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

This was the first time in Bai Li's life that she had fled in such a disheveled state.

There's no way around it; even Ultraman would have to fly away in this situation.

Li Mengmeng patted her heaving chest, leaning against the Panamera's door without any regard for her image, panting heavily:

"My God, I never want to see that scene again in my life."

Bai Li took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, pulled one out, and put it in his mouth.

"Zhao Gang and Zhang Yan are completely finished this time."

"Ping County is so small, with so many mouths to feed. In less than three days, the whole county will know that Zhao Gang is the Hulk and Zhang Yan is... the crazy darling on the public transport bus."

"Forget about doing business, they probably won't even dare to pay for vegetables at the market anymore, for fear of contamination."

"Serves them right!" Li Mengmeng wrinkled her little nose and spat viciously, "Those kinds of rotten people should have died long ago!"

Bai Li smiled, turned his head, and looked at Zhang Qian beside him.

She kept her head down ever since she hit Zhang Yan.

Her blue hair hung down, covering most of her face, and she clutched the hem of her clothes with both hands.

"What's wrong?" Bai Li reached out and gently tucked a stray hair behind her ear, his voice very soft.

"Are you still not recovered?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Qian slowly raised her head.

Those eyes, which once always carried timidity, inferiority, and feigned ferocity to disguise themselves, are now completely clear.

There was no hatred, no pleasure, only a sense of relief as flowers bloomed anew on those ruins.

"Big brother..."

Zhang Qian took a step forward, ignoring Li Mengmeng watching from the side, and opened her arms to tightly wrap them around Bai Li's waist.

She buried her face in Bai Li's trench coat, rubbing against him and greedily inhaling the faint scent of tobacco on him.

"I feel great right now."

Her voice was muffled, yet it carried an unprecedented firmness:

"Really, it's really great."

"When I slapped her just now, I did feel really good. But what felt even better was... I realized I don't hate her anymore."

Bai Li didn't speak, but gently stroked her blue hair, which was somewhat unconventional but pleasing to his eye.

"I used to think that I wanted revenge, that I wanted her to experience the same thing."

Zhang Qian sniffed, looked up, her eyes still a little red, but with a light in them:

"But just now, when I saw how awful she was, I suddenly felt... it wasn't necessary."

Whether she knows she was wrong back then is unimportant. Whether her apology was sincere is unimportant. How miserable her life becomes afterward is also unimportant.

"Because no matter what, I can't get back those years of my youth."

"Those torn books, all the grievances suffered, are all in the past."

Zhang Qian paused, then tightened her grip even more, as if she wanted to meld herself into Bai Li's bones and blood.

"I can't let this kind of scumbag occupy my mind and affect my future life any longer."

"Most importantly..."

She looked at Bai Li, her eyes burning with an intense heat that seemed to ignite the air itself.

"Big brother, it's you."

"It's because you told me I'm useful."

"It's because you've never looked down on me, never looked down on me for being an uncultured young woman, and never looked down on me for not dressing well in the past."

"You're the one who bought me this outfit, you're the one who admitted in front of everyone that I'm your girlfriend, and you... helped me wash all that mud off my body."

In this distorted society, in this world full of malice, Zhang Qian was like a weed growing in a ditch.

Her parents treated her as a burden, her classmates bullied her at will, and society treated her like trash.

No one has ever given her even the slightest bit of respect.

Only Bai Li gave her respect and equality.

In front of this man, she was not a delinquent from the bottom of society, not a bullied student, nor a child who needed to beg for help to go to school.

She is Zhang Qian.

It is valuable, needed, and respected.

This feeling is more intense and more healing than even a transfer of ten thousand yuan, or the vengeful pleasure of a hundred slaps.

The wound in my heart has healed.

Bai Li filled it back in with flesh and blood called "dignity" and "love".

She finally found her own light...

【Ding--】

A crisp notification sound rang in Bai Li's mind.

But he ignored it and just quietly looked at the girl in front of him.

Zhang Qian stood on tiptoe, her lips, painted with a lipstick that could seduce men, trembling slightly. Her eyes no longer held any probing, but rather complete surrender.

"Big brother, I think I'm... hooking up with you."

"I'm not the kind of person who wants your money, nor do I want you to support me."

"I mean... my life is yours from now on."

You have to take responsibility for me.

This is probably the most beautiful and unreserved love confession a young, spirited woman could utter.

It's not elegant, but it's like laying your heart bare on the chopping board for you to see.

Bai Li smiled.

He lowered his head, his forehead touching Zhang Qian's, their noses lightly brushing together.

"certainly."

This promise, though made lightly, carries immense weight.

Zhang Qian smiled too, but this time there was no gloom in her eyes.

Her smile was bright and unrestrained, with a wild energy that was exactly what someone her age should be like.

She's still the same Zhang Qian who's always making waves on the streets, but this time, she's found her place.

Li Mengmeng, standing next to her, stared wide-eyed, the hem of her clothes that she was holding loosened at some point.

"Wow......"

She murmured softly, her big eyes sparkling, "Brother Bai Li... is so gentle."

Just now in the private room, Bai Li stood in front of her, blocking the view of those lewd male classmates;

Now, he's like a savior, piecing Zhang Qian back together bit by bit.

Who could resist a man like that?

[Ding! Target person Li Mengmeng detected. Touched by the host's charm and behavior, her affection value has increased by 10 points!]

[Current Li Mengmeng's affection level: 50 (Friendship or above)]

Bai Li ignored Li Mengmeng's little thoughts, because immediately afterward, a louder system notification exploded in his mind.

[Ding! Congratulations, host!]

[Target person Zhang Qian, her inner conflict resolved, her sense of belonging greatly enhanced!]

[Affection level surpasses 60 (Admiration)... continues to rise... surpasses 70...]

[Current Affection Level: 80 (In Love/I Can't Live Without You)!]

[Congratulations, host! Zhang Qian's affection level has reached a critical milestone!]

[Rewards being distributed...]