Chapter 252: Chapter 245: Can I Be in a Relationship?
Zhao Lizhen didn’t understand what they were talking about. She noticed Xue Rui looked quite refined in his white shirt. "It suits you very well. Your clothes have been washed. You can pick them up next time you come over."
Gu Qingshan snorted coldly. "We can just send them over."
Xue Rui gave an awkward laugh. Gu Qingshan was staring at him like he was a thief, which was understandable. After all, a farmer worries a lot about his prized cabbage.
’But it’s not like Gu Qingshan is some saint himself,’ he thought. ’Judging by his age, Gu Muxue’s mother must have gotten pregnant when he was a freshman or sophomore in college...’
’And here I am, at this age, just for touching her foot, and Gu Qingshan’s stare looks like it could kill me.’
’You were way worse when you were young!’ Xue Rui cursed inwardly.
But that’s how people are. They can’t even empathize with their former selves.
"Xiaorui, try some of this ribbonfish." Zhao Lizhen said, placing a piece in Xue Rui’s bowl.
"Thank you." Xue Rui politely held up his bowl to receive it.
He glanced around and saw more than ten dishes on the table. ’Incredible...’ he thought. ’To make a whole feast in such a short time.’
"Aunt Zhao, you really don’t have to go to so much trouble making all these dishes in the future. I’m not a picky eater," Xue Rui said.
"It’s not that many. Your aunt only added two extra," Gu Qingshan said coolly.
The implication was, ’You really think you’re such a big deal?’
Gu Muxue nodded. "It’s always like this."
Xue Rui took a closer look. ’So if you subtract two... they normally eat eight dishes and a soup for just three people?’
’Damn, these high-society ladies are really something else. This spread was clearly carefully planned. They probably have a set meal plan...’
’My family’s in the restaurant business, and even we aren’t this meticulous. We just eat whatever’s available.’
"Xiaorui, you’re studying in Chang’an too, right? Should I get a house ready for you as well? What’s so great about a communal dorm?" Zhao Lizhen said.
Xue Rui swallowed hard. Zhao Lizhen was a true lady from a wealthy family. He’d done a quick search on her a while back; her family was a powerhouse in a traditional industry. With only two children in the family, he couldn’t even begin to estimate Zhao Lizhen’s net worth, but it was definitely way higher than his.
’The fact that she drives a car only in the million-plus yuan range is probably out of consideration for Gu Qingshan’s job...’
’So low-key.’
Gu Qingshan was displeased. "Didn’t we live in communal dorms back in our day? We all went through it."
"It’s precisely because I’ve lived in one that I’m saying they’re no good. It’s just endless scheming and backstabbing," Zhao Lizhen said.
Xue Rui glanced at Gu Muxue. ’The greatest hardship this girl has probably ever endured is the food at Hedong Second Middle School’s cafeteria...’
’Come to think of it, that’s probably true. Gu Muxue used to be a day student, only staying at school during the day for a little while to eat a meal with him...’
’If she went to a college dorm, her quality of life would plummet. No wonder Zhao Lizhen was so against it.’
Under the table, Gu Muxue gently stepped on Xue Rui’s foot.
Xue Rui instantly understood. The girl wanted him to step in and mediate.
"Uncle Gu, I think you have a point. People should experience different kinds of life. Life is about meeting different people and seeing different sights. It’s not always good to be perched up so high," Xue Rui said.
A flash of appreciation appeared in Gu Qingshan’s eyes. ’So this punk’s mouth can spew something decent after all.’
He felt the same way. His daughter hadn’t had many friends growing up. Although her life seemed glamorous, that wasn’t really the case.
He could tell that his daughter actually envied the kind of friendships where people bickered over trivial things...
Besides, the result of not being down-to-earth was not knowing the basics of life. His daughter couldn’t even tell wheat sprouts from chives...
’That’s just how life is. What if something unexpected happens? My daughter has been too sheltered. She has to experience some setbacks to grow. College is a small society in itself; she should experience it.’
Zhao Lizhen glanced at Xue Rui in surprise. She thought Xue Rui doted on her daughter—he’d even run back from Shencheng just to hang out with Gu Muxue. Why would he say something like this?
’Isn’t he just asking for my daughter to suffer?’
"Aunt Zhao, I think you have a point, too. How many friends from school do you really stay in touch with after graduation? Everyone has their own life. Some of that ’networking’ is just a waste of time," Xue Rui said.
Zhao Lizhen nodded slightly. It was true, she hadn’t really kept in touch with her old classmates. They were all busy with their careers and their lives, revolving around their own little families. Because of the vast difference in their financial situations, if she talked about her life, wouldn’t others just think she was showing off?
So, their only common ground was reminiscing about their youth...
Every stage of life brings different friends. For friends to interact frequently, their family backgrounds need to be highly compatible.
Take her and Ren Qunfang, for example. Neither of them had to worry about money, and they had all the time in the world. They could leisurely go shopping or travel on a weekday.
Gu Qingshan shot Xue Rui a glare. ’You little chameleon. Aren’t you afraid you’ll split in two, siding with both of them?’
"So what’s your point?" Gu Qingshan asked.
Zhao Lizhen also waited expectantly for Xue Rui’s answer.
"My point is, I respect Muxue’s choice," Xue Rui said with a smile.
Gu Muxue’s chopsticks paused. She had stepped on Xue Rui’s foot to get him to mediate, so how did it circle back to her?
Gu Qingshan and Zhao Lizhen were both taken aback. They really had overlooked their own daughter’s choice.
That’s right. The only time Gu Muxue had ever been rebellious was when she chose to attend Hedong Second Middle School. Otherwise, she was always obedient...
They had subconsciously assumed they could make decisions for their child.
Thinking about it, Gu Muxue was already eighteen. At her age, they themselves had been just a few years away from becoming parents.
"Honey, what do you think?" Gu Qingshan asked softly.
Anxiety muddles the mind. Parents were used to being in charge, so they habitually ignored their children’s feelings. That’s how they could be easily swayed by a little affection from a peer.
He had to be on guard against that.
"That’s right," Zhao Lizhen said, also looking at Gu Muxue with a gentle expression.
Gu Muxue shot Xue Rui a resentful glare. She didn’t want to reject either option...
An idea flashed through her mind. Xue Rui had said before, "Adults don’t make choices."
"I want to live in the dorms my freshman year so I can integrate into the group quickly, and then I can move out later..." Gu Muxue repeated what Xue Rui had said.
Gu Qingshan thought it was a pretty good solution, but why did it feel like she was just moving out for the sake of moving out? ’Like she’s completing a quest?’
Xue Rui added, "If she gets used to it, she can keep living there. If not, she can move out. Aunt Zhao has the house ready anyway."
Gu Qingshan sighed. This was probably the best solution. Still, he said, "Xue’er, when you encounter a problem, you should try to solve it first. Don’t always think about running away."
Zhao Lizhen didn’t interject. Of course she knew all this, she just didn’t want her daughter to suffer.
"That’s right. A path someone else leads you down is never a sure thing. Only when you’ve fallen into a pit yourself will it leave a deep impression," Xue Rui chimed in.
Gu Muxue pouted. She slipped off her slippers and, with her bare feet, stomped on Xue Rui’s a few more times to vent. How had she become the one being lectured?
Xue Rui leaned close to Gu Muxue’s ear. "If you have to run, then run. It might be shameful, but it’s useful."
"Why walk into a pit if you know it’s there? Are people not allowed to take shortcuts?"
Gu Muxue couldn’t help but let out a "PFFT" and burst out laughing. What on earth was going through Xue Rui’s mind?
How could he say one thing in public and another in private, and make both sound so convincing?
’He proposed the idea and then immediately refuted it himself?’
Zhao Lizhen was sitting right next to Xue Rui and heard what he said. She immediately started laughing.
’He’s just like I thought. He’ll dote on my daughter.’
Gu Qingshan sat opposite them. He couldn’t hear what they were saying, but the sight of Xue Rui leaning close to his daughter’s ear made him very uncomfortable. And why were they all laughing? What secrets were they whispering behind his back?
He felt like he was being isolated. It was all that rascal Xue Rui’s fault!
As this thought crossed his mind, he raised his leg and stomped on Xue Rui’s foot under the table.
However, Gu Muxue suddenly cried out, "Dad, what are you doing?"
Gu Qingshan quickly retracted his foot. He had aimed for Xue Rui, so why had he stepped on Gu Muxue?
The truth was, the girl’s foot had been resting on top of Xue Rui’s the whole time...
Zhao Lizhen shot a strange look under the table. Her daughter’s foot was indeed on top of Xue Rui’s instep.
"Xue’er, is this how I taught you to behave?" Zhao Lizhen chided softly.
"Oh..." Gu Muxue obediently sat up properly.
’So formal even at home? Isn’t that a bit much?’ Xue Rui thought.
’Is there any need for us to be so prim and proper with each other?’
So, he slipped off his slipper and stepped on Gu Muxue’s instep.
Gu Muxue’s eyes went wide. ’Xue Rui is actually stepping on me?’ She decided to just start a foot-stomping fight with him.
Watching the two of them fool around, Gu Qingshan sighed, put down his chopsticks, and went to sit on the sofa.
Xue Rui quickly finished the food in his bowl, put it down, and went to Gu Qingshan’s side. The Gu Family had a housekeeper to clear the table, so there was no need for him to feign diligence. He could just eat and run.
"Uncle Gu, Muxue is very adaptable," Xue Rui said.
Gu Muxue was serious about everything she did; she wasn’t the type of girl to give up easily.
"I know," Gu Qingshan nodded faintly.
’But it’s hard to go from extravagance to frugality. It’s not that simple.’
He glanced at Xue Rui and couldn’t help but shake his head with a wry smile. This kid was truly something else.
Other guys chasing girls would think of ways to spend money to make them happy and prove their financial strength, but Xue Rui insisted on having his daughter experience the life of an ordinary person.
He wasn’t opposed to this behavior from Xue Rui; in fact, he rather admired it. Besides, Xue Rui wasn’t some spendthrift rich kid; he had a clear plan for his future.
"What have you been up to lately?" Gu Qingshan asked coolly.
"Working on some electronic products. We’ll have samples in a little while, and I’ll bring them over for you to see," Xue Rui said.
"Mm." Gu Qingshan nodded in satisfaction. His daughter had shown him photos. Xue Rui had actually gone to the factory in person. He wasn’t making those gambling-like investments anymore and was doing something down-to-earth.
’Manufacturing is stable, and it can even provide a lot of jobs for society.’
"Dad, I want to take Xiaobu with me to school," Gu Muxue said, running over and draping the cat over Xue Rui’s neck.
Gu Qingshan’s brow furrowed. His daughter was so impulsive. Who brings a pet to school?
Just as he was about to refuse, he noticed the corners of Xue Rui’s mouth had already turned up in a smile.
He immediately sensed something was off. Normally, he would definitely refuse, but Xue Rui would certainly find a way to agree. Wouldn’t that just make him look like he was opposing his daughter?
"You can. Just take good care of him," Gu Qingshan said with a smile.
Gu Muxue nodded, muttering to herself. She understood now. As long as Xue Rui was here, Old Gu would make the opposite decision he normally would.
Gu Muxue hesitated for a long time, her gaze a little unnatural. She stammered, "Can... can we date?"
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