Ruan Xingmian’s heart skipped a beat, huh?!
Damn it, the corners of her mouth were harder to suppress than an AK. She never thought she could be the one Gu Xing would protect.
She had assumed she would have to chase after him for a while longer, even with a big belly, before earning the title of Gu Xing’s “girlfriend.”
She never expected this day to come so quickly.
It seemed that while accepting the child, Gu Xing reluctantly accepted her along with it.
Ruan Xingmian smiled until her eyes sparkled, her lips curving into a sweet, honey-like grin.
In contrast, Ji Ling.
Her eyes burned with uncontrollable anger.
Her lips were pressed tightly downward, sharper than a blade’s edge.
Ruan Xingmian immediately wiped the smile off her face. She shouldn’t be so smug in front of Ji Ling.
Gu Xing, as indifferent as ever, didn’t even glance at Ji Ling. His gaze settled heavily on his “girlfriend,” and he asked patiently, “Are you full?”
Ruan Xingmian pursed her lips and nodded, rising to follow Gu Xing.
She was full, indeed.
Full of her own dog food.
This time, Gu Xing instinctively picked up her canvas bag.
It was filled with a jumble of things.
Lifting it felt no lighter than Gu Xing’s backpack carrying his laptop.
Gu Xing weighed it in his hand, puzzled.
He couldn’t understand why such slender arms would carry a bag as heavy as a sack over one shoulder.
“Gu Xing, wait a moment,” Ruan Xingmian naturally grabbed his wrist.
The gesture was intimate.
And abrupt.
Her heart pounded wildly. Thankfully, Gu Xing didn’t show any sign of disgust, only a slight pause.
Her palm wrapped around his wrist bone, skin against skin.
Their body warmth began to mingle.
Suppressing the heat in her face, Ruan Xingmian said, “I’m glad you spoke up for me, but there’s something else I want to say to Classmate Ji.”
She emphasized the words “Classmate Ji” while looking directly at Ji Ling.
Her beautiful eyes still held a gentle smile. “Classmate Ji, since you care so much about academic qualifications, does it mean that apart from your degree, there’s nothing else in your life worth mentioning? You have your degree, but where is the most basic respect as a person?”
“Hmm?” She tilted her head after speaking, her smile widening, her eyes utterly calm.
Little girl, trying to out-talk me?
You’re still too green.
Ji Ling’s face twisted with frustration. Her angry gaze swept over the two of them as she blurted out, “Gu Xing, your taste in girlfriends is as poor as your choice in reincarnation. No wonder you’re stuck with a bunch of paupers.”
The moment the last words left her mouth, Ji Ling regretted them.
That wasn’t what she meant at all.
She nervously glanced at Gu Xing, only to find his expression unchanged.
He looked at her as if she were a stranger—a fool.
A finger pointed accusingly at her nose as Ruan Xingmian stood on her tiptoes, fuming. “If you were so lucky in your reincarnation, why don’t you go live on another planet?! All you do is call people poor. How long can a family with that kind of upbringing stay wealthy?!”
“What’s it to you?!” Ji Ling stumbled backward, startled by Ruan Xingmian’s sudden outburst.
No wonder she only has a college diploma—shouting like a shrew in the streets. Her manners are just too low.
How could Gu Xing ever be interested in someone like this?
More and more people in the cafeteria turned to look.
Ruan Xingmian didn’t lower her voice while berating Ji Ling.
Her fierce demeanor and sharp tongue showed no mercy.
Ji Ling, who prided herself on being respectable, had no desire to argue with someone of such low character.
Her disdain extended even to Gu Xing for defending her.
She turned to leave, despite regretting the hurtful words she had spoken.
Ruan Xingmian shouted, “Miss Ji, don’t leave! You’re so good at reincarnation—let someone like me who’s bad at it kneel before you, kowtow three times, and take you as my master! Teach me how to be reborn into a wealthy family like yours!”
The confused audience heard this.
They all turned accusatory looks toward Ji Ling.
A rich person mocking ordinary people for being bad at reincarnation.
It was no different from a healthy person flaunting their good legs in front of someone who is lame.
It practically ignited the fury of the proletariat.
“Who’s the girl who got scolded away?”
“She seems to be Ji Ling, a senior from the School of Computer Science. She hosts the sports meet every year.”
“Yeah, she performs piano pieces at every freshman welcome party.”
“Damn, I used to think of her as a goddess, more approachable than the cold Xingyue Xuejie. Who knew she’d look down on us who are bad at reincarnation?”
“So they say, you can’t judge a book by its cover.”
“Who’s that pretty girl doing the scolding? Kinda cute.”
“Is she Gu Shen’s girlfriend? Look, she’s holding his wrist, like she’s protecting him…”
“Gu Shen has a girlfriend?!”
“This is big news—I’m posting it on the School Forum!”
…
On the way out of school, Ruan Xingmian didn’t dare look at Gu Xing.
She’d accidentally exposed her shrewish nature.
She didn’t know.
Whether Gu Xing’s blurted-out “girlfriend” still counted?
After all, compared to the “vicious” female supporting character role.
Ruan Xingmian’s real-life personality wasn’t much better than vicious.
Fiery.
Dominant.
Intolerant of flaws.
Gluttonous.
Money-loving.
Moody.
Ruan Xingmian was also an avoider.
She cared deeply about Gu Xing’s opinion of her.
But she didn’t dare ask.
A pang of regret rose in her—if only she hadn’t cursed so exaggeratedly and harshly.
At least she could’ve maintained some image in front of the academic god.
Ruan Xingmian kept her head down as she walked toward the bus stop.
“Xingmian.”
Gu Xing suddenly called out to her.
Ruan Xingmian halted and looked back at him: “What did you just call me?!”
Did she hear wrong?
How could someone make her name sound so beautiful?
Before starting school, she only had a tacky, rustic name—Ruan Daya.
Some mischievous kids even gave her nicknames—Ruan Foot, Stinky Foot.
To enroll in school, she needed household registration. The registrar wasn’t satisfied with the name and asked what she liked most.
Clueless, she said she liked watching the stars while falling asleep.
After that, she became Ruan Xingmian.
She never thought her name was nice.
But today, she liked hearing a character from a book call her by that name.
“Xingmian… is that not okay…”
Her sudden seriousness and excitement startled Gu Xing.
“No, no, you said it so beautifully. It’s the first time I’ve felt my name isn’t bad.”
That Gu Xing could call her by her name without the surname.
Was enough to prove their relationship had taken a step forward.
Could she think he didn’t despise her shrewish behavior?
“Can you say it again? Finish what you were going to say.”
She stepped closer, rising slightly on her toes, leaning in another centimeter until her nose almost touched Gu Xing’s chin. Ruan Xingmian quickly pulled back.
Gu Xing’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, subtly shifting away.
He looked a bit uneasy.
His fair face glistened with fine sweat. The sudden closeness made them both look away, tension evident on their faces.
“I called a car to take you back.”
The ride-hailing driver stopped right in front of them and considerately opened the car door.
“What a waste of money…”
That was Ruan Xingmian’s first thought.
But since the driver was already here, they couldn’t cancel.
Ruan Xingmian got into the back seat.
Turning her head, she saw Gu Xing heading to the passenger seat.
Ruan Xingmian stared at the back of his head for a moment, then glanced at the empty seat beside her.
He didn’t want to sit with her.
What did he mean by that? Ordinary couples would sit together, wouldn’t they?
She heard him tell the driver to make a stop along the way.
Was he planning to get off early?
The corners of Ruan Xingmian’s mouth slowly drooped.
It seemed Gu Xing wasn’t too fond of her earlier outburst.
He was even avoiding her now.
Ruan Xingmian pressed her index finger against her palm and traced circles.
She did this when she was anxious and conflicted.
On one hand, she didn’t regret standing up for herself on the spot.
She had never been the type to sit back and take insults. Being bullied as a child was one thing, but as an adult, she refused to back down.
In a fight, she could make her opponent kneel and beg for mercy.
The same went for arguments.
She was used to standing up for herself. But deep down, she had already considered Gu Xing as one of her own, and she was fiercely protective of those close to her.
If she hadn’t fought back, she wouldn’t have been able to sleep peacefully tonight.
But…
Gu Xing fit her ideal type perfectly.
Handsome, highly educated, and incredibly intelligent.
Sincere, genuine, and in the prime of his youth.
He was also the biological father of her child.
Sigh, if only she had pretended a little longer, charmed him into her grasp before revealing her true nature…
Lost in her thoughts, the car pulled over, and Gu Xing got out.
The car remained parked. Fifteen minutes later, he reappeared.
First, he handed the driver a bottle of water, along with a pack of ordinary cigarettes.
Quite the smooth operator.
The driver grinned from ear to ear.
Ruan Xingmian watched, utterly confused.
When they arrived at the rental apartment building,
Ruan Xingmian got out of the car, and Gu Xing stepped out from the passenger seat, considerately opening the door for her.
The driver smiled and bid them farewell.
Gu Xing picked up the bag of snacks. “I’ll walk you upstairs.”
Those were the snacks he had bought for her. Ruan Xingmian’s sinking heart wobbled, peeked out tentatively, and slowly rose again.