A little past seven, a Ferrari purred to a stop at the gate of Jinxiu Garden, its crimson hide gleaming like a koi under moonlight. A long‑haired beauty in sportswear stepped out, night wind combing her silk‑dark hair back, revealing a face soft as fresh jade.

“Sister Coco, come play at my place again next time!” The words bubbled like a stream over pebbles.

“No… I’m never going again…” Tang Coco sighed, her voice thin as dusk mist. All afternoon, Meng Xiaoxiao had curled around her like a sleepy cat, Coco’s hands tied with ribbon, both dozing till the sky went black, so Coco’s body felt like damp cotton—spent.

“Heh, you will. See you at school tomorrow. Bye.” The farewell fluttered like a paper crane.

“Mm. May we never meet again.” Her reply was a dry leaf turning in the wind.

Meng Xiaoxiao waved and drove off, taillights fading like twin fireflies. Tang Coco turned into the villa lanes, the high‑end community shimmering with more ornament at night, lanterns and garden lights like a slow constellation. She walked the narrow path, letting the night breeze cool her like lake water, replaying the days after her transformation, every memory a dream bubble she couldn’t quite pop.

She took a corner, and a sedan lunged from the dark like a boar from brush. She kept to the edge, mind sunk in thoughts like deep tea, not caring about the car. Suddenly it swerved toward the curb, headlights knifing across her face like white blades, slicing her drift of thought clean. The car fishtailed left and right like a drunk kite; in a heartbeat she grasped the danger and flung herself aside, landing on the gravel path like a tossed swallow. The BMW didn’t slow, zigzagging away like a mad comet.

“Young Master Li, was that a person?” The question trembled like a loose string.

“Was it? You’re seeing things. Kid, did you drink too much? Weren’t you just talking big?” His voice swaggered like cheap fireworks.

“No way, you’re the one who’s drunk.” The retort slurred like thick syrup.

“I’m not drunk. Look how steady I drive—smooth as a river. We’ll be there in no time. Tonight we’re gonna have fun with a few chicks.” His laugh rattled like tin coins.

“Hahaha, we’ll do as Young Master Li says.” The agreement echoed like clinking bottles.

The BMW shot out of the villa zone like a thrown stone.

“Ugh, damn it, driving blind much? It hurts like hell.” Tang Coco sat on the gravel, pain flaring like needles under ice. She stared at her knees; the fabric at both was scraped open like torn paper, the tender skin beneath cut with bright red lines, blood welling like springwater.

“Damn, it really hurts. This body’s way too delicate.” Her thoughts thrummed like a tight drum.

The pain ran sharp as glass; this body felt too sensitive, and her endurance had thinned like worn cloth. Her eyes dampened like dew on petals. She tried to stand; halfway up, the ache bit like a dog, and she dropped back down like a toppled reed.

“Damn, still can’t get up…” The frustration hung like a gray cloud.

Footsteps rustled like sparrows. She lifted her gaze and saw a girl in a white tracksuit approaching, twin ponytails bouncing like little bells, a small face fresh as a sprout.

“Mm?” Tang Coco looked up, and their eyes met like two stars crossing. The girl froze, staring straight at Coco like a moth halted by flame.

Before her sat a figure with a sculpted shape, wounded and grounded like a fallen swan, helpless under the streetlight’s halo. And when Coco lifted her gaze, that face bloomed like peach blossom, those big eyes shining with tears like dew—fatal beauty, instant and clean.

“Ahem… could you give me a hand?” Coco’s voice brushed the moment like a feather.

“Mm… mm? Oh! Are you okay? I heard a scream and came to check.” The girl stepped closer, worry spilling like warm tea. Up close, Coco’s face stunned her, her own cute features widening like a lantern.

“Wow, such a pretty girl… how haven’t I seen you before?” Her thought fizzed like soda.

Her gaze dropped and caught Coco’s bleeding knees. “Ah! You’re bleeding!” The exclamation shot up like a firecracker.

“Uh… this girl’s a bit slow, huh. Only now she noticed the blood…” Coco’s mood flashed with a cartoonish black line, flat as ink.

“Um… hi. Could you help me? I can’t stand.” Coco softened her tone like silk turned over.

“Uh… ah… o‑okay. I’ll help you up. You’re badly hurt—let me take you to the hospital.” Panic fluttered in her voice like trapped sparrows.

“No, don’t. I’ll handle it at home.” Her refusal was calm as still water.

“Really? That’s not good, right?” Concern stuck like burrs.

“It’s fine. There’s someone at my place. I’ll be okay.” Assurance settled like a stone.

“Oh, then I’ll take you back. You can’t go alone like this.” Her offer came firm as a handrail.

“Mm. Thank you.” Gratitude breathed like incense smoke.

“No problem. Don’t mention it.” Her smile curved like a crescent.

The girl crouched, and Coco looped an arm over her shoulder like a vine finding a trellis. Though the girl was a bit shorter, Coco felt light as paper, so getting her up wasn’t too hard.

“Hiss—” Pain spiked through Coco’s knee like a sting when she stood.

“Really no hospital?” The girl’s voice pinched like a tightening string.

“It’s okay. Really.” Coco’s answer sat like a smooth pebble. In truth, the word “hospital” smelt like trouble brewing.

So the cute girl supported tangibly, and together they moved toward Ye Yiyi’s villa, steps steady as paired cranes.

“What’s your name? How have I never seen you?” The question floated like a lantern in the dark.

“I’m Tang Coco. I just started staying at a friend’s here these days.” Her reply drifted like light rain.

“Oh, got it. I’m Li Meng, I live in the West Block.” Her name chimed like a silver bell.

Li Meng? Figures—your folks must’ve named you for “adorable.” Coco’s thought grinned like a fox tail.

“Why are you out alone at this hour?” The curiosity rose like steam.

“My brother, of course. While my parents were out, he called some friends over to drink. I hate noise, so I went for a walk. On my way back, I heard a shout.” Her explanation unspooled like thread.

“Oh, that explains it. Just now, some shameless driver was tearing through here, zigzagging like a snake. Lucky I dodged fast.” Coco’s annoyance sparked like grit in gears.

“People like that exist? It’s fine—we can ask the villa security to pull the camera footage, then we’ll know who.” Her suggestion clicked like a lock.

“Mm, makes sense.” Agreement settled like dust.

They chatted while walking, and Coco endured knee pain that gnawed like cold iron… real pain, sharp and true.

“Hey, Coco, you smell so nice…” Li Meng’s comment floated like fragrance off a flower.

“…” Silence thumped like a dropped stone. Coco almost stumbled, shock wobbling like a loose wheel. In her head: So it’s endless, huh? How many times today have people said I smell good? Can we not chill… okay, not “play,” at least chat? And why can’t I smell it myself?

With that helpless thought fluttering like a tired moth, they reached Ye Yiyi’s villa.

Ding‑dong… The chime rang like a clear spring.

“Coming—Coco, right? Where’d you go? Why are you back so late?” Ye Yiyi’s voice drifted from inside like warm light.

The door swung open, and Ye Yiyi stood there in a white tee and shorts, fresh as morning milk. She saw the girl beside Coco—and recognized her like a familiar street.

“Mm? Li Meng? Why are you with Coco? Ah, Coco, you washed your makeup off?” Surprise lifted her brows like little wings.

“Oh, so Ye Yiyi is your friend,” Li Meng said to Coco, understanding blooming like a flower.

“Hi, I just ran into Coco. She’s hurt, so I brought her back.” Li Meng spoke politely, words straight as bamboo.

“Hurt? Ah! Coco, what happened? It’s serious.” Ye Yiyi finally saw the bleeding knees, shock snapping like a twig.

“Uh, it’s fine. Just a mishap… Li Meng, thank you for bringing me.” Gratitude warmed like tea.

“No need. I’ll head out now—take care and heal up.” Her farewell waved like a white handkerchief.

“Mm, bye.” The word closed like a soft door.

“Bye‑bye.” Li Meng turned and left, her steps light as petals.

Ye Yiyi hurried forward and caught Coco, worry bright as a lamp. “How did you end up like this? Be careful, will you. Quick, get inside—I’ll clean it and put on medicine.” Her urgency wrapped around Coco like a blanket.

“Hehe… it’s not my fault, okay.” Coco leaned into Ye Yiyi’s soft body, the warmth like cotton fields, and forced a smile that curled like smoke.