Chapter 771: A Playful Chase
"Brother Shen still isn't back?"
He Yiyi sat curled up on the plush living room sofa, her gaze fixed absently on the front door. A shadow of resentment and disappointment flickered across her pure, pretty face. They had an unspoken agreement—her 'relatives'were finally leaving today, but Brother Shen hadn't come. A dreadful thought wormed its way into her mind.'Is he… disgusted with me?'
Her eyes drifted to the ornate clock on the wall. It was already half past eleven at night. He Yiyi pursed her pink lips, her slender fingers twisting together in her lap until her knuckles turned white.
She had spent the entire day cycling through outfits, dedicating more than three hours to her makeup and hair, all in anticipation. Now, that excitement had curdled into a hollow ache of disappointment.
"Heh, without Brother Shen's favor, our dear Yiyi has turned into a statue, waiting for her husband to return."
The teasing voice belonged to Zhou Luyao, who was gracefully descending the spiral crystal staircase from the second floor, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
He Yiyi was in no mood for banter. She merely tightened her grip on her own hands, unwilling to speak.
Seeing this, Zhou Luyao's eyes sparkled. The corners of her charming eyes tilted upward as she offered a sweet, knowing smile. "Don't you worry, Yiyi. Brother Shen is a wolf; he'd never let a pure little lamb like you go. He must have been held up by something, but he'll definitely come."
She leaned in conspiratorially. "And when he does, with his kind of strength… I'm afraid your slender waist will be so twisted you won't be able to get out of bed tomorrow."
"You'll just be lying there like a helpless little puppy, waiting for me to bring you food."
Hearing Zhou Luyao's words, a strange sense of reassurance settled over He Yiyi's heart. It was true. Brother Shen had invested so much in her; it was impossible that he wouldn't come to collect his prize, to devour her completely.
Once her thoughts settled, she shot a blushing, indignant look at Zhou Luyao. "You're the one who'll turn into a little puppy!"
"Hehe, don't say I didn't warn you," Zhou Luyao purred. "Brother Shen's stamina is just… immense. He's practically a superman, with a body of steel. You know the old saying, 'There are only tired-out oxen, never a worn-out field'? Well, when it comes to Brother Shen, he's the kind of ox that never, ever gets tired."
As if recalling a vivid memory, a complex expression—a mixture of wistful longing and lingering fear—flashed across Zhou Luyao's beautiful face. That experience had been wonderful, yet utterly terrifying.
He Yiyi, listening to this, felt a knot of unease tighten in her stomach. But seeing Zhou Luyao's look of conflicted desire, she couldn't resist a jab of her own. "Your name is Zhou Luyao, but you're afraid of your waist breaking? What a joke."
Zhou Luyao placed her hands on her own slender waist and rolled her eyes dramatically at He Yiyi. "Hmph! We'll see who's laughing! Don't you come crying to me for help then!"
He Yiyi bit her lip, hesitating for a moment before asking in a hushed voice, "Is it… really that terrifying?"
Zhou Luyao's lips curved into a mysterious smile. "Let's just say that by the time morning comes, you'll be less 'He Yiyi' and more of a flowing river."
He Yiyi didn't understand at first, but when the implication finally dawned on her, her pure face flushed a brilliant crimson. "You wicked Luyao! What kind of vulgar nonsense are you spouting!"
Seeing He Yiyi pounce toward her with claws bared, Zhou Luyao giggled and turned to flee.
Both women had cultivated the Martial God Art, but Zhou Luyao had been practicing longer and was significantly stronger. For a moment, He Yiyi couldn't even brush the hem of her clothes. With a dancer's grace, Zhou Luyao planted a foot on the armrest of the sofa, launching herself in a five-meter arc that landed her silently on the crystal staircase. A few quick, light steps, and she was already on the second-floor landing.
He Yiyi, flushed with a mix of shyness and frustration, chased after her. "You wretched Luyao, I'm going to tear that mouth of yours off! Stand still!"
"Hehe, you want to tear my mouth off? Why on earth would I stand still?" Zhou Luyao's charming laughter echoed through the villa, her graceful figure flitting about like a butterfly dancing among flowers.
Before long, He Yiyi was completely out of breath, leaning over with her hands on her knees, panting heavily.
"You're already winded? How are you going to contend with Brother Shen, then?" Zhou Luyao teased, playfully circling the exhausted He Yiyi.
Fueled by a fresh wave of mortification and urgency, He Yiyi lunged, trying to scratch her.
But Zhou Luyao simply twisted her slender waist and dodged with ease, her giggling voice trailing behind her. "Hehe, can't catch me."
"Zhou Luyao, I'll fight you to the death!" Even for someone with He Yiyi's gentle and shy nature, this was too much. Zhou Luyao had truly provoked her. With a sudden burst of energy, she erupted, tackling Zhou Luyao and sending them both tumbling onto the sofa.
Just as He Yiyi pinned Zhou Luyao's arms and was about to deliver a retaliatory headbutt, a slow, deliberate round of applause echoed from the doorway.
"A splendid chase indeed."
Shen Anyu stood there, watching the two of them with great interest. Both He Yiyi and Zhou Luyao were glistening with a light sheen of sweat, their breathing soft and rapid. He Yiyi had Zhou Luyao completely pinned, poised for her attack. The scene was at once comical and alluring—a true feast for the eyes.
"Oh! Brother Shen, you… you're back!" Hearing Shen Anyu's voice, He Yiyi instantly released Zhou Luyao. She scrambled to her feet and stood beside the sofa with her head bowed, looking like a child caught misbehaving and awaiting punishment.
Zhou Luyao, however, showed little fear. She could tell Shen Anyu wasn't angry. Besides, even if he did decide to punish her, she would gladly accept it. From him, it would feel more like a reward.
"Brother Shen, Yiyi has been waiting so long her eyes have nearly worn a hole in the door. You must comfort her properly." As she spoke the word "comfort," the mischievousness on her beautiful face intensified.
He Yiyi felt a hot flush of shame and annoyance. 'That wicked Luyao, spouting nonsense right in front of Brother Shen! I'll deal with her later!'
"Yiyi, have you been waiting long?" A gentle, magnetic male voice sounded right beside her.
He Yiyi looked up into Shen Anyu's peach blossom eyes, which gazed at her with deep affection. The sight of his incomparably handsome face so close made her cheeks burn, and she whispered, "No, not long."
In truth, she had waited a very, very long time. She had been looking forward to this since the morning, even preparing a lavish dinner that had long since gone cold. But no matter how long she had waited, the moment she saw Shen Anyu, all her resentment and disappointment evaporated, replaced by a heart overflowing with sweetness, as if she had just eaten the purest honey.
Shen Anyu chuckled as he walked over, his large hand wrapping around He Yiyi's fragrant shoulder. "It seems you've been waiting quite a while. In that case, Brother Shen will make it up to you thoroughly later. I won't spare any effort."
As his voice fell, Shen Anyu bent down, sliding his other hand under He Yiyi's knees. With a single smooth motion, he lifted her into his arms and started toward the second floor.
Before disappearing up the stairs, Shen Anyu shot a quick wink at Zhou Luyao. She returned a flirtatious look, her red lips parting slightly, as if to say, 'I won't disturb Yiyi's big moment. Hehe, she won't be able to handle you later anyway.'
Meanwhile, in a strange and distant dimension steeped in the air of a forgotten age…
Beacon fires burned like angry wounds upon the city towers. Acrid smoke choked the air, carrying the stench of blood and iron. Outside the walls, the thunder of clashing cavalry was a constant drumbeat of doom, while inside, the defending soldiers shivered in their armor, their faces pale with terror.
"This is too crazy… It's really too crazy. Are all the veterans from the Main God Reincarnation Game this insane?"
Huddled in a corner, trembling, were a few young people dressed in modern attire that stood in stark contrast to the ancient soldiers around them.
The past two and a half months had been a waking nightmare.
They had inexplicably appeared in a strange, mysterious space—an endless void containing only a giant, glowing white orb that called itself the Main God Reincarnation Game. After a disorienting welcome, time and space had warped, depositing them in this dimension, a bloody facsimile of an ancient dynasty.
Their novice mission was simple enough: follow the rebel army and survive for three months. It wasn't an impossible task. As long as they were clever, they could manage it.
They even had the guidance of a powerful veteran, a woman named Ice Phoenix, whose bare hands could shatter swords and shields.
But the result was something none of them could have ever expected. This veteran, this Ice Phoenix… she was utterly, terrifyingly insane.
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