Chapter 335 - 277: Give It to Sister, Okay?

’I’ll never accept this. It would be an act of betrayal!’

Xue Rui knew full well that Xue Yao’s words weren’t just directed at him, but also at Lin Ruoxi. It looked like his little sister was on Gu Muxue’s side.

Lin Ruoxi stood frozen, at a loss for what to do. Xue Yao hadn’t accepted her gift. A look of dejection clouded her eyes.

Yu Minlan looked surprised. She knew how much heart and soul Lin Ruoxi had poured into this keyboard. When she’d tested its weight, it had felt heavy; holding it with outstretched arms for so long had to be tiring. For a moment, she felt her own chest tighten with anger and shortness of breath.

Just as she was about to explain something, Xue Rui shot her a harsh glare, and she immediately clamped her mouth shut.

’Yes, I need to maintain the mindset of an employee,’ she thought. ’What my boss does has nothing to do with me.’

"Yaoyao, you can carry your own things back," Xue Rui said irritably, placing all the books he was holding on the ground.

He reached out and took the gift box. "Let’s go inside, Xixi. She can take it or leave it."

He hadn’t expected Xue Yao’s approval in the first place. The girl simply wanted to thank her, so he was just playing along.

Still, Xue Rui wasn’t worried. He believed that with a personality like Lin Ruoxi’s, very few people could dislike her. Besides, the girl’s gift was so full of sincerity, he was sure his sister’s position would eventually waver.

"Hmph. Fine, I’ll move them," Xue Yao said, bending down to lift the thick stack of books. But she wasn’t strong enough, and she struggled for a while without being able to wedge her fingers under the pile.

Just as she was about to make multiple trips, she suddenly noticed a lock of glossy, jet-black hair dangling in front of her.

Lin Ruoxi lifted the entire thick stack of books, not caring in the slightest if she got her hands dirty.

"Th-thank you," Xue Yao said, somewhat embarrassed.

’I just gave her such a nasty look, hoping she’d get mad and leave,’ she thought. ’But how come this girl doesn’t seem to mind at all?’

Xue Rui smiled. Lin Ruoxi was a total pushover. Trying to provoke the girl was like kicking a wad of cotton—it was impossible to get a reaction, and you’d often end up feeling guilty instead.

「In the living room.」

Lin Ruoxi sat bolt upright beside Xue Rui, while Da Huang lay at her feet.

Xue Yao pouted as she stared at Da Huang, seemingly still angry that the dog had ignored her.

Xue Rui opened the box Lin Ruoxi had brought. A pink-and-purple keyboard with a metallic sheen appeared before them. It wasn’t a standard full-size keyboard, but an 87-key model...

Its proportions were particularly special for this era, with its length and width approaching the golden ratio. Combined with its solid metal casing and wireless design, its premium feel was off the charts.

Xue Rui thought to himself that if this thing were put up for sale, it would fetch several thousand yuan at the very least. The custom case alone wasn’t cheap, and the girl had even spray-painted the gradient pink-and-purple finish herself.

Xue Yao’s eyes instantly lit up. The keyboard glowed, and the "QWERDF" keys—commonly used in League of Legends—were a bright pink, creating a contrasting color scheme...

Xue Rui tapped a few keys. The sound was crisp and pleasant, and the feel of the keys was incredibly satisfying.

He nodded in satisfaction. "You did a great job. If she doesn’t want it, I’ll take it. I’ll just swap out these keycaps when I get home, since I don’t play games."

The meaning behind his words was obvious—he was hinting to Xue Yao about the keyboard’s origin.

"Rui, I’ve already made one for you. This one is for your sister," Lin Ruoxi said softly, her voice a bit rushed.

Xue Yao murmured, "It was made especially for me?"

’I like to play League of Legends, so Lin Ruoxi deliberately changed the color of the most-used keys. I’ve never seen a pure aluminum keyboard like this before. Did she personally customize it?’

Lin Ruoxi nodded. "It’s a gift for you."

"Thank you," Xue Yao said with an awkward smile, reaching out to take it.

However, Xue Rui swatted her hand away. "Didn’t you say you didn’t want it just a moment ago? Too late now. It’s mine."

Lin Ruoxi didn’t know what to do. She thought Xue Rui was joking, but she was also afraid he might actually be angry.

She took hold of Xue Rui’s hand and pleaded, "Rui, please give it to your sister, okay?"