Buying Clothes

Out of reflex, Jiang Jiu's body naturally moved to struggle and resist, only to be pinned down by Xiao Wu, who had clearly planned this.

He could have broken free from anyone else, but it just had to be his master who made the move.

"Xiao Wu, stop messing around. Didn't we say we were going to buy new clothes?"

Although he had been ambushed by Xiao Wu many times before, this particular situation was truly awkward. If anyone was going to play the "hungry wolf pouncing on its prey," it should have been him pouncing on Xiao Wu.

"Xiao Jiu, you were the one who brought me to this kind of hotel, after all." Xiao Wu swayed her waist.

The heart-shaped bed was quite bouncy, which, in a sense, saved a lot of effort.

While it wasn't a "Young Master Dai" special, it was a room of the same caliber.

"Don't start with that; you were the one who picked it." Jiang Jiu refused to take the blame.

"Hmph, you really have no sense of romance." Xiao Wu rolled off Jiang Jiu's back and began rolling around on the soft, plush bed.

Jiang Jiu stretched his body. With a gap in their soul power ranks, he really had no chance of winning against Xiao Wu, especially after she had started her "three days of fishing and two days of drying nets" approach to strength training.

However, looking at Xiao Wu before him, he found it somewhat amusing.

"What kind of romance is that supposed to be?"

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

With a swift tug, she pulled out her hair tie. Xiao Wu shook her head, and her long hair, like a waterfall, danced in mid-air. She knelt on the bed, pressing her waist down low.

As her black hair fell to drape over her, it outlined her breathtaking curves.

"Xiao Jiu..." Xiao Wu deliberately shifted her voice into a tone different from her usual one—a bit muffled, a bit sticky.

Combined with the ambiguous lighting behind the gauze curtains and the rich scent of roses, the atmosphere changed in an instant.

"It's about time we headed out; Tang San is probably already waiting for us outside."

Jiang Jiu reached out to brush away the strands of hair sticking to Xiao Wu's cheek. Aside from his deepened breathing, he appeared completely composed.

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

"Xiao Jiu, help me with my hair."

Jiang Jiu began to skillfully braid her hair into a scorpion braid.

His mind was occupied with other thoughts, but his hands moved without a single mistake; he was no longer the novice he once was when it came to styling hair.

The sudden move Xiao Wu had just made had a significant impact on him.

It felt as if the little girl he bathed and slept with every day had suddenly grown up.

Although Xiao Wu's figure was already quite mature, her constant fidgeting, her crisp, bright voice, and her tendency to hop and chatter meant she naturally still gave off the vibe of a child.

If one day Xiao Wu suddenly became a dignified adult with measured words and actions, Jiang Jiu didn't know whether to congratulate her on growing up or to miss that mischievous little girl.

He wondered where this inexplicable, old-fatherly sigh was coming from, though his body was feeling a bit heated—the two things didn't interfere with each other, at least.

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

"...I did."

Sensing the anticipation in her words, Jiang Jiu answered truthfully.

"Hee hee."

Jiang Jiu felt as if he could see a pair of invisible rabbit ears perking up.

When they stepped out of the room, Tang San was indeed already waiting outside. He wondered what Tang San thought of the armfuls of white roses in his room.

"Brother Jiu, I'd like to go find the blacksmith shop in Suotuo City first," Tang San said quite consciously.

"I'm also quite curious to see what the blacksmith shops in this big city are like. I wonder if they have any rare metals with higher durability."

Xiao Wu tugged on Jiang Jiu's arm and swayed it.

"I just need to accompany Xiao Wu to buy some things first. Shall we split up?"

After Jiang Jiu and Xiao Wu entered a clothing store, Tang San began asking passersby for directions to the city's blacksmith shop.

"Xiao Jiu, Xiao Jiu, how about this one?"

"It's quite fitting, but do you prefer white clothes now?"

"Not really, they just don't have my size in pink anymore!"

Xiao Wu's height was definitely on the tall side now. Her figure could only be described as slender in proportion, but she had much more substance than one might expect. Buying clothes was nowhere near as convenient for her as it used to be.

"It looks like I'll have to find a tailor for you in the future."

"Will custom-made be very expensive?"

"Do you think I'm that stingy?"

As they strolled and shopped, Xiao Wu soon discovered a lingerie store.

"Xiao Jiu, I think I've grown again recently."

"...If you've grown, then buy new ones. I told you before, if it's even a little uncomfortable, you should change it."

Jiang Jiu intended to enter the shop; he had lost count of how many times he had bought these items since Xiao Wu's first little vest. Her growth rate meant she needed new ones every so often, and the batch he bought last time seemed to have been used up quickly.

"Wait a second."

But this time, Xiao Wu blocked Jiang Jiu from entering.

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

"Sure, here's the money."

Judging by Xiao Wu's expression, she was likely planning another surprise for him. Could it be that she wanted to buy a more mature style?

With the Rose Hotel in Suotuo City being so well-developed, the supporting clothing industry was likely just as impressive.

Before long, Xiao Wu emerged, confidently clutching her "secret weapon."

Big cities really were different.

Afterward, they passed a shoe store. Xiao Wu blinked as she stared at the high heels displayed in the window.

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

"But they look so good."

"Should I buy you some cosmetics, too?"

"That wouldn't be bad, hee hee."

Xiao Wu picked out a few pairs she liked.

"Xiao Jiu, come here, come here." Xiao Wu sat on the sofa, swinging her feet.

"My lady, how is the service quality?" Jiang Jiu set down the items in his hands and helped Xiao Wu put on the new shoes.

"It's a little ticklish." Even though there were socks in the way, an inexplicable flush crept onto Xiao Wu's face. Who knew that having her feet held by Xiao Jiu could feel like this?

However, Xiao Wu quickly composed herself and stood up to walk around in the high heels.

Although it was her first time wearing heels, given Xiao Wu's physical condition, she moved as if she were walking on flat ground, showing no signs of discomfort at all.

The slope of the heels was not insignificant, yet it did nothing to diminish her upright, graceful posture.

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

She really was over 1.8 meters tall now.

"...Quite nice."

High heels were indeed something else.

"Then I'm buying them!"

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

In yet another shop, Xiao Wu held up a pair of stockings for Jiang Jiu to see, then gestured toward the sales clerk nearby.

"..."

Between the silk stockings and the high heels, was this really the Douluo Continent? Or was Nuoding City, where he had lived before, just too conservative?

The experience was completely different from their previous shopping trips; Jiang Jiu felt as though Xiao Wu was out to slay him today.

But, given their ages, it really wasn't appropriate yet.

He had no idea what kind of trouble Xiao Wu was planning to stir up tonight.