Author: Momo Chan

At 35, I was forced to leave my high-paying job at a big tech company. With a decade’s worth of savings, I returned to my small hometown. Tired of the cutthroat corporate world, I just wanted a simple job that wouldn’t fry my brain in this small town. I remembered my biggest dream from sixth grade and decided to fulfill it. I ordered a small food cart and made up my mind to sell french fries outside the elementary school. With my current bank balance, it didn’t matter if I made a loss. It was just for fun anyway. What I didn’t expect was that even in this small town, there were plenty of big fish in a small pond, self-proclaimed bosses everywhere. On my first day selling fries, one of the original vendors pointed at my nose and barked, “Get lost! You’re blocking my spot!” On the second day, a kid threw a tantrum in front of my cart. “Pay up! Your fries made me sick!” On the third day, an even more formidable character showed up… Faced with all this hostility, I couldn’t help but chuckle. Was I supposed to just take this crap everywhere I went? I decided then and there – I was going to keep this fries stand running no matter what! Turning around, I bought all the storefronts along the street in front of the school. And I put up a big sign in front of each – “Private Property, No Vendors Allowed!”

At 6:30 AM, before dawn had fully broken, I had just finished setting up my cart when a pot-bellied middle-aged man approached me. He fished out a pack of cigarettes from his back pocket and offered it to me with a seemingly friendly smile. “Hey buddy, want one?” I hesitated. Was this the famous small-town hospitality I’d heard about? The casual conversation felt oddly comforting. But I don’t smoke, so I politely declined. The man withdrew his hand and leaned against my cart, his tone turning probing. “So, which school staff are you friends with? It’d be good to know!” Friends with school staff? What kind of question was that? I was momentarily confused. I responded politely, “I’m just here to sell some food. Don’t know anyone at the school.” “I see…” The man fell silent for a moment, looking down at the items on my cart. When he looked up again, his friendly smile had been replaced by an unexpected ferocity. “Listen, kid. If you don’t know anyone, why are you trying to steal this spot? Get the hell out of here!” Hearing this, I frowned deeply. Sure, my spot was in a prime location, but this wasn’t some market with assigned stalls. It was first come, first served. Looking at the man’s sudden change in attitude, I coldly replied, “I got here first. Why should I leave?” The middle-aged man laughed as if he’d heard a joke. He banged his fist on my cart, his face menacing. That earlier friendly smile seemed like a figment of my imagination. “This has always been my spot,” he growled. “And I run things around here.” Before I could respond, a crowd suddenly gathered around us. “Everyone thinks they can just waltz in here without knowing their place,” someone sneered. “How dare you try to take this spot without any connections?” another voice chimed in. “Didn’t you hear Marcus tell you to move?” a third person threatened. The crowd pressed closer, looking ready to get physical. Now I understood the man’s earlier question. So they were ganging up on me because I had no connections? I had thought I’d escaped the office politics, but it seemed small towns had their own brand of bullying. Understanding their intentions, I was annoyed but didn’t want to stoop to their level. “So where am I supposed to go?” I asked, trying to keep my cool. Marcus snorted and mockingly pointed behind me. “Over there.” I looked where he was pointing – a secluded corner, blocked from view by other vendors, right next to a public restroom. The anger I had just suppressed bubbled up again. I was about to argue when a wrinkled hand gripped my wrist. It was Old Joe, the elderly vendor next to me. He gave me a knowing look. “Better to swallow your pride than get hurt, son.” I had come here just to experience a simpler life. Not wanting to cause trouble, I tried to calm myself and followed Old Joe to the corner. His stall was nearby too. I asked him, “Does no one stop them from doing this?” Old Joe shook his head and sighed deeply. “Who’s going to stop them? The people in charge are the ones protecting Marcus and his gang.” “If you don’t have power or money, you’d better just stay put in this corner.” “Don’t try to fight them head-on, or you’ll be the one getting hurt.” I looked around and saw a few other small carts scattered in less crowded corners. Seems they had been pushed aside by Marcus’s group too. “Why don’t you all go somewhere else?” I asked, puzzled. Old Joe waved his hand dismissively. “Where isn’t it like this?” With that, he started frying up some donuts. Indeed, where wasn’t it like this? A strange sadness welled up in me as I lowered my head to set up my own cart. But as I looked down, I jumped back two meters in shock. There were several dead cockroaches floating in my frying oil!

The cockroaches had already been fried to a crispy golden brown in the clear hot oil. This was definitely not something I had brought with me. I had checked my cart several times before setting up. There was no way I could have such a hygiene issue. Was it because we were so close to the restroom? Or was there another possibility… I looked up and stared directly at Marcus, who was busy with a crowd of students. As if sensing my gaze, Marcus suddenly turned his head. He raised his eyebrows at me triumphantly. So it was them who did this! Just as I confirmed my suspicion, I saw a vendor to my left seemingly receive a signal from Marcus. The man wiped his hands on his pants and walked straight towards me. Before he even got close, he started shouting. “Oh my god! Your oil is full of cockroaches!” The man’s exclamation immediately drew the attention of parents dropping off their kids. For the first time, this secluded corner became the center of attention. “Holy crap! It’s true, look at those cockroach legs still twitching!” The man pinched his nose and changed his tone. “What kind of person serves such filthy food to children? Who knows what other disgusting things are going on behind the scenes. Maybe he’s even using gutter oil!” “Quick! Take a picture of him! We can’t let this scammer get away with it!” Someone shouted, and suddenly a barrage of camera flashes went off in my face. I quickly shielded my eyes and lifted up my oil container. “This is branded oil, I guarantee I’m not using any gutter oil!” I protested. “The cockroaches in my fryer were put there by someone else on purpose!” My explanation barely managed to quiet the crowd when the man who started the commotion spoke up again. “How do we know you didn’t just put gutter oil in that container? And who would put cockroaches in your fryer? Are you trying to frame someone?” I met the man’s challenging gaze, knowing I had no evidence even though I knew they were behind this. At this moment, Old Joe came over and tried to reason with the instigator. “Come on, Sam, why are you doing this? The young man is just trying to make an honest living.” With a long sigh, Old Joe turned to address the crowd. “Everyone, I can vouch that this young man is not what you think. I’ve been selling here for over a decade. If you trust me, I’ll keep an eye on him for you all…” Old Joe’s words sent a wave of warmth through me. We had only just met as strangers. But before he could finish, Sam cut him off. “Old man, are you looking to quit this job? Or maybe you’re in cahoots with him!” Faced with Sam’s blatant threat, Old Joe’s weathered face turned bright red. I gently pushed Old Joe aside, not wanting the old man to get further involved in this mess. After a brief silence, the observing parents erupted again. “Old Joe, don’t let this guy fool you! I’ve never seen this vendor before when dropping off my kid. He must be some scammer from out of town!” “Young and already so crooked! Kids have delicate stomachs, how could they handle this kind of food?” “My cousin’s child got severe food poisoning from eating at a street stall like this. They couldn’t save him in the end.” “Come on everyone, let’s drive him out of here!” Seeing the crowd pushing towards me and the contaminated oil in my fryer, I knew I wouldn’t be able to continue business on my first day. Under the triumphant gazes of Marcus and his cronies, I pushed away my carefully prepared cart in defeat. Well, well. The same old story. Two weeks ago, I was framed at my company in a similar fashion. A coworker, jealous of my $500,000 annual salary, deliberately sabotaged one of my projects. Luckily I managed to fix it in time before it became a major issue. But by then, I was already tired of office politics, so I didn’t pursue the matter further and let them off the hook. But I’m not one to always turn the other cheek. I can’t keep swallowing my pride everywhere I go. That night, I made a phone call. “Hello, I’d like to buy all the shops on that street.”

Early the next morning, as the sky was just beginning to brighten, I once again pushed my cart to the old spot. In front of my cart, I set up a small blackboard. [Crispy French Fries, Free Today!] There was another reason why Marcus and his gang had bullied me so much yesterday. His cart also sold fries. He wanted to drive me away simply because he was afraid I’d steal his business. If that’s the case, I’ll do exactly that. As I expected, most of the students were drawn by the smell. Soon, my cart was surrounded by people, while Marcus’s prime spot was empty despite its good location. I happened to look up and met his venomous glare. Only Old Joe tugged at my sleeve, his face full of worry. “You’ve really offended them now. Besides, aren’t you losing money like this?” I smiled at Old Joe, assuring him it was fine. What did this bit of money matter? The ones who should be worried might not be me… Just then, Marcus came over, shouting loudly. “Don’t be fooled by his free sign, folks! His food is dirty. You’ll get sick if you eat it!” Marcus’s shout drew more attention. But before he could gloat, he was immediately contradicted by several students. “Mister, don’t lie!” “We know whether these free fries are clean or not!” “Yeah, that’s right!” Several students chimed in agreement. Just as Marcus was at a loss for words, a parent-like figure emerged from the crowd. “Kids, don’t be fooled by bad people!” “Yesterday, I saw with my own eyes, he pulled out a bunch of cockroaches from his fryer!” Seeing yesterday’s “witness”, Marcus regained his confidence. “That’s right, lots of people saw the cockroaches in his fryer yesterday.” “Kids, if you want fries, go buy from the stall up front. It’s guaranteed clean and safe!” At this moment, my untimely chuckle rang out. “If anyone’s worried, you can check the video on my phone. I’ve recorded everything from peeling the potatoes to putting them in cold oil.” “So there’s no need to worry about any hygiene issues.” Hearing this, the students’ faces lit up with bright smiles. Only Marcus still wore a gloomy expression, though a cold smile quickly curved his lips. “Ouch!” A student in the crowd suddenly cried out and fell to the ground. Marcus rushed over to help as if he’d seen his own son fall, asking with concern, “What’s wrong, kid?” The boy clutched his stomach, crying out in pain. “I ate his fries and now my stomach hurts!” The boy pointed at me while still holding his stomach. The crowd was shocked by the boy’s condition and started accusing me. “See? I told you his food wasn’t clean!” “Heartless beast! Shame on you!” “The kid’s stomach is ruined. Let’s see how you handle this.” While the crowd was in an uproar, I remained calm. From my angle, I could see the boy’s performance was quite amateur. I smiled and walked towards the boy, noticing a flash of panic cross his face. “As it happens, I used to study medicine. Let me take a look.” Without letting the boy struggle free, I quickly pinched the pressure point between his thumb and index finger. Feeling the sudden pain, the boy let out a yelp and sprang to his feet. “What’s this? Not hurting anymore?” I asked coldly, my gaze fixed on Marcus’s increasingly dark expression. “You hurt the young master. You’re gonna pay for this, kid,” Marcus growled. “If I let you keep your stall running, I’ll change my name! Let’s see how long you can keep giving out free food!” After throwing out these threats, Marcus left with the boy. As the crowd dispersed, Old Joe spoke to me earnestly. “Young man, you’d better find a different spot tomorrow.” I guessed and asked, “Is this ‘young master’ Marcus mentioned the child of some big shot at the school?” Old Joe sighed deeply and nodded at me. But no matter how big a shot they were, so what? I looked around at the row of storefronts near the school entrance. It really was quite a prime location…

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At the age of 18, I rushed into a burning building to save Jack from a raging fire. As a result, I became disabled from the waist down. In a dilapidated rented apartment, he proposed to me with a plastic ring from a soda can. “Emily, I only want to marry you in this life.” After we got married, he became known as the “internet’s most romantic artist” for sketching a portrait of his “disabled wife”. His fame skyrocketed, and his artwork sold for thousands of dollars. But ten years into our marriage, I discovered a portrait of his first love in his study. He looked at me coldly as I broke down: “If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be living such a good life.” “Besides, you have no self-respect. You let yourself be tricked by a plastic ring. You’re so worthless, how can you compare to Sophia?” Later, I fulfilled his wish and let him be with Sophia. But Jack broke down, clutching my wheelchair and sobbing: “Emily, don’t leave me. Didn’t we promise to be together forever?” 0 Last night, my husband got drunk and fell asleep in his study. When I went in to clean up this morning, I found a stack of sketches. It was a thick pile, some old and some new. The one on top even had tear stains on it. I recognized the woman in the photo. It was Sophia, his unattainable princess from years ago. I held back my tears, trying hard to tell myself not to overthink and to trust Jack. But the small line of text beneath the portrait shattered my last delusion. “My wife, Sophia.” There had been signs all along. In recent years, Jack had been coming home later and later, often smelling of unfamiliar perfume. Except for Jack’s fans who believed he “doted on his wife”, everyone around us knew the truth. Jack had long lost any feelings for me. In his heart, there was only room for his unattainable first love. I stared at those words, tears silently falling. Where did that leave me? What was I to him? It was late at night when Jack finally came home. As soon as he walked in, he pointed his camera at me sitting in my wheelchair, looking disheveled. “Hey everyone, want to know what it’s like to spoil a disabled wife?” He pulled out a bouquet of roses from behind his back and said in a gentle tone: “Honey, today marks 3,666 days since we met. I bought these roses for you.” I had been crying all afternoon and looked a mess. I wasn’t even wearing a bra. I tried desperately to avoid his camera lens, feeling embarrassed. “Jack, please stop filming… I’m begging you…” He frowned slightly, a flash of displeasure crossing his eyes, before turning the camera away. “Sorry everyone, my wife is a bit upset today. But you know, mood swings are understandable for someone with a disability.” He picked up some sketches from the table and explained to the camera: “These are my new works. As always, my love for my wife inspired them. Starting bid is $9,999, grab them while you can!” He saw my tears but turned away without a care. All the questions I wanted to ask got stuck in my throat. “The secret to success is ‘loving your wife’! Those who love their wives will prosper! Even though my wife is disabled, I’ve never looked down on her!” His words struck my heart like hammers, the pain unbearable. Looking at his back, I felt like the person before me was a complete stranger. 0

The next day, the video Jack filmed last night was trending again. The title read: “What’s it like to spoil a disabled wife?” The thumbnail showed me in my pajamas, hair disheveled, slumped in my wheelchair. My face was pale and sickly, with sunken eyes that looked almost deranged. Looking at my haggard appearance, I felt like what little self-esteem I had left was completely trampled. Now the whole world knew I was a disabled person dependent on others. Since becoming disabled, I had always tried to live like a normal person, not wanting to burden Jack in any way. But never had I been more acutely aware than at this moment. I was a helpless cripple. That image of myself disgusted even me. “Oh my god, Jack is so loving! This is true love – he can even kiss a face like that!” “What blessing did this woman cultivate in her past life to marry such a good husband!” “Ahhhh I want to buy 100 of his paintings! Don’t fight me for them! Since I can’t marry a quality man like Jack, I can only console myself by buying his art!” “I’ll take them all! Those who love their wives prosper, Jack deserves to make money for being so devoted to his wife!” “Am I the only one who thinks this woman is ungrateful? She’s already disabled, yet still gives attitude when Jack is so good to her. Why burden others if you don’t know how to appreciate them…” Seeing this top comment, my hand gripping the phone suddenly clenched tight. It’s not like that! It’s not like that at all! I wanted to scream, to argue back, but no one would believe me or care. Yes, I was alone and paralyzed, drifting through this world like a floating weed. Jack was so good to me, yet I was still unsatisfied. But who knew that my paralysis was because I rushed into a fire to save him when I was 18? No one knew. No one cared. 0

At noon, I brought a thermos of food to Jack’s company. But when I got to the entrance, I was stopped by the receptionist. “Miss, you can’t enter the company without an appointment.” I saw the contempt hidden in her eyes, my heart aching. How ironic that the receptionist at Jack’s company, who was famous online for “doting on his wife”, didn’t even recognize me. With no choice, I could only call Jack. It took a full half hour before the call went through. The receptionist gave me a disdainful look and said: “You can go in now.” Before I could get far, they started gossiping without trying to hide it: “So that’s Jack’s crippled wife? She looks like that? Jack has such poor taste.” “I know, right? She can’t compare at all to the lady upstairs. I don’t know how a great guy like Jack ended up marrying her.” “You don’t know? Jack doesn’t even want to answer her calls…” Sitting by the elevator, their discussion came clearly to my ears. The overwhelming shame and humiliation nearly drowned me. I knew the receptionist actually did recognize me. She just didn’t want me to disturb Jack and that “her” upstairs. But I still came up anyway. After all, Jack’s “devoted husband” persona not only affected my life, but also deceived many others. I didn’t want to continue this charade anymore. In Jack’s office. A beautiful, refined woman and a tall, handsome man were dancing the waltz intimately. The music played softly as their figures intertwined, the room filled with an ambiguous atmosphere. Until I knocked on the door. Seeing me, the woman’s beautiful brows furrowed in displeasure: “Jack, I didn’t realize you were so henpecked. Your wife even chased you all the way here.” The man smiled helplessly, his tone indulgent: “Sophia, you know all that stuff online is fake.” “There are no real feelings between me and her.” He was no longer trying to hide it. Sophia was satisfied, but still sneered: “Some people don’t know when they’re not wanted. They just have to shamelessly push themselves where they’re not welcome.” As she spoke, she “accidentally” stomped her sharp stiletto heel onto my foot. The pain was excruciating. My right hand suddenly lost its grip, and the thermos fell to the ground. “Bang!” The scalding, greasy chicken soup spilled all over me. My thighs were instantly burned red. I bit my lip hard, tears rolling down my face. But Jack didn’t even glance at me. He was crouched by Sophia’s feet, wiping the oil stains off her high heels. “Oh no, how annoying. You got my new heels all dirty.” “I don’t care, Jack, you have to buy me another pair.” She pouted unhappily, acting coy with the man. At the same time, she swept a haughty, disdainful look at me in the wheelchair. My whole body trembled, though I didn’t know if it was from the intense pain or from grief. I only knew that in this moment, the young man who had lived in my heart for so long seemed to have died.

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Jack’s Pampered Girlfriend Threatens to Break Up for the 99th Time He handed me the divorce papers. “Emma, just sign them. It’s only to pacify the little one. Once she calms down, we’ll remarry.” My heart turned cold as I decisively signed the divorce agreement. The onlookers marveled: “Jack, you’re really something! You’ve got your wife completely under control!” “Share your secrets for taming a wife with us, bro!” Jack smugly stubbed out his cigarette. “She loves me to death. For me, she’d willingly be my dog!” Laughter erupted behind me like fireworks, illuminating the disgrace of my ten-year marriage. That night, he brought the young girl home. The girl’s pleading voice, like a little rabbit’s, echoed throughout the night. I picked up my pre-packed luggage and turned to leave. The housekeeper tried to stop me, but Jack looked at me with contempt. “Let her go. She’s nothing without me!” “Does she still think she’s that triple crown winner from back then?” He kissed the young girl’s face spitefully, his eyes fixed on me. The next day, the whole city was betting on which day Jack’s disobedient ex-wife would come begging back. But what they didn’t know was that my best friend Sophie, a famous director, was already waiting for me in a stretch limo outside, ready to take me to Cannes. This time, I was really leaving. 0

Seeing that I wasn’t jealous, Jack hurried after me. I waited silently for him to speak, but he just grabbed my suitcase. “Emma, the little girl’s dream is to become an award-winning actress. She wants to see the trophies. Bring them out for her to play with!” I glanced down at my fingers, which couldn’t bend due to injuries from filming. The price of becoming a triple crown winner was the pain throughout my body. He knew how important those trophies were to me. He also knew I would definitely take the trophies when I left, yet he deliberately tried to stop me. Seeing my silence, he frowned impatiently. “Aren’t you tired of looking so miserable all the time? It’s bad luck!” “Just tell me, how much? Is $100 million enough?” Money? If we’re really talking about money, how much would the prime ten years of an award-winning actress be worth? I smiled bitterly, looking at Lily’s face, which bore a 60% resemblance to my younger self. They say a man’s loyalty is always to an 18-year-old girl. I wonder how long this girl, who debuted under the name “Little Emma”, could accompany Jack. I handed her the trophy, sincerely wishing: “I heard you’re from the same drama school? I hope your dreams come true soon!” Seeing my obedient demeanor, he nodded with satisfaction and took the initiative to be nice to me. “As long as you take good care of the little girl, I might consider letting you be her supporting actress.” I smiled bitterly: “Me, her supporting actress? Does she dare to accept that?” Back then, because of Jack’s words: “I worry about you. Why don’t you stop filming and just be Mrs. Lawrence?” I announced my retirement at the award ceremony where I won Best Actress. The ten years I spent in the Lawrence family were my most precious years from 25 to 35, but what he gave me in return was one affair after another! And now he wants me to be a supporting actress for his little girl? I picked up my luggage and turned to leave. At that moment, Jack viciously threw the trophy at me. 0

Crystal shards flew everywhere, cutting my leg and leaving wounds of various sizes. Crimson blood flowed from my leg. He looked at me with cruel eyes, without a trace of pity: “Emma, I’m letting you be Lily’s supporting actress, and you dare to act proud?” “Without me, you’re nothing. I made one triple crown winner, I can make another!” “You want to leave? Fine, take off all your clothes!” “Everything you eat and use, which of it wasn’t given to you by the Lawrence family!” Lily hid in Jack’s arms, trembling and crying with red eyes. “Jack, don’t fight with Emma because of me. It’s all my fault for being delusional, wanting Emma’s lead role. I don’t want it anymore, okay?” A year ago, my former friend in the industry encouraged me to make a comeback as the lead in his new movie, playing a mute female painter. I spent a year learning painting and sign language for this role. But just before filming started, I was notified that I had been replaced by Lily, the young girl Jack was pampering outside. Afterwards, he personally wrote an article praising the girl’s acting talent and her young, delicate face. I became the laughingstock of the industry overnight. Everyone said that the once-glorious triple crown winner would soon become the Lawrence family’s discarded wife. Jack pulled the girl close and kissed her heavily, his eyes fixed on me. “My leading lady role is only for obedient women!” “Someone, strip her clothes off!” I looked at Jack with red-rimmed eyes. After ten years of marriage, how could he be so heartless towards me? The housekeeper tried to reason with him: “Mr. Lawrence, don’t you remember that your wife just had a miscarriage last week, you…” But he became even more irritated: “Who asked for your opinion? Strip her!” The servants around us looked at me and Jack, hesitating to act. I took off the suit jacket over my silk dress and the red-soled high heels on my feet. The shoes fell to the ground with a dull thud. “Is this enough?” I turned to leave, but he tore my dress. “You have to leave this dress too, including your underwear!” I looked at Jack in disbelief: “I bought these clothes myself. They have nothing to do with you!” He sneered: “You bought them? You’ve been a housewife for ten years. Where did you get the money? Strip her naked!” The servants swarmed over and stripped off my remaining dress. I struggled desperately, but they kicked my stomach hard. Blood flowed from my body. I hugged myself to cover up, biting my lip tightly as tears fell uncontrollably. He held Lily and looked down at me: “See? This is what happens when you don’t obey!” Lily wrapped her arms around Jack’s neck and kissed him. “Lily is the most obedient. I’ll never make Jack angry, unlike some people who don’t know what’s good for them!” Jack’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his eyes full of desire. He picked up Lily, and the girl’s surprised cries came from inside the room. The housekeeper looked at me with sympathy and took off her coat to cover me: “Miss, this is really too much!” I buried my face in the coat and finally broke down crying. I never thought that in this home where I had devoted ten years of my life, the only one who would give me a shred of dignity would be a housekeeper I had known for less than three months. 0

Wearing the housekeeper’s uniform, I walked barefoot out of the Lawrence mansion. Not far from the door was a parked stretch limo, my ticket to a new life. I hurried my steps towards it, but was forcibly dragged back to the Lawrence house by a group of people. It turned out that Jack and Lily had been playing too roughly. A fallen red candle had ignited the bedsheets, burning the girl’s arm. Lily looked at Jack with tears in her eyes, pitiful and delicate. “Jack, my arm is burned. How can I be the leading lady now? You have to think of something!” I stared at the dense red marks on Lily’s body and the scattered dog leash, whip, and red candles on the floor. So this was what the usually calm and controlled Jack liked in private. I smiled bitterly, my heart aching. Lily noticed my gaze and, whether intentionally or not, twisted her body. A rabbit tail fell from the bed. She covered her mouth apologetically: “I’m sorry, Jack really likes little rabbits!” “Sister, you don’t mind, do you? After all, you’re older now and can’t play like this anymore, right?” I looked at the girl’s face, so young it could drip water, and her smug expression. Unfortunately, she didn’t understand that no one can stay young forever. I found this farce utterly boring and checked my watch: “Jack, did you drag me back just to watch this show?” “I have urgent matters to attend to. I don’t have time to play house with you!” Jack angrily grabbed my hand, his face arrogant. “Who said you could leave? You really think I can’t let you go?” “You’re thinking too highly of yourself!” “I brought you back to borrow your skin for Lily to use!” I stared at Jack in disbelief: “Do you know what you’re saying? What right do you have to harm my body!” Jack bent down, his eyes full of cruelty. “You’re just a dog I raised. How dare you talk about rights!” “Lily’s body is delicate and can’t be marked. We can only use your skin.” “Dr. Yang, proceed!” A group of people rushed over to hold down my hands. I struggled desperately: “No!” But the needle mercilessly pierced my skin, and I gradually lost consciousness. 0

When I opened my eyes again, everything was white. The smell of disinfectant stung my nose. Excruciating pain came from my arm, and fresh blood seeped through the white bandage. I let out a hiss of pain. Hearing my movement, Jack looked up from behind his laptop. He pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses: “You’re awake. Feeling better?” “I hired the best plastic surgeon to do the skin graft for you two. Rest well for a few days, and you’ll be able to leave the hospital soon.” I struggled to pick up the water glass on the table and threw it at him. “Who gave you permission to touch my body?” But he didn’t get angry. Instead, he held my hand and gently coaxed me. “Alright, alright, I went too far this time. But I invested $100 million in her movie and signed a $1 billion performance bond. I couldn’t let her face be ruined, or I’d lose big!” “If you’re upset, how about we remarry next month?” Just then, a nurse rushed in: “Miss Lin has woken up and is causing a scene in her room. Mr. Lawrence, she’s asking for you.” Jack impatiently replied: “There are so many doctors here. What use is it to find me!” He sent the nurse away and continued to comfort me softly: “We only signed divorce papers. We haven’t gotten the official certificate, so it doesn’t count.” “We’ve been husband and wife for so long. Why play this running away game? Aren’t you afraid of being laughed at?” “If you don’t like living with Lily, I’ll arrange another house for you. How about that?” How ridiculous. Since when did the mistress move in, and the original wife had to hide outside? I coldly withdrew my hand: “No need!” No need. We will never have anything to do with each other again in this life. Just then, the nurse rushed in again: “It’s bad! Miss Lin has gone to the rooftop!” Jack anxiously wanted to run to the rooftop but was also worried about me, so he insisted on pushing me along. The young girl stood on the edge of the rooftop. As the wind blew, her body swayed precariously. She cried, her tears falling like petals: “I heard everything. You didn’t really want a divorce. You were lying to me!” “But I’m already pregnant. How could you do this to me?” “I can’t let my child be born out of wedlock. If you won’t get a divorce certificate and marry me, I’ll jump right now!” I had never seen Jack so flustered and dismayed. He approached the girl with red eyes, step by step: “Lily, come down. You and our child are my treasures. I’ll give you anything you want!” “If I’m lying, may I die a terrible death!” Jack swore with his hand raised, his words sincere, putting on quite a show of deep affection. I glanced at the sunlight in the sky, which made my tears flow. So love doesn’t disappear, it just transfers. The girl who had been threatening suicide moments ago heard these words and leaped into Jack’s arms with open arms. He held Lily tightly, as if embracing the moon of his heart. “We’ll divorce immediately. We’ll go get the certificate tomorrow. I’ll give you anything as long as you’re happy!” Watching this scene, my eyes reddened slightly. Her child was a treasure, so what was my child? A week ago, I had just been diagnosed as pregnant. Jack was in a hurry to leave for the young girl’s birthday. I tried to stop him, but he pushed me down the stairs. When I woke up, the baby was gone. He showed no remorse: “So weak and fragile, how could it be worthy of being my child!” “It’s gone, so what? It was just a cell. We can have another one!” But now he treasured Lily’s child so dearly. I wiped away my tears and silently left. 0

Jack spent the night in the neighboring hospital room with Lily. The passing nurses pointed at their closed door, blushing and exchanging knowing looks. I watched all this coldly, silently retrieving my confiscated phone from Jack’s abandoned bag. There were multiple missed calls, all from my best friend and confidante, Sophie. Back then, we had left the dance troupe together to venture into the entertainment industry. She became a small-time director, while I became a small-time actress. Unlike me, who stopped at being a triple crown winner at 25, she remained unmarried and childless, dedicating herself to filmmaking and becoming the head judge at Cannes. She had heard about Jack’s outrageous behavior and enthusiastically invited me to Cannes to film her new movie. She said: “An experienced, mature actress like you is wasted on domestic trivialities.” “You should shine on the international stage. I have a new film here, want to come?” The word “come” turned over in my mind for a long time before I finally made up my mind and typed it out: “I’m coming!” We had agreed to meet yesterday, but unfortunately, I was delayed by Jack. I called her back: “I ran into some trouble and was delayed. Tomorrow afternoon, wait for me outside the civil affairs bureau. Congratulate me on being single again!” Sophie’s excited voice came from the other end of the phone: “Really? You’re finally willing to divorce? That’s fantastic!” The next day, to please the young girl, Jack took Lily and me to get our divorce certificate. As soon as the red divorce certificate was in my hand, he rushed off with Lily to get their marriage certificate. The staff members all looked at me with sympathy. But I happily handed out candy to them. The young girl who stamped my divorce papers looked at me with wide eyes, and soon she gave me a big smile. “Sister, congratulations on your divorce!” I accepted her blessing and walked out of the civil affairs bureau building in high spirits. Sophie, wearing sunglasses, was leaning against a stretch limo. As soon as she saw me, she gave me a big hug. “My leading lady, I’ve finally got you!” “Come on, let’s go catch some stars!” 0

Looking at her passionate face, I remembered our days in the dance troupe. We were only 17 or 18 then. She danced male roles, I danced female roles. Until the dance troupe was bought by a coal baron who wanted us to dance vulgar shows. On that starry night, the wind blew her hair. “Do you believe me? If we get out of this hellhole, I’ll definitely make something of myself!” “Come on, I’ll take you to catch stars!” Back then, we young people were full of dreams for the future. We quit our stable jobs at the dance troupe. We ventured into the entertainment industry. She confidently said she was tired of being manipulated by others. She didn’t want to be an actress anymore. She said she wanted to be a female director, a famous director. I applauded her, and then we each went our separate ways. I once thought I was luckier, meeting Jack right after my debut. He shielded me from countless covetous gazes. He let me focus solely on acting, but I didn’t know that the gifts bestowed by fate had already been priced in secret. The preferential treatment I was so proud of in my youth became the chains that trapped me for the latter half of my life. Fortunately, I had the courage to break those chains. I was about to board the plane with Sophie. Meanwhile, Jack was holding a press conference for his new movie with Lily. At the conference, a reporter asked: “Mr. Lawrence, there are rumors that your relationship with your wife has changed. Miss Emma has already gone to Cannes with Director Sophie to film a new movie. Is this related to your marital problems?” Hearing this, Jack angrily swatted away the reporter’s microphone. “Which media are you from? I don’t answer questions about my private life. Please focus on the new movie produced by Lawrence Entertainment.” After the press conference, Jack couldn’t help but dial that familiar phone number. But it kept showing: “The number you have dialed is busy!” Jack clenched his fist, wanting to smash his phone. A gossip account posted photos of me smiling and whispering with Sophie before boarding the plane. Jack looked at the woman in the photo again and again, wondering in his heart: was Emma always so fond of smiling? Then why did she always have a bitter expression when she was with me? Just then, sirens sounded outside the banquet hall.

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My girlfriend ran off for her idol again. Only this time, it was during our engagement party. No matter how much I begged, she wouldn’t soften her stance one bit. In the end, I dismissed the guests and called off the engagement. Then she came back crying, begging me for another chance. My girlfriend ran off for her idol again. Only this time, it was during our engagement party. No matter how much I begged, she wouldn’t soften her stance one bit. In the end, I dismissed the guests and called off the engagement. Then she came back crying, begging me for another chance. I was adjusting my suit, getting ready to go out and toast the guests when Hannah rushed in, dragging her wedding dress, a worried look on her face. “Ryan, Alex just called me. He got into a racing accident and I need to go to him right now.” “We’re about to start toasting the guests,” I said, grabbing her arm as she turned to leave. “Do you know what day this is?” The guests had already taken their seats. Our engagement party was about to begin. And now she was saying she wanted to leave. What kind of game was she playing? “I know. But he’s hurt, it could be serious,” Hannah said, her eyes welling up with tears as she looked at me. I felt myself wavering, sighing in resignation. “Don’t worry, I’ll send someone to check on him, okay?” I must have said something wrong because Hannah suddenly yanked her hand away and shouted at me. “Ryan, you’d be happy if he died. Would you really send someone to help him?” Her words cut like a knife, piercing my heart. Back when I was pursuing Hannah, I hadn’t exactly been kind to Alex. But I never thought she’d see me this way. In her eyes, was I really someone who would disregard another person’s life? Hannah grabbed the car keys from the table and turned to leave. I took a couple of steps to block the doorway, our eyes meeting. “Yes, I don’t like Alex, but I would never joke about someone’s life.” She met my gaze, her eyes showing no sign of backing down. “It’s just an engagement party, isn’t it? We can have another one. I’ve already agreed to marry you, what more do you want?” She forcefully pushed me aside and stormed out, slamming the door behind her. Finding her wedding dress cumbersome, she tore off the skirt. It was the dress she had said was so important for the engagement, the one we had spent hours shopping for, comparing different stores before finally buying. My body felt cold, as if I’d fallen into an ice cellar. I watched her retreating figure. Silently, I made a decision. Hannah, it’s time we ended this.

When Hannah ran without hesitation towards someone, but that someone wasn’t me, I finally woke up. This engagement party was nothing but a joke. I walked into the hall and, in front of both our families, cancelled the party. My mom, who had been chatting animatedly with Hannah’s parents, quickly pulled me aside to a corner. She asked in a low voice, “What kind of game are you playing? Is this a day to mess around?” “Hannah’s gone. The engagement party can’t go on,” I said. Only then did she realize Hannah wasn’t by my side. Hannah’s mother hung up the phone, looking somewhat angry. But her first reaction was still to apologize to me. “Ryan, Hannah was wrong to do this. I apologize on her behalf. Can you give her a chance to make amends?” I shook my head and returned the engagement ring the host had given me to her. “Mrs. Lin, I was too hasty about this marriage. I hope Hannah finds someone she truly loves.”

After dismissing the guests, I returned home. I gathered all of Hannah’s belongings, preparing to throw them away. In a paper box were letters I had written to her. Hannah and I were childhood sweethearts. We were each other’s first love. During our time dating, I felt like the happiest person in the world. But then Alex appeared. She said Alex was her idol, her ideal type. In all the years I had known Hannah, I had never seen her care so much about someone. So, I started competing with Alex in everything. Once, when he beat me in a competition, Hannah cheered happily beside me, jumping up and running to congratulate him. Leaving me standing alone in desolation. There were so many people congratulating him on stage, one less wouldn’t matter. But my dejected heart really craved encouragement. In the past, she would have definitely patted my shoulder and said with a smile, “It’s just one award, we’ll get it next time.” If I couldn’t beat him academically, I had to outdo him in basketball. When I scored consecutively, racking up over a dozen points, I looked towards the audience. Hoping to hear her cheer for me. But I saw her gaze fixed unwaveringly on Alex. After the game, I ran happily to her side. Only to receive a flippant comment from her. “What’s the use of being good at basketball?” She then turned with a beaming smile to help Alex wipe his sweat. In the second half, Alex suddenly upped his game, playing more aggressively than before. By the end of the match, we were both drenched in sweat. Alex’s exposed arms had several bruises. Hannah got angry, glaring at me fiercely. “Ryan, what’s wrong with you? It’s just a game, was that necessary? Apologize to him right now.” She tenderly massaged his bruises. “It’s fine. You can’t play basketball without getting hurt. Besides, this shows that Ryan gave it his all, which is a way of respecting his opponent,” Alex said. “This isn’t giving it his all, it’s being reckless!” Hannah exclaimed. Hannah’s eyes were only for Alex. Otherwise, she couldn’t have missed that I was equally injured. She took Alex to the infirmary. Coldly leaving behind a sentence. “Don’t follow us.” This was the first time Hannah had gotten angry at me for someone else. Before I could even react to question her about who her real boyfriend was, she came to apologize to me. Hannah approached me with a handmade scarf, looking apologetic. “Ryan, I’m sorry. I was wrong today, I shouldn’t have yelled at you.” I had actually been thinking I wouldn’t forgive her so quickly. But when I saw her nose reddened by the cold wind, I couldn’t help but want to pull her into my arms to warm her up. She smiled and snuggled closer into my embrace, looking up to ask me. “So, do you forgive me? I really know I was wrong.” I nodded. She stood on her tiptoes and gave me a kiss. Then she started to act coy. “You don’t know how scared I was when you looked so angry today.” She knew I couldn’t resist when she acted cute. My tone softened considerably, “It won’t happen again.” She giggled, earnestly promising me. “Don’t worry, you’ll always be the most important person to me.”

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My boyfriend is a physics professor with a brain full of nothing but research. When the apocalypse broke out, he turned into a zombie. While other zombies were busy biting people, he was busy telling me dad jokes. “What does God ride?” he asked, pinching my cheek. His almond-shaped eyes had turned red with excitement. It was hard to imagine that this physics professor would seriously ask me a dad joke. I thought for a long time but couldn’t figure it out, so I stammered, “I don’t know.” Adrian lowered his eyes, then grabbed my neck, forcing me to look at a book of dad jokes. His sinister voice whispered in my ear: “It’s a Godsicle, because it’s a divine popsicle.” Me: … Before the zombie outbreak, Adrian and I had a big fight. “Adrian, let’s break up,” I said flatly. Adrian took off his glasses, loosened his tie revealing his sexy Adam’s apple, and sat down on the couch exhausted. He rubbed his forehead with his right hand and asked me wearily, “Emily, can you stop being unreasonable?” It was because he was so engrossed in his research that he forgot my birthday. Although he apologized early this morning, I was still very angry. Anger had taken over my brain. I angrily said, “How am I being unreasonable? It’s clearly your fault!” I choked up and said, “Yesterday was my birthday. What were you doing? You were researching your damn physics!” I have a tendency to cry easily. Before we’d even argued for long, tears were already streaming down my face. Adrian froze, looking at me with remorse. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he said hoarsely, “I’m sorry, I… yesterday-” I cut him off before he could finish. I didn’t want to hear his excuses. I grabbed my phone and ran downstairs. As I was leaving, I actually felt a bit regretful. After all, this was the only time Adrian had forgotten. He had always been very thoughtful before. I was just a little angry and wanted to vent, not make a big deal out of it. But I’m too proud, so I stubbornly got into a taxi. Once in the taxi, I asked the driver to take me to the supermarket in the suburbs. I don’t have any other special traits, but when I’m angry, I like to go on a shopping spree. Adrian’s black Volkswagen followed steadily behind the taxi. I took this opportunity to forgive him and used his card to buy two shopping carts full of snacks, bottled water, and instant food. There was too much stuff to fit in Adrian’s trunk, so I had it all delivered by a delivery guy. After finishing at the supermarket, I was in a good mood. He took this chance to coax me, saying he’d take me for Japanese food at the new mall. On the way to dinner, my phone received a message: Attention all residents, please quickly find a safe and secure location. Unknown creatures that bite people have appeared in the East District. Please protect yourselves first! The government and military are taking action! Please trust us! I clicked on the video. It showed a person walking strangely, with blood on the corners of their mouth. Their black pupils had turned blood-red, looking terrifying. It was a zombie! The zombie twisted its body and lunged at nearby people at an extremely fast speed, tearing and biting. Twenty seconds later, the bitten person also became a zombie. Adrian and I exchanged a glance, and he immediately stepped on the gas, driving me to the villa suburb in the south of the city as fast as possible. He told me to protect myself, then drove back to his lab. Watching his determined back as he left, tears filled my eyes. I cursed in frustration, “Adrian! Is that research more important than your life? What about me? What am I supposed to do?” Adrian stopped in his tracks and turned to look at me. The setting sun shone on him, and he still seemed relaxed. He smiled gently and said, “Emily, I’m just a mortal. If I die, I die. But the research results can benefit humanity. They can’t be destroyed.” With that, he quickly opened the car door and drove away. That’s just how Adrian is. Once he’s decided on something, he never looks back. I desperately closed the curtains, no longer watching his departing figure. The lab was in the East District. By going there, he was undoubtedly going to his death.

After Adrian left, the villa’s security system was activated. Anyone who touched the gate or walls would get electrocuted. The windows and doors were all sealed shut, but I didn’t know how long it would hold. The zombies spread very quickly, biting person after person. Now, just a few hours after the outbreak, there were already many zombies on the streets. The military had also shot and killed some zombies, but those zombies bit so quickly and were so strong that it was impossible to control. The entire city had fallen into chaos. The latest news was constantly updating on my phone. Officials had confirmed this was a zombie virus, and a vaccine and cure were being researched. Looking at the drone footage of the East District, I regretted why I had argued with him. It was only when he left that I remembered how good he was to me. I wished he would call me “Emily” one more time. If I had known this day would come, I would have cherished Adrian like my heart and soul. I definitely wouldn’t have fought with him. He loved me so much. He never got angry with me. When I was sick, he would take care of me without rest. On my birthdays, he would personally prepare gifts for me. Even when I caused trouble, he would quietly clean up the mess for me. On the contrary, I had always taken him for granted. The East District had already fallen. The streets were full of strangely walking zombies. I knew Adrian’s chances were slim, but I still prayed with wishful thinking that he could come back. Actually, I never believed in ghosts or gods, but for him, I was willing to believe in Buddha just this once.

At 10 PM, I sat alertly on the couch clutching a baseball bat, listening to the zombies’ howls and curling up in fear. I should have listened to Adrian and exercised with him every morning. Then I wouldn’t be so scared now. The sound of electric shocks at the door was constant. I gripped the baseball bat tightly, secretly peeking at the situation outside from behind the large floor-to-ceiling window. In the dim light, there was a man wearing a white shirt stained red with blood. His handsome face was also smeared with blood. His once-gentle almond eyes had turned red. He stared blankly, like a polluted white lotus. It was Adrian! He wandered in front of the villa gate like a lost puppy, only knowing to keep touching the gate, looking pitiful and wronged. My first instinct was to open the door for him, but reason told me I couldn’t. I pulled the curtains closed, no longer looking at him. I sat blankly on the couch for two hours, my mind empty but my ears catching the sound of footsteps not far away. I immediately grabbed the baseball bat tightly and hid behind the door, ready to strike at any moment. The entire villa was pitch black. The footsteps were particularly jarring in the night. I silently counted as I listened to the approaching footsteps. When I sensed someone touching the doorknob, I quickly emerged from behind the door and swung the bat down hard. “Ah!! Don’t hit me!” A cry of pain came from my right. But I couldn’t stop my momentum. The second swing had already landed. The person inhaled sharply, sounding very pained. He gritted his teeth and said, “I’m not a bad guy.” I crouched down cautiously and turned on my phone’s flashlight, illuminating the floor and allowing me to see the person to my right clearly. It was the delivery guy who had helped me with my groceries this afternoon. I recognized him. He looked very young and was now grimacing in pain, covering his bleeding head that I had hit. Using the flashlight, I could see his face clearly. He was a young man. He said, “Big sis, I’m the one who delivered your groceries today. My name is Leo.” “I’m a sophomore at State University. I can’t go back now. Can you take me in? I’m a sports major. I can be your bodyguard. I can definitely protect you!” Leo’s gaze was sincere. Afraid I wouldn’t believe him, he started to lift up his shirt to show me his muscles. I quickly stopped him and took a step back to distance myself. “My name is Emily. Let me be clear, I don’t support freeloaders. The zombies are so vicious. Are you sure you can protect me?” Leo didn’t immediately reply. Instead, he thought for a few seconds. His gaze was clear and transparent as he said seriously, “I’m not certain, but as long as I’m alive, I’ll definitely keep you safe behind me.” Leo must have stayed because of the two carloads of supplies in my basement. The number of zombies was increasing. When we ran out of supplies, how would a weak woman like me go out to fight for resources? The only option now was to take him in. The clock on the wall pointed to 1 AM. I felt the desolate autumn wind and lifted a corner of the curtain to look at Adrian at the door. The next second, as if sensing my gaze, he raised his face and looked over. When he saw me, his eyes flashed red, looking at me with a kind of forceful possessiveness and frenzied excitement. Before, he had never looked at me with that kind of gaze. But now, the bloodthirsty and crazy Adrian looked terrifying. I closed the curtains, not daring to look at him anymore.

I don’t know how I fell asleep, but when I woke up again, it was already 10:30 AM. The zombies’ howls outside had gotten a bit quieter. When I went downstairs after getting ready, Leo had already cooked breakfast and was waiting for me. After eating, he told me that the surrounding zombies seemed to have received some kind of signal and all headed towards the East District. He took advantage of this lull to go to the supermarket and get some more supplies. He also reinforced the villa’s walls a bit. Hearing this, I immediately ran up to the second-floor balcony to see if Adrian was still at the door. The villa gate was empty, with only bloodstains on the ground. I felt an indescribable sense of loss. I opened my phone to check the drone footage. The next second, my body froze, and my phone fell to the ground with a crisp sound. In the video, Adrian was standing on top of an SUV. Countless zombies were kneeling at his feet. His eyes were filled with undisguised madness. At this moment, he was looking directly at the drone, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, but only revealing a murderous aura. The next second, the video went black as the drone was torn apart. Adrian had undoubtedly become the Zombie King. “Emily, what’s wrong?” Leo’s voice suddenly sounded in my ear. I said flatly, “A Zombie King has appeared in the East District.” As soon as I finished speaking, he pulled out his phone to watch the latest drone footage. For some reason, when he saw Adrian’s face clearly, he said, “How can it be him.” What connection does he have with Adrian? “That’s my boyfriend. Do you know him?” I probed. Leo was visibly flustered and tried to cover it up: “No, I don’t know him.” Something strange was definitely going on.

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On the first day of college, my roommate revealed her identity as the daughter of the richest man in town. I was confused since her last name didn’t match the billionaire’s. She explained she took her mother’s surname since childhood. I secretly called the billionaire’s wife: “Mom, I heard you have a secret daughter with someone else behind Dad’s back?” On the first day of freshman year, our dorm was in an uproar over one girl. Heavy makeup, clicking high heels, designer logos from head to toe. “Hi everyone, I’m Wendy. My dad is the richest man in town,” the girl introduced herself with her head held high. The revelation of a billionaire’s daughter caused quite a stir in the dorm. “Wow, I’ve never met a wealthy heiress before!” My roommate Mia excitedly approached her. But before she could get close, Wendy stopped her with a hand: “Don’t get too near me, I’m prone to allergies.” What? Allergic to what? People? Why not just live in outer space then? Seeing Mia’s awkward expression, I couldn’t help but speak up: “Isn’t the richest man in town surnamed Smith?” Besides, I don’t remember seeing anyone named Wendy on the 2025 Forbes list. Wendy looked at me, giving me a once-over. How to describe it – one part scrutiny, nine parts disdain? “I use my mom’s surname.” “Oh, I see,” I said, feigning sudden realization. “Mrs. Smith, I heard you have a secret daughter with the surname Wendy,” I texted quietly. Mrs. Smith replied faster than ever: “Get lost, I just managed to calm down your jealous dad last night.” Thinking of my easily jealous dad gave me a headache. For males, regardless of species, even if Mrs. Smith just gave directions to someone, he’d throw a fit all day. But looking at this ‘sister’ who appeared out of nowhere, well, let her pretend if she wants. As long as she’s not spending our family’s money. Just as I was about to climb into bed, a man and woman entered the room. Their bodies were covered in signs of wind and sun exposure, dark and thin, carrying two huge pieces of luggage. “These are my family’s maid and driver,” Wendy explained to us, then turned back to the couple and said, “Just leave the luggage there, you can go back now.” “Miss…” The maid was about to say something but was half-pushed out of the dorm by Wendy. That night, Wendy suggested playing Truth or Dare to get to know each other better. Since it was everyone’s first time meeting, we all agreed. Mia lost the first round and chose Truth. Wendy asked: “What do your parents do?” Mia’s face lit up with happiness as she recalled her parents: “My parents run a supermarket chain.” “Oh, that must be a tough life for you,” Wendy’s contemptuous tone slipped out naturally. “…” Is this girl low on both IQ and EQ? How can she say such disdainful things so confidently? “Why don’t you ask her what the supermarket chain is called?” Wendy looked puzzled. “Walmart.” The daughter of a founder who opened so many large chain supermarkets nationwide, and you say her life is tough? I had seen Mia’s father at one of my dad’s dinner parties earlier when her parents came to drop her off. Sure enough, when Wendy heard this, her eyes lit up for a moment. Then she lightly patted Mia’s hand, “You should have said so earlier, we can hang out together in the future.” “…” She’s not allergic to touching others herself? I lost the second round and chose Truth. Wendy jumped in: “What do your parents do?” Ugh, is she a parrot? Did she only learn this one question? Holding back the urge to roll my eyes, I said: “They’re farmers.” I wasn’t lying. The delicate-looking Mrs. Wang is actually a forensic pathologist. After seeing too many corpses and smelling enough formaldehyde, her greatest wish in life is to return to farming. Mr. Wang, who dotes on his wife, made a grand gesture and rented hundreds of acres of farmland in the suburbs. He handed over the company to their son and has since been living a farming life with his beloved wife. They even said they were too busy to manage my college move-in. However, the hundreds of acres of farmland are mostly barren and overgrown with weeds under the couple’s care. When Wendy heard “farmers,” a smile, no, more like a sneer, immediately appeared on her face: “One shouldn’t be too vain. If your parents are farmers, you shouldn’t wear designer brands. Anyone can tell they’re fake. But you’re pretty enough, I can introduce you to a rich guy in the future.” I glanced at my ‘fake brands’ and was speechless. This heiress seems quite ignorant. I gave her a white eye roll. Wendy lost the third round and chose Truth. I asked: “The wife of the richest man in town is surnamed Wang. You, who supposedly took your mom’s surname, are sure your last name is Wendy?” Can’t even do basic research before pretending? Wendy’s face changed instantly. “You…” she stammered. Before she could finish stuttering, I threw her words back at her: “One shouldn’t be too vain. If your parents are farmers, you shouldn’t wear designer brands. Anyone can tell they’re fake. But you’re not that pretty, so I won’t bother introducing you to any guys.” Seeing the tense atmosphere between us, Quinn, our dorm leader, quickly found an excuse to end the game. But the grudge between Wendy and me was set from that moment on.

On the second night of Freshman Orientation Week. Wendy returned to the dorm carrying a large bouquet of roses and two designer shopping bags, her face unable to hide her joy. “Wow, which handsome guy is so generous?” Quinn exclaimed in surprise. “This set must have cost quite a bit, right?” Seeing everyone gather around, Wendy replied with feigned shyness: “It’s not much, just a few thousand dollars.” Mia: “If he’s not a rich heir, this definitely doesn’t add up. How did you two meet?” “When it comes to dating, you should find someone wealthy. He’s our senior, called Jack. He asked for my contact info on the first day of school.” “Wow, love at first sight? That’s so nice,” Mia’s eyes were full of envy. I noticed Mia was the most innocent and least grudge-holding girl, always cheerful. “Tomorrow night, my boyfriend is inviting everyone to dinner at Nobu. It’s his brother’s restaurant,” Wendy announced. Quinn and Mia excitedly high-fived each other. Nobu, a famously difficult place to get reservations in town, even for the wealthy. Wendy looked at me playing on my phone in bed: “Oh, you can come too. This might be your only chance in life.” “Sure,” I agreed readily, ignoring her snarky tone. Mainly because I was too curious about this Jack character. First Wendy didn’t recognize my parents, and now here’s someone who doesn’t recognize my brother? Is my family the United Nations of surnames? Though, Jack… that name sounds familiar. The next day, at Nobu. “Miss…” The waiter was about to greet me when I gave him a look to stop. “We don’t need service, we’ll manage ourselves.” “Wow, rich people’s place. This lobby is so luxurious, like a palace,” Mia’s eyes were spinning rapidly as soon as we entered Nobu. Seeing her expression was too cute, I couldn’t help but joke: “Mia, are your parents abusing you?” “Hehe, am I overreacting a bit?” Mia grinned mischievously. “Not at all, you’re adorable.” Much more lovable than certain pretentious people. “We’re in the South Bay private room,” Quinn received Wendy’s message. “This way,” I pulled back the two who were walking in the opposite direction. “Hey Claire, how do you know this place so well?” Mia asked curiously. “Maybe I’m a psychic?” I teased Mia as we arrived at the private room. “This is Quinn, Mia, and Claire. This is my boyfriend Jack,” Wendy introduced us one by one. Jack also greeted each of us politely, but when he saw my face, he suddenly froze, with an expression of disbelief. Wendy must have noticed her boyfriend’s unusual reaction and pinched him hard. Jack snapped back to reality and avoided my gaze as he sat down. I saw Wendy silently questioning her boyfriend what was wrong, but he just shook his head. So it’s him. No wonder the name sounded familiar.

With everyone seated, Jack called the waiter to start serving dishes. As various exquisite dishes were brought to the table, Mia and Quinn’s exclamations of surprise greatly satisfied Wendy’s vanity. Perhaps because I didn’t show the reaction she wanted, Wendy suddenly said to me: “This is Almas caviar, flown in from the Alps. Country folks probably never get a chance to taste this in their lifetime. Try some.” It’s from Dubai, sis. The Alps only have glaciers now! I really wanted to retort, but seeing the man opposite carefully glancing at me and tugging at Wendy’s clothes, I raised the corner of my mouth slightly. Never mind, it’s true this country bumpkin hasn’t had it in a while. The rest of the meal continued in this vein, with Wendy repeatedly emphasizing how I, a farmer’s kid, had never eaten or seen these things before. Her boyfriend looked like he wanted to say something but kept stopping her. “Claire, I’m sorry.” As soon as I came out of the restroom, I heard the man apologize. “Jack,” I paused, but felt I had to say something, “She’s not right for you.” The man rubbed his face with his hand: “I know, but I really can’t help it. I like her so much.” Seeing the man’s resolute expression, I finally left in silence. Love can make guys lose themselves too. “Thank you for not exposing me,” I heard a dejected male voice behind me before I walked far. Jack became an orphan in a major earthquake. Later, by chance, Mrs. Wang sponsored all his expenses. But according to Mrs. Wang, he refused her help since his sophomore year of high school and has been working part-time jobs to pay for everything himself. The year he got into college, Mrs. Wang once brought me to celebrate with him. Mrs. Wang always praised him highly. I just didn’t expect to meet again in this way. That night, a discordant dinner ended harmoniously. That evening, I secretly called my brother, because knowing Jack’s personality, he would never ask my brother for a free meal. Although I really dislike the pretentious Wendy, for Jack’s sake, I decided to try not to provoke her in the future. The day after the dinner, two photos and a sensational headline pushed me to the top of the hot topics on the school forum. “Shocking! Country girl schemes to seduce someone else’s rich boyfriend!” The first photo: Under the lights, a woman gazes at a man affectionately. The yellowish lighting makes the woman’s gaze seem unusually ambiguous and flirtatious. The second photo: A woman riding a sheep, frowning at the camera. She’s wearing a loose white T-shirt on top and strikingly colorful pants on the bottom, surrounded by countless chickens, ducks and geese.

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The day I was diagnosed with a terminal illness, my wife Emily was at the hospital taking care of her first love. The woman I had cherished for ten years was now cooking and caring for another man. She was even willing to risk her career to have his child. On the day she asked for a divorce, she questioned if I was afraid of dying a miserable death. I calmly replied, “Then let me die a miserable death.” What she didn’t know was that I was already dying. The day after Ryan Thompson returned to the country, the news reported that my wife Emily had suddenly left the international stage and rushed to the hospital. I sat on the couch, clutching a medical diagnosis report in my hand. I had originally planned to tell Emily about my condition today. But I never expected Ryan to come back. Emily’s decade-long obsession finally had an outlet. With one last hope, I dialed her number. But I couldn’t get through. After the long busy signal, the call was disconnected. I didn’t give up and kept calling. Twice… three times… five times… Finally, on the seventh try, the call connected. “Jack! Why don’t you just put a tracker on me! Please, give me some space, will you?” “You’re like a leech stuck to me every day. Don’t you have your own life?” “Stop calling me. I’ll contact you later.” Emily’s voice on the other end was anxious but quiet. The surroundings seemed silent. She must have already arrived at the hospital. “Can you come home for a moment? I have something important to tell you.” As soon as those words left my mouth, I regretted them. Sure enough, Emily’s patience on the other end had reached its limit. “Ryan is in the hospital. He just got back and doesn’t know anyone here. Can you stop causing trouble? Can’t whatever you have to say wait?” As soon as she finished speaking, a nurse could be heard calling out on the other end. “Is Ryan Thompson’s family here?” “Yes, I’m coming right away.” Then, the mechanical tone of the call being hung up sounded. The phone slipped from my palm as I leaned back on the couch, powerless. Tears gradually blurred my vision. In five years of marriage, she had never shown such anxious emotions for me. My devotion had become a huge joke. She watched me like an indifferent bystander, trapped in the dream I had woven, unwilling to wake up. I was wrong. I thought if I just stayed by her side… Her heart would eventually settle. I took a photo of the medical report lying next to me and sent it to her. “Emily, I’ve been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Can you come back and stay with me?” She quickly replied. “Jack, when will you ever stop? How can you be so selfish at a time like this? Ryan and I are just good friends now. He’s in the hospital with a stomach ulcer and needs someone with him. We were classmates after all, don’t you have any compassion?” Her words were full of impatience, making me seem petty. At the same time, a text from my doctor popped up. “If you choose conservative treatment, you can have family members accompany you for hospital admission in these last two months.” Family members? She seems more like Ryan’s family now. I collected myself and replied: “Thank you doctor, but there’s no point. I won’t be seeking treatment.” It was a double entendre, also telling myself. Everything I had done for her was meaningless now too. We had known each other for ten years and been married for five. These last two months would belong only to me. Suddenly, an intense wave of pain washed over me like a tide. The uncontrollable pain engulfed all my thoughts, making each breath feel like a blade piercing my brain. With difficulty, I took out some pills from my suit pocket and swallowed them. Then I dozed off on the couch, drifting into a hazy sleep. In my dream, I saw 17-year-old Emily. She had argued with her family about persisting with dance and ran out into the pouring rain. We ended up sitting under the same awning to escape the rain. At that time, my parents had just died in a car accident. When she learned of my situation, she put on a brave smile to comfort me. It was at that moment her appearance shone into my heart like a gentle moonbeam. Only I didn’t know then that her heart already belonged to someone else. Later, I became her shadow. I witnessed her subtle, shy crush in high school from afar. After graduation, she confessed and was rejected. Ryan went abroad to study, and I accompanied her as she drank herself into oblivion. We spent an less-than-ideal night together. It was then that Emily began to hate me.

I especially remember that drunken morning. Her tear-stained eyes were full of disgust and hatred towards me. It turned out she had promised Ryan she would wait for him. And after that night, she felt she was no longer worthy. She blamed me for ruining her future with Ryan. Later, she had a falling out with her family over college applications, so I used my parents’ compensation money to support her dream. But that was far from enough. I gave up my own dream of painting and changed my major to finance instead. As soon as I entered university, I desperately started looking for part-time jobs. Sometimes two bread rolls and a glass of water was my entire meal. But I was happy, because Emily was well taken care of. She achieved her dream and became the center of attention at school. As time passed, after so many years together, she no longer despised me as much. But she still didn’t love me. After graduating, Ryan didn’t return. That day, Emily got drunk again. I carefully helped her home and was about to leave after helping her clean up. But she looked at me with hazy eyes, her expression numb. “Jack, let’s get married.” I knew it was just drunk talk. But I still couldn’t refuse her request and agreed. “Okay, let’s get married.” The next afternoon, Emily appeared before me. Holding our household registration booklet. Skipping dating and proposals, just like that, we got married. Her face was expressionless, as if completing a most ordinary task. I thought my waiting had finally gained meaning. But I didn’t realize this was her way of closing the chapter on her youth. Much later I found out that morning she had tattooed an “R.T.” on her shoulder. Not for Jack Wilson, but for Ryan Thompson. On our wedding day, she sent Ryan a photo of the tattoo. “Even if we can never meet again, I can still feel you by my side.” “Goodbye, my youth.” After marriage, she was often away from home, but I didn’t mind. Because no matter how long it took, she would always come back. I just needed to wait like I had for the past few years. That was what I was best at. Snippets of our time together flashed before my eyes like a film, finally fading into a white light. When I came to, I found my soul floating in mid-air. Outside it was bright daylight. The digital clock on the wall told me it was already the next day. While “my” body lay on the couch, face unnaturally pale. I had died before the two months the doctor predicted, so quietly. So what I just saw wasn’t a dream, but the flashbacks before death. The phone rang. It was Emily calling. But now I was just a soul, unable to answer her call. A minute later, her text came through. “I’m waiting for you at the courthouse. Hurry up. Ryan needs someone with him.” “Don’t tell me you’ve changed your mind. I gave you a chance.” About 15 minutes later, the phone rang again. But still no one answered. My soul couldn’t leave this room, only float in the air silently watching the phone ring over and over. I felt a bit dejected. During my school years I was busy with part-time jobs. After graduation I was busy with work. My whole life revolved around Emily. If no one discovered my body, I’d probably rot here. The last shred of dignity as an adult was gone too. Emily would probably be even more disgusted when she saw my body. Fortunately, the landlord came by in the afternoon to read the electricity meter and found me on the couch. The moment my soul floated out of the house, it was pulled by a powerful force. When I came to my senses, I was already floating in mid-air not far from Emily. She sat beside Ryan’s bed, peeling an apple for him. But her technique was clumsy, nearly cutting herself several times. Ryan watched her with gentle eyes. “Jack didn’t show up today?” Her hand paused briefly as she replied, “Don’t worry about him. I’ll contact a lawyer for a contested divorce once you’re discharged.” I smiled bitterly. It seems she truly had no feelings for me all these years. Then Ryan asked, “Since you and Jack are getting divorced, can I ask you for a favor?” She looked up at Ryan with a coquettish gaze, pouting in displeasure, “Do we need to use such formal words between us? It’s too distant. If it weren’t for you, I probably would have died in that fire long ago.” I was stunned. What fire? Seeing her reaction, Ryan reached out and ruffled her hair affectionately. “It’s been so many years, how have you not forgotten? Even if I hadn’t saved you, the firefighters would have rescued you.” “It’s not the same.” “Come on, tell me, what is it?” Ryan seemed to steel himself, looking at her intently. “Can you… have a child for me?”

Hearing those words, I sharply inhaled. Because I knew Emily had dedicated everything to dance. I had brought up having children a few times after marriage, but was always firmly rejected. The impact on her figure and career after pregnancy was too risky for her to take. Sure enough, Emily frowned slightly. “Why?” Ryan lowered his gaze, his eyes a bit forlorn. “I’ve been so busy with work abroad all these years, and have decided to dedicate my life to scientific research. My family doesn’t want our lineage to end, so they came up with this idea. I know it’s an unreasonable request, but I don’t want to have a child with just anyone.” “Emily, if I hadn’t gone abroad that year, maybe we would already be married with kids by now.” The words were ambiguous, inviting speculation. Sure enough, a hint of hesitation flashed in Emily’s eyes. Her movements became careless, and she accidentally cut her finger with the fruit knife. She hurriedly grabbed a tissue to press on it, making an excuse to find a nurse and left the room. I floated in the hospital room, scrutinizing Ryan with my gaze. I didn’t believe a word he said. As far as I knew, Ryan had an older brother who was already married with children. The excuse of continuing the family line was too flimsy. The phone rang and he smiled slightly seeing the caller ID. “Honey, I’m fine.” “I haven’t finished things here yet, I’ll probably have to stay a few more months. I’ll come back to see you once she agrees.” “Be good, I miss you too.” As soon as he hung up, Emily walked back in. She seemed to have made some kind of decision, taking a few steps closer. “Ryan, I understand your dedication to your dreams. I’m willing to have your child, but we need to wait until I’ve finalized the divorce, okay?” A gentle smile returned to Ryan’s handsome face. “Of course.” I froze for a moment, feeling awful. So the child I had begged for, Ryan could get with just a few words. She was even willing to risk her career for him. Thankfully, we didn’t have children together. Otherwise, how pitiful would a child be with parents like this. “I can be discharged in a couple days. Once the paperwork is done I’ll move in with you.” Emily looked confused. “What do you mean move in together?” Ryan teased her, “Didn’t you agree to have my child? How are you going to do that if I don’t move in? You can’t make a baby by yourself, you know.” Her face flushed with embarrassment. After a moment’s hesitation she spoke, “We don’t have to live together. We can do IVF at a hospital.” Ryan paused, his words considerate, “I won’t force you to do anything you don’t want to. But a child conceived naturally is generally healthier than one through IVF. For the baby’s sake, please think about it some more.” Her expression was complex as she picked up her phone to call me again. Still no answer. I had never gone so many days without contacting her. Faced with a request from the man she had loved for years, she instinctively felt guilty towards me. Perhaps remembering our days and nights together all these years made her unable to make an immediate decision. When she got home, she didn’t immediately notice anything amiss in the house. It wasn’t until she opened the fridge and found her favorite juice missing that she realized the reminder note on the fridge was from a week ago. “Honey, they’re out of the lime juice you like. I got you orange juice instead. If you don’t finish it in a couple days, remember to throw it out.” I floated in the air, back in our familiar home. This place once held all my love, and witnessed every sleepless night. Emily took out an unopened bottle of orange juice and took a sip before setting it down. Seems she didn’t like the taste. She turned and walked into the bedroom, only noticing something was wrong when she opened the closet. The men’s pajamas that usually hung next to her silk nightgown were gone. She turned and went into the study, finding that my Lego sets had disappeared too. That was the only gift Emily ever gave me. I treasured it dearly. She paused, disbelief in her eyes, then started searching the house for any traces of me. But I didn’t have many belongings to begin with. Everything had already been moved to the rental apartment. Half an hour later, she finally accepted the fact that I had truly left. She picked up her phone and dialed my number one more time. This time the call finally went through. She frowned instinctively and commanded: “Jack, I don’t care what game you’re playing, but my patience has limits. If you don’t show up by tomorrow, I’m getting a lawyer for a contested divorce.” The other end was silent for a few seconds before speaking. “Hello, this is the police station. Your husband Jack Wilson passed away in a rental apartment a few days ago. Please come to the station to claim the body.”

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After Getting a Fat Severance Package, I Told My Ex-Boss to Get Lost! Because I’m the Company’s Landlord! My boyfriend was smitten by the daughter of the company’s vice president, and I lost in love. What’s worse than losing in love is that I was fired from the company I had worked for five years, for a fabricated reason. After receiving a generous severance package and my termination letter, I packed my things and left with my head held high. Not only did they lay off their top performer, but they also fired the landlord of their office building. This crappy company can keep whoever they want, but they’re doomed to fail sooner or later! After discussing the severance amount with HR, I received a payment notification on my phone within 10 minutes. I swear, this was the fastest payment I’ve ever received since joining the company. Previously, getting a payment approved required a string of approvals, with at least eight people in the finance department alone. Even the fastest payment would take a day or two. The young HR girl ran all the way to hand me my termination letter. I looked at the reason for termination: personal reasons, voluntary resignation. Not bad. The handover was already completed, so I started packing up the things on my desk. “Knock, knock, knock.” Someone knocked on the door, and before I could say “come in,” Chloe walked in, wearing a crisp white suit, looking graceful and charming. “Sister Lydia, packing up? Make sure you don’t take any company documents home with you!” she said with a smirk. I ignored her. I was leaving anyway, and I didn’t want to cause trouble. But some people just can’t help being nasty. “Sister Lydia, when I first came here, you blocked my probation. Who would have thought that you’d be leaving before me today? Your project is now mine. People should really know their place. And Ryan, he chose me over you. Men, you know, they always prefer young and beautiful women. You’re old now, with no money or power. How can you compete with someone young, beautiful, and from a prestigious family like me?” There was no need to hold back anymore. It’s not good for the mammary glands to keep things bottled up, as my doctor told me during my physical exam. I glanced up at the surveillance camera above. Good, it was off. When the company required the cameras to be on, I had dinner with the IT guys. The main topic of discussion was “technology should not be used for evil.” One of the IT guys almost broke up with his girlfriend because he kept having dinner with me. In the end, we compromised. When I was in the office, the camera would be off; when I wasn’t, it would be on. I thought it was good enough for preventing theft. I walked up to Chloe and lifted her chin with my finger, examining her for a moment. Full of collagen, skin as smooth as a baby’s bottom. Youth is truly wonderful! She seemed a bit nervous but thought I wouldn’t do anything to her in the office. “You can kneel down and beg me, and I might consider giving you a position in the project,” she said smugly. She had just been promoted to project manager ten minutes ago, according to the HR notification. Chloe held her head high like a little swan. I used all my strength and slapped her hard across the face. The sound was loud, and even my hand hurt. Chloe was stunned at first, then started screaming. I grabbed her hair, avoiding the camera, and dragged her to the office area, throwing her onto the coffee table. There were some things on the table that crashed to the floor when she landed. The entire hall fell silent, not even a photo was taken. Everyone was too shocked. “Chloe, you stole my boyfriend. It’s my fault for not seeing through people, and it’s shameful to be a third wheel. Your ability to steal him is your ‘talent,’ and I don’t care about that rotten cucumber anymore. But the A8 project was something I fought for, and I did all the planning. How dare you remove my name and put yours on it? Open any page, do you even know what the initials HHY stand for? Your dad is one of the company’s bosses, he’s so rich, he could open a company for you to play with, give you a project to do. Why do you have to make things difficult for a hardworking employee like me? How many times did I go to the client for this project? How many times did I visit the site? How many extra hours did I work? Where were you during that time? Shopping for clothes or dating my boyfriend? How dare you steal it? Couldn’t you at least be low-key about it? Why did you have to flaunt it in front of me? I’m already leaving, making room for you. What more do you want? Why do you have to be so disgusting? Huh?” Chloe had just crawled up from the coffee table, with five clear finger marks on her face and a bruise on her forehead. Her hair was a mess. Faced with my accusations, she seemed to have a mental freeze, unable to utter a word in response. I took a wet wipe and carefully cleaned my hands, saying with disgust, “Take some time to take care of your hair, it’s so oily. Don’t show up in front of me again, or I’ll teach you a lesson every time I see you.” Then I put on a smile and said to the colleagues who had just recovered from the shock, “I’ve been happy to know all of you during my years at JoySpace. You’ve been great partners. Thank you all. I’m leaving today, and I’ve ordered some afternoon tea with cakes and milk tea for everyone. I hope you all enjoy it. Until we meet again.” With that, I turned around gracefully and quickly left. Outside the company’s entrance, I took a photo and posted it on Instagram along with a photo of my old work badge: “After five years of weathering storms together, allow me to dock my ship today and bid farewell to JoySpace. Grateful for the encounters, no regrets for the prime of my youth. From today on, I’m both unemployed and single. Let me rest for a month, and I’ll be in touch after that.” After posting, I saw that I had been removed from various company group chats. I could almost see Chloe’s phone burning up. At least it saved me the trouble. I took a cab back to the home I used to share with Ryan. This apartment was bought by my family when I graduated. At the time, to avoid making Ryan uncomfortable, I always said it was rented and only charged him a symbolic amount of rent. Ryan knew the rental prices in this area, yet he accepted that arrangement without question. It was all my fault for being young and unable to distinguish between good and bad people. I contacted a familiar renovation company, sent them a renovation plan, and asked them to renovate according to that plan and then help me rent it out. After dealing with these matters, I quickly bought a plane ticket and escaped. Every day, I went to the seaside to space out, and surprisingly, I didn’t feel bored. I played around for a month. When I left, the grass was just sprouting new green; when I came back, flowers were blooming everywhere, and spring had returned to the earth. In a few days, it would be my best friend’s birthday, and I needed to choose a gift. I went to a jewelry store. I didn’t recognize the saleswoman on duty today, but when she saw me come in, she stood at a comfortable distance, warm but not overly eager, making me feel at ease. I was in the middle of choosing when other customers came in. I told the saleswoman to attend to them. But those two people came straight towards me. I looked up and laughed. What a coincidence! It was Chloe, with Ryan following behind. They were carrying shopping bags, apparently having been out for a while. When Ryan and I were together, he hated shopping, saying it was a waste of time. Now that he’s with someone else, he seems to have adapted well. “Sister Lydia, long time no see. I thought you were hiding because you were fired and felt ashamed. Didn’t expect to run into you here,” Chloe said with a smirk. Chloe was as brainless as ever, saying things that made people want to punch her. “I didn’t steal someone’s boyfriend or project. I didn’t do anything shameful, so why should I hide?” I looked Chloe up and down. “You, on the other hand, don’t look too well. Done too many shady things? Can’t sleep at night? But I guess you wouldn’t, you don’t have a conscience.” Watching Chloe’s face change colors like a chameleon made me feel even better. I couldn’t be bothered with them anymore and went back to choosing jewelry. Finally, I found a chain I liked. “Miss, could you please bring that chain over for me to look at?” I asked the saleswoman. The saleswoman brought it out, but before I could take a closer look, Chloe snatched it away. “Sister Lydia, the cheapest jewelry here costs over ten thousand dollars, and some pieces go for hundreds of thousands. Can you afford it? Don’t bite off more than you can chew,” Chloe said mockingly. After saying this, Chloe picked up the bracelet, examined it, and said to the saleswoman, “Wrap it up, I’ll take it.” “But…” The saleswoman looked troubled. “It’s fine, give it to her. I’ll look at something else,” I said calmly. For the next half hour, Chloe followed me around, snatching up whatever I showed interest in. Ryan whispered something to Chloe, but she only became more aggressive, and Ryan didn’t dare say anything more. After a full round, I couldn’t find anything suitable, so I said to the saleswoman, “Bring out that new ruby necklace you’ve got.” The saleswoman went to the safe and brought out a box. When she opened it, I felt my eyes light up. It was a ruby necklace. The gemstone was of high purity and perfectly cut, shimmering beautifully under the light. “This is nice, give me—” Before I could finish, Chloe quickly interrupted. “I’ll take this one,” she said. I finally couldn’t hold back anymore. “Chloe, are you sick? You want everything I look at. Are you brainless or blind? Can’t you choose for yourself?” I snapped. “I have money, I can afford it. I’ll compete with you, what can you do about it?” she retorted. “This necklace is new and quite expensive. Is it worth spending so much just to compete with me?” I tried to reason with her. “Money can’t buy happiness, but I’m happy to spend it. Jealous? Too bad you can’t afford it. Wrap it up, I’ll take it with the others,” Chloe said, staring at the necklace, clearly in love with it. “Ma’am, I should inform you that all our items are final sale, no returns or exchanges. Would you like to reconsider?” the saleswoman cautioned. Chloe hesitated for a moment upon hearing this. “Yeah, Chloe, it’s quite expensive. Think it through. Don’t regret it once you leave the store, there’s no going back,” I chimed in. My advice seemed to strengthen Chloe’s resolve. “Nonsense, it’s just a few pieces of jewelry. Who do you think I am? Ryan, pay for it,” she demanded. Ryan was taken aback and hesitated, his face turning sour. “What’s wrong? Is your phone out of battery?” Chloe asked, staring intently at Ryan. “I brought my card, let’s use that,” Ryan said, handing his card to the saleswoman. Then came the awkward moment. “I’m sorry, sir, but the balance is insufficient,” the saleswoman said, handing the card back with both hands. “How much is it in total?” Ryan asked. “669,000 dollars,” the saleswoman replied. Ryan unconsciously took a step back, his face turning bright red in disbelief. “That much?” he muttered under his breath. “Yeah, it’s quite expensive. If you don’t have enough money, don’t buy it. It’s not something you can eat or drink, so why bother?” I quickly added salt to the wound. Chloe walked over, handed over her own credit card, and took Ryan’s card from his hand, giving both to the saleswoman. “Charge the rest to my card,” she said. Ryan received a bank notification. I glanced at it and saw that his balance was down to just $5.19. After the transaction, Chloe took the bags and left with her head held high. The saleswoman stood there, looking guilty. “Everything you liked was bought by someone else. I’m so sorry,” she apologized sincerely. It wasn’t her fault, but her sincere apology showed she had potential as an employee. “It’s alright. Could you please wrap up that one for me?” I pointed to a bracelet I had spotted earlier but deliberately hadn’t looked at. The saleswoman happily went to wrap it up, looking relieved. After leaving the jewelry counter, I called my friend. “Chloe just bought nearly $700,000 worth of jewelry from your store, even taking that new ruby necklace. How are you going to thank me?” I joked. My friend laughed heartily on the other end of the phone. “Really? That’s fantastic! We should celebrate with a big meal. But thank you? Did you forget you’re also a shareholder?”

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On the day my boyfriend of three years proposed to me, his long-lost first love, who was presumed dead in a plane crash, suddenly came back to life. I followed him as he ran to the stairwell, watching them embrace each other emotionally. They were both crying and snotting, and only after regaining their composure did they notice me standing behind them. Sean looked extremely embarrassed. Coco stared at me in shock, unable to utter a word. I caught a glimpse of panic flashing across her face. Her reaction was understandable, given how strikingly similar we looked. The engagement ring on my finger, as big as a pigeon egg, hadn’t even had time to warm up. Though it pained me a little, I took it off and strode towards Sean: “Here, give it back to you. Give it to its rightful owner.” I didn’t love Sean. Our relationship was a mutually beneficial transaction. We had agreed that he would give me $5,000 a month as pocket money, and I would accompany him to complete the hundred things he had once promised to do with Coco. After finishing, he would give me an additional $500,000. I wanted to settle down in New York and end my nomadic life of being constantly exploited by landlords, so we reached an agreement. In these three years, he took me to see snow on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, ride horses on the grasslands, and wait for the Buddha’s halo on the Golden Summit of Mount Emei. I experienced all the love he had for Coco. So this live scene in front of me was very touching, even more intense than watching a Korean drama couple. I thoughtfully put the ring on Coco’s finger – not too big, not too small, just right! I guessed he was nervous that Coco might misunderstand his relationship with me. Thinking of the $500,000 that was about to be mine, I very considerately explained on his behalf: “Miss Lu, I’ve often heard about you from Mr. Shaw. He loves you very much. We’re just friends, and we’ve never done anything inappropriate. It’s wonderful that you’ve returned safely. I sincerely wish you both happiness.” To avoid further misunderstanding, I hurriedly returned to Sean’s mansion to pack my things, intending to move out immediately. After packing everything into my suitcase, the door to the living room suddenly opened. Oh no! The person who came in was actually Coco! It’s inevitable to feel guilty when a stand-in meets the real deal. She stared at me, her surprised eyes brimming with tears: “You two are living together?” Coco looked so pitiful on the verge of tears that even I couldn’t help but feel sympathetic. I showed rare gentleness, taking her hand: “Of course not. It’s just that his housekeeper had some business to attend to, so I came over to help for a few days. I’m leaving right away.” Seeing my packed belongings, she finally relaxed and revealed a sweet smile. The car I called had already arrived. I hurriedly loaded my things into the car, eager to leave even if it meant taking a night bus. Coco very kindly came out to see me off. Just as I was about to make my getaway, she suddenly brought out a stack of photos from the master bedroom – pictures of Sean and me on our travels. If she hadn’t taken them out, I would have completely forgotten about them. “Miss Snow, don’t you want these photos?” she asked, examining me with bright, innocent eyes. “No, I don’t need them.” As soon as I finished speaking, she suddenly threw the photos into the trash can. I was stunned for a moment. It wasn’t that I cared about the photos, but it felt strange to see pictures of myself in the garbage. I instinctively glanced inside and noticed a photo of Coco and Sean mixed in. I kindly reminded her, knowing how much Sean treasured that photo. Coco’s face turned pale. She hurriedly fished that photo out of the trash can and lovingly wiped it clean. “We probably look too alike. I didn’t notice,” she explained awkwardly. I thought she must have felt uncomfortable seeing so many photos of Sean and me together. As a fellow woman, I understood her feelings. Coco enthusiastically saw me off to the car, hesitating before finally speaking: “Miss Snow, could you please delete Sean from your contacts?” My heart skipped a beat. Deleting him wasn’t the point. The point was, who would pay me if I deleted him? My $500,000 was still unsettled. “But Mr. Shaw and I still have some financial matters to settle,” I replied in a very official tone. “Sean has already discussed this with me. Let’s add each other on SnapChat. I’ll help him transfer the $500,000 to you.” Can such good things really happen? My eyes lit up, and I immediately took out my phone to add Coco on SnapChat. Then, right in front of her, I blocked and deleted Sean. Even a second of hesitation would be disrespectful to money. …… The first thing I did after moving was to buy a British Shorthair blue cat. I had wanted to keep a cat for a long time, but Sean wouldn’t let me. Funny enough, the reason was that Coco was allergic to cat hair. Coco kept her word. As soon as I moved into my new place, I received a bank transfer notification. The weight on my chest finally lifted, and I immediately called my best friend, asking her to come out and party tonight. The nightclub lights were flashing, and loud electronic music filled my ears. I excitedly patted Lisa’s shoulder: “Drink as much as you want, Miss Emma is footing the bill tonight.” Lisa looked at me with a worried expression: “Emma, is this really how it ends between you two?” Before I could answer, my phone rang. It was an unknown number. “Who is it?” “You’re quite pragmatic, aren’t you? Just got the money and immediately blocked and deleted me?” Sean’s sarcastic voice came through the phone. “No, no, no, that’s not it,” I patiently explained. “I blocked and deleted you before I even got the money.” He was so angry he was speechless, gritting his teeth as he said: “You’ve got some nerve. You haven’t had a job in three years. Can you even find work now? Don’t come begging me if you starve.” “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely spend that $500,000 wisely.” I resolutely hung up the phone after saying that, and then blocked this number too. This man is really ridiculous. …… I bought an RV with cash, leaving me with very little money. I decided to start my own business. As for the capital for the business, my gaze fell on the luxury goods on the shelf. These were all bought by Sean when I was his stand-in. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to use them now, so I might as well sell them. Every little bit helps. There were too many items to carry conveniently, so I packed them all into a large woven bag and lugged it into the mall. I remembered there was a second-hand luxury consignment store here. Panting, I reached the fourth floor, only to see Coco and Sean walking hand in hand out of the elevator. I held my breath and quickly hid in a cosmetics store. The sales assistant looked at me disdainfully and said haughtily: “Ma’am, this is a high-end skincare brand store. Please don’t bring your garbage in here.” I unzipped the woven bag a little, letting her peek inside, then walked out with an unperturbed stride, leaving her utterly shocked. I finally reached a luxury goods recycling store on the fifth floor. Under the watchful eyes of the staff, I took out the items one by one, filling up the glass counters.

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At our wedding, his fake innocent sister-in-law wore a white dress and clung tightly to his arm, looking more like the bride than I did. “She’s been spoiled since childhood. What’s wrong with siblings being close? Just bear with it,” he said. Bear with it? You really think I love you that much? As I flipped through our wedding photos, my heart grew colder with each image. On our wedding day, Emma, my sister-in-law, wore a white low-cut Vivienne Westwood gown that celebrities wear on red carpets. She even decorated her hair with a white silk ribbon. In the group photo, Jack looked tall and handsome, while Emma clung to him like a delicate bird. He wore a golden tie, and she had a golden wrist corsage. We stood on either side of him, but she held his arm tightly, looking more like the bride than I did. As I recalled the wedding, more and more strange things surfaced. For instance, our wedding was planned rather hastily, but Emma, who was supposed to be studying abroad, immediately postponed her exams to attend our wedding. At the time, I was touched by their close sibling relationship and encouraged Jack to spend time with her. They indeed talked a lot. Every day after she returned, she was busy discussing various wedding details with Jack. For the hotel decorations, I preferred blue, but Emma said it was too plain. In the end, Jack changed it to gold, which Emma liked. Jack’s suit was originally from the same collection as my father’s, meant to complement each other. Emma didn’t like it and insisted on changing it to gray. When my father saw Jack’s suit on the day, his face darkened for a while. I had to console him. My husband and I took her along to choose rings. At first, I liked a large diamond ring worth $17,000, but Jack persuaded me, “Lily, a big ring won’t look good. Let’s choose another one. I think the one on Emma’s hand looks nice.” Emma was wearing a small, delicate diamond ring. The diamond wasn’t large, but it had a unique design. Hearing Jack say this, she whined loudly: “Brother! You can’t be biased. I chose this, and you can only buy it for your wife. I won’t allow it!” Yes, she called me “sister-in-law” when Jack was around. When he wasn’t, she called me “Lily.” In the end, Jack bought a pair of rings, one for me and one for Emma. When paying, Jack told me, “Lily, I only have enough money in my card for one ring. Can you cover the other one for now? I’ll pay you back when we get home. Emma has been spoiled since childhood, and I don’t want her to be upset.” I understood and happily continued shopping at other stores. He never paid me back. Although I didn’t care about those few thousand dollars, now that I think about it, his money went to buy a diamond ring for his sister. I bought my own ring. Also, while other friends gave us household items as wedding gifts, like bedding sets, decorations, and small appliances, her gift was specifically for Jack. I called my best friend, barely containing my anger. When she arrived, I was sitting next to the unopened gift box, staring at it with a ashen face. Katie comfortingly hugged me, then went to find scissors. We opened the gift box to find a pair of luxury brand underwear. “They’re both adults. Doesn’t she know better?” Katie trembled with anger. “I heard she was raised by Jack when she was little,” I laughed bitterly. “Sibling love?” “Do you remember the wedding game at the door?” Katie asked me. Katie told me that they had prepared many questions, from the hotel entrance to the bedroom door. The groom could take a step towards the bride for each correct answer, but had to give out red envelopes full of cash for wrong answers. The bridesmaids were on my side, asking questions about my hobbies, living habits, and who would manage the money after marriage. Then, she heard Emma ask: “Where does Emma like to go when she’s unhappy?” “Where does Emma like to hide her gifts?” “What were the three wishes brother promised Emma when he was 17?” The bridesmaids were stunned, but Jack answered all of them correctly. The wedding game between the bride and groom had turned into a game of truth or dare between these two, reminiscing about their past. Finally, at the bedroom door, Emma asked: “Last question! In the future, will brother love Emma more or Lily more?” Jack grinned stupidly, scratching his head: “I love you both!” All the bridesmaids were shocked, but they didn’t tell me about this incident, not wanting to upset me. After hearing this, I angrily threw the gift box off the bed.

After the wedding, Jack and I were supposed to go on our honeymoon. Emma wanted to come along and mentioned it at the evening banquet. I firmly refused. She put down her bowl with a dark face, and Jack quickly tried to smooth things over, coaxing and persuading her. After a while, she cheered up. But she was an adult, not a three-year-old child. I thought the matter was settled, but at midnight on our wedding night, she came knocking on our door with red eyes. Seeing her like this, Jack gave me a look and took her outside to talk. I was exhausted and fell asleep waiting for Jack on the bed. The next morning when I woke up, Jack wasn’t there. Confused, I opened my phone and saw a message from Jack: “I’m comforting Emma. You sleep first.” Where did they go to comfort her all night? I called him: “Jack, did you forget we have a 10 AM flight? Don’t you want to go on our honeymoon?” Jack hesitated for a long time before asking: “Lily, can Emma come with us?” As if he could see my expression through the phone, he quickly added: “Emma travels every year, but this year she didn’t go because of our wedding. She’s quite upset. She also put a lot of effort into our wedding preparations and even broke up with her boyfriend to come back. I want to take her out to cheer her up.” All the unpleasant details from the wedding rushed to my mind, and I exploded over the phone: “Jack, are you out of your mind? This is our honeymoon. Do you know what a honeymoon is? If you want to go with her, then go. We don’t need to continue this marriage!” I threw my phone and lay on the couch, fuming. Soon after, Jack came back, patting my back and apologizing: “I’m sorry, Lily. I didn’t think it through. She’s been the most spoiled at home since childhood. When she cries, I don’t know what to do, so I said I’d take her along. I know I was wrong now. Let’s leave right away. I’ve packed your luggage for you.” Jack was always good at coaxing me. But now, seeing him coax me reminds me of how he coaxes Emma. It’s disgusting. But the flights and hotels were already booked, and it would be troublesome to change now. He apologized so sincerely and knew he was wrong. Under his act of playing dumb and making me laugh, I forgave him, and we boarded the honeymoon flight just in time. Before turning off my phone, I checked Emma’s Instagram. It was quiet and calm, so I assumed Jack had handled the situation. I asked him: “So, how did you explain not taking her along in the end?” Jack smiled sheepishly and said: “I promised her that when we get back, I’ll take her to Disneyland separately.” Separately? Disneyland? Seeing my suddenly dejected face, he asked confusedly: “What’s wrong, Lily? Are you unhappy again? But by then, we’ll have finished our honeymoon, right?” “…” Going out alone together, first with me, then with her, is that it? I started to doubt my choices. I drank orange juice and sulked the whole way, enduring for two hours until we finally arrived in Miami. The sea breeze finally improved my mood a little. Miami was my favorite city. When Jack and I were dating, he told me: “Lily, I want to take you to the seaside, to an island. We’ll hold hands and walk on the sand, and I’ll say my vows to you against the backdrop of the sunset over the ocean.” After all, it was my honeymoon. I shouldn’t let an unpleasant person ruin it. So when we got off the plane, I took the initiative to hold Jack’s hand. But he didn’t respond. I looked at him. He was staring at his phone with a furrowed brow: “Lily, we have to go back. Emma is in the hospital.” His expression was serious and anxious. I glanced at his phone, which showed his chat with Emma. “Brother, I’m in the hospital.” “Brother abandoned Emma.” Then there was a crying emoji and a picture of a medical record. Suppressing my anger, I asked Jack: “What’s wrong with her? Can your parents take care of her? Do you really have to go back?” Jack stared at the medical record for a long time before saying: “It’s asthma. Emma has had asthma since childhood. She has attacks during season changes and when she’s under stress…” “Asthma is a chronic condition. She’ll be fine staying in the hospital. We can visit her when we get back and bring her some gifts. What do you think?” Jack looked at me. That look made me feel like I was the evil supporting character in a novel. He said: “Lily, we’re married now, which means we’re family. Whatever opinions you had about Emma before, that’s in the past. If you really treated Emma like your own sister, would you say something like this?” I was speechless, never expecting him to say such a thing. I’m not an only child. I have an older brother and a younger sister. Especially my brother, who loves sports and is always getting injured. Once, he even broke his leg playing soccer and was hospitalized, but he never said we had to go back to see him. My sister is even more independent, doing her master’s degree in a big city, handling her own housing, medical care, internships, and studies. She often has minor illnesses, and I just send her some money and remind her to take care of herself. How come when it comes to Emma, it becomes a matter of me not accepting her or not treating her like family? Moreover, if I didn’t consider her family, would I have paid tens of thousands of dollars for her tuition and living expenses to study abroad? Even her frequent travels were funded by me. I remembered now that the phrase “not treating Emma like a real sister” had been mentioned by him several times before the wedding. It was always when she wanted to interfere with wedding details, and I disagreed. Like when she wanted to wear that dress that looked like a light wedding gown. At the time, Katie mentioned that standing next to the groom like that, unfamiliar guests might misunderstand. So I asked Jack: “Can Emma change that dress? It seems a bit eye-catching.” I don’t know how they communicated in their video call, but after a while, Jack came to me and said: “Emma chose that dress a long time ago, and it’s already been altered. If you ask her to change now, she won’t have a suitable dress to wear. Think about it, if it were your own sister, would you have the heart to let her not have a proper dress to wear?” I thought it made sense, so I didn’t say anything more. Now that I think about it, I was really stupid. My sister tried on more than a dozen dresses for my wedding, asking me each time: “Sis, is this dress too eye-catching? Does it match your wedding gown?” My real sister would always consider my feelings. Not expect me to always consider her feelings.

Jack still took the next flight, rushing back without stopping. Before leaving, he promised me that once he saw Emma was fine, he would come back to continue our honeymoon. I treated it as nonsense. I stayed in Miami because I like this city. I’m usually very busy with work, so I wanted to stay and play for a few more days now that I had the chance. Not to wait for this ridiculous honeymoon. When Katie heard that Jack had left me to go back and accompany Emma, her jaw nearly hit the floor: “Does he have any shame left?” I shrugged. “Does he know what he’s doing? Emma is clearly doing this on purpose. All she knows is how to cling to him and act coy. In a few days, she’ll probably be living with you two!” “You had so many great guys interested in you, why did you choose Jack? What were you thinking?” Seeing my expression, she wisely shut her mouth. Jack and I met through a friend’s introduction. At that time, I had just gone through a breakup and was single. Jack was very considerate and humorous. We got together quickly, and then naturally got engaged and married, all within less than a year. “At least she’ll be going back to school soon. Once she’s abroad, she shouldn’t be able to cause much trouble,” I said tiredly. “Are you deluding yourself, Lily? When she goes to school, does that mean she’ll never come back? And have you forgotten? She’s failed so many courses, she’s about to be expelled. She’s using your money to live it up and still causing you trouble. Can you really tolerate this?” Katie said irritably. “Maybe in a few years, she’ll have her own boyfriend and won’t be so clingy with Jack anymore,” I comforted myself. Katie opened Instagram and showed me a post. It was Jack and Emma, both wearing Mickey Mouse ears, posing together at Disneyland. Emma made a sweet heart sign at the camera. “To the best brother in the world.” The atmosphere suddenly became awkward. All my self-comforting words had just slapped me in the face. I couldn’t even find words to save face in front of Katie. Although I wasn’t intentionally waiting here for Jack to come back and continue our honeymoon, he had said he would come back to find me. Now, without a word, he had taken Emma, who was “hospitalized with asthma,” to Disneyland? Katie, seeing my expression, knew I was really angry this time: “We all advised you not to get the marriage certificate so quickly. You see, we weren’t wrong. Now you need to think carefully about whether you want to spend the rest of your life with someone who doesn’t put you first.” I opened my own phone and, sure enough, I couldn’t see this Disneyland post. It seems they didn’t handle it well, but rather agreed to hide their Instagram posts from me. “Lily, if you’re just trying to avoid Ryan, you really need to reconsider,” Katie said. The name “Ryan” made me shudder. “Don’t mention him,” I said. “Jack might not be a good person, but that doesn’t mean I have to choose Ryan. Can’t I just live my own life?” I sent Jack a message: “It’s over. Let’s go our separate ways. We don’t need to get the marriage certificate. We’re done.” After sending this message, my mind suddenly cleared. I wanted to settle down quickly and thought Jack was reliable, so I didn’t care about money issues. After all, my family is wealthy, we have multiple properties, and I can earn money myself. So, I paid for the marital home, the wedding, and all the big and small matters in his family. That’s why when we were buying rings, he so naturally asked me to pay. He was used to me being a cash cow for everything. I thought, we’re family now, no need to be so calculative. Now I see, how dare they keep asking me for money time and time again? So, I added another message: “I’ll send you an itemized bill. Once you’ve paid it back, we’re even.”

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