Rebirth Begins with Rejecting My Childhood Friend

Li Ke nodded and prepared to leave with Xu Xiuwen.

Just as they reached the door of the ward, Mu Zhilan suddenly said, "Wait a moment."

Xu Xiuwen stopped and turned back, "What's the matter?"

"I heard from Xiao Gang that you covered the expenses. How much was it? I'll pay you now."

Xu Xiuwen didn't refuse, "It's a total of 120."

Mu Zhilan nodded and started to reach into her pockets for the money.

However, after searching several pockets, she still couldn't find any cash.

Mu Zhilan grew increasingly anxious.

Xu Xiuwen calmly said, "Did you forget to bring the money? It's okay, you can pay me next time you see me."

Hearing Xu Xiuwen's words, Mu Zhilan sighed with relief.

Soon, Xu Xiuwen and Li Ke left the ward.

As the door to the ward closed, Xu Xiuwen vaguely heard Qiao Gang scolding Mu Zhilan.

"Why do you never carry money when you go out? You're really embarrassing me."

"I'm sorry, Xiao Gang…"

The rest of the conversation between mother and son was inaudible.

"Teacher Xu, are you okay?" Li Ke's voice snapped Xu Xiuwen out of his thoughts.

"Oh, it's nothing. Let's go."

After dinner, when they returned to Li Ke's home, it was already past seven.

Li Ke had additional classes until nine, and Xu Xiuwen left promptly after the class ended.

This time, Xu Xiuwen didn't see Li Haimei's car downstairs.

He even deliberately looked around and confirmed that she wasn't there.

This left Xu Xiuwen feeling a bit disappointed but also finding it reasonable.

No further events occurred that night.

The next morning.

Xu Xiuwen, lying in bed, vaguely heard the doorbell ringing.

Who could be at the door so early?

He threw on a casual jacket and, with sleepy eyes, went to the entrance to open the door.

When the door opened, a woman was standing outside.

It was Mu Zhilan.

Seeing Mu Zhilan, Xu Xiuwen became considerably more awake.

"What are you doing here?"

Just as Mu Zhilan was about to speak, Xu Xiuwen added, "Come in."

Mu Zhilan had no choice but to swallow her words.

Xu Xiuwen handed her a pair of slippers.

These slippers were not those of Cheng Lu, Xiao Youran, or An Shishi.

The three of them didn't like others wearing their slippers.

The slippers Xu Xiuwen gave to Mu Zhilan belonged to Song Siyu.

Of course, Song Siyu didn't like others wearing her slippers either.

But her preference didn't matter.

Once in the living room, Xu Xiuwen looked Mu Zhilan up and down.

Her attire was very plain, but beneath the plain clothes was a well-proportioned figure.

It made one want to explore further.

"Boss Xu, thank you so much for helping Xiao Gang and covering the expenses yesterday. I really appreciate it."

Hearing Mu Zhilan call him Boss Xu, Xu Xiuwen found it quite amusing.

Perhaps she thought calling him Xiao Xu, or Teacher Xu, or some other title was inappropriate, so she addressed him as Boss Xu, using a formal "you."

As for Mu Zhilan knowing his surname, it wasn't surprising.

She likely learned it from Qiao Gang.

"You don't have to be so formal, Sister Mu. It was just a small favor yesterday. Don't worry about it."

Mu Zhilan was taken aback by Xu Xiuwen calling her Sister Mu.

After a moment of hesitation, she shook her head and said, "Xiao Gang has already told me that if you hadn't helped him, his injuries would have been more serious. So I must thank you."

Xu Xiuwen smiled and changed the subject, "Sister Mu, are you thirsty? Let me get you a glass of water."

Mu Zhilan quickly waved her hand, "Boss Xu, there's no need…"

"It's fine, just sit down and don't stand there," Xu Xiuwen said with a smile, then walked toward the kitchen.

After pouring two glasses of water and returning to the living room, Xu Xiuwen handed one of the glasses to Mu Zhilan.

Mu Zhilan, having followed his advice and taken a seat on the sofa, immediately stood up again when he offered the water.

She appeared particularly nervous from head to toe.

Xu Xiuwen laughed, "Sister Mu, you don't need to be so nervous. I'm not going to eat you."

Mu Zhilan realized she was being overly anxious.

She looked somewhat embarrassed and said, "Boss Xu, you're really funny."

Mu Zhilan took a sip from the glass but immediately set it down.

"Boss Xu, I've brought the money from yesterday."

Xu Xiuwen took a sip of his water and asked, "You came just to repay the money, right?"

Mu Zhilan nodded.

"You really didn't have to come all this way just to return a small amount. It's no big deal if you don't pay it back."

Mu Zhilan shook her head, "I can't do that. You've already helped us, and I can't take advantage of you."

The woman in front of him was quite mature, but she seemed a bit stubborn in her nature.

Xu Xiuwen shrugged, "Alright then."

Mu Zhilan took out the 120 yuan from her pocket, all in cash, and handed it over.

Xu Xiuwen took the money and casually placed it on the coffee table.

After another sip of tea, Xu Xiuwen suddenly said, "I still find it hard to believe that you're Qiao Gang's mother."

"Boss Xu, I don't understand what you mean?" Mu Zhilan looked puzzled.

Xu Xiuwen smiled, "Don't get me wrong. I just didn't expect that someone as young-looking as you could have a grown-up son like him."

Mu Zhilan understood Xu Xiuwen's meaning.

Her face flushed red, and she instinctively clasped her hands together and aligned her toes.

"Boss Xu, Qiao Gang really is my son."

"I know."

Seeing Mu Zhilan's exaggerated reaction, Xu Xiuwen realized his comment might have been inappropriate, with a hint of teasing.

To avoid causing more misunderstandings, he quickly changed the topic, "Sister Mu, are you still working at the housekeeping company?"

Mu Zhilan nodded, "Yes, Boss Xu."

"I see."

Mu Zhilan suddenly said, "Boss Xu, I need to thank you again."

Xu Xiuwen was surprised, "Thank me for what?"

Mu Zhilan continued, "Actually, Xiao Gang doesn't know that my job is cleaning. I've never told him, so thank you for keeping it a secret yesterday."

"Why haven't you told him? Is there something wrong with your job?"

Mu Zhilan softly replied, "I'm afraid he might feel embarrassed for me."

Xu Xiuwen chuckled, "There's nothing to be embarrassed about working with your own hands. I think Xiao Gang would understand."

Mu Zhilan nodded again.

"How much do you earn with your current job?"

Mu Zhilan answered, "2000 yuan a month."

"2000 yuan? That doesn't seem like a lot."

Mu Zhilan gently shook her head, "2000 yuan is quite a lot for me. I don't have much education, and I wouldn't make that much in other jobs."

2000 yuan might not be considered a lot in Jinling in 2006, but it's certainly not a very low amount either, as similar jobs in a decade or so might still pay two to three thousand.

Xu Xiuwen recalled that Qiao Gang's shoes were quite old and couldn't help but ask, "What does Qiao Gang's father do for a living?"

Upon hearing Xu Xiuwen's question, Mu Zhilan's expression darkened.

Realizing he might have asked something inappropriate, Xu Xiuwen quickly apologized, "Sorry, I shouldn't have asked that."

Mu Zhilan shook her head, "It's okay, Boss Xu."

After a pause, Mu Zhilan continued, "Xiao Gang's father hasn't worked for a long time."

"Really? Why is that?" Xu Xiuwen's curiosity got the better of him, and he asked another question.

Mu Zhilan explained, "He spends all his time drinking and messing around outside. No one wants to hire him."

Though brief, Mu Zhilan's words gave Xu Xiuwen a glimpse into her family situation.

Mu Zhilan's husband was absent, drinking and loafing around, with no job, leaving Mu Zhilan to cover all the family's expenses while their child was still in school.

It was clear how much burden and pressure this woman was shouldering.

Xu Xiuwen also remembered that Mu Zhilan had come to the hospital without money yesterday.

It was possible she hadn't forgotten her money but simply didn't have any to bring.

She might have even scraped together the 120 yuan to repay him today.

Though there was no evidence to prove Xu Xiuwen's guess, it didn't stop him from feeling a touch of respect for Mu Zhilan.

After a brief chat, Mu Zhilan prepared to leave.

Xu Xiuwen got up to see her off.

As he watched the door close slowly and Mu Zhilan's figure disappear into the gap, Xu Xiuwen sighed deeply.

There were so many people suffering and poor in this world.

He couldn't do much to help, and although he hadn't interacted much with Mu Zhilan, from the few encounters, he felt she wasn't someone who would accept help without merit.

To Xu Xiuwen, Mu Zhilan was just a passerby in his life.

Two days passed in the blink of an eye.

On the evening of June 11th.

Xu Xiuwen received a call from Li Haimei at noon.

On the call, Li Haimei informed him of the location and time for the dinner that evening and told him she would send someone to pick him up, so he should be prepared.

Xu Xiuwen thought "prepared" meant arriving an hour early.

However, around 3 p.m., Li Haimei's driver arrived to pick him up.

Xu Xiuwen was quite confused.

When he went downstairs, he saw Li Haimei's secretary, Su Luoyi, waiting by the car.

When Xu Xiuwen got into the car, he found that Li Haimei was not there.

Xu Xiuwen was puzzled and didn't understand what Li Haimei was up to.

Su Luoyi then informed him that Li Haimei had sent her to accompany him to buy a few outfits for the dinner that evening.

After hearing Su Luoyi's explanation, Xu Xiuwen couldn't help but say, "Li Haimei really is something else. She likes to make decisions on her own."

The male driver in the front seat widened his eyes in surprise and discreetly glanced at Xu Xiuwen through the rearview mirror.

The driver was shocked to hear Xu Xiuwen's complaint about Li Haimei in their presence.

Su Luoyi, on the other hand, maintained her calm demeanor with a faint smile on her face.

Although Xu Xiuwen was a bit displeased, he didn't direct his frustration at the two people in front of him.

They were just the driver and the secretary, doing their jobs.

They were merely employees, and there was no need to make things difficult for them.

Xu Xiuwen sighed and said, "Alright, let's go."

Su Luoyi maintained her polite smile, "Mr. Xu, please make yourself comfortable."

"Lao(Old) Zheng, you can drive now."

Hearing Su Luoyi's words, the driver named Lao Zheng started the car.

Lao Zheng drove to Jinling's most bustling commercial street.

When the car came to a stop, Lao Zheng stayed in the vehicle while Su Luoyi accompanied Xu Xiuwen to shop for clothes.

Xu Xiuwen hadn't had the chance to properly observe Su Luoyi in the car, but now he did.

Su Luoyi was wearing a secretary's uniform, with the jacket open to reveal a white shirt underneath.

The smooth shirt was attractively stretched by Su Luoyi's rounded chest.

She wore a knee-length skirt, just above the knees, showcasing most of her shapely legs.

The term "beautiful legs" was fitting because Su Luoyi's legs were well-proportioned and slender, with no excess fat on her calves. They were smooth and straight, and her thighs were firm, with no gaps between the soft, supple flesh.

Most importantly, she wore stockings that were sheer and even had a slight sheen under the sunlight.

Su Luoyi's appearance was naturally refined, and she had left a deep impression on Xu Xiuwen when they first met.

Seeing her again, she was still as elegant and charming.

Xu Xiuwen admired Su Luoyi purely for her beauty, without any ulterior motives.

His current situation didn't allow for any such thoughts.

Having been with Li Haimei for so long, Su Luoyi had seen all kinds of people.

Although Xu Xiuwen's gaze was direct and unguarded, it didn't make her feel uncomfortable.

She sensed that his eyes held only admiration, without any lustful intentions.

This was different from the way many other men looked at her.

Thus, Su Luoyi felt a slight fondness for the young man in front of her.

Xu Xiuwen snapped out of his thoughts and asked, "Where should we go to buy clothes?"

Su Luoyi smiled, "Ms. Li asked me to accompany you and give you some suggestions. The choice of where to shop is up to you."

"Alright then." Xu Xiuwen didn't think much of it and turned toward the nearby malls and clothing stores.

It soon became clear why Li Haimei had sent Su Luoyi to help him shop for clothes.

Although Su Luoyi appeared young, she was quite knowledgeable.

Throughout the shopping process, she offered many suitable suggestions.

In the end, Xu Xiuwen bought three suits, each one fitting him perfectly.

As for the cost of the clothes, Xu Xiuwen paid for them.

This left Xu Xiuwen feeling quite bemused.

Typically, in TV dramas, when a domineering CEO sends their secretary to help someone shop, the CEO is the one who pays.

Although Li Haimei wasn't a domineering CEO, she did have a secretary.

In the end, he ended up paying for the clothes himself.

This made the whole situation feel off.

When they left the last clothing store, Xu Xiuwen was wearing one of the newly bought dark suits.

He was already a good-looking frame, and in the suit, he stood straight and looked very dapper.

Su Luoyi had already given him plenty of compliments, but seeing Xu Xiuwen looking so sharp, she couldn't help but offer a few more.

Whether all secretaries are adept at flattery or if Su Luoyi was just particularly skilled, Xu Xiuwen found it quite enjoyable.

They then quickly stopped by a salon to get Xu Xiuwen's hair done.

By the time they returned to the car, two hours had passed.

The dinner was scheduled to start at 6 p.m.

Su Luoyi informed Xu Xiuwen that they were now going to pick up Li Haimei.

Lao Zheng drove the car to Li Haimei's building, but there was no sign of her.

After stopping the car, Su Luoyi quickly got out and went upstairs to get Li Haimei.

Xu Xiuwen quietly waited in the car...