49: Welfare in progress

Kato Megumi stood in the fitting room, her fingertips lightly brushing over the beige one-piece swimsuit adorned with pink bows. In the mirror, the young girl's cheeks were flushed crimson, even the tips of her ears tinged with a faint pink hue.

To dress so boldly in front of Lin Luo... as expected, she still couldn't do it.

The swimsuit she eventually chose had a beige base that gently complemented her skin. The pink bows decorating the chest added a touch of playfulness, and the skirt-style hem was edged with a delicate layer of lace. Though it was the most conservative style, it perfectly outlined her slender waist and graceful figure.

"This one then..." she whispered to herself, taking a deep breath before gently pulling open the fitting room curtain.

The sound of the curtain sliding open caused Lin Luo and Tohru to turn their heads at the same time.

Kato Megumi stood slightly sideways at the entrance of the fitting room, her hands unconsciously folded in front of her. The beige swimsuit made her already fair skin appear even softer. Her legs beneath the skirt were long and well-proportioned, making her look like a pale rose quietly blooming in the morning light.

"How is it?" she asked softly, her gaze unconsciously drifting toward Lin Luo.

Tohru leaned in to take a look, her golden eyes blinking. "It's very cute! This color suits you perfectly~ But Megumi, you're being way too conservative~"

Lin Luo gazed at Kato Megumi, his eyes lingering on her for a moment as the corners of his lips curled up slightly. "It's very beautiful. This color really suits you."

Kato Megumi lowered her head slightly, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but lift into a faint curve, the blush on her cheeks deepening even further.

Tohru giggled as she pulled several bolder swimsuit styles from Kato Megumi's fitting room and waved them lightly in her hand. "You clearly prepared so many pretty ones, why not try these?"

Kato Megumi's face was instantly dyed in a rosy glow as she hurriedly snatched the swimsuits back and held them to her chest. "These... the shop assistant recommended them, so I took them... they really don't suit me..." Before she could finish, she ducked back into the fitting room, hastily drawing the curtain shut.

Lin Luo glanced helplessly at Tohru—he hadn't even had the chance to properly appreciate the way Megumi looked in that beige swimsuit.

"Humans' concepts of their own bodies are truly hard to understand." Tohru tilted her head, completely unbothered by the already quite hot swimsuit she was wearing. Instead, she adjusted a shoulder strap, making the curves of her chest even more prominent.

Lin Luo gently pushed her shoulders toward the fitting room. "You go change into something more decent too. If you insist on wearing something like that, we might have to reconsider the plans for the beach."

"Eh?" Tohru pouted in dissatisfaction, her golden eyes full of confusion. Suddenly, she leaned close to Lin Luo's ear and whispered, "Your heartbeat has clearly accelerated, and your body temperature has risen... your mouth says no, but your body is being very honest~"

Lin Luo's ears burned slightly as his thoughts were exposed, but he still insisted, "Stop talking nonsense and go change."

Tohru walked toward the fitting room reluctantly, muttering, "Humans really are such duplicitous creatures..."

Just then, the curtain of Kato Megumi's fitting room was quietly pulled open a crack, and she poked her head out to ask softly, "Um... has Young Miss Tohru gone in?"

The curtain of Kato Megumi's fitting room swayed gently as she stepped out slowly with her head lowered. The beige and pink one-piece swimsuit outlined her slender curves perfectly, the skirt-style hem swaying gently with her steps.

"Megumi, this one really suits you," Lin Luo said softly, unconsciously taking a step forward.

The distance between them was very close. Lin Luo could catch the faint scent of gardenia from her hair, a trace of sweetness lingering at the tip of his nose. Kato Megumi slightly turned her face away, her fingers restlessly twisting the hem of her skirt, as she muttered in a voice only the two of them could hear:

"Anyway... I suppose I'm not as heart-fluttering to you as Young Miss Tohru."

Lin Luo's expression stiffened as he realized the fitting room's soundproofing was indeed lacking—Tohru's words from earlier had clearly been heard by her.

Just as he was about to explain, Kato Megumi suddenly lifted her gaze. Those eyes, usually as calm as water, were now rippling with a slight shimmer. "Should I... also choose a bolder style instead?"

At that moment, Tohru suddenly pulled open her fitting room curtain and poked her head out. "Lin Luo! How about this one?" She was wearing an even hotter red lace-up bikini, her smile bright enough to be dazzling.

Seeing this, Kato Megumi gently bit her lower lip.

With a dark expression, Lin Luo stuffed Tohru back into the fitting room without a word and pulled the curtain tightly shut.

"Hey! I haven't finished asking yet!" Tohru's dissatisfied protest came from behind the curtain.

Lin Luo held the fitting room curtain firmly with one hand, letting Tohru mutter inside, and turned to look intently at Kato Megumi.

"You don't need to change anything," his voice was soft but exceptionally serious. "The way you are now is the best."

Kato Megumi's eyes widened slightly, a faint blush rising on her cheeks. She looked down and pinched the hem of her swimsuit, whispering, "But someone like Young Miss Tohru... is indeed very eye-catching..."

"She is very eye-catching," Lin Luo laughed helplessly, "but what suits her doesn't necessarily suit you. The way you look in this swimsuit..." He paused, his voice softening further, "is very gentle and very beautiful."

Just then, the fitting room curtain was pushed open a crack again, and Tohru's muffled voice came out: "I heard that! Lin Luo is playing favorites!"

Kato Megumi finally couldn't help but let out a giggle. Her previous unease seemed to dissipate with the laughter. She looked up, her eyes shining with a bright light. "Then... this one?"

"Yes, this one," Lin Luo nodded with a smile, while discreetly pushing Tohru, who was trying to crawl out, back inside.

Lin Luo eventually selected a red checkered bikini for Tohru. Although it was still much bolder than Kato Megumi's one-piece, the bright colors and checkered pattern diluted the sexiness, instead making her look more like a young girl full of pure vitality.

"What about Yukino?" Amidst the bickering with Tohru, they had forgotten that Yukino Mifuyu hadn't come out yet.

What about the Snow Woman's swimsuit? Yukino, with her gentle, wife-like aura, would surely be even more heart-fluttering if she wore the style Tohru had initially chosen.

Only then did Lin Luo remember that Yukino Mifuyu still hadn't emerged from the fitting room. With Tohru's antics just now, he had actually forgotten about that woman who was as quiet as snow.

He gently knocked on the fitting room curtain. "Yukino? Are you all right?"

The faint sound of fabric rustling came from inside, followed by Yukino's cool voice: "Please wait a moment."

When the curtain was slowly pulled open, even the usually lively Tohru held her breath.

Yukino Mifuyu had chosen an ice-blue two-piece swimsuit. The top featured an exquisite halter design that made her graceful neck and shoulder lines appear even more slender, with fine sequins at the waist that looked like light reflecting off ice and snow. The bottom was a high-waisted skirt style that perfectly outlined her soft waistline, the hem swaying gently with her movements like a bluebell blooming in the snow.

"Is this one... okay?" she asked softly, her ice-blue eyes carrying a rare trace of nervousness as her fingers unconsciously brushed the hem of her skirt.

Lin Luo was momentarily speechless. He suddenly realized that compared to Tohru's straightforward sexiness, Yukino's subtle elegance was actually more heart-fluttering. The two-piece design revealed the graceful curves she usually hid under heavy kimonos, yet she maintained the unique, cool aura of a Snow Woman.

Tohru leaned toward Lin Luo's ear and said in a whisper, "I didn't expect Little Yukino to have such a good figure..."

The tips of Yukino's ears turned red under their gaze, the pink tint especially obvious against the ice-blue swimsuit. She instinctively covered her midriff with her hand, a shy gesture that only added to her charm.

Kato Megumi, who had changed back into her clothes at some point, stood by and praised softly, "Young Miss Yukino, this style really suits you."

Hearing this, a faint smile appeared on the corners of Yukino's lips, like the first ray of sunlight breaking through after a winter snow.

Although Lin Luo's moment of distraction was brief, it had already been caught by the observant Yukino. A flash of understanding crossed her ice-blue eyes as she smiled slightly. "Then I'll choose this one."

"Aww—" Tohru drawled, blinking mischievously. "Is trying just one style enough for you guys? There are clearly so many other pretty styles."

Lin Luo coughed lightly, feigning composure. "It's enough once you find what suits you."

"That's not what you're thinking at all, is it?" Tohru exposed him with a wicked grin, her golden eyes flashing with cunning. "You definitely want to see Little Yukino try other styles too, like that white lace one, or that light purple one..."

"Tohru!" Lin Luo hastily interrupted her. Why are you blurting out the truth at a time like this?

Yukino watched them bicker quietly, then suddenly spoke up. "Since we're already here..." She turned and took two more swimsuits from the fitting room—one was a pure white lace two-piece, and the other was a light purple hollow-out design. "Then let's try them all."

Amidst their surprised gazes, she added softly as she pulled the curtain, "After all... changing styles once in a while isn't bad."

Before the curtain fell, she cast a glance at Lin Luo, her eyes carrying a rare touch of playfulness.

Kato Megumi watched this scene quietly, then suddenly turned and walked back into the fitting room as well.

"Megumi?" Lin Luo called out in confusion—she had already changed back into her regular clothes.

Kato Megumi hid behind the curtain, her voice carrying a hint of competitiveness. "I'd like to try the other styles the shop assistant recommended as well."

"Then I want to find a few more too!" Tohru immediately perked up upon hearing this. Like a cat discovering a new toy, she dashed toward the display racks and soon ducked into the fitting room clutching several bolder styles.

For the following period of time, it was as if a silent fashion show was being staged outside the fitting area.

The three girls took turns emerging from the fitting rooms, showcasing various swimsuits. Yukino switched between cool ice-blue and gentle cream-white, sometimes elegant, sometimes sweet. Kato Megumi experimented with styles ranging from conservative one-pieces to playful two-pieces, each one worn with a unique charm. Tohru boldly challenged various vibrant colors and sexy cuts, displaying the uninhibited personality of the Dragon Clan to the fullest.

Sitting on the sofa, Lin Luo watched the constantly changing scenes before him, finally understanding what it meant to be dazzled. Every time the curtain opened was a new surprise, and every turn brought a different visual feast. Fat Wave woke up halfway through, only to be knocked out again by Lin Luo.

When the three girls finally ended their impromptu swimsuit show, the setting sun had already filtered through the mall's glass dome, plating their figures in a warm glow.