Buying Clothes

On reflex, Jiang Jiu's body struggled to resist, but Xiao Wu had been ready for it and pinned him down first.

He could've broken free if it had been anyone else. But the one making a move was his master.

"Xiao Wu, quit fooling around. Didn't you say we were going out to buy new clothes?"

She'd ambushed him plenty of times by now, but this situation was still a real pain. If anyone was going to pounce like a hungry wolf, it should've been him pouncing on Xiao Wu.

"Xiao Jiu, even though you brought me to stay in this kind of hotel..." Xiao Wu twisted her waist.

The heart-shaped bed was wonderfully springy, and in a way, it made things easier.

It wasn't one of Young Master Dai's carefully selected rooms, but it was still in the same class.

"Don't start. You picked it yourself." Jiang Jiu refused to take the blame.

"Hmph, you really don't know how to set the mood." Xiao Wu rolled off Jiang Jiu's back, then rolled around on the soft bed.

Jiang Jiu stretched his body. Against Xiao Wu, the gap in their Soul Power ranks meant he had no chance of winning at all—especially after she'd started doing strength training, even if she only stuck with it for a few days at a time.

Still, looking at Xiao Wu, he couldn't help finding it amusing.

"How is this setting the mood?"

"Hmm." Xiao Wu stopped and blinked, then reached behind her.

She yanked off her hair ribbon and tossed her head. Her long hair flew through the air like a waterfall as she knelt on the bed, bending low at the waist.

When her black hair fell around her, it framed a breathtaking figure.

"Xiao Jiu..." Xiao Wu deliberately adopted a voice unlike her usual one, soft and sticky, her words slightly slurred.

Combined with the intimate glow behind the gauzy curtains and the rich scent of roses, the atmosphere changed in an instant.

"We should be heading out soon. Xiao San is probably already waiting outside."

Jiang Jiu reached out and brushed away a few strands of hair clinging to Xiao Wu's cheek. Aside from his heavier breathing, he remained utterly composed.

Xiao Wu got up as if nothing had happened and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Xiao Jiu, do my hair for me."

Jiang Jiu expertly began braiding Xiao Wu's hair into a scorpion braid.

His mind was elsewhere, but his hands didn't falter. When it came to braiding hair, he was no longer the novice he'd once been.

Xiao Wu's sudden move had hit him hard.

It was like the little girl who bathed and slept with him every day had suddenly grown up.

Xiao Wu already had a mature figure, but her restless little gestures and bright, crisp voice—the way she was always bouncing around and chattering—gave her the air of a child.

If Xiao Wu suddenly became a poised, impeccably mannered adult one day, Jiang Jiu didn't know whether he should congratulate her on growing up or miss the mischievous little girl she'd been.

Where had this inexplicable, fatherly sentiment come from? His blood was running hot, at least. The two things didn't interfere with each other.

"Xiao Jiu, did you feel anything just now?"

"...I did."

Sensing the expectation in her words, Jiang Jiu answered honestly.

"Hehe."

Jiang Jiu could almost see a pair of imaginary rabbit ears perk up.

When they left the room, Tang San was indeed waiting outside. Jiang Jiu wondered what Tang San thought of the roomful of white roses in his room.

"Brother Jiu, I'd like to look for a Blacksmith Shop in Suotuo City first," Tang San said readily.

"I'd like to see what the Blacksmith Shops in a big city are like, too. I wonder if they have any rare metals with greater strength."

Xiao Wu clung to Jiang Jiu's arm and gave it a shake.

"But I have to go shopping with Xiao Wu first. Should we split up?"

Once Jiang Jiu and Xiao Wu entered a clothing store, Tang San began asking passersby for directions to the city's Blacksmith Shops.

"Xiao Jiu, Xiao Jiu, what do you think of this one?"

"It suits you. But do you like white clothes more these days?"

"Not really. The really pink ones don't come in my size!"

Xiao Wu was now tall enough to stand out in a crowd. Her figure was slender in proportion, but she had far more flesh on her than one might expect. Buying clothes was no longer as easy as it used to be.

"Looks like I'll have to find someone to make custom clothes for you from now on."

"Wouldn't custom-made clothes be expensive?"

"Do you think I'm stingy?"

They browsed and shopped as they went. Before long, Xiao Wu spotted a lingerie shop.

"Xiao Jiu, I think I've gotten bigger again."

"...If you've gotten bigger, just buy new ones. Didn't I say you should replace them as soon as they stopped fitting?"

Jiang Jiu was about to go into the shop. He'd bought countless of these for Xiao Wu ever since her first undershirt. She was growing so fast that she had to replace them again after hardly any time at all. The last batch didn't seem to have lasted long, either.

"Wait."

This time, Xiao Wu stopped Jiang Jiu at the door.

"Xiao Jiu, I want to buy them myself. Is that okay?"

"Sure. Here's the money."

Judging by Xiao Wu's expression, she was probably planning to surprise him again. Maybe she wanted to buy something in a more mature style?

With Rose Hotel this well developed in Suotuo City, its associated clothing industry probably wasn't bad, either.

Before long, Xiao Wu came out confidently, carrying her "secret weapon."

Big cities really were different.

Later, they passed a shoe store. Xiao Wu blinked at the high heels displayed in the window.

"You're planning to grow up into an adult all at once, aren't you?"

"But they're so pretty."

"Should I buy you some makeup, too?"

"I wouldn't say no. Hehe."

Xiao Wu picked out a few pairs she liked.

"Xiao Jiu, hurry over here!" Xiao Wu sat on the sofa, swinging her feet.

"Miss, how's the service?" Jiang Jiu set down what he was carrying and helped Xiao Wu slip on her new shoes.

"It tickles." Even through her socks, her cheeks had turned a strange shade of red. Who'd have thought having Xiao Jiu hold her foot would feel like this?

But Xiao Wu quickly composed herself and stood up, walking around in her high heels.

It was her first time wearing them, but with Xiao Wu's physical abilities, she walked as if on level ground, without the slightest discomfort.

The heels were quite high, but they didn't affect Xiao Wu's straight, graceful posture.

"Xiao Jiu, how do I look?" Xiao Wu put her hands on her hips.

Now she really was over five foot eleven.

"...Pretty good."

There really was something to high heels.

"Then I'm buying them!"

"Xiao Jiu, look at these stockings. Do you like them?"

At another shop, Xiao Wu showed Jiang Jiu the stockings in her hand, then gestured toward the sales assistant.

"..."

Why stockings and high heels, too? Was this still Douluo Continent? Or had Nuoding City, where he'd lived before, just been too conservative?

Shopping with Xiao Wu had never felt like this before. Jiang Jiu felt like she was out to finish him off today.

But, their ages and all... this really wasn't appropriate yet.

He had no idea what kind of mischief Xiao Wu would get up to tonight.