Rebirth Begins with Rejecting my Childhood Friend - Chapter 535

“What’s wrong? What happened?”

Cheng Lu still didn’t say anything.

Xu Xiuwen immediately felt a bit nervous.

“Don’t just stay silent. No matter what it is, tell me, I’ll take care of it. Did you have a fight with Youran?”

Cheng Lu softly responded, “Do I seem like someone who loves to argue in your eyes?”

“No, I’m just worried that Youran argued with you.”

“I’m too lazy to argue with her,” Cheng Lu said quietly.

After speaking, she fell silent again.

Hearing Cheng Lu’s tone, Xu Xiuwen figured it wasn’t anything urgent, so he relaxed. He didn’t rush her, patiently waiting instead.

After a while, Cheng Lu seemed to have made up her mind.

She spoke softly, “Pig, my parents are coming tomorrow.”

“Huh? Who’s coming?”

Cheng Lu had to repeat herself, “My parents are coming tomorrow.”

Xu Xiuwen was instantly stunned.

It took him a long moment before he hesitantly asked, “Uncle and Auntie are coming? Why?”

Cheng Lu explained, “My parents are coming to Jinling for a trip and decided to visit me while they’re here.”

“Tomorrow is Saturday, so you can take them out to have fun.”

“Are you dumb? Seeing me is secondary, the main reason is to meet you!”

“You told them about us?”

“I didn’t. My parents don’t allow me to date, so how could I possibly tell them?”

“Then how did they find out?”

“Uh… probably Secretary Li told my mom.”

“Are you sure?”

Cheng Lu rolled her eyes, even though Xu Xiuwen couldn’t see it.

“Does it even matter whether I’m sure or not? The point is, my parents already know we’re dating, and they want to meet you.”

“You already admitted it?”

“Mm.”

“Why didn’t you just deny it?”

“If my mom is asking me directly, that means she’s already certain. Denying it would be pointless. She could just come to the school and ask around to confirm.”

“Sigh.”

Xu Xiuwen let out a long sigh. “So what now? Can I avoid meeting them for now?”

“What do you think?”

“But I’m not ready yet. This is too sudden.”

“I know it’s a bit sudden, but an ugly daughter-in-law has to meet her in-laws sooner or later. Didn’t you say you wanted to marry me? Just think of this as an early family introduction.”

“Alright.”

Xu Xiuwen knew he had no choice but to agree.

This was different from meeting the parents of An Shishi and Tang Weiwei.

Cheng Lu’s parents were both government officials.

Parents like that were much sharper than the average person.

Simply put, they wouldn’t be easy to fool.

If he said the wrong thing, they might even find out that he was dating multiple women at the same time.

As for whether Cheng Lu’s parents would think he wasn’t good enough for her?

That wasn’t something Xu Xiuwen even considered.

He figured that with his qualifications, he was ahead of 99% of people in the country.

No matter how high their standards were, they wouldn’t possibly think he wasn’t good enough.

Cheng Lu could hear the hesitation in Xu Xiuwen’s voice.

Thinking he was just nervous, she reassured him, “Don’t be nervous. My parents may be officials, but they’re actually really kind. Just act normal, like you usually do.”

Xu Xiuwen didn’t bother explaining that he wasn’t actually nervous. He just responded with a simple “Mm.”

“What time are Uncle and Auntie arriving tomorrow? Do you need me to pick them up?”

“They’ll arrive at around 9 a.m. You don’t have to pick them up—I’ll go get them and take them to their hotel first. You just find a restaurant, and once they’ve checked in, we’ll head straight there.”

“What kind of food do they like?”

“Mm… my parents like fish. Just find a place that serves good fish, anything else, they’re not picky about.”

“Got it, I’ll take care of it.”

After ending the call with Cheng Lu, Xu Xiuwen quickly went to sleep.

Going to bed early and waking up early would ensure he was in the best condition the next day.

After all, this was his first time meeting Cheng Lu’s parents.

He wanted to leave a good impression.

The Next Morning
His roommates headed to the plaza to help welcome new students from the engineering management department.

Meanwhile, Xu Xiuwen went to a barbershop to get a haircut.

Then, he returned to Jiangning Huayuan to take a shower and change into fresh clothes.

His choice of outfit was deliberate.

Considering that Cheng Lu’s parents were government officials, he opted for a more mature look:

A white dress shirt, dark-colored dress pants, and a pair of black leather shoes.

Dressed like this, he looked at least five years older.

After tidying up his appearance, Xu Xiuwen went to a restaurant near the school.

This restaurant specialized in fish, and fish was their signature dish.

More importantly, the restaurant had a great ambiance.

He booked a private dining room but didn’t order yet, planning to wait for Cheng Lu and her parents to arrive first.

Xu Xiuwen had considered bringing a gift, but given their status and the fact that this wasn’t a formal home visit, he decided against it.

10:30 AM
Xu Xiuwen sent Cheng Lu a message with the restaurant’s name, address, and the private room number.

Half an hour later—

There was a sudden knock on the private room door.

Xu Xiuwen immediately realized that Cheng Lu’s parents had arrived.

He quickly stood up from his seat to greet them.

The next second—

Cheng Lu pushed open the door and walked in.

Her parents followed closely behind her.

Xu Xiuwen took a good look at them.

Cheng Lu’s father was a handsome middle-aged man.

Unlike most men his age, he didn’t have a beer belly.

He was fit, well-proportioned, and exuded a strong presence.

Cheng Lu’s mother was a beauty as well.

She had the same face shape as Cheng Lu, and even their facial features were strikingly similar.

Her overall aura gave off the impression of a professional woman working in a government office.

Cheng Lu, seeing how well-dressed Xu Xiuwen was today, felt quite satisfied.

Her parents also took note of his appearance and attire.

Both his style and his good looks were impeccable—there was nothing to criticize.

Internally, they were quite pleased with him.

Cheng Lu’s father gave Xu Xiuwen a warm smile, appearing very approachable.

Her mother, on the other hand, was different.

Although she also smiled at him, she still carried an air of authority.

Xu Xiuwen quickly greeted them.

“Hello, Uncle Cheng. Hello, Auntie Qin.”

Cheng Lu’s father smiled and said, “You must be Xiao Xu?”

“Yes, Uncle Cheng.”

“Hehe, today is just a casual chat. No need to be nervous.”

“Got it, Uncle Cheng.”

Seeing this, Cheng Lu quickly spoke up, “Dad, Mom, don’t just stand there—sit down first.”

“Alright.”

The four of them then took their seats.

Of course, the main seats were given to Cheng Lu’s parents.

Xu Xiuwen sat diagonally across from them, with Cheng Lu in the middle.

As soon as he sat down, he immediately stood back up, picked up the menu, and said, “Let’s order first. Uncle Cheng, Auntie Qin, is there anything in particular you’d like to eat?”

Xu Xiuwen handed over the menu.

Cheng Lu’s father didn’t say anything, just smiled.

Her mother said, “You go ahead and order. We’re not picky.”

Xu Xiuwen didn’t stand on ceremony and took the menu back to start ordering.

Having a meal with his future in-laws for the first time, even ordering food was a skill.

If he only picked dishes he liked, it would show a lack of awareness.

But if he kept asking for their opinion on everything, he’d seem indecisive.

So, he had to find the right balance.

First, he briefly asked Cheng Lu’s parents about their taste preferences.

Then, he took the initiative to introduce the restaurant’s signature dishes and provided some options.

After getting their responses, he selected one dish based on each of their preferences.

Next, he asked Cheng Lu what she wanted to eat.

Of course, Xu Xiuwen already knew her favorite dishes, but he still went through the motions—this was for her parents to see.

Finally, he casually added two more dishes to complement the meal and ordered two soups.

That made it eight dishes and two soups in total.

It was more than enough for four people—neither too simple nor overly extravagant.

So far, Xu Xiuwen felt he had handled everything perfectly.

The Interrogation Begins
As expected, while they waited for the food, Cheng Lu’s mother initiated the classic mother-in-law interrogation.

Her first questions were about how long he and Cheng Lu had been together and how they got together.

Xu Xiuwen had no idea what Cheng Lu had told them.

He didn’t hide anything or embellish the story—he simply told the truth.

After hearing his explanation, Cheng Lu’s mother seemed fairly satisfied.

Then, she moved on to asking about his family—his parents’ age and workplaces.

The moment she heard that Xu Xiuwen came from a single-parent household and grew up without a father, her expression subtly changed.

Xu Xiuwen noticed but didn’t mind. He continued explaining his family background.

Cheng Lu’s mother was very thorough—even asking about his mother’s family situation.

Xu Xiuwen answered everything in detail.

Then came questions about his upbringing and life experiences.

Again, he answered them one by one.

Throughout this entire process, Cheng Lu’s father remained mostly silent.

It was her mother who did all the questioning.

After responding to a long series of questions, Xu Xiuwen sneaked a glance at Cheng Lu.

She gave him a small nod.

Just then—

Cheng Lu’s mother suddenly asked, “Xiao Xu, what are your plans after graduation?”

Xu Xiuwen answered honestly, “For now, I plan to focus on running my company and the distillery.”

Upon hearing this, Cheng Lu’s mother’s brows immediately furrowed, and her voice rose sharply.

“You plan to go into business? You don’t intend to join the government?”

“Yes.”

Xu Xiuwen still hadn’t realized the gravity of the situation.

But Cheng Lu did.

She quickly jumped in, “Mom, Xiuwen told me before that he’s also interested in politics.”

Cheng Lu’s mother looked at Xu Xiuwen and said, “We have some friends in the General Office. After graduation, we can arrange for you to work there.

Spend two or three years gaining experience, get promoted to a full division-level position, and then you two can get married. What do you think?”

Promotion to full division level in three years?

Hearing this, Xu Xiuwen was a little surprised.

He turned to look at Cheng Lu.

Cheng Lu looked at him nervously, her eyes filled with anticipation.

Xu Xiuwen knew she wanted him to agree.

But he had no interest in a political career.

All he wanted was to make money.

A rigid life within the system held no appeal for him.

Not to mention, his love life was far too complicated—if anyone found out, he’d be doomed.

So, politics was never an option for him.

Xu Xiuwen said, “Auntie, I really don’t want to go into politics. I just want to focus on building my business.”

Hearing this, Cheng Lu’s mother looked visibly disappointed.

The smile on Cheng Lu’s father’s face also faded.

The atmosphere in the private dining room suddenly turned cold.

Xu Xiuwen glanced at Cheng Lu.

She shot him a glare, her eyes filled with disappointment.

Trying to salvage the situation, Cheng Lu quickly turned to her mother and said, “Mom, we haven’t even graduated yet. We can talk about this after we do. I’ll discuss it with him properly.”

Her mother looked at Cheng Lu, then at Xu Xiuwen, before asking, “You said you’re very close to your mother. If you get married, would you be willing to move to Hangzhou?”

Xu Xiuwen immediately understood her intention—

She wanted Cheng Lu to stay in Hangzhou with them.

And if he wanted to marry her, he’d have to move there too.

He knew what she wanted to hear.

But Xu Xiuwen didn’t want to lie to her, and he especially didn’t want to lie to Cheng Lu.

As long as Ning Wanqiu was alive, he wouldn’t move far away from her.

His plan had always been to settle in Jinling.

Jinling was close to Langya—practically next door.

He could go back home anytime he wanted.

It was just an hour’s drive.

If he didn’t want to be far from his mother, there was another option—

He could have Ning Wanqiu move to Hangzhou with him.

But he knew she would never agree.

Her job was in Langya, and all her family and friends were there.

Forcing her to move just for his sake would be selfish.

And he couldn’t bring himself to do that.

So, Xu Xiuwen shook his head and said, “Aunt Qin, I don’t want to lie to you—I don’t want to move to Hangzhou. I plan to live in Jinling in the future.”

The moment he said that, Cheng Lu’s mother’s expression turned ice-cold.

She turned to Cheng Lu and said, “Lulu, it’s not that I don’t want you to be in a relationship. But as a student, your priority should be your studies. I don’t want you to get distracted. I think it’s best if you and Xiao Xu focus on school for now.”

“Mom…”

Cheng Lu immediately caught the meaning behind her mother’s words.

Her eyes began to well up with tears.

Xu Xiuwen understood it too, and he was stunned.

He had expected Cheng Lu’s mother to be displeased when he refused to go into politics or move to Hangzhou.

But he hadn’t expected her to outright suggest that Cheng Lu break up with him—right in front of him.

Trying to fix things, Xu Xiuwen quickly said, “Auntie, being with Cheng Lu hasn’t affected our studies. And even if I don’t go into politics, I can still give her a great life. If you don’t want her to be too far from you, I can buy a house in Hangzhou and visit you often…”

Tears were about to spill from Cheng Lu’s eyes.

She turned to Xu Xiuwen and shouted, “Xu Xiuwen, stop talking!”

Xu Xiuwen didn’t expect Cheng Lu to shout at him.

He was stunned for a moment, feeling somewhat uncomfortable.

But seeing Cheng Lu on the verge of tears, his heart ached, and he immediately stopped talking.

At that moment, Cheng Lu’s father, who had been silent the whole time, finally spoke up.

He looked at Xu Xiuwen and calmly said, “Xiao Xu, don’t be upset. Lulu is our only daughter, and of course, we want her to stay with us in the future. We hope you can understand the feelings of parents.”

Xu Xiuwen remained silent.

Of course, he understood the thoughts of Cheng Lu’s parents.

Which parent wouldn’t want their child to stay with them? Xu Xiuwen himself didn’t want to leave Ning Wanqiu and had been thinking about staying by her side.

Looking at Cheng Lu’s parents, Xu Xiuwen suddenly understood.

The reason they had come to meet him today wasn’t just as Cheng Lu had said, simply to meet him.

They had most likely already made a decision from the very beginning.

They had intentionally brought up these two issues that were very hard for him to resolve.

It seemed like they were trying to force him to back down.