Chapter 430: Need to Undergo Purification

Morning.

When the first beam of sunlight slipped through the curtain gap and fell upon Li Luo's face.

His eyelids twitched, then slowly, reluctantly, opened.

The light stung his eyes; he immediately shut them again, trying to raise his hand to block it.

But when he instinctively tried to lift his right hand, he found it couldn't move.

He turned his head and saw Xu Youyu leaning against his right side, her head resting on his shoulder.

So Li Luo raised his left hand to shield his eyes, letting them adjust to the light, blinked hard several times, and finally woke fully.

He wrapped his right arm around Xu Youyu beside him, feeling her warm, soft body, the faint, intoxicating scent of her skin, and her steady breathing in sleep.

Finally, Li Luo's gaze settled on Xu Youyu's plump, sensual lips, and the palace of his memories opened.

Scene after scene rushed at him, endlessly lingering on his mind.

If Xu Youyu hadn't worked hard enough last night to tame the Sea-Stabilizing Divine Needle and barely seal the Pandora's Box.

Li Luo might truly have lost control and made a mistake.

He rolled onto his side, his left hand gently brushing across Xu Youyu's delicate cheek, tucking the stray hairs behind her ear; seeing her irresistible beauty, Li Luo couldn't resist, and lightly kissed her lips.

Whether from intuition or not, Xu Youyu's eyelashes fluttered, and soon, she half-awoke, eyes blurry.

Her eyes half-open, she squinted at Li Luo before him; seeing he was awake, she pouted, "What time is it?"

"Let me check."

Li Luo reached for the phone on the nightstand, glanced at the time, "Almost seven. Want to get up and have breakfast?"

"Mmm…" Xu Youyu wriggled in his arms, stretched out, then collapsed onto him, wrapping her arms around his neck, whispering, "I can't get up. Carry me."

Whether it was his imagination or not, since unlocking deeper intimacy with Xu Youyu, she'd grown increasingly fond of pouting and clinging.

She'd gradually drifted from the carefree, confident image he'd once known.

Or perhaps, in a normal romantic relationship, Xu Youyu naturally revealed this hidden side?

Had he simply never reached this point in his past life, and thus never seen the real Xu Youyu?

Thinking of this, Li Luo felt a quiet sense of relief.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, yanked the blanket off, and surged upward, lifting her upright with him on the bed.

Then he twisted his hips, carried her to the edge of the bed, slipped on slippers, and said, "Stretch your feet out, put on your slippers."

"Mm." Xu Youyu clung to Li Luo obediently, straightening her legs, fumbling on the floor until she slipped on her slippers.

The next instant, he lifted her into his arms again; her slippers nearly flew off, barely dangling from her toes, swaying as they shuffled into the bathroom.

Only at the sink did Li Luo set her down, then opened the disposable toiletries and squeezed toothpaste onto her brush.

Xu Youyu wore a nightdress; Li Luo wore only underwear, brushing his teeth in front of the mirror.

But this pair of underwear was no longer the one he'd worn after his last bath last night.

Like the swimming trunks he'd worn for the bath, that pair had been heroically sacrificed, washed, and placed in the hotel's laundry bag.

After finishing their morning routine, Li Luo told Xu Youyu to put all her laundry into the bag, then called housekeeping via the room phone to arrange pickup, placing the bag in the designated spot.

Everything settled, they changed into light clothing and prepared to head downstairs for breakfast.

"Wait."

Xu Youyu saw Li Luo open the door, grabbed him, shoved him against the wall, and tiptoed to kiss him lightly.

Without giving him time to react, she laughed and darted out the door.

Learning from yesterday's lesson, Xu Youyu didn't let Li Luo catch her this time; she ran all the way to the elevator, only to be snatched into his arms at the last moment.

"Don't get wild, we're outside now," Xu Youyu giggled, giving his chest a light push; when the elevator reached the fifth floor, she pulled him inside.

Li Luo's desire, sparked by her kiss, had been forcibly extinguished; he could only hold her hand, playing with her fingers in his palm.

They reached the second floor for breakfast, wandered the buffet with trays, then found a table and sat.

As they ate, Li Luo said, "Once the hotel returns our clothes, we'll check out. Your flight's at five this afternoon, right?"

"Mm." Xu Youyu nodded. "We'll need to leave for the airport by three."

"Then after checkout, let me take you to see that private villa first," Li Luo said. "If you don't need a nap, we can go play on the private beach this afternoon."

"Oh, but I'm kind of sleepy," Xu Youyu blinked at him. "Can I take a nap after we get there?"

"Hmm…" Li Luo felt a pang of disappointment at her words, but said, "Go ahead and sleep. You were pretty tired last night."

"Hah~" Though Li Luo's disappointment vanished in an instant, Xu Youyu, who'd been watching him closely, caught it.

She smiled, rubbed her leg against his calf, then teased, "Hey, are you a little upset?"

"No way," Li Luo shook his head. "Why would I be upset?"

"I know," Xu Youyu hummed, grinning as she pierced his thoughts. "Private beach~ just the two of us. Someone definitely wants to see me in that swimsuit, right?"

"... I didn't say that."

"Didn't you? I wonder what you're really thinking." Xu Youyu chuckled, tracing circles on his handback. "Say it now: 'I really want to see Youyu's sexy swimsuit,' and I'll go to the beach with you this afternoon, okay?"

"..."

"Say it~"

"... No."

"Do you want to?"

"..."

"Tell the truth."

"... A little."

"Just a little?"

"Then two?"

"Which two points?" Xu Youyu raised an eyebrow and suddenly grinned slyly.

Li Luo heard that laugh and immediately understood, then stared blankly: "Sis, you drive way too fast."

"Where's it fast? Didn't you say it first?" Xu Youyu burst out laughing. "Or maybe two points aren't enough—you want three points?"

Li Luo: "... I'm full. Let's go back to the room."

Watching Li Luo stand up and scramble toward the elevator, Xu Youyu followed behind, thoroughly amused, leaning close to wrap her arm around his: "Just say it~ Say it and I'll take you to the private beach."

Li Luo held his tongue and refused to speak.

Only when they stepped into the elevator and it was just the two of them did Li Luo finally lean to Xu Youyu's ear and whisper: "I want to see your swimsuit."

"Wrong, wrong," Xu Youyu chuckled, then stifled her laughter to correct him. "You got it wrong. You have to say it my way."

At that moment, the elevator doors opened. As they walked toward the room, Xu Youyu clung to Li Luo's arm with a coquettish tone and repeated: "You have to say, 'I just want to see Youyu's sexy swimsuit~'"

Li Luo: "... You might as well kill me."

"What's so hard about that?" Xu Youyu laughed heartily. When they reached the room door and Li Luo swiped open the lock, they stepped inside, and she continued teasing: "Come on, come on—do you want me to teach you word by word?"

Xu Youyu was still teasing Li Luo, unaware she had now entered his territory.

Back in the room, free from outside interference, before Xu Youyu could react, Li Luo turned and pinned her against the doorframe.

"Wait… wait… I… mmm…"

…

At ten a. m., the hotel staff delivered the washed clothes.

So Li Luo and Xu Youyu packed their luggage, went downstairs, and checked out at the front desk.

"Where's the private villa?" Xu Youyu dragged her suitcase behind Li Luo as they stepped out of the hotel, curiously asking. "Should we take a taxi?"

"No need." Li Luo shook his head, glanced at his phone, then looked toward the entrance where vehicles arrived—and saw a black Mercedes approaching from afar, stopping at the hotel gate.

The next moment, the driver, dressed in a butler's uniform, stepped out, fixed his gaze on Li Luo, and smiled warmly: "You must be Mr. Li Luo?"

"Yes, correct." Li Luo nodded to the butler. "Butler Liu, thank you for coming personally."

"It's my duty." Butler Liu smiled, opening the rear door and gesturing for them to get in.

After Li Luo and Xu Youyu settled inside, Butler Liu closed the door, carried their two suitcases to the back, opened the trunk, and stowed them neatly.

Then Li Luo said from inside the car: "This is the butler of the private villa—here to pick us up."

"So fancy?" Xu Youyu blinked, finally catching on. "Where exactly did you rent this private villa from?"

"Cough… it's not really rented." Li Luo lowered his voice. "My uncle knows a big boss who's recently been managing a small online celebrity."

"I used to write some trash songs—quality wasn't good, Zhusheng wouldn't touch them."

"When my uncle met him at a gathering, he mentioned what he was doing now, and the big boss happened to be looking for song submissions for his celebrity—so my uncle casually gave him one."

"The quality was average, but the guy seemed to like it."

"When my uncle inquired about the private beach, the guy lent us his private beach here, plus the villa."

Hearing this for the first time, Xu Youyu perked up immediately, eager to hear all the details.

Though this wasn't quite the entertainment circle, it was close enough—and Xu Youyu loved gossip like this.

But once Butler Liu got in the car, the two fell silent.

Still, after telling her this, Li Luo felt a pang of reflection.

Sometimes, connections work exactly like this.

The more quality connections you cultivate in daily life, the more likely a single request will be casually fulfilled for you when you truly need it.

And what seems difficult to you might be effortless for them.

For Li Luo, a trash song was equally effortless.

In his past life, he never tasted the benefits of quality connections; in this life, he finally understood them.

Whether it was Yan Zhusheng helping him secure Luo Fei for composition and arrangement, or Yuan Wanqing inviting him to write songs.

Or Wang Jun, the director introduced by Ying Zhicheng; the big boss through his uncle Li Guoru.

Or the lawyer Tian, whom Xu Rongsheng helped him find last time; or the Platinum-level web novel masters who gave him advice.

All these things, though subtle, were the work of connections.

Even though writing online novels is the least dependent on connections, sometimes, having them and not having them are two entirely different things.

Just like a girl's chest.

Li Luo glanced at Xu Youyu, then compared her to Ying Chanxi and Yan Zhusheng—and felt utterly certain about this conclusion.

Butler Liu naturally had no idea what Li Luo and Xu Youyu were thinking—he drove steadily and proceeded to describe the private villa.

"The boss's villa was developed on his own land," Butler Liu said. "It's in a small neighborhood near the airport called Changshun Seaview Garden Apartments."

"It's a regular residential complex, but the plot closest to the sea has a small villa built on it, used by the boss for casual vacations."

"The entrance leads directly to a private beach, with barriers on both sides for sufficient privacy."

"The villa itself is a four-story standalone: the first floor is the daily living area, including the living room, kitchen, and so on."

"The second floor is the entertainment and leisure zone, with a pool table, spa room, mahjong room, KTV, and other facilities."

"The third and fourth floors are the sleeping quarters, with eight bedrooms total, each with its own bathroom. Except for the master bedroom on the fourth floor, all other rooms are freely selectable."

"Mr. Li Luo, tomorrow there will be other guests arriving, correct?"

Li Luo nodded from the back seat, and Butler Liu continued: "You may inform me in advance of everyone's needs."

"Including daily necessities and services, meal requirements, dietary restrictions, preference for quiet solitude or attentive service, and so on."

"I can also arrange your travel itinerary, transportation, and attraction bookings."

"Yes, alright." Li Luo nodded. "If I need anything, I'll let you know. Thank you."

"You're welcome."

After hearing Butler Liu's description, Li Luo finally grasped a glimpse of the life of the wealthy.

This service... is just a bit too attentive, to the point where Li Luo feels uncomfortable.

Xu Youyu, clearly experiencing this kind of luxury service for the first time, quietly leaned close to Li Luo's ear and asked curiously, "How much does a butler like this cost per month?"

"At least tens of thousands, right?" Li Luo muttered under his breath.

Although their current income ranks among the highest nationwide, and Li Luo has even crossed into the tier of ten-million-wealth status,

it still feels impossibly distant from this kind of wealthy lifestyle.

Butler Liu drove for about half an hour before finally entering the gate of Changshun Seaview Garden Apartments.

Following the internal road deeper into the compound, they stopped at a gate before a wall.

Apparently equipped with automatic vehicle recognition, the black Mercedes paused for two or three seconds at the gate, whereupon the iron gate in the wall opened automatically, and the underground garage entrance of the villa ahead slowly rose.

Butler Liu drove into the underground garage, and the rear garage door slowly closed behind them.

"Ladies, this way," Butler Liu said after stepping out, waving to two waiting maids, then opened the trunk.

The two maids took Li Luo and Xu Youyu's suitcases, and without either of them lifting a finger, Butler Liu led them upstairs to the first floor.

After a brief tour, Butler Liu first took them upstairs to choose rooms; since Xu Youyu would be leaving in the afternoon, their suitcases were placed together in Li Luo's room.

In the end, Li Luo chose the master bedroom on the third floor, and the two maids carried the suitcases inside.

Once inside the room, Butler Liu gave further instructions, then temporarily took leave with the two maids, leaving the space to them.

Xu Youyu plopped down onto the enormous master bed, sprawled out, then chuckled softly: "Someone's little scheme~"

"What now?"

"You picked the one with the biggest bed out of the remaining seven rooms," Xu Youyu rolled over, lying face-down on the bed, propping his chin on his small hand, grinning at Li Luo. "Don't be too obvious."

"I knew you'd come bother me, so I picked this one—that's called preparing in advance," Li Luo rolled his eyes. "Otherwise, we'd be crammed together again tonight."

"You're really thoughtful."

The two played around in the room, then stood on the master bedroom balcony and gazed out, seeing the private beach not far away.

Hmm... it was indeed just a small patch.

On both sides, rocks and barriers enclosed the beach, directly connected to the villa, making it inaccessible to outsiders.

For private enjoyment, this size was certainly sufficient.

And this is Qiongzhou City's bay... to claim even a small stretch of beach here can only mean the real estate tycoons really have something.

Before lunch, the two wandered around the villa.

When mealtime came, Butler Liu invited them to the dining room on the first floor.

After finishing the refined lunch, Li Luo told Butler Liu he wanted to visit the beach.

"Would you like any activities?" Butler Liu asked. "We can arrange private bookings for any standard beach resort activities, directly here on-site."

"No, no," Li Luo waved his hand. "We'll talk about that later—we just want to stroll along the shore."

"Shall I arrange a sunshade and lounge chairs for you? Any drinks or fruits you'd like?"

After ordering some drinks and fruits, Li Luo and Xu Youyu went upstairs to change into swimsuits, then put on the complimentary robes provided.

Guided by the maid, they stepped out the back door of the villa, took a few steps, and arrived at the beach.

Butler Liu accompanied them, patiently explaining: "The sand here is imported fine sand from the Maldives—it's incredibly soft to the touch, even barefoot is fine, and it's regularly cleaned."

After escorting Li Luo and Xu Youyu to the pre-set beach sunshade, Butler Liu watched the maid deliver the drinks and fruits, then left behind a walkie-talkie.

"Should you need anything else, just speak into the walkie-talkie—we're always ready to respond. We'll leave you in peace now. Have a pleasant afternoon."

Watching Butler Liu and the maids depart, the private beach was now empty except for the two of them.

Xu Youyu took a sip of his cocktail, closed his eyes in comfort, then lay back on the lounge chair, sighing: "What a decadent life—I feel myself being corrupted."

Saying this, Xu Youyu pulled a bottle of sunscreen from the robe's pocket, tossed it to Li Luo, and grinned: "I think I need purification, dear~ Can you help me out?"