Chapter 503 340: A New Love Trumps an Old One (Part 3)

Xue Rui sighed. "Friendships need to be equal. If you're always just trying to please her, you're the one who will get hurt."

From a purely selfish perspective, it would be a good thing for Lin Ruoxi to be a doormat. If she could keep Gu Muxue happy, it would make his two-timing much easier.

But he wanted both Lin Ruoxi and Gu Muxue to be happy, not for one to constantly give in to the other.

"I just want to know..." Lin Ruoxi said in a low voice.

Gu Muxue had given up too much. As long as it made Gu Muxue a little happier, she felt it was right for her to endure some hardship.

She wanted to learn more about Gu Muxue's preferences.

Xue Rui paused, then hesitated for a moment before answering, "Her lifestyle is the opposite of yours. She likes spicy food, and she uses a lot of water when she showers..."

...

The two of them talked for the entire class. Lin Ruoxi was intensely curious about everything related to Gu Muxue, her eyes shining as she listened.

This left Xue Rui baffled. The girl seemed dead set on this...

'Could it really be like Lin Ruoxi said?'

'That she's going to shamelessly try to be friends with Gu Muxue?'

"There's one more thing. The people she bites are the ones she trusts and relies on completely..." Xue Rui paused here. 'How he wished the girl would come and give him another hard bite. Every time she bit him, it meant she wasn't holding a grudge anymore...'

He said bitterly, "If you can manage to get her to bite you, then you'll be her best friend, bar none."

After speaking, Xue Rui opened his work group chat and glanced at the newly released poster for the "Most Beautiful Campus Belle" contest.

He had set up several grand prizes for each University City. The first prize, naturally, was the iPhone 6 series, which hadn't been released in the country yet.

Apple products generated their own buzz, and their launch events were even known as the "Spring Festival Gala of Tech." Now, after the early September launch event, the hype was off the charts.

It was the beginning of the school year for new students. The combination of "campus belle" and "iPhone" was enough to grab people's attention, promote the app, expand their proprietary electronics recycling business, and run a "trade in your old phone for a chance to win a new one" campaign...

When Lin Ruoxi saw the picture of the new iPhone, she whispered, "I had my colleagues in Shencheng order three from Hong Kong. It's launching a month earlier there."

Xue Rui poked Lin Ruoxi's nose. "In such a hurry?"

Under the table, Lin Ruoxi secretly took Xue Rui's hand. "I promised you before, that I'd get you a new phone."

Xue Rui smiled with satisfaction. Lin Ruoxi never forgot her promises. It felt so good to be cherished by someone.

'Why three?' Xue Rui wondered to himself. 'Could she be thinking of Gu Muxue?'

Lin Ruoxi stared blankly out the window. She was so worried about Gu Muxue's condition; she couldn't stop thinking about her...

Although she preferred being by Xue Rui's side, he had plenty of classmates and friends to keep him company. Gu Muxue was the one who really needed someone.

After class ended at ten, they had no more lessons that morning. Lin Ruoxi and Xue Rui walked out of the classroom side by side.

Lin Ruoxi bit her lip. In the past, she would have taken this opportunity to go out with Xue Rui, but now her mind was constantly preoccupied with Gu Muxue.

"I... I want to audit a class in another major. Will the professor kick me out?" Lin Ruoxi asked quietly.

"Auditing a class?" Xue Rui asked.

"Mhm. I don't need to learn any of the material here..." Lin Ruoxi said.

Xue Rui agreed. Lin Ruoxi's learning pace was astonishingly fast. She had basically reached a "mastery" level in the software engineering courses, and her knowledge of integrated circuits already surpassed the undergraduate curriculum. Attending her classes was a complete waste of time.

Auditing was better than transferring majors. Lin Ruoxi could just attend classes in whatever subject she felt she needed, which would actually allow her to grow faster.

Xue Rui chuckled. "Most classes are open. Just say you're interested in the professor's course, and they usually won't turn you away. If they do, go find Secretary Li. He'll sort it out for you."

"I... I don't want to trouble anyone."

Lin Ruoxi wasn't telling the truth. She wanted to audit a class at a different university, so Secretary Li wouldn't be able to help.

Gu Muxue ran hot and cold. Her attitude would often do a complete one-eighty. One moment she'd be telling her to get out, and the next she'd be thanking her...

Lin Ruoxi felt that it wouldn't be surprising if she went back to Gu Muxue's place tonight and found the locks had been changed...

Therefore, her auditing a class might very well be "reported" by Gu Muxue.

If she wanted to avoid being kicked out, her best bet was to ask Xue Rui for advice. In her eyes, Xue Rui was omnipotent.

Xue Rui thought for a moment before saying, "The classroom is the professor's domain. Do your homework beforehand. Memorize the professor's full name, then look up if they hold any other positions at the university. Address them by their highest title."

"Isn't that a bit superficial...?" Lin Ruoxi whispered. 'Isn't that something a student should know anyway?'

Xue Rui had reminded her of this back in high school. Since then, she had made a point to remember the name of every teacher who taught her something new, even online instructors.

"Superficial?" Xue Rui shook his head and continued, "You don't always have to be perfect. You just need to be better than the other students in the class."

Some professors are lenient about discipline, which makes them less "present" in the students' minds. Some people can take a class for an entire semester and not even remember the professor's full name, let alone their specific title. This method would definitely work...

Xue Rui saw that Lin Ruoxi still looked unconvinced, so he sighed and added:

"Then learn a little more. For example, look up some papers the professor has published and find a highlight to praise."

Because of the huge gap in knowledge, it's actually very difficult for professors to get a sense of validation from students. If they encountered a student who privately read their papers and could even pick out key points to praise, the sense of satisfaction, of achievement... Wouldn't they treasure a student like that?

"Okay, I'll remember!" Lin Ruoxi looked at Xue Rui with adoration. She knew he would have a solution.

"It seems that between me and knowledge, you've chosen the latter. Out with the old, in with the new," Xue Rui said mournfully.

Lin Ruoxi pouted. In truth, she was choosing to go take care of a sick Gu Muxue.

But she had just submitted her application for off-campus housing, so this was like backing out at the last minute...

Lin Ruoxi was afraid Xue Rui would be unhappy. She pleaded timidly, "Rui, I arranged with Gu Muxue to stay at her place. Is that okay?"

Xue Rui's pupils contracted. 'Lin Ruoxi managed to get permission to live with Gu Muxue?'

'This girl is really something...'

'So Lin Ruoxi isn't clinging to me anymore? She's clinging to Gu Muxue instead?'

In any case, the opportunity for the two of them to live together was too good to pass up. Xue Rui patted Lin Ruoxi's head and said jokingly:

"I'll deduct points from you in every one of my classes. Don't blame me if you get expelled."

A flash of joy appeared in Lin Ruoxi's eyes. She knew this meant Xue Rui had agreed. But how should she respond to him?

She felt she needed to change. She had to learn to joke around like Xue Rui, so she could make Gu Muxue happy.

Lin Ruoxi pondered for a moment, then said in a clear, bright voice, "If... If I get expelled, I'll just follow you around and audit your classes every day."

"Hmph. And I'll use the method you just taught me."

Lin Ruoxi glanced left and right. After confirming no one was watching them, she quickly pulled the astonished Xue Rui into a hug and gave him a deep kiss, whispering softly in his ear:

"You're the most important one. I'll come back and spend the weekend with you."