Shi Luoluo and Sun Xueling hit it off quickly. By the time Leng Youran left, their rapport was undeniable. When women click and don't clash, friendship blooms effortlessly. Xueling, with her gentle warmth, was impossible to dislike, and Luoluo's vibrant charm matched her perfectly.
"Luoluo, come visit me sometime," Leng Youran said, a touch of regret in her voice as she departed. She lingered, reluctant, but Zhengyang didn't urge her to stay. Youran belonged to a different world—one he wanted to shield Luoluo from. Luoluo, ever enthusiastic, promised to drop by when she could.
With Youran gone, Luoluo eagerly explored their new home. Every appliance, every detail was ready, sparking a fresh start. Zhengyang's care was palpable, filling Luoluo with joy laced with deep contentment. At her age, she might not grasp the cost of loving someone, but her heart was set: she'd love this man forever.
"Lei Bro, I'll listen to Sister Xueling and not cling," she said, eyes sparkling. "But you've gotta visit, or I'll miss you! It's our first day here—stay and celebrate with us!" Determined to keep him, she clutched his hand, her excuse airtight.
Zhengyang opened his mouth, but Xueling chimed in with a smile. "Zhengyang, since Luoluo wants you to stay, why not? Let's get some daily essentials. Join us for a shopping trip?"
With Xueling's gentle nudge, Zhengyang couldn't say no. He nodded, grinning. Luoluo, in a chic shorts outfit that highlighted her youthful grace, danced with excitement at the news. Since Zhengyang had taken her in, she'd never been this happy. The weight of her mother's medical bills and an uncertain fate had crushed her spirit—until now. Today, her heart soared, bursting with a teenager's vitality.
Watching Luoluo's closeness with Zhengyang, Xueling felt a quiet pang. In his dream, she was his wife, but in reality, she wasn't even his girlfriend. She wasn't blind—Luoluo's love for him was unmistakable. It made sense: he'd asked her to care for this girl because he cherished her, didn't he?
Pushing aside these thoughts, Xueling focused on gratitude. He'd saved her brother. To repay him, she'd look after his "little woman" flawlessly, no matter what.
Zhengyang drove them to the bustling shopping street. The moment they parked, Luoluo held out her hand, bold as ever. "Lei Bro, I'm counting on you to keep me fed. How about this month's living expenses—can you front them? I've got no cash for shopping."
Zhengyang shook his head, amused. This girl was settling into her "kept" role, shamelessly asking for money in front of Xueling. He pulled out a bank card and pressed it into her hand. "Shop till you drop today, but tomorrow, this card goes to Xueling. Need money? Ask her, got it?"
Luoluo could charm and pout, but Zhengyang drew a line at unchecked indulgence. He had no taste for spoiled, entitled women. "Got it!" Luoluo chirped. "I was gonna buy stuff for Sister Xueling anyway. She's thriftier than me, hehe, but no worries now—I've got a lifelong meal ticket! Lei Bro, you won't let me starve, right?"
Xueling watched their odd dynamic, puzzled by Luoluo's words. Zhengyang waved them off. "Go on, I'll wait at the corner. Call me when you're done, and I'll treat you to dinner."
"Yay!" Luoluo whooped, grabbing Xueling's arm and diving into the crowd.
Zhengyang shut the car door, leaning back to rest. Dropping them off was fine, but tagging along for their shopping spree? Pure torture. Women's retail marathons were a man's nightmare.
Holding Xueling's hand, Luoluo noticed her silence and turned with a sly grin. "Sister Xueling, you've got questions, don't you? Why not ask?"
Xueling blinked, caught off guard. "Questions? Do I? What would I ask?"
Luoluo's smile widened. "Your eyes gave you away. Think it's wrong I asked Lei Bro for money? Wanna know what's between us?"
She'd hit the nail on the head. Xueling did want to know but felt she had no right. She was just tasked with caring for this girl—practically a nanny. Prying could earn her scorn, yet Luoluo brought it up herself. Hesitantly, Xueling asked, "What… what's your relationship?"
Luoluo waved the bank card, grinning. "Can't guess? Spending a man's money? I'm his kept girl, obviously."
Xueling's blood ran cold. Kept? "What's wrong?" Luoluo teased, catching her unease. "Sister Xueling, you falling for Lei Bro?"
Blushing fiercely, Xueling waved her hands. "No way! We've barely met—how could I like him? Don't misunderstand, Luoluo. I'm just here to look after you."
Luoluo tilted her head, muttering, "Really? Lei Bro's a catch. No woman's crushing on him? Are girls these days blind?" She glanced back. "Wanna hear my story, Sister Xueling?"
Xueling nodded softly, curious. How could a young, beautiful girl like Luoluo end up "kept," cut off from her family?
"My dad died years ago," Luoluo began. "It was just me and Mom. To keep me in school, she sold everything valuable, took on grueling jobs. But one day, she collapsed and never woke up—diagnosed as a deep vegetative state. To cover her medical bills, I begged every relative, every friend. No one helped."
Tears glistened in Xueling's eyes. She'd lived this pain. When her family's business crumbled, once-close relatives turned cold, mocking her pleas. She understood Luoluo's despair.
"With no options, I sold myself—my only worth," Luoluo continued. "I ended up at Yaochi Club, met Sister Youran, the gorgeous woman who dropped me off. Then Lei Bro bought me. At first, I was terrified. Rich guys like him, they say, buy girls to break them into obedient… pets. But for Mom, I had no choice. He bought my life."
"He pays for her treatment, and I'm his little loli. Everything I am belongs to him."
Xueling's fists clenched. "How could he? You're a person, not property! Luoluo, don't you want freedom?"
Luoluo shook her head. "At first, I craved it—hated being owned. But Sister Youran said pretty girls are prey for men. Even her money couldn't save me. I needed a protector, and Lei Bro's the best. Now, giving myself to him makes me happy."
Xueling could barely process this. A girl so young, thinking like this? "He gave me freedom," Luoluo added, "but I refused. I want to stay by his side, be his little loli forever."
Xueling tried to reason. "Luoluo, you're ruining your life. You're young—you don't know what losing your independence means. Listen to me, stand on your own. If your mom's bills are an issue, I can help."
Luoluo felt Xueling's sincerity, smiling. "Sister Xueling, you're the kindest person ever. Lei Bro's got an eye for good women."
"I'm not his woman!" Xueling snapped, irked at the thought of Zhengyang keeping such a young girl.
"Lei Bro's not bad, really," Luoluo insisted. "He's never demanded anything, never even touched me. Sister Xueling, you get it—if he wanted me, I couldn't resist. But he hasn't. I'm so grateful."
"He hasn't touched you?" Xueling stared, stunned, studying Luoluo closely. From every angle, Luoluo was stunning—youthful allure radiating temptation. A man resisting that, when it was his to take?
"That's why I want to repay him," Luoluo said, raising the card. "I'll follow him forever, even if he rejects me. I'll use his money, eat his food, owe him everything—so I'll never leave. Sister Xueling, let's go wild today. The more we spend, the happier I'll be."
Xueling fell silent, her heart churning. She understood now—Luoluo's devotion was pure, a young girl's wholehearted surrender. And she envied Zhengyang, having such a radiant girl give him her all.