Gu Luo took a slight breath, turned around, and put on a perfectly measured smile before gesturing to Luo Shuning to take a sip of water.
Seeing this, Luo Shuning smiled softly, nodded lightly, and then redirected her attention back to the clothing rack, resuming her careful selection of outfits.
Noticing this, Gu Luo practically flew across the floor, quickly striding over to the shop assistant.
The assistant had just finished pouring water. "Here you go, young man—half hot, half cold. If you’d prefer it not warm, I can pour another cup for you."
"Warm is fine, thank you."
Gu Luo politely accepted the cup.
Admittedly, such thoughtful service made it easy for customers to willingly spend money here.
But now, a question arose.
Why was this shop assistant here?
His memory was clear—she was supposed to be working at the third shop to the right on the neighboring street.
Thinking this, Gu Luo directly asked, "Miss, weren’t you at the shop across the street?"
"Both stores are run by relatives in my family. This one’s busier, so I came to help out," the assistant explained with a smile.
Ah, so that was it.
Truly, life was full of surprises.
If he hadn’t stopped himself earlier, things would’ve definitely gone sideways by now.
With that in mind, Gu Luo decided to employ a small self-sabotage tactic.
He scratched the back of his head sheepishly and said, "Um, miss, could I trouble you with something?"
"Sure, go ahead." The assistant seemed intrigued.
"Well, she’s actually in a bit of a bad mood today, so..." Gu Luo paused before continuing, "I really shouldn’t be talking to other girls right now—especially someone as pretty as you. So later, could you pretend not to acknowledge us? Sorry for the trouble..."
"Oh! I see, no problem at all!" The assistant waved her hands dismissively, grinning. "I’ll stay on the other side and won’t disturb you lovebirds."
Meanwhile, her heart swelled with delight.
So this handsome guy thought she was pretty?
But then, like a wise older sister, she added earnestly, "Young man, cherish the person beside you."
"Got it. Thanks, miss."
With the potential crisis averted, Gu Luo carried the two cups of water and walked back with light steps.
Luo Shuning was currently absorbed in comparing two nearly identical outfits. Seeing her brother return, she immediately smiled and asked, "Brother, I think both of these would suit you perfectly."
"They do look great," Gu Luo agreed, setting one cup on a nearby stool before naturally taking the two garments from her hands.
"Shuning, have some water first. It’s warm."
"Okay."
As she sipped, Luo Shuning studied Gu Luo with her bright, wide eyes.
"...What’s up?"
Under her gaze, Gu Luo grew slightly flustered and instinctively averted his eyes.
"Nothing. I just think you’re really handsome—you’d look good in anything." She blinked playfully and suggested with a grin, "How about I buy all the new arrivals here for you, and you can just cycle through them?"
"......"
Well, this was...
Gu Luo was momentarily speechless, his expression caught between amusement and exasperation.
He vaguely recalled someone claiming earlier that morning that they didn’t spend money recklessly.
Oh, so she didn’t splurge—just showered her brother with gifts instead?
Mystery solved. This was the sugar-coated artillery of capitalism.
He absolutely had to resist the temptation.
"No jokes, okay? I have enough clothes as it is," Gu Luo said with a chuckle.
He was terrified Luo Shuning would follow in Luo Shuhe’s footsteps and impulsively dive into a shopping frenzy.
One little devil forcing her lavish affection on him was more than enough.
The little angel absolutely must not be corrupted.
"I’m not joking. I really do want to buy you a whole wardrobe."
Luo Shuning’s eyes were utterly sincere, not a trace of teasing in them.
After a pause, she smiled again—so tenderly it could melt hearts—and added, "But of course, I’ll always listen to you first."
Hearing this, Gu Luo felt as if Cupid’s arrow had struck him square in the chest, leaving him dizzy.
How could anyone resist this?
The little angel truly was an angel.
Not only did she spoil him, but she did it with such compliant obedience that it left him utterly defenseless.
Absolutely wrecked.
He was so wrecked.
He couldn’t even imagine who the lucky guy would be to marry Luo Shuning someday.
But surely, it’d have to be someone incredibly handsome and outstanding.
After paying and stepping out of the store, Gu Luo smiled and said, "Shuning, I’ve got enough clothes now. Let’s go pick something for Ximan."
"But I still want to buy you more."
Luo Shuning was still basking in the joy of selecting outfits for him.
Hearing this, Gu Luo pointed at her flawless feet. "It’s enough, really. Mostly, I’m worried because you’re wearing heels today. If we walk too much, your ankles will hurt by tonight."
At this reasoning, Luo Shuning immediately agreed.
Her heart warmed.
Her brother was so thoughtful, so considerate.
Even though he was clearly enjoying shopping, he gave it up just to spare her discomfort.
And so, she began mentally romanticizing the situation all over again.
If measured in favorability, it would have skyrocketed in that moment.
Gentle souls like her always interpreted the actions of loved ones in the kindest light, instinctively attributing the purest intentions to them.
Only when Luo Shuning relented did Gu Luo finally exhale in relief.
The crisis was averted.
He’d been genuinely afraid of another mishap.
Today’s operation could not go off the rails!
Yet the moment he thought this, Luo Shuning spoke up again.
"Oh, brother, since we’re already here, why don’t I take you to get a custom-tailored suit? There’s a small shop nearby that does excellent work."
Gu Luo’s vision nearly darkened.
Did the universe enjoy slapping him in the face this quickly?
Had Luo Shuhe the little devil even dug a suit-shaped pit for him?
And if the little devil knew the tailor, then the little angel probably did too.
Going there would be a guaranteed disaster.
"Ahem..."
His mind raced for a solution before he forced another smile.
"Shuning, let’s save it for next time."
His tone carried just the right mix of regret and anticipation. "What I mean is, I really love going shopping with you. So if we get the suit now, we won’t have an excuse to come out again later."
Damn, he sounded like such a player.
But this was the price of lying—every step was a tightrope walk.
One misstep, and the whole thing would blow up in his face.
"Oh, I see... Well then~~ I really enjoy going shopping with my brother too." Under the barrage of such smooth talk, Luo Shuning had absolutely no resistance left.
Her heart was practically overflowing with joy.
Her emotional needs had already been fully satisfied.
Phew...
Gu Luo was internally panicking, but he maintained a gentle smile on his face as he said, "Then let's go buy some clothes for Ximan."
"Mm, okay."
And so, the two of them began browsing through women's clothing stores.
..............
"See, Xuexue? I told you—my dumb older brother and Shuning-jie are just out shopping for clothes together."
"Now they’re probably getting something for me. I really want to go pick something out myself."
Not far away, Gu Ximan spoke with a relaxed tone as she grinned at Lu Xuexue beside her.
"Yeah, Brother Gu and Senior Shuning really do just seem like ordinary siblings," Lu Xuexue chimed in, her previously anxious heart finally settling down.
"We were overthinking it. My dumb brother actually has some sense of boundaries."
"Mhm!"
After secretly observing them for a while longer and confirming that nothing unusual was going on, Lu Xuexue turned to Gu Ximan and said,
"Manman, I’m going to grab some drinks. What do you want?"
"Definitely grape taro balls! But today, instead of half sugar, I want it at 70% sweetness."
"Got it. Manman, you keep following them for now. There’s a Luckin Coffee right across the street—I’ll be back soon."
"Oki doki~"
With that, Lu Xuexue headed straight for the opposite side of the street.
Along the way, she reached up and pulled off her mask.
Wearing an N95 for too long really did get stuffy.
"Dear valued customers, great news! Great news! Luckin Coffee’s Caizhou Avenue branch is now officially open!"
"Bring your loved ones..."
"Special opening promotion—exclusive benefits for parent-child pairs, couples, and married couples! Buy one, get one free!..."
Buy one, get one free for couples.
Hearing this, Lu Xuexue’s mind immediately conjured up sweet images of her and Gu Luo coming to buy milk tea together.
Gu Luo would then gently pat her head, followed by all sorts of other intimate gestures...
Just thinking about it...
Her cheeks unconsciously grew warm.
Business at this Luckin Coffee branch was booming today, with several young couples among the customers.
The moment Lu Xuexue stepped inside, multiple gazes instantly turned her way.
Well, what guy could resist the allure of a white thigh-highs-wearing, twin-tailed lolita?
Especially one with such a fair and adorable face—she might as well have stepped right out of an anime.
What was that saying again? "Rejecting infantilized beauty standards starts with you."
Several guys in the shop were already itching to ask for Lu Xuexue’s contact info.
A top-tier lolita like this was an ultra-rare spawn.
If they missed this chance, who knew how long they’d have to wait for the next one?
"I’d like two grape taro balls, room temperature—one at 70% sugar, one full sugar. Thank you," Lu Xuexue said softly to the cashier.
"Sure, here’s your receipt. It’ll be ready soon."
"Thanks." Lu Xuexue took the receipt and was about to find a seat to wait when suddenly, her attention was drawn to the wall behind her.
To be more precise, to a photo hanging on that wall.
............
............
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.
lities. One day, Qi Yuan was buying groceries when he unfortunately came face-to-face with a monster. Just when he thought he was going to die on the spot, he suddenly heard the monster's thoughts... "This aura, he's definitely not an ordinary master!" "So terrifying, so terrifying." "A fight with my back against the wall, I can't take it anymore." Qi Yuan: Ah, no one told me that my awakened ability isn't telepathy, but rather the stronger my enemies imagine me to be, the stronger I truly become. PS: Zhou Hai in the first chapter is not the protagonist.
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.”
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!
