiao Qi, but such people do exist.

They have soft personalities, but they have their principles. Once that bottom line is crossed, they will resist.

Please don’t call them useless, call them spineless, or say they deserve it.

It’s not only people with strong personalities who can live in this world.