Chapter 534

By the roadside outside the southern gate of Qianjiang University.

After watching the red BMW X3 drive away, Jiang Feiya and the other two exchanged glances, their faces still tinged with astonishment.

"She's only just started freshman year, and she's already at the stage of talking about marriage?" Jiang Feiya muttered, finding Xu Youyu's situation completely unnecessary.

Though she hated to admit it, Jiang Feiya had to accept one fact: her roommate was slightly more charming as a woman than she was.

In Jiang Feiya's view, if she had Xu Youyu's looks and advantages, she'd never settle down so early with just one guy.

Li Luo's family seemed decent—his father ran a hotpot restaurant, and his mother drove a BMW worth over 400,000; by Yinjiang District standards, that was quite good.

But to say it was truly exceptional? Not really.

The hotpot restaurant probably brought in only ten to twenty thousand yuan net profit per month, not to mention Li Luo's uncle also ran a bubble tea shop.

True, the bubble tea shop also made good money, but Jiang Feiya didn't believe their family wealth could be considered truly substantial.

Her father ran a factory in Bailu City, and her mother's several uncles all had thriving businesses, so Jiang Feiya always set her sights very high.

She believed girls should hold out for the best offer, never cling too soon to one boy—better to cast a wide net and find the one most suited to her.

Even though Song Yu pursued her for three years in high school, Jiang Feiya never agreed to date him.

Now at Qianjiang University, this top-tier school, the boys here—regardless of personal cultivation, ability, or family background—were undoubtedly countless times superior to those from mere Bailu High School.

If she were to find a partner, Jiang Feiya felt that getting into Qianjiang University was merely the beginning of her serious search.

"It's… not that bad…" Xie Xiuying spoke up rarely, "Back home, many girls get married at seventeen or eighteen."

"How can that be the same? We're still in college!" Jiang Feiya rolled her eyes; Xie Xiuying immediately fell silent.

Zhao Letian chuckled, "Isn't this great? I think they're really close, and their families seem happy with each other too—Li Luo's mom even came to pick them up late at night. I think it's wonderful."

The three of them chatted as they slowly walked toward the dormitory.

Meanwhile, in the back seat of the BMW, Xu Youyu looked at Lin Xiuhong behind the wheel and said apologetically, "Lin Yi, you went to so much trouble coming all this way so late."

"What trouble?" Lin Xiuhong chuckled. "Aren't you the one who gave me this car to drive? Tired today? Why not just sleep at home tonight?"

"No, no—I'll head back to the dorm." Xu Youyu said. "I heard they might do dorm inspections in the morning. Better safe than sorry."

"She just needs to soak her feet." Li Luo, sitting beside Xu Youyu, smiled. "She trained all day—I can barely see her walk straight."

"Soaking feet is good." Lin Xiuhong nodded. "Then I won't leave right away—I'll drop you off at the dorm when you're ready."

Bihai Lanting was right next to Qianjiang University; Lin Xiuhong soon drove back to the residential complex.

Xu Youyu had rested a bit in the car; after getting out, she walked beside Li Luo, gripping her waist as they entered the elevator.

"Just thinking about ten more days of military training makes me feel like the sky's falling." Xu Youyu sighed, bending over to tap her thigh. "My legs don't even feel like mine anymore."

"You're exaggerating." Li Luo shook his head helplessly. "Maybe I should start taking you out for more exercise—you'll end up sick with age if you don't."

"No." Xu Youyu flatly refused.

Back in 1502, Lin Xiuhong went to the kitchen to cut fruit.

Xu Youyu kicked off her shoes the moment she entered and collapsed onto the sofa, exhaling deeply as she slowly came back to life.

Li Luo smiled at her and headed for the bathroom: "I'll get you some hot water—just sit for a bit."

"Okay~" Xu Youyu replied, rolling over on the sofa, and soon Lin Xiuhong arrived with the fruit.

Placing the fruit on the coffee table, Lin Xiuhong looked at Xu Youyu slumped on the sofa and smiled helplessly: "Eat some fruit—it'll replenish your vitamins."

"Lin Yi's the best~" Xu Youyu grinned, picking up a toothpick, spearing an apple slice, and popping it into her mouth. "By the way, where's Xi Xi?"

Yan Zhusheng was practicing piano in the music room—Xu Youyu could hear the sound—but Ying Chanxi was nowhere to be seen.

"Probably reading in her room," Lin Xiuhong said. "Their study group just disbanded—Xiao Jun and the other two left, and Xi Xi went back to her room."

"Oh, I see." Xu Youyu nodded and began chatting with Lin Xiuhong. "By the way, Lin Yi, how do you like driving my car? Is the handling nice?"

"It's very nice," Lin Xiuhong nodded with a smile. "I've driven your Li Shu's car before—I still prefer yours."

"Of course." Xu Youyu lifted her chin proudly, then added, "Lin Yi, drive it more often—but if my mom really wants to, I can let her use it too."

"We usually go out together, so who drives doesn't matter," Lin Xiuhong laughed. "Sometimes she drives—I can tell your mom really likes this car."

"No way." Xu Youyu pouted. "Didn't she used to complain about how much I spent on it?"

"You two are all about saying the opposite of what you mean," Lin Xiuhong said with a chuckle, having known them long enough to understand their mother-daughter dynamic.

At that moment, Li Luo stepped out of the bathroom carrying a basin of hot water and placed it before Xu Youyu on the sofa.

"Sit up, sit up," Li Luo patted Xu Youyu's thigh, telling her not to lie down, then reached over and expertly pulled off her socks.

"I—I can do it myself…" Normally so carefree, Xu Youyu now blushed slightly in Lin Xiuhong's presence.

Her pale, delicate feet, exposed to the air, instinctively curled their toes in shyness.

Li Luo rolled her eyes, thinking, Now you're acting shy? She grabbed Xu Youyu's feet and plunged them into the water. "Test the temperature—how's it feel?"

"Fine." Xu Youyu dipped both feet into the basin; the initial scalding heat gave way to warmth, and she shivered with pleasure, closing her eyes in bliss.

Li Luo sat beside her on the sofa and leaned over to massage Xu Youyu's thighs.

Lin Xiuhong sat on the single armchair watching TV, but her attention was entirely elsewhere—she kept stealing glances at the pair beside her.

Honestly, though she knew these kids were close—even sharing one bed—

watching her own son casually kneading her daughter's thighs still left Lin Xiuhong with mixed feelings.

Especially when the sound of a bedroom door opening came from the hallway—Lin Xiuhong jolted, turning to see Ying Chanxi stepping out of her room and walking toward the living room.

That startled her—what if Xi Xi saw Li Luo and Xu Youyu being so intimate? What would she think?

Fortunately, Ying Chanxi didn't head for the living room; halfway there, she turned into the bathroom.

Lin Xiuhong exhaled in relief, then felt a bit foolish—she was more anxious than the people involved themselves.

"Here's sore, and here—my waist is tired too, and my arms."

Xu Youyu pointed to various spots on her body, and Li Luo diligently followed her directions.

To be fair, even after a full day of military training, Xu Youyu had no odor; wearing the uniform somehow gave her a unique charm. As Li Luo massaged her entire body, it felt less like service and more like a reward.

When the water cooled slightly, Li Luo knelt again and began massaging Xu Youyu's feet and calves.

Xu Youyu leaned back against the sofa, letting out a comfortable sigh, feeling his whole body relax considerably.

At that moment, the bathroom door opened, and Ying Chanxi stepped out—not heading to the bedroom, but walking toward the living room.

The sound startled Lin Xiuhong; she glanced at Ying Chanxi approaching, then at Li Luo, who was massaging Xu Youyu's feet, wondering what she'd do if this were seen.

But when Ying Chanxi entered the living room and saw Xu Youyu was home, she was only slightly surprised, cast a quick glance at Li Luo washing Xu Youyu's feet, then regained her calm expression.

"Are you staying tonight, Senior?" Ying Chanxi asked curiously, as if completely unbothered by Li Luo soaking Xu Youyu's feet.

After all, Li Luo had once soaked their feet all three times, and afterward, the three sisters had even soaked and massaged Li Luo's feet together.

This small thing had long since lost its shock value for Ying Chanxi; she simply didn't perceive any issue.

Lin Xiuhong glanced at Ying Chanxi's face, then at Xu Youyu enjoying her foot soak, and Li Luo bent low in diligent service—she fell silent.

No error! No misstep! No content to object to!

Was her thinking too traditional, too rigid?

Lin Xiuhong couldn't help but doubt herself.

"I'll go back later—it's just that military training is exhausting, so I came home to relax," Xu Youyu chuckled.

"I see." Ying Chanxi nodded, walking behind the sofa and placing her hands on Xu Youyu's shoulders to knead them. "Military training still has many days left, right? Fuyi High School started theirs these past couple days too."

"That's right. Last time was already three years ago." Xu Youyu closed her eyes, savoring Ying Chanxi's small hands, sighing, "Before I knew it, I'm in college. I wish time would hurry up—next year, Xi Xi and the others can come join me."

"That's true." Ying Chanxi smiled. "But it's not much different anyway—after military training, you can come home anytime you want. No real difference."

"That's fair," Xu Youyu nodded.

Lin Xiuhong watched the harmonious, affectionate scene before her, her gaze settling on Li Luo, and she couldn't help but click her tongue.

What kind of fortune had her own son cultivated, to have these girls treat him like this?

Things she'd once only imagined in her mind grew increasingly tempting as she observed how harmoniously the four of them interacted.

Could her wish for three daughters-in-law actually come true?

Oh my, how embarrassing.

If it really happened, she wouldn't even know how to face Cui Suling anymore.

No parent would ever agree to something like this.

Not just Xu Youyu's parents, but also Ying Chanxi's father, Ying Zhicheng, and Yan Zhusheng's mother, Yuan Wanqing—none of them looked like people who'd let their daughters be mistreated.

Thinking of this, Lin Xiuhong sighed wistfully; the thought of having to choose between three of them made her heart ache.

Originally, Lin Xiuhong had naturally favored sweet little Xi Xi.

Later, at the parent-teacher meeting, seeing Li Luo and Yan Zhusheng perform together, and gradually getting to know Yan Zhusheng, she found this Miss equally delightful.

Then Li Luo's seven-member study group formed, and Cui Suling came with her to cook for the kids.

After spending more time together, Lin Xiuhong came to think Xu Youyu's whole family was wonderful, and with Xu Youyu's cheerful, humorous personality, she grew fond of her too.

This made things difficult.

The more Lin Xiuhong thought, the more conflicted she became; finally, her gaze fell on her own son, and she felt a sudden itch in her foot—she wanted to kick him in the butt.

"By the way, do you remember that girl named Song Yu?" Xu Youyu suddenly remembered today's amusing incident and spoke to Li Luo.

"Of course I do. What about it?"

"And you remember my roommate Jiang Feiya, right?"

"Mm."

"You won't believe what happened this morning." After being massaged, Xu Youyu's spirits lifted; she beamed as she recounted the bottled water incident.

After listening, Li Luo's lips twitched—he thought, so Song Yu's bottled water was secondhand?

Thinking that Song Yu planned to sleep hugging that bottle tonight, Li Luo silently mourned for him inside.

Tomorrow he's planning to buy milk tea for the whole class?

Jiang Feiya's fishpond cultivation skills are impressive—she lured an entire class's worth of milk tea with one free bottle of water. Truly skilled.

"Huh?" A sound came from the hallway—Cui Suling, who had been sleeping in Xu Youyu's room, stepped into the living room and saw her daughter being pampered.

Especially with Li Luo squatting on the floor serving her, while her own mother stood right beside watching.

Cui Suling's eyebrows shot up: "Xu Youyu, you've really gotten bold, haven't you? So good at enjoying yourself? Was military training really that tiring for just one day?"

Xu Youyu, startled by her mother's sudden appearance, exclaimed: "Mom, what are you doing here?"

"I was a bit sleepy earlier, so I napped in your room," Lin Xiuhong explained from beside her.

Xu Youyu immediately lifted her feet—but Li Luo still took the time to dry them off.

Cui Suling watched, eyes narrowing: "You don't have hands of your own? How can you be so shameless?"

"It's fine, it's fine," Lin Xiuhong chuckled. "You've had a long day, and Li Luo's just soaking your feet. I'll take you back to your dorm soon."

"Yes, yes," Xu Youyu hurriedly agreed, escaping Cui Suling's scolding with Lin Xiuhong's help.

Cui Suling said no more; she and Lin Xiuhong left together to escort Xu Youyu back to her dorm.

After seeing them off, Li Luo exhaled deeply—then turned, and found Ying Chanxi smiling at him.

"W-what's wrong?"

"Li Luo," Ying Chanxi's smile faded as she sat on the sofa. "I want my feet soaked too."

Oh well.

There was jealousy after all.

Li Luo looked down at Ying Chanxi's two pale, delicate, tiny feet, and nodded vigorously: "Wait—I'll come right away."

Then the piano room door suddenly opened.

Yan Zhusheng poked her head out, expressionless: "I want it too."

(End of Chapter)