Chapter 465 - 326: More of a Sister’s Love

Hearing his mom revert to her usual "mother tiger" state, Xue Rui figured it was nothing serious and lay back down.

"How can I agree if you don’t tell me what it is?" Xue Rui yelled.

"You just have to agree first. I’ll tell you after you do," Ren Qunfang said.

Lin Ruoxi listened from the side, staring blankly. ’How can Aunt Ren be so unreasonable?’

Helpless, Xue Rui gave in perfunctorily. "Fine, fine, I’ll agree to anything. Just tell me already."

’Women are all the same. I’m just saying I’ll agree; whether I actually do it is another matter entirely.’

’Faced with such unreasonable behavior, the best solution is to pretend to go along with it.’

"Good, as long as you’ve agreed. I’m hanging up," Ren Qunfang said with a laugh, then ended the call.

Listening to the BEEP-BEEP-BEEP of the dial tone, Xue Rui tossed his phone aside with a look of resignation. ’What was that all about?’

’Whatever. I’ll just go to sleep. Lin Ruoxi will probably end up sleeping in her mom’s room tonight.’

...

Ren Qunfang brandished her phone. "See? He listens to everything I say."

Lin Ruoxi pouted. "You’re being... being unfair."

’Xue Rui doesn’t even know what it is, how could he just agree like that?’

"Did you hear the worry in his voice just now? He would’ve agreed to anything I said," Ren Qunfang said.

’It seems Xue Rui misunderstood something. All I did was speak a little more gently, and my own son thought something happened to me?’

’Is my image really that bad?’

’How annoying!’

Seeing Lin Ruoxi remain silent, Ren Qunfang made another call, this time to Xie Jianfeng.

"Jianfeng, I plan on making Lin Ruoxi my goddaughter. I’m asking you—do you agree?"

Xie Jianfeng, on the other end of the line, fell silent for a second. That was a command. ’Do I even have room to refuse?’

"I agree. Of course, I agree," Xie Jianfeng replied.

’It wasn’t as if she were asking Xue Rui and Lin Ruoxi to get married right away. There was no downside to making Lin Ruoxi their goddaughter. Looked at another way, it even paved the road for Xue Rui and Gu Muxue.’

’Although he and Ren Qunfang had different stances on things, they were in complete agreement on this matter.’

"Okay, hanging up now. Don’t drink too much."

...

Lin Ruoxi sat on the bed, staring blankly at the family photo on display. ’The Xue Rui in the picture is so different from how he is now...’

Ren Qunfang’s heart ached for her. ’Lin Ruoxi definitely doesn’t have any photos like this...’

"Take your time looking. This one was taken in ’08. We have a lot more around the house."

Ren Qunfang placed the photo in Lin Ruoxi’s hands, then walked out and dragged the headphone-wearing Xue Yao into the room.

"Mom, my game is still running! We’re about to start a team fight, don’t drag me away..." Xue Yao said, looking anxious and restless.

"Can’t you just pause it? We have something important to discuss with you as a family," Ren Qunfang said, her expression darkening.

Xue Yao really wanted to explain that you can’t pause the game, but adults never listen. She heard the sound of her base exploding through her Bluetooth earbuds, followed by the word "DEFEAT," and a look of utter dejection appeared on her face...

Lin Ruoxi grew flustered. ’What’s wrong with Xue Yao?’

’Why does she look so crestfallen?’

"How would you feel about having Xixi as your older sister? She would live in the room next to yours," Ren Qunfang began.

"An older sister?" Xue Yao frowned. ’I’m getting an older sister?’

’She didn’t want to share her parents’ love.’

’But would refusing get her any more of it?’

’Obviously not.’

’Lin Ruoxi was so well-behaved and sensible, she might become the favorite. The thought of it made her very unhappy...’

Xue Yao pouted. ’Lin Ruoxi doesn’t have a mother. Is she going to take away my mother’s love?’

Ren Qunfang sensed her daughter’s inner turmoil and suddenly felt a pang of guilt. What was a calculated decision for an adult might be a heavy blow to a child...

She said in a low voice, "Yaoyao, Mommy will always love you. That will never change."

Xue Yao secretly wiped away a tear. "It won’t be any less?"

"It won’t. And you’ll gain an older sister’s love, too," Ren Qunfang said, shaking her head.

’Xue Rui’s previous words came back to her, and it was like a wake-up call: stop constantly comparing your own child to others...’

"Mommy was wrong to compare you to others. Mommy promises it won’t happen again," Ren Qunfang said gently.

Xue Yao tilted her head and thought for a moment. Lin Ruoxi was undeniably excellent and also very gentle. Because of her feelings for Xue Rui, she was also very attentive to her. ’I’m just feeling jealous!’

’But... Lin Ruoxi would bring a playmate with her: Da Huang.’

’During dinner earlier, she had been so envious of how Sister Ruoxi doted on Xue Rui. Could she get that kind of attention in the future?’

’Hmm... All things considered, it didn’t seem like a bad deal for her.’

’More importantly, this would give Lin Ruoxi a new status. She would no longer be just my big brother’s girlfriend...’

’Xue Rui’s status in the family would drop, and she wouldn’t be at the bottom of the pecking order anymore...’

’Her own dejection was hard to accept, but her brother’s setback would be even more delightful!’

"I agree!" Xue Yao grinned.

Ren Qunfang patted Xue Yao’s head, then turned to Lin Ruoxi and said:

"Xixi, all four of us in the family agree. What about you?"