Chapter 430 - 313: Chaotic Scene 3

Lin Ruoxi suffered from severe psychological issues due to long-term domestic abuse, a fact that made her truly pitiable.

’But what future was there?’

She squeezed her eyes shut as a single, glistening tear fell from the corner.

Lin Ruoxi didn’t know what to do. She quickly pulled out a tissue and handed it to Gu Muxue, asking in a pleading tone, "Gu Muxue, can we be good friends?"

Lin Ruoxi knew Xue Rui liked Gu Muxue, and she didn’t want to put him in a difficult position. ’If someone has to make a sacrifice,’ she thought, ’I can be the one to back down. As long as Xue Rui stays by my side, that’s all that matters.’

Gu Muxue clenched her fists. ’Why? Why is Lin Ruoxi acting like this?’

Gu Muxue finally couldn’t take it anymore. She gritted her teeth and questioned, enunciating each word, "Why? Why do you have so little self-respect?"

Lin Ruoxi’s subservience was both pitiable and pathetic.

"Because I love him. I have to accept everything about him, without reservation."

"Rui said he really likes you," Lin Ruoxi said, her voice trembling.

Somehow, as if infected by Gu Muxue’s emotions, tears began to stream from Lin Ruoxi’s eyes. She didn’t even notice them until they dripped onto her clothes.

They looked at each other, but through their tear-filled eyes, they could only make out the other’s blurry outline. The only sound in the car was the hum of the air conditioner.

Lin Ruoxi chose to break the heavy silence. "Can’t we be friends?" she whispered. "Whatever you want... I can give it all to you."

She didn’t want any conflict with Gu Muxue.

Gu Muxue’s hands, clasped together, wouldn’t stop trembling. She dug her fingernails deep into the flesh of one hand, as if the physical pain could somehow lessen the ache in her heart.

’Lin Ruoxi would give it to her?’

’The world I want is not something you can afford to give,’ Gu Muxue thought.

Lin Ruoxi wiped away her tears. Noticing something was wrong, she reached for Gu Muxue’s hand and gently pried open her clenched fingers one by one. "Don’t hurt yourself, okay?"

"Okay. Thank you." Gu Muxue’s eyes were vacant. She didn’t want to talk to Lin Ruoxi anymore. Their values were just too different. All she wanted right now was to storm out and confront Xue Rui.

"Something’s come up, I have to go. See you this weekend." Gu Muxue fumbled frantically for the door handle, pulled it open, and stumbled out. When her feet hit the ground, her legs felt like jelly, and she couldn’t keep her balance. The world seemed to spin around her. She had to lean against the car door for a long moment to steady herself.

She stood there, looking at Xue Rui behind the hedges, her expression a pained and complicated mask. A moment ago, she’d wanted to storm over and confront him, but now that she actually saw him, she suddenly had nothing to say.

She turned her head and whispered to Lin Ruoxi inside the car, "Lin Ruoxi... I’m sorry for what I’m about to do."

With that, she slammed the car door shut with a loud BANG.

Lin Ruoxi flinched violently at the sound. ’But... Gu Muxue apologized to me...’

When Xue Rui heard the car door open, his anxiety and unease peaked. The subsequent slam of the door made his heart plummet.

He had no idea what had happened in the car, only that he could faintly hear Gu Muxue’s voice had been louder than Lin Ruoxi’s.

’What’s going on? Did their talk go south?’

...

Of course, Gu Muxue had slammed the door to get Xue Rui’s attention.

With heavy steps, she started walking toward the athletic field. As she passed the hedges, she shot a glance at Xue Rui, her eyes filled with disappointment.

Xue Rui, however, still thought she hadn’t seen him. He was leaning his head to one side, smoking, a pile of cigarette butts at his feet.

Gu Muxue frowned. ’Since when did Xue Rui pick up such a bad habit?’

She remembered asking Gu Qingshan once why he smoked, and his answer was that it relieved his anxiety.

’Xiaorui, you brought all of this on yourself. What could you possibly be anxious about?’

"Smoking is bad for your health. You should quit sooner rather than later."

Gu Muxue said coldly. Then, she turned and walked away, head down, typing a message into her phone and hitting send.

Xue Rui’s phone let out a jarring BUZZ.

He glanced furtively at Gu Muxue’s retreating back. It seemed she had paused for a split second when she heard his phone buzz.

Xue Rui opened his phone. It was a message from her.

Don’t come looking for me for the next few days. I’ll sort everything out at the get-together this weekend.