Chapter 518 - 346: You’ve Completely Disgraced Muxue

Besides, due to the generation gap, many parents can’t stand seeing their children idle and are always nitpicking.

But Gu Muxue’s parents were very open-minded. The girl was the apple of many an elder’s eye—she’d received a Maybach just for starting college, so who knew how grand her coming-of-age birthday would be.

In his mind, there was no reason for Gu Muxue not to go home.

Xue Rui immediately sensed something was wrong with Gu Muxue. He asked with concern,

"Muxue, what’s wrong? Everyone at home is waiting for you. Uncle Gu even called me last night to ask when we were coming home."

"I..." Gu Muxue fell silent. Ever since she’d gotten sick, she’d been terrified of crowded places.

In class, she and Lin Ruoxi sat in a corner in the very back row.

When she ate or slept, Lin Ruoxi was always there, quietly keeping her company.

She hadn’t joined the student council or any clubs. She hated group activities now, but she used to perform so confidently in front of the entire student body and faculty...

Gu Muxue suddenly felt like a stranger to her former self.

She no longer looked forward to anything, including her own birthday.

She wasn’t happy, but she had to pretend to be to keep up with all the social demands. Just thinking about it was excruciating.

If anything, Lin Ruoxi’s company didn’t feel like a burden.

’And maybe... Xue Rui, too.’

"Muxue, what’s really going on? I’m coming to see you now," Xue Rui said gently.

Gu Muxue listlessly placed her phone on the small balcony table and wrapped her arms around her knees. "Xiaorui, I want to spend the holiday with you. Can’t I?"

After saying this, Gu Muxue hung up.

’She didn’t want Xue Rui to know she was sick. It would only make him blame himself.’

’Gu Muxue was even more terrified of her family finding out. If her parents discovered she was depressed, they would most likely make her take a leave of absence from school, or even force her to drop out.’

’Then Xue Rui would become a public enemy, facing pressure from all sides.’

’And knowing how overbearing her father was, he might even cut off all contact between her and Xue Rui.’

’At that point, she and Xue Rui would be over for good...’

’That was why she couldn’t go home. In the end, she just couldn’t bear to lose him.’

"BEEP BEEP BEEP~"

Her phone’s alarm went off, pulling Gu Muxue’s thoughts back to the present. It was lunchtime.

She’d been forgetting to eat ever since she got sick, so Lin Ruoxi had set an alarm for her.

’Was I being too pathetic just now?’

’Gu Muxue suddenly remembered what she’d said at the end. It sounded like she was begging Xue Rui to come spend the holiday with her, didn’t it?’

Gu Muxue’s face flushed with embarrassment. Her small feet, clad in white cotton socks, hooked together tightly. She picked up Xiaobu and asked with a frown, "Xiaobu, what do you think?"

Xiaobu licked its lips. "Meow~"

"Still thinking about food? This is all your fault, I’m so embarrassed! You’re not getting any canned food today..."

...

「Lin Ruoxi’s Home.」

Xue Rui’s brow was deeply furrowed. He muttered to himself, repeating her words, "’I want to spend the holiday with you?’"

’Gu Muxue is so proud. Would she really say something like that?’

’Even the old Muxue wouldn’t have said that. What on earth went wrong?’

"Xixi, Muxue has changed..." Xue Rui said, turning his head, only to find that Lin Ruoxi was gone.

Lin Ruoxi had actually snatched the phone and was now hiding in the bathroom, secretly calling Gu Muxue. She had heard the exhaustion in Muxue’s last words and was worried she was spiraling again. ’She needs someone with her.’

Lin Ruoxi whispered, "I’m coming back to be with you right now. You go eat lunch first."

"I’m fine," Gu Muxue said flatly. "We agreed you’d have two days off. If you miss him, just stay with him."

"Muxue, just tell Xue Rui. It’s too painful for you to hold this in all by yourself."

Lin Ruoxi pleaded. Gu Muxue had shouldered too much on her own. If she hadn’t stayed behind at the clinic that day, she couldn’t even imagine what Muxue would have gone through by herself.

Gu Muxue was a year younger than her, and holding her in her arms, her heart had ached for the girl. She couldn’t help but treat her like a little sister.

Gu Muxue’s voice was ice. "Don’t you dare!"

Lin Ruoxi stammered meekly, "But... but I’m afraid I won’t be able to stop myself."

Gu Muxue chuckled softly. "Ruoxi, you’ve only been back a few hours. How did he find the mark on your chest? What were you two doing so early in the morning?"

Faced with Gu Muxue’s question, Lin Ruoxi felt a pang of guilt. ’Should I tell her the truth?’

’Even though Muxue had forgiven her and Xue Rui, wouldn’t she be hurt if she knew about this?’

Before Lin Ruoxi could answer, Gu Muxue said lightly, "See? You know how to keep a secret. Figure it out yourself. Play dumb, cry a little—whatever it takes. He cares about you a lot, too."

Lin Ruoxi pouted. ’Muxue is amazing.’ Even if she seemed out of it sometimes, she could still wrap her around her little finger with just a few words.

’At times like this, she felt like Muxue was the big sister again, and she didn’t dare to go against her words...’

"KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK~"

Suddenly, Xue Rui knocked on the bathroom door. Lin Ruoxi frantically hung up.

"Coming!" Lin Ruoxi cried, rushing to open the door for Xue Rui.

Lin Ruoxi’s mind raced as she tried to figure out how to bluff her way through this. ’Xue Rui is just as smart...’

Xue Rui asked, "Xixi, tell me the truth. What’s wrong with Muxue?"

Lin Ruoxi stared into Xue Rui’s eyes. The moment he finished speaking, she blurted out, "Um, she misses you a lot."

Xue Rui was taken aback. Lin Ruoxi rarely spoke so quickly. It was like she’d buzzed in on a game show, answering before he’d even finished the question. It left him speechless.

Xue Rui clicked his tongue. ’That can’t be the right answer,’ he thought.

Lin Ruoxi added, "She rereads your old chat logs every day."