Author: Momo Chan

I was pale from menstrual cramps. The moment I asked for leave, my department supervisor Lydia Rivers threw a stack of adult diapers at me. “Who are you putting on this dying act for? Are you actually dead from the pain right now?” “Put on the diapers and get back to work. Don’t use your period as an excuse to slack off.” Before I could react, she launched into another tirade. “You clearly said you were healthy and could handle the work when you joined. Are you faking this just to take advantage of the company’s menstrual leave policy?” After saying this, she took a photo of me and posted it in the company group chat. “Don’t use your period as an excuse to slack off! Everyone, please take note!” Lydia Rivers slammed a stack of adult diapers onto my desk. “Sophia, what are you standing there for? Waiting for me to change them for you?” Before I could process what was happening, she half-dragged, half-pulled me into the restroom. The overwhelming stench hit me. My stomach churned violently. The janitor had clearly cleaned the bathroom thoroughly. But the intense discomfort from my cramps made my senses unbearably sensitive. I rushed to the toilet and threw up everything. “Oh my, putting on quite a show, aren’t we?” Lydia leaned against the doorframe, waving her hand in front of her nose in disgust. “Is it really necessary? It’s just a period! What’s with the fake vomiting? Your acting skills are wasted not being a Hollywood star.” My coworkers slowly gathered around. “So dramatic. There are so many women in this company, and I’ve never heard of anyone needing time off for cramps.” “Come on! Once you’re done with your performance, hurry up and put them on. Not everyone gets Miss Rivers’ special care.” “Back when I had cramps, no supervisor personally came to check on me. You’re really blessed.” Blessed? I’d never seen someone treat harassment as a benefit. What era is this to still be pulling workplace bullying tactics? Everyone experiences pain differently to begin with. Otherwise, the company wouldn’t have humanely given women two days of menstrual leave each month. Now I was in so much pain I couldn’t straighten my back, and I just wanted one day off. What was wrong with that? I said coldly, “If this is such a blessing, do you want it?” My coworkers were about to snap back at me. Lydia stepped forward, waving her hand and deliberately raising her voice several octaves. “Alright, alright. She doesn’t know any better, but as a supervisor, I can’t be petty.” “I won’t deduct the cost of the diapers from your paycheck. Consider it my personal sponsorship.” The coworkers sitting on the outskirts of the group stood up and applauded at these words. “See that? Our supervisor Lydia is so considerate. Tell me, what company supervisor pays out of their own pocket for employees?” “Unlike some people who don’t know how good they have it!” Lydia smugly adjusted her collar, chin held high. “As long as it improves company efficiency, spending a little of my own money is nothing.” “Sophia, I won’t hold it against you for slacking off in the bathroom this time, but don’t let it happen again.” “Now go put on those diapers. Don’t delay everyone’s project progress.” Lydia blocked the bathroom door, forcing me to put on the adult diapers. The familiar cramping and nausea hit me again. I turned and threw up once more. A loud noise startled me. Lydia was holding a megaphone, shouting into the bathroom. “Sophia! You’ve been in the bathroom for three minutes! Are you done yet?” “Do you need me to come in and help you?” The entire floor went silent. Then suppressed laughter erupted. I pushed open the door and walked out. The anger I was suppressing and my physical pain made my whole body tremble. When Lydia saw me come out, she immediately grabbed at my pants. My white underwear was exposed in front of everyone. I was furious and humiliated. “If you want to talk, then talk. What gives you the right to pull at my pants?” Lydia didn’t get angry, but her eyes turned cold. “You didn’t change them? Looks like you’re determined to defy me.” She grabbed a thick stack of archived documents and slammed them down hard next to the copy machine. “Since you don’t want to wear them, stand here and make copies. Don’t talk to me again until you’ve printed all one thousand of these.” “Standing while you work will improve blood circulation and the pain will stop. You can’t possibly expect to lie down on the job, can you?”

The surrounding coworkers chimed in with approval. “This is exactly right. The rest of us are working ourselves to death here. Why should she get to slack off just because she has her period?” They went back and forth, completely forgetting that I was the one who had just been publicly humiliated. Lydia was getting a bit carried away by their praise. She turned to me with a friendly expression. “You finish copying all of these, and you can leave an hour early today. How’s that?” “I’ve already given you special treatment. I’m not mistreating you, am I?” “Show me which other female employee gets this kind of treatment when she has her period.” I looked at the mountain of documents piled up. And laughed. These files would take at least three days to copy, even working non-stop. What special treatment indeed! But right now I didn’t feel like wasting another word on her. I’d gotten too worked up earlier, and the cramping in my abdomen became even more severe. My body felt unbearably uncomfortable now, and cold sweat was pouring out. I gritted my teeth and moved to the copy machine. Mechanically repeating the motions: lift the lid, place paper, press the button. A bone-breaking ache spread through my lower back. The pain in my lower abdomen felt like knives churning, with a heavy pressure constantly pushing downward. Cold sweat soaked through my underwear, and the double vision before my eyes grew worse. Five hours later, I couldn’t hold on anymore and slid into a chair beside the copy machine. “Slacking off again?” Lydia appeared behind me like a ghost. She even reached directly into my pocket and pulled out my phone. “Looks like I can’t control you anymore. Fine! Let your mother teach you what workplace rules mean.” She grabbed my finger and unlocked my phone. Then dialed my mother’s number. The second the call connected, she put it on speaker. “Hello, is this Sophia’s mother? I’m her supervisor at work.” I tried to grab the phone back. But the moment I stood up abruptly, everything went black and I fell back into the chair. “Please educate Sophia better. She fakes being sick at work. Do you know how much work she’s delaying for us?” “Your daughter is really something—using her period as an excuse just to take advantage of the company’s leave policy?” “Does she think we won’t do anything about it?” “They say children learn from their parents. Were you this delicate when you were young too?” In her matter-of-fact tone, there was a perverse pleasure in destroying someone. She kept saying I was delaying company progress. But in reality, I hadn’t delayed any of the work I was responsible for. When I asked for leave, I had already worked overtime to complete my assigned tasks. At the end of the day, wasn’t she just jealous that my salary was a thousand dollars more than hers? If she’s so capable, she should take on assignments from headquarters too! My mother’s labored breathing came through the phone. Lydia wasn’t planning to stop. “The company has decided to fire her. We can’t afford to keep such a delicate princess.” Then came the dull thud of something heavy hitting the floor. “Mom! Mom, don’t listen to her nonsense!” I lunged forward frantically to grab the phone. But Lydia dodged nimbly. The call disconnected. “My mother has a heart condition. Didn’t you hear that she just collapsed?” “I need to go home…” I pushed past Lydia and ran toward the exit, but she blocked me firmly at the door. “Want to leave? Fine, but first sign this agreement voluntarily waiving menstrual leave.” “The two days you take off will be deducted from your pay as personal leave!” She threw several sheets of paper in my face, blocking the only way out. “I won’t sign!” I pushed past her through the pain. Then rushed into the elevator. I called for an ambulance while rushing home. Watching my mother, pale-faced, being wheeled into the emergency room, I sat on the bench with palms full of cold sweat. My phone was vibrating frantically in my pocket—all messages from Lydia. “If you’re not back at the company in five minutes, you’ll be marked as absent without leave.” “Sophia, don’t be ungrateful. Get your ass back here right now and write a self-criticism.”

I stared at those cold words and directly blocked her. Not long after, an unfamiliar number called. It was Rachel Greene, the deputy director of HR. “Sophia, due to your serious violation of company regulations and insubordination to your superior, we are formally notifying you that you have been terminated.” “Don’t even think about any compensation. The company will also pursue damages for losses caused by your absence.” I hung up directly. It wasn’t until half an hour later, when my mother was wheeled out of the emergency room, that my heart finally settled. The doctor said if we’d arrived any later, it would have been too late. The anger that had been building up for so long finally erupted. I dialed the internal hotline for the company’s senior management oversight department. I explained everything that had just happened in detail. And sent over the recordings of Lydia humiliating me, along with all the surveillance footage from above the copy machine. I thought with such solid evidence, I could at least get some justice. But what awaited me was a trap that had been set up long ago. They called me to the conference room. Sitting across from me was Rachel Greene, with Lydia standing behind her, her face unable to hide her smugness. She threw my complaint materials on the table. “You’ve got some nerve, accessing company surveillance directly?” “And these recordings—they were all made without Supervisor Rivers’ permission, weren’t they?” I was stunned. “I just wanted to keep evidence to prove I was being bullied.” Rachel gave a cold laugh. “Evidence? I think you’re trying to steal company secrets and sell them to competitors!” This accusation was too serious. I couldn’t bear it. “I didn’t!” Rachel slammed the table and stood up. “You recorded all this audio and blatantly distributed our company’s surveillance footage. If it’s not to leak information about our company’s internal operations, then what’s it for?” I fell silent for a moment. Because I knew she didn’t want to hear my explanation. She just wanted to pin the crime on me directly. Seeing me say nothing, she had HR post an announcement in the company-wide group chat. [Sophia, for stealing company trade secrets, the company has decided to terminate her employment and will never rehire her.] [The company has reported this to the police. Let this be a warning to everyone.] The group chat exploded instantly. “Oh my God, you never really know people. Sophia is actually this kind of person!” “So scary. And to think we sympathized with her.” “Exactly. I always said she looked sketchy, so disobedient. Turns out she was up to no good all along!” At this moment, my coworkers jumped out one after another to distance themselves from me. They even started rumors to curry favor with Lydia, claiming I was promiscuous and that my cramps were because I’d been sleeping around with men. So I had developed gynecological diseases. Lydia sent me a private message with a laugh. “See that? Idiot! You want to fight me? You’re still too green.” I looked at those vile words on my phone. An indescribable sense of injustice welled up inside me. Just then, the conference room door was pushed open, and two uniformed police officers walked in. “Who is Sophia? Come with us. Someone has reported you for suspected theft of trade secrets.” Lydia was overjoyed and immediately pointed in my direction. “Here, here!” She leaned in close and lowered her voice. “Going to the station looking like this saves me the diaper money after all.” My rationality snapped completely at that moment. I slapped her hard across the face. “You!” But the next second, my wrist was seized by the police officer. The officer’s face was cold. “A young woman doing this kind of thing—don’t you have any shame?” Just as I was being led away, a new message suddenly popped up in the company group chat. It was from the CEO’s secretary. “Attention all members: Mr. Lancaster is arriving at the company shortly. All department heads, please report to the main conference room.” Various smaller group chats went crazy with messages. “Mr. Lancaster?” “That legendary elusive boss of the conglomerate, Adrian Lancaster?” “What’s he doing here?” Lydia immediately perked up. “Officers, please wait a moment. Let this criminal meet our Mr. Lancaster first.” I was pushed to the front row of the conference room. Rachel stood on stage and began her commendation speech. “Everyone, look! This is the evidence!” The video had been maliciously edited, showing only the footage of me arguing with Lydia. Rachel pointed at me on the screen, her voice booming. “This Sophia not only used her period to gain sympathy, but also stole internal company footage with the intent to sell it to competitors!” “I hereby declare that Sophia is immediately terminated, and the company will pursue five million dollars in damages for reputational harm!” Applause broke out across the room, and Lydia was laughing so hard she could barely stand. Five million dollars. What a bold demand! I just wondered if Adrian Lancaster would be willing to pay that amount. Rachel scurried down from the stage. “Mr. Lancaster! Does our handling of this bad apple meet your approval…” Adrian Lancaster didn’t give them even a glance. He walked straight up to me. “I’m sorry I’m late.” Adrian took my ice-cold hand and gripped it tightly, then turned to face everyone and picked up the microphone. His gaze swept over Lydia and Rachel like a blade. “She—Sophia—is my legal wife, Adrian Lancaster’s wife.” “What you just slandered her for, what you forced her to sign an agreement to waive—those are the rights that belong to the wife of the Lancaster Group CEO!” “Menstrual leave is also written into company policy, so does this mean you’re refusing to implement it?”

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My husband’s mistress bonded with a Heartthrob System. It attracted countless powerful men to fall for her. Just because she said she liked kids, my husband made the child I had through three years of IVF call her “Mom.” I broke down and rushed over to demand an explanation. Only to have my brother slap me hard across the face. “She rarely likes anything. Why are you fighting her for this?” “It’s just a kid. You can have another one.” Fiona basked proudly in everyone’s adoration. She leaned close to my ear with a soft laugh. “I have the Heartthrob System. What do you have to compete with me?” In my despair, I awakened the system that had been dormant in my body for years. “You claim to be the main system, right? Can you handle her system?” After a long silence, a scornful laugh echoed in my mind. “Heartthrob System? Nothing but a failed, defective product.” I actually detected a hint of disdain in the system’s cold mechanical voice. It seemed to particularly look down on this so-called Heartthrob System. 【It’s just a defective product that was manufactured. It has many inherent safety hazards.】 【There’s no need to deal with it. After the host uses it a few more times, the side effects will emerge.】 Hearing the system’s words, I instinctively looked toward Fiona. At this moment, she was nestled in my husband’s arms, playing with my son. The three of them looked so harmonious together, like a real family. My hands clenched at my sides, nails digging deep into my palms until a sharp pain brought me back to my senses. When I looked up, I saw my husband and the others glaring at me with rage. The child in Fiona’s arms was reaching toward me, crying hysterically. His little face turned purple as if he might pass out the next second. My heart clenched painfully. I reached out to grab the child, but Liam Mitchell shoved me away hard. “Sarah, can you stop being such an eyesore?” “As long as you keep hanging around, how is the baby supposed to accept Fiona as his mom?” The child’s heart-wrenching cries filled my ears. My heart twisted with anxiety as I shouted angrily: “This is MY child! I’m still alive and well, and you’re making him call someone else Mom? You bunch of bastards…” Before I could finish, a slap came flying at me. I clutched my reddened, swollen face and looked at my brother in disbelief. This person who had cherished me since childhood, who had always shielded me from danger, was now glaring at me with fury. He still held his hand extended from the slap. When our eyes met—mine full of hurt—a flicker of confusion crossed his face. But the next second, he returned to that disgusted expression. “Fiona’s health is fragile. How could she endure the pain of childbirth?” “You can have kids anyway. Just give this child to Fiona and have another one.” The words came out of his mouth so lightly, yet they weighed a thousand pounds. A bitter smile tugged at my lips as I said in a trembling voice: “Why should my child call her Mom?” The next second, Fiona tugged at my brother’s sleeve with fake concern, looking pitiful. “If Sarah doesn’t want to, then forget it. I really liked this child though. What a shame…” She made a show of wiping away nonexistent tears from her eyes. She shrank into Liam’s arms looking wronged. I was about to mock her terrible acting when Liam suddenly kicked me hard in the abdomen. Instant pain shot through my belly. My face went deathly pale. When my back slammed into the wall, I couldn’t suppress the cry of pain that escaped my throat. “Stop wasting words on her. I have a share in this kid too.” “I’ve given Fiona so many expensive jewels and she didn’t like any of them. It’s rare for her to be interested in something—just give it to her.” With that, he strode toward me, grabbed my wrist, and dragged me toward the basement. “As long as she’s not hanging around the baby all the time, it won’t take more than a couple days before he stops recognizing her as his mother.” The basement was dark and damp, full of scurrying rats and bugs. Liam released my hand in disgust and threw me to the floor. “Stay here obediently. When the baby finally forgets about you, then you can appear in front of him again.”

Watching the basement door close in front of me, I broke down and pounded on it, shouting until my voice went hoarse. But no one came down. I don’t know how much time passed before someone kicked the basement door hard from outside. “Shut up already! Miss Fiona has a terrible headache right now. If you make another sound and disturb her rest, you’ll regret it.” The basement’s confined environment already made it hard to breathe. The loud noise startled me. The servants’ low voices drifted from the doorway, their words full of contempt. “I really don’t know what the boss sees in her. She’s not as beautiful as Miss Fiona, and her personality isn’t as likable either.” “If Miss Fiona were our mistress, who knows how wonderful this household would be.” “Such a shame. I really like Miss Fiona.” I numbly withdrew my blood-stained hands, my heart filled with bitterness. This Heartthrob System’s effects were truly astonishing—even the servants had fallen for her. Countless bugs crawled around my feet, and many started climbing up my body. My consciousness gradually faded. Just as I was about to slip into unconsciousness, the basement door suddenly pushed open from outside. Liam’s panicked voice sounded in my ears. “Sarah! She’s burning up. Get her upstairs first.” When I woke up again, I’d been settled in bed. Liam sat by the bedside with a complicated expression. Seeing me awake, he sighed deeply. Perhaps because Fiona wasn’t here, he could temporarily break free from the Heartthrob System’s restrictions and regain some clarity. Seeing this, I quickly seized the opportunity and pleaded. “The baby just finished nursing. He’s never been away from me. I’m begging you—please give him back to me.” His gaze fell on my red, swollen palms, and emotion flickered in his eyes. Just as he was about to speak, a female voice from the doorway interrupted. “Liam, look at our son! He’s so attached to me!” The child in her arms clutched her hand tightly, grinning and giggling. My heart ached at the sight. I hadn’t expected even my son to be deceived by this system. The moment Liam saw her again, it was like he’d become a different person. His face full of adoration as he gathered them both into his arms affectionately. “This little guy is usually so mischievous, but he’s so well-behaved with you. Clearly, you two are meant to be.” Then Fiona seemed to just notice me. Her eyes shifted as she smiled and said: “Oh, Sarah’s been let out?” “Perfect timing. This child smells terrible—I think he soiled himself. Hurry up and clean him.” Hearing this, I immediately panicked and snatched the child from her arms. When I felt the bulging diaper between his legs, I was instantly furious. “The baby soiled himself and you didn’t change his diaper? Leaving him like this will give him a rash!” Fiona rolled her eyes dramatically and covered her nose in disgust. “So dirty. You expect me to change it? Wouldn’t want to dirty my hands.” Then she turned to Liam, acting coy. “This child is too filthy. He got dirt all over me. I don’t want to change him.” As her words fell, confusion flashed in Liam’s eyes. The next second he glared at me furiously. “Fiona’s hands aren’t meant for changing your son’s diapers. Your own son—you don’t care for him and expect others to? What kind of mother are you?” I ignored him. My gaze locked on Fiona’s face. Several small, barely noticeable pimples had appeared on her previously flawless face. At first glance, they seriously affected her appearance. I understood immediately—this must be the side effects the system mentioned. Each time she used the Heartthrob System, it damaged her looks. I just wondered what her face would look like in the end.

The moment my son came into my arms, he cried inconsolably. His eyes desperately seeking Fiona, reaching toward her with whimpers, wanting her to hold him. I swallowed the bitterness in my heart, repeatedly reassuring myself that this was just the system’s deceptive effect. He was the child I carried for ten months. How could he not be close to me? But when I saw the red rash on my son’s bottom from being left in a soiled diaper, my anger flared. “How many days has it been since you changed his diaper? Two more days and his skin would’ve been raw!” Fiona rolled her eyes impatiently, grabbed Liam’s hand, and turned to leave. “Liam, I want to get my nails done. This time I’m thinking of having gold embedded in them.” Watching their retreating figures, I wiped the tears from my eyes and hurried to take the baby to the hospital. When the doctor saw the rash on his body, he scolded me thoroughly. “What kind of mother are you? How did you let a perfectly good child end up like this? Are you deliberately abusing him?” I couldn’t defend myself and could only silently endure the doctor’s reprimands. After my son’s wounds were treated and bandaged, my brother suddenly called. “Fiona and Liam are at a hotel. She said the condom broke and needs you to bring another box.” “I’m busy with work and can’t get away. You go deliver it. You know Liam’s size, I’m sure.” I froze, never expecting he could say something like this. “Ethan Williams, are you insane? Don’t you like Fiona? You’re actually okay with watching her with another man? And that man is my husband—your brother-in-law!” Facing my heartbroken screams, he was silent for a moment before speaking with bitterness in his voice. “What choice do I have? Fiona likes Liam. All I can do is try my best to protect her safety.” “She doesn’t want children, so we need to be careful with protection. Hurry up and bring them a box.” My grip tightened on the phone. I laughed coldly and refused. “Impossible. If you want to be a lapdog, go deliver it yourself. I won’t…” Before I could finish, a scoff came through the phone. “Sarah, I’m not asking you.” “You can’t count on anyone right now. Don’t you even want to go back to your family home?” My whole body stiffened. I let my hand drop helplessly. Following his instructions, I went to the pharmacy, bought protection, and found the hotel using the address he sent. Just as I reached the door, I heard laughter spilling out from inside. I took a deep breath and knocked. The door opened quickly. Liam stood there bare-chested with a cigarette in his mouth. Seeing it was me, he frowned and muttered: “Why is it you?” Then Fiona leaned against his back, deliberately revealing the red marks on her neck, and smiled. “Thanks, Sarah. I’m surprised you still remember Liam’s size.” “You two haven’t been together in so many years—I thought you’d forgotten what size he wears.” I said nothing. My gaze fell on the scratch marks across Liam’s chest. A wave of nausea hit me. I couldn’t help but lean against the wall and vomit violently. Panic flashed in Liam’s eyes and he instinctively reached toward me. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?” But the next second I slapped his hand away hard. His body reeked of Fiona’s perfume—I could smell it just getting close. It made me sick. Liam’s outstretched hand froze. He snorted coldly and pulled it back. “You have time to wander around out here—I see you’re just too idle.” “Get home and take care of the baby. And stay away from Fiona from now on.” With that, the door closed in my face. Listening to the flirtatious laughter from inside, I turned and left numbly.

I don’t know how I made it home. My heart had already died the moment I saw Liam and Fiona together. Fiona was the mistress he kept on the side—I’d always known this. Over the years we’d fought countless times about it. Just when I’d finally made up my mind to divorce him, I unexpectedly got pregnant with the baby. I’d naively hoped this child could win back his heart. Never imagining that nothing could surpass Fiona’s place in his heart. Not just Liam—every man who’d seen Fiona fell for her without exception. Even knowing she had other men, they still threw themselves at her willingly, ready to go through fire and water for her. They’d risk everything, even if it meant losing their families. It turned out all of this was because of that Heartthrob System. Without Fiona around, my baby finally smiled at me. Looking at the child I’d carried for ten months, endless bitterness filled my heart. I’d been too stubborn, bringing him into this world to suffer. That evening, Liam finally came home. But the first thing he did upon seeing me was rush over and start tearing at my clothes. I struggled desperately, trying to break free from his grasp. “Liam! Have you lost your mind?” “Isn’t Fiona enough for you? Don’t touch me!” I couldn’t take it anymore and slapped him hard across the face. Taking advantage of his stunned moment, I clutched my torn clothes and backed away. He touched his reddened face in disbelief and spat: “You think I want to touch you? Fiona said the baby’s too old now—he won’t bond properly. A newborn would develop better maternal feelings.” “Have another child. When it’s born, we’ll send it straight to Fiona.” I never imagined they could come up with something so absurd. I screamed at him in despair: “What do you think I am? A breeding tool?” A breeding tool to have children for another woman! Seeing I wouldn’t cooperate, Liam’s expression darkened completely. He grabbed my hand and dragged me outside. “If you won’t listen to reason, don’t blame me for using force.” I struggled with all my might but couldn’t break free from his grip. I could only let him drag me to the hospital. My brother was already waiting at the operating room entrance. Seeing Liam dragging me over, understanding flashed in his eyes. “Just as I thought—she wouldn’t cooperate willingly.” My back went stiff. This was a trap they’d set together? “Do IVF. Save time. When the baby’s born, don’t let her see it—take it straight to Fiona.” In just a few words, the two of them decided my fate, pulling me toward the operating room. I struggled desperately, crying out hoarsely. “Are you even human? Why should I have a child for her?” “Ethan Williams, I’m your sister!” Suddenly, soft laughter came from behind. Fiona stood not far away, mockingly enjoying my humiliation. I froze at her appearance, shocked at how obvious the system’s side effects were. She’d gained a whole size and showed signs of continuing to gain weight. But she seemed completely unaware, still affectedly playing with her hair. “Sarah, you’re not as charming as me. What else can you do besides have babies?” “Even your own brother won’t side with you. How pathetic.” She gave me a mocking glance and continued urging the two men. “Hurry up and push her in. Oh, and I want a son. Make sure she has a boy.” But as her words fell, neither my brother nor Liam reacted. They were no longer following her every command like before. Both looked bewildered, staring at Fiona with unfamiliar eyes. And under our gaze, her figure visibly expanded horizontally. Her facial skin became pitted and bumpy. She looked exactly like a toad. After staring in shock for a long while, they finally managed to say: “Holy crap, who’s this ugly toad?”

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I was an orphan saved by Ethan Reed. He cherished me, adored me, made me the most envied girl in the city—yet he never married me. That day, I overheard him talking to his best friend about me. His tone was indifferent. “She’s just an orphan with no status. How could I possibly marry her?” At his grand wedding to a high-society woman, my uncle arranged for me to marry far away. I got into the car leaving town. That day, he abandoned everything and chased after me, just to tell me—he regretted it. “Clara, I promise you. I’ll marry him.” When I calmly made this decision, Clara froze. She gripped my hand tightly. “Sophia, are you sure about this?” I nodded gently. “It’s what I want. I’m not planning to marry Ethan Reed anymore.” I understood why Clara was shocked. I’d been frail and sickly since childhood. William and Clara took pity on me and kept me by their side, never pressuring me about marriage. But now I was almost twenty-five. In this city, if I couldn’t marry my childhood sweetheart Ethan Reed, everyone would see me as a spinster who’d aimed too high and ended up with nothing. But after how he treated me publicly, not only would no one in the entire city dare marry me—I’d become a laughingstock behind closed doors. Leaving this city was the only dignified way out. I lowered my head, accidentally cutting my finger on a piece of fruit. Blood dripped onto the floor, a dull ache spreading. Clara sighed. “If Ethan Reed isn’t the right man, then we won’t marry him.” My thoughts drifted. Was Ethan Reed really not the right man? No. He just wasn’t the right man for me. That year, my father and brother died on duty. My mother followed them in grief. William and Clara took me in. They never touched my family’s death benefits or inheritance—they only hoped to find me a good future. One day, I went out alone to choose a birthday gift for Clara. A criminal dragged me into a dead-end alley. At that critical moment, Ethan Reed happened to be on leave from the military. He drove past the alley entrance and rescued me from the criminal just in time, subduing him. “Miss, are you okay?” I’ll never forget that day. The young man reached out his hand to my terrified self, a smile slowly spreading across his eyes. Ethan Reed fixed my disheveled hair and personally took me home. “Sophia, from now on, I’ll be by your side. No one will dare bully you again.” He pitied me for losing both parents and being sickly. From that day on, he often stayed by my side, bringing me all kinds of novel gifts, making me happy. On my fourteenth birthday, he personally gave me a necklace he designed himself. The pendant was engraved with both our names. The seeds of young love quietly sprouted day by day. I even took it for granted that Ethan Reed was my destined person. I once tentatively asked him what would happen if I couldn’t find the right person when I came of age. He answered without hesitation. “So what? I’ll just marry you then.” I believed him. I kept those words in my heart. Under Ethan Reed’s protection, he pampered me into the most enviable girl in the city. After I came of age, I had plenty of suitors, but William politely declined them all. At a family banquet, William turned away those who came asking about me. “My Sophia is still young and doesn’t understand anything. Please forgive us.” Ethan Reed, usually casual and easygoing, laughed heartily. “Not at all. Didn’t Sophia just make that kind of joke in front of me the other day?” The whole table fell silent. I gripped my fork tightly, my face burning. That time when we were alone together, I’d blurted out something flirtatious without thinking. That kind of private joke was now being aired publicly at the dinner table. A girl from a scholarly family leaving such a frivolous impression—everyone assumed Ethan Reed would definitely marry me. Gradually no one came asking anymore. Even William almost tacitly approved of this marriage, allowing him in and out of the house like family. I kept waiting. The first year, he was new to the military. He promised to propose to my parents once he achieved something. The second year, he became an officer. He promised to give me the best of everything once he was stable. The third year, he received his military rank. He said when he returned, he’d marry me as his only wife. By the sixth year, that young man who once fixed my hair had grown into a valiant, distinguished soldier. He was stationed at the border year-round on missions. Each time he returned, he’d come see me first. But after returning from the border that time, there was no word from him for ages. I waited joyfully for him to fulfill his promise, but he never came. Until Isabella Sullivan appeared. On a bridge by the lake on a drizzly day, I witnessed Ethan Reed personally fastening a pendant to her bag. The next moment, he took the woman’s hand of his own accord.

My mind went hot. I rushed forward without thinking. “What are you doing?” I angrily snatched the object from his hand. The pendant fell to the ground. In an instant, it shattered to pieces. Isabella Sullivan looked shocked, staring at the fragments on the ground with heartache. “Sophia, I know you’re upset. I wouldn’t have minded if you wanted this pendant for yourself, but why did you have to smash it?” On the crowded bridge, many people stopped to watch. Ethan Reed’s face instantly stiffened. “Ethan Reed, you said you’d marry me.” My voice trembled, gradually taking on a tearful tone. “That you’d only be good to me.” But Ethan Reed looked at me with unfamiliar eyes, frowning. “What man would dare want a woman as tactless as you!” I stood frozen, watching helplessly as he left with Isabella Sullivan in his arms. The crowd murmured among themselves. “Didn’t Ethan Reed say he’d marry Sophia? How can he humiliate her publicly like this?” “What else? Ethan Reed has a bright future. Sophia was obviously the one throwing herself at him this whole time.” “Tsk tsk, but Sophia’s nearly an old maid now. If Ethan Reed doesn’t want her, probably only divorced men would marry her.” In that moment, my whole body trembled. The buzzing murmurs around me felt like sharp knives stabbing into my heart, one after another. I ran home crying. I fell while running and scraped my arm. That Ethan Reed who once said he’d always protect me had become the very person who hurt me. When my best friend found me at the alley entrance that day, she said I looked completely lost, unsteady on my feet, and it terrified her. She cried tears of heartache. “Ethan Reed used to care about you so much… how did it come to this?” But I was like a walking corpse then—where would my soul be? I had a high fever and fell seriously ill. When I woke up, the first thing I did was ask through blurred, teary eyes: “Did he come?” While I was unconscious, Ethan Reed had come once but was turned away at the door. He only said he’d wronged me and would come apologize properly once I recovered. My best friend hesitated a long time before telling me. It turned out he’d already sought his superior’s approval and would soon marry the daughter of a high-ranking official—Isabella Sullivan. They’d known each other since university. Even their professors praised their relationship. Word had spread throughout the social circle. No one envied me anymore. Everyone praised what a perfect match they were. As for me, there was only pity or mockery—just a pathetic fool who’d loved in vain. During that time, one of William’s old friends from out of town came to visit and heard about my situation. That friend was well-off. His son Ryan Ford was young and accomplished, having taken over the family business with considerable assets in this area. William told me privately that Ryan Ford had seen my photo and felt we’d get along well. If I didn’t mind, we could get to know each other. If we got along, we could date. If not, no pressure. William sighed. “Sophia, if you’re unwilling, next month you’ll probably have to marry just anyone. I’m afraid you’ll end up with the wrong person.” I clenched my hands slightly. I’d thought about leaving this city, but going to a strange place alone to start over—I didn’t know if I could even stand on my own feet. Besides, William’s family had sheltered me as I grew up. I couldn’t let them keep worrying about me. “I’ll follow William’s decision.” And so, with the arrangement of both families, Ryan Ford made a special trip from out of town to meet me. We met a few times. He didn’t talk much, but he was sincere and dependable in his actions. He said there was no rush—to take my time considering. I didn’t need long to agree. Not because I particularly liked him, but because I was tired. I didn’t want to wait anymore. On the day I was leaving, I looked at the roomful of jewelry, clothes, and ornate wedding garments, yet felt nothing. I’d imagined countless times what I’d look like in a wedding dress, marrying Ethan Reed. Only now did I understand it had all been a foolish dream. Leaving here, perhaps this heartbreak would finally end.

On this day, Ethan Reed brought Isabella Sullivan to apologize in person, bringing many expensive gifts. William coldly refused and had someone throw those gifts out. “Ethan Reed, are you bullying Sophia because she’s alone in the world? Or do you think there’s no one behind her?” Ethan Reed lowered his head. “I apologize.” Then, in front of everyone, he said to me directly: “Sophia, we’ve been childhood friends for years. When we were young and naive, we mistakenly thought we could promise each other forever. Now I understand it was just sibling affection.” “From now on, I’ll still treat you as a sister. Let’s end those childhood promises here.” I stopped William, who was about to lose his temper. I walked step by step to Ethan Reed, without the tears everyone expected. Instead, I took a glass of wine for myself and handed him one. It was fruit wine we’d brewed together before. That time he said we’d drink it together when he returned. I never thought I’d wait years. “Ethan Reed, after we drink this wine, our promise is canceled. Our childhood friendship ends here too. I wish you success in all things and happiness.” His expression was complex. He took the wine glass and drained it, saying quietly: “Thank you. I hope Sophia also finds the right person soon and a better future.” Perhaps he was thanking me for not clinging to him, thanking me for letting him go. Back in my room, my best friend couldn’t help but tear up. “Sophia, how can you accept Ethan Reed’s change of heart so easily? You loved him so much…” Because I’d been obsessed too, had fantasies too. In the end, I knew his heart had changed. Since I knew the outcome, better to let go with pain and keep what dignity remained. “I’m the one who doesn’t want him anymore.” I looked toward the falling yellow leaves outside the window, my vision gradually blurring. At the banquet, William sighed deeply. “No matter what, I watched you and Sophia grow up together. This is the last drink. Once you’re married, don’t keep in contact anymore.” “Thank you, William, for understanding.” Ethan Reed brought me a food box. He wanted to open it himself, but after hesitating, he stopped. Isabella Sullivan beside him took it over. “I remember you loves cake. I had Isabella Sullivan make some specially for you.” He used to know I loved all kinds of pastries. He’d always find different shops and bring them to me like treasures. I never told him that eating too many gave me toothaches. I’d secretly endure it, carefully storing those sweet-as-honey pastries in a box. With that storage, I’d hidden away the only sweetness of half my life. Isabella Sullivan picked up a piece and held it to me, her smile meaningful. “Sophia ate pastries from Ethan Reed for so many years. You won’t be able to anymore, so you should get used to new flavors. Try my cooking.” I couldn’t refuse. I politely took it and bit down. But the filling was unbearably sour and bitter, hard to swallow. I knew she was making a point. “Is it good?” Isabella Sullivan asked with a smile. I forced down the sourness in my throat and shook my head gently. “Sweets hurt the stomach. I was ignorant and greedy as a child. I stopped liking them long ago.”

Hearing me say this, Isabella Sullivan affectionately took my hand. “Sophia’s reached marriageable age. When there’s time, I’ll take you to parties to look around. Pick any excellent young man you like, so you won’t be so narrow-minded, fixating on just one person.” Ethan Reed only glanced at me indifferently. “No rush. Sophia deserves better. Take your time choosing.” After several rounds of drinks, I sat restlessly and quietly left the table. The last pool of lotus flowers in the back garden had withered. Autumn rain on faded lotuses looked especially desolate and beautiful. In the past, every autumn, the dead leaves would all be pulled out. Once when Ethan Reed came, he stopped this, smiling and saying to me: “Why pull them all out so cleanly?” I remembered every word he said. From then on, the lotus flowers in my pool bloomed every year and faded in autumn. I never let anyone remove them. This time, my best friend asked me, “Sophia, should we keep these dead leaves?” I shook my head. “No need to keep them anymore.” After all, the person who listened to the rain and admired the lotuses with me was already gone. As I stared lost in thought, Isabella Sullivan had quietly walked up behind me. “Is Sophia using the scenery to express her feelings and ease her grievances?” “But I must remind you—Ethan doesn’t love you at all.” “In this world, only feelings cannot be forced.” I looked at her smugness and shook my head gently. “I have no intention of competing with you. Ethan Reed and I have nothing to do with each other anymore.” Isabella Sullivan’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Really? But only by making him detest you will you truly be free.” She suddenly leaned close to my ear and whispered: “That day you broke my love token. Today I’ll show you the price you have to pay.” Isabella Sullivan grabbed my wrist and used my strength to push hard. The pool water in early autumn carried threads of cold air. Isabella Sullivan fell in with a splash. I stood there at a loss. At that moment, Ethan Reed happened to come out from the front hall and saw this scene. He jumped in without hesitation, desperately pulling Isabella Sullivan out. He lifted his dripping face, furious. “Sophia, haven’t you made enough of a scene?” “Even if I weren’t marrying Isabella, I could never marry you. Stop having foolish fantasies!” As clever as he was, how could he not distinguish Isabella Sullivan’s clumsy trick? But no matter how I tried to explain, he only believed what he wanted to believe. My best friend’s voice changed pitch in her anxiety: “Isabella Sullivan was the one who went crazy and jumped in the water herself! Why are you blaming our Sophia?” Ethan Reed only said coldly: “You’re her best friend. Of course you’d speak for her.” He ordered someone to call a doctor. When he lowered his head and pressed his forehead tightly against Isabella Sullivan’s, everything went quiet. The thread I’d held onto for so long quietly snapped. I thought when I saw all this with my own eyes, it wouldn’t hurt anymore. In reality, it wasn’t up to me at all. The pain was still sharp. When everyone rushed anxiously to check on Isabella Sullivan, I gripped my best friend’s hand. “Sophia, how can they all not believe you?” “It doesn’t matter anymore. Did you pack up all my things?” My best friend nodded vigorously. I took all the things Ethan Reed had given me, sprinkled them with powder, and personally burned them in the back garden. In the flickering firelight, I watched the flames devour the paper kites and paintings, smiling with relief. Ethan Reed, I don’t have to love you anymore. By coincidence, Ethan Reed and Isabella Sullivan’s wedding was also set for the third of next month. The entire city was lively with celebration. On their wedding day, I got into Ryan Ford’s car that came to pick me up and quietly left the city. I looked at the streets behind me, red silk everywhere, and rolled down the window.

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My brother didn’t do well on his high school entrance exams, and the out-of-district enrollment fee was $10,000. My biological mom came to me for help: “Maya, your brother is at the age where he needs a good education, and Mom has no other way. “It just so happens there’s cash in the register at the supermarket where I work. I’ll bring the money home after my shift today. You just say you stole it, and I’ll call the cops to take you away. “When your Uncle Bob finds out, he’ll definitely bring the money to bail you out. Once the money is paid back, you’ll be fine, and your brother will have his enrollment fee.” I never imagined she could be this shameless, and I flat-out refused. But she kept crying to me about how hard life was for her and my dad, begging me to help them just this once. I had finally had enough. “Why should I help? If your life is hard, is it my fault?” “Looks to me like you guys have it pretty easy having kids! If you have nothing better to do, why don’t you watch more TV?” 1 My health has been poor since I was born. Getting sick twice a month, with one illness lasting fifteen days. My mom’s payday and my dad’s payday were basically the trigger buttons for my illnesses. My Uncle Bob always joked, “This one’s a lucky charm.” My parents, however, scoffed at that, especially when they found out my mom was pregnant again. Because having a second child meant a hefty fine back then, and they simply couldn’t afford it. I don’t know who gave my mom the awful idea, but she threw all my clothes into a tattered backpack and dumped me on Uncle Bob’s doorstep. Before leaving, she repeatedly warned me: “Your Uncle Bob always says you’re a lucky charm. Today, I’m giving that luck to him. “Your Aunt Sarah is a barren hen who can’t lay eggs. If I give her a child, shouldn’t she be eternally grateful? “Be a good girl. Your Uncle Bob married into her family; he doesn’t have much say or status in that house. “You need to know your place and read the room. Don’t act like you’re still at home, completely oblivious.” “Just stay there and get fed. Don’t forget to come home during winter and summer breaks. Once your brother is born, you can help me out.” After dropping those words, she took off running. She looked like the devil himself was chasing her. The door was shut tight, and because the eaves were small, there wasn’t a sliver of shade on the porch. I was baking under the blazing sun for four hours. By the time Uncle Bob and Aunt Sarah came home, I was barely breathing. From afar, I heard a gasp: “Bob, what’s lying on our porch?” Then came Uncle Bob’s voice: “Looks like a little kid.” Aunt Sarah’s voice sounded a bit resentful: “You must be going crazy wanting a kid, right? Whose kid is as thin as a reed?” Uncle Bob didn’t argue back, and I secretly thought to myself: “Uncle Bob really doesn’t have any status in this house. I definitely can’t cause him any trouble. He always seemed to like me so much.” My consciousness grew increasingly blurry, and finally, all I could hear was a buzzing sound in my ears. 2 When I woke up, I felt a cool sensation underneath me. I looked closely and realized it was a bamboo cooling mat. This was a rare luxury for us back then; my parents had talked about buying one for two years but couldn’t bring themselves to spend the money. I remembered what my mom had said: “Your Uncle Bob really hit the jackpot marrying into her family. He might not have the pride of being the head of the household, but he definitely has the perks. “Every time he brings gifts, they’re the newest and most expensive things on the market.” What reached my ears was the sound of an argument. The voices weren’t loud, and the words weren’t overly heated, but every sentence insisted that the child had to be sent back. “What is going on with your older brother and sister-in-law? They ignore us for a century, and even when we go back and bring gifts, they don’t even look us in the eye. “Now they just dump a kid on our doorstep. If you accept this, you’re a complete pushover! “Other people might not know what’s going on, but do you think we don’t? “When we went back for Christmas, your sister-in-law’s belly couldn’t be hidden anymore. She kept telling me she just gained weight. They can’t even afford a decent meal in that house! “Now she’s probably about to give birth! I heard the fine for having another kid is thousands of dollars now. “Your brother and sister-in-law definitely don’t want to pay that, so they kicked Maya out and sent her to you!” Uncle Bob said: “Keep your voice down, don’t wake the child.” “Am I not speaking quietly enough? Everyone knows I, Sarah Davis, have a loud voice! I’m restraining myself as much as I can. “I don’t care. First thing tomorrow morning, you’re sending her back. I’m not going to vaguely raise someone else’s kid!” When people feel sad, they usually miss home a little bit. But all that came to my mind was my dad’s drunken stupors and my mom’s complaints and angry scolding. I touched the bamboo mat beneath me, thinking: Just let me enjoy this cool, sweet dream from tonight until dawn. 3 Early the next morning, as soon as I opened my eyes, something was stuffed into my mouth. Aunt Sarah was watching me from the side, so I didn’t dare spit it out. Just as I was about to swallow, she patted me: “Are you silly? It’s a chewy candy, you have to chew it. “If you swallow it whole and choke to death, your mom will come looking for me for compensation, won’t she?” I hurriedly wanted to say no, but because the candy in my mouth was too big, I couldn’t get a word out and instead drooled a few drops. Aunt Sarah probably found me disgusting, stepped back a bit, and tossed a few more candies my way: “If you feel dizzy, eat one.” She pointed to a tin can behind her: “They’re all in there. Put two in your pocket before you leave.” It was a deep red tin box with a beautiful holiday design on it. It was a famous brand, the kind families usually only bought during the holidays. My mom bought a box one year. I would sneak one every few days, sneak one every few days. Before the holidays even arrived, it was empty, and my mom gave me a good beating for it. After that, we never bought them again. I only remembered the mouth-watering sweetness. I chewed hard a few times. It was still just as fragrant and sweet. It felt like all my worries were just being chewed up and tossed to the back of my mind. Right before lunchtime, I heard Uncle Bob say: “After lunch, I’m going to my brother’s house.” Was he going to send me back? But Mom said that wasn’t my home anymore, otherwise, my little brother wouldn’t be able to be born. I couldn’t help but look at the candy tin again, wondering if I could grab two more before I left? Aunt Sarah was probably just being polite; nobody likes a greedy kid. Sure enough, Uncle Bob said: “Maya, why are you still chewing candy right before lunch?” I thought he was going to scold me, but then he said: “It’s fine if it’s right before lunch, but remember to brush your teeth after eating candy next time. Cavities hurt like crazy.” 4 I nervously finished my lunch that day. I thought I would lose my appetite from worrying, but the sweet and sour ribs were just too good. Even though the flavor was strong, it was different from what I remembered. I ate four or five pieces in a row. By the time I remembered my mom’s instruction to “eat less when you’re at someone else’s house,” it was too late. Aunt Sarah clicked her tongue, and I quickly put down my chopsticks. But then she said to Uncle Bob: “Bob, your brother’s family lives way too rough. Don’t they ever feed the kid meat?” “The kid has been sick a lot. Our Maya has a weak constitution, and they can’t save much money.” Aunt Sarah rolled her eyes: “How much does a cold or a fever cost? You just listen to their excuses; they just want to get money out of you. “The kid can eat this much, how bad can her health be? They’re saving up to have a son, how could they not have money saved? “Just wait and see, they’ll build a new house within two years.” Uncle Bob glanced at me and said to Aunt Sarah: “Don’t talk nonsense in front of the child. Eat up, Maya. Isn’t your Aunt Sarah’s cooking just okay? “Next time, Uncle Bob will show you his skills; you won’t even want to look at these ribs!” Aunt Sarah ignored him: “I’m not talking nonsense. Only you treat kids like idiots; they know exactly what’s going on. “Hurry up and finish eating and get out of here. Don’t come back until things are sorted. It annoys me just looking at you Smiths.” Since my last name was also Smith, I quickly scarfed down the food in my bowl. Uncle Bob, also a Smith, was even faster than me. He threw his chopsticks down and said to us: “Wait here, I’ll be right back. Don’t cook dinner; it’s a waste of food.” 5 I watched longingly as Uncle Bob hopped on his bike and sped away. I only had one thought in my head: Did he forget to take me with him? Aunt Sarah tapped the table and asked me: “Is the sweet and sour pork bitter?” I nodded honestly: “It’s bitter, but the meat is very savory.” Aunt Sarah also threw down her chopsticks, with the exact same expression as Uncle Bob: “Wait here. Your Uncle Bob will be right back. When he gets back, I’ll make you a fresh batch.” I watched her stand up to clear the table, about to dump the remaining ribs into the trash. I quickly, with lightning speed, scraped them all into my bowl. “Aunt Sarah, I can still eat it. I think it’s delicious.” While clearing the bowls, Aunt Sarah muttered: “How did that bad apple of a family produce such a clever kid? Why does our Bob always get the short end of the stick when he’s such a good guy!” That afternoon, Aunt Sarah and I didn’t do anything. We just sat on the porch without eaves, waiting for Uncle Bob all afternoon. The weather was cooperating; it wasn’t a blazing sun like the day before. Instead, there was a gentle breeze from time to time, which was quite pleasant. I cautiously asked Aunt Sarah: “Are there crops in the field? I can help plant and harvest.” I raised my arm to her: “Don’t let my skinny arms and legs fool you; I’m really strong and I’m great at chores.” Just then, someone walked by the door carrying soybean stalks, and I immediately added: “I know how to shell soybeans too. I’m fast and good at it. I’m not afraid of the itch, and I’m not afraid of the fuzzy caterpillars.” Aunt Sarah didn’t say anything, just kept staring straight ahead until a figure appeared at the end of the road. It was Uncle Bob pedaling his bike back! He was holding something up in his hand, shouting towards us: “It’s done!” 6 I didn’t know what he meant by “it’s done,” but he looked very excited, and even Aunt Sarah couldn’t help but smile, her eyes crinkling. She tucked a reddish-brown booklet into her pocket and said: “Let’s have lamb hotpot for dinner tonight. My dad bought a sheep from the market, had it butchered, and told us to come pick it up.” Uncle Bob laughed, walked up to me, and ruffled my hair: “Let’s go. I’ll take Maya to Dad’s place and tell him the news.” I was still in a state of confusion, completely unaware of what had happened, standing there blankly without reacting. Aunt Sarah said from the side: “We can’t call her Maya anymore; it sounds terrible. Maya, Maya, Maya… I think their miserable lives are because of this name!” Uncle Bob laughed good-naturedly: “The name on the family register is the one you picked before.” After saying this, he patted my head: “Then let’s call you Stella. Bright and shining. From now on, the three of us will live a beautiful life.” Stella? What a beautiful, bright name. When my mom called my name before, I didn’t think there was anything weird about it. But after I started school and learned phonetics, I realized she was mispronouncing it. I corrected her many times, but she never changed it. Sometimes she would impatiently snap at me: “That’s just my accent, I can’t change it. Stop bothering me with such trivial things.” When Aunt Sarah opened the family register to show me my name, she suddenly froze. Before I could see what was wrong, she said to Uncle Bob: “Didn’t we agree yesterday to only change her first name and not her last name?” Uncle Bob was still smiling: “I married into your family. It’s so hard for us to have a child; of course, she has to take your last name. “Besides, I think Davis sounds better than Smith. Stella Davis, what a bright name.” That day, Aunt Sarah kept staring at Uncle Bob, her eyes brighter than the stars outside. 7 That night, I went to Aunt Sarah’s childhood home. It sounds far, but in reality, it was just one wall away. Usually, if you spoke a little louder, you could hear everything perfectly from the back. We had just finished talking about going to get the lamb when a shout came from over there: “What do you mean ‘pick it up’? I’ll just cook it here and you guys can come over and eat!” The tone of voice was exactly like Aunt Sarah’s. As soon as we walked in the door, the energetic grandpa said: “Little girl is so shy, not even greeting anyone?” I hurriedly called out “Grandpa.” He seemed quite happy and magically pulled a red envelope from his pocket: “Here, a welcome gift.” I froze, and Uncle Bob was equally surprised: “Dad, when did you prepare this?” “With you two yelling so loud, I could hear you from two miles away. Did you bring the family register? Let me see.” Uncle Bob immediately turned around and left. Aunt Sarah didn’t stop him; she just pulled the reddish-brown booklet from her pocket and handed it to Grandpa. The old man’s eyes instantly welled up: “This is great. This is a good name too. You two finally have a child. Now you can really enjoy life.” I still didn’t have a strong sense of reality. I didn’t quite understand what the family register meant for me until Grandpa said: “From now on, you’ll live with your Uncle Bob and Aunt Sarah, and you’ll take care of them when they’re old, understand?” I nodded quickly, and Aunt Sarah waved her hand dismissively: “I’m not expecting that. Did you keep me around just so I could take care of you in your old age?” Grandpa glared, his beard puffing out: “Is that the same thing? You can’t have kids, and your health isn’t good. “If I didn’t keep you close, you’d be tortured to death by your in-laws!” “Exactly. My personality is just like yours. Raising a child isn’t just an insurance policy for old age; I just love kids.” When Uncle Bob ran back in, groaning, “Oh no,” and saying he seemed to have lost the newly issued family register, the few of us couldn’t help but laugh together. 8 The lamb hotpot was so incredibly delicious. I dreamed of eating it for days afterward, smacking my lips every morning when I woke up. Seeing how much I craved it, Aunt Sarah had Grandpa make me a bowl of lamb noodle soup. I was sitting in the living room, eagerly devouring it, when my mom walked in. Her eyes were sharp; they lit up instantly, and she called out to me. “Maya, Mom wasn’t wrong, was she? Sending you here was for you to enjoy life. Looks to me like you’re eating better here than at home.” I moved the noodle bowl away from her. She seemed unable to stand the smell and almost gagged. I quickly moved the noodles further away, afraid she would contaminate my food. “Mom’s due date is approaching, you need to come back with Mom. It’s summer vacation, so you can take care of Mom during her postpartum recovery, and also help turn the soil in the fields. “You can come back when school starts. After all, your Uncle Bob and Aunt Sarah both have to work; they’re factory workers and don’t have time to take care of you. It’s boring for you here anyway.” Just as I was at a loss for what to do, a vigorous shout came from next door: “Is Stella home?” I immediately answered “Yes,” which also answered my mom’s blurted question, “Who is Stella?” Under her astonished gaze, I hurried outside. When I returned, I was holding freshly made cornbread and stir-fried vegetables. My mom found it even more unbelievable: “Didn’t you just eat noodles? How can you still eat all this cornbread?” I whispered: “Aunt Sarah and Grandpa both said growing kids get hungry fast.” My mom scoffed: “Must have too much money to burn! Hurry up and pack your clothes to leave with Mom. My stomach is starting to hurt; if we wait any longer, I’m afraid I’ll give birth on the road.” “Your Aunt Sarah keeps this place clean and tidy, and gives you good food. If I don’t come get you soon, you probably won’t even know where your real home is.” For once, I talked back: “This is my home. Aunt Sarah said people on the same family register are one family.”

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I woke up with a baby in a swaddle right next to me. A mechanical voice, buzzing with excitement, echoed in my head. “You must abandon her! Leave her to her alcoholic, abusive father. She will grow up through endless hardship. Then, like a resilient wildflower blooming in adversity, she will catch the eye of the heir to the Sterling Group. Once they get married, you can return to acknowledge her as your daughter, and you will live the rest of your life in absolute wealth and luxury!” I stared at the baby, who was currently giggling at me, and remained silent for a long time. “What if I don’t abandon her?” The System froze, seemingly shocked that anyone would even ask that question. Quickly, its tone turned mocking: “Then she will become the most ordinary, average person. She will go to a normal college, get a normal job, and she will never attract the attention of a billionaire CEO.” I smiled. “That sounds like a pretty good life, doesn’t it?” If the only purpose of her suffering was to attract the attention of some man… Then avoiding all that suffering was a much better deal, wasn’t it? 01 I kept Lily. No, maybe I should call her Aurora now. Ignoring the System’s protests, I changed her original, cliché novel name. She now shares my last name. I hated how in those romance novels, the female leads could never escape those repetitive, overly sweet names—always something delicate, soft, or weak. Meanwhile, the male leads always had names carefully selected by the author to sound powerful, profound, and dominant. I liked the name Aurora. Dawn’s light, standing strong and facing the sun. I wanted my daughter to escape the fate of depending on others. I wanted her to live independently and freely. 02 When Aurora was seven, she started elementary school. She had a bright and cheerful personality, loved by both her teachers and classmates. Until one day, she came home crying. The pigtails I had carefully braided for her were messy and undone. I asked her what happened. She sobbed, “Tommy keeps pulling my hair during class.” I knew Tommy. He was the boy who sat right behind her. I had seen him at the parent-teacher conference. He was a scrawny, overly energetic kid. I frowned. “Did you tell the teacher?” Aurora nodded. “I did, but…” She hesitated. “But the teacher said Tommy only pulls my hair because he has a crush on me.” I didn’t lose my temper in front of my daughter. Instead, I knelt down gently and said to her: “Let’s go talk to Ms. Patterson together, okay?” In the classroom, the teacher, wearing thick red-rimmed glasses, looked up from her lesson plans with a teasing smile. She pointed her chin toward my daughter, whom I had seated a short distance away. “Aurora is a very pretty girl. A lot of the little boys in class have a crush on her. You know how it is—boys at this age don’t know how to express their feelings, so they act out. They tease her a bit, pull her hair a bit.” She seemed to want to use that subtle, knowing smile to group us into the same category. A category of women who had experienced the same “affectionate harassment” and were supposed to feel flattered by it. But in the face of my stony silence, her smile slowly froze. I said flatly, “I don’t understand. All I know is that my daughter is being harassed. This is school bullying.” The teacher seemed taken aback, as if the severity of the word “bullying” had offended her. She set her thermos down with a thud and sat up straight. “Aurora’s mom, you’re being a bit unreasonable. They’re just little kids, what do they know about bullying? They’re just playing around.” “Playing around?” I repeated her words. “If it’s just ‘playing around,’ then how about we move Tommy to sit right behind your daughter?” It was an open secret that Ms. Patterson’s daughter was also in this class. The teacher, who had been arguing so righteously just a second ago, suddenly went mute. I understood perfectly. It wasn’t that she didn’t know this behavior was wrong. It was just that she couldn’t be bothered to deal with it. Just like so many unspoken rules in our society. We all know it’s wrong, but for hundreds of years, no one has ever stood up and said “No.” Because breaking the mold is infinitely more troublesome than just conforming to it. It’s so much easier to wave it off as “just playing around” than to put in the immense effort required to teach little boys to respect women from a young age. But I was going to break the mold. For my daughter. And for the countless girls in the future who would get their hair pulled. To tell them: This is not a crush. This is harassment. This is bullying. “Ms. Patterson,” I snapped her back to reality. “You have two choices right now. First, move Tommy to sit behind your daughter. Second, separate my daughter and Tommy immediately, and teach the boys in your class that the correct way to show you like someone is never to bully them, but to respect and care for them.” The teacher deflated like a popped balloon. “I’ll choose the second option.” I took my daughter’s hand and walked out, satisfied. As we reached the door, Ms. Patterson couldn’t resist calling out bitterly, “Aurora’s mom, interfering this much is going to affect your child’s normal socialization with her peers.” I didn’t even turn my head. My tone was absolute. “That is none of your concern.” On the way home, I shared my concerns with Aurora. “Sweetie, if Tommy refuses to play with you anymore because of what Mommy did today, will you be sad?” Over the years, my daughter and I had an agreement: we always spoke our minds and never kept things bottled up. Aurora thought for a moment, then asked timidly, “Does that mean Tommy will never pull my hair again?” I nodded. “That’s right.” My daughter instantly threw her arms around me, her eyes sparkling. “Then you are the best mommy in the whole wide world!” Wrapped in her warm, soft little arms, all my doubts vanished instantly. I thought, This is truly the greatest compliment in the world. 03 That night, after my daughter fell asleep, the System popped up. Ever since I unilaterally decided to keep Aurora, it had rarely shown itself. It was its form of silent protest against my actions. But to ensure we completed our overarching mission, it would occasionally pop up to remind me. Like today— “Host, our ultimate goal is to get the Female Lead’s Happiness Meter to 100%. You really need to step it up.” I was suddenly curious. “According to the original plot, when exactly does her Happiness Meter hit 100%?” System: “When she marries the heir to the Sterling Group, obviously.” I asked again: “And what about after the wedding? What is her happiness level then? Did your creators ever check?” The System suddenly went silent. I knew it. They never checked. It’s just like the end of a fairy tale: it always stops at “and the Prince and Princess lived happily ever after.” But what happens next? Does the Princess ever get homesick? When she’s forced to learn suffocating royal etiquette, does she miss the days she ran free in the forest? Does she get dragged down by in-law drama? Does the Prince ever fall in love with someone else? All of this… no one cares. If happiness is fragile and constantly at risk of being lost, it cannot be called true happiness. Because something fleeting cannot support a lifetime. I asked again, “What is Aurora’s Happiness Meter at right now? Can you check?” I wasn’t asking out of a player’s ambition, but out of a mother’s genuine curiosity. My daughter… is she happy right now? The System disappeared for a moment, probably checking the data. A few seconds later, it returned, its mechanical voice glitching and screeching in disbelief. “54%… How is this possible?! This is the level of happiness she’s only supposed to reach after enduring unimaginable suffering and being saved by Arthur Sterling during their first encounter! What on earth did you do?!” I looked down at my sleeping daughter and smiled. “I just did what a mother is supposed to do.” Facts prove that the one who saves the Princess isn’t always the Prince. It can also be the Queen. And I believe that in the near future, the one who saves the Princess… will be the Princess herself. 04 A few years later, Aurora entered high school. Her grades were excellent, especially in STEM subjects, where she showed incredible talent. She was almost always ranked number one in her grade for math. But one day, she came home looking incredibly defeated, not saying a word. I immediately sensed something was wrong and asked: “Are you upset about your scores on the midterms?” Her voice instantly cracked. “A new transfer student came to our class. He took first place on the very first midterm. Even in math.” I understood her frustration. It’s a terrible feeling to be beaten by someone in the very field you excel at. So I asked gently, “How many students are in your grade?” Aurora thought for a second. “Six hundred and forty-five.” I smiled. “See? You didn’t lose to one person. You beat six hundred and forty-three other people. That is incredibly impressive.” Hearing my comfort, her mood visibly lifted. But she still looked a bit down. “Mom, our math teacher said that girls just aren’t naturally good at STEM. Even if my grades are good now, once we hit senior year, the boys will eventually overtake me.” I kept my smile and asked, “And which teacher made that brilliant deduction?” Again. Which. Teacher. My daughter sighed. “Our math teacher. He’s also the Vice Principal.” The System chimed in my head, gloating. “Uh-oh. This one isn’t going to be so easy to deal with.” I ignored it and thought for a moment. “Sweetie, do you want to transfer to a better private school?” Private schools have exorbitant tuition fees, but the upgrade in educational resources is undeniable. Most importantly, instead of treating students just as students, they treat students (and their parents) as clients. If anyone dared to say “girls aren’t suited for STEM” there, I would have the absolute leverage to demand they be fired. But to my surprise, the one who reacted most violently wasn’t Aurora, but the System. It screamed in my head: “Absolutely NOT!!!” I closed my eyes in exasperation. “Why are you freaking out?” The System frantically explained: “That transfer student is the Male Lead #2! He is a literal genius. He takes first place without even trying. At first, the Female Lead is crushed by this, but eventually, she starts looking up to him as a role model, and their relationship slowly heats up!” I was genuinely confused. “And?” The System sounded like it was pulling its hair out. “Do you not get it? He’s supposed to be the beacon of inspiration on her path forward!” I maintained my confused tone. “Using your rival as motivation is just good sportsmanship. That just means my daughter has a great mindset. What does the specific identity of the rival have to do with anything?” The System seemed to choke. “But… but…” It stammered for a long time but couldn’t form a coherent argument. I continued calmly: “Making the Female Lead suffer setbacks just so she can ‘grow’ isn’t loving the Female Lead. On the contrary, it’s just a cheap plot device to give Male Lead #2 a chance to show off. The underlying logic is still heavily male-centric. “True love means paving a smooth road for her, allowing her to step on everyone else as she climbs to the top.” The System fell silent for a long time before finally saying weakly, “But in all the missions I’ve overseen, the plots are always like this. The Female Lead must be misunderstood, framed by villains, and endure every possible hardship before she can rise from the ashes and truly find happiness.” I shook my head, pointing out the glaring flaw: “Then think back to the Male Leads in those stories. Don’t they always come from generational wealth? The greatest hardship they ever experience in their entire lives is a mild stomach ulcer. The Female Lead’s entire happiness relies solely on his love. What happens if he withdraws that love? She is left with absolutely nothing.” I concluded: “These stories are categorized as female romance, but at their core, they are just male power fantasies.” The System finally stopped arguing. It had been completely dismantled by my logic. After a while, it sighed. “But if she leaves Male Lead #2, that’s another plot point missed that could have raised her Happiness Meter. How is the story supposed to progress now…” I didn’t answer it. Because right at that moment, Aurora had finished thinking. Her eyes were dancing with excitement, though she hesitated. “Really? Can we really? But private school tuition is so expensive.” I smiled and ruffled her hair. “Of course we can! Mommy has made quite a bit of money over the years.” Over the years, aside from raising my daughter, I had been diligently running my own business. I hadn’t just sat around waiting for my daughter to marry a billionaire so I could ride her coattails, like in the original plot. Aurora’s eyes grew red, and tears rolled down her cheeks. She hugged me tightly. “Thank you, Mom. I know you’re doing this to give me a better environment. I promise I will study so hard. I won’t let you down!” In that moment, I thought: My daughter has truly grown up. In the past, I’d seen parents who loved “hardship education,” constantly reminding their kids how hard they worked and how much they sacrificed for them. But what’s the point? It just breeds unnecessary guilt. If you genuinely care for your child, they will naturally feel it. I wrapped my arms around Aurora. “Mommy’s biggest hope isn’t that you get perfect grades. It’s that you are truly happy.” 05 The transfer process went incredibly smoothly. With the dark cloud lifted from her mind, she became even more focused on her studies. I also hired a private math tutor for her. She was a female instructor who had graduated from the math department at MIT. Perhaps, currently, there are relatively fewer women who reach the absolute pinnacle in STEM fields. But that doesn’t mean “women are naturally unsuited for STEM.” On the contrary, it’s precisely because there are so many voices of doubt on this path that girls become increasingly discouraged. More than just tutoring, my main goal in hiring this specific instructor was to provide a role model. Even if very few people walk this path, as long as someone has walked it, it proves the path is viable. If someone else can do it, I believe my daughter can do it too. Because she is so brilliant and so resilient. … The day Aurora finished her SATs and college applications, my company was officially incorporated. Standing outside the testing center waiting for her, I asked the System: “Can you check Aurora’s current Happiness Meter?” The System replied: “One moment.” A few seconds later, it gasped in shock: “76%!” I didn’t understand. “Is that high?” The System’s voice was practically trembling. “Very high! Out of all the hosts who started missions at the same time as us, your score is the highest!” Just then, Aurora came skipping out of the testing center. She grabbed my arm, beaming. “Mom! The exams went so well! I’m confident—I guarantee you’ll be getting an acceptance call from MIT!” I smiled and took her backpack. “Oh my goodness! Then I really am riding my little Aurora’s coattails.” In the original novel, the Female Lead had to work multiple part-time jobs just to scrape together tuition while attending college. Despite working incredibly hard, she was still inevitably dragged down by external drama. In the end, she only managed to get into an average state college. In this life, I cleared every obstacle in her path so she could study in peace. And she was able to unleash her full potential, securing a spot at the most prestigious university in the country. The path of her life visibly widened. Even if she never married into a billionaire family, she now had the power to build her own empire. The System sighed in my head. “Host, perhaps your choice was correct. You really did change the trajectory of her life, and you changed my perspective too.” I smirked slightly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. 06 Aurora was accepted into the math department at MIT, just as she hoped. She was invited back to her high school to give a speech. On the auditorium stage, Aurora was radiant. After sharing her study tips, she concluded: “…And finally, I want to say this to all the girls here today. If a teacher ever tells you, ‘Girls aren’t suited for STEM,’ or ‘The boys will eventually overtake you,’ please, absolutely do not believe them. “I am standing here today hoping that in the future, when you start to doubt yourselves or your abilities, you might think of me. Think of the person who got accepted into MIT’s math program. And remember… she was a girl, too.” When she finished, the auditorium erupted in thunderous applause. I saw with my own eyes several girls who had been staring at the floor with bored expressions suddenly snap their heads up, their eyes shining with a fierce light. I also saw the Vice Principal who had once belittled my daughter. His face was a sickly shade of green. The Principal standing next to him suddenly looked like he had an epiphany. As if he finally understood why, no matter how hard he tried to convince us to stay, he couldn’t change my daughter’s determination to leave. I don’t know, nor do I care, how furious that Principal must have been at losing a brilliant student destined for MIT. Because we had already crossed mountains and sailed far beyond them. 07 After Aurora went to college, I fully dedicated myself to my business. We were both fighting hard in our respective fields. Some nosy acquaintances would tell me: “Why are you working so hard? You have a daughter, not a son. It’s not like you have to buy her a house or pay for a wedding.” I would just smile faintly. “Then it must suck to be your daughter. My daughter is lucky. The harder I work now, the less she has to suffer in the future. Everything I have is hers, and it’s definitely not going to be limited to just a house or a measly wedding fund.” The person’s face would sour, and they’d quickly shut up. After they left, the System asked me: “Host, I don’t really understand human emotions. Did she say that because she has a son?” I shook my head. “No. She has a daughter too. An only child.” The System was surprised. “Then why did she say that to you? Does she not love her own daughter?” I fell silent for a long time, unsure how to explain the complexities of human nature to a machine. “Maybe she does love her. But clearly, even though she gave birth to a daughter, she still values sons more.” The belief that you have to grind and hustle if you have a son, but you can kick back and relax if you have a daughter… It’s an insidious form of deeply ingrained sexism. In their hearts, they probably hold more affection for the imaginary son they never had. And because of that, they project those feelings onto sons-in-law or nephews. So, is it love? Maybe it’s love, but it’s a very conditional love. After all, “put your money where your mouth is” is the eternal, unchanging truth.

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I woke up in the middle of the night, starving and unable to sleep, so I gave in and ordered some delivery. Because I was pregnant, I specifically added a note: [Pregnant and really craving pickles. Please add extra, thank you!] Not long after, there was a relentless knocking at my apartment door. Annoyed, I messaged the Dasher: [Just leave it at the door. Please don’t knock.] The Dasher replied: [I like knocking. What are you going to do about it?] The knocking continued for almost ten minutes. I finally couldn’t take it anymore and decided to go out and confront the driver. Just as I reached the door, a few lines of text floated across my vision: [This pregnant woman has no idea, does she? That’s not a person outside at all! It’s a black cat that’s turned into a monster. If she goes out, it’s going to rip her stomach open and she’ll die a horrible death!] [It’s purposely trying to lure the woman out. After all, a fetus is the most tender meat, perfect for it to feed on.] [Ugh, targeting pregnant women. She has it the worst; she’s the first victim.] 1 My whole body trembled, and the hand I had reached out to the doorknob fell back to my side. A black cat turned monster? That sounded completely absurd! But… I suddenly remembered something. I took a few steps back, pulled out my phone, and scrolled through the neighborhood Facebook group chat from a few days ago. Someone in the group had posted a “Lost Cat” flyer. They said their black cat had suddenly gone missing and asked everyone to keep an eye out for it. I remembered when I tapped on the photo in the chat, it had actually startled me. Because the cat was twice the size of a normal cat. And while its body and limbs were black, its face was much paler. Even worse… The cat’s facial features were incredibly eerie. Looking closely, it almost looked human. The cat in the photo seemed to be smiling. The more I looked at it, the creepier it got. I immediately closed the group chat. More text floated across my vision like comments on a livestream: [Why hasn’t she opened the door yet? I remember the first victim opened it without hesitating.] [Did she realize something?] [No way. Animals that turn into monsters look almost identical to normal humans from the outside. How could she tell?] [I can’t watch this part. Her stomach gets ripped open while she’s still alive!] These words filled me with panic. Meanwhile, the knocking at the door hadn’t stopped. I instinctively rubbed my belly and called my husband. He answered quickly. I stayed silent for a moment, took a deep breath, and kept my voice very low so whoever was outside wouldn’t hear: “Honey, when are you getting off work? I’m scared. There’s a delivery guy at the door who won’t stop knocking.” My husband replied, “It’s just a delivery guy! What’s there to be scared of? I’ll be home in 5 minutes! If he’s still there, I’ll chase him off.” I said urgently: “No, no, honey, do you remember what I told you? The black cat that apartment 501 lost, the one with the human-like face. I suspect the thing outside our door is that black cat, and it’s turned into a monster! It wants to eat our baby!” My husband suddenly burst out laughing: “Hahahaha, they say pregnancy makes you lose your mind, and you haven’t even had the baby yet but you’re already talking crazy! They found the cat from 501 ages ago. You’re overthinking things. If you’re scared, just stay put and wait for me to get home.” I wanted to say more, but he had already hung up. I slapped my forehead. He was right. If someone told me an animal had turned into a monster to hurt people, I’d just think they were running a fever. But right now, I was truly seeing these words hovering in the air. For my husband’s safety, I had to lie: [This delivery guy looks like he knows how to fight! Bring the security guard with you. One person might not be able to handle him!] Seeing my husband reply “okay,” I finally let out a sigh of relief. The comments: [She actually figured it out! But this cat monster just transformed and desperately needs nutrients. She definitely won’t escape.] [Ugh, she’s just minor cannon fodder. If she doesn’t die, how does the plot move forward?] [Yeah, there are no security cameras in this old apartment building. When she opens the door, the cat monster will rush in, bite her so she can’t move, and when her husband gets home, he’ll only find an empty stomach and his dead wife. Because the only evidence left will be cat prints, it’s too bizarre, so the FBI’s paranormal division gets involved, and the real story begins.] I finally grasped the gist of what these comments were saying. My death was just a plot device to introduce the paranormal division and get the case solved. So I was just the blurred-out corpse at the beginning of a crime show! I closed my eyes, trying hard to accept this reality. Suddenly, everything grew unusually quiet. I swallowed hard. The relentless knocking had stopped. I slowly stood up and walked to the door, wanting to see if the person outside had given up and left because I wasn’t answering. But when I pressed my eye to the peephole. All I could see was pitch black. That was weird. This peephole had night vision. Even if the hallway was dark, it shouldn’t be this black! Just as I was feeling confused, a voice sent a chill down my spine: “Ma’am, you’re pregnant, right? I was just joking with you earlier. Hehe, did I scare you?” 2 The person outside continued: “I hope I didn’t scare the baby. If the baby wants extra pickles, you should definitely eat more. I left the food at the door, come out and get it. I’m leaving now, got another delivery to make.” I heard clear footsteps walking away from my door. Once the footsteps faded away, I checked the peephole again. Still pitch black. The comments suddenly flooded in: [So scary! A cat’s pupils fully dilate when it’s excited or stimulated! She’s staring right into the cat’s pupil!] [So creepy! Cats really are liquid. Even after taking human form, it’s still so flexible.] [The cat monster’s head is pressed against the peephole, but its body is walking backward! Its neck is stretched out so long!] [What a smart monster. It even knows how to fake footsteps to trick the pregnant woman into coming out.] [This thing’s teeth and claws are incredibly sharp!] My eyes widened in terror. I shot back, getting as far away from the door as possible. My palms were drenched in sweat, and my heart was pounding furiously. A skritch, scratch sound came from outside the door. That thing was scratching at the door! Thinking about the comments saying the cat could stretch its neck, all the hair on my body stood on end. I kept telling myself to stay calm, preparing to dial 911 so the police could handle this. [Give it up, calling the cops is useless. They’ll just think it’s a prank call and won’t come.] [Look! It’s scratched deep gouges into the door! It’s getting impatient!] [Looks like it’s going to try a different way to get to the pregnant woman!] 3 I swallowed hard. A different way? What way? I was terrified and anxious. Why couldn’t the comments be more specific! Tap, tap, tap, tap. A hurried sound of footsteps suddenly appeared outside. I gathered my courage and moved closer to the door. If what the comments said was true and the black cat had other ways to get me, would I be safer if I took the opportunity while it was away from the door to escape outside the apartment building? After all, there were several BBQ places open downstairs. It was late, but there were still a lot of customers. But this time, I still wasn’t sure if those footsteps were meant to trick me… Just as I was thinking, I suddenly heard my husband’s voice: “Honey, open the door quickly! Your food is getting cold. Why didn’t you bring it inside?” My heart skipped a beat. I cautiously asked: “Did you see the delivery guy at the door? Did he leave? Also, didn’t I tell you to come up with the security guard? Where is he?” There was a few seconds of silence outside: “I didn’t see a delivery guy! He probably left a long time ago. I didn’t bring the security guard because I didn’t think it was necessary. Your husband is a big, strong man! What’s there to be afraid of?” I carefully checked the peephole. It was indeed my husband outside. Could those footsteps earlier have been him? I pressed my husband: “FaceTime me on WhatsApp right now. Show me that there’s no danger outside, and then pan the camera from your head to your toes.” I wasn’t going to overlook even the slightest abnormality with him. I quickly checked my messages, waiting for my husband to report back. My husband suddenly sighed: “Maya, what is going on with you the past few days? First you said someone else’s cat looked like a human, and now you’re saying a cat turned into a monster! Can you stop being so paranoid all the time?! I ask you to open the door, and you’re dragging your feet.” Before I could fully process this. I heard the sound of a key turning the lock on the front door. The comments floated by: [That should be her husband, right? I saw the cat crawl away when her husband showed up.] [That thing is way too fast. If a cat doesn’t want to make a sound, its footsteps are super light. It was gone before I could even see it clearly!] [Regardless, the pregnant woman is still in the most danger. She better hide. The black cat monster is definitely not interested in her husband.] Seeing the lock turning. I quickly ran into the bedroom, locked the door, and hid inside the closet. I covered my mouth, feeling my heart pounding violently. Whether my husband believed me or not. I had to make sure I was safe. Through the closet door, I heard my husband washing up while complaining about how I didn’t appreciate him. Listening to his voice. I gradually calmed down inside the closet. I even started to doubt myself a little. Was there really something wrong with my brain? I hadn’t seen the black cat with my own eyes. And the comments had vanished again. I had run away in such a panic earlier that I forgot to grab the spare bedroom key from the living room. I clung to a sliver of hope. Maybe it really was because my morning sickness had been so bad lately, causing me extreme anxiety, which led to hallucinations. When I saw my husband later, if there was nothing wrong with him, I would apologize to him. Not long after. My husband knocked on the bedroom door impatiently, then went to find the key to open it. I left a tiny crack in the closet doors, focusing all my attention on observing the outside. The door opened. Seeing nothing unusual behind my husband, I patted my chest, jokingly thinking to myself that maybe I really did need to see a doctor. I reached out, intending to push the closet door open and get out. A few comments flashed by: [You guys are so heartless! I can’t watch this! Don’t go out! That black cat followed your husband in!] [To the person above, didn’t we agree not to say anything? What’s wrong with you? Everyone else is discussing it elsewhere. That woman can probably see the comments.] [Exactly, we said the monster was looking through the peephole, and she backed away. We said she better hide, and she actually did!] My face went deathly pale. Because at this very moment, I saw a bizarre figure behind my husband. That thing clearly had human facial features, but its expression was vacant, and its limbs were twisted. Every time my husband took a step, it would crawl one step behind him, matching his footsteps perfectly. 4 If you didn’t listen carefully, you’d have no idea there was a second set of sounds in the house! I almost screamed out loud. My husband walked into the bedroom, still calling out for me: “Maya? What’s wrong? Where are you?” I didn’t dare answer him directly. Instead, I used my phone to warn him: [Don’t move! That thing really did turn into a monster!] [It’s right behind you! Don’t come near the closet, it’s looking for me!] [Take a few steps back, and it will step back with you. About three steps. After three steps, it’ll be outside the bedroom. Lock the door immediately!] The notification sound dinged a few times in my husband’s pocket. He pulled out his phone. He rolled his eyes in an exasperated way, then turned around. Then, a blood-curdling scream pierced my ears. I was so terrified tears streamed down my face. My husband is 6’0″. But when that thing locked eyes with him, it let out a bizarre cat yowl, then lunged, landing squarely on his back and latching onto his neck in a death grip. I originally wanted to go out and help him! But in that split second of hesitation and fear, my husband couldn’t break free. A chunk of flesh was torn from the right side of his neck. He clutched his neck, collapsing heavily onto the floor, blood gushing out. His eyes stared blankly at the closet, unmoving, as if accusing me of not saving him. My entire body shook uncontrollably. All I could do was watch helplessly as the monster used its claws to slice open his stomach. It was rooting around for his internal organs. What do I do? What do I do? Why did I have to encounter this kind of monster! I pinched my thigh hard. It hurt. It wasn’t a dream. I wanted so badly to escape, but my husband was lying dead right at the bedroom doorway, and the monster was chewing right next to him. [It’s over! Is this a dead end? Now she can only wait to die!] [Only the people from the paranormal division have the skills to subdue the monster. She definitely has no way of contacting them.] [It took the division a long time to figure out this was actually a house cat.] [This black cat monster is starving. Plus, since the guy saw its face, it wanted him dead. Sigh, if the pregnant woman had just waited to die obediently, her husband wouldn’t have died. Add her to the mix, and that’s three lives lost!] I bit my finger, forcing my eyes away from my husband’s torn stomach, and quickly typed out an emergency text to 911. To make the police believe me, I said a murderer had broken into my house and I was about to be killed. I had been misled by the comments earlier. Why would calling the police be useless? If the police witness what this monster looks like, it will trigger the paranormal division’s involvement. As soon as the text went through, a few messages popped up in the neighborhood Facebook group chat. It was the woman from 501: [Has anyone seen my cat?] [He snuck out to play and hasn’t come back for a long time. I’m worried he was taken by cat stealers. Please let me know if you see him! Thank you!] This message gave me a flash of inspiration. The comments said the paranormal division took a long time to realize the black cat was a pet. Could it be that the black cat monster, in order to better hunt for food, deliberately avoided exposing itself in front of its owner? I immediately messaged 501 privately: [The cat ran into my apartment! And it refuses to leave! Hurry up and come get it!] 501 showed as typing. I was burning with anxiety. Hurry up! Why is she typing so slowly! I urged her again: [Someone in my house is allergic to cats! Please hurry!] After sending the message, I looked up. Through the crack in the closet doors, I met a pair of entirely black eyes. It stared at me dead on, still chewing on something. My gaze shifted slightly downwards. I saw a piece of intestine dangling from its mouth. 5 My attention had been entirely on my phone. I hadn’t noticed it discovering me at all. My mouth fell open involuntarily, taking huge, greedy breaths of air, trying to make myself less afraid. But it was useless! I watched as it reached out and pried open the closet door. I pushed off with my feet and sprinted out as fast as I could. Before I could take more than a few steps, the thing had crawled right in front of me. It advanced on me step by step, continuously letting out a “meow, meow” sound. This cat’s meow was completely different from a normal cat’s. It sounded drawn out and chilling. I finally couldn’t take it anymore and started screaming at the top of my lungs. The “meow, meow” sounds grew more frequent. I took a step back, lost my footing, and slipped hard onto the floor. My stomach hurt terribly, but I had no time to worry about that. I tried to push myself up, but my hands slipped again. My hands were covered in bloody water… The monster had crawled onto me. I could even feel its breath. I turned my head away, unwilling to look. But my eyes met my husband’s. He still had a faint trace of life left. He moved his eyes to stare at me. I was so terrified I whipped my head back around. The next second, a gaping maw, dripping with blood, lunged at my neck. I fought back desperately, trying to pull the monster off. But I never expected this monster to be so incredibly strong. I couldn’t move it an inch. In the end, I could only watch as it ripped my stomach open. I was suffocating from the pain. Using the last ounce of my willpower, I uttered my final sentence: “No, don’t… please, spare my baby.” The agonizing pain made my eyelids heavy. Soon, everything went black. When I opened my eyes again, I heard the relentless knocking at the apartment door. My phone also displayed a reply: [I like knocking. What are you going to do about it?]

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My childhood best friend and high school crush, Mason, loved to put me down. He told me for the millionth time that I was too loud, too annoying, and not “girly” enough. He said no guy would ever actually like me. He told me to look at Chloe, the most popular girl in school. She was soft, elegant, and quiet. But little did he know, that same popular girl was currently staring at my mouth with deep contemplation. “I heard you talk so much you could make a mute person speak?” She offered me a grand to go harass her younger brother, who was on the autism spectrum, and get him to say just one sentence. Chloe was too naive. Unconventional problems require unconventional solutions. I walked to the very back of the classroom and lightly tapped on the quiet boy’s desk. “Aren’t you going to explain to everyone? What happened last night when you snuck into my room and licked my feet while I was sleeping?” His eyes flew open, and his icy facade shattered completely. “I did not.” I turned around confidently and flashed a brilliant smile at the popular girl. “Pay up.” 01 “Aren’t you going to explain to everyone? What happened last night when you snuck into my room and licked my feet while I was sleeping?” The moment the words left my mouth, the entire classroom descended into a deathly silence. The gloomy boy, who was always looking down in the corner, slowly widened his eyes. The icy mask on his face cracked. “I did not.” Chloe crossed the room in three quick strides. There was no disgust in her eyes, only utter, unadulterated admiration. I thought she was just joking around before, but she transferred the money to my CashApp without a second thought. As she sent the money, the famously aloof and beautiful popular girl’s hands were actually trembling. She grabbed my arm like I was her last lifeline. “Master, please, save my brother.” She told me her parents had taken Ezra to see every top psychologist in the state, and they all gave the same answer. “The best solution is to find someone his age to help him experience the joy of being a teenager.” But Ezra despised anyone coming near him, except for his family. At our age, kids care too much about their pride. Nobody wanted to deal with a grumpy, silent guy who rejected everyone. “If you keep bothering him, I’ll give you an extra thousand for every sentence you get him to say.” Chloe held my hands, looking at me like I was her savior. I held her hands, looking at the thousand dollars, feeling like I was looking at a living, breathing ATM. It’s just bothering someone, right? I was an expert at that. Since elementary school, in the eyes of every teacher, I was the reincarnation of a buzzing fly. In middle school, just to get me to shut up, my homeroom teacher made me sit next to a student who was hard of hearing. Eventually, I learned sign language and secretly chatted with my deskmate under the desk. My hands flew so fast it looked like I was casting ninja hand signs. It was terrifying. When my deskmate got excited, his fingers almost cramped up. The teacher called my mom and told her I could strike up a conversation with a stray dog on the street, suggesting she take me to see a doctor. This job was practically tailor-made for me. Plus, Ezra was gorgeous. I turned to look at Ezra. After saying those three words, he had already lowered his head again. He seemed annoyed with himself for instinctively speaking up, and was currently presenting me and his sister with the top of his dark hair. Mason, my childhood friend who had been completely ignored, stubbornly leaned over. Seeing me accept Chloe’s money, he reached out to snatch my phone without a word. “Avery, we should be focusing on studying right now. Stop messing around with shady people.” The popular girl, who he had just been calling a goddess a minute ago, turned around. Her eyes went cold, returning to her usual aloof demeanor. “Who are you calling shady?” Mason choked, suddenly at a loss for words, and I shook off his arm. I never realized before how much of a coward Mason was—only tough when he thought he had the upper hand. Mason wanted to say something else, but the bell rang, and I skipped back to my seat. That very day, Chloe used the power of money to get me seated right next to Ezra. “Mr. Davis, my brother’s special needs mean the main reason he’s here is to make friends. Avery is the perfect person to be his friend.” “It’s getting hotter, I really think the school should install some AC units.” The teacher shut his mouth. When I moved next to Ezra, he was still sleeping with his head on the desk. Mason turned his head from the side to look at me, his glare so intense it felt like it could burn a hole through me. I stared at Ezra’s neck for an entire period. He was clearly awake; he just wouldn’t lift his head to avoid dealing with me as his deskmate. How interesting. 02 During the break after the second period, I leaned in close to his ear and muttered. “Ezra, did you know your neck is so pale? It looks like a peeled hard-boiled egg… I kind of want to take a bite…” Maybe I got too close. Ezra jolted and whipped his head up, looking at me in horror. I pulled out my phone, snapped a picture of his face, and sent it to his sister. How does this look like a kid with autism? Isn’t this pretty entertaining? His little expressions were even more animated than mine. But over the next few periods, I learned just how difficult Ezra could be. No matter what I said, he sat there like a log, completely motionless. By the time the final bell rang, my mouth was dry, but I was thoroughly amused. Because no one had ever listened to me talk this much without calling me an annoying idiot. Even if I wasn’t getting paid for this, I felt like I had found a soulmate. I watched Ezra slowly close his textbook with his pale, slender fingers and let out a scoff. “What were you pretending for during that English class?” Ezra’s fingers stiffened. He glanced at me sideways and turned to walk out the door. I grabbed my backpack and hurried after him. His sister told me during the break that their family driver was taking me home today. Someone violently yanked my backpack. I was choked so hard my eyes rolled back. I turned around to see Mason standing behind me with a dark scowl. “Can’t you see he doesn’t want anything to do with you? Avery, have you no shame?” This was the second time. The second time today. Even though he was the guy I’d had a crush on for years, I couldn’t tolerate him constantly insulting me. I swung my backpack up and smashed it hard into his face. Mason looked at me in shock, my chest heaving. “What is wrong with you? When I hung around you, you said I had no shame. When I hang around someone else, you still say I have no shame.” “What did you say this morning? You said it’s shameless for a girl to always make dirty jokes.” I laughed bitterly. I didn’t even want to bring this up with him. He was the one who used to laugh hysterically when I made dirty jokes on our walk home every day. I thought he liked that kind of humor. I stayed up all night studying pickup lines and dirty jokes just to get him to talk to me more. And I ended up becoming the biggest simp in school, known for my dirty mouth. He was so hard to please. He could go to hell for all I cared. I shook off his arm and, seeing Ezra about to disappear from view, quickly chased after him. “Ezra, why didn’t you wait for me?” I tilted my head and asked him. Of course, Ezra didn’t answer. I turned to look at a nearby convenience store and ordered him. “Stand here. Don’t move.” I was amazed to find that he actually stood right there. I walked up and circled him once. “Wait for me. I’m going to buy something. If you leave, I’ll tell your sister you secretly kissed me.” Ezra looked up at me. This time, he clearly wasn’t as shocked as he was this morning, but his dark eyes still stared at me in confusion. When I came out of the convenience store with popsicles, I immediately spotted Ezra standing obediently by the trash can. Tsk. I narrowed my eyes. I always thought I liked the sunny, athletic type like Mason. How come a gloomy, obedient puppy like Ezra was so damn cute too? I thought about it while licking my popsicle. And finally came to a conclusion. It’s not that I have a specific “type.” I’m just purely shallow and like hot guys. 03 I shoved a popsicle into his hand. Ezra didn’t grab it, and it fell to the ground with a splat. He kept walking forward, ignoring me. I picked up the popsicle, ran after him, and shoved it back into his hand. It fell to the ground again. I was getting annoyed. This brat. I caught up to him in three strides and yanked his collar open. Ezra finally lost his cool. He clutched his collar and took two steps back, looking at me in shock. I grinned mischievously and handed the popsicle back. He took it. We walked side-by-side, but Ezra just held the popsicle, not eating it. So I leaned in close and whispered to him. “Don’t be shy. I won’t tell anyone you like pink…” Ezra snapped the popsicle in half and shoved it into his mouth, speeding up his pace. See? When people are embarrassed, they always pretend to be busy. If they have water, they drink; if they have a popsicle, they suck on it. I watched Ezra slowly licking the popsicle and giggled. “Ezra, did you know that popsicles can be used to cool down? When it’s hot, you just shove it up a cow’s…” Ezra stopped eating. He lowered the popsicle, his lips flushed red from the cold, and just stared at me quietly. Looks like he was out of options against me. I felt a little awkward; maybe that topic was a bit too gross. I was about to change the subject when Ezra spoke his second sentence of the day. “Pig.” I froze, then was overcome with ecstatic joy. “Right! It’s a pig’s behind! I remembered it wrong!” “Ezra!! We have so much in common! You watch those trashy low-budget videos too!” I thought the autistic kid Ezra didn’t use the internet, but it turns out he was a seasoned netizen. I cheered happily. I had truly found my soulmate. Getting out of the luxury car, I waved goodbye enthusiastically to the popular girl. When I turned around, I almost had a heart attack. Mason was standing at the entrance to my apartment building, his eyes icy. “Does your mom know? That you’re hanging out with a guy who’s sick in the head.” I pushed past him. “Are you sick in the head?” Mason’s expression relaxed slightly. He reached out as if to grab my arm, but still didn’t stop lecturing me. “A guy like Ezra clearly has mental issues. You think everyone has a temper as good as mine? You’ve been noisy since we were kids, and if you keep annoying him…” I squeezed the melted popsicle in my hand hard, squirting the sticky juice right into his face. He let out a yell and stumbled backward, triggering the motion-sensor lights in the stairwell. Mason glared at me, the sweet, sticky juice dripping down his face. “Are you crazy?!” I pulled out a tissue, wiped my fingers, and walked past him. “You call other people sick, but I think you’re the sickest one of all.” Mason turned his head. I had already turned and was walking up the stairs. The next day, during a break, I asked for Ezra’s Snapchat. He actually responded to me. “No.” I picked up my phone to take a picture of him. He frowned and swatted it away. I reached out to snatch his phone from his pocket. Ezra reacted with horror, as if I was trying to grab his crotch, and instantly took two steps back. While we were messing around, Mason knocked on my desk. “Avery, I won’t hold yesterday against you. My mom made sweet and sour ribs tonight. Let’s walk home together after school.” I stopped tormenting Ezra and gave Mason a side-eye. Is he crazy? Did he not understand what I said yesterday? I couldn’t be bothered to deal with him. I turned my head and saw that Ezra had already stood up and walked out the classroom door. I took a deep breath, turned, and chased after him. Ezra was standing outside the classroom, stiff as a board like an idiot. I guessed he wanted to avoid me, but didn’t know where to go, so his brain short-circuited. I found it amusing and reached out to poke him. “Hey, you really won’t add me?” He didn’t speak, just stood there stiffly until the bell rang. “Hey, the teacher’s here.” I tugged his sleeve, but Ezra didn’t move an inch. “You two, what are you doing standing out here?” The music teacher frowned. I looked at Ezra standing there like a block of wood, then looked at the music teacher. “Mr. Smith, Ezra has a… stomachache.” 04 Ezra’s pupils trembled slightly, surprised by my casual lie. The teacher waved his hand, telling me to take him to the nurse’s office. I’m tone-deaf. My ability to escape music class relied entirely on Ezra being a good student in the teacher’s eyes. He let me drag him forward like a rock. Passing by the window, I saw Mason looking out with a dark expression. “Ezra, you’ve never skipped class before, have you?” I pried his hand open. The boy’s palm was warm. A flutter went through my heart, and I shamelessly shoved my own hand into his. He didn’t shake me off. I pulled him through the small alleyway across from the school gates and found my favorite diner. The owner cheerfully brought over a bowl of noodles. “Brought a friend, huh? Isn’t it class time right now?” I smiled brightly. “Yeah, we skipped class to come here.” Ezra’s breathing stopped. He raised his hand to cover my mouth, looking horrified, wishing he could force the words back down my throat. I was giggling uncontrollably. Ezra was so expressive, so cute. He totally hit all my weak spots. I brought over two small bowls. “Half for you, half for me, besties forever we’ll be.” Ezra frowned at the bowl of noodles and didn’t say anything. I thought he was grossed out by me, but he surprisingly handed his phone over. I understood what he meant. He was saying he had money and could buy two bowls. But the truth was, I just couldn’t finish it all. I had eaten breakfast, how could I possibly eat a whole bowl of noodles? I took the opportunity to grab his phone and added my own Snapchat. Ezra’s hand paused, but he didn’t stop me. Ezra ate very quietly. Even the most ordinary bowl of noodles looked elegant when he ate it. When we finished, I wiped my mouth, grabbed his hand, and ran. Ezra was confused. He stumbled after me until we were out of the alley, and I turned around. The boy’s eyes were terrifyingly bright. It seemed he had never done anything so rebellious before. His heart was beating fast; even standing face-to-face, I could hear it. He grabbed me and tried to walk back, his eyes determined. I shook off his hand. “We already dined and dashed. Going back now would be so embarrassing.” Ezra pursed his lips, looking at me silently. He wasn’t angry; his eyes were full of helpless indulgence, but also a firm sense of bottom-line principles. I grinned at him. “If you go back, you have to tell the owner, ‘I’m sorry, boss… we came to pay,’ and then I’ll go back.” Ezra stood at the entrance of the alley. He agonized for a full five minutes before finally resigning himself to his fate, grabbing my hand and walking back. The owner was wiping tables. Seeing us standing at the door like statues, she froze. I nudged him. “Speak.” Ezra’s palms were sweating profusely, gripping my hand so hard it turned red. The tips of his ears were startlingly red too. I thought he was going to give up. But the next second, I heard Ezra’s clear, cold voice, stuttering slightly. “I’m sorry, ma’am… we’re here to pay.” 05 The owner was stunned. She took the rag and wiped her hands, looking at me in confusion: “What?” I finally couldn’t hold it in anymore and burst out laughing, bending over. I had the owner on Venmo, and I always paid her directly through the app. Including the homeroom teacher, I had also texted him to excuse Ezra. But he was so gullible, he believed whatever I said. Ezra looked a bit unhappy. His lips moved, and without another word, he turned and walked away. I chased after him, chattering non-stop: “Oh my god, I’m sorry! I just wanted to get you to say a few more words!” “Ezra, your voice is really nice, you should talk more.” “Ezra, repeat after me: Avery is so pretty, I like Avery.” Ezra’s ears turned even redder. He stopped abruptly. I crashed into his back, caught off guard. He turned his head, looked at me for two seconds, and spat out two words: “Shameless.” I burst out laughing. “Ezra, you sound so cute when you talk.” He clearly wanted to scold me for being shameless like Mason did, but he phrased it so politely. Even though he said that, I was still laughing happily. He had probably never met a girl as thick-skinned as me in his life. Ezra simply ignored me and kept walking forward with a huff. That evening, the popular girl transferred $10,000 to me. “Ezra spoke at home today! He asked me: ‘Why do Dad’s shoes smell so bad?’” “Master, you are the lucky star of our whole family!” I fell back on my bed laughing, imagining Ezra’s frowning face. It was almost too cute. I pulled out my phone to text Ezra. But my ringtone went off. I hung up in annoyance—it was Mason again. After I blocked his number and Snapchat, he started calling me from his mom’s phone. I lived across from Mason, and his mom was really nice to me. She and my mom were good friends. No matter how rebellious I was, I couldn’t bring myself to block an elder. I rubbed my temples in frustration and tossed the phone aside. What is wrong with this guy? Since we were kids, I chased after him, and he never called me once. I was always the one bothering him. I swiped open my chat history with Mason. It was almost entirely my one-sided output, while he would only reply with a “yeah” or “oh” after hundreds of messages. As I backed out, I noticed a message from Ezra. I thought he would be as cold online as he was in person, but ever since we added each other on Snapchat, he replied to every message I sent. Even if it was just a simple one or two words, I felt unprecedented emotional validation. He even started stealing my emojis to reply to me. Though he stopped after I sent him a particularly inappropriate one. But it turns out the autistic kid Ezra was just quiet in person; he was quite enthusiastic on the internet. … “Good morning, Ezra!” I greeted him with a bright smile. The aloof boy didn’t speak, just glanced up at me. I felt a bit strange. Was he being a bit too quiet today? The next second, I saw the breakfast on my desk: “You brought this for me?” I asked in surprise. Ezra nodded, then shook his head: “My sister.” He still spoke very little, but I understood. “Well, thank your sister for me! The soup dumplings from this place are super hard to get.” I was eating, my mouth greasy, and Ezra handed me a tissue. Mason walked over, glaring at me with annoyance: “How long are you going to keep this up? You don’t answer my calls, you don’t reply to my texts.” “We live so close, but you act like a rabbit, I can’t even catch a glimpse of you.” I put away the dumplings on my desk: “Since you know I’m avoiding you, then stop showing up in front of me.” Mason’s chest heaved with anger: “Do you really think a rich kid like him would ever actually fall for you?” I paused mid-chew. Ezra also stopped pulling out a tissue. He looked up at Mason blankly. I slammed my hand on the desk and stood up. “Mason! We’re all students. Your mind is way too dirty!” “All you think about is romance and dating. Is that what a high school student should be like? As a classmate, not only do you not help others, you actually try to stir up drama!” Mason opened his mouth, but I immediately shut him down. “Or maybe, you’re the one who’s dating, which is why your head is full of these thoughts?” Mason was fuming: “Avery! I’m only saying this because I consider you a good friend! A guy from Ezra’s background can have any girl he wants—” Before he could finish, the homeroom teacher’s icy voice rang out behind him. “Mason, come to my office right now!” I was dying of laughter. But when I turned my head, I saw Ezra staring intently at me, his eyes dark and unreadable. Before I could speak, he pursed his lips and turned his head away. I rubbed my forehead. Great, the little prince is mad again. “You really don’t need my help. I misspoke. I’m the one—I need your help! Could you let me copy your homework?” Ezra ignored me, so I tugged on his sleeve and shook it. “That abstract meme video you shared with me yesterday, I can’t find it. Could you send it to me again?” He still ignored me. I sighed and resignedly laid my head on the desk. Not two minutes later, my phone vibrated. I pulled it out of my desk cubby and saw a Venmo transfer from Ezra. [Keep helping me. I have money. Don’t talk to him, I hate him.] A direct, sweet puppy like this, who also uses the power of money, who wouldn’t fall for that? I clutched my heart and accepted the money without a second thought. The popular girl said she wanted to treat me to dinner, saying her parents wanted to thank me in person. Ezra had been talking more and more at home recently. Although it was just brief sentences, it gave them hope. I waved my hand: “No problem at all.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “407070”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

On a family reality show, my daughter tearfully recounted her childhood filled with “domestic abuse.” “I was just playing, blowing bubbles with dish soap, and you beat me as soon as you got home from work…” “It felt like, in your eyes, even breathing was a mistake.” I quickly cut off her melodramatic pity party. “You were inhaling bug spray.” My daughter stared in disbelief, her eyes wide: “Then what about the time I kindly put lip balm on my cousin, and Dad wanted to hit me too?” I rolled my eyes: “You used Super Glue.” After a minute of silence, still unwilling to give up, my daughter asked: “Well, Grandpa hitting me had no justification, right?” I was exhausted by this conversation. “You grabbed a live eel and swung it around like a lasso. In today’s terms—you were a ‘Monster Child’.” Tired of her endlessly digging up the past, I just kept going, listing everything. “Your grandma spanked you because you stole funeral wreaths, arranged them in a circle on her bed, and lay in the middle.” “Your aunt hit you because you dragged a prop dead baby from a haunted house all the way home.” “As for your uncle—he was driving, and you insisted on playing ‘Guess Who?’ by covering his eyes.” The internet exploded instantly. [Playing dead, fighting the dead, manufacturing the dead.] [Every family has its problems, but Maya Price’s family has 1599 of them!] 1 “Maya, I’ll say this one more time. I don’t have time right now. The board meeting starts in five minutes.” I pinched the bridge of my nose, speaking coldly into my Bluetooth earpiece. The details of a multi-billion dollar cross-border acquisition were spread out on the desk in front of me. I couldn’t afford to be distracted. On the other end of the line, my rapper daughter, using her signature arrogant, drawling voice, stretched out her words. “One month. I promise, for one month, I’ll secretly eat spicy noodles in your bedroom, and I’ll even buy you a brand new set of silk sheets.” I stared at the phone in silence for three seconds, then expressionlessly pressed the intercom button. “Cici, cancel all my afternoon meetings. Also, book me the fastest flight to LA.” Cici’s voice held a hint of panic: “Ms. Vance, what about the meeting with the venture capitalists…” “Let them wait.” … On the premiere day of the family reality show, the live comments almost flooded the screen. My daughter, Maya Price, was the new top-tier rap artist of her generation. With a head of pink dreadlocks, smoky makeup, and ripped jeans, her entire vibe screamed “stay away.” She had gained countless fans with her rebellious, “bad girl” persona, and her haters despised her just as passionately. Because of this, the public was incredibly curious about her family background. Everyone assumed that Maya’s unconventional behavior must stem from a dysfunctional family. They believed it was her parents’ negligence that caused her to develop such a prickly, defensive exterior. So, when I appeared on camera, the live comments instantly exploded. [Here comes the capitalist. Look at that cold face. Maya must have suffered a lot.] [I bet a bag of chips this mom is a total control freak. Otherwise, why would Maya be so rebellious?] [Finally seeing the real deal. The pain of her family background—let’s judge it today.] I swept my gaze over the cameras expressionlessly, as if I were looking at an ordinary financial report. These rumors and gossip couldn’t hurt me in the slightest. After I arrived, the other two groups of guests also showed up. One was the newly minted Best Actor, Ethan Reed, and his mother, Brenda. The other group consisted of a pair of sibling influencers famous for extreme sports documentaries, Sarah and Leo Cole. Ethan’s mother, Brenda, wore a mismatched floral top and pants, with brand new, cheap canvas shoes on her feet. Her eyes darted around with a timid, probing curiosity, looking completely out of place in the glamorous studio. Before the filming even officially started, she proactively came over, plastering a flattering smile on her face. “Miss, you’re so pretty. What kind of work do you do?” I maintained basic politeness, giving a slight nod, and was just about to answer. Actor Ethan Reed quickly walked over, affectionately put his arm around his mother’s shoulder, and answered for me with a smile. “Mom, this is Maya Price’s mother, Ms. Victoria Vance. She runs her own company.” The smile on Brenda’s face stiffened for a second, quickly replaced by a knowing look tinged with contempt as she looked me up and down. “Oh, running a company. Then you must rely on the men in your family, right?” “A woman’s career, no matter how good, is useless. Husbands are unreliable.” “It’s best to be like our Ethan. Relying on your son is the most secure.” The sourness in her tone practically spilled through the screen. It was as if she believed all my designer clothes were earned through some kind of improper relationship. [LMAO, what century is this lady living in? Every time she opens her mouth, it’s so old-fashioned.] [Is the Best Actor’s mom really this ignorant? I’m starting to feel sorry for him.] [For once, I have to defend the capitalist. Ms. Vance’s face says it all: squinting confusedly at phone meme.] Ethan’s face instantly turned beet red, and he apologized to me profusely. “Ms. Vance, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry. My mom is from a small town, she doesn’t know how to talk. Please don’t take it to heart.” With that, he half-dragged his mother away quickly. I watched their retreating figures, remaining silent. I had done my research before coming. Rumor had it that Best Actor Ethan Reed started from nothing. His father died when he was young, and he and his mother depended on each other. They were famous in the industry for being a loving, devoted mother and son. Looking at it now, that “devotion” probably wasn’t easy to maintain. At that moment, a flash of pink caught my eye. 2 Maya had her hands in her pockets, chewing gum. She glanced in the direction Ethan and his mother had left, the corners of her mouth turning down, her tone carrying a hint of barely detectable jealousy. “Tsk. Other people’s moms follow them around voluntarily. But you? I have to beg and plead just to get you here.” I heard the awkwardness and envy in her words. This kid was always like this. Clearly wanting something in her heart, but her mouth insisting she didn’t care. I didn’t argue with her. After all, over the years, the time I spent with her could be counted on one hand. I raised my hand, instinctively wanting to pat her head, but was deterred by the prickly dreadlocks. I patted her shoulder instead. “Okay, okay. That was my mistake. I’ll pay more attention next time.” My tone was unusually gentle. Maya seemed a bit stunned, not expecting me to be so agreeable, and for a moment, she didn’t know how to respond. Her cheeks puffed out, and she popped a gum bubble with a loud smack. I grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward the sign-in desk. “Let’s go, Your Highness the Little Demon. Let’s see which brave production team dared to invite you to wreak havoc.” As soon as my words fell, out of the corner of my eye, I saw the head director frantically making hand gestures to the cameraman. On the giant screen in the center of the studio, the live comments were rolling continuously. One longer comment stood out conspicuously. [Feeling so sorry for our boy Ethan, having to film a show with a capitalist who reeks of money. I hope the production team protects him and his auntie, don’t let them be corrupted by someone with no class.] I shook my head helplessly. Fame really does bring a lot of trouble. Of course, I was referring to this “boy” Best Actor. The show officially started recording. The studio lights were blinding. The host held his cue cards and announced the start of the first segment with an incredibly hyped-up tone. “Our first segment is called ‘Shout Out Your Love’!” “To all the parents and children here today, if there’s anything you’ve always wanted to say but were too embarrassed to, or if you have any grievances with each other, today, right here, shout it out loud!” I leaned back in the sofa, expressionless. Maya sat next to me, slouching in her seat, boredly picking at the rips in her jeans. The host scanned the room, his gaze finally landing on Ethan. “In terms of seniority, Ethan is a veteran in the industry. Why don’t you start us off, Ethan?” The cameras instantly focused on him. Ethan straightened his back, a perfectly polite, slightly shy smile on his face. He didn’t speak immediately, instead falling into a long silence. The longer he remained silent, the crazier the live comments became. [Awww, look at his expression. You can tell how good his relationship with his mom is.] [Yeah, Ethan’s dad passed away early, and he and his mom went through so much hardship together. How could he have any complaints about her?] [Do you even have to ask? He’s definitely reminiscing about their difficult journey and is too moved to speak.] [Filial, hardworking, zero scandals. This is a true, quality idol!] Amidst the chorus of praise, Ethan finally looked up, faced the camera, and gently shook his head. His eyes were slightly red, his voice carrying a warm hint of a choke. “I don’t have a single complaint about my mother. She gave her all for me, and I only have gratitude.” A perfect answer. Flawless. I could almost hear the director sighing in disappointment backstage. The host, clearly afraid the segment would fall flat and lose ratings, quickly jumped in to smooth things over. “Wow, Ethan truly is a model of filial piety!” “However, the goal of this segment is to encourage more communication within families.” “Sometimes, speaking out about harmless little issues can actually make the relationship stronger!” “After all, you’re family. It’s not like a little friction is going to tear you apart, right?” 3 His words seemed to flip a switch. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Brenda, who had been sitting nervously on the side, suddenly light up. As if receiving some kind of permission and encouragement, she nodded vigorously and snatched the conversation. “The host is right! That’s exactly what I think!” Everyone’s eyes immediately focused on her. She completely ignored the warning look her son was shooting her, turned her body, and looked straight at Ethan. She paused for two seconds, and then, like a dam breaking, years of accumulated resentment poured out. “Ethan! Tell me the truth. I worked my fingers to the bone to raise you until you were eighteen, and paid for your college. Is that true or not?” Ethan’s face froze, and he could only manage a stiff nod for the cameras. “Yes.” “And now that you’re successful, a big star making all this money, why don’t you know to bring more money home?” “Didn’t your cousin just ask you to help him find a job on a movie set?” “You won’t even help your own uncle’s kids! Where am I supposed to put my face?!” Ethan’s face went from red to white. His lips moved, but he couldn’t get a single word out. Brenda, however, was gaining momentum, completely oblivious to the host sweating profusely and frantically giving her signals. “Also, last time I told you to buy me a gold bracelet, what did you buy me? What brand was it… Tiffany? It was silver!” “With just a tiny, little crushed diamond embedded in it. It was incredibly expensive, but when I wore it out, people thought it was fake!” “I told you I wanted solid gold! Gold holds its value, don’t you understand?” “Are you just embarrassed by your country bumpkin mother? Afraid I’ll make you lose face, is that it?” “You say you’re busy with work. You come home maybe twice a year, stay for one day, and leave before you even unpack.” “I asked you to take me to one of those… those galas, to see the world, and you always say it’s ‘inconvenient’.” “What’s so inconvenient about it? Are you afraid that bringing a mom from a small town will humiliate you?” This rapid-fire string of accusations was like a machine gun going off, plunging the entire studio into a deathly silence. Ethan’s face went from white to a sickly green. His knuckles were white from gripping his knees so tightly. The host had beads of sweat forming on his forehead, his smile barely hanging on. He waved his hands repeatedly, trying to interrupt this out-of-control family trial. “Ma’am, Ma’am, please calm down a little. We’re… we’re mostly talking about small things in life, little things…” “How is this a small thing?” Brenda’s voice grew even louder. “You raise a son so he can take care of you when you’re old! Now his wings are fully grown, and he doesn’t care about his old mother anymore! Is that a small thing?!” The live comments paused for three seconds, and then erupted, covering the entire screen at an explosive rate. [Holy shit? What did I just hear?] [Scripted? This has to be scripted, right? What real mom would say that about her own son in front of a national audience?] [Making him find a job for his cousin? This is the ‘enabling relatives’ 2.0 version. Enabling nephews?] [Complaining that Tiffany is silver… My god. Is this the kind of life the Best Actor has been living?] [I’m shattered. What happened to ‘loving mother and devoted son’? This is completely different from all his PR articles!] [I suddenly feel a bit sorry for Ethan. This mom is too… suffocating.] I watched this farce coldly, picked up the teacup next to me, and gently blew on the hot liquid. Family ties. Sometimes it’s just a messy, confusing ledger. It might look glamorous on the outside, but on the inside, it’s long been corroded and riddled with holes by trivialities, conflicting interests, and resentment. 4 The farce between Ethan and his mother came to an abrupt end. The host used every ounce of his professional skill to steer the conversation back on track, sweating more than Ethan under the spotlights. Clearly terrified of engaging with that mother-son duo again, he quickly shifted his gaze to Maya and me. “Next up, let’s hear the story of our new generation cool girl, Maya, and her mom!” The host forcefully hyped up the atmosphere. “Maya, you always seem so cool and edgy. Is there anything you want to say to your mom?” Maya lazily lifted her eyelids, chewed her bubblegum, blew a pink bubble, and let it pop with a smack. She didn’t look at me, instead speaking directly to the camera: “If we’re talking about complaints, I have a ton. Mostly, I think my mom is way too hypocritical and strict. She totally doesn’t understand kids at all.” The live comments instantly revived. [Here we go! The main event is starting!] [Hypocritical? Tell us more, I love this!] [I knew it. A strong, successful woman like Ms. Vance is definitely super strict with her kids. No warmth at all…] Maya glanced at the screen, the smirk on her face growing wider. “When I was little, I used dish soap to blow bubbles for fun, and my mom gave me a brutal beating as soon as she got home.” “Is our family so broke we can’t even afford dish soap?” The live comments clearly empathized with her immediately. [Do rich families also do the ‘suffering builds character’ kind of parenting?] [My mom is exactly like that. Even now, I feel like breaking a bowl or wasting a little water is the end of the world.] [So annoying. It’s one thing not to buy a bubble machine, but getting yelled at for making homemade ones?] Seeing everyone rallying against me, I searched my memory for this incident. Did that happen? It seems… it actually did! After thinking deeply for a long time, I finally remembered the entire context of the event. I definitely spanked her that day, and I hit her pretty hard. The damn kid had a pair of lungs on her. She cried so loud my hearing was slightly muffled for days afterward, and I constantly had to ask my secretary to repeat things. So, I shot her a look of utter disdain. “You were inhaling bug spray. You passed out, and I had to rush you to the ER to get your stomach pumped.” “…” […] […HUH?????] [WHAT?????] Maya was clearly just as stunned in disbelief. A million grievances choked in her throat. She opened and closed her mouth repeatedly, unable to make a sound. But she clearly wasn’t ready to give up. After darting her eyes around, she spoke up again: “Then what about the time I kindly put lip balm on my cousin, and Dad wanted to hit me too? My cousin didn’t even complain! You guys just discipline me first!” I rubbed my forehead. “You used Super Glue. How was your cousin supposed to speak?” [HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA the cousin really didn’t say anything, because she literally couldn’t!] [Help me! Maya, you need to be seated at the same table as those medical examiners who deal with crazy patients!] After a moment of silence, she still wouldn’t let it go and asked me: “Well, Grandpa hitting me had no justification, right?” I was already feeling exhausted. “You grabbed a live eel and swung it around like a lasso. You hit your grandpa with it, and he got bitten.” Seeing she was about to speak again, I remembered everything and decided to just shut her down entirely. “Your grandma spanked you because you stole funeral wreaths, arranged them in a circle on her bed, and lay in the middle. Your grandma was bedridden for three days after she found out.” “Your aunt hit you because you dragged a prop dead baby from a haunted house all the way home. That bloody blanket it was wrapped in was a limited edition, and it was completely ruined.” “As for your uncle—he was driving, and you insisted on playing ‘Guess Who?’ by covering his eyes.” The live comments, which had been buzzing moments ago, were hit with a pause button, freezing for a full five seconds. Then, an even crazier explosion. [?????? What did I just hear?] [The real Monster Child is right here.] [I take back what I said earlier. This isn’t an evil mother, this is a savior, a bodhisattva!] [If it weren’t for Ms. Vance, Maya might not have lived to see another day.] [And the rest of her family too.] The host was also stunned by this shocking reversal. He turned to Maya, stammering, trying to salvage the situation. “Maya… is what your mom saying… true?” “Why… why is what you remember so different from your mom?” This seemed to snap Maya back to reality. “I… I don’t remember! Everything I said, I wrote it down in my diary when I was little!” Her words didn’t save the situation; instead, they made the atmosphere in the studio even more bizarre. The tone of the live comments shifted from shock to uncontrollable laughter. [Hahahaha I’m sorry, I laughed out loud. A diary?] [Isn’t that what all little kids do when they write in their diaries? ‘Mom hit me today, I hate her.’ They definitely wouldn’t write, ‘Because I almost threw my brother out the window today, Mom hit me.’] [Is this cooking the books? Selective recording, only writing what benefits you.] [LMAO, hammering yourself with your own diary. Maya, you’re a true talent.] [She was too young then. She probably didn’t even know what she did was wrong, she only knew she got hit.] 5 Seeing my daughter so embarrassed she looked ready to crawl into a hole, the annoyance I felt dissipated. This kid had always been sensitive and cared deeply about her pride since she was little. I didn’t press the issue, leaving her with a shred of dignity. Seeing this, the host quickly signaled the director to cut the shot and threw the topic to the final group of guests, the siblings Sarah and Leo. “Alright, alright! It’s normal to have some bumps and friction in a family. It’s good to talk it out!” “Let’s hear from Sarah and Leo. You guys have been voted ‘The Sibling Duo Everyone Wants’ by netizens. Do you have any grievances with each other?” The camera shifted to the siblings. The older sister, Sarah, wore a sleek, functional windbreaker. She had a healthy, tanned complexion and a bright, hearty laugh. The younger brother, Leo, was tall and handsome. His features resembled his sister’s, but with a touch of a sunny, bad-boy charm. The two looked at each other and almost burst out laughing at the same time. Sarah playfully slapped Leo on the shoulder. “Grievances? Of course! Every time this guy goes exploring, he stuffs his dirty socks in my backpack, and then denies it to the death when we get back!” Leo immediately fired back. “You have the nerve to talk about me? Last time we were in the rainforest, who started singing in the middle of the night and attracted the wolves?” “If I wasn’t a fast runner, we would have been wolf snacks!” “What do you know? That’s the power of music!” “Give it a rest. Even a monkey would run for the hills if it heard your singing.” The two bickered back and forth. There was no script, no acting—just the most authentic, natural sibling dynamic. That kind of intimacy and synergy, deeply ingrained in their bones, couldn’t be faked. The live comments were flooded with envious “Hahahaha”s and people wishing they had that kind of relationship. [This is the correct way to do sibling dynamics!] [So jealous. Great relationship, good-looking, and they get to adventure around the world together. What a dream life!] [Compared to the first two families, this is basically a healing anime.] [Having ability and having a loving family—this is true wealth.] Watching them wrap up their segment with playful banter, I actually felt a tinge of envy. I turned my head. Maya was looking down, her fingers unconsciously twisting together. Even her pink dreadlocks seemed to have wilted a little. The farce of the first segment finally concluded. The host wiped his sweat and announced the start of the second segment. “Next up is our cozy segment—’Kitchen of Love’! Each family will work together to complete a dish, and our staff will taste and score them!” As soon as he finished speaking, I raised my hand. The host paused for a second: “Ms. Vance, do you have a question?” “I don’t cook.” I stated the simple truth. “For the safety of everyone here, I’d like to request outside help for this segment.” The live comments started buzzing again. [??? Outside help? This is a family reality show, not a corporate negotiation!] [So precious, too precious. Won’t even cook a meal. How did Maya even grow up?] [Classic capitalist, trying to solve everything with money.] I looked at the scrolling comments, feeling a bit confused. If there’s a better solution, why not use it? A head chef from a five-star hotel is a hundred times better than me, a certified kitchen hazard. However, Maya beside me suddenly stood up, glaring at me fiercely. Her eyes quickly turned red, her voice trembling with suppressed emotion: “I’ve never eaten a meal you cooked.” The aggrieved look on her face made it seem like I had committed some heinous crime. I was a bit speechless: “You did when you were little. The result was that it almost drove me to have a second child.” Maya was choked by my words, tears welling in her eyes, stubbornly refusing to let them fall. [Oh my god, I suddenly feel like Maya’s death-wish genes come from her mom.] [If it was severe enough to make her want a second child, yeah, probably best not to eat it.] 6 Just then, Brenda, who had been closely watching the situation, saw an opportunity and immediately hurried over. She grabbed Maya’s hand, her face plastered with a maternal smile. “Oh, honey, it’s okay! Auntie will cook for you! When Auntie was young, I worked as a prep cook in a restaurant. I’m a great cook!” Maya seemed to have found an outlet. Incredibly moved, she turned and threw herself into Brenda’s arms. Sarah and Leo also walked over with smiles. “Ms. Vance, Maya, my brother and I are pretty good cooks too. Let’s do it together, it’ll be more fun with more people!” “Thank you all so much.” I thanked them sincerely, then turned to the camera crew: “Excuse me, could I have my phone, please?” While I messaged my executive assistant, I watched them head enthusiastically toward the kitchen area prepared by the production team. The kitchen quickly divided into three camps. Brenda, as she claimed, looked the part. But her idea of “knowing how to cook” was very different from my understanding of it. The ingredients provided by the production team were incredibly lavish: fresh Wagyu beef, coral grouper, organic vegetables—everything you could want. She took one look around, clicking her tongue. Then, she swiftly started stuffing the most expensive ingredients—like whole blocks of Wagyu beef, dried scallops, and shiitake mushrooms—into the giant tote bag she brought with her. Ethan looked sick. He stepped forward to stop her quietly. “Mom, what are you doing? These belong to the show…” Brenda smacked his arm, her voice rising uncontrollably. “What do you know! Your Uncle Bob’s kid is going to college and needs money! Your cousin’s husband’s business just went under!” “There are so many mouths to feed at home, and now that you have money, you’re getting a big head? Forgetting your roots?” “Taking these things back will feed them for days!” Ethan, scolded into submission, couldn’t lift his head. He could only silently wash the leftover scraps Brenda had discarded. On the other side, the siblings Sarah and Leo were a completely different picture. They chose a large amount of pork belly, potatoes, and chili peppers, and started clattering away, cooking a dish of potato and braised pork belly that looked like a calorie explosion. Smoke billowed, and the aroma filled the air, perfectly matching their persona as extreme sports influencers. Maya stood nearby, her eyes sparkling, looking so greedy she was about to drool. I looked at that high-fat, high-sodium carb bomb and sighed. Half an hour later, the dishes were brought to the table. Brenda had made a plate of stir-fried greens and a plate of minced meat with green beans. It was a very frugal approach; the minced meat was so sparse it could be ignored, and the greens looked unsalted, sitting limply in a watery puddle on the plate. I took one bite and expressionlessly put down my chopsticks. My cooking was a threat to life; her cooking simply killed any desire to eat. But Sarah and Leo’s plate of potato and braised pork belly was glistening with oil, smelled amazing, and tasted genuinely good. Maya immediately grabbed a huge piece and stuffed it into her mouth, her eyes crinkling in happiness. I warned her: “Eat less, it’s too greasy.” Her face immediately fell, and she slammed her chopsticks on the table. “What do you mean? Sarah and Leo worked so hard to make this. Why are you telling me not to eat it?” “You just don’t respect other people’s hard work!” The live comments echoed her sentiment. [Controlling everything, even what her daughter eats? Suffocating.] [Maya is so pitiful. She finally gets a hot meal, and her own mother ruins the mood.] [Exactly. People kindly cooked for your daughter, and you’re just picking at it.] I couldn’t be bothered to argue further, leaning back: “Suit yourself.” So, Maya happily continued eating with the Cole siblings. Ethan sat there awkwardly, silently eating plain rice, occasionally picking at the watery stir-fry his mother made. A plate of meat quickly disappeared. Maya let out a satisfied burp, then her face suddenly went pale. She covered her mouth and bolted out of the studio. Sarah and Leo were startled and quickly followed her out. Only Brenda and Ethan, and I, were left in the studio. I sat perfectly still, expressionlessly watching the direction Maya disappeared, not even twitching an eyebrow. The live comments went silent for two seconds, and the tide began to turn. […Threw up?] [Look at Ms. Vance’s expression. Total deadpan, like she saw this coming a mile away.] [Could it be… Maya does this often?] [I think I get it now. Some kids just have sensitive stomachs and throw up if they eat something too greasy. Maybe we blamed Ms. Vance wrongly?]

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I was Julian’s ultimate “pick-me” girl. When he skipped class to sleep, I covered for him. When he chased the new transfer student, I delivered his love letters. After high school graduation. The transfer student went to an Ivy League school, and I accompanied Julian to study abroad. In a foreign country, I finally took the main stage and had my fill of him. Until the transfer student also came abroad for grad school. When Julian spent another night out because of her, I let out a sigh of relief. I prepared to return to the States to develop my career. The Vance family gave me money to accompany him abroad; I was just too embarrassed to bring up breaking up myself. 01 The Vance family was the most powerful and influential family in our gated community. And Julian was the king of the kids. I had been following Julian around since we were little. Because he had the best toys and was the best-looking. If it weren’t for the Vance family’s opposition, he would have been scouted and dragged into Hollywood ages ago. Just looking at Julian’s face made me want to eat an extra bowl of rice. Moreover, the closer I was to Julian, the higher my status in my own family became. As we grew older, everyone became more aware of gender differences. The girls stopped hanging out with the boys all day. But not me. I continued to follow Julian around shamelessly. Julian, living up to everyone’s expectations, grew into a handsome young man. With sharp features, a defined jawline, and a roguish, bad-boy vibe that hit you right in the face. And I gradually became known as the ultimate “pick-me” girl to everyone. They mocked me, despised me, and looked down on me. But they didn’t know that I gained the most from it. Julian didn’t like me, but the Vance family trusted me. My family got resources, and I got to follow Julian into classes filled with the children of the elite. 02 High school for the children of the elite wasn’t boring. Their families had already planned their paths; all roads lead to Rome. Even if one road was blocked, they could just pave a new one out of thin air. But I was different; my family could only guarantee I wouldn’t worry about food and clothes, and that I wouldn’t lose points in situations requiring a family background. Therefore. I clung to Julian even tighter. When he skipped class, I covered for him. When he slept, I copied notes for him. Even when he set his sights on a transfer student, I was the one who gathered intel. A stubborn, innocent wallflower who got in on a full scholarship. Countless girls had chased Julian. There were the pure ones, the sexy ones, the daughters of celebrities, the daughters of politicians, but they all failed and retreated. I even suspected Julian didn’t like women. Until the moment Chloe walked up to the podium and introduced herself. It finally clicked for him. He didn’t know how to chase girls, but he clumsily pursued Chloe for three months. Taking advantage of this opportunity, I defeated the other male “pick-mes” and played my biggest role for Julian. Oh, by the way. These male “pick-mes” didn’t call themselves “pick-mes”; they considered themselves Julian’s “bros.” It seemed that because of the difference in gender, my flattery and fawning over Julian made me a “pick-me,” while theirs was just friendship. Hilarious. I bought Chloe breakfast and played tennis with her during P.E. It was the first time Chloe had met someone so nice to her at this private school. She looked at me with eyes full of gratitude and trust. And it was right at that moment. I handed her the love letter I had prepared long ago. Chloe froze in place. She looked at me in disbelief. I hurriedly added: “This is from Julian.” Unsurprisingly, Chloe threw that love letter into the trash can. Julian went to find Chloe, and ended up being called a “spoiled rich kid” by her. Chloe never spoke another word to me. I didn’t care. I was busy comforting a heartbroken Julian. He had always had smooth sailing; this was the first time he’d encountered such a setback. He pretended not to care and drank, getting himself drunk after just two glasses. After getting drunk, he cupped my face and asked me over and over: “Why? Why doesn’t she like me?” I coaxed him softly: “That’s because she has bad taste.” “Julian, I like you.” I saw a flash of clarity in his confused eyes. 03 After being rejected by Chloe. Julian suddenly started acting like some of his “bros,” changing girlfriends very frequently. A new one every week. Sometimes they would last a month. But his eyes still never left Chloe. Soon, it was time for college applications. After graduation. Chloe was accepted into a prestigious Ivy League school. Julian chose to study abroad in the UK. When I went to drop off some desserts my mom made for the Vance family, Mrs. Vance asked me where I was planning to go. I feigned nonchalance and said: “It depends on my scores.” “You know, Mrs. Vance, I’m not very good at studying.” Actually, I was pretty good at it. But all my time in high school was spent taking care of Julian. When he had a fever or a cold, I was the first to contact the Vance family secretary. When he was out partying, I was the one tagging along and reporting back constantly. Mrs. Vance looked thoughtful. That summer, for me, was an extremely long wait. Other people were waiting for their scores, waiting for college acceptance letters, waiting for the semester to start. And I was waiting to be graced by the goddess of fate. Finally. A quiet summer night. Mrs. Vance personally called and invited our family over for a get-together. I still remember how cool the breeze was that night, how crisp the sound of the cicadas was. No one knows how long I had been grounded before that night. I won the bet. My future would be tied to Julian for a very long time. How bright Julian’s future would be, How much grace and favor my future would receive. A month later. I went abroad with Julian. To a world-renowned university. Those “bros” of Julian looked at me with eyes full of jealousy. “Avery, do you really like being a ‘pick-me’ that much?” “Aren’t you afraid you won’t be able to get married in the future acting like this? Oh right, you can just suck up to Julian for the rest of your life, dragging your kids along, like a parasite.” Look, look. How ugly the jealousy of men is. 04 After going abroad. Julian’s popularity only increased. His features matured. A mix of boyish charm and young manhood, sharp and sexy, making people itch with desire. I continued to bear the burden of being bossed around by him without complaint. During his first year abroad, Julian completely let loose. He could be in London in the morning and end up in Paris by night. His girlfriends were still changing weekly. During Christmas break. A woman Mr. Vance had been keeping, along with her thirteen-year-old illegitimate son, made a scene in front of Mrs. Vance. Mrs. Vance told Julian not to come home. I stayed with Julian in London for Christmas. While waiting for midnight, he suddenly asked me: “Avery, do people’s feelings change?” I didn’t hesitate much and said: “They do.” Julian laughed and said: “But I realized, I don’t think I like Chloe anymore.” “I can’t even remember what she looks like, even though back then, I felt like I had never liked someone so much…” I felt he was just attracted to someone completely different from himself. How could that be considered love? But if you asked me what love is, I wouldn’t be able to answer either. No one had ever taught us. The fireworks outside the window illuminated Julian’s overly handsome face. Like I was possessed, I pulled Julian’s collar and kissed his perfect lips. Adults move fast. By the time Julian reacted, The arrow had already left the bow. A flash of annoyance crossed his face as he looked at me: “Are you sure about this?” The coursework at this top university was too difficult. I still had to act as Julian’s nanny. I needed to release some energy. Julian, this is your task. This is also the reward I deserve. I traced his eight-pack abs and answered his question. I was eating incredibly well. Julian’s eyes darkened, as if he wanted to swallow me whole. He was spoiled, arrogant, extravagant… full of flaws. But that body was truly a masterpiece. And I got it cheap. I vented the pressure built up over the years on him. That oppressive childhood, the dysfunctional family dynamics, it all felt like I hadn’t had a moment of relief until now. I recklessly squandered it all on Julian’s body. He responded to my passion, seemingly never tiring. “Avery, do you really like me that much?” I nodded wildly. “Avery, don’t regret this.” He stared at me stubbornly, as if trying to pierce through my soul. I had a moment of delusion. Does he actually like me? After that night. Julian and I were together. There was no formal confession, nor was it officially announced. But he stopped seeing other women. Once, an Asian girl clung to him for a long time. He finally said impatiently that he already had a girlfriend. This caused a massive stir. Many people started asking around about who Julian’s girlfriend was. A few days later, I received a call from Mrs. Vance. She asked about my studies and then transferred a seven-figure living expense into my account. Right before she hung up, she said: “Thank you for working so hard to take care of Julian.” Before I could react, the phone had already gone to a dial tone. She knew everything. My position with him was like a concubine serving a young master in ancient times. Julian happened to walk over: “Avery, what are you dawdling for?” I raised my eyes and replied with a smile: “Coming.” 05 For the remaining two years of college, Julian and I lived a shameless life. Mainly, I was the shameless one. Julian had a bunch of ex-girlfriends, but when it came to this sort of thing, he was surprisingly conservative. When I clung to him and threw myself at him, he would still blush. Maybe I had just been under too much pressure these past few years. Julian was completely devoured by me, and sometimes he would tremble when he saw me. Right before graduation and returning to the States. I overheard Julian having an argument with Mrs. Vance on the phone. It seemed to be about an arranged marriage. He finally responded impatiently with an “okay.” That night, he was unexpectedly gentle. I thought that must be our last night. He should be the one to bring up breaking up. I waited for a few days, but everything was the same as usual. I tentatively brought up breaking up with him. He glared at me angrily, his cheeks puffed out like an angry toad. “I don’t agree!” He threw a tantrum, then hugged me and said: “Avery, let’s stay abroad, okay?” “Just the two of us.” In that moment. I almost believed it. Until. Chloe appeared in front of him again. 06 Chloe was still as radiant as ever. Like a little white flower blooming on a cliff face. She got into the university on her own merit, was fought over by professors, and won scholarships. I saw Julian’s eyes glaze over. His gaze never left her. Just like back then, when Chloe first transferred and stood on the podium introducing herself. But unlike back then. This time, Chloe stepped down from her pedestal and walked over. She said gracefully: “Julian, long time no see.” They re-added each other’s contact information. The unpleasantness of the past seemed to have vanished into thin air. Having sailed past a thousand sails, they met again. They had both matured a lot. That day. Happened to be our two-year anniversary. I had prepared for a long time, cooked a whole table of food, and even made a PowerPoint and a short video. Showing the bits and pieces of our time together over the years. Julian said he would be back soon. I waited for three hours. I waited until Chloe called me using his phone, saying: “Avery, Julian is unhappy and drank too much. Can you come pick him up?” I hesitated for a moment, but still went. That night, he passed out drunk through our anniversary. And then, on my birthday, he was called away by a single phone call from Chloe. The streets of London weren’t that safe. Chloe said there was a man following her. Julian went without hesitation. He was so anxious that he even forgot to tell me where he was going. He strode away, and the front door slammed shut in front of me. I was the only one left in the villa. At the same time, I received a text from Chloe. [Avery, did you purposely make me reject Julian back then?] [No matter how much you try to interfere, people who are meant to be together will eventually be together.] Looking at these provocative texts, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. She didn’t know I had wanted to break up for a long time. Julian didn’t want to go back to the States. But I did. He’s a rich kid; what can he do if he doesn’t go back? Mrs. Vance had already arranged a position for me. As long as nothing went wrong, I would rise quickly. My future would far surpass my father’s. I would become the person bringing the most honor to my family. And now you’re telling me you’re not going back? If I were still Julian’s girlfriend, how could I go back to the States alone? 07 Chloe sent me her location. I originally didn’t want to bother Julian and Chloe. But I suddenly remembered Mrs. Vance’s warning. Julian could play around outside, but he absolutely couldn’t “create life.” I couldn’t take the Vance family’s money for nothing; I had to act as the gatekeeper for Mrs. Vance. I sent a message to Julian, but he didn’t reply. I grabbed the remaining half box of 0.01s from the house and took an Uber over. Downstairs at the apartment. I saw Chloe hugging Julian and crying. “I was so scared. Good thing you were here, Jul… can I call you that?” Julian was nervous and awkward, not knowing where to put his hands. The independent, strong wallflower showing such a vulnerable side for the first time—Julian couldn’t bear to refuse. His voice was deep as he said: “Whatever you want.” Chloe saw me. She smiled at me, then “whimpered” playfully as they went upstairs, seeming to have sprained her ankle. Julian scooped her up without hesitation. His gaze was on Chloe the entire time; he didn’t look at me once. They quickly went upstairs. I stood downstairs for a while, waiting for the rising and falling emotions to slowly calm down. A few minutes later. I knocked on Chloe’s door. Julian opened the door. Like he was the man of the house. Chloe sat on the sofa, one delicate foot raised, a small first-aid kit by her feet. One of her socks was in Julian’s hand. The moment he saw me, Julian was a bit surprised. “Avery, what are you doing here?” He seemed a bit unhappy that I came to bother him. But I still dutifully stuffed the item into his hand. “Don’t forget this.” As I said that, I even winked at him. Julian looked at the small box in his hand and completely froze in place. “I won’t bother you guys anymore, I’m heading out.”

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My mom is the definition of a trophy wife—sweet, naive, and has never had a real job. When Dad brought his ex back and asked for a divorce, all Mom begged for was to take me with her. I grabbed her shoulders and shook her, trying to knock some sense into her. “Mom! Why do you want me? Demand the money!” “Isn’t it better to take his cash, travel the world, and find yourself a few hot twenty-something boytoys?” “Me? Don’t worry about me.” “I’m going to stay right here, use his money, and take care of you!” 1 In the center of our massive living room sat my father, Richard Sterling. He was the picture of a distinguished, wealthy CEO, sitting straight-backed and serious. Next to him sat the woman who had just returned from a decade abroad, his “one that got away,” Amelia Vance. My mother, Sarah—the reigning naive queen of this gilded cage—was clutching my hand, sobbing like a telenovela star. “Richard, you can take everything. I don’t want a single dime. But Chloe is leaving with me!” Amelia reached out, putting on a show of being gentle and reasonable. “Sarah, darling, think about what’s best for Chloe. Richard can provide her with a secure, elite future here. You need to put her needs first. Don’t be selfish.” My dad shot Amelia a look of pure admiration. God, he was dynamic when it came to her. My mom just cried harder. “But Chloe is all I have! I don’t care about futures! I just…” Before she could agree to walk away with nothing, I grabbed her shoulder, spun her around, and dragged her to a corner out of their earshot. “Mom!” I hissed. “What are you doing? Forget me! Demand the money!” Mom gasped, staring at me with those big, tear-filled, puppy-dog eyes. She was pushing forty but acted like a confused teenager. “Chloe?” I was so frustrated I could scream. “Take Richard Sterling’s assets and his cash. Go on an endless vacation. Find yourself a fleet of cute personal trainers. Tell me that isn’t better than fighting over me!” Her eyes went wide. She looked standardly innocent and naive. “But… what about you?” I began the brainwashing. “Me? Mom, I’m an Ivy League legacy. I’m staying right here to be the Billionaire Heiress. And later? I’ll use his money to take care of you.” Mom was hesitant. “But…” I cut her off, turned back to my father, and plastered a professional fake-smile on my face. “Dad, we need to talk about Mom’s alimony. Specifically, compensation for pain and suffering, loss of potential income, and lifestyle maintenance…” 2 My dad looked surprised that I was talking about standard logistics. He actually took a sip of his whiskey, looking almost amused. “Okay. I’m listening. Let’s hear the details.” Oh, I was not going to be shy. I smiled and started rattling off the demands. “First, the penthouse in Manhattan goes in Mom’s name. Second, five percent of your company’s original stock. That’s not too much, is it? Finally, some liquid cash. Let’s say… ten million. To round it out nicely.” Behind me, my mother gasped. Amelia’s face didn’t look so gentle anymore, but she kept her sweet tone. “Chloe, you’re just a kid, you don’t understand these things. Those demands would seriously impact your father’s company.” I shot her a look. “Miss, my parents are discussing a divorce settlement. Why is a total stranger sticking her nose in?” Her face went bright red. Dad waved her off, signaling her to be quiet. He looked at me with genuine interest. “Five percent stock is too much. The house and the cash are fine.” “No.” I didn’t budge an inch. “The stock is non-negotiable. Mom has been with you for seventeen years. She built this house while you were building your company. Now you’re kicking her out for your ex, you have to give her security. If the word gets out that Richard Sterling is a scumbag who abandoned his wife, your stock price is going to crash harder than that five percent.” He choked on his breath, furious. I met his gaze fearlessly. Was he planning on treating my mother like a used dish rag? No way. After a moment, Richard actually laughed. “Fine. I agree.” He was surprisingly quick to give in. “Stock, house, cash. Your mother gets it all. But I have one condition.” “What?” He pointed at me. “You have to stay.” 3 I knew why he wanted me to stay. I knew him too well. Amelia might have his heart, but in his eyes, I was a qualified heir. Furthermore, Amelia had her own kids back wherever she was coming from. Honestly, his condition played right into my hands. If I stayed, I could continue being the billionaire heiress, spend his money, and take care of my naive mom. Perfect loop. But Sarah, my mother, wasn’t having it. She pulled me behind her, glaring at Richard like a mother hen protecting her chick. “No! Forget the money, I’m taking my daughter!” I was speechless. Mom, get a grip! You’re going to stop me from sending you money! I quickly dragged her to the side for another brainwashing session. “Mom, listen to me. I’m going deep undercover here, got it?” “What?” “Think about it. You take the money and go. You’re free as a bird. I stay here. He feels guilty, so he’ll treat me twice as well. The allowance he gives me? I just transfer it to you. It’s called sustainable milking of the cash cow!” Sarah nodded, looking slightly less confused. I applied the final bit of pressure: “And with me here, I can keep an eye on them. I won’t let him and his ex live too comfortably. I will be a thorn in their side, a constant reminder of the beautiful, kind woman who used to be the lady of this house.” Mom looked moved. She glanced from me to Richard, hesitating. Finally, encouraged by my gaze, she gave a nod that looked both humiliated and tragic. I smiled, satisfied. The agreement was signed quickly. Richard’s lawyers were extremely efficient. As Sarah signed her name with a trembling hand, she officially became a rich woman holding millions in assets. 4 Mom had barely left before Amelia started acting like the new woman of the house. “Chloe, sweetie, we’re a family now.” She smiled gently and actually went into the kitchen to make dinner herself. Four courses. Beautifully presented. “Chloe, try my Sweet and Sour Crispy Fish. It’s my specialty.” She enthusiastically put food on my plate. I stared at the fish, looking perfect on its plate. I had zero appetite. My mom might be naive, but her cooking was next level. I grew up on her food; my palate was spoiled. I put down my fork, pulled out my phone, and opened a food delivery app. “Large deluxe truffle pizza, double cheese, and a full sushi platter…” I ordered delivery right in front of her, slow and deliberate. Amelia’s smile froze on her face. “Chloe, I worked so hard on this dinner…” I cut her off. “Miss Amelia, Dad pays for a professional chef. You don’t need to cook. Besides, I don’t like the food you make.” The rage finally began to show on her face. Dad came out of the study right at that moment. He saw the scene and frowned. “Chloe, is that any way to speak to Amelia?” I didn’t argue. I just shrugged. “If you like it so much, Dad, feel free to eat it all.” Dad naturally felt he had to protect his first love. He picked up his fork and took a bite of the fish. While Amelia watched him hopefully, Dad hesitated. Then he said, trying to be polite, “Amelia, let’s leave the cooking to the chef from now on.” Amelia nodded, looking humiliated, but didn’t dare say a word back. The delivery arrived quickly. I set up the projector and ate my pizza with gusto. Meanwhile, Amelia’s carefully prepared dinner sat there on the table, totally ignored. 5 The next morning, I came downstairs and found Amelia directing the maids. “Change these curtains to beige. It matches the sofa better.” “That vase is too tacky. Get something classier.” “And the study—Mr. Sterling likes it organized. Pack up all these random knick-knacks.” She was putting on a great performance as the lady of the house. Every change she ordered was targeting something my mom had loved. I sneered and walked over. “Sarah, leave the vase there. Don’t touch it.” The maid looked conflicted, glancing between me and Amelia. Amelia walked over, using her softest, sweetest voice on me. “Chloe, the style here is so outdated. A change will put everyone in a better mood.” “My mood is fine.” I ignored her passive-aggressive swipe. Leaning on the banister, I said lazily, “I’m used to my mom’s style. If you don’t like it, you can move out.” “Chloe!” Dad’s voice came from the dining room. A warning. I turned to look at him, throwing my hands up innocently. “Dad, Mom decorated every single corner of this house herself. She just left. Are you guys really that desperate to erase her?” Amelia went over and shook Dad’s sleeve, her voice soft. “Richard, don’t blame Chloe. It was my fault, I didn’t think it through. I just wanted the house to feel warmer…” As she spoke, her eyes welled up with tears. A picture of pure, noble suffering. Dad immediately melted. He patted Amelia’s shoulder comfortingly and turned to me. “Chloe, your Aunt Amelia means well. She’ll be running the house from now on.” I smiled. “Sure. Then can she handle all my affairs, too?” Dad nodded without thinking. That was exactly what I wanted him to say. I pulled out my phone, opened a luxury brand’s website, and pointed at the newest designer bag. “Aunt Amelia, what color do you think I should buy? Or should I just get one of each?” Amelia froze. I continued, completely sincere. “And there’s a charity gala next week. I want to bid on that diamond necklace. Can you help me strategize on when to raise the paddle and how much to bid?” I held the phone in front of her face, smiling like an angel. “Dad said you’re in charge now. So you’re in charge of my spending, too, right?” Amelia’s face instantly turned green. 6 The look on that cheating bastard’s face was priceless. He wanted to play the patriarch, but I blocked his path completely. “Dad, you’re not going back on your word, are you? A promise is a promise, you know.” I looked at him with a sweet smile. My dad took a deep breath, pulled a black American Express card out of his wallet, and handed it to me. “Use this to buy things from now on. The limit is high enough for you to buy ten diamond necklaces.” I took the black card with a satisfied smile, flashing him a sweet grin. “Thanks, Dad. Look, Aunt Amelia, Dad really does love me. “You can just focus on taking care of Dad from now on. You don’t need to worry about my affairs.” I waved the black card in front of her face, then turned and walked upstairs. Behind me was Amelia, her smile twisted with anger. Awesome. From that day on, I embraced the persona of a spoiled, spendthrift heiress. Today, I’d buy a limited-edition designer bag; tomorrow, I’d bid on vintage jewelry; the day after, I’d rent out an entire hotel for a party. The bills flew to my dad’s phone like snowflakes, each one easily six figures. My dad called me a few times. At first, his tone was warning, but eventually, it became numb. “Chloe, tell me the truth, are you doing this to get back at me?” “Dad, what are you talking about?” I immediately sniffled twice. “Compared to that mansion you bought for Aunt Amelia, how much am I really spending? “You know, I’ve never been away from Mom my whole life. Now that Mom’s gone, don’t I even have the right to spend a little money? “It’s true what they say, only a mother’s love is real. A child without a mother is like a weed…” My dad surrendered to my unreasonable logic. “Alright, alright, the company will be yours eventually. Spend whatever you want, just don’t go completely overboard.” I immediately switched to a sweet, high-pitched voice: “Thanks, Daddy!” Hanging up the phone, I smiled at the sales associate. “Hello, please wrap up all the new arrivals and have them delivered to…” I gave them the address of the penthouse my mom now owned. My mom loved the bags from this brand. One day, I was busy swiping the card when I suddenly received a call from my mom. I thought she was calling to cry and complain about how much she missed me, so I quickly cleared my throat, ready with a bellyful of comforting words. As it turned out, what came through the phone was deafening music and the cheers of a group of young men. 7 “Hello? Chloe, the signal here is terrible! Can you hear me?” I was completely dumbfounded. “Mom, where are you?” “I’m at my new club!” My mom’s voice sounded incredibly excited. “Baby, I’m telling you, you’re a genius! Being surrounded by all these hot young guys is amazing!” Me: “???” Did my mom move this fast? I immediately had my driver take me to the location she sent, pulling up to her new business. The sign above the door was almost blinding: “Chiffon’s Sweet Retreat & Lounge”. Pink neon lights, cute fonts, exuding a strong, girly vibe. I pushed the door open and was stunned by what I saw. The inside was nothing like what I had imagined. It was decorated very warmly, with plush pillows and cute decorations everywhere. And the so-called “young guys” were a group of handsome young men dressed in various uniforms. A beautifully dressed wealthy woman was surrounded by two handsome guys; one was feeding her cake, and the other was singing to her. The wealthy woman was giggling hysterically, looking as happy as a child. My mom, Sarah, was wearing a sleek manager’s uniform, holding a small notebook and directing the show. “Joey, Mrs. Walsh at table A said her stocks tanked. Go comfort her and sing her ‘Cheer Up’.” “Leo, Miss Chen at table B just got dumped. Take her to the gaming area to box, and tell her to pretend the punching bag is her ex.” “Landon, Director Liu at table C is stressed out from work. Go build Lego with her, that 10,000-piece Hogwarts castle.” I rubbed my eyes, staring at this woman radiating absolute boss energy. Was this still the naive, clueless mom who only studied recipes and read romance novels? 8 My mom finally noticed me and waved excitedly: “Chloe, you’re here!” I walked over, still a bit dazed: “Mom, this club is…” “A lounge!” My mom proudly tilted her elegant chin. “It’s exclusively for wealthy women with time to kill but who aren’t happy. “Here, you can spend money to buy companionship, someone to listen, and happiness. What do you think? Do I have a good head for business?” I looked at her radiant, energized face and suddenly felt like I had underestimated her. Maybe she was never really a naive fool; maybe she just couldn’t be bothered to show her true colors in front of that cheating bastard. My mom’s lounge became a massive hit. It was more successful than anyone could have anticipated. Those wealthy wives, ignored by their husbands, angered by their kids, or crushed by work, seemed to have found an emotional outlet. They were willing to throw thousands of dollars around here, just to buy a moment of relaxation and joy. Unlike traditional host clubs, my mom, having studied romance novels for years, knew exactly what hit the spot for these wealthy women. She had trained the staff in her club into various archetypes of romance novel male leads. The CEO type, the bad boy, the sweet boy next door, the aloof intellectual, the rugged outdoorsman, the brooding artist… Whatever you wanted, they had it. My mom didn’t skimp on money; the salaries were high, so the young men were fiercely loyal to her. Crucially, the club strictly avoided any illicit physical services. After all, my mom believed that “what you can’t have is always the best.” Sarah, too, went from being a kept woman in a mansion to the emotional guru for wealthy wives. She was even interviewed by a top financial magazine in the city. On the magazine cover, Sarah was wearing a sharp, professional suit, smiling confidently and gracefully. The headline read: Leaving the Mansion Behind: How I Became My Own Queen. I deliberately left the magazine in the most conspicuous spot in the living room. Sure enough, my dad and Amelia saw it as soon as they got home. Amelia looked at the magazine, her expression a mix of conflicting emotions. My dad picked up the magazine, staring at the confident, radiant Sarah on the cover, his eyes filled with complex emotions. A woman who was used to being kept in a cage by him had suddenly broken free and was flying so high. This sense of losing control must have made a chauvinistic man like him very uncomfortable. “Nonsense! Opening a place like this is absurd. It’s a complete disgrace to the Sterling family!” I crossed my legs and said coolly: “Dad, Mom divorced you. What does this have to do with the Sterling family?” My dad choked on his words. Amelia quickly grabbed my dad’s arm: “Richard, don’t be angry. Sarah probably just wants to prove herself. “Chloe, you should talk to your mom. A business like this, after all, is a bit unseemly.” “How is it unseemly?” I scoffed, going on the offensive. “My mom is running a legal business, paying taxes, providing emotional value to a large number of women, and solving employment problems for recent graduates. How is that unseemly? “Aunt Amelia, is it because in your eyes, a woman should just stay at home and raise kids, and isn’t allowed to have her own career?” I threw that heavy accusation at her, and Amelia’s face went pale. “I… I didn’t mean that…” “Oh? Then what did you mean?” I pressed her further. Seeing his “one that got away” about to be brought to tears by me, my dad immediately stepped in to protect her: “That’s enough! Chloe! She is your aunt, watch how you speak to her!” I threw my hands up, putting on a “Oh, I’m so scared” face: “Oh, I see. Then from now on, when Aunt Amelia speaks, I’ll just keep my mouth shut. That way I won’t accidentally tell the truth and make you angry again, Dad. “By the way, Dad, when are you two getting married? I want to be able to call her ‘Stepmom’ officially.” After saying that, I rolled my eyes at them and strolled upstairs. 9 My mom’s club was booming, which naturally made some people jealous. One day, when I came home from school, Amelia was having afternoon tea with a woman who looked just as plain and unassuming as she did. I recognized the woman. Her name was Mary, the ex-wife of Mr. Lee, a pharmaceutical tycoon. Mary pinched a small spoon, looking disdainful: “Amelia, that Sarah really has no shame, opening a place like that, finding a bunch of gigolos… tsk tsk, she’s really dragging Mr. Sterling’s name through the mud.” Amelia sighed softly: “Don’t say that. She might have been forced by circumstances. It’s not easy for a woman to leave a man and live on her own.” I rolled my eyes and was about to go upstairs, but Mary called out to me. “Chloe’s home! You’re getting prettier every day.” She smiled, looking the picture of kindness. “Chloe, you must never go to that kind of place your mom opened. A young girl like you needs to have self-respect and self-love so you can marry into a good family later on.” I stopped, turned to look at her, and smiled innocently: “Aunt Mary, when it comes to marrying well, I definitely don’t have as much experience as you. But I heard that Mr. Lee’s company went public last month. When you got divorced, why did you only ask for three houses? Did you think self-respect and self-love were more important than company shares?” Mary’s face instantly turned green. When she got divorced, she was tricked by her ex-husband into thinking the company was an empty shell, so she only asked for some real estate. As a result, he immediately jumped on the tech boom, and now he’s worth billions. She regrets it so much her intestines are green. My single sentence perfectly hit her sore spot. Amelia quickly scolded me in a low voice: “Chloe, how can you speak to Aunt Mary like that! Apologize right now!” I looked innocent: “Did I say something wrong? Could it be that Aunt Mary actually wanted the shares more?” Mary was so angry her lips were trembling. She couldn’t say a single word. I ignored them and hummed a little tune as I went upstairs. Behind me, I heard Mary lower her voice and viciously say to Amelia: “Amelia, look at them. Like mother, like daughter. Neither of them is any good! One runs a gigolo club, the other is a sharp-tongued brat with no manners! You can’t let them keep acting so smug!” Amelia’s voice was still gentle, but it carried a hint of coldness: “Don’t worry, I have a plan.” I stood behind the slightly ajar door and let out a cold laugh.

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