Chapter 260: Chapter 251: It Wasn’t This Girl Last Time
Xue Rui gently took her hand. "Come on, I’ll take you to eat something good."
’Xue Rui knew those embarrassing lyrics, and now he’s holding my hand,’ Gu Muxue thought, her peach-blossom eyes full of mirth. ’Does this mean he’s acknowledging our relationship?’
The two of them arrived at the food court on the basement level. Both sides were lined with stalls selling snacks from all over the country: stinky tofu, grilled cold noodles, pan-fried buns, river snail noodles...
The air was filled with the aroma of various dishes and snacks.
Gu Muxue was slightly surprised. There were many snacks here like the ones sold outside her school, but they looked much cleaner.
It was just past mealtime, so there were fewer people eating, but the environment was still quite noisy.
Xue Rui spotted a familiar figure clearing plates from the communal tables.
Gu Muxue followed Xue Rui’s gaze and couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise, "Lily?"
"Muxue?" Mei Lili looked up, hastily wiping her hands on her work uniform.
Xue Rui said irritably, "Short Melon, you’re working in the food court and you didn’t even think to ask Muxue to come eat?"
Mei Lili put her hands on her hips and shot Xue Rui a look. "How could Muxue eat this kind of junk food?"
The owner of the small-bowl-dish stall behind her looked exasperated. "Lily, what are you talking about?"
Mei Lili immediately realized her mistake and stuck her tongue out sheepishly at the owner.
"It’s not too busy right now. Go chat with your classmate for a bit," the owner at the window said, waving his hand.
"Lily, I think this place is fine," Gu Muxue said, glancing at the surroundings. It was similar to the school cafeteria, but the decor was much more stylish.
"Muxue, what do you want to eat?" Xue Rui asked.
"I’ll get it," Mei Lili said, patting her flat chest.
Xue Rui smiled. He had thought that after suffering the harsh realities of the working world, Mei Lili would have clearly recognized the huge gap between her family and Gu Muxue’s and would have developed an inferiority complex.
However, Mei Lili was still the same innocent and cheerful girl, which he found quite surprising.
’It’s quite fun having a little follower like her. It’s just a shame she didn’t manage to get into the same university as Gu Muxue.’
After that, Xue Rui didn’t stop Mei Lili from eagerly playing the host, letting her go and buy the food.
’After all, she works here. She knows which stalls have cleaner food far better than I do.’
Xue Rui watched Mei Lili’s retreating back and shook his head repeatedly. "So immature. I wonder when she’ll ever grow up."
Gu Muxue watched Mei Lili’s figure and murmured, "Actually, I think Lily is more mature than me."
"How so?" Xue Rui said with a smile.
Gu Muxue propped her face in her hands and looked into Xue Rui’s eyes. "I heard a lot of my classmates have gotten part-time jobs and are participating in the workforce. I feel like I’ll be a child forever."
’Even Xue Rui is the same. He’s always so busy with his startup, and now he’s deliberately making time to be with me.’
Xue Rui laughed. ’Is this the trouble of the second-generation rich?’
’Other people are forced to grow up, but you don’t need to.’
"The fact that you can understand that means you’re not a child anymore," Xue Rui said, pinching her cheek.
Gu Muxue pursed her lips lightly, her small hand tightening slightly. She didn’t push Xue Rui’s hand away; instead, she reached her own small hand toward his face.
From a distance, Mei Lili watched them pinching each other’s cheeks and sighed helplessly. ’So Muxue and Xue Rui have finally made it official?’
A short while later, she walked over carrying a tray of snacks.
Xue Rui coolly pulled two hundred yuan from his pocket and said, "Keep the change as your tip."
Seeing that it was Xue Rui paying, Mei Lili unceremoniously stuffed the money into her pocket. "How does your family make money anyway? Why is it so hard for me to earn any?"
Gu Muxue was surprised. ’Lily would actually say something like that?’
Xue Rui smiled. ’So she has matured a little after all,’ he thought. ’She knows money is hard to earn, and she’s even asking about her classmates’ family situations.’
"I want to save up for a driver’s license and a car to take Muxue for a spin, but the job I found only pays 1,500 a month. At this rate, it’ll take forever," Mei Lili sighed.
Gu Muxue was lost in thought. ’It’s not that I don’t know money is hard to earn—I’ve heard plenty of adults I don’t know mention it—but I’ve never really thought about the problem myself.’
’I’ve never been short on money. My New Year’s money just keeps piling up, especially this year after I went back to Jiangnan after my college entrance exams. Grandma gave me another bank card, saying it was for university...’
’I remember Xue Rui borrowing money to make a game. Later, I heard from Dad that Xue Rui earned a nine-figure sum in just one year. But Lily’s monthly salary is only 1,500?’
’That much money would only last me for one day of traveling...’
Xue Rui asked, "How many days off do you get a month?"
"Only two days off a month. I don’t even have time to go out and have fun," Mei Lili complained.
Suddenly, a shout came from the window behind them. "Lily, come over here for a second."
Mei Lili quickly stood up. "I have to get back to work. It’s getting busy again."
Xue Rui smiled and pinched her nose. She was instantly displeased and swatted his hand away. "Stop messing around."
’Watching Lily bustling about, I remembered Old Gu saying I was pampered and didn’t understand the hardships of life.’
’Even though Xue Rui is usually so flighty, in many ways he acts just like my father. Does he think the same way about me?’
’Even after getting rich, Xue Rui hasn’t squandered his money. He’s as low-key and frugal as ever. None of our classmates have any idea he’s earned so much.’
"Do you also think I’m some pampered rich girl?" Gu Muxue asked, secretly watching Xue Rui’s reaction.
In this day and age, the term "pampered rich girl" was often used teasingly, but it actually carried a slightly derogatory meaning.
Xue Rui shook his head. "Why force yourself to suffer if you don’t have to? Haven’t you noticed how much they envy you?"
"But I don’t have much to talk about with my classmates at school," Gu Muxue said.
"Then eat some snacks. This is the kind of stuff your classmates eat every day." Xue Rui unwrapped a pair of disposable chopsticks for Gu Muxue.
"Okay," Gu Muxue said with a smile and a nod.
’So, is Xue Rui my boyfriend now?’ she wondered.
’Although I haven’t said it outright, my attitude has been so obvious. We probably are.’
’But is it any different from before? We’re still eating from the same plate, sitting and chatting together...’
’The difference is, I can be a little more unrestrained and not worry about saying the wrong thing.’
’Maybe, once I get used to this, saying "I like you" will come naturally.’
’But I still want to hear Xue Rui say "I like you." It’s been a long time since he’s said it.’
’Now that I’m his girlfriend, can I just ask him directly?’
"I want to hear you..." Gu Muxue had only gotten a few words out when Xue Rui shoved a starch sausage up to her lips, smearing cumin powder and chili flakes around her mouth.
"Eat up, eat up. It’s good," Xue Rui said.
Gu Muxue took a tentative bite, and her eyes instantly lit up. "This is delicious."
"One yuan each," Xue Rui said.
"So cheap? Is it safe to eat?" Gu Muxue asked in surprise. This was exactly the kind of "junk food" her mother always warned her about.
"Well, I’ve been eating them for years," Xue Rui said.
Gu Muxue smiled. Xue Rui was eating one too. She pushed her mother’s words to the back of her mind. ’Sometimes, overthinking things just ruins the fun.’
Mei Lili knew Gu Muxue’s preferences from their school days and had deliberately chosen spicy food. The young woman ate with relish, and even GULP GULP GULPed down a few mouthfuls of "otaku happy water."
"So good," Gu Muxue said, patting her little tummy.
Then Xue Rui also reached out and patted Gu Muxue’s little tummy, causing her to scoot aside. "Can’t you touch your own?"
Xue Rui laughed. "Mine isn’t as soft as yours."
"Jerk, all you know is how to take advantage of me," Gu Muxue cursed playfully, but her body shifted a little closer to him.
Afterward, when Mei Lili was free again, her boss gave her a two-hour break. The two girls went shopping and chatted in the mall, while Xue Rui occasionally sat on a bench outside a store playing on his phone. ’Goddamn, shopping is exhausting,’ he thought.
After Mei Lili left, Xue Rui walked up to her and asked, "Want to go see a movie?"
’A movie theater... It’s all dark inside, and you see young couples doing all sorts of things...’
Gu Muxue glanced at the time. "Xiaorui, I don’t have enough time today. My family’s having dinner in less than an hour."
Xue Rui smacked his lips. ’The upbringing of a high-society girl really is different,’ he thought. ’Gu Muxue has a set routine. If I keep her out any longer, Yang Xing will probably come bursting in to find her.’
’If she didn’t come home for the night, I can only imagine what would happen to me...’
The two of them strolled to a corner on the top floor of the mall. Gu Muxue stepped forward, tilting her delicate face up to look at Xue Rui.
Xue Rui shifted a little closer, blocking the light from the mall corridor, wanting to see just how close she would let him get.
Gu Muxue’s eyes darted away as she kept biting her rosy lips, as if fighting some internal battle.
Xue Rui’s attention, however, was elsewhere. He could smell the faint scent of shampoo on her. ’Her cherry-like lips are so cute, they make me want to have a taste.’
After a long hesitation, Gu Muxue said softly, "Xiaorui, I... I want to hear you confess again."
Xue Rui was momentarily stunned. He stared seriously into her eyes and said, "Muxue, I like you."
Gu Muxue was suddenly flustered, her own eyes locked on Xue Rui’s.
Xue Rui’s voice was incredibly firm when he said it, making her heart beat wildly.
Xue Rui had confessed to her many times before, but only this time did she truly feel her heart flutter.
It felt as if something was rampaging inside her chest, something that could only be released by hugging the person in front of her.
But she resisted the urge to hug Xue Rui and asked casually, "Who else have you said that to?"
Gu Muxue held her breath. Xue Rui was getting closer and closer. She knew what he wanted to do.
’A kiss? At a time like this?’
’Maybe a kiss will shatter my ordinary life. A part of me is looking forward to it.’
Xue Rui said firmly, "Whether in my past life or this one, you’re the only one."
He was telling the truth. In his previous life, after he had let his memories of Gu Muxue fade, he had never confessed to anyone else.
’Of course, that’s only up until now. I can’t say for sure about the future. This little girl will definitely like hearing this, though.’
’I don’t feel any psychological burden with her. She’s very mature on the inside, not like I’m deceiving some naive little girl.’
Gu Muxue and Xue Rui were so close their foreheads were almost touching. She could see the sincerity in his eyes; he definitely wasn’t lying.
’I don’t know about his past life, but he promised me this one.’
The corners of Gu Muxue’s mouth turned up slightly, and her eyes slowly fluttered shut.
Two movie theater employees came out of the women’s restroom and spotted Xue Rui by the emergency exit.
"Hey handsome, not playing the claw machine today?" one of them said, flicking water droplets from her hands.
’Fucking hell, can’t you read the room?’ Xue Rui cursed internally.
Her face grew even redder, but she still didn’t open her eyes. She kept her swan-like, pale neck tilted up in quiet anticipation, presenting an image of "yours for the taking"—a complete contrast to her usual fiery demeanor.
Xue Rui calmed himself down. Gu Muxue was much more composed than he was. Even in such an awkward situation, she remained unfazed, managing to hold the scene together.
"Shh, can’t you see they’re about to kiss?" the other employee whispered, quickly pulling her friend away.
"Huh? I don’t think that was the same girl last time," the woman whispered.
Gu Muxue’s eyes flew open. "Who else did you bring here?"
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