When the wealthy couple came to the orphanage to choose a child, they hesitated between me and Emily. A barrage of floating comments scrolled before my eyes: [The side character is going to act pitiful again just to get adopted.] [Even if she gets adopted, she’ll just be abandoned later.] [Destined to be unloved and unwanted forever, a typical pick-me girl.] I lowered my head silently. Because the “side character” they were talking about was me. Suddenly, two shadows loomed over me. A couple never mentioned in the plot looked down at me, their faces full of delight. “Oh my gosh, this girl is adorable!” “Sweetheart, we’re having pot roast for dinner tonight. It’s delicious! Want to come home with us?” 1 A beat-up sedan. A brand-new Maybach. Both stopped in front of Emily and me. The wealthy couple seemed torn. Emily and I were the most suitable candidates. But we both had flaws. One wasn’t pretty enough; the other wasn’t kind enough. After much deliberation, they finally walked toward me. The comments scrolled again: [Are they blind? Picking the malicious one over our precious Emily just because she’s prettier?] [Doesn’t matter. She’ll be returned anyway.] [It’s all just setting the stage to highlight Emily’s kindness later. Don’t worry.] The next second. A couple with a distinct Southern drawl appeared in front of me. Their eyes were full of joy. “Oh wow, this girl is precious.” “Looks like she’s meant to be ours.” “Sweetheart, wanna come with us?” “We’re having pot roast tonight. It’s real good!” I looked at the comments, blinked. Before the wealthy couple could reach me. I turned. And threw myself into the arms of the woman in the cotton dress. 2 I’ve been able to see these comments since I was very young. Resources in the orphanage were scarce, and we often had to fight for them. Emily and I fought growing up. Every time I managed to grab a new notebook or a piece of clothing, these comments would pop up and curse me. They said you can see a person’s future at seven. Being so unscrupulous now, no wonder everyone hates her when she grows up. I didn’t understand back then. What was wrong with wanting a better life? As I grew older, I realized I was just a foil for Emily. My selfishness and greed were destined to highlight her resilience and kindness. As the villainess, I would only become twisted and evil after repeated failures. But this time. I really didn’t want to be the one being compared anymore. When I got into the sedan, Emily visibly relaxed. The comments gloated: [Haha, so stupid. Giving up the rich heiress life for a bowl of pot roast.] [This is her life now. She and our Emily will be in different social classes forever.] [Her character is designed to be annoying. No matter who adopts her, she’ll end up abandoned. Can’t wait to see her downfall.] Will I be abandoned? I carefully looked up at the man driving. He glanced in the rearview mirror and met my eyes. He immediately grinned: “Shy, huh? Go ahead and look, we’re family now.” “I’m Jim, and this is Mary. I’m a cop, she’s a teacher. Decent jobs, don’t worry.” “Make yourself at home with us, okay?” Mary laughed heartily: “Your uncle’s right. Don’t be stiff.” “By the way, when we did the paperwork, your name was just ‘Five’. What’s your real name, honey?” I looked down, picking at the skin on my fingers. The comments said I was destined to be abandoned anyway. So a name didn’t matter. “I don’t have a real name. Just Five.” 3 Uncle Jim’s pot roast really smelled amazing. I could smell it as soon as I walked in. I sat at the table, reserved. Remembering the director’s instructions before I left: “Be polite in someone else’s home. Don’t eat too much.” I was starving, but I only dared to take small bites. But Jim and Mary kept piling food into my bowl. The bowl, bigger than my face, was heaped like a mountain. “This is good, these mushrooms are from a friend upstate, super fresh.” “Eat more meat, you’re too skinny.” “This roast, I’m telling you, it’s the best. Southern style.” “What’s wrong, honey? Not eating? Not to your taste?” “Jim! I told you to make something local, you insisted on Southern food. She’s not used to it! Now what!” “My bad, my bad. What do you like? Uncle will make it for you.” The orphanage meal budget was a dollar fifty a day. The tiny bits of meat in the green bean stir-fry were the best thing in my memory. I was happy whenever I got a little extra. But it turned out, besides the best, there could be a favorite. I didn’t want them to misunderstand, so I immediately buried my face in the bowl and shoveled food. “I like it! I like it very much!” Southern food is delicious. I wanted to stay in this home a little longer. I was surprised I could be so greedy. 4 They were good people. After dinner, they took me shopping at the mall. Everything from daily necessities to the clothes on my back was replaced with new ones. It was late when we got home. I put on my new pajamas and curled up in the corner of the bed. In the orphanage, several people often shared a bed. If you took up too much space, others would be cramped. Curling up became my sleeping habit. As I drifted off… It seemed someone walked into my room and squatted gently by my bed. “Jim, do you think those comments we saw today were hallucinations?” “One person seeing it might be a hallucination, but not two.” “What they said was too much. How bad can a child be?” “As long as we treat her well, this child won’t go astray.” “But honestly, I love this girl from the bottom of my heart. Once she’s here, she’s our own daughter. No one will bully her ever again.” I was half-asleep, unable to open my eyes. But I could feel them gently moving me to the center of the bed. It was soft and spacious here. No one would crowd me on purpose, and I wouldn’t wake up aching all over. This was the most peaceful sleep I had ever had. 5 They say loving someone is like raising a flower. Jim and Mary loved me like raising a piglet. Southern portions were huge, and every dish went well with rice. From forcing myself to eat only half a bowl at first. To eating two big bowls a meal now. The director said eating too much at someone’s house would make them unhappy. The comments also popped up often, saying: [What’s so good about this? Eating like she’s never seen food before. Is she a pig reincarnated?] [Glad our Emily went with the rich couple. Michelin meals every day, my dream life.] [Sigh, maybe she was starved in the orphanage. Revenge eating, like a starving ghost. I think this couple will get sick of her soon.] Before, whenever the comments compared me to Emily, I would be jealous. Jealous that she got better things, jealous that she got a good life effortlessly. I wanted to snatch everything she had. But this time, my heart was calm. Uncle Jim’s cooking was delicious. Every time he watched me finish my food, he smiled so happily. Completely opposite to the comments saying they would despise me for eating too much. Aunt Mary was great too. She had never cooked before but tried for me. Once she fried some sausages. We ended up chugging a gallon of water. Uncle Jim came back from duty and whipped up three dishes and a soup in no time. He ordered Aunt Mary never to cook on a whim again. Auntie chuckled and promised never to touch the kitchen. Later, when Uncle Jim was too busy to cook, Aunt Mary took me out to eat. I didn’t know food came in so many cuisines. Dazzling, filling my eyes before my stomach. Every time, Aunt Mary would order a table full of food. Even though the two of us couldn’t finish it, she insisted. She said: “What other kids have eaten, our kid must try too.” I buried my head eating. But I could taste my own tears. It turns out love is every meal eaten together.

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During a reality show livestream, the current “It Girl” deliberately tried to embarrass me. She dared me to call the top celebrity, my ex-boyfriend, and provoke him live: [I’m getting married tomorrow!] His response? [You want a wedding gift? Keep dreaming.] Thirty seconds later: [I’m willing to be the side piece. Video call me if you dare, I’ll prove I’m better.] Me: ???!!! … Damn it, ex-boyfriend, who messed with your settings?! 1 I lost the game on the variety show, so I had to accept the punishment from the winner of the last round. Bella, the current “It Girl” of Hollywood, rested her chin on her hand, pretending to think deeply. Finally, she flashed a dazzling smile. “Call Julian, and tell him—” “You still like him, but you’re getting married tomorrow~” ???! My vision went black. Provoking Julian, the top star in the industry, on a live broadcast? Is this something a human being would come up with? Did a coupon explosion fry your brain? Seeing my lack of reaction, she switched to a cutesy, whining tone. “I wanna see! I love this drama! Come on, call him!!!” I politely refused. “We don’t really know each other that well. How about another dare?” Bella pretended to be angry and playfully slapped my shoulder. “Oh stop it, you guys definitely know each other. “Last night, Julian mentioned you while we were chatting. “It’s just a game, we’re all friends here, let’s have some fun~” Friends? He’s my ex-boyfriend, and I met you thirty minutes ago. Where’s the friendship?! [Hahaha, Bella has such a great sense for variety shows!] [This is kinda awkward, Chloe looks so uncomfortable stuck in the middle.] [Ugh, your fave is so fragile. If she can’t play, she shouldn’t be on the show. Does she understand entertainment?] [Totally, super sensitive much?] [Bella explained they all know each other well, it’s just a joke.] [OMG! Am I the only one shipping them? Bella and Julian were chatting last night!!!] [Maybe they were chatting in the same bed, under the same covers hehehe! Whispering sweet nothings every night!] I ignored the deluge of shipping comments and was forced to pull out my phone. Everyone here is sharp. What kind of game are you playing, little girl? You just want to see me get rejected after confessing my feelings. Then you can have a sweet interaction with Julian and sell your “couple” image, right? I’m such a sucker!!! I held my breath and pressed dial. The ringback tone echoed through the hall— [My head is so itchy~] [I’m growing long hair~] [I’m growing long hair~] [Hehehehe~~~] ???! Damn, isn’t this the stupid audio clip I recorded for fun when I had COVID and lost my voice years ago? He still has it?! Ahhh, is he sick?! Why would he set this ghostly thing as his ringback tone?!!!! 2 [??? The cool guy is actually this weird in private?!] [Hahaha, I’m dying, who recorded this? It sounds like a dying crow!] [Sounds like a girl, could it be Bella?!] [Every step is a sweet moment boohoo, us “Julibella” fans are eating good!!!] [Trust me, sisters, every couple I’ve shipped has gone public, they are definitely real!] [It’d take a ghost to recognize anyone from that raspy voice…] [Pfft, anyway, it’s not your fave Chloe.] [Just say you’re jealous, stop trying to make everything about her.] [Chloe’s fans are just like her. Your girl wants to cling to Julian but can’t, so you’re all pressed?] [It’s not the first time for Chloe. Didn’t she always use the same stuff as Julian before? Boy crazy.] Bella squatted in front of the screen, replying to comments whenever she could. “Oh, what are you guys saying? It wasn’t me~” “I can’t make such a rough voice.” “Julian likes that old cartoon Ratatouille, so I just found a random sound clip for him~” Ha, you’re good at fishing in troubled waters. The next second, the call connected. The Ratatouille fanboy’s voice was cold. “Hello, who is this?” His lazy voice was amplified through the speakers. Accompanied by a slight, grainy rasp of just waking up, it made my tailbone tingle. Wait, he asked who I was? The one screaming about long hair in your phone!!! After a few heavy breaths, this foolish human finally saw the caller ID. He huffed, putting on an act. In the background, there was the rustling of fabric as he got up. “Oh, it’s Miss White. What business do you have so early in the morning?” What business? Business, business, business. My business is you, okay? Suppressing the urge to curse. I began to execute the task emotionlessly. “I really like you, but I’m marrying someone else tomorrow.” … The rustling stopped abruptly. Silence on the other end for a moment, then a faint voice. “If you want a wedding gift, just say so. “Don’t disgust me with words like that. “I have no interest… in you.” ??? Wow, growing a backbone now? Who was the one crying his eyes out like swollen peaches when we broke up?! The host and guests were stifling laughter, teasing glances flying everywhere, and millions of netizens flooded the livestream to watch the drama. My brain short-circuited, and I blurted out nonsense. “No need for a gift, just come for the reception.” “You can meet my husband. He’s tall, handsome, has an eight-pack, great stamina, very durable!” 3 Come on, let’s go! The braver ex wins!!! I clearly heard a faint grunt from Julian’s nose over the phone, “Good, very good…” Suddenly, the call was hung up. The busy signal echoed loudly in the empty studio. Awkward atmosphere. “Hahaha, Julian is quite grumpy in the morning,” the host laughed it off. The comments started partying again. [Speechless, why is Chloe adding drama?] [OMG, Julian straight up said he has no interest.] [Does this mean Chloe harassed him a lot before? Otherwise, such a gentleman wouldn’t say that…] [Knowing he and her female friend like each other, yet still throwing herself at him like a green tea b*tch, disgusting.] [Bella run! You treat her like a sister, she treats you like a stepping stone!] [You guys are crazy, conspiracy theories over everything.] [Watch it if you want, get out if you don’t, no one’s forcing you!] I was dumbfounded, speechless. Everyone here is completely immersed in their own art!!! If you’re so bored, go find a factory and sew some shoes! And that damn Julian! If you can’t speak, sew your mouth shut!!! The camera persisted in filming my phone. I forced a smile. “Task completed, I guess.” Before the words fell, a WeChat message from Julian popped up at the top of the screen. [Send me the time and location!] [I want to see what kind of ghost wedding you can pull off in such a rush.] [I’m going to steal candy from kids.] [Snatch cigarettes from old men.] [Throw wine at uncles.] [Fight for the bouquet.] [Rip off the groom’s hair gel and shoe lifts!] ???! The guests and host widened their eyes. They leaned in, disbelief on their faces. “Are you and Julian…?” “Nothing! We are nothing! He’s just being abstract haha!” I waved my hands frantically, shaking my head at warp speed. But Julian wouldn’t let me go. Messages kept coming. [I mean…] [I’m willing to be the side piece!] [Hear that? I’m willing to be the side piece!!] [Who knows if your husband’s stamina is from pills!] [I don’t need pills!] [So, right now, accept the video call and inspect the goods!!!] Before anyone could react, the video call ringtone deafened the room! 4 ???! What the hell?! Inspect what goods? Tell me what goods we are inspecting?!! I was almost delirious. Rapid breathing accompanied by tachycardia, the scenery before my eyes distorted. [Huh? Isn’t Julian dating Bella?] [Oh my god, is Bella the other woman now? Ahhh!] [She thought she and Chloe were besties, turns out Chloe slept with Julian behind her back hehe!] [Damn, cheaters, backstabbers deserve to die!] [Do Bella fans have a persecution complex? This is obviously a script…] [LMAO, people are still spreading rumors about Julian.] [Paparazzi camped out forever to catch him leaving at dawn.] [Thought he was meeting a beauty, followed him over mountains and rivers for 20,000 steps, only to find he was taking pictures of the sunrise.] [The paparazzi cursed and wanted to leave, but he caught them.] [Then he narcissistically forced them to take handsome photos of him…] [You’re saying this straight guy has the brains to date two at once?!] [Hahaha evil photographers!] [Whatever, I only care about what we’re inspecting? Pecs or… that?] [??? Teacher, please! This isn’t the wilderness!!] Ignoring the comments. My palms holding the screen were sweating like crazy. Calm down! Calm down! Calm down!!! Taking a deep breath, I squeezed out a desolate smile. “Looks like our show is really hot, even Julian is using ‘unscrupulous means’ to show his face.” “Let’s say hi to him together!” Before connecting, I looked around and directly pulled the eager Bella to the front. I held the phone high to ensure her face was the first thing seen. She tugged at her collar, widening her innocent eyes, full of shyness. Great job, time for you to lead the charge! Damn it, better you than me! Aren’t you a couple? He’s talking to me like this now. Go catch the cheater! Anyway, I’m showing it openly, I have a clear conscience. If anyone dares to scold me again. I’ll just frame him. Saying he wants to have his cake and eat it too, coveting me. I rejected him righteously many times. That’s why he’s angry and talking nonsense! And I am the good bestie who resisted temptation!! Hehehehe!!! A logical plan. A clear path to clearing my name. A smart, perfect brain. Go go go! Let’s go!

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At a New Year’s Eve dinner, a “bro-girl” I’d never met sat next to my husband. After the fourth time she hugged my husband’s arm, I threw up all over the floor. My husband was nervous and helped me catch my breath. But the “bro-girl” raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms: “Alex, this wife you found… she’s kinda weak, huh?” Ah, so she’s a “Pick Me” girl. But she doesn’t know. When it comes to playing innocent and manipulative, I’m the grandmaster. 1 The atmosphere in the private room became weirdly awkward. Alex frowned. “Bella, stop talking nonsense.” His hand patted my back. Bella lowered her voice a bit: “Back when we drank all night and woke up in the same bed, you didn’t throw up.” Someone in the room immediately tried to smooth things over: “Sister-in-law, that’s all in the past. Don’t listen to Bella running her mouth.” Bella paused. Then someone covered her mouth. She pried the hand off her face and pouted: “Can’t even tell the truth? Having a woman around is so troublesome.” Nausea surged again, and I choked up, tears welling in my eyes. I looked up with red eyes. “Alex, did I ruin your fun? I’m sorry…” Alex looked heartbroken. “Honey, if you’re uncomfortable, let’s leave.” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Bella’s face change instantly. She grabbed the hem of Alex’s shirt: “I just got back from overseas! Now that you have a wife, you don’t want your bros anymore?” Alex’s face darkened. “Bella, my wife feels sick.” She craned her neck to look at me. “Sister-in-law, are you unhappy because we’re too close?” I weakly collapsed into Alex’s arms. “I feel a bit sick. Miss, if you insist on keeping Alex, can you let me go first?” He frowned deeply. Supporting my waist, he said, “I’ll take you home first.” Alex led me out. “You guys keep drinking. My wife isn’t feeling well. Next round is on me.” The woman behind us wasn’t happy. “With a family, do you have no freedom at all? Alex, you’re such a buzzkill!” Alex didn’t stop. He pulled me into the car and called a designated driver in one go. He rubbed my back in the car. “Claire, still feeling bad? Should we go to the hospital first?” The nausea subsided a bit with the cold wind. I put some distance between us. “When did you and Bella end up in the same bed?” Alex froze. He looked away unnaturally: “That was way before I knew you. Today’s dinner, I didn’t know she was coming…” He held my hand again, fawning: “Besides, we were both drunk back then. Nothing happened, I swear!” The designated driver knocked on the window at this moment. Alex pulled my hand into his arms, full of worry. “Driver, please drive a bit slower. My wife isn’t feeling well.” 2 The next day, I was woken up by nausea again. I dry heaved over the toilet a few times. Alex immediately ran out of the bedroom. “Honey, still feeling sick? I’ll go buy you medicine right now!” He ran frantically. Leaving his phone on the bed. Just then, the phone started ringing non-stop. I wiped my mouth and picked it up. I saw a group chat of four people on WhatsApp. A girl named “Bubbles” was spamming messages. [Bros, wake up! Sun’s burning your ass!] [I’m going to each of your houses for New Year’s greetings. Is Big Bro’s red envelope ready?] [@Alex, how’s your precious wife? Let’s hang out today, don’t run away again. Your family is such a buzzkill! Or just don’t bring your wife!] [I don’t care, this year you have to give me a big red envelope, bigger than your wife’s! Or I won’t forgive you, bro!] Alex ran back excitedly at this moment. “Honey, my brain! The pharmacy asked if you might be pregnant. Let’s take a test first, then go to the hospital!” His gaze fell on the phone in my hand. His expression wasn’t comfortable. I handed the phone over: “Your bro is asking for a red envelope, bigger than mine.” Thought about it. I added: “She said she’s looking for you to play tonight, telling you not to bring your wife.” Alex took it awkwardly. “Bella has no filter, she’s carefree, speaks without thinking. Honey, don’t be unhappy.” I stared at him quietly. Alex hesitated for a moment, then pressed the voice message button in front of me: “Don’t talk nonsense for no reason. If my wife doesn’t go, I won’t go.” 3 I tested my morning urine in the bathroom. Several test strips showed two lines. Alex was overjoyed, hugging me and promising: “Honey, don’t worry, I won’t make you unhappy again.” “Just happily give birth to the baby, you’ll be a great hero.” He rushed me to the hospital for a blood test. Confirmed the pregnancy. Only then did he call his family: “Mom, I’m bringing you a surprise later!” The car sped all the way to the family estate. Alex snatched the gift box from my hand, his face beaming. Before even entering the door, he shouted: “Mom, brought you good news!” Just as he stepped inside. A red figure flew over, wrapping an arm around his neck. “Alex, why are you so late? The bros have been waiting for you forever!” She hugged Alex’s neck, one hand wandering a bit too low. Then she met my face. Seemed startled, let go, and acted annoyed: “Shit, force of habit. Forgot you’re a married man.” Alex’s clothes were messed up by her. He subconsciously straightened them, then looked at me. “Claire…” Before he could finish. I walked over and smoothed his collar. Smoothing and smoothing, my eyes turned red. “Miss, do you hate the shirts I ironed flat…” Bella was stunned. Eyes widened in surprise. Alex said. Every night, seeing me iron his collar flat was his happiest moment. Hearing this, he frowned. “Bella, you’re grown up, don’t always be so rough.” My mother-in-law came downstairs at this moment. Seeing me, she smiled elegantly. “Claire is back.” Alex picked up the gift box that fell on the ground earlier. Pulled me to greet her: “Mom, you don’t even miss your son, just Claire.” The scene. Harmonious and happy. I looked back; Bella was staring at me. Her lips pressed into a straight line. I called her out by name: “Miss Bella, why do you look so unhappy?” Her expression visibly panicked. Everyone in the room looked at her. Bella stammered: “I, I… Claire, you must have seen wrong…” 4 At the dinner table. Alex couldn’t wait to announce the news of my pregnancy. My mother-in-law was overjoyed. Besides the red envelope she prepared, she transferred money to me in front of everyone. Bella’s chopsticks dropped abruptly to the floor. My mother-in-law paused. Frowned slightly: “Bella, you’re not getting any younger either. You should hurry up and get married and have kids.” Bella’s face looked bad. “Auntie Sterling, I’m not in a hurry.” My mother-in-law acted casual: “Heard your mom say she’s anxious just a few days ago, waiting to hold a granddaughter with me.” Bella forced a smile. “Auntie Sterling, I’m really fine.” She suddenly looked at me: “Besides, even if I don’t have kids, won’t Alex’s kids take care of me in old age?” My face changed. But I heard my mother-in-law slam down her juice glass. Face stern. “Even with a Western education, you can’t make jokes like that.” “Is the culture overseas so loose now that you can joke about other people’s children?” The more she spoke, the angrier she got, eventually picking up her phone. “I have to call your mom, properly manage your way of expression.” Bella really turned pale this time. Kicked Alex’s chair for help. “Say something for your bro!” I picked up the toughest fried meatball on the table and stuffed it into Alex’s mouth. “Hubby, taste this for me~”

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Julian Vance had always been the little tyrant of our group. He hated the color red, so no one around him was allowed to wear it. He loathed cherry tomatoes, so no one around him was allowed to eat them. But with his wealthy background and only-child status, everyone indulged him. I was no different. I obeyed his rules: no red, no cherry tomatoes. Until she appeared—the scholarship student. She wore a red dress and held a box of homegrown cherry tomatoes, trying to curry favor with Julian, hoping he’d help her father find a job. I wanted to warn her about Julian’s taboos, fearing she’d only anger him and lose any chance of help. But before I could speak, Julian smiled and took the tomatoes from her. He turned to me and said, “Red and cherry tomatoes… maybe they’re not so bad after all.” In that moment, a bitter ache spread through my chest. Novels always say that being an exception is the first sign of falling in love. But there’s no room for three in a relationship. So, I changed my college application. 1 Auntie Sarah always said Julian had a terrible temper and was high-maintenance. If her health hadn’t been so poor, preventing her from having a second child, Julian would have been disciplined long ago. She often claimed she wanted to beat some sense into him. But I knew better. Auntie Sarah doted on Julian more than anyone. Those were just empty words. Every time Julian caused trouble, she’d scold him a little, then immediately send someone to clean up his mess. She had already donated five buildings to our school. The principal couldn’t stop smiling. Because of this, Julian grew up spoiled, a veritable little tyrant. He thought red was too flashy, so he forbade anyone around him from wearing it. He hated cherry tomatoes, so no one was allowed to eat them, or he’d throw a fit. When he got angry, he sought revenge. Like right now— The guy sitting in front of him brought a sandwich to class and took a big bite right in front of Julian, revealing the tomato slices inside. Julian’s face instantly darkened. “It’s just two slices, you can barely see them. You don’t mind, right, Julian?” The guy, Chad, laughed it off, not taking it seriously. Julian didn’t answer. instead, he pulled out his phone and called the project manager at his family’s company. “Cancel the partnership with the Miller Group.” Hearing this, Chad dropped his sandwich, his face draining of color. The partnership between the Millers and the Vances had only happened because Chad had sucked up to Julian. Now, having violated Julian’s taboo, the benefits were revoked. Chad threw himself at Julian’s feet. “Julian, I’m sorry! Please don’t cancel the partnership! My parents will kill me!” Julian sneered, ignored him, and went back to his mobile game. Chad kept begging. Julian got annoyed. “One more word, and I’ll help your old man find a couple of illegitimate sons to bring home. Believe me?” Wealthy families always had dirty laundry. Illegitimate children were common. If Julian helped an illegitimate son gain power in the Miller family, Chad would be finished. Terrified, Chad covered his mouth, not daring to make another sound, though tears welled in his eyes. Maybe he just wanted to show off his closeness to Julian, to gain envy and admiration. Instead, he ruined his family’s business. I couldn’t help but tug on Julian’s sleeve. “Maybe let it go?” Julian looked down at me. “Sasha, you know my temper. Non-negotiable.” Indeed, he had always been like this. What he said was law. No one could persuade him. Not even me, his best friend since childhood. I thought he would always be this way, that no one would ever be an exception. Until— The scholarship student appeared. 2 Our school was a private academy funded by the city’s top corporations. The resources were top-tier. Getting in usually depended on family background. However, to keep the college acceptance rates looking good, the school recruited top students from outside every senior year, offering them free tuition. Exceptionally good students even received large scholarships. Most of these recruits were excellent students from poor families. They were the most willing to transfer. Transferring right before college entrance exams was risky; a new environment could hurt grades, and the snobbery in our school was rampant. Wealthy families wouldn’t take that risk. Maya was one such transfer student—top grades, poor background. Because Chad had offended Julian, his family, furious and afraid he’d annoy Julian further, transferred him to another class. This opened up a spot in our class, and Maya filled it. She wore a faded blue dress and looked nervous introducing herself on the podium. Julian glanced up once. He muttered, “So skinny. Do her parents not feed her?” Then he went back to his game. After her introduction, the homeroom teacher assigned Maya to Chad’s old seat. Her desk mate was a kind girl who immediately started filling her in. “Everyone in our class is pretty nice, don’t be nervous. Just don’t offend the guy sitting behind you.” “Have you heard of the Vance Group?” “He’s the heir. His family is super rich, even the principal is afraid of him…” I didn’t catch the rest. I only saw the flash of excitement in Maya’s eyes when she heard Julian was the Vance heir. Growing up, I’d seen too many people try to get close to Julian for his status. I knew that look. But I didn’t expect— The next day, Maya came to class wearing a red dress. She had clearly dressed up. The school had no uniform policy. As long as you weren’t naked, you could wear a ballgown. When she appeared, the noisy classroom fell silent. Everyone stared. Some waited for the drama; others looked on with pity. But no one dared to speak. Maya, confused by the attention, clutched her backpack and hurried to her seat. Julian was asleep. Before I could warn her, she turned around and tapped Julian’s arm, hard. Julian had a terrible temper when waking up. No one dared disturb his sleep. Annoyed, Julian propped himself up on one elbow and slowly opened his eyes to look at Maya. One glance, and his brow furrowed deeply. Maya, oblivious, bit her lip and pulled a box of cherry tomatoes from her bag, carefully offering it to Julian. “My family grew these.” Her voice was small. Like a kitten. Timid, yet determined. Julian raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Maya spoke again: “Julian, can I ask you for a favor?” This scene had played out before. A freshman girl, knowing Julian’s status but not his taboos, had come to our class in a red dress. She wanted to get to know him and discuss a business partnership. That day, Julian had glared at her. “Get to know me? You think you’re worthy?” He made her cry. Not only that, he sent word to her father that she was annoying. That night, the girl transferred. The partnership was canceled. Because they offended the Vances, other companies shunned them, and they soon went bankrupt. Now, history was repeating itself. Maya was inviting disaster. Julian only needed to say a word, and her family would suffer. Just as I thought Julian would explode, he did something unexpected. He reached out, took the tomatoes, and picked one up to examine it. “Tell me what you want first.” His tone was light. He seemed in a good mood. The whole class was shocked. Except Maya. I scrutinized her. She wasn’t stunningly beautiful, but her features were pleasant. Dressed up, she looked pitiful and endearing, sparking a desire to protect. Yet, there was a stubbornness in her eyes. A fragile but resilient white flower. Hearing Julian, she lit up and stated her request. “My dad used to work for the Vance Group. He was framed, fired, and forced to pay a huge penalty. My parents fell ill from the stress. I want you to help my dad get justice and his job back…” 3 When school ended, Julian took the tomatoes with him. Since we were neighbors, we shared a driver. As soon as we got in the car, he handed me a tomato. “Sasha, try one.” I looked at the tomato in my hand, confused. “I thought you hated cherry tomatoes.” Actually, I liked them. Sweet, sour, refreshing. But I liked Julian more. So if he hated them, I could live without them. I hadn’t eaten one in years. Julian shrugged nonchalantly. “I did.” He paused, as if recalling something. “That girl… Maya, right? Let’s call her May.” He loved giving nicknames to people he liked. Like me, Sasha, short for Alexandra. He never let anyone else call me that. He continued: “May is so skinny. Tiny, like the hamster I had as a kid. But she’s so pale, and her eyes are bright.” “The red dress suits her. I used to think red was ugly. Now I think it’s just that other people look ugly in red.” “So I thought I’d forgive her this once. Just this once.” Julian looked at the tomato in his hand again. “She’s interesting. Everyone else gives me sports cars or watches. Only she gave me homegrown tomatoes.” He popped one in his mouth. “Not bad, actually!” I stayed silent. Just last month, a new chef put tomatoes in a fruit salad. Julian took one bite, spat it out, and fired the chef on the spot. Tomatoes taste the same. The only difference was the person giving them. An indescribable feeling rose in my chest. “So, will you help her?” I asked. Julian hadn’t given a clear answer earlier, only saying he’d consider it. He wasn’t one to meddle. But I was wrong again. Julian chuckled, eyeing the tomatoes with amusement. “I ate her food; I should probably help. But…” His tone shifted. “Getting my help won’t be that easy.” 4 The next day, Maya wore red again. And brought another box of tomatoes. Julian had stayed up gaming and overslept, so I went to school alone. He was probably on his way. Seeing her place the tomatoes on Julian’s desk, I remembered his “just this once.” So I decided to warn her. “Julian has hated red and cherry tomatoes since he was little.” Maya froze, a look of disbelief flashing across her eyes. But she recovered quickly, smiling at me. “But yesterday he didn’t seem angry. He even took the tomatoes.” Just then, Julian walked in and sat down. Seeing the tomatoes, he frowned, then looked up at Maya. She smiled brilliantly. “Julian, I picked these fresh this morning. Try them.” Then she lowered her eyes and sniffled. “But Sasha said you hate red and tomatoes. I must have misunderstood. I’ll take them away.” She reached for the box. Her sleeve slid up, revealing a scratch on her pale arm. Julian frowned. “What happened?” Maya pulled her sleeve down quickly. “Nothing. I just tripped while picking tomatoes.” Julian muttered, “Clumsy.” Maya’s smile froze. She looked panicked. Julian laughed. “You look so silly, May.” Maya blinked and pointed at herself. “You called me May?” “Don’t like it?” She shook her head vigorously. “No, no, I like it. It sounds nice.” Julian’s smile deepened. He grabbed the box of tomatoes and stuffed it into his bag. “Can’t let your effort go to waste.” Maya beamed, then glanced at me. “But Sasha said…” Julian waved his hand. “I think tomatoes aren’t bad now. And red… you look good in it. Don’t listen to her.” He turned and patted my arm. “Right, Sasha?” I didn’t answer. I just looked at him. I was the person closest to him. I knew his likes and dislikes better than anyone. Last night, a maid was fired instantly for wearing red. He still hated red. But Maya was different. I’d read enough romance novels to know that being an “exception” is the start of love. Julian’s exception for Maya was glaring. It was an exception I, his childhood friend, had never received. My heart tasted bitter. All these years, my love for him might have been one-sided. There’s no room for three people in a relationship. Maybe it was time to let go.

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The perennial number one student, the cold and aloof “Academic God,” was dragged off his pedestal by a girl. She didn’t have great grades, but she was cute and clingy. I was very happy. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not that girl. I’m the one who’s always stuck in second place. My chance has finally come! 1. “Lately, Julian has been walking to school with Chloe.” “No way, did the Academic God really get taken down by a slacker?” Whispers from passing girls drifted through the hallway. In a deserted corner, I straightened up and pricked up my ears. “It’s true! Julian seems distracted in class these days.” I pushed away the person in front of me and coldly retied my hair. “What do you want?” The school bully held my hand, dissatisfied. “Turning hostile again?” I pointed to my watch. “Ten minutes are up. I have to go back to class.” “Seriously, Sarah,” he muttered, “I tolerated not going public with our relationship, but do you have to time our meetings too?” I ignored him and got up to leave. He wrapped his arm around my waist, acting like a spoiled puppy. “Stay a little longer.” This shameless behavior was completely different from his usual arrogant self when fighting. However, I didn’t buy it. He was just a tool for me to release stress. “Not interfering with my studies is the bottom line. Make a fuss again, and we break up.” He looked impatient, pressed my head down, and kissed me hard. “Don’t say those two words!” After cursing under his breath, he obediently let go. Back in the classroom, I bumped into the Academic God, Julian. His cold gaze lingered on my chest for a few seconds before moving away. “Button,” his voice was clean, “you missed one.” I looked down. “Thanks.” When I looked up again, he had already entered the classroom. Quiet, hard to pursue. Logical mind, calm and self-possessed. My homeroom teacher once told me, “It’s normal for girls not to do as well as boys in studies. Some boys seem not to care, but they learn as soon as they try.” “Girls can only study hard.” My diligence became “the clumsy bird must fly first” in the teacher’s mouth. While someone like Julian could surpass my efforts with just a little bit of study. So when his name dominated the top spot above mine year after year, I was unconvinced. One day, I will pull him down. 2. Julian and I are actually childhood acquaintances. But not the kind where anything happens. Just neighbors. Like now, I was doing exam papers by the window. Looking up, I could see Chloe standing at Julian’s door. She was holding a bag of handmade cookies. Waiting for him obediently. Julian came down quickly, looking fresh. The boy who had just showered was like a swaying locust tree on a midsummer night. Provocative, yet innocently unaware. His appearance made Chloe blush and stare blankly. The two whispered a few words. Chloe handed him the cookies. Don’t be fooled by Julian’s aloofness. He’s actually wicked inside and loves leading girls on. Growing up with a halo, he knew his advantages very well. He liked watching ordinary girls become obsessed with him the most. I finished two sets of exam papers. Chloe was leaving. Waving goodbye, looking back every three steps. Julian stood under the streetlamp, watching her disappear at the intersection from afar. I took out my notebook of mistakes and started reviewing. Accidentally, my eyes met Julian’s downstairs. He chuckled. As if interested, Standing under the streetlamp, he opened the handmade cookies and ate them slowly, one by one. Staring at me lazily. I avoided his eyes and looked down to review my mistakes. The hot summer evening breeze blew through the asparagus fern by my window. The residual light of the streetlamp illuminating him spilled onto my desk. He was still watching. Watching leisurely. I got up and closed the window. 3. The monthly exam opportunity came quickly. Rumors about Julian and Chloe also increased. Every time Chloe came to our class to find him, classmates would always tease. Some bold boys even shouted, “J-God, your girlfriend is here for you again.” Making Chloe blush with shyness, leaving after saying only a few words. And Julian didn’t deny it. It’s just that my seat is right by the door. Every time, I was forced to be on the front line of gossip. During break today, I was busy memorizing vocabulary. Chloe came. The boys in the back started teasing again. Banging tables and shaking chairs. Noisy as hell. I covered my ears, but could still hear it. “What’s the fuss? Can you be quiet!” I stood up and scolded them. Turning around, I met Julian’s eyes. Everyone around quieted down because of my roar. The air stagnated. Chloe, like a little rabbit, was scared to tears. “Sorry, I disturbed your study. I didn’t mean to.” I wasn’t scolding her. Why was she crying first? The boys in the back, losing face because of me, rolled their eyes at me. “It’s break time, what’s wrong with us talking for a while? Just because you love studying doesn’t mean you get first place.” “Exactly, why are you so anxious?” someone next to him echoed. “Do you like J-God and are just jealous? Hahahaha.” I was stunned. Meeting Julian’s cold gaze, I felt very unhappy. Why? It was clearly his business, but he could always stay out of it. He looked at me being cornered like watching a show. “Have you never seen a pig run or eaten pork?” I sneered at the boy. “Others are dating, why are you so excited?” The boy blushed at my retort, stammering, “Where… where am I excited!” I raised my eyebrows. “Don’t be shy. If you like it, we can try it too.” His ears turned red instantly, staring at me without saying a word for a long time. Julian frowned slightly. Just as he was about to say something, I turned and sat down again. Picked up the vocabulary book, put on headphones, and continued memorizing. 4. The monthly exam arrived. I dreamed of solving problems for weeks. During the last exam, Julian handed in his paper early. He rarely handed in papers early. Besides, the math problems in that exam were hard. When he packed his things and left the classroom, his peripheral vision fell on me at the door. I was struggling with the last two questions. Very hard. But I solved them. After that, Julian went to a closed training camp for the physics competition. Chloe hardly came to our class anymore. On the way to school, a sudden thunderstorm in summer. At the back alley, I saw the school bully fighting. His sharp-featured face was wild and unruly. He leaned against the wall with a half-smile. Raising his hand, his movements were agile. It was obvious his Taekwondo had improved again. I glanced at him and continued walking indifferently. Listening to English listening practice in my ears. Reviewing the English questions of this monthly exam in my mind. English should be solid this time. Turning the corner, I was pulled into a corner. My heart jumped, but my mouth was covered by him. His big hand was hot. A few strands of my hair came loose. Wet from the rain. The hair lightly touched his hand, making him even more irritable. “F*ck!” He let go, cursing in a low voice. I tucked my hair behind my ear. “Can you have some self-control?” “You’re the one lighting the fire but not putting it out!” He raised his eyebrows. “What do you call this? ‘Double standards’!” I hate his foolish look the most. “What is it?” My tone was cold. “Speak quickly, I have to go to class.” “Why didn’t you reply to my message?” What message? Oh, I remembered. It seemed he got a black belt in Taekwondo. “Monthly exam recently.” I told the truth. “That’s not a reason to ignore me!” I glanced at a smear of blood on his brow and frowned slightly. Following my gaze, he raised his hand and wiped it. “It’s okay, not mine.” “Are you worried about me?” His eyes sparkled, like a puppy waiting for praise. “Clean it up before hugging me next time,” I turned my face away. “Too dirty.” He let go, not holding me tightly anymore. Afraid I would be angry. “Why don’t you even give me ten minutes lately?” “Busy with exams, can you stop being clingy?” Clearly, he was arrogant and unruly, cold-eyed and taciturn when fighting just now. He whined, “Do you not like me anymore!” “Spend some time studying and I’ll like you.” I raised my hand to check the time. Class was starting soon. “Be good, listen.” I tiptoed and lightly pecked the corner of his mouth. He obediently let go, and I turned to leave. Young guys are the easiest to coax. But just as I lifted my foot, I was hugged by him. Thunder rumbled outside the alley, and the rain suddenly intensified. Like his kiss. Coming like wind and rain. Outside, the sounds of students walking to school, mixed with bicycle bells. His Adam’s apple rolled, his eyes suddenly hot like fire, then gentle like rain. The thunderstorm mixed with the summer heat, suffocating people to lose their measure in every breath. I instantly understood his curse. Summer rain is annoying without knowing it. “I have to go to class.” My voice was a bit soft. He laughed muffledly. “What are you laughing at?” I was rarely soft-spoken. “If you want to leave,” he said, “it’s better not to make a sound.” Rain showers are teasing. Delaying people and things. Studying is the most important thing. “Are you participating in some competition recently?” I found an excuse to stall. What competition did he say he was participating in this afternoon? He looked up. “Yeah, 2:30 PM.” “If you get first prize in that competition, I’ll spend this weekend with you.” The smile on his lips couldn’t be hidden. “Keep your word. If you lie to me, you’ll have to spend the whole summer vacation with me!” “Deal.”

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After the transfer student, Caleb, appeared, I started to slowly forget my childhood sweetheart. We became deskmates, running into each other in every corner of the city. My memories with my childhood sweetheart faded, the protagonist replaced by Caleb and me. Looking at him made my heart race and my temperature rise. It felt like we were destined to be together, guided by an invisible hand. 1 Caleb and I were locked in the equipment room again. He was the new transfer student, handsome with a rebellious edge, broad shoulders, and long legs. Rumor had it that when he accidentally lifted his shirt while playing basketball, revealing his eight-pack abs, he became the hot topic among all the girls in school. The teacher assigned him as my deskmate, explaining earnestly that since his grades were poor and I was number one, maybe I could help him improve. I neither agreed nor disagreed, but I didn’t object. We barely spoke after becoming deskmates. But for some reason, we kept running into each other after school. Everywhere, including but not limited to the supermarket, the bookstore, and now, the equipment room. And without fail, it was always pouring rain or a power outage—basically creating a “closed circle” scenario. Like now, I just came to return a badminton racket after evening study hall, yet somehow ended up locked inside with Caleb. The light fixture sizzled twice, then with a pop, the power cut out. It seemed to have blown a fuse. This was the third time this month. Even for coincidences, the probability was a bit too high. Caleb stood by the window, looking at the security bars, his voice nonchalant. “Looks like we can’t get out. We’re stuck here, Julia.” My phone was back in the classroom. The pitch-black room offered zero visibility, only the moonlight filtering in outlined vague shapes. From afar, I could hear laughter from the sports field. And the tick-tock, tick-tock of the clock hands turning. “Are you afraid of the dark?” In the lightless environment, the sound of heartbeats seemed amplified. Caleb seemed to move, his voice low. “There’s light here, come over.” I thought for a moment. “Do you have a lighter?” He chuckled lightly. “Aren’t you a good student? I brought cigarettes, but my lighter got confiscated today.” After a pause, he added, “Nicotine isn’t good for you, it just numbs emotions sometimes. You shouldn’t smoke.” His words carried a faint loneliness that invited exploration. Was his childhood tragic? Did he have a flawed family background? Question after question floated up in my mind like bubbles, or dominoes being toppled. He looked lonely; maybe I should comfort him, preferably with a hug. The dominoes were halfway down, feelings of pity just sprouting, when I frowned and pinched them off. This wasn’t right. This was strange. I looked at him confusedly, offering no extra explanation. “No lighter is fine, give me the cigarette pack.” I happened to have two AA batteries in my pocket, spares from the lab today that I didn’t use. Now they could be used to start a fire. Caleb handed me the pack. I deftly pulled out the foil paper, folded it, and tore it into the shape I needed. There was a pile of waste paper in the equipment room. I squatted down and pinched the foil to the ends of the battery. One second, two seconds— With a fizz, the foil ignited and fell onto the waste paper, sparking a bright flame. The room lit up, smoke billowed out the window, and the sprinkler system overhead kicked in, showering us with water. Exclamations came from outside the door; people were rushing over. When the equipment room door opened, the bright lights illuminated the stunned expression on Caleb’s face. I stood up and said politely, “Thanks for the cigarette pack. I’ll buy you a new one.” I wasn’t afraid of the dark, and of course, I didn’t smoke. But I had no intention of explaining any of this to Caleb. Identifying problems and solving them promptly—that was one of my life mottos. 2 Arson on school grounds, even for self-rescue, was dangerous behavior and warranted criticism. Honestly, if Caleb hadn’t insisted it was all him and had nothing to do with me, I would have been out sooner. He insisted on taking the fall for me. I tried to argue but couldn’t win, so I silently watched the dean give him a comprehensive lecture on “tough love.” Once Caleb left, the dean turned to me, his stormy expression instantly clearing up. He lectured me lightly, then coughed twice. “Going to the competition training camp soon, right? I never worry about your grades. But Julia, you look too thin. Don’t forget your health while studying. Let me know if you have any difficulties.” Unsurprisingly, I nodded. “Okay, thank you, sir.” Leaving the office, Leo was waiting for me at the door. He had beautiful eyes—double eyelids with slightly drooping corners, making him look gentle and harmless. When he wasn’t smiling, he seemed a bit cool, but when he smiled, he was completely disarming and reserved. We grew up together, and I had never seen him angry. Most of the time, he was smiling. I sometimes teased him about having a face that promised peace and prosperity. “I heard everything.” His voice was the same—gentle and clear, always full of patience. “Did you burn yourself starting the fire?” “Such a childish experiment, how could I mess up?” Seeing his familiar, handsome face, I relaxed a bit and proudly held up a number. “I have at least five other ways to start a fire.” Leo was silent for a few seconds. “That’s dangerous too. Is there a way to get out without fire?” I glanced at him. “Yes, waiting for you to find me, but that’s too slow.” We walked side by side out of the school. “It’s okay if it’s slow, safety is more important,” Leo handed me a bag of fresh food. “…By the way, that boy named Caleb was also waiting for you at the door just now.” The bag contained fresh walnut kernels he had peeled for me. Since I started competing, he worried about me overusing my brain and brought me nutritional supplements every day—sometimes homemade peanut milk, sometimes peeled walnuts. Every day, for ten years. Busy opening the bag for a late-night snack, I said indifferently, “Oh.” As for why he left or what he was waiting for, I didn’t care much. My social circle had always been narrow because I wasn’t interested. Socializing is utilitarian by nature. People who accept my personality and want to be friends usually want something—so if it was important, Caleb would tell me. “Julia.” Almost at my door, Leo paused. “Actually…” Before he could finish, click, the door opposite mine opened. “Julia?” A tall boy carrying a cardboard box just happened to open the door next to mine. He looked dusty, like he was moving. After a few seconds of surprise, he raised an eyebrow and smiled. “You live here too?” The air seemed to sprout a different aura. I looked at him quietly, fingers on my wrist, counting my heart rate. I knew my vital signs like the back of my hand, so I knew my heart was accelerating. Pulse racing, blood flow speeding up, uncontrollable heat radiating from my face, body temperature rising. In this midsummer night, faced with uncontrollable physiological reactions, my thoughts were incredibly clear. That strange feeling of being controlled by hormones appeared again. I hummed a “Yes.” Caleb chuckled lightly. “Looks like we’re neighbors starting today.” Analyzing the emotions in his pupils and the subtle changes in his face, I confirmed one thing again—he wasn’t lying. Like the numerous coincidences before, this wasn’t pre-planned by him. He knew nothing about it, at least in this aspect, just like me. After spending some time together, judging by my deskmate’s IQ, I didn’t think he had such good acting skills or would do something seemingly purposeless. “Quite a coincidence,” I paused. “The previous owner just decided to go abroad last month.” The decision to go abroad was also abrupt. The uncle who lived there had expressed satisfaction with his life here, but the day Caleb transferred, he suddenly sold the house through an agent, saying he wanted to explore the world. The neighbor uncle had always been a content layabout. Frankly, such a decision didn’t fit my impression of him. But people are changeable and complex. This strange event was discussed at our dinner table, and later dismissed with “life is always full of drama.” But combined with Caleb’s appearance today, things were heading in a weird direction. Maybe Caleb knew something about the uncle selling the house. “I just happened to like this apartment. Julia, feels like I keep running into you,” Caleb’s silhouette looked even more handsome in the dark. He seemed to glance ambiguously at the silent Leo beside me, then lowered his eyes to look at me again, his eyes and voice full of laughter. “Looks like we have quite the fate.” I lowered my eyes quietly, a feeling of “as expected” rising in my heart. Most coincidences in this world seemed explainable by “fate,” but in reality, they were intentional. As for who did it and how, it had nothing to do with ethereal luck. His train of thought was completely different from mine, or maybe he wasn’t thinking at all. I instantly lost the desire to discuss this coincidence with him. But it was no big deal. After all, most people I met couldn’t think on the same frequency as me. “Maybe,” I answered casually, politely saying goodbye. “Bye, Caleb.” “See you tomorrow, little deskmate.” Caleb’s eyes curved, revealing them to be very affectionate peach blossom eyes. But he didn’t leave. He just stood there looking at me, as if waiting for something. I unlocked the door, took my backpack from Leo, looked up into his beautiful clear eyes, and paused slightly. Leo had been quiet, not interrupting Caleb and me, not leaving early. He always watched me go inside before going upstairs to his own home. Nothing seemed to have changed, at least on the surface. But we had been childhood sweethearts for over a decade. I easily sensed something was wrong. Even just a tiny bit. So after 0.1 seconds of thought, I grabbed Leo’s wrist. “I want a fruit bowl.” Lied. I didn’t want one. Although Leo made everything delicious, and his desserts suited my taste. Leo paused, his gaze lingering on my fingertips holding him, his voice as gentle as ever. “Okay.” I pulled him inside. Before closing the door, I only had time to nod politely at Caleb. 3 My parents were rarely home due to work, so I was usually alone. I ate lunch and dinner at school, and on weekends, Leo took care of meals. I paid him according to his labor. He refused at first, but I always found a way to make him accept. After sunset, Leo rarely came to my house alone to be in a closed room with me. He always cared about these details and sternly warned me, “Don’t just stay alone in a closed room with others at night. What if they’re bad people?” I found it strange. “Are you ‘others’? Or are you a bad person?” He was silent for a few seconds, his voice gentle but firm. “Even me, not allowed.” Fine—it didn’t matter to me anyway. I wouldn’t let any boy other than him into my house at night. I nodded to show I listened. He relaxed, a familiar smile gradually filling his dark, gentle eyes. Leo was different from others. I had my own judgment standards. He was the only person with whom, despite our different thinking frequencies, I was willing to share my thoughts. Maybe because whatever I said, he would listen seriously. Like now. He was wearing gloves, pitting lychees for me in the kitchen. The snow-white, crystal-clear flesh was neatly stacked in a glass bowl, clean and translucent, looking excellent. “Caleb gives me a different feeling from others,” I said slowly. “It’s weird.” Was it a magnetic field, hormones, or some kind of drug? Leo stopped, thought for a few seconds. “What kind of weird?” I honestly told Leo about my strange reactions, like accelerated heartbeat, rising body temperature, and intrusive thoughts. Leo stopped talking and sighed slowly. His eyelashes were thick and black, the kind girls would envy. Those clear eyes held a bit of helplessness. Because he understood what I meant. He chose his words carefully. “Julia, if you study Caleb, you’ll use legal means, right?” Meanwhile, I was deep in thought. “Physical exams are coming up. I need to find a way to get a blood sample from Caleb.” Leo: “…” He silently divided a small bowl of lychees for me. I didn’t intend to continue the topic, as it would take some time to observe and confirm my hypothesis. I readily picked up a piece with a strawberry metal fork, biting into the fresh lychee flesh. The cool, sweet juice filled my mouth. I squinted in satisfaction, mumbling, “Of course, I can’t rule out pure coincidence, or the possibility that I’m just attracted to him.” Objectively speaking, Caleb could be considered a likeable boy. So even if there was a 0.01% chance, it was possible. I was a science student; I deeply understood the need for rigor in drawing conclusions. Leo’s movements paused imperceptibly, then he lowered his eyes. I finally confirmed my feeling wasn’t wrong. I looked at Leo with some surprise, thinking, He’s really unhappy. Second time tonight—even if just a little bit. So why was he unhappy? After all, most of the time, Leo’s emotions were as stable as a lake. But he didn’t give me a chance to ask. He put the semi-finished lychee jelly into the fridge and said gently, “I’ll help you finish it tomorrow.” I blinked. “My fruit bowl?” “If you don’t want to eat, don’t force yourself,” Leo took off his gloves and gave his conclusion calmly. “I’m going back. Sleep early, Julia.” After ten years together, he seemed to know everything about me. I said “Oh,” not denying his words. Instead, I casually forked the last piece of lychee in the bowl to his lips. Leo looked down at my fingers, seemingly freezing for two seconds, before carefully biting along the edge of the fruit. He avoided the strawberry fork and my hand. But that tiny bit of strange emotion had vanished. Watching the faint blush on his ears and his hasty turn, I said contentedly, “Goodnight.” “Goodnight.” Although I didn’t understand why he was unhappy, it didn’t matter. I was equally adept at making him happy. 4 I woke up before dawn. Getting dressed and ready to open the door, I hesitated for a moment. But soon, I turned the handle. Then, unsurprisingly, the same sound came from across the hall. Caleb was wearing a black T-shirt and shorts, hair messy, eyes foggy as if he hadn’t woken up. Seeing me, he paused. “Julia?” This encounter still showed no signs of deliberate planning. I had run into him too many times in the morning before, so today I purposely left two and a half hours early. 4:30 AM. This time absolutely didn’t fit Caleb’s normal schedule. But I still ran into him. “Why are you up so early?” He raised an eyebrow in surprise, then teased with a half-smile. “Is this how top students are?” Of course not. Even if I loved studying, I was human and needed sufficient sleep. How could I wake up at 4:30 every day? Today was just an accident. I answered with a question. “And you? Why are you up so early?” “I heard a kitten.” At the mention, Caleb frowned. “I’ve raised many cats. This one sounds injured.” He paused, then said, “I’m going down to look for it.” We lived on the second floor. I didn’t hear a cat, but he did. Of course, this didn’t prove anything. Maybe he was a light sleeper, left his window open, or the cat was closer to him. But either way, it was a bit far-fetched. So these coincidences might really be influenced by some supernatural factors. Having confirmed part of my hypothesis, I should have turned back and gone to sleep. But whether from reason or intuition, I couldn’t suppress the surging curiosity and desire for knowledge. If there really was a mysterious force urging Caleb and me to be alone together, I admitted, it succeeded. I was silent for a few seconds. “I’ll help you look.” “Okay.” Caleb agreed readily, but fished something out from his entryway. It was a bottle of mosquito repellent. His hand with distinct knuckles held the small green bottle, and he naturally squatted down. “Lots of mosquitoes now. Don’t get bitten.” I was wearing school-issued long pants, but having grown taller, the legs were a bit short, revealing a bit of ankle. The sprayed mist created a Tyndall effect in the dim hallway light. I looked down at Caleb, fingers on my wrist again. Heartbeat accelerated again. Caleb put back the repellent, turned on his phone flashlight, and casually instructed, “Your building stairs are steep. I’ll go first. Watch your step, don’t fall.” I took a step down, and my clear head suddenly felt a pang of pain. Blurry memories surged, frame by frame, scene by scene, all of the same person. It was a little boy. Every time before going out, he would spray mosquito repellent for me. When I got bitten, he would bring a small jar of light-colored balm, apply it to the red swelling, and sternly tell me not to scratch. “The more you scratch, the itchier it gets. If you break the skin, it’ll scar…” In the evening, we went to the park to see fireflies. He held a flashlight and stood in front of me, telling me to walk slowly. He was taller than me, back to me, backlit, I couldn’t see his face. But the moonlight was beautiful that day. The river shimmered like silver sand and satin, carrying lotus-shaped river lanterns one after another. The little boy sat beside me, his figure gradually, gradually merging with Caleb in front of me, becoming identical. I stopped in a daze. “What’s wrong?” Caleb turned to look at me. I stared at him, suddenly having a very subtle premonition. I stopped the moment I felt off-balance. If I continued, would I suddenly miss a step? Caleb in front of me might catch me, or I might knock him down—but we would inevitably have physical contact. My heartbeat would become irregular, body temperature rise, blood circulation accelerate, dopamine secretion increase, and my head would become even more muddled. I would ask him if he was that little boy from the past. Was it him? Was it really him? Childhood memories suddenly became so blurry to me. Where did I live? Was he my playmate? Did this memory really exist? Did I forget something? I pressed my temples, whispered I was fine, and continued downstairs silently. “Caleb.” The moment I stepped out of the stairwell, I asked him, “Did you catch fireflies in the past?” He didn’t look back, voice relaxed. “I lived here as a kid, right by the river. How could I not have done that?” “Is that so?” I didn’t press. But the next second, Caleb turned around, smiling at me with raised eyebrows. “Why, did you catch them too? Maybe we’ve met—I even helped a little girl catch them when I was small.” Click. All the clues fit together perfectly, flawlessly. This memory was like a pearl buried by long years—white, clean, crystal clear, tempting passersby to touch. Caleb pulled a kitten with an injured right hind leg from the low bushes. It looked like a stray, fur matted and dirty, original color unrecognizable. But its eyes were clear blue. It mewed weakly, leaning obediently against Caleb. Caleb held it in his arms without disdain, looking gentle, soothing it in a low voice. “Need to take it to the hospital,” he said. “Looks like it stepped in a trap. Needs a splint.” At this hour, most vet clinics were closed. But I happened to know an owner who would open. Another vague memory surfaced in my mind. A little boy and I holding a cat, walking urgently on the road, knocking on different clinic doors. Only one clinic opened. A young woman in a mask looked at us in surprise, then took the cat. The boy looked up, telling the doctor about the cat’s condition. His dirty hands were stained with the cat’s blood. The night breeze blew a strand of hair on the back of his head. His back was thin but straight. I looked up at Caleb in front of me. As if by some destined fate, his messy short hair was blown by the wind, his T-shirt billowing to reveal a lean figure, exactly like back then. Dawn was breaking. The morning glow plated his hair, his fingertips, his dark pupils with a shallow layer of gold, gentle and beautiful. My heart was suddenly soaked in an emotion that could be called warmth, wet. Perhaps in this moment, the look I gave Caleb was also wet. I thought: [He’s so good.] I thought: [I remember it all.] I thought: [So that’s how it was.] I thought: [I might be a little…] The pounding heart, rapid breathing, the summer night waiting side by side for dawn. No one wouldn’t be moved, right? Like a god whispering in my ear. But I took a step back, withdrawing from such warm emotions without hesitation. I thought: [Thief, liar, ridiculous, nonsense.] I thought: [Whatever is at work, stop it.] Caleb looked at me, a silent inquiry. I lowered my eyes, voice calm. “I’ll give you the number.” “Hmm?” “The owner of this vet clinic will open at this hour.” I moved quickly, taking a notepad and pen from my pocket, writing a number and handing it to him. “Just take the kitten there.” “You’re not coming with me?” Caleb sounded surprised. “I have things to do,” I turned without hesitation. “I’ll visit it later.” My mind was probably being controlled. It sounded incredible, but with so many unsolved mysteries, maybe a higher-dimensional force really existed. Besides certainty, I felt a long-lost anger.

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On the day of my brother’s engagement, the grand screen in the banquet hall suddenly displayed high-definition footage of him being kidnapped and humiliated. His fiancée broke off the engagement on the spot. Just as my brother was collapsing in despair, his childhood sweetheart, Bella, publicly proposed to him. Touched, my brother agreed. But six months after the wedding, my brother committed suicide by poison. After reading the diary he left behind, my parents brought me home from the psychiatric hospital overnight. My mother cried, begging me to avenge my brother, while my father suppressed all news and placed my brother’s body in a freezer in the basement. After reading my brother’s diary, I finally understood. The mastermind behind his kidnapping and humiliation was none other than Bella. Even the child in her womb belonged to her “white moonlight,” Julian. The redemption my brother thought he found was nothing but a complete deception! My eyes filled with ruthless determination as I clenched his diary. How dare they hurt my brother like this? I will make them pay with their lives! Chapter 1 In the dimly lit living room, my mother clutched her chest and wept. “Apart from this diary, we have no evidence to sue that beast Bella. My poor Sammy, why was he so impulsive…” My father, eyes red, smashed an ashtray. “It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have agreed to the marriage alliance with the Miller family back then. I harmed my son…” Through their disjointed recount, I finally understood. Five years ago, my father and the Miller family agreed to marry my brother, Sammy, to Bella’s older sister, Clara. But their childhood friend, Julian, had always loved Clara. Hearing she was to marry my brother, Julian tried to drown himself in a river. Bella saved him and promised she would never let her sister marry my brother. So, she came up with this vicious plan. She hired people to kidnap and humiliate my brother, then released the video on his engagement day. As the heir to the Miller family, Clara couldn’t possibly marry a man with such a stain. Clara indeed refused to marry my brother, and Julian got his wish to become engaged to her. To eliminate any future trouble, Bella publicly proposed to my brother. My brother’s life after marriage was actually very hard, but every time he came home to see our parents, he always pretended to be happy. Today, after coming back in a daze, he cried in my mother’s arms for a long time. Late at night, after writing his last diary entry, he took poison and ended his life. I opened the diary. The latest entry was written just before he committed suicide tonight. [Today, I overheard Bella talking to her assistant. It turns out she was the one who hired people to kidnap and humiliate me six months ago! She did this to me for Julian! Even the child in her womb is Julian’s… Why did she have to be so cruel to me… I rushed in to confront her, but she just smiled and said I heard wrong. I said I wanted a divorce. She threatened me, saying if I dared to divorce, she would tell everyone I was turned into a pervert by the kidnappers and cheated on her. Who would dare to be with me then? She said, ‘Sammy, stop making a fuss. Who else would want you besides me? You don’t want to ruin your reputation and drag down the Carter family, do you? Your parents only have two sons. Your brother is already a useless mental patient. If your reputation stinks too, what will they do?’] Bella threatened my brother that if he dared to speak out, she would bring down the Carter family. She even forced him to acknowledge that bastard child, making him wear the green hat with no way to resist. The large tear stains spreading on the paper showed my brother’s heartbreak and despair. He wrote his final words: [I’m sorry, Mom and Dad. I don’t want to drag you down. But I’m in so much pain. I’m sorry…] I stroked the tear stains on the diary, feeling incredibly irritable. I wanted to kill someone. When he was ten, my brother was beaten by the class bully. His long hair was cut off, he was covered in bruises, and his right hand was broken. The doctor said even if his hand healed, he could barely use chopsticks. The bully’s family was powerful, so they only got a verbal reprimand and paid some money to settle it. That night, I pried open the window and snuck out. When my parents rushed to the police station upon receiving the news, they saw the bully dead at his doorstep. I was covered in blood and nearly beaten to death by the bully’s parents. Seeing my parents, I grinned. “He dared to hit my brother. He dies.” They said I had intermittent explosive disorder and sent me to a psychiatric hospital. Over the next decade or so, my brother always came to visit me. He would bring various snacks and gifts and share his colorful life with me. Many times I couldn’t understand his happiness, but he would hold my hand through the bars. “I’m happy just seeing you, big brother. You too, right?” Six months ago was the last time I saw him. He was haggard but forced a smile, saying he was getting married and his fiancée would love him like I did. I never expected she would be the one to hurt him the deepest and drive him to death. “Dad, Mom. From today on, I am Sammy.” Anyone who dares to bully my brother will die. Chapter 2 Mom changed me into Sammy’s clothes and gave me the same haircut. She looked at me and cried again. I knew I must look exactly like Sammy right now. The doorbell rang. It was a heavily pregnant Bella. Seeing my parents’ expressions, a dangerous glint flashed in her eyes. “Hubby, why didn’t you answer my call? I came to pick you up.” She smiled and took my arm, probing: “Mom, Dad. Sammy and I had a fight on the way to the prenatal checkup yesterday. He got angry and ran back here…” My dad forced a smile and waved his hand. “I’ve already criticized him. Told this brat to yield to you more.” My mom took her hand, eyes red. “Bella, pregnancy is hard. If this brat makes you feel wronged, we’ll teach him a lesson for you!” Bella relaxed and smiled. “Thanks, Mom and Dad.” After a few pleasantries, she impatiently dragged me out. Mom chased after us and held my hand, her eyes seemingly holding a thousand words. “Sammy, treat Bella well!” I patted her hand and nodded. Then I got into Bella’s car without looking back. The moment the car started, the smile on Bella’s face vanished. “Smart of you not to tell your parents about those things. Sammy, as long as you obediently take care of me until I give birth, I’ll let you go. Otherwise, I don’t mind ruining you and the Carter family. Understand?” I turned a deaf ear, head down, corners of my mouth silently turning up. Seeing this, Bella sighed and held my hand. “Hubby, forget about today, okay? I’ll spend my life making it up to you. I promise. The next child will be ours. Let’s have two more, okay?” I started trembling, desperately suppressing my restless emotions. “It’s my fault. Cry if you want to, be good.” Bella thought I was sad and murmured to herself: “As soon as I give birth to Julian’s child and fulfill my last wish, I’ll live a good life with you…” I trembled even harder. Bella, I’m afraid you won’t have that chance. Just as I was about to pull out a dagger to end her, Bella received a call, yanked the steering wheel, and turned the car around. “Julian, don’t be scared! I’m coming to save you!” She drove like a maniac to a bar. I followed her in and saw a man who looked like a pretty boy being dragged towards a private room by several drunks. Bella’s eyes were about to pop out. She grabbed a bottle and rushed forward. Seeing it was her, the bar manager quickly ordered people to pull the drunks away. The leader, a dark-faced man, had his head smashed by Bella. Pinned to the ground by the crowd, he sobered up significantly. He pointed at me behind Bella and begged for mercy: “He put us up to it! Mr. Carter, you didn’t tell us this pretty boy had such backing…” The drunks pleaded with me for help. Julian threw himself at Bella, crying. “Bella, I’m so scared… did Sammy order them to teach me a lesson?” “Sammy, I know. Ever since Clara’s accident, you’ve been afraid I’d steal Bella. So you wanted to find these people to ruin me, right?” Slap! Before I could speak, Bella slapped me hard across the face. “Sammy, I didn’t expect you to be so vicious!” “You’re dirty yourself, so you want to drag Julian down too? Since that’s the case, you can take the lesson meant for him!” I was stunned. This Bella seemed crazier than me. “Didn’t you just say you wanted to live a good life with me?” “You’re not worthy!” Bella dropped this line, waved her hand, and I was pushed into the private room along with the drunks. The moment the door was locked, the dark-faced leader’s eyes turned evil. “Pretty boy, remember us?” “We played for a day and a night six months ago… Tonight, we’ll make you feel good again…” I instantly realized these were the culprits who kidnapped and humiliated my brother. Julian coincidentally found them to act, intending to hurt my brother again. Looking at the various tools prepared on the table, I smiled bloodthirstily. Great. Line up, I’ll beat you one by one. Chapter 3 The dark-faced man lit a cigarette and blew smoke in my face. “Haven’t seen you in six months, looks like you’ve bulked up. This is going to be even more fun!” I snatched the cigarette and jammed the lit end into his right eye. “Argh!” He howled, clutching his eye, the smell of burnt flesh filling the air. I kicked him hard in the groin. He instantly curled into a ball, rolling on the floor in agony. “You brat, dare to fight back? I’ll whip you to death!” The second man grabbed a spiked whip from the table and lashed out at me. I caught the whip mid-air, wrapped it around his neck, and yanked hard. He screamed, clutching his bloody neck as he collapsed. “Shit, this kid knows how to fight! Get him together!” The third man tried to grab me from behind while the fourth kicked at my stomach. I grinned devilishly, grabbed his leg, and drove my elbow down. Crack! He screamed, clutching his broken leg. I grabbed the hair of the guy behind me and threw him over my shoulder. Then I unleashed a flurry of punches, hitting them square in the face. … Ten minutes later, they were all tied up, mouths stuffed with dirty socks. I looked at my handiwork with satisfaction, rubbing my sore knuckles. It had been over ten years since I could fight so freely. The last time was when I beat up that bully. He talked tough back then too, saying I was too skinny to beat him. He didn’t know I was born with immense strength. Three punches were all it took to send him to hell. I hadn’t slacked off in the psychiatric hospital either. I bent iron bars every day for practice. Seeing the fear in their eyes, I raised the whip in my hand. “What you wanted to do to me just now, do it to each other.” Minutes later, they were lying on the ground in a heap, whimpering for mercy. Giving up so soon? I haven’t even avenged my brother yet. I smashed a few bottles of alcohol, grinning as I splashed it over the cigarette butts on the floor. As the flames rose, the men on the floor screamed and writhed like maggots. The soundproofing in this bar was indeed good; no one outside heard a thing even with the fire starting. When Bella and Julian arrived, half the bar was reduced to ashes. Four casualties. I was huddled on the street corner, face blackened, clothes disheveled, covered in blood. Seeing my wretched state, Bella muttered, “Deserved it.” Julian whispered in my ear: “You’re lucky to be alive, but next time you won’t be so fortunate.” They loaded me into the back seat. In the darkness, I trembled all over. Thinking of how those men howled in pain as I burned off their manhood. And how they begged me before they died. I was exhilarated. Next, it’s your turn. Chapter 4 I was taken back to the Miller villa. Bella ordered the private doctor: “Just dress his wounds simply.” She didn’t want to alert my parents, so she went out to make a call to cover things up. Lying on the sickbed, I heard Julian whisper to the doctor, “Remove his manhood. Make sure he can never be a man again!” They didn’t know that after years in the psychiatric hospital, I had developed a tolerance to anesthetics. After Julian was called away by Bella, I opened my eyes, pretending to have just woken up. The doctor in front of me was the same one from my brother’s diary. For the past six months, my brother had been frequently framed by Julian and suffered countless injuries. This doctor deliberately left my brother covered in scars to make Bella despise him. He held a scalpel, grinning at me. “Sir, you only have yourself to blame for offending the wrong people.” I smiled sinisterly too and pulled the curtain shut. An hour later, Julian couldn’t wait to check the results. If he had lifted the sheet, he would have found… Under the bed was a bloody dead hedgehog with all its claws broken and covered in needles. The bloody testicles on the surgical tray weren’t mine either. Bella’s voice came from outside. “Mom, why are you here?” Julian’s eyes darted around. He leaned in and whispered gloatingly: “Sammy, you’re completely ruined. Wait to be kicked out!” He pushed me out in a wheelchair. In the living room sat an elegant lady. Bella was smiling fawningly at her. “Mom, the bar fire tonight was an accident. Sammy just happened to be inside…” The lady stood up and slapped me across the face. “I knew this cheap brat was restless. Messing around before marriage, and now seeking thrills in bars after marriage.” “Our Miller family doesn’t have such a lowlife son-in-law!” I tentatively spoke: “Mom, I’m innocent…” Bella frowned. “Mom, Sammy almost died in the fire. He’s learned his lesson. Don’t scold him anymore.” She held my hand, a rare look of distress on her face. Behind her, Julian’s eyes flashed with jealousy. “The doctor just said Sammy played too hard. The tissue down there was necrotic and had to be removed…” “What?!” Bella’s mother snatched the diagnosis report, her voice shrill. “Bella, divorce this useless thing immediately and marry Julian instead of your sister!” Seeing her hesitation, her mother cried out: “Daughter! Your sister is gone. The burden of continuing the Miller bloodline falls on you alone!” “Since this waste can’t reproduce anymore, marry Julian and have more children with him!” My heart suddenly ached. Is this how they treated my brother before? Letting him be framed by Julian’s clumsy tricks. Insulting him, treating him like trash, discarding him at will. But my brother was destroyed by Bella’s own hands! My eyes turned red as I looked up at Bella. “I became like this because of you…” “You said you’d live a good life with me forever, Bella.” Bella looked torn, her gaze full of struggle. “Sammy, I have to consider the Miller family. I promise you, I won’t divorce. You can raise the children Julian and I have together, okay?” My expression darkened, eyes bloodthirsty. “Okay.” If you live that long. I threw off the blanket, stood up, and slowly walked towards the villa door. Under their gaze, I locked the door and smashed the security system to pieces with my bare fists. Bella’s face turned pale, staring at my bloody right hand. “Wasn’t your hand crippled since childhood… You’re not Sammy. Who are you?!”

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I went night fishing by the river, only to be stopped by a hot cop who mistook me for a body dumper. I tried desperately to explain: “I’m here to fish!” The cop didn’t buy it: “Where’s the bait?” I shrugged helplessly: “Fish ate it.” The cop pressed: “Where’s the rod?” I sighed: “Fish dragged it away.” The cop sneered: “Where’s the fish? I’ve been watching you for half an hour, not a single fish. Are you the Air Force commander?” I broke down instantly: “Haha, actually I’m the killer! I’m really the killer! Arrest me! Arrest me now!!” 1 Not catching a single fry all night, I might as well be the killer! The handsome cop probably didn’t expect a simple questioning to break me. He quickly tried to patch things up: “Sorry, I didn’t mean anything else. I just really didn’t expect you were here to fish, given how clean your bucket is.” Hearing this, I cried even louder. Bro, are you comforting me or twisting the knife? While handing me tissues, the cop persisted: “If you didn’t catch any fish, did you catch anything else?” I sobbed: “Does catching a shoe count?” The cop nodded immediately: “Of course! Where’s the shoe?” I pointed to the pond in front of us: “I got too mad, threw it back.” The cop took a slow breath: “Exactly where? Can you fish it out again?” I shook my head, troubled: “Unlikely. Just now, a frustrated angler got so mad he went down to fight the fish, probably kicked the shoe away.” The hot cop tsked, looking a bit headache-prone, and contacted his colleagues to come dredge for the shoe. Curious, I tentatively asked: “Did something happen?” The hot guy answered with a question: “Have you encountered anything strange?” Absolutely! I slapped my thigh: “This pond! I’ve been here five days, at least three hours a day, and haven’t caught a single fish. Tell me, isn’t that strange!” The hot guy smiled slightly: “Let’s not discuss luck.” I thought to myself, how can you call this luck! This is clearly suspicious! Does anyone really go home empty-handed for a week straight? I don’t believe it! I wanted to argue for myself, but the hot cop’s colleague arrived first: “Officer Lu, how’s the situation on your end?” Seeing me, the other cop’s eyes lit up: “Caught a suspect?” The hot guy waved his hand: “This lady is just here to fish.” “What?” The other cop was clearly incredulous: “Fishing? Then why is her bucket empty? “We released three thousand pounds of fry into this pond, and she didn’t catch a single one?!” 2 Enough! I said enough! You two cold-hearted men! You better sleep with one eye open tonight! “Stop it,” the cop named Luke couldn’t bear to look at my tragic expression, quickly patting his colleague, “Should be nothing here, let’s check over there.” Filled with grief and indignation, I followed them to the side. “Where are you going?” Luke blocked me. I pouted: “Retrieving my fishing rod, I set up a big one over there.” Luke let go then, asking as we walked: “Are you familiar with the fishing buddies around here?” I nodded and shook my head: “Sort of, just familiar faces, don’t know their names.” Luke said “Oh”: “Any suspicious persons?” I kept a straight face: “Plenty. Officer, you need to know, anglers only have two states: extremely calm and extremely manic. “For example, right now I look extremely calm, but actually I really want to jump into the water and fight the fish.” Luke suppressed a laugh: “Maybe jump later, finish answering our questions first.” As we spoke, we reached my fishing rod. Observing the water surface, confirming there was no movement, my heart turned to ash instantly: “Then ask quickly, I’m ready to go in.” Luke quickly grabbed me: “Don’t get exci—” Before he finished, the float on the water surface shook, then started to drift. I froze, then rejoiced, pouncing to pull the rod: “Up up up! Fish on!!” Must be a big one, quite heavy. I couldn’t pull it at first and almost threw my back out. Seeing this, Luke quickly helped me: “Slow down, don’t get excited!” How could I listen to him, waving my hand frantically: “Net net net! Give me the net!” Luke scanned around: “No net!” Damn, hooked a big one once a year, and forgot the landing net today! “It’s fine!” I gritted my teeth instantly, “No net, I’ll pull it hard!!” Just a fish, twenty pounds max! I don’t believe I can’t pull it up! … Overestimated. Feels like eighty pounds. But luckily this fish didn’t struggle. Luke and I pulled hard for nearly half a minute, finally seeing a shadow surface. “This fish… has a weird shape.” As the shadow got closer, my expression grew stranger: “This fish… why is it rectangular??” 3 Good news: Didn’t go home empty-handed today. Bad news: What came up wasn’t a fish. Midnight by the pond, red and blue police lights flashing. And I squatted by the pond, touching my heavy rod, weeping silently: You worked hard, big rod. Since you came to my hand, didn’t catch a single fish, but caught human fragments first. “Is the rod damaged? Still usable?” A voice came from above. I looked up, meeting Luke’s handsome face, my sorrow instantly lessened. “It’s fine, this rod can handle 130 pounds.” Although until now, I’ve never seen a fish over 30 pounds. Luke hummed “Mm”, his eyes quite gentle in the night: “Tell us if it’s damaged. After all, you helped us retrieve a body, the police can offer some compensation.” I wiped my tears dramatically: “Then it’s definitely damaged. Officer Lu, my soul is severely injured, need comfort urgently.” Luke suppressed a laugh: “Send you a pennant later? Fishing King?” I choked: “Are you sure you’re not being sarcastic?” Before Luke could speak, a pungent stench drifted over. It stank for ten miles, bringing tears to anyone who smelled it! “What’s happening?” I almost vomited, covering my nose hurriedly. Luke looked over: “The coroner opened the suitcase.” Hearing this, I instinctively looked back, but Luke blocked my eyes almost immediately. “Don’t look.” His palm landed before my eyes, pushing gently, making me retreat: “You’ll have insomnia for a long time if you look.” I blinked, knowing it was for my own good, and obediently retreated behind the police car following his force. Only when completely away from the suitcase did Luke let go: “It’s late, I’ll drive you back first.” I said “Ah”, my mind still on the suitcase. “Hey.” Luke waved in front of me, “What are you thinking about?” I snapped back, grabbing Luke’s hand, pointing at the distant suitcase: “That suitcase, I seem to have seen it somewhere.” 4 Not seem to, I definitely saw it somewhere. The floral print on the side of the suitcase looked so familiar! Luke was stunned too, then became serious: “Really? Think hard then, this is a big clue for solving the case.” Of course I knew, but often the harder you try to remember, the blurrier the memory gets. After thinking for a long time, my brain was still mush. Seeing this, Luke took out his phone: “Let’s exchange contact info first, contact me anytime you remember.” I nodded “Oh oh”, exchanging numbers with him. Luke looked at me: “What should I call you?” I said: “My last name is Wen, Wen Mian.” (let’s call her Wendy) “Okay.” Luke looked at me, slowly exhaling, “It’s late, I’ll send you home first. Come to the station tomorrow to make a statement. “Think carefully about that suitcase when you get back tonight.” I waved my hand: “It’s fine, I drove here, I can go back myself.” Luke insisted: “It’s very late, unsafe for a girl to go back alone. My colleague will drive your car back for you.” Since he put it that way, I couldn’t refuse. Thinking this guy is handsome and kind, I got into the car happily. On the way back, I chatted with Luke at first, then got too sleepy and lazy to speak, leaning against the window thinking about the suitcase print. That flower is too familiar, where exactly did I see… Holy cow! The car braked suddenly. Unprepared, I was thrown forward, chest hurting from the seatbelt. “What happened?” I rubbed my chest, coming back to my senses. “Arrived at your community.” Luke pointed to the gate ahead, “I’ll register, send you downstairs.” I wanted to say no need for the trouble, just a few steps, but Luke already rolled down the window greeting the security booth, finishing registration in a few sentences. “Quite responsible to the people…” I muttered. Luke just smiled upon hearing it: “Should be.” The car quickly arrived downstairs. I unbuckled the seatbelt: “Thanks Officer Lu, you go back and rest early too.” Luke looked at me, gaze indecipherable: “It’s okay, remember to come to the station tomorrow.” I nodded “Mm mm”: “I know.” Luke didn’t unlock the door, but repeated: “Must come.” I thought I’m not senile, no need to repeat so many times. But stared at by Luke’s deep eyes, I swallowed the complaint. “I will definitely go.” Luke seemed satisfied then, unlocking the door to let me out. Back home, showered and cleaned up, it was almost dawn. Leaning on the balcony drying my hair, forcing my eyes open waiting for the washing machine, I glanced down and saw a very familiar car parked downstairs. Isn’t that Luke’s car? Why hasn’t he left yet?

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I am an Immortal, born with boundless wealth destined in my fate. Anyone who tries to murder me for money only ends up triggering a mechanism that grants me a huge fortune, making me a billionaire! But I am exhausted. Having been murdered in a thousand different ways, I’ve lost the will to live. To me, money is just a string of cold numbers. The only way to break my immortality is to find someone who loves me, not my money! After countless lifetimes, I finally found him. He truly didn’t care about my money. But he didn’t love me either. Instead, he sliced open my skin with a scalpel… Chapter 1 I lay in the freezing operating room. The surgical lights reflected the gruesome image of my body being cut open. New death unlocked: +1. But this time, the pain was excruciating. It was the kind of agony that pierced through skin and bone, pushed to the absolute limit. I was in so much pain I couldn’t even scream. Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to ask Julian: “Do you want money? You know I have plenty. Just name your price, I can give you whatever you want.” Julian shook his head, his hand trembling as he stroked my hair. He kissed my forehead, tears falling rapidly onto my cheek, yet they felt devoid of warmth. “I don’t want money. I love you. Your money is just a bonus. It’s you I love.” I laughed, my limbs twitching uncontrollably from the pain. When he sliced into me with the scalpel, he didn’t use any anesthesia. He said he was going to remove my organs and drain my blood. Is this his so-called love? I really didn’t understand. If he wants me dead, why can’t he just make it quick? “Julian, how much money do you want? Or rather, what do you want? I’ll give you everything, okay? Just give me a quick death. Don’t torture me under the guise of loving me.” Julian was stubborn, insisting he loved me. I couldn’t see where this “love” was! Five minutes later, another person was wheeled into the operating room. It was a young woman, beautiful, with skin like porcelain. She was already asleep, placed on a gurney parallel to mine. The blood drained from me was being transfused into her body. Immediately, a team of secretive doctors cut her open and began surgery on her too. The woman seemed very sick. After opening her up, the doctors removed several of her organs. Then, treating me like a spare parts bin, they harvested the corresponding organs from my body to replace hers. Finally, I understood. This was Julian’s purpose all along! I froze, a tear slipping unnoticed from the corner of my eye. Choking back a sob, I asked Julian: “Who is she?” Julian didn’t answer, just stared at the woman with infinite tenderness. “Julian! Answer me!” Julian snapped out of it, held my hand, and told me the whole truth. “Her name is Bella. She was my high school classmate. We sat next to each other for three years, promised to go to the same college, and agreed to marry and start a family after graduation.” “But fate played a cruel joke. After graduation, she was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease. Her organs would fail and atrophy within five years, leading to death. There is no cure in the world.” “I couldn’t just watch her leave me like this. I couldn’t watch the person who accompanied my entire youth die. So I came up with this plan.” Hearing Julian’s words, I only found it laughable. “A disease with no cure in the world, and you think transplanting my organs will help? If it worked, wouldn’t doctors have suggested it long ago? Would you need to wait until now?” Julian understood what I meant. He suddenly turned to look at me. His gaze was firm, but utterly cold. After staring at me for a long time, Julian sighed and spoke softly. “Mia, I know your secret.” “I know you are an Immortal!” Chapter 2 Julian’s words shocked me. They also explained everything I was suffering now. So he really didn’t care about my money, but he didn’t love me either! I thought I could break my immortality in this lifetime, but I failed at the last step. Julian was terrifyingly cold. Even seeing me cut open, a bloody mess, he could calmly stand by the operating table holding my hand, his thumb stroking my palm. My entire body rejected his touch, on the verge of fainting from the pain. Julian continued to talk about his and Bella’s hardships. “I took Bella everywhere, sought many famous doctors, but there was no hope. Bella suffered so much, cried in my arms countless times. Only I understand her pain.” “I promised her I would save her. I swore to find a way! I really can’t watch her die. Do you know? She is like the sun in my world. Without her, my world loses all light.” “Mia, after I found out you were an Immortal, I had a strong premonition. I felt you could save her! I felt you could change our lives!” So he didn’t even give me anesthesia? And he lied to me for three years! These three years were just to get close to me, to gain my trust, and then use my organs to save Bella. How could he do this? I screamed, losing my composure in front of him for the first time, cursing wildly. Although I knew death was a common occurrence in my life, something trivial to me. But I couldn’t accept this reality. I’d rather he approached me for my money than for this reason. The double agony made me lose my mind. My spasms worsened, limbs twisting into terrifying angles, but Julian held me down firmly. Julian kept talking, trying to comfort me, but none of his words were human. “Mia, just endure it a bit longer! Just hold on! I know you’ve died many times, experienced all kinds of pain. This is just another one, bear with it and it’ll pass.” “I know you’ve been looking for a way to break your immortality. This time I’m helping you, and you’re helping me. Isn’t this a win-win?” “You help me save Bella, and I help you end this absurd immortality. Afterwards, I will continue to love you, remember you forever, letting you live on in Bella’s body in another way, okay?” I looked at him coldly, biting my tongue until I spat a mouthful of blood. Julian, afraid I would bite my tongue off and kill myself, actually stuck his hand in my mouth for me to bite. “Don’t be scared, Mia, be good, don’t be scared. I’ll stay by your side. Just hold on. The doctor said not using anesthesia ensures better organ adaptation, that’s why it hurts. It’ll be over soon!” His affectionate act, for a moment, made me feel like I was in labor, giving birth to our child. But it was all an illusion. I knew better than anyone. I sneered, exhausting the last bit of trust I had in others. I bit down hard on his hand, spat blood in his face, and growled: “Since you know I’m an Immortal, do you know what happens when someone accepts an Immortal’s flesh and blood? I advise you to stop now! Or you won’t be able to bear the consequences!” Chapter 3 After roaring those words, I passed out from the pain. I didn’t know how long I was out. When I woke up, I found myself in a large tank. I had been immortal many times and died many times. As long as twenty-four hours passed after my death, I would revive in various ways. In freezing water, in sticky mud, in filthy sewers… I had been everywhere. As long as this world wasn’t destroyed, even if I was burned to ashes, leaving only a speck of dust, I could still revive. This large tank was filled with formalin. My hollowed-out body soaked in it like a bath, slowly reviving, but unable to move yet. I heard Julian’s cold voice nearby. He had already checked the tank once. From the reflection in his pupils, I saw my horrific state. My nearly 5’7″ body had curled up into a ball from the torture, not even half my original height. All usable organs in my body had been taken by Julian and now belonged to Bella. Julian was clearly satisfied, his voice unconsciously pitching higher. “She probably can’t be immortal anymore. She can’t revive like this. Her body is just a skeleton and a head, nothing useful left.” The doctor who operated on me and Bella nodded, agreeing that I couldn’t revive. “There’s probably no hope, and she’s useless for scientific research. So this remaining body…” Julian thought for a moment and made a quick decision. “To be safe, cremate what’s left of her. Scatter the ashes in four directions so she can never revive again. That way Bella can inherit her fortune smoothly.” This doctor was amazingly resourceful. Not only could he perform surgery on me and Bella, but he could also help Julian dispose of my body. They chatted happily, treating me like a dead cat or dog. Having settled my matter, they talked about Bella’s recovery. Julian’s tone was uncontrollably joyful, his eyes shining in a way I had never seen before. “An Immortal’s organs really are different. I thought Bella would need a long recovery, a painful transition period. I didn’t expect her to be spirited the very next day!” “Not only that, her body adapted to the organs quickly, and her wounds are healing fast. She’s full of life, it even surprised me!” “I’ve discussed it with Bella. We plan to proceed to the next step in three days.” Next step? Julian hadn’t mentioned that to me. I wanted to listen more, but Julian received a call from Bella. Bella’s gentle voice came from the phone, suddenly saying she wanted strawberry cake. She was in a good mood and had a good appetite, seemingly recovering well. Julian was ecstatic, cooing doting words into the phone. “You little glutton, just feeling a bit better and already craving strawberry cake?” Bella acted coquettish, her soft voice coming through. “I want other things too, but you’re not here, I dare not think too much…” Julian smiled, sweet words flowing effortlessly. “Then I’m coming now. Think more about it, what exactly do you want to eat? Hmm?” Chapter 4 Hearing their words, my heart turned cold as ice. My body revived faster. Something in my chest felt like it was breaking through my flesh, growing a new heart of my own bit by bit. I smirked, feeling the heart slowly beating, signaling a new round of resurrection. The heart that once loved Julian was taken by him. It took away my love and pain. Now I had grown a new heart. No pain, no love, only filled with hatred and the desire to check the results. I endured in the tank for hours, watching my body fill up and revive. Half an hour before the doctor came to dispose of my body, I broke out of the tank. When the doctor discovered I was missing, he was terrified as if he’d seen a ghost, scared out of his wits, and called Julian. I hid in the dark, listening to the phone ring three times before Julian reluctantly answered. “Hello! Julian! Julian, it’s bad! Where are you? Tell me, I’m coming to find you!” The doctor trembled, looking around, shaking uncontrollably. But Julian blamed him for ruining the mood. “I’m busy with Bella, you know that! She’s just getting better, why are you calling me so late?” His lust-filled voice sounded particularly ambiguous on the phone, as if accompanied by Bella’s delicate panting. The doctor couldn’t have missed it. But the doctor couldn’t care less and screamed into the phone. “It’s bad! Mia is gone! I was going to dispose of her body, but I just opened the tank and there’s nothing inside!” Julian froze, his voice instantly turning cold. “Impossible! Was it too dark and you didn’t see clearly? Look again!” “Impossible! I saw clearly, Mia isn’t in the tank! There are footprints on the floor, Mia must have revived and run away…” Amidst their terrified conversation, the thunder in the rainy night grew louder. I reached the doctor’s car before him, used the stolen keys to drive away, and headed straight for Julian’s house. In the middle of the night, lights were still on at Julian’s. Panting sounds came from the garage, as if someone was moving heavy objects. Bella followed him anxiously, asking in confusion: “Julian, where are we going? What happened? Why are we taking suitcases?” Julian had no time to explain, just focused on moving luggage. “We’re leaving first, taking the earliest flight. I’ll explain when we’re safe!” Bella was confused and wanted to ask more, but froze when the third clap of thunder sounded in the sky. Then, as if summoned, she walked strangely towards the gate, opened it for me, and stood obediently by my side. “Bella, where are you going?!” Julian followed anxiously. Seeing me, his face turned pale with fear, but he still subconsciously worried about Bella, calling her name, which stung my eyes instantly. “Bella, come here, come here first! Listen to me! You can’t handle her, don’t get so close!” I laughed. Laughing at his ignorance. I turned to Bella and whispered: “Grab him. Let’s go inside and have a good talk.” Bella obeyed without complaint. To Julian’s shock, she twisted his arm out of joint and forced him into the house. Julian roared in shock and pain. “How is this happening? Mia, what did you do to Bella?!” I looked at the night sky and shook my head regretfully at Julian. “I didn’t do anything to her. You just didn’t listen to my warning and couldn’t bear the consequences!” “Didn’t you know? Having accepted thirty percent of an Immortal’s flesh and blood, she becomes the next Immortal, and she inherits all the pain I’ve suffered!”

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After high school graduation, my twin childhood friends confessed their feelings to me simultaneously. They held their breath waiting for my answer, but my attention was caught by a barrage of floating comments appearing out of thin air: [No matter who the side character chooses, the other one can guiltlessly be with the heroine.] [The brothers are so close, afraid of hurting each other, so they handed the decision to the side character.] [It’s a pity both brothers fell for Luna, but the side character is nice too. Hope the four of them stay friends forever.] What kind of twisted balancing act is this? I immediately called Luna: “Sam and Dean both confessed to me. They’re right here next to me. What do you think I should do?” The two who were about to snatch my phone froze in unison upon hearing my question, anticipating the answer from the other end. After a moment of silence, Luna said solemnly: “Neither of them is really up to par… I think I’m a better fit for you.” The three of us on this end fell silent. The person on the phone tried to salvage the awkwardness: “Haha, just kidding.” The eyes of the two boys dimmed rapidly, their silence eerie. Luna started to choke up: “Nina, I was really joking. Don’t ignore me.” 1 Sam and Dean were frozen stiff. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Luna spoke again, her words almost making me choke on that breath. “But seriously, neither of them is any good.” She explained through tears. “Sam can’t do it, you know.” She made such a bold claim that my eyes nearly popped out: “How would I know? I don’t know!” I carefully recalled my interactions with Sam. I certainly hadn’t seen that part of him. Sam, standing beside me, radiated a chilling aura. “He just can’t. Stares at a computer all day, no exercise, never goes out unless necessary. Pale and thin, no vitality. Wears layers even in summer, must be weak. Won’t live long.” I sighed in relief. So that’s what she meant by “can’t do it.” Sam’s cool voice rang out: “Whether I can do it or not, you can tell just by looking?” I tsked and glared at him. Why talk like that to a little girl? Sam gave me a deep look, then glanced at my phone. Without a word, he turned and left. Dean spoke up hopefully: “I love sports. I’m better than Sam.” Luna didn’t hesitate, her crying voice steady: “You’re no good either. Always sweating, smelling gross. Nina likes clean.” Dean subconsciously sniffed his cuff and frowned: “No smell. I shower after every workout.” “I say there is, so there is. You’re not good enough for Nina.” Dean pouted angrily. He looked at me, eyes pleading for me to control Luna. I shrugged. I can’t control what others say. Okay, I admit I was bothered by the floating comments. Seeing I wouldn’t help, Dean turned slowly, dejected. He paused several times, as if waiting for me to call him back. I turned off the speakerphone and put the phone to my ear: “Okay, they’re gone.” Luna sobbed: “So, you didn’t say yes to either of them, right?” “Right.” The person on the other end finally let out a little laugh: “That’s good, you’re still best with me…” Her voice stopped abruptly. After a few seconds, she hurriedly added: “Just kidding! I don’t like girls, I only like you. No, I mean I don’t like like you, I…” She made herself cry again. I rubbed my temples: “Okay, I understand. I’m best with you.” 2 Luna usually relied on me heavily, so her reaction wasn’t surprising. But the floating comments baffled me. [Two male leads can’t compare to one side character. Useless, both of them.] [Can I ship this pair?] [If the heroine relies on the side character so much, how can the male leads make a move?] [Then they don’t. If the heroine doesn’t choose them, they aren’t the male leads.] [Childhood sweethearts losing to the new girl… wait, the new girl is winning?] [Don’t overinterpret. The heroine was bullied, and the side character helped her out. It’s normal to be dependent, doesn’t mean it’s that kind of feeling.] What! What are they saying?! My face grew colder. I got back on my bike and sped past Dean. “Why is the side character blushing? Tired already?” “Her stamina isn’t great either.” Nonsense! I pedaled harder, wind rushing past my ears, braking sharply only when I reached my building. Those words haunted me like ghosts. They kept mentioning “heroine” and “side character.” Apparently, I’m the “side character,” and Luna, whom the twins like, is the “heroine.” Could these lingering comments be related to Luna? I dropped off the groceries at home and told my mom: “I’m not eating home. Going to find Luna.” Luna lived in the next neighborhood, a ten-minute bike ride away. I parked familiarly and rang her doorbell. Luna opened the door, looking dazed when she saw me. “Nina, you came to find me?” Her voice was still choked with tears. Two more people walked to the door, standing behind Luna. Sam and Dean. “The male leads didn’t get this excited reception.” “Ooh, a showdown between male leads and side character.” “Can ‘male lead’ and ‘side character’ even have a showdown?” “Wait, Luna likes the side character, so it’s a showdown between male leads and heroine… even weirder.” 3 I walked into Luna’s house. Her parents were always away on business, so she was usually alone. The first time I came here, the whole place felt cold and gloomy. Now the curtains were open, warm and bright. She sat me on the sofa and happily went to the kitchen for snacks and drinks. Opposite me, the twins stared, examining me. The people who confessed to me half an hour ago were now warily observing my interaction with Luna. This look was annoying. I ignored them. Luna piled snacks on the coffee table, squatting on the rug, enthusiastically handing me things: “You said these chips were good, and this soda too… I bought so much, but you rarely come over.” I took everything with both hands: “Mom brought Grandma home. I’ve been taking care of her since break started.” Luna’s eyes lit up, staring unblinkingly: “So that’s why. What does Grandma like to eat? I’ll buy some and bring it over.” “Cough.” Sam coughed, reminding us of his existence. Luna looked over: “If your throat hurts, go home and take medicine. Told you your body is weak, stop running around.” Her tone was unusually impatient. In my memory, Luna spoke softly to everyone. Sam clearly marked this down against me. I didn’t understand his look. Luna suddenly stood up, blocking me: “Looking won’t make her like you.” Sam scoffed at Luna: “Does she like you then? Keep dreaming.” I crunched on a chip. He’s always had this stinking face since we were kids. Expecting everyone to guess his thoughts, labeling anyone who couldn’t a dummy. Bad attitude, sharp tongue. He’ll never get a girlfriend like this. “Side character must be secretly pleased, right?” This comment made my eyebrow twitch. I forced the corners of my mouth down. I am not. “Sam isn’t sick, he’s just clearing his throat.” I glanced at Dean. In the short time apart, he had sprayed some cologne. The scent was dizzying. I just rubbed my nose. Luna told Dean: “Your smell is too strong. Sit farther away.” Thanks to Luna, the twins must hate me now. 4 Facing rising hostility, I pulled Luna to sit next to me and looked at the two opposite: “Why are you guys here?” Before they could speak, Luna spilled the beans: “Sam came first, said he was working out at home, told me not to talk nonsense.” I raised an eyebrow. Dean looked meaningfully at Sam. “Then Dean came too, smelling dizzying, claiming he loves cleanliness.” I reminded Luna: “They care a lot about what you say.” Unexpectedly, Luna looked like she was facing a formidable enemy. She scooted closer, pressing tightly against me: “Just because I stopped you from choosing them? They want my approval, want me to put in a good word for them.” Is that one way to interpret it? [Heroine: Peacocks displaying. Displaying for me to play matchmaker.] [Luna: Only I am worthy of Nina.] These comments made me uncomfortable. I quietly moved a bit away from Luna. Unnoticed, Luna moved closer again. I had to send the irrelevant duo away first: “You guys done? Can you leave now?” “Believing her puts a cap on your IQ. You want to be alone with her that badly?” Sam retorted. He was like he swallowed gunpowder. Luna, as the homeowner, shooed them away: “Can’t you tell you’re in the way? Leave.” Sam looked at me. Luna pushed him out. Dean looked at me with complicated eyes, stood up, said goodbye. Left alone with Luna, I thought I’d be more comfortable without a third party. But I forgot about the floating comments. Truly unsightly. I tried to calm down. Luna watched, suddenly reaching out to touch my face: “Nina, feeling sick? Why is your face so red?” I dodged her hand and moved to a single sofa: “No. I have something to say to you.” Luna couldn’t hide her expressions. My avoidance made her look dejected: “I won’t listen.” “…I haven’t said anything yet.” “It’s definitely something I don’t want to hear.” She turned her back: “You’re popular. You’re going to date someone and distance yourself from me, right?” I recalled my high school life. Besides Luna always sticking to me, who else welcomed me? “No.” Luna turned her head slightly: “You really don’t like Sam or Dean? You’ve known them longer, deeper feelings. They both like you. Not even a little moved?” The image of them blaming each other for bedwetting flashed in my mind. I took a deep breath: “Really no.” Luna’s face brightened. She moved towards me: “Then what did you want to say?” I looked at the messy comments in the air, pursed my lips: “One, Sam and Dean… don’t fall for them.” The comments were weird. The twins confessing to me was weird. Better not to get involved until I figure it out. Luna nodded: “Of course I don’t like them. I only hang out with them because you’re close to them.” The comments went crazy over her words: [If this isn’t love, what is?] [Hard not to suspect the heroine’s feelings for the side character.] [Side character forbidding the heroine from liking the male leads, is she jealous?] I closed my eyes, clenched my fists, avoided Luna’s gaze, and steeled myself: “Two, I probably don’t like girls.”

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