Rebirth: Start to Save the Treasure Girl

Gu Qingshan walked out of the living room and stood on the high steps. Through the glass, he could clearly see Xue Rui and his daughter eating apples.

We take turns, one bite for you, it's so delicious!

"Ahem." Gu Qingshan coughed twice and stamped his foot. When Xue Rui looked in his direction, he beckoned Xue Rui to come out.

"Qingshan, can't you speak properly?"

The old man's reprimanding voice came from behind.

Gu Qingshan looked dazed, wondering what attitude he should use to call out to Xue Rui.

Does he have to ask Xue Rui to come out?
"Uncle Gu."

After Xue Rui came out, he smiled at Gu Qingshan. Without asking why, he went straight into the living room.

As she passed by Gu Qingshan, her arm was grabbed, and Gu Qingshan whispered in her ear, "What did you talk about with Grandma Mu Xue just now?"

Gu Qingshan was very curious. As a son-in-law visiting for the first time, he should be grateful if he didn't get a hard time. How could he sit at the same table and drink with his father?

He doesn't even get this kind of treatment.

Where can I reason from this?
“Um…” Xue Rui looked at Gu Muxue, who lowered her head and remained silent, seemingly embarrassed to discuss the topic of her parents.

He pushed Gu Muxue into the living room and whispered, "Uncle Gu, Grandma wants you to keep up with national policies."

Xue Rui felt there was no need to be too blunt.

Gu Qingshan gave an awkward smile, let go of Xue Rui and left. He squatted alone on the steps in front of the living room and silently lit a cigarette.

"This young man is really tall."

Hearing the laughter coming from the living room, Gu Qingshan felt a mix of emotions.

When he brought his wife home back then, the old man was very picky, finding fault with everything.

He was so picky about finding a wife, so he thought he would be even more picky about finding a son-in-law, but the reality was completely different from what he imagined.

The old man's hearty laughter sounded as if he were seeing his own grandson.

His own grandson?
Gu Qingshan narrowed his eyes. He vaguely guessed the reason, but he wasn't very sure.

……

"Grandpa, this is Xue Rui, my...my boyfriend." Gu Muxue's expression was also somewhat surprised.

When she talked to her grandfather about Xue Rui before, he didn't seem to care much, which made her a little worried.

"Hello, Grandpa. You've met my dad a lot, but I don't know if he's ever mentioned me," Xue Rui said with a smile.

"Sit down, make yourself at home." The old man smiled and looked Xue Rui up and down.

"You look just like your dad when he was young. Your dad was like a little monkey since he was a kid, always running around with Qingshan."

"Xiao Rui has always been a very active person since he was little, and he has quite a few scars on his body."

Gu Muxue pulled Xue Rui down to sit and began to talk about Xue Rui's "dark history".

"It's good for boys to be lively. Grandpa was the same way when he was a child. Besides, what's a little scar on a man?" the old man said with a smile.

Gu Muxue frowned slightly. She thought her grandfather was on her side, but it sounded like she was the outsider.
"Hmph! You two chat."

Gu Muxue snorted coldly, took off her shoes, put her slender legs on Xue Rui's legs, and swung her small feet in white socks back and forth while playing on her phone.

However, just a few seconds later, she received a cold gaze, seemingly coming from the direction of her grandfather.

Gu Muxue instinctively tried to sit up, but Xue Rui pressed her legs down.

"Grandpa, there are no outsiders at home. Mu Xue is always like this when she's with me, so let her be." Xue Rui smiled and patted Gu Mu Xue's feet.

"That girl is really something, she must have been spoiled rotten by her mother," the old man complained casually.

Gu Muxue opened her mouth, thinking that it was clearly Old Gu who spoiled her, so how could it be related to her mother?
The two chatted for a short while, and Xue Rui found that the old man treated him very well.

Xue Rui wasn't too surprised.

After all, the old man had wanted a grandson for so many years, and Gu Qingshan hadn't been able to give him one, so he probably had given up hope on his son.

Old Gu's idea of ​​finding a son-in-law must have been influenced by Gu Muxue's grandfather.

For an elderly person of this age, how could they not be anxious as they watch their bloodline wither away?
He was Gu Muxue's childhood sweetheart, and their families were considered a good match.

The moment he appeared, he promised that Gu Muxue's child would have the surname Gu.

This was tantamount to igniting a torch called "hope" in the old man's heart.

Grandpa Gu Muxue is no ordinary old man, so Xue Rui chose to play his cards right from the start, revealing his bottom line and saving himself the trouble of confrontation.

In Xue Rui's view, since Gu Muxue was the only son left in the Gu family, and she was stubborn and only recognized him, he had nothing to worry about.

Whether caught red-handed by Gu Qingshan or exposed by Zhao Lizhen for cheating on him, Xue Rui was never afraid. He firmly believed that Gu Muxue would protect him, and that was indeed the case.

Ultimately, a girl's favoritism is a boy's greatest source of confidence when facing interpersonal relationships; external things like cars, houses, and wealth are secondary.

The atmosphere of the conversation was relaxed, and Xue Rui gradually relaxed as well, gently stroking Gu Muxue's white socks.

“Grandpa, didn’t you say you were going to introduce Mu Xue to someone? I’m already here, so why don’t you tell that kid not to come anymore? Tell him that Mu Xue, this beautiful flower, has already found her own cow dung.” Xue Rui said casually.

The old man shook his head with a wry smile: "You brat, if I hadn't said I was going to introduce Mu Xue to someone, would you still be planning to come and take a look at our house?"

Xue Rui and Gu Muxue exchanged a glance, thinking to themselves, "Just as I thought."

"What are you talking about? I was just thinking that Uncle Gu went to someone else's house for the New Year, and I was afraid you were in a bad mood and wouldn't give me a good look." Xue Rui immediately shifted the blame.

However, the next moment, Gu Qingshan's face appeared in the window. He glared at Xue Rui fiercely, threatening him with his eyes.

Xue Rui's lips twitched. He understood Gu Qingshan's look all too well: Don't be so secretive!
The old man looked coldly at Gu Qingshan: "Look, even a child knows that the elders are unhappy. You're such a grown man, don't you know?"

Gu Qingshan gave an awkward smile and obediently squatted back down.

His legs were numb from squatting, and he waited for a long time without getting a chance to go in.

"Hey~"

There were four or five cigarette butts scattered at Gu Qingshan's feet. He understood perfectly well that Xue Rui had already grasped his father's weakness.

He can't give the old man a grandson, but Xue Rui can give him a great-grandson.

Whoever can leave the old man a descendant will have the highest say in the family.

Gu Qingshan was extremely annoyed. If he had known that Xue Rui would do such a thing, why would he have spoken up for Xue Rui?
“Grandpa, times have changed. There’s nothing wrong with Uncle Gu spending the New Year at Aunt Zhao’s house. It’s called equality.”

Xue Rui's voice rang out again, but this time it was to defend Gu Qingshan.

Gu Qingshan looked pleased. Xue Rui had intended to say a few good words for him, but reality...

Xue Rui will most likely anger the old man.

As expected, the old man's voice was no longer so amiable: "What kind of talk is that? Going home with a woman for the New Year, wouldn't that be considered marrying into her family?"

Gu Muxue nervously turned off her phone screen. She hooked her toe around Xue Rui's hand and gently shook her head at him, signaling him not to have a conflict with his grandfather.

Xue Rui had already guessed that the old man would say that, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly:

“Grandpa, I was planning to come home for Chinese New Year next year. Uncle Gu’s actions have set a good example for me, and I can give my family an explanation, right?”

The old man's gaze lingered for a moment before he fell into deep thought again.

He used to always think from his son's perspective, but things are different now. His family now includes not only a son but also a granddaughter.

His attitude never affected Gu Qingshan.

Xue Rui's new perspective can not only ease the conflict between him and his son, but also make the house more lively so that his granddaughter can stay at home.

It seems there's no more perfect solution...

When he looked at Xue Rui again, his gaze softened even more.

Is Xue Rui willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of harmony in his family?

Qingshan is right, Xue Rui is indeed different.

Sacrifice the small self and achieve the big self.

Their ideological awareness is exceptionally high...

Even among their generation, this is an extremely rare and precious quality. "Perhaps, I am indeed narrow-minded?"

The old man couldn't help but reflect.

Gu Muxue looked up at Xue Rui with a sweet smile, but as she smiled, a sour feeling rose in her nose.

As an only child, she naturally hopes to go back to her own home with Xue Rui and see her parents in the future.

She never mentioned it to Xue Rui, fearing he would disagree.

That's true, not many boys would agree to that condition.

But Xue Rui took the initiative to bring it up, which even eased the long-standing conflicts in her family.

“I’m an only son in my family. If you use the term ‘marrying into the family,’ my family will probably have a hard time agreeing to it.”

Xue Rui sighed repeatedly and shook his head.

The subtext of his words was: If you're going to use this kind of rhetoric, you're probably hoping for a great-grandson? That's hopeless.

"What era are we living in? Marriage is marriage. All this talk about marrying into another family or moving into another's home is just feudal remnant."

The old man said righteously that Xue Rui's current stance was in the best interest of his family, and he had to support him unconditionally.

Xue Rui lowered his head and winked at Gu Muxue, but Gu Muxue immediately avoided his gaze.

Gu Muxue kept her eyes tightly closed, her long eyelashes glistening with a bright luster, and the smile on her lips grew wider and wider.

Xue Rui is wonderful, the best boy she has ever met. Her expectation is that Xue Rui will fulfill all her wishes without her even asking, just like a prince in a fairy tale.

But Xue Rui wasn't just her boyfriend; he also had Lin Ruoxi...

ah~
The more Xue Rui acted this way, the stronger her desire to possess him became; she wanted all of his love.

But Xue Rui just likes two girls...

Xiao Rui, oh Xiao Rui, what am I supposed to do?

"Dinner's ready! Come and eat!" Grandma called out.

Gu Qingshan, standing outside the door, slowly got up, twisted his neck forcefully, and let out a long sigh of relief, feeling as if his body had become much younger.

"Let's eat!" Gu Qingshan muttered to himself.

At the dinner table, Gu Qingshan would occasionally put food on Xue Rui's plate, and Gu Muxue's grandparents did the same.

"I really can't eat anymore," Xue Rui said, his words slurred.

"With such a big size, you need to eat more." Grandma ignored her and continued to put food on Xue Rui's plate.

The old man placed a piece of food on Gu Qingshan's plate and said indifferently, "Why didn't Zhenzhen come back with you?"

Gu Qingshan was stunned. Over the years, his father had never inquired about Zhao Lizhen's whereabouts, and had always acted as if there was no such person in the family.

"She's quite busy and won't be back for a few days," Gu Qingshan said with a smile.

"Okay, then I'll bring her back for a meal when she has time."

The old man never once looked at Gu Qingshan.

"Okay." Gu Qingshan was filled with emotion.

He looked at Xue Rui with gentle eyes. What he had failed to accomplish in half a lifetime, Xue Rui had done in half a day.

"Xiao Rui, I heard you've also sponsored impoverished students? That's really impressive, you're responsible and have a strong sense of duty."

The old man changed the subject and began praising Xue Rui.

“Dad, you didn’t say that before. You said that businessmen don’t get up early for nothing, and that charity always has a purpose.” Gu Qingshan bluntly exposed his argument.

“Xiao Rui is different,” the old man retorted.

"Of course he's different, hmph~" Gu Muxue muttered to herself in a whisper.

Who are the impoverished students that Xue Rui has sponsored?
He even sponsored her to sleep with him, what a bastard!
Xue Rui understood perfectly well that Gu Muxue was subtly hinting at something to him again.

"Mu Xue, what are you whining about?" Grandma asked.

“I said…” Gu Muxue paused deliberately, then looked at Xue Rui with a dissatisfied expression.

Xue Rui's expression was extremely unpleasant, fearing that the young girl would reveal Lin Ruoxi's affair.

It's not the right time yet...

"What did you say?" Grandpa tilted his ear.

“I said yes, we should sponsor more impoverished students in the future,” Gu Muxue said with a smile.

Xue Rui smiled and agreed, "Yes, we should provide more funding."

"Xiao Rui, how about we sponsor more male students and less female students?" Gu Muxue said, blinking.

Xue Rui glanced around, and Old Gu and his grandfather's expressions instantly turned strange.

Mu Xue, Mu Xue, your family is full of shrewd people, why are you talking nonsense?

It's hard not to overthink it, making it seem like he has ulterior motives!
Although it's not quite that pure...

"Mu Xue, what do you mean by that?" Gu Qingshan asked in a serious tone.

“From what I’ve observed, boys really can’t afford to eat when they don’t have money, but girls always find a boyfriend to be their meal ticket when they don’t have money,” Gu Muxue said seriously.

"Hmm, that makes a lot of sense..."

Xue Rui breathed a long sigh of relief, thinking that it was good that his matter was not mentioned.

……

After dinner, everyone sat around the sofa watching TV and chatting.

A watermark popped up in the corner of the screen announcing the hour, and the old man said, "Qingshan, it's getting dark."

"What's wrong?" Gu Qingshan asked.

"Aren't you going to work tomorrow?" Grandpa asked again.

Gu Qingshan knew perfectly well that this was a way of telling him to leave.

"Alright, Mu Xue and Xiao Rui, let's go." Gu Qingshan picked up his coat, gesturing for the two to follow him out.

"Go on your way, why are you calling the kids? Let them play for a few more days."

Gu Qingshan: ...

Gu Muxue hugged Xue Rui with a grin, secretly delighted.

She could stay at her grandfather's house with Xue Rui for a few more days without having to put up with Old Gu's sour face.

If she really brings Xue Rui home, Old Gu will definitely be unhappy.

"Mu Xue, go out and see your father off," Grandpa said again.

Gu Muxue jumped up with joy: "Dad, I'll send you on your way!"

Gu Qingshan's expression was very unpleasant.

Gu Muxue realized she had misspoke and quickly corrected herself, saying, "Dad, I'll see you off."

Upon hearing this, Xue Rui couldn't help but twitch his lips and corrected him, "You should say you're taking Uncle Gu home."

"Dad, I'll take you home."

Xue Rui still felt it sounded a bit strange...

Adding the title "father" just doesn't feel quite right.

"Old Gu, let's go..." Gu Muxue pushed Gu Qingshan out of the living room.

"I'll go as well."

Xue Rui stood up, and had only taken a few steps when the old man's unyielding voice rang out behind him:

"Xiao Rui, you shouldn't go." (End of Chapter)