Chapter 82 Ma Xiaotao's Lap Pillow
Shrek City.
On the bustling main street, Ma Xiaotao happily strolled about, shopping with a bright smile and a small purse in hand.
Naturally, Ye Chen was the one paying for everything.
Xian Lin'er had given him plenty of pocket money, and Ning Tian had even handed him her "credit card," which could be used freely in almost any major shop.
Ye Chen had long grown accustomed to letting the ladies cover his expenses—he didn't feel even a hint of guilt.
Of course, that was also because Ma Xiaotao's spending habits were quite modest.
The Soul Master world was expensive, yes—but compared to items like spirit bones or soul tools, regular gold, silver, and jewelry were dirt cheap.
By the time Ma Xiaotao had shopped enough to fill two storage soul devices, her total spending barely reached twenty or thirty thousand gold soul coins.
…
As Ye Chen accompanied her from shop to shop, he took every chance to photograph her from different angles.
Picture after picture rolled out from his Image Mirror Box, and Ma Xiaotao was thoroughly delighted by the results.
Their activity quickly caught the attention of many on the street, but every gaze that turned their way was filled with curiosity and respect—no one dared to interrupt.
After all, class divisions in this world were strict.
Commoners, nobles, and Soul Masters—each existed on drastically different levels.
Both Ma Xiaotao and Ye Chen wore fine, elite clothing; anyone could tell they were nobles, perhaps even distinguished Soul Masters.
Though Shrek City was prosperous, it was still filled mostly with ordinary civilians, and whenever they saw nobles or Soul Masters, their attitude was always one of reverent restraint.
…
By afternoon, after having lunch, they stopped by the Great Spirit Arena to watch a few matches and placed a few small bets—only to lose a few hundred gold soul coins in the end.
Leaving the arena, Ma Xiaotao led Ye Chen to the grand theater to see a play.
Entertainment in this world was scarce, and stage performances were among the most popular pastimes.
The theater was large, separated into the main floor and private VIP boxes.
The boxes above provided a commanding view of the stage and, more importantly, privacy—making them the preferred choice of nobles.
Naturally, Ye Chen and Ma Xiaotao booked a VIP box for themselves.
The space was small—only about half the size of a normal room—but tastefully decorated. It had a sofa, a tea table, and soft ambient lighting. A huge one-way glass window faced the stage, allowing them to observe everything below without being seen.
Sound from the performance was transmitted into the box through special soul devices, crisp and immersive—as if the actors were performing right beside them.
"Whew~ I'm exhausted!"
The moment Ma Xiaotao entered, she flopped down on the sofa, all composure gone.
"You didn't seem tired while shopping," Ye Chen muttered as he sat beside her, equally drained.
She had practically been running through the shops all day, and now she remembered to be tired?
"Aiya, I'm just sore all over. My feet really hurt—massage them for me."
She pouted coyly before kicking off her boots and sliding her warm, soft feet right into Ye Chen's lap, urging him to get started.
Her dress wasn't especially short, but in that moment she still exposed more than intended…
Truly, he thought, what a wonderful world—no concept of safety shorts here.
Still, Ye Chen only glanced once, then obediently began to massage her feet.
Even so, he couldn't help admiring the sight before him.
The sheer, flesh‑tone stockings hugged her skin perfectly, revealing the faint texture underneath like a second layer of silky flesh. Through her fair skin, delicate blue veins were barely visible.
Her toes stretched the fabric smoothly, the red nail polish glinting faintly under the dim light of the room.
As Ye Chen kneaded and caressed gently, the heat and softness of her sole seeped through the thin stocking, carrying a pleasant warmth.
At her heel, the stretched nylon shimmered faintly from pressure but showed no sign of wear—it was clearly a luxury pair crafted with soul‑tool weaving.
Sensing his gaze, Ma Xiaotao's toes curled reflexively, shy and tense.
Ye Chen glanced at her from across the sofa. Her eyes were closed, pretending to rest, but the blush rising on her cheeks and ears gave her away.
Still, Ye Chen didn't push further—just earnestly continued the massage.
"Hmph, at least he knows how to behave," Ma Xiaotao thought, relaxing at last.
A few minutes later, her color returned to normal, her body slackened, and her breathing evened.
She had fallen asleep.
"Guess she really was tired~" Ye Chen murmured, smiling softly.
He carefully set her legs aside and studied her sleeping face.
Unable to resist, he leaned down and gave her soft cheek a quick peck.
"Mm, not bad," he whispered with a grin.
Then he pulled out his Image Mirror Box and began quietly taking photos.
Sleeping or awake, Ma Xiaotao looked beautiful either way.
To avoid disturbing her, he turned off the flash—the dim, ambient lighting gave the photos a gentler atmosphere.
Click, click, click—
The shutter kept whispering as he snapped dozens of pictures from every angle until he finally felt satisfied.
Not disturbing her further, Ye Chen turned his attention to the play below.
It was similar to a modern‑day stage drama, telling fascinating stories on the theme of heroism—brave Soul Masters fighting evil, slaying monsters, and saving innocents.
He watched for a while, then grew bored. Still, the gentle rhythm of the performance made the box feel cozy and soporific.
Relaxing, he leaned sideways on the sofa—resting his head upon Ma Xiaotao's soft lap—and soon drifted to sleep.
…
…
Ye Chen didn't know how long he slept, but eventually, he felt something tickling his nose.
He opened his eyes slowly to see Ma Xiaotao dangling the end of her dress, teasing him with it.
"You lazy head, it's almost evening and you're still sleeping. Look, you drooled again~" she giggled behind her hand.
She had been awake for some time, but Ye Chen had fallen asleep resting against her thighs, and she hadn't had the heart to wake him.
But what really made her speechless was that he had drooled while sleeping… Unforgivable!
"Ahem… the pillow was just too soft—it felt amazing," Ye Chen said sheepishly.
He had been dreaming, after all…
"Alright, alright, enough excuses. It's getting late—time to prepare dinner."
Ma Xiaotao pulled out a handkerchief, gently wiping his mouth with a fond, helpless look.
"Hehe~ okay," Ye Chen replied brightly, hardly trying to hide his joy.
…
Leaving the theater together, they headed southeast toward the outskirts.
Beyond Shrek City in that direction lay the border of the Star Dou Forest. It was remote and beautiful, perfect for Soul Masters who wanted a peaceful place to camp.
Though wild spirit beasts occasionally wandered near the area, they were usually only ten‑year species—dangerous for commoners, but hardly a threat to people like Ye Chen and Ma Xiaotao.
(END CHAPTER)
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