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

It lasted until 7 p.m.

The sky looked as if someone had splashed a basin of ink on it, slowly darkening the entire village along the mountain ridge.

The group, still feeling quite unsatisfied, drove the rattling three-wheeled vehicle home.

Chen Tingting parked the car next to the woodpile outside the yard and patted the dust off her hands.

The old man, holding an old palm-leaf fan, had been standing outside the red-lacquered iron gate, peering out.

When he saw people return, the wrinkles on his face all smiled into a chrysanthemum.

"Xiaobai, Tingting, and a few other girls are back! Go get some water to wash your hands, and we'll eat right away."

The old lady reheated the leftover lunch and added two more stir-fries, then rearranged the square wooden table.

I enjoyed this meal.

Bai Li took the initiative to unscrew a bottle of Qinghua Fen 25-year-old liquor and poured the clear liquid into a glass.

"Grandpa, let's have a drink together." Bai Li picked up his glass.

The old man took it with both hands, took a sip, and his eyes immediately lit up.

The older generation in the village had never drunk any good liquor; the bulk Erguotou sold at the village entrance was the best they could get.

The moment that smooth, sweet taste hits your throat, you'll naturally start talking.

Bai Li sat on a small stool, peeling garlic, occasionally chiming in.

He didn't put on airs or act like a rich kid; a few simple words warmed the hearts of the elderly couple.

After the meal, the old man, in high spirits, pushed the table away with a flushed face.

"You all rest, I'll go to the west room to get the bedding."

Li Jiaxin took a long stride and was about to follow:

"Grandpa, you rest, we'll go make the bed."

The old man waved his hands repeatedly, then blocked the doorway with his body, displaying a very stubborn temper.

"No need! My old bones aren't falling apart yet. You guys go play in the yard, this is none of your business."

The group couldn't persuade him otherwise, so they simply gave up.

Five people brought out small stools, formed a circle, and sat in the farmhouse courtyard.

Unlike the air in the city, where every breath is filled with exhaust fumes and smog.

In the northern countryside, the night breeze carries the fresh scent of fermenting soil and plant sap.

The sky above was clean and clear.

The sky was covered with countless stars, like free diamonds scattered across it.

Li Jiaxin rested her chin on her hands, her purple hair fluttering slightly in the night breeze.

"Big brother, this place is so peaceful and beautiful."

Lin Xiaoshuang leaned against Li Jiaxin's shoulder as if she had no bones, her legs dangling in mid-air:

"I haven't felt this relaxed in a long time."

Bai Li sat in the wind, letting them sigh.

Filming short dramas may seem glamorous, but behind the scenes it's all about high-intensity, non-stop work.

In order to gain a foothold by his side, these girls worked desperately to learn acting and practice their lines.

Normally, it resides in the Heavenly Palace on the Cloud Top.

When Cao Pi went to Li Mengmeng's house, they were also obediently studying.

Only after leaving work and arriving in the countryside could my nerves finally relax completely.

The quiet atmosphere didn't even last three minutes.

Lin Xiaoshuang tilted her head back, her big eyes fixed on the night sky:

"You say that the book says people turn into stars in the sky after they die."

Zhang Qian chimed in, her voice quite soft:

"Yes, that's a pretty romantic way of putting it."

"Romantic my ass."

Lin Xiaoshuang stretched out her finger and gestured twice towards the dense band of light in the sky:

"If that's the case, then isn't this Milky Way just a mass grave strewn with corpses?"

Li Jiaxin slapped her little bun with her hand:

"Can't you even speak properly?!"

Taking advantage of the lively atmosphere, Zhang Qian moved the small stool closer to Bai Li.

The blue hair had a dark luster under the moonlight.

She tilted her head back, her eyes sparkling as she stared at Bai Li. Due to the large movement, a large expanse of her fair skin was revealed at the neckline.

Her extremely love-starved personality, combined with this comfortable atmosphere, directly catalyzed her emotions.

"Big brother..." Zhang Qian's voice was low and soft, almost cloying, "I like you."

Before Bai Li could respond.

Lin Xiaoshuang, standing next to her, rolled her eyes; she was a master at ruining the mood.

"Qianqian, I must say, today is actually a good day for you to confess your feelings."

Zhang Qian turned her head and asked in an annoyed tone:

Why?

Lin Xiaoshuang took out her phone and waved it; the screen lit up.

"Look at the calendar. Today is Qingming Festival."

"When your older brother rejects you, just lie down on the ground, twitch all over, and say you're possessed by a ghost."

Lin Xiaoshuang laughed so hard she almost fell over:

"How perfect! Not awkward at all, hahaha!"

This last-hit was both fast and accurate.

Zhang Qian got anxious.

She originally wanted to take the opportunity to get close to Bai Li, but this foul mouth ruined everything.

"Go to hell, Lin Xiaoshuang! I'll teach you a lesson today!" Zhang Qian lunged at her, baring her teeth and brandishing her claws.

Lin Xiaoshuang didn't dodge and went straight at him.

Chen Tingting and Li Jiaxin, who were watching the commotion from the sidelines, not only did not try to break up the fight, but also joined in the pushing and shoving.

The courtyard was in complete chaos.

The four girls rolled around in a tangled mess.

The fighting style of the "spirited young lady" has never been about specific moves; her main focus is on authenticity.

"Holy crap! Jiaxin, you idiot, you ripped my bra off!"

Zhang Qian's screams echoed in the night sky, one shoulder exposed.

Lin Xiaoshuang's baby face was pinched out of shape, and she screamed at the top of her lungs:

"Hey hey hey! Let go!"

"Let go first!!"

"You brat, where are you touching! Only your brother can touch that area!"

The shouts and the rustling of clothes were mixed together.

Bai Li watched from the sidelines, letting them do as they pleased, and didn't find them annoying at all.

They're energetic young women.

She was never quiet to begin with.

There was no affectation from socialites, nor the poise of a lady from a prominent family.

They are like wild grass at the bottom of society, growing wildly and unrestrained by details.

Their energy lies in this unrestrained swearing and playful fighting.

Just then, the hinges of the main room door rattled.

The old man came out carrying a washbasin.

The four people who were just wrestling suddenly sprang apart as if they had been electrocuted.

One by one, they hurriedly tidied their clothes.

Zhang Qian quickly pulled the shoulder straps up, while Lin Xiaoshuang guiltily smoothed out the wrinkles on her clothes.

The old man looked at the group of energetic young people with a smile and pointed to the west room.

"Alright, it's late."

"Xiaobai, which room do you sleep in with Tingting?"

The old man placed the basin on the steps and pointed towards the east wing:

"The remaining three little girls will sleep in the room next door."

After making the arrangements, the old man went into his room with his hands behind his back.

The courtyard fell silent.

This is equivalent to officially authorizing cohabitation.

Chen Tingting, that fearless and tough boss, had her large, tattooed arms hanging neatly at her sides, her toes rubbing the dirt on the ground.

His usually loud and boisterous voice was completely silent, and his face was so red it looked like it could bleed.

The other three young women, however, refused to comply.

Zhang Qian bit her lower lip resentfully.

Lin Xiaoshuang boldly took a half step forward and stammered out her words.

"Big...Big Brother...There are rats in that room, I'm scared..." She still tried to tug at Bai Li's sleeve to win his favor.

Bai Li glanced sideways at him.

Peach Blossom's eyes held a warning look; she glanced at him but didn't reply.

This is at an elder's home in the countryside.

The old man just made the arrangements; if anyone were to randomly join in and sleep together, it would really turn this farmhouse upside down.

They received the suppression in his eyes.

Lin Xiaoshuang deflated like a ball, her lips pouting high, and obediently shrank back to their original position.

Zhang Qian didn't dare to act rashly and could only follow Li Jiaxin, turning back every few steps, towards the east wing.

That lingering, reluctant gaze could stretch for miles.

The people dispersed.

Bai Li pushed open the wooden door to the west room.

Chen Tingting followed her inside like a little tail.

The room was simply furnished.

A large wooden wardrobe and a kang (heated brick bed) that took up half the room.

The kang (heated brick bed) was neatly covered with printed sheets and two thick quilts.

Bai Li took off her trench coat and hung it on the back of the chair.

When I turned around, I found that Chen Tingting had taken off her shoes and was sitting on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed).

Her usually flamboyant red hair was now loose, lying softly against her cheeks.

She no longer acted like a tough, domineering woman like she did during the day.

Returning to her most familiar home, under the eaves of her elders, she shed all her thorns.

She doesn't have the ruthlessness of a delinquent girl, but rather the innocent charm of a girl in her early twenties.

The youth and vitality emanating from her very being made her appear exceptionally fair and tender under the dim light bulb.

After a day of ups and downs and emotional rollercoasters, this girl's energy is completely depleted.

She leaned to one side, resting her head on the pillow.

Before long, his breathing became long and even.

She slept very comfortably and peacefully.

It was the most unguarded moment I'd ever felt while wandering outside for so long.

This is a sleeping position that would never occur when struggling to make a living in the city every day.

Bai Li walked over quietly and sat down on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed).

He looked down at the face.

Without the reflective metal ornaments on the ear piercings, it's very simple and clean.

Bai Li reached out, his fingertips slightly cool, and gently lifted a strand of red hair that had fallen onto her cheek.

I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

Then he pulled the blanket over her shoulder, which was exposed to the air.

The night was quiet.

Bai Li leaned against the wall and whispered:

"Tingting, goodnight..."