The moment Little Loli’s veil flicked up like morning mist, Cai Wenbin caught a brush of red on her eyes—sunset on water. No one else noticed; distance hung like fog, and time snapped like a blink.
“Huh? What are you on about?” Little Loli tilted her head, cute as a sparrow under eaves. “Ah… nothing…” Cai Wenbin chewed the thought, then let it go. “It’s my eyes. I didn’t sleep last night, went all red, so I wore a veil, okay~”
She touched the gauze with a soft, petal-small hand. The idle motion snared him like silk over a lantern. “Hey… what are you staring at me for?” She twined a strand of gold behind her like threading autumn light. “Nothing, nothing.” His old face flushed, and he turned away, heat fleeing like steam.
People saw and made waves. “So they’re lovers, right? That’s some close body language.”
“Maybe. No wonder she rejected the vice mayor’s son.”
“Yeah, yeah, makes sense.”
At a nearby table, her bargain dad gave a big thumbs-up and flashed a grin that practically went “zing,” teeth bright like polished rice bowls. Little Loli sprouted a black comic line on her forehead; you could almost see a little black wraith wagging its tail behind the golden-haired girl. Cai Wenbin saw it and broke cold sweat, rain on stone. “Uh, Xiaoxue, restroom. Excuse me.” He was gone before the echo cooled. “Seriously? Running like the wind…”
Free at last, Little Loli used the lull while everyone danced. She lifted her skirt like a startled crane and jogged back to her seat. “Phew. Back at last. Being the center of every eye just isn’t my style.” Wearing something even a touch revealing in public felt like standing in lantern glare—she wasn’t used to it.
“It’s fine. It’s over.” Her bargain dad’s hand drifted toward her head, a shadow over calm water. Smack. Without even looking, Little Loli flicked his hand away like batting a moth.
“What was that move and that face? Spill it, now!” She popped up, hands on hips, cute as a kitten bristling, and her dad’s eyes went starry. “Sssslurp.” He sucked in a breath, greed glinting like oil. “Just a reflex, don’t mind it.” Then, faster than thunder behind clouds, his palm landed on her head—the ultimate head-pat.
“Wah—head-pats are cheating! You beastly dad!” Somehow head-pats had become a weak point. One touch and her strength scattered like sand. She retreated fast, slipping out of the claw range. “Okay, no more jokes. We can leave in a bit.” Her bargain dad smoothed the air with a warm voice. “Hmph…”
An hour crawled by. Just as Little Loli felt like her soul was about to float out like white breath, the host returned to the stage. “Our ball is ending. Please exit in an orderly fashion. Thank you.” Hearing that, she grabbed her dad and made a clean getaway, swift as water down a slope. Soon they were back in the Benz. “Finally, I can ditch this stupid thing…” The golden-haired girl whipped off the gauze blocking her view, wind through willow.
“You did great today.” Her bargain dad started the car and rolled out of Yuntian Tower, lights trailing like fireflies. When they got home, her bargain mom had already laid out her favorite dishes, steam blooming like clouds.
“Food!!!” She kicked off her shoes and streaked toward the table like a waterfall. Midair, strong arms caught her, river turned by a dam; her bargain dad hauled Little Loli straight into her room.
Thud. She landed on the bed like a tossed pillow. “Y-you… what are you trying to do…” She shot up halfway, one hand pressing down the hem of her pink skirt, the other shielding her chest. Her perfect face went winter-pale; gold hair blazed like sun, and her blood-red eyes jeweled with tears—like a tender lamb bracing for a wolfish uncle.
Tempting scenery, enough to make lesser males charge like rutting stags—except she was his daughter. “How did I end up with such a little demon…” Her bargain dad rubbed his temple, headache rumbling like distant thunder. “Okay, enough playing. Out. I’m changing! Or are you that kind of beastly dad who watches his daughter change? You creep of a father!” Little Loli shooed him, wrist flicking like a command fan.
He covered his face and ran off in tears, rainstorm in retreat. Soon, newly dressed, Little Loli appeared at the table and unleashed Shinra Tensei—then there was nothing left but echo. “So full…” She rubbed her slightly rounded belly, soft as mochi, then flopped onto the sofa and started catching up on anime on her iPad.
Beep-beep-beep. Her phone called to her like a sparrow at dawn. “Xiaoxue, did you get home safe?” Her brow twitched; the sender wasn’t in her contacts, but beyond a bestie, only Cai Wenbin would toss that kind of line. “Yep. What’s up?” “Nothing, just asking. You were shining today.” “Scram!!” A hash-mark popped on her forehead like a crack of lightning. She tossed the phone onto the other sofa and sprawled out like a big character on the sand. “So… what road am I taking?” The question rose like mist and settled heavy.
Finish school steady, then build something real? Or mask up as a super hero and smack evil like storm waves? Fresh off her anime binge, her brain was floating like a kite in wind.
A new week arrived, crisp as morning rain. Little Loli slouched into school, lazy as a cat in sun. “Heard monthly exams are coming.” As soon as she sat, her bestie slid in close and grabbed a handful of not-yet-developed bun. “Ah!” She jolted back against the wall, cheeks blazing cherry-red.
“Xiaoxue, oh Xiaoxue, why are you so tempting?” Joanna braced one hand against the wall, her face inches from the prey. “If it wasn’t at school, I’d do you right here.” On that word “do,” Joanna licked her lips, tongue flicking like a flame, and her eyes sharpened into pure predation. By now, the whole class had their gazes hooked on them like lanterns in a night market…
