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.
............
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ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
m back to his original world. In the end, he realized he had overthought things. [Hey, why is Shen Manni, the female lead, acting strange? Shouldn't she be fawning over the male lead at this point?] [Zhou Qiaoqiao, are you sick? Weren't you supposed to break off your engagement today?] [Damn it! An Youyi, please do your job as an undercover agent and sell my information to the protagonist, you idiot!] ... At this moment, Xu Mo himself didn't know that these female leads had already heard his inner thoughts. Then they decided not to play by the rules. Xu Mo: Please respect my profession as the big villain!
he colors of other people’s emotions. Light red meant anxiety. Gray meant exhaustion. Orange meant excitement. Yellow... meant repression. At the same time, he could gain unlimited control over one of those colors. Pale cyan: relaxation. Using this ability, he started offering “two-yuan hugs,” spending an afternoon exchanging emotional-color experiences with others. Then came his final female customer of the day— a girl whose emotional color was pure black... —— A week later, Xu Chuan had become skilled at using pale cyan—Relaxation—treating it like a bottle of menthol balm whenever he needed it. That was when he discovered he had unlocked another unlimited emotional color: Purple, the color of fear. So these emotional colors refresh every week? Fine, I take it back—I’ll never call you useless again... —— Much later, after Xu Chuan had accumulated countless emotional abilities, one night, he suddenly found himself inside someone else’s dream. There, he could use the emotional colors he possessed to paint. And in her dream, he painted her a shower of pink shooting stars, spreading across the depths of the night sky...
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
