"Young Miss, Young Miss!" As the thugs melted into the alley’s far end, the chauffeur charged in with four or five men whose boots hit like a drumline. Steel-straight backs, frost-hard gazes—their military air gave them away at a glance.

"Nana, so you really are from a military family." Little Loli’s golden hair swayed like wheat in a breeze as she touched Joanna’s cheek.

Guilt tightened Joanna’s voice before the words. "Yeah. I didn’t tell you before, and I dragged you into this. I’m sorry..."

Still a little shaky, the two girls hurried over to Cai Wenbin. "Classmate Cai Wenbin, thank you for saving us."

"But how did you even know we were trapped?" Little Loli finished thanking him and fired the question.

"Ah, that." He grinned, shameless as a stray cat. "I saw you two back on Hualan Street, didn’t dare say hi, so I just… followed."

"And that goofy act just now? It was to throw them off. Make them underestimate me so I could end them quick." Cai Wenbin scratched his head with a sheepish smile.

"Hey, that’s not the point. Why were you tailing us?" Joanna sprang in, eyes sharp.

"Uh… because you two were too pretty to ignore. Especially classmate Xiao Qianxue. Before I knew it, I was…" He kept scratching, his smile crooked.

The chauffeur and the soldierly men reached Joanna. "Young Miss, thank heaven you’re unharmed. What happened?"

Joanna laid it out, start to finish. When he heard it, the chauffeur strode to Cai Wenbin, gripped his hand with earnest warmth. "Mr. Cai, thank you for saving our Miss. I’ll come by to thank you properly another day."

"Aw, I was just passing by and lending a hand. No need to make a big deal out of it." Cai Wenbin smiled politely.

"Passing by?" "Lending a hand?" Little Loli and Joanna echoed one after the other.

Cai Wenbin laughed, hand to the back of his head. "Man, what a beautiful day, huh? Don’t you think? Ha ha."

"Sure is. Ha ha ha." The clueless chauffeur blinked, at a loss, then joined the laughter like a cymbal late to the band.

The silly scene made the two little lolis cover their mouths and giggle like sparrows behind leaves.

"All right, I won’t keep you. I just remembered I’ve got business here. Pardon me. Farewell, you two beautiful ladies." Cai Wenbin waved and slipped into the crowd like a fish under ripples.

"Miss, are you okay?" The chauffeur suddenly remembered the other girl and hurried to check.

"Of course I’m fine. Do I look not fine?" Little Loli’s answer was playful, eyes bright as stars. The chauffeur went a bit dazed, his mind a kite in the wind, then came back to himself. "It’s getting late. Let’s head back." Truth was, if more trouble cropped up, he’d be dead when he reported in.

"Mm, it is getting late. Nana, let’s go." Little Loli squeezed her bestie’s hand. Worry pricked at her too, so she agreed without fuss.

Longteng Complex. A Bentley sprawled across the gate again like a sleeping beast. Cheeks faintly pink, Little Loli eased out of the car.

"Then, see you, Xiaoxue." Joanna looked wholly satisfied as she eyed the slightly rumpled Xiao Qianxue.

"Okay, see you." Xiaoxue’s mouth twitched, then she tiptoed back home.

"Dad, Mom, I’m back." Her voice carried a trace of fatigue as it floated into the house.

"Oh, my precious girl is back!" Her mom bustled out of the kitchen and swept her into a hug.

"Xiaoxue, perfect timing. I was about to call you." Mom took off Xiaoxue’s little hat and ran a hand through that silky gold hair.

"Mom, go finish dinner. I’m going to my room to rest." Xiaoxue spoke, then turned and slipped into her room.

Excitement fluttered first, quick as wings, then thought snapped into place. Tonight’s a big job. I need to get ready.

At dinner, Xiaoxue stuffed her cheeks like a chipmunk and mumbled, "Hey, isn’t Dad coming back?"

"No. That rascal said there’s something urgent at the company. It’s just us girls tonight. Here, eat more of this—it’s good for you." Her mom’s gaze was warm as lamplight.

Looks like tonight’s outing can go smoothly. Xiaoxue picked up speed, chopsticks darting like swallows.

"Slow down, Xiaoxue. That’s no way for a lady to eat."

Afterward, the golden little beauty flopped on the sofa and watched anime. Time slipped past like water—an hour and a half was gone.

"Mom, I’m going to sleep. Night." She glanced at the hall clock, voice heavy with staged drowsiness.

"Okay. Sleep early, no looking at your phone." Mom seemed ready to turn in too.

Inside her room, Little Loli shut the door fast, then moved like a drawn bow. She changed into a fitted black long-sleeve and tight black pants, wound her golden hair up, and climbed onto the windowsill.

"The hunt begins…" Under the moon, the crimson in her eyes looked feral; one eye gold, one eye red, like twin embers. She licked her lips, slid into combat mode, and slipped out the window with a quiet whoosh.

"Boss, rotten luck today. We could’ve grabbed those two little girls easy, then some hero-wannabe jumped out. Messed up the plan and hurt a bunch of our brothers." In a basement that smelled of damp cement, a thug talked at the leader slumped on a sofa. If Cai Wenbin hadn’t shown up, you’d be dry husks by now.

"Damn it, I got too impatient. Should’ve ignored that brat and pulled out. Might’ve worked." The leader smacked the coffee table and swore. "Yeah, yeah," the prone thugs on the floor chimed in like broken radios.

A sharply dressed middle-aged man stepped into the basement then, two black-suited bodyguards at his back. "Did you finish what I told you to do?" His voice carried the weight of a gavel.

"Ah!" The leader jolted upright. "We almost had it, but some would-be hero ruined the plan," he said, standing, posture suddenly respectful.

"Waste." The man’s shout cracked like thunder. He turned to the two behind him. "Break his arm."

"Understood, boss." The two stepped forward and clamped the leader’s shoulders.

"No, you can’t! Give me one more chance. I’ll get it done. Believe me!" He wrenched free on desperation alone, dropped to his knees, and kowtowed until beads of blood dotted the concrete. "Please, one more chance!"

The middle-aged man watched the blood spread like small red flowers, then finally spoke. "Fine. Seeing you like this, I’ll give you one more chance. I’m not cold-blooded. I was going to take an arm… now it’s just a pinkie. Remember, fail again and what comes off won’t be a hand. It’ll be your head." He flicked a hand and walked out.

The bodyguards handled it clean and quick, then followed him up the stairs.

When they were gone, the leader wrapped his bleeding pinkie with gauze, eyes venom-dark. "You hear that? Fail again and it’s your heads." He limped back to the sofa, jaw tight enough to crack a tooth. "Just wait. Next time I’ll make them pay."

"So this is the place…" Little Loli stood atop a high-rise, her gold hair flowing like flame in the night wind. One eye gold, one red; both fixed on the opposite building’s basement. The blood sigil burned under her skin, pointing true as a compass.

"All right. The hunt begins."