After a whole afternoon of bustling about, Luo Xiaolu finally wrapped up the moving process.
Aside from the oversized TV and air conditioner awaiting installation, everything else was mostly sorted.
Luo Xiaotang would have to endure a little boredom for now.
And there was one thing she absolutely needed to explain.
“Big sister, where on earth did all this money come from?”
Curled up on Luo Xiaolu’s soft new bed, Luo Xiaotang finally asked.
“I remember our family’s money used to come from… you protecting students from other schools? What was it called again… Xiaotang can’t quite recall…”
“Ahem! No need to remember that kind of ‘glorious history’!” Luo Xiaolu brushed it off hastily.
“Then how did you suddenly get so rich?”
Luo Xiaotang frowned, then gasped in alarm.
“A job at Construction Bank?!”
“No way! Don’t drag game logic into real life!”
Luo Xiaolu opened her laptop to show her.
“You write novels too, big sister?”
Luo Xiaotang’s face twisted in disbelief—*as absurd as Zhang Fei munching bean sprouts or Guan Yu doing an otaku dance!*
*Don’t say that… big sister will be hurt!*
“Yep. That’s how I earn it.”
Luo Xiaolu quickly closed the lid. Hiding one’s work from family was every web novelist’s instinct.
“I wanna see!” Luo Xiaotang’s eyes gleamed with longing.
“You’re too young. Wait for the anime adaptation!” Luo Xiaolu flicked Xiaotang’s forehead, smiling faintly.
Of course, Luo Xiaolu wouldn’t slack off just because life improved.
After a few days’ rest, she officially began drafting the novel’s final volume.
With no games to play, Luo Xiaotang retreated to her new room with a manga.
Luo Xiaolu set up her laptop on the stone table in the backyard—cool breeze, floral scent, pure writing bliss.
At day’s end, Luo Xiaolu’s Artistic Index read: 4396.
Daily life bonus had, for the first time, surpassed one hundred—hitting 157.
*So an elegant environment really does boost your score!*
Remembering her old gloomy, cramped rental, Luo Xiaolu felt a sharp pang of regret.
*How could such a brilliant literary girl blossom in that dump? She was deeply moved by her own resilience!*
“Congratulations, Host! Achievement unlocked: Single-action bonus exceeds 100.”
“Title obtained: Elegant Beauty”
“Artistic Points awarded: 50”
Fifty?!
Luo Xiaolu felt like she was still grinding slimes in the newbie zone—then suddenly scored SSR gear meant for the final boss!
She swiped open the Achievement System. Most entries were dark, unreadable.
But the newly unlocked one blinked proudly on page two, line one.
Meaning her casual move had triggered a high-level achievement… by accident.
*Is this the joy of scoring a freebie?*
*Way better than grinding tedious quests!*
Pure, unfiltered happiness flooded her.
“System alert: Artistic Points reached 55. Purchase Vocal Training Card (Basic) for 50 points?”
*Vocal training?*
Singing? Nah, she had zero plans to chase stardom.
*Can it change vocal tone?*
A spark of curiosity lit up.
*If yes… this could be huge.*
Since the points were basically free, she didn’t hesitate. A flick of her finger—purchased.
“Purchase successful.”
“Vocal Training Card (Basic) auto-equipped.”
No dramatic shift—just a cool, lozenge-like freshness in her throat.
“Ah… ah.”
“Mm… mm.”
“Onii-chan, daisuki!”
“…”
*(Five hundred words of cringey role-play omitted.)*
Twenty minutes later, after testing every weird posture and pitch, Luo Xiaolu had fully mastered it.
Mature woman, loli, sweet teen, queenly tone—she could switch flawlessly, voice clear and polished enough for broadcasting school.
Especially the mature tone: as a former straight guy, Luo Xiaolu barely dared to use it. Even *hearing* herself made her blush!
Further upgrades would take time. But now? She could embody any persona with confidence.
As usual, she grinded her manuscript deep into the night.
Moonlight bathed the silent backyard; faint insect chirps dotted the stillness.
Luo Xiaolu yawned widely. 1 a.m.
Back in the day, she’d be clubbing with friends. But a true literary girl couldn’t burn the midnight oil.
She packed up and headed to her second-floor room.
Exhausted, she fumbled into bed in the dark—then froze. A face hovered inches from hers.
“?????”
She jolted upright, slapped the light switch. *Click.*
“Xiaotang… why are you in my bed this late?” Luo Xiaolu sighed, spotting Luo Xiaotang curled under her blankets.
“I can’t sleep alone,” Luo Xiaotang declared, utterly unashamed.
“How old are you?”
“It’s my first night here!” she mumbled.
Luo Xiaolu had no comeback.
“Fine. Promise: quiet, no squirming.”
“Yay!”
Xiaotang threw her arms around Luo Xiaolu’s neck.
*Don’t get comfy already!!*
First-night jitters were understandable.
But Xiaotang wasn’t little—she was fourteen.
In this country, that age could already mean jail time for certain crimes.
Mind might be young, but the body? Definitely not.
Never expecting bed-sharing, Luo Xiaolu had bought a single bed.
Crowding was inevitable.
To give Xiaotang space, Luo Xiaolu pressed herself against the wall on the inner side.
Seconds later—warm breath tickled her neck.
Then Xiaotang hugged her from behind, pulling her close, body snug against hers.
*Hehe~*
A mischievous giggle escaped into the quiet dark.
