Going home for Chinese New Year, I squeezed onto a bus with three energetic young women.

Bai Li's lips twitched involuntarily.

Are all young men these days so eccentric?

He turned his head to the side, and the three genuine young women next to him were already in the zone.

Chen Tingting had a cigarette dangling from her mouth, her slender fingers flying across the keyboard, while the Audition Online character on the screen was dancing wildly.

As the crucial moment arrived, the three of them raised their hands in perfect unison.

"Snapped!"

"Snapped!"

"Snapped!"

Three sharp cracks rang out almost simultaneously; it was the space bar groaning in pain.

Jiang Ruyue, sitting to Bai Li's left, was hunched over, looking somewhat helpless.

She had never played computer games before, let alone been to such an environment. Although she was curious, she couldn't help feeling uneasy.

"What should I do?" Jiang Ruyue looked at Bai Li pitifully.

Bai Li sighed, reached for the bottle of room-temperature Pepsi next to him, unscrewed the cap, and handed it to her.

"Of course I come to an internet cafe to play games."

Bai Li pressed the power button for her again, his tone unusually serious:

"If you want to get some fresh air, stop putting on airs. Forget who you are, and forget that schedule that's driving you crazy."

"If you really feel disgusted, or don't enjoy playing the game, or even feel the slightest bit of aversion, tell me anytime."

Bai Li looked into her eyes: "I'll take you away, let's go somewhere else."

Jiang Ruyue was stunned.

Beneath that rebellious makeup, those clear eyes trembled slightly.

Ever since she was old enough to understand, the people around her have always told her "You must be dignified," "You must be excellent," and "You must be patient."

No one ever told her: "If you're unhappy, just leave; if you don't want to play, then don't play."

The man in front of me is clearly a scoundrel who's good at stealing hearts, but the way he's talking right now is much more genuine than the well-dressed elders in my family.

It seems he... is really serious about taking me "away from home".

"Okay..." Jiang Ruyue took the cola and replied softly.

The computer screen lit up, displaying the classic Wanxiang system. Bai Li entered the login number from the receipt.

"Then...what should I play?" Jiang Ruyue turned her head, her eyes filled with curiosity.

"Are you talking about the kind of games that involve fighting and killing? I see the boys in my class always discussing those things; it seems really exciting."

Bai Li glanced at her clumsy mouse-holding posture.

With this skill level, if you went to play CF or LOL, you'd probably get killed even if you had several mothers.

"You need to play a game first and save up some Cyber ​​Moms."

Bai Li thought for a moment, then helped her search through the game menu for a while before clicking on a game icon.

Big Fish Eats Little Fish.

"Look, this," Bai Li pointed to the screen, "all you need to do is use the mouse, no keyboard required. The rules are simple: big fish eat small fish, small fish eat shrimp. In this fishpond, if you're big enough, you can devour everything."

"Oh..." Jiang Ruyue nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

Games start.

A small yellow fish appeared in the center of the screen.

Jiang Ruyue is clearly a gaming black hole.

She was so tense that her whole body was taut, and she maneuvered the little fish wildly in the sea.

"Oh no! There's a shark on the left!"

"They've crashed! They've crashed!"

"Ugh... I've been eaten again..."

In less than two minutes, the message "GAME OVER" popped up on the screen several times.

Bai Li almost laughed, but seeing how engrossed she was, she didn't disturb her.

Jiang Ruyue was somewhat angry:

"This game is fun, but it's too demanding in terms of skill. Are there any simpler and more fun games?"

Bai Li couldn't help but laugh when he saw her puffed-out cheeks and determined look.

Who would have thought that the most outstanding student at Pingxian No. 1 High School would question her life here because of an electronic fish?

"some."

"That means I'll show you how to play."

He pushed the wheels of his chair towards Jiang Ruyue and moved closer.

Then, that long, warm hand covered Jiang Ruyue's small hand that was holding the mouse.

"Buzz—"

It was as if a string in Jiang Ruyue's mind had snapped.

The man's hands were large, dry, and warm, with the lines of his palm pressed tightly against the back of her hand.

A faint scent of tobacco, mixed with an indescribable pleasant aroma, instantly enveloped her.

That's... the scent of a succubus.

In this shady internet cafe filled with the smell of secondhand smoke and instant noodles, the odor was like a deadly poison, rushing straight to the top of your head through your nostrils.

Jiang Ruyue's heart began to pound wildly in her chest.

"Plop, plop, plop."

She's grown up and has never even had a boy hold her hand, let alone spoken more than a few words to one.

Instinctively, she wanted to pull her hand back.

This is upbringing, a restraint ingrained in one's very being.

But......

But the body is frighteningly honest.

She didn't want to move.

The warmth from that large hand gave her an unprecedented sense of security.

Unlike the boys in school who try so hard to please, or the elders at home who look down on you with disdain.

This kind of contact is a kind of domineering tenderness.

"Don't get distracted, look at the screen."

Bai Li's voice rang in her ears, and his warm breath tickled her earlobe.

Jiang Ruyue shuddered and hurriedly turned her gaze to the screen.

"Turn to the right, get out of that turtle."

Bai Li's hand guided her hand, controlling the mouse.

The little fish on the screen deftly flicked its tail, avoiding danger and incidentally swallowing a smaller red fish.

"See that? Predict its movement."

"It will grow bigger if you just eat it."

"Now that zebrafish is edible too, charge!"

Under Bai Li's guidance, Jiang Ruyue, who was originally clumsy, seemed to have gained superpowers and became a force to be reckoned with in the deep sea.

First hurdle passed.

Second hurdle, passed.

As the small fish grows larger, the pleasure of swallowing it is transmitted to the brain through the fingertips.

Jiang Ruyue completely forgot about tutoring, piano lessons, and ladylike etiquette.

She just felt... awesome!

This feeling of selflessness, this feeling of escalating layer by layer, is so exhilarating!

"Kill it! Eat it! Eat it!" Jiang Ruyue shouted excitedly, her body unconsciously leaning into Bai Li's arms.

Until the end of the third level, a dazzling display of fireworks exploded on the screen.

Bai Li released her grip.

"How is it? Not bad, right?"

Bai Li leaned back in her chair, looking at that little face that couldn't hide her excitement even with smoky makeup:

"I could see you were completely absorbed in the moment, you didn't have time to think about those awful things that were making you feel depressed, did you?"

The warmth on the back of my hand suddenly disappeared.

A faint sense of loss welled up in Jiang Ruyue's heart.

She stared blankly at her hands, her mind a complete blank.

How did you get through that last challenge?

She seems to have forgotten.

She only remembered the pressure of Bai Li's palm covering hers, the wonderful scent that made her legs weak, and the tingling sensation when he whispered in her ear.

This feeling...

So warm.

I feel so relieved.

You don't need to worry about anything, just follow his pace.

Is this what it feels like to be a bad kid?

Is this what they call... decadence?

If this is what it means to be corrupted, then it feels... pretty good.

"Mmm!" Jiang Ruyue nodded vigorously, her eyes sparkling. "Just now...it felt especially good!"

[Ding! Target: Jiang Ruyue. Affection +10. Current Affection: 20 (Budding Affection).]

A system notification sounded in my mind.

Bai Li was speechless, almost spitting out a mouthful of blood.

[System, you're a real beast!]

[This girl just turned 18, and she's still a naive and innocent girl who can only play the piano. I just took her to play a game called Big Fish Eat Little Fish, and this actually increased her affection level?]

Bai Li mentally ranted and raved.

Look at the lineup around me right now. Besides the legally-born loli Li Mengmeng, the rest are... Lin Xiaoshuang (19), Chen Tingting (19), Li Jiaxin (19), Zhang Qian (19, turning 20 in two months), and now there's Jiang Ruyue, who's 18.

Forget about calling it the "Goddess Investment System," you might as well rename it "Young Girl Harvester" or "Sexy Girl Development System"!

I'm about to become the director of a shelter for problem children!

Bai Li cursed under his breath, but when he came to his senses, he felt that the atmosphere around him was a bit strange.

It's too quiet.

The clattering sound of typing on the keyboard disappeared.

He turned his head.

Chen Tingting, Lin Xiaoshuang, and Li Jiaxin were not playing games at all.

Three heads huddled together, six eyes staring intently at Bai Li, their expressions utterly fascinating.

Three parts contempt, three parts anger, and four parts disgust at being a pervert.

"Big brother..." Li Jiaxin pointed at Jiang Ruyue, "What did you say when you got in the car? Just friends?"

Chen Tingting retorted sarcastically, her eyes scraping Bai Li's hand like knives: "You're holding hands like that? Why don't you wrap them up a bit?"

Lin Xiaoshuang pouted so much her lips could hang an oil bottle, and added sourly, "Exactly! You said you'd teach me how to play games, but I think you just wanted to touch her hand! What a perverted old man who's obsessed with young girls..."

"..." Bai Li was speechless for a moment.

How do you explain this?

Is he claiming to be providing psychological counseling?

Is this supposed to help a lost girl regain her confidence?

Nobody would believe that.

He subconsciously looked at Jiang Ruyue.

She was looking down, her fingers twisting together, seemingly lost in thought, and showed no intention of explaining herself to Bai Li.

Upon seeing this, Chen Tingting immediately perked up.

She put her arm around Jiang Ruyue's shoulder, adopting the air of a big sister:

"Girl, don't be afraid! This scoundrel is just taking advantage of you!"

"If you feel wronged, just yell at your older brother!"

Li Jiaxin also fanned the flames from the sidelines:

"Yes! Feel free to curse! Our 'spirited young lady' is all about not messing with us!"

"Use the vocabulary of a top student and verbally attack him!"

Jiang Ruyue was left feeling helpless, as if she were being roasted over a fire.

Insulting Bai Li?

But......

The feeling of him holding my hand just now wasn't unpleasant at all.

I even kind of want to do it again...

"Isn't that...not a good idea?" Jiang Ruyue said in a cold voice.

"What's wrong with that!" Chen Tingting slapped her thigh. "You want to be a bad girl, but you can't even swear? This is an entrance test!"

"Swear! You absolutely must swear! Use the most vicious words you've ever learned to curse him!"

Provoked by this, Jiang Ruyue's stubbornness to prove herself resurfaced.

She's here to play the bad girl, so she absolutely can't show weakness at this time!

She tried hard to recall the few "swear words" in her mind.

She stood up, put her hands on her hips, and tried to make herself look as fierce as possible.

Jiang Ruyue stared intently at Bai Li, her eyes filled with a fierce intensity.

"Then listen carefully... I really did curse you, okay?"

"When I swear... it's really filthy!"

Bai Li raised an eyebrow, also becoming interested.

He leaned back on the tattered sofa, arms crossed, watching her with a leisurely air:

"You shouldn't have said anything. Now that you've said it, I really want to hear just how foul your insults can be."

In a corner of the internet cafe, the air seemed to freeze.

Chen Tingting and the others held their breath, eagerly anticipating what earth-shattering national treasure this rich heiress would unleash.

Jiang Ruyue blushed.

She thought of the villains in those TV dramas, and the wildness of that rapper from earlier.

She pointed at Bai Li's nose, her voice clear and soft, with a slight tremor at the end, and shouted:

"You...you big bad guy!"