Rebirth: Start to Save the Treasure Girl

While Lin Ruoxi was making the bed, Xue Rui walked around the room a few times.

Familiar surroundings have the magic to evoke memories, and can even bring back images that were never noticed before, which is what is known as being moved by a scene.

My fingertips brushed across the old table, where several crooked engravings divided it vertically into two sections.

Xue Rui shook her head and smiled. This was a story from when she and Yao Yao were little. They had a fight and drew a "38th parallel" with a pencil sharpener. They even spent an afternoon measuring it with a ruler, and neither of them could get a millimeter more than the other.

Children are so cute and stubborn; they can argue about a very simple question for days.

My fingers gradually moved upwards, revealing an inexpensive membrane keyboard.

In an instant, Xue Yao in my mind gradually blurred, and the image of Lin Ruoxi with her long hair reaching her waist appeared...

Xue Rui shook his head, wanting to "kick Lin Ruoxi out" because he just wanted to reminisce about the childhood he spent with his sister.

Xue Rui looked up at the yellowed wall, on which hung Xue Yao's yellowed certificates of merit.

Xue Rui didn't care what award his sister won; he only cared that on the day his sister brought home the award to show off, his father would personally cook a better meal for the family.

Yes, this is sweet and sour pork, and the one next to it is braised pork ribs.

This new one looks like it's noodles with shredded pork and green peppers?

New?

Upon closer inspection, Xue Rui realized that the brand-new certificate did not bear the name "Xue Yao," but rather "Xue Rui."

The certificates he received in high school were pasted on by Lin Ruoxi herself...

"Sigh~" Xue Rui pinched the bridge of his nose.

His memories of this room were all jumbled up. Even though he deliberately "kicked" the little girl out, she was like a clingy person, always sticking to his mind.

The good news is that this time, what he can't forget is Lin Ruoxi's smile.

After a few minutes, the chill in the room seeped into Xue Rui's body, causing him to shiver unconsciously.

"Xi Xi, why is the bedroom so cold?" Xue Rui asked, turning his head.

"Rui, you...you just bear with it, no one lives here. I only paid the heat loss fee this year," Lin Ruoxi said haltingly.

"Where's the air conditioner?" Xue Rui searched around for the remote control.

"It, it's broken...it's broken, please don't look for it anymore."

Lin Ruoxi lowered her head and kept fiddling with her fingers.

Xue Rui's expression was strange; Lin Ruoxi's demeanor clearly indicated that she didn't want him to turn on the air conditioner.

Never mind, it's not that cold.

Although the little girl didn't turn on the air conditioner for him, she prepared a very thick double quilt for him, so it will still be warm in bed later.

The little girl doesn't have any grand wishes; she just wants to be in a small space with the person she likes, like a train carriage, the lower bunk of a single bed, or a "secret base" in the corner of the hallway...

They're just using some tricks to get me to play along.

To be honest, Lin Ruoxi can't eat spicy food at all, but she still adds a lot of chili peppers when cooking every day, forcing herself to get used to it...

The reason is simple: he can't live without spicy food.

Since the little girl is so accommodating to him, it's only natural that he should occasionally fulfill her wishes.

Xue Rui put the remote control he was holding back and asked with a smile, "Master Lin, what do you do for a living?"

"Appliance repairman."

Lin Ruoxi became increasingly less confident as she spoke; her lies were too clumsy.

Xue Rui cupped Lin Ruoxi's face in his hands and kneaded it for a while. He asked with a smile, "Xixi, how come our air conditioner is broken?"

"It's...it's broken."

Lin Ruoxi's face was pinched by Xue Rui, making her speech unclear, but the smile in her eyes grew stronger.

Xue Rui had found the remote control, but hadn't even tried it.

Is this trust in me, or indulgence?
A wave of sourness washed over her nose, and Lin Ruoxi hugged the person in front of her tightly, her knuckles turning white as she kept pulling Xue Rui into her arms.

Why are you hugging me?

Xue Rui pulled out one arm and gently stroked Lin Ruoxi's waterfall-like hair. This girl was so easily moved.

"Because your eyes are getting restless, let me hug you to comfort them."

Lin Ruoxi's voice had a slight nasal tone, but it was still gentle and warm, like a spring breeze at noon.

"Alright, alright, get into bed and I'll soothe you gently."

Xue Rui patted Lin Ruoxi's back, then turned around with her in his arms, like two clumsy penguins, wobbling as they moved toward the bed.

Xue Rui took off his shoes and sat on the edge of the bed, letting Lin Ruoxi act as an "attachment" to him.

Lin Ruoxi rubbed her eyes, and a bright smile instantly bloomed on her face. She tiptoed into the blankets, carefully snuggled into Xue Rui's arms, and gently sniffed him.

Xue Rui felt a ticklish sensation in his arms, as if he were holding some kind of furry little animal.

He joked, "Xixi, are you wiping your nose on me?"

"No."

Lin Ruoxi hurriedly poked her head out and pressed her face against Xue Rui's to prove her "innocence".

Lin Ruoxi looked at Xue Rui quietly for a while, but the distance was too close. Her heart was beating faster and faster, and her eyes habitually carried a hint of pleading. Her lips slowly approached Xue Rui.

Xue Rui stared blankly, then suddenly remembered the little girl saying she wanted to buy several bunk beds...

"Xi Xi?" Xue Rui interrupted.

The old lady was right; the little girl should learn what it means to be reserved.

He's fine, but there's something wrong with his children's bed; it's already at its limit if it can only support two people...

Lin Ruoxi quickly stepped back and stuck her head out to breathe in some fresh air.

I've been demanding things from Xue Rui these past few days; it's time for him to get some rest.

Lin Ruoxi tilted her head and fell into deep thought.

Lin Ruoxi cherished every minute of the time she had finally "stolen" to be alone.

She loves Xue Rui, but there are many ways to express love.

For example, someone like Gu Muxue, who chatted with Xue Rui all night long.

Gu Muxue is Xue Rui's childhood sweetheart. Gu Muxue and Xue Rui share childhood memories, but she does not.

We can only talk about the past two years; before that, it's all a blank.

She and Xue Rui are now in different industries and don't go to school together, so they don't have much in common.

Shall we talk about the future?

But will she be a part of Xue Rui's future?

Thinking of this, tears welled up in Lin Ruoxi's eyes.

I'm so useless. All I can do is pester Xue Rui to sleep with me. It seems like I can't do anything else...

Xue Rui felt a chill run down his spine when he heard the sobbing sound beside him.

So what if he refused once? Can't he refuse again?

"Xixi, what's wrong?" Xue Rui asked softly.

"I...I don't want to sleep. I want to stay up all night with you, but I don't know what to talk about with you." Lin Ruoxi's voice choked with emotion.

Xue Rui breathed a sigh of relief; it turned out the little girl was just being sentimental.

"Hmm, we can talk about anything," Xue Rui said, forcing a smile.

He really wanted to add: "Besides the children." But to avoid Lin Ruoxi steering the conversation, Xue Rui said, "Tell me about your recent work achievements? I heard from Ma Dongdong that you've developed some kind of model algorithm. He immediately said it would revolutionize the industry and go down in history. Tell me about it?"

"Hmm, let's not talk about work." Lin Ruoxi shook her head.

Lin Ruoxi had talked to Xue Rui about work before, and Xue Rui fell asleep within five minutes.

Lin Ruoxi was unaware that for a poor student like Xue Rui, "sleeping during class" was a very normal thing. In addition, Lin Ruoxi's voice was naturally gentle, and she unconsciously lowered the end of her voice when speaking to Xue Rui.

Using that tone to utter a bunch of technical terms that Xue Rui couldn't understand was no different from a lullaby.

During class, I felt like I was on sleeping pills, but as soon as the bell rang, I instantly became wide awake...

However, when a struggling student encounters a subject they enjoy, that's a different story.

Lin Ruoxi couldn't attend Xue Rui's "favorite class" today and was unsure how to arrange her schedule.

"Then what do you suggest we talk about? I said I'll listen to you today." Xue Rui said, reaching out and tapping Lin Ruoxi's nose.

Lin Ruoxi looked up at Xue Rui timidly, a smug smile on her face.

It feels so good to be alone with Xue Rui. I don't have to worry about him going to play with Gu Muxue when he's bored.

"How about we talk about your childhood?" Lin Ruoxi leaned against the headboard, opened her arms to Xue Rui, her eyes full of expectation and pleading.

Xue Rui hesitated for a long time, but finally chose to lie down obediently.

Looking up at Lin Ruoxi, her eyes are full of tender doting, and... loving eyes?
Whether it's an illusion or not, Lin Ruoxi looks exceptionally mature from this angle, like a gentle mother looking at her silly son.

Xue Rui frowned; that gaze made him feel very uncomfortable.

To verify whether he had seen wrong, Xue Rui sat up and looked Lin Ruoxi in the eye, his gaze scrutinizing her.

The moment they met eye level, Lin Ruoxi instinctively lowered her body, looking up at Xue Rui with her large, bright eyes, and asked, "Wh...what's wrong?"

Xue Rui shook his head without speaking, choosing to continue lying down and looking up at Lin Ruoxi.

At this moment, Lin Ruoxi was looking at him with a maternal smile.

Xue Rui sighed deeply in his heart. Today he was finally certain that the little girl had two faces.

Moreover, the conditions for opening it are related to his emotions and "posture";
When he was assertive, Lin Ruoxi was the obedient little girl who looked at him with admiration.
When he is in a vulnerable position, Lin Ruoxi becomes an incredibly caring "motherly girlfriend".

Lin Ruoxi murmured, "Rui, Auntie says you're a picky eater. It must be a habit your grandma instilled in you when you were little, right?"

However, Lin Ruoxi didn't think Xue Rui was a picky eater; she just needed to buy him the dishes he liked.

Xue Rui thought for a moment and replied seriously, "My picky eating is a habit I've had since I was born. In fact, this picky eating habit has helped me in some ways."

"How can being a picky eater help?" Lin Ruoxi waited expectantly for Xue Rui's answer.

“I was the first child, so my dad treated me like a treasure and bought me a bunch of high-end milk powder. I remember the brand was Sanlu.” Xue Rui clicked his tongue repeatedly, his tone full of regret.

"Ah? How much...how much did you drink?" Lin Ruoxi was very distressed, as she had heard the news about the tainted milk powder.

Xue Rui chuckled and said, "I won't drink any milk powder. My dad is so angry. He scolded me, saying I'm like a wild boar that can't eat fine chaff."

"How could that be? Breast milk is the best. It contains antibodies that can help boost the baby's immunity." Lin Ruoxi breathed a sigh of relief and patted her chest.

"Xixi, why don't you ask me what happened to those milk powders?" Xue Rui pressed.

"Hmm, how did you handle it?" Lin Ruoxi asked softly.

Lin Ruoxi didn't care where the milk powder went, as long as it didn't end up in Xue Rui's stomach.

Xue Rui suppressed a laugh and said, "Let that domestic pig that can eat bran eat it."

Lin Ruoxi was stunned for a moment, and after a long pause, she slowly asked, "Has Uncle Xue eaten?"

"Yes, he thought I was wasting good food by drinking it all by myself." Xue Rui spread his hands.

"Then... how did Uncle's health improve afterward?" Lin Ruoxi asked with concern.

"He's in great shape."

Xue Rui waved his hand. The fact that he could tell it as a joke meant that Xue Jianfeng was in very good health.

"That's good." Lin Ruoxi smiled and gently kissed Xue Rui's forehead.

Xue Rui was almost hurt.

"From now on, I will feed the baby myself," Lin Ruoxi said to herself.

Xue Rui's lips twitched. Why are we talking about children again?
"Xixi, I've always had a question: what did you eat to grow up?" Xue Rui asked, tilting his head back.

Lin Ruoxi lost her mother at birth, so breast milk was out of the question.

However, in the 90s, milk powder was definitely a "luxury" in rural areas, and ordinary families could not afford it.

"I...I grew up by feeding on other people's milk. Whenever someone in the village had a baby, I could get a couple of bites," Lin Ruoxi said softly.

Xue Rui looked surprised. He had only ever heard of "food from a hundred families," but this was the first time he had ever heard of "milk from a hundred families."

He recalled that when he first entered the village, many women stood on Lin Ruoxi's side, and the whole village had a very good impression of Lin Ruoxi.

It wasn't just that the little girl was gentle and kind; many people in that village had probably fed her.

Humans are emotional beings, especially women who have given birth. Even if she is the one who has sacrificed for her child, she will still develop different feelings for Lin Ruoxi.

"Xixi, do you remember who fed you?" Xue Rui asked.

After saying that, Xue Rui realized he had said something pointless: how much can a baby remember?

"Hmm, the villagers used to talk about that a lot when I was little, I still remember it." After saying that, Lin Ruoxi tilted her head and asked, "What's wrong?"

"They've fed you so well for me, so of course I have to thank them for the New Year. I'll buy some New Year's goods wholesale these next few days and take them back to the village."

Xue Rui closed his eyes, wanting to give them a rest, otherwise he was afraid his eyes would turn red if he listened any longer.

Lin Ruoxi looked dazed. Was Xue Rui going to repay this favor for me?

So it turns out I've always been very important to Xue Rui.

She didn't know how to thank Xue Rui; she had nothing left to offer...

Suddenly, Xue Rui felt an itch on his face.

He reached out and touched it; it was wet.

When she looked up again, Lin Ruoxi's face was already covered in tears.

“Rui, I…” Lin Ruoxi choked up and couldn’t speak for a long time.

"Don't cry, we'll leave tomorrow, okay?"

Xue Rui reached out and wiped away Lin Ruoxi's tears.

Lin Ruoxi kept shaking her head: "I...I owe you so much, I have no way to repay you."

Xue Rui tried with both hands, but still couldn't stop the little girl's tears.

"I have nothing to repay you with? Xixi, there are usually two options for repaying in situations like this."

Xue Rui spoke in a relaxed tone, intending to tell a joke to amuse the little girl.

Lin Ruoxi tried to catch her breath: "You...you tell me."

"Ahem." Xue Rui cleared his throat and said in a woman's voice, "This humble woman has no way to repay you but to offer myself to you in this life."

Another way is to repay the debt by being reborn as an ox or a horse in the next life.

If Lin Ruoxi chooses the first option, Xue Rui can say, "Lin Ruoxi is lusting after his body."

If he chooses the second option, Xue Rui can then accuse Lin Ruoxi of saying he's ugly.

Lin Ruoxi slowly shook her head and murmured softly, "Choosing both isn't enough for me..."

Xue Rui's smile gradually froze.

Isn't this a multiple-choice question? (End of Chapter)