Sensing Bai Xiaoxiao's gaze, Jiang Cheng said naturally, "If you don't feel like playing, you can head back first."
The atmosphere plummeted; Bai Xiaoxiao froze on the spot.
The scorching flirtation of a moment ago suddenly iced over.
She stared at Jiang Cheng's profile, now cool and distant.
It struck her that this wasn't just a multiple-choice question—it was a pivotal fork in her life.
By the time the question arrived, she had already chosen her answer.
Though she really wanted to find out what duo-queueing felt like,
if Bai Xiaoxiao didn't take the initiative, Jiang Cheng certainly wouldn't.
Her slender fingers unconsciously twisted the hem of her skirt again.
Biting her lower lip, she whispered so softly it was almost inaudible, "I… I don't want to go back."
Inside the car, it was so quiet their breathing was audible.
Bai Xiaoxiao drew a deep breath, slowly pulled out her ID card and charger from her bag, and placed them—fingertips trembling—on the leather seat.
The little Streamer who could crack dirty jokes without batting an eye on camera now had ear-tips so red they looked translucent.
"I… I'm all ready…"
Jiang Cheng's gaze lingered on those two items, a flicker of amusement in his eyes.
The Girl who spouted risqué lines nonstop on stream now had fluttering lashes from sheer embarrassment, yet she stubbornly lifted her face to look at him.
Jiang Cheng knew exactly what this popular online trope meant.
When either gender brings both an ID card and a charger to a nighttime date,
odds are the matter is settled.
"So?" Jiang Cheng asked deliberately.
Bai Xiaoxiao inhaled.
Suddenly she swung over and straddled his lap.
The strawberry scent from her hair wafted over him.
Her twin-tails slid into his palms; this unexpected boldness darkened Jiang Cheng's eyes.
Neon lights flashed across her flushed cheeks outside the window. "Onii-chan…" she cooed, voice sticky and coaxing, "my phone's almost dead… can I charge it at your place?"
"Do you know what that means?"
When Jiang Cheng leaned in, Bai Xiaoxiao reflexively shut her eyes, long lashes trembling, yet she still tilted her face up. "I know."
The anticipated touch never came—only a low chuckle beside her ear.
Jiang Cheng pinched her chin, thumb brushing her soft lips. "Where's the guts you had flirting with me on stream?"
Bai Xiaoxiao opened her eyes to meet Jiang Cheng's handsome face inches away. Blushing, she mumbled, "That… that's different…"
"How so?" Jiang Cheng twirled a strand of her hair around his finger.
"Because…" She summoned courage and met his gaze. "This is real now…"
Before the words finished, Jiang Cheng pulled her in; she tumbled against his chest.
Bai Xiaoxiao gave a soft gasp, hands instinctively pressing to his shirt—and feeling the firm muscle beneath.
Eyeing the charger in her hand, Jiang Cheng teased, "That charger isn't original, is it? Is it safe?"
Unlike other Girls, the moment he said it, Bai Xiaoxiao's mind went straight to the gutter.
Head lowered, she murmured, "My charger is original, undamaged—very safe. You can plug it in and try."
What!
Jiang Cheng felt he couldn't keep up with her mental loops.
He'd meant the charger in her hand,
but her reply clearly wasn't about that.
This Girl could drive faster than most guys.
In truth, Bai Xiaoxiao had indeed misunderstood.
In this atmosphere every sentence from Jiang Cheng felt like a test.
Yet the instant the words left her mouth she regretted them.
Bai Xiaoxiao grew anxious.
"Onii-chan, d-do you think… I'm too easy?" she stammered, voice tinged with worry.
Jiang Cheng feigned surprise.
Fingers stroking her burning cheek, he said quietly, "Someone truly easy wouldn't be trembling. A face like yours, a Streamer at that—plenty of temptations every day. If you were easy, you wouldn't have waited until now."
Jiang Cheng didn't deny that Bai Xiaoxiao had her price in mind,
but in this mood he naturally wouldn't say anything to spoil it.
Sure enough, after hearing his words she exhaled in relief,
eyes even growing hot.
She seemed moved by his understanding and acceptance.
Those explicit private messages received during countless late-night streams.
Those unspoken rules hinted at by the talent agencies.
They surged over her like a torrent.
Bai Xiaoxiao couldn't hold back a sob. "I never…".
Before she could finish, Jiang Cheng gently cut her off. "I know."
Bai Xiaoxiao froze, lifted her head, and met Jiang Cheng's deep, gentle gaze.
Jiang Cheng's thumb lightly brushed the damp corner of her lips.
The gesture made her feel as if he were comforting her.
Yet even though Jiang Cheng said he believed her,
resentment and grievance still churned inside Bai Xiaoxiao.
She drew a deep breath and suddenly wrapped her arms around Jiang Cheng's neck.
She pressed her body against his.
"I actually started streaming when I was eighteen," she said, voice trembling. "I'd just graduated high school. During the day I worked as a shampoo Girl at a salon; when I got back to my rented room at night, I'd go live. Maybe because I looked kind of cute, the stream picked up pretty fast. Later I quit and went full-time."
Bai Xiaoxiao paused. "I added a lot of big spenders… chatted with them, flirted…" Her words faded to a whisper.
Jiang Cheng was a little surprised.
Not by the fact she'd added online whales.
What Streamer hasn't added the top tippers?
Don't they all rely on big brothers to eat??
What shocked him was that Bai Xiaoxiao had once been a shampoo Girl.
Honestly, rising from a hair-washer to a fairly well-known Streamer is a huge leap.
Bai Xiaoxiao's life had basically jumped several levels in one go.
Starting as a shampoo Girl at eighteen usually means one of two things:
either the family's broke, or her grades were awful.
If her folks were loaded, shampooing would just be social practice.
But if her family was average, climbing out through that job is next to impossible.
Still, Bai Xiaoxiao had been incredibly lucky.
She'd seized the opportunity the brand-new streaming industry offered.
Judging by her age, she must have been among the very first to dive in.
With her current popularity, pulling in tens of thousands a month is effortless.
A far cry from a shampoo Girl making two or three thousand.
"I think you're tough—and lucky," Jiang Cheng replied.
Bai Xiaoxiao went on, "I just want you to know: I added those big brothers and chatted with them before I joined any agency. I was still a kid. The first time someone tipped me, I was so excited I couldn't sleep. Adding them then was pure gratitude."
"Only later did I realize why they wanted my WeChat. Honestly, at first I was tempted."
"Now that I've met you, I'm so glad I resisted…".
After listening, Jiang Cheng pulled her closer.
Because he was sitting, she now faced him eye-to-eye—something that rarely happened.
The dim car light cast a soft warm glow over her fair face.
In her eyes flickered a timid probe and a hint of desperation.
"Listen, I've got no snobby hang-ups about jobs. There's only one rule: once you're with me, no other men."
Hearing that, Bai Xiaoxiao nodded quickly and explained again.
"At first I contacted them myself, but after I signed with an agency they took over my account. So the everyday chats with those big brothers were actually staff pretending to be me… I haven't interacted with them outside of streams."
When she revealed these inside details, Jiang Cheng remembered an exposé he'd seen.
The beauty who texts you good-morning and good-night every day? Mostly hairy-legged dudes or middle-aged staff.