Gu Ximan didn’t notice Lu Xuexue’s unusual reaction. She cleared her throat softly, imitating the gentle tone Gu Luo had used when speaking, and began slowly:
"If one day Ximan finds herself in such a situation, I hope someone will lend a hand."
"Today, I extended help. Tomorrow, perhaps more people will step forward."
"Then, even if Ximan encounters danger, the chances of her receiving aid will grow."
It was strange—normally, she struggled to memorize things, often missing details, yet these words seemed carved into her bones by the chisel of time. Every syllable, every pause, she remembered with perfect clarity.
After finishing, Gu Ximan exaggeratedly shuddered, her face scrunched up in distaste. "Ugh, so cringey..." she muttered, pouting.
"That’s why my brother’s such a sis-con. A gentle, sappy sis-con."
"Right, Xuexue?"
"Xuexue?" When Lu Xuexue didn’t respond, Gu Ximan raised her voice slightly.
"Xuexue, what are you spacing out for?"
Lu Xuexue snapped back to reality, as if caught red-handed, and hurriedly hid her slightly flushed face behind a plush bunny pillow.
Just moments ago, she had been completely immersed in the scene Gu Ximan described, imagining herself as the younger sister tenderly cared for by Gu Luo.
How could there be such a gentle older brother in the world?
In that situation, Gu Luo had prioritized Gu Ximan’s feelings. His reason for helping others was simply to increase the likelihood that, if Gu Ximan ever faced danger, someone would step forward to assist her.
The more Lu Xuexue thought about it, the faster her heart raced. An indescribable emotion sprouted in her chest.
She had always longed for an older brother who would dote on her unconditionally.
And Gu Ximan’s brother, Gu Luo, was the perfect embodiment of that dream.
"Sorry, Manman," Lu Xuexue said with an apologetic smile, looking particularly meek.
Seeing her like this, Gu Ximan felt her heart melt.
Her best friend was just too adorable!
Who on earth would end up winning her over?
As Lu Xuexue’s closest friend, Gu Ximan knew she was the definition of a privileged beauty.
Her parents were among China’s top lawyers and ran Caizhou’s largest law firm.
And as an only child, Lu Xuexue had been showered with love since birth.
Gu Ximan sometimes mused that if she were a man, she’d marry Lu Xuexue without hesitation.
With that thought, she blurted out, "Xuexue, do you have someone you like?"
"Ah... ah... I..."
The question struck Lu Xuexue like a bolt of lightning. She instantly grew flustered, her eyes darting away as she stammered incoherently.
Gu Ximan’s eyes widened in disbelief.
What was this?
She’d only asked casually, never expecting Lu Xuexue to actually have a crush.
And most importantly—her best friend had been keeping it a secret from her?!
"Xuexue... you... you like someone?"
Lu Xuexue’s face was now completely red, like a ripe tomato, the flush spreading from her cheeks to her earlobes. "I... maybe not...?"
"Either you do or you don’t. What’s this ‘maybe not’ nonsense?"
Gu Ximan wasn’t about to let this go. She crawled closer, snatched the pillow from Lu Xuexue’s arms, and left her friend’s blushing face fully exposed.
Case closed.
Did she even need to ask further?
Lu Xuexue definitely had a crush!
Gu Ximan immediately started shaking Lu Xuexue’s shoulders, feigning outrage. "Xuexue, how could you not tell me you like someone?!"
"That’s so mean!"
"I... I..." Lu Xuexue, petite to begin with, swayed like a blade of grass in the wind under Gu Ximan’s playful assault. Her twin pigtails danced merrily down her back with each shake.
After a moment, Gu Ximan abruptly switched expressions, her face lighting up with excitement. "Spill it! Who’s the guy?"
"Is he from Guangya?"
"Is he our age, or an upperclassman?"
"Come on, I’m dying to know!"
Lu Xuexue ducked her head guiltily, her voice barely audible as she mumbled, "He’s from Guangya... an upperclassman..."
"What’s his name?!" Gu Ximan pressed.
"...He doesn’t know I like him yet," Lu Xuexue hedged.
"So what’s his name?!" Gu Ximan wasn’t backing down.
"Um..."
Realizing she couldn’t evade the question, Lu Xuexue steeled herself and abandoned defense—opting for offense instead.
"If I tell you, Manman, will you tell me who you like too?"
Gu Ximan’s eager expression froze instantly.
"Ahem... cough..."
Oh.
The guy she liked...
That was absolutely off-limits.
Wait—when had she ever admitted to liking someone?!
Gu Ximan’s brain finally caught up, but it was too late to backtrack now.
For a brief moment, silence settled over the bedroom.
Both girls had their own thoughts.
Both had reasons they couldn’t reveal their crushes.
"Sorry, Xuexue."
"Sorry, Manman."
They apologized simultaneously.
Clearly, neither planned to confess.
Then, Lu Xuexue reached out and gently took Gu Ximan’s hand, meeting her eyes with a soft, tentative voice. "Manman... I want to pursue that upperclassman. Will you support me?"
"Of course!" Gu Ximan answered without hesitation.
"...Thank you, Manman."
Lu Xuexue felt even guiltier seeing Gu Ximan’s wholehearted support.
Because she wasn’t just content being Gu Ximan’s best friend.
She wanted to be her sister-in-law.
And really, who could blame her?
Over the past three years, Gu Ximan had shared countless stories about Gu Luo.
Like how, for the sake of Gu Ximan’s health, he had prepared breakfast for her every single day without fail for over a decade.
Or how, when Gu Ximan had to take a six-month leave from middle school due to illness and fell behind in her studies, Gu Luo quit his club activities to tutor her after school every day.
And in the end, when it seemed impossible for them to attend the same university, Gu Luo—the school’s top student—had voluntarily given up his spot at Guangya Academy to enroll at Caizhou College, where Gu Ximan could get in.
For example, back in elementary school during parent-teacher meetings, even though Gu Luo was just a second-grader himself, he bravely attended Gu Ximan's meetings—and he kept doing so all the way until now.
At every meeting, Gu Luo would diligently jot down every key point the teacher mentioned, then patiently discuss them with Gu Ximan afterward to help her grow.
For instance...
For instance...
Lu Xuexue knew all these stories by heart.
Gradually, she found herself completely falling for her best friend’s older brother.
Whenever Gu Ximan shared stories about Gu Luo, Lu Xuexue would listen with rapt attention.
Those tales were like seeds taking root in her heart, blossoming into flowers of affection.
Heaven knew how overjoyed Lu Xuexue was when she learned that Gu Ximan and her brother had transferred to Guangya Academy.
She felt like she was one step closer to Gu Luo, a happiness so intense it was beyond words.
But how on earth was she supposed to bring this up with Gu Ximan?
Lu Xuexue was well aware that Gu Ximan was a full-blown brother-con.
Her mind was filled with Gu Luo—eight out of ten sentences revolved around him.
At this thought, Lu Xuexue couldn’t help but wonder:
If Gu Ximan was such a brother-con, how could she possibly develop feelings for another guy?
Who could that guy even be?
Well, no matter what, she’d support Manman’s romance!
That’s what best friends do—they’ve got each other’s backs!
"Manman, I’ll support you too," Lu Xuexue declared, raising a small fist and giving it a determined shake. "Let’s cheer each other on!"
"......"
Gu Ximan forced a faint smile in response.
"Yeah... let’s cheer each other on..."
............
............
ine. During your journey, you save an abandoned baby girl and become her elder brother】 【You rely on each other, becoming each other's support】 【At the end of the simulation, you shield the now-grown girl with your life, sacrificing yourself to block numerous demonic cultivators. You die, and the light in the girl's eyes fades】 …… 【Second Simulation: You are transported to a world where steam and magic coexist】 【You immerse yourself in the study of magic, obsessed with its research. One day, while out, you encounter a half-blooded demon girl wandering the streets. You take her in as your student】 【You teach the demoness what it means to be human, show her the beauty of the world, and nurture her into a miracle that surpasses even the gods】 【At the end of the simulation, you die of old age in front of the nearly immortal demoness due to your mortal lifespan】 …… One simulation after another, one encounter after another. Xu Xi suddenly felt something was off: "Wait, you said you're coming to the real world to find me?"
shall grant"] ["Inscribing the glory of our race upon tombstones"] ["All that is threatened, I shall protect"] How his younger sister sees her brother: A brother who only makes eye contact once a day, mostly fading into the background as he tinkers with who-knows-what in his room all day. Their life paths should have remained largely separate. Until one day. Su Qi created an equipment card for his never-met "online girlfriend." His sister fell into silent contemplation upon receiving the "white stockings." [Card can be upgraded] [Upgrade by fulfilling any of the following conditions] [Condition ①: Consume one hundred higher-tier cards] [Condition ②: Complete one 'Heart-Pounding Adventure'] What constitutes a Heart-Pounding Adventure? [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Beginner Level): Equip the card and invite 'Su Qi' to admire it.] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Easy Level): Equip the card, invite 'Su Qi' to touch it, and analyze the equipment's texture.] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Entry Level): Equip the card and invite 'Su Qi' to...] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Challenge Level): Freely combine the words 'Brother' 'Out' 'Brother' 'Me' 'Please' into a complete sentence...] "Please help me analyze both teams' mistakes in this match, brother..." His sister exhaled in relief—surely... surely there couldn't be anything more difficult? [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Suicide Mission Level): Sneak a peek at the names of the galgames in 'Su Qi's' hidden E-drive folder]
reezy rom-com) Good news: Jiang Liu is quite the ladies' man. Bad news: He’s lost his memory. Lying in a hospital bed, Jiang Liu listens to a parade of goddesses spouting "absurd claims," feeling like the world is one giant game of Werewolf. "Jiang Liu, I’m your first love." "Jiang Liu, you’re my boyfriend—she’s your ex." "Jiang Liu, we’re close friends who’ve shared a bed, remember?" "Jiang Liu, I want to have your baby." The now-lucid Jiang Liu is convinced this must be some elaborate scam... until someone drops the bombshell: "The day before you lost your memory, you confessed your feelings—and got into a relationship." Jiang Liu is utterly baffled. So... who the hell is his actual girlfriend?! ... Before recovering his memories, Jiang Liu must navigate this minefield of lies and sincerity, fighting to protect himself from these women’s schemes. But things spiral even further out of control as more people show up at his doorstep—each with increasingly unhinged antics. On the bright side, the memories he lost due to overwhelming trauma seem to be resurfacing. Great news, right? So why are they all panicking now?
【Prologue: The Beginning of It All – Use holy water to heal the saintess tainted by demonic energy, then converse with her.】 Shen Nian stared at his older sister sipping yogurt, lost in thought. So you’re telling me my sister is the saintess, and yogurt is the holy water? 【Main Quest 1: Brave Youth, Become an Adventurer! Reward: Rookie Adventurer Title.】 【Side Quest 1: Find the Adorable Kitty! Reward: 1000 Gold Coins.】 Shen Nian: "Wait, I’m a high school senior here—did some guy who got isekai’d accidentally bind his system to me?" Hold on, completing quests gives gold rewards? Titles even boost stats? Is this for real? (A lighthearted, absurd campus comedy—not a revenge power fantasy.)
