Rebirth Begins with Rejecting my Childhood Friend - Chapter 512

“Well… alright then.”

“Okay, wipe your tears. We’re going to the police station to report this now.”

Then, Xu Xiuwen took Gu Pandi to the police station.

On the way, he couldn’t help but complain in his mind.

Aunt Gu usually seemed quite mature.

But after spending more time with her, he realized—she was way too kind and naive.

Thinking about it carefully, though, it made sense.

Gu Pandi had married relatively early.

After getting married, she became a housewife.

For so many years, because of Uncle Jiang, she had barely been exposed to the harshness of society—she had been well protected.

So, even though she was in her thirties, she was still incredibly kind and innocent.

This side of Aunt Gu made Xu Xiuwen feel a little speechless, but at the same time, he saw a different side of her.

Upon arriving at the local police station, the officers took their statements and asked detailed questions. Then, they told Xu Xiuwen and Gu Pandi to go back and wait for further contact if they managed to recover the lost items.

Leaving the police station, Gu Pandi asked nervously, “Will they be able to find it?”

Xu Xiuwen glanced at her and said, “Hard to say.”

“What should we do then?”

“Just wait and see.”

Xu Xiuwen looked up at the sky and said, “Aunt Gu, it’s getting late. Come back to the hotel with me.”

“Alright.”

On the taxi ride back to the hotel, Gu Pandi said apologetically, “I’m sorry, Xiaoxu. If I weren’t so careless, you wouldn’t have had to go through all this trouble.”

Xu Xiuwen turned to look at her, shook his head, and said, “It’s no trouble. Don’t blame yourself too much—no one could have predicted this.”

“Mm.”

Gu Pandi responded softly and turned to look out the window.

Watching the cityscape rush past, she seemed to feel a little lighter than before.

Back at the hotel, Xu Xiuwen suddenly realized he had made a stupid mistake.

They had gone to the police station earlier but hadn’t gotten a temporary ID certificate.

Now, without an ID, they couldn’t check into a room.

Xu Xiuwen even asked the front desk if they could register using just the ID number.

But apparently, this hotel had a strict policy—they required a physical ID for check-in.

Xu Xiuwen turned to Gu Pandi and said, “Aunt Gu, why didn’t you remind me earlier?”

His tone carried a hint of blame.

Gu Pandi naturally picked up on it.

Feeling a little wronged, she said, “I forgot too.”

“So what now? Should we take a taxi back to the police station for a certificate?”

Gu Pandi shook her head. “I don’t want to go back there again.”

Xu Xiuwen sighed at her response.

After hesitating for a moment, he asked, “Then I’ll have to check out my room and get a double room instead. Are you okay with that, Aunt Gu?”

Hearing this, Gu Pandi’s face turned slightly red.

She shook her head. “I’m okay with it.”

So Xu Xiuwen checked out of his original room and booked a double room instead.

This was a high-end hotel, and the double rooms were quite luxurious.

The space was large, and both beds were two-meter-wide king-sized beds.

The room was equipped with a TV, air conditioning, a fridge, a desk lamp, a floor lamp, a sofa chair, a cupboard for extra bedding, and a wardrobe for guests’ clothes.

The bathroom had a sit-down toilet, a large bathtub, a showerhead, a sink, and was stocked with bath towels, hand towels, combs, and disposable toothbrushes and toothpaste.

Although this was an unavoidable choice given the situation, the thought of sharing a room with Gu Pandi still made Xu Xiuwen feel a little awkward.

Gu Pandi’s expression was also a bit tense.

To ease the awkward atmosphere, Xu Xiuwen suggested watching TV.

Gu Pandi nodded in agreement.

Xu Xiuwen turned on the TV and found a decent drama to play.

The dialogue between the characters in the show helped both of them relax quite a bit.

After watching for a while, Xu Xiuwen suddenly noticed Gu Pandi yawning.

This was already her fifth yawn in the past three minutes.

She must be really tired.

Seeing this, Xu Xiuwen suggested, “Aunt Gu, since you’re sleepy, why don’t you take a shower and rest early?”

Gu Pandi was indeed tired, so she didn’t think much about it and got up to head to the bathroom.

Xu Xiuwen continued watching TV.

The sound of running water soon filled the room.

Before long, Gu Pandi had finished her shower.

Just then—

Xu Xiuwen suddenly heard Gu Pandi let out an “Ah!” from inside the bathroom.

“Aunt Gu, what’s wrong?” Xu Xiuwen immediately asked, feeling tense.

No response.

Xu Xiuwen asked again.

After a moment, Gu Pandi hesitantly replied, “Xiaoxu… my clothes are all in my suitcase.”

Xu Xiuwen smacked his forehead.

He had forgotten about that too.

He also had a suitcase, but he hadn’t packed many spare clothes, so he couldn’t lend her anything to wear.

After hesitating for a moment, he said, “Aunt Gu, since we don’t know when your suitcase will be found, I’ll go out and buy you a couple of new outfits for now.”

“Okay… alright.”

“Aunt Gu, what’s your clothing size?”

Hearing this, Gu Pandi hesitated, feeling shy, and didn’t answer right away.

Xu Xiuwen could more or less guess why.

She probably felt that sharing her body measurements was a bit too personal and was embarrassed to say it out loud.

After thinking for a moment, Xu Xiuwen said, “Aunt Gu, you can write it down on a piece of paper, and I’ll just hand it to the store clerk.”

This method seemed reasonable to Gu Pandi.

So Xu Xiuwen took out a pen and paper and slipped it through the bathroom door crack.

Gu Pandi wrote down her measurements.

She then folded the paper several times before handing it back to Xu Xiuwen and reminded him, “Xiaoxu, you’re not allowed to peek!”

“Don’t worry, Aunt Gu.”

Xu Xiuwen agreed without hesitation.

And he did keep his promise—he didn’t peek.

But in the end, he still found out.

Because when he was buying underwear, the female store clerk glanced at the paper and then smiled at him, saying, “Your girlfriend’s measurements are 90-65-88. That’s really enviable!”

And that’s how Xu Xiuwen learned that Gu Pandi’s measurements were 90-65-88.

He had already noticed that Aunt Gu had a great figure.

But he had still underestimated just how good it was.

Some people might not understand the significance of those numbers.

For reference, Tifa, the undisputed queen of the 3D gaming world, has measurements of 92-60-88.

Tifa has consistently been ranked as the world’s sexiest female game character.

In general, the ideal waist-to-hip ratio for women falls between 0.67 and 0.80, with 0.7 often considered the “perfect” ratio.

Gu Pandi’s figure was very close to Tifa’s.

Her waist-to-hip ratio was also 0.73.

Not the “perfect” ratio, but still extremely impressive.

Considering her status and age, her figure was even more impressive.

Of course, after learning Gu Pandi’s measurements, Xu Xiuwen didn’t entertain any improper thoughts.

He was just genuinely surprised.

Including underwear, Xu Xiuwen bought two full sets of clothing.

Back at the hotel, Gu Pandi finally didn’t have to worry about not having anything to change into.

She quickly put on her new underwear and then stepped out of the bathroom.

Seeing Aunt Gu wrapped in a white bath towel as she walked out, with her arms, shoulders, and collarbone exposed, the mature charm of a woman was undeniable.

But Xu Xiuwen only glanced at her before immediately shifting his gaze away.

After drying her hair, Gu Pandi lay down on the bed.

Then it was Xu Xiuwen’s turn to shower.

As soon as he stepped into the bathroom, his eyes landed on the laundry basket where Gu Pandi had placed her clothes.

He scanned the pile and noticed something—her underwear was missing.

At that moment, a scene from some novels he had read in his younger days flashed through his mind.

The plot felt oddly similar to his current situation.

Shaking his head, Xu Xiuwen quickly pushed those thoughts aside.

He took a simple shower, then walked out wrapped in a bath towel.

Gu Pandi was still awake, leaning against the headboard and gazing out the window.

Hearing him come out, she said calmly, “Xiaoxu, I’m going to sleep now.”

“Alright, Aunt Gu. I’ll sleep too.”

After briefly drying his hair with a blow dryer, Xu Xiuwen turned off the lights and climbed into bed.

Lying there, he thought about everything that had happened today—it all felt surreal.

Honestly, if he hadn’t experienced it himself, he wouldn’t have believed it.

If someone had told him that he would run into Aunt Gu in Beijing and even end up sharing a hotel room with her for the night,

He would have laughed in their face.

No way.

And yet, reality was often more dramatic than fiction.

It actually happened.

Even the moon seemed shy tonight, hiding behind the clouds.

The room was dark after the lights went out.

Xu Xiuwen found himself unable to fall asleep.

He wasn’t sure if Aunt Gu was asleep yet, but her breathing was steady.

Just as he turned over again, Gu Pandi suddenly spoke.

“Xiaoxu… can’t sleep?”

Xu Xiuwen was surprised. “Aunt Gu, you’re still awake?”

Gu Pandi made a soft sound of acknowledgment.

“Why haven’t you slept? Can’t fall asleep?”

“Mm.”

Thinking she was still worried about her suitcase, phone, and wallet, Xu Xiuwen reassured her, “Don’t worry, we’ll find your things.”

After a few seconds of silence, Gu Pandi said, “That’s not the reason.”

“Then what is it? Are you homesick?”

“No.”

Xu Xiuwen chuckled. “Don’t tell me… you don’t feel safe sleeping in the same room as me?”

Gu Pandi rolled her eyes at him.

Though in the darkness, Xu Xiuwen couldn’t see it.

“I watched you grow up—what’s there to be worried about? Even if we were sleeping in the same bed, I wouldn’t be worried.”

Xu Xiuwen thought to himself: Let’s not go there… You may trust me, but I don’t trust myself.

If he really had to share a bed with Aunt Gu tonight, he wasn’t confident he could keep himself in check.

It wasn’t that he was lustful—

But any man sleeping in the same bed as a mature and beautiful woman would find his willpower rapidly diminishing.

Unless he wasn’t a man at all.

“So why can’t you sleep?” he asked.

Gu Pandi didn’t answer right away.

Her expression looked conflicted, hesitant.

“Aunt Gu, are you asleep?”

After a long silence, Xu Xiuwen couldn’t help but ask.

“No.”

“Oh.”

“Xiaoxu, do you think I’m stupid?”

“Huh? Why would you think that?”

“I just got here and already lost my phone, wallet, and suitcase. Even I feel like an idiot.”

“Haha…”

Hearing her say that, Xu Xiuwen couldn’t hold back his laughter.

Gu Pandi’s mood sank. “So you do think that.”

“No, no, Aunt Gu, you misunderstood. I wasn’t laughing because I think you’re stupid—I just think you’re really cute.”

Gu Pandi’s heart skipped a few beats.

She didn’t respond, just waited for him to continue.

Xu Xiuwen went on, “You haven’t traveled far in so many years. You don’t know how bad people can be out here, so it’s normal to have low awareness for these things. Sure, losing everything is kind of funny… but at least you didn’t lose yourself.”

Gu Pandi’s face flushed red.

As an adult, it was easy to lose things.

But losing yourself? Now that was a bit much.

“I’ve caused you so much trouble… I really don’t know how to thank you.”

“Aunt Gu, didn’t we agree not to be so polite with each other? Why are you being polite again?”

“Mm, I’ll listen to you.”

Xu Xiuwen asked, “Once you get your things back, where are you planning to go next?”

“I still want to visit Jiuzhai River and Kunming.”

“That’s pretty far from here.”

“Yeah.”

“You’re not planning to see Xiaoyu off to school?”

Gu Pandi said, “He will take her.”

Xu Xiuwen knew that the “he” she was referring to was Uncle Jiang.

Judging from the fact that Gu Pandi wasn’t in a hurry to return to Langya, it was clear she still hadn’t made up her mind about divorcing Uncle Jiang.

Xu Xiuwen sighed silently but kept a smile on his face. “Jiuzhai River and Kunming are beautiful places, Aunt Gu. You should take lots of photos to bring back for my mom.”

“Okay.”

The room fell into silence again.

Then, Gu Pandi suddenly asked, “Xiaoxu, why did you stop calling me ‘Sister Gu’?”

“Don’t get me wrong, I just want to know the reason.”

Xu Xiuwen didn’t expect her to ask that.

He was momentarily stunned before smiling. “I thought about it, and ‘Aunt Gu’ just feels more natural. I’ve been calling you that since I was little, after all.”

Hearing this, Gu Pandi said, “Xiaoxu, I don’t know why, but when I’m with you, I always feel like we’re the same age. Talking to you feels very comfortable.”

Xu Xiuwen thought to himself: That’s because we are the same age.

As someone who had been reborn, his mental age was thirty-five or thirty-six.

And Gu Pandi was also thirty-five or thirty-six this year.

So weren’t they just… the same age?

However, Xu Xiuwen knew better than to say that to Aunt Gu.

He chuckled lightly and said, “Maybe I’m just a bit more mature than most.”

“Maybe that’s it,” she replied.

“Alright, it’s getting late. Let’s get some rest.”

“Mm, you get some rest too.”

The two of them fell silent after that, and the night passed without a word.

The next morning, when Xu Xiuwen opened his eyes, he saw that Aunt Gu was already up and had neatly folded the blanket.

As his eyes adjusted, he quickly noticed Aunt Gu sitting on the armchair by the window. She was wearing the new clothes Xu Xiuwen had bought for her the night before, gazing out the window, lost in thought.

Perhaps hearing some movement, Aunt Gu snapped out of her reverie and turned to look behind her.

When she saw Xu Xiuwen awake, she smiled gently. “Good morning, Xiaoxu.”

“Aunt Gu, you’re up early. Did I wake you? I don’t snore, do I?”

“No, Xiaoxu, it has nothing to do with you. I’m just used to waking up early.”

“That’s good.”

After getting up, Xu Xiuwen and Aunt Gu went to the restaurant for breakfast. Since the police had not contacted them yet, around 10 a.m., they decided to head back to the police station.

The officer on duty today was different from the one from yesterday. This one was younger and spoke in a rather harsh tone.

Xu Xiuwen asked a few more questions, and the young officer impatiently told them to go back and wait for further news. His general attitude was that if they found anything, they would notify them; if not, there was nothing more they could do.

Xu Xiuwen couldn’t help but feel frustrated. He had already asked Aunt Gu about the contents of the suitcase. It mostly contained clothes and shoes, nothing particularly valuable. The phone and the wallet only had a small amount of cash.

The important things were the identification documents and bank cards in the wallet.

Aunt Gu still planned to visit Jiuzhai River and Kunming, but without her identification and cards, it would be very inconvenient—whether for transportation or booking accommodations.

From the officer’s tone, it didn’t sound like they would find the missing items anytime soon—maybe not even in ten days or two weeks.

Aunt Gu was starting to feel anxious, unsure of what to do.

Standing outside the police station, she asked, “Xiaoxu, what should we do now?”

Xu Xiuwen thought carefully for a moment and then said, “Aunt Gu, wait here. I’m going to make a call to a friend.”