The sea wind roared. Tonight wasn’t very good weather.

Gao Qiong poked out her head. No moon over the sea—from afar she could still hear waves striking the ship.

She saw the shadows of that man and woman reflected in the dim yellow light.

Under the light and shadow, he removed his mask himself. Lifting the girl’s chin in his arms, he lowered his head slightly.

Gao Qiong’s mouth turned bitter. Stamping her feet, she ran off. She thought—this time Yu Shangxian definitely owes her a huge favor.

Bei Yao smelled the sea wind’s fishy, salty scent, mixed with the crisp feeling from the man’s embrace. His lips were cold, like the desolate taste of that distant lighthouse in the sea.

Before she could close her eyes, she saw his appearance.

He truly was no longer the youthful Pei Chuan. Between his brows settled the loneliness of years. For Bei Yao, coming to this world was a sudden change in the classroom. But for Pei Chuan, it was redemption after nearly five years since her death, over a thousand days and nights.

At first she helplessly grabbed the man’s collar. His kiss was very light. Bei Yao worried about the “Rebirth” in his body. She didn’t know what kind of pain it was.

Gradually, she understood.

Cold sweat seeped from his forehead. Even in midsummer June, the weather not cold, yet his skin was ice-cold.

Pei Chuan’s body temperature was always burning hot. This was the only exception.

Bei Yao moved away from the man’s lips. She had no strength, leaning on his shoulder, saying softly: “Send me back. I know you’re in pain.”

He pressed his lips, fingers stroking her cheek, just smiling faintly.

“You asked me before if I really like you.” He said, “Very much.”

As he said this, his slender fingers pulled up her front collar for her.

Bei Yao feared his pain. Yet hearing his confession now, her heart was happy. She struggled to raise her little head and kissed his chin.

He touched her hair.

Bei Yao thought—this was enough. Regardless of which world, Pei Chuan rarely actively touched her. Today’s kiss was already an exception.

He was silent for a moment, controlling the wheelchair to back up two steps, closing the door.

Inside, the sound of waves was blocked. Bei Yao hadn’t reacted, looking at him in confusion.

Satan reopened the clothes he’d covered for her. The girl’s waist was slender. In the warm yellow indoor light, her skin was luminously white.

His slender fingers explored inch by inch, like a king touring his territory.

Exquisite waistline, adorable waist dimples.

Bei Yao’s cheeks flushed completely red. She struggled to raise her hand and pinch his sleeve.

Satan pressed his lips, saying: “You can say no.”

She opened her mouth, seeing his pale lips.

She’d always thought that over time, Satan didn’t like her as much as Pei Chuan did. He held meetings all day, most of the time not staying with her. When he looked at her, his eyes were like looking at wind, water, mountains and rivers, blue sky—seemingly lacking much love. As if even if one day she left, Satan could still continue without a ripple.

Now she knew how much he loved her.

His fingers moved down inch by inch, sweating from pain, pupils slightly contracting, yet his gaze was fond and gentle.

The young him wouldn’t touch her. Like treating an expensive jewel, he loved her preciousness, but hoped she’d have a better future, be placed in a more beautiful place, rather than face his shabby embrace.

When Gao Qiong sent Bei Yao over, she’d thought—Satan definitely won’t accept this. He’s such a gentleman!

But Satan wasn’t a gentleman.

For Satan, all inferiority had faded with time. Having nothing, he was unperturbed by favor or disgrace.

Though Bei Yao felt being touched like this by him was shameful, she still released the hand gripping his sleeve, simply burying her face in his embrace.

Forget it. As long as Satan is happy.

If he wasn’t afraid of pain, what was she afraid of being shy about?

The man’s voice was low: “Still going home?”

“Not going back.” Her voice was muffled in his embrace. “Can’t go back. By your side is my home.”

He didn’t speak, his kiss falling down.

—

At midnight when the sea wind blew most fiercely, Yu Shangxian was fished out.

He collapsed on the deck like a dead fish, breathing out more air than breathing in.

Gao Qiong squatted beside him, pitifully kicking him: “Tsk tsk, really miserable, really miserable.”

Yu Shangxian opened his eyes, saying with difficulty: “Miss Gao, show mercy with your feet. Don’t kick me to death.”

Gao Qiong was also angry. She widened her eyes: “To save you, this ungrateful wolf, I don’t know how much I sacrificed.”

She was about to say more when several people came and took Yu Shangxian away.

Gao Qiong said: “Where are you taking him?”

The big man answered: “Satan’s order—let Mr. Yu rest quietly.”

Gao Qiong frowned, saying unwillingly: “Then don’t kill him.”

“We won’t, Miss Gao.”

Gao Qiong still couldn’t figure this out—what was Satan thinking? After a long while she shouted: “Holy shit!”

Satan and the little vixen were still enjoying spring pleasures, but Yu Shangxian had already been fished out. This meant Satan had already calculated the time to spare Yu Shangxian.

So she’d sent the little vixen to Satan’s bed for nothing?

Gao Qiong looked at the sky speechlessly. Ah, the wind and rain at sea were really strong.

—

The next day didn’t clear up. Near dawn, the storm at sea looked dark and oppressive. The cruise ship only had its own lights—the sky was dark and heavy.

He gently caressed the girl’s face in his arms. She had a youthful, delicate beauty. Displeased at being disturbed, she reflexively moved away from him.

Pei Chuan pulled her back. She finally opened her eyes.

“What’s wrong? Is there something?” The girl’s voice was hoarse, with a bit of petulance.

He lowered his gaze to look at her, softly humming acknowledgment.

Her sleepiness dissipated by half: “What is it?”

“I want to talk to you.” Pei Chuan said, the man’s voice very low. “Yao Yao, our world isn’t like yours. This world has no order—laws have been destroyed too. I’m very sorry to have you face such a terrible environment.”

“To live well here, first you must be strong. Rebirth is the best weapon. When I implanted Rebirth in Yu Shangxian, Gao Qiong, and other ‘Rebirth’ high-level members, I kept backup control chips.” He tapped her forehead. “Now it’s here.”

Bei Yao touched her forehead—no pain or itch: “How did you put it in?”

He just smiled, saying gently: “Later I’ll have a chance to explain, but you need to hear more important things. No one will give or be loyal for no reason. Gao Qiong’s personality is rough, but her thinking is meticulous. She appears carefree on the surface, but her character is extremely determined. Once she recognizes someone, usually won’t betray. Yu Shangxian’s thoughts are complex. He’s smart enough, likes playing dirty tricks, likes power struggles. Can’t completely trust him. If there are signs of betrayal, immediately issue a command for him to commit suicide.”

She was frightened by the casual ruthlessness in Pei Chuan’s tone, widening her dark almond eyes, suspecting she’d misheard: “Kill?”

Pei Chuan: “Mm. Don’t hesitate.”

“But.” Bei Yao said, “Why are you telling me this? You’re their boss. You saying this makes me feel ominous.”

He paused: “I have a Rebirth solution—implant current Rebirth to devour the primary Rebirth.” He looked at her eyes, tone very slow, word by word: “But the consequences are unpredictable. Possibly paralysis, possibly blindness and deafness, possibly death—never waking up again.”

Hearing this, she immediately shook her head: “Not allowed.”

Pei Chuan lowered his head and kissed her pink, plump cheek: “Be good.”

Bei Yao was a bit angry: “You’re not allowed to go! This method is so dangerous. Can’t we think of a safer way?”

His tone was very soft, carrying shallow smile: “I love you.”

Pei Chuan explained: “Constantly violating the primary Rebirth’s command—that kind of suffering isn’t any lighter than death.”

The sea wind roared, as if that cold would penetrate into bones.

Bei Yao couldn’t stand this situation where both advance and retreat were terrible consequences. Her cheeks buried in the covers, quietly sobbing.

He sighed, coaxing: “First help me put on my shirt, okay?”

A girl’s face emerged from the covers, full of tears. Pitiful yet cute.

Pei Chuan said: “This must be completed before landing—can only do it today. Tomorrow we dock.” Pei Chuan smiled. “I’m in too much pain to have strength. I’m asking Yao Yao, hmm?”

The sea wind couldn’t blow into the room. He looked amusedly at her crying while earnestly helping him put on his shirt.

Buttoning each button for him, her lotus-root arms were tender, with several red marks he’d sucked out on them.

He watched her unblinkingly: “And the tie.”

She didn’t seem to know how. After pondering for a long time, she tied it haltingly.

Pei Chuan’s gaze was strange yet gentle.

He wasn’t his youthful self anymore. He liked guiding her to do things that made people happy.

—

When Yu Shangxian woke up, he discovered he was indirectly under house arrest. He raised an eyebrow, remembering snippets from Gao Qiong’s words last night, feeling rather subtle.

Why would Satan confine him at this time?

But in this square room, he couldn’t even feel the sea wind. Only last night a doctor came to check once. He was still in a weak state.

His gaze passed through that window—what did Satan want to do?

Where his gaze couldn’t reach, A’Zuo pushed Pei Chuan to the cruise ship’s medical room.

Pei Chuan’s face was pale. He calmly nodded at the doctor: “Begin. A’Zuo, guard outside. Don’t let anyone in.”

Honest A’Zuo responded and hurriedly went outside.

The doctor put on gloves: “You’re certain?”

Pei Chuan said lightly: “Mm.”

Acquainted for so many years, the doctor had seen both the primary and current Rebirth. The two devouring each other was equivalent to the pain of cutting internal organs with a knife slice by slice.

He sighed: “Is it worth it?”

Pei Chuan said: “You definitely don’t know—in another world, I’m in prison for her.” He smiled. “Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? I also think it’s ridiculous. The younger you are, the more sincerely you love. Look, I wouldn’t be a good person now and voluntarily go to prison for her. I even told her I might die. This way, even if I really die, she’ll remember me for life. Remember Satan, not Pei Chuan who’s the same as that person.”

Though the doctor didn’t fully understand, he heard the obsession in his words.

The doctor said: “Save it. You’re also Pei Chuan. You may have long forgotten how you had me implant the primary chip in you initially. You forgot that emotion, now fell in love with her again. You’re no worse than your youth.”

Pei Chuan’s lips curved with mockery.

Outside the door, the girl’s anxious yet crisp voice rang out: “Can you hear me? Can you hear me, Satan?” She said loudly, “I’m waiting for you, always waiting for you. You must succeed!”

Seeing he didn’t respond, she knocked on the door threateningly: “If you fail, I’m going home! Never coming back!”

Pei Chuan’s mocking expression froze.

The doctor found it amusing.

When he started the procedure, Pei Chuan paused, suddenly speaking: “I want to live. Please.”

The doctor didn’t speak, just nodded. He remembered about five years ago, he’d said similar words. He said, “I want to live. Forgetting her would be good.”

From then on, planting roses at the grave once a year, he was like visiting an unimportant old acquaintance, seemingly truly forgetting.

But what about now?

—

As the two Rebirths fought, he saw his original self.

June sunlight bright, he held a corpse. In the distance was the endless sea. He made a grass-woven grasshopper for the female corpse, placing it in her palm.

Her long lashes lowered, unknowing and unfeeling.

Pei Chuan said: “So even now, you still don’t like me.”

“Mr. Pei? No, I’m not Mr. Pei. Over time you may have even forgotten my name. I’m called Pei Chuan.”

“Yao Yao, I love you most in this world.” He smiled. “Though you don’t know.”

Sitting in his wheelchair, he used morning flowers to weave her a crown. Her long hair was soft—if not for her body already decaying, she’d be very beautiful.

Pei Chuan didn’t eat all day, sitting with her on the island until dusk came.

He said cheerfully: “Today’s sunset is finished too. We should go home.”

He leaned over to embrace her, ignoring the smell appearing on the female corpse. He pushed the wheelchair toward “home.”

“In the future I’ll build you a manor here, filled with flowers, accompanying you to watch sunrise and sunset every day.”

“What did you say? Sorry, didn’t see the sunrise today? It’s my fault—I dressed you a bit late.”

At evening, Pei Chuan cooked. Outside the grass had insect chirping sounds, the ocean striking the beach. He undid the braids he’d personally woven for Bei Yao in his arms.

“Let’s eat.”

After eating, he washed dishes, then boiled water in a wooden bucket to bathe her.

He pressed his lips, still covering his eyes.

“I know you don’t quite like me. I won’t offend you.”

But flower fragrance still couldn’t overcome summer’s corpse smell.

She was slowly rotting. His throat surged with a fishy smell.

He didn’t sleep, eyes open, her lying in his arms.

“I wasn’t thorough enough—no perfume prepared on the island. Tomorrow I’ll pick more flowers for you. Then it’ll be very fragrant.”

But this summer, her body ultimately withered faster than flowers.

Day by day he watched red powder turn to withered bones.

On a rainy summer day, he personally buried her. Pei Chuan knew she’d died. He wasn’t crazy, just a bit sad.

Only a little bit, a little sad.

He coughed blood. Heavy rain soaked his clothes. He scattered the last handful of earth.

“I hate you a bit.” He said quietly. “Sometimes I think—why this lifetime? I’ve liked you from youth until now. You couldn’t see, couldn’t hear. I never held your hand, never kissed your lips. But you died and I became like this. You never liked me for a single day. What you gave wasn’t much either, yet occupied my entire life.”

“This is too unfair. But I also know there are many people like me in this world. We can’t blame people like you. We offered our hearts ourselves—others just refused to accept.”

Pei Chuan stroked the character for “wife” on the tombstone, tone especially indifferent: “Don’t think I’ll go crazy for you. I’m clearheaded. Don’t think I can’t live on. I’m not that pathetic. When my lower legs were severed, I survived. Now without illness or pain, I’ll live better.”

“It’s just.” He paused. “Loving someone is too hard. If you appear again, I definitely won’t fall in love with you. I also won’t be that good to you. Haven’t I been good enough to you these years? You’re a heartless little villain.”

When this rain finished, he had the doctor implant Rebirth in him.

Really a magical thing. Rebirth merged into bone and blood—his heart immediately felt terribly empty. He remembered everything about her, yet blocked all emotion.

Pei Chuan touched his chest. This is pretty good, Miss Bei Yao.

He became Satan again.

The Rebirth organization grew stronger year by year. At his loneliest time, the following June it rained again.

He didn’t know why either, but returned to this island to start planting roses.

Actually didn’t love her that much anymore, he thought.

Rose thorns pricked his hand—he had no reaction.

Satan looked at the words on the tombstone. She was just a special old acquaintance. In life didn’t belong to him, in death couldn’t leave him.

Who knew if this “old acquaintance” being buried with the Pei surname would feel humiliated and ashamed?

Sometimes he even couldn’t remember her appearance. Several times hesitated about having someone change the tombstone’s words. But opening his mouth, felt his heart blocked, simply didn’t mention it again.

At that time Pei Chuan was 25. He felt fortunate she hadn’t met his 25-year-old self. The youthful wholehearted giving and silent protection—the current Satan could never do again.

He was selfish and hypocritical, and would never again like such a simple, happy little girl.

This old acquaintance, besides being excessively good-looking, didn’t seem particularly special.

At 25 in June, he said: “Next year, I’ll find a virtuous woman to marry and have children. Then I’ll definitely erase the words on your tombstone.”

But at 26 in June, gripping roses, somewhat annoyed and angry, tone indifferent: “Next year I’ll forget you. I really can’t understand how I could have liked you before. Thinking carefully these years, even Gao Qiong isn’t worse than you.”

On the lonely island, flower sea empty. He was extremely harsh and sharp: “Not even anyone would be as ungrateful as you. Even if I hadn’t implanted Rebirth, I’d definitely be sick of you now.”

Delicate girl—what’s good about her? Dare not say a harsh word, need to be coaxed in everything.

With his cold, harsh temperament, he’d probably be tired of it already.

Next year! He said, next year he’d forget her.

Otherwise would he year after year, like a fool, fill the island with flowers for her?

Later he had a dream. This year at 27, he didn’t meet the “little gift” who stepped across time and space. Until death, he never remarried, never had the children he spoke of.

He lived to 82. When old, the world was devastated everywhere. Only this island—flowers bloomed, waves lapped the shore, sky and sea were azure blue. Only his hair turned white.

—

When Pei Chuan opened his eyes, he gasped for breath.

His gaze was still cold, yet his heartbeat was rapid. Two Rebirths fought in his body—ultimately the final generation Rebirth gained the upper hand.

He wasn’t killed by that suffocating feeling. He lived again.

The doctor raised an eyebrow: “Pretty good stamina.”

A yellow millet dream. He gripped the doctor tightly: “Where’s Bei Yao!”

The doctor froze: “What Bei Yao?”

Pei Chuan’s heart almost sank instantly. Could the dream be real—he hadn’t met her?

The doctor paused: “You mean that young lady?”

He smiled helplessly: “She was always guarding you. You were in surgery—your heartbeat stopped for a moment, scared me. Fortunately it stabilized after. Even if I was willing to let her in to see you, that stubborn A’Zuo wouldn’t allow it.”

Pei Chuan asked hoarsely: “Where is she?”

“The cruise ship docked two days ago. According to your meaning, didn’t dare go to port. Mr. Yu is locked up. I told that young lady the news you’d wake up. But Miss Gao Qiong was very angry. Not long ago she dragged her away—don’t know what they’re doing.”

Pei Chuan frowned: “You let Gao Qiong take her?”

The doctor said: “What could I do? You want me to fight Miss Gao Qiong?”

Pei Chuan immediately wanted to go out. The doctor was too lazy to stop him.

Outside the weather had cleared. Under blue sky and white clouds, he immediately saw the girl on the beach.

She was grabbed from behind by Gao Qiong around the neck: “Little vixen, I’m telling you—if Satan doesn’t wake up you’re dead. Ahhhh I still have Rebirth in my body. If something happens to Satan, will I become brain damaged!”

The girl kicked at her: “Gao Qiong let go! Can you not attack at the slightest disagreement!”

But how could she beat Gao Qiong? Grabbed until tears welled in her eyes, yet ultimately had no intention of using Rebirth commands to make things difficult for Gao Qiong.

When Bei Yao looked up, her eyes brightened.

Pei Chuan looked at her, as if seeing countless lit stars in that one glance.

She wanted to break free of Gao Qiong: “Satan!”

Gao Qiong froze, releasing her hand.

Pei Chuan saw the young girl like a light butterfly, rushing from the beach into his embrace.

He reached out to catch her.

Bei Yao affectionately nuzzled him: “You finally woke up.”

His heart was burning hot, voice also unbelievably gentle: “Yes, I woke up.”

“Are you better? Can you like me now?”

He looked at her bright, sparkling eyes and smiled helplessly.

“Mm.”

Bei Yao pointed: “Gao Qiong bullied me. She said she’d throw me in the sea to feed sharks.”

Gao Qiong was dumbfounded: “What the hell!” Not this fast at tattling!

Pei Chuan paused, remembering the dream from years ago. He said if they met again, he definitely wouldn’t fall in love with her, also wouldn’t be that good to her.

But now…

Pei Chuan kissed the girl’s face in his arms, saying: “I’ll punish her.” Looking exactly like a bottomless foolish ruler.

The little vixen in his arms smiled: “Don’t punish her too harshly. Just punish her to eat some wasabi! After landing I want to see my parents!”

“Alright.”

Bei Yao: “And my little brother. He must have grown up. I want to see what he looks like grown up.”

He replied gently: “Alright.”

She hugged his neck, smiling until tears came: “You woke up. I’m so happy.”

For a moment, he moved his lips, unable to say anything.

She tilted her head asking: “What did you say? I didn’t hear clearly.”

Under blue sky, sea wind gentle, she heard the man’s low voice, softly saying in her ear:

“I said you are April’s day on earth, forever unchanging.”

—The End—