Night.
Towering buildings flickered with colorful neon lights, while endless streams of vehicles crisscrossed the streets.
Compared to the prosperity of downtown, the South District on the edge of Tianhua City showed a desolation that didn't belong to this city.
This was the famous slum area.
Rows of old residential buildings were dilapidated, with cracks covering their weathered walls.
The yellowed street lamps flickered, having gone unrepaired for nearly a year.
Walking through the narrow streets, Ruan Qingqing returned home from work.
"Qingqing, you're back?"
A gentle female voice called out.
Under the dim warm light, a beautiful woman in simple clothes walked out of the kitchen carrying a plate.
Taking off her mask, Ruan Qingqing forced a sweet smile through her fatigue, "Yes, I'm home, Mom."
Placing the plate on the table, the woman walked forward and lovingly stroked her daughter's head, "You must be exhausted."
The girl shook her head, nuzzling into her mother's rough palm with closed eyes.
"Not at all, Mom. Today was easy, there weren't many customers at the store."
"Is that so? That's good then."
Ruan Chuyao gently took the schoolbag from her daughter's hand, choosing not to expose her lie.
"I just reheated the food, wash your hands and get ready to eat."
Just as she finished speaking, she felt an itch in her throat and couldn't help coughing several times.
"Mom."
Hearing this, Ruan Qingqing looked up, hurriedly patting her mother's back.
"Your health isn't good, please go rest in your room. I'll take care of these things."
"It's nothing," Meeting her daughter's worried eyes, Ruan Chuyao softly reassured her.
"I just took my medicine, I'm feeling much better now."
"That's even more reason to rest well after taking medicine." The usually gentle girl was unusually firm about this.
"Alright, alright, I'll listen to you."
Sensing her daughter's attitude, Ruan Chuyao stopped insisting.
"But let Mom watch you finish your dinner before going to rest, okay?"
The girl hesitated for a moment before slowly nodding.
"That's my good daughter." Ruan Chuyao smiled gently.
"Go wash your hands for dinner, I'll bring out the dishes."
"Mm-hmm."
...
The dinner wasn't luxurious, it could even be called plain and simple.
Just bean sprouts with glass noodles and a basic seaweed soup.
The girl showed no dislike, instead eating with relish.
Sitting across the table, noticing her daughter's thin face, though Ruan Chuyao wore a smile, her eyes flashed with pain and guilt.
Suppressing these bitter emotions, she ladled a bowl of soup and pushed it toward her daughter, "Did something good happen to Qingqing today?"
Taking the bowl and sipping it obediently, Ruan Qingqing looked up puzzled.
"Why would Mom ask that?"
Ruan Chuyao gently stroked her daughter, speaking softly, "Just feeling you seem happier than usual."
"Eh? Really?"
"Of course."
Her daughter's obedient and innocent look made Ruan Chuyao smile.
"I'm your mother, I can always notice these little changes."
Hearing this, Ruan Qingqing lowered her eyes, seriously recalling the day's events.
But thinking it over, she couldn't find anything particularly worth being happy about.
Perhaps those involved can't see what observers can.
The girl's confusion revealed much to Ruan Chuyao.
She silently sighed.
"Qingqing."
Meeting her daughter's eyes, she carefully chose her words, then asked with slight hesitation.
"Do you... have someone you care about?"
After asking this, she could see her daughter's expression turn startled.
A few seconds later, as if finally processing the question, her fair cheeks visibly turned crimson.
"Mo... Mom... what are you saying?"
Unconsciously gripping her chopsticks tightly, Ruan Qingqing fought back her inexplicable nervousness, avoiding her mother's teasing gaze.
Seeing her daughter's reaction, Ruan Chuyao confirmed her suspicions.
But she still pretended to be clueless, looking extremely innocent.
"What's wrong, did Mom say something incorrect?"
With a playful heart to tease her daughter, she asked unhurriedly.
"Or could it be... that you actually have someone you li-"
Before the last word could leave her mouth, the girl suddenly stood up.
"I'm done eating, I need to go do my homework."
With that, she hurried to her room with a red face.
Watching her daughter's almost fleeing figure, Ruan Chuyao shook her head with a light laugh, feeling somewhat wistful.
Her daughter was growing up.
...
In the steamy bathroom.
Having finished her homework, Ruan Qingqing bathed in the mist.
Warm water trickled down her hair onto her skin, flowing down to her slender waist and long, round thighs.
Steam blurred the mirror, only vaguely revealing her alluring figure.
As a woman, this graceful figure could undoubtedly be called perfect.
But if there was anything she was dissatisfied with...
While applying shower gel, Ruan Qingqing looked down.
The towering peaks on her chest made it impossible to see her toes.
"How... they seem to have gotten even bigger."
She pressed her delicate lips together, feeling helpless.
If she could make a wish, she really hoped her chest could become smaller.
Though this thought might sound like humble-bragging, Ruan Qingqing sincerely wished it could come true.
Since middle school, she had suffered many troubles because of her overdeveloped figure.
Just wearing slightly tight clothes would draw stares from the opposite sex.
Those intense gazes revealed unspoken desires, as if they would devour her at any moment.
In high school, this strange treatment became even worse.
Whether it was male classmates or self-proclaimed mature male teachers.
Even in casual clothes, they would only pretend to be proper on the surface, their gazes constantly drifting to her chest.
Sometimes she would accidentally overhear boys discussing topics about her "lewd figure" behind her back.
Though she hadn't done anything, she always received hostility from girls and excessive attention from boys.
She hated this environment.
Her personality gradually evolved into fearing and avoiding social interactions.
If not for fulfilling her mother's wishes, she wouldn't even want to attend school.
For her, school was what she considered the most painful thing.
But her mother said she looked happy today.
Happy...
Why would she be happy?
Her fingertips traced every inch of skin, the smooth sensation making her thoughts drift.
Today's events played like a slow-motion film, frame by frame through her memory.
When the image touched upon that face with round-framed glasses, Ruan Qingqing's thoughts paused.
When Ji Mu was specially recruited after ranking first in the six-school exam, she was amazed that someone could surpass all those elite-educated wealthy family children.
Out of curiosity about this academic star, she would often consciously or unconsciously pay attention to him.
The young man always arrived at school just in time, and was among the first to leave after classes. He was very solitary in class, never initiating conversation with others.
He always wore round glasses and a properly worn school uniform, unlike other peers who showed their individuality through flashy branded clothes.
Different from the restless and energetic boys in puberty, he was the opposite - steady, quietly sitting at his desk during breaks, not drawing any attention.
Though his features, mostly hidden behind thick glasses, seemed plain and ordinary, he was quite tall, with surprisingly good skin, even fairer than most girls.
Thinking of the young man's daily behavior, Ruan Qingqing felt an inexplicable emotion well up in her heart.
When she was bullied by Chu Yashi, only Ji Mu stood up for her.
It was Ji Mu who helped her out of trouble three times.
And only Ji Mu, when looking at her, never let his gaze linger on her chest.
Whether in his way of speaking or interacting with her.
She felt something she had never experienced before—
That is... respect.
Suddenly.
Ruan Qingqing recalled her mother's question from earlier that evening.
Someone she... cares about?
Covering the softness on her chest, she lifted her face, letting the warm water flow down her cheeks.
Ji Mu seemed different from other boys.
In her mind appeared the scene from this evening when she silently watched his departing figure, lacking the courage to say goodbye.
One hand gently pressed down, fingers sinking into the fair soft flesh, the excessive force making her unconsciously let out a soft moan.
"Mm~"
Water droplets clung to her thick curled lashes, her beautiful eyes moistened by the water, seeming somewhat misty in the rising steam.
"See you tomorrow."
"Classmate... Ji Mu..."