Author: Momo Chan

On Aria’s 23rd birthday, I finally mustered up the courage to confess my feelings for her. But on my way to celebrate her birthday, I got into a car accident and lost my memory. When I woke up, she was standing by my hospital bed, wordlessly handing me divorce papers. “Considering you were willing to hurt yourself to divorce me, I’ll grant your wish.” Wait, what? I was going to confess my love, how did it turn into a divorce? I had a crush on Aria for five years. So, on Aria’s 23rd birthday, I finally decided to confess my feelings to her. I went to the flower shop and bought a bouquet of 99 roses because I remembered Aria once saying that she admired those movie scenes where the male lead confesses his love with roses in hand. “That kind of confession scene is just so romantic!” 18-year-old Aria had said, sitting next to me, looking at the big screen with envious eyes. “So, how many roses would you like?” I had asked. Aria thought seriously for a moment, then turned to look at me without speaking. Her bright eyes made my heart start to beat faster involuntarily, and even my ears began to feel warm. “Of course, 99 roses,” she had finally answered. Looking at the 99 roses now occupying the passenger seat, I couldn’t help but imagine how touched and happy Aria would be when she saw the confession scene she had always dreamed of. However, this happiness didn’t last long because I got distracted and ended up in a car accident. The last thing I remember before passing out was the sticky smell of blood in my nostrils and a vague image of Aria standing outside the car window, calling out anxiously. When I woke up again, my whole body was in excruciating pain, including my head. I slowly opened my eyes and saw Aria standing by my bed, her slender white hand adjusting the speed of the IV drip. Aria was still as beautiful as when I first met her, with her small oval face and black hair neatly draped over her shoulders, making her look so gentle and elegant. Seeing that I was awake, she asked if I felt uncomfortable anywhere. “My head hurts badly, Aria. Can you help me sit up? My back is uncomfortable.” Hearing this, she reached out her hand, carefully supporting me while operating the remote control by the hospital bed, trying to raise the head of the bed slightly. But at that moment, my attention was drawn to the diamond ring on her ring finger. I hadn’t expected Aria to be married already. A sense of dejection enveloped me, and I felt my mood plummet to rock bottom. I was so disappointed. I had liked Aria for a full five years, but it turned out she already had a happy family. After adjusting the height of the bed, Aria carefully placed me on the hospital bed, then stepped back, maintaining a safe distance from me. Seeing this, my mood became even more depressed. But I clearly understood that I couldn’t show this emotion right now. After all, loving someone doesn’t mean possessing them, but hoping for their happiness. So, I tried to force a smile on my pale lips, suppressing my discomfort. “Aria, did you save me?” It seemed my words touched a sensitive spot for her. She frowned, looking at me with cold eyes, her tone equally unpleasant, as if suppressing her emotions. “Jasper Reed, to divorce me, you even risked your own life. Is there anything you won’t do?” When I heard these words, I was completely bewildered. Me? Divorce her? But I was clearly going to celebrate her birthday and confess my feelings. How did it turn into a divorce? However, before I could figure out what was going on, a male doctor in a white coat walked in. He smiled happily at Aria. I remembered this person, I think his name was Dr. Caleb Hawthorne. The important thing was, he also liked Aria! Sure enough, he came over and gave me a thorough examination. When he lifted my arm and shook it in the air for a while, I noticed out of the corner of my eye that I was also wearing a ring on my ring finger! If I wasn’t mistaken, this ring and the one on Aria’s hand were a matching set! So, I really was married to her, as Aria had said. And, stupidly, I had tried to divorce her?? Dr. Hawthorne’s voice interrupted my thoughts. I looked up to see him staring intently and maliciously at Aria standing opposite. “Fortunately, the car accident wasn’t too serious. With some good rest, you’ll be fine. Aria, thank you for taking care of him during this time.” “You haven’t eaten anything since yesterday. The dumplings at the hospital entrance are quite good. Would you like me to bring you some?” Before Aria could respond, I answered him first. “Thank you for your concern, Dr. Hawthorne, but I’ll take care of my wife myself.” Dr. Hawthorne looked at me, then smiled slightly without saying anything more and left the room. After he left, Aria gave me a cold look, then took out a divorce agreement from her bag and placed it in front of me. “Jasper Reed, since you’re willing to harm yourself to get a divorce, there’s no point in dragging this out any longer. I agree to divorce you and let you go.”

Agree my ass. Of course, I couldn’t say that to Aria directly. Although I didn’t know how I had ended up marrying Aria, given that I had a crush on her for five years, I must have been out of my mind to sign divorce papers. Just as I was about to tell her to forget about it, Aria’s phone suddenly rang. A moment later, a cute little girl appeared in front of me, bouncing on her short legs into Aria’s arms. “Mommy, hug me.” The little girl was now being held by Aria, looking at me with big eyes. Looking closely, she really resembled Aria, like a miniature version of her. I found myself liking her more and more, so I unconsciously reached out to hold her hand. But she seemed very afraid and immediately withdrew her hand, burying her entire face in Aria’s chest. “I’m sorry, this is your child, right? She looks just like you, very cute.” Aria frowned at me, the impatience in her eyes instantly sobering me up. But I felt I should still explain a bit. “Aria, I know what I’m about to say might sound absurd, but you have to believe me. I… I really don’t remember being married to you…” As soon as I said this, Aria’s face looked even more gloomy. I slapped myself hard on the mouth. How stupid, how could I say that? “No, no, what I mean is that after waking up from the accident, I lost my memory. I only remember going to celebrate your 23rd birthday and planning to confess to you.” Hearing this, Aria looked like she had just heard a joke. She sneered and then looked at me. “Jasper Reed, you can even come up with such a lame excuse as amnesia. I guess you really have gone to great lengths.” “But whether you’ve really lost your memory or you’re just pretending, I’m no longer interested in you. Look at the divorce agreement in your hand. That’s what you should be considering now.” I really didn’t know what unforgivable thing I had done before losing my memory. To make Aria so disgusted with me. She didn’t even believe my words. Seeing her cold, distant, and suspicious gaze, I felt like I was about to have a breakdown right there. “Mommy, are you and Daddy getting divorced?” The little girl’s sweet voice brought me back to reality. I looked at the little girl hiding in Aria’s arms, recalling what she had just said. Daddy? So, this little girl really was the fruit of my love with Aria? “Well, Aria, even for the sake of the child, divorce isn’t good. Children who lose their father’s love can easily develop personality deficiencies.” Aria comforted her gently, but when she looked at me, her gaze was as cold and impatient as ever. The little girl’s gaze didn’t linger on me for long either. After giving me a brief look, she continued to hug Aria’s neck tightly. “Jasper Reed, since Mila was born, have you ever truly cared for her? Do you know what color she likes, what food she enjoys, what games she usually plays, or what cartoons she watches?” Aria’s words hit me hard, leaving me speechless. “You’ve never truly cared, not for Mila, not for me.” “All you’ve ever cared about is how to please your ideal love!” With that, she turned away, no longer paying attention to me, and left with our daughter. Recalling Aria’s words, I felt that I was an unqualified existence, both as a husband and as a father. I guess this is probably the reason why Aria wants to divorce me. But what did Aria mean by that “ideal love” she mentioned earlier? Isn’t she my ideal love?

A week later, using the excuse that I didn’t want to stay at home anymore, I asked Aria to discharge me from the hospital. Lying on the soft, comfortable memory foam mattress, I stared at the ceiling, feeling a headache coming on. Because I couldn’t remember anything at all. I couldn’t remember how I married Aria, couldn’t remember how we lived after getting married. And I couldn’t remember how we ended up at the point of divorce. However, the divorce agreement on the bedside table undeniably told me one fact – my marriage with Aria seemed to have come to an end without me even noticing. But I clearly liked her so much, liked her enough to willingly guard her silently for five years. Yet her words conveyed another message to me – that after marrying her, I had hooked up with my ideal love? Although I had lost my memory, my ideal love was clearly Aria. How could there possibly be another woman? I had never felt such a headache and frustration before. I directly pulled the covers over my head, burying my entire body under the blanket. “Daddy.” A sweet little voice brought me back to reality. I loosened the blanket and saw Mila standing there with a small fruit platter in her hands, looking at me with her big eyes from afar. Looking at her like this, she really did look like Aria, a miniature version of her. The more I looked, the more I liked her. So I unconsciously reached out to hold her hand. But she seemed very afraid and immediately withdrew her hand, burying her entire face in Aria’s chest. “I’m sorry, this is your child, right? She looks just like you, very cute.” Aria frowned at me, the impatience in her eyes instantly sobering me up. But I felt I should still explain a bit. “Aria, I know what I’m about to say might sound absurd, but you have to believe me. I… I really don’t remember being married to you…” As soon as I said this, Aria’s face looked even more gloomy. I slapped myself hard on the mouth. How stupid, how could I say that? “No, no, what I mean is that after waking up from the accident, I lost my memory. I only remember going to celebrate your 23rd birthday and planning to confess to you.” Hearing this, Aria looked like she had just heard a joke. She sneered and then looked at me. “Jasper Reed, you can even come up with such a lame excuse as amnesia. I guess you really have gone to great lengths.” “But whether you’ve really lost your memory or you’re just pretending, I’m no longer interested in you. Look at the divorce agreement in your hand. That’s what you should be considering now.” I really didn’t know what unforgivable thing I had done before losing my memory. To make Aria so disgusted with me. She didn’t even believe my words. Seeing her cold, distant, and suspicious gaze, I felt like I was about to have a breakdown right there. “Mommy, are you and Daddy getting divorced?” The little girl’s sweet voice brought me back to reality. I looked at the little girl hiding in Aria’s arms, recalling what she had just said. Daddy? So, this little girl really was the fruit of my love with Aria? “Well, Aria, even for the sake of the child, divorce isn’t good. Children who lose their father’s love can easily develop personality deficiencies.” Aria comforted her gently, but when she looked at me, her gaze was as cold and impatient as ever. The little girl’s gaze didn’t linger on me for long either. After giving me a brief look, she continued to hug Aria’s neck tightly. “Jasper Reed, since Mila was born, have you ever truly cared for her? Do you know what color she likes, what food she enjoys, what games she usually plays, or what cartoons she watches?” Aria’s words hit me hard, leaving me speechless. “You’ve never truly cared, not for Mila, not for me.” “All you’ve ever cared about is how to please your ideal love!” With that, she turned away, no longer paying attention to me, and left with our daughter. Recalling Aria’s words, I felt that I was an unqualified existence, both as a husband and as a father. I guess this is probably the reason why Aria wants to divorce me. But what did Aria mean by that “ideal love” she mentioned earlier? Isn’t she my ideal love? 3 A week later, using the excuse that I didn’t want to stay at home anymore, I asked Aria to discharge me from the hospital. Lying on the soft, comfortable memory foam mattress, I stared at the ceiling, feeling a headache coming on. Because I couldn’t remember anything at all. I couldn’t remember how I married Aria, couldn’t remember how we lived after getting married. And I couldn’t remember how we ended up at the point of divorce. However, the divorce agreement on the bedside table undeniably told me one fact – my marriage with Aria seemed to have come to an end without me even noticing. But I clearly liked her so much, liked her enough to willingly guard her silently for five years. Yet her words conveyed another message to me – that after marrying her, I had hooked up with my ideal love? Although I had lost my memory, my ideal love was clearly Aria. How could there possibly be another woman? I had never felt such a headache and frustration before. I directly pulled the covers over my head, burying my entire body under the blanket. “Daddy.” A sweet little voice brought me back to reality. I loosened the blanket and saw Mila standing there with a small fruit platter in her hands, looking at me with her big eyes from afar. The sight of her melted my heart. “Daddy, Mommy said to eat some fruit to get vitamins. That way, you’ll get better faster.” I knew it. Aria still cared about me. She couldn’t bear to ignore me. Thinking this, my gloomy mood brightened like a ray of sunshine breaking through clouds, instantly cheering me up. I beckoned to Mila, gesturing for her to come over. “Daddy’s arm hurts a bit. Can Mila feed Daddy the fruit? I’m sure it’ll taste super delicious if Mila feeds me.” I never imagined that I, the CEO of Reed Enterprises, would have such a sweet-talking day. But the truth is, I really enjoyed this version of myself. Hearing this, Mila’s little oval face twisted for a moment. After pondering for a while, she nodded and took small steps towards me. Then, with her tiny hand, she picked up a piece of apple with the fork and held it up to my mouth. This time, I directly reached out and hugged her entire body. How adorable she was. They say a daughter is her father’s little sweetheart. With such a cute and sweet little sweetheart, why would I ever want a divorce? I’m not divorcing, no way. Mila was clearly not used to such close contact with me. Her body squirmed uncomfortably in my arms, her big eyes, like black pearls, blinking rapidly. She was so beautiful. Looking closely, I could see that her eyebrows were very similar to mine, long and thick. I couldn’t help but admire how perfectly she had inherited Aria’s beauty. Unable to resist, I planted a kiss on her cheek. Mila’s face instantly turned red, her little hands now tightly gripping the fork, looking extremely nervous. I lowered my head and took a bite of the apple, then put the fork back on the fruit platter. “The fruit really does taste better when my little sweetheart feeds me. Daddy likes it very much.” Children are always easily satisfied. Hearing this, she immediately broke into a big smile and then stretched out her arms, hugging my neck tightly. “Then, does Daddy like Mila?” I hadn’t expected her to ask such a question. I nodded. “Of course Daddy likes Mila. I like you very, very much.” The child’s timid question made me feel a pang of sadness. I realized that in the past, I must have neglected her growth. Otherwise, why would she ask me such a question? Just as I was enjoying my daughter’s sweet scent, the door was suddenly pushed open from the outside. Aria stood in front of me, her face cold. “Mommy.” Seeing Aria appear, Mila quickly struggled out of my arms, then bounced on her short legs to Aria’s side, hugging her legs tightly. Aria had clearly just finished washing up. The scent of her shower gel wafted towards me with the evening breeze, making my heart beat faster involuntarily. She bent down slightly, and I caught a glimpse of her cleavage. The next second, I saw her pick up Mila and stand up. I unconsciously swallowed, feeling oddly parched. Aria walked over and mercilessly closed the half-open window, then turned on the air conditioner for me. Due to my injury, I could only temporarily stay in the guest room for this period after returning home. I opened my mouth to thank her. “No need to thank me.” “If you really want to thank me, just sign the divorce papers quickly.” I frowned in disgust. Since I woke up, three out of five sentences from Aria were about divorce. “Aria, I don’t want a divorce.” Hearing this, Aria put down the remote control in her hand and turned to look at me with a deep gaze. Just when I thought she would agree not to divorce me, she suddenly told me: “Jasper Reed, can you stop being so selfish? In this marriage, have you ever considered my feelings?” “I’m not that generous. I can’t pretend everything is fine and continue to be loving with you while you have an ideal love in your heart.” “Don’t worry, after the divorce, I will raise Mila very well. After all, I’ve been the one taking care of her all these years. You’re nothing more than a sperm donor to her.” “Moreover, isn’t me letting go and allowing you to be with her what you want?” Her cold tone made me feel heartbroken. I didn’t say anything more, but silently lay down, turning my back to her. Soon, the sound of footsteps faded away, and with the closing of the door, the room returned to silence. What was the point of being married to Aria if all she thought about was divorcing me? Even the child didn’t seem close to me. I began to doubt whether we would have made this decision if we had known our marriage would turn out like this. The thoughts in my mind made my head throb painfully. I couldn’t sleep, so I got up and walked heavily to the balcony, pushing open the door. In the garden, I saw Aria holding Mila, sitting on a rattan chair, telling her a story. It was such a warm scene. Such a scene that made me reluctant to let go.

After resting at home for a week, I felt my body was almost back to normal. More importantly, I didn’t want to be left alone in the guest room anymore. Having a wife, there was no reason to continue sleeping alone. So that day, I took my pillow and actively walked to the master bedroom. As I pushed open the door to the master bedroom, a whiff of Aria’s unique fragrance hit me, dispelling the gloomy mood I had been in for the past few days. Just then, the bathroom door suddenly opened, and Aria appeared before me, wrapped only in a towel. Her hair was still dripping water, droplets sliding down her body’s curves and disappearing into the towel covering her chest. Having just showered, her cheeks were slightly flushed, making her look incredibly alluring. I quickly suppressed the stirring in my heart and averted my gaze. “Jasper Reed, what are you doing here?!” Aria quickly reacted, grabbing a jacket from the top of the wardrobe and draping it over her shoulders. Her words interrupted my thoughts, and I finally stammered out a response. I almost thought I had become a stutterer. “Uh… Aria, I’m feeling much better now. Can I sleep in the master bedroom?”

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I’ve imprisoned my brother in the bedroom closet. To prevent him from escaping, I broke all the bones in his body. I cut open his abdomen, exposing his intestines. His organs were removed and soaked in formaldehyde… And yet, he’s still alive. This wasn’t a difficult thing to do. As a professional surgeon, I have a thousand ways to torture him while keeping him barely alive. Main text: The hospital lab reported that a few milliliters of blood were missing from a sample. It wasn’t a big deal initially. Perhaps it was used in some testing process. Or maybe a few extra milliliters were recorded by mistake at the beginning. But the nurse insisted that a few milliliters had gone missing without explanation. Because the patient was HIV-positive, she decided to report it. The hospital administrator said the blood of HIV patients must be taken seriously. If someone with ill intentions took that blood to harm others, the consequences would be unthinkable! The police didn’t take this case very seriously, so they assigned my mentor, Detective Mark Thompson, a veteran officer nearing retirement, to handle it. As his new apprentice, I naturally got involved in this case as well. But this seemingly ordinary case would uncover a huge, hidden truth – one that was cruel and tragic… We didn’t find anything unusual in the hospital surveillance footage. Detective Thompson lit a cigarette and said to me, “Grab the notebook. Let’s go talk to everyone.” So we visited all the doctors, nurses, and anyone who could have accessed the blood samples recently. But there was one person whose home we couldn’t reach – she was never there when we tried. Her name was Rachel Wilson, the youngest ER doctor at the hospital. Detective Thompson and I sat at the nurses’ station, waiting because Rachel was in surgery and couldn’t meet us. “Dr. Wilson? She’s the most skilled doctor in the hospital. She’s kind, has a great temperament, and is beautiful too,” one nurse said. As soon as she finished speaking, the group of nurses started chattering, all saying good things about Rachel. “She had outstanding grades, went straight through her master’s and PhD. At such a young age, she’s already an attending physician.” “That time when we had that violent incident at the hospital, a patient’s family member came at us with a knife. It was Rachel who carefully calmed them down and prevented a disaster.” After spending the afternoon learning about her, all we heard were praises. She seemed to be a person without any flaws. As evening approached, the surgery still hadn’t ended. We figured that once Dr. Wilson came out of surgery, she’d be exhausted. It wouldn’t be right to question her then. The nurses said she had the next day off, so we decided to visit her home tomorrow instead. Early the next morning, we knocked on her door. She seemed to live alone. We heard someone in slippers walking to the door. They leaned against it, watching us for a while before opening. “You must be Detective Thompson. The nurses told me about you when I got off work yesterday,” she said. Detective Thompson nodded as she invited us in. She appeared to have just woken up, wearing a silk robe in a vibrant red that accentuated her perfect figure. As she bent down to pour us some water, her neckline gaped open, revealing smooth pale skin. Detective Thompson and I are men after all. He’s been divorced for years, so seeing such an attractive woman naturally drew his gaze. And as for me, fresh out of the academy and never having had a girlfriend, I couldn’t help but take in the alluring scene. Detective Thompson snapped out of it and surveyed her apartment, in no rush to get to business. In an interrogation, you need to gain the person’s trust first, break down their mental defenses, and look for clues in the details. “You live here alone?” he asked casually. She smiled. “Yes, my brother used to stay here, but he’s away on a business trip recently.” Her demeanor was relaxed, a gentle smile on her face. Detective Thompson made a noncommittal sound, glancing at a closed door behind her. It was a large apartment with two bedrooms. One door was open – presumably her room. The other was tightly shut, likely her brother’s room. Detective Thompson noticed some fake nails on the TV stand, then looked at Rachel’s clean, unadorned fingernails. “Do you like doing your nails, Dr. Wilson?” he asked. She smiled, touching her fingers. “What girl doesn’t? But as a doctor, I can’t really do my nails. So I bought some fake ones to stick on when I’m home and bored.” As she spoke, she stood up and brought over the fake nails. She took one out, compared it to her finger, found it matched her middle finger perfectly, and stuck it on. Detective Thompson, seeing nothing unusual in the home, was about to get to the point. But suddenly a huge noise came from the closed room. Rachel’s expression darkened for a moment as she looked back at that room. “Lucky, behave yourself,” she said sternly. “Lucky?” Detective Thompson questioned. She turned back to us, her gentle smile returning. “I have a husky. He’s quite a handful, so I usually keep him in there.” Perhaps due to his years of experience as a detective, Thompson seemed to sense something was off. He stood up and walked towards that room. Rachel stood as well, warning him: “Detective, don’t say I didn’t warn you. Lucky can be really rowdy.” Thompson kept walking. As he put his hand on the doorknob, just as he was about to turn it… A dog’s yelp came from inside the room, sounding pitiful, as if it had been abused. Thompson opened the door without hesitation. A huge husky bounded out, knocking him over, then ran around wagging its tail and crashing into things. Rachel hurried to help Thompson up, then grabbed Lucky and struggled to get him back in the room. “I’m so sorry, Detective. He really is too much sometimes,” she apologized. Thompson, feeling a bit guilty for suspecting her, rubbed his balding head. “No worries, no worries.” Then he got down to business. “Dr. Wilson, have you heard about the missing blood samples from the lab?” he asked. Rachel fiddled with the fake nail on her middle finger. “Of course, rumors have been going around for a while. Did you check the surveillance footage?” Thompson answered honestly: “We did. Nothing unusual showed up.” She made a noncommittal sound, not saying anything more. But I thought I saw her eyes go cold for just a split second. Even with the smile still on her lips, it felt like falling into an abyss. Thompson felt that he had come to interrogate her, but suddenly found himself answering her questions honestly. It somewhat bruised his pride as a detective, so he straightened up and began questioning her more formally. After a round of questioning, we didn’t find anything unusual. Unfortunately, Detective Thompson, despite his years of experience dealing with criminals, had met his match in her. All that talk of casual conversation to gain the suspect’s trust – turns out we had trusted her step by step under her subtle guidance. The case seemed to have hit a dead end. Detective Thompson told me to close it if nothing else came up. But I felt something was off, so I kept dragging my feet on closing it. Soon, another new case came to the police station. A professor from A University had gone missing. He was supposed to be on a business trip to L City, but when he didn’t return as scheduled, the school checked and found that he wasn’t at the business location or on campus. His phone was also unreachable. After contacting his family, they said he hadn’t come home either. He seemed to have vanished into thin air. At least, that’s how the officer who took the case described it to Detective Thompson. The responding officer said the missing man had left home, and had definitely boarded that flight, but never got off. Thompson asked skeptically, “What do you mean he never got off? Did he die on the plane?” The officer shook his head vigorously. “We checked the surveillance footage for a long time. We found that he definitely boarded the plane, but in the footage of passengers disembarking, there’s no sign of him.” Thompson picked up the file and glanced at the name. “Ryan Wilson. The name sounds familiar.” Then he saw the address – it was the same as Dr. Rachel Wilson’s. “Looks like we need to pay Dr. Wilson another visit,” Thompson said thoughtfully. That evening, I drove Thompson over. Unlike her confident demeanor before, Rachel looked haggard today. She wore plain clothes, her hair carelessly tied back. She didn’t even offer us water. She led us to the couch and sat down, constantly checking her phone. Since this wasn’t our first visit, we weren’t exactly strangers anymore. Thompson got straight to the point: “Your brother is missing?” She nodded, her eyes instantly welling up with tears. “Detective Thompson, please, you have to find my brother.” She grabbed Thompson’s arm, crying uncontrollably. Thompson patted her shoulder reassuringly. “Don’t worry. I don’t believe in people vanishing into thin air. I’ll definitely help you find the truth.” She nodded through her tears. We had learned what we needed to, so Thompson and I prepared to leave. As we reached the ground floor, I happened to look up and saw a figure in her window. Though far away, I felt an intense chill. I shivered, wrapping my arms around myself. Thompson turned and asked what was wrong. I hurriedly said it was nothing. When I looked back, the window was empty. This case was different from the missing blood samples at the hospital, so Thompson approached it with utmost seriousness. We carefully reviewed the surveillance footage of Ryan boarding and disembarking the plane over and over, until our eyes were strained. But we still couldn’t spot Ryan getting off the plane. We also questioned the passengers seated around Ryan, as well as the flight crew. They said Ryan had gone to the bathroom midway through the flight and never returned to his seat. It was baffling how a person could just disappear like that from a plane. So Thompson, following his years of intuition, decided to start investigating Rachel’s home. We reviewed the surveillance footage from outside Rachel’s building again and again. Ryan appeared in the footage with his suitcase. Rachel saw him off, watching until he was out of sight. We even checked older footage and found that whenever Ryan left for work, as long as Rachel didn’t have an emergency shift, she would always come out to see him off. The siblings seemed to have a good relationship. Sometimes they would even hug before parting. I was exhausted from watching so much footage and started letting my imagination run wild. “Detective, what if Ryan was abducted by aliens for experiments?” I joked. Thompson gave me a withering look. I continued speculating: “Do you think this case could be connected to the missing blood samples at the hospital?” My idle comment caught Thompson’s attention. He gave me a complex look. “Both cases are connected to Rachel Wilson. But if she did it, what would she want the hospital’s blood for? HIV doesn’t manifest immediately. If she wanted to infect someone, who would it be?” Thompson rattled off a series of questions, then continued: “How could Ryan just vanish from the plane? If Rachel did it, how did she manage that?” I was clearly clueless, but Thompson didn’t seem to expect answers from me. “And judging by Rachel’s state, she clearly cares a lot about her brother. If it really was her, what’s her motive?” Right, motive is the key to any case. So we needed to understand the relationship between the siblings better. Thompson and I wasted no time. The next day we went to their hometown to investigate. Their mother made us some tea, her eyes still red from crying. “You’re asking about Ryan and Rachel? They’ve been close since they were little. We were busy with work back then, so Ryan always looked after her.” “You wouldn’t believe it, but when Rachel got her first period, Ryan even helped wash her pants.” “The two were as close as twins. Ryan had better grades, so Rachel was inevitably compared to him unfavorably. But Ryan always defended her and spent hours tutoring her.” Thompson nodded. “Have either of them dated anyone?” Their mother shook her head. “Not that I know of. We’ve been pestering Ryan to settle down, but he always says there’s no rush. I don’t think Rachel is seeing anyone either.” Thompson glanced at me, and I suddenly remembered something. The first time we visited Rachel’s home, there was an opened box of condoms next to the fake nails. At the time, I thought it was normal for a female doctor to have condoms. But now that we know neither of them was dating anyone, who were the condoms for? Thompson immediately called the station. “Zhang, compare the surveillance footage again. Carefully compare the Ryan who left that last time with previous footage. Don’t miss any details.” Officer Zhang grumbled a bit, having watched that footage countless times already, but didn’t dare disobey orders. “Detective, did you notice anything strange?” I asked. Thompson pondered for a moment before replying: “It is a bit odd. Usually when Rachel sees Ryan off, they hug. But not the last time.” I thought hard about the surveillance footage. “But they don’t hug every time. Sometimes Ryan wants to hug but Rachel doesn’t, right?” Thompson lit a cigarette. “That’s true. The strange thing is, the last time, Ryan didn’t try to hug Rachel.” Right, why didn’t he hug her that final time? “And…” Thompson blew out a smoke ring, “That last day, he was wearing a baseball cap. We never got a clear look at his face, just assumed it was him based on the build.” Thompson suspected the person who left that final time wasn’t Ryan at all! Soon, Officer Zhang called back. “Detective Thompson, we did find some differences.” Thompson and I exchanged a glance, waiting for him to continue. “Their stride lengths are different.” “The difference isn’t much, only about 2cm, but it is different.” Zhang hesitated, sounding a bit embarrassed. “We didn’t notice this ourselves. The station just received an anonymous email pointing it out to us.” Thompson’s eyes flashed. “Have you traced the IP address?” “We’re working on it.” After hanging up, Thompson sat in the car pondering for a long while. He sighed. “This isn’t enough evidence. We need to at least find Ryan himself.” We drove back to question Rachel again. She looked exhausted when she opened the door. “Ryan never actually left this apartment, did he?” Thompson asked bluntly. Rachel seemed taken aback, then smiled. “If you don’t believe me, feel free to search every room.” She stepped aside, her openness making us hesitant to suspect her. But we were police officers after all. What was there to be embarrassed about? So we searched every room thoroughly. We even checked under the beds and in the toilet tanks. There truly wasn’t anything suspicious. We turned our attention to the person who had impersonated Ryan. After investigating, we soon uncovered his identity. In the police station interrogation room, he sat calmly, curiously observing us. “What’s your name?” Thompson asked. “Henry Young.” “What do you do for work?” He glanced at the file in Thompson’s hand. “Shouldn’t you already know that?” Thompson cleared his throat and changed the question. “Do you know why we brought you in?” He nodded. “Of course. If you found me, you must know Ryan Wilson’s whereabouts by now.” Thompson maintained his poker face. “Naturally. You know where he is too, right?” But Henry was frank: “I don’t know.” Thompson slammed the table. “You have a good job. If you insist on hiding information, your future will be ruined.” Henry shrugged. “I don’t care. I just want revenge on him.” Henry Young was a crew member for the airline. That day, Rachel found him and asked him to impersonate Ryan, leaving the apartment complex and pretending to board that flight. He was already scheduled to work that flight as a crew member, so he created the illusion that Ryan had vanished from the plane. When asked about his grudge against Ryan, Henry’s story went back many years. In middle school, Henry’s family was poor, so he studied hard, hoping to improve his circumstances someday. Ryan easily maintained the top rank without much effort. Until one time, Henry surpassed Ryan and got the top score on an exam. Ryan, unable to accept this, had Henry beaten up and all his study materials destroyed. Henry’s mother broke her leg working at a construction site to scrape together money to replace his materials. The construction company paid quite a bit in compensation. They had money for new study materials, but his mother’s leg was permanently damaged. So from then on, Henry hated Ryan with a passion. After hearing Henry’s statement, we confirmed that Ryan had never left that apartment complex. Henry leaned back in his chair, looking at us with disdain. “I’ve bought Rachel enough time. Detectives, you don’t actually think you’re clever, do you? Uncovering all this?” Thompson and I exchanged a glance, waiting for him to continue. “All the clues you’ve found were left deliberately by Rachel. You’re quite slow, only getting to me now.” We immediately applied for a search warrant, but it took three days for approval. We surrounded Rachel’s home and broke down the door. Rachel was sitting calmly on the couch, legs crossed. This time she had real manicured nails, blood red, not the fake ones from before. She held a glass of red wine. Seeing us enter, she barely glanced over, taking a sip of wine. She set down her glass and stood up gracefully, walking to Detective Thompson in her high heels, looking at him with a hint of challenge. “Detective Thompson, I could have done better. I left you so many clues.” She turned and pointed to her bedroom. “Break open the closet. He’s in there.” Then she held out her hands, waiting to be handcuffed. I don’t know what she was thinking, going with us to the station so calmly, but she refused to discuss her motives. When we found Ryan, he had been tortured beyond recognition. During my training, I’d looked at many photos of corpses to desensitize myself – bodies bloated from water, dismembered bodies, all kinds of gruesome deaths… But seeing Ryan, I still felt nauseous and nearly vomited.

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When I was eighteen, Leo Parker gave me a bracelet. “You promised to be my girlfriend if I got into the Police Academy, Haley Wilson. No backing out now,” he said. Ten years later. At twenty-eight, Officer Leo Parker personally handcuffed me and sent me to prison. On the day of my execution, he was at home watching a football game. Outside, a light rain was falling, just like the day we first met. I met Leo Parker on a rainy day in early April. That evening, my grandfather had invited some principals and education officials from Southville High School for dinner. By the time it ended, night had fallen. The street lamps cast a dim light, and the air was chilly. A bus slowly approached through the thin fog. I closed my umbrella and helped my elderly grandfather board. The seats inside were all taken, and my grandfather, hunched with age, couldn’t reach the handrail. He could only hold onto me tightly. He had always valued his reputation and prided himself on his integrity. Now, for my sake, he had set aside his scholarly dignity. At his advanced age, he was still bowing and smiling at the dinner table, hoping only that his granddaughter could be admitted to school smoothly. Thinking of this, I felt a lump in my throat and couldn’t help but tear up. Suddenly, I heard a hoarse voice say, “Don’t cry. Sit here.” I looked up to see a thin young man. He wore a black baseball cap that hid his eyes, revealing only the sharp outline of his nose and chin. He stood up to offer his seat. I hurriedly helped my grandfather sit down and was about to thank him when I realized the young man had already squeezed through the crowd to stand far away. About half an hour later, the bus reached its final stop. The rain had grown heavier, changing from a light drizzle to a downpour. I held an umbrella in one hand and supported my grandfather with the other. He was old and had a leg condition, so he walked very slowly. The two of us struggled forward in the cold, whistling wind. “Do you need help?” A slender hand lifted the brim of the cap, revealing a pair of clear eyes. He continued, “The rain is too heavy. If you don’t mind, I can carry the old man back.” It was the young man from earlier. This unexpected act of kindness took me by surprise. Without thinking too much, I quickly nodded, “Thank you, I appreciate it.” The young man swiftly lifted my grandfather onto his back. His steps were steady, his expression calm. I walked beside them, holding the umbrella high, tilting it slightly towards them. Soon we reached the entrance of the apartment building. He asked, “Which floor do you live on?” I hesitated for a few seconds, feeling a bit embarrassed to say, “Fifth floor. It’s okay, thank you so much for bringing us this far. I can help him from here…” Before I could finish, he had already started climbing the stairs with my grandfather on his back. By now, the rain outside was pouring heavily. My grandfather invited the young man to come in, sit for a while, and have a cup of hot tea while waiting for the rain to stop. He politely declined, “I just moved here and also live on the fifth floor. It’s on my way, no need to be so formal.” Seeing the young man’s firm attitude, my grandfather didn’t insist further but felt he should at least know which apartment he lived in, otherwise he’d feel indebted. The young man hesitated for a moment before saying, “510.” It was the apartment at the end of the corridor. A moment later, I brought over some freshly brewed ginger tea to thank him, but a middle-aged man opened the door. “Who are you looking for?” he asked. “Hello, sir. I’m looking for your son, he just helped me…” Before I could finish, the man impatiently interrupted, “I’m single, where would I get a son from? Are you crazy?” He slammed the door shut. I was dumbfounded. That kind-hearted young man, unwilling to reveal his address, embodying the spirit of doing good deeds without leaving a name, had disappeared into the rainy night. In this vast sea of humanity, a chance encounter, and who knows if we’d ever meet again.

A month later, I successfully enrolled in Southville High School. In the classroom, I introduced myself, “Hello everyone, I’m Haley Wilson.” There was a burst of laughter from below. “Pfft! Her accent is so weird!” “Sounds really country.” Discussions and chatter erupted all around. I happened to glance up and caught sight of that familiar face amidst the crowd. My heart suddenly raced. He leaned back with his arms crossed, looking up at me. His expression was distant and indifferent, as if he didn’t recognize me at all. I turned away and sat down with my backpack. I had grown up in a small town, so my accent was strong and my basic knowledge was quite weak. Every time I answered a question, it caused whispers throughout the class. During breaks, one boy deliberately imitated the way I spoke, even creating exaggerated gestures, twisting his mouth and eyes and flailing his limbs, saying I was a country bumpkin who came to the city for medical treatment. The people around laughed uproariously, enjoying the spectacle. Suddenly, there was a loud “bang!” The boy who had been mocking me fell backwards, chair and all. At the same time, an eraser flew through the air in a graceful arc and landed with a thud on the boy’s head. “Leo” stood nearby, hands in his pockets, looking down at the fallen boy. He asked, “Having fun?” “Leo, you…!” The boy was half a head shorter than Leo and didn’t dare to retaliate. He could only swallow his anger and right his desk and chair. As he bent down, he saw the eraser that had fallen by his feet. The boy suddenly looked up, glancing around angrily, “Who threw this at me?!” “I did,” I said. I stood at the podium, looking at him, enunciating each word clearly, “From now on, every time you mock me, I’ll hit you once.” He was stunned, clearly not expecting me to fight back. After recovering, he sneered, “You? You think you can beat me?” “It doesn’t matter if I can’t. Unless you kill me, I won’t let this go.” Hearing this, Leo turned his head and looked at me in surprise, his expression thoughtful. The boy wanted to say something but held back, either feeling it was beneath him to fight with me or not daring to act up with Leo backing me. His face flushed red, and he could only admit defeat and sit down. After this incident, no one dared to mock my accent again. That night when I got home, I carefully wrote two words on a draft paper: Leo Parker. What a coincidence indeed. At that time, I didn’t know that while I was marveling at the wonders of fate, I would unwittingly take step after step towards a point of no return because of Leo Parker.

I didn’t do very well in the final exams, ranking in the lower middle of the class. In the hospital room, my grandfather gently stroked my hair and smiled, “The education level in your hometown isn’t as good as here in Southville, and you started school late. Achieving these results is already quite good.” As he spoke, his gaze became distant, as if lost in memories. He sighed deeply, “You used to be very naughty, climbing trees, crawling through dog holes, pulling my beard while I slept, always getting into trouble! Your grandmother and I were so worried, wondering how you’d manage when you grew up. Who would dare to marry you? We never expected that as you got older, you’d become shy, aware of beauty and shame, even crying when I scolded you. Oh, it broke my heart.” “These past few days, I keep thinking about how you looked when you first learned to walk. You were always smiling then, giggling for no reason, waddling around with your chubby little belly, tottering and falling down… Ah, such a tiny baby, and in the blink of an eye, you’ve grown into a young lady.” My grandfather’s rough palm gently caressed my face as he struggled to open his eyes wide, trying to see me clearly. He asked hoarsely, “Haley, do you still blame your father?” I felt a lump in my throat. My grandfather had been confused lately, often mixing up the past and present in his speech. He was mistaking his granddaughter for his daughter. “I don’t blame him, not at all,” I buried my face in his chest and said softly, “Dad, it’s so good to be back with you.” That night, my grandfather passed away. On the day of the burial, a misty rain fell, and the sky was neither light nor dark, like a heavy, oppressive canvas. The cemetery was built halfway up a mountain. Ancient trees loomed in the fog, and the mountain path was muddy. I carried the urn of ashes, walking in front, followed by my uncle’s family of three. My young cousin, not understanding the concept of death, came up and blinked, asking, “Hey, is my grandpa really in this box?” “Mm-hmm.” “He was such a big person, how did he become so small?” My throat tightened as I suddenly remembered my grandfather’s words: “Such a tiny baby, and in the blink of an eye, you’ve grown into a young lady.” It felt like a ball of cotton was stuffed in my chest. Though I could hardly breathe, I couldn’t suppress the rising waves of sorrow. Aunt Sarah quickly pulled my cousin away, saying nervously, “Don’t touch that, it’s bad luck!” Hearing this, Uncle Mike’s face darkened with anger, “What nonsense are you talking about? That’s my father!” “Oh, you were nowhere to be seen when the old man was in the hospital, but now you’re acting all filial,” Aunt Sarah sneered. “Your father insisted on being buried with your mother instead of being kept in the funeral home. Doesn’t he realize your mother passed away years ago and has probably been reincarnated by now? Hmph, and he was a university professor? Getting more muddled with age, just making his children spend money unnecessarily… Oh, by the way! How much did we receive in condolence money?” “I haven’t counted yet.” “I remember one envelope was quite thick, all hundreds. It must be at least a thousand!” “No, funeral gifts should always be odd numbers. It might be eleven hundred…” I closed my eyes, trembling, clutching the urn tightly. A chill spread from the bottom of my heart, coursing through my entire body.

Time flew, and before we knew it, summer vacation was over. The start of sophomore year coincided with the arrival of early autumn in Southville, bringing with it a tapestry of colorful leaves. For class selection, I chose liberal arts, while Leo went to the neighboring science class. Our new homeroom teacher was a burly man with a booming voice that made even the doorframes shake when he shouted. Everyone in the class was afraid of him. That is, until one day when I accidentally overheard him talking to his wife on the phone in the hallway. His voice was soft and gentle, his eyes full of affection, like a lovestruck Romeo. At that moment, his image in my mind transformed from a rough, hard stone into a gently flowing stream. Actually, it’s not uncommon for men to be gentle, but when a fierce-looking man is only gentle to one person, that feeling of being favored is quite special. Days passed leisurely, and I had almost forgotten about Leo Parker. Our paths crossed again on the day of the school sports meet. I fell while running in the relay race and sprained my ankle. I had to leave the field limping and was hobbling towards the infirmary. The sports representative hurried over, wanting to take me there, but I shook my head, “The standing long jump is about to start. You go prepare first, I can manage on my own.” The sports rep hesitated, then his eyes suddenly lit up and he called out, “Leo!” I looked in the direction he was calling and saw that tall, slender figure through the crowd. Leo had just finished the 800-meter race for boys and was sweating profusely. The post-rain sunshine fell gently on his shoulders, giving him a vibrant, youthful energy typical of teenage boys. Leo walked over, slightly out of breath, and asked, “What’s wrong?” “Haley just sprained her ankle and needs to go to the infirmary. If you’re free, could you help take her there instead of me?” “There’s no need to trouble—” I began. “It’s no trouble,” Leo interrupted. “I need to go to the infirmary to get a band-aid anyway.” Seeing that everything was arranged, the sports rep looked relieved and quickly ran back to join his team. I thanked Leo in a low voice, and he responded with a soft “Mm” as he reached out to support me. The young man’s hand was warm and soft, carefully holding my arm through the school uniform. There was a very subtle sensation. The atmosphere was too quiet, so I tried to make conversation, “Are you hurt?” “Hm?” “Didn’t you say you needed to go to the infirmary for a band-aid?” “Just a small injury, nothing serious.” “Oh.” “How’s your grandfather doing recently?” “He passed away.” “…” The conversation came to an abrupt halt. I lowered my head as he guided me to the infirmary. After a simple bandaging, Leo helped me back. We had just stepped out of the infirmary door when we suddenly heard a shrill female voice from behind, “What are you two doing?! This is highly improper in broad daylight!” We turned around to see Leo’s new homeroom teacher, Ms. Johnson. Rumor had it that she once caught a couple dating early and called them out to the corridor. She berated the girl mercilessly for being shameless, using the harshest words possible. But when it came to the boy, she merely said lightly, “Young man, you’re handsome and smart. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to date in the future. Don’t mess around anymore, okay?” Because of this, people secretly called her “Double Standard Johnson” behind her back. Leo frowned slightly and explained, “Teacher, this student sprained her ankle. I’m just helping her to the infirmary.” Ms. Johnson looked me up and down, with a fake smile, “Oh, which class’s delicate flower are you? So precious that you need to trouble our class’s boys to escort you.” “Hello, teacher. I’m Haley Wilson from Class 3, Grade 10. The boys in our class all went to compete, and I happened to run into Leo on the way, so I troubled him to help me for a bit.” “The boy is indeed kind and helpful, but the girl might not be. Haley Wilson, do you understand what I mean?” Ms. Johnson said coldly. “I don’t understand,” I replied. Ms. Johnson snorted, “We’re both women, I know exactly what you’re thinking! You’re taking advantage of your pretty face to act weak and gain sympathy from boys, then using the chance to get all touchy-feely. What, do you enjoy this process? Little girl, remember you’re a student. You shouldn’t have such scheming thoughts.” Pretty? Scheming? To be honest, no one had ever complimented me like that before. It made me want to refute but I couldn’t open my mouth, afraid of ruining an image that didn’t belong to me at all. Leo looked at her, his face expressionless, “Teacher, last week when you fainted at the school gate due to high blood pressure, it was the security guard who carried you to the infirmary. May I ask, were you really sick then or were you pretending? Were you truly unable to move, or did you enjoy the process of being carried?” Ms. Johnson was stunned. Her face turned red, then white. She sputtered angrily, unable to form coherent words, like a broken record player. Leo remained calm, “Teacher, I’m just following your logic to think about the situation. If I’ve offended you, please forgive me.” Ms. Johnson was so angry she stamped her foot, but she couldn’t refute him. She could only glare at me viciously and leave with a parting shot, “I don’t know how your mother raised you!” Leo told me not to take it to heart. After a while, seeing that I hadn’t responded, he asked, “Haley, are you okay?” I came back to my senses and smiled, “It’s nothing. I just suddenly remembered that you didn’t get a band-aid.” Leo lowered his eyes and made a soft sound of agreement, not saying anything more. My heart skipped a beat as I thought back to what he had said when we first met. It seemed I understood something. Taking my grandfather home hadn’t been on his way, and neither was taking me to the infirmary. They were just white lies told out of kindness, to avoid making others feel guilty. What an upright and strange fellow.

In November 2005, the temperature suddenly dropped, and the days grew shorter, heralding the arrival of winter. At the same time, World of Warcraft swept into the American market, capturing the hearts of a large number of teenagers. And some middle-aged people. Uncle Mike had to coax and cajole Aunt Sarah before getting her agreement to buy a desktop computer. When the workers came to install it, little Cousin Tommy was so excited he jumped up and down, running around with his toy gun, shooting at everything. Suddenly, he stopped in front of me and declared in a tone like he was warning off an invader, “This is my house, you get out!” I silently continued washing the dishes, pretending not to hear. “I’m talking to you!” he said, kicking me hard with his chubby foot. I glanced down at Cousin Tommy, suddenly smirking as I scooped a dirty bowl out of the sink and plonked it on his head, pressing down twice to secure it. It fit perfectly, I must say. He burst into loud wails. Aunt Sarah came running, aghast, “What’s going on?” The little chubster pointed at me and tattled, “She bullied me! Let’s kick her out!” “Alright, alright,” Aunt Sarah cooed, about to start scolding me when I splashed her face with dishwater. I walked to the door, grabbed my jacket, and before leaving, added, “Just a reminder, don’t forget that this apartment was left to my mom by Grandpa.” I slammed the door shut, cutting off the stream of curses from behind. I didn’t know where to go, so I just wandered aimlessly through the streets, wrapped tightly in my jacket. I ended up at an abandoned park and suddenly heard the sound of a fight. It was three young delinquent girls and two thuggish boys ganging up on one girl. In the bitter cold, they had stripped the girl down to just her tank top and underwear. She was covering her face and begging helplessly. Her cries were too heart-wrenching for me to ignore. Before I could think it through, I had already rushed over. The last time I’d been in a fight was six years ago, with my older brother. Back then, I was like a wolf cub with barely-grown teeth, fiercely biting at a tiger, not realizing that my fierce efforts were hardly felt by the opponent. With just a shake, I’d be thrown two miles away. My brother said my personality was like a prickly cactus, born with a rebellious nature. Whoever poked my sore spot, I’d stab their heart. I acted without hesitation and never considered the consequences. Just like now, five against one had become five against two. I was completely outmatched and even got slapped a few times. In the chaos, I saw a figure running towards us, the blue and white school uniform gleaming like shining armor in the moonlight. It was Leo. He kicked out, immediately knocking down the thug who had slapped me. With backup, I felt a surge of confidence. I rolled up my sleeves and joined the fray, grabbing wildly. I managed to pull out several strands of one girl’s bleached, explosion-like hairstyle, and violently yanked at another’s earrings until her earlobes bled, making them scream in pain. Leo’s side was equally impressive. He usually kept to himself, but who knew he could be so fierce in a fight. One of the thugs was already down, and Leo had a firm grip on the other’s hair, kicking him mercilessly as the guy begged for mercy. The group fled in disarray, their retreating figures like defeated dogs. Although we won, Leo and I didn’t look much better. His school uniform was covered in dust, and my hair was a mess. We both looked disheveled, like refugees fleeing a disaster. Leo picked up the clothes from the ground and handed them to the girl, then took out his phone, “Call your parents to come pick you up.” The girl thanked him softly. I tidied my hair, preparing to leave, when Leo suddenly called out, “Haley, let’s walk together.” After a pause, he added, “We’re going the same way anyway.” I didn’t know how much truth there was in that statement, but at this point, Uncle Mike and Aunt Sarah probably weren’t asleep yet, and going home would only cause more trouble. So I didn’t refuse the chance to spend some time with him. About thirty minutes later, the girl’s parents hurriedly arrived to take her home. “Let’s go too,” Leo said. 9 The moonlight was cold, and the air was desolate. We walked in silence for a long time. As we were nearing the neighborhood, I couldn’t help but ask, “Where do you live?” Leo paused for a moment, then answered, “Happy Valley Apartments.” That was just on the next street, very close. Indeed, it was on the way. I asked suspiciously, “But I’ve never seen you on the bus.” “I leave early, at 6:20 AM. And I leave school late, usually catching the last bus. Ms. Johnson likes to keep our class overtime,” Leo said with a wry smile. “A while back, Ms. Johnson was sick and took three days off.” “Oh.” “Apparently it was a stomach issue.” “Mm-hmm.” “Haley, I saw you at the teachers’ parking lot the day after the sports meet ended.” I clutched my sleeve tightly. Leo’s tone was calm, “You were holding a bottle of mineral water filled with a brown, sticky liquid that looked quite disgusting. You said it was vomit, then drank it down in big gulps right in front of Ms. Johnson.” “You told her your mom taught you that when you’re out, you can’t let people walk all over you. If someone disgusts you, you disgust them right back. Of course, I believe a normal person wouldn’t actually drink vomit just to disgust someone else, so I guess the bottle probably contained something else, like a mixture of drinks or something.” He was right. It was orange juice mixed with cola and some cookie crumbs. Leo continued, “But whatever it was, it must have tasted awful. I imagine you felt pretty bad drinking it too.” The cold wind kept blowing, making me shiver. “What exactly are you trying to say?” I asked. “I’m not criticizing you. I’m just wondering if it might be worth weighing the pros and cons before acting? Sometimes, overly aggressive retaliation can be a form of self-harm. It’s not worth it.” I remained silent. Although I knew he was considering my well-being, people are emotional creatures. It’s hard to calm down just by reciting a few wise sayings when emotions are running high. Leo spoke again, “Patience smooths things over.” I looked up at him, “But some things don’t need to be smoothed over. It’s like a glass bottle – it’s smooth and round, you won’t get hurt touching it, so naturally, no one pays attention to it. Glass shards are different. They have edges and points. People stay far away just at the sight of them, let alone touching them.” Leo looked a bit helpless, “Alright, then let’s talk about something else. When you rushed in without thinking earlier, did you consider the consequences? If I hadn’t shown up, you would have been the second victim.” I was quiet for a moment, then nodded, “Yes, next time I encounter a situation like that, I’ll call the police first.” I paused, then added, “And then I’ll rush in.” Leo was momentarily taken aback, then couldn’t help but laugh, “I thought you were going to keep arguing with me.” “A calm person is a safe person. Besides, my brother once told me that wisdom isn’t learned from books, it’s learned from making mistakes.” I touched my swollen face and smiled, “This mistake was worth it.” “You have a brother?” “He was my former teacher. He had a peculiar way of doing things, never following conventions. I always called him ‘brother,’ and he would playfully agree.” Leo nodded, not asking any more questions. “You should head up now,” he said. I waved goodbye to him. When I entered the apartment, the family of three was already asleep. I fumbled my way back to my room in the dark, sat quietly for a while, then, on a whim, walked to the window. I realized Leo hadn’t left yet. He was looking up towards the upper floors. I quickly turned on the light and went back to the window. Only then did Leo turn and leave. His lonely figure disappeared into the empty street. 7 The reason that girl was beaten was laughable. It was purely because she was pretty and quiet. The delinquent girls thought she was stuck-up and couldn’t stand it, so they called up two “big brothers” to help teach her a lesson. When Leo told me this, his face was cold with anger, “It’s not that they couldn’t stand her. They were jealous. They’ve given up on themselves, dropping out of school early, only to find they’re useless in society. So they target underage girls with bright futures, trying to prove their own worth through such low and crude methods. Because they’re stuck in the mud themselves, they want to drag others down too. It’s pathetic and hateful.” His grim expression made him look just like the host of “Crime Watch.” At the end of each episode, the host would always make sharp, critical comments about the case. I couldn’t help but laugh. Leo turned to look at me, “What are you laughing at?” I shook my head, “You have a strong sense of justice. Good logical thinking and fighting skills too. You could be a police officer in the future.” Leo’s expression became slightly reserved. After a moment of silence, he made a noncommittal “Mm” sound. During this period, Leo and I basically went to and from school together every day, catching the early bus in the morning and the last bus at night. As we spent more time together, I discovered that although Leo appeared quiet and reserved, he actually had many whimsical ideas. He said that numbers all have genders: 1, 3, 5, 7, 8 are male, while 2, 6, 9, 10 are female. I asked, “What about 4?” He thought for a moment and said, “4 is gender-neutral.” “…” Occasionally, we would run into Ms. Johnson on the way. When she saw me, it was as if she’d seen a ghost. She wouldn’t dare to question or even make eye contact, and would even gag when she hurried away. Soon after, a strange anonymous post appeared on the school’s online forum: “What does Haley Wilson from Class 3, Grade 10 look like? She made the teacher from next door vomit.” Clicking into it, the comments were divided. Some said the poster was bored, some said they were interesting, and some said I wasn’t bad-looking. There was also one comment: “Come on, she’s actually quite ugly.” Although it was also anonymous, it had the same IP address as the original poster. I didn’t pay much attention. As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Besides, they weren’t insulting me to my face, so I let it go. I closed my phone, out of sight, out of mind. That is, until someone posted a photo of Leo and me. In the picture, we were sitting in the back row of the bus. I was too tired and had fallen asleep against the window. Leo had placed his hand under my forehead, shielding me from the cold glass. It was a candid shot. Although a bit blurry, anyone who knew us could recognize us at a glance. Back then, most students used Nokia or Motorola phones. In today’s terms, you could say it had a built-in Y2K filter. So it also cast a layer of ambiguous color over the photo. The comments gradually changed direction. It wasn’t exactly eye-catching, but it certainly wasn’t pleasant to look at. I didn’t know who the culprit behind this was, and because of that, I didn’t dare to get too close to Leo and intentionally kept my distance. After avoiding him for a few days, Leo cornered me at the stairway landing, his face expressionless, “Haley Wilson, what do you mean by this?” I played dumb, “Huh?” Leo laughed humorlessly, “I really don’t understand you. You’re usually so carefree. Whether it’s people mocking your accent or insulting your parents, you always roll up your sleeves and confront them head-on. How come when it comes to this, you suddenly become timid and evasive, hiding away? It’s as if you’re the one who did something wrong.” He had laid it all out in the open, and I couldn’t avoid it anymore. I coughed lightly and explained, “To be honest, I don’t care about people commenting on my accent or appearance, as long as they’re not maliciously slandering or spreading rumors.” “Leo, I’ve never believed in the version of myself that exists in other people’s mouths. I only believe in the person I want to become. So whether they say I’m country or ugly, I don’t care. But they can’t talk about my mom, because I care about her. Similarly, I care about you too, and I don’t want you to be judged by others. It’s just that I don’t know who posted the photo or what to do about it. After thinking it over, I figured staying away from you would be best.” Leo looked at me quietly for a while, then suddenly asked, “Do you trust me?” I was taken aback for a moment, then nodded firmly. He smiled slightly, “Good. Listen carefully, Haley. I don’t care if others judge me. I only care about you. If you don’t mind this incident, then I don’t care either. Understand?” Once again, I was stunned, and once again, I nodded firmly. The bell for class rang, and Leo patted my shoulder, “Let’s go.” I hurried to catch up with him. On the way, he asked, “What kind of person do you want to become?” I smiled, “Just an ordinary person. A nine-to-five job, a routine life, small and insignificant in the crowd, but shining brightly in my own world.” “Mm, and occasionally going a bit crazy.” “You’re talking nonsense.” That day, the sun hung low on the horizon, as if the afterglow was the end of the road. The shadows of the boy and girl walking side by side stretched long on the ground. They walked together, laughing and talking, naive and fearless, full of dreams for the future. The forum incident just fizzled out like that. For a very long time, until I died on a rainy morning, I never knew who was behind it all. But it doesn’t matter anymore, I’ve long forgotten about it. 8 During the winter break, Leo went to Europe with his family for vacation. When he came back, he brought me a big box of Godiva chocolates. In that era, this was equivalent to the Hermès of the chocolate world. Leo had taken a five-hour train ride after getting off the plane, arriving back in Southville late at night. Tired from the long journey, he didn’t even change his clothes before coming to deliver the gift to me. I hurried downstairs, took the bag from his hand, and smiled, “Thanks! You didn’t have to trouble yourself to come all this way so late at night.” “It’s no trouble. I had to give it to you today,” he insisted. I frowned, my brain not quite catching up. I looked up at Leo, and after a few seconds, my heart nearly stopped. He said, “Haley, happy birthday.” This was a distant and unfamiliar phrase. Even I had forgotten about it, never imagining that someone would remember. A few days ago, Leo had asked for my ID number on Facebook, saying he needed to send me a postcard. I didn’t think much of it at the time and just sent it to him. Now, this unexpected surprise left me at a loss for words. I could only blink and stare at him stupidly. Leo frowned, his gaze scrutinizing. Taking advantage of my daze, he suddenly reached out and tugged at the scarf I had wrapped tightly around my neck, revealing the bruise at the corner of my mouth. His face darkened, and he asked, “Did someone hit you?” I shrugged, “My little cousin was being naughty. He threw a ball and it hit me. But I didn’t let him off easy either. I gave him a good kick and sent him sprawling.” Of course, there was quite a commotion in the house after that. Leo thought for a moment, then suddenly asked, “Haley, do you want to spend New Year’s with me?” I was stunned. “My parents divorced a long time ago. I live alone,” he paused, then added, “I’m alone for New Year’s too.” Leo had gone to Europe with his mother, and I had assumed his father was too busy with work to go along. Since his parents were divorced, why wasn’t he living with his mother instead of by himself? But some things, if not voluntarily shared, shouldn’t be asked about. I smiled and nodded, “Okay.” 9 Two days before New Year’s, Leo and I went to the supermarket to buy groceries. The crowd was bustling, packed tightly together. The noise of chatter almost drowned out Michael Bublé’s “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” playing in the background. We carried bags of New Year’s goods home. As soon as we entered the apartment, we smelled the aroma of food and heard the sound of cooking from the kitchen. Leo’s expression suddenly froze, his face turning cold. On the sofa sat a man, flipping through a comic book and giggling non-stop. He was about thirty, very tall and lean. Leo’s pajamas hung loosely on his frame, yet the sleeves and pant legs were too short, looking quite out of place. Hearing the noise, the man lazily raised his head, “You’re back.” Leo gritted his teeth and said nothing. The man’s gaze fell on me, his thick eyebrows rising in surprise, “Oh, girlfriend? Pretty cute.” Leo said coldly, “It’s none of your business.” “You didn’t deny it, so I guess she is,” he was about to say something more when a middle-aged woman wearing an apron came out of the kitchen. Her features were somewhat similar to Leo’s. “Son, you’re back! What a coincidence, I just finished cooking. Go wash your hands… Oh, who’s this?” I came to my senses, “Hello, Mrs. Parker. Happy New Year! I’m Leo’s classmate, Haley Wilson.” She was stunned for a moment, then broke into a wide smile, “Hello, Haley! Happy New Year to you too! I made spicy shrimp and duck soup today. It smells delicious. Come, have a taste.” Before I could answer, she had already brought out a new pair of slippers for me and went back to the kitchen to add another set of dishes and cutlery. It was hard to refuse such hospitality, so I had no choice but to stay. At the dinner table, the atmosphere was heavy. Mrs. Parker seemed oblivious, busying herself with serving food, sometimes giving me dishes, sometimes peeling shrimp for the man, all while asking Leo about his well-being. Seeing her son’s cold attitude, Mrs. Parker’s enthusiasm waned. She turned to ask me, “Haley, from your accent, you don’t sound like you’re from around here. Where’s your hometown?” “I used to live in a small town called Pineville. After my parents passed away, my grandfather brought me to Southville, and we transferred my household registration here.” “Pineville? That’s a nice place,” the man, Ethan, smiled with narrowed eyes. “The persimmons there are famous. Juicy and sweet.” “Ethan, don’t talk nonsense,” Mrs. Parker corrected him. “Pineville is most famous for its dates, isn’t it, son?” Leo glanced at her but said nothing. “The persimmons are good too,” Ethan leaned back in his chair, staring at me intently with a playful look in his eyes. “Haley Wilson, right? Why don’t you tell us about it?” I felt uncomfortable under his gaze and didn’t want to continue this topic. I just lowered my head, poking at my food, and said vaguely, “Pineville is close to the mountains. It has a mild climate year-round with plenty of sunshine, suitable for growing all kinds of crops.” Ethan smiled and looked at Leo, teasing, “Your little girlfriend is quite clever.” Leo couldn’t bear it any longer and issued an order to leave, “Hurry up and get out once you’re done eating.” Mrs. Parker scolded, “How can you talk like that? Your mother worked hard to cook for you, and not only do you show no appreciation, but you’re also chasing people away. How rude!” She snorted coldly and urged Ethan to hurry and change his clothes. Before the two left, Mrs. Parker said, “I bought you new bed sheets and pillowcases. I washed them and brought them over, and I’ve already put them on your bed. There are also a few new outfits for you in the closet, all from Hong Kong. Try them on when you have time. Oh, and I’ve left your New Year’s money and next semester’s tuition on the table. Don’t spend it recklessly.” She paused for a moment, her tone slightly aggrieved, “Don’t complain that I don’t think about you anymore.” Before closing the door, the tall, thin man tilted his head and looked me over, a smile on his lips that gave me goosebumps. 10 January 29, 2006. New Year’s Eve. As night fell and lights began to twinkle, among the sea of illuminated windows, one stood out as slightly lonely, with only two busy figures inside. Leo placed washed coins into the dumpling filling, while I, fearing they might chip a tooth, put in sugar cubes instead. He teased me about my weak teeth, and I mocked him for his ugly dumpling-wrapping skills. In the midst of our banter, he even managed to smear flour on my nose. Soon, steaming hot dumplings came out of the pot, accompanied by Leo’s braised ribs, my stir-fried green peppers with beef, his sliced cold cuts, and my mixed cold dishes. By New Year’s Eve dinner standards, this table of dishes was too simple, but for him and me, it was more than enough. The TV was playing the New Year’s Gala, full of songs and dances, creating a festive atmosphere. I set out the bowls and chopsticks, poured vinegar and sesame oil, while Leo opened a can of Coke for me and a can of beer for himself. “I want some too,” I said. “No way, you’re not of age yet.” “Are you?” “No, but I want to drink.” With that, Leo tilted his head back and took a big gulp of beer. He drank too quickly and choked, his cheeks turning slightly red. In the swirling steam, he looked like a freshly steamed little bun. Leo looked up at me and asked with a smile, “What’s wrong?” I wanted to say he looked cute, but the words got stuck in my throat. Just as I opened my mouth, he unexpectedly fed me a dumpling. After we had eaten and drunk our fill, we curled up on the sofa to watch the New Year’s Gala skits, occasionally offering our views and insights as audience members. His phone vibrated – it was a call from Mrs. Parker. Leo lowered his eyes, lost in thought for a moment, then got up and went to the balcony to answer. It was quite a while before he came back, his body carrying a hint of the night’s chill and a faint smell of cigarettes. I bit my lip, wanting to ask but not daring to. As I hesitated, Leo suddenly turned down the volume on the TV. “Haley, I have something to tell you.” I was startled at first, then sat up straight. He pondered for a moment, then slowly began, “My father’s surname is Parker, my mother’s is Zhang. My grandmother said that a name represents the love and expectations parents have for their child. But when they decided to divorce, neither of them wanted me.” “My mom said she nearly died from blood loss when giving birth to me, that our zodiac signs were incompatible. My dad said his business suffered losses when I was a month old, that our fates clashed.” Leo gave a short laugh, somewhat self-deprecating. “You wouldn’t believe how this couple fought tooth and nail over the house and car, making quite a scene. But when it came to custody rights, they suddenly became courteous to each other, afraid it would fall on them. They had been together for ten full years, from falling in love to getting married, with countless conflicts and arguments. Yet when it came to their own child, their views were surprisingly consistent.” Leo took a deep breath, his voice slightly trembling, “They both thought I was a jinx, bad luck. They even blamed me for their unhappy marriage and the deterioration of their relationship.” I felt a lump in my throat. “After that, I lived with my grandmother. When I was fourteen, she passed away too, and I was completely on my own. Actually, life didn’t change much. My parents still regularly sent me living expenses, until two years ago when my dad remarried and had a new family. Now when he sees me, he’s very impatient, as if I’m some kind of filth.” “But this is fine too. He doesn’t hide his disgust and contempt for me at all. He’s thoroughly awful, which allows me to hate him thoroughly. I might as well pretend I don’t have a father.” “The worst is my mom,” Leo said with a bitter smile. “She would rush to defend me when I got into fights and the teacher called her to school, arguing with other parents without asking for the reason, saying no one could bully her precious son. During my growth spurt, she worried I wasn’t getting enough nutrition and would cook different dishes for me every day, then drive them to school, rain or shine.” “Despite all this, my mom still doesn’t want to live with me. She has her own social circle. That man called Ethan is her center, while I’m just a peripheral figure.” Leo pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket but didn’t light one, just holding it dry between his lips. “One day she suddenly called me, telling me to get my passport ready quickly. She said she was worried about my study pressure and wanted to take me to Europe for a vacation during the winter break, to relax.” “I didn’t know exactly what materials I needed, and I kept forgetting things, so I had to make several trips to the passport office before I got everything sorted out. But I was still overjoyed, thinking she cared about me and was concerned for me.” As he spoke, he began to show signs of agitation. I picked up the lighter from the table and handed it to him. Leo looked at me for a moment, then lit the cigarette and took a deep drag. Dense smoke swirled around him. “The whole trip, she either complained to me about Ethan flirting with other women or cried to me about how hot and cold he was, whining endlessly about wanting to die. My dad treats me like garbage, while my mom treats me like a garbage can, endlessly venting her negative emotions.” Leo extinguished the cigarette butt, his eyes cold and clear. “My mom doesn’t speak English, so she relied on me to communicate with others throughout the trip. But I was also unfamiliar with the place, so I found a local Chinese tour guide. The guide claimed it was peak season and charged an extremely high price. After we paid, the person disappeared. My mom was furious and blurted out that I was a jinx, saying if she had known this would happen, she would have been better off staying with Ethan, at least then she wouldn’t have such bad luck.” Leo’s chest heaved slightly as he gave a derisive laugh. “After we got back, I ignored her for a long time, not answering her calls or reading her messages. Then one night she suddenly came to find me, drunk and crying, saying I was her only family and I couldn’t treat her like this.” “I couldn’t bring myself to completely disown her as my mother. I just hoped she would stop associating with Ethan. That man is no good. She promised me so sincerely at the time, but the next day when she received a call from Ethan, she rushed back to him with renewed passion. I really don’t understand. My grandfather left her a large inheritance, enough for her to live comfortably for the rest of her life. She could have a good life, but she insists on mixing with that scum.” Leo shook his head and sighed lightly, “But I can’t deny that both my parents think I’m a jinx, a bringer of bad luck. It’s just that compared to my father who avoids me like the plague, my mother who occasionally shows concern seems much more responsible. She’s not so good, but not so bad either, and that’s the scariest part.” My nose stung, and I felt a heaviness in my heart. From the time I had known him until now, Leo had always given me the impression of being rational and calm. Now that he was pouring his heart out to me, laying everything bare, the distance between us had shortened. All the pieces came together, revealing a broken young man. After a while, I composed myself and hesitantly spoke, “Since you can’t bring yourself to cut ties with your mom completely, and you can’t change the current situation, the only thing left is to change your own mindset.” Leo looked up at me, his expression complex, “How do I change it?” “Replace the ‘mother’ label with ‘foster mother,’ ‘aunt,’ or ‘family friend’ – someone who is close to you but still one step removed. Of course, you’ll think this method is extremely absurd. After all, even the most rational person has emotions, and it’s not something you can just say and make happen. But over time, gradually, imperceptibly, you’ll no longer have any expectations of Mrs. Parker as a child would of a mother. You’ll just treat her as a relative. Leo, not everyone is suited to be a parent. When their behavior doesn’t match their role, and we can’t escape the situation, this is the best method.” “Figure out what you really want, and if you can’t have that, what’s your next best option. This way, you’ll feel much lighter.” Leo’s eyes darkened, showing a kind of weariness and calmness, as if he was thinking, as if he was zoning out. After a moment of silence, I smiled slightly, “Also, I don’t think ‘jinx’ is a derogatory term. To be honest, I even quite like this title.” Leo raised his head in surprise. “It’s a deity, after all, ranked among the immortals, just experiencing trials in the mortal world.” I paused for a moment, then my eyes curved into a smile, “To tell you the truth, I’m not a good person either. I never expected to meet a fellow immortal in the mortal realm. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Leo’s thin lips parted slightly, a flash of shock passing through his eyes, as if he had heard some outrageous soap opera dialogue. After a long silence, he chuckled softly, somewhat helplessly, and reached out to shake my hand, nodding, “Mm, pleasure to meet you too. As they say, two negatives make a positive. The two of us are bound to blaze a bright path in this world.” At this moment, fireworks began to explode outside, and the New Year’s Gala started its countdown. Leo turned up the volume on the TV. “…Five, four, three! Two! One! Happy New Year!” “Happy New Year, Leo.” “Happy New Year, Haley.” 11 In the second semester of sophomore year, as winter retreated and spring arrived, Southville entered a long rainy season. That year, Korean pop stars were all the rage on campus. The girls’ break time conversations revolved around nothing but TVXQ and Super Junior, two top idol groups. The class’s arts and literature representative was so infatuated with Kim Jaejoong that she turned the essay prompt “If I could…” into “If I could marry Kim Jaejoong.” Our homeroom teacher was so angry he almost swore, saying the arts rep was not only dating early but also being brazen about it. He demanded to know which class this Kim Jaejoong was from. Falling into this river of love along with her was my cousin Tommy, who was in third grade. He bought a bunch of Lee Hyori’s albums and danced to “10 Minutes” in the living room after school. The music was deafeningly loud, irritating me to no end. After several reminders with no response, I couldn’t stand it anymore and directly turned off the DVD player. This angered the little tyrant, who immediately threw a tantrum. Aunt Sarah jumped up from the sofa, “Haley Wilson, are you crazy?! Why did you turn off the music?” “It’s too noisy. It’s affecting my homework.” “Oh, aren’t you studious,” she said sarcastically. “Want to go to Harvard like your mom? I hope you have the life to study even if you get in.” Uncle Mike hurriedly tried to stop her, “Watch what you’re saying.” “It’s true!” Aunt Sarah glared at him, full of resentment. “A sensible girl would have gone out to work to help support the family by now. But this princess here, after paying for high school, we still have to pay for college. Do you think we’re running a bank? You’re already useless enough, and now you’re dragging us down with you.” Uncle Mike looked embarrassed and said urgently, “This apartment originally belonged to my sister. We can’t live in her house and kick her child out, can we? Besides, my father’s savings account is in your hands. What more do you want?” “That little money is hardly enough to support a family! Ever since Haley came, first the factory closed down and we both lost our jobs, then the old man was hospitalized and died. If she’s not a jinx, what is she? You insisted on taking in this hot potato! You said when Haley gets married, we’ll get the bride price, and after she moves in with her husband, the house will be ours. But what happened? Your father had already secretly transferred the house to her! He clearly saw us as outsiders!” As the argument grew more heated, Cousin Tommy suddenly grabbed the remote control from the coffee table and threw it at me hard. My nose hurt, and I felt warm, sticky liquid. I was bleeding. He put his hands on his hips and yelled, “Jinx! You made my parents fight. Get out!” I narrowed my eyes and looked at him, not moving an inch. Perhaps my blood-covered face looked too frightening. Aunt Sarah quickly shielded her son, saying nervously, “What are you trying to do? Don’t do anything rash!” “That’s right!” Cousin Tommy peeked out from behind her and shouted at me viciously, “My parents are here. If you dare bully me, they’ll beat you to death! But I can bully you because your parents are dead, and your grandpa is dead too. No one can help you!” I looked at him silently for a moment, then went to the kitchen and got a sharp boning knife. With a smirk, I said, “That’s right. I have no father, no mother, no one to rely on. Even if I die, no one will care. But you’re different. If you die, your parents will surely be heartbroken.” Aunt Sarah was stunned, Uncle Mike’s face turned pale, and he trembled as he said, “Ha-Haley, calm down. Put the knife down.” I smiled sweetly, then rushed into Cousin Tommy’s room with the knife, slashing the beautiful women on the magazines and posters beyond recognition. Then I moved on to the pillows, blankets, bed sheets, and clothes, cutting everything I saw, including the walls and furniture, leaving deep, eye-catching gashes everywhere. Uncle Mike and Aunt Sarah stood at the door, trembling, wanting to stop me but not daring to come forward, watching in horror as I, with disheveled hair and covered in blood, destroyed the room like a madwoman. After what seemed like an eternity, I was exhausted and panting. I looked at the family of three, smiling grotesquely, “Mike Wilson, Sarah Wilson, if you ever try to take advantage of me, slander me, or allow your son to bully me again, I will definitely use this knife to pierce Tommy’s body, gouge out his eyes, cut off his tongue, chop off his head, and throw his internal organs to the dogs! After all, my life is worthless. I have nothing to fear.” Uncle Mike’s whole body was shaking, Aunt Sarah fainted on the spot, foaming at the mouth, and Cousin Tommy sat on the ground crying, “My Lee Hyori!” Going crazy felt good. The residual excitement was still vibrating in my chest. I returned to my room satisfied, closed my eyes, and let out a long sigh. It had been a long, long time since I had let myself go like this. It felt like it had rained in my heart, sudden and unexpected, wet and cool. And empty. Those words were just to scare Uncle Mike and Aunt Sarah. They were cowards who couldn’t pose any real threat to me. But as I calmed down, a strange thought suddenly popped into my head. — If I really died, would Leo be sad? Thinking of this, my heart skipped a beat. I quickly shook my head, warning myself not to think nonsense. 12 Before I knew it, sophomore year was over, and Leo and I spent the entire summer vacation attending intensive classes for core subjects at school. Although it was supposed to be the season of long days and short nights, when I recall that summer, it’s always the dim dawn and the dark night that come to mind.

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I died, and the killer turned my corpse into a wax figure, giving it to my brother as a birthday gift. That day, they celebrated wildly next to my body, even smearing cake on my face, laughing and saying “Happy Birthday.” It’s as if they remembered today was my birthday too, but how could they remember? After all, they didn’t even know I was dead, and even if they did, they probably wouldn’t care. The day I died, it was raining heavily, probably heavier than any storm you’ve ever seen. I felt like even my floating soul was soaked through. I hurried back home, hesitating at the doorstep, afraid that water droplets from my body would stain the doormat and Mom would yell at me again. Oh right, I’m a ghost now. Even if I had water on me, it wouldn’t drip onto the mat. I don’t have to fear Mom scolding me anymore. I happily stomped on the doormat, and when I was done, I entered the house. The living room was warm with the heater on. It felt so cozy. My brother suddenly looked in my direction, tilted his head in confusion, then went back to playing his game. The aroma of braised pork and cola chicken wings wafted from the kitchen, along with Mom’s voice. “Leo, call Lily. Why isn’t she back yet?” Mom still cares about me. “If she doesn’t come back soon, tell her to never come back. Just asking her to buy a gift for Ryan, and she’s making such a fuss. It would’ve been better to raise a pig than to raise her.” I had earned $1,200 for tuition from part-time jobs and summer work, and Mom wanted me to give $1,000 to buy a phone for my brother. She even asked me to pay $200 for household expenses, not leaving me a single penny, indirectly forcing me to drop out of school. “If it weren’t for her, Ryan wouldn’t be… like this…” Mom started mumbling complaints about how I caused my brother to become mentally challenged. I could recite it by heart now. It was always about how I stole my brother’s nutrients in the womb, and how I rushed to be born first, causing my brother to be born later and suffer oxygen deprivation. I weighed five pounds at birth, while my brother was just over three pounds. But I was just a fetus then, what did I know? I sat on the sofa, looking up at the Ultraman-themed birthday backdrop. It read “Happy 20th Birthday Ryan” and had his photo printed on it. My brother and I were born on the same day. It was raining that day, so I was named Lily Rain. Because my brother was born a minute later than me, he suffered oxygen deprivation and almost didn’t make it. Mom and Dad named him Ryan Long, hoping he would live a long life. Dad was unpacking a very tall and large package: “We can’t have raised her for over a decade for nothing. She still needs to come back to take care of Ryan. Otherwise, what will happen to Ryan after we’re gone?” My brother was playing Snake on his phone. He was really good at it, the snake’s body quickly filling up the phone screen, reaching first place. “Ah!” Dad’s scream startled Mom who was cooking in the kitchen and my brother, who was so shocked that his snake hit another snake, ending the game. He stomped his feet, shouting and throwing a tantrum, “I’m dead, I’m dead.” Dad quickly tried to calm him down: “Don’t say such unlucky things. Even if your sister dies, you won’t.” Mom came out and was also startled, because Dad had finished unpacking that big package. It was a wax figure, a lifelike wax figure that looked exactly like me, as if crafted by a master wax artist. I looked at the smiling wax figure and trembled in fear. This wasn’t a wax figure, it was my corpse!

Looking at my corpse wax figure, smiling but unable to hide the fear, still holding a phone in its right hand. I remembered. I remembered how I died. I was working as a housekeeper to earn money, and the killer was the client I worked for yesterday. He wore glasses and looked gentle and refined, seeming very kind. He said he had been looking forward to meeting me for a long time. He said tomorrow was my birthday, so he wanted to make me a birthday gift. I asked him strangely if we knew each other. The killer said he knew me from a post titled “What does it feel like when your parents don’t love you?”. My answer was “Probably that if I died somewhere, they wouldn’t know for a month, and even if they did, they wouldn’t care.” Because of a casual answer, I was targeted by the killer. Really, it’s so helpless and scary to be alone on the internet. The killer looked gentle, and even when he killed me, he was gentle. He was afraid I would be in pain, so he fed me sleeping pills, gave me anesthesia, and then drained my blood. He was even gentler than when my parents beat me. He really made me cry to death. Before I died, he let me call my parents. He said if they called me “precious daughter” just once, he would let me go. But Dad didn’t answer. I called ten times, and he never picked up. Mom answered quickly, but she started scolding me as soon as she picked up, yelling at me for not coming home to cook and for not taking good care of my brother. She cried and scolded, “How did I give birth to such a jinx like you? I should have drowned you in the toilet when you were born.” With the anesthesia, I couldn’t feel the pain in my wrists, but waves of pain kept hitting my heart. “Mom, I’m dying. Can you call me your precious daughter just once?” Mom cursed again, mixed with the sound of her cooking. “If you want to die, buy your brother’s phone first, then go die. Even if you die, I’ll arrange a ghost marriage for you and use the bride price to find a wife for your brother.” “Precious daughter? What a joke. You’re nothing but a jinx.” The call ended, and with it, my chance to live. As my blood drained away, my corpse still held the phone. Dad received a timed text message sent from my phone by the killer and read it out loud. “Mom, Dad, this is the last gift I’ll ever give to my brother, an unforgettable gift. Do you like it?” Mom, holding a spatula, stared at my corpse wax figure, very angry. “Yesterday she said she was going to die, and today she sends a wax figure back. Why didn’t she send her corpse back? I could have at least burned some money for her.” I stood next to the corpse wax figure, mimicking its pose of holding up a phone. Mom, this is my corpse. Mom, please burn more money for me. I was already so poor when I was alive, having to work as a child laborer since middle school. I don’t want to have to work after death too. Mom, you need to burn some clothes for me too. My clothes are all wet, and it’s very cold. I’ve tried to wring out my clothes several times, but they’re still soaking wet. Good thing I’m a ghost, the water droplets on my clothes stay on me forever. Otherwise, if they dripped on the floor, Mom would scold me again. Like when I was little, it was raining outside, and I waited until dark, but Mom never came to pick me up. I walked home in the rain by myself, and the water dripping from my body dirtied the doormat and wet the floor. When my brother came out, he slipped and fell, and Mom scolded me, beating me hard with a clothes hanger. Dad just stood by, smoking, and advised Mom. “Don’t hit the kid’s face. If you leave scars, we won’t be able to sell her for a good price when she grows up.” He talked about me like I was a pig being raised for slaughter. Oh, in their eyes, I was even less than a pig. After all, a pig doesn’t come out of Mom’s belly, doesn’t steal nutrients from a brother in Mom’s womb. Dad looked at my corpse wax figure and cursed it as unlucky, wanting to throw it away. But my brother liked it very much, hugging the corpse wax figure and not letting go. “This is my sister, my sister. We can’t throw her away. I want to play with my sister.” Because my brother was mentally challenged, as innocent as a child, our sibling relationship was still okay. In fact, it was my brother’s innocence that repeatedly healed the wounds I suffered in this family. When Mom hit me, my brother would clumsily protect me, saying, “No hit… sister… hurt.” When Mom wouldn’t give me food, my brother would secretly hide chicken legs for me to eat, always getting his clothes greasy. When Dad forced me to drop out of school to work, and I cried all night, it was still my brother who clumsily comforted me, making me laugh, threatening to run away from home to force Dad to let me go to school. My suffering wasn’t because of my brother, but because of my parents who didn’t love me. My brother wanted to keep my corpse wax figure, and our parents, who indulged him in everything, certainly had no objection. My brother happily brought out his paints and started coloring the wax figure. He tilted his head and looked at me, as if he could see me, and asked, “What color does sister like?” “Green.” I answered, and my brother picked out green paint. I like green because it symbolizes endless life. Mom stared at the wax figure for a long time, until she smelled something burning in the kitchen and cursed as she walked away. Dad took out his phone and called me. “Ring… Ring…” The sound of the call connecting was like my heartbeat. I became hopeful. The phone in the hand of the corpse wax figure wasn’t a model, it was my phone! Would Mom and Dad discover that I was dead, that this was my corpse? Would they regret it? Would they kneel in front of my corpse, crying bitterly, regretting how they never treated me well in these twenty years?

Unfortunately, the phone didn’t ring, and the screen didn’t light up. Dad tried calling twice and then gave up, only cursing that I didn’t even come back for my brother’s birthday, not caring about my safety or whether I was alive or dead. They wouldn’t wait for me to come back for dinner, let alone wait for me to cut the cake together. They ate the tender braised pork knuckles and delicious cola chicken wings. My brother even had a bowl of longevity noodles and two red eggs. I sat next to my brother, pretending I was part of this family, my hand passing through the chopsticks, pretending to pick up a piece of braised pork to eat. I closed my eyes, imagining how delicious it must be. It should taste similar to restaurant food. I had never eaten Mom’s cooking, and I wasn’t allowed at the table. Mom would only put the gnawed bones and leftover food in a copper basin, like feeding a dog, and leave it for me to eat. Indeed, all these years they had treated me like a dog. To them, giving birth to me and raising me was the greatest kindness, and I should be grateful and not ask for more. I wondered if they discovered I was dead, would they make me a birthday feast too, order a cake for me? Before they finished eating, my brother started clamoring for cake. Mom and Dad put a birthday crown on my brother, lit the birthday candles, and sang the birthday song. “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you…” “Happy 20th birthday, Ryan. Make a wish quickly, be sure to wish that you’ll become smart, exchange your sister’s life for your intelligence.” I stood by, smiling bitterly. My brother and I were twins, and every year on our birthday, Mom and Dad would mention me, but not to wish me well. Instead, they would have my brother make a birthday wish every year to exchange my life for his intelligence. In the past, I was always hurt by such words, but this time I sincerely hoped my brother’s wish would come true. I was already dead, it shouldn’t be for nothing, right? “Mom, this time brother’s wish will come true.” But my brother shook his head, “Don’t want sister to die, want sister to have happy birthday.” In this family, only my brother remembered that today was my birthday too. Mom and Dad remembered too, but they didn’t care, which hurt me even more. Mom angrily said with a stern face: “You can’t. You can only wish to exchange your sister’s life for your intelligence.” My brother didn’t understand what “life” meant, but he was very stubborn. This year, he just wouldn’t make that wish. It’s strange, when I was alive, my naive brother happily made this wish every year. Now that I’m dead, my brother refuses to make this wish. My brother insisted on not making the wish, and Mom got so angry she hit the back of his hand. My brother cried pitifully and suddenly lay on the ground, rolling around. My six-foot-tall, handsome brother was lying on the ground, throwing a tantrum and crying like a three-year-old. It really didn’t look good, and it wasn’t right. It was painful to watch. I crouched next to my brother, comforting him like I used to. “Brother, make the wish quickly. Sister is already dead, this time the wish will surely come true.” My kind and innocent brother should get better, should become smart. I don’t know if my brother heard what I said, he just kept throwing a tantrum. “I don’t want to be smart, I just want sister, I want sister.” Mom was so distressed she wiped away tears, then started cursing me again with all sorts of nasty words. Dad looked at my brother rolling on the ground, very annoyed. “It’s just a wish. We’ve been making this wish for twenty years, and we haven’t seen Lily die or Ryan become smart.” “If wishes really came true, I would have killed Lily long ago.” Dad angrily grabbed a handful of cake and smeared it on the neck of the corpse wax figure, the action really looked like killing someone. It’s not surprising. If they could choose, they would have preferred that I was the one who came out late, that I was the one who suffered oxygen deprivation and became mentally challenged. If I had been born later that year, if I had been the one with brain damage, would they have treated me the way they treated my brother, never giving up, spending all their money to give me rehabilitation training? Look at them, they know today is my birthday too, but they don’t bless me at all. Instead, they wish they could kill me. Seeing Dad’s action, my brother stopped crying, got up and grabbed some cake to smear on the wax figure’s mouth. “It’s sister’s birthday, eat cake, sister, eat cake quickly.” My brother was happy, and so were Mom and Dad. They all grabbed cake and smeared it on the wax figure. They were very happy, they were celebrating wildly. Perhaps they felt relieved that I was dead, and were celebrating. I didn’t care. I just pretended they were celebrating my birthday. This was the first time Dad, Mom, and my brother celebrated my birthday together. I happily sang the birthday song to myself: “Happy 20th birthday, Lily Rain.” “My wish is…” I seemed to have no wishes. I guess a dead person’s wish would probably be to have a better life in the next reincarnation. But I don’t want to be human anymore. So I’ll wish that in my next life, I won’t be human. I’ll be a cat or a dog, even a pig or a duck, anything but human. Being human is too tiring. After making my wish, I closed my eyes to blow out the candles. The candles went out, and the room suddenly went dark. When candles go out, wishes are supposed to come true. Ding dong. The sudden sharp doorbell sound startled my parents again. Dad pushed Mom out, telling her to answer the door. I followed behind Mom to open the door. Mom only opened half the door, saw it was a strange man, and asked warily, “Who are you looking for?” Seeing who it was, I fearfully stepped in front of Mom. Because this was the killer who murdered me!

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My niece was slandered by a male classmate at school. However, my sister-in-law insisted on using an encouraging educational approach to resolve the issue, turning enemies into friends. She greatly praised the boy: “Auntie wants to thank you for looking after our Lily at school. I heard that whenever she’s bullied, you stand up for her. You’re such a little gentleman.” Later, the boy’s behavior escalated. My niece was dragged to a grove after school, humiliated by multiple people, and ultimately chose to end her life by jumping into a river. When I tried to seek justice for my niece, I was pushed into traffic by my sister-in-law and the boy, crushed to death by a truck. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day my niece asked me for help. The phone rang abruptly, startling me awake. It was my niece calling. I was in the United States at the time. Looking at the clock on my phone, it was daytime here, but late night for my niece back home. My hands trembled as I answered the call. Hearing the familiar voice on the other end, I suddenly snapped back to reality. “Aunt Evelyn, I haven’t done anything wrong, but there are boys in my class who keep bullying me,” my niece said in a hurt tone that made my heart ache. “They’ve given me a nasty nickname. They call me ‘cow’ and say my chest is so big because lots of men have touched it. They even offer to ‘introduce’ me to guys for free.” It was at that moment I realized I had truly been reborn. In my previous life, I had fainted at my niece’s funeral, staring at her black and white photo, her sweet voice calling me “Auntie” still echoing in my ears. After regaining my composure, I had decided to seek justice for my niece, only to be pushed into oncoming traffic by my sister-in-law and that boy, crushed to death by a truck. I never imagined I would return to this point. My niece continued crying: “I mentioned it to Mom once. She said it was because I dress too provocatively, that’s why the boys treat me that way.” “She even called me a slut who deliberately tries to attract attention.” Lily was an excellent student, top of her class. But she was going through puberty, with acne and some baby fat, which was perfectly normal for her age. However, the boys in her class had started vicious rumors about her body. I remembered how in my previous life, my sister-in-law Sophia had always looked at Lily with disdain. I often heard her degrading comments: “How did I end up with a daughter like you? You look nothing like me – fat and ugly, worse than a pig. What good is being a bookworm?” “Besides, it takes two to tango. If there wasn’t something wrong with you, why would those boys only pick on you and no one else?” Later, as Sophia did nothing to intervene, the rumors about Lily spread like wildfire. Even the teachers at school started to believe them. My brother worked away from home most of the year, absent from his daughter’s upbringing. Lily reached out to everyone for help, but no one believed her. I was the only one, far across the ocean, who encouraged her to fight back bravely, to report it to the authorities. I promised I would come back and stand up for her, to help her get justice. But before I could finish my studies and return, Lily developed depression from the constant pressure. She ended up jumping into a river to end her life. Before she died, she left me one final message: “Aunt Evelyn, life has been so exhausting. Mom and Dad don’t love me, they even hate me. If that’s the case, why did they bring me into this world?” “Aunt Evelyn, in my next life, I want to be reborn as a cat by your side. I want an owner who loves me, to feel the warmth of being held in someone’s arms…” I broke down in tears when I saw it, immediately booking the next available flight home. When I arrived, I learned that Sophia was pregnant. Not only was there no trace of sadness on her face over Lily’s death, she even seemed joyful. She didn’t even attend Lily’s funeral, saying the dead were inauspicious and would harm her precious son. She was about to happily welcome a new child, while my dear niece lay buried in the ground. Now, faced with my niece’s plea for help, I responded firmly: “Don’t cry, Lily. If they won’t look after you, I will!” “Don’t be afraid. I’m coming back right now to stand up for you.” This time, to prevent tragedy from repeating, I flew back early. Holding Lily’s hand, I went straight to confront Sophia. Sophia had always been a pampered wife. She married my brother right after college, controlling his salary and never experiencing the harshness of society. She dressed up extravagantly every day, while dressing Lily in rags. She didn’t even give Lily clean school uniforms – the poor girl had to wash them herself every weekend when she came home. Whenever Lily was home, Sophia acted like an absentee landlord. Not only did she make Lily do mountains of housework, but she also had Lily prepare her three meals a day. Usually, housework was done by a part-time maid. Sophia only cared about eating, drinking, and having fun, never lifting a finger. When she first married into the family, Sophia had said: “I came to your family to be treated like a princess, not to suffer. After all, I never did anything at home – my parents waited on me hand and foot.” I returned earlier than expected, catching Sophia off guard. “Why are you back so soon?” she asked in shock. My face was cold as ice. “If I didn’t come back now, my niece might be strangled to death at school while you sit by and do nothing. I’m afraid I wouldn’t even have a chance to claim her body.” In my previous life, when Lily became the target of vicious rumors, Sophia, who adored men, insisted on using an “encouraging” approach to resolve the issue. She wanted to turn enemies into friends through kindness. Not only did she personally buy gifts and bring them to the school, she even fawned over the boy spreading the rumors: “Auntie wants to thank you so much for looking after our Lily at school. I heard that whenever she’s bullied, you stand up for her. You’re such a little gentleman. At such a young age, you’re already so responsible. Any girl who marries you in the future will be very lucky.” Encouraged and validated, the boy became even more unrestrained. Later, as the rumors intensified, Lily was dragged to a grove after school, humiliated by multiple people. This became the final straw that broke her. I clenched my fists. “Sophia, Lily is being bullied at school. Have you ever stood up for her even once? You don’t care at all about what happens to her at school!” At this moment, Sophia pouted, her eyes brimming with tears. “If you put it that way, then I really have no way to explain myself.” “Lily dresses so provocatively at such a young age, deliberately trying to seduce men. No wonder people criticize her. I’m just trying to educate my own child – what do you know about it?” I nearly laughed in disbelief, eyeing her new dress. “Well Sophia, I see you’ve kept yourself in great shape. You’re even more alluring than those young girls.” “Walking down the street in such a short skirt, if some random guy lifted it up, I suppose that would just be a testament to your charms. You should be proud, right?” Sophia flushed with embarrassment and anger, stomping her foot: “Evelyn, what nonsense are you spouting? Your brother likes me dressed this way. Stop trying to drive a wedge between us!” “This is my freedom to dress how I want. If other people want to look, how can I control their eyes?” I snorted in disdain: “Oh, so you understand the concept of freedom of dress, Sophia? Tell me, how exactly is Lily dressed provocatively?” “And accusing Lily of seducing men – maybe you’re the one desperate for male attention. After all, my brother is away from home so often. It must be hard for you, lonely night after lonely night.” Sophia trembled with rage, pointing a shaking finger at me. “Don’t you dare slander me! I gracefully accept admiring glances as recognition of my beauty. Lily is far too young – she’s just a hormonal teenager in heat!” Throughout this exchange, I had kept a firm grip on Lily’s hand. She remained silent the whole time. I couldn’t be bothered arguing with Sophia’s hypocritical logic any further. I turned and took Lily shopping for new clothes. We got rid of the old uniforms that clung to her like a straitjacket, and contacted the school to order new ones custom-made. I even applied for a teaching position at her school. With my overseas qualifications, I easily got the job. This time, no one would dare bully my precious girl. Lily was in Class 3 of 7th grade. I specifically requested to teach Class 3, taking over as their English teacher and homeroom teacher. After all, in my previous life, when this incident occurred, not only did that teacher fail to criticize the boys, she even subtly mocked Lily. She was utterly unfit to be an educator. Most ironically, that kind of person was even awarded “Most Beautiful Teacher.” Though the school leadership felt it was inappropriate, they agreed in order to retain talent. On my first day, I immediately spotted the boy who had spread those vicious rumors. He had yellowed teeth and was chewing gum, his eyes carelessly scanning the skirts of the girls in the front row. From time to time, he would rub his chin, whispering and laughing with the boys next to him. I coldly glanced at the class roster. His name was Ryan Thompson. He had three older sisters and was the spoiled baby of the family, clearly a pampered brat with no discipline. Just as Lily sat down, he gave her shoulder strap a hard tug, grinning maliciously. “Hey cow! Which guy did you sleep with this weekend? How come your uniform got bigger? Looks like you’ve been well-nourished and filled out even more!” Lily flushed with shame and anger. But Ryan brazenly unhooked the back of her uniform. “Wonder when I’ll be lucky enough to service you and contribute to your development.” His voice was low, but full of provocation and mockery. The surrounding students heard and stifled their laughter. “Yeah, what’s the use of good grades when you’re such a slut?” Lily clutched her loosened uniform, furious and on the verge of tears. She was about to retort when she broke down crying instead. She had always been introverted and quiet. I knew she was no match for these despicable boys. So, just as I finished introducing myself, I strode down from the podium with a cold expression, heading straight for Ryan. In the next instant, I, a black belt in Taekwondo, grabbed Ryan’s hand and slammed it hard on the desk. He sucked in a sharp breath of pain. “Ow! Teacher, are you here to teach martial arts?” He stared at me in shock and fear. I smirked coldly. “Such a foul mouth. Did you rush out this morning and have breakfast in the toilet? Some people are naturally gifted academically. Did you think everyone has a brain full of garbage like yours? If those soft tissues in your head are useless, you might as well take them out and use them for hotpot – at least they won’t go to waste.” “And the rest of you, you think it’s hilarious, don’t you? How would you feel if someone publicly lifted your clothes or pants? Would you still be laughing then?” I swept my gaze over the stunned students, continuing loudly: “Using someone else’s reputation as a joke for your own amusement – are you students or the scum of society?” “By the way, spreading false rumors can be prosecuted as defamation. That’s the first lesson I’m teaching you today!” “Today you’re mocking and teasing Lily Moore. What if one day rumors are spread about you, and others look at you with colored glasses? Put yourself in her shoes – wouldn’t you feel hurt?” “It only doesn’t hurt because the knife isn’t stabbing your own body.” After all, they were just middle school students. Their skin was still thin, and several girls who had laughed earlier now hung their heads in shame. But Ryan rubbed his hand, still looking unconcerned. He even snorted disdainfully. “Fine, you win. I’ll remember this, Miss.” I knew a little tyrant like him wouldn’t give up so easily. But I was prepared to face anything. Most of the students were won over by their new teacher. They became attentive in class, the room so quiet you could hear a pin drop. That evening back in my dorm, I received a call from Ryan’s mother. Before I could speak, I heard yelling from the other end: “Miss Moore, you’re throwing your weight around as a new teacher, taking out your temper on my son! Using my son as a scapegoat to establish your authority – you must feel so smug.” I calmly responded, “Mrs. Thompson, your son was the ringleader in spreading vicious rumors about a female student. As an educator, I was simply setting things right.” The parent on the other end scoffed. “My son is the most obedient and sensible child. If that girl hadn’t done those filthy things, how could there be such rumors? You can’t favor students with good grades just because my son’s academic performance is average!” “If my son suffers any psychological trauma from this, can you take responsibility?” She continued smugly: “As a teacher, when faced with students like my son whose grades are average, you should use an encouraging approach. That’s the only way to bring out students’ potential.” I raised an eyebrow, not expecting someone to share Sophia’s mindset. How could I not fulfill your wishes? I smiled coldly as I spoke: “I understand what you mean. Don’t worry, I promise I’ll make you satisfied.” Seeing me back down, the tone on the other end became even more triumphant. “It’s good that you understand, Miss Moore. After all, you’re new to teaching and inexperienced. It’s normal. In the future, you should listen more to us parents’ opinions. It will help you improve.” I hung up the phone and immediately contacted my friend at the print shop, asking her to rush an overnight job for me. The next day after school, I had people hang an extra-long banner right at the school gate. All the passing parents and students saw it. The red background with white text was very eye-catching: [Warmly congratulate Ryan Thompson of Class 3, Grade 7, for maturing early and growing strong by spreading vicious rumors about female classmates, truly becoming a real man!] I had given Lily a hidden voice recorder earlier, instructing her to secretly record Ryan’s slanderous comments.

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She was fifteen when she came to our house. Skinny and malnourished, she looked like a little monkey. I treated her like my own sister, never imagining that at eighteen, she would crawl into my bed. On the night of her eighteenth birthday, I opened my eyes to find her holding handcuffs. “Brother, I’ve been waiting for this day,” she said. “You’re mine!” (1) I sat in the living room downstairs, absentmindedly letting my hot Americano turn cold, still unable to believe what had happened. Holy crap, I slept with Autumn last night! Her closed eyes next to my pillow this morning, Her arms tightly wrapped around my waist, And our naked bodies! Mom will kill me when she returns from her trip. That was Autumn, for God’s sake! She’s my sister! Not by blood, but that hardly makes a difference! (2) Yesterday was Autumn’s eighteenth birthday, Which fell during the Lunar New Year celebrations. My parents were away on their annual honeymoon trip, And I, a junior in college, was brain-dead from writing papers and in desperate need of fresh blood. So I took the initiative, And invited her classmates over for a party. As a miserable college junior, I got excited and drank quite a bit. I only remember constant laughter and chatter, And a pair of eyes locked on me. When I woke up again in the middle of the night, I thought I had dreamed of Autumn kissing me, which seemed absurd. Her fan-like eyelashes kept fluttering in my mind. My throat was dry, and I tried to reach for the water glass with my eyes closed, [Why can’t I move?] I tried to shake my hand, but it wouldn’t budge. [Am I having sleep paralysis?] I opened my eyes groggily and saw Autumn in front of me. The night light was on, and she was kneeling on top of me. Everything was eerily similar to my dream. “Autumn? What are you doing here?” I asked, feeling dizzy and unable to think clearly. Autumn didn’t say anything. Her dark eyes came closer and closer. She lowered her head, Her cool lips touched mine, gently kissing me open, And she passed some water into my mouth. I swallowed unconsciously. It was a bit sweet. The sensation was so similar to my dream, I couldn’t distinguish between dream and reality for a moment. “I want more,” I said. She reached for the water glass and took another sip. The glass bottom made a “clack” sound as it met the table surface, Then there was silence. I waited anxiously, Forcing my closed eyes open again, Under the dim wall light, she was holding a pair of silver handcuffs That gleamed coldly, Shocking me into clarity for a moment. Before I could think further, She kissed me again, Water trickled down the corner of my mouth, Her lips moved inch by inch to my earlobe, At the end of what I thought was a dream, I heard her say, “Brother, you’re mine.” “I’ve finally waited for this day.” (3) Footsteps sounded on the stairs, and I hurriedly picked up the coffee in front of me. “Brother, haven’t you had enough?” a cool voice asked, the content of her words making me choke. Yesterday, I seemed to keep asking for water, Because my mind was full of Autumn’s— “Enough or not? Want more?” “Cough cough cough” The violent coughing made me bend over involuntarily. Autumn hurried over from the stairs, Took the coffee cup, and gently patted my back. My face must have been red, either from coughing or from her closeness. I could feel the heat! She took a few tissues and handed them to me, Her slender, fair fingers with a hint of pink at the joints contrasted with the white paper. Last night, it was these hands that— A roaring sound seemed to rise in my ears, and I suddenly stood up. “What we did was wrong!” I blurted out, words tumbling out like beans. “I’m your brother, we can’t date!” “You’re still in high school!” “Everyone was drunk last night!” “We’re both adults now, so it’s not really a big deal, right?” I finished speaking in a rush and realized Autumn hadn’t said a word. I looked up at her, a bit surprised. Her usually expressionless face bore a faint smile. “What are you talking about, brother? What happened last night?” “I only remember you seemed drunk, and I was a bit tipsy too.” “You said you were hot, and Mrs. Zhang was downstairs, so I helped you take off your clothes.” “Then I was too tired and just fell asleep.” “Do you remember anything else, brother?” “Do you want to tell me about it?” Her eyes looked at me seriously, clear and innocent. I was stunned. Was last night just my dream? Autumn had never lied to me, I never doubted what she said. Holy crap! I couldn’t have been such a pervert to Autumn, could I? The sensations in the dream felt so real, The unusual feelings in my body made me scream internally. [Adam, you big pervert!] I couldn’t help but doubt myself, Am I… lacking female company, or… Could I possibly like Autumn? (4) Autumn was the daughter of my mom’s friend, Her father had an affair, and a planned charcoal incident took both parents’ lives. Autumn was probably the only hope her mother didn’t want to give up in her despair. Her mother had timed it perfectly when Autumn wasn’t home, She was in high school, a day student, Friday was supposed to be a happy day off. But when she returned home and opened the door, Instead of her mother’s smiling face and the familiar smell of home-cooked meals, Choking carbon monoxide rolled into the hallway, and two cold bodies lay sleeping on the sofa. This became Autumn’s nightmare every night. Autumn’s relatives were far away in her hometown, long out of touch. Her father had transferred his assets to someone else, her mother had spent lavishly, and years of drama had left their once well-off family in dire straits. Autumn became an orphan, a hungry orphan. The day my mom brought Autumn home, I had just finished my college entrance exams and was on vacation. “Who’s this?” I asked. I had been out partying all day, my voice hoarse from singing, my face tired, just wanting to go to sleep quickly. As soon as I entered the door, before I could dramatically call out “Mom—”, I met eyes with Autumn on the sofa. She wore a white shirt that had almost lost its color, school uniform pants, her hair was messy, there was a smudge of dirt on her nose, she was thin, very thin, her shoulder blades were like thin sheets, her jawline was clearer than my life plans, I felt I could snap her in half with one move, she looked dazed and very nervous. “Hello, brother. I’m Autumn,” she said. This was my first conversation with Autumn. Her crisp voice, unlike the coquettish voices of teenage girls, was like a gentle stream, instantly increasing my liking for her. I nodded at her and ducked into the kitchen. My mom was chatting with Mrs. Zhang and was startled by my sudden appearance. “So you remember to come home? Had enough fun?” she said. My mom gave me a knock on the head, “Stop, stop, if you keep hitting me, I’ll really turn into a chestnut!” I said, rubbing my head. “Who’s that outside, Mom? Autumn? That’s a pretty name.” I asked excitedly while grimacing in pain. “That’s your Aunt Wang’s daughter. Such a good child, but when her relatives heard there were no savings left, no one wanted to take her in. I was close with your Aunt Wang, and I didn’t want to see a good child’s growth stunted. We can afford to raise her, so I brought her back.” “We won’t do the formal paperwork and household registration, but we’ll support her education and let her live with us.” “What do you think, Adam?” “Huh?” I was listening intently and was caught off guard by the question. It was my mom’s way of doing things. As far as I could remember, she and my dad had always been involved in charity work, with countless donations and volunteer activities every year. “I think it’s fine. We have money anyway, and I’ve always wanted a sister. You and dad won’t have another child, so isn’t this perfect?” I said. “What does Autumn say?” I was more concerned about the opinion of the poor little girl. “I told her there’s an older brother in the family, and she should get along well with you. She nodded in agreement.” “But how did you know her name was Autumn?” My mom looked at me suspiciously. “She told me,” I said, pointing to the living room. “That’s strange, she’s only been nodding at me. This child hasn’t spoken since I picked her up.” “We just got home. Why don’t you go help your sister get familiar with the environment? She seemed to be shaking earlier.” Having found out what I wanted to know, I quickly accepted this fact, We only had one child in our family, and I had long wanted a companion! Autumn saw me come out of the kitchen and nervously stood up from the sofa, “Brother…” she began hesitantly. “I’m here, you’re so good!” I walked over and patted her shoulder. Up close, I could see that Autumn was really pale, with thick eyebrows and bright eyes. Her eyes weren’t big but were very deep, with slightly drooping corners. Her eyelashes were straight and fluttering, blinking at me, wet and puppy-like. But her shoulders were really bony. I looked at the double swimming ring around my belly and made up my mind to feed her more! She looked a bit panicked, took a step forward, and stared at my hand. “Dirty…” she said. I was stunned and felt a bit sad, Poor thing, how was her sad childhood any different from those novel heroines I read about! I would become her warm guardian angel! Protect her in the name of the moon’s justice! I raised my hand and gently brought it close to her nose tip, Slowly wiping away the dirt on her nose. Feeling her warm skin trembling slightly under my hand, I felt like I was truly a beautiful, kind, and generous big brother. “From now on, I’ve got your back!” I declared. Who would have thought that this promise would trip me up for a lifetime? (5) After Autumn asked me, I didn’t know how to respond. The doorbell saved me from my twitching lips. “Mom! Dad!” “Auntie, Uncle.” My parents came back early! Weren’t they supposed to be away for a month?! I stepped forward to take the luggage from my dad’s hand, but Autumn was faster. Her palm brushed against my hand as she passed, still burning hot. I withdrew my hand, unconsciously rubbing it. My mom came in and scrutinized me carefully. I felt a bit guilty under her gaze, I had to admit, the question of whether I liked Autumn or not Had torn open a layer in my heart, Many scenes that once seemed normal Now carried an ambiguous and romantic air in my mind. Did my mom notice something?! No, wait! Wasn’t last night’s craziness just a dream? What am I afraid of? I straightened my back, innocent people have nothing to fear! “Have you gained weight these past few days?” my mom asked. Her words struck me like lightning, deflating my confidence. “I haven’t~” I frowned, “Dad, control your wife! She starts criticizing me as soon as she gets home.” “It does look like you’ve put on a bit of weight, son,” my dad said, handing a cup of tea to my mom and sitting down on the sofa with a smile. I knew it! These two are always lovey-dovey without me! “Autumn! Come here quickly!” I called out. Autumn had gone to the kitchen to do something. Only Autumn would be on my side. After calling out, I felt a bit of regret. Damn, I called out of habit! We still hadn’t resolved the awkward situation from earlier. Autumn came over and sat down next to me. “We came back because of Autumn’s household registration issue,” my mom said. “Yesterday was Autumn’s coming of age ceremony, she’s eighteen now and can have her own household registration. We promised Autumn before that we’re a family. Respecting her wishes, we’ve separated Adam’s household registration from your father’s.” My mom handed over a brand new, bright red family registry booklet. Autumn opened it, there was only one page, Just Autumn herself. I looked at Autumn’s expression, she didn’t seem sad or happy. “Thank you, Uncle and Auntie,” Autumn stood up and bowed. I was already a bit nervous and stood up with her. “Thank you, Mom and Dad,” I said. The three of them stared at me with wide eyes. What did I say?! Why am I thanking them?! I raised my hand and covered my face. My parents burst out laughing, Through the gaps between my fingers, I saw Autumn laughing too, her eyes curved like a little fox. “Dinner’s ready!” Mrs. Zhang called from the kitchen, As I turned to pass by Autumn, “Not fat at all,” she said. Her gentle voice was like a wind I couldn’t catch, brushing past my ear. My ear felt a bit itchy, like spring rain plucking harp strings, joy welling up inside me. Congratulations on growing up, Autumn. (6) On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the Lantern Festival, we eat tangyuan (sweet rice balls). My grandparents had long since moved from our hometown to the city, But I needed a video shot for my assignment, so I wanted to go back to our hometown to film. Needless to say, my parents wouldn’t agree, “The house back home is empty! What are you going back for?” “It’s so far away, it’s not safe for you to go alone!” “It’s not okay even if you go with Leo. Are two boys safer? Doesn’t he want to spend time with his grandparents?” No matter how much I argued, my parents wouldn’t budge. Luckily, I’ve always been a bit rebellious. At five in the morning, while my parents were still asleep, I crept downstairs with my backpack, Paused for a moment as I passed Autumn’s room, But resolutely continued downstairs, Quietly, quietly, I closed the front door. I turned around, about to cheer silently, When a dark figure standing outside the door nearly made me scream. The figure quickly covered my mouth. “It’s me,” a familiar voice said. I relaxed. It was Autumn. “What are you doing?!” I was a bit angry, “You nearly scared me to death!” “Brother’s going out without me?” Autumn took a step forward, looking down at me, her voice contrasting with her imposing stance, sounding hurt. “I…” I deflated immediately, Rummaging in my pocket, I handed her a hand warmer, Her hands had been so cold just now. “It’s not that I didn’t want to bring you, you’re in your senior year, you need to study hard.” Actually, when I thought about going back home, Autumn was the first person I wanted to bring, but she needed to study, so I didn’t invite her, because I knew, Autumn would never refuse me. “One day won’t make a difference, let’s go,” Autumn took my backpack and put it on her own back. It was still dark, the streetlights made the ground look clean and even, our footsteps left side-by-side tracks in the untouched snow. I excitedly stepped left and right, Small snowflakes floated in the air, cool as they slipped into my collar. Autumn reached out to adjust the hood at the back of my neck. “But what if my parents scold me? They’ll scold you too!” I worried. “Not afraid,” she replied. “What if it interrupts your studies?” “Not afraid.” “Why are you coming back home with me?” “Don’t want you to be scared.” (7) The train tickets back to our hometown were sold out, so we had to buy afternoon bus tickets. After finishing two large Cokes at McDonald’s, it was finally time to board the bus. Our hometown wasn’t very close, and by bus, it would take more than a day, which meant we would have to stay overnight at an inn. The bus was very crowded, with luggage piled everywhere. A weathered worker was holding a cup of instant noodles, a mother in the back corner was discreetly breastfeeding her baby, an old man was squinting at his old-fashioned phone with a speaker, all sorts of people, each unfamiliar face bearing the joy of going home. Autumn and I found our seats and hugged our bags. The bus wasn’t well-ventilated, the smell wasn’t pleasant, and I felt a bit motion sick. Autumn opened her jacket, patted her shoulder, gesturing for me to lean over. “Get some sleep, or you’ll get carsick later,” she said. Her legs were very long, curled up in the seat, her brows slightly furrowed. Poor thing, I felt bad for her. I leaned over, burying my nose in her clothes and taking a deep breath, The familiar soap scent made me genuinely drowsy. Autumn’s shoulder was still as thin as before. The little 5-foot carrot had grown quickly, in the blink of an eye, she was now about 5’5″. I unconsciously nuzzled closer, It’s good, I didn’t fail in my feeding efforts. “Wake up, brother,” Autumn called softly. I groggily woke up to Autumn’s voice. Outside it was pitch black, with only a large searchlight. Autumn shielded my eyes with her hand, afraid the light would hurt them. She lowered her head, her voice very gentle, “We need to stay at an inn for the night, it’s not safe to walk in the snow at night.” “Okay,” I agreed. Still dazed, I got off the bus with Autumn. In the middle of nowhere, there were no other houses, just one lonely inn. The bus driver assigned rooms based on the tickets. I was paired with the breastfeeding brother, and Autumn with another guy. Autumn held my hand as I was about to go in. I turned back to look at her. “Rest well tonight. If you’re cold, I packed some hand warmers in the bag,” she said. I don’t know if it was the dark night intensifying my uneasy feelings, or if the snow’s reflection cast a soft light on Autumn, but at that moment, I didn’t want to leave her. “Hey, brother, do you know this young lady?” the other guy asked excitedly as he approached the inn’s entrance. “This is my wife, it’s inconvenient for her to get up at night to feed the baby,” he said, supporting the brother holding the child. Looking at Autumn and me holding hands, “You two are a couple, right? This is perfect, let’s switch rooms.” Seeing the hopeful looks in the brother and guy’s eyes, and the baby waving its arms and legs, I have to admit, I was shamefully tempted. Autumn nodded in agreement before I could say anything. The family of three happily left our sight. Autumn explained, “Brother taught me to help others when we can. I did it.” “Autumn is so good,” I praised. (8) “Honey water, brother,” Autumn said, handing me a thermos. The water inside was just the right temperature. She efficiently spread the blanket down the middle of the bed, took out some clothes from her bag, and laid them on the bed. I finished drinking the water just as Autumn made an excuse to go downstairs to buy something. “I’m going to buy a pair of slippers, it’s too dirty here,” she said. Perfect, I could take a quick shower. I quickly finished showering and ran out of the bathroom. Barefoot, I came face to face with Autumn, who was holding the slippers. Autumn’s expression was poor. She pushed me up and led me to the bed. For the first time, I looked down at Autumn from a higher angle. “Aren’t you afraid of getting a stomachache, brother? The floor is very cold,” she said. I mumbled that I understood and crawled under the covers. My little heart couldn’t bear to look at Autumn now, it was beating so fast. Autumn didn’t shower and lay down fully clothed. I closed my eyes for a while, not feeling very sleepy. Just as I was about to say something, unfamiliar sounds came from next door. I pricked up my ears. What was that?! Listening carefully, oh my god, next door someone was… was…

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My husband committed suicide on our wedding night. My mother-in-law frantically tore at my clothes, telling everyone that I was responsible for her son’s death. Everyone thought she had gone mad. Only I, smiling at her crazed state, leaned in and whispered softly, “You’re next.” My husband, Mark Foster, committed suicide. On our wedding night, he suddenly rushed to his mother, who hadn’t left yet, and frantically shouted at her, “Do I have a sister?” My mother-in-law, Evelyn, firmly denied it: “Your father only has you as his son. Where would a sister come from?” After hearing this, Mark laughed maniacally, turned around, ran to the balcony, opened the window, and jumped straight down. As we left the funeral home, Evelyn was crying her heart out, barely able to stand. She had to rely on Richard, my father-in-law, to support her. Richard’s eyes were red and bloodshot, the pain of losing his son had turned his hair white overnight. He looked much older than before. I followed behind them, wearing all black, my already thin frame looking even more fragile. It seemed like a gust of wind could blow me away. Many relatives and friends looked at me with pity in their eyes. After all, I had just gotten married, and my husband committed suicide. I went from being a bride to a widow in an instant. How could they not feel sorry for me? Some people came forward to comfort me: “Lily, what’s done is done. You’re still young, you need to look forward.” These words were said neither too loudly nor too softly, just loud enough for my mother-in-law to hear. She suddenly turned her head, looking at me with hatred in her eyes. “It’s you! It’s all because of you, you harbinger of bad luck! You’re the one who caused my son’s death!” “My son was such a good person, so cheerful and optimistic. But as soon as he married you, he committed suicide. You’re a jinx, a cursed thing! Give me back my son!” Evelyn became more and more agitated as she spoke, her eyes flashing with a fierce light. She suddenly lunged at me and grabbed my throat. A tremendous sense of suffocation washed over me. I clawed at her hands, trying to break free from her grip, while desperately gasping for air. But I still couldn’t escape the feeling of near-death brought on by the lack of oxygen. Fortunately, Richard and some relatives and friends quickly pulled Evelyn away from me. Only then was I able to break free, sitting on the ground and taking big gulps of fresh air. Evelyn, unable to strangle me, was unsatisfied and continued to shout and scream, trying to lunge at me again: “Lily White, you cursed thing, I want you to pay for my son’s life! Go die, go die!” The commotion attracted many passersby who stopped to watch. Richard, seeing that she was making such a scene and feeling embarrassed, couldn’t help but slap her face: “Shut up!” Only then did Evelyn quiet down. Seeing that Evelyn had stopped making a fuss, Richard turned to look at me: “Lily, your mother-in-law is grieving the loss of her child. She’s temporarily lost her senses. Don’t take it to heart.” I nodded with red-rimmed eyes: “Dad, I understand Mom’s feelings. I don’t blame her.” My obedience brought a hint of satisfaction to Richard’s face. He nodded at me with a gentle tone: “You’re a good girl. I’m sorry for what you’ve been through.” Because Evelyn was too emotional, I had to leave early. Back in our marital home, the silence in the room was suffocating. I stood in front of the wedding photo of Mark and me, looking at his sunny and handsome face. My vision blurred with tears. This marital home was carefully decorated by Mark and me together. All the furniture was what we both liked best. Who could have imagined that the sunny, cheerful guy who had sworn eternal love to me during the day would become a broken corpse by night? I sat quietly in the marital home until late into the night, finally falling into a drowsy sleep leaning against the bed. The next day, I was awakened by the loud sound of an electric drill outside the door. Opening the door, I saw Evelyn with a locksmith trying to force open my front door! As soon as she saw me, Evelyn rushed over uncontrollably, grabbed my clothes, and pushed me out of the door. “Lily White, you caused my son’s death, and you still dare to live in my son’s house? Get out!” “Mom, don’t do this. This is my home too, it’s Mark’s and my home!” I pleaded desperately. But Evelyn spat at me viciously: “Bah! This house was bought by my son. You caused his death, you jinx, and you still have the face to stay here? You still want to call this your home? You’re an orphan with no parents, how could you afford a multi-million dollar apartment? Shameless thing!” As Evelyn cursed, she picked up my belongings and threw them out. The room quickly became a mess. When Evelyn was about to destroy the wedding photo of my husband and me, I finally couldn’t bear it anymore and rushed over to protect the photo tightly: “Mom, I beg you, please don’t. This is the only memento Mark left for me.” Evelyn was unmoved. Unable to destroy the wedding photo, she started punching and kicking me frantically. “Sir, please help me call the police, please help me!” I could only cry out to the locksmith for help. The locksmith outside had been stunned by what he was seeing. Looking at the frenzied Evelyn and pitiful me, he promptly took out his phone and called the police. Only after the police arrived did Evelyn reluctantly stop. She then turned to the police and tearfully accused me of trying to take over the family property after her son’s death. With no other choice, I took out the property deed with my name on it: “Mom, this house really is mine.” However, after seeing the property deed, Evelyn became even more agitated. “Lily White! This house was clearly bought by my son. It must be you, you must have tricked him into transferring the house to you and then killed him!” Her eyes were bloodshot, her shrill voice almost piercing the eardrums of everyone present. “Lily White, you’re a murderer! I’ll make you pay for my son’s life!” Saying this, she rushed over to strangle me. The police nearby hurriedly came forward to stop her, protecting me behind them. However, Evelyn was out of control by now. She frantically waved her hands trying to hit me, and all the police protecting me suffered as a result. In the end, the police, in anger, took both her and me to the police station. Even so, Evelyn showed no remorse. Sitting in the police car, she looked at me with venomous eyes: “Lily White, you killed my son. I will definitely make you pay for my son’s life!” I leaned back against the seat, my face pale, still with a hint of grievance. I turned to look at Evelyn, the corner of my mouth curling up imperceptibly: “Mom, don’t you know how Mark died?” Upon hearing this, Evelyn’s face turned deathly pale. Not long after entering the police station, Richard came. He took Evelyn and me out of the police station with an extremely displeased expression. I noticed that when he saw Evelyn, his hand moved slightly, but in the end, he forcefully restrained himself from slapping her. He only coldly rebuked Evelyn: “If you dare to do such embarrassing things again, don’t blame me for being unkind!” Evelyn looked up at him, and there was a hint of panic in that glance. She moved her mouth, wanting to say something, but upon seeing me beside her, she tightly closed her mouth again. Perhaps because of Evelyn’s false accusations, Richard felt he owed me something. He rarely let me ride in their car, personally sending me home. On the way, Richard apologized to me on behalf of Evelyn in a gentle tone: “Lily, your mother-in-law has been in a bad mood lately, always suspicious. Don’t take it to heart. Rest assured, no one in the company will gossip about this matter.” However, I didn’t obediently agree as I had before. Instead, I turned back with red-rimmed eyes, looking at Richard sitting in the back seat, and choked out: “Dad, I know Mom is upset about losing her son, but I’ve lost my husband too!” “Mark and I had even bought tickets to Bali, but that night he suddenly rushed out inexplicably after talking to Mom for a few words, and then jumped off the building.” “Dad, I’ve been holding back from asking, but with Mom repeatedly tormenting me like this, I really can’t take it anymore. I just want to know, Mom, what exactly did you and Mark talk about? Why did it make Mark suddenly jump to his death?” In the car, following my last question, the atmosphere instantly became as if we had fallen into an ice pit. I saw Richard’s expression change from calm to shocked and then to angry in an instant. He stared at Evelyn with wide eyes, his gaze almost spitting fire: “The last time our son died, he was talking to you?” Evelyn was silent, lowering her head and not daring to make a sound. I looked at them, finding their expressions particularly interesting. Richard didn’t notice my gaze. He stared fixedly at Evelyn and roared: “Speak! What exactly did you say to our son?” This shout not only frightened Evelyn but even made the driver’s body tremble. Evelyn couldn’t help but whimper softly, pitifully saying: “I, I didn’t say anything. That night Mark suddenly ran out and asked me if he had a sister. I said no, but then he turned around and jumped off the building.” “Why would he suddenly ask this question?” Richard’s eyes flashed. Evelyn answered tearfully: “I don’t know either. Besides, whether he had a sister or not, how could that be related to Mark’s suicide? Could it be that someone forced him to commit suicide?” As she spoke, she unconsciously looked up at me again, meeting my deep gaze. She suddenly became agitated, grabbing the pensive Richard and pointing at me, shouting: “It’s her, it must be her. That night, besides me, it was only her in the bridal chamber. Mark was with her in the bedroom before he came out. It must be her who killed Mark!” My eyes instantly welled up with tears: “Mom, before Mark came out to find you, he was opening wedding gifts with me.” But Evelyn shrilly retorted: “You’re lying! Mark never liked opening gifts since he was a child. How could he possibly open gifts with you?” “But I like it, and Mark was just accompanying me…” At this point, I was already in tears. Mentioning that night was like hanging my heart on a scaffold and repeatedly torturing it. Just a second before, we were so sweet, and the next second, Mark was left with only a broken corpse. Evelyn wanted to refute me again, but was sternly stopped by Richard. He looked at me, crying with tears streaming down my face, his eyes filled with pity: “Wipe your tears. Mark wouldn’t want to see you suffering like this in heaven.” I nodded chokingly and wiped away my tears with a tissue, but my eyes still held a mist that hadn’t had time to dissipate, looking hazy. When getting out of the car, Richard instructed me: “Take good care of yourself when you get back. Don’t think too much. Your mom won’t act up again.” “Thank you, Dad.” I turned back and choked out a word of thanks. Richard met my misty eyes and his expression unconsciously froze for a moment, but he quickly came back to his senses and smiled gently at me. Watching the car leave, a hint of mockery flashed in my eyes. After returning from the police station, Evelyn never came to bother me again. After resting quietly for a while, I returned to work at the company. The company I work for is Foster Group. Yes, it’s my husband’s family company. I currently hold the position of Deputy Manager in the company, a position I didn’t get because of my relationship with Mark Foster. On the contrary, Mark Foster and I got to know each other after I became Deputy Manager. At that time, he held a nominal position of Manager in the company, but he actually lacked work experience. Richard often asked him to learn more from me. As we interacted more, we became familiar with each other, and our relationship gradually changed from superior and subordinate to a romantic one. Actually, my mother-in-law looked down on me, but Mark liked me and insisted on marrying me. Richard didn’t oppose me marrying Mark. He thought I was capable at work and would be a good helper for Mark’s career in the future. Originally, Mark and I had taken a two-month honeymoon leave and planned to go on a nice honeymoon after getting married. Unexpectedly, Mark… Now only I returned to the company alone. The employees of the company saw my haggard appearance and all showed sympathetic looks. During lunch, Richard rarely invited me to have a meal with him. While eating, he kept asking me if Mark had said anything strange before jumping off the building. I shook my head, with red-rimmed eyes, and answered: “No, Mark was opening wedding gifts with me before he went out. But he seemed to receive a text message before going out.” Richard immediately became serious: “What text message?” I lowered my head, feeling somewhat guilty: “I don’t know.” Richard sighed somewhat helplessly and didn’t say anything more. When Mark jumped, his phone was smashed to pieces along with him. Now it’s impossible to check the text messages. So, what text message he received, except for himself, no one else knows. Back home, I opened my email and was startled by the flashing ghost GIF on the screen. Then a message came through SnapChat: How is it? Satisfied? I replied: It’s fine. Wait for my news. The other party responded: Okay. I closed the computer, went downstairs to buy a basket of fresh fruit, and drove to Evelyn’s house. When Evelyn saw me arrive, her face immediately darkened, and she coldly asked: “What are you doing here?” I held the gifts I bought for them, feeling very depressed: “Mom, I wanted to see where Mark grew up.” At the mention of Mark, Evelyn exploded instantly. She pushed me away, causing me to fall down the steps at the entrance of the villa, scattering the fruits I had bought all over the ground. “Get out of here, you harbinger of misfortune! This is not a place for you to come!” Evelyn slammed the door shut. I looked at the closed door, closed my eyes for a moment, got up from the ground, and slowly picked up the fruits one by one. Tears fell uncontrollably. Suddenly, Richard’s voice came from above: “Lily, why are you here?” I looked up and saw Richard standing in front of me. I quickly wiped away my tears and forced a smile: “Dad, I just wanted to come home and see. This is where Mark grew up, I wanted to take a look…” By the end, my tears were flowing uncontrollably again. Richard looked at the scattered fruits on the ground and seemed to understand what had happened. He sighed and squatted down to help me pick up all the fruits back into the basket: “You’re a good girl, what a pity…” I wiped my tears: “Dad, can I ask you for something? Can I stay here for a while? I’ll just stay in Mark’s room. This is Mark’s home, and here I can feel Mark’s presence, as if he hasn’t left, as if he’s still with me. Please, Dad.” Richard looked at me with complex emotions: “But, you know what your mom is like…” “It’s okay, I’ll just stay in Mark’s room. I absolutely won’t have any conflicts with Mom,” I quickly promised. Richard eventually softened and agreed. Seeing Richard agree, I immediately brightened up, picked up the collected fruits, and was about to walk towards the front door. But as soon as I lifted my leg, I felt a sharp pain in my right ankle. I couldn’t help but cry out in pain and crouched down. Richard turned back and saw me holding my ankle, my face pale, with beads of sweat already forming on my forehead. He quickly came forward and asked: “What’s wrong?” “It’s nothing…” I smiled and quickly stood up, bravely taking a step forward, but soon crouched down again in pain. Richard quickly squatted down to check. I tried to cover it up, but he impatiently moved my hand away. My slender ankle was already swollen high. My skin was originally fair and delicate, and the faint bruise on my ankle made the uninjured parts of my skin look even more delicate and soft. Richard’s pupils contracted imperceptibly for a moment, but he quickly stood up: “Don’t move. I’ll take you to the hospital.” He called for the driver to bring the car over, helped me limp into the car, and took me to the hospital. At the hospital, after a series of examinations, it was found that I had a minor fracture in my ankle and needed three months of rest. After the doctor put on a cast and prescribed medicine, Richard took me back to the Foster home. Originally, I wanted to say it wasn’t necessary, but Richard felt that my fracture was caused by Evelyn, so she should take care of me. When we got home, Evelyn saw Richard bringing me in and immediately started making a fuss, wanting to drive me out. But Richard didn’t give her any face: “You broke Lily’s ankle, so you should take care of her! If you’re not willing, get out right now.” Seeing Richard angry, Evelyn immediately became docile and reluctantly agreed to let me stay in Mark’s room. But it was impossible for her to take care of me. Fortunately, there was a housekeeper, Mrs. Liu, who was responsible for bringing me meals and water every day. Mark’s room had its own bathroom, so I didn’t need to wander around deliberately. Richard saw my obedience and was very pleased. Although Evelyn didn’t care much about me, he would occasionally come to the room to see me and ask how my foot was recovering. Sometimes he would even discuss work situations with me. I had worked my way up from the bottom to the position of Deputy Manager, so naturally, I was very familiar with various aspects of the company. Therefore, Richard and I could always have pleasant conversations. Sometimes, as long as he opened his mouth, I could naturally follow up on his next sentence. Gradually, Richard’s attitude towards me became more and more amiable. Obviously, both my work ability and my personality were very much to his liking. He often came home to chat with me, and sometimes when the company encountered some problems, he would even message me to ask for my opinion. Under my advice, the company even secured several big deals that were previously impossible to get. Richard’s attitude towards me completely changed to one of appreciation after this. He liked talking to me more and more, as if he had found a kindred spirit in me. However, occasionally, I felt that the way Richard looked at me was a bit different, as if he was seeing someone else through me. Because Richard visited my room too frequently to talk, it soon aroused Evelyn’s suspicion. Evelyn began to frequently enter and exit my room after Richard entered. She would bring me a plate of cut fruit, or a cup of hot water, or juice. She acted like a caring mother-in-law. Even Richard was surprised and couldn’t help but praise Evelyn: “You’re finally starting to act like an elder should.” Evelyn gave Richard a coquettish glance: “Wasn’t it because of Mark’s incident earlier that I couldn’t come to terms with it?” But when she turned her face, her eyes were as cold as if they were filled with ice shards when she looked at me. I pretended not to see the disgust in her eyes and obediently accepted what she handed over: “Thank you, Mom.” Evelyn looked at me with a fake smile: “You’re welcome.” After saying this, she twisted her voluptuous waist and left the room. Richard watched Evelyn leave and smiled at me: “Your mom is just tough on the outside but soft on the inside. She was stuck in a rut before, but now that she’s come to terms with it, she won’t give you a hard time anymore.” I nodded seriously. But I saw Evelyn’s skirt flashing past the door. Evelyn was eavesdropping outside the door! I blinked and looked carefully at the door again, thinking I must have seen wrong. The door had always been open. If Evelyn wanted to listen, she could have just come in and joined the conversation. Why hide outside? Besides, Richard and I were only talking about work. What was worth eavesdropping on? I quickly put this matter out of my mind. A month later, accompanied by the housekeeper, I went to the hospital to remove the cast from my foot.

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Have you ever used a mask that can transform your appearance? There are only three sheets in a box. Use one box, and all the acne and scars on your face disappear, leaving your skin flawless. Use two boxes, and your face becomes slimmer, your eyes bigger, and your nose more defined. What if you could use three boxes? Hehe, your face would be completely renewed, stunningly beautiful, just like… just like you’ve become a different person. Interested? DM me. I never thought Sophia’s face could change so quickly. Two days ago, when I visited her house, her face was swollen like a pig’s head due to an infection from plastic surgery. The housekeeper was still wiping pus from her face. But now, her skin was smooth and delicate, as white as porcelain. Even the twisted scars from the stitches were gone. Seeing my surprised expression, she explained, “I didn’t expect this product to be so miraculous either.” I wanted to ask what product it was, but I held back, knowing I couldn’t afford it anyway. Even though it should have been a happy occasion, Sophia still frowned, looking listless. Her mouth twitched slightly, and I couldn’t help but ask with concern, “Sophia, your mouth…” A flash of panic crossed her eyes as she covered her mouth, “Is it twitching?” I nodded. “Maybe the nerves were damaged during the previous surgery and haven’t fully recovered yet.” Just as I was about to comfort her, a small figure appeared on the second floor. “Miss Wilson, good afternoon.” Noah waved at me like an old bureaucrat. He was only 7 years old, but his gesture seemed oddly out of place.

I smiled at him as I walked towards the stairs, surveying my surroundings. Under the golden lights, classical music filled the vintage two-story mansion. Four gold-edged carpets were inlaid on the marble floor. A sandalwood tea table sat in the center of these carpets. The house was filled with the scent of sandalwood. Perhaps because I couldn’t appreciate this deep color scheme, I didn’t find it elegant or noble, but rather mysterious. I originally hadn’t planned to take this part-time job because it was a full 20 kilometers from my university. But Noah’s housekeeper, Aunt Lucy, had sought me out twice. “You look so quiet; you must have a good temper too.” “Noah has a bit of autism, so we wanted to find a gentle teacher.” The crow’s feet at the corners of her eyes moved up and down as she not only offered me double the pay but also promised to drive me to and from work every day. It would have been ungrateful to refuse at that point.

Noah’s bedroom-study was on the second floor. Despite being only 7 years old, he had an exceptionally strong ability to learn, grasping everything after just one lesson. And Aunt Lucy, who lived next door to him, would always bring fruit. I secretly rejoiced at how lucky I was. Not only did I teach a smart student, but I also got to enjoy all kinds of fruit. Noah often curled up in Aunt Lucy’s arms, seeming even closer to her than to his mother. Aunt Lucy would always comfort him, “Just hang in there a little longer, it’s almost time.” I thought her concern was unnecessary, as Noah didn’t seem to resist learning at all.

After finishing the lesson, Aunt Lucy drove me home as usual. Despite being nearly 60 years old, her driving was very steady. “Miss Wilson, do you have a boyfriend?” she asked. I looked at my acne-covered face in the car mirror and sighed. Seeing her crow’s feet directed at me, she said, “Your face is a minor issue. Even Sophia’s condition could be fixed.” My mind suddenly flashed to Sophia’s appearance, and I couldn’t help but ask what she had used. Aunt Lucy stared at the red light ahead, her mouth opening and closing, “A mask.” A mask? You’ve got to be kidding. In all my years, I’ve never heard of a mask that could fix a botched plastic surgery. I guess Aunt Lucy, at her age, probably hasn’t even used a face mask before. I didn’t pursue the topic and changed the subject, mentioning that Sophia seemed a bit down today. “If it weren’t for her cheating husband, she wouldn’t have gotten plastic surgery.” “She even hid it from me. It wasn’t worth the suffering.” Aunt Lucy looked very angry; I could tell she really cared for Sophia. As we reached the school gate, I caught sight of a familiar figure. It was Lucas. Aunt Lucy noticed me staring at him and gossiped, “Is this the boy Miss Wilson likes? He’s quite handsome.” I blushed as I got out of the car.

Lucas had been my secret crush for three years. I had even changed my college choice because of him. Not only was he academically excellent, but he was also very handsome. But he probably didn’t even know my name. Because I didn’t even have the courage to say hello. How I wished I could get rid of all this acne on my face and slim down my cheeks. But I didn’t have as much money as Sophia. Still, I thought that when I had the chance, I’d ask her what exactly she had used. Even if I couldn’t afford it now, I could save up, right? Unexpectedly, because final exams were coming up, I took three days off. When I saw Sophia again after those three days, I was shocked once more.

Her originally delicate and refined appearance had suddenly taken on an exotic beauty. Her round eyes had become European-style double eyelids, and her chubby nose had become straight and defined. There was no sign of swelling on her face. Could this also be due to that product? Seeing me arrive, she pulled me to sit on the sofa. “Rachel, I’m really upset.” I looked at her stunningly beautiful face, with a smile on her lips. I was completely confused. This expression didn’t look upset at all. But her large, blinking eyes were devoid of any sparkle. She murmured, “My husband is determined to divorce me.” “Sigh, everything has been in vain.” If it weren’t for her voice sounding truly sorrowful, I would have thought she was pretending. After speaking, she collapsed onto the sofa and stopped talking to me. I watched as her mouth and eye corners twitched along with her shoulders. I didn’t feel comfortable asking her about the product either. 6 Halfway through the lesson, I suddenly heard a loud crash. I instinctively rushed out of the room. Classical music echoed through the empty house, and Aunt Lucy stood at the door, staring wide-eyed at the floor below. As I approached, I saw Sophia lying face-up in a pool of blood, wearing a deep blue cheongsam. On the gold-edged carpet, she looked like a blooming blue rose. It was so sudden that I was stunned on the spot. Aunt Lucy cried out and ran downstairs, nearly falling. She checked Sophia’s breath and shook her head. From behind me came Noah’s childish voice, “911? 325 Green Hill Street. Someone has committed suicide.”

It took nearly an hour for the ambulance to arrive. Sophia had no external injuries but had died from asphyxiation due to a broken neck from the fall. The surveillance footage showed her walking up to the second floor in a daze, then smiling at the camera before jumping. It was initially determined to be suicide. Half an hour after the body was taken away, I finally started to recover a bit and quickly went to check on Noah. To my surprise, he wasn’t crying. Maybe because he was so young, he didn’t understand what death meant. But Aunt Lucy was crying uncontrollably. Between sobs, she said, “Why did you give up?” “If this man wasn’t good enough, couldn’t you have found another?” “How foolish, so foolish.” Aunt Lucy had taken care of the mother and son for six years. In her heart, Sophia must have been like a daughter to her. It was indeed difficult to accept this sudden loss. The police asked some questions. It was only then that I learned from Aunt Lucy that Sophia had been suffering from depression for a long time. Her husband’s insistence on divorce had been the last straw. The medical examiner asked Aunt Lucy to find the medication Sophia had been taking. She knelt on the ground and handed me a key, “Rachel, it’s over there. You go, I’m too upset.” She pointed to the storage room at the corner of the second floor.

There weren’t many things in the storage room, and it was very tidy. On the shelf nearest the door was a row of medicines. I couldn’t tell which was which, so I just cradled them all in my arms. As I was about to leave, I noticed a faint red glow coming from the opposite shelf. Curious, I took a closer look and saw it was a box of face masks. “Transformation Mask.” Could this be the product Sophia had used? The mask Aunt Lucy had mentioned? I wanted to take a closer look, but the police asked if I had found the medication. I hastily put it aside and rushed downstairs with the medicines. They were just ordinary antidepressants, nothing suspicious. The police asked Aunt Lucy to go to the station to give a statement. They told me to take Noah for a walk outside, fearing he might be scared. But Noah refused to leave, insisting on staying at home. I was scared too. One of the officers, probably seeing that I was quite young, volunteered to stay with us. I reluctantly agreed to stay.

With a pounding heart, I turned off the classical music. The photo of Sophia on the table sent chills down my spine. Surprisingly, she didn’t look young before the surgery. The tired face with deep nasolabial folds rivaled mine. I turned the frame face down and hurried upstairs to wait with Noah in his room. I had my bag ready, planning to leave as soon as Aunt Lucy returned. “Miss Wilson, you won’t be coming back anymore, will you?” Noah asked. Maybe he sensed my unease. I patted his head, “I’ll come back to see you when I have time, don’t worry.” I wasn’t in the mood to teach him, so I put on a cartoon for him on the computer. But he didn’t seem very interested. After a while, I couldn’t hold it anymore. “Noah, stay here for a bit. I need to use the bathroom.” To my surprise, as soon as I entered the bathroom, I saw that glowing box of masks next to the mirror.

For a moment, I forgot my fear and, as if possessed, looked at the back of the box. There was no ingredient list, only instructions for use. Step 1: Drop a drop of blood on the mask sheet. Step 2: Write down the effect you want to achieve with a red pen. Step 3: Apply for over 30 minutes and wait. Note: Each box can only be used for one type of modification. For example, types include: skin texture, facial features, bone structure. Using three boxes has a miraculous effect. I hastily stuffed it into my bag. Then I remembered I had left the key in the storage room, and I recalled there were two more boxes in there.

The faint red glow seemed so eerie. But as I touched my own furrowed face and thought of Sophia’s transformation, my heart stirred with desire. Sophia was quite generous; surely she wouldn’t mind if I used a few of her masks. Aunt Lucy probably wouldn’t remember how many boxes of masks Sophia had anyway. But wouldn’t this make me a thief? Besides, the owner had just died. It didn’t feel right to steal her things. I hesitated and put the mask down. But my mind was filled with memories of being disliked and mocked since childhood. No boys wanted to sit next to me in school. When I didn’t have money for the bus fare, no one was willing to help. Even the boy I had liked for three years probably didn’t know I existed. I gritted my teeth and grabbed the two boxes of masks, stuffing them into my bag. I hadn’t been paid for the past two weeks of part-time work anyway. Worst case, I’d forgo the money. If Aunt Lucy asked me, I’d just firmly deny knowing anything. I locked the door and wondered where to put the key. I didn’t dare go downstairs, but luckily, I saw that Aunt Lucy’s door was ajar.

I placed the key on her bedside table and accidentally discovered a faded photograph in her wallet on the desk. It showed a man and a woman who looked very well-matched. Strangely, the woman in the photo looked a bit like Sophia, but the photo was dated 30 years ago. I remembered Aunt Lucy saying that she saw Sophia as if she were looking at herself. This must have been Aunt Lucy when she was young. I never imagined she had been so beautiful in her youth. Aunt Lucy returned quickly. She seemed calmer than before. “Rachel, after what happened, I can’t drive you home today.” I clutched my bag, feeling relieved. As I was leaving, Noah wrung his hands, looking at me longingly.

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I received a call from the police, saying they needed my cooperation in an investigation. Was this some kind of scam call? “Yes, I went to Thailand. I used my card to buy an elephant,” I replied dismissively before hanging up. Not long after, the phone rang again. It was the same number. “This isn’t a scam call. We mainly want to inquire about Mr. Zachary Walsh’s disappearance,” the voice said. Are scammers getting this thorough now? They even know about my good-for-nothing husband who never comes home? Then I heard him continue, “We received a missing person report from his wife, stating that Mr. Walsh disappeared after meeting with you.” Wait, his wife? Confused, I rummaged through my things to find our marriage certificate. Looking at the official seal, I wondered aloud, “Then who am I?” When the police came to my door again, they didn’t just talk to me there. Instead, they asked me to come to the station for questioning. When I arrived, I saw a young, pretty pregnant woman sitting in a chair outside. She was so thin that if she hadn’t been wearing maternity clothes, you wouldn’t have known she was pregnant. Next to her, constantly comforting her, was a middle-aged woman who bore some resemblance to Zachary. Coincidentally, I knew both of them. One was Zachary’s aunt, and the other was the homewrecker who had ruined my marriage. Sophie Jenkins jumped up when she saw me, pointing and yelling, “It was you, wasn’t it? You wanted more money and didn’t want to divorce him, so you did something to my husband! Otherwise, how could he just disappear without a trace?” How ridiculous. Although Zachary and I were discussing divorce, we hadn’t even signed the papers yet. And she was already calling him her husband. “Don’t want a divorce? I married that man because I was blind. Only someone like you would treat him like a treasure. You two deserve each other,” I shot back, refusing to back down. “You accuse me of harming him? Why don’t you look at yourself? If I remember correctly, Zachary didn’t put a single thing he gave you in your name, right? And he never gave you more than $1000 at a time, did he?” I knew all too well how stingy Zachary was as a man. I couldn’t understand why anyone would want to be his mistress. “You’re not very good at being a mistress, are you? Everything he gave you, he can take back whenever he wants. Even if you managed to become the official wife, he’d still toss you aside when he’s done with you.” At this point, Zachary’s aunt, Zoe, tried to intervene. “We’re all family here. Why are you fighting like this? The most important thing right now is to find Zachary. You can’t get divorced if he’s not here, right, Rachel?” I gave her a cold, mocking smile. Only Aunt Zoe could say such nonsense. When my in-laws were on their deathbeds, I was running around taking care of everything. Not a single person told me that Zachary was out there with a mistress. The whole family treated me like a fool. Back then, when I wanted to hire professional caregivers for my in-laws, how did Aunt Zoe try to persuade me against it? She said, “Rachel, dear, it’s best to take care of your own family members. You don’t know how scary it is these days. There are so many stories online about caregivers abusing the elderly.” I replied, “I’ll visit my parents-in-law every day after work. They’re in the hospital, so nothing like that will happen.” Aunt Zoe then put on a sour face and said, quite unhappily, “Rachel, I don’t mean to criticize you, but you’ve already failed to give Zachary children. Now that his parents are sick and need you, how can you not take care of them yourself? You’re his wife, you’re one unit.” Back then, I didn’t realize how ridiculous Aunt Zoe’s words were. I even thought she had a point. Now, looking back, it’s absurd. I retorted, “Listen to yourself. Is that how a human being talks? Before Zachary disappeared, every time you said we were family, it was to convince him to leave me with nothing. Now that he’s gone and you realize you can’t get anything, suddenly I’m family again? Do I look like some kind of pushover to you?” Aunt Zoe’s face turned ashen. She tried to pull the elder card on me again, like she used to. I wasn’t falling for it anymore. “Enough. Don’t bother with this act. You can’t even manage your own son, and now you’re trying to meddle in my life when Zachary and I are already estranged? What are you, the world police?” At this point, the female detective from earlier and a few other officers came to break up the argument. Aunt Zoe and Sophie didn’t dare to make a scene anymore. They could only watch as Detective Miller and I walked into the interview room. Detective Edwards and a young officer I hadn’t seen before, who seemed to have a perpetual scowl, were there to question me. Detective Edwards informed me, “We found Mr. Walsh’s fishing gear downstream in the reservoir. We suspect he might have fallen into the water and had an accident.” I couldn’t help but laugh. The scowling young officer said, “This is serious! We’re talking about a man’s life here.” I replied, “I’m sorry, officer, but as you know, I’m a woman whose marriage was betrayed. The mistress is right outside with a baby bump. If it were anyone else, I’d be worried and concerned. But when it comes to Zachary Walsh, I hope he’s dead already.” Detective Edwards calmed down the young officer and handed me some photos. “This is what we wanted to discuss. According to our investigation, you were also near Linjiang Reservoir last Friday. Security cameras near Linjiang Supermarket caught you on tape. Can you tell us why you were there?” The photos showed me wearing a baseball cap, sunglasses, a face mask, a green sun protection shirt, white pants, and sneakers. Coincidentally, I was wearing the exact same outfit today. “I have legs, don’t I? I can go wherever I want,” I replied coldly, my tone somewhat confrontational. The young officer tried to intimidate me, “Ma’am, please answer our questions seriously. This isn’t just a missing person case anymore. If you can’t prove your innocence, we have the right to arrest you.” In reality, they couldn’t, because they had no evidence to prove my guilt. But many ordinary citizens don’t know this, so when the police say things that are half-true, those with guilty consciences might confess. But I had nothing to hide. I didn’t want to waste any more time here, so I told the truth. “I went there to discuss divorce matters with him.” Detective Edwards asked, “Didn’t you and Mr. Walsh already reach an agreement? Why did you need to discuss it again? And why didn’t you say this earlier?” My craving for a cigarette hit me again. I asked Detective Edwards for one and said, “Actually, we hadn’t. Before, he wanted a divorce and I didn’t, so he kept dragging things out. Now, I want a divorce and he doesn’t, so he’s the one dragging his feet.” “Why did Mr. Walsh change his mind?” they asked. I smiled bitterly. “For money, of course.” “At first, he wanted to get rid of me cheaply, and I didn’t agree. Later, I wanted to take what rightfully belonged to me and leave, but he thought it was too much and disagreed.” “So he refused to talk to me, kept stalling, and wouldn’t meet me face to face. When I called, he’d just say one thing.” The scowling officer asked, “What did he say?” “He’d say, ‘I’ll only accept you leaving with nothing. If you agree, we’ll divorce. If not, forget it.’” Detective Edwards asked, “And Sophie Jenkins was okay with this situation? Her baby must be about six months along now.” I laughed mockingly. “What could she do about it? I built this business with Zachary. I only stepped back from the company because I had to take care of his dying parents. That’s why I lost so much control and ended up in this situation.” “I have the means and ability to fight Zachary. As long as he still cares about his reputation and doesn’t want to be shunned by his business partners, he has to deal with me, no matter how annoying it is.” “But what leverage does that whore outside have? The baby in her belly? I couldn’t have children before, but when I couldn’t give birth, didn’t he just find another woman to have a kid with? Everything she has, Zachary can take back whenever he wants. He’s just deluding himself, thinking he’s in love with her. Are you satisfied with this explanation?” “Answer what we ask, don’t try to deflect. How did you know Zachary would be there? Did he tell you? Did you see him?” The scowling officer tapped the table. I gave him an OK sign. “Of course he didn’t tell me. The mistress told me. But I didn’t see Zachary either. He didn’t want to meet me. Sophie was afraid Zachary would come after her, so she only told me his general location.” She was desperate to become the official wife but couldn’t get Zachary to budge, so she tried to work through me. “We heard from Ms. Jenkins that you had blocked her. How did she tell you?” they asked. “Public phone. All the calls taunting me to hurry up and divorce Zachary came from public phones.” I opened my call log on my phone to show them. Indeed, there was a 5-minute call from a public phone the day before Zachary disappeared. “Instead of suspecting me and questioning me all the time, why don’t you ask Sophie Jenkins? Maybe she did something out of jealousy because she couldn’t become the official wife. The first time she came to make a scene, it was with Zachary, you know.” Detective Edwards said, “Tell us more about that.” I smiled, feeling genuinely cheerful for the first time since hearing that Zachary might have met with an accident. “Because at that time, Sophie didn’t know Zachary had me as his legal wife. When she found out, of course she went to confront him!”

Soon after, I left the police station. I didn’t know that Detective Edwards and his team had a discussion about this case. Detective Edwards asked, “What do you think, sir? Can we trust her?” Detective Thompson shook his head, then nodded. “Rachel Quinn is different from Sophie Jenkins. She has very high psychological resilience. She’s definitely hiding something. Her words are half-truths and half-lies. We can only believe about half of what she says.” The scowling officer, Detective Wilson, said, “In my opinion, we should lock her up and interrogate her repeatedly. It won’t take long before we know exactly what she’s hiding.” Detective Miller scolded him, “Are you trying to get us all fired? Don’t drag us into your misconduct!” Then she turned and pulled out some documents. “Uncle Thompson, according to our investigation, Sophie Jenkins is also hiding something and has a motive for committing a crime.” This piqued everyone’s interest. What motive could a soon-to-be-official mistress have? Could it really be a crime of passion? “The phone records Rachel Quinn gave us show that Sophie Jenkins did indeed use a public phone to call and taunt her the day before, and told her about Zachary Walsh’s plans for the next day.” “We confirmed this from the surveillance cameras near the phone booth. As for the other things Rachel mentioned, including property and car titles, it’s true that none of them are in Sophie’s name. We also found many compromising photos of Sophie on Zachary’s phone, suggesting he might have used them to blackmail her.” “I discovered something else during the investigation,” Detective Miller continued. Detective Thompson gestured for her to go on. “When the Walshes were still happily married, they sponsored many students. Sophie Jenkins was one of them. At first, she was genuinely deceived by Zachary. Many neighbors know about this incident.” Detective Wilson said to Detective Edwards, “The case seems to have become more complicated.” Detective Edwards smiled. “Actually, the case isn’t that complicated. What’s complicated is the human heart.” Detective Thompson made a decision. “Alright, let’s question Sophie Jenkins next.” When I got home, I looked around the empty house and sank comfortably into the couch. Everything belonging to the second person in this house had long been cleared out. Now, this house that Zachary and I had shared after our marriage was no different from the home of any single woman. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Irritated, I dragged myself up to look through the peephole. It was Zachary’s cousin, Zack Walsh. I opened the inner door but left the outer security door locked. At this point, I had zero goodwill towards anyone in the Walsh family and didn’t want to let them set foot in my house. “Sister-in-law!” Zack greeted me enthusiastically, then tried to come in. “Aren’t you going to invite me in?” “No,” I said flatly, with no intention of playing host. “I don’t deserve to be called your sister-in-law or a member of the Walsh family. Let’s cut the pleasantries. What are you here for?” When Zachary’s parents were critically ill, Aunt Zoe hadn’t contributed a penny or lifted a finger to help. But as soon as the old couple passed away, she brought her son to demand money. That’s why our two families had a falling out long ago. She stood in front of the coffins with a tattered notebook, itemizing everything—how much more money her parents had given her brother when they divided the family assets, what things Zachary’s parents had borrowed from her after the wedding. Finally, in front of everyone at the funeral, she said, “You’re my nephew’s wife, so I won’t be too hard on you. Back then, when times were tough for everyone, I couldn’t bring myself to ask. Then when my poor brother fell ill, I couldn’t say anything either.” “Now that you’re doing well, it’s time to settle these accounts. I won’t ask for too much. Just pay me back based on the current value after the relocation compensation, and we’ll call it even.” Someone couldn’t stand it anymore and spoke up. “Zoe Walsh, what kind of person are you? You didn’t say a word all these years, and now that your brother is dead and not even buried yet, you’re forcing your nephew’s wife to pay up. What kind of logic is that?” Aunt Zoe shot back, “Mind your own business, Zhang! This is a family matter. It’s none of your concern!” Then she turned back to me and said, “I came to help as soon as your in-laws passed away. You’re a respectable person, daughter-in-law. Don’t try to weasel out of this debt!” By that time, I already knew about Zachary’s affair. Even at the funeral, we were like strangers, not exchanging a single word. Seeing Aunt Zoe’s greedy expression made me even more disgusted. “If you think Grandpa and Grandma shortchanged you back then, go ask them about it,” I said coldly. Aunt Zoe immediately became upset. She raised her voice at the funeral, “Everyone here knows that I got less than my fair share back then. My brother knew it too. Now he’s not even in the ground yet, and you’re already denying it!” Zack also got angry. “Sister-in-law, I’ve always been polite to you. Now that you and Zachary are doing well, you won’t even help out family? Not even paying back what you owe? What’s that about?” Zachary, who had been greeting guests outside, finally came in. He arrived just in time to hear these words. “Debt? What debt? Do you have any evidence? Any IOUs? Haven’t I helped you before? You’re just a hopeless case, and you have the nerve to make a scene!” Zack immediately shouted back, “You helped me? You just look down on me. You have such a big company, but you only let me run errands. Meanwhile, you’re living the high life and even keeping a mistress!” Under the watchful eyes of the onlookers, Zachary’s face turned ashen. Seeing that her son was about to derail the conversation, Aunt Zoe quickly handed over that tattered notebook. “How can you say there’s no evidence? Look, look at this. I’ve kept a detailed record of everything over the years, down to the smallest items. It’s been so hard on me.” “Besides, according to the law, I have inheritance rights to my brother and sister-in-law’s property.” I was really tired of dealing with the Walsh family’s nonsense. I replied, “If you want to talk about the law, then go through the legal process. The company was started by Zachary and me together, and we’re both still alive. Where do you get inheritance rights from?” “If you’re talking about inheriting from my in-laws, they’re lying in coffins right behind us. Go wake them up and have them give you whatever you want. I won’t interfere with their belongings. Whatever they say to give you, I’ll give you.” “As for you saying Grandpa and Grandma gave you less back then, go find the elders who were present when the family divided the assets and have them redistribute everything. I have no objections to that either.” The people around us were trying to hide their smiles. My in-laws were dead, and the grandparents and elders who had been present at the family division had long since passed away. “If you’re not satisfied, then sue me. I have plenty of money to hire lawyers and fight you in court. If I lose the case, I’ll pay whatever the court decides!” Aunt Zoe burst into tears and ran to hug my father-in-law’s coffin. “Brother, you’ve just left us, and your son and daughter-in-law are already disowning me. They’re ganging up to bully us. How did I end up with such a miserable life…” Aunt Zoe’s wailing was giving everyone a headache. I decided I’d done my part and got up to leave. After all, I had a clear conscience. Zachary grabbed my arm. “Where are you going? We still need to send my parents off on their final journey.” At that moment, Aunt Zoe was inside, wailing and cursing, “That woman in your family is cold-hearted. No wonder her husband went out to find a mistress.” Zachary looked a bit embarrassed. I laughed coldly. “Where am I going? To rest, of course! I just didn’t want to argue with you at the funeral today.” “For everything else, go find your mistress and deal with it together!” With that, I went home. I heard from relatives later that Zachary really did bring Sophie Jenkins over. When I heard this news, I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. I completely ignored it, just focused on taking inventory of our assets and organizing the company shares. I disappointed many people who were hoping to see me make a fool of myself. Similarly, Zachary’s behavior made many of his business partners refuse to work with him anymore, or at least give him a hard time behind the scenes. Only then did Zachary start to behave himself a bit more. So I’ve long known what this family is like. Zack coming to visit me today was definitely up to no good. Hearing my unfriendly tone, Zack put on an angry face. “Don’t be so stubborn. You know what you did. If you still want to live comfortably as a rich woman, you’d better listen to me and give me what I’m owed.” “Keep dreaming. I’ll say it again: if you want to sue, I’ll see you in court.” Zack suddenly gave a strange smile and said in a low voice, “I saw it, you know!” I laughed, exasperated. Zack and Zachary were cut from the same cloth—one a gambler, one a womanizer. I must have been crazy to waste my breath talking to him. “Bang!” I slammed the door in his face. Soon after, I heard cursing from outside the door. “Damn it! Rachel Quinn, you murderer! You’ll regret this! I’m going to report you!” Not long after, I was called to the police station again. But unlike the previous polite conversation, this time I got the treatment that suspects in TV shows usually get. “Rachel Quinn, we’ve received a report that you killed Zachary Walsh. Do you have anything to say about this?” Detective Thompson asked. This time, Detective Thompson and the scowling young officer, Detective Wilson, were questioning me. “A report? Was it Zack Walsh who reported it? He’s just a gambler who would do anything for money. You can’t trust what he says.” I looked at them. “Besides, you don’t have any evidence, and you haven’t issued an arrest warrant. I could sue you for unlawful detention.” Detective Thompson suddenly said, “You probably don’t know yet. We found Zachary Walsh’s body.” Detective Wilson said sarcastically and triumphantly, “We’ve seen plenty of people like you. You’d better tell us everything. Don’t try to hide anything!” The person who reported it wasn’t Zack Walsh. At that time, he was just making threats outside my door. Linjiang Reservoir used to be Linjiang Village. Ten years ago, the government relocated us villagers to Linjiang City to build the reservoir. The villagers and graves were all moved, and the original site became the reservoir area. Well, not all the graves were moved. Many young people from the village had gone to work in big cities. When they made it big, they brought their elderly parents to live with them in the cities. They were too busy with work to move the family graves, so they just swore they would come back every year to tend to the graves. But how could they tend to graves at the bottom of a reservoir? The young people had no choice but to learn how to scuba dive. This year, a young man brought his wife to dive and pay respects to his ancestors. When they went down, they saw Zachary Walsh’s body floating in the water. This news spread quickly. Combined with people hearing about Zack Walsh coming to my door to make a scene, someone reported me and had me arrested. Of course, the two officers didn’t have the kindness to tell me these details. At this point, I didn’t know where exactly the body had been found. “I thought Zack Walsh would keep using this to extort money from me. I didn’t expect him to report it to the police so quickly. If he had been this decisive before, he might have made his fortune already.” Detective Wilson frowned, seeming to want to say something, but Detective Thompson stopped him. “So you admit that you killed Zachary Walsh, right?” “Yes,” I smiled and asked them for a cigarette, slowly confessing the process. After we relocated, Zachary and I used the money to start a small business, contracting landscaping work for residential communities one by one. When the business became somewhat successful, Zachary liked to go fishing at Linjiang Reservoir. His favorite spot was a hill that used to be popular with kids in the old Linjiang Village. This hill used to overlook the entire Linjiang Village, but now it only saw water. He particularly liked this place. Only the Walsh family knew about this. So when Sophie Jenkins called me, I knew Zachary would definitely come to this spot to fish. That’s why what I said earlier about not seeing Zachary was a lie. I did see him, and we got into an argument. That day, he seemed strange, not feeling well, chewing on something in his mouth. When we were arguing, he bit down and swallowed it. Usually, when we argued, it would end up in a physical fight, leaving both of us bruised and battered. But that day, after we pushed each other a few times, he got impatient and turned away, seeming unwilling to fight with me. Zachary said to me, “When I wanted a divorce before, didn’t you drag it out? Now you want a divorce? Well, I’m going to drag it out. I won’t divorce you!” I said, “Zachary Walsh, you bastard. You cheated on me, and your whole family kept it from me. I was in the dark, taking care of your parents. Now I’m done with this, and you won’t sign the divorce papers. How can you do this? Aren’t you afraid of karmic retribution?” Zachary gloated, “The one who can’t have children is you. Let me tell you, I’ve got a mistress now. In a few months, I’ll have a son. I’ll bring them to live wherever you live. Wherever you move, we’ll move there too!” I was shaking with anger, hating him. “I can’t have children because of whom? I’ll ask you one last time! Are you really not going to sign the papers? Even if we go to court?” He laughed loudly, “You’ve tried taking me to court before, haven’t you? Did the judge grant the divorce? If you take me to court again, I’ll admit my mistakes, I’ll repent, I’ll beg you not to divorce me in front of the judge. You still won’t be able to divorce me! Hahaha!” Zachary finished laughing and said, “This is all because you’re greedy. If it weren’t for the fact that you took such good care of my parents, I wouldn’t even let you keep the house you’re living in now. Since you’re so insatiable, you can leave with nothing!” My anger had reached its peak, and I suddenly felt calm. I looked at him coldly, all the love and feelings I once had for him when we struggled together were gone. Time and again, I watched this man become more and more shameless and unfamiliar. He turned his head and sat on a small stool to fish, not looking at me, seemingly certain that I would leave after our argument like before. But this time, I didn’t. I picked up the fishing rod that had fallen to the ground during our scuffle and hit him hard on the head. Zachary fell to the ground. I threw the rod into the reservoir and turned to leave. When I got home, the first thing I did was find a good lawyer and ask for legal advice. “At that time, I wasn’t sure if he was alive or dead. Indeed, one shouldn’t do things that weigh on their conscience. I never imagined this scene would be witnessed by Zack Walsh. If I were him, I would have reported it to the police directly instead of hiding the body to blackmail me. If I go to jail, wouldn’t all the money be his?” I finished recounting the process of the incident to the two officers while smoking my third cigarette. I thought about how I had wasted my life on this scumbag, and it really wasn’t worth it. Detective Thompson stood up. “We understand the process of what happened. Next, we will charge you with intentional injury.” I was stunned for a moment, not understanding why it was intentional injury and not murder. Zachary had drowned, which meant that after Zack Walsh discovered this, he went to check on Zachary’s condition after I left. Zachary wasn’t dead; he had just passed out. After considering for a while, Zack dragged Zachary into the bushes, waiting for him to die there. That’s why he didn’t dare to report it to the police and wouldn’t have reported it. “If the case could be closed like this, that would be for the best,” Detective Miller sighed deeply. Detective Edwards continued, “According to Zack Walsh’s statement, he only ignored Zachary’s death and didn’t push him into the water.” “Moreover, he said he knew Zachary was there because Sophie Jenkins told him.” Detective Wilson asked, “Could he be lying?” “We did find an abandoned phone at the scene where Zachary was killed, and there were multiple missed calls from Sophie Jenkins on it. If it was just a normal drowning, we could consider that Zachary woke up and fell into the lake due to a concussion. Sigh!” “We need to be rigorous in our investigation,” Detective Thompson, with years of criminal investigation experience, tapped the table to remind everyone not to let their thoughts wander too much. “There are still things we haven’t discovered about this case. First, where did Zachary’s fishing gear go? Second, who pushed Zachary into the reservoir? And third, the time of death.” At this moment, the forensic expert pushed open the door. “The time of death is here!” He handed the report to everyone. “There’s also an interesting thing. There were remnants of sleeping pills and undigested preserved plums in the victim’s stomach.”

I didn’t expect to be summoned for questioning again so soon. At this time, my lawyer was explaining to me how to defend myself. “Ms. Quinn, do you know what Zachary Walsh ate on the day of the incident?” Detective Thompson asked. I found this question strange. “To be honest, by that point in our relationship, I wouldn’t have cared if he ate dirt.” “Did you bring him anything to eat?” I was even more puzzled. “Putting aside why I would bring him anything, do you think he would eat anything I gave him?” “You like to eat preserved plum candy, don’t you? If Zachary had invited you to talk things over and brought you candy, would you have eaten it?” I sighed deeply. I don’t like preserved plum candy, but if he had come to talk things over properly, I probably would have. They let me go again. The source of the sleeping pills was found. It was in the preserved plum candy that Zachary ate before he left. According to Sophie Jenkins’ statement, she had made the candy by hand. Zachary had asked her to make it, intending for me to eat it. He had told her to put it in any food. Recently, Zachary had bought a large accidental death insurance policy for me, which was one of the reasons he was unwilling to divorce. Sophie thought this man was truly terrifying, wanting to kill his wife when their relationship had broken down. But Sophie couldn’t disobey him. When she first realized she had been tricked, she wanted to have an abortion and leave. But Zachary wouldn’t allow it. He threatened her with her private photos. Sophie’s reputation among Zachary’s family and friends was already bad, which was the result of Zachary’s threats. But back in her hometown, her parents still took pride in her. So she had no choice but to endure. So she put sleeping pills in the homemade preserved plum candy. Because she was pregnant and craving sour and sweet things, it wouldn’t arouse Zachary’s suspicion. When Zachary drove alone to go fishing, Sophie called to sweet-talk him into eating the candy. She hoped Zachary would have an accident on the way due to the effects of the drug. Because if anything happened to Zachary, she wouldn’t have to live with a guilty conscience. If Zachary died, that would be even better. She wouldn’t have to endure a despicable man without dignity, wouldn’t have to worry about being controlled without financial freedom, work freedom, or social freedom, and wouldn’t have to constantly fear being abandoned when she had nothing. She casually told Zack Walsh that Zachary would come into some money soon, and informed him of Zachary’s recent schedule. Zack Walsh, who had no money and was deeply in debt, would definitely go find Zachary. This way, he would be the first to discover Zachary, whether alive or dead. No matter what state Zachary was in, Zack Walsh would notify her. Because notifying her might get him money, but notifying me would definitely not get him any money. But what she didn’t expect was that Zachary disappeared. So Sophie lived in constant fear and anxiety, waiting for judgment. She was afraid he was alive, and afraid he was dead. She was worried that not reporting it would make her suspicious, so she was the first to file a police report, and desperately tried to frame me. Because she knew that no matter whether Zack Walsh went to find Zachary or not, I would definitely go. Sophie was also charged with responsibility. When I heard this news, I laughed coldly but didn’t say much. But the case wasn’t over yet. Both Sophie and I had motives, but according to our statements, neither of us committed the crime. Because Zachary didn’t just drown; there was more to it.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294769”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #惊悚Thriller #重生Reborn #魔幻Magic #励志Inspiring #浪漫Romance

After graduating from high school, my adopted sister got into a diploma mill, while I was accepted into Oxford University. My dad rewarded her with an apartment, but kicked me out of the house. Jade waved the property deed in front of me, gloating. “Amelia, what does it matter if you’re their biological daughter? You’ll never be able to compete with me.” The next day, I moved into the most expensive villa in the city, tears in my eyes. “Now this is fitting for an heiress! Haha!” Jade was the daughter of my dad’s good friend. Her mother died when she was young, and when she was ten, her father died in an accident at a construction site. My parents felt sorry for her and adopted her, thinking I’d have a companion. Little did they know, she would try to gradually replace me and take everything for herself. Of course, how could a child raised with a privileged education lose to an outsider putting on an innocent act? The day before my interview, Jade bought bubble tea for everyone in our class. She even made a grand announcement from the teacher’s podium. “I’ll cover the cost of our class gathering dinner.” Everyone cheered and praised her from below. As the noise died down, Fiona Taylor, who sat in front of me, deliberately spoke loudly with a sarcastic tone. “Jade, you’re so generous! Not like some people who have money but won’t even treat everyone to a few dollars’ worth of bubble tea.” Since middle school, Jade had been pretending not to know me at school. She was afraid that my outfit without designer logos would be associated with her. I rested my left cheek on my hand, watching these hypocrites praising each other. When Jade brought the bubble tea to me, she pretended to be kind. “Amelia, don’t mind what Fiona said. She’s just straightforward, try to understand.” I ignored her, rolled my eyes, and reached for my textbook. “Splash!” The bubble tea that had been sitting steadily on the desk suddenly spilled all over the floor. While I was still staring at the spilled tea in confusion, Jade was already playing the victim beside me. “Amelia, if you hate me, just say it. There’s no need for this.” All the students who had been focused on their homework looked up at the commotion. Fiona immediately stood up and went to Jade’s side, supporting her swaying body. “Amelia, Jade was kind enough to buy bubble tea for everyone. Not only are you ungrateful, but you’re also wasting her kindness. How can you be so heartless!” This works? What a manipulative bitch. Jade could go straight to the Film Academy with her acting skills. Seeing that the whole class was looking at her with sympathy, I knew that no matter how I explained, it would be useless. I glanced at the camera on top of the podium. Let’s see how you’ll act your way out of this one. “If everyone thinks I’m bullying her, then let’s go to the office and check the camera footage!” Hearing about the camera, Jade, who had been acting weak and pitiful, immediately came forward and grabbed my hand. “Amelia, I don’t want to make a big deal out of this. If you don’t want to apologize, let’s just forget about it.” “Framing someone and then playing innocent?” Before I could speak, a deep, sarcastic male voice came from behind.

I turned back in surprise. It took me a moment to remember. He was Henry Carter, a repeating student who had just transferred to our class. I had been so focused on studying that I hadn’t paid much attention to him before. Jade’s scheme had been exposed in front of everyone. Her eyes filled with tears as she bit her lip. “Henry, don’t say that. It was clearly her…” “Cut the crap. If you have any shame left, clean up the mess on the floor and go back to your seat to do your homework. Stop chirping here and disturbing my sleep.” Henry impatiently interrupted her. At this point, the classmates were all whispering and gossiping about Jade. Jade glared at me hatefully and ran back to her seat, pretending to sob. Tsk tsk, how pitiful~ Haha, serves her right! Seeing the situation, Fiona didn’t dare to be arrogant anymore and quietly shrank back to her seat. I covered my mouth and lowered my head, secretly laughing.

When I returned home after school in the afternoon. Jade tactfully told my parents about what happened at school. Without distinguishing right from wrong, my dad immediately asked me to apologize to Jade at the dinner table. “Amelia, how could you throw such a tantrum? Quickly apologize to Jade.” I looked up and saw Jade flash a challenging smile in the moments when my parents weren’t looking at her. As soon as my dad turned his gaze to her, she put on a teary-eyed act. “Dad, maybe Amelia was just in a bad mood. Don’t blame her.” Bad mood my ass. I had received an offer from Oxford University, I was in a good mood every day. Hearing this, my dad became even more convinced that I was being unreasonable. “Jade, don’t speak up for her. She’s just been spoiled since childhood.” I calmly put down my chopsticks and responded quietly. “Dad, I didn’t do anything wrong. Jade is twisting the facts.” My dad had always been very strict with me. Because they only had one daughter, he and mom didn’t allow for any mistakes in my upbringing. They always admonished me not to be too willful, not to be ostentatious, to be humble. When Jade threw tantrums, was arrogant, and overbearing, they never disciplined her. If it weren’t for the fact that her last name was Foster and mine was Wilson, I would have doubted whether I was their biological daughter. This was the first time I had ever talked back to him like this, and I could see he was holding back his anger. “Amelia, your father is just looking out for you. You can’t be so willful in life,” my mom came to my side and tried to persuade me in a low voice. Ever since Jade came to our family, my parents always believed her side of the story and did whatever she said. This time, I really exploded! “Ever since she came into this family, you’ve always listened to her side of the story, and everything I say is wrong. I said it wasn’t me, so it wasn’t me!” My dad finally couldn’t hold back. He slammed his bowl on the dining table and raised his hand to strike me. I gritted my teeth and glared at him, not showing any fear at all. In the end, he couldn’t bring himself to hit me. He sighed and lectured me. “Amelia, Dad just hopes you can be a magnanimous person, not so petty.” Hah, magnanimous. I’ve already been magnanimous enough, so much so that my mom and dad have almost become hers.

Since she came into the Wilson family, she’s known how to please my parents. The most common things I heard from my parents were: “Amelia, look how well-behaved Jade is, she never gives us any trouble.” “Amelia, you need to learn to be independent. Jade has been without parents since she was little, you should be more understanding of her.” “Jade is so good, at such a young age she already knows how to think of us.” … I’ve had enough of these words. What’s the difference between having parents and not having them in a family like this? They only know that Jade has no parents and needs to be given fatherly and motherly love, but what about me? Letting Jade parasitize the Wilson family for so many years, it’s time for me to take back the familial love that belongs to me. This was the first time in many years that I had such an unpleasant argument with my parents. I’ll deal with that little bitch after the interview in a few days. That night, I took a shower and lay down in bed to sleep peacefully. “Bang!” The door was kicked open by someone. Whoever it is, disturbing this young lady’s beauty sleep, don’t expect to walk out of this room in one piece. No need to guess, it must be that bitch. My parents happened to be on a business trip abroad tonight, she’s dead meat. She stood in front of me arrogantly with her arms crossed. “Amelia, didn’t you already receive an offer from Oxford University? Why are you still going for an interview? What are you pretending for?” This person has completely worn away my patience. I was originally planning to let her have a few good days. But since she’s asking for a beating, I’ll grant her wish. I got up stretching lazily, giving her a disdainful look. Ugh, how disgusting. “Yes, I’m pretending. Why shouldn’t I show off when I have the ability to?” Jade sneered. “Amelia, no matter how hard you try, Mom and Dad will only listen to me. In their hearts, you’re just a spoiled daughter.” “Jade, I really don’t know what’s going on in your head. My last name is Wilson and yours is Foster. The Wilson family will eventually be mine. If you don’t try to please me now and instead provoke me, the consequences will be very bad for you.” Jade hated nothing more than her last name being Foster. Previously, she had hinted several times that she wanted my dad to change her last name to Wilson, but was always rejected by my dad. My dad might be loyal to his friends, but he’s not stupid enough to let an outsider compete with his own daughter for the family fortune. Jade was angered by my retort and lunged at me, trying to grab my hair. What she and my parents didn’t know was that while she was attending those art classes that I had already mastered in middle school, I was learning Taekwondo. I dodged to the side and grabbed her long hair, pulling it back. “Ah! Amelia, you dare hit me, I’m going to tell Mom and Dad!” I pinned her to the ground and quickly slapped her twice. Her fair cheeks immediately showed the imprint of my hand. Hah! I’m not the saintly protagonist from some tragic drama. I’ve always been the one hitting others, never the one being hit. Except by my dad! “Since you said I hit you even when I didn’t, I might as well not lose out.” “You dare!” Still talking tough while pinned down! “Slap!” I gave her another backhand slap. “This slap is to tell you not to provoke me when I’m sleeping.” Jade howled beneath me. “Ahh! Amelia, I’m going to kill you…” “Slap!” Another slap for her. “You can scream your throat raw tonight, Mom and Dad won’t come to save you.” I only stopped beating her when she begged for mercy, then I dragged her up. I kicked her out the door. Shut the door! That felt good. This is how you should deal with people like her. Warm-up complete, now I can sleep well.

In the morning. I got up early to wash up. I put everything I needed to prepare into my bag. After getting ready, I went downstairs and saw a shocking sight. Jade had actually gotten up so early, and she was in the kitchen. This was the first time in eight years since she came to our family that I’d seen her making breakfast! I glanced out the window, wondering if I should bring an umbrella. It must be about to rain heavily. Seeing me come downstairs, Jade ran over to me with that swollen smiling face. I leaned back in disgust. Her tone had also become much gentler. “Amelia, I made breakfast for you. Let’s go to the interview together after we eat.” There’s no such thing as a free lunch, she must be up to something. I squinted at the exquisite breakfast on the table. A voice in my heart told me not to eat it. She couldn’t have tampered with the breakfast, could she? Seeing that I wasn’t touching the utensils, Jade urgently urged me from the side. “If you don’t eat now, we’ll be late. We have an interview today.” I gave her a cold sidelong glance, and she quickly ate her portion clean. “I’ve finished mine, are you satisfied now?” I used a fork to pick up a small section of sausage. Jade watched me with an expectant face, as if she couldn’t wait for me to eat it immediately. As the sausage reached my mouth, I stopped. “This sausage is too greasy, I’ve lost my appetite. Let’s go to school.” “Bang!” Jade angrily slammed the table as she stood up. “Amelia, don’t push your luck. I got up early to make breakfast for you and you dare not eat it!” Looks like it didn’t go according to her expectations, and now she’s furious. “Jade, you know very well who you are. I’m the genuine heiress of this family, it’s your honor to make breakfast for me.” I held up the milk and extended it to her. “Do you dare say you didn’t tamper with this food?” Jade looked at the milk, her confidence immediately deflating. She started putting on her innocent, pitiful act again. “Amelia, I was too excited earlier and didn’t express myself well. I really made breakfast for you with sincere intentions.” “Alright, if that’s the case, drink this milk and I’ll let bygones be bygones.” “Amelia! You…” Faced with this glass of milk, Jade actually retreated a few steps in fear. I knew this bitch was up to no good. I continued to hold the milk up to her mouth, and she turned pale with fright. “Enough! Amelia!”

How did Dad come back? Wasn’t he supposed to be on a business trip for a week? I looked towards the door, Dad seemed to have rushed back, I didn’t even see his luggage. He walked over and swatted the milk out of my hand onto the floor. Jade immediately hid behind him. Crying pitifully. “Dad, last night Amelia beat my face swollen and wasn’t satisfied. This morning I made her breakfast to make her happy, but Amelia actually thought I was trying to poison her.” Dad saw her red and swollen cheeks and immediately believed her side of the story. “Amelia, if Jade hadn’t posted on Instagram last night and we saw it, we wouldn’t have known you hit her so hard. You’re getting more and more out of hand!” Hah, so that’s why she did it, to let Mom and Dad see. I’m not some stupid protagonist from a depressing story who lets an outsider suppress me. “Jade, stop acting weak in front of Dad. If you didn’t poison it, then eat my portion!” She’s really good at acting, this bitch! I grabbed her from behind Dad and pressed her head towards the breakfast plate. She screamed in fear. “Dad, save me! Amelia, what have I done to offend you? Just because I told Dad you bullied me at school, you’re treating me like this?” “Amelia, what are you doing! You dare to act like this in front of me!” Dad pulled me away, his hand raised to strike me. “Young miss, please stop fighting. You have an interview today and you’ll be late if you don’t leave now!” The family driver, Uncle Lee, appeared just in time, and Dad’s hand stopped in mid-air. He glared at me angrily, with a look of disappointment. “Amelia, after your interview, move out of this house. You need to go out and experience life. You’re too willful and unreasonable.” I didn’t argue, just felt disappointed by Dad’s bias. I picked up my bag and walked straight out the door. 6. After the college entrance exam, I packed all my clothes and called a moving company. I absolutely won’t stay in this house for another second. Jade came to my room, strutting arrogantly. She waved the property deed in front of me, gloating. “Amelia, what does it matter if you’re their biological daughter? You’ll never be able to compete with me.” “Dad said that whether or not I can get into college, he’ll arrange everything for me in the future. This house is his gift for my coming of age.” I pretended to approach her with a dejected face. “Jade, you’re so lucky. I have nothing, even if I got accepted into Oxford University, what’s the use?” Jade thought I was really beaten down by her scheme. She leaned in close to my ear, gloating. “Amelia, even though you didn’t get any rewards, at least you got into Oxford University. You can rent a place to live when you get to college, haha.” Looking at her smug expression, if she knew that this house originally belonged to her biological father, she’d probably be furious. A month before the interview, I accidentally overheard my parents talking about this house in the study. This house was bought by Jade’s father, who had saved money working at construction sites his whole life. He paid for it in full. Before he died, he left the property deed with my dad, to be given to her when she turned eighteen. Although it wasn’t in a great location, her biological father really loved her and made sure she had a safety net before he passed away. I never expected Jade to be so heartless. For the sake of becoming a rich heiress, she didn’t even want to keep her own last name. Moreover, her biological father was a taboo subject for her. She only acknowledged her identity as the young miss of the Wilson family. Her father’s identity as a worker only made her feel ashamed. Looking at her like this, I just found it laughable. I didn’t want to waste any more words on her. I’m moving into my big villa now!

When Grandpa found out I had been kicked out, he immediately gave me the most expensive villa in the city. He said that my acceptance into Oxford University brought glory to the family, and this was just the tip of the iceberg. In the future, all of the Wilson family’s assets would be mine. As soon as I arrived at the villa, the servants lined up to welcome me. This… is a bit too extravagant, isn’t it? I usually don’t like such a high-profile entrance, but who can refuse when their family is rich? Haha… “Welcome home, young miss!” At the end of the line of servants stood a small, white-haired old man in a suit, smiling kindly. That’s my grandpa. I immediately dropped my luggage and ran to him. “Grandpa!” “Oh my, my dear granddaughter, you seem to have grown taller.” I pouted, “Come on, we just saw each other last week, how could I change so quickly?” Grandpa laughed heartily and led me inside. The villa was very large, with a medieval-style interior, grand and luxurious. Grandpa first took me to sit in the pavilion. He had the servants bring some of my favorite cakes. I hadn’t eaten these cakes in a long time. Grandpa really loves me the most, it warmed my heart. I wolfed down several pieces. Seeing this, Grandpa frowned. “Did you suffer at your parents’ house? Tell Grandpa, I’ll go beat up your dad!” I drained my tea in one gulp. Pouting, I imitated Jade’s teary-eyed look and threw myself into Grandpa’s arms. “Grandpa~ They all bullied me~” I told Grandpa everything that had happened. After listening, Grandpa angrily slammed down his teacup.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294768”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #惊悚Thriller #重生Reborn #魔幻Magic #励志Inspiring #浪漫Romance