A month after starting to date my childhood sweetheart, I stumbled across a post on Reddit. [My crush’s parents are obsessed with his childhood friend. Any tips on how to drive a wedge between them?] In the pinned comment, the OP justified herself: [We like each other, we just haven’t made it official yet.] [He even changed his college application to follow me to the same school, settling for a random major.] [He told me he only tried dating the childhood friend to see if it would work, but they have zero chemistry.] What sent a chill down my spine was the photo attached to the post. Two pairs of feet, close together. The hand-painted dragons on their sneakers were making a heart shape. I stared at the photo, and finally, it clicked. The “Crush” the OP was talking about was my boyfriend, Lucas. 1 The comments under the post were piling up. [Parents like that are the worst. They only care about their own social circle, not their kid’s happiness.] [I never date guys with female ‘besties.’ Who knows what kind of history they have?] [So jealous. My crush always sides with his childhood friend.] … The OP replied to each one, sounding smug. [His parents can want whatever they want. In the end, parents always cave to their kids. As long as he loves me, that’s all that matters.] [Calling her a ‘childhood friend’ is being generous. Frankly, she’s just the third wheel interfering in our relationship.] Someone questioned her: [If your crush is ‘trying it out’ with the childhood friend, doesn’t that mean they’re dating? Technically, you’re the side piece!] The OP replied with an eye-roll emoji. [No ring, no foul. Whoever gets the marriage certificate wins. Besides, he likes me more!] Finally, she posted a screenshot of a chat. StarChaser (Him): I didn’t want to go. It’s a dinner with the parents, I’m just there as a prop. DewCollector (Her): But my stomach hurts, and I’m sitting alone on a bench at the mall. StarChaser: Send location! Don’t worry, I’m coming right now. [See? One word from me, and he drops everything.] I stared at the familiar nickname, stunned. I never knew that to others, our relationship was just him “trying it out.” I zoned out for a long time until my phone vibrated. “Nina, something came up, I can’t make the dinner. Make up an excuse and cover for me with the parents.” I was silent for a few seconds. “What kind of excuse do you suggest?” Lucas hummed impatiently. “Just say the graduation gift I ordered for you had an issue, and I’m at the shop sorting it out.” When I didn’t respond, Lucas clicked his tongue. “Is lying that hard for you? I really have an emergency. Don’t worry, I’ll make it up to you tomorrow.” He hung up. Surprisingly, I felt calm. I had crushed on him for years. After graduation, I spent two weeks planning my confession. When he said yes, I excitedly told my best friend. But she frowned, disapproving. “You even had to confess first? I don’t see him treating you special at all. If you didn’t tell me, I wouldn’t even know you guys were dating. Not even a social media post.” She opened Lucas’s Instagram. “Gaming, basketball, hanging with the boys… wait?” She pointed at a photo. “See this girl? That’s the transfer student, Bella. They were close in school. She’s in his photos, but you aren’t!” Thinking back, I laughed. “DewCollector” could only be Bella (White Dew). But Lucas… we grew up together. If you didn’t like me, you could have just said so. Why play me like this? 2 I wiped my tears aggressively, trying to compose myself. But pushing open the door to the private room, facing the expectant gazes of the adults, my nose still stung. I lowered my head to hide it and sat quietly next to my mom. Lucas’s mom, Auntie Lin, looked confused, glancing at the door. “Where’s Lucas? Didn’t he say he was coming with you?” My mom was also puzzled. “Yeah, Nina, where’s Lucas? Weren’t you together?” I spoke slowly. “He said he had an emergency and couldn’t come. Auntie, maybe you should call him. My phone is dying.” Auntie Lin didn’t think twice and dialed immediately. Call after call, no answer. Finally, it went straight to voicemail. I refreshed the Reddit post under the table. The latest update: [His mom keeps calling. Bet it’s the childhood friend’s doing! I turned his phone off.] I felt a wave of dizziness. Auntie Lin has anxiety. She needs to confirm her husband and son are safe multiple times a day. Because of this, Lucas never dared to turn off his phone. Even in school, teachers allowed him to keep his phone on because of his mom’s condition. Once, I borrowed his phone to play a game and drained the battery. Even though I charged it immediately, he yelled at me. Now, I watched Auntie Lin’s hands trembling as she dialed again and again. The cold robotic voice repeated: “The subscriber you have dialed is powered off…” I smiled bitterly. Lucas really treats people differently based on who they are. 3 Unable to get through, Auntie Lin started to panic. “No one answered before, now it’s off! Did something happen to Lucas?” Just then, our dads walked in with drinks. Seeing Auntie Lin’s distress, Uncle Yu froze. “What’s wrong?” Auntie Lin found her anchor, grabbing his hand, speaking rapidly. “Lucas isn’t answering, and now his phone is off! Was he in an accident? Is he hurt? We have to find him!” Everyone knew her condition. My dad quickly comforted her. “If it was an accident, someone else would answer. Probably just ran out of battery. Or maybe it got stolen! It’s fine, we were going to get him a new one for college anyway.” Dad’s theory calmed her down slightly. But half an hour later, still no Lucas. She couldn’t take it anymore. “You guys eat. I’m going home to check.” My mom lost her appetite too. “Let’s pack the food. You guys go get the car, we’ll go back together.” 4 We split up. I went to pay the bill, debating whether to tell the truth. But Auntie Lin’s mental state was fragile. In middle school, teachers assigned study partners. Auntie Lin went to the school. “Lucas and Nina are best friends. Why pair him with someone else?” Despite the teacher explaining it was about complementary subjects, Auntie Lin insisted. She told my mom, “I don’t trust anyone else. His own grandmother spilled boiling water on his foot. I can’t gamble on strangers.” Thinking of this, I didn’t dare speak. If she knew Lucas ditched us and turned off his phone for Bella… what would she do? Hesitating, we got into the car. Property management called back: Lucas wasn’t home. Security footage showed him leaving two hours ago. Uncle Yu hung up with the traffic police. “They said there were six minor accidents this afternoon, but no one named Lucas Yu.” I fingered the phone in my pocket, pulling it out, then pushing it back. Suddenly, Uncle Yu, who was driving, yelled “Fuck!” The car swerved violently. Auntie Lin and I were thrown to the right, crushing my mom. Then, a sickening crash. When my hearing returned, I opened my eyes to an inverted street and crowd. A stranger was shouting through the window. “Honey, don’t be scared! We’re getting you out!” 5 Scenes I’d seen countless times on TikTok were playing out in front of me. People rushing from all directions, shouting, trying to flip the car. But manpower vs. machine wasn’t enough. Someone took charge: “Smash the windows! Get the people out! That’s an EV over there, might catch fire!” My ringing ears cleared. I woke up fully and struggled with my seatbelt. Our moms were unconscious. I pushed Auntie Lin toward the rescuers first. I turned to my mom, but her seatbelt had locked tight. The more I panicked, the stucker it got. The stranger outside shouted instructions. “Slow down! Loosen the shoulder strap, then the waist. Loop it over her head and behind her back.” I forced myself to calm down and followed her steps. Freed my mom. We were pulled out one by one. They dragged us to the sidewalk. A scream came from the distance. A man stumbled out of the electric vehicle we hit. Smoke billowed from his car. “Run! The cars are too close, they’re gonna blow!” Minutes later, the fire jumped to Uncle Yu’s car. BOOM! Two explosions, heat waves hitting our faces. The stranger handed me water. “Don’t be scared. Everyone’s out. Ambulance is coming.” 6 At the hospital, our moms and I had minor injuries. We calmed down quickly. Only Uncle Yu, who took the brunt of the impact, was still in surgery. Auntie Lin was crying and calling. “Where is Lucas? Why isn’t his phone on?” I let go of my mom’s hand and took out my phone. Opened Reddit. The OP was still updating. [I confessed. He patted my head.] [I transferred here senior year and fell for him instantly. Before graduation, I felt the vibes.] [When filling out college apps, I asked if he wanted to go to Shanghai with me.] [He didn’t say yes explicitly, but I know he likes me!] I replied: [Tell Lucas to turn his phone on and call home immediately. His parents were in a car accident. His dad is in surgery.] The thread exploded. [Is this… the childhood friend?] [Real? Just confessed and now his parents are in a crash?] [Sister, let it go. A man who wavers isn’t worth it!] Bella posted a photo. Lucas, holding an orange, smiling at the camera. [Why play these mind games? If our parents didn’t force us, he wouldn’t even look at you.] [Cursing his parents? Are you trying to make him hate you?] Desperate, I took a photo and uploaded it. [It’s true. We are at City Hospital No. 1. Tell Lucas to come NOW!] I hit send. An error message popped up. [Message failed to send.] Bella blocked me.

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The day the college entrance exam results came out, I dumped my high school sweetheart, the school’s “charity case” hottie. He, who never begged anyone, knelt before me, pleading with me not to leave. “Summer, you said we’d go to Tsinghua together.” I kicked him away, eyes cold. “I lied. I just thought you were fun to play with. But it’s been long enough, I’m bored.” Suddenly, comments started scrolling across my vision. [The Villainess doesn’t know her cancer diagnosis is a mistake yet. She thinks she’s dying.] [By the time she finds out, the Male Lead will already be on the train to Tsinghua, where he’ll meet our darling Female Lead, get healed by her, and fall in love! Easy peasy.] [The Villainess basically bought him anyway. LOL. Later, when she regrets it and tries to get him back, she’ll just bully the Female Lead out of jealousy.] [Eventually, the Male Lead gets fed up, bankrupts her family, her parents jump off a building, she goes crazy, and gets hit by a car. The end.] I froze. 1 Before I could process what was happening, Ethan’s knuckles turned white from gripping the hem of my shirt. A self-deprecating smile curved his lips. “Is that so?” “Got it.” Ethan, whose pride was his armor, who never showed weakness to anyone, was kneeling to keep me. He stood up slowly, straightening his back. Ignoring the onlookers eager for drama, he turned to leave. The comments started again. [Boohoo, poor Male Lead! I want to hug him! Villainess, you have no heart.] [Forget her! Run to our darling Female Lead! She’ll love you properly!] [Hmph, can’t wait for the ‘crematorium’ arc where the Villainess begs for him back but gets nothing. Haha, she’ll kneel for a day and night and he won’t even look at her.] “Wait!” I rushed over and grabbed his shirt. He stiffened immediately. His voice trembled, mocking. “What, Summer? Haven’t had enough fun yet?” I hesitated, then let go. [What is she doing? Does she regret it?] [Impossible!] [She has to break up with him, otherwise when will our darling Female Lead make her debut?] Seeing me let go, Ethan straightened up, scoffed lightly, and strode away. He didn’t look back. 2 I immediately changed my college application. Then I booked a flight to the best private hospital in the country. They have the top specialist for Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC). If it really was a misdiagnosis… I slammed on the gas. Driving to the airport, I thought of Ethan again. I sent him a text. [Give me a few more days. I need to figure something out.] [Wait for me!] A long time later, he replied. [Okay.] I breathed a sigh of relief and boarded the plane with renewed hope. This time, the doctor used gene expression profiling. The chance of misdiagnosis was minimal. Waiting for the results in the hospital was torture. Every moment, I missed Ethan. But I held back. I didn’t text him. If it wasn’t a mistake, if I really had SCLC… I’d have to start treatment abroad immediately. The survival rate is too low. I couldn’t gamble with his future. The day the results came, I was staring at a photo of us. Our first date. Disneyland. Under the fireworks, his handsome face looked like a painting. Starry brows, sword-like eyes. I was mesmerized. Just as the shutter clicked, I stole a kiss on his cheek. In the photo, his eyes were wide with shock, while I grinned triumphantly. Tears wet my phone screen. “You’re discharged.” I stared blankly at the smiling chief physician. He was nearly sixty, the top authority in the field. Seeing I wasn’t moving, he laughed heartily and leaned in to look at my phone. “Oho, is this the boy making you cry every day?” “Well, let me tell you: you’re not sick. You’re perfectly healthy. You can leave right now. Go find him.” Happiness rushed to my head, making me dizzy. I jumped off the hospital bed, ready to go. At the door, I turned back and hugged the doctor tightly. With tear-filled eyes, I said, “Thank you!” Sitting on the plane home, I couldn’t contain my excitement. Like an arrow flying home. Ethan. I’ll never let you go again. Wait for me! 3 But when I landed and called Ethan… I was blocked. The scrolling comments returned. [LOL, the Villainess is still fantasizing about getting back together. She doesn’t know the Male Lead already found out the truth about why she approached him!] [Poor Male Lead was actually waiting for her to change her mind. He delayed his trip to Beijing and worked part-time at a club to buy her a necklace. But then he overheard her bestie roasting him for playing hard to get when he was so easy, and revealing that the Villainess only chased him because of a bet.] [Because the Villainess and her bestie liked the same senior, they made a bet: if the Villainess could bag Ethan, the bestie would back off and let her have the senior.] [Male Lead’s world collapsed when he heard that. He blocked her everywhere that night and left for Beijing.] [Villainess is disgusting, playing with his feelings. Innocent Male Lead fell for such a bad woman. Luckily he’s about to meet our darling Female Lead.] [Hehe, bad woman needs to die ASAP!] A bet… No. It wasn’t like that. Maybe it started as a joke, but I fell in love with him long ago. After we got together, I was devoted to him. I never thought of playing with his feelings! I ignored the comments cursing me. Ethan had gone to Beijing early. School was starting. He must have already registered. I immediately booked a flight to Beijing. Then called the butler to mail my documents and acceptance letter to the university in Beijing. [I don’t know why the Villainess suddenly got smart and double-checked her diagnosis, but even if she knows she’s not dying, it’s too late for the ‘crematorium’ arc.] Reading the comments, my heart went cold. I hope… it’s not too late. 4 On the plane, my thoughts drifted back to the past. Actually, the first time I saw Ethan, I kind of disliked him. He was cold to everyone. Hard to approach. But because he had good grades and was handsome, he became the famous “High Mountain Flower” of No. 1 High School. His only flaw was being poor. Once, a disabled man came to school to see him. Everyone found out he had a father like that. Found out his background was tragic, that he was an orphan. The disabled man was his adoptive father. Gradually, admiration turned into bullying. I didn’t expect someone as excellent as Ethan to be bullied. That day, my driver was taking me home. We passed an alley. I saw Ethan cornered by some school thugs. It was right before his physics competition. I didn’t want to get involved. But I couldn’t help it. I got out of the car. “If you touch him again, I’m calling the police.” Seeing I was alone, the thugs weren’t scared. They laughed and tried to mess with me too. Little did they know, I’m a black belt in Taekwondo. And my driver/uncle owns a dojo. In no time, the thugs were beaten black and blue. Before leaving, I shouted at them: “Ethan is under my protection. Touch him again and see what happens!” Ethan stood up, nose still bleeding. “Thanks.” I wanted to take him to the hospital, but he refused. He paused, then said, “I have no money. And I have an exam tomorrow. Can’t delay.” I insisted on taking him home. He didn’t refuse. He wiped the blood from his nose and dusted off his clothes. At his door, his father saw me and couldn’t hide his smile, insisting I come in. I wanted to decline, but seeing the sincerity on his face, I couldn’t get the words out. His home had no decent furniture. No TV, no AC, no fridge. Just a desk next to the bed in Ethan’s room. Simple, but clean. His dad dug out some fruit, washing it repeatedly before offering it to me. “You’re the first classmate Ethan brought home. Are you his friend?” I nodded shyly. Actually, today was the first time I spoke to Ethan. “Thank you for being Ethan’s friend.” I thought, what’s there to thank? Besides, we aren’t really friends. While munching on an apple, I racked my brain to praise Ethan. “Actually, lots of people want to be his friend. He has good grades, he’s handsome, everyone likes him.” His dad laughed heartily. He was so happy. I didn’t dare tell him Ethan was being bullied. Ethan kept his head down. Looking uncomfortable. I didn’t know what else to say, so after the apple, I made an excuse to leave. Ethan stopped his dad from seeing me out and walked me to the door himself. “Thank you.” I scratched my head. “Nothing to thank.” He shook his head, looking at me firmly. “Thank you for coming in, and thank you for what you said to my father. For not telling him I’m being bullied.” With that, he turned and went back inside. … So later, when my best friend bet me to chase Ethan, I didn’t refuse. I just wanted an excuse to be good to him. But a white lie is still a lie. Maybe in his eyes, I’m just a spoiled rich girl playing with his heart. Maybe now, he despises me. No, he hates me. Thinking of this, I couldn’t hold back anymore. I hugged my arms and cried. I’m sorry, Ethan. Will you forgive me? 5 After landing, I took a taxi straight to the university. I wanted to see Ethan so badly. To tell him I missed him, that I didn’t want to break up, that I just thought I was sick. Now I’m well. We can be together again. But when I saw Ethan, there was someone else by his side. A girl with a bright, sunny smile. The comments reappeared. [Yay! Our darling Ruan Ruan has entered Ethan’s heart! Hehe, evil Villainess thinks she can steal him back? Dream on!] [The Villainess is about to get jealous, push the Female Lead, get scolded by the Male Lead, and be hated even more!] I looked down at my hands. …Am I that bad? … I walked up slowly. Watching Ethan smile gently at the other girl. It felt like a giant rock was crushing my chest. Suffocating. His gaze stayed on Ruan. He didn’t even notice me standing a meter away. “What are you doing here?” His cold voice snapped me back to reality. Ethan’s face was suddenly dark, a complete 180 from his gentle look just now. “I…” I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. The girl next to him asked, “Ethan, who is this?” Ethan turned his head, explaining patiently. “Someone unimportant. You don’t need to know her.” Then he blocked her view, shielding her from me. “Summer, do you think playing me is fun?” “Or do you think I, Ethan Jiang, am just that cheap? To fall for your tricks again and again?” “No, it’s not like that.” I shook my head. Desperately explaining: “I came to tell you…” He cut me off. “Summer, I don’t like you anymore. Please don’t appear in front of me again.” Finally, he added: “Don’t pester me. Or I’ll hate you even more.” My chest tightened. Tears burst forth. He paused as he walked away. Was it an illusion? He seemed… pained to see me cry. Before, he was most afraid of my tears. He said a man shouldn’t let the woman he loves shed a single tear. [Wow, Male Lead is so decisive! I thought he’d still have feelings for the Villainess. Didn’t expect him to cut ties so cleanly and explain gently to our darling Female Lead. He moved on so fast! Awesome!] [Can the Villainess just go away? I want to see sweet moments between the Male Lead and our darling!] The comments slapped me back to reality too quickly. Right. Why would he ache for me now? I couldn’t say what I wanted to say anymore. Even if I did, he’d probably think it was just another lie to trick him.

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While accompanying my kid to a casting call, I was squatting by the road eating a boxed lunch from the crew when I ran into my ex-boyfriend, whom I hadn’t seen in six years. Suppressing his excitement, he looked at me with feigned indifference: “Chloe, didn’t you run away without even saying goodbye?” “Still so useless after six years? You even chased me here?” Liam Song is an internationally renowned director, and my former secret boyfriend. We had agreed to go public after I won the Magnolia Award. But backstage at the ceremony, someone drugged him. I rushed to save him, but amidst the chaos, countless reporters stormed in. Thinking I would do anything for the award, he cut ties with me in front of the cameras: “To be an artist, you must first have morals. Those who are shady and seek shortcuts don’t deserve to be called actors.” After that, I was blacklisted by every major award and became a pariah in the industry. Overwhelmed by cyberbullying and huge breach-of-contract penalties, I announced my retirement and left Beijing. I never expected to run into him again six years later on the set of Southern Trees. Looking at my silence, Liam pulled an outdated diamond ring from his pocket and threw it at my feet. “Pick it up and put it on. I can marry you.” 1 The diamond ring on the ground was one I had polished by hand 9,999 times six years ago, intending to propose to Liam. But when I left, I threw it in the trash. How did it end up in his hands? Seeing me stare at the ring in silence, his face darkened. His bro, looking exasperated, slapped him on the shoulder. “You finally found Chloe, why are you still acting tough? Forgot how you were practically suicidal trying to find her for six years?” Then he looked at me urgently: “Chloe, since you left without a word, Liam has been looking for you for six years.” “These six years, he missed you like crazy. He even created the movie Southern Trees for you.” “Why are you holding back? You schemed so hard back then, didn’t you just want to marry him today?” Scheming. Unscrupulous. These labels have stuck to me since the day I got involved with Liam. Director and actress—it sounds like a transaction ripe for gossip. Especially since he was a famous director and I was a no-name actor who hadn’t even reached the D-list. But Liam’s love was very presentable. Whenever his industry friends questioned my motives, he would righteously tell them: “Chloe and I are truly in love. One day, she will become the best actress in the country!” I held my breath back then too. My pride made me want to stand at the same height as him through my own efforts. For the next three years, I refused every resource Liam offered. The first thing I did every day was run to various film sets. I played corpses, I worked as a stand-in. Finally, in the fifth year, a villainous supporting role I played got scolded into viral fame. Excitedly, I went to find Liam to share my joy. But the moment I opened the door, I saw an impossibly beautiful woman holding his arm. “Chloe, let me introduce you. This is Wendy. She’s been developing her career abroad and just returned today.” The familiar room was filled with my favorite flowers and balloons, but all of it was to celebrate another woman’s return. That day, I suppressed my sadness and shared the cake I bought with them. After Wendy left, Liam mysteriously held up a confetti cannon. As confetti drifted down, he hugged me and sincerely congratulated me: “Chloe, congratulations. You’ve finally been seen.” Because I loved him, the gloom that tormented me all night was easily soothed by him. In the days that followed, I continued to hustle on sets. Everyone called me “Desperate Chloe.” But only I knew I wanted to stand beside Liam openly. Wendy, who had returned, was already somewhat famous and skyrocketed to stardom with her beauty. When she attended events with Liam, just standing together made fans scream “ship it.” But not me. If I got close to Liam, the internet would explode with “D-list actress tries to seduce famous director.” Liam wanted to go public out of anger at the comments, but I still had my pride. I stopped him, saying I didn’t care, and turned to work harder on my acting, sweeping up supporting actress awards. Two years later, when my agent recommended I audition for the lead in Liam’s movie, I cried tears of joy. I thought I finally earned the chance to stand with Liam. But at the audition, Wendy was there too. Her casual remark, “With Sister Chloe’s relationship with Liam, this lead role must be yours,” ruined everything. The disappointment in Liam’s eyes almost drowned me. That day, Liam kicked me off the set. We had the biggest fight of our eight-year relationship. 2 Although Liam explained later that he was afraid Wendy’s words would be heard by others and spread rumors disadvantageous to me. Because he knew how scared I was that people would attribute my efforts to nepotism. But I was still sad for a long time. I could see it. Back then, he almost instantly assumed I wanted to secure the lead role through our relationship. After all, everyone in the industry knew that being a “Liam Girl” could rocket a nobody to the A-list. After that, I turned down all scripts related to Liam and took a role in an arthouse film by another director. While I was disconnected filming, Wendy became the lead in Liam’s movie. Meanwhile, netizens dug up their childhood history, discovering their families had arranged a “baby engagement.” Overnight, the Liam-Wendy CP (couple pairing) took the internet by storm. By the time I finished filming, netizens had even photoshopped their wedding photos. When I confronted Liam, he was impatient: “Chloe, if Wendy and I liked each other, we would have been together long ago. Where would you fit in?” His attitude stabbed me like a knife. Increasingly panicked, I leaned against his chest, carefully asking for a promise. “Liam, when I win the Magnolia Award for Best Actress, let’s go public, okay?” I thought, once I’m Best Actress, I’ll be worthy of him. Liam agreed immediately without hesitation. My anxious heart was smoothed over. But soon, Wendy started appearing frequently in our chat logs. “Wendy’s understanding of the character matches mine perfectly. Filming with an actor like her is exhilarating!” “Wendy had an idea today that gave me instant inspiration.” Wendy, Wendy… It seemed without her, we had nothing to talk about. So I became silent. Liam didn’t notice; he was busy marveling at finding his muse. But Wendy noticed. She called me out and handed me a glass of water like we were chatting casually. “You’ve gotten enough from Liam. When do you plan to leave him?” This sentence erased all my efforts over the years. I trembled with rage. “Every role I got was through my own effort, nothing to do with Liam!” I spoke firmly, as if that could cancel out her humiliation. But she laughed disdainfully, like she heard a funny joke. “Sure, you and Liam haven’t gone public, but everyone in the circle is sharp. You think they don’t know about you two?” “Those scripts that came to you, dare you say they weren’t because of his face?” “Chloe, fooling others is fine, don’t end up fooling yourself…” Her words were a loud slap in my face. My straightened back could never straighten again. That night, I received an invite for a top-tier variety show. Liam was also invited. When I asked if he would go, he was on a call with Wendy discussing the script. He put down the phone, asking me in a weird tone: “Didn’t you say you didn’t want to appear with me? Or is your movie coming out and you want to leech off the hype?” I froze, then looked at him agitatedly: “Why would you think that of me? Did Wendy say something to you? She…” Liam interrupted me unhappily: “Enough, Chloe, it has nothing to do with her.” “If you want to use my fame, let’s just go public now. All this sneaking around is too troublesome.” Before, when he suggested going public, I refused but felt warm inside. Now, it felt like a poisoned needle, piercing my heart full of holes. 3 After saying that, he picked up his phone and continued discussing the script with Wendy. My agent and I declined the variety show invite. But the next day, “Chloe Suspected of Pursuing Director Song and Rejected” trended, hitting #1 instantly. The movie I was in capitalized on the hype, and the box office was ten times higher than expected. Later at a gathering, one of Liam’s friends toasted me: “Chloe, you’ve been with Brother Song for ten years, finally tasted the sweetness. Without that trending topic, how could your movie do so well?” As soon as he finished, Liam punched him. “Chloe’s success has nothing to do with me! Say that again if you dare!” A good gathering turned into a brawl. When I dragged him home, he wiped the blood from his mouth and asked meaningfully: “Heard you were nominated for the Magnolia with that movie?” I lowered my head to treat his hand, humming a “yes.” He scoffed, then kissed me recklessly. The taste of blood made me want to retch. After the kiss, he rubbed my swollen lips. “Chloe, if I weren’t a famous director, would you still be with me?” A sense of sadness and powerlessness wrapped around me. I wanted to ask: Liam, did you forget? When we got together, you weren’t a famous director yet. The Song family had been in business for generations. When they learned Liam wanted to direct, his father cut him off. All his early works were supported by my meager earnings from bit parts. But I couldn’t ask. Liam’s suspicion of me was a seed planted when Wendy appeared. Nothing I said could uproot it. I thought it was time to end this unequal love. Love is like building a house. Without trust, the foundation is unstable. No matter how glamorous it looks, it will collapse sooner or later. The day of the Magnolia Awards, I went backstage to find Liam. I wanted to tell him, win or lose, our promises were void. We’re breaking up. But when I found him, his face was flushed, breathing heavy—obviously drugged. The entertainment industry never lacks dirty tricks and hidden eyes. Worried someone was setting him up, I supported him to leave. But at the door, countless cameras stormed in, flashes blinding me. “Director Song, what is your relationship with Chloe? Is she really your secret girlfriend as rumored?” “Ms. Chloe, you’re competing with Wendy for Best Actress. Is exposing your relationship with Director Song a ploy to boost your chances?” Acting-wise, I was leagues ahead of Wendy. Traffic-wise, I wasn’t even a fraction of her. Everyone thought I directed this scene to suppress Wendy and win. Liam thought so too. He felt he was a tool for my ambition. I fulfilled his friends’ words: I was with him for profit. He pushed disheveled me away, eyes full of disappointment and disdain: “Chloe, for an award, you’d drug me and stage this?” I looked at him in shock: “Drug? I didn’t! Liam, I just…” “Enough! I don’t want to hear your excuses!” Liam pulled himself together, adjusting his clothes. He knew acting was my life’s pursuit, that any slander would destroy my efforts. Yet he faced the cameras, word by word: “I have no relationship with Chloe.” “To be an artist, you must first have morals. Those who are shady and seek shortcuts don’t deserve to be called actors.” With that, he left without looking back, leaving me to be crucified by reporters. Because of Liam’s “accusation,” I was removed from the Magnolia list, and contracts were cancelled. Crushed by debt and cyberbullying, the Film Association blacklisted me as a “tainted artist.” I became a rat crossing the street. I couldn’t stay in the country, fleeing abroad like a deserter. In six years, I cut ties with everything back home. I never thought accompanying my kid to an audition would bring me face to face with the person I never wanted to see again. Ignoring the ring, I tossed the lunch box and turned to leave. But Liam grabbed me. His face was pale, but a hidden panic was visible in his eyes: “Chloe, not even a word? Do you want to avoid me that much?” I sneered, pushing him away: “Liam, I don’t think we have anything to say. Stay away from me, unless you want the paparazzi to splash more dirty water on me.” Remembering six years ago, Liam’s face went white. He picked up the ring and held it in front of me. “Chloe, the past is past. Stop making a scene, put it on…” He tried to force the ring onto my finger. But the moment my hand opened, he froze. Staring dead at the pigeon-egg diamond on my ring finger. “This is…” Before he could finish, a little girl in a princess dress ran over. She stood between us, arms spread to protect me. “Bad man, let go of my mommy!” 4 A ring on the ring finger wasn’t enough to prove I was married. Liam simply thought it was fake, a prop. But the daughter raised the heart he had just put down. The diamond’s color was beautiful. Liam’s gaze moved over me, asking in disbelief: “You… married? And had a child?” “That diamond isn’t cheap. Did you marry for money…” I understood his implication. Years ago, he thought I drugged him for an award. Now he thought I married a nouveau riche for money. Without opening his eyes to see how beautiful my daughter is—her dad must be breathtaking. I picked up my daughter, looking at Liam with cold eyes. “I am married, but it’s not as dirty as you think.” “I’m not so poor I can’t afford a diamond.” His thoughts exposed, Liam’s fists clenched unnaturally. If you looked closely, you’d see his knuckles turn white under the trembling. Whenever Liam was embarrassed or breaking down internally, he did this. After so many years, his habit hadn’t changed. Only things have changed. I’m no longer the girl who cares about his feelings. I walked toward him with my daughter. His empty eyes colored instantly, but my next words hit him like a club. “Narrow path. Move.” Liam ignored it, staring at my daughter who looked like me, voice tight. “Is she really your daughter?” Impatience rising, I was about to speak when my daughter’s childish voice interrupted. “Uncle, we’re looking for Daddy. Can you move?” “And I am Mommy’s daughter. Asking like that is rude.” Two sentences made Liam’s eyes red. His voice raspy. “Chloe, you said you’d marry me. Why break your promise and have a child with someone else?” “Remember? You said if we had kids, boy or girl, the first one would be named Song Muqiao (Song adores Qiao).” “Do you remember…” I scoffed. “Liam, bringing up the past, is it fun? We broke up ages ago, didn’t we?” Something triggered him. He grabbed my shoulders excitedly, shouting. “We didn’t break up!” “You left without a word six years ago! I’ve been looking for you!” “Chloe, you abandoned me and had a child with another man. Did you consider my feelings?” Sensing my daughter’s fear, I shook off his hands and slapped him. “Are you crazy!” “Did you consider my feelings back then?” “One word from you can make or break a person.” “Liam, you destroyed me.” My words made Liam breathe fast, eyes flickering. Yes, how could he not know Director Song’s words could kill? After a long stalemate, Liam explained. “I was… angry at the time. I didn’t expect…” I smiled. “Didn’t expect what?” “Didn’t expect irrational fans doxxing me, sending razor blades? Didn’t expect being secretly filmed and pointed at whenever I went out? Or didn’t expect the overwhelming hate online?” “I almost died. See the scar on my wrist? I did that myself. The penalty fees were suffocating!” “What did I do wrong? Just loved an excellent director?” “Because of your angry words, everything I worked for was denied.” “Where does Director Song get the confidence to think I’d marry you after all that? Do you deserve it?” 5 Liam staggered, red eyes full of pain. Looking at me with guilt. “Chloe, I’m sorry… I didn’t know.” “I was too impulsive. Thinking you drugged me… I couldn’t control myself. Not verifying it in time was my fault.” “But when I understood everything, you were gone.” Liam cried as he spoke. He looked truly regretful. But I just wanted to laugh. He actually did it. “If you really felt sorry, why didn’t you clarify to the media after finding out?” “Afraid of damaging your reputation?” Liam is such a hypocrite. But in the adult world, there is no right or wrong, only interests. Then, Liam started talking about others’ difficulties. He wanted to clarify for me. But the girl who drugged him had a poor family. Sick parents, a brother in school. She was forced to do it, she needed money. If exposed, she’d have no future. And I had some achievements. Liam thought time would make people forget. “So? You want to say you had difficulties, and want me to praise your kindness?” My reaction was different from what he expected. He was speechless, at a loss. “Chloe, I’ll compensate you.” “I’ll clarify for you right now. I’ll give you whatever you want. I just beg you to forgive me.” Clarifying now is useless. I will never forget those pains. I looked at Liam coldly. “I don’t need it.” “Liam, do you know? For six years, seeing news about you made me want to vomit.” Liam’s eyelashes trembled, looking dazed. His head buzzed, blank. Seeing me leave, he snapped back. He reached out, but I dodged. Seeing my disgust, he withdrew his hand awkwardly. But he blocked the path completely. To pass, physical contact was unavoidable. I looked at him impatiently. Liam didn’t move. “Move!” Liam looked hurt, voice tight. “In such a hurry to find him?” “Is he better than me? Can he give you more?” “As long as you want, I have endless resources. Chloe, why not choose me?” I looked at him silently. Maybe guilty, he couldn’t meet my gaze and looked away. “Liam, when we were together, you weren’t a famous director. Likewise, I wouldn’t marry someone for resources.” “In those years, I fought for everything I wanted. Remember that. I never relied on you. Instead, in your poorest years, I supported your dreams.” No matter how many times I say it, he doesn’t believe it. Is it love or resources? He still doesn’t get it. This time, I was really annoyed. I shoved past him and left with my daughter. Smooth sailing. The only thing affecting my mood was Liam’s lingering scent and his gaze following us.

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My first day of college, my dad dropped me off at the dorms in his Lamborghini. When my new roommate found out my dad was the CEO of Sterling Corp, her whole demeanor changed. “CEO Sterling is so busy, yet he drove you personally? Where’s your mom?” “Just as I thought, a home without a woman is chaos… Give me two days to learn the ropes, and I’ll take great care of both you and your father!” I thought she was just being weird and brushed it off with a “Good luck with that.” But she actually started staying up all night watching videos on “How to Be a Billionaire’s Wife.” “Why are you wearing a mini skirt? That’s not very ladylike!” She even started introducing herself as my “stepmom” to everyone! “See her bag? Her dad and I picked it out for her.” “But, well, he bought me a huge diamond ring too. I guess he spoils me a little more.” Until the university’s centennial gala, where she showed up in a ballgown and sat straight in the seat reserved for “Mrs. Sterling.” 1 My first day of college, my dad personally drove me to the dorms in his sports car. As soon as we walked in, we bumped into my roommate, Tiffany. She asked excitedly: “Did you guys see that sports car downstairs? I looked it up, it’s worth like six million dollars!” I walked over to my bed leisurely and turned to ask my dad: “Dad, didn’t you say you bought it for six hundred thousand?” Dad smiled awkwardly and didn’t reply. Just then, his bodyguard walked in. “Mr. Sterling, the board meeting is starting soon.” Tiffany’s eyes lit up instantly. She rushed over to me. “Your dad is CEO Sterling? He’s so handsome! How did he have time to drop you off? Where’s your mom?” Before I could answer, she pulled out her phone and ran up to my dad. “Hi, I’m Tiffany! You can add me on WeChat. If Chloe needs anything, you can just ask me!” Dad froze. Although he looked reluctant, he didn’t want to embarrass a young girl. He added her WeChat. “Chloe, I’m heading back to the office. Let me know if you need anything.” Before I could answer, Tiffany jumped in again. “Okay! I’ll let you know if Chloe needs anything. Don’t worry about work.” “Remember to eat, don’t go hungry, okay?” She giggled shyly and waved. Dad coughed awkwardly and left immediately. While unpacking, I thought to myself: Are college students this abstract nowadays? The next second, Tiffany knocked my suitcase over. “As a junior, where’s my greeting gift?” I stared at her in shock, unsure if she was serious or joking. Seeing I didn’t move, she suddenly slapped my arm, hands on her hips, glaring at me. “Is that how you look at your elders? No manners at all!” “I’ll have to discipline you properly for your father! Or don’t even think about entering the family home!” She was serious. I stood up and shoved her to the ground, yelling: “They let psychos into college now? Go get treated!” Hearing the commotion, people from other dorms gathered around. Tiffany sat on the floor, sobbing. “I know you don’t like me! But I’m trying so hard to be a good stepmom…” The crowd gasped, eyes wide with shock. I was furious, looking at her in disbelief. “My dad doesn’t even know you! Are you delusional from wanting to marry rich?” Tiffany stood up, showed her phone screen to everyone. “See for yourselves! Does he know me or not!” “She just thinks I stole her father’s love, that’s why she targets me!” People started nodding, looking at me with disdain. Confused, I snatched her phone. She had changed my dad’s contact name to: [Hubby] 2 I laughed out of pure anger, about to retort. The RA suddenly appeared to disperse the crowd. “What’s the noise? Keep it down or I’ll write you all up!” The crowd scattered. I sighed and went back into the room with Tiffany. Suddenly, she ran up to me, crying hysterically. “I’m sorry, Chloe! I had a bad attitude just now.” “My family was really poor growing up, and I was always bullied. The way you looked at me reminded me of those bullies…” “I lost control and hit you. If you’re still mad, hit me back!” She started slapping herself hard, leaving red marks on her face. I grabbed her hands immediately, my heart softening. Although Tiffany was definitely weird, hearing her story, it probably stemmed from growing up in a repressive environment. I didn’t want to hold a grudge. “Forget it, I’m not mad.” “But you absolutely cannot call my dad your hubby! That’s ridiculous!” Tiffany wiped her tears, sniffing. “My grandma taught me, when you go to a new place, get close to the best person so you won’t be bullied.” “I thought if I was connected to CEO Sterling, no one would dare bully me…” “I’m sorry…” I frowned. What kind of logic was that? But her situation seemed pitiful, and I didn’t know how to argue. “Still, you can’t do that… Anyway, stop crying. Pack up and rest.” Tiffany voluntarily made my bed, folded my clothes, and organized all my toiletries. Having been spoiled at home, I was actually clueless about these chores. I was grateful for her help. “Thanks. I’ll treat you to lunch tomorrow.” Tiffany smiled sweetly and pulled a bag of buns from her luggage. “My grandma made these. They’re delicious. Have one.” I was hungry after cleaning, so I took one and started eating. “Your grandma’s buns are great! She could sell these!” I thought, Tiffany isn’t a bad person, maybe just has some inferiority complex. She’ll get better in college. Suddenly, she opened her camera to take a selfie with me. “I want to send it to Grandma! My first friend in college!” “She’s pretty and loves the buns!” “Grandma will be so happy!” I played along, chewing on the bun and throwing up a peace sign. Tiffany fiddled with her phone, a happy smile on her face. “Add me on WeChat, I’ll send you the photo.” Seeing her expression, I remembered I hadn’t told Dad I was settled in. The next second, Dad messaged me. [Made a new friend so fast? Good job, daughter!] He attached a screenshot. I opened it. It was a chat between Tiffany and Dad. Tiffany sent photos of my neatly made bed, organized closet, and toiletries. And our selfie. [Chloe is doing great! Eating well and living well!] Dad replied with two thumbs-up emojis. I was thinking Tiffany was quite helpful, updating my dad for me. Then I refreshed my Moments (social media feed) and saw Tiffany’s post. [I’ll work harder to learn how to be a good stepmom! Don’t worry, Hubby! Daughter is doing well at school~] The photo was the chat screenshot with my dad. 3 I exploded instantly, confronting Tiffany with my phone. “What are you posting?! Delete it now!” Tiffany jumped, looking wronged. “I’m sorry! I just wanted to reassure Grandma!” “If you don’t like it, I’ll delete it now!” She tapped on her phone. I refreshed, and indeed, it was gone. I couldn’t help but feel uneasy. Tiffany definitely had issues. But I couldn’t put my finger on it. “Don’t post stuff like that again. This is my last warning.” I went to shower and sleep. Next morning, Tiffany was back to her gentle, attentive self. She even squeezed toothpaste onto my toothbrush. “Wake up! Class registration today!” Her sudden enthusiasm made me uncomfortable, but I couldn’t say anything. While looking for clothes, I couldn’t find my new white skirt. “Tiffany, did you see my white skirt when you folded clothes yesterday?” She paused. “Oh! That was a skirt? It was so short! I thought it was a rag and threw it away.” “You’re a girl, how can you wear mini skirts? How will you get married if men see you like that?” I realized then that not just the skirt, all my shorts were gone too! Suppressing my rage, I didn’t want to fight. I threw on a shirt and went to class. Seeing my limited edition bag, female classmates gathered around. “Chloe, your bag is gorgeous! Is it the new release?” I smiled and nodded, about to reply. Tiffany cut in, blocking me, smiling coyly like an elder. “Nice, right? Her dad and I picked it out for her in Europe!” “But he bought me a huge diamond ring too. I guess he spoils me a little more.” The girls looked at each other, too scared to reply. Now I saw it clearly. Tiffany was genuinely mental! I shouldn’t have pitied her! “My dad bought the bag, yes, but it has nothing to do with her.” “My dad doesn’t even know her. Don’t listen to her.” I explained anxiously. Tiffany blinked at everyone calmly. “The kid doesn’t want you to know my identity. Saving face, you know how it is~” “Alright, alright, Chloe, whatever you say. Let’s go to the cafeteria.” Seeing the classmates’ complicated expressions, I knew exploding now would only make me look worse. I held back my anger, deciding to settle accounts back at the dorm. In the cafeteria, Tiffany dumped all the greens from her bowl into mine. In front of everyone, she said: “Your dad said you’re a picky eater. I’ll supervise your diet from now on.” I finally snapped, flipping my tray and pointing at her, screaming: “Are you sick?! Once or twice is enough! Are you addicted to acting? Think you’re my mom?” “My dad doesn’t know you! Next time, I’m calling the police to drag you to the psych ward!” Everyone in the cafeteria stared. Tiffany was too scared to breathe. After a long while, she recovered, sobbing. “I know you don’t like me, but your dad and I are truly in love…” “Sorry, I’ll leave.” She ran out crying. Classmates started whispering. I opened my phone to call Dad, but a notification from the campus confession wall popped up. [Whose super cool sports car was downstairs at the girls’ dorm yesterday?] Attached was a photo of my dad’s Lamborghini. The top comment was Tiffany. [My hubby’s. He bought it for forty million but lied and said four million. Found his secret stash, so I punished him with no dinner!] 4 I shook with rage reading the comment. What a lunatic! Tomorrow was the centennial celebration. Dad was invited as a guest speaker. I’d make him clarify everything personally! Slap Tiffany in the face so hard she’d give up! Too angry to eat, I went back to the dorm to call Dad. Before I could dial, he video called me. “Chloe, are you fighting with a classmate?” I was confused. Did my cafeteria outburst reach him already? “How do you know?” Dad looked awkward, panning the camera. In the video, Tiffany was strutting around Dad’s office! Ordering employees around! Acting like the boss’s wife! “Tiffany? She’s sick! Dad, ignore her!” “She told everyone you’re her husband! That she’s my stepmom! The whole school knows!” “You have to clarify this at the celebration tomorrow! Or how can I stay here for four years!” I was so anxious I stuttered, wanting to reach through the screen and slap her. Dad looked shocked. “My god, what’s wrong with young people these days?” “I’ll have someone send her back. I’ll clarify everything at your school tomorrow.” After hanging up, I was restless, planning how to lecture Tiffany when she returned. Then I heard girls passing by the dorm whispering. “This is the room. Daughter and stepmom living together! Scary.” “Damn, rich families are complicated.” I rushed out. “Who said she’s my stepmom! She’s lying!” A girl shook off my hand, holding up her phone. “Your family is so hypocritical! Your dad likes young girls, but you won’t admit her status!” I looked closer. It was Tiffany’s Moments. The latest post was a selfie in Dad’s office, and a video of her ordering staff around. [Checking on hubby’s empire. Letting the staff recognize the Lady Boss!] The previous post was a creepshot of me sleeping last night. [Daughter is tired from a long day. Out like a light.] Before that, the chat with my dad! [With me here, daughter is safe at school~] She never deleted them. She just blocked me from seeing them! I ground my teeth in fury. How can such a psycho exist! I couldn’t wait for tomorrow. I was going to tear her apart the moment she walked in! Even if I got expelled! But she didn’t come back all night. Probably afraid. The next day at the celebration, all the city’s elites were there, including my dad. Dad wore a custom suit, tall and fit, looking thirty despite being forty-something. “Our seats are in the front row. I requested a family seat.” I nodded and followed him. The next second, I almost fainted. Tiffany, in a ballgown, was sitting right in the seat labeled “Mrs. Sterling,” in front of everyone.

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In my past life, I was the “money-losing” daughter swapped at birth into the poor He family. The love of my life was an abandoned orphan, the son of a martyr. We tasted life’s bitterness and sweetness together, walked through every season side by side. With my help, he rose to become a high-ranking military chief, and I became the envied chief’s wife. After living to a ripe old age, we died. And were reborn together. But I never expected that the first thing he would do after rebirth was to swap me and the He family’s biological daughter back. Only then did I realize that there was a grave in his heart, burying his “white moonlight”—his true love. He stared at me, still an infant in swaddling clothes, with eyes full of hatred: “You stole Luna’s life, causing her a lifetime of displacement, and forced my love into the grave.” “Those days and nights, I wished I could strangle you, but you were, after all, my wife.” “In this life, I pray our paths never cross again…” Fine. At least I don’t have to taste the endless suffering of the He family for a heartless man. In this life, I won’t help him rise to the clouds. I will fulfill my own aerospace dream. 1 In the hospital, reeking of disinfectant. Amidst the cries of babies. I could only watch helplessly as a careless nurse put the wrong ID tag on my ankle. Reborn as a baby, I was powerless to struggle, only able to turn red and whimper. In the noisy environment, my weak voice couldn’t attract anyone’s attention. But after the nurse left, a boy of about seven or eight sneaked in. When I saw who it was, my little feet kicked with joy. I knew him. It was my husband of fifty years, Song Siwei. But why was he here? I watched him search among the babies. Finally, he stopped in front of me. Then, he switched my ankle tag with the baby girl next to me. I couldn’t help but grin happily, letting out a giggle. I remembered nagging him in our past life, saying that if I could do it over, I would only want to be filial to my biological parents, not serve my adoptive ones. So, Song Siwei was reborn like me. He came all this way just to change my life! But before the warmth could reach my heart… I saw his clear eyes suddenly turn crimson. His rough, calloused hands were already squeezing my neck. A strong force surged up, and I instantly felt suffocated. My mind went blank, my soul almost separating from my body. Suddenly, his hand let go. I gasped for air. Terrified, I burst into loud cries. Fear permeated my entire body. Song Siwei… actually wanted to kill me just now? But… why? A childish voice came from the boy’s lips. Carrying a terrifying maturity and hatred. “You stole Luna’s life, causing her a lifetime of displacement, and forced my love into the grave.” “Those days and nights, I wished I could strangle you, but you were, after all, my wife.” “In this life, I pray our paths never cross again…” I froze. Only then did I realize that fifty years of marriage were a grave to him. His heart had long been occupied by the “white moonlight” whose life I had swapped. 2 “What should we name our little princess?” In the delivery room, on the bed furthest inside. It was the diplomat known as the “Iron Rose,” my mother, Zhou Rusu. She was holding me, eyes full of tenderness and love. Her soft voice caught the attention of the man beside her. Major General Jiang Jianwei, the most promising officer in the capital. He pondered for a moment, then recited a line from an ancient poem: “Before Luna drives the chariot of the moon… Luna is the goddess who drives the moon. Our daughter should be surrounded by stars like the moon. Luna… it sounds nice and rolls off the tongue. What do you think?” “Luna… not bad…” Zhou Rusu nodded, very satisfied with the name. But at the next bed, Song Siwei, who was attending to the He family’s baby girl, interrupted. “The name Luna has already been taken by our Vice Commander He. Maybe Major General Jiang should choose another name to avoid confusion in the future.” Song Siwei’s firm attitude made Jiang Jianwei frown slightly: “When did Vice Commander He name the child? I didn’t know.” Zhou Rusu saw the cunning in Song Siwei’s eyes at a glance. But she was kind and didn’t want to argue with a kid. She pulled her husband’s hand: “Just think of another one. Why argue with a child?” Jiang Jianwei took a deep breath and thought again. After a while, he recited: “Peach trees are young and elegant, their leaves are lush and thriving (Zhenzhen). “Let’s call her Jiang Zhenzhen. We shouldn’t put too much pressure on her. Let her grow up happy and carefree in this life!” Zhou Rusu’s eyes warmed. From the name “Zhenzhen,” she felt Jiang Jianwei’s deep love for the child. My heart was also warm. I ignored the fact that Song Siwei’s heart and eyes were full of his “Luna.” After all, I now had people whose hearts and eyes were full of me. My dad! My mom! 3 In my past life. Because of a nurse’s carelessness. I became the despised, “money-losing” daughter of Vice Commander He’s family. Luna became the cherished princess of Major General Jiang’s family. Compared to Luna’s life of luxury, pampering, and love. I grew up suffering in a family that valued boys over girls. She danced ballet on stage and became the star of the art troupe. I was a servant washing clothes and cooking for the He family’s little son. Song Siwei was the posthumous child of a veteran under Vice Commander He. After the veteran died in battle, his wife dumped Song Siwei at the He family’s gate and ran away. Unable to bear the gossip, Vice Commander He adopted Song Siwei. But the He couple, who didn’t even care much for their own daughter… How could they treat Song Siwei well? I was the He family’s nanny. He was the He family’s laborer. We sympathized with each other’s misery. Over time, I made him my everything. But he was already captivated by Luna on stage. That year, the art troupe visited the troops. When Luna was shining on stage… She was beaten up by Chief Zhao’s wife right there on stage. It revealed Luna’s identity as the mistress of a married man. The Jiang family was investigated. Jiang Jianwei was accused of selling his daughter for glory. He, who had the most hope of entering the core leadership before fifty, had his career destroyed. With one order, the entire Jiang family was sent to the harsh Tibetan region. This turning point allowed my adoptive father to seize the opportunity and rise to a high position. Even I, the nanny, and the laborer Song Siwei rose with him. I pleased my brother, obeyed my parents, and did everything to help Song Siwei rise. He lived up to expectations, became a pilot, and won a chance to enter the core circle… But he always missed Tibet. I thought he had grand ambitions, but his heart only held Luna. When I was thirty, the Jiang family members died one after another, and Luna’s whereabouts were unknown. Forced by my adoptive parents, Song Siwei finally married me unwillingly… Later, my adoptive father grew old and suffered from uremia, urgently needing a kidney. When I was morally kidnapped by my adoptive mother on the hospital bed, the fact that I was not the He family’s biological daughter was revealed. My adoptive father was desperate to live, and my adoptive mother tried her best to find their biological daughter, Luna. In the end, they only got news that Luna had died of a dirty disease. Song Siwei once said I stole Luna’s smooth life. I never took that sentence to heart. Little did I know that the man I treated with all my heart… Had wished day and night for me to die! 4 “Little Luna, it’s okay. Just a dozen years of hardship, I’ll walk through it with you!” When Vice Commander He’s wife went out to play mahjong, the stove at home would definitely not be lit. Young Song Siwei had no choice but to take the even younger He Luna with him. They could only seek help from Zhou Rusu in the same compound. My mother, kind and simple, couldn’t bear to see pitiful children. Whenever Song Siwei came to the Jiang family’s door, Zhou Rusu always helped as much as she could. I suddenly remembered my childhood in the past life… Song Siwei and I were often desperate. Hungry, we went door to door seeking shelter. The people in the compound were long tired of seeing us. Only Zhou Rusu was willing to give charity when she saw us. But Song Siwei’s arrogance grew year by year. He refused to accept Zhou Rusu’s “handouts.” He even insulted me, saying I was born from a starving ghost and had no shame. Thinking back now, his “arrogance” was just self-esteem in front of the person he liked. Now that his “white moonlight” was starving and howling every day, he put down all his pride and tried hard to seek the best conditions for He Luna. The contrast between past and present made me feel that those fifty years… were wasted on a dog. “In this life, I pray our paths never cross again…” Song Siwei, how could you go back on your own words? “Wah wah wah…” My crying sounded from the cradle. Hearing the noise, Zhou Rusu immediately put down the rice she was washing. The new mother hadn’t cut the umbilical cord between her and the infant yet. She was afraid I was hungry, thirsty, or wet… She could only hold me with both hands, pouring all her love onto me. As a result, Zhou Rusu had no time to give Song Siwei and He Luna a hot meal. “It’s strange. Our Zhenzhen is usually so good. But as soon as Song Siwei from next door brings little He Luna to beg for food, Zhenzhen cries so hard it breaks my heart! What’s wrong with her?” At night, Zhou Rusu and Jiang Jianwei lay in bed whispering. Jiang Jianwei poked my chubby cheek, smiling. “What else could it be? Your daughter doesn’t want you to work so hard. Song Siwei and He Luna come to beg for food every day. Other families in the compound are tired of them. Only you are patient enough to cook hot meals for them. Our Zhenzhen feels sorry for you.” Zhou Rusu was amused: “You’re funny. Zhenzhen is so small, what does she know? But those two kids from the He family are really pitiful. Maybe you can think of a way to help them.” Jiang Jianwei shook his head: “It’s hard for an honest official to settle family disputes. Let’s stay out of this. My mom is coming to take care of you and the baby tomorrow. She has thick skin. Let her talk to the He family, at least to feed the two kids.” Their kind nature always prevented them from staying out of it. The next day, my grandma yelled in the courtyard that the He family wouldn’t feed their kids. The neighbors, who had turned a blind eye, all popped up. They all said the He couple neglected their children too much. The He couple lost face. They took Song Siwei back and gave him a good beating. “Did I give you allowance money to play games and buy toys?” “If you spend money recklessly again, I’ll throw you away like your mom did!” “Uncle and Auntie are busy working, can’t you save us some worry?” Song Siwei was whipped until he was covered in wounds. For that non-existent allowance. He could only agree: “Uncle, Auntie, I’m sorry. I won’t spend money recklessly again!” A show for the people in the courtyard. Mother He then took out twenty yuan and gave it to Song Siwei in front of everyone. Song Siwei took the money, ignoring the blood in his mouth, and rushed to buy milk powder to feed little Luna. Watching this good show in Zhou Rusu’s arms, I couldn’t help but remember the past life, where I often endured beatings from the He parents to give Song Siwei a bite to eat. Indeed, love and non-love have always been distinct. When he was with me, Song Siwei was weak and unable to take care of himself. When he was with Luna, he could take a beating and bow and scrape, just so Luna could live a happier life. Thinking that the suffering I endured in my past life would happen to Song Siwei one by one, I had no regrets.

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My high school nemesis posted a photo of me at the OB-GYN clinic, along with my pregnancy test results, to our class group chat. “A ghetto queen will always be a ghetto queen. Playing around and getting knocked up before marriage. Who knows which old geezer is the baby daddy? Maybe you should check for HIV while you’re at it?” Others piled on, kicking me while I was down. Someone even posted a photo of me holding my waist, being shoved by a middle-aged man. Just then, Lucas, the untouchable academic god of our school, replied: “I’m the father. You got a problem with that?” 1 [She got into a black Maybach with tinted windows after school last Friday. We all know what that means~] [Spill the tea! How much is the sugar daddy paying?] [Guys, don’t be mean… maybe it’s true love? Even if the old guy looks like he could be her dad.] … Before Lucas replied, the group chat was roasting me alive. Lucas and I were from two completely different worlds. He was elegant and handsome, making a plain shirt look like high fashion. He was the perpetual valedictorian, from a wealthy family. His grandfather was an academician, his father a professor at a top university, and his mother a famous entrepreneur. I, on the other hand, had no father, only a mother. I was bullied growing up. To protect myself and my mom, I worked at a Taekwondo gym and earned a black belt. My mind was never on my studies. I just wanted to work and earn money to lighten my mom’s burden. My grades were always at the bottom. With my terrible grades and terrifying fighting skills, I became the “Big Sister” of South City High School No. 1. The first time I met him was on a rainy day. I rushed into the school gate, soaked to the bone, three minutes late. He was on duty, eyelashes wet with mist, pen poised to write my name in the logbook. “Don’t write it,” I panted. “Just finished the night shift at the convenience store.” He looked up and saw the dark circles under my eyes, the burn on the back of my hand, and the coffee stain on my school pants. The pen paused. He didn’t write my name that day. Senior year, we were paired up in a study group. That’s when I truly connected with Lucas. He was incredibly patient, despite his sharp tongue. The girls glared daggers at me, but due to my reputation for violence, no one dared to trouble me directly. They just spread rumors behind my back. But Lucas didn’t distance himself from me. The seed of a crush took root in my heart. It wasn’t until a class reunion a year after graduation that I learned the aloof Lucas could also have a crush. Outside a karaoke room, I heard him confess to the school beauty, Grace. She didn’t say yes or no. Lucas was disappointed and drank a few too many glasses. But someone had spiked his drink. Delirious, he grabbed my hand, mistaking me for Grace. I couldn’t refuse the sight of the high-and-mighty academic god, flushed and desperate. I hesitated for a second, then spent most of the night entangled with him in another room. But I didn’t actually feel pleasure. The only sensation I remember is one word: pain. The next day, I woke up before Lucas. So this is what it’s like to give your first time to someone you like. I could hear flowers blooming in my heart. I didn’t expect him to take responsibility and planned to leave quietly. But getting up pulled at the wound below, and I fell to the floor, waking Sleeping Beauty. Lucas looked at the scene and understood what happened. He looked at the red stain on the bed, and the words that came out of his mouth sent me straight from heaven to the eighteenth level of hell— “Nice hymenoplasty. Looks real.” I forced a laugh. “Yeah, I know a doctor. Cheap.” “I didn’t mean that, I…” He tried to explain, but I didn’t listen. I threw on my clothes and ran out of the room. I was so angry and sad that I forgot to take the pill. 2 For three months after that, I worked like crazy, trying to forget the humiliation. Later, I collapsed from exhaustion and was taken to the hospital, where I found out I was pregnant. A photo of me was posted to the group chat by Grace’s lackey, Lily. Lucas and I hadn’t contacted each other privately, so I was shocked when he replied like that in the group. The next day, Lucas and his mother showed up at my door. Lucas was expressionless as usual. I couldn’t read him. Mrs. Lu was all business. She asked my age and what my parents did. When I said I had no father and my mother had uremia, requiring constant dialysis, she slowly replied, “A pitiful child.” “The Lu family has had only one son for three generations. We cannot give up the child in your belly. Name your price.” They wanted the child, not the mother. I asked them to transfer my mother to a hospital owned by the Lu family, find a kidney donor, and cover all medical expenses. Mrs. Lu agreed. We signed a contract stating I would cut all ties with the Lu family after giving birth. I went to the hospital to comfort my mom, telling her a kind classmate had sponsored us. She was a woman without many ideas of her own. Hearing this, she burst into tears and knelt to thank the Lu family. Leaving the hospital, I was taken to the Lu mansion. Lucas didn’t say a word the whole time, completely unwilling to communicate. I knew he hated me. Mrs. Lu left immediately after dropping us off. Mr. Lu was rarely home. The task of settling me in fell to Lucas. He didn’t give me a separate room, not even a servant’s room. He made me sleep on the floor of his bedroom. But the rich family’s blankets were soft. I slept better there than on my hard wooden bed at home. Seeing I slept well the next day, he showed a rare expression—a mocking smile and disgusted eyes. “As expected of a ghetto rat. Can sleep anywhere.” The Lu family made me quit all my part-time jobs, fearing it would affect the fetus. I helped the maid with chores within my ability. While cleaning Lucas’s study, I saw a photo of Grace on his desk—wearing a gown, playing the piano, noble and beautiful. Lucas snatched the frame from my hand. “Who allowed you to touch that!” It was the first time I’d seen him so emotional. He must really, really like her, I thought bitterly. Lucas started targeting me even more. Breakfast porridge was either too cold or too hot. He made me adjust the temperature constantly. If I turned over in my sleep, he’d scold me, then force me to get up and read to him until he fell asleep. One noon, while I was mopping the floor, he deliberately spilled coffee on it and watched me mop it again. “Can’t even clean the floor properly. No wonder you rely on crawling into men’s beds to survive.” Seeing me obey silently, he scratched his head in frustration. “Sue, why aren’t you angry?” I lowered my head silently. When I looked up, tears filled my large eyes. “I’m punching above my weight class. If not for that accident, I wouldn’t be disturbing your life…” Lucas’s breath hitched. After a long while, he said angrily, “Don’t cry. Don’t look at me.” He fled, leaving me bewildered. I actually had no right to hate him. After all, I wanted something from him. And— I chose the Lu family as my wallet after weighing my options against another offer. 3 The man pushing me in the group chat photo was a bodyguard sent by my biological father to take me for a DNA test. He didn’t mean to push me; he was moving me away from a speeding motorcycle. It sounds like a novel, but my father turned out to be a triad boss. He played with many women when he was young and ruined his body, leaving me as his only seed. He found me and wanted to take me away, but refused to help my mother. I planned to take over the gang and then save my mom, but her body couldn’t wait that long. That night with Lucas was an accident, but it gave me a better option. Compared to a sudden triad father, a high-intellectual family like the Lus was obviously more reliable. Moreover, I felt Lucas’s attitude softening. When I did too much housework, he forced me to rest, saying pregnant women shouldn’t overwork. When I had morning sickness, he handed me lemon water at the perfect temperature. Later, claiming I might crush the baby by rolling over, he forced me to sleep in his bed, hugging me—or rather, my belly—every night. Young men are full of vigor. Several times, I felt a “stick” poking my back and suggested sleeping separately. Rejected. “No, you sleep wild. You’ll crush the baby!” “You’re poking me, it’s uncomfortable…” I argued weakly. He got up and ran to the bathroom. He stayed so long I almost fell asleep, then came back smelling of moisture, lifted the blanket, hugged me again, and said righteously, “Sleep!” I slept like a log, unaware that he continued to visit the bathroom frequently in the second half of the night. I thought he cared a little, but soon realized this care was nothing compared to Grace. The day Grace came to the Lu house, it was drizzling. Mrs. Lu held her hand on the sofa, chatting affectionately. Lucas sat next to her, eyes gentle. I was in the kitchen prepping vegetables. Watching this picturesque scene, I could only sigh that they looked like a family. At lunch, Mrs. Lu made me serve the dishes. Watching me bustle about, Grace suddenly smiled and said, “Auntie, Sue is the future daughter-in-law. How can you make her do servant’s work?” Mrs. Lu glanced at me. “What daughter-in-law? She should be grateful the Lu family accepted the bastard in her belly. You and Lucas grew up together. Only you, Grace, are worthy of being our daughter-in-law. Right, Lucas?” “Mmh.” Lucas answered quickly. Grace smiled happily. “But Auntie Lu, are you sure the baby is Lucas’s? After all, classmates say Sue worked as an escort to make money. Several men in her neighborhood have played with her…” “What!” Mrs. Lu was furious. She slammed her chopsticks down and called a doctor to come for an amniocentesis. “So young and so loose. Who knows what diseases you have? Sinful!” I stood there, listening to Mrs. Lu’s insults. I looked up at Lucas. He just put down his chopsticks, silent, but gave Grace a strange look. I bit my lip hard, forcing myself to stay calm. It’s just a DNA test. I know the answer, I’m not afraid. Thinking of my mom in the hospital—Lucas told me last night they found a kidney match and surgery would be soon—I couldn’t provoke them. The doctor arrived quickly. Mrs. Lu had people hold my arm while blood was drawn. As the needle pierced my skin, I flinched. Not far away, Lucas’s eyes darkened. Done with this, Mrs. Lu waved me upstairs. “If you dare lie to me, I’ll show you what a dead end looks like.” Grace patted Lucas’s shoulder gently. “Lucas, you’re so unlucky to be entangled with such a shameless woman.” Lucas didn’t chime in, just watched me walk up the stairs. 4 I thought Lucas would kick me out of bed, so I packed my things first. He came in a while later. “What are you doing?” “Packing? You probably want me to leave.” “You…” He couldn’t get a sentence out. Mrs. Lu came up, worried. Seeing the scene, she frowned. “Are you sleeping together again?” “No, we’re just…” Sleeping in the same bed? No one would believe that. Seeing my hesitation, Mrs. Lu slapped me. “You low-class people only know how to seduce and climb into beds!” “Mom…” Lucas tried to defend me, but Grace, who had come up unnoticed, interrupted. “Auntie, don’t be angry. A man and a woman in one room invites gossip. Better separate them. It’s better for the baby too.” Mrs. Lu considered Grace’s suggestion. I panicked. “Mrs. Lu, what about my mom’s medical bills…” Mrs. Lu looked disgusted. “Relax. You’ll get what was promised. Assuming the baby is ours. If you lied, you won’t like the consequences!” She ordered servants to help pack my things, preparing to send me to the Lu family’s house in West Beijing. After giving instructions, she led Lucas and Grace away. Actually, I didn’t have much. Just one large suitcase of odds and ends. Dragging my suitcase to the stairwell, I saw Grace standing there with her arms crossed, the fake gentleness gone. She opened with pure malice: “Didn’t expect that aphrodisiac to benefit a rat like you!” “What do you mean?” “I lost a bet with a friend, so I let her have Lucas for a night,” she said casually. “Unexpectedly, Lucas actually cares a bit about you. Don’t know what’s so good about your poor ass. Maybe because you’re cheap?” Hearing her treat Lucas so casually, I felt angry for some reason. Seeing my anger, she felt satisfied. “What? Angry I scolded you, or jealous that Lucas is my property?” She stepped close to me, whispering in my ear, “Let me show you how far Lucas will go for me.” She gave a malicious smile, screamed, and threw herself down the stairs. Before I could react, Lucas rushed up, anxiously helping Grace up. He checked her carefully, coaxing her gently. After confirming she was okay, he glared at me, the “culprit.” “Sue, are you crazy! If anything happens to Grace, I won’t forgive you! Apologize now!” I didn’t do it. I wouldn’t apologize. I dragged my suitcase down the stairs. As I passed them, Lucas grabbed me. “Apologize!” “She fell herself.” I stared at him. Lucas laughed in anger. “Are you that vicious? Won’t apologize, huh?” He pressed my shoulder hard, forcing me to kneel. “Apologize. Or I’ll have the hospital stop your mother’s treatment.” I looked up at him in disbelief, seeing only disgust in his eyes. I lowered my head, tears falling, and whispered, “I’m sorry.” Grace ignored me, eyes red, voice delicate. “Lucas, my leg hurts…” Lucas picked her up immediately and walked upstairs, barking at me, “Get out!” 5 Less than three days later, Mrs. Lu arrived with the DNA results. I opened the door and got slapped. “I was played by a slut like you! Look at the results!” Clutching my red cheek, dazed, I took the report— [Probability of Paternity: 0.0001%] “Impossible!” I looked up sharply. “There’s a mistake!” Mrs. Lu snatched the report back with a sneer. “Evidence is solid, still denying it? Your mother’s medical funding stops today!” She waved to the bodyguards. “Throw her out!” I was roughly shoved out, my suitcase thrown after me, contents spilling everywhere. Meanwhile, my mom’s condition worsened. The doctor looked grave. “Uremia caused heart failure. Need a kidney transplant immediately. But you offended the Lu family. They gave the word, the hospital can’t keep you. Sigh…” Looking at my mom’s arm full of tubes, I gritted my teeth and dialed Lucas. I remembered Mrs. Lu’s warning not to contact him. But I had no choice. If I explained clearly, would he help, even out of pity? Ring—Ring— My heart tightened with every ring. Finally, it connected. A familiar female voice. Grace. She sounded breathless. “Hello… mmm… who is it…” My throat closed up. I couldn’t speak. Why did she answer Lucas’s phone? What were they doing? Before I could think, Lucas took the phone, sounding equally breathless. “Mmm… who?” I hung up in a panic, heart dead. Cornered, I called my biological father. “You said I could go back to the Gu family. I said you must save my mother…” “If you don’t agree, you’ll see my corpse soon, and you’ll have no heir left in this world. I mean it!” Unexpectedly, he laughed. “Haha! Truly my seed! Gutsy! Fine, but I only save her. I won’t bring her back to the Gu family.” My father’s men arrived at the hospital quickly. After briefing them on my mom’s condition, I prepared to leave with them. At the hospital, I saw Lucas again. He was supporting Grace for a checkup. Seeing me with a group of men in black, he ignored Grace and ran over, but was blocked. Through the bodyguards, I said, “Lucas, believe it or not, I’ll say it one last time. The child is yours. I didn’t push Grace.” He froze. I didn’t look at him again and left. Grace walked over, linking his arm. “Lucas, was that Sue? Found a new sugar daddy already?” Lucas shook off her hand, rare for him, and left hurriedly. He went home to check the surveillance camera on the stairs—installed only after I moved in, for fear I’d trip. His face darkened as he watched. The spring drug wasn’t me; he had held a grudge over that. He investigated the hospital that gave the DNA report and found it was forged on Grace’s orders. “Damn it!” He pounded the table and rushed out.

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My husband’s first love and I were kidnapped at the same time. He brought the $5 million ransom and saved her without a second thought. Even our son, whom I carried for ten months, chimed in: “I want to save Auntie Claire! Dad, she’ll be scared if we leave her here!” The System declared my mission a failure: “Once your physical body dies, you will be sent back to your original world.” So I sought death, desperate to go home. But when my husband and son realized I truly didn’t want to live anymore, they hugged me and cried: “I was wrong, please don’t leave us, okay?” 1 After twelve years of trying to win Arthur Gu’s heart, he still chose Claire Shen over me without hesitation. Arthur quickly untied the ropes binding Claire, his eyes full of distress. Beside him, our son, Harry, mimicked his father, rubbing Claire’s red wrists and blowing on them gently. “Auntie Claire, I’ll blow on it so it doesn’t hurt.” The three of them looked like a harmonious family, completely forgetting that I was still in the hands of the kidnappers. Even the kidnapper boss couldn’t help but mock me. “Your husband is lost in dreamland. Guess he’s not coming back for you. Should I just off you now?” Watching the three of them leave, protecting Claire, the System officially declared my mission a failure. The punishment electrocuted me, and I fainted instantly. In my daze, I felt the kidnapper boss scrambling to catch my falling body. “I just said a few harsh words! Did she scare herself to death? Crap, gotta get her to the hospital. Can’t have a dead body on my hands.” 2 Waking up in the hospital, I confirmed with the System in my head: As long as this body dies completely, I can go home, right? After getting a positive answer, I dragged myself to the window. This room was on a high floor, at least fifty feet up. Jumping would be certain death. I opened the window and leaped. The massive sensation of weightlessness hit me. I instinctively reached out, the wind screaming in my ears. But I wasn’t afraid. I even looked forward to death. Just a little more, and I’d be home. Back to the world where people truly loved me. I closed my eyes, waiting calmly. But the falling stopped. Someone grabbed my arm hard. The sudden stop tore my muscles, pain spreading from my arm to my chest. I opened my eyes. My arm felt broken. The person holding me was Sean Song, Arthur’s half-brother. I looked up at the sweating teenager and said calmly. “Let go.” Sean gritted his teeth, gripping tighter, pulling me up with all his might. He roared, “Just because my brother didn’t choose you? Jumping over this? Is your brain filled with shit?” I reached out, prying his fingers off one by one. “Sean, my death is exactly what you want. So, let go.” 3 Sean hated me. Or rather, everyone close to Arthur didn’t accept me. After Claire eloped for love, Arthur married me under family pressure. They were convinced I was an opportunist who took advantage of the situation. They openly isolated, ostracized, and ignored me. Sean was the worst. Using his status as the younger brother, he swaggered into the Gu mansion and destroyed all the baby’s breath flowers I planted in the backyard. Knowing I was allergic to cat hair, he encouraged Harry to adopt a stray kitten. When I refused, he told Harry to cry. The noise filled the living room. Sean watched the fire from the sidelines, then played the good guy. “It’s just a kitten. Let the kid keep it if he likes it.” Harry cried even harder, rolling on the floor, mumbling. “Mommy is bad, I want the kitty.” I kicked Sean and the cat out and patiently explained to Harry that I was allergic to cats but we could get a puppy. Influenced by Sean, Harry only wanted the cat. He wouldn’t listen, pounding on me, demanding his kitten back. A rift formed between Harry and me. Sean seized the opportunity to badmouth me to Harry, turning my son against me at such a young age. He was like a demon from hell, turning my life upside down. 4 I didn’t die. Sean made too much noise, attracting the medical staff. Together, they pulled me up. Sean glared at me, closed the window, and fell silent for once. His hands wouldn’t stop shaking. His palms were red and purple from the strain. “Jane Xu, I don’t hate you as much as you think.” He lowered his head, bangs covering his eyes. I actually heard a trace of grievance in his voice. Just as I was about to probe further. Sean crossed his arms, looked up, and reverted to his usual nonchalant self. He said heartlessly. “This is just another one of your tricks, right? Let me tell you, my brother doesn’t fall for playing hard to get. Doing this will only annoy him more…” Sean was rambling in his own world while the nurses checked the equipment. Taking advantage of the gap, I walked to the window again and opened it swiftly. Before I could step out, Sean pulled me back. Two attempts. Sean finally realized I wasn’t doing it for attention. I really wanted to die. He dragged me away from the window. Once sure I was under control, he started trying to talk sense into me, his attitude softening. “Don’t do this. My brother isn’t the only man in the world. Why cling to him?” He coughed lightly, cheeks flushing. “I admit, my brother is a terrible husband. But you can divorce him. Dying for him isn’t worth it. Maybe someone secretly has a crush on you, and you just haven’t noticed.” 5 Sean took me back to the old mansion. On the way, he told me. Arthur found out I planned the kidnapping myself and was comforting the traumatized Claire. “My brother is furious. Just apologize to Claire properly later, and it’ll be over.” “Calm him down first, then the divorce will be easier.” I ignored him, turning my head to the window. The scenery blurred past, too fast to catch even a shadow. Thinking back to the kidnapper rushing me to the hospital, I guessed this kidnapping was another frame-up by Claire. Blame me, and she can play the innocent flower in front of Arthur. Not the first time, and won’t be the last. We were like two poles of a magnet, repelling and hurting each other. And Arthur was the iron filing spinning just for Claire. No matter how clumsy her tricks, in his eyes, they were just proof of her vulnerability and need for security. He stood by her side without hesitation. The scales never tipped in my favor. My arguments, despair, and hysteria only earned his cold rebuke: “Stop making a scene. Look at yourself.” 6 I suddenly remembered when I first started “conquering” Arthur. Back then, Claire had run off with the male lead, leaving Arthur, the deep-feeling second male lead, drinking his sorrows away daily. The System told me this drunkard was my target. Only when his affection reached 100% could I go home. I didn’t understand why going home depended on a man’s love. But to go home, I approached Arthur cautiously. He got drunk at bars; I accompanied him. He threw up everywhere; I apologized and cleaned up the mess. He missed Claire’s desserts; I took baking classes to learn his taste. Those hard-made pastries, Arthur threw in the trash without looking. He warned me not to imitate Claire, that I wasn’t even fit to carry her shoes. Later, I stopped baking and learned to cook. Arthur had a bad stomach. When working late, he often skipped dinner. I prepared balanced meals daily and delivered them to his office personally. Maybe my cooking wasn’t bad, because Arthur slowly accepted my presence. Those days were the most harmonious times between us. His affection reached 98%. Just when I thought I could go home soon, a drunken night led to pregnancy. Arthur married me under family pressure. His affection plummeted. From start to finish, he thought I got pregnant on purpose. That it was a trap I set for him. Hilarious. I wasn’t the one who didn’t use protection. He only had himself to blame. He and Claire were the same type of people, liking to pin their faults and sins on others. Does that lessen their guilt? Ha, ridiculous. I can’t understand it. 7 I followed Sean in. Pushing open the Gu family door, the first thing I saw was Claire lying on the sofa, looking cozy. Arthur and Harry were serving her. The big one feeding her fruit piece by piece. The small one sitting by her feet, grinning while massaging her legs. If they had tails, they’d be wagging to the sky. Seeing me, Arthur immediately switched to a stern face. Frowning, he picked up a document from the coffee table and threw it at my face. He stood up, imposing. “Jane! I don’t care if you throw tantrums, but you should never have hurt Claire!” “Is staging a kidnapping just to get my attention fun? If anything happened to Claire, you’d be rotting in jail!” I bent down and picked up the papers scattered at my feet. Reading them, I couldn’t help but sneer. It was just a transcript of the kidnapper’s one-sided confession. If Arthur trusted me even a little bit, he would have checked the bank account that transferred money to the kidnapper and known I was framed. People only see what they want to see. Seeing my expression, Claire got up from the sofa. Seeming afraid I’d say something, she grabbed Arthur’s shirt urgently. “Arthur, I’m fine, don’t be so tense. Sister Jane is a girl, prison would be…” Before she could finish, I slapped her. I used all my strength. The sound echoed through the living room. Claire looked at me dumbfounded, stunned by the slap. Not just her, everyone froze. Arthur reacted first. He went feral, choking me with both hands, his eyes filled with ruthless malice. Survival instinct made me struggle. I looked up at him contemptuously. “You want to jail me with this evidence? You’re an idiot, but the police aren’t.” This provoked Arthur greatly. He increased his grip, cutting off my air. Death approached slowly, but I couldn’t help smiling. 8 At the critical moment, Sean punched Arthur back to reality. Arthur instinctively let go. Lack of oxygen made my legs weak. I collapsed instantly. Gasping for air, I stared at the culprit who ruined my plans twice: Sean. He punched Arthur again, not satisfied. “She was dying! You almost strangled her!” Dazed, Arthur shook his wrist but didn’t fight back. He pushed Sean away, looking at me with a complicated expression, then turned away awkwardly. “So what if she died? She provoked Claire first.” “Yeah, she hit Auntie Claire. She’s a bad mom. I hate bad mom.” Harry hugged Claire’s arm, chiming in angrily. Too lazy to face the ugly faces of the Gu family, I sneaked back to my room while Sean clashed with Arthur. Sean was still arguing, his voice drifting upstairs. “Bro! Jane wanted to die! Didn’t you see her smile when you were choking her? I suspect she provoked you on purpose.” “Wanted to die? She’s desperate to be with me. How could she want to die?” The door closed, cutting off the noise. World peace. I took a fruit knife from the drawer and strode to the bathroom. The sharp blade drew a line of blood on my wrist. Blood dripped down. Facing death wasn’t as painful or terrifying as I imagined.

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When we were kids, my arch-nemesis always mocked me: “With grades like yours, you’ll grow up to be a septic tank cleaner.” I didn’t believe in curses until I became a proctologist. And he? The untouchable, icy movie star. Clutching his butt, he registered for my clinic. I slowly pulled on my gloves: “Pants down, bend over.” He looked like he wanted to die of shame: “Can you perform the surgery…” I smiled: “Sure. Call me Daddy first.” 1 I’m Dr. Layla Liang. The youngest proctologist in the hospital. Three years in the game, I’ve seen countless anuses and every hemorrhoid under the sun. 4 PM. The quietest time at the clinic. I pressed the button for the last patient: [Patient No. 250, Julian Gu, please proceed to Exam Room 3.] My pen froze. A punchable face instantly popped into my mind. No way… Isn’t that guy currently filming some “Most Handsome Ancient Costume Drama Ever,” riding a majestic steed and acting cool? Could it be… karma? The clinic door creaked open a crack. A sneaky figure slipped in and immediately locked the door behind him. “Layla…” The visitor lowered his voice, taking off his sunglasses to reveal a pair of familiar peach-blossom eyes. Good lord. Mask, hat, sunglasses. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was here to rob the place. “Julian Gu?” I almost jumped out of my chair. “It really is you.” “Shh! Quiet! Don’t say my name!” He rushed over to cover my mouth. “There might be paparazzi outside.” I pried his hand away and deliberately raised my voice: “Oh, so it’s ‘The Reddest Butt on Monkey Mountain’!” I called out his ridiculously flamboyant gaming ID directly. “Layla, shut up!” Shutting up was impossible. Back in the day, he always mocked my poor grades, saying I’d grow up to shovel sh*t. As a result, my college application got adjusted to medicine, and I was assigned to proctology. He laughed at me for ages. Now, he’s in my hands. If I didn’t roast him now, I’d be letting down our twenty years of rivalry! “Well, well, isn’t this the icy, abstinent movie star? Abstaining all the way to the proctology department? That’s wild!” Julian choked on his words. He hesitated for three seconds before whispering: “Um… I’m a little uncomfortable…” “Where?” I asked knowingly. He stammered: “Just… it hurts back there…” “Where is ‘back there’? Waist? Buttocks? Or a little further down? Be precise, we doctors need accuracy.” I spun my pen quickly, secretly delighted. Julian gritted his teeth, face flushing red: “My butthole hurts! Happy now?!” “Why didn’t you just say so?” I typed away on the keyboard. “How long has it been hurting?” “Since last month, filming that period drama. Riding horses all the time…” I raised an eyebrow meaningfully, my eyes gleaming with gossip: “Riding horses or riding people? Don’t lie to your doctor.” Everyone knows Julian Gu has been scandal-free for seven years. He keeps his distance from female stars. The only name linked to his is the young actor he starred with in that BL drama. “Layla, do you have any medical ethics? I’m straight as a pole!” Ooh, he’s mad. “Ethics? For others, yes. For you…” I stood up slowly. Opened the cabinet and took out a pair of disposable gloves: “Pants off. Lie on your side on the table. Knees to chest.” 2 Julian froze. Under the baseball cap, his handsome face turned blood red. Who would have thought? The nemesis who always one-upped me… Now has to take off his pants and present his ass to me! Hahahaha!!! He struggled: “Do you have to look? Can’t you just prescribe medicine? Money is no object…” “Dear, you can’t take medicine blindly. We need a diagnosis.” I put on the gloves, snapping them loudly. “Relax. In a doctor’s eyes, all beings are equal. Anuses possess no rank. It’s just tissue.” He closed his eyes in resignation. Took a deep breath, and with the air of a martyr going to the gallows… Began to unbuckle his belt slowly and awkwardly. Finally, he slid down his grey boxer briefs. I glanced at his tight waist and hip line, maintained by years of fitness. Tsk. Nice body. Shame about the tiny appendage. He dawdled getting onto the bed, his voice fragile: “Can you… be gentle…” I almost forgot, this screen tough guy is actually a wimp when it comes to pain. As a kid, he’d hit a high C getting a vaccination. “Relax. I’ve seen thousands of chrysanthemums. My technique is professional.” While comforting him, I urged him on: “Hurry up. Standard posture.” He glared at me resentfully and lay flat. Tsk tsk… If his 80 million “wives” (fans) saw this submissive expression, they’d have a collective heart attack. Walking to the exam table, my gaze swept over the exposed area. I couldn’t help shaking my head: “Tsk, Julian lives up to his name. The real-life ‘Reddest Butt on Monkey Mountain’.” “Layla, you…” Before he could finish. “OWWW!!!” A pig-slaughtering scream echoed through the clinic. “Layla, you’re taking personal revenge!” I was speechless: “I haven’t even gone in yet. What are you screaming for?” “Relax. I need to do a deep examination.” He let out a despairing whimper, burying his face in his arms, leaving only a blood-red ear tip exposed. “Relax, how can I go in if you’re like this?” Julian buried his face deeper, his muffled voice filled with immense shame: “I… I can’t control it…” “Control it anyway! Deep breaths! Exhale, inhale.” Like a ruthless repeater, I directed his breathing. While secretly applying force with my hand. “Oww oww oww! It hurts!” So troublesome. More work than ten constipated grandpas combined. Just as my finger finally struggled to begin exploring the internal situation… Suddenly. A certain indescribable part perked up spiritedly! 3 My movements paused. Julian’s body stiffened. Before, he was just burying his face. Now he wished he could stuff his entire head into the crack of the exam table. Dead silence. I haven’t been in the industry long, but in proctology, I’ve seen what I should and shouldn’t see. Local reflex caused by stimulation during examination—it’s in the textbooks. It happens occasionally, totally normal. But… Theory is theory. When this “normal category” happens between two arch-enemies in this situation… It feels completely different! “Ahem.” I cleared my throat, trying to maintain calm. Even putting on a bit of… Well, the numbness of seeing it all. “Normal physiological phenomenon. I’ve seen it plenty.” “You… you’ve seen plenty?” Julian suddenly snapped. “Even if you’ve seen plenty, there’s a quality gap!” “Mine, at the very least, is a premium grade!” He stiffened his neck, his shame mixed with a bizarre sense of… Defiance? I withdrew my finger expressionlessly: “Average.” Just one word. Light as a feather. Smashing onto Julian’s crumbling self-esteem. “What?” He exploded. Almost jumped off the exam table, forgetting the pain. “What do you mean average? Are your eyes covered in cow dung!” “I’m clearly 7 inch—” “What 7 inches? I meant the severity of the hemorrhoids is average.” I rolled my eyes. “What is in that brain of yours? Playing too hard? Restrain yourself, Teacher Gu.” He pulled up his pants frantically. “I… I wasn’t thinking anything!” I tossed him a pack of disinfectant wipes with disdain. “Based on the exam, Stage II mixed hemorrhoids. Surgery recommended. Minimally invasive, quick recovery.” “Surgery?” Julian’s face turned green. “No! I have a schedule next week!” “Then see you on the trending topics.” I shrugged indifferently. “#Shocking! Top Movie Star Rushed to ER for Exploding Hemorrhoids#. How’s that for a headline?” “Or #High-Mountain Flower Image Collapse? Behind Julian Gu’s Ruptured Hemorrhoid: The Untold Story with a Mystery Man#.” 4 Julian stood frozen, as if previewing his social death. I was secretly thrilled. Rare to see him eat humble pie. I hate Julian Gu. Because he’s been hacking life since childhood. Face sculpted by gods, top grades without trying, scouted at 17, top tier by 20. The whole world praises his perfection. But only I know. As a kid, he blew up cow dung and sent the principal’s wig flying. Stole watermelons and fell into a cesspit; I fished him out with a branch. Got diarrhea on a field trip without TP, crying and begging me to find him leaves. Every item could make his 80 million fans run for the hills overnight. The entertainment industry’s famous icy flower, the abstinent top actor in fans’ eyes. ID: “The Reddest Butt on Monkey Mountain.” Fans beg for content, he plays dead. In reality, he’s trash-talking in League of Legends daily. Terrible but addicted. Bombarding me on WeChat: [Layla! Log on! I’ll carry you!] [Laylaaaaa~ Look at my new skin, handsome right? Like your long-lost Jungler Daddy?] Me: [Busy, don’t @ me] Or just ignore him. Then I get a 60-second voice message phalanx. Click open, all lame dad jokes: “Do you know why sharks can’t beat octopuses? Because they have too many hands! Hahahaha!” So annoying. Why hasn’t he been cancelled yet! And right now. My lifelong nemesis, clutching his butt, is experiencing his darkest hour: “Surgery is fine, but you must be the lead surgeon!” I smiled: “Sure. Call me Daddy first.” Julian: “!!!” “Lay! La! In! Your! Dreams!!!” “I’d rather die than yield!” 5 “Oh?” I shrugged nonchalantly. “Forget it then. We have plenty of experts here. I’ll help you contact…” “Wait!” Julian panicked. “Anything else! Anything but calling you Daddy!” That’s the sentence I was waiting for. “Okay then. Get me a signed autograph from Keke. Addressed ‘To my dearest Layla’.” The air went still. Next second: “Layla, you stan my rival?!” He spun around in anger. “When did you go blind? Him? That national school hunk with painted-on abs, three layers of insoles, and plastic surgery his mom wouldn’t recognize! You stan him? Am I not ten thousand times better? Face! Body! Talent! Acting! Box office appeal!!” I dug my ear with my pinky: “So loud. He’s gentle, loves his fans, and…” “Gentle? Loves fans?” Julian jumped in anger. “That’s a persona! A persona, do you understand! Privately he…” “Cut the crap.” I interrupted him ruthlessly. “Doing it or not? One word. If not, I’m booking Director Wang. He loves celebrity cases.” I reached for the phone. “Don’t!” “Da… Daddy…” Me: “???” I didn’t react for a moment. Wait… bro? What happened to ‘rather die than yield’? This flexibility. I’m speechless. Julian, red-faced and exasperated: “Happy now… hurry up! Surgery!” I suppressed a smile, walked over slowly, and patted his head: “Good boy. That’s right. Don’t worry, leave your little chrysanthemum to Daddy. Guaranteed clean cut.” I paused, leaning close to his red ear. “Don’t scream like a pig on the operating table later and embarrass Daddy.” Julian ground his molars: “Tch! Just a small surgery! When has Big Bro ever been scared? One shot of anesthesia, sleep, done!” Ten minutes later. “Holy sh*t! Layla! Layla!!!” Heart-wrenching screams came from the bathroom. Accompanied by the sound effects of “explosive artillery fire.” “I feel like my intestines are coming out! What the hell is this stuff! Murder! Absolute murder!” I sat outside, leisurely recording on my phone: “Ooh, isn’t this our icy, abstinent top actor? Why does taking a dump sound like a symphony orchestra?” “Layla! Get the hell away from me!!” His roar carried a despairing whimper. “Wuwuwu… life is too hard… just let me die…”

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Recently, I discovered my computer was hacked. The intruder’s goal? To steal a peek at the spicy fanfiction I write. To catch this “criminal,” I crammed four months of computer science knowledge. Armed with my limited skills, I traced the IP and hacked into his webcam. From the screen came the sound of a man panting heavily, making my heart race. After a long while, the face of the campus academic god—a regular on the school website—appeared on camera. Caught in the act of doing something indescribable, he blushed furiously: “You… you found me.” 1 My computer got hacked. Lately, weird, supernatural things have been happening when I write. — Typos in the smut I just wrote would correct themselves. — The formatting would suddenly become neat and tidy. — Documents I panic-saved in the wrong folder would magically appear in the correct one. … Just as I was suspecting schizophrenia from writing too much, my roommate Kiki joked, “Maybe your computer got hacked!” A casual remark, but I took it to heart. Although I don’t have sensitive info or more than four digits in my bank account, my computer holds hundreds of chapters of smut! Some even feature my crush, Shawn, as the protagonist! If this got out, how could I show my face on campus? I swore to catch this criminal! After consulting the “Academic God” of the Computer Science department (Kiki’s boyfriend), I started cramming. Finally, on a dark and stormy night, I hacked the intruder’s webcam. The environment was dim, but I recognized the wooden bunk beds of our dorms. I got excited. Holy crap! If he’s on campus, catching him is just a matter of time! I stared at the screen excitedly, looking for clues. Suddenly, the sound of suppressed panting came through. “Baby… mmh…” I froze. Having read countless books, I knew exactly what he was doing… But even with my theoretical knowledge, this scene was too much. What the hell? Who steals someone else’s smut to do that? So perverted… Although, I wrote the smut. But that’s not the point! Peeping Toms have no honor! However. This guy’s panting sounds kinda hot… My face burned instantly, throat tight, heart pounding like a drum. The guy on the other side sped up, no longer suppressing his voice, letting loose. His panting made my whole body heat up. Finally, with a sigh of satisfaction, he finished. Hearing the sound of tissues being pulled, I braced myself. Soon, a muscular arm appeared in the frame, followed by broad shoulders, collarbones, defined pecs… And finally, a handsome face with flushed cheeks. I forgot to breathe. I knew that face all too well. Me: ? 2 Shawn. The god of the Computer Science department. My crush. The male lead in dozens of my fanfics… So, he was reading stories based on himself while getting off? My brain short-circuited. On the other side, Shawn seemed to notice something was wrong. He panicked, then quickly operated his computer, taking control of mine. We met via video in the most awkward way possible. After staring at each other for four or five seconds, Shawn frantically shut down his computer. Before the screen went black, I clearly heard him curse under his breath: “Fuck…” My screen returned to my wallpaper, but I was still in shock. It took a long time for the panic to set in. Help! Did he read everything? All those indescribable… super spicy scenes! I buried my burning face in the blanket, trying to suffocate myself. We’re doomed. Will he tell anyone? After struggling internally for half an hour, I collapsed on the bed, accepting my fate. Whatever. At least I saw Shawn shirtless before I die socially. Worth it. 3 After that incident, I didn’t write for half a month. Instead, I inexplicably ran into Shawn everywhere on campus. Classrooms, cafeteria, supermarket, track field… I developed a skill: whenever Shawn was near, a chill would run down my spine, and I’d lock onto his location instantly. I don’t know if he saw me, but I ran every time. If we met, would he think I’m a pervert? Even though he’s the pervert… My roommate Summer asked me to watch hot guys play basketball, but I made excuses. “Hannah, heard Shawn is playing today. You’re not coming?” Normally, I’d grab snacks and follow them like a puppy. But now? Too awkward. “I’ll pass. Busy with the Literature Club.” Summer knew I was busy and pouted. Chloe added, “The club has an event soon, she really is busy.” Summer looked regretful. “Fine, you busy bee. We’re going! I’ll take HD photos for you to enjoy later~” I turned my back and mumbled a “Mmh.” “Enjoy”? I wouldn’t dare! Just thinking of Shawn makes me feel like he’s standing in front of me, condemning me. [You little pervert! Look innocent but mind is full of smut! Coveting my body!] I rushed to the bathroom to splash cold water on my face. To force myself to calm down, I buried myself in club work. 4 When my roommates returned, I was still at my desk. “So sad, Shawn wore a new jersey today but only played half the game.” “Yeah! Explosively handsome. Did you see those girls next to us? Eyes glued to him!” … I stopped working, ears perking up. New jersey? What color? He’s pale, so blue would look good… As I thought this, Summer and the girls were in front of me. “Hannah, look! Shawn’s new jersey is super hot!” Summer shoved her phone in my face. Holy crap! It really is blue! In the photo, Shawn was as handsome as ever. His fair skin glowed in the sun, broad shoulders, narrow waist, perfect arm muscles. Under the blue jersey, his pecs were defined. I like muscles like that—healthy, not excessive. That’s why Shawn became my irreplaceable crush. Looking at it, the image of shirtless Shawn from that night popped into my head… My face burned again. This reaction was intriguing to others. “Oooooh~ Hannah, you’re blushing!” “You’re definitely gonna dream of him tonight!” They teased me. Why did Chloe say I’d dream of him? I kept my crush on Shawn buried deep. Until one night, Chloe got up to pee and heard me talk in my sleep. Calling Shawn’s name. They kept my secret but teased me whenever we saw him. I covered my face, grabbed my laptop, and fled to my bed. Their teasing got louder. I feel like I’ve done every embarrassing thing possible. 5 Ding~ WeChat message from Club President Liam. [Hannah, the freshmen sent the event brief. Check it for errors.] I replied [Okay]. Only when busy can I stop thinking about Shawn. I received the file and opened my laptop. Just as I was about to log into WeChat, the screen flickered, and another feed appeared. Familiar wooden bed, dark blue sheets… Isn’t this Shawn’s bed?! Why did his webcam turn on? I didn’t touch anything! Just as I was about to fix it, Shawn appeared in the frame. He seemed fresh out of the shower, shirtless, wearing only light blue basketball shorts… quite tight ones. A towel draped over his shoulder, damp hair dripping water droplets that slid down his firm chest, soaking into the blue sheets. Faced with this “Hunk Out of Bath” scene, my brain exploded. Who can handle this! Shawn looked at the screen, locking eyes with shocked me for a few seconds. First surprise, then he pursed his lips nervously, cheeks slowly turning red. He carefully pulled up the towel to cover his chest, looking at me shyly. “You… why are you… peeping at me again?” Me: ? What do you mean? Peeping? Again? Sitting in bed, accused of crimes from the sky! I looked at the curtains. Roommates were chatting, oblivious. “What peeping? I just opened my laptop! You hacked me first, that’s how I caught you!” Shawn tugged the towel coyly. “Who knows? How could a little girl like you do such things?” Excuse me? This is outrageous! Before I could speak, Shawn crossed his arms, pretending to cover himself. His well-developed pecs created cleavage with just a slight movement. “If I hadn’t worn pants, you would’ve seen everything.” I almost jumped off the bed to curse at the screen. Zap! The screen went black, flashed twice, and returned to my wallpaper. He ran? Without explaining? Ineuliably labeled a pervert. Thinking about it, I felt this kid did it on purpose. Can I tolerate this? I suspect he’ll leak my smut writing secret. Need to negotiate. Emotional, I grabbed my phone and mobilized my network to find Shawn’s class schedule.

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Late at night, A-list actor Liam Huo posted a photo of himself hugging his dog and crying, with the caption: [99th proposal failed, boohoo!] Half an hour later, the trendy starlet Bella Jiang posted a selfie with the caption: [I’ll say yes to the 100th proposal.] The internet exploded, urging Liam to propose for the 100th time. Ten minutes later, Liam went nuclear, tagging Bella directly: [Clout chaser! Were you a makeup sponge in your past life? Why do you love absorbing attention so much?!] [Getting rejected was annoying enough, now I have you jumping around in front of me!] [Keep leaching off me and I’ll fight you!] After roasting Bella, Liam messaged me privately: [Wifey, when are you going to give me a title? Boohoo!] 1 The night Liam proposed, the director urgently called me back to set to reshoot the finale. But before we even wrapped, my agent told me Liam was trending. I opened Twitter: #Breaking! Liam Huo & Bella Jiang: He Loves Her So Much!# #Viral! Liam Huo Failed 99 Proposals!# #Hot! Liam Huo Talks Tough But He’s Just Tsundere# … I stared at the dozen hashtags about Liam and Bella, confused. But the director was rushing us. This director is a perfectionist and demands actors prioritize filming, so I had to put my phone down and start shooting. By the time I wrapped, it was past midnight. I opened my phone and checked Twitter. Liam was soloing Bella’s entire fanbase. It started with Bella’s fans calling Liam not a man for refusing to admit he dated Bella after a failed proposal. Then Liam’s fans tried to help, but Liam told them he could handle it alone. He’d been roasting people non-stop from 9 PM to 4 AM. For every Bella fan, he had a comeback. He took them on two at a time, never repeating an insult. BellaFan1: [Your girlfriend is Bella, stop denying it just cause you fought!] Liam: [I deny your face! I said it’s not her!] BellaFan2: [Then who is it? You proposed 99 times and she said no? Haha, simp!] Liam: [None of your business. So what if I’m a simp? Simping till the end gets you everything.] BellaFan3: [Our Bella is a princess, how could you treat her like this!] Liam: [Does a princess need to chase clout? Princess of a dump maybe.] BellaFan4: [Our Bella is so beautiful [Image], how can you call her a makeup sponge?!] Liam: […Go see an eye doctor, and eat something decent while you’re at it!] BellaFan5: [Our Bella can cook too [Image], missing out on her is your loss!] Liam: [Honestly, that dish looks like vomit after a hangover.] BellaFan6: [You look average anyway, how are you a star? [Sneer]] Liam: [Your jealousy is ugly. [Nose pick]] BellaFan7: [Just because she rejected your proposal, you gotta act tough and deny your love? Big dummy, hehe.] Liam: [You look like a dead fish that’s been rotting for three months.] BellaFan8: [It’s just a rejection, why so stubborn?] Liam: [I SAID IT’S NOT HER! NOT HER! Donate your eyes if you don’t need them!] BellaFan9: [Brother-in-law, just go kneel on a washboard, my sister will forgive you. You guys are a perfect match!] Liam: [Tsk tsk, perfect match? With that vision, has a doctor suggested gouging your eyes out?] … Liam roasted them all night. The trending topics shifted— #Breaking! Liam Huo’s Mouth is Poisoned!# #Hot! Liam Huo: You Look Like a Three-Month-Old Dead Fish# #Viral! Liam Huo Asks: Do You Want to Be the First Person Scolded This Autumn?# … I read the tweets, feeling a mix of guilt and amusement. I called Liam immediately. He picked up instantly. His aggrieved voice came through: “Boohoo, wifey, they called me a simp. They insulted me, saying my girlfriend is Bella. I wanted to explain, but you said we can’t go public, so I had to hold it in.” “Boohoo, when are you going to give me a title? Boohoo…” Listening to Liam complain, I scrolled through Bella’s Twitter. Her selfie captioned [I’ll say yes to the 100th proposal] was still up, but comments were disabled. She posted another tweet teasing her appearance on an upcoming live dating show. Watching her generate buzz, I knew Bella was chasing clout again. It wasn’t her first time. She constantly claimed to be the “Little Princess” of the Jiang Group. Unluckily for her, I am the real heir to the Jiang Group, Natalie Jiang. When I entered the entertainment industry, I made a bet with my brother: if I didn’t get famous on my own, I’d have to go home and inherit the family business. So for three years, I worked hard at acting and kept my relationship with Liam secret. I never refuted Bella’s claims about being the Jiang princess, nor did I care when she subtly dissed me. But she was getting bolder. This time she was practically rubbing her clout-chasing in my face and causing Liam to get cyberbullied. “They scolded me, but they aren’t as good at it as me. I soloed…” Liam was proudly recounting his battle achievements when I interrupted: “Let’s go public.” Liam went silent for three seconds, then yelled: “Babe, are you serious?!” “Serious.” Hearing his joy, my voice softened. “The dating show Bella is going on is produced by my family’s media company. Let’s join. It’s a perfect time to go public.” We’ve been dating for two years. It’s time. Liam walked 99 steps toward me; I’ll take the last one. Besides… Bella loves chasing clout? Claiming to be the Jiang princess and Liam’s girlfriend? I’ll let her chase the biggest clout of her life, right into a live broadcast social death. 2 Once I confirmed Liam’s schedule was open, I pulled some strings and got us added to the show last minute. The production team updated the posters overnight, announcing our participation. Twitter exploded again. Bella’s fans went feral. On the day of filming, the moment Liam appeared on camera, the live comments flew. Bella’s fans spammed the screen— [Told you he loves her! Seeing our Bella on a dating show, he followed like a puppy!] [He talked tough, now look at him chasing his wife to the crematorium!] [Welcome to the live broadcast of Liam Huo’s Apology Tour haha!] [Kneeling on a washboard won’t be enough, better get a durian!] … I arrived later than Liam because of the reshoot. Seeing the comments, he almost snapped and unleashed his toxic tongue. But remembering what I said yesterday, he held back, leading his dog, face stony and silent. He could endure it, but his fans couldn’t— [Are Bella’s fans brain-damaged? My Brother Liam said a hundred times his girlfriend isn’t your idol. Why can’t you understand human language?] [Lol, can’t believe people are this deaf in the 21st century.] [Do you need him to roast you again to behave?] [Shut up, you trash! Scolding you gives you too much pleasure.] [I’m standing right here, let’s see who dares insult my brother!] … Liam’s fans were just as sharp-tongued as him, engaging in a fierce battle with Bella’s fans. Amidst the chaos in the comments, Bella and I arrived at the same time. Liam’s eyes lit up when he saw me. He wanted to come over, but remembering my instructions, he held back. But Gas (the dog) couldn’t hold back! He broke free and sprinted toward me. [Look! That silly dog is running to our Bella, his mistress! Dogs are more honest than people! Haha!] [Exactly! Liam is stubborn, but the dog is honest. Look, he ran straight to our Bella!] [Liam, just admit it, your girlfriend is our Bella!] [Being our brother-in-law is a blessing, don’t be ungrateful. Too much pride and you’ll get dumped~] […You delusional fans, I can’t take it! Said a million times Liam has nothing to do with Bella, why keep fantasizing!] [I feel so powerless, I can’t slap people through the screen. Are these Bella fans… mentally stable?] [Scary. These fans even spread rumors about a guy!] … Bella and I were standing close. When Gas ran over, Bella thought he was coming for her. She put on an affectionate face, bending down to pet him. But Gas ignored her completely and threw himself at me. Bella’s face froze. I looked at Gas, happily rubbing against my legs, and squatted to pet his head, glancing at Liam. Liam understood immediately. He called Gas back. Gas is a Border Collie, very smart. He knows who ranks higher in the household, so he ignored Liam and kept nuzzling my hand. “Good boy, listen to Daddy,” I whispered to Gas. Gas looked at me, then at Liam, before reluctantly walking back to him. Liam knew he was being despised by his own dog but couldn’t say anything, looking at me with puppy dog eyes. My face remained calm, but my eyes were smiling. Bella’s fans lost it. [WTF, why is it Natalie again? Is she seducing Liam?] [So shameless! Trying to seduce Liam right next to our Bella?!] [Look, that stupid dog clearly knows Natalie. Liam must have taken the dog to meet his mistress often!] [Ungrateful dog! Your real mom is right there and you ignore her for the mistress! If I catch that dog, I’m cooking it live!] [Are you Bella fans sick? Liam said his girlfriend isn’t your idol, now even Gas doesn’t recognize her. Doesn’t that prove she’s not the one?!] [Who dares touch Brother Gas! Live stream killing a dog? This is a society of laws!] [I wish Natalie was the real sister-in-law boohoo. I can’t accept an idol with such crazy fans!] [Please, Brother Liam, let the sister-in-law be Natalie!] [Can you Bella fans stop dragging our Sister Natalie? I’m fed up!] [Slander is illegal, I advise you Bella fans to watch your mouths!] … The comments were a war zone. Meanwhile, the other guests arrived. Bella recovered her composure, but looked at Liam with a mix of grievance and heartbreak, as if he really was a scumbag who wronged her. I watched Bella’s performance, my eyes cold. Liam and I could have clarified on Twitter directly. But Bella’s style is to play the victim and twist the facts. Even with zero relationship, she’d paint Liam as a cheater and me as the other woman. She’d hide behind her victimhood, enjoying the sympathy of ignorant netizens. And our reputations would be ruined. So the best way was to let her guide the netizens to fight for her injustice. When the backlash hits, their rage will ensure she never recovers. 3 Once all the guests arrived, filming began. Besides Liam, Bella, and me, there were actress Vivi, singer Sean, and influencer Zach. We were filming at a homestay that didn’t provide dinner, so we had to cook ourselves. It was part of the show, a way to get to know each other. Six of us, three men, three women. Liam suggested the men cook while the girls chatted, since oil smoke is bad for skin. Everyone agreed, except Bella. “I don’t think that’s good. Even though we’re girls, we shouldn’t just wait to eat!” Bella blinked playfully. “Then you guys prep the vegetables.” Liam was annoyed and didn’t want to talk to her, walking away. “OK.” Vivi and I had no objections. Bella wanted to say more, but Liam was already gone. Vivi and I sat at the dining table prepping veggies while the three men worked at the stove. Bella disappeared. After snapping beans, I realized something was wrong. Where was Gas? Ignoring the cameras, I went looking for him. [What is Natalie doing? Calling ‘Gas, Gas,’ trying to let everyone know she’s the side piece?] [Neutral observer here. Isn’t that harsh? Liam denied dating Bella multiple times, so how is she a side piece?] [Lol, upstairs, are you Natalie’s paid bot? Can’t you see Liam is playing hard to get? He loves our Bella to death, otherwise why follow her here?] [Exactly. Anyone with eyes can see Liam loves our Bella. Why else would he suggest girls stay out of the kitchen?] [I’m gonna explode. What is wrong with you Bella fans! Said a hundred times, Brother Liam and your Princess Bella are not a couple!] [Stop denying it. Liam proposed 99 times! He loves her so much! [Snicker]] [If the sister-in-law is Bella, I’m unstanning…] [Same. These fans are too crazy. It’s embarrassing to be associated with them!] … When I found Gas, Bella was about to feed him chocolate. “What are you doing!” I grabbed Bella’s wrist just as the chocolate touched Gas’s mouth. “I saw no one was taking care of the dog, he looked so pitiful, so I thought I’d give him some chocolate to tide him over!” Bella’s eyes reddened instantly at my shout. She looked at me tearfully, as if I bullied her. “Don’t you know dogs can’t eat chocolate!” I threw off her hand and checked Gas’s mouth. Thankfully, he hadn’t eaten it. I sighed in relief as everyone gathered around. “What happened?” Liam rushed over seeing me squatting. “It’s Natalie. I saw Gas was hungry and pitiful, so I tried to feed him chocolate. But…” Bella accused me first, sobbing, “Natalie grabbed my hand so fiercely and yelled at me…” Bella looked at everyone aggrievedly, wanting them to think I was targeting her. But no one spoke; they all looked at her with indescribable expressions. “I thought it was common knowledge dogs can’t eat chocolate,” Sean couldn’t help but say. [Is it just me, or is Bella being a bit of a pick-me?] [Even if she didn’t know, not feeding other people’s dogs randomly is basic manners, right?] [It’s just some chocolate! Why the fuss? Is that dog made of gold?] [Exactly! If it dies, it’s the dog’s fault. What does it have to do with our Bella? She meant well!] [Upstairs, Liam is famous for treasuring his dog. If Bella was his girlfriend, wouldn’t she know?] [So what? Liam loves our Bella so much, would he let her serve a beast? It’s just an animal, how can it compare to our Bella? [Nose pick]] … As the comments argued, Liam couldn’t take it anymore and roasted Bella directly. After being ruthlessly shut down by Liam, Bella burst into tears. She looked around for sympathy, but no one spoke up to smooth things over. Bella was embarrassed and couldn’t back down. Finally, she ran out crying. No one suggested looking for her. Everyone went back to their tasks. I had my agent pick up Gas to take care of him for a few days. Bella disappeared for nearly two hours, reappearing only at dinner. The host warmed up the atmosphere and asked about our last relationships. Vivi answered first: dated for seven years, incompatible, broke up. Silence fell. Everyone knew “incompatible” after seven years was unlikely. But seeing Vivi’s white knuckles gripping her cup, we moved on. Sean answered next: Never dated, single since birth. Came on the show to find love, hoping to help his future girlfriend with chores by the Mid-Autumn Festival. Sean’s humor lightened the mood. Influencer Zach also said he was single and wanted a sponsored romance. The atmosphere was lively now thanks to Sean and Zach. The topic turned to Bella. She had recovered. Ignoring Liam’s earlier roast, she glanced shyly at him and said softly, “You guys are asking what you already know!” Everyone here was in the industry and online. At Bella’s words, they all looked at Liam. Liam’s face turned iron-gray. Just as he was about to explode, I kicked him gently under the table. I looked at the host, signaling him to continue. “Looking at your Twitter, you said you’d accept the 100th proposal. Is the person proposing Liam?” the host asked directly. Bella froze. She didn’t expect such a direct question. She sat there, mouth agape, at a loss. “Impossible for it to be me.” Liam scoffed, looking straight at the camera. “I’m clarifying two things.” “First, Bella and I met for the first time today. The 99 proposals are fiction.” “Second, my fiancée is Natalie, sitting right here. We are each other’s first loves. We didn’t go public because she wanted to focus on her career. I respected that. But that’s not an excuse for certain fans to spread rumors. From now on, I will sue anyone spreading rumors, and I will never settle.” Liam clarified clearly, then looked at Bella. “Ms. Jiang, your turn.” As Liam finished, the comments exploded. [WTF, Liam and Natalie are a couple?!] [Ahhhh! Natalie is the real sister-in-law?! Thank god!] [Neutral observer here. I was misled by Bella’s fans and scolded Natalie. Sorry!] [Rumors are scary. I thought it was real!] [Liam denied it from start to finish, but Bella’s fans kept calling him a simp and Natalie a mistress. Is fan culture this scary?] [Stars who let fans spread rumors like this should be cancelled!] [Where are the Bella fans now? Slapped in the face! ‘Crematorium’ my ass, haha!] [Upstairs, stop laughing. I’m unstanning…] [Wait, it was fake?! You guys talked like it was facts! You used us as a weapon?!] [Am I a joke to you? Tricking us like this! I even called him a dummy. Turns out I’m the dead fish!] … In the comments, some Bella fans woke up and left, some were still stubborn but less crazy, probably fearing the lawsuit. Bella, face pale, looked at the comments, then stood up. Looking at Liam and me, her eyes reddened instantly. “If you insist on saying that, I have no choice…” Before she finished, she went limp and fainted. Liam and I were stunned. Didn’t expect that move. The crew, afraid of liability, rushed Bella to the hospital. The livestream cut. Bella’s sudden faint flipped the narrative again. She painted herself as a victim—gagged by a scumbag, fainting from the shock. Hordes of her fans flooded my and Liam’s Twitter with hate. Simultaneously, #BellaIsTheJiangPrincess# trended. Rumors flew that Bella was the youngest daughter of the Jiang Group. I checked; Bella bought the trend herself. She didn’t faint; she faked it to shift public opinion. Failing to leech off Liam, she pivoted to marketing herself as the Jiang Princess. She didn’t know she was digging her own grave. The harder she bought trends, the faster she’d die. “So shameless!” Liam was still fighting Bella’s fans online, cursing while typing furiously. My brother called, asking about Bella. “What’s the deal with that Bella?” He sounded like he was signing papers. “Clout chaser,” I said helplessly. “Alright, I’ll have her blacklisted,” he said simply. “Wait, let me vent first.” Blacklisting her was easy. But I couldn’t let her leave as a “victim.” I wanted her to collapse in front of everyone first. “Okay, your call.” He paused. “I checked that Liam guy. Not bad. Clean record. A love-brain like Dad.” “Since neither of us wants to inherit the business… how about you two hurry up, have a kid, and I’ll train the kid as the heir…” Listening to his “Child Raising Plan,” my head hurt. “After this, I’ll bring him home.” I looked at Liam, focused on his typing war, and smiled. 4 I didn’t plan to let Bella hop around for long. Her fans were too crazy; dragging it out would hurt our image. So after Bella established her “Jiang Princess” persona and returned from the hospital, I set the stage for her. Livestream resumed. The turned tide gave Bella confidence. The host asked if she was feeling better. “Much better. My parents were worried and got me a professional medical team. I’m fine, just weak. The doctor said no more shocks, told me to let some things go…” She looked at us pointedly. [Boohoo, my beautiful, kind Bella! They put you in the hospital and you still forgive them. [Heartache]] [Exactly! Cancel Liam and Natalie!] [Look at Liam’s face. He must be regretting it so much haha. Idiot, go to the crematorium!] [Called you brother-in-law and you ignored us, now she’s out of your league!] [Bella fans are toxic. Have your fantasy but leave my Liam out of it!] [Unless Natalie kneels and apologizes to Bella, cancel her!] [Cancel her forever! Let her know not everyone can be messed with!] … Bella’s fans dominated the screen, spamming “Princess Bella” and “Jiang Princess.” I cringed for her, but she soaked it up. She talked about how her parents spoiled her, how luxurious her life was. I listened with a straight face. “Are you sure you’re the Jiang Group’s Little Princess?” I asked after Bella exchanged WeChats with Zach. Disdain flashed in her eyes. “Is there anyone else?” she retorted with a smirk. As if she really was the princess, implying I was jealous. “If you are the Jiang Princess, then who am I?” I sneered. “W-what?” Bella was stunned. The comments were confused too. [What does that mean? Is Natalie claiming to be the princess?] [Upstairs, are you crazy? Natalie doesn’t even have the last name Jiang! She’s just leeching heat!] [If Natalie is the real princess, I’ll eat shit live!] [Don’t speak too soon. Your idol is a repeat offender. Careful what you wish for! [Dog head]] [Princess Bella, cancel Natalie! She’s disgusting!] … Bella’s fans attacked me. Bella watched my expression. Seeing I wasn’t bluffing, she panicked but stayed stubborn. “Natalie, about you and Liam… I let it go. Why do you want to claim my parents too…” She looked at the camera tearfully, trying to incite cyberbullying. I didn’t give her the chance. “First, my relationship with Liam is none of your business. You misled the audience, painting him as a cheater and me as the other woman. Clarify this now, or I sue.” I spoke clearly. Bella didn’t expect me to be so tough on live. She stammered, glanced at the comments, then steadied herself. Biting her lip, she said meaningfully: “Natalie, I don’t want to talk about the past. If you insist on suing over nothing, I’ll have the Jiang Group’s legal team contact you.” Using the Jiang Group to scare me? I laughed at her stupidity. Scaring me with my own legal team? “Go ahead. Call them,” I sneered. Seeing threats didn’t work, Bella pretended to take out her phone. She tapped a few times, then put it down. “Forget it. My parents taught me peace breeds wealth. I won’t argue with you this time,” she muttered. “You won’t, but I will.” I was done playing. I took out my phone and called the Group’s legal department on speaker, instructing them to sue Bella and her fans. I also ordered an official statement from the company account. Everyone heard it. The guests, the millions watching online. [Tsk, Natalie bluffing again.] [Bella, call too! Arrest the liar!] [Arrest her! Does she think slandering the Jiang Princess has no consequences?] [Wait, check the Jiang Group’s official Weibo! [Screenshot]] [Jiang Group posted they only have one daughter and tagged Natalie!] [So Natalie is the real princess?! Who is Bella?] [Impossible! Fake account! Bella is the real one!] [You guys are so stubborn. Evidence is right there.] [Holy crap, our sister-in-law is loaded!] … Comments were in chaos. Bella turned pale as a sheet. Trying to stay calm, she started to argue when my parents air-dropped into the livestream. I was surprised. Weren’t they at the Olympics closing ceremony in Paris? “Mom, Dad? Why are you here?” Hearing me call them Mom and Dad, Bella rolled her eyes and fainted. Seeing her old trick, I calmly called in my medical team. Trying to faint your way out again? Dream on! While the team checked Bella, Liam nervously greeted my parents. The other guests, recognizing the business tycoons, stood up to shake hands. Bella was woken up by smelling salts. She woke up to her world collapsing. The comments were all cursing her. The backlash had begun. “Let’s see who has the guts to impersonate our baby.” My parents, veterans of the business world, radiated intimidating authority. They looked at Bella coldly. [OMG, Natalie is the real Jiang Princess!] [So Bella is nobody?! How did she dare leech off someone’s boyfriend AND parents?! Wasn’t she scared?] [Some people act so long they believe it themselves. Fans called her princess until she believed it.] [Haha, Bella fans called it a crematorium for Liam. Looks like Bella’s own塌房 (house collapse/scandal) crematorium!] [Welcome to the mega social death scene—pretending to be the boss in front of the boss!] [Natalie is so low-key. With that background, she still worked her way up in acting.] [I kinda like Natalie now. Such a strong girl!] [Hey, where are the ‘Princess Bella’ fans?] [Where’s the guy who said he’d eat shit live? When’s the stream? I’ll donate! [Dog head]] … Seeing the tide turn, Bella rolled her eyes and fainted for real. Doctors confirmed it wasn’t an act this time. Bella was sent to the hospital. My parents solemnly declared to millions of viewers that they only have two children: me and my brother. Everyone else is a fake.

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