Rebirth Begins with Rejecting my Childhood Friend - Chapter 499

Hearing Xu Xiuwen say this, Ji Yan’s eyes lit up.
“Mr. Xu, what do you think of me?”

“What?” Xu Xiuwen pretended not to understand, playing dumb.

Ji Yan batted her eyelashes flirtatiously. “Mr. Xu, I think you’re quite pleasing to my eye. Do you think we should give it a try?”

Xu Xiuwen hadn’t expected Ji Yan to be so bold and direct.
However, he had long suspected that Ji Yan was interested in him.

The way this woman looked at him—although restrained—still gave off the feeling that she wanted to devour him.

Now, Ji Yan had openly expressed her feelings.

But after waiting for what felt like forever, Xu Xiuwen said nothing.

Was this a silent rejection? Ji Yan’s confidence took a hit.
Still, as an adult, she managed to maintain her composure.

Putting on a casual and nonchalant demeanor, she smiled and said, “It’s fine. It’s normal if Mr. Xu thinks we’re not a good match. You’re still so young; you’ll surely meet many outstanding women in the future…”

To Ji Yan’s surprise, Xu Xiuwen suddenly looked up at her and said, “I never said we weren’t a good match.”

“Huh?” Ji Yan froze.

What did Xu Xiuwen mean by that? Tentatively, she asked, “Mr. Xu, do you think we’re a good match?”

Xu Xiuwen gazed at the teacup in front of him and said in a low voice, “Whether we’re a good match or not can only be determined after spending some time together. I’m very cautious when it comes to relationships. But I must admit, Miss Ji, you are quite pleasing to my eye too.”

Xu Xiuwen’s words were like a massive ray of hope for Ji Yan.

Ji Yan was fully aware of the significant gap between herself and Xu Xiuwen.

Even though she might succeed in claiming Xu Xiuwen as her own, she was a few years older than him, and in terms of education, looks, and wealth, they didn’t seem particularly compatible.

But she still wanted to try getting closer to him, to give herself a chance.

She hadn’t expected Xu Xiuwen to not reject her outright—in fact, he even said she was pleasing to his eye.

Ji Yan felt like she had been hit by a falling pie from the sky.
She was so stunned that she almost felt dizzy.

Images of being together with Xu Xiuwen started to form in her mind.

And as she thought about Xu Xiuwen’s strong, muscular body, her legs even began to feel weak.

Xu Xiuwen continued, “Miss Ji, let’s start as friends for now.”

“Alright, Mr. Xu.”

“Haha, since we’re friends now, you don’t need to call me Mr. Xu anymore. Just call me Xiuwen.”

Ji Yan was overjoyed.

At a time like this, she chose not to rush things.

She tried her best to maintain a calm demeanor and nodded. “Alright, Xiuwen. Then you don’t have to call me Miss Ji either.”

Xu Xiuwen quickly replied, “Then I’ll call you Sister Yan from now on.”

“Alright.”

Looking at the handsome, wealthy, and muscular man in front of her, Ji Yan silently vowed to win Xu Xiuwen over.

Once she succeeded, she wouldn’t just enjoy the pleasures of being with him but would also become the wife of the owner of Guangming Distillery.

She could already envision the future.

She was confident in her methods.

A young man like Xu Xiuwen, no matter how composed, couldn’t resist her deliberate seduction.

“Sister Yan, I have something important to attend to tonight, so I’ll head off first.”

“Alright, go ahead if you’re busy.”

Seeing that Xu Xiuwen was about to leave, Ji Yan didn’t insist on making him stay.

After all, there was plenty of time ahead.
No rush.

“By the way, Sister Yan, is that your private number?”
“Yes, you can reach me directly at that number.”
“Sister Yan, aren’t you leaving?”
“I’ll sit for a while longer. You go ahead.”
“Alright, then I’ll go settle the bill.”

Ji Yan said generously, “No need, you go take care of your things first. I’ll handle the bill later.”
“That’s a bit embarrassing.”

Although Xu Xiuwen said this, his body very honestly headed straight for the café’s door.

Just as he stepped out of the café, his phone rang.
After answering, a voice came through, “Hello, is this Mr. Xu? You made a reservation at our restaurant for tonight. We’d like to confirm the time with you…”

Xu Xiuwen gave them a time, then walked toward his car.

Once he got in, he put down his phone, fastened his seatbelt, checked his surroundings, and started the car, driving toward the company.

At the entrance of the administrative office on the first floor of Wenfei Media Company, people were starting to leave as the workday ended.

Qian Long quickly caught up with Song Xiaomi and whispered, “Xiaomi, do you know who’s upset Secretary Lu again? I just saw her face—it was so dark, and her whole body was radiating coldness.”

Song Xiaomi shook her head. “No idea. Maybe it’s Mr. Xu who made her angry again.”

Qian Long sighed, shaking his head. “Ah, being a secretary is tough. You have to be competent and still put up with grievances.”

“Tell me about it. But whatever you do, don’t say that in front of anyone else. If Mr. Xu hears it, you’ll be in trouble.”

“Hehe, no worries. I’m not that unlucky.”

Just as the words left his mouth, he saw Xu Xiuwen walking in from outside.

He froze in place, stunned like a deer in headlights.

Xu Xiuwen glanced at them but said nothing, quickly heading upstairs to the second floor.

It seemed like Mr. Xu hadn’t heard their conversation.

Even so, Qian Long’s heart was still pounding wildly.

A few minutes earlier, Xu Xiuwen had parked downstairs.

Sitting in the car, he took out his phone and tried calling Lu Xinyao.

But after multiple attempts, her phone was still turned off.

Feeling restless, Xu Xiuwen had no choice but to get out of the car and head into the company to find her in person.

He went straight to the secretary’s office on the second floor.

Inside the office, Lu Xinyao was sitting at her desk. In front of her was a piece of A4 paper.

She was absentmindedly tearing the paper into shreds.

What was once a pristine sheet was now riddled with holes and completely ruined.

Yet she didn’t seem to realize what she was doing.

Grabbing one of the scraps, she crumpled it into a ball and muttered, “Scumbag! He promised to have dinner with me and then ran off to fool around with another woman.”

Lu Xinyao’s feelings were complicated.

She didn’t want to see Xu Xiuwen, yet she wanted to see him.

But when she didn’t see him, she couldn’t help wondering who he might be with.

Her thoughts drifted back to the phone call from that morning.

Whose voice was that woman’s?

Knock, knock, knock.

The sudden sound of knocking interrupted Lu Xinyao’s thoughts.

“Lu Xinyao, are you in there? I’m coming in.”

Before the words were even finished, the door opened.

Xu Xiuwen stepped in from outside.

When he saw Lu Xinyao sitting there, he immediately let out a sigh of relief.

“Why didn’t you answer your phone?”
“You called me?”
“Yeah. Otherwise, why would I ask?”

Lu Xinyao quickly pulled out her phone, only to see that it was already off.
“My phone ran out of battery and shut down.”

“You’re hopeless. Charge it when you get back. For now, come with me.”
“Where to?”
“Dinner. Didn’t I promise to take you out tonight? I’ve already booked the restaurant.”

Hearing this, Lu Xinyao felt a bit happy.
The corners of her mouth almost curled up uncontrollably, but she managed to keep her composure.

She huffed, “Who needs you to take me out for dinner? You’re so busy and your time is so precious—I can’t afford to waste it.”

She thought Xu Xiuwen would say something soft to coax her.
Instead, he smiled and said, “Don’t get me wrong, I’m not taking you out for dinner. I’m taking my daughter out.”

Daughter?

At first, Lu Xinyao thought he was referring to her, but she immediately realized that she was older than him. He must have meant the baby in her belly.

She rolled her eyes at him but couldn’t help feeling something indescribable—a mix of tingling warmth and sweetness.

“I haven’t even taken a test yet. What if I’m not pregnant? And how do you know it’s a girl? What if it’s a boy?”

“I’m just guessing. I prefer daughters. It would be great if it’s a girl. And if you’re not pregnant, that’s fine—I’ll just try harder next time.”

Xu Xiuwen winked at her with an ambiguous smile.

Hearing this, Lu Xinyao rolled her eyes again.

“Let’s go, time for dinner, my Princess Yao Yao.”

“Who’s your Princess Yao Yao? That’s so cheesy!” Lu Xinyao glared at him in mock annoyance.

But Xu Xiuwen, shameless as ever, didn’t care in the slightest.

Seeing this, Lu Xinyao felt a bit helpless.

Despite his young age, Xu Xiuwen somehow had a thick skin and a smooth tongue—she couldn’t imagine who had taught him these tricks.

Knowing that he wouldn’t give up if she didn’t go, Lu Xinyao got up to join him for dinner.

Just as she was about to stand, Xu Xiuwen suddenly pulled out a pair of white sneakers from behind him.

“Work’s over, so don’t wear high heels. Put these on—they’re more comfortable.”

Lu Xinyao looked at the new shoes in his hands, surprised.

She hesitated about whether to accept them, but Xu Xiuwen had already crouched down in front of her, ready to help her change shoes himself.

Seeing this, Lu Xinyao was stunned.

She couldn’t believe that the man squatting in front of her, about to help her put on shoes, was actually Xu Xiuwen.

Was this really the same person? How could he be so different?

But she quickly realized that the change in him was because she might be pregnant.

His tenderness wasn’t for her—it was for the baby in her belly.

This thought made Lu Xinyao’s mood sink.

“I’ll do it myself.”

She pushed Xu Xiuwen’s hands away and bent down to change her shoes.

After putting them on, she glanced down at the sneakers.

They were nice—simple and stylish, and she really liked them.

But the thought that Xu Xiuwen had bought them, and that his gesture was only because of the pregnancy, left her feeling conflicted.

Suddenly, Lu Xinyao found the white sneakers increasingly displeasing to look at.

She stood up from her seat and, without saying a word, walked straight out of the office.

The weather was pleasant, and it happened to be early evening.

A gentle breeze rustled through the maple trees, producing a soft rustling sound.

In the glow of the setting sun, even the cars rushing along the roads seemed to move with a certain tenderness.

Lu Xinyao instinctively walked toward the passenger seat of the car.

Just as she was about to open the door and get in, Xu Xiuwen stepped forward, reaching out from behind her.

“Let me get the door for you.”

He opened the passenger door of the BMW. Once Lu Xinyao sat down, he gently closed it for her like a gentleman.

Only then did he walk around the front of the car, open the driver’s side door, and get in.

Once Lu Xinyao had buckled her seatbelt, Xu Xiuwen pressed the gas pedal and headed toward the restaurant.

The restaurant he had reserved was a western-style one.

After they were seated and the orders placed, the two sat across from each other in silence, simply staring at one another.

“Is there something on my face? Why are you staring at me like that?”

“Just bored.”

“Then what’s not boring?”

“I don’t want to talk to you right now. Can’t you just be quiet for a moment?”

Her tone was impatient, and a palpable tension radiated from her.

Xu Xiuwen studied her carefully.

Lu Xinyao turned her head, looking off to the side, avoiding his gaze.

“Lu Xinyao, are you mad?”

“No!”

She denied it outright, but from her expression, Xu Xiuwen could clearly sense her true emotions.

“Who upset you?”

“Mr. Xu, I already said I’m not mad.”

She’d even reverted to calling him “Mr. Xu.” If she wasn’t mad, then what was this?

Ah, women. Always so stubborn with their words.

Dealing with women who insisted on denying their feelings, Xu Xiuwen had his own approach.

He played along with her, saying, “Okay, as long as you’re not mad.”

Then he went quiet, his gaze lowered, as if perfectly content to sit there in silence.

Sure enough, as soon as Xu Xiuwen stopped trying to talk to her, Lu Xinyao began to feel uncomfortable.

Unable to hold back any longer, she asked, “You weren’t at the company this afternoon. Where did you go?”

Xu Xiuwen immediately looked her in the eye and asked, “So this is what you’re upset about?”

“I said I’m not mad!”

Xu Xiuwen kept his gaze fixed on her, thinking back carefully over the events of the day.

Finally, he figured out the source of her anger.

With a sudden laugh, he said, “I went to see Ji Yan this afternoon.”

So it was that woman.

This morning, when Lu Xinyao overheard the female voice on his phone call, she already thought it sounded familiar.

Later, after thinking about it carefully, she concluded it sounded just like Ji Yan.

So that’s where he’d gone this afternoon—off to see her.

If Xu Xiuwen had gone to meet Cheng Lu, Xiao Youran, or even Tang Weiwei, Lu Xinyao wouldn’t have been so upset.

Those three women were pure, elegant, and breathtakingly beautiful—each a rare gem in the world.

When faced with them, even Lu Xinyao sometimes admitted she couldn’t compete.

But Ji Yan?

Lu Xinyao looked down on her in every possible way.

For starters, she wasn’t nearly as good-looking as herself. And she was older, too.

In Lu Xinyao’s eyes, she surpassed Ji Yan in every aspect.

If she absolutely had to find a single advantage Ji Yan had, it was this: the woman was outrageously flirtatious.

Not only was Ji Yan’s style of dressing provocative, but her behavior, mannerisms, and tone of speech were equally suggestive.

She was the epitome of a flirtatious vixen.

Just last night at the dinner gathering, Xu Xiuwen and Ji Yan had been exchanging flirtatious glances.

It had infuriated Lu Xinyao to no end.

And now, today, this same woman had called Xu Xiuwen.

Not only did he take the call, but he actually went out to meet her.

He had been gone for such a long time.

Who knew what they had been up to?!

Lu Xinyao felt utterly disappointed in Xu Xiuwen.

Xu Xiuwen, it’s bad enough that you’re a scumbag.

But couldn’t you at least have some standards?

She, Xiao Youran, Cheng Lu, and the other women—at the very least, they were all beautiful.

If you were unfaithful with any of them, it would still be somewhat understandable.

But to show interest in an older, trashy, and overtly flirtatious woman?

Lu Xinyao thought she was already being remarkably restrained.

Xu Xiuwen looked at Lu Xinyao’s expression and could pretty much guess what she was thinking.

Suddenly, he chuckled.

“Yao Yao~”

The slightly intimate way he addressed her sent a ripple through her heart.

But her dissatisfaction remained.

Her gaze at Xu Xiuwen was still cold and distant.

If Xu Xiuwen couldn’t give her a reasonable explanation, she was determined never to show him a kind face again.