Rebirth: Start to Save the Treasure Girl

The scenery outside the car window kept changing. Xue Rui stroked Gu Muxue's head, and every now and then he would lower his head and gently rub his head against Gu Muxue's hair.

Gu Muxue closed her eyes, her expression one of enjoyment.

Is this how Lin Ruoxi usually feels?
"Mu Xue, why are you being so clingy today?"

Xue Rui was somewhat surprised because Gu Muxue never loosened her grip on his waist.

"I'm sleepy," Gu Muxue said in a muffled voice, slowly loosening her arms.

Hmph! Can't I be clingy?
It's as if it's someone's special privilege.

But thinking about it, it makes sense. I've never been good to Xue Rui all these years. When we're together, we're always fighting or bickering. Even when we're quietly cuddling, it's always Xue Rui who takes the initiative first.

But now she doesn't want to leave; she just wants to enjoy herself a little longer.

Let's pretend to sleep for a little while longer, and linger a little longer...

"Xiao Rui, I'm going to take a nap. Remember to wake me when we're almost there..."

Gu Muxue's voice was unusually soft, each note seemingly stuck together.

"Okay," Xue Rui said softly.

Once upon a time, Gu Muxue was a fragile little pufferfish that would explode at the slightest touch, always wary of him, but now she can snuggle in his arms and take a nap.

This gave Xue Rui the illusion that the two girls seemed to be looking more and more alike.

Although Lin Ruoxi is still very obedient, after learning to act coquettishly, she will hesitate for a while when faced with his orders.

Gu Muxue, on the other hand, lowered her arrogant attitude and became more caring.

Are the two girls influencing each other?
Is this how all girls who fall in love become?

Time ticked by, and apart from the steady, low-frequency sound of the car, there was nothing else.

"Mr. Xue, I think the navigation is almost there," Yu Minlan reminded him.

"Mm." Xue Rui nodded and began to gently rock Gu Muxue in his arms.

Gu Muxue felt disappointed. She blamed herself for the fact that time had passed too quickly and she hadn't had a proper hug.

She also felt a sense of urgency.

Xue Rui had told her about the Spring Festival arrangements. Today was the last day of the Spring Festival for Xue Rui's family. The Spring Festival would officially end in the afternoon. Even if Xue Rui's parents didn't mind her, she couldn't stay any longer.

She understood the principle that "staying too long makes one despise others, and frequent visits make even close relatives distant," and that over time, it would always make people feel uncomfortable.

She has her own family and is only visiting as Xue Rui's girlfriend, thus being considered a guest.

I just had a phone call with my mother, and she hinted that I should come home today.

Gu Muxue pouted, thinking that she had only stayed for two days and was far from being "annoying," but in her mother's eyes, she had already stayed for a week...

She overdrawn her own trust.

Everything has two sides. While Gu Muxue has a happy family, she is also limited by the discipline of society and family.

Lin Ruoxi completely disregarded societal norms and only needed to stay by Xue Rui's side; her broken family became her best shield.

Not long after turning into the village, Yu Minlan spotted an old man looking around in the alley. The moment he saw the BMW, he blocked the road.

After chatting for a couple of minutes while leaning on the BMW, the old man impatiently waved his hand, signaling the BMW to move forward, and then excitedly waved at the Land Rover.

Yu Minlan felt a little flustered. She didn't dare to start the car immediately. She turned to Xue Rui and asked, "Boss, what do we do if we run into a road bully who wants money?"

"What road bully? That's my maternal grandfather," Xue Rui said irritably.

Gu Muxue and Xue Rui exchanged a glance, their big eyes filled with doubt. Aunt Ren was sitting in the passenger seat. How could their grandfather treat his own daughter like this?
"I've already told them they're old-fashioned. They think a married daughter is like water spilled from a bowl, and they don't treat my mother like family," Xue Rui explained awkwardly.

"Huh?" Gu Muxue covered her mouth in surprise, and suddenly felt a chill run down her spine.

She had seen similar families on TV and in the news, in remote mountainous areas with backward customs, where girls had no status at home and were not even allowed to sit at the table for meals.

She looks like Xue Rui's mother, which she initially thought was a positive factor, but after seeing her grandfather's attitude, she couldn't help but feel worried...

"Mu Xue, please bear with me a little longer," Xue Rui said awkwardly.

Xue Rui thought to himself, "This is so embarrassing. How can there still be people like this in the 21st century?"

"Xiao Rui, I'm not that petty. It's better if they ignore me; it'll make me feel more relaxed." Gu Muxue held Xue Rui's hand, signaling him to relax.

Xue Rui chuckled awkwardly, but Gu Muxue misunderstood.

As the only grandson-generation male in his maternal uncle's family, and Gu Muxue as the girl he brought with him, his status was exceptionally high.

Neglected?

I was worried you wouldn't be able to handle the enthusiasm.

Being dragged around by her grandmother, looking at everything as if it were an object, it would be strange if Gu Muxue didn't get angry.

Although he had given the elderly couple some advice beforehand, Xue Rui was still unsure of himself, since it was the hardest thing to change the minds of the elderly.

Just as he had said beforehand, he should be gentle with his mother, but in reality, because the people in the two cars were different, his grandfather's attitude was completely different.

Of course, Xue Rui didn't explain much. He opened the car door and gently stretched out an arm into the car.

Gu Muxue smiled sweetly, picked up her bag, and prepared to take Xue Rui's arm and get out of the car.

However, the next moment, she grabbed at nothing.

"Xiao Rui, why are you so late? You should stay a few more days this year."

Grandpa supported Xue Rui as they walked forward, as if afraid that Xue Rui might run away at any moment.

Xue Rui turned around and saw Gu Muxue's little paws frozen outside the car door, seemingly unsure of what to do.

Grandpa also turned around. He remembered that Xue Rui had said before the New Year that he would bring another daughter-in-law to the house.

"Xiao Rui, is that your wife inside?" Grandpa asked.

"Yes, it's my wife. She doesn't understand our local dialect very well, so please try to speak slowly," Xue Rui said, suppressing a laugh.

Language barriers can be a good thing.

Gu Muxue sat blankly in the car, her cheeks burning hot; she understood everything.

Xue Rui called her wife...

She was still saying this to her elders... She felt as happy as if it were Chinese New Year.

Gu Muxue got out of the car and bowed slightly to her grandfather: "Hello, Grandpa."

Grandpa's eyes lit up. Although he had seen the photos before, he hadn't expected it to be so beautiful.

Xue Rui stared intently at her grandfather, eager to know how he would react to seeing his granddaughter-in-law who looked so much like his daughter.

But reality was beyond Xue Rui's expectations. His grandfather didn't show any surprise, but simply nodded in satisfaction: "It's really beautiful. Come in and eat."

"Doesn't she look like my mother when she was young?" Xue Rui pressed.

"They look quite alike in the photo, but not so much in person. Your mother is a wild child, while they look like a pampered young lady." Grandpa said dismissively.

Xue Rui realized that there is a difference between "appearing similar" and "resembling in spirit".

Gu Muxue only has an 80-90% resemblance in appearance, but she is a completely different person. Even he himself cannot connect his mother with Gu Muxue, because they are two completely different people.

Looking alike is just a wonderful coincidence, providing another topic for conversation.

Xue Rui took a step back and gently held Gu Muxue's hand: "Don't worry, we're not staying here tonight, don't be nervous."

Gu Muxue pouted and whispered, "Staying...staying for one day isn't a problem. Grandpa really wants you to stay."

"What?" Xue Rui didn't hear clearly, so he leaned closer to listen.

Gu Muxue snorted coldly and whispered in Xue Rui's ear, "It's nothing!"

Xue Rui was so startled he almost jumped up.

"Hehe~"

She entered the living room. Her eldest uncle started handing out red envelopes as soon as they met, but paused for a while when he got to Gu Muxue.

“Wife, take a look, doesn’t she look just like Fangfang when she was little?” Uncle Ren De Kui said to everyone.

Naturally, the first topic of conversation at this year's gathering turned to Gu Muxue.

Gu Muxue was surrounded by people like a star, answering the elders' questions fluently.

Xue Rui leaned against the door frame, watching this scene with a smile.

Suddenly, a regretful voice came from behind: "Xiao Rui, I thought you would bring Lin Ruoxi with you."

Xue Rui naturally recognized who it was, and to avoid bringing Lin Ruoxi into the conversation, he quickly pushed his uncle out.

Why did you push me? Xixi is obviously prettier.

Ren Jun yawned, looking unshaven, as if he had just woken up not long ago.

Xue Rui felt a chill run down his spine; every word Ren Jun uttered sent shivers down his spine.

"Shut up," Xue Rui threatened in a low voice.

"To be honest, seeing your girlfriend has ruined my mood and brought back bad memories."

"Shut up!"

"Can't you even hear the truth?" Ren Jun sneered.

"What did my mom do to you? It's just some trivial thing from when you were little. Why are you being so petty, a grown man?"

Xue Rui found it hard to imagine what kind of image Ren Qunfang had in Ren Jun's eyes, how could anyone be better than his own sister?
Ren Jun thought for a moment: "Xiao Rui, have you ever tasted her snot?"

"Alright, stop talking."

Xue Rui hurriedly interrupted, "We haven't even had breakfast yet, and you're already saying such disgusting things."

"Don't impose your stereotypes about your sister on my girlfriend."

And isn't my mom good to you now? Why keep bringing up the past? Why don't you mention how many messes my mom has cleaned up for you...?

"Yes, you'd better tell your dad about this too. I'm not the same person I was ten years ago. Don't always look at me with prejudice. My feelings for your aunt are genuine..."

Xue Rui: ……

The map of the Yan Kingdom is too long.

……

Gu Muxue chatted with the elders for a short while before seeing her grandmother carrying a pile of bowls into the living room, with white steam rising from them.

During the Spring Festival in Hedong, breakfast always includes a bowl of steaming hot wonton noodles.

"Hello, Grandma." Gu Muxue smiled as she stood up and carefully took the bowl.

Grandma nodded in satisfaction: "So sensible."

The eldest uncle also went to take the bowl, but his grandmother pushed him away with her elbow: "Don't touch these, be careful not to burn your hands."

"Fangfang, don't just stand there, help move the bowl."

In an instant, Gu Muxue's smile froze on her face.

She finally understood what Xue Rui meant by "preferring sons to daughters".

It seems like women are expected to do these things, while men don't have to.

The bowl of noodles was so hot that she couldn't hold it steady. Every time she picked up a bowl, she had to rub her earlobes to relieve the pain in her fingertips.

The eldest uncle shook his head at Gu Muxue with a wry smile. He was helpless; he had always lived like this since he was a child.

If he tries to forcefully take the bowl away, it will only cause more people to get burned.

"Mom, let me do it."

Xue Jianfeng stood up and helped the old man set out the bowls one by one.

"Lazybones, you never do any housework at home. It's a good thing you married a good man," Grandma scolded.

Ren Qunfang remained expressionless, simply picking up her chopsticks and eating by herself.

"Hey? Your husband is still working, and you're already eating?"

Xue Rui walked in from outside carrying a plate of vegetables. Although he couldn't hear exactly what they were arguing about, he understood from his mother's expression.

"Grandma, please say less," Xue Rui said.

"Xiao Rui, sit down and eat quickly." Grandma hurriedly took the plate from him.

After Xue Rui sat down, he took Gu Muxue's hand and said softly, "Tell me if you've been bullied, don't suffer in silence."

The two elderly people still live with the traditional concept of "men are responsible for external affairs and women for internal affairs." They believe that women are naturally meant to do more housework at home, while men are responsible for everything outside.

Only a girl like Lin Ruoxi, who does everything, can truly understand the eyes of this elderly couple.

After thinking about it carefully, Xue Rui realized that the little girl seemed to have some of the same mindset, feeling that there were some things he shouldn't do.

"No." Gu Muxue held Xue Rui's hand tightly, looked in the direction of Xue Rui's mother, and whispered, "I just feel that Mom is so pitiful."

After a brief encounter, Gu Muxue worked backwards and quickly deduced Aunt Ren's childhood in her mind.

The older and younger brothers didn't have to do any housework; only Aunt Ren helped Grandma with all the chores.

Uncle Xue was clearly the outsider, yet he received better treatment than his own daughter.

"Xiao Rui, don't try to comfort me, try to comfort your mother instead," Gu Muxue said.

Xue Rui smiled slightly: "She has her husband to coax her, I only need to coax you."

Gu Muxue's gaze wavered for a moment, and a warm feeling rose in her heart.

"I heard from Ruoxi that she's been staying here for a few days. Have you taken good care of her?" Gu Muxue asked softly.

"Of course I'll protect you. I'm sincere to you all," Xue Rui said shamelessly.

However, this is not the case; Lin Ruoxi did not suffer any injustice here at all.

On the contrary, Xue Rui's clothes were taken away early in the morning, leaving him naked and unable to get off the kang (a heated brick bed). Lin Ruoxi and her grandmother sat on the kang chatting about his embarrassing childhood stories, creating a very harmonious atmosphere.

Does Xue Rui need to protect him?

Xue Rui is already lucky if he isn't bullied by Lin Ruoxi.

Xue Rui could only be thankful that Lin Ruoxi was not good with words and did not like to gossip with Gu Muxue, otherwise it would have been incredibly embarrassing.

"Eat your food." Gu Muxue bit her chopsticks, feeling both happy and unhappy.

If you're going to say sweet nothings, just say sweet nothings. Why do you have to involve other people?

After Grandma left, the atmosphere instantly returned to normal. The two families ate and chatted as if nothing had happened.

Gu Muxue looked around, her heart heavy.

No one wanted to mention what had just happened, as if it were the natural thing to do.

Xue Rui saw through Gu Muxue's thoughts and said in a low voice, "It's hard to change the old people's ideas, but I already have a way."

Gu Muxue's eyes widened instantly; she didn't understand what Xue Rui was going to do.

"I need your cooperation."

Xue Rui whispered in Gu Muxue's ear and revealed the rest of the plan.

"Is it okay?" Xue Rui asked, his tone pleading.

In his plan, Gu Muxue needs to play the role of a "bad guy".

"Okay." Gu Muxue nodded emphatically. (End of Chapter)