Chapter 79

Bak watched as she became increasingly agitated, almost hitting her helmet with her hands, but he didn't want to damage such an expensive item, so he reached out to take it: "Are you trying to manage me? Even my mom isn't this meticulous." His parents were almost overly indulgent, and if it weren't for Nan Nan taking some of their attention, they would have been even more doting.

Zhou Xiaoli said matter-of-factly: "You said it! We're friends, and maybe even half a girlfriend! Friends have the right to advise you like this, don't they?! Be serious!" She reached out and slapped Bak's face, the force of it almost turning into a slap. This girl was really fiery.

Under the pressure on his face, Bak finally calmed down: "Really, motorcycles are much more dangerous than cars. It's not about skill; one fall can break bones or even cost you your life. A helmet that costs a couple of hundred dollars only provides a bit of insulation, it doesn't ventilate well, and it offers no real safety. Spending a bit more to ensure your safety is worth it, isn't it?"

Zhou Xiaoli poked his chest with her finger: "The point! Get to the point!"

Bak, familiar with her tone, said: "The point is, I already bought it, and I even took the packaging off and rode here. It's used now, so I can't return it."

Xiaojiao's hand strength was considerable, and she poked Bak's chest with determination: "So you're just going to use it reluctantly? Not again, right? What else?"

Bak spread his hands: "At least I did it for your safety. Try on this helmet. I won't buy any flashy riding gear, but a good helmet is essential. A few scrapes are nothing, but head and neck injuries can be life-threatening, especially since you still have some lingering effects from your concussion."

The last sentence deflated the girl's momentum like a balloon losing air. She pouted and poked him a couple more times: "You... your body is pretty solid, huh?" Maybe she subconsciously wanted to hear that last part.

Bak chuckled, placed the black helmet on the seat, and put the white flame helmet on the girl, fastening the chin strap for her: "Are we going to your place for dinner?"

To be honest, Zhou Xiaoli was of average height, just over 1.6 meters, and her figure was only slightly larger than petite. With the large helmet on, she looked like a Q-version of a big-headed doll. She was very uncomfortable with the large helmet, and her balance system was disrupted. Her earlier anger seemed to have vanished, and when she tried to walk, she wobbled. Bak laughed and helped her flip up the visor to ask how she felt: "Actually, it's quite comfortable, right?"

Without the barrier in front of her, the black girl insisted: "It's just okay!"

Bak put on his own helmet. The girl, sitting behind him, bumped into him awkwardly before laughing. She quickly regained her composure: "We're not officially in a relationship, but I really have to advise you. Men need to be responsible, to their family and loved ones..."

Bak pulled her hands to his waist and patted her hand, and she hugged him tighter, still talking: "You might think my temper is a bit petty, but you need to see the reality of society..."

Bak suddenly started the motorcycle, and the 300CC engine's powerful forward thrust made the girl stop talking because the wind rushing into her open visor made her swallow it!

The continuous high-speed sprint made the girl unable to say anything except to hold onto Bak tightly. But the snug fit around her head and neck gave her a different sense of safety, and more importantly, it felt considerate.

Not just the feeling of the two of them hugging tightly, but also the attention to her condition. The girl, who had been nagging, secretly smiled inside her helmet.

Riding such a motorcycle did indeed have its perks. Even the security guards at Changyang Linyuan neighborhood saluted them as they passed. Bak thought back to the scene where he saved the girl at Sun Garden. When they got off the bike, he asked curiously: "Do you really always carry a knife with you?" He hadn't dared to ask before, fearing it might bring up bad memories.

The black girl, who was complaining about her messy hair, glared at him: "What else? It's thrilling to think about. I live with my mom, and I keep a kitchen knife under my bed..."

Bak finally asked for details: "Since you're so cautious, how did you end up drinking someone's water?"

Zhou Xiaoli huffed: "It was that Chen Kangqing. In such hot weather, I always buy a bottle of water when I go out. He must have known my habit and called me at the right time, distracting me with small talk to avoid clients. That bastard must have slipped something in!"

Bak was enlightened and wanted to ask where the knife was hidden, but seeing the girl's mood, he softened: "Is my sister causing any trouble living with you?"

Sure enough, Zhou Xiaoli's expression brightened: "Really, coming home from work and seeing these two little sisters makes me so happy. Haven't you noticed I've been smiling a lot more lately?"

Indeed, when Zhou Xiaoli opened the door with her key, two almost identical short-haired, pretty faces peeked out from the kitchen: "Brother!" They dropped what they were holding and jumped on him from both sides. Bak had to immediately drop his helmet to catch the twin flowers.

Zhou Xiaoli, still concerned about the expensive helmet, picked it up and wiped it clean before placing it on the sideboard. Seeing the two sisters hugging Bak's neck affectionately, she smiled and went to pick up the vegetable leaves and scallions the girls had dropped, greeting the two mothers in the kitchen: "Is Uncle here yet?"

Liu Shufen, holding a spatula, looked at the scene with great affection and genuinely wanted to set a date for the wedding, but she didn't know her son's plans: "Don't worry about that old man. He'll come over after finishing his driving lessons."

Bak, with his strength, carried the two girls, who together weighed over a hundred pounds: "We have half an hour. I'll go pick him up later."

The younger sister immediately had an idea: "We'll go with you!"

Bak widened his eyes: "How will we fit?"

The younger sister blurted out: "Last time, didn't Sister Fang..." The older sister secretly elbowed her, and the younger girl, who was starting to understand, quickly shut up, sticking out her tongue and glancing at Zhou Xiaoli from behind Bak.

Zhou Xiaoli pretended not to hear, clapped her hands, and teased the children: "You can't be so clingy with boys. Get down and show me your homework."

The two girls, who didn't like studying, immediately looked worried and silently shook Bak's neck for help.

Bak was firm: "You have to listen to Sister Xiaoli. I'll go pick up Dad."

Just then, the doorbell rang. Zhou Xiaoli, surprised, went to the peephole and asked, then opened the door. It was none other than Ba Dacheng.

Ba Dacheng, seeing Zhou Xiaoli for the first time, sized her up from head to toe. The girl instinctively clasped her hands in front of her abdomen and stood straight, presenting her best side: "Uncle Ba?" She was quick-witted, but the title was a bit awkward!

The honest Ba Dacheng, seeing such a girl and the light yellow, bright interior, felt a bit uneasy: "Just call me Uncle. I saw you two riding the motorcycle past on the street, and I couldn't even call out to you... You were facing me, didn't you see?"

Zhou Xiaoli immediately felt embarrassed. She had been so absorbed in leaning against Bak's back that she hadn't noticed the old man waving from the side of the street.

Bak, with a thick skin, said: "Why did you finish so early? Did you skip class?"

The mechanic spat at his son: "What are you talking about? I finished my lessons and didn't want to delay your dinner!"

Bak grinned: "You must be missing my mom's cooking!"

Zhou Xiaoli wasn't used to their casual father-son relationship and scolded Bak: "How do you talk to your uncle? No manners!"

Bak and Ba Dacheng looked at each other in surprise.

There was definitely an adjustment period.