Rebirth: Start to Save the Treasure Girl

The passenger window was slightly ajar, and Xue Rui held a lighter in both hands, the flame in his palms pointing towards Gu Qingshan.

"Look, the flames are all heading your way."

Xue Rui wanted Gu Qingshan to have a cigarette to cheer him up.

Yu Minlan glanced at it sideways, deeply shocked.

Otherwise, how could Xue Rui be a boss? He can talk so much about things even while smoking a cigarette, and he doesn't forget to flatter people even when lighting a fire.

Yu Minlan had to admit that Xue Rui was also a natural talent for flattery, far surpassing her own.

"Xiao Rui, I told you to study more, how come you've forgotten junior high physics? Old Gu's window is open, of course the flames are going his way." Gu Muxue poked Xue Rui's head.

Gu Qingshan was amused by the two of them. He casually took out a cigarette, lit it, pushed Xue Rui's hand back, and joked:

"Xiao Rui, are you really not planning to take the civil service exam?"

He felt that with Xue Rui's thick skin, he could get by anywhere.

"No, no, I don't have that kind of high moral character." Xue Rui realized that Gu Qingshan was joking.

Gu Qingshan exhaled a puff of smoke out the window, turned around and looked Xue Rui up and down, then said in a gentle tone:
"Xiao Rui, don't underestimate yourself."

He knew very well what Xue Rui was doing in Hedong.

Xue Rui made a lot of money trading cryptocurrencies. However, this kind of investment behavior, which profits from price differences, does not have a sound reporting system and theoretically does not require taxation. However, Xue Rui took the initiative to go to the tax bureau and paid tens of millions of yuan in personal income tax.

Gu Qingshan believes that few people can possess such courage.

Xue Rui was at least the first and only one he had ever met.

Moreover, he had an indescribable feeling about Xue Rui. On the surface, he was humble to everyone, but deep down he seemed to have a calm and confident demeanor.

Xue Rui never shies away from his shortcomings, displaying them openly to everyone; he is not the type to cheat or deceive.

He was actually at ease entrusting his daughter to Xue Rui.

But... isn't it too early?

Sigh... girls grow up and become independent.

Old Gu took a deep drag on his cigarette, his gaze languidly fixed on the view outside the window.

Gu Muxue had a smug smile on her lips. She winked at Xue Rui with a proud expression, then put her ear close to Xue Rui's mouth, wanting to hear him say something nice.

Xue Rui glanced at Gu Qingshan and immediately understood what Gu Muxue meant.

Ever since Lao Gu came back, Gu Muxue has never given him a kind look, and she's always trying to find fault with him.

As for why they set the fire on him, Xue Rui had a pretty good idea.

It's simply a matter of him trying to make Lao Gu happy so he can build a good relationship with his future father-in-law.

Now, putting her ear close to his mouth, she probably wants to hear him say something nice.

Xue Rui grinned, parted his teeth slightly, and gently bit Gu Muxue's small earlobe.

Xue Rui thought Gu Muxue would get angry, or even hit him a couple of times in front of Lao Gu.

Unexpectedly, Gu Muxue's body seemed to tremble. He lowered his eyes and saw that Gu Muxue was gripping her knees tightly with both hands, her knuckles were clearly defined, and her fingertips were stiff and white. The skin on the back of her hands was also slightly tense, as if she was trying hard to endure something.

Before long, Xue Rui felt the temperature between his lips and teeth getting higher and higher, and he could even feel a faint pulse beating.

He leaned back slightly, looking at Gu Muxue with a surprised expression.

At this moment, Gu Muxue breathed a sigh of relief almost imperceptibly, but her breathing rate was obviously much faster than usual. Her face and ears were red, and when a ray of sunlight swept by, the outline of her cartilage could even be vaguely seen.
It was so clear and translucent that you couldn't help but take another bite.

Xue Rui's eyes lit up, as if his earlobe was some kind of switch. He thought to himself, "I've finally discovered the little girl's 'weak point,' how can I let it go so easily?"

So Xue Rui went up to her again without hesitation.

This time, however, it wasn't so easy to "get her way." Gu Muxue covered her ears, staggering and dodging, while Xue Rui relentlessly attacked. The two of them wrestled and played around in the back row for quite a while...

"Cough cough!"

Yu Minlan coughed lightly twice, her hands gripping the steering wheel turning white.

Mr. Xue, you're being way too arrogant. Didn't you see how dark Director Gu's face turned?
Xue Rui paused, tilted his head back and glanced in the rearview mirror, his eyes meeting Lao Gu's. He quickly looked away, but the image still lingered in his mind.

If looks could kill, he would have died a hundred times over...

Xue Rui hunched his shoulders and looked out the window at the scenery as if nothing was wrong.

Gu Muxue gently stroked the back of Xue Rui's head and softly comforted him, "Don't be afraid, Xiao Rui."

Xue Rui's expression was strange. For some reason, he felt that Gu Muxue's technique was very familiar, as if it was no different from the way he petted Dahuang.

"Hehe, Xiao Rui is such a good boy." Seeing that Xue Rui did not resist, Gu Muxue became more and more enthusiastic in touching him.

Xue Rui: ……

Before long, the car slowly drove onto the familiar road. Because Yu Minlan was not very familiar with the route, she usually passed through Xue Rui's village first, and then went around to Gu Muxue's house.

As Xue Rui passed by his house, he heard a dog barking.

"Wang Wang!"

Looking back, I saw Big Yellow running wildly behind the car.

Xue Rui was stunned for a while, thinking that his younger sister had left her pet at her grandparents' house and didn't care about it anymore...

Gu Muxue couldn't bear it and said, "Xiao Yu, drive slowly, we'll take it back later."

"Huh? Mu Xue, when did you get a dog?" Gu Qingshan asked in return.

Gu Muxue glared resentfully at Xue Rui: "Xiao Rui raised him, he's so clingy."

Upon hearing this, Xue Rui's brow twitched. He always felt that Gu Muxue was indirectly criticizing the little girl for being so clingy.

“Xiao Rui, you have to be responsible for whatever you raise. You can’t just abandon it in the village and then ignore it.” Gu Qingshan raised his hand, signaling Yu Minlan to stop: “Let it come up here.”

"Uncle Gu is truly enlightened."

Xue Rui opened the car door, and Da Huang jumped in with a "whoosh".

If, when she confronts Lao Gu in the future, he can treat Lin Ruoxi with the same magnanimity he showed to Da Huang, that would be even more enlightened.

"What's with all this talk about being enlightened or not? It's just a dog!" Gu Qingshan thought Xue Rui was going too far with his flattery.

“That’s different. Dahuang gets a lot of disdain in the city. People always look down on Dahuang because it’s just a country dog…” Xue Rui sighed.

These days, the Chinese rural dog hasn't been officially recognized, and it's more popular to keep various foreign dogs. The more expensive the dog, the more sought after it is. Dahuang belongs to the bottom of the discrimination chain.

Big Yellow always seemed out of place in the city, always "inferior to other dogs," and passersby would always give him disdainful looks and move a few steps to the side in disgust.

When he takes his Ragdoll cat out for a walk, several female students will always appear around him, asking what the cat's name is and asking to take a picture with him.

"Exactly, they always look at me with prejudice, and they even brag to me about how much money they spent on their dogs, I don't know what they're so proud of..."

Gu Muxue looked sullen. Sometimes when she walked her dog, she would run into other people walking their dogs.

She still vividly remembers the look of disgust on the other dog's owner's face when the two dogs were together.

"Mu Xue, they're just using their status to their advantage. Let's not stoop to their level," Xue Rui comforted her.

Gu Muxue couldn't help but burst out laughing: "Xiao Rui, your ability to curse is getting better and better."

“That’s true, go back a few generations, who didn’t come from the village? Who’s more noble than whom?” Xue Rui laughed. “Hehehe~” Gu Muxue laughed so hard she was shaking: “Okay, okay, I’ll retort like that next time.”

Xue Rui shook his head: "That's not humiliating enough. Have you forgotten that our dog, Da Huang, can do backflips? Next time someone brags to you, have Da Huang perform a backflip for them first, and then tell them that you bought this dog for five yuan."

Gu Muxue was stunned for a moment after hearing this, then she understood what Xue Rui meant by saying that.

The subtext is: Even a five-dollar dog can do a backflip, so what can your five-thousand-dollar dog do?
"Xiao Rui, how come you're so clever?"

"Just average, third in the world."

"Who is the second most clever person in the world?"

"Of course it's you," Xue Rui replied without hesitation.

"Huh? I'm second? Then who's first?"

Gu Muxue's tone was threatening. Could it be that Lin Ruoxi is number one?
But when it comes to who is more clever, Gu Muxue believes she is much better than Lin Ruoxi.

Xue Rui chuckled: "If you say you're second, no one dares to say they're first."

"goose……"

……

Gu Qingshan closed his eyes, a faint smile on his lips. It was the first time he had heard Gu Muxue's hearty laughter, as clear and melodious as a silver bell.

It seems that only in front of Xue Rui can Gu Muxue completely unleash her most willful side...

Alas, Gu Qingshan had to admit that his role as a traditional father ultimately had its limitations.

Perhaps, Xue Rui will be a good father in the future?

Without the airs of traditional parents, it's easier to get close to children...

A few minutes later, the car stopped in front of the familiar house.

Gu Qingshan glanced at the gate tower, and his heart couldn't help but feel heavy.

Speaking of which, his personality was influenced by his father. Gu Muxue's grandfather was a very traditional person. Every year when he went to his father-in-law's house for the New Year, he would always be scolded when he came back.

But today is different. With Xue Rui present, the old man will give him face.

Gu Qingshan stepped into the courtyard and called out to the old lady in the yard with a smile, "Mom, I'm back."

The old lady's eyes lit up, and she shouted into the house, "Old man, Qingshan and Muxue are back!"

"So what if you're back? Why are you making such a fuss?"

Before I saw the person, I heard his voice first.

Judging from his voice, the old man seemed very unhappy.

"You keep talking about Qingshan every day during the New Year, I'm so tired of hearing it. I kindly called you, and you're still not happy?" the old lady muttered softly.

Xue Rui's lips twitched. So, this arrogance has been passed down for three generations?
"Ahem, there are outsiders here." Gu Qingshan's expression was grim.

The old lady paused, glanced at Xue Rui, and then quickly looked behind him, muttering, "Nobody's here."

Xue Rui carried a large pile of gift boxes in both hands, his expression somewhat bewildered.

No, am I even human?
Why did this old lady selectively ignore him?
Gu Muxue took Xue Rui's arm and said, "Grandma, this is my boyfriend, Xue Rui."

“Jianfeng’s son,” Gu Qingshan added.

"Oh my, I thought you had a new driver." The old lady clapped her hands excitedly and pulled Xue Rui into the yard.

Xue Rui looked embarrassed; he hadn't expected Gu Muxue's grandmother to be so enthusiastic...

But he didn't have much hope for Gu Muxue's grandfather, after all, you could tell from old Gu's character...

She's a proud and arrogant ancestor, after all; it'll probably take quite a bit of effort to win her over.

Just like before the New Year, when I said I would introduce a guy to the girl, now that I think about it, it was probably a way to force him to show up.

However, Xue Rui wasn't under any pressure, since Gu Muxue was very opinionated and, more importantly, extremely protective of her own. Winning over the old man was only a matter of time.

"Qingshan, go back and sit with your dad for a while. I'll give the kids a heads-up." Grandma waved her hand, signaling Gu Qingshan to come inside quickly.

Gu Qingshan looked embarrassed. He opened his mouth, then finally sighed and walked into the room with a hunched back, as if he had aged several years in an instant and entered his forties.

He'll find out sooner or later anyway; he can't hide it from him no matter what.

The old woman led the two to a side room, furtively locked the door from the inside, and then handed each of them a large apple: "Have some fruit."

Xue Rui didn't stand on ceremony. He took a bite of his apple and said, "Grandma, what do you want to tell me?"

Grandma didn't answer, but looked at Gu Muxue with a kind expression and said, "Muxue, do you want a little brother?"

"Cough cough cough..." Xue Rui coughed violently for a while, and the old lady's words were truly astonishing.

"Grandma, do I have a cousin?"

Gu Muxue looked blank. She didn't remember having any relatives, but she still patted Xue Rui's back.

"Of course it's my younger brother, but I'll need your help with this. I don't think your mother will agree."

The old lady's words were shocking and relentless, leaving Xue Rui and his companion dizzy and disoriented.

"Cough cough!"

Xue Rui coughed even more violently.

In an instant, Gu Muxue's face turned visibly pale, and many guesses flashed through her mind.

Her mother and grandparents never got along, mainly because of the issue of having children.

I suddenly told her today that she has a younger brother...

Gu Muxue's mind raced, and she came to the most reasonable answer, which was also the answer she least wanted to accept: Old Gu's illegitimate child.

In an instant, Gu Muxue's eyes reddened, and she tightly hugged Xue Rui's arm, her body trembling uncontrollably.

Her home seems to be on the verge of collapse.

Xue Rui's guess was exactly the same as Gu Muxue's. He hugged Gu Muxue tightly and whispered, "Don't be afraid, I'm here for you."

The news was explosive; he had inexplicably gained a brother-in-law.

I wonder how old he is now. Should he give him an iPhone?
Or is it a Want Want gift pack?
As long as it's not a pacifier, it's fine.

His mother-in-law is quite tolerant of him, but I wonder how she treats Lao Gu...

"Mmm." Gu Muxue closed her eyes tightly and buried her face in Xue Rui's arms. She dared not listen any longer.

Xue Rui patted Gu Muxue on the back. The little girl hugged him tightly, her body trembling uncontrollably, like a drowning person clinging to the only piece of driftwood beside her.

Xue Rui felt very sorry for Gu Muxue. When had Gu Muxue ever been so vulnerable?
Old Gu, you're even more of a bastard than me!

Xue Rui cursed viciously in his heart.

He placed his hands over Gu Muxue's ears, afraid that she wouldn't be able to handle what was to come.

Gu Muxue did not stop him, letting Xue Rui cover her ears.

In an instant, the world fell silent, and a sense of security slowly spread from the depths of her heart, warming her body, and her trembling shoulders gradually calmed down. (End of Chapter)