Chapter 342 - 280: Don’t Want to Let Him Show Off

In the blink of an eye, it was the end of August—time for the new school year to begin.

The area in front of the high-speed rail station was bustling. Even the morning sun was so blindingly bright that people couldn’t keep their eyes open. Many sought refuge in the shade along the walls, sitting on their suitcases to rest.

The high-speed rail station in Hedong had only recently been completed. A rather large statue of Guan Gong stood in the very center of the plaza, a unique feature of the city.

Since it was the start of the school season, the travelers were almost exclusively students and their parents.

"Once you get to school, remember to get along with your classmates. And remember to come home for the National Day holiday. Mom will buy your ticket in advance."

"Oh, and this thick quilt is for the winter..."

Mei Lili’s parents rambled on, reminding her of all the things to keep in mind when traveling so far from home. In truth, it wasn’t just them; most mothers seeing their children off were the same.

"Mom, you guys can head back. There are four of us students going together." After saying goodbye to her parents, Mei Lili spotted two familiar figures not far away: Xue Rui and Qiu Mengze, chatting with someone in a shady spot.

A middle-aged man asked Qiu Mengze, "Are you boys first-year university students? No one came to see you off?"

"Nope, no one’s seeing us off. We’re going on our own," Qiu Mengze said, patting Xue Rui on the shoulder.

In reality, his parents had wanted to come, but Xue Rui had told him it was completely unnecessary. A school bus would be waiting to pick them up right outside the station, so his parents would just be tagging along for a day trip spent jostling through crowds.

He thought Xue Rui had a point and confidently left the ticket-buying to him.

"See how independent they are? Going to school all by themselves," the man said to the girl beside him, his tone turning preachy.

The girl retorted, looking annoyed, "I told you I’d be fine going with my classmates. Weren’t you the one who insisted on coming?"

"Is this about me wanting to see you off? You’re so young, and it’s not safe to be carrying a big wad of cash..."

Qiu Mengze was shocked. ’All I did was try to act cool for a second, how did they end up arguing?’

’Should I try to break it up? What would I even say?’

Xue Rui yawned, bored. The muggy weather was making him drowsy. ’What on earth are this father and daughter even talking about?’

Xue Rui took out a tissue to wipe his face, dabbing at the corners of his eyes as he did. "It’s not about being independent. I’d love for my parents to be here, but circumstances just don’t allow for it."

’My old man saw me off once in my past life, but in this one...’

He’d been traveling all over the country since graduating high school. Compared to Guangdong Province, Chang’an felt like it was practically on his doorstep, so of course, no one came to see him off.

The father and daughter immediately stopped their argument after hearing what Xue Rui said.

The girl handed Xue Rui a bottle of water. "Here."

"Thanks." Xue Rui casually twisted the cap off and took a sip.

The man looked guilty. "I’m sorry about that, son. We’re all from the same area, after all. What school are you going to? If it’s on my way, I can give you a ride."

’Just moments ago, I was trying to use this kid as an example to lecture my own daughter. Now I feel like a real jerk.’

Qiu Mengze was completely baffled. ’It was just that Xue Rui’s family didn’t think it was necessary to come. What the hell did he mean, "circumstances don’t allow for it"?’

’He was talking like he was a damn orphan, and when he wiped his sweat, he even dabbed at the corners of his eyes, making it look exactly like he was wiping away tears...’

’If I didn’t know Xue Rui, I’d probably have been fooled into feeling guilty, too.’

"He’s going to the University of Posts and Telecommunications. I’m at the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences," Qiu Mengze said.

The girl said in surprise, "I’m going to the University of Posts and Telecommunications too! I wonder if we’ll be on the same campus."

The man glanced at Xue Rui with admiration, then at his own daughter, and sighed silently.

The girl was speechless. She knew exactly what her dad was thinking. ’It was clearly: "Look at him, he did so well on his exams even without his parents’ help..."’

’We’re going to the same university, so how is he suddenly better than me?’

Looking annoyed, she dragged her suitcase over and sat a little closer to Xue Rui, figuring it would reduce the odds of her dad lecturing her.

Just then, Mei Lili hurried over. She casually nudged Qiu Mengze with her suitcase, a clear signal for him to make some room.

’The girl next to Xue Rui is actually quite cute,’ she thought. ’As Gu Muxue’s best friend, I have to keep a close watch on him.’

"Hi, I’m Qin Wanqing, from Lin County High School," the girl said with a smile.

Qiu Mengze looked on with a sense of resignation. A moment ago, several guys had been gearing up to chat with Qin Wanqing, clearly hoping to get her contact information. They had to give up since her father was right there. He never expected she would be the one to proactively approach Xue Rui.

Xue Rui’s brow furrowed slightly. ’There’s no helping it,’ he thought. ’I did just indirectly get her out of that awkward spot with her dad. Now that we’re going to the same university and are from the same area, we’ll naturally have to talk a bit more.’

’If I didn’t have a girlfriend, I’d definitely go along with it and chat her up—she’s pretty cute, after all. But things are different now. Gu Muxue is just a short distance away, with her loyal lackey Mei Lili watching my every move.’

"I’m Xue Rui." After speaking, he glanced toward Gu Muxue in the distance.

Qin Wanqing also noticed the stylishly dressed girl. Many of the boys around had stopped to admire her, and Xue Rui was no exception.

"Xue’er, Master Yang will be there to pick you up when you get off the train. He’s bringing Xiaobu with him, too," Zhao Lizhen said.

"Oh," Gu Muxue replied, clearly displeased. ’I already told her I wanted to go to school by myself. Why did Mom have to make arrangements anyway?’

Gu Qingshan took a deep breath. "There are some things I couldn’t say in front of Xiaorui. I pulled you aside because there’s something important I need to tell you. When you’re on your own, you have to protect yourself. Keep your distance from Xiaorui. You can’t just... whenever he calls for you..."

’Dad’s been so naggy lately,’ Gu Muxue thought. ’He must have said this at least ten times.’ She could only stand there and silently wait for Old Gu to finish.

"Honestly, Xiaorui... Why did he buy second-class seats?" Zhao Lizhen said.

Gu Muxue explained, "Because most students take second-class. If I’m always in business class, I’ll never run into any of my classmates."