Rebirth Begins with Rejecting my Childhood Friend-Chapter 452 - If Shui Shui Is Willing.

Xu Xiuwen could tell that An Shishi was no longer angry, so he pulled her into his arms.

An Shishi struggled slightly but couldn’t break free.

After a moment, she gave up and leaned against his chest.

In a soft voice, she asked, “What were you and Shui Shui talking about in the room earlier? Don’t lie to me—I’ll ask her myself later.”

Xu Xiuwen recounted the conversation he had with An Shuishui.

After listening, An Shishi fell silent.

Her gaze softened, returning to the gentle look she usually gave him.

An Shishi said, “You don’t need to give any more money. The money you gave me last time is enough for Shui Shui to go to college.”

“Alright,” Xu Xiuwen nodded.

Then, An Shishi suddenly asked, “You said Shui Shui wants to go to college in Beijing?”

“Yes, she told me herself. Why do you want her to go to Jinling? Is it because you want her to stay close to you?”

An Shishi shook her head.

“That’s only part of it. The main reason is that if she comes to Jinling, I can take care of her. And with you here, if anything happens, she’ll have someone to rely on. If she goes to a faraway city like Beijing, she’ll be all alone, and if something goes wrong, there won’t be anyone familiar to help her.”

Xu Xiuwen fell silent after hearing this.

No matter how flirtatious or manipulative An Shishi could be in front of him, when it came to her sister, she was a responsible and caring elder sister.

She even thought about the difficulties An Shuishui might face in the future.

Her earlier concern about him having inappropriate thoughts about Shuishui also stemmed from her protective instincts as a sister.

At this moment, Xu Xiuwen felt more clear-headed.

He already had someone like An Shishi—a lover who was low-maintenance and didn’t fight or make demands—yet he had been foolish enough to entertain thoughts about her younger sister.

It was indeed crossing the line.

Xu Xiuwen said earnestly, “I’m sorry, Shishi.”

“Why are you apologizing?”

“I...” Xu Xiuwen found it hard to put into words.

An Shishi seemed to realize what he wanted to say and suddenly burst into laughter.

“Actually, if Shui Shui is okay with it, I don’t really mind.”

“Huh?”

Xu Xiuwen froze, unsure of what she meant by that.

“You’re such an idiot,” An Shishi said with a light laugh before turning to go back to the kitchen to help out.

Xu Xiuwen watched her retreating figure, his mind in turmoil.

What did she mean by “if Shui Shui is okay with it, I don’t mind”?

Was she implying that she didn’t care if he pursued Shuishui?

For a moment, Xu Xiuwen couldn’t tell if she was joking or not, but her tone didn’t sound like a joke.

By this time, the banquet was about to begin.

Three tables in the courtyard were already laden with various dishes.

Xu Xiuwen decided to put aside his thoughts and focus on hosting.

He knew An Shishi had a father, but after being there half a day—long enough to even take a nap—there was still no sign of him.

It was unclear where An Shishi’s father was off wandering, but Xu Xiuwen didn’t care.

Since there were no other men at home, it was only natural for Xu Xiuwen to step up and help entertain the relatives and friends.

He went around offering cigarettes to the men, chocolates to the kids, and candies and sunflower seeds to the women.

Xu Xiuwen noticed that when the men smoked, they were reluctant to take big puffs and instead smoked slowly, savoring it.

After chatting with the uncles and older men for a while, he was soon surrounded by the aunts and older women.

The group of middle-aged women began bombarding Xu Xiuwen with questions about his family background.

He had just gone through a similar situation at Tang Weiwei’s house, so by now, he was well-prepared.

Calm and composed, he introduced his family and then focused on describing his film production company and his winery.

When the women heard that Xu Xiuwen had started his own company and bought a winery at such a young age, they were all stunned, as if listening to a story.

Someone quickly asked how he and An Shishi met and got together.

At that moment, An Shishi walked over, carrying a plate of food. She looked at Xu Xiuwen with wide, curious eyes, eager to hear how he would respond to the relatives and elders.

Xu Xiuwen answered confidently, “Shishi and I didn’t attend the same university. My roommate and her roommate were a couple, so we had a meal together during the start of the semester. That’s when I fell for Shishi at first sight. I pursued her for an entire semester, and it was only a few days before winter break that she finally agreed to be with me.”

Hearing this, An Shishi couldn’t help but smile.

She clearly remembered that meal at the start of the semester. Back then, Xu Xiuwen hadn’t even looked at her.

Love at first sight? He made it sound so believable.

As for him chasing her for a whole semester...

An Shishi felt a tinge of sadness. If only that had been true.

But the reality was that she had been the one to pursue him, even going so far as to drug him so they could end up together. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have had much of a chance to get close to him.

Xu Xiuwen was a man she had handpicked herself.

From the very first day they got together, An Shishi had no regrets.

And to this day, she still had no regrets—if anything, her feelings for him had grown deeper.

During this trip home, Xu Xiuwen didn’t act superior just because she was “only” his mistress.

On the contrary, he brought plenty of gifts for her family and treated her relatives and friends with warmth and respect, giving her face in front of everyone.

Now, all An Shishi wanted to do was repay Xu Xiuwen for his kindness.

The only way she could think of was to serve him wholeheartedly in bed.

Just the thought of it made her blush.

Sometimes, even she was surprised by her own boldness and passion.

Before meeting Xu Xiuwen, she had rarely been this daring or uninhibited.

…

Meanwhile, Xu Xiuwen continued chatting with the elders.

The more they learned about him, the more they envied An Shishi.

Many of the relatives felt that An Shishi had hit the jackpot by finding a boyfriend like Xu Xiuwen.

But they also realized the reason she had this opportunity was because she was a college student.

Only by leaving this small village and going out into the world could she meet someone as outstanding as Xu Xiuwen.

Several parents with daughters silently vowed to encourage their children to study hard and go to college.

They hoped their daughters could also find a “golden catch” like An Shishi and bring prosperity to the entire family.

What Xu Xiuwen didn’t realize was that his relationship with An Shishi.

The changes in An Shishi’s family indirectly transformed the outdated mindset in Liu Family Village, where many believed that girls didn’t need much education or could drop out after a few years.

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Now, many of the parents with daughters felt that as long as their daughters got into college, they could also meet an exceptional boyfriend like Xu Xiuwen when they ventured out.

Parents with sons were even more motivated. They believed that if their sons went to college and moved to the city, they too could hit the jackpot like An Shishi and achieve great success.

In the years that followed, children from Liu Family Village were consistently getting into college.

The village quickly became famous and was eventually recognized as the “University Village” of Guilin.

Decades later, as successive generations of children left and some made a name for themselves, they began to give back to their hometown.

Liu Family Village flourished, far surpassing neighboring villages in development.

—

Soon, it was time to start the feast.

Xu Xiuwen brought out the new liquor he had brought with him.

The simple rural villagers were astonished as they examined the exquisite packaging and bottles. They had never seen such fancy liquor before.

When Xu Xiuwen revealed the price, they were even more shocked.

It was easy for them to accept a single conclusion: the liquor Xu Xiuwen brought was high-end.

And why wouldn’t it be? At 400 yuan per bottle, it was equivalent to an entire month’s expenses for many families—or even more.

When Liu Ruo learned that the liquor cost 400 yuan a bottle, she felt a pang of distress in her heart.

But outwardly, she didn’t show the slightest sign of hesitation or regret.

That night’s feast had been a grand affair.

Liu Ruo had invited many relatives and friends—not just for dinner but also to give everyone a chance to “screen” Xu Xiuwen and give their approval.

Although An’s mother had long accepted him, it was still necessary to go through this social process with the relatives.

The invited guests understood Liu Ruo’s intentions.

At the table, as the new son-in-law visiting from afar, Xu Xiuwen naturally didn’t get a moment’s rest.

He was either making rounds to toast everyone or actively pouring drinks.

From start to finish, An Shishi stayed by his side.

In the afternoon, when An’s mother introduced the relatives, Xu Xiuwen noticed something odd:

Almost all the relatives present were on the mother’s side—Liu Ruo’s siblings, uncles, and elders.

There wasn’t a single relative from the father’s side.

Was Father An an only child? That would certainly be unusual.

—

When it came time to toast the third table, Xu Xiuwen was still going around offering drinks.

Everyone responded cheerfully—except for one man who was a few years older than him.

Not only did the man refuse to drink, but he also let out a loud, displeased snort.

“This liquor isn’t fit for people. It’s meant for pigs.”

Xu Xiuwen had already had quite a bit to drink, but his mind was still clear.

With just one sentence, he could tell this man wasn’t targeting the liquor—it was clearly directed at him.

An Shishi reacted even faster than Xu Xiuwen.

Her expression instantly turned cold.

“Huang Luo, everyone else can drink it, but you’re the only one who can’t? If you can’t drink it, then go home. Don’t stay here stirring up trouble—this isn’t your house.”

Her tone was icy and sharp, leaving no doubt that she was angry.

Xu Xiuwen was taken aback.

The wine was from Guangming Brewery, and it was brought by him.

He wasn’t even angry yet, but An Shishi was the first to lose her temper.

Xu Xiuwen quickly smiled, intending to soothe An Shishi and tell her he didn’t mind.

At this moment, Huang Luo suddenly stood up and shouted, “Shishi, is this how you talk to your cousin? Do you even regard me as your cousin anymore?”

The people nearby hurried to pull Huang Luo back, but he ignored them entirely.

“If you spoke nicely, of course I’d call you cousin. But if you keep nitpicking and causing trouble, don’t blame me for not giving you face,” An Shishi retorted.

Huang Luo thought An Shishi would back down.

Unexpectedly, she didn’t, which caught him off guard.

All the relatives around were watching. He suddenly felt a little embarrassed.

An Shuishui, who had been in her room all along, seemed to hear the commotion and came out.

She walked over and asked, “Sister, why are you arguing?”

Huang Luo turned his head upon hearing her, and when he saw An Shuishui approaching, a lecherous glint flashed in his eyes.

“Shuishui, you came just in time. Your sister has grown bold and doesn’t even want to call me cousin anymore. Are you planning to follow her example and not acknowledge me either?”

Hearing Huang Luo’s words, An Shuishui’s face turned a little pale.

After hesitating for a few seconds, she softly called, “Cousin Huang Luo.”

“Shishi, your sister is more sensible than you! What kind of older sister are you?” Huang Luo said smugly.

An Shishi pulled An Shuishui behind her. “Shuishui, don’t bother calling him. Someone like him doesn’t deserve to be a cousin.”

“You!” Huang Luo was instantly enraged, gritting his teeth in anger.

At that moment, Mother An also heard the commotion and came out from the kitchen.

“What’s going on?”

When Huang Luo saw Mother An, he sneered.

He suddenly said to her, “Aunt Liu, you came at the right time. There’s something I want to ask you.”

“What is it, Xiao Luo?”

“Shishi thinks she’s all that now and doesn’t even respect us relatives anymore. If she looks down on us so much, why bother inviting us to dinner tonight? We don’t need this meal!”

Huang Luo was cunning, subtly tying himself to the other relatives.

Some relatives were easily swayed and immediately looked displeased.

Huang Luo’s father, who was Mother An’s cousin, also stood up from another table and said, “Liu Ruo, how did you raise your daughter? She goes off to college and now doesn’t even know how to respect her elders? Xiao Luo is her cousin, yet she treats him like this! Say something! Are you going to discipline her or not? If not, let’s cut ties from now on.”

Faced with Huang Luo and his father’s accusations, Liu Ruo was momentarily at a loss.

Huang Luo was targeting An Shishi, and An Shishi was Xu Xiuwen’s woman. Normally, Xu Xiuwen would stand firmly by her side and defend her to the end.

But the situation was complicated.

This wasn’t just about An Shishi—it involved Mother An as well.

Xu Xiuwen could certainly lose his temper and even kick Huang Luo out.

However, Mother An still had to live here in the future.

They were all relatives, constantly running into each other.

If their relationship was completely ruined, it would be difficult to mend.

An adult wouldn’t lose their temper so easily—they’d weigh the pros and cons first.

Xu Xiuwen thought for a moment and decided to play the peacemaker.

He suddenly smiled and said, “Cousin Huang Luo, right? Shishi misspoke just now. How about this—I’ll apologize to you on her behalf.”

“Honey, don’t~” An Shishi immediately panicked.

It was obvious that Huang Luo was the one intentionally causing trouble.

Yet Xu Xiuwen was apologizing to him, making it seem like they were the ones in the wrong.

An Shishi felt helpless and guilty.

Xu Xiuwen quietly squeezed her small hand, signaling her to stay silent—he had it under control.

An Shishi understood his intention, and her heart warmed.

She knew full well that Xu Xiuwen was doing this for her and her family.

“Apologize? Sure, let’s see how sincere you are,” Huang Luo said meaningfully.

Xu Xiuwen caught the hint in his words.

He poured himself a glass of liquor, raised it, and said, “Cousin Huang Luo, I’ll use this glass of wine as an apology. If you’re okay with that, I’ll down it in one go.”

“Fine. Drink it, and we’ll let this matter go,” Huang Luo said indifferently.

Hearing this, Xu Xiuwen decisively drained the glass of liquor in one gulp.

The high-proof alcohol burned his throat like fire, making him feel a surge of heat.

He quickly picked up a pair of unused chopsticks and grabbed a few bites of food to eat, easing the discomfort somewhat.

Seeing Xu Xiuwen drink the wine, everyone thought the issue was resolved.

The relatives present all breathed a sigh of relief.