Better a bitter ending than an endless sorrow.
Though Gu Luo knew Gu Ximan and Lu Xuexue shared an unusual relationship, he couldn’t help worrying about his younger sister’s state of mind—after all, she had grown up by his side.
But the arrow was already on the bowstring; there was no turning back.
Before Sunday, he had to secure Gu Ximan’s approval.
Might as well do it now.
"V-very... very important?" Gu Ximan instinctively straightened her posture, her feet arching slightly as her fingers twisted her hair faster, betraying her nervousness. "Wh-what is it...?"
Her mind was flooded with images—her chest flushed red from his touch, and Lu Xuexue’s words about how Gu Luo had always harbored feelings for her.
Could it be...?
Was he finally going to lay his cards on the table...?
So... so embarrassing...
"Mmm..." Gu Luo held her delicate, smooth foot in his hand, taking a moment to gather his thoughts before speaking carefully, "Back at Xuexue’s place... Ximan, didn’t you say you wanted to stay with me and Xuexue together? I... I understand what you both meant..."
He paused, took a deep breath, and cut straight to the point:
"Actually... there’s a girl I like... and... I plan to confess to her on Sunday. I just... didn’t know how to tell you, Ximan..."
Gu Ximan’s mind went blank.
C-confess... this Sunday?!
What the hell was this idiot saying?
First, he hinted at their complicated trio dynamic, then mentioned liking some girl.
That girl was obviously her, right?
Then why not just say it outright? Why beat around the bush now?
But given their unique circumstances, being too direct would be... pretty awkward...
Some things were better left unsaid.
At that thought, her cheeks visibly flushed, the redness spreading to her neck and ears. She turned her face slightly away, mumbling,
"D-does... Dad know?"
No matter what, they were siblings who had grown up together. Even without blood ties, if Dad found out... his reaction would be complicated, to say the least.
He might actually break Gu Luo’s legs.
Huh?
Gu Luo was taken aback by her response.
Why was her first concern about Dad?
Did Ximan already know about him and Shu Ning?
Since when was she this perceptive?
Most surprising of all—she wasn’t throwing a tantrum.
Guess Ximan and Xuexue really were the real deal.
Then again, dreaming about Xuexue in ways unfit for the season was proof enough.
Steadying himself, Gu Luo nodded.
"Yeah, he knows... and he agreed."
Gu Ximan let out a quiet sigh of relief. Who knew this blockhead could be so reliable?
But since he was still too shy to say it outright, she played along vaguely, "Stupid... stupid Gu Luo, is the girl you like... pretty?"
A deadly question.
Gu Luo panicked—if he said "pretty," Ximan might press him to compare Shu Ning to herself. Thinking fast, he replied, "Just like Ximan, she’s the prettiest girl in the world."
To Gu Ximan’s ears, that translated to: "My Ximan is the prettiest girl in the world."
Ugh, why was he still being so roundabout?
At this point, who cared if they’d grown up as siblings? What was there to be shy about?
Stupid Gu Luo was just... stupid.
"Alright, alright, this pretty girl gets it. You’re so dumb." Gu Ximan fanned her burning cheeks with her hands before suddenly pulling her feet out of the water, splashing droplets all over Gu Luo’s face.
A few even landed in his mouth.
Before he could react—not even a "bleh"—Gu Ximan shooed him away.
"Out, out! This pretty girl needs to... process things alone."
Gu Luo slowly stood, hesitating. "So... you’re okay with it?"
"I didn’t say that! Ugh, you’re so annoying—get out!"
Gu Ximan was at her wit’s end. How could he ask something like that before she’d even heard his Sunday confession? Where was the fun in that?
Seeing her tsundere act, Gu Luo finally relaxed. Who knew it’d be this easy?
"Then... get some rest, Ximan. If you can’t sleep tonight, you know where to find me."
After all, their days of sharing a room were numbered.
With that, he carried the foot basin out of her room.
Gu Ximan was stunned.
Now that everything was out in the open, he was inviting her to his bed if she couldn’t sleep?
Was this... a not-so-subtle hint at something more?
She hadn’t even agreed to be his girlfriend yet!
............
............
transmigrates into the world as the sect master of the Heavenly Yan Sect, which is on the verge of being wiped out. He binds a system that grants him cultivation power based on the number of disciples he has: for each disciple, he automatically gains a year's worth of cultivation every single day! Take one disciple: every day he gains 1 year of cultivation power. While others struggle through a year of bitter training, he gets the same just by sleeping through a single night. Take ten disciples: every day he gains 10 years of cultivation power. Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul—he breezes through all bottlenecks without lifting a finger. Take one hundred disciples: every day he gains 100 years of cultivation power. Even a Soul Transformation Venerable before him can’t survive a single blow. Take ten thousand disciples: every day he gains 10,000 years of cultivation power! With a wave of his hand, he topples empires. With a single step, he crushes the sacred grounds of the universe. ... While others fight tooth and nail for secret techniques, Lin Yan casually hands out Nascent Soul-level cultivation manuals as beginner textbooks. While others strain to find talented recruits, Lin Yan opens his doors to anyone—so long as they’re human. In just three short years, the Heavenly Yan Sect went from a backwater sect made up of three crumbling huts to a sacred land that every cultivator under heaven would kill to enter. ... One day, otherworldly demon gods invade, with a million demon soldiers pressing down upon the realm. Lin Yan, yawning, rises from his lounge chair and glances at the system panel: [Current Disciples: 1.28 million] [Daily Cultivation Increase: 1.28 million years] He waves his hand casually, and the countless demon soldiers are reduced to ashes in an instant. “So noisy… interrupting my fishing.”
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!
u Chenyuan transmigrated into a female-oriented novel about a real and fake heiress, becoming the CEO elder brother of both. Unfortunately, the entire Lu family—including himself, the CEO—were mere cannon fodder in the story. Determined to save himself, Lu Chenyuan took action. The spoiled, attention-seeking fake heiress? Thrown into the harsh realities of the working class to learn humility. The love-struck real heiress? Pushed toward academic excellence, so lofty goals would blind her to trivial romances. As for the betrayed, vengeful arranged marriage wife… the plot hadn’t even begun yet. There was still time—if he couldn’t handle her, he could at least avoid her. "CEO Lu, are you avoiding me?" Mo Qingli fixed her gaze on Lu Chenyuan. For the first time, the shrewd and calculating Lu Chenyuan felt a flicker of unease.
