When I returned to the room in a daze, it was already noon, and the banquet was nearly over. It seemed Ning Yingxue and that Wang Hongxi had been at it for quite a while.
Li Luyou and An Zhishui had just returned to the room as well. Perhaps because the dancing had been intense, An Zhishui's face was glistening with a light sheen of sweat, her cheeks flushed. She clung to Li Luyou's left arm, her entire body leaning softly against him.
"Ugh, this trip was a complete waste for me," grumbled Bai Yishan from the couch.
The slap mark on his face had only just faded enough to be barely visible, but the dance was already over. For this playboy who thrived on lively occasions, it was undoubtedly a great disappointment.
I glanced around the room—Luo Suohui still hadn't returned. Thinking about how I'd just witnessed his girlfriend, Ning Yingxue, being wantonly played with under another man, yet hadn't said a word to him, I couldn't help but feel guilty. "Where's Luo Suohui?" I asked.
Li Luyou replied, "Luo Suohui was playing games earlier, and his sister happened to be here today. She caught him and probably took him home to scold him."
Luo Suohui had mentioned his sister a few times before. From his descriptions, she was a terrifyingly brutal woman with an extremely ugly appearance—essentially the most horrifying person in his world.
It was probably for the best that Luo Suohui had been taken away by his sister. At least this way, he wouldn't find out about the green hat Ning Yingxue had given him. Feeling slightly relieved, I feigned ignorance and asked, "Where's Ning Yingxue? I don't see her."
"Haven't seen her in a while. Shui Shui, did you notice?" Li Luyou asked his girlfriend, who was nestled in his arms.
An Zhishui thought for a moment. "I think I saw Xue'er dancing with someone in the ballroom, but I didn't pay much attention. After that, I didn't see her again. I'll call her."
She took out her phone and dialed Ning Yingxue's number. After a while, the call connected, and Ning Yingxue's tired voice came through: "Hey, Shui Shui, what's up?"
An Zhishui asked, "Xue'er, the banquet's over. Where are you?"
"I wasn't feeling well, so I went home… Ah… Shui Shui, I'll hang up now."
Before An Zhishui could ask anything else, Ning Yingxue hurriedly ended the call.
Hearing that unmistakable, deliberately suppressed moan, I guessed Ning Yingxue was likely still being ruthlessly fucked by that Wang Hongxi.
But the others didn't suspect anything, assuming Ning Yingxue was genuinely sick. After all, if I hadn't witnessed that obscene scene myself, I wouldn't have doubted it either. Who could've imagined that Ning Yingxue would be mounted like a mare by a man other than Luo Suohui, being wantonly played with?
As the banquet ended, guests began to leave one after another. Zhao Qingshi, the hostess of the day, stood at the door to bid farewell to everyone. Her face was adorned with a blissful smile, like a fairy who had descended to the mortal world, radiating such beauty that a single glance was enough to feel enchanted.
Beside Zhao Qingshi stood Qi Hemei, who had originally been a guest like me. Not long ago, he had been just another attendee, but now he had been promoted to the role of host.
Qi Hemei gently held Zhao Qingshi's hand, the two of them resembling a pair of golden boys and jade girls. Seeing this scene added another layer of bitterness to my already miserable heart.
As our group passed by Zhao Qingshi, everyone exchanged normal goodbyes and prepared to leave. An Zhishui walked up to Zhao Qingshi, whispering something—likely offering blessings to her good friend.
Since classes were scheduled for the next day, everyone was heading back to school. I had originally planned to hitch a ride with Li Luyou, but he mentioned he needed to go home first and asked Bai Yishan to take me back instead.
But Bai Yishan said that since Zhang Yiyu had been wronged today, he needed to "comfort" her.
As he spoke, Bai Yishan wore an expression that clearly said, "You know what I mean."
Everyone understood the kind of "comfort" Bai Yishan was referring to. The guy had been hiding in the room all morning, stewing in frustration, and was undoubtedly looking to vent his pent-up desires on that seductive little vixen, Zhang Yiyu.
"Pervert," An Zhishui spat out.
This young lady was a staunch defender of women's rights, and in her eyes, Bai Yishan was nothing more than a playboy who trampled on female dignity.
"An Zhishui, watch your words. I'm just going to 'comfort' my girlfriend. How does that make me a pervert?"
Bai Yishan, knowing An Zhishui was easily flustered, deliberately provoked her, emphasizing the word "comfort."
An Zhishui was momentarily at a loss for words. She couldn't outright say that Bai Yishan's "comfort" had sexual connotations—that would just give him an opening to accuse her of having a dirty mind.
Seeing his girlfriend at a disadvantage, Li Luyou changed the subject. "Chen Xiao, why don't you come to my place for a bit?"
I nodded in agreement. Among the group, I was the only one without a car, so I had to go along with the flow.
Thus, Bai Yishan went off alone to "comfort" his girlfriend, Zhang Yiyu, while I stuck to the original plan and hitched a ride with Li Luyou.
In the car, I began to regret my decision.
Li Luyou's father was a scientist, wholly devoted to his work. He had divorced Li Luyou's mother early on and later buried himself in research at the institute, rarely even stepping outside. His monthly salary was directly deposited into Li Luyou's account, so the house was often empty.
Now, Li Luyou and An Zhishui weren't returning to school but heading back to that house. Most likely, the two of them had slept together last night and were now craving more. After dancing so closely earlier, they were probably itching to find a place to enjoy each other's company again.
At first, I thought it wouldn't be a big deal for me to tag along. But with a young couple alone together, sparks were bound to fly—except now there was me, a third wheel, in the mix.
Even if I didn't consider their feelings, I had to think about my own. Having just witnessed Ning Yingxue and Wang Hongxi's intense session, I felt like a drowning man pulled from the depths, utterly exhausted. Did I really need to watch these two lovebirds flaunt their affection in front of me?
The car ride was mostly silent, especially for An Zhishui. The young lady seemed lost in thought, her enthusiasm clearly dampened. Only Li Luyou occasionally spoke up to lighten the mood. The three of us seemed preoccupied with our own thoughts, making the atmosphere somewhat awkward.
I should've just taken a taxi back, I thought, glancing at Li Luyou and An Zhishui in the front seats. Once we got to Li Luyou's place, I'd make up an excuse and leave as soon as possible.
About half an hour later, we finally arrived at Li Luyou's house. He took out his keys and opened the door, stepping inside first. As I stood outside, I saw a figure rush toward him, throwing herself into his arms.
Li Luyou instinctively caught the flying figure, wrapping his arms around her waist and taking a step back to steady himself—proof of the force behind her leap.
"Brother… I missed you so much."
Only then did I get a clear look at the girl. She appeared to be about two years younger than us, probably around seventeen, with shoulder-length hair that curled into charming waves starting just below her ears, giving her a slightly more mature air than her age suggested.
She wore a white long-sleeved blouse paired with a red-and-black plaid Scottish skirt. Her slender legs were clad in knee-high black cotton socks, and on her feet were black round-toe leather flats.
There was no doubt this girl was a stunning beauty, especially with the way she was nestled in Li Luyou's arms, her face lit up with an utterly content smile. Her large eyes were fixed on him, her clear gaze oblivious to everything else, making her look like a pure angel.
Her chin wasn't as sharply defined as those of many great beauties, still carrying the soft roundness of a young girl, which gave her an air of innocent purity.
She was probably still in high school, but her figure was already well-developed. The way she tilted her head back made her ample chest—fuller than many adult women's—stand out even more prominently, straining against her blouse.
Li Luyou held her for a long while without letting go, clearly not just because she was excited to see him. He seemed equally delighted to embrace her, his arms tightly wrapped around her slender waist, lifting her slightly off the ground.
The girl didn't seem to mind pressing her ample chest against her brother's, her legs in their Scottish skirt bending playfully at the knees as she swayed happily.
This girl had called Li Luyou "brother," so she must be his sister.
Since freshman year, Li Luyou had often spoken of his sister, to the point where I felt familiar with this girl I'd never met. In his descriptions, she was lovely, well-behaved, academically outstanding, hardworking, and kind—a flawless, perfect girl.
I'd always taken his praise with a grain of salt, assuming brothers tended to exaggerate about their sisters. But now, seeing her in person, I could confirm that at least the "lovely" part was absolutely true.
In fact, "lovely" didn't even begin to capture the essence of her beauty. She had an impossible blend of innocence and allure, youthfulness and maturity.
And she was only seventeen—still a minor. Given time, this girl would undoubtedly grow into a breathtaking beauty. Imagining her in bed, oscillating between the naivety of a high school girl and the seductiveness of a temptress, it was hard to fathom the kind of ecstasy the man atop her would experience.
The two inside were lost in the joy of their reunion, while An Zhishui and I remained outside.
We waited for a while, but there was no sign of an invitation to enter. I didn't mind—staring at Li Luyou's beautiful sister, I could've stood there forever. But An Zhishui, with her jealous streak, was less patient.
"Hmph…" An Zhishui let out a long, pointed exhale, her eyes clearly simmering with anger. Another moment, and she'd explode.
Finally remembering the two people outside—especially his jealous girlfriend—Li Luyou hurriedly set his sister down. But the girl seemed reluctant to leave her brother's embrace, pressing herself against him again as if trying to return to that warm refuge.
"Alright, we have guests," Li Luyou said seriously.
Seeing An Zhishui's furious face at the door, he smiled awkwardly and introduced, "This is my sister, Li Banmei. You've heard of her."
Only then did the girl named Li Banmei notice the others besides her brother. Though reluctant to leave his arms, she stepped aside and said, "Brother brought guests? Please, come in."
An Zhishui and I finally entered. Li Luyou pointed at me first. "This is my roommate and good friend, Chen Xiao."
Li Banmei greeted me politely. "Hello, Brother Chen."
I nodded in response. Then Li Luyou introduced An Zhishui. Knowing his girlfriend's temper was at its limit, he didn't dare hide anything about her identity. "Li Zi, this is my girlfriend, An Zhishui—your future sister-in-law. From now on, her words are as good as mine. You have to listen to her, understand?"
"Sister Shui Shui, you're so beautiful. Welcome to our home," Li Banmei said with a sweet smile.
An Zhishui's anger vanished instantly, replaced by a gentle smile. "Li Zi, you're the beautiful one. Much prettier than me."
Even as she spoke, An Zhishui subtly arched her back, pushing her chest forward.
Though two years older than Li Banmei, An Zhishui was known for her long legs—a pair of ivory-straight, flawless stems that were her pride and joy. Her chest, while not small, was noticeably less ample than Li Banmei's budding curves. Driven by feminine competitiveness, even in front of her boyfriend's sister, she refused to be outshone.
Li Banmei walked over and took An Zhishui's hand warmly. "Brother talks about you all the time. I'm so happy to finally meet you. He's so lucky to have a fairy-like girlfriend like you."
Arm in arm, the two walked inside, leaving Li Luyou and me behind. On the surface, they looked like a pair of close sisters.
The living room had one long sofa and two short ones. Naturally, I took one of the short sofas.
Li Luyou was pulled onto the long sofa by Li Banmei, who then snuggled up to his left side, stretching her legs comfortably. The hem of her Scottish skirt rode up slightly, revealing a sliver of pale thigh between her black socks and the skirt.
Not to be outdone, An Zhishui sat on Li Luyou's right, her long legs—her greatest pride—tightly pressed together. Our class monitor never wore stockings, which was a bit of a shame. Even so, those slender, perfectly proportioned legs were impossible to ignore, making it hard not to fantasize about how they'd feel grasped in my hands.
Li Luyou's house wasn't large, so the sofa was modest in size. Even the long sofa felt a bit cramped with three people, especially since the two beauties on either side were leaning in so hard, as if trying to merge into Li Luyou's body.
"Li Zi, why are you back today? Don't you have classes?" After the initial joy of reunion, Li Luyou's tone turned stern. "You're in your third year of high school—this is the most critical time for studying."
Hearing her brother's reproach, Li Banmei pouted. "Today's the school anniversary, so we got half a day off. I didn't think I'd see you, but you happened to come back. Brother, you have no idea how hard it is for me to see you only once a month."
"Alright, from now on, I'll visit you at school whenever I have time," Li Luyou said, softening at his sister's pout. He pulled her closer and kissed her lightly on the forehead.
"Sister Shui Shui, which department are you in?" Li Banmei asked cheerfully, her mood instantly lifted by her brother's kiss.
"I'm in the same class as your brother," An Zhishui replied, her voice tinged with tension.
The reason soon became clear: An Zhishui had discreetly guided Li Luyou's hand onto her thigh, urging him to caress it. Though the motion was subtle—impossible to see from Li Banmei's angle—they didn't realize I had a clear view from the side.
"I heard there are lots of beauties in college. Sister Shui Shui, you'd better keep an eye on Brother. Don't let some vixen steal him away," Li Banmei teased.
"He wouldn't dare. Li Luyou's very well-behaved," An Zhishui murmured, a hint of reproach in her voice.
Unconsciously, she hitched her pleated skirt up slightly, giving Li Luyou easier access. But instead of taking the hint to explore further, Li Luyou tried to pull his hand away.
"Shui Shui, stop fooling around," he whispered.
Just then, the doorbell rang. Startled, Li Luyou—his hand still on An Zhishui's thigh—jerked upright. "Who is it?"
"It's Sister Qiao! I told her you were back," Li Banmei said, bouncing up from the sofa to answer the door.
The door opened again, and a woman walked in.