Author: Momo Chan

I was reborn. In my previous life, I married Jack Zhou. After our wedding, his sister Fiona would frequently come over with her kids to mooch off us. Jack and I would argue. Fiona directly introduced him to a mistress. I divorced Jack and took our son with me. I scrimped and saved to raise our child. I helped him start his own family. Just when I thought I could finally enjoy life, the doctor told me I had stomach cancer. In the end, I died in pain. Now that I have a second chance at life, I refuse to be a bitter wife again. As my son’s heartbroken cries faded away, I felt my body becoming lighter and lighter. I wanted to tell my son not to be sad, to think of me as going to a better place in heaven. But when I opened my eyes, I found myself in a room that was both strange and familiar. After carefully looking around for a while, I realized it was the bedroom Jack and I had shared. Looking at my reflection in the mirror, decades younger, I pinched myself hard to confirm that I had really been reborn. Where was Ethan? Right, my son. Thinking of my child, I rushed out of the room. That’s when I saw the malted milk powder I had bought for Ethan opened on the table. My son was staring at it longingly, while Fiona’s three children each had a cup and were drinking happily. My mother-in-law saw me and quickly made a cup for Ethan too, looking a bit guilty. “Maggie, did we wake you up?” I didn’t say anything, just picked up Ethan and hugged him tightly, unable to get enough of his sweet baby scent. Ethan was only two years old now. He had always been small and frail as a child. For his sake, I had denied myself food and new clothes, trying to save every penny I could to help him grow up healthy. My sister-in-law Fiona, on the other hand, loved romance and indulgence. Even after her husband passed away, she didn’t change. She could spend a month’s salary on a pair of designer heels without blinking. Her three children often went hungry and poorly dressed. Every few days, my in-laws would bring them over to “improve their nutrition.” At mealtimes, they ate like refugees. Ethan and I were often left with just leftovers. Although Jack didn’t give me his salary, I was working and paying my share of living expenses to my in-laws. But my son and I still couldn’t even eat our fill in this house. My father-in-law, mother-in-law and Jack spoiled Fiona beyond reason. Despite being an ordinary family, she wore designer clothes and shoes. After I divorced Jack in my previous life, he remarried and had to support his new family. Fiona’s three kids were older by then and cost even more. They all started to struggle financially. Only then did Fiona begin to give up her pursuit of luxury brands. I took Ethan back to our room and pulled out my bankbook. It showed 500 yuan that I had painstakingly saved. It was the 1980s now. The wave of economic reforms was sweeping across the country. In my previous life, the factory I worked at announced its closure two years later. After losing that job, I could only find work as a waitress or doing odd jobs. So even when faced with Jack’s betrayal, no matter how angry and resentful I felt, I didn’t dare initiate a divorce. We dragged on until Ethan was 10 years old. By then, Jack’s mistress was pregnant. Only then was I forced to leave with Ethan. Now that I’ve been reborn, I refuse to be a bitter wife again. That afternoon, I took Ethan to visit several of my good friends. I managed to borrow another 300 yuan from them. The next day at work, I submitted my resignation to the workshop director. With the factory’s poor performance lately, the director approved my resignation quickly. I took Ethan back to my parents’ home in the countryside. I gave my parents 100 yuan and asked them to help take care of Ethan. I said I would come back for him in three months. By this time, Jack was already living as husband and wife with his mistress in the employee dormitory, thanks to Fiona’s matchmaking. In the eyes of my in-laws and Jack, I was an unreasonable troublemaker. They probably thought I was up to no good by taking the child back to my parents. So I wasn’t worried about them coming to bother me. That evening, I boarded a train to S City. At the wholesale market there, I used my remaining money to buy several dozen pairs of jeans. Then I took them to the provincial capital to sell. In less than half a day, all the jeans were sold out. I did some calculations. In less than half a day, my net profit was 200 yuan. To be on the safe side, I chose a nicer looking hotel. After checking the doors and windows carefully, I hung a cup on the doorknob before falling into a deep sleep. The next day, I continued to buy inventory at the wholesale market, then resold it in the provincial capital. After a month of early mornings and late nights, I calculated that I had earned several thousand yuan. At that time, a house in my hometown only cost a few thousand yuan. In other words, I had earned in one month what an average person would make in ten years. I deposited the money in the bank, then put on my old shabby clothes and took the train back home. First, I bought lots of gifts and returned to my parents’ home. After a month apart, Ethan looked pretty good under my parents’ care – his cheeks had filled out a bit. My brother and sister-in-law were genuinely happy to see the gifts I brought. After distributing the presents, I stayed one night before returning to the city. I went to my friends’ homes to repay the money I had borrowed. I also bought them gifts to thank them for helping me in my time of need. Finally, I returned to my in-laws’ home. Jack happened to be there too. My in-laws didn’t show much expression when they saw me return. Jack looked at me with disgust: “Are you done with your month-long tantrum?” I smiled slightly. Biased people will always be biased. Ethan had been away with me for a month, but they hadn’t even asked once how he was doing. I got straight to the point: “Let’s get divorced. I’ll take custody of our son.” My father-in-law immediately smashed his teacup. Jack also asked angrily: “Maggie, what kind of nonsense are you talking now?” I snorted coldly: “You don’t care about me or our child. Divorce is best for both of us. I’ll raise the child myself. I know what you’ve been up to at your factory, even if I haven’t said anything. If you won’t divorce me, I’ll tell everyone about it and let them judge. Your sister finding women for her brother? What kind of people are you? If you push me too far, I’ll report you for bigamy.” My father-in-law slammed the table: “Maggie, you’ve gone too far.” I laughed coldly: “You didn’t think it was too much when your daughter-in-law had to raise a child alone. You didn’t think it was too much when your daughter found a mistress for your son. But now that I want a divorce, you think it’s too much? Your standards for what’s ‘too much’ are quite flexible. I guess only your own children are human, and everyone else doesn’t matter?” In the past, I had tried to be respectful of my elders. So even when faced with my in-laws’ bias, although I was unhappy, I would back down as soon as they got angry. Living this life over again, who would still treat them like saints? Morally upright elders deserve respect in their old age. But people with poor character are just nasty old folks when they age. My mother-in-law came over: “Maggie, you’re a mother too. You may feel we’re biased, but Fiona is my daughter as well. Forcing us to abandon her – isn’t that unreasonable of you?” Just then, Fiona returned home with her three children. I looked at Fiona’s outfit. Her hair was freshly permed. I had seen the same coat at the wholesale market – even the wholesale price was 200 yuan. Add in the dress and high heels, this outfit cost at least 500 yuan. That was her entire year’s salary. She looked nothing like a girl from an ordinary family – more like a rich young lady. “It’s not wrong for you to care about your daughter. I care about my son too. He has a father but it’s like he doesn’t. Since you won’t take care of him, I’ll take him with me. Stop wasting time. Let’s get divorced.” As soon as Fiona heard this, she pulled her three children behind her and shouted at me: “Sister-in-law, what have I done to offend you? Why do you dislike me so much? Is it not okay for me to bring my kids to my parents’ home?”

“You’re right, there’s no problem with you bringing your kids to your parents’ home. So now I’m also taking my child back to my parents’ home.” I realized there was no point trying to reason with them. So I spoke directly to Jack: “Jack, say something. Are we getting divorced or not? If not, I’m going to find that Lily at your factory. I’d like to ask her if she has any shame, an unmarried girl living with a married man.” Jack raised his hand to slap me. I grabbed his arm and pushed him away. My mother-in-law and Fiona came to stop me. I pushed them away too, one in each hand. I grew up in the countryside and had done plenty of farm work. I still had some strength in me. I certainly wasn’t going to stand there and be hit. My mother-in-law stumbled to the side. Fiona steadied her mother and cursed at me: “Maggie, you shrew! My brother was truly blind to marry you.” “Say what you want. Jack, are you divorcing me or not? If not, I’m leaving. Just don’t regret it later.” My in-laws stared at Jack. Fiona spoke up: “Brother, divorce her. Let’s see if she still dares to make such a scene.” Jack took a deep breath: “Fine, we can divorce. But you can’t have custody of our son.” I just smiled: “Jack, after we divorce, you’ll marry Lily and have another child. Add in Ethan, you’ll have to support two children plus help out your sister. Are you sure your salary is enough? If I take Ethan, I’ll only spend money on him. He’ll have a much better life with me than with you. Think it over. Tomorrow at 9 AM, let’s meet at the Civil Affairs Bureau.” With that, I turned and left my in-laws’ home. I went straight to stay at a local guesthouse. I believed that after a night of consideration, Jack would give up Ethan. After all, he had done so in my previous life. The next day, Jack brought the necessary documents and met me at the Civil Affairs Bureau. With the official stamp, my marriage to Jack was officially over. In front of the Civil Affairs Bureau, Jack said: “You can have custody of the child. But you should still let my parents see him every few months.” I nodded in agreement. Let them see. Without them, Ethan and I would have such a good life. That night I returned to my parents’ home in the countryside. As I held my son in my arms that evening, I was determined to give him a better future. Before returning to S City, I gave my mother another 100 yuan. I told her not to skimp on spending money. My nephew was already three years old, and my sister-in-law was pregnant with her second child. Including Ethan, all the adults and children needed proper nutrition. I didn’t want my sister-in-law to feel I was overstepping. I understood the need for boundaries now that my brother was married. In my previous life, my brother had taken care of me a lot after my divorce. Whenever I visited home with Ethan, my sister-in-law was always very welcoming, cooking chicken and duck for us. In this life, now that I had the means, I definitely wanted to help them out. Over the next six months, I would send 100 yuan back home every few months. The rest of the money, I held onto tightly. I had already made plans. While property prices were still low, I would buy a commercial space first. During the day I could run my clothing business, and at night I could sleep there to save on rent. Money makes money. Then I would buy a house. I could bring Ethan to the city for a good education. Before the New Year that year, I bought my first commercial space and house. I personally handled all the renovations and inventory. Then I returned home with luggage full of gifts. My sister-in-law couldn’t stop admiring the clothes I bought her. For my brother, I got a pair of leather shoes. I bought alcohol for my father and a new cotton jacket for my mother. Although my parents were happy, their expressions couldn’t hide their worry.

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I’ve always wondered if professional figure models experience physical reactions during their work. My wife’s experience taught me that it can happen, but they have special techniques to manage it. My name is James Wilson. Despite my average looks, I managed to marry a beautiful model! The first time I saw my wife was when she was working as a car show model. Her long legs in black stockings immediately caught my eye. My gaze traveled up her short skirt, which barely contained her shapely behind, making me swallow hard. Further up was her slim waist and her chest straining against the thin straps of her top. Suddenly, she bent down, covering her chest with her hand, and flashed me a sweet smile. In that instant, my heart melted! With sheer persistence and three months of relentless pursuit, I finally won her over. In my mind, a wife as beautiful as her shouldn’t be on display for others to see, so I persuaded her to change jobs. She understood my jealousy and quickly resigned after we got married. But on the third day after she quit, I suddenly received several photos in my email. “Look how wild your wife really is!” the message read. When I opened them, the photos were dimly lit. They showed a woman with a curvaceous figure, her body covered in body paint, swaying seductively on stage. But something seemed off about her state. Her eyes were unfocused, her legs were pressed together, and her hands were roaming over sensitive parts of her body. It didn’t look like she was walking a runway; it looked more like she was in heat! The photos were like a flipbook, showing a sequence of events. Suddenly, a man appeared and gave her bottom a hard slap, leaving a clear handprint. Seeing this, my blood instantly rushed to my head! Was that my wife?! Besides the familiar figure, there was a birthmark on her rear that I would never mistake! My whole body trembled, my teeth clenched, and the veins in my hands bulged as I nearly crushed my phone. What the hell was going on? Who sent these photos? Were they trying to blackmail me, or just mess with my head? I tried asking, and the sender quickly replied: “Nude models always release their tension before going on stage to avoid physiological reactions. They drain every last bit of desire! Your wife was really wild on stage today! What’s wrong, did you two have an unsatisfying night?” Nude model? My first instinct was to curse back. My wife was just a regular model, and she had already quit. She wasn’t that kind of woman! But just as I had typed out a long angry response, I suddenly remembered what happened last night. Last night, my wife had indeed called me, telling me to wash up and wait for her in bed. But the project I was responsible for suddenly had issues, and I worked overtime until late at night. When I got home, she was still very proactive, but I had neither the mood nor the energy to do anything with her… Soon after, I received another email. “Your wife has another show tomorrow. She’ll definitely have needs tonight, so perform well!” After that, no matter how many emails I sent, the sender didn’t reply. With a complicated mood, I left work early and waited for her at home. I had even downloaded the photos, ready to confront Olivia. “Honey, come give me a massage. I’m exhausted…” Olivia complained as soon as she entered the door. She kicked off her high heels, sat on the couch, and put her legs on my lap. Looking at those round thighs wrapped in black stockings, I couldn’t help but think of the content in the photos. I pushed her away without any tenderness. Olivia pouted, looking innocent and wronged. “Honey, what’s wrong? Didn’t I listen to you and quit my job? I went to several job interviews today, my legs are so tired!” I stared at her intently: “You really went for interviews?” Olivia stretched lazily, revealing a strip of her flat, white belly: “Why would I lie to you? Hurry up and massage my legs, I’m so tired. I want to go to bed early tonight…” As she spoke, she yawned. Seeing her exhausted face, which didn’t seem fake, I began to have doubts. Did I get it wrong? I took a deep breath and reached into her clothes, but she slapped my hand away. “Stop it, I’m really too tired! If you want to do it, wait until tomorrow!” She must have been really exhausted because after I massaged her legs for a bit, she started snoring lightly. I gritted my teeth and, following her thigh, gently lifted her skirt…

I lifted the skirt and looked carefully. There was no handprint! At that moment, I was completely relieved. The person who sent the email was indeed just trying to mess with me! I even took out the photos and compared them again, but unfortunately, the photos were too blurry, and the model was covered in body paint, making it impossible to see her face clearly. I carried my wife back to the bedroom to sleep, then sat on the couch and chain-smoked several cigarettes. First, I couldn’t doubt my wife because of a few blurry photos. It wasn’t easy to marry such a beautiful wife. Once there’s a crisis of trust, the cracks in our relationship would be irreparable. Secondly, even if the model in the photos was really Olivia… It must have happened before she met me! At least since we’ve been together, she’s been completely open with me and obediently quit her job as I asked. Although I felt a bit uneasy, who doesn’t have a past? As long as she’s willing to settle down and live a good life with me, I’m willing to accept everything about her. I took a deep breath and stubbed out my cigarette. When that bastard who sent the email asks for money and reveals their true colors, I’ll immediately report them to the police and drag them out! At this moment, my phone chimed with another email. “So, was your wife very proactive last night?” Seeing the new email, I angrily replied. “Stop messing with me! How much money do you want?” This time, the other person took a long time to reply. “Haha, there are still good people in this world, helping to relieve your wife’s pressure and even giving you a green hat to wear! Here’s the address for tomorrow’s show. I invite you to watch the good show!” After this, the email sender disappeared again, as if into thin air. This feeling was particularly torturous. If they had really made demands, I would have felt more at ease. This neither-here-nor-there situation was just deliberately keeping me on edge, wasn’t it? With an uneasy heart, I didn’t sleep well all night. The next morning, when my wife got up to go out, I was still in a daze. “Where are you going for an interview today?” “Ocean View Tower!” she said as she applied her lipstick and stepped into her high heels. I suddenly woke up. Wasn’t this the address for the show mentioned in the email? I immediately got up, not bothering to wash up, put on a baseball cap, sunglasses, and a mask, and hurriedly followed her. But as soon as I left the community, I lost sight of her. “Ocean View Tower!” I didn’t dare to drive my own car, so I took a taxi there. I found a small company according to the address. There were indeed many people queuing at the entrance, but they were mostly men. I didn’t see my wife at all. I gave a cigarette to the security guard at the door. “What positions is your company recruiting for? There are so many people. Where are the women queuing? Why are there only men?” The security guard rolled his eyes at me. “They’re all men, what are you pretending for? If you want to see women, just queue up obediently. The show is about to start! Pay the fee first, $188!” My brain suddenly went blank, and I stood there stunned. “Show? What show?” The security guard frowned: “Are you here for an interview? Sorry, you don’t meet our company’s requirements. Please leave!” As he spoke, he forcefully pushed me out. Another security guard also walked over quickly, seemingly afraid I would cause trouble. At this moment, I really felt my blood freeze, my mind went blank. But soon, I came to my senses and squeezed out a smile. “Brother, don’t be hasty! I’m here to see the nude models. I was just a bit excited earlier…” Hearing the words “nude models” and seeing me take out several bills and stuff them into his hand, the security guard’s expression improved a bit. “First time watching the show, huh? Don’t know the rules! Hurry up and pay!” After transferring the money on my phone, my mind was in a mess as I followed the queue into this so-called company. After several twists and turns, we entered a large hall. Below the T-stage, there were at least a hundred seats, all filled with men. Suddenly, the lights dimmed. Amidst the noise, a group of women wearing Japanese fox masks walked onto the stage with cat-like steps. They were only covered by a thin veil, which slowly slid off as they moved their bodies. I immediately spotted that familiar figure! I knew every inch of Olivia’s skin all too well. She really was doing nude modeling!

“Whoosh!” I suddenly stood up, clenching my fists. I wanted to rush onto the stage immediately, tear off Olivia’s mask, and confront her! Why did she lie to me? But as soon as I stood up, several nearby security guards fixed their eyes on me, their rubber batons at the ready. A man next to me grabbed my arm. “Bro, calm down. There’ll be a chance to go on stage later! If you rush up now, security will kick you out immediately!” I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. Rushing up now would definitely get me stopped, and I wouldn’t be able to get any substantial evidence to prove that woman was Olivia! Seeing me sit down, the security guards didn’t pursue the matter. It was then that I noticed almost all the men around me were like me, wearing hats, sunglasses, and masks, completely covering themselves. The fat guy beside me smiled and advised me. “First time here, right? Don’t be shy. The first time I watched this kind of show, I was even more eager than you! Take my advice, don’t do anything rash here, or you won’t even know how you died!” As he spoke, he took out his phone and lecherously recorded videos, commenting on each model. “Number two’s figure is so hot! Number five’s long legs are just incredible! And number eight’s body, tsk tsk…” I snatched his phone. The number eight he mentioned was Olivia! The fat guy got anxious: “What are you messing around for? What, you’ve got your eye on number eight too?” “That chick is really wild, I can’t wait! I won’t give up the chance to go on stage to you!” Suppressing my anger, I asked, “What do you mean, go on stage?” The fat guy sneered disdainfully. “You’re really a newbie. Going on stage is for body painting, of course. Do you understand art?” Before he could explain clearly, the host came out to explain a few things. He said he would select a few audience members to go on stage and personally apply various body paints to the models, calling it “artistic creation”! “What kind of art is this? It’s vulgar and degrading!” I couldn’t help but curse. The fat guy glanced at me sideways: “Then don’t fight me for number eight later!” I was so angry I almost hit the fat guy! When the host was selecting lucky audience members, I was the first to rush up, unhesitatingly choosing number eight. This was my best chance to expose Olivia! The fat guy was too slow and cursed at me from behind, calling me a hypocrite and a bastard. The host smiled and said, “I can see that all the distinguished guests present are true art lovers! But I still need to remind you again, when applying the body paint later, don’t deliberately tease the models’ sensitive areas!”

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After the breakup. Nauseous and with no appetite, I called my ex. I cautiously said, “I’m pregnant.” My ex scoffed, “Lily Anderson, we’ve been broken up for a year and three months.” I nodded, “I never said the child was yours.” Ex: “…” Early in the morning, I felt like throwing up before I even had breakfast. It had been like this for several days in a row. I didn’t know if I had eaten something wrong. Looking pale, I leaned against the wall as I walked out of my room, startling my roommate Emily Watson. She hurried over to help me sit down. “You’re nauseous again?” “Nothing’s coming up, but I feel awful.” Emily poured me a glass of warm water. “When was your last period?” I curled up on the sofa, feeling sick. “I can’t remember. Besides, my periods are always irregular. Why are you asking?” Emily suddenly gripped my shoulders, her expression unusually serious. “Lily, I strongly suspect you’re pregnant!” I looked at her in horror. “Don’t… don’t say that!” “Really, all five of my sisters had morning sickness like this. I’m too familiar with it! But aren’t you single? Have you been hiding a secret boyfriend?” At that moment, I was at a loss. No, it should be him— My ex-boyfriend, James Sullivan! Two months ago, on my birthday, I didn’t want to celebrate. I went out for a late-night walk and somehow ended up outside James’s apartment. Coincidentally, James was drunk that night, and some girls were fighting over who would take him home! I rushed over immediately. Claiming to be his girlfriend, I chased them all away. I carried the completely drunk James upstairs, and then things got heated, and some indescribable things happened! Afterwards, I ran away, feeling guilty. Because I was the one who broke up with James, vowing never to appear in front of him again. How could I go back on my word and slap my own face? “Lily, you must talk to the father of the child. After all, he has a responsibility too. Being a single mom isn’t easy, especially for a child growing up in a single-parent family…” Emily didn’t continue. Because I grew up in a single-parent family. Without a father, I faced a lot of judgment from a young age, and my mom went through so many hardships raising me alone. My eyes welled up with tears, and I felt incredibly low. Suddenly, I felt very lost about the future. “Lily, don’t panic. Maybe I’m wrong! Why don’t you go to the hospital for a check-up? The hospital is just next to our neighborhood.” Emily comforted me while glancing at her watch. She exclaimed, “Oh no, I’m going to be late!” “Lily, you rest at home first. I’ll come back at noon to take you to the hospital!” Before she finished speaking, Emily had already rushed out the door. After agonizing at home for half a day. I finally called for delivery and bought a few pregnancy tests. Five minutes later, they all showed two lines!

After a quick touch-up, I appeared at the hospital next door, with a pregnancy test stick in my pocket. For the sake of the child, I put aside my damn pride. James’s office was right in front of me, but I just couldn’t take a step forward. How could I just go up and tell him that two months ago, we slept together, and now I’m pregnant! No, I couldn’t say it! “Excuse me!” A cleaning lady pushing a cart came by. I hurriedly stepped back, accidentally bumping open the door behind me, stumbling a few steps before steadying myself. Plop. The pregnancy test stick fell out of my pocket. I was about to bend down when a doctor in a white coat picked it up for me. He looked at it and asked, “Is this yours?” This office was James’s! I averted my gaze, putting down my appointment slip. To talk things through with James, I had specifically made an appointment with him as a specialist. “Um, I’m pregnant.” James was stunned for a full five seconds, then he chuckled sarcastically, “Lily Anderson, we’ve been broken up for a year and three months.” I forced a slight smile, wanting to laugh, but the smile quickly faded. “I never said the child was yours.” James raised an eyebrow, his eyes flashing with a cold light, “So why did you make an appointment with me? Do you want me to congratulate you?” “We parted on good terms, won’t you congratulate me?” My face was expressionless. But inside, I was cursing myself a thousand times. I came here intending to explain everything, but I just couldn’t help being stubborn! “Con-grat-u-lations!” James stared at me intently, these two words squeezed out from between his teeth. I lowered my head, “I’ll let you know about the baby shower later.” “…Please leave, I have many patients waiting!” James was so angry he was rubbing his temples, the pen in his hand about to snap. I didn’t dare to say anything more. But after just a few steps, my stomach churned. I covered my mouth and ran to the sink in the office, dry heaving, but nothing came up. I leaned against the wall weakly, sliding down. Suddenly, a large hand caught me. James led me behind a curtain where there was a recliner, probably where he took naps. He told me to rest for a while. Then he went back to the other side of the curtain to see patients. After the patient left, James suddenly asked, “Lily Anderson, where’s the baby’s father?” Outside the window, warm sunlight streamed in. I hadn’t slept well last night, and now, resting on a pillow that smelled like James, I felt drowsy. “He… he’s dead.”

In my heart, the James who belonged to me was already dead. I slept on the recliner for a while. When I woke up, the office was quiet. I called out “James” a few times but got no response. When I pulled back the curtain, I found that James had left. I smiled bitterly. This was probably for the best, saving us both from awkwardness. So I got up to leave. Otherwise, I’d be seen as ungrateful. “James.” Just as I was about to open the door, I heard a voice from outside. I froze in fear, my heart racing. Instinctively, I looked for a place to hide. Just as I hid behind the curtain, the door was pushed open and a woman walked in: “James, Mom brought you lunch.” “Oh, not here?” Mrs. Sullivan sat down, habitually helping to tidy up the things on the desk: “My, the sun is so strong today.” Saying this, she got up to close the curtains. This made me, hiding behind the curtains, hold my breath, panicking. If I came out now, there would be no way to explain, and she never liked me anyway! Just as Mrs. Sullivan grabbed the curtain— “Mom, don’t close the curtains, it’s fine like this.” Thankfully, James returned just in time. Mrs. Sullivan turned around, “Where did you go?” “Why did you bring two portions of food? The cafeteria food isn’t good. I had some free time today, so I made you something delicious. Eat quickly, before it gets cold.” James gave a noncommittal “Mm” and said, “Mom, if you have something to do, you can go.” “What could I possibly have to do?” Mrs. Sullivan sat down in the chair: “Tell me, didn’t your aunt introduce you to that music teacher last time? How’s it going?” “Mom, I’m eating.” “What’s wrong with eating? You can talk while eating.” “What do you want me to say?” I could clearly hear that James was getting impatient, but Mrs. Sullivan kept nagging: “She’s very satisfied with you, but you’re just cold towards her, not even replying to her messages. How can you be so impolite?” “I already replied that I was busy. She’s the one who keeps sending messages non-stop. Who’s being impolite?” “But you can’t just…” “Mom, get up.” “What’s wrong?” James spoke while pushing Mrs. Sullivan towards the door: “I’m full now, I need to take a nap. I have a surgery this afternoon.” With that, he closed the door. Mrs. Sullivan grumbled a few more words in the corridor before leaving. Swoosh— James pulled the curtain open directly. I waved awkwardly, “How did you know I was hiding here?” James looked at me deeply. “I know all your little tricks, don’t I?”

I waved my fist at James’s back. To my surprise, there was a full-length mirror in front of me! James, walking in front of me, could see my little gesture clearly in the reflection! He sat down speechless and opened the other two lunch boxes. “Eat.” Although it was food I liked, I had no appetite at all. I waved my hand, “No need, I don’t want to eat.” James frowned, “Wait for me to come back.” “Hey…” Before I could speak, he had already turned and left. In the blink of an eye, James returned with a jar of preserved plums in his hand: “Eat some of these.” My eyes lit up, and I quickly took them. This was exactly what I needed! “Thank you.” I ate two preserved plums directly, then handed the jar back to James: “I’ll go buy some myself later. I’m leaving now.” As I reached the door, I couldn’t help but pause: “James, if she’s a good girl, I suggest you try to get along with her.” “You need to move on so others can get close to you.” Afraid that James would argue, I hurried away as soon as I finished speaking. After leaving the hospital, I didn’t contact James again. I even deliberately took detours, continuing my daily routine between home and work. Only at night did I have trouble sleeping. I gently placed my hand on my still-flat stomach. Feeling a small life quietly growing inside. “Baby, what should I do?” I knew well that single-parent families are not easy, neither for the mother nor the child, but I really couldn’t bear to give up the baby. Ring ring ring! I fumbled around for a while before finding my phone. It was my mom calling! “Hello, Mom?” “Have you been very busy lately? You never call home.” Hearing the sounds from my mom’s end, I knew she must be preparing some roasted meats, ready to deliver door-to-door later. My mom’s roasted meats are delicious, so she started a small business selling them. “Why aren’t you saying anything?” My mom stopped what she was doing. Hearing my mom’s voice, I suddenly realized it had been over a year since I’d been home. My eyes stung with tears: “Mom, I…” “What’s wrong? Did that manager bully you again? Sweetie, if you don’t want to work there anymore, just quit. Come back home, we can work together selling roasted meats. Business will definitely boom!” My mom’s words made me laugh, but inexplicably, I felt more like crying. “It’s not that, Mom, I…” Probably hearing the choke in my voice, my mom became anxious on the other end of the phone: “Sweetie, what’s wrong? Tell me quickly, do you want to worry your mother to death?” “I… I’m pregnant, but the baby’s father doesn’t know.”

There was a long, long silence on the other end of the phone, so long that I thought my mom had hung up, before her voice came through: “You need to tell him about this.” “If he doesn’t want it, Grandma wants it.” “When the time comes, you give birth and leave the baby with me, I’ll raise it for you.” I tightly covered my mouth, but tears kept falling. Indeed, in this world, only mom is the best. Hearing my crying, my mom sighed, “Sweetie, we women go through difficulties, but we overcome them. There’s nothing we can’t get through, you know?” “Mm…” I wiped my tears messily: “Mom, thank you.” “Silly child, what are you thanking me for? I’m your mom, of course I’ll help you.” Hearing that my mom was crying too, I felt even worse. When I initially chose to come to the big city alone to make a living, I wanted to earn big money so my mom could have a comfortable retirement. But after more than three years, not only have I achieved nothing, I’m also making her worry about me. I cried for a long time, but my mom composed herself first. “Don’t cry anymore, get some sleep. Mom still has to deliver roasted meats to people now, to earn milk money for my grandchild.” My mom deliberately joked to cheer me up. “Mm, go ahead with your work.” After hanging up the phone, I looked at the bright moon and stars, taking a deep breath. I felt much lighter. Because mom is always the strongest pillar behind me! I told Emily my decision. Emily was surprised but also happy for me: “You’ve thought it through?” “Yes, although it’s said that children from single-parent families have a harder time growing up, thinking carefully, the love my mom gave me from childhood was no less than children with both parents. So if my mom could do it, I’m sure I can do it too. Moreover, my baby will have a grandmother to dote on them!” I rubbed my belly, suddenly feeling less lost about the future. Emily strongly agreed with my words. “So are you planning to quit your job and go back?” “Anyway, I’ve worked diligently at this lousy company for over three years, and forget about promotion, I haven’t even gotten a raise. Why should I stay?” “Hearing you say that, I want to quit too.” “Quit, find someone to marry! Turn around and work at home, without even getting paid.” “Haha, then I’d better continue being a wage slave!” We laughed and chatted for a while, then Emily suddenly looked reluctant: “When exactly are you going back home? I want to treat you to a nice meal.” “I’ve already submitted my resignation letter, it should take about a month before I can leave.” “But you’re so capable, will your boss be willing to let you go?” “I’ll just tell him I’m pregnant, see if that doesn’t scare him to death.” “Haha, he’ll have you carried out in a sedan chair right away!” But after laughing, we both fell silent.

On the weekend. Emily insisted on accompanying me to the hospital for a check-up. She held my arm tightly, feeling a bit sad: “After you go back, I don’t know if I’ll have the chance to see you again.” “How could there be no chance? As long as we’re both alive, we’ll definitely meet again! Besides, when my baby has their first-month celebration, you’d better come!” “Oh, no matter what, as the baby’s godmother, I must accompany you for the check-up.” I couldn’t argue with her, so I had to let her come along. In my heart, I prayed we wouldn’t run into James! As a result, James came walking towards us, but he only glanced at me briefly before quickly walking towards the emergency room. “That’s James!” Emily was obviously very surprised. I turned my face away: “Is it? I didn’t see.” “What do you mean? You saw him before I did.” Emily looked gossipy: “You’ve been broken up for over a year, you’re not still thinking about him, are you? Why don’t you tell him about your pregnancy and see how he reacts?” “The baby is his.” “What!? You!” I calmly told Emily about what happened three months ago: “But he doesn’t believe it, so you don’t need to find him.” Emily fell completely silent, hugging me comfortingly. She sighed: “I never thought James would be such a jerk!” I shook my head: “It’s not entirely his fault.” After all, that night, I was half-willing. There were many pregnant women coming for check-ups. Emily and I found a place to sit and wait, but Emily couldn’t sit still and wandered around. She came back and told me: “Some pregnant women came very early, next time we should come earlier.” I smiled, next time I should be doing check-ups at the hospital back home. Ring ring ring! A phone call came in, and Emily had to go back for overtime work. She looked very apologetic: “Lily, I’m so sorry, my boss is really terrible!” “It’s okay, I understand. Go quickly.” I’ve encountered this kind of thing many times, even once when I had just fallen asleep and was called back for a meeting, too many times to count. The life of a working person is just bitter. But soon, I’ll be free! After waiting for more than an hour, it was finally my turn to go in for the check-up. The doctor frowned, making me anxious. “Doctor, what’s wrong?” “Did you come for the check-up alone?” “Yes, they’re all very busy.” “No matter how busy, someone should take care of you and accompany you for prenatal check-ups. Because your situation is a bit special, if not careful, you could easily miscarry.” The doctor sighed and shook his head. My heart tightened, and I suddenly felt very panicked. “I’m here.” James suddenly appeared.

“Oh, so the baby’s father is Dr. Sullivan!” The doctor who was examining me was very surprised, then his expression became more serious as he explained my condition to James in detail. After listening, James’s handsome face was tense. “Okay, I know what to do.” “It’s fortunate that Dr. Sullivan is your husband. With him around, the baby will surely be born healthy and safe.” The doctor smiled. For me, I didn’t know whether to smile or worry. Because I was going to leave soon. Seeing that I had been silent since coming out of the consultation room, James thought I was too worried about the baby. “If there’s anything you don’t understand, or if you feel unwell, call me anytime.” I lowered my eyes and pursed my lips: “Thank you.” “But I think I can take care of myself.” James stopped talking and just walked me to the hospital entrance. After walking a distance, I couldn’t help but look back and saw James still standing there. But I’m a bit nearsighted and couldn’t see his expression clearly. I couldn’t help waving at him, silently saying in my heart: James, farewell, mountains high and roads long, who knows when we’ll meet again, take care. Then I turned and left. Since my mom found out I was pregnant, she’s been video calling me every day, reminding me to eat meals on time and drink soup every day. On this day, I was walking home when I received another video call from my mom. I answered, holding a box with one hand: “Mom, I’ve already bought the high-speed rail ticket. The day after tomorrow at 8 am, I should arrive around 4 pm.” “Look, I’ve packed up everything from my company, just one box.” My mom frowned, looking a bit worried. “Why didn’t you buy a plane ticket? You’ll have to eat a meal on the high-speed rail, and the boxed meals there are expensive and not tasty.” “You can order takeout on high-speed rails now.” “Alright, I won’t talk to you anymore. Don’t look at your phone while walking on the street, what if you bump into someone? I’ll talk to you later.” My mom hung up before finishing her sentence. I couldn’t help but laugh. Just as I looked up, I almost bumped into someone. But this person was James, who had deliberately stood in front of me, his face not looking very good: “You resigned? You’re going back to your hometown?” This was obvious, and I had no need to hide it. “Yes, there’s no point in staying here anyway.” James’s face looked even worse. But I ignored him and walked straight ahead. Unexpectedly, James caught up and blocked my way, his expression extremely serious: “Lily Anderson, how did the baby’s father die?” At that moment, I really almost couldn’t keep a straight face! Fortunately, I bit my teeth hard to keep from laughing. I deliberately put on a cold face, staring at him coldly: “Why are you asking this? It seems to have nothing to do with you, right?” “He really died?” James persisted, determined to get an answer. This was something I made up on the spot, how could I answer? So I refused to respond. I moved to the right, James followed to the right. I moved to the left, James continued to follow to the left, determined not to let me leave. I was very helpless: “What do you really want?”

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I broke up with Adrian Guthrie, receiving a $900,000 severance package, a Mercedes, and a condo in downtown Los Angeles. I never knew I was worth so much. After shipping a bunch of stuff back home, I headed to the train station with the designer bag Adrian had bought me just days before. I chose to take the train because I wanted to come full circle. Five years ago, I had arrived in LA by train from a small, nameless town up north, leading to my encounter with Adrian and our subsequent five-year arrangement. I deliberately bought a coach ticket, planning to enjoy the scenery along the way. It seemed fitting for this journey. But as the carriage filled with chatter and various accents, I couldn’t help but shed a tear, falling into deep reminiscence. After dropping out of high school, I had apprenticed at a local hair salon for over a year. Against my family’s wishes, I set off for LA with just $1,500, claiming I wanted to make something of myself. But at nineteen, I was too young and naive to understand the harshness of the world. If I hadn’t met Adrian, I probably wouldn’t have lasted five days before heading back home. As soon as I got off the train, I realized my phone was gone. Faced with the vastness of LA and the bustling streets, I helplessly crouched down and cried. I had less than $100 in cash on me, and my phone contained all my savings. Without it, I couldn’t even get back home. But crying wouldn’t solve anything. I took a cab to the nearest police station to file a report. The officer, seeing how pitiful I looked, let me stay at the station while they checked nearby surveillance cameras for clues. I knew the chances were slim. In such a crowded place, a skilled pickpocket could easily snatch a phone without being noticed. It was at the police station that I first met Adrian. He was there for a traffic incident, his tailored suit a stark contrast to the surroundings. We sat next to each other, me looking miserable, him expressionless. Seemingly bored, Adrian struck up a conversation. “What brings you here, little miss? In trouble?” I glanced at him, thinking I might have swooned if not for the circumstances. But as soon as I opened my mouth, I burst into tears. “My phone was stolen.” Adrian looked a bit flustered, quickly grabbing some tissues and handing them to me. “Oh, it’s not a big deal. Can’t your parents just buy you a new one?” This only made me cry harder. Perhaps I needed an outlet for my frustration, so I sobbed out my whole unfortunate story. I was crying so hard I started hiccupping. Adrian seemed a bit put off, inching away as if afraid I’d get snot and tears on his suit. “Young people need to face some setbacks,” he said. “When I was in my teens, I went to study in Europe with just a few hundred dollars. I lost it all and had to work part-time jobs for a year to make ends meet.” Looking at his expensive suit and designer watch, I figured he must be doing well now. His past hardships hadn’t been in vain. Just then, the officer handling my case returned with a shifty-looking middle-aged man and my phone. I don’t know how they caught him, but I was so happy I gave the officer a big hug before scurrying out of the station. In my excitement, I completely forgot about the man in the suit. Looking back, I regret not sneaking a photo – he was so handsome. I found a job as a hairstylist assistant through an online job board. They said I wasn’t qualified to be a full stylist yet, and the assistant position only paid $1,800 a month, but it included housing. In hindsight, I was lucky in my naivety. Not only did I get my phone back, but my first job was at a legitimate salon. I could have easily fallen prey to a scam or worse. After working there for about a month, I saw Adrian for the second time. He came to the salon for a haircut, still in his impeccable suit, driving a black Mercedes. I was assigned to wash his hair. He squinted at me, seeming to find me familiar but not quite placing me. After the wash, he suddenly pointed at me and said, “I want her to cut my hair.” “Mr. Guthrie, she’s new and might not be skilled enough yet,” the stylist said, looking worried. It would be a small matter if I messed up, but offending a customer would be a big deal. Adrian waved his hand, insisting. The stylist had no choice but to give me a “good luck” look. Halfway through the cut, Adrian suddenly said, “I remember you now. You were at the police station that day, weren’t you?” I felt incredibly awkward, not wanting my coworkers to know about the police station incident. We’d been working together for a while, and knowing too much could make things uncomfortable. Without thinking, I covered his mouth with my hand, smearing his face with hair clippings. Adrian’s face darkened. Realizing my mistake, I quickly apologized. How stupid of me! Perhaps seeing me in such a vulnerable state before made me unsure how to face him now. Or maybe it was just the classic Cinderella-meets-CEO moment meant to happen. Aside from my competitive coworkers, Adrian became the first person I grew familiar with in LA. I still don’t know how my silly self caught Mr. Guthrie’s eye back then. He asked me out on an ordinary evening as I was leaving work with my colleagues. I saw him leaning against his car, smoking. It was the same Mercedes, perfectly matching his aura. My coworkers nudged me, hinting that Adrian was there for me. But I stood frozen, my whole body stiff. At nineteen, I might have been young, but I wasn’t completely clueless. I could understand Adrian coming to the salon frequently for haircuts, but now he was waiting for me so blatantly. I could no longer ignore that strange feeling. Did he want to sleep with me? I was self-aware enough to know that besides my young, pretty face, I had little to offer him. Seeing that I wasn’t moving, Adrian stubbed out his cigarette and walked over, unceremoniously pushing me towards the car. “Come on, let’s go get dinner.” Under my colleagues’ burning gazes, I got into the Mercedes’ passenger seat. After driving for five minutes, I finally spoke up. “Do you… want to sleep with me?” As soon as I asked, my face felt like it was on fire. It was awkward to ask, but I had to. My parents were honest, hardworking people, and although I was a bit rebellious, I had never done anything too out of line. I hadn’t even liked anyone before. If I hadn’t met Adrian, my life would probably have been very ordinary. Maybe I’d go back home one day and marry some local guy, or maybe I’d stay in LA and keep working menial jobs. But I did meet Adrian, and even when I asked such a blunt question, he just glanced at me and nodded. Seeing my disbelieving look, he explained, “You’re cute and pretty. It’s not strange that I’d want something to happen between us, is it?” “But… no, let me out. I won’t do it,” I wanted to say so much. I felt it was insulting, but he was so straightforward that I found myself at a loss for words. “How about I become your sugar daddy? $15,000 a month,” Adrian said. This was even more shocking than a one-night stand. I couldn’t believe that I would be associated with the term “sugar baby.” But at that moment, I became surprisingly calm. Even now, five years later, I can’t remember exactly how I reacted. All I know is that by the time I came to my senses, I was sitting with Adrian in a restaurant, and I had agreed to his proposal. Maybe it was vanity, or maybe I had read too many romance novels. Under those conditions, it was hard not to be tempted. But after agreeing, I felt regretful. My parents hadn’t raised me to be someone’s mistress. But it was too late. For a long time afterward, I was torn between feeling that my actions were immoral and indulging in the lifestyle. I still remember that Adrian took me to eat hot pot that night. After dinner, he took me straight to his apartment. It wasn’t very big, just a two-bedroom, but I ended up living there for five years. He didn’t do anything that night, perhaps sensing my nervousness. He was even considerate enough to sleep in separate rooms. Later, when I asked him about it, he said, “You smelled like hot pot and had this ‘sacrificial lamb’ look on your face. You were even trembling when I held your hand. It completely killed the mood.” What he didn’t know was that even with his concession, I didn’t sleep a wink that night. The next day, after work, I moved my things into his apartment with his help. I stayed at the salon for another week before I couldn’t take it anymore. I couldn’t stand my colleagues’ looks and whispers. But I couldn’t deny it either – after all, I had indeed started an inappropriate relationship with Adrian, as they said. After quitting, I didn’t just sit around. Adrian gave me six months’ worth of money upfront, very generously. With $90,000 in my account, I didn’t know how to spend it, so I signed up for a bunch of classes – art, yoga, English, you name it. The reason I hadn’t continued my education before was due to my mediocre grades and rebellious attitude. Now, sitting down to study again, I found I had more patience. Adrian said, “Not bad, you know how to please your sugar daddy.” I pushed him away, annoyed. “I’m just bored. I’m rich now, you know. If I don’t spend it, it’ll just collect dust.” Adrian pressed me down on the couch, his breathing heavy. “Then how about pleasing your sugar daddy now?” I was still nervous, but I leaned in and kissed him on the lips, my attempts at seduction clumsy. Our first time wasn’t exactly great. I was too afraid of pain, so I started resisting and refusing as soon as he entered me. But with things already in motion, he couldn’t just stop, so we went through with it. Initially, he didn’t come every day. Sometimes it was every two weeks, sometimes every few days. We didn’t always have sex either. But when he discovered I couldn’t cook, he complained, “Damn, I’m paying all this money and getting nothing but sex in return. I’ve brought a freeloader into my home.” However, he didn’t force me to learn. When he came over, we’d order takeout or go out to eat. Occasionally, he’d cook. But since I was bored anyway, I decided to take some cooking classes too. The first time I cooked, I made four dishes. Three were disasters, and only the tomato and egg stir-fry was barely edible. It was my least favorite dish, but Adrian ate it happily, even mixing it with rice and finishing the small plate. He was being very polite. After eating, he grumbled, “You’re the real boss here,” and then went to make me a bowl of noodles. But my cooking skills improved quickly. My dishes went from looking okay to tasting okay, and eventually became delicious. I couldn’t compete with restaurant chefs, but I could handle home cooking just fine. When I first came to LA, I had a short, chin-length haircut that made me look cute and lively. By the time my hair reached my shoulders, Adrian and I had grown much closer. By the time I had long hair down to my waist, Adrian and I had become accustomed to each other. He would let me know if he wasn’t coming home at night, though he didn’t report his entire schedule. If he wasn’t coming back, he’d always say, “Lock the door and take care of yourself.” Aside from the monthly $15,000 deposit, I almost believed we were in a real relationship. Two years into our arrangement, Adrian’s family found me. It was his mother. When I got home one day, she was already sitting on the sofa, dressed in designer clothes and expensive jewelry. Adrian had shown me her photo before, so I recognized her immediately – a true socialite. I felt awkward and even scared, remembering scenes from novels where the rich mother throws money at the mistress and tells her to stay away from her son. I wondered if I should take the money and leave, or righteously declare, “I don’t want your dirty money. We’re in love!” But Adrian’s mother was different from what I had imagined. She just patted the sofa beside her, gesturing for me to sit down. She was even kind, you could say. “So you’re Mia? How long have you been with Adrian?” she asked. I felt exposed in front of her. “A little over two years,” I replied. She nodded, looking me over. “You are very pretty. No wonder Adrian comes here so often.” My face instantly turned red with embarrassment and guilt. “I’m sorry, ma’am.” She shook her head, smiling. “Don’t be nervous. I just wanted to meet you. I have no other intentions. After all, you’ve been with him for so long. I’m like half a parent to you.” It seemed she knew about our arrangement, referring to me being “with him” rather than us being “together.” This made me feel a bit relieved. “Adrian’s company is close by, so he often stays here,” I explained. His mother didn’t say anything more and left soon after, as if she really had just come to see me. It wasn’t until Adrian and I separated that I understood.

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I received fifty billion dollars for helping a stray dog. If I could spend all this money, my liver cancer would be cured without medication. I looked at the balance on my phone and wiped away my tears fiercely. At least I could spend lavishly before I die, that’s worth something! The day I was diagnosed with liver cancer was Christmas. Christmas carols played in the streets, creating a joyful atmosphere. I walked down the street in a daze, holding my test results. The words “late-stage liver cancer” stood out starkly on my medical record. The doctor’s words still echoed in my ears. “If there’s anything you want to do, do it soon.” “Treatment won’t do much for you now, you’ve only got a few months left.” I had sensed something was wrong with my body for a while, so the results didn’t surprise me. It was more of an “Ah, so that’s it” feeling. Maybe it was the long-term overwork. Maybe it was the frequent business dinners and drinking. Maybe it was the aftermath of malnutrition during my teenage years. My phone screen lit up. My boyfriend Lucas sent a message. [Babe, I have to work overtime today, so I can’t spend Christmas with you.] I looked at the embracing couple not far away. So this was his overtime? In the face of life and death, even being cheated on didn’t seem to matter much anymore. But he shouldn’t have brought his sword-selling to my doorstep! I walked up and pulled apart the two who were kissing passionately. I slapped Lucas hard across the face. “Overtime?” He was stunned by the slap. He turned to see my hand still raised and was about to explode in anger. I slapped him again on his right cheek. “Is this what you call overtime? Making out with a girl?” I had initially fallen for Lucas’s face – gentle, refined, and elegant. Although he looked like a weakling with a bunch of issues, I couldn’t help but like him. So I played the innocent rabbit for three years. Who knew he’d turn out to be such a jerk! I still felt unsatisfied, so I slapped him again. This time he was thoroughly agitated, panting heavily and clenching his fists as he rushed towards me. I kicked him in the chest. He staggered back two steps and shouted, “Aria Anderson, are you fucking crazy?” I laughed coldly, “Yeah, crazy sick. Dying, in fact.” I kicked him again, knocking him to the ground. Lucas gasped in pain, unable to form coherent words. I stepped on him, grinding my foot, then turned to look at the people around us. A crowd was gathering, some taking out their phones to record. “I’m dealing with a cheating scumbag. Does anyone want to beg for mercy for him, or take a beating in his place?” As soon as I finished speaking, the crowd dispersed quickly. Soon, only the pale-faced young girl was left. She looked young, probably just out of college. “How long have you been dating?” The girl answered softly, “Less than six months.” “Did you know he had a girlfriend?” The girl nodded, “I know now.” “Are you still planning to continue with him?” The girl shook her head frantically, “No, no, I’m breaking up with him! Right now!” I nodded in satisfaction, “Then why aren’t you leaving?” “I’m going, I’m going. I wish you both—” I impatiently cut her off, “Don’t bother with wishes, I don’t have a habit of recycling scumbags.” After she left, I grabbed Lucas by the collar and threw him against the railing. I was naturally strong and had learned martial arts for a few years, so dealing with Lucas was a piece of cake. “Now, let’s talk about us.” “We’ve been dating for three years. How much money have I spent on you?” Lucas, with his face swollen like a pig’s head, no longer looking refined or elegant. “Thirty thousand, no, no, fifty thousand.” “Are you sure?” “And, and the thirty thousand I borrowed from you, a total of eighty thousand.” “No interest?” Lucas quickly changed his tune, “A hundred thousand! A total of hundred thousand!” I stuffed the medical record into my coat pocket, “Pay it back then. Cash or bank transfer?” “Tr-transfer,” he stuttered. I coldly watched him, “Don’t forget to add a note.” Lucas’s body trembled, and he immediately added a note and shakily entered the password to transfer the money. My phone vibrated once, a hundred thousand credited, with the note “repayment”. As I was leaving, I kindly asked him. “Do you want me to call the police for you?” Lucas trembled like a sieve, completely cowed. “No need, I just fell by accident, I didn’t see you today!” I felt somewhat empty, “Alright then.” “I quite liked those hands of yours, it would be a shame if they got broken for not behaving.” “Okay, get lost now.” Lucas stumbled to his feet and ran away pathetically. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my body, making me almost unable to stand straight. Beads of sweat formed on my forehead as I crouched down, hugging my knees. It took a while for the pain to subside. I slowly walked back, receiving a call from my mom on the way. “Aria, you haven’t sent this month’s money yet.” My heart sank to the bottom. I suddenly realized how worthless my years of contributions to the family had been. I was dying. Yet my family only cared about why I hadn’t sent money this month. These were the family members I had been thinking of leaving my inheritance to! “What, isn’t five thousand dollars a month enough for you and dad to spend?” “It’s enough, but your brother just graduated, he needs to rent a place and pay car loans, he’s short on cash.” I coldly replied, “So he’s short on cash and comes to me for money, am I an ATM?” “Am I his father or mother? Since when does an older sister have to support her adult brother?” My mom’s voice suddenly rose. “Aria Anderson, how dare you talk like that, don’t you remember your brother saved you when you fell into the river as a child!” Saved me? Alex was two years younger than me but much stronger due to better nutrition. Just because I refused to let him ride on my back, he pushed me into the river from the bank. Sophia actually knew about this. But for her son’s benefit, she always used this to guilt-trip me, treating me like a fool. Out of familial affection, I never spoke up about it. But now, there was no need to hold back anymore. I interrupted her, “Do you think I don’t remember because I was too young?” “Why don’t you ask Uncle Wang who actually saved me?” Sophia fell silent. She was about to start yelling as usual, but I didn’t give her the chance. “I have bank records of all the money I’ve sent you every month, as well as the down payment and mortgage for the house.” “Not only have I paid back the cost of raising me, but I’ve also covered your living expenses until you’re both eighty.” “If you’re not thinking straight and still want to make a fuss, I’ll beat your precious son to death!” “See who cares then!” Sophia’s vicious curses immediately erupted. I promptly hung up the phone and blocked all contact information for their entire family. My heart was completely calm. The past grievances and resentment seemed trivial in the face of death. In the last few months of my life, I just wanted to be good to myself. As I passed through a small alley, a rustling sound came from behind. In the dim light, a burly man with a scruffy beard stood there, holding a knife. Despite his efforts to control it, his hand was shaking. A novice? Me: “Robbery?” The man: “Yes, ah, you’re not scared—” I interrupted him, “Is five thousand enough? Give me your phone number, I’ll transfer it to you.” I’d rather give this five thousand to this robber than let Sophia have it! The man was a bit dazed. I pried open his hand, took out his phone from his pocket, pulled up the QR code, and transferred him five thousand. The man still hadn’t come to his senses. I frowned, “Is five thousand not enough? Any more would be impolite.” “You, why are you so cooperative?” To be honest, the man looked a bit silly, hunching like a big bear. I took out my medical record and showed him, “See this? Late-stage liver cancer, I’m beyond saving.” The man’s face paled, and tears suddenly streamed down his face. He wiped his tears messily and transferred the money back to me. Then he emptied all his pockets, taking out a handful of cash and stuffing it into my hands. “I’m so sorry, sis. My grandpa has cancer too, I really had no choice.” “Listen to me, sis, get good treatment, there’s always hope!” With that, he left, wiping his tears. I clutched the crumpled bills in my hand, my eyes moistening. Even a stranger could be so kind, yet my own blood relatives were so cold. Near the garbage bins at the entrance of my apartment complex, I found a stray dog with dirty fur. I felt a pang of compassion. I took off my down jacket, wrapped the stray dog in it, and went to a nearby pet hospital. Fortunately, we arrived in time to save its life. On the way home with the dog, I felt someone following me. Another robber? I turned around. It was a middle-aged man with graying hair, looking tired and travel-worn. His eyes were fixed on the puppy in my arms, a mix of heartache, sadness, and a bit of relief. This person seemed strange. “Young lady, can you give me back my grandson?” I held the puppy tighter, “How can you prove it?” The middle-aged man made a strange gurgling sound in his throat, unlike any sound a human could make. The next second, the weak puppy perked up a bit. It opened its eyes and gently pawed towards the middle-aged man. The man took it and patted its head. “Young lady, let me give you some money for your trouble.” I waved my hand in refusal, “No need, I’m dying soon, money is useless to me.” Hearing this, the man’s eyes instantly changed color. His black eyes turned green, and he looked me up and down, making my hair stand on end. The middle-aged man: “Good deeds are rewarded. You saved my grandson, our entire clan will be grateful to you.” “If you spend all this money within three months, your illness will be cured.” Me: ? My phone vibrated once, and when I checked, a new bank card was linked to my account. I counted the zeros, 5 billion? When I looked up again, the middle-aged man and the puppy who were just in front of me had disappeared. Something heavy dropped into my pocket, I reached in and felt a bank card. Is this real? I tried clearing out my shopping cart, and the interface showed payment successful, waiting for merchant shipment. That middle-aged man wasn’t lying to me! I hailed a taxi and went straight to the city center. Even if the cancer doesn’t get better in the end, it’s worth it to spend lavishly before I die! In the Gucci store. My face was as pale as a ghost, and my clothes were smeared with dirt from holding the puppy. The sales assistant was a young girl with a fresh face, speaking timidly, probably a new employee. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been sent to serve me. She was nice though, seeing I wasn’t wearing a coat, she even poured me a cup of hot water to warm my hands. I pointed at two coats and asked her to ring them up. “Miss, don’t you want to try them on?” I shook my head, “Just bill them directly.” After the payment was completed, I took out my phone and checked, the balance on the new bank card had changed. At the same time, a small progress bar appeared on my phone’s desktop. It read 99.98%. I called over the sales assistant who had been looking down on me since I entered, her attitude disdainful. “Excuse me, can I…” She directly rolled her eyes, her tone contemptuous. “We don’t accept returns once items are sold—” I rudely interrupted her, “Can you move aside? You’re blocking my view.” Then I waved over the new employee, little Chen. “Come here, young lady.” “What can I do for you, miss?” “See those three rows of bags? The second one in the first row, the first one in the second row, and the fourth one in the third row.” Chen scurried over to get those bags, “Shall I wrap them up for you?” “No.” The onlooking sales assistant was about to say something. I continued, “Except for these three, wrap up all the others that can be packaged, and put them all on your bill.” Chen was stunned for a moment, then her face lit up with joy as she repeatedly agreed. Except for the items that needed to be specially ordered and a few I really didn’t like, I almost emptied the entire store. The manager smiled broadly as she saw me out, promising to deliver the goods to my home tomorrow. I put on my new coat, and unwrapped the sunglasses and handbag. Just as I was about to leave, I caught sight of that disdainful, arrogant sales assistant out of the corner of my eye.

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“Anna, I’ll be on a business trip for a month. Can you go to my place and feed my cat? Oh, and the mango juice in the fridge is about to expire.” At 2 AM, I was awakened by the vibration of my phone. I picked up my phone and saw it was a message from my best friend. In the next second, I was wide awake, breaking out in a cold sweat. First, she was a freelancer, there was no such thing as a business trip for her. Second, she didn’t have a cat. Third, she was allergic to mangoes. “Anna, I’ll be on a business trip for a month. Can you go to my place and feed my cat? Oh, and the mango juice in the fridge is about to expire.” At 2 AM, I was awakened by the vibration of my phone. I picked up the phone on my nightstand and saw it was a message from my best friend, Claire Thompson. I’m a light sleeper. No exaggeration, if a pin drops on the floor at night, I’d wake up immediately. Claire had always known this, so she never sent me messages in the middle of the night. In the next second, I suddenly realized something, and all my sleepiness vanished, replaced by a cold sweat. Claire and I had known each other for over a decade. She was my best friend, and no one knew her better than I did. First, she was a freelancer, there was no such thing as a business trip for her. Second, she didn’t have a cat. Third, she was allergic to mangoes. A while ago, Claire and I watched a movie about the safety of women living alone. There was a plot where two best friends agreed on a code word to alert each other if they were in danger. “Anna, if I ever send you a strange message like that, you must come to save me.” I was panicking, instinctively wanting to call Claire. But I quickly realized that she used these abnormal words to hint at me, rather than directly telling me what happened, which could only mean that the culprit was right beside her, watching her every move. At 2:30 AM, it seemed like there was a power outage outside, everything was pitch black. In the darkness, it felt like countless eyes were secretly watching me. My heart was pounding so hard that I could clearly hear it in my ears, as if it was about to burst out of my chest. I hurriedly took some pills from the drawer and swallowed them dry. It took a while before I calmed down. After calming down, I first called Ryan, then reported to the police. Ryan is my boyfriend. He’s smart and tall. Whether it’s dealing with the police or going to find Claire, I always feel more secure with him by my side. As soon as I saw Ryan, I threw myself into his arms and started crying uncontrollably. “Don’t be afraid, Anna. I’m here. No one will hurt you anymore.” Ryan patted my back, comforting me softly. Smelling the faint fragrance on him, the fear in my heart gradually dissipated. Thankfully, I still had Ryan. About five minutes later, the police arrived too. I sat on the sofa, listening to Ryan talk to them. “Anna Johnson?” The police’s surprised voice rang out. I finally raised my head and looked towards the door. Seeing the familiar face of the lead officer, I was also surprised. It was Lucas Chen. It’s quite a coincidence. Lucas and I were old acquaintances. We were middle school classmates, and if I had to say, he was even my first love. However, the scene when we broke up was truly devastating, unforgettable to this day. We were young and didn’t know any better back then. That kind of puppy love couldn’t be taken seriously. Even so, meeting Lucas in this situation made me feel somewhat awkward. Lucas was quite professional, though. He had no intention of catching up with me. He said in a businesslike manner, “We understand the situation. We’ll go to Claire’s house now.” “I’ll go with you,” I mustered up the courage to say. Lucas glanced at me disapprovingly, his eyes seeming to suggest that I would be a nuisance. Ryan also tried to persuade me, “I know you’re worried about Claire, but this kind of thing should be left to the police.” I bit my lip and stubbornly said, “Claire is my best friend. I won’t be able to rest easy until I see with my own eyes that she’s safe. Besides, I have the key to her house. I can help.” Seeing my insistence, Ryan and Lucas had no choice but to compromise. They both knew that when I set my mind on something, I would always persist. With no other option, Lucas had to take Ryan and me along. As a standard rich kid, Claire lived in a high-end townhouse with a very comprehensive security system. Lucas immediately sent his subordinates to retrieve the surveillance footage, while he followed Ryan and me straight to Claire’s townhouse. As soon as we reached the door, we smelled the scent of blood. I couldn’t help but shudder, a sense of foreboding welling up inside me. My breathing became rapid, and I reached into my bag for the keys. The more nervous you are, the harder it is to do anything right. The keys that I usually keep in the outer pocket of my backpack were nowhere to be found today. Seemingly noticing my fear, Ryan gently hugged me from behind and whispered, “Anna, don’t be afraid. I’m here.” I took several deep breaths, barely maintaining my composure, and finally found the keys. I handed them to Lucas. Lucas looked at me with displeasure, probably thinking I was too slow. He didn’t say anything, just turned to open the door. Claire’s house was dark, and the pungent smell of blood in the air made it hard for me to breathe. I stared at that tightly closed door, inexplicably panicking, as if the next second, a man-eating monster would rush out from that dark doorway. I tightly held onto Ryan’s arm, as if this could make me feel secure. The door opened, and Lucas went in first, fumbling to turn on the living room lights. I looked towards the center of the living room with trepidation. This scene, I will never forget for the rest of my life. Claire was dead. In her own living room, in an extremely brutal manner. She was nailed to a cross in a kneeling position, her face slashed, her body stabbed countless times, blood everywhere. I screamed in terror, almost falling to the ground. Thankfully, Ryan caught me in time and took out the pills he always carries with him, handing them to me. After taking the medicine, my emotions improved a lot, but I was still crying uncontrollably. “It’s all my fault. I came too late. If only I had come earlier.” Lucas stood not far away, glaring at me impatiently, “This killer is extremely cruel. If you had come earlier, there would just be one more corpse.” I felt embarrassed. Lucas’s mouth was as nasty as before. That’s good. The police quickly surrounded the place and put up police tape. The officer who went to retrieve the surveillance footage returned empty-handed: “The cameras around have been destroyed.” I sat numbly on the steps at the entrance, feeling lost. My best friend had died so brutally in her own home. Anyone would find it hard to accept. As I was lost in thought, a furry head suddenly appeared in front of my face, scaring me out of my wits. Thankfully, Ryan was always by my side and pulled me into his arms. “Dog Egg! Come back!” Lucas called out sternly. Only then did I realize it was a police dog. “I’m sorry, Anna is afraid of dogs. Please keep the dog under control,” I heard Ryan’s displeased voice. Lucas held the dog leash, looking at me thoughtfully. I guess he was probably wondering when I became afraid of dogs. After all, when we were dating back then, we even adopted a puppy together. But people change. I was the one who reported the case, so Lucas questioned me separately as per procedure. “What’s your relationship with the deceased, Claire Thompson?” “She was my best friend.” I thought to myself, Lucas should know the answer to this question without asking. After all, the three of us were middle school classmates, and Claire and I had been closest since then. Rather than saying she was my best friend, it would be more accurate to say she was my only friend. My dad was a gambling addict who never paid his debts, and my mom ran a massage parlor in town. Yes, that kind of disreputable one. Somehow this news spread, and the whole school knew about it. No one wanted to hang out with me, except for Claire. My entire youth only seemed less gloomy because of Claire’s companionship. To me, she was more important than the parents I had long since cut ties with. “What was her job? Did she have any enemies?” “She was a food vlogger. She rarely had conflicts with people. I really can’t think of anyone who would hate her so much to kill her so brutally.” As I spoke, I choked up again and lowered my head, covering my face. “Did she have any relationship issues?” I thought carefully for a while, then shook my head in confusion, “I don’t know. I didn’t really ask about her love life.” “Weren’t you best friends?” Lucas narrowed his eyes slightly. I felt a bit awkward, “Even best friends don’t tell each other everything, right?” Lucas made no comment and continued asking, “What about you? What do you do now?” I was taken aback for a moment, then answered truthfully, “I just quit my job recently. I’m unemployed now.” “Why did you quit?” “Officer Chen, do the questions you’re asking now have anything to do with Claire’s death? Or are you suspecting that I’m the killer?” I was very angry, but Lucas continued coldly, “Claire died in her home. There were no signs of forced entry on the doors or windows. The killer might be someone Claire was familiar with, someone she opened the door for, or someone who had a key to her house.” “You said you received a strange text from Claire when you reported the case, but we didn’t find Claire’s phone at the scene.” He had said this much, and of course I understood. He really was suspecting me. I laughed bitterly, “So you think that because I don’t have a stable job or income, I killed my best friend out of jealousy because she was living better than me?” “Answer my question.” His voice was devoid of any warmth. I gave in, “Fine. I quit my job because I have neurasthenia and can’t live and work normally.” I lowered my head, not wanting to see pity and sympathy in his eyes. To be honest, I felt quite disappointed that he didn’t trust me. But thinking about it, when we were together back then, he wasn’t that firmly convinced of me either. To him, I was at most a familiar stranger. Why should he believe what I say? Lucas stared at me intently, as if trying to see guilt and panic on my face. We looked at each other in silence for a long time. Suddenly, he took out an evidence bag and gently placed it on the table. “This phone, it’s yours, right?” It was an outdated old phone. The phone screen was lit up, showing a selfie of me. With Claire’s family background, she would never use this kind of off-brand phone. Her phone had always been the latest model of a certain fruit brand. I stared at that phone for a long time, then nodded, “Yes, it’s mine.” “Can you explain why your phone appeared at the crime scene?” Lucas asked. Only then did I notice that the back of the phone was stained with blood. I shook my head, “I don’t know either. To be honest, I lost this phone three years ago. The phone I’m using now was given to me by Claire.” I think my expression must have been quite ugly now.

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I overheard him telling his friend that he didn’t want to get married anymore. Coincidentally, I didn’t want to get married either. It was pouring rain outside as I left the hospital, feeling elated. The doctor had just told me I was pregnant. As if by telepathy, my phone rang. It was Tyler calling. I quickly answered, planning to share the good news, but before I could speak, he beat me to it. “Chloe, I’m drunk. Come pick me up,” he said, his voice languid. “Oh, okay. Where are you?” “I’ll send you my location.” He hung up after just a few words. I opened the umbrella and checked the location he shared. It was nearby. I was filled with joy, thinking I’d tell him the good news in person.

As soon as I entered the restaurant, I saw Tyler’s back. The person facing him spoke. “Tyler, it’s raining outside. You’re making your girlfriend come alone?” “She can’t make it today,” Tyler said definitively. I was curious why he thought I couldn’t come. His friend was also curious and asked the question I wanted to ask: “Why not?” “It’s her time of the month.” I suffer from severe menstrual cramps that can cause me to faint. Tyler knows this. Was he doing this on purpose? The smile froze on my face, all joy of sharing the news gone. I stood there stunned as their conversation continued. “If that’s the case, why did you ask her to come?” “You don’t understand. Ariana’s coming back tomorrow. She called and asked me to pick her up. I want to break up with Chloe.” “But aren’t you two about to get married?” Tyler was silent for a moment before responding firmly: “That’s why I don’t want to have any regrets.”

Ariana was Tyler’s dream girl. She had left him three years ago to pursue her career. That day, I left without meeting Tyler and took a cab home. He came back around midnight. Hearing the door open, I sat on the couch. As soon as Tyler entered, he immediately scolded me: “Didn’t I tell you to come pick me up? Why didn’t you come?” I sat motionless on the couch, wanting to see what else he would say. Tyler’s dark eyes swept over me, flashing with impatience. “If you didn’t want to come, you shouldn’t have agreed. Do you know how long I waited?” “I called you, but your phone was off,” I said. “My phone died,” Tyler replied without even checking his phone. I hadn’t actually called him, I was just guessing. I didn’t expect to guess correctly. I felt a wave of indifference, disappointed in him for the first time. The air suddenly became quiet. I moved my lips: “Is Ariana back?” He looked at me with some shock, unable to hide a flash of guilt across his face. He was probably surprised I would ask so directly. “Don’t be ridiculous, how would I know she’s back?” He was pretending so well. If I hadn’t overheard it myself, I might have believed him. “We’re supposed to take wedding photos tomorrow. You remember, right?” “I have something to do tomorrow. We can take wedding photos anytime, let’s do it in a few days.” For Tyler, he indeed had something very important tomorrow, more important than taking our wedding photos. No, I should say, he no longer wanted to marry me. That’s fine, I no longer wanted to marry him either. I stood up from the couch, looking composed. “Tyler, if you don’t go tomorrow, our wedding is off.” I looked at him firmly, brooking no argument. Tyler gazed at me intently. I guessed he was overjoyed inside but couldn’t show it. It must be very difficult to hold back, right? “Can you stop making a fuss? We’ve already met each other’s parents. If you want to cancel the wedding, you go tell them yourself,” he said, furrowing his brow as if reluctant. But I knew he wasn’t reluctant. Rather… He still had reservations. Otherwise, he would have brought this up directly. He remembered my period and knew I wouldn’t go out late at night during my period. He deliberately called to have me pick him up in the pouring rain, hoping I would feel he was unbearable and propose to break off the engagement myself, right? As he wished. I wanted to see if after breaking up with me, he could be with his beloved dream girl. “Tomorrow at 10 AM. I’ll wait for you,” I said calmly, turning to go to the bedroom.

I shut Tyler out of the bedroom. He wouldn’t be coming in tonight. I started packing my things. I didn’t have much actually, as most of it had already been moved to our new house. It was just one small suitcase. After packing, I opened the door and went out. Tyler had just come out of the bathroom, his body exuding moisture, wearing thin pajamas that showed off his tall figure. His eyes fell on the suitcase in my hand. “Where are you going? It’s still raining outside, you…” I seemed to detect a hint of concern in his words. This must be an illusion. How could someone who knew how severe my period was, yet still asked me to pick him up in the pouring rain, possibly love me? “Hmm, I called a car. I’m going to the new house tonight. Think carefully about what I said tonight. See you tomorrow.” I closed the door and left. The car had just about arrived. Our current place was only about 15 minutes from the new house. On the way, I recalled everything between Tyler and me from the beginning until now. We went to the same school, including Ariana. Tyler and I were in the same club. I often heard Ariana’s name from others’ mouths. She was the most graceful dancer, a perfect match for the school heartthrob Tyler. They were the golden couple at school. I carefully hid my feelings for Tyler in my heart, never overstepping. I always thought my secret crush would fade away quietly. But unexpectedly, when we were about to graduate, Ariana decided to go abroad. Tyler begged her to stay, but couldn’t change Ariana’s mind about leaving. They broke up. During that time, Tyler was devastated and became increasingly dejected, as if he had lost the whole world. He drank heavily every day, finally making himself so sick he was hospitalized with a stomach bleed. I liked him and couldn’t bear to see him like that, so I made porridge and went to visit him in the hospital. Tyler actually drank the porridge I brought him. He allowed me to visit him often and make porridge for him. We gradually became closer. When he was discharged, he held my hand and asked if I liked him. I admitted it frankly, since Tyler was single at that time. We naturally got together. We were together for three years. Tyler was a gentle and caring person who treated me well. He remembered my period and would make brown sugar water for me. He would hold me in his arms and gently rub my stomach. On my birthday, he would prepare surprises. When he proposed, there were fireworks in the sky. But in the end, I couldn’t compare to his dream girl. As beautiful as everything was before, looking back now it just seems laughable. Now I can’t even remember why I liked him in the first place. “Miss, why are you crying?” The car stopped and the driver called out to me. I came back to my senses, wiped the tears from my face, then took my luggage and got out of the car.

The next day, I was at the wedding dress shop, wearing the dress I had picked out before, quietly waiting. My palm rested on my lower abdomen, where a little life was unknowingly growing. Last night, I had planned to tell Tyler this good news. But he gave me such a big “surprise” instead. I waited until now, not for Tyler, but to give my child’s father a chance. If he came today… If he chose me over Ariana, then perhaps I could give him a chance. When the clock struck 10, that tiny bit of hope in my heart completely disappeared. A post appeared on social media, from Ariana. She looked even more beautiful and radiant than in school, her skin as white as a swan’s. Her caption read: “After all these years of twists and turns, you’re still by my side.” Soon, a group of people replied to her. “Congratulations, congratulations!” “The lovers are finally together.” “The ship I’ve been sailing for years has finally come true.” I didn’t have the courage to keep reading, but I still liked her post. The wedding shop staff finally came over, looking a bit troubled: “Miss, our photographer is ready. What should we…” I stood up, feeling a bit guilty: “I’m sorry, my fiance may have been in a car accident and is dying in the hospital, so we probably can’t take wedding photos today. But don’t worry, I’ll pay the full amount.” I said this calmly and went to change out of the wedding dress. The sales girl initially looked sympathetic when hearing about my fiance’s accident, but seeing how calm I was about changing, she muttered under her breath. I didn’t look like someone whose fiance was dying at all. But Tyler was already dead to me in my heart.

I went to the hospital. The child was mine alone, I didn’t need Tyler’s consent to arrange an abortion. I had once looked forward to this child’s arrival, but now I was clear-headed. I couldn’t take care of a child, nor could I give them a complete family. So I chose to remove it. Before the surgery, I called my best friend Julia. She arrived just as the surgery was finishing. Although I had the best and most advanced surgery, and the fetus was small, minimizing the harm to me, I still felt a pain in my heart. When I saw Julia, I couldn’t help but hug her and cry silently. She patted my back: “Chloe, I know everything! We don’t need that scumbag anymore. Come stay with me for now.” Julia said I needed to rest after the abortion, I must recuperate properly. I only had her as a friend in this city, so she wanted me to move in with her. I agreed. First, Julia and I were very close, we always helped each other and were inseparable. Second, I didn’t plan to tell my parents about this yet, afraid they would worry. I wanted to wait until I was better before telling them about this properly. At Julia’s place, she volunteered to buy me a bunch of supplements. After resting for a full week, I finally received a call from Tyler again. On the phone, his voice was still full of impatience: “Chloe, where did you go?” “Do you need something?” “Didn’t you say you moved to the new house? Why aren’t you back so late?” I looked at the time. Oh, it was already 11 PM. I’m a very disciplined person. I never go to bars or clubs. It’s already a miracle for me to not be home by 10 PM. “I’m planning to sell the new house. Tomorrow there will be an agent bringing people to view it. Don’t move in.”

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My husband was rushed to the emergency room in an ambulance in the middle of the night due to a penile fracture. When I asked him about it, he said he was imitating a male lead from a Korean drama out of curiosity, practicing some stretches, and accidentally got injured. I sneered. He had always only watched the news broadcast. Since when did he start watching Korean dramas? In late August, my husband Harry, who was on a business trip, was rushed to the emergency room by ambulance due to intense physical activity – a muscle strain in his inner thigh. I wasn’t home that night as I was visiting my parents, and our baby was at a mother-and-child care center. When I turned off the “Do Not Disturb” mode on my phone early the next morning, I saw over thirty missed calls from Harry and Dr. Kim. Dr. Kim, an old classmate of mine who happened to be on duty that night, told me: “Lily, what’s going on with your husband? At his age, he shouldn’t be having herniated discs, let alone exerting himself so much. In his condition…” I understood her unspoken implication. Anger immediately flared up inside me. I called Harry and demanded to know if he had been fooling around with other women. “Lily, what are you talking about? I’m in such a terrible state, and instead of showing concern for your husband, you’re accusing me…” He sounded quite upset, but it wasn’t enough to dispel my suspicions. “I was trying to get in shape for you. I suddenly remembered an exercise scene from that Korean drama and got carried away.” He even sounded a bit wronged. I could only wonder what kind of irresistibly charming woman could make a middle-aged man push himself to the point of muscle strain. Harry and I weren’t high school sweethearts who went from uniforms to wedding gowns. There wasn’t much excitement before or after our marriage; we fell into the pattern of an old married couple right after tying the knot. Back then, I was focused solely on my studies and missed out on many romantic opportunities. It wasn’t until I was older that I agreed to an arranged marriage under my parents’ urging, thinking the conditions were suitable. However, after giving birth, my entire mindset changed. Perhaps due to a lack of confidence in my postpartum body, I became increasingly concerned about his activities outside the home. To maintain my figure, I didn’t breastfeed. Not wanting the baby to drink formula, I hired a full-time wet nurse and nanny. “It hurts… Nurse, when is my wife coming?” A man’s groans could be heard from the hospital room as I pushed open the door. Harry was lying on the hospital bed, his face pale and his lips colorless. There was no air conditioning in the temporary ward, and a thin layer of cold sweat had formed on his forehead. He looked quite pitiful. However, thinking about the possibility that he had spent a passionate night with another woman, any sympathy I might have felt vanished. “Honey, I didn’t bring any money. Can you pay the hospital fees for me?” Harry asked pitifully. I glanced at him coldly without responding, lowered the curtain, and went to find the attending physician. Seeing me arrive, Dr. Kim mysteriously pulled me aside and told me that the muscle strain was just a cover story to avoid embarrassing my husband. I raised an eyebrow. “Is there something more serious?” “Acute penile fracture. It means… that part is broken. If he doesn’t take proper care and continues to be so sexually active, it might affect your plans for a second child,” she said with a troubled expression. A second child? I smiled mirthlessly. “Who’s having a second child with him? Let him have kids with a dog for all I care.” After hearing my response, Dr. Kim finally realized that Harry must have been fooling around, either with a prostitute or having an affair. A man who doesn’t respect himself is like rotten vegetables. Just then, Dr. Kim suddenly slapped her thigh in surprise: “Now that you mention it, I remember! That night, the ambulance actually brought in two people.” She secretly told me that the woman was likely brought in with Harry. Her symptom was a ruptured corpus luteum, also due to excessive physical activity. I clenched my fists, almost laughing through gritted teeth at the same time— His penile fracture, her ruptured corpus luteum. What a perfect match they made. “Where is she?” Dr. Kim nodded towards the next room. “She’s in that room. They came in together yesterday. Just by her appearance, you could tell she’s no good.” I slowly walked towards that hospital room, lifting the curtain with a nervous heart, only to suddenly discover— The bed behind the curtain was already empty. Just as I was puzzled, my phone rang. It was Rachel, the nanny, calling, accompanied by the sound of a baby crying. “Lily, I’ve picked up Joy from the care center, but she’s throwing up her milk again. What should I do?” I was in a foul mood and snapped at her impatiently: “Can’t you handle even this small task? Didn’t I tell you to learn the patting technique from that tutorial? What’s the point of paying you if you won’t learn anything?” She timidly replied, “I understand, Lily. I’ll pat the baby’s back some more.” Rachel wasn’t a professional childcare worker. Given our family’s financial situation, we shouldn’t have needed to hire such an inexperienced and uncertified nanny. The day we went to the agency, it was Harry who saw her standing there shyly all day, just hoping for a cleaning job. He felt sorry for her struggling alone in the big city and suggested we hire her. Rachel wasn’t particularly thin. Her slightly childish round face was quite pleasing to look at – the type that would be stunning with makeup but looked innocent and pure without it. She said she was nineteen, from a rural background, with a vocational school diploma in nursing. “Do you have any special skills?” I frowned, clearly reluctant. “I… I’m currently lactating. For one salary, I can do two jobs – wet nurse and nanny. I have a health certificate,” she said shyly, brushing aside the hair falling over her chest. Only then did I notice her slightly bulging top, which even had some damp patches. I couldn’t help but be surprised. She had a child at such a young age? Rachel explained in a low voice that she was young and naive when she got a job at an electronics factory and started dating a guy there. He got her pregnant and then ran off. After she gave birth, the man’s family took the baby away. Her own family refused to take her back, so she came to the city alone to find work. I felt a twinge of sympathy. It worked out well for me since I didn’t want to breastfeed. Getting a young, healthy wet nurse and nanny for the price of one seemed like a good deal. So I nodded and hired her, preparing a small bedroom for her to live in. Harry needed to stay in the hospital for another week. When I got home, Rachel, noticing I hadn’t eaten dinner, quickly went to make me some lotus root powder drink. “Where have you been? You look exhausted,” I couldn’t help but ask, noticing her usually neat hair was a bit messy. “Lily, where could I go? I’ve been at home taking care of the baby,” she replied with a surprised expression, her pale lips slightly chapped. “Drink more water. You spend a lot of time caring for the child, but don’t let your own health suffer,” I said, taking the lotus root powder drink she handed me. As I did, I inadvertently noticed some hickeys on her neck and questioned her: “I thought you weren’t dating anyone? What’s this about?” “It’s just a mosquito bite. I’ll go put some ointment on it,” she quickly covered her neck, her voice as soft as a mosquito’s hum. Since our first meeting, Rachel had always been timid and cautious, rarely speaking much and following rules strictly. She never ate the fruit left on the table by the owners and didn’t join us at the dining table, instead taking her portion to eat in her small room. For a moment, I suspected that Harry’s affair might be with her. The enemy within is hard to guard against, after all. But she was standing right in front of me. How could that be? Harry was in a hotel in the neighboring city when this happened, and that woman was diagnosed with a ruptured corpus luteum at the hospital today, which should be quite painful. But if she hurried from the hospital to home, it might be possible to make it without a gap in time. Was that why she seemed nervous and rushed to bring the baby home to feed, causing the baby to throw up from overfeeding? After giving birth, I became quite emotionally volatile, to the point where Harry often said I was paranoid. Thinking about all this, after enduring for a few days until Harry was discharged, I stubbornly confronted him. “Tell me the truth, were you really having an affair that day? Who were you with that night?” He looked bewildered and insisted that he really was imitating the male lead’s stretching and weightlifting exercises from a Korean drama. “Don’t you usually only watch sports and the news? You even said the Korean dramas I watch are soap operas and a waste of time.” Harry sighed, rubbed my head affectionately, and said: “Since you’re asking, I’ll be honest. I was trying to understand your interests. Ever since you finished your postpartum confinement, you’ve seemed distracted. I thought if I watched some of the shows you like, we might have more to talk about.” He showed me his video viewing history. “Isn’t Lee Min-ho your favorite? That’s whose drama I was watching.” I twitched the corner of my mouth, momentarily at a loss for words to refute him. Because everything sounded so normal and reasonable. “Then… the woman who was admitted to the hospital with you that day…” Harry interrupted me, “She was just picked up by the ambulance on the way. She had abdominal pain from sitting on the toilet too long and found out it was a ruptured corpus luteum. I don’t know her.” I stared at him blankly. Later, I asked Dr. Kim who that woman was, but she told me they weren’t in the same department and she didn’t have access to the patient’s information. The day Harry was discharged, Rachel prepared a big meal for us. After cooking, she obediently retreated to her room. I was about to start eating when Harry stopped her and actually invited her to sit down and join us. My face immediately turned cold, and I dropped my chopsticks onto my bowl with a clatter. She looked a bit awkward, glancing at me. “It’s okay, Harry. I’ll just eat the leftovers from lunch. There’s still plenty.” “When have I ever made you eat leftovers? Since Harry invited you, sit down and eat with us,” I said coldly. I barely ate a bite during that dinner. Before bed, Rachel brought us hot milk. Suddenly, on a whim, I wondered if she might treat us differently. I took Harry’s cup, intending to drink from it. But I unexpectedly smelled a strange milky odor, unlike regular milk. She clearly panicked a bit. “Lily, don’t you have germaphobia? That’s Harry’s cup…” “I know. We’re married, what’s wrong with me taking a sip from his cup?” I immediately retorted. She lowered her head and didn’t dare say anything more. I took a sip and only tasted a faint fishy flavor. It wasn’t sweet either. I said in surprise that the milk must have gone bad. Harry didn’t seem to notice anything unusual. “You’re making a fuss over nothing. It tastes normal to me. I’ve been drinking it for a long time.” Then, to my astonishment, he grabbed the cup of milk and drank it all in one go. I drank my cup half-believing, half-doubting, and it tasted like normal milk. “I’m sorry, Lily. Maybe that cup was from the carton that’s been open for a while. Your cup is from a newly opened carton,” Rachel explained in a soft voice. Back in the bedroom, our three-month-old daughter was sleeping soundly in her crib. Harry went to sleep later than me. As I was drifting off to sleep, I suddenly heard the heavy sound of a door being pushed open. Startled awake, I saw the intruder and angrily shouted, “What are you doing coming in here in the middle of the night? Don’t you know how to knock first?” She looked a bit surprised, a hint of grievance flashing across her features: “Lily, it’s time to feed the baby.” The baby in the crib started crying loudly, frightened by my outburst. Right, this was the routine nightly feeding, wasn’t it? I felt a bit disoriented and patted my head. To my surprise, the next moment, Rachel crouched down and directly lifted her shirt, preparing to breastfeed the child. Harry consciously turned away to scroll through his phone, not glancing in this direction at all. “There, there, baby. Don’t suck too hard,” she said softly, her voice as delicate as it could be. Coming to my senses, I urged her to go feed in the living room, not in the bedroom. She responded with a soft “Mm,” but because of her squatting position while holding the baby, she struggled to stand up. She tried for a while without success, beads of sweat forming on her forehead from the effort. Drawing on years of married life experience, I glanced over and sensitively noticed something off about my husband. “Honey, what’s wrong?” He casually let his phone drop to his lap as he stood up, his expression evasive as he coughed lightly and said: “I’m going out to watch some soccer. Messi should be playing soon.”

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The Day My Daughter Celebrated Her Birthday I received photos of my husband Ryan cheating on me. Ryan couldn’t come home due to a company dinner. After putting our daughter Mia to bed, I kept scrolling through the photos on my phone. [Buzz—] A text message vibrated. Unknown number: [Interested in talking?] I typed a reply with trembling fingers. [Who are you?] Unknown number: [We can meet and talk about your husband’s affair.] Then, they sent me an address for a coffee shop. I looked at the address information and tried to calm myself down. When Ryan came home reeking of alcohol, I pretended nothing was wrong as I helped him take off his coat and brought his slippers. He hugged me from behind as usual, smiling and asking if I had missed him. If it were before, I might have flirted back a bit. But now I had no interest in entertaining him. Because I needed to know if my husband was really cheating on me. While washing up, I checked his clothes in the laundry basket, not missing a single item from his shirt to his socks. When I saw the lipstick mark on his pants zipper, I felt sick to my stomach like I had swallowed a dead fly. I took out my phone and replied to the message. [I’ll be there at 3 pm tomorrow.] Within three minutes, they replied “OK.” That night I lay awake clutching my phone, with only one thought in my mind. Divorce! But I wouldn’t let Ryan get away with any benefits! I wanted him to leave with nothing, and I wanted this sponging cheater to be utterly disgraced! To be honest, I never thought Ryan would cheat. Because when Ryan proposed to me, he had nothing. It was only by marrying me that he gained a foothold in the expensive city of New York. His friends all thought he had scored big by marrying me. Even his mother, my difficult mother-in-law, thought so. At 3 pm the next day, I arrived at the coffee shop as agreed. At a table by the window, I met the stranger who had texted me. It was a woman, not particularly beautiful, but with a good figure and mature charm. She said her name was Lily and told me to call her Lily. As soon as I sat down, Lily pushed an envelope towards me. Lily said: [Take a look at these first. You’ll need them if you file for divorce.] Although her words seemed helpful, the certainty in her tone about me getting divorced was unsettling. I didn’t open it, but asked her: [Why are you helping me?] [No reason, I just don’t want him to get away with it.] She glanced at me and continued: [Also, you were the other woman back then, interfering in our relationship.] Lily stirred her coffee casually as she answered, but I nearly spilled my coffee on her. The other woman? You must be joking! I had never interfered in someone else’s marriage. Ryan and I were legally married. How could I possibly be the other woman?! [Don’t misunderstand, you were unknowingly the other woman.] Lily explained with a smile, [Ryan and I were college sweethearts. He made up an excuse to break up right after graduation. I only found out later it was because he had hooked up with you.] My nails dug into my palm as I gripped the coffee spoon, my mind filled with images of Ryan’s sweet words to me back then. I wanted to rush to his office and strangle him. Using the word “hooked up” was indeed accurate, because besides the car and house, even Ryan’s position at the company was arranged through my family connections. But arguing about this now wouldn’t do me any good. It might even play right into that scumbag’s hands. [So why are you contacting me only now?] I took a deep breath and questioned her, [Is it because he’s in touch with you again, or because you’re not willing to let him go and want to win him back?] Lily lit a cigarette, smiling and giving me a meaningful look. She said: [You can guess more boldly. For example, maybe he’s been secretly involved with multiple women behind our backs. Or maybe this time I’m just one of the women interfering in your marriage.] I let out a cold laugh. It was pretty much as I had guessed, otherwise Lily wouldn’t have suddenly sought me out. But what I felt more was sorrow. The marriage I had maintained for five years turned out to be just a joke.

Lily told me that Ryan wasn’t just cheating with her, but that the private investigator’s photos showed at least three women. She hoped I could work with her to deal with Ryan and not give a scumbag like him any chances. That afternoon we added each other on SnapChat, agreeing to join forces. As I was leaving the coffee shop, Ryan happened to call. He first asked what I was doing, then sweet-talked me for a while. But he probably didn’t know I was standing right next to his mistress. Fighting the nausea rising in my stomach, I only told him I was having coffee with a friend. [Alright then, you go ahead. Mom bought a ticket and will arrive tonight. She wants to see Mia.] Ryan said: [She can be a bit temperamental at her age, so try to be patient with her.] I rolled my eyes without responding. Because his mother was no saint either. She claimed to be coming to see Mia, but in reality she came asking for money every time. I was already being polite by not chasing her out with a broom. And he wanted me to be patient? How thick-skinned could he be? Before leaving, Lily said she would give me the private investigator’s contact. I neither refused nor agreed. I didn’t refuse because this private investigator who could take photos must have some skills. I didn’t agree because the situation now felt like a game of Werewolf, and I might be the next one to be eliminated. At 6:30 pm, I picked up my daughter from school. My mother-in-law was already squatting by the door with her bags, her face darker than a pot bottom when she saw me return. [Always running around outside, what’s wrong with staying at home properly?] My mother-in-law glared at me angrily, [A little girl that big doesn’t know the way? You still need to pick her up? If you’re so free, hurry up and give me a grandson!] I kept a cold face and didn’t respond, just taking Mia into the room. This made my mother-in-law even angrier. She started yelling through the door: [What kind of attitude is this? I’m your mother! Who are you giving attitude to?!] If I hadn’t confronted Ryan yet, I definitely would have gone out and torn her mouth off. But my mother-in-law was quick to tattle. Just as I opened WeChat, a message from Ryan came through. Ryan: [Honey, don’t be upset with my mom. She’s your mother-in-law after all. Apologize to her later.] I almost sent back “Fuck off!” Damn it! One eating from multiple women outside, one freeloading off me – did they think I was the Buddha blessing all beings? But Ryan didn’t notice my change, still sending sweet messages as usual. Unfortunately, in my eyes now, those words were just nauseating. If I hadn’t seen the photos, I probably would have believed his bullshit and thought he was a good father and an even better husband. I held back my anger and typed: [Are you coming home for dinner tonight?] Ryan: [Not coming back. I have a work dinner tonight.] Work dinner? Those two words disgusted me the most now. Who knows who he was really “dining” with? Though I knew he was lying, I still replied out of habit. [Be careful and come home early.] After I put Mia to bed and helped her with homework, I opened the door only to find my mother-in-law eavesdropping right outside. She stumbled and almost fell, but still started cursing. [What are you doing closing the door! We’re all family, what is there that I can’t hear? Were you talking bad about me behind closed doors? Have you ever seen a daughter-in-law like you, not even knowing to bring slippers for her mother-in-law when she visits?] I frowned and looked down. Sure enough, my mother-in-law was wearing the new slippers I had just bought for Mia, stretching them out of shape. [Mom, there are slippers prepared for you in the shoe cabinet…] I had told her this at least four or five times, but it was always the same result. But this time I didn’t back down, and continued coldly: [These slippers are Mia’s. What will she wear if you take them?] [So what if they’re Mia’s? I’m her grandmother! Everything in this house belongs to my son, why can’t I use or wear it?] My mother-in-law rolled her eyes and scolded shrilly: [You know there are slippers in the shoe cabinet, why didn’t you take them out for me to change into? What, you think I’m dirty?] My mother-in-law was a typical rural woman, but I had never looked down on her for that. But ever since finding out about Ryan’s affair, I felt disgusted with their whole family. Thinking that Mia still hadn’t had dinner, I couldn’t be bothered to argue further with her. After washing my hands, I started preparing to cook. Just as I opened the refrigerator door, my mother-in-law started yelling again. [Oh my god! You really are a wasteful woman! You don’t treat the money my son earns as money at all! Buying so much fruit, can you eat it all by yourself? What a waste!] I clenched my fists and said, [I bought this fruit with my own money. It has nothing to do with Ryan.] But my mother-in-law kept nagging and following me, [What? Your money isn’t my son’s money? There’s only three of us for dinner tonight, why are you taking out pork ribs? Put them back! Just stir fry a couple small vegetable dishes and that’s enough!] [You’re really pampered, eating pork ribs so late at night? My son works so hard every day but can’t even eat this well. You sure know how to enjoy yourself.] She kept muttering while trying to grab the pork ribs from my hand. I slammed the ribs hard on the counter. [What kind of attitude is this? I can’t even say anything to you now?] I said nothing and took out the cleaver.

I started chopping the ribs, putting all my strength into each cut! [Can’t you hear me talking to you!] My mother-in-law shouted, [I’m calling my son right now. What use is a daughter-in-law like you? Only knows how to spend money, not how to save for my son. It’s been years and you still can’t give birth to a son. It’s still me, his own mother, who cares for him most!] If murder wasn’t illegal, I really wanted to give this old lady a chop. But reason prevailed over anger. I held back my temper and smiled sweetly at her: [Mom, I was wrong just now. I won’t cook these ribs. Why don’t you go rest in the room first?] My mother-in-law snorted disdainfully, but looked quite pleased with herself. She thought she had me under control, and went to rest in the guest room with a victorious air. I quickly blanched the ribs in boiling water to remove the blood, ignoring the constant buzzing of my phone on the counter. I said I wouldn’t stir fry them, but I never said I wouldn’t stew them. Rather than let Ryan and his mother continue to walk all over me, I might as well become a saint right here and now. At dinner time, my mother-in-law almost flipped the table in anger. I ignored her and first ladled a bowl of rib soup for Mia, before leisurely opening my WeChat. 99 unread messages. All from Ryan. Probably trying to coax me into apologizing to his mother again. I pretended not to see and smiled as I called out to my mother-in-law: [Mom, why aren’t you eating? This rib soup smells so good.] My mother-in-law glared, [Eat? I’ll eat your mother’s X! Cooking such a good meal when there’s no man at home, who has such a greedy mouth like you? Aren’t you ashamed!] She finished cursing and reached out to take away the soup pot. I immediately smacked her hand with my chopsticks! I used to put up with her because I didn’t want to fight too early, but now that she’s bullying my daughter and me in front of Mia, how could I still tolerate her? My mother-in-law’s voice nearly broke from yelling, [You dare hit your mother, have you lost your mind!] I ladled myself a bowl of rib soup right in front of her, deliberately scooping up the biggest pieces. My mother-in-law’s face turned red with anger. I smiled and said: [Mom, if you’re full and have nothing to do, why don’t you go for a walk downstairs? Mia and I still need to eat. I bought these ribs with my own money, so how I eat them is my business. Don’t worry about it.] But of course she wouldn’t give up. In her eyes, no one deserved to eat well except her son Ryan. In this family, I was just a freeloader spending Ryan’s money, including Mia. My mother-in-law was used to throwing her weight around before, and couldn’t swallow this. She reached for the soup pot again. This time I didn’t stop her, because the pot base was still heating. She yelped in pain when she touched it. Seeing that bullying didn’t work, my mother-in-law resorted to playing the victim. She slapped her thigh and sat on the floor wailing, [There’s no justice! What kind of daughter-in-law is this, even daring to hit her own mother-in-law!] I couldn’t be bothered to pay her any attention. But Mia was scared and ran to her room to do homework without finishing her meal. I listened to her howling dramatically as I slowly cleaned up the dishes and went to my room. I knew exactly what my mother-in-law was like. She would definitely go complain to Ryan next. As soon as I opened WeChat, Ryan’s video call popped up. I hung up immediately. But Lily suddenly sent me a message, along with several photos. The photos showed Ryan drinking with his buddies. Sitting next to him was an unfamiliar but pretty young girl. Lily: [Didn’t he tell you he had a work dinner and couldn’t come home tonight?] I replied with a “Mm.” Lily typed quickly. Lily: [Haha, he told me he was at home. Said you and his mom were fighting and he was complaining that you don’t know how to behave.] I didn’t respond to that, just asked where she got the photos. Lily said the private investigator took them. Right now he was following them at the SOHO bar. [What about this young girl?] Lily: [New intern at his company. Poor family background, but pretty and sweet-talking. See how she’s the only woman at the table?]

With Lily’s explanation, I finally noticed the oddity in these photos. I have to say, Ryan is quite photogenic. Otherwise I wouldn’t have fallen for him and been willing to support him financially. Lily sent several more messages in quick succession. I didn’t reply, switching to Ryan’s message window instead. Looking at the messages he sent, I didn’t even have the urge to sigh. This mama’s boy who likes to eat from multiple bowls, how could he be any good? I thought for a moment, then typed and sent: [Honey, are you tired from the work dinner tonight?] He was probably looking at his phone, or maybe replying to someone else. Ryan: [It’s alright. This boss kept making me drink for him. I’ll probably be too drunk to come home tonight, might have to crash at a colleague’s place.] Oh, he’s already got an excuse ready for not coming home tonight. I held back my anger and sweet-talked him for a bit like usual before getting to the point. [Drinking so much, I bet there are female colleagues there you want to impress?] Ryan: [Haha, what are you saying? It’s just a bunch of guys, how could there be women?] Seemingly afraid I would get suspicious, he immediately sent a photo. One look at the photo and I knew I had him. The background and number of people were the same as in Lily’s photos, but his side of the table wasn’t shown. [Then drink less and take care of your stomach.] Ryan sent another message, basically just saying how tired his mom was and telling me to apologize, etc. I didn’t even look before closing his chat window. I was afraid if I kept chatting I would throw up. Simply put, this mama’s boy was just trying to mediate, stopping just short of listing all his mother’s great deeds in raising him over the years. I scrolled through my social media feed in frustration for a bit, then sent Lily a message. [Are you free tomorrow? I’d like to meet you.] [Yes.] She replied quickly. [Same place.] I sent the message and didn’t look again. It’s not that I wanted to ally with someone like Lily, because a woman who could be a mistress wouldn’t be a good person either. Not everyone has morals. Or principles. Ryan didn’t come home until nearly dawn. I heard his mom complaining about me to him. She might as well have used a megaphone to declare war on me. [Honey.] The covers were lifted and hands started roaming my body. [Did you miss me?] I almost couldn’t hold back from cursing. I never realized before how selfish Ryan was, but ever since his affair came to light, I became more and more aware of his flaws. Like disturbing my rest right now. I pushed him away. [Stop it.] But Ryan quickly pressed close again, grinning as he tried to take off my clothes. At that moment, three words popped into my head. Marital obligation. But obviously I didn’t want to disgust myself, much less give him a chance. I turned over stiffly. [Your mom is eavesdropping outside.] Sure enough, he stopped moving. I continued asking: [When is your mom planning to leave this time?] Ryan didn’t say anything. But his shocked expression clearly conveyed his thoughts. Yeah, I used to treat the old lady like royalty, how come I’m fighting and trying to get rid of her now? Before he could answer, the door was banged loudly! [This is my son’s home, I’ll stay as long as I want!] My mother-in-law raised her voice, [You hurry up and give me a grandson. My son can’t end up without an heir!] I couldn’t help but laugh. [Did you hear that? Your mom wants you to give her a grandson. The throne in your family needs an heir after all.] This was the first time I had ever mocked Ryan, but it definitely wouldn’t be the last. [Honey, my mom didn’t mean…] [Go to sleep.] I cut him off. The next morning, I used the excuse of taking Mia to tutoring to go out. My mother-in-law followed behind, making cold remarks. She just couldn’t stand me spending so much money on my daughter. In the car, I contacted Lily and asked about the private investigator she had introduced to me, inquiring if he could get evidence of my husband’s affair. My requirements weren’t high: First, I wanted to know how many women Ryan had cheated with, for how long, and I needed photos and recordings if possible. Second, whether Ryan had any financial dealings with these women, or if he had given them any expensive gifts. As long as I had this evidence in hand, I would essentially have the leverage to make Ryan leave with nothing in the divorce. The private investigator Lily introduced charged quite a lot, but I could afford it. However, I’m not an idiot. I didn’t trust Lily, nor did I trust him. It was the same coffee shop as last time, but this time I met a young man in a trench coat. To be honest. The moment I saw this private investigator, a woman’s sixth sense told me something was off. He reeked of perfume, and his mannerisms were nothing like a real private investigator’s. He first enthusiastically ordered me a coffee, and when he handed it over, he seemed to deliberately brush my fingers. Years of housework and taking care of my daughter had taken their toll, and despite spending money on skincare, my hands were no longer like a young girl’s. In contrast, this “investigator’s” hands were truly white and delicate. Either he was very young, or he had never done a day of manual labor in his life.

[Mrs. Gao, you really don’t look like you’ve had a child. So young and beautiful.] He complimented me, but I didn’t respond. He then started discussing my husband Ryan’s affair with me. I listened for a while before interrupting him, [How do you know Lily?] He was taken aback for a moment, but quickly composed himself with a smile, [Miss Lily? She was referred by another client.] With just that one sentence, I smiled and put down my coffee, understanding most of the situation. Every time the “private investigator” said something to me, his phone buzzed with a notification. In the less than three minutes we had been talking, his phone had gone off seven or eight times. I glanced over and saw that all the chat avatars were colorful and feminine. In other words, they were all women’s profile pictures. [Business is good? All female clients? I guess they’re all hiring you to catch cheating spouses?] I asked with a smile. He put away his phone and nodded hurriedly, [Yes. Mrs. Gao, I suggest you prepare for divorce in advance. I’ve seen many cases like your husband’s. With a new flame by his side, how could he remember what his old lover looks like?] I nodded, [I understand. How long will it take you to get the photos and recordings to me?] He didn’t expect me to end the conversation so quickly and stammered, [T-two… two weeks.] [Alright, we’ll be in touch in two weeks then.] I picked up my bag and stood up. [Mrs. Gao, don’t you want to chat more?] [Chat?] I looked at him, [Chat about what? Haven’t we already discussed everything?] My attitude was probably too cold. He stood there for a moment, not saying anything more. I stared at his fairly handsome face, tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, and smiled. Interesting, very interesting. The person Lily introduced to me was almost certainly not a real private investigator.

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Maggie was our housekeeper. She was quiet and seemed honest and simple. 22 years older than my husband. I thought everything was fine. But these past few days, I noticed something fishy – money was disappearing from our home… 0″Maggie, why are you washing my husband’s underwear again?” Maggie was the housekeeper we hired. She was 48 years old this year and rarely spoke except when working. She seemed honest and hardworking. The clothes she wore were all hand-me-downs from her daughter-in-law. Every month, she would send her salary back home to support her 2-year-old grandson. Even if she washed my husband’s underwear, I wouldn’t suspect anything between her and Jack. I couldn’t even imagine it, given that she was old enough to be his mother. At most, I would just remind her not to do it next time. Maggie hesitated for a moment, putting down what she was doing. She stammered, “I was tidying up the bedroom this morning and saw some dirty underwear on the bed, so I just grabbed it to wash. I’ll be more careful next time.” Maggie apologized sincerely. I didn’t want to make things difficult for her. She had a tough life – her husband was paralyzed, her two sons were good-for-nothing, and her only daughter had gone missing. She had to support the whole family on her own. It was a hard life indeed. “Mm,” I nodded. Since I got pregnant, Jack had been hand washing our underwear. I didn’t like other people touching our intimate clothing. I was 6 months pregnant. In a few months, I would become a mother. I said casually, “Maggie, I’m hungry. Let’s have dinner.” Maggie asked, “Aren’t we waiting for Jack to come home?” Jack was my husband. He usually got home at 7 pm. It was only 4 pm now. We normally had dinner at 6. I felt I treated Maggie well. I only asked her to cook three meals a day, not eight like some employers. When I got hungry at night, I always asked Jack to cook for me. I didn’t want to bother Maggie, considering her age. I didn’t expect her to ask this question. Did it mean I couldn’t eat if my husband wasn’t home? I replied irritably, “No need to wait. Cook now, I’m hungry.” I really couldn’t understand what was going on in Maggie’s head. I was pregnant. We hired her to take care of me, not my husband. If I wanted to eat, she should just cook. Why ask about other things? I could take care of my own husband’s meals, couldn’t I? Maggie’s words made me uncomfortable. Maybe it was because pregnancy made me more emotional and sensitive. Maggie nodded, saying somewhat reluctantly, “Alright… I’ll cook now.” Maggie went to the kitchen while I went to the living room. She made me mushroom stir-fry with pork, century egg tofu, pork ribs with green beans, and winter melon soup – all my favorites. I liked that Maggie cooked delicious and clean meals efficiently. After eating, I lay on the couch playing with my phone when suddenly I smelled pork trotters cooking. I was confused – I had already finished dinner, so why was she cooking pork trotters now? I couldn’t help asking, “Maggie, are you cooking pork trotters? It smells so good.” Maggie’s voice came from the kitchen, “Yes, I’m pressure cooking them.” The smell was really enticing. I rubbed my belly, feeling I could eat some more. The pork trotters in the fridge were specially bought by my mom from a farm. She told me the pigs there were raised on natural grains, and the meat was freshly butchered. The broth would definitely be more delicious than store-bought pork. A few hours passed and Jack came home from work. As soon as he entered, I sat up from the couch and smiled, “Welcome home, honey.” Jack was holding a box of my favorite strawberries. “You’re back. Change your shoes quickly, dinner is ready.” I had just put on my slippers, intending to go hug Jack at the door, when I saw Maggie appear in front of him. She thoughtfully took his coat and hung it up, then bent down to get his slippers. After doing all this, Maggie turned and went to the kitchen as if nothing had happened. That idiot Jack just grinned and walked towards me, saying loudly, “Honey, strawberries!” “What’s wrong? I came home on time.” Jack asked with a smile. He put his hand on my shoulder, noticing I was upset but definitely not guessing the reason why. What was wrong with me? How could I be jealous of a 48-year-old woman? Was Maggie really interested in Jack, or was I being overly sensitive? 0

I said flatly, “It’s nothing. Let’s eat.” Maggie brought the dishes to the table – kung pao chicken, pork trotter soup, stir-fried pork with wood ear mushrooms, and sweet and sour fish. “Wow, such a feast! I’ll go wash my hands,” Jack kissed me on the cheek before heading to the bathroom. He didn’t know I had already eaten. I sat at the table looking at the dishes, feeling uneasy. I asked, “Maggie, why are these all newly cooked dishes? What about the leftovers from my meal?” Maggie chuckled awkwardly, “Oh, I ate the leftovers from your meal.” Just as Maggie finished speaking, Jack came out of the bathroom. He said, “Maggie, don’t eat leftovers in the future. Eat with us.” “Oh, that doesn’t seem right,” Maggie glanced at me, then looked up at Jack. Jack sat down next to me and smiled, “What’s not right about it? Let’s eat together.” I put down my chopsticks and asked coldly, “Jack, what do you mean by that?” Seeing I was angry, Maggie laughed nervously and said, “I’ll go wash the dishes in the kitchen. Call me if you need anything.” Maggie closed the kitchen door. She was quick to escape. Jack was stunned for a few seconds. He picked up a piece of fish roe and put it in my bowl. “Honey, what did I do wrong? Don’t be mad. Tell me and I’ll definitely change.” Jack looked at me with a silly grin, tugging at my arm. My husband was such an idiot. He never knew why I was angry. Even if I told him to reflect on it himself, it wouldn’t help. I’m a straightforward person, so I said, “When did I ever make Maggie eat leftovers?” After Maggie cooked, she would serve herself a bowl of food. She ate at a small table in the kitchen. How could that be called leftovers? I was actually confused why Maggie ate the food left on my plate. That was meant for Jack. I thought Maggie would just reheat it when he came home. “My mistake, my mistake. It’s my fault.” Jack raised his hand and lightly slapped his own mouth. “Honey, you’re pregnant. Don’t be angry.” Looking at the table full of food, I had no appetite. I was already full from anger. I lowered my voice and said, “And you’re telling Maggie to eat with us? What are you thinking?” Personally, I felt it was better to maintain some distance and not get too close or friendly. Otherwise, it would be awkward to bring up certain issues. My cousin was a cautionary tale. She got along well with her housekeeper, but when it came time to let her go, the housekeeper refused to leave. She even cursed my cousin for being ungrateful, saying she had taken such good care of her during the postpartum period. She completely forgot she was paid to do that job. No good deed goes unpunished. My cousin told me not to get too close, just maintain a normal working relationship. Jack put down his chopsticks with a furrowed brow. He raised his voice, almost shouting, “What am I thinking? Maggie works hard taking care of you. What’s wrong with eating together?” “Jack, you bastard!” I raised my hand and shoved Jack’s shoulder hard, then turned and went into the bedroom, locking the door behind me. Jack stood outside knocking, “Honey, open the door. I was wrong, okay?” I sighed. When I married Jack, my parents were against it. They thought his family was poor and he was an outsider whose background they didn’t know. But I still chose to marry Jack. After the wedding, my parents reluctantly accepted him, but Jack always felt a barrier, thinking my parents looked down on him. Maybe in Jack’s eyes, not letting Maggie eat with us meant looking down on her, just like he felt my parents looked down on him. It touched on his sensitive self-esteem. At 10 pm, Jack knocked on the door again. “Honey, open up. I really was wrong.” I grabbed Jack’s pillow and blanket, opened the door and said, “You’re sleeping on the couch tonight.” I was in a terrible mood and just wanted to be alone. Jack was about to speak, but I gave him a cold look, leaving no room for discussion. Jack took the blanket and pillow, saying resignedly, “Fine. Make sure you close the windows when you sleep so you don’t catch a cold.” I nodded and closed the bedroom door. I lay in bed thinking about what happened during the day. We can’t choose the circumstances we’re born into. If I had grown up in Jack’s environment, would I be as sensitive and insecure as him? Jack’s mother ran off with another man when he was 6. My father-in-law was a truck driver who didn’t have time to take care of Jack, so he was raised by his grandmother. Jack did well for himself, getting into college and then landing a job at a big company after graduation. He became a manager in just 3 years. Forget it. Jack has work tomorrow and the couch won’t be comfortable. I got out of bed and checked the time – 1 am. I opened the bedroom door and went out. I turned on the living room light and saw Maggie lying on the couch covered with Jack’s blanket. I clenched my fists tightly. “Jack, where are you?” 0

As soon as I spoke, Maggie opened her eyes. She seemed startled and sat up abruptly, looking at me. I don’t usually get up at night. Once I fall asleep, I sleep through till morning. Maggie rubbed her eyes hard. She came over to me and said softly, “Emily, don’t shout. Jack is sleeping in my room. He has to work tomorrow.” Maggie lived in the guest room while Jack and I had the master bedroom. Giving up her bed for Jack to sleep in while she took the couch – Maggie was certainly being very nice to him. Unusually nice. Jack came out of the guest room, rubbing his eyes. He was shirtless, wearing only underwear. Jack looked sleepy as he asked casually, “What’s wrong, honey?” “Who said you could stay in Maggie’s room? Put some clothes on.” I grabbed a throw pillow from the couch and threw it at Jack. Jack grinned, “I was in a rush and forgot to get dressed.” Jack asked tentatively, “Honey, can I come to our room now?” He picked up the pillow and blanket from the couch and turned towards the master bedroom, closing the door behind him as if staying in Maggie’s room was perfectly normal. Judging by Maggie’s reaction, she also seemed very calm, without any hint of awkwardness. It was like I was the one overthinking things. Looking at Maggie’s honest face, I really didn’t know what to say. Tell her to stay away from my husband? Not to be so attentive to him? After a while, I managed to say, “Maggie, you should go to sleep. Don’t worry about issues between me and my husband.” “I understand. I’ll be more careful next time,” Maggie nodded. I went into the bedroom, slamming the door shut. Jack was lying in bed grinning at me. He said, “Honey, come to bed.” I got into bed and grabbed my pillow, hitting Jack hard. “Who told you to stay in Maggie’s room? What’s going on between you two?” Jack looked at me with confusion, his eyes full of helplessness. He sighed deeply and stroked my belly. “Honey, I know pregnancy makes you moody and irritable. But you can’t wrongly accuse people. Maggie is old enough to be my mother, and she’s not even attractive. I’m not blind.” “Then why did you stay in her room? And let her use your blanket and pillow? Maybe you don’t have feelings for her, but what if she has feelings for you?” I deliberately lowered my voice, glaring at Jack. Jack burst out laughing. He said casually, “Our couch is too small. My legs were dangling off the edge. Maggie just offered to let me use her room for the night. How could anything happen between us? If Maggie bothers you that much, we can fire her and hire a new housekeeper.” Jack’s words were exactly what I wanted to hear. “Good, then let’s fire Maggie.” Jack froze for a moment, his smile becoming visibly stiff. “Honey, it’s not easy to find a good housekeeper. Think about it – Maggie cooks well, works efficiently, doesn’t talk much, and she’s older. Do we really want to fire her?” I said coldly, “Jack, what do you mean? You’re the one who suggested firing her and now you’re backtracking so quickly?” Jack’s attitude made me suspicious. Maggie had to go. I was already 6 months pregnant and didn’t want anyone affecting my mood. Jack frowned slightly and tugged at my hand. “Honey, good housekeepers are hard to find. Why don’t you think about it some more?” “Get out! Go sleep on the couch.” I didn’t want to argue with Jack anymore. I just didn’t want to see him. Jack spoke with a hint of resignation, nodding reluctantly. “Fine, fine. We’ll fire her. I’ll tell Maggie tomorrow.” 0

The next day, I slept until noon. Maggie brought the prepared meals to the table. Her eyes were a bit red, as if she had been crying. I had just sat down at the table when Maggie spoke up, “Emily, why do you want to fire me out of the blue? If I did something wrong, tell me and I promise I’ll change.” Maggie stood beside me, her eyes fearful and her tone very humble. It was clear this job was very important to her. Maggie suddenly grabbed my arm. “Emily, please let me stay. I promise I’ll take good care of you.” I came up with a reasonable excuse, “Maggie, my mom is coming to take care of me. You know I don’t work, and Jack’s salary isn’t that high. We want to cut expenses.” Maggie blurted out, “I can accept a pay cut. Please don’t let me go, okay?” A pay cut? Housekeepers like Maggie could easily find work. There was no need to accept a pay cut to stay. I started to have doubts – did Maggie really have feelings for Jack? Seeing I didn’t respond, Maggie forced an awkward smile. “Emily, today is the 23rd. Can you let me stay until the end of the month? I want to earn a few more days’ wages and look for a new job in the meantime.” There were 7 days left until the end of the month. Maggie’s request seemed reasonable, but I had a feeling something bad would happen if she stayed those 7 days. I was pregnant, carrying a child. With just the two of us at home, I was afraid of accidents. I smiled and said, “Maggie, you’re such a good person and efficient worker. You won’t have trouble finding a job. You’ve taken such good care of me. Consider these 7 days paid vacation – I’ll give you a full month’s salary without deductions. Go ahead and pack your things. My mom will be here soon.” My mom actually had no idea I was firing Maggie. Jack didn’t get along well with my parents, so I hadn’t asked my mom to come take care of me. On one hand, I was afraid they would argue. On the other hand, my mom was getting older and I didn’t want her to work too hard. Maggie looked at me with a complex expression, as if she wanted to get angry but was holding back. “Fine, I won’t overstay my welcome then. I’ll go pack my things.” Maggie went to pack in the guest room. After half an hour, she came out with a black bag and two large sacks. “Emily, why don’t you give me my salary today?” We normally paid Maggie on the 10th of each month. Since she asked, I agreed. “Okay, I’ll transfer it to your PayPal.” I transferred a full month’s salary to Maggie. After receiving the money, Maggie snorted coldly at me, immediately changing her attitude. She said, “Emily, you have too many bad habits. Just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean you’re so precious. Be nicer to Jack in the future. You’re lucky he tolerates your bad temper. If this was back in my hometown, your in-laws would have beaten you to death by now.” I was stunned for a few seconds. I couldn’t believe such nasty words came out of Maggie’s mouth. You really can’t judge a book by its cover. She seemed so honest and simple before, but her words were so vicious. I regretted giving her an extra 7 days’ salary. Maggie wasn’t hired through an agency, but directly introduced by Jack’s friend. Even if I wanted to file a complaint, there was nowhere to do it. Maggie cursed again, “And you wouldn’t even let me eat at the table with you. Looking down on people like a snob.” Keeping someone like this around, who knows when she might secretly do something bad if provoked. I said coldly, “Get out of my house.” Maggie glanced at my belly and snorted. “That baby is definitely a girl. You don’t have the fortune to bear a son.” “Maggie, if you don’t get out of my house right now, I’m calling the police.” Maggie was her real name. I didn’t want to stay with this crazy woman any longer. Maggie’s wrinkled face broke into a smile.

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