Chapter 502 340: "New Love Surpasses the Old" (Part 2)

Ever since she told Yang Xing last night that she was living with Lin Ruoxi, she had no way of backing out.

Lin Ruoxi's behavior was incredibly rude. She entered her room without permission, and her actions showed a complete lack of regard for personal space!

But her intentions were good. The feeling... was so strange.

'She's definitely annoying,' she thought. But her stomach was still full of the red date and millet congee Lin Ruoxi had made, and the warmth spreading through it felt incredibly comforting...

"Are… are you and he like this every day? You cook, he does the dishes?" Gu Muxue asked, feigning nonchalance.

An image formed in her mind: Xue Rui and Lin Ruoxi living together, laughing and joking as they bantered in the kitchen...

However, Lin Ruoxi's next words shattered that image.

"No. I cook, and I do the dishes," Lin Ruoxi said.

"Then what does he do?" Gu Muxue sat up straight, her eyes scanning the car's interior, looking for signs of their life together. For the first time, she was curious about Lin Ruoxi and Xue Rui's life.

Lin Ruoxi bit her lip. 'Xue Rui actually wants to help, but I can't bear to let him do those kinds of chores...'

'I know I'm going a bit overboard, but I just can't help it.'

'Gu Muxue got sick because of me and Xue Rui. I can't bring that up again.'

"How about we talk about something else? Is there anything you'd like to eat? Or anything you like in general…"

Lin Ruoxi asked in a low voice. She wanted to get to know Gu Muxue better so she could help her recover as quickly as possible.

Gu Muxue's apartment wasn't far from Jiao University, and it only took them a little over ten minutes to reach the building where she had class. But class had already started; she had still made Gu Muxue late…

"Fine, we'll talk about something else. In that case, let me ask you—what's this?" Gu Muxue asked, picking up a food container.

Gu Muxue was asking a question she already knew the answer to. It was obviously food in the container. As for who it was for?

She didn't even have to think about it. It was clearly the breakfast Lin Ruoxi had made for Xue Rui.

"You used my kitchen to cook for him," Gu Muxue stated, her fingers tapping lightly on the container.

"I… I'll pick you up after your classes."

Lin Ruoxi dodged the question, tentatively reaching to take the food container back.

'Is Gu Muxue upset?'

'I'll have to hide the container better next time...'

"Hmph!" Gu Muxue snorted, leaving the food container on the passenger seat. She opened the car door and stepped out.

With her back to Lin Ruoxi, Gu Muxue hesitated for a moment before saying, "From now on… remember to knock before you enter my room."

With that, she gently closed the car door and dashed into the academic building.

'I don't know how long it will take for me to get better, but as long as I act a little better in front of Lin Ruoxi each day, she'll think I've recovered and leave. It's the only way.'

"But… I did knock. You just didn't answer," Lin Ruoxi muttered to herself, watching Gu Muxue's retreating back.

'Does what she just said mean she's not against me moving in with her?'

Lin Ruoxi breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't drive away until Gu Muxue's figure had completely disappeared from sight.

...

In an English class at the University of Posts and Telecommunications.

Xue Rui sat in a corner in the back, playing on his phone. Lin Ruoxi had said she'd bring him breakfast, but the first period was almost over, and there was still no sign of her.

This was the first time Lin Ruoxi had ever been late, which only made Xue Rui more curious about her whereabouts.

Just as Xue Rui was about to call her, Lin Ruoxi ducked her head and slipped in through the back door, sliding into the seat beside him.

"I'm late. Are you hungry? Hurry and eat." After glancing around, Lin Ruoxi carefully opened the food container and placed it on his desk.

Xue Rui knew something was different with just a glance. This wasn't store-bought; Lin Ruoxi had made it herself.

"Xixi, be honest with me. What happened yesterday?" Xue Rui asked, intrigued.

He had only asked Lin Ruoxi to take Gu Muxue home. 'How did they end up living together?'

Now, this homemade breakfast was the ironclad proof. It meant that Lin Ruoxi had made breakfast for Gu Muxue.

Lin Ruoxi's hands clenched tightly as she smoothly recited her rehearsed lines. "Um, she was going to stay out yesterday, so I went with her. I'm just crashing at her place and refusing to leave."

Xue Rui was so shocked he dropped his chopsticks. 'Does Lin Ruoxi have any idea what she's saying?'

'Refusing to leave Gu Muxue's place?'

'This...'

'Could her lie be any more obvious?'

'That said, her lie today… was surprisingly natural!'

It was a little flawed, logically speaking, but it still impressed Xue Rui.

'Of course I know I'm lying to Xue Rui,' Lin Ruoxi thought, 'but I have no choice...'

'Even if he knew, he couldn't help. It would just plunge him into endless self-blame. It's better for me to bear it all, at least until Gu Muxue is truly well again.'

Xue Rui gently squeezed Lin Ruoxi's cheek. "Xixi, look at me and say that again."

"Rui, can you please not ask? It's a secret between me and Gu Muxue. I'll agree to anything else, just not this," Lin Ruoxi said meekly, pressing her cheek against the desk.

Xue Rui let go, deciding to put a little pressure on her. He said coolly, "And what do you think?"

Lin Ruoxi looked at Xue Rui, and the image of Gu Muxue's lonely figure sitting by the street last night flashed through her mind. Her eyes quickly welled with tears.

Glistening teardrops streamed down, dripping onto the desk, while more clung to her long lashes.

"Okay, okay, I won't ask," Xue Rui said hastily. He really couldn't stand it when she cried.

But Lin Ruoxi knew she couldn't just leave it at that. This time, she had to be absolutely convincing in her deception. She couldn't let him see any cracks in her story.

She wiped away her tears and asked in a low voice, "Rui, what does Gu Muxue like to eat? What kinds of things does she like? I want to be friends with her."