After the mountain-conquering younger brother finally quieted down, Gu Luo made his way to the bathroom and saw toothpaste already neatly squeezed onto his toothbrush.
This was, of course, the heartwarming gesture of his little angel, Shu Ning.
For the past month, Luo Shuning had been waking up about fifteen minutes earlier than him, not only preparing his toothpaste but also prepping the ingredients needed for the day’s meals.
Exceptionally thoughtful.
She called it "lightening big brother’s burden."
Gu Luo noticed it all, warmth blooming in his heart.
Following his usual routine, he squeezed toothpaste for his younger sisters first, then quickly finished washing up before heading downstairs to the kitchen.
As soon as he reached the kitchen doorway, he heard the soft, cheerful humming of a girl.
"Da~~ da-da~~ da-da~~ da~~"
The melody was like the chirping of birds in the early morning forest—clear and melodious.
Gentle sunlight streamed through the kitchen window, casting a warm and romantic glow over the space.
Luo Shuning wore a snug peach-colored nightgown, the delicate fabric clinging to her body, perfectly outlining her graceful curves.
Around her waist was an apron printed with tiny daisies, its strings tied into a neat bow at the back.
Her hair was loosely gathered into a ponytail with a matching ribbon, swaying gently with the rhythm of her humming.
On the cutting board, carrots were sliced into even rounds, green peppers julienned into fine strips, and tender meat cut into uniform slices with clear, defined grain.
Gu Luo leaned against the kitchen doorway, quietly admiring the mesmerizing sight of his little angel bustling about.
A phrase suddenly surfaced in his mind—"She’s as graceful in the parlor as she is skilled in the kitchen."
The thought of marrying her one day filled him with happiness and pride.
As he watched, an overwhelming urge rose within him, and he slowly stepped forward, wrapping his arms gently around Luo Shuning from behind.
His movements were tender, careful not to disturb the serene moment.
Luo Shuning felt the familiar warmth and scent behind her, pausing briefly before relaxing into his embrace.
She didn’t turn around, simply leaning back against Gu Luo’s chest, tilting her head up with a sweet smile on her face.
For a while, neither spoke, simply savoring the quiet intimacy.
The kitchen was filled with the fresh aroma of ingredients and a faint, tender affection. Sunlight bathed them in a golden veil, as if dressing them in wedding attire.
Over the past month, without the interference of the little demon’s malicious rivalry, their relationship had progressed at lightning speed. They had even decided to test Luo Liang and Gu Feng’s reactions soon.
Luo Shuning let her full weight sink into Gu Luo’s embrace before softly laughing:
"Good morning, big brother."
"Good morning, Shu Ning."
Gu Luo rested his chin lightly on her head, basking in the sweetness and comfort.
After lingering like this for a while, Luo Shuning turned around and pecked his chin:
"Alright, let’s not get caught by Little Man and Shuling."
Gu Luo only held her tighter, unfazed. "So what if they see? It’s bound to happen sooner or later."
"Aren’t you afraid Little Man will cry?"
Luo Shuning tightened her own embrace, tracing light circles on his back with her fingers.
"Not a big deal. Little Man already has a crush on some guy—her mind isn’t entirely on me anymore. Besides, she’ll find out eventually."
"True. I wonder who that boy is. Haven’t you gotten anything out of her yet?"
"I was just asking earlier, but she won’t say. I just hope it’s not some delinquent or wannabe gangster."
At this, Gu Luo couldn’t help sighing.
He dreaded the thought of the silly girl going through a rebellious phase and bringing home some troublemaker.
Hearing this, Luo Shuning rose on her tiptoes and ruffled his hair. "Don’t worry. Whoever Little Man likes must be outstanding—well, at least 30% as outstanding as you."
"So sweet."
With that, Gu Luo lowered his head and tasted his little angel’s lips.
The fruity flavor of toothpaste spread between them, mingling with Luo Shuning’s faint natural fragrance—utterly intoxicating.
After a moment, he pulled back with a satisfied nod.
"Definitely sweet."
Just then, Luo Shuning tilted her head playfully and suggested, "Hmm... from now on, how about I call you Xiao Bao (Little Treasure), and you call me Da Bao (Big Treasure)?"
"Sure, Da Bao."
Gu Luo agreed without hesitation.
Switching the titles around was oddly amusing.
"Hehe, Xiao Bao is my Xiao Bao." Luo Shuning suddenly glanced behind him and asked with a smile,
"Shu He, do you think Da Bao and Xiao Bao sound nice?"
Hearing this, Gu Luo instinctively turned and saw Luo Shuhe standing at the kitchen doorway in a black spaghetti-strap nightgown.
She was sipping yogurt through a straw, her expression blank, but her eyes held a hint of something unreadable.
Gu Luo felt an inexplicable pang of guilt.
Though certain things had already been clarified, their relationship was still... complicated.
"Meh. Not as nice as Bao Bao (Baby)," Luo Shuhe shrugged, her tone casual as she let the strap slip slightly off her shoulder.
"Bao Bao?"
Luo Shuning narrowed her eyes briefly before sweetly asking Gu Luo, "Xiao Bao, Xiao Bao, which do you think sounds better—Xiao Bao or Bao Bao?"
The moment the question left her lips, Luo Shuhe also narrowed her eyes, staring unblinkingly at Gu Luo with a silent threat in her gaze.
Yikes.
Caught between the sisters’ scrutiny, Gu Luo’s scalp prickled.
Answering Bao Bao was out of the question, but if he said Xiao Bao, the little demon might just spill their secrets.
Either choice was a death sentence.
Think, brain! Your survival depends on the next words out of your mouth!
After a tense pause, he cleared his throat awkwardly and deflected,
"Well... I think Da Bao suits Shu Ning best."
If Xiao Bao or Bao Bao was the dilemma, he’d just pick neither.
"Heh."
Luo Shuhe let out a cold laugh at his answer.
"Then Xiao Bao better call me Da Bao more often."
Luo Shuning simply smiled gently, not pressing further.
She knew where to draw the line.
Gu Luo feared Luo Shuhe exposing their history, and Luo Shuning shared the same concern.
A little provocation was fine, but tipping the scales would leave all three losers.
The long game required patience.
Once she and Gu Luo made things official, then it would be time to settle accounts with Luo Shuhe.
Not that "settling" meant anything extreme—just setting boundaries.
Before commitment, whatever Luo Shuhe did could be considered fair competition.
But afterward? That would be deliberate sabotage.
At that point, even as sisters, there’d be no room for compromise.
Luo Shuning’s stance had always been clear—Everything else I can yield, but Gu Luo is non-negotiable.
"Okay... Da Bao."
Gu Luo murmured the reply, not daring to meet Luo Shuhe’s eyes.
He could only tremble between the two sisters, struggling to survive in the narrow space.
One wrong move, and everything would blow up.
In his heart, he could only silently pray that the little devil wouldn’t spill certain things between them.
However, what he didn’t know was that the sisters had already talked about everything—whether they should have or not.
This information gap was useful to both of them.
For Luo Shuning, she could use it to make Gu Luo feel guilty.
For Luo Shuhe, she could exploit it to force Gu Luo into obedience on certain matters.
At the same time, the sisters shared an unspoken understanding—they would use this information gap to teach this scoundrel a little lesson.
All three parties had their own agendas.
But who was the fool here? The answer was obvious.
Just as Gu Luo was trembling in fear, Luo Shuning spoke up again:
"Little Treasure, you’ll have a good talk with Uncle tomorrow, right? I’m sure he’ll support us."
"...Mhm." Gu Luo nodded stiffly.
This was a classic case of gods and demons fighting while the fool suffered.
After a pause, Luo Shuning turned to Luo Shuhe and asked,
"Shu He, guess what Little Treasure is going to tell Uncle?"
She paused, then shook her head with a faint smile:
"You’re so clever, Shu He. I’m sure you can figure it out."
"So, do you think Uncle will agree?"
Hearing this, Luo Shuhe pretended to think for a moment before tilting her head and smiling as well:
"I’d love to know the outcome too."
'Whether Uncle agrees or not, I don’t know—but my dearest Dad definitely won’t.'
............
............