Rebirth Begins with Rejecting my Childhood Friend - Chapter 505

Xu Xiuwen, though in a nineteen-year-old’s body, had the soul of a man in his thirties.
There was no lack of topics for him to chat about with Mu Zhilan.
Just talking about Qiao Gang kept them engaged for a long time.

Finally, Xu Xiuwen asked, “Sister Mu, where’s your husband? Why haven’t I seen him?”

“He doesn’t know I invited you over for dinner.”

“You didn’t tell him? Why not?”

Mu Zhilan lowered her head, looking a bit embarrassed.
“My husband is very petty. He doesn’t like seeing me talk to other men. If he knew I invited you for dinner, he’d definitely get angry. I don’t want to argue with him.”

“Uh…”

Xu Xiuwen hadn’t expected such a reason.
He felt a bit awkward and didn’t know how to respond, so he scratched his nose to cover his discomfort.

Mu Zhilan seemed to notice his awkwardness and said, “Boss Xu, the food is almost ready. Why don’t you go sit in the living room for a bit?”

“Alright.”

Xu Xiuwen nodded and turned back to the living room.

Just then, Qiao Gang returned home with some alcohol.
He was carrying a box of beer in his hands.
On his fingers hung a plastic bag holding four bottles of baijiu, and he had another bottle tucked into each pocket of his pants.

Xu Xiuwen glanced over—it was all Kouzi liquor.

“I told you to just get a little. Why did you buy so much?”

Qiao Gang chuckled. “Big Brother Xu, I was afraid you wouldn’t drink enough to enjoy yourself.”

Xu Xiuwen was left speechless.
He hadn’t even planned on drinking, but now it seemed like not drinking—or drinking too little—would make him look bad.

Soon, Mu Zhilan finished cooking the last dish.
She took off her apron and brought the freshly plated dish into the living room.

The three of them gathered around a square table.
Xu Xiuwen and Mu Zhilan sat across from each other, with Qiao Gang sitting in the middle.

Mu Zhilan said, “Boss Xu, this is all I prepared. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Sister Mu, you’re being too polite. This is a feast—better than anything at a restaurant. How could I mind?”

Qiao Gang chimed in, “Big Brother Xu, try my mom’s cooking!”

“Alright, alright, I’ll give it a try.”

Xu Xiuwen picked up a piece of chicken.
The dish was soybeans with braised chicken, a common home-cooked meal.

The chicken was tender, not dry at all, and full of flavor.
Xu Xiuwen nodded repeatedly as he took a bite.

The mother and son both let out a sigh of relief at the sight.

Then Qiao Gang began pouring drinks for Xu Xiuwen and even gave Mu Zhilan a glass.
He poured himself a glass of beer.

Mu Zhilan stood up with her glass of baijiu in hand.
Looking at Xu Xiuwen, she said, “Boss Xu, this drink is for you. If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t be living the good life we have now. Thank you for all the help you’ve given us.”

Seeing Mu Zhilan stand up, Xu Xiuwen quickly got to his feet.
“Sister Mu, you’re being too kind. It was just a small favor—I didn’t really do much. You being so formal makes me feel embarrassed.”

“Alright, I won’t say more. Boss Xu, eat and drink to your heart’s content.”

“Sure, sure.” Xu Xiuwen clinked glasses with Mu Zhilan.

He originally planned to just take a sip.
But as he drank, he noticed out of the corner of his eye that Mu Zhilan had downed nearly half her glass of baijiu in one go.

This immediately put Xu Xiuwen in a tough spot.
If he just took a sip, it would look bad.
But if he downed half a glass in one go…

This wasn’t one of those small glasses used at the seafood restaurant a few days ago.
The glasses in Mu Zhilan’s house were the standard transparent ones.
Each glass held at least 100 milliliters of liquor. Half a glass was about 50 milliliters.

He’d barely touched the food, and now he was supposed to down half a glass of baijiu?
Phew. That was a bit much.

Xu Xiuwen hesitated for a second but ultimately decided to go for it.

Qiao Gang watched as both his big brother Xu and his mother downed half a glass each, a glint of excitement flashing in his eyes.

The three of them continued eating, drinking, and chatting.
Qiao Gang mostly stayed quiet, only chiming in when the topic turned to him.
If one paid attention, they would notice that Xu Xiuwen’s glass was always full.

Xu Xiuwen felt like he’d already had quite a bit, but every time he looked at his glass, it was filled to the brim again.
Before long, he started feeling tipsy.

Mu Zhilan, on the other hand, surprised him.
Her tolerance for alcohol was astonishing.
She drank just as much as Xu Xiuwen, but while he was starting to feel lightheaded, she showed no signs of being affected at all.

Eventually, Xu Xiuwen couldn’t help but ask, “Sister Mu, can you really hold your liquor this well?”

Mu Zhilan froze for a moment before smiling sheepishly.
“People from my hometown tend to be good drinkers…”

“Oh, now that you mention it, I forgot to ask—where are you from originally, Sister Mu?”

“My hometown is in Henan.”

“Then how did you end up in Jinling?”

Mu Zhilan glanced at Qiao Gang and didn’t say anything.

Xu Xiuwen guessed it was probably because she married Qiao Gang’s father, so he didn’t press further.

Before long, Xu Xiuwen was full from the food and drinks.
Just as he set his glass down, Qiao Gang refilled it again.

Xu Xiuwen quickly protested, “No more, I really can’t drink any more.”

Qiao Gang urged him, “Big Brother Xu, just have one last glass with my mom. This will be the final one, I promise.”

By now, Xu Xiuwen’s head was spinning.
But thinking it was the last glass, he didn’t firmly refuse.

Soon enough, the last glass was drained.

Xu Xiuwen said, “Alright, I’m full and I’ve had enough to drink. That’s it for today. It’s getting late, so I’ll head out now.”

Mu Zhilan, concerned, asked, “Boss Xu, are you sure you’re okay to drive? Maybe you should sit for a while and sober up a bit.”

“Alright, I’ll rest for a bit. But no more drinks.”

“Boss Xu, I’ll make you some tea.”

“Sure.”

Mu Zhilan went to prepare tea.
But when she came back, she found that Xu Xiuwen had already fallen asleep at the table.

Not knowing what to do, she turned to look at Qiao Gang.

Qiao Gang had been watching Xu Xiuwen gradually doze off the whole time.
But he neither reminded him to stay awake nor tried to wake him up.

Qiao Gang turned to Mu Zhilan and said, “Mom, Big Brother Xu is drunk. Looks like he won’t be able to go home tonight.”

“What should we do, then?”

“Let Big Brother Xu sleep in your room for a while.”

Mu Zhilan’s face instantly turned red.
“No way!”

“Why not?”

Mu Zhilan hesitated and said awkwardly, “That’s my bed. How can I let Boss Xu sleep there? And if your dad finds out, it’ll be a disaster.”

Qiao Gang looked completely unconcerned. “My dad hasn’t been home in half a month. How would he possibly know? Besides, if you won’t let Big Brother Xu sleep in your bed, should he sleep in mine? Then where would I sleep?”

“Well, then I won’t have anywhere to sleep either.”

“You’re so clueless. Just make a pallet on the floor in your room. Problem solved.”

“Fine… I get it.”

In most households, parents are the strong ones and the children are weaker.
But in Mu Zhilan’s home, it was the opposite.
The child was dominant, and the mother was submissive.

Mu Zhilan rarely dared to oppose Qiao Gang’s words.

Qiao Gang glanced at her and urged, “Mom, stop just standing there. Go help Big Brother Xu to your room already.”

“Alright… okay.”

Left with no choice, Mu Zhilan followed Qiao Gang’s instructions, walked over to Xu Xiuwen, and helped him toward her room.

Qiao Gang watched their backs as they disappeared into the room, a faint smile forming at the corners of his lips.

Anyone with a bit of common sense wouldn’t leave a drunk man at home, let alone put him in the mother’s bedroom.

But Qiao Gang had his reasons.

It wasn’t because he had some twisted fetish.
It was because he liked Li Ke.

Some might wonder: what does Qiao Gang liking Li Ke have to do with this?
The reason was simple.

Qiao Gang liked Li Ke.
But Li Ke didn’t like Qiao Gang.

Qiao Gang was well aware of this.
He also knew that Li Ke had feelings for Big Brother Xu.

But Big Brother Xu didn’t seem interested in Li Ke.

Then, by chance, Qiao Gang discovered that his mother knew Big Brother Xu and had received a lot of help from him.

As the saying goes: No one shows kindness for no reason; it’s either a ploy or a scheme.

Qiao Gang could only assume the two had an improper relationship.

But after some time carefully testing the waters, he eventually confirmed there was nothing between them.

Most people would feel relieved to learn their mother wasn’t having an affair.
But Qiao Gang wasn’t like most people.

If Mu Zhilan were having an affair with someone else, Qiao Gang would be firmly against it.
But if the person involved was Big Brother Xu, he was somewhat supportive of the idea.

For one, Qiao Gang’s father had never fulfilled his role as a husband or father.
Even the basic responsibility of providing for the family fell entirely on Mu Zhilan’s shoulders.
In Qiao Gang’s eyes, his father wasn’t worthy of being called a father.

Big Brother Xu, on the other hand, not only protected Qiao Gang from being bullied by thugs but also helped Mu Zhilan find a good job.
He was a benefactor to their family.

There was also another reason, one Qiao Gang found hard to admit.
If his mother and Big Brother Xu really had an affair, then Big Brother Xu would definitely not end up with Li Ke.

Thus, Qiao Gang began his plan.

Using the pretext of expressing gratitude, he invited Big Brother Xu to their home.
Then he had Mu Zhilan drink with him.

Once Big Brother Xu had too much to drink, Qiao Gang took the opportunity to make sure he stayed the night.

Maybe, with the influence of alcohol, something would happen between the two.

So far, everything was going according to Qiao Gang’s plan.

As for his plan.

Qiao Gang had never shared his plan with Mu Zhilan.
He simply did his best to create opportunities for the two.

Qiao Gang knew his mother’s personality all too well.
As long as Big Brother Xu was a bit assertive, even if he crossed the line and did something inappropriate, Mu Zhilan, out of concern for her reputation, wouldn’t speak up about it, let alone call the police.

Still, Qiao Gang had some doubts.
In TV dramas, it’s common for the male and female leads to lose control after drinking.
But in reality, with Big Brother Xu this drunk, would he even be capable of anything?

…

Xu Xiuwen had come to this dinner tonight simply to accept a gesture of gratitude.
He had no ulterior motives whatsoever and was completely oblivious to Qiao Gang’s scheming.

If he had known, he would never have come.
And even if he had, he would never have drunk so much.

As for Mu Zhilan, she had no clue about Qiao Gang’s intentions either.
If she had known, she would never have agreed to invite Xu Xiuwen over for dinner, no matter what.

And so, two clueless people ended up in the room together.

Mu Zhilan helped Xu Xiuwen onto the bed, letting him lie down.
Worried he might not be comfortable, she hesitated for a few seconds before taking the initiative to remove his shirt and pants.

Then, she fetched a basin of warm water and a clean towel to gently wipe his body.

In his half-asleep, half-awake state, Xu Xiuwen felt someone wiping him down.
The warm, damp towel gliding over his skin, combined with the woman’s gentle touch, felt surprisingly soothing.

In his dazed state, he assumed the person taking care of him was Lu Xinyao.
Without thinking, he reached out and hugged the woman, murmuring, “Baby, you’re so good to me.”

After that, he drifted off into a deeper sleep.

Mu Zhilan, on the other hand, was completely stunned.
Helping Xu Xiuwen wipe his body had already made her feel incredibly awkward—especially since he was now down to just his underwear.

But then Xu Xiuwen suddenly hugged her.

For a moment, Mu Zhilan froze like a statue, too afraid to move.

It wasn’t until she heard Xu Xiuwen’s words that she managed to calm down slightly.

She realized Xu Xiuwen had likely mistaken her for someone else.

So, she didn’t blame him for being so “unruly” in his sleep.

Softly, she called out Xu Xiuwen’s name, but there was no response.

She waited a bit longer before carefully removing Xu Xiuwen’s arm from around her waist.

Then, she quickly went from kneeling by the bed to standing beside it.

Her breathing was rapid, and her face felt hot and flushed.

Even though Xu Xiuwen was drunk and would likely remember nothing the next day, the situation just now had left Mu Zhilan utterly flustered.

It would take her some time to calm down.

At that moment, she no longer dared to continue wiping him down.

She turned to the cabinet, grabbed a clean light blanket, and draped it over Xu Xiuwen.

Then she picked up the basin of water and left the room.

Back in the living room, Qiao Gang immediately approached her.

Mu Zhilan’s face was still flushed, and she kept her head down, worried her son might notice.

She thought she was hiding it well, but Qiao Gang saw it all.

Seeing his mother avoiding eye contact and acting hesitant, Qiao Gang immediately guessed that something might have happened in the room earlier.

A glimmer of excitement flashed in his heart as he asked, “Mom, how’s Big Brother Xu?”

“Boss Xu has already fallen asleep,” Mu Zhilan replied softly.

“I see,” Qiao Gang said, not pressing further.
He was worried that asking too much might arouse his mother’s suspicion.

Mu Zhilan carried the basin of water out to the courtyard and emptied it.
When she returned to the living room, she began clearing the table and tidying up.

Qiao Gang smiled and said, “Mom, I’m off to bed.”

“Alright, go to bed early,” she responded.

Mu Zhilan continued cleaning up and tidying the house. She worked nonstop until after 10 p.m., when the night had grown completely dark.

Standing at the doorway to her room, she paced back and forth, hesitating to go inside.

The thought of sharing a room with a man who wasn’t her husband made her heart race uncontrollably.

Regret began to fill her.

She realized she shouldn’t have agreed to Qiao Gang’s suggestion to let Xu Xiuwen sleep in her room.
Even if it meant spending money, she should have arranged for Boss Xu to stay at a hotel.

After agonizing over it for a long time, Mu Zhilan finally pushed open the door to her room.

She comforted herself with the thought that Boss Xu was already asleep, and she would simply sleep on the floor.
There was nothing improper between them, and no one would know they shared a room.

With these reassurances in mind, she finally summoned the courage to enter.

Mu Zhilan spread out a mat on the floor and stood by the bed to retrieve a pillow and blanket. She then set up her simple bedding on the floor and lay down to sleep.

The night passed without incident.

When Xu Xiuwen woke up the next morning, sunlight was already streaming in through the window.

Opening his eyes, he saw a yellowed ceiling above him.
He sat up quickly, scanning the room.

After a moment, he confirmed that this wasn’t his own home.

Memories of the previous night came flooding back—he had come to Mu Zhilan’s house for dinner and ended up drinking too much.

So this must still be Mu Zhilan’s home.