It was already two in the morning. After all the hustle and bustle, Lu Li was feeling tired too, so he said:
"Let's get some rest. Tomorrow, I'll buy you some necessities and things like that."
As he spoke, he headed for the sofa to sleep. The apartment had only one bedroom and one bed.
But Jessica sprang up, looking as frightened as a fawn. "I'm scared. Come sleep with me~"
Lu Li knew the little girl was putting on an act and couldn't help feeling a little helpless.
Sure enough, Jessica immediately grinned and tugged him over to lie down with her.
The bed was quite big, so Lu Li didn't fuss about it. He closed his eyes and focused on sleeping, and before long, he was out cold.
Jessica gazed at him for a long while, then gently pecked him and whispered:
"Lu Li, would you marry me?" "If you don't say anything, I'll take that as a yes~"
The little girl smiled sweetly, snuggled into Lu Li's arms, and soon fell asleep too.
~~~~~~~~~
Early the next morning, Lu Li opened his eyes, feeling refreshed.
Jessica was wrapped around him like an octopus, fast asleep and snoring softly.
Her graceful figure had curves in all the right places, and a faint fragrance lingered around her. One smooth, fair leg was hooked around his waist.
That was why Lu Li found this inconvenient. He gently pulled his arms and legs free and slowly got up.
But the little girl suddenly opened her eyes, her face full of panic!
It took her a moment to realize where she was. She let out a long breath and said, "Good morning, Lu Li."
"If you're awake, get up. Let's go shopping and pick up a few things."
He hardly ever stayed at the apartment, so it was missing many household necessities.
Now that he had money, it was the perfect time to stock up—and bring a few things for the two girls in the other world while he was at it.
The moment she heard they were going shopping, Jessica was overjoyed and leaped right out of bed.
Clinging to Lu Li's arm, she asked sweetly, "Can we go to Revolution Avenue~"
Revolution Avenue was downtown Tijuana, and the city's busiest district.
Lu Li hadn't been able to afford to go there before, but things were different now.
~~~~~~~~~~
Tijuana didn't have many high-rise buildings, so it lacked the crowded, stifling feel of a modern city.
As they walked along the streets, the distant mountains and the buildings climbing their slopes spread out before them.
A young man and woman walked hand in hand, as close as siblings, and spent a long time browsing the shopping center.
First, they each bought a few outfits. Lu Li deliberately picked clothes with a retro look, so he wouldn't stand out too much in the other world.
Next, they bought a pile of unmarked boxed soap and shampoo in glass bottles.
The latter came in crystal bottles and cost a full ten times more than ordinary shampoo!
But even if it had cost a hundred times more, Lu Li wouldn't have cared about the extra expense.
Especially since the money had been stolen. Spending it didn't hurt at all—in fact, it felt great.
They also bought two of the latest and most expensive smartphones. Once they were done shopping, they headed to a restaurant called "Cabanna."
The restaurant had excellent reviews online, with beautiful tiled walls and a lovely painted ceiling.
They ordered grilled red snapper, baked crab with cheese, steak, and corn chowder.
The refined, delicious dishes were brought to the table one after another. Lu Li gazed out at the bustling street and sighed.
In five years, this was the first time he'd enjoyed a meal in an elegant, comfortable restaurant.
The chaotic slums and the brutal gangsters seemed to vanish in an instant, and at last, he felt at peace.
But this peace had been bought with slaughter and money...
"Lu Li, hurry up and eat~"
The girl's soft, lilting voice brought Lu Li back to himself.
Jessica's mouth was stuffed full of food, making her look like a little chipmunk, while she played with her new phone.
Lu Li began eating too, and said:
"There's something I need to tell you. I'm busy and often have to travel far away. I might be gone for days at a time, so you'll have to behave yourself at home."
Jessica's expression froze. She immediately thought of the man's unbelievable marksmanship and the way he dispatched his enemies without hesitation...
She realized Lu Li wasn't an ordinary person and must have important things to do, so she obediently replied:
"Go take care of your business. I'll look after myself."
Lu Li wiped the cheese from the corner of the little girl's mouth and smiled. "You don't have to worry about getting bored, either. Once school starts again, I'll send you back."
"Huh? School? Do I really have to go...?"
Jessica's pretty face tightened. She hadn't set foot in a school in many years.
"You should go. Knowledge is far more important than you think."
Lu Li unlocked his new phone and took a look. "The news says negotiations have just begun. At this rate, school won't start again for another month or two."
Hearing it would still be a while, Jessica felt a little more at ease and enjoyed this rare stretch of happiness.
~~~~~~~~~~~
After their meal, Jessica begged Lu Li to watch a movie with her. Only then did they head home.
"Today was the happiest day of my life~"
The little girl wore her bright new dress and clung to Lu Li's arm, her face wreathed in a sweet smile, happier than ever.
It was already evening. The two of them had come to a street lined with souvenir shops.
There were plenty of foreign tourists here, and naturally, plenty of streetwalkers too.
Of course, the women standing by the roadside and soliciting customers were the ordinary-looking sort. But they dressed provocatively and were brazen about it.
Just then, Jessica saw a prostitute by the roadside. Her face changed instantly, and she hurried behind Lu Li.
Lu Li took a closer look. It was someone he knew—Heidi, who had caused a scene at the hospital before.
The woman, in her forties, was now wearing a school uniform skirt with fishnet stockings. She'd become a streetwalker!
Jessica said, "Looks like the Decapitation Gang is completely finished. The gang that replaced them is making an example of people... That woman deserves it. She won't last three months at her age!"
The little girl had seen Heidi's cruelty and viciousness firsthand. Now, she was filled with satisfaction.
Lu Li nodded. "That's karma."
As they spoke, three tourists from Star Alliance Country, with strong accents and curious expressions, shoved the numb Heidi into an alley.
A chill ran through Lu Li. He hurriedly pulled Jessica away.
~~~~~~~~
By the time they got home, the sun had set.
Lu Li had spent a warm and pleasant day, and now it was time for him to leave.
Before leaving, he handed Jessica a Glock pistol and said:
"Going by my original plan, I definitely wouldn't have let you anywhere near something like this. But looking at things now, you really do need to be able to protect yourself to survive here. So you'll have to adapt to local customs."
Jessica took the gun and inspected it with shaky familiarity, then nodded. "There are tutorial videos on YouTube. I'll learn how to use it."
"Good. Keep it up. I should get going, too."
Lu Li picked up his travel bag and waved goodbye.
Jessica hugged him tightly. "You have to come back safe. You promised me, remember~"
"???"
Lu Li's face was full of question marks. He thought about it all the way, but couldn't remember what he'd promised her.
Carrying the travel bag, which was half his height, he went up to the apartment rooftop and issued the [Cross-Realm] command.
"There's so much stuff... I can bring it all, right?"
A flash of blue light, and Lu Li vanished.
Before you continue