The next day.
Early morning, golden sunlight streamed through the window, spilling into the room.
Gu Luo slowly opened his eyes, instinctively raising a hand to press against his throbbing forehead as he stared blankly at the chandelier above.
His mind was a haze, and for a moment, he couldn’t quite recall what had happened the night before.
Fragments of memory flickered like shattered glass—vague sensations of a bumpy car ride... or perhaps a dream that didn’t belong to this season.
A pity, really, that in the dream, his body had been completely immobilized. Couldn’t move, couldn’t get up—simply couldn’t.
Groping for his phone on the pillow, he tapped the screen—9:47 AM, Monday.
Turning his head, he saw Gu Ximan sleeping soundly beside him, her soft, cool tea-brown hair scattered across his arm, a faint smile lingering on her lips as she occasionally murmured something in her sleep.
Seems she’d skipped school today, staying home to take care of him.
Otherwise, Shu Ning would’ve surely come to wake them up.
Rubbing his temples, Gu Luo felt as though something important had slipped into the recesses of his memory.
What was it...?
Wait—
Late at night.
Liquid courage from the alcohol.
Restless hands.
A single grasp, light yet firm, as if holding the entire world.
Right—Lu Xuexue!
Just then, the bedroom door creaked open softly.
Lu Xuexue tiptoed in, her slender frame outlined by the morning light, her pink pajamas dotted with cute rabbit prints, her long hair cascading loosely over her shoulders.
Noticing Gu Luo was awake, her face instantly flushed, and she ducked her head, fingers nervously twisting a lock of hair by her ear.
At that sight, Gu Luo’s heart lurched—every blurred memory now sharpened with terrifying clarity.
An awkward tension thickened the air like a tangible force.
The room was so quiet their breathing was audible, the silence broken only by the occasional chirp of birds outside.
After standing frozen for a moment, Lu Xuexue covered her burning cheeks with one hand, then walked to the table, poured a glass of water, and—just like last night—brought it to Gu Luo’s lips, her voice barely a whisper:
"G-Gu... Gu-ge, drink some water."
"...I can manage." Gu Luo, thoroughly embarrassed, gently shifted the still-sleeping Gu Ximan—now curled up like a little pig—off his left arm before accepting the glass.
As he sat up, he could feel Lu Xuexue’s gaze darting away, only to steal glances back at him. When their eyes met, she flinched like she’d been shocked, her fingers anxiously twirling her hair into tiny curls.
After finishing the water, Gu Luo set the empty glass on the table, hesitated, then murmured, "Xuexue, let’s talk in the living room."
If Gu Ximan found out about last night’s... indiscretions, the consequences would be unthinkable.
"Mm..." Lu Xuexue nodded, her voice as faint as a mosquito’s hum.
They made their way downstairs one after the other, settling on the sofa with several feet of distance between them.
"Xuexue, about last night... I’m really sorry. I..." Gu Luo had meant to say "I didn’t mean to," but that felt too shameless, so he amended,
"I owe you an apology... You skipped school to take care of me, and yet I... Whatever you want to do about it, I’ll accept. This is entirely my fault..."
Hearing this, Lu Xuexue, her face still red, waved her hands hastily. "N-no... it’s fine... Gu-ge, don’t overthink it..."
"It’s my fault for... for sleeping on your arm like that... I’m sorry..."
"Don’t worry about it. You’re like a sister to me too—Ximan’s always using my arm as a pillow." Gu Luo didn’t dare probe why Lu Xuexue had done it, steering the conversation firmly toward sibling affection.
Some things were better left unexamined.
Yet, instead of easing, Lu Xuexue’s blush deepened.
Suddenly, she remembered the red marks on Gu Ximan’s skin.
And last night...
Gu-ge... was just as much of a siscon...
Though puzzled by her reaction, Gu Luo couldn’t let the girl shoulder the blame. "Xuexue, this is on me. I own up to it. Whatever you want, just name it—I’ll do my best to make it up to you."
"Gu-ge... you’re so kind..." Biting her lower lip, Lu Xuexue felt a warmth in her chest. After a pause, she ventured shyly,
"I... I really like baking sweets... Could you... taste them for me from now on...?"
Her words trailed off as she peeked at him, then immediately looked down again, the tips of her ears burning crimson.
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