Don't meet me in your next life.

He sat wearily in the living room, looking very unwell.

"Brother Shaojing, you're back?" Xiang Yiyi immediately went to greet him.

Li Shaojing looked up at her, his face grim. "I'm tired. I'll go change my clothes first."

After saying that, he went straight upstairs.

Xiang Yi's heart sank suddenly.

She knew he must have gone out with Shen Mo, which was why he was in a bad mood.

But he said he would give her some money yesterday, and he transferred it to her today. Why did he keep it from her?!

Xiang Yi clenched her fists in frustration, feeling increasingly choked up and saddened. Finally, she ran to her room, lay down on the bed, and burst into tears.

She didn't know why she was crying; it might be the hurt of being deceived, the pain of being betrayed... In short, she was just feeling bad.

Tears streamed down her face like pearls from a broken string. She cried for a long time until she was exhausted and fell asleep on the bed.

When I woke up, it was already past three in the afternoon.

Xiang Yi felt empty inside, as if she had lost something important.

She sat up, intending to go downstairs to get a glass of water.

Stepping out of the room, he saw Li Shaojing sitting in the living room.

He was sitting on the sofa, staring unfocused out the window.

A surge of joy welled up inside her, and she quickened her pace as she rushed down the stairs.

“Brother Shaojing.” Xiang Yi walked up to him and called out softly with a smile.

Li Shaojing's eyes instantly brightened as he looked at her with a complex expression.

"Shaojing, where did you go last night? Why didn't you come home to sleep?"

Xiang Yi sat down beside him and asked softly.

Li Shaojing glanced at her, his eyes unfathomable, and said indifferently, "I had a dinner engagement, so I stayed overnight."

His words were not a lie, but they took on a completely different meaning when Xiang Yi heard them.

He went to a dinner party, but he didn't want to take her with him.

Xiang Yi's heart suddenly clenched, and an indescribable discomfort welled up inside her.

"Brother Shaojing, I want to go to school, I... I want to do an internship."

She mustered her courage and blurted out all her thoughts in one breath.

Upon hearing this, Li Shaojing scoffed coldly, "Want to do an internship? Where do you want to intern then?"

His mocking attitude made Xiang Yiyi feel somewhat embarrassed.

"Brother Shaojing, I know I've done a lot of wrong things in the past. I know you hate me and don't want to see me, and I'm too ashamed to face anyone... But, Brother Shaojing, I really need a job. Please help me out!"

As Xiang Yi spoke, her eyes reddened.

She knew her plea was rude, but she really had no other choice.

She really needs the money. Maybe if she does an internship at the school, she can slowly save some money and then pay her parents back...

Li Shaojing looked at her quietly, his eyes deep and dark.

After a moment, he parted his thin lips slightly: "Where do you want to work?"

This was a question that Xiang Yi hadn't expected.

She stared blankly at Li Shaojing, unable to answer for a long time.

Li Shaojing raised an eyebrow, a wicked smile playing on his lips. "Could it be... you don't even know where you work?"

Xiang Yi shook her head, gritted her teeth, and mustered her courage. "I don't know where to work, and I don't know if I'll have enough money for tuition... I think... I'll apply for a part-time job so I can earn money to support my parents and also earn some pocket money."

Her eyes reddened, and tears fell again as she looked pitifully at Li Shaojing.

Li Shaojing's face remained expressionless. "Oh? Since you don't even know where you're going to work, why should I help you?"

"I......"

Xiang Yi opened her mouth, but couldn't utter a single word for a long time.

It's okay if he doesn't help her; she can handle it herself.

But she really needs a job, a stable job.

Li Shaojing saw the hesitation and helplessness in her eyes. He snorted and got up to go upstairs.

As Xiang Yi watched his retreating figure, her mood worsened.

Li Shaojing returned to the bedroom, plopped down on the bed, and grabbed a handful of hair in frustration.

She wanted to go to work at the school, but he wouldn't let her.

She wanted him to help her, but he wouldn't.

Why did he do that?

Frustrated, Li Shaojing picked up his phone from the bedside table, found a number, and dialed it.

A girl's soft voice came from the other end of the phone: "Hello, Brother Shaojing?"

Li Shaojing said indifferently, "Shen Mo, I think you'd be happy to do me a favor."

"You said I would do everything in my power to help you," Shen Mo said sweetly.

Li Shaojing's eyes darkened, and he slowly asked, "Do you have time now? Can you come to the Li family?"

Shen Mo was taken aback for a moment, then excitedly said, "Okay! I'm coming right away, Shaojing-ge, wait for me!"

Li Shaojing hung up the phone, leaned against the headboard, and closed his eyes.

......

When Shen Mo rushed to the Li family villa, the servants told her that Li Shaojing and Xiang Yiyi had not yet come downstairs, so she waited in the hall.

When Li Shaojing came downstairs, he happened to bump into Shen Mo, who had just entered the room.

Both of them were startled and glanced at each other.

A hint of surprise flashed in Li Shaojing's eyes. "Why did you come here?"

Shen Mo waved the bag in her hand and said with a smile, "I'm looking for Xiang Yiyi. Is she upstairs?"

"Okay, you can go upstairs now. She's in her room."

Shen Mo happily agreed and turned to run upstairs.

Li Shaojing sat in the living room for a while before getting up and leaving.

Xiang Yi was in the room when she saw Shen Mo appear, and her expression turned sour.

She wanted to pretend she didn't know her, but Shen Mo had already spoken first.

"Sister Yi Yi, can you have dinner with me tonight?" Shen Mo asked with a sweet smile.

Xiang Yi calmly declined, saying, "Sorry, I'm busy today."

She truly didn't want to have anything to do with Shen Mo anymore. She had seen through the girl's intentions and didn't want to become a victim in their struggle.

Moreover, she felt that this matter was related to Li Shaojing.

She was genuinely afraid that Shen Mo would bother her again.

"Sister Yi, you're so heartless..."

Shen Mo looked like she was about to cry, her eyes were red.

Xiang Yi sighed helplessly, "I'm sorry... I really don't have an appetite today. Let's reschedule for another day."

After she finished speaking, she got up and left without waiting for Shen Mo's response.

Upon seeing this, Shen Mo immediately gave chase.

"Wait for me! You can't leave me here alone!"

Xiang Yi stopped and turned to look at her. "Miss Shen, didn't you say you were busy today?"

"Yes! I don't have time, but I can ask someone else for help! Brother Shaojing is so busy, and it's inconvenient for me to bother him. But you're different; you're Brother Shaojing's best friend, don't you think?"

Shen Mo blinked her big eyes at her, looking innocent and adorable.

Xiang Yi pursed her lips, ignoring her suggestion. "I'm sorry, I really don't have an appetite today. I have to go to the hospital to be with my parents. Goodbye."