**Chapter 137: Is Long Er Not Pretty Enough?**
The next day, Zhao Ling woke up feeling refreshed. He glanced at the graceful figure lying beside him and instinctively pulled her into his arms.
In that moment, his mood soared. He even considered going to the City of Slaughter to personally thank Tang Chen.
"If Tang Chen hadn't been so clueless about Poseidon's feelings," Zhao Ling thought, "she wouldn't have left Poseidon Island to find him. And if that hadn't happened, I wouldn't have had the chance to win her over."
The thought of having Bo Saixi, such a rare beauty, all to himself filled Zhao Ling with a sense of triumph.
Lowering his head, he kissed her gently on the forehead. In a soft voice, he said, "Xi'er, sleep a little longer. Your husband won't bother you for now."
After covering Bo Saixi with the quilt, Zhao Ling got dressed and quietly left the room.
He didn't dare stay any longer. With his physical capabilities enhanced by the intermediate-level Savage Combat Body, his stamina had become overwhelming. A day and a night of passion had barely tired him, but for Bo Saixi, who had just experienced intimacy for the first time, it was a different story.
Despite her Ultimate Douluo physique, she was utterly drained. She had even considered fleeing back to Poseidon Island overnight, and Zhao Ling had only managed to calm her down with sweet words.
Just as Zhao Ling stepped out of the room, he froze. Standing by the door was Liu Erlong, her arms crossed, clearly having been waiting for him.
Caught off guard, Zhao Ling awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. "Er... Erlong, why are you here?"
Liu Erlong's cheeks puffed in indignation as she glared at him. "You bastard."
Without another word, she turned and stormed off toward the courtyard, leaving Zhao Ling baffled.
"What's her problem?" he muttered. "What did I do wrong now?"
But Zhao Ling wasn't the type to let things fester. Adopting his philosophy of "correct mistakes immediately, even if you don't know what they are," he hurried after Liu Erlong.
Wrapping his arms around her waist, he gently spun her to face him.
"Erlong, what's wrong? Why are you upset?" he asked, concern etched on his face.
Liu Erlong's eyes brimmed with frustration as her voice trembled. "What else could it be? I knew you first, but you took Sister Saixi before me. Is it because Long'er isn't pretty enough? Or am I not gentle enough? Is that why you don't like me?"
Her words left Zhao Ling momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected her to feel this way. Acting quickly, he leaned in and kissed her tenderly on the lips, holding the kiss for a solid half-minute before pulling away to comfort her.
"Silly girl," he murmured, stroking her cheek. "How could Brother Ling not like you? Of course you're pretty enough, and you're as gentle as water. Don't sell yourself short."
Liu Erlong rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Tsk. Only a fool would believe that. You literally wrote in your diary that I'm not as pretty as Sister Dong'er or Sister Yin'er."
Her words hit a nerve, and Zhao Ling smiled sheepishly. It wasn't wrong—compared to Bibi Dong and Ah Yin, Liu Erlong's beauty was indeed less striking. Even Bo Saixi was more dazzling.
And though he hadn't yet met Xiao Wu or the Silver Dragon King, Zhao Ling knew from their mentions in the diary that they too must be extraordinarily beautiful.
But none of that mattered now. Smiling, Zhao Ling guided Liu Erlong to a stone bench in the courtyard, sitting down with her sideways on his lap. Hugging her close, he spoke sincerely.
"Long'er, you need to have more confidence in yourself. Brother Ling has been craving you to death."
Liu Erlong huffed. "If you really wanted Long'er that much, why did you skip me and go after Sister Saixi first? And you did it while I was home, too!"
Turning her head away, she pouted, her expression clearly saying, "I'm very angry, and you can't fix it."
Zhao Ling sighed and explained, "You've got it wrong, Long'er. Xi'er gave me a death order yesterday—she said if I couldn't win her over in half a month, she'd return to Poseidon Island and take my head with her. I didn't have a choice. I was scared!"
Hearing this, Liu Erlong burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Brother Ling, are you seriously afraid of Sister Saixi? Then again, Sister Yin'er did say she's an Ultimate Douluo. If you disobey her, she really could twist your head off."
"Exactly!" Zhao Ling exclaimed, his face filled with mock horror. "I've admired Xi'er for a long time, but her strength always made me hesitant. When she gave me that ultimatum, I had no choice but to act."
As he spoke, he tightened his arms around Liu Erlong, his tone softening. "But what about you, Long'er? Does this mean you're okay with being with me too?"
Liu Erlong gave him an exasperated look, poking his forehead with her finger.
"Idiot. If I wasn't okay with it, why would I choose to live in your mansion? Are you really clueless, or are you just pretending to be stupid?"
She added teasingly, "No wonder Sister Saixi gave you that death order. If you're this dense, you might as well let her take your head."
Zhao Ling could only chuckle awkwardly in response.
The truth was, despite his bold claims about wanting to build a warm home for all the beauties of Douluo Continent, he often found himself overwhelmed. With four incredible women already by his side, it felt almost surreal.
"Am I dreaming?" he often wondered. "What if I wake up one day and this all disappears?"
But Liu Erlong's words brought him back to reality. Her openness about their relationship filled him with excitement.
A mischievous grin spread across his face. "Long'er, my wife, I haven't washed my face yet. Will you help me?"
Liu Erlong blinked, confused by the sudden request. "Wash your face? Sure—"
Before she could finish, Zhao Ling lunged toward her with a playful glint in his eye. Only then did she realize his real intention.
"You scoundrel!" she cried, pushing at him weakly. "Stop messing around! What if someone sees us? How can Long'er live with that embarrassment?"
But Zhao Ling's strength far exceeded hers, leaving her powerless to resist as he kissed her deeply…
PS: Read +40 advance chapters on my Patreon: [patreon.com/Thebeginning331]
(End of Chapter)