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

The next morning.

Today is auspicious for: sleeping; inauspicious for: gatherings.

The phone on the bedside table vibrated, breaking the silence of the room.

[Li Mengmeng: Brother Bai Li, are you awake? I got up at five o'clock to get my hair done! I'm fighting for you today (ง •_•)ง]

Looking at the emoticons on the screen, Bai Li could even imagine the little girl waving her pink fists, her twin ponytails swaying wildly in the air.

He replied with "OK," then lifted the covers and got out of bed.

The sound of running water came from the bathroom.

Not long after, the door opened, and Zhang Qian, wrapped in a bath towel, walked out through the steam.

She wasn't wearing makeup, and her clean-cut face gave her a gentle and graceful look, though her blue hair was somewhat noticeable.

"Big brother..." She saw Bai Li and instinctively gripped the edge of the bath towel, her voice trembling slightly, "Should I...should I change my clothes now?"

"Change." Bai Li was shaving and glanced at her through the mirror. "Just wear the outfit I bought yesterday."

Ten minutes later.

Two figures were reflected in the half-length mirror at the Hanting Hotel.

If Zhang Qian in her "spirited young lady" outfit is a piece of unpolished jade covered in dust...

At that moment, she was like a piece of jade meticulously sculpted by a top craftsman.

The dark green velvet dress hugged her body perfectly, and the fabric's unique drape and sheen suppressed her original vulgar, frivolous girl vibe, replacing it with a cool and sophisticated aura.

Especially those silver stilettos, like two sharp blades, supported her faltering confidence.

She stood there, her back straight, her breathing slightly rapid due to nervousness, causing her chest to rise and fall quite spectacularly.

Bai Li stood beside her.

Today he wore a perfectly tailored black cashmere coat over a turtleneck sweater, which concealed the ambiguous mark on his neck.

With his 1.87-meter height and that face optimized by the system, even without saying a word, just standing there is enough to make women's legs go weak.

In this small county where bread-style clothing is the mainstream, these two look like they stepped right out of a movie poster.

"Big brother..." Zhang Qian looked at herself in the mirror, then at the man beside her, her eyes somewhat dazed.

"Is this really me? I feel like... I'm not going to a class reunion, I'm walking a red carpet."

"Be confident." Bai Li reached out and tidied a strand of hair on her shoulder. "You're my date."

Bai Li looked at her in the mirror and said calmly, "No one but me is qualified to make you bow down. When we get there, you just need to look beautiful; leave the rest to me."

Looking at Bai Li's deep, peach-blossom eyes in the mirror, Zhang Qian's anxiety miraculously subsided.

Yes, she's the eldest brother's woman.

If her older brother says she can do it, then even the King of Heaven himself would have to say so.

"Yes!" Zhang Qian nodded heavily, straightened her chest, and the timid look in her eyes finally faded a little.

"Let's go." Bai Li picked up the car keys. "Let's fill our stomachs first. Even in war, we need to eat our fill."

As the two walked out of the room and passed through the corridor, the Panamera lay quietly downstairs, like a wild beast poised to pounce.

Bai Li didn't go to any high-end restaurant just because he was wearing expensive clothes. Instead, he stopped in front of a time-honored spicy soup shop.

While Zhang Qian went to get a spoon, Bai Li took out his phone.

Last night, Lin Xiaoshuang's affection value reached 80, so of course I had to take advantage of her cashback reward, especially since Lin Xiaoshuang had already become my woman.

He opened WeChat and transferred 1,000 yuan to Lin Xiaoshuang.

[Note: Sweetie, remember to eat breakfast when you wake up, don't go hungry.]

The next second, the 50x return arrived in my account.

How could anyone not be happy to receive tens of thousands of dollars in the time it takes to have breakfast?

"Big brother, what are you laughing at?" Zhang Qian came back with a spoon and noticed the lingering smile on Bai Li's lips, which piqued her curiosity.

"It's nothing." Bai Li put away her phone and stirred the soup in her bowl with a cheerful expression. "I just thought of something happy. Eat up."

The spiciness of the hot and sour soup warmed their stomachs.

Bai Li sipped her soup slowly, her phone screen on the table constantly lit up, and the WeChat group notification sounds kept trembling like someone with Parkinson's disease.

That's a high school classmates' group chat.

In the past, this group was as quiet as a mass grave. Except for the occasional message from someone saying "cut a knife", almost no one spoke.

But today, this group is alive.

[Zhao Gang: @Everyone, brothers and sisters, are you all up yet? Everything's arranged for us at the Triumph Hotel's "Emperor's Hall" at noon today!]

[Zhao Gang: I specifically called their manager, Mr. Liu, to reserve this private room. Seats are incredibly scarce at the end of the year; it's only because I have connections that I could get a table. Anyone else, even with money, wouldn't be able to get a reservation!]

Even through the screen, Bai Li could smell the overwhelming air of showing off.

Soon, people in the group followed suit and started praising him.

[Li Long: It has to be Gang Ge! Kai Xuan is the only four-star hotel in our county, I heard that a meal there must cost at least 888 yuan, right?]

[Wang Fang: Wow! Gang Ge is awesome! I've never been to the Emperor's Hall before, I heard the chandeliers inside are all crystal!]

[Liu Qiang: Gang's a boss now, driving an Audi A4. Unlike us wage earners, we can't even save a penny all year. Gang, if you know any ways to make money in the future, you'll have to share with us!]

Zhao Gang clearly enjoyed being the center of attention, sent a "smug" emoji, and started acting all high and mighty again.

[Zhao Gang: Hey, it's nothing. We're all classmates, the point is to have a good time. Besides, it's not easy for our class to get together, so of course we have to make a big show of it.]

[Zhao Gang: If some people think it's too high-class to come, or are afraid of embarrassing themselves if they do, then they can stay home. We're not short of chopsticks anyway. @Bai Li]

This is practically a direct, face-to-face attack.

Before Bai Li could make a move, Zhang Qian, sitting opposite him, frowned first.

Although she wasn't in that group, she knew what kind of person Zhao Gang was.

"Big brother...is that Zhao Gang causing trouble again?"

Bai Li ignored Zhao Gang's provocation, simply stuffing the last bite of the fried dough stick into his mouth, too lazy to even type.

Just then, a discordant message suddenly popped up in the group chat.

[Wang Wei: Oh, where did Young Master Zhao strike it rich? His arrogance is even bigger than athlete's foot.]

[Wang Wei: I remember back in school you practically begged to be my dad for the cigarette butts I and Li Ge used to smoke. So, you know Manager Liu now? Does Manager Liu know about your past?]

As soon as these words were spoken, the previously lively group chat fell silent.

Wang Wei.

Bai Li looked at the name, and the smile in her eyes became more genuine.

This is his best friend from high school, and he's a genius.

This guy has a sharp tongue but a warm heart. He later went to the south for a job and I heard he's doing quite well there.

Bai Li hadn't even had a chance to contact him since he returned, but he had already started firing off.

Zhao Gang on the other end of the screen probably turned green with rage, and it took him a long time to reply.

[Zhao Gang: Wang Wei, are you fucking crazy? Looking for a fight during the New Year? I'm driving an Audi right now!]

[Wang Wei: Pfft, I thought it was an A8? A small A4 with a black pen? And stop tagging Li Ge, what business is it of yours whether he comes or not? Do you want to smoke his cigarette butts, or do you want him to hear how you started out cleaning toilets for rich women?]

[Zhao Gang: You!!! Wang Wei, you just wait! Wait till we meet, let's see if you're still so stubborn!]

[Wang Wei: I'm waiting. Remember to brush your teeth clean. You're the worst at eating shit.]

Bai Li couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Wang Wei's fighting ability is still so formidable.

"Are you full?" Bai Li put away her phone and took a tissue to wipe her mouth.

"I'm full." Zhang Qian quickly put down her spoon and picked up her handbag.

"Let's go." Bai Li stood up, the hem of his coat drawing a clean arc in the air.

He pushed open the door, and the cold winter wind rushed in, clearing his head.

"Let's go see what surprise our young master Zhao has prepared for us."