Chapter 56: Should be more cautious!
The Three Gorges of Badong and the Wuxia Gorge are long, the mournful cries of apes sound thrice, and tears soak my clothes. But what can I do, my palms are tired, my clothes soaked.
In this short few minutes, the sounds coming from Yun’er’s mouth were a thousand, no, ten thousand times more pleasing than the cries of apes. Moreover, the emotions within were even more rich and varied!
At this moment, Ye Zhibai sat alone on the sofa. She lowered her head, looking at her reddened right palm, lost in thought.
The shower in the bathroom had already run twice and was working again. That’s because Yun’er was taking another bath.
In principle, taking two baths in one night is completely unnecessary.
Not to mention, taking two baths within ten minutes. But Yun’er really needed it.
After all, her towel, which had almost dried, had suddenly become soaked again, right?
Ye Zhibai had to admit That she had gotten a little carried away earlier. Her original plan was to lightly tap once, just to make a point.
After all, she couldn’t possibly truly punish Yun’er.
But when the gentle palm landed— Yun’er said something that made Ye Zhibai quite angry.
—”Eh? Sister didn’t eat dinner either?”
Hmph
Say no more.
And so, when her palm fell the second time, Ye Zhibai used a bit more strength, within reason.
Then! The rebound sensation was quite amazing!
One leads to two, and two leads to three. But nothing goes beyond three.
After the third strike, Ye Zhibai planned to stop.
She wondered if she had hurt Yun’er, why was she so quiet now?
But when Yun’er lifted her head, the drool dripping from the corner of her mouth made Ye Zhibai certain—
She wasn’t in pain.
I think you’re still underestimating my slapping technique.
The Dao gives birth to One, One gives birth to Two, Two gives birth to Three, and Three gives birth to all things.
So it is with the Dao, and so it is with my palm technique.
When Ye Zhibai realized that what she was doing might not be such a good idea, her palm had already become unstoppable.
Ye Zhibai had completely transformed into a rhythm master!
The sound of Yun’er’s melodious cries filled every corner of the living room, and even her half-hearted pleas for mercy were full of joy.
With that, Ye Zhibai had finally gotten some revenge for the grudge from last night!
When the sound of the final slap and Yun’er’s last gasp dissipated into the air of the living room, Yun’er curled her long-toned toes and finally collapsed back onto the sofa.
Though she had taken a solid beating,
The sweat-covered forehead beneath her black hair, the gaze from her half-hidden eyes that fully reflected Ye Zhibai’s face, was full of blissful ecstasy.
As Yun’er’s legs trembled while walking into the bathroom, she turned back and gave Ye Zhibai a thumbs up.
—That was her highest praise for Sister!
Punishment… what a wonderful thing.
Ye Zhibai kept staring at her palm, sitting on the sofa and doubting life.
She was wondering,
Maybe I have the talent to practice the Ansai Waist Drum?*【9†footnote】
[*” Ansai Waist Drum (安塞腰鼓, Ānsài yāo gǔ)** – A traditional Chinese drum performance that involves vigorous movements and powerful rhythms, symbolizing energy and enthusiasm. In this context, it humorously refers to Ye Zhibai’s intense slapping.]It wasn’t until the redness in her palm faded that the sound of the bathroom door opening came again.
Once again, there was the gentle warmth of steam.
But this time, after coming out wrapped in a fresh towel, Yun’er wasn’t as impatient as she was the first time.
After all… she had come to admit her mistake this time.
Punishment (reward) comes with a price.
Sister had said it—after the spanking, she would explain the real reason for wanting to lose weight.
Yun’er hung her head low, not even bothering to tie up her smooth hair this time, letting it hang wet over her bare shoulders as she walked up to Ye Zhibai like a guilty child who had made a mistake.
Ye Zhibai looked up at Yun’er’s face from an angled view.
“Huff… About earlier, can you explain now?”
“Y-Yes! Thank you for the punishment, Sister! My mind feels much clearer now!”
“Less talk, just the main point.”
“Alright! The point is, I hope from now on, Sister can make this kind of punishment a regular thing.”
That’s enough already!!
Is this the main point? Make it regular?!
Regular, as in letting you “regularly act like a pervert” at home?!
What a “routine”!
Under Ye Zhibai’s cold glare, Yun’er shook her head, deciding not to continue playing around.
She clutched the front of her cotton towel with both hands, using her left hand to grip the index finger of her right hand, speaking softly as she revealed the reason.
“Actually, there’s no special reason for losing weight… Before Sister came home, my eating habits were pretty casual. I thought, since Sister wasn’t home, it didn’t matter whether I had dinner or not. But once Sister came back, didn’t we agree to be open with each other? I suddenly realized how important it is to maintain a good figure so that I can give Sister the best experience! Ugh… it’s just that these past few days, I’ve been too happy since Sister came home, and I made too many high-fat meals in the kitchen. If this keeps up, I’ll gain a pound or two!”
Gaining a pound or two is completely fine!
Look at how skinny you are right now.
When you take off your clothes, aside from your chest, there’s barely any curve at all!
You’re already on the thin side, too slender.
Cough… it’s not just that Yun’er understands Ye Zhibai; the reverse is true as well.
It’s not like Ye Zhibai hadn’t explored a bit last night.
Compared to the pointlessness of Yun’er’s diet, That’s what made Ye Zhibai feel even more upset.
—So this weight loss is all for me!
Skipping dinner, yet having so much energy at night, is just absurd!
I ate dinner and still couldn’t beat you, that’s even more ridiculous!
It’s not that Ye Zhibai doesn’t appreciate Yun’er’s desire to be beautiful.
But she had starved in her previous life and knew all too well what it felt like to skip dinner for a long time.
It’s one thing to not eat when you have no money, but if you’ve got the money and still don’t eat, that’s just senseless!
She didn’t want Yun’er to suffer for such a trivial reason.
While quickly brainstorming the best solution to this problem—
Suddenly!
Ye Zhibai had a lightbulb moment.
“Yun’er.”
“Hmm? What is it, Sister?”
“Being too skinny isn’t good.”
“But… doesn’t the internet say the slimmer, the better?”
“Being too fat isn’t good, and being too thin isn’t good either. I prefer a Yun’er with a bit more flesh, healthy. You’re too skinny now… It’s not a great experience, it’s too bony.”
“!?”
Bony… too bony?!
Yun’er’s thoughts were suddenly thrown into disarray.
Too skinny… is bad?
She looked at her thin arms.
After a moment of hesitation, She suddenly understood!
A look of guilt instantly clouded her face.
“I’m sorry, Sister! I get it now, I’m so sorry for poking you before!”
You didn’t poke me at all, did you?
In fact, it’s Guang Yu… Sometimes when she turns human and ends up sleeping next to me, that flat chest of hers pokes me, like an iron board!
I’m the one who should apologize… I exaggerated to get you to eat properly.
Ye Zhibai nodded, feeling satisfied with the result.
“A minor issue. As long as you understand the importance of eating dinner, that’s enough.”
“Mm! I understand. From now on, I’ll aim to gain three pounds! Ugh… Sister, please understand, that three pounds is my limit. If it goes over three, I might not be able to handle it myself.”
Your tolerance is way too low!
You’re not even 100 pounds right now; gaining three pounds wouldn’t make any real difference!
But… this way, Yun’er will eat properly, right?
Ye Zhibai’s actions had killed two birds with one stone.
To be honest, Yun’er was already very pretty, but she was indeed a bit too thin. If she could gain just a little more weight, adding some more softness, she’d become even more charming.
Take Cool Sister’sfigure as an example—her small bit of fleshiness had elevated her beauty!
Yun’er doesn’t have a Cool Sister’s natural build, so she can’t achieve that, but being healthy and becoming even cuter and more beautiful, why not?
With this matter resolved, Ye Zhibai sighed with relief, feeling that today had been a major victory.
“Alright, alright, time to head to bed.”
A happy day should end well, and tomorrow will be another colorful new day!
However, Just as she stood up and prepared to take her first step, Her hand was suddenly grabbed by Yun’er from behind.
Haha, I knew it.
Stop fooling yourself, Ye Zhibai, you’ve known all along that there’s no way this would end so smoothly, with you going back to sleep peacefully.
The recent drumming had only fanned the flames in Yun’er’s heart, making them burn even hotter!
“Sister can’t just start the fire… and not put it out… That’s too sly.”
Ah, yes, yes, you want me to put out the fire, and then you’ll just burn me to ashes, right?!
Hmph, you want to dominate me again, but it’s not that easy.
Even though such bold words rang in her mind, Ye Zhibai had no intention of continuing the fight with Yun’er tonight.
Forcing a fight would only lead to defeat.
To preserve her body, she had to be strategic.
Ye Zhibai turned around slowly, meeting Yun’er’s hopeful gaze.
She spoke unhurriedly.
“Alright… but we need to set three rules.”
“Three… three rules?”
“Mm, last night you went too wild, and I’m exhausted. Tonight… it’s not impossible, but it must be moderate, and follow my commands.”
“Alright! I promise, Sister! If you say move, I’ll move. If you say stop, I’ll stop, I swear!”
Sorry, Yun’er.
It’s not that I don’t trust you, but if we don’t set rules now, like a clear signal for ending and going to sleep, there’s no way this will stop once it starts.
Alright, I don’t trust you.
You say you’ll stop if I tell you to, but I yelled “stop” at least ten times yesterday, yet you only got more excited!
Live and learn, Ye Zhibai wouldn’t fall for it so easily.
She turned back and laid out her conditions to Yun’er.
“Moderation, it can’t just be talk. Yun’er, indulging occasionally is fine, but today, for example, we already overindulged yesterday with no limits, so today we need to take it easy. I’ll set a time limit, and when time’s up, we stop and go to sleep.”
“Ten hours!”
You’re asking for the moon!
“Half an hour.”
“Huh?!”
Yun’er finally understood the pain of being ruthlessly haggled down!
said ten hours, and Sister cut it down to half an hour.
Yun’er grumbled under her breath, clearly unhappy.
“Half an hour… that’s just a warm-up…”
“Forty minutes.”
“Two hours!”
“Fifty minutes.”
“One hour! Please, Sister! One hour isn’t too long! Please…”
“…”
It’s not that Ye Zhibai was too soft.
It’s just that Yun’er’s pitiful face, begging while clinging to her hand, was too direct and heart-piercing.
As expected of the daughter of a wealthy business family, her haggling skills were impeccable!
One hour…
Ye Zhibai weighed her options.
In the end, she nodded.
“Alright.”
“Great! Hehe… Now that the time’s decided, does Sister have any other requests? Better say them all at once~ After all, once we’re in bed, it’ll be too late to talk.”
You reminded me.
Can’t afford to be careless.
Ye Zhibai naturally had one more thing to add.
“Also, that thing you used last night, don’t use it again, it was uncomfortable.”
“Wha…! Okay… okay, I’ll reluctantly put it away.”
Guess I hit Yun’er’s weak spot this time?
From Yun’er’s conflicted expression, Ye Zhibai knew she had struck right at the heart!
Yes, that spiked, jagged “artifact.”
I never want to see it again in this lifetime!
With the conditions laid out, Ye Zhibai returned to the room first, waiting for what would come next.
Yun’er seemed to have said she wanted to go change into her pajamas first.
Tonight, Ye Zhibai was incredibly relaxed.
Though her heart was still pounding nervously, it wasn’t as terrifying as it had been last night.
Yun’er, what can you do to me now?
First, with the time limit set, your endurance advantage in long battles is gone. In such a short period, I can resist without worrying, and while I might not win, I can at least hold my ground.
Second, that “artifact” of yours has been sealed away.
It’s like the enemy fortress has lost its heavy artillery, so the assault will naturally be much weaker.
All in all, tonight Ye Zhibai only needed to wait, and she would be able to vanquish her foe without shedding a drop of blood!
The thought of possibly seeing Yun’er beg for mercy filled her with a bit of anticipation.
The humiliation I’ve suffered these past days,
I’ll pay it all back today!
Guang Yu, who had transformed into a small tea-colored cat, lay sprawled on the floor, then turned back into her fox-girl form.
She spread her limbs, lying on the floor in a big “X,” staring at the ceiling, at peace with the world.
“Ye Zhibai, are you going into battle again today?”
“Mm, today I feel steady.”
“Oh, I hope so. But honestly, there’s no need to aim so high. For you, not passing out with your eyes rolled back is already a victory. Hope you sleep well. I’m off to bask in the moonlight. Oh, right, do you have any other cartoon recommendations? I finished Big-Nosed Tutu, and it was decent.”
“Then today I’ll recommend another one.”
“Go ahead.”
“*Wò xīn cháng dǎn*, three thousand Yue soldiers can devour Wu.”【7†footnote】*
Guang Yu, well-read, knew this idiom.
[*” Wò xīn cháng dǎn (卧薪尝胆)** – An idiom meaning “enduring hardships to plot revenge.” It originates from a story about King Goujian of Yue, who endured great hardship before defeating the State of Wu. The reference here implies Ye Zhibai is preparing for her “revenge” against Yun’er’s antics.]
“……”
The older the history, the clearer she knew it.
Alright.
It seemed Ye Zhibai was lying low and biding her time, eager for action today.
Guang Yu prayed silently for her, hoisting her backpack and preparing to bask in the moonlight, heading to the courtyard for a lovely sleep.
Not long after, Yun’er appeared as promised.
She had changed into a pajama dress that matched Ye Zhibai’s, though not the same color.
Ye Zhibai’s was white, but Yun’er’s was a light purple, filled with the enchanting mystery of the night.
She must have chosen that color to boost her confidence.
But Ye Zhibai wasn’t afraid of her.
In a long battle, you’d crush me.
But in a short one, it should at least be a fifty-fifty chance, right?
However… why were Yun’er’s hands constantly behind her back after she entered the room?
There was a knowing smile on her face that made Ye Zhibai feel a little uneasy.
“Sister~ I’m here.”
“Oh… you’re here. What’s that behind your back?”
Ye Zhibai frowned slightly.
Yun’er… you didn’t break the agreement and bring that “artifact” again, did you?!
That couldn’t be possible.
Yun’er always kept her promises.
Especially those made with Ye Zhibai; she followed them to the letter.
Slowly, she pulled out the item she had hidden behind her back.
She waved it, showing it to Ye Zhibai.
Ye Zhibai squinted.
She was dumbfounded.
What new trick is this?!
That purple plastic item she was holding… what on earth was it?
It wasn’t as small as last night’s “artifact.”
If we assume that the previous one’s extension was 1, then this thing was at least 5!
It wasn’t just the size, though.
What stood out more was that this new artifact had identical designs on both sides of the axis Yun’er was holding.
Based on Ye Zhibai’s experience from reading certain materials, She was more and more certain what this was.
Yun’er’s face was full of kindness!
“I didn’t break any of Sister’s rules, did I? I already put away the one from last night. But considering that you set a time limit for tonight, it only makes sense to maximize the potential in the shortest amount of time. And this is perfect!”
Holy crap!
I thought I’d eliminated the enemy’s heavy artillery, but they’ve rolled out weapons of mass destruction instead!
Ye Zhibai’s pale feet pressed against the bedsheets as she scooted back a little.
“Can… I modify the rules now?”
“No way! Didn’t I say it earlier?! Once we’re here, no more changes!”
“!?”
I should have been more cautious!!
Guang Yu looked at the moon, Still muttering historical idioms in her heart.
“Lie low, endure, and one day, three thousand Yue soldiers will devour Wu.”
