Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Truth Revealed (Part One)

My Rebirth Legend (No Pop-Up Ads)

Su Xin truly felt something was off. Ever since today, she realized that my indifference towards her wasn’t simply due to a bad mood, but rather a deliberate act intended solely for her. Watching me at the next table, engaged in lively conversation with Zhang Li, her delicate brows furrowed as she wondered quietly to herself, “What have I done to offend him? I don’t recall ever really speaking to him. Is it wrong to show a little concern, to ask how his weekend was? How could he be so petty? I am a girl, after all—couldn’t he be a little more generous?” The more she thought about it, the more wronged she felt. Her pretty face grew long with grievance; she stabbed a dumpling with her chopsticks and shoved it into her cherry lips, chewing hard, as if what she was eating wasn’t a dumpling, but the very culprit who had made her so angry.

“Su Xin, slow down, there’s plenty more. If it’s not enough, I’ll order more,” said Xia Jianren, gazing at Su Xin’s stunning face, entranced. Even watching her eat dumplings, she was beautiful and captivating. Compared to her, he now found all the women he’d played with before woefully lacking. This only steeled his resolve to pursue Su Xin. With a gentle smile, he continued, “Su Xin, I heard your father is the secretary of the Party Committee in C City? My uncle happens to be the mayor there. Actually, the more I think about it, the more I feel we’re a perfect match—a talented man and a beautiful woman, a union destined by heaven.”

“Pfft…” Su Xin, who had been glaring at me while fiercely biting into her dumpling, nearly bit her own tongue at Xia Jianren’s words. Stifling her laughter, she quickly took a sip of water, coughed twice, and then, composing herself, said, “Well, Xia, honestly, matters of the heart aren’t decided by fate and destiny. It’s not simply about being a talented man and a beautiful woman. That… what nonsense. Anyway, whether we’re a match is beside the point. What matters is, I don’t really know you at all, understand?” She wanted to add that while a talented man and a beauty might be an ideal match, Xia Jianren clearly didn’t qualify as the former—if anything, he was barely a playboy.

Xia Jianren listened in confusion, not grasping most of what Su Xin was saying, but her final sentence was perfectly clear. He immediately retorted, “So you know Xiao Qiang so well that you can be with him? Why won’t you give me a chance? In the past, Xiao Qiang always monopolized you. Now I’ve finally scared him off—can’t you give me a chance?”

“What? Scared off? What did you do to him?” The word “scared” caught Su Xin’s ear like a sharp thorn. She pressed on, “Xia Jianren, explain yourself—what did you do to him?”

“N-nothing…” Xia Jianren realized he’d misspoken and hastily tried to change the subject. “Su Xin, what’s so great about that poor kid anyway? Why are you always so concerned about him? Did you not see how he treated you today? How can you still care for him? Don’t tell me you like him?”

The mere mention of the word “like” made Su Xin’s face flush scarlet and her heart beat wildly. There was a distinct confusion in her eyes. “Do I like him? Do I really like him? No, that can’t be right. We’re friends, of course I care about him! But… why do I feel so anxious and wronged just because he’s being cold to me? Have I really fallen for him? How is that possible? He’s an undisciplined slacker with no ambition. And besides, we’ve only known each other for such a short time. How could I…” The more she thought, the more embarrassed she felt, and the more she sensed the possibility was real. Her entire body began to tremble slightly, her strength slipping away. “Is this what it feels like to like someone? Have I really fallen for him?”

Seeing Su Xin’s shy, blushing face, Xia Jianren was now certain she had feelings for me. Jealousy flared in his heart as he coldly snorted, “Su Xin, you don’t have to blame yourself. You only like him because you don’t know his true colors. Listen, on Friday, I got a few of my buddies and we gave him a real beating. You should’ve seen him—pathetic, begging for mercy as I stomped on him. He even said he’d never be with you again, that it was all just a game. See? He’s terrified now—he can’t even hold on to the girl he likes. Is a man like that really worth your affection? If it were me, even with a gun to my head, I’d never waver! For the woman I love, I’d risk everything without a second thought!” He boasted shamelessly about his “victory,” partly to make Su Xin look down on me, and partly to show off his own supposed greatness.

“What did you say!!” Su Xin shot up from her chair, her voice shaking. “You… you actually got people to beat up Xiao Qiang? Xia Jianren, you’re nothing but a thug!”

“I… Su Xin, listen to me…” Now Xia Jianren was truly flustered. He’d thought Su Xin would blame me after hearing this, but it never crossed his mind that a spoiled high school girl would be horrified, rather than impressed, by a group ganging up on one person.

“Enough! Xia Jianren, from today on, I am ashamed to call you a classmate! You’re nothing but a spoiled, degenerate brat!” Furious, Su Xin flung her sleeve and stormed out, leaving Xia Jianren fuming as he turned and marched straight toward me.

“Damn it! Xia Jianren may be a bastard, but Xiao Qiang is even worse! What does he take me for? Am I just some object to be tossed aside or given away at will? No wonder he’s been cold and yelled at me today—turns out he’s trying to get rid of me! Despicable and shameless! So he’s just a womanizer after all. I was right to reject him. He’s not worth my affection!”

Quivering with rage, Su Xin stormed over to the table where Zhang Li, Wang Lili, and I were sitting. Of course, I had no idea what was being said between Xia Jianren and Su Xin. I had just finished a dumpling when I noticed Zhang Li looking behind me as if he’d seen a ghost. Perplexed, I turned my head.

Smack! A crisp, resounding slap landed on my face, leaving a clear imprint of five red fingers. For a moment, I was too stunned to react. When I saw that it was Su Xin standing there, my anger flared; I shot to my feet, ready to roar at her. But when I saw her lovely face streaked with tears, flushed with anger and trembling all over, my heart softened. I grunted coldly, “Miss Su, what are you doing?”

The slap, though hard, was nothing compared to the beating from Xia Jianren and his gang. My wounds had mostly healed after two days, though there was still a faint pain. By now, I was numb to such blows. I just couldn’t fathom what had made Su Xin so angry. But when I caught sight of Xia Jianren’s ashen face at the next table, I began to understand.

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