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

Chapter 120: Let's Live Together

"No, no! I want to go to a hotel!"

In front of everyone, Jian Sichun acted like a spoiled child throwing a tantrum, but her demand was undoubtedly an adult one.

The overwhelming stares made the three of them feel as if they were sitting on pins and needles.

Even though Shi Hai had deliberately chosen a secluded corner to avoid their conversation being overheard, Jian Sichun’s loud exclamation still drew the attention of passersby.

People started to wonder what was happening—was there a couple arguing?

And when they noticed the trio consisted of two women and one man, their expressions shifted to a knowing look.

Ah, just another clichéd love triangle drama...

However, the reality was that Shi Hai could honestly declare, "You are both my wings."

It was just that his "wings" had minds of their own—and a tendency to misbehave.

Jian Sichun, one of his "wings," was currently determined to corrupt herself and drag Shi Hai down with her.

But Shi Hai wasn’t falling for it.

Being persuaded earlier into accepting an impossible arrangement was already pushing his limits.

If he were to go to a hotel and deepen their relationship further, it would cross his bottom line.

However, Jian Sichun was sulking, and comforting a girlfriend was part of a boyfriend’s responsibilities.

"How about we calm down with some dessert after dinner?"

Shi Hai picked up a piece of cream-and-fruit cake and fed it to Jian Sichun, who took a big bite without hesitation.

"I want more!"

Despite still chewing, Jian Sichun opened her mouth for another bite.

"Take it slow, or you’ll choke."

Shi Hai couldn’t help but feel like he was feeding a hamster. Watching her puffed cheeks as she chewed was oddly entertaining.

Now that he was nominally Jian Sichun’s boyfriend, seeing her enjoy the food so much also lifted his mood.

It was like the difference between feeding a stray cat and feeding your own pet cat—the satisfaction and sense of accomplishment of seeing your cat enjoy its meal were unique. It was part of the "nurturing" mindset.

Jian Sichun, on the other hand, was sulking but would never miss out on being fed by Shi Hai.

As she ate, she realized the cake was unexpectedly delicious.

"This is really good! There are three layers of different fruits inside. The sweet and tangy flavors go perfectly with the fresh cream, balancing out the richness..."

"Not bad, right? I looked into this place in advance. It seems their chocolate sundaes are also highly recommended. Want to try one?"

"Yes!"

Girls often have a sweet tooth, and Jian Sichun was particularly fond of desserts.

Though she occasionally worried about gaining weight, she figured she could burn off the extra calories with more exercise.

And since her plan was to drag Shi Hai into some "after-dinner exercise" anyway, eating a bit more now wouldn’t hurt.

Shi Hai’s goal, however, was simply to stall for time.

He kept ordering more items, making small talk while waiting for the food, strolling around for a bit afterward, and returning home when it got dark. By then, the hotel idea would hopefully fade away.

So, he ordered two chocolate sundaes. The reason for two was that Zhu Lingjie said she couldn’t eat much and would share one with Shi Hai.

Thus began the feeding process again. This time, Zhu Lingjie also fed Shi Hai bites of her sundae.

The experience of being fed while feeding someone else was new to him. Was this one of the unique aspects of being in a three-person relationship?

As Jian Sichun ate her chocolate sundae, she seemed to settle down.

But in reality, her mind was preoccupied with a random piece of trivia.

It’s said that chocolate stimulates the brain four times more intensely than kissing...

So, if one were to kiss while holding chocolate, wouldn’t that be five times the pleasure?

After finishing her dessert, she licked her lips, savoring the lingering sweetness, and decided to test this theory later.

"By the way, Shi Hai, don’t think you can change the subject. I’m not letting you brush me off this time. We’re going to the hotel after this!"

"Come on, tomorrow’s Monday..."

"So what? We’re university students. Skipping a few classes is perfectly normal!"

It wouldn’t be a complete university experience without skipping class at least once.

"Besides, I didn’t say we’d stay out overnight. It’s still early, so we can go home later. Or we could sleep at the hotel—it’s up to you."

Jian Sichun remained adamant that today’s date should end with them "hitting a home run." Shi Hai could only sigh and rub his forehead.

"Why does it have to go that far? Can’t we just have a normal date—going out, walking around, eating, chatting? Isn’t that enough?"

There might not be any grand surprises, but it could still be a happy and memorable time.

To Shi Hai, that was what dating was all about.

It wasn’t about a passionate, action-packed romance where every day was filled with dramatic declarations of love.

It was about living an ordinary life together, realizing one day that the other person had quietly become an irreplaceable part of it.

But for Jian Sichun, that wasn’t enough.

Not nearly enough!

"I should be asking you—what are you so afraid of, Shi Hai?"

"Uh..."

"Is my request that unreasonable? It’s something normal couples do all the time. Don’t give me this ‘pure love’ nonsense. We’re adults!"

Confirming their relationship and taking it further was just the natural course of things.

Jian Sichun only wanted to "quickly" return to the way things were when she and Shi Hai had dated before.

"I’m not afraid. I just think it’s too soon. This is only our first date. Is there really a need to rush?"

"We don’t have that much time!"

"No, we still have plenty of time... nine years left, actually."

"It’s not ‘nine years left’—it’s only nine years!"

To Jian Sichun, nine years was far too short.

Happiness always felt fleeting.

And as people grew older, their perception of time sped up. In school, two or three years felt long, but once out in the real world, three years passed in the blink of an eye.

So, some people say that by the time you graduate from school, half your life is already over.

From a perceptual standpoint, that might indeed be true.

That’s why Jian Sichun was so impatient—because for her, the nine-year countdown had already begun.

“We’ve already confirmed our relationship, haven’t we? So, I don’t want to waste any more time dragging things out. I want us to love each other wholeheartedly starting now and make these nine years so fulfilling that there won’t be a single regret!”

“Sisi…”

Zhu Lingjie could understand her thoughts.

The time spent with the one you love should always be as long as possible.

In her previous life, when she had just gotten married, she had wished she could live a happy life with the one she loved until they were both 80.

But now, even though she was also officially his girlfriend, it was only in name. And the time they could spend together was down to just nine years.

That was far too short.

She even envied Jian Sichun for having the courage to speak so directly.

Jian Sichun’s tantrum-like attitude was something Zhu Lingjie couldn’t emulate.

If it were up to Zhu Lingjie alone, she could never "push" Shi Hai.

Previously, she had thought that as long as they progressed faster than in her last life, it would be enough.

After all, up until now, her relationship with Shi Hai had always been a slow marathon—three steps forward, two steps back—leaving those around them exasperated.

Now, with Jian Sichun in the mix, her relationship with Shi Hai had accelerated as if it were on a rocket.

In just one week, they had made more progress than in over ten years.

If it were the old Zhu Lingjie, she might have felt that was enough—or even been anxious that things were moving too fast.

But now, she decided to be a little more "greedy," just like Jian Sichun.

The other "wing" was darkening as well.

“I think Sisi has a point. Shi Hai, you mentioned earlier that your mom was able to move past the grief of losing her husband because she had you, her son, by her side…”

“Uh… don’t tell me you’re suggesting I give you kids…”

Zhu Lingjie’s face turned red all the way to her ears, but she still mustered the courage to raise her head and speak in a shaky voice.

“Y-Yes! If we had children, I think… it would give us even more motivation to hold on!”

This was too much.

Shi Hai was utterly stunned.

If Jian Sichun’s goal was simply to accelerate their relationship into a passionate romance, then Zhu Lingjie was leaping straight into building a family.

After hearing this, Shi Hai almost found Jian Sichun’s suggestion acceptable. After all, everyone had a "first time" eventually…

The classic broken-window effect.

People naturally gravitate toward compromises.

Jian Sichun was overjoyed.

Her ally was back!

“Alright…”

Shi Hai thought carefully. Their urgency likely stemmed from anxiety.

Even though they claimed they’d be fine even if Shi Hai were to die, losing the person they loved most would undoubtedly be difficult to bear.

Just as Shi Hai felt restless and uneasy when he learned of the potential danger his mom faced, they probably felt the same way.

From that perspective, Shi Hai realized he needed to provide them with a sense of security.

Just like the wager with Tian Shui, he needed to give them their own "assurance."

“I get it now…”

“You agree?”

“Not today.”

“What? So, in the end, it’s still a no…”

Jian Sichun rolled her eyes and slumped in disappointment.

After all that talk, Shi Hai still wasn’t willing. She knew that no matter what she said next, it wouldn’t work.

“But I won’t keep stalling deliberately. It’s just that for me, this would be the first time… And having to accept both of you at once for my first time is a bit overwhelming for someone inexperienced like me. I really need some time to mentally prepare.”

The two girls exchanged glances before Zhu Lingjie asked,

“And how much time do you need?”

“By the end of this year.”

It was currently September, leaving a little over three months.

“I still want to investigate things further during this time. After all, I don’t want to die unexpectedly either.”

“True… If you can ensure your safety, the root of the problem would be solved…”

On top of that, Shi Hai’s worries about his mom weren’t resolved yet, so he couldn’t focus entirely on the relationship.

“If three months go by without any progress, I’ll give up resisting, devote myself fully to this relationship, and accept you both wholeheartedly. Would that be alright?”

“No problem!”

Jian Sichun agreed without hesitation.

Three months—it was a wait she could handle.

If she pushed any further, it would only annoy Shi Hai.

Jian Sichun didn’t want Shi Hai to dislike her. She would only act spoiled within the limits of what Shi Hai could tolerate.

“Then let’s head home for now, okay?”

“Head home…”

Suddenly, Jian Sichun had a brilliant idea. Her eyes darted around, and then she smiled slyly.

“Okay, let’s go home!”

She then leaned close to Zhu Lingjie’s ear and whispered something.

Whatever it was, Zhu Lingjie gave her a look that said, “Classic you.”

It seemed like there was still some sort of scheme brewing. But as long as it didn’t involve Shi Hai having to give up both “firsts” today, he figured he could tolerate it.

Shi Hai felt a sense of relief, like he had narrowly avoided disaster.

With that, all the issues were resolved. Their relationship was officially settled, and Jian Sichun seemed quite satisfied. The three of them left the restaurant together.

As they walked out, the other diners couldn’t help but give them curious stares.

Their conversation had been overheard in its entirety, leaving many utterly shocked.

This wasn’t the typical drama of a scumbag caught red-handed; instead, it was two beautiful girls pressuring the guy to commit!

They had seen guys two-timing before, but never two women willingly offering themselves up for it…

What kind of guy was he? A rich heir or something?

Once outside, Shi Hai remembered his mother’s advice and said to the two of them:

“By the way, since this is our first date, I’d like to buy you both a little gift as a keepsake.”

“Sure, but since there are three of us, normal couple gifts won’t really work for us…”

“You don’t need to include me; it’s just a gift from me to you.”

“No way! You have to include yourself! And you’re not allowed to say things like that again in the future!”

Zhu Lingjie nodded in agreement.

“That’s right! From now on, whatever it is, the three of us will face it together!”

“Alright, alright… So, do you have anything in mind?”

Frugal by nature, Zhu Lingjie wouldn’t ask for anything too expensive.

“A hairband will do.”

“Same here. I’m planning to grow my hair out soon anyway.”

“Got it. Let’s go check out a boutique.”

In the end, Shi Hai bought them matching hairbands. Jian Sichun chose one in red and one in yellow, matching her eye colors, while Zhu Lingjie picked a blue one.

Zhu Lingjie put hers on immediately.

Up until now, holding hands or feeding each other hadn’t made much of an impression on Shi Hai.

But at that moment, seeing Zhu Lingjie wear the hairband he had just given her, Shi Hai felt a powerful wave of emotion.

It wasn’t even an overly dramatic scene—just a simple hairband change. Yet it stirred an inexplicable excitement within him.

Because, in a way, this was like leaving his own mark on her.

It symbolized possession.

Shi Hai immediately began to reflect on himself. He had clearly been influenced by them to some extent.

Dating two beautiful girls—it was hard not to get a little worked up.

All Shi Hai wanted now was to head home, be alone for a while, sort out his feelings, and cool his head.

Around 7 PM, the three of them finally arrived home.

Feeling a bit worn out, Shi Hai pulled out his keys and said to them,

“Well then, good night. You two should get some rest... I’m going straight to bed once I get back.”

“Wait a moment.”

Just as he was about to unlock the door, Jian Sichun stopped him and even snatched the keys from his hand.

Shi Hai turned around and asked,

“What is it now?”

She’s not asking for a goodnight kiss, is she?

Shi Hai thought he could handle something like that.

After all, he’d already done that much with Tian Shui.

But Jian Sichun flashed a mischievous grin and said,

“You’ve got the wrong door.”

“Huh?”

“I said we’re going home, but I never mentioned which home, did I?”

“Uh...”

Jian Sichun wrapped her arm around his neck like a little bully and said,

“Since we’re officially boyfriend and girlfriend now, it’s totally normal to live together, right? And to avoid disturbing your mom and sister, isn’t it better to stay at your girlfriend’s house?”

Zhu Lingjie shyly fidgeted with her finger and added with a smile,

“My house... is yours, too...”

“...”

Now Shi Hai understood what Jian Sichun had whispered to Zhu Lingjie earlier.

“So, there you have it. You’re not going to deny it, are you? My dear boyfriend~ Let’s move in together!”

Their first date led to them becoming a couple. By the end of the date, they were talking about living together.

Not just with one of them—with both of them.

Shi Hai had already rolled his eyes at the absurdity of it all in his mind countless times, but seeing those two slender hands firmly clasping his and preparing to drag him into Zhu Lingjie’s apartment across the hall...

He couldn’t help but grumble.

Are you two sirens or something?

Is this even reasonable?