Liu Ergou was caught somewhat off guard by Xu Yulan's reaction.
However, the sensation of her slender fingers caressing his abs was incredibly pleasant, and he couldn't help but let out a low groan.
"Mmm... Sister-in-law..." Liu Ergou said softly. "You're supposed to be scrubbing my back, not my stomach."
His reminder snapped Xu Yulan back to her senses. Looking down at her hand on his chiseled abdomen, her face flushed crimson.
What is going on? How could I do something like that? This is so humiliating.
But she couldn't let him see her embarrassment. Feigning composure, Xu Yulan managed an "Oh," quickly lowering her head. She grabbed the towel from the basin and began wiping the mud from his back.
Her movements were exceedingly gentle and patient. But with so much mud caked on his back, the towel proved ineffective. After a moment's hesitation, she tossed it aside and started cleaning him with her bare hands.
Xu Yulan's soft hands kneaded his back, and Liu Ergou's heart began to pound in time with her gentle movements.
At that moment, only one thought consumed him. My sister-in-law's hands are so soft... When will I finally get her to...
At the thought, Liu Ergou let out another involuntary groan and straightened his spine.
As she scrubbed, Xu Yulan naturally noticed the change in him. When she saw his state, she couldn't help but gasp. Although she had seen it several times before, she was still taken aback. Liu Ergou's assets were truly substantial.
The sight sent her mind reeling. The hand that had been rubbing his back drifted downwards, as if with a mind of its own.
Liu Ergou felt her hand slide lower and instinctively arched his back, meeting her touch.
But just then, Xu Yulan came to her senses, her mind a tangled mess.
What am I doing? I'm just supposed to be helping Er Gou wash his back! How could I do this? I'm his sister-in-law! This is wrong.
When Liu Ergou felt her hand stop, he gave a slight, dissatisfied wiggle of his hips, silently urging her to continue. But the moment he did so, he realized his mistake.
No, I can't be . She's my sister-in-law! If I do this, doesn't that make me...
Although he knew it was wrong, a faint sense of anticipation stirred within him.
Seeing his reaction, Xu Yulan was also at a loss. Her mind screamed to refuse, but as she gazed at his powerful body, she couldn't help but swallow hard. Her hands, as if possessed, continued their descent.
A moment later, her hand made contact.
Liu Ergou couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath.
Sister-in-law... She's... She's actually helping me! Official source is novel•fire.net
Xu Yulan's already flushed face became even redder, resembling a ripe apple. She didn't dare to look directly at him, turning her head away, her pretty face etched with shyness.
As Xu Yulan got to work, Liu Ergou surrendered to the sensation, his eyes closing in bliss. But after just a few minutes, he was no longer satisfied. He reached out, grabbed her wrist, and with a sharp tug, pulled her into his embrace.
Seeing his bloodshot eyes and heavy breathing, Xu Yulan didn't dare to breathe. She knew that in this state, Liu Ergou was like a bomb, needing only a single spark to detonate.
Holding Xu Yulan, Liu Ergou cast aside all rational thought. He lowered his head and kissed her.
This is wrong, her mind screamed.
But she had suppressed her own feelings for too long. After a moment's hesitation, reason was ultimately overcome by passion. Xu Yulan lifted her head, meeting and returning his kiss.
A long moment passed before the two finally broke apart.
Liu Ergou looked down at the captivating woman in his arms and called out in a hoarse voice, "Sister-in-law..."
Seeing the state he was in, Xu Yulan knew there was likely no escape for her today. She closed her eyes, resigning herself to whatever would come next.
A flash of desire lit up Liu Ergou's eyes. He reached his large hand out toward her.
However, just as his hand moved, a gust of cold wind swept through. It jolted the two of them from their passionate haze. As their senses returned, they realized they were still in the courtyard, and a wave of fear washed over them.
We're in the courtyard!
If not for that gust of wind, things would have ended very differently. If someone had happened to pass by the gate... the consequences would have been unimaginable.
At that thought, Liu Ergou quickly let go of Xu Yulan. Covering himself, he scurried back into his room to find clean clothes to change into.
Xu Yulan, meanwhile, scooped some cold water into her hands and splashed it on her face, forcing herself to calm down.
What is wrong with me? Why am I getting more and more out of line, more and more reckless? No, I have to control myself.
With that, she bit her lip, not daring to think about it any longer, and fled back to her own room.
However, what neither of them knew was that just after they returned to their rooms, a furtive figure slipped away from the corner of their house wall, vanishing in the blink of an eye. The figure moved so quickly that it went completely unnoticed.
Back in his room, Liu Ergou had already put on a fresh set of clothes. He also noticed that his body felt different than before. He had been busy all night, and while his body wasn't physically exhausted, his mind should have been. Yet now, he didn't feel tired at all; on the contrary, he felt completely energized.
What's more, he felt that his strength had increased dramatically, at least doubling! And his skin had become much smoother and finer.
Recalling the black grime that had been expelled from his body and drawing on his medical knowledge, Liu Ergou suddenly realized a possibility.
The first level of this Body Refining Technique must have triggered the legendary Marrow Cleansing! There's no other way to explain what's happened to my body.
While Liu Ergou was marveling at this discovery, Xu Yulan was hiding in her room, her mind replaying every detail of what had just happened while she was washing him.