Chapter 506 341: The Art of Making Empty Promises (3)

Those were Xue Rui's exact words.

After a moment of hesitation, Lin Ruoxi said, "I'm considering applying for your graduate program..."

The word 'considering' implied it was a possibility without making a firm commitment. 'That must be what Xue Rui meant...'

When Ma Qiang heard that Lin Ruoxi wanted to be his student, his heart skipped a beat. The feeling was comparable to his first love!

'Lin Ruoxi is talented, beautiful, and has such a way with words...'

'But Lin Ruoxi is only a freshman. If she's already reached this level just by studying on her own, by the time she takes the graduate entrance exams, who's going to be the teacher and who's going to be the student?'

'Ah, that must be why Lin Ruoxi used the word 'considering.''

While he was overjoyed, he also felt a surge of pressure. 'I'll have to step up my game...'

"Goodbye, Professor Ma. I have to go," Lin Ruoxi said, seeing that Ma Qiang had been silent for a long time. She gave a slight bow and hurried out to find Gu Muxue.

Ma Qiang looked as if he wanted to say something but held back. He heaved a deep sigh. "Keep learning. There's no end to it."

...

Lin Ruoxi went outside and found her car, but there was no sign of Gu Muxue.

She had arranged to help Gu Muxue move her books home and had told her to wait at the entrance.

The situation was obvious—Gu Muxue had stood her up.

Lin Ruoxi didn't know where Gu Muxue had gone, and she wasn't answering her phone.

She decided to go to Gu Muxue's dorm first to grab the books, but when she got downstairs, she found Gu Muxue already sitting at the entrance on a tall stack of them.

"Took you long enough," Gu Muxue complained.

She couldn't avoid Lin Ruoxi. If she didn't move the books herself, Lin Ruoxi would just end up moving them all for her anyway...

"Sorry, I'm late." Lin Ruoxi opened the trunk and quickly bent down to help Gu Muxue with the books.

But... Gu Muxue showed no intention of moving from her spot.

"Did you change your mind again?" Lin Ruoxi asked timidly.

"You!" Gu Muxue was so angry she was speechless for a moment. 'Me, change my mind?'

'What kind of image does Lin Ruoxi even have of me?'

'A moody, unpredictable child?'

"Let's move them together," Gu Muxue muttered, grabbing half the books and walking toward the open trunk.

Back at Gu Muxue's house, she didn't know what to do with herself.

It was only four in the afternoon, and her next class wasn't until ten tomorrow morning.

Lin Ruoxi had already laid her cards on the table; she was going to stick to her side at all times.

What was even more outrageous was that when Gu Muxue was in her bedroom on her computer, Lin Ruoxi brought in a small table and sat in the room with her.

"Get out. Go back to your own room," Gu Muxue said coldly.

Lin Ruoxi shook her head. "I can't. The doctor said we should reduce the amount of time patients with depression spend alone. I'll leave after dinner."

When Gu Muxue was alone, she was too listless. She always liked to draw the curtains, creating a sense of security for herself.

But that also meant the sun couldn't shine in.

"Suit yourself." Gu Muxue turned away. She was organizing the photos for the campus beauty contest submission.

One by one, she bundled the professionally edited photos into a folder. She glanced back at the hard-at-work Lin Ruoxi, unnoticed.

Gu Muxue couldn't help but think, 'If Lin Ruoxi participated in this 'Most Beautiful Campus Belle' event, she'd probably take first place, wouldn't she?'

In reality, Lin Ruoxi was "diligently" chatting with Xue Rui on her computer at that very moment.

Xue Rui: Neither you nor Gu Muxue are participating in the campus beauty contest this time, but I have to give you both an award. In my heart, you're the uncrowned queens.

After sending it, Xue Rui felt that wasn't quite right, so he added: A tie for first place.

Lin Ruoxi: But aren't you not supposed to see Gu Muxue?

Xue Rui: I have my ways. Look, what's this? [Image]

Lin Ruoxi clicked on the image. It was a wearable bear costume...

'Is Xue Rui planning to cosplay?'

If he wore this mascot costume, Gu Muxue wouldn't be able to see his face.

Lin Ruoxi: But she'll still recognize your voice.

Xue Rui's brow twitched. 'Why is this girl always so fixated on this problem? Nothing can ever be perfect, can it?'

His whole reason for wearing the costume was to apologize. It was the same style as the teddy bear he had given Gu Muxue before, intended to evoke their good memories together.

The key was that if he wore a thick costume, the little miss would feel safe enough to hit him. As long as she hit him, it meant their relationship was starting to break the ice.

As for Lin Ruoxi's point about "not being able to speak"?

He thought for a moment and replied, "I can write what I want to say on cue cards and flip through them one by one."

Lin Ruoxi bit her lip. She knew Xue Rui wanted to apologize to Gu Muxue, but why couldn't she just be the one to do it?

'If the person doesn't take off the head and doesn't speak, then if I'm the one who goes to 'present the award' to Gu Muxue, wouldn't it be the same?'

As this thought crossed her mind, she looked up at Gu Muxue.

When Gu Muxue saw Lin Ruoxi look up and meet her gaze, she quickly turned her head away and said in a fluster, "What are you looking at me for?"

Lin Ruoxi blinked blankly. 'Can't I look at Gu Muxue?'

'If you weren't looking at me, how would you know I was looking at you?'

Of course, Lin Ruoxi didn't ask this out loud. Instead, she said softly, "Um, I think you're very beautiful. You'd definitely win first prize in the campus beauty contest."

"I'm not even participating," Gu Muxue said with a pout.

"But in my heart, you're the champion," Lin Ruoxi praised.

Saying nice things made Xue Rui happy, and Gu Muxue was the same. Everyone likes to hear compliments.

Gu Muxue kept her back to Lin Ruoxi, her small hands gripping the bedsheets tightly. 'What is Lin Ruoxi even saying?'