Chapter 16 Slim in Clothes, Muscular Without

Chapter 16: Slim in Clothes, Ripped Underneath

"Gulp—"

A loud gulp echoed. Hua Diao's drowsy eyes, now wide as saucers, fixated on Xie Tingsheng's bare upper body, utterly transfixed.

Holy moly, this man was the epitome of "slim in clothes, ripped underneath"!

He usually appeared tall, slender, and upright as a pine, with an elegant aura like an orchid or jade tree—every inch the refined professor. Who would have guessed that beneath his clothes lay such explosive power?

Look at those firm, well-proportioned muscles, those six-pack abs. While not as broad and imposing as a bodybuilder's, every muscle was perfectly defined—lean, powerful, and brimming with strength. It was exactly to her aesthetic taste.

Drooling, she couldn't help but sneak another glance.

Xie Tingsheng couldn't possibly miss her hungry stare. Amused and exasperated, he shot her a glance, his deep, husky voice rasping, "Like what you see?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Hua Diao nodded eagerly, like a pecking chick.

But the moment she met Xie Tingsheng’s dark, bottomless eyes, she froze. Clearing her throat, she feigned innocence, pretending the drooling fool from moments ago wasn't her. Averting her gaze, she said primly and properly, "I was just wondering why you're coming in from outside so early in the morning. And why aren't you wearing a shirt? Be careful not to catch a cold."

Hearing her feigned nonchalance, Xie Tingsheng’s lips curled slightly. The exhaustion and irritation from a sleepless night of fighting monsters and hauling crates gradually eased. With a teasing smirk, he said, "It’s so hot out. Even if I stripped completely, I wouldn’t catch a cold."

Under the weight of his dark, laughing phoenix eyes, Hua Diao flushed slightly and looked away, refusing to meet his gaze.

Xie Tingsheng’s smile deepened, but he changed the subject. Instead, he gestured to the treasure chests outside and said lightly, "Went out to fight monsters. Just got back. Didn’t you say you wanted to grow vegetables on the balcony? Try the soil from these treasure chests. It should be better than store-bought nutrient soil for planting."

In "Xie Tingsheng’s" memories, their world's soil could no longer sustain crops after the apocalypse. Everything relied on this fantastical soil from the treasure chests, which could even shorten the growth cycle of vegetables and grains.

Hua Diao’s eyes sparkled. This man actually remembered her words and had already secured good soil for her, right as the game launched.

But then, a pang of melancholy struck her. This wonderful man wasn’t in love with *her*—he loved that blind woman, the original Hua Diao. Was it right for her, wearing Hua Diao’s skin, to make him do all this?

And how was she supposed to explain that his wife was gone, replaced by someone else?

"What’s wrong?" Xie Tingsheng frowned slightly, noticing her sudden shift from happiness to dejection, his voice laced with an unconscious concern.

Shaking her head, Hua Diao forced a smile. "Nothing. Just thinking about the power outage. We need to eat all the frozen food upstairs before it spoils. Today, I’m aiming for fifty dumplings!"

Xie Tingsheng chuckled, his voice uncharacteristically gentle. "Don’t push yourself. If you can’t finish, sell the extras in the free trade zone. Use the copper and silver coins to buy other delicious things."

Hua Diao’s eyes gleamed as she nodded vigorously. "Got it!"

This man was *so* good! Not only did he not demand a cut of her sales, he even encouraged her to buy whatever she liked.

Ah, forget it. She’d keep the soul replacement secret for now. If he found out his beloved was gone and went berserk, trying to exorcise her from Hua Diao’s body, she’d be dead meat. Survival first—this would stay under wraps until she was strong enough or they’d built a solid revolutionary friendship.

With time short and the apocalypse raging, she still needed Xie Tingsheng as a shield and protector. It wasn't the right time to discuss such things. At most, she’d just treat him better as compensation.

With that settled, she hastily called out to Xie Tingsheng, who was about to head upstairs with his damp clothes. "Wait, wait! Hold on—let me grab something for you!"

Like a whirlwind, Hua Diao dashed back to her room, slammed the door shut, then reappeared moments later, shoving several items into his hands with enthusiastic fervor.

"I went monster-hunting earlier too! Got some good stuff. Look—this is a basic antidote. Did you get bitten by any mosquitoes while fighting? If so, drink this. Those mosquitoes and spiders out there are *venomous*. Don’t brush it off as ‘just a mosquito bite.’ Plenty of people who thought that are now ashes in the crematorium.

"And this—it looks like a dragon fruit but tastes like an apple. It’s a special red berry that randomly boosts personal attribute points, but only the first three are effective. I only have two right now, but if I get more from treasure chests later, I’ll give you another!"

As her cheerful chatter filled the air, Xie Tingsheng’s expression grew increasingly complicated.

Forget the basic antidote—this "Red Berry" sold for *one gold coin each* in "Xie Tingsheng’s" memories. And she was just… handing them over?

Claiming they were from treasure chests?

His lips pressed into a thin line as unreadable emotions flickered in his phoenix eyes. His heart thrummed wildly, a warm current spreading through his chest, leaving him oddly weightless—as if soaking in a hot spring, utterly relaxed yet exhilarated.

Her good fortune didn't spark an ounce of envy in him. Staring at her radiant, sprite-like face, he couldn’t muster any desire to control or exploit her.

This was utterly unlike his usual ruthless, ends-justify-the-means approach. Yet, he felt… *good*.

"Mm." Lowering his gaze to hide the turmoil in his eyes, he accepted the items quietly.

Hua Diao beamed, pleased with his compliance. *So dutiful!*

"Oh, and this!" She then handed him a green bathrobe draped over her wrist.

Beaming like she'd found treasure, she explained, "Don’t judge this bathrobe for being short, small, and an unfortunate green color. It’s amazing! It’s called the Elf Flower Robe. It resizes to fit the wearer and can change styles. On me, it’s a dress. On you? Not sure—supposedly, men and women get different versions. Just try it. If it’s ugly, wear it underneath another outfit. Don’t worry about overheating—it’s climate-controlled.

"But its *real* power? It repels mosquitoes and toxic bugs. *Perfect* for this insect-infested nightmare. No more bulky cotton coats or protective gear when you’re fighting!"

Originally, she hadn’t planned to give this away—she’d kept only her top five favorite outfits. But she felt guilty. This poor, obedient, handsome man had gotten himself into such a mess. She couldn’t bear it. So, biting the bullet, she parted with her fifth favorite.