Rebirth: Start to Save the Treasure Girl

Xue Rui's room.

Gu Muxue and Xue Rui exchanged glances, their eyes occasionally sweeping over the cabinet.

"Xiao Rui, has Uncle Xue always been like this?" Gu Muxue asked tentatively.

"Uh... not really." Xue Rui looked embarrassed, his toes almost wearing through his slippers.

He found Xue Jianfeng's behavior despicable.

Logically speaking, Xue Jianfeng's behavior was not inappropriate; he spoke to people in a way that suited them.

Having two faces is a standard feature of adults.

But the problem is that Lin Ruoxi hid it in the closet.

Gu Muxue felt no joy at receiving special treatment; instead, she felt a deep unease.

"My dad is really something."

Xue Rui's expression was extremely unpleasant. He was wondering how he could offend both the magnanimous Gu Muxue and the gentle Lin Ruoxi at the same time.

Xue Rui couldn't figure it out no matter how hard he tried, but his father accomplished it with just a word.

Dad, your image has completely collapsed!

But no matter what, he's still his biological father, so Xue Rui still had to say a few words in defense.

Xue Rui pushed the cabinet door, only to find it blocked from the inside by Lin Ruoxi. He knew he might hurt her if he used too much force, so he knocked on the door reassuringly.

"My dad drank too much last night, and he was probably just talking nonsense from a dream. Don't take it to heart..."

Gu Muxue squatted down and said softly, "Ruoxi, please open the cabinet first."

As soon as she finished speaking, the cabinet door slowly opened, and Lin Ruoxi burst into tears, her face streaked with tears.

Xue Rui looked surprised. He had been trying to coax Lin Ruoxi for so long, but she hadn't opened the door. Gu Muxue had only said one sentence, and Lin Ruoxi had obediently complied.

Her status within the family is quite evident!
It's not entirely due to status.

From Lin Ruoxi's perspective, Xue Rui is also Gu Muxue's boyfriend, and she and Gu Muxue are in a "semi-rival" relationship. If she is too difficult to appease, Gu Muxue may get angry.

Therefore, Lin Ruoxi could still throw a little tantrum when facing Xue Rui, but when facing Gu Muxue, obedience was the best choice.

Lin Ruoxi knew that Xue Rui would be tolerant of her, and she also knew that Gu Muxue would be tolerant of her.

However, the two are different in nature; Xue Rui tolerates her because he loves her.

Gu Muxue's tolerance comes at a "hidden price." The more she accepts now, the less confident she will be when she competes with Gu Muxue in the future.

"Ruoxi, think carefully, has Uncle Xue ever said anything similar to you?" Gu Muxue handed her a tissue.

Lin Ruoxi's attention was immediately diverted. She remembered that when she was cooking with Uncle Xue, he had said something similar to her.

It seemed as if Uncle Xue would drive Gu Muxue away the moment she opened her mouth.

But in retrospect, it was just empty talk.

But if I tell others, will it make Gu Muxue unhappy?

Just like myself now, hearing that Uncle Xue favors Gu Muxue still makes me very sad, very sad.

"I...I didn't say that," Lin Ruoxi said haltingly, her head down.

After hesitating for a long time, Lin Ruoxi chose to lie.

Gu Muxue and Xue Rui exchanged a smile, both knowing perfectly well that something was definitely going on.

However, Lin Ruoxi was perhaps concerned about Xue Jianfeng's image and was unwilling to say it.

“Dad, your image had already completely collapsed, but Xixi managed to salvage it a little.”

Xue Rui sighed inwardly.

"It's too hot inside."

Gu Muxue reached out her hand to Lin Ruoxi, intending to help her.

"I'm not going out."

Lin Ruoxi shrank further into the corner of the cabinet. She didn't want to cause any more trouble for others, and she wanted to minimize her presence as much as possible.

Moreover, the narrow and cramped space inside the cabinet gives people a strange sense of security.

Gu Muxue's gaze was blank; even though it had only been a short time since they last met, Lin Ruoxi seemed to have a sense of "distance" from her.

Recalling when she stepped into the airport before winter break, Lin Ruoxi gave her a warm hug.

The contrast was too great, and Gu Muxue found it hard to accept.

Whether she wants to admit it or not, the Lunar New Year is the time when interpersonal interactions are most frequent, and the elders' attitudes toward the complicated relationship between the three of them will more or less affect their relationship.

How long can such a friendship last?
Gu Muxue couldn't help but think.

Gu Muxue did not retract her arm, and Lin Ruoxi did not dare to look Gu Muxue in the eye, turning her head to the side on her own.

Xue Rui was overwhelmed and couldn't breathe, wondering what was going on.

It wasn't like this when we were living together in Chang'an!

"Goo~"

The oppressive atmosphere was broken by Lin Ruoxi's pregnancy.

Lin Ruoxi clutched her stomach, her face flushed red like a ripe tomato.

"Go and get her something to eat," Gu Muxue said with a smile.

"Okay." Xue Rui took off running; he needed to get some fresh air.

"I'm not hungry."

Lin Ruoxi really wanted to call Xue Rui back. She had made a big mistake today. Compared to being alone with Gu Muxue, she would rather endure hunger for a while.

Gu Muxue looked at Lin Ruoxi with a smile: "Ruoxi, are you that afraid of me?"

“Hmm…” Lin Ruoxi answered subconsciously.

But soon, Lin Ruoxi realized that this was likely a language trap, the hidden subtext being: You are fierce!

Lin Ruoxi shook her head repeatedly, "I'm not afraid."

Gu Muxue narrowed her eyes: "Are you scared or not?"

"I'm scared..." Lin Ruoxi said weakly.

"What are you afraid of? Didn't we make a promise? I won't take Xiao Rui away from you for the next few years, so you can stay with him without worry," Gu Muxue murmured.

She started at a very high level, and had few close friends in her life. Lin Ruoxi was the only one, and Gu Muxue cherished her very much.

She longed to treat Lin Ruoxi as an equal, but Lin Ruoxi was always wary of her.

"Grandma said that the better you treat me, the less confident I will be in the future," Lin Ruoxi said softly.

She has now realized that the more lenient Gu Muxue is with her, the harder it is for her to stand against Gu Muxue when faced with crucial choices.

Gu Muxue sighed helplessly in her heart. The reason she was good to Lin Ruoxi was more out of a sense of indebtedness, a way of repaying her.

To repay Lin Ruoxi for helping her through the most difficult days.

But Lin Ruoxi only saw the efforts of others, completely forgetting what she had done.

Gu Muxue wanted to treat Lin Ruoxi as an equal, but she didn't know how to break down Lin Ruoxi's psychological defenses.

Gu Muxue thought about it for a long time and concluded that it was also related to her image. She always appeared aloof and superior in front of Lin Ruoxi, not allowing herself to be disrespected or rejected.

Lin Ruoxi's submissive personality further amplifies her characteristics.

Gu Muxue reached out and pinched Lin Ruoxi's cheek, giving it a tug.

Lin Ruoxi stared blankly at him and whispered, "Mu Xue, what are you doing?"

"I'm bullying you." Gu Muxue applied more force to her hand.

Lin Ruoxi was extremely nervous. She didn't know why Gu Muxue was bullying her. She kept glancing at the door, hoping that Xue Rui would come back soon and "free" her.

"Why don't you fight back?" Gu Muxue said, exasperated.

The best way to shatter one's image is through "blasphemy".

Distance creates a sense of aloofness and authority, but as long as Lin Ruoxi jokes around with him in daily life, the distance will quickly be shortened. "Hmm, is that sarcasm?" Lin Ruoxi asked weakly.

Gu Muxue was so angry she laughed. Lin Ruoxi was too easy to bully. No wonder Xue Rui always took pleasure in bullying Lin Ruoxi, which made her want to bully her a few times too.

She grabbed Lin Ruoxi's hand and placed it on her face.

Lin Ruoxi's heart was pounding, and she still didn't dare to pinch it.

"No wonder Yao Yao chose to stand on my side. With your condition, you're simply hopeless." Gu Muxue used reverse psychology.

"I...I won't fall for that trap," Lin Ruoxi weakly retorted.

Lin Ruoxi was unaware of Gu Muxue's purpose, so the more Gu Muxue encouraged her, the more disobedient Lin Ruoxi became.

Gu Muxue chuckled and said, "Then you should just be an ostrich, bury your head in the sand, and pretend that your sister-in-law isn't biased towards me, and pretend that Xiao Rui isn't listening to me..."

As each hurtful word fell, Lin Ruoxi's breathing became increasingly erratic.

Lin Ruoxi was clearly unable to remain calm after Xue Rui was involved.

"I want to control everything about Xiao Rui. When the time is right, I'll have Xiao Rui send you away, and he won't dare disobey me..."

As Gu Muxue spoke, a sharp pain shot through her cheek.

"Hi~"

Gu Muxue gasped in pain, but her worries were somewhat relieved.

Lin Ruoxi does have a temper, but she doesn't express it easily.

"Mu Xue, I'm sorry..."

With tears welling up in her eyes, Lin Ruoxi gently rubbed Gu Muxue's face, her voice trembling.

She didn't know what was wrong with her; when she heard that she was going to be kicked out, she instinctively clenched her fists.

But she wasn't stupid; if Gu Muxue really intended to do that, she would never tell her.

She unintentionally hurt her good friend.

Gu Muxue's face darkened as she kneaded Lin Ruoxi's cheeks with both hands: "Who told you to hit so hard? Did Xiao Rui instruct you to do this?"

Lin Ruoxi stared blankly, suddenly realizing that Gu Muxue wasn't so unapproachable after all.

Gu Muxue rubbed her cheeks, much like she rubbed Da Huang's cheeks herself; both were ways of expressing friendliness.

Lin Ruoxi lowered her guard and tentatively cupped Gu Muxue's face and pinched it.

Seeing her usually aloof face being molded into various comical shapes in her hands, Lin Ruoxi burst out laughing.

Gu Muxue deliberately glared at Lin Ruoxi, then reached out and ruffled Lin Ruoxi's hair, making it messy.

Lin Ruoxi followed suit and ruffled Gu Muxue's hair.

In the midst of a playful, petulant fight, the invisible barrier between the two gradually dissolved.

Suddenly, footsteps came from outside the door, going upstairs.

Their smiles froze on their faces, and they simultaneously withdrew their hands and hurriedly tidied their hair.

They went too far.

"What should we do? Rui will definitely misunderstand." Lin Ruoxi was so nervous that she was about to cry.

"Huh? What are you afraid of? He's the one who should be nervous."

Gu Muxue said calmly, holding Lin Ruoxi's hand tightly to prevent her from continuing to fix her hair.

……

A dozen seconds later, Xue Rui opened the door.

"Xixi, eat something..."

The words stopped abruptly.

Gu Muxue's hair was disheveled, her face was flushed, and she reached her hands into the cabinet.

Xue Rui nervously swallowed, walked around to the front of the cabinet and glanced at Lin Ruoxi, whose condition was almost the same as Gu Muxue's.

Finished!

He had a nightmare last night, dreaming that Lin Ruoxi and Gu Muxue were pulling each other's hair, and now it's come true?

In the end, they still ended up fighting?

How to do?How to do?
Xue Rui's heart jumped into his throat.

"Why don't we talk things out? Why make this happen?"

Xue Rui's voice trembled. He threw the plate on the ground, grabbed one person's wrist with one hand, and cold sweat streamed down his temples.

"Mu Xue, listen to me, let go of my hand first," Xue Rui said gently.

This was the closest he had ever come to death. It would be a lie to say he wasn't nervous; his wrists trembled uncontrollably.

Lin Ruoxi wanted to explain, but Gu Muxue stopped her with a look.

"Xiao Rui, from what you're saying, it's like I bullied her?" Gu Muxue's voice was cold.

Xue Rui's heart skipped a beat; he had indeed been prejudiced from the start.

At times like these, he must be impartial.

"How could that be? What I mean is, we can talk things out properly, why resort to violence?" Xue Rui chuckled awkwardly, then whispered in Gu Muxue's ear:
“Xixi is stronger than you, I’m just worried you’ll get hurt.”

Gu Muxue suppressed a laugh and slowly released Lin Ruoxi's wrist.

After Gu Muxue let go, Xue Rui breathed a sigh of relief. He half-crawled into the closet and whispered in Lin Ruoxi's ear:

“Xixi, if Muxue bullies you, tell me and I will stand up for you.”

Lin Ruoxi felt a warmth in her heart upon hearing this. She had been a little unhappy when she saw Xue Rui whispering to Gu Muxue, but Xue Rui would still protect her.

She kissed Xue Rui on the cheek, reached out and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, signaling him not to be nervous.

"Rui, we're just playing, we're not fighting."

Lin Ruoxi revealed the truth without hesitation.

Xue Rui quickly covered Lin Ruoxi's mouth and shook his head with a serious expression.

XiXi, if you two are ganging up on me, then your current actions are tantamount to "betraying your teammates".

Therefore, even if Xue Rui knew the truth, he had to pretend not to know and continue to play along with the two women.

"Mu Xue, let's talk this out. Tell me what's wrong?"

Xue Rui leaned closer, signaling Gu Muxue to whisper something to him.

Gu Muxue's eyes widened instantly, her expression one of utter astonishment, because from her perspective, Lin Ruoxi would definitely have informed Xue Rui.

But not today; Lin Ruoxi unusually stood by her side.

She winked at Lin Ruoxi, feeling a rare sense of trust from a friend.

Gu Muxue was in a very good mood and gave Xue Rui a light kiss on the cheek: "Just teasing you, we were just playing around."

"You scared me to death! Don't do that again!"

Xue Rui let out a long sigh of relief and kept patting his chest.

Lin Ruoxi's eyes widened in surprise; only then did she realize Xue Rui's purpose.

Gu Muxue hates betrayal the most, and she still can't forget how lonely she looked back then.

Xue Rui reacted so quickly.

The moment she "chose to betray," Xue Rui covered her mouth.

Xue Rui is not only helping her and Gu Muxue build a friendship, but also caring about Gu Muxue's feelings.

Lin Ruoxi's lips curled up slightly, her almond-shaped eyes filled with a pool of autumn water.

She quietly slipped out of the closet and planted a deep kiss on Xue Rui's cheek:

"Rui, you are the best and gentlest boy in the world." (End of Chapter)