Aunt Li

At four in the afternoon, school was out.

"Clean the classroom thoroughly. If it’s not spotless, you’re dead tomorrow," Wu Ya said before leaving, tossing a broom at Bai Yuyou.

"Wu Ya, ready yet?" A girl was waiting for her outside the classroom.

"Coming, coming! Where are we going tonight?" Wu Ya immediately grinned.

"Karaoke. We invited some hot guys from the university next door."

"Ooh!"

The sound of Wu Ya and her friends faded as they left. Bai Yuyou looked at the broom on the floor, then slowly bent down to pick it up.

[Trust your instincts.]

For some reason, Ye Shuang’s words from noon seemed etched into her heart.

She shouldn’t be doing this.

Bai Yuyou wondered—why should she?

Her fingers tightened around the broom.

Just then, a voice came from beside her. "Let me help. We’ll finish faster."

Bai Yuyou turned and saw a boy—a classmate whose name she didn’t know.

"Why…?"

"No reason. I just can’t stand seeing them bully you," the boy scratched his head, glancing around sheepishly. After confirming no other students were left in the classroom, he added,

"It’s so unfair, dumping all this work on you."

Bai Yuyou shook her head slightly.

"Why just stand there? Let’s start cleaning. You sweep, I’ll mop," Luo Che urged, noticing Bai Yuyou’s bowed head.

But as soon as he finished speaking, Bai Yuyou looked up and said, "I… can’t clean."

A breeze drifted in from the window, sweeping aside her bangs and revealing eyes as serene as black obsidian. The face hidden beneath her bangs was strikingly beautiful, leaving Luo Che momentarily stunned.

"This isn’t my job."

"You—" Luo Che’s mouth hung open.

How… how is she so pretty?!

"So, I don’t need to do this." Bai Yuyou’s voice softened as she walked to the cleaning corner and gently set the broom down.

Picking up her bag, she headed straight for the door. Before leaving, her voice, light as the breeze, reached his ears:

"Thank you."

Luo Che stood frozen, watching her retreating figure, then suddenly chased after her. "W-wait!"

……

"Hmm, she should be coming out soon," Ye Shuang murmured, standing at the school entrance just as Bai Yuyou descended the steps.

"Let’s go." Ye Shuang smiled.

Bai Yuyou nodded and tugged lightly at his sleeve.

They walked out of the school gates.

"Hop on." A black motorcycle was parked by the roadside. Ye Shuang handed her a helmet.

Bai Yuyou didn’t know where the motorcycle came from, but she stared at it blankly until Ye Shuang motioned for her to put the helmet on.

Darkness.

"Oops, it’s backwards." Ye Shuang tapped her head lightly.

After adjusting the helmet and protective gear, Ye Shuang had her climb on and started the engine.

"Hold on tight." The moment he said it, Bai Yuyou pressed herself against his back, her warmth and softness seeping into him.

"Too tight."

"Oh…"

Despite his words, Bai Yuyou didn’t loosen her grip.

Ye Shuang didn’t mind and sped off. The scenery blurred past as Bai Yuyou rested her head against his back, noticing they weren’t heading home.

But she didn’t care. Closing her eyes, she felt an unprecedented sense of safety beside him.

Ye Shuang focused on the road ahead. The bike was borrowed from Chen Hai—an expensive one at that. Though Chen Hai had said, "Treat it like trash," Ye Shuang wasn’t about to wreck something his friend had secretly bought behind his wife’s back.

Pulling into an underground parking lot at a shopping mall, Ye Shuang led Bai Yuyou to the third floor.

It was Bai Yuyou’s first time in such a place. The bustling crowd made her instinctively reach for Ye Shuang’s hand.

"Pretty crowded, huh?" Sensing her unease, Ye Shuang clasped her hand firmly.

"Let’s go."

Feeling the warmth of his palm, Bai Yuyou nodded softly.

Outside a salon on the third floor, Ye Shuang paused, eyeing the sign.

"Welcome! Here for a haircut or styling?" A woman at the front desk greeted them with a smile.

"Is the owner in?" Ye Shuang asked.

"Yes, are you—"

"An old friend." Before he could finish, a voice dripping with sweetness called out, "Oh my, Xiao Shuangshuang! Long time no see~~~~~~~~~~~~~"

Ye Shuang was immediately engulfed in a hug, assaulted by overpowering perfume. He grimaced.

Bai Yuyou watched blankly as a man in skintight purple-and-green leather, with bleached white hair, diamond earrings, and black lipstick clung to Ye Shuang, oozing flamboyance.

"Alright, enough," Ye Shuang pushed him away and introduced him to Bai Yuyou. "This is Li Fu—"

"Naughty!" The man pressed a finger to Ye Shuang’s lips, then grinned at Bai Yuyou.

"Sweetie, call me Aunt Li."

"Aunt Li," Bai Yuyou murmured reflexively.

"Good girl~" Aunt Li giggled, circling Bai Yuyou like a hawk, lifting her arms and scrutinizing her figure.

Finally, he lifted her bangs and gasped. "Oh my, what a beauty! This fringe is ruining your face."

"Hmm, imagine in a few more years?" Aunt Li glanced back at Ye Shuang. "So, this is why you brought her here?"

"Pretty much. Her hair hasn’t been cut in years. She’s all yours, Fugui."

"Ugh, call me Li Tiantian!"

"Sure thing, Fugui."

Minutes later, Bai Yuyou was led to the shampoo station. Lying back, she blinked innocently at Ye Shuang across the room.

Aunt Li expertly lathered her hair, drawing curious glances from the staff—it wasn’t every day the owner personally washed a client’s hair.

"Such lovely hair… but what’s this knot?" Aunt Li frowned as his fingers caught on something.

"That… was burned with a lighter," Bai Yuyou said calmly, as if describing someone else’s life.

Aunt Li froze, his smile fading. He shot a look at Ye Shuang, who gave him a subtle nod.

"Don’t worry, Auntie will give you a gorgeous new look."