Outdoors

"Although it's not too revealing, but..." Bai Qianshuang seemed very unaccustomed to wearing a swimsuit. Clad in a black school-style swimsuit, she kept her slender legs tightly pressed together while her eyes darted around nervously, as if afraid someone might glance her way.

However, the shop Ye Chuan had brought her to was a high-end swimwear boutique that even provided private fitting rooms for customers to try on swimsuits.

"There's no one else here, no need to worry," Ye Chuan chuckled, noticing Bai Qianshuang's fidgety demeanor.

"This kind of clothing... the material feels a bit stretchy, almost like animal hide..." Bai Qianshuang murmured, instinctively covering certain areas in front of Ye Chuan.

"Well, it's waterproof fabric, so some elasticity is normal."

As Ye Chuan spoke, he glanced at Lan Xiaoke, who was currently squirming uncomfortably. "This swimsuit's too tight, it's squeezing me to death," she whined.

Ye Chuan took a look and realized Lan Xiaoke was wearing the same school-style swimsuit as Bai Qianshuang, except the sides were practically overflowing—no wonder she felt constricted.

"Why don't you try that one instead?" Ye Chuan pointed at a nearby bikini.

"I wanna, but..." Lan Xiaoke hesitated before suddenly waving him over. "Come here."

"What?"

Ye Chuan followed her into the changing room, where Lan Xiaoke struggled to peel off the swimsuit. "Help me out!"

Watching her wriggle like a worm in front of him, Ye Chuan couldn't help but laugh, though he still obliged by yanking it down. The elastic snapped back with such force that he nearly got smacked in the face.

"Whew, freedom at last," Lan Xiaoke sighed, covering herself with one hand before picking up the bikini and slipping it on.

"See?"

Now wearing the bikini, Lan Xiaoke revealed the real issue—there was simply too little fabric. It barely contained anything, swaying with every breath she took.

"If I start walking, these straps are definitely gonna snap," Lan Xiaoke whimpered.

"Yeah, you're right," Ye Chuan agreed after testing the flimsy straps. "Let me ask the staff for help."

"Mm!"

Stepping out of the changing room, Ye Chuan noticed Luo Xi and Ke Ning still browsing through styles. Luo Xi already owned plenty of swimsuits, so she was even helping Ke Ning pick one out.

"Meh, it's alright," Ke Ning muttered a few seconds later, standing in front of the mirror in a bikini. She propped a hand on her hip, giving herself a cursory glance.

She didn’t particularly like it, but she didn’t hate it either. She was probably just going along with the group.

"What?" Ke Ning turned when she noticed Ye Chuan staring.

"Didn’t realize you had such a figure," Ye Chuan remarked, surprised.

"Hah." Ke Ning adjusted her glasses, smirking. "What, feeling some primal urges?"

"Hard to say."

"Oh..." Ke Ning simply hummed knowingly before returning to try on more swimsuits.

Ye Chuan then approached a staff member and explained Lan Xiaoke’s predicament. The employee didn’t seem fazed. "Ah, the young lady with white hair? I noticed her when she came in. Our store might not have a suitable size for her."

"But you could layer a cover-up over it—that should work," the staff suggested.

"Wouldn’t that just cover everything up?"

"Well... yes," the employee admitted, then added, "But the cover-up is semi-transparent."

"Actually, that might not be a bad idea," Ye Chuan mused. "Alright, let’s go with that."

By the time he returned to the private room, everyone had mostly finished picking their swimsuits.

"You’re not getting anything?" Ye Chuan asked Luo Xi, who was empty-handed.

"I already have plenty at home, and it’s not like I wear swimsuits often anyway," Luo Xi replied, clasping her hands behind her back with a smile. "Chuan, where are we going for the beach trip?"

"Where do you want to go?"

"Hmm... Silver Sand Beach?"

Silver Sand Beach was indeed a popular coastal spot in the city, but that also meant it’d be crowded, which could dampen the fun.

"How about a private island? Just us, and the water’s actually blue there," Ye Chuan suggested.

Luo Xi gasped. "A private island? Won’t that be crazy expensive?"

"Money’s the last thing I’m worried about," Ye Chuan said with a half-smile.

Ever since the dimensional rifts appeared, Ye Chuan had made a fortune selling medicinal pills. Now, with his own pharmaceutical conglomerate, earning ten thousand dollars took mere seconds.

Luo Xi still found it surreal—after all, Ye Chuan used to be the kind of guy who scammed girls for free lunches at school.

But after a moment of thought, her gaze drifted to the ring and pendant she wore, both gifts from Ye Chuan.

Whatever. He’s still the same Chuan to me.

She quickly shook off her musings. As long as she could stay by his side, nothing else mattered.

"Go pick out a few new ones anyway," Ye Chuan said while pulling out his phone to call Wang Yanran.

"Ye Chuan, what’s up?" Wang Yanran’s voice came through.

"Got any private beaches? Help me find one."

"Private beach... for a vacation?"

"Yeah, unless you think I’m going monster-hunting," Ye Chuan laughed. "If you’ve got time, join us."

"I’m a bit busy right now..." Wang Yanran replied. "But the Wang family happens to own a small island. Give me a date, and I’ll arrange a ride for you."

"Tomorrow. We’re picking out swimsuits now," Ye Chuan said, eyeing the lively group—quite the pleasant sight.

"Got it. I’ll handle everything."

Ye Chuan hung up, only for the phone to ring again—Wang Yanran calling back.

"What now?"

"Ye Chuan... I just checked, and apparently there’s a small rift on that private island. It’s spawned quite a few monsters, but since it’s far from the city, no one’s dealt with it yet," Wang Yanran explained.

While the rifts in the city had been cleared, those in remote areas remained.

"Should I find you another location?"

Hearing it was just a minor rift, Ye Chuan dismissed the concern. "No need."

"Won’t it ruin the mood?"

"A little warm-up before swimming sounds fun," Ye Chuan said, his gaze settling on Bai Qianshuang in the distance—a cultivator nearing the pinnacle of her power.

Those monsters should be more worried about whether they could even move under her oppressive aura.

Noticing Ye Chuan’s stare, Bai Qianshuang saw him grinning at her while holding his phone. Instinctively, she glanced down at her swimsuit, then immediately spun around.

Realizing her back was just as exposed, she bolted straight into the changing room.

Ye Chuan, left standing there: "?"

What’s up with her?