Author: Momo Chan

During my time studying abroad, my first love started dating my lookalike. On the day I returned home, she attended my welcome-back party with her current boyfriend. All our friends in the circle were waiting to see me make a fool of myself. I hadn’t prepared to be the butt of any jokes, but I did bring back a new girlfriend. On the day we broke up, Melody Quinn told me on SnapChat: “I’m sorry, Chase. I broke my promise. I don’t want to wait anymore.” At that time, I still had one year left to complete my studies. We had made it through the first three years, but our relationship fell apart in the final year. Her change of heart had shown signs early on. So I wasn’t too surprised. Suppressing the sourness in my heart, I replied to her: “It’s okay. Let’s just be friends then.” “Alright.” But later, I found out she had blocked me. A qualified ex should be like they’re dead to you. I didn’t blame her, and I blocked her in return. Just before I returned home, an old friend insisted on arranging a welcome-back party for me. They didn’t tell me that Melody Quinn and her new boyfriend would be there too. It was my buddy who couldn’t stand it and tipped me off. “Chase, don’t go! They’re all waiting to see you make a fool of yourself! Quinn’s current boyfriend is afraid she still has lingering feelings for you, so he’s insisting on doing this to publicly claim her in front of you.” I said nonchalantly: “Besides the two of them, there are others I know. It’s fine, I’ll just do them a favor and show up.” “Forget it, they’re all Quinn’s girlfriends. Ah! I happen to have something that day, otherwise I’d be there with you, and definitely wouldn’t let you be taken advantage of.” “Thanks for letting me know. If someone has set the stage expecting me to perform, how can I disappoint them? Don’t worry, I have a way to deal with this.” On the day I returned, I kept the appointment as scheduled. As soon as I stepped in when the waiter pushed open the door of the private room, I saw Melody Quinn sitting in the main seat. After more than a year apart, she still looked as composed and elegant as ever, with the air of an elite in a high position. Sitting beside her was a handsome man, who must be her boyfriend. Luke Carter, the new artist signed by Melody Quinn’s company. He looked about 80-90% similar to me. My heart tightened. I still remember two years ago when Melody Quinn sent me Luke Carter’s photo. She said: “A new talent came for an interview today, and it startled me. I thought you had secretly come back to surprise me.” At that time, Luke Carter looked even more like me than he does now. His hairstyle and dress style were exactly the same as mine. I didn’t take it too seriously then, and joked: “Could we be related by blood? I’d better go ask my dad.” Melody Quinn said: “Probably not. He’s from out of town, both his parents are alive, and he has a twin sister who doesn’t look like him.” “You even investigated him?” “Of course, we have to thoroughly understand the background of any new talent we sign.” Who would have thought that the substitute I didn’t take seriously back then would now rightfully take my place. Back to the present. Melody Quinn’s friend “Jenny Collins” stood up. “Welcome back our talented scholar, returning in glory…” She was in the middle of her opening remarks when her voice suddenly stopped. Everyone turned to look at the woman behind me. I calmly greeted them: “Long time no see, thank you all for still remembering me.” Jenny gave a dry laugh and asked curiously: “Chase, who’s this? Won’t you introduce us?” I stepped aside so they could get a better look. I introduced her casually: “This is Starr Simmons, my girlfriend.” When the words “my girlfriend” dropped, everyone present couldn’t hide their surprised expressions. Starr Simmons smiled, revealing two sweet dimples: “Good evening, everyone. I’m honored to be able to attend your gathering.” Starr Simmons was already stunningly beautiful, and when she smiled like that, you can imagine how devastating it was. The men present couldn’t take their eyes off her. A girl with long straight black hair said sourly: “Wow, Chase, your girlfriend is so beautiful!” The others immediately chimed in: “She’s almost too pretty. Miss Simmons, are you a celebrity or a model?” Before I could open my mouth, Starr Simmons immediately said sweetly: “Thank you for the compliment, you’re very beautiful too! Please, just call me Starr.” Not only was she gorgeous, but she was also good with words. The crowd that had been waiting to see me embarrassed now had their attention completely drawn by Starr Simmons. Even Luke Carter couldn’t help but sneak glances at Starr Simmons. Melody Quinn’s face clearly didn’t look good, and she said in a low voice: “Let’s all sit down and chat, don’t keep standing.”

After she spoke, the others finally restrained themselves. The waiter added an extra seat, and I sat intimately next to Starr Simmons. After sitting down, I introduced everyone at the table to Starr Simmons one by one. Originally, I was supposed to be the main character today, but everyone was asking Starr Simmons all sorts of questions. Starr Simmons had been studying abroad since middle school, so she was Westernized, outgoing, and the life of the party. I wasn’t worried about her being at a loss for words. The girl with long straight black hair teased me: “Chase, you really kept this under wraps, getting a new girlfriend without a sound.” This remark was a bit subtle, and some people couldn’t resist darting curious glances between me, Melody Quinn, and Luke Carter. I smiled casually and said: “Well, people have to look forward, don’t they?” Over there, Luke Carter suddenly rubbed his brow. Melody Quinn immediately asked with concern: “What’s wrong?” “I was filming a night scene yesterday, feeling a bit tired…” After saying this, Luke Carter forced himself to perk up and smiled: “I’m fine, I’ll just take a nap in the car later.” Melody Quinn said considerately: “Eat something quickly, then I’ll take you back to rest.” She urged everyone: “Let’s order quickly.” Someone teased: “Ms. Quinn is really a doting wife.” “With such a handsome boyfriend as Mr. Carter, who wouldn’t want to dote on him?” Luke Carter proudly put his arm around Melody Quinn’s shoulders and said modestly: “Don’t make fun of me, everyone…” Some meaningful glances fell on me, seeming to wait for my reaction. My heart felt bitter and sour, but I couldn’t show it. The girlfriend I had dated for many years was snatched away by a substitute for myself, and now they were showing affection in front of me. It would be a lie to say I wasn’t affected. There was a feeling of being defeated by a knockoff as the genuine article. Doting wife? Huh… The deep affection that was once invested in me could be so easily transferred to someone else. I don’t know if this is my tragedy or hers. Jenny Collins politely asked me to order, turning the menu on the lazy Susan towards me. I tried hard to keep my expression neutral and said very graciously: “I’m not familiar with this restaurant and don’t know what everyone likes to eat. Let me treat everyone today. Please order whatever you like.” Melody Quinn said coolly: “This restaurant is members-only. Just deduct it from my account.” I said “Oh” and politely replied: “Thank you, Ms. Quinn. Then I’ll host next time.” Starr Simmons took the menu without hesitation and asked me, leaning close to my ear: “Chase, what’s this fish maw and chicken soup?” “It’s a dish for beauty and nourishment. Do you want to try it?” “I’d like to taste it.” She pointed to other dishes on the menu and asked me about them. For the ones I knew, I answered carefully. When we were talking, our faces were almost touching. I couldn’t help but overhear two of Melody Quinn’s friends whispering together: “She must have hired her to act, right?” “Definitely, just to make Melody jealous…” “And here I thought he really had a new relationship.” “It’s sad to care so much about saving face.” They were speaking in the local dialect, which Starr Simmons probably couldn’t understand. Regardless of whether what they said was true or not, discussing me like this in front of my face showed they didn’t take me seriously at all. Melody Quinn must have heard it too. She had a meaningful smile on her lips and glanced at Starr Simmons with disdain in her eyes. Starr Simmons continued flipping through the menu, unconcerned. After seeing a sea cucumber soup, she said to one of the gossipy women: “Ms. Anderson, why don’t I order a sea cucumber soup for you?” Ms. Anderson said politely: “Thank you, but that’s too kind…” Starr Simmons smiled sweetly and said: “I noticed your eye bags are quite large, and there’s a grayish-black color around your mouth. You must be suffering from kidney deficiency. This sea cucumber soup would be perfect to nourish you.” No woman likes to be called ugly. Ms. Anderson’s face changed immediately. She quickly denied: “I don’t have…” Starr Simmons said with utter sincerity: “Your complexion is dull and oily, and your nose is red too. You must be having hormonal issues. It’s best to see a traditional Chinese medicine doctor for treatment.”

Ms. Anderson looked extremely embarrassed but didn’t know how to retort. I said in a reproaching tone: “Starr, whether Ms. Anderson has kidney deficiency or not, she knows best herself. Don’t worry about it.” Starr Simmons immediately apologized: “I’m sorry, Ms. Anderson. I spoke too directly. You’re a big person, you won’t mind, right?” Could Ms. Anderson say she minded? She could only swallow her anger silently. The girl with long straight black hair, enjoying the drama, deliberately asked Starr Simmons: “Starr, can you read faces too? Why don’t you take a look at ours?” “Not really, it’s just that my grandfather was a traditional doctor, and I learned a bit when I was young…” Starr Simmons had barely finished being modest when she immediately turned her guns on the other gossipy woman from earlier: “For example, Ms. Parker, your eyebrows and eyelashes are very sparse, but your hair is very thick. At first glance, it’s obvious you’re wearing a wig.” Ms. Parker had been troubled by hair loss for years and had to wear a wig whenever she went out. This wasn’t a secret in our circle, but everyone pretended not to notice. Several people couldn’t help but laugh out loud, then quickly covered their mouths. Ms. Parker’s smile disappeared, and she said angrily: “What do you mean?” Starr Simmons continued to act surprised and said: “Oh? Did I say something wrong again? I’m sorry, I thought you were wearing a wig. I was going to say this wig looks so real, I wanted to buy one for my grandmother too. Sorry, so it’s not a wig?” Ms. Parker hated it most when people mentioned her wig, and Starr Simmons had said it three times. She was bound to be furious. Just as she was about to explode, I casually added in the local dialect: “It’s sad to care so much about saving face.” These were the exact words Ms. Parker had said earlier. She immediately deflated, swallowing her anger back down. Starr Simmons asked me innocently: “Chase, what did you just say?” I smiled and said: “Nothing, let’s just order our food.” The dishes arrived, and Starr Simmons and I acted as if we were at home, warmly encouraging everyone to eat more. Melody Quinn was over there considerately peeling shrimp for Luke Carter. I was over here considerately cutting steak for Starr Simmons. They showed their affection, and we showed ours. Everything was fine until someone who liked stirring up trouble couldn’t sit still. A woman said in a sarcastic tone: “My, how times have changed. Men are now doing women’s work.” She then praised Melody Quinn admiringly: “Our Melody is still so considerate.” Before Melody Quinn could respond, some of the other women couldn’t stand it anymore. Raven snorted coldly: “Listen to yourself. Are you looking for a girlfriend or a maid?” Another short-haired woman agreed: “So women are supposed to serve men, is that it?” The troublemaker instantly became the enemy of all the women present. She hurriedly tried to smooth things over: “I was just joking, don’t be so sensitive.” Starr Simmons chimed in with a grin: “In my family, it’s only natural for men to take care of women. My mom never has to peel her own shrimp, my dad always does it for her. Now my mom is almost fifty, and her hands are still soft and white.” As she was saying this, I quickly peeled a shrimp in three moves, even removing the vein. I put the shrimp in Starr Simmons’ bowl, and she thanked me with a smile. An uncomfortable expression flashed across Melody Quinn’s face. Even Luke Carter looked embarrassed. The meal went much more smoothly than I had expected. Even seeing my former lover being lovey-dovey with her new flame wasn’t as eye-catching anymore. On the way back, I gazed out the car window at the night scene, feeling somewhat lost. Starr Simmons asked coyly: “Chase, how did I do today?”

I smiled fondly and said: “You did great, even better than I had imagined.” “Of course, how could I let you lose face?” “By the way, you understand the local dialect?” I asked the question that had been on my mind. “Yes, I do.” Starr Simmons said proudly: “I know four languages and fifteen dialects. The local dialect, Cantonese, Hokkien, Hakka… I know them all.” I sighed and said: “You really are talented. It’s a waste for you to be just an artist.” “That’s not true at all. Being an artist isn’t easy either.” That’s right, Starr Simmons is also an artist signed to my company. We were schoolmates. I studied economics, while she was in the art school. Starr Simmons has an outstanding appearance and a lively, outgoing personality. She was born with a strong desire to perform and was good at improvisation. She also had experience in stage plays. She often posted about her daily life on social media and became a minor internet celebrity abroad. Several talent agencies wanted to sign Starr Simmons, and she was also interested in entering the domestic entertainment industry. After inquiring around, Starr Simmons learned that one of my family’s businesses was a film investment company. So she took the initiative to come to me for help. My family’s company is an old name in the industry and rarely signs new artists. Most of our artists are professionally trained performers with solid skills. Although Starr Simmons had an impressive educational background, her experience was still limited, and she normally wouldn’t have qualified for recruitment. But I happened to need a skilled actress who was both talented and beautiful to accompany me back to meet Melody Quinn and the others. So we hit it off and reached a cooperation agreement. Starr Simmons said coyly: “If you need me to act again in the future, just say the word.” “Thank you, but you’d better focus on your work.” I put on a serious face: “I treat you the same as I treat other employees, and I hope you can stay with the company based on your own abilities.” “Yes, sir!” Starr Simmons saluted me. When I got home and had just lain down after a shower, my buddy “Tony” sent me a voice message: “I heard you brought a new girlfriend today? Wow! When did you start dating?” Even through the phone screen, I could imagine his excited, gossipy expression right now. I smiled bitterly and told him the truth about the situation. Tony said cheerfully: “So it was really just for show? Well, that’s not bad either. A handsome guy and a beautiful girl, if you spend enough time together, you might end up falling for each other for real.” I said helplessly: “I would never make a move on an employee. I don’t like mixing personal and professional matters. It affects the work atmosphere.” “That’s true. The power dynamic isn’t equal, it would feel weird. Just be careful she doesn’t have ulterior motives.” Tony changed the subject: “Jenny told me your little girlfriend was amazing, she put Melody Quinn’s group of girls in their place so badly they couldn’t find north. What a shame, I had something come up today, otherwise I would have gone to see your little girlfriend’s performance in person!” Jenny is that cool girl with long straight black hair. “She does have a sharp tongue, and she’s quick-witted…” As I was talking, a friend request notification popped up at the top of my phone screen: “Luke’s Babe is requesting to add you as a friend” I clicked in to take a look, and it turned out to be Luke Carter. My ex-girlfriend’s current boyfriend wants to add me as a friend? I was a bit confused. He added me through the contact card shared by Jenny Collins. I thought for a few seconds, and finally approved the verification. While I was busy with this, Tony asked me: “Bro, are you still there?” Me: “Still here. Luke Carter added me as a friend.” Tony: “【Shocked emoji】What does this guy want?” Me: “I don’t know, maybe he has something to ask me?” Tony: “So dramatic.” Not long after I approved Luke Carter, he sent me a greeting message. I also politely replied with a 【Hello emoji】. Then he sent me a video clip. Although the lighting in the video was very dim, you could still make out that it was Melody Quinn topless. She was facing away from the camera, and half of the muscular arm of the person filming was visible. From the looks of it, this person was also naked. I realized what this was and immediately felt disgusted, like I had swallowed a fly. Luke Carter: “Melody likes to curl up in a ball when she sleeps, like a little cat, so cute…”

Tony wasn’t wrong, he really is quite dramatic. I didn’t know how to play along with his performance, so I simply exited the chat window. Out of sight, out of mind. Tony was still asking me: “What did he add you for? Did he say anything to you?” I was very frustrated as I screen-recorded Luke Carter’s video and chat and sent it to Tony. After seeing it, Tony sent a bunch of — 【WTF】, 【I’ve never seen such a shameless person】, 【Assholes are everywhere】 and other emoji stickers. Me: “I want to delete him.” Tony: “Don’t! Otherwise he’ll think you’re scared! Keep him there, let’s see what other tricks he tries to pull! Luke Carter is being blacklisted, and he’s not giving up. He goes to Melody Quinn’s company every day to wait for her. It’s so dramatic!” I sighed: “When I saw them together today, I was still quite sad. Melody Quinn giving me up for this kind of guy, now I see things clearly. Thanks to Luke Carter for letting me see Melody Quinn’s true colors.” Tony: “You’re right, the righteous need not fear a crooked shadow. They brought this on themselves!” I sent a 【I’m so calm it’s scary】 capybara sticker. Me: “Alright, alright, don’t get angry over people who aren’t worth it.” I never replied to Luke Carter, and he didn’t provoke me again either. But occasionally I could see him showing off his relationship in his SnapChat stories, posting selfies of him and Melody Quinn cheek to cheek and kissing. At first I didn’t pay attention, but later I found out that he only made these posts visible to me. He had blocked everyone else from seeing them. Wow, he really cares a lot about my opinion, huh? I simply blocked his SnapChat stories. Speaking of Starr Simmons, she officially became a signed artist with my company. The company was preparing to shoot a Republican-era spy drama called “Shadows in the Mist”, and I helped Starr Simmons get the role of the third female lead. She wasn’t overly ambitious and was very satisfied with this. “Chase, I’ve read the script. This role doesn’t have many scenes, but it’s very impactful.” I encouraged her: “You just need to act well. If you go down the film route, your status will rise quickly.” The male and female leads of the film were both well-known actors with good reputations, who could elevate the film and each other. But a month before filming was set to begin, the male lead was replaced. And he was replaced by Luke Carter. As the producer, I was actually the last one to know. The representative of the investors apologetically told me: “Ms. Quinn personally came to see me, saying Mr. Carter really likes this script and insists on participating. I hope Mr. Jiang can be accommodating…” If Luke Carter participates, he will surely bring investment with him. I was quite unhappy and said: “Luke Carter’s image doesn’t suit this role. We can arrange the male second lead for him.” The investor representative said reluctantly: “Ms. Quinn said he only wants the male lead… The investment platform and distributors have also agreed.” The implication was that he had already made all the arrangements, and whether I agreed or not, I had to go along with it. I felt angry, feeling I had let down the original male lead. The guy had already signed the contract, and now he was being pushed out like this. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make the call on this matter. I had just taken over the company, and my foundation wasn’t stable. This film was my first big project. I needed strong financial backing and couldn’t afford to offend the investors at this time. It felt like being forced to eat shit. It was extremely unpleasant. I had a lump in my throat as I said with a stern face: “Since Ms. Quinn is so generous, please tell her that she should also pay the actor’s breach of contract penalty.” The representative hurriedly promised: “Of course… Ms. Quinn said she would bear all the losses.” So, the matter was settled. Before filming, there would be closed training, and with the shooting schedule, Starr Simmons would have to stay with the crew for nearly half a year. As a newly appointed executive, I was usually too busy to communicate and keep in touch with her. Two months after the film started shooting, Starr Simmons whined to me on SnapChat: “Chase, can you come visit me on set?

I readily agreed: “I was just thinking of doing that. I’ll come see you all in a few days.” Starr Simmons was so excited her voice went up an octave: “Wow! Really? I’m so happy!” I knew why she brought this up. I’d heard that a few days ago, Melody Quinn had visited Luke Carter on set. I said indulgently: “Mm-hmm. Whatever the other kids have, you’ll have too.” “Thank you, Chase!” As the weather was getting colder, on the day of my set visit, I specially prepared plenty of hot drinks for the crew members. Starr Simmons had just finished a scene and was still in costume. She was dressed as a Republican-era songstress, which accentuated her graceful figure. When Starr Simmons saw me arrive, she was as excited as a puppy seeing its long-lost owner, wagging her tail and bounding over to me. I patted her head and then her shoulder. It wouldn’t be good to be too intimate. As it happened, there were media here for interviews today. After Starr Simmons had some hot coffee, the director pulled her over for an interview. She and Luke Carter happened to be free, so the two of them sat properly in front of the camera holding microphones. After asking some standard questions, the reporter intentionally asked Starr Simmons: “Starr and Luke are both newcomers. What do you think of each other’s performances?” Luke Carter went into green arrow mode, saying mechanically: “Starr, well, she gets along really well with everyone around her. She’s sweet-talking and knows how to please people. Everyone likes her a lot. Even our producer came to see her specially today. I heard Starr was personally recommended by the producer to join the crew, and they’re schoolmates too. I believe she must have many outstanding qualities to have gained the producer’s favor.” Luke Carter might as well have said outright: Starr Simmons is just the producer’s kept woman who got in through the back door! It’s true that I intended to promote Starr Simmons, and she had the ability and strength for it. But Luke Carter himself only got in by Melody Quinn throwing money around. The pot calling the kettle black – how does he have the face? The reporter gave a dry laugh and then turned to ask Starr Simmons: “What about you, Starr? What’s your take on Luke?” Starr Simmons smiled like a blooming spring flower, and she glibly said: “Of course I have great respect for Mr. Carter. Mr. Carter invented an amazing trick for remembering lines. He has his assistant write the lines in large print on posters, which are held up during filming so he can read from them. Isn’t that brilliant! No more worrying about forgetting lines, and it saves time on memorizing too! Why didn’t I think of that? Oh my! I’m just too stupid!” After she finished this sarcastic spiel, Luke Carter’s lips twitched in anger, though he forced himself to maintain a smile. The people around were both embarrassed and amused, and the scene fell into an awkward atmosphere. Luke Carter said with a forced smile: “It’s not like that… I never actually looked at the posters during filming…” Starr Simmons cut in again: “Oh! I’m just so forgetful, I can only use my meal and rest times to memorize lines. Not like Mr. Carter, who’s both handsome and smart. He spends his breaks video chatting with his girlfriend! So sweet, so happy, I’m so envious…” After Starr Simmons finished, she pretended to be shocked and covered her mouth: “Oh? Was I not supposed to say that? Can we cut that part out?” Luke Carter’s face had turned green, his eyes rolling skyward, not even bothering with expression management anymore. The reporter hurriedly changed the subject, somehow managing to turn the page on this awkward moment. The media are all very savvy. They wouldn’t easily leak this kind of juicy gossip that could damage both parties’ images. Indeed, the only thing that can defeat a green arrow is green tea. In my heart, I silently evaluated Luke Carter: Drink some horse pee and you think you’re high and mighty, but mess with Starr Simmons and you’re courting death. In the entertainment circle, it’s not uncommon for artists to privately catfight behind the scenes. As long as it doesn’t blow up, the company generally doesn’t interfere. But some people just can’t stand losing and insist on getting even. Not long after, I accompanied my sister to attend a business banquet, where I encountered Melody Quinn, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time. She said she had something to ask me and called me to a corner. Melody Quinn bluntly opened with: “You should consider sending your little girlfriend to some etiquette classes to teach her how to behave properly.”

Hearing her pointed tone, it seems Luke Carter had complained to her, and she came to stand up for her darling. I crossed my arms and said calmly: “Ms. Quinn, if you have something to say, just say it plainly. Where did you learn to speak in such a passive-aggressive manner?” A flash of embarrassment crossed Melody Quinn’s eyes, but she quickly regained her composure and said: “Luke really likes this movie, that’s why I helped him get the male lead role. Since you agreed to let him participate, don’t secretly try to make things difficult for him. You’ve always been a reasonable man in my eyes, don’t ruin the good impression I have of you.” I couldn’t help but laugh inwardly. Heaven and earth be my witness, who’s trying to make things difficult for him? Do I really have nothing better to do? Besides, he started it first, and Starr Simmons was just retaliating. Of course, I couldn’t expect Melody Quinn to view this matter objectively and fairly. It’s human nature to be protective of one’s own. Seeing that I didn’t answer, Melody Quinn continued on her own: “I know that Luke and I being together must have hurt you a lot… I was wrong about this, and I’ll make it up to you in other ways in the future. But don’t target Luke, he doesn’t know anything. I was the one who insisted on being with him. If you want to hate someone, hate me.” This dialogue sounds so familiar. Does she think she’s the fat orange cat now? I really couldn’t listen anymore, so I interrupted her rapid-fire:

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When my mother died from an asthma attack, locked in her room by my son’s prank, where was my doctor husband? He was at his ex-girlfriend’s performance with our son. I was devastated. I called my husband over a dozen times before he finally picked up. But before I could speak, he snapped, “What’s your problem? It’s just a performance with our kid. You’re calling non-stop like it’s a matter of life and death. Always lying and making up excuses to get me home. Stop calling!” My son chimed in, “Mom’s so annoying! I wish Emma could be my mom instead.” Emma took the phone, “Kids say the darndest things. You won’t take it seriously, right?” Fine, I’ll give you what you want. I addressed my son through the phone, “If you want her to be your mom, tell your dad to come back and divorce me.” My mom died with her eyes wide open. In just a few short hours, a living, breathing person turned into a box of ashes. The pain of losing my mother was soul-crushing. My phone pinged with a message. It was my friend forwarding Emma’s Instagram post. “Performance wrapped up perfectly! Check out our six-handed piano play with my two clingy fans. How’s our chemistry?” In the video, my son and husband flanked Emma like two bodyguards. The three of them played the piano in perfect harmony, looking every bit like a happy family. My husband even commented: “Calling us clingy already? You ungrateful little thing.” Emma replied: “Hmph! You know very well how grateful I am, especially after last night ;)” The pain in my chest spread through my entire body. While my husband and his ex were playing piano with our son, my mother was having an asthma attack, with no one to help her. While they were flirting shamelessly, my mother had already been taken to the crematorium, turned to ashes. They got their perfect moment, but what about my mom? Who’s going to bring her back to life? I was filled with so much hatred! When my mom called for help, I immediately called 911, but the ambulance couldn’t arrive fast enough. I drove home as fast as I could, desperately calling Jacob to go save my mom. Emma’s performance venue was close to our house. It would have taken him just a few minutes to go back and forth. But Jacob remained unmoved, thinking it was just an excuse to get him home. “Abigail, you know I hate being lied to!” His tone softened, “I don’t want to miss a second of Emma’s performance. Be good and don’t cause trouble now.” No matter how I explained, he wouldn’t listen. He was convinced I was lying. I pleaded, choking back tears, “For the sake of how my father once saved your entire family, I’m begging you to save my mom. I’m not lying!” But my words only angered him, “Enough! How long are you going to use your father’s life to emotionally blackmail me!” At this moment, our son urged him to hang up, “Dad, ignore mom. Look! Emma’s on stage!” I screamed desperately, “Don’t hang up! Jacob, I’m begging you, my mom is dying.” Jacob’s patience ran out, “Then let her die.” My mom died because she didn’t get help in time, while their six-handed piano video went viral online. Emma even gained a bunch of new followers because of it. After dealing with my mom’s funeral and forcing myself to sign the divorce papers, I finally collapsed into a deep sleep. My husband and son returned three days later. “Is dinner ready? I texted you earlier. Why are you still sleeping?” Jacob barged in, roughly yanking the blanket off me, his face full of disgust as he questioned me from above. I must look a mess, but I couldn’t care less. Lucas pinched his nose in disgust, “Dad, I’m hungry. Let’s go find Emma. Let this dirty mom sleep to death.” My heart felt like it had plunged into an icy abyss. This was the son I had risked my life to give birth to. I almost died from massive blood loss during his birth. After he was born, he cried day and night. I held and comforted him around the clock, fed him, completely worn out. I had worked so hard to raise him to this age, yet his birthday wish was for Emma to be his mother. My son truly took after his father, even fancying the same woman. Looking at this flesh of my flesh, my heart shattered. It was because of him that I lost my mother. Thinking of my mom who died with her eyes open, I could no longer contain my emotions. I grabbed Lucas hysterically, demanding, “You knew grandma had asthma. Why did you lock her alone in the room? Do you know you killed her!”

I had never treated Lucas like this before. He was clearly scared, crying and hitting me, “Wah! Mom is so scary. I don’t want a bad mom. I want Emma!” Lucas’s fists kept landing on me. It didn’t hurt physically, but my insides felt like they were on fire. I cried back at him, “You don’t want me? I don’t want you either! Give me back my mom, and I won’t want anyone else. I just want my mom!” Lucas and I were both crying our eyes out. Jacob forcefully separated us, shielding Lucas behind him. He looked at me coldly, “Acting again, are we? Lucas was just playing around with your mom. It’s such a small thing, why are you scaring him like this?” Playing around? A small thing? That “small thing” killed my mom! I looked at him, grief-stricken and angry, “But my mom is dead!” “Enough! Your mom had her medicine in the room, how could anything have happened? I know you’re upset about me and Lucas going to Emma’s performance, but you don’t need to make up such lies with your mom! Aren’t you afraid of jinxing her?” Even now, he still thought I was jealous and deliberately using my mom as an excuse to make him feel guilty. The sorrow and anger made me want to laugh. At that moment, Emma called. Jacob answered and after a few words, he hurriedly prepared to leave. He spoke softly into the phone, “Don’t worry, I’ll be right there.” Lucas followed closely behind him. Looking at these two strangers before me. I suddenly laughed and handed Jacob the divorce papers on the table, “Before you go, sign these.” Jacob didn’t even look at them before mocking, “You’ve really gone to great lengths to get my attention, haven’t you?” “Divorce? You think you can live without me and Lucas? Stop these tricks, you’re just embarrassing yourself.” With that, he left with Lucas. In the past, every time we argued, no matter whose fault it was, I would always be the one to make up and apologize. But not anymore. As soon as they left, I quickly packed my things, dragged my suitcase out, and resolutely left. I returned to my mother’s old house. Family photos of the three of us still hung on the walls. But my beloved parents were gone. Ten years ago, my father died saving Jacob’s entire family in a mudslide. Back then, Jacob held me and said, “Don’t cry. You still have me. I’ll be with you for life.” Those words were deeply etched in my heart. Later, we got married and had a child. Jacob’s kindness made me believe we were soulmates. But everything changed when Emma appeared. He stopped sharing his daily life with me. He would often zone out, and inexplicably stare at his phone with a silly grin. On our wedding anniversary, Emma said she had a headache, and Jacob abandoned me to rush to her side. When I got into a car accident and needed his help dealing with threats, he was busy helping Emma dodge drinks. When I was sick and needed his care, he said he was busy washing Emma’s dog. No matter when or where, Jacob could drop everything and rush to Emma’s side at her slightest call or message. If I dared to question him, I was being unreasonable, emotionally blackmailing him, or trying to cash in on past favors. It was then that I realized, what was nectar to me was poison to him. What I thought was mutual love was, to him, nothing but an obligation to repay a debt. Even my son was often taken to meet Emma. Lucas no longer hugged my neck saying he loved me. Instead, he lamented why Emma couldn’t be his mother. Holding back my pain, I asked Lucas why. Eating the food I made, he said innocently, “Emma is gentler than mom. She and dad take me to eat things mom doesn’t allow. Her cooking is better than mom’s, and she can play the piano. She never scolds me and is very nice to me. Dad loves her too…” Lucas’s words hurt, but I thought it was just childish talk. I still tried to repair my relationship with him. But when Emma and I both fell into the water, my husband and son unanimously went to save Emma. My husband pulled her out of the water, while Lucas rushed to get towels and hot water. They fussed over her endlessly. I was invisible to them. At that moment, my suspended heart finally died. I decided to stop compromising myself. Just as I was about to divorce Jacob, my mom came from the countryside to visit. Her health wasn’t good, and I didn’t want to upset her, so I had to put off the divorce until after she left. But in this short time, they went too far, directly causing my mother’s death! I was grief-stricken and desperate! Not wanting my mom to be lonely on her journey, I asked the village uncles to help arrange a funeral for her. After the funeral, I returned home exhausted. The empty house was silent except for the ticking of the clock, a silence that bred despair. I called out of habit, “Mom, I’m home. What delicious food did you make for lunch?” But only endless silence answered me. Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. Oh, that’s right. My mom is dead. Suddenly, the front door was kicked open with a bang. Jacob stormed in, his face cold as he glared at me fiercely. Emma and Lucas followed behind him. As soon as he entered, he began searching the house. Finally, he came back to me and asked, “Where’s mom?”

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One year after my unnatural death, my husband brought his new girlfriend to visit my grave. A neighboring ghost patted my shoulder to comfort me, saying that everyone needs to move on. But I was trembling with fear. Because his new girlfriend… was using my heart. 1 It’s been a year since I died. Lucas would make time every week to visit me, bringing lots of offerings and even flowers. The neighboring ghosts remarked that such devoted men were rare these days. I could only respond with a bitter laugh. Lucas tenderly traced my photo on the tombstone with his thumb, his eyes full of deep contemplation and longing. Who would have thought? This man, who once slept clutching my tombstone, had found a new girlfriend just one week after my death. And they seemed to be getting along splendidly, inseparable. I had seen his new girlfriend before – she was one of his patients, a pretty young woman. When I was alive, she would visit Lucas almost every day. When her heart wasn’t feeling well, she’d come for treatment. When her heart was fine, she’d come for an ECG. She liked Lucas, and continued to pursue him even after learning he was married. Once, while using Lucas’s phone to look something up, I saw a message pop up from her. [Dr. Lin, would you mind having another girlfriend?] Lucas immediately snatched the phone from my hand and replied expressionlessly: [Yes, I would mind.] Lucas wouldn’t cheat during our marriage – I was confident about that. Because he had devoted all his energy to medicine since childhood. It took a lot of effort on my part to finally win him over. During that time, I never saw him fall for anyone else, male or female. Including me. Lucas didn’t love me, I always knew that. He agreed to my proposal only because he was used to having me by his side. But now, Lucas had seamlessly transitioned to a new girlfriend. The girl got out of the car. Her fingernails and lips were no longer purple, so it seemed her congenital heart disease had been cured. They stood hand in hand before my tombstone. “Olivia, I have some good news to tell you. Lucas and I are getting married next month.” “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of him for you.” “I hope you’re happy and at peace over there.” I sat on my tombstone, grinding my teeth in frustration. Lucas was no longer the Lucas I knew. He took a wet wipe from his pocket, lifted the girl’s hand, and carefully cleaned a speck of dust from her index finger. He actually couldn’t bear to let even a single grain of dust from my tombstone touch her. I pinched my arm, feeling sorry for myself. Lucas only stood there for ten minutes before leaving. As they brushed past me, I felt a familiar sensation. It didn’t come from my body, but from Lucas’s new girlfriend. I moved closer to her. I heard a familiar heartbeat – one, two, three… The neighboring ghost patted my shoulder to comfort me, but I froze in place. Because the heart beating in Lucas’s new girlfriend’s chest… was mine. 2 My death wasn’t natural, but only I knew that. On my way from the suburbs to the hospital, someone deliberately crashed into my car. I avoided the first attempt but couldn’t escape the second. It felt like every bone and muscle in my body had been rearranged. Blood was everywhere. With shaking hands, I called Lucas. “…Lucas, I…” “I have an emergency surgery. Can we talk later?” “Goodbye.” I called five or six times, but each call was shorter than the last. Finally, he got impatient and turned off his phone. I was about to die. I wanted to tell him that. But unfortunately, in his heart, I couldn’t compare to one of his surgeries, couldn’t compare to his medical career. He was a doctor who saved lives. He could save everyone, except me. My body was taken to the crematorium by the perpetrator that same day. Two hours later, I was reduced to a handful of ashes. The whole process went unusually smoothly. It wasn’t until after I died that I learned his emergency surgery that day was a heart transplant, and the patient was that young girl. Which meant that in the operating room that day, the beating heart Lucas held… was mine. I watched his gradually receding figure. Suddenly, I was curious. If Lucas knew that in that surgery, he had personally sewn my heart into someone else, would he suddenly break down? 3 The girl had a pretty name – Melody. She chatted excitedly with Lucas, not at all like someone who would say such disturbing things. “Lucas, let me walk the rest of the path with you. I’m sure Olivia would agree.” She raised her hand to cover her heart, smiling smugly. “It’s a good thing I got this. Look, now I not only have a healthy body and a healthy heart, but I also have you.” Lucas smiled at her. I was smiling too, but it was a cold smile. Because my heart wasn’t actually healthy. I had a hereditary heart condition. Only Lucas knew about this, and he had been treating me for it. Under his treatment, my heart pain went from once a week to once a year. By my calculations, Melody should be due for an attack soon. The car quickly stopped at the entrance to their apartment complex. They went home together. It was a 2000 square foot apartment with a cat and a dog – practically my ideal complete home. As soon as the door opened, the cat and dog rushed over. I bit my lip, suddenly feeling worthless. When we first got married, I wanted to keep pets too, but Lucas talked me out of it. He said it was too much work, that I didn’t have time to take care of them. Later, when I found a stray cat, he advised against keeping it too. He said the cat had feline distemper and ringworm. But now, Lucas was gazing at Melody playing with the cat and dog, lost in thought. I don’t know if it was my heart responding to my emotions, but Melody suddenly pressed her hand to her chest. Her face turned a bit pale. “Lucas, I feel like I can’t breathe properly.” Lucas snapped out of his daze. He tilted his head quizzically and offered an explanation. “Could it be because the cat is shedding heavily?” He pointed at the ragdoll cat on the floor. I looked at him in surprise. Lucas had a PhD and was practically an expert in his field. Moreover, he had always known the symptoms of my attacks. How could he say something so unprofessional? Melody stood up from the floor and moved away from the cat, trying to take deep breaths. But it was useless. After the chest tightness came radiating pain from the heart. Sure enough, Melody hunched over, her brows furrowed tightly, afraid to move. She had never experienced this kind of pain before. Tears streamed down her face. She panicked: “Lucas, my whole chest hurts so much now.” “Is there something wrong with my heart?” Lucas walked over unhurriedly. He came to Melody’s side and comforted her. “It’s nothing, don’t overthink it.” “In your condition, it’s just a stitch. It’ll pass on its own in a while.” I was even more surprised. This kind of pain would indeed disappear after a while, as Lucas said, but without medication, it would hurt again the next day. Lucas couldn’t possibly not know this. A few minutes later, Melody’s pain did subside. Lucas gave her a white pill. He wiped the sweat from her brow. “It’s a sedative. You’ve only had your heart transplant for a year, you need more rest.” Melody took the pill and went to bed. I saw Lucas standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, playing with a white pill bottle in his hand. I recognized it, even knew it well. Because that pill bottle contained my heart medication, which Lucas had given me back then. Could it be that he had discovered the heart in Melody’s chest was mine? 4 The next day, Melody woke up. “Lucas, it’s so good to have you. I love you so much.” I saw her stand on tiptoe, as if wanting to kiss Lucas, but the next second she pressed her left chest again. Ten hours had passed, and she was having another attack. No matter how slow she was, she should realize by now that these symptoms were very similar to mine. The white pill bottle had long been thrown into the trash by Lucas and sent to the garbage station, but he didn’t seem to be in a hurry. Instead, he gently patted Melody’s back. When she felt a little better, he suggested, “Let’s go to the hospital for a check-up.” Lucas drove. They left at 9 AM and didn’t arrive at the hospital until 1

By the time they did the physical examination, Melody’s heart pain had long subsided. The test results also showed that her heart was healthy. With Lucas personally overseeing the examination, Melody was reassured. I watched as Lucas, with infinite tenderness, raised his hand to caress Melody’s cheek. But what he said next was unexpected. “Melody, since everything’s fine, you should go home first.” “I have to do rounds later, and there’s a surgery in the afternoon.” “Your heart still needs rest. On our wedding day, I’ll definitely make our relationship public.” I was stunned. Lucas hadn’t made their relationship public. But that made sense. After all, becoming romantically involved with your patient would be quite unethical for a doctor. Melody’s eyes dimmed. She left, looking back every few steps. Lucas was indeed very busy after that. He went with several doctors to check on patients in various wards. After finishing in the morning, Lucas hurriedly ate lunch and was about to go into surgery. I followed him into the operating room, seeing for the first time what he looked like holding a scalpel. I had always known that his hands were called “miraculous”. Every surgery he performed had never failed. But now, these holy hands trembled slightly at the moment of suturing. 5 The surgery was successful. I heard others discussing quietly. “Did Dr. Lin’s hand shake just now? Is he too tired?” “Luckily nothing went wrong.” “You newcomers don’t know. A year ago around this time, Dr. Lin’s wife was killed in a car accident. He had just finished surgery and ran to the funeral home without even changing his clothes.” “So many people have tried to set him up, but he refused them all. Ah, it’s the first time I’ve seen such pure love in real life.” I laughed at how young and naive they were, thinking everyone was capable of pure love. Lucas wasn’t refusing others, he had already found someone. For example, right now, as soon as the surgery was over, he eagerly opened his phone. The latest message was from Melody. [Lucas, which hotel are we going to tonight? I’m waiting for you.] Followed by two shy emojis. They were both adults. A year was enough time for them to develop a more intimate relationship. But to my surprise, Lucas replied: [I’m tired. I’m going home first.] He meant our home. The door opened. The furniture in the room was still the same as before, even the photos hanging on the wall were still there – all pictures of me and Lucas traveling to various places. I stared at them, lost in thought. But he showed no emotional reaction. The house still used smart lights. As soon as the door opened, the lights automatically turned on. The aroma of food wafted through the entire living room, seemingly from nowhere. Lucas casually took off his coat and hung it on the rack. He blurted out: “Sister, I’m home. What’s for dinner tonight?” I was stunned. So was he. I was two years older than Lucas. Due to my heart condition, I started school two years later than him. Lucas liked to call me “sister”, and I loved his cool voice when he did. But now, I was angry. How had I never realized before? Although he called me “sister” verbally, combined with what he said next, how was it any different from calling out “Mrs. Wang”? Lucas was silent for a moment. He raised his hand and pinched the bridge of his nose. His eyelashes, like crow feathers, lowered, concealing the emotions in his eyes. The lights in the room were warm, but he stood at the doorway, his back slightly bent, his tall figure giving off a sense of lonely silence. If I had seen him like this before, I would have felt heartbroken. But now, I just wanted to laugh coldly. After all, I had lost my life. Shouldn’t he be sighing and reminiscing every day, heartbroken for a lifetime? 6 Lucas’s emotional change was very brief. In the following days, he returned to being the steady, emotionless Dr. Lin that people knew. Melody often came to see him, and sometimes they would go out on dates at night. Melody’s smile grew brighter each day. She was about to get married. “Lucas, are you coming to my place tonight?” She hooked her finger into Lucas’s palm. “My dad wants to discuss our wedding plans with you.” Lucas nodded in agreement. The car stopped in front of a mansion. The driver opened the door, and a butler came to greet them. I suddenly understood. Melody was rich, a wealthy heiress. She had the financial means to give Lucas better resources. But I was different. Lucas and I were both from orphanages, with no money or background. We even had to fight for the opportunity to study. During the most difficult times, we ate instant noodles for a month in our rented room. Fortunately, I later earned some money, enough to cover our expenses and financially support him through his master’s, doctorate, and studies abroad. But this money ultimately couldn’t compare to that of a rich heiress. What I thought was the sweetness after bitterness was just what he considered a matter of course. Melody’s father was a kindly old man. After dinner, he patted Lucas’s shoulder, gesturing for him to go to the living room to discuss matters. Melody held Lucas’s hand, full of reluctance. The old man chuckled: “Don’t worry, I’m just borrowing your lover for a bit. Your dad is leaving too, how come you’re not reluctant to see me go, you little ingrate.” Melody bit her lip sheepishly. I followed them to the living room. The old man smiled: “Lucas, I heard that a year ago in the operating room you performed surgery on, my daughter had a massive hemorrhage. You stood there for six hours straight and saved her life. I’m very grateful.” “It was my duty.” After Lucas stated his position, the old man didn’t beat around the bush. But their next conversation shocked me. “Your ex-wife didn’t have heart disease, did she?” “Little Melody cried and insisted on having her heart, and she happened to be a universal donor, so I found someone to… But you also benefited from misfortune. My daughter fell for you. Once you marry into our family, you’ll have plenty of money and power in the future.” “No one will look down on you for being an orphan anymore.” They were essentially laying all their cards on the table. Half of Lucas’s face was hidden in shadow. The light and shadow on his face outlined his features, making his expression seem both angry and indifferent. He slowly raised his hand. The old man stared at him unblinkingly, wanting to know what his attitude would be. I stared at him too, wanting to know how he would react. 7 Lucas raised his hand and placed it in front of the old man. His back was slightly hunched. “Father-in-law.” The old man laughed heartily, saying “good” several times. I knew reality wasn’t like novels. Many people discard their conscience for money. I just never thought Lucas would be one of them. He had completely abandoned his professional ethics as a doctor. The young man I loved no longer existed. Lucas knew about my unnatural death. I thought he would at least report it to the police, considering our 30-year relationship. But not only did he not do that, he even joined the team of murderers who killed me, becoming their son-in-law. Lucas might have felt guilty. He left the Johnson house and drove to the cemetery. He stood in front of my tombstone, doing nothing, just standing there. As night fell, many mourners had already left the cemetery, but Lucas sat down on the ground. He hugged my tombstone and fell asleep like this. The first time he did this was five days after I was buried. At that time, seeing him sleep all night hugging my tombstone, I felt both heartbroken and happy. I thought that after 30 years of persistence, I had finally broken through his cement-like exterior and touched his heart. I didn’t expect that he was just feeling guilty, because that day was when he got together with Melody. Now he was using the same trick again. But this time, I only felt disgusted and upset.

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The day I coughed up blood during my mukbang stream, my viewer count hit 100,000 for the first time. My brother burst into the frame and slapped me across the face. My boyfriend stood by and said, “She’s just faking the blood to get more views.” Because of this, I was cyberbullied. Some people even made voodoo dolls of me. But what they didn’t know was that I had been diagnosed with stomach cancer two months ago. Later, I livestreamed to let everyone witness my passing. The viewer count skyrocketed to 3 million. My brother and boyfriend raced to the hospital at 200 mph. … I guess it was because I ate too much, but I couldn’t control myself and coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood. The viewer count quickly soared past 100,000. The comments were filled with concerned messages. It seems there are still people in this world who care about me. I was happy. With high viewership like this, I could make it to the top rankings and get the bonus. Then I could arrange a nice funeral for myself. Just as I was about to speak, a hard slap landed on my face. For a moment, I thought I had already ascended to heaven. After all, I was seeing stars. “She’s just faking the blood to get more views,” Lucas’s voice rang out. I turned to look at him. His face was cold and indifferent, while my brother Jack stood beside him, glaring at me angrily. He was the one who had slapped me. “That’s right, don’t believe her. Go follow Tiffany instead. She doesn’t fake things like this.” How ridiculous. I’m coughing up blood, and they’re still promoting Tiffany. “I’m not faking it,” I said, trying hard to speak through the stabbing pain in my stomach. But by now, the tone of the comments had completely changed. The viewers who had been concerned for me just moments ago were now hurling insults. [Damn it, I really thought she was sick.] [She’s so disgusting. Let’s go watch Tiffany’s stream instead.] [Yeah, everyone go like Tiffany’s stream!] Soon, my viewer count dropped by more than half. Then my stream was shut down. Someone had reported me for fraud. I wouldn’t be getting the bonus today. My dream of arranging a nice funeral for myself was shattered. “Hurry up and clean that blood off you. It’s disgusting to look at!” my brother Jack said, looking at me with revulsion. Of course, Lucas wouldn’t show any concern for me either. Because in their eyes, I was just faking the blood. “Ruby, Tiffany’s mom is sick. She needs this bonus money more than you do. Don’t blame us for being harsh today when you’re trying to compete with her,” Lucas said, his voice cold as ice. Who would have thought that this was the boyfriend who had been with me for five years? The one who used to constantly profess his love and promise to marry me. Now he was speaking up for my so-called best friend. After they left, I coughed up another mouthful of blood. The white floor tiles were covered in bright red blood. Suddenly, I remembered what the doctor had told me two months ago. “Don’t you have any family members?” he had asked. “They’re all dead to me,” I had replied nonchalantly, sucking on a lollipop as I looked at the doctor. He seemed taken aback. He wasn’t the first person to react that way. Every time, people thought I was joking. But in my heart, my family and friends might as well be dead. My best friend had hooked up with my boyfriend in my own room. Then she hooked up with my brother. After that, she told them that I had nearly gotten her killed to win a streaming bonus. They all believed her and felt sorry for her. Even my mom thought she was more suitable to be her daughter. Because she was considerate and thoughtful. While I was useless at everything and had even caused my dad’s death years ago. Everyone hated me, so I might as well consider them dead. I was sick, and I didn’t want to bother them. “You have stomach cancer. You have six months at most,” the doctor had said gravely. “But there’s still hope if you start treatment aggressively.” I bit down on the lollipop, crushing it. At that moment, my mom sent me a message on Snapchat. [Today is the anniversary of your father’s death. I don’t want to see you. Don’t come home.] I couldn’t help but laugh. I’ve always been a sinful person. Might as well just die then. Later, Tiffany somehow found out about my illness. It was my birthday. She came to my room, smiling viciously. “You have cancer, don’t you? Were you planning to tell them? Just watch, I’ll make everyone hate you!” Then, during dinner, she told everyone she had seen me hiring someone to forge a stomach cancer diagnosis. She showed them the forged document. My mom, brother, and Lucas all believed her.

My mom was so angry she slapped me right then and there. My brother threw the cake he had bought for me into the trash. Lucas said, “You’re disgusting.” From then on, they all thought I was a lying bitch. I tried to explain, but they wouldn’t believe me. “We’re going out to eat,” Lucas suddenly came back in and said. He saw the blood on the floor and frowned deeply. “Ruby, can you stop pretending? It’s only going to make us hate you more.” I looked up at his chiseled face. We had grown up together, been childhood sweethearts. We went to college together, started working together. He used to say, “I want to be with Ruby for the rest of my life.” But not long ago, he had hooked up with Tiffany. In my own room, the two of them were tangled up together. I was so disgusted I kept throwing up, but his explanation was that it was just a drunken mistake, he didn’t mean to cheat. “Lucas, let’s break up,” I said calmly as I wiped the blood from my mouth. His pupils constricted as he rushed over and gripped my shoulders. “Is it because I interrupted your stream today?” “Ruby, can’t you be more kind? You’re so fortunate – you have a brother, you have me, and your family is well-off.” “But Tiffany has nothing. She even has a sick mother.” I laughed bitterly. Me, fortunate? My brother hates me, my boyfriend betrayed me, and even if I told my mom I was sick, she wouldn’t give me money for treatment. Is that what you call fortunate? “I still want to break up with you,” I continued. The pain in my stomach was getting worse. Last week, the doctor had told me I couldn’t keep binge eating like this. Otherwise, I’d be dead within a month. But I still needed money. Before I died, I just wanted to use this body to earn a bit more. I wanted to hold a grand funeral for myself. I never had a good life, so I wanted to leave this world in style. It would be my final gift to myself. “Fine. If that’s what you want, we’re done,” Lucas said as he stormed out. A moment later, I received a Snapchat message from Tiffany. [How did it feel today?] [Haha, the people you love most all turned against you.] I didn’t reply. I just took a screenshot of our chat history. My photo album was already full of our chat logs. I hoped that one day, everyone would see the truth. … I cleaned myself up and went to a house. Whenever I felt down, I would come here. This is where my adopted 10-year-old sister, Chloe, lived. Her name had “pearl” in it, just like mine. She was pitiful, abandoned by her family at an amusement park. I felt we were similar, so I adopted her as my sister. “Big sis, you’re here! I got my final exam results. I got perfect scores!” she exclaimed, throwing herself into my arms as soon as I opened the door. I patted her head. “Chloe is so smart. Do you want big sis to take you out for a nice meal?” She didn’t know I had stomach cancer. I didn’t want her to know either. Telling people about these things only makes everyone unhappy. “Yes! Let’s go to KFC!” “Okay.” Whenever I rewarded her, we always went to KFC. But I would never take her to McDonald’s. Because I couldn’t eat there. I would never be able to eat there again. After we arrived, I placed our order. Not long after ordering, my brother and Tiffany suddenly walked in. Tiffany saw me and covered her mouth in surprise. “Oh my god, Ruby, you have a child?” I really wanted to sew her mouth shut. It was so foul. My brother walked over and angrily demanded, “Whose child is this?” “Hello, I’m big sister’s little sister, Chloe. She adopted me,” Chloe answered politely. Hearing this, they fell silent. But my brother quickly started mocking me again: “You’re always saying you’re sick, but here you are eating KFC. Ruby, you really are just a lying bitch.” With that, he left with Tiffany. Halfway through the meal, my stomach suddenly started hurting badly again, and I coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood. “Ah! Big sis, what’s wrong?” Chloe cried out, quickly hugging me. I was in so much pain, I felt disoriented. “I… I’m fine,” I managed to say. Just then, I saw my brother rush over to check on me. How ridiculous. Didn’t he think I was faking it? Why would he come to check on me now? The next time I woke up, I was in the hospital. As soon as I opened my eyes, I was slapped hard across the face again.

I opened my eyes to see my brother glaring at me furiously. “Had enough of your act yet?” “You knew Tiffany and I were going to KFC, so you deliberately coughed up blood in front of us, right?” “Don’t hit my big sister!” Chloe rushed over and pushed him away. “Chloe, come here,” I called out softly. Chloe obediently took my hand. Then I looked up at my brother, who had come from the same womb as me. My face stung from the slap, and my heart felt like it was shattering. I had been rushed to the hospital, yet no one had told him about my condition? He was a doctor too. If he had examined me carefully, he would surely have seen how ill I was. “Get out,” I said quietly. He gritted his teeth in anger. “Ruby, you’ve really gone too far this time!” He raised his hand to hit me again. “Brother,” I called out to him. He froze. I hadn’t called him that in so long, not since Tiffany had slandered me. This was the first time I had called him “brother” in a long time, and it would be the last. “Let’s cut ties.” “In your eyes, I’m a sinner, I’m a liar, so I don’t want to upset you anymore.” I never thought there would come a day when we’d be like this. After all, he used to cherish me above all else. Everyone knew that the Gu family had a rough son, but he was incredibly gentle when it came to his sister. He really was good to me back then. When I had a fever, he would stay up all night to take care of me. He would buy me whatever I wanted. Once on my birthday, I casually mentioned wanting to go to Nanjing Road in Shanghai, and he drove me there overnight. He used to tell me, “Ruby, big brother will protect you for life.” Until Tiffany appeared, and everything changed. “Say that again!” my brother clenched his fists in anger. “I said, let’s cut ties.” “From now on, I don’t have you as a brother, and you don’t have me as a sister.” I don’t need family, and I don’t want family like them. “Fine. You said it,” he stormed out, slamming the door. Just then, a young man in a white coat walked in. I glanced at the name tag on his coat. He was an intern named Dr. Sean. He came over and adjusted my IV drip to slow it down. “This should make you feel a bit better,” he said. “Thank you,” I replied. Then I looked at Chloe beside me. Her eyes were red, and her face was full of concern. “Big sis, are you really sick?” Tears welled up in my eyes uncontrollably. “Big sis is fine. Can you go home first? I’ll come back soon, okay?” She was always obedient. She nodded and left with her backpack. After she left, Dr. Sean sighed. “Your condition isn’t good right now. You need to be hospitalized for chemotherapy, otherwise you won’t have much time left.” “Then I’ll do the chemo,” I said. I had originally planned to use the bonus money to find a place to end things myself. But now the bonus was gone. That night, Lucas came to see me. He was holding a bag of my favorite fruits. “I heard from the doctor that it’s nothing serious. Come home, and stop fighting with your brother.” I had told Dr. Sean not to tell anyone about my condition without my permission. So he hadn’t told Lucas either. I used to want them to know so badly, but now I didn’t want them to find out too soon. “First of all, we’ve already broken up.” “Secondly, what does my relationship with my brother have to do with you?” His face darkened. “Ruby, everyone has been so good to you. Why do you have to be so difficult?” Good to me? How laughable. Was that what they called being good to me? “Can you just get out?” I said. “Looking at you makes me sick.” Seeing him just reminded me of how he and Tiffany had been kissing passionately in bed. It was truly disgusting and nauseating. As soon as I said this, my brother suddenly burst in. “Ruby, you’ve really gone too far this time,” he shouted as he rushed over and slapped me again. The force was strong this time, and my ears rang for a moment. My brother never used to hit me or even raise his voice at me. But at some point, he had become quick-tempered and started getting physical with me. “We’ve already given you a way out, and you’re still throwing a tantrum.” “Fine. You don’t want me as your brother? I don’t want you as my jinx of a sister either.” Lucas shook his head at me in disappointment and left. The people who used to treat me so well were now leaving me one by one. It doesn’t matter. I don’t want them anymore either. The next day, my brother came again. He was wearing his white coat and holding a McDonald’s bag. When I saw the McDonald’s logo, my face turned pale. “Get out. I’m not eating that,” I said. But he replied, “Today is the anniversary of Dad’s death. Didn’t you always love eating McDonald’s on this day? I’ll let you eat your fill.” Then he rushed over and started shoving the food into my mouth. The greasy fried chicken slid down my throat and into my stomach. I was reminded of what happened years ago. Without warning, I vomited a mouthful of fresh blood. I desperately pressed the emergency call button. Dr. Sean quickly rushed in and punched my brother hard. “Are you crazy? Don’t you know she has stomach cancer?” he yelled.

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After Ryan’s undercover work ended, he seemed like a different person. He would often stare blankly out the window, his eyes filled with an inescapable melancholy and sadness. He no longer lifted our daughter, spinning her around and calling her his baby girl. He stopped bringing flowers home as a surprise after work. He even awkwardly shied away from my intimate gestures. Later, on the day our daughter had a car accident, I saw him passionately yet restrainedly kissing a girl in the pouring rain. I was still in a meeting when I received the news about our daughter’s car accident. When I heard the words “died on the spot,” it felt like lightning had struck me, shattering my world. I rushed to the funeral home like a madwoman, only to see my daughter’s twisted body lying on a cold table. The yellow floral dress I had helped her put on that morning had now become her burial clothes. Everything around me was chaotic. Some people were trying to comfort me, while others were asking questions. The truck driver was frantically explaining, “Your daughter suddenly crossed the road. It had nothing to do with me!” I collapsed on the ground, desperately crying out, “How could she have crossed the road alone? Where’s her father? Where is he?” “Mrs. Lee, your daughter was getting off the bus alone. We didn’t see any adult accompanying her,” the police officer said with a hint of sympathy. I had always picked up and dropped off our daughter for her after-school program. Only this time, she had timidly asked if her dad could take her. Ever since Ryan returned from his year-long business trip, his attitude towards us had become very cold. He often sat alone lost in thought, avoiding eye contact with me. Even calling me changed from the affectionate “Mia” to the formal “Zhimiao.” He frequently made excuses to sit in the car and smoke, and he seemed uncomfortable and even annoyed when our daughter tried to act cute around him. Our once-doted-on daughter didn’t understand what had happened to her dad and innocently wanted to mend their relationship. I agreed, and after sending them off, I went to the office for a meeting. But I never imagined that this one time I let go would cost my daughter her life. I kept calling Ryan, but all I got was a busy signal. With my mother-in-law seriously ill and my parents far away in our hometown, I had to face this devastating blow to life alone. In the end, with my signature, my daughter was reduced to a small box of ashes. Holding my daughter’s urn, I returned to our neighborhood like a walking corpse, only to be stunned by the sight of Ryan. In the pouring rain, he gently and restrainedly lifted the face of the girl opposite him, planting a deep kiss. The girl was petite and delicate, gradually losing strength as she was overwhelmed by the kiss, her soft body enveloped in Ryan’s arms. They kissed passionately, so absorbed that they didn’t even notice me as an onlooker. Images of my daughter’s tragic death flashed through my mind, intertwining with the scene before me, creating an absurdly jarring picture. At that moment, I didn’t know whether to be angry or heartbroken. I didn’t even have the strength to confront them or lose my mind. I just stood there, my mind blank. I should have seen this coming. Ryan’s job was of a special nature, and when I married him, I was prepared to independently support a family. For seven years, I worked during the day and cared for my sick mother-in-law at the hospital at night. I single-handedly arranged everything for our new home, carrying heavy tiles up six floors just to save a few hundred dollars. When bullied by neighbors, I had to muster up the courage to argue back, clutching a kitchen knife for protection. Later, when I got pregnant, I fainted in the bathroom for seven or eight hours before someone found me. I went to prenatal check-ups alone, feeling out of place among the couples at the obstetrics department. When my water broke in the middle of the night, I took a taxi to the hospital by myself, forcing myself to sign the consent forms. When I was sad, he wasn’t by my side. When I was happy, he still wasn’t there. I was like a lone ranger. Whenever people asked about my husband, I had to give vague answers due to confidentiality, which led many to assume I was a pitiful widow.

I always felt that my sacrifices were worth it. He deeply loved his profession, and I deeply loved him. We had our happy moments too. When he wasn’t busy, he would drive two hours just to buy me a small cake. He would bring home a bouquet of roses after work. During my postpartum confinement, he would stay up all night to take care of our daughter, changing diapers, feeding her, and doing housework with ease. He loved to cup my face in his hands, pressing his forehead against mine, and say with deep emotion, “Mia, thank you for everything. Without you, we wouldn’t have this home.” “I will love you forever.” Until he went on a business trip for a year. I didn’t know the content of his work, but I once bumped into him butchering meat at a farmer’s market. I vaguely understood something then, pretending to be a stranger as we passed by, and hadn’t contacted him for a year since. I never expected that after he returned, he would be like a completely different person. He could go an entire day without saying a word, showing no interest in anything in our home. At night, we slept in the same bed, but it felt like there was an insurmountable chasm between us. Our home was filled with an awkward, half-baked atmosphere. I tried to ease the tension between us, but Ryan kept avoiding me, making various excuses. Finally, he even looked at me with an extremely unfamiliar gaze and said sarcastically, “How come I never noticed before that you have such a strong libido?” Until now, I finally understood where the problem between us lay. I stood there for a long time. Finally, the girl noticed me. She nervously pushed Ryan away, hiding in his arms with a blushing face. Ryan’s face flashed with rare panic. He instinctively shielded the girl behind him, quickly regaining his composure: “Zhimiao, she’s innocent. Don’t take it out on her. I’ll explain when we get home…” “No need.” I looked coldly at the man I once loved deeply, enunciating each word: “I asked you to take Lily to her after-school program. Where did you go?” “I received an urgent work call and couldn’t get away,” Ryan explained. “I watched Lily get on the bus. It’s just two blocks from the bus stop to the class, and she’s already four years old. She knows the way.” A heart-wrenching pain made me double over, almost unable to stand. Tears mixed with rain streamed down my face. Lily was only four years old, yet he let a four-year-old little girl take a half-hour bus ride alone and then walk a kilometer to class. He knew better than anyone how dangerous society could be, yet he was so negligent with his own daughter. “So your so-called work was kissing this girl?!” I raised my voice, pointing at the girl shrinking in his arms. She looked very young, possibly still in college. She was biting her lower lip vulnerably, trembling at my outburst. Ryan instinctively hugged her, first lowering his head to comfort her not to be afraid, then looking up at me with an impatient tone. “Mia Lee, don’t scare the kid. Please try to understand the special nature of my work. You used to be so understanding…” I couldn’t hold back anymore and rushed over to slap him hard across the face. The girl screamed in fright, reaching out to caress Ryan’s face with concern. “Let’s get a divorce,” I said. With that, I turned and left without looking back. Two hours later, Ryan finally came home. Seeing that I had packed up half the house, he frowned deeply. “I’m already exhausted. Can you stop throwing tantrums like a child?” he said. “You think I’m throwing a tantrum?” I was too mentally and physically drained to even argue, just looking at him coldly.

“Ryan Shaw, do you even care about this family anymore? If you truly cared about us, Lily wouldn’t have…” “Emma is my adopted sister,” Ryan interrupted me roughly. He fell silent for a long while, then slowly began to tell the story of himself and that girl. “This past year, she’s been the one taking care of me. She’s done so much for me.” Ryan’s expression softened as he spoke of their history. He said Emma was a silly girl who, despite knowing he was married, still recklessly gave her heart to him. He said she loved watching superhero shows, had a hero complex, and liked to show off. Several times, she put herself in danger trying to save him. He said she was carefree and liked wearing short skirts, always accidentally flashing people, then complaining that he was too controlling. He talked about their countless nights huddled together for warmth, holding hands, legs touching, their breath on each other’s faces. The girl would chatter on about her little troubles, like not having enough credits, her counselor not approving her leave request, her roommate being annoying… He felt like he had also become ten years younger, returning to his youthful days. Finally, he said, “I know our relationship has gone beyond that of siblings now.” “Give me time. I’ll forget about her and live well with you.” Ryan closed his eyes, showing a pained expression. “She’s still young and doesn’t understand. I should know better. I’ve already wasted a year of her life. I can’t continue to hold her back.” I could barely breathe. Did Ryan realize what he was saying? He was telling his wife about his love story with someone else. It was as if I were the third party, maliciously interfering in his and Emma’s love, forcing him to give up his true love to fulfill family responsibilities. Ryan remembered her sacrifices for him, but what about me? Were my seven years of love and seven years of protection all for nothing? After a long while, I calmed down: “I’ll just give you your freedom directly.” I picked up my suitcase and pushed past him to go downstairs. Ryan grabbed my hand, meeting my gaze with a pleading look in his eyes: “Zhimiao, I promise, today was the last time I’ll see her. I still love you. I want to give Lily a complete family…” “Don’t mention Lily to me!” I completely lost control, forcefully throwing my bag at him. Sharp decorations on the bag cut Ryan’s face and neck, drawing blood. He stood there stunned as I left without looking back. I rented a small apartment near my company, contacting a lawyer while packing up and handling our daughter’s affairs. While I was busy, I received a call from the hospital. “Mrs. Lee, your mother-in-law has had another attack. Please come quickly…” My heart tightened suddenly, and I grabbed my bag and rushed out. My mother-in-law was in the late stages of cancer. After marrying Ryan, I had voluntarily taken on the task of caring for her, attending to her daily needs, checking and getting her medications, and managing her diet. I did everything I could except bear the pain of her illness for her. For seven years, rain or shine, I stayed at the hospital at least four days a week. Only these past two days, because of what happened to our daughter, I had been distracted and forgotten about my mother-in-law still in the hospital. I rushed over anxiously, but to my surprise, when I opened the door, I saw Emma smilingly coaxing my mother-in-law to drink some porridge. She wasn’t wearing short skirts like Ryan had said, but long pants and long sleeves, looking proper and clean, like the girl next door that anyone would instinctively like. My mother-in-law was chatting happily with her, the two looking as close as mother and daughter. “…Mom,” I called out hoarsely. My mother-in-law quickly waved me over, introducing with a warm smile: “Mia, this is Ryan’s colleague’s sister. Has he mentioned her to you?” Emma saw me and couldn’t hide her nervousness, awkwardly standing up from her chair. She stammered, “We’ve… we’ve met…” Seeing that I didn’t respond, Emma’s eyes gradually reddened, and she ran out with her head down like a frightened rabbit, only to bump into Ryan who had just entered. She immediately relaxed as if she had found her anchor, grabbing Ryan’s sleeve and hiding behind him, timidly looking at me. Ryan was holding some test results, his brows furrowed as he questioned me: “Zhimiao, if you have issues with me, I have nothing to say. But hasn’t my mom always treated you well? Is this how you take care of her for me?!” He forcefully threw the papers at me. The words “critical condition” and “imminent death” caught my eye. Before I could say anything, a nurse who had been observing couldn’t hold back anymore and angrily said: “Your wife has taken excellent care of your mom. Have you ever tried caring for a patient non-stop for seven years?!” “Your mom already had an incurable cancer. The fact that she’s survived until today is all thanks to your wife’s dedicated care! As for you, her son, how many times have you visited the hospital in seven years? You can count it on one hand, right?” Ryan was chastened into regaining some sense, hanging his head dejectedly. Emma couldn’t bear to listen anymore and retorted: “Ryan’s work is special. He doesn’t have time…” “He has time for an affair but no time to care for his own mother?!” the nurse blurted out. The hallway suddenly fell silent. A doctor came over and pulled her away, and the nurse shut up, still indignant. Emma’s eyes reddened, about to cry again. But at this moment, Ryan had no energy to comfort her. He said hoarsely: “Bring Lily back. Let her see her grandmother one last time.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “294532”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #重生Reborn #校园School #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic #现实主义Realistic #励志Inspiring #后宫Harem

I never imagined I’d be able to share sensations with my boyfriend of three years. This morning, I greeted him as usual and tilted my face up for a kiss. He instinctively dodged, his eyes filled with barely concealed disgust. He’s just turned twenty-one, not even graduated from college yet. At this vigorous age, he’s starting to reject my touch. He got up, took his phone, and went to the bathroom right in front of me. Moments later, muffled groans of pleasure came from inside. My heart grew colder by the inch. I sat numbly on the bed, listening to the sounds of washing up from the bathroom. I watched Chase rummage through the closet for clothes, spray on some cologne, check himself in the mirror repeatedly, then hurry off to class. Throughout it all, he didn’t spare me a single glance. I picked up Chase’s tablet from the bedside and scrolled through his chat history with an online store. Customer Service: Handsome, it’s been a while since you last shopped here. We’ve got new items in stock. Chase: Not buying anymore. I have zero interest in her now. I’m only 21, and she’s 35, almost 36 – an old woman. I feel sick just looking at her wrinkles. Can’t even get it up. Customer Service: … Customer Service: That can’t be right. You used to buy from us quite often. You said you loved your girlfriend. Chase: Anyway, I feel nothing for her now. I used to think she was low-maintenance, understanding, never dramatic. She took care of everything and always apologized first when we argued. Now it all feels so dull. Being with her, I don’t feel like I’m in a relationship at all. When I find my ideal young and cute girlfriend, I’ll buy from you again. The message showed as read, but there was no reply. I turned off the tablet, feeling dizzy. I grabbed my hair hard. I laughed at myself. I had discovered this chat last night. It was crystal clear, yet I still foolishly tried to test him this morning, only to humiliate myself. He doesn’t love me anymore. He’s disgusted by my aging. His ideal girlfriend must be the girl in the photos he looks at before pleasuring himself in the bathroom. I fell back onto the bed, surprisingly without a trace of tears. After all, for a woman my age, crying and breaking down would be undignified.

I got up quietly and washed up. Near noon, I started receiving birthday messages from various brand websites I’d registered with. Only then did I remember – today is my birthday. I stared at the wilted, yellowing hydrangeas on the coffee table, now attracting fruit flies. In a daze, I recalled that three years ago today, 18-year-old Chase was the first to say he loved me. Back then, Chase had just started college. He was being bullied at his part-time job at my company when I stepped in to help him. His eyes sparkled as he looked at me with admiration, following me around, constantly calling me “big sis”. It annoyed me so much that I had no choice but to take him under my wing. Back then, Chase was pure and sincere. He would always steal glances at me, quickly looking away when I caught him, pretending nothing happened. Only his ears would slowly turn red. When other interns tried to flirt with me, Chase would get anxious, staying close to me like a little wolf guarding its territory. Occasionally, when we had accidental physical contact, he would blush and sit still for hours, too embarrassed to move. On my 32nd birthday, he showed up with a huge bouquet of my favorite hydrangeas and a birthday cake. The young man’s gaze was shy yet brave and persistent. He said he loved me. I told him our age gap was too big and that I needed to think about it. For the next few days, Chase visibly became anxious and lost weight. When I finally said yes, the joy in his eyes was almost overflowing. He hugged me tightly, his low voice swirling around my ears like a vow, “Vera, from now on, every birthday of yours will be our anniversary. I’ll always be with you to celebrate.” … My phone kept ringing with birthday wishes from family, friends, and even colleagues flooding in. Only the pinned chat with Chase remained silent at the top. Silent as if that boy who loved me three years ago was just a figment of my imagination. I got up and threw the wilted flowers from the vase into the trash. Rotten, spoiled things shouldn’t be kept anymore. The same goes for flowers and people.

I tidied up a bit and left for work. Everything changes, except for the work I’ve poured my heart and soul into, and the balance in my bank account. While working overtime late at night, my young assistant suddenly pulled out a box. “Ms. Vera, I’ve been so busy I almost forgot the iPhone you asked me to buy for you.” She glanced at her watch and tilted her head with a smile, “This is your birthday gift to yourself, right? Good thing it’s only 11:55 PM, still before midnight. Just in time.” “Happy birthday, Ms. Vera!” I smiled and took the box, turning it over in my hands. I couldn’t help but smile bitterly. Chase’s chat remained silent on my phone, as if today was just another ordinary day in the countless boring days we’ve spent together. This phone wasn’t my birthday gift. It was the third anniversary gift I had prepared for Chase. Before leaving work, I sent Chase a message. “Come home early after class tomorrow. I have something to tell you.” “Is there anything you’d like to eat?” After a while, he replied with two words: “Whatever.”

I sat in the car all night. I opened Chase’s chat, staring at the word “Whatever” for a while. Scrolling up, there were many more green bubbles than white ones, with occasional transfers of thousands or tens of thousands for his pocket money. Most of the time it was me talking, often asking what he wanted to eat, where he wanted to go on weekends, or sharing work-related stuff. Chase would either reply “Whatever,” or “Mm,” or not reply at all. Scrolling further up to chat logs from half a year ago, almost all the messages were from me, with Chase’s replies few and far between. I sighed softly and unpinned his chat. Even without his rant to the online store, his boredom and indifference towards me were obvious. … I watched the sky change from pitch black to the first light of dawn. After Chase left for school, I returned to the small apartment we shared. I had bought this apartment near his school when we first got together. Chase’s dirty clothes were strewn haphazardly on the sofa. I stuffed them into the washing machine, checked the time, then went to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Braised fish, yu xiang eggplant, and sweet and sour ribs – all Chase’s favorites that I had specially learned to make. Maybe I was distracted, but while washing the knife, I sliced off a chunk of my finger. Blood immediately flowed everywhere. When Chase came home from school, I was tightly wrapping my finger with tissue paper. He didn’t look at me, just glanced at the dishes on the table and frowned. He sat down matter-of-factly and picked at the food. Perhaps to him, I was just like this table of dishes he had grown tired of. “Chase…” Chase was eating while replying to messages on his phone, the corners of his mouth curved in pleasure. He just grunted in response without looking up. “I’m going out for a bit.” The wound was quite deep. Blood quickly soaked through the tissue paper, staining my white top red. Looking at this mess, a wave of grievance welled up. My voice carried a hint of tears. “Chase…” I hoped Chase would look up at me for once. But his response was still just a low “Mm.” I sniffled and went to the pharmacy downstairs for treatment. The young pharmacist was startled. “Ma’am, the wound is too deep. I can bandage it for you, but you should really go to the hospital.” I shook my head and left. The moment I opened the door upon returning home, a sweet, coquettish “Senior, you’re so capable” echoed in the living room. Chase hurriedly paused the voice message and looked up at me somewhat unnaturally: “Where’s my blue shirt? I want to wear it tomorrow.” Then he went back to eating. The mirror in the entryway reflected my red, swollen eyes and pale, sallow complexion. Suddenly, I felt like crying. I took a deep breath to compose myself and sat down across from Chase. “Yesterday was our third anniversary. What gift would you like?” Chase’s phone on the table kept buzzing. I glanced at it – the contact was simply saved as “Junior,” simple yet intimate. Must be the young, vibrant girl of his dreams. Chase quickly flipped his phone over, sounding irritated, “I don’t know. I don’t want anything.” I took out the phone box. “I’ve prepared a gift for you – the latest iPhone model you’ve been wanting.” Chase’s eyes lit up. Just as he was about to reach for it, my phone rang. In the quiet living room, my mother’s loud voice was exceptionally clear. “You’re almost 40, an old maid! I think that Gu guy is not bad. Make time to meet him. When are you going to get married? You keep saying you have a boyfriend, but I’ve never even seen him!” I instinctively looked at Chase. He lowered his eyes guiltily. After briefly dealing with the call, I saw Chase firmly push back the phone box I had offered him. He took a deep breath, eyes downcast, not daring to look at me. I smiled and took back the box. “If you don’t want the gift, that’s fine. Are you full? This meal was to commemorate our third anniversary, and it’s also our farewell dinner.” I looked into his eyes and told him word by word: “Chase, let’s break up.”

Chase was stunned at first, then visibly relaxed. “Okay.” His answer was quick and decisive, as if afraid I might change my mind. He stared into my eyes, his tone tinged with guilt: “I don’t love you anymore. I never thought about marrying you.” “You can think I’m a jerk, but I just don’t love you anymore.” “I’m sorry.” I lowered my eyes, not wanting to look at him anymore. When we first got together, I had asked Chase, “I’m fourteen years older than you. I’ll age quickly. You won’t love me anymore in the future.” Back then, Chase hugged me, kissed the top of my head, and smiled, “They say love is like nurturing a flower. A woman who is loved won’t age. From now on, I’ll tell you I love you a thousand times every day, so you won’t grow old, Vera.” After that day, Chase always said he loved me. It became a self-fulfilling prophecy. When he stopped saying he loved me every day, I aged in his eyes. Chase, who used to always have “I love you” on his lips, now spoke of not loving me with such resolution and coldness for the sake of breaking up. I found it somewhat amusing. Suddenly feeling a sense of tearing apart, I could only nod calmly, “It’s all over.” Chase seemed surprised by my calmness.

My breakup with Chase was very peaceful. He awkwardly took a suitcase, intending to pack his things, but came out of the room empty-handed moments later. I sat on the sofa, fidgeting with the box in my hands, feeling like laughing. Almost everything he owned was bought by me. What did he have to pack? He glanced at me quickly, leaving with an almost inaudible “I’m going.” He ran out of the apartment as if escaping. I looked around the room. From the gaming computer to the socks in the drawer, everything was filled with traces of Chase. Scattered around were the speech drafts I had helped him write for the English speaking contest I had encouraged him to join at school. On the computer were the slides I had stayed up all night to prepare for his school’s publicity department. And the clothes I had bought for him whenever I saw something suitable. Those slides were saved on a USB drive that I had rushed to deliver to his school when I realized he had forgotten to take it. That day, Chase hung his head, his tone somewhat agitated, “Who asked you to come find me at school!” He snatched the USB drive and turned to leave. The boys around him laughed and teased. I don’t know what Chase said, but one of the boys turned and waved at me with a grin, his voice clear and loud: “Goodbye, auntie!” I shook my head in annoyance. I found some garbage bags and stuffed all these odds and ends into them. After cleaning up, the apartment felt empty. Unnaturally tidy. I collapsed onto the bed, feeling drained, staring blankly at the ceiling. The surroundings were eerily quiet, with the ticking of the wall clock exceptionally clear. I picked up my phone. Chase had updated his status. “I’m finally free. Ending what’s wrong to pursue what’s right.” Just now, at 2 AM, he updated again with just three words: Can’t sleep. I blinked. He must not be used to the dorm, I thought. After all, in the past, as soon as he complained about noisy roommates or hard dorm beds, I immediately rented him an apartment. Whenever he called me “Vera,” I would solve all his problems. Lost in thought, my phone vibrated, showing several transactions on the joint account I had set up for Chase. I unlinked the joint account and froze the supplementary credit card I had given him. After doing all this, drowsiness gradually overcame me. I turned over and fell into a deep sleep.

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After discovering I was the vicious female supporting character in an entertainment industry novel, I immediately dumped the devoted male second lead and ran away. I chose to raise pigs in the south. Successfully expanded the pig farm into a large-scale operation, attracting a reality show to film there. But why are the male lead, female lead, and my ex-boyfriend all participating?! They’re gathered around me discussing postpartum care for sows. Yet netizens are saying, “Algar’s eyes are glued to Celestine, those two must have something going on!” Damn it! How can your eyes be so sharp! When I signed the contract, I said I only needed to raise pigs and be a pig, living an idle life waiting to die. But after working for a while, I discovered the pig farm was becoming more and more famous, attracting a reality show to film there. The boss saw a business opportunity and forcibly inserted me into the show as a resident NPC, a pig farming instructor. Early in the morning, the production team barged into my home with their equipment. I took off my face mask, tidied my hair, and waved at the camera with a look of utter despair. “You’re saying this is the pig farming instructor???” “Oh my god! She’s so beautiful, I love her! Come to sister’s arms!” “Is this deliberately hyping up an ordinary person? How else would a pig farm have such a goddess?” I looked at the barrage of comments and smirked. As the vicious female supporting character, I didn’t want to get involved in the entertainment circle either. Yes, that’s right, I know I’m currently in a Mary Sue sweet romance novel set in the entertainment industry. A film emperor dotes on a small-time actress, helping her reach the pinnacle of becoming a top actress. In it, the small-time actress is a natural charmer, with the male lead, second male lead, and third to seventh male leads all falling for her. My boyfriend Algar is the most devoted second male lead to the female lead. There’s only one vicious female supporting character in the whole story – me. Despite having stunning looks, I’m completely overshadowed by the female lead. Feeling resentful, I constantly cause trouble. Algar and I had been deskmates since middle school, classmates all the way. He protected me, I liked him, we were the school’s perfect couple. But in the year we graduated from university, Algar met Celestine from the acting department, and everything changed. He couldn’t stop talking about Celestine. Celestine was a bit muddle-headed, but beautiful and kind-hearted. Celestine was perfect in every way. I was fuming as I listened. On my birthday, Algar abandoned me on the roadside for Celestine, and I finally exploded. In the original story, I chose to create a fake account to slander Celestine as a homewrecker who seduced other people’s boyfriends. After being found out, Algar had a huge fight with me. Algar and I grew apart, and I became even more resentful towards Celestine. Celestine became a rising starlet in the entertainment industry. I stole her roles, made snide remarks about her plastic surgery, and deliberately sabotaged her safety harness. In the end, Algar broke up with me and joined forces with the film emperor to protect Celestine. Later, I went crazy and threw sulfuric acid at Celestine during a roadshow. Algar pushed me down the stairs. I died with my eyes wide open.

The day I awakened, I laughed at this ridiculous plot. If Algar fell for someone else, I would just slap him once and kick him to the curb. I wouldn’t have the patience to engage in a catfight with Celestine. Besides, Algar, falling for someone else? That’s purely a joke. To put it nicely, he was aloof; to put it bluntly, he was antisocial. He barely knew anyone at school besides me, probably not even the homeroom teacher’s name. And every day, besides drawing, he just clung to me. All his free time was spent buying me food, doing my laundry, saving seats for me, accompanying me to movies, and taking walks with me. He didn’t even have time to meet Celestine. I originally thought I had just had a nauseating dream. But not long after the start of senior year, I really saw Celestine. She truly lived up to being the female lead, with a natural halo. Even in a crowd, she was the most eye-catching, smiling and waving at Algar, calling him “Brother Dusk.” My heart skipped a beat, and an ominous feeling welled up. But I still suppressed my anxiety, pretending to be angry and telling Algar to stay away from Celestine. Algar cupped my face, gave me a kiss, and happily agreed. But he ran into Celestine more and more often. His gaze lingered on Celestine for longer and longer. Algar himself didn’t even notice that he had ignored my warnings, and started talking about Celestine all the time. “Why do you insist on being friends with Celestine?” I held back from questioning him. He hid his smile and said he’d tell me later. The sourness in my heart and fear of the future could no longer be suppressed. I had nightmares of Algar pushing me down the stairs. Until my birthday, when Algar received a call from Celestine, left me on the roadside, and walked away. I was utterly desperate. Since I couldn’t change fate, I might as well run! I sent Algar a breakup message and fled overnight. To a place where no one could find me. Using all I had learned, I became a researcher at a nationally renowned large-scale pig farm. Focusing on pig research, making piglets whiter, prettier, and more delicious. Who would have thought. Because I raised pigs so well, it attracted a reality show to film there. I still couldn’t escape my predetermined fate. So I’ll just lie down. Only if I lie flat enough can the gears of fate roll right over me! I took the production team on a tour of the pig farm. When I returned to the recording room, everyone had already arrived. Seeing the people before me, my heart pounded wildly. Wearing a black T-shirt and jeans with an expressionless face was Algar. Beside him with long straight black hair, wearing a white dress and a flower-like smile, was Celestine. And leaning lazily to the side listening to Celestine talk was the film emperor, Miles. Celestine saw me and jumped up: “A new person has arrived! Come, come!” She was lively and coquettish, and everyone turned to look at me following her words. Algar’s gaze seemed to be laced with ice, freezing me stiff and at a loss. The barrage of comments went wild. “All handsome men and beautiful women, a feast for the eyes!” “Our Willow is so cute, so sweet, so beautiful!” “The film emperor’s doting expression, I ship it so hard.” “But the famous painter Algar seems to have a very good relationship with Celestine. He was invited by Celestine to participate in the show. I ship the Steadfast Couple!” “Ahhhh! They look good together no matter how you look at it. I’m fine with either the Steadfast Couple or the Fame Couple!” Bitterness welled up in my heart, but I forced a smile. Celestine walked over and grabbed my hand. Algar revealed a smile, but there was no smile in his eyes. I shuddered. Looks like he’s really angry.

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The year my sister started college, she died on a hotel bed. They said Grace was promiscuous and played herself to death. But I knew that wasn’t true. Carter’s sweetheart had a fight with him, so he deliberately pursued my sister. Jealous Vanessa egged others on to bully her. “Carter said she has a nice body. As his friends, why don’t you check it out for him?” Eight years later, I became Carter’s most cherished pet. Quiet and obedient, never causing trouble. Vanessa poured a cup of hot tea over my head, sneering: “You’re just a cheap knockoff. Carter’s only playing with you.” “I’m the one he truly loves. Know your place, understand?” But I never wanted his love. All I wanted were your lives. The day Vanessa returned from abroad, Carter released pink balloons all over the city to celebrate. His friends once again mocked and ridiculed our relationship. “The leading lady is back. Isn’t it time for that fake Aria to get lost?” “Tsk, that’s the fate of a disposable side character.” “Serves her right for being so cheap and throwing herself at him.” I sat on the sofa, quickly scrolling through the group chat messages before turning off my phone. “Angry?” Carter asked casually as he sat beside me, absent-mindedly playing with my palm. I shook my head and leaned gently against his chest, saying softly: “They’re right. I know my place. I can’t help feeling a little sad, but knowing you came to see me before meeting Vanessa makes everything okay.” He ran his hand along my cheek down to my chin, pinching the soft flesh there as if petting a cat. “Such a good girl.” “I won’t be coming over tonight. I’ll have that watch you liked delivered to you.” He stood up, ready to leave. Just as he opened the door, I suddenly ran up and hugged him from behind. Tears welling in my eyes. “I know you and Vanessa grew up together. I could never compare.” “But Carter, please let me stay by your side.” “Don’t leave me.” Hot tears fell onto his shirt, quickly spreading into a large wet patch against his shoulder blade. He paused, loosening his grip on the doorknob and turning around. His broad palm gently stroked my thin back. “Don’t overthink things.” He lowered his head slightly, tilting my chin up. I gazed back at him with trembling wet lashes. I knew I was beautiful, most alluring with reddened eyes looking pitiful. Sure enough, desire darkened his eyes. Before I knew it, Carter had me pinned to the sofa, gripping my waist. His breathing quickened with arousal, movements showing no tenderness. When I cried out in pain, he only bit and gnawed at my lips. “Aria, as long as you behave, I’ll come see you tomorrow.” I buried my face in his shoulder, my voice muffled and hoarse. “Okay. Don’t lie to me.” I carefully helped him get dressed and saw him downstairs. A purple Rolls-Royce waited at the villa entrance, the driver respectfully opening the door for him. With a roar of the engine, the car quickly disappeared into the night. It was getting late. Any later and he’d miss Vanessa’s welcome home dinner. She was the Jiang family’s princess, pampered since childhood. If Carter was late, she’d definitely be upset. As I thought about this, I walked back into the villa, tears streaming down my face. In front of Maggie, the housekeeper, I swallowed the pill she handed me. Then, with swollen eyes, I went upstairs, entered my room, and locked the door. I rushed into the bathroom, bent over the toilet, and vomited violently. Disgusting, utterly disgusting. Every second with Carter, every touch from him, was like a needle piercing my fragile dignity, reeking of decadent luxury and decay. The slightest recollection would make me retch uncontrollably. Yet I had to vie for his affection, kiss him, and submit to his desires. To make him confidently believe that I was a parasitic vine that could only cling to him, loving him wholeheartedly, and would wither away if I ever left him. Then, when he was enjoying his self-created realm of power, relaxed and carefree, I would deliver the fatal blow. Carter, I want to see you fall from your high position, left with nothing. Struggling in the mud, tormented by hatred. At the end, only stomach acid remained, burning my throat. I collapsed onto the cold tile floor, leaning against the wall behind me. The bright light above my head pierced my eyes, blurring my vision with a mix of whiteness and tears. My head knocked against the wall repeatedly as I choked out: “But, Grace, I’ve tried. I have no other way.” “…I’m so hungry. I miss your clear noodle soup, sister.”

My childhood wasn’t exactly pleasant. From my earliest memories, my father was a gambling, alcoholic, abusive scumbag. When I was ten, he lost a lot of money. That night, he opened the door, reeking of alcohol. My mother trembled as she held me in her arms. The next moment, he violently grabbed my mother’s hair and threw her onto the concrete floor. He punched her face over and over, and when he got tired, he kicked her. He took the last of our savings and squandered it at the casino. My mother got into a red car. She never came back. After that, my father would bring different women home. Locking me out. That day, I squatted outside the door all night. Until the next morning when I went to school, no one had opened the door for me. I had no money and no friends. I could only run to the sink to drink water to stave off hunger. By the time school let out, I was so hungry I could barely see straight. A girl running towards me barely brushed my shoulder, and I nearly fainted. She caught me in time, asking if I was okay. I was too hungry, so I just said so. She gave me a gentle smile, took my hand, and led me to her home. I ate five bowls of clear noodle soup. Somehow, I started crying while eating. First silently, then wailing loudly. She frantically wiped my tears, thinking her cooking was terrible. I shook my head vigorously in her arms. “No one has ever been so kind to me before.” Her warm hand patted my head. Not only did she not mind my dry, messy hair, but she also said: “From now on, think of me as your big sister. I’ll look out for you.” She really was a wonderful person. That was the first time I met my sister, Grace. She had a name as pure and beautiful as her personality. Unlike my name, which my father casually picked after winning a mahjong game. My mother thought it meant the “green” of grass. But Grace told me it meant “Aria of the green hills, my heart wanders far.” Only then did I realize that even a carelessly chosen character could be interpreted with poetic beauty by someone who cared.

That night, I dreamed of my sister again. I dreamed of how she celebrated my birthday. On a scorching summer day, when the asphalt was so hot you could see the heat shimmering off it, smelling of tar. She wore a heavy mascot costume, handing out flyers to passersby. She broke out in a rash from the heat but lied to me, saying it was just dust allergy. Seventy dollars a day, she did it for two months. Then, on my 14th birthday, she gave me fourteen gifts. A newspaper from my 1st year, watercolor pens from my 2nd, hair clips from my 3rd… a Barbie doll from my 7th… a bicycle from my 10th, an electronic keyboard from my 11th… and a keychain with keys for my 14th. I had never celebrated a birthday before, but that day, I celebrated fourteen birthdays at once. Maggie, Grace’s mom, had prepared a table full of dishes, with a two-tiered cake in the center. Surrounded by such warmth and love, I couldn’t help but cry again. “Thank you, sis. Thank you, Aunt Maggie.” Maggie’s smiling face suddenly fell. “You call her ‘sis,’ why am I still ‘Aunt Maggie’?” “Mom.” “Good girl, make a wish and blow out the candles.” I closed my eyes, savoring the happiest moment of my life. And made a sincere wish. I was no longer a child that no one cared about. I had a family. The laughter and joy quickly folded and distorted. The dream changed drastically. My sister was brought back, lying motionless on a stretcher. Her body was cold, covered in wounds, long past breathing. They said: “Grace led a promiscuous life, engaged in dangerous activities with multiple men. She died during one of these encounters. Her partners have already confessed and turned themselves in.” Lies, all lies. They also said, out of humanitarian concern, they could offer me reasonable compensation. I couldn’t hear anything anymore. There was a buzzing in my ears like a million mosquitoes, as I stared at my sister’s lifeless body before me. The mottled bloodstains mixed with sunlight into a chaotic mess. “Sis…” My sister didn’t die from some wild encounters. She was in college, busy with work-study programs. How could she possibly be involved with men, let alone multiple men, in such activities? It was my sister’s cheerleading squad captain. Her childhood sweetheart had a fight with her and deliberately praised my sister in front of her. He said my sister had a great body and he wanted to try her out. She angrily told him to go pursue my sister. He did, sending flowers, gifts, and breakfasts, sweet-talking her in every way. My sister had never experienced anything like this before. She believed it was true love. That arrogant captain couldn’t stand it. After reconciling with her sweetheart, she had people bully my sister. “Since Carter praised her body, why don’t you guys, as his friends, go check it out for him?” From beginning to end, it was a lawyer who handled the whole affair. Wearing old-fashioned scholarly glasses, behind which were sharp, shrewd eyes. He spoke precisely and acted ruthlessly. Under the machinations of power, we were defeated at every turn. Those two instigators never even showed their faces. After reconciling, they went to the Arctic to chase the Northern Lights. How romantic, how absurd. Months later, I finally learned their names. Two rich kids — Vanessa and Carter. Then I dreamed of my mother’s hair turning white overnight. Empty pill bottles scattered in the corner of the bed, my mother lying quietly, as if asleep. She had gone to find my sister. My birthday wish hadn’t come true. I never celebrated birthdays again.

I originally thought I wouldn’t encounter Vanessa so soon. But with her spoiled nature, how could she accept it? She had only been abroad for three years, and Carter already had me by his side when she returned. So the next day, Vanessa arranged a fitting at a luxury boutique. Carter deliberately brought me along. A spacious fitting room with excellent privacy. Dazzling lights, an atmosphere of extravagance. Vanessa sat in the center of the sofa in a black Chanel suit, the center of attention. She took a sip of her red tea, lifting her eyelids slightly. The disdain in her gaze fell on me without disguise as she suddenly smiled. “Carter, is this the little pet you’ve been keeping?” “She does look a bit like me, doesn’t she?” At this point, someone chimed in. “No matter how much she tries to imitate you, she can’t compare to even your little finger.” My fingers, hanging at my side, suddenly clenched. I lowered my head, suddenly realizing. He brought me here to let Vanessa vent her anger. Because of his attitude, everyone looked down on me, cooperating with Vanessa to humiliate me. “Since you’re here, why don’t you try on some clothes for me?” Carter sat down next to Vanessa and said indifferently, “Go try them on. Try until Vanessa is satisfied.” The entire afternoon, I walked back and forth in high heels, trying on clothes repeatedly. “Just standing there like that, how are we supposed to know if the clothes look good or not?” “That’s right, walk around the room a few times, strike a few poses. How can you be so stupid?” They sat on the sofa, enjoying their afternoon tea, instructing me on how to be a proper fitting model. The high heels on my feet rubbed my heels raw, blood seeping into the inside of the shoes. I was in so much pain that fine beads of sweat appeared on my forehead, my legs feeling as if they were no longer my own. Vanessa finally vented some of her anger. “Such beautiful clothes are wasted on someone like you.” “I don’t want any of the styles she’s worn. Pack up the rest.” She nestled in Carter’s arms, poking his chest in a coquettish manner. The usually cold man now curved his lips, allowing the person in his arms to act spoiled. “Go clean yourself up downstairs, and remember your place.” I held the slipping neckline of my dress, bowed, and hurriedly left. As I was leaving, I fell to the ground. I looked up at Carter, tears instinctively falling. Pitiful to the extreme. Carter’s gaze unconsciously fell on me, his Adam’s apple bobbing. I saw it, and so did Vanessa. She walked towards me with a smile. “A few pieces of clothing and you’re already feeling wronged? I didn’t realize you were so good at acting.” The next moment, a searing pain shot through my scalp. Vanessa poured an entire cup of hot tea over my head, then set down the cup and cooed to Carter. “Carter, you know I hate green tea the most.” “I couldn’t help but teach her a lesson. You won’t blame me, will you?” Carter stood up and wrapped his arm around her waist, his eyes full of indulgence. “As long as you’re happy.” The group left amid laughter, not waiting for me. Leaving me alone where I was.

That night, Carter surprisingly didn’t accompany Vanessa. Instead, he came to see me. Hearing movement in the yard, I pretended to be asleep on the couch. Carter came in and picked me up. I woke up in his arms at the right moment, my voice hoarse from crying. “I’m sorry, I’m so useless. I know you love Vanessa the most, but I couldn’t even do something as simple as trying on clothes for her.” “If Vanessa is still angry, I can move out…” Before I could finish, the scene before my eyes spun. He threw me onto the bed, grabbing my wrist and pressing down on me. “You want to leave?” I lowered my eyelashes, biting my lip, my eyes unconsciously turning red. After a long while, I squeezed out a small “yes.” “Aria, you’ve gotten quite bold, haven’t you?” Carter suddenly laughed angrily, raising his hand to grasp my chin. “Remember this: no one in this world can dictate what I, Carter, do.” “You remember, until I tell you to leave, don’t even think about leaving my side.” In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through my mind. Tears burst forth. He carefully brushed aside the hair on my head, gently blowing on the swollen scalp. He had always maintained a lofty and indifferent attitude towards me. This was the first time I had seen him so gentle.

The burn kept throbbing, making it hard for me to sleep soundly. In my dreams, I seemed to return to a time long ago. It was when I was thirteen, my father suddenly became very nice to me. For the first time ever, he let me eat at the table and even put some meat in my bowl. “Aria, how about letting your Aunt Maggie be your mom?” I nearly choked on my food. So that’s why. He had his eye on Maggie. Knowing that Maggie’s family was kind to me, he wanted me to help him win her over. When I refused, he chased me away from the table. The meat he had put in my bowl ended up in his own mouth. I thought he was just talking. I didn’t expect him to go to Maggie’s tofu stand the next day to openly court her. Maggie kept refusing, which angered my father. He started spreading rumors. He said Maggie was bad luck, that her husband had died because of her. The rumors spread from the market throughout the neighborhood. “Why did you say those things about Maggie? Now she doesn’t dare to open her stand.” My father, looking smug, slurred, “Who told her to refuse me? I didn’t even mind that she’s a widow.” I couldn’t control myself and shouted at him. “You’re despicable!” He stood up abruptly and beat me. Afterwards, he kicked me and said he was hungry. I got up and made him a bowl of noodles. I put in five spoons of salt. He ate with relish, even praising my improved cooking skills. I guess he had drunk so much fake alcohol that his taste buds were ruined. Later, Grace came to find me several times. I didn’t dare to see her. But she still caught me on my way home from school. “Are you trying to end our friendship?” She was stunned for a moment. Then, as if suddenly realizing something, she reached out and pinched my cheek. “Aria, you’re my sister. Why would I end our friendship?” Because I had been freeloading at their house, I had gained some weight during this time. My face had filled out, and she kept pinching it. “You are you. You don’t need to carry the burden of others’ mistakes.” I hugged my sister tightly, and only after I had cried enough did I notice the wound on her hand. She said she had accidentally hit it while making tofu, and it didn’t hurt anymore. I held her hand, feeling heartbroken. She then took me back to her home. Maggie was busy in the kitchen, and when she saw me, she smiled brightly. “Dinner’s almost ready. You two little ones go wash your hands first.” That evening, the setting sun painted half the sky red, casting an especially warm glow on the dinner table. Not long after, my father fell into the river while drunk. I was left alone at home. My father was known as a scoundrel, and relatives had long since cut ties with us. Maggie found someone to help me arrange the funeral. After that person was buried, Grace and Maggie each held one of my hands. They gave me a warm and complete home. I had my own room, clean bedsheets, and a brand new desk. I thought this would be forever.

Vanessa began to take over her family’s company. She used the excuse that she had just returned and wasn’t familiar with the domestic market. So she had Carter assign me as her assistant. Then she started setting up obstacles for me at every turn, leading the way in isolating and ostracizing me. She used the lowest, most childish methods. When I needed to use the printer, it was always out of paper or ink. In the break room, someone would always “accidentally” spill coffee on me. My computer would mysteriously get viruses, and I’d have to redo completed presentations. Carter would only tell me to try harder. I said okay, hung up the phone, not wanting to disturb his date with Vanessa. Until the last time, when Vanessa went too far— A client from Hong Kong was visiting. Vanessa told me and another colleague to handle it. During the dinner, my colleague was called away by a phone call from Vanessa. I was left alone and forced to drink until I was dizzy. The client’s hand gradually moved to my thigh. I resisted with all my might and was beaten half to death. Hearing the commotion, a waiter came and called the police. In the hospital room, the sharp smell of disinfectant lingered. I slept for two days. During this time, someone posted a video online of me being carried into an ambulance. The person who exposed it also pointed out that I was deliberately left behind by Vanessa. It quickly became a trending topic. Vanessa’s family company was competing with a rival for a project. Once this incident broke out, the Jiang family company’s image was damaged. When I woke up, I heard Carter and Vanessa arguing in the hallway outside the hospital room. “Vanessa, you’ve gone too far this time.” Carter’s tone was cold. “From childhood until now, I’ve let you do whatever you wanted, but this time you could have killed someone.” Vanessa’s voice was tearful: “Are you heartbroken for her?” “She’s nothing but a fake. It wouldn’t matter if she disappeared. It’s not like people haven’t died before.” Carter said flatly: “You can’t always do whatever you want. You need to control that temper of yours.” Vanessa seemed to be triggered by this statement. “Carter, are you complaining about my temper now? What did I do wrong? Before I went abroad, you said you’d wait for me.” As she spoke, tears started to fall. “I was only gone for three years, and you found this nobody. I just can’t stand her.” “These past two days, you must have seen how people online are cursing me.” “Do you want me to end up like her before you’re satisfied?” Her usually proud and beautiful face was now tear-streaked, revealing vulnerability and sadness in her eyes. This had a strong effect on Carter, who had grown up with her since childhood. After a moment, he sighed and pulled her into his arms. “All these years, I’ve only loved you.”

I watched through the crack in the door as the two kissed. My face expressionless, I turned my head away. I had long known that Vanessa wouldn’t be easy to deal with. Her twenty-some years of childhood friendship with Carter had, to this day, developed a kind of symbiotic meaning. But it wasn’t unbreakable. Now, I had used my injuries to plant a bomb in each of their hearts. Someday in the future, it would explode when it was meant to. Making the situation irreversible. When I woke up, the direction of public opinion had suddenly changed. New videos had surfaced. They were confessions from my colleague and the waiter. The gist was— I had lured my colleague away at the dinner table, actively seduced the client, and was beaten because I became abusive after being rejected by the client. The comment section exploded. Everyone was cursing at me. When Carter came to see me, he didn’t say anything. I also ignored it, still chatting casually with him like usual. Occasionally, I would grab his sleeve and make some harmless small requests. Trying my best to act as if everything was normal. Until the next day, when the client’s wife stormed into the hospital room with a group of people. They beat and cursed at me. When Carter arrived, he saw me curled up in a small ball in the corner of the bed. Biting my arm hard, my face streaked with tears. “Aria…” I looked up, saw it was him, and hurriedly wiped away the tears on my face. I rubbed my eyes hard before looking at him, forcing a smile, “Carter, why are you here?” He stood there, looking straight at me. I finally broke down. “I’m sorry, I just felt a little wronged. I know it’s not Vanessa’s fault. I just couldn’t get over it in my heart.” “It’s nothing, it must be because the wounds hurt too much that I started thinking nonsense. I’ll be fine in a few days.” “Carter, am I being too sensitive…” Guilt gradually appeared in his eyes. Then he sat down and held my hand tightly. He gently rolled up the sleeve of my hospital gown, looking at the bloody tooth marks and surrounding bruises, and suddenly said softly to me: “You’re not being sensitive. You’re the bravest. It’s my fault for spoiling her too much.” “Aria, want to go out and clear your mind? Let’s forget about all this.” “Let’s go to Iceland. Didn’t you always want to see the Northern Lights?”

e rarely called me so affectionately. I knew in my heart that even if Carter felt a twinge of guilt now, he wouldn’t do anything to Vanessa for my sake. In his mind, being able to take me out to clear my head was already a great favor to me. But it didn’t matter. What I wanted was just his temporary departure. Carter really did take me to Iceland. Just like when he took Vanessa to Iceland years ago, chasing the Northern Lights, watching volcanoes erupt. Such magnificent scenery, I had never seen before. The sunset spread over the snowy mountains, like the meeting of ice and fire, like the end of the world. Carter asked me, “Aria, are you feeling better?” I lowered my eyelids, hesitated for a few seconds, then looked up and nodded with a smile. He saw those few seconds of hesitation. His phone rang again, but Carter still silenced it. He put his arm around my shoulders and took me to soak in the hot springs. That night, after I went to bed in the room, Carter went out to the balcony to take Vanessa’s call. “Carter, where are you? Are you with that bitch Aria?” Her voice was shaking with anger on the other end of the line. “The day after tomorrow is my birthday. You promised to throw me a grand birthday party.” “This is my first birthday since coming back home.” Carter’s voice was tinged with impatience. “Aria is in this state because of you. I have to take her out for a while.” “It’s just a birthday. It’s not like you’re going to die next year.” He hung up the phone, pulled out a cigarette pack, and looked up to see me standing in the doorway, rubbing my eyes. He put the cigarette pack away and his gaze fell on my bare feet. He frowned slightly. “It’s so cold, why did you come out without shoes?” He came over and picked me up. “Carter, are you going back to be with Vanessa?” His arms holding me stiffened for a moment.

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My sister and I are daughters of the Lin family, identical twins with faces so alike even our parents struggle to tell us apart. Yet, despite our matching appearances, our parents’ love has never been equally shared between us. From childhood, they’ve always favored my sister. One day, the Emperor came to inspect our region, disguised as a commoner. He stayed at our home, and after indulging in too much wine, he took a liking to my elder sister and spent the night with her. We thought the next day would bring news of a new imperial concubine in the palace. However, to our shock, the Emperor denied everything. Even worse, he “rewarded” my elder sister to Wang Xiang, a notorious eunuch known for his cruel treatment of women. eunuchs were men who had been castrated, often to serve in the imperial court. After the Emperor left, my sister threw herself at our parents’ feet, wailing, “Mother, I won’t marry him! Let my younger sister take my place! If not, I’ll kill myself right now!” “Sister, you want me to marry Wang Xiang in your place?” I was stunned. Mother stroked my sister’s hair tenderly, then looked at me. “Zhisi, you’ve always been strong-minded and never cared about others’ opinions. Even if you marry Wang Xiang, you won’t spend your days worrying and grieving.” My sister cried, her face a mess of tears. “That’s right! I’m a delicate woman, nothing like my sister. If I don’t die today, I’ll surely kill myself from shame when people gossip about me ‘marrying a man without his root’!” I stood there, frozen. The Wang Xiang that the Emperor had chosen for my sister was a well-known… deviant! Rumors said he was ruthless and cold-blooded, willing to do anything to achieve his goals. He followed the Emperor’s every command, earning him the nickname “lapdog” among other officials. Moreover, due to his physical limitations, he never approached women, and no one knew how he would treat a wife. “Say something, Zhisi! If you don’t agree, I’ll end my life right now—” Suddenly, my sister broke free from Mother’s embrace and rushed towards a pillar, ready to smash her head against it! Father grabbed her sleeve just in time, pulling her back forcefully. “Zhiqiao, have you lost your mind?” Mother started crying too. “Zhisi, if anything happens to your sister, I won’t be able to go on living!” Looking at Mother’s tear-stained face, my heart softened, and I nodded. The fortune teller had said the eighth day of next month would be auspicious for marriage. On that day, dressed in a red wedding gown, I sat in the swaying bridal sedan chair as it entered the main gate of Wang Xiang’s mansion. On our wedding night, Wang Xiang entered our chamber, reeking of alcohol. Through the hazy red veil covering my face, I saw a tall figure approaching. “How did it feel to be with the Emperor… my dear wife?” His voice was cold and androgynous, like a half-asleep snake. This question was meant for my sister. I had no answer. I remained silent, only shaking my head. “I heard you’re usually lively and quick to smile. Why so quiet today?” The bed sank as he sat beside me. He reached out to lift my red veil. As I looked at this infamous husband of mine, my eyes widened in surprise. How could he be so beautiful? His eyebrows were like distant mountains, his eyes held the gentleness of spring water, and there was a small red birthmark on his forehead. This face, beautiful to the point of being otherworldly, was shrouded in a faint sadness. When he lowered his gaze, he looked like a merciful Buddha. It was hard to believe that such a person could commit such horrifying acts. Years ago, when the Sixth Prince was found guilty of treason, the Emperor ordered Wang Xiang to execute him. But Wang Xiang went beyond the order—he led his men to infiltrate the Sixth Prince’s mansion at night and skinned everyone inside alive. The next morning, the entrance of the Sixth Prince’s mansion was lined with human skin stuffed with straw! He didn’t even spare the three-month-old baby. After that bloody “chicken killing to scare the monkeys” (a Chinese idiom meaning to punish one to warn others), no other prince ever dared to think about rebellion again. Looking at this beautiful eunuch whose actions contradicted his appearance so strongly, my heart fluttered strangely. Although he might be as wicked as a demon, wouldn’t it be pleasant to spend my days with such a beautiful person? I gazed at him intently. “Husband, you’re so beautiful.” Wang Xiang looked surprised. “You’re not afraid of me?” I shook my head. “Although today is our wedding day, you must be tired after such a long day. Let me help you rest.” He picked up a pillow from the bed. “I don’t like forcing others. I’ll sleep in the study.”

Seeing him about to leave, I panicked and impulsively threw myself at him, wrapping my arms around his waist. “Please stay, husband! I have a habit since childhood—I can’t sleep unless I’m holding someone!” Through his clothes, I could feel his lean, strong muscles. If he were a complete man, I couldn’t imagine how many young women he would captivate. Wang Xiang turned his head to look at me. “Are you serious?” I nodded vigorously. “If you don’t believe me, you can ask my maid Ranqiu! Before I got married, she was my human pillow every night. I’ve been hugging her to sleep since I was little!” A flash of helplessness passed through his eyes. “I’ll stay with you then.” In the candlelight, I fell into a deep sleep in Wang Xiang’s arms. He had a faint floral scent, very pleasant. The next day, as soon as I opened my eyes, a dazzling light caught my attention. I focused my gaze and saw six maids standing by the bed, each holding a treasure box filled with pearls, agates, and jades. My maid Ranqiu walked in. “Madam, you’re awake? These jewels are all gifts from the master. He specifically instructed us to let you feast your eyes on their luster when you wake up.” How extravagant. I picked up a pearl to examine it and found it was even larger than the one on my sister’s most expensive hairpin. I was increasingly feeling that this marriage swap was a good deal. In Wang Xiang’s household, there was only Wang Xiang himself. This meant that as his wife, I didn’t have to serve parents-in-law or take care of children. Moreover, he treated me exceptionally well, always speaking to me in a gentle voice. My daily meals and clothing were all of the highest quality for a noble lady. He even sent me dozens of bolts of the same fabric used for palace concubines’ clothes and invited the best tailor in the capital to make clothes for me. Sometimes I felt that he was using material abundance to make up for the lack in our marital life. “I heard you like bamboo, so I had the east wing torn down and replaced with a bamboo grove. In a while, you’ll be able to play the zither and drink wine there.” On a rest day, Wang Xiang leisurely combed my long hair with a jade comb. “Husband, you’re so considerate. But isn’t this too extravagant?” “It’s fine. As long as Zhiqiao is happy, I’m happy. Creating a bamboo grove is nothing. I paid the craftsmen twice the market rate.” Wang Xiang’s voice was very gentle, soothing to hear. I felt a bit disappointed. Zhiqiao was my sister’s name, and I was the younger sister who had taken her place in this marriage. If I wanted to keep everything I now had, I had to forget my original name. “In a few days, I’m hosting a banquet at our mansion. The main guests will be the Left Minister, Right Minister, Grand General, Fifth Princess, and her consort. Come, let me show you their portraits in my study. Remember their faces so you don’t address them incorrectly.” Wang Xiang chuckled softly as he led me up. My father had once mentioned some palace secrets to me and my sister. The Crown Prince had not yet been established, and all the princes were vying for this position. The two most intense competing forces came from the Seventh Prince, born to Noble Consort Rong, and the Third Prince, born to the Empress. As I pondered over the official titles Wang Xiang mentioned, I suddenly realized that Wang Xiang was part of the Seventh Prince’s faction!

“What good fortune the Ninth Master has, to have such a beautiful wife,” the Left Minister glanced at me, giving Wang Xiang a meaningful smile. “Every time I visit Wang Xiang’s mansion, it feels empty. Now there’s finally a mistress to manage the household,” the Fifth Princess giggled behind her sleeve. Wang Xiang’s smile was dazzling, but the joy didn’t reach his eyes. “A wife bestowed by the Emperor is naturally the best.” The mansion’s famous chefs had prepared a table full of delicacies. The noble guests exchanged glances as they raised their cups to drink. The Lin family’s daughter being bestowed in marriage to someone from the Seventh Prince’s faction meant that the Lin family, which had been trying to remain neutral, was now forcibly drawn into the struggle for the position of Crown Prince. After drinking for a while, the Princess Consort suddenly laughed loudly. “The other day when I went to the Emperor’s palace for a meeting, I happened to hear the Third Prince being scolded by the Emperor!” The Northern General spoke up. “Oh? Why was the Third Prince being scolded?” The Princess Consort’s expression was playful. “The Third Prince has been frequenting brothels.” “And he even found a male prostitute! He nearly played the poor man to death. This incident spread quite unpleasantly among the common people. When an official informed the Emperor about this, he was furious.” The men shared knowing smiles, while the Fifth Princess and I wore confused expressions. Wang Xiang leaned close to my ear and whispered, “If there’s anything you don’t understand, ask me after everyone leaves. I promise to tell you everything.” I felt a warmth in my heart and nodded at him. Late that night, in the quiet of our chamber, I asked one curious question after another about what I had heard at the banquet. Wang Xiang’s answers were increasingly shocking. They were all scandalous stories, and I felt myself blushing. By the end, even his jade-like face was tinged with a faint red as he lay on the soft pillow, looking at me. “Zhiqiao, do you regret marrying me?” I shook my head. He suddenly sat up. “Really? Not even a little bit?” I looked at his beautiful face. “At first, maybe I regretted it a little, but now, I don’t regret it at all.” I had heard that women all endure the pain of childbirth. My wet nurse once said, “When a woman gives birth, she’s walking through the gates of hell. Whether you’re the wife of a commoner or an imperial concubine, in the face of death, you’re all the same!” Wang Xiang was a eunuch, and I was a eunuch’s wife. I would never be able to have children in this lifetime. I would never face the threat of death due to childbirth. He stared at me for a moment, then suddenly reached out to take a silver box from a nearby low cabinet, turning his back to me as he opened it. Curious, I leaned over to look, and my pupils dilated in shock—the silver box contained over a dozen sex toys made of jade in various sizes! His cheeks flushed crimson, his long fingers resting on the silver box. “I won’t force you. If you don’t want to…” “I want to.” As Wang Xiang looked at me in astonishment, I untied my own clothes.

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My roommate claimed to be the daughter of a famous CEO. Just as I was wondering which company it was, I heard the name of my mom’s firm. I rushed to the bathroom to make a phone call to my mom, asking excitedly: “Mom, do you have a secret daughter? Does Dad know?” She was even more excited than me: “Yes, your dad knows too.” My face immediately fell, only to see my mom send me a photo of my brother in drag. On the first day of college, I was the last one to arrive at the dorm. I had gotten dirty rescuing a stray dog on the way. When I entered, the previously lively chatter in the room suddenly went quiet for a moment. All five roommates turned to look at me, as if I was an intruder in their territory. Sensing their not-so-friendly gazes, I simply nodded and went in. They quickly resumed their discussion, but as I looked at the bed labeled with my name, I couldn’t help but frown. There were six beds in total in the dorm. My assigned bed was the upper left bunk in the middle, but that bed was already made up. “Did anyone get the bed assignments mixed up?” I asked in a neutral tone, interrupting their conversation. The room fell silent again. After a while, Chloe, wearing a white dress, smiled at me and said softly: “It was me. My bed is below yours, but I’m not used to having someone sleep above me. I wanted to switch with you, but you hadn’t arrived yet, so I went ahead and made the bed.” I nodded in understanding and said: “Then let’s switch back. I’m not used to it either.” Chloe paused for a moment, her smile faltering: “But I… I’m allergic to dust mites…” My eyes lit up and I smiled: “What a coincidence, I’m allergic to dust mites too.” Chloe’s eyes immediately welled up with tears. Her friend Zoe, who was standing next to her, couldn’t bear to watch and said with a sneer: “How can you compare yourself to Chloe? Do you know who she is? Look at how dirty you are, your mom must be a garbage collector or something.” Emily, who was nearby, rolled her eyes at me and said sarcastically: “Why are you making such a big deal out of this? It’s just switching beds. You came late anyway…” “Eager to defend her? Why don’t you switch with her then?” I looked at Emily as I said this. “You…” Emily was left speechless by my retort, her face turning red as she couldn’t find the words to respond. She could only glare at me angrily along with Chloe, who also looked aggrieved. In an instant, the three of them showed a united front against me, as if I was some kind of heinous villain. I had given up a prestigious private school to come to University A just to be with my online boyfriend. Who would have thought that on the first day of school, I’d run into a nest of mean girls and their lackeys? I decided to lean into the villain role they’d cast me in. I put on a stern face and tapped the bed frame: “Hurry up and move. Either find someone willing to switch with you or rent a place off-campus. Just get out of my bed.” In the end, Chloe moved to the lower bunk with a dejected look on her face. As I was unpacking, my roommates started getting ready for bed. Suddenly, Zoe called out: “Chloe, how can you use that expensive black face mask as hand cream?!” Emily also gasped: “As expected of the daughter of Legate Group’s CEO. Even though I’ve seen you use Hermès scarves as cleaning rags before, I still can’t help but feel bad seeing you do this.” Hearing Emily’s words, I paused what I was doing and glanced over. Legate Group? My mom’s company? Does my mom have a secret daughter?! Chloe graciously accepted their flattery and said generously: “It’s not a big deal. If you like them, I’ll give you some later. I have unopened ones in my suitcase.” The two roommates let out shrill screams of excitement. Zoe hugged her enthusiastically and said: “Chloe, I sleep in the upper bunk. Why don’t you switch beds with me? So you don’t have to deal with certain people’s attitude.” Emily chimed in: “Yeah, or just ask the counselor to have her moved out. I heard your mom is a major shareholder of the university and donates money every year. Switching beds should be no problem, right?” Emily’s words were true. My mom does donate money every year because she’s an alumna of University A and wants to give back. Even if you are my mom’s secret daughter, you can’t just do whatever you want, right? My mom donates, not bribes, okay? Chloe pursed her lips and said softly: “Actually, Mom bought me a villa near the university, but she said I should be low-key when I’m away from home. Plus, I want to live with you guys.” I nodded inwardly. A secret daughter should indeed keep a low profile. “See? Rich people just have better manners. Unlike some people,” Zoe said, shooting a pointed glance at me. Chloe followed suit, looking at me smugly. I rolled my eyes and hurried to the bathroom to call my mom and find out what was really going on. When I asked if she had a secret daughter, my mom scolded me and even docked half a month’s allowance. I pouted. Whatever, it’s not like I spend all of it every month anyway.

After Freshman Orientation Week, there was a welcome party where Chloe performed a dance of indeterminate style. During the free socializing time, she used her status as the Legate Group heiress to steal the spotlight. Many guys actively approached her, asking her to dance. I didn’t have time to bother with her. I was busy searching the crowd for my online boyfriend. I had been in an online relationship since high school. He had seen my face, but never showed me his. He was always asking to borrow money from me too. What he didn’t know was that I had long figured out who he was. His name was Lucas, and he had been quite popular with the girls in high school. When I finally spotted Lucas in the crowd, I couldn’t help feeling a bit disappointed. He didn’t look as clean-cut and handsome as he had in high school, and his figure had gotten a bit out of shape. But I’m not shallow about looks. Even though he wasn’t as handsome as before, he had always treated me well. Plus, he had sworn that he would only love me from now on. To give him a surprise, I pretended to bump into him by chance. I went up to chat with him, asking if his username was “Beyond the Years”. Lucas looked at me for a moment, then said with an odd expression: “No, that’s my roommate’s username.” I was taken aback. I hadn’t changed that much, had I? We had been video chatting all summer, how could he not recognize me? “Sorry, I have something to do,” he said abruptly, hurrying away before I could respond. I saw him walk up to Chloe and extend his hand gentlemanly, inviting her to dance. That’s when I understood. He was dumping me, right? He must have set his sights on Chloe’s status as the Legate heiress. Noticing my gaze, Chloe raised an eyebrow at me triumphantly, then took Lucas’s hand. I spat in disgust. A liar and a gold digger – a match made in heaven! After the party ended, Lucas and Chloe had disappeared. When I got back to the dorm, Chloe and the other two roommates were there. Seeing me, Zoe deliberately raised her voice to ask: “Chloe, you must have gotten a lot of confessions today, right? Did anyone catch your eye?” Chloe smiled shyly, but her words were far from modest. “They’re all worth getting to know. That senior Lucas wasn’t bad. He helped me carry my luggage at the start of the semester. He asked me out to a trendy restaurant tomorrow.” The room fell awkwardly silent for a moment. Zoe was the first to cheer: “Senior Lucas is the campus heartthrob in his junior year, and he’s the student council president too! Some people shamelessly tried to chat him up earlier, not knowing their place.” As she said this, she shot me a sideways glance. I was pretty annoyed, but could only silently curse Lucas for being such a two-faced jerk. Originally he said he would come pick me up when school started, but that day I waited for him at the station for half an hour without seeing him. The last school bus came, so I had to leave. It wasn’t until I got to the school gates that I received a text from him. Just a brief message: “Too busy, no time to come. See you another day.” So that day he was busy picking up Chloe?

It would be too easy to just let that jerk off the hook. At the very least, I needed to get back the money he had borrowed from me. Hearing the restaurant location Chloe mentioned, I followed them there the next day. When I went in, the atmosphere in the restaurant was lively. In the crowd, I saw Lucas holding a bouquet of champagne roses in one hand and a necklace box in the other, gazing lovingly at Chloe sitting at the table. “The meaning of champagne roses is that falling in love with you is the greatest happiness of my life. Just like my feelings for you, Chloe…” “Will you be my girlfriend?” Hearing these all-too-familiar words, I felt a bit nauseous. The exact same confession, different flowers. The value of the flowers probably represented the different prices Lucas put on us in his heart. People around started cheering. Chloe’s face showed a mix of surprise and emotion as she opened her mouth, about to accept the confession. “Wait!” I pushed through the crowd and walked up to the two of them. Seeing me, both Lucas and Chloe were surprised, though Lucas’s expression held a hint of nervousness. I looked at him calmly and deliberately said: “Lucas, since you’ve found yourself a big corporate heiress, why don’t you pay back the money you owe me? It’s a total of $10,000.” Lucas tried to keep his composure but couldn’t meet my eyes. He spoke in a distant and disdainful tone: “Excuse me, miss, take a good look at yourself. How could I possibly know someone like you?” I didn’t bother arguing with him. I just dialed a number, and his phone immediately started ringing. Lucas’s face turned pale. I hung up the call and raised an eyebrow at him: “Still want to deny it?” Lucas lowered his head, his face a mix of anger and shame. Chloe seemed to realize something and glared at me before storming off. Lucas saw this and wanted to chase after her, but I grabbed him: “Either you admit you’re not a real man, or I’ll consider this measly amount as money wasted on feeding a dog.” He clenched his fist and shot me a gloomy look, then reluctantly spoke: “I don’t have that much money right now. Can I pay you back in installments?” “Fine, I’ll give you two weeks. If you don’t pay up by then, I’ll go to the police and you can forget about staying in school.”

When I got back to the dorm, I overheard Chloe talking to Zoe. I’m not sure what Chloe said, but Emily indignantly exclaimed: “I can’t believe Senior Lucas is that kind of person. He hasn’t even dealt with his loose ends outside and he’s already chasing our Chloe. Isn’t that disgusting?” Chloe sighed: “Lucas told me he doesn’t like Alice at all and never borrowed money from her. He only chatted with her a bit because she’s a junior. Alice just misunderstood.” “Huh? I knew it. How could Senior Lucas like that kind of poor girl? She doesn’t even wear branded clothes.” “Forget it. My boyfriend isn’t any worse than Lucas anyway. If Alice likes him, she can have him. It’s not up to me whether Lucas wants her or not.” Emily sighed: “Chloe, you’re too nice. Why are you even considering her feelings?” I couldn’t listen anymore. I pushed open the door and walked in, smiling at Chloe: “That’s right, don’t bother considering my feelings. You have a hobby of sorting trash, but I don’t have a habit of collecting garbage. After all, trash belongs in the trash can.” “What do you mean?” Chloe’s face flushed red with anger. Emily patted her and comforted her: “Don’t get upset over a poor girl. She’s just jealous of you.” I couldn’t help but laugh and asked her: “What am I jealous of? Her fake goods? Or her collecting trash?” “What nonsense are you spouting? Are you crazy? What fake goods?” Emily looked baffled. I glanced at the skincare products on her and Emily’s desks and kindly reminded them: “Whether I’m talking nonsense or not, you’ll find out when your faces break out and you end up in the hospital.” “How dare you curse me?!” Emily got emotional. Chloe held her back: “Forget it, don’t bother with her. She probably just hasn’t seen the real thing before.” “Right, sour grapes because she can’t have it.” Although angry, Emily still had some sense and didn’t use Chloe’s skincare products that night. When Chloe asked, she just said she had already used them. Two mornings later, a scream rang out from the bathroom. Everyone was woken up by the noise. I drowsily pulled back the curtain to take a look and almost fell out of bed in shock. Zoe’s face was covered in dense clusters of pimples, and her neck had a rash-like patch of bumps. “Help! Am I going to be disfigured? It’s so itchy…” She kept scratching until her whole face looked awful. “You should go to the hospital right away,” suggested one of the roommates. “I’ll go with you. Chloe, why don’t you come along?” Zoe glanced hopefully at Chloe’s bed. She was the only one who hadn’t pulled back her curtains and seemed to still be sleeping. Usually she would complain if I so much as rolled over in bed, but today she was sleeping so soundly? In the end, only Emily went with Zoe to see the doctor. When they came back, I had just used the bathroom and was about to go out. I overheard Zoe saying dejectedly: “Why did you stop me earlier? That quack doctor actually said I used substandard skincare products. Those were all from Chloe, how could they be substandard?” Emily was silent for a moment before saying hesitantly: “Maybe she didn’t know the stuff was fake. Anyway, you should stop using it for now. And don’t tell Chloe, so she doesn’t overthink it.” I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. These two lapdogs were practically Chloe’s brainwashed fans. To my surprise, Chloe actually took the initiative to tell the two of them that she had been scammed with fake goods. Zoe had stopped using Chloe’s products on Emily’s advice, and her skin gradually recovered. A few days later at a class meeting, our counselor suddenly announced some big news. “As you all know, Mrs. Johnson from Legate Group is an alumna of our school and has donated several buildings. Recently, she donated another dormitory in her daughter’s name. You should all know that her daughter is in our class…” At these words, everyone turned to look at Chloe.

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