Yes, We Have Been Sick for a Long Time

The next day.

10:00 AM.

Sunlight filtered through the curtains, gently spilling onto Gu Ximan's delicate face as she lay sprawled across the bed, drooling in deep slumber.

"Hehe... hehehe... be gentle..."

"I can... still keep going..."

All three occupants of the large bed remained sound asleep, lost in their dreams with no signs of waking. Gu Luo and Luo Shuning had stayed up late the previous night, but as for Gu Ximan's sleep-talking... well, that remained a mystery.

At some point, Luo Shuling had already tidied up the futon and now sat at the edge of the bed, resting her chin on one hand as her eyes roamed over the sleeping faces with a sweet smile.

So blissful.

It was just a shame Shuhe had slipped away in the middle of the night.

Next time—or perhaps the time after—they might finally manage a full five-person sleepover.

A family should stay together, after all.

Suddenly, a mischievous grin crossed Luo Shuling's lips as an idea struck her. She climbed onto Gu Ximan, then reached out and began kneading firmly.

In her sleep, Gu Ximan subconsciously sensed the intrusion, arching slightly with a dazed expression as she mumbled:

"Mmm... stupid Gu... Luo..."

"Gently... gentle..."

Satisfied that even this hadn't roused her, Luo Shuling nodded approvingly, thinking to herself how effective that little sleep aid had been.

But despite her thoughts, she didn't let up, pressing even harder—until finally slipping her hand beneath the pajamas.

"Stupid... stupid Gu..."

"......"

Once she'd achieved the desired effect, Luo Shuling withdrew her hand, savoring the moment before carefully lifting Gu Luo's arm and placing it where hers had been.

Then, with a carefree expression, she hopped off the bed, gathered the neatly folded bedding, and strode cheerfully out of the room.

Yet the moment she returned to her own bedroom, she found Luo Shuhe leaning against the headboard with an icy expression, long legs crossed as she watched silently.

"Morning, Shuhe. Why'd you run off in the middle of the night?"

Luo Shuling's expression didn't waver as she greeted her with a cheerful wave.

"Does your hand hurt? I kicked pretty hard."

Luo Shuhe folded her arms, her tone indifferent as she ignored the question.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Still pretending at this point?"

"Shuhe, did you not sleep well?" Luo Shuling tilted her head, feigning confusion as she stowed the bedding in the wardrobe before approaching and reaching for Luo Shuhe's forehead.

"Sigh..."

Luo Shuhe exhaled softly, cutting straight to the point:

"Shuling, you know Mom better than anyone. You know how she is."

"What if—just what if—even if you convinced Shuning and somehow succeeded? What do you think Mom would do when she found out?"

"Not to mention Ximan. Do you really think Uncle wouldn’t kill Gu Luo?"

"Even with just me and Shuning, one of us would have to stay hidden. That’s the only way this could work without Mom finding out."

Yet Luo Shuling's smile remained unchanged as she settled beside Luo Shuhe, leaning in to whisper:

"No destruction, no creation."

"No... destruction?" Luo Shuhe's brows furrowed, a dreadful suspicion forming as she seized Luo Shuling's wrist. "What are you planning? Have you lost your mind?"

"Or do you just want to watch Gu Luo get beaten to death?"

But this time, Luo Shuling only blinked in confusion. "What... are you talking about? Why would Gege get beaten up?"

With that, she picked up the phone on the bedside table, giving it a playful shake.

Luo Shuhe's expression darkened as she took the phone and turned off the recording—right in front of Luo Shuling.

Then, flatly, she said: "Satisfied now?"

"Hmm? Satisfied with what?" Luo Shuling batted her lashes innocently before fishing out a small pendant from under the pillow, waving it before switching off another recording.

"......"

Luo Shuhe fell silent, realizing her backup plan had been just as easily exposed.

She'd hoped to use the recording to force Luo Shuling to abandon her reckless ideas.

After a long pause, she finally spoke with quiet intensity:

"Shuling, you know how much I love him."

Luo Shuling nodded gently.

"I’ve been torn this whole time—wanting Gu Luo all to myself, yet not wanting Shuning to break completely. I thought I’d resigned myself to being the secret lover, but I still couldn’t stop fighting for more. What if... what if Shuning stepped aside?"

"It’s so unfair. Shuning’s always been insecure. And yet, the first time they met, Gu Luo just happened to give her the security she needed, slipping right into her heart."

"Even if they hadn’t met on the train that day—thanks to someone’s tardiness—Shuning would’ve still been drawn to him. They’d have fallen for each other regardless."

Listening quietly, Luo Shuling patted her shoulder.

"Humans are complicated creatures. Even a single day can change how we feel—especially about love."

"Shuhe, you know this. The moment Gu Luo moved in, it was only a matter of time before Shuning fell for him. That’s just who she is."

"And honestly, I think any girl in her place would’ve ended up the same."

"Whether it’s his looks, his build, his talent, his kindness..."

Luo Shuhe didn’t argue, pressing her lips together before declaring firmly:

"Shuling, I still stand by what I said. And I’ll stop you."

"Good luck!" Luo Shuling pumped her fist cheerfully.

"......"

Luo Shuhe felt as though she’d punched cotton, rising with a heavy sigh.

She grabbed her phone and pendant, striding toward the door—but paused at the threshold to ask:

"Wait. How did you know I hid the recorder under the pillow?"

"Guess."

Luo Shuhe thought for a moment before paling. "...You have cameras in here?"

"Who knows?" Luo Shuling blinked, all innocence.

"Shuling... are you... a yandere?"

Not that Luo Shuhe actually believed Luo Shuling would bug her room.

That was a line even she wouldn’t cross.

"Yandere... I don’t know about that." Luo Shuling shook her head slightly before murmuring:

"But all three of us sisters are sick, aren’t we?"

Luo Shuhe’s cold mask fractured, her expression shifting into something unreadable before she turned away, pushing the door open.

Softly, she replied—

"Yes. We’ve been sick for a long time."

............

Meanwhile.

Half-asleep, Gu Luo registered an unusual sensation beneath his hand and instinctively gave it a squeeze.

Then came a familiar soft moan.

In an instant, his eyes flew open, and he retracted his hand at lightning speed.

Damn it, he thought.

"Mmm..."

Gu Ximan slowly opened her eyes, her mind still lingering in a dream that didn’t belong to this season. When she saw Gu Luo’s face so close to hers, she instinctively leaned in for a kiss.

But just as she was about to move, a sharp pain shot through her body.

Ouch... Wait.

She snapped awake instantly, though she still couldn’t quite grasp what had happened.

Seeing her confusion, Gu Luo awkwardly greeted her:

"Morning, Ximan."

"You must be hungry... I’ll go make breakfast."

With that, he glanced at Luo Shuning, who was still fast asleep, then got out of bed and hurried toward the door.

Watching Gu Luo’s retreating figure, Gu Ximan absentmindedly ran her fingers through her loosely draped cold tea-brown hair, still feeling dazed.

And why did it hurt down there?

Wasn’t she just dreaming?

Pondering this, she rubbed her head, got out of bed, and walked straight to the bathroom.

Staring at the ethereally beautiful girl in the mirror, Gu Ximan nodded in satisfaction before slowly slipping off her pajamas—and the delicate undergarment beneath.

But the next moment, her cherry-red lips parted in shock, her eyes widening.

Her snow-white skin, reflected in the mirror, was covered in red palm prints and pinch marks.

Wait... Wait a minute!

What the—

Who else could have done this but that jerk Gu Luo?

And hadn’t she felt a pinch right before waking up?

A furious blush instantly spread across Gu Ximan’s face, racing from her cheeks all the way to the tips of her ears.

He must have done this in his sleep.

Karma sure worked fast—just last night, she’d spun some wild lies, and now she was paying for it this morning.

Well... Maybe it wasn’t exactly karma.

In fact, she kind of... liked it.

Fanning her burning cheeks with her hands, Gu Ximan tried to calm herself down.

Then, she opened her phone’s camera and snapped several photos of her reflection in the mirror, making sure to timestamp them.

Evidence.

Solid evidence.

And also—her trump card.

If he dares disobey me, hmph!

............

............