Chapter 002 – I Need to Keep My Distance from Shen Qingli

“Shen Qingli, still sleeping? Class is over!”

Shen Qingli woke from a deep sleep, staring in confusion at the classroom around her.

The girl beside her continued, “Didn’t you say your dad was picking you up? Why are you spacing out?”

Shen Qingli: “……”

She turned to look at the girl next to her—Qian Xiqiao. She recognized her instantly. They had been quite close during school.

But after Shen Qingli got together with Jiang Junwen, she rarely saw her old friends anymore.

Still in a daze, Shen Qingli began packing her things and stood up with her backpack.

She remembered: after her breakup with Jiang Junwen, she had sat outside for a long time. Then on the way home, she got into a car accident.

So now… she had returned to the beginning of her freshman year?

At 18, she was admitted to A University and came to Haicheng.

At that time, her father was a chauffeur for the Jiang family. Initially, he drove for the Jiang family patriarch. Later, when the old man’s grandson Jiang Junwen started attending A University, her father was assigned to drive him to and from school.

Coincidentally, Shen Qingli was also entering A University. At the urging of her stepmother, her father brought her to live in the Jiang family estate. Every time he drove Young Master Jiang to school, her stepmother, who worked as a maid in the Jiang household, would drag her along—whether her schedule matched his or not.

Because the old man treated her father fairly well, he agreed to let him pick up and drop off his daughter too.

But it was precisely because Shen Qingli commuted with Jiang Junwen every day—and her stepmother’s actions were so blatant—that Jiang Junwen disliked her for a long time. He even found her annoying.

It wasn’t until later, when Jiang Junwen got into a fight at a club and Shen Qingli secretly helped cover for him and took care of him for two days in the hospital, that he started to change his view of her and treated her a little better.

Thinking about all that, Shen Qingli made up her mind: she would not ride that car again.

Even if her stepmother put a knife to her throat, she would not get in.

The chauffeur’s daughter riding with the young master of the house? That was outrageous.

Looking back, she had really lacked boundaries.

She always obeyed whatever her stepmother or father said, never thinking to resist.

Qian Xiqiao had already finished packing and was about to leave. She glanced at Shen Qingli with concern and asked, “Qingli, are you awake? You’re totally out of it.”

Shen Qingli snapped back to herself and smiled.

“I’m fine, Xiqiao. Thanks for worrying about me.”

Shen Qingli didn’t have many friends. Qian Xiqiao was one of the few. Seeing her again made Shen Qingli genuinely happy.

She took Qian Xiqiao’s hand, and the two of them walked out of the classroom together.

Shen Qingli asked,

“Xiqiao, are you staying in the dorms? Do you have an open bed in your room? I want to apply to live on campus.”

A University didn’t require students to live on campus, so when her stepmother and father suggested she live with them at the Jiang estate, she hadn’t thought much about it and agreed.

The Jiang family estate was pretty close to campus, just a 20-minute drive. Shen Qingli had grown up as a left-behind child, so she was actually happy to finally be with her family.

Qian Xiqiao was surprised.

“What? Really? Didn’t you say you were living with your parents? Your dad drives you every day!”

Shen Qingli had never hidden the fact that her father was a chauffeur, so Qian Xiqiao knew her situation.

Lowering her voice, Qian Xiqiao asked,

“Is it because that young master from the Jiang family doesn’t want you in the car? Seriously, I’ve always said Jiang Junwen has a bad temper. He’s not easy to get along with. I don’t know why so many people like him.”

Thinking of Jiang Junwen, Shen Qingli’s expression darkened. She shook her head.

“It’s not because of him. I just don’t think it’s appropriate.”

Qian Xiqiao sighed with a hint of regret.

“That’s a shame. Our dorm’s full, and I think the one next door is too. Why don’t you fill out an application form and let the housing office arrange it?”

A University had pretty good dorms, but space in the new buildings was limited. Freshmen were assigned dorms based on when they registered.

Those who came late would be assigned to the older dorms and have to live with upperclassmen from other departments.

Now that it was already two weeks into the semester, there was no way Shen Qingli could get a room in the same building as Qian Xiqiao.

The two parted ways after leaving the classroom—Qian Xiqiao returned to her dorm with her roommates.

Shen Qingli left through the school’s north gate, planning to walk home.

Her father usually waited for Jiang Junwen at the east gate. Previously, Shen Qingli always rode with Jiang Junwen to school.

But their majors were different, so their class schedules didn’t match. With the patriarch’s permission, her father often dropped them off separately anyway.

She sent her father a message:
[Dad, I’ve got something to do with a friend. I’ll take the bus home later. You don’t need to pick me up.]

After sending it, she put on her headphones and slowly walked down the sidewalk outside campus.

Having just returned from the dead, she couldn’t help but wonder if it was all a dream.

Thinking about Jiang Junwen still left her with mixed feelings.

She needed time alone to clear her head.

—

Meanwhile, at the school’s east gate, Jiang Junwen opened the door of his Maybach and got in.

His face looked off. As the driver, Shen’s father didn’t dare say a word—after all, he couldn’t afford to upset this young master.

Seeing that Jiang Junwen was seated, he started the car and pulled away from the school.

But Jiang Junwen suddenly asked,

“Uncle Shen, you’re leaving just like that?”

Shen’s father glanced at him through the rearview mirror, a bit surprised.

This young master usually just called him “driver” or “hey.” Why was he suddenly calling him Uncle Shen today?

Creepy.

He quickly pulled the car over to the side of the road and asked politely,

“Young master, is there something else you need?”

Jiang Junwen’s expression was sour. He frowned and asked impatiently,

“You’re not waiting for Shen Qingli today?”

Shen’s father chuckled.

“A’Li messaged me just now—said she had something to do with her classmates and would take the bus home later.”

Then he started the car again and headed toward the Jiang family estate.

To him, it was nothing unusual.

But Jiang Junwen didn’t feel the same.

Classmates?

What could she possibly be doing with classmates?

In their past life, Shen Qingli was always worried about making him wait. She always arrived early without needing a reminder. She never once missed the chance to ride with him.

Jiang Junwen sat there with a dark expression.

Now that he’d been reborn, things were actually different.

But maybe that was for the best.

He and Shen Qingli had dated for five years, and that relationship had always been a thorn in Luo Shuyao’s heart.

She never stopped bringing it up—and he was sick of hearing about it.

Now that he had a second chance…

He wouldn’t get involved with Shen Qingli again.

From now on, he needed to keep his distance from her.