Chapter 555: Mistress

Everyone froze. Lin Ruoxi’s single sentence had covered both steps for the birthday candles: blowing them out and pulling them out.

It inevitably brought to mind the act of cutting the cake that would follow, making it feel like a farewell dinner…

In fact, they were indeed having a farewell dinner, because after this meal, Gu Muxue’s parents would be leaving Chang’an.

Zhao Lizhen had a flight at 8:00 PM, and Gu Qingshan, a grown man, felt it would be awkward to live with two young women, so he had simply booked a high-speed rail ticket back to Hedong as well.

Xue Rui wore a helpless expression. The girl could be like that sometimes, silencing everyone with a single, unexpected sentence.

Lin Ruoxi, not yet realizing the implication, started to explain, “It’s from ‘Miss Chunzi.’ The original line is…”

Xue Rui cleared his throat. “Xiaolin, showing off how well-read you are, are we?”

“Oh, I… I’m sorry, Boss,” Lin Ruoxi said quietly.

“We’re not lighting the candles anymore. Let’s just eat the cake, but all the strawberries on top are mine,” Gu Muxue said, picking up a fork and moving the ring of strawberries from the cake onto a plate.

“Muxue, aren’t you being a little bossy?” Xue Rui reached for a strawberry, but the girl poked the back of his hand with her fork.

Suddenly, there was a soft knock on the main door. Gu Muxue popped a cream-covered strawberry into her mouth, then shot Xue Rui a fierce glare, warning him not to touch the strawberries on the cake.

She skipped to the door, pressed the intercom button, and asked, “Who is it?”

Yang Xing’s voice came through the intercom speaker. “President Zhao, if we don’t leave now, we’ll miss the flight.”

Zhao Lizhen smiled. “Muxue,” she said softly, “Mom has to go now.”

Gu Muxue pouted, a little unhappy.

When her parents were here, she was always wondering when they would leave. But now that they were actually leaving, she felt reluctant to see them go.

“Muxue, adults have to learn to enjoy solitude. You’re a big girl now,” Xue Rui said, standing up to help Zhao Lizhen with her luggage.

“Hmph. So many lectures. Why don’t you go enjoy your solitude alone, then,” Gu Muxue grumbled.

Gu Qingshan nodded in satisfaction. ‘In their relationship, his daughter was clearly the one in charge.’

He said gently, “Muxue, you still have a few days of vacation left. Why don’t you come home for a visit?”

Gu Muxue pouted. “No.”

In truth, Gu Muxue was exhausted. With her parents here these past few days, she’d had almost no time or space to herself. She had to pretend to be as cheerful and bubbly as she used to be.

In reality, she could only fall asleep peacefully after taking her medication.

Seeing Gu Qingshan was about to say something else, Gu Muxue quickly came up with an excuse. “Dad, I promised to celebrate my roommate’s birthday with her tomorrow.”

Gu Qingshan paused. “Don’t go to any sketchy places. Have your Uncle Yang make the arrangements.”

“Okay,” Gu Muxue replied softly, glancing at Lin Ruoxi, who was helping her father pack his things.

‘In front of my parents, Xue Rui belongs only to me, and Lin Ruoxi is just a little gofer.’

‘Once my parents leave, I’ll have to face the complicated relationship between the three of us.’

‘I still feel so wronged. That bastard Xue Rui is getting off way too easy!’

‘I need to come up with a good plan to make sure Xue Rui suffers a little, too.’

“Xiaorui, you can take me to the high-speed rail station,” Gu Qingshan said. He planned to give Xue Rui a few more words of advice on the way. He was afraid that if this continued, his precious daughter would be stolen away.

‘Every farmer who grows cabbages faces this day. But you can’t guard the patch so tightly that the cabbage just rots in the field, can you?’

‘So, I have to pen up the pig that’s trying to eat the cabbage in my own yard.’

‘He didn’t want to be a grandfather-in-law; he wanted to be a grandpa.’

“You got it.” Xue Rui quickly turned, grabbed Gu Qingshan’s luggage to take it out, and got the car keys from Lin Ruoxi.

“Then I’ll go see Mom off,” Gu Muxue said, holding out her hand.

A few minutes later, Lin Ruoxi was the only one left in the room. ‘Well,’ she thought, ‘I guess I’ll do the dishes.’

…

On the way to the airport, Zhao Lizhen pulled a bank card from her purse and placed it in Gu Muxue’s hand. “Muxue, this is your coming-of-age gift from Mom. In the future, no matter what Xiaorui does, you need to be a shareholder. That’s how you’ll keep him in line.”

Gu Muxue smiled sweetly and hugged Zhao Lizhen’s arm tightly. “Thank you, Mom.”

“Are you hiding something from me?” Zhao Lizhen said, poking Gu Muxue on the nose.

Gu Muxue lowered her head, a guilty conscience weighing on her. ‘There were so many things I was hiding…’

Zhao Lizhen added, “Lin Ruoxi is a good girl, but she’s too tempting for men. You need to be on your guard.”

Gu Muxue nodded. “I know.”

‘I’ve been on my guard against Lin Ruoxi for a long time. But what good did it do?’

‘It’s too late for any of that now. Xue Rui and Lin Ruoxi are inseparable.’

‘Xue Rui might be able to leave Lin Ruoxi, but Lin Ruoxi can’t be without Xue Rui.’

‘Lin Ruoxi only truly comes alive when she’s with Xue Rui.’

…

Meanwhile, Xue Rui and Gu Qingshan were heading in a different direction, toward the high-speed rail station.

Gu Qingshan sat in the back seat, watching Xue Rui drive with practiced skill. The more he watched, the more unsettled he felt. He had a habit of video-calling Gu Muxue every night before bed to check in, and so far, he hadn’t noticed anything amiss.

“Xiaorui, at your age, your focus should be on your studies,” Gu Qingshan said earnestly.

“You’re right, Uncle Gu.” An almost imperceptible, cold smile touched the corner of Xue Rui’s mouth.

‘Studies?’

‘What was Gu Qingshan doing when he was in college?’

‘Chasing girls and having a kid!’

‘And he has the nerve to lecture me?’

Gu Qingshan frowned. He, too, felt his words lacked conviction. He continued, “Muxue’s uncle has a PhD from Cambridge University, and her mother has an MBA from MIT…”

Xue Rui felt the conversation getting way off track. ‘Don’t tell me Gu Qingshan is about to start making demands of me?’