Chapter 574 - 367: Getting a Backbone

"Yeah, I got it. Bye-bye." Gu Muxue waved at the camera before pressing the red button to end the call.

Xue Rui, a wide grin on his face, applauded Gu Muxue. "Muxue, it’s a real shame you’re studying finance. If you’d gone into acting, you’d be a future award-winning actress for sure. That improvisational skill..."

With a bright red strawberry dangling from her lips, Lin Ruoxi joined Xue Rui in applauding Gu Muxue. She agreed that Gu Muxue was amazing—she could lie without even batting an eye. ’When I wanted to lie to a teacher about needing the bathroom, I had to rehearse it in my head for ages...’

Gu Muxue pouted. She had a feeling Xue Rui was making fun of her, so she said with a frosty expression:

"So why would I lie to my own father? Is that funny?"

Xue Rui swallowed hard. GULP. He was suddenly a bit unsure of himself. The girl’s aura was so intense right now, and she’d just given such a righteous reason.

Lin Ruoxi obediently lowered her head too, subconsciously about to apologize. "Sor—"

Suddenly, Gu Muxue burst out laughing. "Pfft!"

"My dad really is a bit too overprotective," Gu Muxue said with a laugh.

’Even if I give Xue Rui everything one day, it won’t be because I was tricked. It’ll be because I wanted to.’

"You can do great things in finance, too," Xue Rui immediately backpedaled. ’So the girl’s heart is still with me.’

Besides, he was just kidding. Given Gu Muxue’s background, entering the entertainment industry would be a step down for her.

"I’ve checked the books. That guy who works for you, Li Ruihao, his hands aren’t clean." Gu Muxue nudged Xue Rui with her foot, telling him to make some space for her.

"I know, but I need him right now." Xue Rui nodded. ’Gu Muxue really has some skills,’ he thought. ’Li Ruihao mostly pads invoices for his own profit; he clearly doesn’t see himself as an outsider.’

’Then again,’ he mused, ’the kid really does treat the company like his own home. He practically lives, breathes, and sleeps in that run-down warehouse.’

’Compared to his efficiency, the financial loss is negligible.’

Xue Rui was more curious about Gu Muxue’s thoughts. He pressed, "So, Chairman Gu, how do you plan to handle him?"

"Avarice is a bottomless pit. This little bit isn’t enough. How can you entrust someone with great responsibility if they don’t make mistakes? That’s what my mother says."

After she spoke, Gu Muxue found herself staring blankly at Lin Ruoxi. She realized that Lin Ruoxi had never eaten a single whole strawberry.

Xue Rui couldn’t help but draw in a sharp breath. ’Gu Muxue plans to let Li Ruihao run wild until he’s in so deep he can’t get out. Then, with the right leverage, she can control him completely...’

’It was the same thing he’d been thinking, but hearing it come from Gu Muxue’s mouth... he suddenly feared for his own future. This girl had too many powerful people backing her...’

"Ruoxi, why are you only eating the bottoms of the strawberries?" Gu Muxue asked with a frown.

"Xue Rui likes the tips."

Lin Ruoxi fed Xue Rui the tip of another strawberry before nibbling on the rest herself.

"You should try the tip, too." A slight smile played on Gu Muxue’s lips as she pinched a strawberry and brought it to Lin Ruoxi’s mouth.

Lin Ruoxi froze for a moment, her eyes darting to Xue Rui for permission.

Only after Xue Rui nodded did Lin Ruoxi open her mouth and bite off the entire strawberry, bottom and all.

Gu Muxue stared speechlessly at the now-bare stem. Lin Ruoxi had even eaten some of the green leaves.

"Mmph, I figured out what you were trying to do. You wanted to make Xue Rui eat the bottom part," Lin Ruoxi mumbled, her cheeks bulging.

Lin Ruoxi knew Gu Muxue always liked to mess with Xue Rui. She wouldn’t let him be put at a disadvantage.

Xue Rui patted the back of Lin Ruoxi’s head in satisfaction. "Our Xixi is the clever one, after all."

Seeing Gu Muxue’s slightly disappointed expression, Xue Rui had a moment of realization. ’I think Lin Ruoxi guessed wrong.’

’That bottom part of the strawberry... I think Gu Muxue was going to eat it herself.’