Chapter 547 357: Who Is the One Being Trained?

Lin Ruoxi glanced timidly at Xue Rui. Suddenly remembering something, she grabbed his hand to inspect it, her eyes full of concern as she said,

"Rui, n-next time... use a belt. Your hand is a little swollen."

Xue Rui's breath caught in his throat. Lin Ruoxi wasn't complaining that her butt hurt; she was worried about his hand...

He had thought he'd resolved Lin Ruoxi's childhood trauma by separating the act of "being disciplined" from "making a mistake."

'But now... was he the one being trained?'

Xue Rui had a sneaking suspicion that the girl actually enjoyed being spanked by him. She had even mentioned a "next time"...

Lin Ruoxi had slight masochistic tendencies, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing for him. He could just play along.

"I'll spank you even when you don't misbehave, but only at bedtime," Xue Rui said, poking Lin Ruoxi on the head.

The corners of Lin Ruoxi's eyes crinkled. She knew Xue Rui wasn't angry. After the spanking, her mind stopped racing, and she could relax and enjoy his embrace.

She had seen similar things in adult films. Xue Rui wasn't actually hurting her last night; it was just a little game couples play.

A little game like that wouldn't hurt their relationship—it would only make them more intimate. She liked it a lot.

"Then... will you spank Muxue?" Lin Ruoxi asked timidly.

"Hmm, depends on my mood." Xue Rui's expression remained unchanged, but inside, his heart skipped a beat.

'Spank her? As if I'd dare!'

He could only get away with bullying the gullible Lin Ruoxi. It was how he managed to get by.

"Hmm, being noncommittal means no," Lin Ruoxi mumbled to herself. Xue Rui meant he wouldn't spank Muxue.

"That's because she's too thin. I'd be afraid of hurting her."

Xue Rui explained awkwardly. Lin Ruoxi was getting harder to fool.

Lin Ruoxi didn't press the issue. She just wanted an answer. She snuggled under the covers and gently draped herself over Xue Rui. "Okay. As long as you're happy."

'At least... I'm still special to him.'

BEEP BEEP BEEP~

The phone on the nightstand lit up. Lin Ruoxi crawled over to take a look; it was a call from Gu Muxue.

She put the call on speaker and said, "Muxue, we're heading over now."

"Where are you?"

Gu Muxue's annoyed voice came through the phone. Xue Rui could hear that it was noisy on her end.

"We're stuck in traffic. We'll be there soon." Xue Rui hung up and planted a firm kiss on Lin Ruoxi's forehead.

Lin Ruoxi tilted her head, propped herself up, and returned the gesture with a kiss on his forehead. Her lips didn't leave his skin, though. They traced a path down past his eyes and along the bridge of his nose, finally landing on his lips. Only then did she pull back with a satisfied smile.

"Xixi, you're so beautiful," Xue Rui murmured, looking into Lin Ruoxi's eyes.

Lin Ruoxi's eyes were as clear as ever, untainted by the world despite her having "grown up."

And she was so easy to please. Simple kisses and hugs were enough to make her smile that brightly.

"Hmm, you're handsome too. Get up and get washed." Lin Ruoxi gave him a playful wink, climbed out from under the covers, and opened the closet to pick out a new outfit for him.

She wanted to make sure Xue Rui looked his best.

Xue Rui leaned against the headboard, admiring the girl's figure. Her behind was even perkier than before...

After they had washed up and gotten dressed, Lin Ruoxi also shaved Xue Rui's stubble and quickly styled his hair.

Xue Rui looked at his reflection, stroking his chin. "A little more handsome today," he muttered to himself.

"Mhm, you're the most handsome," Lin Ruoxi said, standing on her tiptoes to gently wrap her arms around his neck. The more she looked at him, the more she felt they were a perfect match.

「...」

After they left, Xue Rui insisted on driving. He didn't want her causing an accident because of her sore butt. If the police had to investigate the cause of *that*, it would be a new level of social suicide...

Gu Muxue was already waiting for them at the Terracotta Warriors exhibit. She called a few more times on their way, urging them to hurry up and mentioning that she'd run into some classmates.

The drive from Chang'an District to Lintong District was several dozen kilometers and took Xue Rui about an hour.

He felt a bit apprehensive. It was only the second day and he was already late. However, Xue Rui didn't let it bother him too much. This was just a casual outing, after all. Besides, he already had his excuse ready—he would just say he was busy with work.

Besides, his trip today wasn't purely for pleasure. He had real business to attend to.

Shared power banks had already popped up all over Chang'an. He had been preparing for a long time to handle the massive influx of tourists for the National Day holiday.

He would have loved to partner with the tourism department, if possible. But he still had to attend classes at the university, and nobody thought to invite an invisible person like him to any meetings.

After all, the tourism department was naturally focused on the amenities immediately surrounding the attractions. They didn't pay much mind to a fledgling industry like his.

But things were different now. He had a connection—Guo Wei. While they were merely acquaintances at this point, he was confident Guo Wei wouldn't refuse his proposal.

After getting out of the car, Xue Rui buttoned his shirt cuffs and strode toward Gu Muxue, a folder in hand.

Lin Ruoxi, meanwhile, was still playing the part of a junior secretary in front of Gu Muxue's parents.

Seeing them walk one after the other, Gu Muxue was struck for a moment by how well-matched they looked.

'Hmm... wait. Lin Ruoxi's bow tie matches Xue Rui's...'

"Ruoxi, are your high heels uncomfortable?" Gu Muxue asked with a smile. Lin Ruoxi was walking very awkwardly today, her movements stiff.

Lin Ruoxi froze for a second before whispering, "Xue Rui spanked me last night. My butt hurts."

Besides, Gu Muxue was the one who'd told him to do it. She saw no reason to hide it, since it was a task Gu Muxue had given Xue Rui.

Gu Muxue slowly turned her head and stared blankly at Xue Rui, her beautiful eyes filled with a mixture of shock and fury.