Author: Momo Chan

The moment I sat in the passenger seat of my husband’s car, I knew he was cheating on me. The seat was reclined to an angle that clearly indicated a pregnant woman had been sitting there. Just as I was about to confront him, I suddenly saw a barrage of comments floating across my vision. [Will the female lead’s baby really be okay locked in the trunk by the male lead?] [It should be fine for a little while. He just needs to find a chance to get rid of the yellow-faced wife later.] I froze. Trunk? Baby? Yellow-faced wife? So, my husband’s mistress is currently locked in the trunk? Heh, things just got interesting. My mom’s Husky has been having diarrhea lately. Why don’t we take him for a nice, long ride on the highway and stir things up a bit? 1 “Why are you here? Didn’t you say you were getting your nails done today?” My husband, Arthur, tapped the steering wheel impatiently. But my mind was entirely focused on the comments I had just seen. And those comments were currently attacking my sanity, which was on the verge of snapping. [What a bitch, insisting on clinging to our male lead.] [The two of them finally got some alone time, and she had to come and ruin it.] I forcefully yanked the seatbelt out. I turned my head and stared directly into Arthur’s eyes. “Why is this passenger seat reclined to this angle?” Arthur’s pupils shrank suddenly. Before he had time to come up with a good lie, he blurted out some nonsense. “Oh, this? The car wash guy adjusted it.” I laughed: “When did you go? Don’t you usually make me take the car to be washed?” Arthur turned his head to look out the window, his hands continuing to tap rhythmically on the steering wheel. The sound was incredibly annoying. I wanted nothing more than to grab his fingers and break them one by one. [Why is this supporting female character so annoying? What’s there to question?] [Exactly. No wonder the male lead doesn’t like her; she gives him zero space.] I leaned forward: “Cat got your tongue? There’s dust and dirt everywhere. You call this a car wash?” Arthur’s body visibly stiffened. [This part is a bit funny. The male lead doesn’t seem very smart.] [Right? Locking our precious female lead in the trunk… what kind of smart person does that?] [Our female lead is probably rolling her eyes in the trunk right now.] What? She has the nerve to roll her eyes? I’ll let her roll them all she wants today! Arthur pulled his hands back from the steering wheel and turned to hold mine. “Hey, the car wash guy was just getting ready to wash it when I suddenly remembered it’s your dad’s birthday today.” I raised an eyebrow: “And?” “And so I rushed out to buy a gift for your dad!” I followed the direction of his finger and looked towards the back seat. Sure enough, there was a gift bag sitting there. 2 [I’ll give this round to the male lead.] [But he bought that for the female lead’s baby’s dad! It’s not fair!] [It’s fine, it’s fine. He’s spending the supporting female’s money anyway. He can buy another one next time.] I grabbed the gift bag from the back seat and looked inside. Wow, he really went all out. Two cartons of premium cigarettes, two bottles of expensive liquor. This must have cost at least a thousand dollars, right? I twitched the corner of my mouth: “Alright then, just take me straight to my parents’ house.” Arthur’s fake smile froze on his face, the corner of his mouth twitching uncontrollably. I reached out and pinched his neck: “What’s wrong with you? Having a seizure? Do we need to go to the hospital?” Arthur coughed repeatedly from my pinch. He irritably pushed my hand away: “Cough, cough! I still have some things to take care of. You get out first, and I’ll come pick you up later.” I smiled: “What things? I’ll go with you.” Arthur’s eyebrows were furrowed so tightly they could crush a mosquito: “Just some stuff with my buddies. Be a good girl, get out, and I’ll be back soon.” [Hurry up and get lost, old lady.] [Yeah, I’m dying of anxiety. If you don’t leave, our precious female lead won’t be able to hold on.] I sat up straight, looking forward. “Since you’re in a hurry, you get out and take a cab. I’ll drive over and give the gifts to my dad.” Arthur panicked and slammed his hand on the dashboard: “Chloe, why are you being so unreasonable! Making a grown man take a cab to run errands, where’s my dignity?” I looked at him expressionlessly: “This is my car. You’re a grown man who didn’t even have a car to drive before we got married. Why didn’t you care about your dignity then?” Hearing me say this, he choked, his Adam’s apple bobbing anxiously. A few seconds later, he replaced his expression with a gentle one. He coaxed me softly: “Okay, okay, you’re right. It’s my fault. Be a good girl, and I’ll come pick you up as soon as I’m done.” I pushed his hand away: “No, I want to drive to my parents’ house. Besides, I need to use the car too. “You’ve been hogging the car for months, making me take cabs and the subway every time. It’s my turn to use it.” Only then did I realize why he hadn’t let me touch the car for the past few months. It turns out he was taking his mistress to her prenatal appointments. Heh, pretty good treatment she’s getting. 3 [This supporting female is really annoying me. Her car, her car. She doesn’t save any face for her own man.] [Exactly. Can you blame the male lead for not wanting her? Is he really a playboy?] [That’s right, the male lead cheating is purely this supporting female’s fault.] [If she had shown even a little bit of gentleness and love to the male lead, things wouldn’t have come to this.] I sat up straight, refusing to get out of the car. “Either you drive me to my parents’ house, or you get out, and I’ll drive myself.” Arthur let out a long breath. He probably realized I was determined to dig my heels in. Left with no choice, he reluctantly agreed. “Fine, I’ll drive you to your parents’ house, but you have to let me go once we get there. Don’t delay my buddies’ business.” I didn’t say anything. Let you go? You wish. [What is this supporting female doing? Why is she so clingy.] [The female lead’s baby is already suffocating in the trunk.] [Is she experiencing chest tightness again? That happens when you’re five months pregnant, especially in stuffy air.] [Yes, yes, yes, the female lead’s baby’s face is flushed red.] [Good thing her belly isn’t too big yet, otherwise I really wouldn’t dare imagine how she’d survive in such a small space.] I sneered inwardly. If she really dies in there, it won’t be my fault. I didn’t know she was having an affair in my car. And I wasn’t the one who dragged her pregnant belly into the trunk. Just like that, Arthur drove toward my parents’ house, restless and irritable the whole way. I sent a message to my mom in advance: [Feed Max some laxatives. I’m coming over right now to take him to the vet. The vet said he needs to take laxatives first to make it easier to get a sample.] My mom replied quickly: [That’s great! Max has been having diarrhea and vomiting for days. Hurry up and take him.] I glanced at Arthur; he kept checking the time, probably calculating how much longer the cargo in the trunk could last. I happily leaned back: “Oh, the weather is so nice today. I really want to go for a drive in the suburbs.” Arthur’s face instantly went pale. “Ancestor, please don’t mess around. I really have things to do today.” [Can the male lead slap her a few times? Watching this is making me furious.] Go slap your own mother! 4 As soon as we parked below my parents’ apartment, we saw my mom standing there holding Max. The moment she saw us, she stamped her feet anxiously. “Oh my, you’re finally here. Any longer and I was afraid Max wouldn’t be able to hold it.” Arthur refused to get out of the car. He impatiently urged me to hurry up and take the gifts upstairs. My mom looked at him in surprise: “Are you that busy on a weekend? You don’t even have time to get out and say hi?” I turned and glared at Arthur. “You’re really exaggerating. You live in a house my mom bought, drive a car my mom bought, and you disrespect her like this.” Arthur couldn’t hold it in anymore; he roared at me. “Are you fucking done? I told you my buddies have an emergency, and you still fucking drag this out!” [Beautiful! Well done, male lead!] [Finally grew a spine and taught this damn supporting female a lesson.] [Satisfying! He should have done this to her ages ago.] Arthur angrily gripped the steering wheel tight: “Hurry up and take the gifts up to your dad. I don’t have time to waste with you; I have important things to do!” My mom looked at me in shock: “Chloe, did you two have a fight?” I squeezed my mom’s arm and took Max from her. “No, don’t worry.” I opened the back door and shoved Max inside. Arthur glared at me: “What are you doing putting this dead dog in the car? Didn’t I tell you to grab your things and leave?” The more anxious he got, the happier I felt: “Max is sick. My parents are going out for a gathering later, so I have to take him to the vet.” Hearing this, he excitedly pounded the steering wheel. “I’ve told you a million times I’m in a hurry! What will it take for you to stop pestering me?” [Look at how he’s forcing our male lead. Is this something a normal person would do?] I slammed the back door shut, marched straight to the driver’s side, and yanked the door open. “If you’re in a hurry, grab a cab and get the hell out! How many times do I have to tell you? This is MY car!” Arthur visibly panicked. He was so nervous he didn’t know what to do, his eyes constantly darting toward the digital clock. “Fine, fine! Let’s hurry up! I’ll navigate to the nearest vet right now. “But let’s be clear this time. Once I drop you and this dead dog off, you have to let me go immediately.” 5 [Oh my god, our female lead is doing really badly.] [Boohoo, the baby is so pitiful. Her face is pale, and she’s having trouble breathing.] [Our baby won’t die, right? I’m begging this supporting female to do something human.] I opened my phone and located a vet twenty kilometers away. “No, we have to go to this one. Only the vet here understands Max. If we go anywhere else, I won’t get out of the car.” Arthur gritted his teeth so hard I thought they might break. The look he gave me was practically setting me on fire! But he had no choice. He could only floor the gas and head that way. Good, this is exactly the feeling I wanted. He was driving so erratically it made me sick. And Max in the back was even more miserable than I was. So the one in the trunk must be the most miserable of us all. [The car is too fast. Is the female lead’s baby getting carsick?] [Hold it in, whatever you do, don’t throw up, otherwise you’ll be discovered.] I smiled in satisfaction. At that moment, Max seemed to have caught the scent of the stranger in the trunk. He kept sniffing the back of the seat. Arthur looked in the rearview mirror, muttering angrily. “Dead dog, what are you sniffing at? I bet he’s not even sick, just faking it. “Your whole family loves to fake it. Your dad fakes being important, and your mom fakes being deaf and dumb.” I waved my hand dismissively: “Yeah, yeah, yeah, and the husband I married loves to fake being a big shot.” Arthur was so angry he slammed on the gas, and my body was thrown forward involuntarily. The seatbelt jerked me back hard, and for a moment, my stomach churned. Just then, a foul stench drifted over from the back seat. I quickly covered my nose and mouth and looked back. Fantastic. I don’t know when, but Max had thrown up a massive puddle. He was so nauseous from Arthur’s erratic driving that he was currently squatting in the back seat, having explosive diarrhea. That watery liquid was seeping through the cracks in the back seat and flowing into the trunk. [Holy shit! It’s flowing all over our female lead’s baby.] [So disgusting! The female lead’s baby can’t hold it in anymore; she’s going to throw up.] [Oh no, oh no! Is the supporting female going to discover the female lead? Help!] At that moment, Arthur glanced back, and that one glance made him panic completely! In his desperation, he slammed on the brakes. “Fucking dead dog! I’m going to kill you!” Heh, funny. You’d better think about the consequences of braking suddenly on the highway for no reason first! 6 Arthur had been in such a hurry that he finally managed to squeeze onto the expressway. Braking suddenly at 75 mph, even if the car behind was maintaining a safe distance… It still slammed right into us. The driver behind us got out of his car, cursing. Meanwhile, Arthur was opening the back door, trying to drag Max out. “Fucking dead dog! Today I’m going to throw you right here, and you can just die here!” I anxiously stepped forward to stop him, but Arthur’s eyes were already red with rage. “Get down from there, or I’ll beat you to death right here!” Saying that, he pulled a hammer out from somewhere in the back seat. He was about to smash Max’s head in. I snatched the hammer from his hand. “Don’t you dare, Arthur! If you harm a single hair on Max’s head today, I’ll fight you to the death!” The driver of the car behind us stood by our car, arms crossed, roaring at us. “Are you two fucking crazy? Braking suddenly on the expressway? There’s no car in front of you! Get ready to pay up!” Arthur finally calmed down a bit. [The supporting female is such a troublemaker. I really want to reach in and slap her twice.] [Hurry up and throw her and that dead dog on the highway, and take our female lead to the hospital.] [Yeah, the female lead’s baby can’t hold it in anymore. Look, what’s that seeping through her fingers?] [She threw up! Our female lead’s baby threw up, so pitiful.] Not enough, this is still not enough. The comments haven’t given me the answer I’m looking for yet. Arthur immediately plastered on a fake smile, approaching the man like a lapdog to apologize. The guy was huge; one punch could probably knock both Arthur and me flat. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, big bro. It’s all my fault, all my fault. Just name your price, and I’ll transfer the money right now.” How could that be? That would mean he’d get away in ten minutes! I would absolutely not allow that to happen. I suddenly raised the hammer I had just snatched and smashed it hard onto the trunk lid. Thud! A loud noise startled everyone, making them look at me. “I did nothing wrong! Why are you saying it’s our fault? If you had maintained a safe distance, would you still have hit us?” The big guy’s expression had just softened, but my provocation instantly made it turn red again. He rolled up his sleeves and was ready to come over and beat me: “What did you say? You’re not leaving today! Call the police! I’m calling the police right now!” 7 Arthur was so anxious he was about to cry. He turned around and gave me a hard shove, making me stumble. “What is wrong with you? It was originally our fault. Just pay up and let’s go.” I simply sat my butt right on the trunk lid, conveniently deepening the dent I had just made. [Move your big butt! Damn supporting female.] [That hit just now already knocked our female lead’s baby unconscious.] [It’s over, it’s over, the female lead has lost consciousness. She’s not going to die, is she?] [Boohoo! So pitiful. She finally had a chance to escape her family of origin and be saved by the male lead, only to end up here.] [Yeah, I was still waiting for the male lead to get his hands on the supporting female’s family fortune and marry our female lead’s baby into the family.] [And then the female lead’s baby would return to the university campus, get her master’s and Ph.D., and reach the pinnacle of life.] [Damn supporting female, relying on her good family background to bully our female lead.] I tightened my grip on the hammer, a faint smile playing on my lips. Escaping her family of origin, wanting to return to campus. Heh, I finally know who you are. I raised the hammer in my hand and frantically began smashing the trunk lid, clang, clang, clang. “Call the police then! Do you think I’m scared of you? See this? It’s my car, and I can smash it if I want to! “You fat pig, don’t even dream about scamming money out of me!” “I don’t even want this car anymore. When the police come, I’ll tell them you caused all the damage.” [It’s over! The female lead’s baby has completely lost consciousness.] [She’s starting to foam at the mouth.] [What do we do? The male lead needs to think of something fast. The female lead is bleeding down there, she might lose the baby!] The big guy was so angry his face turned red and pale by turns. He rolled up his sleeves, ready to come over and beat me up. “Come on! Hit me! If you dare touch a single finger of mine, I’ll completely destroy my car today! “I’ll call a tow truck and have it hauled straight to the scrapyard, crushed into a flat piece of scrap metal.” “I’ll blame it all on you, tell them you hit it. Let’s see what you can do to me!” “Nyah nyah nyah, you fat pig, you fat pig covered in rolls of fat.” That completely enraged the big guy. He roared and charged forward, swinging his fists to smash into my body. I nimbly spun around. His two massive fists smashed straight into the trunk. Thud! Arthur’s legs gave way, and he fell straight to his knees.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394686”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

The company’s annual gala announced a new rule: employees are allowed to bring a plus-one. I blurted out without thinking, “Can I bring someone else’s husband?” My colleagues stared at me, eyes wide as saucers. Our boss snapped the fountain pen in his hand, sneering, “Sure, go ahead and try.” I immediately, joyfully, texted my dad. “Dad! Tell Mom not to cook tonight! Hurry up and come get some free food!” 1 With the end of the year approaching, we had finally wrapped up a notoriously difficult case. Our boss, the modern-day Scrooge, showed unexpected mercy and announced that we could bring a plus-one to tonight’s annual gala. “Holy crap, why didn’t you say so earlier?!” My colleagues cheered, springing into action, calling and texting their significant others. As the only single person in the department… I weakly raised my hand: “Excuse me, can I bring someone else’s husband?” The moment the words left my mouth, the room fell dead silent. My colleagues looked like meerkats popping out of their holes, their eyes perfectly round. “Holy crap, is she really saying that out loud?” “Chloe, you’re usually so quiet, I would have never guessed…” They exchanged shocked glances, then quickly lowered their heads and started typing furiously on their keyboards, completely ignoring my question. The department manager wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead, leaned in close to me, and lowered his voice. “Chloe, theoretically, you can bring whoever you want. But if you actually bring him, it’s not going to look good…” ? I scratched my head. Why wouldn’t it look good? I’m just bringing my dad to dinner, what’s the big deal? Sure, my dad can eat a lot, but it’s not like he’s going to eat the company into bankruptcy. I was just about to press the issue. When a sinister voice sounded from behind me. “Chloe Davis, you’re really something. You’ve hidden it better than anyone.” 2 The man standing in the doorway, dressed in a sharp suit, held a fountain pen snapped cleanly in two. Ink dripped steadily onto the floor, making his handsome face look even darker. “M-Mr. Sterling, what brings you here…” “Good thing you came, otherwise we wouldn’t have known we had such a wild card in the company…” The manager smiled obsequiously, “Please, don’t say that. Chloe is definitely just confused right now. I’ve already talked to her, she absolutely won’t bring him to the gala…” “Bring him! Why shouldn’t she?” “Bring him out and let us see what he’s made of. Let’s see what you’re really capable of.” “Am I right, Chloe Davis?” After all these years, Arthur Sterling’s meanness had only increased, not decreased. But that was fine. I had also evolved into a thorny black rose. I forced a smile and shot back without missing a beat. “Of course, I will definitely bring him.” “I need to show some ignorant people who the true father figure in my heart is!” The manager’s face went from white to green, green to red, and red to purple, looking as spectacular as a spilled palette. My colleagues remained deathly quiet, looking at me as if I were a valiant warrior. It wasn’t anything special, really. The reason I dared to publicly sass the boss wasn’t because I was crazy, but because I planned to quit right after the New Year. And the reason for my resignation was the newly parachuted second-in-command of the conglomerate— Arthur Sterling. My lifelong nemesis. 3 Arthur and I were college classmates. He pursued me. After graduation, he went abroad, and we broke up. The last time I saw him was at a class reunion. Our old class president, his face flushed from drinking, emboldened himself and asked: “Arthur, what exactly happened between you and Chloe? You broke up so quietly, there were no warning signs at all…” “Yeah, exactly! You went through so much trouble, giving everyone in the class red envelopes, and you must have spent a fortune transferring to our department. Why did you break up? We were getting ready to attend your wedding!” “What really happened? Tell us the story!” The man put down his glass, scanned the crowd, and said coldly: “She’s dead. Didn’t you know?” The next second, I pushed the door open and walked in. Under the horrified gazes of everyone present, I nodded: “Pay attention, this woman’s name is Xiaomei. Reborn from the ashes, she will take back everything that belongs to her.” I will never, ever forget the expression on Arthur’s face at that moment. I was so speechless I could have died. I had never seen such a petty man. We broke up, so what? He actually started a rumor that his ex was dead! When the gathering ended, I avoided his burning gaze, turned around, and left without a word. Ridiculous. Does he think I’m still the poor girl who let people push her around? I am this year’s poor girl. Poor, but with a spine! When Arthur parachuted into our company, I knew the poor girl’s good days were over. And coincidentally, I had hit a bottleneck in my career at this company anyway. So I immediately decided that as soon as I got my year-end bonus, I was jumping ship. As the saying goes, when you want nothing, you fear nothing. He told me not to bring him, so I was definitely going to bring him. I immediately ran outside to make a call. “Dad! You are forbidden from eating lunch today! Keep your stomach empty and come eat my corporate-slave-tears’ worth of food tonight!” 4 Because of my heroic deed this morning, no one dared to talk to me all afternoon. I was happy to have the peace and quiet. While slacking off, I scrolled past a forum post. 【URGENT! My first love is degrading herself, becoming the mistress of an old man… and she’s planning to bring him to the company gala to show off to me! What should I do?!】 ? Interesting. I rubbed my chin and clicked on it. 【Here’s the situation. My first love is a beautiful, kind-hearted girl. Although there’s a certain gap in our family backgrounds, I truly loved her. I always thought she left me back then to make a name for herself so she could be with me with peace of mind. But today I found out she’s actually degraded herself, becoming the mistress of a married old man… Tonight she’s bringing that old geezer to show off to me. Save me, guys, I’ve been crying non-stop!】 So tragic! The kind-hearted netizens were filled with righteous indignation and flooded the comment section with ideas. 【OP! Do you have a dog at home?】 【You mean I should let the dog bite him?!】 【Don’t talk nonsense. We live in a civilized society, biting people is not encouraged. I mean, if you have a Border Collie at home, it might be able to come up with some ideas for you. At least you wouldn’t be so lost.】 【OP, do you have toothpaste at home?】 【You mean I should bring it to humiliate him, tell him to brush his stinky old teeth?!】 【No, I’m almost out, I wanted to ask if I could use yours.】 【OP, do you have canola oil at home? Remember, it MUST be canola oil!】 【You mean I should bring it to mock him for being a middle-aged greaseball?!】 【No, canola oil is healthier. I can’t get used to other oils.】 … 【Hahahaha, I’m back. Thank you everyone for the comments, I’ve read them all! However, I am not the girl in the post, nor the guy in the post. I am myself, and I comment when I want to.】 【I’m a psychology major. In my professional opinion, you must be very anxious in this situation, but please don’t be anxious.】 【Don’t be sad, OP. Let me comfort you: the youth has the madness of youth, standing tall like mountains and rivers.】 【OP, I know what this is. This is the ‘groveling to win her back’ trope. First, make an appointment at the hospital for an abortion and put down his phone number. Then, buy a high-speed train ticket and run away. He will then use all his connections in City A to frantically search for you… That’s how it’s written in novels.】 The comment section was truly a case of “trouble in one place, chaos from all directions.” The original poster remained silent for a long time, then replied with a single question mark, looking even more pitiful. I had a moment of weakness. I thought about it and left a comment. 【It’s obvious that guy is bad news. He has a family and still comes out to seduce young girls. Even if OP’s first love sees reality and leaves this time, who’s to say other girls won’t be victimized in the future? OP, you seem pretty capable. I suggest you deal with that old man ruthlessly and solve the problem at its root!】 Perhaps because I appeared too normal amidst a sea of abnormal answers. Not long after, the OP added my account and sent me a large private red envelope. 【A true soulmate is hard to find!】 【Tell me, how should I deal with him?】 I clicked open the red envelope. One, two, three, four, five, six… The zeros were dazzling. I gasped and unilaterally declared— From now on, I will become the most loyal strategist for this “Why didn’t you tell me earlier” gentleman! 5 Regarding how to “deal” with the old geezer, I offered many constructive suggestions. Including but not limited to— Dropping a diaper and pretending it fell out of his pant leg; loudly asking whose dentures fell into the food; singing “Don’t Pick the Wildflowers by the Roadside” or “Perfume is Poison” during the gala performance. The OP was silent for a while. 【…A bit childish. Do you have anything more high-end? I want the kind that kills the heart without shedding blood.】 Yes, boss, I do. I deployed the knowledge I had accumulated over an entire summer. 【Did you know, there’s a secret technique to eliminate a romantic rival, and that is—make your rival fall in love with your fierce self!】 【When you and your first love become fans of the same thing, you’ll form the deepest bond! You’ll have a common language, a common goal, walking hand-in-hand on the path of love, no longer alone. Plus, you can endure the old geezer’s bad breath in place of your first love.】 【Once the old geezer falls for you, you hit him with a backhand report and send him behind bars. Not only will it make your first love give up on him, but it will also expose his true colors to his legal wife, and even ruin his descendants’ chances of getting government jobs. Three birds with one stone, how about that?】 【That’s so wicked… I mean, brilliant.】 【But Master, what if the old guy doesn’t like me?】 【Then you prepare a few more attacks, eventually something will hit the spot.】 【Thank you Master, I have reached enlightenment.】 The OP was a quick study and sent another massive red envelope. Playing the strategist for the first time, I stroked my non-existent little goatee, feeling quite satisfied. I clicked to collect the money. And realized that in just one short hour, I had already earned a year’s salary. I don’t need this crappy job anymore! I finally made it to the end of the workday, went home, and picked up my dad to head to the venue. As soon as he opened the door, I almost didn’t recognize him. The little old man had somehow produced a suit, even arranged a wig for himself, wore my mom’s thick gold chain around his neck, and pretentiously tucked a briefcase under his arm. “Dad?” “You’ve been retired for so many years, are you planning a comeback?” When my dad was young, he was a real estate agent (the unsuccessful version). He was clumsy with words, bad at selling, couldn’t bring himself to rip people off, and even often paid out of pocket to help poor people who couldn’t afford food. This led our family to struggle on the poverty line for years. Used to seeing my parents fight over money, once I got into college, I stopped asking for an allowance and started working part-time as a tutor for kids. Our university was in the suburbs, the environment was nice, and there were many villas nearby. While looking for work, I stumbled upon the biggest one. The first trial lesson. I took a deep breath and opened the door. An oversized child sat at the desk, his peach-blossom eyes curving, shooting me a charming wink. The door I had just opened, I closed again. I turned to leave, but his butler rushed out and stopped me. Crying bitterly, he said his young master was graduating and going abroad, but his English was terrible. They had brought in a bunch of teachers, but only I was left. He begged me to teach him. I shook my head. I am a person of principle. He pulled out a thick stack of cash. My eyes curved into a smile: “You’ve found the right person.” 6 Even though I lived a secluded life, I had still heard of this guy’s notorious reputation. Arthur Sterling, the little tyrant of A University. Arrogant, rebellious, with a terrible temper. He had once used his power to bully and bring over a dozen girls to tears. But I wasn’t afraid. Because I’ve heard a saying: a man’s psychology is the same as a child’s psychology. I was patient, gentle, and spoke nicely. Surprisingly, he behaved himself. During class, he stared at me unblinkingly, very focused. Although his homework assignments always made my vision go dark with errors, at least when I guided him hand-by-hand, he caught on. He was somewhat teachable. I thought to myself quietly, maybe… he wasn’t as terrifying as the rumors said. As they say, rumors are fiercer than tigers; maybe he was just slandered. I gradually let my guard down. Until one day, Arthur propped up his chin and asked lazily: “Teacher, do you mind student-teacher relationships?” … As the saying goes, there’s no smoke without fire. Rumors do have some truth to them. He wasn’t not messing with me, he just wanted to mess with me in a different way. If I said I didn’t mind. My teaching certificate would look at me in disappointment from heaven. If I said I did mind. This high-paying job would melt away like butter. Don’t do that, I still needed to save up to buy my mom a thick gold chain! After rapid brainstorming. I sat up straight, looking deeply pained. “Although I am undeniably a peerless beauty who makes fish sink and birds fall, eclipsing the moon and shaming flowers… before you speak, you should consider your status, right? The grand Young Master of the Sterling family, how could you possibly stoop to be with me? Do I deserve it? Can I reach that high? How can a toad like me hope to eat swan meat?!” I spoke with righteous indignation, just short of slapping myself twice. “Ah?” Arthur was stunned. “Sister, why would you talk about yourself like that? I just wanted to…” “Thinking about it is not allowed either! Thinking about it is a crime!” “Alright, considering this is your first offense, I’ll let it slide this time. Next time, you are not allowed to take me so seriously, got it?” “Come, look at the problem.” After much talking, I finally managed to fool him. I kept this lucrative, low-effort job, silently sticking my tongue out in my mind, celebrating my brilliance. Actually, after spending time with him, I realized Arthur was really good to me. When he saw me gnawing on plain steamed buns at noon, he would pinch his nose and toss me the bird’s nest and peach gum stewed with milk that his nanny made. The peach gum was soft and sticky, the bird’s nest sweet. After guzzling it for a month, my period cramps disappeared. When he saw static sparks flying from my polyester clothes, he threw me clothes he bought in the wrong size. That pink Hello Kitty collab sweater got me through the entire winter. It was the first time I knew clothes could be both warm and lightweight. Even so, I knew clearly in my heart that Arthur and I belonged to two different worlds. His confession to me. Was probably just a rich boy’s fleeting whim. I might as well take it as validation of my charm, smile, and move on. 7 Winter break passed, and my tutoring career finally came to an end. For the last class, Arthur was well-behaved and very calmly said goodbye to me. The heart that had been hanging in suspense finally settled down. The moment I stepped out of the villa, I waved to the man by the terrace, my steps light. Probably. I would never see him again for the rest of my life. The next day in Advanced Calculus, the young master smiled and waved at me: “Sister, what a coincidence.” Things got complicated. “Turns out we go to the same university. Looks like we have plenty of time ahead of us.” “If you don’t agree, it’s fine. I brought my tools.” ? Was this some trope where the wealthy heir aggressively throws money to pursue love? I was a bit excited, swallowed hard, ready to put up a token resistance before accepting that cold, heavy bank card. But who knew he’d pull out a hemp rope and wrap it around his neck circle by circle. “Sister, if you don’t agree, I’ll give you my life.” ? I always thought “giving your life for liberal arts” was a legend! How did I actually run into it? Who wants a useless thing like that?! That year, a mysterious legend appeared on the campus forum— A handsome guy, suffering too much from studying Advanced Calculus, openly used a swing in the classroom. From then on, the probability of humans being killed by Advanced Calculus was no longer zero. That year, for that class, the professor didn’t assign a single homework problem until finals. I guess that was the one good thing Arthur ever did.

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Fifteen days after we broke up, my ex texted me, inviting me to his wedding. My vision went dark, and I replied: “My sister passed away in a car accident three days ago.” “Her last words were that her biggest regret was breaking up with you and not marrying you.” “On her behalf, I wish you a happy marriage.” That ought to make him feel guilty enough to die. Heh. The very next day, my ex showed up at my hometown, looking travel-worn and exhausted. And there I was, in the middle of a blind date, saying: “I’m three months pregnant, you don’t mind, right?” 1 My boyfriend, Arthur Vance, treated me incredibly well. He gave me an allowance of $15,000 a month, bought me a house and a car, and planned out my career path. He helped me take my boss out to dinner, which got me a promotion and a raise. He was practically the ideal boyfriend. Until I bumped into him on a blind date. Only then did I realize he wasn’t just dating me. He was keeping me as his little canary. Son of a bitch. I begged him on the spot to delay his marriage. I could still be his little bird for a while longer. 2 Looking back, I should have been calm and restrained. Regardless of whether he went on blind dates or got married, I just needed to keep reaping the benefits. He really didn’t have any flaws. But the better he was, the gentler and more considerate he was to me, the more I imagined him being just as good to other women. Jealousy twisted my face into something hideous. I became paranoid and suspicious. We fought every single day. A perfect person like me, reduced to arguing like a shrew. Men really are no good; they always ruin perfect women. 3 After agonizing over it, I decided to break up with him. He couldn’t understand it at all. He said, “Just pretend I opened another company. Would you mind if I had to work overtime two days a week?” “You’ll never even meet. I’m here with you five days a week, and home for two. What more could you want?” “Chloe, be mature. If you leave me, where are you going to find a man as outstanding as I am?” “Doesn’t your future child need a capable father to support them?” I still insisted on breaking up. Because I had become someone I didn’t recognize, and it caused me immense pain. But Arthur, that bastard, was determined to make me realize how miserable my life would be without him. My boss, finding out I no longer had the powerful Arthur backing me, started ordering me around constantly and even made me accompany clients while they drank. Accompany his ass. I smashed a wine bottle over someone’s head and earned myself five days in the local jail. After getting out, the company fired me, and the boss went around calling me a crazy bitch… Me: … 4 I still couldn’t find a job. I had a house, a car, and used to have an allowance. But my expenses were high. To match a rich guy like Arthur, I only bought luxury brands… Even though he gifted me things, I still spent a lot… Plus, I had to maintain the villa. The maintenance fees alone were several thousand a month… I really wanted to sell it. But the housing market had crashed recently. If I sold now, I’d take a massive loss. The car was a sports car, a total gas guzzler. I wanted to sell that too, but it wasn’t worth it. And I actually really liked it. When we broke up, he didn’t give me any severance pay. I only had a few tens of thousands left in my account. I suspected this was his way of controlling me. Even though he fed me every day, he never gave me the keys to the granary. What a scheming man. 5 After watching me make a fool of myself for a while. Arthur showed up again. He reasoned with me earnestly. “See? Without me, you’re just like all those other dusty, ordinary women in society.” “You’re the one I love in my heart, isn’t that enough? Marriage is just a formality, why are you so obsessed with it?” He promised again: “Chloe, let’s get back together. I won’t get married. I’ll just be with you, okay?” I was having such a hard time back then, I really didn’t want to leave him, so I believed his lies. But subconsciously, I was just deceiving myself. We went back to dating normally. But I started selling my old luxury goods. I really lost a lot of money on them. I asked him to increase my allowance. He refused. He just wanted to keep me hooked with money. He nourished my ambition with luxury goods, making it impossible for me to return to my old life. I truly couldn’t go back to my previously simple life. Having experienced glitz and glamour, I felt using affordable things was a waste of a beautiful life. But I didn’t have the money to support it. I could only rely on Arthur. 6 He was still going on blind dates. He just hid it better. I didn’t catch him. But I knew he was going on them. I secretly checked his phone. There were women sharing photos of their daily lives with him. He would reply. Occasionally, he would send them a photo of his own life. I screen-recorded his phone. Then I sat alone in the library, thinking for an entire afternoon. What kind of life did I really want to live? 7 I met Arthur when I was an undergraduate. He came to our university for some business, couldn’t find his way, and asked me for directions. I showed him the way. That’s how we met. Later, he pursued me. He was several years older than me; pursuing me was really easy. Sigh, back then I idolized him so much. I thought he was successful, an elite. He fit the exact image of a successful person that our teachers had instilled in us. He really treated me well. When I applied for grad school, he helped me contact a mentor. I didn’t suffer much during my master’s. When I graduated, he arranged a job for me. I never experienced the pain and anxiety of job hunting. We were together for almost four years. I was still waiting for him to propose. I had hinted many times that we should settle down. He always said: “You’re still young. I want you to see the world before deciding to marry me. Otherwise, I’m afraid you’ll regret it later.” Before I knew he was going on blind dates, hearing those words moved me to death. I thought his love for me was true love. That he was genuinely trying to elevate me. Sigh, men are really good at lying. I wanted to hate him. But he treated me so well. He was more attentive and thoughtful than my parents. The money and energy he spent on me was more than my parents ever did. I couldn’t even imagine if anyone else in this world would ever love me more than he did. But I also couldn’t love him completely, turning a blind eye and deaf ear. The thought of him being intimate, sleeping with, or even having children with another woman made me want to die. 8 I lived in this state of agonizing conflict. I still couldn’t make a firm decision. In the end, what made me decide to say goodbye was his blind date coming to find me. She wasn’t arrogant or overbearing. Her last name was Chen. She looked like a girl next door. Her whole demeanor was very gentle, and she spoke softly. It wasn’t fake gentleness, but a true, deeply ingrained politeness. She apologized to me: “I’m sorry, Miss Smith, for taking up your time.” “I sought you out not to provoke you, but to tell you that Arthur truly loves you. Don’t give up on him just because we are getting married.” “I know what it feels like to truly love someone. My marriage to him is purely a business alliance. I have someone I love too, it’s just… he passed away.” “I want lovers to be together. I don’t want you to have the same regrets I do, which is why I came to tell you this. Arthur is a very good man. Once we marry, we will respect each other, and I won’t interfere with your relationship.” 9 When she said the person she loved passed away, tears welled up in her eyes. But I didn’t want to continue like this. If Arthur’s fiancée was a domineering, arrogant woman, maybe I would have rebelled and insisted on staying with him. But Miss Chen wasn’t. She had already lost the love of her life and was pitiful enough. She was the treasure in her late lover’s heart. If in her marriage, her husband kept a mistress, how lonely and bitter would her life be? How heartbroken would her lover be? Moreover… a woman as serene and unambitious as her, would Arthur truly not be moved? Even I was captivated by her aura. And Arthur had already decided to marry her. Out of all the women he had met, he chose her. Who’s to say this isn’t another form of being moved? They wouldn’t just get married directly. They would go through many dates, deep conversations, countless family gatherings, and a grand ceremony. They would hold hands, kiss, and sleep together. Arthur was inherently a gentle person. If he heard Miss Chen’s story, he would definitely feel pity for her. I hated this endless cycle of imagination. 10 I found Miss Chen. I embarrassedly asked her if she could buy the house and car Arthur had given me. Because I wanted to leave this place completely. I wanted to go back to my hometown and start a new life. Of course, bringing a large sum of money back would make the drop in living standards less drastic, allowing me to adapt faster. Miss Chen reluctantly refused me. Because she was afraid Arthur would misunderstand her. Naturally, Arthur quickly found out about this. He was furious: “Haven’t you made enough of a scene?” “She doesn’t even mind, what do you mind?” “Is your love for me really that fragile?” “Just because I’m getting married, you want to break up? Are worldly values more important, or is how well I treat you and our love more important?” He seriously told me again: “We’ll live just like before, okay? Chloe, I truly love you.” “I have to enter this alliance, or the family’s resources won’t lean towards me. I’m not the only heir; I have to fight for it. I don’t want to be a nobody, and you wouldn’t love a mediocre me either. Right?” When he said those words, I felt incredibly sad. But I didn’t even know what I was sad about. 11 I understood his ambition and aspirations. But I couldn’t be his secret mistress. So I said: “Let’s break up, I’m serious. It’s precisely because I love you that I can’t bear it. I’ll go crazy.” “I understand you, and I don’t hate you. In fact, I’m very grateful for your care.” He looked at me in disbelief. For the first time, I saw that look in his eyes. The look of looking at an idiot. Before, no matter what I did, he was always full of encouragement and love. I didn’t expect that upon breaking up, he would look at me with such eyes. He said: “Without me, how will you live? Can you guarantee the men you meet in the future will treat you better than I did?” “You don’t need to say all that to brainwash me. I can’t accept you marrying someone else.” I insisted on leaving. He said: “Since you have so much pride, don’t rely on the house and car I bought you.” I felt like a beggar whose hand was caught in the till. I couldn’t even confidently snap back at him. I had to give up the idea of selling the house and car and slinked back to my hometown in disgrace. In short, the parting was very unpleasant. 12 I felt we didn’t break up cleanly enough. Because the house and car hadn’t been dealt with properly. I should have sold them all. After all, to start a new life, I needed money too. After returning to my hometown, my mom started pushing me to go on blind dates. My family lives in a rural village. I lived in a daze all day long. Aside from washing up and eating, I just slept. Having suffered heartbreak, I needed to sleep constantly to heal my wounds. Only by remaining in a stupor could I forget the pain. But the Lunar New Year was approaching, and many migrant workers had returned to the village. My mom set me up with a guy. His first words were: “That outfit you’re wearing wasn’t cheap, right? I don’t like materialistic women.” “But I believe I can transform you into a non-materialistic woman.” He started boasting endlessly about how awesome he was, how great he was at business, which government officials were his friends, which CEOs were his bros… Spit flew everywhere. 13 Looking at this blind date, I truly felt a wave of sadness. I probably really couldn’t find a high-quality man like Arthur again. Although he was very calculating. But he was already the cream of the crop. And he was so generous. Just as I was reminiscing about Arthur. He sent me a message. He said: “I’m getting married on the tenth day of the first lunar month. Are you coming?” I was furious reading it. What did he mean? Was he coming to provoke me? I had to make him pay. So I thought about it and replied: “My sister passed away in a car accident three days ago.” “Her last words were that her biggest regret was breaking up with you and not marrying you.” “On her behalf, I wish you a happy marriage.” “I hope you don’t send any more messages to this number. It’s my only way of remembering her.” Heh, let’s see if that doesn’t guilt-trip him to death. 14 The next day, that blind date guy came over again. I had already told my mom I didn’t like him. I really didn’t know what he was doing here. The blind date guy said: “I don’t think you need to feel insecure. Even though you’re not good enough for me, I’m willing to accommodate you, so you don’t have to reject me.” Me: … I really envy him, being so confident. So I continued chatting with him. I said: “I’m three months pregnant. Since you’re so broad-minded, you probably don’t mind, right?” The blind date guy’s face changed. A ghostly voice came from behind me: “Chloe, didn’t you die in a car accident?” I turned around and saw Arthur staring at me with bloodshot eyes… 15 In just a few days of not seeing him, Arthur had completely changed. His hair was even half-white. His eyes looked like he had pulled all-nighters for several days straight. He looked haggard. I looked at him, utterly confused, and blurted out: “Holy shit, did you go bankrupt? Why do you look so miserable?” After asking that, I thought to myself, maybe I was his lucky charm, and after I left him, he lost his touch. He didn’t answer me. He just suddenly rushed towards me. I was startled. Did he want to kill me after we broke up? Before I could figure out why, he had already hugged me tightly. This man was too devious and ruthless. We already broke up, and he still wanted to strangle me? At the very last second when I was about to die, he finally let me go. Then I saw tears shimmering in his eyes. I suddenly felt he was quite pitiful. I comforted him, saying: “It’s okay even if you went bankrupt. You can still go begging. I heard beggars make pretty good money.” Arthur ignored me. He just glared at me fiercely and said: “Aren’t you already dead?” I rolled my eyes dramatically: “If you curse me during the New Year again, watch out or I’ll beat you up.” 16 The blind date guy pointed at the two of us with a trembling finger and asked: “Who is he? How can you be so lacking in female virtue? You’re not a virgin anymore, are you? If you’re not a virgin, I’m not paying a bride price.” I quickly explained to the blind date guy: “No, no, he’s not my Arthur. You can’t misunderstand. He’s a gigolo I keep. I even pay him $5,000 a month. You don’t mind, do you?” The blind date guy screamed a few times and then ran away. Before running off, he added: “I’ve never seen a woman as materialistic as you, opening your mouth and asking for $5,000. My mom raised me, it wasn’t easy, and I haven’t even given her $5,000! You’ll never get married in your life!” I was really going to die of anger. After the blind date guy ran away, Arthur was still holding my hand tightly. “Chloe, I didn’t agree to break up with you.” I found it even more unbelievable than he did: “You’re getting married, and you still haven’t broken up with me? Are you an octopus, bro?” Arthur said: “I’m not getting married.” Only a ghost would believe that. My mom was very happy to see Arthur. She asked what our relationship was. Arthur said he was my Arthur. My mom looked at his empty hands and was very dissatisfied, feeling he was impolite. Because he came to our house empty-handed. Arthur also realized this problem. He asked me to take him to town. 17 We walked towards town together. I told him: “I will not be your mistress. Give up on that idea.” He remained silent, not saying a word, just holding my hand tightly. After a long while, he asked with difficulty: “Do you really care that much about those empty titles?” I said: “If I married someone else but still continued to be with you, could you accept that?” He fell silent. I truly felt his moral compass was messed up. He actually thought that if he got married, I could continue to be with him, and he considered this completely normal. He was still trying to persuade me: “People in our circle never marry the ones they truly love, but they still stay together. It’s no different.” I looked at him seriously: “So next time you date someone, make sure you keep your eyes peeled. Check if the woman is from your circle. It’s very clear I am not from your circle.” We had reached a large bridge. Below the bridge, the river waters rolled and surged. Mist rose from the bridge surface. It gave a feeling of vastness between heaven and earth. I was actually quite happy that he came to find me. It was just that we were destined not to be on the same path, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of sorrow. But wallowing in sadness wasn’t my style. So, I still had to say goodbye to this ill-fated relationship. 18 He asked me to take him to the supermarket. I took him directly to the bus station. I said: “If you’re taking a plane, take a bus to the city first, then grab a cab to the airport. You should go.” “I’m very grateful for the years I spent with you, and I will miss them. But I really won’t be anyone’s mistress.” He said: “When I received your message yesterday, I really thought you were dead. I rushed back from abroad. I’m not bankrupt. I thought you were dead, and when I looked in the mirror this morning, I realized my hair had turned half white. I truly love you. Over these years, you must have felt it too.” I looked at his hair. Tears welled up in my eyes. He treated me well, he loved me very much. But so what? He loved his career more. He loved his power. He asked finally: “Even if I love you this much, aren’t you willing to sacrifice a little for me?” I firmly shook my head. 19 He smiled faintly at me. He looked as if he was relieved. I was a bit confused. He said: “You’ve really made up your mind to break up with me, haven’t you?” I nodded. He smiled bitterly: “Actually, it’s still because you don’t love me enough. If you truly loved me, you would be willing to do anything for me.” I said: “You’re getting married, and that’s also because you don’t love me enough. If you loved me enough, you wouldn’t go and marry someone else.” He raised his hands in a gesture of surrender: “What a sharp-tongued little girl. Truly worthy of the little girl I’ve liked for so many years and carefully nurtured for so many years.” “Can you let me treat you to one last meal?” I didn’t seem to have a reason to refuse. We went to the most luxurious hotel in the county to eat. In the private room, I ate in silence, and he drank in silence. This was probably the most oppressive, final meal we had ever shared. But I started feeling more and more off. My vision grew increasingly blurry. I even felt drowsy. In my last moment of consciousness, I saw a bizarre smile on Arthur’s lips. He had turned to the dark side. 20 When I woke up again, I was back at the place I used to live with Arthur. I looked at the iron chain on my ankle and fell deep into thought. Arthur, he was seriously ill. He must have a screw loose, right? He actually locked me up. I looked at Arthur in disbelief. He looked back at me with cold eyes, as if I had betrayed him. I asked him: “What are you trying to do?” “I just don’t want to lose you. Having you under my nose makes me feel more at ease. You really scared me this time. Look at my hair, scared white by you.” I really thought he was laughable. I was actually quite touched originally. I never expected him to imprison me. Arthur’s reasoning was extremely simple. He just wanted to lock me up. He believed that only by locking me up would I be obedient. And he also wanted me to have his child. He thought that after having a child, I would compromise because of the child and stay. And he would continue to go ahead with his marriage alliance.

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My mother-in-law sent me to feed the hogs. As I got close to the pen, a voice pierced my ears: [Here she comes! I’m going to bite her damn face off!] [Trashy bitch, how dare she sleep next to my man last night!] [Hehehe, she has no idea that I’m the one her husband really belongs to.] I froze in my tracks. I looked at the hog in front of me, glaring at me. But it was a male. A boar. 01 I thought I must still be dreaming. After all, it was barely five in the morning, and it was still pitch black out. About an hour ago, my mother-in-law, Brenda, had been at our door, pounding on it like a battering ram. I had nudged my husband, Mike. He just grunted and rolled over, turning his back to me. He reeked of cheap beer and was snoring loudly enough to wake the dead. He hadn’t stumbled home until past two in the morning. I’d had to undress him and wipe his face; by the time I finally lay down, it was almost three. I shoved him a few more times, but he was dead to the world. Brenda’s screeching had already migrated from the house to the back porch. “I didn’t raise my boy to marry a lazy bitch! Do I have to tell you to feed the damn hogs three times?!” I had no choice but to climb out of bed. 我 threw on an old, heavy coat and walked out. The hog pen was in the back lot, past a pitch-black alleyway between the barn and the shed. There were no lights, so I had to feel my way along the wall. The ground was uneven, and I stepped into several patches of deep, sucking mud. The feed bucket was sitting right by the gate of the pen. The smell of soured slop made me gag. I lifted the bucket and got close. That’s when the voice drilled into my ears, sharp and thin: [Here she is! Here she is! The bitch finally came!] I froze and looked around. Not a single person was in sight. I took two more steps forward. Inside the pen, a hog was staring at me. It was impossibly fat, covered in thick black bristles. Its tiny eyes were buried in folds of fat, gleaming with a murky, unsettling light in the darkness. It impatiently rooted at the trough with its snout. It let out two deep grunts, as if hurrying me. Then, that voice sounded again. This time, it was closer, as if whispered right into my ear: [What are you waiting for? Get in here! Once you’re in, I’m going to pin you down and chew you to death!] My hand jerked, and half the slop spilled out of the ladle. [Does the trash know something?] [The last one was smart, wouldn’t come in. I had to bite her arm and drag her through the mud!] [Hehehe…] [Dragged her back, pinned her in the trough, and started chewing from the feet up. Ate her for three days. God, that was the best!] The blood in my body turned to ice. Through the fence rails, I saw it clearly. A repulsive sliver of a human-like smile appeared on that hog’s snout. It rooted at the trough again. [Come on! Get in here!] The voice sounded again, sticky and invasive, slithering into my ear. [Put your hand in here and feed me.] The bucket slipped from my hand and hit the ground with a deafening clang. Sour, rotting sludge splattered all over my jeans, the stench overwhelming. But I didn’t care about that. I could only stare at that hog. It was still smiling. Its massive, bloated body lay there, and beneath it, I saw two large, dragging testicles. It was a boar. I pinched my thigh hard. It hurt. I wasn’t dreaming. 02 I took two steps back. I found a long, hollow piece of PVC pipe. I scooped the feed, one ladle at a time, and poured it down the pipe into the trough from outside the fence. All the while, I kept my eyes fixed on the hog. Its half-lidded eyes suddenly snapped wide open. I distinctly saw a flash of shock on its ugly face. The voice drilled out again: [What’s going on? Why isn’t the bitch coming closer?] [Don’t panic… don’t panic… think of a way to lure her in…] [Right, play sick! I’ll fall over in a second, and she’ll have to come in to check on me.] [When she gets close, I’ll pin her down. Pin her right in the muck!] [Hehehe, perfect, perfect!] I gripped the PVC pipe tighter. The hog began to eat. It took massive, sloppy bites, splattering rotten vegetables and soured water everywhere. After a few bites, it suddenly stiffened. Before it could even swallow, its eyes started rolling back in its head. White foam gushed from the corners of its mouth. Its four legs began to twitch violently. Its massive body slammed down into the manure, splashing a wave of black and yellow filth. I stood outside the pen, completely still. It was still convulsing, but its eyes were cutting sideways, looking straight at me. [Come on… come on… come in and look at me…] The mental voice sounded again. This time, it carried an undisguised smugness. [As soon as she’s in, I’ll jump her! I’m going to chew her face off!] I grabbed a heavy shovel leaning against the fence. I brought it down with all my might, right onto that hog’s skull! The hog’s whole body of fat shuddered, but it stubbornly refused to get up. But its mind screamed: [FUCK! The goddamn bitch hit me!!!] [It hurts so much, ow, why is she hitting so hard!] [Endure! She must be testing me. If I get up, she’ll know I was faking…] I raised the shovel again. Just then, a sharp, piercing shriek came from behind me: “What the hell do you think you’re doing!” 03 I turned around. Brenda was standing behind me, the fat on her face quivering with rage. “You out of your mind?! Why are you hitting the stock!” The corner of the hog’s mouth secretly twitched up. The voice slithered out, this time with unrestrained ecstasy: [Yes! My helper is here!] [This old bat isn’t any good either! She only let Mike marry that bitch because she has money!] [Once I chew the bitch’s face off, the old lady definitely won’t blame me!] [She used to send those little tramps in to feed me, too. Wasn’t that just so I could teach them a lesson for her?] [The last one got her face half bitten off. Went crazy. Hehehe…] I gripped the shovel tighter. It turns out I wasn’t the first intended victim. Brenda rushed forward, reaching out to rip the shovel from my hands. “Why is it foaming at the mouth? It was fine before! How did it get sick the moment you fed it? “Did you poison it?!” I took a step back. “Brenda, I don’t know. I just finished pouring the slop and it collapsed. I was trying to wake it up…” “Wake it up? You wake a hog with a shovel?!” Brenda grabbed my wrist in a vice grip. “How can you be so vicious! I just asked you to feed the damn thing, and you’re trying to kill it!” Her fingernails dug into my skin, making me shudder in pain. “Get in there and check on it, now!” “I…” I glanced at the hog pen, my voice trembling. “Brenda, I won’t. I’m scared…” “Scared of what!” Her voice was an ear-splitting screech. “You think this is just some ordinary hog? Mike raised this thing from a piglet! If anything happens to it, Mike is going to skin you alive!” She began dragging me toward the pen. I dragged my feet, moving as slowly as I could. The hog’s inner thoughts echoed endlessly in my ears. [Come on in, hehehehe!] 04 Just as Brenda was about to shove me into the pen, she suddenly stopped. Her eyes were glued to something inside the pen. I followed her gaze. The hog was still lying in the muck. But right beside it, something yellow was gleaming. My solid gold bracelet. I had thrown it in there during the confusion earlier. Brenda’s Adam’s apple bobbed. She swallowed hard, her eyes purely consumed by greed. The next second. Brenda had already scrambled into the pen. She bent down, her face right next to the hog’s snout, reaching out to grab the bracelet. 05 Right at that moment. The hog moved. It clamped its jaws wide, lunging at Brenda’s face! A piercing scream erupted from Brenda. It was a solid bite. The hog’s snout covered her entire face from above. Its upper teeth clamped into her eye sockets. Its lower teeth hooked under her chin. It began to chew with violent force. The hog began dragging her deeper into the pen by her face. Brenda struggled, thrashing wildly. The gold bracelet flew from her hand, rolled twice, and stopped right at my feet. I quickly picked it up. The hog’s inner voice was incredibly excited: [Bite! Bite! I’m going to bite this old bitch to death!!] [How dare she try to sleep in Mike’s bed! How dare she try to steal my man! I’m going to chew this face into pulp, let’s see how she acts then!] [Kill her! Kill her! Kill her!] Brenda clawed backward blindly, her nails digging into the hog’s nostrils. The pain made the hog bite down even harder. Its jaws ground together, crushing as if chewing through a piece of meat and bone. Brenda’s screams changed pitch, going from sharp shrieks to raspy gurgles, slowly fading into desperate gasps for air. Finally, she was silent. The hog still didn’t let go. It held that head in its jaws and shook it from side to side. Brenda’s body went limp, swaying with the hog’s movements. After a long while, the hog finally opened its mouth, huffing and puffing for air. Brenda lay there, face up, unrecognizable. There was nothing left but a mess of red and white pulp. Her nose was gone, her lips were gone, her gums were exposed, white and raw. The hog lowered its snout and rooted at her body. Then, it froze. Its tiny eyes suddenly bulged out. 06 The hog looked up. It locked eyes directly with me. The hog was stunned. Its mental voice was utterly confused: [How… what’s going on?] It looked down at the mess of flesh on the ground, then looked back up at me. Down. Then up again. [Why is this woman still standing outside?] [Then who did I just bite? I bit…] It nudged the hair on the corpse with its snout. The hair, matted with blood, was pushed aside, revealing the gray roots beneath. The hog’s eyes bulged even wider. [The… the old bat?] Its mental voice was trembling with terror. [Why was it the old bat!!] [I distinctly heard her tell the bitch to get in, why did she get in herself?] [I’m screwed, I’m screwed, I’m screwed…] [If Mike finds out I bit his mother, he’ll blame me. He was so dutiful, he listened to everything she said… If he finds out…] The hog looked up again, its eyes fixed on me. This time, the look was intensely malicious. [It was this evil bitch!!] [It was her!! She must have intentionally shoved the old lady in!] [I’m going to tear her apart!] The hog charged forward, slamming into the fence rails. The fence was sturdy and didn’t budge. It snarled at me, teeth still stained with blood and flesh. But it couldn’t get out. I turned and ran. I screamed as I ran: “Help! Help! Someone help me! Our hog is killing people! It’s eating people!!” Behind me, frantic, inhuman shrieks of rage erupted from the hog pen. I knew one thing clearly. This swine could not be allowed to live.

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My fiancé through a marriage alliance was incredibly busy; his younger brother practically handled everything for him. From delivering the contract to proposing, from choosing the house to looking at wedding dresses, he didn’t even make an appearance three days before the engagement party. His younger brother told me. “Sister-in-law, my brother is like this because he has a girl he loved but couldn’t have deep in his heart. The walls of his room are covered in her photos. Please don’t mind.” I minded very much, so I swapped my fiancé for his younger brother at the last minute. He had no objections and even happily said he would attend the engagement party. Except, on the day of the engagement, my fiancé disappeared. When I went backstage to find him, he was having a freestyle brawl with a man who looked very similar to him. “You knew I’ve been secretly in love with her for years! Why didn’t you tell me the alliance was with her?!” “Why should I tell you? There are just as many photos of her in my room as yours. Brother, you taught me: fight for what you want.” 1 “The contract… isn’t it in your hands?” I frowned at the young man in front of me. He was handsome, but he didn’t look very smart. “This… this is the contract I need to use later. Your marriage contract was eaten by the driver on the way here.” He stammered, and I looked at him suspiciously. A week ago, I added my arranged fiancé, Arthur Vance, on Snapchat. Up until noon today, he had sent exactly one message. [I’m a bit busy lately. My brother will pass by your family’s company this afternoon. I’ll have him drop off the contract. If there are no issues, sign it and have him bring it back.] I replied with an ‘okay’. Sure enough, the receptionist said someone was here to deliver a contract in the afternoon. It’s just that this guy still looked indifferent when he closed the door, but the moment our eyes met, he suddenly jumped up from the sofa. And then, holding a contract, he said the contract was lost. “I’ll text your brother and ask him to send someone else with another copy.” I couldn’t help but feel a little dissatisfied. Was the Vance family being too insincere? We finalized the alliance a month ago. I haven’t even met the eldest son, and the youngest son lost the contract he was supposed to deliver. Are they trying to show me who’s boss? Frowning, I was about to text Arthur. I, Chloe Hastings, wasn’t desperate to marry into the Vance family. There was no need to make things so ugly. “Don’t!” The man hurriedly interrupted me. “I’ll deliver the contract tomorrow. How about I treat you to a meal first and discuss the contract details on my brother’s behalf?” I looked at the tips of his red ears, then checked my watch. I nodded in agreement. While waiting for the food, he suddenly seemed to have made some sort of resolution and started introducing himself. “My name is Ethan Vance. I’m 6’1″, 162 lbs. I work out year-round, I have abs…” I frowned and cut him off. “Does this have anything to do with the contract?” Ethan’s face turned red, and he suddenly looked at me a bit pitifully. “I guess not, but you’ll be my sister-in-law from now on, so I wanted to introduce myself…” I was speechless. Looking at his somewhat pathetic but handsome face, my inexplicable anger suddenly vanished. “Okay, keep going.” But Ethan stopped talking. He stared at me quietly and suddenly spoke. “Sister-in-law, did you ever change your name?” I blinked. “No… oh, wait, yes.” If my stage name counts. He let out a long breath and then stopped chattering. Instead, he ate quietly. Although he stopped talking, he stared at me unblinkingly. His stare made me feel a bit uncomfortable. I had to focus all my attention on the food. Surprisingly, he ordered everything I loved to eat. When we parted ways, he took out his phone. Thinking I’d have to add him eventually anyway, I didn’t refuse. However, after getting home, I still sent a message to Arthur. [I didn’t receive the contract. Send someone with another copy tomorrow.] It took a long time for a reply. [My brother told me. Sorry, he’s always been rash like this. He’ll deliver a new copy tomorrow.] I sighed, thinking of Ethan’s burning gaze, then looked at the cold attitude opposite me, as if he didn’t want to say another word. I decided not to reply again. 2 Early the next morning, I saw Ethan downstairs. He was leaning against the car window, holding a folder, having waited who knows how long. When he saw me, his eyes lit up. “Sister-in-law.” He walked over quickly, his pace a bit hurried. “I brought the contract.” I reached out to take it, but he put it behind his back again. “No rush. Let’s go pick out wedding rings today first, okay?” I was taken aback. “Is this your brother’s idea too?” I was having trouble suppressing my anger, but Ethan’s tone was sincere. “No choice, he’s busy.” Fortunately, Ethan was very humorous and handsome. He chatted with me all the way. It put me in a much better mood. He took me to a high-end luxury design boutique, which surprised me a bit. I knew this boutique; my friend had her wedding rings custom-made here. But the lead time was very long. For a marriage alliance like ours, it was usually just a formality. “Sister-in-law, the lead time depends on whether the money is right.” Ethan was very serious. “Within three days, I can get you the ring you desire.” After taking my measurements, I hadn’t even figured out how to get Arthur’s size when Ethan already extended his hand. I was dumbfounded. He flashed a wide grin at me. “Sister-in-law, my brother and I have very similar builds. If I can wear it, he definitely can.” Suppressing the weird feeling in my heart, the corner of my mouth twitched. What a good brother. He handles everything, and looks incredibly happy doing it. The sales assistant didn’t hear what we were saying and looked at me enviously. “Your boyfriend is so good to you. He’s handsome and rich. Our boss usually doesn’t take rush orders; I wonder how much he paid to cut in line like this…” Another sales assistant chimed in. “And the lady is so pretty, just like that celebrity I used to see on TV. A handsome guy and a beautiful girl. Your boyfriend’s eyes are practically glued to you.” No one dislikes being praised. My face felt hot, and I instinctively tried to explain. “No, he’s…” Before I could finish, Ethan leaned in. “Thank you. We’ll come pick up the rings in three days.” A masculine scent enveloped me. Ethan stood behind me, one hand casually resting on the counter. Although he kept a respectful distance, I could smell the faint scent of cedar mixed with soap on him. There was a mirror behind the sales assistant. At first glance, it looked like he had me half-embraced in his arms, exactly like a couple deeply in love. Seeing the man in the mirror looking down at me with a burning gaze, my heart suddenly skipped a beat. Before I could turn around, he sat up straight. “Let’s go.” After picking out the rings, I brought up signing the contract again. But the moment I opened it, my gaze froze. Ethan Vance… I frowned and looked up at him. “Why isn’t it Arthur Vance’s name?” Ethan blinked and leaned in to look too. The cold scent on him was stronger. We were so close I could even see the fine peach fuzz on his face. “Oh no, messed it up again.” I almost wondered if he was doing it on purpose. The man frowned, rubbing his head in frustration. “I’m so clumsy to make a mistake like this. Sister-in-law, you’re not mad, are you?” A strong scent of manipulative sweetness. Seeing his tightly pressed lips and pitiful look, all my anger vanished instantly. “Forget it. I’ll follow up with your brother later.” But he shook his head. “My brother is too busy. You guys can sign the contract when you meet later.” I nodded. “That’s the only way.” He added. “But my brother hasn’t had any free time lately. He even finds it annoying when I text him. Sister-in-law, let’s talk about this when he contacts you.” I choked, feeling something was very off. But looking into his sincere eyes, I couldn’t bring myself to say anything. “Okay, I understand.” Seeing my agreement, the corner of Ethan’s mouth curled up slightly. “Then I’ll take you to pick up the rings in three days to see if they fit?” What else could I say? I just nodded and agreed. The three days passed quickly. Except for Ethan sharing a bunch of useless daily updates with me every day, Arthur’s Snapchat was dead silent. 3 I was already used to it. It was a marriage alliance anyway. In our circle, it was an unspoken rule that it was just a title to bind the interests of the two families. There really wasn’t much to talk about with a stranger. Instead, it was Ethan who made me suspect he might be interested in me. Every day it was ‘Good morning, sister-in-law’ and ‘Good night, sister-in-law’. After breakfast, as soon as I walked out the door, I unsurprisingly saw Ethan’s handsome face. “I picked up the rings.” He pulled me towards the car. Looking at his intimate and expectant demeanor, I felt an indescribable weirdness. When the car door opened, I was completely stunned by the sight of it filled with flowers and balloons. Ethan took the ring from the passenger seat, got down on one knee, his eyes shining. “Miss Chloe Hastings, will you marry me?” My brain didn’t process it for a moment. “What?” A flash of guilt crossed Ethan’s eyes. “Hurry up, sister-in-law. A marriage alliance still needs some ceremony. How can you get married without even a proposal?” Without another word, he took my hand and started putting the ring on. I was dumbfounded. I watched as he, with trembling fingers, tried to put it on me three times but failed. Ethan’s forehead started to sweat. “Did your brother ask you to do this too?” Seeing how nervous he was, I actually felt like laughing. Ethan was silent for two seconds, pinching the ring as if deflating. “No, he didn’t say anything. I just wanted to make it up to you.” “How can a girl get married without even a proposal?” I let out an “oh,” took the ring, and put it on myself. Ethan looked at me with bright eyes. Then, he put the men’s ring on his own hand. Faced with my confused look, he said. “I’m also seeing if it fits. I’ll give it back to my brother when we get back.” However, he dragged me shopping for a whole day, followed behind me paying for everything, and that ring stayed firmly on his hand. That night, after thinking for a long time, I still sent a message to Arthur. [Did you receive the ring?] Arthur replied very quickly. [Yes, I got it.] I let out a long sigh of relief. It seemed I was overthinking things. But for the next month, Ethan handled practically everything, showing up at my door every single day. Choosing the marital home, arranging the engagement party details, he even found the MC for the engagement party. The MC smiled until his eyes crinkled. “I’ve never seen such an attentive groom. You’re truly blessed.” The corner of my mouth twitched. I looked at Ethan, who was bustling about, and didn’t say anything. The date got closer and closer, but I still hadn’t met the legendary fiancé. Almost everyone thought my fiancé was Ethan. Who would have thought I hadn’t even met my actual fiancé face-to-face yet? Even our messages stopped at the time I asked him about the ring. Until three days before the engagement party, I texted him, feeling somewhat speechless. “We have to at least take a photo for the engagement poster, right?” Even my wedding dress was picked out with Ethan accompanying me. When he paid, a bunch of sales assistants surrounded me, praising me to high heaven. But I couldn’t feel happy. I knew neither party needed to invest true feelings in an alliance. But such a cold and dismissive attitude still annoyed me. This time, Arthur replied very quickly. [Sorry, I’ve been really busy and forgot. See you tomorrow.] 4 I tossed my phone aside in frustration and rubbed my temples. Ethan’s messages kept popping up non-stop. [Sister, I saw a stray cat at the villa entrance. Its eyes are round, really miss you.] [Typo, looks a lot like you.] The weird feeling in my heart grew stronger. I didn’t reply. Lately, Ethan was becoming more and more clingy. That weird feeling was as if we were a young couple about to enter marriage. I decided to keep my distance from him. Although it was an alliance, with Arthur’s attitude, our post-marriage life would probably be like most alliances in our circle—we’d each do our own thing. But I had no intention of playing around with his younger brother. The next day, I washed up casually and went to the bridal shop. Along the way, thinking about the envious looks of the sales assistants when I tried on the dress, and their expressions when they see that the guy taking wedding photos with me is not the same guy who accompanied me to pick the dress. I felt a somewhat malicious anticipation. I expected to see what kind of expression they would have when they saw the guy taking wedding photos with me was different from the one who picked out the dress with me. I sat in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of the bridal shop. Arthur’s message still said he would be right there. [I’ve arrived. Remember to bring the contract.] I texted him, and he replied ‘okay’. But I waited and waited, and Arthur still didn’t show up. Just as I was getting extremely impatient, a Maybach finally slowly drove up not far away. Through the window, I locked eyes with the man who had just stepped out of the car. He got out and walked towards me. 5 My phone chimed with a notification, but I didn’t open it. I just frowned tightly, looking at Ethan, who had already walked up to me. “Why is it you?” He chuckled. “I live nearby. I came to see how your wedding photoshoot with my brother is going. How is it? Going smoothly?” I didn’t speak. Ethan looked around, his surprise a bit exaggerated. “He’s still not here? Oh, my brother probably hasn’t been to this area in a long time and doesn’t know there’s traffic right now.” My mood worsened. He sat down opposite me, staring at me intently. “Sister-in-law, my brother is like this because he has a girl he loved but couldn’t have deep in his heart. The walls of his room are covered in her photos. Please don’t mind.” I was taken aback. “What?” Ethan covered his mouth, looking at me apologetically. “Did no one tell you, sister-in-law?” I stood up abruptly. I can accept a marriage alliance partner having someone in their heart, but I cannot accept them loving someone deeply while simultaneously hiding it and being with me. Moreover, I definitely didn’t want my future marital home to be plastered with photos of another girl. I took out my phone. “Thank you for telling me this. I’ll make things clear with your brother. I definitely mind this. Let’s just forget about the marriage.” My family didn’t only have one target for a marriage alliance. I had truly tolerated enough of Arthur lately. Arthur’s message was still on my phone. [Sorry, Miss Hastings, I left early but got stuck in traffic. I’ll be there in about half an hour. Please wait a little longer.] I typed a reply. [No need. There’s no need to come.] My wrist was gently grabbed. Ethan’s dark eyes stared at me unblinkingly. “Sister-in-law… no, Sister, the Vance family doesn’t only have Arthur available for a marriage alliance.” 6 I was startled. Ethan’s voice seemed to carry a bewitching charm. “Sister, I’m not inferior to Arthur in any aspect, and I’ve also reached the age for a marriage alliance.” This was practically laying it all out in the open. I looked at him in silence. “You like me?” Though phrased as a question, I was very certain. I wasn’t stupid; I hadn’t lacked suitors growing up. Ethan’s behavior recently couldn’t have been more obvious. The man opposite me smiled. He looked very good when he smiled, his eyes curving like a sly little fox. “Yes, I like you. If we change the alliance partner to me, the conditions between the two families remain the same. Is that possible?” My heart skipped a beat. After a two-second silence, I nodded. “Let’s discuss it with both sets of parents.” Even if I didn’t ally with the Vance brothers, there were the Smiths and the Johnsons. The next alliance partner might do even worse than Arthur. In short, a handsome alliance partner who likes me and takes the initiative. Accepting him wasn’t a bad thing. Ethan’s breathing quickened, and he took a sudden step closer. “Really?” I nodded, not missing the wild joy in his eyes. “I’ll tell my dad right now.” He pulled out his phone to make a call while simultaneously reaching into his pocket. Then, he put it on his own ring finger. I was dumbfounded. Isn’t that the ring? Didn’t Arthur say Ethan had already given it to him? “Yes, my brother is too unreliable. He hasn’t taken Miss Hastings seriously even now. Miss Hastings only didn’t complain because she has a good temper.” “Dad, to appease the Hastings family’s anger, I’ve decided to sell myself to them.” “Don’t worry, Miss Hastings has already agreed. I’ll perform well.” The corner of my mouth twitched. Looking at Ethan talking nonsense so seriously, I wanted to laugh. I also called my dad. To him, it didn’t matter who the alliance partner was. What mattered were the benefits the Vance family’s network could bring. He had no objections either. When the call ended, I saw the message Arthur sent. [What do you mean? Sorry, Miss Hastings, I apologize for being late, but a marriage alliance is not a game. I hope you can consider the interests of both families.] [I will make it up to you later. I’ll be there in ten minutes.] Ethan took my phone, looking like a proud rooster, and pressed the voice message button. “Brother, you don’t need to come. The cooperation between the two families isn’t terminated. Miss Hastings just decided to switch partners.” The phone rang, and I heard Arthur’s voice for the first time. He sounded somewhat angry. “Ethan, stop messing around and give the phone back to Miss Hastings.” Before I could speak, Ethan couldn’t wait to explain. “It’s true. We’ve already closed the door to take wedding photos. Don’t come over. That’s it.” He hung up the phone and suddenly buried his face in the crook of my neck. I was startled. Ethan’s body shook as he giggled. Like a cat that stole a fish, so happy he was about to jump. I withdrew the motion to push him away and let him nuzzle me. Emotions are perhaps contagious; I also started feeling somewhat happy. Ultimately, compared to the always cold Arthur, whom I had never met. I preferred the green tea puppy in front of me. 7 Arthur indeed didn’t show up again. He sent a final message. [I still must apologize. The company has been too busy recently, and I neglected you. But I must also congratulate you. I will send a generous gift to apologize at your engagement party with Ethan.] After all, he would be my brother-in-law in the future. I didn’t want things to be too awkward, so I replied “okay”. We didn’t contact each other again. The marital home, wedding rings, and wedding dress were already prepared. And since Ethan was the one who accompanied me to buy and look at all of them, changing the fiancé made things proceed exceptionally smoothly. Only the names on the engagement invitations needed to be changed. The engagement party was still set for three days later. On the eve of the engagement party, the two families agreed to have dinner together. Because of Ethan’s embellished complaints, Mr. and Mrs. Vance were very apologetic and full of praise for me. My parents had no objections either. “His dad is lazy and dumped the whole company on Arthur. He’s carrying it alone, working overtime until dawn every day. He even got hospitalized for a stomach bleed last week. He was too busy, so he couldn’t make it.” Mrs. Vance glanced at me and still explained on behalf of her eldest son. I smiled faintly and didn’t speak. I didn’t care anymore anyway. Watching Ethan run around taking care of me like I was his ancestor, my smile came from the heart. “It’s fine. It’s good for brother-in-law to be busy.” On the day of the engagement party, as guests filed in, Ethan suddenly pulled me aside. “Sister, will you only like me?” I froze, not understanding why he suddenly asked this, but still smiled and nodded. “Of course.” His face was a bit pale. “Sister, how about we just exchange rings and leave the stage? I have social anxiety.” I raised an eyebrow, not believing his nonsense at all. If he had social anxiety, then there was no one with social anxiety in this world. Ethan was acting weird today. He kept looking outside and then nervously fixing his gaze on me. I thought about it; maybe it was pre-wedding jitters. So I stood on my tiptoes and gently kissed his lips. “Stop overthinking. I don’t have any exes. Who would come to crash the wedding?” After saying this, Ethan’s body suddenly trembled. I instantly felt something was wrong and my face grew a bit serious. “You don’t have an ex-girlfriend coming to crash the wedding, do you?” Ethan pouted. “No, you’re the only person I’ve ever liked. I’m just scared…” He muttered, guiltily glancing at the main entrance where guests were being welcomed. “My heart is racing. Sister, kiss me again.” I smiled and kissed his cheek, but suddenly felt a bone-chilling coldness behind me. The next second, Ethan’s arm around my waist tightened abruptly. He swallowed hard, staring straight at the door. I turned my head and followed his gaze. Our eyes met, and a stunning face, eight-tenths similar to Ethan’s, entered my line of sight. This must be the elusive eldest brother. I thought. He was indeed good-looking, but different from my imagination. An aura of icy coldness surrounded him. But as he stared at my face, his pupils suddenly shrank, looking somewhat shocked. “Sister, Chloe, don’t look at him.” The arm around my waist tightened again, and Ethan’s panicked voice sounded in my ear. I turned my head. Panic filled his eyes. “Look at me, okay?” I chuckled softly. “Hasn’t the alliance partner been changed to you? What are you panicking about?” Perhaps this sentence gave Ethan courage. His furrowed brow relaxed slightly, and then, right in front of his brother, he buried his face in my neck and took a deep breath. “Yeah, I’m not afraid.” I was about to get up and greet the guests when he pulled my arm. “Chloe, your lipstick is smudged. Go touch up your makeup. The engagement party is about to start.” I shot him a reproachful look. It was all his fault, gnawing on me without a word like a little puppy. I turned and headed to the dressing room. When I came out, the MC ran over looking panicked. “The engagement party is about to start. Where did you two go?” I was taken aback. “Isn’t Ethan here?” He frowned. “Wasn’t he with you?” My heart sank. I picked up my dress and went backstage to look for him. Ethan… he didn’t actually run away from the wedding, did he? However, before I took two steps, I heard Ethan’s voice. Before I could relax, I heard an angry question. “Ethan! You knew I liked her! Why didn’t you tell me the alliance partner was Chloe?!” After a muffled groan, I heard Ethan’s smiling voice through the door. “Why should I tell you? You’re stupid. You lost the person you looked for all these years even when she was delivered to your door. You deserve it.” “Your room is covered with her photos. Mine has no less than yours. Brother, you taught me: fight for what you like.” I stared blankly at the door, my mind completely scrambled. The next second, the door was yanked open. Ethan’s rebellious smile froze, and his face instantly turned deathly pale.

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As the oldest unmarried youth in the family, I suffered deeply from the constant pressure to get married. Over time, I just gave up and let it be. My mom said she was so worried she couldn’t sleep. I drove two hundred miles overnight, stood by my mom’s bed at 3 AM, and pried her eyelids open. My mom said that because I wasn’t married, everyone was laughing at her. The next second, I tagged everyone in the family group chat: 【My mom says because I’m not married, everyone is laughing at her. I want to ask, who exactly is laughing at her? @Everyone】 My cousin was the first to start the chain: 【Little Brother is not laughing at her.】 Following closely was a neat line of replies: 【Auntie is not laughing at her.】 【Uncle is not laughing at her.】 【Second Cousin is not laughing at her.】 【Dad is not laughing at her.】 【…】 1 “Chloe Vance, what nonsense are you sending in the group chat? Unsend it right now!” My mom let out a piercing shriek. She casually smacked my dad: “And why are you joining in the commotion!” My dad didn’t dare say a word. I ignored my mom and tagged her in the group again: 【Mom, see? No one is laughing at you.】 My phone was constantly popping up with new private messages. My cousins were dying of laughter. 【Sis, did you get beaten up? Hahahaha】 【Sis, hold the line this year! We’re relying on you to tank the damage!】 【…】 As the oldest unmarried person on both sides of the family, I’ve been pressured to marry since I was 25. It started out very gentle and amicable, but as I got older, it gradually became more intense. I’m 30 this year. At thirty, one stands firm. I feel this is the best stage of my life. Successful career, I own a house and a car, and I have freedom. Years ago, when they urged me to date and get married, I felt a wave of confusion about the future. During the years of relentless marriage pressure, I got promoted and got raises. I don’t know where the men are, but my income is certainly looking beautiful. The message had long passed the time limit to be unsent. My mom grumbled endlessly: “I must have owed you two, father and daughter, in my past life. Neither of you gives me peace of mind.” “Chloe, I’m your mother. Would I harm you?” “Urging you to get married isn’t just to give you someone to rely on when you’re old? Otherwise, if something happens to me and your dad, what will you do?” “…” I looked at my apartment, worth several million in the city center, thought about my parents’ pensions, and then looked at my annual salary and savings. I honestly couldn’t imagine a scenario where I’d live a miserable life. At this moment, my dad chimed in: “Your mom is right. There are still many benefits to getting married.” “Dad, tell me specifically, what are the benefits?” My dad answered with genuine feeling: “Coming home from work to a hot meal, having someone manage things inside and outside the house, having kids. You’ve been excellent since you were little. As your parents, your mom and I are very proud.” “Dad, Mom makes the meals, Mom manages things inside and outside the house, and I was born from Mom.” My dad suddenly froze. It seemed it was the first time he truly realized that in marriage, my role wouldn’t be his; it would be his wife’s role. Those tangible benefits required me to be the one providing them. At least, in the traditional family concept, that’s how it is. In reality, my dad isn’t a man who never lifts a finger. He doesn’t smoke or drink, hands over his paycheck, helps with chores, and never bosses my mom around. He counts as a good man in the traditional sense. But over all these years, I still saw the various resentments my mom held in their marriage. However, my dad is educated after all, and he quickly found a breakthrough point: “Chloe, you’re a mid-level manager now. If you want to keep moving up, a stable marriage is very necessary.” My dad knew I valued my career; he precisely grasped my weak spot. “Besides, times have changed. Your income is higher than many men’s,” my dad said. “Find a man who is supportive and family-oriented.” My mom took the opportunity to speak up: “Right, Mom will find you a man who can cook and do chores. Will you go meet him?” “Mom, not only do I want him to do chores, but he also needs to be handsome, have a good body, be loyal, and not be more than three years older than me.” I paused, then slowly added, “Oh, and his income must be at least half of mine.” My mom exploded upon hearing this: “Being handsome won’t put food on the table! You also want him to make seventy or eighty thousand a year?” I’m no longer the shy little girl I was a few years ago. I speak much more directly now. “If he’s ugly, I won’t be able to kiss him, I won’t have any sexual desire, and I will cheat.” My mom: “…” 2 When I argue with them, I can hold my own against anyone. But now it’s the New Year holiday, and my mom still managed to arrange this blind date. But she is my biological mother after all. She found a blind date who actually met my requirements. I have no idea how my mom did it, but she really found an unmarried man who met all my conditions. To say something inappropriate, this is rarer than a giant panda. The blind date was set at a restaurant. Business was booming during the holidays, and it was very lively inside. My mom sent me the reserved table number. She solemnly promised that this would be the only blind date for the near future, which is why I came. After entering, I quickly found the table number. But from my angle, I only saw the back of a head. The man was wearing a black trench coat, not fat, and at first glance, his fashion sense wasn’t bad. I walked straight over: “Sorry to keep you waiting…” Before I finished speaking, I saw the face clearly, and the words caught in my throat. I believed my mom really did look for a match seriously within her network. The man in front of me had distinct features and a refined aura. And he looked very familiar. “Long time no see, old classmate.” A flash of surprise passed through the other party’s eyes, followed by a smile as he greeted me. Arthur Sterling. My mom managed to track down my high school classmate from a decade ago. You gotta hand it to her. “Long time no see.” Arthur’s appearance hadn’t changed much; he was still handsome, perhaps even more charming. “The last time we saw each other was probably the graduation banquet after the college entrance exams, right? I never expected you to be my blind date.” “I didn’t expect it to be you either,” I raised an eyebrow, asking bluntly, “What, no one wants you either?” Arthur laughed: “Yep, getting older, becoming unmarketable.” “…” I didn’t really like hearing that. After all, we used to be classmates, and we’re the same age. But Arthur was considered a prominent figure in our graduating class. Grades, looks, and a high school romance. A legendary figure who managed to tutor his girlfriend into a top-tier university. “I remember you had a girlfriend,” I smiled. “After being together for so long, you should be getting married.” This sentence was probably hitting a sore spot. Arthur was very candid: “I’m already out on a blind date, you should be able to tell: we broke up.” I looked at the man across from me, recalling his flamboyant teenage self. There’s a difference between a teenage boy and the thirty-year-old man standing before me. I don’t know if my aesthetic preferences have changed, but I think he looks better now. His girlfriend, or rather, ex-girlfriend, I also sort of knew. Over the years, I had heard some gossip from mutual friends. They were still together when I graduated college. But right now, it wouldn’t be appropriate to ask Arthur for details. Instead, we chatted about our recent lives. Hearing about Arthur’s job, I paused, then smiled. “Chloe Vance, what are you smiling about?” I laughed for a good while before telling him the requirements I gave my mom for a blind date. “I didn’t expect her to be so literal,” my smile lingered. Arthur’s income was probably about the same as mine. “So,” the man across from me suddenly said, “I meet classmate Chloe’s criteria for a mate?” 3 Classmate Chloe. A nostalgic form of address. Two 30-year-old adults using this address brought a subtle sense of flirtation. “Classmate Arthur is so outstanding. If I said you didn’t meet my criteria, I’d seem ungrateful.” We’re adults; some things don’t need to be said too absolutely. According to the process, if there’s an intention to continue developing the relationship after a blind date, we should exchange contact information. But I already had Arthur’s contact information. The year we graduated, many classmates added each other, but for the vast majority, there was no contact after that. That was the situation between Arthur and me. I even scrolled past his posts showing off his relationship in the past, and I was among the many high school classmates who hit “like.” We had a very pleasant conversation during this meal. After it ended, Arthur and I walked out together. His voice came: “I’ll take you home…” Before he finished, an Audi a few steps away flashed its lights. Arthur froze for a moment, then chuckled: “That was presumptuous of me.” I smiled at him: “I appreciate the thought. Let’s grab dinner again when we have time.” As soon as I got in the car, I called my best friend, Elena: “Did you know Arthur and Mia broke up?” It’s a habit. Whenever there’s gossip about a high school classmate, I want to share it. “What, they broke up?!” The shock on the other end of the line was palpable. “How did you know? I thought they were having kids!” I was brief and to the point: “My blind date today was Arthur.” “What!” Elena’s volume went up another notch. “You lucky girl, your family found you a blind date with such high quality?” “…” We’re getting off topic. But soon the topic returned. Elena: “I’ll go ask around.” Elena was my deskmate in senior year. We’ve had a good relationship over the years. She has an outgoing personality and good social connections. Ninety percent of the high school gossip I hear comes from her. When I got back, the house was still lively. My uncle, aunt, and their kids were all there. As soon as I walked in, I heard my mom complaining to her siblings: “This brat. I told her her dad and I were so worried about her not getting married we couldn’t sleep at night. As a result, she drove two hundred miles overnight and stood by our bed at 3 AM, prying our eyelids open…” My uncle and aunt were laughing so hard they couldn’t stand up straight. My cousins were hiding in the next room laughing. Seeing me return, all eyes instantly fell on me. “Chloe’s back? How was the blind date?” My mom spoke first, with a hint of smugness: “Chloe, Mom didn’t lie to you, right? Graduated from a top university, handsome, 6’1″, the young man looks sharp. I had to snatch him away from someone else. I heard he’s very principled and stays out of trouble.” “…” My mom has a good eye. Elena came back with the intel. She said Arthur and Mia had been on and off for over a decade. He had only ever dated that one person. They broke up half a year ago. 4 My cousins pulled me into my room, wanting to go to an all-night KTV tonight. They needed a reliable leader. My older cousins were all married, so as their older cousin, only I could fulfill this role. “Sis, how is the blind date Auntie introduced you to? Is he handsome?” I pondered for a moment, telling the truth: “Pretty handsome. He was the acknowledged heartthrob of our graduating class.” Hearing this, they got interested. “Really? Do you have pictures?” Of course, I didn’t have recent photos of Arthur; his social media posts were only visible for three days. Then, these younger ones huddled in my room and started flipping through my high school graduation photo album. “Sis, this guy is kinda handsome? Almost as good as me,” my younger cousin said narcissistically, earning a kick from his sister. “He hasn’t gotten fat or balding now, right?” “…” I took them out and we didn’t get back until past 3 AM. I really am getting older. I can’t pull all-nighters like I used to. Before going to sleep, I noticed a message from Arthur on my phone: 【Sorry, I don’t know if it’s appropriate to say this to you. If you have the intention to get married, and are somewhat satisfied with my conditions, I think we could start as friends first.】 I didn’t reply immediately, but his words ended up affecting my dreams. I dreamed of things from high school. Arthur’s appearance was very clear. He was perfectly flamboyant, the kind of student teachers favored. And I, I was always the one competing with him for first place. Once, winning against him by a two-point margin, the young man passed my desk between classes, leaving a hearty: “Impressive, top student.” Youth is too fleeting, covering up many a young girl’s secrets. There was a bit of regret, but later, as life was overwhelmed by studies and work, and I dated other people, I gradually stopped thinking about him. Arthur asked me out for dinner. Seeing him, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud: “What, is your family rushing you that much?” Arthur’s eyes curved: “Can’t it just be that I want to catch up with an old classmate?” Catch up? What kind of fairytale is he spinning? Arthur is a very humorous and witty person. Chatting with him is actually very comfortable. With his qualifications, finding someone to marry wouldn’t be difficult at all. “I’m going back to the city in a couple of days. What about you?” Arthur suddenly asked. I paused for a moment: “About the same time.” “Then when the time comes and I ask you out for dinner again, will you still be willing to come out?” That sentence made me pause. I looked up into Arthur’s smiling eyes as he said: “When the New Year is over, and we don’t have the excuse of a blind date anymore, will you still be willing to give me the time of day?” This man really knows how to flirt. “Can I ask you a question? You don’t have to answer.” Arthur said “Hmm”: “You can.” “How did you and Mia break up?” A very buzzkill question. But just like when he asked if he could still ask me out to dinner, my question was also a signal. A signal of considering continuing to get to know each other. Arthur answered after a long silence, his voice a bit heavy: “Our life paces were different. Problems that we didn’t have to consider when we were dating slowly surfaced.” “I wanted a stable marriage, she wanted freedom. We couldn’t reconcile it, so we broke up.” Arthur has decent character; he didn’t speak ill of his ex. But I could also tell he left out a lot of details. Adults must have boundaries; I didn’t press further. Because the answer wasn’t very important. We must respect everyone’s past. 5 Back in the city, my mom continued to ask about my progress with Arthur. When she found out he was my high school classmate, she practically clapped her hands in approval. “Knowing his roots like this, your dad and I are relieved.” I smiled. Not only did I know his roots, I had even witnessed his long romance. After the New Year, work resumed, and I was incredibly busy. My contact with Arthur was only maintained online. Of course, besides my mom, there was someone else very invested in my blind date. Elena. “Girl, Arthur really was the crush of many girls back then. After all these years, he hasn’t gotten fat or greasy. If I wasn’t married, I’d want to give it a try!” “You’re single anyway, just give it a try!” “…” It seems people really can’t handle being talked about. After finishing work, I received a call from an unknown number. “Hello?” “It’s me, Arthur,” the voice on the other end made me freeze. “Is Director Vance off work yet? I’d like to treat Director Vance to a meal.” That title made me chuckle: “Is Engineer Sterling not busy?” Arthur is currently a chief engineer at a famous enterprise. Given his age, that title came early and carried a lot of weight. “No matter how busy I am, I still have to eat,” the leisurely tone of the person on the other end made me vaguely recall the past. “I’m downstairs at your company. Will Director Vance do me the honor?” Since he put it that way, there was naturally no need for me to refuse. The first meal with Arthur after returning to the city opened the door for more. We would occasionally make plans for a meal, and on weekends, we’d go see a movie or an exhibition. Arthur was a very suitable date. He was considerate, knew his boundaries, and always smelled of a nice cologne. Unlike the palpitations of youth, the sense of boundaries and consideration from a mature man can also cause temporary infatuation. I could tell Arthur definitely had some feelings for me. We interacted like this for over two months, our relationship remaining strictly at the friend level. Another weekend, Arthur invited me to a bistro. The lighting was a warm yellow, and the live band on stage was singing an ambiguous English song. “Chloe Vance.” Arthur called my name. His voice was warm and very pleasant. “I…” The way he looked at me was different from usual. He opened his mouth, seeming wanting to say something. A phone call interrupted everything. His phone lay flat on the table, and with just one glance, I clearly saw the name on the caller ID. Mia. The girl Arthur had been entangled with for over a decade. She was a classmate from the class next door. At that age when everyone looked a bit awkward, she had a “first love” face and formed a match made in heaven with Arthur. The phone vibrated on the table, and Arthur hung it up. He didn’t answer the call. But shortly after, the phone vibrated for the second time. He still didn’t answer it this time, and the person on the other end didn’t continue calling. However, right after that, Arthur’s phone started vibrating every two or three seconds, indicating incoming messages. Arthur’s gaze fell on the lit-up screen, and his expression suddenly turned ugly. But he remained gentlemanly and didn’t get up to leave. I could feel his distraction. “Arthur,” I smiled. “If it’s urgent, you go ahead.” To him, that sentence probably sounded like a royal pardon. “Sorry, I…” He paused. “I’ll treat you to a big meal next time to apologize.” Even his retreating figure radiated anxiety. The corners of my mouth fell. No matter what, being stood up on a date didn’t make me happy.

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After I lost the Truth or Dare, my colleagues started cheering. “Call your ex and tell him you’re pregnant and the baby daddy ran off.” What a joke. My ex blocked me ages ago; the call wouldn’t even go through. I dialed his number, but to my surprise, he answered immediately. “Uh, I’m pregnant, and the baby daddy ran off…” The person on the other end froze for a second, then gritted his teeth: “Chloe, I’d rather die than be your fallback guy!” My heart trembled, and I let out a soft “Mhm.” Just as I was about to hang up, his voice grew noticeably irritated. “Address!” “What?” “I asked what hospital you’re at. Give me the address!” I sobered up instantly. Because I actually did have a child, and it was his. 01 From the moment I walked into the private dining room, the assessing gazes of those older, high-ranking men landed on me. They clinked glasses, and with every drink they took, a sycophantic colleague accompanied them. I tried to shrink myself down as much as possible, aiming to go unnoticed. But it was too difficult; at a round table drinking session, everyone is in plain sight. “I heard Manager Smith is the top sales rep for the UK region this quarter. Truly a woman who outshines men.” “Come on, Manager Smith, let’s have a drink.” One drink started it all, and seven or eight more followed in quick succession. A group of old creeps stared at me like hungry wolves. I smiled disdainfully. I had built up my alcohol tolerance years ago. It wouldn’t be that easy to get me drunk. After a few rounds, one of the old fogeys said with a smile: “I heard you young people like playing Truth or Dare. Let’s play a round today.” The first few rounds were normal enough. The worst punishment was just making an Omega get the WeChat of the first Alpha they met outside the door. But when the game got to me, the tone changed completely. “I remember Manager Smith is an Omega too, right? You lost, so accept your punishment and call your ex.” “Tell him you’re pregnant and the baby daddy ran off. Let’s see how he reacts.” Several men exchanged smiles. “Manager Smith, what are you waiting for? You can’t be a sore loser, can you?” “Hey, it’s not that she’s a sore loser. I think our beautiful Manager Smith is just wondering which ex-boyfriend to call.” “No way. An Omega as top-tier as Manager Smith probably hasn’t even had a boyfriend yet.” I kept my head down and smiled along. A bunch of scum. They couldn’t beat me in business, and they couldn’t outdrink me here. Now they want to play the purity card on me, huh? Old men who refuse to retire should at least bleed a little for me. I smiled: “How about we up the stakes?” The alcohol had fumigated those old guys until all they had left was lust. “Sure! Whatever Manager Smith wants to add, goes!” Is that so. I raised my foot, clad in a red-soled black leather shoe. And stepped firmly onto the leg of the man who smiled with the most malice. “Manager Lee, I heard your department is negotiating that Swiss project.” “How about giving it to me?” Manager Lee’s face instantly turned purple, like pig liver. “This…” “Huh? Manager Lee isn’t going to be a sore loser, is he?” Another manager slammed the table. “Old Lee, you’ve been dragging your feet on that project. I’m making the call on this! We play! Manager Smith, we play!” “Not just his Swiss project, I’ll give you that Saudi project too!” I smiled, my eyes crinkling. If I won those two projects, my bonus would be at least seven figures. Besides, Arthur had blocked me four years ago. The call wouldn’t even go through. I smiled lightly as I dialed the number I knew by heart. The phone rang once, and was immediately answered. “Chloe?” 02 After such a long time, that familiar voice sounded a bit surreal. Fuck… When the hell did that bastard Arthur unblock me? My colleagues grew visibly excited, urging me in low voices: “Say it, come on, say it.” The situation, which had been completely under my control a moment ago, instantly crumbled. I braced myself and stammered. “I, I just went to the hospital… The checkup said I’m pregnant, and the baby daddy ran off…” Arthur paused for a second before speaking again, his teeth gritted. “Chloe, you deserve it! This is your karma for playing with people’s true feelings!” “I really admire your nerve, daring to ask me to be your fallback guy?” “After all these years, it’s a miracle I haven’t killed you!” My heart trembled, and I let out a soft “Mhm.” But the person on the other end just got angrier, firing off sentences like a machine gun. After not seeing each other for so many years, he’s really gotten crazier. “Chloe, why aren’t you saying anything?” “I…” Just as I was about to speak, I was cut off. The voice on the other end grew noticeably irritated. “Address!” “What?” “I said address! Can you not understand the word ‘address’, Chloe?!” “Aren’t you at the hospital? The address of the hospital!” The alcohol I had drunk instantly sobered up by half. Because I actually did have a child, and it was his. A single mother, raising a daughter. He had no idea. 03 “No, I’m not at the hospital.” “Good job, Chloe. You have the nerve to call me to be your fallback guy, but don’t have the guts to admit it, huh?” “Too late. Address!” Someone tried to help by speaking up, but just opening their mouth infuriated Arthur. “Uh, excuse me, sir. Sorry, we were just playing a game with Manager Smith.” “Who the hell are you?” “Chloe, why is there another man next to you? Tell him to get lost!” “Did you hear me? I said tell him to get lost…” I hung up the phone directly. “Sorry about that. Treat it as a joke.” “About the projects Mr. Lee and Mr. Wang mentioned, I’ll go over and finalize the handover tomorrow. Thanks in advance for arranging the contacts.” After saying that, I sat down with a smile, completely ignoring their expressions or moods. Either way, I was stealing their rice bowls. Sacrificing my ex for a moment counts as reaping the benefits of my past relationship. The game continued for a while longer before the dinner officially ended. The early winter wind was biting cold. It blew my drowsy mind increasingly awake. Not heading the same way as any of them, I declined all offers to share a ride. Mr. Wang, who gave me the Saudi project, still hadn’t given up. Stumbling, he tried to lean against me. He smelled awful. “Little Chloe, we, we’re going the same way. Wherever you’re going, I’m going the same way.” I subtly sidestepped, and he lost his balance, falling headfirst. When people reach middle age, having a little extra fat is useful—it cushions the fall. I let out a gasp and quickly crouched down. “Mr. Wang, how could you be so careless?” My tie brushed across his face back and forth. He stared blankly, completely unaware that I did it on purpose. “I-It’s fine, Little Chloe. I, I just slipped and fell accidentally.” Heh, too bad the fall didn’t kill you. I kept a polite smile on my face, but internally I had already cursed his ancestors for eighteen generations. “Let me help you up, Mr. Wang.” Just as I reached out my hand, the sycophants who heard my gasp swarmed over, pushing me right out of the way. “Oh my, how did Mr. Wang fall? Hurry, let me help you up.” “Are you okay, Mr. Wang? It’s all because of these steps, they’re too slippery!” Even a sycophant who couldn’t reach him found a way to chime in frantically from the outside. “Mr. Wang, Mr. Wang, a fall takes away bad luck, and good fortune naturally follows!” I was dumbfounded. I couldn’t believe someone could come up with such a beautiful phrase at a time like this. Truly a god among men. I stepped further away, leaving this place of trouble. Just as I was about to call a car, a silver Porsche Panamera stopped right in front of me. The driver was wearing a baseball cap and a mask. Only revealing a pair of beautiful peach-blossom eyes, staring at me darkly. My mind buzzed, leaving only one thought. Run! 04 Arthur knew me better than I knew myself. A split second before I lifted my leg to run, he unbuckled his seatbelt, pulled open the passenger door, and yanked me inside. The movements were smooth and continuous, done in one breath. Afraid I would jump out halfway, he even plugged the passenger seatbelt into the driver’s buckle. “You lunatic!” He slammed on the gas, and we sped off. “Chloe, after so many years of not seeing each other, instead of catching up, your first word is to curse at me?” “You’ve grown bold, haven’t you?” I glared at him: “What is there to catch up on with you? We said it when we broke up, we’d never see each other again.” “Did I agree to break up? Did I agree to never see each other again?” “Lunatic!” Less than ten minutes after we drove off, we turned into a large courtyard. The courtyard had an underground garage equipped with strip lights. As the car drove past, the lights illuminated meter by meter. The entire garage became brightly lit. “I knew you were rich when we were dating, but I didn’t know you were this rich.” “What, regretting the breakup? If you want to come back now…” I cut him off: “No, I’m regretting I didn’t write a bigger number on that check.” Arthur ripped off his hat and mask, grabbed my collar, and bit me. The taste of blood instantly filled my mouth. Like a wild beast, only tearing and biting. I couldn’t push him away, so with my free hand, I grabbed his hair. He let out a small cry of pain. Seizing the opening, I grabbed his neck with one hand, forcing him back into the driver’s seat, and slapped him twice, left and right. The world suddenly fell quiet. Arthur slumped in the driver’s seat. On his pale skin, the handprints were clearly visible. He let out a low chuckle. I gripped his neck tighter. “Alright, I know you’re tough.” He raised both hands in a gesture of surrender, his voice growing hoarser, yet he still looked completely at ease. “Haven’t seen you in a few years, how did you get even prettier, cough cough…” “Arthur! You just took me away like that, aren’t you afraid paparazzi will photograph you and you’ll be trending tomorrow?” “Then I should thank the paparazzi.” Lunatic, a total lunatic! 05 I loosened my grip on Arthur’s neck. Pulled the door handle, ready to leave. “Chloe…” He grabbed the hem of my coat, completely losing the crazy energy from moments ago. His beautiful peach-blossom eyes were red. He sounded like an incubus, calling out once wasn’t enough, he called out a second time. “Chloe…” His scent enveloped me from behind. My legs turned to jelly. When it came to Arthur, I had a fatal attraction to him from the very beginning. I have absolutely zero resistance to guys who are bad to the bone like him. When his soft lips kissed my scent gland, his hands started teasing too. My remaining consciousness told me I couldn’t get entangled with this lunatic again. I pushed against him, panting heavily. Arthur stopped all his movements, visibly becoming happier. “You even forgot how to kiss? Haven’t dated anyone in all these years, huh?” I ignored him, took out my phone, and checked the time. It was almost 11 PM. No good, the nanny was off the clock by now. Joy was home alone. I have to go home. “Arthur, I need to go home.” “Okay.” This time Arthur didn’t argue. He picked up the baseball cap and mask he had thrown away earlier. “I’ll give you a ride.” I looked at him suspiciously: “Being so nice?” “You know I always respect you.” 06 After returning to the country, Joy and I lived in an apartment near my company. I sneaked a peek at Arthur. Tsk, what a lunatic. Whatever, I only signed a six-month lease anyway. If worst comes to worst, I’ll just move again. In short, I can’t let him know about Joy’s existence. “What are you thinking about?” Arthur’s sudden question startled me. “Ah? What? Oh, nothing.” “When you lie, you tend to repeat words.” I immediately shut up. “When you’re thinking about something, you like to pick at your cuticles.” My hands immediately separated. Arthur smiled again: “Pretty obedient.” Seeing the atmosphere in the car starting to heat up. I changed the subject: “How did you know where I was eating?” “Liam saw you. He wasn’t sure at first, so he took a video and sent it to me.” “Coincidentally, I live nearby.” I gave a sound of acknowledgement: “Oh.” He pointed at the destination on the GPS: “Is this your new house?” “I don’t have the money to buy a house.” “Then that guy at the door trying to grab your arm is your new husband?” I thought of Mr. Wang’s fat, greasy face and shook my head in disgust. “He’s your husband!” The corner of Arthur’s mouth turned up: “Why did you call me today?” “Lost a game, so I called my ex… well, I just randomly called a contact in my phone.” He nodded: “I see.” “I’ll be home in a minute. Sorry for the trouble today.” “They say a good ex should be like a dead ex. I’ll delete your contact info when I get back.” “I promise I won’t bother you again.” Arthur didn’t answer me. Unregistered cars can’t enter the complex, so he parked on the street. I opened the car door and walked out without looking back. 07 I kept looking back the entire way. Terrified that lunatic Arthur was following me. Until the very last moment when I reached the apartment door, it was still empty behind me. I let out a long breath and pressed my finger against the smart lock. “Door unlocked.” The robotic female voice sounded. The next second, the door was pulled open by someone behind me. I was pulled into an embrace and pushed into the room. In the darkness, there was only the sound of kissing. Arthur leaned one hand on the cabinet and pinned my hands with the other. I struggled uncomfortably a few times. He immediately let go, burying his entire face in the crook of my neck, his body trembling slightly. Warm liquid kept falling onto my skin. This posture lasted for a long time, until he let out a soft whimper. “Chloe, I hate you so much.” “God knows how much I wanted to kill you.” “When you called me today asking me to be your fallback guy, I was almost ready to accept it…” Before he could finish, the lights in the room turned on. Joy, who had been woken up, was rubbing her eyes with her little hands. She wasn’t wearing shoes and was holding a small bunny plushie. Her voice was soft: “Daddy, why are you home so late?” I instinctively tried to push Arthur away, but he hugged my waist tightly. His eyes went wide, his voice full of disbelief: “Kid, what did you just call him?!” I was so angry I stomped on his foot hard: “Why are you being so loud? You scared the child!” “Joy, go back and put your shoes on.” Joy, this child, looks soft and sweet like a strawberry cupcake. But inside, she’s a dark chocolate cupcake with a mischievous core. “Daddy, who is this uncle?” “Daddy, why won’t this uncle let you go?” “Daddy, is this uncle crying?” “Daddy…” “Daddy…” Every “Daddy” broke Arthur’s defenses further. “Chloe, didn’t you say you loved me the most? How could you have a child with someone else?” Joy kept up the attack: “Uncle, you’re lying. Daddy clearly loves me the most.” Arthur cried until his nose was red. I pushed him away, looked at Joy, and made a gesture of drawing a circle in place. “Joy, stay right there and don’t move. Daddy will go get your shoes.” Joy gave me a sweet smile: “Okay, Daddy.” Three or four is an age where kids are so annoying even dogs dislike them. The moment I stepped into the bedroom, Joy ran right up to Arthur. Arthur was collapsed on the floor, crying. Joy reached out and patted his head. “There, there, big doggy, don’t cry.” I had just come out with her shoes and heard Joy call him that. I couldn’t help but laugh. The next second, the little one suddenly got close to Arthur, their identical peach-blossom eyes staring at each other. “Hmm, Uncle, you look so familiar. Joy feels like she’s seen you somewhere.” Arthur instantly stopped crying, looked up, and stared at me suspiciously. My smile froze instantly. This is bad.

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For my boyfriend’s birthday, I gave him a $2 lottery ticket. It ended up winning $5 million. My boyfriend calmly said, “Thanks, babe.” I snatched the lottery ticket right back and cursed, “Who are you calling babe? Don’t get ahead of yourself.” “Give you a birthday present? Are you crazy, I don’t even know you.” Later, when I ordered male models at a KTV, I ran into my boyfriend. He poured me 10 glasses of wine. Heh. Still just after my money. Finally, he asked impatiently, “You don’t recognize the keys to a Rolls-Royce, and you don’t even recognize a Patek Philippe watch?” “Also, the minimum spend here is $300,000.” “The red wine you just ordered, one bottle is $1.2 million, another is $1.8 million, and there’s one for $2.6 million.” “8 male models, $800,000 appearance fee.” “You’ve spent a total of $6.7 million.” I turned my head, looking at him in shock, and murmured, “Babe…” He sneered, “Excuse me, do I know you?” 1 My boyfriend is a senior student at my university. He was pretty easy to pursue. I pretended I couldn’t understand Advanced Calculus and asked him to tutor me. He agreed. Then we went to an empty classroom. I sat next to him while he explained the problems. As he tutored, I just kind of leaned into his chest. I looked at him with my big, watery eyes and said, “Senior, my chest really hurts.” He remained as still as a mountain, looking down at me. I grabbed his long, slender hand, placed it on my chest, and said, “Right here, what should I do?” “You’re so thirsty.” That’s what he said. 2 “Huh? Do I have a fever?” I slipped my hand inside his shirt, “Let me see the temperature difference between us.” His chest was so hard. I was half-lying on his lap, and that felt pretty… you know too. Hehe. I rubbed against him purposefully. Then I got up. Sitting completely on his lap, I pressed my forehead against his: “Am I hot? I don’t feel it.” I looked into his eyes. He has really beautiful peach-blossom eyes. I looked at his high nose bridge. And the thin lips below it. I said, “Senior, you’ve been explaining for so long, you must be thirsty, right? Let me give you some water.” And then I kissed him. My senior was actually playing hard to get at first. 3 Using the experience I gained from watching 800 adult videos, I finally managed to turn him on. Then the two of us kissed passionately in the empty classroom. I guess that meant we were officially together. I couldn’t help but sigh. Everyone said he was aloof and untouchable, but I thought he was pretty easy to get. I hadn’t even given him the red string bracelet I braided myself, the pen I’d used for 5 years, or the little potted plant growing in a water bottle. For the next while, whenever I didn’t have class, I went to find him to make out. I was a freshman. He was a sophomore. I didn’t even know how much I actually liked him. But I felt like I was coming out of a long period of sexual repression and was dying to sleep with him. It was just extreme curiosity. Now that I was in college, my phone usage wasn’t restricted anymore. I started binge-watching those videos again and browsing adult forums… Every night before bed, what I watched left me feeling itchy all over. All I could think about was sleeping with him. Then the next day, I would definitely drag him to an empty corner, kiss him enough, and touch him enough. I was waiting for him to invite me to get a hotel room. 4 It’s not about whether a girl should take the initiative or not. It’s just that I felt if I invited him to a hotel, shouldn’t I be the one paying for the room? I couldn’t let myself fall into that moral dilemma. But when he was with me, he was clearly excited too, he just wouldn’t say the words. I couldn’t figure out what his deal was. My two roommates who were dating had already experienced that. Whenever I asked, they’d just say I’d understand once I experienced it myself. Which only made me more curious. I was practically dying of curiosity. Until I saw his ID card. His birthday was coming up. I quickly asked him, “Babe, what are you doing for your birthday?” He said, “I have to go home on my birthday.” He paused for a second: “It’s not convenient to take you back just yet.” I quickly expressed my understanding. He said, “The day before my birthday, I’m treating everyone to dinner.” 5 According to the dating traditions at our school, that meant he would invite his bros, and I would bring my roommates and best friends. But normally that was for dinner in the evening. After eating, everyone would go play all night. Yes. Getting to college is true freedom. It’s so fucking awesome. I thought about how with so many people there in the evening, they would probably give him gifts. If my gift was shabby, I’d be laughed at. Which wouldn’t be good for my mating prospects for the next four years. So I said, “Then during the day we can have some alone time, and the others can give you gifts later.” He nodded. 6 I really wanted to know where we could get a hotel room for free. If I didn’t get to sleep with a handsome guy like him, I’d regret it for the rest of my life. Plus, he wasn’t materialistic yet, so he seemed like an easy catch. The day before his birthday arrived. It happened to be a Saturday. We planned to stick together the whole day, and then have dinner with our roommates in the afternoon. To be honest, I was broke. I assumed everyone around me was broke too. Maybe just slightly richer than me. Anyway, our dorm always grouped together to score freebies and buy tissue paper for ten cents a pack. So, I assumed he was broke too. The watches he occasionally wore, I figured were knock-offs. Of course, I didn’t recognize the brands anyway. I was too embarrassed to ask him, afraid of hurting his pride. Besides, what’s wrong with being a little vain? Wasn’t it just that he blamed me, his useless girlfriend, for not being able to spend money on him? 7 I held his hand and said enthusiastically, “Senior, today is your birthday, and the first birthday we’re spending together. I’m going to give you a very unique gift.” A slight smile appeared on his lips: “This is actually the first time you’re giving me a gift.” My heart skipped a beat. He was actually keeping track of this? He had given me an Apple phone and an Apple laptop. Because when I couldn’t finish my assignments, I complained that my phone and computer were trash. When we went to the cafeteria to eat, I swiped his card. If he forgot to give me his card to swipe, I would only get plain rice and free seaweed egg drop soup, to make him feel guilty. I looked at him carefully and asked, “Are you guys really that petty? Keeping track of something like this?” He shut his mouth and stopped talking. I felt the atmosphere get a little awkward. I held his hand and started making empty promises: “I’m a little poor right now, but don’t underestimate a poor youth. When I strike it rich in the future, I’ll definitely treat you well and bring all the gifts in the world to you.” He glanced at me and just said, “Oh.” 8 Until we walked up to a small store with “Lottery” written on it. I pointed at it and said, “Babe, this is where our dreams originate.” He looked at me with a confused expression. I pulled him by the hand, and boldly and generously said to the owner, “Give me a lottery ticket!” I turned back to my boyfriend and said, “I’m giving you the chance to win 5 million.” “This is more meaningful than any other cheap gift.” The owner stared at his watch, unable to speak for a long time. I picked his birthday numbers and combined them with mine. The owner printed it out. Then handed it to me. He took a picture of the lottery ticket. I asked, “Who are you sending that to?” “Since it’s such a meaningful gift, of course I have to make it a reality.” Wow. I looked at him admiringly. He was really good at bragging. I’d brag like that too in the future. 9 We found another empty little corner and made out. I felt two hotel key cards in his clothes. I was shocked: “Who are you sleeping with?!” “Tonight’s for us.” I was instantly overjoyed. Tears of joy practically drooled from the corner of my mouth. In the evening, we had dinner with our roommates. They went out to play. We were getting ready to go to the hotel. We happened to pass a lottery stand, and it was time for the drawing. We stood there to see if we won. I hadn’t held out any hope. Result: We won! First prize. I was so excited I couldn’t speak. 10 He smiled, eyes curving, and said to me, “Thank you for the birthday gift, babe. I really won 5 million.” In that moment, I thought a lot. My mind traveled across mountains and rivers, even anticipating a courtroom confrontation. I snatched the lottery ticket right back and cursed, “Who are you calling babe? Don’t get ahead of yourself.” “Give you a birthday present? Are you crazy, do I even know you?” The lottery stand owner was stunned. Winking at me frantically. Praising me for doing the right thing. He was stunned too… Only I wasn’t stunned… I grabbed the ticket and ran. I didn’t go eat with him, and I didn’t go to the hotel. I didn’t sleep at all that night. I kept thinking, I’m rich now. How am I going to splurge and enjoy life?

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I started online dating my stepbrother. Online, he calls me “baby,” buys me the most expensive gaming gear, and throws money around to win a gemstone cufflink I casually mentioned liking. But offline, because I’ve always coveted him, my stepbrother hates me. With one hand in his pocket, he warned me with disgust, “If I ever hear those disgusting words from your mouth again, get the hell out of this house. Understand?” 1 Clutching my package, I nodded silently. Arthur Vance was already used to my dull demeanor. He walked past me, taking large strides toward the door. He’s been very busy with his company lately, always coming home late, sometimes even pulling all-nighters there. I know he doesn’t want to see me. I only came back this weekend to grab some clothes because the housekeeper said he hadn’t been home much recently. I didn’t expect to run right into him. My fingers tightened around the package, and I forgot how I even walked into my room. It wasn’t until the door was shut tight that I leaned against the wall and slid down to sit on the floor. I don’t know how much time passed before my phone vibrated a few times. It was the special notification sound I had set for someone. I raised my hand, wiped away the coldness on my face, and opened the chat. My online boyfriend, with his stick-figure avatar, asked: [Baby, did you get the package I sent you?] I drew that stick-figure avatar. It was just a few rough, simple strokes, making it look particularly comical. Staring at the screen, it took me a long while to finally crack a smile. [Got it.] [Good, try it on and see if it fits. I checked the weather forecast for your area, the temperature is dropping soon. Keep warm, don’t get sick.] My online boyfriend added: [I’ve been a bit busy with work lately and haven’t had time to play duos with you. I’ll definitely make it up to you when this busy period is over. Don’t be mad, okay?] Of course I wouldn’t be mad. My online boyfriend has already done enough. We met on a gaming forum. He mistook me for a girl and took care of me in every way. Later, when an accidental voice call revealed I was a guy, his attitude didn’t change at all. Three months ago, which happened to be the one-year anniversary of us adding each other as friends, my online boyfriend confessed his feelings. He said: [I never thought I could like a guy, but if that person is you, I actually don’t mind it at all.] [If you also like guys, would you be with me?] At that time, I had just moved back into the college dorms. The three days before I moved back happened to be my birthday. I was pushed to drink too much by my classmates and lay unconscious on the sofa. I happened to be discovered by Arthur coming home. Drunk out of my mind, I hugged his waist directly and said things I shouldn’t have said. That very night, my suitcase was thrown out the front door of the Vance family home. Arthur held an umbrella, watching me coldly as I got drenched in the rain. “Are you sober now?” “Move to the dorms. From now on, I don’t want to see you in this house.” Because I chose to live on campus mid-semester, I was placed in whatever room had an empty bed. My roommates were from different majors; to me, they were just strangers. I sat on my bed, listening to them laughingly schedule a time to play basketball. When the door closed, I was left alone in the room. It was then that I saw my gaming partner’s confession, and I accepted. Perhaps since the day Arthur rejected me and kicked me out, there was a knot of resentment in my heart. I thought, Arthur doesn’t like me, but there’s bound to be someone in this world who does. 2 My online boyfriend knew nothing about this. I also understood this was unfair to him. When the initial enthusiasm faded after the first few days, all that remained was endless guilt. I admitted my mistake to him, telling him that my agreement that day was an impulsive moment. On the other side of the chat, my gaming partner was quiet for a long time. [It’s okay, I’m very glad you could tell me the truth.] [If, if you don’t find me repulsive, and maybe have a faint bit of fondness for me, could we try?] That one try has lasted until now. He constantly checks the weather forecast for my area and buys me the most expensive gaming gear. Not long ago, he asked for my address and bought me seasonal fruits. Since then, he frequently sends me things. [So you’re in New York. We’re not far apart then.] [Once I’m done with this busy period, let’s meet up, okay?] I agreed. My online boyfriend was so good, I originally thought I had already forgotten Arthur. I opened my closet and stuffed my heavy clothes into my suitcase one by one. This piece was bought by Arthur, that piece was also bought by Arthur. Even on my nightstand, there was a photo of Arthur and me. If it hadn’t been for that loss of control and confession, I could have kept my secret hidden and continued being Arthur’s good little brother. Unfortunately, he found out everything. It was my own insatiable greed. As someone with no blood ties to the Vance family, being raised until I was eighteen was already a blessing. Why did I still want more? Closing the door, I left the Vance family villa. Uncle Wang, the driver, said he would give me a ride. Just then, a cool sports car stopped in front of me. The person inside took off his sunglasses. “Leo Hastings! Good on you, coming back without even telling your brothers?” “If Chloe hadn’t said she saw someone familiar at the station, I wouldn’t have even known you were back. How about it, want to hang out with the guys?” 3 I’m not a member of the Vance family, nor am I Arthur’s biological brother. My mom brought me along when she dated Arthur’s dad for a while back in the day. Unfortunately, right before their wedding, a car accident took them both. Arthur could barely be considered my stepbrother. But the Vance family refused to acknowledge this. When I was about to be sent to an orphanage, it was a thirteen-year-old Arthur who stopped me. “He is my brother.” Arthur stood in front of me. Back then, I only came up to his waist. I had to look up to see his shoulders. From then on, I stayed with the Vance family. After all, my status wasn’t official, and few of those heirs from prominent families actually took me seriously. Mark was one of them. I looked at his flashy sports car and smiled: “Mark, how about I treat you to a meal to apologize?” “One meal isn’t enough! Come on, get in, I’m calling the shots today!” The private room was full of familiar faces, and everyone started chatting animatedly. I gradually relaxed. Mark opened a bottle of wine and sat next to me. “Hey, what did you say?” “What?” “About you moving to the dorms.” Mark curled his lip, “Your brother is such a bro-con. He used to treasure you so much, arranging for a driver to pick you up and drop you off every day, and picking you up himself when he had time.” “Did those old farts in the Vance family say something? You just turned eighteen not long ago, and they want to kick you out? Or, did you and Arthur have a falling out?” The fact that I liked my brother was something only I knew. Later, on my eighteenth birthday, my brother found out too. I shook my head and replied to Mark, “Neither.” He wanted to ask more, but my phone chimed again. It was a message from my online boyfriend. My online boyfriend asked: [Did the clothes fit? Check the pockets, there’s a little surprise inside.] I jerked my head up. Crap, I left the package from my online boyfriend at the house! 4 At the corner of the hallway, I called Auntie Song at the house. I had originally hoped she could bring the package out to me, saving me the trouble of going back and annoying Arthur. But Auntie Song had a family emergency and had just taken a leave of absence. “There’s no one at the Vance house right now, and the young master isn’t there either. Leo, why don’t you go back and get it yourself?” Arthur wasn’t there. My eyelashes fluttered, and I replied: “Okay.” Mark had been drinking and could only walk me to the door. He leaned his head against another friend, his eyes already a bit glazed, and waved at me. “My birthday is next month, remember to come!” I nodded, agreed, and got into the car heading back to the Vance house. Arthur wasn’t there. I couldn’t tell if I felt more relieved or more disappointed. Even though he had spoken so harshly, even though I had decided to let him go, I still wanted to see him. The door to the Vance house was slightly ajar. I hesitated at the entrance for a moment, looking up. All the windows were pitch black; no lights were on. It was dead silent all around, only the faint chirping of insects from the bushes nearby could be heard. Perhaps Auntie Song was in a hurry when she left and forgot to close the door tightly. I felt slightly more at ease, pushed the door, and walked in. The package I forgot this afternoon was in the room on the second floor. I walked forward a few steps in the dark, but my foot accidentally kicked something. The object tumbled onto the carpet, making only a faint sound. I turned on my phone’s flashlight and looked closely. On the soft wool carpet lay a gemstone cufflink quietly. It sparkled brightly under the flashlight’s beam. And the owner of this cufflink was leaning haphazardly on the sofa not far away. His burgundy tie was loose, and a few buttons of his shirt were casually undone. His suit jacket was tossed aside. Seeming to sense the dim light, the man frowned, and his breathing grew slightly heavier. Arthur was home. 5 Still in the posture of bending over to pick up the cufflink, I froze in place for a moment. My gaze swept over Arthur inch by inch. Then I hastily turned off the flashlight. My vision darkened. My other senses became sharper. I smelled the scent of alcohol floating in the air. Arthur had been drinking. Or maybe he was drunk and simply fell asleep on the sofa. I didn’t dare turn on the light again. I fumbled my way upstairs and grabbed the package from my online boyfriend. I really should have left right then. Otherwise, I wouldn’t make the last bus back tonight. But passing by the living room, I held my breath. In the darkness, the sound of another person’s breathing became exceptionally clear. Accompanying it was the sound of my constantly accelerating heartbeat. Arthur liked peace and quiet. After moving out of the Vance family’s main estate, he didn’t keep many people in the house. Just Uncle Wang, Auntie Song, and me, a brother completely unrelated to him. But today Auntie Song took a leave of absence, so there was no one to take care of him. Leaving him lying on the sofa like this all night, he’d definitely have a headache when he woke up. Two little people were fighting in my heart. One little person said: [Why care about him? When he wakes up, he won’t remember your kindness, he’ll only find you more disgusting.] The other little person said: [He’s asleep anyway, he won’t know who did it.] I put down the package and fumbled my way into the small kitchen. The recipe for hangover soup was something I pestered Auntie Song to teach me back then. At that time, I still didn’t understand what liking someone meant, but I had an inexplicable possessiveness towards Arthur. Even the hangover soup he drank, I had to make it myself. I served a bowl of hangover soup and placed it on the coffee table. Finally, I found a blanket and lightly draped it over Arthur. Having done all this, I silently said in my heart: [Brother, I’m leaving.] However, the next second, the living room lights flicked on, and a voice bordering on sarcastic came from behind me. Arthur’s voice still carried the hoarseness of a hangover. “Don’t put on an act in front of me.” “Leo, what did you put in the soup?” 6 Screech. The hangover soup was pushed aside, the ceramic bowl making a harsh scraping sound against the coffee table. Arthur raised his hand to press his temples and scoffed: “Having those kinds of feelings for your own brother, do you really think I’d drink something you made?” My restless heart felt as if it were being ruthlessly squeezed, then released, repeatedly, until it grew cold. Ever since I misspoke that day, everything I did was seen by Arthur as having an ulterior motive. So I turned around and drank the bowl of hangover soup in one gulp. Setting the bowl down, I suppressed my voice, “Is that acceptable now?” Without waiting for Arthur to reply, I took large strides towards the door. As my hand gripped the doorknob, I added one more sentence, “I promise, I won’t do it again.” I promise I won’t pester Arthur anymore, won’t annoy Arthur anymore, and won’t appear in front of Arthur anymore. Blasted by the cold wind outside. I picked up my phone to change my ticket. But my hand was shaking so much I couldn’t tap on the page. By the time I managed to click through, my vision had blurred again. The words on the screen blurred into blocks of color, and I couldn’t read anything clearly. I forgot how I made it back to school. I only remember that by the time I arrived, I had already missed the first class of the morning. Fortunately, the professor for that class didn’t take attendance. I lay in my tiny dorm bed, sleeping soundly. Until my roommates came back with takeout and started talking loudly while gaming with headsets on. I pushed back the bed curtain. “Holy crap, Leo, why didn’t you make a sound when you were in the dorm?” A roommate slurped a mouthful of instant noodles. Upon seeing me, his eyes lit up, “Leo, bro, when I was playing basketball yesterday, I heard people saying that the CEO of South Game, Mr. Vance, is your brother?” “One of you is named Vance, the other Hastings. You didn’t take your dad’s last name and the other took your mom’s, did you?” “Leo bro, I have a friend who really wants to get into South Game, but his resume got rejected several times. Young Mr. Hastings, could you maybe help out? Just as a favor to me, open a backdoor for him?” I’ve always been clumsy with words and don’t know how to refuse people. When I was eight, my mom’s relatives somehow found out where I was and waited at the gate of the Vance family’s main estate. The moment they saw me, they started crying about how hard their lives had been these past years, how they had exhausted their fortunes trying to find my mom and me, and how unexpected it was that fate allowed us to meet again. While clutching my sleeves and wiping their tears, they greedily eyed the massive Vance family estate. I brought them to Arthur. Those relatives bowed and scraped before the young Arthur, exposing their true nature in no time. They said they were willing to stay and take care of me, as long as they were paid a small salary. I hid behind the sofa, quietly watching those people. The uncle with a beer belly, who forcefully seized the house after my grandmother died, kicking my mom and me out onto the streets. The aunt with newly permed hair, who conned my mom out of her last bit of savings, leaving us to hide in a freezing rental without heating, surviving on nearly-expired cookies for two months. It was as if Arthur had eyes in the back of his head. He ignored those relatives’ pleas, reached behind him, and pulled me out from behind the sofa. “Leo, do you want them to stay?” Of course I didn’t want them to stay, but faced with their crocodile tears, I hesitated. “If you want them to, say yes. If you don’t, say no.” Arthur ruffled my slightly curly hair, “No matter what you want to do, I’ve got your back.” I didn’t dare to look at those relatives’ hateful glares and answered honestly, “I don’t want them to stay.” The next second, those relatives were thrown out by the bodyguards. Once the door closed, all the howling and cursing could no longer be heard. I don’t know what else Arthur ordered, but I never saw them again. “Good job.” Arthur pressed a cherry into my hand, “A reward for a good kid.” At that time, I felt all cartoons paled in comparison; my brother was my superhero. Now, I don’t have a superhero anymore. I have to be my own superhero. I climbed down from my dorm bed, grabbed a textbook, getting ready to head to the library, and casually replied, “Can’t do it.” When the dorm door closed, I could vaguely hear an exasperated voice from inside, “Who is he pretending to be?!” 7 Studying really is something that numbs a person. I went to classes straight for a week. When I opened my game on the weekend, I realized how long it had been since I talked to my online boyfriend. Fortunately, he seemed quite busy lately too and hadn’t sent me many messages. [If you’re free this weekend, want to play some games together?] [The new item is pretty good. I bought one for you, it’s in your mailbox, remember to check it.] [By the way, did you see the gift I sent you?] Mentioning the gift reminded me that I had left in a hurry last time and ended up leaving the package behind. Auntie Song was still on vacation and probably wouldn’t be back for another three days to help me mail it. So I told the truth, [Sorry, I left the package at home. I won’t be able to get it for a few days.] My online boyfriend seemed to be waiting in front of his screen; his reply was almost instantaneous. [Okay, no rush.] [I bought you that gemstone cufflink you said looked nice last time. I hope you like it.] Even though I knew my online boyfriend had money, I never imagined he was this rich. If I remembered correctly, that gemstone cufflink sold for over ten million at auction. When my online boyfriend asked me about it back then, I just casually said it looked nice. And he actually gave it to an online friend he’d never even met without batting an eye? I took a sharp breath, deleting and rewriting my message in the chat box, [That’s too expensive. Please give me your address, and I’ll send it back to you once I get it.] [As long as you like it. Don’t worry about anything else. I also don’t want the gift I gave you to become a burden.] My online boyfriend, sporting his stick-figure avatar. [If it really feels like a heavy burden, then why don’t you log on more often and meet up with me more? Just consider it a return gift.] I checked my bank account balance. Needless to say, Arthur had provided for me all these years. The long string of numbers in my account was enough for me to squander for a lifetime. When the time comes, if I have the chance, I’ll give a gift of similar value back to my online boyfriend. Thinking of this, I stopped refusing and accepted it. However, during our matches tonight, my online boyfriend made frequent mistakes. He seemed to be in a bad state, stepping into small traps multiple times. The randomly matched teammates were talking trash, so I just kicked them out and played duos with him. Another match ended. I looked at our disastrous record, feeling a bit of heartache for the rank I had achieved after staying up several nights. [Are you doing okay lately?] [Sorry, my bad.] My online boyfriend and I sent messages at almost the exact same time. He was silent for a moment, [I’m okay, just a little problem at home.] Having known him for over a year, my online boyfriend was exceptionally calm in every situation. It was hard for me to imagine what kind of issue could make him so troubled. Seeing me ask, my online boyfriend didn’t hide it. [It’s nothing, I just realized I have some misunderstandings with the kid at home. It’s my fault for neglecting his feelings usually, and I might have also given him some wrong guidance.] This was the first time I heard him mention it. It seemed this was a family member he cared about very much. [When things calm down, you can find a chance to communicate with him properly.] My last family member didn’t want me anymore. I didn’t have family anymore. So, I hoped my online boyfriend wouldn’t end up like this. 8 We played games until dawn. After exchanging goodnights with my online boyfriend, I put down my phone. At the Vance house. Arthur propped his hand against his brow, pausing for a moment. He picked up the water glass beside him and went downstairs to pour some water. The villa was exceptionally quiet. When he looked up, Arthur subconsciously glanced toward the room on the second floor. It was empty inside, most of the things had been packed away. And the original owner of that room was the one he had driven out himself. An unprovoked sense of irritability welled up. Arthur put down the glass. As he was leaving, he accidentally caught a glimpse of a cardboard box sitting in the corner. Auntie Song wasn’t there, and Arthur didn’t come home often either. He had no idea how long that box had been sitting in the corner. Perhaps it was trash that had been forgotten to be thrown out, or maybe it was a package bought who knows when and forgotten. Arthur didn’t pay it any mind. He had just taken a few steps towards the stairs when he returned as if possessed. The package was opened; inside was a familiar-looking jacket. If he remembered correctly, he had bought two similar matching jackets not long ago. One for himself, and the other for his online boyfriend. So it was a jacket. Arthur casually tossed the jacket onto the sofa. Clack. Arthur looked down. A small burgundy square box fell out of the jacket pocket.

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In the middle of the night, my husband received a text message. 【They say you got married. If you’re happy, then there’s no need to reply to this message.】 My husband didn’t move. He waited until I finished reading it before laughing: “Learning how to check up on me now?” He looked completely open and natural, without a hint of guilt. I calmly put the phone back. I didn’t say a single word. Until the early hours of the morning, I watched him carefully weigh his words before replying to that number. 【How have you been these past few years?】 1 Under my clear-eyed gaze, Liam showed a momentary flash of guilt. “Why are you awake? Did I wake you up?” My eyes fell on his phone screen, which had lit up again. Suddenly, I felt a wave of profound boredom. “No, just go to sleep.” Liam clearly let out a sigh of relief. He carefully pulled back the covers and lowered his breathing. I turned my face the other way. But I could clearly see the light from his phone flashing on his side. There was no need to say it out loud. We both knew who that number belonged to—Elena. She had finally… come back. 2 Everyone knew. Elena had chased Liam for three years. The usually aloof Liam was gradually moved by her, and on the day of her birthday, he promised to grant her one wish. What would Elena’s wish be? Everyone implicitly understood. But when the fireworks went off, Elena was nowhere to be found. Until someone pushed open the door to that private room. She was tangled up with one of Liam’s close friends. Seeing Liam, her eyes widened in terror. “What are you doing here?! Who is that?! You shouldn’t be…” She pointed at the man on the sofa. Belatedly covering her body. Fate had played a massive joke on both of them. Elena had given the aphrodisiac to the wrong person. The wind was very strong that day. She put on her clothes, her face covered in tears, “Liam… can we… still be together…” Liam stared at her. His voice hoarse, he looked away, “It’s already past midnight, the wish is… void…” She left the country in tears. To this day. I glanced at the calendar. Three days later, it would be her birthday again. Her birthday. Time to make a wish again. 3 Before the storm hits. Everything is as calm as a normal day. Liam was adjusting his tie again. He looked at me seemingly casually, “I’m going on a business trip in a few days.” My hand brushing my hair paused. I only asked one question, “In how many days?” He didn’t look at me. He just turned his face away, “Three days. I’m going to Seattle. Is there anything you’d like? I’ll bring it back for you.” What else could I possibly want? I put down the comb. Submissively helped him adjust his tie. “When you get back, I’ll tell you what gift I want.” Liam chuckled. “Making me guess riddles again. What if I bring something back and you’re not satisfied?” His question… I ultimately didn’t answer. I thought to myself. No matter what he brought back. I wouldn’t be satisfied. 4 I didn’t need to deliberately ask around to know Elena’s updates. Among our mutual friends, everyone was posting pictures on social media of the souvenirs she brought back. Only Liam and I didn’t receive anything. A friend said, “But she clearly said she prepared a big gift for everyone, especially for Liam—” The friend stopped talking. The entire room fell silent. We all knew what that “big gift” could be. The friend smiled awkwardly, “Maybe it was a private gift, something not meant for the public eye, hehe…” Someone coughed dryly as a reminder. The friend immediately tried to backpedal, “I mean, a physical gift, not offering herself…” The friend covered her mouth. I smiled. And downed the remaining half-glass of alcohol in my cup. “Let’s get together next time. I have things to do.” I hadn’t walked far. When I heard the friend’s frustrated voice. “Ugh, look at my stupid mouth!” 5 Liam and I originally shouldn’t have ended up together. The twist of fate between him and Elena was too dramatic. With an experience like that, no one would be willing to play second fiddle. But unexpectedly. During a blind date, I met Liam. I treated the meal as a catch-up between old friends. When I was about to leave, he pulled me back. “Are you waiting for me to go back and wait for news?” I froze in place. He spread his hands, “This blind date, I’m not just going through the motions. I’m serious. I’m very satisfied with you, Chloe.” I was only one month away from turning thirty. And Liam appeared. Not much romantic history. Emotionally stable, no bad habits. We understood each other’s social circles, and his total assets exceeded mine by an order of magnitude. I had to admit. He was already the ceiling of the blind date market. And just like that. I had a second date with Liam— At my house. He brought expensive gifts, even showing the sincerity of a formal marriage proposal. We skipped all the dating procedures. But we didn’t miss a single step of the marriage process. We just ended up together like that… I’m not saying I didn’t try to change this kind of life. Taking advantage of Liam having a bit too much to drink. I once asked him: “Are you content with the rest of your life just being so unchanging?” Liam looked at me right then. His eyes obscure, carrying a hint of a smile. “Rebellious, unforgettable… those things are fine to experience when you’re young.” Liam fell asleep. Amidst his soft, drunken breathing, I couldn’t help but wonder. Who was his “unforgettable”…? 6 Just like in many novels. When things reach this point. Elena would inevitably come to provoke me, the legal other half. But she was very smart. She added me using a burner account. In every single picture she posted, Liam wasn’t in the frame. But I was too familiar with him. The silhouette reflected in the snow. The hand with intertwined fingers with Elena. He carefully took off his wedding ring, leaving only the indentation on his ring finger. I stared at the snowy landscape and laughed out loud. So it wasn’t Seattle. It was Aspen. 7 When he came back. He wore the smile I was most familiar with, “I didn’t tell you in advance, I wanted to give you a surprise!” I didn’t reach for the beautifully packaged gift box. Liam acutely sensed something was wrong. He frowned slightly, “What’s wrong? Not happy?” I glanced at his gift box. I spoke calmly, “This brand has a boutique right here in the city. There was absolutely no need to trouble you to go to Aspen for it.” Liam’s expression froze on his face. He silently put down the gift bag, “That was my oversight. I took a detour to Aspen from Seattle and forgot to tell you. If you don’t like this gift, what do you like? Or should I ask someone to buy it in Seattle?” He lowered his eyes. Unfastening his tie as he spoke. His wedding ring sat perfectly on his finger. As natural as if he had really just gone on a business trip. If, that is, I hadn’t seen the small, reddish mark on his neck. He came over and gently hugged me. His tone gentle. “Wife, don’t be upset.” 8 Seemingly desperate to prove something. Liam was exceptionally passionate. I avoided his lips and said something incredibly mood-killing, “You have something on your neck.” Liam gave me a very strange look. It wasn’t until he came out of the bathroom that he stiffly explained, “I must have eaten something out of town and had an allergic reaction.” As meticulous as he was. When he consciously made a mistake, his lies were airtight. I didn’t press further. You have to catch a thief with the loot. Ding— My phone and his rang at the same time. It was Elena in the group chat. 【I’m going back abroad next week. Before I leave, let’s have a farewell dinner for me!】 At the end was the location of the hotel she had booked. Liam frowned slightly and looked at me, “We still shouldn’t go…” He didn’t finish his sentence. Our eyes met. “We’re going.” He looked at me quietly. Finally, he conceded, helpless but indulgent: “Alright, as long as it makes my wife happy.” 9 After all these years. I finally met the real her after she and my husband had a physical relationship. At the door of the private room. She wore a high-slit cheongsam, smiling brightly as she hooked her arm through Liam’s. “Chloe, you’re so slow, I came specifically to wait for you.” Our eyes met. We both understood the meaning of “specifically waiting.” Liam suddenly grabbed my arm from behind. Elena turned around. From my angle, it seemed I could see her eyes turn slightly red, “Liam is so protective of his wife, he can’t even stand being apart for a moment.” Liam’s expression was natural. He simply put his arm around my shoulders, “Naturally, my wife is more important than anything else.” The other friends burst into laughter. Only Elena lowered her eyes. When she looked up again, she let go, gave a radiant smile, and twirled in front of me. “Chloe, look, does my outfit today fit the domestic aesthetic?” Before I could speak. She added another sentence herself. “Someone told me I look especially beautiful in a cheongsam.” I looked up and glanced at Liam, “The cheongsam is beautiful. For instance, Liam really likes it when women wear them.” In the private room. All the laughter stopped. Everyone’s eyes gathered on us. Liam didn’t say anything. He took a sip of his wine before taking my hand and holding it up to the table. “Yes, I like it best when my wife wears it.” Others smoothed things over, arranging the food and drinks. Elena drank a little too much, her smile clearly showing bitterness. “Chloe, if I hadn’t made that mistake back then…” The wine. I didn’t drink it. Instead, I laughed softly, “Aged wine is sweet. Good thing you guys made up for the regret of not having sex back then.” The people sitting close by widened their eyes. “Enough!” A stern shout. My words were sharply cut off. The hand Liam used to hold his wine glass was trembling slightly, betraying his emotions. He let out a breath. His gaze turned to Elena. “Did you drink too much, talking nonsense to my wife?!” Her breath hitched. Her eyes instantly turned red, tears falling heavily onto the table. The others hurriedly handed her tissues, urging Liam to save her some face. Across the crowd. I looked at Liam. “You’re clearly yelling at me, but to maintain peace, you scold your lover. Doesn’t it break your heart?” Their movements all stopped… I stood up, breaking into my most sincere smile. “After all, you guys just finished sleeping together in Aspen, and you’re already turning on her so quickly. Liam, you’re so ruthless after getting what you want. How heartbroken Elena must be? “Stop acting, hurry up and go coax her.” In the chaotic private room. Liam sat rigidly in his seat. Elena even forgot to cry, covering her mouth in panic, “Liam, I didn’t tell her…” I smiled. I didn’t miss the flash of triumph in Elena’s eyes. “I also never thought a guy like Liam could keep you obsessed for so many years. “A few days ago for your birthday, I didn’t get you anything. “Today, consider this my belated gift.” In front of everyone, I pulled out the divorce agreement I had prepared long ago. In the quiet environment. I could clearly hear Elena’s breathing become rapid. As I opened the cover. My wrist was suddenly grabbed tightly by someone. Liam’s eyes were dark. “Chloe, it’s not what you think.” 10 Our friends tactfully cleared the room. Only Liam and I remained. His Adam’s apple bobbed violently. After a long while, he finally managed to say, “I… did contact Elena.” I looked at him. And didn’t reply. A few minutes later, his voice was strained: “But I never had any thought of abandoning our family.” I waited a long time. And didn’t get a follow-up. Getting impatient, I simply picked up my bag to leave. He instantly blocked my way. “Chloe! Listen to my explanation! “Back then, if it weren’t for me, Elena’s first time… wouldn’t have been given to someone else…” He spoke rapidly. I sneered: “So you felt a lot of regret, and now you finally had the chance to make up for it?” He frowned, “You’re being too extreme. I only took her to Aspen once… even if you didn’t expose it, once she left, we wouldn’t have contacted each other again.” “So you think what you did was right? The only mistake was that I shouldn’t have exposed it?” Faced with my questioning. Liam remained silent. Just before I pulled the door open to leave, he suddenly said: “Before we got married, it’s not like you didn’t know about what happened between her and me…” The heavy door was pulled open. I stood frozen in place. Everyone hadn’t left. Elena was surrounded by friends, looking pitiful, “These past few years, it’s been so hard living abroad. But if there was any other way, who would want to leave their hometown…” I walked towards her. Elena dropped her act, her expression guarded as she backed away step by step, “Chloe, you…” I raised my hand high. Before it even fell, she curled up and gasped. Behind me, the urgent sound of leather shoes rang out. I smiled, leaned in close to Elena, “Don’t worry, I won’t hit you.” Behind me, Liam approached. The un-fallen slap landed fiercely on his face. Smack! A crisp sound. Everyone gasped. Elena’s eyes immediately turned red, “Liam—” My palm tingled slightly. I shook my arm. My gaze fell on Liam’s shocked eyes. “Hitting her is illegal, hitting you isn’t.” The pent-up frustration in my chest finally dissipated slightly with that slap. I left the place alone. I’d leave the mess for Liam to clean up. 11 I hired people. And smashed all the renovations in our house to pieces. Wood panels fell. Drywall crashed to the floor, piece by piece. The air was thick with dust and smoke. When Liam returned, you couldn’t even see the expression on his face. He was stunned. It wasn’t until I paid the workers their final balance that he ran over and demanded, “Chloe, what are you doing?!” This was the home I once shared. Every plant, every tree. Soft furnishings, hard furnishings, I designed and arranged everything myself without anyone else’s help. My husband cheated. I couldn’t just design a wedding dress for someone else. I bent my eyes apologetically, “Destroying what I designed, so it doesn’t become an eyesore for Elena later. “I remember she likes the princess style. “Mr. Sterling, why not hire me to design it again when the time comes?” My sincere suggestion made Liam’s eyes turn red. He grabbed my shoulders, losing his composure, “When did I ever say I wanted to live with Elena?! You are the mistress of this house! Chloe, how far are you going to take this? You even destroyed our home, and you’re calling me Mr. Sterling. I already said I never thought of abandoning our family, Chloe!!!” He yelled and yelled. Then he paused slightly, staring at me and smiling bitterly again, “I was even thinking about settling things with Elena and coming back to coax you. “Forget it, if the house is smashed, it’s smashed. We can just renovate it again. “Wife, are you no longer angry now?” I pried his hands off my shoulders little by little, correcting him, “Just five minutes before you walked in, I received another message from Elena.” I shoved my screen in his face. This time, Elena’s burner account sent me a live photo of Liam. He was driving her home. In the live photo, he clearly said to her, “When things calm down with Chloe, I’ll go to France to see you.” Liam’s face turned pale. But that wasn’t enough. I laughed from the bottom of my heart. “To prevent her from un-sending it, the moment I saw it, I forwarded it to the family group chat and the friends group chat. “It’s past the time limit now. “No one—can un-send it.” 12 I moved back to the apartment I had before I got married. Liam was overwhelmed. Juggling his family and friends, he temporarily had no time to come bother me. Both family and friends were trying to persuade me. He only slipped up once, and for the sake of that extra digit in assets, I should endure it for a bit. Especially when a friend brought me the latest news about Elena. She canceled her flight. Her departure was indefinitely postponed. After a moment of silence. I told my friend, “Then wish her good luck.”

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