Chapter 591 - 375: Cosplay Your Mom (Part 2)

He aimlessly wandered around Gu Muxue’s room for a bit before casually pulling open a closet door. He couldn’t care less about the little rascal’s threats. They’d already slept in each other’s arms, so what was so secretive about a closet?

Besides, he had a special attachment to this closet...

"Huh? What’s this?" Xue Rui found an unopened package. The date showed it had just been delivered today.

Judging by the size of the package, it had to be clothes. If this were in Lin Ruoxi’s room, Xue Rui wouldn’t have even bothered to look, but for Gu Muxue, this was highly unusual.

The girl’s clothes were all designer brands, the latest season’s styles bought from the mall. Why would she be buying clothes online?

"Daily necessities?" Xue Rui swallowed hard.

The shipping label didn’t make it seem like regular clothes!

Why would clothes be labeled ’daily necessities’? And why would daily necessities be stuffed in a closet?

As an experienced veteran in these matters, Xue Rui quickly understood what was going on.

Cosplay?

Lin Ruoxi would buy these kinds of things to make him happy, but would Gu Muxue do the same?

Xue Rui carefully glanced toward the door, then cautiously rummaged through the closet with a RUSTLE RUSTLE, trying to see if there were any opened packages.

Suddenly, he saw an unopened box of Durex...

"GULP~" Xue Rui’s heart hammered in his chest. ’This happiness is so sudden.’

’On second thought, Gu Muxue has always been very thoughtful. It’s perfectly normal for her to prepare in advance.’

Hearing the bathroom door open, Xue Rui hurriedly tidied up the closet and pretended he hadn’t seen a thing, his heart filled with anticipation for tonight’s surprise ’blind box’.

’What style of Gu Muxue will I get?’

’The teacher type? The maid type?’

’Well, he wasn’t a picky eater. Any kind would do.’

"You’re done with your shower, so why aren’t you leaving?" Gu Muxue said, wrapped in a bath towel.

"Alright, this humble servant will be on his way."

Xue Rui chuckled and decisively left Gu Muxue’s room, leaving her standing there completely baffled.

"He’s so obedient today..." Gu Muxue’s alluring eyes were filled with confusion. She felt that today’s Xue Rui was a little *too* obedient.

Suddenly, she remembered that Lin Ruoxi’s period had ended, and her face flushed beet red...

"Jerk!" Gu Muxue gritted her teeth and locked the door.

The moment he was out, Xue Rui immediately turned back and pressed his ear to Gu Muxue’s door, listening for any sounds.

As expected, he heard Gu Muxue open the closet door and tear open the package.

"Rui, it’s time for bed," Lin Ruoxi called out softly.

In Lin Ruoxi’s eyes, Xue Rui had slept in Gu Muxue’s room yesterday, so today, he belonged to her. But why did he still want to sleep in Gu Muxue’s room?

Lin Ruoxi pouted and reached out to gently tug on Xue Rui’s pants.

"Xixi, you go to sleep first. Muxue and I still have something to talk about," Xue Rui said with an awkward cough.

Inside the room, Gu Muxue was slightly taken aback. She thought for a moment and replied, "Xiaorui, you’re not going to bed yet? In that case, wait for me to put on some makeup. I have something to talk to you about too."

"Mm, okay, I’ll wait for you then." Lin Ruoxi walked back to her room with slow steps, her mind on the promise she and Xue Rui had made.

Xue Rui’s heart pounded. ’She’s even putting on makeup? How meticulous...’

He suppressed his excitement. "Muxue, you’re beautiful with or without makeup."

"You should say that to Ruoxi more often. She loves to hear it," Gu Muxue said with a laugh.

Xue Rui: "..."

After standing outside the door for about twenty minutes, the moment he heard Gu Muxue open it again, Xue Rui WHOOSHED through the crack in the door and threw his arms around the person in front of him.

’She’s so slow,’ Xue Rui thought, ’but this little wait was worth it...’

"Get off me! Don’t mess up my clothes!" Gu Muxue forcefully pushed Xue Rui away.

"Hehe, it’ll all be the same soon enough." Xue Rui figured the end result would be the same anyway.

He took a step back and took a good look at Gu Muxue’s outfit.

’Hm? Something’s not right.’

’Why does Gu Muxue look so familiar?’

Xue Rui took two more steps back. The Gu Muxue before him was wearing a white blouse, with a braided pigtail resting on her chest and a pair of white sneakers. A wave of 1990s nostalgia washed over him...

"Xiaorui, do I look like Aunt Ren? It took me forever to find the exact same clothes from the photo. Look, even the collar is identical. And I spent a long time learning how to do this braid..." Gu Muxue twirled lightly in front of Xue Rui.

"GULP~"

Xue Rui’s Adam’s apple bobbed. ’She unlocked the hidden alternate skin of his mom!’

Gu Muxue’s temperament was completely different from her mother’s, and her style was much more lively and free-spirited. Because of the twenty-year age gap, Xue Rui rarely ever connected Gu Muxue with her mom.

But today, Gu Muxue had deliberately dressed up like his mom, and had even put on special makeup...

She looked exactly like his mom when she was young.

Cosplay?

’Cosplaying *my* mom?’

Xue Rui’s mind went blank. What was all that anxious waiting outside the door for?

The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment.

Xue Rui instantly lost his appetite, and the light faded from his eyes.

’This... I really can’t stomach this...’

"Xiaorui, hurry and take a few pictures for me. I want to send them to Aunt Ren. We talked about this during our summer vacation trip. I want to give her a surprise."

Gu Muxue beamed as she checked herself in the mirror, completely oblivious to Xue Rui’s current mood.

"Xiaorui? Xiaorui, what are you spacing out for?" Gu Muxue turned around and found Xue Rui standing there in his boxer shorts, his eyes vacant.

"Muxue, I’m tired. You should get some sleep too," Xue Rui said weakly. He closed the door on his way out, thinking, ’I hope this doesn’t leave me with some kind of psychological trauma.’

"What’s wrong? He seems really down..." Gu Muxue murmured to herself.

What Gu Muxue didn’t know was what a rollercoaster of emotions Xue Rui had just experienced in those few short minutes.

Xue Rui walked listlessly into Lin Ruoxi’s room and found the girl already waiting for him, completely naked under the covers.

When she saw him walk in, she even threw back the covers, gave him a sweet smile, and held out her arms, beckoning him to come over.

Xue Rui managed a faint smile, gradually recovering from the earlier "surprise-turned-scare."

He casually closed the door and dove headfirst into Lin Ruoxi’s embrace.

"You... what’s wrong? You seem unhappy," Lin Ruoxi said, holding Xue Rui gently and stroking the back of his head.

Xue Rui felt it would be too exhausting to explain, so he changed the subject. "Xixi, are you trying to suffocate me?"

"Mm, but this is what we agreed on..." Lin Ruoxi mumbled, blushing.

Xue Rui thought for a moment, suddenly remembering the game he and Lin Ruoxi had played in the dorm that afternoon. A smile touched his lips, and he nuzzled his head a little lower.

He needed to find some comfort with Lin Ruoxi and erase the lingering shadow of what had just happened as quickly as possible.

Lin Ruoxi gently and repeatedly patted Xue Rui’s back. She thought he was at his cutest right now, nestled obediently in her arms. She could stroke his head however she wanted.

As Lin Ruoxi continued her gentle patting, Xue Rui’s mood gradually calmed, and his eyelids grew heavier and heavier.

He figured Lin Ruoxi must be a natural at putting children to sleep, seeing as she could even lull him into slumber.

Lin Ruoxi watched as Xue Rui’s breathing became slow and steady. She gently pulled the blanket up a little higher to cover his exposed legs, making him more comfortable as he slept.

Feeling the heavy weight on top of her, Lin Ruoxi suddenly couldn’t bear to get up. She thought it was rather nice sleeping like this. The only problem was that the light was still on and might shine in Xue Rui’s eyes.

At this thought, Lin Ruoxi shifted her hand to shield his eyes from the light.

「...」

Meanwhile, Gu Muxue was tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep. She replayed Xue Rui’s reaction in her mind. He had seemed both shocked and dejected.

’He didn’t like me dressed like that?’ Gu Muxue sat up in bed. She had never seen Xue Rui look so lost and helpless.

Before, Xue Rui would always linger in her room and refuse to leave, but today he had left on his own initiative.

’No, that’s not right either. Xue Rui waited outside the door for a long time, as if he was anticipating something...’

The more Gu Muxue thought about it, the more flustered she became. She felt she needed to apologize to Xue Rui.

She sighed and walked to Lin Ruoxi’s door, finding it ajar. With a light touch, she pushed it open a crack. The light was still on inside, so the two of them probably weren’t asleep yet.

"Xiaorui, I’m sorry. I should have told you beforehand," Gu Muxue said in a low voice.

Inside the room, Lin Ruoxi suddenly looked up. ’Why is Gu Muxue here?’

’But I’ve already lulled Xue Rui to sleep.’

"He... he’s asleep," Lin Ruoxi whispered, covering Xue Rui’s ears. ’This position is so awkward. If Gu Muxue comes in...’

Gu Muxue found that hard to believe. The door and the lights were both still on.

Besides, if he was really asleep, why was Lin Ruoxi so nervous?

’Xue Rui must have told Lin Ruoxi to lie.’

"Xiaorui, I’m sorry. Please... please don’t be angry anymore," Gu Muxue continued.

Lin Ruoxi’s eyes filled with confusion. ’Why are Xue Rui and Gu Muxue always fighting?’

"Still giving me the silent treatment, huh? I’m coming in, then." With that, Gu Muxue pushed the door open, only to see Lin Ruoxi frantically trying to cover Xue Rui’s head.