Rebirth Begins with Rejecting My Childhood Friend

Xu Xiuwen chuckled, "Don't be nervous. What do you want to say?"

Tang Weiwei hesitated for a moment before saying, "But... what if Grandma doesn't agree? What if she doesn't like you?"

Xu Xiuwen smiled and replied, "Grandma won't dislike me. Do you know why?"

"I don't know," Tang Weiwei answered honestly.

Xu Xiuwen laughed lightly, "Because I like you. No one else could ever like you more than I do. Once Grandma feels my sincerity, she'll definitely agree to us being together. And don't worry—when I meet her, I'll make sure to behave well."

Xu Xiuwen's words made Tang Weiwei's heart race, as if a little deer was running wild inside her chest.

"Okay," she murmured softly, as if letting out a breath she had been holding.

Afterward, Xu Xiuwen held Tang Weiwei as they sat in the car, chatting away.

Tang Weiwei shared many stories from her childhood, and Xu Xiuwen talked about his company and his winery. Every so often, Xu Xiuwen would lean in to kiss her, leaving Tang Weiwei blushing and her heart pounding.

However, Xu Xiuwen was always mindful of his boundaries and never crossed the line. He had already decided that he would wait until Grandma approved of their relationship before taking things further.

It wasn't until 9 p.m. that they reluctantly stopped their conversation.

Before parting, Xu Xiuwen asked Tang Weiwei about the date of her train ticket. Tang Weiwei blushed and admitted she hadn't bought one yet.

Xu Xiuwen was surprised. Normally, people would buy tickets half a month or even a month in advance. With exams already over, it was unusual that Tang Weiwei hadn't gotten hers yet.

But then he quickly realized the reason—half a month ago, he had still been in the hospital. Tang Weiwei had likely been too worried about his condition to make any plans.

Understanding this, Xu Xiuwen became even more tender. He gently patted her head and said with a smile, "I'll buy the ticket tomorrow."

Tang Weiwei looked worried. "Isn't it too late to get a ticket now?"

"It's fine. If I can't get one, I'll find a scalper. And if that doesn't work, I'll drive you home myself."

Tang Weiwei nodded obediently.

After dropping her off at her hotel, Xu Xiuwen leisurely drove back to Jiangning Garden. By the time he arrived, it was already 9:30 p.m.

When he got to his door, Xu Xiuwen pulled out his keys and unlocked it.

Click!

The door opened with a crisp sound, and Xu Xiuwen immediately heard noises coming from the living room.

Someone had broken in? That would be a normal person's first thought.

But Xu Xiuwen thought otherwise. He glanced at the shoe rack and saw a row of women's shoes, and all the slippers that were originally there had disappeared.

With just one look, he knew that all four girls from Room 601 were in his apartment.

Remaining calm, Xu Xiuwen changed into his slippers and walked toward the living room.

Before he even reached it, he froze in place.

Because he could hear the sound of women moaning.

For the always composed Xu Xiuwen, this moment left him flustered.

He quickened his pace and rushed into the living room.

The living room was pitch-black at the moment, except for a faint light coming from the sofa area.

On the sofa sat all four girls from Room 601.

Cheng Lu and An Shishi were seated together on one side, while Xiao Youran and Song Siyu were on the other. The division between them was clear, almost as if marked by an invisible line.

The faint light from the TV screen illuminated their faces. All four were staring intently at the screen, their faces flushed, utterly absorbed in what they were watching.

So focused were they that they didn't even hear the sound of the door opening.

Xu Xiuwen, standing there, quickly figured out the source of the strange sounds he had heard earlier.

It wasn't what he'd initially thought—someone actually doing something on his sofa.

No, the girls were watching a "movie."

For a moment, Xu Xiuwen was rendered speechless, caught between disbelief and exasperation.

"Ahem!"

He had been standing there for over ten seconds, yet none of them noticed him. He had no choice but to clear his throat loudly.

Finally, An Shishi was the first to notice him.

She grabbed the remote control on the table and switched off the TV immediately.

The other three girls turned to her with puzzled looks.

An Shishi didn't explain but turned to Xu Xiuwen and asked, "Master, why are you back so soon?"

Her words jolted the other three girls into realizing what was happening.

Xu Xiuwen was back!

They turned their heads and, upon seeing him, their faces flushed with embarrassment, utterly mortified at being caught.

Xu Xiuwen's face was stern, and he said with a serious tone, "You four, instead of doing something productive, are sitting here watching porn! And now you've been caught red-handed!"

Watching that kind of movie and getting caught by Xu Xiuwen in person—Xiao Youran felt utterly mortified.

Quickly waving her hands, she denied it, "Xiao Xu, it wasn't me! I wasn't watching! It was Shishi's idea!"

An Shishi rolled her eyes at the blatant attempt to throw her under the bus.

She retorted, "You were the first one to agree to it!"

"She's lying, Xiao Xu! I didn't agree! It wasn't me!" Xiao Youran was on the verge of tears. Desperate to disassociate herself, she quickly got up and walked over to stand by Xu Xiuwen's side.

Xu Xiuwen's gaze swept across the four girls' faces one by one.

Xiao Youran was clearly eager to clear her name.

An Shishi looked somewhat guilty.

Song Siyu, on the other hand, was too embarrassed to even react.

Cheng Lu, however, stood out.

Caught watching porn red-handed, she remained completely unbothered, her composure unchanged. It was as if she had been studying instead.

Xu Xiuwen maintained his stern expression, pretending to be serious.

But he couldn't hold it in anymore.

He suddenly burst out laughing.

His laugh left Xiao Youran utterly baffled.

Still laughing, Xu Xiuwen said, "It's fine. Girls watching porn once in a while—no big deal. I understand."

"But you…" He paused, his tone suddenly sharp again.

"An Shishi, you roped them into watching this movie. Were you trying to corrupt them? What were your intentions?"

An Shishi hadn't expected Xu Xiuwen to suddenly turn the tables on her and was stunned into silence.

Xiao Youran, meanwhile, couldn't help but smirk, her lips curling up as she tried to suppress her laughter.

Thinking Xu Xiuwen believed her, Xiao Youran quickly chimed in, "Exactly, exactly! It was Shishi who tried to lead us astray. Luckily, I was smart enough not to watch."

"And you," Xu Xiuwen turned to Xiao Youran.

"You clearly watched it and still won't admit it. Where did you pick up this habit of lying?"

This time, it was Xiao Youran's turn to be caught off guard.

An Shishi, who had been feeling a bit annoyed, couldn't help but burst into laughter upon hearing that.

Song Siyu, seeing Xiao Youran's dumbfounded expression, also failed to suppress her laughter.

Even Cheng Lu couldn't resist curling her lips into a smile.

Xiao Youran finally snapped out of it, her cheeks flushing. She pouted and said, "Xiao Xu, you're bullying me! I'm going to call Aunt Ning and tell her you're being mean to me!"

Hearing she might rat him out, Xu Xiuwen quickly shifted the topic. "Alright, alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Why are all of you here, anyway?"

It would've been better if he hadn't asked. The moment he did, Xiao Youran frowned unhappily and huffed, "Xiao Xu, where were you earlier? Why are you only coming back now?"

Song Siyu's expression gradually turned serious as she stared at him.

Cheng Lu also looked over.

And then there was An Shishi, who couldn't resist stirring the pot. She grinned and asked, "Master, you came back so late. Were you with another girl just now?"

As soon as she said that, Xu Xiuwen immediately noticed Xiao Youran take a sharp breath beside him.

If anyone believed An Shishi wasn't deliberately "getting back at him," they'd be a fool.

Xu Xiuwen's response was quick.

He first shot a glare at An Shishi, then turned to Cheng Lu and said, "It's almost break time, so I went out for dinner with my roommates tonight and chatted with them for a bit. Which eye of yours saw me with another girl? As the saying goes, 'Don't tie your shoes in a melon field, and don't adjust your hat under a plum tree.' I'm already in a relationship—do you think I'd do anything to cause misunderstandings?"

Hearing this, Cheng Lu's expression softened slightly, and Xiao Youran also seemed to let go of her suspicions.

Afraid they'd keep pressing the issue, Xu Xiuwen quickly changed the subject again. "So, you've all finished your exams, right?"

"Mm," the four girls answered in unison.

"Exams are over, and it's almost break time. Have you all bought your tickets yet? When are you heading home?"

Song Siyu replied calmly, "I got a ticket for the 3rd."

Cheng Lu said, "I bought mine for the 6th."

An Shishi shook her head. "I haven't bought mine yet."

Xu Xiuwen glanced at An Shishi but didn't press further. Instead, he turned to Cheng Lu and asked, "Why did you buy a ticket for the 6th? Isn't that a bit late?"

Cheng Lu looked at him but didn't explain.

Xu Xiuwen didn't catch on at first, but Xiao Youran quickly reacted. She huffed unhappily, "Cheng Lu, you should reschedule. Xiao Xu is taking me home; he won't have time to stay at school with you."

Xiao Youran's reminder finally made Xu Xiuwen realize what was going on.

Both their University and Jiangling College had the same break start date: July 5th.

Cheng Lu had bought a ticket for July 6th so she could spend a little more time with him before heading home.

As for why she didn't get a ticket for an even later date, Xu Xiuwen quickly figured that out as well.

Cheng Lu hadn't told her parents about their relationship yet. Her parents didn't know she had a boyfriend.

If school let out on the 5th and she returned home on the 6th, it was reasonable.

But if she delayed her return further, questions might arise.

Her parents would easily guess that she might have started dating someone in school.

For now, Cheng Lu wasn't ready to let her parents know about her relationship.

Understanding her reasoning, Xu Xiuwen felt a bit of a headache coming on—he had already promised Tang Weiwei to drive her home, so he wouldn't have time to stay at school with Cheng Lu.

After a moment of hesitation, he said, "Lulu, the drama at the company has been approved for airing, so I'll be pretty busy in the coming days. I might not have time to spend with you. Do you want to consider rescheduling your ticket to an earlier date and heading home sooner?"

Hearing this, Cheng Lu felt a pang of disappointment.

However, one thing Xu Xiuwen deeply appreciated about Cheng Lu was how understanding she was.

"I understand," she said. "I'll go to the station tomorrow and see if I can change it to the 4th."

"Alright. I'll go with you tomorrow morning."

Xiao Youran, meanwhile, had misunderstood. She thought Xiao Xu was trying to make arrangements to prioritize her.

But before she could revel in the idea, Xu Xiuwen turned to her and said, "Youran, you should head home earlier too. I have time tomorrow afternoon, so I can drive you back."

"What? But I don't want to go home so soon," Xiao Youran protested.

"Be good, okay? Let's talk about it after I'm done with this busy period."

"…Fine," she finally said, clearly disappointed.

And so, the plans were made.

Xu Xiuwen would accompany Cheng Lu to the station in the morning to reschedule her ticket and drive Xiao Youran home in the afternoon.

Afterward, the five of them sat in the living room chatting until nearly midnight.

All four girls decided to stay the night.

When Xiao Youran saw Xu Xiuwen and Cheng Lu head into the master bedroom together, her frustration and jealousy were written all over her face, barely concealed. Her eyes even began to glisten with unshed tears.

Inside the master bedroom, Xu Xiuwen and Cheng Lu quickly washed up and got into bed.

They started chatting, but as time went on, Xu Xiuwen grew less restrained.

His hand slipped under Cheng Lu's pajamas, causing her cheeks to flush and her body to tense slightly.

"Stop it… it's too late," she murmured.

"I can't hold back anymore," Xu Xiuwen said, putting on a desperate expression.

"But… the others are still here."

"It's fine. The walls are soundproof. They won't hear anything. And even if they do, we're a couple—it's no big deal."

After some coaxing and sweet talk, Cheng Lu finally relented. She let go of his hand, closed her eyes, and gave in.

Just as Xu Xiuwen was about to proceed, there was a knock at the door.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

Xu Xiuwen froze in surprise but quickly got out of bed to answer it.

Opening the door, he found Xiao Youran standing outside.

Suppressing his surprise, Xu Xiuwen asked calmly, "Youran, do you need something?"

Xiao Youran peeked through the small gap between him and the door, her eyes meeting Cheng Lu's on the bed. Cheng Lu's face was flushed.

Xu Xiuwen stood there shirtless, and Xiao Youran instantly guessed what they had been up to.

If she hadn't knocked on the door just now, they probably would have continued.

Her face turned pale as she bit her lip in frustration. In a voice that was almost pleading, she said, "Xiao Xu…"

"What's wrong?"

"I…" Xiao Youran hesitated, unable to finish her sentence.

Sensing something, Xu Xiuwen stepped out of the master bedroom, closing the door behind him.

He took her hand and led her into the room across the hall. After shutting the door, he asked, "What's wrong?"

Xiao Youran looked at him and asked, "Were you two planning to… do that?"

"No," Xu Xiuwen denied immediately, knowing it would be foolish to admit it.

But Xiao Youran pouted, lightly punching his chest as she said, "You're lying. You weren't even wearing a shirt, and Cheng Lu's face was so red. You were definitely planning to do that!"

Realizing he'd been caught, Xu Xiuwen sighed.

"Lulu is my girlfriend. Even if I were to… do that with her, it's perfectly normal."

"What about me? I'm your girlfriend too!"

"Youran…" Xu Xiuwen didn't know how to respond.

Tears welled up in Xiao Youran's eyes as she continued, "Just thinking about you being with Cheng Lu like that makes it hard for me to breathe. Xiao Xu, please don't do it with her, okay? If you really want to… I can be with you instead."

Seeing the redness in her eyes, Xu Xiuwen felt a pang of guilt.

If their roles were reversed—if it were him watching someone he loved with another person—he'd probably feel murderous.

So, he didn't think Xiao Youran was being unreasonable. He only felt sorry for her.

Xu Xiuwen sighed deeply, stepping closer to pull her into his arms.

Xiao Youran didn't resist at all, letting herself be held.

Xu Xiuwen gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and said earnestly, "Youran, I promise you, I'll just go to bed quietly later. I won't do anything else. Is that okay?"