Chapter 431: Why Did the Color of the Swimsuit Get Darker?

At the end of January, the sun hung high in the sky over the beaches of Qiongzhou City, the southernmost point of the country.

The warmth from the sunlight was as gentle as spring; Li Luo and Xu Youyu had both taken off their bathrobes and hung them on the sunshade pole's built-in hangers.

Then, Xu Youyu fully flattened her lounger, lay face-down on it, folded her hands, rested her head on her arms, and tilted her gaze toward Li Luo.

At this moment.

Facing the sea.

The beauty was right before him.

And she was wearing a sexy black swimsuit.

Li Luo's gaze settled on Xu Youyu's snow-white back, tracing down her spine, climbing over the highest black peak, treading across gleaming white snow, every step along the way breathtaking.

"Are you stunned?" Xu Youyu smiled, watching Li Luo's expression, delighting in his wandering eyes, and deliberately propped her upper body up slightly with her hands.

As a result, when Li Luo heard her speak, he instinctively looked at her face—only for his gaze to be captured by a deep, linear black abyss.

Only after regaining his composure did Li Luo grab the sunscreen from his hand and hurry over to her lounger.

"Then I'll apply it for you."

"Mm." Xu Youyu lay back down, preparing to enjoy Li Luo's service, "Be thorough—this swimsuit's a bit revealing; there are plenty of spots you didn't cover before."

"Mm… true." Li Luo looked at her back and thighs, nodding silently.

If Xu Youyu had worn the conservative light-blue swimsuit from yesterday, only the lower back would've been exposed.

Her thighs, partially covered by the swimsuit's skirt hem, didn't need much sunscreen applied deep inside.

But now, with this black swimsuit—barely more covering than underwear—the area to cover had to be recalculated.

Just the entire back, because the bra straps were tied at the nape of her neck, had to be fully coated.

The lower half also needed to be smeared all the way up to her firm buttocks.

Just thinking of this, Li Luo's breathing grew slightly rapid.

Fortunately, over these past two days, under Xu Youyu's seduction, Li Luo had already been through the wringer.

He didn't lose his composure too badly under such temptation.

After pouring some sunscreen into his palm, he started from one of her feet, moving slowly upward, beginning his task.

To be fair.

When an opposite-sex person intimately touches every inch of your skin—and that person is someone you like—the continuous, electric-like pleasure and fluttering sensation is truly hard to resist.

Even Xu Youyu found it hard to withstand Li Luo's caresses.

Especially when he started from her sensitive feet, traveled up her calves, reached her thighs, then moved to the sensitive waist and hip areas.

That mix of pleasure and quiet anticipation made Xu Youyu instinctively rub her feet together and occasionally clench her legs tightly.

Her expression had long shifted from playful teasing to flushed cheeks, her eyes gradually growing hazy.

Even when Li Luo's fingers gently tugged at the edge of her swimsuit, sometimes pulling back, sometimes slipping deeper, secretly squeezing, Xu Youyu couldn't help letting out a soft moan.

Her legs clenched even tighter.

"Done."

After finishing the back, Li Luo gave her firm buttocks two light pats and softly said, "Turn over."

"Mm…" Xu Youyu obediently rolled over, lying flat on her back before Li Luo, revealing her already blushing face.

Unlike Ying Chanxi's childish shyness, or Yan Zhusheng's forced, expressionless flush.

Xu Youyu's flushed face was openly directed at Li Luo, showing no attempt to hide her embarrassment; instead, she lifted her leg and launched a sneaky foot-tickle, teasing him: "Hmph, you seem to be enjoying the touch a lot."

Li Luo grabbed her foot, tickled the sole, and only released her after hearing her plead for mercy, chuckling as he continued serving Ms. Xu.

Now, Xu Youyu lay flat on the lounger, her magnificent figure perfectly displayed under the swimsuit's embrace.

Li Luo still started from her feet, slowly applying sunscreen upward, all the way to the depths of her thighs.

Xu Youyu felt Li Luo's hand drawing nearer, instinctively clamping her legs shut—only for him to gently pry them apart.

"You're clamping so tight I can't reach."

"Mmm…" Xu Youyu closed her eyes, lips slightly parted, inhaling softly, then trembling as she exhaled.

"Why does it seem like some parts of this swimsuit are darker?" Li Luo noticed Xu Youyu's odd reaction and chuckled, leaning close to her ear to ask.

Even Xu Youyu blushed furiously at the question, quickly turning her head away, biting her lip, and whispering, "Shut up."

Li Luo chuckled softly, finally letting her off—for now—and his hands climbed upward along her slender waist.

When he reached Xu Youyu's chest, Li Luo couldn't help but take a deep breath, applying sunscreen to her collarbone, then slowly… descending… further… down.

After all, this area was exposed to sunlight too; if it got sunburned unevenly, it would look terrible.

He told himself this in his mind, yet his fingers had already brushed the forbidden zone.

Xu Youyu felt his touch and let out a soft whimper.

Long moments passed.

Finally, after finishing the sunscreen application.

Both of them were as breathless as if they'd just fought a great battle.

But Xu Youyu immediately sat up, pulled Li Luo down, and grinned, "Now it's your turn."

Let it be said: certain things make no distinction between genders.

When Xu Youyu began applying sunscreen to Li Luo, he lay face-down on the lounger and instinctively lifted one side of his body.

Seeing this, Xu Youyu smirked and began meticulously serving him.

When Li Luo turned over to lie flat, Xu Youyu grinned and reached out, teasing him a moment before continuing to apply sunscreen.

As Xu Youyu reached his thighs, the closer she got to that forbidden area, the deeper Li Luo breathed.

Occasionally, a curious bouncing phenomenon could be seen.

Xu Youyu moved upward to his torso, and when she reached his chest, she deliberately sat on him, bracing her hands on his chest, diligently applying sunscreen back and forth.

But the focus right now was clearly not Li Luo's chest…

He instinctively raised his hands, gripping Xu Youyu's slender waist to keep her from wiggling while she applied sunscreen—otherwise, Li Luo really couldn't take it.

But Xu Youyu was clearly doing it on purpose; after finishing the sunscreen application, she didn't get off him, instead straightening her body and reaching her right hand behind her.

In an instant, Li Luo gasped sharply, his whole body tensing.

But the moment didn't last—after playing and teasing him for a while, Xu Youyu rolled off the lounge chair, refusing to see things through to the end.

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As a result, Li Luo was left once again in agonizing limbo, miserable beyond words, gazing at Xu Youyu with a look of wounded reproach.

"Hahaha~ Don't look at me like that," Xu Youyu stepped back two paces, then turned and broke into a light run toward the sea, calling over her shoulder, "If you catch me, I might consider helping you out a little more~"

Hearing this, Li Luo immediately leapt off the lounge chair and chased after her.

Seeing him come after her, Xu Youyu let out a startled cry and sprinted toward the sea.

Neither wore sandals; they ran barefoot over the soft, fine sand, not a single grain pricking their soles, chasing each other all the way to where the waves rolled, kicking up splash after splash.

Watching the youthful, radiant silhouette ahead, Li Luo ran, yet his mind drifted.

Until the seawater reached his knees, Xu Youyu finally slowed—Li Luo lunged forward and seized her, pulling her into his arms.

"Aww, you caught me," Xu Youyu leaned into Li Luo's chest, grinning. "What are you going to do to me now?"

"You tell me."

Xu Youyu lifted her head pitifully: "Please, just let me go?"

"Now that I've finally caught you, how could I possibly let you go?" Li Luo chuckled softly, pinching her delicate chin and leaning down.

"Mmm…"

By the sea, on the sand, a beauty in his arms.

A scene he'd once dreamed of—now unfolding in reality.

Looking at Youyu, her eyes glazed from his kiss, Li Luo's heart trembled—dreamlike, yet utterly real.

In his past life, Li Luo had been somewhat inwardly insecure, burdened by debt—how could he ever turn such fantasies into reality?

To him, Xu Youyu had always been a friend worth admiring from afar, never to be touched.

And because, early on, they'd pretended to be each other's blind-date partners just to appease their parents' pressure to marry.

As a result, in all their later interactions, Li Luo constantly doubted: did Xu Youyu truly like him—or was she merely a good friend and a shield?

You say you like…

What if she doesn't feel that way at all?

Especially since Xu Youyu often preached about her singlehood, earned a sky-high income, and was a truly independent, self-sufficient, exceptional woman.

Her personality was open, generous, carefree, and unrestrained.

Thus, Li Luo could never fathom Xu Youyu's true feelings toward him.

But at least right now…

He had seized it.

"What are you thinking about?" Xu Youyu noticed him staring at her, feeling oddly uneasy; she brushed a strand of hair from her ear and asked curiously.

"I was thinking… what if I hadn't studied hard for the middle school entrance exam, hadn't gotten into Fuyi High—how would our fates have turned out?"

Li Luo lowered his head, pressing his forehead against hers, whispering softly.

"Why suddenly start pondering such philosophical questions?" Xu Youyu laughed. "There's no 'what if'—I only believe in the present."

Saying this, she puckered her lips, tilted her chin slightly, and pecked his lips once, then again—like a woodpecker.

But Li Luo was no tree—he wrapped her lips again.

Waves lapped at their calves, rising and falling; the sea breeze tousled Xu Youyu's hair, scattering it across Li Luo's face like a painter's brush.

Long after.

They walked hand in hand back to shore, returned beneath the sunshade, and lay on the lounge chairs, basking in the seaside sunlight.

Sipping cocktails, nibbling on small fruits.

After resting enough, Xu Youyu pulled Li Luo up again to play in the sand.

Until 2:30 p. m., Li Luo spoke into the intercom, saying they'd had enough fun and were ready to return to the villa.

Walking together to the beach exit, they paused at the rinse faucet, briefly washing off most of the sand from their bodies.

Then they wrapped themselves in bathrobes, were met by a maid, and returned to the villa, ascending to the third-floor master bedroom to shower again, removing their swimsuits.

Once everything was settled, Xu Youyu dragged her luggage, ready to depart for the airport.

"I'll see you off," Li Luo accompanied her downstairs; the maid took the suitcase and loaded it into the trunk.

Butler Liu became their driver again, tasked with escorting them to the airport.

At the Qiongzhou City airport entrance, Li Luo helped Xu Youyu retrieve her ticket, checked her suitcase, and walked her all the way to the security checkpoint.

Then, still uneasy, he repeated every single precaution for boarding and disembarking the plane.

"I've sent you a list of everything to watch out for on QQ—check it if you're unsure, and call me if you still don't get it."

"I know, I'm not three years old," Xu Youyu rolled her eyes. "You act like you're terrified I'll get lost."

"Cough… better safe than sorry," Li Luo gently hugged her, then added, "When you get back, don't slip up—this whole round-trip flight would be wasted if they found out."

"Look who you're talking to," Xu Youyu snorted proudly. "I survived yesterday's live annual meeting without blowing my cover—do you really think I'd slip up now? Don't underestimate me."

"Alright, alright," Li Luo ruffled her hair. "Go on then—see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow," Xu Youyu rose on her toes, kissed him again, gazing at him with burning eyes. "Once Xi Xi and the others arrive tomorrow, we won't be able to keep playing couple's games like we have these past two days."

"Mm…" Li Luo held her and kissed her back.

But before long, they were tangled together again.

In just two short days, they'd become utterly addicted to this.

Not far away, Butler Liu, who had been following them, watched this scene from afar and smiled with a touch of nostalgia, thinking how wonderful youth was.

How long has that little mouth been kissing?

He wasn't in a hurry; just watching this affectionate scene filled him with deep emotion, thinking he was truly getting old.

What surprised him slightly was that he had already received information from the boss, knowing full well that Li Luo was Chongran.

He never expected someone so young had already found a girlfriend.

But upon reflection, it was only natural—a young, accomplished fellow like him having a girlfriend.

After a long while.

Li Luo and Xu Youyu lingered at the security checkpoint until just over forty minutes remained before the flight's departure, finally unable to delay any longer.

Xu Youyu gave Li Luo one final kiss, whispering softly in his ear: "Even though we can't publicly be a couple starting tomorrow, we can still secretly play at being lovers—we'll do it on the sly~"

With that, Xu Youyu stepped back two paces, winked at Li Luo, then turned and ran toward the security line.

Her words sent a flutter through Li Luo's heart; he nearly reached out to grab her and stop her from leaving.

Standing in the open space outside the security checkpoint, Li Luo watched until Xu Youyu disappeared into the checkpoint.

After retrieving her ticket and ID and passing through screening, Xu Youyu turned and waved to Li Luo one last time before vanishing through the security entrance.

"Butler Liu, let's go," Li Luo said, returning to Butler Liu's side.

"Yes, Mr. Li Luo," Butler Liu nodded, leading Li Luo all the way to the parking lot, finding the car, getting in, and driving him out of the airport.

On the way, Butler Liu said: "Mr. Li Luo, do you have any plans tonight?"

"No, why?"

"The boss specifically instructed me to treat you well," Butler Liu said. "Whatever evening activities you'd like arranged, it's entirely up to you."

"Ahem… no need tonight," Li Luo waved him off politely. "I have work to do. Don't disturb me."

"Understood," Butler Liu nodded. "Then I'll prepare a few travel itineraries in advance for you to review, so I can arrange everything ahead of time. How does that sound?"

"Fine," Li Luo nodded. "Just let me know tonight."

…

At five in the evening, Xu Youyu's flight took off.

Just before takeoff, Xu Youyu sent Li Luo a message.

At seven-thirty that night, after the plane landed, Xu Youyu sent another message confirming her safe arrival, accompanied by a photo giving a peace sign.

After taking a taxi at the airport and arriving smoothly at the entrance of Bihai Lanting community, Xu Youyu took another photo and sent it to Li Luo, showing she had reached her destination safely.

Li Luo replied with an OK emoji, finally relaxing, then returned to writing at his desk on the third floor of the villa's master bedroom.

Meanwhile,

Xu Youyu stepped out of the taxi, dragging her suitcase into the Bihai Lanting community gate, and made her way back to apartment 1502.

Pulling out her key, she stood at the door, took a deep breath, mentally rehearsed what she'd say, then inserted the key into the lock and opened the door.

Hearing the noise at the door, Yan Zhusheng, who had been sitting on the living room sofa watching TV with Li Guohong, turned to look at Xu Youyu.

Ying Chanxi, who had been helping Lin Xiuhong chop fruit in the kitchen, stepped out in surprise: "Huh? Senior, what are you doing here?"

"I was packing for tomorrow's trip and suddenly realized I'd forgotten something here," Xu Youyu scratched her head and smiled. "I thought it'd be too much trouble to come back and forth, so I just brought my suitcase over directly—I'll join you all tomorrow."

"Oh, I see," Ying Chanxi blinked, asking no further questions.

Yan Zhusheng also calmly turned his gaze away.

Only Li Guohong, watching TV in the living room, and Lin Xiuhong, who had just finished chopping fruit and was carrying out a tray, looked at Xu Youyu with slightly odd expressions.

"Hello, Uncle and Auntie," Xu Youyu, unaware of their strange glances, greeted politely. "Why are you here today?"

"We figured we'd have to leave for the airport early tomorrow, so we just brought our luggage over directly," Lin Xiuhong laughed. "Your uncle and I will sleep in Li Luo's room tonight—we'll all leave together in the morning."

"Oh, I see," Xu Youyu nodded rapidly, then dragged her suitcase back to her room.

As soon as the door shut, Xu Youyu flopped onto her bed and let out a long sigh.

She wondered if she'd successfully fooled them.

Unbeknownst to her, Lin Xiuhong sat beside Li Guohong, placed the tray on the coffee table, and exchanged a glance with her husband.

"Old Xu said not to say anything for now," Li Guohong whispered into Lin Xiuhong's ear. "Watch your expression—don't give us away."

"I know," Lin Xiuhong rolled her eyes. "You mind your own."