Rebirth to Save Myself

Su Xia understood Lu Lu's dilemma. Besides her cannibalistic parents, Lu Lu had no one to rely on. Unlike Su Xia, even if she escaped the Su family, at least the Chen family would take her in and treat her like their own daughter. Imagine if it were Su Xia in her previous life; she would definitely have been just as conflicted as Lu Lu. She couldn't bear to part with family ties, yet she couldn't sever her own interests.

“Lu Lu, if you let your parents do nothing, your mother will come to the school again. This time we scared her and made her back down temporarily, but what about next time? What if she puts up a banner at the school saying you are unfilial and have bad character? Even if the teachers and classmates believe you at first, what will happen later?” Su Xia explained to Lu Lu word by word.

"What should I have done then? What should I have done?"

“School is a place for learning. If your parents keep making a fuss, the school might decide to make you deal with your parents in order to suppress the matter. School leaders will also consider your scholarship because of your parents’ situation, or even punish you, because not everyone is patient enough to understand your past. They only care about what they hear and see. Your parents have a preconceived notion, and everyone will choose to listen to them.”

"No, no, I don't want this to happen. Su Xia, please help me. Your situation is similar to mine. How did you handle it?"

“I cut off all ties. As I said before, I didn’t let them know where my university was, I blocked them on WeChat and by phone, and I’m not going back to my hometown. My household registration was transferred out when I went to university, and now that I’m over 18, they have no custody rights over me.”

"If you don't have parents, you're not alone."

"So, do you want to be alone or with those awful parents?"

"Can I really get rid of them completely?"

"It depends on your determination."

"let me consider it."

"it is good."

The final exams were coming up, and even Ye Zhenzhen, who usually had a lot of fun, stayed in her dorm to study. The teacher also announced that the school would not be allowing students to stay overnight during the winter break, and everyone would have to go home.

"Ah, I can go home for the New Year after the exam!" Ye Zhenzhen stretched and looked forward to the holiday.

"Yes, Lin Zhe and I have already bought our tickets home," Chen Wanying said.

"Xiaxia, how are you going to get back?" Ye Zhenzhen asked. Su Xia was in a southern city, quite far from Hunan.

"I need to go to Nanjing to find my sister first, and then we'll go back together," Su Xia said, looking up from her book.

"Oh, you mean that older sister from Nankai University?" After a semester, Ye Zhenzhen understood Su Xia's family relationships.

"Yes! Where's Lu Lu?" Su Xia asked casually.

"I found a job during the winter break, with room and board included." Lu Lu was no longer as aloof as when they first met, and they chatted together.

"Wow, you're working so hard! Aren't you going home for the New Year?" Ye Zhenzhen was also a little curious. It was one thing to work part-time, but it was strange not to go home for the New Year!

"I'm not going back." Lu Lu was afraid that if she went back, she wouldn't be able to come back, so it would be good for her to stay outside, find a job, and earn money!

"It would be great to make money!" Su Xia immediately said, then added, "I'm just too greedy for enjoyment; I can't endure hardship like Lu Lu!"

“Yes, Lu Lu is amazing!” Chen Wanying nodded as well. She had wanted to take a part-time job before, but Lin Zhe refused.

"I really admire you!" Ye Zhenzhen gave Lu Lu a thumbs up.

"No, no." Lu Lu waved her hand. She didn't want to take on the part-time job herself; she was forced to because of it.

On the other hand, Chen Jianguo's mother called him repeatedly because he hadn't come home for Chinese New Year, saying that he must come home this year or she would come to the provincial capital to find him.

"I'm not going back, I don't have time."

"If you're too busy, then I'll come find you with these old bones of mine."

"Why are you looking for me? I don't have a room for you."

"You bought such a big house, but your parents don't even have a room? That woman from another family has a room. I'll give her room to you, I won't mind."

“Xiaxia is not some outsider; she is my daughter.”

"She's a daughter, are you confused! Chen Yuan is your only biological daughter. You were asked to have another child but you didn't, and now you only have a daughter. What will happen when they all get married and there's no one to carry on the family line?"

"What are you going to do? You've ruined Chunqi's health, how can she have a baby?"

"Then just divorce her and find someone younger. You're so rich, you're not afraid of not finding someone."

"What do you mean by 'take a break'? Are you still living in the Qing Dynasty?!"

"How dare you talk to your mother like that!"

"That's how I talk. Take it or leave it. I'm busy, bye."

"Hey, hey, this little brat, he just hangs up like that."

Then Chen Jianguo's mother called Chen Chunqi, but Chen Chunqi glanced at the phone and let it ring for a long time until the other end hung up. She didn't want to answer the phone; it would just be a barrage of insults, and she wasn't going to listen to someone hurling abuse at her.

Chen's mother acted immediately, having her eldest son buy a train ticket to the provincial capital. She refused to believe that Chen Jianguo would abandon her.

Chen Jianguo received a call from his older brother, who said, "Second brother, Mom insists on going to the provincial capital to find you, and we can't stop her. She won't answer our calls now; you have to call her directly. Mom is getting old, and it's not a good idea to leave her alone in the provincial capital!"

"You know Mom is getting old, yet you still let her go out alone?"

"Well, Mom just misses you. She hasn't seen you for years."

"Miss me? I think she misses my money. Tell the old lady I don't have time for any mother-son sentimentality, and tell her to go back on her own."

"Mom has no money on her, how will she get back?"

"Just go back the way you came, it's that simple."

"How could you be so heartless? You've done enough for Chen Yuanzhen all these years. Besides, Chen Yuanzhen didn't get lost; she grew up perfectly well."

“Brother, if Chunqi and I hadn’t been searching for her, what would have become of Yuanyuan? You all only thought about how I had money and tried to curry favor with me, but you never thought that she was my only daughter. If she were gone, what would be the point of me earning all this money?”

"But you still have your nephews."

"You're overthinking it. I won't give my assets to you and your brother's son. Even if I donate it all, I won't leave you a single penny." Chen Jianguo hung up the phone immediately after saying that. Although Chen Yuan is all grown up now, his hands and feet still feel cold when he recalls the time he learned that Yuan Yuan was missing.

Seeing that her eldest son couldn't persuade Chen Jianguo, Chen's mother called him herself and said, "If you don't come to pick me up, I'll go to the police station and have the police take me to your house."

"Mom, if I call you Mom, you should be grateful and pack your things and go home yourself."

"You're threatening me, aren't you? Fine, you just wait,"

True to her word, Chen's mother immediately went to the nearest police station and said she was lost and didn't know where her son lived. To verify, the police called Chen Jianguo: "Hello, this is XXX Police Station. There is an elderly person here who says they are lost."

Chen Jianguo was speechless when he heard the policeman's voice on the other end of the phone, and then said, "I'll send someone over to pick him up right away."

Chen's mother thought Chen Jianguo had given in, but Chen Jianguo didn't even show his face and had someone take her to a hotel. Of course, Chen's mother was not happy about this and started making a scene in the hotel lobby: "I want to see Chen Jianguo. I won't get up unless he comes to see me."

The assistant called Chen Jianguo with difficulty and asked, "Mr. Chen, the old lady insists on seeing you. She's already causing a scene in the lobby, and the situation is out of control."

"Give her the phone."

"Okay." The assistant walked over and handed the phone to Chen's mother, saying, "Mr. Chen wants you to take this call."

Chen's mother answered the phone suspiciously and said, "Hello?"

"What do you want?"

“I want to go to your house, and you're letting me stay in a hotel when my mother comes to visit.”

"Okay, you can stay one night and then go back immediately."

"No, I've never lived in a house in the provincial capital before. I want to stay here for a while longer."

"No."

"Then I'll keep making a scene."

"Sure, I'll have the hotel call the police and have them arrested for you."

"Why should I? I haven't broken the law."

"I'll discuss it with Chunqi and then give you an answer. The condition is that you must wait quietly in the lobby, otherwise I'll have my assistant leave."

"You, you, you, you henpecked husband! Is your wife more important than your mother?!"

"My wife is more important. That's all, I'm hanging up now." Chen Jianguo didn't listen and hung up directly to call Chen Chunqi: "Hey, wife, did my mom call you?"

"I called, but she didn't answer. What's wrong with your mom this time?"

“She wants to stay at our house for two days, otherwise she’ll just stay in the provincial capital and never leave.”

"So, what do you want to do?"

"Of course I'm asking for your opinion. I'll listen to whatever you say."

"What if I said we'd send your mother back to the countryside tonight?"

"no problem."

"Yuanyuan and Xiaxia are coming back today, aren't you going to pick them up?"

"Go ahead and pick me up. I was just about to go back and get you."

"Alright, I'll pack up and we'll go together. Your mother can stay there for now, we'll talk about it when Yuanyuan and the others pick her up."

"Okay, okay, I'll set off now."

Because Chen Jianguo hadn't given a definite answer, Chen's mother didn't dare to make a big scene, lest it backfire. So she waited in the hotel lobby with her assistant, occasionally directing the assistant to give her food and drinks, and even asking for a leg massage.

The assistant, of course, was acting on Chen Jianguo's behalf and didn't show much respect to Chen's mother; the leg-massaging service was naturally not offered. He even told Chen's mother, "My salary is paid by President Chen, not by you."

“That’s my son, I’m his mother, what’s his is mine.”

"Then give me my salary, and I can serve you."

"How much do you earn?"

"Fifteen thousand."

"What? You want 15,000 for your lousy assistant? Jianguo must be crazy. I'll have to talk to him about this later. He's wasting his own money. He'll be in big trouble when he runs out of money."

The assistant listened but ignored her. Even the boss didn't value his own mother; when she was waiting for him at the police station, he only sent his assistant. If they were closer, he would have gone to pick her up and taken her home long ago. Now, he still sent his assistant to take her to a hotel. Anyone with eyes could see that.

Su Xia, Chen Yuan, and Chen Wenwei all flew back. As soon as they landed, they saw Chen Jianguo and Chen Chunqi. Chen Meili had originally planned to come too, but there wasn't enough space in the car, so she asked Chen Chunqi to bring her son along. Chen Meili's house is now renovated and she's moved in. She and her husband run a snack business in the provincial capital, and their lives are getting better and better.

"Dad, Mom, we're back!" Chen Yuan dropped her luggage and rushed over to give him a bear hug.

“You haven’t been back for a whole semester!” Chen Chunqi affectionately patted Chen Yuan’s head, then said to Su Xia and Chen Wenwei, “Let’s get in the car together, we’ll take Wenwei home first.”

"Thank you, Auntie!" Chen Wenwei was quick-witted and helped Chen Jianguo put the luggage in the car. Then the three of them sat in the back seat together.

"Mom, I want to eat your braised pork ribs tonight," Chen Yuan said to Chen Chunqi in the passenger seat, patting the back of the driver's seat.

"Mom's not in the mood to cook today, so let's just have Auntie's cooking for dinner." Chen Chunqi was still thinking about how to solve her mother's problem, so she had no mood to cook.

"Huh? Why? Did your daughter's return upset you?" Chen Yuan looked at Chen Chunqi with a dejected expression.

“Don’t blame your mother, it’s your grandmother’s fault. She came all the way to the provincial capital and refuses to go back, insisting on staying at our house. If we don’t let her stay, she’ll go to the police station to find the police,” Chen Jianguo said as he drove.

"Oh, why did she suddenly come?" Chen Yuan also looked puzzled. She had rarely contacted her grandmother since her family moved to the provincial capital.

"Isn't it because your dad is successful and rich now that he's trying to get close to you and enjoy the benefits?" Chen Chunqi said dismissively, unable to think of any other reason.

"Have you come up with a solution yet?" Su Xia asked.

"My idea is to bring her to my house and have her stay in the guest room for one night, and then send her back to her hometown tomorrow," Chen Jianguo said, glancing at Chen Chunqi's expression beside him.

"What about Mom? Does she agree?" Chen Yuan turned to ask Chen Chunqi.

“What can I do if I disagree? She just won’t leave.” Chen Chunqi was also annoyed, but there was nothing he could do. His mother was disregarding her son and insisted on making a scene, especially since Chen Jianguo’s company headquarters was in the provincial capital. If other business partners found out, they might do something underhanded.

"So, are we going to pick up Grandma now?" Chen Yuan asked another question.

"Send Wenwei home first, then have the assistant bring her over." Chen Chunqi made the final decision.

"it is good."

When Chen's mother learned that Chen Jianguo had agreed to let her come to their home, she was overjoyed, as this method had indeed worked.