Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Stuffed Buns Wrapped in Silk
Mona's sudden embrace caught Ethan Chen off guard.
"What's wrong?" he asked gently.
"Thank you…" Mona's voice was muffled as she pressed her face against his chest. "Thank you for helping someone like me, who's lost everything after ending up in this world."
"It's nothing," Ethan replied, already guessing that she was still shaken by what had just happened.
He patted her back lightly in comfort. "You're on my ship now. That makes us crewmates. No need for such distant words between captain and crew."
"I know… but against people like the ones we met today, I wouldn't have known what to do without you."
"That's easy. Just beat them all up," Ethan chuckled. "What, were you going to go along with their demands?"
"Of course not. But resisting them means becoming a pirate, doesn't it? Living life on the run…"
She could already picture what would have happened had she not agreed to become Ethan's crewmate. Wandering alone out there… getting targeted by that mushroom-haired creep… beating him down. Then his shady-looking superior would've come with soldiers… more fighting. She might have ended up a wanted fugitive, constantly on the run, starving, hiding, living in fear.
As an astrologer, stability was essential for her research. A life of chaos and fleeing was no life at all.
"If there's really no other way, then we'll become pirates," Ethan said without hesitation. "I'm not going to stand by while someone bullies my crew."
"…Thank you."
Their embrace, already intimate, slowly began to take on another layer of warmth something softer, heavier in the air.
Ethan figured it was a good moment to take things a step further, while Mona was still moved.
Cradling her back with one hand, he tilted her chin with the other, guiding her to meet his gaze.
Mona realized what he was about to do. Her body trembled ever so slightly, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she closed her eyes slowly, lips parting ever so slightly in anticipation.
Ethan didn't hesitate or tease her with a forehead kiss.
He pressed his lips to hers fully, with unmistakable intent. His experience was evident as he gently pried open her lips, slipping past her teeth and finding the tip of her shy, retreating tongue. Their kiss deepened quickly too quickly for Mona.
She struggled to keep up. Her breathing grew heavier and uneven. Ethan could feel her knees weaken through the arm around her waist, her body gradually turning to jelly.
Sensing she was overwhelmed, Ethan let her go.
Their lips parted reluctantly, still faintly wet. But Mona, already hooked by the taste of his kiss, leaned back in. She rose onto her toes, eager for more.
Just as Ethan recognized her desire and was about to indulge her again, Mona pulled away suddenly and turned her head.
"You're way too experienced," she muttered, cheeks burning red.
"What's wrong with that?" Ethan chuckled, holding her close. "I can teach you everything you don't know. Make it feel good. Keep you from getting hurt. Isn't that a good thing?"
"What kind of… hurt are you talking about!" Mona struggled free, face flushed. "Just one kiss, that's all! Don't get any funny ideas!"
"I'm not," Ethan said, completely at ease. "The rest will happen on its own. It's just a matter of time."
They had already kissed and held each other. Everything else would follow naturally.
The next time she was caught up in the moment, it would be easier to let things progress.
After all, fighting against your own body… isn't easy.
Mona, a little flustered, pressed her legs together slightly, trying to hide the flush still lingering on her lips from the intense kiss. She shot Ethan a sidelong glance, then quickly fled back to her room.
Right as she disappeared down the hallway, 2B emerged from the lower deck, her timing impeccable.
"…That's all you did?" she asked calmly.
"Huh? You saw?"
2B pointed toward the auxiliary bot at the helm. "My tactical visor syncs with its camera feed."
"Spying on people isn't very polite," Ethan said, raising an eyebrow. He walked over and gave her a playful smack on her full, round behind then kept his hand there, giving it a thorough squeeze.
2B removed her visor, revealing her glistening sapphire-blue eyes. They were soft and full of longing.
She, too, wanted a kiss.
Ethan didn't make her wait. He leaned in and kissed her deeply but this time, she pushed him back against the mast and took control.
When the kiss finally broke, Ethan grinned. "Let's head back to the cabin. Time to try on those new stockings."
"Alright."
The two of them disappeared below deck, leaving only the auxiliary bot steering the ship up on the main deck.
…
2B had remarkable legs long, pale, and toned, yet soft and full. Just walking around made her thighs ripple slightly with natural fullness.
For such legs, over-the-knee socks created that tempting "absolute territory," while sheer tights perfectly accentuated her curves.
Ethan had chosen the latter: a sleek pair of sheer black tights meant to emphasize her figure.
The translucent fabric glided up her feet, wrapped around her shapely calves, and hugged the swell of her thighs. But when the tights reached her upper legs… they caught.
Despite being one-size-fits-all, they were no match for her generous curves especially her impressively round hips.
Still, 2B refused to give up.
Standing up from the bed, she hooked her thumbs into the waistband and gave a little hop, her hips swaying. With a final tug, the tights finally slid into place.
But now they were stretched to the limit. The fabric clung so tightly, it looked like a delicately wrapped dumpling thin-skinned, overstuffed, with tantalizing "filling" threatening to burst free at any moment.
Ethan couldn't take his eyes or hands off her. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face into the soft swell, savoring its warmth and weight.
He couldn't help but give it a gentle bite. The image of flavorful stuffing oozing from a freshly steamed bun popped into his head.
Of course, he wasn't selfish.
While he indulged in this juicy delicacy, he also made sure to serve 2B a traditional Han-style breakfast: fried dough sticks, eggs, and soy milk.
The two of them feasted to their heart's content.
Afterward, they collapsed onto the bed, their bodies intertwined. Beside the bed, a new full-length mirror reflected their flushed faces and tangled limbs.
2B stared at her reflection for a long moment, then quietly raised her leg into a full side split, stretching like a dancer like a yogi.
Yoga, after all, was good for circulation and flexibility. It also helped maintain a graceful figure.
Ethan saw her and immediately offered to "help" with her movements, adjusting her posture in ways that made 2B's body heat up from the inside out.
Her lips parted slightly. Her throat moved in a visible swallow.
Ethan whispered, "Don't make a sound. Mona's just upstairs. I don't want her to hear what we're doing."
He had just kissed her earlier. Jumping into bed with someone else right after would be too callous even by his standards.
He didn't want to leave Mona with a bad impression.
2B glanced back at him, her eyes sparkling. Then she closed her lips tightly, suppressing any sound.
Satisfied, Ethan turned up the heat.
He attacked from all angles front, back, even tracing along her blushing underarms, every sensitive spot explored with care.
Overwhelmed, 2B could no longer hold her split. Her stocking-clad toes curled tightly, her feet trembling in rhythm with the ship's gentle sway.
Her lips parted again. This time, she didn't care.
Above the captain's quarters, in the navigation room, Mona sat reading.
Suddenly, she heard something soft, rhythmic sounds unlike the creaking of the waves or the wind through the sails.
She tilted her head in confusion.
What was that sound?
Where was it coming from?
Her gaze drifted to the floor beneath her feet. A blush crept across her cheeks, blooming like the colors of sunset.
Tch. That captain… so indecent.
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NEXT CHAPTER : A Wolf Among Sheep
(After anchoring at a peaceful natural harbor, Ethan, 2B, and Mona share a warm night around a campfire, indulging in stew, laughter, and a revealing discussion about Devil Fruits and elemental powers. But beneath the lighthearted mood, tensions simmer—Mona finds herself drawn to Ethan in ways she can't fully admit. When night falls, a teasing confrontation in her tent sparks something more intimate. As lines blur between affection and mischief, Mona may soon discover that traveling with Ethan isn't just an adventure... it's dangerously tempting.
Next chapter: Will Mona give in to her curiosity—or Ethan's charm?)
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