My crush finally said yes to my confession. The next day, my best friend slept with him. She said, “I didn’t mean to, I was drunk that night… Can you forgive me?” I opened a can of soda, took a few gulps, and said solemnly, “You don’t understand me.” I continued, “I don’t like dirty things.” “A man who’s been with someone else is no different from trash to me.” “Don’t feel burdened. If you want him, go ahead. I really don’t mind.” Everyone in our circle knew I had a crush on Ryan. Ryan himself knew it too. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have dared to boss me around so shamelessly. I’ve lost count of how many nights I’ve received calls from Ryan while half-asleep. “Lily, I’m hungry. Bring some late-night snacks to my office.” Or how many afternoons he’d call without even a hint of courtesy. “Lily, I have a business meeting. Park your car downstairs within 30 minutes.” Or when I’d spend two hours getting ready, looking gorgeous as I stood at Ryan’s doorstep, reminding him of the date he’d agreed to half a month ago. And he’d frown and say, “Lily, can you stop being so unreasonable? I told you I have a business dinner!” “Lily.” The day after I received photos of Ryan and Julia in various acrobatic-like positions in bed, Julia found me wearing a white dress. Her face was perfectly made up. Even her knuckles, clutching a limited edition Chanel handbag, were blushed. In contrast, I had a greasy ponytail that hadn’t been washed for days, wearing a gray tank top similar to what old men in the neighborhood wear for their morning walks. And in front of me was a large can of surströmming, continuously emitting its “fragrance.” My appearance must have been quite unexpected. Julia paused before continuing. “Lily, I didn’t mean to sleep with Ryan. I was drunk that night… Can you forgive me?” My good friend had just uttered the classic line of someone caught cheating. But I didn’t want to play along with her “We’re best friends! Wah, why did you sleep with my man?!” drama. I nodded, looking indifferent: “Of course I can forgive you. Why not?” Julia was stunned: “Lily, are you serious?” “But it’s Ryan, isn’t it? Haven’t you liked him for many years?” “Many years? Has it been that long?” I shrugged: “Then it’s about time for a change.” I opened a can of soda, took a few gulps, and said solemnly: “Julia, you don’t understand me.” I continued, “I don’t like dirty things.” “A man who’s been with someone else is no different from trash to me.” “Don’t feel burdened. If you want him, go ahead. I really don’t mind.” After I said this, Julia’s face went through a rainbow of emotions. She probably expected me to cry my eyes out. So she stuttered again: “Lily, I know you’re upset.” “But don’t say things you don’t mean.” “No one expected this to happen. Why don’t we talk about how to solve this?” She tried to come closer as she spoke. But because the surströmming smell was truly overwhelming, she had to wrinkle her nose and stop half a meter away, next to an oil painting. If someone could see us two right now, they’d definitely think Julia was the owner of this mansion. After all, she’s the one wearing haute couture. She’s the one wearing limited edition perfume. She’s the one who’s been controlling her oiliness for years, to the point where even when the real owner wants to eat something she likes, she has to do it sneakily. I’ve raised this parasite for five years, spoiling her to the point where she dared to sleep with my man and then come ask for forgiveness. What is this called? Feeding pearls to a swine. “I’m really not angry.” Just then, a phone call came in. I left Julia hanging there for over half an hour before putting down the phone: “What were you saying earlier?” Julia looked at me, very frankly: “Lily, I’ve never been in a relationship before. Ryan is my first man. Can you let him go for me?” “Sure.” I nodded without hesitation and said, “He’s yours. What else do you want?” “If there’s nothing else, take out the trash by the door when you leave.” After all, you like trash so much, don’t you? After that day, I deleted Julia’s fingerprints from all the properties registered under my name. Including that townhouse near Central Park that neither my parents nor I visit often. Only a fool would pour their heart out to Julia in this world. For the past five years, to ensure Julia had enough monthly allowance to live like a princess, I worked crazy hours, overtime, risking my life to make money. But now… it’s not my responsibility to support her anymore. ··· I hired over twenty professional accountants to work overtime calculating the accounts. Three days later. Looking at the astronomical figure submitted by the chief accountant, I unwrapped a lollipop and put it in my mouth. “Are you sure she owes me this much?” I crossed my legs and smoothed the silky hair on my shoulder, exuding an urban lady vibe. “Miss Quinn, I’m absolutely certain.” “Good, good, good.” I laughed out loud three times, then emailed the bill to Ryan. And, I CC’d all our mutual friends! Actually, the moment I decided to make Julia pay back the money, I knew I’d make a small profit. But I didn’t expect it to be more than just a small profit! It was like winning the lottery, and tax-free at that! Ryan quickly called after receiving the email. I used to love his voice, obsessively saving every voice message he sent me. When he was too lazy to type and called directly, I’d beg him to say more. But now, just seeing the name “Ryan” made me sick. So. I hung up the call and sent my bank account number directly, with a note: “Surely this small amount isn’t beyond Mr. King’s means?” After doing this, I took out a stack of cash from the safe and handed it to the chief accountant. “You and your team have worked hard lately. This money is a small token of my appreciation.” “Let them buy snacks, buy whatever they like to eat.” I said this with great generosity. The chief accountant, seemingly infected by my enthusiasm, didn’t stand on ceremony. He reached out with his slender hand, took the money, pushed up his rimless glasses, and smiled faintly: “Miss Quinn, you’re very generous.” Hey! This is nothing! I waved my hand: “I’m not an ordinary capitalist, I’m…” Halfway through my sentence, I realized something was off. Was this handsome chief accountant genuinely praising my generosity, or subtly implying I was a sucker?! Looking at Zach’s face that could practically debut as an idol on the spot, I fell into deep thought. Has he always been this good-looking? How come I didn’t notice yesterday? Perhaps my image as a lovesick fool was too deeply ingrained in people’s minds. Lucas, upon learning that Julia and Ryan had gotten together, quickly arranged a gathering. He said: he wanted me to see the true colors of this pair of scumbags. To this, I quickly waved my hands and said: unnecessary, completely unnecessary. I might be stubborn, but I’m not stupid. I’ve already experienced how disgusting these two are. But my refusal was ineffective. When I showed up at the party in a Dior mini dress, Ryan had been beaten black and blue by Lucas, while Julia was sobbing softly beside him, occasionally comforting him. “Lily.” Lucas and a few other mutual friends pulled up a chair for me to sit in front of these two: “They have something to say to you.” “Lily…” Julia opened her mouth, ready to act. Ryan also looked pained: “Lily…” “Stop.” I halted this farce, serious and cold: “Julia, you said Ryan was your first man and asked me to give him to you. Okay. I don’t want trash, if you want it, it’s yours.” “Ryan, we only dated for a day, there wasn’t much emotional foundation. But you cheated.” “Lily, I’m sorry, I really…” He was halfway through his sentence when I interrupted him: “You are indeed sorry, but I don’t forgive you.” “Ryan, we’ve broken up. I dumped you.” After saying this, I went straight home from the party, not caring what the onlookers thought. But when I reached my front door, I was surprised to find that the usually well-lit upscale neighborhood was pitch black. I called the property management: what’s going on? They said: “We’re sorry, Miss Quinn, due to weather conditions, we’ll temporarily stop power supply for a while.” Weather? I looked up at the perfectly normal sky, about to tell the management: “At least find a better excuse when making things up.” Who would have thought, several flashes of lightning accompanied by rolling thunder. In less than half a minute, it turned this urban lady into a drowned rat. It was so sudden… It inevitably reminded me of certain TV dramas. I shed a few tears in the rain, reason unknown, but somehow felt relieved. I was about to indulge in it when suddenly a low, magnetic male voice came from behind: “Miss Quinn?” I turned around abruptly: “…Chief Accountant?” He looked at me, his handsome features somehow appearing more youthful without the suit, like a campus heartthrob from some university: “You’re in quite the mood.” “Ahem.” My image of elegance, sophistication, and grace was completely ruined. I forced a smile: “So late… Mr. Harrison out for a walk?” “So Miss Quinn does know my name.” Zach nodded, seeming satisfied with this. This guy was hard to read. Every time we talked, I felt awkward and didn’t know where to put my hands and feet. Trying to salvage the situation, I smoothed my hair, suddenly realizing something: “Mr. Harrison lives here too?” “Mm.” Zach tilted the black umbrella he was holding over his head towards me: “Where are you going, Miss Quinn? I’ll walk you.” “Ah, okay, thank you.” I was almost soaked through by the rain. I didn’t care much about the little shelter Zach’s umbrella provided, but as the old saying goes… It’s foolish not to take advantage of a good opportunity! Zach walked me to my front door. But my fingerprint lock wasn’t working due to the power outage, and of course, I hadn’t brought the emergency key. Three minutes later. Holding my phone with its critically low battery, I took a deep breath and said to Zach: “Maybe you should just leave me…” Zach: “Come to my place.” Our voices mixed together. A few seconds later, we spoke simultaneously again. “Okay.” “Alright!” Zach’s lips curled up slightly, as if smiling: “What did Miss Quinn want to say?” “How come you even have dimples?” As soon as the words left my mouth, I could have dug a mansion-sized hole with my toes to hide in. Trying to regain composure, I put my hands together: “I mean, if Mr. Harrison is willing to take me home, I won’t shortchange you on the price.” I’m used to solving problems with money. But Zach isn’t someone who can be bought with money. “Is this an original?!” I pointed at the painting on his wall, my eyes shining. Zach gracefully folded his umbrella: “Miss Quinn has a good eye.” “You actually have the full set of these figurines?!” I looked at the set of toys worth millions, drooling. Zach took off his glasses, using a cloth to wipe off the raindrops: “Does Miss Quinn like them?” I was completely shocked by Zach. Taking the clothes Zach handed me, I asked seriously: “Mr. Harrison, if you’re so rich, why do you still work?” “Isn’t Miss Quinn the same as me?” Zach looked at me earnestly. It was at this moment that I noticed his eyes were a beautiful amber color. The kind worth insuring. “That’s… true.” I felt a bit deflated by Zach’s evasiveness. But after a pause, Zach added: “Work allows me to meet many interesting people. Besides accumulating wealth, I also enjoy the process.” “…Interesting people?” I’ve only encountered various people with questionable intelligence. “In my heart,” Zach said casually, “Miss Quinn is one such person.” Thank you, I really appreciate it. He could have just directly called me a sucker, but he still complimented me as interesting. After showering in Zach’s guest room. I picked up my phone, which had been buzzing non-stop after being plugged in. Thanks to Lucas, the video of Julia, Ryan, and me at the party was now being frantically forwarded in various group chats within our circle. As the victim of betrayal by a friend and cheating by a boyfriend, I received unanimous praise for my cool and collected behavior. “This is so satisfying,” someone commented, tagging Ryan and asking: “When are you going to pay Lily back?” Ryan might have been drunk, as he directly sent a voice message: “What does my business with Lily have to do with you all?” “I know you’ve all been waiting to see me make a fool of myself. If you’ve got the guts, come laugh in my face!” “Ryan, stop drinking.” At the end of the voice message was Julia’s faint plea. I tossed the phone aside and lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. After a while, Zach came to knock on the door: “Miss Quinn.” “The backup power in the house isn’t much. Turn off the lights after you finish showering and come out to eat something.” “Okay.” Without much delay, I put on the pajamas Zach gave me and poked my head into the kitchen: “Mr. Harrison, is there anything I can help with?” Zach didn’t look up: “Miss Quinn, just have a seat.” “Then when my phone is fully charged, I’ll send you a big red envelope?” “Miss Quinn.” Zach said as he brought out two bowls of noodles. The noodles smelled so delicious that I wondered if this dish could be mass-produced, the boxes would probably circle the Earth over 300 times: “I didn’t take you in for money.” “Then why did you?” I looked at Zach, who was so handsome there was hardly room for improvement. I forcefully swallowed the words “You’re not coveting my beauty, are you?” After eating our fill. I lounged on Zach’s high-end sofa, lost in thought. Zach washed some fruit in the kitchen and brought it out. I ate a few pieces by candlelight and suddenly felt tears welling up: “Zach, you’re such a good person.” “Miss Quinn, there’s no need for that.” He took off his glasses, pinched the bridge of his nose, and the whole person looked like the epitome of a cultured rogue, making one want to sigh in admiration. Swallowing some saliva, I said sincerely: “Mr. Harrison, I’m speaking from the heart.” “If Miss Quinn feels indebted, why not help me with something?” Zach hit the nail on the head, pointing out the reason for my flattery. I didn’t shy away, patting my chest and saying: “Mr. Harrison, although I can’t go through fire and water for you, I have many friends and can introduce you to business opportunities. I guarantee…” “Miss Quinn.” Zach interrupted my grand promises: “I hope you can be my girlfriend.” “Impossible!” I was shocked. “Miss Quinn.” The candlelight was too dim for me to see the emotion on Zach’s face, but for some inexplicable reason, I felt a sense of guilt as if I had angered him. He said: “You misunderstand.” “This girlfriend I’m talking about is a kind of cooperative relationship.” “My parents are pressuring me to get married, and I don’t want to waste time on blind dates, so I thought you could help me out.” After Zach finished speaking, I felt a bit relieved. I knew it, how could my beauty only be worth a bowl of noodles and a few cherries? “I understand what you mean, but…” Isn’t it not good to deceive people like this? I hesitated. Zach took a candle holder from the coffee table, using his nearly six-foot height to look down at me. “Miss Quinn doesn’t need to answer right away.” He looked noble and arrogant like a vampire from Europe: “It’s late today, you should rest.” “Okay.” I said as I got up. But just as I was about to enter the room, I suddenly remembered something. I turned back and found Zach still standing in the same spot, his looks worth more than a series of figurines combined, somehow making my heart race. “Zach, how old are you this year?” Zach is actually younger than me! Mature, steady, successful, handsome, and a great cook, Zach is actually younger than me!? Although it’s only three months, how can I be like an older sister in front of him? Comparison really is the thief of joy. The more I thought about it, the more I couldn’t sleep. The scene of me handing that stack of cash to Zach like a nouveau riche kept replaying in my mind. Thanks to Zach, I didn’t think about Julia and Ryan for a second before falling asleep that night. The next morning. As expected, I woke up late. I rushed out of the guest room wearing the same little dress from yesterday. I bumped into Zach, who was holding milk and toast, with my bare face. “Miss Quinn?” “You, you.” I looked up at him, strangely at a loss for words: “Don’t call me that anymore.” “Since we’re now in a ‘shared hardship’ relationship, I’ll take the lead. From today on, you call me sister, and I’ll call you little brother.” Zach laughed, his small dimples briefly appearing: “If I remember correctly, I’ve always been calling you Miss Quinn.” “How are Miss Quinn and sister the same?” I said while grabbing a piece of Zach’s toast and running out: “Little brother, I have something to do, so I’m leaving first. See you later.” Zach seemed to say something, but I closed the door too quickly to hear. I rushed back home, took five minutes to put on makeup, and opened my computer to start discussing a project with the other party. After two hours of intense debate. When the meeting ended, I collapsed back into my chair like a deflated balloon. After a moment of emptiness, I couldn’t help but smile. Who isn’t a small tycoon capable of negotiating projects now!! To celebrate the successful negotiation of the project, I decided to reward myself with a good meal. But when I changed my clothes and opened the door, I was completely stunned by the situation outside. Ryan was furious, looking slightly haggard. Zach looked innocent, his hair slightly covering his eyes without much styling, looking like a college student who had just entered society. I didn’t understand this combination. Clearing my throat, I chose to speak to the handsome one: “Little brother, why are you here?” Raising his hand like a puppy, Zach said: “Sister, you took my slippers when you left.” Indeed, what he was holding were my high heels. Too embarrassed, I was already used to it: “I’m sorry, I left in a hurry this morning and didn’t notice.” “It’s okay.” Zach shook his head obediently. I smiled appreciatively. This understanding child will surely achieve great things in the future. “Lily Quinn!” Ryan suddenly gritted his teeth: “You slept with him?” “We broke up yesterday, and today you’re already with this pretty boy?” “All your kindness to me before was clearly fake.” I was completely confused by Ryan’s words, took a breath and said: “Mr. King, are you alright?” “Do I need to make a PowerPoint of your and Julia’s explicit photos to help you understand what really happened?” “What photos are you talking about now!?” Ryan stepped forward: “I’ve caught you red-handed!” His expression was ferocious, his demeanor frenzied. Zach stepped forward, blocking between us, looking a bit innocent as he lowered his eyes: “This… uncle, are you her ex?” Ryan couldn’t accept it and roared: “What did you call me!?” “Aren’t you an uncle?” Zach fearlessly continued to add fuel to the fire of the nearly exploding Ryan: “Since you and her are over, don’t come looking for her anymore in the future. Otherwise…” His eyes darkened slightly: “I’ll get jealous.” Hearing this, Ryan’s face changed dramatically, raising his fist to punch Zach’s face. I was startled, wanting to stop it. But Zach reacted faster than me. He dodged skillfully, and on Ryan’s third attempt to hit him, Zach landed a punch right on Ryan’s face, followed by a swift kick. “Sister.” Ryan was down. Zach turned to look at me, his tone serious, as if afraid I would misunderstand. “I don’t have violent tendencies.” “I-I know.” To prevent the situation from escalating further. I pushed Zach into my house before Ryan could get up. “Lily.”
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