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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tions: attribute allocation, analysis, proficiency, and simulation. Specializing in mechanical alchemy, from crafting sorcerous battle armor to handcrafting mechanical maidens, his mechanical legion conquers endless realms... Relying on his wits, he begins with a student-teacher romance, wins over a female director, enslaves a female assassin and a underworld queen, becoming the husband of a Grand Duchess... He enslaves the Goddess of Magic from the divine realm, developing his power simultaneously in both the Wizard World and the Realm of Gods...
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!
rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!
transmigrates into the world as the sect master of the Heavenly Yan Sect, which is on the verge of being wiped out. He binds a system that grants him cultivation power based on the number of disciples he has: for each disciple, he automatically gains a year's worth of cultivation every single day! Take one disciple: every day he gains 1 year of cultivation power. While others struggle through a year of bitter training, he gets the same just by sleeping through a single night. Take ten disciples: every day he gains 10 years of cultivation power. Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul—he breezes through all bottlenecks without lifting a finger. Take one hundred disciples: every day he gains 100 years of cultivation power. Even a Soul Transformation Venerable before him can’t survive a single blow. Take ten thousand disciples: every day he gains 10,000 years of cultivation power! With a wave of his hand, he topples empires. With a single step, he crushes the sacred grounds of the universe. ... While others fight tooth and nail for secret techniques, Lin Yan casually hands out Nascent Soul-level cultivation manuals as beginner textbooks. While others strain to find talented recruits, Lin Yan opens his doors to anyone—so long as they’re human. In just three short years, the Heavenly Yan Sect went from a backwater sect made up of three crumbling huts to a sacred land that every cultivator under heaven would kill to enter. ... One day, otherworldly demon gods invade, with a million demon soldiers pressing down upon the realm. Lin Yan, yawning, rises from his lounge chair and glances at the system panel: [Current Disciples: 1.28 million] [Daily Cultivation Increase: 1.28 million years] He waves his hand casually, and the countless demon soldiers are reduced to ashes in an instant. “So noisy… interrupting my fishing.”
