"My dad’s eyes were swollen shut, and the corner of his mouth was split," Gu Muxue said, her heart aching for him.

"Here, here, sit down and tell me," Xue Rui said, taking out a book and placing it on Qiu Mengze’s stool for her.

Gu Muxue took the seat.

However, Qiu Mengze returned just in time to see this.

’Taking my seat is one thing, but did he really have to put a book down for her to sit on? Is my chair that dirty?’

He shot Xue Rui a harsh glare and found an empty seat.

Xue Rui was wondering to himself, ’What are the consequences of hitting a deputy chief?’

’Who did it? Who’s that bold?’

"Who hit him? Did you call the police?" Xue Rui asked with a look of concern.

’Such a handsome face, ruined by a beating. What a shame.’

"My dad didn’t say anything, just told me to go to school," Gu Muxue said, shaking her head.

"Hm?" Xue Rui thought. ’This is a pretty sudden change.’

’Just yesterday he was talking about transferring me, and now after getting beaten up, he’s changed his mind?’

"I heard my dad muttering that no one with the surname Xue is any good."

Gu Muxue said with a frown, giving Xue Rui a deep look.

"That’s blatant discrimination!"

Xue Rui was suddenly annoyed. Gu Qingshan most likely had some beef with his old man, but what did that have to do with him?

Why was he getting caught in this sweeping generalization?

"I think he’s wrong, too," Gu Muxue mumbled under her breath.

Normally, if someone had said that about Gu Qingshan, Gu Muxue would have definitely defended him.

But she’d just been scolded by Gu Qingshan and was still holding a grudge.

The other day, she had simply taken out the photo and asked Gu Qingshan about it.

Gu Qingshan’s expression had changed instantly. He kept demanding to know where she got the photo, his usual gentleness completely gone.

Finally, after she told him everything, Gu Qingshan had told her to transfer schools.

Especially when she mentioned that "Xue Rui was pursuing her," Gu Qingshan had flown into a rage and confiscated her phone.

No matter how she pressed him, Gu Qingshan wouldn’t say a single word.

Even now, Gu Muxue was completely clueless. She just felt that Old Gu had changed and didn’t love her anymore.

"He used to listen to me about everything..." Thinking of this, Gu Muxue’s nose began to sting. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

"Your dad’s probably just in a bad mood. It’s definitely someone else’s fault, like the person who hit him," Xue Rui said.

In truth, as an outsider, Xue Rui could agree with her complaints about her family once in a while.

But for the most part, he had to defend Gu Qingshan. After all, that was Gu Muxue’s father. They were family, and blood is thicker than water. They would make up sooner or later.

Otherwise, once Gu Muxue cooled down and made up with her father, if she suddenly remembered that he, Xue Rui, had bad-mouthed Gu Qingshan, he’d be truly, royally screwed.

"He just suddenly became so irritable. He actually yelled at me!" Gu Muxue complained.

"Well, you know men. We have our days of the month..."

"And? And what else?"

"Nothing..."

...

Xue Rui reached out, about to put an arm around Gu Muxue’s shoulders to comfort her, when the phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated.

He took out his phone and saw it was a call from Ren Jun.

His eye twitched. If things had kept going this way emotionally, Gu Muxue would have likely thrown herself into his arms to vent and have a good cry.

But now, his golden opportunity was ruined.

"Muxue, I have something to take care of this morning, so I need to leave campus for a bit. We can continue this chat when I get back."

With that, Xue Rui started walking out of the classroom.

He and Ren Jun had arranged for Ren Jun to come to the school today to pick him and Lin Ruoxi up and take the old lady to the hospital.

Tears welled up in Gu Muxue’s large eyes, threatening to overflow at any moment.

Her long-brewing emotions were suddenly cut short by Xue Rui, causing her to lose control and burst into tears.

"Xue Rui! You bastard!" Gu Muxue cried out, sobbing.

Her words drew the gazes of countless boys.

Who had ever seen Gu Muxue like this? Her face was streaked with tears, a heart-wrenchingly pitiable sight.

Especially since she had cried out the name of the "culprit."

Instantly, many unfriendly glares were directed at Xue Rui.

"Xue Rui, how could you do that?" a male classmate said with a serious expression.

"Yeah, hurry up and apologize to Gu Muxue!" a female classmate chimed in.

Xue Rui narrowed his eyes. "Fuck off, it’s none of your damn business!"

Then, his expression softened. He gently pinched Gu Muxue’s cheek and said softly, in a tone used to coax a child:

"Don’t cry. I’ll buy you some tanghulu when I get back."

Xue Rui thought to himself, ’A pampered girl like her is just having a temporary spat with her family. She’s just upset for a moment. She’ll get over it on her own even without being coaxed.’

He walked out of the classroom, rubbing his fingers, savoring the feeling. Soft, smooth, and chubby. The sensation... wasn’t quite right, was it?

’This feeling... Is this the first time I’ve touched her face?’

He was startled. He’d gotten used to pinching Lin Ruoxi’s cheeks recently, because Lin Ruoxi never resisted.

Had that made him push his luck and actually lay a hand on Gu Muxue’s face?

Logically speaking, shouldn’t Gu Muxue have slapped his hand away?

Xue Rui guessed it was probably because Gu Muxue was so emotional today that she didn’t have time to react and hit him.

Back in the classroom of Class 2, Gu Muxue sat somewhat dazed, reaching up to touch her own cheek.

Her delicate, small red lips curved slightly upward at the corners.

’Was that his confession of love for today?’

’And the tanghulu, was that a confession too?’

’Since that’s the case, I suppose I can... forgive him.’

Lin Ruoxi had just returned from outside the classroom. Seeing Gu Muxue crying in the back row of their classroom, she stole a glance. As she was about to walk past, she suddenly had a thought.

Lin Ruoxi took out a pack of tissues. "Here... to wipe your tears."

Xue Rui had bought her a small cake and tissues, telling her to share more with her classmates.

She had shared the cake with her roommates, and seeing their smiles gave her a special kind of satisfaction.

Now, seeing Gu Muxue in "need," she offered the small pack of tissues.

"Thank you." Gu Muxue was taken aback for a moment before accepting the tissues.

She didn’t have much of an impression of this girl, only that Xue Rui had carried her to the infirmary once.

"Mhm..." Lin Ruoxi nodded and walked away with her head down, stealing glances at Gu Muxue from the corner of her eye.

She thought, ’Is that the girl Xue Rui likes?’

’She’s so beautiful, so radiant...’

Gradually, the light in her eyes dimmed.

...

"Hello? Why are you calling now? Do you have any idea what you just cost me?!" Xue Rui snapped when he called Ren Jun back.

Ren Jun, on the other end of the line, was even more baffled. "You’re the one who fucking told me to come! You’re ordering me around, and now you think you’re in the right?"

"Fine, fine, fine. I’m done serving you."

Xue Rui hadn’t expected Ren Jun to be so explosive. He probably just got into an argument with some unlucky driver on the way here.

Usually, all Xue Rui had to do was back down a little.

But today, he wasn’t about to do that.

Xue Rui said with a grin, "Well, I was thinking of having you pose as a guardian to ask for a leave of absence for my little auntie. But if you’re not up for it, that’s fine. I’ll just find someone else."

"No, no, no! Hurry up and get to the school gate. The guard won’t let me in," Ren Jun shouted urgently.

The moment he thought of Xue Xiaying, Ren Jun’s tone softened completely.

He really couldn’t afford to get on Xue Rui’s bad side right now. Otherwise, given his social circle, he’d have no way of ever crossing paths with Xue Xiaying.

"Xiaojunzi, just wait at the gate."

"Yes, sir~"

「At the school gate.」

The young security guard stared at Ren Jun with a vigilant expression, as if ready to pin him down with his capture pole at any moment.

Xue Rui greeted the guard, who then let Ren Jun in.

"I already told him I’m a student’s guardian! My nephew and niece both go to school here!"

Ren Jun grumbled in dissatisfaction.

As they walked into the school, Ren Jun’s eyes roamed everywhere, especially over the female students.

The pure white short-sleeved shirts revealed the clear outlines of their bras. Since the white blouses were thin, you could even vaguely make out the colors...

Li Jianfeng was just arriving at the school and personally witnessed a thuggish-looking young man swaggering onto campus, his eyes darting all over the place.

"Xiaowang, is that a proper guardian? Are you sure he’s not some delinquent from off the streets?"

He rolled down his car window and asked the guard with a stern face.

"Director Li, the student said that’s his maternal uncle. And they do look a bit alike..." the guard said, a little flustered.

Li Jianfeng glanced into the distance and saw that the male student was Xue Rui. He muttered to himself:

"Xue Rui? That kid knows his limits. If that’s his uncle, then it’s fine."

Li Jianfeng had a very strong impression of Xue Rui. He nodded at the guard, rolled up his window, and drove onto the campus.

The guard scratched his head. He had thought he was about to get chewed out. Why did Director Li suddenly change his attitude after seeing that student, Xue Rui?

He thought to himself, ’This kid is really something else, even the school leadership knows him.’