Chapter 860: How Is a Perfect Life Forged?

January 29, Monday.

After a busy weekend, Li Luo and the others finally slept in this morning, skipping their morning run and not rising until 9:30 a. m.

After a quick tidy-up, the group found a nearby restaurant for lunch, then packed their luggage and headed to the airport, arriving back in Yuhang City by early to mid-afternoon.

On the way home, Li Luo said to Xu Rongsheng and Cui Suling: "Uncle Xu, Auntie Cui, this year, can you still come stay with us for a few days like last year?"

Hearing this, Xu Youyu's eyes lit up instantly; she nodded vigorously and quietly nudged Xu Rongsheng's arm.

Seeing his daughter's expression, Xu Rongsheng felt a bit helpless.

But since it was the New Year and there wasn't much else to do, Xu Rongsheng nodded in agreement: "How about the third day of the New Year? We'll visit relatives on the first and second, then come over on the third and stay until the seventh."

"Huh?" Xu Youyu frowned after hearing this, muttering under her breath, "Then why don't I just go over on New Year's Day? I've got my own car anyway."

In past years, Cui Suling would've started lecturing her right away.

But this year, Cui Suling's attitude was completely opposite—she actually thought Xu Youyu's suggestion wasn't enough, and bluntly proposed: "Since you're so close with Li Luo, Xi Xi, and Zhu Sheng, why not just come over on New Year's Eve?"

At these words, Xu Youyu turned to Cui Suling in utter shock, barely believing it: "Really?"

"What's real or not about it?" Cui Suling rolled her eyes. "As long as you're happy, what's one or two days?"

"We'll eat the New Year's Eve dinner a day early. Go home the day before to spend more time with your grandparents."

"On New Year's Eve, drive over to Li Luo's yourself. Your dad and I will come over on the third."

Xu Youyu listened carefully and realized her mother wasn't just saying it—she was dead serious. She stared in disbelief, half-convinced her mom had been possessed.

But Xu Rongsheng instantly understood his wife's meaning. After a moment's thought, he sighed softly: "Let Youyu decide. We have no objections."

o￠o

"Then I'm definitely going over on New Year's Eve~" Xu Youyu grinned, wrapping her arms around her father's and cooing, "Mom and Dad are the best~"

"Hmph," Cui Suling snorted. "That's the best? Why don't you ever talk this sweetly the rest of the year?"

"Hehe~"

Xu Youyu beamed foolishly, then turned to Li Luo and winked, her spirits soaring.

After all, this was the first time in over three years that Xu Youyu would spend New Year's Eve with Li Luo.

In past years, the most they'd do was call or text each other, and only after the New Year would she travel to the countryside to visit Li Luo on the first day.

This year, finally, she'd get to ring in the New Year with Li Luo—her joy was overwhelming, and she could barely contain her excitement.

Back at Sky Ridge Elegant Residence, the elders had already left. Xu Youyu, still beaming, skipped up to the second-floor study, humming a tune.

"Are you really this happy?" Li Luo followed her into the study, picked up Ju Bao from the windowsill, and cradled him in his arms, squeezing gently as he teased her with a smile.

"What? Aren't you happy?" Xu Youyu glared at him. "Don't you want me here?"

"Of course not," Li Luo walked to the desk, placed Ju Bao on the corner, then pulled Xu Youyu into his arms and kissed her forehead. "I just wish your parents could come over for the New Year too."

"You're dreaming," Xu Youyu muttered. "That'll only happen if you marry me someday."

"Maybe next year?"

"Huh?" Xu Youyu froze, then lifted her head from his chest, peering into his eyes with suspicion. "Really?"

"Just kidding."

"Pfft," Xu Youyu scoffed. "I thought you were going to do something serious, and all you've got is empty words?"

Li Luo smiled but didn't reply, quietly planning in his mind instead.

Once seated, he opened his writing software and pulled out his phone, glancing casually at the Qidian app.

The moment he opened it, the splash screen flashed: "Congratulations! 'Great Gan Night Patrol Corps' has reached 100,000 average subscriptions!"

Entering the details page led to a celebration interface.

At the top was the cover and synopsis of 'Great Gan Night Patrol Corps.'

Below were buttons labeled: 【Collect】 【Subscribe】 【Reward】 【Monthly Ticket】.

Collecting 'Great Gan Night Patrol Corps' onto your bookshelf grants three lottery chances.

Each time you subscribe to ten chapters, reward 100 coins, or cast one monthly ticket, you earn one lottery chance.

This time, the prize pool was rich: gaming consoles, keyboards and mice, Gundam models, e-commerce vouchers, and exclusive merchandise specially designed for 'Great Gan Night Patrol Corps.'

Besides the lottery, fans could also voluntarily purchase merchandise directly.

The biggest bundle included the first volume of 'Great Gan Night Patrol Corps' in a limited deluxe collector's edition.

Plus a setting guide and art book, character flash cards and badges, acrylic standees, keychains, mouse pads, and a journal.

Total price: 599 yuan.

Below were other package options, the cheapest at 69 yuan.

Li Luo wasn't sure if it was expensive or cheap, but plenty of people were buying.

Even though the prize pool looked impressive, Qidian might still profit in the end…

After all, while the average subscription count was 100,000, the actual number of readers was far higher.

His first paid chapter already had over 800,000 subscriptions.

That meant over 800,000 readers chose to subscribe to his first paid chapter after reading the free ones.

But most of them were just "friendship subscriptions," then switched to pirated copies.

That was actually pretty good.

Most readers didn't even bother with friendship subscriptions—the number of pirated readers was far greater than 800,000.

Li Luo didn't care… after all, top-tier authors barely cared about piracy's impact.

After all, the real money came from rights.

'Great Gan Night Patrol Corps' earned him roughly one to two million yuan per month in royalties.

But the rights price could easily reach thirty to forty million yuan—far more than subscription income.

But for 99.99% of ordinary Online Novel authors, rights had nothing to do with them.

The impact of piracy was thus amplified infinitely.

After all, we rely on subscription royalties to eat.

"You're reading this?" Xu Youyu leaned over to glance, then opened her own phone and grinned, "I bought it too—the most expensive package."

"If you want it, I can just ask the editor to send you a copy," Li Luo said, glancing at her with exasperation.

"It's just six hundred yuan—consider it a gift from this lady." Xu Youyu patted Li Luo's shoulder.

"So I should thank you, then?"

"How would you like to thank me?" Xu Youyu stood up, leaned in close to Li Luo, and lifted his chin with her finger. "I'm not interested in ordinary thanks."

No sooner had she spoken than the study door was knocked on; Ying Chanxi walked in and, seeing the two flirting, frowned: "Senior, didn't you say just now on the stairs that you were going to write?"

Seeing Ying Chanxi enter, Xu Youyu reluctantly withdrew her hand and sat back in her chair. "I'm just looking for inspiration."

"What kind of inspiration requires this kind of method?" Ying Chanxi drifted sadly behind the desk, staring at the two.

"Cultivation in pairs," Xu Youyu grinned. "I need to carefully work out the details of the male and female leads' cultivation. Xi Xi, what brings you here?"

Ying Chanxi, deftly sidestepping the topic shift, turned to Li Luo: "I just came to ask about your schedule tomorrow—I remember you're going to attend the provincial online writers' association meeting, right?"

"Mm." Li Luo nodded slightly. "The council seats are being re-elected; I've already submitted my nomination, and I'll also need to submit an application for the national writers' association slot."

"Will Senior also go?"

"Yes," Li Luo continued. "Although Tencent Video said they might consider the film and TV rights for Gu Dao Changqing, we can't put all our eggs in one basket."

"So this time, we'll also confirm eligibility for provincial key support projects, and then I plan to hold an internal work seminar within the association."

"The association's official websites and platforms will also promote and endorse Gu Dao Changqing."

"After that, I'll invite some film and television directors and companies to hold another rights seminar to see if anyone's interested."

Ying Chanxi listened carefully, nodding occasionally; after thoughtful consideration, she understood Li Luo's strategy: "Then I'll keep in close contact with Tencent Video to see what their stance is."

"Mm," Li Luo said. "If Tencent Video is willing to take the whole package, that would be ideal—it'd save us trouble."

"Will you two still come home for dinner tomorrow night?" Ying Chanxi asked. "It's just a meeting in the city."

"Mm," Li Luo thought for a moment and replied. "It's only a little over an hour round-trip, and the meeting won't run late."

Hearing this, Ying Chanxi nodded in relief. "Then write away—I won't disturb you. I'm heading to the company first."

After watching Ying Chanxi leave, Xu Youyu pulled out her phone, opened the home surveillance system, and glanced at the living room and basement one monitors.

Once she confirmed Ying Chanxi had truly gone downstairs and driven off, she immediately stood up again, straddling Li Luo.

"What are you doing?" Li Luo steadied her slender waist with both hands, half-amused, half-exasperated. "Didn't you just say you were going to write? Now you're climbing on me the moment Xi Xi leaves?"

"Hehe~ This is more exciting," Xu Youyu hummed. "I was just teasing you earlier, but since Xi Xi insisted on being jealous, I might as well go all out."

"... What kind of twisted taste is this?"

"Don't ask." Xu Youyu wiggled her hips on him, then leaned down. "Kiss me."

The next morning, Li Luo woke up on the bed, looking at the girls sleeping in his arms.

Since winter break began, aside from attending the annual meeting, Li Luo had mostly stayed home.

Every morning, he'd wake up and take Xi Xi and Zhusheng out for a run.

When they returned, Butler Liu had already had the kitchen prepare breakfast.

After breakfast, Yan Zhusheng went to the fourth-floor piano room to practice, while Ying Chanxi went to the company.

Li Luo went to the second-floor study to write.

Around ten in the morning, Xu Youyu would finally wake up, freshen up, and slowly make her way to the second-floor study to work alongside him.

But in truth, she just sat in front of the computer, procrastinating, occasionally stretching her legs over to bother Li Luo.

At noon, Ying Chanxi returned from the company, and all four ate lunch together.

Then Xu Youyu went to take a nap, while Li Luo was dragged by Yan Zhusheng up to the fourth floor to flirt.

Xi Xi still went back to the company to work.

After Xu Youyu woke from her afternoon nap, Li Luo was pulled back to the study to work again.

In the evening, Xi Xi returned, and they had dinner together; then Li Luo had to accompany Ying Chanxi for a walk around the compound, watch TV at home, and chat while holding her.

When bored, he'd call Xu Youyu and Yan Zhusheng up to the fourth-floor entertainment room to play mahjong and sing.

By ten at night, Xu Youyu had to go to the study for a race against time to type.

Ying Chanxi and Yan Zhusheng returned to their rooms to wash up and sleep, pulling Li Luo into bed to cuddle and kiss.

Until deep into the night, when Xu Youyu finished writing, she'd scroll on her phone in the study until one or two a. m., then sneak quietly back to the bedroom—no one knew exactly when she slipped into bed.

This kind of happy life made Li Luo feel almost dreamlike.

If the next few decades were like this, it would be too perfect.

Li Luo lay in bed thinking this, until his phone alarm finally rang.

He woke Ying Chanxi and Yan Zhusheng; after their morning run, he returned to the bedroom and picked up Xu Youyu.

"Mmm… so sleepy~"

"The association meeting starts this morning—wash up and come down for breakfast."

"Sleepy~ Let me sleep five more minutes."

"Go eat first—I'll drive. You can sleep another half hour in the car."

"No~ Just a little longer."

"Be good."

"Ahh~ Then kiss me."

"Mua~"

"Not enough, not enough."

"You're acting like a child."

"Are you disgusted with me now?"

"Mua~"

"Hehe~"

After being kissed, Xu Youyu finally settled down onto the ground, went to the bathroom to wash up, but still slumped against Li Luo's shoulder, lethargic, all the way to the first-floor dining room.

After breakfast, Yan Zhusheng routinely went upstairs to practice the qin; but just before Li Luo left, he lunged into his arms and demanded a kiss.

After watching Yan Zhusheng go upstairs, Li Luo took Xu Youyu and Ying Chanxi by the hand and walked to the underground garage.

Ying Chanxi did the same: before getting into her car, she pulled Li Luo into a long embrace, kissed him for a long while, then let him go.

After Ying Chanxi drove off, Li Luo got into the driver's seat and looked at Xu Youyu, who had already lowered the passenger seat back, kicked off his shoes, and curled up, ready to nap, and couldn't help laughing: "You're already sleeping?"

"Just drive," Xu Youyu yawned, waving his hand.

"Don't you want a kiss before you sleep?"

"No."

"You weren't like this when you just woke up."

"Hmph, you stinking man," Xu Youyu shot him a glare. "You've already kissed other women—now you want to kiss me too?"

"If you put it that way, then I absolutely have to kiss you."

"Ah! No~"

"You don't get to say no."