"What are you thinking about? Even while taking a bath, your eyes keep drifting to your phone. Don’t tell me you’re trying to sneak a photo of us?" Li Qingxue playfully wrapped her arms around Hu Yuying from behind, giggling as she asked.
Caught off guard by the sudden attack, Hu Yuying shivered, one hand gripping the edge of the bathtub while the other tried to fend off Li Qingxue’s mischievous hands.
In another bathtub nearby, Lin Wanning scooped up a handful of water and splashed it at the two of them.
After a bit of playful banter, Hu Yuying scooted aside, and Li Qingxue lay down beside her.
"So, how’s your sales performance lately?"
At the mention of this, Hu Yuying and Lin Wanning couldn’t help but smile. "Not bad," they replied.
"At least we’ve got some income now."
Ever since their online store officially launched, the three of them had been working hard to manage it.
They’d noticed that whenever they posted dynamic videos, their sales would increase slightly.
They also realized that online stores had rankings—those with higher ratings tended to perform much better.It was like comparing shops—people naturally gravitated toward stores with more sales.
"I think after our next shoot, we should run a promotion. Like offering cashback for purchases to boost exposure," Hu Yuying shared her idea.
After all, they were just starting out and couldn’t compete with those high-ranking stores yet.
Brother Long had once taught her while buying clothes that people always loved a good deal. If they suddenly slashed prices, it might upset other merchants and risk getting reported.
But offering cashback after a normal transaction would bypass that issue while still satisfying customers’ desire for a bargain.
They didn’t even need to refund much—just a small amount, like 5 yuan off an 80-yuan product. That way, customers would feel they were getting a great deal, and it might even attract more traffic.
Hearing this, Li Qingxue and Lin Wanning grew excited.
Leaning against the bathtub’s edge, they eagerly started discussing how to proceed.
Just then, a phone rang.
Recognizing the ringtone, Hu Yuying immediately stood up from the bathtub, water droplets cascading down her flawless figure, leaving glistening trails on her fair skin.
"Yuying, what’s wrong?"
"N-nothing," she said, though the smile on her face and her eager steps—barefoot—toward the clothes rack betrayed her words.
Seeing Brother Long’s video call on her phone, Hu Yuying instinctively covered her chest with one hand while tightly gripping the phone with the other.
They video-called every night.
Taking a deep breath, she glanced down at her naked body and reluctantly declined the call.
On the other end, Long Aotian, lying in bed waiting for the call to connect, sat up abruptly when it was declined.
As she did, she remembered her promise that night—to give herself to him as a gift...
Her face flushed instantly. She grabbed a piece of clothing from the rack and buried her face in it. Would Brother Long even like this? Oh god… this is so embarrassing...
When Long Aotian received the photo, he glanced at it before quickly flipping his phone face-down against his chest.
Guiltily, he scanned the room.
His three roommates were either on their phones or gaming, oblivious to him.
Only then did he pick up his phone again.
Hu Yuying’s skin was delicate, flushed slightly from the hot bath. The water droplets tracing down her slender legs… winding their way… it was impossible not to imagine what lay just a little higher...
Putting down the clothes, Hu Yuying took another deep breath and tapped lightly on her screen:
"D-do you like it?"
Long Aotian nodded unconsciously. "I do."
"Huh? What’s good?" Li Longlong, engrossed in his game, glanced up at him in confusion.
"Nothing, just saw a nice picture," Long Aotian muttered before turning away, pulling the blanket over himself.
He hadn’t meant to say that out loud.
Seeing the words "I do" from Brother Long, Hu Yuying’s eyes instantly sparkled with joy, curving into crescent moons.
"Yuying, that’s such a lewd smile," Li Qingxue teased.
In the bathroom, both Li Qingxue and Lin Wanning rested their chins on the bathtub’s edge, grinning at her.
Hu Yuying instinctively locked her phone—no way she’d let them see, or they’d never stop teasing her for being so forward.
"W-why aren’t you two focusing on your bath instead of staring at me?"
"We’d love to, but someone’s being all seductive right in front of us. Hard to ignore," Li Qingxue said with a wicked smirk.
Hu Yuying immediately protested—she wasn’t being seductive!
"I am not! Say that again, and I’ll tickle you both!"
She lunged at them, and soon, the bathroom echoed with the trio’s laughter and playful shrieks.
"Stop! I surrender! I was wrong, okay?!"
Hands on her hips, Hu Yuying looked triumphantly at Li Qingxue, whose face was now flushed and eyes dazed from the tickling. She couldn’t help but marvel at how much stronger she’d gotten.
The weather had turned colder. As soon as they stepped out, the chilly breeze made them shiver.
"Wanning, can you still get into the dorm at this hour?" Li Qingxue asked.
"Should we get a room instead?" Lin Wanning grinned at them.
"Deal, but no more watching those videos. I feel like I’m learning too much," Hu Yuying suggested.
"Fine by me."
With that settled, the three happily held hands and set off to find a hotel.
After checking in, they freshened up before flopping onto the bed.
"Yuying, what should we get for Brother Long as a gift?" Li Qingxue asked softly. The three of them never ran out of topics when together.
Lin Wanning also looked at Hu Yuying—there was no denying she understood Brother Long best.
This time, Hu Yuying was wiser. Seeing the expectant gazes from Li Qingxue and Lin Wanning, she tilted her chin up proudly and flipped her long hair over her shoulder.
The two exchanged glances—seemed like they’d corrupted Yuying after all...
[Please shower us with support, love you all...]