Yan Zhen considered his willpower quite resolute, but there was no need to keep testing it indefinitely. When a retreat was wise, he should take it.
“Um… maybe I should step out first…”
“No.” The Family Head Yu Lu replied coolly. “You must soak for a full half hour before leaving. That’s the rule.”
“Uh, alright then.”
Elder Yu Yan settled back into her leisurely pose.
“Little Yan Zhen, don’t worry. We’ve all covered ourselves properly now. You can turn around without issue.”
Following her words, Yan Zhen turned back. He discovered that they had all wrapped themselves in Water Mystic Force.
The Elder Great-Aunt and the Yu Family Head Mother-in-Law had shaped theirs like towels turned into tube-top skirts, covering their chests and hips. Meanwhile, the Dean Little Aunt, the Mentor Aunt, and Mentor Yu Xuan had formed bras and triangular panties.
The mystic power had a semi-real texture, almost like it had been painted on. While it toned down the overt eroticism a touch, it somehow proved even more alluring—like an invitation to reach out and wipe it away, revealing the hidden scenery beneath.
Yan Zhen quietly swallowed a mouthful of saliva. Still not daring to look directly at them, he tilted his head back to stare at the ceiling, pretending to be an architect appraising the structure.
Elder Yu Yan and the Family Head Yu Lu had also noticed the uniquely styled “garments” on the other three women, sparking their curiosity.
“Xuan’er, is that undergarment you’ve formed on your body? The shape is quite distinctive.”
“…”
The three women turned their gazes toward Yan Zhen in unison.
Mentor Yu Xuan answered honestly.
“It’s a new style of undergarment launched by the Golden Jade Chamber of Commerce, called a bra. Compared to traditional bellybands, tube tops, or dhotis, it provides better support and protection for a woman’s breasts. It also looks more appealing to men, so it’s gained quite a bit of popularity. Some women in the Yu Family have already started trying them out.”
A thoughtful expression crossed the Family Head Yu Lu’s face.
“Which chamber of commerce is the Gold Jade one?”
The Yu Family typically dealt only with the Five Great Chambers of the Merchant Alliance and rarely interacted with others, so she knew little about it.
“It’s just a mid-sized chamber from the eastern region. Yan Zhen holds a significant share in it,” Mentor Yu Xuan explained succinctly. “The female owner of the Golden Jade Chamber of Commerce has a sister-brother relationship with Yan Zhen. He supplied them with a series of business strategies and product designs, including the bra I just mentioned.”
“Oh?”
The gazes of all the beautiful elders focused on Yan Zhen. The uninformed Family Head Yu Lu and Elder Yu Yan both displayed Mystic surprise.
It was one thing to be savvy in business, but designing women’s intimate apparel? He had many confidantes, true, but did that mean he understood women better than they understood themselves? Was this another of his innate talents?
The two women sized Yan Zhen up from head to toe, as if trying to see straight through him.
“Who would have thought Little Yan Zhen was so multifaceted? Is there anything else we don’t know about you? The Yu Family has struck gold with a live-in son-in-law like this, hasn’t it, Xiao Lu?”
“Sister, you speak the truth,” the Family Head Yu Lu replied to her sister, though her gaze remained fixed on Yan Zhen. A hint of tenderness softened her beautiful eyes. “Son-in-Law Yan Zhen is indeed very different from other men.”
Flattered by their praise, Yan Zhen felt a flush of embarrassment.
“You’re all too kind. I only learned about those things from books. The real talent lies in the people who can bring all those ideas to life.”
Take Sister Ji Ya, for instance—she was a veritable business genius. Give her a little guidance, and she could take it and run, innovating wildly on her own. She had probably already harvested a fortune from the Three Major Kingdoms by now.
“On that note, you little rascal,” Dean Yu Qing dropped a bombshell, “didn’t you promise me and Bailan that you’d design two new custom bras specifically for us? Where are they? You didn’t forget, did you?”
Ah… Yan Zhen flushed with instant awkwardness. He had indeed forgotten, what with one thing after another piling up.
“I’ll sketch them out for you later, Little Aunt and Aunt.”
Mentor Yu Xuan’s beautiful eyes narrowed into slits, mirroring the look of her aunt.
Custom-designed bras? And she, his official girlfriend, hadn’t received such treatment? That idiot Yan Zhen!
She held her tongue, unwilling to show jealousy in front of the elders.
The Family Head Yu Lu asked curiously,
“What’s all this about?”
Yan Zhen explained.
“The last time I went to the Merchant Alliance to buy medicinal ingredients, Little Aunt and Aunt accompanied me and covered a hefty sum in Mystic Crystals. So, at their request, I offered them these as small tokens of gratitude.”
The Family Head Yu Lu’s sharp gaze shifted to her younger sister and sister-in-law, as if silently demanding to know who had given them the nerve to make such a request of him.
Both women shrank inwardly with guilt, their intentions laid bare by their elder sister.
“Oh, right—that time,” Elder Yu Yan said in sudden realization. “I should have gone with Little Yan Zhen too. I’d love to try some new-style undergarments designed by his own hand.”
“Sister…”
The Family Head Yu Lu’s tone carried a note of reproach, but Elder Yu Yan chuckled good-naturedly.
“Does Xiao Lu want to wear some too? In that case, why don’t we have Little Yan Zhen design a set for us as well?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Little Yan Zhen is one of us, so it’s fine. Isn’t that right, Little Yan Zhen?”
Yan Zhen nodded shyly, wondering how things always veered off into these bizarre directions. In just a few exchanges, he’d somehow become the dedicated undergarment designer for four beautiful elders.
Did matrilineal clans have no taboos on such matters? No, that couldn’t be right—the Yu Family rules clearly distinguished live-in son-in-laws from other clansmen, keeping a strict distance!
Still, he recalled the traditions of the “shared husband” and the “good son-in-law,” and understanding dawned.
Lost in these thoughts, he heard a soft cough. Glancing over, Yan Zhen met Mentor Yu Xuan’s resentful little glare. He quickly smiled.
“Of course, I’ll design one for the mentor too.”
Only then did Mentor Yu Xuan’s expression brighten, the corners of her mouth curving up slightly.
“Does Little Yan Zhen need to take measurements to design undergarments? Shall we do it now?” Elder Yu Yan pressed on with the bra topic. “The Water Cicada Garment is so thin it’s practically negligible, so the measurements would be spot-on.”
Measurements? Images of taking three key measurements flashed through Yan Zhen’s mind, and he hurriedly shook his head.
“Great-Aunt, I only handle the designs and patterns. Professional tailors have to make the actual garments.”
“What a shame. I was hoping to see something handmade by Little Yan Zhen. With hands as clever as yours, it would surely turn out beautiful.”
“…”
“So, Little Yan Zhen, what colors and patterns do you think would suit us all? Can you give us a sneak peek?”
“Well—”
Yan Zhen hadn’t expected a pop quiz out of nowhere. He wanted to say it was a secret, but with all the women watching him expectantly, the words of refusal caught in his throat.
“If nothing’s coming to mind yet, you could always observe us for some inspiration.”
With that, Elder Yu Yan rose from the water. She draped her jade-like arms, sleeves trailing, over her heavy, pendulous breasts and pressed her legs tightly together. Then she slowly dispersed the mystic-power towel she’d formed.
The soaked cicada garment clung transparently to her skin, outlining her excessively alluring curves. Its semi-sheer quality offered no real coverage at all—yet it added a layer of hazy temptation that was even more enticing than if she’d been bare.
“Go ahead and look~”
Yan Zhen’s eyes went wide.
