103: All done

The group returned to the brightly lit Villa, briefly washing away the steam from the Hot Spring.

Chen Li walked in front wearing a bathrobe, with Liu Yu and Song Lingyun following behind him, stepping on the wooden stairs as they walked toward the master bedroom on the second floor step by step.

Upon reaching the second floor, they saw the double doors at the end of the hallway were slightly ajar, letting out a warm light.

Liu Yu and the other girl followed closely, their fingers unconsciously twisting the belts of their bathrobes, feeling both nervous and expectant.

She leaned into Song Lingyun's ear, her voice so low it was almost inaudible: "Lingyun, are we... really going in together? Or would it be better to go one by one?"

Song Lingyun's ears burned at the question, but her eyes unconsciously followed Chen Li's tall, straight back ahead of them.

The question made her heart race, and her voice trembled slightly: "I... I don't know... is there any difference?"

"How about... you go first?"

"No, you go first..."

...The two girls giggled and pushed each other playfully, their voices gradually growing louder.

Walking in front, Chen Li heard the rustling discussion behind him, and a smile couldn't help but curl at the corners of his lips.

He stopped at the door of the master bedroom and suddenly turned around. Amidst their soft cries, he picked them both up by the waist, one in each arm.

He pushed open the ajar door with his shoulder and carried the two girls into the cozy master bedroom.

The heavy solid wood door slowly closed behind them, isolating the romantic scene inside from the world... (1.1 million words omitted here; may fellow Daoists encounter such a tribulation.)

At two in the morning, the bedroom finally fell quiet.

Chen Li got up and walked out of the bedroom, looking back at the bed—the two girls' eyes were currently dazed, their hair scattered messily across the pillows, and their faces still carried a lingering flush.

He gently closed the door and walked alone to the living room on the first floor.

The night was deep, and the entire Villa was silent, with only moonlight spilling through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto the floor.

At this moment, he suddenly understood why men in movies always liked to light a cigarette afterward—that curling smoke,

seemed able to carry away all intense emotions, letting the restless heart slowly settle down.

Unfortunately, he didn't smoke, so he went to the kitchen to pour a glass of water and leaned against the counter, drinking slowly.

Thinking of the way the two girls had taken turns just now, he couldn't help but shake his head with a light laugh.

The power of this tag-team battle was indeed much more formidable than dealing with them individually; no wonder it took so much effort until this late for them to finally yield completely.

Holding his water glass, he strolled to the floor-to-ceiling window in the backyard, looking at the Hot Spring pool faintly visible in the night.

This Villa was now only missing one person—Qin Xiaomeng.

As for Tang You, she had her own independent residence; Shen Qing's teacher Dormitory also had its own charm and didn't require a move.

The classroom the next morning was as lively as ever.

Chen Li and the others sat in the back row as usual, chatting about last night's ball game when his phone vibrated; it was the Cloud Peak Number One group:

Liu Yu: Chen Li, Lingyun and I are taking the day off to buy some household items. Is there anything special you need?

Chen Li: No, buy whatever you want. I'll reimburse you later.

Song Lingyun: No need, we still have plenty of money on hand.

Chen Li thought for a moment and sent another message: I'll be bringing Qin Xiaomeng over today. Prepare dinner; we'll head back after class.

Liu Yu: Okay, we'll be waiting for you~

He had already agreed with them that for now, this home would be set with the three of them and no more would be added.

It wasn't that he didn't want to, but he had to act within his capabilities—after all, dealing with three people at the same time every night would definitely take up quite a bit of time.

He only had a max-level physique, not a max-level spirit; he had to leave some time for sleep.

After class, Chen Li picked up Qin Xiaomeng and headed to the Villa.

In the car, Qin Xiaomeng twisted her fingers uneasily: "Chen Li, will they... will they not like me?"

Chen Li gave her a gentle look: "Don't worry, they're both very easy to get along with. You'll like them."

Qin Xiaomeng nodded, but her gaze remained fixed on the street scenery rushing past the window, her heart still in turmoil.

She secretly made up her mind to keep a low profile and get along well with the two of them.

That Chen Li was willing to take her in was already a rare stroke of luck.

To Qin Xiaomeng, he was a hard-won sanctuary that she didn't want, and didn't dare, to lose no matter what.

She just remembered her last experience, the scene of being publicly humiliated by the other party's legal wife; she still felt lingering fear to this day.

She never wanted to experience that kind of unforgettable embarrassment a second time.

Although the situation was different now, going to meet Chen Li's other two women and having to live with them day and night—it would be a lie to say she wasn't nervous.

What if they gave her the cold shoulder or intentionally made things difficult for her? This thought swirled in her mind like a curse.

Chen Li took in all of Qin Xiaomeng's restlessness.

Her gaze drifted uncertainly, and her hands tightly gripped the hem of her clothes; these subtle movements had long since exposed her inner anxiety.

He knew about her past psychological trauma; those scars weren't something a few light words of comfort could smooth over.

At this moment, no matter if he said 'don't worry' or 'they're easy to get along with,' it would all seem pale and powerless.

Some knots in the heart need personal experience to untie; some fears must be healed with facts.

Rather than saying more comforting words, it was better to let her see Liu Yu and Song Lingyun's sincerity with her own eyes.

Letting them interact naturally for a while would be better than a thousand guarantees from him.

Amidst Qin Xiaomeng's constant anxiety, the car slowly drove into the Villa courtyard. She took a deep breath and followed Chen Li out of the car.

Pushing open the Villa's main door, bright lights and the aroma of food wafted toward them.

The sound of crisp vegetable chopping came from the open kitchen, mixed with the relaxed conversation of Liu Yu and Song Lingyun.

"This garlic needs to be crushed to be fragrant..."

"The fish can go into the pot in a moment..."

Seeing the two enter, they immediately put down their work and came over with smiles.

"This must be Xiaomeng, right? I'm Liu Yu." Liu Yu was the first to step forward, warmly taking Qin Xiaomeng's arm.

Qin Xiaomeng was overwhelmed: "Liu... Sister Liu Yu, hello."

Song Lingyun also stepped forward gently: "I'm Song Lingyun. Welcome, Xiaomeng."

"Sister Lingyun, hello."

Their sincere and enthusiastic attitude caused Qin Xiaomeng's tense nerves to relax quite a bit instantly.

She stole a glance at Chen Li and found him watching the scene with a smile, his eyes full of encouragement.

"Xiaomeng, you and Chen Li go sit in the living room for a bit," Song Lingyun pointed to the stove, "dinner will be ready soon."

"Um... is there anything I can help with?" Qin Xiaomeng said hurriedly.

She felt truly embarrassed to just sit there and wait for food like a guest.

Liu Yu smiled and put an arm around her shoulder: "Of course you can. You can help me prep the vegetables."

Chen Li leaned against the kitchen door frame, watching the bustling scene inside.

Liu Yu was briskly slicing potatoes, Song Lingyun was putting a fish into the pot at the stove, and Qin Xiaomeng was seriously washing vegetables on the side.

Watching the figures of Liu Yu, Song Lingyun, and Qin Xiaomeng chatting and working in the kitchen, Chen Li smiled to himself. All set.

He walked leisurely to the living room and sat down on the comfortable sofa.

His phone screen lit up with a message from Meng Yu: "Chen Li, are you free to come back for dinner tomorrow night? It's Sister Su Nian's birthday, let's all celebrate together."

Thinking of Su Nian from that night, Chen Li's heart stirred; this birthday would surely be very interesting: "Okay, I'll head over after class."

"Chen Li, time to eat." Liu Yu's clear voice came from the dining room, pulling him back to reality from his thoughts...