Rebirth Begins with Rejecting my Childhood Friend-Chapter 448 - Returning to Jinling.

Xu Xiuwen waved at Teacher Lu.

However, the response wasn’t a smile from Teacher Lu.

Instead, Teacher Lu suddenly closed the window, cutting off his view entirely.

Xu Xiuwen: “…”

Seeing this scene, Tang Weiwei burst into laughter.

The girl’s lighthearted laughter echoed through the high school campus, resonating across the grounds where she had spent three years.

Afterward, the two walked side by side toward the school gate.

The sunlight shone directly in their faces.

Tang Weiwei felt incredibly happy and sweet inside.

She wished time could stop at this moment.

But, of course, that was impossible.

When Xu Xiuwen and Tang Weiwei returned to Tang Weiwei’s home village, something felt off the moment they reached the entrance of the village.

When they arrived at Tang Weiwei’s house, Xu Xiuwen noticed a few men standing in front of the clay house’s entrance.

Inside the main house, it was packed with people—mostly women and children.

Xu Xiuwen guessed that these people were probably Tang Weiwei’s relatives.

He also spotted two aunts.

Soon, Aunt Shen began introducing everyone to Xu Xiuwen, leading him around to greet each person.

By the time the round of greetings was over, Aunt Shen didn’t expect Xu Xiuwen to remember everyone right away.

But little did she know, Xu Xiuwen had already memorized everyone’s names and faces.

The men were outside, smoking and chatting, while the women stayed indoors.

Tang Weiwei’s grandmother was there too, chatting with several elderly women who held her hands and kept her company.

Xu Xiuwen went straight back to the bedroom and retrieved a carton of cigarettes from his luggage, handing out packs one by one.

Xu Xiuwen wasn’t stingy. There were five uncles in total, and he gave each of them a pack of Hua Zi cigarettes.

One of the more honest men asked, “These cigarettes aren’t cheap, are they?”

Xu Xiuwen noticed that they were all smoking local, hand-rolled cigarettes that probably cost just one or two yuan per pack.

He smiled and said, “Cheap, cheap, not worth much.”

Hearing this, Aunt Shen chimed in, “These are Hua Zi cigarettes. A pack costs 45 yuan. Giving them to you guys is such a waste.”

The man holding the cigarette trembled when he heard that, nearly dropping it to the ground.

“Forty-five? That expensive?”

Aunt Shen chuckled, “What, did you think it was the same as the cheap smokes you usually have?”

The other men around were just as surprised when they heard the price of the cigarettes.

Immediately, they couldn’t bring themselves to smoke them.

One man, who had already prepared to light his cigarette, quickly put it back into the pack.

Xu Xiuwen found this amusing but understood their reaction.

He opened another pack of Hua Zi and handed out individual cigarettes this time.

Since it wasn’t their own pack, everyone was willing to smoke.

After handing out the cigarettes, Xu Xiuwen went back into the house and took out a big bag of chocolates from his suitcase.

He opened it and gave two pieces to each child.

As for the women, Xu Xiuwen hadn’t prepared anything special.

The men got cigarettes, and the kids got chocolates.

If he didn’t give something to the women, it would feel incomplete.

In Chongqing, women usually run the household, though Tang Weiwei’s family was an exception.

Xu Xiuwen wasn’t familiar with the dynamics of the village yet, but he knew that if he ignored Tang Weiwei’s female elders, it would surely leave a bad impression.

How these women viewed him was hard to say.

Xu Xiuwen’s mind worked quickly, and he soon thought of a way to hand out money without making things awkward.

Instead of directly giving it to the women, he called the children over and gave each of them a red envelope.

Each child received 200 yuan.

In no time, he had handed out 2,000 yuan.

Adding the cost of the cigarettes and chocolates, Xu Xiuwen had spent nearly 10,000 yuan on this visit to Tang Weiwei’s family.

To Xu Xiuwen, it was nothing.

But to the people in this impoverished village, his generosity was remarkable.

Whether they received money, chocolates, or cigarettes, everyone found Xu Xiuwen more and more likable.

Blending in with Tang Weiwei’s uncles and other men, Xu Xiuwen joined their conversations.

Though these men weren’t highly educated, they were honest and down-to-earth.

Xu Xiuwen didn’t look down on them; instead, he enthusiastically chatted with them, creating a warm and harmonious atmosphere.

Tang Weiwei’s grandmother naturally noticed Xu Xiuwen’s efforts.

Though she didn’t say anything, her eyes softened.

Tang Weiwei, on the other hand, watched as Xu Xiuwen bustled about, running in and out.

He was usually so strict and imposing, yet he was willing to adapt for her.

She felt deeply moved.

Evening came quickly.

Tang Weiwei’s grandmother invited everyone to stay for dinner, and this time, they all agreed.

The leftovers from lunch weren’t nearly enough to feed everyone.

Tang Weiwei had to head back to the village entrance to buy more meat.

One aunt brought some vegetables, while another fetched fish and chicken from her home.

Eventually, the dishes for dinner came together.

Tang Weiwei’s uncles also brought out their homemade wine.

The dinner was lively, and Xu Xiuwen drank quite a bit.

By the end of the night, he was drunk and had to be helped to the inner clay house’s bedroom by Tang Weiwei.

As he lay on the bed, Xu Xiuwen could vaguely hear people discussing marriage.

Tang Weiwei soon returned with a bucket of water and helped him wash his feet.

Afterward, drowsiness overcame him, and he drifted off to sleep.

When he woke up, it was already the next morning.

Tang Weiwei had risen earlier than him, as usual.

After getting out of bed, Xu Xiuwen went to the backyard and found Tang Weiwei busy preparing breakfast in the kitchen.

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It was noodles again, this time served with chili.

Simple, but flavorful.

After breakfast, Xu Xiuwen checked the time and decided it was time to leave.

Before he left, Tang Weiwei’s grandmother handed him a large bag of chili peppers.

Although Xu Xiuwen wasn’t fond of spicy food and couldn’t possibly finish so many peppers, he didn’t refuse the old woman’s kind gesture.

He packed the chilies into his suitcase, bid farewell to the grandmother, and headed out with his luggage.

Tang Weiwei followed him silently.

When they reached the edge of the village, Xu Xiuwen stopped and turned to look at her.

Tang Weiwei avoided his gaze, her eyes already glistening with tears.

Xu Xiuwen let go of his suitcase and pulled Tang Weiwei into his arms.

The Chongqing girl, usually so lively and resilient, now trembled slightly in his embrace, overwhelmed by emotion.

For a moment, neither spoke.

The quiet village around them seemed to hold its breath.

After a while, Xu Xiuwen gently let go, his hand lingering on her shoulder.

“Take care,” he said softly.

Tang Weiwei bit her lip and nodded, her tears finally spilling over.

Xu Xiuwen picked up his suitcase again and began to walk away.

Tang Weiwei stood there, watching his figure grow smaller in the distance.

She wiped her tears, knowing this wasn’t a farewell forever.

But in that moment, her heart ached.

As Xu Xiuwen disappeared down the road, Tang Weiwei turned back toward the village, the warmth of his embrace still lingering.

“Why are you crying? Do you really not want me to leave?”

Xu Xiuwen thought Tang Weiwei would shyly deny it.

To his surprise, she admitted it directly this time.

Stammering, she said, “I… I don’t want you to go.”

Tang Weiwei had never been good at lying, and in this moment of parting, she couldn’t even try to hide her emotions.

This wasn’t their first farewell, but the last time, she hadn’t felt this reluctant.

Now, just the thought of Xu Xiuwen leaving made her heart feel like it was breaking.

Xu Xiuwen lowered his head and gently wiped away the tears at the corner of her eyes with his thumb.

Then, he softly kissed her forehead and said with great tenderness, “I don’t want to leave you either. But parting is something we all have to face. Don’t be too sad. When school starts, I’ll come pick you up.”

“Okay,” Tang Weiwei nodded obediently.

Xu Xiuwen let go of Tang Weiwei, picked up his suitcase, and started to leave.

After taking just a few steps, he noticed Tang Weiwei following him again.

He stopped and turned to look at her.

Tang Weiwei sniffled and softly pleaded, “Let me walk you to the main road, and then I’ll go back.”

From the village entrance to the main road was a long stretch of dirt path, the same one they had walked together on their way back that first night.

It was quite far.

Xu Xiuwen didn’t want Tang Weiwei to go back and forth unnecessarily.

But when he saw her red eyes and the pleading look in them, he found himself unable to refuse her.

In the end, Xu Xiuwen decided to let Tang Weiwei walk with him for this final stretch.

He waved her over, and her face immediately lit up with a smile.

Pressing her lips together, she hurried to his side.

When she reached him, Xu Xiuwen gently took her small hand in his large one, holding it tightly as they walked toward the main road together.

They reached the main road, though calling it that felt generous—it was really just a narrow rural road.

No taxis passed through here, and there were no buses either.

To get a ride, you had to arrange it in advance with one of the local drivers.

Xu Xiuwen had already contacted the driver who had taken him to the village before.

Now, the minivan was parked by the roadside, waiting for him.

He released Tang Weiwei’s hand and turned to her.

“Alright, you should head back now.”

Tang Weiwei nodded but stayed rooted to the spot, unwilling to move.

Xu Xiuwen said, “I’m leaving now,” and turned to board the van.

Once inside, the van started up quickly and began driving away.

Through the back window, Xu Xiuwen could still see Tang Weiwei standing there, gazing at him with reluctance etched on her face.

As the van grew smaller and smaller in her view until it disappeared entirely, Tang Weiwei finally wiped away her tears and turned to head back.

When she got home, her grandmother asked, “Has he left?”

Tang Weiwei nodded, then went straight into the clay house bedroom.

This was the room Xu Xiuwen had slept in for the past two days.

It still seemed to carry his scent, making it feel as if he hadn’t really left.

Tang Weiwei sat there, staring blankly at the pillow, her mind already counting down the days until school started.

Just then.

She suddenly noticed a hint of red peeking out from under the pillow.

When she lifted the pillow, she discovered a stash of hundred-yuan bills underneath.

There was also a note with a line of small handwriting:

“There’s not even an egg at home. This money is for Grandma to buy eggs. A reminder to the overly frugal Miss Tang: this is Grandma’s egg money, and you’re not allowed to skimp on it.”

Tang Weiwei couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

Her laughter momentarily eased the sorrow of parting.

She quietly looked at the words on the note and mumbled to herself, “You always call me silly, but I think you’re the silly one. If we just raised a few more chickens, we’d have eggs.”

…

Xu Xiuwen took several transfers to reach Chongyu Station.

From there, he caught a train to Chengdu.

He arrived in Chengdu in the late afternoon, just in time to board the 6:00 train to Jinling.

After an exhausting journey, Xu Xiuwen finally returned to Jinling early on the third morning, at around 5:00 a.m.

From the small rural village back to the city, Xu Xiuwen felt a wave of relief.

While the countryside had fresh air and kind-hearted people, he couldn’t quite adapt to it.

Only in the city could he truly relax.

His car was still parked in the lot outside the train station.

Driving his car, Xu Xiuwen headed straight for Jiangning Garden.

When he arrived, he quietly pulled out his keys and unlocked the door with gentle movements.

The living room was empty.

The kitchen was empty.

An Shishi’s room was empty too.

But Xu Xiuwen wasn’t discouraged.

He slowed his steps and walked to the master bedroom door.

“Creak~”

The door opened softly.

Xu Xiuwen pushed it open and stepped into the master bedroom.

The first thing he saw was An Shishi, sound asleep on the bed.

The air conditioning had been on all night, making the room chilly.

An Shishi was wearing a very alluring nightgown, with only a thin blanket covering her.

Xu Xiuwen initially planned to let her keep sleeping.

But then he remembered that one time when he was hospitalized—

How An Shishi crawled into his bed and nearly made him embarrass himself.

A mischievous idea popped into Xu Xiuwen’s mind.

He glanced at An Shishi, then walked to the foot of the bed and climbed on.

Lifting the blanket from the bottom, he slipped his head under it.

Xu Xiuwen’s original plan was just to tease her and stop there.

But he was soon captivated by the sweet fragrance of her body.

It smelled so good.

He found himself gradually losing control, his actions growing bolder.

An Shishi felt someone touching her.

At first, she thought it was just a dream.

But soon, she realized something wasn’t right.

There was someone!

An Shishi woke with a start.

Instinctively, she raised her leg, ready to kick.

Her pure and precious body belonged to Xu Xiuwen alone.

Not even she would touch herself recklessly, let alone anyone else.

Xu Xiuwen barely dodged her kick.

Hurriedly, he pulled back the blanket and exclaimed, “Shishi, it’s me!”

An Shishi froze when she heard the voice.

She looked carefully and realized it was indeed Xu Xiuwen.

Letting out a sigh of relief, she was about to scold him playfully, but before she could say a word, Xu Xiuwen silenced her with a kiss.

And thus, a battle broke out.

…

At first, An Shishi managed to put up some resistance, but soon, she couldn’t keep up.

She gave it her all but was no match for Xu Xiuwen.

In the end, amidst pleas for mercy, she admitted defeat.

By the time the battlefield was tidied up, an hour had passed.

Xu Xiuwen lay comfortably on the bed, while An Shishi lay contentedly in his arms, her slender, smooth hand gently gliding across his chest.

Xu Xiuwen caught her mischievous hand and warned, “Still daring to tease me?”

“Come on, come on!” An Shishi provocatively challenged him, oblivious to the consequences.

But when she noticed Xu Xiuwen seemed ready to take her up on it, she quickly begged for mercy.

Out of compassion, Xu Xiuwen let her off.

An Shishi asked curiously, “Hubby, isn’t it said that women are supposed to be better at this than men? Why is it that every time, I’m the one begging for mercy first?”

Xu Xiuwen grinned proudly. “Of course! That’s because I’m no ordinary man—I’m strong.”

An Shishi traced little circles on his chest with her fingertip.

“Hubby, you’re like a monster. At first, I could keep up with you, but now I feel like I can’t handle you on my own anymore. Maybe in the future, I’ll need two or three sisters to help me satisfy you.”

No man could resist such flattery, and Xu Xiuwen was no exception.

He burst into hearty laughter.

“Alright, I didn’t sleep well last night. Let me get some rest.”

“Go ahead and sleep.”

“Sleep, my foot!” Xu Xiuwen smacked An Shishi’s round, perky behind.

“How am I supposed to sleep with you moving around like this?”

“Okay, I’ll stop moving.”

Last night’s poor rest, coupled with their “battle,” had left Xu Xiuwen genuinely tired.

He closed his eyes and quickly drifted off to sleep.

In a half-dreaming state, he vaguely felt An Shishi getting out of bed and leaving the room.