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

The barbecue stalls at night are full of smoke and the aroma of charcoal mixed with cumin is very tempting.

Bai Li found a corner spot, and the four girls sat obediently around her.

"Boss, one hundred skewers of mutton, two plates of edamame, and a few bottles of Coke."

The atmosphere was a little somber while we waited for the skewers to be served.

Bai Li leaned back in the plastic chair, staring at the sky with a look of utter despair:

"Guess how I'm going to explain this to myself when I get home tonight?"

The people at the table looked at each other in bewilderment.

Lin Xiaoshuang held up two fingers and quietly tugged at Bai Li's coat sleeve, saying cautiously:

"Big brother... I'm sorry, I know I was wrong. How about... I go back with you and explain?"

"Give me a break." Bai Li pulled her sleeve back. "If you call for Mom again, my dad will kick me out of the house too."

"Then...what should we do?" Chen Tingting was getting anxious. "Big brother, why don't you just say we're your employees? Or...someone who needs help?"

"The person you're helping is asking for kisses on the street?" Bai Li glanced at her. "You should use your rusty brain too."

Chen Tingting was speechless after being rebuked and lowered her head to peel edamame.

Just then, Zhang Qian, who hadn't said much, suddenly moved closer.

Her long blue hair cascaded down her chest, and her eyes sparkled with a sense of eager anticipation.

"Big brother..." Zhang Qian lowered her voice, her tone tentative, "How about... you tell your aunt and uncle that I'm your boyfriend? And then the three of them... are just friends who drank too much?"

The atmosphere at the table froze the moment she said that.

Chen Tingting's hand was crushed by the edamame shells, and she suddenly looked up and glared at Zhang Qian:

"Zhang Qian! You wish! Why should it be you? I was thinking of saying it's my brother's girlfriend!"

"Exactly!" Li Jiaxin retorted, giving a cold snort. "In terms of how long we've known each other and our relationship, who gave you the right to cut in line?"

What was originally a relatively harmonious confession meeting instantly turned into a battleground for vying for favor.

Looking at the group of girls arguing heatedly over a mere title, Bai Li felt that sense of control return to him.

He tapped his fingers lightly on the table, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Isn't this the perfect opportunity to reap the rewards of your affections?

"Alright, stop arguing."

His gaze swept over Chen Tingting, first landing on her with a hint of helplessness mixed with a indulgent smile:

"Tingting, you have such a fiery temper. But... if something really happens, you're definitely the most resilient."

Upon hearing this, Chen Tingting's face instantly turned red, and her heart raced.

Is my brother praising me for being loyal and reliable?

[Ding! Chen Tingting's affection value +5, current affection value: 65 (admiration)]

Immediately afterward, Bai Li looked at Li Jiaxin, her tone softening slightly:

"Jiaxin has such a strong personality, my mom might be scared off by your fancy legs. But I like your cool vibe, and I'll introduce you to them later if there's a chance."

Li Jiaxin was stunned for a moment, then couldn't suppress the corners of her mouth no matter what she did.

There will be an opportunity in the future? That means... Big Brother has that in mind?

[Ding! Li Jiaxin's affection level +5, current affection level: 65 (Admiration)]

Finally, Bai Li ruffled Lin Xiaoshuang's blond hair, like petting a dog:

"As for you... you're too naive, you'd definitely give yourself away if you went again. But hey, it's better if you're a little slow, it'll save you trouble."

Lin Xiaoshuang squinted comfortably and rubbed against that big hand: "Hehe, I knew Big Brother wouldn't mind that I'm clumsy."

[Ding! Lin Xiaoshuang's affection level +5, current affection level: 75 (close to being deeply in love)]

Zhang Qian watched from the side. Although Bai Li didn't specifically mention her, the phrase "there will be opportunities in the future" clearly didn't completely block her path.

Bai Li was overjoyed.

These silly girls are happy for half a day if you give them even a little bit of sweetness.

A scumbag? No, this is called emotional value investing that distributes benefits evenly.

"Eat up, and I'll take you home after you're done."

The meat skewers arrived, and the group, who were starving, began to wolf them down.

When we paid the bill, the total cost was only a little over two hundred yuan.

Bai Li thought for a moment and decided not to waste today's quota.

"etc."

Bai Li stopped the girls who were about to leave and took out his phone:

"It's late at night, and it's not safe to go back. Besides, I scared you just now, so this is to calm you down."

He opened WeChat to transfer the money.

He transferred 250 yuan to Lin Xiaoshuang: "Buy some snacks, don't just keep grinning like an idiot."

He transferred 250 to Chen Tingting: "Go get your nails fixed, they're all chipped."

He transferred 250 yuan to Li Jiaxin: "Buy a pack of good cigarettes, don't always smoke those harsh ones."

Finally, he transferred 250 yuan to Zhang Qian: "Buy a better pair of stockings... the last ones tore easily."

When Zhang Qian saw this note, her face flushed red instantly. She bit her lip, her eyes filled with tears.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, your investment has been successful!]

[Lin Xiaoshuang's affection value reaches 75, triggering a 15x rebate! Receive cash: 3750 yuan!]

[Chen Tingting's affection value is 65, triggering a 15x rebate! She receives 3750 yuan in cash!]

[Li Jiaxin's "Favorability Value" is 65, triggering a 15x rebate! Receive cash: 3750 yuan!]

[Zhang Qian's affection value is 55, triggering a 10x rebate! Receive cash: 2500 yuan!]

Today's total earnings: 13750 yuan. Current account balance: 103750 yuan.

Bai Li felt instantly refreshed as he listened to the series of pleasant notification sounds in his mind.

It's broken 100,000 again!

"Alright, I've called a car for you. Go back to the hotel and get some sleep. Don't cause me any trouble."

Bai Li called a private car for them. He watched as the four girls squeezed into the car and waved goodbye to him reluctantly before he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

......

Meanwhile, at the county people's hospital, in the emergency observation room.

Xia Qing slowly opened her eyes, her mind a complete blank.

"Xiao Qing! You're finally awake!"

As soon as Xia's mother, who was keeping watch by the bedside, saw her daughter open her eyes, she immediately leaned closer, her eyes red-rimmed.

"You scared your mother to death! The doctor said it was because she was so angry that she fainted, and she also had low blood sugar."

"Dad... Mom..." Xia Qing's voice was hoarse.

Memories flooded back like a tide.

An engagement party, an offensive recording, the ridicule of the crowd, Wang Dayong's slap...

And then there was the Panamera, blindingly bright in the sunlight, and Bai Li's cold, resolute gaze.

"It's alright, Xiaoqing." Xia's mother held her daughter's cold hand, still nagging, "That Wang Dayong is a real scoundrel! We're not going to stay with him! Luckily we didn't get a marriage certificate, or we would have lost a lot."

"Yes," Xia's father said indignantly.

"We should stay away from that kind of pervert from now on. Xiao Qing, don't be sad, don't think about that fatso anymore, he's not worth it."

"Who misses him?"

Xia Qing sat up abruptly, and because she stood up so suddenly, her vision went black, and she almost fell back down.

She gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with venom:

"Don't mention that disgusting fat bastard to me! Anyone who thinks about him is an idiot! Just thinking about his fat makes me want to throw up!"

Mr. and Mrs. Xia were stunned for a moment.

"So what are you doing...?"

"My phone! Give me my phone!" Xia Qing stretched out her hand, looking anxious.

Xia's mother quickly rummaged through her bag and took out her phone, handing it to her.

Bai Li was all she could think about now.

A Panamera costing 1.3 million in cash, a handsome face, a strong physique, and the extravagance to spend money like water.

That was a treasure she once possessed, but which she herself threw into the trash can!

If it weren't for that damned Wang Dayong, and if it weren't for my momentary lapse of judgment,

The person sitting in the passenger seat of that luxury car right now, enjoying the envious glances of everyone, should be Xia Qing!

Instead of those disreputable young women!

"Bai Li...you love me, you must love me..."

Xia Qing muttered nervously to herself as she rapidly typed a line of text:

Bai Li, I know I was wrong. Seeing you today made me realize that you've always been the only one in my heart. That Wang Dayong is a liar; he deceived me! Can you come see me? I'm in the hospital, and I miss you so much.

Click send.

A glaring red exclamation mark instantly popped up on the screen.

The message has been sent, but the recipient has rejected it.

Xia Qing froze, staring intently at the red exclamation mark, as if it were an unbelievable symbol.

Blocked?

He actually blocked me?

No matter how much they argued before, no matter how much she humiliated him for being poor, Bai Li never blocked her.

"Impossible...this is impossible..."

Xia Qing gritted her teeth, unable to accept reality.

But soon, as if grasping at the last straw, she began to hypnotize herself.

"He must still be angry with me... Yes, he must be really angry!"

Xia Qing grabbed her messy hair, her eyes becoming somewhat manic:

"It's precisely because of such deep love that I'm so critical! If he didn't care about me, why did he come to cause trouble today? Why did he humiliate Wang Dayong in front of so many people?"

"He did it all to get revenge for me! He just wanted to steal the bride!"

"As for those 'spirited young women'..." Xia Qing sneered, a hint of contempt on her face:

"It's just an act. How could that low-class delinquent girl be worthy of him now? She must have been hired to annoy me."

"Bai Li is waiting for me to back down, waiting for me to go and apologize to him."

Xia Qing abruptly threw off the covers, not caring that she was still wearing that dirty wedding dress, and was about to get out of bed barefoot.

"Xiao Qing! Where are you going!" Xia's mother was startled and quickly hugged her.

"Let me go!" Xia Qing struggled, her eyes burning with fervor. "I'm going to find him! I'm going to find Bai Li! I need to talk to him face to face!"

"If I just cry, if I just hug him and act cute, he'll definitely forgive me! We used to be so close... he always listened to me the most!"

"I'm going to tell him I'm willing to marry him! I'm willing to marry him even without a dowry!"