Looking at her thoughtful and caring little sister, Qin Jiao’s heart melted. She shook her head and said, "I can’t let you do my laundry. Go on and play, I’ll wash them myself."

"You’re always doing my laundry, but I’m a big girl now. Besides, back in our hometown, I used to wash clothes for Grandma and Grandpa all the time." As Xiao Shi mentioned their old home, her voice grew quiet.

She was even younger back then, only seven or eight, and it wasn’t just her grandparents’ clothes she had washed. She had actually done the laundry for her uncle’s family of three as well...

Hearing this, Qin Jiao’s heart ached.

"Xiao Shi, you’ve been through so much."

’My poor, adorable little sister... just how much did she suffer back then? And in her past life, she went through so many hardships.’

’Later on, she was even abducted by human traffickers...’

Seeing the sadness in Qin Jiao’s eyes, Xiao Shi looked up with a smile. "Sis, I had it rough before, but I’m so happy now. You have no idea—every morning I wake up, I feel like I’m in a dream. I don’t have to worry about food or drink, and I get to see you, Mom, and Dad the moment I open my eyes. I can even go to school and meet so many new friends! I’m so happy I could burst. Oh, right, Sis! Xiao Hong from my class is from our old village, and when she transferred over, she told me something. On last semester’s final exams, Xiao Tao only got a total of eight points on two subjects. His mom wasn’t ashamed at all—she was actually proud! She went around telling everyone that eight is a great number because it sounds like the word ’prosper,’ but a lot of people laughed at her. Sis, I’m definitely going to do much better than Xiao Tao in the future!"

Looking into her sister’s bright eyes, Qin Jiao gently stroked her soft hair. "Of course our Xiao Shi will be much more successful than him! Heaven is watching what we do. Whatever becomes of them in the future will be their own making. But our family, we’re going to be happier and happier from now on."

"Mhm!"

In the end, Qin Jiao couldn’t win the argument, so she let Xiao Shi do the laundry. Outside, the storm intensified, and the windows started BANGING loudly.

The thunder rumbled without pause.

Qin Jiao went to help her mother move some things upstairs from the ground floor.

After they finished their chores and went to bed, Xiao Shi slept restlessly, snuggling closer to Qin Jiao.

Because of this, Qin Jiao didn’t enter her space, staying with Xiao Shi until she finally fell into a peaceful sleep.

Qin Jiao, however, couldn’t sleep. Her mind kept replaying the moment Shen Yi had been racing home on his bike with her. She hadn’t been able to see his expression, only press against his back and listen to the sound of his heart beating.

’It’s probably just because we’re so close all the time,’ she thought. ’Once we’re in college and don’t have to see each other every day, I won’t be having these random thoughts anymore.’

’Yes, that must be it.’

Just a wall away, Shen Yi was also wide awake, listening to the sound of the wind and rain.

He stared at the wall, wondering if Qin Jiao was asleep. His thoughts were filled with her.

One moment, he wondered, ’If Qin Jiao still remembers our past life, what should I do?’

The next, his mind replayed the feeling of Qin Jiao’s arm wrapped around his waist on their way home.

His heart had been pounding so fast then, he thought it would leap out of his throat. He hadn’t expected it. ’I’ve already lived this life once,’ he thought. ’Why am I still acting like some wet-behind-the-ears teenager?’

In his past life, he and Qin Jiao had been husband and wife. Initially, they had been forced to marry due to various external pressures. Of course, Shen Yi had been vehemently opposed to marrying a wife he believed had ’ulterior motives.’

Qin Jiao hadn’t liked him either. They lived like roommates, with one taking the master bedroom and the other the guest room, staying completely out of each other’s business. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

But then one time, during Mr. Du’s birthday celebration, they were both in high spirits and had too much to drink...

When they woke up, they were lying in the same bed.