The swimsuit had several pairs of ties on both sides.
The woman’s fingers were slender and nimble as she overlapped them, weaving them into a beautiful butterfly knot.
There was a mirror right beside Lu Jia’s body.
She lowered her eyes and watched Sheng Shubai’s every move clearly.
Her brows were focused, her actions meticulous, and she occasionally adjusted the angles and details. From any angle, it looked like she was seriously helping her put on proper clothes.
But…
If only this woman’s breath could stay a little farther from her earlobe.
Lu Jia pressed her lips together tightly, trying hard not to let her breathing be disrupted by the waves of soft, fragrant scent.
This feeling was all too familiar.
Sheng Shubai had embraced her from behind like this many times before, most often while kneeling on the bed or carpet, or propped against the edge of a table.
Standing like this was a first, and it wasn’t the usual scenario from above—instead, it was the most normal thing: tying her clothes.
Similar memories layered and surged forth, emerging alongside the sensation of Sheng Shubai inadvertently brushing her back while lifting the ties once more from behind.
Lu Jia nearly went weak in the knees.
She tensed her jawline, forcing herself to stand straight and resist the muscle memory urging her to lean back into the woman’s arms.
Only when the final tie was secured and she saw Sheng Shubai withdraw her hands in the mirror did Lu Jia prepare to exhale. But then warmth covered her waist, and she was firmly encircled.
“Very pretty.”
Sheng Shubai leaned in, resting her chin on Lu Jia’s shoulder, meeting her own gaze in the mirror.
She had deliberately turned her head to whisper it right against Lu Jia’s ear root.
Her brows and eyes brimmed with a soft, alluring smile—bright yet not frivolous, her tone of praise utterly sincere.
Lu Jia’s fingertips curled tight.
The exposed skin on her back felt too unfamiliar, as if every inch was steeped in the room’s cool air.
Now, pressed against Sheng Shubai’s soft chest, the squeezing sensation was even more pronounced, separated by only a thin layer of fabric.
“…Thank you.”
Feeling somewhat uneasy, she quietly slipped free of Sheng Shubai’s arms. Then, turning her back to the mirror, she glanced over her shoulder to inspect herself.
The ties were positioned perfectly, crossing and overlapping at her lower back in a symmetrical design that looked meticulously crafted.
Sheng Shubai was also watching Lu Jia.
Or, more precisely, gazing at the girl’s slender back— so beautiful that she couldn’t look away.
The fitting room’s lighting was warm and bright, the pink and white tones making her whole figure seem soft and obedient.
With a somewhat restrained expression, she looked back to examine herself, her face reflected perfectly in the mirror for Sheng Shubai to see.
She really liked Lu Jia’s back.
During their “collaborations,” she had gripped Lu Jia’s waist from behind and drawn close countless times.
Kiss marks trailing from the nape of her neck down to her side waist, watching the girl’s back arch slightly then soften, her shoulder blades trembling and rising, her ink-black long hair scattered behind—Sheng Shubai’s movements would quicken.
Earlier, halfway through tying, as the butterfly knot took shape.
Sheng Shubai had lowered her head to adjust the position, her gaze naturally falling on the snowy skin of Lu Jia’s back. For a moment, she lost focus, a stray thought emerging.
She suddenly… didn’t want anyone else to see Lu Jia’s back.
Didn’t want her to step out of the fitting room in this swimsuit.
An absurd notion.
But it passed in a flash, lightly brushed away without dwelling on it.
Now, seeing Lu Jia fully changed and examining her back from different angles with a hesitant expression.
Sheng Shubai crossed her arms, speaking up: “Don’t worry, you look great in this one.”
Lu Jia paused her movements. “I just feel like I’m not used to a fully backless style. Maybe we should try something else—”
As she reached to untie it, she remembered how Sheng Shubai had specially come in to tie it for her, taking quite a while.
Her fingertips pressed on the butterfly knot, but she didn’t pull it further.
For some reason, she was a bit reluctant to untie it so easily.
Even though… the way it was tied felt oddly familiar, like the satin ribbon on a gift box.
A little strange.
“Hm?”
Seeing her hesitate to untie it, Sheng Shubai raised a brow. “Can’t figure out how to undo it?”
She reached over to help.
But the girl shifted sideways, dodging her hand.
Lu Jia shook her head and instead asked: “Miss Sheng, do you… like me wearing this?”
It should be yes, she thought—she’d complimented it several times and had been looking at her that way.
The woman nodded frankly: “I like it. It suits you perfectly.”
“Then I’ll buy it.”
Lu Jia explained hesitantly, her voice softening: “Not for swimming. For… those times, to wear for you.”
Sheng Shubai stared at her for a few seconds before raising her brow: “Good.”
They were perfectly in sync.
Now, the other sets she’d added to the cart could wait; she’d switch them out once she got tired of this one.
No need to buy too many at once and scare the girl.
She took this one out, then selected a few more from the pile of swimsuits she’d picked earlier—ones that only exposed half the waist and abdomen, with most of the back covered by fabric—and handed them into the fitting room again.
Lu Jia changed quickly this time, pushing the door open to step out as the store clerk lavished her with flattering sales talk nearby.
Knowing it was just sales patter, Lu Jia smiled politely and turned to Sheng Shubai: “Miss Sheng, what do you think? Is it okay?”
The woman was lounging against the nearby sofa, her gaze shifting from her phone screen as she studied her intently for a few seconds: “You look good in anything.”
She stood up, signaling the clerk to ring them up. “We’ll take these ones she just tried, plus the pink one from the start.”
Lu Jia, having received her approval, was about to turn back to change when she stopped at the words.
She hurried to tug at Sheng Shubai: “Miss Sheng, I can’t wear this many.”
She only had one body—how could she wear seven swimsuits?
It wasn’t like she was a gourd baby.
The clerk, hearing the form of address, subtly glanced between them.
Sheng Shubai blinked, her tone meaningful: “There’ll be plenty of opportunities to wear them. Take your time.”
Lu Jia choked a little.
After all, they were in a specialty store under watchful eyes; she had no way to retort to this seemingly innocent but actually suggestive remark.
She’d already bought plenty of various clothes—why wouldn’t she let swimsuits go?
She grumbled inwardly.
The backless one earlier—she’d only suggested it because Sheng Shubai clearly liked it so much, sparking a vague new inspiration.
Now, though, she vaguely felt this proposal might not have been wise.
After changing back into normal clothes, Lu Jia emerged hugging the swimsuits.
Several bags were already piled at the counter; Sheng Shubai had finished paying and was waiting by the side.
Before leaving, Lu Jia remembered something: “Miss Sheng, aren’t you going to buy a few?”
Sheng Shubai gave her a sidelong glance, smirking faintly: “No need for me. I’ve got plenty in my closet at home. Want to come see?”
Under the crowd’s gaze, Lu Jia fell silent, not responding.
Once outside the store, the woman carried the shopping bags in her left hand and hooked Lu Jia’s wrist with her right, her words laced with suggestive allure:
“Don’t want to see? Hm?”
