Category: English

The first time I noticed something was wrong with this world was during a first-aid training session at the company. The instructor pointed at the CPR mannequin and said, “Remember, human blood is blue. It only slowly oxidizes and turns red after being exposed to air.” At first, I thought he was making a joke. It wasn’t until I saw all my colleagues nodding seriously and taking notes that I couldn’t help but raise my hand. “Sir, did you misspeak? Blood is always red.” The instructor and every single one of my colleagues turned to look at me as if I were a monster. The instructor frowned, flipped open the training manual, and pointed it out to me. Right there, in black and white, it read: “Blood is blue.” I was dumbfounded. I pulled out my phone and searched the internet, only to find that every single result perfectly matched what was written in the manual. My coworker, Chloe, secretly tugged at my sleeve and asked with concern, “Have you been too tired lately? How could you forget such basic common sense?” I didn’t know how to answer her. Under the strange stares of my colleagues, I could only force an awkward smile and say I was just joking. As soon as the training ended, I immediately rushed into the restroom, gritted my teeth, and pricked my finger with a safety pin. Bright red blood welled up. Finally, I let out a long sigh of relief. My memory was correct. Although I didn’t know the reason, they were definitely playing some massive prank on me. Just as I was about to walk out, a conversation between two colleagues outside reached my ears. “Evelyn was so funny today. I can’t believe she actually said blood is always red.” “I know, right? My gums just happen to be bleeding. I really wanted to call her over to take a look.” I peeked out through the crack in the stall door. My colleague was baring her teeth at the mirror, using a tissue to wipe the blood from her mouth. On her white teeth, blue blood was slowly turning red. 01 This was probably the first time I had ever seen blue blood on a real person. I was so shocked that I instinctively covered my mouth, not daring to make another sound. They were right. And I was right, too. So, what exactly was wrong? Long after they left, and I was sure no one else was in the restroom, I secretly crept out. Walking through the office, I looked at everything that was once familiar, yet it all felt terrifyingly alien. Because I had already realized that I was different from them. I was, I feared, an anomaly. Back at my desk, my direct supervisor, Mr. Davis, quickly called me into his office. “I heard you haven’t been sleeping well lately? Are you under too much pressure?” I knew what he was referring to, but I didn’t have the courage to admit it to him. Because subconsciously, I always felt that being an anomaly was not a good thing. I just gave a few perfunctory replies, making the excuse again that it was just a joke and I didn’t expect everyone to take it so seriously. Fortunately, Mr. Davis didn’t press the issue. He just smiled, agreed with me, and told me to make sure I got enough rest. That night, I tightly locked all my doors and windows. I drew the curtains, lit some aromatherapy candles, and went to bed early. I hoped this was all just a dream, just a figment of my imagination. I hoped that when I woke up, everything would return to the familiar track I knew. But staying awake until 3 AM, I became more and more certain that there was absolutely nothing wrong with me. So, what on earth was going on? I got out of bed, turned on my computer, and searched for information about blood again. The results were no different from the daytime. No, it wasn’t just that there was no difference. I made an even more shocking discovery. The description for the Statue of Liberty read: “A landmark building located in Brooklyn, New York, completed just before the 2008 Beijing Olympics.” I searched for “Times Square,” and the images that came up were three bizarre buildings I had never seen before, called the “Financial Three Pillars.” I searched for “Hudson River,” and it showed “a river flowing through Chicago.” I violently slammed my laptop shut, breathing heavily. This was sheer madness. At the same time, I finally confirmed that this world was absolutely not the one I was familiar with. 02 However, I didn’t make a fuss about it. Because when I posted on an online forum questioning all this, I quickly received two replies. [The original poster needs to see a doctor.] [Did the original poster escape from somewhere?] The second reply instantly served as a wake-up call. As someone who didn’t belong to this world, this might not just be a matter of astonishment for me. Exposing myself recklessly would very likely put me in danger. So I immediately deleted the post and started to camouflage myself in my subsequent life. I tried my hardest to look like a “normal” person. At the same time, I carefully observed everything in this world. Fortunately, aside from some basic facts differing from my memory, I hadn’t found any issues that would affect my daily life yet. This allowed me to breathe a sigh of relief; perhaps my previous worries were unnecessary. But three days later, the first-aid training instructor came to our company again. He handed everyone a test paper, told us not to talk, and to hand it directly to him after finishing. He said it was to test the results of the training. I didn’t think much of it at first, until an older colleague who had been at the company for years muttered softly: “After all these years of training, this is the first time we’ve had to take a test.” A shiver instantly ran down my spine. Could this be… targeted at me? So I secretly peeked at my colleague’s test paper. Cold sweat instantly crawled down my back. My colleague’s test paper was filled with questions about first-aid knowledge. But mine… The first question was: What color is human blood? The second question was: What color is a baby’s hair when they are born? … I quickly realized I was being targeted. Although I didn’t know what this meant, my intuition told me it definitely wasn’t anything good. I controlled the trembling of my fingers and calmly wrote down blue and white. When I handed the paper in, the instructor gave me a meaningful look but didn’t say anything. I didn’t know if this meant I had passed, but I knew that from now on, every moment, I had to be much more careful. 03 The next day at noon, a few colleagues and I went to a newly opened restaurant near the company for lunch. My experiences over the past few days had made me subconsciously sensitive to the people and things around me. So I quickly noticed a man in a gray jacket sitting alone at a table diagonally behind us. In my memory, I seemed to have seen this person on the subway this morning as well. Now there was a single meal set in front of him, but he hadn’t taken a single bite and was constantly looking at his phone. I picked up my phone, using the screen as a mirror, pretending to touch up my makeup while keeping an eye on his movements. In the span of less than a minute, he looked up three times, and every single time, he just “casually” glanced at me so perfectly. I knew it in my heart. As expected, he was coming for me. I didn’t expose him. I pretended not to notice and finished eating with my colleagues. When I returned to the office in the afternoon, I found excuses to go down to the convenience store a few times. Unsurprisingly, I “coincidentally” ran into him every time. When getting off work, I stood at the entrance of the office building, hesitating. Should I just catch a cab home and hide? Or follow my usual routine and accept the gray jacket’s “coincidental” accompaniment? Or go straight up to him and ask him clearly what he exactly wants? It would be a lie to say I wasn’t afraid, but deep down, I wanted to figure out what was really going on even more. So I made a bold decision. I took a different route home. I didn’t take the main road I usually took, but instead detoured into the old streets and narrow alleys where I used to rent an apartment. After turning three corners, I ducked into a convenience store, ordered some oden, and brazenly sat in front of the floor-to-ceiling window to wait. The road down from the convenience store was a dead end. And the only resident there was my former landlord. Therefore, I only needed to wait for the gray jacket to turn around, and I would formally lay my cards on the table. No matter how he tried to argue, he could no longer find an excuse for following me. Up until now, neither the training instructor nor the gray jacket had confronted me directly, which meant they didn’t want to do anything to me yet. So I should still be safe for now, which was my biggest trump card. But after the gray jacket walked past me, I waited for a long time, and he never came back. As it grew darker, I stood outside the convenience store in surprise, looking to the right. The dead-end alley was eerily quiet. Only the streetlights lit up punctually, casting light on the mottled stone walls and the ground. The gray jacket, as if he had never been there, vanished. At this moment, I finally felt, once again, a chilling terror. 04 I hurried home and double-locked all the doors and windows. After drinking a whole bottle of ice water to force myself to calm down, I wrote down some questions on a piece of paper. [1. This world is not my previous world.] [2. People are paying special attention to me because I brought up the anomalies of this world.] [3. These people, and what’s behind them, are absolutely not simple.] [So, what do they want?] I chewed on the end of my pen, starting to analyze this problem. Do they want to determine if I am someone from this world? No, for this matter, they completely wouldn’t need to go in such a huge circle. My blood is red. With their abilities, finding out this result would be effortless. At this moment, I remembered the meaningful look the training instructor gave me when collecting the test papers. I gripped my pen and wrote firmly below: [They want to determine if I have realized that this world is abnormal.] Yes, their current actions are probing and observing based on my reactions. If I am content with the status quo, maybe they won’t overly interfere with my life. But if I show very clear suspicion and resistance, I might be in danger. I took a deep breath and continued to think about the next question. So, what should I do? This was actually a topic I had been asking myself for the past few days but dared not face. Should I force myself to accept all this and live in this world like a native? Or find the source of all the weirdness and, at all costs, return to my original world? I didn’t dare write down the answer, but in that instant, I already had the answer in my heart. 05 I registered an account on the country’s largest Q&A community, then asked a question: [I have a bad memory and always get landmark buildings in the wrong cities. What should I do?] I didn’t dare blatantly mention the anomalies of this world again, let alone the highly sensitive topic of blood color. I could only ask obscurely. If there was a companion of mine in this world, I hoped he could understand what I meant. A day later, three answers were added under the question, none of which were what I was looking for. So, I tried to add to the question: [For example, the Statue of Liberty. I always misremember where it is. What should I do?] The next morning, I saw a private message notification from that community on my phone. After unlocking my phone, in the thumbnail preview on the homepage, a user named [Peach] left me a message: [New York?] At that moment, even my heartbeat seemed to stop. I immediately clicked on it, but the community page was completely empty. That question had been deleted, and my account was inexplicably banned. I instantly realized they had discovered my little trick. At this moment, I felt both terrified and excited. I didn’t know what they would do next, but I knew that I was not alone in this world. 06 After a brief moment to compose myself, I decided to go to work as usual first. The path to the subway station required walking through a narrow alley. Just as I stepped into it, someone suddenly darted out from inside and bumped into me. He said “sorry” and hurried away. I was a bit surprised, because in that split second just now, I seemed to see that the corners of his mouth were turned up in a smile. I turned back, continued walking forward, and suddenly a loud crash came from above my head. Immediately after, an air conditioning unit fell right in front of me. The shattered pieces flying up almost grazed the tip of my nose. My mind went completely blank for a moment. Then came the overwhelming sense of terror. I was almost entirely soaked in cold sweat, trembling all over. This was the first time I had been so close to death. The police arrived quickly. The investigation concluded it was due to long-term disrepair and an accidental detachment. Moreover, the police told me that the family in that apartment had moved out months ago, and the place was empty. A passerby beside me comforted me, “Young lady, surviving a great disaster means you’ll have great fortune later.” My face was as white as paper, because I knew very well the reason why I hadn’t died. Someone had bumped into me. So I understood even more clearly now what his faint smile meant. 07 When I arrived at the company, I happened to run into my direct supervisor, Mr. Davis, talking on the phone at the entrance. Seeing my pale, traumatized face, he asked me what was wrong. I tried hard to squeeze out a smile, saying I almost had an accident on the way and was still feeling scared. He immediately asked with concern, “Are you okay?” I shook my head and said I was fine. “That’s good,” he said, seeming to think for a moment. “Evelyn, how about I give you the day off? You really should go to the hospital and get checked out.” I smiled and said it really wasn’t necessary, and that he could just waive my tardiness this time. Mr. Davis didn’t say anything more. He just waved his hand and let me in. After sitting at my desk for a good while, I finally completely calmed down. But then I suddenly remembered that Mr. Davis didn’t even ask what happened to me. So why did he want me to go to the hospital? I felt like I was sitting on pins and needles the whole day. I could be certain that after they discovered my little trick, they were going to take action against me. The incident this morning was a warning. And they were right beside me. When I got home at night, I discovered more things that were wrong. Someone had entered my house. Although they were very careful to put things back exactly as they were, because I have lived alone for a long time, I am habitually very sensitive to every detail. Moreover, in the wastebasket, the paper on which I had previously written down questions had been opened. That crumpled paper was originally in the middle of the trash, but now it was deliberately pressed all the way to the bottom. At this moment, I was incredibly thankful that I hadn’t written down my final thoughts. If they had seen it, what would have happened? Would they have just taken me away directly? But what do they plan to do now? Give me a chance to remedy the situation? Then, what should I do? I lay in bed, awake all night. As dawn approached, I made a decision: escape. 08 After sending a message to Mr. Davis asking for annual leave, I immediately bought a ticket for the earliest flight to Denver. Not long after dawn, I had already packed my suitcase and rolled it out the door. The morning rush hour hadn’t started yet, and I quickly got a ride-hailing car. The driver was a silent middle-aged man, and the whole ride was quiet. After the car got onto the highway to the airport, I finally felt waves of exhausted sleepiness. Leaning against the window, I tried hard to keep myself from falling asleep. After my head bumped against the window an unknown number of times, I jolted awake. This wasn’t the road to the airport! “Sir, are we going the wrong way?” I tried my best to make my tone sound less panicked. The driver glanced at me through the rearview mirror. “That’s what the navigation says. There might be road repairs causing a detour.” I let out an “oh” and sneaked a peek over. His phone screen was black; the navigation wasn’t even turned on. My heart practically leaped into my throat, but I forced myself to pretend to be calm. I knew that telling him to stop now was absolutely impossible. I could only outsmart him. Seeing a coffee shop not far ahead, I told him to stop there for a moment so I could buy a cup of coffee. But the driver didn’t answer me; instead, he stepped on the gas. My heart sank. Was it time to drop all pretenses? I felt for my phone; there was no signal, and the car’s speed was still increasing. If we kept driving down this highway for much longer, we would leave the city limits, and not far beyond that were mountain roads. I didn’t dare think any further. I tightly gripped the handle, my mind racing as I considered where to make a desperate stand against the driver. Just as I made up my mind, there seemed to be a major traffic jam ahead due to an accident. The car slowed down, and, there were police! Like a desperate survivor, I frantically pounded on the window, even intending to open the car door regardless of everything. Thank goodness, the police saw me. A motorcycle with flashing lights made the driver pull over. The moment the car stopped, I opened the door and rushed out, speaking incoherently. “Police! He’s trying to kidnap me! Help!” The driver remained silent throughout. Even as he was taken away, he only gave me a deep look. I missed my flight and followed the police to the station to give a statement. After I recounted all the events of the morning from start to finish, the female police officer taking my statement comforted me: “Miss, you’re probably just overly frightened. We’ve already notified your family, and they’ll be here soon.” I instantly felt something was wrong. Family? My parents are in my hometown, how could they… The door to the reception room opened, and two people walked in quickly, looking anxious. One was Mr. Davis, and the other was Chloe from the HR department. “Evelyn! Are you okay?” Mr. Davis looked full of concern. “You scared us to death! We got a call from the police saying you were in trouble…” Chloe hugged me. “Evelyn, don’t be scared, don’t be scared, we’re here.” I looked at them, unable to even force a fake smile. “Mr. Davis, Chloe, why are you…” “In the company files, we are your designated emergency contacts,” Mr. Davis said. “The form you filled out when you joined, did you forget?” I really didn’t remember. No, I definitely wouldn’t have put them as my emergency contacts. In that moment, I realized my previous judgment of them was too naive. The forces behind them were unfathomably deep. The police suggested I go home and rest, and Mr. Davis drove me. Along the way, he and Chloe kept comforting me. As we got closer to my house, he finally asked me tentatively. “You haven’t been looking well lately. Do you want to… go see a doctor?” He said he knew a very good psychologist who should be able to solve my problems quickly. I suddenly remembered, this was the second time he had brought up me seeing a doctor. And, it was also immediately following an “accident.” “Dr. Lee is really very professional.” After the car parked downstairs at my apartment, Mr. Davis turned his head and looked at me with sincere earnestness. “Sometimes, what we see and believe isn’t necessarily true. It might be that you’re under too much pressure and are experiencing hallucinations. A doctor can help you distinguish between what’s real and what’s imagination.” His words already carried a very obvious implication. It was as if something had suddenly clicked together in my mind. Everything was done by them, after they discovered my actions. The two “accidents” weren’t me being lucky, barely surviving each time by a hair’s breadth. It was them warning me. So, would I have a third chance? Facing the concerned gazes of Mr. Davis and Chloe, after staring blankly for a few seconds, I nodded. “Then I’ll go… give it a try.” They both seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Mr. Davis handed me a business card, and Chloe told me not to worry about my leave; she would handle all the arrangements. I thanked them, took my luggage, and got out of the car. After the car drove away, I looked at the business card in my hand. [Dr. Richard Lee] [Center for Cognitive and Perceptual Disorders Treatment] I knew what this meant. They were giving me one last chance. To go see the doctor, receive “treatment,” and admit that everything was my “hallucination.” Then, I could continue to be a “normal person” in this world. So, should I go?

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More than three thousand years after my death, my tomb was finally discovered. Only then did I learn that later generations all called me a “Femme Fatale” who brought ruin upon the empire. Until one day, a team of archaeologists decoded my diary. They discovered that my life was never under my own control from the very beginning. They made a documentary about my life. The documentary was titled: A Lifetime Consumed: The Girl Who Fell Through Time. 01 My consciousness didn’t dissipate after I died. Instead, I was trapped within this underground mausoleum built for me. When the mausoleum was opened again, time within it began to flow once more. “We’ve finally found the tomb of the First Demon Queen of the Great Yin Dynasty!” Archaeologists swarmed in, holding cameras and live-streaming the excavation. Hearing the familiar accent, I felt a bit dazed. It had been so, so long since I heard modern English. “Chloe, write this down: October 27th, 3024 CE. The archaeological team has finally discovered the long-lost mausoleum of the First Demon Queen of the Great Yin Dynasty, hidden for over three thousand years. With this discovery, we might be able to unearth the three great unsolved mysteries of the Great Yin Dynasty!” Hearing this sentence, my thoughts became a bit chaotic. 3024 CE! Before I time-traveled, it was 3010 CE. I wonder if I can get some news about my parents from them? Thinking of this, I inexplicably felt a surge of excitement. But the excitement quickly cooled down. Even if it was only a fourteen-year difference, so what? I was already a female ghost who had been dead for over three thousand years. What could I possibly do? I couldn’t do anything. Chloe was a chubby little girl, still carrying a bit of the naive aura of a recent college grad. She was also quite excited. She recorded with the camera and provided background information to the viewers in the live stream. “The Great Yin Dynasty has a history of eight hundred years. It’s one of the oldest dynasties in our country. However, there are not many historical records about the Great Yin Dynasty. Much of our knowledge about its history comes from later theatrical adaptations and novels. “Among them, the most famous figure is the First Demon Queen of the Great Yin. “Legend has it that this Demon Queen was exceptionally cruel. It’s said that in 110 BCE, this Demon Queen burned a hundred thousand unarmed civilians alive in the city of Arcadia, just for her own amusement.” Chloe’s voice stretched my thoughts far back into the past. I remember that incident too. But things didn’t happen like that. There weren’t a hundred thousand, only three hundred. And I didn’t burn civilians alive for fun. That year, a massive plague erupted in Arcadia. The number of dead was increasing day by day. To prevent a secondary spread of the virus… I had no choice but to order the bodies of the deceased to be gathered and cremated collectively. But people in those days believed in treating the dead as if they were still alive. Burning a body meant severing the deceased’s ties to the afterlife. The agonizing screams of the city’s residents that day and the fiery red sky still seem to flash before my eyes. They cursed me: “Evelyn, you are a curse upon us all! You will die a horrible death, you will face the wrath of heaven!” 02 Chloe’s voice pulled me back. “A Femme Fatale? Perhaps! But what I’m saying is just hearsay. There’s no real historical evidence to back it up. We’re just chatting with you guys in the live stream for fun. “However, this Demon Queen of the Great Yin is indeed quite hated. All historical materials regarding her in the official records were erased. “There are only one or two sentences about her in a collection of unofficial histories called Secret Records of the Great Yin. It’s said the Demon Queen’s name was Evelyn Vance, and she was the second queen of Emperor Arthur the Cruel. “Before discovering this mausoleum, we always thought the Demon Queen was a fictional character invented in later novels.” Chloe squatted on the ground with the camera, excavating and explaining at the same time. And I squatted beside her and saw the bullet comments. [I really want to know how the Demon Queen died. In the novel Romance of the Great Yin, it says she died a gruesome death. I wonder if it’s true.] [It’s a novel, how could it be true? I’m actually curious about the relationship between the Demon Queen and Emperor Arthur’s first queen. Didn’t many historians speculate that the first queen was strangled to death by the Demon Queen?] [The three great unsolved mysteries of the Great Yin: the death of Emperor Arthur’s first queen, what crime the First Demon Queen Evelyn committed to be erased from history, and why Emperor Arthur had no heirs? Don’t forget, no matter how much later generations criticize Evelyn, she was a ruthless woman who extended the life of the Yin Dynasty for another two hundred years.] [But Evelyn was also a curse, right! Otherwise, how could Emperor Arthur marry a woman fifteen years older than him! And if it weren’t for her, many loyal ministers wouldn’t have died, and the Great Yin wouldn’t have been almost devoid of capable officials for the next two hundred years.] [Not only that, some historians speculate that Emperor Arthur having no heirs was also Evelyn’s doing. It’s said that Evelyn was infertile, and to secure her own position, she gave Emperor Arthur a sterilization potion!] The rapidly scrolling bullet comments caused my thoughts to violently snap back to over three thousand years ago. At that time, Emperor Arthur was just a newborn infant. The Great Yin was in turmoil. The previous emperor suddenly passed away without an heir, and all hopes rested on the Empress’s womb. She placed the newborn infant into my arms. Her eyes filled with tears: “Evelyn, the future of the Great Yin is in your hands.” With trembling hands, I held the baby girl. Outside the palace, a cold, continuous rain fell. Powerful ministers in their crimson court robes knelt on the stone tiles. I stepped out of the grand hall, which reeked of blood, raised the baby girl high, and declared loudly. “Her Majesty the Empress has given birth to a little prince! The Great Yin has an heir!” Nine chimes of the great bell rang out, and the frail Empress Dowager also passed away amidst the lingering drizzle. 03 Suddenly, Chloe seemed to have discovered something. She let out an exclamation, and the bullet comments became lively. I looked closely. It was a diary I had written in the past. “Professor, I think I found the journal of the First Demon Queen of the Great Yin!” Chloe was incredibly excited. The bullet comments were also scrolling rapidly: [This has to be a hoax! Why do I feel like the bottom right corner of this book cover is written in modern English script?!] [The person above, your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you. I saw it too, it really is modern script.] [Could this be a modern forgery? Otherwise, how could modern English script be unearthed! Didn’t we unearth the writing system of the Yin Dynasty decades ago?] The professor took it carefully. His hands were trembling a bit. On the cover, the name “Evelyn” was clearly written. That was what I wrote after time-traveling, afraid I would be assimilated, to remind myself at all times. The first page read: [This is my first day after time-traveling. I don’t know why I came to this era. [I want to go home. This era is simply too terrifying. [Today, I saw a little maid accidentally drop a vase, and she had both her hands chopped off. [The head maid said, this is the price of being clumsy. [If we aren’t careful, her fate will be our fate. [Waaaaah, I want to go home. I miss my mom. [If only I could wake up from sleep and go home. [I’ll never make mom angry again. [Right, I need to write down where my home is. [It would be terrible if I forgot the way home when the time comes.] At that time, I had just graduated from high school. Although I was terrified right after time-traveling. But I was still very naive. I always thought someone would fall from the sky and take me home. … The neat, modern English letters were presented in front of everyone. [Wait, is this really not a joke? Doesn’t time travel only happen in novels?] [It’s written so vividly, there’s even a real address.] [Am I the only one who feels a bit creeped out? If this is true, how painful must it have been for her, what did she go through to become the First Demon Queen!] The bullet comments scrolled so fast I could barely read them. [I just looked up this address, and it’s actually real! And this family had a daughter who went missing ten years ago, it perfectly matches this diary.] However, this bullet comment was quickly pushed down by other comments, and no one noticed. 04 This diary unearthed from the mausoleum exceeded everyone’s expectations. Some hoped it was just a prank. Some thought it was a historic discovery in archaeology. Some were looking into whether what was recorded in the diary was true. Chloe, with trembling hands, opened the second page of the diary. Still modern English. … Several pages recorded the days I spent after time-traveling. Chloe flipped through them quickly and finally saw something different. [This is my tenth day after time-traveling, and I discovered I actually traveled to the historical Great Yin! [Oh my god, will I be able to meet the legendary First Demon Queen Evelyn, and the great tyrant posthumously named ‘The Cruel’? [I need to write this down. [I’m actually going to witness the course of history! [Wow, if I go back, I definitely have to publish a paper. [A small paper, easy peasy. [However, if we use the CE dating system, it should be BCE now! The year 1 CE hasn’t even arrived yet. [It should be October 21st, 221 BCE now.] At that time, I had no idea. I had already been swept into the vortex of history. I couldn’t escape, nor was there a way back. … The bullet comments also fell into a dead silence as Chloe flipped through the diary. [I really hope this is just a prank. Did Evelyn know that she was the Femme Fatale in history who would die a horrible death!] [This is too cruel. If I were Evelyn, I would have broken down immediately, suffering so much in a strange environment.] Looking at those comforting words on the bullet comments. I whispered, “Actually, I didn’t suffer that much, I was just a little tired.” Unfortunately, no one could hear this sentence. “Professor! Someone found Evelyn’s parents!” Just when I was feeling a bit sad, Chloe suddenly stood up. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of text rapidly scrolling across the bullet comments. [Hello, the Evelyn in this diary, I think I know her. She went missing ten years ago. I can contact her parents. I just sent them screenshots of the live stream. Could you please connect with Evelyn’s parents?] [Evelyn’s parents have been searching for her for ten years, almost all over the world. Evelyn’s mother has cried so much she’s almost blind. Evelyn’s father also got sick recently and is in very poor health.] 05 At this moment, everyone realized that Evelyn might really be a living, breathing person living in modern times. Chloe discussed it with the professor, because this was obviously against the rules. The professor looked at the diary, gritted his teeth, stomped his foot, and finally agreed. “Connect!” Hearing these words, I stood frozen in place. I wanted to cry and laugh at the same time. I was also a little scared, even though over three thousand years had passed, I still remembered. My dad was a history professor, and my mom was a violinist. They loved me very much. I still remember the night before I time-traveled, I was still arguing with my mom. Because mom didn’t cook the cola chicken wings I wanted to eat. The connection was made quickly. A middle-aged man with half-gray hair appeared on the screen. He asked, “You found my Evy? Where is she, tell her to come home quickly!” Seeing Chloe didn’t react. He continued, “What happened to my Evy? It doesn’t matter, as long as she’s alive, it’s fine, even if she’s lost an arm or a leg, it doesn’t matter, her mother and I will take care of her.” Chloe still didn’t speak, just showed him a page of an inconsequential diary entry. She asked if it was his handwriting. Dad nodded repeatedly, “Yes, this is my Evy’s handwriting.” The moment I heard dad’s voice, I couldn’t hold it back anymore and started crying. I said, “Dad, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have made you angry in the past, I was wrong. “You raised me, and I made you run around for me for half your life, and in the end, you had to bury your own child.” But these words couldn’t reach his ears. He just looked at Chloe with expectation. Hoping to get some news from Chloe’s mouth. … Chloe couldn’t bear that kind of look and wanted to run. But the professor had already run away the moment the connection was made. With no other choice, Chloe braced herself and asked, “Uncle, do you know about time travel? Evelyn time-traveled.” Then, she showed him the diary in her hand, page by page, starting from the first. Dad fell silent. He asked, “Then did Evy have a good life after she time-traveled?” Chloe didn’t know how to answer, she could only ask, “Uncle, do you know the First Demon Queen of the Great Yin, Evelyn?” I mentioned earlier, my dad was a history professor. He had a very good memory. He said, “I know, the First Demon Queen of the Great Yin, Evelyn. The years of her birth and death are unknown. There is no specific record in official history, only a record in unofficial history stating that the First Demon Queen of the Great Yin was poisoned. After her death, her face was covered, and her mouth was stuffed with bran, meaning the Demon Queen would die a horrible death, and would not be allowed to reincarnate after death, nor find anyone to complain to…” As he spoke the last few words, his voice became somewhat strained. “Are you trying to say that my Evy is that First Demon Queen of the Yin Dynasty?” Chloe just said, “This is only a guess, but who knows, maybe it’s not the same Evelyn! There are many people with the same name in history, right?” But everyone knew this was just Chloe’s consolation. Everything that could be buried in the mausoleum as grave goods must be personal belongings. Moreover, this diary was preserved so well. [This is a bit too cruel! Parents who have searched for their child for decades, only to find out that their child actually time-traveled.] [What separates them is not natural disasters, nor human-made calamities, but time.] 06 The popularity of the live stream continued to rise, and more and more people flooded in. I greedily stared at my dad through the screen, who was visibly much older. Since the higher-ups hadn’t called to stop, Chloe could only continue the live stream. She flipped through the diary, showing its contents to them. … November 25th, 221 BCE. I accidentally broke my rice bowl today. The head maid scolded me, saying that since I broke the tool I use to eat, I shouldn’t eat. Going hungry, it’s so sad! The head maid punished me by making me sweep the snow in the Imperial Garden. In the Imperial Garden, I actually saw the Queen. The most famous biological mother of Emperor Arthur in the history books! The history books said she was jealous and ruthless, and any woman in the harem with some beauty would be disfigured by her and sent out of the palace. Therefore, when Emperor Arthur’s father was on the throne, there was only one Empress. But she was really gentle, completely different from what the history books say. When she caught me looking at her, not only did she not punish me, she actually gave me two pieces of osmanthus cake. She asked how old I was, and said I was still a child, how did I enter the palace. Sigh, I kind of miss mom. I wonder if mom misses me, I really, really want to go home! When I get home, I’ll definitely treat old dad to a big meal. … November 28th, 221 BCE. It’s too scary, I almost died today. Luckily the Queen passed by and saved me. The Queen is really so good! The history books are all lying, I have to write this down properly. When I go back, I definitely have to have a good talk with old dad, that old geezer. How could this Queen be bad, this Queen is really too good! However, today I also saw Emperor Arthur’s father. It’s still five years before Emperor Arthur is born. It feels like a long time! I wonder if I can live to see Emperor Arthur. And that famous Demon Queen. But right now, the Demon Queen should be a ten-year-old girl just like me! I wonder what the Demon Queen looked like when she was little. I searched the entire Spring Greeting Palace, but I didn’t see a little girl around my age. The unofficial histories are indeed lying! … [Evelyn’s diary is written so cutely! My history isn’t very good, is there a record of Evelyn in unofficial histories?] [It’s recorded in Demon Queen Secrets that Evelyn entered the Everlasting Spring Palace in 221 BCE, which is why Empress Dowager Anne entrusted the orphan to her before she died. After that, Evelyn carried the young emperor to the throne and began her rule of over twenty years.] What the bullet comments said was not false. I indeed carried the little emperor to the throne, and it was then that I realized. It turned out there was no second Evelyn in the harem. And I was the famous, disastrous Demon Queen Evelyn in history. “Indeed it is so. According to limited historical records, to prevent Emperor Arthur from ruling independently, Evelyn ordered the execution of many loyal ministers. She also executed three hundred officials from the southern provinces at the mouth of the Shadow River, causing a fault in cultural exchanges in the southern region. This was also a major reason why the Great Yin descended into ten years of chaos later on. “Murdering loyal subjects, undertaking massive construction projects, these were all the main arguments for Evelyn later being called the Demon Queen.” Hearing this, I almost laughed out loud. So, after my death, this is what those historians said about me. I lowered my eyes. Actually, I can’t blame them. Someone half a step ahead of their time is a genius. Someone too many steps ahead of their time is a madman. The things I did had already touched the interests of that era. When I was alive, I anticipated that they would smear my name. After all, history is written by the victors. I still remember that year, Emperor Arthur was fifteen and preparing to rule independently. It coincided with floods in the southern provinces. Those powerful ministers used this as an excuse to force him to issue an edict of self-criticism. The small person was full of grievance, asking me why, when it clearly wasn’t her fault, she had to issue an edict of self-criticism. They wanted to wear down the young emperor’s spirit, to show her who was boss. I told Emperor Arthur not to be afraid, I would help her. I went to the southern provinces myself to control the floods. But in the hellish southern provinces, I saw clearly the murky corruption beneath the surface of the Great Yin. The officials in the southern provinces protected each other, deeply entrenched. The disaster relief grain from the imperial court couldn’t reach the hands of the people at all. Holding the sword Emperor Arthur bestowed upon me, I executed three hundred corrupt southern officials at the mouth of the Shadow River. The people knelt on both banks of the river, shouting that Justice Evelyn had come, and they were saved. But in the surging floodwaters, I caught a glimpse of my predetermined future. 07 “But I don’t think Evelyn would do these things.” Chloe’s voice pulled my thoughts back. “Perhaps, today we will all witness history. Everything about Evelyn in history might be overturned.” My dad on the other end of the live stream had disconnected at some unknown time. But I knew he must still be there right now. Just as Chloe wanted to say something more, the professor’s excited voice suddenly rang out. “Chloe, come here quickly, we found the epitaph of Emperor Arthur’s first queen!” The bullet comments also flooded the screen at this moment. [So fast, will this epitaph reveal the cause of death of the first queen!] [I really want to know if Evelyn actually murdered the first queen. After reading Evelyn’s diary, my belief in the title ‘Demon Queen’ is wavering a bit.] I followed Chloe and floated into another burial chamber. The professor’s hands trembled as he touched the tombstone, tears streaming down his old face: “We found it, we finally found it. We studied the history of the Yin Dynasty our whole lives, and now we’ve finally found the missing history.” Chloe also leaned in to look. The signature on this epitaph was Evelyn. [Holy shit, what’s going on here? Didn’t they say Evelyn and Emperor Arthur’s first queen fought like cats and dogs? Shouldn’t the epitaph be written by the person with the closest relationship?] [This is insane, all the history regarding this part of Emperor Arthur in the Yin Dynasty is going to be overturned.] [Can someone explain what’s written on the epitaph?] [Yin Dynasty history researcher here. Although it makes me want to cry that what I studied has been overturned, I’ll still come out and interpret what’s written on the epitaph for you! [Emperor Arthur’s first queen was the eldest legitimate daughter of the prominent Montgomery family of River Run, named Victoria Montgomery. She married Emperor Arthur when she came of age at fifteen. What follows describes how impressive Victoria’s family background was and how excellent her character was. [Unfortunately, she died young, poisoned to death at the age of nineteen. [Note that this is the first time in all unearthed literature that there is a direct description of the cause of death of Emperor Arthur’s first queen, Victoria. [In other words, Victoria wasn’t killed by Evelyn, but was poisoned.] [But this epitaph was written by Evelyn! How do we know if Evelyn deliberately wrote a fake epitaph to cover up her tracks.] Their excavation work continued. Chloe wasn’t in a hurry to read the diary anymore; she started searching this burial chamber for written records concerning Victoria. I squatted on the ground, tracing the words on the epitaph through the air. Victoria’s voice seemed to echo in my ears. She said: “Sister Evelyn, when will you take me out to play!” Victoria was the queen chosen for Emperor Arthur by the civil officials the year she began her independent rule. Hailing from the Montgomery family of River Run, she was the legitimate daughter of Chancellor Montgomery. Actually, I didn’t understand how a person rotten to the core like Chancellor Montgomery could raise such a sincere daughter like Victoria. She loved to laugh, loved to play, but was also sensible. When she first entered the palace, Emperor Arthur and I were wary of her. Firstly, we were afraid she was a spy sent by Chancellor Montgomery to keep an eye on Emperor Arthur. Secondly, we were afraid she would discover the truth that Emperor Arthur was actually a girl. But despite all our precautions, we ultimately failed to guard against her. At that time, the news of my trip to the southern provinces where I angrily executed three hundred corrupt officials reached the capital. Those people were afraid, afraid I would return to the palace and settle scores with them. So they decided to go all the way and simply poisoned Emperor Arthur. After Victoria found out, she begged Chancellor Montgomery to find an antidote for Emperor Arthur. But how could Chancellor Montgomery truly wish for Emperor Arthur’s recovery. So, Victoria also drank the poison. She said: “Father, if you still want your daughter, then find the antidote for your daughter!” Although Chancellor Montgomery’s heart was rotten, he loved this daughter the most. Emperor Arthur didn’t die because of this. To prevent others from doing harm again, Victoria took close care of Emperor Arthur. It was also then that she discovered the truth of the matter. She told me: “Sister Evelyn, I didn’t tell my father about this, I didn’t tell anyone, I know everything. “I married Arthur, then I am Arthur’s queen, regardless of her gender. I protect her just like I protect my own life. “If they want to harm Arthur, they’ll have to kill me first!” Perhaps it was a prophecy. Victoria ultimately really died to protect Arthur. She took the grudges between Chancellor Montgomery and us into the deep underground. 08 “Look here, there’s a wooden box here!” Chloe suddenly became excited as if she found something: “Anyone who watches live streams frequently knows that the Yin Dynasty was a dynasty that paid great attention to ghosts and spirits. They believed in treating the dead as if they were still alive. “This kind of wooden box is usually used to store things the owner valued most while alive. “Perhaps inside, we can find what we want to know!” Chloe carefully opened the box. There were only three items inside. A blood-stained dagger—the one Victoria used to commit suicide. A phoenix pendant—the token of queens of the Yin Dynasty through generations. A well-preserved letter—the last words Victoria left for us. Seeing the long-dried bloodstains, my thoughts seemed to drift back to that snowy night over three thousand years ago. The heavy snow weighed down the green bamboo outside the house, snapping with a loud crack, and the oil lamp popped a cluster of sparks. I was processing memorials led by Chancellor Montgomery. They demanded to clear the emperor’s side of evil advisors, to execute the sycophants. In other words, they wanted to kill me. I rubbed the somewhat coarse paper. Actually, I wasn’t afraid of death. What I feared was that before I died, I wouldn’t have accomplished everything I wanted to do. That I wouldn’t have changed the tragedy of this era. The corruption in the southern provinces made me realize the suffering of the common people at the bottom. I wanted to change all this, but my actions undoubtedly touched the interests of the powerful aristocratic families. Around midnight, a piece of news suddenly came from the palace. The imperial physician said Her Majesty the Queen was not going to make it. I felt a sense of absurdity. How could a perfectly healthy person just not make it? History clearly recorded that Queen Victoria was murdered by Evelyn. And I hadn’t done anything; I had even placed many people around her to protect her. What exactly was going on? I entered the palace in the dead of night. The moment I stepped into the Everlasting Spring Palace, I smelled the strong scent of blood. Victoria’s face was as pale as gold, and blood was continuously welling from her neck wrapped in gauze. When she saw me, her tears fell uncontrollably. She said: “Sister Evelyn, I didn’t expect that it was my father who harmed you!” The hall was extremely quiet, and her hands were almost cold. The blood-stained dagger lay quietly on the ground. She held my hand with effort: “I’m sorry, Sister Evelyn, I’m really sorry, it was my father who harmed you, I’m really sorry.” At the end of her life, she was still full of guilt. By the time Emperor Arthur arrived, Victoria had already lost her breath. The Queen of Wisdom and Sensitivity, known for her gentle and mild nature, finally died in the deep winter of 197 BCE. Before Victoria died, she left a posthumous edict asking Emperor Arthur to make me the succeeding queen after her death. She traded her life for my safety and the stability of Emperor Arthur’s throne. Victoria paved the way for us, and she explained everything clearly in her suicide note. Saying she was paying for her father’s sins. However, for a concubine to commit suicide was a capital offense. To ensure Victoria could rest in peace after death, no one dared to spread the news of what happened that night. That suicide note was also hidden in the box by me, serving as a burial object for Victoria. The following year, I had thirty corrupt officials led by Chancellor Montgomery executed. Only then did I understand how the historical reputation of the Demon Queen slaughtering loyal subjects came to be. I was swept along by history, becoming a part of the force driving history forward. … [No way, Victoria actually committed suicide, and Chancellor Montgomery was actually a treacherous minister? Then what about the history I learned before where Chancellor Montgomery was a loyal minister persecuted by the Demon Queen???] [The person above, your efforts are acknowledged.] [So, Victoria and Evelyn actually had a very good relationship, and Victoria strongly supported Evelyn.] After Chloe saw the suicide note clearly, her hands were also constantly trembling. She said: “This is simply a historic moment. Look, this suicide note is clearly Victoria’s own handwriting. A few years ago, in an unearthed Yin Dynasty tomb, there was also a calligraphy and painting by Queen Victoria. This suicide note also has the seal of the queen at that time; no one else could forge it.” [I can’t even, I want to cry. How painful this must have been! In a strange dynasty, unable to understand the local language, constantly struggling to live, wanting to change everything, only to find out that nothing can be changed, and she was just a cog in the wheel of history.] [So Evelyn knew the ending of everyone, including her own, knew the ending and still had to keep walking towards her own death. How painful that must have been. She was just a little girl at the beginning!] [I don’t dare to imagine how painful it must be for Evelyn’s parents watching the live stream. Watching history that has already happened, trying to find their daughter’s future.] Seeing the bullet comments mention my parents again, my heart also inexplicably twitched. After calming her turbulent emotions, Chloe prepared to start flipping through the diary in her hand. She said: “Everyone, don’t rush. There is no clear record of Evelyn’s ending in history. Maybe the historical death of Evelyn was actually a faked death? Maybe Evelyn had long gone off to travel the world, who knows, after all, she was so smart.” The bullet comments also became active at this moment. But I was begging Chloe not to continue the live stream. “Please, don’t read anymore, at least not in front of the live stream.” If my parents knew how much I suffered during those years, how heartbroken they would be. When I was little, if I scraped my hand, mom would be heartbroken. She blamed the ground for tripping her Evy. Dad stomped hard on the ground that tripped me, saying it was all because the ground was uneven, otherwise how could Evy have fallen. If they saw that I was bullied by so many people in a strange place. How heartbroken they would be. But unfortunately, Chloe didn’t have the third eye, nor any divine powers. She couldn’t hear my voice, nor could she see my pleas. Slowly, in front of the camera, she opened that diary.

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I was with Ethan Vance for four years, and we were incredibly compatible. So compatible that it gave him a delusion. “Just making do with Sam for the rest of my life actually seems pretty good!” He proposed to me, deciding to settle down and build a life with me. But right at this critical juncture, my sister—who had previously gone abroad to get married—suddenly got divorced and returned to the States. Ethan jumped at the chance to take her out, bringing her to high-society galas and networking events to help her rebuild her connections. Everyone in our circle was waiting to watch me become a laughingstock. I, however, let out a massive sigh of relief. Phew, scared me to death. Who actually wants to marry him? 1 The day Haley returned to the country, Ethan was in my bed. He gripped my waist, pinned my hands, and pressed me into the mattress, clearly aroused. But when that exclusive, custom ringtone chimed from his phone, he stopped immediately. I wrapped my arms around his neck and refused to let go. “Where are you going?” He pushed me away without a second thought. “Stop messing around. Haley wouldn’t call me if everything was fine!” He answered the phone in a frantic rush, not even bothering to put on his shoes. I didn’t hear what the person on the other end said. But his tightly furrowed brows relaxed. He spoke softly: “Don’t do this again next time. Wait right there, I’ll be right over!” While Ethan was in the shower, I lay in bed, deep in thought. I didn’t care what Haley had actually said to Ethan. I was only thinking about that ringtone. The exclusive ringtone Haley had set on Ethan’s phone herself. Three scenes flashed through my mind. Scene One: Ethan indulgently letting Haley mess with his phone. Haley pouting playfully: “You’re not allowed to change this ringtone, or else I’ll ignore you!” Ethan smiling and nodding: “Whatever you say!” Scene Two: Haley got married and moved to Europe. A blackout-drunk Ethan smashed his phone. He roared at his assistant to buy him a new one, then clumsily tried to set that exclusive ringtone back. But in his state, he couldn’t do such a simple thing. He looked at me with pleading eyes: “What do I do? Haley will ignore me!” Scene Three: Just now, that exclusive ringtone chiming again. Ethan’s current iPhone was the one I gave him three months ago. It turns out, he doesn’t need my help anymore; he can set that ringtone back all by himself! Ethan came out of the bathroom quickly. While hurriedly getting dressed, he told me: “I’m heading out. Don’t wait up for me!” I called out to him. “Ethan!” “Yeah?” “We… are done. Let’s end this here.” 2 My relationship with Ethan had always been a bit muddy. In the beginning, someone asked him: “Are you dating Sam?” He shook his head: “Just friends with benefits!” I didn’t express an opinion on that. After all, he wasn’t wrong. But two years later, when introducing me to others, he’d say: “This is my girlfriend!” I was genuinely stunned for a moment back then. But I didn’t say much. Half a year ago, he proposed to me. His friends were shocked: “Are you serious?” He took a deep drag of his cigarette, his expression unreadable: “Making do with Sam for a lifetime actually seems pretty good.” But I felt entirely dazed. I did nod. I said yes. But my heart felt ungrounded. And I grew more panicked day by day. I didn’t know what was wrong with me. Until Haley made that phone call. I suddenly breathed a sigh of relief. It turned out, I never wanted to marry Ethan at all! 3 “What did you say?” Ethan’s usually passive face suddenly turned freezing cold. His gaze was incredibly heavy. But I wasn’t his subordinate. I was never afraid of him. So I smiled at him. “I said, we’re over. This ends here. Game Over!” I never used to believe that a gaze could kill. But the look Ethan gave me felt like he wanted to swallow me alive. He turned his head and left coldly. “Suit yourself!” 4 I heard about Haley returning to the States from our mutual friends. Along with the news of her divorce! “Apparently that painter cheated on her, slept with his muse, and even hit her. Tsk tsk, artists… we ordinary people just don’t understand!” I found the wording hilarious. That phrase originally came from Haley’s own mouth. Back when she recklessly followed that painter to Paris, she claimed he was an artist, and we ordinary people wouldn’t understand! We didn’t understand romance, love, or soulmates! But she was completely blind to the fact that what sustained their “epic romance” was the massive allowance our family wired to her every month. And I was the one earning that money! But none of that mattered. I just suddenly realized that Ethan would definitely not be attending tomorrow night’s gala with me! It had been three days since I told Ethan it was over. I sent him a text, asking when he would come pack his things. He didn’t reply. I contacted his executive assistant to handle it. The assistant hemmed and hawed, saying he didn’t know, and that it wasn’t his job. I couldn’t be bothered anymore. If it wasn’t to accommodate Ethan’s commute, I would never have lived in that condo anyway. Now that I had moved back to my own penthouse near the company, I realized how stupid I had been. Isn’t sleeping an extra half hour every morning a beautiful thing? Back at the company, I asked my assistant to arrange a plus-one for me for the evening gala. My assistant looked confused: “Aren’t you going with Mr. Vance?” “He probably has another date!” My assistant’s expression shifted drastically. Her imagination must have run wild because she looked righteously indignant. “Don’t worry, Ms. Hayes, I’ll arrange the absolute best for you!” I wanted to say that wasn’t necessary, anyone would do. But she had already run off. By the afternoon, she mysteriously told me: “Broad shoulders, narrow waist, long legs, eight-pack abs, righteous face. The absolute best guy from the premier security firm in the city. Ms. Hayes, you’ll definitely be satisfied!” … That really wasn’t necessary! But seeing the actual person, I was still taken aback. How should I put it… this physique and face really could make a person weak in the knees. If only he wasn’t so damn talkative! “We are a legitimate security firm, we don’t do escort services!” “Of course, we don’t completely refuse them, but that’s a different price bracket!” “And Ethan Vance is also a premium client of our company. If I go with you, he won’t file a complaint against me, will he?” “Our company prides itself on a 99.9% positive rating. If I get a complaint, I have to write an incident report!” “Of course, these things can all be resolved, if you insist, it’ll just have to be…” “Shut up!” I couldn’t take it anymore, gritting my teeth. He looked innocent, saying calmly: “…an extra charge!” I took a deep breath: “If you keep yapping, I’ll report you. Of course, if you perform well, I’ll give you a massive five-figure bonus afterward!” He contentedly made an OK gesture. “Don’t worry, I’m a professional!” 5 Professional Guy had sharp eyes. As soon as we entered the ballroom, he muttered, “Damn!” My eyebrow twitched. “No swearing!” He pointed not far away. “Your fiancé!” Of course, just my fiancé wouldn’t be enough to make him curse. Mainly because there was a woman standing next to my fiancé, holding his arm and smiling sweetly. “You’re being cheated on!” “That’s my sister.” “Wow, double kill!” Great, I could barely maintain my smile anymore. I don’t know if it was because of the professional guy—Jax Thorne’s—constant banter, or if I had truly reached inner peace. Seeing Ethan and Haley together, I actually didn’t feel much. Of course, I had no intention of going up to say hello either. But Haley took the initiative to come over to us. “Sister, I missed you so much! I’ve been back for so many days and I finally get to see you! Why didn’t you answer my calls?” Translation: Sam and Haley have a bad relationship, Sam refuses to answer her sister’s calls, how un-sisterly! “Mom and Dad miss you too. When are you coming home for dinner? They’d definitely be very happy!” Translation: Sam has a bad relationship with our parents, doesn’t go home to see them, how unfilial! “I even brought you a gift from Paris, please don’t be mad at me, okay?” Translation: Sam is petty, Haley is kind and generous. When I was little, I didn’t understand the subtext. Clearly, it was Haley’s fault, and she’d say she was wrong, but in the end, I was the one who got punished. As I grew older, I realized Haley was a master manipulator. You had to read between the lines! While I was deep in thought, Jax spoke up. “Mad at you? Did you do something to wrong Sam? Then apologize! Do you know how to say ‘I’m sorry’? What’s the point of bringing gifts, you have to say sorry first! Only after you say sorry can people consider whether to say it’s fine. After all, it depends on what you did wrong and if it’s worth forgiving. If you committed arson, murder, and robbery, then we’d have no choice but to cut ties for the greater good!” Jax talked so fast and relentlessly that Haley couldn’t get a word in edgewise despite trying several times. Until Ethan coldly intervened: “Who are you?” His sharp gaze swept from Jax to me, finally landing on my hand holding Jax’s arm. I didn’t answer, pulling Jax a step back. “You guys are busy, excuse us!” I had already lifted the hem of my gown, ready to turn gracefully. But Jax grabbed both my arms and lifted me straight up. Yes, that’s right. With the posture of moving a potted plant, he physically moved me from the left to the right. My feet left the ground, and I was utterly bewildered. Only when I landed did I realize that Ethan had reached out to grab me, but was interrupted by Jax in the nick of time. For a moment, I had mixed feelings. Am I really that light? Ethan glared fiercely at Jax. “Let her go!” Jax gave a cynical, street-smart smile, full of swagger. “It’s a society ruled by law, pal. You can’t just harass someone else’s date!” “She is my…” “Ethan!” “Ethan!” The moment Ethan was about to blurt it out, Haley and I spoke at the exact same time. My tone was ice cold, while Haley’s carried pure panic. She gripped Ethan’s sleeve, her face pale! Ethan looked at me. Just one glance, then he withdrew his focus back to Haley. He retracted his aggressive aura, pulled Haley’s hand into his, and turned to leave! 6 That night, aside from the conflict with Ethan and Haley, Jax acted very professionally. He said his face was almost stiff from smiling so much. Being able to smile breezily while fending off corporate sharks is really damn hard! He asked me if I was tired. “Drinking, smiling, and making small talk. I feel like my soul has been sucked dry!” Hearing this made me really want to smack him. But I had to admit, it was indeed exhausting. I gave Jax a huge bonus envelope. And told him I would book him again next time. He drove me home with a dark expression. At the same time, he repeatedly emphasized: “I am a decent person! A top-tier bodyguard who navigates the light and the dark!” I nodded perfunctorily. “Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’ll introduce you to more clients next time!” After sending Jax off, I slowly went upstairs to my penthouse. As soon as I got out of the elevator, I saw Ethan. He was leaning against the wall, smoking a cigarette, looking at me quietly. I didn’t want to talk to him, and tried to walk past him to my door. But he grabbed my waist and pressed me hard against the wall. I grunted as my back hit the drywall. He pressed toward me recklessly, trying to capture my lips. I turned my head to dodge. “Move!” Ethan acted as if he didn’t hear me, continuing to chase me. I was thoroughly enraged. I brought my knee up and kneed him hard in the groin. Ethan let out a muffled groan. He curled up and squatted on the ground, looking at me with bloodshot eyes, as if he had suffered a massive betrayal. But the words that came out of his mouth were incredibly vicious. “Why are you acting like some chaste saint with me? Didn’t you climb into my bed yourself back then?” Even though I had already said it was over. Even though I thought I had completely let it go. My heart still contracted violently. It shrank so hard it seemed to stop beating for a few seconds. A metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. I nodded. “Yes, you’re right. I climbed into your bed. But so what? You weren’t the only one getting off! Besides, did I force you? It was completely consensual. Now I say it’s over, which means it’s over. If you touch me one more time, it’s assault!” 7 Ethan and I could be considered childhood friends. We were born in the same year; he was three months older than me. Our families ran in the same corporate circles, and our parents were friends. We even grew up in the same gated community. Ethan was my first love when I hit puberty. But he didn’t like me. He liked the lively, cheerful, sunshine-like Haley. As for Sam? Wooden, boring, old-fashioned. Some people even suspected Haley and I weren’t biological sisters. “Even their last names are different. Could Sam be a half-sister from a previous marriage?” (Sam Hayes vs. Haley Davis). “Maybe an illegitimate daughter!” At one point, such rumors were rampant in our social circle. After hearing this, Ethan beat up the guy who spread it the loudest. Not for me. For Haley. He forced Haley to apologize to me. Saying: “Haley was just being willful, don’t hold it against her!” Haley stuck her tongue out: “I was just talking nonsense, who knew they’d actually believe it! Sorry, I was wrong!” Ethan always favored and defended Haley. Even if she wasn’t perfect. So, when Haley met her “true love” and eloped to Europe, Ethan became a desperate, trapped beast. So desperate that he found a substitute whose eyes and brows resembled Haley’s. So I offered myself. “With me as this high-quality replica, do you still need those cheap knockoffs?” Ethan said: “I don’t like you!” I said: “I don’t need you to like me!” I never needed Ethan to like me. Being with him wasn’t a gamble on developing deep feelings over time either. I just weighed the pros and cons and chose the solution that minimized my losses at the time. 8 Haley had been back in the States for half a month. During this half month, Ethan kept her by his side constantly, taking her to various galas and expanding her network for her. And my mom seemed to finally remember my existence. She called me and immediately started scolding. “Haley has been back for so long! Not only did you not help her, you didn’t even make a single phone call. Sam, do you still consider yourself a part of the Davis family?” That’s hilarious. As if me treating myself as a Davis would make them treat me like family. “Is there something you need?” “What kind of tone is that?” “If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up!” My mom ultimately knew my temper. Despite holding a belly full of fire, she finally got to the point. “Come home for dinner tonight, I have something to tell you. Also, bring back that pink diamond you bought at auction last time, Haley will definitely love it!” I chuckled lightly and hung up the phone. She’s got some nerve! A five-million-dollar pink diamond, who wouldn’t love it? For a setup like this, logically, I shouldn’t attend. But I knew if I didn’t go tonight, my mom would make a scene at my corporate office tomorrow. Just like when Haley rebelliously insisted on marrying that broke artist. My mom stormed into the company, slapped me across the face in front of my staff, and demanded to know why I didn’t keep Haley in check, letting her meet someone like that. But I wasn’t a pushover either. I immediately returned that slap to Haley’s face and yelled: “I’m asking you, when did you hook up with such a shady guy?” When I arrived at the estate, they had already started eating. The family of three looked harmonious, and Ethan was there too. Seeing me, he froze, stared at me for a long moment, then expressionlessly looked away. Haley was the first to stand up, pulling me to the table. “Sister, don’t be mad at Mom and Dad. You know I have low blood sugar. Seeing you hadn’t come back, they were afraid I’d starve, so they didn’t wait for you!” My mom had a cold face. “Don’t mind her. If she doesn’t keep time herself, who can she blame?” I laughed. “Then I’ll leave?” “You!” My mom glared at me viciously. She gritted her teeth and pulled me into the kitchen: “Come in here with me!” “Speak, what’s the matter!” My mom hesitated for a second, then said: “Haley is going to get engaged to Ethan!” I froze. The next second, she eagerly continued: “Ethan liked Haley in the first place, it was you who shamelessly insisted on fighting Haley for him. Now that Haley is back, shouldn’t you give Ethan back to her? Besides, Ethan doesn’t even like you, so your thing with him is over! Also, you are not allowed to tell Haley, she still doesn’t know about the messy relationship between you and Ethan!” Actually, not just others, even I had suspected countless times that I wasn’t their biological child. So when I was little, I secretly took their hair to do a DNA test. The result disappointed me. Sigh, what a pity! My zoning out made her very dissatisfied. She interrogated me: “Did you hear clearly what I said or not?” I opened my mouth, just about to speak, when Haley opened the kitchen door. She looked innocent: “Mom, what are you secretly saying to my sister behind my back? I want to hear too!” My mom’s expression did a 180-degree turn. She smiled gently: “Sister said she brought a gift for you!” Saying that, she even gave me a push. Haley looked at me expectantly: “Sister? Really?” “A gift?” I curled the corner of my lips, “Sister’s gift to you, do you dare to accept it?” Haley’s face stiffened, recalling some not-so-pleasant memories. “You…” My mom wanted to say something more, but I had already strolled out to the dining room. What a lavish spread! This whole table of food was entirely Haley’s favorites. Ethan stood up, looking at me scrutinizingly. “What’s wrong? Did something happen?” I looked at him. “I’m perfectly fine!” Never better than right now! I gripped the edge of the heavy mahogany dining table and lifted it a bit. It was heavy. So I made a phone call: “Jax? Still downstairs? Come up for a second!” Less than ten seconds after hanging up, Jax barged in. He asked me: “What’s up?” I lifted my chin: “Ten thousand dollars, flip this table!” “Sam!” “Don’t you dare!” I don’t know who it was, probably Ethan and my mom’s voices. Couldn’t hear clearly. Because the very second after my words fell, Jax grabbed the edge and flipped the entire table! The crisp sound of crashing porcelain and breaking crystal was too pleasant to the ears. Looking at the mess all over the floor, I smiled with satisfaction. I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time! 9 I met Jax at the security booth of my office building. He was chewing on a cigarette, hands in his pockets, chatting with the security guard. I asked him what he was doing. He said applying for a security guard job. “Aren’t you a VIP bodyguard?” He chuckled: “Developing a side hustle!” “Short on cash?” “Yep!” So I let him into my car. I originally wanted to fulfill our verbal agreement and introduce him to a client, but I didn’t expect him to come in handy here! My mom tried to rush up and hit me, but Jax blocked her. “Ma’am, I hit women!” My mom’s face turned black. “Sam, have you gone crazy?” Haley supported my mom, looking worried: “Sister, quickly apologize to Mom!” I averted my gaze and said to Jax. “Let’s go!” With Jax’s intimidating presence, no one dared to step forward. But as Jax and I were about to walk out of the front yard, Ethan chased after us. His gaze pierced through Jax, staring dead at me. “Sam, who is he?” “None of your business!” His face looked awful. I turned to leave. He spoke again: “Haley said she wants to be with me!” I paused. “Oh, congratulations. You got your wish!” “Don’t you have anything else to say?” I looked at him: “When you guys get married, I’ll definitely send a generous check!” Ethan laughed. A laugh uglier than crying. “Good, very good!” Watching Ethan’s retreating back, Jax stroked his chin. “Why do I feel like that guy is up to no good?” I was silent for a moment. “Do you really hit women?” Jax stiffened. “I didn’t mean it like that. It’s not a matter of men or women, I didn’t mean I want to hit women… No, I mean I don’t just hit any woman… Actually, I mean if necessary, I can hit women… Hey, why does it sound weird no matter how I say it!” Seeing him about to start rambling again, I immediately interrupted him with a headache. “Do you want to be my personal bodyguard?” Jax blinked: “Personal? How personal?” … I glared at him sideways. He shrank his neck. “Then, then, then… what’s the salary?” “How much do you want?” Jax held up one hand. “Five thousand?” “No…” “That works too!” Jax’s eyes widened. I looked at him in confusion: “What were you just trying to say?” He straightened his back and saluted me. “From now on, you are my boss! I guarantee 24-hour standby!” 10 Actually, hiring Jax as my bodyguard didn’t have any other underlying meaning. I just felt that after this battle, my future days might not be peaceful. I know what kind of characters my parents and sister are. I can generally guess what kind of shady PR moves they’ll pull. Plus the unpredictable variable of Ethan. I just hoped they wouldn’t get too hot-headed! At 11 PM, I had just finished a video conference with my European partners, poured a glass of red wine, ready to drink it and go to sleep. My friend called. She said: “What’s the situation? How come Ethan brought Haley out, and they even kissed in public? Didn’t he propose to you?” Making a fuss over nothing. “Hasn’t he been keeping her by his side ever since she returned?” “But back then he said he treated Haley as a sister, and told us not to spread rumors!” There’s this part too? No wonder this confrontation came so late. But it’s understandable. Probably Haley hadn’t given him a clear signal, and he didn’t want to make things difficult for her. Now that Haley’s attitude had softened, he definitely couldn’t wait! Thinking it through, everything suddenly made sense. “Is everyone there?” “Yes, are you coming out?” “I’m not going. Put it on speaker, I have something to say!” Not many people knew about Ethan proposing to me. Besides our parents, it was just this specific group of friends. Now it was definitely time to clear things up. Otherwise, it would always seem like I was the one being cheated on. So I said: “Ethan and I are already over. From now on, we are free to marry whomever we choose, and have nothing to do with each other!” After speaking, I directly hung up the phone. I didn’t care if Haley heard it or not. If they wanted to hide it from Haley, that was their business. I didn’t agree to keep playing the fool! Besides. Did Haley really not know? I don’t believe it! Downing the wine in my glass in one gulp, I was preparing to go to my room to sleep, but heard noisy sounds outside in the hallway. In the middle of the night, a noise complaint? I opened my penthouse door, just about to get mad, but saw Jax’s beaming face. “Good evening!” … “What are you doing?” He pointed to the apartment opposite mine: “Moving in!” I rubbed my temples with a headache. “Moving?” He nodded repeatedly: “If I don’t live on the same floor, how can it be considered personal protection? What if something happens to you when I’m not around?” I wanted to say: You’re overthinking it. But recalling Ethan’s crazy behavior a while ago, I hesitated. So I beckoned him over: “How much is the rent? I’ll reimburse you!” Jax didn’t hesitate at all, directly presenting the lease agreement. I was defeated by his unpretentious sincerity. “Keep it quiet, I need to sleep!” He zipped his lips and gave an OK sign. Nodding heavily, a look of “You can trust me!” I sighed and closed the door. I originally thought I’d hear some noise from the move, but realized it was truly dead silent. So silent that I fell peacefully asleep.

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When college started, my parents bought me a $3,000 mattress. But the moment it entered the dorm, my roommate completely lost her mind. “Three thousand dollars? Is this mattress going to guarantee you a spot in grad school or turn you into a literal angel?” She looked at my new mattress like it was covered in filth, her lips curling in disgust. “This kind of extravagant, corrupt behavior is exactly what we college students need to eradicate!” “Our dorm is trying to win the ‘Model Room’ award, and you’re going to ruin our reputation!” I picked at my ear and looked at her like she was an idiot. “I spent my own money. What the hell does it have to do with you?” I couldn’t be bothered to argue with her, so I went home for the weekend. When I came back, my bed was gone. In its place was a bare, wooden board. And my roommate was standing there, lost in her grand delusion of being a “student leader ridding the people of evil.” “I took care of the mattress for you. I cut out the memory foam and gave it to some low-income students to use as seat cushions, and I gave the springs to the art department for an installation project. Upcycling!” “I’ve also applied with the Resident Advisor to manage your scholarship and allowance from now on, to help you develop the good habit of being frugal.” I laughed out of sheer anger. Right in front of her, I dialed 911. You want to be a leader that badly? Let me send you to the police station to experience what real communal living is like. 1. On the first day of college, my parents insisted on helping me move into the dorm, bringing along the mattress they had ordered well in advance. When the movers hauled the beautifully packaged mattress into the four-person dorm room, the space instantly felt a bit cramped. My other two roommates, Lily and Mia, just looked on with curiosity. Only Chloe, who had the bed by the window, eyed my parents’ clothes critically from the moment we walked in. Finally, her gaze landed on the brand logo of the mattress. My dad directed the movers to unwrap it and place it securely on my bed frame, then laid out the bedding he had personally picked out. “Evelyn, take good care of yourself at school. If you need more money, just let me know,” my mom said, anxiously organizing my desk. “The dorm is a bit basic, so just make do for now. I’ve already asked your dad to look at apartments near the campus.” I smiled and pushed them toward the door. “I know, I know. You guys head back now. I can handle myself.” After seeing my parents off, I turned around and met Chloe’s eyes. Her gaze was like a loaded gun, ready to fire and draw blood. She held a student handbook and slowly sauntered over to my bed, pressing down hard on the brand-new mattress. “Evelyn, right? I’m the Room Captain, and I’m also on the Disciplinary Committee of the Student Government. My name is Chloe.” With every title she listed, her chin lifted an inch higher. I nodded, considering that a greeting. But she wouldn’t let it go, pointing at my mattress, her voice suddenly rising. “This mattress must have cost a fortune, right?” I didn’t like her interrogative tone, so I replied flatly. “It’s okay. My parents got it for me.” “Okay?” Chloe scoffed as if she’d heard the funniest joke in the world. “I know this brand. The cheapest one is four figures. Looking at the thickness and style of this one, it’s gotta be at least three thousand dollars, right?” Her voice was so loud that Lily and Mia stopped what they were doing and stared at me. I frowned, feeling annoyed. “And so?” “And so?” Chloe slammed her hand on the desk, her face turning red. “Evelyn, do you even know what college is for? College is a place for you to learn and develop a humble character, not a place to show off your wealth!” “A three thousand dollar mattress? Is sleeping on that going to get you into a top grad program or turn you into a god?” She spoke with righteous indignation, as if I had committed some heinous crime. “If word gets out about this extravagant, corrupt behavior, think of the impact it will have on our school’s reputation!” “As a student leader, I absolutely cannot tolerate this kind of thing happening!” I was genuinely amused by her impassioned speech. “I spent my own money to buy something to sleep on. How does that affect you?” “If you don’t like it, don’t look at it. If you think it’s hindering your ascension to godhood, you can always request a room transfer.” Chloe’s face instantly turned a sickly shade of green. “What kind of attitude is that? Do you think having money makes you better than everyone else?” “Let me tell you, our dorm is competing for the ‘Model Room’ award this semester. Your behavior will lower our score and affect everyone’s honor!” She slapped a copy of the grading rubric onto my desk, pointing to a line that read “Frugality and Waste Prevention.” “See this? This is a strict requirement! Because of you, the three of us are going to be dragged down!” Lily and Mia exchanged a glance but didn’t dare to speak. I picked up the rubric and tossed it straight into the trash can. “If you’re sick, go see a doctor. Don’t throw a fit here.” “You!” Chloe was shaking with anger, her finger pointing at me trembling. I put on my headphones, too lazy to deal with her anymore. The world was finally quiet. 2. Over the next few days, Chloe didn’t confront me directly, but the atmosphere in the dorm became incredibly weird. She would constantly gather the other two roommates for “mini-meetings” to discuss how to “build a model dorm,” shooting pointed glances my way every so often. Every morning, she would walk around the dorm with a small notebook, acting like a health inspector. “Lily, your towel isn’t folded perfectly square. Minus one point.” “Mia, there’s a hair on your desk. Minus one point.” Finally, she would stop by my bed, look at my three-thousand-dollar mattress, sigh heavily, and draw a giant ‘X’ in her notebook. “Sigh, one bad apple spoils the whole bunch.” Lily and Mia were driven crazy by her, living in constant fear of losing points, and the way they looked at me started to carry a hint of resentment. I couldn’t be bothered to participate in her childish games. Having no classes on Friday afternoon, I packed my things and went straight home. Sunday evening, I returned to the dorm carrying a bunch of snacks my mom had packed for me. The moment I pushed the door open, I froze. My bed frame… was still there. But my mattress was gone. In its place was a bare, hard wooden board that smelled faintly of mildew. Only Chloe was in the dorm. She was sitting at her desk, leisurely reading a book, a smug smile playing on her lips. Seeing me return, she pushed up her glasses and stood up slowly. “You’re back?” I set the bags in my hands down heavily on the desk, making a loud bang. “Where is my mattress?” Chloe acted as if she didn’t see the fury in my eyes, instead putting on an expression that said “I did this for your own good.” “Oh, you mean that source of extravagance and corruption? I took care of it for you.” She pointed to a woven bag in the corner. “I took the memory foam out. I’ll distribute it to some low-income students in our department later. It’s getting cold, so they can use it as seat cushions. Consider it putting things to good use.” She then pointed to a few burlap sacks on the balcony. “I didn’t waste the springs either. I contacted the art department. They happen to need materials for an installation project, so it’s perfect upcycling.” I was trembling with rage, my nails digging deep into my palms. “Who gave you the right to touch my things?” “Right?” Chloe’s smile grew even wider. “Evelyn, I’m doing this to help you, and to save our dorm’s reputation!” “Don’t worry, I’ve handled everything thoroughly.” She pulled a printed application form from her drawer and waved it in front of me. “I’ve already submitted an application to the Resident Advisor, under the authority of the Student Government and as Room Captain. Given your reckless spending and lack of awareness, I recommended that your scholarship and living expenses be managed by me from now on.” “I’ll create a detailed budget for you to help you develop the good habit of frugality. Once your attitude improves, I’ll give your money back.” She was so immersed in her grand fantasy of being a “student leader ridding the people of evil” that she completely failed to notice my face had turned black with rage. “No need to thank me. It’s what I should do as a student leader.” I looked at her face, twisted with excitement, and laughed out of sheer fury. I pulled out my phone and, right in front of her, clearly dialed 911. “Hello, 911? I want to report a burglary at my university dorm. The stolen property is worth three thousand dollars.” You want to be a leader that badly? I’ll send you straight to the police station to experience what real communal living is like. 3. The moment the call connected, the smug smile on Chloe’s face instantly froze. “What… what are you doing? Are you crazy?!” She lunged at me to grab my phone, but I kicked her away. “Officer, the address is A University, Dorm Building 12, Room 401. Yes, theft, amount is three thousand dollars. The suspect is my roommate, and she’s at the scene.” I calmly stated the address, every word hitting Chloe’s heart like a sledgehammer. She turned pale, her lips trembling, unable to form a complete sentence. “Evelyn! You can’t do this! This is an internal dorm conflict! How could you call the cops!” I hung up the phone and looked at her coldly. “Internal conflict? You broke into my locker, stole my things, and even tried to control my finances, and now you’re telling me it’s an internal conflict?” “I didn’t steal! I was… I was helping you get rid of it!” She was still trying to act tough, but her voice was already laced with tears. Just then, Lily and Mia returned. Seeing the tense atmosphere in the room, they were both startled. “What’s going on?” Chloe saw them as her saviors and grabbed Lily’s arm. “Lily, talk some sense into her! She called the cops! Over a mattress, she actually called the cops to arrest me!” Lily and Mia were shocked, looking at me in disbelief. “Evelyn, you… you really called the cops? Isn’t that taking it too far…” Mia whispered, trying to persuade me. “Chloe was just trying to help the dorm, maybe her methods were… a bit extreme, but don’t sink to her level.” Before I could even open my mouth, Chloe’s tears started falling. She plopped down on the floor and began to wail loudly. “What did I do wrong! I put my heart and soul into the honor of this dorm, into helping my classmates improve, what did I do wrong!” “She’s so rich, what is one mattress to her? But to those low-income students, one seat cushion could keep them warm all winter!” “I turned her trash into treasure. Not only is she ungrateful, but she also called the cops on me! Where is the justice in this world!” She cried so pitifully, making it seem as if she was the one who had suffered a massive injustice. The police arrived quickly, accompanied by the Resident Advisor. The RA, Ms. Davis, was a young teacher who had just graduated a couple of years ago. Seeing the scene upon entering, she was also stunned. “What… what is going on here?” Upon seeing the RA, Chloe cried even harder, scrambling over to hug Ms. Davis’s leg. “Ms. Davis! You have to help me! I was just answering the school’s call to help a student who was falling behind, and she… she actually called the police to arrest me!” The police quickly assessed the situation and turned to me. “Miss, did you make the call?” I nodded, explained exactly what had happened, and pointed to the woven bags in the corner and on the balcony. “That’s my mattress in there.” The police went over to inspect, their expressions turning serious. Chloe continued to sob. “I really didn’t do it on purpose! I just thought she was being too wasteful and wanted to teach her a lesson! We’re all sisters in the same dorm, how can this be considered stealing?” “And… and she’s so rich, she doesn’t even care about this little amount of money! She’s just targeting me! Because I’m a student leader, she hates my guts!” She successfully shifted the topic from theft to class conflict and personal vendetta. 4. Ms. Davis was clearly moved by Chloe’s crying. She frowned at me, her tone carrying a hint of reprimand. “Evelyn, I know you come from a good family, but aren’t you blowing this out of proportion?” “Chloe’s intentions were good. Although her methods were indeed inappropriate, she was doing it for your own good, for the collective honor of our dorm.” “Classmates have little conflicts all the time, how can you just call the police at the drop of a hat? If word gets out, it’ll reflect badly on you, on Chloe, and on our entire department.” I looked at this RA who was trying to smooth things over, letting out a cold laugh in my heart. “Ms. Davis, does ‘having good intentions’ give someone the right to arbitrarily dispose of someone else’s personal property worth three thousand dollars?” “Does ‘having good intentions’ give someone the right to apply for control over my personal finances under the guise of ‘doing it for my own good’?” “If what I lost today wasn’t a mattress, but three thousand dollars in cash, and she also claimed it was to help me be frugal, would that also not be considered stealing?” My series of rhetorical questions made Ms. Davis look a bit embarrassed. She opened her mouth but couldn’t find anything to say. An older police officer cleared his throat and spoke up. “Regardless of the intention, taking and disposing of someone else’s property without permission, and reaching the monetary threshold for filing a case, constitutes theft.” Hearing the word “theft,” Chloe’s crying choked off, and she began to tremble even more violently. “Officer, I… I really know I was wrong! I’ll never do it again!” She turned to me, crawling towards me on her knees. “Evelyn, I’m sorry, I was wrong! Please forgive me this one time! I’ll put the mattress back exactly as it was! Please, drop the charges!” “I can’t have a criminal record, a criminal record will ruin my life! My parents will kill me!” She clung to my calf, snot and tears smearing all over my pants. Ms. Davis also quickly tried to mediate. “Yes, yes, Evelyn, look, Chloe knows she made a mistake. Be the bigger person and forgive her this time.” “We all live in the same dorm, we see each other every day, let’s not make things so tense.” “The school will also give her a severe reprimand to ensure she never does it again.” I looked down at Chloe, who was crying uncontrollably at my feet, then at the conflicted RA and the expressionless police officers. I knew perfectly well that even if she were taken away today, she would at most be detained for a few days and made to pay compensation. But for someone like her, that punishment was far from enough. What I wanted was to completely destroy her reputation, to turn everything she was so proud of into dust. I took a deep breath and slowly spoke. “Fine, I can choose not to press charges.” Chloe and Ms. Davis both breathed a sigh of relief. “But,” I pivoted sharply, “she must reimburse me for the mattress, three thousand dollars, not a penny less.” All the blood instantly drained from Chloe’s face. “Three… three thousand?” “What, is that too much?” I raised an eyebrow. “I still have the receipt, do you want to see it?” Chloe collapsed completely onto the floor. For someone who constantly labeled herself as a low-income student, three thousand dollars was an astronomical figure. Finally, with the police mediating, Chloe wrote an IOU for three thousand dollars, promising to pay it off within a month. In front of everyone, I stated that I accepted the mediation and would not pursue criminal charges against her. The police packed up and left, and Ms. Davis dragged the devastated Chloe to her office for a “talk.” Only Lily, Mia, and I were left in the dorm. They looked at me with complex expressions. “Evelyn, are you… really just going to let it go?” I smiled but didn’t say anything. Let it go, yeah right… The day after things settled down, the university forum exploded. A post titled “Exposing the Extravagant, Police-Calling Rich Bitch” was pushed to the top trending spot. 5. The poster was anonymous, but between the lines, every detail pointed to me. In the post, I was portrayed as an arrogant, condescending, evil rich girl who used her family’s dirty money to casually bully ordinary students. Chloe, on the other hand, became a tragic hero—upright, kind, brave enough to fight against “evil forces,” only to face suppression and revenge. “On the first day of school, she slapped us all in the face with a three-thousand-dollar mattress. The RA kindly advised her to keep a low profile, and she clapped back.” “The Room Captain, who is also a very upright member of the Student Government’s Disciplinary Committee, couldn’t stand her extravagant lifestyle and offered some well-meaning advice, only to have a finger pointed in her face while being cursed out.” “Later, for the honor of our whole dorm, the Captain came up with a way to ‘deal’ with that mattress, intending to teach her a lesson, and she turned around and called the cops!” “The police actually came! Guys! Over a mattress! She wanted to send her own roommate to prison!” “In the end, the Captain was forced to write an IOU for three thousand dollars. Do you know what three thousand dollars means to a low-income student? That could be her living expenses for years!” The post was highly emotive and inflammatory. A massive thread quickly built up underneath it. “WTF! This rich kid is too arrogant! Since when did A University become a place for these people to show off their wealth?” “Feel sorry for the Captain. Honest people are always the ones persecuted.” “A three-thousand-dollar mattress? Poverty limits my imagination. The straw mat I sleep on wasn’t even twenty bucks.” “Doxx her! Someone like this doesn’t deserve to be at A University! Get out!” Soon, my name, major, class, and even my dorm room number were dug up and publicly posted in the comments. Chloe played this hand beautifully. She painted herself as the victim, nailed me to the pillar of shame, and conveniently fanned everyone’s anti-rich sentiments. Lily and Mia clutched their phones, looking at me nervously. “Evelyn, what… what do we do now?” What could I do? I looked at the vile insults in the post, watched Chloe using alt accounts in the comments to steer the narrative, and just felt nauseous. She really thought she could do whatever she wanted hiding behind a screen and an anonymous handle. She was too naive. I didn’t reply to the post, nor did I confront her. I just quietly screenshotted everything, including the comments that personally attacked me and leaked my personal information. Then, I called my dad. “Dad, find me the best cybersecurity team, and get me in touch with the A University Board of Trustees.” Chloe, don’t you love playing public opinion warfare? I’ll play with you. I just don’t know if your amateur skills are enough to keep up.

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In our past life, my twin sister and I were adopted separately by a wealthy man’s mistress and his legitimate wife. Under the maneuvering of the mistress, my adopted mother, I debuted as a child star, becoming a household name and an award-winning actress. Meanwhile, my sister, raised by the neglected wife, became a marginalized figure in high society after graduating from college. After I became famous, the media constantly compared us, mocking her: [The fake socialite should just come to the entertainment industry and be a stand-in for our Best Actress.] On the day a powerful tycoon successfully proposed to me, my sister suddenly went insane and dragged me into a murder-suicide. Reborn back in the orphanage, in this life, she avoided the legitimate wife like the plague. “Sister, it’s your turn to go to the wealthy family and suffer!” Hilarious. She actually doesn’t want the kind of resources that would make anyone drool, the kind of life that puts you right at the finish line. 1 The wealthiest couple in Seattle paid a low-key visit to the orphanage, looking to adopt a daughter. When we reached the door, my sister absolutely refused to go in. “You stubborn girl, you’re usually the first to push to the front. Why aren’t you grabbing this amazing opportunity?” The director, furious, pinched her ear. She yelled in pain: “I’d rather not have this kind of ‘blessing’! Some people look rich on the outside, but nobody knows how miserable their lives actually are!” The director turned pale with fright and quickly clamped a hand over her mouth. Inside the room, Richard Sterling stood up, kicking his chair aside. “Hah! If you can’t even stand to live with yourself, why bother acting so pathetic!” “Let’s go! Are we just going to stay here and be a laughingstock?” Elena Sterling didn’t get angry. She just pointed a finger at me. “Is there still one more here?” My sister said sarcastically, “Sister, you go. It’s a wealthy family, you’ll be eating well and living a happy life.” Although Elena was somewhat surprised by my sister’s hostility, she quickly shifted her gaze back to me. I nodded eagerly. She smiled faintly, standing up. “Then let’s go handle the paperwork.” Richard let out a cold sneer and actually just abandoned her, turning on his heel and leaving, his back radiating anger. In that moment, everyone knew that the relationship between the billionaire couple was atrocious. My sister glared resentfully at Elena’s retreating back and muttered under her breath, “Good-for-nothing!” Everyone thought she had lost her mind. Offending the Sterling family so blatantly, who would dare adopt her now? But she was entirely unbothered. When we said our goodbyes, she whispered in my ear, “Sister, you have no chance. In this life, I’m going to take away that mother who schemed for you.” I smiled too. She was right, there was no chance. After pulling this stunt, even if my sister wanted to back out, it was too late. 2 Not only did my sister dare to offend Elena, but she was also prepared to be enemies with her for the rest of this life. In our past life, to ensure she was adopted by Elena, she poured water on my blanket in the middle of the night, causing me to wake up with a high fever. With her biggest competitor out of the way, she got her wish and was adopted by the wealthy family. I originally thought our lives would be worlds apart from then on. But I didn’t expect— Right after she was taken away, Richard’s mistress, Fiona Vance, brought a swarm of media reporters to the orphanage, specifically asking to adopt me. Fiona ripped off my fever-reducing patch, dressed me in new clothes, and took photos and gave interviews for the media. The mistress and the legitimate wife adopting twin sisters at the same time—this news naturally became a trending topic. My face was flushed, my eyes hazy and adorable, and netizens swooned over how cute I was. Coupled with public speculation that Fiona had ulterior motives for adopting me, I received unprecedented attention. Fiona, who started as an internet influencer, seized the opportunity to launch my career as a child star. I had endless gigs, and she gained massive traffic. Even Richard publicly favored me, allowing me to call him “Dad.” Compared to our rapid rise to fame, the legitimate wife, Elena, never responded or fought back against our blatant provocations. Even when Fiona brought me to confront her directly multiple times, she just smiled faintly, avoiding our sharp edges. Her passive, non-confrontational attitude made my sister, who was living with her, suffer a lot of neglect and mockery. Every time I met with my sister, she was always full of jealousy and frustration, furious that Elena wasn’t fighting back. In the years that followed, I sang and danced my way to the top, my career path smooth sailing. My sister, on the other hand, entered an elite private school. Her weekends were filled with various tutoring sessions and private coaches, living under strict discipline. Elena, coming from a prestigious family after all, naturally planned for her daughter’s future. After graduating from college, she arranged a marriage of equal social standing for my sister. For my sister, who had no inheritance rights and was already marginalized in the wealthy family, this was her only chance to turn her life around. That day, she posted a private message on her social media, visible only to me: [The good-for-nothing finally did one good thing! Now I understand. Actors are just actors, and the mother and daughter are the same. At best, they are just playthings for the rich.] When Fiona got the news, she was furious. “You rejected all your suitors just to elevate the third young master of the Harrison family? Is he only giving you a few million dollars’ worth of jewelry?!” She said with bitter jealousy, “Elena shouldn’t even think about winning, not even once!” Unable to become the legal wife after more than a decade, she hated Elena with a passion, and her actions became increasingly erratic. Later, reporters caught her and the third young master Harrison spending the night at a hotel. When the media asked him about his engagement to my sister, he flatly denied it. “That was just an arrangement by the families. Just a business stunt.” The day I won the Best Actress award, the third young master Harrison deployed a fleet of helicopters to propose to me. The flowers and fireworks that night echoed throughout the city. Some media intercepted Elena and my sister, asking for their thoughts on the matter. Elena only replied faintly, “Everyone has their own ambitions. You can’t force things.” My sister’s years of resentment and frustration finally exploded. She lost control of her expression, abandoned Elena, and stormed off alone. The original wife and the mistress of the Sterling family had fought for years with no clear winner or loser. But the lives of us two daughters would be worlds apart from then on. She went crazy, drove her car into mine, and took us both down together. 3 In this life, my sister got her wish and was adopted by Fiona. The internet was full of trending topics about them. When Richard was asked if Fiona’s actions were deliberately provoking his wife, he looked doting. “She can be a bit impulsive, but I believe she’ll be responsible for the child.” The next day, Fiona arrogantly declared: “Some people boast about coming from a prestigious family. I’d like to see whose upbringing produces a more successful child!” This statement was practically grinding Elena’s face into the dirt. Elena didn’t respond. She was very busy. She had company executives behind her, she had to personally select schools and interview private tutors for me, and she also tutored me in my homework at night. When Richard didn’t come home at night, she would let me sleep in her bed. Holding her soft, fragrant body, I slept more peacefully than I ever had before. This kind of genuine affection, liking, and companionship without any ulterior motives—my sister surprisingly didn’t know how to cherish it. The heat of the adoption news slowly died down, but Fiona’s provocations never stopped. A month later, Richard made a rare return to the Sterling mansion. Fiona followed right on his heels. We were in the middle of eating when she flew like a butterfly into Richard’s arms. “Our precious daughter got the endorsement for the Hughes brand. You promised you’d celebrate with us.” My sister, her eyes red and looking aggrieved, tugged at his hem. “Uncle Richard—” Fiona’s eyes widened, and she playfully scolded, “Why are you calling him Uncle? Call him Dad.” My sister glanced at Elena and shrank her neck, not daring to make a sound. Richard tapped his fingers lightly on the table, a half-smile on his face. Fiona’s eyes sparkled. “Chloe, are you afraid that because you offended Miss Elena the other day, she’s blaming you?” “Adoption is about destiny. Kids are kids; they like who they like, and dislike who they dislike. That’s perfectly understandable.” Richard put down his soup bowl. “Elena, what do you say?” Elena pulled me up, her expression calm. “This is your own business.” Richard’s face stiffened, and he ground his teeth. “Fine!” He scooped my sister up and sat her on his lap. “From now on, you call me Dad. Let’s see who dares to object!” My sister pointed a finger at me. “Dad, what about her?” “That’s someone else’s business. We don’t care.” When we left the living room, the mother and daughter had already sat down, continuing to eat with Richard. Even from afar, we could still hear their laughter. Back in the study, Elena asked me, “Are you upset?” I grinned and shook my head. I was so happy not to call Richard “Dad.” I had called him that enough in my past life to make me sick. She nodded, a hint of warmth entering her usually indifferent expression. “You just focus on your studies.” Before going to sleep, she had a rare, serious conversation with me. “Evelyn, even though your last name is Sterling, the Sterling family’s assets have nothing to do with you. Your dad—your Uncle Richard—had a son before we got married. Don’t fight for it, don’t even think about it; adopting you was my personal decision, and I will be responsible for you.” I nodded, hesitating for a moment before asking, “Mom, are you unwilling to have a child with him?” “You just need to know that he and I won’t have children.” In our past life, they indeed never had children. The outside world had speculated how long their marriage could last, but Richard never mentioned divorce. Instead, one time Elena was photographed meeting a male friend. Richard actually lost his composure on the spot, flew into a rage, and threatened to make life a living hell for that media outlet. This caused Fiona to go crazy that day, smashing everything in her house to pieces. 4 On my way home from school, the car was suddenly forced to stop. My sister, dressed to the nines, tapped on my window. Seeing me holding a book, she clicked her tongue and shook her head. “Sister, the pressure of studying must be suffocating, right? Is that old witch still giving you a curfew, making you be home by five o’clock?” “It’s hilarious. That old witch gave you the title of a socialite, but in the end, you still have to be kicked out to become a corporate drone, working for someone else!” She lifted her skirt and twirled in place. “Sister, a monthly salary of ten thousand is the peak of your ambitions, unlike me, who can gain both fame and fortune.” “And in this life, you’ll be even more miserable than me. Following the legal wife, you don’t even have the right to call him ‘Dad’.” She was extremely smug. “Sister, I’m better than you. I won over Richard in just one month. Do you know how many benefits that one word ‘Dad’ has brought me?” She expected to see me look hurt and disappointed. But I just examined her body, which was even thinner than when she was in the orphanage, and the dark circles under her eyes that makeup couldn’t hide. I smiled faintly: “Singing, dancing, doing gigs, working non-stop. Is it really easier than me studying?” Fiona was never a reasonable person. Taking advantage of the hype, she would try to squeeze every last drop of value out of my sister in the shortest time possible. In our past life, my sister only saw me looking beautiful and put-together, not having to study. Comparing my glamorous appearance to the boredom of her studies. Naturally, she thought it was bitter and gloomy. Only when she actually tasted hardship would she understand that the hardship of studying wasn’t really hardship at all. “I don’t believe you don’t understand that you’re nothing but a tool for Fiona to please Richard and provoke my mom.” I observed her prematurely developed body. “Also, if Fiona forces you to take pills, you’d better get them checked first.” Her expression changed drastically. “What pills?! Don’t talk nonsense! Hah, Sister, you just don’t want me to get the same treatment you did! You’re afraid I’ll be as successful as you were!” I shook my head and stopped trying to persuade her. Sooner or later, she would understand that for kids like us who lack natural talent as child stars, standing firm in the entertainment industry on hype alone is never easy. Coupled with Fiona’s obsession with marrying Richard. Now that she could play the loving mother-daughter card with her, if day after day went by and she still couldn’t become the legal wife, her manic depression would become harder and harder to suppress. In our past life, she forced me to climb the ladder using any means necessary, suppressing Elena to fight for favor and attract Richard’s attention. When Richard got a new flavor of the month, she would blame me for being useless, pinching my thighs and back until they were bruised to vent her anger. Later, afraid of being discovered, she switched to using needles. “Keep your mouth shut tight! I can make you famous, and I can make you lose everything!” It wasn’t until I was 15 and won my first major award that she finally stopped daring to lay a hand on me. The four words “marrying into wealth” was her dream, but it was my absolute worst nightmare. I didn’t understand. Fiona actually had many opportunities in her life. If she had just worked a little harder, she could have become wealthy on her own. Yet she chose to live like a parasitic, grasping weed. She was smug about Richard’s affection, flaunting her designer bags, clothes, shoes, and diamond rings. But she was blind to Elena using her status as Mrs. Sterling to turn the struggling Sterling Enterprises into a booming business, increasing her personal net worth to the top ten of the wealthy list. She fought tooth and nail to secure a tiny spot in the entertainment gossip columns, completely ignoring that Elena was a regular in the financial section. Not only was Fiona obsessed, but my sister was too. In our past life, when she stood at the peak, all she could see was the false prosperity that Fiona and I deliberately presented. Using a man’s cheap favoritism to define the victory or defeat between the legal wife and the mistress was too foolish. 5 Before long, I skipped two grades, and studying felt effortless. So I boldly proposed to Elena that I wanted to try my hand at the stock market. “Mom, I promise it won’t affect my studies.” She didn’t agree on the spot, but silently observed me for a month before handing over her personal account to me. The account had a starting capital of ten thousand dollars. I was overjoyed and hugged her, giving her a kiss. She patted my head, smiling as she asked, “You didn’t curse me for being stingy in your heart, did you?” I stuck my tongue out. “I know, you were afraid I’d get distracted from my studies.” “If you lose money, come find me.” I nodded, but couldn’t hide the smug look on my face. Losing money was definitely not going to happen. Life became enriching like this. I was busy studying and trading stocks, while Elena was busy expanding Sterling Enterprises. Fiona, with my sister’s cooperation, kept Richard so captivated he didn’t want to leave. My sister also benefited from Richard’s influence, starting to act in TV dramas, coming into contact with the film industry even earlier than I did in my past life. But Richard always managed to remember us from time to time. That night, I was suddenly jolted awake. In the darkness, a massive, dark figure was pressing down on Elena. “Get out! Don’t wake Evelyn up.” She yelled in a low voice. “Hah, you’re getting addicted to playing mom, aren’t you? Why don’t we have one of our own.” In the dark, the sound of fabric tearing echoed continuously. My eyes instantly turned bloodshot. I rolled out of bed, grabbed Richard’s arm, and bit down viciously! “Hiss! You little bastard, get off!” He swung his arm forcefully. Elena screamed, “Evelyn!” Like a little calf, I used my hands and feet, clinging onto Richard and refusing to let go, biting down even deeper. My eyes revealed a fierce determination; he was not going to bully my mom! Enraged, Richard grabbed my hair fiercely. Elena finally stopped holding back, rushing forward and wrestling with him. Finally, Richard lost all interest, cursed under his breath, “This little brat better let go, I won’t touch you tonight, alright?!” Elena hugged me, comforting me for a long time before I warily let go. Then, two teeth, stained with blood, fell out. After a furious Richard left, I cried, my eyes red. “Mom, I don’t want him. Can we divorce him, please?” I knew better than anyone that Elena didn’t love Richard. Especially when gossip about Richard spending the night at Fiona’s surfaced; the disgust in her eyes was uncontrollable. “Evelyn, now is not the time.” She closed her eyes wearily. “No, we can!” I immediately showed her the long string of zeros in my stock market account. Her eyes widened slightly. “Evelyn, you—” “Is this enough?” She dressed me and took me out to get my wounds treated. “This isn’t something you should be thinking about right now.” It wasn’t until my 15th birthday. She suddenly wanted to change my last name, having a massive argument with Richard. “You have a son and a daughter. Evelyn has always called you Uncle. Whether she has the last name Sterling or not has no impact on you.” A hint of frustration flashed in Richard’s eyes, and he left angrily. From then on, I became Evelyn Vance. Elena brought me to the company, and I spent every winter and summer vacation in her office. At first, I just traded stocks, but later I gradually helped her handle official business and got familiar with the group’s affairs. On my 18th birthday, Elena took me to a charity gala, officially introducing me to her network of resources. I knew that from now on, I was thoroughly heading towards a completely different life than my past one. While I was focused on talking with several senior business figures, Richard arrived with Fiona and my sister. Richard walked towards the main hall. My sister saw me and wanted to follow him in, but was stopped by Richard. She stood in place, stamping her feet, glaring at me resentfully. As soon as Richard entered, he reprimanded me. “Adults are discussing business, what is a child doing here? Get out!” Elena and I exchanged a glance, politely said goodbye to everyone, and obediently exited. Just as we walked into the front hall. “Evelyn, over here!” My nominal brother waved at me, surrounded by a group of teenage boys and girls. My sister was clinging to the arm of the third young master Harrison, looking very intimate. Seeing this, she had moved on the third young master Harrison very early in this life. 6 “You should really rein her in. Is the organizer’s area somewhere she should be? She’s completely embarrassing the Sterling family.” My sister was still indignant about not being able to follow Richard to the main hall earlier. “You have a good mother, so you can go too!” my stepbrother retorted with a bad attitude. The third young master Harrison smiled and tried to smooth things over. “Why bother? Chloe isn’t in our circle anyway.” Then he explained to my sister, “President Vance is grooming Evelyn as her successor. It’s different for us.” It would have been better if he hadn’t said that. My sister’s face instantly flushed crimson, deeply ashamed and furious. “What kind of magic potion did you feed Elena?!” she glared at me fiercely. “Hah, you should stop talking and embarrassing yourself.” The eldest daughter of the Montgomery family, who had been silent the whole time, let out a cold sneer and interjected, “Good thing President Vance is a woman, otherwise people would start spreading rumors that Evelyn is just good in bed.” My stepbrother chimed in with ambiguous meaning, “Evelyn really does sleep in the same bed as my mom. I’m even getting jealous.” The crowd burst into laughter. A hint of impatience flashed in the third young master Harrison’s eyes. “If you don’t understand, then don’t speak. The major project Vance Enterprises recently successfully bid on was handled by Evelyn.” My sister finally realized the current situation and stopped targeting me. When I went to the restroom, she followed me in, asking impatiently, “What methods did you use on my brother? Why is he defending you so much!” I adjusted my hair in the mirror. “What, did you guys not get along well before?” She glared at me, her eyes shooting fire. I smiled, no longer teasing her. “I don’t have the last name Sterling, and I won’t take a single cent from the Sterling family. Why would he make things difficult for me?” “And what about Elena?! She’s always been cold-blooded and selfish—” “Shut up!” I interrupted, my face turning cold. “She is the best mother in the world. Don’t ever let me hear you attack her again.” “So what if I say it!” She puffed out her chest and stepped aggressively toward me. “I’ll say whatever I want! She’s just a heartless old witch!” I raised my hand slightly. But thinking about the occasion today, I put it back down. My sister, however, wasn’t having it. She went crazy at me, then suddenly covered her face and ran out. By the time I walked back to the front hall, she had disturbed everyone. Richard had his arm around my sister, facing off against Elena. My sister’s cheeks were flushed, her hair disheveled, crying like a delicate flower in the rain. Her proud cleavage trembled as she sobbed into Richard’s arms. If she hadn’t constantly called Richard “Dad,” this scene would have easily sparked people’s imaginations. Fiona cried, “I can understand Evelyn taking her anger out on someone, but she should come at me! What kind of person bullies my daughter?” “She has a shoot tomorrow. Beating her face like this, isn’t that clearly trying to ruin her career?” Richard rubbed his thumb against my sister’s cheek, glaring coldly at Elena. “Tell Evelyn to come out right now and apologize to Chloe. Is this how you raise a child?!” I walked up slowly. “Uncle Richard, before blaming the legal wife and backing up your mistress and her daughter, shouldn’t you figure out what actually happened first?” Richard’s cold eyes narrowed. “Say that again.” Mr. Hayes, the organizer, hesitated for a moment before trying to persuade him. “Mr. Sterling, Evelyn was just—” “Evelyn bullying me is one thing, but she doesn’t even respect you, Dad! She called you a ‘dirty cucumber’ and said we’re the only ones desperate enough to want you.” My sister yelled. “I wasn’t having it, so she beat me up like this.” Richard grabbed my neck. “Who the hell do you think you are! You’re dead!” “You’re dead.” My sister mouthed silently at me, confident of her victory. I glared coldly at Richard, not begging for mercy. He had wanted to kill me for a long time. From the initial distant “Uncle Richard,” to me being a third wheel between him and my mom for years, plus the two deep bite marks on his arm. The feeling of suffocation hit me like an ocean wave, but I gritted my teeth and didn’t make a sound. “Do you know that being this stubborn just makes me want to destroy you? Hah, you think Elena will protect you?” Richard sneered, his eyes turning bloodthirsty as he ordered, “Elena, I’m giving you three days to send this little bastard back to the slums.” “I want her to spend the rest of her life in a gutter, never able to turn her life around!”

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My brother had been depressed lately because his girlfriend was in debt. I cautiously asked him what was wrong. He sneered, “Like I could explain it to an idiot like you. You wouldn’t get it.” But I wasn’t an idiot. I understood. So, when my biological parents and older brother drove their luxury SUVs into our rundown rural town to pick me up… I took five thousand dollars from them. “Caleb. Here’s the money.” The money you wanted so desperately, I leave it to you. As for the family I always yearned for—they are finally right here beside me. 1 I held the bank card out right in front of Caleb’s face. He was slumped in a beaten-up armchair, his eyes hollow, aggressively running his hands through his hair. Seeing my outstretched hand, he didn’t even look closely at what I was holding. He just slapped it away. My fingers went numb from the strike. The silver card slipped from my grasp, clattering into the corner against the peeling wallpaper. “Hiss—” I drew in a sharp breath. My thumb instinctively rubbed against my other knuckles, which were already swelling red. Hearing my voice, Caleb snapped his head up. Like a man waking from a nightmare, he jolted out of the chair. “Lily…” A flash of panic crossed his eyes, but it was immediately swallowed by that familiar, suffocating irritation. “Didn’t I tell you to stop bothering me?! You’re a stutterer, but are you deaf now, too?” “I… brought you… money!” I pointed at the card in the corner. He still didn’t spare it a single glance. He just kept venting his rage. “Money, money, money! What money could you possibly have? Where did you get it? Are you selling yourself or your organs?” His manic energy flared up again. He grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me hard. “Lily, can you just give me a break? Didn’t I tell you to go stay at someone else’s house for a few days? Mrs. Higgins already said yes! Go stay with her! Don’t come back! Stop bothering me!” My shoulders ached under his grip. I couldn’t help but shove him back hard. He didn’t budge. “I won’t… go to… her house… I won’t!” He gritted his teeth, looking like he was holding back a storm. Only when I winced in pain did he finally let go. “You’re going whether you want to or not. You’re leaving right—” “Caleb! Did you get the money?” Chloe’s voice echoed from the front yard. Caleb froze, instinctively pulling me behind him to hide me. A girl with dyed red hair and distressed denim shorts blew in like a hurricane. The excited gleam in her eyes vanished the second she saw me standing behind him. She rolled her eyes at me. Then, she pushed Caleb away from the doorway and into the bedroom. “Caleb, did you see? There are so many fancy cars out in the town square! Oh my god, I’ve never seen cars that long and shiny!” “Oh… I, uh, I haven’t been outside. Didn’t see them.” Caleb sounded distracted. But Chloe didn’t care. She kept talking. “So, did you scrape together the five grand?” The room went dead silent. I lowered my eyes, walked over to the corner, picked up the card, wiped off the dust, and placed it neatly on the table. “Say something! Caleb!” “I… I don’t have it yet. But I’ll figure it out. I promise!” Chloe’s voice went shrill. “The deadline is tomorrow! And you still don’t have it?! Do you want to watch them drag me away? Caleb, stop being such a useless coward!” “I said I’ll figure it out!” “What is there to figure out?! If you can’t get it… then we go back to my original plan. Let your sister go with them—” “No!” Caleb’s piercing roar tore through the bedroom door. I turned a deaf ear to it all. I picked up the framed photo sitting on the living room mantel, carefully wiping the glass with my sleeve. My voice was barely a whisper. “Mom… Lily is leaving now.” I knelt down and pressed my fingers to my lips, then to her picture, three times. The argument in the bedroom was still raging. I pushed the front door open, taking one last look at the crumbling old house I had lived in for thirteen years. Then, I turned my back and ran toward the edge of town as fast as my legs could carry me. 2 Caleb and I were both orphans taken in by Mom. Specifically, Caleb was brought home after his parents died in a car crash. I was different. She paid three hundred dollars to buy me from a ring of traffickers. I was only four or five at the time. I have no idea what horrors I endured while with them. I had a fever so high I was delirious. I was practically at death’s door. Mom had a heart of gold. She emptied her meager savings to buy my life. Everyone in town gossiped. A little girl, sick to the bone. They said my real parents probably threw me away on purpose. They said Mom was a fool for spending money on a broken girl who couldn’t even carry on a family name. Mom just smiled and said nothing. She took care of me with everything she had. Three days later, my fever broke. But my memories of everything before that were gone. From that day on, a widow, a five-year-old orphaned boy, and a sickly little girl became a family. Caleb… He used to be so good. He always smiled at me. He never raised his voice. He never called me an idiot. He never mocked my stutter. My big brother used to ride his tall bicycle, letting me sit on the back as we coasted through the golden wheat fields to bring Mom her lunch while she worked. Caleb was only a year older than me. His short little legs could barely reach the pedals. He had to stand up, leaning into the wind, pedaling with all his might across the dirt paths. I would hold the lunchbox, plucking two wildflowers along the way. One for me, one for him. From across the vast field, Mom would wave her hand vigorously. “Caleb, Lily! Ride slow! Take it slow!” Take it slow. Yes. We should have taken it slow. We grew up too fast… Later in life, I would return to that sun-drenched, floral-scented afternoon in countless dreams. I would tell Caleb over and over: “Brother, ride slower. Just a little slower.” But how could a little girl ever outrun time? When the dream ended, I was still lying on the cold, hard floor of our living room. I looked up, and there was Mom’s black-and-white portrait. I turned my head, and there was my brother’s tightly locked door. It had been three years since Mom died of illness. With the help of Pastor Thomas, Caleb and I had managed to finish middle school. Caleb said he was going to the city to find work so he could pay for my high school tuition. I begged to go with him, but he sternly refused. “The city is full of dangerous people. I’m not risking our Lily getting taken away again.” He pinched my cheek. “Everyone knows everyone here in town. It’s safe. You stay here and wait for me. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you get to go to school!” The rattling Greyhound bus pulled away. Two months later, he returned. But he wasn’t alone. He brought back a strange girl. She had brightly dyed hair, a nose ring, a lip piercing, and heavy makeup. She was pretty, but she was mean. Caleb looked sheepish and introduced her as his girlfriend, Chloe. Chloe was a city kid whose parents had gone through a messy divorce, leaving her to fend for herself. Nobody even cared that she had followed a boy back to a town in the middle of nowhere. And Caleb was already sixteen. In a forgotten town like ours, some kids were already fathers at that age. After a moment of shock, I politely called her “Chloe.” But for some reason, Chloe despised me from day one. And I was terrified of her. She called me an idiot. She called me a stuttering freak. Caleb got into a huge fight with her over it once. But when she packed her bags and threatened to leave, he broke down crying, hugging her and begging for forgiveness. What was I thinking back then? I forget. I only remember standing in the shadow of the wooden doorframe. Looking at Chloe’s triumphant, mocking eyes. I felt so cold, like I had been plunged into freezing water. I knew then that my life was about to get very, very hard. 3 By the time I realized Caleb was skipping work, I was in my sophomore year. I found him in a smoky, rundown gaming lounge. He looked like someone I didn’t even know. A cigarette hanging from his lips, his arm wrapped around Chloe, his fingers violently smashing a keyboard as a stream of foul curses spilled from his mouth. My hand tightened around the strap of my backpack, trembling slightly. “Caleb.” He had his headset on and didn’t hear me. But Chloe did. She turned around and glared at me with pure annoyance. She leaned closer to Caleb. She put a finger to her lips, motioning for me to shut up. Then, she yanked Caleb’s headset off. “Babe, what do you think your idiot sister is doing right now?” Caleb paused. I stood to the side, watching his profile. For a split second, I thought I saw a flicker of guilt. But it vanished instantly. He clicked his tongue, annoyed, and reached for the headset. “Going to school, I guess. What else would she do?” “Oh~ Right. But look, she’s practically failing anyway. Didn’t you tell me she had a bad fever as a kid? Maybe it fried her brain! Is there really any point in paying for her to keep going?” “She’s gotta go to school. What else is she gonna do? She’s too young to work full-time!” He ran a hand roughly through his hair, clearly hating the conversation, and moved to put the headset back on. Chloe was relentless. She yanked it away again. “I don’t care! The money you give her for lunch every month is enough to buy those boots I wanted. You are not giving her any more money!” “What, you want me to let her starve?” “She’s not even your real sister! Why are you bending over backward for her? People are going to think you’re raising her to be your own little wife!” Chloe laughed, rolling her eyes. Caleb’s frown deepened. He gritted his teeth and turned his head, about to snap back, when he saw me standing there, clutching my backpack, looking lost. In an instant, whatever he was going to say died in his throat. I didn’t know why he was so angry. I only know that without a word, he grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the lounge. “Lily! Are you out of your damn mind?! Who told you to come here? What do you want?!” “I came… to find you. Your boss… said you haven’t been… to work… in days.” “None of your business! I bust my ass to pay for your school! If you don’t want to go, then get out and get a job!” My wrist burned from his grip. I mumbled, terrified, “I don’t… need… your money anymore. I got… a scholarship… and financial aid. And I have… a part-time job… I—” “So what?! You don’t need me anymore! I’m not good enough for you! I don’t deserve to be your brother, is that it?! Then why the hell are you looking for me?!” His grip tightened painfully. He glared at me, his eyes swirling with emotions I couldn’t decipher. We stood there in a tense deadlock for what felt like hours. Then, I heard him say: “Lily, I wish I wasn’t your brother.” … 4 I ran toward the edge of town like my life depended on it. I wanted to leave all those dark, suffocating memories behind. But the tears fell anyway, blurring everything in sight. I was sprinting purely on instinct and memory. Without looking, my foot caught on a jagged rock, and I pitched forward, slamming hard into the dirt. “Ah—!” “Lily!” “Lily!” “Sweetheart!” My scream tangled with several frantic, desperate shouts. But the sharp pain of hitting the ground never came. A young man, who looked startlingly like me, caught me firmly in his arms. “Are you okay?!” He had scraped his own knees bloody sliding to catch me, but his first thought was my safety. “Lily, Arthur, are you two alright?! Get up, get up!” A well-dressed couple rushed over, pulling us up and looking us over with frantic concern. I stood frozen in place, utterly bewildered. My mind was racing: Great. I ruined everything again. I’m causing trouble for strangers… They’re definitely going to hate me now. But the scolding and disgust I expected never came. Seeing that Arthur and I were both physically fine, the woman pulled me into a desperate, crushing hug. “Lily, you scared me half to death. Why are you crying? Are you hurt somewhere? Don’t cry, it’s okay, we’ll go straight to the hospital!” I shook my head wildly. “N-no… I don’t… need… to go… to a h-hospital!” I bit my lip so hard I tasted copper. I was terrified they would hear my stutter. Because of my intense shame, I hadn’t spoken to strangers in a very long time. Every time I tried, even if the other person didn’t react badly, my mind would flash back to Caleb and Chloe’s mocking, disgusted eyes. Over time, I spoke less and less. But silence doesn’t cure a stutter. It only makes the anxiety worse. Now, the mere thought of speaking made my palms sweat and my face burn. I kept my head bowed, praying they wouldn’t notice. Thankfully, the three of them just exchanged a quick glance and seamlessly changed the subject, pretending nothing was wrong. “Lily, come on, get in the car. We’re going home!” Arthur opened the door of the SUV, smiling warmly. But as I looked up, I saw the blood trickling down his knee. Flustered, I unzipped my faded canvas bag, pulled out a band-aid, and held it out to him. He blinked, surprised. Then his smile turned incredibly soft. “My sister is so thoughtful. Carrying band-aids with you everywhere.” My heart gave a violent tremor. I quickly curled my fingers inward. I didn’t want him to see the countless little cuts and callouses on my hands. The three of them had such beautiful, flawless hands. Even the older man—my biological father—had clean, manicured fingers. But I spent my life chopping firewood, scrubbing clothes by hand, and washing dishes at the school cafeteria. Even in the summer, my hands were covered in tiny, stinging cuts that burned whenever I sweated. He noticed. I saw his eyes lock onto my hands. But he didn’t recoil. He just quickly looked away to spare my feelings. As the car started, I caught Arthur’s eyes in the rearview mirror. His gaze had turned sharp, almost predatory, as he stared back at the town. He let out a dark, cynical scoff. He slammed his foot on the gas, kicking up a cloud of dust. Leaving my thirteen years of misery in the rearview mirror. Faintly, over the roar of the engine, I heard someone screaming: “Lily!” 5 I didn’t look back. I let Mrs. Sterling—my mother—cover my ears as I fell asleep against her chest. When I woke up, the car was parked outside a massive, sprawling estate. The first person I saw was a young woman standing on the porch. She wore a tailored dress, her dark hair cascading down her shoulders like silk, making her look incredibly elegant and gentle. I was wondering who she was when Arthur shattered my anxiety with a single sentence. He said, “Lily, this is my fiancée, Sarah. You can call her sister!” You can call her sister… In an instant, I was transported back to the day I met Chloe. A tidal wave of dark memories crashed over me, and my hands began to tremble uncontrollably. My mother, still holding me, instantly felt it. She looked down in panic. “Lily? What’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?” I shook my head rapidly and forced a desperate, pleasing smile at Sarah. “Hi… Sarah.” Unlike my first meeting with Chloe, Sarah’s eyes sparkled as she looked at me. She looked absolutely thrilled. “I’ve been waiting so long for you! This is wonderful! Lily, your family is finally whole again!” She looked up at Arthur, and both of their eyes welled up with tears. Arthur wiped his face. “Alright, alright, let’s not stand on the porch crying. Lily, come inside and see if you like your room!” Before I could process what was happening, the two of them took my hands and led me to a bedroom on the second floor. It was breathtaking. A massive, incredibly soft bed. A beautiful vanity. And—for the first time in my life—my very own closet and a pristine desk. The afternoon sun poured through the massive windows, making the whole room glow. It felt like a dream. “Is… is this… all for me?” Sarah nodded enthusiastically. “Of course! But if there’s anything you don’t like, we can change it right now!” Her face fell slightly, looking guilty. “I’m so sorry, Lily. Your mom and dad and Arthur rushed out to get you, so I was the only one left to set up your room. I didn’t know what you liked, so I just guessed. If you hate any of it, tell me and we’ll throw it out today!” I hurriedly interrupted her. “I… I love it. Thank you… Sarah.” Her cheeks instantly flushed bright red. She suddenly elbowed Arthur hard in the ribs. “This is your fault! Why did you tell her to call me Sarah like we’re formal?” “What else is she supposed to call you?” “We’re not even married yet! Ugh! Ignore him, Lily, just call me Sarah!” The girl, blushing furiously, lightly stepped on Arthur’s foot. Arthur dramatically crouched down. “Lily, save me, my fiancée is trying to assassinate me!” “Stop joking around, you’re going to scare her!” The two of them laughed and bickered playfully. I stood frozen in the doorway. My mind was entirely blank, save for one thought: Human relationships can actually… be this healthy? Noticing I had gone quiet, they immediately stopped messing around and returned to my side. “Lily, rest for a bit. Later, Arthur and I will show you around the house. Think about anything else you might need, and I’ll make your brother go buy it immediately!” Before I could answer, rapid footsteps thundered up the stairs. A bright, energetic male voice rang out: “Mr. and Mrs. Sterling! Arthur! Did you get Lily?!” I froze. I remembered that voice. He was the one who found me. He told me his name was… Mason Caldwell! 6 When Mason Caldwell found me, I was standing at the edge of the river. One foot was already hovering over the rushing water. His raw, throat-tearing scream made me pause. The next second, someone grabbed the back of my faded jacket and violently yanked me backward into the mud. The boy was panting heavily, staring at my face in utter disbelief. His hands were shaking worse than mine. He said: “I finally… found you.” He told me he was representing his family’s corporate foundation, doing charity work in our forgotten little county. They were supposed to sponsor a few high school students. But when he looked at the list of low-income students and saw my photo, he recognized me. He forced his teachers to bring him straight to my village. “Oh my god, Lily, do you know? You are a spitting image of Mrs. Sterling!” “We’ve been—I mean, your real parents and your brother have been looking for you non-stop. We never gave up on you!” “I finally found you! Do you remember me? We played together every single day when we were little! It’s me! Mason! Do you remember?!” The frantic joy and crushing sorrow in his eyes terrified me. Because I really, truly… couldn’t remember a single thing before I was four. He wanted to take me away right then and there. But I was terrified… what if he had the wrong person? I didn’t want to be accused of being a con artist, and I couldn’t survive being abandoned again. So I gave him two strands of my hair and told him to do a DNA test with the Sterling family. Only when the results were absolute did my real family come to get me. Now, Mason sprinted up the stairs like a golden retriever. The moment he saw me, a blindingly bright smile broke across his face. “Lily! Lily! You’re home!” He was so excited, but halfway down the hall, Arthur grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. “Artie? What gives?!” “What gives is that you’re too loud! You’re gonna scare my sister, idiot!” Mason looked indignant. “I found her first, okay?! I brought her back!” He looked at me, his eyes practically sparkling with expectation. My entire body went stiff. Terrified he would bring up the river, I nodded frantically. “Y-yes. It… it was you!” “See?! Don’t be mad at me, Lily! I wanted to go with them to pick you up, but Artie made me stay behind to handle your school transfer paperwork! That’s why I wasn’t there!” He glared at Arthur while he explained. I waved my hands anxiously. “I’m not… mad!” How could I be mad? I was just… in a daze. Everything here was so beautiful it felt completely unreal. Loving parents, a warm and protective brother and sister-in-law, a friend who genuinely cared about me… Did I really get to have this? Was this a dream? A hallucination before I hit the water? The thought was so horrifying that my head began to throb violently. The room started spinning. The last thing I heard was Sarah’s scream: “Lily! What’s wrong?!” 7 She caught me as I collapsed. “She’s burning up! Arthur, call a doctor right now!” “Lily!” “Mom, Dad, don’t panic, I’m calling them!” … “Why is she sweating so much, my poor baby?” “Everyone out, except Sarah!” “Sarah, help me hold her up. I need to wipe her down with alcohol to break the fever.” Through the haze of delirium, I heard my mother and Sarah’s voices. Someone was unbuttoning my shirt. Their movements and voices were incredibly gentle. But my body acted on pure reflex. I swatted her hand away violently. I clutched my collar in a death grip, refusing to let go. “Oh! Mrs. Sterling, what’s wrong with her? She’s turning pale!” “Lily?” The two gentle voices faded into the background. Replacing them in my mind was Chloe’s sickeningly sweet, mocking laughter: “Well, well, I didn’t know the village idiot had such a nice body! No wonder you’re so good at seducing men!” “Hold still! I’m just taking a few pictures. I’ll even give you a cut of the money when I sell them!” “Ouch! You little btch, did you just hit me?! Do you have a death wish?!”* It was the summer before my freshman year. Caleb and Chloe had explicitly said they were leaving town for a few days. But in the dead of night, while I was sleeping, Chloe kicked my bedroom door open. I scrambled to put my clothes on, but she had her phone camera pointed right at me… She didn’t get the pictures. Because for the first time in my life, I fought back. And for the first time in my life, I was beaten until my nose bled for hours. When Caleb came back the next day, Chloe played the victim. She said I tried to smash her phone. Caleb looked at my bruised, swollen face and my blood-stained shirt, and stayed silent for a long time. “Caleb… she… she tried to… take pictures—” “Chloe, I’ll work extra shifts. I’ll buy you a new phone. Just drop it… Lily, can you just stop causing trouble for five minutes?” Every word I wanted to say died in my throat. All that remained was the trauma of that night, festering like an open wound. From that day on, I developed a severe aversion to being touched. I would wake up in cold sweats, paranoid that Chloe was recording me. I had nightmares of her tearing my clothes off. I refused to sleep in the same room as her ever again. There were only two bedrooms in the house. Chloe took one. Caleb took the other. I slept on the hard floor in the living room. No matter how furiously Caleb cursed at me for being “weird” and “stubborn,” I refused to go back into that room. … “Get away! Don’t touch me! Don’t film me! Get away! Don’t… rip my clothes!” I clutched my collar, my entire body violently shivering. The fever made my teeth chatter so loudly it echoed in the room. Someone was crying. Two suppressed sobs floated near my ears. Warm tears splashed onto my neck. “Lily, don’t be scared, it’s okay, it’s okay, we won’t touch your clothes!” “My baby! Lily!” The sobbing grew louder. “My sweet girl, there’s nothing to be afraid of anymore. You’re home. Mommy will protect you…” The gentle woman’s voice gradually cut through the haze, overpowering the ghosts in my memories. A strange, unfamiliar sense of safety washed over me. My head grew impossibly heavy, and I slipped entirely into darkness. When I woke up again, the first thing I saw was an IV bag hanging above my head. My mother and Sarah were both sitting by the bed. Their eyes were swollen and red, like they had been crying for hours. I was just about to speak when Arthur’s furious, low roar bled through the door from the hallway: “He has the nerve to call the police?! What does he mean, ‘his sister’?! Does he even deserve to say that?! I haven’t even had the time to go after him for the background check I pulled today! Fine! If Caleb wants to come here, let him come! I’ll welcome him personally!” The IV stand rattled as I flinched. The two women jolted, looking up to see me shivering, pale as a ghost. Sarah and Mom exchanged a panicked look and bolted for the door. “Arthur, shut up! Lily is awake!” … The shouting outside stopped instantly. After a long, suffocating silence, Arthur pushed the door open. He walked in slowly, hesitantly. The sweat of anxiety on his forehead dripped onto his crisp dress shirt. “Lily.” Arthur crouched slowly by my bed and reached out, gently pressing his palm to my forehead. His voice was soft, but laced with iron: “Don’t be afraid. Your big brother is going to protect you. From now on, you never have to be afraid of anything again.”

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I was dating a guy, but I didn’t know he was actually twins. The two of them took turns going on dates with me, playing me for a fool. Until today, the younger brother ordered a dish as a joke and asked me: “Sister, did you forget that I’m allergic to this?” My expression didn’t change: “Isn’t your brother the one who is allergic to this?” 01 After I said that, there was a long silence across the table. I realized belatedly: “Did you two not agree on who was coming today?” Leo’s smile froze on his face, and his beautiful peach-blossom eyes already carried a hint of displeasure: “Sister, you knew there were two of us?” Although Leo and Lucas looked exactly the same and were good at disguising themselves, it was normal for ordinary people not to be able to tell them apart. But I wasn’t normal. I could see labels. Invisible ones. The one with ‘Leo’ floating above his head was the younger brother. The one with ‘Lucas’ floating above his head was the older brother. Today, it was Leo who showed up. Leo was a bit more clingy. I understood. He was younger, it was perfectly normal. 02 Leo seemed a bit mentally unstable. I considerately cut the date short. Looking at the devastated handsome boy, I affectionately patted his cheek and dropped a kiss on his lips: “Alright, why do you look like the sky is falling? “Go back and have a good talk with your brother about who’s coming tomorrow.” Just two of them… Sister can handle it. 03 What are you thinking? I was talking about hot dogs. 04 The guy selling hot dogs was kind of handsome. Every time I passed by, I’d stare for a bit: “Hey kid, got a girlfriend?” The kid smiled, not knowing what he was thinking of. His eyes curved, his smile bright with pearly white teeth: “Sister, aren’t two boyfriends enough for you?” Oh, he actually knew? I brushed my long hair back, looking at my fingers glowing under the light: “One more wouldn’t hurt.” His response was to place two hot dogs in my hand. I originally thought Lucas and Leo would need a couple of days to figure things out. But when I got back to my apartment building, someone was already waiting downstairs. The fluorescent label glowed in the dark. Lucas. As soon as I walked up to him, he grabbed my hand. Lucas kissed me fiercely. Only when I couldn’t take it anymore and pushed him slightly did he let go. The older brother was a bit more domineering. I licked my lips and smiled: “Have you two figured out how to explain this to me? “Lucas, for so long, did you two think I was an idiot? “If I hadn’t accidentally found out, were you planning to keep playing me?” The wind downstairs wasn’t strong, but the night air was still a bit chilly. I was wearing a black slip mermaid dress, and my exposed shoulders felt the chill. Lucas silently draped his jacket over me: “It’s windy here. Let’s go upstairs to talk, okay?” 05 When I was looking at apartments, Lucas was the one who came with me. He was quite familiar with the layout of the room. As soon as we entered, he turned on the dim lights. Only then did I see clearly what Lucas was wearing. I rarely saw Lucas in formal wear, and Leo had never worn it either. But today, Lucas was wearing a black shirt, and I was wearing his suit jacket. Lucas’s eyes darkened, recalling my question downstairs. He admitted his mistake with a good attitude, saying it was both of their faults. “But Evelyn.” Lucas wrapped his arm around my waist, picked me up, and kissed my ear: “I still love you. “Sister, let’s go buy a house tomorrow. We’ll put it in your name. Don’t be mad, okay?” Playing the obsessive pure-love card. I like it very much, older brother. My newly changed bedsheets smelled of lavender. Lucas stood by the bed, giving me a deep look, then went to the bathroom to take a shower. “Sister, wait for me a moment.” Taking advantage of his shower, I relaxed my whole body on the bed. Being the object of affection for so many younger men at the same time was quite tiring. The hot dog guy I just added on my phone sent a message: [Sister, what are your requirements for a boyfriend?] [Young, and good in bed.] I teased him: [Want to come find me?] I heard noises from Lucas’s side. I put my phone face down and looked up at him. His and Leo’s clothes were over there, but Lucas only had a towel wrapped around him. The undried water droplets slid down his distinct six-pack abs into the depths. I swallowed hard, remembering how Lucas used to be so timid in bed when he didn’t know his place. “Evelyn, when did you realize we weren’t the same person?” The one I was dating was Lucas. I also knew he had a twin brother, Leo. But who would have thought they’d switch places midway through the relationship? It felt great. I didn’t speak, because Lucas didn’t give me a chance to. I felt the bed sink slightly, and Lucas had already pulled me into his arms and kissed me. “No matter when you recognized me, if you only sleep with me, does that mean you like me a little more?” 06 When I learned that I was going to date someone from the Sterling family, the one I initially chose wasn’t Lucas. The older brother was domineering and liked to be forceful. The younger brother was gentle and clingy, loved to act spoiled, and was all about pure love. The brother I originally preferred should have been Leo, that kid. At a banquet, the first one I interacted with was also the younger brother. It was a wealthy socialite’s birthday party. I wasn’t on good terms with her, so I sat on the second-floor observation deck. The deck was entwined with rose vines. When I went up, there should have been only me. But I saw someone wearing a silver silk pajama shirt, revealing exquisite and beautiful collarbones. A glass of red wine was on the tray, and he was looking down, tinkering with an old, battered radio. At a formal banquet, dressing so casually, as if he had just walked out of his bedroom and would go to sleep the next second. I suddenly remembered my cousin mentioning that her brother had been staying at this villa recently. A brother this good-looking, why didn’t she ever mention him? I absentmindedly complained about my cousin and sat down next to him. Leo looked up at me, then lowered his head to continue fumbling with his radio. After a long while, not knowing whether he succeeded or failed, he set the radio aside and took a sip of red wine. The sound from the radio faltered for a moment, then began playing a smooth melody. Leo proactively leaned closer to me. As he bent over, his loose neckline slipped down, revealing a generous amount of skin. “Sister, you look familiar. Want a kiss?” 07 Up close, Leo’s face was completely exposed to my sight. No matter how similar twins are, there will always be differences. With identical faces, Leo’s face was just a bit more obedient. He had cool, pale skin, and his beautiful peach-blossom eyes held no lust, yet he clearly said such a seductive thing. I leaned back slightly, my gaze deliberately falling on his exposed chest, and smiled shyly: “Where should I kiss?” The young man suddenly fell silent. I saw his ears turn red under the light. Leo unconsciously touched his nose and mumbled. “Anywhere is fine.” When Leo said his first sentence, I suddenly realized that I hadn’t met him for the first time today. When Leo was at State University, I ran into him when I accompanied my cousin there to familiarize herself with the campus beforehand. In a philosophy class, in a large lecture hall, after my cousin and I sat in the very back row, I kept my head down replying to messages. When I looked up again, there was suddenly an extra person in the empty seat in front of me. Just from his back, I could tell he was very handsome from the front. My heart fluttered for a moment, thinking about the good things netizens said about men. After class, my cousin yelled and ran out. I didn’t have anything to pack up, but I still lagged half a beat behind this classmate. After getting a clear look at his face in the corridor, I followed him in my high heels. Cornering him, I looked at his fluttering eyelashes and spoke in a breathy, sweet voice: “Classmate, is it convenient to add you on WeChat?” “It’s not convenient.” Leo rejected me, blushing. “I don’t have WeChat.” “Then let’s kiss, I see you have a mouth.” “…” Long after Leo added me on WeChat, I accidentally saw the nickname this kid gave me. “Kissing Sister.” 08 Lucas seemed to notice my mind wandering, and he bit my collarbone in dissatisfaction. “Evelyn, focus.” The young man’s back was broad and powerful. I ran my long fingers over it, only feeling a thin layer of sweat. Probably knowing that I was easiest to talk to in bed, Lucas rambled on and on in my ear. I spaced out, only catching intermittent declarations of love. And: “A thousand mistakes, ten thousand mistakes, it’s all my and Leo’s fault, mostly Leo’s fault. Sister, please don’t be mad at me.” After you’re done being mad at him, you can’t be mad at me either. I eventually lost consciousness and didn’t wake up until the next morning. Lucas probably had class. He left me a message on my phone: [There’s soup you like in the kitchen. Remember to heat it up before you drink it when you wake up.] Not bad, making time to sleep with me even with classes. I rubbed my aching waist and collapsed back onto the bed. Besides Lucas’s message, there were others. Leo sent the most. He started by apologizing on WeChat, saying he shouldn’t have done that, he just liked me too much. Later, realizing he couldn’t reach Lucas either, he guessed Lucas’s whereabouts almost without thinking. After cursing Lucas thirteen times, he pitifully asked me: [Sister, even so, can you really not date two people? [Sister… I really like you. [Everything Lucas can do, I can do too. Sister, just look at me, okay…] … Amidst Leo’s message bombardment, there was another message. It was still from the kid selling hot dogs. He replied to my joking message: [That won’t work, I’m not good at anything else, only roasting hot dogs.] I could almost imagine, in the night, under the streetlights. That kid wearing a mask standing by the machine, eyes half-closed, casually replying to my message. He might even be calling me frivolous and loose. 09 My cousin asked me out for drinks. She probably heard that I caught her two brothers taking turns dating me. Excitedly ordering a strong drink for me, she comforted me: “A man’s mistake, we shouldn’t blame ourselves oh~” I danced even harder than her, laughing flamboyantly. A long time ago, when I first returned to the city, no one had heard that the Vance family had such a glamorous and cold eldest daughter. Later, after getting familiar with the wealthy circles, almost everyone knew I wasn’t easy to date. It was only my cousin and her dad, arrogant and thinking that Lucas and Leo could tame me, who willingly let the Vance family and the Sterling Group reach a long-term partnership. But they didn’t expect that both sons would fall for me. After just one drink, I went to the restroom. Although I look like I can drink, I’m actually a lightweight. Going to the restroom to clear the smell of alcohol, I was preparing to go back. The hallway leading outside from the restroom had all its lights on. The person coming towards me looked very familiar. I collected my thoughts and met those half-smiling eyes: “Roasted hot dogs?” The other person: “…” Caleb looked down at his clothes: “I’m supposed to be an escort today, miss.” He was wearing a standard suit uniform that outlined a drool-worthy physique. I grabbed his tie, only then realizing that the person in front of me seemed terrifyingly tall. “Aren’t you saying you only know how to roast hot dogs?” Caleb: “No choice, don’t want to get slept with, can only sell my labor.” I heard what he was getting at, let go with a laugh, and without a second glance, walked away in my high heels. I told my cousin someone was coming to pick me up. She was in the middle of having fun and asked: “The older one or the younger one?” After getting my answer, she waved me off relievedly. Is Leo really more trustworthy than Lucas? I walked out and saw Leo’s car parked there. He stood in front of the car, holding a large bouquet of roses. Cappuccino roses, Lucas had also given them to me not long ago. This kid, really, copies his brother in everything. Seeing me come out, Leo walked over quickly. “Sister, you look beautiful today too.” He no longer had to disguise himself with Lucas’s personality, so he openly turned into a sunny golden retriever in front of me. I couldn’t help but smile too, and got into the passenger seat: “Leo, where are you taking me today?” After the sports car sped away, Caleb, who chased after me, looked self-deprecatingly at the lemon juice for hangovers in his hand. His eyes darkened instantly, and he tilted his head back, drinking it all in one gulp. No change in expression. “Evelyn, I shouldn’t have been soft on you.” 10 Leo took me to the East Mountain in the suburbs, an area that had been developing very well recently, with hot spring hotels and outdoor picnics. He considerately only booked one room. Halfway there, the alcohol from the one drink I had hit me, and I suddenly felt lazy. Leo carried me back on his back. I lay on his back, smelling the perfume he specifically sprayed for meeting me, my favorite one. In a flash, I remembered the moon from a night many years ago. “Leo.” I mumbled: “I actually like you quite a bit.” But who says a sister can only have one? Leo mumbled an acknowledgment: “Yeah, I know.” The room he booked had a starry sky ceiling. Lying on the bed, I buried myself entirely in Leo’s arms. Actually, I had been quite tired these past few days. If it were Lucas holding me, he probably would have gotten aroused in no time. But Leo just let out a muffled groan, hugged me tighter, and didn’t make any further moves. I had a rare, good night’s sleep. I dreamed of the time before I returned to the city. 11 I didn’t grow up in the city, but in a smaller town. And when I was in that smaller town, I was far from what I look like now. Caleb was someone I met in that smaller town. When I saw him, he was in the pool hall downstairs, wearing a black hoodie, holding a cue stick, biting a cigarette, and looking at me with his head tilted. His messy hair slightly covered his eyes. Caleb grabbed his hair with one hand, his starry eyes holding a smile: “Sis, wanna play a game?” I said no, and Caleb grabbed my hand. His hands were cold, but also hot. When he held my hand, the joints were distinct, and even the surrounding skin felt burning hot. “Sister, lift your waist.” . When I woke up in Leo’s arms, it was almost noon. He ordered breakfast over the phone, then buried his whole body in my arms. “Sister, why didn’t you choose me from the beginning? “Am I really that much worse than Lucas?” Obviously born on the same day, basically exactly the same, even identical looks. When standing together, everyone would choose Lucas. Leo was truly a bit depressed, resting near my neck, the heat surging up bit by bit. I closed my eyes comfortably. Only kids make choices. I said: “I still like you better, Leo.” I want both. 12 The private hot spring Leo booked. He excitedly wanted to take me in. I couldn’t find the words: “Say it a bit more elegantly.” Leo: “Then I want to share a private bath with sister.” Lucas appeared more often in the company, developing a decisive CEO persona. Even in bed, Lucas’s movements were fast and hard. Leo was different. He was very gentle, usually clingy and sweet. Now in the spring, he still rubbed gently and slowly, bit by bit. I gasped, glaring at him: “Hurry up.” The only response was a soft chuckle. Leo was clingy and sweet: “Does sister not like it this way?” I like it. I lowered my eyes and kissed Leo’s face: “I knew you guys only liked this.” “Leo, do you really like me?” The movements finally sped up, and Leo kissed me fiercely. “Evelyn. “Evelyn. “Sister, I like you so much.”

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Seven years ago, when I was nothing but a street punk, I forcibly kissed the youngest son of the wealthy Sterling family—the one confined to a wheelchair. After the kiss, I ran. I stood at the top of a long flight of stairs, jutting my chin out provocatively. “Come find me when you can stand up and handle me yourself!” Seven years later, the new head of the Sterling Group—the man known as the “Cold-Blooded King,” Tyron Sterling—used his silk tie to bind my hands together and tossed me onto the bed. “I’m a man who holds a grudge, Dustin. Tell me, did you finally get the ‘handling’ you were asking for?” 01 Slap! A crisp sound echoed through the room. “You absolute moron! Who did I tell you to grab?” “The… the Sterling kid… he’s a Sterling…” “He’s the useless one! The cripple! He doesn’t count! I told you to kidnap Tyler Sterling—the old man’s golden boy! And you bring me this piece of trash? You idiot… you worthless dog…” As the Boss continued his tirade, the sound of Blondie’s muffled screams followed each blow. A moment later, the door creaked open. Blondie walked out, his face smeared with blood and his gait uneven. He shot me a venomous look. “You! Throw the cripple in the warehouse!” I was nineteen. I’d grown up on the streets, but since I was new to the crew, I had to play the “yes-man” to every senior member. Hearing the order, I pulled on my mask and went inside. I hoisted the unconscious teenager off the floor and carried him toward the abandoned storage unit next door. The boy was light. Surprisingly thin. As I carried him, I scoffed inwardly. Rich kids. Thin arms, thin legs. Fragile as a doll. He must have regained consciousness because he struggled against my shoulder. I expected a scream. I reached into my pocket to grab the gag I had ready, but there was no sound from him. Not even a whimper. Did he pass out again? I didn’t care. I opened the warehouse door and dumped him onto the concrete floor. When I looked down, I found myself staring into a pair of beautiful, yet hauntingly dark eyes. The boy was awake. He looked at me for a split second, then simply closed his eyes. I watched his Adam’s apple move slightly. I caught a glimpse of his pale, cracked lips. He was parched. He’d probably been out for hours. But he wouldn’t say a word. Suddenly, I felt a flicker of curiosity. “Hey.” I nudged his leg with my boot. “You want water?” No response. One second. Two. Ten. “Forget it!” I lost my patience. I figured he was just too high-and-mighty to talk to a street rat like me. Die of thirst for all I care, I thought. I turned on my heel, walked out, and locked the door. For the rest of the day, the gang seemed to forget the hostage existed. The Boss and Blondie didn’t ask about him once. No lunch. No dinner. I sat there slurping on a bowl of instant ramen. I’d put too much seasoning in; it was salty and spicy. As I reached for my water, those pale, cracked lips flashed through my mind. If he dies of dehydration, they’re going to blame it on me. Cursing under my breath, I grabbed a bottle of water and headed to the warehouse. “Hey. Still kicking?” I frowned, looking at the figure on the floor. He was exactly where I’d left him. Motionless. For a heartbeat, I felt a surge of genuine fear. I thought he was dead. If he died… he would be my first kill. Thankfully, his eyes fluttered open. I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Ignoring his lack of cooperation, I propped him up against my shoulder. I unscrewed the cap and poured water into his mouth. I was a bit too aggressive; he choked. He started coughing violently, the water soaking into his white dress shirt. That’s when I noticed the crest on his pocket. It was the insignia of St. Jude’s Academy—the kind of elite international school I could only dream of seeing from the outside. I stared at it, dazed. “What are you looking at?” he asked. It was the first time he’d spoken. His eyes were still hollow. Deadly calm. An inexplicable surge of irritation rose in my chest. I let go of him abruptly and walked out. 02 The next day, when I went to give him water, he refused to open his mouth. “Hey! Sit up! Drink!” I pulled him up, but he turned his head away, his jaw clamped shut. “It’s not poison!” I snapped, letting out a frustrated laugh as I patted his cheek. That seemed to snap something in him. He’d been submissive the day before, but now he was fighting back. His hands and feet were bound, so he used his head, lunging forward to headbutt me. I was crouching, caught off guard. He sent me sprawling backward onto the floor. The water bottle rolled away, spilling half its contents. The bag of bread I’d brought fell out of my pocket, tumbling onto the dirt. “You little—!” I cursed. I was actually trying to be nice, and this was the thanks I got? He gave me a cold, dismissive glance and turned back to lie on the floor. But looking at the way he was curled up, my eyes drifted down toward his lower abdomen. I smirked. “You’ve got a strong bladder. Twenty-four hours and you haven’t ruined your pants yet.” He didn’t speak, but he curled tighter, clearly embarrassed. I stood up, dusting off my jeans, feeling a sudden urge to mess with him. “Call me ‘Sir,’ and I’ll help you take care of business in the corner.” “Go to hell.” His voice was a low growl. My temper flared again. I didn’t play nice. I hauled him up from the ground and carried him to the corner of the room. His legs weren’t completely useless; one of them seemed to have some function. As I carried him, he used that leg to kick me as hard as he could. Once I set him down, I didn’t waste time. I reached for his belt and undid his trousers. His whole body started shaking. I couldn’t tell if it was fear or pure rage. “Get away! Don’t touch me!” I gripped his waist to keep him steady, standing behind him. I said one word: “Pee.” “You… you have to let go…” He held out as long as he could before finally surrendering to biology. “Hurry up.” I figured he could hold himself up against the wall for a second, so I let go and turned my back to him. When the sound stopped, I turned around. He was leaning against the wall, looking like he was about to collapse. Under the dim light of the warehouse, his pale skin was almost blinding. I pretended not to notice. I leaned down to help him back into his clothes. “Can you untie the ropes? I can… I can do it myself…” His eyes were closed, his head tilted back. His voice was hoarse, and he was still trembling. I don’t know what came over me. I felt a pang of pity. I untied the ropes around his wrists. Over the next two days, we fell into a rhythm. When I visited, I’d untie him. He’d use the wall to hobble over to the corner and take care of himself. Before I left, I’d tie him back up. 03 He barely ate. He barely drank. Most of the time, I had to force the food into his mouth. I noticed the scars on his wrists—old and new. He’d tried to end it before. Many times. But I’ve always been stubborn. I can’t stand it when people try to throw their lives away. “Why don’t you want to live?” “…” “Is it because of the legs?” “…” “Silence means I’m right.” “…It’s not.” I tried to keep him talking. Usually, it took three or four questions for him to give me a single sentence. “Then what is it?” “…” “Heartbreak? Girlfriend ran off with someone else?” “…No.” “Got it,” I sighed. “My boyfriend ran off too.” “…” I kept teasing him. He was tied up and couldn’t move, so he just glared at me with “eye-daggers.” But at least there was a spark of life in his face when he was angry. 04 I wanted him to live, but someone else wanted him dead. The Boss took a call that evening. When he hung up, he was grinning. He beckoned Blondie inside. I was just the errand boy, so I stood by the door. Through the thin wood, I heard laughter and snippets of the conversation. “You’re in luck. This deal isn’t a bust after all… we’re making a profit…” “Tonight, bring the body…” My heart skipped a beat. Bring the body? Were they talking about the kid? It didn’t sound like a ransom exchange. It sounded like a hit. The Boss was in a great mood. He took the crew out for drinks and food until late. I didn’t dare drink. I leaned over the table, pretending to be asleep. After midnight, Blondie woke me up. He called two other guys, but they were too drunk to walk, so he left them behind. It was just the three of us heading to the warehouse. Blondie didn’t wear his mask this time. He didn’t tell me to wear mine, either. That’s when I knew for sure. Blondie checked the ropes on the “cripple.” He told me to tape the kid’s mouth shut and shove him into a burlap sack. As I did it, my heart was hammering against my ribs like a trapped bird. My fingers were shaking. The boy didn’t struggle. His eyes were pitch black, staring at me without blinking. Blondie stood by the door smoking, telling me to move faster. “Don’t be afraid,” I mouthed to the boy, my back turned to Blondie. 05 Blondie drove us to a deserted stretch of the coastline. “Get him out.” Blondie tossed his cigarette and pulled a handgun from his waistband. I pulled the boy out of the sack. His face was deathly pale in the moonlight. “Sorry, Mr. Sterling,” Blondie said, his voice casual. “Business is business. Someone paid a high price for your life.” Blondie knelt down and pressed the barrel of the gun to the boy’s forehead. He looked for fear. He looked for panic. He found nothing but silence. “You’re about to die. Don’t you want to know who paid for it?” Blondie asked. The boy just closed his eyes. “Fine. You’ve got guts.” Blondie stood up and cocked the hammer. In that split second, I slammed a brick into the back of Blondie’s head. I was gasping for air. I dropped the brick and scrambled to untie the boy. “Why?” I heard him whisper. “Why what?” “Letting me go does nothing for you.” I was panicking. I didn’t have time for a philosophical debate. I had one thought: Run. If we didn’t get out now, we were both dead. “I don’t give a damn about a reward!” I hissed. “But I’m not going to watch you die!” I’d heard his parents were gone and that he wasn’t exactly loved by the rest of the Sterling clan. I knew I wouldn’t get a cent for returning him, and I knew there was a price on his head. But I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t let him be murdered. The boy looked at me, stunned by my outburst. He leaned on my shoulder, struggling to stand. He leaned in close to my ear and whispered, “I won’t die today.” I followed his gaze toward the highway. At the end of the road, the rhythmic flash of blue and red lights appeared, accompanied by the distant wail of sirens… 06 The whole gang was taken down that night, including the Boss. Even though we were a mid-sized crew with connections, being wiped out in a single night was unheard of. It was a surgical strike. Later, while I was sitting in a holding cell, I heard the Boss had offended someone he shouldn’t have. The image of the boy’s calm, dark eyes flashed in my mind. I shook my head. No way. It couldn’t be him. It had to be a lucky coincidence. The boy was returned to the Sterling family that night. I expected to be sent to prison along with the others, but I was bailed out almost immediately. The man who came for me was a middle-aged professional in a suit. He introduced himself as Mr. Henderson. And he introduced the name of the boy: Tyron Sterling. When I walked out of the precinct, a black Maybach was waiting. “From today on, you will stay by the young master’s side,” Mr. Henderson said in a monotone voice. “You will be responsible for his care. That includes attending classes with him.” I gritted my teeth. “And if I don’t want to?” I’d saved his life. He’d bailed me out. We should be even. Why was I being forced to be his man-servant? Tyron, who had been staring out the window, spoke up coldly: “Suit yourself. You can go back to your cell. You were part of the kidnapping, after all.” Damn it… I caught his eye in the rearview mirror and gave him the middle finger. “Mr. Miller,” Mr. Henderson coughed. “Your monthly salary will be ten thousand dollars.” “How much?” I snapped my head around. “Ten thousand,” the lawyer repeated. “Room and board included?” I couldn’t believe my ears. Henderson nodded. “You will live and eat with the young master.” “Fine… deal!” I leaned back into the leather seat, trying to look dignified. I’d been a low-level thug for a year and hadn’t made even a fraction of that. Money is money. I closed my eyes to stop myself from grinning like an idiot. I didn’t see the tiny, subtle curve of Tyron’s lips. 07 A few days later, the paperwork for my “transfer” was complete. I pushed Tyron’s wheelchair through the gates of the university. In the massive lecture hall, we were the targets of every gaze. Curiosity. Contempt. Avoidance. Not a single look of kindness. A basketball suddenly flew toward Tyron’s head. I caught it mid-air. A guy sauntered over, looking like he owned the place. “I heard Henderson was called back to the main estate by Grandpa?” Henderson. The lawyer. He’d bailed me out, given me a list of rules for taking care of Tyron, and then vanished. Grandpa called him back? I felt like there was more to the story. “Tsk, tsk. Poor Tyron. You’re lower than a dog now, aren’t you?” “Watch your mouth,” I said. I threw the basketball back. I didn’t hold back on the force. The guy barely caught it, his head snapping back from the impact. “You little—who do you think you are?!” The bell rang. The guy pointed a finger at me. “Wait until after class.” “Who’s that?” I asked Tyron. “Tyler Sterling,” he said expressionlessly. So that was the “golden boy” my old boss had intended to kidnap. “Your grandfather has terrible taste,” I noted. “What?” Tyron looked at me, confused by the non-sequitur. “I mean, that guy is a total tool. Why would anyone prize him?” Tyron let out a short laugh. It was the first time I’d seen him smile since we met. He actually looked pretty good when he smiled. If only he were normal… The professor was lecturing in rapid-fire English. I couldn’t understand a single word. Bored, I started studying Tyron. He wasn’t listening either. He was just propping his head up, looking out the window. Suddenly, he turned his head. “Why are you staring?” He frowned, looking annoyed. “Because you’re good-looking.” I grinned. I wasn’t about to admit I was staring because I was lost in class. “Psychopath,” Tyron muttered. He turned away again. But I saw his ears turning red. 08 Tyler Sterling found us again that evening. I’d been called to the registrar’s office to pick up some textbooks. When I got back, Tyler and a group of guys were surrounding Tyron. Tyler had his arm around a girl. “Hey, Tyron. This is Sarah. She’s my girlfriend now. You don’t mind calling her ‘Sister-in-law,’ do you?” “Do it! Say it!” the other guys jeered. Tyron didn’t say a word. He tried to move his wheelchair, but Tyler grabbed the handles. The girl leaned down with a mocking smile. “Tyron, our engagement is over. I only have eyes for Tyler now. You’re a cripple. Did you really think you had a chance?” “Wake up, loser!” Tyler sneered, unscrewed a bottle of water, and poured it over Tyron’s head. The guys laughed. Tyron sat there, motionless. “Hey, Tyler, can we hit him?” “He’s like a mute statue. This is boring!” One guy raised his fist. Before it could land, I grabbed his wrist. I twisted it and sent him crashing to the floor. The group froze. Tyler’s face turned the color of a bruised plum. “You again!” I shoved Tyler aside and grabbed the wheelchair handles. “Get lost,” I said lazily. “When I fight, I play for keeps.” I wasn’t lying. I grew up an orphan. I’d been in hundreds of street fights. Every time, I fought like it was my last day on earth. It wasn’t that I didn’t value my life. It was because fighting was the only way I could keep it. 09 Tyler signaled two of his friends. They grabbed chairs and swung them at me. I kicked one guy in the chest, sending him flying. I dropped the other with a flurry of punches. No one else stepped forward. “Nice moves!” Tyler started clapping. He pulled a gold card from his pocket and waved it. “How much is the cripple paying you? I’ll double it. Leave him. Come work for me.” I narrowed my eyes and took two steps forward, smiling. Tyler thought I was reaching for the card. He smirked. The next second, I buried my fist in his gut. The gold card hit the floor. I ground it into the dirt with my heel. “I told you. Watch your mouth.” As the girl screamed, Tyler doubled over, gasping for air. I grabbed him by the collar. “If you ever call him that again, I’ll break both your legs.” I called Tyron “Little Cripple” in my head all the time, but I couldn’t stand hearing anyone else say it.

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I specialized in selling photos online to help people catfish. For extra cash, I’d even do voice messages and video calls. Until one day, a regular client messaged me: [Will you do an in-person meet-up for $100,000? You can keep whatever he buys for you, too.] Just as I was about to decline, my sworn enemy’s photo popped up on my screen. I stared blankly: [Are you telling me you’ve been using my photos and videos to date him?] 01 [Then you’ve been scammed, sister,] I replied earnestly. [Impossible,] she insisted. [He transferred a lot of money to me. Isn’t he the heir to the Sterling family?] Me: “…” I took the photo of Oliver Sterling she sent and ran it through a Google image search. It had been used to death by gossip blogs. I sent her a screenshot of the results. She remained utterly convinced, [We’ve been working together for so long, would I lie to you? The guy I’m dating online is definitely the Sterling heir.] I let out a helpless sigh. From what I knew of Oliver, the wealthy young master, his real-life romantic entanglements were already enough of a headache for him. Why would he bother with online dating? Especially using my photos and videos… if he saw them, he wouldn’t fall in love; he’d probably throw up. I replied to the client, [He looks at my photos and doesn’t say anything?] [He says they’re pretty, because you are pretty.] She paused, then added, [I even used your voice packs! Every time I use one, he sends me $5,200!] Mother of God. If Oliver actually heard my pinched, overly sweet voice, he’d probably lose his appetite for three days. It was absolutely confirmed: that guy was definitely not Oliver Sterling! Thinking about it, I went through all the photos and videos I’d sold to this client again. The photos were mostly normal selfies. But the videos… Various tight mini-skirts paired with cat ear filters. …It’s fine, as long as the guy isn’t Oliver. The client kept begging: [Babe, please help me out. Absolutely strictly platonic! I told him I’m not ready for physical contact yet. The meeting place is a busy mall downtown, lots of foot traffic.] Seeing I hadn’t replied, she anxiously added: [If you really can’t handle it, just see him for a minute and leave? Otherwise, he’ll think I’m a catfish, and how will I keep getting money out of him?] A few seconds after she sent that, my bank account received a $300,000 transfer from her. My fingers, poised to type a refusal, paused. Let’s rethink this. If that guy dared to use Oliver’s photo for online dating, how brave must he be to agree to meet in person? Wasn’t he afraid of looking nothing like the picture? This client wanted me to go in her place, but no one could possibly order Oliver Sterling around. Perfect timing. I’ll go see what kind of weirdo this guy is! I deleted my refusal. [Alright.] Looking at it this way, this client was a very big spender. Tsk, I felt like even Oliver himself wasn’t as generous as this impersonator. Afraid I’d change my mind, she quickly sent me several screenshots of her chat history with the fake Oliver. Left and right, it was “hubby,” “kisses,” and “I only love hubby.” The emojis were all cats spinning in circles, happy cats, and cats acting spoiled. Me: “…” The fake Oliver’s replies were consistently: [Baby looks so pretty.] Transfer. [Baby is so cute.] Transfer. … Transfer. Transfer. Transfer. God bless the God of Wealth. The client quickly sent me the location, [It’s this mall.] I took a look. Well, well. The Sterling heir really did like shopping at this mall; it was very close to one of his villas. Maybe I should… I dialed Oliver’s number. Would I get a chance to have the fake impersonator see the real Oliver appear right in front of him and scare him to death?! Uh. I forgot, I was blocked. I silently put my phone away. 02 Under the client’s countless reminders and instructions. I dressed up carefully as promised, arriving at the mall half an hour early to familiarize myself with the layout. I didn’t expect to bump into Oliver right here in the mall. He looked relaxed, one hand stuffed in his pocket. Beside him was a girl, chattering away continuously. Oliver wasn’t really listening, a careless smile hanging on his face. But he hadn’t shown any signs of impatience from start to finish, which was basically a miracle. I was stunned. Until Oliver noticed me, and his smile vanished. He muttered a low curse: “What rotten luck.” I heard him clearly, but kept my face blank. The girl instinctively grabbed Oliver’s arm and shot me an unfriendly look: “Who are you?” When I didn’t answer, she looked up at Oliver piteously. Oliver scoffed: “A broke loser.” Well, wasn’t that the truth? If I wasn’t broke, why would I be here meeting a fake Oliver? I let out a dry laugh, my tone lifting slightly, “To be hated by the great Young Master Sterling, I guess it’s an honor.” Hearing this, Oliver’s face instantly darkened. He crossed his arms, speaking without an ounce of mercy: “Evelyn, which item in here can you afford?” “As long as you can afford it, that’s all that matters.” I smiled and pointed to a nearby store, “Didn’t you buy me a bag from there before?” The girl’s eyes widened, “What is your relationship?” What relationship? First love. But dating this young master was the biggest mistake I’d ever made in my life. Oliver didn’t speak, and I couldn’t be bothered to make a fool of myself. I adjusted my bag on my shoulder and prepared to leave. “Evelyn.” His tone was light, but carried the same condescension and arrogance as before. “Which guy did you trick into paying for you this time?” I turned back, “Don’t worry, Young Master Sterling, I haven’t managed to trick anyone more generous than you yet.” Of course, not counting the guy the client scammed. Oliver had been pampered by countless people since childhood; he never hid his emotions. For instance, right now, I knew he was in a very bad mood. Afraid he would delay my upcoming meet-and-greet, I paused and then tried to placate him: “You were right before, people like me won’t find happiness. But as long as you’re happy, that’s what matters.” Actually, regarding this whole “sworn enemy” thing, I felt it was entirely Oliver unilaterally hating me. I had never liked making enemies, especially not with a first love who had been so generous. The young master, who had always been hard to please, was even less receptive to this now. He sneered, incredibly harsh, “Don’t leave. I want to see what kind of trash you’ve hooked this time.” I froze. I didn’t even know what kind of persona the client had established with this fake Oliver. If it was some pure, innocent “white lotus” type, wouldn’t this whole thing blow up in my face? With Oliver’s personality, a few words would likely expose me. I swallowed my pride: “He’s not as good-looking as you, and he doesn’t have as much money as you. Young Master Sterling, why are you trying to embarrass me?” The girl nodded along, “Yeah, Ollie, let’s just go.” Oliver didn’t even spare the girl a glance. His long fingers pulled a card from his pocket. The girl took it, her demeanor instantly changing, and she left efficiently, “Then I’ll go shopping. Ollie, just text me if you need anything.” I smiled, “She’s quite cute.” Oliver didn’t take the bait, but he also showed no intention of leaving, just glaring at me. But he was always like this, willful and unrestrained. Once, when he had a high fever, I was pacing around with worry. He just lazily held my hand, “Do you want to try 104 degrees?” My eyes widened, and my face instantly turned bright red. Not from shyness, but from anger. “Are you sick in the head?” His lips curved, trying to suppress a muffled laugh. We ended up trying it, and he ended up in the ER. … They were all childish memories. I lowered my eyes. Oliver quickly grew impatient. He lifted his eyelids, “You didn’t just make someone up, did you?” I stayed silent. His patience exhausted, he answered a call from a friend, “Fine, I’ll be right there.” Then he glanced at me, mockery floating in the depths of his eyes, “Instead of carrying that cheap canvas bag, you shouldn’t have been so stubborn about your pride back then.” With that, he took long strides outward, getting further and further away from me. I watched his tall silhouette. Even the way he walked had a careless swagger to it. Back when I broke up with Oliver, I packed up all the luxury goods he had given me and shipped them back to him. He only sent me a few words: [I don’t accept trash here.] And then he blocked me. As for those luxury goods, a friend told me he threw them all in the trash can outside his villa. My phone notification chimed non-stop. Ning: [Babe, are you there yet? [How about we meet at the cafe? I just told him I’d wait for him at the cafe? [Babe, text me back quickly!] I composed my emotions and replied: [Okay, I’m heading to the cafe now.] When I got to the cafe, I looked around. I texted the client: [Babe, bad news, Oliver isn’t here. Even worse news, there’s only one handsome guy here.] [Impossible! He said he’s already arrived!] she replied anxiously. I let out a sigh. Until I saw the only handsome guy walking towards me. The corners of his eyes tilted up slightly, a small red mole under his eye, smiling warmly. But he inexplicably had a kind of cunning, fox-like aura. I warily took a step back. He spoke, his voice magnetic: “Evelyn.” Me: “…” I looked down and texted the client: [Is your name Ning? Did you use my name?] She replied instantly: [Uh… yes. I didn’t dare use my real name, and since we were negotiating the price for the photos and videos, I just gave him your name.] Me: [Wow.] I put my phone away, took a deep breath, looked up, and greeted the man: “Hello there.” Up close, the man was even more handsome. He had delicate features, but didn’t look effeminate. A high nose bridge, thin lips curving slightly, a shiny stud in his left ear. He was much better looking than I had imagined, even somewhat breathtaking. Wait, he had absolutely no need to use Oliver’s photo! I offered an awkward smile, “You and the photo you sent me… look quite different.” He raised an eyebrow, “I don’t recall ever sending you a photo of myself.” Me: ? My expression lost control for a moment. This guy hadn’t even sent a photo, so how was the client so certain he was Oliver?! “Then I remembered wrong.” I fought the urge to grind my teeth, forcing a difficult smile, “Do you mind if I go to the restroom first?” “Sure.” He smiled brightly. Once in the restroom, I immediately called “Ning”. As soon as it connected, I unleashed a torrent of words: “I fucking told you, your online date is not Oliver, it’s not Oliver! Fine if you didn’t listen, I figured it was just a catfish. Turns out the guy never even sent you a photo, why did you think he was Oliver!” A long silence from the other end. After a while, a “Holy shit” popped out. It was actually a male voice! I was stunned. “He’s not Oliver? How is that possible? Then who is he?” he asked in a rapid-fire sequence. I was also losing my mind: “You’re asking me? Where did you fish this guy out from? This is so sketchy!” I thought she was just a sister scamming money online, who knew it was a guy? No wonder he had to buy voice packs from me. “What does he look like? Describe him quickly!” I didn’t expect this guy to be more anxious than me. Me: “He’s actually quite handsome, don’t worry about that.” Silence again from the other end. Long after, his voice sounded as if he had lost the will to live: “Does he have a red mole near his eye?” Me: “Yes.” “Ahhhhhhhhh! I’m doomed!” …Now you know you’re doomed, why weren’t you afraid of being doomed when you were scamming people for money. If he had actually scammed Oliver, he really would be doomed. With Young Master Sterling’s temper, he’d absolutely skin him alive; it’d be a miracle if he didn’t kill him. After a while, he asked painfully: “…Then what do I do?” I was curious, “I think this guy is way better than Oliver, what makes you think Oliver is such a prize?” “No, you don’t understand, this guy is way scarier than Oliver. If Oliver wants to teach me a lesson, my grandma can at least step in and stop him. If my brother wants to teach me a lesson, no one will dare say a word!” Saying that, he started crying bitterly again. My eyes widened: “…What did you say?” He was clearly desperate: “No wonder Oliver said I was stupid, am I really that stupid?” Me: “…What do we do now, do I make a run for it?” “Don’t!” He gritted his teeth, “If you run, he’ll definitely investigate. He’ll 100% trace it back to me!” I was speechless. He simply said: “Why don’t you just take over my WeChat account, let’s just pretend it was you talking to him the whole time. Anyway, my brother is not bad-looking, and he transfers a lot of money…” My pupils experienced an earthquake. Before I could answer, he mumbled to himself again: “I didn’t expect him to be so generous when dating. Fuck, why isn’t he like this when he gives me my allowance?” “Forget it.” I refused. Ever since I broke up with Oliver, I saw things clearly. What doesn’t belong to you, will never belong to you, no matter what you do. Especially with these wealthy young masters. Don’t harbor too many delusions about them. Not to mention, if I really got involved with this man and Oliver found out, who knows how the young master would freak out. Right, he might just mock the man: “You have terrible taste, getting involved with a woman like Evelyn.” I thought silently in my heart, and sighed again. The other end of the line was unhappy, “Aren’t you offering after-sales service?” Truly a family! This thought process is as sick as Oliver’s. I said flatly: “Hanging up.” “Fifty thousand! I’ll add another fifty thousand!” He panicked, “I’ll even take out my New Year’s red envelope money! You absolutely cannot let my brother find out.” Me: “…One million.” Him: “…Lion opening its mouth, you must be trying to drain me dry after milking my brother?” “Then forget it,” I said. “Deal!” He broke down. “What’s your brother’s name?” I asked. “Liam Sterling.” I jerked my eyes up, “Is that Oliver’s older cousin who’s always abroad?” “Yes.” 03 I adjusted my dress in the restroom, touched up my makeup, took a deep breath, and walked out. Liam was standing outside waiting for me. To be honest, Liam didn’t look as refined and orderly as his name suggested; he gave off a sense of ease that seemed detached from the rules. With a smiling face, he looked like a fox. A man with this much money and power, engaging in online dating? I proactively took Liam’s arm; he paused imperceptibly, his smile growing wider. “Want to buy anything? Or eat first?” he asked. “Anything’s fine,” I said. Then he took me shopping from store to store. Unlike Oliver, he would patiently comment on how every bag and piece of clothing felt on me, and then pay for everything. Oliver couldn’t be bothered to look; he’d just sit in the store, play on his phone, and wait for me to pick things out before paying and leaving. It was strange, feeling like a boyfriend had dropped from the sky. But Liam was definitely not as casual as he appeared on the surface. The more a person is like this, the more dangerous they are. But for now… He even called two bodyguards to follow behind carrying the shopping bags. “Evelyn, I’ve made a reservation at that restaurant you said you wanted to try before.” Liam curved his lips slightly. “Let’s go!” I responded briskly. “Do you still remember which one it was?” He lowered his eyes smoothly, his expression lazy. Just like looking at prey in the palm of his hand. …Which one. I don’t know! At a time like this, I couldn’t exactly pull out my phone and ask the “client.” The atmosphere fell silent. My heart trembled, and I pursed my lips. I also felt a chill. I finally understood what the guy meant when he said Liam was scarier than Oliver. Oliver’s emotions were written all over his face. If you provoked him, you’d know immediately. But Liam was different. I couldn’t read him. For example, right now, I didn’t know what he meant by suddenly asking this question. I moved my lips, but before I could speak, he gave a half-smile, his voice warm and deep: “It’s fine. Evelyn is busy, it’s normal to be forgetful. I’ll take you there, you’ll see.” I nodded hastily. Liam was still a good guy! If it were Oliver who found out I forgot something about him, he would have coldly mocked me for five hours straight without repeating a word. 04 After arriving at the restaurant, the waiter saw Liam and greeted him respectfully: “Mr. Sterling.” Then they led us to the innermost private room. The room had a great ambiance, even a pond with koi fish. I sat face-to-face with Liam. His cuffs were loosely rolled up, revealing hands with distinct knuckles. The pale skin made the slightly raised blue veins even more obvious. I didn’t pick up the menu. “You can just order; I’m not a picky eater.” Liam chuckled lightly, “Alright.” Taking this opportunity, I messaged the “client”: [Did you tell Liam you wanted western food? I almost got exposed. Are there any other details? Confess quickly.] Suddenly, the door to the private room was pushed open. A familiar voice rang out: “…Liam? You’re back?” I froze instantly. Oliver clicked his tongue, saying listlessly: “I thought this room was empty, so I didn’t make a reservation. The other rooms are full; let’s share a table.” I shrank like a quail, keeping my head down as low as possible. But I forgot that Oliver once told me that even if I turned to ash, he would recognize me and scatter me himself. … “Evelyn?” The voice that had just been casual instantly turned ice-cold. I didn’t dare to look up even more. But unexpectedly, my phone received a message right then, and the screen lit up: [Huh? How is that possible? I didn’t tell my brother where I wanted to eat. I don’t like western food; I like iron pot stewed goose.] My pupils dilated. “Raise your head, Evelyn,” Oliver gritted his teeth. Liam tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, “Is that how you talk to your sister-in-law?” “What did you say?” Oliver’s volume rose. At this point, I slowly lifted my head and offered a sheepish smile, “What a coincidence.” Then, following Liam’s cue, I added, “Little brother.” “Who the fuck is your little brother!” Oliver bristled immediately, pointing at me and questioning Liam, “She dated me, didn’t you know?” “Not anymore, not anymore. We broke up a long time ago,” I quickly interjected. “You shut up,” Oliver’s voice carried suppressed anger, every word seemingly squeezed from between his teeth. He clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force. “Liam, didn’t you check when I was dating? And now you’re talking bullshit saying you don’t know Evelyn?” Liam sat with his legs crossed, his posture relaxed. Even in this suffocating situation, he could still chuckle leisurely, “Yeah. So what?” The corners of Oliver’s eyes turned red with anger. I sighed inwardly and spoke up: “Don’t be mad. Maybe we just weren’t meant to be. How about you drink some water and calm down?” Saying that, I prepared to stand up and pour water. “Evelyn,” Liam shot me a light glance. My heart tightened, and I immediately sat back down securely. Oliver couldn’t believe it: “You used to argue with me every day, and now you listen to him like this? Have you been bewitched?” Me: “…” It’s mainly because Liam has a more intimidating presence. After a long while. Oliver’s tone was slightly hoarse, “When did you two get together?” I couldn’t answer that. Liam spoke calmly: “At the end of last year.” “Specifically?” Oliver seemed determined not to stop until he got a specific time. “The day after Christmas.” My expression stiffened. Oliver’s mouth carried a mocking chill, “Evelyn, you’re really something.” I and Oliver had broken up on Christmas Day. But the person chatting with Liam the day after Christmas wasn’t me! I stayed silent, bitterly swallowing the truth and wearing the hat of a seamless transition. Oliver, seeing I didn’t dare to speak, directly slammed the door and left. 05 Liam didn’t seem to mind; he thoughtfully said, “If the food doesn’t suit your taste, remember to let me know.” I nodded trembling. He looked at me unexpectedly, “Are you afraid of me?” As he smiled, the red mole at the corner of his eye was captivatingly bright. I moved my lips: “…Did you investigate me before?” He nodded, taking his time to say, “Previously, the family was curious about Oliver’s girlfriend, so they had me look into it.” “Then you…” I was shocked, “Still got involved with me…” Liam’s smile deepened, “I’ve thought my future sister-in-law was quite cute for a long time.” I awkwardly touched my nose. But I still felt something was wrong? A long time ago? Before investigating me? Right, and Liam’s probing just now! Didn’t he know that the person he was online dating with was someone else? I was just a stand-in for the meet-up. I trembled, not daring to speak rashly. “Evelyn,” Liam said, “Come back to the Sterling family with me next week.” I was shocked, “What?!” He smiled helplessly, “You said before that you wanted to meet my family, and mentioned it several times. Don’t you remember, Evelyn?” My heart was full of apprehension. With my previous experience, I didn’t dare answer casually: “…I see.” “But I’m not ready yet.” I unconsciously clutched the corner of my clothes. “You said before that your family wanted a thirty million dollar bride price. Evelyn, I can transfer it to your card anytime,” Liam looked at me seriously. I was terrified. What astronomical bride price?! Was that what Liam’s brother said? My voice shook: “No rush, no rush. Let’s let things develop a bit more…” By the end, my voice was trailing off. This family is too terrifying. The atmosphere was silent for a moment. Liam lowered his eyes, his smile fading. He said softly, “Sorry, I was too eager.” I froze for a moment. Has he really fallen so deeply in love? If he finds out that the person whispering sweet nothings to him the whole time… is a guy… And I can be considered an accomplice with his brother, deceiving people together… I held my forehead. Things seem to be developing out of control. Looking at Liam’s expression, he seems genuinely sad. Sigh, that makes sense. If it weren’t true love, who would spend so much money on an online date? I silently stood up, “I need to go to the restroom again.” 06 [Your brother wants to take me back to the Sterling family.] I messaged “Ning”. Him: [Uh… just go.] Me: [? Is this right.] I thought he would definitely be jumping up and down, but who knew he would seem quite calm? [What’s done is done. Just name a price, help me cover up the lie.] I looked at the message weirdly. I replied: [This isn’t a question of whether to cover it up or not. Have you ever thought about having to use countless lies to cover one lie? What if I can’t get out of it safely?] He sent me a voice message: “Sigh, who knew it would develop like this? But honestly, being with my brother isn’t a loss for you. He’s handsome and rich, and has never been in a relationship. Although he’s not experienced, his assets are impressive! As long as you guide him a little, he’ll definitely become a perfect boyfriend.” The corner of my mouth twitched violently, losing the will to live: “…Your family really doesn’t have a single normal person.” “I just have one request. When you become my sister-in-law in the future, can you suggest to my brother to increase my allowance?” Me: “…I don’t think I’ve agreed yet.” If I ran into Oliver at the Sterling family, I’d be dead meat. I didn’t dare take the risk. Ten seconds later, five million was deposited into my bank account. The other side said with a hint of a spoiled tone, “Sis, just help a brother out. Let’s just get through this period first. When you get bored, you can break up whenever! Just consider it as a brother using your photos to scam people, and to atone for his sins, he helped you find a boyfriend, okay?” I stared at my bank account balance. …Well, to bring it back to the point. Even if I did get together with Liam, so what? Could Oliver kill me? ? Thinking this, I returned to the private room. Meeting Liam’s eyes, I blinked: “Which day are we going to the Sterling family?” 07 I held Liam’s arm and stepped through the grand doors of the Sterling estate. The sprawling manor was complex and opulent. Taking step after step, there were more and more people. Truly a massive family. I followed Liam’s lead in greeting everyone. The people of the Sterling family were very nice; there wasn’t the oppressive atmosphere I had imagined from a wealthy family. No one gave me dirty looks, and no one put on airs. They all smiled and greeted me: “Liam’s girlfriend, oh my, so pretty and fresh! The old lady will be so happy.” I smiled shyly. Until a teenager appeared, he chuckled, “Brother, sister-in-law.” Liam laughed coldly twice. The teenager immediately hid behind my other arm. “Corey Sterling.” With a faint utterance, the teenager stiffened instantly, turning his head mechanically. I followed the teenager’s gaze to find the source of the voice. Oliver had one hand in his pocket. But I didn’t make eye contact with Oliver. He glared at the teenager, “Why are you running around? Do you think you’re the only one with legs?” Corey pouted, feeling wronged, “Oliver, I just came over to say hi to my brother and sister-in-law. If I didn’t, you’d say I was impolite.” Oliver sneered, “Heh, sister-in-law?” My blood seemed to freeze in my veins. But Oliver didn’t say anything in the end. He didn’t look at me or Liam the entire time, just dragged Corey away, “Go do your homework. You failed your math test, and you still have the nerve to wander around?” Corey was dragged away looking miserable. I withdrew my gaze thoughtfully. Corey’s voice and “Ning’s” voice were almost exactly the same; it must be him. I asked Liam, “Is that your biological brother? Why is his last name Han?” Liam smiled faintly, “He took our mother’s maiden name.” I nodded. Before long, Liam was called up to the study. I went to keep the old Mrs. Sterling company. She stroked my hand, sighing: “You and our Liam are a perfect match.” As she spoke, she wiped away a tear. I quickly grabbed a tissue to wipe it for her. “Liam, this child, matured early. His parents… sigh, it’s rare for him to find a girl he likes. You two must be happy!” The old lady looked dazed for a moment, then a wave of relief washed over her, and she gripped my hand tightly. I stayed with the old lady for a while, and she offered: “Liam said you don’t like it when it’s too stuffy. Our garden here is quite beautiful; you can go for a stroll.” “Okay,” I agreed. I walked into the garden feeling relaxed, enveloped in a faint floral scent. Liam saw that I wasn’t good at socializing, so he instructed the others to let me get some fresh air in the garden if I felt bored, and not to bother me. But some people clearly didn’t listen. I heard footsteps and wasn’t surprised, nor did I turn around. “Evelyn, what are you really thinking? Do you want to enter the Sterling family’s door that badly?” Oliver’s voice was freezing cold. My fingertips brushed past the rose petals, and I said indifferently: “You can expose my true colors in front of everyone in your Sterling family.” After a long while, Oliver’s voice sounded muffled: “…What true colors do you have?” I answered casually: “Your ex-girlfriend, spent your money. After breaking up with you, seamlessly transitioned to Liam.” Oliver was silent for a very long time. His thin lips moved slightly, “I didn’t want to leave a bad impression of you in their eyes.” I didn’t understand, “You still care about that?” His voice was hoarse and dry, “What if, one day in the future, you still have the identity of Oliver’s wife…” He realized what he was saying, and his voice stopped abruptly. My eyes widened slightly in astonishment. After a long pause, I shook my head, “That won’t happen.” The wine glass in Oliver’s hand dropped to the ground. It made a sharp sound of breaking glass. “Why did you get together with Liam the day after breaking up with me? How did you get together?” Oliver grabbed my wrist, his grip strong. I didn’t want to get into a tug-of-war with him here, “It’s none of your business.” “Evelyn!” My struggling stopped. I looked up in surprise. That cry from Oliver just now clearly carried a tearful tone.

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By the fifth year of our sugar daddy/sugar baby arrangement, he had become a household name, a superstar who no longer needed me. He started staying out all night and stopped clinging to me, whispering sweet nothings. The torment of his hot-and-cold attitude was excruciating. On my fifty-third sleepless night, I finally couldn’t take it anymore. I grabbed my phone, ready to call him and have a massive blowout fight. Suddenly, rows of bullet comments flashed before my eyes: [LOL, why is this cannon fodder male side character pushing his luck? A mere Beta actually thinks he can keep the protagonist top, an S-rank Alpha?] [Let him call and throw a tantrum. Once he does, Best Actor Song will realize how wonderful his gentle, lovable Omega little assistant is, and kick him to the curb!] [The Best Actor is going to dump him sooner or later anyway. After all, who would love an aging, broken Beta? Our precious bottom, who has a 98% compatibility rate and can release soothing pheromones, is so much better…] 1 The transatlantic call had barely begun to ring. Song Qingyu answered almost instantly. “Is it time for your check-in again, brother?” His deep, magnetic voice carried a hint of exhaustion and resignation. It was so obvious. Why hadn’t I noticed it before? The hysterical questions I had prepared choked in my throat, leaving me momentarily stunned. Song Qingyu quickly continued his report: “I just finished hair and makeup, we’re shooting on location soon… Brother, look at this, it’s from that place we ate at three years ago. Zhou Zhou specifically woke up early and waited in line for two hours to buy it for me…” Zhou Zhou. The protagonist bottom mentioned in the bullet comments, the little assistant who had been with Song Qingyu for less than a year. I don’t know when it started, but it felt like he couldn’t go three sentences without mentioning Zhou Zhou. The signs had been there all along. I had just been too careless, too blind. A suffocating, surging pain gripped my heart. I suddenly felt incredibly tired. I interrupted Song Qingyu’s endless chatter: “Let’s just end it here. I’m going to sleep.” Dead silence fell over the line. “That’s all you have to say?” “Yeah.” Usually, my check-in calls lasted twenty minutes at a minimum. Today, it was under five. Song Qingyu must be breathing a sigh of relief. Sure enough, he lowered his overly excited voice, a barely detectable tremor leaking through: “Brother, th-then wait for me to go to the bathroom…” “There’s no need.” Being forced to say cheesy things like “I love you forever” and “I miss you so much” won’t be necessary from now on. I forced myself to speak: “Goodnight.” Then, I swiftly hung up the phone. And casually turned it off. 2 I didn’t sleep a wink that night. The bullet comments kept mocking me in front of my eyes: [Has this cannon fodder realized his place yet? The two protagonists have high morals and won’t cheat. Can he just voluntarily step aside for our precious bottom?] [A capitalist hypocrite who uses the Best Actor to make money and sleeps with him too. It’s been five years and he still won’t let him go…] [Taking advantage of someone’s misfortune and then demanding gratitude for saving them… he’s the worst…] I stared at the dizzyingly reflective ceiling, memories flashing through my mind like a zoetrope. They were right. Five years ago, Song Qingyu agreeing to be with me was indeed the result of me taking advantage of his misfortune and demanding payback. Back then, he had offended a powerful foreign mob boss. Despite having a face destined for stardom, no company or production crew in the industry dared to hire him. I was young and reckless. Risking the complete destruction of my career, I took him in. I threw resources at him, orchestrated his debut, assigned him a top-tier manager, and promoted him with a massive, unsparing campaign. Even someone as proud and aloof as him was genuinely grateful to me back then. He hugged me, tears shining in his eyes, and promised: “Brother, I will definitely make a lot of money to repay you in the future. I won’t let you down…” He didn’t know I had selfish motives. I had long anticipated the immense profits he could bring the company, but I wanted more. The physique and looks of an S-rank Alpha are top-tier. As a perfectly ordinary Beta, it was hard not to be attracted. So, after helping him deal with a malicious director for the third time… I crushed out my cigarette, dropping my bluff, and said bluntly: “Qingyu, be with me.” 3 It’s been so long, I can’t clearly remember Song Qingyu’s expression at that moment. Maybe it was shock, astonishment, or perhaps anger and disdain. There was only a long silence as he weighed the pros and cons. Finally, he took the sugar baby contract, nodded expressionlessly: “Sure. “Jiang Yu, you can’t regret this.” … That very night, I regretted it a bit. What bullshit rumors about S-rank Alphas being gentle as water? Liars. An Alpha in his susceptible period was such a beast in bed that I wanted to tear up the contract, preferring to pay the astronomical breach of contract fee. That entire night, staring at the blurred, swaying chandelier, I cursed myself internally for digging my own grave. But the next day, after passing out from a mix of exhaustion and profound regret… I opened my eyes to see Song Qingyu leaning in close with his outrageously handsome face, lowering his eyes submissively, calling me “brother” and apologizing. All the anger in my heart vanished without a trace instantly. I tried to accept him, spoiling him without a bottom line. He also strictly adhered to his professional ethics, caring for me meticulously. Later, I clearly realized I had fallen for him. Reason told me I shouldn’t catch feelings, but instinct overpowered reason. I was a willing victim. This sugar daddy arrangement felt like a clingy four-year relationship. Until Song Qingyu became a megastar. He started getting so busy he was rarely seen, no longer sticking to me. He established his own studio, replaced the assistant I had assigned him, and started staying out all night regularly. This is how he mentioned me to others: “Gratitude for discovering me? I paid that back a long time ago. “I don’t owe Jiang Yu anything. He’s not my benefactor.” … I once thought that over a long period of time, I could make him love me too, keeping him by my side forever. I was wrong. 4 An S-rank Alpha looks down on an ordinary Beta. That was the conclusion I reached after a sleepless night. I took an ice pack from the fridge to apply to my eyes, quickly adjusted my emotions, and got ready for work. But just as I put on my shoes… The front door was suddenly kicked open. I looked up sluggishly, meeting the travel-worn, deeply hostile eyes of Song Qingyu, and my whole body trembled. “Why are you…” “Brother, why was your phone turned off last night?” Seeing I couldn’t answer, Song Qingyu kissed me without allowing any explanation. The force was so strong, it felt like he wanted to devour me whole. Fortunately, I’m not affected by pheromones. I gripped his jaw, pulled back to catch my breath, and asked: “Are you in your susceptible period?” Song Qingyu shook his head, then nodded. “You can’t go to the company today, brother.” He dragged me to the second-floor bedroom. After scanning the room, his movements became much gentler. After all, we’ve shared a bed for five years. He knows exactly how to serve me to give me pleasure. In a moment of hazy consciousness, I softened my tone and asked: “Didn’t you say you were shooting on location today? Why did you suddenly come back?” Song Qingyu’s movements didn’t pause. He blurted out: “Because I missed you, brother.” He tilted my face, forcing me to look at him: “We haven’t seen each other in so long, didn’t you miss me?” “…” For a moment, I almost forgot the bullet comments’ warning. But they quickly popped up again, haunting me: [LOL, is the cannon fodder male side character touching himself again?] [Why don’t you ask what our Best Actor Song really wants?] [Karma is a bitch. You used him before, now he’s just using you. There’s not a shred of genuine feeling…] My throat tightened. Feigning nonchalance, I turned my face away and awkwardly probed: “Tell me, what do you want?” Song Qingyu froze at that. And my breathing was caught with him. After a long pause, he forced a stiff smile and said he wanted the second male lead role in a major director’s upcoming finale film. “Director Zhao has a weird temper. Most people can’t hire him. I heard you have a history with him, brother…” I couldn’t hear the rest of his words clearly, and I forgot to wonder why he didn’t ask for the lead role. My mind was filled with one thought—the bullet comments were all true. But I just couldn’t bring myself to sever all ties immediately. I can only slowly withdraw, detach. 5 Zhou Zhou quickly showed up at the villa. He wasn’t an employee of my company. He shot me a somewhat reproachful glare before turning to advise Song Qingyu. “Qingyu, Cameron is already getting angry on set. You should head back…” He tried to reach past the front door to grab Song Qingyu, but I frowned and blocked him. “Did I invite you in?” This villa is my house. Zhou Zhou’s face turned ugly for a moment as he looked at Song Qingyu. “Why are you looking at me? Apologize.” Song Qingyu wrapped his arm around my waist, his expression equally displeased: “Who taught you to speak to your boss’s boss like that?” I was stunned. The bullet comments quickly filled the screen with curses. [It’s totally normal for the young couple to have separation anxiety. Can the male side character stop trying so hard to make his presence known?] [Actually, our precious bottom could also help the top get that role, but the top can’t bear to let money taint this relationship. He’d rather run back and act with the male side character than let our precious bottom intervene…] [Yeah, let the top keep pretending to be mean to our precious bottom. It definitely won’t be hard or tiring when he has to grovel to win him back later…] “No need to apologize. You go with him.” I pried Song Qingyu’s hand off. Uncharacteristically, I wasn’t aggressive, stepping back: “I’ll get you the second male lead role in that movie. You can go.” 6 After seeing Song Qingyu off, I still went to work. My secretary quickly dug up Zhou Zhou’s background. He was the only son of the Zhou family, the leading construction enterprise in the country. To pursue love, he condescended to enter the entertainment industry as a manager. I closed the file. It said he had been openly in love with Song Qingyu for four years. Before, so many wealthy Omegas had flocked to Song Qingyu, and he had completely ignored them all. Except for Zhou Zhou. He allowed an Omega with a 98% compatibility rate to stay by his side. Allowed someone with such obvious intentions to orbit around him all day… “Mr. Jiang, should we keep this newcomer?” Seeing me spaced out, Secretary Wu pushed another file in front of me, mechanically repeating the situation. I was annoyed and wanted to push it away, but when I saw the photo clearly, I froze. “Did you find him on purpose?” “He came to us on his own.” The boy in the photo looked 70% like Song Qingyu when he first debuted. Raw and green, but undeniable charismatic. But offering himself up at this specific time… Does he really think I’m just a lovestruck fool? I suddenly found it quite amusing and told Secretary Wu to keep him. Working late into the night, the bullet comments were still floating before my eyes. They talked about Song Qingyu and his little assistant acting ambiguously on set, then said he felt disgusted by last night and took several showers after returning to the crew… I tried desperately to ignore them. But every word stung my eyes. Disgusting enough to make me nauseous. After throwing up in the bathroom for a while, I forced myself to open my laptop at home to handle some business. Unexpectedly, a piece of paper fluttered out. Written in crooked handwriting: [Don’t turn off your phone, I need to check in, I’m begging you, brother QAQ] How funny. Who said Song Qingyu had bad acting skills because he was a nepotism hire? He’s acting pretty well right now. 7 I hadn’t made up my mind to let Song Qingyu go yet, so naturally, I didn’t plan on exposing him. While he was abroad shooting the movie, I didn’t show a hint of displeasure. I took his check-in calls on time and listened to his reports. Except, I wouldn’t ask a single extra question. Whether it was gossip about a certain actor on the trending list, or rumors of a showmance on set. Even when a foreign beauty suddenly crashed the video call, jokingly kissing him on the cheek. I remained unfazed. “Brother, don’t misunderstand, she’s my…” Song Qingyu frantically shooed the person out of the room, turned back to my completely impassive face, and instantly choked on his words. Even separated by thousands of miles. The air seemed to share the same dead silence. Seeing he had no desire to continue explaining, I yawned and casually ended the conversation: “Let’s stop here for today. You get back to work, I should sleep too.” For the next few days, Song Qingyu didn’t initiate contact. He was very busy. So I also worked my ass off to find things to do. I finished a month’s worth of work in one week, and used business dinners as an excuse to drink heavily. Secretary Wu couldn’t stop me. Halfway through getting drunk, while taking a break to vomit in the restroom, someone suddenly grabbed my arm. “Mr. Jiang, if your stomach is bad, stop drinking. I’ll drink for you.” I struggled to lift my eyes. It was the boy who looked 70% like Song Qingyu in the photo, Xu Heyin. 8 Xu Heyin finished the second half of the business dinner for me. I was indeed feeling too sick to touch another drop of alcohol, and I also wanted to see what kind of stand-in they had sent to mess with my head. “Mr. Jiang, am I good-looking?” On the way home, Xu Heyin, who had volunteered to be my “bodyguard,” turned his head and blinked at me mischievously. As an Alpha, he lacked Song Qingyu’s sharp, brooding edge, possessing more of a bright, sunny disposition. “Very good-looking.” I shifted my blatant gaze, looking out the window at the passing traffic. “Then do you think I can be famous?” he pressed. I nodded again. “Yes.” The industry had always lacked a beautiful, strikingly handsome male actor with a mixed-race vibe who still retained a masculine edge, like Song Qingyu. In all the years since his debut, there still hadn’t been a substitute for him. It must have been hard for them to find someone so similar for me. Hearing the satisfactory answer, Xu Heyin, like a child who just got candy, was in a great mood, humming a little tune all the way. The driver parked the car steadily in the courtyard, and he sensibly unbuckled my seatbelt and helped me out of the car. Despite drinking so much, it was as if he hadn’t drunk at all, tightly supporting my unsteady steps. He was attentive and polite throughout. Only when we reached the front door did he suddenly stop and turn his head. He leaned in slightly, whispering in my ear, his voice as quiet as a mosquito: “So, compared to Senior Song?” I was feeling a bit dizzy and nauseous, and his provocation made me shudder. It took me a moment to react: “What?” Xu Heyin smiled, straightened up, and raised his voice to repeat: “I said, compared to Senior Song Qingyu, who do you like more?” …What a boring question. Tired of dealing with him, I pushed him away, turned around, and started walking back. But before I could even raise my hand to scan my fingerprint… The front door suddenly opened from the inside. An Alpha radiating bone-chilling coldness gritted his teeth, pointed behind me, and demanded sinisterly: “Brother, who is he?” 9 I never expected Song Qingyu to return a month early. Even less did I expect him to coincidentally witness this scene. My stomach suddenly cramped. Too late to explain, I ran to the bathroom and dry heaved. But I couldn’t throw anything up. “Brother, take some medicine.” Song Qingyu handed me a glass of warm water, along with the stomach medicine we always kept at home. For some reason, my intuition told me it wasn’t a stomach issue. I just took the water to rinse my mouth. In an instant, the back of my neck was pinched and lifted, meeting the gloomy, terrifying gaze in the mirror: “You are covered in his scent.” Alpha pheromones—naturally, I couldn’t smell them. If I could, I’d probably be choking right now. Because according to the bullet comments, an Alpha of Song Qingyu’s caliber absolutely despises anyone else touching what belongs to him. This isn’t about love or affection; it’s purely an instinctive possessiveness. “Did brother not come visit me on set abroad because of him?” “Is he brother’s new favorite?” “I’m so sorry. I worked myself to death to finish filming a month early and rushed back, only to interrupt your date…” Song Qingyu casually glanced at the dining table downstairs, covered in dishes, as if watching a joke, his tone suddenly dropping: “Jiang Yu, is my timing really that bad? Did I interrupt your next step?!” “What right do you have to question me?” A flash of pain crossed Song Qingyu’s eyes, yet it pierced my heart precisely like a poisoned needle. I looked at the bullet comments detailing how much he loved Zhou Zhou. For a moment, emotions surged, and I exploded, almost hysterically: “Song Qingyu, we only have a sugar daddy arrangement. What right do you have to question me, to restrict my freedom, huh?!” 10 Everything was a complete mess. I never thought I’d say such sarcastic, hypocritical words to Song Qingyu, like a dancing clown. But words once spoken cannot be taken back. He was stunned for a long time before he recovered, his eyes red, panting heavily. The bullet comments, however, found it hilarious: [LOL, is the protagonist top’s acting too good? I almost thought he really loved this cannon fodder.] [It could also be because this cannon fodder deliberately said the opposite. The protagonist top always thought he liked him, but it turns out he doesn’t… basically, his unrequited feelings are a bit embarrassing hahaha.] [Stop talking. After the top finishes this scene, he’ll quickly go find our precious bottom to compensate for his mental distress…] Song Qingyu snapped back to reality, released my neck, and stormed out the door. I didn’t stop him. A bird forcibly kept in a cage will never truly belong to you. I went downstairs and sat at the dining table. The table full of delicacies was still steaming slightly. They were all my favorites. I buried my head and took a few bites, mixing my tears with the rice. It tasted awful. 11 Song Qingyu didn’t come back that night. Instead, it was Xu Heyin who, the next day, covered in bruises and with a slight bruise on his right cheek, cried uncontrollably in my office. [Gotta play the part. The top even pretended to be jealous and beat up his rival. What a brilliant move!] [As expected of a Grand Slam Best Actor…] So it’s acting again. Is it really all just acting?! Xu Heyin was giving me a headache. I just threw a big-budget movie his way to shut him up. At night, I wrote, deleted, and rewrote a text message on my phone, ultimately pressing delete. As for news about Best Actor Song, it gets pushed to me even without deliberately searching for it. He was shooting a commercial in the neighboring city today. In the video, Song Qingyu didn’t look well, so his manager Xiao Zhou was constantly fussing over him, fanning him, handing him water, and massaging him intimately… sparking suspicions among the melon-eating masses about their relationship. I didn’t make a furious phone call to question him like I used to. I just looked at it for a few extra seconds. Then, I deleted all draft messages and locked the screen. The next day, I traveled to various places for business trips. In foreign lands, I worked non-stop for three weeks. I successfully landed myself in the hospital. … When I opened my eyes again, the pungent smell of disinfectant flooded my lungs, making me nauseous. “Mr. Jiang. Mr. Jiang Yu.” My doctor friend pushed up his glasses, smiling at me, gritting his teeth as he asked: “Did you know that your ‘good’ male pet managed to get you, an infertile Beta, PREGNANT?” 12 How the f*ck was I supposed to know? A Beta, built like a robot, can actually get pregnant? If I had known, I wouldn’t have gone bareback just for the thrill… “Jiang Yu, are you listening to me?” Gu Chen flipped through the test results, snapping me back to reality: “This baby is only a month old, you should get rid of it. There are barely any cases of Betas giving birth domestically…” “What about abroad?” I actually kind of wanted a child. Or rather, as an orphan abandoned at the orphanage door right after birth, I wanted family, someone tied to me by blood, someone who wouldn’t easily leave me. “I have money, I can minimize the risks.” Gu Chen was momentarily speechless, frowning in silence. He knew I’ve always been stubborn. So he stopped trying to persuade me. “Do you really like him that much?” he just asked. I couldn’t be bothered to explain the real reason, so I just replied: “Help me keep this a secret, especially from him.”

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