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

Winter nights come early, and the streetlights cast long shadows.

After Bai Li directed the designated driver to park the car, he lit a cigarette.

"Fine, whether you stick your neck out or not, you'll get stabbed anyway."

Bai Li stubbed out her cigarette and got out of the car.

I was completely taken aback by what I saw by the flower bed as soon as I got to the bottom of the building.

Xia Qing stood there, having changed her clothes and washed her face, but she couldn't hide her resentful, womanly air.

She was wearing an ordinary down jacket, her arms wrapped around her shoulders, shivering like a sieve in the cold wind.

And standing next to her was a small figure.

The girl was wearing a cream-colored lamb wool coat, a JK plaid skirt, thin white stockings over her legs, and small leather shoes.

Even with a thick coat, the curve of her chest was still astonishing, as if two basketballs were hidden inside her clothes.

Two pigtails hung down her shoulders, the ends of which were slightly curled and swayed with her movements.

"Bai Li!"

Xia Qing's eyes lit up the moment she saw Bai Li. She rushed over in her high heels, putting on the "pitiful" expression she had practiced countless times.

"You're finally back. I've been waiting for you all afternoon."

Bai Li didn't even look at her; her gaze went straight past Xia Qing and landed on Li Mengmeng beside her.

"This is..." Bai Li narrowed his eyes, a scene from the depths of his memory beginning to overlap: "Li Mengmeng?"

That country bumpkin from high school who always kept her head down and spoke in a soft voice, and was treated like a maid by Xia Qing?

When Li Mengmeng heard Bai Li call her name, her body trembled violently.

She slowly raised her head, revealing a face as delicate as a porcelain doll.

Her big eyes were watery, her eyelashes fluttered, and her cheeks were rosy from the cold, like ripe peaches.

"Hello, Brother Bai... Bai Li."

Her voice was still so soft, it made your bones melt.

[Ding! Goddess Radar activated.]

[Target: Xia Qing. Attraction Level: 5 (Note: She's a complete gold digger, all scheming, no feelings whatsoever).]

[Target: Li Mengmeng. Affection Level: 30 (Note: It's the flutter of adolescence and the joy of a long-awaited reunion. She genuinely wants you to pat her head.)]

Bai Li almost burst out laughing when he saw those two numbers.

5 and 30.

This gap is bigger than the 1.3 million car and Xia Qing's thick skin.

"Mengmeng? It really is you! You've become so beautiful. I almost didn't recognize you."

Bai Li ignored the junk stock with only 5 points, smiled and walked up to Li Mengmeng, speaking in a gentle tone as if coaxing a child.

Li Mengmeng's face turned even redder, her little hands twisting the hem of her clothes, her heart pounding like a drum.

[He still remembers me after all this time!]

[And he complimented me on my looks! My brother complimented me on my looks!]

"It's...it's alright~" Li Mengmeng lowered her head shyly, secretly glancing at Bai Li out of the corner of her eye.

Brother Bai Li... has become even more handsome!

He's a hundred times more handsome than I remember!

Moreover, this coat and this aura are simply walking hormones.

Xia Qing, left standing to the side, turned green with rage.

She brought Li Mengmeng over to highlight her own misery and deep affection, not to have her participate in a beauty pageant!

"Bai Li!" Xia Qing grabbed Li Mengmeng's arm and shoved her forward, her tone sharp:

"Don't change the subject! I brought Mengmeng here today because I want to talk to you and get this straight!"

"Mengmeng, kneel down!" Xia Qing suddenly gave the order.

Li Mengmeng was stunned for a moment, clearly not keeping up with this crazy woman's pace.

"Didn't you say you'd help me? Let's kneel down together and beg Bai Li to forgive me!" Xia Qing said confidently, pressing hard on Li Mengmeng's shoulders, trying to push her down.

A hint of disgust flashed in Li Mengmeng's eyes. Just as she was about to bend her knees, a strong hand suddenly reached out and firmly supported her elbow.

"Why are you kneeling?" Bai Li's voice was as cold as ice. "The Qing Dynasty is long gone. Xia Qing, is your brain filled with bound feet?"

He pulled Li Mengmeng behind him, shielding her like an eagle protecting its chicks.

"Is Mengmeng's knee meant to kneel for scum like you?" Bai Li looked down at Xia Qing, his eyes full of mockery.

"If you want to kneel, kneel yourself. Don't drag others down with you."

Li Mengmeng hid behind Bai Li, looking at his broad back, the faint smell of tobacco lingering in her nose, and she almost melted.

She quietly extended a finger and gently hooked the back of Bai Li's coat.

My brother is protecting me... My brother is scolding the bad woman... It feels so good.

Xia Qing watched this scene in disbelief.

Bai Li used to listen to her the most, but now he's scolding her for the sake of a little follower?

"Bai Li! What do you mean? You've taken a fancy to this short, stocky girl?" Xia Qing was furious and blurted out, "She's a brainless idiot, why are you protecting her?"

"It's better than protecting a green tea b*tch like you who treats her fiancé like an ATM and listens to porn movies at the engagement party." Bai Li retorted mercilessly.

After saying that, he turned around, gently patted Li Mengmeng's head, and his tone instantly switched back to gentle mode:

"Ignore this mad dog. It's cold outside, go home early, or you'll catch a cold."

"Okay, I understand, brother." Li Mengmeng nodded obediently, her big eyes seeming to be filled with two pools of spring water.

Xia Qing was furious at the two of them exchanging glances.

But she knew that she had messed up the performance today, and that continuing to make a scene would only make her look more embarrassed.

"Li Mengmeng! Are you leaving or not?!" Xia Qing rushed over, grabbed Li Mengmeng's wrist, and glared fiercely at Bai Li:

"Fine, Bai Li, you're ruthless. We'll see! Mengmeng, let's go!"

Thinking she could still control Li Mengmeng, she dragged her outside.

Li Mengmeng was dragged along, staggering a few steps, and looked back at Bai Li.

That one glance—where was the trace of naivety?

She winked her left eye at Bai Li, a very faint, mischievous smile playing on her lips, like a little fox who had just stolen a chicken.

Xia Qing dragged Li Mengmeng all the way to the outside of the residential area.

Despite the howling wind, Xia Qing's inner fire burned ever brighter.

"Mengmeng, what's wrong with you?" Xia Qing released her grip, pointed at Li Mengmeng's nose, and began to scold, "Why didn't you kneel just now? Are you trying to seduce Bai Li because he's rich?"

"No, Sister Qingqing..." Li Mengmeng rubbed her wrist, which had been scratched red, her eyes red-rimmed, her voice trembling with tears, "You scratched me too hard..."

"Pain? You deserve to be in so much pain!" Xia Qing said, hands on her hips, spitting as she spoke.

"Let me tell you, men are all like that, they'll only get more aggressive the more you ignore them. We're on the same side now, you have to listen to me!"

"Think of a way to add Bai Li on WeChat and then block him! We need to isolate him together and let him know he's nothing!"

Li Mengmeng lowered her head, looking like a timid and submissive victim: "But... isn't blocking me a bit inappropriate?"

"What's wrong with that? Listen to me!" Xia Qing threatened fiercely, "If you don't listen, I'll post about you wetting the bed in high school on my WeChat Moments, and you can forget about playing with me anymore!"

"Okay, okay, I'll listen to my sister..."

Li Mengmeng obediently took out her phone and, in front of Xia Qing, clicked on Bai Li's profile picture.

However, when she swiped her finger across the screen, she wasn't blocking the recording; instead, she was pressing the end button on the recording function.

[The recording has been saved.]

"Alright, go home now." Xia Qing waved her hand dismissively, as if shooing away a beggar, after seeing that she had finished. "Remember, don't secretly contact him!"

Watching Xia Qing's limping figure disappear into the distance, the timidity on Li Mengmeng's face vanished instantly.

She stood under the streetlight, took out a lollipop and stuffed it into her mouth, her cheeks puffed out, her eyes full of mockery.

"Idiot."

Li Mengmeng took out her phone, her fingers flying across the screen.

【Mengmeng: Voice message 59"】(The content is Xia Qing's vicious curses and threats just now)

Immediately following was another voice message, this one sung with a sobbing tone.

[Mengmeng: Brother Bai Li... Sister Qingqing has become so fierce, I'm so scared. She's going to post my embarrassing past on social media and isolate me... Waaah, brother, what should I do? I'll listen to you~]

After posting that, she sent another emoji: a little hamster huddled in a corner, trembling.