Chapter 436 316: How Did I Get Isolated?

During the last few days of military training, Xue Rui went to Jiao University every morning to wander around, but he never managed to see Gu Muxue. After asking around, he found out that Gu Muxue had withdrawn from military training because she wasn't feeling well.

Furthermore, no matter how many messages he sent, Gu Muxue never replied.

Even after he "kidnapped" Xiaobu from Yang Xing and sent a photo to Gu Muxue, the girl remained completely silent.

Gao Shufen told him that Gu Muxue was in her dorm room every day, sitting in front of her computer and managing the All-Purpose Campus platform for Jiao University's various campuses.

What surprised Xue Rui was that Gu Muxue was doing an excellent job. Every day, she posted topics related to the military training, like tips for sun protection and relieving muscle soreness. She also managed the confession wall, creating a template for the other new platform operators, many of whom simply copied her posts word for word…

The girl had even landed a few ad deals with nearby businesses…

Xue Rui knew the girl would do a good job with anything she promised. So, he used his personal account to confess his feelings to Gu Muxue on Jiao University's confession wall…

The result? The girl didn't approve the post and even banned his account!

As for Lin Ruoxi, she had recently been busy either buying furniture and decorating the house or "campaigning" for him to become class president—for instance, by saving seats for classmates at mealtimes.

She was even almost tricked into carrying the flag for the School of Computer Science during the final military training inspection. Luckily, the young lady always asked for his opinion before doing anything, so he was able to put a firm stop to that…

Lin Ruoxi was sure he could win Gu Muxue over…

'I can't let the young lady down!'

'But the problem is, I haven't even seen her face in days…'

…

「September 6th, Saturday evening.」

A light drizzle fell from the sky. It was the first rain of September, arriving just after the military training had ended.

Xue Rui stood at the gate of Jiao University. The air was filled with the fresh scent of damp earth, and he couldn't help but take a few deep breaths.

A large, fluffy Ragdoll cat dozed in his arms, its eyes half-closed. No matter how much he stroked it, Xiaobu would only lick its lips, blink its brilliant, jewel-like blue eyes, and let out a couple of soft mews at him.

"If only your owner were as well-behaved as you," Xue Rui said, gently scratching Xiaobu's head. The cat obediently nuzzled against his hand.

Li Ruihao stood beside him, holding an umbrella over Xue Rui as he reported on his recent achievements. "Tonight, I've arranged to meet with student council members from several different universities…"

"Just spit it out. You don't have to put on a show for me," Xue Rui said, stroking the cat, his eyes fixed on the intersection ahead.

'Xue Rui couldn't be bothered to listen to this. A small team back in Shencheng was in charge of the shared power bank business; he only checked the back-end data once in a while.'

'But Li Ruihao's speed was indeed impressive. He must have built a network within the student councils at various universities from his previous entrepreneurial ventures. Before Xue Rui even had to lift a finger, he had already seen the logo for "Monster Charge"—the brand he had registered for the shared power banks—in his own school's cafeteria.'

'Li Ruihao was probably eager to prove his abilities to him. And you had to admit, Li Ruihao really knew how to get things done when it counted.'

"Boss, the company said we haven't reached the payment cycle yet… but is it possible to get a small advance? We need funding for promotion…" Li Ruihao said, forcing a wide smile.

"No. The company has its procedures."

Although that's what Xue Rui said, he still took out his phone under Li Ruihao's watchful gaze and transferred 10,000 yuan directly to him on WeChat, adding the note: "Bonus."

Li Ruihao pulled out his phone. When he saw the note, his eyes instantly lit up. By marking it as a bonus, Xue Rui meant it wouldn't be deducted from his future payments.

"Thank you, Boss! You're so generous!" Li Ruihao thanked him effusively.

"You've done good work. You've also helped me out with a lot of personal matters lately. This is a personal bonus from me, so don't go blabbing about it," Xue Rui said in a low voice.

'He had already lowballed Li Ruihao in the contract, offering him a bit less than the on-the-ground promotion teams. Since Li Ruihao had no idea what the others were making, Xue Rui could just package the difference and give it to him as a "bonus" at an opportune moment…'

'Yes, this was a much better way to win loyalty. After all, there's a huge difference between how an unexpected windfall feels compared to money you're owed.'

'For instance, this was money Li Ruihao should have received anyway, but now he was acting as excited as if he'd found it on the street…'

'But even at the lower rate, Li Ruihao wasn't losing out. Earning a first-tier city income while in Chang'an meant he was still coming out ahead. Plus, Xue Rui really had added a little extra to the bonus, partly as an "errand fee" for Li Ruihao's girlfriend.'

As he spoke, Xue Rui kept his eyes fixed on the convex mirror at the intersection. The moment he saw a black sedan starting to make the turn, he quickly ducked out from under Li Ruihao's umbrella. "You go on ahead. I have something to take care of."

"Huh? Boss, your umbrella…"

"I don't need it. Just go."

Xue Rui used his jacket to shield the cat while he stood under a tree for cover. Water droplets collected on the leaves above, occasionally dripping onto his shoulders, making him look quite pitiful.

Li Ruihao glanced in the direction Xue Rui was looking and instantly understood his plan. He quickly lowered his head and hurried away, careful not to interfere with Xue Rui's performance.

'Xue Rui had seen Gu Muxue leaving in a car. This was the perfect chance to look pathetic and get a ride in the same car as her.'

'The girl hadn't told anyone about the conflict between them, which was why he'd been able to take Xiaobu from Yang Xing without any trouble.'

'However, today, he would have to face her "judgment."'

The black Maybach slowly pulled to a stop in front of him. Yang Xing rolled down the window and said with concern, "Xue Rui, what are you doing standing in the rain? Hurry up and get in."

From the back seat, Gu Muxue had seen Xue Rui's miserable state, huddled under the tree. She said coldly, "Let him stay in the rain a while longer."