Sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains, casting a warm glow over the pink bedsheets.
As the restless energy faded, Gu Ximan absentmindedly rubbed her chin and murmured to herself, "Why did it feel so different?"
It was nothing like what she'd experienced in last night's dream.
After a pause, she nodded thoughtfully, then patted her chest in relief. "Well, at least I'm not or ... that's good, that's good."
Hearing those keywords, Lu Xuexue finally snapped out of her daze.
Deep down, she wasn’t entirely opposed to it, but she wasn’t exactly supportive either.
That kind of intimacy… she only wanted it with Gu Luo.
Just then, a breeze swept through the window, lifting the curtains and brushing against the flushed skin of the two girls. The air in the bedroom grew so thick with tension it felt almost tangible.
Seeing Lu Xuexue with her head lowered, her expression unreadable, Gu Ximan’s heart skipped a beat. Regret instantly flooded her.
She quickly scooted closer, gently taking Lu Xuexue’s small hand in hers, her voice laced with apology. "I’m so sorry, Xuexue… I must’ve scared you, huh?"
Lu Xuexue bit her rosy lips, her gaze flickering away. After a long silence, she gave a tiny nod.
Her mind was still reeling from the suddenness of it all—the unexpected contact had left her so stunned she hadn’t even had time to resist.
Seeing her reaction, Gu Ximan’s guilt surged like a broken dam.
She hurried to explain, "Xuexue, it’s like this… Last night, I had this dream. You were there, and me, and that jerk Gu Luo… we ..."
Since they were already inseparable best friends—practically family—Gu Ximan blushed but recounted every detail of the dream, from their sweet moments together to the rising tension, all the way to the earth-shattering climax.
By the end, she scratched her head awkwardly and forced a laugh. "Ahem… I thought maybe my preferences had changed… so I just acted without thinking…"
But then, her expression turned complicated again, her eyes clouded with confusion. "But now I’ve realized an even bigger problem…"
"Xuexue… you know what I mean, right?"
Of course Lu Xuexue understood.
The air in the room grew heavy, the only sounds their slightly uneven breaths in the quiet afternoon.
Time crawled by until, finally, Lu Xuexue lowered her head, fidgeting with her fingers before hesitantly reaching out to take Gu Ximan’s hand.
Her eyes darted away, too shy to meet her gaze, her cheeks burning as she whispered, barely audible,
"Then… next time, let’s invite Gu Luo too… I… I don’t mind…"
For a second, Gu Ximan froze. Then, in the next instant, she threw herself at Lu Xuexue, wrapping her arms tightly around her neck.
She planted a loud, enthusiastic kiss on her flushed cheek, her voice bubbling with joy.
"Xuexue, I love you so much!"
"I love you too, Manman… and Gu Luo…"
------
The crisp chime of the school bell echoed across Guangya Academy’s campus, and in an instant, the once-quiet grounds burst into life.
Students streamed out of classrooms, their footsteps light as they headed toward the club buildings, sports fields, and gymnasium.
For Guangya’s students, dismissal didn’t mark the end of the day—it was the start of something exciting, so few ever chose to leave campus.
Outside the school gates, Gu Luo stood beneath a large tree, dressed in casual clothes.
Even with a mask covering half his face, his tall, striking figure and unique aura still drew glances from passersby.
In just a short time, girls of all ages approached him—some shyly, others boldly—asking for his contact info.
Naturally, Gu Luo could only offer polite refusals.
But the sheer number was overwhelming.
Just as two particularly pretty girls were chatting him up, a graceful figure in white strode out of the school gates.
Luo Shuning wore an elegant white dress, her steps light as a lily drifting on the breeze.
She, too, wore a mask, but her poise and the effortless charm radiating from her instantly eclipsed every other woman nearby.
The two girls who’d been flirting with Gu Luo immediately stiffened, their expressions turning awkward.
They’d thought they were attractive, but this was next-level.
And the way this girl was marching over? Clearly his girlfriend. No wonder he’d turned them down.
Exchanging a glance, they quickly waved goodbye and scurried off.
"My little treasure is so popular—girls just can’t resist you, huh?" Luo Shuning’s eyes curved like crescents, her voice sweet as honey.
Like a doting wife, she reached up to smooth the wrinkles from Gu Luo’s collar.
"Ahem…" Gu Luo’s survival instincts kicked in. "That dress looks amazing—only my big treasure could pull it off so well."
Luo Shuning giggled, batting her lashes. "My little treasure is plenty handsome too."
With that, she looped her arm through his and tugged him toward the street across from campus.
As they walked, Gu Luo suddenly perked up. "Later, I’ll show you some one-taps—I’ve got a really good feeling today."
Luo Shuning froze mid-step, her eyes widening in disbelief. "Little treasure… you’re not thinking of playing games, are you?"
"Huh?" Gu Luo blinked. "Didn’t you tell me to bring my ID so we could go to the internet café and play Valorant…?"
For a second, Luo Shuning just stared. Then, shaking her head in amusement, she pinched his waist lightly.
"What? No! I was taking you to a hotel."
"An… e-sports hotel?" Still stuck on visions of AK headshots, Gu Luo was slow to catch on.
"You—ugh—" Luo Shuning nearly laughed, giving him another pinch. "No computers. Just a regular hotel—one our family owns."
Her ears turned pink as she lowered her gaze, suddenly shy all over again.
She’d already psyched herself up at school, but she never expected this blockhead would assume she meant an internet café.
Exasperated as she was, she couldn’t help but find his cluelessness kind of adorable.
A hotel?
Bringing his ID was actually for a hotel?
Gu Luo wanted to smack himself. How could he be this dense?
But honestly… he never expected his usually timid angel to be so forward.
At the same time, his heart couldn't help but stir with restless anticipation.
A young man and woman, alone together, full of youthful energy—what else would they go to a hotel for?
But wasn’t this moving too fast?
Luo Shuning, her face flushed, quickly added in explanation, “Didn’t we say we’d celebrate alone? I was just thinking we could have a candlelit dinner tonight, Xiao Bao… and maybe… maybe lie together and whisper a few secrets…”
“…Oh, I see. Sorry, Da Bao, I misunderstood.”
Gu Luo was so embarrassed he could’ve dug a three-bedroom apartment out of the ground with his toes.
“Pfft.”
Luo Shuning finally burst into laughter, tightening her grip on his arm as she giggled. “Xiao Bao is just too adorable.”
After a pause, her expression turned slightly complicated. “But if Ximan asks where we went tonight, what do we say?”
As much as she wanted to confirm their relationship with Gu Luo, she wasn’t quite ready to face his fiercely overprotective little sister yet.
The last thing she wanted was to make the girl cry.
Hearing this, Gu Luo recalled the events of the day, his expression turning odd. After a moment’s thought, he said, “Don’t worry. Ximan thinks we went to an internet café to play games…”
Ximan’s crush on Lu Xuexue was private—definitely not something to share with anyone, not even his little angel.
“Pfft!”
Luo Shuning laughed again, utterly at a loss for words.
These siblings… truly a pair of lovable dorks.
Equally silly.
Wiping away a tear from laughing, she grinned and said, “Xiao Bao, I’m so glad your uncle approved. Tonight… I’ll make sure to reward you properly~~~”
A reward?
Tonight?
Gu Luo’s imagination immediately ran wild, flashing back to the first intimate moment they’d shared on the living room couch. His anticipation surged, and he swallowed hard before smiling back.
“Then tonight, I’ll have even better news for you, Da Bao.”
“Better news?”
Luo Shuning blinked her beautiful eyes, her heart practically leaping with excitement.
............
............