"Are you flirting with me?" Zhong Cheng asked bluntly.
"What do you think?" the Ghost Emperor replied with deliberate ambiguity.
There it was again—that classic girl move: *You guess.*
Guess? Like hell.
Ugh, he hated this. Why guess? This romance-challenged straight guy was seriously irritated—felt like punching a wall. Just give a straight answer! Did she enjoy messing with his head?
If she dared say yes, he’d take her right then—human or ghost, consequences be damned. Pure bliss.
Getting it for free? Even better.
If she said no, he’d instantly squash those thoughts, reset as a good boy, swear to keep things pure.
But she *deliberately* left it vague. Guess wrong? Offend her? Get drained dry?
Too risky. Didn’t dare. Didn’t dare.
"I... guess you *are* flirting with me," Zhong Cheng ventured cautiously.
Too scared to bet, but a tiny probe couldn’t hurt. Shouldn’t anger her... right?
*Mental high-five for my genius.*
"Heh." The Ghost Emperor let out a cold laugh.
"???" Zhong Cheng blinked.
What did that mean?! Yes or no?! Just say it! No more suspense—he really didn’t need this.
"Husband," the Ghost Emperor murmured, shyly glancing down, "We *are* married. What happens between spouses is natural... but please, don’t make this wife say such things aloud."
Seeing her flustered, blushing expression—could this... *actually* mean *okay*?
She said *okay*?!
Unbelievable.
Zhong Cheng’s eyes widened.
This cynical straight guy, who never believed in love, suddenly felt his heart skip.
An overwhelming urge surged—he was stepping into adulthood *today*.
Excitement. Nerves. Anticipation. A whirlwind.
Just as Zhong Cheng moved to rise, pin her down, and—
The Ghost Emperor sat up first.
"Not now. It’s daytime," she said softly, stealing a glance at the door.
*Daytime?* Hmph. Such a modest ghost girl.
Just when things heated up—forced to cool off. Any guy knew that agony.
But *tonight*... Zhong Cheng’s weary face cracked into a lecherous grin, hope flaring.
---
Outside the door—
Zhong Xi pressed her ear tight against the wood, eavesdropping.
*Bro actually landed a goddess?!* Rarer than a strawberry pig climbing a tree.
In her mind, her loser brother—surrounded by college beauties—would never snag a date. He’d end up a corporate drone, shoved into blind dates post-graduation.
Yet here he was. With *her*. And the girlfriend sounded genuinely devoted.
How?! Was the goddess naive? Or... was *Bro* the victim?
News apps were full of scams: men drained of cash, dignity, dumped.
But Bro had neither money nor looks. Why target him?
Unless... she was a hired accomplice. A staged relationship to ditch the "single dog" label and squeeze extra allowance from Mom and Dad.
*Very* possible.
If Bro got more allowance, hers would shrink. Their budget was a seesaw.
No way. She’d been planning to wheedle for a tablet.
She *had* to expose this. For Bro. For her allowance.
She leaned closer. Faint whispers: "*punishment*," "*begging*"...
*Kinky roleplay?!* Her eyebrows shot up.
Huh?! Sounds like they’re in bed—*already*?! First visit?! Adults move *fast*.
She pressed harder, cheeks flushing with nervous curiosity.
Then—silence.
Disappointment hit. Just as she was fully invested... quiet.
A faint groan from inside: "*I... can’t...*"
Why couldn’t he?
Footsteps approached the door.
*They’re coming out!*
Panic flickered—but years of *Detective Conan* and *Criminal Minds* forged steel nerves. She stood calmly, retreating like a pro.
*Click.*
Door opened.
Face-to-face.
Zhong Xi didn’t flinch. Expression neutral. Perfectly composed.
"Zhong Xi, what’re you doing? Eavesdropping?" Zhong Cheng asked.
"Overthinking. Just passing to the bathroom. Like I’d care." She scoffed, striding straight toward the restroom—no room for doubt.
*Oscar-worthy acting. Seriously.*
"Obviously eavesdropping. Playing innocent? What a jerk," Zhong Cheng muttered once the bathroom door shut.
He knew his sister. Top-tier gossip scout. A gorgeous girl locking herself in a room with Bro? She *definitely* listened.
No act fooled his sharp eyes.
*Foolish little sister. Exposed.*
Please don’t let her have heard the "Ghost Emperor" part...
---
Moments later, Zhong Xi returned to the living room.
Zhong Cheng and the Ghost Emperor sat on the sofa, watching TV.
Zhong Xi stared at her brother—strange, appraising, as if seeing him anew.
Zhong Cheng swelled with vanity. *Finally respecting your awesome brother? Of course I can get a girlfriend. Anytime.*
(Though *this* one clung like glue. Too devoted. All because I’m *too* outstanding!)
Her gaze grew even more peculiar.
"Xi? Something wrong?"
"Nothing..." she mumbled evasively.
Let her keep silently admiring him. Zhong Cheng basked in big-brother pride.
*Could Brother be... a quick finisher?* Zhong Xi pondered gravely.
In the bathroom, it clicked.
Overheard passion—abrupt silence. Her not-so-innocent knowledge from that "educational video" with friends.
Plus Bro’s exhausted look.
*He finished in seconds.*
Yeah. That was it.
