Chapter 440 - 317: Fireworks are Fleeting

"You’ve gotten thinner. You should eat more," Lin Ruoxi said, placing a pork rib onto Gu Muxue’s plate. She then picked up Gu Muxue’s bowl and filled it with soup.

Gu Muxue turned her head slightly and took Lin Ruoxi’s hand. "I’m full. How about you?"

"I’m full," Lin Ruoxi said.

Gu Muxue nodded and pulled Lin Ruoxi to her feet.

’You can let her have the pork rib, but what about the man?’

She didn’t say the words aloud. Lin Ruoxi’s gentleness made her heart soften. In truth, she hadn’t wanted to pressure Lin Ruoxi from the very beginning.

Xue Rui was seated along the path they had to take. He tried to stand, but Gu Muxue pressed his shoulder down.

"Lin Ruoxi and I are going ahead to get a private room for everyone. Come over as soon as you’re done eating," Gu Muxue announced.

"I’ve already booked it. We just need to go over to get it started. It’s right across the street. It’s not safe for you two to go alone," Xue Rui said.

"Exactly. I’m full too, let’s all go together." A male student stood up, intending to go with them.

"That’s not necessary. My driver is downstairs," Gu Muxue said, declining her classmate’s kind offer.

"Who are you worried about? Me? Or her?" Gu Muxue whispered, leaning close to Xue Rui’s ear as her finger traced a light path across his neck.

To any observer, it looked as if Gu Muxue was whispering intimately to her boyfriend. But Xue Rui didn’t dare move his neck an inch.

Her fingernail grazed his throat, the sensation no different from a blade.

After Gu Muxue left, someone shot Xue Rui an envious glance. ’High school sweethearts who are still together in college... they’re bound to become the stuff of legends.’

He smiled and said, "Brother Rui, your girl is so thoughtful."

"Take your time eating. Order more if it’s not enough," Xue Rui said casually. ’Yang Xing is downstairs, so there’s no need to worry about their safety. Gu Muxue knows what she’s doing.’

’But what was that about, dragging her nail across my throat?’

’A threat?’

Feeling uneasy, he took out his phone and sent Lin Ruoxi a message. He still wanted to check on them. After all, Gu Muxue was acting too strange today.

...

Just then, Gu Muxue and Lin Ruoxi reached the ground floor. When Lin Ruoxi heard her phone ring, she quickly pulled it out to reply.

"Is that from Xue Rui?" Gu Muxue asked.

Lin Ruoxi nodded. "Mm, Rui is asking where we are."

"We?" Gu Muxue murmured.

Lin Ruoxi gave Gu Muxue a timid glance. "Can... can we be good friends?"

Gu Muxue gave a vacant smile. "Of course we can. Give me your phone."

"Um, here you go." Lin Ruoxi obediently handed her phone over.

’She was supposed to listen to Xue Rui, but since Xue Rui also listens to Gu Muxue, it wasn’t wrong for her to listen to Gu Muxue.’

Gu Muxue saw Lin Ruoxi’s phone wallpaper, and a sharp pain lanced through her heart. The image showed Xue Rui and Lin Ruoxi setting off fireworks, looking just like a young couple.

Judging by the angle, it was a selfie taken by Xue Rui.

She smiled bitterly. "When was this taken?"

"New Year’s Eve, 2012."

"And 2013?" Gu Muxue blurted out.

’She suddenly remembered: on New Year’s Eve of 2013, Xue Rui had been with *her*, setting off fireworks. The fireworks that night had been so beautiful...’

’She only learned later that Xue Rui had arranged for Xue Yao to set off those fireworks, a special display just for her...’

’A pity that fireworks are so fleeting...’

"You... why are you crying?" Lin Ruoxi reached out to wipe away Gu Muxue’s tears, but Gu Muxue pulled away.

"Let’s take a picture, shall we?" Gu Muxue said with a smile, though her eyes were brimming with tears.

She raised the phone and took a selfie with Lin Ruoxi. Then, using Lin Ruoxi’s phone, she sent it to Xue Rui.