Rebirth: My Reclusive Husband Helps Me Get Revenge!-Chapter 25: I’m ready to let it go

Lixue stripped out of her sleepwear and stepped into the bathroom, letting the warm water cascade over her. Her mind replayed the exchange with Mo Ran. He had always been shameless, but the way he had spoken this morning—his mix of playfulness and seriousness—made her uneasy.

"What’s his game?" she muttered to herself as she rinsed the shampoo from her hair. "One moment he’s infuriating, and the next... he’s almost considerate."

She shook her head, trying to brush off the lingering thoughts. She had bigger things to focus on—revenge against the Yu family, rebuilding her life, and ensuring she was never used or discarded again.

Fifteen minutes later, she emerged from her room, dressed in a simple yet elegant black blouse and fitted slacks. Her damp hair was pulled into a sleek bun, and a touch of gloss highlighted her lips. She wasn’t about to give Mo Ran the satisfaction of seeing her flustered or disheveled.

As she descended the grand staircase, the smell of freshly brewed coffee and buttered toast wafted through the air. She followed it to the dining room, where Mo Ran was already seated at the head of the table, flipping through his tablet. A spread of food was laid out—steaming dumplings, golden pancakes, scrambled eggs, and fresh fruit.

"You were serious?" she said, taking the seat opposite him.

Mo Ran looked up, a ghost of a smile on his lips. "And you’re late. Twenty minutes turned into thirty."

Lixue raised an eyebrow. "And yet, you waited. How gentlemanly."

Mo Ran chuckled. As he passed a cup of coffee to Lixue, he changed his mind at the last minute and pulled the cup back just as she reached to grab it.

"What gives?"

"You don’t need coffee. You slept well." Reaching for the green tea, he passed it to Lixue and then pushed the dumplings toward her. "Have tea instead; it’s better."

Lixue only gave him a hard stare before picking up her chopsticks.

Mo Ran smiled and closed his tablet, wanting to join Lixue in eating when Auntie Feng rushed in.

"Young Master, Young Master Du is here."

Mo Ran blinked as he placed his chopsticks down. He wiped his mouth and took a sip of his coffee before answering.

"I thought our friendship had ended? Why is he here? Let him come... I bet he’s already on his way to the dining table."

Lixue dropped her own chopsticks, noticing how Mo Ran’s expression had changed.

Who was this Young Master Du, and why did his name have so much effect on Mo Ran?

It didn’t take long for her question to be answered as a tall, stylish man walked into the room.

He was just as handsome as Mo Ran, but Mo Ran was slightly better.

"Having breakfast without me, Mo Ran? How mean can you actually get?"

Auntie Feng pulled a seat for Du Chen. As he sat down, he turned to Lixue and gave her a bright smile.

"It’s an honor to meet you, sister-in-law. You look even prettier in person."

Lixue bowed as she poured him a cup of coffee and passed him a pair of chopsticks before Auntie Feng brought the food.

"It’s a pleasure to meet you. Have some coffee; Auntie Feng’s food is delicious."

Du Chen smiled. He knew that better than she did—he’d been to this house more times than he could count, but coming here, it felt like he didn’t belong enough.

"Auntie Feng’s food is the best. If she weren’t so loyal to the Mo family, I would have brought her to my side."

Mo Ran watched them interact. He thought Du Chen would never talk to him again, so why was he here?

"I’m here to patch things up with my friend. If I didn’t, he’d be a lonely f**k! Fun fact: he hates drinking alone. He’s never had a drink alone... well, maybe up until this moment."

Du Chen smirked. He had been behind the door when Mo Ran came to his house. He had heard everything said that night, but he’d had a prior engagement and couldn’t answer him.

He also realized that night that he wasn’t gay but bi, as he’d spent his first time with a woman that day and had actually liked it.

"Drinking alone is boring, and drinking with your wife is different from drinking with bros."

Lixue’s eye twitched as she stabbed the dumplings angrily. Where did this stray bullet come from?! How did he know she couldn’t hold her liquor?!

"And she has quite the temper too."

Du Chen chuckled. There were three reasons why he had come to see Mo Ran today: he wanted to keep their friendship, to see if Mo Ran was happy, and he wanted to make sure he had really let go of the love he had for Mo Ran.

"You also have a temper, and you’re very petty as well. That’s why you have only one friend."

"..."

Lixue ate her food quickly and stood up from the table. She had a feeling both men didn’t want to say what was on their minds with her there.

"I have to head out by nine. If you want to drop me off, be fast. I’ll be in my room."

Lixue bowed at Du Chen slightly before heading upstairs, she needed to retouch her makeup and maybe get a change of outfit.

In the dining room, Mo Ran sat unmoving, his fingers tapping lightly against the rim of his coffee cup. Across from him, Du Chen leaned back in his chair, a casual pose at odds with the tension radiating between them.

"You’ve got some nerve showing up here," Mo Ran said, his tone calm but cold.

Du Chen’s lips curled into a faint smile. "You say that like you didn’t want me to."

Mo Ran’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t reply.

Du Chen exhaled softly, his gaze drifting to the untouched spread on the table. "Relax, Mo Ran. I’m not here to start a fight."

"Then why are you here?"

"To talk," Du Chen said, meeting his gaze. "To finally say what I didn’t before."

Mo Ran leaned back, his eyes narrowing. "You already said plenty. You made it clear where we stood."

Du Chen’s smile faltered, the bravado in his posture cracking just slightly. "And you made it clear how little that meant to you."

The room fell silent, the weight of unspoken memories pressing down on them both.

"I’m not here to dig up old wounds," Du Chen said finally, his voice quieter. "I’ve thought about this long enough, and I realized I don’t want to carry this anymore. The anger, the resentment—it’s exhausting."

Mo Ran’s expression softened, but his voice remained guarded. "So, what are you saying? You’re ready to forgive me?"

Mo Ran clenched his fists, it wasn’t like had done anything wrong.

Du Chen hesitated, his gaze falling to the table. "Not entirely. But I’m ready to let go."

Mo Ran tilted his head, studying him. "That’s not the same thing."

"No, it’s not," Du Chen admitted, looking up. "I can’t just erase the past, Mo Ran. I can’t pretend everything is fine or that I don’t care. But holding onto it... it’s only hurting me now."

Mo Ran’s shoulders relaxed, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "That’s more than I expected."

Du Chen chuckled dryly, leaning forward. "Don’t let it go to your head. I’m not here to be your friend again. I’m not ready for that, and I don’t know if I ever will be." His voice softened. "But I don’t want to hate you anymore."

Mo Ran didn’t answer immediately, his thoughts flickering to the last time they had spoken, the bitterness that had hung between them like a stormcloud. "I never wanted to hurt you, Du Chen. You know that, right?"

Du Chen gave him a wry smile, though his eyes were tinged with sadness. "Intentions don’t matter when the damage is already done."

Silence stretched between them, the kind that almost felt fragile.

"You seem happy," Du Chen said at last, his voice low. "With her. She seems good for you."

"She is," Mo Ran said quietly.

Du Chen nodded, his jaw tightening slightly. "Then take care of her. Don’t screw it up. Because you seem to always screw up your relationships.."