Rebirth: Start to Save the Treasure Girl

Gu Qingshan clutched his chest, feeling a tightness in his chest. Gu Muxue gently patted him, causing him to lose another breath. He couldn't catch his breath, and his heart was throbbing with pain.

It feels awful to be complained about by my daughter, especially when she argues with her father over another man...

"Dad, what's wrong? Does it hurt a lot?"

Gu Muxue's tone was worried.

But he only patted him lightly, without using any force at all, yet Old Gu seemed to have been hit by something heavy, and couldn't even straighten his back.

She suspected that Lao Gu was faking it, but he was faking it so convincingly, even better than Xue Rui...

"I didn't use any force," Gu Muxue muttered softly.

Xue Rui's eye twitched. He thought to himself, "You're Old Gu's own daughter. Even if I use the lightest force, it still causes penetrating damage."

Given the current situation, Xue Rui believes it is essential to protect Lao Gu.

"Mu Xue, how could you hit Uncle Gu?"

Xue Rui's tone carried a hint of complaint as he hinted that Gu Muxue should try to coax Gu Qingshan.

"Get out of here!" Gu Qingshan was trembling with anger. To scold his daughter in his own home was simply too much.

"Old Gu! You just said you weren't old-fashioned."

Gu Muxue stood in front of Gu Qingshan, her expression sullen.

"Didn't you know that Xiao Rui was inside?"

Gu Muxue felt that Lao Gu was not keeping his word. She already knew before she entered the door, so why was he still so angry?
“I…” Gu Qingshan stared intently at Xue Rui’s pajamas.

He thought Xue Rui was there to cook for his daughter, but the matching pajamas Xue Rui was wearing reminded him of so many other things.

"Uncle Gu, I'll leave as soon as I finish cooking."

Xue Rui chuckled awkwardly, then quickly locked the door behind him as he went back into the kitchen. There was a knife in the kitchen, and he absolutely couldn't let Gu Qingshan in.

"Xiao Rui, don't listen to him, I won't kick you out," Gu Muxue shouted towards the kitchen.

Gu Qingshan looked at the familiar living room, yet felt a strange sense of unfamiliarity.

Why am I the one who feels like an outsider?
Gu Muxue still doesn't understand why Lao Gu is so angry. She pulled Lao Gu to sit on the sofa, ready to have a good talk with him.

"Mu Xue, how could you bring a boy home?" Gu Qingshan patted the back of his hand helplessly.

Gu Muxue looks so much like her mother, they're practically identical.

For the first time, Gu Qingshan experienced the bitterness of being betrayed, and suddenly he was able to empathize with his former father-in-law...

"Dad, I can stay at Xiao Rui's house, so why can't Xiao Rui stay at our house?"

Gu Muxue blinked her big, bright eyes, which were full of doubt.

Gu Muxue wasn't questioning Lao Gu; she genuinely wanted to know the reason.

When Xue Rui first arrived, it was the same. Even though there was no one else in her house, Xue Rui seemed very awkward and even unwilling to go upstairs with her.

"How can that be the same? You're a girl," Gu Qingshan retorted instinctively.

"What's wrong with a girl? Don't I have the right to let him into our house?" Gu Muxue pouted and said.

This is what Gu Muxue envies most about Lin Ruoxi: Lin Ruoxi has absolute control over her life and family, and no one can control her.

Gu Qingshan was speechless. He didn't rush to refute, but instead seriously considered Gu Muxue's question.

He knew that Gu Muxue and Xue Rui were living together.

Since we're already living together, it doesn't matter where we live.
To put it bluntly, in the traditional marriage model, it seems natural to move into the husband's home, and bringing a girlfriend home to stay is more like a "rehearsal" for the future marriage, and no one would think there is a problem with it.

If we set aside traditional cultural concepts, it seems there's no difference?
No, there are differences, primarily in terms of morality.

Men who bring girls home are not subject to much social control; in fact, the more girls they bring, the more they are considered "capable" by society.

Women are different. Society has higher moral expectations for women. If a woman brings different boys home, people will always gossip behind her back, and her reputation will be damaged.

"Mu Xue, a girl should still be mindful of her reputation..."

Gu Qingshan tried to explain at length, but Gu Muxue didn't seem to listen. Instead, she smiled with relief.

"Mu Xue, what are you laughing at? This is a very serious matter," Gu Qingshan said sternly.

"Dad, I won't bring other boys home anymore. Don't worry, it won't affect your reputation."

Gu Muxue smiled and comforted her.

"Mu Xue, Dad is doing this for your own good. Nothing is permanent, but your life has to go on."

Gu Qingshan was so anxious that he kept slapping his thigh.

Gu Muxue understood Gu Qingshan's subtext:
If you encounter relationship problems in the future, it will affect your next relationship.

Gu Muxue looked at the kitchen, paused briefly, then took Gu Qingshan's arm and said:

"Dad, if we can't make it work, then I won't get married and will stay at home with you for the rest of my life."

Gu Qingshan gave a bitter smile. Gu Muxue seemed to be trying to cheer him up, but she was actually revealing another message: she could only live with Xue Rui.

"Is he really that good?" Gu Qingshan asked rhetorically.

"Very good, very good..."

Gu Muxue smiled and beckoned to Old Gu to come closer.

Gu Qingshan tilted his head, and heard Gu Muxue's smug voice in his ear: "Xiao Rui said that if we have a child in the future, the child will take our family name. He has considered your feelings."

Gu Muxue narrowed her eyes to slits. She knew her father wanted Xue Rui to marry into the family and had been subtly hinting at it to her and Xue Rui, but she could never bring herself to say it.

“Xiao Rui is the only son in his family, and his family won’t agree to it. Believe me, Xue Rui will change his mind.” Gu Qingshan didn’t take it too seriously.

What can't couples in the throes of new love say to each other?

Especially before marriage, what men say is almost equivalent to "farting".

That might fool a young girl like Gu Muxue, but Xue Rui wouldn't be fooled.

"Dad, just wait and see," Gu Muxue said confidently.

Although Xue Rui had a history of lying to her, he has never lied to her since he confessed, and he always asks for her opinion on everything.

In fact, Gu Muxue had guessed Xue Rui's little scheme.

They relinquished certain rights at her home to protect Lin Ruoxi...

Thinking of this, Gu Muxue's lips drooped involuntarily.

Xiao Rui, are you willing to sacrifice so much for her?

"Mu Xue, how old are you? Don't think that far ahead."

Gu Qingshan hadn't recovered from his earlier emotions when Gu Muxue brought up the issue of having children again.

He really didn't want to think about it, but one image kept popping into his mind:
Xue Rui slammed an ultrasound report on the table in front of him: "Old Gu, Mu Xue is pregnant with my child. Hand over the household registration book."

Thinking of this, he wished he could grab the ashtray in front of him and smash it hard on Xue Rui's head.

Just then, Xue Rui brought out the last soup and happened to meet Gu Qingshan's fierce gaze. He nervously swallowed, thinking to himself, "Gu Muxue has been trying to coax me for so long, but it hasn't had any effect at all."

Turning to look at Gu Muxue, he noticed that she was looking down and seemed very depressed.

Xue Rui felt a chill run down his spine, thinking, "This is it... I'd better get out of here as soon as possible."

"Mu Xue, you and Uncle Gu should eat while it's hot. I have something to do, so I'll be leaving now."

Xue Rui untied his apron and slowly went upstairs, thinking he was just unlucky.

"Sit down and eat!"

Two voices came at the same time, causing Xue Rui to stop what he was doing.

"Okay." Xue Rui smiled awkwardly, not understanding what was going on.

At the dinner table, Gu Qingshan sat at the head table, with Xue Rui and Gu Muxue sitting on his left and right sides respectively.

Gu Muxue was a little unhappy. They could have sat side by side, but Lao Gu wouldn't let them, insisting that it would be easier to pick up food that way. Gu Muxue felt that Lao Gu was being deliberately mean.

However, sitting separately also has its advantages. Gu Muxue raised her foot and kicked Xue Rui's leg repeatedly, but Xue Rui didn't dare to show it at all and could only silently let her bully him.

"Xiao Rui, your cooking skills are pretty good. When does school start?" Gu Qingshan asked casually.

"I have to leave in a couple of days, there's a lot going on at the company."

As Xue Rui spoke, he stepped on Gu Muxue's small foot, causing Gu Muxue's eyes to widen in surprise.

Gu Qingshan glanced at the scene out of the corner of his eye and knew exactly what was happening under the table.

He kicked Xue Rui: "Oh? So early?"

Feeling threatened by Gu Qingshan, Xue Rui quickly sat up straight and said, "Let Mu Xue stay at home for a few more days and keep you company."

“I’ll go too. I’m also a major shareholder, and I have a lot of things to do.”

Gu Muxue immediately became unhappy and stomped on Xue Rui's foot.

Gu Qingshan paused for a moment, then, realizing it was his daughter's foot, said nothing.

However, Gu Muxue noticed that Xue Rui's expression didn't change at all, and he didn't seem to beg for mercy in the slightest, which made her a little dissatisfied.

So Gu Muxue put even more effort into it, grinding her toes in circles.

"Hiss~" Gu Qingshan gasped.

"Dad, what's wrong?" Gu Muxue asked with concern.

Gu Qingshan endured the pain and fanned himself in front of the dish: "The food is a bit spicy."

Gu Muxue covered her mouth and chuckled. Xue Rui had cooked it according to her taste, but Old Gu wasn't used to it.

"You get used to it after eating it a lot."

Gu Muxue picked up a piece of dried chili pepper, put it in her mouth and chewed it. Her expression was very calm, as if she was showing off that she could eat spicy food.

It would be a lie to say it wasn't spicy. Gu Muxue pretended to be calm, but she increased the pressure on her feet.

"Mu Xue, don't force yourself to eat if you can't," Gu Qingshan advised.

"Who said that?" Gu Muxue got excited and started picking out the spiciest dishes on the table.

After the meal, Gu Qingshan's forehead was covered in sweat.

"Uncle Gu, you can't eat any chili peppers at all?"

Xue Rui was quite surprised. It was only mildly spicy, yet Gu Qingshan was sweating profusely from eating it.

"Yes."

Gu Qingshan wiped his forehead, and his anger towards Xue Rui subsided considerably.

Her daughter not only eats spicy food, but also has an incredibly fiery personality.

Gu Muxue mistook his feet for Xue Rui's and stomped on them almost mercilessly, until he was nearly standing up.

For a moment, Gu Qingshan felt very insecure about his parenting skills. How could he have raised such a daughter?

In fact, Gu Muxue wasn't reckless; as soon as Xue Rui showed even the slightest sign of begging for mercy, Gu Muxue would immediately "stop."

However, today's "Xue Rui" was exceptionally patient, which impressed Gu Muxue.

After lunch, the two washed the dishes in the kitchen.

"Xiao Rui, does your foot hurt?" Gu Muxue asked, looking down.

"It doesn't hurt." Xue Rui shook his head, not understanding why Gu Muxue asked that.

"Shall I try again?" Gu Muxue said, stomping on the ground again.

"Ouch! Be gentle!" Xue Rui almost jumped up in pain.

"You were quite tolerant during meals, weren't you?" Gu Muxue said with a grin.

"You didn't step on me while we were eating," Xue Rui said, speechless.

Gu Muxue's pupils dilated in shock. Who was she stepping on?

She tiptoed out of the kitchen and glanced into the living room.

Gu Qingshan grimaced and rubbed his foot, his face showing some pain.

He felt a pity for Xue Rui.

"It's just a meal, why suffer like this?" Gu Qingshan murmured.

Gu Muxue shrank back and returned to the kitchen guiltily.

"Mu Xue, I have to go soon, I'm afraid Old Gu will eat me alive," Xue Rui said.

When he was caught today, his heart was pounding in his throat.

Fortunately, Gu Muxue was quite protective of her own, otherwise Gu Qingshan would have definitely given him a beating.

"No, I've already spoken to Lao Gu, and he agrees to let you stay at his house." Gu Muxue's tone was stiff.

Xue Rui shook his head helplessly, thinking that Gu Muxue was still too young.

He can agree, but I can't actually live there.

It's two different things.

"Then let's go to Grandpa's house. I haven't introduced you to Grandpa yet."

Gu Muxue blinked and said, "According to the usual procedure, my father would visit my grandfather's house after he returned."

"also."

……

Half an hour later.

Gu Muxue carefully examined Xue Rui's clothes from head to toe, occasionally straightening his collar, a satisfied smile on her face.
"Let's go, Xiao Yu is downstairs."

The two entered the living room. Gu Muxue took Xue Rui's arm and waved to Old Gu, saying, "Dad, it's time to go."

"Okay." Gu Qingshan put away the newspaper, supported himself on his knees, and stood up, looking slightly strained.

Xue Rui sighed with emotion. The once dashing young man could no longer withstand the ravages of time, and his health was deteriorating day by day.

"Uncle Gu, no matter how busy you are with work, you must take care of your health," Xue Rui said.

Gu Qingshan was stunned for a moment; he was perfectly healthy.

Xue Rui looked at Gu Qingshan's left leg, which seemed to walk a little strangely.

"Oh, my legs went numb from sitting for so long." Gu Qingshan waved his hand, limped a few steps, and quickly recovered.

Gu Muxue shrank her neck, looking very guilty.

Xue Rui opened the back door and gestured for Gu Qingshan to get in.

However, Gu Muxue grabbed Gu Qingshan's arm: "Dad, sit in the front."

Gu Qingshan sighed deeply and walked around to the other side of the car.

"Mu Xue, what are you doing? I'll just sit in the passenger seat," Xue Rui said.

Gu Muxue pouted and didn't say anything.

The car started slowly. Gu Qingshan opened the passenger window a crack, took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth, then fumbled around for a lighter.

Before Xue Rui could light it, Gu Muxue snatched the cigarette from Gu Qingshan's mouth without a word, her tone cold:
"Dad, smoke less. Don't always say it's hard to quit. Look at Xiao Rui, how come he was able to quit?"

Gu Qingshan turned around, his expression full of disbelief, and then looked at Xue Rui with icy eyes.

Xue Rui felt a chill run down his spine, thinking to himself, "You're not only trying to snatch food from the tiger's mouth, but you're also trying to lure the tiger into my life!"
"Mu Xue, you're wrong. I smoke to look cool, and I can quit whenever I want."

"But can I compare to Uncle Gu? Uncle Gu is a leader. He's not just smoking cigarettes; he's making decisions. And can decisions be stopped just like that?"

As Xue Rui spoke, he leaned forward, and with a "pop," a small flame lit up. (End of Chapter)