The next day.
Tuesday.
The sunlight draped over the earth like golden silk, casting a particularly radiant glow on the exceptionally bright day.
As usual, Gu Luo woke up early, prepared breakfast, and packed a lunchbox. After quickly finishing his meal, he headed to the school garden with an unusual flutter in his heart.
The garden was quiet at this hour, with only a few students around. Chrysanthemums swayed gently in the breeze.
Sitting on a bench, Gu Luo glanced at the two bottles of milk tucked inside his bag, his emotions tangled.
That morning, Luo Shuning had not only warmed a cup of milk for him but had also sneakily slipped two extra bottles into his backpack when he wasn’t looking.
Hard to describe.
Really hard to describe.
Though the awkwardness from last night still lingered, he couldn’t ignore the kindness behind her gesture.
Gu Luo couldn’t help but replay Luo Shuning’s words from earlier:
"Big bro, sorry about last night. I shouldn’t have come to you like that."
"And... you’d rather embarrass yourself than let me feel uncomfortable..."
"Thank you, really. So... this’ll be our little secret from now on, okay~?"
Secrets, after all, were the magical threads that drew people closer.
Gu Luo never imagined things would unfold this way.
All he could say was—gentle girls truly were the most beautiful existence in the world.
"Stupid big bro! Did you miss me?!"
After who-knows-how-long, Gu Luo felt a small hand tap his shoulder, followed by Gu Ximan’s energetic voice.
Turning around, he saw the lively Gu Ximan and Lu Xuexue, who was hiding behind her like a shy little rabbit.
Both wore playful twin ponytails, their hair swaying with every movement, radiating youthful charm.
Gu Luo’s lips curled into a doting smile. "So much that I couldn’t even eat."
"Eww~ So cheesy. But I know you mean it." Gu Ximan waved a hand in mock disgust, though the slight upturn of her lips betrayed her delight.
With a soft chuckle, Gu Luo shifted his gaze to Lu Xuexue behind her and greeted warmly, "Morning, Xuexue."
"G-Good morning, Brother Gu."
Her voice was as light as the garden breeze, her cheeks tinged pink.
Brother Gu greeted her!
She cheered silently in her heart.
Good. Gotta keep this up!
Gu Ximan plopped down beside Gu Luo, lifting her chin like a little princess. "Stupid big bro, Xuexue and I are waking up early this weekend to buy figurines. You’re coming with us."
"...About that. I’ve got plans both days."
"With who?!" Gu Ximan instantly went on high alert, eyes wide like a territorial kitten.
"Classmates on Saturday, and Shuning on Sunday—we’re going clothes shopping. I was gonna ask you, but seems like you’re busy."
Gu Luo kept his tone casual, but internally, he was sweating bullets.
No way could he explain the situation between him and Luo Shuhe.
Sigh.
What a mess. Another lie.
But Gu Ximan’s focus had already zeroed in on one thing: Gu Luo and Luo Shuning going clothes shopping together.
Shopping for clothes? That’s basically a date!
Big bro and Luo Shuning? Alone?!
The thought looped in her mind.
"I’m on cleaning duty today, so I’ll head back first. Don’t stay out too long, okay?" Gu Luo stood, ruffled Gu Ximan’s hair, left the lunchbox behind, and hurried off.
His steps were just a tad too quick.
Guilt was a heavy burden.
He dreaded Gu Ximan pressing for details about his "classmates" on Saturday.
No more lies. Please.
Yet, their concerns were worlds apart.
"Ximan... you okay?"
Lu Xuexue took Gu Luo’s vacated seat, worry lacing her voice.
"I... I’m fine. Totally fine."
Gu Ximan sucked in a breath, forcing a smile. "Who cares who big bro goes out with?"
But as she spoke, her grin faded, replaced by a pout, her eyes clouded with dejection.
Lu Xuexue quickly reassured her, "Ximan... it might not be a date. Brother Gu said he originally planned to invite you..."
"Who knows? Maybe they are dating..."
"Things like this... you never know..."
"And they met through that cliché ‘hero-saves-the-damsel’ trope."
Gu Ximan’s mood sank lower with every word.
Hearing this, Lu Xuexue grew uneasy too.
She knew all too well the magnetism Gu Luo carried—an allure impossible to resist.
And Luo Shuning? A top-tier beauty, elegant and stunning, one of triplets.
If those two got together...
Lu Xuexue didn’t dare finish the thought.
Biting her lip, she tentatively suggested, "Ximan, if you’re this worried... why don’t we secretly follow them this weekend?"
"What do you think?"
Gu Ximan perked up instantly but hesitated. "Xuexue, weren’t you super excited for the ‘Cool Prince’ figurine?"
"Ah, it’s fine!"
"Waaah, Xuexue, you’re the best!" Gu Ximan hugged her like a lifeline.
"I-It’s nothing..."
Lu Xuexue averted her eyes, guilt creeping in.
Meanwhile.
Elsewhere.
The moment Gu Luo stepped into the classroom, he sensed something off.
Too many eyes on him.
It was unsettling.
Puzzled, he made his way to his seat—only to find Shen Yue slumped over her desk, utterly listless.
............
............
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
ing gift was a patch of barren land, and disciples were all picked up along the way. He spent fifty years diligently building three "ramshackle little sects," thinking he could finally live a carefree life relying on his disciples. But right at the fifty-year mark, he was suddenly swept away by a spatial rift and exiled to the Chaos Desolation, the Disorderly Ruins. There was no spiritual energy there, only slaughter. Relying on the cultivation feedback from his disciples, Gu Changyuan hacked his way through a sea of blood for eleven hundred years. When the system finally fished him back out, he discovered the ramshackle little sects he'd built back then had developed a rather... unusual style. Hold on... I vanished for a thousand years, so how did my ramshackle little sects become holy lands?!
iaobai: "Councilor Dad, front me some funds. I want to hire ten thousand professional miners for a project!" [Five-Star Mission Issued: Capture the leader of the Blood Heaven Pirate Gang, who is on the run in the Radiant Star Sector. It is said the gang has over a hundred members. Proceed with caution.] Lu Xiaobai: "Councilor Dad, lend me the family's hundred-thousand-strong Lu Army!" [Seven-Star Mission Issued: Subdue a juvenile Void Dragon Beast.] Lu Xiaobai: "Councilor Dad, I'm taking your tamed Void Dragon Beast King out for a family reunion!" I said, System, don't you have any slightly more challenging missions? You're just not up to par! [Nine-Star Mission Issued: Become the Human Councilor.] Lu Xiaobai: "Dad, there's a small matter I'd like to discuss with you..."
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?"
