Lu Qing had never imagined that his sister, who had been in a slump, would return to her most "normal" state after receiving her "answer."
In fact, such "normalcy" was the greatest anomaly.
Looking back at her beside him—her natural expression, caring eyes, flawless face, and her still-damp hair from a recent shower—she appeared to be a perfectly healthy sister, offering thoughtful and reasonable advice, selfless and magnanimous, without any hidden agenda.
"Are you serious?"
Lu Qing wanted to confirm once more.
After all, what he feared most was that Su Ling might be deceiving him.
Now, however, it seemed that his sister wasn't being duplicitous but had instead returned to her most perfect state—no, even happier than her happiest moments since arriving here. She was in a state of pure bliss.
She was so happy...
The aura around her radiated "confidence" and "reassurance."
This was strange.
Why had she transformed like this? Why had she even changed her previous way of thinking, willingly suggesting that he go next door to accompany Bai Xing?
Lu Qing couldn't figure it out.
When something is out of the ordinary, there must be a reason.
Then, Su Ling pointed her slender finger at the livestream paused on the tablet screen and said with a smile:
"Brother, you've said that in the Vtuber world, the mindset of the person behind the avatar is the most crucial factor, directly affecting the live performance and, consequently, the subsequent earnings.
Now, Sister Bai Xing is facing such a significant emotional issue, so of course, it makes more sense for you to step in and resolve it personally.
Besides, I suspect that the suggestion I just made is exactly what she most wants and needs at this stage. She just hasn't said it outright, afraid you might think she's overstepping."
"..."
Lu Qing thought carefully.
He realized that Su Ling's words weren't without merit.
From his perspective, for the person behind the avatar to convey a sense of "companionship," they first needed to experience what "companionship" truly felt like and then internalize that feeling, transforming it into their own understanding.
As for Bai Xing, she had lived alone for so long, and her grandmother, who had once been by her side, was now bedridden. A young girl who had lost that sense of companionship would cherish even the smallest gestures, like being walked home hand-in-hand.
Looking at it this way, the answer was clear.
What Bai Xing lacked was indeed something called "care."
That was why, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't replicate the "original" feeling of Tanghua's performances, and no matter how much Tanghua taught her, she couldn't grasp the essence.
"You're right."
Lu Qing had been enlightened by his sister's words, but he still needed to confirm her sincerity to avoid any missteps.
Thinking this, he suddenly asked:
"Will you come with me?"
"Huh?"
"Will you come next door with me? I'll take you along, like visiting a neighbor, and you can observe the Vtuber's performance firsthand. It'll help you gain more knowledge."
Lu Qing spoke calmly and steadily, using the most appropriate tone to convey genuine concern for Su Ling.
This was the thirty-second divine skill—"The Choice Is Yours."
This skill could instantly uncover the other person's true intentions. Whether they chose to "go" or "not go," it would provide a wealth of useful information, turning a disadvantageous situation into one with full clarity.
In other words, it was the core secret technique from "The Way of Qing"—"Turning Light into Shadow,"
abbreviated as "Light to Shadow."
Now, it was Su Ling's turn to feel uneasy.
If she hadn't genuinely intended to lend her brother to the "thieving cat" for the day to help resolve the current issue, she might have already revealed her true feelings.
How terrifying.
When had her brother become so sharp and difficult to handle?
His words were filled with caution, as if he had deciphered every trick in the book of manipulative tactics.
Su Ling felt that her brother's level had risen far beyond what it used to be. Trying to control him now seemed unrealistic.
Her brother had already bared his heart, so she needed to stay firm in her resolve, continue down this path, and earn his admiration. Saving his weary soul was her true purpose, the meaningful and worthwhile task at hand.
As for Bai Xing...
[If lending you my brother allows him to find some healing through you as well...]
[Then this decision isn't entirely unacceptable.]
[Given my brother's evaluation of you—far exceeding my expectations—it's clear that he holds you in high regard. To him, you're not just a casual junior or a source of income as the person behind the avatar. You're the one he's chosen as the sole female lead—
more suited than even me to be the heroine of his new work.]
[So, consider today a test. I hope you don't disappoint me.]
With this in mind, Su Ling said:
"No need, Brother. You should go alone. I still need to practice the piano, so I won't waste any more precious time."
Her expression was natural, without a trace of flaw.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Afraid he might not believe her, she added: "Besides, Brother, you spend every evening at home with me. The care I receive far exceeds what Sister Bai... what Sister Bai Xing gets.
So, if you don't help her today and instead bring me along as a neighbor visiting, she'll definitely feel constrained, and the issue won't be truly resolved."
The near slip-up in her wording made Su Ling's heart tighten slightly, but it didn't matter. The message she needed to convey had been delivered.
Sure enough, Lu Qing understood his sister's meaning.
The "companionship" his sister enjoyed every night was something Bai Xing could only dream of.
So, she was willing to share a part of that "companionship," providing "personal space" for the two of them without interference.
Only then could Bai Xing experience genuine "care."
Compared to the interactions she had during the day at school, under the watchful eyes of others, this would be far more profound and deeply desired.
"Alright."
Having said this much, Lu Qing no longer hesitated. He simply nodded at his sister, stood up, and walked to the coat rack to grab his jacket.
"Su Ling, you're really considerate."
Before leaving, he couldn't help but praise her,
"Often, I wonder if my health is so poor that I hallucinate every day and night, imagining that heaven has blessed me with a sister like you—
obedient, well-behaved, flawless, and always able to empathize and think from my perspective.
You know what? Something like this, I wouldn't dare write in my books before."
He turned the doorknob, stepped one foot out, and was about to leave.
Then, he heard Su Ling's light, relieved laugh as she said:
"Then, can I take it to mean that Brother didn't choose me as the heroine in his later works because he thought I was too perfect?"
...
...
] [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!"
lity and could only live as an ordinary mortal. He only wished to live a peaceful life. Yet he didn't know— The dog he adopted, because it ate his food, became a legendary demon king. The kitchen knife he casually forged became a peerless divine weapon, causing numerous experts to fight desperately for it. The young disciple he took in became an immortal lord that led an era, due to cultivating the techniques Ye Feng taught him. Even the skeletons he looked down on the most were ominous demon kings that suppressed countless worlds. Many years later, looking at the void shattered with a punch, Ye Feng murmured to himself: It turns out the peerless kings were myself all along...
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?"
