Integrating into the Suzhou Dialect Community

Leaving the OUT24 bar, the early morning Jiangcheng had already shed the hustle and bustle of the day, leaving only the streetlights to stretch their shadows long.

Although the revelry in the bar was still going on, and the hourly Grand Dragon Set parade continued to stimulate everyone's nerves, for Su Bai, staying in that noisy environment for too long was ultimately a bit boring.

Rather than throwing money around under everyone's gaze, he now preferred to enjoy some private, cozy time.

Are you tired?

Su Bai held the steering wheel of the Land Rover Defender with one hand and glanced sideways at Li Xingya in the passenger seat.

At this moment, although she had drunk a little low-alcohol fruit wine and her cheeks were flushed, her eyes revealed a clear nervousness. Her small hands gripped the seatbelt tightly, her knuckles turning somewhat white.

N-no... I'm not tired.

Li Xingya shook her head, but her voice was a bit tight. Boss, where... where are we going now?

To Ascott.

Su Bai's tone was flat, as natural as if he were talking about going home. That's our base camp in Jiangcheng. That kind of stacked villa layout is more comfortable to live in than a hotel, and more convenient than the school.

As... Ascott...

Li Xingya swallowed hard.

She had heard of this name; it was one of the most high-end serviced apartments in Jiangcheng.

But what made her nervous wasn't the housing prices, but what this place meant to Su Bai.

Although she had long known that she wasn't the only one by Su Bai's side, and even faced her master Chen Yusheng, who had a strong main wife aura, every day in the lab, having a tacit understanding was one thing, but actually meeting them was another.

She was afraid.

Afraid of being ostracized, afraid that she was too rustic to fit in, and even more afraid that seeing those girls who were far more outstanding than her would instantly collapse the little self-confidence she had just built up.

How should she put it? Although Su Bai was very approachable, a group of female confidantes still sounded too niche, definitely something rarely seen in daily life.

Don't be nervous.

Su Bai seemed to see through her thoughts. He freed up a hand and gently held her cold little hand. There's only one person there tonight.

Is it Master? Li Xingya asked tentatively.

Not Shengsheng, she went to accompany her mother tonight. Su Bai shook his head. The one over there tonight is Zhou Jialu. You can call her Sister Jialu, or... Senior Sister. Though it seems she's only a year older than you.

Mmhmm...

Don't worry, Jialu has a great personality and high emotional intelligence. You'll like her.

Su Bai squeezed her palm and gave her a reassuring smile.

...

Twenty minutes later, the Land Rover Defender drove into the underground garage of Ascott.

Swiped the card, went upstairs.

When the elevator doors opened, Su Bai skillfully pressed the fingerprint lock. As he pushed open the heavy front door, a rush of warmth wrapped in a pleasant aromatherapy scent hit their faces.

You're back?

A lazy and charming voice sounded.

In the spacious living room, the lighting was adjusted to a perfectly dim yellow. Zhou Jialu was curled up on the sofa, holding a fashion magazine. She wore a silk slip nightgown with a cashmere shawl draped over her shoulders.

A complete aristocratic lady style.

Hearing the door open, she put down the magazine, stepped barefoot onto the carpet, and walked over with a beaming smile.

At that moment, Li Xingya felt like she was looking at a fox that had cultivated into a human spirit.

Beautiful.

Too beautiful.

That kind of beauty wasn't the cold, fairy-like aura of Chen Yusheng, nor was it the delicate, girl-next-door charm of Li Xingya. It was a charm and allure that seeped from her very bones. Every look, every movement seemed to carry a hook.

Keeping such a vixen at home simply gave Su Bai too much of a sense of accomplishment. That intoxicating, glamorous vibe instantly stirred a man's nerves.

This must be little sister Xingya, right?

Before Li Xingya could react, Zhou Jialu had already walked up to her, naturally taking her hand and looking her up and down with gentle eyes.

So cute. No wonder our Young Master Su hid you away so tightly, only willing to bring you back to show us today.

H-hello, Senior Sister!

Li Xingya was a bit at a loss and quickly bowed, like an elementary school student meeting the dean.

Oh my, why are you being so formal?

Zhou Jialu chuckled, her friendliness instantly closing the distance between them. We're all family here, don't act like strangers. Come on in, it's cold outside, right? I mulled some wine, perfect for warming you up.

Saying so, she naturally took the coat from Li Xingya's hands, hung it on the rack, then pulled her to sit on the sofa. She poured her a steaming cup of mulled wine and casually handed her a throw pillow.

This series of actions was smooth and flowing, without the slightest bit of pretension, nor any attitude of a main wife bullying a concubine. Instead, she seemed like a caring older sister next door looking after a newly arrived younger sister.

Li Xingya's originally tense nerves miraculously relaxed under this spring-breeze-like reception.

She secretly observed Zhou Jialu.

Actually, in terms of age, the two of them should be about the same.

But in terms of temperament and experience, Zhou Jialu looked much more mature.

That effortless composure, that confidence in her every gesture, were the things Li Xingya currently lacked the most, and envied the most.

Where did the boss go? Li Xingya suddenly realized Su Bai was missing.

Him?

Zhou Jialu pointed upstairs, a meaningful smile playing on her lips. He went to the bathroom to prep, of course.

Hearing this, Li Xingya's face instantly turned beet red.

Are you shy?

Zhou Jialu leaned in a bit closer, the pleasant scent of rose perfume drilling into Li Xingya's nose. Don't be afraid, big sister will take care of you. Even though that guy can be quite bad sometimes, he... also really knows how to love someone, doesn't he?

Li Xingya bit her lip and nodded gently.

Yes.

Although he was bad, he really knew how to love someone.

In every sense of the word...

As a pure and flawless girl, when Li Xingya first tried it with Su Bai... she was simply blown away by the cloud-nine experience.

...

In the oversized bathroom.

This was one of Su Bai's most satisfying designs.

Not only was there a spacious circular bathtub, but there was also a sound system Su Bai had spent a million yuan installing. Listening to music while soaking in the bath with the girls was simply sublime!

On one side of the bathroom, there was a dedicated dressing room.

Su Bai was standing in front of the wardrobe in the dressing room, his fingers trailing over rows of neatly hung swimsuits.

It could be called an armory.

Swimsuits of all styles, materials, and vibes were available. There were Japanese school swimsuits, bikinis, lacy cut-outs, and special styles that only existed in two-dimensional fantasies. The styles not available on the market were naturally designed by his exclusive fashion designer, Lu Yuning, and handed over to that garment factory for production.

Each piece was carefully selected by him according to the characteristics of his different female confidantes.

Tonight... which one should I choose?

Su Bai stroked his chin.

He didn't need to worry about Zhou Jialu. That little vixen had her own aesthetic, and besides, she had picked out many of the styles here with Su Bai anyway. Her favorite, and the one that suited her best, was a black and white color-blocked high-cut one-piece swimsuit.

The striking contrast of black and white, combined with the high-cut design, perfectly accentuated her alluring figure and snow-white skin. It was both fashionable and sexy, perfectly fitting her persona.

The main focus was Li Xingya.

Although this girl had an S-tier hidden figure, she was far too shy. If he made her wear a palm-sized bikini right off the bat, she would probably faint from embarrassment on the spot and wouldn't even be able to walk.

He had to take it step by step.

Su Bai's gaze searched through the wardrobe.

Too revealing wouldn't work, but too conservative would waste her natural gifts.

Suddenly, his eyes lingered on a dark blue swimsuit.

It was a one-piece swim dress.

The color was a deep navy blue, which was very flattering and perfect for Li Xingya's fair complexion.

The design followed a retro style. The upper half featured a halter neck design that perfectly gathered her chest, showcasing her incredible bust; the lower half was a short skirt with tiered ruffles, which provided her with a sense of security by covering her upper thighs while adding a touch of youthful agility as she moved.

The best part was the back.

Although it looked quite proper from the front, the back featured an extensive cut-out lace-up design. Those faintly discernible lines of her back would definitely create a striking visual contrast.

He felt that wearing it would be just like Li Xingya's name.

Possessing the noble purity and elegance of the starry sky.

"This is the one."

Su Bai nodded in satisfaction and took the swimsuit down.

"Made your choice?"

The sound of high heels clicking against the tiles came from behind.

Zhou Jialu leaned against the doorframe of the changing room, holding her usual black and white swimsuit, looking at Su Bai with a teasing smile.

"Yeah, this one suits Xingya."

Su Bai held up the dark blue swimsuit in his hand.

Zhou Jialu walked over, appraised it with a professional eye, and then gave a thumbs up.

"Junior, your taste is absolutely incredible."

She sighed in admiration. "This color makes her skin look pale, and the style covers the fat while accentuating the chest. It's practically tailor-made for Xingya. It takes care of her modesty without missing out on the eye candy. Only you could pull this off."

"Of course, look who picked it."

Su Bai smiled smugly, wrapping an arm around Zhou Jialu's waist and kissing her cheek. "You go change into yours too. We'll soak together in a bit."

"I know~"

Zhou Jialu pushed him playfully. "But that girl Xingya probably won't dare to change by herself. Just now downstairs, her face was as red as an apple."

"So..." Su Bai raised an eyebrow, "Do we need to give her a hand?"

"Exactly what I had in mind."

Zhou Jialu's eyes rippled with a vixen-like mischief, always eager to stir up trouble. "Come on, let's go tease our little sister together."

...

When Su Bai and Zhou Jialu returned to the living room with the swimsuits, Li Xingya was sitting rigidly on the sofa, staring nervously at the TV screen, even though she wasn't absorbing a single thing playing on it.

"Xingya, come here."

Zhou Jialu walked over and took her hand. "The water is ready, let's go change."

"Ah? Change... change clothes?"

Li Xingya looked at the thin pieces of fabric in Zhou Jialu's hands, then at the dark blue swimsuit in Su Bai's hands, and her heart rate instantly spiked to two hundred beats a minute.

"Are we... going swimming?"

"We're taking a bath," Su Bai corrected her. "Relaxing is good for the body."

"Oh..."

Li Xingya obediently stood up and followed the two of them into the bathroom's changing room.

However, when she took the dark blue swimsuit and clearly saw the design on the back, she froze completely.

"Why... why is the back completely open?"

She asked, blushing and stammering. "And... and I don't know how to wear these kinds with straps..."

"It's okay if you don't know how, we'll help you."

Zhou Jialu leaned in with a wicked smile and reached out to start unbuttoning Li Xingya's shirt.

"Ah! Senior... don't..."

Startled, Li Xingya instinctively tried to cover her chest, but Su Bai gently embraced her from behind.

"Be good, don't move."

Su Bai's voice was deep and gentle, carrying an irresistible magic. "Jialu is teaching you. In the future, you'll have to learn how to put these clothes on yourself."

With a wolf in front and a tiger behind.

Li Xingya was like a little white rabbit caught in a trap, with nowhere to run.

However, what awaited her was not fear, but a pleasure that her heart was secretly yearning for.

Under their combined efforts, her clothes slipped off one by one.

Looking at herself in the mirror wearing only her undergarments, Li Xingya closed her eyes in shame, even the tips of her ears turning completely red.

"Xingya's figure is truly amazing."

Zhou Jialu praised sincerely as she helped her put on the swimsuit. "This skin is so tender it looks like water could be pinched out of it. And these breasts... tsk tsk, even I'm jealous."

Coming from a woman, and a woman who also possessed a proud figure, Zhou Jialu's praise was undoubtedly the most genuine.

"Senior... please don't make fun of me..." Li Xingya begged softly.

"How is this making fun of you? It's the truth."

Su Bai chimed in from the side, casually helping her tie the straps on her back. His fingers intentionally or unintentionally brushed across her smooth back, sending shivers down her spine.

"Alright, open your eyes and take a look."

A few minutes later, a fully dressed Li Xingya was pushed in front of the floor-to-ceiling mirror.

She cautiously opened her eyes.

The girl in the mirror was wearing a dark blue one-piece swim dress, the ruffled hem just barely covering her upper thighs. Her slender legs were pressed together, looking exceptionally straight. The halter neck design squeezed her snowy cleavage into a breathtaking curve, while the dark blue fabric made her skin look like creamy white jade.

That look of purity tinged with temptation, of shyness exuding charm, left even herself staring in a daze.

Was this... really her plain and rustic self?

"Look, how beautiful."

Su Bai stood behind her, his hands resting on her shoulders, his eyes full of admiration. "Xingya, you need to be more confident. You have assets that all women would envy."

"That's right, don't always keep your head down from now on."

Zhou Jialu had also changed into her black and white color-blocked swimsuit. She stood beside her and affectionately linked arms with her.

In the mirror, the three of them stood together.

In the middle was the shy, pure yet alluring Li Xingya; on the left was the enchanting and mature Zhou Jialu; and behind them stood the tall and handsome Su Bai.

The scene was incredibly harmonious.

Looking at the joyful faces of Su Bai and Zhou Jialu in the mirror, and feeling the kindness and acceptance they radiated, the last bit of barrier and fear in Li Xingya's heart finally vanished into thin air.

She suddenly felt that this so-called "circle" didn't seem as scary as she had imagined.

There was no exclusion or mockery here.

Only the warmth of being surrounded by love.

If you take into account that the core of this circle is Su Bai, then it makes perfect sense. That is just the kind of person Su Bai is.

"Mhm..."

Li Xingya looked at herself in the mirror. For the first time, she bravely lifted her head, a genuine smile gracing her lips.

"Thank you, boss... thank you, senior."

"No need to thank me, silly girl."

Zhou Jialu smiled and playfully tapped her nose. "Come on, let's get in the water! We are going to really enjoy ourselves tonight."

With that, she took Li Xingya's hand and led her toward the enormous, steaming bathtub.