Rebirth Begins with Rejecting My Childhood Friend

Xiao Youran responded with a soft "Hmm."

Xu Xiuwen immediately got out of bed.

He walked to the door, opened it, and headed toward the living room.

Xiao Youran also quickly got up to see him off.

The two had just reached the living room when suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

The next moment, Zhang Ruoshu walked in.

Xu Xiuwen happened to be at the entrance and came face-to-face with Aunt Zhang.

Zhang Ruoshu hadn't expected anyone to be home and was momentarily startled.

But being an adult, she quickly regained her composure.

She gave Xu Xiuwen a faint smile.

"Xiao Xu, you're here."

"Uh... yes, Aunt Zhang."

"Mom~"

Xiao Youran reacted like a student caught in an early romance by her parents.

She became extremely nervous upon seeing Zhang Ruoshu.

Zhang Ruoshu glanced at Xiao Youran but didn't say much.

She turned back to Xu Xiuwen and asked, "Since you're here, why not stay a while longer?"

"Aunt Zhang, I've actually been here for quite some time."

Noticing her mother's expression wasn't great, Xiao Youran tentatively asked, "Mom, did someone upset you?"

Zhang Ruoshu said in a deep voice, "No."

But then she immediately changed her tone.

"I need to tell you two something. Don't spread it around."

Xu Xiuwen and Xiao Youran exchanged glances.

"I just came back from your Aunt Gu's house. She's not in a good mood."

Xiao Youran asked in confusion, "Aunt Gu is upset? Why? Didn't Xiaoyu do well on his exams this time?"

"It's not because of Xiaoyu."

"Then what is it?"

Xu Xiuwen seemed to have a vague idea.

Xiao Youran, however, remained clueless.

Zhang Ruoshu continued, "It's about Lao Jiang. He might be... involved with someone outside."

After Zhang Ruoshu finished speaking, the room fell completely silent.

So silent that it was unnerving.

"You don't believe me?"

"No, Aunt Zhang, I believe you," Xu Xiuwen quickly assured.

Xiao Youran, on the other hand, asked, "Mom, where did you hear this from? You can't just spread rumors. If Uncle Jiang finds out, he'll definitely be mad."

Zhang Ruoshu scoffed. "Why would I make something up? Your Aunt Gu told me herself."

"What?"

"Lao Jiang has been on a business trip to Jinling recently, right? He came home briefly two days ago. That night, your Aunt Gu found a small card in the pocket of his clothes."

Hearing this, Xu Xiuwen couldn't help but say, "But that doesn't necessarily mean Uncle Jiang is cheating. Maybe he confiscated the card at work."

"That's what your Aunt Gu thought too. But then she found lipstick stains on his clothes and a strand of a woman's hair."

"Could it be a mistake? Maybe it accidentally got there from one of Uncle Jiang's colleagues."

Zhang Ruoshu shot Xu Xiuwen a sharp look.

"The strand of hair your Aunt Gu found was dyed."

Xu Xiuwen was instantly speechless.

Dyed hair.

"Then it couldn't have been an accident caused by one of your Uncle Jiang's colleagues. The reason is simple—your Uncle Jiang's job doesn't allow dyed hair, and naturally, his colleagues aren't allowed to dye their hair either."

Xiao Youran asked again, "Did Aunt Gu confront Uncle Jiang about it? What did he say?"

"She did. How could she not? But Lao Jiang stammered and couldn't explain himself for half a day. In the end, he said he went to get a haircut, and the female owner of the salon accidentally got her hair on his clothes. Lao Jiang really treats people like fools—who would believe such an excuse?"

"So what happened next?"

"Your Aunt Gu had a big fight with Lao Jiang. The next day, Lao Jiang went back to Jinling for his business trip. Yesterday, your Aunt Gu cried at home all day. She didn't even want to tell me or Wanqiu. If I hadn't called her today and caught the odd tone in her voice, pressed her about it, she wouldn't have told me, and I'd still be in the dark. I spent the entire afternoon comforting her, and now she's feeling a bit better."

Xu Xiuwen remained silent.

At this moment, Zhang Ruoshu glanced at Xu Xiuwen, then noticed her daughter, Xiao Youran, looking hesitant to speak.

Zhang Ruoshu asked, "Youran, do you know something?"

"Huh? No, I don't." She immediately waved her hands in denial.

But it was too late. Zhang Ruoshu had already seen through her.

Under the pressure of her mother's authority, Xiao Youran had no choice but to confess.

"Actually, I saw Uncle Jiang tonight."

Xu Xiuwen and Xiao Youran were both studying in Jinling. Uncle Jiang being on a business trip there made it reasonable for them to run into him.

"So what if you saw him? What's there to hide?"

"It's not like that. I saw Uncle Jiang in Fei City."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ruoshu frowned and asked, "Why were you in Fei City?"

Xiao Youran hadn't expected her mother to latch onto the wrong detail.

She glanced at Xu Xiuwen, who remained silent with a grim expression.

Left with no choice, Xiao Youran explained herself, "Mom, Xiao Xu went to Fei City today to sign a contract. I went with him."

"A contract? What kind of contract?"

"It's for a TV drama. Xiao Xu's company is producing its second show, and today they signed the contract with Anhui TV. Did you know? This new show sold for over 14 million yuan! Mom, isn't Xiao Xu amazing?"

As Xiao Youran spoke about Xu Xiuwen, a faintly proud expression appeared on her face.

Zhang Ruoshu had always known Xu Xiuwen was exceptional, not an ordinary young man. But hearing that his second drama sold for over 14 million yuan still left her astonished.

However, she quickly returned to the matter at hand.

"Then what about seeing Lao Jiang? What happened there?"

Xiao Youran hesitated for a moment but finally spoke.

"Before we got in the car, we saw Uncle Jiang holding a woman as they entered a hotel together. That woman... she didn't seem proper. She was dressed very provocatively…"

Before she could finish, Xu Xiuwen interrupted her.

"Aunt Zhang, don't listen to her nonsense. That wasn't Uncle Jiang. She must've mistaken someone else for him."

Xiao Youran protested, "I didn't mistake him. It was Uncle Jiang."

Between Xu Xiuwen and Xiao Youran.

Naturally, Zhang Ruoshu trusted her daughter more.

Firstly, because her daughter wasn't one to lie.

Secondly, because of her general mistrust of men, including Xu Xiuwen.

Her intuition told her that her daughter was telling the truth and that Xu Xiuwen was trying to cover for Lao Jiang.

This made her feel a slight dissatisfaction with Xu Xiuwen as well.

"Xiao Xu, sometimes, people need to be honest—especially in front of adults."

Xu Xiuwen knew that Zhang Ruoshu had already believed Xiao Youran's words.

In his heart, he silently apologized to Uncle Jiang.

He thought to himself, Uncle Jiang, this wasn't me intentionally leaking anything. If you want to blame someone, blame Youran.

"Aunt Zhang, I understand." Xu Xiuwen lowered his head, looking as though he was admitting fault.

Zhang Ruoshu let out a soft snort.

This mother and daughter pair...

No, this mother and daughter duo, sometimes their personalities were far too similar.

Especially that soft snort—it was exactly the same.

Zhang Ruoshu continued, "That Lao Jiang, what a piece of work. He lied to your Aunt Gu, saying he was going to Jinling for a business trip, but ended up sneaking off to Fei City to fool around. Your Aunt Gu has worked so hard to keep the family together, and he's out there messing around. Men are just no good!"

Zhang Ruoshu generalized, and Xu Xiuwen became collateral damage.

Xiao Youran didn't agree with her mother's statement and couldn't help but argue back, "Mom, my dad is a good man. You're wrong to say that."

Zhang Ruoshu didn't expect her daughter to contradict her and immediately frowned.

She said, "What do you know? Your dad works overtime every day. Who knows what he's really doing out there? Maybe he's keeping a mistress somewhere and living it up with her every night."

Zhang Ruoshu was undeniably beautiful. Even in her thirties, she could easily rival younger women. She also possessed a mature allure that younger women couldn't match.

But sometimes, her words could come across as sharp, leaving others feeling uncomfortable.

Xiao Youran couldn't accept her speaking about her father this way and couldn't help but retort.

"Mom, you can't say that about Dad! Dad works hard for us. If he knew you thought of him like this, how hurt would he be?"

"You think I'm just making things up?"

"Isn't that what you're doing? Do you have any evidence to prove Dad is keeping a mistress?"

Zhang Ruoshu hadn't expected the daughter she had raised and doted on so much to trust Xiao's father more than her.

Her voice turned cold. "You think I don't have evidence? Last Saturday and Sunday night, I got two phone calls. Both were from a woman. Every time I answered, as soon as she heard my voice, she immediately hung up. If she wasn't up to something, why hang up right away?"

"That's not enough to suspect Dad!"

"You silly girl. When you start suspecting someone, there's an 80–90% chance they've already done something wrong. Do you have to wait until, like your Aunt Gu, you see the evidence with your own eyes to believe it?"

"I don't believe it. My dad wouldn't cheat!"

As they continued arguing, both Zhang Ruoshu and Xiao Youran raised their voices.

Seeing that the mother and daughter were about to escalate the fight, Xu Xiuwen quickly intervened.

"Aunt Zhang, Youran, don't argue anymore."

"Stay out of it!" The mother and daughter shouted in unison.

After yelling, the two of them tacitly turned their heads away from each other.

"Aunt Zhang, please don't jump to conclusions. I also think Uncle Xiao isn't that kind of person. Maybe there's some misunderstanding. Just talk it through with him calmly."

Zhang Ruoshu turned her head further, refusing to look at him at all.

Xu Xiuwen felt a wave of awkwardness.

He turned to Xiao Youran. "Youran, don't fight with Aunt Zhang. You'll upset her if you do. Try talking to her calmly, okay?"

Xiao Youran was still angry.

But in the end, Xu Xiuwen spoke up.

Although she was furious, she still gave him face and nodded.

Xu Xiuwen immediately let out a sigh of relief.

He reached out and gently ruffled Xiao Youran's hair as a gesture of comfort.

This action, as though soothing a kitten, significantly softened Xiao Youran's feelings toward him.

After calming down, Xiao Youran realized she had been too impulsive earlier.

"Mom, I was wrong. I shouldn't have raised my voice at you, and I definitely shouldn't have argued with you," she apologized sincerely.

Zhang Ruoshu now had an opportunity to de-escalate the situation.

If someone else had apologized, she might have maintained her stern demeanor for a while.

But since her daughter offered the olive branch, she immediately accepted it.

"Mom was wrong too. I shouldn't have gotten so worked up," Zhang Ruoshu said.

The mother and daughter apologized to each other and reconciled.

Xu Xiuwen, seeing this scene, let out another sigh of relief.

He then said, "That's right, Aunt Zhang. Whatever the issue is, I think it's better for you to talk it through with Uncle Xiao. Guessing on your own will only lead to overthinking."

Zhang Ruoshu glanced at Xu Xiuwen, then nodded lightly.

"I understand."

Seeing this, Xu Xiuwen added, "Well, it's getting late. I'll take my leave now."

"Alright, be safe on your way back," Zhang Ruoshu replied indifferently.

"Thank you for your concern, Aunt Zhang," Xu Xiuwen said, then turned to Xiao Youran with a smile.

"Youran, I'm heading off."

Xiao Youran reluctantly walked him to the door.

Only after Xu Xiuwen had left and the door was closed did she reluctantly turn away.

When she turned around, Zhang Ruoshu was no longer in the living room.

Xiao Youran returned to her room, only to find her mother already inside.

"Mom, why aren't you in your own room?" Xiao Youran asked.

Zhang Ruoshu replied, "I don't feel like sharing a room with your dad. I'll sleep with you tonight."

"What? You and Dad are sleeping in separate beds now?"

"This isn't the first time. I've been sleeping in your room all week," Zhang Ruoshu said casually.

Xiao Youran thought to herself, No wonder my room smells so nice, all because of Mom's body wash.

Faced with her mother's request, she couldn't refuse and reluctantly agreed.

Just then, Zhang Ruoshu noticed the bed sheets were rumpled and messy.

Her expression immediately darkened as she asked, "What were you and Xiao Xu doing just now?"

Xiao Youran's heart skipped a beat. "Nothing!"

"Really? You're not lying to me, are you?"

Xiao Youran's heart pounded, but she forced herself to stay calm. "How could I lie to you?"

"Good. Remember, a girl must know how to respect herself. If you don't cherish yourself, don't expect a man to cherish you."

Xiao Youran nodded repeatedly.

Although she didn't agree in her heart, she was too guilty to argue with her mother at the moment.

Earlier, she had dared to stand up because Xiao Xu was present. Even if her mom got angry, Xiao Xu would protect her, so there was less to fear.

But now, the situation was different.

Just then.

Xiao Youran suddenly noticed her mother's expression seemed a bit odd.

Surprised? Not exactly.

Angry? Not quite either.

"Mom, what's wrong?" she asked.

Zhang Ruoshu replied calmly, "You smell like alcohol. Go take a shower."

"Oh, okay." Xiao Youran didn't suspect anything.

After preparing briefly, she left her room and headed to the bathroom for a shower.

Once Xiao Youran left, Zhang Ruoshu looked at the bed with a mix of suspicion and doubt.

Finally, she found a crumpled pair of underwear under the pillow.

She suddenly remembered—she had changed her underwear after her nap at noon.

In her rush to leave the house, she hadn't had time to hand wash it and had casually placed it next to her pillow, intending to deal with it later that evening.

But now, instead of being next to the pillow, the underwear was stuffed under it.

Her expression turned serious in an instant.

---

After leaving the Xiao household, Xu Xiuwen got into his car and drove home.

During the short drive, his mind was preoccupied with thoughts about Uncle Jiang and Aunt Gu.

When he saw Uncle Jiang earlier that evening in Fei City, the idea that "Uncle Jiang might be having an affair" had crossed his mind.

At the time, he wasn't sure and thought maybe he was overthinking it.

After all, Uncle Jiang and Aunt Gu had been married for over ten years.

Their relationship was always respectful and harmonious, with hardly any rumors of arguments or disputes.

Uncle Jiang also had a good reputation—no one had ever mentioned him being overly close to any other woman.

But now, with what he heard from Aunt Zhang and what he saw tonight, it all seemed to point toward the same conclusion:

Uncle Jiang was having an affair.

And the woman he was involved with was very likely the one he saw tonight—the one dressed provocatively.

Would Aunt Zhang and Aunt Gu face a crisis in their marriages?

Had their husbands truly been unfaithful?