Xue Xiaying smiled awkwardly, unsure how to respond to Ren Jun.

’A teacher’s salary is high?’ She had only started a few years ago and didn’t have a professional title. Her monthly salary was just around three thousand yuan...

If she weren’t freeloading at her brother’s house, her income wouldn’t even be enough for her own expenses. Especially since Xue Jianfeng had given her a car, she couldn’t let someone else pay for its upkeep. As a result, by the end of the year, she hadn’t saved a dime...

’As for vacations...’ As a new teacher, she had a mountain of miscellaneous tasks to do. What vacation? Those were for students, not teachers.

"Ahem, let’s not talk about this." Xue Rui nudged Ren Jun under the table.

"Oh..." Ren Jun caught on.

’Looks like being a teacher isn’t so easy after all.’

"Do you have any really naughty kids in your class? I graduated from No. 2 Middle School too. If you ask some of the veteran teachers, they might even remember me," Ren Jun said with a laugh.

Xue Xiaying’s expression was peculiar. She looked at Ren Jun, then at Xue Rui.

’These two are cut from the same cloth. Did he really need to bring that up?’

"Were you taking your sister’s clothes, or were you doing a good deed?" Ren Qunfang asked, putting down her chopsticks with a stern look.

"To donate to a student in need," Xue Rui said without batting an eye.

"You? Donating to a student in need?" A smile played on Ren Qunfang’s lips as she gave Xue Rui a long, hard look.

’This didn’t seem like something Xue Rui would do.’

"Sis, it’s true. I went to the kid’s house to see for myself," Ren Jun explained.

"Shut up!"

"Oh..." Ren Jun obediently picked up his rice bowl.

"Have your dad buy some things to donate. Why take your sister’s clothes? They’re quite expensive. Give them back to Yaoyao," Ren Qunfang said, displeased.

’Even charity has its methods. Who donates such expensive clothes?’

’Don’t people usually just buy some cheap stuff wholesale, go over, hang up a banner, take a picture, and leave?’

’She’d done that sort of thing plenty of times.’

"I’m not giving them back. The girl’s my classmate. It’s better to give used clothes. New ones would just make her feel uncomfortable," Xue Rui refused flatly.

In reality, the clothes could hardly be called used. Xue Yao would usually try them on once, put them in her closet, and never wear them again.

"A classmate? You mean Lin Ruoxi?" Xue Xiaying said, the name coming to her instantly.

She knew perfectly well which of Xue Rui’s classmates was particularly impoverished. Just last week, she had even warned Xue Rui not to bully the girl.

"Yes. My uncle and I went to Lin Ruoxi’s house..."

Xue Rui "confessed" the whole story to everyone.

However, his version was a little different. He portrayed himself as a mere spectator, giving all the credit to Ren Jun.

Thus, the story became "Ren Jun Sponsors a Poor Girl’s University Dream."

Moreover, Xue Rui failed to mention that he had pocketed fifty thousand yuan.

Xue Rui described Lin Ruoxi’s life in great detail. He didn’t embellish anything, simply stating the facts.

How bitter her life was, how lonely and helpless, and yet how resilient and brave she was in the face of it all...

Women tend to be more easily moved to tears, and in an instant, the eyes of the women at the table grew red.

"Xiaorui, if it weren’t for you, I would have never known any of this." Xue Xiaying felt a pang of guilt. She was Lin Ruoxi’s teacher, yet she had been completely unaware.

’Xue Rui’s straightforward personality was actually well-suited for this kind of task.’

"Thank you." Xue Xiaying bowed to Ren Jun.

She felt that the man before her was incredibly noble, helping a girl he didn’t even know without condition. Even she, on her salary, couldn’t bring herself to support a family that was a bottomless pit.

"No, no, don’t mention it. I’m just a warm-hearted person." Ren Jun finally snapped out of his daze and hurriedly helped Xue Xiaying up.

He glanced at Xue Rui. ’This nephew of mine is amazing!’

’Just moments ago, I was struggling to find a topic of conversation, and in the blink of an eye, Xue Rui has painted me in such a heroic light. How many points will this score me with Xue Xiaying?’

Xue Rui winked at Ren Jun.

Ren Jun nodded with tacit understanding, his nostrils flaring slightly, his heart pounding with an excitement that could not be contained.

"You... sponsoring a student?" Ren Qunfang suddenly felt as if she was meeting these two for the very first time.

Both of them were acting so out of character.

’Xue Rui helping a female classmate? Ren Jun paying for a poor student’s education?’

’These were things she couldn’t even imagine them doing.’

However, seeing Xue Xiaying’s reaction, it was clear that the girl, Lin Ruoxi, was real. The two of them hadn’t just ganged up to invent a story.

"Yaoyao, you should learn from your brother more. Look, you don’t wear those clothes much anyway, and you’ll be getting new ones soon enough," Ren Qunfang said gently.

"Oh..." Xue Yao mumbled, still reluctant.

But with a story like that, if she refused now, she would look like the bad guy.

Watching everyone’s reactions, Xue Rui had a faint feeling that his status in the family had risen a little. He estimated it wouldn’t be long before he ranked third.

"Don’t worry, I didn’t take your formal gown," Xue Rui added.

"Hehe, let’s eat, let’s eat." Xue Yao’s mood improved considerably, and she instantly stopped minding that Xue Rui had taken her clothes.

People, after all, like to compromise.

If you want to open a window and someone disagrees because it’s cold, just threaten to tear off the roof. Then they’ll agree to opening the window.

...

「In Xue Rui’s room.」

"YES!" Ren Jun shouted, pulling Xue Rui into a massive, hundred-plus-pound hug.

"What’s gotten into you?" Xue Rui’s face darkened. The hug had nearly broken his ribs.

"I got her phone number!"

"Anyone who didn’t know better would think you two just got engaged," Xue Rui said sarcastically.

’He really felt a bit guilty for deceiving his aunt like this.’

’But if he hadn’t, what was the alternative? Was he supposed to interfere in Xue Xiaying’s private life? Go bad-mouth that gym teacher to her face?’

’Xue Xiaying hated it most when people gossiped behind others’ backs.’

"What you said earlier was a huge help. Her attitude toward me is obviously different now, much warmer. It’s all thanks to you," Ren Jun exclaimed, marveling at the sheer number of tricks Xue Rui had up his sleeve.

"Of course. My aunt isn’t swayed by looks; she values personality and charisma. If this were a contest of faces, you wouldn’t stand a chance," Xue Rui explained.

Ren Jun sized up Xue Rui. "It’s not like you’re anything special to look at."

Xue Rui ignored him. "I, on the other hand, do care about looks. At the very least, they can’t be below Lin Ruoxi’s level. Someone like my aunt... her looks just don’t make the cut."

"Then you can just stay single. It’s my first time seeing someone on Lin Ruoxi’s level, too. Keep dreaming," Ren Jun sneered.

"Nonsense. When my mom was young, she was definitely on the same level of beauty as Lin Ruoxi," Xue Rui retorted.

Ren Jun closed the door, and after making sure no one could hear, his face twisted in disgust as he whisper-shouted:

"My sister? With that personality of hers? We should thank the heavens she managed to get married at all! If your old man hadn’t taken in that she-devil..."

Xue Rui: "..."

"What on earth did my mom do to you?"

Xue Rui couldn’t help but ask. Once Ren Jun started bad-mouthing her, he was relentless. He’d never seen him hold such a grudge against anyone.

"You have no idea how terrible your mom used to be!"

"I was just a little kid back then! Your grandma would ask her to babysit, and she’d eat the peach and make me gnaw on the pit! Whatever she ate, I only got the scraps!"

"She even used a tissue she’d just wiped her nose with to wipe my mouth! And to this day, she still thinks I was too young to remember any of it..."

"Whenever I confront her about it, she just says it’s my ’childhood delusion.’"

"I was five fucking years old!"