Here's hoping I get to see my second brother in women's clothes in my lifetime

After all that waiting, her second brother had finally arrived, and the variety show was drawing near.

When dinnertime came that day, Lu Xiaoxiao went downstairs and spotted an unfamiliar handsome man sitting at the dining table. He had a pair of alluring eyes, and even a casual glance from him seemed capable of stealing someone's soul.

The moment their eyes met, Lu Xiaoxiao guessed who he was without needing a reminder from the system.

-Her second brother in the Lu family, Lu Shiyan.

Lu Shiyan's rise to become one of the entertainment industry's most celebrated stars had a great deal to do with his gorgeous looks.

Lu Yuan was handsome, and Song Zhilan had been a rare beauty in their social circle in her youth. None of their children had turned out bad-looking.

But if she had to compare them, Lu Shiyan was definitely the best-looking of all the Lu children.

Lu Shiyan had inherited the best genes from both parents. When he smiled, his eyes resembled peach blossoms blooming in spring, or a bright crescent moon against the dark night sky. They always held a gentle warmth that made people want to draw closer.

His skin was lovely too, fair as jade and glowing faintly under the lights. Beneath his high, straight nose were lips that were neither too thin nor too full, their corners always slightly lifted. Anyone who saw him would instantly find him utterly approachable.

On top of that, Lu Shiyan was tall and well-built, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. He was the sort who looked slim in clothes but muscular without them, his proportions practically perfect.

Whether he was walking the red carpet in an elegant suit or appearing on the street in simple casual clothes, he radiated an incomparable charm that immediately drew everyone's attention.

The Original Novel had frequently described Lu Shiyan's breathtaking beauty. Although Lu Xiaoxiao had thought she was prepared, seeing him in person still hit her far harder than she had expected.

[Holy crap, you're so gorgeous you're going to kill me! They say truly stunning looks transcend gender, and this face would be amazing on either a man or a woman! Here's hoping I get to see my second brother in women's clothes in my lifetime!]

Lu Shiyan, who had heard Lu Xiaoxiao's thoughts, was baffled. "?"

Who was talking?

No one at the table had opened their mouth.

The other members of the Lu family were already used to hearing Lu Xiaoxiao's thoughts, so her admiration barely affected their expressions. Only Lu Yuan frowned slightly.

After all, seeing his own son dressed in women's clothes... was a little too progressive for the conservative Lu Yuan.

Years ago, Lu Yuan had strongly opposed Lu Shiyan entering the entertainment industry. But now that things had reached this point, opposing it was useless. He could only accept it.

Although the rift between father and son had yet to disappear entirely, at least they could now sit down and eat together in peace.

Even so, Lu Yuan would absolutely never accept his son wearing women's clothes! Absolutely not!

To admire that gorgeous face up close, Lu Xiaoxiao deliberately took the seat beside Lu Shiyan, then greeted him enthusiastically.

"You're finally back! Long time no see! What have you been busy with lately?"

Lu Shiyan smiled at her and replied, "I'm getting ready to go on a new variety show, a desert island survival sort of thing. The director said I could bring someone who isn't in show business. Want to come have some fun with me?"

"No thanks. You should take Jiaoyue instead."

Lu Xiaoxiao acted uninterested, but inwardly, she sighed.

[Sigh, it really does sound pretty fun. But it won't have anything to do with me in the end anyway. Since the opportunity will go to Lu Jiaoyue no matter what, I might as well give up the spot now and save myself some trouble.]

Startled, Lu Shiyan realized that what he was hearing was Lu Xiaoxiao's inner voice.

He had won a Best Actor award through genuine talent, after all. Keeping his expression under control in unexpected situations was what he did best. His face betrayed nothing; even the curve of his smile remained unchanged.

He was actually rather puzzled. He had no idea why Lu Xiaoxiao had immediately assumed the spot wasn't hers.

Lu Shiyan had decided to appear on this show before Lu Jiaoyue had been brought home. Lu Xiaoxiao had been the person he intended to take from the beginning.

Back when the entire Lu family had opposed Lu Shiyan entering show business, Lu Xiaoxiao had been the only one to support him. Although she had probably done it mostly to win his favor, Lu Shiyan still remembered what she had done for him.

As for Lu Jiaoyue, his biological younger sister... he barely knew her yet and had little affection for her, so naturally, he hadn't made any special plans for her.

When Lu Yubai saw Lu Xiaoxiao voluntarily offer the opportunity to Lu Jiaoyue, he hurried to agree, afraid she might change her mind. "Exactly! You should take Jiaoyue! She's so pretty, she might gain a huge bunch of fans after going on the show!"

Lu Yubai hadn't thought before speaking and had unwittingly touched a nerve with Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan already disliked anything to do with the entertainment industry. He had no desire for Lu Jiaoyue to follow in Lu Shiyan's footsteps, nor did he think a daughter of the Lu family needed to rely on her looks to earn the affection of those so-called fans.

The Lu family had more than enough means to cherish their daughter like a precious jewel. His daughter would never lack people who loved her!

But having learned from previous experience, Lu Yuan no longer wanted to clash with Lu Shiyan over such matters. Instead, he sternly reprimanded Lu Yubai. "Why are you butting into your older siblings' business?"

Lu Yubai could only shut his mouth. Cowed, he poked at the rice in his bowl with his chopsticks and said nothing more.

Unlike Lu Yuan, however, Song Zhilan's first reaction upon hearing Lu Xiaoxiao's thoughts was heartache.

Song Zhilan couldn't believe her daughter had become this insecure.

Whenever something good came her way, did she immediately feel she didn't deserve it? Would she even hand it over in advance just to avoid the humiliation of having someone else snatch the opportunity away later?

Always emotional, Song Zhilan felt her eyes redden. She believed her own shortcomings were what had made her daughter think this way.

At that thought, she couldn't help urging her, "If you want to go, then go with your brother. It's not as though there won't be similar opportunities in the future."

"That's right, Xiaoxiao," Lu Shiyan urged her too, his voice rich and gentle. "I've already told the director I'm bringing you. How could I change my mind at the last minute?"

Lu Jiaoyue, sitting nearby, hurried to agree as well. "Exactly! You should go. I'm not interested in appearing on a variety show! Really!"

Now that Lu Jiaoyue herself had spoken, Lu Shiyan reached out and ruffled Lu Xiaoxiao's hair, continuing to coax her gently. "See? Even Jiaoyue says so. Don't overthink it. When another opportunity comes along, I'll take her instead, all right?"

When Lu Xiaoxiao registered that Lu Shiyan had just patted her head, she froze for a moment.

So sweet! How could he be this gentle!

But after giving it another thought, she understood Lu Shiyan's reasoning.

Among the members of the Lu family, Lu Shiyan was one of the more emotionally detached ones. Even in the Original Novel's plot, he had only gradually become a doting brother after the variety show ended.

According to the timeline, before Lu Xiaoxiao had done anything bad, Lu Shiyan had always treated her fairly well as her second brother.

No wonder he stood on her side even when she voluntarily turned him down. Ultimately, it was because she wasn't villainous enough yet!