After Rebirth, I Married My Rival - Chapter 02

Chapter 2 Sworn Brotherhood

« That’s not right, who gives roses for a birthday? » Lin Wan’er’s best friend Xia Ke questioned Xu Yuan with her hands on her hips.

Xia Ke was quite a tough girl; Xu Yuan remembered that back then she had helped him and Lin Wan’er a lot.

During high school, Xu Yuan often got up early to buy breakfast for Lin Wan’er, always using Xia Ke to achieve this.

« Well… » Xu Yuan scratched his chin; this was indeed hard to explain.

Under everyone’s gaze, Xu Yuan took steps toward Lin Wan’er.

Everyone thought the situation was about to take a turn, but to their astonishment, Xu Yuan poured two glasses of wine, handing one to the still dazed Lin Wan’er.

Today, everyone bear witness, Wan’er and I are sworn siblings of different surnames!

« If it gets too much, please don’t say anything. After all, Wan’er is a girl and has a thin skin. » Xu Yuan was also going all out; for something destined to have no result, it should be cut off quickly.

Too explosive! Everyone was stunned on the spot, even the waiters delivering cakes and flowers were dumbfounded.

People in their line of work have seen all kinds of scenes: couples embracing in mutual affection, fights breaking out after rejection, but this kind of on-the-spot sworn sibling bond was truly a first.

“I’m drinking, do as you please!” Xu Yuan didn’t care whether Lin Wan’er agreed or not, he took the initiative to clink glasses, then downed the beer in one gulp.

As the mastermind behind all this, Qi Wei somewhat doubted whether he was drunk and dreaming.

This script isn’t right!

Xia Ke, the strategist on Lin Wan’er’s side, was just as shocked as Qi Wei. She knew Lin Wan’er might not like Xu Yuan, but Xu Yuan definitely liked Lin Wan’er!
« Um… good news, good news. » Liu Hao, the class monitor, cleared his throat slightly to ease the awkward atmosphere.

Today is our last meal before we start university, and it just so happens to be the birthday of our campus beauty, Lin Wan’er.

No matter what, we must drink to our heart’s content!

As the class monitor, Liu Hao’s words carried some weight, and everyone gave him that respect.

Xu Yuan breathed a sigh of relief and found a nearby seat to sit down, coincidentally right next to Li Xinran, who was holding a glass of juice.

The turmoil had finally passed, and everyone began to open up again, chatting about their high school days.

« Li Xinran, at our farewell dinner, you can’t just keep drinking juice, can you? Have a drink, » slurred a slightly drunk boy.

It seemed this guy had some interest in Li Xinran. Even though a top student like Li Xinran didn’t usually pay much attention to her appearance, some boys were still attracted by the aura of a scholar.

When his name, Li Xinran, was called, Mengmeng looked up, pushed up her glasses, and appeared somewhat hesitant, unsure whether to refuse or accept.

« I’ll drink for Xinran! » Xu Yuan said with a smile as he stood up and took the offered glass of wine.

Since he was pursuing Li Xinran, he naturally couldn’t miss this chance to play the hero and save the beauty.

Xu Yuan downed the beer in one gulp. Li Xinran beside him looked up at Xu Yuan and habitually pushed up her glasses. Her intelligent mind seemed to be analyzing the various possible reasons behind Xu Yuan’s action.

« Are you sure you want to drink for her? » The boy just now was momentarily stunned and said.

« Never refuse a challenge! » Xu Yuan wiped the corner of his mouth and thought to himself: Competing with me for someone?

A drinking battle was inevitable.

The classmates at the table felt that the plot was becoming increasingly strange.

Since Xu Yuan gave up Lin Wan’er for the seemingly ordinary Li Xinran?

Lin Wan’er got dumped? This sudden reversal of roles, what’s going on?

Watching Xu Yuan desperately shielding Li Xinran from drinks, Lin Wan’er felt an inexplicable unease in her heart.

She still remembered one time when she had a high fever in the middle of the night, no one was home, so she called Xu Yuan. Xu Yuan carried her and ran three kilometers to the hospital, his feet blistered from the effort.

At that time, Xu Yuan protected Lin Wan’er just like he protects Li Xinran now.

« Wan’er, why are you daydreaming? » Xia Ke quickly noticed that something was off with Lin Wan’er.

« It’s nothing, I was just thinking about how I suddenly have an older brother today, which feels quite strange. » Lin Wan’er smiled, but the smile seemed a bit forced.

« That scumbag Xu Yuan clearly pursued you for three years, so why did he suddenly change now? » Xia Ke said angrily, crossing her arms.

« Coco, actually I’ve always regarded him as a brother, » Lin Wan’er said, shaking Xia Ke’s body.

Indeed, Lin Wan’er had been playing dumb for three years, so it was no wonder Xu Yuan.

Xia Ke sighed. She felt that Lin Wan’er would definitely regret it. The other party had once been ungrateful, taking Xu Yuan’s kindness for granted.

The music ended and the crowd dispersed.

During the three years of high school, everyone had been suppressed for too long, eagerly hoping to graduate as soon as possible and escape early.

But when this day finally came, the reluctance in my heart was something I just couldn’t avoid.

Xu Yuan didn’t know how much he had drunk; he was completely dizzy. His good brother Qi Wei wanted to step forward to support him, but was stopped by a look from Xu Yuan.

Qi Wei shrank his neck, immediately realizing that Brother Yuan was pretending to be drunk, and couldn’t help but mutter to himself: I just can’t figure Brother Yuan out.

Sneaking a glance at Li Xinran, who was about to stand up, Xu Yuan took advantage of the moment and toppled over, falling right into her arms.

« Xu Yuan, are you okay? » Li Xinran supported Xu Yuan and asked softly. After all, Xu Yuan had taken the drink for her, so she couldn’t just ignore him.

« I feel like vomiting, can you take me outside for some fresh air? » Xu Yuan took the opportunity to invite Li Xinran to go out alone.
Li Xinran pushed up her glasses, thought for a moment while sitting down, then helped Xu Yuan out of the private room first.

As they were about to leave, no one else noticed this scene, but Lin Wan’er did. She inexplicably fantasized about what it would be like if she were the one supporting Xu Yuan.
  ……

Jiangcheng, a small coastal city, not particularly wealthy, but overall quite decent.

The streets at night were bustling with traffic, and the shops on both sides lit up their signs to brighten the darkness.

You’re pretending to be drunk.

Xu Yuan was still holding his head, pretending to be so drunk that he was unconscious, but obviously, his disguise was seen through.

Since he was exposed, Xu Yuan simply stopped pretending, stood up straight, and looked at Li Xinran with a smile.

How did you know?

« Your weight is estimated to be around 130 jin. If you were really drunk, I wouldn’t have the strength to support you, » Li Xinran said calmly, still making her signature eye-pushing gesture.

« So you still helped me out? » Xu Yuan couldn’t help but click his tongue in admiration; this woman was difficult to deal with even when she was young.

« This is a matter of probability, or maybe it’s because your body control is amazing, so I don’t feel strained, » Li Xinran said, gazing into Xu Yuan’s eyes.

They had been deskmates for three years, but Xu Yuan’s behavior today was something she had never seen before. That aggressively intense look made her feel very unfamiliar.

The investment industry is tough, and Xu Yuan’s ability to make a mark came from a wolfish nature engraved in his bones, something that even rebirth couldn’t change.

Xu Yuan also did not expect that Li Xinran’s senses would be so sharp. He touched his chin and kept staring at the quiet girl in front of him.

“Why are you staring at me?”

“I’m thinking about how to confess so that you’ll accept my pursuit,” Xu Yuan said with a cheeky smile, looking somewhat like a mischievous little rogue teasing a respectable young lady.

[Investment system successfully bound. A romance project discovered.]

Project target: Li Xinran.

Initial project funding: Ten thousand yuan.

Hearing this, Li Xinran’s pupils dilated, and she involuntarily took a half step back, but soon calmed down: « Breathing steady, pupils natural, limbs relaxed, doesn’t seem like lying.

But I feel like you’re teasing me. »

Xu Yuan’s breathing suddenly became rapid, but it wasn’t because of what Li Xinran said; it was the system notification sound that had just popped into his mind.

He didn’t believe that drinking could make him stupid! This was the golden finger that arrived after his rebirth.

« It’s a bit late to pretend now, but I don’t understand, don’t you like Lin Wan’er? » Li Xinran shook her head, curious about why Xu Yuan had changed so much.

Xu Yuan took a deep breath. The phone he had just put in his pocket vibrated. When he took it out and looked, sure enough, it was a notification of a bank deposit.

« Why aren’t you speaking? » Li Xinran tilted her head.

« From now on, please get ready! » Xu Yuan said with a smile, hands in his pockets.

Ready for what?

« Get ready to be pursued by me, Li Xinran. » Xu Yuan said, reaching out to flick Li Xinran’s forehead.

For this sudden intimate gesture, Li Xinran’s expression was still somewhat numb, not at all like the confident and composed female investor she would become in the future. She touched her forehead and said innocently:
What if I refuse?

« Then until you agree, » Xu Yuan said very seriously.

« Are you serious? Why? » Li Xinran frowned; she felt this person was a bit difficult to deal with.

Because you brought me… good luck.

Xu Yuan hesitated for a moment. His company was about to go public, but inexplicably, he had traveled back to the present. It was like suffering the worst luck imaginable, but now that he had awakened a system, maybe he could grow it bigger and stronger, surpassing his previous glory.

This seemed to be a different kind of good luck.

But my luck is bad.

“How bad could it be?” Xu Yuan shrugged; he never believed in luck.

“Like, that bus just now was the last one for tonight,” Li Xinran said expressionlessly, pointing at the bus that had already left the station.

Xu Yuan scratched his head. Isn’t that a bit too coincidental?
“Then we can just take a taxi!”

  ……

Half an hour later, Li Xinran sat on the bench at the bus stop, swinging her slender legs.

Xu Yuan stood by the roadside, actually believing in this nonsense.

It wasn’t too late yet, just the start of nightlife, but all kinds of vehicles passed by—except for taxis.

At this time, ride-hailing services had not yet become popular, and Jiangcheng did not have this business. If you couldn’t catch a bus, you could only take a taxi.

« I told you, let’s just walk back, » Li Xinran said, seemingly unfazed, trying to comfort Xu Yuan.