The summer morning sun scorched the earth, and pedestrians hurried along, all seeking cooler places to relieve their sweaty discomfort.
At 10 a.m., the Guanshanyue villa area remained quiet, and the main bedroom on the third floor of the Shen family’s Sandalwood Palace had yet to be opened.
“Mmm…” A soft murmur sounded, signaling the awakening of the figure nestled deep within the large bed.
Slowly opening her heavy eyelids, Yao Yao stared blankly toward the thick curtains, her mind wandering aimlessly.
The thin blanket clung to her delicate frame, unable to conceal her enchanting curves—a figure so captivating it was impossible to forget at a glance.
Yao Yao had been sleeping on her stomach when she woke. After a moment of daze, she suddenly jolted with excitement as she recalled her current situation: last night, she had completed dual cultivation for the first time!
She had truly leveled up!
The system had told her that after completing her mission, she could return to the fox clan. Once she was back home, she would definitely boast to her senior sister about her experiences and insights!
“Awake?” Shen Yu had noticed the moment Yao Yao first stirred, but he remained silent. When she quieted down again, he thought she had fallen back asleep.
So she was awake after all.
Hearing the voice behind her, Yao Yao instinctively tried to turn around abruptly, but a sharp pain shot through her. “Ouch~ It hurts~”
The aftermath of last night lingered. While staying still was fine, the slightest movement brought back the soreness. Her delicate face scrunched up in discomfort as she complained, “It’s all your fault!”
Even though they hadn’t slept until the early hours of the morning, Shen Yu’s biological clock was as punctual as ever. After waking up, he had no intention of going out for a morning run. A sixth sense told him that if the person beside him woke up and found him gone, she would surely be upset.
Shen Yu also selfishly wanted to stay by his wife’s side, savoring this tender intimacy.
Though not one to laze in bed, Shen Yu had brought a tablet from the study to check company emails and handle minor tasks, simply to pass the time.
Noticing Yao Yao’s discomfort, Shen Yu immediately set the tablet aside on the bedside table. His large hand slipped under the blanket, resting on her smooth waist as he gently massaged it. His expression was attentive and tender, without a trace of impatience.
“My fault. I’ll be gentler tonight, alright?”
While playing the role of the young lady’s personal masseur, he also whispered seductively in her ear, sending shivers down her spine~
“In your dreams~” Yao Yao refused with a haughty tone. Hmph, she wasn’t foolish enough to believe a man’s promises in bed!
Just as Shen Yu was about to say more, a low growl from Yao Yao’s stomach interrupted their intimate moment.
“I’m hungry!” Yao Yao showed no embarrassment over her rumbling stomach. She expressed her feelings bluntly—after all, the man beside her was her lifelong partner. Why bother with pride?
Shen Yu, who usually adhered strictly to three meals a day, had completely forgotten about eating from the moment he woke up until now. It seemed love truly could fill one’s stomach.
He felt a twinge of self-reproach. Was he secretly a hopeless romantic? No, definitely not—he still remembered his work! Shen Yu’s thoughts drifted far and wide, a rare moment of absentmindedness for him.
Hearing no response from Shen Yu, Yao Yao looked up and saw his dazed expression. Annoyed, she kicked him lightly, snapping him out of his reverie.
Looking at the furious little face in his arms, Shen Yu immediately offered an apologetic smile: “Sorry, Yao Yao, I was distracted just now. You get up and wash up first, I’ll go outside to order breakfast.”
Yao Yao knew when to stop pushing. Her body had recovered quite a bit under his massage, regaining its vitality. She swiftly got out of bed and began getting ready.
*
Breakfast was lavish, featuring both Chinese and Western options—there was ham toast and soup dumplings; coffee with milk and soy milk with fried dough sticks. Yao Yao could pick whatever she wanted.
The couple didn’t follow the rule of “no talking during meals or rest.” They sat closely side by side on the same side of the dining table.
Yao Yao preferred Chinese food. Using her chopsticks, she picked up a soup dumpling, parted her lips to take a small bite, chewed elegantly, and savored it slowly:
“Delicious,” Yao Yao gave her high praise.
“What would you like to do after breakfast?” Even while eating, Shen Yu couldn’t stay still, his fingers brushing against her puffed cheek as if he had a skin hunger.
Yao Yao was stumped by the question. What to do? She wanted to lie in bed and rest, but she also wanted to go out and have fun. Her conflicted expression was utterly adorable.
Shen Yu chuckled at the sight: “How about you eat a little something first, then go back to the bedroom and rest for a while? I’ll take you out for lunch at noon, then to a movie in the afternoon, and afterward we can go shopping for clothes?”
“Mhmm! Yes, let’s do that! Thank you, hubby!”
Her fox-like eyes narrowed into crescent moons as she smiled.
Since Yao Yao wanted Western food, Shen Yu had reserved a table at a Western restaurant in advance. More than half an hour had passed since they decided to go out, but Yao Yao still hadn’t chosen what to wear.
This red off-shoulder dress was pretty, that avocado green spaghetti strap dress was also pretty, and that white coordinated culottes set was pretty too…
Yao Yao fell into indecision again.
Shen Yu didn’t rush her. He loved watching Yao Yao try on clothes, and it strengthened his resolve to buy more outfits for his wife. He never imagined he would become so enthusiastic about dressing her up.
From their wedding yesterday to this very moment, Shen Yu had broken many of his own principles and rediscovered himself. It turned out he wasn’t as ascetic and self-disciplined as he had thought—he could lose control too.
By one o’clock, Yao Yao finally decided what to wear: the red off-shoulder dress she had tried on first. The skirt had a lace hem that reached her calves, perfectly covering the marks of their affection.
The dress was designed with a fitted waist, accentuating her slender figure and the curves above. Her flawless skin appeared even fairer against the red fabric, creating a striking visual impact.
The hidden zipper was at the back. Too lazy to pull it up herself, Yao Yao shuffled in her pink slippers and hurried toward the bedroom with quick, small steps.
“Hubby~ help me~”
Shen Yu was sitting on the bedroom sofa, talking on the phone. Hearing her voice, he paused, sped up his speech, and quickly ended the call.
Yao Yao stood with her back to Shen Yu and urged, “Hurry up and help me with the zipper!”
Her fair back was dotted with red marks. The young woman’s skin was so pale and tender that even a little pressure would leave noticeable traces.
And these were all his handiwork from the previous night. Just the sight of them made Shen Yu’s gaze deepen and his Adam’s apple move unconsciously.
Waiting without any action, Yao Yao grew puzzled. Just as she was about to turn around to see what was wrong, a large hand settled on her waist.
Suppressing the turmoil inside, Shen Yu meticulously completed the task his wife had assigned, his voice slightly hoarse:
“Alright.”
For the first time, Shen Yu felt some disdain for himself. He had once again broken his own resolve—his Control was far weaker than he had imagined.
Yao Yao couldn’t care less about what Shen Yu was thinking. Hearing “alright,” she quickly headed toward the walk-in closet. She still needed to pick out a nice pair of shoes and find a matching necklace—there was so much left to do!