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

Hearing that it was Jiang Ruyue's voice, Bai Li breathed a sigh of relief.

As long as it's not that crazy girl An Yaoyao, everything else is negotiable.

He walked to the door and reached out to open it.

Outside the door, Jiang Ruyue was wearing a white T-shirt, paired with frayed denim shorts, and her hair was tied in a crooked bun.

She is both youthful and adorably naive.

She skipped and hopped into the room, then plopped down on the edge of the bed.

Bai Li closed the door behind him, then turned around and asked her:

"Have you finished eating with your parents?"

Jiang Ruyue's fair and shapely calves swung back and forth in mid-air as she nodded in response:

"Mmm~"

"Then why were you shouting so loudly in the hallway?" Bai Li walked up to her and ruffled her soft hair.

"Aren't you afraid your parents will find out?"

Jiang Ruyue comfortably squinted her eyes, while her hands began to wander restlessly:

"My parents went for a walk nearby to digest their food."

"I estimate it will take me an hour to get back. I made up an excuse to sneak back first."

Bai Li skillfully removed her hand from his girdle and said:

"Then tone it down a bit," Bai Li reminded him.

"We'll go back soon. If we get caught, neither of us will be in a good place."

Jiang Ruyue nodded in agreement, but her hands didn't stop moving.

She pouted, her stubbornness rising, and pressed her hand back down.

"Oh dear," she said in a coquettish tone.

"Just let me put my hand here, I promise I won't move it."

Faced with these classic quotes, Bai Li inwardly complained.

[Online, people always rave about how arrogant blond guys are, but wow, when it comes to themselves, they've completely reversed the script.]

[As long as she's with Jiang Ruyue, Jiang Ruyue becomes the little blondie, while she becomes the cabbage.]

After making a fuss, Jiang Ruyue nestled into his arms and found a comfortable spot to lean against him.

She tilted her head up, a hint of guilt in her eyes:

"Aren't you bored staying in the hotel all by yourself...?"

It would have been better if we hadn't brought this up, because mentioning Bai Li fills me with anger.

"Don't even mention it," Bai Li sighed. "I'd rather stay indoors and be bored to death."

Then, Bai Li cleared his throat and began his storytelling session.

He started by talking about his stroll to the wetland park and continued until he told the story of An Yaoyao coming to Ping County to find him.

Jiang Ruyue's mouth gaped open, utterly shocked.

Her eyes widened, her hands tightened instinctively, and she murmured softly:

"That's it..."

"Another teenage girl is about to expose herself!"

This force directly broke Bai Li's defenses.

"Hiss..." He gasped, quickly patting her hand. "Let go!"

Jiang Ruyue then realized that her movements were too large and quickly loosened her grip to allow for some buffer time.

Then, she gasped in surprise:

"Huh, is it angry?!"

Bai Li ignored her lewd words and realized that this girl didn't seem to care about An Yaoyao's matter.

"Ruyue," Bai Li couldn't help but ask, voicing the question that had been nagging at her, "Aren't you jealous?"

Jiang Ruyue looked up, her expression frank.

"What are you jealous of?"

She pouted, her tone teasing:

"Anyway, you're either already trapped or on your way to being trapped. I'm used to it."

Bai Li raised his hand and tapped her on the forehead, retorting:

"How can you make up stories like that!"

Jiang Ruyue covered her forehead and made two "woo-woo" sounds, pretending to rub it a couple of times.

Then, as if completing Bai Li's task, she asked perfunctorily:

"Is she pretty? Do you like her?"

"She is indeed very beautiful." Bai Li gave a factual assessment, followed by a statement of his position:

"But this is the first time I've met her, and I don't even know her background. How can I like her? I'm not a teddy bear that goes into heat with everyone I see."

Jiang Ruyue nodded thoughtfully, expressing her strong agreement.

"That fits your persona quite well."

She began her analysis, demonstrating a deep understanding of him:

"Even though you're a flirt, you don't necessarily fall for every pretty girl you see."

At this point, she even used an idiom:

"The ancients often said that even thieves have their code of honor. If you're like that, then it's like saying even grass has its own code of conduct."

Upon hearing this unprecedented and unparalleled new interpretation of idioms, Bai Li used both hands to pinch her chubby cheeks and pull them apart like dough.

"Did your PE teacher teach you Chinese?" Bai Li asked as she talked, "You really don't have any complaints at all?"

"What objection could I possibly have?" Jiang Ruyue sat on Bai Li's lap, letting him rub her face, and mumbled indistinctly:

"If you want to take her in, you have to sleep with me first, then with the pink-haired girl. Does putting her last count as a problem?"

Bai Li was speechless.

"You're quite considerate of Lingmo."

Joking aside, we still need to get down to business.

"Then tell me, if that crazy girl really comes looking for me after the exam and I return to Ping County, how should I handle the situation?" Bai Li asked a practical question.

Jiang Ruyue broke free from his clutches and rubbed her cheeks, which had been pulled red.

She raised her two small, white fists high, striking what she considered an extremely fierce fighting stance.

Unfortunately, paired with that pure and pretty face, it lacks any intimidating power; instead, it looks like she's just trying to be cute.

"Don't worry!" Jiang Ruyue patted her chest and assured her.

"If she dares to come, just leave it to me to deal with!"

Her mind worked quickly, and she immediately added another layer of protection for herself:

"Even if I can't handle it, there are still Tingting and the others living at home!"

These words really struck a chord with Bai Li.

"We're really on the same page," Bai Li said with a smile.

The two had just finished discussing their strategy.

Suddenly, the sound of a room card being swiped came from the corridor, followed by the sound of a doorknob turning.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ruyue quickly realized what was happening.

She sprang from Bai Li's arms and leaned in to kiss him on the cheek:

"My parents look like they're back from their walk!" she whispered. "I need to hurry back inside!"

After saying that, she strode towards the door.

Before she could even grasp the doorknob, Jiang Ruyue suddenly turned around.

She looked down at the spot she had just wreaked havoc on, and playfully waved her little hand.

"Next time we meet..." she announced with a smile.

"I wouldn't be so gentle when I touch you..."

The words fell.

The door opened with a click, and Jiang Ruyue nimbly slipped into the corridor, closing the door behind her.

Click.

The room returned to quiet.

Bai Li sat alone on the edge of the bed.

"That brat..." His tone was full of helplessness.

He glanced at the closed door, then looked down at his clothes, and muttered:

"Hey bro, did you hear that?"

"You'd better really put in the effort when punishing her in the future..."