Chapter 429

Some rooms at the Edison Hotel have outdoor bathtubs on the balcony facing the sea directly.

Since nothing but the sea lies directly ahead, there's no need to worry about exposure while bathing on the balcony.

You can enjoy the seaside scenery while soaking in the tub.

At eleven p. m.

In room 5008.

Li Luo slowly pulled down the zipper of Xu Youyu's evening gown, all the way to her rounded buttocks.

Originally, Li Luo had thought he might get another chance to see the brief glimpse of beauty he'd caught when she returned to the room that afternoon.

But after Li Luo helped her unzip, Xu Youyu smiled lightly in his arms, slipped free in an instant, walked to her suitcase, took something unknown, then vanished into the bathroom and shut the door.

Li Luo stood frozen in place, feeling strangely hollow.

From inside the bathroom, Xu Youyu's voice came: "Hurry and turn on the hot water in the balcony tub—I'll shower first."

Hearing her senior's command, Li Luo snapped back to reality, picturing the scene to come; Qianzhou's warning vanished completely from his mind, and he rushed out to the balcony.

Yet he wasn't truly hasty—he first rinsed the tub with the showerhead, confirmed it was clean, then turned on the hot water.

At this moment, the sound of running water came from the bathroom.

Li Luo checked the speed of the hot water filling the tub, returned to the room, picked up a peanut and ate it, turned on all the room lights, then began seriously pondering a certain question.

Hmm…

When we soak later, should I wear swim trunks… or… hmm?

Merely imagining one possible answer made Li Luo's blood stir, his whole body growing warm.

But he quickly regained his composure, pulled out the swim trunks Xu Youyu had bought him, and prepared to change into them after his shower.

Soon after, the water sounds in the bathroom ceased.

Xu Youyu stepped out wrapped in a white bathrobe, then laughed and pushed Li Luo into the bathroom: "Hurry up and wash—the hot water's ready, right?"

"About halfway, you can check," Li Luo estimated based on the flow rate and time, "The balcony's still a bit chilly—watch out you don't catch a cold."

"Got it~" Xu Youyu nodded, shut the bathroom door for him, wandered out to the balcony, and checked the water level.

She then poured in the hotel's complimentary bath essence, opened a packet of dried rose petals, and scattered them into the hot water.

After completing these preparations, she pulled out a wooden bath board from the side, laid it horizontally across the tub's center, perfectly fitting into the grooves on both sides to form a small table in the middle of the tub.

Then Xu Youyu placed the two remaining cocktails and three appetizers the server had brought onto the wooden board.

Everything was ready.

Xu Youyu, clad in a white bathrobe, clapped her hands in satisfaction.

Just then, Li Luo finished his quick rinse, put on his swim trunks, and stepped out wrapped in a bathrobe just like Xu Youyu.

Seeing Li Luo out of the shower, Xu Youyu leaned against the tub's edge and smiled as she waved him over.

When Li Luo reached her, Xu Youyu stood upright, leaned close to him, grabbed the sash of his bathrobe, and yanked it open, revealing his swim trunks underneath.

"Looking quite spirited," Xu Youyu glanced down, then looked up at him with a raised eyebrow, lifted her hand, and slipped his bathrobe off, hanging it on the nearby rack.

Then Xu Youyu opened her arms, smiling sweetly: "If you wait for a girl to prompt you, it's no fun at all."

Li Luo naturally understood her implication, and gently untied the sash of her bathrobe with both hands.

The next instant, the black swimsuit beneath her white bathrobe appeared faintly before Li Luo's eyes.

His hands reached her chest, gripped the collar's two sides, and gently pulled it open like opening a door, unveiling the mystery behind.

When the full beauty before him was completely exposed.

His hands froze midair, forgetting he still held her bathrobe; his gaze was utterly glued to Xu Youyu.

At this moment, Xu Youyu wore an extremely sensual black swimsuit.

The top was a thin, tied bandeau, its only support a bow at the nape of her neck.

The bottom was even simpler—a plain black triangle bikini, with not a single extra scrap of fabric.

Against her lush figure, it was enough to firmly fix Li Luo's gaze.

Although he had already seen this sight in the changing room when she picked out the swimsuit.

But seeing Xu Youyu wear it again—especially now, just before they were about to soak—

Li Luo's heart stirred inexplicably, as if an electric current shot from his feet straight to his brain.

"Stop staring," Xu Youyu blushed slightly, waved her hand before his face, then stepped back, leaned against the tub's edge, turned, lifted her leg, and sat herself down into the hot water.

Then Li Luo watched as Xu Youyu slid beneath the surface, her graceful form mostly submerged, indistinct.

Yet the shimmering play of ripples across the water's peaks and troughs still dazzled him, leaving him momentarily spellbound.

"You're such a dolt," Xu Youyu laughed, dipped her fingertip in water, leaned sideways on the tub's edge, and flicked a few drops onto him, "Stop standing there like a statue—get in."

"Hmm…" Li Luo came to, hung her bathrobe on the rack, then looked down at the tub and realized Xu Youyu had prepared everything thoroughly.

Even the rose petals and the wooden board were in place.

"Should I sit across from you?"

"Obviously—do you expect me to sit in your lap?" Xu Youyu gave him a sultry glance, then giggled, "Though… it's not out of the question."

"Cough… let's just sit across from each other."

At this moment, the wooden board stretched across the tub's center, dividing the space into left and right.

Xu Youyu took the right side; Li Luo stepped into the empty left side.

"Spread your legs," Xu Youyu commanded from across, "Put them on either side of me—otherwise there won't be enough room."

The tub wasn't tiny, but it wasn't huge either.

Two people fit perfectly, but only if their postures coordinated—they couldn't just lounge however they pleased.

As Li Luo stepped into the hot water and leaned back to sink fully in, he had to spread his legs wide, aligning them beside Xu Youyu's closed ones, extending along the tub's porcelain walls until reaching her sides.

And Xu Youyu, shorter than Li Luo by a head, neatly closed her legs and straightened them through the center—the space was just right… just right…

Li Luo looked down at the water, felt someone's bare feet, and immediately blushed. "Senior, can't you lift your knees a little higher?"

"Huh? What did you say?" Xu Youyu frowned, tilting her ear closer, then deliberately cupped her hand behind it like a megaphone. "I didn't hear you."

Underwater, her feet began wriggling again.

Li Luo took a deep breath, quickly reached into the water, seized both of Xu Youyu's feet, and scratched the soles of her feet several times.

"Hahaha~ Stop! Don't tickle me! I won't tease you anymore!" Xu Youyu begged, unable to hold back her laughter, quickly pulling her feet back and bending her knees. "Drink! Drink! Let's clink glasses!"

After retracting her feet, Xu Youyu picked up a cocktail.

Seeing this, Li Luo also lifted his own glass.

Their glasses clinked in midair with a crisp chime.

Then both drank, nibbled on snacks, soaked in the tub, and gazed at the sea under the night sky—utterly relaxed.

"Remember to write this into your book," Xu Youyu grinned mischievously, her playful foot darting out again, tapping Li Luo lightly before snapping back. "I've given you so much material—I hope you'll see it all reflected in Jiang Ming's story someday."

Li Luo nodded slightly, one hand vanishing beneath the water, sneaking forward to grab—only to grasp nothing, failing to catch her feet again.

Xu Youyu clearly noticed his little move and chuckled twice. "Why are you grabbing my feet? Isn't it nice of me to help you?"

"Help? You'll definitely bail halfway through." Li Luo had seen through her long ago—he didn't believe a word of her so-called kindness.

If she got him all worked up again, he might really burn alive.

How would he ever sleep tonight?

"What if I promise not to lie this time?" Xu Youyu blinked, whether drunk or sincere, she sounded bold. "Let me help you?"

Though Li Luo's resolve was firm, hearing her words made him waver.

So when her foot slid toward him again from beneath the water, he made no move to stop her, letting her cautiously unfold herself.

Just as Li Luo froze, thinking he'd been tricked again—

The next second—

He felt a fish-like form glide beneath the small table, burst through the water, and slip into his arms.

The space on either side of the table was tight—just one person sitting made it cramped.

Now another person squeezed into the left side; Xu Youyu felt her back brush the table's edge, so she pressed herself even harder into Li Luo's embrace.

As he lowered his head, a breathtaking sight flooded his vision—exquisite, intoxicating, accompanied by a perfect touch that made him feel like he was dreaming.

"Still want it?" Xu Youyu wrapped her arms around him, grinning. "My feet got tired—how about I use my hands instead?"

Before Li Luo could answer, her hand slipped beneath the water.

…

Eleven-thirty at night.

Li Luo rose from the tub and fled hastily to the bathroom.

Xu Youyu watched his retreating back, then looked down, blinked, stared at her palm, lost in thought—then suddenly giggled.

Seeing Li Luo had already entered the bathroom, the sound of running water echoing inside, Xu Youyu raised her right hand and sniffed curiously.

Hm… it didn't really smell like anything.

Maybe because of the swimsuit?

Thinking this, she finally emerged from that state, slowly realizing what she'd just done.

Her cheeks flushed red; she covered her face with both hands, laughing softly while blushing, then let out a few low "haha"s followed by "a-a-a!" as she wriggled in the tub.

"Xu Youyu, Xu Youyu—look what you've done…"

Xu Youyu leaned back against the tub, sinking beneath the water, leaving only her head above the surface, her mind slightly dizzy.

But this time…

"Actually… there is a faint scent…" Xu Youyu stared at the water, sniffed again, murmured to herself—then blushed furiously, scrambled out of the tub, wrapped herself in a robe, and hurried into the room.

Luckily, Li Luo had washed quickly and cleaned up, leaving the bathroom for Xu Youyu.

When Xu Youyu finished her shower, changed into a nightgown, and stepped out, the room was dark.

Li Luo had turned off all the lights, leaving only a bedside lamp on to guide her to the bed.

Xu Youyu looked at the bed—Li Luo was already lying on his own, still and quiet.

Seeing this, she didn't even glance at her own bed; she walked straight to Li Luo's side, pulled back his covers, and slipped right in.

"I heard guys always get that sage time," Xu Youyu pressed close, lifting her thigh to rub against his stomach. "Turns out it's real… hmm?"

"Senior…" In the dimness, Li Luo rolled onto his side, pinned her down, then flipped over on top of her. "Alone together in a room—I think you need to understand just how dangerous this can be."

Saying this, he bent his head, seized her cheek, and kissed her hard.

Just as Xu Youyu was stunned, then gradually lost herself in his kiss, her eyes growing hazy and unfocused—the bedside phone suddenly vibrated.

Both froze, turning their heads together.

It was Xu Youyu's phone.

Li Luo picked it up and glanced at the screen.

But Xu Youyu impatiently slapped his hand down, lifted her head, closed her eyes, and eagerly pressed forward, begging for another kiss.

"Senior," Li Luo said sharply, seeing the name "Ms. Cui" on the screen, "it's Aunt Cui calling."

Somehow, those words shattered the dreamy haze—Xu Youyu snapped awake, snatched the phone from his hand, and stared at the caller ID.

Confirming it was Cui Suling, Xu Youyu instantly regained her senses, her eyes sharpening, her expression brightening.

She gave Li Luo a shushing gesture, then answered the call.

"Hello, Mom?"

"Youyu," Cui Suling's calm voice came through the line. "Still awake?"

"Just got into bed, about to sleep," Xu Youyu replied.

"Oh, I see."

While Cui Suling was speaking, Li Luo, who was still lying on top of Xu Youyu, suddenly had a brilliant idea and quietly leaned in to kiss her on the cheek.

Surprised by Li Luo's sudden attack, Xu Youyu froze for a moment, then glared at him fiercely, but still asked in a calm tone: "So why did you call me so late at night?"

"Nothing much," said Cui Suling. "It's just that we're going to Qiongzhou City for a trip the day after tomorrow—I wanted to ask if you've packed your luggage."

"There's still tomorrow," Xu Youyu lied, pretending she was still at Bihai Lanting. "I'll pack tomorrow. You don't need to worry about me."

"Do you have sunscreen?"

"Yes."

"What about a thin jacket? Qiongzhou is hot—you'll have to take off your down jacket."

"Yes, yes."

"Didn't you already buy swimsuits last time? Then you don't need to buy more."

"Right."

"Should I bring you a pair of slippers?"

"Hmm…"

"What was that sound?"

"Ah, no…" Xu Youyu hastily puffed out her cheeks at Li Luo, glaring at him angrily, but was immediately kissed again by him.

"What are you doing?" Cui Suling asked, puzzled.

"Nothing, nothing—just a sudden stomachache," Xu Youyu whispered. "You don't need to bring slippers—ask Li Luo later, see if he's prepared."

"How bad is the stomachache? Should you take some medicine?"

"No, no—it just hurt for a second, now it's fine."

"Alright then," Cui Suling nodded. "If there's nothing else, I'm hanging up. Go to sleep early."

"Mm-hmm." Xu Youyu finally got through her mother's call, hung up, and let out a long breath.

Immediately, she punched Li Luo angrily: "You're going to kill me! You kissed me while I was on the phone!"

"I'm gathering material," Li Luo said, grinning shamelessly, imitating Xu Youyu's tone. "I'll definitely write this into my book."

"Alright, alright, as long as Mom didn't notice anything strange." Xu Youyu shoved Li Luo aside, making him roll over and lie still, then rose to return to the opposite bed. "Let's go to sleep."

"Don't leave."

As Xu Youyu sat up, her toes still fumbling for slippers by the bed, Li Luo grabbed her and yanked her back, pinning her down onto the bed again.

"Senior."

"Mmm…"

"Once Pandora's box is opened, it's hard to close again."

"Li Luo, you're scary right now."

"Am I?"

"But I like it."