The genius singer-songwriter, Noah, released a new album. The single “She Can Hear” instantly dominated the charts, sweeping every major award. He wrote this song back in high school. Back when he was my desk mate. When he sang the final line, he reached out and pulled out my hearing aid. I heard nothing. Years later, I finally learned what the last line was— “I like you.” 1 Noah’s concert just ended, and he’s already trending on Twitter with over a dozen hashtags. His popularity is insane. Especially after closing the show with “She Can Hear”, the song that swept this year’s Grammys and awakened everyone’s nostalgia for first love. I opened Noah’s fan group chat and lurked quietly. The messages were flying by—99+ in seconds. Many fans who just left the concert were spamming keysmashes and crying emojis. The atmosphere must have been electric. Suddenly, someone tagged me: “@Admin, you didn’t go to Noah’s concert?” I’ve been a fan since his debut four years ago. I founded this group. Everyone knows how much I love him. But I couldn’t snag a ticket. The scalper I negotiated with bailed last minute. Maybe it was fate. The chat quickly moved on. “Guys, I think we have a ‘Sister-in-Law’. She was front row, VIP. Gorgeous, wearing a mask. Staff escorted her backstage afterwards.” My eyelids twitched. I exited the chat and checked Twitter. Trending #1: #NoahFirstLove. It was a video. The masked beauty in the front row stood out. Her eyes were striking. She had saved the empty seat next to her for her bag. She looked up at the star on stage, eyes sparkling. On stage, Noah played the piano, radiating light. He kept glancing in her direction. The dazzling lights created a dreamlike vibe, like lovers connecting across a crowd. An insider leaked that the song was written for her. She was the genius singer’s unforgettable first love. “They look so good together!” “Literal romance novel tropes.” “Am I the only one sad about the empty seat used for a bag? That’s a prime spot!” I turned off my phone. 2 I don’t follow celebrity gossip, except for one person. Noah. It’s hard to explain. As he shines brighter, the distance between us grows. I decided to transfer ownership of the fan group and permissions in the next few days. I need to move on. While journaling that night, I listened to “She Can Hear” again. I heard this melody in high school. Noah chose to sit next to me because I was the quietest girl in class. I wouldn’t annoy him or crush on him like the others. Actually, I was just quiet. People called me “Little Deaf Girl,” “Little Mute.” But not Noah. I liked him a little, but I hid it well. He didn’t know. I remember everything about him clearly. Late June of junior year, Noah pulled me up from the ground, wiped the blood from my forehead, and sang this song to me. Same melody, same lyrics. The scent of summer radiated from him, our shadows merging on the ground. When he reached the last line, he suddenly pulled out my hearing aid. My world went silent. I only remember his eyes. He leaned in and sang the last line into my ear. “I like you.” So that was it. 3 Netizens quickly identified the masked beauty from the concert. It was Linda, a singer who debuted on a talent show. Her brand was “Rich Girl Chasing Dreams for Love.” In interviews, she was open about it: “I joined the industry for one person. He’s a musical genius.” Now the answer was clear. It was for Noah. Her Instagram comments were flooded with “Hello, Sister-in-Law.” I didn’t feel much jealousy, just a strange emptiness. So, Noah likes girls like that. Before transferring the fan group, I met up with a fellow fan, “Bunny,” at a coffee shop. “She Can Hear” was playing in the background. The girl at the next table was gushing, “Did you see Linda and Noah’s interview? I’m dying, they’re so cute.” Bunny arrived late. She paused when she saw me. I smiled, eyes crinkling. “What, can’t deaf people like music?” She waved her hands frantically, relaxing the mood. Before handing everything over, Bunny joked, “How long have you been stanning Noah?” “Seven years.” She laughed. “Noah only debuted four years ago.” I looked at my reflection in the glass door and smiled. Seventeen to twenty-four. Seven years. I didn’t miscount. I’ve liked Noah for seven years. “No regrets?” Bunny asked one last time. “No regrets.” 4 I logged into Discord. Everyone uses other apps now, but back in high school, this was it. My friend list was sparse. Under “Favorites,” there was only one name: Noah. His avatar was permanently grey. I added him back when we were desk mates under the guise of homework. But his account was probably hacked or abandoned long ago. It would never light up green again. Even knowing that, I rarely dared to disturb him. I just opened the chat and stared when I missed him. This time, I wanted to say a proper goodbye. I typed and deleted paragraphs, finally sending just three words: “Great song.” Even just those words made my palms sweat. My heart raced, even knowing he wouldn’t see it. Suddenly, the avatar flickered. From grey to green. Online. Noah is typing… He sent two messages: “Thanks.” “Did you hear it?” I froze. I never expected him to see it, let alone reply. When the screen dimmed, I snapped out of it and typed back: “I heard it. Your song is everywhere. Congratulations.” My desk mate had become a legend. I was genuinely happy for his bright future. The “is typing” indicator stayed on for a long time. I waited. Finally, two words came through. “Goodnight.” I guess I’m really bad at chatting. But I felt lucky. At the end of a seven-year crush, I got a “goodnight.” 5 I packed away all my Noah posters and albums. My mom helped. “It’s time to let go.” I hummed in agreement. My mom was actually a fan too, but she met Noah back in high school. She knew I wasn’t chasing a star; I just liked Noah, the person. My mom paused, then said meaningfully, “That girl looks pretty.” She meant Linda. Mom was watching gossip videos about them this morning, checking if I was crying. Netizens dug up Linda’s high school photos. Same high school as us, one year below Noah. She fit the “first love” profile perfectly. Internet sleuths were declaring the ship sailed. I stayed silent, looking at the photo. It was from the sophomore talent show. Linda was the host, announcing the act. Behind her, at the piano, was Noah. Radiant. Even I had to admit, they looked perfect together. 6 The scandal between Noah and Linda was a huge win for Green Valley High. As their alma mater, the school’s upcoming centennial celebration got massive exposure because of Noah. Alumni invitations had been sent out long ago. I was going too. I had no nostalgia for Green Valley High. The only thing worth looking back at was Noah. But I had to go because Noah would be there. I needed to see him one last time to return what I owed him. My mom took out a tin box from her nightstand and carefully handed me a savings book. We didn’t earn much, so saving this amount was hard. It was roughly the cost of the hearing aid Noah gave me back then. Returning it at the reunion wouldn’t take up much of his time. Holding the book, I felt dazed. I was going to see Noah… 7 I didn’t expect getting into the reunion to be so hard. Media outlets were camped outside. Security was tight, checking every alum to prevent paparazzi and crazy fans from sneaking in. I was stuck because I hadn’t received my invitation. I pulled out my student ID, diplomas, everything. I was about to call my retired homeroom teacher when the security guard glanced at my hearing aid with disdain. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and he shoved me aside to welcome someone else. I stumbled. Cameras started flashing like crazy. It looked like a red carpet event. I steadied myself and turned around. It was a star. Linda, surrounded by bodyguards, big sunglasses hiding her face. Her face had been trending for two days. The guard recognized her instantly and let her through without asking for an invite. I lowered my eyes and waited for them to pass. But Linda stopped as she passed me. I looked up blankly. Her gaze lingered on my ear, then my face. She paused, then took off her sunglasses, revealing her sharp, beautiful eyes. Linda chuckled. “This is Green Valley High, not a school for the deaf and mute. Did you get lost?” My eyes widened in shock. My face burned. The guard laughed. “Ms. Linda, don’t worry. Our security is top-notch. We won’t let riff-raff in.” I’ve dealt with prejudice before. But this time, it was humiliating. I couldn’t even argue. I just looked down. Then, behind Linda, a sleek black car stopped. The tinted window rolled down slowly, revealing a cold, noble face. I never imagined reuniting with Noah like this. Not when I was so pathetic. I tried to hide my face. Too late. “Winnie.” Noah called my name softly. That was his first sentence. The paparazzi spotted him. Flashes went off like a celebration. “Long time no see. Little Desk Mate.” He enunciated clearly. That was his second sentence. 8 Little Desk Mate. Thinking back to high school, I rarely remember the insults like “Deaf Girl” or “Mute.” I remember Noah waking up from a nap, a red mark on his face, asking raspy-voiced: “Little Desk Mate, what time is it?” Noah was popular. He spoke little, but he wasn’t antisocial. He’d lean back, twirl a pen, smile slightly, and people would flock to him. I was different. Quiet, isolated. My hearing aid back then was cheap and didn’t fit my hearing loss profile. I often zoned out in my silent world. People lost patience trying to talk to me. Only Noah, maybe bored from sitting next to me, would repeat himself patiently. “Little Desk Mate, homework due.” “Little Desk Mate, help me out.” “Little Desk Mate, can you hear me?” “Little Desk Mate.”

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After I forgot to text him “goodnight,” he broke up with me. Again. “All you care about is that stupid internship!” “Quinn, believe it or not, one word from me and you’re done in this city!” I’d been pulling overtime for three months straight, just trying to secure a full-time offer. Exhausted, I hung up the phone. Suddenly, a stream of comments—like a live chat or “bullet screen”—floated across my vision: [What is wrong with our Baby Girl? She didn’t apologize and hung up first! That’s too much!] [The Male Lead stayed up 30 minutes past his bedtime waiting for her ‘goodnight’! He acts tough, but he was just waiting like a puppy.] [He’s just a tsundere! He even swallowed his pride and called his dad for her sake.] [Our avoidant king is just insecure. He needs reassurance!] While I hesitated, a message from HR popped up: [Ms. Quinn, our headcount for the Shanghai office is full. Would you consider transferring to Shenzhen?] 1 Shenzhen? Before I could process it, harsh messages flooded my screen: [Internship is more important than me?] [Quinn, we’re done!] [No, YOU’RE done!] [Wait for your termination notice.] I typed out an explanation and hit send. Red exclamation mark. Luke had blocked me. I couldn’t even count how many times he’d done this. The floating comments, however, were overwhelmingly on his side: [Tsundere King blocked Baby Girl again. He did it himself, but now he’s regretting it. Gonna stare at his phone all night. So cute!] [Baby Girl, go add him back! He’s about to cry! So angsty, hug him!] [He just has a sharp tongue. He loves her to death. His mom hates that she’s an out-of-towner, but he insists on being with her. If that’s not love, what is?] I couldn’t be bothered to read anymore. This wasn’t the first time. Last time, we were traveling abroad. He wanted to see a local show. Due to traffic and weather, we were five minutes late. Luke threw a massive tantrum, blaming me for not leaving earlier: “If you reminded me three hours ago, we wouldn’t be late!” “Why didn’t you check the weather? Why didn’t you plan better?” “You don’t care about what I want at all!” “Let’s break up!” Late at night, on a foreign street. He left me there. He took all our cash. Unfamiliar place, language barrier, and news of missing female tourists everywhere. Terrified, I sent him message after message, apologizing, begging him to come back. Halfway through, he blocked me. At that moment, several local men started walking toward me. My face went pale. Luckily, two Chinese tourists passed by and helped me. When I got back to the hotel, Luke was sound asleep. I knocked; he didn’t answer. I knew if I got the front desk to open the door, he’d make a scene. Too exhausted to fight, I curled up on the lobby sofa and slept. The next day, Luke found me. Seeing my haggard face, he apologized profusely. “I was just mad last night. The breakup was just talk.” “Quinn, I won’t do it again. I’m just insecure. Forgive me, okay?” “Babe, as long as you look at me, I’ll always bow down to you.” But later, it was me bowing down countless times, racking my brains to coax him. He’d just say, “Apologies need sincerity. I don’t see you reflecting.” He practically wanted me to kneel. Four years. We were about to graduate. Many couples split up around this time. Maybe it was time for us, too. 2 A few days later. The overtime crunch eased up. I went back to campus. Downstairs at the dorms, I saw Luke. I wasn’t narcissistic enough to think he was there for me. Sure enough, a moment later, my roommate, Chloe, came flying down the stairs. She “tripped” midway and fell right into Luke’s arms. The comments arrived on cue: [Male Lead is pulling this stunt again to make Baby Girl jealous.] [He only sees the Female Rival as a fellow villager. Zero feelings.] In front of me, Luke scooped Chloe up princess-style, saying he’d take her to the infirmary. Chloe blushed, pouting, “I don’t need the infirmary. Didn’t we say we’d go to the amusement park?” “Luke, are you backing out?” Luke glanced at me from the corner of his eye, then said, “No backing out.” [He asked her out in a fit of anger and now he regrets it, but he’s riding the tiger and can’t get off! LOL so funny.] [He’s dying for Baby Girl to stop him! One word from her, and he’ll dump the rival and become Baby Girl’s puppy!] [Chloe is just a tool!] Freshman orientation night. Chloe had set her sights on Luke when he breakdanced on stage. Even after we started dating, she didn’t give up. She always spoke to him in their hometown dialect. She didn’t know I understood it. Luke used to say, “If you can’t understand my family, how can we have a future?” I learned it for him. My major didn’t require me to stay in Shanghai. I fought to stay for a future with him. I told him all this, but he seemed to have forgotten. Hours later, I saw Chloe’s WeChat Moments. Amusement park photos. Intimate, blindingly bright photos. Someone commented: [Isn’t Luke’s girlfriend Quinn?] Chloe replied: [She’s just Luke’s simp. Since when did Luke admit to dating her?] [Ask him if you don’t believe me!] Seconds later, Luke replied: [Yeah.] My breath hitched. So all my compromises, in his eyes, were just me being a simp. Maybe that wasn’t enough. That night, Chloe sent me a video. It was in a hotel. Chloe asked Luke, “Have you ever taken Quinn to the amusement park?” Luke, in a bathrobe, walked toward the camera. He sneered, “Why bring up that country bumpkin on our date?” I had asked Luke to go. He said amusement parks were scams for little girls, tickets overpriced. But today, he showed me he could accommodate others. Just not me. Luke glanced at the camera. He knew what Chloe was doing. He laughed and pulled Chloe by the waist. Video cut. Simultaneously, a text from Luke arrived: [The half-box of 001s from last time, I bought them. Bring them over.] 3 Luke sent the hotel address. After thinking it over, I decided to go. To put a period on this four-year relationship. Comments flew across my vision: [Video cut as soon as he pulled her! He pushed her away!] [He doesn’t want to sleep with her! His brain is full of Baby Girl, waiting for her to come!] [Guarantee: the moment Baby Girl arrives, he kicks the rival out. Those condoms are for Baby Girl!] I knocked for a long time. No one opened. Through the door, I heard giggling and playing. The comments said it was all an act for me. In the class group chat, Chloe dropped a livestream link. Title: “Simp Delivery Service.” The camera was pointed at the hotel door. Before I could react, the door swung open. Chloe’s face appeared. My face appeared on the livestream. Chloe aimed the phone at me: “Look everyone, it’s the 21st century, and we still have live-in maids—” Blatant humiliation. I slapped the phone out of her hand. Luke, silent until now, grabbed my wrist. “What are you doing! You hit people now?” “Apologize to Chloe!” [He’s sulking again! He was clearly happy to see her!] [He’s just stimulating her, forcing her to soften up.] Luke gripped my hand tight, strength overwhelming. While I was immobilized, Chloe slapped me across the face. Slap! The sound echoed in the corridor. Luke looked stunned for a second. Chloe giggled. “Okay, I forgive you.” “That was the latest model phone. You got off easy.” Her phone had landed on soft carpet. Not a scratch. Luke let go, looking uncomfortable. “You started it.” In that moment, I lost all strength. Arguing was meaningless. My pursuit of a dignified ending was a joke. I silently pulled the half-box of condoms from my pocket and handed them over. Luke’s face went black. “Quinn, what is this?” I smiled. “Didn’t you ask me to bring them?” His expression was terrifyingly dark. Next moment, he pulled Chloe into his arms right in front of me. Chloe poked his chest. “Little Luke, I’m not part of your flirtation games.” Luke scoffed. “Flirtation? Does she deserve it?” “Looking at her makes me sick.” I watched expressionlessly. A flash of panic crossed Luke’s eyes. “Fine!” “Quinn, don’t you dare regret this!” He squeezed the words through his teeth. The door slammed in my face. The comments exploded: [What is wrong with her! Wasn’t she here to make peace?!] [Male Lead is really mad now! To make her bow, he’s sacrificing his body!] [Nooo, stay pure! It’s all because she won’t apologize!] [It’s definitely fake! Even if they do it, it’s just practice to serve Baby Girl better later. Skip if you don’t like!] My stomach churned. Disgusting. If love requires infinite retreat and loyalty tests, I don’t want it. I had no reason to stay. I pulled out my phone and emailed HR: [I accept the offer. I look forward to the position in Shenzhen.] 4 Jobs were hard to find. Aside from Chloe, my other roommates were prepping for grad school or civil service. My internship was at a top industry firm. HR said the Shenzhen branch desperately needed a fresh grad with my project experience. But when I went back to the office… Chloe was sitting at my desk. A colleague whispered that Luke’s dad, CEO Lu, personally approved her. “Heard she didn’t even interview. Lu just signed off!” The comments told me CEO Lu was Luke’s divorced father. I went through three rounds of interviews. I performed poorly once and almost cried. At a dinner, Luke had comforted me: “Who cares about that company! Forget them!” His friend said, “Luke, didn’t you say you knew someone inside? Help Quinn out.” I had paused, hopeful. Luke said righteously, “Don’t pull that crap!” “Asking me to use connections? I’m not that shameless!” “If she gets in, it’s on merit. Otherwise, no one will respect her!” I nodded, agreeing. Even felt ashamed for hoping. Luckily, I passed. Now, Chloe sat there. A slap in my face. Colleagues gossiped: “Heard Lu’s estranged son reached out. Said if his girlfriend gets the internship, he’d go to his dad’s birthday party…” Seating was assigned by management. I found an empty desk. Even with my retreat, Luke’s revenge followed like a rabid dog. He texted: [Lost your desk?] [I’m petty. Offend me, and you won’t have a good time.] [Believe it or not, I can kill your full-time offer too?] Soon after. CEO Lu walked over. “Little Qin, hand over your project to Chloe.” The project was in wrap-up. I had worked overtime constantly, no weekends. I helped colleagues too. No complaints. I learned a lot. This was my capital for the Shenzhen transfer. I stood up. “Mr. Lu, I’ve been on this project from the start. I don’t want to hand it over.” Chloe looked at me, feigning shock. “Quinn, you’re just an intern. How much did you really do? Don’t take credit for everyone’s work.” Lu frowned. “Interns don’t get a say!” “If you don’t like it, leave!” The comments appeared again: [Just bow your head, and everything is yours!] [The project, the father-in-law’s favor… Luke is his only son!] [Stop being dramatic, or you’ll lose everything!] 5 The night I resigned. Luke’s friend called. “Quinn, why haven’t you made up with Luke?” “Small fights are fun, but this is dragging on.” “You know how much he likes you.” “Men need to save face. You gotta give him an out…” I hung up. [Why is she so stubborn?] [I feel like the Male Lead is a bit much…] [Fair point: besides being tsundere, he has no flaws. She’s punching above her weight and acting high and mighty.] Punching above my weight? Where? Height? That’s it. I laughed bitterly at the comments. I used to think his “tsundere” side was cute. Before we dated. He took the last chicken leg in the cafeteria. Seeing my disappointment, he gave it to me, claiming he hated it. His roommates cheered. They said he fell for me at first sight and gave me the leg. Another time, English speech contest. Luke’s English was great. The counselor wanted to give him the spot. He insisted on giving it to me. I said let’s compete fairly. He went on stage and sang a song, forfeiting. Everyone praised his chivalry. Giving up glory for me. I was moved. To honor his sacrifice, I practiced non-stop. Didn’t eat. During that time, Luke argued with me. “You care more about the contest than me.” “Did you forget who gave you the spot?” I coaxed him constantly. Worked myself into a fever. Later, I found out— He really hated chicken legs. And his English? Great at written tests. Terrible speaking. I stopped going to the internship. Word got to Luke. He scoffed. “Who cares. Don’t tell me.” “Probably got caught slacking and fired for incompetence.” A roommate told me this. I said, “Thanks, but don’t tell me about him either.” My roommates were worried. Graduation was looming, I had no job, no boyfriend. I said, “It’s fine. Gold always shines.” Leaving the company meant the internal transfer to Shenzhen was void. But I contacted the Shenzhen manager directly. Started the interview process from scratch. I was nervous, but I had to try. Couldn’t put all eggs in one basket. I applied everywhere. Colleagues referred me. While I hustled, Luke and Chloe were inseparable on campus. Chloe bragged, “Luke is chasing me. Haven’t said yes yet!” I turned around whenever I saw them. I know, I’m weak. I couldn’t just walk past them indifferently. Four years. Breaking the habit was hard. But I had to adapt. To life without Luke. Days blurred into interviews and tests. I thought of Luke less and less. Once, reciting interview points while walking, I bumped into them and didn’t even notice. When I realized it, I hadn’t thought of him in ages. Hearing his name didn’t sting anymore. Just as I was healing, Luke called late one night. “Are you serious?”

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My sister and I transmigrated into a book together. I was lustful, despising the crippled CEO for being useless in bed. My sister was greedy, despising the poor boy for having no money. So that night, we swapped. I took the poor boy, trampling his dignity beneath my feet. She became the CEO’s canary, spending his money like water. When my sister couldn’t take the angst anymore, she planned to fake her death and run away with a fortune. I couldn’t take it either—rubbing my sore waist—and followed right behind her. Years later, while living our best lives, my sister suddenly texted me in the middle of the night: “Don’t come home. Ethan found me.” I pushed the male model off me and rushed to save her, only to be pulled into the embrace of a new business tycoon. Anxious, I slapped him. He smiled darkly, kissing my wrist. “Baby, you’re still so weak.” 1 The moment my sister’s twenty million dollars hit the account, I was busy humiliating the poor boy, Seth, stepping on him literally and figuratively. “Did I say you could sleep on the bed? Filthy!” But Seth didn’t look angry. Instead, he stared at my foot obsessively, his face flushed. The System screamed in my head like a marmot: [Host! Your mission is to humiliate him, not reward him! Use some force!] Oh. So that’s why Seth was blushing. I put on a mean face, glared with my almond eyes, and ground my heel into his chest. Seth tensed up, his eyelashes trembling as he let out a muffled groan. Two seconds later, I got bored. “Hard as a rock. Exhausting.” The System warned: [If you don’t complete the mission, you’ll be electrocuted.] I immediately aimed a kick at his face. That should be humiliating enough, right? But I lost my balance and fell flat on my face. I clutched my bruised shin, eyes red with tears. The System cursed: [Pathetic!] Seth immediately cradled my foot, massaging it gently. “Baby, does it feel better now?” Looking at his innocent, handsome profile, my tears stopped. Damn, I was getting hungry again. I deliberately pressed my toes against his abs, staring at the redness spreading from the corners of his eyes. “Did you shower?” Seth’s voice was hoarse. “Baby, I cleaned everything.” My gaze drifted down. “Really? Let me check.” After six months, only I knew how terrifying his needs were. When we did it, he was like a mad dog. But the moment I cried pain, he wouldn’t dare move, even if he was about to explode. Customer service 10/10. … Three hours later, I lay limp in his arms, demanding he carry me to the shower. “Baby, I…” He begged, voice raspy. I glanced down, used to it. “I’m tired. Figure it out yourself.” After the shower, he leaned in for a kiss. I slapped him. Because I never let him sleep in the bed. Use and discard. And a final insult for good measure: “Useless thing!” Seth looked crushed, like a broken puppy. Eyes red with grievance, he kissed my foot. “I’ll work harder to satisfy you, Baby.” “Baby, you worked hard.” “Goodnight, Baby.” He retreated to the sofa with his blanket, looking desolate. The System arrived with the electric shock. I was unbothered: [Just tell me, was he humiliated or not?] The System checked the data and rolled its eyes: [Fine, you win, you yellow-brained girl!] Before sleep, I got a text from my sister. “How’s the plot going on your end?” Me: “Just about to cuckold him. You?” Sister: “Ethan is about to get engaged to his white moonlight. Time for me to fake a pregnancy and run.” My competitive spirit ignited. “What! Why is your plot moving faster than mine?!” 2 My sister and I are twins. We transmigrated into this book after a plane crash. Originally, I was supposed to be the substitute lover for the disabled CEO, Ethan. Destined to be abused physically and emotionally, die tragically, and make him regret it for life. My sister was supposed to be the vicious fiancée of the poor boy, Seth. Treating him like a dog, cheating on him with a rich kid, cuckolding him like crazy, and finally ending up ruined by beggars. We only get to live in this world if we complete the System’s tasks and finish the plot. It’s the only way to break free from the System’s control. But I’m lustful. I despised the crippled CEO for being old and useless. My sister is greedy. She couldn’t stand being poor. So we swapped. She took my angst-filled heroine script, using the opportunity to drain Ethan’s bank account. I took her vicious villainess script. While despising the male lead, I went to town on him! I died a virgin in my past life. What’s wrong with enjoying myself now?! 3 To rush the plot, I started acting up the moment I opened my eyes. Seth brought a fried egg to the table. I flipped the plate. My favorite runny yolk! My heart bled, but I put on a mean face. “Disgusting! Eggs every day? Why did I even date you!” I opened a “Rich Kids of Instagram” page and shoved photos of luxury cars and watches in his face. “Look at other boyfriends! Cars, bags, mansions! You just give me eggs and make me live in a basement!” Only I knew that despite being poor, Seth never mistreated me. He bought me top-tier skincare sets. Beautiful clothes every month. He gave me the best while he wore cheap street clothes and used one bar of soap for everything. Accusing him like this was excessive. But Seth showed zero resentment. Only guilt. “Baby, I’m sorry. Give me a little more time. I promise I’ll give you the life you want.” My conscience pricked, but I showed him a photo of a designer bag. Under the System’s threat, I barked, “Buy me this bag! Or we break up!” Seth was in the critical stage of his startup. Every penny counted. How could he afford a designer bag? But that afternoon, Seth took me to the store and bought it. Carrying the Birkin, my heart pounded. [System, this plot is wrong.] [Shouldn’t I drag him to the store, force him to buy it, then humiliate him publicly by linking arms with a rich guy and dumping him?] The System exploded too: [I don’t know! Wait! Where did he get the money?!] But the plot must go on. Carrying the bag Seth bought, I turned and linked arms with the rich guy waiting nearby. “Baby?” Seth grabbed my wrist, disbelief in his eyes. I shook him off, sneering. “Seth, one bag emptied your account. I don’t want to live a hard life with you.” “Baby, what do you mean?” Seth stared at me, eyes red, expression agonizing. I trampled his pride into the dust. “Don’t you get it? I don’t want you anymore. Thanks for the parting gift, though.” I turned to leave. Seth suddenly rushed forward, hugging me so tight he wanted to merge me into his bones. His voice trembled. “Baby, I’ll take that as a joke. Let’s go home, okay? I’ll buy you anything you want.” Suppressing the sting in my nose, I slapped him. Under Seth’s dark, terrifying gaze, I fled into the rich guy’s car. “Drive! Fast!” Thinking of the original host’s tragic fate, my tears fell like free rain. [Waaaah, System, will I really not die if I abuse the male lead like this?] No, I have to find my sister. She’ll know what to do. 4 Meanwhile, my sister was busy “running with the ball” (fake pregnancy escape). The moment she stepped into the airport, Ethan’s men dragged her back. She sat on the floor, looking pathetic, red-rimmed eyes fixed on the man in the wheelchair. “Ethan, why won’t you let me go? I just want a peaceful life.” Tears rolled down her cheeks. Ethan frowned impatiently, pinching her chin. His tone was icy. “You staged this whole show just for me, didn’t you, Jenny? Thinking you can manipulate me with a baby?” My sister turned her face away, showing a stubborn profile, refusing to explain. Ethan warned her in a low voice, “Jenny, don’t forget. I kept you around because you look like her. But you crossed the line touching her!” “For the sake of the child, I’ll let it slide. Do it again, and you won’t survive my anger!” My sister looked at him with panic. “In five years, have you never loved me?” A flicker of hesitation crossed Ethan’s eyes, quickly replaced by disgust. “Do you deserve it?” My sister collapsed, laughing and crying, heart dead. He waved his hand. Bodyguards dragged her for a checkup. “How’s the child?” His doctor friend, Dr. Xiao, looked awkward. “Ethan, Ms. Jenny isn’t pregnant.” “What did you say?!” Ethan almost stood up from his wheelchair. My sister’s eyes widened. “Impossible!” “Ms. Jenny, I’m a doctor. I have professional ethics. The test results don’t lie.” Dr. Xiao avoided my sister’s gaze guiltily. Ethan looked at my sister, face dark as thunder. “Jenny, you’ve got guts!” Ethan was crippled early on due to a family plot. Doctors said he likely couldn’t have children. My sister used this to try and ruin his wedding with his white moonlight, Susan. She touched his reverse scale. 5 My sister was locked in the basement. Once everyone left, I jumped out of my hiding spot (spatial inventory). Before I could tearfully hug her, she pulled out eye drops and flooded her eyes. “This consumes too much tears. Almost fainted from crying.” I was heartbroken. “Sister, I can’t watch you suffer. I permit you to fake your death before me.” She smirked. “Don’t worry. Soon. The day Ethan gets married is the day I die.” “Wonder if he’ll like my wedding gift.” A few days later, she was released. Susan begged Ethan for her. Duh. If my sister stayed locked up, how could she cause drama? When Ethan came to the basement, we were cracking sunflower seeds, discussing which city to retire in. Hearing the wheelchair, I grabbed a handful of shells and vanished into my space. Ethan looked at her gloomily. “Apologize to Susan.” My sister laughed dryly, like a soulless puppet. “Okay.” Ethan felt a sudden irritation. He grabbed her chin. “You pushed her into the water, gave her a high fever. An apology is letting you off easy.” He looked at her flat stomach, a storm brewing in his eyes. “Why lie about the pregnancy, Jenny?” My sister stroked her belly gently, smiling. “Does it matter now?” Ethan couldn’t stand looking at her. He turned his wheelchair. “After this, don’t let me see you again.” My sister laughed softly. “As you wish, Ethan.”

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My childhood friend hated my dirty jokes and said I didn’t act like a girl. He told me to learn from the gentle, perfect school beauty. Who knew the school beauty would stare at my mouth thoughtfully. “I heard you talk so much you could make a mute person speak?” She paid me to harass her autistic brother. A thousand bucks for every word he said. She was too naive. Unorthodox problems require unorthodox solutions. I walked to the back row of the classroom and lightly tapped the quiet boy’s desk. “Shouldn’t you explain to everyone about licking my foot while I was asleep last night?” His eyes widened, and a crack appeared on his frozen face. “I didn’t.” I turned back confidently and flashed a brilliant smile at the school beauty. “Pay up.” 1 “Shouldn’t you explain to everyone about licking my foot while I was asleep last night?” The moment my words dropped, the entire classroom fell into a deathly silence. The gloomy boy in the corner, who always kept his head down, slowly widened his eyes. A crack appeared on his frozen face. “I didn’t.” The school beauty, Serena, strode forward in three steps. Her eyes held no disgust, only utter admiration. I thought she was joking, but she transferred the money to me without a word. When she transferred the money, the legendary cool and beautiful Serena’s hands were trembling. She grabbed my arm like she was grabbing a lifebuoy. “Master, save my brother.” She said her parents took Julian to see all kinds of psychologists, domestic and foreign. The answer was always the same: “The best solution is to find a peer, let him feel the beauty that should belong to this age.” But Julian loathed anyone getting close, except family. At our age, face is everything. No one wanted to take on such a frustrating job with Julian’s foul temper. “Pester him. For every extra sentence he says, I’ll add a thousand bucks.” Serena held my hand like she was holding her savior. I held her hand, looking at the thousand dollars, like I was looking at a walking ATM. Harassing people? I’m a pro at that. Since childhood, in the eyes of every teacher, I was the reincarnation of a housefly. In elementary school, to shut me up, the homeroom teacher sat me next to a kid with a hearing impairment. Later, I learned sign language and secretly chatted with him under the desk. Like casting spells in Naruto, my hands flew so fast it was scary. My deskmate got so excited his fingers almost cramped. The teacher found my mom and told her I could strike up a conversation with a roadside dog, suggesting she take me to see a doctor. This job was tailor-made for me. Plus, Julian was so handsome. I turned to look at Julian. Julian had only said three words just now before lowering his head again. He seemed annoyed that he had spoken subconsciously, and was now showing us the top of his dark head. My childhood friend, Ryan, who had been completely ignored, came over unwillingly. Seeing me accept Serena’s money, he tried to grab my phone without a word. “Sue, we should focus on our studies right now. Stop hanging out with sketchy people.” Serena, whom he had just called a goddess, turned around. Her eyes were cold, returning to her usual demeanor. “Who are you calling sketchy?” Ryan choked, speechless. I shook off his arm. I never realized before that Ryan was such a bully to the weak and fearful of the strong. Ryan wanted to say more, but the class bell rang. I skipped back to my seat. That same day, Serena used her “money power” to seat me next to Julian. “Teacher, my brother came to this school mainly to make friends. Sue is very suitable to be his friend.” “It’s getting hotter. I think our school needs some air conditioners installed.” The teacher shut up. When I moved next to Julian, he was still sleeping on his desk. Ryan turned his head from the side to look at me, his gaze burning a hole in me. I stared at Julian’s neck for a whole class. He was clearly awake, but he wouldn’t even lift his head to avoid interacting with me. Interesting. 2 During the second break, I whispered in his ear. “Julian, do you know your neck is so white? Like a duck neck. Want to gnaw on it…” Maybe I got too close. Julian shuddered and looked up violently, staring at me in horror. I took a picture of his face with my phone—click—and sent it to his sister. How does this look like an autistic child? Isn’t this interesting? This little expression is more vivid than mine. But in the next few classes, I learned how difficult Julian was. No matter what I said, he remained motionless like a block of wood. Until the final bell rang. My mouth was dry, but I was fascinated. Because no one had ever listened to me talk so much without calling me an idiot. Even if I don’t earn this money, I’ve found a soulmate. I watched Julian’s pale fingers slowly close the textbook and scoffed. “What were you pretending for during English class just now?” Julian’s fingers stiffened. He glanced at me sideways, turned, and walked towards the door. I grabbed my backpack and hurriedly followed. His sister told me during the break that their family driver would take me home today. Someone grabbed my backpack. I was choked and rolled my eyes. Turning around, I saw Ryan standing behind me with a dark face. “Can’t you see he doesn’t want to talk to you? Sue, as a girl, have some dignity!” Twice. Twice today. Even if he was the guy I had a crush on for a long time, I couldn’t stand him humiliating me repeatedly. I swung my backpack and smashed it into his face. Ryan looked at me in shock. My chest heaved violently. “Is there something wrong with you? I cling to you, you say I have no dignity. I cling to others, you still say I have no dignity.” “What did you say this morning? That as a girl, I shouldn’t always tell dirty jokes and have no shame.” I laughed angrily. I didn’t even want to settle this score with him. He was the one who used to tell me dirty jokes on the way home from school every day, laughing so hard he leaned back. I thought he was interested in that. I stayed up all night studying dirty jokes just to get him to talk to me a few more times. Turns out I became the biggest simp with the foulest mouth in school. So hard to please. He can go to hell. I shook off his arm and chased after Julian, who was about to disappear from view. “Julian, why didn’t you wait for me?” I tilted my head and asked him. Julian, of course, didn’t answer. I turned to look at the convenience store nearby and ordered him. “Stand there. Don’t move.” Surprisingly, I found that he actually stood still. I lifted my foot and circled him on the ground. “Wait for me. I’m going to buy something. Or I’ll tell your sister about you secretly kissing me.” Julian looked up at me. This time he was obviously not as shocked as in the morning, but his dark eyes still stared at me in confusion. When I came out of the store with a popsicle, I saw Julian standing obediently by the trash can at a glance. Tsk. I squinted. I thought I liked sunny boys like Ryan. How come a gloomy, obedient puppy like Julian is so cute too? I thought while licking the popsicle. Finally, I came to a conclusion. I don’t have a type. I’m just purely lustful. 3 I shoved a popsicle into his hand. Julian didn’t take it, and it fell to the ground with a splat. He walked forward on his own. I picked up the popsicle, ran up quickly, and shoved it into his hand again. It fell to the ground again. I got angry. This brat. I chased him down in three steps and yanked open his collar. Julian finally lost his cool. He covered his collar, took two steps back, and looked at me in surprise. I grinned and handed the popsicle over. He took it. We walked side by side. Julian held the popsicle in his hand but didn’t eat it. So I leaned in and whispered to him. “Don’t be shy. I won’t tell anyone your nipples are pink…” Julian broke the popsicle and stuffed it into his mouth, speeding up. See, people always pretend to be busy when they are embarrassed. Drinking water when there’s water, sucking on a popsicle when there’s a popsicle. I watched Julian slowly licking the popsicle and grinned. “Julian, do you know popsicles can cool you down? Like when it’s hot, you stick it in a beef swallow…” (Note: A pun on a Chinese dish/slang) Julian stopped eating. He put down the popsicle, his mouth red from the cold, and looked at me quietly. Looks like he really can’t handle me. I was a little embarrassed. It seemed this topic was indeed a bit disgusting. Just as I was about to change the subject, Julian said his second sentence of the day. “Pig.” I froze, then was ecstatic. “Right! It’s pork swallow, I remembered wrong!” “Julian!! We have so much in common. You watch those low-fat short videos too!” I thought the autistic boy Julian didn’t go online. Didn’t expect him to be an internet surfer too. I cheered. I really found a soulmate. Getting out of the luxury car, I waved goodbye to Serena enthusiastically. Turning around, I almost died of fright. Ryan stood at the stairwell, eyes cold. “Does your mom know? You’re getting so close to a sick boy.” I handed over the extra ice pop I bought. Ryan’s expression relaxed a little. He reached out to take it, but didn’t stop lecturing me. “People like Julian obviously have mental problems. You think everyone has a good temper like me? Being annoyed by you since childhood until my brain falls out and still…” I squeezed the melted ice pop hard and squirted it at his face. He screamed and backed away two steps. The motion sensor lights in the stairwell turned on. Sweet, sticky juice dripped down Ryan’s face. He glared at me. “Are you crazy?!” I took out a tissue to wipe my fingers and walked past him. “Calling others sick. I think you’re the sickest one.” Ryan turned around. I had already climbed up the second flight of stairs. The next day during break, I offered to add Julian on WeChat. He rarely responded to me. “No.” I took out my phone to take a picture of him. He frowned and waved it away. I reached out to grab the phone in his pocket. Julian backed away two steps in horror, as if I was going to grab his little brother. While we were making a fuss, Ryan knocked on my desk. “Sue, I won’t hold last night against you. My mom made sweet and sour ribs tonight. Let’s walk home together.” I stopped tormenting Julian and looked at Ryan sideways. Is there something wrong with him? Can’t understand what I said yesterday? Too lazy to deal with him, I turned around and found Julian had already stood up and left the classroom. I took a deep breath, turned around, and chased after him. Julian stood straight at the classroom door like a fool. I guess he wanted to hide from me but didn’t know where to go. His CPU burned out. I found it funny and poked him. “Hey, really not adding me?” He didn’t speak, standing straight until the class bell rang. “Hey, teacher’s here.” I tugged at his sleeve, but Julian remained motionless. “You two, what are you doing standing here?” The music teacher frowned. I looked at the wooden man Julian, then at the music teacher. “Teacher, Julian… his stomach hurts.” 4 Julian’s pupils trembled slightly, surprised by my casual lie. The teacher waved her hand, letting me take him to the infirmary. I’m tone-deaf. Being able to escape music class was entirely because Julian was a good boy in the teacher’s eyes. He was dragged forward by me like a stone block. Passing the window, I saw Ryan with a dark expression. “Julian, have you never skipped class?” I pried his hand open. The boy’s palm was warm. My heart itched, and I shamelessly stuffed my hand into his. He didn’t shake it off. I dragged him through the alley near the school gate and found my favorite restaurant. The owner cheerfully served a bowl of noodles. “Bringing a friend? Isn’t it class time?” I smiled. “Yep, we skipped class to come here.” Julian’s breath hitched. He raised his hand to cover my mouth, looking horrified enough to make me swallow my words on the spot. I was amused. Who invented this little thing Julian? So cute. Completely hitting my moe point. I brought two small bowls. “Half for you, half for me. Friendship won’t scatter.” Julian frowned at the bowl of noodles and didn’t speak. I thought he despised me, but he unexpectedly handed over his phone. I understood what he meant. He said he had money and could buy two bowls. Actually, it was because I couldn’t finish it. Just had breakfast, how could I eat a whole bowl? I took the opportunity to grab his phone and add my WeChat. Julian’s hand paused but didn’t stop me. Julian ate quietly. Even the most ordinary bowl of noodles was eaten by him with an air of nobility. Until the meal was finished, I wiped my mouth, grabbed him, and ran. Julian was confused, stumbling after me. I didn’t turn back until we ran out of the alley. The boy’s eyes were terrifyingly bright. He seemed to have never done such a rebellious thing. His heart beat fast. I could hear it even though we were facing each other. He pulled me back, eyes determined. I broke free from his hand. “We dined and dashed. Going back is so embarrassing.” Julian pursed his lips, looking at me wordlessly. He wasn’t angry, his eyes full of helpless indulgence, and determination for his bottom line. I looked at him grinning. “Going back is fine. You have to tell the boss: ‘Sorry, we came to pay,’ then I’ll go back.” Julian stood at the entrance of the alley, struggling for a full five minutes, and finally resignedly pulled my hand to walk back. The boss was wiping the table. Seeing us standing at the door like statues, she was stunned. I shoved him. “Speak.” Fine sweat broke out on Julian’s palms, making my hand red from gripping. The tips of his ears were also scary red. I thought he was going to give up. But the next second, I heard Julian’s unique cool voice, stuttering. “Sorry, Boss… we came to pay.”

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My sister and I transmigrated into a book together. I was lustful, despising the crippled CEO for being useless in bed. My sister was greedy, despising the poor boy for having no money. So that night, we swapped. I took the poor boy, trampling his dignity beneath my feet. She became the CEO’s canary, spending his money like water. When my sister couldn’t take the angst anymore, she planned to fake her death and run away with a fortune. I couldn’t take it either—rubbing my sore waist—and followed right behind her. Years later, while living our best lives, my sister suddenly texted me in the middle of the night: “Don’t come home. Adrian found me.” I pushed the male model off me and rushed to save her, only to be pulled into the embrace of a new business tycoon. Anxious, I slapped him. He smiled darkly, kissing my wrist. “Baby, you’re still so weak.” 1 The moment my sister’s twenty million dollars hit the account, I was busy humiliating the poor boy, Seth, stepping on him literally and figuratively. “Did I say you could sleep on the bed? Filthy!” But Seth didn’t look angry. Instead, he stared at my foot obsessively, his face flushed. The System screamed in my head like a marmot: [Host! Your mission is to humiliate him, not reward him! Use some force!] Oh. So that’s why Seth was blushing. I put on a mean face, glared with my almond eyes, and ground my heel into his chest. Seth tensed up, his eyelashes trembling as he let out a muffled groan. Two seconds later, I got bored. “Hard as a rock. Exhausting.” The System warned: [If you don’t complete the mission, you’ll be electrocuted.] I immediately aimed a kick at his face. That should be humiliating enough, right? But I lost my balance and fell flat on my face. I clutched my bruised shin, eyes red with tears. The System cursed: [Pathetic!] Seth immediately cradled my foot, massaging it gently. “Baby, does it feel better now?” Looking at his innocent, handsome profile, my tears stopped. Damn, I was getting hungry again. I deliberately pressed my toes against his abs, staring at the redness spreading from the corners of his eyes. “Did you shower?” Seth’s voice was hoarse. “Baby, I cleaned everything.” My gaze drifted down. “Really? Let me check.” After six months, only I knew how terrifying his needs were. When we did it, he was like a mad dog. But the moment I cried pain, he wouldn’t dare move, even if he was about to explode. Customer service 10/10. … Three hours later, I lay limp in his arms, demanding he carry me to the shower. “Baby, I…” He begged, voice raspy. I glanced down, used to it. “I’m tired. Figure it out yourself.” After the shower, he leaned in for a kiss. I slapped him. Because I never let him sleep in the bed. Use and discard. And a final insult for good measure: “Useless thing!” Seth looked crushed, like a broken puppy. Eyes red with grievance, he kissed my foot. “I’ll work harder to satisfy you, Baby.” “Baby, you worked hard.” “Goodnight, Baby.” He retreated to the sofa with his blanket, looking desolate. The System arrived with the electric shock. I was unbothered: [Just tell me, was he humiliated or not?] The System checked the data and rolled its eyes: [Fine, you win, you yellow-brained girl!] Before sleep, I got a text from my sister. “How’s the plot going on your end?” Me: “Just about to cuckold him. You?” Sister: “Adrian is about to get engaged to his white moonlight. Time for me to fake a pregnancy and run.” My competitive spirit ignited. “What! Why is your plot moving faster than mine?!” 2 My sister and I are twins. We transmigrated into this book after a plane crash. Originally, I was supposed to be the substitute lover for the disabled CEO, Adrian. Destined to be abused physically and emotionally, die tragically, and make him regret it for life. My sister was supposed to be the vicious fiancée of the poor boy, Seth. Treating him like a dog, cheating on him with a rich kid, cuckolding him like crazy, and finally ending up ruined by beggars. We only get to live in this world if we complete the System’s tasks and finish the plot. It’s the only way to break free from the System’s control. But I’m lustful. I despised the crippled CEO for being old and useless. My sister is greedy. She couldn’t stand being poor. So we swapped. She took my angst-filled heroine script, using the opportunity to drain Adrian’s bank account. I took her vicious villainess script. While despising the male lead, I went to town on him! I died a virgin in my past life. What’s wrong with enjoying myself now?! 3 To rush the plot, I started acting up the moment I opened my eyes. Seth brought a fried egg to the table. I flipped the plate. My favorite runny yolk! My heart bled, but I put on a mean face. “Disgusting! Eggs every day? Why did I even date you!” I opened a “Rich Kids of Instagram” page and shoved photos of luxury cars and watches in his face. “Look at other boyfriends! Cars, bags, mansions! You just give me eggs and make me live in a basement!” Only I knew that despite being poor, Seth never mistreated me. He bought me top-tier skincare sets. Beautiful clothes every month. He gave me the best while he wore cheap street clothes and used one bar of soap for everything. Accusing him like this was excessive. But Seth showed zero resentment. Only guilt. “Baby, I’m sorry. Give me a little more time. I promise I’ll give you the life you want.” My conscience pricked, but I showed him a photo of a designer bag. Under the System’s threat, I barked, “Buy me this bag! Or we break up!” Seth was in the critical stage of his startup. Every penny counted. How could he afford a designer bag? But that afternoon, Seth took me to the store and bought it. Carrying the Birkin, my heart pounded. [System, this plot is wrong.] [Shouldn’t I drag him to the store, force him to buy it, then humiliate him publicly by linking arms with a rich guy and dumping him?] The System exploded too: [I don’t know! Wait! Where did he get the money?!] But the plot must go on. Carrying the bag Seth bought, I turned and linked arms with the rich guy waiting nearby. “Baby?” Seth grabbed my wrist, disbelief in his eyes. I shook him off, sneering. “Seth, one bag emptied your account. I don’t want to live a hard life with you.” “Baby, what do you mean?” Seth stared at me, eyes red, expression agonizing. I trampled his pride into the dust. “Don’t you get it? I don’t want you anymore. Thanks for the parting gift, though.” I turned to leave. Seth suddenly rushed forward, hugging me so tight he wanted to merge me into his bones. His voice trembled. “Baby, I’ll take that as a joke. Let’s go home, okay? I’ll buy you anything you want.” Suppressing the sting in my nose, I slapped him. Under Seth’s dark, terrifying gaze, I fled into the rich guy’s car. “Drive! Fast!” Thinking of the original host’s tragic fate, my tears fell like free rain. [Waaaah, System, will I really not die if I abuse the male lead like this?] No, I have to find my sister. She’ll know what to do. 4 Meanwhile, my sister was busy “running with the ball” (fake pregnancy escape). The moment she stepped into the airport, Adrian’s men dragged her back. She sat on the floor, looking pathetic, red-rimmed eyes fixed on the man in the wheelchair. “Adrian, why won’t you let me go? I just want a peaceful life.” Tears rolled down her cheeks. Adrian frowned impatiently, pinching her chin. His tone was icy. “You staged this whole show just for me, didn’t you, Jenny? Thinking you can manipulate me with a baby?” My sister turned her face away, showing a stubborn profile, refusing to explain. Adrian warned her in a low voice, “Jenny, don’t forget. I kept you around because you look like her. But you crossed the line touching her!” “For the sake of the child, I’ll let it slide. Do it again, and you won’t survive my anger!” My sister looked at him with panic. “In five years, have you never loved me?” A flicker of hesitation crossed Adrian’s eyes, quickly replaced by disgust. “Do you deserve it?” My sister collapsed, laughing and crying, heart dead. He waved his hand. Bodyguards dragged her for a checkup. “How’s the child?” His doctor friend, Dr. Xiao, looked awkward. “Adrian, Ms. Jenny isn’t pregnant.” “What did you say?!” Adrian almost stood up from his wheelchair. My sister’s eyes widened. “Impossible!” “Ms. Jenny, I’m a doctor. I have professional ethics. The test results don’t lie.” Dr. Xiao avoided my sister’s gaze guiltily. Adrian looked at my sister, face dark as thunder. “Jenny, you’ve got guts!” Adrian was crippled early on due to a family plot. Doctors said he likely couldn’t have children. My sister used this to try and ruin his wedding with his white moonlight, Susan. She touched his reverse scale. 5 My sister was locked in the basement. Once everyone left, I jumped out of my hiding spot (spatial inventory). Before I could tearfully hug her, she pulled out eye drops and flooded her eyes. “This consumes too much tears. Almost fainted from crying.” I was heartbroken. “Sister, I can’t watch you suffer. I permit you to fake your death before me.” She smirked. “Don’t worry. Soon. The day Adrian gets married is the day I die.” “Wonder if he’ll like my wedding gift.” A few days later, she was released. Susan begged Adrian for her. Duh. If my sister stayed locked up, how could she cause drama? When Adrian came to the basement, we were cracking sunflower seeds, discussing which city to retire in. Hearing the wheelchair, I grabbed a handful of shells and vanished into my space. Adrian looked at her gloomily. “Apologize to Susan.” My sister laughed dryly, like a soulless puppet. “Okay.” Adrian felt a sudden irritation. He grabbed her chin. “You pushed her into the water, gave her a high fever. An apology is letting you off easy.” He looked at her flat stomach, a storm brewing in his eyes. “Why lie about the pregnancy, Jenny?” My sister stroked her belly gently, smiling. “Does it matter now?” Adrian couldn’t stand looking at her. He turned his wheelchair. “After this, don’t let me see you again.” My sister laughed softly. “As you wish, Adrian.”

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The day before college applications were due, we were at a party. Julian drew a “Truth” card in Truth or Dare. Someone asked him: “Julian, you legend, which university did you put down?” The boy smirked, glanced at me meaningfully, and answered without hesitation. “USC.” I froze, my mind going blank. Just a few days ago, Julian told me to my face that he was applying to UCLA. And he had said, if we get into the same university, I’ll agree to date you. Meeting his mocking gaze, I finally realized: I had been played. In that moment, it hit me: the things you have to wait for are usually the things that will never come. So, I didn’t change my application either. 1 The moment Julian spoke, the girl next to me nudged me with her elbow. “Serena, if I remember correctly, you put down UCLA, right? Better change it to USC while you still have time, or you’ll lose your chance to pester Julian!” Her teasing voice echoed through the private room. Soon, everyone’s eyes were on me. Followed by malicious, undisguised laughter. “Tsk, she’s really persistent. Three years of high school and she still hasn’t given up?” “Hahaha, what do you know? Julian is probably the best guy Serena will ever meet.” “Right? She’s so plain. If she didn’t cling like a limpet, who would look at her?” I lowered my head, my right hand unconsciously gripping the hem of my dress, wrinkling the fabric. I liked Julian. Everyone knew it. But I never thought of it as “pestering.” Before today, I thought he had feelings for me too. Julian chose to sit next to me. He tirelessly explained math problems to me. When everyone made fun of my braids for being “country,” he stood up for me. Facing my red-rimmed eyes, the boy ruffled my hair, smiling. “Don’t listen to them. You’re cute.” Later, when Julian sensed my feelings, he asked jokingly, “Serena, do you like me?” My cheeks burned. I looked away, too scared to meet his eyes. I was shy and afraid of bothering him, so I instinctively wanted to deny it. But Julian spoke first. Sunlight hit his profile, casting a shadow over his eyes as he smiled brightly. He said: “If you can get into the same university as me, let’s be together.” My heart pounded. Before I knew it, I nodded slightly and whispered, “…Okay.” Maybe I was too nervous then to notice the teasing look in his eyes. So, was it all just a game to him? My fingers curled. Even without a mirror, I knew I looked pale. But I had to know. I summoned my courage, looking past the crowd of onlookers, straight at Julian. I stared into his eyes, palms sweating, and asked seriously: “Do you think that way too?” The boy sipped his drink calmly, a half-smile on his face. The room went dead silent. Everyone was waiting for his answer. He didn’t answer my question. Instead, he laced his fingers, rested them against his lips, and smiled. His tone was definitive. “Serena, you’re just too ordinary.” It was an admission. Everything before was just him toying with me. My nose stung, my vision blurred, and a tear fell. The noisy chatter exploded in my ears again. “LOL, did Serena really think Julian would like her?” “Exactly, asking that is just humiliating herself.” “Julian is just polite and nice to everyone. Helping her a few times made her think she was special?” “I heard he was nice to her just to make Chloe jealous.” “Makes sense. They’re childhood sweethearts—top student and prom queen. Where does Serena fit in?” 2 The mockery stabbed like knives. I gritted my teeth, grabbed a glass from the table, and smashed it on the floor. Crash! The harsh sound shut everyone up. I screamed, abandoning all decorum: “All you do is gossip like old village aunties! Did your parents never teach you manners?” “Forget it, I get it. Not everyone has parents. But if you need lessons, come find me. I’d be happy to be your mommy for a day!” Leaving them stunned, I ran out without hesitation. It hurt. Really hurt. But I couldn’t out-shout a dozen people alone. I ran to the bathroom and let the tears flow. After crying for a few minutes, I fixed my face and prepared to leave. That’s when I realized I left my bag in the room. I hesitated at the door. Just then, I heard a clear voice. Chloe sneered, “Serena didn’t leave because she was mad. She probably rushed home to change her college application.” “She’s been simping for Julian for three years. She won’t give up that easily. She’s definitely following him to USC.” Then, as if remembering something, she asked: “Julian, you didn’t actually apply to USC, did you?” Julian swirled his drink, watching the liquid move. He seemed in a good mood. He smiled. “Nope. Not USC.” Chloe’s smile widened, eyes shining. “Julian, you’re the best.” “I can’t believe you actually listened to my joke about tricking Serena to get her off your back.” “But my scores are only good enough for a state school here. Will you stay here with me?” I thought I was done being sad. But hearing this, my eyes burned again. So UCLA, USC… it was all a smokescreen to keep me away. Why guard against me like that? It’s not like I can’t live without him. I was about to leave when I heard a firm voice. Julian rejected her. “No.” “I applied to Stanford. Five minutes before the deadline tomorrow night, I’ll call Serena.” “She’ll be crying tears of joy, scrambling to change her application. After all, being with me isn’t supposed to be easy.” Chloe’s smile froze. Her voice cracked. “Julian, what did you say?!” I didn’t listen to the rest. I didn’t want the bag anymore. It was a cheap $30 bag I used for three years anyway. I felt complicated. Maybe Julian didn’t intend to break his promise. But how did he know I would definitely change my application? I wanted to go to UCLA. It was never just for him. Back home, while packing, I found an old tin box. Inside was a crudely made red string bracelet, cushioned by cotton balls. Sophomore year psychology class. The teacher told us to make them for our best friend. Julian gave his to me. I gave mine to him. I cherished it like a “token of love.” And Julian wore the one I made all the time. Even at the party just now, he was wearing it. Thinking about this, my feelings were a mess. I couldn’t read him. Julian’s affection was like a cloud—visible but intangible, drifting close then far, impossible to grasp. 3 I pressed my hand over my heart. Finally, I put the bracelet back in the tin and placed it in a visible spot. Just as I finished, Julian called. His tone wasn’t great. He sounded annoyed. He started with an interrogation: “Serena, why did you leave without saying anything?” I frowned. “What else was I supposed to do?” “Stay there and let them roast me?” He paused, then replied nonchalantly: “Were they wrong? Three years of high school. You brought me breakfast, brought me water at games. Every birthday, you saved up for months just to buy me a decent gift.” “Serena, admit it. You’re crazy about me.” He was smiling when he said the last part. I could hear the smugness. So, he thinks he has me wrapped around his finger? Suddenly… I felt bored. It all felt so pointless. Without thinking, I said something irreversible. “Julian, starting now, I don’t like you anymore.” Silence. His breathing got heavier. The background noise seemed to vanish. After a dozen seconds, Julian found his voice. He scoffed, sounding certain. “Mad? Because of tonight?” “It was just a joke. Since I told you I applied to USC, just change your application. Like I said, same school, we date.” My stomach churned. I refused firmly. “No need.” Probably because he’d never been rejected by me, Julian lost patience. He snapped. “Serena!” I closed my eyes, exhausted. “Yeah? Anything else?” Beep. Beep. Beep. He hung up. I sighed. I forgot to tell him I was returning the bracelet. Whatever. Not worth much. The trash can works too. The next day, I spent all day making a college packing list. I didn’t notice I missed the deadline to change applications. I realized it when I heard Julian yelling my name downstairs. He had called me dozens of times. My phone was on silent. His hair was plastered to his forehead with sweat, his shirt soaked. He was leaning against a tree, panting. Seeing me, he immediately demanded: “Serena, why didn’t you pick up?!” Suddenly, I remembered what I overheard: “Five minutes before the deadline… I’ll call Serena… She’ll be crying tears of joy, scrambling to change her application.” My attitude wasn’t great. I answered coldly. “Didn’t see it.” Julian was anxious and angry. “Do you know what you missed?” “I was going to tell you I applied to Stanford! But the deadline passed. You missed your chance.” But before I could reply, his expression changed. He looked smug. “Serena, I know. You definitely changed it to USC last night.” “Afraid you’d cry if we weren’t at the same school, I reluctantly changed mine to USC too. You should be grateful.” 4 He didn’t know. I hadn’t opened the application portal since last night. My target school never changed. When Julian looked at me again, he met my calm, indifferent gaze. He frowned deeply. “Still mad?” “Serena, I’ve done this much for you. What more do you want?” “I agreed to date you out of pity. Don’t push your luck!” I rubbed my temples. “Then let’s not date.” Julian froze for half a second. He laughed in anger. “Fine.” He turned and walked away. I called his name a few times. He pretended not to hear, walking faster, never looking back. Failed to return the bracelet again. Sigh. Walking home, I debated telling him my actual choice. Then I thought, why bother? It would just cause unnecessary trouble. That night, the class monitor called me. Fast, commanding tone: “Serena, Julian is drunk at the bar. Come pick him up.” I pursed my lips. “No time.” The monitor sounded exasperated. “You liked him for years. Now that you have a chance, why are you throwing a tantrum?” “To be honest, if Julian didn’t pity you, you wouldn’t stand a chance with him.” My voice was soft: “I don’t like him anymore.” Silence. Then a crash on the other end, and the call ended. Soon after, I saw a post on Moments (social media timeline). Posted by Chloe. Background: a hotel room. On a white bed, Julian, eyes closed, face flushed, was holding a woman’s head, kissing her deeply. Caption: [True lovers finally together?] seeing this now, I didn’t feel much pain. But my classmates thought otherwise. The comments were a flood of mockery directed at me. “Hahaha, Serena must be exploding right now.” “OMG, my ship sailed!” “The simp ends up with nothing. Serena is probably crying under her covers.” “Chloe and Julian are childhood sweethearts. Some people just had to interfere. Deserved!” “Right? Trying to chase Julian without looking in a mirror first.” My chest felt tight. I guess it still hurt a little. After all, the feelings were real. The effort was real. I couldn’t sleep that night. I sat on the window ledge, curled into a ball. Watching the traffic thin out, watching the sky turn from ink black to fish-belly white. I thought about a lot. Julian fighting off bullies for me. Julian patiently explaining calculus. Julian carrying me to the hospital when I had a fever. Memories were messy. Finally, they turned into a long sigh. Julian. I hope you understand one day. A sincere heart shouldn’t be trampled on. After that, I cut contact with Julian. He unilaterally blocked and deleted me on everything to declare a Cold War. I didn’t panic like before, racking my brain to fix things. Instead, I breathed a sigh of relief. Good. Avoiding entanglement was easier this way.

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My best friend found out I had infinite life and a ridiculous amount of money. So, she hired a master of the dark arts to kill me and send me straight to hell, planning to steal my perfect fate. On the rooftop of a skyscraper, I cried my eyes out: “Please don’t kill me! I’ll give you all my money!” I’m terrified of dying. Really. Because my ex-husband—who happens to rule the underworld—told me when I dumped him: “If I ever see you again, I’m throwing you into a pot of boiling oil and slicing you into a thousand pieces…” 1 “Sophie, we’ve known each other for ten years. I’ve always been good to you. Please, just let me go…” “I’ll give you everything! Every cent! Just please!” I knelt on the cold concrete of the rooftop, dignity gone, practically banging my head on the ground. Sophie sneered, lifting my chin with the tip of her stiletto. “I don’t just want your money, Jane. I want your eternal life.” “Aren’t we besties? What’s yours is mine. If you really cared about me, you’d give it all to me.” She winked at the man beside her, dressed in traditional Taoist robes. The Master grabbed my hair and dragged me to the edge. It was a 33-story drop. Directly below where I’d land, they had prepared a ritual array. If I fell and died there, their plan would work. I wouldn’t even get a chance to reincarnate. Sophie didn’t need to worry about me coming back as a vengeful ghost. She planned to destroy me completely. The cold wind slapped my face. I struggled, trying to pull back. Sophie’s greed had been ignited the moment she learned my secret. She rushed forward and helped the Master kick me off the ledge. As I fell, the rushing air blurred my senses. THUD. A massive sound exploded in my ears. My body smashed into a bloody pulp. When I regained consciousness, I was a soul in the underworld. Two minor Reapers stood beside me, holding a thumb-thick soul-locking chain. The other end was attached to my neck. Thick fog surrounded us. Agonized screams pierced the air from up ahead. I knew this place. The entrance to Hell. Thanks to my damn ex-husband, I’d been here before. When I tried to leave him, he dragged me here, eyes red with rage, just to scare me. He didn’t actually throw me in back then. But now, I was about to be obliterated here. I struggled, refusing to move. “I died unjustly! I haven’t done anything wrong!” Seeing me resist, the Reaper with the little mustache pulled a barbed whip from his belt and lashed me hard. Pain seared through my soul. I collapsed, unable even to scream. “Listen up. Doesn’t matter who you were. You’re in our hands now. You’re done.” Rather than go straight to hell, I decided to gamble. Maybe my ex-husband still had some feelings for me? A chance at reincarnation was better than having my soul scattered. Trembling, I said, “I know your King, Hades! I want to see him…” The two Reapers exchanged a look. Crack! Another lash on my back. A crack appeared in my soul. I couldn’t speak anymore. Mustache spat on me. “You think you’re worthy to say Lord Hades’ name? I don’t know how you know it, but shut up and save yourself some pain.” Powerless, I was dragged forward like a dead dog. The other Reaper looked nervous. “What if she’s telling the truth? Could we get in trouble…?” Mustache scoffed. “Scared of what? The Taoist said this broad isn’t in the Book of Life and Death. Some occult tricks probably taught her the name. Don’t be a coward. Since she’s off the books, we take the money and do the job. Hurry up, before things get complicated.” I understood now. They were colluding with Sophie and the Taoist. Corrupt Reapers taking bribes! Seeing the towering Gates of Hell, terror gripped my soul. I wouldn’t stop shaking. The Reapers chanted, and the gates slowly creaked open. My heart sank. Suddenly, a voice echoed from the fog: “Is this a new arrival? Processed properly?” It was Black Impermanence! He knew me! I stared intensely at the figure emerging from the mist, opening my mouth to scream, “Blackie…” A Reaper’s hand clamped over my mouth instantly, dragging me aside. I watched desperately as Mustache intercepted Black Impermanence. Mustache pulled out a pack of cigarettes, smiling ingratiatingly. “Brother Black, what brings you here? Try this, good stuff from the mortal world.” Black Impermanence dusted off his robes, looking annoyed. “Cut the crap. I asked you, was that soul processed?” Mustache gulped guiltily. “Of… of course! Would we dare break the rules? You and Sister White are always so busy, take a break. Have a smoke.” Black Impermanence took the cigarette and lit it, saying nothing. The fog was too thick; he couldn’t see my face. Terrified of missing my chance, I bit down hard on the hand covering my mouth. The Reaper yelped and let go. I bolted toward Black Impermanence but was kicked to the ground. The Reaper’s foot stomped on my face, grinding my head into the dirt. Sand filled my mouth. I couldn’t spit it out or make a sound. But the commotion caught Black Impermanence’s attention. He took two steps closer. “What’s going on?” The Reaper who I bit pressed down harder, almost crushing my skull. “Nothing, sir. Just a unruly ghost struggling at the end. None of the ones sent here are good people. Don’t dirty your eyes.” Black Impermanence stopped. “Be careful. These souls were wicked in life. Don’t make mistakes. Send her in.” Watching him turn and disappear into the fog, my heart died. Mustache bowed and scraped as Black Impermanence left, then turned and kicked me viciously. Still not satisfied, he whipped me until my soul was littered with wounds, unrecognizable. Finally, he grabbed my chin. “Bitch, you almost ruined everything. Don’t worry, once we’re inside, I’ll take care of you personally!” Like a rag doll, I was thrown into the First Level of Hell. The Hell of a Thousand Needles. Countless torture racks stretched as far as the eye could see. Every single one held a soul, pierced with thousands of needles like a human hedgehog. Here, souls didn’t dissipate yet, so the screams were endless. I gasped, gathering my last bit of strength to stutter out one sentence: “I really know… Hades. If you do this… he won’t forgive you…” It was mostly a bluff. Hades probably didn’t care if I lived or died. He really didn’t want to see me again. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have given me eternal life, leaving me to wander the mortal world alone, ageless and deathless. He was just afraid I’d die and come back to the underworld to annoy him… Stepping through the gate, the Reapers weren’t afraid of me causing trouble anymore. Mustache patted my face mockingly. “You got quite an imagination. Watched too many soap operas? You think you can dream about Lord Hades?” His slap knocked my head to the side. I retched, spitting out a mouthful of yin energy. My soul felt a little more transparent. I was strapped to a rack. Mustache grinned, picking up a soul-severing needle as long as my forearm. “Hang in there. Seventeen more levels waiting for you. Let’s take our time.” He aimed the needle at my thigh. “Down here, even the hardest bones turn soft for me.” The needle sank half an inch into my soul. The sharp, piercing pain made my entire being shudder uncontrollably. “AHHH—” Just then, someone ran over. “Hold it!” The needle was pulled out. I gasped, trying to focus my eyes. It was the Manager of this level, Wong. When Hades was threatening me back then, Wong had been there, advising him: “Lord Hades, the Little Lady is just young. No need to be so angry, don’t hurt her.” Hope reignited. I prayed he remembered me after all these years. “Manager Wong… it’s me… help me…” After the torture on the road, I was exhausted, my voice raspy. But I’m sure Wong heard me. He stared at me, squinting. Then his eyes widened in horror. He recognized me. Before I could relax, he looked away quickly, pretending not to know me. “Orders from above. They want to watch this woman scatter into nothingness personally. They’re almost here. Wait a bit.” I was stunned. Wong was in on it too! Corrupt to the core! Hope extinguished again. I laughed bitterly. Hades, oh Hades. This is the underworld you rule? Your subordinates are deceiving you, acting like lawless tyrants. But I was surprised Sophie dared to come here. Was she brave or cowardly? Brave enough to come to the land of the dead. Cowardly enough that she needed to see me obliterated to feel safe spending my money and using my lifespan. Soon, Sophie and the Taoist arrived. They had temporarily abandoned their physical bodies to come here as souls. At first, Sophie was scared, clinging to the Taoist. seeing how friendly the Taoist was with the Reapers, she got bold again. After all, she was the VIP client. She picked up a needle from a Reaper and walked over excitedly. “Jane, thank you. If not for you, I’d never know the joys of being rich. Money really makes the devil push the millstone. With money, I can even tour Hell.” “You’ve lived enough. I’ll take over the rest of your years. Go in peace, so I can have peace.” I looked at her coldly, voice hoarse. “Was I not good to you?” A redundant question. If she had a conscience, she wouldn’t be here. Sophie laughed like she heard a joke. “Hahaha… You think you were good to me? I was your maid! Wearing your hand-me-downs, always your sidekick. You really think that was kindness?” I didn’t argue. Proof that you can’t feed a wolf and expect it to be a dog. When she met me, it was snowing. She was wearing a thin shirt. She came from a poor village, couldn’t find a job at the end of the year. I took her in. I didn’t need a maid. I was used to being alone. I gave her the job out of pity. I treated her as a friend. Whatever she asked for, I gave. Her salary was way above market rate. Gradually, she stopped acting like a maid and started demanding things. Maybe I indulged her too much. She started thinking she was my equal, or could replace me. My mistake was trusting her with my secret. My silence only made her crazier. “Nothing to say? You know it’s true! You never saw me as a friend. Die!” She aimed the needle at my heart. She really wanted me gone immediately. The Reapers seemed to think this was improper but didn’t stop her. I was leaking more and more yin energy. My soul was turning translucent, my mind foggy. Sophie kept stabbing me, especially ruining my face. In a trance, I thought I saw Hades walking toward me. Still so handsome. More handsome than any man I’d seen in a hundred years. Black robes embroidered with cloud patterns, symbolizing supreme power. Ink-black hair, sharp, deep features. A face you’d fall for instantly. Hallucination? Must be… He doesn’t want to see me. But why were the Reapers kneeling? “Lord Hades, why are you here personally?” Wong was panicking, shaking like a leaf on the ground. Taking bribes from the living was a taboo. Allowing the living to roam Hell freely was a capital crime. Caught red-handed, he was doomed. The Taoist turned pale, dragging Sophie away from me and kneeling. Hades’ gaze swept over everyone, imposing and terrifying. The Eunuch behind him screeched, “Audacious! If Lord Hades hadn’t come today, who knows what you bold scoundrels would have done!” The two Reapers buried their heads lower, not daring to breathe. I wanted to speak, but my mind was chaos, the pain too sharp. Would he recognize me? And then? Save me, or throw me in the oil pot and slice me up like he promised? Honestly, even if he didn’t, I was about to dissipate anyway… Finally, Hades spoke, voice laced with ice. “Wong, I entrusted the First Level to you. Is this how you govern?” Wong banged his head on the floor faster than I begged Sophie. “I was wrong, I was wrong… those two Reapers brought the living here! I didn’t know! I was just about to chase them out before you came!” The two Reapers, hearing Wong throw them under the bus, were pissed. Mustache retorted, “This is your turf! Living people entering is your negligence! Don’t bite us!” Wong gritted his teeth. “You found the way to extort the living! I was dragged into this!” I got it. Hades came because he caught wind of their corruption. I was just collateral. Right now, I was an invisible bystander. The Taoist and Sophie were the ones in the storm. Watching them turn on each other, Hades scoffed. “Enough. Since they’re here, the two living ones don’t need to go back. Detain them for trial. As for you lot… reincarnate into the Animal Realm. Never to be human again!” Hearing this, Wong collapsed, face gray. The Reapers slumped too. Sophie finally realized she wasn’t going back to the living world. She freaked out. “My lifespan isn’t up! Hell has rules too, right?!” She couldn’t bear to lose the life she stole from me, or the money. The Taoist tried to grab her, scared she’d drag him down further. She shook him off, screaming. “I want to go back! Send me back!” The Taoist didn’t dare use magic in front of Hades. He closed his eyes and played dead. Sophie grabbed his collar. “What are you doing?! I paid you a million! Send me back now!”

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I was born with a naturally sweet scent. When the transfer student—our campus beauty—arrived, she crinkled her nose and called it “artificial fragrance,” saying it smelled terrible. My childhood friend sitting next to me immediately turned cold, frowning at me. “It is strong. Chloe, change seats.” I was moved to the back row. Right next to the school’s notorious bad boy. Later, the bad boy pinned me against the wall in the stairwell, inhaling deeply, when my childhood friend stumbled upon us. He crushed the soda can in his hand, eyes red with rage, gritting his teeth: “Chloe, I’m counting to three. Get your ass over here!” 1 I was born a little slow. My childhood friend, Liam, was a genius—top of our major. When I couldn’t grasp a concept after he explained it several times, he’d say, “It’s okay if little Chloe is a bit dumb. I’ll just take care of you in the future.” He never hid it. He said it loudly, like staking a claim. The whole class would look at us with暧昧 (ambiguous) grins: “Oooooh~” I’d flush with embarrassment, puffing out my cheeks. “Liam! I can learn it myself! I don’t need you to take care of me!” Then I’d grab my notebook and study the wrong answers again and again. It was hard. But give me enough time, and I could learn anything! But the whole class had already mentally bound me and Liam together. So when Bella, the transfer student and campus beauty, appeared, tilting her chin arrogantly and tapping on Liam’s desk to ask if she could sit next to him… Everyone looked at me and whispered. “Tsk, the way Liam looks at Bella isn’t innocent. I bet he says yes.” “Of course he will! Bella is gorgeous and smart. They did Math Olympiad together. What does Chloe have to compete with? Her big boobs?” “Hahahaha—” “Poor little childhood sweetheart is getting dumped by the academic god. She’s gonna cry, isn’t she?” My pen shook in my hand. Hearing the endless chatter, I couldn’t help but hunch my shoulders. It felt like ants were crawling all over me. It was unbearable. I had reminded Liam not to reveal our childhood connection when we ended up in the same class. He was the one who insisted on binding us together. But I was the one getting mocked. Just because I was slow and he was a genius. Next to me, Liam slammed the table and stood up, glaring around the room. “Anyone else want to say something about Chloe? Try me!” The room went silent instantly. Bella, unsatisfied, hopped onto Liam’s desk, her pale, slender legs dangling. She nudged his chest with her knee, impatient. “Liam, do you want me sitting next to you or not? I’m only asking this once.” “Look, so many guys want me as their desk mate.” She lifted her chin, gesturing to the eager boys around them. Liam stared at her long, pale legs for a moment, his Adam’s apple bobbing. He smirked. “I already have a desk mate. Can’t change.” “But you can sit in front of me.” 2 I have a natural sweet scent. Liam always liked to stick close to me. Even in class, he’d rest his head on my shoulder. My face would burn. I’d whisper, “Liam, the professor is watching.” “Mmh, he turned around to write on the board.” He’d move away quickly, acting like nothing happened. But after Bella transferred, everything changed. She sat in front of him, high ponytail exposing a slender neck that glowed under the fluorescent lights. Liam would often stare, dazed, chin in hand for the whole class. Every break, Bella would turn around to discuss problems with him. They got very close. Sometimes her long hair would brush against Liam’s face. His ears would turn bright red. Walking home, he told me: “Girls like Bella are too loose. She relies on her looks to flirt with every guy. I don’t like it. Our little Chloe is much better behaved.” But when I encountered a difficult problem I couldn’t solve after two days… I went to ask Liam during break. He stared blankly at the empty seat in front of him, pushing me away coldly. “You’re so slow. Teaching you takes all afternoon. Other people need to ask me questions too. Can’t you just Google it?” I tried Googling. I still didn’t understand. I bit my lip. “Liam, I’ve been studying this for days. If you explain it, I’ll definitely get it.” “Just once. If I still don’t get it, you don’t have to teach me anymore…” Before I could finish, he shot out like an arrow from a bow. Straight toward the slender figure in the hallway. Bella wore a white blouse and a pleated skirt. The wind blew, lifting the hem slightly. Liam moved closer, blocking her completely from view. I stared at them blankly. Before my vision was blocked, I caught Bella’s provocative glance. She did it on purpose. “Ooh, little childhood sweetheart gonna cry? Told you Liam likes Bella, you didn’t believe me.” “You’re so dumb, what will you do without Liam?” “Why don’t you sit with me? I’m third in the major, not much worse than Liam, right?” A hand reached out to pull me. Oscar stared straight at my chest, tone arrogant. I backed away, bumping into the corner of a desk. Just as I was trapped… A bottle of Coke smashed into him. Oscar howled in pain, clutching his hand and curling up on the floor. A tall, lean figure walked over from the back row, holding a jacket. His face was cold and gloomy. He kicked Oscar hard. “Move. You’re blocking the way.” Oscar scrambled away. I gulped, packing my things to leave too. Someone knocked on the desk with their knuckles. “Which problem can’t you solve?” I froze, following the finger to see Jax’s strikingly handsome face. “What… did you say?” Jax’s ears turned red. He coughed lightly and repeated: “I asked, which problem can’t you solve? I can teach you too.” 3 Liam was number one in the major. Jax was number two. But Jax was a delinquent. Fights, skipping class, bad temper, and a scary little scar by his eye. Almost everyone was afraid of him. Including me. Usually, I’d detour around the back row to avoid him. But finals were in two weeks. I wanted to keep my GPA up for grad school recommendations. But I still couldn’t solve the last big math problem. Liam wouldn’t help me anymore. If I didn’t learn it now, I’d run out of time. I steeled myself and followed Jax to the back row. He sat alone. plenty of space. I sat right next to him. Unexpectedly, Jax wasn’t scary at all when teaching. His voice was like a gentle breeze and soft rain, pleasant to the ear, with zero impatience. And his teaching style was totally different from Liam’s. Liam spoke fast. My brain would still be processing the previous step while he was on the next one. It made me dizzy. Jax deliberately slowed down, breaking the problem down step by step. Once through, and I understood ninety percent. I corrected the mistakes with a red pen. I looked up, smiling until my eyes curved. “Jax, I got it! Thank you!” Jax smirked. “You’re welcome.” I don’t know if it was an illusion. But Jax’s face seemed even redder. The tips of his ears looked like they were about to bleed. 4 The PE teacher was sick, so no Tai Chi. Free period. I went to the study hall alone. Liam was there. Um, and Jax was dazing in the back row. He didn’t go play ball today! I gathered my other wrong answers, planning to take advantage of the opportunity to ask him more. But my hand was pinned down. “Little Chloe, which problem did you ask about at noon? I have time to teach you now.” Liam, back to his usual slacker vibe, reached to flip through my notebook. I quickly held it down. “I already learned it. Go enjoy your free time.” He paused. Looking at me suspiciously: “You learned it that fast? By yourself?” I wanted to say Jax taught me. But remembering his aloof, “stay away from me” vibe, I shook my head. What if everyone found out Jax was a good teacher and swarmed him? Disturbing him wouldn’t be good. Plus, I had a little selfish wish. If Jax could teach only me forever… I could learn so many more problems! “Self-taught. I studied it for days, then suddenly it clicked.” Liam scrutinized me. “Then I can help you with other problems.” I shook my head vigorously. “I want to learn to solve them myself.” Liam’s hand on the notebook tightened, knuckles turning white. He stared at me for a while, then laughed coldly. “Chloe, think you’re grown up now?” “If you’re so capable, don’t ask me anything ever again.” “Don’t get jealous when I teach others later.” My face fell. That wouldn’t work. Even though Jax taught better, we weren’t close. What if he changed his mind and stopped teaching me? “Liam…” I tugged at Liam’s shirt, trying to salvage the situation. Suddenly, a beautiful figure appeared at the classroom door. When she smiled, dimples appeared on her right cheek. Her small face was translucent white. She waved at Liam coquettishly. “Teacher asked me to help write exam questions, I’m swamped. Help me, please?” Her voice was sticky sweet. Liam immediately grabbed his jacket and walked out, skillfully draping it over her shoulders, frowning. “Stop wearing short skirts. The guys are staring.” Bella tickled his chin, raising an eyebrow. “Dare to say you don’t like it?” Liam smirked, not answering. Watching them leave. Surprisingly, my heart didn’t ache anymore. Instead, I felt a trace of relief. After all, no rule says childhood sweethearts must end up together. I can find someone else too. I exhaled, taking my notebook and walking slowly to the back row. 5 I tentatively sat next to Jax. He didn’t stop me. Yes! I opened my notebook, clasping my hands together. “Jax, you teach so well. Can you teach me again?” Jax stopped spinning his pen. Raised his eyes to glance at me. Lips curled slightly. “Treating me like free labor?” I froze, feeling like a bucket of cold water was dumped on me. Quickly wrote down my contact info. “I can Venmo you. Name your price.” Jax put the note in his pocket, corner of his mouth lifting. “No money. I have a basketball game on Saturday. Just bring me water and cheer for me.” I vaguely remembered Liam telling me he had a game too. And asking me to bring water and cheer. So I nodded. Delivering two is still delivering. Jax raised an eyebrow. “Only for me.” I hesitated for a second, then nodded vigorously. The person helping with math is the boss. Besides, Bella would definitely bring water for Liam. I’ll just deliver to Jax. Jax finally smiled widely. He pulled my notebook over. “Which one first?” Wind blew in from the window, lifting his slightly long hair, revealing a bright purple ear stud. It gave him a somewhat devilish look. I swallowed, blushing secretly. Suddenly, I felt that compared to Jax, Liam wasn’t that handsome. Or that gentle. If only Jax would teach me math forever.

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In high school, someone offered me three million dollars to knock the top student off his pedestal. I took the job. Asher fell madly in love with me, even repeating a year of school just to be with me. His childhood friend, Luna, found me at my nail salon. Holding her Ragdoll cat, she smiled sweetly: “I came to see just how beautiful the woman is who made Asher throw away his future.” She scanned my pink hair, tattoos, and three-inch heels. “Didn’t expect a ghetto girl. Asher must have been blinded by lard to repeat a year for you.” Before she left, I clearly heard the Ragdoll cat laugh. [Don’t worry, Master. The scumbag looks down on you now, but later you’ll be out of his league.] [In the future, the scumbag will work in a factory, the trashy girl will serve bubble tea, and Master will drive luxury cars and live in a villa. He’ll regret everything.] [Wait until he begs for forgiveness. Master, you must trample on his face and show him what he missed.] Later, I was sitting on the back of Asher’s tricycle eating an old-fashioned popsicle when we bumped into his childhood friend stepping out of a BMW. She looked at Asher in his flip-flops and undershirt and sighed softly. “Do you regret it now?” 1 “Who’s that?” Asher nudged my elbow, popsicle still in his mouth. “Did we go to high school with her?” “Luna. Lived across from you. The one who brings her cat to every reunion.” I pouted, signaling Asher to look at Luna’s waist. She was carrying a Louis Vuitton pet carrier. The pretty Ragdoll cat inside, wearing a floral dress, meowed smugly. [Damn scumbag. Thought love was supreme, gave up Ivy Leagues for a ghetto girl.] [Now look at him. Wearing a $2 shirt from Temu, riding a broken tricycle to the reunion, too poor to afford ice cream. Compare that to Master’s glamour—he must be green with regret.] [I bet at the dinner table, we’ll see him groveling at Master’s feet. Can’t wait.] [Catwoman—uh, I mean Luna—really had a glow-up. Eyes and nose look totally different. Almost didn’t recognize her.] Hearing it was Luna, Asher bristled like a cat seeing a cucumber. Under his fake smile, every spine was erect, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Of course I regret seeing you. I regret it to death.” “If you had gone to the same school as me back then, you wouldn’t have ended up like this.” Luna’s lips curled up slightly, but Asher’s face darkened instantly. “I regret breaking up with you so late. Only now am I living the good life with Yan.” Luna’s smile froze. [Even in front of the mistress, the scumbag’s mouth is tough.] [His whole outfit costs less than the tax on Master’s bag. He was staring at Master just now, now he’s pretending.] The Ragdoll cat narrowed its eyes. I could hear its disdain. I said calmly: “Let’s go upstairs. Luna organized this, be polite.” Asher huffed. Luna forced a smile, leading us upstairs like a gracious host. [Master, don’t be discouraged. He’s playing hard to get. Wait for the drinking games, he’ll definitely take shots for you.] [You’re an heiress with an Hermès bag, leagues above a ghetto girl carrying a bubble tea bag. Just hold your ground, he won’t be able to resist.] The cat chattered on. Luna opened the door. The private room was thick with smoke. Gazes swarmed us like annoying mosquitoes. “Oh, the main course is here.” “Yan was stacked back in high school. Couldn’t take my eyes off her during PE.” “Little white rabbit turned into a big white rabbit. Even more flavor now.” It was hot, so I wore a black slip dress. Jason, sitting by the door, yanked my strap and whistled. “Should’ve worn more fabric. Spilling out everywhere. Nothing left to the imagination.” “Yan is pretty, but fragrant flowers always attract bugs.” Amidst their laughter, Asher folded his parasol and jabbed it hard between Jason’s legs. “Smells strong. I’m losing my appetite just smelling it. The downside of summer is mosquitoes in the room. Not just thin, but buzzing endlessly in your ear.” He pressed down on Jason’s shoulder, smiling without humor. “You gotta slap them twice to make them remember. Stop staring at women you can’t afford.” “Right, old classmate?” Jason hunched over, bug-eyed, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. Seeing Jason humiliated, some faces changed. The atmosphere grew tense until a waiter entered with a tray, opening a bottle of wine. “It’s hot out, everyone cool down. I bought this wine from a foreign estate especially for you. Taste some real wine.” Luna smoothed things over, pouring wine for Jason and Asher, signaling a truce. 2 For Luna’s sake, Jason swallowed his anger and reluctantly clinked glasses with Asher. Asher raised his glass, deliberately clinking the bottom against Jason’s rim, then downed the wine without looking at him. “This son of a…” Jason gritted his teeth. After everyone was seated, the class monitor suggested a drinking game. Losers drink and do Truth or Dare. [Here comes the iconic scene. Scumbag pretends not to care, but his heart is all Master’s. He’ll block drinks and give Master his coat.] [When he found out the ghetto girl seduced him for $50k to ruin him, he even hit her. He thinks she ruined his life, while he still loves Master deep down.] [Can’t wait to see his face when he learns the truth. The red rose rotted in the mud. He gave up Harvard for a worn-out shoe.] [Hehe, his tear-streaked face will be hilarious. Cat is so excited.] The Ragdoll cat swished its tail. Luna stroked its fur, unable to hide the smile in her eyes. Three rounds in, Asher lost a lot. After three or five drinks, his face was flushed. This round, Luna lost. She glanced at Asher frequently, holding her glass with a troubled look. “I’m not good at drinking.” “Any handsome guy want to take this for me? I’ll give you a Truth.” She was practically winking at Asher. But Asher was focused on peeling shrimp. A bowl full of shrimp meat, drizzled with sauce, placed in front of me. “Wife, eat shrimp.” He looked up proudly, meeting Luna’s gaze, and blurted out: “Is your eyelid twitching?” Luna’s face turned red. The monitor next to her took the glass perceptively. “I’ll take this for Luna. Come on, let’s keep playing.” [Master, don’t be mad. He’s doing it on purpose. Peeling shrimp for her when you’re being punished, just to make you jealous.] [When you first met, he peeled shrimp for you to get your WeChat. Same trick, definitely for your benefit.] The cat placed a paw on Luna’s clenched fist. Luna watched the monitor empty the glass and kissed the rim where he drank, right in front of Asher. “Thanks, Monitor.” Asher rubbed my arm, solicitously draping his jacket over me, muttering: “Wife, we can’t lose the PDA battle.” He was competing, completely unaware Luna was trying to provoke him. [Monitor just drank for you, he immediately gave the girl his jacket. Master, he wants you jealous to seize the initiative. Don’t fall for it.] The cat meowed. Luna chose Dare and played a piano piece for everyone. She played poorly, missed notes, but led by the monitor’s applause, it was praised to the heavens. “Young Mr. Qin is arriving.” Asher showed me the message. “Let’s go after this round. I can’t stand it anymore.” We hoped to network, but everyone here was doing worse than the next. Asher was bored. Luna glared at him, texting secretly. [Scumbag is gonna lose. He’s had seven or eight drinks. Truth serum time.] [Master, wait for the dogfight between the scumbag and the ghetto girl.] I raised an eyebrow. The monitor checked his screen and signaled Jason. They were setting a trap for Asher. I started recording and placed my phone face down on the table. 3 Asher lost, as expected. He finished his drink calmly. Just as he was about to leave, the monitor hooked an arm around his shoulder. “Don’t rush, Ash. Truth for this round.” “If you had to choose between Luna and Yan right now, would you still pick Yan?” “Obviously Luna.” Jason picked his teeth, grinning. “Who would pass up a millionaire heiress for a bubble tea girl?” “Big boobs can feed babies, but they can’t put rice on the table.” He gestured lewdly at his chest. I held down Asher’s hand, veins popping. He gritted his teeth. “I choose Yan.” “For real? Yan really is your Delilah.” Asher shook off the monitor’s arm coldly. The monitor laughed. “Bro, heart to heart. It’s been four years, I’ll level with you.” “Yan chased you because I paid her $50k to knock you off your pedestal so you wouldn’t steal my first place.” “And you actually fell for it. Gave up Harvard and Yale just to play house with her.” “Too bad. With a face fit for a top club, the most money she’s ever seen is probably the $50k I tossed her.” [Here it comes! The trainwreck! Scumbag’s heart fed to dogs, face slapped swollen.] The cat jumped on the table excitedly, eager to see Asher’s face. But Asher was expressionless. Instead, I stood up elegantly and slapped the monitor so hard he and his glasses went flying. “Four years. I’ll level with you too.” “The day I chased Asher, I split the $50k with him. After that, he tanked his scores on purpose just to keep you in the dark, you sucker.” “By the way, you guys spread a lot of nasty rumors about me in high school. Prostitute, bus for old men. The most widespread and ridiculous one was that Asher repeated a year for me.” I sipped the wine. Cheap taste filled my mouth. Asher obviously bought the bargain bin online. “A student capable of Ivy Leagues repeating a year for a ghetto girl? Is his brain broken, or are you snobs just brainless?” “If you had brains, you’d know our school produced the provincial top scholar two years ago.” Asher wiped my hands with a wet wipe, especially the fingers that touched the monitor’s face, disgust evident. Jason was the first to check his phone in disbelief. Then he knocked over his tea, shouting: “You’re the provincial top scholar?!” “Look! Asher’s condition for accepting Tsinghua University’s offer was… admitting his girlfriend too.” The monitor had lost half a lens but still squinted at the screen. Under everyone’s stunned gaze, I smiled brightly. “That’s right. It’s me.” “Bullshit! A wild chicken like you at Tsinghua?” Amidst the monitor’s hysterical cursing, I shoved my phone in his face. Wallpaper: Asher and I holding up our Tsinghua acceptance letters, beaming. “Yes, a wild chicken like me got into Tsinghua, thanks to you, Monitor.” “If you hadn’t paid that $50k, I never would have crossed paths with Asher, let alone had a provincial scholar boyfriend who got me special admission.” “Monitor, you’re my benefactor.” I patted his shoulder, watching sweat bead on his nose, his face draining of color. He was eerily silent, grinding his molars. “Too bad. Also missed by two points, but I went to Tsinghua. Your three top choices rejected you, and you slid to a second-tier college.” “The day rankings came out, your face was twisted just like now.” I enjoyed watching his face turn from white to red to dripping black. A Sichuan opera face-changing performance. “I even advised you back then. Your family has money. Repeat a year, you’ll get into a better school.” Asher looked down at the monitor, mockery in his eyes. “Monitor, remember what you said?” I mimicked his shrill voice and disdainful tone. “Only a simp repeats a year for a woman. Want to drag me down? Dream on.” “Now we’re at Tsinghua. Monitor, don’t regret it.” “After all, Asher is the simp who gave up Harvard, and I’m the Delilah who ruined his life.” 4 “Isn’t that true? If not for you, Asher could have gone to Harvard last year.” Luna stood up abruptly, slamming her fist on the table, indignant for Asher. [Master is speaking up for you! Scumbag should be moved. Acting lovey-dovey with the ghetto girl now is just embarrassing.] The cat on her shoulder bristled. Asher looked at Luna, his last shred of fake politeness gone. He snapped: “Thanks to you. If I wasn’t in the same exam room as you, would I have scored fifty points lower than my mocks?” “It was 100 degrees out. The sun was melting me. But you sat under the AC vent and complained about the cold.” “The room was a sauna. I was about to get heatstroke, and you, sweating buckets, whined ‘Teacher, I have a cold constitution.’ If you’re that delicate, get a private room!” By the end of the first subject, Asher was seeing double, soaked in sweat like a drowned ghost, chugging ice water the moment he got out. Severe underperformance cost him Harvard. He repeated for his future, but they called him a simp. “Just because we lived close, your mom made me take care of you. Bringing food, running errands. You came to me for every problem you couldn’t solve, and you were annoyingly stupid.” “The whole class thought we were a thing. They heckled us when we did problems on the board. Once locked us in a classroom for three hours. Yan had to open the door.” “I clarified a million times. We’re neighbors. Not childhood sweethearts.” Finally, Asher sneered: “Yan and I are getting married. And some blind idiot still asks me to choose between my wife and Luna.” “Think about it. Is there any comparison?” His blatant humiliation made Luna bite her lip until it almost bled. Tears filled her eyes. Jason rushed to comfort her. “Luna, poor people have short sight. He goes to Tsinghua but still rides a tricycle. You have villas and mansions. Compared to you, he’s a beggar.” [Master, don’t worry. Scumbag is humiliating you publicly because he still has feelings.] [When he finds out you’re getting married, he’ll buy a diamond ring and propose at your villa. Then you can pay back the humiliation a thousand times over.] “I ride a tricycle because I hate the smell of taxis.” I wanted to explain, but Asher’s phone rang. He stood up. “Car’s fixed. Having someone bring it over.” Meeting Young Mr. Qin this afternoon. We ordered a new suit. I wanted to pick some accessories. Also, the perfume I gave Mrs. Qin was running low. I custom-blended a refill based on her feedback. Perfect time to deliver it. Planning done, I grabbed the bubble tea bag to leave, but bumped into the monitor leading a waiter in. Meeting at the door, he grabbed my wrist abruptly. “Don’t go yet. Wait for the bill. Luna treating is for old times’ sake, not for mooches to take advantage.” Confused, I sat back down. The waiter read the bill, ending with: “Someone in your room took a carton of cigarettes worth $5,000. Total is $12,000.” “Must be a mistake. We can’t afford $5,000 cigarettes.” The monitor waved his hands, glancing at me. He smiled slyly. “Yan, where’s Asher? Bathroom?” “Getting the car.” I looked him in the eye, clarifying. “Asher doesn’t smoke. He didn’t take them. Don’t throw dirty water.” “Who else but him? He leaves, and suddenly Luna’s bill has an extra $5,000.” “I know you’re poor, barely scraping by, trying to leech off Luna. But stealing $5,000 cigarettes and running? That’s low.” He sent the waiter away and locked the door. Not letting me leave without the cigarettes. 5 “Yan, I wanted to tell you earlier. Diplomas are crap. Only cold hard cash counts.” “Asher can’t feed you, and he’s wasting your pretty face.” “If you want, I can give you another $50k. Be my woman this time. Serve me well, and I promise you won’t worry about food or clothes. Better than riding a tricycle with Asher.” He rubbed his hands, pretending to be suave, but his crotch betrayed his lust. I shifted away calmly. “I recall you’re married.” “Yeah, just got pregnant. I want her to have a safe delivery. Need somewhere to kill the loneliness for ten months, right?” Voice lowering, his greasy fingers crept toward my hip. “Qin Shusheng! Hands off!” I held up my phone. On screen was Qin Shusheng’s wife. “You scumbag animal! Thinking with your dick! Cheating while I’m pregnant? Did a dog eat your conscience?!” “Wife? No, honey, listen, I’m drunk, just a brain fart…” Qin Shusheng sobered up instantly, slapping himself, apologizing profusely. I shook the phone with interest, laughing. “Your husband just said I’m prettier than a club hostess. Seems he cheats often.” “Don’t listen to her, honey, she’s trying to divide us.” “Sent you the recording, sis. Dump the trash before it rots.” I shook the phone and yanked open Jason’s jacket. The carton of cigarettes fell out, label still on. “Found your cigarettes. I don’t owe you for this meal. I transferred my share. Don’t assume poor people are thieves.” I took the elevator straight to the garage. Asher was waiting in the Maybach. Getting in, I saw a text from Luna. “You can have his body, but not his heart if he doesn’t belong to you.” Attached was a screenshot of Asher’s friend request. “Here.” Asher handed me a mint. “Bluetooth connected to your playlist. Sprayed your perfume. Guaranteed fresh air all the way home.” “So attentive? Reward for you.” I leaned over and kissed the corner of his mouth. Asher blushed instantly. I teased him. “Calling me ‘wife’ in front of everyone without shame, now blushing over a kiss?” Since we started dating, Asher called me “wife” daily. Every time I corrected him, he’d say seriously: “A wedding is for others. In my heart, you are my wife. I’ll only ever have Yan as my wife.” His love gave me security. Luna’s provocations couldn’t shake us. I trusted Asher. He’d explain eventually. So I wasn’t in a rush. I screen-recorded Luna’s message and started preparing the gift for Mrs. Qin. Later, relying on me not blocking her, Luna sent taunts occasionally. “Asher went to the auction alone and bought a blue crystal necklace. Like the ‘Heart of the Ocean’ from Titanic, my favorite movie.” “He hired a specialist for a custom proposal. Huge field of roses. Even hired my favorite pianist.” “He contacted me. Coming to my villa this weekend.” I scrolled through the photos. The day Asher went to the auction, he hugged me and said: “Wife, working late. Don’t wait up for dinner.” In my drowsiness, I knew he kissed my hair before sleeping. The custom bouquet was blue roses, my favorite. The necklace was transparent blue, like the sea we visited after graduation. Finally, Asher’s message: “Heading over this weekend.” Concise. Very him. I looked up, remembering the day scores came out. He called me calmly. “Choked. Didn’t get into Tsinghua.” I cooked wontons in the dark, knocked on his door, watched his tears fall into the soup, and said gently: “It’s okay. We’ll try again next year.” That year his parents divorced. Asher hid in my rental. We ate wontons and studied until the lights went out. He for his future. Me to stand beside him. I was the simp. I always believed he was a genius destined for greatness. My judgment is always right. I believe I didn’t misjudge Asher.

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The hot guy downstairs opened a dessert shop because I said I liked sweets. But business was terrible. I actively helped him promote it. Then I discovered the shop only opened when I went there. When my best friend found out, she said it sounded like one of those “pig-butchering” scams where a guy creates a perfect persona just for you. I was scared and stopped going. Later, I heard the shop was closing down. I overheard the hot guy talking to his employee: Employee: “Give up, man. The girl you have a crush on hasn’t come in a week. This shop is dead.” The hot guy looked even more aggrieved, correcting him: “Plus three hours, twenty minutes, and sixteen seconds. Oh, seventeen seconds now…” He got sadder as he spoke. “I’ll never like her again!” Until the next second, his employee saw me and shouted, “Ms. Lin is here!” The hot guy’s eyes lit up instantly. He turned to his employee: “Quick, quick! Are the desserts ready? She loves cream puffs, mochi, and snow skin mooncakes…” 1 A new dessert shop opened in my apartment complex. As a certified dessert addict, I naturally couldn’t miss it. “Hi, I’d like a snow skin mooncake to go.” I called out to an old man dressed as a waiter. “Certainly.” The old man bowed his head to pack the mooncake. His movements were elegant and refined. If he weren’t wearing a waiter’s uniform, I would have mistaken him for a butler in a period drama. I instinctively looked behind him. A tall man was working in the back kitchen with his back to me. Even from the back, I could tell he was hot. Is he the owner? I heard from neighbors that the owner of this dessert shop is a handsome guy. “Miss, your mooncake is ready.” The old man’s voice rang in my ear, quite loud. But even though he was talking to me, his eyes were fixed on the hot owner behind him. Like he was saying it for him to hear. I was stunned. Before I could react, the hot owner suddenly appeared in front of me woosh. He smiled at me. “What a coincidence, Ms. Lin. We meet again.” Only then did I see his face clearly. It was Lucas, the hot guy who moved in downstairs three months ago. 2 Lucas moved in three months ago. He was gentle, polite, and very nice. Whenever he had good food, he’d share it with me. “I can’t finish this, so I thought I’d share with Ms. Lin. To improve neighborly relations.” When I couldn’t carry my packages, he helped. “Since we’re neighbors, it’s normal to help each other.” When my water pipe burst and I couldn’t find a plumber, he found one for me. “I have the number for the complex’s maintenance guy. I’ve already contacted him for you, Ms. Lin. Don’t worry.” Later, after learning I liked desserts, Lucas said he wanted to open a dessert shop. I thought he was joking. I didn’t expect him to actually open one. And right downstairs in our complex. 3 “Ms. Lin, here is your mooncake.” Lucas’s voice brought me back to reality. I saw him handing me the packaged mooncake. “Oh, okay.” I took it and half-joked, “You didn’t open this shop because of what I said, did you?” Lucas nodded. He really opened a dessert shop because of one sentence from me. I was shocked. Isn’t he too nice? Opening a shop costs a ton of money. For someone like me who just started working, it was unimaginable. “But I just said that casually,” I said. “You didn’t have to take it to heart.” Lucas smiled. “Don’t feel burdened, Ms. Lin. I already had the idea of opening a dessert shop.” So that’s it. After that, I went to Lucas’s shop every day to buy desserts. Because the mooncake I took home that day was super delicious. Better than any other shop I’ve bought from. Soft texture, just the right amount of sweetness. It won my heart completely! One day, I went to buy desserts again. “This one, this one, and this one. I’ll take them all.” “Okay, Ms. Lin.” Lucas responded and helped me pack them. After paying, I turned to leave. But Lucas stopped me. “Ms. Lin, tell me what you want to eat tomorrow, and I’ll make it for you.” My feet stopped instantly. I can request specific desserts? Is there such a good thing? But I didn’t agree immediately. Instead, I turned and asked Lucas, “Will this affect your time making other desserts?” After all, he’s running a business. He shouldn’t disrupt his plans for my needs alone. “Don’t worry, Ms. Lin. Making a few desserts won’t delay anything.” Lucas smiled. “Besides, as a regular customer, you have some privileges.” Since Lucas said so, I didn’t hold back. For the next few days, the desserts in Lucas’s shop were all my favorites. Mochi, snow skin mooncakes, cream puffs… I couldn’t even choose. And Lucas gave me a discount. I felt like I couldn’t leave his shop. When I went to buy desserts again, I heard the old man talking to Lucas in the back kitchen. They had their backs to me and didn’t notice I came in. The old man said, “This won’t work. Business is too bad. I don’t know how long the shop can last.” Lucas said, “It’s fine. I didn’t plan on making money anyway.” The old man said, “Then it will close down soon, right?” Close down? At that moment, I was struck by lightning. It can’t close down. I finally found such a perfect dessert shop. I wanted to keep listening, but Lucas spotted me. He came out from the back, smiling and greeting me, “Ms. Lin is here. What dessert would you like today?” 4 After buying desserts and going home, I immediately went online to ask for advice on how to improve a dessert shop’s business. I didn’t want Lucas’s shop to close. Soon, several netizens replied. I clicked through them one by one. Posting online, posting on WeChat Moments… Basically, as long as more people come to the shop, business will be good. And the shop won’t close. These ideas were good. The corners of my mouth couldn’t help but rise. Just as I was about to get to work… I realized I had no promotional material. I had never taken photos or videos of the desserts in the shop. It felt like a setback right at the start. I felt a bit disappointed. But then I thought, I can go take photos tomorrow. I immediately contacted my best friend, Sarah, who works as a photographer. She’s better at taking photos than me and will definitely take good pictures of the desserts. The next day, the time agreed with Sarah arrived. But I hadn’t finished my work and needed to work overtime. So I told Sarah to go first, and I would arrive ten minutes late. After I got off work, Sarah called. “Lily, are you off work? I’m here, but the dessert shop isn’t open.” “Impossible,” I said, surprised. “I usually buy desserts at this time. It’s never been closed.” Sarah asked me if I had the owner’s contact info to check. After hanging up, I opened the chat with Lucas to contact him. Since I bought desserts from him so often, I actively added Lucas’s contact info. Later, whenever I went to buy desserts, I would message him in advance. He would prepare the desserts I wanted. Then I would just pick them up at the shop. I messaged Lucas: [Is the dessert shop not open today?] Lucas replied instantly: [It’s open. What dessert do you want, Ms. Lin? I’ll go prepare it.] I was confused: [But my best friend went to your shop, and the door was closed.] Lucas said: [Delayed by something. I’m going to open the door now.] I see. I ordered a few of my usuals. When I arrived at the shop, Lucas was unlocking the door. Sarah, who had been waiting for a long time, came up to me. She whispered, “As soon as you contact the owner, he opens for business. Honestly, what’s your relationship?” Sarah grinned wickedly, gossiping about me and Lucas. I said, “No relationship. But I feel like I can’t live without him—” Before I could finish, Lucas, who had his back to me, suddenly stumbled. “Are you okay?” I rushed forward to support him. “N-no, I’m fine.” Lucas blushed. Hm? Why is he blushing? I meant I can’t live without his desserts. 5 “I suspect the owner likes you.” As soon as we entered the shop, Sarah whispered to me. “Impossible, right?” I whispered back. “How are you sure?” “Woman’s intuition,” Sarah said. “Otherwise, why did he blush when you said something wrong about not living without him?” That is a bit suspicious. But I still felt it didn’t prove Lucas liked me. We were just ordinary neighbors. I explained to Sarah, and she thought about it and agreed. She started talking about how to shoot the desserts. “Have you told the owner about this?” “Not yet.” I glanced at Lucas busy in the back kitchen and leaned in to Sarah. “I’m afraid the promotion won’t work, and he’ll be happy for nothing. So let’s take photos and post them online first to see.” “Okay.” After the desserts were served, Sarah and I took photos under the pretense of “taking pictures for social media.” After we finished, we packed the desserts to go and left. On the way, Sarah checked the photos in her camera and suddenly said: “Oops, we forgot to take a picture of one dessert.” We hurried back to the shop to take a picture of the forgotten dessert. But when we arrived at the door, we found the shop, which was open just minutes ago, was closed. “So strange.” Sarah looked at the “Closed” sign on the door. She turned to me and said, “As soon as we left, the owner closed the shop. “And when I came here an hour ago, it wasn’t open. You contacted him, and he rushed to open it. Isn’t that weird?” Thinking about it, it was indeed weird. Sarah asked how I met the owner. I told her the whole story. Sarah frowned deeper. “You said a handsome guy you haven’t known for long is treating you so well for no reason. Opening a dessert shop that seems to only open for you… something’s fishy.” Hearing Sarah’s summary, I realized belatedly that something was fishy. “Your vigilance is too low,” Sarah complained. She took out her phone and searched for something. A moment later, my phone beeped several times. I looked down. Sarah sent me several videos, mostly titled “Pig-Butchering Scams.” I clicked to watch. The so-called “pig-butchering” scam. It’s where a scammer creates a perfect persona, treats you well in every way, gets you hooked, and finally cheats you out of your money and heart. Sarah thought Lucas was running a “pig-butchering scam” on me. It just hadn’t reached the point of cheating me yet. Otherwise, why was Lucas so nice to a stranger like me from the beginning? Even excessively nice. Very problematic. “He definitely has bad intentions!” Sarah advised me. “You’d better stop interacting with him to avoid being scammed.” I chose to believe Sarah. If Sarah advised against it, I wouldn’t interact. And I also felt Lucas was suspicious. So for the next few days, I didn’t visit Lucas’s dessert shop.

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