Rebirth Begins with Rejecting My Childhood Friend

"Weiwei, what your grandma says isn't necessarily always right. At least in front of me, you can say whatever you want, feel however you feel. If you're happy, be happy; if you're angry, be angry. You don't have to worry so much. I like you for who you are, no matter what you do. I'll always like you. What I want most is for you to be your true self."

Tang Weiwei responded with a soft "Mm."

Xu Xiuwen continued, "Now be honest with me—after finding out about my relationship with Cheng Lu, were you jealous? Were you upset?"

Tang Weiwei hesitated for a moment but ultimately nodded truthfully.

Xu Xiuwen's interest was instantly piqued.

"How did you feel jealous?"

Tang Weiwei said, "I'm not really sure... I just felt so uncomfortable seeing you two together, like I could hardly breathe."

Hearing this, Xu Xiuwen was very satisfied.

After holding her for a moment, he asked again, "So, Weiwei, when exactly did you find out about my relationship with Cheng Lu?"

"Do I have to say?"

Xu Xiuwen hesitated briefly before replying, "You don't have to if you don't want to. It's your choice; don't worry about what I think."

Tang Weiwei was silent for a few seconds after hearing this. Then she said, "I saw you and Cheng Lu holding hands, walking together, when I was working part-time at Chuanwei Restaurant."

Xu Xiuwen smiled wryly upon hearing that.

When he first learned that Tang Weiwei was working part-time at Chuanwei Restaurant, he had been worried. Later, her lack of reaction gradually put his mind at ease. But now he realized she had known all along. She just never said anything.

So, Tang Weiwei had always known he was two-timing.

Thinking back, that night at the hospital made much more sense.

That evening, she and Su Yanyan had returned to the hospital room after buying dinner.

When she saw Cheng Lu, she immediately acted like she was invisible, keeping her head down the entire time and avoiding Cheng Lu's gaze.

After their relationship was exposed, she had even outright denied her connection with Xu Xiuwen.

He could understand why she did that.

Tang Weiwei could tolerate Xu Xiuwen's infidelity, but she probably knew that other girls might not. Most likely, they wouldn't.

So when their relationship came to light, she didn't want to make things difficult for him. That's why she chose to act and speak the way she did.

Her silent endurance of everything was truly endearing.

What man could resist such a kind, understanding, and non-competitive girl?

Xu Xiuwen sighed.

"Weiwei, do you know that you make me feel so guilty? I feel like such a scumbag."

"I'm sorry," Tang Weiwei apologized unexpectedly.

"Silly girl, what are you apologizing for?" Xu Xiuwen ruffled her hair, his tone indulgent.

Standing for so long had left their legs sore.

Xu Xiuwen spotted a wooden bench by the roadside and pulled Tang Weiwei toward it. He sat down first.

Tang Weiwei was about to sit beside him when Xu Xiuwen pulled her directly onto his lap. She had no choice but to sit on his thighs, facing him.

Looking into her eyes with a hint of apology, Xu Xiuwen said, "Weiwei, I might have to ask you to bear with some grievances for a while. Regarding our relationship, I hope we can keep it a secret for now."

"Alright, I'll do as you say."

"It really feels unfair to you, though."

"It's fine, I don't mind."

Xu Xiuwen was about to feel completely at ease, but he suddenly noticed Tang Weiwei hesitating as if she had something to say.

"What's wrong? Speak your mind."

Tang Weiwei lowered her head and asked softly, "Does what you said before still count?"

"What did I say?"

"About getting married. You said you'd marry me."

Afraid Xu Xiuwen would misunderstand her intentions, she quickly explained, "I'm not trying to force you or anything. I don't even need the marriage certificate. I just want to hold a banquet so Grandma can feel at ease."

The hopeful look in her eyes filled Xu Xiuwen with a pang of guilt.

Without hesitation, he nodded and said, "Don't worry. Since I promised to marry you, I will. We'll have the banquet, and we'll get the marriage certificate too."

"Really?" Tang Weiwei's face lit up with joy.

"Weiwei, do you trust me?"

Tang Weiwei immediately nodded. "I trust you."

"Good. Then trust me on this."

She lowered her head, and a sudden giggle escaped her lips.

Xu Xiuwen, noticing her smile, couldn't help but ask, "Are you really that happy about marrying me?"

Tang Weiwei's face turned red in an instant.

Seeing her reaction, Xu Xiuwen chuckled softly.

After staring at her for a few seconds, he finally asked something that had been on his mind for a long time.

"Weiwei, when did you actually start liking me?"

Xu Xiuwen knew he himself had been captivated by her beauty—it was practically love at first sight after realizing how stunning she was. But he was clueless about when she had genuinely developed feelings for him.

Hearing his question, Tang Weiwei became even more bashful.

"I don't know..."

"You really don't know?"

Xu Xiuwen felt a bit disappointed.

Seeing the look on his face, Tang Weiwei hesitated for a moment. Then, lowering her head and blushing furiously, she finally murmured in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, "It started the day you took me to the infirmary. That's when I began to like you."

"That early?"

Although Xu Xiuwen knew she wasn't lying, he still found it hard to believe. Tang Weiwei was so reserved and introverted—she didn't seem like the type to develop feelings for someone just because they helped her once.

"You started liking me back then? Was it because I ran that lap for you?"

Tang Weiwei shook her head.

"Was it because I carried you to the school clinic?"

She shook her head again.

"Then... was it because I gave you that pair of shoes?"

If a pair of shoes was all it took to win her over, he thought, then he'd really lucked out.

But Tang Weiwei still shook her head.

"Then I don't get it. Why did you start liking me from that day on?"

Tang Weiwei pleaded softly, "Can you please not ask anymore?"

Her face was already burning red.

"But I'm really curious. Come on, Weiwei, just tell me," Xu Xiuwen coaxed her gently, his voice full of warmth and persuasion.

Tang Weiwei hesitated, clearly torn, but eventually, she made up her mind.

Covering her face with her hands, she mumbled in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, "Because you saw my feet. Grandma said a woman's feet should never be seen by anyone other than her husband."

Xu Xiuwen was utterly stunned. No matter how hard he thought about it, he never could have imagined this was the reason.

For a moment, he didn't know how to process it.

Once he did, a chuckle escaped his lips.

This sort of thing—he had only ever seen or heard of it in period dramas.

He never expected such a conservative, traditional girl to exist in real life, someone who would slowly develop feelings for a man just because he had seen her feet.

Thinking back to his earlier interactions with Tang Weiwei, it all started to make sense.

At first, she was always reluctant, yet she would give in time and time again under his persistence or shamelessness.

Back then, he had assumed it was just her personality.

But now, he realized it was likely because he had seen her feet.

Subconsciously, she must have already regarded him as her future husband, which was why she kept compromising.

Xu Xiuwen felt an overwhelming affection for her traditional, conservative nature.

At the same time, he felt incredibly fortunate.

If he hadn't insisted on taking her to the school clinic that day, he might never have had the chance to see her feet.

And if he hadn't, getting closer to her later on would have been nearly impossible.

Tang Weiwei was far too adept at closing herself off emotionally.

Even worse, if another guy had seen her feet first, she might have developed feelings for him instead.

In that case, no matter how much effort Xu Xiuwen put in, it probably would have been in vain.

Realizing this, Xu Xiuwen suddenly decided that no matter what, he could never let Tang Weiwei go to a swimming pool.

Nor could she wear sandals or high heels in the summer.

Noticing Xu Xiuwen's prolonged silence, Tang Weiwei nervously asked, "Xu Xiuwen, what are you thinking about? Your expression... it looks a little strange."

Snapping out of his thoughts, Xu Xiuwen replied, "I was just thinking that from now on, you can't wear sandals or high heels. And you can't go to places where your feet might be exposed. I don't want any other man to see your feet."

Tang Weiwei's face instantly turned as red as a cooked shrimp, blushing all the way to the tips of her ears.

She stammered in denial, "No one else will see them!"

"But what if someone does?"

"Even if they do, I still wouldn't like them," Tang Weiwei said with utmost seriousness.

"You better not be lying to me."

Tang Weiwei shyly explained, "Because you were the first to see them..."

"So only the first person to see them can be your future husband?"

Tang Weiwei neither nodded nor said anything, but her shy demeanor was answer enough for Xu Xiuwen.

His eyes gleamed with mischief, and he suddenly sighed in mock disappointment.

"So, you don't actually like me at all. You're only with me because I happened to see your feet, and you feel like you have no other choice?"

Tang Weiwei hadn't expected Xu Xiuwen to say something like that.

She was stunned.

Snapping back to reality, she immediately waved her hands in denial. "It's not like that!"

"Then what is it?"

"Um…"

"'Um' what? Do you like me or not?" Xu Xiuwen asked, fully knowing the answer.

He loved seeing her shy and flustered like this—it was utterly irresistible.

"I… I like you… Xu Xiuwen, can you please stop saying these things?"

Xu Xiuwen chuckled softly.

"Alright, I won't say it. But in that case, you'll have to show me how much you mean it through your actions."

Without warning, Xu Xiuwen cupped Tang Weiwei's face and leaned in to kiss her.

Tang Weiwei let out a small, surprised sound, her body tensing up like a tightly wound spring.

Gradually, she began to relax…

---

Returning to the hotel room after fetching hot water, Su Yanyan was barely through the door when Shen Minyao looked over and asked curiously, "Yanyan, didn't Weiwei go downstairs with you to buy something? Why isn't she back yet?"

Su Yanyan hesitated, unsure if she should keep it a secret.

But her expression gave her away.

Noticing something was off, Shen Minyao pressed further, "Yanyan, are you hiding something from me?"

Seeing no way out, Su Yanyan decided to come clean.

"Just now, Dada texted me and asked me to bring Sister Weiwei down. She's probably with him right now."

Shen Minyao fell silent immediately.

Meanwhile, Bai Yue'er, who had been engrossed in her studying, suddenly turned her head and asked, "Did you say Xu Xiuwen asked Weiwei to go meet him?"

"Yes, Sister Yue'er."

Bai Yue'er frowned. "Did Xu Xiuwen tell you why he wanted to see Weiwei?"

Su Yanyan shook her head. "He didn't say."

Bai Yue'er snorted in disdain. "That Xu Xiuwen already has a girlfriend, yet he's still stringing Weiwei along? What a scumbag! Honestly, I don't support them staying together."

After voicing her opinion, Bai Yue'er noticed that no one echoed her sentiments.

She glanced at Su Yanyan and Shen Minyao, then asked, "Sister Minyao, Yanyan, don't you feel the same way?"

Su Yanyan's expression turned awkward. "Sister Yue'er, I… I don't know."

Bai Yue'er huffed, "Yanyan, you can't let the fact that Xu Xiuwen is your favorite author make you go easy on him."

Su Yanyan knew Bai Yue'er had a point.

But she had admired Xu Xiuwen for so long that even though she knew he was two-timing, it was hard for her to suddenly hate him.

Bai Yue'er saw Su Yanyan's conflicted expression and realized her words were falling on deaf ears.

Turning to Shen Minyao, she said, "Sister Minyao, you'll back me up on this, right?"

To Bai Yue'er's surprise, Shen Minyao replied with an indifferent expression, "This is between Xu Xiuwen and Weiwei. We're outsiders; it's not our place to interfere."

Bai Yue'er was speechless.

Xu Xiuwen was blatantly cheating, and the evidence was undeniable.

Yet none of them seemed to oppose the idea of him and Tang Weiwei being together.

Even Tang Weiwei herself didn't seem to mind.

Bai Yue'er had once subtly asked her if she would consider breaking up with Xu Xiuwen.

Tang Weiwei didn't give a direct answer, but her reaction suggested she had no intention of ending things with him.

Suddenly, Su Yanyan asked Bai Yue'er, "Sister Yue'er."

"What is it?"

"Isn't Dada your company's boss?"

"Yes, he is."

"Then aren't you afraid of talking about him like this behind his back? If he finds out, you'll be in big trouble."

Bai Yue'er immediately felt a bit guilty but stubbornly retorted, "I'm not intentionally slandering him. He did cheat, didn't he? I can't just pretend it didn't happen."

"Alright, alright. Whatever. If Weiwei and Xu Xiuwen want to be together, that's their business. I'm done caring."

---

Tang Weiwei returned to the hotel before 10 PM.

To accommodate the female students whose dorm building had caught fire, the school had rented out nearly all the nearby hotels.

The four girls of Room 601 were lucky—they got assigned a four-person room, so they were still staying together.

As soon as Tang Weiwei walked in, Bai Yue'er asked, "Weiwei, did you go to see Xu Xiuwen?"

Knowing there was no point in denying it, Tang Weiwei admitted it outright.

Bai Yue'er immediately grew anxious. "How could you go see him? Did you forget about him cheating on you?"

Tang Weiwei didn't respond.

"Why aren't you saying anything? Don't tell me you've forgiven him already?"

This time, Tang Weiwei nodded.

Though it was Bai Yue'er speaking with Tang Weiwei, the other two roommates, Shen Minyao and Su Yanyan, were still awake and listening.

When Tang Weiwei nodded, Shen Minyao, for some reason, felt a pang of disappointment in her heart.

Su Yanyan, on the other hand, was absolutely delighted and nearly clapped her hands in joy.