Chapter 459 - 324: You Came Empty-Handed?

’Possessiveness is such a torment,’ Xue Rui lamented. He knew the best outcome was for them to go their separate ways, but he just couldn’t let go.

’It’s been two lifetimes. He didn’t want to leave any regrets.’

’He had many more tricks up his sleeve, but he cast them all aside. Gu Muxue had been hurt by his deceit; only a truly sincere apology could earn her forgiveness.’

"Rui, are you hungry? It’s so late. Where are we headed?" Lin Ruoxi asked, unsure of where they were supposed to go.

Xue Rui was a bit lost. The Mid-Autumn Festival had come too early this year, falling on the weekend right after his military training. It had only been a little over a week since he’d "started college"—less time than he’d spent boarding in his last year of high school. His family had even forgotten all about it...

Only his mom had called, and that was just to ask if Lin Ruoxi was coming home with him...

"You tell me," Xue Rui said with a smile, figuring he’d just let Lin Ruoxi decide. She had been growing more assertive lately, even if she was still a bit of a pushover at heart.

"To your place?" Lin Ruoxi asked, then waited for his answer.

’Xue Rui is already in Hedong. Isn’t he going home?’

’Her grandmother was in the nursing home, and it wouldn’t be appropriate for her to visit at night.’

"Fine," Xue Rui said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

’Me, want to go home? Weren’t you the one who wanted to go?’

’Who do you think bought that pile of gifts in the trunk?’

Lin Ruoxi, ever the curious child, had asked him why he always bought her a mountain of presents for every holiday. He’d explained that holiday gifts should be given in auspicious numbers, like six or eight.

’In truth, it was a local custom girls didn’t need to learn, as it was always the man who gave gifts to the woman’s family.’

But of course, Lin Ruoxi had taken it to heart and brought eight gifts for his parents.

As for him, he had planned to buy some brand-name health supplements for her grandmother—"IQ tax" products like Melatonin oral liquid and massage devices. He’d just buy whatever was advertised on TV. Usefulness was secondary; the important thing was that other old folks would recognize the brands. After all, the elderly needed to keep up with the Joneses too.

But what happened? Lin Ruoxi stopped him, saying all those things were just scams.

So, Lin Ruoxi turned around and bought her grandmother six gift boxes of snacks instead. She planned to take them back after the holiday so she and Xue Rui could eat them, arguing that her grandmother wasn’t in good health and couldn’t eat just anything. Besides, all the necessities had already been purchased, so giving more gifts was just a waste...

"When her grandmother sees this stuff tomorrow, she’s going to blow a gasket," Xue Rui couldn’t help but say.

’Siding with an outsider like this... who could possibly stand it?’

"Oh, she won’t be. Grandma doesn’t like to be wasteful. She’s the one who taught me to be frugal," Lin Ruoxi said, confident that she knew her grandmother better than anyone.

Xue Rui shook his head and sighed inwardly. Lin Ruoxi had never understood her grandmother at all...

’The old woman just didn’t like wasting her *own* things. Now that someone had shown up and was trying to spirit her granddaughter away, she was hoping he’d bleed a little—or a lot.’

’And here you are, already saving money on my behalf...’

Before long, they arrived at Xue Rui’s house, just as Xue Yao was returning from walking the dog.

"Da Huang, you’re the best! Tomorrow, you can help me go yell at that poodle again..."

However, the leash suddenly slipped from her hand. Da Huang shot forward, whining and wagging his tail furiously beside Lin Ruoxi, his paws nearly touching her white shirt.

Lin Ruoxi frowned. "Stand still!"

Da Huang licked his lips and obediently flopped onto the ground, his tail sweeping back and forth like a broom.

"Hi, Yaoyao," Lin Ruoxi said, nodding and smiling at Xue Yao.

Xue Yao: "..."

"Bro, did Sister Ruoxi remap Da Huang’s controls or something? No wonder I can’t teach him anything," Xue Yao said, a look of sudden realization on her face.

Xue Rui chuckled. "I’m the one who trained him. I don’t want my dog listening to anyone else."

Lin Ruoxi smiled, satisfied. ’If Xue Rui wanted to play games, she was happy to play along.’

As she was unloading gifts from the trunk, she suddenly recalled that Xue Rui had sent many presents to Gu Muxue’s family. ’Did Gu Muxue give any gifts in return?’

She asked quietly, "Rui, did Gu Muxue give your parents any holiday gifts?"

’For the Mid-Autumn Festival, it was customary for the younger generation to give gifts to their elders. She already owed Xue Rui’s family so much, and now that she was earning her own money, she absolutely had to give them a proper holiday gift.’

’But... did someone like Gu Muxue need to send gifts, too?’

Xue Rui shook his head. ’Gu Qingshan is far too proud. How could he possibly let his daughter give gifts to my father?’

’Besides, that girl was obviously trying to put some distance between them. Sending gifts to his family for the Mid-Autumn Festival to maintain their status as a couple? As if.’

However, Xue Rui noticed Lin Ruoxi deliberately dividing the items into two piles. There were six boxes on each side, for a total of twelve. She had taken four of the items originally intended for her grandmother.

"What are you doing?" Xue Rui had a bad feeling. Lin Ruoxi was about to start something.

"I’m giving these on her behalf this year. Isn’t Gu Muxue close to your family?" Lin Ruoxi said.

"Quick, put them..."

Before Xue Rui could finish, he saw Ren Qunfang walk out, beaming. "Xixi, you came all this way! You shouldn’t have brought gifts."

"Hello, Auntie. These are from me, and those are from Gu Muxue," Lin Ruoxi said, pointing to the two piles of gifts.

Ren Qunfang froze for a second. ’Gu Muxue usually sent her small gifts on the sly during the holidays. Did she have Lin Ruoxi deliver them this year?’

’Were they that close?’

’Did her son really have that kind of magic?’

Ren Qunfang frowned and bit her nails, completely unable to make sense of the situation.

Xue Rui gave a sheepish laugh. "Mom, I’m back for the Mid-Autumn break."

Ren Qunfang glanced behind him and said coldly, "Did you come empty-handed?"

Xue Rui’s eyebrow twitched. Originally, the eight gifts would have been more than enough, and everyone would have assumed his contribution was included. But now Lin Ruoxi had changed the plan on the fly, and his mom was suddenly looking for a fight.

"You just said we shouldn’t have brought gifts, remember?" Xue Rui said cheekily.

"That may be true, but even the best relationships need to be maintained and nurtured," Ren Qunfang said pointedly.

Xue Rui replied seriously, "Mom, that’s a bit superficial. What kind of mother and son rely on mooncakes to maintain their bond?"

Xue Yao, holding Da Huang’s leash, circled Xue Rui’s new car and spotted two red boxes still in the trunk.

Xue Yao blinked, pulled the two boxes out, and grinned. "Bro, are these from you?"

"With custard pies and eight-treasure porridge?"