The Sickly Beauty Gives Up Struggling [Rebirth] Chapter 129

Li Rong took an afternoon nap. Since he hadn’t drawn the curtains, he had no sense of time. When he opened his eyes again, it was already 8 PM.

He ordered a clay pot rice meal. Being New Year’s, even food delivery services were scarce, and the delivery fees were several times higher than usual.

After putting down his phone, Li Rong got out of bed, washed his face, and stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing outside.

The streets were quiet, with few cars passing by. Most people had gone home to celebrate. The only reminders of the festive occasion were the twinkling lights and the occasional sound of firecrackers from the nearby square.

Li Rong rubbed his arms and sighed softly.

Fortunately, the apartment wasn’t too large; otherwise, it might have felt even lonelier.

When the delivery arrived, he settled on the couch with the food container.

He turned on the TV, randomly chose a popcorn movie, and began eating. He tore open the soy sauce packet, poured a little into the container, stirred the rice, and took a bite.

Honestly, this clay pot rice wasn’t as good as the one made by the chef at Cen Xiao’s villa.

Back then, he hadn’t appreciated the chef’s cooking. He wondered where that chef was now.

As the protagonist in the movie encountered their first minor setback, Li Rong lowered his gaze, focusing entirely on eating for the next five minutes. Once the problem was resolved, he looked up again to follow the lighthearted romantic subplot.

He’d decided to watch this movie because of its popularity. For a long time, he hadn’t been able to stomach popcorn films—they were too idealistic.

It had been a year and a half since his parents’ incident. He could honestly say he’d done everything he could, and so had those who supported him. Thankfully, there had been progress. He’d untangled a complex web of relationships and even identified his direct adversary.

But it had still been a year and a half.

He was steady, not in a rush. He understood the journey ahead was long. Yet when confronted with the stark contrast between his reality and the movie’s happy resolutions, he couldn’t help feeling a pang of regret.

In hero-centric films, the protagonist hits rock bottom but quickly and triumphantly rebounds. It was enviable—and laughable.

He knew that in real life, effort didn’t always lead to the desired results. His opponents were working just as hard, leveraging connections and destroying evidence.

Reality wasn’t a movie where justice inevitably prevailed.

But he had to accept that and fight on, refusing to give up until the end.

Li Rong finished half of the clay pot rice before feeling too full to continue. He stored the leftovers in the fridge, then pulled out a yogurt bottle and sipped it slowly.

The movie played in the background, but his thoughts wandered.

He sighed softly and glanced at the balcony.

Fireworks were being set off again in the square, blooming in vibrant colors before disappearing in an instant.

He was, in the end, too bored.

Li Rong fiddled with his phone, calculating that everyone was likely still at dinner. It didn’t seem appropriate to disturb anyone.

Just as he was pondering, his phone screen lit up with an incoming call.

He raised an eyebrow.

It was Cen Xiao.

Clearing his throat, Li Rong answered.

“Hello?”

“Have you eaten?” Cen Xiao’s background was silent—no fireworks or TV sounds.

“I have. Where are you?” Li Rong promptly switched off the movie. He’d lost interest in watching the protagonist’s triumphant comeback; all his attention was now on Cen Xiao’s voice.

“In an empty room. My parents and the others are having dinner, so I slipped away,” Cen Xiao replied, his surroundings as quiet as the deep, rolling waves outside his window.

The beach he was on was private, devoid of street vendors or barbecue stands.

The atmosphere at his family gathering was even colder—everyone preoccupied with their own thoughts. Just Xiao Muran’s presence was enough to freeze the room’s energy.

But Cen Xiao didn’t care. He had endured it all afternoon. In fact, he’d called Li Rong earlier, but when Li Rong didn’t answer, he figured he’d been napping.

Back during exam week, they’d gone two days without seeing each other, and it hadn’t bothered him. They barely even texted.

But now that they were apart, he found himself thinking of Li Rong constantly.

Li Rong glanced at the TV he’d already turned off. “I was watching a movie—pretty interesting. Dinner was clay pot rice, not bad. I overslept this afternoon, but tomorrow I can head out early to meet Tang He.”

Cen Xiao sat in his room without even turning on the lights. He rocked gently in his chair while listening to the voice of Li Rong over the phone.

“They’re eating seafood. I thought about asking what you’d like to eat tonight, but I was afraid you might still be asleep.”

Li Rong went quiet for a moment, curling his legs up onto the sofa and wrapping one arm around his knees. “Well, go eat then.”

But deep down, he didn’t really want Cen Xiao to go. He wished Cen Xiao would just stay in that quiet room and keep talking to him. That way, his own place wouldn’t feel so empty and dull.

Sure enough, once you get used to a certain way of life, any sudden change feels off. He had thought that Cen Xiao being gone for three days wouldn’t affect him at all.

Cen Xiao didn’t acknowledge his words. Instead, he suddenly said, “Today, my grandmother was talking about introducing me to the granddaughter of one of her friends.”

Li Rong’s eyes curved slightly in amusement. Of course, he wouldn’t be bothered by such comments. “Oh? How did that go? Tell me about her.”

Cen Xiao thought for a moment. “Didn’t really listen carefully. My grandmother is sick, so her voice was soft, and my mom was there too. You know how much she hates these things. She kept interrupting, so I didn’t have to say much. They ended up arguing all on their own.”

Honestly, even if Xiao Muran hadn’t intervened, Cen Xiao wouldn’t have been swayed by his grandmother’s suggestions. Having her around just made things easier to deflect.

Li Rong teased on purpose. “Too bad you didn’t catch the details. She might’ve been nice.”

Cen Xiao chuckled softly. He had expected this—getting Li Rong to feel jealous was nearly impossible. Li Rong was too strong and self-assured to be bothered by irrelevant people.

“‘Nice’ isn’t enough. She’d need to be smart, calm, beautiful, know how to act spoiled, enjoy southern cuisine, not kick the blankets while sleeping, avoid plain-flavored yogurt, and be completely unreserved in bed. That’s what would work, right?” Cen Xiao drawled, listing off Li Rong’s habits one by one.

Li Rong licked his lips and suppressed a smile, responding seriously, “That would be quite difficult to find.”

Cen Xiao agreed, “It’s true. Finding an Ancestor is practically impossible.”

Li Rong finally broke into a laugh, his fingers lightly scratching his knee. “Your place has such good soundproofing. Saying things like that in bed won’t be overheard?”

Cen Xiao thought about it. “Never tested it, but if someone did hear, they’d probably stop trying to introduce me to anyone’s granddaughter.”

Li Rong found the reasoning sound. “That’s true. After all, you’re not exactly one to care about appearances.”

Cen Xiao quipped, “Weren’t you the one being ‘unreserved in bed’?”

Li Rong countered, “But your family doesn’t know it’s me.”

Cen Xiao laughed lowly. Li Rong was the type to take things one day at a time, completely unconcerned about what might happen if their relationship ever became public.

But if that day ever came, being “unreserved in bed” would probably be the least of their concerns.

After a brief silence, Cen Xiao took a deep breath and said hoarsely, “It snowed in A City again today. I saw it on the news.”

“Mm.” Li Rong thought for a moment. It had snowed in the morning, but it had started melting by the afternoon. Still, it was technically snow.

“I miss you,” Cen Xiao said suddenly.

Li Rong’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his heart unexpectedly softening.

After all their idle chatter, they had finally gotten to what mattered.

Li Rong moved to his bedroom, thinking it was quieter there. Besides, Cen Xiao’s scent still lingered on the bed.

“How much?” he asked softly, pulling back the covers.

Cen Xiao lowered his voice, “I wish you were here with me right now. The room here is small but beautifully decorated. The sea is just outside the window. If you open it, the ocean breeze flows in. It’s humid but not cold.”

Li Rong imagined the scene—a seaside villa. He had been to such places with his parents on vacation. The salty ocean breeze had its own unique charm, and the rhythmic crashing of the waves was incredibly soothing. Just hearing it made him feel at ease.

At night, the coastline would be invisible, as if the sea itself were black. The tranquil darkness gave a sense of privacy, and every sound blended into the waves, carried away, scrubbed clean, and submerged deep in the ocean.

Only the love lingering in the air would remain, constant and unyielding.

“Are there people on the beach at night?” Li Rong asked.

Standing by the window and looking out at the deserted beach, Cen Xiao replied, “No one. Not a single soul. Just two yellow lights. I’d bring you to the beach and pin you down on the sand. No one would notice.”

Li Rong’s mouth felt dry. Lying in bed, he could almost feel the soft, cool sand under him. The air wasn’t cold, and the waves were just nearby. No one would see.

“Just pin me down? That’s enough?” he asked.

“Of course not,” Cen Xiao replied. “I’d kiss you until you’re gasping for air, and you’d have to push me away. But I wouldn’t let you go. I’d take off your wet clothes and toss them aside.”

Li Rong’s eyelids fluttered, and his fingers gripped the covers, gently rubbing the fabric.

He was wearing pajamas, but they weren’t buttoned tightly—just a single button.

Without a word, he slipped his hand under the covers and undid it, immediately feeling the fabric brush against his skin.

Taking a soft breath, he asked, “Then what?”

Cen Xiao opened the window, letting the sea breeze fill the room. The humid air swept through instantly, but he still felt parched, restless. “What do you think? I’m no saint. In such a beautiful setting, I wouldn’t hold back… When we’re done, I might even rub the fine sand on your skin, making it impossible to get rid of. Every inch would bear my mark.”

Li Rong could hear the sound of the wind through the phone. For the first time, he realized even the wind could be so intimate, every second laced with tenderness and sweetness.

Taking a deep breath, he whispered, “Cen Xiao…”

He didn’t know what else to say, only that he could call his name, just as he did every time they were in bed, when his mind was blank except for those two words.

Cen Xiao’s voice, mingled with the sound of the sea breeze, carried an irresistible allure. “I’ll buy you a ticket. Come to the beach and find me.”