"OW~"
Ren Suo opened his eyes, glanced at the Black Cat curled up beside his pillow, and nodded. "Hmm... I'm going to buy you ice cream right now... Do you want Häagen-Dazs or Nestlé this ti? What? You think McDonald's ice cream is tastier? But we can't take that one ho, you know..."
Ren Suo scratched his head and went to wash up. His whole body ached with exhaustion, as if he had been beaten up, yet his mind was very alert. He felt like he had a dream last night but couldn't rember the specific details, so he didn't pay much attention to it. After all, waking up feeling exhausted was almost a daily occurrence for him as a forr university student who regularly stayed up late and overworked.
Perhaps it was one of the side effects of his soul still recovering from using miracles without a cost at The Dark Side of the Moon?
After brushing his teeth and washing his face, Ren Suo ca out to see his sister poking her head out of her bedroom. "You're up? Are we leaving?"
"Leaving for what?"
"To go buy clothes. Didn't you say that yesterday?"
"Now?" Ren Suo glanced at the ti: 11:05 AM. Back at Heavenly Lotus Academy, I'd probably still be asleep at this hour... And I haven't even had lunch yet...
"I've talked to Mom and Dad. We're not eating at ho for lunch; we'll just co back for New Year's Eve dinner tonight," Ren Xingi said. "It's been a long ti since we've gone out to eat."
Ren Suo was still reluctant. "I'm so tired from sleeping..."
"That's definitely from playing on the computer too much," said Ren's mother, who was casually playing with her phone on the living room sofa. "I've told you not to play so much."
Ren Suo was dumbfounded. "I'm physically tired. What does that have to do with playing on the computer?"
"It's because you play on the computer, sitting there all day without moving, so your body has stiffened up! You eat, then play; play, then sleep; sleep, then eat. You don't even get up until almost 12 o'clock, and you refuse to exercise or jog. Your bedroom is ssier than a dog's kennel..." Ren's mother launched into a seemingly endless stream of complaints, quickly digging up old grievances, like Ren Suo staying up all night in internet cafes during his high school days.
"Your father and I have already picked a restaurant, and we're leaving now. We'll go stroll around the pedestrian street this afternoon." Ren's mother waved her hand dismissively. "Look at you, you haven't even gotten a haircut. Hurry up and get one this afternoon for the New Year."
There are two kinds of regrets in this world: not getting what you want, and getting it. Ren Suo had only been truly himself for three or four days, and Ren's mother had already absorbed enough 'son-energy' from him. Now she was growing tired of him again, not content with Ren Suo being just an ordinary, well-behaved son. She needed Ren Suo to be an all-purpose son who gets up at 6 a.m. to jog, cos back at 7 a.m. to make breakfast, starts a thorough clean-up at 8 a.m., and is useful in any situation, whether it's murder, arson, homaking, or travel.
Hmph, won.
At her age, how can she still love daydreaming as much as I do?
Ren Suo said, "Then we can join you for lunch at the restaurant."
Just then, Ren's father spoke up. "No, it's already booked. Have you forgotten? Every New Year's Eve, you two always sort out lunch yourselves."
Ren Suo paused, then rembered that his parents did indeed have this tradition: a New Year's Eve date.
According to his mother, it was a highly cost-effective day for a date. They could visit the Flower Street, shop in the festive atmosphere, and enjoy big discounts. The only minor drawback was that restaurants might charge a bit of a service fee. They would stroll until evening, not even needing to change clothes, and then go straight to a restaurant to continue with New Year's Eve dinner. In fact, Christmas had a similar effect, but consurism hadn't hyped up Christmas back when they were young.
As for Ren Suo and his sister, on this day, they almost always ate McDonald's or KFC at ho. Then they would happily play gas together until evening, waiting for their parents to return—well-fed from a lavish al and having enjoyed a full day out. Ren Suo had known since he was little; his sister might not have been, but he was definitely an accident to his parents.
After their parents left, Ren Suo looked at his sister and beckoned with his finger. "Co on, I'll take you to relive old mories. I'll treat you to sothing delicious."
「Ten minutes later, at a McDonald's fast-food restaurant.」
Ren Suo sat down with a family bucket and a McFlurry, sighing as he said, "It's been so long since I've had this kind of fried food."
Ren Xingi, who had never held high expectations for Ren Suo to begin with, remained very calm. She inserted a straw into her cola, glanced at Ren Suo's 'new scarf,' and said, "Aren't you really worried about the cat getting lost?"
Ren Suo placed the McFlurry on the table. The Black Cat wrapped around his neck jumped down, clutched the ice cream, and began to lick it wildly, its whiskers quickly becoming frosted white. Passing children couldn't help but gasp at the sight and were promptly dragged away by their parents.
"Not worried," Ren Suo picked up a piece of fried chicken and began to gnaw on it. "Even if I lost her, she'd be able to find ."
Right, the cat finds you, not the other way around, Ren Xingi thought.
Ren Xingi couldn't help but laugh, then sighed. "I thought I was advancing to the second turn pretty quickly, but I didn't expect our class monitor to actually reach the third turn..."
"What's there to fear? Isn't Xianyu still at the bottom?" Ren Suo comforted her. "Don't compare yourself to others; comparisons are odious. Have you ever seen your brother worry about such things? One should be content to be happy. I never compare my Cultivation with your Teacher Dong, or my handsoness with your Teacher Bai. Instead, I compare my Cultivation with Lin Xianyu, and my handsoness with Deputy Director Yu of the Tactical Bureau... However, the most important thing in Cultivation is persistence and self-discipline; you can't slack off. I hear you've been going to the Cultivation Ground often recently. That's very good, as expected of my sister."
Although Ren Suo, with his level of Cultivation and strength, was fully entitled to spout such pep talk, Ren Xingi, who had spent over a decade dissecting him thoroughly, always felt his words lacked persuasiveness...
However, Ren Xingi had misjudged him several tis. Whether it was Ren Suo unintentionally becoming a 'universal sweetheart' appealing to all, or his willingness to risk his life by simultaneously pairing with all associated devices, these incidents had repeatedly forced Ren Xingi to update her perception of him. She felt that perhaps only his IQ and EQ remained within her expectations.
Perhaps Ren Suo truly had transford into soone unaffected by material gain or personal loss, a Buddha-like character...
"PFFT! HOLY SHIT!"
Ren Suo sprayed a mouthful of cola to the side. The Black Cat, which was licking the McFlurry, stiffened, its large eyes filled with disbelief, its face clearly showing a 'no one has ever sprayed like this before' expression.
Ren Suo quickly put down his phone, took out a tissue, and discreetly used his Fla Overlord ability to help wipe the Black Cat's fur. Ren Xingi didn't stand on ceremony and directly took his phone to look, discovering it was his WeChat Monts.
There wasn't anything particularly special. 'Yu Huogou' had posted about eating teppanyaki. 'Young Master Mu' had shared a piece of "chicken soup for the soul" saying: "It's okay if young people don't make money this year; there will be plenty of poor days ahead." And 'Observation Subject - Zhao Sanfen' had posted a group photo of four people with the caption: "Hokkaido's New Year's Eve reunion dinner."
Huh? Is that Teacher Zhao? Ren Xingi thought.
Ren Xingi handed the phone back to Ren Suo, asking curiously, "What surprised you?"
"Oh, it's nothing." Ren Suo waved his hand, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly. "I just suddenly feel that, indeed, comparisons are odious..."
Unbelievable!
How on earth did Zhao Huo survive?!
And they can still gather for a reunion dinner and take a group photo?!
This is completely different from the obituary and black-and-white portrait I was expecting!
A heavy sense of defeat struck Ren Suo's fragile heart. I can't even compare to an ani fan!
Could it be that Zhao Huo plays so many Adult Gas and watches so much harem ani that he's actually learned to apply those things in real life?!
Is it too late for to beco an otaku now?
Ren Suo resolved to find Zhao Huo and talk to him face-to-face when the ti ca. He wanted to thoroughly criticize Zhao Huo's corrupt and decadent lifestyle, record his 'cris' and thods, so that everyone else could avoid such a scheming, degenerate scoundrel.
After lunch, Ren Suo and his sister took the subway to a crowded comrcial pedestrian street. His sister asked, "Are you going to buy clothes too?"
Ren Suo stroked the Black Cat and nodded. "Yeah."
"Zara or UNIQLO?" Ren Xingi asked. It wasn't that she thought Ren Suo couldn't afford more expensive clothes, but he himself wasn't particular about them. Besides, Ren Xingi had no interest in dressing him up to be even more handso—she had spent over a decade molding him into the look that perfectly suited her taste; he no longer needed other 'accessories'.
Ren Suo hesitated for a mont, then asked, "I want to go to... a shop that sells maid outfits."
Ren Xingi froze for a second, looking at Ren Suo suspiciously. "...Are you going to wear it?"
"Not !" Ren Suo imdiately shook his head. How should I answer the 'who are you buying it for' question? The family doesn't know about Luna yet. If I tell the truth, I'll definitely be interrogated further...
However, Ren Xingi didn't press him. She just linked her arm with his, pulling him forward. "I do know a shop that sells that kind of clothing. It's a bit far, and I'm not sure if it'll be open during the New Year holiday, since it's just a small store... Co with ."
With soone to lead the way, Ren Suo happily relaxed and continued playing "Light and Dark Traitor" on his phone.
But now he was stuck. Uncle Los was blocked at the entrance of the ad Barracks. It was rare for a protagonist to be such a shalessly flamboyant character, unlike other pure and innocent ga characters. He was willing to use the Beauty Trap, but because his 'feminine charm' wasn't strong enough, he was scorned by the barracks guards...
Even equipping 「Desire Detection」 didn't work; Los just wasn't seductive enough.
Do I really have to fight my way in?
Just as Ren Suo was thinking, the Beauty Trap option suddenly changed slightly: "Go up and hug his arm."
Ren Suo paused, clicked the option, and saw Los, in his female form, tremble and reluctantly go over to hug the ch Armor Soldier's arm.
The soldier's response flashed: "Hey, not bad. But I'm on guard duty right now. Nope, gotta resist. I can only turn her down."
(⊙o⊙)... Huh?
The Beauty Trap option was undoubtedly effective, but because there was no follow-up action, Los still couldn't seduce the soldier.
But why did the option change...?
Ren Suo slowly turned his head to look at his sister, who was strolling arm-in-arm with him. He nodded thoughtfully and then whispered, "Sister, is your feminine charm strong?"
Ren Xingi looked at Ren Suo, then at herself. Today she was wearing the white dress Ren Suo had bought her, with a small, warm padded jacket over it. Before leaving the house, she had taken a selfie and posted it to her Monts, attracting dozens of likes and comnts.
Compared to others her age, Ren Xingi was quite confident... but only when compared to her peers, and definitely not peers like Gu Yueyan, who were... exceptionally developed.
She said in a complex tone, "Although I can't buy lingerie from the Milk Candy Sect... I guess I'm not too bad, right?"
"Then help your big brother out," Ren Suo said. "Hmm... I need to know, when a girl is trying to charm a man who can't reciprocate her feelings due to his position, responsibilities, or other reasons, how can she do it in a way that truly makes his heart flutter?"
Ren Xingi stared blankly at Ren Suo, subconsciously letting go of his arm. Ren Suo continued, "Like, if two people are face to face, could you use body language, expressions, and your voice to quickly make the other person's heart race? Please, this is really important to ."
Ren Xingi asked, "Why would you want to know sothing like that?"
"I have a friend who needs to know this kind of information," Ren Suo replied with a perfectly straight face.
Ren Xingi's expression grew even more complicated. "Then... what's the girl's relationship with this person?"
"Relationship? Any kind is fine."
"And how does the girl address him? 'Mister'? 'Brother'?"
'Mister' sounds a bit weird for a soldier. 'Soldier-brother' is more common, Ren Suo thought, then replied, "Calling him 'Brother' is fine too."
Ren Xingi lowered her head and said no more. Ren Suo scratched his head. "Is it too much trouble? I rember so short videos have this kind of content; maybe I can find sothing online..."
"It's not too much trouble." Ren Xingi lifted her head, smiled brightly, and linked her arm with Ren Suo's again, resting her head on his shoulder. They strolled along the bustling pedestrian street as she whispered, "It's just... Brother, have you really not noticed my feelings for you at all? Can't you... respond to properly?"
After three seconds, Ren Xingi smiled. "How was that? Will it work?"
"Not bad, I'm a little tempted," Ren Suo said, his eyes fixed on his phone, giving her a thumbs-up. "Keep it up!"
「...」
「The Japanese buffet restaurant, Zhiyuan.」
There was no main hall; it consisted entirely of small, individual private rooms. The tables in these rooms had heated recesses beneath them, allowing diners to stretch out their legs and comfortably move their feet around. It was a unique design.
Foie gras, lobster sashimi, salmon sashimi, Japanese grilled skewers, sushi... Plate after plate of delicacies were served. Ren's mother felt a pang of regret. "Are we being a bit too wasteful this year? A buffet costing several hundred yuan per person... even our trip to Hainan wasn't this expensive..."
This ti, however, Ren's father was more philosophical. "Our son is earning money now and contributing to the household. The family is more well-off, so it's okay to eat a bit better once in a while and treat ourselves."
"That's true. We must eat our money's worth." Ren's mother picked up her chopsticks to start eating, but then imdiately took out her phone. "Let take a picture to show off to the kids."
Ren's father's mouth twitched. "Oh, you..."
"Well, isn't this what he likes? I still rember when he was six, I took him out to eat. I offered him the best pieces, and he just grabbed a piece of fried pork rib and stuffed it right into my mouth..."
"Well, who told you to say things like, 'Mommy won't eat, this is for you,' when you were feeding him? He's hated owing people anything since he was little. He'd rather endure hardship himself than have others sacrifice for him," Ren's father laughed. "He'll only accept what you willingly give. If you're reluctant, he won't take it, no matter what."
"That's why I'm taking these pictures to show him! To let him know his mom is enjoying life, so he can go back to Lianjiang and find a wife with peace of mind." Ren's mother took a few photos. CLICK. CLICK. "I'll just casually post them in the relatives' group chat to show off... Hmph, hmph. Let's see them try to flaunt in front of all year now."
"Speaking of which, dear, what do you think about Xingi...?" Ren's father casually asked, only to realize Ren's mother was staring at him.
"What about Xingi?"
"You've noticed it too, so why are you asking ?"
"Xingi is still in her rebellious phase. Bringing it out into the open would only make things more troubleso. Besides, those good girls already have Little Suo firmly in their sights; nothing will go wrong," Ren's mother said calmly. "Anyway, as long as Little Suo has a clear conscience, nothing bad will happen."
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