Chapter 81 Next Time a Swimsuit, the Time After That…
Early the next morning.
Ma Xiaotao woke up before dawn, quietly slipping out of the covers.
"This guy… when will he ever fix this bad habit…"
She murmured in mild exasperation as she dabbed away the drool from her chest and pulled up the strap of her nightgown.
Though she said that aloud, there wasn't a trace of blame in her tone. In fact, she found this sleepy, clingy side of Ye Chen oddly adorable.
Ye Chen continued sleeping for another half hour before Ma Xiaotao's knocking on the door roused him.
Knock, knock.
"Xiao Chen, time to get up~"
Her sweet voice came through the door.
"Mm… coming, coming…"
Ye Chen reluctantly climbed out of bed, still savoring the faint scent Ma Xiaotao had left on the sheets.
"You lazy thing…"
Ma Xiaotao couldn't help but chuckle softly as she saw Ye Chen's drowsy face—it was unexpectedly cute.
But her smile froze moments later when her gaze slipped downward and she saw… that.
Instantly, her cheeks turned red.
"Mm…"
Ye Chen yawned, stretching without a care—utterly unaware of Ma Xiaotao's flustered stare.
"You idiot, hurry up and go to the bathroom…" Ma Xiaotao scolded softly, turning away quickly so she wouldn't have to look.
"Oh… oh, right…"
Feeling awkward, Ye Chen rushed to the bathhouse and took a cold shower.
A few minutes later, he came out freshly dressed—though still looking faintly uncomfortable.
"Hurry and eat breakfast. We still have to go out today, don't waste time," Ma Xiaotao called out, waving him over.
She sounded calm, but the blush still lingered faintly on her face.
"Coming~"
Ye Chen grinned as he sat across from her and happily dug into the breakfast she'd made with her own hands.
"Mmm, Sister Xiaotao, your cooking just keeps getting better and better~" he said between bites.
"Hmph, of course," Ma Xiaotao replied, smugly lifting her chin. She clearly loved being praised by him.
Ye Chen ate quickly and messily, stuffing his mouth full of food, while Ma Xiaotao ate slowly, elegantly, maintaining her lady‑like composure.
Still, her gaze kept wandering back to Ye Chen. Even though he was eating like a hungry little wolf, there was something endearingly genuine about him.
As she watched him, her face grew a deeper shade of red.
Just now—Ye Chen had gone to the bathroom only briefly. Meaning he definitely hadn't… dealt with things, just used cold water to suppress them.
And if he suppressed it now, that meant later it would rebound even stronger.
Thinking about spending the whole day out with him, Ma Xiaotao suddenly felt nervous.
If he lost control halfway through their outing, that would be bad…
But maybe if she "helped" him earlier, it would calm him down for the rest of the day.
Once that thought crossed her mind, she couldn't quite stop it. Slowly, she stretched out her leg…
They were seated opposite each other, and the table wasn't very large. As she extended her foot ever so lightly, her toes brushed Ye Chen's abdomen.
"Uh, Sister Xiaotao, what are you doing…?"
Startled, Ye Chen instinctively reached down and caught her smooth little foot.
He had been eating happily, and suddenly, Ma Xiaotao's foot had reached over.
What was this supposed to be—an "extra course"?
Well… not that he'd object. Natural flavor, fresh and unprocessed—definitely safe‑grade!
"Nothing. Just keep eating."
Ma Xiaotao's cheeks were crimson, but her foot didn't stay still.
…
…
Half an hour later.
Breakfast was finished.
Ye Chen returned to change his clothes, while Ma Xiaotao went to her room to get dressed—and to wash her feet.
…
Ye Chen tidied up briefly, waiting by the door.
After a few minutes, Ma Xiaotao finally stepped out. The morning sunlight streamed through the window lattice, bathing her figure in golden light.
Her waterfall-like crimson hair flowed loosely down her back, soft yet untamed.
A bright red dress draped elegantly off her shoulders, its form‑fitting cut tracing her slender waist before curving outward around her full chest, the silk fabric gently rising and falling with her breath.
The hem, flared three inches below her knees into a fishtail design, faintly revealed a silver‑lined underskirt as she moved.
Knee‑high suede boots hugged her legs snugly, and the sheer flesh-colored stockings were so thin they blended almost perfectly with her skin in the sunlight.
Perhaps because it was a special day, she had even applied light makeup.
A soft peach shade brushed her eyelids, her lashes curled perfectly, and a subtle gloss highlighted her natural crimson lips, making them appear even more lush.
Tiny silver pearl earrings dangled beneath her ears, swaying lightly as she tucked back a stray strand of hair—glimmering in the light.
"Hmph, look at you—already mesmerized?"
Seeing Ye Chen staring at her, Ma Xiaotao felt a quiet thrill of pride bubble within her.
Indeed, she still had it. Just a bit of dressing up, and Ye Chen was completely enchanted.
"You look absolutely stunning today, Sister Xiaotao~ I'll take plenty of photos with the Image Mirror Box so I can hang your picture by my bed. That way, I can see you first thing every morning~"
Ye Chen smiled, his gaze roaming openly over her figure.
She was already breathtaking, but after a touch of styling, her beauty had reached another level entirely.
If she were wearing a wedding gown instead of a red dress, she would look beyond perfect…
A mischievous thought flashed in his mind. "Should I trick her into a wedding photoshoot next time?"
But he quickly dismissed it.
After all, today was about having fun and taking pictures—it wasn't the right time for something that serious. Besides, his casual outfit today definitely didn't match up to her elegance.
This time was just the start.
Next time, he thought, would be for swimsuit shots… and the time after that… heh heh heh…
"What are you smirking about? Let's go already—it's your fault we wasted so much time."
Ma Xiaotao gave him an exasperated pinch on the waist, eyes flashing.
"Oh, right, let's go~"
Ye Chen scratched his head and followed her out, grinning sheepishly.
The two of them strolled through the city, shopping leisurely—mostly accompanying Ma Xiaotao as she browsed.
That evening, they planned to go camping outside the city, a plan they had agreed on earlier.
Along the way, Ye Chen silently activated his daily sign‑in system.
[Sign‑in successful. Reward: Strength +20.]
"Not bad~" Ye Chen thought with satisfaction.
His luck had been pretty good recently. Maybe later the prizes would shift more toward fixed attribute bonuses—but that was fine. It was all free power.
Even if he only got basic stat boosts every day, by year's end, his combat strength would be dozens of times stronger.
(END CHAPTER)
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