"Gu Luo, Gu Luo."
Gu Luo nodded in response and immediately sped up his dishwashing.
Luo Shuning did the same.
The two worked together seamlessly, their movements swift and steady, as if they had practiced this routine countless times.
Clean plates glided effortlessly between their hands, soon neatly stacked in the cupboard.
Normally, they would take their time washing dishes—truth be told, they just wanted to spend a little longer together.
Without realizing it, the kitchen had become their own little world of subtle affection.
Gu Feng quietly stepped back outside the kitchen, silently watching the scene unfold before him. A knowing smile curled at the corners of his lips.
His eyes brimmed with satisfaction.
They were just too perfect for each other.
His son and Shuning were practically made for one another.
And if they ever had a baby, whether it took after the father or the mother, it would undoubtedly be absolutely adorable.
Just as Gu Feng was lost in sweet fantasies of the future, envisioning the blissful days when he’d become a grandfather, a sudden chill crept up his spine.
This feeling was all too familiar—whenever Luo Liang fixed her gaze on him, this inexplicable coldness would follow.
"Uncle, why are you smiling so happily?"
Right on cue, a crisp voice sounded beside him.
Gu Feng instinctively turned and was met with a strikingly beautiful face—one that mirrored Luo Liang’s usual expressionless demeanor.
It was Luo Shuhe, whose looks and figure were identical to Luo Shuning’s.
She stood there quietly, exuding an icy aura like a frozen statue.
"Shuhe…"
Gu Feng quickly plastered on a smile, inwardly relieved.
Then, with a slight gesture, he motioned toward the dining area, signaling for them to talk there.
Luo Shuhe gave a small nod and followed.
"Shuhe, has your brother been taking good care of you all?" Gu Feng asked warmly.
"Brother takes very good care of us," Luo Shuhe replied succinctly, her voice devoid of emotion.
"That’s good…" Gu Feng nodded approvingly before casually adding, as if it were just an offhand question:
"So, Gu Luo and Shuning get along well, don’t they?"
At this, Luo Shuhe almost frowned but caught herself, shaking her head instead. "I’m not sure about that."
After a brief pause, she cut straight to the point:
"Uncle, what you really want to ask is whether Gu Luo and Shuning like each other, isn’t it?"
"Ahem…" Caught off guard, Gu Feng cautiously glanced toward the living room, ensuring no one else was listening, before nodding slightly. "Well, yes. They’re young, after all."
"And you don’t disapprove?" Luo Shuhe tilted her head slightly, her cold expression now tinged with a hint of playfulness.
"Why would I? It’s natural for young people your age to develop feelings. We’re not old-fashioned parents—we won’t interfere with your relationships."
"I see." Luo Shuhe nodded thoughtfully.
"So… how are Gu Luo and Shuning usually?"
"They’re not as close as Gu Luo and I are." Her answer was crisp and firm.
"…Huh?" Gu Feng was once again thrown off balance, his face a picture of astonishment.
"Gu Luo and I are very close. Besides squeezing toothpaste for his sister, he only does it for me. Not only that, but Gu Luo has also carried me—"
"C-carried you?!"
Gu Feng felt like his brain was overheating, struggling to process the information.
He gestured vaguely, asking, "Uh… what kind of carry are we talking about here?"
"Bridal carry. Hugs…" Luo Shuhe stated matter-of-factly, as if describing the most mundane thing in the world.
"……"
Gu Feng’s mind short-circuited under the sheer volume of revelations.
What in the world was happening?
Was his son actually involved with Shuhe?
Had the chemistry between Gu Luo and Shuning just been a misunderstanding—nothing more than a close sibling bond?
Even as a self-proclaimed expert in matters of the heart, had he misread the situation this badly?
It took Gu Feng a while to regain his composure. "So… Shuhe, are you and Gu Luo dating now?"
Without hesitation, Luo Shuhe nodded. "We will be soon. We’re in that ambiguous stage—just one step away from making it official."
She added, "I’m glad you don’t disapprove."
"Of course not, of course not!" Gu Feng waved his hands reassuringly, his smile widening.
Then, somewhat awkwardly, he pressed further: "But what about Gu Luo and Shuning…?"
"Uncle, don’t misunderstand. Gu Luo and Shuning only appear close because they cook together every day. There’s nothing special beyond that."
Luo Shuhe’s explanation was patient, her voice still cool but crystal clear.
"Oh… I almost got the wrong idea." Gu Feng sighed inwardly, lamenting how age had dulled his perception—he couldn’t even tell who his own son fancied anymore.
"That’s all right. So, Uncle, you could talk to Mom privately about Gu Luo and me." Luo Shuhe gave a slight bow.
"I really like him. If Mom doesn’t agree, I hope you can put in a good word for us."
"I will, but let’s not rush things." Gu Feng hedged diplomatically, offering a placating smile. "For now, focus on your studies. Let the relationship develop naturally. When the time comes, I’ll definitely support you."
He wasn’t about to take any risks—this had all happened within a week!
If he marched up to Luo Liang and announced, "Hey, our son and daughter are together now," he didn’t dare imagine the consequences.
Love was a long game.
No need to hurry.
A flicker of disappointment crossed Luo Shuhe’s face, but she quickly masked it, thanking him politely. "Thank you… Dad."
Hearing that word, Gu Feng beamed and immediately pledged, "Shuhe, don’t worry. Pursue Gu Luo with confidence—your dad’s got your back!"
"Thank you, Dad." Luo Shuhe bowed again.
And just like that, the two formed a secret alliance in the dining room.
"Uncle, we’re done washing up."
Before long, Luo Shuning and Gu Luo emerged from the kitchen.
"Great." Gu Feng smiled at Luo Shuning before turning to Luo Shuhe beside him. "Shuhe, let’s all go for a walk at East Lake Park."
"I’ll pass. My foot’s bothering me a little."
"Your foot? Are you okay?" Gu Feng asked with concern, then shot a pointed look at Gu Luo. "Gu Luo, when you have time, give Shuhe’s foot a massage. As an older brother, you should act like one."
"……"
A question mark slowly materialized above Gu Luo’s head.
Utterly bewildered.
What the hell?
Why did it feel like his cheap old man had been brainwashed by the little devil?
If it were Gu Ximan with a sore foot, it would be understandable.
But this is Luo Shuhe.
Even though she's also a younger sister, massaging her feet still feels a bit too...
Wait, hold on.
Hadn’t he already done it?
Before Gu Luo could speak, Luo Shuning smiled and cut in, "I’ll massage Shuhe’s feet when we get back. No need to trouble you, brother."
"Alright."
Gu Feng nodded with a smile, then subtly exchanged a glance with Luo Shuhe—Dad just gave you a helping hand, too bad it got intercepted.
Luo Shuhe blinked almost imperceptibly in response—Thanks, Dad.
Seeing this, Gu Feng grew even fonder of Luo Shuhe.
Maybe it was because she was the first to call him "Dad," making him feel a special closeness.
Or perhaps their wavelengths just aligned effortlessly, making communication smooth and natural.
Or maybe it was simply his deep love for Luo Liang—love extending to those who shared her temperament, like Luo Shuhe.
Honestly, his son and Shuhe were a match made in heaven.
Shuhe was the perfect daughter-in-law.
Just like that, Comrade Gu Feng completely overturned his stance from mere minutes ago.
His resolve was utterly unreliable.
Meanwhile, Luo Shuling was on the living room sofa, giving Luo Liang a massage. Her technique, though unpolished, was earnest, and Luo Liang rested her eyes, savoring her daughter’s attentive care.
After finishing her meal, Gu Ximan retreated to her room to binge anime, lost in the gripping storyline.
So, only Gu Luo, Luo Shuning, and Gu Feng went downstairs.
They then set off on foot toward East Lake Park.
After the three left, Luo Shuhe remained silent for a long while.
Then, she slowly walked to the fridge, opened it, and took out a carton of yogurt.
But she didn’t open it right away.
Instead, she stared at the packaging for a long time, her eyes clouded with unreadable emotions.
............
............
【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.)
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?!
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!
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
