Chapter Five: Stop Pretending, Only I Can Help You

Lin Rui still had her dirty little hand holding onto him. Because he knew that Gu Chenxi wanted to have a close conversation with him through this method.

After seeing this scene, Chen Bo couldn't help but feel a little stunned. Although Chen Bo didn't understand the place name Lin Rui suddenly shouted out, he guessed that it might be a place where they used to play together as children. He began to believe Lin Rui's words earlier. They had indeed been good childhood playmates.

After all, Gu Chenxi, who had always avoided meeting strangers, actually took the initiative to pull Lin Rui to play with mud.

In order not to disturb their conversation, Chen Bo gestured to the two maids. Then the three of them stood quietly at the gate of the courtyard, silently watching Lin Rui and Gu Chenxi squatting in front of the mud pit, starting to play with mud.

Lin Rui placed both hands in the mud pit and rolled a mud ball. He had been waiting for Gu Chenxi to speak first, but Gu Chenxi didn't speak first.

When Lin Rui finally couldn't help it and wanted to confront her directly, Gu Chenxi suddenly threw the mud in her hand at him, hitting him squarely in the face. Then Gu Chenxi burst into laughter, "Hehehe, silly pig."

Lin Rui wiped off the mud from his face with his hand, instead of getting angry, he found it somewhat amusing.

He really didn't expect that Gu Chenxi would retaliate against him in this way. Although it was a bit arrogant, it didn't lack a certain cuteness.

Not far away, Chen Bo and the other maid couldn't help but cover their mouths and laugh softly when they saw this scene.

"Is it very funny?" Lin Rui touched the mud on his face and smiled as he asked Gu Chenxi.

Gu Chenxi pretended to be silly and said, "The silly pig turned into a mud pig, so funny."

Lin Rui lightly shook his head. "Stop pretending. Although you fooled everyone, you didn't fool me. You're not crazy at all, you've just been pretending to be crazy to protect yourself."

Gu Chenxi was first slightly stunned. But her eyes quickly blinked a few times, and then she continued to pretend to be silly.

At this point, Lin Rui directly said, "It seems that you don't really want to know who killed your parents. If that's the case, then maybe I really came here for nothing today."

With that, Lin Rui prepared to get up, but in the moment he stood up, a dirty little hand grabbed onto his trouser leg.

Gu Chenxi finally returned to normal. Her face suddenly changed, becoming serious. She looked at Lin Rui with intense eyes and asked, "How did you know the name of Dongfengpo Department Store?"

Lin Rui coldly smiled in response, "Are you finally done pretending to be crazy?"

Gu Chenxi's face turned pale, but she didn't answer. She continued to ask, "What's your connection to my parents' death?"

Lin Rui shook his head. "What connection could I have? Although we were good childhood playmates before the age of twelve, after that I went overseas and we never had any contact again. There's no emotional entanglement between us, nor any vested interests. Would I have any reason to harm your parents?"

"Moreover, you probably already have an idea who killed your parents in your heart. It's just that you don't have evidence."

Gu Chenxi's expression couldn't help but falter. She never expected that her childhood playmate, whom she hadn't seen for several years, seemed to know quite a bit about the situation. He even seemed to know about the enemies she suspected.

Lin Rui sighed softly. "Don't be so nervous. I came here this time not to harm you, but to help you. In this world, perhaps I'm the only one who can help you."

Gu Chenxi paused for a moment and asked, "What do you mean by that? And how did you know the name of Dongfengpo Department Store?"

Lin Rui said, "I heard the name from Xu Bingbing, and I also know that besides your uncle and second uncle, your cousin Gu Boming and Xu Bingbing are also involved in the plot to harm your parents."

"Their goal is to prevent your father from inheriting most of the Gu family's assets, because your father is too outstanding in business. There's a saying, 'The tallest trees catch the most wind.'"

Gu Chenxi was suddenly stunned. Although she had long suspected that her uncle and second uncle were the ones who had plotted against her parents, she never expected that Xu Bingbing would also be involved.

After all, before she went crazy, Xu Bingbing had been a very close friend of hers.

The sudden revelation from Lin Rui made her heart unable to settle down for a long time.

"Aren't you currently discussing marriage with Xu Bingbing?"

"Why did you tell me all this? What other schemes do you have?"

Gu Chenxi quickly realized that even if everything Lin Rui said was true, why did he suddenly tell her all this?

Lin Rui replied indifferently, "There are no schemes, but there is a plan. Do you want to hear it?"

...

Gu Chenxi was slightly stunned. Although she didn't say anything, she gave Lin Rui a look that said, "Go on."

While playing with the mud on the ground, Lin Rui said, "It's simple. I'll help you get rid of your enemies who killed your father, but the condition is that you marry me."

Gu Chenxi's beautiful eyes blinked twice involuntarily. With a slightly angry expression, she asked, "Why should I marry you? Besides, I may not even need your help. I'll take care of my own enemies."

Lin Rui smiled faintly and shook his head. "You might eventually get revenge, but I can guarantee that your ending won't be good. Although you're a smart woman, ultimately you're still a woman. When it comes to revenge, you can't be ruthless, and you certainly can't ensure your own safety. So your ending is destined to be tragic."

"In this world, only I can help you make these enemies disappear cleanly and ensure your safety in the end."

Gu Chenxi carefully scrutinized him for a moment before responding with a cold smile, "Just you?"

Gu Chenxi, despite pretending to be crazy for over a year, had been quite well-informed. She had her own sources of information, and she knew what kind of person this Lin family's useless childhood playmate was.

Hearing him boast so arrogantly that he was the only one who could help her, Gu Chenxi couldn't help but feel a bit amused.

Lin Rui asked indifferently, "Don't you believe me?"

Gu Chenxi shook her head. "You're boasting of being able to help me, but do you have any evidence against those who killed my parents?"

"I don't need evidence," Lin Rui replied.

Gu Chenxi sneered, "Without evidence, how can you seek revenge?"

Suddenly, Lin Rui's eyes changed, emitting a strange aura that felt unfamiliar to Gu Chenxi.

"Please pay attention to my wording. I don't lack evidence, I simply don't need it," Lin Rui said. "Because in my opinion, legal avenues are not the best way to seek revenge. My way of revenge is to make them disappear cleanly, completely wiped out. Do you understand?"

The terrifying aura emanating from Lin Rui's eyes suddenly made Gu Chenxi slightly startled. This time she clearly felt that the childhood playmate who had been so unremarkable was not as ordinary as she had thought.

However, after a moment of silence, Gu Chenxi still said, "Even though you're talking big, I will never marry you."

Lin Rui sneered, "Really? It's too late."

Gu Chenxi was suddenly stunned. She saw Lin Rui take out his phone from his pocket, and the screen displayed that their conversation had just been recorded as an audio file.

"If I hand this recording to any of your uncles, what do you think they'll do when they find out that for over a year you've been pretending to be crazy, that you've long suspected them of plotting against your parents, and that you've been collecting evidence for revenge?" Lin Rui asked.

Gu Chenxi's face instantly turned livid. She was actually a very cautious person, but Lin Rui's actions today were too sudden, and she hadn't had time to take any precautions.

"You... despicable, shameless!" Gu Chenxi gritted her teeth in anger.

Lin Rui calmly accepted these two derogatory terms.

Then, he swiftly said to Gu Chenxi, "You have tonight to consider. Tomorrow, I'll come back for your answer. I hope that when I return, you've finished your grandfather's work."

Clutching her fists tightly, Gu Chenxi said, "That's impossible. You... at least give me three days to consider, and my grandfather doesn't want me to get married. His work is not that easy to do."

Lin Rui shook his head lightly. "Only one night. My time is far more precious than you imagine, and as for your grandfather's work, it has nothing to do with me."

"You..." Gu Chenxi was on the verge of madness, but unfortunately, Chen Bo and the others were still watching from a distance. She didn't want to reveal her true self right now.

"Well, I've said everything I wanted to say to you. Think carefully. I'll come back tomorrow at the same time to hear your answer," Lin Rui said as he prepared to leave.

But Gu Chenxi coldly asked, "Didn't you always like Xu Bingbing? Why are you so fixated on marrying me? Are you trying to use me to seize the Gu family's assets?"

Lin Rui thought to himself, Can I tell you that I'm doing this to be the protagonist? Unfortunately, I can't.

...