1 My husband, Mike, was an Ivy League prodigy. The moment he graduated, he was flooded with offers from Fortune 500 companies, each one a golden ticket to a brilliant career. But for me, he traded it all in to become a stay-at-home dad. To everyone else, I was the woman who had it all, the one they all envied. In the dead of night, lying beside him in the quiet dark after we’d made love, he fell asleep. On a sudden, reckless impulse, I picked up his phone. My face smiled back at me from the lock screen. But pinned to the top of his chat history was a woman named “Leo’s Mom.” She was the mother of our daughter Lily’s friend from preschool. A new message from her popped up: “Mike, it’s getting cold tomorrow. Don’t forget to bundle up.” Mike had replied with a GIF of a nodding kitten. “You too,” he’d written. I scrolled up, my thumb flying across the screen, page after page, hundreds of them. On all those countless nights I was stuck at the office working late, they had been here, trading these small, intimate words of care. I couldn’t remember the last time he’d sent me a GIF, or even asked if I was tired after a long day. I didn’t sleep a wink. I read their entire chat history, from the very beginning to the very end. Thousands of pages. Mike never said he liked her, never said he loved her. But he would brag to her about a new recipe he’d perfected. He’d send her a goofy, teary-eyed dragon meme asking for sympathy. When the temperature plunged, he’d ask her if she’d switched to a warmer blanket… “Huge storm tonight, there might be thunder. Is your Leo scared of it?” “Not at all! He’s a brave little guy. It’s me, his mom, who gets so scared I can’t sleep.” “Don’t worry. If you’re scared, I’ll stay up and chat with you until you fall asleep.” He followed it with a GIF of a cat flexing its muscles. “Okay!” she replied, with a GIF of a cat throwing confetti. He hadn’t sent me a GIF in years. That was the night of the storm of the century, when thunder cracked over the city all night long. I was trapped at the office, unable to get a cab, and ended up huddled in my desk chair, terrified, snatching bits of restless sleep. He’d sent me one text confirming I wasn’t coming home, and then… silence. All his comfort, all his care, had been funneled to another woman. As dawn broke, he stirred. His eyes fluttered open and landed on me, sitting up in bed, his phone in my hand. He froze for a fraction of a second before casually wrapping an arm around me, smoothly plucking the phone from my grasp. “You’re up early. It’s your day off, isn’t it? Come back to sleep with me.” He nuzzled my neck, not a trace of panic in his voice. I snatched the phone back, opened the chat with “Leo’s Mom,” and shoved the screen in his face. “Don’t you have something you want to explain to me?” I asked, my voice a carefully constructed wall of calm. “Oh. Lily’s good friend at preschool is named Leo. That’s his mom. I just ask her for parenting tips sometimes.” “If it makes you unhappy, I’ll delete her.” And just like that, he tapped the red delete button. It was done. He looked me straight in the eye, his gaze clear and open. Suddenly, my all-night anguish felt absurd, like a fit of baseless jealousy. He made it seem like I was the one making a big deal out of nothing. I said nothing. He tightened his arm around my waist and started tickling me. “Come on, my beautiful wife, it’s the weekend. Give that brilliant brain of yours a rest. She’s nobody important. You’re the only one I love, always.” He teased and tickled until I was breathless with laughter, and for a moment, the dark thoughts were pushed aside. And just like that, it was over. After all, we had been in love for eight years. We had our daughter. 2 After he deleted “Leo’s Mom,” my old habit of never touching his phone vanished. I started checking it from time to time. He never stopped me. And I never again found any suspicious chats with other women. Our life slid back onto its comfortable tracks. As usual, he would drop Lily off at preschool after I left for work. One day, my company organized a family day event. I was on my way back from a client meeting and passed right by the preschool, so I decided to pick Lily up myself. From a distance, I saw them sitting on a bench in the little park next to the school. A delicate-looking woman with long hair and a gentle air was speaking to Mike. “She found out, didn’t she, Mike? She’s the one who deleted me.” I froze. “Yeah, she wasn’t happy,” he said. “But I got a new phone. If you need anything, you can call me on this number.” He handed her a brand-new phone. “You should use this to call me from now on,” she said, her voice soft. “Your old one is so slow. Think of this as a thank you gift for making Lily breakfast all those times.” And the phone he was holding, his own phone, was clearly the matching pair to the one he’d just given her. My hand tightened around my own phone, its paint peeling at the edges. The cold metal dug into my palm. It was one of the matching family phones he’d bought when I was pregnant with Lily. One for him, one for me, and one for our baby. I remember him holding me close, his cheek pressed to my belly, whispering, “Sweetheart, Mommy and Daddy and you will all have the same phone. By the time you’re five, it will be filled with all our happy memories.” “And if they get old,” he’d promised, “we’ll get a new set together. A new family of phones for our family of three.” Lily was four now. Not quite five. But he couldn’t wait. A wave of hollow pain, carried on the autumn wind, crawled up my legs and seized my heart. But I had Lily. We had been through so much together. My parents and my brother died in a car crash when I was in college. I lost my entire family in a single night. He was the one who stayed by my side, day and night, a steady anchor in the crushing darkness. He held me together when I was falling apart. Without him, I might have just faded away in that house filled with the ghosts of their laughter and love. And after Lily was born, he was the one who encouraged me to chase my dreams. He voluntarily gave up his high-paying job to stay home and take care of her. The memories of his love were countless, undeniable… He had loved me so, so much. I stared at my husband, bathed in the gentle sunlight, speaking so softly to another woman, and my world began to feel unreal. They hadn’t really done anything, had they? Not really. Maybe I’d mistaken the phones. It was just a phone, a thank you gift for making breakfast… I tried to crush the ache in my chest. Mike stood up and saw me. I forced a smile and walked over, linking my arm through his. “Still here? Who’s this?” “When did you get here?” Mike asked, sidestepping my question. I could feel his body tense up. “Just now,” I said, leaning in to give him a cheerful kiss. He visibly relaxed, the warm, smiling Mike returning. “This is Leo’s mom. I wasn’t great at making breakfast, so she used to bring some for Lily.” “We were just talking about picky eaters,” he added. Leo’s mom, Sophia, glanced at Mike and then laughed, covering her mouth. “You two are so sweet together. No wonder Lily is so adorable.” “Well, I won’t keep you. I should get going,” she said. She held up the new phone Mike had given her, wiggling it in a little wave. The screen caught the sun, flashing a sharp glare directly into my eyes. It stung. My grip on Mike’s arm tightened, harder and harder, until he winced and murmured, “Elara, what’s wrong? You’re hurting me.” I snapped back to reality, leaning my head on his shoulder coquettishly. “Mike, can you blow in my eye? I think I got something in it.” He bent down, his hands gently on my shoulders, and carefully blew into my eye. The air from his lips was cool against my skin, and my eyes began to water. The tears welled up, spilling over, a silent, unstoppable stream. Through the shimmering blur, his face grew indistinct. What am I going to do? I still love you so much. 3 The weather turned colder, and Lily’s preschool was about to break for the winter holidays. Maybe my breakdown in the park had shaken him, because the new phone he’d bought never lit up. But I couldn’t shake the unease coiling in my gut. One evening after dinner, while Lily was playing in the living room, I brought it up. “Mike, I’m up for a promotion. After the New Year, I might be transferred to the head office in Bridgewater to be a department director. I was thinking we could all move there together.” “My parents are in Bridgewater anyway,” I continued, rambling on. “We wouldn’t have to come back. We can just put the house here on the market.” “The schools are better there, too. It would be a better environment for Lily to grow up in…” He was unusually quiet for a long time. But in the end, he agreed. That night, the new phone disappeared from his drawer. He took Lily out for a walk that lasted an hour. Watching him from the window, carrying our daughter back towards the building, I told myself that once they had no more excuses, no more opportunities to see each other, everything would be fine. Mike would be my Mike again. Due to work commitments, I took Lily to Bridgewater ahead of schedule. I left her with my parents while I sorted out her school enrollment. Mike stayed behind to handle the sale of our house, planning to join us in a couple of days. Two days later, he called. “I’ve found a buyer,” he said, “but they’re being difficult about a few things. I’m trying to negotiate. I’ll be there the day after tomorrow.” I could hear the supposed buyer in the background, loudly picking apart our home. I didn’t doubt him. I just told him to take care of himself and to dress warmly. The next day was Mike’s birthday. That afternoon, Lily and I video-called him to sing “Happy Birthday.” But later that night, after working late, I came home to an empty apartment, and the loneliness hit me like a tidal wave. I missed him so much it was a physical ache. We hadn’t been apart this long in years, and especially not on his birthday. I booked a flight for that same night, took a few days off work, and decided to fly back to surprise him. I’d help him finish up with the house, and we’d come back together. My heart hammered in my chest, a frantic drumbeat of longing. I landed, grabbed a taxi, and even stopped to buy a birthday cake. I practically ran the whole way back to our building. Standing downstairs, I saw the warm, yellow glow of light in our apartment window. It was late. Normally, he’d be in bed by now, holding me. I pressed the elevator button several times, but one of the cars was stuck on the 16th floor—our floor. With no time to think, I bolted for the stairs, taking them two at a time, my lungs burning by the time I reached the top. Our front door was slightly ajar. The apartment was a mess, probably from the packing. I smiled to myself, tiptoeing toward the bedroom, planning my surprise. But my next step never landed. I was frozen in place.

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I walked in the door after working late, and my husband told me he was in love with someone else. “I just want a divorce. I want to be with her,” he said, pushing a document across the table. “I’ll walk away with nothing if I have to.” I stared at the divorce papers. And then, a breath I didn’t know I was holding escaped me. “Fine,” I said. “I agree.” It’s human nature to tire of the old and crave the new. And I was no different. 1 Jason stared at me, dumbfounded. “You… you’re just agreeing? Just like that?” A cold laugh escaped my lips, dripping with a sarcasm I didn’t bother to hide. “What did you expect?” “Oh, right. I’m supposed to scream and demand to know who she is, aren’t I?” I said, my voice sharp. “And then break down in tears, begging you not to leave? Begging you not to divorce me?” I leaned forward. “On one hand, you’re willing to give up everything just to leave me. On the other, you want me to beg you to stay. So which is it, Jason? Are you trying to leave or not? Is your left brain fighting your right?” He was speechless. I ignored him, picking up the divorce papers and scanning them carefully. Seeing no issues, I reached for my handbag to get a pen. Jason had been in such a rush to drag me in here that I hadn’t even had time to hang it up. Home from a long day at work, and not even a warm meal waiting. He hadn’t even asked why I was so late. He’d just launched straight into the divorce. I was done with these cold, empty days. I pulled a fountain pen from my bag and signed both copies with a swift, clean stroke. Capping it, I stared down at the pen in my hand, its color faded and worn. It was a gift for our first anniversary. Jason had spent half a month’s part-time pay on it. After nearly twenty years, it was battered and old. Time for something new. I dropped the pen into the trash can. “We’ll get the paperwork filed tomorrow morning,” I said, and walked out without a backward glance. 2 I went to my daughter Maya’s room. She had her back to me, burrowed under the covers. I walked over and sat on the edge of her bed. “Don’t pretend to be asleep. I know you saw everything.” After a long moment, she turned over and sat up. Her eyes were red-rimmed. “Mom, Dad doesn’t want us anymore, does he?” I sighed inwardly. At almost forty, I’d seen my share of goodbyes and loss; I could accept this separation. But Maya was only twelve. In her eyes, her parents were her entire world. After Jason and I split, no matter who she ended up with, half of that world was going to collapse. But she was a part of this family. She deserved to know about every change. I told her the truth. “Yes, your father asked for a divorce, and I agreed. But we’re only stopping being husband and wife. We will always be the mom and dad who love you most.” Maya looked at me, and tears streamed down her face like a broken dam. “Mom, I’m so sorry…” she sobbed, covering her face with her hands. The tears leaked through her fingers. I was confused. Wasn’t that my line? I gently pulled her hands away and wiped her tears. “What’s wrong? Why are you apologizing to me?” Her shoulders shook with hiccuping sobs. “The last time… the last time Dad picked me up from school, he was with a pretty lady.” “He said she was his assistant, but when he was driving, she kept leaning against him… and her hand was on his leg.” “I’m sorry, Mom. I didn’t mean to hide it from you, I just… I didn’t know how to tell you.” My hand clenched the bedsheet, my gaze turning to ice. How dare he. How dare he flaunt his affair in front of our daughter. I let out a slow breath and pulled her into a hug, my heart aching for her. “Maya, this is not your fault.” “Anyone would be confused in that situation. If it were me, I would have done the same thing.” Maya pulled back, her tear-filled eyes looking up at me pitifully. “Mom, do you still want me?” I was taken aback for a second. I stroked the back of her head and smiled. “I think the question is, do you want to stay with me?” Maya sniffled and nodded so hard her head bobbed. I pinched her cheek gently. “Okay. You have school tomorrow, so get some sleep.” She obediently lay down. After she had drifted off, I turned off the light and quietly left the room. 3 The next day, Jason and I went to file the divorce papers. Afterward, he started packing his things, getting ready to move out. Neither Maya nor I asked if he needed help. We moved around him as if he were invisible. But that evening, when I came home from work, Jason stopped me. “Your mother called me today.” My heart jumped into my throat. “She said your brother Ryan lost his job and she wants me to help him out, give him a position at my company.” “It’s not a big deal for me, so I agreed. But I figured I should let you know.” Before he’d even finished, I had my phone out, dialing my mother’s number on speaker. She picked up almost immediately. “Mom, Ryan needs to find a job on his own.” “Jason and I are divorced. Don’t call him for things like this anymore.” “Divorced? When? Why?” “Tyner, you—” I knew what was coming next. A lecture about why I shouldn’t get divorced. She always did like Jason more than she liked me. I cut her off. “Jason is having an affair. We are divorced. We are done. Do you understand?” There was a moment of stunned silence on the other end. I used the opportunity to hang up. When I looked up, Jason’s face was beet red. He clearly hadn’t expected me to be so blunt with my mother. My phone buzzed. It was my mom calling back. I declined the call and stood up to leave. If we were going to fight, I wasn’t going to do it in front of him. But he grabbed my wrist. “Tyner, it’s just a job for Ryan. It’s a small thing. You don’t have to refuse me and fight with your mom over it.” I hated fighting with my mother. But I hated the idea of being indebted to Jason even more. Before, he was my husband. We were family. Now, he was just the father of my child. Nothing more than a stranger. I yanked my arm away. “I’ll handle this myself. Stay out of it.” He blocked my path, his voice laced with a mixture of confusion and frustration. “You’d rather fight with your mom than accept my help? Why?” I sighed, then let out a soft, sharp laugh. “Do I need to remind you that we’re divorced?” Jason’s face went pale. “Yes, we’re divorced, but we were together for twenty years. If we can’t be husband and wife, can’t we at least be friends?” The idea was so absurd I had to laugh. “Friends with your ex-wife? Have you asked your new girlfriend if she’s okay with that?” The color drained completely from his face, his expression crumbling. He just stood there, frozen. 4 My phone was still ringing. I brushed past Jason and headed for the stairwell to take the call. The moment I answered, my mother’s shrill voice nearly shattered my eardrum. “Tyner, tell me clearly, are you really divorced from Jason?” “Yes, we are.” Her voice cracked with panic. “How could you divorce him? He’s the CEO of a big company now! Where are you going to find another man that good, especially at your age? You’re almost forty!” “Besides,” she went on, “what man doesn’t stray a little? You just have to put up with it, and it passes.” “Look at me, didn’t I put up with it? Listen to your mother, don’t get divorced. If you do, you’ll have nothing.” I suddenly felt the sting of tears. An image of my philandering father flashed in my mind, his cold, indifferent face as he watched my mother beg him to stay. I had urged my mother to divorce him. But she hadn’t worked since she got married. If she left him, she couldn’t even support herself, let alone my brother and me. So she stayed, practically begging him for money, refusing to let the other woman win. She wasted her life in that rotten marriage until the day he died. A sarcastic laugh bubbled up in my throat. “So I’m supposed to be like you? Suffer my whole life?” She went silent. When she spoke again, her voice was sharp with agitation. “What else can you do? Life is about endurance!” “And what about your brother? What’s he going to do now that you’re divorced?” I knew it. It always came back to Ryan. Jason was the son-in-law who made her look good, the one who had helped Ryan out of countless jams. She wasn’t about to let that go. “Then why don’t you have Ryan go live with Jason? Since the spot for Mrs. Thorne is open, he can go for it.” “You—” I had no patience for her nagging, and even less for a fight. I cut her off. “I am not you. I don’t have to endure anything. I can support myself and my child just fine on my own.” “I’m informing you of my divorce, not asking for your opinion. And don’t worry, it won’t affect the monthly support I send you.” “What you do with that money is your business, but don’t expect a penny more.” I hung up, leaning my head back against the cool wall and exhaling slowly. But a tear escaped anyway, sliding down my cheek. I wiped it away before heading back inside. That’s just how it is when you’re an adult. Even your tears have to be shed in secret. 5 My mom called a few more times after that, always circling back to getting Ryan a job. But he was a grown man with two hands and two feet. He wasn’t going to starve. I refused to help. Realizing I wouldn’t budge, she finally gave up. Jason moved out. The night he left, I heard Maya crying in her room. I didn’t go in. Kids have their own private worlds, their own griefs they need to process alone. The days of the cooling-off period ticked by. Jason and I had no contact. Until one afternoon, after a long meeting, I checked my phone and saw dozens of missed calls. All from him. And a text message. [I’m downstairs at your office. Come down when you see this.] For Jason to show up at my work, it must be something serious. I hurried downstairs. As I reached the lobby, I saw him pacing nervously by the entrance. “What’s going on?” I asked as I approached. He started to speak, but was interrupted by a colleague walking in. “Afternoon, Tyner.” Jason froze, his eyes widening as he stared at me. “You… when did you become a Director?” “Last year,” I said calmly. “How come you never told me?” I looked down. A few years ago, when I was promoted to Manager, I had rushed home, bursting with excitement to tell him. All I got was a flat “Congratulations,” and nothing more. I remembered when I’d made Assistant Team Lead. He had been more excited than I was. He insisted on taking me out to celebrate. Jason, who never spent more than twenty bucks on a meal, treated me to a huge lobster dinner that cost hundreds. But when did it all change? When did promotions stop being a cause for celebration? When did wedding anniversaries become just a formal bouquet of flowers? When did we stop even saying “happy birthday” to each other? We no longer went out for movies or walks on the weekend. Even eating at the same table became a silent affair. We stopped asking about each other’s work. Besides our daughter, it felt like we had nothing left to talk about. In a marriage like that, what difference did it make whether I told him or not? 6 A wave of exhaustion washed over me. I had no desire to get tangled up with him. “You came all this way. What’s so urgent?” I asked, changing the subject. Jason hesitated, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “My mom just called,” he finally said. “Her birthday is this weekend. She wants the family to get together for a meal.” I raised an eyebrow. He’d come all the way to my office just because his mother wanted to have a birthday dinner? I didn’t know what game he was playing, and I didn’t care enough to ask. “Fine. I’ll tell Maya. You can pick her up then.” I turned to leave, but he grabbed my arm again. I glanced at him, then down at his hand gripping my wrist. He quickly let go, looking embarrassed. “What I mean is… I was hoping you’d come too.” I frowned. “What are you talking about? You haven’t told your mother we’re divorced?” Jason looked pained. “Well…” he stammered, “can we… not tell her about the divorce just yet?” His voice was almost a plea. “She has high blood pressure. I’m afraid the shock—” “And you didn’t think of that when you asked for a divorce?” I shot back. He fell silent, looking down in embarrassment. I sighed. After Maya was born, I was desperate to re-establish myself at work and was swamped. Jason was busy launching his own startup. It was his mother who had stepped in to help with the baby, saving us. It was only in the last couple of years, when her health declined, that she moved into a retirement community so she wouldn’t be a burden. She had always been good to me. I respected her, and I didn’t want anything to happen to her. “I’ll agree to this, just this once,” I said. “But you need to find the right time to tell her yourself, before the divorce is finalized.” Jason let out a huge sigh of relief. “Tyner, thank you.” I just gave a slight nod and headed back upstairs. That weekend, I took Maya to the retirement community. Jason was already waiting for us at the entrance. We went in together. His mother was overjoyed to see us. One moment she was pressing a red envelope into Maya’s hand, the next she was holding my arm, asking me how I’d been. The atmosphere was warm and happy. Until a soft, sweet voice cut through the chatter. “Happy birthday, Mom!” We all turned. A young woman stood in the doorway. She looked like she had just graduated a year or two ago—young, beautiful, and full of life. Jason looked like he’d seen a ghost. He rushed forward to block her from coming any further. “Chloe, what are you doing here?” Suddenly, Maya tugged on my sleeve, her face pale. She leaned in and whispered, “Mom, that’s the young lady from Dad’s car. The assistant…”

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I was carrying a heavy bag of dog food upstairs when my new neighbor, a short, stout man, blocked my path. “You feed your dog this garbage? Do you even deserve a dog?” “Why are you so lazy? You should be cooking for it with premium ingredients!” “This is basically animal abuse. People like you, pretending to be virtuous, make me sick.” Before I could react, he slashed my bag of dog food open with a pair of scissors, spilling kibble everywhere. “Consider this a warning,” he sneered, turning to leave. I grabbed his wrist. “That bag cost me $250! You either pay up now, or we’re going to the police station!” 1 I’m a volunteer at the local animal shelter. I help trap strays for TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) and medical care. Sometimes, I dip into my own pocket to foster injured animals. Lately, the stray population in our neighborhood has exploded. I couldn’t help but take in a few more wounded souls. Animals eat a lot and poop a lot. My wallet was hurting. Suddenly, something furry brushed against my leg. It was Fuzzy, a stray dog I’d recently rescued, begging for cuddles. I scooped him up and gave him a big sniff. Mommy loves you! Mommy’s gonna buy you food right now. Because I need so much food, I order in bulk directly from a local breeder who gives me a discount to support my rescue work. I drove my Mini Cooper to pick up a 100-pound bag of dog food. That should last a few months. I was struggling to drag the bag toward the elevator when my new neighbor, Roger, appeared out of nowhere. “You feed your dog this garbage? Do you even deserve a dog?” I was stunned. Our neighbors are usually lovely people who support my rescue efforts. This was the first time someone had pointed a finger in my face. My temper flared. “Who the hell are you? None of your business what I feed my dogs! Jealous no one’s feeding you?” I thought that would shut him up. Instead, he put his hands on his hips and launched into a tirade. “You don’t deserve a dog! Why are you so lazy? You should be cooking for it with premium ingredients!” “This is basically animal abuse. People like you, pretending to be virtuous, make me sick! The most disgusting thing about ‘dog lovers’ like you is how cheap you are. Dogs love meat! They need the best meat! Who said you could feed them this starch-filled crap?” I snapped. “Did you skip your rabies shot? Dogs are omnivores! They need vegetables too! This kibble is high quality, used by professionals for years.” “Stop pretending you know what you’re talking about, you idiot!” I shoved past him. “Move! You’re lucky I’m an animal lover, or someone might mistake you for a wild boar and turn you into bacon!” I tried to drag the bag to the elevator. 100 pounds of kibble vs. my 140 pounds of body weight was a struggle. I barely took two steps before someone kicked me from behind. I stumbled. Roger stepped over me, whipped out a pair of scissors, and slashed the bag open. “Let’s see you feed them now!” he roared, slashing repeatedly. Kibble spilled all over the floor. My blood boiled. He smirked, triumphant. “Next time, cook real food! Premium beef! If I catch you feeding them this trash again, I’ll destroy it every time!” He turned to leave. I laughed in disbelief. Who did he think he was? I grabbed his wrist. “That bag cost me $250! You either pay up now, or we’re going to the police station!” 2 He didn’t expect me to fight back. He tried to shake me off, but despite being a man, he was barely 5’5″. I’m 5’8″, 140 lbs, and I lift. Plus, wrestling stray dogs gives you a hell of a grip. I twisted his arm behind his back. “Pay up! Or I’m calling 911!” “I’m not paying! Don’t try to scam me! That’s cheap garbage kibble, probably worth five bucks! Let go, you crazy b*tch!” He stomped his feet like a toddler throwing a tantrum. Or a wild boar caught in a trap. His screaming attracted a few neighbors coming home. “What’s going on?” Roger immediately switched to victim mode. “Oh god! She’s crazy! I just moved in! She’s bullying me!” “She was feeding poison to her dogs! I tried to stop her, and she attacked me!” “Look at her! Does she look like an animal lover? She’s an abuser!” Wow, give this man an Oscar. The snot and tears were a nice touch. Disgusting. He wailed for a while before realizing no one was buying it. Everyone knew me. They knew I spent my weekends rescuing kittens from storm drains. I kicked him in the butt, sending him sprawling a few feet away. He scrambled up to run. I sprinted over, grabbed his collar, and shoved my phone in his face. “Look closely! That’s the bank transfer receipt for the kibble. $250. Pay up. I’m counting to three. Three, two…” Before I even got to one, he folded. “Fine! Fine! I’ll pay! Just my luck running into a psycho like you.” “No wonder you’re single! With a temper like that, no man would want you!” He Venmo’d me the money and ran off, covered in dirt, cursing all the way. $250 richer. Nice. I swept up the spilled kibble into the trash, but managed to salvage about half the bag that hadn’t touched the dirty floor. I bagged it up for the community stray feeding stations. I vacuum-sealed the rest for my own pets. Dealing with an idiot was annoying, but hey, free dog food. 3 The next morning, I stepped out of my apartment and almost slipped on a puddle of greasy, soapy water. Food scraps were everywhere. The smell made me gag. “Who the hell dumped their dishwater in the hallway?” I shouted. The door opposite mine opened. Roger’s wife stepped out, holding a red banner that read: PROTECT ANIMALS. FEEDING KIBBLE IS MURDER. She was even larger than Roger, with bad skin and a mean face. “So you’re the evil woman feeding starch to dogs?” “You look like a tramp. Bet you use those dogs for ‘unspeakable things’ you film for the internet.” She leered at me. “Since you’re so into bestiality, maybe feed your ‘husband’ better food. You scammed my husband out of $250 yesterday. Buy some steak for your dog-husband.” “If I find out you spent a penny of my husband’s money on yourself, I’ll tear that pretty face off!” What. The. Actual. F*ck. Who did I offend in a past life? First of all, my kibble is mid-range, perfectly fine for most families. $2.50 a pound isn’t cheap when you’re feeding an army. I have five cats and eight dogs at home. Keeping them fed is a struggle. These lunatics haven’t spent a dime on rescue, yet they stand there judging me? And the accusations? Disgusting. Animals are innocent. What kind of twisted mind goes there immediately? I couldn’t take it anymore. I ran back inside, grabbed the litter scoop, and dug up a fresh clump from the litter box. The woman was still gloating outside. “What? Truth hurt? I knew you sluts were all the sa—AGHHH!” Before she could finish, I shoved the clump of cat poop right into her open mouth. She gagged, eyes rolling back. “Blargh… urggh!” “Guess what that is?” I laughed until tears came out. “Want to know? Taste it!” “Eat up! If that’s not enough, I have plenty more!” I waved the bag of poop. She looked terrified and tried to run back into her apartment. Roger heard the commotion and tried to come out to help, but his wife was blocking the door, heaving and retching. He saw me and wanted revenge for the $250. He pushed against her to get out. Two propane-tank-sized people wedged in a doorway. I saw my chance. I lunged forward and shoved a scoopful into Roger’s mouth too. “No need to fight! Plenty for everyone! My cats are very productive!” Roger’s eyes bulged. He puked all over the floor. Disgusted, I slammed their door shut for them. Too gross. I lost my appetite for breakfast. I stared at their closed door. An idea formed. Since they loved it so much, I shouldn’t be stingy. I went back inside. The cats had just finished breakfast and were lining up for the litter box. One fresh turd after another. Yes! Good kitties! Mommy’s little poop factories! My eyes lit up. “Don’t rush! One at a time! Make it a big one! Mommy needs ammo!” I carefully arranged the fresh, milk-scented litter clumps into a heart shape right outside their door. Then I left, satisfied. 4 I didn’t want to be around when they opened the door. I ran to my best friend, Lily’s place, and jumped straight into the shower. Cat poop smells potent. I felt like the scent had seeped into my skin. Lily was confused but used to my antics. She just went to the kitchen to cook. Lily and I grew up together. She became a journalist; I became a freelance writer. We weren’t rich, but we got by. Since I started rescuing animals, though, I’ve been relying on her for meals a lot. We were supposed to go shopping at 10 AM, but the Crazy Couple delayed me until noon. Luckily, Lily loves me. Instead of being mad, she made hot pot. I sat there with a towel on my head, eating beef and veggies, telling her about my morning. When I got to the cat litter part, we both laughed until our sides hurt. “Ew, stop,” Lily grimaced, laughing. “I’m eating! Too gross!” “More for me then!” I grinned, stealing her beef. The news came on the TV. Lily glanced at it. “Oh yeah, I transferred departments. I’m working with the police on a crime beat now. They’re tracking a human trafficking ring.” “They target women our age. They use all kinds of tricks—fake distress calls, accusing women of being mistresses to create a scene and snatch them. They’re getting creative.” “One victim was a girl who rescued strays. She gave her address to someone claiming to want to adopt, and they staked her out. She’s still missing. Probably…” We fell silent. The world is scary. Even doing good deeds can get you killed. “Don’t worry,” I said finally, flexing my bicep. “I can take care of myself. Check out these guns.” Lily laughed and pushed me away. After lunch, we went shopping. But we hadn’t gone far when we ran into them. “Speak of the devil. The Crazy Couple.” I rolled my eyes. “Bad luck. Let’s go.” “Who? The animal protection nutjobs?” Lily asked. “Yeah. Run. I left them a ‘gift’ this morning, they’re probably out for blood.” But we weren’t fast enough. Roger and his wife, Clara, spotted us. They were eating at a roadside noodle stall, bowls in hand. Roger charged at me, face twisted in rage. “You btch! You put cat sht at my door! I stepped right in it!” I dodged his punch. “I thought you loved animals! Aren’t you supposed to love every part of them? Even their poop is a gift from nature! Hypocrites!” Lily and I cracked up. Roger and Clara turned purple. Clara roared, “Die, you slut! How dare you make me eat sh*t!” She was surprisingly agile for her size. I couldn’t dodge in time. A bowl of noodles slammed into my face. Grease and sauce dripped down my chin. They smirked, finally getting a win. But then the smell hit me. That wasn’t beef or pork. I looked at the noodle stall owner, who looked horrified. It was dog meat. Most pet owners won’t touch dog meat. The thought of eating something that could be their own pet is repulsive. Especially for these two “animal rights activists.” I wiped my face and sneered. “I thought feeding kibble was abuse? What do you call eating a dog? Hypocrites doesn’t even cover it.” “Real animal lovers don’t eat dog meat.” Roger panicked. “Bullsh*t! We love dogs! We’d never eat them!” “How were we supposed to know? This stall is so cheap, it’s probably… probably human meat!” His eyes darted around, sweat beading on his forehead. Clara covered his mouth. “It’s synthetic meat! Restaurants use it all the time! Cheap and lasts forever. I bet it’s synthetic!” I burst out laughing. These two were terrible liars. It was lunchtime. The street was busy. The stall owner’s face went from shocked to murderous. “Bullsh*t! This is real dog meat! Everyone knows where I get my meat!” “Are you trying to ruin my business? Get lost! I’m not serving you anymore!” Roger realized he messed up. “Wait, boss, no! Your business is great! I just misspoke!” “Folks, don’t listen to us! This meat is fresh! Slaughtered daily! Come buy some!” He tried to fix it, but the owner waved him away like a fly. “Get out of here!” Lily and I walked away, laughing.

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Summer break had just started when my sister-in-law decided to dump her two kids at my place. She sent me a list of demands: “Biggie only likes pizza and burgers. Smalls needs meat at every meal.” “Take them on a trip once a week. Local is fine, but keep them safe.” “It’s hot out, so don’t be cheap with the AC!” Reading these messages, I laughed in disbelief. “Does your sister think she’s the Queen of England? She’s not paying a dime but has all these demands? Do I owe her something?” My husband, trying to soothe me, said, “Honey, don’t be mad. My sister was so good to me growing up. I owe her. Please, just endure it for a month!” I sneered. “A month, huh? No problem.” I immediately made a call and summoned my own two nephews—strapping teenage boys built like linebackers—to come stay with us too. Let’s see who breaks first! 1 My name is Lindsey, and I’m an elementary school teacher. Theoretically, summer break is my time to relax and recharge. But ever since I got married and had a kid, summer break has lost its meaning. The first few years, my son was small, so I was busy taking care of him and the house. Last year, my son, Hayden, finally turned four. But then my sister-in-law, Karen, suddenly announced she was sending her two sons to our place for the summer. Her excuse? Since I’m a teacher, I could tutor them, and her brother (my husband) could take them sightseeing. The first time, I actually welcomed them. Hayden is an only child and gets lonely, so I thought having two older cousins around would be fun for him. But distance makes the heart grow fonder, and proximity breeds contempt. Once those kids arrived, I realized how naive I had been. Karen’s sons were absolute nightmares. Biggie is four years older than Hayden, and Smalls is two years older. These two were constantly loud, fighting, and never gave us a moment of peace. They ate like horses but were incredibly picky, throwing tantrums over the smallest things. When we took them places, they either complained about the heat or demanded expensive snacks and drinks. I spent a fortune and a ton of energy, only for my own son to be bullied and sidelined. And the kicker? When they went home, they complained to their mom. They told her I didn’t host them well. Karen called my husband multiple times, passive-aggressively criticizing my hospitality. It was infuriating! After that experience, I swore I would never host those brats again! But this summer, Karen wanted to send them over again. 2 When my husband brought it up, I nearly exploded! “Did you forget how last year went?” “Wasn’t your sister unhappy? Why send them again if she wasn’t satisfied?” “Let me be clear: I am not hosting them this time!” I was firm. My husband looked pained. “Honey, I know it’s hard on you, but my sister really has it tough.” “She and her husband run that food stall from dawn to dusk and barely make ends meet. The kids are pitiful during the summer. Coming here gives them a chance to have some fun.” “Just do it for me, please?” I gasped. “One word. Two letters. No!” Who do you think you are? Your “face” isn’t worth that much! My husband sighed dramatically. “Honey, my sister really was good to me. When we were poor, the family could only afford college for one kid. She gave up her spot and went to work to pay for my tuition… I can never forget that…” Here we go. The emotional blackmail card! I wasn’t buying it. I snorted. “You owe your sister, I don’t. Summer break is my time to rest. Why should I serve these two little princes? If you owe a debt, you pay it! What is this, the feudal era where the wife pays the husband’s debts?” He doesn’t get a summer break. He sits in his air-conditioned office all day “enjoying life.” I’m the one at home dealing with the chaos, cooking and cleaning for ungrateful brats! My husband: “…” We argued about this several times, always ending in a stalemate. After a few days of deadlock, my mother-in-law called. “Lindsey, I know this puts you in a tough spot. Don’t be angry.” My mother-in-law treats me well. Even though they live in our hometown, they never trouble us and often send us homegrown produce and rice to help out. I couldn’t get mad at her. “Lindsey, I know it’s a lot of work. How about this? I’ll send you $500. Keep it. If it’s not enough, I’ll send more.” I quickly said, “Mom, it’s not about the money!” She continued, “The three boys are cousins. Living far apart, they don’t see each other much. We want them to be close. Hayden is an only child. Getting along with his cousins means he’ll have support in the future!” “…” When an elder puts it that way, it’s hard to refuse. I sighed. “Mom, I understand. I’ll think about it.” 3 After hanging up, my resolve softened. Honestly, that was my original thought the first time. Hayden being an only child might be lonely. Having cousins would be good. Seeing my husband so stressed made me hesitate. I have a close relationship with my own brother back home. If I were in his shoes, I’d be torn too. I started gaslighting myself. Maybe a year later, the kids have matured? It’s just a month. We can survive it. I didn’t want everyone to be unhappy. So, reluctantly, I agreed. My husband was overjoyed, hugging and kissing me. “Honey, you are the best! So virtuous and generous! I’m so lucky to have you!” I forced a smile. I thought my sacrifice would be appreciated. But Karen didn’t see it that way. Right before sending the kids, she texted me. Started with pleasantries, then went off the rails. “Sis, my boys are picky eaters. Biggie only likes pizza and burgers. Smalls needs meat at every meal.” “Transportation is good in your city. Take them on a trip once a week. Local is fine, but keep them safe. Watch out for water and stuff.” “Also, it’s hot. Don’t be cheap with the AC! Boys run hot!” Reading these, my chest felt like it was going to explode! The audacity! 4 I furiously forwarded the messages to my husband. He called back immediately. “Honey, don’t be mad. My sister didn’t mean it like that.” I gritted my teeth. “What does she mean then? She’s not paying a dime, yet has the nerve to demand things? Am I her maid?” Just because I have summer break doesn’t mean I deserve this! Honestly, I didn’t even want this vacation anymore. What’s the point? “What does your sister want? For me to serve her precious sons like a servant?” “Tell her, if she pays up, I’ll provide the service! If she pays nothing and demands everything, tell her not to send them. I can’t serve them!” Marriage isn’t supposed to be a punishment! Why should I take this crap? My husband sounded anxious. “Lindsey, please. Do it for my mom? My parents treat us well! They’re good to Hayden!” “Besides, the tickets are booked. Telling them not to come now would be really bad!” “She’s just talking. Ignore her!” I took a deep breath. “So you’re dead set on having them come, right?” He sighed. “If we say no now, it’ll cause a feud! Honey, just this once, okay? The kids are excited, and I can’t explain it to my parents!” I said viciously, “Fine. They can come. But don’t say I didn’t warn you. Don’t regret it later!” After hanging up, I called my sister-in-law (my brother’s wife). “Send my nephews over for the summer!” My nephews are 12 and 14. One is 5’11”, the other is 6’1″. You want a full house? I’ll give you a full house! I’m going to make this a summer to remember! 5 My sister-in-law, Sarah, is ten years older than me and has always treated me like a little sister. When she first married my brother, she always took me out and bought me treats. Hearing my invitation, she immediately said, “You finally get a break. You should rest!” I said, “Sarah, don’t be polite. I miss Alex and Ben.” Sarah hesitated. “Won’t it be too much trouble? Hayden is still small. Don’t tire yourself out.” See? That’s real family. Considering my feelings. Unlike Karen, who only thinks of herself. After much persuasion, Sarah finally agreed. “Okay, just for a week. If it’s too much, send them back.” I assured her, “Don’t worry! Hayden misses his big cousins!” I used to tutor Alex and Ben when they were little. We have a great bond. Since getting married and moving away, I see them less. My husband wants to bond with his nephews? He wants to help his sister? Fine. He can care for his kin, and I’ll care for mine. My brother and Sarah both work full-time. Summer is hard for them too. Since Karen’s kids are coming hell or high water, let’s make it fair. Everyone comes! After the call, Sarah immediately Venmo’d me $800. I tried to refuse, but she insisted. “Remember when you watched Alex in college? I gave you pocket money then too. Take it!” I was moved. The difference between my family and his family is night and day.

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In the second year of being a military courtesan, I got pregnant. Every soldier who had been in my tent fought to claim the baby as his. Jack Stone had only visited me for one night, but he knelt before me and said: “Miss Yang, I’m going to the front lines as a vanguard. My parents only have me left. I need to leave them something to remember me by.” Later, I went to his hometown and met the best parents in the world. 1 Three new women arrived at the camp. The steward told me to help them get cleaned up. Fresh meat for the General to inspect first. Just like us, half a year ago. Back then, there were three of us too: me, Jasmine, and Ivy. Only Jasmine caught the General’s eye. If you catch his eye, you only serve him. If you don’t, you serve the entire camp. These three clearly knew the rules. The prettiest one slipped five copper coins into my hand. “Sister, please don’t mind the small amount. If the General picks me, I promise I’ll give you a gold ingot. Does the General have any preferences?” Everyone here is desperate. Five copper coins were all she had. Her eyes were fixed on me, staring at hope itself. I took out a red sachet from my pocket and hung it on her. I whispered, “The General loves red. This sachet might help you.” She left happily, only to be drugged and sent into the tent. None of the three were chosen. If you’re not chosen, you become a common camp prostitute like me. Before this, we were all decent girls. No one wanted this life. The first time, we were all drugged. By the time we woke up, it was too late. Some kill themselves. But most decide that a bad life is better than no life. The girl named Autumn didn’t kill herself. She just cried and told me, “Sister Xiang, the gold ingot I promised is gone.” She didn’t know I personally made sure that gold ingot disappeared. The General didn’t like red. He hated it. To him, red was the color of blood. I couldn’t let her be chosen. If she was chosen, Jasmine would end up in these tents. 2 Half a year ago, the three of us were transported to the military camp together. I was plain-looking. The brothels wouldn’t take me. Once you’re registered as a military prostitute, it’s nearly impossible to redeem yourself. Even though I wasn’t pretty, the pay was about the same as a brothel, so my father sold me here. Ivy was a captive from the enemy nation. Female captives are treated the same on both sides. No soldier treated her like a human being. Especially when the war wasn’t going well, she was just a venting bag. Only Jasmine was different. She grew up in a wealthy household, the favorite maid of the old madam. She wore gold and silver and was almost made a concubine to the young master. But that almost didn’t happen. The new mistress kicked her out without dignity, and she was sold here. On the first day we met, she used her last bit of money to trade with the guards for a big piece of meat. She shared it with us and said, “Meeting is fate. Let’s look out for each other. As long as we don’t die, there’s always a future.” Not only did she not die, but on the first night, she became the General’s woman. And now, she’s the one who’s stayed by his side the longest. Normally, women are thrown back into the camp after three months. But it’s been eight months, and Jasmine is still living comfortably in the General’s tent. And she really did help us a lot. After eight months, Ivy was barely hanging on. She was kept alive by the meat and medicine Jasmine sent. I can’t say how I feel about Ivy. Without her country, there would be no military prostitutes. Maybe my father would have just sold me as a kitchen maid to some rich family. But when I met her, she was just a little girl, smaller and thinner than me. I couldn’t harden my heart enough to watch her die. People have their circles. They were my circle in this hellhole. So when Jasmine came to me, begging for help, I did it. I gave that sachet to Autumn. In return, I got a pill. Jasmine went through a lot of trouble to get it. Military prostitutes have to drink a contraceptive soup every ten days. Jasmine said this pill would neutralize it. Pregnancy is forbidden. But if you get pregnant despite the soup, it’s considered God’s will, and you can’t abort it. As long as a soldier claims it, you’re released from the registry to go to his hometown, be his wife, and raise the child. In this line of work, unless your parents are as cruel as mine, or your family committed a major crime, or you’re a captive, it’s hard to find someone to claim you. It’s hard to get out. Even with money, redemption is rare. But rumor has it that three years ago, one woman successfully left because she got pregnant. Jasmine grabbed my hand excitedly. “One of us has to leave this ghost place. I’ll give you all my savings. Go somewhere no one knows you, buy a house and land, raise a chubby baby, and live a normal life for Ivy and me.” 3 Three months later, the military doctor checked my pulse again and again before telling me, “Xiang, congratulations. You’re pregnant.” He said it right there in the medical tent. In an instant, all the wounded soldiers lying there went wild. “A baby? Which bed are you from? Maybe I slept with you. Maybe it’s my seed.” “She looks like Bed Six. I was there last month. Definitely mine.” “Xiang, it’s me, Old Liu! I visit you all the time. Give the kid to me.” No one thought the child was bad luck. That’s the army for you. Here today, gone tomorrow. Maybe missing an arm or a leg, maybe a corpse. Those with kids back home didn’t care. But many soldiers joined up with no family. If they died on the battlefield, having a child with their last name to burn some paper money for them during the holidays was a comfort. The first month I was here, I hated everyone. I wanted to find rat poison and kill them all. But later, people just stopped coming back. Some ended up in a pit on the back hill. Others, no one even knew where their bodies were. Slowly, I went numb. I didn’t know who to hate anymore. The next day, even more men came to find me. The steward set up a separate tent for me. There were at least ten men at the door, bringing vegetables, fish, even a pig’s head. Everyone looked at my belly with greedy eyes. Only a soldier named Jack Stone came empty-handed. He waited until everyone left, then knelt and kowtowed to me. “Miss Yang, I’m going to the front lines as a vanguard. My family only has me left. I need to leave my parents something to remember me by. Please, give this child to me. “I came empty-handed today because I don’t want to waste money. I want to save it all, along with my pension, for you and the child.” I remembered him. He was the only one who got into my bed but didn’t sleep with me. It was two months ago. He was selected for the vanguard battalion. Vanguards are the first line of offense. Old soldiers say if two out of ten survive, it’s a great victory. They get the best food, the strongest wine, and the highest pension if they die. But they fight the battles closest to death. That day, Jack came in drunk, hugging and touching me. In the end, he started crying. “I’m only seventeen. I haven’t married yet. I don’t even know what a woman is like.” My heart softened. I hugged him and comforted him. “Don’t cry. You’ll know tonight.” He looked at me, blushing with embarrassment. “Miss, I’m sorry. I touched you just now because I was too curious. Don’t worry, I won’t do anything else. If I did, my parents would beat me. Go to sleep. I’ll leave once you’re asleep.” His parents raised him well. So well that I never saw him in the brothel camp a second time. 4 I didn’t want a man like that to be the father of my child. I had already decided. My husband had to be a dead man. If he lived and returned home after the war, he might not want a child of unknown origin and a wife like me. A dead soldier was the safest bet. I give him an heir, he gives me a status and a registry. But Jack Stone died anyway. I didn’t even see his body. An officer laid out a pile of items on a table. He said these belonged to the soldiers who died in this battle and wanted to be the father. I could choose one. “Wu Da-niu, 25, from Guangshan Village, Cen County. Left money and pension totaling 37 taels.” “He Er, 15, from Xiaxi Village, Jiaoshan. Left money and pension totaling 32 taels.” … “Jack Stone, 17, from Peach Plum Village, An County. Left money and pension totaling 22 taels.” He went through the piles one by one, shouting the names of those who would never return, as if it were a common occurrence. I listened for a long time before hearing Jack Stone’s name. The money he left was a bit less. But I still pointed at his pile. “Officer, I’ll choose this one. Stone sounds like an honest name.” Honest indeed. In these eight months, he was the only one who said sorry to me and called me Miss. Being buried with him in the future wouldn’t be a loss. Since we were to be buried together, I needed his ashes. I smiled and asked, “Officer, he’s my man now. I want to take his ashes back so my in-laws have something to remember him by.” The officer’s calm eyes finally showed a flicker of emotion. “You have some conscience. The bodies are piled on the back hill. If you want a separate cremation, find the kitchen crew. One tael of silver. If you’re willing to spend it, go ahead.” One tael was expensive. I wouldn’t spend it to burn my own father. But to burn my child’s father, I was willing. 5 I placed a tael of silver on the kitchen head’s table. He looked at me with curiosity. “Haven’t had business in three months, and the first customer is a woman. You’re the pregnant one from the brothel camp? Picked your ghost husband?” They were army cooks. Cremating bodies was just a side hustle for extra cash. Only brothers who had gone through life and death together would burn a fallen comrade to take his ashes home. There weren’t many customers a year. It was always men before. I was the first woman. On the way there, many people watched me silently. Some even followed to the back hill, helping me find the body without asking for money. While searching, someone started crying. “Lucky bastard. Has a woman bearing his child, willing to pay to take him home. Don’t know if there’ll be enough pieces of me left to be buried in my family grave.” “Bah, what are you crying for? Dead is dead. Have some ambition and hope you walk back in one piece.” “I don’t want to go back if I die. My mom doesn’t like me anyway. Buried on the back hill, at least I have brothers to chat with.” “Boohoo, but I want to go back. My mom is waiting for me to get married.” … The camp after a big battle was like this. Depressing, sad, fearful. Some vented on the training ground, some vented on us. The head cook was used to it. Listening to the crying, he searched skillfully. Soon, he found a bloody corpse. I knew the vanguard troops died horribly, but seeing it with my own eyes taught me what “war is hell” really meant. Jack’s left ear was gone. Most of the bodies lying here were missing left ears. Said to be cut off by the Northern Barbarians as trophies. His left eye was gone too. An arrow had been there; now only a hole remained. There were similar holes in his right chest and calf. But what killed him was probably a blade. A deep slash across his abdomen. The head cook turned the face towards me. “Look closely. Just like the portrait. I didn’t get the wrong man.” I nodded. I used a wet cloth to clean Jack’s face and changed him into clean clothes. Armor was scarce in the camp. It was stripped from the dead. Burning him in his underwear wasn’t dignified. The sobbing behind me grew louder. Someone whispered, “I’ll be nicer to those women in the tents from now on. They have heart.” I spat internally. I had feelings for Jack because he didn’t touch me. Anyone else, I’d take the money and run. Soldiers have it bad, but aren’t we pitiful too?

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When my parents said they were going to adopt Luke, I packed my bags and moved out without hesitation. “I’ve made space for him. From now on, he’s your real son. Catch you later.” As the disposable male side character in a story where everyone loves the main character, I’ve decided to slack off in this life. Luke wants to steal my parents? Let him have them. Steal my sister? Take her. Steal my childhood sweetheart? Free gift. Oh boy, now they’re all dumbfounded. 1 On the day Luke married my childhood sweetheart, I died. My soul floated in mid-air, watching their wedding. The reception was held at a five-star hotel, luxurious and dreamy. I have to say, my parents really spared no expense for her. In a joyful atmosphere, I saw my biological parents and sister going up on stage one by one, giving warm and touching blessings to the newlyweds. They chatted, took photos, and toasted together… Until my sister, Grace, received a call from the police station. Two minutes later, she said “I know” expressionlessly and hung up. “Sis, who was that?” Luke, dressed in a well-tailored black haute couture suit, looked radiant. “No one.” Grace shook her head and patted his shoulder affectionately. To avoid ruining Luke’s mood, she even hid the news of my death from him. Actually, this was completely unnecessary. Because before I died, Luke was on the phone with me. It was he who signaled his crazy stalker to stab me to death. How could this scumbag not know I was already dead? Luke looked up at Grace: “Thank you, Sis. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for everything you’ve done for me. Coming to the Gu family and meeting you is the luckiest thing in my life.” F*ck! Even as a ghost, I couldn’t help cursing. Luke was always good at saying these cheesy and useless pleasantries. It costs nothing anyway, and it can coax these idiots into being loyal to him, so why not? Grace was indeed moved to tears, hugging him with relief: “Don’t mention it, Luke. You deserve everything.” The two smiled knowingly. I was so angry I couldn’t stand it anymore. Just as I rushed over to kick Luke hard, the scene before my eyes suddenly changed, constantly switching like a movie being fast-forwarded. After a bout of dizziness, I was reborn. 2 I was reborn at sixteen, the day my family moved into the river view villa. Luke was the son of my dad’s best friend. His biological parents died in a car accident. Because no one was willing to adopt him, he lived in a local orphanage for a few years before being found by my dad. He had just arrived at our house six months ago. With a pitiful background and a docile personality, coupled with severe malnutrition making him incredibly thin, my dad’s heart ached for him. In fact, it wasn’t just my dad; my mom and sister felt the same. In just six months, reluctant to let Luke live in the attic forever, my parents actually sold our old house and bought a river view villa for his sake. And I was reborn at this moment. My dad’s excited voice rang in my ears: “Alright, kids, go pick your own rooms. Except for the master bedroom, anything goes.” I remembered. On the day we moved into the new house, our parents let us choose our rooms. Luke and I both had our eyes on the south-facing room on the second floor. Not only did it have a luxurious bathtub, but it also had huge floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the sparkling river. Thinking of this, I decisively walked up to the second floor. “I want this one.” After I said this to my dad, Luke walked in too. His eyes lit up instantly: “This room has such a great view.” “Dad, can I live here?” My dad paused. I had anticipated Luke’s reaction and said coolly: “Are you deaf? I said I want this one.” Hearing my blunt retort, Luke immediately put on a flustered expression: “Sorry, Cole, I really didn’t hear you.” “If you like this one, you can have it. Actually, I can live anywhere. Compared to my room in the orphanage, this place is heaven.” “Mom and Dad are so good to me, I’m really afraid I won’t be able to repay you in the future.” Here comes the green tea bitch act again. Doesn’t he feel cringy saying this stuff as a grown man? It sounded fake as hell, yet some people were incredibly moved. “Cole, how about… you let Luke have this room and you live downstairs?” My dad hesitated and said to me. My mom also chimed in: “Yeah, son, the rooms upstairs and downstairs aren’t that different. Why not let Luke have this one?” Identical plot, identical words. Except unlike my shock and disbelief in my previous life, this time my heart was calm as still water. “Dad, Mom, get it straight. I’m your biological son.” They looked at each other. Dad continued: “Cole, your mom and I have decided to formally adopt Luke. From today on, you are both my sons.” Luke looked incredulous: “Dad, Mom, are you really willing to adopt me?” Grace was also surprised and delighted: “You’re going to adopt Luke?” Mom looked at him lovingly and nodded affirmatively: “Yes, Luke, welcome to officially becoming a member of our family.” Luke’s eyes suddenly turned red, his voice choking: “Mom, thank you. And Dad, I don’t know what to say, but I really love you guys so much.” “Bleugh…” I couldn’t help but dry heave. Because the sound was particularly loud, everyone looked at me. Grace frowned, looking especially displeased: “Cole, what are you doing?” “Sorry.” I waved my hand apologetically, “Might have eaten sh*t this morning, feel like vomiting.” Everyone’s expression was a bit indescribable. Luke was halfway through his emotional speech when I killed the mood. He looked weird. “Since you’re going to adopt him, I’ll move out. I don’t want this room anymore.” “I’ve made space for him. From now on, he’s your real son, fully responsible for your retirement. Catch you later.” After saying that, I turned to leave. “Cole.” My dad shouted angrily, “What are you crazy about?” Me crazy? I just don’t want to be cannon fodder anymore. I don’t want to end up betrayed by everyone and dying miserably on the street again in this life. “Dad, I’m serious. It’s either Luke or me. You and Mom decide.” “Cole, how did Luke offend you? Why have you become so selfish?” My mom also pulled a long face and scolded. With my “help,” Luke’s emotions returned. His eyes reddened, looking aggrieved: “Mom, Dad, don’t fight. I’m not worth it.” “Enough, Cole.” Grace stood in front of Luke without hesitation, glaring at me: “Apologize to Luke, right now.” Apologize my ass. I rolled my eyes. As expected of the male lead in this “Real and Fake Young Master” story, with just one sentence, my sister became his lackey. No wonder I was no match for him in my previous life. In this life, I quit. So what if I’m cannon fodder? Can’t I go on strike? Can’t I stay away from this family? Can’t I go find my own happiness? If I’m not welcome here, I’ll go somewhere else. “Bye, Sis. You can apologize yourself, I’m not playing along.” Seeing I was serious, my dad frowned: “Cole, you’re still a minor. We have custody of you.” True, I wasn’t an adult yet. If I were, the first thing I’d do would be to move my household registration out. Too lazy to talk nonsense with them. “I can stay, but first, I don’t agree with you adopting Luke. He can only stay temporarily.” “Second, I must have this room. Non-negotiable.” My dad didn’t speak, just looked at me quietly. After a long while, he said calmly: “Your mom and I have made up our minds about adopting Luke. It won’t change.” “As for the room, Cole, you already have enough. Why must you fight with Luke?” 3 Even though I expected the result, my heart still ached. What did I have? I used to have loving biological parents and a sister. But now they’re gone, stolen by Luke. If I don’t withdraw now, I’ll end up with the same fate as my previous life. Watching helplessly as Luke conquers my parents, sister, and childhood sweetheart. The day the novel has a Happy Ending is the day I die on the street. I sighed: “Then there’s nothing to talk about. Sorry, Dad, you abandoned me first. My life has nothing to do with you anymore.” My dad finally got angry, his voice stern: “Cole, are you deaf or stupid? If you walk out this door today, don’t ever come back.” “Son, apologize to your dad quickly, or I can’t help you either.” Mom looked at me with a dark face. Luke, originally protected behind Grace, looked over upon hearing this. His eyes were calm and composed, completely devoid of the grievance and pitifulness from just now. In my previous life, I often saw that expression on his face. When I argued for a whole day but still didn’t win this room, he looked at me calmly like that. So much so that I still remember Luke’s matter-of-fact expression when he moved into this room. “Thank you, Mom and Dad. I really like this room.” Although his mouth was saying thanks, I could clearly hear the triumph in his tone. It was the joy and triumph after winning a battle. Mom and Dad took him and Grace on a trip but didn’t take me. After they came back, Luke explained to me “kindly”: “Cole, Mom and Dad didn’t take you because they were afraid of delaying your English exam next week. Don’t be mad.” I wasn’t the only one taking exams; he and Grace had exams too. Just because they could only book four tickets, my biological parents chose to take the adopted son on a trip instead of me. Afterwards, I asked my mom why they did that. “Son, haven’t you been to Beihai already? Luke has never traveled. Don’t you think he’s pitiful?” This sentence again. What does Luke being pitiful have to do with me? I didn’t make him an orphan. “What about Grace? She’s been there too.” Mom was speechless for a moment and could only compromise: “How about Mom and Dad make it up to you next time we travel?” I was quite naive then, actually believing her nonsense. How could there be parents in the world who love an adopted son more than their own flesh and blood? But facts proved. There are. And I met them. Mom and Dad started forgetting me frequently. They took Grace and Luke to the movies, and I only found out when they came back at night. The family of four drove to the countryside for a picnic, and I only heard them mention it a few weeks later. Luke became better and better at pleasing Mom and Dad. Mentioned an iPad today, Dad bought it for him tomorrow. Said a new phone model was released in the morning, Mom gave it to him as a gift in the evening. His status in Mom and Dad’s hearts had long surpassed mine, and his pocket money was much more than mine. Grace was even worse, becoming a straight-up “brother-con.” Of course, the brother she spoiled wasn’t me. She introduced Luke to her best friends. Treating Luke and his bros to BBQ. Spending money to take him to see his favorite basketball star’s game. Because Luke didn’t like dogs, she even gave away the puppy I had raised for years without saying a word. I went to argue with her in a rage, and my good sister just said lightly: “What’s the point of keeping that beast? It almost bit Luke last time. Should’ve thrown it away long ago.” In fact, my puppy was always well-behaved. If others didn’t provoke it, it wouldn’t attack anyone. I hated Luke more and more, while other family members liked him more and more. In my previous life, I never understood why it was like this. It wasn’t until I died that I figured it out. Turns out Luke is the male lead in a “Real and Fake Young Master” novel. Although I was born to my biological parents, I was the authentic cannon fodder male side character. Fifteen years of smooth sailing were all paving the way for his appearance. In this life, I absolutely won’t endure it anymore. Worst case scenario is death. I want to see if this male lead will still have a Happy Ending if I don’t follow the script. “Apologizing is impossible. I will never apologize in this life. Dad, Mom, take care.” 4 Half a month later, I moved into the most prestigious wealthy district in City A—Number One Mansion. In this place where the average housing price is $6,000 per square foot, I learned what “an inch of land, an inch of gold” means. A woman in an elegant white long dress walked towards me with a smile. “Cole.” “Auntie Lu.” I greeted her politely. “Did you bring all your luggage? Just this much?” “That’s all. I didn’t have much stuff to begin with.” “Okay, I’ll have Chloe take you to your room on the third floor.” “Thank you, Auntie Lu.” Chloe Lu is the same age as me, in third year of middle school this year. She has bright eyes and white teeth, charming and touching, but her personality is too cold. She’s the standard rich young lady type, radiating an aura that says “Strangers Keep Away.” Her sister, Sophia Lu, is more approachable. Both sisters have ceiling-level beauty, the kind ordinary people can’t reach. No wonder rich people like to marry stars; at least the next generation’s looks are guaranteed. After all, Mrs. Lu won the beauty pageant championship back in the day with her earth-shattering beauty. The elevator arrived at the third floor. Opening the door. Even though I was mentally prepared, I was still shocked by the scene before me. This room was literally big enough for me to jog in. Luxurious crystal chandelier, elegant vintage European-style bed. Through the glass, the entire city’s night view could be seen. Truly a mansion worth $100 million. I looked up at Chloe: “Thank you, Second Miss.” She nodded. Perhaps feeling she was too cold, she added faintly: “You’re welcome.” After Chloe left, I walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. It was quiet all around. In the distance, neon lights flickered, thousands of lights, beautiful beyond words. I didn’t expect our City A to have such a quiet and tranquil place. The scenery here is much better than our river view villa. I have to sigh, the life of the rich is truly unpretentious.

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My mom, worried about my spending habits, entrusted my monthly $500 allowance to my childhood friend, Ryan. But he only gives me $10 a week. When the summer heat became unbearable, I asked to use my own money to move to a dorm with AC. He flatly refused. “You’re only hot because you’re too fat,” he sneered. “Eat less, lose weight, and you’ll be fine.” On Valentine’s Day, I caught him and his bros partying at a bar. “Yo, Ryan, where’s your girl? Still saving yourself for the wifey?” Ryan clinked his glass with a laugh. “Yeah. Once she slims down, I’ll bring her around to meet you guys.” “Drink up, everyone. Tonight’s on me.” His friends praised him for being generous and loyal. I stood in the corner, watching them, when a strong arm wrapped around my waist. A husky voice whispered in my ear: “What are you looking at, wifey?” I pouted, turned, and buried my face in the bar owner’s chest, sobbing dramatically: “Boohoo, Seth! Someone stole my money! Beat him up for me!” 1 I’m 5’5″ and weigh 140 pounds. I’ve got curves in all the right places and I’m perfectly happy with my body. But Ryan always thinks I’m fat. Back in high school, during P.E., he’d always take off his jacket and drape it over me. Classmates would coo about how sweet and protective he was. Only I could hear the venomous whisper in my ear. “Luna, have some shame! You’re so fat, everything jiggles when you run. Don’t you see all the guys staring at you?” I threw his jacket on the ground. If guys are staring, that’s their problem. Or maybe it’s the sports bra design, or the shirt cut. What does it have to do with me? There were countless incidents like this, but I never took Ryan seriously. He couldn’t control me. Until college. My mom, brainwashed by Ryan’s constant nagging, decided I was indeed too fat. She resolutely handed over my monthly allowance to him. “Ryan, I know you’re a good kid and you care about Luna. I’m leaving her in your hands.” Ryan looked solemn and serious. “Don’t worry, Auntie. I’ll make sure Luna loses weight!” I almost choked on my own spit. Out of my $500 allowance, Ryan only gave me $10 a week. He refused to let me switch to an AC dorm and demanded I report everything I ate. I tried to act cute: [Ryan, look, ten bucks a week means less than two dollars a day. A bagel is two dollars. I can only eat three bagels a day. I’m going to turn into a bagel! Boohoo.] He replied like a robot: [A plain bagel is 250 calories. A cinnamon raisin bagel is 300 calories. Next time, stick to plain. Also, did you buy that coffee next to it? From now on, your allowance is $8 a week. Exactly enough for three plain bagels.] Insane. I complained to my mom, but she sold me out in three seconds. “Ryan is a good kid, top of his class. Just listen to him, he won’t hurt you.” I was furious! I threatened Ryan directly: [If you don’t give me money, I’m going to find a sugar daddy!] [Luna! You dare!] [Try me.] 2 Of course, I didn’t actually dare. I’ve always been open-minded and practical—money talks. But the world is messy, and I didn’t want to catch anything nasty. I decided to get a job. Sophomore year was busy, so I only had evenings free. All the good gigs were taken by upperclassmen, so I ended up at a late-night food stall. Right across from a big club, business was booming. Standing next to the grill in midsummer was sweltering. I wore a tight tank top and hot pants under an apron, my pale skin glowing in the dim light. I was on my feet constantly. Occasionally, I’d sneak a skewer when the boss wasn’t looking. My coworker, Peach, watched jealously as I munched. “Luna, the boss is so cheap. Why does he let you steal food?” I grabbed another lamb skewer for her and blinked. “Oh, I thought it was allowed.” “Tsk, dummy. Look over there.” She gestured with her chin. “See him? That’s the owner of the club across the street. He used to eat at the place next door. Since you started, he comes here every night at 8 PM sharp. And because he’s here, all the girls from the club come too. Sales have doubled! You’re the boss’s money tree now!” I looked over. A group of guys sat at the big table on the edge. The one in the center stood out. He wore a floral shirt unbuttoned to reveal a solid chest, his jawline sharp in the flickering light. He held a cigarette between his fingers, squinting as he watched his friends play cards. As if sensing my gaze, he turned. Our eyes met, and ash fell from his cigarette. Wow, he’s hot. But… I pouted. “He smokes. I hate the smell of smoke.” The man’s hand twitched, and his half-smoked cigarette fell to the ground. I realized something was off and shut my mouth. He couldn’t have heard me, right? We were five or six tables apart. 3 The food stall paid daily. Peach might have been right; when I started, I got $20 a night. Within two weeks, it went up to $60. Thrilled, I Venmo’d Ryan back his pathetic $8, skipped work, and treated myself to a buffet. Unexpectedly, I ran into Ryan. He was with a thin, pale girl. They walked in right after paying. Before I could hide, Ryan spotted me and stormed over. “Luna! Are you sneaking food here?” I crawled out from under the table, defiant. “Who’s sneaking? I’m eating openly!” My gaze shifted to the timid girl behind him. I smirked. “Yo, bringing your girlfriend out? Ryan, if I don’t tell your dad you’re dating, will you stop controlling my allowance?” Ryan’s dad was strict. No drinking, no staying out late, no dating before graduation. One strike and he’d break Ryan’s legs. Ryan frowned, afraid I’d misunderstand. “Sarah is in the student council with me. Her monthly allowance is only $100. Poor thing almost fainted from low blood sugar today while helping out. As president, I’m treating her to a good meal.” “Luna, don’t overthink it.” I laughed bitterly. “My allowance is less than $50. Why don’t I see you feeling sorry for me?” “Sarah only weighs 90 pounds. You’re 30 pounds heavier. Can you compare?” So what if I’m 30 pounds heavier! My weight is in all the right places! I put my hands on my hips, glaring at Ryan. Sarah was thin, with a high ponytail, looking small and fragile. She hid behind Ryan like a frightened deer, but couldn’t resist peeking out to ask curiously: “You only get $50 a month, but this buffet is $80 a person. Where did you get the money…” She covered her mouth, looking innocent. “Sorry, Luna. I was just curious, no other meaning. But your skirt… is really short.” Ryan’s eyes darkened as he scanned my little black dress that didn’t reach my knees. He grabbed my hand, his voice rising sharply. “Luna, did you actually find a sugar daddy!?” 4 I’ve never had a good temper. I shot a cold glare at Sarah. “If you can’t say anything nice, shut up. Know what thoughts to keep to yourself? Understand?” Sarah’s eyes turned red immediately. She clutched Ryan’s sleeve pitifully, her voice trembling. “President, I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean anything by it. Your friend… is so scary.” Ryan, with his cold, handsome face and gold-rimmed glasses, looked like a refined scumbag. As soon as he started college, he attracted girls like a flower attracts bees. I didn’t understand why he kept fixating on me when he had so many girls around him. And now he was bringing this drama to me. Seeing I was genuinely angry, Ryan reined in his emotions. He pursed his lips, shook off Sarah, and scolded her coldly. “Luna is right. If you can’t speak properly, don’t speak.” “If I catch you doing this again, you’re out of the student council!” Without looking at Sarah’s embarrassed face, he dragged me out. In a quiet corner of the mall, he cornered me. Fist pressed against the wall, he tried to control his anger. “Where did you get the money?” Thinking of Ryan’s terrifying control issues, I worried he might find the food stall. I pouted, looking at the ceiling, looking at the floor. Saying nothing. Ryan, out of options, softened his voice and stuffed a bill into my hand. “I’ll raise your allowance to $20. Don’t go looking for sketchy people.” I finally looked at him. Oh, his eyes were red. Who knows what he’d do if pushed too far. I decided to compromise, taking the money but complaining: “Ryan, you’re so cheap.” 5 Today, the club across the street had an event, and it was packed. Business at the food stall picked up too. The boss messaged me to come in early. Before I got there, I saw a guy surrounded by a group in an alley. The leader was the owner of the BBQ place next door, covered in tattoos. Looking dangerous. I squinted, not wanting to get involved. But a glance back revealed a pair of dark, intense eyes. I froze. Seth. The club owner. Isn’t he tough? Big guy, lots of friends. Getting bullied? Curiosity got the better of me. I bit down on my lollipop and peeked around the corner. Before long, the group started beating him. Seth didn’t seem to fight back. The sickening sound of punches hitting flesh drifted from the alley. Afraid they’d kill him, I rushed in, swinging my bag. “I called the cops! They’ll be here any second! Stop!” Before I could do any damage, the group scattered, cursing as they ran. “Fck, crazy btch! Almost broke my ribs!” ??? I weighed my bunny backpack, which only held a few lipsticks. Was that a fight or a scam? I looked at the man sitting on the ground. Dim streetlight fell on his brow, illuminating his sharp features. His handsome face was clean, not a scratch. Instead, his tank top was intentionally lifted, revealing eight distinct abs. In the light, I could even see the pink of his chest. I quickly covered my nose. Damn. I was a little turned on. Seth blinked his long lashes, looking at me with a lost, husky voice. “They blamed me for not eating at their place lately, dragging down their business.” I looked skeptical. Peach told me he owned all the shops on this street. Tenants beating up the landlord? But it was gossip, so maybe not entirely true. I felt a pang of sympathy. “Can you walk?” Under the night sky. Seth’s dark eyes flashed. “Can’t move. Take me home?”

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At my boyfriend’s party, I finally met his infamous “female bro.” She uses the “I’m just one of the guys” excuse to flirt with everyone’s boyfriend, breaking up couple after couple. Her victims came to me, crying: “We can’t take it anymore! You have to teach that ‘Pick-Me Girl’ a lesson!” Well, they found the right person. I am, after all, the notorious “Green Tea Bitch” of campus. She thinks she can outplay me? Please. 1 After dating Luke for almost six months, I finally agreed to meet his friends. He wanted to introduce me the first week we started dating, but I had just finished band camp and my tan was tragic. I needed a recovery period. I heard his circle included a local celebrity—Nina. Almost every breakup in their friend group was because of her. The girls even started a group chat called “The Avengers,” and I was the first recruit. After all, I had a reputation on campus for being a master manipulator, a “Green Tea Bitch.” I couldn’t let my sisters down. I put on my “pure but sultry” makeup and slipped into my battle dress. “Babe, you look gorgeous. They’re going to be so jealous of me.” Luke leaned in for a kiss. I dodged dramatically. “Honey, watch it! You almost ruined my makeup.” Luke immediately pretended to slap himself. “My bad, my bad.” Hand in hand, Luke and I walked into the restaurant. I spotted his bros immediately. Sitting awkwardly in the middle was a girl. That must be Nina. Seeing us holding hands, her face dropped instantly. “Luke, since when do we bring girlfriends to bro nights?” “Babe~ Why is she looking at me like that? If I knew she didn’t like me, I wouldn’t have come.” Luke rolled his eyes at her and pulled me into his arms. He introduced me to his friends loudly and proudly. “This is my girlfriend, Chloe.” His friends started hyping him up. “Damn, you scored a baddie! If I were you, I’d show her off every day.” “Luke, why are you doing this to me? This hurts more than a breakup.” Hearing everyone praise me, Nina felt left out and started seeking attention. “Luke, that’s not cool. This was supposed to be a guys’ night. Bringing a girl ruins the vibe.” She looked me up and down. That look was no different from a creepy old man checking out a girl. I rolled my eyes internally. Haha, acting like she’s not a girl herself. Luke held me tighter. “I organized this, so I brought my girlfriend to meet you guys. You got a problem with that?” Sensing the tension, I tried to diffuse it, but Luke signaled me to ignore her. I raised an eyebrow at her. Sorry, sis. My boyfriend loves me too much. Can’t help it. “Alright, alright, tradition! New friend means group photo!” Luke’s friends enthusiastically pushed me to the center. Nina wasn’t having it. She squeezed in next to me, pushing me aside. “You guys see a pretty girl and lose your minds. I used to always stand in the middle! Bros before hoes, remember?” The guys looked awkward, scratched their heads, and let her have the center spot. “Since when is that a tradition? I didn’t know,” Luke muttered. I sneered internally. Of course, the Pick-Me Girl wants to be the center of attention. During the photo, Nina reached out to put her arm around my boyfriend’s waist. I saw it coming and switched places with him. “Sis, only I get to touch my boyfriend’s waist. If you want to touch someone, touch your other bros.” Nina laughed awkwardly. “Chill, sis. Luke and I are bros. Now that he has a girlfriend, he can’t even get a bro-hug?” She looked at Luke expectantly, waiting for him to choose. Are you kidding me? That’s MY boyfriend! Two can play at that game. I turned and buried my face in Luke’s chest. “Babe, I think she really hates me. Doesn’t she know girls get possessive when they’re in love? Boohoo.” Luke understood the assignment. He frowned at Nina immediately. “Stop giving my girlfriend a hard time.” To maintain her “chill girl” persona, Nina didn’t dare explode. She had to swallow her anger. Try me. Your Pick-Me game is weak. Time to sit. As soon as I sat down, Nina told me to get up. “That seat is mine.” I looked aggrieved—fake, of course. Luke pushed me back down. “Why are you listening to her? Don’t spoil her. My girlfriend sits here.” Nina’s face turned green, but she slunk into the seat next to my boyfriend. Current seating: Me, Luke, Nina. Luke put food on my plate. Nina put food on Luke’s plate. “Luke, eat more. You’ve been sluggish on the court lately.” Unexpectedly, my straight-laced boyfriend looked disgusted. “Don’t put food on my plate! Your chopsticks have your saliva on them!” I laughed out loud. Nina clenched her fists. I quickly smoothed things over, apologizing to Nina. “Babe, be nice. She’s just being thoughtful, unlike me who only knows how to eat…” See, Bro-Sister? I’m nice to you. Nina was speechless. Probably the first time she met a worthy opponent, she panicked. I didn’t expect Luke to defend me so hard. It seems it’s not just Nina’s problem; the man’s attitude matters too. Luke had stomach issues lately, so I didn’t want him drinking. Nina insisted. “Come on, Luke, what happened to you? We used to drink every day! Or is it because of… her?” Nina gave me a meaningful look. Implying I was controlling him. Fine, I’ll drink with her. As I stood up, I saw a shadow cross her eyes. “How much can a girl like you drink?” Her tone was dismissive. I held up one finger. She laughed. “One glass?” Me: “One night.” 2 Everyone stared at me. Even Luke thought it was impossible. They definitely didn’t expect a sweet girl like me to have a hollow leg. I inherited my tolerance from my dad. No one has ever out-drunk me. Nina wasn’t convinced. She felt challenged. Let the battle of the Green Teas begin. One glass for her, one glass for me… Three rounds later, she was drunk. I was just getting started. She kept going. No one stopped her, but everyone tried to stop me. “Nina, stop drinking with the little sister. You’re bullying her,” Luke’s friend, Mike, said, unable to watch. My boyfriend tried to stop me too. But no one cared about the wasted Nina. I just flush when I drink, but my mind is clear. She was truly trashed. “Sis, you can’t out-drink me. Let’s stop.” This hurt her pride. “Luke, what does your girlfriend mean? Looking down on me?” I looked at Luke like a frightened bunny. “No, I’m just worried about her health. What if she gets sick?” Nina finally snapped and glared at me viciously. Luke shook his head at me, signaling to ignore her. Awkward silence. His friends changed the subject to save Nina. “Hey Luke, where to next?” Luke asked if I was tired. I’m a night owl; midnight is when the party starts. I’m definitely not tired. After discussing with me, Luke suggested Karaoke. On the way, Nina stumbled, constantly falling towards Luke. But every time, my boyfriend dodged with precision. “Luke! I’m this drunk and you won’t even help me?!” Maybe the day’s frustration finally made Nina explode. I watched coldly as she threw a tantrum. There were so many single bros behind us, why did she need my boyfriend to help her? Her intentions were clear. Seeing Luke look at her like she was a monster, Nina lowered her head in disappointment. “You got a girlfriend and started ignoring me? We used to sleep in the same bed, and now you ignore me for some girl!” Same bed? I looked at Luke skeptically, demanding an explanation. Luke jumped up, angry and shocked. “What the hell do you mean? Who slept in the same bed with you? Are you drunk or just crazy?! I gave you enough face today, Nina. If you keep talking nonsense, we’re done.” Sensing the bad vibe, his friends were torn. Trying to calm Luke and Nina at the same time. “Bro, she’s just drunk. Don’t take it seriously, sis. She likes to joke around. We all get it.” Seems they enjoy these jokes. I lowered my head and sighed. “Sigh, Nina is amazing. If I had her mouth, I’d have dated dozens of guys by now.” Let’s see who breaks first. As far as I know, Nina has never been in a relationship. Simple reason: the girl who seems popular with guys is actually struggling to maintain relationships. Guys are visual creatures. One look at Nina… and they lose interest. Only these “bros” who don’t cherish their girlfriends hang out with her. They’re not stupid; they just enjoy the attention. “Why aren’t you talking, sis… don’t tell me you’re so ‘good’ with guys but haven’t dated anyone… Oof.” Luke looked at me with pride. His friend tugged at his shirt. “Control your girlfriend, make her shut up.” He whispered, but I have good ears. Tsk, what kind of bros are these? I rolled my eyes internally. Nina ignored me and told us to be quiet. She waved her phone in front of my face. “Luke’s mom is calling. Shh!” 3 Thinking her savior had arrived, she deliberately put it on speaker. “Auntie~ Yes, yes, Luke is with me. We drank a little, don’t worry, I’ll take care of him.” Luke was confused. “How does my mom have your number?” Judging by his expression, he didn’t know what tricks Nina used. He looked like a heartbroken puppy trying to distance himself from Nina. I cleared my throat. “Hi Auntie! Luke hasn’t had a chance to introduce us yet. I’ll visit you in a few days.” You dare dance in front of the main character? Know your place. Nina panicked and covered the phone. “Are you sick? Who told you to speak?” Auntie asked confusedly who was speaking. Nina hung up in a hurry. I didn’t understand this behavior, but I had a theory. “Nina hung up so fast. I wanted to chat with my future mother-in-law.” I winked at her. She ignored me and glared. Luke was still wondering why she had his mom’s number. Before I could notice everyone’s expressions changing, I continued, “Nina is so amazing. I’m too shy to even talk to boys, let alone get their mom’s number. So awkward.” Some people couldn’t sit still and stood up for Nina. “Luke, control your girlfriend. We were all fine before, why is it so unpleasant today?” “Luke, you really… Nina has known us for so long. Are you forgetting your bros for a girl?” I’m acting this pitiful and they don’t feel bad for me? They feel bad for the Pick-Me Girl? Seems guys really can’t tell the difference… For the first time, I felt a bit defeated. Nina’s simps were numerous and tough to deal with. These guys… they deserve to be dumped by those beautiful girls. I want to scoop them all up with a bulldozer and dump them. Luke didn’t look happy. I had to use my ultimate move. “Boohoo, I’m sorry. It’s my fault. I won’t come to your dinners anymore. I won’t ruin your friendships.” With that, I ran out. I bet Luke will come comfort me. Downstairs, I pretended to hail a cab. Luke hugged me from behind. “Sorry babe… I let you suffer back there. If you don’t go, I won’t go either. Let’s go have a candlelit dinner.” I saw Nina coming down out of the corner of my eye. I turned and snuggled into Luke’s arms, looking at Nina provocatively. Try stealing my boyfriend now. Nina ground her teeth. Luke noticed Nina too, but ignored her. Without saying goodbye to his bros, he put me in the car and drove home. As the car started, Nina collapsed in front of it. Still acting… I thought Luke would get out to help her. Instead, he drove around her lying body. This was a huge insult to her. But she asked for it. 4 Luke and I got home, lying in bed… I don’t know what he was thinking, but my mind was full of revenge plans against the Pick-Me Girl. Oh right, I was so busy fighting I forgot to check my phone. Sure enough… 999+ messages in the group chat. I had to read from the top. The sisters were all tagging me. “Chloe, how is it? Did you explode from anger?” “I think Chloe’s combat power is high. She probably made Nina explode.” “Where is Chloe? Report back!” “Give her time. Battle is probably fierce.” I typed “1”. The group exploded. “Damn girl, you’re finally back.” I typed out everything that happened today, word for word. I even imitated Nina’s passive-aggressive tone and my comebacks. The chat was giving me a headache. Luke was depressed beside me. “Stop playing on your phone. Comfort my wounded soul.” I rolled my eyes. No one watching, mask off. “I was almost killed by your female bro and your good bros. Why don’t you comfort me?” Luke wilted immediately and started massaging my back. “What female bro? If they didn’t insist on bringing Nina, I wouldn’t even know her. And let me be clear, I’m not close with her at all. Before dating you, I never spoke to her. I really don’t like her. She ruined several of my friends’ relationships…” I clapped. Ruined? Good! Those guys didn’t deserve those queens anyway. Those girls’ biggest black mark was dating them. “Babe~ Honestly, I don’t like your friends. I feel like they don’t like me either… If they really respected you, why defend Nina?” I’m an expert at sowing discord. Like cures like. My morals are loose enough to handle them. Since playing nice doesn’t work, I’ll play dirty. Luke hesitated, but seeing how wronged I was today, he decided to stab his bros in the back. “Your values are so right. Friends shouldn’t be like that. Next time… we won’t hang out with them.” After my fanning of the flames, Luke was more determined. But we still felt something was unresolved. Oh right! How did his mom have Nina’s number? They weren’t childhood friends or neighbors. They met in college through his bros. It shouldn’t have escalated to having his mom’s number. Are people perverted enough to save the parents’ numbers of people they barely know? Luke got creeped out thinking about it. His mom video called right then. Let’s solve this together. I stayed out of frame to touch up my makeup. His mom sounded confused. “Son, did you fight with Nina? What happened? Why bring a girl to a party? Won’t she get jealous? Mom doesn’t allow you to do that.” Luke was even more confused. Me too. “Mom, what do you mean? Why would Nina be jealous? I brought my girlfriend.” His mom froze completely. It took her ten seconds to process. “Son… I’m confused. You brought your girlfriend? Then Nina…” “I have nothing to do with Nina! Who told you that?” Luke interrupted. His mom was baffled. “Let me tell you what happened… That day I went to your campus to bring you snacks. I met a girl and asked if she knew you. She said she was your girlfriend. I didn’t believe it at first—my son has such bad taste? When she found out I was your mom, she asked for my number and said she’d visit.” Luke’s face was cold, veins popping. I felt like he wanted to smash the phone. Actually, I was on a call with the sisters in the group. They heard the tea and went silent. The group exploded again… I stepped in to comfort Auntie. “Auntie, hello. I’m Luke’s real girlfriend, Chloe. Don’t stress, we’ll handle this internally…” I saw Luke’s mom’s eyes light up. “Oh my god, honey, you are gorgeous! No comparison! That liar pissed me off! I’m blocking her right now.” I wanted to say more, but my phone kept buzzing. I excused myself to deal with “private matters.” Another 999+. “Chloe, stop Auntie from blocking her! I have an idea.” “Chloe, we planned a show. Keep your man and his mom calm.” I had to follow orders. I couldn’t think of a way to punish Nina anyway. “Auntie, don’t block her yet. Might be useful later.” Luke pouted. His mom didn’t dare move after hearing me, just sighing about being deceived. For the next hour, his mom roasted Nina.

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I was the daughter of the recently bankrupt Ji family. To save the company, my father married me off to the newly minted tech tycoon, Luke Yan. No one knew that Luke was the ex-boyfriend I had ruthlessly dumped. On our wedding night, he looked at me coldly: “Don’t think I still have feelings for you. Marrying you is just a temporary measure. Once the acquisition is over, we’re divorcing.” Suddenly, a row of bullet comments floated across my vision. [The villain’s body is soft, only his mouth is hard.] [Supporting Actress, don’t believe him! I testify he drools over your photo every night.] [Villain on the outside: Don’t think I like you. Villain on the inside: Boohoo, why isn’t wifey comforting me yet?] [Supporting Actress, you’re confused! Trust me, call him ‘Hubby’ once, and he’ll instantly turn into a love-sick puppy, licking your boots clean.] Watching Luke prepare to leave, I tentatively called out: “Hubby?” The man’s figure froze instantly. His deep eyes locked onto me, looking like he wanted to devour me whole the very next second. 1 “What did you just call me?” Luke’s voice was hoarse. Though still cold, the “keep away” aura from moments ago had vanished. Knowing the bullet comments’ advice worked, I immediately softened my tone: “Can you not leave? It’s thundering outside, I’m scared.” I wasn’t lying. Since my grandma passed away, I’ve been terrified of thunder. Luke knew this. He stared at me for a long time. Just when I thought he would leave, Luke took pajamas from the closet and went into the bathroom. Didn’t he shower already? Since when did Luke become such a germaphobe? The bullet comments went wild: [Silly baby, that’s not being a germaphobe, that’s hehehe…] [Supporting Actress called him ‘Hubby’ and the villain is probably burning up. If he doesn’t hit the bathroom now, he’s gonna embarrass himself.] [Can’t blame him. The villain hasn’t touched a woman in years, relying on the clothes and photos the Supporting Actress left behind. It’s understandable he couldn’t hold back.] [Ah, even in there, the villain is whispering the Supporting Actress’s name. These two are pure love!] [Upstairs, do you have a misunderstanding of ‘pure love’?] I was stunned reading the comments. Is this a comment section or a red-light district? Why are the black texts getting yellower and yellower? My face flushed red. I resisted the urge to eavesdrop at the bathroom door, changed into my pajamas, and lay on the bed. An hour later, Luke came out of the bathroom. He wore only pajama pants, shirtless. I had to admit, I’ve never seen a man with a better body than Luke. It was the ceiling of lean muscle, oozing sexual tension. Crystal droplets slid down his firm pecs and abs, slowly disappearing into his sexy V-line. I couldn’t help but swallow. 2 “Seen enough?” The man’s voice was emotionless. I immediately looked away: “Who’s looking at you?” Bullet comments: [You’re not happy when you look, not happy when you don’t.] [As soon as the Supporting Actress looked away, the villain’s brows knitted into a knot.] [Don’t be afraid, Supporting Actress! We don’t just want to look, we want to touch! Bet you if you touch him, the villain has to go to the bathroom again?] Of course, I didn’t dare touch him. I knew how strong Luke was. He had endless brute strength. Before I could even touch him, he might snap my wrist the next second. The bullet comments were a bunch of chaos-lovers. The man beside me seemed to hesitate for a while before taking another quilt from the closet and lying down. A king-sized bed, forcibly divided by a river. [Won’t share a quilt with wifey now? Just wait until she dies, you’ll be crying over her photos every night.] [Cherish the days you can still see the Supporting Actress. She’s the most beautiful character in the book, and soon she’ll be gone.] Yes, from the comments earlier, I knew I was going to die soon. This world seemed to be a “crematorium” angst novel (where the male lead regrets treating the female lead badly). Luke was the villain, and I was his early-dying “White Moonlight” (first love). The protagonist was Luke’s half-brother, Lucas. Luke’s mother committed suicide due to depression caused by Lucas’s mother’s interference. Since then, Luke lived a poverty-stricken life with his grandparents. This caused him to harbor hostility towards Lucas. Although it was just the beginning of the story, their companies were already showing signs of rivalry. The real fuse would be my death. I was supposed to go abroad for work the day after the wedding. Abroad, I would encounter Lucas’s friends. To vent anger for Lucas, they hired some local thugs to teach me a lesson. Unexpectedly, the thugs coveted my beauty, assaulted me, and threw my body into the sea. Thus, Luke went completely mad, reaching a point of no return with Lucas. But how could a villain beat the protagonist? In the end, Luke died in the same sea where I had my accident. Seeing this, I immediately took out my phone and canceled my flight for tomorrow morning. I told my assistant to change tomorrow’s meeting to online. If the other party disagreed, cancel the cooperation. Making money isn’t as important as staying alive. Bullet comments: [?? The Supporting Actress isn’t going abroad? Great! She’s so beautiful, it hurts to think of her dying so miserably.] [This is a rare romance novel villain who doesn’t fall for the heroine. The villain had such a miserable childhood, author please give him a good ending.] [No matter how miserable, it doesn’t change the fact that he hurt the male and female leads. How can anyone whitewash the villain? Do you have any morals?] [Fine, fine, upstairs is noble. I wish you to still love the brother who took everything from you after experiencing everything the villain did.] [Honestly, if I went through what the villain did, my resentment could feed ten evil gods.] 3 I was engrossed in the comments when the man beside me turned over, letting out a pained groan. Luke had an old injury from being hit by a heavy object at a construction site years ago. It hurt whenever it rained. Thinking of the comments saying he stayed a widower for me for decades and eventually died in the sea with my ashes… My eyes felt hot. My hand tentatively reached into his quilt, slowly climbing onto his shoulder. I felt Luke’s body freeze, but he didn’t stop me. Until my hand touched his chest muscles, Luke’s breath hitched. He grabbed my hand, voice hoarse: “What are you doing?” I pursed my lips: “Where’s the medicated oil? Shall I rub it for you?” The man’s grip on my hand tightened, his Adam’s apple bobbing violently. I knew what Luke was thinking. Before we broke up, I used to massage him often, but every time, things would spiral out of control. The more I thought, the hotter I felt. I quickly pulled my hand back and turned my back to him. “If you don’t want to, forget it. Sleep.” [Ahhh, Supporting Actress, why did you retreat? The villain’s string of reason was about to snap!] [Don’t worry. Since the Supporting Actress isn’t going abroad, that string will snap sooner or later. Dilated pupils are her destiny.] The comments were too much. I simply closed my eyes and pulled the quilt over my head. Maybe because the wedding was too exhausting, I unknowingly fell asleep. 4 The next day, I woke up suffocating. Opening my eyes, my face was buried in the man’s full chest muscles. Luke was holding me in his arms. His large hand tightly circled my waist. When did I crawl into Luke’s quilt? I struggled a bit. Luke seemed to sense it and dissatisfiedly hugged me tighter. My head was buried in his chest again. I endured and endured. Finally unable to bear it, I struggled out of Luke’s arms and took a breath. How can a man’s muscles be this hard? Hard as iron, almost suffocated me. I went to the bathroom to wash up and found clear bite marks on my neck in the mirror. [Supporting Actress, don’t doubt it, the villain bit you.] [Ahhh, who understands how I felt watching the villain bite her last night? His behavior is really like a dog marking its territory.] [Thinking of the villain carefully scooping his wife into his arms yesterday and stealing several kisses makes me laugh.] Fingering the bite marks Luke left, I couldn’t help but chuckle. [??? Wait, why is the Supporting Actress laughing too? Does she enjoy being bitten by the villain?] [Okay, okay, the villain is perverted enough, now the Supporting Actress is perverted too. Shipping them is my destiny.] Ignoring the comments, I happily went to the kitchen to make breakfast. I didn’t have time to observe yesterday, but now I saw Luke’s home was terrifyingly cold and hard. The whole house only had three colors: black, white, and gray. Because he disliked others touching his things, there wasn’t even a servant. The fridge was pitifully empty. I took out a can of luncheon meat, muttering to myself. “I really don’t know how he lived these years.” “What are you doing?”

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I was walking my dog in the neighborhood when a handsome guy in a Maybach pulled up and asked if my dog was for sale. “Not sold separately,” I said. He hesitated for a moment, then drove off. My dog and I watched his taillights with longing. I was furious, yelling at the empty street: “Sold separately! Sold separately! Damn it! You scumbag, you weren’t even serious about buying!” Unexpectedly, his car stopped, and the door opened… My dog broke free from my grip and jumped right in. The handsome guy looked at my dumbfounded face and asked, “Aren’t you jumping in too?” 1 I was walking my Samoyed, Snowball, in the neighborhood. He was running like crazy! I held the leash, panting behind him, almost dying from exhaustion. Then we ran out to the main road outside the complex. He suddenly stopped, staring at the endless stream of cars, drooling. We both stared. Both dreaming of striking it rich. Snowball has a quirk: he’s a gold digger. He loves luxury cars. Time and time again, he tries to climb into the passenger seat of a fancy car, leave me behind, and live the good life. But I keep a tight leash on him. I’ve never let him succeed. 2 Now, he looked at those luxury cars with longing, his face full of grievance. I live in a high-end neighborhood. There’s a large villa area nearby, so there are lots of luxury cars. I told Snowball, “Snowball, stop looking. I won’t let you live the good life alone.” He rolled his eyes at me. I chuckled. It’s like he understands me. I pulled him. “Let’s go, to the park. We still have to run a lap today.” He wouldn’t budge. Suddenly, a Maybach S680 Haute Voiture stopped right in front of us. 3 Snowball and I were both stunned by the magnificent car body. Then we were stunned again by the exceptionally handsome and seductive face revealed as the window rolled down! Damn, men can drive Maybachs just on their looks now? What excuse do Snowball and I have not to work hard! People better looking than you are working harder than you. I decided right then: I’m taking Snowball for plastic surgery when we get home. The handsome guy slowly blew a smoke ring, looked at me, then at Snowball. Snowball and I looked at him with excitement. I even wondered how to get his number, maybe he could introduce me to a single, rich, handsome guy. In our standoff, the handsome guy spoke first: “Beautiful, is your dog for sale?” 4 Snowball excitedly chased his tail, delirious with joy. He whined coquettishly at the handsome guy, then barked loudly at me, trying to break free from the leash. I was furious. Raised this dog for nothing. But I put on my gentlest smile: “Not sold separately.” I pointed at the dog, then at myself: “Must be bundled.” Handsome guy: “Bundling is unfair competition. It violates antitrust laws.” He looked ready to step on the gas and leave. I had a flash of wit, barked once, and asked: “Handsome, which one do you want to buy?” Snowball was completely enraged, barking madly at me, cursing up a storm in dog language. I pretended not to hear. The handsome guy shook his head, rolled up the window, and magnificently… drove away! 5 Snowball and I were dumbfounded. He stopped barking. I stopped being sassy. We watched the Maybach’s taillights, feeling like its exhaust fumes smelled of money. This was the closest we’d ever been to wealth. Snapping out of it, I immediately cursed at the distant car: “Sold separately! Sold separately! Damn it! Scumbag, you weren’t even serious about buying!” “Damn it all, you think just because you’re good-looking, this lady cares about your money? Pfft! I’m not that kind of person!” “If God gave me another chance, I would firmly say—” The car slowly stopped again. Just then, a bus stopped in front of me. The driver yelled: “Miss, dogs aren’t allowed on the bus.” I looked and saw the Maybach had stopped in the bus lane… I stuck out my tongue, apologized, and quickly chased after Snowball. 6 The handsome guy opened the passenger door, and Snowball jumped right in. I wanted to jump in too, but the passenger seat was occupied by an 80-pound dog. No room for me. The handsome guy opened the driver’s door and got out. Wow, not just a pretty face, but tall too. Gold digging requirements are really high these days. Wait, what am I saying? Gold digging is wrong! The handsome guy smiled at me. That smile was soul-snatching. I said firmly: “Bro, sold separately, sold separately. Where do you live? I can go with you, stay with him for a while to help him adjust. Let’s exchange numbers? I’ll send you his habits and preferences.” Handsome guy: “Student Sarah Shen, don’t you recognize me?” My eyes widened like saucers. I didn’t remember such a handsome classmate. I wanted to slap myself. Stupid brain, think! Who is he? I put on a sudden realization face and exclaimed: “Ah! It’s you! OMG, I didn’t expect it to be you! What a coincidence to meet here! My god!” He was also pleasantly surprised: “I really didn’t expect to meet you right after returning to the country!” 7 I asked: “OMG, you went abroad? You’re amazing!” He smiled: “Can’t compare to you. You scored so well, got into a good university without going abroad.” So he was a high school classmate, grades worse than mine. No wonder I didn’t recognize him. Who is this guy? I racked my brain, then asked: “So you’re back to work now?” He thought for a moment and said: “Sort of.” I invited warmly: “Then come back quickly. Policies are good now, you can work on weekends too. $150 a week. We caught a good time.” He laughed: “You’re still so cute.” ??? Who is he? Even after dragging the unsold Snowball home, I couldn’t remember. Did he get plastic surgery? I need to ask which clinic he went to. It’s too successful; I have zero impression of his old face. 8 Luckily, we added each other on WeChat. But his account showed he had tried to add me years ago. Back then, I had just gained my freedom (from high school) and was very guarded. I rejected all strangers. He had applied several times. Mom, I was such an arrogant little nun back then. I searched his WeChat ID, and sure enough, he was in the high school alumni group. But not in the class group, so just same year, different class. I quickly screenshotted his profile and sent it to my bestie, asking who he was. Bestie replied instantly: “Eh, why are you curious about him?” Me: “??? Is he famous? Do I know him?” I told her about meeting him today. Bestie laughed for a while and said: “He was a legend in our school too. But you only cared about studying back then. Even if I told you, you wouldn’t have paid attention.” So I didn’t know him, right? Turns out he was Luke Lu from Section A.

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