Chapter 461 325: You Want Me to Marry In?

Ren Qunfang sighed. Her son was so lucky to have found such a gentle girl. But why did Xue Rui have to be such a playboy?

"Xixi, I'm sorry," Ren Qunfang said as she helped Lin Ruoxi trim vegetables beside her.

"Auntie?" Lin Ruoxi suddenly grew tense. She didn't understand why Xue Rui's mother was apologizing to her.

"It's all my fault for not raising Xiaorui right when he was little. Now he won't listen no matter what I say. You've been put in a difficult position because of it," Ren Qunfang said, blaming herself.

In her eyes, Lin Ruoxi was the one who was being wronged.

Lin Ruoxi glanced in Xue Rui's direction and gave a sweet smile. "I'm not wronged at all. As long as he's happy, that's all that matters."

Ren Qunfang felt a headache coming on...

'Whenever she went shopping with Zhao Lizhen, she was always the one rushing to pay...'

'This very afternoon, she'd gone to the nursing home to give Lin Ruoxi's grandmother a holiday gift.'

'They both said she was being too kind, but her heart was heavy with guilt...'

She hadn't asked about the three of them, because there was no point. It was like talking to a brick wall with her son. She had talked until she was blue in the face, but Xue Rui wouldn't hear a word of it.

Besides, Xue Rui was financially independent now; there was truly nothing she could do to control him.

In short, no matter who Xue Rui ended up marrying, she would have to go to the other girl to apologize and make amends—to clean up his mess...

"Xiaorui, you don't need to stay home for the Mid-Autumn Festival," Ren Qunfang called out. "Zhuangzhuang and the others just went back to school, so they can't make it. Why don't you spend the holiday with Lin Ruoxi and her grandmother this year?"

"Mom, are you trying to marry me off into her family?" Xue Rui teased.

"Can't you just talk normally for once?"

Ren Qunfang was so angered by Xue Rui that she wanted to go kick him a few times to let off steam, but Lin Ruoxi grabbed her arm.

Lin Ruoxi said in a panic, "Auntie, put the knife down."

"What? Even a vicious tiger doesn't eat its own cubs! Xixi, stop her! I'm going to go hide!" Xue Rui shouted dramatically.

"Okay, I will!" Lin Ruoxi replied, then turned and whispered to Ren Qunfang, "Auntie, he's just joking."

"Mm."

Ren Qunfang found it amusing. The way they played off each other, they really were like a young couple.

...

After dinner was ready, Lin Ruoxi neatly arranged the dishes and cutlery on the dining table. Xue Xiaying, who hadn't eaten since getting off work, was also nearby helping out.

Xue Rui and Xue Yao were on the sofa. He sat with his legs crossed, while she was slumped on the cushions, her foot resting on Da Huang's back.

Ren Qunfang looked at the busy Lin Ruoxi, then shot a disgusted glance at her own children. A wave of irritation washed over her...

'What on earth did I give birth to?'

"Sit up straight!" Ren Qunfang snapped.

Xue Rui completely ignored her. Xue Yao, however, grudgingly straightened her posture.

Ren Qunfang sighed. Just as she was about to launch into a lecture, Xue Rui shot to his feet and yelled at Xue Yao.

"Just look at her! Presentable in the living room and a master in the kitchen. Now, look at you! All you know is how to mess around with your good-for-nothing friends!"

As he spoke, he kicked Da Huang, making the dog bare its teeth and let out a low growl.

"Brother, aren't you the exact same?" Xue Yao yelled, leaping to her feet. Every time Gu Muxue came over, she had to endure these comparisons.

The moment Lin Ruoxi had walked into the kitchen today, she'd felt like her world was collapsing!

She was already prepared for a scolding, but she never imagined it would come from her brother, who was even more of a slob than she was!

Ren Qunfang looked on in disbelief. 'Did Xue Rui just steal my lines?'

That was what infuriated her the most. It wasn't that Xue Rui was clueless. On the contrary, he could read everyone's mind and knew exactly how to please them, yet he was also the one who caused the most trouble.

"How are we the same?" Xue Rui said, completely unfazed. He casually kicked Da Huang again.

"When I said 'good-for-nothing friends,' I meant you, dog," he said to Da Huang. "I mean, honestly. Look at other male dogs! By your age, they've already sired a whole litter of puppies, and you don't even have a girlfriend."

"WOOF WOOF!"

"I know, I know. I'm partly to blame, since I had you neutered. But shouldn't you do some self-reflection as well?"

"Are you even speaking human?" Xue Yao shouted, so angry she punched Xue Rui on the back with a dull THUD.

Xue Xiaying looked up in surprise. She had only been gone for the time it took to carry a dish, so how had Xue Yao managed to pin Xue Rui down? And she was pulling at his cheeks...

To top it off, the dog was biting his pant leg. It was a truly pitiful sight.

Listening to his sister and Da Huang yelling in his ears, Xue Rui finally managed to snap out of his earlier mood.

'You have to face life with a smile,' he thought. 'This mess with the girls will sort itself out eventually...'

'For example, right now. I should call Lin Ruoxi for help.'

"Xixi, save me!" Xue Rui shouted.

In fact, the moment he yelled, Lin Ruoxi was already on her way over.

Without a word, Lin Ruoxi walked over and nudged Da Huang away with her foot, kicking it lightly on the snout. "He's your master."

Da Huang immediately started wagging its tail, trying to curry favor with Lin Ruoxi.

Xue Yao's shoulders twitched, and she swallowed nervously. 'Wow, Lin Ruoxi didn't hold back at all!'

'Am I going to get hit?'

'Probably not. My mom and my aunt are still here.'

But she didn't dare to meet Lin Ruoxi's gaze now, so she just scooted away resentfully.

"He's my brother, that's why I'm allowed to hit him," Xue Yao explained lamely.

Lin Ruoxi knelt in front of Xue Rui. She cupped his reddened cheeks and instinctively blew on them gently. "Does it hurt?"

"It still hurts," Xue Rui said.

Lin Ruoxi froze for a second. 'Does he want a kiss?'

Without hesitating, she leaned in and kissed him. "Better now?" she asked softly. "Get up, it's time for dinner."

'Lin Ruoxi knew Xue Rui was fine, but whenever he showed a hint of vulnerability, she couldn't help herself. She wanted so badly to pull him into her arms...'

'But with everyone watching, she couldn't. She forcefully suppressed the urge.'