Rebirth: Start to Save the Treasure Girl

Upon hearing Chen Tingting's confession, Lin Ruoxi's breathing became heavy, and her hands gripping the steering wheel turned white.

"But I don't like you."

Xue Rui responded almost immediately, as if by reflex, to comfort Lin Ruoxi.

Hearing Xue Rui's refusal, Lin Ruoxi gave him a sweet smile, then glanced at the rearview mirror and said:

"Did you hear that? He doesn't like you."

Chen Tingting crossed her arms and snorted coldly:

"With you here, how could he possibly agree?"

Xue Rui immediately felt a toothache; Chen Tingting kept slandering him.

It's as if he would secretly cheat on Lin Ruoxi without her noticing.

"I haven't asked you yet, who was Xue Rui's first girlfriend? Were you here first, or later?"

Chen Tingting gave Xue Rui a sly smile, then tilted her head to look at Lin Ruoxi's reaction.

"I tricked them all into coming here; there's no particular order to it."

Xue Rui quickly chimed in, thinking that Chen Tingting was really going too far, clearly trying to ruin his good life of having two women at the same time.

"Xixi, drive faster, or she'll miss getting her military training uniform."

As Xue Rui spoke, he glared fiercely at Chen Tingting as a threat.

Faced with Xue Rui's fierce gaze, Chen Tingting's words suddenly caught in her throat, her eyes instantly reddened, and she quickly blinked and looked out the window.

Seeing Chen Tingting like this, Xue Rui was at a loss and felt a little guilty.

From his perspective, no matter how he rejected Chen Tingting, she would never be sad or upset. Every time she was by his side, she was like a source of joy.

Seeing Chen Tingting's sadness, his heart suddenly tightened.

But Xue Rui didn't understand what he was worried about.

Xue Rui believes that he only regards Chen Tingting as a younger sister, and he has never had any romantic feelings for her.

For the rest of the journey, Chen Tingting's chattering voice was no longer heard in the car.

Upon arriving at the entrance of Jiaotong University, Xue Rui got out of the car and said to Lin Ruoxi:
"Go to work, Mu Xue is here."

"Ah."

Lin Ruoxi glanced at Chen Tingting with concern, then thought of Gu Muxue and felt much more at ease.

Lin Ruoxi believed that Gu Muxue would think highly of Xue Rui.

Because the two share common interests, they are already a community of shared interests.

After Lin Ruoxi left, Xue Rui turned his attention to Chen Tingting:

"You should go back, otherwise you won't be able to keep up with the school's arrangements."

Chen Tingting bit her lip, looking very downcast.

Xue Rui's fierce gaze was still vivid in her mind. She raised her eyes to look at Xue Rui, her eyes filled with pitiful vulnerability.

Xue Rui gritted his teeth. He knew Chen Tingting was waiting for comfort and an apology.

But if I were to answer, it would only bring endless trouble.

And what is the relationship between myself and Chen Tingting?
It's clearly not a problem.

When Chen Tingting saw Xue Rui turn around, her eyes widened in panic. She instinctively ran over and hugged Xue Rui.

"Don't leave."

Xue Rui felt the touch behind him and froze on the spot.

He thought that if he didn't apologize, Chen Tingting would slowly give up on him, but Chen Tingting's actions completely exceeded his expectations.

Xue Rui then realized that he had never known anything about Chen Tingting.

"Let go." Xue Rui's tone was resolute.

He needed to control himself; with Chen Tingting by his side, she would only keep trying to sow discord between Lin Ruoxi and Gu Muxue.

There was a vague urge to make him capsize quickly so that he could have her all to himself.

"I like you, that's why I came here to study. I don't know anyone here, so where do you want me to go now?"

"If you... if you hate me, I..."

Chen Tingting burst into tears, and her words came to an abrupt halt.

The north gate of Jiaotong University School of Medicine was bustling with people.

Hearing this mournful cry, many people turned their gaze to Xue Rui, their eyes filled with hatred and disgust.

Although the crowd did not know the full story, they judged Xue Rui as a "heartless man" based on the girl's few words.

After all, what an honor it is for a girl to pursue you!
Especially since Chen Tingting is so cute, and now she's crying with tears streaming down her face, people naturally feel sorry for her.

Although the onlookers didn't say anything, their sharp gazes fell on Xue Rui, making him feel like he had a thorn in his side.

Xue Rui couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "The pressure from public opinion is truly immense."

"Hey~ don't cry."

Xue Rui turned around and gently stroked Chen Tingting's short hair. Once everyone's attention had left, Xue Rui looked at the popsicle stall at the school gate and subconsciously swallowed.

Do you want some ice cream?

On this hot day, Xue Rui was getting a little thirsty from being hugged, so he hinted to Chen Tingting to go buy some popsicles.

Chen Tingting slowly raised her head, her beautiful eyes filled with surprise: "I...I can eat ice cream, I brought my ID card."

Faced with a completely irrelevant answer, Xue Rui was momentarily confused, but quickly understood Chen Tingting's subtext.

Asking a girl if she can eat ice cream is like asking if she can go to a hotel room with her.

"No, no, no, that's not what I meant. I really just wanted ice cream."

Xue Rui hurriedly explained, but Chen Tingting had already taken out her temporary ID card.

"Who taught you all this?" Xue Rui was almost devastated.

“My mom,” Chen Tingting said with a grin.

"Damn..." Xue Rui wanted to say "cough" but stopped himself, and finally could only force out a helpless smile:

"Go ahead, I'll wait for you here."

Chen Tingting looked conflicted, fearing that Xue Rui's request for her to buy ice cream was a ploy to lure her away from the situation.

So she held out her palm to Xue Rui:

"Give me your phone, I'm afraid you'll run away."

Xue Rui paused for a moment, then subconsciously reached for his phone.

But Xue Rui felt that the phone was too private. What if Chen Tingting received a call from someone claiming to be his girlfriend? That would be a huge problem.

After hesitating for a moment, Xue Rui took out his wallet and handed it over: "Here, take this as collateral."

As long as it doesn't involve matters of identity, Xue Rui has complete trust in Chen Tingting.

After all, what is a wallet compared to a girl who is willing to give her all her wealth?
A few minutes later, Chen Tingting returned with her wallet and two ice creams, a joyful smile on her face. She stuffed the wallet into Xue Rui's pocket, then naturally took Xue Rui's hand:
"Let's go eat over there."

Xue Rui looked at their clasped hands and felt a deep sense of emotion.

He had lived two lives, and this was the first time he had ever met a girl like Chen Tingting.

She is unpretentious and does whatever comes to mind. Although she is a bit cunning, she lives an open and honest life, making it impossible for anyone to dislike her.

The two found a shady spot to sit down. Xue Rui took out an ice cream from the bag and took a bite, while Chen Tingting next to him did not immediately eat it, but instead stared at the ice cream in Xue Rui's hand.

Xue Rui swallowed the ice cream and wondered what was wrong now.
“You took the wrong one, this is what I picked for myself.” Chen Tingting frowned.

Xue Rui looked speechless: "I've already bitten them."

“I don’t mind, this is for you.” Chen Tingting tore open the packaging of another ice cream.

Xue Rui hesitated for a moment, wondering if Chen Tingting was trying to take advantage of him.

Oh well, he's not losing out anyway.

So, Xue Rui handed the half-eaten ice cream to Chen Tingting.

Looking at the ice cream covered in teeth marks, Chen Tingting felt a sense of disgust.

But then she thought about how being Xue Rui's girlfriend would mean kissing him, so eating ice cream was like getting used to it beforehand. So she closed her eyes and took a bite.

Xue Rui's lips twitched as he looked at Chen Tingting's "heroic sacrifice" expression.

Is this taking advantage? That disgusted expression...

Chen Tingting hastily swallowed the ice cream in her mouth, then took a bite of another ice cream without hesitation before handing it to Xue Rui:

"I ate what you bit into, and you ate what I bit into. That's fair."

Xue Rui: "..."

Looking at the ice cream with a missing piece, Xue Rui felt a mix of emotions.

What is this all about?
However, facing Chen Tingting's intense gaze, Xue Rui sighed and took a bite.

"Hehe~" Chen Tingting immediately beamed with joy:

"This counts as an indirect kiss, I'm going to tell Gu Muxue that we kissed."

"Cough cough..."

Xue Rui almost couldn't catch his breath.

"Oh dear, what's wrong?" Chen Tingting hurriedly patted Xue Rui's back.

Xue Rui was both amused and exasperated: "Tingting, what exactly are you trying to do? Let me tell you beforehand, these little tricks of yours won't ruin our relationship."

Chen Tingting pouted and said, "I want to be your girlfriend."

"I already have a girlfriend," Xue Rui repeated.

“But you have two girlfriends, one more won’t make a difference,” Chen Tingting pouted.

"Feelings are not a game," Xue Rui said earnestly.

“But you have two girlfriends,” Chen Tingting reminded her.

Xue Rui: "..."

Chen Tingting squeezed closer to Xue Rui, until she pushed him to the very end of the bench:

"If you really don't like me at all, look me in the eyes and say it, so I can give up, okay?"

Upon hearing this, Xue Rui calmed down, slowly lowered his head, and met Chen Tingting's gaze.

"You said you don't like me, you... hate me."

Chen Tingting spoke slowly and deliberately, her voice choking slightly at the end.

"You...you say it."

Chen Tingting's eyes were wet. Although she was looking directly into Xue Rui's eyes, her tears made it impossible for her to see the person in front of her clearly.

She wanted to force Xue Rui to accept her, but she was also afraid that Xue Rui would actually tell him.

She had long regarded Xue Rui as her life goal, and came to Chang'an to study so that she could be closer to him.

If Xue Rui tells him, should he really give up?

But what should I do after giving up?

Thinking of this, Chen Tingting's eyes darkened, and tears slowly streamed down her cheeks...

Xue Rui opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a sound.

Chen Tingting was serious, as if saying those words would end everything.

But will it really end?
Chen Tingting had staked her entire life on him, and he was afraid that if he suddenly withdrew, she wouldn't be able to handle the blow.

"I don't dislike you," Xue Rui said, forcing a smile.

At this moment, Xue Rui felt like a "scumbag" for the first time. He neither answered his feelings for her directly nor explicitly rejected her; he was simply stringing Chen Tingting along.

For three years, he had been looking forward to Chen Tingting growing up.

But three years have passed, and Chen Tingting has gone from high school freshman to college freshman. She still has the same baby face and still says she likes him every day, as if nothing has ever changed.

Chen Tingting immediately beamed with joy and reached out to hug Xue Rui's neck.

"Hey, hey, hey? The ice cream touched me." Xue Rui hurriedly pushed Chen Tingting away.

"It's okay, I'll wash it for you." Chen Tingting clung to her again.

After chatting for a while, Chen Tingting received a notification in the class group chat, and her lips drooped slightly: "I need to go pick up my military training uniform."

Xue Rui laughed and said, "Unhappy?"

"Yes, if I get so tanned I'll turn into a little black ball, Gu Muxue will definitely laugh at me."

Chen Tingting was so angry that she gritted her teeth.

"Alright, alright, go ahead."

Xue Rui stood up, indirectly urging Chen Tingting to hurry up.

Suddenly, Xue Rui felt his clothes being tugged. Looking down, he met Chen Tingting's expectant gaze:

You must come to see me.

Xue Rui frowned, thinking to himself, "What's our relationship? Why am I looking at you?"
"You don't have to look for me, I can come to your dorm to find you?" Chen Tingting tentatively suggested.

Upon hearing this, Xue Rui shuddered.

Did you go to his dorm again?
No no no.

"I've come back to see you." Xue Rui pulled away his clothes, then winked at Chen Tingting:

"I added you as a friend behind Mu Xue's back, so you can chat with me secretly now."

Chen Tingting's expression brightened, and she quickly took out her phone to check. Seeing Xue Rui's familiar profile picture, she lowered her voice and said:
"Don't worry, I won't tell Gu Muxue."

"Shh~" Xue Rui made a shushing gesture, then waved goodbye to Chen Tingting.

Actually, adding Chen Tingting as a friend was Gu Muxue's request, but in Xue Rui's case, it became "behind Gu Muxue's back".

There are many benefits to doing this.

Firstly, it would fulfill Gu Muxue's request.

Secondly, it would also make Chen Tingting feel that Xue Rui and she were of one mind, thus reducing the frequency with which she provoked Gu Muxue.

A brilliant idea that kills two birds with one stone.

……

That evening, Xue Rui arrived at Gu Muxue's residence.

In the living room, Gu Muxue was cleaning with a vacuum cleaner, while Xue Rui was on the sofa, cuddling Xiaobu and enjoying the air conditioning.

After cleaning the living room, Gu Muxue reached out to hold Xiaobu and play with him, but Xiaobu kept snuggling into Xue Rui's arms.

"You ungrateful wretch, I've raised you for nothing!" Gu Muxue scolded playfully.

Xue Rui chuckled and rubbed Xiao Bu's head: "Xiao Bu is such a good girl, we won't play with her."

Gu Muxue was so angry she wanted to grind her teeth, but then looked at Xue Rui with curiosity:

"Why does Little Bu like you? I'm the one who usually feeds it."

Looking at the sullen Gu Muxue, Xue Rui thought to himself, "How cute that the little girl is jealous of a cat." He poked Xiao Bu's head and scolded, "You ingrate."

Gu Muxue rolled her eyes and slapped Xue Rui's leg: "Take off your clothes, I'll take them to wash."

"Oh." Xue Rui hugged Xiao Bu and took off his clothes crookedly on the sofa, never letting go of Xiao Bu.

Gu Muxue laughed and scolded, "You might as well spend your whole life with it."

"A love story that transcends species sounds touching," Xue Rui joked.

"Hmph! Let it give birth to a litter of puppies for you."

Gu Muxue pulled up Xue Rui's pants and shook them, and suddenly a wallet fell out.

"Snap!"

The wallet fell to the floor. Gu Muxue looked closely and saw a photo of Chen Tingting inside, tucked in the most conspicuous place.

"Xiao Rui, what's the point of having a photo tucked in your wallet?"

Xue Rui answered without hesitation:
"Usually, it's the most important person, like a lover or family member." (End of Chapter)