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

Bai Li's heart skipped a beat.

He held the steering wheel with one hand and wiped his forehead with the other:

"Oh, it was sweat..."

But no one paid him any attention; everyone just stared at him without moving.

Those few quiet seconds were more agonizing for him than walking that rough, gravel road.

"Uh, that..."

Bai Li cleared his dry throat, trying to find something to soothe it:

"Forehead."

Chen Tingting didn't even raise her head, and just sneered.

The other three young women, seeing that Bai Li hadn't managed to utter a single sound for so long, remained silent.

Instead, she scrolled up and looked through the chat history again.

"hehe."

Chen Tingting's tone was chilling and went straight to the spine:

"I thought you were a true gentleman who could remain unmoved even with a woman in his lap."

She turned up the volume and turned the screen towards the back seats so that everyone could see it more clearly.

"Look at him, he even proactively asked that young lady for photos of his legs! And not just once!"

Chen Tingting gritted her teeth:

"It's really beautiful, isn't it?"

"Plump, smooth, and pink thighs, and little feet in white cotton socks—that's quite a unique hobby!"

The car smelled sour that it could be used to pickle vegetables.

Bai Li tightened his grip on the steering wheel, just about to say a few soft words to smooth things over.

Suddenly, Chen Tingting stopped swiping the screen.

Her eyes widened instantly, her breathing became heavier, and then she unleashed a powerful, piercing roar of anger:

"Just transfer money to them, say goodnight, and that's it!"

"Damn it! What do you mean Zhejiang University just swept up all the faculty and admitted everyone?!"

Upon hearing this, the three girls in the back row immediately erupted in a cacophony of voices, all condemning the statement.

Bai Li was really anxious now.

His image as a great and wealthy man is about to collapse again.

"Let me explain!"

Bai Li quickly glanced at the right-side rearview mirror and frantically grabbed at the steering wheel with both hands:

"I'm really not that kind of person!"

"That's just a joke! Let me explain!"

Chen Tingting was no longer listening to these weak and feeble explanations.

She turned around and pointed directly at him:

"Xiao Shuang!"

Lin Xiaoshuang in the back seat immediately sat up straight, raised her right arm, and made a half-baked salute:

"arrive!"

"Since that's your taste, brother, I think your little feet are the most appealing!"

Chen Tingting pointed at Bai Li's face, perfectly embodying the demeanor of a powerful, independent woman.

"It's up to you! You have to teach him a lesson today!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Xiaoshuang was not embarrassed at all; instead, she loudly agreed:

"I have fulfilled my mission!"

After saying that, the cute little girl moved very quickly.

He kicked off his canvas shoes in a few quick movements, not even bothering to take off his white cotton socks.

She reached directly over the center armrest and stretched her slender, fair foot toward Bai Li's cheek.

"Hey, hey, hey! Stop fooling around, stop fooling around!"

Bai Li was startled and quickly turned her head to dodge, while simultaneously gasping for breath:

"You're driving! There's a bend ahead, it's dangerous!"

Lin Xiaoshuang reluctantly pulled her foot back, still muttering to herself:

"You love looking at other young ladies' white cotton socks, but you don't look at mine. You're so biased."

Li Jiaxin leaned back in her chair, her cool and aloof face full of disdain, and continued to deliver the finishing blow:

"Doesn't she have any shame?"

Li Jiaxin stretched out her slender fingers and tapped on the edge of the car window:

"How dare you take these photos of my legs?"

"Brother, really! Why didn't you suggest comparing legs? What good is just looking at legs?"

These words were extremely blunt, causing Bai Li to cough repeatedly.

These girls, who grew up wildly at the bottom of society, have never been one to hold back their words.

Zhang Qian leaned against the back of the driver's seat, her blue hair sliding down her shoulders, the ends brushing against Bai Li's neck, tickling her.

"Big brother, you promised us that yourself before."

Zhang Qian's voice carried a hint of resentment, her warm breath brushing against Bai Li's ear:

"You said you two were just ordinary friends who chatted at most. Looks like you were lying to us again."

She sighed, her slender fingers tracing circles on the epaulettes of Bai Li's trench coat, her tone filled with self-mockery:

"Your heart is as black as the seeds of Takahashi Ichi's milk."

Bai Li blushed.

They even used such a hellish metaphor.

"That's really dark..." Bai Li muttered under his breath, not daring to refute it at all.

Zhang Qian pressed on, pressing her cheek even closer, and continued to interrogate:

"Tell me, brother, do you like her too?"

Bai Li was about to shake her head vigorously, insisting that she absolutely disliked it and truly only saw her as a love-starved online friend.

Before he could even speak, Lin Xiaoshuang started analyzing the situation from behind with an air of seriousness.

"It's not surprising, really."

Lin Xiaoshuang rested her chin on her hands, her little yellow tuft of hair swaying:

"Look at her short pink hair, plus she's a rich girl who lives in a mansion."

"Moreover, although she clearly imitated our 'spirited younger sister's' style of dress and mannerisms, she still exuded a haughty yet lively temperament towards the older brother."

Lin Xiaoshuang slapped her thigh and came to a conclusion:

"Isn't this the epitome of a sweet girl? Who wouldn't like this type!"

Bai Li nodded in agreement.

I must say, this little girl has a pretty good eye for people.

A sweet girl with a slightly clumsy contrast is indeed endearing.

He was just about to nod in agreement.

The next second, Chen Tingting from the passenger seat sent a chilling message over her shoulder.

"Tch, what's wrong with sweet girls?"

Chen Tingting rolled her eyes:

Even sweet girls have their salty sides.

puff!

Bai Li broke through the defenses and managed to keep the car from crashing into the green belt by gripping the steering wheel with both hands.

No more.

These young women are really good at manipulating people's minds.

Bai Li didn't know how she would face Xie Lingmo when she opened her phone again and saw her pink anime profile picture.

My mind is filled with the dialectical relationship between salty and sweet.

Just as the atmosphere in the carriage completely went off track.

Chen Tingting suddenly sat up straight, her finger tapping the windshield, her expression becoming extremely agitated:

"Big brother! Xiaoshuang! Jiaxin! Qianqian! Look!"

Her heavily tattooed arms were outstretched, pointing to a cluster of low-rise buildings in the distance, not far ahead at the horizon:

"That earthen wall over there is my hometown!"

Following the direction of her finger, Bai Li slowed down the car.

It was a village built against the mountainside.

Looking around, all you see are gray, red-brick bungalows; you can't even find a decent two-story building.

At the entrance of the village stands a stone archway with peeling paint; the inscriptions on it have long been eroded by wind and rain and are no longer legible.

The scent of earth and straw seeped in through the cracks in the car window.

Poverty is the most obvious label on this place.

The previously chaotic atmosphere of bawdy jokes in the carriage instantly dissipated.

Several young women were all craning their necks against the car window, their eyes wide open.

Their expressions changed from playful to expectant, their teasing vanished.

Lin Xiaoshuang gripped the back of Chen Tingting's chair, her voice trembling:

"Sister Tingting, this day has finally come..."

Li Jiaxin and Zhang Qian both had tears in their eyes.

They understand this feeling all too well.

Having endured wind and rain and scorn while living outdoors, they dream of returning to the place where they were born and raised, with dignity and respect.

Now, they have clean money in their pockets.

The trunk was filled with valuable gifts for the elderly, and he was riding in a luxury car worth millions.

This is a true triumphant return home.

They were all genuinely happy for Chen Tingting's hard-won success and achievements.

This sisterhood, forged through hardship and struggle at the bottom, is far more genuine than any artificial flower.

Bai Li glanced at the flushed faces in the rearview mirror and coughed twice to steer the conversation back on track.

"Since we're almost there, I'd like to remind everyone of a few things, so please listen carefully."

Bai Li dropped his carefree demeanor and spoke in a calm tone:

The four maids immediately quieted down and stared at him intently.

"Remember." Bai Li held up one finger:

"When we get to Tingting's house, I'll be her official boyfriend."

"You guys are her good friends, and also my good friends."

He emphasized his words and glanced at Zhang Qian and Lin Xiaoshuang.

"So, once you're in the village, especially in front of Grandma Tingting, you absolutely mustn't lay a hand on me."

Bai Li tapped the steering wheel and earnestly instructed:

"If the older folks find out about our messy relationship, what will Tingting think of herself?"

Upon hearing Bai Li's words, the group of young women seemed to wake from a dream and nodded repeatedly.

Lin Xiaoshuang's face was serious as she patted her chest and assured him:

"Right, right, right! Today, Big Brother is playing Tingting's exclusive boyfriend. We're respectable people, we absolutely can't do anything inappropriate!"

Zhang Qian stretched and straightened her back in the back row.

"I heard it! I heard it with both ears!"

Then, she tossed her blue hair, her tone carrying a hint of roguishness and mischievousness typical of a gangster:

"only."

"My days are packed full, and today I have to pretend to be an innocent young girl again."

"Our friendship is really quite pure."

Chen Tingting turned around and glared at her:

"You slut, you talk too much! If you can't hold it in any longer, go back to your car!"

The crowd was in a chaotic frenzy, and the car was less than 500 meters away from the village entrance.

At this moment, Li Jiaxin suddenly put her hand on Bai Li's shoulder, her eyes darting around under her purple hair.

"Then, brother," Li Jiaxin lowered her voice, her tone extremely seductive:

"Now that we're in the village, we can't just do whatever we want. Why don't you stop the car first..."

Bai Li was startled and subconsciously stepped on the brake.

The Panamera came to a smooth stop next to a clump of waist-high weeds by the roadside.

He turned his head and glanced at Chen Tingting sitting in the passenger seat.

Chen Tingting crossed her arms, not only making no attempt to stop them, but also sporting a wicked smile that seemed to say, "I've seen through everything," as she winked at the people in the back row.

"What's wrong?" Bai Li asked, her face full of confusion, blinking her peach blossom eyes twice.

next second.

A rustling sound of clothes rubbing together rang out.

Li Jiaxin took a long stride and squeezed through the gap between the two back seats.

Lin Xiaoshuang followed closely behind, her yellow hair and little tufts of hair all pounced on Bai Li.

Zhang Qian was even more straightforward, directly reaching out and hooking her arm around Bai Li's neck.

The three of them bypassed the back row and, like a few wolf cubs fighting for food, began to pull Bai Li from all directions.

A fragrant breeze wafted over me, and a warm, fresh body pressed against me through the fabric.

Before Bai Li could react, her collar was ripped open, and several wet, lipstick-stained marks instantly appeared on her cheeks.

"What are you doing?!" Bai Li frantically tried to protect his trench coat.

Zhang Qian bit his earlobe and gave an indistinct answer.

"I want to... but I can't right now."

"Before I go in and pretend to be a good guy, I need to make sure I get my money's worth from my brother first..."

……

...