Xue Rui froze. ’Why is this girl acting like this in public?’

Stopping him to tie his shoelace in front of so many people?

Usually, she only did these things for him when they were at her house. When they were out, she would typically just follow quietly behind him.

Besides, his shoelace was just loose, not untied. It probably would have taken a few more steps before it came completely undone.

But before he even noticed it himself, the young woman had already knelt down to tighten it for him.

The classmates stared at the scene in astonishment, unable to process it for a moment.

Xue Rui gave a stunned smile. He hadn’t processed it either.

Lin Ruoxi lowered her head and tied a perfect bow for Xue Rui. Then, she reached out to straighten his pant leg, casually brushing off some dust from the cuff, looking just like a mother sending her child off to kindergarten.

After finishing, the corners of the young woman’s eyes couldn’t help but curve upward.

The students didn’t get the graduation confession they were hoping for, but from Lin Ruoxi’s actions and gaze, they could see a deep, clinging affection.

’Is this what it’s like between lovers?’

They had seen plenty of young couples, but never one like Xue Rui and Lin Ruoxi. They stood rooted to the spot, dumbfounded.

The girls put themselves in Lin Ruoxi’s shoes. ’If you like someone, would you tie their shoelaces for them?’

’In front of so many people?’ The very thought made them blush. ’Who wouldn’t care what other people think?’

And the boys? They subconsciously put themselves in Xue Rui’s position...

’Such a beautiful girl, kneeling to tie a guy’s shoelaces?’

’Just thinking about it was enough to make their hearts flutter.’

’Besides, isn’t it supposed to be the guy who ties the girl’s shoelaces?’

They had never seen a girl like this...

"Ahem, I just remembered that place up ahead is delicious."

Yi Bing spoke up, breaking the atmosphere of wild speculation. He threw an arm around Qiu Mengze and ran a few steps ahead.

Only then did the classmates snap out of it, pretending they hadn’t seen a thing as they all turned their gazes forward.

Everyone was afraid the atmosphere would get awkward, but Lin Ruoxi didn’t notice at all. She just thought her classmates were walking very fast.

As Lin Ruoxi stood up, she felt Xue Rui’s hand rest on her head, and the corners of her mouth curled up again.

After patting her head, Xue Rui stared blankly at his palm. ’For some reason,’ he thought, ’this girl’s personality is a lot like Da Huang’s. She always expects a reward after doing something.’

’Even if that reward couldn’t be simpler—just a pat on the head from me...’

The two of them were now walking at the back of the group. Xue Rui asked, "Where did you learn to do that?"

"From TV. Sister Yu told me I should learn," Lin Ruoxi said earnestly.

In the past, she wouldn’t have dared. She would have been afraid that Xue Rui would scold her.

But she felt that Xue Rui’s temper had gotten much better. Now, even if she stepped on his stomach, he wouldn’t get angry. He would even play with her. He was a very, very good friend.

"On TV, does the girl tie the guy’s shoelaces?" Xue Rui asked with a smile.

The girl thought for a moment. "On TV, the guy ties the girl’s. I think if a guy can do it, a girl can do it too."

Xue Rui’s eyebrow twitched. ’Didn’t you learn that completely wrong?’

He swallowed hard. ’Yu Minlan is teaching her ’love lessons,’ so how did this girl end up silently applying everything she’s learned to me?’

’Isn’t this a blatant confession?’

Then again, it wasn’t the first time. He was already used to it.

He knew the girl had a tragic childhood, and her living environment before meeting him had been terrible. The boys around her had likely either ignored or bullied her.

The girl was extremely wary of boys her own age. Plus, she’d never had any friends of the opposite sex or watched any romantic dramas. How could she possibly understand what romance or love was?

And because of the internet, she absorbed information incredibly quickly. But if you tried to trace many of these concepts back to their roots, very few people could actually explain them clearly.

It was like how she enjoyed watching him sleep at night; she couldn’t even explain why she liked to do it...

"Let’s go. Time to eat," Xue Rui said with a smile.

’Life is good now. I’ll just let her figure things out on her own,’ he thought. ’Hopefully, she learns quickly and delivers herself right into my hands.’

Xue Rui picked up his pace, and Lin Ruoxi kept up with her long legs.

The students found a restaurant by the roadside, and Yi Bing directed them to the second floor.

Xue Rui and Lin Ruoxi were the last to arrive, just now reaching the restaurant’s entrance.

He glanced around. Yi Bing had chosen a stir-fry place, and the cost per person wasn’t too high.

Just then, a few classmates were discussing on the first floor, "How are we going to pay later?"

"I asked, it should be a little over a thousand yuan. Should the few of us split it?"

"Can you spot me a little then?"

The few who had dropped out of school were downstairs figuring out how to pay for the meal.

"Why not just go Dutch?" Xue Rui said with a smile.

Class gatherings were usually split evenly. That way, it wasn’t too much of a burden on any one student, and no one would owe anyone else a favor.

"But there are girls here. We have to be a bit more generous," Yan Weidong said.

Xue Rui’s eye twitched. ’What a freaking idiot. You think any of the girls are going to remember this ’favor’?’

"I eat a lot, so I don’t mind paying a little more," one of them said.

"Is that why?" Xue Rui laughed.

"Not entirely. A lot of people are planning to drink. The girls aren’t drinking, so they shouldn’t have to pay, right? Why don’t the few of us just cover it? We’re all earning money now, anyway."

"How much are you earning?" Xue Rui asked.

"Well..." Yan Weidong had a look of sheepishness on his face.

Facing Xue Rui’s smiling gaze, he avoided eye contact and said, "As an apprentice... eight hundred yuan a month."

"Let’s talk after we eat. Head on up," Xue Rui said with a smile.

’Just a moment ago he was acting all high and mighty, but as soon as I ask how much he earns, he gets embarrassed...’

Most of the students from their high school came from average families. He and Gu Muxue were in the minority and shouldn’t have even been at a school like this.

Xue Rui thought that for such a small amount of money, he might as well just pay for it himself. It wasn’t like they would see each other much in the future anyway.

’No need to let this kind of trivial bullshit leave a bad taste in anyone’s mouth.’

Just as he was walking to the front desk, Yi Bing pulled out his money. "Boss, here’s a two-thousand-yuan deposit. We’ll settle the difference later."

"My dad gave me money to treat my classmates, so I might as well spend it all today," Yi Bing said, scratching his head.

Xue Rui shot him an envious look. ’Yi Bing’s father’s hard work has really paid off,’ he thought.

To be honest, in his two lifetimes, the person he envied most was Yi Bing.

It wasn’t the money he envied, but the fact that Yi Bing was so carefree. Life wasn’t a burden for him.

His parents were also exceptionally open-minded and never forced their child to do anything.

He didn’t think he’d ever seen Yi Bing worry about anything.

"Let’s go. Time to eat upstairs." Xue Rui led the young woman upstairs to eat.

The second floor was one large private room. The decor was simple, with no partitions in the middle, making it look like a space used for wedding banquets.

The classmates had spontaneously occupied four or five tables, and Xue Rui found a random seat and sat down.

At this kind of gathering, the girls usually sat together at one table, but Lin Ruoxi followed Xue Rui and sat at a table full of male students.

"Who’s drinking?" Yan Weidong asked, holding up a large case of beer.

What boy these days hadn’t picked up a few bad habits?

Once someone started it, many of the boys immediately became eager.

Even those who had never drunk before, seeing the gazes of the female students, seemed afraid of being looked down on...

One by one, the male students clamored for a drink, as if drinking was the only way to display their masculinity.

"I’m not drinking, but I’ll hand them out for you guys." Yi Bing also grabbed a case and started distributing the beers.

When he got to Xue Rui, Xue Rui waved his hand, refusing.

"What, don’t you dare?" Qiu Mengze had already chugged some of the cheap beer. He was in high spirits now, his voice a little louder.

Xue Rui nodded. "I can’t drink."

Drinking with students wasn’t exactly about oppressive drinking culture, but he just didn’t want to start.

He had no desire to wear out his body at the drinking table. Preserving his health was what mattered most.

’If I drink here, then next time I’m at another table, someone will ask: ’You could drink before, why can’t you drink now? Are you looking down on me?’’

’Rather than dealing with this headache all the time, it’s better to just not drink at all from the very beginning.’

’As long as you don’t start, no one can force you to drink.’

’And now is the perfect chance for a fresh start.’

Qiu Mengze was lost in thought. He seemed to remember Xue Rui drinking before, but now that he said this, he was a little unsure. ’Could it be that Xue Rui had some kind of health problem after drinking?’

"Then have a Sprite." Qiu Mengze’s eyes held a hint of disdain as he handed a bottle of Sprite to Xue Rui.

Someone came over, raising their glass. "Come on, come on, let’s chug a soft drink."

Xue Rui’s brow furrowed. ’Are these kids trying to challenge me to a drink-off with soda?’

’That’s a pain too. Chugging soda is just as uncomfortable. Why should I put myself through that?’

"Sigh, I think I’ll go sit at the kids’ table."

Xue Rui sighed, stood up, and walked toward another table.

"What the fuck?"

Everyone was stunned. ’Why isn’t he playing by the rules?’

’Those were supposed to be our lines! We hadn’t even started mocking him yet, and he’s already asking to go to the kids’ table himself?’

’Speaking of which, where are the kids?’

Under everyone’s shocked gazes, Xue Rui and Lin Ruoxi sat down at the table with the female students.

A table full of girls, with Xue Rui as the only guy...

"Xue Rui, you’re not drinking with them?" Guo Qingqing was a little surprised. Xue Rui wasn’t like this before. She thought that with his personality, he would definitely compete with them to see who was better.

And yet, the reality was that Xue Rui had taken the initiative to join their table.

"Yeah, I’m allergic to alcohol," Xue Rui said with a nod.

Lin Ruoxi tilted her head. She didn’t know Xue Rui was allergic to alcohol and firmly committed this fact to memory.

A female classmate asked curiously, "Allergic? What happens after you drink? Do you get a rash?"

Xue Rui said seriously, "After I drink, I get dizzy, and I even feel like throwing up. If that’s not an allergy, what is?"

The girls were stunned for a moment, but then they all burst out laughing once they got it.

Who doesn’t get dizzy after drinking? Although they had never drunk before, they had seen adults drink, and many of them couldn’t even walk straight afterward.

And here was Xue Rui, claiming it was an allergy.

"Xue Rui, you’re really funny," Guo Qingqing said with a laugh.

Qiu Mengze’s pupils trembled. Wasn’t the whole reason he was drinking today to show off?

Wasn’t it to display his masculinity in front of the girls, to earn their admiring gazes, and maybe get to talk to them a bit more?

So why was it that Xue Rui, who hadn’t taken a single sip, was the one chatting so cheerfully with the girls?

Many of the boys felt the same way, especially with a beautiful girl like Lin Ruoxi present.

Watching Lin Ruoxi pour a cup of tea for Xue Rui, while Guo Qingqing handed him a set of utensils, made everyone’s hearts turn sour with jealousy...