The Origin of Oolong Tea

"Gu Luo, what are you staring at me for, huh?" Gu Ximan lowered her head, her cold tea-brown hair brushing past Gu Luo's nose.

The moment she heard Gu Luo admit his feelings, the honey jar in her heart had already tipped over. Now, seeing him lost in thought while gazing at her, her pride soared so high it could’ve touched the sky.

Stupid little Gu Luo.

Totally wrapped around her finger.

She used to play the role of the clueless little sister, but from now on, the tables had turned.

Teasing Gu Luo was fun—and teasing him nonstop was even better.

"Ahem..."

Gu Luo cleared his throat to mask his embarrassment, his eyes drifting toward the weather vane at the edge of the rooftop. But in his peripheral vision, he caught the sight of the girl triumphantly planting her hands on her hips.

Damn it. Who would’ve thought he’d be so thoroughly dominated by little Ximan one day?

But he had to admit—he was genuinely smitten.

He’d assumed this would be a slow, gradual process. Yet, with just a little effort from Ximan, the progress bar had shot straight to 100%.

No wonder people said chasing a girl was like climbing a mountain, while chasing a guy was like lifting a veil.

"Hmph, someone’s using a cough to hide his embarrassment again." Gu Ximan’s steps were light as springs as she circled the bench, her pleated skirt fluttering in layers of ripples. She pressed her advantage: "What’s next? Gonna twitch your lips and change the subject to tomorrow’s weather?"

Hearing this, Gu Luo forcibly suppressed the reflexive twitch at the corner of his mouth. He opened his mouth to deflect, then swallowed the words back down.

This is unfair.

How am I supposed to play when she’s got hacks?

Wait, is this really the same ditzy Ximan?

Isn’t this version way too overpowered?

Devs, nerf her already!

All the words Gu Luo wanted to say condensed into silent internal screaming.

"Gu Luo, now you get why I don’t call you ‘stupid big bro’ anymore, right?" Gu Ximan suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck from behind, pressing her full, soft chest against his back. The warmth seeped through his shirt as she murmured smugly, "Don’t underestimate me. This beauty isn’t some shy little girl."

"Since we’re being honest, let’s lay it all out."

Pausing for emphasis, she enunciated each word:

"I. Have. Always. Liked. You. Since. We. Were. Kids."

"If I hadn’t been so tsundere before, Shu Ning and Shu He wouldn’t have gotten their chance."

Her warm, sweet breath brushed against his earlobe, sending a shiver down Gu Luo’s spine—whether from her words or that puff of air, he couldn’t tell.

Either way, he was completely at her mercy.

This combo attack had drained his HP to zero.

And it was true.

If Gu Ximan had confessed her feelings to Gu Luo earlier, given how much he doted on her, he would’ve agreed after some consideration.

Shu Ning and Shu He wouldn’t have gotten ahead of her.

But in matters of the heart, there’s no such thing as a do-over.

Everyone makes mistakes in love, leaving regrets in their wake.

And life, in the end, is just a series of those regrets.

That said—

The reason Gu Ximan had never voiced her feelings before, hiding them behind tsundere antics, was simple: she didn’t want to put Gu Luo in a tough spot.

But then Gu Luo enrolled at Guangya and instantly became the so-called "Gu God," drowning in adoration from every girl at school.

The pressure skyrocketed.

She couldn’t risk someone else snatching him away.

So she launched her offensive.

As for the rest? Right now, none of it mattered.

"I... don’t deserve this."

Gu Luo genuinely felt unworthy of such treatment. How could goddess-tier beauties like Ximan and Shu He both accept him playing the field?

"Ugh, stop acting humble when you’ve already won."

Gu Ximan pinched his ear in annoyance. "You’re such a playboy—how dare you get all sentimental now?"

After a pause, she changed the subject. "By the way, Gu Luo, didn’t you say you’re taking me and Xuexue to karaoke tomorrow?"

"Yeah, with Senior Sister Qing and Senior Brother Situ."

Gu Luo replied.

Gu Ximan tightened her grip. "That’s not the point. The real question is—why did you invite Xuexue? Does that mean something?"

"If you think it does, then it does."

"And what do you think I’m thinking?"

"...How am I supposed to answer that?"

"Come on, just say it!"

They went back and forth like this for a while.

Finally, Gu Ximan lost patience and cut to the chase. "Gu Luo, you know Xuexue likes you, right?"

"...I’m not stupid."

"Say it straight!"

"...I know."

"So what’s your take?"

"...What do you mean?"

"Just say it!"

"I’ll leave it to Lady Ximan’s discretion. Happy now?"

"Hmph, now you’re learning."

Gu Ximan planted a loud kiss on his cheek, clearly thrilled.

Today really was a good day.

Gu Luo felt the dampness on his cheek, his heartbeat speeding up again. After a moment’s hesitation, he ventured, "Ximan... are you... maybe bi?"

"Why would you ask that?"

Gu Ximan knew exactly what he meant. She’d questioned it herself before—but after pinning Lu Xuexue down for a kiss, she’d felt nothing special.

But why would Gu Luo bring this up?

Gu Luo awkwardly explained, "Well... one time your pajamas got wet... and in your sleep, you called out Xuexue’s name..."

Gu Ximan’s face instantly burned crimson.

She’d called Xuexue’s name in her sleep?

That had to be a misunderstanding! Her dreams always involved the three of them... wrestling.

...He must’ve only caught the part where she said Xuexue’s name.

So he thought she had feelings for Lu Xuexue?

And by that logic, when he agreed to their future together, he actually thought he was enabling two lesbians?

No wonder they’d both been so vague—this was beyond awkward.

Their assumptions had lined up perfectly.

What a ridiculous misunderstanding.

Gu Ximan couldn’t stand the thought of being labeled a lesbian. Without thinking, she blurted, "It’s not what you think! In my dream, it wasn’t just Xuexue—you were there too..."

"I definitely called your name, you just happened to hear the Xuexue part..."

"Uh..."

The more she spoke, the worse it sounded...

Had she just accidentally confessed everything?

Gu Luo’s eyes widened.

He was in the dream too?

So that meant...

Wow.

Ximan really was something else.

Now he fully grasped how this mix-up had happened.

"So what?!"

Gu Ximan, furious at her own slip-up, tightened her arm around his neck, puffing her cheeks in a pout. "I just want to be with you and Xuexue, got a problem with that?!"

"N-no problem..."

Gu Luo wheezed, nearly suffocated.

"Hmph."

Gu Ximan finally loosened her grip slightly, burying her flushed face against the back of his neck. Her voice carried a hint of resentment:

"You’re seriously getting too lucky."

"Me, Xuexue, Sister Ning, Sister He—how lucky can you get?"

Gu Luo, with a strong survival instinct, immediately declared: "I like Ximan the most."

"Hah, you think I'm stupid? When you're with Xuexue, it's—'Oh, I like Xuexue the most~~~'; with Sister Ning, it's—'Oh, I like Shu Ning the most~~~'; with Sister He, it's—'Oh, I like Shu He the most~~~'"

Gu Ximan pouted as she spoke.

But the faint upward curve at the corners of her lips betrayed the little joy in her heart.

Girls are just like that—naturally fond of sweet nothings.

Why do they always fall for bad boys? A big reason is that those guys know how to sweet-talk.

Truth or not doesn’t matter; as long as it’s sweet enough.

Gu Luo didn’t dare linger on this deadly topic and quickly changed the subject: "Ximan, do you like money?"

"Duh, who doesn’t?"

"Do you like being showered with money?"

"Duh, shower me to death if you want!"

Gu Luo couldn’t help but laugh at Gu Ximan’s adorable bluntness and pressed on: "Then, do you want me to shower you with money?"

"No."

Gu Ximan shook her head without hesitation.

"Huh? Why not?"

"Stinky Gu Luo, you don’t even have money. I don’t want your sugar-mommy cash."

"......"

Gu Luo was speechless. He wanted to argue, but honestly, he did seem like a freeloader from every angle.

Well, it wasn’t just suspicion—it was fact.

The three Luo sisters were practically fighting to spend money on him.

"I’ll earn it myself, then shower you with it, okay?" Gu Luo was reminded of the scene a week ago when Shu He had showered him and Ximan with cash.

Gotta admit, it felt amazing.

Of course, he’d returned all those stacks of red bills afterward.

Hearing this, Gu Ximan eyed him skeptically. "You? Earn money? How?"

"Don’t worry about that. Just know I’ll earn it myself and spend it all on you, alright?"

"Fine then~~~ This Ximan will reluctantly agree."

Gu Ximan’s heart swelled with sweetness, and even the sunlight seemed brighter.

To her, even if Gu Luo only earned a few dozen or hundred bucks from a weekend side job, it would mean more to her than Shu He’s tens of thousands.

"Deal."

Seeing Gu Ximan happy made Gu Luo happy too.

He had a system at his disposal but had been coasting along—that really wasn’t right.

If he wanted to be a playboy and have his cake and eat it too, he needed to prove himself.

Starting with making big money and showering Ximan with it.

"Oh, by the way, is Xuexue still waiting downstairs?"

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

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