Chapter 186: Chapter 186: Influence

Almost everyone at school knew that Lu Xiao was Lu Huan and Lu Yu’s older sister.

Once this news spread, Lu Huan and Lu Yu started getting a lot more attention at school.

Previously, Lu Huan’s so-called “friends” had argued amongst themselves over her sudden change. They even made bets that she and her sister weren’t actually that close, a rumor that was shattered when Lu Xiao personally attended a parent-teacher conference for Lu Huan.

After the news about Lu Xiao spread through the school, those same “friends” who had already broken things off with Lu Huan shamelessly crowded around her again. “Is it true your sister only has one male at home?” they asked.

Lu Huan, who was in the middle of working on practice problems, looked up at the group surrounding her desk. “Yeah,” she said suspiciously. “Why are you asking?”

She didn’t get it. Why were these people, who had been openly “isolating” her, suddenly coming over to talk to her and asking about her sister, Lu Xiao?

It made her wary. ’They can mess with me, that’s fine. But if they dare to have any funny ideas about my sister, I definitely won’t let them get away with it!’

Just as she made up her mind, one of them sat right down, looking like she was ready for a long chat, her eyes filled with obvious expectation and curiosity.

A question mark seemed to form in Lu Huan’s mind.

Before she could speak, the other girl continued, “So it’s really true. What was your sister thinking? Why would she only want one male? Doesn’t she think the novelty will wear off quickly with just one person?”

Realizing they were probably just curious, Lu Huan relaxed. “As long as my sister is happy, that’s all that matters. There’s no need for so many ’whys.’ How many males you have at home is a personal decision, isn’t it? What’s so strange about that?”

Lu Huan had been spending more time with Lu Xiao and subconsciously imitating and learning from her, so much so that her way of thinking had started to change.

Her words made the young females in front of her pause.

It was as if a door had been opened in their minds.

’That’s right. Whether you choose several males, none at all, or just one… isn’t that our own decision to make?’

Who ever decreed that females in the Empire must choose multiple males?

No one, right? There aren’t even any laws about it. It’s just what everyone tacitly accepts.

So what’s wrong with Lady Lu Xiao choosing only one partner?

Not only is it not wrong, it’s super cool, isn’t it?

Having figured this out, the young females looked at Lu Huan with envy. “Your sister is so awesome. Lu Huan, will you also look for just one male in the future?”

The question caught Lu Huan off guard. “I haven’t thought about that yet.”

In the past, her thoughts on the matter had been influenced by Lu Ge Wei. She had been quite fickle, believing that males were born to be toyed with by females.

But the relationship between Lu Xiao and Ares had rebuilt her perspective on love. She no longer thought that way. At the same time, when it came to future partners, she didn’t subscribe to the principle that more was better, or that fewer was superior.

In her view, she might have one partner in the future, or she might have several. But no matter what, she would treat each one with sincerity and would never accept them with the playful attitude her mother had.

After Lu Huan shared her thoughts, looks of shock flashed through the eyes of the young females surrounding her. “Lu Huan, I feel like you’re really different from before.”

How much time had passed? Their old friend, who used to run amok with them, had changed so completely it was like she’d been reborn.

Not only was she excelling in her studies, but her thinking had also become so much more mature and rational.

Only at this moment did they realize that the gap between them and Lu Huan was enormous.

Someone finally couldn’t help but ask, “Lu Huan, why are you studying so hard now?”

Given their status as females, even if they didn’t study, they would never have to worry about food or clothing. This was a truth they had known since birth.

But Lu Huan insisted on studying this hard. At first, they all thought she was just putting on a show. But as she came in first in the entire grade on test after test, they finally realized that Lu Huan was genuinely studying hard.

But why? They didn’t understand.

“To have more choices in the future, of course. To choose a career I love, to choose my own life, to see different sights, and to meet different people.” As Lu Huan spoke, her face was filled with longing. She had witnessed Lu Xiao’s strength and wanted to be someone who could control her own destiny too.

Right now, females seemed powerful, but in reality, they were the ones being chosen and having their lives arranged for them. She didn’t want to be that kind of person anymore.

“Why do I still not get what you’re saying?” one young female asked, looking baffled. “Do we even need to choose our lives? Don’t we get whatever we want already?”

Hearing this, Lu Huan let out a soft laugh, but there was no mockery in it. She explained patiently, “But if you want to be a doctor, you can’t become one without studying medicine. If you want to be an artist, you can’t become one if you don’t know how to paint. I’m working hard now so that I’ll have the qualifications to make those choices later. It’s about wanting to truly possess something, not just seeming to have everything while actually having nothing. I want to be in control of my own life, not have my life control me. I want to be like my sister—even if everyone thinks she’s wrong, she can still be herself!”

This was the first time Lu Huan had revealed her true feelings, and it stunned the young females gathered around her.

’You can choose your own life?’

They all fell silent, but it felt as though something had planted a seed deep in their hearts.

From that day on, the atmosphere in Lu Huan’s class began to change.

The females who used to skip class, ignore the lectures, and never do their homework all seemed to have a change of heart and began to study. Not only that, but when these young females went home and observed how their own mothers interacted with their males, they became more and more convinced that Lu Xiao was the one who had it right.

Instead of letting the household descend into a chaotic mess where no one was happy, it was truly better to be devoted to one person.

As long as the two of them could live a good life together, that was better than anything else.

And so, many families discovered that the young females in their households had changed. Not only did they start studying diligently, but they also began to say shocking things, like, “Mother, do you think this is the life you wanted?”

“Mother, if you had only been with my Father back then, our family would be so much happier now!”

“Mother, your life looks exhausting just watching you. Do you really have to bring so many males home? Can you honestly handle it all?”

As this sort of thing happened more and more, many parents grew unsettled.

They rushed to contact the school’s teachers, demanding to know what their daughters had been through at school. Were these ideas things the teachers had taught them?

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep