Can This Dowry Be Increased Further

The sun shone brightly, casting its golden rays into every corner, making the entire campus exceptionally beautiful.

Outside the gates of Guangya Academy, the atmosphere was lively and bustling.

Due to the school anniversary celebration, the campus was fully open to the public today, and the air was filled with a joyful ambiance.

Many grandparents who didn’t have work came to join in the excitement.

Of course, there were also parents who had taken time off and various other visitors.

As a member of the public service department, Gu Luo had been assigned a seemingly peculiar yet "supremely honorable" task—being the mascot.

Yes, the kind of mascot that attracts the attention of every visitor.

Gu Luo stood tall and poised outside the school gates, like a dazzling star, exuding a unique charm that made people unable to resist stealing glances at him.

"Big brother, big brother, you’re so pretty!"

A little girl with two playful pigtails tilted her head up, staring at Gu Luo with wide, sparkling eyes.

Her chubby cheeks dimpled faintly when she smiled, making her look especially adorable—the kind that made people want to pinch them.

"Little one, you should stay close to your grandma and not run around, okay?" Gu Luo wore a gentle smile as he pointed to the volunteer badge on his chest, patiently saying,

"Big brother still has to help others with directions."

Of course, this was purely an excuse.

In reality, he was just a soulless mascot.

His job was to uphold Guangya’s image with his striking good looks.

It was arguably the easiest role in the public service department today.

And no one in the department had any objections to this arrangement. Everyone agreed that this was the best way to showcase the charm of Guangya’s heartthrob.

Especially Situ Wenyao, who had enthusiastically supported the idea, his excitement making it seem like he’d challenge anyone who disagreed.

Seriously, who could understand this?

Just because he was good-looking, did that mean he had to be manipulated into being nothing more than a decorative vase?

While indulging in some self-deprecating humor internally, Gu Luo continued dealing with the little girl who had been clinging to him for a full five minutes.

The girl’s grandmother stood nearby, a kind smile on her face as she recorded the adorable childhood moment with her phone.

"Big brother, you’re so handsome~ When I grow up, can I marry you?" The little girl blinked her big, watery eyes and asked with innocent sincerity.

"......"

Gu Luo was momentarily speechless, only able to respond with a bitter smile and silence.

This wasn’t something he could casually joke about, but outright rejecting her might make the naive little girl burst into tears.

He had underestimated the power of his 9-point charm. Not only could it effortlessly win over the hearts of teenage girls, but even a clueless, innocent child like this was completely smitten.

Well, at least she wasn’t... ahem...

Positive thoughts, positive thoughts.

"Little one, there are lots of club performances inside, and plenty of delicious candy too. If you go late, you might miss out," Gu Luo began racking his brain to distract her. With so many people watching, he was genuinely worried about being mistaken for a lolicon.

Not that being a lolicon was inherently bad.

It was just... very legally questionable.

However, the little girl wasn’t buying it. She tightened her chubby little grip on Gu Luo’s pant leg, as if afraid he might suddenly run away.

"......"

Gu Luo could only sigh helplessly and offer another wry smile.

Then, he slowly crouched down and gently pinched the little girl’s chubby cheek.

Since things had come to this, he might as well enjoy this adorable "little nuisance."

Admittedly, her cheeks had an excellent texture—soft and squishy, like marshmallows.

The little girl seemed delighted by the pinch, her smile never fading, her tiny dimples making her even sweeter and cuter.

Meanwhile, her grandmother continued recording the scene with glee, even enthusiastically sharing the video in the family group chat.

Then she posted it in the family group again.

[Grandma: [Video] 3]

[Grandma: I took Little Junjun out of school today, and now she won’t let go of this handsome young man. She even keeps asking him to marry her when she grows up.]

[Grandma: Little Junjun is already doing better than a certain thirty-year-old who’s still single. That one’s destined to live alone in a nursing home, growing old in solitude.]

[Younger Daughter: Mom… just say my ID number out loud next time…]

[Eldest Daughter: That young man is really good-looking! If I were ten years younger… (drooling).jpg]

[Eldest Son-in-law: ?...... (pointing Husky).jpg]

[......]

Unbeknownst to Gu Luo, he had nearly triggered a family dispute.

Noticing that the grandmother showed no intention of intervening, Gu Luo had no choice but to hold the little girl’s hand to prevent her from running off.

Even though she was already too enchanted by him to move, it was better to be safe than sorry—especially with such a large crowd around.

He just hoped the performance hall could accommodate everyone later.

Then again, Guangya Academy had been hosting anniversary celebrations for years. Surely, they had everything under control.

Just as Gu Luo was lost in thought, a faint, elegant fragrance drifted past him.

Instinctively, he turned his head and saw a stunningly fashionable woman in chic sunglasses standing beside him.

The woman was so beautiful it was hard to look away—her charm was a mix of allure and effortless grace.

She looked no older than her mid-twenties, with a graceful figure and movements that radiated magnetism.

Even though Gu Luo was constantly surrounded by beautiful girls like little angels and had nearly become immune to feminine charm, he had to admit—this woman was breathtakingly gorgeous.

"Miss, is there anything I can help you with?"

When in doubt about a woman’s age, "miss" was always the safest bet.

"You’re calling me ‘miss’?" Xu Shasha blinked playfully behind her sunglasses and couldn’t help but laugh. "Alright then, I’ll gladly accept you as my little brother~"

As she spoke, her eyes subtly swept over Gu Luo from head to toe.

She couldn’t help but marvel inwardly—he was even more handsome in person than in photos.

His features were exquisitely perfect, and his aura was uniquely captivating.

No wonder her precious daughter had been so determined to endure the pain of losing weight.

Even she, at this age, might have fallen head over heels for him.

Who wouldn’t be charmed?

"Ahem..."

Gu Luo found this "older sister’s" behavior and words a bit odd, but he maintained a polite smile and asked,

"Is there anything you need assistance with?"

Meanwhile, the little girl clinging to him had puffed up her pink cheeks, glaring up at Xu Shasha with a fiercely protective expression.

In her simple understanding, this beautiful woman was here to steal her future husband—and that made her very unhappy.

Xu Shasha slowly tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and asked with a playful smile, "Little brother, do you think I'm pretty?" Her movements were graceful and deliberately alluring.

"Sorry, I'm a volunteer here. I only answer questions about the school," Gu Luo replied, already feeling a headache coming on. He swore to himself he'd never take on such a public-facing role again.

It was all his fault for being too handsome.

If it were a child, he wouldn’t mind spending time chatting or comforting them. But when it came to adults deliberately trying to flirt, he had no patience for it.

"Good, good."

To his surprise, Xu Shasha didn’t seem offended at all. Instead, she nodded in satisfaction.

The way she looked at Gu Luo now was like a mother-in-law appraising her future son-in-law—the more she saw, the more she approved.

"Little brother, unless I'm mistaken, you must be Gu Luo, right?"

Gu Luo froze for a moment.

What was this about? Had his reputation as the school heartthrob spread beyond campus?

Still, he admitted, "Yes, I'm Gu Luo. And you are...?"

"I'm Shen Yue's mother. You can call me Sister Xu from now on," she said with a mischievous wink. Her lively, youthful demeanor made it hard to believe she was already a mother.

"So you’re A—" Gu Luo caught himself mid-sentence and quickly corrected, "Nice to meet you, Sister Xu. I’m Shen Yue’s deskmate. She’s been looking out for me this past week."

Internally, he was struggling to make sense of the absurd family titles.

He called Shen Yue "Aunt Yue," but now he was supposed to call her mother "Sister Xu"?

Great. Just great. A generational mess.

Whatever—they could each stick to their own titles.

"So well-mannered~"

Xu Shasha’s approval of Gu Luo only grew.

She was already calculating in her mind—maybe the dowry could be increased a little more.

How about adding another building to the offer?

Such an outstanding future son-in-law deserved the best treatment.

............

............