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

Five o'clock in the morning.

The air was filled with the sweet aftertaste of a beautiful scene.

Lin Xiaoshuang was clinging to Bai Li like a koala, using both her hands and feet.

Bai Li's body was numb from being pressed down on him. He tried to move, but the girl held him tightly, as if afraid he would run away in his dream.

"He really thinks he's some kind of accessory."

Bai Li sighed helplessly, gently pulled her arm out a little, and casually grabbed the phone from the bedside table.

Good guy.

As soon as the screen lit up, the WeChat icon in the upper right corner was covered with a dense array of red dots, 99+, which was dizzying to look at.

When I clicked on it, it was all Li Mengmeng.

What are you doing? Pay attention to me!!

[Brother Bai Li, you didn't really go and do *that*, did you...?]

[Image.jpg] (A meme of a pitiful-looking kitten)

There was a half-hour pause in the middle, probably while I was imagining a big drama, and then the style suddenly changed.

Waaah, please don't ignore me! I was wrong, I shouldn't have asked so many questions.

Why haven't you replied yet? Are you exhausted?

[That's not what I meant! I meant I'm in a bad mood, waaaaaah!]

Looking at the screen full of rambling thoughts, Bai Li could picture Li Mengmeng lying on the bed, crying pitifully while frantically tapping on her phone.

Bai Li's lips curled up slightly as his fingers flew across the screen.

[Bai Li: Oh my god, why didn't you say so earlier!]

After I sent it, there was no response from the other side.

I guess I couldn't stay awake any longer and finally fell asleep.

Bai Li was just about to put down her phone and go back to sleep when the screen suddenly lit up again.

This time it wasn't Li Mengmeng, but Jiang Ruyue, whom I had almost forgotten.

Jiang Ruyue: Good morning.

Bai Li raised an eyebrow. Was this girl born in the Year of the Rooster? Getting up so early?

[Bai Li: You're not asleep either?]

The reply came quickly, and the tone of their reply was serious.

[Jiang Ruyue: Just woke up. I usually get up at 5:30 for school; my biological clock is used to it.]

Bai Li suddenly realized.

Indeed, the high school seniors from four provinces were truly beasts of burden.

Getting up at five or six to read aloud is a muscle memory ingrained in my bones; even during winter break, my body is still very honest about it.

Since he was already woken up, Bai Li adjusted his posture, pulled Lin Xiaoshuang's head into the crook of his arm, and typed with one hand.

[Bai Li: Okay. Are you sober now? Can you tell me why you insisted on adding me?]

[Bai Li: Don't give me that love-at-first-sight nonsense, I don't believe in that.]

The screen displayed "Typing..." for a long time.

It seemed like he was organizing his words, or perhaps struggling with how to begin.

Two full minutes later, a long message arrived.

[Jiang Ruyue: I think... that woman next to you with the blue hair is really cool and free.]

Jiang Ruyue: Say whatever you want, go wherever you want, without having to worry about what others think.

[Jiang Ruyue: I can tell they all listen to you, so you must be a really powerful gangster.]

Jiang Ruyue: So... I want to follow you.

Bai Li almost burst out laughing when she saw these lines of text.

This logic is so simplistic it's almost heartbreaking.

In his eyes, Zhang Qian and the others were driven to desperation by life.

That's not freedom at all.

But in the eyes of Jiang Ruyue, a flower protected in a greenhouse, this wild state actually became cool?

"A gangster boss?"

If I hadn't cheated, I'd be eating instant noodles with them at an internet cafe right now.

[Bai Li: Little sister, do you have some misunderstanding about what it means to be in the underworld?]

[Bai Li: They had no choice. You have a choice; studying hard is more important than anything else.]

[Bai Li: Moreover, the freedom you see always comes at a price.]

Jiang Ruyue: But I'm going crazy.

This reply was very short, but it revealed an overwhelming sense of frustration.

[Jiang Ruyue: You know what? My mom even controls the color of my socks. Besides black, white, and gray, no fourth color is allowed.]

[Jiang Ruyue: Skirts must be below the knee, you can't show your teeth when you laugh, and you can't make noise while eating. At school, you have to maintain the image of a "good student," otherwise the teacher will contact your parents, and they'll feel embarrassed.]

Jiang Ruyue: Everyone praises me for being well-behaved and sensible. But I feel like a puppet on a string; it's so tiring.

Jiang Ruyue: I want to rebel just once. Even if it's just once.

Bai Li roughly understood.

This is a classic example of the spring effect. The harder you press, the stronger the rebound.

This girl doesn't want to join the underworld; she just wants an outlet, to shatter that perfect shell she's wearing.

And she, a scumbag who doesn't look like a good person, along with the combination of a quirky young woman and a cute little girl by her side, became the hammer that broke the rules in her eyes.

[Bai Li: To rebel, you don't necessarily have to run away from home or become a hoodlum.]

[Bai Li: You could try communicating with your parents, or expressing your thoughts on small matters.]

After posting this, Bai Li felt like a caring older brother, radiating the light of righteousness.

However, the next second, Jiang Ruyue's reply extinguished his righteous light.

Jiang Ruyue: I secretly resisted.

Jiang Ruyue: I've already gone too far.

Bai Li: ?

Immediately afterwards, an image loaded.

Bai Li's eyes, which had been squinting, suddenly widened, his pupils dilating violently.

The photo was taken in front of a mirror; the face wasn't shown, only the area from the neck down to the thighs.

The background is a girl's bedroom, which is neat and pink.

But in this well-behaved girl's room, the woman in the photo is wearing an extremely incongruous set of lingerie.

The seductive black lace, with so many cutouts that it's easy to expose oneself with the slightest movement, is both tacky and revealing.

Originally, this kind of thing could only be seen in nightclubs.

But now, it's worn by Jiang Ruyue, a top-tier obedient girl.

Her fair, delicate, pampered skin contrasted sharply with the black lace, creating a striking visual impact.

That contrast was like dragging a beautiful flower from a high mountain into a muddy sea of ​​desire.

It's both innocent and alluring, with an awkward yet seductive quality.

[Jiang Ruyue: I'll secretly wear this when no one's home.]

[Jiang Ruyue: How was it? Was I very rebellious?]

Bai Li felt a dryness in her throat and subconsciously swallowed.

This girl... she's really daring.

Is this naivety, or wildness?

[Bai Li: What are you doing?]

[Bai Li: You can just send this kind of photo to men? Are you crazy?]

Although he was lecturing, he had to admit that his fingers honestly clicked on the photo to enlarge it and carefully examined it.

It has to be said that although the child has just turned 18, his figure is truly amazing.

Jiang Ruyue: I haven't shown it to anyone else.

Jiang Ruyue: You're the first.

[Jiang Ruyue: I don't think you're the type to talk nonsense. Besides...aren't you a bad person? Showing this to a bad person would be considered rebellious, right?]

This logic is...flawless.

They've completely messed up Bai Li's mind.

You might say she's naive, but she dares to post photos like that;

You might say she's bold, but she posted this to prove her "rebelliousness," and it even has the seriousness of handing in homework to a teacher.

Like a child who has just learned to misbehave for the first time, running up to an adult and showing off a stolen bag of spicy snacks:

"Look! Aren't I naughty!"

What a bold and silly guy.

Bai Li took a deep breath, feeling that her already strong morning temper was amplified by these few strands of black lace.

[Bai Li: Uh, post more of what I like to read in the future...]

The moment the message was sent, Bai Li's hand trembled.

Grass.

I've finally let my thoughts out.

He quickly tried to salvage the situation.

[Bai Li: No, I dialed the wrong number. Look at my hand, it just won't go under my control.]

[Bai Li: What I mean is, it doesn't necessarily have to be this way. This way is too dangerous. You should talk to your parents properly; you're grown up now and have your own ideas.]

However, Jiang Ruyue clearly only saw the first sentence.

[Jiang Ruyue: You just said you wanted to see this.]

Jiang Ruyue: Since you want to see it, I'll show you another one.

Jiang Ruyue: As long as you take me out to play.

"bite."

Another photo.

This time it's from the side; the curve of the lace digging into the flesh is simply criminal.

Bai Li: "..."

[Bai Li: Did you even read what I said after that?!]

He tossed his phone aside, feeling a throbbing pain in his temples.

Who can stand this?

He's a normal, hot-blooded man, not some saint.

Bai Li turned over and looked at Lin Xiaoshuang with a resentful gaze.

Lin Xiaoshuang was still asleep, her rosy little face completely unguarded, her lips slightly pouting.

"Xiao Shuang".

Bai Li leaned close to her ear, his voice a little hoarse.

"Um……?"

Lin Xiaoshuang groggily hummed, her eyes still closed: "Stop it... I'm so sleepy..."

"Wake up, get up and eat something delicious."

Bai Li's icy hand naturally rested on her neck.

"what……"

Lin Xiaoshuang shivered from the cold and finally opened her eyes a crack.

Seeing Bai Li's eyes glowing green, she shrank further into the blankets in fright, her voice trembling with tears:

"Big brother...maybe we shouldn't..."

"Please go find Sister Tingting or Jiaxin... I beg you..."

She was really scared.

Bai Li, however, had no intention of letting her go.

Why did this little girl insist on sleeping next to him last night?

Occupying a position without using it?

"no."

He looked into Lin Xiaoshuang's terrified yet shy eyes and spoke nonsense with a straight face:

"Xiaoshuang, do you know? I really liked sprinkler trucks when I was little."

Lin Xiaoshuang's mind was still blank; she couldn't keep up with Bai Li's leaps of thought at all, and asked stupidly:

"Why...why?"

Bai Li chuckled mischievously, lowered his head, and bit those alluring red lips:

"Because it will sing while it's sprinkling water."

"When I grew up, I realized I liked you even more."

...(I've already told you to stop writing, okay?)

Lin Xiaoshuang was stunned for a few seconds.

Immediately, her little face turned as red as a ripe tomato at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"Big brother, you... Waaah!!"

The protest was invalid.

The fire drill officially began early in the morning.