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

Looking at Jiang Ruyue's flustered little face, Bai Li suppressed his anger.

"Just answer it, what else can we do?"

Jiang Ruyue pitifully raised her head, her fingers twisting together, and her two delicate white feet rubbed against the carpet:

"So, are you going to take the blame?"

Bai Li, his face full of black lines, squeezed out a single word through gritted teeth:

"back."

What if they don't memorize it? Are we supposed to let them get a severe scolding before the exam?

This is on the eve of a major entrance exam for high school. If he really ruins the girl's mental state, he will feel guilty for the rest of his life.

However, in order to maintain her precarious image in front of her future in-laws, Bai Li still struggled to make some demands.

"However, it's best to avoid exposing me if possible."

Jiang Ruyue nodded, swiped her finger across the screen, and pressed the answer button.

She held the phone to her ear, barely daring to breathe.

Jiang's mother's slightly impatient questioning came from the other end of the phone.

"Ruyue, weren't you going downstairs to buy food?"

"It's been so long, why haven't they come back yet?"

Jiang Ruyue shrank back, her innocent face scrunched up, and she stammered in response:

"Uh... Mom."

You might not believe it if I told you.

There was a brief silence on the other end of the phone.

Jiang's mother, far away in Ping County, was wearing an apron and holding a strainer for stir-frying.

Hearing their daughter's ambiguous attitude, the parents immediately tensed up.

The exam is just around the corner, and if something were to happen to someone at this crucial moment, it would be like the sky falling down.

In just a few seconds, Jiang's mother's mind went through a series of heinous incidents reported in the news.

Kidnapping, drugging, black bread vans—a series of terrifying scenes unfolded.

The breathing on the other end of the phone grew heavier.

Jiang's mother gripped the phone tightly, trying to keep her voice steady, and shouted into the receiver:

"How much money do you want! I'll give you everything I can, but please, please don't hurt my daughter!"

Bai Li, who was standing to the side, heard it all clearly, and the veins on his forehead throbbed.

Auntie's associative abilities are such a waste that she's not writing suspense scripts for TV.

Jiang Ruyue herself was also confused, and quickly clarified into the microphone:

"Mom! Where do you think you're going! I haven't been kidnapped!"

"I'm in Wenxian County..."

The crisp sound of a strainer falling onto the tiles came from the other end of the phone, followed by Jiang's mother letting out a long sigh and muttering:

"Oh... as long as they weren't kidnapped, it's good that they're alright."

But as soon as she finished speaking, her voice suddenly rose eight octaves:

"What?!"

"You're in Wenxian County?!"

"Why did you go there? Who were you with?"

A barrage of questions came crashing down on me, delivered at a speed like a machine gun.

Jiang Ruyue acted impulsively, her honest nature resurfacing, and she instinctively wanted to confess and receive leniency:

"Huh? Me and..."

The word "white" was still stuck in my throat.

A powerful hand suddenly appeared and covered her mouth.

"Mmmmmm!"

Jiang Ruyue's eyes widened, and she flailed her arms wildly in mid-air.

Bai Li stood behind her, covering her mouth tightly with his left hand while gesturing wildly in the air with his right.

He pointed his long index finger at Jiang Ruyue, then at the air, and finally made a gesture as if he were driving a car, desperately trying to get her to continue making up stories from what he had just said.

Jiang Ruyue stared at Bai Li's gesture for a long time.

A light flickered in those clear eyes, and finally, he nodded heavily.

Immediately afterwards, Bai Li felt a warm, moist sensation in his palm.

That brat, she actually stuck out her tongue and licked herself again to show that she completely understood!

Bai Li withdrew his hand, rubbed it twice on Jiang Ruyue's pleated skirt with a look of disgust, and wiped away all the saliva that had gotten on it.

Jiang Ruyue, now free, cleared her throat and continued making up stories into the still-connected phone:

"Mom, I came by taxi by myself."

"The exam is in two days, so I thought I'd come here early to get used to the environment and get into the right mindset."

"I was afraid you wouldn't agree, so I didn't dare to say it in advance."

Her voice was originally rather cool, but at this moment she deliberately softened it, making her sound as obedient as could be.

Jiang's mother remained silent for a moment.

Hearing her daughter's voice calm and natural, and with no strange noises in the background, she finally felt relieved.

"You silly child, you always do things on a whim!"

"Alright, alright, which hotel are you staying at? Send me the location."

"Wait, your dad and I will change our clothes right now and drive over to find you."

"Beep beep beep—"

A busy signal came through.

The room returned to silence.

Bai Li shook his wrist, walked to the bedside and sat down, looking at Jiang Ruyue whose face clearly said "please praise me".

"Little Miss, you've finally said something right for once."

Jiang Ruyue hopped barefoot on the carpet twice, her skirt fluttering in the wind.

"Hehe, I knew I was smart enough to handle them like a piece of cake."

She moved closer to Bai Li and sat down next to him, completely disregarding the impending crisis.

Bai Li raised his hand and pinched the space between his eyebrows; his head began to throb slightly.

The journey from Pingxian to Wenxian takes just over an hour by highway.

Including the time they need to change clothes and pack, these two parents will arrive at the Caesars Hotel in at most two hours.

This is the real bombshell.

"So here's the question." Bai Li turned his head and stared at that unguarded face.

"Once your parents arrive, they'll definitely be staying at this hotel. They'll either stay next door or just share a room with you."

"According to the elders' habit of taking care of test takers, they will definitely keep a close eye on your daily life these two days, and come into your room from time to time to bring you food and drink."

Bai Li spread his hands, laying the cruel reality on the table:

"If you won't let me leave, where am I supposed to stay?"

"Do you expect me to stay in your closet all day, only coming out for a stroll after they're asleep?"

Jiang Ruyue tilted her head after hearing this.

A rare serious expression appeared on that stunningly beautiful and innocent face.

She put a finger to her lips, pretending to be deep in thought.

Sunlight streamed in through the panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows, making her eyelashes appear distinct.

Not long after.

Her eyes lit up.

Jiang Ruyue extended a slender, white index finger and waved it in mid-air, her expression revealing a kind of infuriating wisdom:

"I've got an idea!"

"I'm going downstairs now to the front desk to book both rooms next door."

She planned everything meticulously, even drawing a sketch in the air with her hand:

"You'll stay in the room on the left, and my parents will stay in the room on the right. I'll be in the middle, strategizing."

Jiang Ruyue patted her flat chest, her tone full of confidence that she was in control of the situation.

"Then, when I want to see you, you just wait patiently in your room."

"Follow my orders!"