Chapter 78: Chapter 78: This Is Differential Treatment

Xue Rui sat in the private room for a while before he heard Xue Jianfeng’s voice talking with someone outside the door.

"Old Gu, it’s been so many years. Why the long face? You should smile more."

Seeing that they had arrived, Xue Rui quickly stood up. He glanced back and saw Xue Yao was still playing on her phone.

He shot her a glare and pulled Xue Yao to her feet.

"So rude," Xue Rui chided in a low voice.

Xue Yao put her phone away and pouted, looking a little indignant.

Xue Rui walked to the door, smiling as he greeted the approaching group.

Xue Jianfeng had his arm around another man’s shoulder, and the two walked over together.

Xue Rui recognized Gu Qingshan at first glance. Though not as young and handsome as in the photos, he now possessed a refined and steady maturity, with a hint of an authoritative air that commanded respect without anger.

Xue Rui had seen many people like this; it was the kind of aura one developed from years of holding a high-ranking position.

However, that aura was largely dispelled by his own rapscallion of a father.

Behind the two men were three women, and Xue Rui’s eyes immediately found Gu Muxue.

Judging by the time, Gu Muxue should have only just left school.

’But she actually changed her clothes?’

Gu Muxue was wearing a pale yellow dress and carrying a delicate little crossbody bag. The corners of her mouth were slightly upturned, and she would occasionally nod and exchange a few words with Ren Qunfang.

Xue Rui’s eyes lit up, not just because she was so beautiful, but because she was so poised and graceful...

Gu Muxue already had an excellent figure, and she had also undergone professional etiquette and deportment training.

Every step she took was perfectly even, as if the length and placement had been calculated in advance.

Xue Rui felt that Gu Muxue’s elegance was almost unreal. Her upbringing was clearly superb. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

He thought to himself, ’Taking a daughter like this out would make any parent so proud.’

In contrast, his sister Xue Yao... had been spoiled rotten by the family. She didn’t even know the basic courtesy of standing up to greet guests.

The group quickly arrived at the door to the private room.

Xue Jianfeng was about to introduce his two children.

But Xue Rui beat him to it, stepping forward with a cheerful smile.

"Hello, Uncle Gu. I’ve often heard my dad say how extraordinarily handsome you are, and now I see he wasn’t lying. Please, come in and have a seat."

Gu Qingshan was a bit surprised. This was the first time he had met Xue Jianfeng’s son. He nodded politely.

"Xue Rui. You’re a classmate of Xue’er’s. I’ve heard of you."

He naturally knew Xue Rui’s words were just pleasantries and didn’t take them to heart.

’Still,’ he thought, ’Xue Jianfeng’s son is quite polite.’

"Hello, Uncle Gu," Xue Yao greeted as well.

Gu Qingshan smiled and patted Xue Yao on the head. "Time really flies. In the blink of an eye, the kids are all grown up..."

The corner of Xue Rui’s eye twitched. Gu Qingshan’s attitude toward him and Xue Yao was clearly different.

Gu Qingshan’s smile at him just now was obviously forced.

But with Xue Yao, his eyes were full of an elder’s affection.

’But that’s normal. Who could blame him, since I’m pursuing his daughter?’

Anyone in his shoes would be on guard.

Xue Jianfeng glanced at Xue Rui, very satisfied with his son’s performance.

Xue Rui passed the two men. Walking behind them were his mother, Ren Qunfang, and Gu Muxue’s mother, Zhao Lizhen.

Xue Rui’s gaze swept over the three women.

’They look so alike, uncannily so.’

These women looked like they could be from the same family; their eyes and brows were very similar.

Especially Ren Qunfang and Gu Muxue. If an unknowing observer were to see them, they might think those two were the mother and daughter.

What surprised Xue Rui was that Zhao Lizhen was different from what he had imagined. He had expected a wealthy, high-society woman dripping with elegance and luxury;

but Zhao Lizhen was dressed in sharp, straight-legged trousers. Her natural stride was clearly a bit faster, and she had to deliberately slow her pace to match Ren Qunfang’s.

Her clothes also suggested she wasn’t the type to fuss over her appearance. Her gaze was sharp and bright—clearly, she was a career woman.

In front of Zhao Lizhen, Ren Qunfang seemed like a much younger sister.

Xue Rui gave a wry smile inwardly. ’The difference in their auras is just too vast.’

Ren Qunfang had been well-protected by Xue Jianfeng. She hadn’t worked in years, didn’t involve herself much in business matters, and spent her days enjoying life. Her eyes still held a trace of the innocence of someone new to the world.

Ren Qunfang and Zhao Lizhen walked over, arm in arm.

"Sister Fang, you’re the lucky one, with a husband who takes such good care of you."

"Not like me. Even though I’m a year younger than you, I look so much older."

Zhao Lizhen said with a hint of lament, turning her head to look at Ren Qunfang.

Xue Rui sucked in a breath. ’What’s with the backhanded compliments?’

’Is she implying my mom is just a trophy wife?’

"Not at all, I think you look very young too," Ren Qunfang said with a laugh.

She didn’t catch the subtext in Zhao Lizhen’s words and simply added with a smile, "Jianfeng is very good to me."

Zhao Lizhen stopped in her tracks, looking at Ren Qunfang with surprise. She had just been trying to probe her a little, but she hadn’t expected Ren Qunfang to be so genuinely innocent.

She couldn’t help but give a wry smile. "No wonder Qingshan pursued you back then... But I have you to thank for it. Otherwise, Qingshan and I would never have gotten together."

"Oh... Aren’t we going in?" Ren Qunfang asked, a little confused as to why they had suddenly stopped.

"Sister Fang, seeing someone like you, who could possibly walk away?" Zhao Lizhen said with a completely serious expression.

Xue Rui had been about to step in to defend his mother and confront Zhao Lizhen.

But then he noticed Zhao Lizhen pulling Ren Qunfang’s arm a little closer into her embrace.

Xue Rui breathed a sigh of relief. His first impression of Zhao Lizhen was that she was a schemer;

’but on second thought, how does a schemer become a successful career woman?’

Judging from her body language, she didn’t seem to be holding on to the past.

That last comment was just a test.

Xue Rui knew that Zhao Lizhen owned many businesses in Hedong. Someone who spent all their time on petty emotional games wouldn’t have that kind of ability.

The two of them, now arm in arm, looked as close as sisters who had known each other for years.

"Hello, Aunt Zhao. Muxue has shown me your photo, but I never expected you to be so much more beautiful in person!" Xue Rui said with feigned surprise.

"So this is your son Xiaorui? Such a smooth-talker." Zhao Lizhen laughed and gave Xue Rui a playful pat.

"Come now, since it’s our first meeting, Auntie has a red envelope for you. Yaoyao, you come over too."

Zhao Lizhen took two thick red envelopes out of her bag and handed one to Xue Rui and one to Xue Yao.

Xue Yao instinctively started to take it, but Xue Rui stopped her.

"Auntie, we couldn’t possibly. We’re still young, we don’t have much use for money..."

"Take it, take it... Use it to go out with your friends..."

...

As is customary, Xue Rui exchanged some polite refusals with Zhao Lizhen before finally accepting the two large red envelopes.

After the adults went inside, Gu Muxue held out a small, wrapped box.

"Yaoyao, I’m a friend of your brother’s. This is a gift for you."

Xue Rui was a little surprised. ’Gu Muxue even prepared a gift for his sister?’

"Thank you, big sis!" Xue Yao said sweetly, happily accepting the gift.

The first time she saw Gu Muxue, she thought she looked just like her mother in her old photos.

She had been feeling that something was a little strange and didn’t know what to say, but she hadn’t expected this big sister to actually give her a gift.

Xue Yao snatched a red envelope from Xue Rui’s hand and skipped into the private room with a giggle.

Gu Muxue’s noble bearing was like that of a swan; her aura alone was enough to intimidate most boys.

Xue Rui, however, was unaffected by this aura. He shamelessly held out his hand. "Where’s my gift?"

Gu Muxue was taken aback. ’Xue Rui was actually asking her for a gift?’

She shot him an exasperated glare and slapped his outstretched palm.

"Just a little tap? You call that a gift?" Xue Rui tutted, speaking like a complete rogue.

"You have to let me hold it for at least ten minutes, otherwise you’re just playing favorites."