Rebirth: Start to Save the Treasure Girl

Gu Muxue paused, then closed her eyes helplessly.

The worst thing still happened: the three of them went out together and happened to run into an acquaintance.

And this person was Melly, her only female friend throughout her three years of high school.

After graduating from high school, the distance between the two grew, allowing Gu Muxue to re-examine her relationship with Mei Lili.

Meili idolized her, admired her, and treated her words as gospel.

So after entering university, Gu Muxue intentionally kept her distance from Mei Lili, thinking that Mei Lili would figure things out on her own. She thought it wouldn't be too late to become good friends when Mei Lili had her own independent personality and the two could look at each other on equal footing.

But now, the three of them have been bumped into by Mei Lili, and given Mei Lili's personality, she's probably going to have another big fight with Xue Rui.

"Xiao Rui." Gu Muxue first exchanged a glance with Xue Rui, and then looked at Xue Rui's other hand.

Xue Rui naturally understood what Gu Muxue meant, and he turned to look at Lin Ruoxi.

"Yes, I understand." Lin Ruoxi released Xue Rui's arm.

In front of Gu Muxue's friends, she needed to temporarily give Xue Rui a break.

"Oh, that's Merry."

Lin Ruoxi couldn't understand it. Back in school, Gu Muxue and Mei Lili were best friends, but Gu Muxue's expression right now seemed like she wanted to run away immediately...

"This..." Xue Rui's lips twitched. He wanted to explain, but Mei Lili had already run up to him.

"Hello." Lin Ruoxi smiled at Mei Lili.

"What are you doing here?" Mei Lili rolled her eyes at Lin Ruoxi, her tone sour.

"Who Mu Xue plays with is none of your business," Xue Rui said, not having a good temper with Mei Lili.

If it weren't for Mei Lili constantly clinging to Gu Muxue, he might have won her over in his previous life.

However, Xue Rui didn't have any resentment towards Mei Lili. After all, Mei Lili didn't have any bad intentions towards him or Gu Muxue. She was just a simple-minded and silly girl, and now she seemed to be "jealous".

“I…you can’t control me,” Melly retorted.

How did you find out that Mu Xue was here?

When Gu Muxue reminded him, Mei Lili had her back to the three of them, but just a few seconds after they turned around, Mei Lili called out.

"What do you know? Where Mu Xue is, there's a magical aura. I can feel her beside me even with my eyes closed." Mei Lili said smugly.

Xue Rui frowned and looked around carefully. He noticed that many people were glancing in their direction from time to time.

What nonsense about aura. It's just that men can't help but glance at beautiful women. If you just follow their gaze, you'll always find something.

"I think it's like a dog's nose smelled something," Xue Rui said with a wry smile.

"Alright, you two stop arguing," Gu Muxue said, trying to calm things down.

"Tch, I won't stoop to his level." Mei Lili stood naturally beside Gu Muxue.
"Mu Xue, have you had lunch yet? Judging from the time, we should have gotten off the same train. Which carriage were you in...?"

Xue Rui grabbed Mei Lili by the handle of her backpack and pulled her a little further away: "Keep your distance, she's my girlfriend."

Mei Lili pushed Xue Rui away unhappily: "I'm not a man, what's your hurry?"

"Uh..." Xue Rui was speechless for a moment.

Gu Muxue felt a little uncomfortable. Ever since she understood the relationship between the two of them, it had been difficult for them to go back to the way things were before.

She turned to the side and took Xue Rui's arm with both hands: "Lily, I was just about to go out to eat with Xue Rui."

Mei Lili's hands grasped at empty air, and she looked at Xue Rui with conflicted eyes: "Then I'll treat you to something too."

Gu Muxue and Xue Rui exchanged a glance, seeing a deep sense of helplessness in each other's eyes.

Gu Muxue believed she had made herself very clear; she meant that she wanted to go on a date with Xue Rui, but Mei Lili didn't seem to understand.

Unfortunately for Xue Rui, his assessment of Mei Lili was wrong.

He used to think that Mei Lili only liked Gu Muxue's reputation, such as "school beauty" and "first in the grade".

But now he understands, Meryl is fucking stupid.

“You can’t just take things as they come. Don’t you feel like a third wheel?” Xue Rui reminded him.

Mei Lili shook her head decisively. She pointed at Lin Ruoxi and said, "There's an even bigger and brighter light bulb here. Why don't you mention her?"

Lin Ruoxi blinked blankly, unsure of what to do.

"I...I'll be going then."

Lin Ruoxi thought that as long as she left, Mei Lili would also leave. Then, after Mei Lili had gone far away, she would sneak back to have dinner with Xue Rui.

“No, if you leave, I’ll be the only third wheel.” Mei Lili frowned.

Lin Ruoxi opened her mouth, unsure whether to leave or stay.

Before Lin Ruoxi could say anything, Mei Lili spoke up again: "Lin Ruoxi, I'll also treat you to dinner."

"Um, thank you." Lin Ruoxi nodded in thanks.

"Mu Xue, where do you want to eat?" Mei Lili asked excitedly.

Xue Rui whispered to Gu Muxue, "This fool is willing to spend any amount of money. Pick a cheaper one, don't spend all her living expenses..."

Mei Lili always felt that Xue Rui hadn't said anything good about her. She leaned to the side and eavesdropped for a while, then said casually:
"Don't worry, I came to school so early to work. I have a lot of money on me, all of which I saved for Mu Xue."

Gu Muxue's expression grew increasingly grim; having such a friend put her under immense pressure.

“We were planning to eat McDonald’s, so I’ll have to order a lot more now that you’ve said that,” Gu Muxue said, going along with Mei Lili. For a moment, she felt like she was coaxing a child.

“No problem,” Melly said with a grin.

Amidst laughter and conversation, the group settled down inside McDonald's.

After deciding what to eat, Mei Lili pulled Lin Ruoxi along to queue up to order.

In Mei Lili's opinion, both Lin Ruoxi and she were third wheels, and Gu Muxue should be given a proper place.

"I'll go with you."

Xue Rui grabbed Lin Ruoxi's arm; he wanted to talk to Mei Lili.

After Lin Ruoxi sat down, she looked gently in Xue Rui's direction, never looking away for a moment.

Gu Muxue did the same, but she was looking at Mei Lili's back.

"Ugh~" Gu Muxue rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache coming on.

Six months have passed, and Meryl seems to have changed no at all, which makes her wonder if she has made a mistake.

"Mu Xue, what's wrong?"

Gu Muxue had been sighing all day, and Lin Ruoxi wanted to comfort her good friend.

Suddenly, Lin Ruoxi sensed an unfriendly gaze. She looked up and saw Mei Lili staring fiercely at her hand.

Lin Ruoxi subconsciously let go, but Gu Muxue grabbed her hands.

"Mu Xue, she...she's watching." Lin Ruoxi was very nervous.

"Why don't you take another look?" Gu Muxue said with a smile.

Lin Ruoxi mustered her courage and looked at Mei Lili again, noticing that Mei Lili's gaze had softened considerably. "That's just how she is. I can hold your hand, but you can't hold mine," Gu Muxue said with a wry smile.

She used to think Lin Ruoxi was making a mountain out of a molehill, but compared to Mei Lili, what did Lin Ruoxi's little schemes amount to?
"Mu Xue, how... how did you offend her?" Lin Ruoxi asked curiously.

Meanwhile, Xue Rui, who was queuing in the distance, asked the same question: "Mei Lili, what exactly did Mu Xue do to offend you?"

Mei Lili sneered dismissively, "I'd like to know too, how did you manage to win Mu Xue over?"

"You can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want. Mu Xue chose me. Are you implying that Mu Xue has poor taste?"

Xue Rui chuckled and asked in return, wanting to force Mei Lili to speak ill of Gu Muxue.

“I…” Mei Lili gritted her teeth, feeling as if she had fallen into Xue Rui’s trap.

"You're so great, aren't you?" Melly turned her face away defiantly.

"Tell me, why are you always bothering Mu Xue? You're a grown man, don't play dumb with me." Xue Rui tugged at Mei Lili's braids, just like in high school.

Mei Lili pushed Xue Rui away, smoothed her thick braids, and smiled slightly at Gu Muxue in the distance: "You don't understand, Muxue is an angel sent by heaven to save mankind, and angels need to be protected."

"Then tell me, on what day did she become an angel?"

Xue Rui stood in front of Mei Lili, preventing her from looking in Gu Muxue's direction.

Xue Rui felt that there must be a story between the two of them, and it was not just a simple idol worship.

"Do you think my braids look good?" Mary asked.

Xue Rui paused for a moment: "Do you want to hear the subjective or the objective perspective?"

“Tell us all,” said Melly.

Xue Rui rested his chin on his hand, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Subjectively speaking, I've seen it for so many years that I'm used to it. I would find it strange if you didn't have braids."

"Objectively speaking, braids are very dependent on one's temperament. They don't match your temperament and make you look a bit old-fashioned."

"But your hair is really nice, thick and dense. It's a shame you don't braid it. I think it looks great."

Xue Rui didn't joke with Mei Lili as usual; instead, he even praised her.

"No need to be so subtle, just say she's a rustic country girl, isn't that enough?" Mei Lili joked.

"I asked you why you're bothering Mu Xue, why are you talking to me about hair?" Xue Rui shook his head, feeling that he had been led astray by Mei Lili.

“Of course it’s related, because Mu Xue said my braids look good.” Mei Lili tossed her braids behind her.

Xue Rui was speechless. He thought he might as well go back and ask Gu Muxue if she had any clues.

"Alright, alright, I'll tell you then. It was back in my first year of high school..."

Mei Lili's face showed a look of reminiscence.

Back then, she still had that same braided pigtail. Plus, she was already short, and after the military training in her first year of high school, she got so tanned that she looked like a little lump of coal with a handle.

The boys in her class often made fun of her, and the girls didn't want to play with her. Over time, she became less willing to talk to her classmates, at least that way she would get away with fewer words.

Female students are different from male students; when they have their period, they have the privilege of not having to do morning exercises.

That day, as usual, Mei Lili asked the sports committee member for leave, but she forgot to bring sanitary napkins.

But some things can't be resisted. The convenience store was too far away, so in desperation she had to ask other girls for help.

There were only her and two other girls in the classroom. One of the girls was "faking illness" and Mei Lili didn't get a loan from her. The other girl was Gu Muxue.

Xue Rui asked incredulously, "So, it's just because Gu Muxue lent you a sanitary napkin?"

“No, you were chatting with Mu Xue at the time, so I didn’t dare to go over.” Mei Lili shook her head.

"You used to be so shy?" Xue Rui couldn't help but laugh. This was indeed very different from the Mei Lili she remembered.

"How did you finally resolve it?"

"In the end, I took one from my classmate's drawer. After I went to the restroom, I bought a new pack, intending to return the whole pack to her, but she happened to have lost a hundred yuan that day..."

Someone witnessed Mary going through other people's drawers, so Mary naturally became the prime suspect.

She still remembers the embarrassment she felt that day.

A group of people started clamoring to search her, and at that time her pants were still stained with blood...

Because she had no friends, no one stood up for her.

As Mei Lili stood on the podium, she was being pointed at and talked about. Ironically, she had bought the item with a hundred dollars, and the change she received naturally became "evidence."

Mei Lili didn't even have the confidence to let others search her.

"Just when I was about to break down, Mu Xue stepped forward. She handed me her clothes to cover myself and suggested that the female classmate look for it again, but the girl thought it was too much trouble and refused."

"In front of everyone, she helped that classmate tidy up his drawer and found a hundred yuan inside..."

"You say she's an angel? At least she's my angel."

"She even complimented my braids, so I've kept them."

The story is sad, but there was always a smile in the corner of Mary's eyes.

Xue Rui nodded, thinking that he had finally found the reason.

But you can't repay kindness with enmity!
“But your behavior has gone beyond the bounds of normal friendship and has made Mu Xue uncomfortable,” Xue Rui said tactfully.

Six months ago, Mei Lili was working in Hedong and said she wanted to save money to take Mu Xue out to play.

Now you're saying you're saving money to treat Mu Xue to a meal, making it seem like you're controlling Gu Mu Xue's parents, which is way too much...

"Hmm?" Mei Lili frowned, staring intently into Xue Rui's eyes. After a long while, her voice trembled as she asked, "Did Mu Xue tell you this?"

Looking at Mei Lili's expression, Xue Rui felt as if Mei Lili would break down and cry at any moment if he answered "yes".

Xue Rui couldn't bear to speak, so he forced a smile and said, "I guessed."

“Unless Mu Xue tells me herself, I won’t believe you. You just love to sow discord,” Mei Lili said, hands on her hips.

"Although I'm not entirely satisfied with you, what can I do when Mu Xue likes you? I actually wish you both well, and I want to see her happy forever."

Xue Rui laughed and said, "Good, good, your protector."

"What's with Lin Ruoxi? Why do I feel like she's always around you? Doesn't she know how to avoid suspicion? I haven't even been able to hang out with Mu Xue lately, but she's doing this..."

"Stop nagging, it's almost our turn to get our food." Xue Rui turned Mei Lili around.

"By the way, Xue Rui, did you ever have feelings for Lin Ruoxi?" Mei Lili asked casually.

"Hmm?" Xue Rui's heart tightened.

“It’s probably just a gut feeling, after all, there were rumors about you guys back in high school,” Melly said slowly.

"Don't make wild guesses if there's nothing wrong with it." Xue Rui frowned.

That was fucking accurate!
“If you hurt Mu Xue, I guarantee you’ll regret it.” Mei Lili poked her eyes with two fingers, then turned her fingers toward Xue Rui: “I’ll be keeping an eye on you.”

"What are you planning to do? Jump up and hit my knee?" Xue Rui sneered.

"I'll castrate you." (End of Chapter)