Category: English

The year I asked for a divorce, Caleb Thorne had only one request: give the Thorne family a child. After five years of struggling, I finally got pregnant. But instead of joy, he pinned me against the wall like a madman, eyes red, demanding to know whose bastard it was. I stared at the vasectomy report he threw in my face, eyes stinging, voice gone. No wonder it took so long to conceive. It turns out he had cut off my path from the very beginning. For a moment, I just wanted to laugh. Laugh until I cried. “Yes, I cheated.” “I admitted it. Will you let me go now? Caleb.” 1 Midnight. The man I hadn’t seen for two months pushed open the bedroom door, carrying the biting cold of the snowstorm outside. I had just turned a page of my parenting book. Suddenly, a shadow fell over me. His icy hand grabbed my wrist, dragging me all the way to the bathroom and pinning me against the cold tiles. “Explain.” The damp, freezing tiles made my back shiver. I tried to get up, but he pinned my wrists back down. “Explain what?” I stared straight back at him. His dark pupils were full of mockery, his gaze dropping to my still-flat belly. “What do you think?” “While your husband is overseas, you couldn’t wait to carry some wild man’s seed just to complete your task?” The bathroom light was dim. In five years of a cold, distant marriage, this was the first time we faced each other with such hostility. —Because of the unformed child in my belly. I looked at the unmelted snow on his shoulder, my eyes suddenly reddening, a mocking smile on my lips. I thought he rushed back overnight from New York, thousands of miles away, braving a blizzard. Because he was moved by the new life inside me. I even despicably hoped. That the birth of this little life could ease our stalemate. Unfortunately, I guessed wrong. He imprisoned me here, staring at me with bloodshot eyes, to condemn me. For a moment, I found it ridiculous: “You think I cheated?” “What else?” He sneered, his tone even colder. “Five years of marriage and nothing. I leave, and you’re pregnant?” “Pearl, sometimes I really admire you. To be able to diligently act out the role of a woman desperate for a child for five years.” “Were you running to the hospital every day really to prepare your body? Or was it to lay the groundwork for this moment, making this pregnancy seem logical?” Every word dripped with malicious speculation. I listened to him in a daze. After a long while, I clenched my white knuckles and suddenly laughed: “Is that what you’ve always thought of me?” “The baby is eight weeks old. Before you left, we did it once. If it’s not yours, whose is it?” “When the baby is big enough, we can do an amniocentesis DNA test. Why label me a cheater now?” Seeing me defend myself, he laughed aloud, his thumb grinding maliciously on my belly: “My child?” “Then please explain, given that I had a vasectomy five years ago, how exactly did you get pregnant with this child!” Smack! A dazzling white vasectomy report was slammed next to my face. My eyes turned red, completely stunned. 2 Ten years ago, the Thorne family went bankrupt. To break up with him, I aborted our child. Later, he rose again, went to great lengths to marry me, saying I owed him a child. Five years into the marriage, to conceive as soon as possible, I visited every hospital. I, who couldn’t even drink coffee, drank bowl after bowl of nauseating traditional medicine without blinking. I was afraid of pain, yet I let the needles prick my lower abdomen until it was bruised all over. The pain turned into a morbid desire. That was my hope to cut off the past. Once I have a child, I can leave here without burden. Just as he said. We would owe each other nothing. His company was always busy. I had to calculate my ovulation period while avoiding conflicts with his schedule. The man now was nothing like the boy who craved physical touch back then. He was cold and abstinent, no longer keen on intimacy. And I always worked double hard to arouse his interest. Stockings, uniforms, bunny tails… But his reaction was always cold. And that scrutinizing look. It made me feel ashamed from body to soul. Years of effort yielded no results. Of course, I suspected it was Caleb’s problem. That was the third year of marriage. I tentatively asked his assistant and checked all his past medical reports. The next day at the dinner table. He threw two latest reports at me. With many detailed items attached. His was perfect without any abnormality. Mine clearly stated. [Uterine lining is thin, difficult for fertilized egg to implant.] What did he say then? Oh, he looked at me coldly, like looking at a clumsy clown: “Pearl, don’t you know best where the problem lies?” Someone who once hid from everyone to undergo such a painful D&C surgery in a private clinic. How could I have the right to blame him now? I still remember my face turning white with embarrassment. But now. He tells me he had a vasectomy long ago. Then what do the ridicule and torture I suffered in these five years trying to conceive count for? 3 My hands were trembling, shaking so much that tears blurred the words in front of me, fingertips white from gripping. I threw the report in his face, asking with a trembling voice: “Caleb Thorne, is it fun to play me?” If silence and tears cannot earn respect. At least anger can. Temporarily. “Watching me drink medicine and take injections, seeking doctors everywhere, being tortured like a madwoman, are you happy?!” “I told you long ago the Thorne family doesn’t lack a child, YOU wanted to conceive!” He interrupted sternly. “But you promised!” My tears fell uncontrollably, choking so much I couldn’t speak a complete sentence, “You promised, as long as I give you a child, we’re even…” He looked at my tears, silent for a long time. I don’t know how long passed before the man in front of me finally calmed down. Before my “betrayal,” he was the one who set up this scam. He pulled the corner of his mouth with difficulty. “Yes, I did say I would let you go, before you explain clearly.” “After all, I’m not interested in wasting my life on a shameless woman.” Explain? What does he want me to explain? Why did I disappear for four hours at that banquet? Why lie to him with the excuse of my period? And why did the playboy second son of the Jiang family, whom I dated after our breakup, also happen to leave early? 4 Cold wind mixed with snowflakes hit the glass window. The rustling sound was particularly clear in the quiet night. I said: “Nothing happened between him and me.” This was the answer I gave Caleb after thinking for two hours. As soon as this pale defense came out, a substantial piece of evidence was thrown in front of me. —A surveillance video of me stumbling out of a hotel room in the middle of the night. “Now, what else do you have to say?” After a long while, I pinched my white fingertips, my tone calm and numb: “Yes, he sought me out, wanted me to ask you to help his family. I refused.” “And then?” “He pestered me for a few hours, suddenly asked if I really wanted a child, said he could help me.” “Then what did you do?” The mockery in his eyes grew. “I escaped.” I looked up, meeting his scrutinizing gaze. His gaze was sharp as a knife, determined to find any trace of lying on my face. But the mist covered my almond eyes. Except for the redness around the eyes, he could see nothing else. Just like he couldn’t distinguish if my words were sincere back then. I touched my lower abdomen, speaking hoarsely: “Your vasectomy is your business, but I haven’t been with other men. This can only be your child. If you are willing to believe, I can keep it.” “No need.” He didn’t hesitate for a second. “Pearl, the one aborted ten years ago deserved to be called my child.” “But this one now, will never be acknowledged by the Thorne family.” The dusty past was suddenly brought up. He saw the blood drain from my face as he wished, his eyes full of undisguised pleasure: “I’ve already scheduled an abortion for you, tomorrow.” “Some chances only come once in a lifetime. Don’t you think? Pearl.” The heating in the room was strong. But I still felt a bone-chilling cold spreading from my chest to my limbs. It turns out he scheduled the abortion on the plane back. The interrogation was just to confirm his guess. Like a cat playing with a mouse. He just wanted to see me panicked and speechless to vent the hatred in his heart. Not really caring about the truth. After a long while, I released my hand from my abdomen weakly and suddenly laughed: “Yes.” Some chances only come once in a lifetime. So the second chance God gave us. I don’t want it anymore.

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I once co-starred in a BL drama with Caleb Vance. That year, we were both rookies, and thanks to that show, we became overnight sensations. With bright futures ahead of us, neither of us could break character. Even after filming wrapped, we were still drawn together by the emotions from the script. So, we had a brief, secret romance. The reason it was brief was that while the show was airing and at its peak popularity, Caleb said to me: “Perry, I’m out of character now.” When we met again, Caleb was a top-tier A-list celebrity. And I was a has-been who had quit the industry years ago, trying to make a comeback. 1 Meeting Caleb Vance again happened at a small gathering five years later. It was the birthday of Sue, the director who cast us in our first drama. I was invited to her birthday party. Five years had changed a lot. Sue had a few too many drinks and came over to sit in the corner with me. “Perry, if you hadn’t sent me ‘Happy Birthday’ and ‘Happy New Year’ texts every year, I would have thought something happened to you.” I smiled. “Thanks for caring, Sue. I’ve actually been doing okay.” Sue’s eyes revealed complex emotions. “It’s such a pity. If you had seized the opportunity back then…” Before she could finish, the door to the private room was pushed open, and a tall figure walked in. I looked up, and my gaze froze. The room was dim, but that face needed no introduction. Caleb Vance. The top A-list star. With hit dramas airing for five consecutive years, his value was self-evident. He was the darling of every major platform. At the same time, he was my co-star in my debut drama. And my ex. Even if only for a little over a month. Five years ago, both he and I were rookie actors who took on Director Sue’s project. It was our first work. From the table read to the wrap party, it took less than six months. At that time, our acting wasn’t natural enough, and the director wasn’t satisfied. So, we practiced privately, starting from reading lines to practicing kiss scenes. When the show aired, the intense chemistry the audience saw in the kiss scenes was something Caleb and I had practiced. However, after filming wrapped, the withdrawal set in. I couldn’t adapt to the abrupt end of intimacy and the return to our original positions. Many times, I dreamed of returning to the set, remembering Caleb’s face and the words he said. The way his peach blossom eyes looked at me. And his kisses. Some feelings sprouted uncontrollably off-camera and grew wildly. For the first time, I tasted the bitterness of love. The drama aired quickly, and Caleb and I met again as the leads. Preparing for promotion. At the cast dinner that night, we both drank. I deliberately kept my distance, burying the feelings I shouldn’t have had. That night, many crew members got drunk, so we booked rooms in the hotel next door. My room was next to Caleb’s. Walking side by side to our doors, I maintained my rationality and said goodbye to him. The door opened. I was about to walk in. Suddenly, a force came from behind, pushing me into the room. Immediately after, the person behind me stepped in and closed the door. Before I could react, I saw Caleb, who had been silent all night, pinning me against the door. Just like in the drama, he grabbed my waist and neck, lowering his voice to ask: “Perry, can I kiss you?” 2 He asked, but he didn’t intend to seek my permission. As soon as the words fell, the kiss surged forward. Shock flashed in my eyes, and I instinctively tried to push him away. But the man was built strong; I couldn’t push him away. And the muscle memory from the past few months made the kiss seem natural. I wrapped my arms around his neck. The withdrawal of the past month had been too hard to bear. This kiss seemed vengeful, igniting a fire while filling the emptiness in my chest. I was thrown onto the hotel bed by Caleb. He pressed down, and the kiss changed flavor. It was then I realized that I wasn’t the only one who hadn’t moved on. I am two years older than Caleb. That night, he whispered “Perry” in my ear many times. But without the camera, Caleb was much more reckless. Like a puppy, he bit people, leaving licking kisses on my body, telling me with a hoarse voice: “I wanted to do this to you on set.” My heart tightened, completely occupied by the aggression in his eyes. Caleb and I became official. That year, the BL genre exploded. For newcomers like Caleb and me, it was undoubtedly an overnight success. During the broadcast, he and I met almost every day for videos, livestreams, and various events. Our popularity skyrocketed at an alarming rate, albeit very flimsy. Scripts came one after another, but not all were good scripts or roles. For Caleb and me, focusing on promotion and fan service was important at the moment. The ambiguous marketing shown in front of the camera was nothing compared to us in private. Caleb wasn’t as gentle as he looked. Overwhelming fame is always intoxicating. At that time, I imagined a future with Caleb, but I didn’t have time to think further. As the drama neared its end, I clearly felt Caleb drifting away. He replied to my messages less frequently and stopped initiating conversations. Until the last joint event. After it ended, I wanted to talk to him. But Caleb spoke first. He said: “Perry, I’m out of character now.” I froze. The intimacy of that period turned into the phrase “out of character.” Caleb said: “It wouldn’t be good for either of us if this got out. Let’s just… pretend it never happened.” He detached quickly, took on the next script, and joined the new cast. I couldn’t pester him. First, I couldn’t bring myself to stalk him; second, I didn’t want to ruin him. At least he was honest and decisive. My withdrawal was even more painful. Unlike what Caleb envisioned, I didn’t continue in the entertainment industry. Too many things happened that year, and I quit. For the next five years, I didn’t appear again. Netizens went from initial regret to forgetting me. In contrast, Caleb’s popularity rose steadily. A crime drama two years ago catapulted him to top-tier status. Slowly, the work that gave us our start became a past he couldn’t mention. The face in my memory overlapped with the person in front of me. Caleb was right there. “Sue, Happy Birthday.” Sue smiled, the corners of her mouth rising in a nice arc. “Hey, Mr. Vance graced us with his presence to bless me. Of course I’m happy.” “Aren’t you still filming?” When Caleb walked over, he had already greeted everyone along the way. Now he chuckled lightly: “Just wrapped up, rushed over immediately.” Sue looked at him, then at me: “Caleb, remember him? This is Perry.” So Caleb’s gaze finally slowly fell on my face. Those peach blossom eyes that usually charmed everyone weren’t very warm right now. They held a depth I didn’t understand, and the smile on his face faded. Probably didn’t want to see me. “I remember,” his tone was flat. “Long time no see, Mr. Perry.” Mr. Perry. Before, he called me Perry, or bro. Before I could say anything, I heard him ask: “Is Mr. Perry planning a comeback?” 3 When Caleb asked this, I was actually a bit surprised. In my view, we parted ways five years ago. His current status isn’t something I can touch. To him, I’m just an irrelevant person. “Caleb, how did you know?” Sue smiled. “Perry is different from before. He’s funding himself to be a director. He’s handling the script and casting personally.” This was actually why I contacted Sue. Times have changed. The subjects she films now are very different from the past. Even if I wanted to audition for her, it wouldn’t be easy. I thought I had no connections in the circle, and having quit for years, I was basically a nobody. “This kid, if he didn’t want to find a few suitable actors, he probably wouldn’t have contacted me.” I laughed: “Sue, if you say that, I’ll be embarrassed to ask for your help in the future.” Sue has a hearty personality. She patted my shoulder: “Perry, the market is different now. I’m not sure if your money will go down the drain, but if there’s anything I can help with, just ask.” Caleb was pulled by her to sit down. Not long after, people in the private room came over one after another to toast him and Sue. To my surprise, Caleb drank every glass. I remember before, he didn’t really like drinking. When we socialized together, I always found ways to block drinks for him. Of course, now I don’t have that standing, nor that intention. The party ended. Sue was drunk and was helped away by her assistant. Others slowly dispersed too. I was about to call a car when a figure walked out from behind me, voice devoid of emotion: “Where do you live now? I’ll drive you back.” The familiar yet strange voice made me pause. “No need, Mr. Vance,” I looked back calmly at the man in front of me. “I won’t take up your time.” He was already wearing a mask, and the exposed eyes held no emotion. “It won’t take up time,” a black car slowly stopped by the road. Caleb said, “Besides, we can catch up.” Actually, I didn’t know what there was to catch up on between him and me. When he proposed breaking up back then, he was eager to clear ties with me. Thinking of this, I suddenly looked into his eyes with a flash of insight. In those eyes that once mesmerized me, the color was calm. “Mr. Vance, don’t worry. No one else will know about what happened before. Let’s just pretend it never happened,” I said. I intended to give him peace of mind. It’s been five years. I’m not that petty. He walked fast and climbed high in these five years, but he walked it step by step. I couldn’t do anything to ruin his career. For the sake of that initial palpitation, I also hope he does well. 4 Unexpectedly, after hearing my words, Caleb’s eyes grew colder. The phone showed the driver was over a hundred meters away, but the man beside me suddenly walked past me silently and got straight into the car. I couldn’t read his emotions. Probably relieved, so he couldn’t be bothered to pretend with me. My car arrived. That night, I rarely dreamed of Caleb again. 20-year-old Caleb. Young, at an age not yet savvy about the ways of the world. Not professionally trained, said to be scouted. Just started acting, knew nothing. I was only slightly better than him, guiding him bit by bit. My brief romance with him wasn’t actually that unforgettable. It just ended abruptly, making it hard to forget. The images in the dream were like a revolving lantern, without logic. The intense kiss scenes on set and the reckless kisses in private became nightmare-like existences. As the saying goes, one shouldn’t meet someone too amazing when young. Waking up, back to reality. I sat up holding my heavy head, washed up simply, packed my luggage, and went to Hollywood. Contacting Sue was actually almost six months ago. Later, my crew was assembled, suitable actors selected, and filming is currently underway. Yesterday was Sue’s birthday, and I specially went to congratulate her. Budget insufficient, all expenses must be calculated carefully. The emotional fluctuation brought by seeing Caleb again after five years quickly returned to calm after returning to the set. During my absence, the crew’s progress didn’t lag. This is still a BL story. My partner is a newcomer who debuted two years ago, named Leo. Good looks, lacking a real opportunity to shine. Coincidentally, he is also 20 years old. Just like Caleb back then. Sue introduced him to me. This young man didn’t really want to take this kind of role. He refused at first. I felt it was a pity, rare to find a suitable candidate. Later Sue persuaded him, and he agreed. I asked her how she persuaded him. The famous Director Sue laughed: “I said Caleb Vance became an instant hit after working with you. You bring luck to your partners. So he agreed.” “…” “Perry, you’re back?” Leo walked over grinning. This kid was shy when he first arrived, but now he gets along well with everyone on the crew. “How was shooting yesterday?” I asked him. “Sister Lulu made me shoot the monologue a dozen times. I’m really scared of her,” Leo put his arm around my shoulder like a buddy. “Perry is better.” I habitually comforted him: “Lulu just wants to capture the perfect shot. Cooperate with her more.” “Got it, bro. Do we need to rehearse tonight’s scene?” he suddenly asked. Tonight’s scene. I suddenly remembered, tonight we are shooting my first kiss scene with him. To be an actor, to film a love story, kiss scenes and bed scenes are inevitable. I chuckled: “Sure.” Although it’s a kiss scene, it’s all filmed in front of the camera. It doesn’t matter where we rehearse. I kissed Caleb in front of the camera for months back then; I’m long immune. When guiding Leo, I could even calmly suggest which angle he should kiss from, how he should breathe, and how his eyes and movements should tease. The young, energetic lad’s ears turned red. Like this kind of green young man, actually the most fun.

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Waiting for my vasectomy, I found a top-voted post: “What’s the cruelest revenge on a man?” The top answer: “Pretend to be his best friend, then steal everything he’s proud of.” “I did this to my childhood friend. His parents see me as their real son, giving me a higher job than him. His wife—his high school sweetheart—gave me her first time in his newly renovated home. His kids? Mine. They call me ‘Daddy.’ With one word, she got him to agree to a permanent vasectomy. Idiot.” “Perfect. Now he’ll never have kids.” Comments were mixed, but many asked: “Why destroy him?” The poster admitted: “He was better than me at everything, always arrogant. I hated him. So I took over his life—piece by piece.” “Right now, he’s alone at the hospital, waiting for surgery. Meanwhile, I’m with his wife, planning to use this box of condoms tonight.” His latest photo showed a thirteen-pack of Magnums on my bedroom nightstand. 1 The moment I saw that photo, my blood ran cold. I finally realized that the pathetic fool pitied by over a hundred thousand people… was me. And the person who wrote that post was, without a doubt, the man I’d considered my best friend my whole life: Marcus Finch. “So what if you all flame me? You can talk trash online, but in the real world, I’m the one driving a Bentley, living in a mansion, and sleeping with another man’s beautiful wife. My life is straight out of a power fantasy novel!” Marcus was completely unfazed by the criticism, even taunting his detractors. “It’s anonymous anyway, so no one knows who I am. Might as well show you something even better.” He posted another picture. A woman in a bunny costume was sitting at her vanity, her back to the camera. Her figure was enough to drive any man wild. And on her shoulder blade was a small, peach-blossom-shaped birthmark. “Holy shit, so you weren’t bluffing? Your buddy’s wife is a knockout. Drop her number, I wanna be his buddy too!” “It’s a shame to keep a woman like that all to yourself. I mean, her husband’s already wearing one green hat, what’s a hundred more? Share the love, bro!” My hands were trembling with rage as I read the disgusting comments under the photo. On countless nights of passionate lovemaking, I had traced that birthmark on Sophie’s shoulder with my kisses, believing it was a delicate flower that bloomed only for me. But now, that flower had been exposed in the most vulgar way, subjected to the lewd jokes of thousands of men. A fire burned in my chest, the blood rushing to my head. And at that exact moment, a young nurse walked up to me with a clipboard. “Mr. Lucas Vance? It’s your turn for the procedure. Please bring your medical chart and follow me to the operating room.” Before she could finish, I had already ripped the chart into pieces. “I’m not doing it. Call the next person.” My face was a mask of cold fury. I stood up and walked away, dialing Sophie’s number as I went. She had told me her mother was sick and that she needed to stay with her tonight, which was why she couldn’t come with me to the hospital. I tried video-calling three times before she finally picked up, but she left her camera off. “Honey, why are you calling so late? Is the surgery over?” Sophie’s voice was a little breathless, with a hint of playful complaint. “You can’t fool me, you know. I’ve already given you a son and a daughter, I really don’t want any more.” “If you truly love me, you’ll go through with this completely. And you have to get a certificate from the doctor proving you’re permanently sterile!” 2 I didn’t even need to listen closely to know what was happening on the other end of the line. The fire in my chest roared hotter. I opened my mouth to confront her. But the words died on my lips. I couldn’t show my hand yet. They had been planning this for years; a direct confrontation would only hurt me. I clenched my jaw, forcing the inferno inside me down. “It’s done over here. Don’t worry about it.” Sophie’s voice instantly brightened, filled with unconcealed joy. “I knew you loved me most, honey. I’ll be sure to reward you properly when you get home.” Then, in a hurry, she hung up. With the rage forcibly suppressed, I drove home. As I pushed open the door, I heard the cheerful chatter of my son and daughter from the living room. They were laughing about something, full of life. They heard the door and turned, calling out in unison, “Daddy!” But when they saw it was me standing in the doorway, their smiles vanished. Their lips pressed into thin lines, their eyes filled with disappointment. They didn’t even move toward me. They just turned back to each other and started whispering, as if I were a complete stranger. The sight sent a familiar, sharp pain through my heart. It had always been like this. No matter how hard I tried to be a good father, my efforts were met with emotional indifference. But whenever Marcus was around, even if he did nothing at all, the children would flock to him. I had felt lost because of it, even jealous, but Sophie always comforted me, saying that kids were just like that with their fathers when they were young, and they’d grow out of it. Thinking back on it now, I let out a bitter, self-mocking laugh. How could I have been so stupid? The signs were all there, but I had been deceiving myself, refusing to look closer. Normally, even with their coldness, I would have walked over with a smile, pulling out the gifts I’d bought to win them over. I could never bring myself to scold them, even when they threw tantrums. But now, I didn’t even look at them. I ignored their reaction completely, changed my shoes, and sat down on the living room sofa. A few moments later, the bedroom door opened, and Sophie walked out. Her hair was still damp against her neck, and a complex scent clung to her. I knew exactly what had happened here while I was at the hospital. She saw me and immediately smiled, turning to the nanny. “Mrs. Davis, could you take the children down to the garden to play for a while? Make sure they’re safe.” The nanny nodded and led the reluctant children out the door. The living room fell silent. Sophie walked over to me, leaning in close, her warm breath brushing against my ear. “Honey, I have a surprise for you. Come to the bedroom with me?” I glanced up at her, silent for a few seconds, then stood and followed her into the bedroom. The moment we were inside, Sophie untied her robe. It fell to the floor, revealing the bunny costume from the photo. The tight outfit clung to her curves, and the peach blossom on her shoulder seemed to mock me. It was a sight that once would have sent a thrill through me. But today, my stomach churned. A wave of intense nausea washed over me, and I frowned. “I just had surgery. It’s not a good time.” I spoke coolly. Sophie’s smile froze for an instant, a flicker of disappointment in her eyes. But she quickly composed herself, putting on a caring facade as she approached me. When I didn’t move, she didn’t get angry. She just cooed softly. “It’s okay. I know you might be uncomfortable right after the procedure, but you can just bear with it.” “Didn’t the doctor say it wouldn’t affect anything? I want you right now…” 3 Sensing my coldness, Sophie paused, then turned and took a box from the drawer, holding it out to me. “Honey, I had someone bring this back from abroad for you. It’s a special supplement, perfect for your current condition. It’ll help you recover faster.” I glanced at the box. The packaging was exquisite, covered in a foreign script I couldn’t read. The seal was clearly broken. Someone had already opened it. I remained indifferent, neither taking it nor speaking. Sophie’s patience was wearing thin. The smile faded from her face, and her tone became tinged with annoyance. “Honey, I know you did this for me, but you can’t treat me like this.” “I went to all this trouble to get you supplements and prepare a surprise, and this is how you act? If you don’t want to see me, I’ll just leave.” With that, she feigned hurt, grabbed her robe, and stormed out of the bedroom into the guest room. I took out my phone and searched for the brand name on the box, but no matter how much I looked, I couldn’t find any information. On a whim, I went back to the forum post. Marcus had updated it. “She’s going to go greet my idiot friend wearing that bunny costume. I didn’t even have her wash it first. The thought of it is just hilarious.” A comment immediately appeared below. “Dude, didn’t your friend just get a vasectomy? You’re making his wife wear that, but will he even be able to perform?” Marcus replied quickly: “Don’t worry, I already prepared a special supplement for him. Check out the picture.” He attached a photo of the exact same box Sophie had just given me. “This stuff is from the Middle East. It’s a potent aphrodisiac, the kind they give to studs at stud farms. I guarantee he’ll be able to get it up tonight.” “I just wonder if he’ll lose his mind when he finds out what he’s taking.” Someone tried to warn him: “Dude, don’t take it too far. You could kill him.” But Marcus was cavalier: “So what if he dies? He’s a useless waste of space anyway. But don’t worry, I have another surprise in store for him. I can’t let him die just yet.” The commenters went wild, begging to know what the surprise was, but Marcus was enjoying the suspense. “Be patient. You’ll all find out soon enough. I promise it’ll be spectacular.” I stared at the screen, a strange sense of curiosity rising within me. What was this “surprise” Marcus was talking about? He had already pushed me this far. What other tricks could he possibly have up his sleeve? I took a screenshot of the post and sent the link to a hacker, asking him to trace the IP address and identity of the user. Half an hour later, the results came back. It was, of course, Marcus himself, and the address was his residence in the city. After backing up all the evidence, my phone rang. It was my father. I answered, and his voice came through, sharp and angry. “Lucas! What the hell are you doing? Why did you upset Sophie again?” “Tomorrow is my sixtieth birthday. On such an important occasion, you’re causing trouble at home. It’s disgraceful!” I frowned but said nothing, waiting for him to continue. “I don’t care what your reasons are. Go to the guest room right now and apologize to Sophie. I will not have her feeling wronged in this house again!” With that, he hung up. I didn’t need to guess what had happened. Sophie had been playing her games again. I opened the family group chat and scrolled up. It didn’t take long to find the source.

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“This engine… something’s wrong.” The mechanic at the dealership slid out from under the hood, a strange expression on his face. I froze. “What do you mean, wrong?” “Your car came with an imported engine,” he said, wiping grease from his hands with a rag. “This one… isn’t it.” I stared into the open hood. Three months ago, when my aunt borrowed my car, everything inside was brand new. “So what is it now?” The mechanic glanced at me, hesitating. “Wait here a second. Let me get the shop foreman.” 1 Three months ago, I was eating dinner when my Aunt Linda came over. “Ava, sweetie, I have a huge favor to ask.” Aunt Linda sat across from me, smiling that overly affectionate smile. I knew it well. Since I was a kid, that smile was always followed by “Can I borrow…?” “What is it, Aunt Linda?” “Could I borrow your car for a month?” My chopsticks paused in mid-air. My car was a Mercedes C-Class, bought three years ago. The sticker price was $65,000. I put down $45,000 myself and had just paid off the rest of the loan. “You need a car?” “Well, your cousin’s husband’s company is organizing a road trip to the Grand Canyon. Your uncle’s old Honda is too beat up. It would be embarrassing to drive that.” My mom chimed in from the side. “Your aunt really has no other options. Just let her use it for a month.” “But I need it for work.” “Can’t you take the subway? It’s just a month,” Mom glared at me. “Your aunt is asking you personally. Can you really say no?” Aunt Linda grabbed my hand, her tone sincere. “Ava, I promise I’ll take good care of it. I’ll bring it back washed and clean. If there’s even a scratch, I’ll pay for it.” I looked at my mom’s expectant face, then at Aunt Linda. “Fine.” “Oh, Ava is such a good girl!” Aunt Linda stood up immediately. “Where are the keys? We leave tomorrow.” “Auntie, I haven’t…” “Don’t worry, I’ve been driving for twenty years. My skills are great. It’s automatic, right? Perfect, easy to drive.” I handed her the keys, feeling uneasy. “Auntie, the odometer is at 20,000 miles. I filled the tank. When you bring it back…” “I know, I know, I’ll fill it up.” Aunt Linda grabbed the keys. “One month, max. I promise.” That night, lying in bed, I felt something was off. But Mom said, “Your aunt wouldn’t lie to you. You’re overthinking it.” What I didn’t expect was that “one month” turned into three. Month one: Aunt Linda said the Grand Canyon was beautiful and wanted to stay longer. Month two: She said they drove up to Yellowstone since they were already out west. Month three: She said the car had a “little issue” and needed repairs before coming back. I asked three times when I’d get my car back. First time: “Soon, soon, don’t rush me.” Second time: “It’s good exercise for a young girl to take the subway.” Third time: She ghosted my texts. Mom told me not to be petty. “Your aunt rarely gets to travel. Can’t you be generous?” Three months later, Aunt Linda finally returned the car. She parked it downstairs, didn’t come up, called to say the keys were at the front desk, and told me to get them myself. By the time I got downstairs, she was gone. I walked around the car. The exterior looked okay, freshly washed. But something felt wrong. I opened the door. The smell of stale smoke hit me. I don’t smoke. Odometer: 28,000 miles. It was 20,000 when she took it. Three months, 8,000 miles. I sat in the driver’s seat and started the engine. The sound was wrong. It used to purr smoothly. Now it sounded… rough. I thought maybe I just hadn’t driven it in a while. But driving down the block, I felt it. The power was off. There was a lag when accelerating. That never happened before. My heart sank. I called Aunt Linda. “Auntie, is something wrong with the car? It feels weird.” “Nothing! It’s fine. You’re just not used to it.” “You said there was a small issue before. What did you fix?” “Just an oil change. No big deal.” “Where did you fix it?” “Some roadside shop. Forgot the name.” I hung up, the feeling of wrongness growing. The next day, I took time off work and drove to the dealership. “Full inspection, please.” The service advisor asked, “Has this car been in an accident recently?” “I don’t know. I lent it to a relative.” “Okay, have a seat in the lounge. We’ll let you know.” I waited for nearly two hours. Then, the shop foreman came to find me personally. “Ma’am, can we talk in private?” His expression was serious. My stomach dropped. 2 The foreman led me to a small office, holding a stack of printed reports. “Ma’am, the situation with your car is… complicated.” “What situation?” “First off, your engine… has been swapped.” I froze. “Swapped? What do you mean?” “Your car came with an original imported engine, model M264,” he pointed to a number on the report. “But the one inside right now is a domestic salvage part.” “Salvage part?” “Taken from a totaled or scrapped car, refurbished for reuse.” My head buzzed. “Are you sure?” “Positive. Engines have serial numbers. We checked. It doesn’t match your vehicle registration at all.” “How… how is that possible?” The foreman looked at me calmly. He’d clearly seen this before. “You lent this car out for the last three months, right?” “Yes, to my aunt.” “Then it likely happened during that time. The wear and tear on this engine doesn’t match your odometer. Plus, swapping an engine isn’t a small job. A certified shop would have records. We checked; your VIN has no history of engine work.” “So it was done at an unauthorized shop?” “Most likely.” I took a deep breath. “How much is my original engine worth?” “Original imported M264, brand new with labor? Around $25,000.” “And this one?” He hesitated. “This is a salvage part, poor quality. If I had to price it… maybe $1,200 max.” $25,000. $1,200. The numbers spun in my head. “Anything else?” “A few things,” he flipped a page. “Transmission shows signs of leaking, likely from bottoming out. Brake pads are heavily worn, unusual for normal driving unless there was constant hard braking. Also, the rear bumper has been repainted. Looks like a rear-end collision, repaired privately without insurance.” “Privately?” “Yes, no record. The bodywork is shoddy.” I leaned back, staring at the ceiling. Three months. 8,000 miles. Engine swapped for junk. Leaking transmission. Worn brakes. Accident damage. What did Aunt Linda say? “I promise I’ll take good care of it.” “If there’s even a scratch, I’ll pay for it.” I laughed. I didn’t know if I wanted to laugh or cry. “Can I get a written report of all this?” “Yes, I’ll print it out.” “Photos too.” “No problem.” The foreman stood up. At the door, he looked back. “Ma’am, just so you know. Insurance won’t cover this because the engine swap isn’t an accident. If you want to pursue this, you’ll have to deal with the person who borrowed it, or go to court.” “I understand.” He left. I sat alone in the office for a long time. Then, I called Aunt Linda. “Auntie, I need to ask you something.” “What is it?” Her tone was breezy. “You got the car back, what else?” “About the engine.” Silence for two seconds. “What engine?” “Auntie, I took the car to the dealer today. They said my engine was swapped.” “…What?” “The original imported engine was replaced with a salvage part.” Silence again. Then her voice hurried. “Impossible. I drove it fine. Why would I swap the engine? Are you being scammed by the dealer? They love ripping people off.” “Auntie, I have the report. The serial numbers don’t match.” “Well… I didn’t do it!” “Then who did?” “How should I know!” Her voice raised. “I just drove it normally! Don’t pin everything on me!” “You said there was a small issue and you got it fixed outside.” “Just an oil change! Does an oil change swap an engine?” “Which shop was it? What’s the name?” “I told you I forgot! Why so many questions?” I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “Auntie, the original engine is worth $25,000. This one is worth $1,200. That’s a difference of over $23,000.” Dead silence on the other end. After ten seconds, she spoke. “Ava, what are you trying to say?” “I’m saying, you need to pay for this.” “Pay? Pay $23,000?” Her voice turned shrill. “Are you crazy? I borrow your car and you try to extort me for $23,000?” “You swapped my engine for junk.” “I didn’t! It has nothing to do with me!” “Auntie, I got the car back from your hands.” “Well I don’t know what happened! Anyway, I didn’t do it!” I didn’t want to argue over the phone. “Fine, Auntie. Let’s talk in person.” “Nothing to talk about!” Click. She hung up. I looked at the inspection report in my hand. My hands were shaking. Not from sadness. From rage. 3 When I got home that night, Mom already knew. Obviously, Aunt Linda struck first. “Ava, how could you talk to your aunt like that?” I slammed the report on the table. “Mom, look at this.” She glanced at it but didn’t pick it up. “I don’t understand this technical stuff.” “The engine was swapped. The original was $25,000. This one is junk worth $1,200.” “What do you mean swapped? Your aunt wouldn’t do that.” “She had the car. It happened on her watch.” “Do you have proof? Did you see her do it?” “Mom, it was original when she took it, and junk when she returned it. Who else?” Mom frowned. “Your aunt said she drove normally. You believe the dealership? They just want your money.” “Mom, the serial numbers don’t match. That’s hard evidence.” “I don’t know about numbers. But you can’t talk to your aunt like that. She’s your elder.” I inhaled sharply. “Mom, it’s $23,000. Not $23.” “I know. But you can’t be sure it was her. Maybe the shop scammed her?” “Then it’s still her responsibility for taking it there.” “Responsibility, schmonsibility…” Mom waved her hand. “I know your aunt. She wouldn’t do this. There must be a misunderstanding.” “Mom, whose side are you on?” “Whose side?” Mom glared. “Yours! I’m afraid if you blow this up, we can’t face the family anymore!” “So I just eat a $23,000 loss?” “I didn’t say that. I said watch your tone. Talk to your aunt nicely, maybe she’ll admit it?” “Nicely? She said it has nothing to do with her.” “Try again. She’s stubborn. You have to coax her.” “Coax her?” “Yes! You’re the younger generation. Soften up, give her an out. She cares about face. Let her save some.” I laughed, a helpless, bitter laugh. “Mom, my property was destroyed, and I have to apologize?” “Destroyed? The car still drives, doesn’t it?” “With a junk engine that could fail any minute? You call that drivable?” “Then fix it.” “Fix it? A $25,000 part replaced by a $1,000 part, and I just ‘fix it’?” Mom choked, looking unhappy. “Why are you so difficult? I’m doing this for you! If you make a scene, are you going to the family reunion? What if your aunt holds a grudge?” “She scammed me out of $23,000, and I’m worried she’ll hold a grudge?” “You…” Mom sighed, softening her tone. “Ava, listen to me. We can’t offend your aunt. Your uncle, your cousins, they’re all close to her. If you fight her, you’ll look bad.” “Look bad?” “Yes. People will say you’re ungrateful, fighting over money with family.” I stared at my mom for a few seconds. “Mom, do you know I paid off that loan for three years? $600 a month, never missed a payment.” “I know…” “You don’t. You just know to lend it to Auntie. You don’t know how hard I worked.” “Ava…” “Enough, Mom. I’ll handle this.” I took the report and went to my room. As I closed the door, I heard Mom sigh. “This child, why so stubborn…” I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. $23,000. For me, that’s nearly a year of savings. For Aunt Linda, it’s a “small matter.” For Mom, it’s “not worth fighting over.” But why? Because she’s my elder? Because she’s Mom’s sister? Because I should be the “good girl”? I pulled out my phone and scrolled to the texts from when she borrowed the car. [Aunt Linda]: Ava honey, let me borrow the car for a month. I promise I’ll cherish it. [Me]: Okay Auntie. Odometer is 20k. Tank is full. [Aunt Linda]: Don’t worry, I got this. I screenshotted it. Then I scrolled down to the extensions. [Aunt Linda]: Ava, the Canyon is amazing. Want to stay a few more days. [Me]: Okay, when will you be back? [Aunt Linda]: Give it another week. Two weeks later. [Aunt Linda]: Ava, we went to Yellowstone since we were close. Pity to miss it. [Me]: Auntie, commuting is really hard for me… [Aunt Linda]: Subway is good exercise. One month later. [Aunt Linda]: Car had a small issue out of state. Fixing it then coming back. [Me]: What issue? Serious? [Aunt Linda]: Not serious, relax. I screenshotted everything. She said “small issue,” fixed it. Now the engine is gone. I googled: Engine swapped by borrower, legal recourse. Most posts said “hard.” Without direct proof, it’s hard to prove who swapped it. But some said, strict liability. Whoever borrowed the car is responsible for returning it in the same condition. I checked the time. 11 PM. Tomorrow, I’m doing something. 4 The next day was Saturday. I asked Aunt Linda to meet. I picked a coffee shop. Mom insisted on coming to “mediate.” Aunt Linda arrived late, bringing my cousin Jessica. As soon as she sat down, Aunt Linda started. “Ava, dragging me out here? Is this an interrogation?” “Auntie, I just want to clear things up.” “Clear what up? I told you I didn’t swap it. What more do you want?” “Auntie, you promised to take care of the car.” “I did!” “Then where’s the engine?” Aunt Linda scowled. “What are you implying? You think I swapped it? Why would I steal your engine?” “Then tell me how the car ended up like this.” “How should I know!” Her voice rose. “I drove normally. Hit some mountain roads in Utah. Felt a lag on a hill once, so I found a shop to check. They said it was fine, just changed the oil.” “Just an oil change?” “Yes, just oil!” “What shop? Where?” “I told you I forgot! We were in a rush!” I placed the inspection report on the table. “Auntie, look at this.” She glanced at it but didn’t touch it. “I won’t look. I don’t understand it.” “The serial numbers don’t match. Original was imported M264. This is a domestic salvage part.” “Numbers, schmumbers. You believe the dealer’s lies?” “Auntie, this is a technical inspection, not a lie.” “Fine, fine, whatever you say.” She laughed coldly. “You’ve already convicted me, what can I say?” Cousin Jessica spoke up. “Ava, just say what you want. Why beat around the bush?” I looked at Jessica. “Cuz, I just want to know how the engine disappeared.” “You asked my mom, she said she doesn’t know. What else?” “Does ‘I don’t know’ absolve responsibility?” “What responsibility?” Jessica raised an eyebrow. “Do you have proof my mom swapped it? Did you see it?” “The car left her hands with an engine and came back without one. Of course she’s responsible.” “Responsible? You lend a car and create a liability?” Mom tugged my arm. “Ava, watch your tone…” I took a deep breath. “Auntie, Jessica. I’m not hunting for who swapped it. I’m saying, someone has to pay for the loss.” “You want my mom to pay?” Jessica sneered. “$23,000? Why don’t you rob a bank?” “The difference in value is $23,800.” “Fine, $23,800.” Jessica spread her hands. “You want my mom to cough up $23,800?” “Shouldn’t she?” “Why? My mom didn’t do it on purpose!” “Does accidental damage mean you don’t have to pay?” “You…” Jessica wanted to argue, but Aunt Linda stopped her. “Enough.” Aunt Linda looked at me, her face changing. “Ava, let me ask you. Are you dead set on fighting me over this?” “Auntie, this isn’t fighting. This is protecting my rights.” “Rights?” She scoffed. “Talking about rights with your aunt? How did your mother raise you?” “This has nothing to do with how I was raised.” “Of course it does!” She turned to Mom. “Sis, look at your daughter. What is she saying? I’m her elder!” Mom looked embarrassed. “Ava, watch what you say…” “Mom, what did I say wrong?” “You…” Aunt Linda interrupted. “Fine. I get it.” She pulled out her phone, scrolled, and shoved the screen at me. “Look. This is the shop I found in Utah. Here’s the Venmo record. $150 total. Just an oil change and service fee. If you don’t believe me, go check yourself.” I looked at the transaction. Recipient: Mike’s Auto. Location: Some town in Utah. $150. “Auntie, an engine swap costs more than $150.” “Exactly!” She pulled the phone back. “I never swapped the engine! Just changed the oil! The engine has nothing to do with me!” “Then how is it gone?” “I don’t know! Maybe the shop stole it! Maybe the dealer is lying! Not me!” She looked so self-righteous. As if she were the victim. “Auntie, I can investigate that shop.” “Go ahead.” She stood up. “I’ve said my piece. Not my fault. If you want to pin it on me, fine.” “Auntie, I’m not pinning it on you. I’m talking reason.” “Reason?” She huffed. “If you knew reason, you wouldn’t be counting pennies with your aunt.” She grabbed her bag and looked at Mom. “Sis, I can’t control your daughter. You handle her.” She walked out without looking back. Jessica followed, throwing one last line over her shoulder: “Ava, you’re hilarious. Over a used car? Really?” They left. The coffee shop was quiet. Mom looked at me and sighed. “Look. Look at what you did. You upset your aunt.” “Mom, she swapped my engine for junk. I can’t ask?” “Your attitude… who can stand that?” “What attitude? I was polite.” “Every word you said was forcing her to admit guilt. Would she?” “She did wrong, why can’t she admit it?” “Ava, why don’t you get it?” Mom lowered her voice. “Your aunt has pride. The more you push, the more she denies. You have to coax her, give her a way out.” “Coax?” “Yes. Apologize first, say you were rude, then talk slowly.” “Mom, apologize for what? I’m the victim.” “You apologize to solve the problem!” “Is this how problems are solved?” I looked at Mom, feeling a deep sadness. “Mom, do you know? Growing up, every time Auntie took advantage of us, you told me to endure. When she gave my toys to Jessica, you said share. When she borrowed my $500 savings in college and didn’t pay back for two years, you said family doesn’t count debts. Now she swapped my engine, and you want me to apologize?” “Ava…” “Mom, answer me. Are you on my side, or hers?” Mom froze. “I… of course I’m on your side…” “Then can you support me in getting this money back?” Mom opened her mouth but said nothing. I waited a few seconds. “Mom, I understand. You don’t want conflict. But I can’t let this go. $23,000 is two years of my life.” I stood up. “You don’t have to help me. But don’t stop me.” I took the report and left.

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The giant baby intern in HR accidentally sent a termination email to the entire company. The whole department panicked and packed up to leave. Afterward, she cried her heart out, blaming herself. Not only was she completely unharmed, but the boss also rewarded her with a seven-day paid vacation and a $10,000 “emotional distress” bonus. Meanwhile, we, who believed the email was real, were marked as “absent without leave.” We were publicly reprimanded, and our performance bonuses were docked! Even worse, our combined year-end bonuses—totaling $100,000—were seized to pay for her compensation! I led the charge to confront the boss, but she immediately played the victim. “Ah! The Wicked Witch is here! So scary! Is she going to eat me? Save me, Daddy CEO!” Before the boss could even speak, my colleagues, desperate to suck up, instantly turned on me. “Exactly! You have zero empathy. Why are you picking on a fresh grad?” “No wonder you’re thirty and single. With a heart that toxic, you deserve to be alone!” In that moment, I became public enemy number one. The boss fired me on the spot for “destroying team unity.” Looking at their ugly faces, I laughed out of pure rage, ripped off my badge, and walked away. Since you all want to protect her so badly, I hope that when the IRS knocks on your door tomorrow… Your “Baby” can explain those dual accounting books. 1 Tuesday, 10:00 AM. The work group chat exploded. An email, bolded and highlighted in red, popped up for every employee. From: HR – Bella “Cutie Pie” Swan Subject: [NOTICE OF TERMINATION] The content was simple and brutal: [Because my computer screen keeps flickering and bullying me, Baby has decided to send you all home! Effective immediately, all employment contracts are terminated. Hmph! Don’t come back!] The office fell into a deathly silence, followed by an eruption of screams. “Holy sh*t? Did the company go under?” “The reason is her computer bullied her? What kind of insane excuse is that?” “Why are you just standing there? Grab your stuff! If you’re late, you won’t even get your laptop!” Someone shouted, and chaos ensued. As the CFO, my first reaction was to rush to the CEO, Simon Vance’s office. Empty. I went to find Bella. Her desk was empty too. I called Simon a dozen times. Straight to voicemail. Now even I was panicking. I manage the money. I knew the books were… flexible… but not “sudden death” flexible. But the boss is missing, and HR sent a termination letter. Isn’t this the standard procedure for a rug pull? Panic is contagious. Swept up by the crowd, I packed my personal items and went home in defeat. That night, the main group chat was chaos. Some were cursing, some crying about mortgages, others were already contacting lawyers for a class-action lawsuit. Then, early the next morning, a message from Simon popped up. [Everyone, get your asses back to work immediately!] [Anyone one minute late loses their entire month’s bonus!] Not bankrupt? Confused, we rushed back to the office. Pushing open the conference room doors, we saw Bella curled up in Simon’s lap. She actually had a pacifier in her mouth! “Daddy Simon, I really didn’t mean to.” “I wanted to send the Afternoon Tea notification, but my hand slipped, and the mouse was being naughty! Bad mouse!” I stood at the door, my brain trembling. Afternoon Tea notification and Termination Letter. One is under “Admin,” the other under “HR.” They are miles apart in the system, and you need a admin password to confirm sending the latter. And you “slipped”? Suppressing my rage, I walked in. “Mr. Vance, since it’s a misunderstanding, everyone can just get back to work. No need for such anger.” Simon looked up, his eyes ready to devour me. While gently patting Bella, he pointed at me and roared: “Joanna! Do you have no shame?” “You are the CFO! A senior executive! Yet you have zero composure!” “Bella is just a child! She made a small mistake, and instead of fixing it, you led the charge to loot company assets and skipped work!” I laughed in disbelief. “Mr. Vance, that was a termination letter with the official company seal, not a game of house.” “And Bella, as HR, made a low-level error that shut down the entire company. Shouldn’t she be held accountable?” Before I finished, Bella suddenly wailed. She spat out the pacifier and kicked her legs wildly on the chair: “Waaaah! The big sister is so mean! She’s going to eat me!” “I want to go home! I don’t want to work! There are monsters here! Boohoo!” Heartbroken, Simon hugged her tight and screamed at me: “Joanna! Shut up! Look how scared you’ve made Bella!” “She’s still an intern! Can she be compared to old veterans like you?” Then, Simon announced a decision that blew everyone’s mind. “Given that Bella made a mistake, her attitude is sincere, and she has been traumatized.” “I am approving a special seven-day paid leave, fully covered by the company, plus a $10,000 emotional distress bonus.” “As for you!” He glared around the room. “Yesterday’s collective absence without leave warrants a public reprimand for everyone!” “This month’s performance bonuses are forfeited! Any losses caused will be deducted from your salaries!” “Additionally, everyone’s year-end bonus will be docked to pay for Bella’s compensation!” My eyes widened in disbelief. “Excuse me? She made the mistake, why are you deducting our money?!” Before I could argue further, my colleagues—who were calling the boss a son of a b*tch in the group chat yesterday—suddenly changed their tune. Old Tom from Sales jumped out first, fawning: “Director Joanna, Bella is young, it’s her first job. Mistakes are normal.” Then, the Admin lady chimed in: “Yeah, this is just tough love for Bella.” Even Emily, the apprentice I trained for three years, lowered her head and whispered: “Master, just stop talking. Don’t make Mr. Vance angry and drag us all down…” Looking at these spineless cowards, I felt sick to my stomach. Bella peeked out from Simon’s embrace, picked up the drool-covered pacifier, and stuck it back in her mouth. She gave me a provocative smirk: “Bad woman! I’ll beat you up! Neener neener!” 2 During Bella’s seven-day leave, the company turned into chaos. Before she left, to prevent another “slip,” she changed the entire company system font to “Comic Sans.” Looking at that font made my eyes bleed. Even more ridiculous, she locked everyone’s system permissions. Her reason: “What if someone secretly changes data to bully me while I’m gone? Baby needs to protect herself.” New hires couldn’t be onboarded. Payroll couldn’t be processed. I went to Simon. He was busy liking Bella’s Instagram posts. Without looking up, he said: “Don’t bother me with trifles. Wait until Bella comes back.” “She is in her emotional healing period. No one is allowed to disturb her!” Fine. I swallowed my disgust, returned to the finance office, looked at the mountain of unprocessed invoices, and sneered. Seven days later, Bella finally returned. She came in with bags of plushies and merch. She fluttered around the office like a butterfly. “Tom, here’s a keychain. Hope you won’t be so mean in the future.” “Linda, here’s a sticker for your laptop. It’ll make you happy!” Holding these cheap trinkets, everyone acted like they were moved to tears. Bella walked up to me and tossed a squashed candy on my desk. “Sister Joanna, I saved this specially for you.” She blinked her big eyes, looking innocent. Colleagues immediately chimed in: “Director, aren’t you going to thank Bella?” “Bella repays evil with kindness. Learn from her!” I looked at the crushed candy and swept it into the trash. “No thanks. It’s work hours.” “The HR system isn’t restored. We can’t do payroll this month. Do you want everyone to starve?” Mentioning payroll, Bella suddenly laughed through her tears, as if remembering something fun. “Oh, Daddy Simon! I was just going to tell you!” “I invented a new way to calculate wages called the Mood Performance Method!” She pulled out a pink notebook covered in drawings of smiley and crying faces. “From now on, everyone’s salary will be based on how I feel when I see them!” “If you make me happy, you get a bonus! If you make me unhappy, I deduct money!” “This way, everyone will be more loving and united! Right, Daddy Simon?” I was trembling with rage. This was the biggest joke in the world! But Simon slapped his thigh in approval: “Great! What a brilliant idea!” “It’s human-centric and lively! Breaks the rigid financial system!” “Do as Bella says! Bella is in charge of payroll this month!” I immediately objected: “Mr. Vance, this violates audit procedures. If the IRS checks…” “Shut up!” Simon cut me off rudely. “Laws, taxes… Joanna, you’re annoying.” “I opened this company. I pay how I want!” I looked around. The colleagues who usually fought over every cent on their pay stubs didn’t say a word. They knew that in this company, sucking up to the giant baby was more effective than working hard. Under Bella’s Mood Performance Management, the company became a giant kindergarten. Every morning, instead of clocking in, we had to do a “Good Morning Dance” for Bella. Old Tom, a burly man, pinched his fingers and meowed like a cat for that extra $100. I almost vomited my breakfast. Because I refused to participate in this idiocy, not only did I lose my attendance bonus, but I became the source of “negative energy” in Bella’s eyes. “Sister Joanna, why aren’t you smiling?” Bella stood at my desk with her pink notebook. I ignored her and continued checking the messy manual ledgers. Since the reform, all reimbursement forms became her coloring book. On a $2,000 dining invoice, she drew a giant pig head and wrote: [This place tastes bad. Denied!] On a request for office supplies, she put stickers and wrote: [This notebook is ugly. I’ll approve if it’s pink~] I couldn’t take it anymore. I stormed into Simon’s office with the receipts. “Mr. Vance, I can’t do these accounts!” “Bella is blocking legitimate business expenses and approving nonsense!” I slammed the receipts on his desk. “Look at this. ‘Emotional Healing Boba Tea’, $300? Is she drinking gold?” “And this. ‘Aesthetic Improvement JK Uniform’. This is an office expense?” Simon was gaming with headphones on. He looked annoyed. “Isn’t this good? It shows Bella treats the company like home.” “Joanna, as CFO, you need to open your mind.” “But…” “Enough ‘buts’!” Simon threw his headphones. “If you can’t do it, just say so. Stop complaining.” “Bella is learning finance fast. If you keep this attitude, she can have your job!” Give it to her? To a giant baby who doesn’t know debit from credit and only draws smiley faces? Before I could retort, Bella pushed the door open. “Daddy Simon, is Sister Joanna badmouthing me again?” “Why is she so insensible? She doesn’t understand my good intentions. I’m saving money for the company.” Simon instantly switched to a smile: “Of course not. Baby is the best.” “It’s Joanna who is narrow-minded and jealous of your excellence.” Bella leaned into him, blinking at me. Her eyes held zero innocence and 100% malice. “Daddy Simon, since Sister Joanna is so unhappy, let her handle the IRS inspection tomorrow.” My heart skipped a beat. The IRS was coming for a routine check tomorrow. If they saw these books… we’d be fined into oblivion! “No!” I refused flatly. “The current accounts cannot be seen!” Simon’s face darkened. “Why not? I think Bella’s accounts are cute and creative!” “Joanna, if you can’t handle this small thing, don’t bother coming in tomorrow!” Bella fanned the flames: “Yeah, isn’t Sister Joanna a top university grad? Can’t even handle this?” “If you’re scared, beg me. Maybe if I’m in a good mood, I’ll act cute for the IRS officer and make it go away.” Beg her? I looked at the delusional couple. My anger cooled into icy resolve. Since you want to die, don’t blame me for handing you the knife. 3 The next morning, before the IRS arrived, the company exploded. It was payday. According to Bella’s Mood Performance Method, pay slips were distributed. “WTF? Why is my salary only $50?” Old Tom, the sales champ, was shaking. “I ran my legs off last month. My commission alone should be $2,000. How is it $50?” Everyone went mad, surrounding the finance office with red eyes. “Joanna! Get out here!” “Did you embezzle our money? You black-hearted accountant!” Of course, the blame fell on me. I calmly sipped my coffee and pointed to a pink poster on the door. Bella’s crooked handwriting read: [Love Salary Ranking]. “Don’t blame me.” “The payroll was drawn by Bella and signed by Simon.” “She said you guys performed well but looked too old, affecting her ‘Baby Aura’, so she deducted an ‘Ugly Tax’.” Hearing this, they almost fainted from rage. Just then, Bella arrived on Simon’s arm. “Anyone who dares to make trouble is disobeying management! Fired immediately! No severance!” Simon roared with a dark face. Threatened with unemployment, the mob deflated instantly. Old Tom gritted his teeth and forced a smile uglier than crying: “We… we accept it.” “Miss Bella is right. We aren’t pretty enough. We will improve.” Bella lifted her chin proudly, looking down at me: “See, Joanna?” “This is charisma.” She suddenly pulled a stack of papers from her bag and threw them in my face. “What is this?” I picked it up. A termination notice. Reason: [Destroying team unity, bullying newcomers, evil intentions.] “You’re fired.” Bella smiled sweetly. Simon added from behind: “Not only are you fired, but the $10,000 emotional distress fee will be deducted from your final pay!” The colleagues, eager to please the crazy couple, kicked me while I was down. “Yeah, Joanna, just leave. Don’t drag us down.” “Hated your stinking face anyway.” “You bullied Bella, you deserve it!” Looking at these clowns, I suddenly found it funny. I took off my badge and placed it on the desk. “Fine. I’ll go.” As I walked to the door, someone knocked. Bella shouted impatiently: “Who is it? Can’t you see Baby is giving a lecture?” She pulled the door open. Standing there were four or five men in uniforms, looking stern. The leader held up a badge. Bella looked at their uniforms and burst out laughing. “Daddy Simon! Look at this old witch Joanna!” “She hired extras to scare me! Wearing costumes and everything.” In that moment, I clearly saw the officer’s face turn black as coal. Simon came over, looking at them with disdain: “Joanna, how childish are you? Get out with your circus troupe! Or I’ll call the police!” I stepped into the elevator and pressed the down button. “Mr. Vance, Bella, you misunderstand.” “That is Section Chief Liu from the IRS and Captain Zhao from Economic Crimes.” “They aren’t actors. They are here to audit the books after I reported you with my real name.” “Here is all the evidence of dual accounting, tax evasion, and embezzlement.” The elevator doors closed slowly. In the last sliver, I saw Bella’s face twist in horror and the glint of handcuffs in Chief Liu’s hand. “Good luck.” 4 The doors were about to shut. Bella screamed and pried them open. “You can’t leave! Bad woman!” She bit Chief Liu’s wrist, drawing blood. “Daddy Simon! Beat these bad guys! They’re bullying Baby!” Chief Liu grimaced and slammed her onto the floor with a takedown. Bella’s face pressed against the tiles, legs kicking wildly. “Waaah! Murder! Help!” Simon charged like a madman but was handcuffed instantly by Captain Zhao. “Assaulting an officer, resisting tax investigation, obstruction of justice. Take them away!” The office was chaos. I watched coldly, but felt uneasy. Simon was too calm. Even in cuffs, his eyes were full of contempt and madness. “Joanna, you think this will kill me?” “Bella is my lucky charm. If you touch her, heaven will punish you!” I ignored his ravings and cooperated with the police. However, less than 24 hours later. I had just finished organizing evidence at a cafe when my phone rang. It was Emily, crying. “Sister Joanna, look at the group… Mr. Vance and Bella are back!” How? Assaulting police plus tax evasion—ironclad evidence. How could they be out? I opened the group chat. Simon sent ten $200 red envelopes. Note: [Celebrating Baby’s Survival of the Ordeal!] Bella posted a selfie. She was wearing a pink tutu, sitting on Simon’s desk, holding scissors. Background: shredded paper—copies of the tax records sealed by the IRS. Caption: [Hmph! Police station day trip is over! The police uncle said Baby is too cute to lock up! Die mad, bad woman! Neener neener!] I called Captain Zhao immediately. His tone was helpless: “Ms. Joanna, Simon took all the blame. He said he ordered everything and Bella is mentally challenged and was manipulated.” “Also, Simon used connections and paid bail. He’s applying for a review. We had to release them for now.” “But don’t worry, they are restricted from leaving the country.” I took a deep breath. Mentally challenged? What a way to escape. Before I could think, another @All popped up. Simon: [Notice: Due to Joanna’s malicious reporting damaging the company’s magnetic field. To soothe Bella’s wounded soul, effective immediately, the company initiates the “Baby Guardian Plan”.] [All employees must surrender their ID cards and passports to prevent betrayal!] [Those who refuse will be fired and must pay 10 times the breach of contract fee!] This wasn’t management; it was imprisonment and extortion. Terrifyingly, the chat filled with “Received.” Those colleagues with mortgages were completely trapped. I gripped my phone. If the law is slow, don’t blame me for using commercial means. I called Mr. Zhou, head of the investment firm that was Simon’s biggest backer—and my current new boss. “Mr. Zhou, the VAM agreement is triggered.” “Simon’s behavior constitutes a severe threat to asset safety.” “I apply for a hostile takeover.” Silence for two seconds. “Granted. Joanna, take the security team and close the net.” With a team of black-clad bodyguards, I returned to the company. The scene that greeted me shattered my worldview. The fingerprint scanner was smashed. In its place was a giant pink bouncy castle. The receptionist wore an oversized bib and a pacifier, scrubbing the floor on her knees. Seeing me, she dropped the pacifier, teary-eyed. “Joanna… sister…” “Shh! No talking!” Bella’s voice came from inside. “Daddy Simon said Baby’s world must be pure!” “Everyone must make baby noises! Anyone who doesn’t sound like a baby can’t go to the bathroom!” I kicked open the bouncy castle door and marched in. In the office, dozens of adults, men and women, wore pink baby bonnets. Old Tom, the balding man in his forties, was crawling at Bella’s feet, shaking a rattle. “Goo goo gaga…” Bella sat in the boss’s chair, feet resting on Tom’s back. “Good boy! Have a candy!” Old Tom swallowed his humiliation and the candy with a smile. “Enough!” I shouted. My bodyguards swarmed in, securing the scene instantly. Bella jumped up, startled. “Wah! The Wicked Witch brought the Black Magic Fairies!” “Daddy Simon! Save me! Baby is scared!” Simon rushed out from the inner room. Dark circles under his eyes, looking like he hadn’t slept in days. “Joanna! You dare come back!” I looked at him coldly and pulled out the termination letter and takeover notice. “Simon, according to the investment agreement, you have been removed by the board for gross misconduct.” “Now, pack your sh*t and get out.” Simon froze. Then he laughed maniacally. “Remove me? Hahaha! You dare? I have Bella! She is the Chosen One!” “The Master said, the more she acts out in my company, the more prosperous I become!” “This is destruction before creation! You know nothing!” Just as I suspected. This was the real reason he indulged her. Not lust, but cult-like superstition. “I think your brain is flooded.” I waved my hand. “Clear the room! Everyone unrelated, out!” Bodyguards moved to evict the employees in bibs. Seeing this, Bella screamed and ran toward the server room. “Don’t touch my house! I’ll burn your house down!” She held a lighter. “Bella! Don’t!” Simon panicked, trying to stop her. But Bella was fast. She kicked open the server room door and threw the lit lighter onto a pile of paper archives near the server vents. Flames shot up instantly. Alarms blared. I was stunned. She actually set the fire! “Fire! Put out the fire!” I roared and rushed forward. But Bella stood before the flames, clapping and laughing. “So warm! Bonfire party!” “Burn the Wicked Witch! Burn the Black Fairies!” Simon stood by, watching the fire, a look of twisted obsession on his face. “Fire… fire creates earth, earth creates gold…” “Prosperity! It’s coming!” “Bella really brings me luck! This fire is good!” Lunatics. All of them. The fire spread fast. Smoke filled the hallway. The bodyguards grabbed me, abandoning the arrest. “Ms. Joanna! The fire is too big! Go!” I was pushed into the stairwell. Looking back one last time, I saw Bella riding on Simon’s shoulders, dancing in front of the inferno.

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“1 I was born sun-allergic—even a short exposure burned my skin. Overwhelmed, my father left. My mother divorced him at once, threw herself into work to pay for my treatments and became a powerful businesswoman, traveling the world with me to find a cure. At five, a psychic said a second child could be my spiritual shield. The next day, she brought home an orphan girl named Pearl. “Your job is to protect your sister,” Mom told her. Pearl smiled sweetly: “I’ll keep Mary safe for life.” Charming and Mom’s favorite, she was put in full charge of me. But Pearl hated me—she shone flashlights at me in the dark and lied to Mom about my misdeeds, acting perfect when Mom was home. I cried to tell the truth, only to be scolded: “Your sister is lovely, Mary. Be grateful.” Mom’s eyes grew colder, so I stopped speaking up, even hiding my blistered, bleeding wounds. On my eighth birthday, Pearl tricked me into staying in the sun all day. I knew I was dying. That night, two strange men came to my bed. “Before I die,” I whispered, “could I feel Mom’s love one last time?” The man in white sighed: “Swap souls with your sister for a day.” The man in black objected: “That’s against the rules.” Amid their argument, something went wrong—Mom’s soul entered my body instead of Pearl’s. … The white-suited man’s face, once pale, flushed a deep red. His impossibly long tongue shot out and wrapped around his partner’s neck. “Look what you’ve done! Now there are two souls in one body!” The man in black casually unwound the tongue with one hand and placed the other on my head. He smiled. “Technically, it’s one and a half.” “Half of her soul remains in her own body, and the other half will stay with you for a day. Are you willing, little one?” Feeling my mother inside me… it was the warmest I had ever felt. I smiled at them and nodded vigorously. Before they vanished, they spoke in unison. “We will return for you tomorrow.” 2 After they left, I tiptoed into my mother’s bedroom. The men had said she wouldn’t wake for another day. I tucked the blankets around her, making sure she wouldn’t get cold. She looked so peaceful. Content, I returned to my own bed, waiting for my mother’s half-soul to wake up and talk to me. But it wasn’t Mom I was met with. It was Pearl. She entered my room carrying a brand-new lamp. I dreaded those lamps. This one had a symbol on it: UVC MAX. I didn’t know what the letters meant, but I knew that light made my skin burn with a pain that was beyond words. This was the 99th lamp Pearl had brought home. She was always finding new ways to make me cry, to make me suffer. Instinctively, I pulled on my sun-protective hoodie and mask. Pearl ripped the hoodie off me, her voice sharp with anger. “What are you hiding for, Mary? You made a mistake. Don’t you know how to atone for your sins?” I stared at the lamp in her hand, trembling. I dropped to my knees, begging. “Pearl, I didn’t do anything today! I came straight home and went to my room. I didn’t even eat dinner.” She didn’t believe me. She ground her foot onto my hand, pressing down, her weight a crushing force. “You little liar! Fraud! Mom barely has time to come home, and you used it to tattle on me again, didn’t you?!” I tore my hand free from under her shoe, the sudden movement sending me sprawling backward onto the floor. I was terrified of her. I could only curl into a ball, protecting my head. “I didn’t, Pearl,” I whimpered. Her teeth were clenched. “You didn’t? Then why didn’t Mom hug me when she got home today?” I shook my head frantically. “She must have been tired from work. Pearl, I’m really not lying.” Her eyes were bloodshot in the moonlight, her mouth opening and closing like the witch from a fairy tale. “You spent the whole day in the sun. Why aren’t you dead yet?!” Without another word, she flicked the switch on the lamp. She aimed the harsh beam directly at my exposed face and arms. Agonizing pain spread like fire across my skin. The sores, already raw, began to bleed again. “Aah! Pearl, it hurts! Please, I’m begging you, please stop!” Perhaps it was the searing pain that did it, but at that moment, my mother’s soul woke up inside me. She was stunned, a silent observer to the horror. Pearl’s face was a twisted, ferocious mask in the pale light. It took Mom a moment to process it. Pearl, what are you doing?! Where did you get a lamp like that? You know your sister can’t be exposed to this light! But the girl before us didn’t flinch. She moved the lamp even closer. Mom panicked, using my small hands to push it away. Put it down! It’s me, Mom, do you hear me? Pearl looked at me as if I were insane. “Mary, you’ve really lost your mind!” Mom began to fight her, using my own small body. But even though we were the same age, my frail, weakened frame was no match for Pearl’s healthy one. After a brief struggle, Pearl shoved me hard to the ground. She loomed over me, her voice a low growl. “You’ve really gone too far this time, Mary!” The next second, she cranked the lamp to its highest setting. The intense light hit my arm, and the weeping, open sores were instantly scorched black. Blood and pus seeped through the fabric of my sleeve, spreading into a dark, crimson stain. “Aah! It hurts… It hurts so much!” I heard the screams, thin and desperate. That wasn’t my voice. It was my mother’s. For years, the burning, blistering pain had been a constant companion. I was numb to it. But my mother was not. This was the first time she had ever felt it. The agony made her groan inside my body, her every breath a shudder. A tight, sharp pain bloomed in my own chest, choking me, leaving me unable to speak. It was my fault. I was the one making my mother hurt like this. I glared at Pearl, my hand fumbling for something on the nightstand. With all the strength I had left, I threw it at the lamp. It shattered, sending shards of glass flying. One of them sliced Pearl’s cheek. She clutched her face, glanced nervously toward Mom’s room, and then turned back to me, her eyes filled with hatred. “Just you wait, Mary. I’ll deal with you tomorrow!” I looked down at what I had thrown. It was my favorite photograph. My heart ached as I picked it up. It was from before Pearl came, a picture of Mom holding me at Disneyland. We were both smiling so brightly then. I gently wiped a smudge off my mother’s face in the photo. After a long silence, she finally spoke inside my head. Mary, how am I in your body? And… has Pearl always been like this? I bit my lip, saying nothing. I was afraid that if I said the wrong thing, she would get angry with me again, just like before. When I didn’t answer, she asked again. Why didn’t you tell me? Then, she answered her own question. It’s my fault. You did tell me. It was me… it was me who didn’t believe you. Yes. I had told her three years ago. The first time was right after Pearl arrived. She “”fell”” down the stairs and blamed me. “Mary doesn’t like me,” she’d sobbed. “She thinks I’m stealing her mommy.” Back then, Mom had held Pearl in her arms and given me a look I had never seen before. The second time was shortly after we started elementary school. She hid my protective face mask during lunch. It was the summer solstice, and the sun was brutal. I was sick all over by the time I got home. “Pearl hid my mask,” I told Mom. But Mom found the mask in my bedroom. “Mary, you forgot it yourself. Why would you blame your sister?” She punished me by sending me to bed without dinner. When Pearl brought a tray of food to my room, my mouth watered. But just as I reached for it, she knocked it to the floor. Then she ran to Mom, crying, “Mary said she’d rather starve than see my face! Maybe I should just go back to the orphanage.” Mom stopped her, then turned to me, her voice furious. “Mary, if you bully your sister one more time, I’m sending you to the orphanage!” Pearl leaned against my mother’s shoulder, her body shaking with fake sobs, a triumphant smirk hidden on her face. That was when I understood. No matter what I said, my mother would never believe me again. I didn’t want to go to the orphanage. I wanted to stay with my mom forever. So there was a third time, and a fourth, and countless more after that. No matter how Pearl hurt me, no matter how much pain I was in, I never told my mother again. And now, I only had one day left to live. “It’s not your fault, Mommy,” I told her. “It’s my fault for being sick.” “Don’t be scared, Mommy. After tomorrow, you’ll be okay again. Just stay with me for one day, okay?” Her voice in my head was choked with tears. Mary, for these past three years, I was wrong… I’m so sorry. It was my fault. I promise, from now on, I will be with you for the rest of our lives. I desperately wanted to hug her, to tell her it was okay. But I couldn’t. And we didn’t have a lifetime. Still, to feel her this close to me… it filled me with a peace and happiness I couldn’t describe. That night felt like when I was very little. My mother and I talked for a long, long time. So long that I started to believe tomorrow would never come. 3 I woke early the next morning. Out of habit, I went to the kitchen trash can, picked out yesterday’s leftovers, and began stuffing them into my mouth. Mom’s voice was shocked. Mary, why are you eating out of the garbage? My mouth was full. “I didn’t eat at all yesterday,” I mumbled. “I’m so hungry I could faint.” “It’s okay, Mommy.” I peeled a hard-boiled egg I’d found. “See? This one is still clean.” This was my last day with her. I needed my strength. Where is your breakfast? she asked. Doesn’t anyone make you breakfast? I lowered my head, not answering. From the dining table, I could hear laughter. It was our housekeeper, Mrs. Gable, scrolling through videos on her phone. Mom’s anger flared. Where is Mary’s breakfast? Mrs. Gable stared at me, a puzzled look on her face as if she’d never seen me before. “Pearl is the young lady of this house. Who do you think you are, shouting orders?” Mom was incredulous. Even the help treated me this way. She was about to lash out again, but I grabbed my backpack and fled the house. I knew that if I talked back to Mrs. Gable, she would punish me too. Once, when Mom was away, I had simply said, “Ma’am, I’m hungry.” She and Pearl locked me in my room for three days without food. When they finally let me out, they told me to eat with Sunny. Sunny was our guard dog. I was so hungry back then that even the dog food tasted good. So, for me, leftovers from the trash were a feast. Outside, Pearl was already in the car. As I put one foot inside, the door slammed shut. BANG. My fingers were caught in the jamb. The pain was so sharp it brought tears to my eyes. “Do you really think you deserve to ride in a car, Mary?” Pearl sneered. She turned to our driver. “Let’s go!” The car sped away, leaving me in a cloud of dust. I stood there, clutching my throbbing fingers. “Mommy,” I whispered. “I have to walk to school today. I’m going to be late. Are… are you mad at me?” Her voice was tight. So this is why you were always late? I nodded slightly. Halfway there, it started to rain. Luckily, I had an umbrella. But when I opened it, it was riddled with holes, big and small. This was the umbrella Mom had bought me at Disneyland when I was five. I loved it. But now it was ruined. Inside, scrawled in big red letters, were five words: MARY IS A PIG! I knew it was Pearl’s doing. Mom’s voice was a low growl. When I get back in my own body tomorrow, I’m going to make that girl pay! “It’s okay, Mommy,” I said, trying to soothe her. “Let’s just go to school.” I folded the broken umbrella and put it in my bag, walking on through the downpour. The rain got heavier, soaking my clothes through. The cold water seeped onto my skin, and a thousand tiny needles of pain pricked at me. Mom must have been hurting even more. Suddenly, I felt so stupid. I couldn’t even protect an umbrella. I was making my mother suffer with me. I was so sorry. The rain fell harder. My eyes felt wet, but I hadn’t cried in a very, very long time. It was my mother. She was crying. She didn’t speak for the rest of the walk. But I could feel her sadness, heavy and silent inside me. “

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I was having Christmas Eve dinner with my parents when my wife’s assistant, Brendan Cole, suddenly called and unleashed a torrent of abuse. “Arthur Reid, have you been washing your brain along with the laundry all day? I warned you repeatedly, Ms. Clarke is working overtime on a project this holiday, and no one is to disturb her! You act like you don’t understand basic English, sending your parents to cause trouble, almost ruining months of company effort! Can you bear the consequences of that?” “If you can’t control those two senile old fools, I don’t mind giving them a proper lesson myself!” Completely bewildered, I looked at my parents sitting across from me. “Brendan, aren’t you mistaken? My parents are clearly…” Brendan scoffed. From the other end of the line, I suddenly heard familiar cries and pleas. “Stop, what right do you have to hit us? We were just worried about Sophia working over Christmas, trying to bring her some homemade pot pies…” I snapped back to reality, gritting my teeth as I roared. “Brendan, are you insane? They’re Sophia Clarke’s parents!” Brendan let out a mocking laugh. “Still won’t admit your mistake? Pulling the ‘respected elder’ card won’t work on me! Get them! Beat the old fools senseless! I want to see how tough their mouths really are!” … The horrific screams from the phone line turned my mind to ice. “You’re mad, you’ve completely lost it! I’m warning you, tell Sophia immediately to get them to a hospital! Otherwise, you’re finished!” Sophia had worked overtime every Christmas for the past three years. My in-laws must have wanted to surprise her, traveling all the way from their hometown. While I was a little surprised, there was no mistaking their voices. This bastard Brendan dared to abuse his power, acting like a complete tyrant! Sophia would never let him get away with this! Yet, in response to my warning, Brendan’s laughter grew louder, laced with heavy derision. “You’re a useless kept man, lying around at home, and you’re threatening me now? Do you really think just because you got lucky and married Ms. Clarke, your whole family can get away with bullying everyone?” “Without Ms. Clarke, you’re nothing!” As he spoke, another scream echoed from the other end. Brendan cackled, “I’ve got your old man under my boot right now! Come on, let me see how you plan to kill me!” My temper flared. “You’ve gone too far!” I knew Brendan always looked down on me. Constantly hinting that I was a freeloader. But Sophia always advised me not to stoop to the level of a young hothead like Brendan. “If others knew that besides our office tower, your family owns three other buildings collecting rent, people would get jealous! Don’t flash your wealth. Society is so volatile these days; I don’t want you to be targeted or get into any danger.” I wondered if Sophia would regret it when she learned Brendan had mistaken her parents for mine, subjecting them to such unrestrained brutality and humiliation. For the sake of my in-laws’ safety, I forced myself to calm down, squeezing out a reply through clenched teeth. “Brendan, I advise you not to make things worse! Tell Sophia about this immediately, there’s still a chance to salvage the situation…” Brendan, however, sighed. “What a spineless wretch. I was waiting for you to come kill me, but you’ve chickened out? After all that talk, you still have to use Ms. Clarke to pressure me?” “You want me to let your parents go? Simple. Kneel all night outside the corporate tower, admit your mistake, and confess you’re a useless kept man!” Amidst a burst of laughter from the other side, the call disconnected. My heart pounded with anxiety. I immediately stood up from the table, mumbled an excuse to my aging parents, and rushed to my car, speeding towards the office. Along the way, I floored the accelerator. First, I called the police, then tried Sophia’s number again and again. After more than a dozen calls, she finally picked up. “Arthur, what is it? I’m really busy here.” I rarely lost my temper with her. “What’s so busy about a lousy company? Don’t you know, your parents are being beaten half to death by Brendan!” Sophia’s own temper flared. “Arthur, what do you mean? Is it just because I didn’t come back to spend the holidays with you? Why are you being so sarcastic? Are all your promises to support my work just lies?” “And what did Brendan ever do to you? You can’t just slander him like this because you’re jealous of his success, can you?” I was almost laughing from pure exasperation. What was there to be jealous of Brendan for? “No, do you think I’m joking? Go check right now what Brendan has done! Those are your parents, don’t you care if they live or die? What’s wrong with them wanting to bring you a warm pot pie because they felt you were working too hard on Christmas? How dare Brendan—” Before I could finish, Sophia cut me off impatiently. “Enough! I’m really busy right now, I don’t have time for your made-up stories! If you really can’t stand Brendan, I’ll fire him once this project is done, alright? Are you satisfied now?” The dial tone that followed left me utterly numb. I called back, but she had blocked my number. Arriving at the corporate tower, I immediately spotted the scattered, trampled pot pies on the ground. And the horrifying bloodstains! My heart clenched. “Mom, Dad… where are you?!” I slammed the car door shut and rushed inside, only to be surrounded by several security guards. “What do you want? Stop! No unauthorized personnel allowed!” I scanned them; they looked unfamiliar. “I’m your Ms. Clarke’s husband, Arthur Reid!” However, as soon as I spoke, the guards’ eyes lit up. “So this is the guy Mr. Cole told us to teach a lesson? What a pathetic loser, trying to steal Mr. Cole’s woman!” Before I could react, the lead guard slammed a baton squarely on my head. My vision went black, and I tumbled to the ground. “What are you… what are you doing? Stop it! Have you gone mad, hitting me too?” But they showed no mercy. They rushed forward, kicking and punching me. “Heh, you deserve it, you shameless piece of trash! Why don’t you take a good look at yourself? Do you really think you’re worthy of Ms. Clarke? And you have the audacity to pester her, claiming to be her husband?” “Mr. Cole and Ms. Clarke are the real couple! They’re having Christmas Eve dinner upstairs with his parents and relatives right now, and your deadbeat parents came to cause trouble. How unlucky!” My heart lurched. My eyes widened in disbelief. “What nonsense are you talking about? Stop it, stop it… I’m warning you, I’ve already called the police, they’ll be here any minute!” Just then, a siren wailed in the distance. The guards’ movements paused briefly. But then, Brendan’s voice echoed. “Damn it, the bastard really called the police? What are you all standing around for? Drag him inside and clean up the mess on the floor!” I struggled desperately but couldn’t break free. They forcibly gagged me and dragged me like a dead dog into the security room. Powerless, I heard the police car pull up outside the corporate tower. The officers conducted their routine inquiry. But Brendan smoothly gave them an excuse. The police, still uneasy, contacted Sophia. Over the phone, Sophia chuckled softly. “My apologies, I’ll apologize on Brendan’s behalf! He was just playing a prank! He was upset that I had to work over Christmas, so he deliberately tried to mess with me. I deeply regret his waste of police resources!” “My parents? That scoundrel, how dare he curse my parents? Don’t worry, they’re safe back home…” My heart sank into the deepest abyss. In desperation, I fumbled for my phone in my pocket, trying to smash the security room window to create a commotion. The security guard holding me down glared, his eyes menacing. “What are you doing? Trying to get yourself killed?” He slammed his baton on my head. The pain made me writhe on the floor. The hand gripping my phone was exposed. Another guard, his face grim, stomped on my hand. Crunch! I convulsed in pain, unable to tell if it was my fingers snapping or the phone screen shattering. Bang! Suddenly, the security room door was violently thrown open. A final flicker of hope ignited in my chest, and I quickly looked up. But I only saw Brendan’s sneering face. “You damn dog, haven’t you caused Ms. Clarke enough trouble already? I was only planning to give you a small lesson. But it seems you still haven’t realized your mistake!” “Or do you think I’m all talk?” With that, he snapped his fingers. Two elderly figures, tightly bound, covered in blood, their bodies limp like rag dolls, were roughly thrown to the ground. Seeing those two familiar forms, my mind reeled, and I trembled uncontrollably. The moment the guards released me, I lunged forward like a madman. “Mom, Dad, are you alright? Don’t scare me like this, wake up!” “Brendan, you monster! Get them to a hospital, now!” Brendan roared with laughter, seemingly enjoying my pathetic state. “I really thought you didn’t care if these old fools lived or died! So where did you get the nerve not to just kneel and beg for mercy, but to actually call the police and go against me?” I was beyond arguing with him. As I tried to shake my father-in-law’s shoulder, he remained unresponsive. Blood steadily gushed from his mouth and nose. My mother-in-law was no better, her face a bloody mess, gasping for every breath. I suddenly looked up, staring fiercely at Brendan. I wanted to demand, Why? Whether these were Sophia’s parents or my own, how could he be so cruel to two innocent elderly people? But I didn’t dare provoke his brutality further. Gritting my teeth, I bowed my head and pleaded. “Their lives are on the line, they really can’t hold on! You don’t want to be a murderer, do you?” “Brendan, you just want me to kneel and admit I’m a useless kept man, right? I’ll kneel, alright?” Brendan raised an eyebrow, scoffing. “Oh, finally giving up the tough act? You wouldn’t admit your mistake earlier, you wouldn’t admit it later. Now that you’re at your wits’ end, you suddenly ‘realize’ your mistake? You haven’t realized your mistake, you’re just scared!” I was desperate. “What do you want, then? What will it take for you to let them go?” Brendan snapped his fingers again. The guards behind him rushed forward, pinning me down. Thud! My knees slammed hard against the ground. Brendan lightly patted my face, full of humiliation. “If you truly understand your mistake, you’d know what I want. Show me sufficient sincerity!”

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The day my daughter’s father sacrificed himself in the line of duty, I gleefully married the Mob boss who ordered his death. My daughter hated me for my heartlessness and cut all ties. I hated her for being a nuisance who blocked my path to riches. She sent me to the countryside for a “Ghost Marriage,” and I turned around and sold her to human traffickers. Twelve years later, she became a journalist. Her first story was to expose me, the villain, to the world. “Vivian Lane, you didn’t expect me to be alive, did you? I’m going to settle every debt—my father’s and mine—one by one!” “You aren’t my mother. You’re an animal.” “Didn’t you always want me dead? If you have the guts, show yourself!” But despite a billion netizens doxxing me for two whole days, they couldn’t find a single trace of me. I whispered in her ear, giggling. “Stupid girl, hahaha. Even if I die, I won’t let you find my body.” She didn’t know. Five years ago, someone paid a fortune to beg her to collect a few broken bone fragments from an incinerator. Those bones were mine. 1 Lily stared coldly into the camera, her eyes filled with rolling hatred. I hadn’t seen her in twelve years. She had grown from a noisy little brat into a steady young woman. Those eyes, righteous and awe-inspiring just like her father’s, looked particularly annoying. I reached out to pinch her ear, but naturally, my hand grasped nothing but air. “Vivian Lane, today I will make all the evidence public. I want to watch you lose everything you gained through illicit means.” “I will make sure you rot in prison, cursed by thousands!” The livestream, with over a hundred thousand viewers, exploded with comments. I sneered and slapped her through the air. Twelve years ago, this damn girl looked at me with that same hate when the traffickers dragged her into the van. I was so mad I slapped her several times. I didn’t expect her to still not learn her lesson. If I had known, I would have slapped her to death back then. I sat indifferently on the table, watching her pull the first piece of evidence from a chipped box beside her: my ledger. Stained with brown splotches, the paper yellowed with age, displayed calmly to the netizens. [October 2nd, 200X: Received Mark’s death pension $2,000. Got a perm, bought two hair clips. Useless trash, even his death is only worth this much.] [November 4th, 2002: Received $10,000 from Boss Huo. Sent that damn girl to entertain some VIP clients. The little bitch actually injured someone. Tsk, next time I’ll drug her so she behaves.] [November 25th, 2002: Spent $500 hiring someone to dig up a grave. Boss Huo bought a new car and wanted to take me for a spin. The damn girl hugged her dead dad’s spirit tablet and called me cheap. In a rage, I dug up his bones and threw them in a cesspit.] … The comments scrolled violently, cursing my eighteen generations of ancestors. Netizens wished they could dig me up and tear me apart right now. But neither Lily nor I reacted. She calmly flipped the ledger to the last page. There were no words on that page, just an old receipt. [September 9th, 2002: Received $3,000 from Brother Meng. Sold daughter, Lily Lane.] It was stamped with my bright red fingerprint. The barrage of comments receded like a tide, the chaotic screen suddenly becoming clean. Silence reigned for several minutes before someone spoke again. [WTF, is this something a human does?] [Even if she couldn’t afford to raise her daughter, she can’t sell her! Is this something a mother does?] [If she couldn’t afford it, she could have started a GoFundMe; plenty of people would want to help.] [Wait, Lily was only 4 years old then?] I sneered. What do they know? Lily glanced coldly at the screen and took out the next piece of evidence. An item that made my pupils constrict instantly. 2 It was a bullet casing, obviously well-preserved. It was taken from her father’s heart. Back then, I wanted to throw away such bad luck, but she held a kitchen knife to my neck and snatched it back. Lily held up the casing, her face etched with obvious hatred. “My father had over a hundred wounds on his body, but the fatal one was this bullet. I spent six hours cleaning his body just to make him look human. But the next day, Vivian Lane married the culprit who killed my father.” “I suspect they colluded long ago… to kill my dad.” The netizens’ emotions surged again. [This animal! Letting her live free for one day is a failure of society.] [I’ll pay a million dollars to whoever finds this Vivian Lane!] [I’ll pay $30,000 for her location!] [Me too!] I leaned against the screen, scoffing. Want to find me? Maybe in the next life. Daughter, I want you to live with hatred for the rest of your life. But unexpectedly, the next day, netizens doxxed my address. It was a dilapidated resettlement housing complex, mostly abandoned. Lily tilted her head slightly, exposing a scar stretching from her cheek to her neck. She cut it herself with a knife because people said she looked like me. It wasn’t originally that long. I grabbed her hair and added another cut. Lily’s best friend covered her nose, looking at the peeling stairwell with unease. “Vivian Lane, who loves wealth and despises poverty, actually lives in a place like this?” “Did her sugar daddy dump her?” The door was locked tight. Lily took an axe from her bag and smashed the door, denting it. The day I married Huo Zheng, she used an axe just like this to shred my wedding dress. But I didn’t spare her either. I used a box of matches to burn her backpack and her dad’s portrait. Another swing, and the door crashed down. Inside was a very ordinary renovation, but the moment Lily saw it, she went mad. Her pupils dilated. She opened every door like a maniac, smashing tables in a frenzy. “Who allowed you to decorate this like the home Dad and I had? Who allowed you?” “Vivian, what gives you the right? What right?!” Watching those fragments, my heart ached. Every table and bowl here was made by my own hands. That damn girl. She smashed the wedding photo on the wall with a hammer, and broke my favorite jewelry in two. “Vivian Lane, get out here!” I giggled in her ear. “Little kid, you’re still too green! I knew you’d come. I even prepared a big gift for you.” “Want to check the storage room?” As if hearing me, she rushed to the corner storage room. The next moment, she convulsed and collapsed to the floor. Her best friend rushed over, holding her. But confusingly, there was nothing strange in the storage room, just a giant plush rabbit. Lily trembled violently, staring at the rabbit as if seeing something terrifying. I sewed that rabbit myself. I leaned in to touch it. However, maybe because I had been away from the place of death for too long, my movement caused my body to fall apart. After spending half a day piecing myself back together, I approached the rabbit. Lily loved rabbits when she was little. Her thirteenth birthday wish was for a big plush rabbit. Unfortunately, on that birthday, she only received Mark’s corpse. Since then, she’s been terrified of rabbits. I touched the rabbit’s nose heartache, sitting on its shoulder, watching Lily pull out a pair of scissors from a drawer. Just as I thought she would cut my rabbit, a woman suddenly walked in from outside. Lily’s emotions instantly stabilized. “Mom.” She threw herself into the woman’s arms like a wronged little girl. However, the woman suddenly looked up, staring straight at me. “Vivian Lane.” Did she see me? 3 However, the next moment I realized I was mistaken. Susan walked towards the rabbit, gently examining the stitching. “Vivian made this.” “It should be a gift for you.” Unexpectedly, the one who understood me best in the end was my love rival. Yes, before I married Mark, she chased him for three years, but Mark chose me. I was smug back then, but thinking about it now, it feels like bad luck. Lily retched, as if hearing something disgusting. “I don’t want it. It’s dirty.” She took the scissors and stabbed the rabbit. The scissors passed through my body and tore the rabbit’s back. Large clumps of cotton flew out. She leaned into Susan’s arms, staring at the cotton with red eyes. So these years, she was adopted by Susan. That day, Susan somehow found out I was selling Lily. She drove after us, chasing for over two hundred miles, and bought Lily back. Hearing Lily call her “Mom,” I curled my lips. Damn girl, I should have sold her further away. She threw down the scissors, and they supported each other out of the messy room. For the rest of the time, I was forced to follow Lily, watching their mother-daughter act, listening to netizens’ curses, and occasionally cursing them back. Until the seventh day, someone found my grave. At first, Lily clearly didn’t believe it. But standing in front of the tombstone, she laughed until she cried. The grave was obviously a few years old. It had my photo and my name carved on it. Lily touched the tombstone. Maybe from excitement, her hand trembled slightly. “Hahaha, karma is real.” “Vivian Lane, retribution finally found you!” She laughed for a while, then started looking for an axe, clearly wanting to smash my grave to vent her anger. Unfortunately, cemeteries don’t have such things. She strode out to buy an axe. Netizens also found out the location of my grave. To vent for Lily, some threw rotten eggs, some brought red paint. Soon, the originally just old tombstone became a mess. Lily got a small excavator. She walked to my tombstone, eyes full of satisfaction mixed with a complexity I didn’t understand. “Vivian, how you treated my dad back then, I’ll treat you now.” I also smiled widely, expecting the reaction of that damn girl when she sees the urn inside is the one she personally collected years ago. I waited for her to get on the excavator and dig up this grave herself. She walked halfway, then suddenly turned back, squatting down hugging her knees, trembling violently. She stared at my tombstone for two minutes, then suddenly picked up a rag and started wiping it. I scoffed. “Damn girl.” After a while, she wiped her tears, threw down the rag, and walked firmly to the excavator. “Vivian, you deserve it. You were heartless, you wronged my dad.” “Today I’m smashing your tombstone to avenge my dad!” With the rumble of the machine starting, the yellow claw smashed towards my tombstone. Everyone’s eyes were filled with satisfaction. A woman like me, who abandoned her husband and sold her daughter, deserved such an end. But amidst the cheers, frantic footsteps ran from the distance. “Stop!” “Lily, your mom never betrayed anyone.”

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I am a calico cat that has gained human consciousness. Scraping by in the entertainment industry for cat treats. One day, I transformed back into my original form and fell asleep in the snow. When I woke up, I found I had been shipped to Miami! The whole world was posting missing person notices. My agent: [Where is my precious artist!] My handful of fans: [Where is my sweet daughter!] The A-list actor: [Where is my huge wife!] A random netizen mixed in: [Found a stray cat on the prairie today, so pitiful! The North is too cold, so I sent her to Miami!] Accompanied by a beautiful photo of yours truly. When the A-list actor saw it, he gave a devastating reply: [She’s not spayed, is she?] Me??? 1 Who can understand the despair of doing absolutely nothing, waking up from a nap, and finding yourself transported from the prairie to Miami!!! The striking snowscape had turned into blue skies, white clouds, and blooming flowers. In the baking heat, I comfortably rolled over to expose my belly. The airport staff member stroked me while confirming over the phone. “Mr. Smith, your kitten has been at Miami International Airport for two days now. Please come and claim her as soon as possible.” I stretched my cat neck to eavesdrop. Judging by the voice, the person on the other end was a young man. Upon receiving the call, his first concern was: “Have you fed the cat?” The staff member affirmed. “Yes, she’s doing very well right now. When can Mr. Smith come to pick up the cat?” The young man on the other end breathed a sigh of relief. “Find a good spot and let her go. She’s just a stray. “I was afraid the North was too cold and she wouldn’t adapt, so I sent her to stray in Miami. “Sorry for the trouble.” Stray cat??? Who are you calling a stray cat??? Besides, a stray cat doesn’t necessarily want to change locations to stray! But the call was hung up early. Leaving me and the airport staff member staring at each other in confusion. 2 After feeding me, the staff member released me into the university district. This place is terrifying. I am a calico cat with unparalleled beauty. Everyone who sees me has to pet me a few times. Can’t hide. Being kissed all over by a pretty girl leaving lipstick marks—positive review. Being lifted high by a handsome college boy—positive review. Being fed cat treats and canned food—positive review. Being chased for mating by an unneutered orange tabby on campus—negative review! An eighty-thousand-word negative review! He’s not even a tenth as handsome as Scarface! I finally found a place without security cameras to transform into human form and buy a phone. It took a herculean effort, but I just couldn’t log into my social media. I’m crying, why does logging into a new device require a verification code! I haven’t memorized my agent’s phone number yet. Fortunately, I managed to call my old phone and explain the whole situation. My agent, Lily, clucked with laughter. “Little kitty, is Miami nice? “Suitable for straying?” I have manners, I don’t swear, I just repeatedly questioned, “Do you not love me anymore?” After laughing, Lily slowly spoke: “Wait for me to find someone to pick you up.” During the long wait, how could I not play on my phone? I registered a new account and went surfing the web. Clicking in, I occupied three of the top five trending topics. Mom! I made it! The first one was: #D-list Actress Mia Goes Missing.# At this level, they really didn’t need to specify that clearly. The second one: #Mia’s Agent Offers Hefty Reward for Information.# Boo hoo hoo, I knew Lily was the best, she was actually willing to empty her savings for me. Clicking in, it’s only two thousand bucks. Pretend I didn’t say anything. Who started the rumor about a hefty reward? It’s not even as much as the “Generous Reward for Lost Dog” flyers on telephone poles. The third one was: #Mia’s Acting Explosion Highlights.# Boo hoo hoo hoo, Mom, even a nobody like me has personal edit videos now. I secretly liked all the posts praising me. When I backed out, I finally had time to notice the exploding number one trending topic. #A-List Actor Searching for Wife.# When did the A-list actor get a wife? Hiss, let’s watch the drama. But clicking in. The A-list actor posted twenty tweets in three days. Every single one revealed the despair and heartbreak of losing his wife. [Where is my huge wife? Why did she disappear!] [Hefty reward for my wife! One million for clues!] [Wife! My wife! How can I live without my wife?] … A very sad story, if only the attached picture wasn’t a photo of me. When did I start dating the A-list actor, how come I didn’t know? Slapping my forehead, I got it. I’ve read short stories; there are many like this. They take my photo to date the A-list actor online. The subsequent plot: the A-list actor finds me. We accidentally fall in love. Hiss, I didn’t expect the A-list actor to have these thoughts about me. I told you everyone loves a little kitty. However, I already have a man. A handsome sugar baby who isn’t stupid but has lots of money. A 6’1″ rich kid who would use a massive mansion just to dry fish for me. Young people have great stamina; they can really toss you around in the middle of the night. Why would a cat look for a human? Then I have to mention my ex, a tabby cat who looks exactly like Brad Pitt— Scarface. We dated for half a year; touched little paws, rubbed little cheeks. But one day, Scarface ran off with a tortoiseshell cat prettier than me. Survival of the fittest, judging cats by their looks. Nature is truly cruel. From then on, I sealed my heart, deciding not to touch tomcats anymore. Instead, I’d touch men who have reproductive isolation from me. No babies; can pick it up and put it down. If I don’t love him, I’ll leave. 3 The A-list actor kept calling me his wife. With such certainty. So there were a bunch of inexplicable leaks on Twitter. Digging for clues about me and the A-list actor. Digging and digging, and there wasn’t a single photo of us together. Nor any clues. Netizens explained: [This is called avoiding suspicion.] Me: You can do that??? Among them, I saw a very interesting tweet. From a helpful netizen: [Found a stray cat on the prairie today, so pitiful! The North is too cold, so I sent her to Miami!] Accompanied by a super gorgeous photo of yours truly. Kind person, even if you attach a beautiful photo of me. I still can’t forgive you for banishing me to the frontier! But the food in Miami is pretty good. Chew chew chew. Eating an empanada. Then a bowl of ceviche. Eating while clicking open the comment section. Listening to a chorus of “hahahahaha”. But the most striking was the A-list actor’s comment: [She’s not spayed, is she?] What are you doing??? The helpful netizen who shipped the cat: [Oh my, if you didn’t remind me, I would have forgotten. I’ll find someone to catch the cat back and get her spayed right now.] Motherf***er??? I shivered. Good thing I ran fast. My premium genes just don’t want to breed. If I did, they would definitely be the most beautiful kittens in the world. I absolutely cannot be spayed. Suddenly I really miss Scarface. If he hadn’t run away. I should have had a litter of kittens by now! Fickle dog of a tomcat!!! Boo hoo hoo hoo hoo! Tears rolled into the soup one by one. It’s salty, doesn’t taste good. Someone took away the ceviche in front of me. I looked up, ready to scold. And realized it was the subject of my gossip, the A-list actor. He held a tissue, trying hard to be gentle, but his hand still wiped my tears heavily. “Why are you crying?” The tears were absorbed by the tissue, a damp patch. I pouted, feeling wronged. “Why are you here? “Also, I didn’t date you online. “They must have stolen my photos.” The A-list actor’s handsome face froze, and he only spoke half a minute later. “Do you not recognize me anymore? Daisy?” Daisy? My name when I was still a cat. I looked up and saw a trace of familiarity on the A-list actor’s face. My mouth was faster than my brain. “Scarface?” I didn’t wait for the A-list actor’s reply. A familiar voice exploded behind me. “Sister, so this is the person you were thinking about even in my bed?” Ah!!! Why is my sugar baby here too!!! Also! When did I ever call out “Scarface” in his bed? My life is over! Terrified! Trembling! There was the sound of someone taking a seat beside me. My sugar baby stretched out a long arm, and I was completely enveloped in a warm embrace. Breath fell on my ear. My sugar baby’s words continued. “I don’t know what kind of centuries-old grudge Mr. A-list actor has with my sister? “But right now, the one she chose is me. “I suggest you stop posting those misleading tweets, Mr. A-list actor.” A trace of loneliness flashed through Scarface’s eyes. But quickly, Scarface reined in his emotions, tilted his head forty-five degrees, revealing his most impeccable profile angle, lowered his voice, and spoke slowly with his most charming vocal cords. “Don’t speak too soon. “Some things aren’t as simple as you think. “I believe my wife Daisy must love me; we just had a little misunderstanding. “When we clear up the misunderstanding, you’ll be kicked to the curb. “You can only watch my wife and me be affectionate. “Just you wait and see.” Still handsome. But slightly greasy. Sure enough, lingering attachment to an ex is like a pile of loose sand. You don’t even need the wind to blow. Look a few more times and it all scatters. Younger guys are still more refreshing. So, I left with Leo, my sugar baby. Leaving nothing behind. Just like when Scarface left me with that tortoiseshell cat. Back then, two pairs of cat paw prints in the snow, walking very far away. Now, there is no snow, no paw prints. And no heartbreak either. 4 Leo didn’t ask me why I was here. Nor did he ask about Scarface. The villa in Miami, not for long-term living, had no nanny. Leo remained silent, just focused on deveining the shrimp. Preparing to make my favorite spicy braised shrimp. Remembering that sentence, “Sister, so this is the person you were thinking about even in my bed?” I felt anxious and uneasy, leaning over to rub against Leo. “Baby, have you finished your senior thesis?” Leo’s hand trembled, and he was pricked by the shrimp head, drawing blood. A bead of blood seeped out, but Leo didn’t care, just looked up and stared into my eyes. “Sister, I’m a junior this year.” A junior? Then what nonsense was I just spouting? Who will save a little kitty who only likes to sleep in the sun, but is now about to shatter. If I had known, I would have just played dead in the living room. The cold villa had nothing. I could only suck on Leo’s injured finger, drawing away the surface blood. Then went out to buy iodine swabs and Band-Aids. A cartoon cat head Band-Aid, sticking it on, was like my original form protecting my little sugar daddy. “No pain, no pain.” “Blow on it and it won’t hurt anymore.” Coaxing a man too seriously makes it easy to get yourself wrapped up in it. At noon the next day, rubbing my waist that had been tormented by the younger guy last night, I opened Twitter. I was preparing to DM my favorite celebrities, recording Leo’s preferences, to be the most qualified canary. No, canary is food. Then, I’ll be the most qualified little sweetheart. Humming a little tune, preparing to surf the web. Then, my heart tightened. Sure enough, Twitter had my legend again. #A-List Actor and College Boy, Mia Two-Timing.# #Miami Diner, Mia One Woman Battles Two Men.# I told them not to act like paparazzi. Clicking in, it was a photo of me held in Leo’s arms, talking to Scarface. Great angle, even better timing. Looking like a pair of flaunting adulterers and a pitiful, abandoned man. The comment section was full of heartache for Scarface. [Boo hoo hoo hoo, the A-list actor is too pitiful. Finally found this bad woman, and the bad woman cheated.] [No wonder Mia isn’t popular.] [Those who betray true love should swallow a hundred needles.] There were even some unbearable ones. … Soon, Scarface came out to explain. [I’m sorry, when she went missing, I was just too anxious and didn’t think it through. Mia and I had already broken up, and I didn’t know she had a current boyfriend. It was my lack of consideration, please don’t scold her anymore.] The comment section ached even more. Calling me an ungrateful woman. The words got uglier and uglier. My heart felt stuffy and uncomfortable. But I also knew netizens were furious right now. Even with sensible netizens around, replying now wasn’t the best choice. Finally, I just threw my phone aside and admired the flowers in the wind on the balcony. When Leo came back, I was hugging a pot of flowers, crying a river. My face flushed red from crying. Leo noticed my phone screen, looked away, then pulled me into his arms, coaxing me softly. “Sister, don’t cry. “He’s not worth you being so sad over.” It’s not for Scarface. What I’m sad about is why I didn’t do anything, yet these humans hate me so much. I’ve always been a law-abiding good cat, even helping old ladies cross the street. It’s not like I helped an old lady jaywalk. Crying and choking, unable to explain, I cried myself to sleep in Leo’s arms. In my daze, someone was gently patting my back, saying something about love or not. Right, love. I want lots and lots of love.

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After redeeming the villain with love and preventing his descent into darkness, I was joyfully preparing for retirement. But when I woke up, the blackened villain from another timeline was standing by my bed. And the villain I had saved just happened to push open the door and walk in. They stared at each other. I clutched my head in agony: “System!! Fix the bug quickly! Ahhh!” Later, my retirement plan was completely scrapped. The little villain hugged my waist with teary eyes, begging me not to leave. The big villain pressed against my neck, leaving a circle of teeth marks. 1 I am the older brother of the male lead, Caleb. Three years older, no blood relation. I’ve been by his side since I was one. He was afraid of thunder, I held him to sleep. He was beaten, I fought back for him. He was abandoned, I took him in. I taught him, shaped his worldview, and set his moral standards. Why go to such lengths? All of this was for my own grand plan. I have a secret. I am an employee of the World Administration Bureau. The System detected that the villain in this world was too powerful and would exterminate the male and female leads in the future. So it sent me to save the villain, Caleb. As long as his blackening value reaches zero, not only can I receive a huge sum of money, but I can also welcome my retirement! A retirement life where I get paid every month for doing nothing! I worked diligently without any negligence. Finally, on Caleb’s 18th birthday. As Caleb made a wish and blew out the candles, a mechanical system voice also came: [Congratulations Host, the villain Caleb’s blackening value has been cleared.] Finally!!!! I was ecstatic, wishing I could dance on the spot. But on the surface, I still calmly patted Caleb’s head, fulfilling my duty as an adopted brother. “Caleb, you’re an adult now. You can’t always cry, you have to be independent.” “Big brother can’t be by your side every moment.” Caleb nodded obediently. “Thank you, brother.” Suddenly he asked: “Will brother stay with me forever?” I hesitated for a moment, but still answered: “Of course, brother promises you.” Ate some cake as a gesture. I pulled up the quilt happily, my mind full of thoughts about retirement life. I should be able to return to the main world tomorrow. My identity will be replaced by someone from another department. Although I do have feelings for this child. I can still come back to see him with another identity. After all, having raised him for so long, I really treat him as a younger brother. The cold wind of the winter night raged, but I slept soundly with the heater on. Suddenly felt a chill on my stomach in the middle of the night. I struggled groggily to wake up. Just opened my eyelids a crack, vaguely seeing a shadow. Moving around on my chest. Sleepiness pulled me down again. I didn’t see clearly. 2 The next day, I opened my eyes with satisfaction. A dreamless night, I was just about to ask the System when I could go back. But found something wrong. A figure was standing by my bed. I turned my head blankly. The features were basically identical to Caleb’s, just more mature. I called out dumbly: “Caleb?” The man didn’t respond, just hooked the corner of his mouth slightly, a hint of interest surfacing in his eyes. Just as he was about to speak, the door was pushed open. Eighteen-year-old Caleb pushed open the door, face full of smiles: “Brother! Wake…” I clearly saw the smile on his face drop rapidly, running over with a wary look. Blocking between me and the mature Caleb. “Who are you?” Cold as ice. That man was taller, his temperament more composed. He stepped back slightly in his leather shoes. “I am Caleb. And you? Little Caleb?” Little Caleb’s face showed a bit of disillusionment. He turned to look at me, looking a bit fragile. “Brother, what’s going on?” Watching him grow up since childhood, I felt his expression was a bit strange. But I didn’t think too much about it. I was also freaking out right now, frantically pinging the System. [System!! What’s going on ahhh, where did this male lead come from ahhh!] [Looks so scary! This is not the kid I can control at all!] Half a moment later, the System’s mechanical voice came: [Host, this is the Caleb who ruined the male and female leads’ families.] [A bug appeared in the main world, bringing Caleb from another timeline over.] [Be careful, this Caleb is very dangerous.] I sat up immediately, reaching out to hold Little Caleb’s hand. Cold wind poured into my quilt, I shivered subconsciously. Little Caleb immediately took a coat and draped it over me, staring covetously at the Blackened Version Caleb. Blackened Caleb raised an eyebrow, looking at me strangely. Suddenly bent down and touched my face. “Where did you come from? I’ve never seen you.” Little Caleb slapped away the hand touching me like a wolf cub. “Get lost, you’re the one who came from nowhere.” The other Caleb wasn’t in a hurry either, dragged a chair and sat down. Watching Little Caleb dress me and put on my socks, he finally spoke: “So… you haven’t mastered the Helios network yet?” Little Caleb paused. This was originally the inevitable path for the blackened Caleb. But I have been preventing him from contacting these dark things. Caleb understands himself so well, he knew just by looking at his own expression. “You mastered it… What? Don’t want him to know?” Saying this, he cast his gaze towards me. I widened my eyes. Looked at Little Caleb. “Caleb! Didn’t I say?” Little Caleb lowered his eyes aggrievedly. “You believe whatever he says.” The angry words I wanted to say got stuck in my throat, took a deep breath. “So, did you do it or not, no lying.” Little Caleb didn’t speak for a long time. My chest felt tight with anger. And Blackened Caleb was watching the show on the stool. His expression was a bit strange yet amused. “Caleb… let me talk to him. I am you, there are many things I think he doesn’t want to know, right?” Little Caleb was like an enraged lion. “Impossible!” “I’ll talk to you.” I glared at him, stepped out the door, and said coldly to Little Caleb: “Stay put obediently.” Then waved to the other Caleb. “You come over.” I was also freaking out inside. My grand retirement plan, ruined just like that. Caleb followed behind me at a leisurely pace. I could feel him sizing me up. From top to bottom. Like looking at some rare toy. I turned around unhappily to meet his eyes. Dark and deep, completely different from Little Caleb. Twenty-six-year-old Caleb was already so tall, very oppressive. I glared at him with a cold face, leading the way again. Blackened Caleb touched his nose and smiled slightly. Only then did I feel the gaze wasn’t so obvious anymore. I pushed open the study door and sat down. Blackened Caleb sat opposite me with legs slightly apart. “Kitten, what’s your name?” I ignored his teasing words, answering flatly: “Adrian.” His finger tapped lightly on the table a few times, suddenly said: “Adrian, let’s play a game, okay?” “I ask a question, then you ask one, how about it?” “You go first.” I nodded in agreement; I came with the purpose of investigating him anyway. 3 I looked straight into his eyes and asked: “How did you come to this world?” Blackened Caleb hooked his lips and smiled: “This world? Adrian, you aren’t a person of this world, are you?” My heart tightened. Indeed hard to deal with, I said angrily: “Answer my question first!” He hooked my hand as if surrendering: “Okay, I woke up and was here, lying on the floor.” “Watched you for half a day, didn’t expect Adrian to love sleeping so much.” I didn’t respond. Blackened Caleb widened his eyes, looking a bit expectant: “So… Adrian, have you done it with that kid yet?” Who? When I realized it was Little Caleb, my face exploded red instantly. “What are you saying?! I’m just his brother.” Blackened Caleb chuckled lightly, with schadenfreude and a bit of “wishing iron could turn into steel”. “Haven’t even eaten that yet.” I darkened my face and asked again: “Can you go back on your own?” Blackened Caleb shrugged: “Brother, I was forced to come here, how can I go back.” Saying this, he lowered his eyebrows making a pitiful look. Looked a bit like Little Caleb. But how could I be confused by his appearance. In the original plot, he was a villain who killed without blinking an eye. Caleb raised a question again: “Brother, how long have you lived with the me of this world?” I answered calmly: “17 years.” That person muttered again: “Why weren’t you by my side?” Saying this he showed a smile again. “Do you really understand me?” Suddenly, he leaned his face close to me forcefully, as if wanting to kiss me. “Brother, believe it or not, your real brother will burst in any second.” “Do you know how many surveillance cameras are in this house?” My whole body stiffened, just wanted to resist. Suddenly, the door was flung open forcefully. Little Caleb stood at the door pursing his lips. He looked coldly at our actions. Took a big step forward and pulled Blackened Caleb away. Face looked calm, but actions were ruthless. Raised hand and punched the other Caleb hard. I heard the sound of fist hitting cheek flesh. Blackened Caleb naturally wouldn’t show weakness either. Raised foot and kicked. Watching the two punch each other several times, Little Caleb fell into a disadvantage. After all, he was still young. In chaos, I smashed the vase on the table forcefully. A tiny fragment grazed my cheek. Leaving a thin blood trail. The huge bang brought the sanity of these two guys back. I looked at these two coldly. “What are you doing?! Huh?” Little Caleb’s cheekbone and mouth corner were all bruised. The two seemed to hate each other to death. Specially aiming for the face. Little Caleb’s eyes filled with tears, walked to my side pitifully. “Brother, it hurts.” Blackened Caleb also had a few bruises on his face. He narrowed his eyes watching Little Caleb act spoiled to me. Fingers stretched slowly. Raised eyes sweeping over the fragments, spoke lightly: “Your brother is injured.” Little Caleb raised his tear-filled eyes. Saw the tiny wound on my face. Let a tear roll down from his eye. While nervously saying: “Brother sorry…” While taking out a band-aid from the study drawer. “Brother, does it hurt?” I soothingly touched the wound on his face. “You go out first, okay? I’ll apply medicine for you later.” Little Caleb shook his head. I deepened my tone. “Be obedient.” Little Caleb stiffened, could only leave looking back every three steps. Didn’t forget to glance at Blackened Caleb. Mouth instructing me: “Don’t forget to apply medicine for me later.” When Little Caleb left, Blackened Caleb gave a light tsk. Thoughtfully closed the door again. Crossed legs leaning against the table. “I also want you to apply medicine for me.” I tensed up. This wasn’t the child I could control. So I nodded slightly, said lightly: “Sure, exchange with something you think is valuable.” Blackened Caleb was slightly silent, as if weighing the item’s value. Finally spoke: “The day I came, a monk tried to scam me.” “Asked me for three hundred bucks, I was too lazy to deal with it, threw a pile of money over.” Hearing this. I quickly called the System out: [System! Is this monk related to this matter?!] System replied: [Still investigating, Host needs to stabilize this Caleb.] Blackened Caleb looked at me lightly, suddenly spoke: “Who are you talking to?” My heart tightened, this battle-hardened smelly pervert is sensitive. “Nothing.” I nonchalantly called Little Caleb in too. Blackened Caleb chuckled lightly, as if letting me off. 4 I pulled out the medical kit from under the table. Two Calebs sat on either side of me. Little Caleb looked at me with teary eyes: “Brother, I hurt so much.” Blackened Caleb chuckled, teasingly said: “Brother~ I hurt too.” Little Caleb’s wolf cub eyes instantly fixed on Blackened Caleb. “You aren’t allowed to call him brother.” I was silent, pressed the cotton swab dipped in iodine hard on both their faces. Little Caleb was used to acting spoiled and cute in the past. If it were before, he would probably ask me for a hug. But now seeing Blackened Caleb not making a sound, he also endured the pain. Little Caleb looked at me pitifully, while saying: “Brother, don’t know where this person came from! Hurry kick him out, okay?” I felt bitter inside. If I could kick him out, would Caleb need to ask? I would have done it immediately. I asked the System in my heart: [Can I just drop this world and retire directly?] The System rejected me. [Still troubleshooting the cause, persistence is victory.] I could only shake my head at Little Caleb. Blackened Caleb put away his smile, swept a glance at the childish version of himself. Spoke with schadenfreude: “Adrian, I remember I wasn’t this well-behaved at 18.” “This little cub is hiding quite a few things from you.” “Want me to say a few? Like the house full of surveillance.” “Probably even in Adrian’s bathroom.” I paused, almost fooled by Little Caleb! The surveillance matter mentioned before almost turned the page again. I put down the cotton swab, frowning at Caleb. “Caleb, speak for yourself.” Little Caleb glared at Blackened Caleb, stuttering. “I… I, I did put some cameras.” “But Brother, I just want to ensure your safety!” “Didn’t think anything else.” I narrowed my eyes slightly, Blackened Caleb beside added fuel to the fire: “There’s also Scarlett and Chase, why don’t you mention them.” Scarlett and Chase are the female and male leads of this world. Also the objects I protect in this world. Looks like Caleb still did something. But wasn’t his blackening value already cleared?! Little Caleb looked at me uneasily. Drooped his shoulders miserably, begging for mercy: “Can you not ask anymore Brother?” I sneered, swept a glance at him. “Fine, I won’t ask, I’ll go see for myself.” In the original plot, Caleb made a move on the male lead’s company because he didn’t like him. And finally succeeded! And now, under my guidance. Caleb didn’t make a move, but carefully managed his own business. I turned on the computer, the password was always my birthday. Previously I trusted Caleb, and the System background also kept showing his blackening value dropping. But now, I opened the computer folder, saw the information of the male and female leads inside. And personality analysis of each person. Caleb investigated them privately. Looks like a prelude to doing bad things no matter how you look at it! I secretly asked the System in disbelief: [Is your detection machine really okay???] System responded quite seriously: [Of course no problem! This was created by our great Main God!] Blackened Caleb suddenly laughed, I glared at him. Saw Little Caleb beside with eyes already full of tears. Pitifully about to fall. Raising him for years, every time he made a mistake he looked like this. I hardened my heart. Kicked him into the room to reflect. Before leaving, Little Caleb stared tightly at Blackened Caleb with resentful eyes. Like a venomous snake wanting to pounce and bite off his neck in an instant. Blackened Caleb swept over lightly with a faint smile. Sneered nonchalantly, walked away slowly. I never locked Caleb up. But this time the situation was too serious. And I also must deal with the bug of this world. Which is this Blackened Caleb in front of me.

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