Chapter 455 - 323: Everyone’s So Forceful?

"You should talk to Muxue," Zhao Lizhen whispered, turning and pulling Gu Qingshan upstairs. "She says she wants to study abroad. Did you two get into a fight?"

"I haven’t asked him yet," Gu Qingshan whispered.

"The kids are grown now. Let them talk it over themselves. If they can’t work it out, then we, as their parents, can step in," Zhao Lizhen whispered.

Gu Qingshan hesitated. ’Xue Rui is as slick as they come. What principle doesn’t he understand?’

He just wanted to go down and confront him, but since his wife disagreed, he decided to let it go...

’Besides, if his daughter was wronged, he could just go beat up Xie Jianfeng.’

"Muxue, you and Xiaorui have a good talk," Zhao Lizhen said to Gu Muxue.

Gu Muxue’s heart hammered. ’Why did my parents just run off? And leave me to talk to Xue Rui by myself?’

But she knew her parents had her back, and the meeting was taking place in her own home, so she felt much more composed.

Xue Rui stood frozen in place. ’Gu Muxue wants to go abroad?’

’Isn’t this exactly what happened in my past life?’

He didn’t know what Gu Muxue would experience abroad, but he knew he had to make her stay, no matter what it took.

"Sit on the sofa," Gu Muxue said coldly.

"Alright." Xue Rui didn’t dare wander around and obediently found a place to sit.

"Aunt Wang, I’ll take that," Gu Muxue said, taking the hot tea intended for Xue Rui from the housekeeper. She then walked over and sat down across from him.

Zhao Lizhen nodded. ’It doesn’t seem to be a major fight. Our daughter is still serving Xue Rui tea.’ She grabbed Gu Qingshan, who was hiding nearby to eavesdrop, and pulled him upstairs. "Honey, stop listening in."

...

"Thank you, Muxue," Xue Rui said, reaching for the teacup.

However, Gu Muxue didn’t hand the cup to him. Instead, she brought it to her own lips, blew on it gently, and took a small sip.

’Thirsty? Then stay thirsty.’

Gu Muxue thought to herself. She had no intention of being pleasant to Xue Rui right now.

"Muxue, I’m sorry. I misunderstood you last night," Xue Rui said, his head lowered in a gesture of sincere apology.

"Oh. She’s more important than me. You two kissed, didn’t you?" Gu Muxue said, feigning indifference, but the tremor on the surface of her tea betrayed her.

Xue Rui slowly shook his head. "I had a very long dream, one that spanned more than a decade. And a long portion of it was a nightmare where Lin Ruoxi fell to her death right in front of me."

"The dream was so real, real enough to send a chill down my spine. What’s important is that I didn’t even know Lin Ruoxi back then. I had no idea why she was always in my dreams, but it felt like destiny... as if she was crying out for help..."

Xue Rui slowly began to tell the story of his past life, and he noticed Gu Muxue was listening intently.

’Well, anyone would listen to a story that bizarre.’

"When I woke up that day, it felt like I had been given a second chance at life. That’s why I started paying attention to Lin Ruoxi, trying to change her fate."

"The way her face was smeared with lipstick last night was identical to how she looked when she died in my dream."

"Muxue, you’re very knowledgeable. Have you heard of PTSD? It’s Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder..."

"I think... I might be sick. Maybe I need to see a therapist..."

Gu Muxue looked up, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Xue Rui, has anyone ever told you you’re a fantastic storyteller?"

’What on earth is Xue Rui talking about?’

’Doesn’t he like Lin Ruoxi? Why would he talk about her dying in front of him?’

’Who curses the person they supposedly like like that?’

She couldn’t be sure if Xue Rui was just spinning another tale to deceive her.

Xue Rui had lied to her too many times; now she only believed half of anything he said.

Xue Rui flinched when he heard his full name. It had been a very long time since she’d called him that, and it created an immediate sense of distance.

But Xue Rui wasn’t about to be led around by the nose.

He said brazenly, "Muxue, there’s nothing good abroad. It’s a culinary wasteland. I was thinking of opening a hot pot restaurant near your university, and you can be the boss."

"You’re right, there’s nothing abroad. And you won’t be there, either," Gu Muxue said coldly.

Xue Rui had anticipated this. "What are you talking about? We agreed I’d be your little shadow. Wherever you go, I go."

"Xue Rui, that’s enough!" Gu Muxue shouted.

’Don’t you like Lin Ruoxi? Why do you keep pestering me?’

’Just go away! I don’t want to see you. Not ever again...’

She desperately wanted to scream these words at him, but they caught in her throat, and she couldn’t speak.

’Does she still want to save this relationship?’

She didn’t know. But she refused to live as wretchedly as Lin Ruoxi.

"It’s not enough. I’m serious. Go ahead and study abroad if you don’t believe me. I’ll follow you wherever you go."

"Because in that dream, after you went abroad... you never came back. The unknown is terrifying, and I need to be there to watch over you myself," Xue Rui said earnestly.

"So, where is Muxue planning to study abroad? I need to do my research. Europe or North America?"

When Gu Muxue didn’t answer, Xue Rui asked again, "Asia? That could work too."

"Honestly, I don’t mind where we go. Hmm... except Africa. And Australia seems to have a lot of bugs..." Xue Rui muttered to himself.

"And what about her? Where is she?" Gu Muxue asked, her head bowed.

’Study abroad? If she won this gamble, she would take Xue Rui with her.’

’But Lin Ruoxi was still in his heart. Xue Rui never even considered admitting he was wrong, and that was something she could not accept.’

’So what if she went abroad and took Xue Rui with her? Would Lin Ruoxi ever let him go?’

’The three of them would still be entangled in this emotional mess...’

’A tangled mess that could neither be cut nor untangled.’

Gu Muxue felt an unprecedented wave of helplessness. She decided to withdraw.