It Seems I’m Not The Only One Who Reincarnated (Patreon)

Chapter 95: Single Parent

There was another thought that Shi Hai didn’t voice.

Perhaps Senior Tian Shui’s maturity had something to do with her being a reborn individual.

Tian Shui, who was a year older than Shi Hai, had already lived to the age of 30 in her previous life.

She was a thoroughly mature big sister, both mentally and physically.

Shi Hai still remembered how Jian Sichun had strongly objected when he made a similar remark to her before. Women don’t like it when you bring up their age.

So, if Senior Tian Shui were to hear any comments about age, she would probably get very angry. Shi Hai wisely decided to avoid making such a blunder.

As he moved his game piece, Shi Hai said:

“I think I have a good grasp of your personality now, Senior. You’re someone with a strong sense of competitiveness. Rather than accepting things handed to you on a silver platter, you prefer achieving them through your own efforts, don’t you?”

Exactly!

That’s why I’m so eager to win you over!

You could say Shi Hai was the person Tian Shui wanted most.

After all, on her own, it was difficult for Tian Shui to stand up to her mother.

But if she could win over this seemingly ghostlike man and make him her right-hand ally, she might finally have the qualifications to challenge her mother head-on.

Though thinking about it this way, it almost felt like bringing a man home to meet the parents for approval…

A couple working together could achieve anything…

No, no, no! It’s not like she wanted to marry him!

Yet, Tian Shui couldn’t help but let her imagination run wild.

She pictured herself in a wedding dress, holding a bouquet, standing before him as he knelt on one knee in a suit.

But soon, the pure white wedding dress in her fantasy morphed into a tight-fitting, semi-transparent, triangle-shaped outfit. A heart-shaped pattern even appeared on her lower abdomen.

The scene of the man kneeling to propose changed to one where she was kneeling on both knees.

The man held her chin with one hand, making her tilt her head up, while in the other hand, instead of a wedding ring, he held a leash attached to the collar on her neck.

Instinctively, Tian Shui touched her neck.

“It’s your turn, Senior… Senior?”

Shi Hai raised his head, puzzled, only to find Tian Shui spacing out again.

Tian Shui had been zoning out a lot today.

Though, in fairness, the earlier instances were due to Shi Hai deliberately saying things to lead her astray.

But just now, they had both agreed not to use any underhanded tricks, so Shi Hai was genuinely conversing with her like a friend.

Yet Senior Tian Shui still ended up lost in thought…

Who knows what she was thinking about?

This game didn’t even require any complex strategies.

Besides, she was already far ahead in points…

Shi Hai felt a bit frustrated. He had a hunch he was going to lose this round.

He was also somewhat worried that, as a sadistic personality, Tian Shui might demand something unreasonable from him.

Still… you can’t catch the wolf without sacrificing the lamb. If he wanted reliable information, he had to make necessary sacrifices.

And honestly, now that he’d already asked about his own future, the only thing he wanted to know next was the situation with Liu Zhenshan.

So, as long as he could win just one more round, it would be fine.

At that moment, Tian Shui finally snapped out of her wedding fantasies.

Her imagination had wandered as far as the consummation of marriage… But the sudden flash of pain in her mind brought her back to reality.

“No way!”

“Huh? No way, what?”

Tian Shui awkwardly averted her gaze and said:

“Uh, no, I wasn’t answering your question… um… ahem, anyway, it’s my turn now.”

It seemed the influence of her previous life was still too strong.

Wearing a wedding dress and standing beside him… That was something the Tian Shui of her past life wouldn’t even dare to dream of.

Maybe this is the ending she truly desires?

But even if marriage were to happen, it would absolutely have to be the earlier imagined scenario, not the later one! The question of "who's on top" must be clearly settled!

The game was already halfway through, and Tian Shui had built a considerable lead.

Determined to maintain her advantage, she decided to secure this win before thinking about anything else!

Seeing that Tian Shui had perked up, Shi Hai refrained from probing further and continued the previous topic.

“Still, all I can do is talk about it. Truly understanding how you feel is something I can’t fully empathize with.”

“You’ll come to understand eventually…”

Tian Shui once struggled to comprehend her mother’s behavior, but after meeting other women, she gradually understood.

It’s the desire to be relied upon.

Shi Hai was surrounded by women with similar tendencies.

His adopted sister, his childhood friend, and even Jian Sichun, who clung to him often, all exhibited some degree of psychological dependency.

Jian Sichun, in particular, seemed completely reliant on Shi Hai, yet she also displayed this trait in her own way. Rather than seeking his dependence in every aspect, she mostly focused on dressing up and pleasing him, aiming to share joy and pleasure together.

Her mind, admittedly, was often filled with lewd thoughts… though Tian Shui realized she wasn’t exactly in a position to criticize.

She couldn’t deny that she shared a bit of that trait herself.

If Shi Hai ever decided to completely give up and become a good-for-nothing, she would be more than happy to support him financially.

Even if he were merely a pet, feeding him every day might have its own unique charm.

But unfortunately, Shi Hai wasn’t the type to resign himself to a life of decadence.

And neither was Tian Shui.

“Hmm…”

Shi Hai, on the other hand, came to a conclusion.

Tian Shui likely knew about the existence of Shi Meng.

But whether Shi Meng knew about Tian Shui was another question… Probably not.

Making a mental note of this, Shi Hai shifted the conversation to another topic.

“By the way, what about your father, Senior?”

“I don’t have a father. Like you, I come from a single-parent family, and it’s just me and my mother.”

“Ah, I see. So you’re from a single-parent family too… That explains why your mom is so overprotective.”

Shi Hai figured it was somewhat like how his own mom insisted on him staying fit—just a more extreme version.

“No, it’s different. Unlike you, I didn’t lose my father when I was young. I’ve never met him—not even once. My mom has never mentioned him, so I don’t even know who he is or what he looks like.”

“You’ve never investigated?”

“Of course I have, but… it seems like I genuinely don’t have a father.”

“Not a single clue about him?”

“None. It’s as if he never existed.”

“…”

Could Tian Shui’s mom have eliminated him? That would be terrifying.

“I’ve considered the possibility… Maybe my mom used artificial insemination to have me.”

“Oh, that would explain it, but… wait a second. Didn’t you say your mom was really young?”

“Yeah.”

“So, she went for artificial insemination at eighteen to have you?”

“Yup.”

“…That’s wild.”

“But if it’s my mom, it’s entirely possible.”

“She planned her life that meticulously at eighteen and decided to have a child?”

Shi Hai’s imagination began to conjure an image of Tian Shui’s mother.

A stunningly curvaceous and powerful businesswoman exuding the aura of a queen, clad in a sharp professional outfit.

If Tian Shui’s figure was already top-tier, her mother’s couldn’t possibly be any less impressive.

Someone who commanded respect and awe on ordinary days, with no one daring to cross her, yet would turn into a doting and clumsy fool in front of her daughter.

That kind of contrast… was oddly adorable.