Chapter 90: Heart Racing, Hands Trembling
The next morning, as the door opened,
Derek Su and Stella met each other’s eyes—and both faces flushed.
“Um, Stella, good morning~”
Thinking about the plan for today, Derek Su’s gaze drifted. He couldn’t help glancing at her pajamas. The graceful curves immediately made his heart restless; even in the cool morning air, he felt a trace of heat rising.
“Oh… Master, you’re looking pretty energetic today.”
Stella nodded with a deeply reddened face and quickly turned away to wash up, her retreating figure looking flustered.
Last night, she had already asked Lumina to take care of all the arrangements.
Today, they just needed to go straight to the hot springs.
By the time Derek Su finished making breakfast, Stella was already gone. A note lay on the table:
【Training with Lumina today, so I won’t be eating at home. Master, come straight to the hot springs at 7 PM tonight—there’s a surprise~♡】
The moment Derek Su saw the word “surprise,” his scalp tingled and his whole body seemed to clear.
What kind of surprise could it be?
His imagination ran wild.
A school swimsuit? A bikini? Or all sorts of cute outfits?!
Heh!
Since Stella was preparing a surprise, he absolutely had to prepare one for her too.
What did Stella like?
Derek Su stroked his chin, thinking hard. She definitely loved pineapple, but the girl ate it ten times a day. Giving pineapple as a gift would feel a bit insincere. After all, Mr. Xavier had said sincerity was the most important thing.
After some intense pondering, he finally made up his mind.
Time was tight. He quickly changed clothes, rushed out the door, headed straight to the market, and even made a stop at a fitness equipment wholesaler.
...
It was nearly 7 PM.
Derek Su put on a sharp-looking suit, slicked his hair into an intentionally flashy style, and polished his leather shoes until they gleamed.
With two gift boxes in hand and a grin on his face, he stepped out.
Zane was doing some stretching exercises in the courtyard. Seeing Derek Su carrying two boxes, he couldn’t help asking,
“Derek Su, what are you up to? Going to a wedding or something?”
“A wedding?! These are gifts for Stella!” Derek Su shoved the nosy Zane away with a look of disdain.
“Gifts for Stella? Can I take a look?”
Lingwind clasped her hands together, gazing at Derek Su pitifully.
Derek Su could ignore Zane, but not Lingwind—she was Stella’s good friend.
Since Stella was already at the hot springs, there was no risk of spoiling anything. Letting Lingwind peek wouldn’t hurt.
He opened the box with a smug grin. “These two gifts are perfectly tailored to Stella’s tastes. If she doesn’t like them, I’ll wash my hair upside down! Heh heh heh!”
Lingwind stared at the contents. Her expression slowly stiffened, turning strange.
Her gaze bounced between Derek Su’s face and the gift box as she forced a dry laugh.
“Um… Stella’s master… are you sure?”
“Absolutely!”
“Ahaha… w-well then… I wish you a pleasant evening.”
Lingwind politely stepped aside.
She instantly regretted it. Curiosity really did kill the cat.
If she had another chance, she definitely wouldn’t look again.
Derek Su happily carried the gift boxes away. Only then did Zane sidle up, wearing a flattering grin.
“Lingwind, what exactly did he put in those boxes? Tell me~”
Lingwind had been worrying about having no one to share this burden with—and now Zane volunteered himself.
Perfect. Truly her dear master.
When the truth came out, everyone would suffer together.
“Master, lean in a bit.”
Zane did as told. Lingwind whispered a few words into his ear.
Zane’s expression instantly changed, his face filled with shock.
“You’re sure?”
Lingwind stomped her foot. “Do I look blind to you?”
Zane sucked in a breath, rubbing his stubbly chin as his eyes grew unfocused.
Young people these days were getting more and more outrageous.
Why were their gift ideas always so bizarre?
It was obvious Derek Su had put a lot of thought into the gift for Stella, but…
Ah, forget it.
Zane reset his posture.
Better to keep practicing the exercises.
Young people’s business was best left alone.
...
Outside the hot spring resort, Derek Su stood brimming with confidence, clutching the two gift boxes as his heartbeat gradually sped up.
The moment he walked in, the proprietress hurried over.
“Well, if it isn’t Derek Su! You’re right on time.”
“Everything’s ready—Private Bath 57. Don’t go to the wrong one~”
She stuffed the numbered tag into his hand, her expression slightly odd.
Honestly, in all her years running the hot springs, this was her first time seeing something like this.
Plenty of Mecha Girls invited drivers to private baths, but someone preparing things this… thoroughly? That was a first. If not for Lumina paying ten times the usual rate, she wouldn’t have agreed to let her private bath be treated like this. But with enough money, Derek Su and Stella were gods.
Holding his “number of love,” Derek Su went to change and glanced at his phone.
A message from Stella had just come in:
【Master, I’m waiting for you at the hot springs~♡】
Gah!
His brain trembled.
Derek Su hurriedly changed into a bathrobe.
A racing heart, trembling hands.
Carrying the two gift boxes, he headed straight for Bath 57.
The moment he opened the door, a faint pineapple scent drifted into his nose—not unpleasant at all.
He was used to it by now. Where there was pineapple, there was Stella.
Heh heh heh!
He was here~
Through the swirling steam, Derek Su took in the scene. A table held neatly sliced pineapple. Beside it were a wooden plank bed and a pressure cooker, its contents unknown. In the hot spring itself was the silhouette of a girl—who else could it be but Stella?
Heart racing, hands trembling.
Derek Su carefully set the gift boxes on the table, then stepped quietly into the hot spring.
Stella’s hair was wrapped in a towel, exposing her snow-white neck. Her bathrobe clung tightly, clearly outlining her graceful figure.
She seemed to be fiddling with something, head lowered.
Wasn’t this the perfect chance for a sneak attack?
Derek Su slowly approached, taking a deep breath.
The hot spring’s heat made his face burn red; even his breath felt scorching.
Steeling himself, he reached out and patted her shoulder.
Ah~
A shoulder soaked in hot spring steam felt completely different—
Smooth, supple, and soft.
Enough to make one’s heart surge.
Derek Su: “Hi~”
Stella turned around.
The smile on Derek Su’s face froze.
Then he screamed and stumbled backward several steps.
“Y-you’re not Stella!”
He pointed at the wrinkled face with protruding teeth.
This wasn’t Stella at all!
This was a middle-aged woman!
She was just short, fair-skinned, with her hair wrapped up. Combined with the thick steam, he hadn’t recognized her from behind.
“Good evening, boss.” The woman bowed with a cheerful smile.
The only man who came to a private bath was the boss—no need to doubt it.
She grinned. “I’m the one the young lady hired to scrub your back. I also brought my sister. We’re both professionals—we’ll wash away all your worries and fatigue from the day. Boss, no time to waste. Let’s get started.”
She pointed toward the wooden plank bed by the hot spring.
When he first entered, Derek Su had wondered what that bed was for.
Now he understood.
Watching the woman approach with a wide smile,
Derek Su’s fear surged uncontrollably.
“D-don’t… come… any closer—!”
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