Chapter 436: Three Daughters-in-Law? Actually, Not Bad

At around three in the afternoon, Ying Chanxi's requested beach MV footage had been preliminarily recorded.

As for other footage she particularly wanted to shoot, with others around, Ying Chanxi didn't have Yan Zhusheng's boldness to act openly.

Even a fake kiss out of sync was too embarrassing.

So she could only wait for another chance to add more scenes for herself and Li Luo.

"You're just lying there all day—how boring," Li Luo said as he walked toward the sunshade, picking up a volleyball from a basket beside the net, lightly bouncing it in his hand, "Why not play volleyball with us?"

"You four can play just fine," Lin Xiuhong waved her hand, "I'm past that age—don't drag me into it."

"What do you mean past that age?" Li Luo walked under the sunshade, grinning as he pulled Lin Xiuhong up, "You're both under forty—still in your prime. Playing volleyball is 'dragging you around'? I won't allow you to talk about yourself like that."

Lin Xiuhong, half-laughing, half-crying at his words, was dragged up by her own son and reluctantly headed toward the beach volleyball court.

Seeing Lin Xiuhong get up, Cui Suling, who had been watching nearby, smiled as Li Luo turned to her and said, "Your mom actually sneaked in a little play earlier, but we two couldn't figure it out."

"No problem—we've got more people now, it'll be more fun than just two," Li Luo leaned over to Cui Suling and pulled her up too, "Auntie, come on—perfect, six people, three on each side."

"Alright, alright, I'm coming," Cui Suling couldn't resist Li Luo's persistence and was pulled up from her lounge chair.

If Xu Youyu had come over to call her, Cui Suling probably wouldn't have even looked up.

The six of them gathered on the beach volleyball court, barefoot on the soft, fine sand.

The breeze was gentle, the sunlight perfect.

Ideal for a pleasant beach volleyball friendly match.

Too bad the elders were here—otherwise Xu Youyu would've joked about whoever lost a point having to take off a piece of clothing.

Sigh… Xu Youyu glanced at her own mother, clamped her mouth shut, and stayed quiet to avoid trouble.

"Come on, come on—black and white, let's split teams," Li Luo called, gathering the six in a circle and raising his hand.

There was one boy and five girls—Li Luo teamed up with the two mothers and the three girls, using black-and-white pairing to divide sides.

In the end, Li Luo, Cui Suling, and Xu Youyu formed one team; Lin Xiuhong teamed up with Yan Zhusheng and Ying Chanxi.

"Why am I on your team?" Cui Suling glanced at her daughter with mild disgust.

Xu Youyu: "... What's wrong with me? Isn't Li Luo here?"

"Li Luo can't be two people," Cui Suling said, "With you on our side, we're already short one person compared to the other team."

"Hey hey! Don't underestimate your daughter!" Xu Youyu retorted, snatching the volleyball from Li Luo's hand and stomping to the back court, "Watch closely—I'm going straight for the kill, scoring a point."

Saying this, Xu Youyu tossed the volleyball high, timed it perfectly, raised her right hand, and swung with full force!

Pah~

The volleyball landed on the sand, leaving a shallow crater.

Xu Youyu's arm swung empty, lost her balance, and stumbled forward, barely avoiding a fall.

Cui Suling saw this and burst out laughing, clutching her stomach: "Come on—you call that a kill? You didn't even touch the ball."

Li Luo, turning his head over the net, couldn't help smiling—but his gaze didn't linger on the volleyball; it fixed instead on two other, bouncier balls.

Honestly, even though Xu Youyu's serve failed, the scene was worth it.

"Don't rush! I'm just warming up—I haven't found my rhythm yet!" Xu Youyu only toughed it out in front of her mom, quickly picked up the ball at her feet, and served again.

This time she hit it—but too softly, and it didn't clear the net.

Finally, Li Luo juggled it with both hands, then Cui Suling timed her strike and sent it over.

Though technically against the rules, none of that mattered.

Six amateurs were lucky just to get the ball over the net—no point expecting more.

At first, everyone was clumsy—barely managing one or two passes before losing the ball.

Often it was just a serving game— whoever served scored.

Only after Li Luo and Yan Zhusheng warmed up and found their rhythm did the others gradually get into it, and the beach volleyball finally became fun.

Especially Li Luo and Yan Zhusheng—they kept volleying back and forth.

Sometimes a ball looked impossible to save, yet these two still managed to dive for it.

But after playing for half an hour, Xu Youyu was already panting; after this point, she collapsed onto Li Luo's back, utterly spent and unwilling to move.

"I can't… let me rest."

"Li Luo's doing all the moving—how are you this tired?" Cui Suling couldn't help teasing her daughter, "All you do is serve—you haven't even done anything."

"It's still exhausting!" Xu Youyu pouted, "Serving takes a lot of energy—I'm contributing so much to this team, and you still say that?"

"Alright, alright," Li Luo patted Xu Youyu's shoulder and chuckled, "If you're tired, rest—I can play with Auntie Cui alone."

"Then good luck, you two~"

Xu Youyu was utterly drained; after getting Li Luo's permission, she nearly couldn't resist kissing his cheek.

Luckily, her hands, raised to cup his face, reacted in time—instead, she pinched his cheek, keeping her lips away.

Flustered and blushing, Xu Youyu left the beach volleyball court and headed under the sunshade to rest.

Watching her daughter's intimate interaction with Li Luo, Cui Suling's expression softened considerably, as if seeing a glimmer of hope.

But Li Luo, seeing Xu Youyu leave, felt a tinge of regret.

After all, now he couldn't watch her serve anymore.

But it didn't matter.

If he couldn't see Xu Youyu's serve, wasn't there Yan Zhusheng and Ying Chanxi?

Ying Chanxi was a bit smaller, but once in her swimsuit, she still had quite the figure.

Her two small swellings bounced lightly with every run and jump, utterly adorable.

Yan Zhusheng didn't have any bounce-enhancing gear, but her long legs were especially eye-catching.

Every time she leapt, those long, straight legs shot upward, instantly capturing Li Luo's gaze.

Honestly, Yan Zhusheng's long legs, paired with this athletic beauty, had a uniquely captivating charm.

Although his legs were long and slender, Yan Zhusheng's were clearly not the result of mere dieting or starvation, but from long-term exercise and fitness—despite appearing thin, his explosive power was evident.

When moving, the subtle, soft contours of his muscles looked especially beautiful.

After a mid-session break, the five of them played for another half-hour, but Lin Xiuhong and Cui Suling eventually grew too exhausted and gave up.

Ying Chanxi accompanied Lin Xiuhong back under the sunshade to cool off, leaving only Li Luo and Yan Zhusheng on the field.

But playing alone wasn't fun; after a few rounds of sparring, Li Luo and Yan Zhusheng returned to the sunshade to rest with Ying Chanxi and the others.

At this point, Xu Youyu had already rested enough and regained his energy; he stood up, picked up a small shovel, squatted on the sand, and dug a hole, then buried his feet inside it.

With nothing better to do, Li Luo joined him, grabbed another small shovel, dug a large pit, and plopped down into it, burying his buttocks in the sand.

"Hah~ You might as well bury your whole body in the sand," Xu Youyu couldn't help laughing, then called out to Ying Chanxi and Yan Zhusheng under the sunshade, "Come on, dig a hole and bury Li Luo!"

Playing with sand was a bit childish, but for people Li Luo's age, it was just right.

Yan Zhusheng and Ying Chanxi also picked up small shovels and enthusiastically dug around Li Luo; soon, his lower body was completely buried, leaving only his upper half sitting exposed.

But Xu Youyu wasn't done; she began digging from behind Li Luo.

Before long, Li Luo's upper body was fully buried in the sand, leaving only his head sticking out.

"Are you okay?" Ying Chanxi had thought it was fun, but now she felt a little worried. "Is it uncomfortable?"

"I'm fine, just a bit stuffy," Li Luo laughed, lying in the sand. "Want to try it yourself?"

"No way," Ying Chanxi laughed, relieved to see he was unharmed.

Meanwhile, Xu Youyu was already grinning mischievously, grabbing a handful of sand and piling it onto Li Luo's chest.

But since the sand here was extremely fine and soft, it didn't achieve the effect she wanted.

So Xu Youyu quickly grabbed a bucket and ran toward the sea, calling out to Yan Zhusheng and Ying Chanxi to join her. Soon, the three girls returned with several buckets of seawater to harden the sand.

Before long, Li Luo watched helplessly as his chest area swelled larger than Xu Youyu's, leaving him speechless: "You're so childish."

"And this," Yan Zhusheng crouched beside Li Luo's waist, pinching the sand, carefully mixing in seawater to make the sand firm.

Then Li Luo watched as Yan Zhusheng shoved the sand beneath his abdomen and slowly pressed it together with both hands.

"Isn't that a bit small?" Xu Youyu, watching this, stifled her laughter and generously offered her own pile of sand.

Seeing this, Ying Chanxi refused to be outdone.

Though her face flushed red, she reminded herself it was fake, and finally gathered the courage to reach out and touch it.

"What are you doing over there?" Lin Xiuhong, seeing the four huddled together, curiously asked.

Startled, Ying Chanxi immediately slapped the mound aside, making Li Luo jump—nearly leaping out of the sand.

"Nothing…" Li Luo, staring at the ruins before him, wiped sweat from his brow. "Just playing with sand. Mom, want to join?"

"You kids play," Lin Xiuhong said, turning back. "I'll rest a bit longer."

Li Luo gave a casual reply, then watched as Ying Chanxi, slightly embarrassed, reached out and gently smoothed the broken edges of the sand mound, leaving him both baffled and amused.

…

They played on the beach until evening.

As the sun slowly sank, the horizon turned a deep orange-red, setting the clouds ablaze.

Seeing such a beautiful sight, Lin Xiuhong couldn't help saying to Ying Chanxi, "Xixi, didn't you bring your camera? Let's go take some photos by the sea."

"Sure," Ying Chanxi, who had been feeding fruit to Li Luo as he lay on the lounger, slipped the last grape into his mouth, then stood up. "Let's go, Lin Yi."

Lin Xiuhong rose and called Cui Suling; the two good friends linked arms and walked to the beach to photograph the sunset.

Ying Chanxi acted as photographer, carefully snapping pictures of the two aunts.

By nearly six in the evening, the yacht finally drifted slowly back and stopped at sea not far from the shore.

The people aboard returned to shore in motorized kayaks; Li Guohong and Xu Rongsheng each carried a bucket down, smiling broadly as they greeted Li Luo and the others.

￠〇

"Look, look!" Li Guohong showed Li Luo the contents of his bucket, grinning. "I caught five fish today, but released three—only brought back two. Butler Liu says these two will make a delicious dish."

"Impressive!" Li Luo complimented, then turned to Xu Rongsheng beside him. "Uncle Xu, did you catch any too?"

"Mm," Xu Rongsheng smiled, though more reserved than Li Guohong. He showed Li Luo his bucket. "Caught four, released three, kept one. Butler Liu will have the kitchen prepare it."

Xu Rongsheng had once fished with his teacher; Li Guohong also fished occasionally by small village ponds during the New Year.

During previous trips to farm stays, Li Guohong had even tried fishing himself.

But this—taking a yacht out to sea for deep-sea fishing—was their first time experiencing such a high-end activity.

Fortunately, Butler Liu was there, and the yacht had dedicated staff; all they had to do was fish.

The rods and bait were top-quality; after just one afternoon, their catch was abundant and the experience excellent.

In the past, neither Li Guohong nor Xu Rongsheng had ever imagined they'd actually go sea fishing.

It wasn't that they couldn't afford it—it was that, under normal circumstances, even if they visited Qiongzhou City, they'd likely choose more cost-effective travel options.

This was probably the subtle change brought by Li Luo's rebirth.

In Li Luo's memory, in his previous life, right up until his rebirth, his parents had never once taken a proper long trip.

If not for Xu Youyu dragging him out, Li Luo himself probably wouldn't have traveled either.

"Uncle, how about we take a group photo?" Ying Chanxi held up the camera, looking toward Li Luo and the others. "Li Luo, come over too."

"Coming," Li Luo told Li Guohong and Xu Rongsheng to set down the buckets for Butler Liu to handle.

Then the eight of them gathered on the beach.

Ying Chanxi mounted the camera on a tripod, planted it firmly in the sand, set the timer, then sprinted forward.

The seven others had already taken their poses.

The four parents stood behind, smiling at the camera.

The three children crouched in front; Yan Zhusheng and Xu Youyu leaned on either side of Li Luo.

As Ying Chanxi ran back from the camera, she froze for a moment, stunned by the scene before her, unsure where to stand.

If she stayed beside Yan Zhusheng or Xu Youyu, separated from Li Luo, she always felt a little unhappy.

Just as Ying Chanxi hesitated, Li Luo had already waved to her, signaling her to come over.

So Ying Chanxi hurried over to Li Luo, and he pulled her into his arms, making her crouch down fully as he held her, facing the camera.

The next moment, the flash on the camera lit up, capturing this warm moment.

……

On the way back to the villa, Lin Xiuhong looked at the photos saved on the camera that Ying Chanxi showed her.

She flipped through them all the way to the last one.

The sunset's afterglow painted the sky in crimson, the sea covered in a layer of golden scales.

Looking at the image of the three girls huddled around her son, Lin Xiuhong's eyes instantly filled with a touch of emotion.

She glanced at Ying Chanxi clinging to her side, then at Yan Zhusheng beside her holding her bathrobe, then at Xu Youyu playfully teasing Li Luo—Lin Xiuhong's gaze grew complex, and she let out a faint sigh.

This brat… how much good fortune must he have accumulated in his past life to have three such wonderful girls clustering around him?

Could it really be, as her husband suggested, that Li Luo should marry all three girls someday?

Lin Xiuhong smiled inwardly, unable to help shaking her head.

But for some reason, a tiny bit of greed stirred in her heart.

Just imagining having three such obedient, capable, and well-behaved daughters-in-law at home someday made her want to laugh awake in her dreams.

Yet Lin Xiuhong only thought it—she dared not discuss such things with Cui Suling.

"Let's go upstairs first and take a shower," Li Luo said. "The kitchen still needs to prepare the sea fish Dad and Uncle Xu caught; after we wash up, we'll be ready to come down for dinner."

Lin Xiuhong and the others nodded in understanding, then returned to the fourth-floor bedroom to rinse off and wash away the sand.

When Li Luo and the others returned to the third floor, Xu Youyu couldn't help reminding the three: "After dinner tonight, are we going to soak in the hot spring?"

"It's not good to soak right after eating," Li Luo said. "Let's play around on the second floor first, let the food settle."

"What if we soak later?"

"If Li Luo soaks, I'll soak too," Yan Zhusheng raised her hand.

So Xu Youyu turned to Li Luo; seeing him nod helplessly, she grinned and looked at Ying Chanxi: "Then what about you, Xixi? Don't forget to change into your other swimsuit."

Ying Chanxi had just nodded in agreement, but when she heard the second half of Xu Youyu's words, an image of her other swimsuit flashed in her mind—her cheeks instantly flushed red, and she grew shy.

But by then, Xu Youyu and Yan Zhusheng had already turned and walked toward their rooms.

Ying Chanxi couldn't say anything more.

Only when she caught Li Luo's unusual gaze did she mutter under her breath: "You're just dying to see it, aren't you?"

"Cough… we bought it, so we might as well wear it—otherwise it'd be a waste," Li Luo said brazenly.

"Then… do you want to see it or not?" Ying Chanxi asked softly, biting her lip.

"…Yes."

"Mm." Ying Chanxi, hearing his answer, blushed and nodded. "Then I'll definitely wear it for you."

Saying this, her face burned crimson, and she quickly turned and fled back to her bedroom.