Chapter 39: Making a Woman Hurt

Lu Yao’s behavior earlier was not born of boredom.

Nuonuo had a fine figure, with fair, tender skin that carried the natural air of a born beauty. She had undergone minor cosmetic work on her eye corners, but the technique was so superb that even Lu Yao could not detect the traces. Once short-video platforms truly took off, a girl like this could easily amass hundreds of thousands of followers.

Zhou Bella was even more distinct, with a natural wheat-toned complexion and delicate features that struck a balance between demure and wild. Lu Yao intended to establish a long-term collaboration with them, but before that, he needed to test their bottom lines and compliance. He had no desire to end up with someone like "Xiao Huijun."

What just happened was a small "compliance" test. Although Nuonuo didn't feel it at the time, and it had almost no impact on her current mindset or behavior, the test itself was a form of subtle, gradual erosion. Slowly, Lu Yao would be able to "KTV" them—to manipulate and control their bodies and minds through various compliance tests. This method was, in fact, highly effective. The owner of the A-Soul studio at Zhiyin Manke had once controlled a group of artists like beasts of burden; even under abysmal living and dietary conditions, those artists had endured it all.

Lu Yao wouldn't go that far. But if they wanted to sit at the table and eat, a necessary degree of management was indispensable.

After "sleeping" his way into Nuonuo’s cooperation with a 1,500-yuan bonus, Lu Yao urged them to hurry and change. There were quite a few themes to shoot today.

"Which one do we shoot first?" Nuonuo asked. "We can't start with something this explosive, can we? How about we save this one for a private shoot later?" She took care to emphasize the word "private."

Zhou Bella, who had never experienced such a situation, felt her ears flush red instantly. *Seriously! Can’t you be a bit more discreet? No wonder they say the nightlife scene is a giant melting pot; if this keeps up, I’m going to be led astray... right?*

While Zhou Bella’s inner monologue was frantic, she remained huddled in the corner like a quail.

Lu Yao scanned the samples he had brought. "We'll start with the high-slit bodycon dress. It has a built-in base layer."

The focus of this outfit wasn't actually the dress, but the undergarment—a mere triangle of fabric held together by a few strings. When the high slit of the skirt fluttered, one could see the thin cord resting against her waist. Upon seeing that string, the human brain would subconsciously begin to fill in the blanks, imagining what lay beneath. This, too, was a style Lu Yao had refined, learned from the "Art of Edge-Walking" of the future.

When Nuonuo emerged in the outfit, she clicked her tongue in admiration. "Who designed this? It actually manages to feel flirtatious without being trashy." As she spoke, she turned gently; the high slit of the skirt lifted slightly, revealing the thin strap and inviting infinite imagination.

Lu Yao had already prepared the lighting and camera equipment.

He began the day's shoot in the living room. "Hold your phone and pose as if you’re taking a selfie in the mirror. Twist your body to show off your side and the high slit."

"Turn your back to me, then twist around. Yes, keep that selfie pose."

After a few sets, Lu Yao frowned while looking at the preview on his camera. The effect was there, but the allure was lacking. Good writing allows a reader to resonate emotionally, and naturally, a photograph with a higher tier of information transfer can convey much more. While Nuonuo was doing her best to display her beautiful curves, the overall feeling was stiff.

Lu Yao offered guidance: "Your posture needs to be more seductive. When you sit like a duck, it should look like you’re exhausted but trying to hold yourself up."

*Huh?* Nuonuo was bewildered. What kind of feeling was that? She had been cooperating with his demands, trying her hardest to showcase her curves, and some poses had to be held for minutes at a time. It was exhausting!

"I don't understand what you're talking about," Nuonuo complained. "I've never been a model!" She hadn't realized modeling was this grueling.

Lu Yao scratched his head. He had been a model, but that was a different story. *Wait!* He suddenly recalled a model he once met—a small "admirer" who was particularly susceptible to that "SP" type of dynamic. She’d once said that out of ten women, seven were "admirers."

Inspired by this memory, Lu Yao had a flash of insight. "I have a way to help you get into character."

Nuonuo stood up to stretch her stiff limbs. "Tell me."

Lu Yao remained deadpan. "Let me spank you a few times."

*Huh?* Nuonuo looked at him with the expression one might give a creepy middle-aged man in a dark alley. "Are you out of your mind?"

Zhou Bella, watching from the sidelines, also looked at Lu Yao in shock. Originally, Lu Yao’s professional attitude had made her think this was a legitimate job, but his words instantly made her feel something was very wrong.

"Not on the face," Lu Yao corrected.

Nuonuo rolled her eyes. "Do you think I’m too stupid to know where you meant?" *I’m a veteran of the nightlife scene! Do you think I don't know what you're talking about?*

"Huh? Then where are you going to hit?" a dim-witted Zhou Bella asked.

Nuonuo immediately bent over playfully, grinning. "Obviously here~~"

Zhou Bella turned bright red—a heat so intense it couldn't even be hidden by her wheat-toned skin.

Lu Yao remained perfectly serious. "One hundred per slap."

"Three hundred!" Nuonuo countered immediately. "No bargaining!" She was afraid of being played by him again.

Zhou Bella felt like she was burning up from the redness, her ears ringing. *What are they talking about! I... I want to get off this ride! This isn't a bus going to kindergarten, waaah...*

Then, Zhou Bella heard Lu Yao say, "Deal," and watched as Nuonuo shamelessly bent over and backed up to him.

Lu Yao did not hold back.

*Pia!*

The slap landed, and the crisp sound echoed through the living room. Nuonuo first felt the sting, then the burning sensation flared like a fire deep in her heart, causing her face to heat up rapidly. She caught her breath subconsciously.

Before she could relax, Lu Yao struck the same spot again!

*Pia!!*

Louder! More painful! Nuonuo felt her ears ringing, and her vision blurred for a moment.

*It hurts... but it feels so good!*

Zhou Bella, still huddled in the corner, had a reaction even more dramatic than Nuonuo’s. She was completely flushed. Despite the air conditioning in the room being set high, she felt incredibly hot and restless, to the point where she felt uncomfortable and weak. What was wrong with her? Was she sick?

After he finished, Lu Yao looked at Nuonuo and caught sight of Zhou Bella in the corner.

*As expected.* Causing a woman pain is also a way of "caring" for her. Teacher Zhang Jiayi did not deceive me. If you want to conquer a woman, slap her a few times, then grab her shoulders and say, "I love you."

The morale was high. Lu Yao immediately picked up his camera. "Back to work!!"