Chapter 330: Giving a Hug in Front of Mom and Dad

When Li Luo was woken by his phone in the morning, he was still drowsy and answered the call half-asleep.

Only when Ying Chanxi's familiar voice came through the line, and he felt Xu Youyu wrap her arms around him from the side, her mumbled words brushing his ear, did his whole body jolt with a sudden buzz, his mind shaking.

Especially after Ying Chanxi suddenly fell silent on the other end, Li Luo broke into a cold sweat on his back, quickly rolled over, pinned Xu Youyu beneath him, and covered her mouth with his other hand.

Pressed down by Li Luo, Xu Youyu also jolted awake, blinking her eyes in confusion as she stared at him.

Seeing Li Luo frantically blinking at her while holding the phone, Xu Youyu finally understood the situation and immediately fell silent.

"Hello?" Li Luo asked aloud.

After a few seconds passed, Ying Chanxi finally asked from the other end of the line: "Just now… who was that?"

"Just now? Oh, that's a female author who came to the salon." Li Luo forced his voice to sound calm, "What's wrong?"

"Y-you're still with a female author?" Ying Chanxi bit her lip, completely failing to recognize the voice as Xu Youyu's.

On one hand, because Ying Chanxi and Xu Youyu had spoken almost simultaneously, she hadn't clearly heard.

On the other hand, Xu Youyu's voice was still slightly hoarse from waking up, not as clear and bright as usual, so the tone didn't match.

Moreover, in Ying Chanxi's subconscious, she assumed Xu Youyu was still fast asleep at home—she never once connected it to Xu Youyu.

"I came to the hotel restaurant for breakfast; they just invited me to join them." Li Luo blurted out a ridiculous excuse.

Ying Chanxi fell silent for a moment, then asked: "Is this female author pretty?"

"What are you thinking?" Li Luo was speechless, "She's already married with kids—her kid can even go buy soy sauce by now."

"Oh, oh oh…" Ying Chanxi realized she'd misunderstood, blushing slightly and feeling embarrassed, "I was just asking…"

Taking advantage of the pause, Li Luo checked his phone and saw the QQ message Ying Chanxi had sent him, then changed the subject: "Have you boarded the high-speed train yet?"

"Not yet, still waiting for check-in," Ying Chanxi replied, shaking her head. "About ten more minutes."

"Alright." Li Luo nodded. "I'll come pick you up at the station and take you to the hotel."

"Yay~" Hearing Li Luo would come pick her up, Ying Chanxi brightened, her voice becoming lively and cheerful, "Do you have anything else planned this morning?"

"Probably not," Li Luo said. "The salon event starts officially in the afternoon."

"Then… can you spend the morning with us?" Ying Chanxi whispered, negotiating. "After all… uh… Lin Yi and the others hardly ever get to travel—try to spend as much time with them as you can."

"Fine." Li Luo thought for a moment—there really wasn't anything to do in the morning—so he agreed. "But I'll be back before noon; I've already made plans to have lunch with other authors."

"Mm-hmm, okay!" Hearing Li Luo agreed to spend the morning with them, Ying Chanxi didn't care whether they'd eat lunch together—she instantly accepted.

After a brief chat about the rest of the schedule, they hung up.

The moment Li Luo ended the call, he felt a tickle in his palm—someone had lightly licked it.

"Are you a dog?" Li Luo quickly released his hand from Xu Youyu's mouth.

"I wasn't even talking—why did you keep my mouth covered so long?" Xu Youyu glared at him.

"You weren't talking, but you were doing other bad things." Li Luo smirked, remembering how Xu Youyu had sucked on a lollipop yesterday and nearly got caught by Ying Chanxi—he was speechless.

"You're worse," Xu Youyu huffed, then stretched her arms out, wrapped them around Li Luo's neck, pulled him down, and hugged him tightly.

Leaning close to Li Luo's ear, she teased softly: "What do you mean by 'a female author who's married with kids'? How come I didn't know I got married and had a child? Want me to help you fulfill that condition right now?"

"Cough… don't play around," Li Luo sighed. "That was just out of necessity—if Xi Xi found out you were with me, how would I explain? Just confess your identity outright?"

"That's definitely not possible," Xu Youyu immediately rejected it, then grinned mischievously. "Why not say you insisted on inviting me secretly to come with you?"

"Hmph, I think it's better if you just admit your secret identity," Li Luo sneered. "I'm actually curious to see how Xi Xi and the others react when they read your novels."

"You dare?!" Xu Youyu clung tighter, her legs wrapping tightly around his waist as if trying to strangle him.

But Li Luo only felt the softness beneath him, sending waves of longing through him.

Unfortunately, after exerting herself for a moment, Xu Youyu lost all strength—she was truly a physical weakling.

Slumping onto the bed, Xu Youyu let out a long, melancholy sigh, her expression suddenly turning sorrowful: "Sigh… I've finally realized—this isn't a one-day couple experience at all."

"Then what is it?" Li Luo climbed off her and rolled back to his original spot.

Then Xu Youyu, with a pouty tone, complained: "This is just a one-day lover experience, isn't it? You've spent the whole day fielding Xi Xi's check-ins."

"It's your fault for causing trouble when Xi Xi called!" Li Luo was exasperated. "You kept pestering me last night—I barely slept."

"So now it's my fault?" Xu Youyu huffed, covering her face and whispering a sob. "I'm the bad one, alright? Go find your Xi Xi—leave me here alone. I can be perfectly fine by myself."

Li Luo instantly saw she was acting again and warned: "Leaving you alone here is out of the question."

"Then are you going to stay with me?" Xu Youyu asked. "Didn't you just promise Xi Xi you'd take her out?"

"You misunderstood me," Li Luo pointed at the bed beneath them. "I mean, this is my room—you need to go back to your own room."

Xu Youyu: "…?"

"Dog scumbag!" Xu Youyu angrily threw a pillow at him. "Use me and then dump me, is that it?"

"What do you mean 'use and dump'? Don't smear me!" Li Luo dodged, leaping off the bed—only for the pillow to fly after him, hitting him before flopping limply to the floor.

"Hmph," Xu Youyu got out of bed, slipped on slippers, gathered her clothes into her arms, grabbed her laptop, and walked straight toward the door. "Fine, I'm leaving—go have fun by yourself."

"Wait! I was just joking!" Li Luo rushed forward and grabbed her arm. "At least have breakfast downstairs together?"

"Ask me nicely."

"Please."

"That's better," Xu Youyu nodded half-satisfied, put her laptop back down, and shoved her room card into Li Luo's hands. "Help me with something."

"What?" Li Luo frowned at the room card in his hand.

"Go get my clothes from my room," Xu Youyu blinked, looking down at her arms. "These clothes are dirty—I can't wear them."

"…Can't you go get them yourself?"

"You want me to walk out in my pajamas? What if someone in the hallway sees me—won't your girlfriend get a full view?"

"Our one-day couple thing is over—talk normally."

"Nope~" Xu Youyu grinned. "We started the one-day couple experience only when we reached the high-speed train station yesterday—haven't reached that point yet."

"It won't end until around ten o'clock anyway."

"So... if you went out with Chanxi this morning, that would be cheating."

Saying this, Xu Youyu leaned closer to Li Luo, her beautiful face hovering before his, eyes half-lidded as she added, "Tell me, how should I punish you?"

"... How about we break up right now?"

"You're so cruel." Xu Youyu gave him a glare. "But first, you have to go get my clothes before we break up."

Li Luo sighed, looking down at Xu Youyu's pajamas—and the alluring body wrapped inside them.

If someone else in the hotel saw her like this in the hallway... well... he still felt a little uneasy about it.

Thinking of this, Li Luo took the room card from Xu Youyu and walked toward the door: "Wait here. Are all your clothes in the suitcase?"

"Yes." Xu Youyu happily saw him off at the door, then added, "Bring one short-sleeve top, a pair of pants, and underwear and panties~"

Hearing the last part, Li Luo's steps froze: "Can't I just bring you the top and pants, and you put them on before..."

"You're so picky." Xu Youyu kicked his butt, rolling her eyes. "How many times have you watched the three of us change in the balcony at home? Now you're suddenly shy?"

"I just looked! I never touched anything!"

"What's the difference?" Xu Youyu pushed him out the door. "Hurry back—I'm waiting~"

Li Luo walked out, helpless, watching the door shut behind him. He glanced left and right—no one in the hallway.

So he took the room card to the adjacent 8017, swiped it open, and stepped inside.

Compared to Li Luo's room, Xu Youyu's was much cleaner.

After all, since Xu Youyu had placed her suitcase in here yesterday, she'd probably spent less than ten minutes inside.

Even the bedcovers were perfectly smooth, not a single wrinkle.

Li Luo decided to get it over with. He found Xu Youyu's suitcase spread on the floor, crouched down, rummaged through it, picked out a top and pants, then calmly pulled out a set of underwear and panties.

Xu Youyu was right about one thing—he really was a bit too picky sometimes.

He always deliberately avoided certain things, putting on false politeness.

Probably because of the lingering trauma from his past life, when his relationship with Ying Chanxi fell apart. Since then, whenever facing girls, he'd instinctively avoid certain things.

If he didn't act, didn't get close, didn't become intimate, he wouldn't repeat the mistakes of childhood—hurting others.

But reborn into this life, he'd unconsciously gained some Reborn confidence, even developed delusions.

This tangled mix of conflicting emotions and thoughts made him feel oddly twisted when facing certain situations.

Li Luo sighed, holding the clothes to his chest, gave himself a wry smile, then turned and left the room, returning to the door next door and knocked.

Xu Youyu opened the door, grinning as she took the clothes from Li Luo. Walking to the bed, she turned to him: "Want to watch me change?"

"No." Li Luo quietly walked into the bathroom and shut the door.

Seeing this, Xu Youyu dashed to the frosted glass, then dropped to the floor, pressing her face against the bottom transparent panel to peek inside, tapping the glass teasingly: "You can see from here too~ Aren't you planning to sneak a peek?"

"Hurry up!" Li Luo grumbled from inside the bathroom. "Put on your clothes and come downstairs for breakfast—I have to go to the high-speed rail station soon."

"Got it." Xu Youyu stood up from the floor, standing right in front of the frosted glass, gripping the hem of her pajama dress at her waist, lifting it slowly upward, then pulling it over her head and tossing it onto Li Luo's bed.

Inside the bathroom, Li Luo didn't actually crouch to look, but he couldn't help stealing a few glances at the slender silhouette visible through the frosted glass.

To be fair, if it were Ying Chanxi, her figure would probably be just as lovely.

But if it were Yan Zhusheng... Li Luo rubbed his chin, thinking Yan Zhusheng's leg shape was probably the most beautiful.

Still, in terms of body curves, Xu Youyu was clearly the most captivating.

Just a quick glance was enough to make his blood boil.

Watching her silhouette pick up her undergarments and slip them on.

Her Shanfeng stood even firmer, the dark forest now veiled by a curtain.

When the outer shell of the world was once again covered, Li Luo heard the tapping on the frosted glass—he knew Xu Youyu was dressed.

Stepping out, he saw the Xu Youyu who had been wearing a light pajama now transformed into a vibrant, youthful Young Lady.

But...

"I need to go change again." Xu Youyu sighed, looking at Li Luo, and playfully tapped his head. "Next time, remember—when a girl wears black underwear, she can't pair it with white clothes."

Only now, with her reminder, did Li Luo notice: when the light was bright, whenever Xu Youyu raised her arms, the black beneath became unmistakable—turning her outfit into a sheer one.

Li Luo: "..."

"Then next time, think more." Xu Youyu laughed, shaking her head. Finally, she hugged her laptop and pajama dress against her chest, grabbed the room card, and returned to the adjacent room.

One or two minutes later, Xu Youyu emerged wearing a dark short-sleeve top that concealed the color of her underwear, then joined Li Luo downstairs for breakfast.

After breakfast, Xu Youyu parted from him at the elevator, hugging him one last time and stealing a quick kiss, grinning: "That's our breakup kiss~ I'm going back to catch up on sleep. Have fun!"

Li Luo touched his cheek, watching Xu Youyu step into the elevator, his expression dazed.

He didn't know how, but he'd somehow slowly accepted the idea that taking inspiration meant kissing cheeks.

Shaking his head, Li Luo left the hotel, hailed a taxi, and arrived at the high-speed rail station about twenty minutes before Ying Chanxi's train pulled in, waiting by the exit.

Around eight in the morning, Li Luo's phone vibrated.

It was Ying Chanxi calling.

"Hello?"

"We've arrived!" Ying Chanxi's excited voice came through the line. "Where are you?"

"I'm at the exit. Just follow the crowd out of the station—you'll see me."

"Okay!" Ying Chanxi nodded, then added, "I'm wearing a light pink dress and a sun hat. Lin Yi is in a red short-sleeve, and Uncle Li is in a white T-shirt."

"I know." Li Luo looked down at his own clothes. "I'm wearing the yellow T-shirt you bought me—the SpongeBob one."

"Oh oh, got it!" Ying Chanxi nodded happily. "What about pants? Did you wear the white ones? They'd match better."

"Yeah, I wore them. I followed your advice."

"Then we're almost there!" Ying Chanxi said as she walked. "I think I see the exit."

"Where's Li Luo?" Lin Xiuhong's voice came from the other end.

"He said he'll wait for us at the exit," Ying Chanxi said. "We'll see him soon."

"Slow down, slow down, no rush, don't bump into anyone," Li Guohong cautioned beside them.

Li Luo listened to the voice on his phone, a smile spreading across his face. Soon, he spotted the three familiar figures near the exit and instinctively raised his hand to wave.

But Ying Chanxi, with sharp eyes, immediately spotted Li Luo in the crowd. She jumped up and down happily, waving at him. "I see you! You saw us too, right?"

"Mm." Li Luo smiled and nodded, listening to the excited voice on his phone. "Your clothes look great today. Very pretty."

"Hmph." Ying Chanxi tried to suppress the smile tugging at her lips. Her heart leapt, but she said, "You haven't even seen me up close yet. How can you tell if it's good or not from so far away? That's too lazy."

"Even from far away you look this beautiful—I can't even imagine how stunning you'll be up close," Li Luo said. "I might not be able to blink when I get near. Don't laugh at me."

"Sounds nice," Ying Chanxi said, her smile finally breaking free. Her steps quickened without notice.

Li Guohong and Lin Xiuhong beside them also quickened their pace. Finally, through the crowd, they swiped their cards at the exit gate and hurried over to Li Luo.

"Mom, long time no see!" Li Luo grinned and rushed forward to give Lin Xiuhong a big hug.

"You brat… it's been less than a day. Where's 'long time no see'?" Lin Xiuhong laughed, but still hugged her big boy tightly.

After the hug, Li Luo turned to Li Guohong and gave him a manly embrace too. "Dad, nice outfit? New?"

"Your mom and Chanxi insisted on going shopping last night and bought me two sets too," Li Guohong chuckled.

"Looks sharp," Li Luo praised, then naturally pulled Ying Chanxi into a hug—and just as naturally let go. "Welcome to Changning! Let's go."

He took Lin Xiuhong's and Ying Chanxi's suitcases and walked ahead. "I'll take you to the hotel first."

At this moment, Ying Chanxi's cheeks were flushed crimson, her head buzzing, her mind utterly blank.

Lin Xiuhong and Li Guohong, however, didn't realize anything was off. After all, Li Luo had simply hugged everyone—a normal welcome gesture. They simply didn't notice anything unusual.

But being hugged by Li Luo right in front of her uncle and aunt left Ying Chanxi utterly flustered. Her cheeks burned like a boiling kettle.

Luckily, she wore a sun hat, so Lin Xiuhong and Li Guohong didn't notice anything.

But as she walked beside Li Luo, she couldn't help whispering, "Y-you… why did you suddenly hug me like that?"

"What do you mean 'suddenly'? Isn't this just a normal hug between friends?" Li Luo said seriously. "Didn't you see me hug my parents? What's wrong with hugging you? Don't you like it?"

"I—I…" Ying Chanxi's eyes darted away, avoiding Li Luo's gaze, but her heart swelled with delight.

Catching up to Li Luo, she said, "I'll carry my own suitcase. You carrying both is too much work."

"It's fine, just a few steps," Li Luo shook his head, leading the three of them outside the high-speed rail station and hailing a taxi.

Li Guohong sat in the front passenger seat. Li Luo and the two girls sat in the back.

Ying Chanxi sat in the middle, pressed against Li Luo. As the taxi sped through Changning's city streets, with Li Luo and her uncle and aunt beside her, she felt deeply safe and happy.

"By the way, has Uncle Ying arrived yet?" Li Luo asked.

"Mm, Dad probably got here yesterday," Ying Chanxi nodded. "But he's busy today—he said he won't be free until after seven. We're planning to have dinner then."

"Perfect," Li Luo nodded. "I don't know when my afternoon salon will end, but it'll definitely finish before seven."

"Great!" Ying Chanxi nodded happily, then asked curiously, "C-can we go by your place first?"

"My place?"

"Yeah!" Ying Chanxi nodded vigorously. "I'm curious—what's your salon like? And your hotel—I heard it's expensive. What's special inside? And the authors you had breakfast with… can I meet them?"

"Uh…" Li Luo felt sweat prickling his back. He cleared his throat twice. "Didn't we say we'd visit some sights this morning…?"

"What's wrong with going by your place?" Lin Xiuhong suddenly chimed in. "I want to see it too."

"Alright then…" Li Luo wiped sweat from his forehead and reluctantly agreed.