Bro, did you guys know each other before

Gu Ximan declared she would go along with a breezy tone, but her body betrayed her true feelings.

The entire walk there, she stayed hidden behind Gu Luo, her petite frame pressed tightly against him.

Just as they were about to approach, a stylishly dressed middle-aged woman subtly reached out and gently tugged at Gu Luo’s sleeve.

Then, she shook her head slightly—her message couldn’t have been clearer: Young man, don’t meddle in other people’s business. Don’t invite unnecessary trouble for yourself.

Gu Luo merely smiled in response but didn’t stop. He continued forward.

Society nowadays could indeed be cold.

But he understood why.

On the other side.

Luo Shuhe stood firmly in front of her sister, Luo Shuning.

Her eyes were like icy pools, fixed coldly on the overweight man before them.

At the same time, she couldn’t help but feel exasperated. Even though my sister has been out of the industry for years and wears a mask in public, she still gets recognized by an obsessive fan.

Just as she was thinking this, Luo Shuhe glanced up inadvertently and spotted a young couple from the other end of the train car walking briskly toward them.

In the blink of an eye, the two arrived, positioning themselves firmly in front of her and her sister.

It was Gu Luo, with Gu Ximan hiding behind him.

Luo Shuhe’s gaze lingered on Gu Luo’s tall, straight figure, momentarily stunned. The sharpness in her eyes gradually faded, replaced by an indescribable tangle of emotions.

Even the grip she had on her sister’s hand loosened unconsciously, her thoughts entirely captivated by this sudden appearance of the young man.

Gu Luo looked at the heavyset man before him and spoke calmly, "Friend, there are surveillance cameras on this train. Security will be here soon. If you don’t want to escalate things, go back to your seat."

Then, he turned to the two masked girls and said, "You two should move to the next car."

"Mm… Thank you. Be careful, stay safe," Luo Shuning said softly, tilting her head up slightly to look at Gu Luo, who stood over six feet tall. She exhaled in quiet relief.

The encounter with the obsessive fan had genuinely frightened her.

She knew staying would only complicate things further.

So, she reached out and lightly tugged at Luo Shuhe’s wrist, preparing to leave for now.

But there was no response.

Luo Shuning turned her head and noticed Luo Shuhe staring intently at the young man shielding them.

In her eyes, emotions swirled like a tangled web.

Seeing her sister’s expression, Luo Shuning was taken aback.

This is the first time I’ve ever seen Shuhe wear such a complicated, subtle look.

Meanwhile, the fan, seeing his idol about to leave, panicked and instinctively shoved at Gu Luo’s shoulder.

Gu Ximan’s heart clenched at the sight.

Her mind raced like a slideshow—images flashing by of her brother and the man shoving each other, their hands tangling, the situation spiraling out of control, escalating into a full-blown fight.

She wasn’t the only one. The other passengers in the car were likely imagining the same scenario.

But what happened next defied all expectations.

Everyone froze.

Gu Luo stood firm, his expression unreadable. His arm, solid as steel, had already pinned the man—who looked to weigh over 300 pounds—onto the cold train floor.

The man flailed wildly, but no matter how he struggled, he couldn’t break free from Gu Luo’s hold. His disheveled state was downright pitiful.

Meanwhile, before Gu Luo’s eyes, the points on his system interface were steadily draining.

Points: 204

Points: 201

Points: 198

Points: 195

...

Three points consumed every second.

His physical stats had jumped from 7 to 10.

With my little sister here, I can’t take any risks. Better to use overwhelming force. And we’re not at the point where I need to pull out [Combat Mastery] to beat someone up.

"Bro…"

Gu Ximan’s throat felt clogged. She swallowed hard, struggling to even form words.

Her eyes were wide with shock and disbelief.

Because she had just witnessed the entire scene—Gu Luo taking down that hulking man with terrifying ease.

Clean. Precise.

The man’s massive frame might as well have been made of paper for all the resistance it offered.

But most importantly—

What kind of strength is this?

Is this really the same annoying older brother I know?

Sure, she knew he worked out daily, sculpting those enviable abs, pecs, and every other muscle group.

But this was ridiculous.

Before Gu Ximan could even begin to process her shock, hurried footsteps echoed through the car.

Several uniformed train security officers rushed over.

After quickly assessing the situation, they escorted everyone off the train at the next station.

......

"I’m sorry, I’m so sorry! I just got too excited…"

"Really, I’m Shuning-jie’s biggest fan! Back when I was struggling with my weight, even suicidal thoughts… it was her music that got me through…"

Inside the security office.

The heavyset boy—his face flushed with remorse—bowed repeatedly to Luo Shuning and her sister, his voice thick with guilt.

Every word dripped with sincerity, as if wrung straight from his heart.

Only then did Gu Luo learn that this "Li Kui" was actually just a middle schooler.

What on earth is he eating to grow this tall?

At over six foot three, he towered over his peers like a crane among chickens.

Then again, Gu Luo mused, maybe it wasn’t that surprising.

In this day and age, with nutrition better than ever, boys were shooting up like weeds.

He’d heard that in Lu Province, six feet was practically the baseline for guys.

After listening to the apology, Luo Shuning—the one directly involved—shook her head gently.

"It’s alright. I forgive you. And I’m really happy my music could help you," she said, her voice soft as a spring breeze.

"I just never expected anyone to recognize me, especially with the mask on."

Gu Luo couldn’t help but study Luo Shuning a little longer.

So this gentle, refined girl was the once nationally beloved "Little Sister Luo"—Luo Ningning (stage name).

A prodigy who excelled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.

Whose voice alone could heal hearts.

Yet her career had been as fleeting as a meteor.

After debuting to massive fame, she abruptly vanished from the entertainment world within months—no explanation given.

The backlash had been brutal. Hate and slander poured in.

Had it not been for today’s incident, Gu Luo would’ve completely forgotten about her.

That was the nature of stardom.

Reduce your exposure, and the spotlight fades fast.

Memories of you dissolve into the ether.

Especially since Luo Shuning’s time in the industry had been so brief.

And yet, even so, there were still devoted fans like this heavyset boy—fans who could pick her out of a crowd at a glance.

Such persistence and passion are truly rare.

Luo Shuning smiled gently at the fan and asked, "Would you like an autograph?"

"Really? Can I?" The chubby boy immediately perked up with excitement.

"Of course."

In the end, Gu Luo also sincerely apologized to his young fan.

And with that, the matter was settled.

The four of them stepped out of the security room.

As they walked, Gu Ximan couldn’t suppress her curiosity, her eyes darting furtively toward Luo Shuning and Luo Shuhe.

Though the sisters still wore masks, the elegance in their eyes and the unique aura they exuded made Gu Ximan marvel inwardly—they were breathtakingly beautiful, almost impossible to look away from.

Is this how others feel when they look at me?

In other words—narcissism.

These siblings shared an uncanny rapport in certain areas.

"Thank you so much," Luo Shuning suddenly stopped and bowed slightly toward Gu Luo once more.

At that time, he was the only one in the entire train car who had stepped forward.

She was genuinely grateful.

"No problem," Gu Luo replied with a polite smile before preparing to leave with Gu Ximan, showing no intention of further conversation.

They had to reach Tianshui Restaurant by six—it was their first meeting, and being late wasn’t an option.

Plus, they still had three stops to go. Time was tight.

Most people would feel at least a little excited upon meeting a celebrity, even a faded one.

But Gu Ximan was an anime enthusiast with little interest in the entertainment industry, and Gu Luo felt the same—to him, it was just a small favor.

Just as the two were about to turn away, Luo Shuhe, who had remained silent until now, suddenly spoke up, her voice cool and detached:

"Wait."

Her tone resembled Luo Shuning’s, but carried an unmistakable chill.

Without another word, she unlocked her phone, tapped the screen, and pulled up a QR code before holding it out directly toward Gu Luo.

The message was clear.

Gu Luo froze for a moment, caught off guard.

Was she asking to add him as a friend?

And for some reason, the way Luo Shuhe looked at him felt... strange.

Gu Ximan, however, reacted quickly. Seeing the scene unfold, she immediately whipped out her phone, scanned the code with a beep, and said,

"I’ll add you for my brother. You can talk to me if there’s anything."

Yet Luo Shuhe didn’t budge. She kept her phone screen fixed on Gu Luo, her icy gaze unwavering, as if refusing to back down until she got her way.

Luo Shuning, standing beside her, was even more surprised by her sister’s behavior.

After all, Luo Shuhe was notoriously aloof and reclusive at school—she avoided closeness with anyone, especially boys.

For her to actively seek out a male stranger’s contact today? This was beyond unusual.

Gu Ximan studied Luo Shuhe’s motionless stance, her feminine intuition screaming that there was more to this.

She leaned toward Gu Luo and whispered suspiciously, "Hey, do you two know each other?"

"No, this is our first time meeting," Gu Luo answered firmly without hesitation.

It was the truth—he had no connections to celebrities or their families.

At his words, Luo Shuhe’s grip on her phone tightened slightly, as if stung by something.

She began to lower her hand, but halfway down, she seemed to change her mind—then raised it again, resolutely holding the screen toward Gu Luo.

Still, she said nothing, standing there in silence.

Yet for some reason, Gu Luo suddenly felt as though the cold, detached girl before him had grown fragile in an instant.

As if a single gust of wind could sweep her away.

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

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