Rebirth Begins with Rejecting my Childhood Friend - Chapter 493

In the corner of the room stood a row of bookshelves filled with books.

Who would’ve thought that Qiao Luoxin liked reading?

That was certainly unexpected.

At this moment, Xu Xiuwen’s attention was drawn to a notebook on the desk.

A well-mannered person probably wouldn’t casually flip through a girl’s notebook.

But unfortunately, Xu Xiuwen wasn’t well-mannered.

So, without hesitation, he picked up the notebook and started flipping through it.

At first glance, it contained a lot of notes about coffee.

Flipping through a few more pages, Xu Xiuwen even saw a hand-drawn sketch of a coffee shop design.

He studied it carefully.

The design incorporated elements from well-known coffee shops like Starbucks, but it wasn’t a complete copy. There were plenty of unique and creative touches.

And that wasn’t the only sketch.

As he flipped further, he found several more designs.

Each one had different details, but the overall style was consistent, clearly drawn by the same person.

Further into the notebook, there were more notes, including a section on pitfalls to avoid when opening a coffee shop.

Xu Xiuwen didn’t read every word, but he skimmed through enough to get the gist.

He thought life was truly full of surprises.

He was just planning to open a coffee shop, and now, as if by divine arrangement, the perfect person had been placed right in front of him.

If he didn’t take advantage of this opportunity, it would almost feel like letting fate down.

After closing the notebook, Xu Xiuwen left the room.

Just then, Qiao Luoxin was finishing the final step of her coffee-making process.

With a milk jug in her right hand and a cup in her left, she was focused on creating latte art.

In no time, a classic swan design appeared on the coffee’s surface.

“Done. What do you think?”

Qiao Luoxin placed the cup in front of Xu Xiuwen.

“Not bad at all. You’re a pro. Can I drink it now?”

“Go ahead.”

Without hesitation, Xu Xiuwen picked up the cup and took a sip.

“How’s it taste?”

“It’s amazing!” Xu Xiuwen gave her a thumbs-up.

Qiao Luoxin couldn’t help but smile.

When she smiled, the cold and aloof aura she usually carried seemed to fade just a little.

Xu Xiuwen took another sip before putting the cup down.

“I went to your room earlier,” he said.

“Mm.” Qiao Luoxin didn’t seem to mind.

“I saw a notebook on your desk and accidentally looked at its contents,” Xu Xiuwen continued.

This time, Qiao Luoxin didn’t respond. She simply looked at Xu Xiuwen calmly.

“I also saw the coffee shop design sketches you drew.”

“You saw them?”

“Yeah. Honestly, they’re really impressive. I’m even tempted to use your designs as they are.”

“Go ahead. If you like them, use them.”

“You won’t be upset if I use them?”

“Why would I be? If someone likes my coffee shop designs, I should feel happy.”

She had a point. Not everyone would see it that way, though. Some might feel their creativity was being stolen and react negatively.

Seeing that Qiao Luoxin wasn’t offended, Xu Xiuwen felt a sense of relief.

Initially, he had been planning to have a designer from the renovation company create a design for him.

After seeing Qiao Luoxin’s sketches, Xu Xiuwen felt that some of the designs were truly excellent.

If his coffee shop were to follow these designs, it might actually turn out pretty well.

“Wait a moment,” Qiao Luoxin suddenly said before turning and heading back to her room.

Xu Xiuwen, holding his cup, walked over to the sofa in the living room and sat down.

Moments later, Qiao Luoxin came back out of the room with the notebook in her hand.

“Which one do you like the most?” Qiao Luoxin asked, opening the notebook to the pages with the sketches and placing them in front of Xu Xiuwen.

“How about you?”

“What?”

“Which one do you like the most?”

“Aren’t I the one asking you?”

“That’s true, but I could just as easily not answer you first and ask you instead, couldn’t I?”

Their gazes met in the air.

After a moment, Qiao Luoxin took a step back and said, “Fine, let’s say it at the same time.”

“Sounds good to me.”

“Three… two… one…”

“I like this one!”

“I like this one!”

Xu Xiuwen and Qiao Luoxin were both pointing at different sketches on the same page.

“You like this one?” Qiao Luoxin asked in surprise.

The coffee shop design Xu Xiuwen had chosen featured a predominantly black-and-white color scheme. Black polka dots and lines ran across the main walls, tying the entire space together. The matte black pendant lights seamlessly blended with the background.

The black-and-white palette made the café appear simple yet clean, and its overall vibe was a perfect match for Qiao Luoxin’s own temperament.

Meanwhile, the design Qiao Luoxin had chosen portrayed a bright and minimalist café with a warm and inviting atmosphere.

The most striking feature of this design was the main wall, which was decorated with thousands of white ceramic coffee cups as an accent.

Qiao Luoxin didn’t dislike Xu Xiuwen’s choice—if she had, she wouldn’t have designed it in the first place.

However, even as the designer, she felt that some elements of that sketch were a bit too avant-garde. It might not appeal to the general public.

That’s why she had opted for the more mainstream, warmly lit café design, which she believed would be more widely accepted.

But she hadn’t expected Xu Xiuwen to like that sketch.

In truth, that was also her favorite.

Pointing at their different choices, Xu Xiuwen raised an eyebrow. “You like this one? I thought we’d be on the same wavelength. Don’t you think this one is really interesting? I love the design.”

Qiao Luoxin glanced at Xu Xiuwen.

She couldn’t tell if he genuinely liked it or if he’d chosen it on purpose because it was her favorite.

But how would he know which one she liked most? She was probably overthinking it.

After a moment’s thought, Qiao Luoxin said, “That one’s pretty good, too. If you like it, go ahead and use it.”

“Really? You mean it? I can actually use it?”

“Mm.”

“What about the design fee?”

“No need for a design fee.”

“Well, in that case, I won’t hold back. It’s decided—my coffee shop will follow this design.”

Xu Xiuwen beamed with happiness.

After that, the two of them chatted for a long time.

They discussed everything from the process and costs of handling business licenses, tax registration, and health permits for the café, to professional coffee-making techniques, coffee equipment, and various coffee products.

They also discussed choosing a renovation company and hiring staff.

Qiao Luoxin’s responses were impeccable, further deepening Xu Xiuwen’s trust in her.

By now, Xu Xiuwen was fully convinced that Qiao Luoxin was heaven-sent—the perfect person to help him open his coffee shop.

The two of them had a great time chatting.

Even Qiao Luoxin, who rarely smiled, occasionally showed a cheerful expression.

Before they knew it, it was already six o’clock in the evening, time for dinner.

Qiao Luoxin offered to cook and host dinner at her place.

Xu Xiuwen didn’t bother with polite refusals and stayed.

After dinner, they discussed more details, continuing their conversation late into the night.

It was only around midnight that Xu Xiuwen finally left Qiao Luoxin’s home.

What he didn’t know was that shortly after he left, there was a knock on Qiao Luoxin’s door.

When Qiao Luoxin opened it, she saw her cousin Qiao Yumin standing outside.

Surprised, she asked, “Cousin, what are you doing here?”

Qiao Yumin grinned mischievously. “What? Afraid I’ll interrupt your private time with Mr. Xu? Don’t worry, I only came up after I saw him leave.”

Qiao Luoxin immediately gave her an exasperated eye roll. “Cousin, stop talking nonsense.”

“Hehe, I’m not making anything up.”

Qiao Luoxin frowned. “If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll get really mad.”

Seeing her frown, Qiao Yumin relented. “Okay, okay, I’ll stop.”

Only then did Qiao Luoxin’s expression soften.

“I was discussing serious matters with Xu Xiuwen. I’ve decided to join his coffee shop.”

…

Xu Xiuwen had no idea that Qiao Yumin showed up at Qiao Luoxin’s house shortly after he left.

In the following days, Xu Xiuwen found a professional design firm to refine and perfect Qiao Luoxin’s sketch.

He then hired a reputable local renovation team.

Once the building materials, renovation costs, price negotiations, and furniture selections were finalized, the renovation team began work.

During this time, Xu Xiuwen returned to Jinling, leaving the task of overseeing the construction to Qiao Luoxin.

They hadn’t signed a contract yet, nor had he started paying her a salary.

Most people would’ve refused, but Qiao Luoxin agreed without hesitation.

Xu Xiuwen trusted her completely to handle the oversight.

He took the afternoon train back to Jinling, arriving at the station a little past 3 p.m.

After leaving the station, he stopped by his apartment at Jiangning Huayuan, took a shower, and changed his clothes.

When the time was right, he drove out to pick up his secretary, Lu Xinyao.

Although it had been several days since he’d last seen her, Xu Xiuwen wasn’t so desperate as to make any untoward moves.

He was picking her up for a dinner meeting—nothing more, no ulterior motives.

Arriving at the residential area where the company dormitories were located, he found Lu Xinyao already waiting at the gate.

Xu Xiuwen smoothly parked the car in front of her and took the chance to glance at her.

She was wearing a sleek black dress, her long, silky hair cascading over her shoulders. Her complexion was glowing, and her charm was undeniable.

Lu Xinyao opened the passenger door and got in.

Xu Xiuwen didn’t hold back his compliment: “Xinyao, you look stunning today.”

“Thank you for the praise, President Xu.”

After a few days apart, Lu Xinyao seemed distant again. Though her tone was calm, it carried a subtle sense of detachment.

Xu Xiuwen stared at her for a moment before suddenly asking, “Xinyao, have you gained weight?”

Lu Xinyao immediately shot him a glare.

Realizing he’d said the wrong thing, Xu Xiuwen quickly tried to make up for it. “Maybe I saw it wrong. But no matter what, you always look beautiful.”

“Heh…”

In 2006, a “heh” was just a “heh.”

But Xu Xiuwen was 100% sure that Lu Xinyao’s “heh” wasn’t a simple “heh.”

As for why she responded that way? She’d learned it from him.

Xu Xiuwen thought to himself, Could it be that I’ve neglected her recently, and she’s upset about it?

With this thought in mind, he reached over and placed a hand on Lu Xinyao’s leg.

He explained seriously, “I know I may have been neglecting you a bit lately, but I’ve really been busy.”

Lu Xinyao rolled her eyes, as if to say, I’m your secretary. How could I not know if you’re busy?

Xu Xiuwen continued, “Xinyao, the company is about to produce its second drama series. You’re aware of this, right?”

Lu Xinyao didn’t respond.

“And you know the next series revolves around a coffee shop. Once the show becomes popular, the coffee shop will too. That’s why I’ve been busy planning to open a coffee shop in Shanghai.”

After hearing Xu Xiuwen’s explanation, Lu Xinyao believed him.

“So, have you settled everything for the coffee shop?”

Finally, she spoke.

The fact that she was talking again meant she wasn’t as angry anymore, and Xu Xiuwen felt relieved.

He shook his head with a smile. “Not that fast. I’ve bought the shop and hired a renovation team, but the work is still ongoing.”

“Oh.”

Lu Xinyao nodded, her expression softening noticeably.

Seeing this, Xu Xiuwen boldly took her hand, holding it gently in his palm and stroking it lightly.

“What are you doing?” she asked in a tone of protest, though it wasn’t very firm.

Naturally, Xu Xiuwen didn’t let go. “Not mad at me anymore, right?”

“Do we even have that kind of relationship? Why would I be mad at you?” Lu Xinyao denied.

Xu Xiuwen gazed tenderly into her eyes. “Because you’re the woman I like.”

The corners of Lu Xinyao’s lips lifted slightly, just for a moment.

But it was enough for Xu Xiuwen to notice.

“You smiled, didn’t you?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“You definitely smiled.”

“President Xu, if you don’t start driving, we’ll be late for the dinner.” Unable to argue, Lu Xinyao switched the topic.

Xu Xiuwen didn’t respond.

He kept looking at her, making her feel uncomfortable.

Just as she was about to get upset, Xu Xiuwen suddenly leaned in and kissed her on the lips.

Then, with a mischievous smile, he sat back and started the car.

Lu Xinyao was caught off guard, reacting a beat too late.

By the time she realized what had happened, it was too late to stop him.

She gave Xu Xiuwen a sharp glare and turned her head to look out the window, as if doing so could help her ignore him.

Xu Xiuwen drove seriously, but his mood was clearly good.

The relationship between him and Lu Xinyao.

From the very beginning, Lu Xinyao was resistant and unwilling.

Later, she agreed to return to work at the company. While at the office, Lu Xinyao would address him as “President Xu” with an air of obedience, and she never refused any of his requests.

But Xu Xiuwen could sense that, deep down, she was still resistant, as if silently rebelling against him.

However, this time, after his trip to Shanghai and back, Lu Xinyao was actually upset about it. He had to spend quite a while explaining himself before managing to calm her down.

A woman willing to get upset with you—whether or not it means she likes you—at the very least, it shows that you matter to her. Otherwise, no woman would sulk over a man she doesn’t care about.

Lu Xinyao’s change in attitude brought Xu Xiuwen great joy.

But beside him, Lu Xinyao’s mood was far less cheerful.

Initially, she only wanted to be a puppet by Xu Xiuwen’s side because she couldn’t escape him.

In Lu Xinyao’s eyes, Xu Xiuwen was undoubtedly a hopeless womanizer. The number of beautiful women around him was just too many.