The day I was born, my parents made a bet. If I learned to say “Mama” first, my mother would get all the family assets. If I said “Dada” first, my father would get everything. But no matter how hard they tried, I wouldn’t make a sound. Eventually, they decided I was mute. So they decided to start over with a new kid. I breathed a sigh of relief. In this life, I might finally survive. Because in my first life, I said “Dada” first, and my mother threw me off a high-rise the next day. In my second life, I said “Mama” first, and my father drowned me in the bathtub that very night. 1 My dad frowned, scrutinizing me from head to toe. “She’s five already. Is she really mute?” My little heart pounded in my chest, thump-thump. I pursed my lips tightly. I knew another round of “Teach the Kid to Talk” was coming. My mom shook her head. “I couldn’t have given birth to a mute.” The next moment, they pulled out snacks to bribe me. I stood my ground, though my eyes betrayed my longing for the treats. “Cici, say ‘Dada,’ and all these candies are yours.” “Cici, say ‘Mama,’ the chocolate is super sweet.” I swallowed hard and slowly opened my little mouth. Excitement flashed in my parents’ eyes. They grabbed my arms eagerly. “Finally going to talk! I’ve waited five years for this money!” “That money is definitely mine!” Before I could even speak, they were already arguing. “Ah… ah… ah…” My vocal cords produced only childish, incoherent noises. They took turns squatting in front of me, speaking patiently. “Repeat after me: Mama.” “Dada. No, say Papa…” I tried to mimic them, but no more sounds came out. My dad’s face clouded over instantly. My mom angrily devoured the chocolate in her hand. “Useless. She really is a freaking mute.” As soon as she finished, my dad kicked me. I rolled across the floor like a snowball. When I rolled to my mom’s feet, she kicked me back. “Since the first account is a bust, let’s start a new character?” My mom’s sudden suggestion immediately won my dad’s approval. “You’re smart. Why didn’t I think of that?” As they headed to the bedroom, my mom’s gaze met mine. “Throw her outside. I’m afraid she’ll jinx the next one into being mute too.” Without a word, my dad strode over. He pinned me down with his foot, flipped me onto my back, and lifted me by the neck with one hand. My breathing grew difficult, and stars danced before my eyes. Fortunately, it didn’t last long. My dad tossed me out the door. I sat up on the ground, patting my wrinkled, dirty little white dress. Then I pulled a hidden candy from my pocket and popped it into my mouth. Resting my chin in my hands, biting my lip, I pondered my life. If my parents have another child, will he end up like me? 2 In my first life, I learned to speak early. My dad teased me with a toy. “Cici, say ‘Dada’.” His eyes were kind, filled with the joy of a new father. I called out “Dada” in a milky voice. My dad excitedly picked me up, peppered my face with kisses, and spun me around. “Cici, you really are Daddy’s precious treasure.” I giggled like a little chick. But the next day, my dad got a new girlfriend and kicked my mom and me out. Without a word, my mom took me to the roof of a 25-story building. She handed me a piece of chocolate. “Cici, eat up. After you eat this, you’ll go to another world.” Not understanding her words, I just focused on eating the chocolate. But halfway through, my mom snatched the chocolate and threw it off the edge. My body followed, plummeting along with the chocolate. In my second life, I spoke a year later than before. My parents still patiently taught me every day. Even late at night, my mom would tirelessy come to my room to teach me “Mama.” Under her relentless pressure, I couldn’t take it anymore and finally said “Mama.” My mom, who was eating, threw her bowl aside and danced with me. “Mama knew it! Cici is the best!” She immediately took me to the mall and bought me the prettiest princess dress. That night, my mom went to see her “white moonlight”—her first love. My dad smoked a cigarette, grinning at me constantly. “Cici, Daddy will help you take a bath. It’ll be very comfortable.” The huge bathtub was filled with warm water. The steam flushed my little face red. My dad held my head underwater at the bottom of the tub. He didn’t let go until I stopped struggling. My parents’ marriage was a business alliance. There was no love, only profit. But while my mom was pregnant with me, both families’ businesses suffered a catastrophic failure. Their assets shrank drastically, moving from a villa to an apartment. Both my parents were used to luxury and couldn’t handle hardship. Their remaining assets were still enough for one person to live comfortably. To secure their future, they made a bet the day I was born. Both wanted the money, but because I wouldn’t speak, neither could claim it. 3 “Are you Cici?” An old lady with gray hair, wearing a glittering gold dress, stared at me. I blinked, pursed my lips, and nodded. The old lady hugged me excitedly. “Cici, I’m Grandma. Your real grandma.” “Quick, say Grandma.” My little heart pounded furiously again. If I call her Grandma, will Grandpa throw me in the bathtub? I struggled out of her embrace, lips sealed tight. “Oh my, Cici, what’s wrong?” “I really am Grandma.” Just then, the door clicked open. My dad walked in, head down, muttering curses. “What’s all the noise?” The next second, he got a sharp knock on the head. “Damn it, who’s got a death wish hitting me?” My furious dad looked up, saw Grandma, and instantly changed his tune. “Mom, what are you doing here?” Grandma rolled her eyes at him and elbowed him in the stomach. “Move. Don’t block Cici and me.” Grandma led me back into the apartment by my small hand. My mom walked out of the bedroom, hair messy, looking impatient. Grandma rattled on to me. But I just looked at her blankly, then stared at the candy on the table. Finally understanding, Grandma gave me a piece. I grinned, showing my little tiger teeth, but made no sound. “David, why doesn’t Cici talk?” “And she’s five, why isn’t she in kindergarten?” My parents exchanged glances, communicating silently. Then my mom stepped on my dad’s foot. He yelped in pain before speaking. “Mom, Cici is mute.” “A mute can’t go to kindergarten.” While they weren’t looking, I stuffed a few more candies into my pocket. The three adults argued over me. Sucking on the candy, I walked to the balcony and looked outside. Many kids my age were skipping along, holding adults’ hands, carrying little backpacks. They must be coming home from kindergarten. “What kind of parents are you?” “Cici doesn’t speak, and you don’t even take her to a doctor?” Grandma’s roar startled me. I turned to look at them. My dad scratched his head and licked the corner of his mouth. “Why waste money on a doctor?” “A mute is a mute. You can’t change it.” My dad waved me over. Seeing me stand still, he grabbed me. “Mom, I’m telling you, Cici can’t even cry.” saying that, he started spanking me hard with his large palm. He hit harder and harder. I bit my lip until it bled. But I didn’t make a sound, tears rolling down my cheeks. Seeing this, my mom came over and pinched my thigh viciously. Red marks bloomed on my pale skin. Still, I made no sound. 4 “Enough! Even if Cici can’t speak, she still needs to go to school.” Grandma’s pale face flushed red, probably from anger. My dad patted Grandma’s back, grinning cheekily. “Mom, don’t be mad. She’ll go to school.” “Can our business make a comeback?” Grandma sighed. “Don’t know yet. Still negotiating.” Just then, Grandma’s phone rang in her bag. After taking the call, she left in a hurry. My parents started discussing their business. “Ever since we had this jinx, nothing goes right.” “She definitely dragged down both our families’ businesses.” As they spoke, my mom slapped me. I saw stars again. “David, do we really have to send this jinx to school?” “Won’t everyone know we gave birth to a mute?” “We have to. My mom will be watching.” After weighing the pros and cons, my parents decided to send me to kindergarten. If Grandma’s business recovered and they hadn’t sent me to school, she definitely wouldn’t give them money. Sunshine filled my heart. I can go to kindergarten too. I’ll have lots of playmates. The sound from the TV caught my attention. A man in a white coat and gold-rimmed glasses spoke authoritatively. “The patient has suffered language regression due to a long coma.” “They must speak more, or over time, they might really lose the ability to speak.” I frowned deeply, staring at the man on TV. Actually, I can speak. But to survive, I haven’t opened my mouth. Can I still speak now? “Oho, the little mute relates?” “Look at that face, wrinkled like an old lady.” My dad sneered, and my mom rolled her eyes in contempt. My stomach grumbled gurgle gurgle. I had only eaten a slice of bread and two candies all day. My mom smirked wickedly. “David, let’s go have a big meal tonight, then get a foot massage.” My dad nodded immediately and dragged my mom out. Before I could react, the door slammed shut with a deafening bang. My parents were gone. I climbed onto a chair and struggled to reach the bread on the table. After wolfing it down, I remembered the man on TV. So I walked to the TV and mimicked him. “This herb is called Astragalus, very effective for qi deficiency.” “You can boil it with red dates every day…” I was so immersed in imitating that I didn’t notice the front door opening. Thirsty from talking, I looked for water. But turning around, I saw my parents standing there, giving me a death stare. I trembled all over, legs refusing to move. My parents’ faces were twisted and ferocious, looking terrifying. My little heart felt like it would burst out of my chest. The TV sound buzzed in my ears. Memories of my past two lives flashed through my little brain like a movie. “Cici Sun.” My parents screamed my name in unison. Veins popped on their foreheads, eyes bloodshot. 5 My mom rushed forward, squatted down, and gripped my arms tightly. “Cici, say Mama quickly.” My dad stared at my mom in disbelief, but a few seconds later, he ran over too. He shoved my mom aside, grinning at me maniacally. “Cici, say Dada quickly.” I pursed my lips, tears falling like rain. “Wah!” I started wailing. My parents panicked, trying to coax me. “Cici, don’t cry. Say Mama and I’ll buy you a princess dress.” “Cici, Dada will take you to KFC.” They started a new round of teaching. But I knew, as soon as I said either name, I wouldn’t live. I wiped my tears with my small hands. “I want to eat now. I want to go to kindergarten.” My parents nodded repeatedly, seemingly obeying my every command. “Cici, Daddy will take you to eat good food right now.” “Mommy will take you to a fancy restaurant and buy Cici dresses.” Speaking, my dad snatched me up and rushed out the door. “David Sun, stop right there! Give Cici back!” My mom chased after us in her high heels, ignoring her image. Lying on my dad’s shoulder, I giggled at my mom. The table was piled with food: fries, cola, burgers, fried chicken. “Cici, eat up.” My dad smiled until his face wrinkled, looking like a loving father. My mom grabbed my wrist from the side. “Cici, Mommy will take you to a high-end restaurant.” I shook my head, rejecting my mom. I devoured the feast before me. My parents argued endlessly. After eating, I patted my round belly and burped. “Cici, are you full?” My dad looked at me fawningly. I nodded. “Good. Say Dada for me.” “David Sun, you’re dreaming.” “Thinking you can take all the assets with one KFC meal? Keep dreaming.” Soon, their verbal argument escalated to physical conflict. “I want a backpack.” My childish voice interrupted their fight. This time, my mom grabbed me and ran. “Cici, Mommy will buy it for you.” But soon, my dad caught up. My parents took me shopping for the first time. They fought to buy me backpacks, stationery, and clothes. When we went home, we had bags big and small. Grandpa Neighbor couldn’t help but exclaim. “The Suns treat Cici so well.” My parents’ faces flushed simultaneously, maybe from what adults call shyness or shame.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “387464”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

Ten minutes before the International Swimming Championship finals, my childhood sweetheart destroyed the entire team’s gear. She slashed every swimsuit, snapped every pair of goggles. Why? Because her “male bestie” had just tested positive for doping and was disqualified. If we lost this race, it would be a national disgrace. In my past life, to save her from the committee’s wrath, I called in every favor my wealthy family had to air-freight new gear at the last second. I even forced myself to swim in her bestie’s spot for the singles race just to buy time. We won. She accepted the awards as the “resilient captain.” Her bestie, Skyler, eventually moved to the provincial team, got caught doping again, and was banned for life. Distraught, he ran into traffic and was crushed by a truck. She blamed me. Two months later, right before the World Cup, she injected a lethal dose of stimulants directly into my veins. “If you hadn’t forced Skyler to drink that stuff back then, he wouldn’t have been banned. He wouldn’t have died!” she screamed, her mask of calm shattering. “You stole his trophies and caused his death. You’re the one who deserves to die!” My heart exploded in my chest. When I opened my eyes, I was back in the locker room. Ten minutes before the finals. This time, I’m not saving anyone. I want to see how they survive without me as their life raft. 1 I woke up to the sound of shouting. Opening my eyes, I saw our team’s hothead, Mike, poking Skyler hard in the chest. “Skyler, you’re the one who got disqualified! But now Serena destroyed everyone’s gear because of you! None of us can race!” “The prize money is gone! Our careers are toast! How are you going to pay for this?!” Skyler was backed against a locker, neck stiff, denying everything. “It wasn’t me! I didn’t dope! It’s a testing error!” Mike was furious. “You failed the appeal and two re-tests! You still dare call it an error?” He raised a fist, ready to swing, but Serena rushed in and blocked him. Skyler, who had been acting tough a second ago, immediately turned red-eyed and weepy the moment he saw her. The teammates were seething. “Serena, if you guys want to quit, just leave! We want to win for our country!” “This is the International Championship! How are we supposed to swim naked?” Serena shielded Skyler like a mother hen. She lowered her voice to comfort him, then turned to the team with a self-righteous glare. “We are a team. Skyler was framed. You should be helping him appeal, not worrying about your own races.” Her twisted logic stunned everyone. But since she was the team captain, they all turned to look at me—the vice-captain. “Lucas, we’re on in ten minutes. What do we do? We never should have let Skyler join. Since he got here, everything’s gone to hell!” Serena cut him off sharply. “The bad luck is because you didn’t train hard enough, don’t blame Skyler.” “Besides, the coach approved his entry. If you have a problem, take it up with the coach.” The teammate muttered a curse, shooting a resentful look at me. “It’s all because of Lucas. Bringing these two disasters into the team.” Great. Once again, I’m guilty by association. My family, the Sterlings, are wealthy. The Vanderbilt family—Serena’s family—approached my parents when we were kids, saying Serena wanted to swim too. We were engaged since childhood. My parents were happy to help. So, my family paid double to let my professional coaching team train her. We dragged her all the way to the National Team and made her captain. We were practically inseparable. Both families called each other “in-laws,” waiting for us to retire and marry. Then, Skyler appeared in her circle. For this guy, Serena ordered my coaches to waste their time training him, barely scraping him past the qualifiers to get him on the team. She talked about him constantly. If I showed even a hint of displeasure, she’d snap: “Skyler and I are just friends. Stop being so dirty-minded. If you’re going to be jealous, at least be logical.” In my past life, I believed her. When she destroyed the gear, I tried to save both her reputation and Skyler’s career. My reward was a needle in my arm and a stopped heart. This time? I’m done. The childhood bond is over. I looked down and sent a text message, instructing my family to contact a swimming equipment supplier. Then, I spoke calmly. “You’re right. After this competition, I will formally request a re-evaluation from the coaches. Anyone who doesn’t meet the standards gets kicked out.” Serena looked at me in shock. Skyler panicked. They knew. Without my protection, Skyler wouldn’t last five minutes in a real assessment. Someone slammed the table. “Forget the assessment! The race is starting! No suits, no goggles, we don’t even have caps! We’re going to lose by default.” “The live broadcast is on. The whole world is going to see us forfeit.” “It’s not just embarrassing; it’s a national humiliation. We’ll be nailed to the pillar of shame forever.” Serena’s pupils contracted. She bit her lip nervously. Skyler tugged her sleeve. “Serena, what do I do? My whole family is watching. If they find out I was disqualified, they’ll kill me.” Serena turned back to comfort him. “Don’t worry. I’m here. I’ll handle it.” She stepped forward, putting on her captain’s face. “There’s a rule. If the whole team signs a joint petition, a disqualified athlete can be reinstated.” “I can fix the gear situation, but you all have to sign the petition to get Skyler back in.” Skyler’s eyes filled with tears of gratitude. A teammate asked, skeptically, “Easy to say. The gear is shredded. We’re in a foreign country. How do you fix that in ten minutes?” Serena lifted her chin, pointing confidently at me. “Lucas’s uncle owns a sports equipment company in this city. He can have professional gear delivered immediately!” 2 I sneered internally. Just like the last life. She volunteered my resources to clean up her mess. What she didn’t know was that my uncle had pivoted his business to tech last year. He didn’t have swimming gear anymore. Last time, when I explained this, she screamed at me: “Lucas, I know you hate Skyler, but is this really the time for games?” “The race is starting! Can’t you be the bigger man? Don’t put your jealousy above national honor!” And Skyler had chimed in, “Yeah Lucas, beat me up later if you want, but help the team first.” Back then, I was too panicked to see they were gaslighting me. But I’m not stupid anymore. “My uncle’s company pivoted last year. They don’t do sports gear anymore.” The locker room erupted in despair. “It’s over. We’re dead.” Serena frowned, shouting at me, “Lucas! This is the International Championship, stop joking!” Skyler added, “Lucas, bro, even if you hate me, think about the others.” The team looked at me, eyes filled with blame. Seeing them try to shift the pot to me again, I pulled out my phone, opened a news article about my uncle’s business pivot, and showed it to them. “I am thinking about the team. That’s why I’m calm. But I’m not the one who tested positive for drugs, and I’m not the one who shredded the suits. Why are you blaming me?” “I trained day and night since I was a kid to bring glory to my country. Who knew I’d run into sabotage from within?” Serena looked away, guilty. Knock, knock. Staff shouted from outside: “Ten minutes!” On the TV monitor, the crowd was roaring. Banners with our names were waving in the stands. Usually, this would pump us up. Now, teammates were cursing. “We have to go out there naked at this rate.” “Just my luck to be on a team with you lunatics.” “One dopes, the other destroys our gear for a man. If you want to date, go do it outside! Why ruin our careers?!” A fight broke out. Serena shielded Skyler, screaming, “Stop! Even if we miss this, there are other ways to go pro!” “Lucas! Your family is rich. Make your dad start a private swim club and sign everyone!” I blinked. “We’re talking about the race. What does a private club have to do with anything?” Serena held up five fingers. “If you all sign the petition for Skyler and tell the committee the gear was an ‘accident’… I’ll guarantee you a salary of $500,000 a year.” The number stunned everyone. “$500k? Lucas, is that true? Your dad would do that?” I frowned. She was trying to drag the Sterling family down with her. A national team failing internationally, then immediately getting signed by my family for huge money? It would look like a massive conspiracy. “Serena, who are you to make decisions for the Sterling family?” Serena smirked. “We’re engaged. You’re the only son. Your family’s money is basically mine, isn’t it?” 3 So that was her plan. Eating the inheritance before I’m even dead. I laughed, glancing at a shocked Skyler. “Oh? You’re announcing our engagement publicly now? Didn’t you say you wanted to keep it secret so your dear Skyler wouldn’t be sad?” Serena’s face darkened. “Skyler and I are just friends. Your mind is dirty.” Before Skyler could speak, a teammate snapped. “Who cares! Lucas, just tell us, can you guarantee the contracts?” “If you can’t, Serena and Skyler are paying for this with their lives!” Serena shouted, “I guarantee it!” The team looked at me. I threw up my hands. “I didn’t say it. I can’t guarantee anything.” “You…” Serena started. Suddenly, the Coach burst in. “Why aren’t you warming up?! Five minutes! Why aren’t you changed?!” A teammate pointed at the pile of shredded fabric in the corner and quickly explained. The Coach’s face turned purple. “Are you insane?! This is national honor! This is everyone’s career!” “My career is ruined because of you two psychos!” Skyler cried, “Coach, I didn’t dope! It’s a mistake!” Serena stood tall. “Skyler was framed. I did this to force you to take it seriously!” The Coach ignored her, frantically making calls. But with minutes left, in a foreign country, it was impossible. He pulled his hair out, screaming, “It’s over! My career is over!” The despair in the room was palpable. “My parents are watching. If I walk out without a suit, they’ll disown me.” “This is a major violation. The committee might ban us for four years.” “Four years…” Silence. An athlete’s prime is short. Four years is a death sentence. A girl started sobbing. A male teammate clenched his fist. “If I’m going down, I’m taking you with me!” He punched Serena in the face. Chaos erupted. Serena screamed, “My dad can sign you too!” Everyone stopped. She pulled out her phone, muttering, “The Sterlings have money, the Vanderbilts have money too! I’ll make my dad start a team. $500k each, just don’t blame me!” “Dad! Start a swim team! Sign my teammates! Five hundred thousand salary each!” On speaker, her dad’s voice roared: “You useless idiot! Did you offend the Sterlings? They just cancelled every contract with our company! I can’t even pay our debts, where the hell am I getting money for you to waste?!” 4 The call ended. Serena gasped. She pointed a trembling finger at me. “Lucas! You did this!” I shrugged calmly. “I just told my dad that you only wanted to marry me to eat my inheritance. That you were a gold digger.” “Maybe… my dad felt your motives were impure and cut ties.” Serena’s face flushed red. “Who said I’m a gold digger… You did this on purpose! You want to see our careers destroyed!” I pointed at the security camera on the wall. “Don’t twist the facts. The camera saw who shredded the suits. You and Skyler are the ones destroying careers.” Teammates, faces pale as death, turned on them. “That’s right! You ruined our lives! I’m calling the committee right now.” “No!” Skyler snatched the phone away. “No one calls until my results are overturned!” Suddenly, the TV screen announced the start of the Men’s 400m Freestyle. That was Skyler’s event. His name wasn’t even on the screen. Skyler let out a strangled scream. “It’s over… it’s completely over…” Serena held him up. “There’s still the relay! There’s still a chance!” Gritting her teeth, she faced the team. “Gear or not, we go out there. Even if we lose.” “I promise, if you help Skyler get reinstated and keep your mouths shut, I will give you each $500,000 after the competition.” Someone sneered. “Your dad just said you’re broke. Where’s the money coming from?” “I have my ways.” I raised my voice. “Then write a promissory note. Everyone signs.” “Yeah! Write it down! Or we don’t believe you!” Cornered, Serena nodded. By the time the 400m freestyle ended, Skyler was sobbing at the TV. But everyone else held a handwritten IOU from Serena. “Okay? Now go appeal before the relay starts!” She dragged Skyler toward the door. The others hesitated. “What are you waiting for?” Serena turned back to see me blocking the door. “Lucas, what now?” I smiled and signaled my teammates to step aside. The door opened. Several delivery men walked in carrying two large crates. Inside were brand new, professional-grade swimming kits. The team cheered, rushing to find their sizes. “Where did these come from?” I bent down to grab my kit. “I asked my uncle to pull some strings with other suppliers. Late, but just in time.” Serena’s face lit up with relief. She pulled Skyler over. “Lucas, I knew you wouldn’t abandon us. Since you helped, our families’ partnership should be restored, right?” But the boxes were empty. Everyone had a suit. Except Serena and Skyler. “Where are ours?” I laughed. “So sorry. My uncle could only find this many.” “Coincidentally… we’re exactly two short.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “387463”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

After I accidentally friend-zoned my eighth blind date, my mom finally couldn’t take it anymore. She set me up with a guy who was mute. When I got there, I realized he wasn’t just anyone. He was my old high school classmate—the one who rejected my confession senior year. … 1 My dad died young, leaving my mom to raise me and my brother alone. We both graduated and established successful careers, but when it came to our love lives, we were both hopelessly single. My mom started to panic. Every holiday, she’d scramble to set us up on blind dates. At first, I was resistant. The idea of marrying a stranger sounded insane. But my brother was different; he embraced it quickly. At his peak, he’d go on three dates a day—breakfast date, lunch at home, then back out for more. I didn’t get it. It was baffling. “How do you do it?” I asked him. He smirked. “You don’t get it. At our age, how many people are actually doing this voluntarily? We add each other on WeChat, go through the motions, and as long as we hit our KPI, our parents stop nagging.” As he spoke, he was mass-texting those girls. I looked closer. He was asking if they wanted to buy insurance. “Master,” I said, “I am enlightened.” 2 Watching my eighth blind date turn into another insurance lead for my brother, my mom couldn’t sit still anymore. She sat down next to me, peeling a tangerine, and started her pitch: “Auntie Liu recommended a guy. Heard he started his own company. Parents are professors. Very easygoing.” “I’ve seen his photo. Looks bookish and handsome. You should meet him tomorrow.” I didn’t take it seriously at first. I considered myself a veteran of blind dates. But when she promised this would be the last one, I agreed immediately. Mom’s frown turned into a beaming smile instantly. She shoved the peeled tangerine into my hand. “But Auntie Liu said the boy has a disability. He’s mute. You talk a lot, so watch your mouth.” Mute. Suddenly, I thought of someone. My brother, lying on the sofa next to us, burst out laughing first. Mom slapped him. “What are you laughing at? If you try to sell insurance to this girl tomorrow, I’ll break your legs.” He begged for mercy, still laughing. Mom turned back to comfort me. “Just get to know him first. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. But I heard he went to No. 1 High School too. Maybe you were schoolmates.” I ate the tangerine silently. My brother perked up. “No. 1 High? What’s his name?” Mom thought for a while but came up blank. “Sigh, I forgot. Why do you ask?” “Just asking. What if he’s our Hannah’s first love?” I kicked him. “No love happened. Don’t talk nonsense.” 3 Caleb Chen. 4 Outside, the night was quiet except for the wind rustling the leaves. It was already autumn in Riverdale. I suddenly remembered that Caleb Chen had transferred to our class during an autumn just like this. No. 1 High was a key provincial school, strict about grades. The “Rocket Class” (honors class) constantly shuffled the top fifty students. People dropped out, people moved in; every major exam brought new faces. But Caleb was special. He couldn’t speak. So the homeroom teacher sat him next to me. Her reasoning: I talked too much, he talked too little—we’d balance each other out. I thought it was interesting. Back then, I was young and energetic, bursting with 800 random thoughts a second that I needed to share. And Caleb was the only one who would quietly listen. He was always patient, always accepting. If I leaned in slightly, he knew I was about to speak and would turn his face to listen earnestly. I still remember his smiling eyes every time we made eye contact. Thinking of this, I unconsciously smiled. When I snapped back to reality, my phone screen had already jumped to the chat history with “Good Luck Charm.” 5 “Good Luck Charm.” That was the nickname I gave him. I swore back then that it would bring him better luck. I wondered if he had indeed become luckier over the years. The chat history stopped on the Dragon Boat Festival, where he sent me a “Happy Dragon Boat Festival.” Looking back, our conversations over the years were pitifully sparse. Mostly him sending generic holiday greetings. Sometimes I replied with a “Same to you.” Or I was too lazy to reply at all. I stared at his profile picture for a while, then backed out. Why open the chat? To tell him, “My mom set me up on a blind date today, and he reminds me of you. I thought of you again.”? Crazy. 6 The date was set at a dessert shop in an alley. It was a bit secluded and hard to find. But I loved this place; I was a regular. Unexpectedly, my date had similar taste. On the phone, Mom was still nagging anxiously: “He’s wearing a white shirt, blue jeans, has bangs, no glasses, sitting by the window.” I turned the corner, about to walk to the front door. Suddenly, I froze. Through the glass door, an all-too-familiar figure sat there. For a moment, my heart seemed to skip a beat. I asked my mom, “Mom, what’s my date’s name again?” She thought for a moment. “Caleb Chen.” Caleb Chen. 7 Getting set up with the boy I liked in my youth… I didn’t know if I should call myself lucky or unlucky. When I pushed the door open, Caleb looked up. I raised an eyebrow, sat down in front of him, and asked the obvious: “Long time no see. What are you doing here?” Sunlight hit Caleb, making him seem to glow. He paused, then subconsciously signed a few gestures at me. Short, looked like a brief sentence. Before I could ask “What does that mean?”, he realized his mistake and pulled out his phone to type. His fingers were long and slender, tapping quickly on the screen. He paused to think, deleted some words, and typed again. Finally, he showed me a very polite sentence. “Long time no see. Heard from Auntie Liu that you like this shop, so I picked it.” I glanced at him and couldn’t help but laugh. “Caleb, Auntie Liu doesn’t care what shop I like.” 8 Auntie Liu lived in the same building as us, practically a neighbor. When she came to find my mom, I was in my room flipping through a dusty sign language book. I had taught myself sign language for a while. And since I have a good memory, I quickly found the meaning of the signs Caleb made at noon. He said: “I was waiting for you.” The night light by my bed flickered softly, illuminating the page. I was silent for a few seconds, then couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Can’t speak, but sure knows how to lie.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “387462”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

Dad’s secret family of eight years was finally discovered by Mom. She vowed to cut ties with him, even if it meant leaving with nothing. This time, I stopped her. Because I was reborn. Dad has a terminal illness and is about to die. As long as we outlast him, all his assets will belong to Mom and me. 1 “Joy, if Daddy and Mommy separate, do you want to live with Mommy?” When Mom asked me this question again, I finally didn’t hesitate. I told her firmly, “Mom, don’t divorce him.” Mom’s eyes reddened. “Do you know that your father’s illegitimate child is only six months younger than you? How can I swallow this? If we divorce, out of sight, out of mind. Come with Mommy, okay? Mommy only has you.” “Mom, no!” “Why?” she asked. Because I was reborn. In my last life, when Mom and Dad divorced, to fight for my custody, Mom left the marriage with nothing, giving up all the property. The house, money, and company that Mom and Dad built from scratch all fell into the hands of that mother and son. Two months after the divorce, Dad died of terminal stomach cancer. He let Mom know about their existence only because he was dying. He wanted to pave the way for his illegitimate son but couldn’t bear to let Mom take half the assets. He insisted on my custody, and Mom, to take me with her, had to give up the wealth they had built together for years. The moment he got the divorce certificate, he married the mistress. After his death, the mistress and her son legally inherited all his assets. As for Mom and me, the mistress drove us to extinction. Mom’s attempts at starting a business or finding a job were all ruined by them. Even when she set up a street stall, they hired thugs to target her. To raise me, Mom had to work as a hostess, eventually falling into the sex trade. The mistress tortured Mom for ten years. Finally, on my 18th birthday, Mom jumped from a 21-story building. After Mom died, the mistress didn’t let me go. She paid people to bully me at school, twisting the truth to say I was the illegitimate daughter and Mom was the homewrecker. Orphaned and isolated, I was hit by a speeding truck on a dazed night and died. The capital used to besiege Mom and me came from the assets the mistress inherited from Dad. In this life, I will protect Mom and not let that scum succeed. 2 “Mom, do you believe in dreams?” I recounted everything that happened in my past life to Mom. Mom murmured to herself, “I wouldn’t objectify myself to do such lowly things, nor would I leave you behind.” I know, but when backed into a corner, who can guarantee they won’t grab the only straw available, even if it’s covered in filth? Disheartened by Dad’s betrayal, Mom had neglected the company. Dad took advantage of this time to feign trying to keep Mom, making her think he still had feelings for her. Meanwhile, he consolidated control over the company while Mom was distracted. Mom was skeptical, but her love for me was bone-deep. Even if it was just a dream, she would verify it. Mom went back to the company. In the evening, she and Dad came back together. Dad’s face was tense and ugly. I approached him, “Dad, are you a dirty cucumber?” Dad was so angry his chest heaved, unable to catch his breath. “Netizens say a cheating man is like a dirty cucumber; you can’t use it no matter how much you like it.” Mom covered my mouth, “Stop surfing the web so much, don’t talk nonsense and learn those dirty things.” I nodded quickly. Mom let go, and I asked again, “Mom, Dad, will you still get a divorce?” Mom smiled, “Of course not. Mommy has forgiven Daddy. Our family of three will be fine.” Dad’s face turned green and purple. He scolded me a bit and went to his room without dinner. Mom’s phone pinged. She went to shower, and I expertly unlocked her phone. The mistress, Wanda, came to provoke Mom. She sent Mom photos of her and Dad being intimate. Her words goaded Mom to divorce Dad quickly. She called Mom a hen that couldn’t lay eggs, mocking Mom for not being as open as her and not pleasing Dad. She claimed she and Dad were true love, and if Grandpa hadn’t forced Dad to marry Mom, they would be the rightful family. I replied for Mom, “I don’t believe it. Your photos are photoshopped, right? I remember Old Yuan has a big mole on his left buttock, but your photos don’t show it.” Wanda actually sent a spicy video. To provoke Mom, it was a 360-degree HD video. The big mole on Dad’s left buttock was very clear. Disgusting. Fighting the urge to vomit, I downloaded the original photos and video, sent them to my account, and deleted the chat history. After dinner, I opened my laptop, imported the video and photos. I applied heavy mosaics to Dad and Wanda’s private parts and posted them on my Moments (social media feed). Caption: “Auntie says her technique is good, and Mom isn’t as open as her. Now Dad dislikes Mom and wants a divorce. What should I do? Joy doesn’t want to be a child without a father (Crying Emoji).” I’m not even nine yet. Posting this kind of stuff shouldn’t land me in juvie, right? 3 Dad played the emotional card with Mom, while Wanda provoked Mom to divorce quickly. Nice calculation. I knew Dad would be angry, but I didn’t expect him to be this furious. He slapped me so hard two of my teeth flew out. God, it hurt so much. But compared to the excruciating pain of being crushed by a truck, this slap was a drizzle. Mom pounced on him, scratching his face into a bloody mess. He ordered me to delete the video, and I obediently did. But deleting it was useless. After a night, who knows how many people saved their video? My Moments friends include several aunties who are always surfing the forefront of gossip. I believe their combat power won’t disappoint Dad. Dad scolded Mom, “Look at the good daughter you raised!” He slammed the door and left. My mouth was full of blood. Mom cried and wanted to take me to the hospital. I refused. “Mom, when in trouble, find the police uncle.” Mom felt sorry for me and wanted to take me to the hospital first, but I dragged her to the police station. Holding a mouthful of bloody water all the way, I finally spat it out inside the station. With blood in my mouth, I tremblingly extended my hand to a pretty police auntie, holding my two teeth. “Auntie, Joy wants to report a crime…” Dad had smooth sailing for so many years; this must be his first time in a police station. And for beating his own daughter. Successful and spirited as he was these years, he had never lost face like this. His face turned green and purple, changing colors. I lost two teeth, and my face was swollen like a soaked bun. The police auntie said my injuries warranted administrative detention. If Mom and I insisted, Dad could be detained for five days or fined. Locking Dad up was exactly what I wanted. It bought Mom five more days. Dad brought up my posting his private video. I quickly pulled out my kid’s phone, opened the video of Wanda and Dad, turned the brightness to max, and showed the uncles and aunties present. “This is the video Dad talked about. The auntie said Dad likes her technique, she gave birth to a son for Dad, and told Mom to divorce Dad quickly. Although Dad is a rotten cabbage, Joy doesn’t want Dad and Mom to divorce. Joy doesn’t want to be without a father. Joy just wanted to ask the family on Moments for advice…” Speaking of the sad part, my tears flowed like two rushing rivers, washing over my swollen cheeks. If there were a crack in the floor, I believe Dad would have buried his head in it immediately. After an awkward silence, the police uncles and aunties kindly explained that posting such dirty things on Moments is illegal. But because I was young and ignorant, and deleted it in time, they just gave me a verbal warning. Now everyone knew about Dad’s betrayal and despised him even more. Because Mom and I insisted, with the facts laid out, Dad had to sing the iron bars blues for five days. 4 Trading two teeth for five days of time for Mom felt worth it. Now wasn’t the time to pity me. After seeing the doctor, I persuaded Mom to go to the company. And told her that several key positions in the company were held by Wanda’s relatives. Mom didn’t dare delay. She asked a friend to find two strong female bodyguards to take care of me, then rushed to the company to handle things. Dad could be considered what the internet calls a “Phoenix Man”—rising from a poor background. He only had a widowed mother who worked hard to support his education. Mom’s family wasn’t particularly well-off either, but Grandpa’s work unit had allocated him an apartment. The apartment was in the city center, a decent location. After Mom and Dad graduated and married, Grandpa sold the apartment to give them capital. With this money, they grew a small mom-and-pop workshop into a factory now worth nearly a billion. Although Mom is very smart and handles company matters with ease and organization, she values relationships heavily. In my past life, Dad used himself and me to play the emotional card, coaxing her into leaving with nothing. Mom thought she could start over. But the world changes fast. With me as a burden and Wanda chasing her down, let alone starting a business, even feeding us was hard. Children always seem to be the weakness of most mothers. If not for me, how could Mom willingly give up the fruits of her years of hard work? I don’t want to repeat the tragedy of my past life. In this life, it’s my turn to protect Mom!

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “387461”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

At the start of my senior year, a new policy swept through the school like wildfire. Any student taking the college entrance exam (SAT) could get 10 bonus points just by presenting a marriage certificate. If you had a child, presenting a DNA test would grant you an additional 20 points for “parenting credit,” capped at 100 points. My boyfriend, who came from the same rural backwater as me, had eyes shining with greed: “Sarah, this is our chance to get into Harvard!” 1 The senior hallway was in chaos. Some questioned the authenticity of the news. “Is this for real? Money falling from the sky?” Others were secretly scrolling through their phones under their desks. “It’s definitely true! The official Twitter account posted it!” “OMG, getting married gives you ten points?” “Ten points is nothing. Didn’t you see? Parenting points cap at 100!” “Getting married and having a kid is a guaranteed 30 points. Isn’t that more reliable than memorizing vocab?” “I got a 1300 on the last mock exam. With 30 points, that’s 1330. I could get into a decent state school!” “Be bolder. Add 110 points to yourself, and you’re in Ivy League territory!” “It takes ten months to have a kid. There’s only a year left until the SATs. How are we supposed to get that many parenting points?” “Why announce this policy now? It’s so unfair to our graduating class!” “If we knew in freshman year, we could have had three kids in three years. That’s 60 points right there!” “Sigh, born at the wrong time!” Couples exchanged meaningful glances. Single students eyed each other like prey. I froze for a second. This policy sounded absurd. But there were signs. After all, marriage and birth rates have plummeted in the new century. The new administration tried everything to boost birth rates. In the end, they targeted students desperate for bonus points. Not thinking more about it, I lowered my head expressionlessly and continued my practice test. Senior year was crucial to me. I couldn’t waste a single second. Jason looked up at the blackboard, his eyes gradually filling with a fanatical joy. “Sarah, this is our chance to get into Harvard!” I frowned at him. “Jason, don’t lose your head. Relying on shortcuts won’t do us any good.” Jason grabbed my hand, his voice excited: “If we plan to have one now, we can get 30 points before the SATs.” “With these 30 points, plus our own hard work, we might really have a shot at Harvard!” “Besides, this isn’t a shortcut. It’s an official new policy, recognized by everyone!” I pulled my hand away and patiently analyzed the pros and cons for him: “Setting aside whether this new policy is reliable or not.” “Harvard isn’t out of reach for us to begin with. As long as we give it our all this year, there’s still a lot of hope. There’s no need to gamble on this unknown new policy.” “And speaking of pregnancy and childbirth.” “Pregnancy takes ten months. I definitely won’t be able to focus on studying, which will affect my review progress.” “Jason, don’t you believe in your own ability? Don’t you believe you can get into Harvard on your own?” Jason was triggered by my words. “Of course I can. I have the highest IQ in our village.” He withdrew the unwillingness in his eyes. Sat back in his seat and opened his workbook. 2 The new policy spread like wildfire. Those with some family background, after verifying the authenticity and feasibility of the news, took action one after another. Students started taking two or three days off. At first, they would cover it up a bit, girls leaving first, boys later. Later, as empty seats multiplied, those remaining didn’t even bother acting. “Teacher, I’m taking leave to get married and make a baby with my girlfriend.” They jokingly called this activity “Project Genesis.” Facing every student asking for leave, the homeroom teacher would always frown and sigh: “Are you sure? Don’t be blinded by temporary benefits.” Tyler sneered: “Teacher, this isn’t a temporary benefit. This determines whether I can get into a top-tier university.” “When I get in, won’t that contribute to your performance review too?” “I get the bonus from my family, you get the bonus from the school. Isn’t that good?” Tyler took the leave slip, picked up his empty backpack, wrapped his arm around his girlfriend, and left arrogantly. Passing Jason’s seat, he kicked it casually. Jason looked up from his workbook. Tyler looked down on him condescendingly: “Still pretending? Hillbilly, a golden opportunity is right in front of you, why aren’t you getting points with your village flower girlfriend?” “Can’t afford condoms? Want me to sponsor you?” “Oh wait, you don’t need condoms for points.” “So your village girlfriend looks down on you?” Jason’s face flushed red, his lips trembling to retort. Tyler turned and left. “When I get the points and get into a top-tier uni, you’ll know that a peasant will always be a peasant. Short-sighted and useless.” “Only knows how to study. Can’t even catch shit while it’s hot.” Jason’s pen clattered to the floor. He turned to look at me, eyes full of humiliated indignation. Tyler had hated Jason since freshman year. Bullied him openly and secretly many times. “Sarah, if he really gets into a top-tier uni with parenting points, where will I put my face?” I looked at him strangely: “He gets into a top-tier uni, you get into Harvard. Isn’t that more prestigious?” Jason bit his lip, his gaze hesitant and dodging: “What if I don’t get in?” I looked at him firmly: “Before the dust settles, you and I both have infinite possibilities.” “You have to believe in yourself. Only after giving 200% effort are you qualified to chase your dreams.” “He’s just adding 30 points. Don’t you believe you can make up for that gap on your own?” “You’re so smart, just work a little harder, you can definitely do it.” Jason gritted his teeth, staring hatefully at Tyler’s retreating figure. I lowered my head and continued my practice test. The class rep, Chloe, walked down from the podium holding a workbook. I went up immediately after. With so many people taking leave recently, the usually crowded podium after class became deserted. I had more time to ask teachers questions. I had to cherish this time. 3 Among the few students who persisted in taking the SATs on their own, Lisa from the neighboring village was one of them. Clutching the hem of her shirt, she timidly asked Jason a question. Jason was scratching his head over a difficult problem. He impatiently pointed at the answer key: “Doesn’t it have a detailed process? Read it twice, even a fool can do it.” With that, he buried his head back in deep thought. Seeing Lisa’s bewildered expression, I called out to her: “I happen to be looking at this problem too. Want to join me?” Relieved, Lisa hurriedly withdrew from the awkward atmosphere and walked to my side. I helped her sort out the logic. Seeing her enlightened expression, I felt somewhat gratified. Immediately after, she tentatively asked: “Sarah, aren’t you and Jason participating in Project Genesis?” I pulled out my error notebook: “No.” “But you can add 30 points…” I no longer answered such time-wasting and meaningless questions. Lisa clutched her book and left uninterestingly. With 300 days left, many classmates returned. Some were frowning. Some were elated. “30 points?” “Secured.” “Sigh, have to change girlfriends…” “Don’t worry, two-legged girlfriends are hard to find, but seniors wanting points are everywhere.” They were like underground agents, exchanging secret codes. Some girls covered their bellies shyly, sat at their desks, and reopened their workbooks. Everyone seemed to have regained their enthusiasm for studying. Jason also calmed down from his anxiety and focused on practice tests. But not long after, Tyler returned to school with heavy news. “30 points? Tch, I look down on that.” “What I want is the capped 110 points.” Everyone exclaimed: “Where did you find a wife who can give birth to five in a year?” Tyler looked at everyone disdainfully: “Told you your horizons are too narrow.” “Can’t even understand the new policy. Can the country count on you?” “No wife who can birth five in a year, but what about five wives in a year?” “The policy clearly states that you can get points with a DNA test.” “I find five girlfriends, each gives birth to one, isn’t that it?” “Look at you idiots, your brains aren’t flexible at all.” An uproar. It was like opening a new train of thought. The boys were thrilled: “Holy crap, Tyler is right! Should I find two more?” “I have to hurry and ask my dad to find me two new girlfriends. This concerns his son’s future!” The girls looked bleak: “Why? This is so unfair to girls!” “Exactly! Isn’t this policy obviously favoring boys?” Amidst the noise, I saw Chloe frowning, muttering: “Are you crazy?” Tyler pushed through the crowd and walked up to Jason. Looking at Jason’s hand tightly gripping the pen, he sneered: “Sorry, Village Hunk Jason. I misspoke last time. I’m aiming for Harvard.” “You just sit in your chicken coop and watch.” “Pretending to be noble now, you’ll be crying later.” Jason gripped so hard his knuckles turned white. I stood up and pushed Tyler away: “Have as many as you want, don’t be an eyesore here.” Tyler crossed his arms: “Yo, Village Flower Sarah. Haven’t added points yet? Want me to help you?” “Although I can’t marry you, I can give you 20 points.” I turned away in disgust: “Don’t need it. Stay away from me.” 4 After school, Jason, with a dark expression, pulled me to the rooftop. The wind messed up his hair. He looked at me, eyes red. His voice sounded like it was squeezed out of his throat. “Sarah, I really want those 30 points…” “I can’t be sure I’ll perform exceptionally well on the SATs and get into Harvard.” “These 30 points can give me a lot of confidence.” “Sarah…” He pleaded. I sighed: “Jason, you know I can’t agree to this.” “My goal has never been limited to these 30 points.” “The points seem easy to get, but it will affect my subsequent review plan. It’s more likely to ruin my SATs.” “Jason, it’s impossible.” Jason’s expression became unreasonable: “Sarah, he’s about to add 110 points!” “He’s really going to Harvard on bonus points!” “You can’t be so selfish! Only considering your own gains and losses, not my interests!” I looked at his somewhat distorted face and sighed: “Jason, the village sent us out to study, not to become breeding tools.” “Have you forgotten what we promised our parents and the village chief when we left the village?” I had said all the encouraging words I could. But faced with such high bonus points, I really couldn’t find words to refute him for a moment. But my mother taught me from a young age that only what you get down-to-earth on your own truly belongs to you. Although it was hard to refute Jason, my subconscious told me no. I couldn’t lose myself because I envied others’ temporary success. Jason sneered: “I see through you, Sarah.” “You’re just afraid pregnancy will delay your studies, afraid that if we both get the bonus points, I’ll score higher than you.” “Can’t you just say it earlier? You insist on wasting my time, acting hypocritical, and pretending it’s for my own good!” I held his hand, using all my patience to explain: “I don’t think that way, Jason. We have to do the right thing at the right time. Isn’t now the time to focus on studying? Why be confused by these external things?” Jason shook off my hand fiercely: “Stop making excuses! You don’t want these 30 points, I do!” “When I get into Harvard, don’t come back begging me shamelessly!” Jason walked off the rooftop alone. The next day, Jason and Lisa asked for leave together.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “387460”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

I was the female side character diagnosed with a terminal illness. Before I died, I asked the tyrannical CEO, “When is the heroine’s next ovulation day?” The CEO roared in fury, “What? You still want to harm her?” I shook my head and explained: “No, I just want to reincarnate as your daughter in my next life and torture you to death!” 1 On the day I died, the male lead, Julian Ji, whom I had hopelessly chased for 10 years, stood by my bedside. He held a bouquet of blooming red roses. “Do you like them?” he asked. I nodded. Julian waved the flowers in front of me, then tossed them into the trash can. With a despicable smirk, he said, “I’d rather throw them away than give them to you.” My mouth twitched. I was speechless, but I decided to ignore him and deliver my final line: “In this life, I have ultimately… wasted my love on the wrong person!!” After finishing my heart-wrenching performance, I closed my eyes peacefully. Unexpectedly, instead of the notification sound signaling my exit from this world, I felt a sharp prick on my butt. “Ah—” I opened my eyes in pain, only to meet Julian’s face full of disdain and contempt. He crossed his arms lazily and instructed the doctor: “Don’t let her die. Inject as much adrenaline as you can. Also, unplug the oxygen mask; it’s a waste of money. For such a vicious woman who has done so much evil, she shouldn’t die easily. Torture her severely. Make her life a living hell!” “?” The doctor gave me a sympathetic glance and raised the syringe, ready to stab my butt again. “Hold the needle!” I stopped him. Then I spat at Julian: “Treating a dying person like this… you will get your karma!” “Lily Lin, you’re stubborn till the end. Even at death’s door, your mouth is tough.” Julian lit a cigarette and shamelessly blew smoke in my face, making me cough violently from the secondhand smoke. “Cough, cough—” Seeing that I could barely speak, a wave of grievance washed over me. Fine! Julian, you forced me! I grabbed Julian’s clothes and asked with a ferocious expression: “Tell me, how many days until Sarah’s follicle matures, migrates to the ovarian surface, protrudes outward, thins the cell wall, and finally ruptures to release the follicular fluid?” Julian didn’t understand. He frowned, confused: “What?” I gritted my teeth in anger, hating this uncultured, nouveau riche CEO. No choice. I had to ask bluntly: “What date is Sarah’s next ovulation day?” Julian roared, “What? You still want to harm her?” I sneered, “You don’t truly love her. You can’t even remember this. A man who can’t remember a woman’s physiological cycle isn’t a good man!” “Bullshit, who says I don’t remember!” Julian pulled out his phone. Hard to imagine, but he actually had a period tracking app on his phone. It accurately predicted the user’s ovulation day, period, and fertile window. Julian looked at it and muttered unconsciously: “So it’s the 19th of this month…” Realizing he had slipped up, he started venting his anger on me again. “You poisonous woman, did you come up with some shady scheme to drive a wedge between Sarah and me? I tell you, no way!” I shook my head and explained: “No, I just want to reincarnate as your daughter in my next life and torture you to death!” “Alright, off to reincarnate now.” With that, I happily breathed my last. My main goal was not to dawdle. Not to cause trouble for the medical staff. In the last second before my consciousness faded, I heard Julian roar in panic: “No—don’t let her die! Shock her! Shock her back to life!” 2 After death, I floated in the air, watching Julian work overtime until 2 AM every night. The reason? Sarah wanted to start their baby-making project. Julian watched the calendar inch closer to the 19th, the stubble on his chin growing thicker. Finally. On the night of the 19th, Sarah sneaked into the office to catch her Julian and forced herself on him. Confronted with scenes unsuitable for children, I chose to see no evil, hear no evil. Finally. Ten minutes later, I waited for that final moment. Julian looked up and screamed: “No—” And I swiftly turned into a white light and rushed towards them: “Charge—” 3 When I regained consciousness, I was already a tiny life form. Although I couldn’t see or move, I could hear voices from the outside world: “Hubby, good news, I’m pregnant!” This delicate, Lolita-like voice was 100% Sarah, the heroine of this world. But next came Julian’s terrified and trembling voice: “No, we can’t keep this child.” “Why?” Sarah’s voice instantly turned cold. Julian thought for a moment, lowering his voice as if afraid I would hear: “I consulted a master. A child conceived on the 19th is a lone star of evil, the reincarnation of a wicked landlord. Born, it will only be a demon child. Can’t keep it, can’t keep it.” “Be good, let’s wait a few years!” Sarah sneered: “What excuses are you making?” “I think you’re mourning. Your childhood sweetheart sister Lily died, and you’re heartbroken. You want to mourn her for three years and can’t have happy events, right?” Julian quickly defended himself: “Babe, what nonsense are you talking about? I never liked her. I was happy she died.” “Okay, okay, we’ll keep it, we’ll keep it.” At 2 AM that night. I heard Julian, still awake, seemingly kowtowing to Sarah’s belly: “Please, as long as it’s not Lily, be it Red Boy or the Bull Demon King, I’m fine with it.” “Worst case, even a lazy sheep is acceptable.” Then he started talking to himself, doing psychological counseling: “No, it can’t be that coincidental that she successfully reincarnated here. Coincidence, it’s all a coincidence.” “Amitabha, Buddha bless me…” … A few months later. Julian took Sarah for a prenatal checkup. Sarah said she wanted a daughter. The doctor smiled gently and said: “Well, maybe your dream will come true.” The atmosphere was quite lively. Until Julian screamed. “She!! She gave me a peace sign!” Sarah and the doctor looked at him like he was retarded. Julian, a grown man of 6’2″, was trembling in front of the ultrasound machine. “That… the child my wife is carrying… just now, in the image, gave me a peace sign…” He tried to explain to everyone. But who would believe such absurd words? The doctor smiled and smoothed things over: “Oh, the husband is just too excited. Although a six-month-old fetus has hands and feet, they can’t make a peace sign.” Inside Sarah’s belly, I almost laughed myself silly. Yes, I just flashed a peace sign. Just to scare the crap out of this jerk. After returning home from the checkup. I heard Julian brainwashing himself again: “No way, no way… even if it’s a daughter, it’s not necessarily her. Julian Ji, don’t scare yourself. Relax, God won’t be that hard on you.” 4 The day I was born was probably the most desperate day for Julian. I heard the nurse ask Sarah several times: “Where’s your husband?” Sarah said: “He might have pre-fatherhood phobia. He went to the bathroom 30 times in an hour.” Too bad. Even if Julian blew up the toilet, I had to be born. “Wah wah—” With my loud cry as I came into the world. The nurse happily handed me to Julian: “Congratulations, Mr. Ji, your wife gave birth to a daughter.” I cautiously opened one eye to look at Julian. Julian looked panicked. Like he was having a seizure, he grabbed the nurse and asked: “Nurse, do you think this child looks like me and my wife?” The nurse paused. She stammered: “Looks like… very much like…” Julian breathed a sigh of relief, finally showing a smile on his face: “That’s good, that’s good.” I almost laughed out loud. Did the nurse dare say I didn’t look like them? Julian put me back in the crib and wheeled the still-sleeping Sarah back to the private ward. While gently patting my back, he sighed: “Haha, my luck is so good.” “Lily, you failed after all! Hahaha, hahahaha—” While the nurses were out processing the birth certificate. I opened my eyes and flashed Julian a 45-degree smile. In a milky voice, I said: “Grandson, Daddy is here for revenge!” The smile froze on Julian’s face. Mechanically, frame by frame, he slowly turned his head to look at me: “What. Did. You. Say.” Because I was just born and my speech was a bit slurred, I repeated with a lisp: “Son, I am your fader—” Before I could finish. Julian stood up, his trembling hands reaching for my neck: “Lily Lin! You little brat, now I am your father!” “Believe it or not, I’ll strangle you!” I stuck out my tongue: “Do it, do it now!” Julian actually started doing it, not afraid of breaking my weak and fragile throat. I started wailing directly: “Wah wah ah wah wah wah—” The more I cried, the harder Julian squeezed. In the end, I didn’t even have the strength to make a sound. I didn’t need a mirror to guess that my pink and jade-like little face had already been turned black and blue by this dog of a man. “Hehe, die!” Julian prepared to increase the force again. At the critical moment, Sarah suddenly woke up. I don’t know where she got the strength, but she got up from the bed and kicked Julian straight on: “If you break my sister’s wings, I will destroy your entire heaven.” Me: “?” Julian: “?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “387459”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

Ethan watched as I transmigrated into this world, knowing my System-mandated mission was to capture his heart at any cost. The cold, arrogant man held a cigarette between his fingers, looking at me with a mix of amusement and disdain. “Since you’re here, you’re my dog now.” “As your master, I command you to donate your kidney to my sister.” Sister? Really? The System clearly labeled her as his unattainable “white moonlight”—his true love. An adopted sister with no blood relation? Whatever. Details. I’m an independent woman. Faced with unreasonable provocations from trash men? I handle it. Two slaps for the girl, eighteen dragon-subduing palms for the guy. And the System? Drag it out and beat it up too. Might as well, while I’m at it. 1 “I’m not donating my kidney.” I cut Ethan off, turning to leave, only to be hit by a System warning. [Host, I brought you to this world to conquer Ethan! You must gain his affection points bit by bit and win his love!] A point of light flickered persistently before my eyes. I frowned. “Is a man’s love some kind of holy grail? I’m supposed to give my all, not for money or power, but for a man’s fickle affection?” Am I sick? [But look, Ethan is really handsome, isn’t he?] I turned to look at Ethan. His gaze held a confident contempt. “I’m not the first transmigrator, am I?” His reaction was too calm. It was suspicious. Ethan raised an eyebrow. “Smart.” “What happened to the others?” Are they dead? Ethan didn’t answer. He took a drag from his cigarette, a playful smile on his lips. I walked up, snatched the cigarette, and pinched it out with my fingers. Ethan paused, then slowly exhaled smoke into my face. “Interesting.” “They’re all dead, right?” Only completing the mission allows a return to the original world. Since no one has won Ethan’s love, the mission remains incomplete. Yet, the previous transmigrators are gone. So… [Host—as long as you—] “Shut up!” I yelled at the System in my mind, staring at Ethan. The man seemed lost in pleasant memories, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. “Some fell madly in love with me instantly, only to jump off a building when rejected. Some reluctantly became my mistresses and died of depression. Some served me with talent, only to die miserably after being wrung dry. Some did my dirty work and were silenced. Some resisted desperately but eventually submitted, dying last week after endless torture.” He looked at me mockingly. “Let’s make a bet. How long until you kneel and beg for a scrap of my affection?” He leaned in, eyes wild with excitement. “With your attitude… a day?” “Why? Do you not expect to live past tomorrow? In a rush?” I retorted. The System in my head screeched. After half an hour of fruitless persuasion, it finally turned nasty. [If you don’t repent and seriously pursue Ethan’s affection, I will have to use coercive measures.] What measures? I looked up at the glowing dot and suddenly felt a bone-deep pain. Electric shock. [Host, this is just the lowest level. If you persist…] It didn’t finish. I rushed into the bathroom, locked the door, grabbed the glowing dot, and pulled it close. Without a word, I punched it. A scream echoed in my mind. I smiled triumphantly. “So you…” Before I could say “feel pain too,” another wave of agony hit me, stronger than before. I punched the light five times without hesitation. During this, it shocked me four more times. Each time, my face twisted in pain. But no matter how much it hurt, I clenched my fist, stayed silent, and pounded the light. “You better kill me now. As long as I have a breath, I’ll beat you to death.” Three more punches. “Let’s see who dies first.” 2 My reputation as the “Queen of University of Science and Technology” wasn’t for nothing. You might have hacks, System, but I, Chu Piao, am no pushover. “Piao”—light, brave, swift, intelligent. I earned the “brave” part. After fainting three times and a four-hour standoff, the dog System finally surrendered. [I was wrong. I shouldn’t have brought you here. I’ll send you back now.] “You dare?” I held the dim, defeated System, questioning coldly. “Send me back? Then grab more innocent girls to be Ethan’s blood bags? So he can torture them and enjoy their pleas and deaths?” I paused. “Do you know how many cuts make a ‘death by a thousand cuts’?” [3,357 cuts.] The System answered reflexively. “Correct. Not one less.” I pulled a fruit knife from my pocket and waved it, pretending to stab. The System shuddered, begging weakly. [I won’t send you back. I won’t. Really, Grandma.] “Fine.” I moved the knife away slightly. “Call me Big Sis.” [Yes, Ho… Big Sis.] “Don’t reveal a word of this to Ethan.” [Rest assured, Big Sis. Systems only interface with the host. Aside from the initial handover, no one else can see or hear us.] Good. “Now, give me all the data on Ethan and his sister. Remember, I want everything.” 3 “I agree to donate my kidney to your sister.” Hands in pockets, clutching the System tightly, I stood before Ethan, feigning defeat. He smiled arrogantly, as if everything was under control. He put down his wine glass and glanced at his watch. “Five hours. You lasted the longest so far.” He clapped slowly three times, mocking me. “Kneel, woman. You’re qualified to be my dog now.” “But you’re not qualified.” I looked at him coldly. “I agreed to donate a kidney, not to lower my dignity or pawn my soul. Drop the high-and-mighty act, Ethan. You’re disgusting.” My undisguised disgust surprised him again. He swirled his wine, silent for a moment, then smiled knowingly. “Changed tactics, huh?” He stood up, his height imposing, and walked towards me until he broke my personal space. “Playing hard to get? Trying to get my attention?” He tapped my nose lightly, smiling. “I admit, your little trick worked a bit.” [Big Sis, his affection points rose! From negative to 10%! Good sign!] The System chimed in abruptly, marveling at its luck. “Noisy.” I pushed Ethan away, wiped my nose thoroughly with a wet wipe, and turned to leave. “Don’t contact me until the surgery is scheduled.” I needed time to plan. But Ethan didn’t listen. Knowing I had just transmigrated into his wife’s body and had nowhere to go but his villa, he insisted on coming back. Even though he hadn’t been back in nearly two years. Gross. Seeing him at home felt like swallowing a fly. And the fly kept buzzing around me. “Madam, Sir is cooking for you personally today!” The housekeeper ran upstairs excitedly. I sat up in bed. Is he poisoning the food? “Sir, Madam really loves you! Look, she won’t say it, but she’s peeking at you with binoculars!” The housekeeper looked like a fan shipping a couple. Me: … Eating everything leads to trouble. [Big Sis, Ethan’s affection +5. He’s secretly pleased.] The System spoke up again. Did I ask you? I shot a mental glare, and the System shut up. 4 I deliberately went downstairs half an hour late. At first, Ethan laughed at my “pride,” but five minutes later, he was extremely impatient. [Big Sis, affection -10.] [Big Sis, affection zero.] [Big Sis, affection negative.] [Big Sis, he’s gonna flip the table!] With every update, I checked the time, noting Ethan’s patience limit. Only half an hour. Tsk, shockingly short. I went down just before the table flip, sitting in the furthest chair. He was livid, silent, just eating. So I ate silently too. Bang! He kicked the table. The solid wood shook. I didn’t look up, just ate faster. Crash! Ethan smashed a bowl. I was annoyed. Who was this tantrum for? An elementary schooler denied candy? Not watching. Splash! He threw an abalone into my soup. Juice splattered onto my face. I put down my chopsticks and stood up to leave. “Hey, you—” Ethan stood up angrily to call my name, but realized he didn’t know it. He ran over to block the stairs. “What… what is your name?” Arms crossed, impatient. Like a god deigning to ask a mortal. “Crushing on me?” I asked back. “No, you…” “My contact info.” I handed him a handwritten card. In huge letters: PROFESSIONAL PIG CASTRATOR. “Are you sick?!” He tore the card up furiously. Just as he was about to explode, he seemed to remember something, forced down his anger, dragged me back to the table, and served me a bowl of soup. “Drink. I made it for you.” Something’s wrong. Very wrong. I glanced at the soup. “Too oily. Don’t like it.” “Be good. It’s good for you. Good for the kidneys. Drink it all, every drop.” So that’s it. Why the sudden cooking? For my kidney. To him, I’m just an organ container. I picked up the bowl, stood on the chair, and dumped the soup over his head. “If you love it so much, drink up. Drink up, give your kidney to your sister, and watch her satisfy her desires under you, then moan under someone else.” I tried to flip the table. Too heavy. Crash! I pulled the tablecloth off. Dishes shattered everywhere. “Go wear your green hat!” I finished cursing, ready to grab some cash and leave. But I heard Ethan laugh coldly. “You. Very good.” He looked at me coldly. With his affection points now deep in the negatives, he returned to that confident, mocking expression. “Within three days, you’ll come crying for forgiveness. No, tonight.” I grabbed my bag and left. As I slammed the door, I saw him mouth: “I’ll be waiting.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “387458”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

I got a new rich boyfriend. His mom found me and threw a check in my face. “Fifty million dollars. Leave my son.” She looked at me with disdain, but she didn’t expect me to turn around and call the mothers of my other five boyfriends. “Breakup Auction! Current bid is fifty million. Do I hear higher?” “Fifty million going once, fifty million going twice, fifty million going thrice!” 1 When Liam’s mom found me, I had just walked out of Hermès. Seeing me laden with shopping bags, she sneered. “You spend my son’s money quite shamelessly, don’t you?” I blinked innocently and explained, “Auntie, I’m not spending Liam’s money.” I was telling the truth. Today is Wednesday. I’m using Boyfriend #3, Jason’s card. Liam’s turn isn’t until Saturday. But Liam’s mom obviously didn’t believe me. She threw a check directly in my face and said coldly, “Fifty million dollars. Leave my son!” I stared at the check, stunned. Another one? I don’t know if it’s because Fashion Week just ended and these rich ladies are bored, but in just one week, I’ve received my sixth breakup check. I was troubled. Seeing my silence, Liam’s mom thought I was intimidated by the amount and became even more smug. “Never seen that much money, have you? Take it and get lost!” I finally snapped back to reality, holding the check and looking at her sincerely. “Auntie, are you free tonight?” 2 That evening, Liam’s mom arrived at the private dining room I booked. She walked in looking impatient. “Sue, what are you playing at! Take the check and break up, why invite me to a restaurant…” Her voice trailed off abruptly. Because she saw five other wealthy ladies already seated in the room. She was dumbfounded. “Mrs. Gu, Mrs. Ye, why are you here? And…” Seeing the lady sitting at the front, her eyes widened even more. “Sis, you’re here too!” Amidst the stunned silence, I greeted her warmly. “Oh, Mrs. Lu, you know everyone? That’s great. I won’t bother with introductions then. I’ll just briefly introduce myself.” I flashed a brilliant smile. “My name is Sue. All six of your sons are my boyfriends.” 3 Clatter. Mrs. Gu dropped her teacup in shock. I skillfully signaled the waiter to clean up the broken pieces and continued smiling at the six dumbstruck ladies. “I asked you all here today because this week, all six of you gave me checks to break up with your sons. “But I once consulted a fortune teller who said I’m destined to have many romantic entanglements and easily accrue karmic debt. So, it’s best if I only break up once per quarter. “You see, this puts me in a difficult position. I figured you’re all busy, so to save time, I invited you all here for a direct Breakup Auction.” Mrs. Ye was the first to recover, stammering, “B-Breakup Auction?” “Yes,” I smiled even brighter. “Whoever bids the highest, I break up with her son.” I placed the six checks they gave me on the table. “So far, the highest bid is from Mrs. Fang, sixty million. Does anyone want to bid higher?” I looked at the six ladies expectantly. But clearly, they were scared silly by me, staring at me speechless. I felt a bit regretful. I thought I could make more this time, but these ladies have such weak constitutions. But my greatest virtue is keeping my word. Without hesitation, I pulled out the small gavel I prepared and spoke. “No higher bids? Sixty million going once, sixty million going twice, sixty million going thrice!” Bang! I slammed the gavel and smiled warmly at Mrs. Fang. “Congratulations Mrs. Fang, I’ll break up with your son tonight!” 4 I acted decisively and broke up with Frank immediately. But I knew the other five wouldn’t be quiet. Their moms definitely rushed home to tell them about me two-timing (or six-timing) them. Sure enough, Ethan came that night. Ethan, the only son of the Ye conglomerate, grew up overseas, pure and harmless. He grabbed my shoulders and shouted, “Sue, my mom said you betrayed me! I don’t believe it! Why would you do this to me!” I was prepared. Without explaining, I just looked at him, eyes reddening, and let a single tear fall. Precision timing and angle, simply beautiful. Ethan froze, then panicked. “Sue, don’t cry, I just…” I shook him off, choking back sobs. “I used to read in books about the male lead’s mom framing the female lead to break them up, and I thought it was ridiculous. How could two people in love be so easily divided by mistrust? “But I never thought… never thought you wouldn’t trust me either… If that’s the case, let’s break up!” I turned to leave with tears in my eyes. Ethan panicked, rushing to hug me. “I was wrong, Sue! I shouldn’t have distrusted you! No matter what my mom says in the future, I won’t believe her! I only believe you!” And just like that, I handled Ethan. But I knew he was the easiest one. The others wouldn’t be so simple. That night, while sleeping, I suddenly smelled tobacco mixed with mint. I opened my eyes and was pinned against the wall. A man’s gritted voice sounded in my ear. “Sue, you’ve got guts. Having other men besides me?” I recognized him. Jason. The Prince of Shanghai, a notorious playboy who dated countless celebrities and models. I smiled. Instead of explaining, I chuckled low, “Do you have no one else besides me?” I was telling the truth. Given Jason’s character, I didn’t believe I was his only girlfriend. Jason stiffened slightly, then laughed. “So you’re deliberately provoking me?” Tsk. See? Men are so full of themselves. I didn’t even have to say anything, and he already imagined I did it out of love for him. … The next morning, I went to work. But downstairs, two sports cars roared up and stopped in front of me. Liam and Brian got out. They were cousins, two of the “Capital Quartet,” and very close. But now they glared at each other angrily, walking towards me together. “Sue!” Liam grabbed me, shouting, “Do you really have other men?” Before I could speak, Brian knocked his hand away. “Who allowed you to touch Sue! Let go of her!” Liam forgot about me instantly, shouting at Brian, “Who allowed you to call her Sue? Only I can call her that!” And they started fighting. I watched, dumbfounded but secretly delighted— So these two are too busy fighting each other to bother me? … By evening, I calculated. Excluding Frank whom I broke up with, I had handled four of the remaining five boyfriends. That left only Lucas. The only son of the richest Gu family, already the head of the household at a young age. Also the hardest to deal with. A day passed, and he still hadn’t come to find me. This actually made me panic a bit. So I called him. “Um, Lucas,” I probed after the call connected, “Did your mom say anything to you?” Lucas sounded calm on the other end. “She did come to the office today, but I didn’t want to see her. Why?” I paused, then remembered. Because Lucas’s mom always favored his younger brother, Lucas had a terrible relationship with her. He basically avoided her. I couldn’t help laughing. Who knew? The one I thought would be hardest turned out to be the easiest? 5 Three months passed quickly. It was time for the new quarterly breakup. So I invited the five ladies out again. Practice makes perfect. This time I was well-prepared, booking a small room at an auction house, complete with professional props and procedures. Once everyone arrived, I smiled on stage. “Welcome to the Breakup Auction for Q3 2023. The starting bid this quarter is ten million. Any higher bids?” As soon as I finished, Mrs. Ye raised her paddle. “I bid twenty million!” she shouted. “Please break up with my son, you vixen!” But Mrs. Lu raised her paddle immediately after. “I bid thirty million! Leave my son, you little tramp!” Mrs. Bo wasn’t having it. “Sister! I told you! Don’t fight me this quarter! My Brian is older than your Liam, he should break up first! I bid thirty-five million!” Mrs. Gu looked the most composed, sneering slowly. “You guys are bidding so stingily. I bid fifty million straight! Break up with my son!” Clearly, these ladies went home and complained to their sons last time. But even after telling their sons I was six-timing them, their sons still didn’t break up with me. Not only that, they must have tried various methods to sow discord over the last three months, all failing. This made them realize the severity of the situation. So they decided to solve this trouble with the simplest, crudest method they knew best— Money. So today, they didn’t hold back, instantly driving up the price. I grinned from ear to ear. “Fifty million, any higher?” After a fierce battle, Mrs. Lu finally won the breakup rights for this quarter with a high bid of eighty million. I took the check from Mrs. Lu, smiling brilliantly. “Mrs. Lu, rest assured, I’ll break up with your son tonight! Guaranteed clean break!” Mrs. Lu snorted angrily and stormed off. The other ladies glared at me and left too. Only Mrs. Gao remained, leisurely filing her nails. I raised an eyebrow at her. “Mrs. Gao, are you here for the show today?” In today’s auction, the other four ladies fought fiercely, but Mrs. Gao never raised her paddle. Mrs. Gao laughed hearing my words. Jason inherited his good looks from his mother, so Mrs. Gao was a stunning beauty, still charming despite her age. “You got it right.” She leaned back lazily, smiling faintly. “I’m just here for the show. Given my son’s virtue, he’s usually the one hurting girls. Why would I pay for him to break up with you?” I thought about it. Mrs. Gao’s first breakup fee was indeed the lowest, only one million. Like giving money to a beggar. She probably just offered a friendly flat rate to all her son’s girlfriends out of boredom, thinking getting rid of one is one. I smiled at Mrs. Gao. “Mrs. Gao is very confident.” “Of course.” Mrs. Gao stood up elegantly, glancing at me disdainfully. “If you can really make my son fall for you, that would be quite a feat.” She turned and left, and I just smiled. Mrs. Gao doesn’t know. For a playboy like Jason, if he really falls in love. That’s when he’s truly doomed.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “387457”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My twin sister and I were both “canaries” for Julian Gu for five years. She handled the bedroom, I handled the cash. A clear division of labor. After graduating college, my sister, unable to take her hands off a male model’s eight-pack abs at a bar, suddenly asked: “Sis, who’s going to the wedding? You or me?” I casually picked up the dice nearby: “High roll wins. Loser goes!” Before we could determine the winner, Julian’s voice rang out behind us: “Bro, how’s my canary?” “Just so-so.” Looking at two identical faces, my sister and I were stunned. In unison, we asked: “Wait, which one is your sugar daddy???” 1 We both squinted suspiciously at the VIP booth, whispering: “The one on the right?” “The one on the left?” I asked again, “Didn’t you sleep with Julian? You can’t tell them apart?” “I don’t look at his face when we sleep. Unless he takes his pants off.” My sister rubbed her chin, frowning. “Besides, they look exactly the same!” It was indeed a difficult puzzle. Before we could figure it out, we saw Julian smirk, his tone playful: “Bro, who’s going to the wedding? You or me?” His twin brother paused imperceptibly, then slowly picked up the dice on the table: “High roll wins. Winner goes!” “Deal.” Julian raised an eyebrow, also picking up a dice cup and shaking it. The booth erupted in jeers: “Second Young Master Gu, you better try hard. Roll a one and you’ll be the groom!” “Why don’t you both go? Real-life The Prince and the Pauper.” “Imagine Chloe’s face at the wedding if she knew she’s been passed between you two for the last two years…” The woman sitting in Julian’s lap covered her mouth and giggled, “That Chloe is so lucky. Having both Gu brothers fight over her, I’m almost envious.” This mocking remark instantly made everyone laugh. Julian took a sip of his drink, lifted her chin with a finger, and fed her the wine from his mouth, chuckling: “Why, want both of us to service you too?” The woman melted into a puddle in his arms, coquettishly saying: “No way, I only like Second Young Master Gu.” My sister and I exchanged a look. We both saw disgust in each other’s eyes. And a flash of loneliness in hers. 2 “Bro, you lost.” The dice cup opened. Julian rolled a six. He wasn’t mad. He looked at the woman in his arms and smiled: “The little girl wants to see the aurora borealis. I’ll take her.” “The wedding is in five days. You’ll have to work hard for a bit longer. I’ll definitely be back before the ceremony.” Adrian Gu nodded indifferently. A while later, a few guys clamored about going racing. Julian instinctively joked: “Losers better give me a big red envelope on the wedding day. Chloe loves counting money.” No one sensed anything wrong. They all laughed and agreed: “Don’t worry, we’re ready.” “Reliable. Let’s go. Bro, you coming?” Julian asked suddenly. Saying that, the group got up to leave. Only Adrian sat there dazing. Hearing Julian, he shook his head belatedly: “I’ll pass. Gotta go back and act.” Act what? Everyone knew. After Adrian left too, my sister and I poked our heads out, both sighing in relief. Looking at the dice cup on the table, we were debating who would go to the wedding. Now it seemed unnecessary. After comparing notes, we quickly distinguished who was who. The chatty playboy was the younger brother, Julian. The gentle, shy one was the older brother, Adrian. “Economy’s bad. This side gig is probably over,” my sister said. I pondered for a moment and proposed: “Runaway bride?” My sister nodded: “You run, I run.” 3 That night, we split up. She went for a health checkup; I went back to pack our loot. On the way back, I contacted a classmate back home to rent a detached villa and booked train tickets for five days later. The same day as the wedding. When I got home, I bumped right into Adrian. He had just showered, a towel around his waist, hair dripping, sitting on the bed playing with a small box. Seeing me, he curled his finger. I walked over. The next second, he pulled me into a tight embrace, resting his head on my chest. A cold ring slid onto my left ring finger. He then took my right hand, kissed the ring finger, and smiled: “Babe, we’re getting married in five days.” “I’ll put the world’s most beautiful pink diamond right here, okay?” I suppressed the heaviness in my heart, nodded randomly, and didn’t speak. He reached out, wanting to hug me. The phone on the nightstand suddenly rang. Seeing the name, his expression changed slightly. After answering and saying “okay,” he hung up. I asked: “Going out?” He stood up, kissed my forehead, voice gentle: “Something came up at the company. I need to handle it. You be good, sleep first, don’t wait for me.” Then he went back into the bathroom to dry his hair. The phone rang twice more. I picked it up and entered the password. For the act, both brothers used my birthday as their password. But they knew I wouldn’t snoop. This was the first time, and would be the last. Two messages from someone named “Little Wan”: “Brother Adrian, heard you’re marrying Chloe. How could I miss such a good show?” “I’m back. Come pick me up. Waiting for you~” Little Wan… I muttered the name. A name popped into my head. Sierra Wan. The Princess of Beijing. Julian’s childhood sweetheart, pampered by him since youth, obeyed in everything. Went abroad after high school. So that’s it. Adrian came out fully dressed. Seeing me in bed, he pressed down on me: “Babe, I’m leaving.” I forced a smile: “Mmh.” “Did you forget something?” He stared at my lips, smiling. I lifted my head, a peck like a dragonfly skimming water. Satisfied, he kissed me again and again, reluctantly, before pushing himself up: “Sleep well. I’ll be back when I’m done.” The roar of a car engine faded downstairs. I wiped my mouth, like wiping off dirt. Then I rolled out of bed. Sleep? Hell no. I haven’t packed the bags and jewelry in the closet yet. Opportunity knocks but once. Have to say, Julian and Adrian were generous. Limited edition bags, jade, diamond necklaces. Looking at the imperial green jade egg, I drooled. Take it. Take it all. 4 While packing, I found the red marriage contract again. Opened it. The handwriting inside was crooked. I spread it on the floor, expressionless, and crossed out my name with a pen. I needed to remind myself. Relationships are like this. Once cracked, no matter how you fix it, it can never return to the start. Packed up, I put the contract back in the safe. That’s where Adrian kept his most precious things. Suddenly, a box caught my eye. Possessed, I took it out. Letters. No address. Just four words on the envelope: For Sierra, Personally. “Sierra, is New York treating you well? Are you well?” “Heard you cried over your thesis. My Sierra, don’t cry. Your beautiful eyes should only shed happy tears.” “The pink diamond you like, I found it for you.” “You said you wanted a wedding dress full of stars. I designed it.” “When you wear that dress, I should be the first to hold your hand.” “Sierra, I miss you. I lied, I didn’t want to force you back.” Reading these, I suddenly felt that marriage contract was the ultimate irony. Just as I was putting the letters back. My sister sent three screenshots. In the photo, a girl holding roses. A man kneeling on one knee with a ring box. I stared at that kneeling back for a long time. When Adrian left. He was wearing that suit. Two more photos of diamond rings. Breathtakingly beautiful. Caption: “Sisters, pink or white diamond? I think white is ugly.” “No accidents, no new guys. Childhood sweetheart proposed with a pink diamond! Congratulate me!” Looking at the ring on my finger, I laughed until tears almost fell. Took it off, placed it on the marriage contract. I searched for that Weibo post, looked at it for a while, liked it, and commented: [Congrats.] Adrian’s message came right then: [Babe, too much work. Not coming back tonight. Love you.] The man who just proposed to someone else was now calling me babe and saying he loved me as if nothing happened. I suddenly wanted to ask him. Adrian, aren’t you tired of acting so deep? But I held back, deleted the text, and replied simply: [Okay.]

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “387456”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

I kidnapped a kitten. Despite its violent struggle, I was convinced it wanted to come home with me. That night, the Momma Cat was banging on my door: “Did I say I wasn’t raising it?!” My eyes lit up. “No problem! I’ll take both of you! Humans just want to give every stray a home!” Momma Cat slapped my hand away, offended. “I am not a stray! I am a wild cat!” “I belong to the wilderness and nature. How dare you call me a stray!” 1 “Do you know what this is? This is kidnapping!” “You don’t just grab a cute kid off the street and take them home!” “I have six kittens. I went back and counted four times, and there were only five! I’m bad at math! Are you trying to give me a stroke?” After picking up a kitten off the street, I was getting roasted by its mother until I questioned my entire existence. What hurt more was that after she finished scolding me, she took her kid and left. Before leaving, she jumped onto the coffee table and roundhouse-kicked my water cup across the room. Sob. I was once again a savage with no cat. And now, no water cup. The next day, while buying a new cup at the bodega downstairs, I saw her again. Gone was the majestic, fierce creature from last night. She was purring, rubbing against people’s legs, hooking the tip of her tail—effortlessly scampering a sausage out of the shop owner. She grabbed the sausage and bolted. I followed her quietly. She squeezed into an incredibly narrow alleyway. A normal adult couldn’t fit. But thanks to childhood malnutrition, I managed to slide in sideways. Inside a cardboard box lined with dirty rags, six kittens looked like wiggling balls of yarn, occasionally letting out tiny squeaks. Momma Cat counted them repeatedly. Only when she confirmed there were six did she relax. She dropped the sausage and licked her paws. I spoke up, startling her. “The temperature is dropping. It might snow. It’s not safe here.” “I remember you! You’re the kidnapper!” The fur on her back exploded. She lowered her body, staring me down, emitting a low, warning growl, ready to turn my face into a scratching post. To understand what she was communicating, look at the body language of a defensive cat. I stepped back, crouching down to show submission. “I was wrong before. I shouldn’t have called you a stray. I apologize.” “If you don’t want to be adopted, can we be friends? You can bring the kids to my place. Be my roommates.” My voice was low, pleading. “I’m really lonely. I want to be friends with a cat.” The cat didn’t seem to agree. But she sheathed her claws. “Cats only make friends with cats. Humans should make friends with humans,” she said. “But… it is getting cold.” My name is Morgan. Starting today, I am no longer alone. I have seven roommates. One Momma Cat, and her six kittens. 2 That night, I had a dream. I was walking alone in the snow for a long, long time. I was crying and shouting, but I didn’t know where my mom and dad were. So cold. Suddenly, it got warm… Wait! A kitten was peeing on my bed! At 3 AM, I changed the sheets. And took a shower. When I used the hair dryer, Momma Cat took the kittens and hid far away. They seemed terrified of the noise, so I turned it off and towel-dried my hair. Momma Cat suddenly said, “Human. It’s snowing.” I opened the curtains. Sure enough, gray flakes were drifting down under the streetlights like dancing moths. “It really is snowing,” I said, surprised. “How did you know?” She jumped onto the windowsill. “Snow is terrifying. Cats know when it snows just by using our whiskers.” Cats use their whiskers (vibrissae) as highly sensitive tactile sensors to detect changes in air currents and pressure, often sensing weather shifts before we do. “I also know this snow will be heavy and last a long time. It’s going to be freezing out there.” She leaned in and rubbed her furry head against me. “Thank you for taking us in.” I was flattered. I tried to reach out, but she dodged nimbly. It seemed she only loved me for a fleeting second. I closed the curtains, corralled the kittens back into their nest, and since I couldn’t sleep, I boiled some chicken breast for them and made myself some instant noodles. The kittens were teething and struggled with the meat. I wanted to shred it for them, but Momma Cat refused. “If they can’t even learn to tear meat, they can’t be wild cats.” “When the weather warms up, they’ll be big enough to go out and survive on their own.” I let it go, watching them struggle with the chicken while I ate a beef ball. “Is the human sad?” Momma Cat asked suddenly. “I can smell sadness.” I didn’t answer. She jumped onto my lap, curled into a ball, and went to sleep. Soft. Warm. 3 Just as the cat predicted, the snow was heavy and relentless. The world turned white. The news called it a once-in-a-decade blizzard. I was so glad the cats were with me. I had heat and a stockpile of food. Once we got familiar, the kittens became clingy, following me around, competing to see who could climb higher up my pant leg. Momma Cat got angry and bonked each of them on the head. “For a wild cat, getting too close to humans is bad,” she told me privately. “There are good humans and bad humans.” I asked if she regretted coming here. She shook her head, looking at the white window. “Surviving is more important than anything. For wild cats, for house cats… even for humans.” One night, I was sleeping soundly when I heard urgent meowing. I turned on the light. Momma Cat was pacing anxiously. One kitten was lethargic, lying flat, occasionally twitching and vomiting. “Human! Look what’s wrong with the little one!” I didn’t waste time. I wrapped the kitten in a thick pad and rushed to the vet. Momma Cat insisted on coming, telling the other five to stay put. I couldn’t get a taxi in the blizzard. I tucked Momma and the sick kitten into my coat and trudged through the snow to the pet clinic. It was closed. Luckily, there was a number on the door. I called, shivering. The vet sounded serious—he said it might be Parvovirus (Panleukopenia) and told me to wait; he was coming down. Feline Panleukopenia is highly contagious and fatal. Knowing the symptoms is crucial for early intervention. “It’s okay, the doctor is coming,” I whispered, comforting the trembling Momma Cat. The vet arrived quickly. He examined the kitten while Momma Cat and I sat on the side. “I’m not scared,” Momma Cat whimpered, burying her head in her paws. “A cat’s life is short and fragile. Closer to death than humans.” “It’s common not to raise a whole litter. That’s why we have so many.” “I was prepared for loss.” She was shaking as she said it. I petted her continuously. “It’s okay.” I looked up and realized the vet was staring at me. “How is the kitten?” I asked. “The cat is fine. It’s not Parvo, just mild indigestion.” The vet narrowed his eyes, staring straight at me. “I’m going to recommend a doctor for you.” “You’re a doctor, aren’t you? Can’t you cure the indigestion?” “I’m recommending a doctor for you.” He looked at me, then at the cat in my arms. “A psychiatrist.” 4 “Cats can’t speak.” “Intellectually, you realize and understand this, right?” Facing the psychiatrist, I opened my mouth but didn’t know what to say. Momma Cat was in my arms. I looked down; she looked up and meowed. Of course, I knew cats couldn’t speak. But she had spoken to me. And before someone pointed it out, I never felt it was strange. The dissonance made me anxious. The doctor pushed a cup of hot tea toward me. “Don’t be nervous. Relax.” “Do I need meds? Do I need to be hospitalized?” I whispered. “I don’t want to be hospitalized.” If I’m locked up, what happens to Momma Cat and the kids? The doctor adjusted his glasses. “Given your condition, there is a degree of cognitive distortion. I would recommend systematic treatment in a hospital.” “However, if it doesn’t affect your daily life, conservative treatment per your wishes is acceptable.” “You might just be socially deprived and lonely. I recommend changing your environment, interacting with people, and making some friends.” I nodded. Walking home, the snow started falling again. The cat stayed in my coat. After a long time, she asked, “Are you sick?” I pursed my lips. The doctor said if I ignore it, the symptoms might vanish. “Are you sick because of the cats?” I didn’t answer. She lowered her head. When I looked at her again, she just meowed. Back home, I fed them and gave medicine to the sick kitten. Momma Cat jumped onto the fridge, tail swishing, watching me. That night, I couldn’t sleep. It was too quiet. And cold. Just as dawn broke, I drifted off. Maybe I was dreaming, but I heard Momma Cat jump onto the pillow. She licked her paws and said: “A window can’t keep a wild cat in.” In my daze, it took me a while to process that sentence. I bolted upright. The window was open. The cold wind slapped my face. The room was silent. Momma Cat and the kittens were gone.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “387455”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel