My girlfriend was reborn.

Chapter 133 Can you just look at me now?

The military base is located about 20 minutes west of the family compound, near the military district.

It is said that this area used to be a mass burial ground. During the ancient times, many refugees died here when they fled. Later, due to continuous wars, it gradually became deserted. Even when the Taoist temple on Heming Mountain was built, this place was a veritable barren land.

Later, when a military base was to be built here, the local villagers warned the troops that the area was haunted. The troops then set up several mortars and bombarded the area, and no one ever mentioned the haunting again.

But this area is indeed strange; it is barren, devoid of vegetation, and difficult to cultivate and improve.

It can only be used as a cemetery.

After the disaster seven years ago, Heming Township was re-planned, and a cemetery was designated near the current funeral home. Gradually, the area was abandoned and used only as a cemetery for military families.

It is said that decades ago, this place existed as a military base with strategic depth. The entire area was self-contained and could sustain itself for thirty years. Zhou Heming had no idea how that was.

Standing in front of the tombstone, he met Cheng Shuangjiang's parents for the first time.

This is a joint burial site. The two people in the portraits are both very young, with resolute smiles on their faces.

Cheng Shuangjiang looked at her parents' tombstones and remained silent.

Zhou Heming has seen many ways of paying respects at the funeral home.

Some people kneel before the grave and wail, as if they want to tell their loved ones in the afterlife all the grievances of their lives.

Some people will speak as if the other person were still alive, in a calm and deliberate manner.

Some people, like Cheng Shuangjiang now, remain silent, simply gazing quietly.

Judging from Zhou Heming's previous observations of Cheng Shuangjiang's QQ Space updates, she was originally quite cheerful, but after her parents' sacrifice, she became silent and reserved.

Given her grades and status, no classmates should mock or bully her, and the teachers would definitely protect her.

So, Cheng Shuangjiang probably can't get over her own conscience.

Even without any outsiders deliberately reminding her, she was well aware that her future life would be completely different from others.

She lit incense and candles, knelt before the tombstone, and solemnly paid her respects.

"Dad, Mom, your daughter has come back to see you."

Cheng Shuangjiang said gently, then closed her eyes, seemingly saying something to her parents in her heart.

She lit incense, stood up, and looked at Lu Bai and Zhou Heming beside her.

Zhou Heming gestured for Lu Bai to go up, but she grabbed Zhou Heming's wrist instead.

"You too."

"I?"

Zhou Heming was somewhat confused. He glanced at Cheng Shuangjiang, and the girl nodded silently.

He and Lu Bai then arrived at the tomb.

Although they were not family members, Lu Bai knelt down because Cheng Shuangjiang's parents had saved him, and Zhou Heming knelt down a moment later as well.

Lu Bai did not voice his inner thoughts, but simply closed his eyes silently.

Zhou Heming looked at the portrait and closed his eyes as well.

Uncle, Aunt, this time, Shuangjiang should be able to grow up well and have a free and unrestrained life.

He silently recited it to himself.

Zhou Heming felt that this was probably what Cheng Shuangjiang's parents would most like to see.

After the two paid their respects, the three young people solemnly bowed to the deceased.

"Aren't you going to stay in Heming Township for the next few days? Aren't you going to visit Rongcheng city?"

As they left the cemetery, Liu Jian asked curiously.

"Yes, there's the Mystic Lord Ceremony coming up next, and we'd like to see it."

Zhou Heming replied.

"Well, because of the accident last time, it seems that security measures will be even stricter this time, and many procedures have been cut."

Liu Jian seems to know quite a bit about it.

"Cutouts?"

Zhou Heming was unaware.

"Yes, a normal ceremony lasts for several days. It involves a banquet with several families, performances, and more. There are shows after the procession goes up the mountain, and finally, the procession goes down the mountain. A banquet is held at the foot of the mountain to complete the ceremony."

Liu Jian casually explained that he had been here for many years and had probably been exposed to the details of the ceremony.

The accident happened during the final escort down the mountain, so theoretically, the ceremony was not completed.

"This time it only lasted one day, from the foot of the mountain to the Taoist temple, and then it ended. It was only because of the tourism bureau's requirement that it was reorganized."

Liu Jian glanced at Lu Bai.

"Why? Don't the people here want to?"

Zhou Heming found it strange.

"Because something happened back then, it seems the ceremony wasn't completed in the end, so the locals felt it was unlucky. But the tourism bureau thought it was a good opportunity to attract tourists, so they turned it into a tourism festival."

Liu Jian led the three of them to the military jeep parked at the entrance of the cemetery.

"They said they would borrow people from us if they didn't have enough manpower, and that's how I found out about all this."

"That would be very lively."

Zhou Heming opened the back door and got in first, followed by Lu Bai who sat in the back seat.

Cheng Shuangjiang was in the passenger seat, her seatbelt fastened.

"Hopefully nothing goes wrong."

Liu Jian gripped the steering wheel and glanced at the girl in the passenger seat.

"And one more thing."

"I'll be going on a mission starting tomorrow, so I won't be able to take care of Shuangjiang. I see she gets along well with you guys, so could you please let her stay with us for a few days? Otherwise, she'll be quite lonely all by herself in the military region."

Zhou Heming looked at Lu Bai beside him.

"No problem, I'd like to spend more time with her too, because we might not see each other again after we go to university."

Lu Bai said with a smile.

Zhou Heming didn't know whether what Liu Jian said was true or false.

"Alright, I'll take you back to get the things for Frostfall first."

Liu Jian started the jeep.

*
Grandma was very happy to hear that Cheng Shuangjiang would be staying at her home.

For elderly people living alone, having a few more young people in the house can indeed make them feel more energetic.

Zhou Heming was a little restless.

The three of them didn't go out in the afternoon; they just stayed with their grandmother, watching TV and chatting about what happened at school.

The elderly woman may not understand many things, but she is already very happy just listening to the younger generation tell her stories.

In the evening, Grandma didn't need to lift a finger; the three of them busied themselves cooking in the kitchen.

Of course, Lu Bai was only responsible for the most basic tasks of washing vegetables, dishes and pots; the knife work and cooking were left to Cheng Shuangjiang and Zhou Heming.

That night, the four of them sat in the living room watching TV until after nine o'clock, when Grandma yawned and went upstairs.

"Let's go to the market in town tomorrow morning to buy some vegetables."

Zhou Heming made the suggestion.

Although the markets in the south are not as lively as those in the north, with the Xuanjun ceremony approaching, there seem to be more tourists in the town. Zhou Heming guesses it will be quite fun.

"Okay."

Lu Bai readily agreed.

Cheng Shuangjiang nodded as well.

Zhou Heming picked up the remote and changed the channel, trying to find something to watch.

He quickly switched to the documentary channel, which was showing Animal World.

Suddenly, Zhou Heming thought of what had happened last night, and his cheeks flushed slightly.

Let's see if there are any movies.

He muttered to himself as he switched to the movie channel.

However, at this time, the movie channel is showing movie reports and has not yet broadcast any films.

Lu Bai stretched and stood up.

"The next movie is at 10 o'clock sharp, I'll go take a shower then."

Cheng Shuangjiang and Zhou Heming had already washed up, leaving only Lu Bai.

She went upstairs to get a change of clothes and went into the bathroom.

The movie report continued, with Zhou Heming and Cheng Shuangjiang sitting on the sofa, one person's seat between them.

The sound of pattering water could be heard.

Zhou Heming turned his attention to the television.

suddenly.

A voice came from Cheng Shuangjiang beside her.

"I told my parents today that we used to be together."

Zhou Heming turned his head to look, but the girl was still staring at the TV and not looking in his direction.

"Didn't you say before that it was impossible for us to develop any kind of relationship?"

The boy asked in a deep voice, "Yes."

Cheng Shuangjiang responded.

"At that time, I really felt that it was impossible for us to be together."

Her answer puzzled Zhou Heming.

If 18-year-old Cheng Shuangjiang felt that a relationship between them was impossible, then what did she do last night?
"If I had chosen to stay by your side back then, what do you think the outcome would have been?"

Cheng Shuangjiang did not explain this, but instead proposed a hypothesis.

"It probably won't be very good."

Zhou Heming thought to himself.

At that time, his mind was filled with Cheng Shuangjiang, who had been reborn. If the eighteen-year-old Cheng Shuangjiang chose to maintain a romantic relationship with Zhou Heming, then Zhou Heming would only interact with the eighteen-year-old girl in front of him with the love he still had for the reborn Cheng Shuangjiang.

Would Cheng Shuangjiang tolerate such a relationship?

Zhou Heming thought it wouldn't happen.

Whether she was eighteen or thirty-five, her expectations were the same as Zhou Heming's: a firm and unwavering choice.

They will argue, drift apart, and their beautiful images of each other will be torn to shreds with each disagreement.

That's why it's said that the deceased "white moonlight" is invincible, even if the "white moonlight" herself came, she couldn't do anything about it.

Because that idealized image will never change, while the people around us will undergo unpredictable changes as time goes by and our understanding of them deepens.

This is why some poets lament, "If only life could be like the first time we met."

in a sense.

It was Cheng Shuangjiang's resolute distancing at that time that gave the two of them the opportunity to sit here and talk now.

"so."

Cheng Shuangjiang glanced at the bathroom where the sound of water was still coming from, and turned slightly to the side.

"I thought it was impossible between us at the time because..."

She looked directly into Zhou Heming's eyes.

Intuition told the boy.

What Cheng Shuangjiang said next would send their relationship hurtling headlong into an irreversible abyss, unstoppable.

But deep down, Zhou Heming discovered that he actually harbored some kind of expectation.

He met Cheng Shuangjiang's gaze and listened to her words.

"It's because I don't want you to be thinking of her when you look at me."

Cheng Shuangjiang's voice carried a hint of a sigh.

"So, can you just look at me now?"

Her voice was deep and gentle, yet it carried an undeniable certainty.

"I'm sorry, I'm Lu Bai's boyfriend now."

Zhou Heming hesitated for only a second before giving his answer.

"I know."

Cheng Shuangjiang nodded.

next moment.

The girl's face suddenly loomed close, and before Zhou Heming could react, she left a kiss on his lips.

She even gently bit Zhou Heming's upper lip.

"The 110th time."

Cheng Shuangjiang sat back down and whispered.

hum-

Zhou Heming felt a buzzing sound in his brain.

The girl's direct and frank attack caught him off guard.

Reason told him that this was not what he should do. Now that things had come to this, even if Cheng Shuangjiang expressed her feelings for him, he could not accept it, otherwise he would be letting Lu Bai down.

Sensibility.

A hidden part of his being, fueled by the tenderness of that kiss, roared in fury, yearning to break free of its shackles and embrace the girl before him.

He knew clearly that this was Cheng Shuangjiang, who was eighteen years old. This was not the girl he had fallen in love with and vowed to spend her life with. He should reject her, stay away from her, and forget everything about her.

But his body told him otherwise.

He still likes her.

A strong sense of guilt and remorse lingered in Zhou Heming's heart, so much so that he didn't realize the sound of water in the bathroom had stopped.

"sorry."

Zhou Heming looked away, shifted his body, and moved half a body length further away from Cheng Shuangjiang.

"I cannot accept your affections."

He responded very solemnly and resolutely.

Cheng Shuangjiang nodded in agreement.

then.

A second before Lu Bai opened the door and came out, Cheng Shuangjiang's murmured voice entered Zhou Heming's ears.

"I'm waiting for you."

Zhou Heming felt something stuck in his throat. He quickly turned his gaze to Lu Bai and stood up.

"I'll blow-dry your hair."

"Okay~"

Lu Bai, grinning, shuffled over to Zhou Heming in his slippers.

It seems that nothing was heard.

*
late at night.

Zhou Heming lay on the floor, tossing and turning.

Cheng Shuangjiang, who was on one side, seemed to have already fallen asleep and was breathing evenly.

On the other side, Lu Bai looked sleepy and was about to fall asleep as well.

He stared at the familiar yet unfamiliar ceiling, his mind replaying Cheng Shuangjiang's words from that evening.

I'm waiting for you.

This really does resemble her personality.

Unlike Lu Bai, they wouldn't take the initiative and act aggressively; they would simply stand patiently to the sidelines and wait.

However, Zhou Heming didn't know what Cheng Shuangjiang was waiting for.

Wait until you and Lu Bai have a disagreement? Wait until you can accept Cheng Shuangjiang's feelings? Wait until you'd rather betray Lu Bai than not be with her?
At this moment, Zhou Heming realized that Cheng Shuangjiang had given him the choice.

if.

If Zhou Heming is willing, this girl will probably rush towards him without hesitation, just like she did back then, breaking through any obstacles and ignoring any opinions.

She will use every means at her disposal, just like her reborn self, just to stand by his side.

Thinking of this, Zhou Heming lowered his eyes.

He realized that he might be letting Cheng Shuangjiang down.

"what happened?"

Lu Bai seemed to have sobered up a bit. She saw Zhou Heming's slightly melancholy expression, gently bit his earlobe, and asked softly.

"I'm having some trouble sleeping."

Zhou Heming answered, turning to the side, and the girl obediently kissed him. Their bodies intertwined, just like last night on the sofa.

However, the difference was that last night Lu Bai wanted to confirm Zhou Heming's existence.

Tonight, Zhou Heming wants to confirm his love for Lu Bai.

Amidst their intertwined breaths, the two, deeply moved, seemed to have completely forgotten the presence of another person in the room.

Cheng Shuangjiang opened her eyes somewhat groggily, and the first thing she saw was an unfamiliar ceiling.

Then she heard a faint rustling sound coming from beside her.

She saw that Zhou Heming was lying on his side facing her, with his eyes closed, his brows slightly furrowed, and his expression somewhat distressed.

See this scene.

Cheng Shuangjiang pursed her lips, then sat up slightly and kissed Zhou Heming's lips.

Suddenly, Zhou Heming opened his eyes and met Cheng Shuangjiang's gaze.

The girl was startled, then shrank back in a fluster, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

She was hesitating whether to turn around and pretend nothing had happened, or to say something to explain.

With her hair tied up, Lu Bai turned her back to Cheng Shuangjiang and peeked out from under Zhou Heming's blanket.

Her throat bobbed as if she were swallowing something, and she licked the corner of her mouth. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were moist, giving her a pitiful charm.

Just a second before Cheng Shuangjiang closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep.

She saw that Zhou Heming, who was being kissed by Lu Bai again, was looking directly at her.

*
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(End of this chapter)