Luo Shuning watched as the private dining room door was gradually closed by the attendant, sighing helplessly in her heart.
Shuling was late again, as expected.
She should have called to remind her earlier.
As the older sister, she hadn’t fulfilled her responsibility properly.
Luo Shuning quietly averted her gaze, stealing a glance at her mother’s expressionless face.
Mother despised people with no sense of punctuality the most.
But perhaps it wouldn’t be a problem in front of their new family members.
"Big bro... not everyone’s here yet, why did they close the door?"
Gu Ximan skillfully employed a ‘secret technique’ honed in school—her lips barely moved, yet her words came out in a whisper.
Gu Luo shook his head slightly, indicating he wasn’t sure.
Locking their daughter out just for being late...
This stepmother didn’t seem like someone easy to get along with.
Before long, the door to the private room was pushed open again.
Gu Luo initially thought it was Luo Shuling, whom he hadn’t met yet, but it turned out to be a waiter carrying a tray.
The food on the tray was exquisitely plated, each dish resembling a meticulously crafted work of art, with colors harmoniously arranged to please the eye.
This meal must have been extremely expensive.
But upon closer thought, ninety percent of the cost was probably spent on this flashy but impractical presentation.
Gu Luo’s verdict—pretty to look at, but not as satisfying as a simple plate of fried rice.
At least such extravagance wouldn’t trick ordinary folks.
As he pondered, the door suddenly opened again.
This time, it wasn’t a waiter but a breathless ‘short-haired version of Luo Shuning’—the youngest of the triplets, Luo Shuling.
Unlike her sisters, Luo Shuling sported a playful pixie cut that accentuated her flawless features, adding a touch of spirited charm to her appearance.
A girl like her would usually be popular in both heterosexual and same-sex circles.
Luo Shuling offered an awkward smile, taking small steps toward her mother before bowing her head.
Luo Liang, however, acted as if she hadn’t noticed, continuing to eat from her plate with graceful, unhurried movements.
Only after finishing the bite did she leisurely pick up a napkin, dabbing the corner of her lips before speaking:
"Three minutes late."
"Go stand outside as punishment."
"Mom... it’s because I—" Luo Shuling tried to explain.
"Out."
Luo Liang didn’t even glance at her, cutting her off.
"Oh..."
Luo Shuling’s head drooped even lower, like a frostbitten eggplant, her entire demeanor wilting.
Just as she turned to leave, a clear voice suddenly spoke up.
"Excuse me, wait a moment."
At that instant, everyone except Luo Liang turned their eyes toward the source of the voice.
Luo Shuling blinked her lively, beautiful eyes in astonishment, her expression full of disbelief.
"Ahem..." Gu Luo sat upright in his seat, addressing Luo Liang softly. "Auntie, I think we should hear Shuling’s reason for being late first."
"If there’s a valid explanation, I believe some leniency would be appropriate."
No choice—his spineless dad not only stayed silent but even secretly kicked him under the table.
Besides, his system mission was to take care of the three sisters.
If he let one of them get red-carded right at the start...
He had to salvage the situation.
At that moment, the three Luo sisters stared at Gu Luo as if he were a ‘hero’ descending from the heavens.
In all their years, this was the first time they’d seen someone defy their mother.
Seeing an ally step in, Luo Shuling seized the opportunity and quickly explained:
"Here’s what happened—there was an issue at today’s club activity, and as the president, I had to stay behind to handle it. Then, on my way here, I ran into an elderly woman with dementia. She kept wandering into the road, and there were no traffic police nearby, so I called the authorities and stayed to look after her. That’s why..."
Her words spilled out rapidly, like beans pouring from a bamboo tube, her desperation palpable.
Yet.
Luo Liang simply asked calmly, "Finished?"
"Finished..."
"Out."
"..."
Luo Shuling opened her mouth, wanting to plead further, but ultimately chose to obey, turning around obediently.
But just as she was about to leave, that familiar ‘ally’ voice spoke again.
"Uh... sorry, just one more moment."
Gu Luo almost wanted to facepalm, suppressing his embarrassment, but since he’d already started, he might as well charge ahead.
Also, Dad, stop kicking me!
Hearing this, Luo Shuling quickly turned back, subtly waving at Gu Luo to signal he shouldn’t push further.
Meanwhile, Luo Liang finally turned her gaze toward him.
Gu Luo suddenly felt uneasy all over.
Taking a quiet breath, he forced an awkward smile. "Auntie, Shuling has already explained why she was late. I think what she did was commendable."
"And so?"
Luo Liang’s expression remained unchanged. "That doesn’t justify being late."
"Being late is the outcome—sacrificing your own interests for others."
"If you can’t even take responsibility for yourself, how can you take responsibility for others?"
Seeing that Luo Liang was willing to engage, Gu Luo relaxed slightly and pressed on:
"Auntie, I understand your point, and I know you want Shuling to learn the importance of punctuality."
"But when it comes to a family meal, I don’t think this is the way. Family should be about mutual understanding and tolerance."
"In fact, given the circumstances, we shouldn’t punish Shuling—we should praise her."
Pausing, he took another breath before continuing: "Some things are simply more important than others."
He had no choice but to push forward.
This was a tactical approach.
Gu Luo’s only goal was to let Luo Shuling sit down and eat, but in negotiations, he had to aim higher.
That way, the other party had room to ‘bargain.’
No matter what, he had to secure this meal for his sister.
Hearing this, Luo Shuling blinked rapidly several times.
Praise her?
This teammate was carrying the game!
When things got tough, he really stepped up.
Gu Feng’s look at his son was reminiscent of Cao Cao watching Yuan Shao draw his sword against Dong Zhuo—my sword is no less sharp!
After listening to Gu Luo’s words, Luo Liang simply studied him in silence.
"Let’s eat."
With that, she resumed eating as if nothing had happened.
"Then, Mom... can I...?" Luo Shuling was about to ask if she could stay when Luo Shuning frantically signaled her with her eyes.
Catching on, she quickly took a seat with a bright smile. "Thanks, Mom! Thanks, bro!"
She had a naturally sociable personality.
Luo Liang still didn’t acknowledge her, treating her words like passing wind.
Gu Luo gave Luo Shuling a slight nod before starting to eat.
At the same time, he quietly sighed in relief.
At least he hadn’t messed things up.
From the looks of it, his stepmother didn’t seem too difficult to talk to.
But just as this thought crossed his mind, Luo Liang abruptly announced something.
Both Gu Luo and Gu Ximan froze, exchanging bewildered glances.
............
............
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...
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?"
【Prologue: The Beginning of It All – Use holy water to heal the saintess tainted by demonic energy, then converse with her.】 Shen Nian stared at his older sister sipping yogurt, lost in thought. So you’re telling me my sister is the saintess, and yogurt is the holy water? 【Main Quest 1: Brave Youth, Become an Adventurer! Reward: Rookie Adventurer Title.】 【Side Quest 1: Find the Adorable Kitty! Reward: 1000 Gold Coins.】 Shen Nian: "Wait, I’m a high school senior here—did some guy who got isekai’d accidentally bind his system to me?" Hold on, completing quests gives gold rewards? Titles even boost stats? Is this for real? (A lighthearted, absurd campus comedy—not a revenge power fantasy.)
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...
