1 During a critical sting operation, my mom wouldn’t stop blowing up my phone. I was hidden in a van near the suspect’s house, and I’d been on a stakeout for six hours. Suddenly, my phone screen lit up, and the ringtone shattered the silence. I scrambled to hit the mute button but accidentally bumped the horn, letting out a short honk. I wanted the ground to swallow me whole. If I spooked the suspect, tonight’s entire operation would be a bust. Captain Miller spared me a glance amidst his busy schedule. Seeing “Mom” on the caller ID, he lowered his voice: “Don’t panic. Go take the call. Jones and I will keep watch.” Jones frowned and whispered, “Careful not to blow our cover.” Grateful, I slipped out of the van and hid in a corner, whispering with a hint of annoyance: “Mom, I told you I have an important mission today. Why are you calling?” My mom rambled on the other end: “Your cousin Sarah is getting married next month. What gift should I get her? I can’t decide.” “Huh? Mom, I don’t have the bandwidth for this right now. I’m catching a suspect!” “Just give me some advice. I have no one else to ask. How about a gold bracelet? Or a big red envelope?” I took a deep breath, suppressing my frustration: “Mom, catching a suspect is a big deal. We’ve been here for six hours. Can we talk about the gift later?” “But I’m anxious. I want to settle it now. It’s your cousin’s wedding; we can’t look cheap.” “Mom! I really can’t discuss this with you right now. Just pick something practical, like a kitchen appliance or something.” I was burning with anxiety, my eyes constantly darting towards the suspect’s house. “An appliance? That’s not presentable enough. They’re not renovating. Should I dump two big fridges in their house? Don’t brush me off. Think harder.” My mom was relentless. “Mom, pick a few options, and we’ll decide when I get back, okay?” I tried to be patient. “Fine. Don’t forget. Call me back as soon as your mission is over.” Mom finally relented. I hung up, hovered my finger over the power button, paused, and then just switched it to vibrate. As a cop, I could get new orders anytime. The chief demanded phones never be off or silent, only vibrate. I composed myself, hunched over, and got back in the van, refocusing on the suspect’s house. About five minutes later, my phone vibrated violently again. My heart skipped a beat. I cursed myself for forgetting my mom is the type to call until someone picks up. I should have turned it off! Captain Miller looked at me, waved his hand helplessly, signaling me to deal with it. I hid in the corner again, answering the call, suppressing my rage: “Mom, what now?!” “I thought about it. Jewelry sounds good. Should I get a bracelet or a necklace?” Mom was oblivious to my urgency. “Mom! I’m catching a serial killer gang! Lives are at stake! Please, can we talk later?” I raised my voice, then quickly covered my mouth, afraid passersby might hear. “Alright, we’ll discuss it properly when you’re done.” Mom finally hung up. The world felt quiet again. Seeing signs of the suspect leaving, to avoid another interruption from Mom, I decided to turn off my phone. Back in the car, Captain Miller looked at me and sighed: “Zhou, you’re the backbone of our team. There’s a female suspect tonight. We need you to lead.” “If it’s just us guys, and she pulls some trick, tonight will be wasted again.” I nodded repeatedly, apologizing sincerely, and refocused on the stakeout. But a few minutes later, a ringtone pierced the air again. I looked at the phone in horror. In that moment, my life flashed before my eyes. I deeply regretted answering my mom’s first call and bringing my phone on the mission. The ringtone wrapped around me like a curse. “It’s mine.” Captain Miller pulled out his phone. “Unknown number. It’s fine. Let’s continue.” We were watching a gang of three suspects. Teams One and Two were responsible for the two men. Our Team Three was responsible for the woman. When arresting a female suspect, a female officer must be present. Last month, two male colleagues tried to arrest a female suspect. She stripped off her top and screamed sexual assault. They proceeded to restrain her, but bystanders filmed it, claiming they violated her rights. It went viral. The two exemplary officers were transferred to desk jobs due to public pressure. Just thinking about it made me shudder. Then the phone rang again, and my mom’s face popped into my head. 2 “Dammit. Who is it?” Captain Miller spat, ready to curse, but then handed the phone to me: “Your mom.” My mom? Why was my mom calling Captain Miller? I put the phone to my ear, and that familiar voice assaulted my eardrums. “Why is your phone off? Do you hate talking to me that much?” “Your Aunt May said she’s giving $800. We can’t be outdone, right?” I closed my eyes in despair, taking a moment to accept this wasn’t a hallucination. “Mom, I’m catching a criminal. A murderer! Can you stop calling? And don’t call my boss, okay?” “But you have time to answer, don’t you? Just grab the suspect when they come out. It takes a few seconds. Does answering a call delay you?” I took a deep breath, forcing myself not to curse: “Mom, for the last time…” Just then, Captain Miller slapped his thigh and ordered sternly: “Suspect is moving! Go! Go! Go!” Jones was ready and shot out of the van like an arrow, following the Captain. My sentence died in my throat. Anger and frustration overwhelmed me. I stood there frozen for a few seconds before remembering I needed to move. I threw the phone away, tensed my muscles, and followed. Panting, I reached the suspect’s stairwell. I heard the sound of bodies colliding on the third floor. A shrill female voice screamed: “Police brutality! Sexual assault!” Seconds later, a topless woman brushed past me. Ignoring the shock, I reached out and grabbed her, pinning her briefly against the railing. I reached for my handcuffs. But my waist was empty! In that second, rage and regret filled my head. I was going crazy. Because of that call! I forgot my gear when I got out of the car! The woman wriggled, slipped through my legs like an eel, and vanished into the night. Captain Miller and Jones came running down, witnessing the whole thing. Jones’s temples throbbed with anger, fire in his eyes: “Zhou Xiangwei! We moved out! Where were you?” “If you were here, she wouldn’t have escaped!” “That’s a murderer! If she kills again, can you take that responsibility?” He rushed up, shaking my shoulders, gripping my clothes, spitting in my face. I felt like my soul had left my body, the ringtone still echoing in my head. “Zhou, I have to say this.” “This is on you. What was so urgent you had to take a call during a mission?” Right! What was so urgent? My cousin is getting married next month, and my mom is asking about a gift! Just that! Was it really an emergency? Did she have to call again and again and again! I screamed internally. But I didn’t say it. I just lowered my head and clenched my fists: “I’m sorry, Captain Miller. I’ll talk to my mom when I get back.” Captain Miller sighed: “Luckily, we got the two men. You better think about how to explain this to Chief Wu.” 3 Back in the van, Captain Miller’s phone screen was still lit, showing a call duration of 19 minutes and 3 seconds. Blood rushed to my head. I nearly blacked out. So while I left the phone in the car for almost twenty minutes, she was just rambling on? My mom’s voice pierced through the speaker: “…Do you think I’m old and annoying? Why aren’t you talking?” “If you find me annoying, just hang up! Are you giving me the silent treatment to spite me?” I took a deep breath, composing myself: “Mom, have you been talking for twenty minutes?” Mom sounded annoyed, raising her voice: “If I don’t talk, why would I call you? Let me tell you, if I don’t decide on this gift tonight, I can’t sleep!” “If you don’t help me figure this out…” She rattled on like a machine gun. My mind was a mess. I held the phone away from my ear, massaging my temples. “Get her earrings.” I had no energy left to fight her. I just wanted it to end. I still had to attend the debriefing and “atone” to Chief Wu. “Earrings? What material? Gold? Diamond?” “Diamond.” “Diamonds don’t hold value! They lose half their worth once you leave the store.” “Then gold.” “Gold? Gold earrings are small. Will she think it’s too little?” “Your cousin’s family helped us a lot. We can’t be stingy!” I slumped in the back seat. The streetlights flickered past the window, the flashing light making me nauseous. Mom kept asking: “So, gold or diamond?” I don’t know how much time passed before Jones drove us back to the precinct. The conference room was brightly lit. The other two teams stared at us as we walked in. Chief Wu stopped pacing, his expression grim, signaling us to sit. “Tonight’s operation. Teams One and Two completed their mission. The female suspect escaped. Miller, report.” Captain Miller stood up abruptly, giving me a complicated look. I shrank in my seat. The Chief saw right through him and signaled him to sit: “Zhou, you speak.” I swallowed. The damn ringtone echoed in my mind again, along with my mom’s question: “Gold or diamond? Gold or diamond? Gold or…” I blurted out: “Diamond earrings.” The atmosphere in the room froze instantly. Colleagues looked at me in confusion. Miller and Jones stared, jaws dropped in shock. Miller coughed lightly: “Zhou means… during the struggle, the female suspect dropped a diamond earring. She might come back for it. We have a chance to catch her again.” Chief Wu pushed his glasses up, giving me a look that said he knew everything: “Zhou, come to my office.” He walked past me without another glance, leaving me stiff as a board. Miller patted my shoulder, sighing: “Zhou, just tell the truth. We still have a chance. Don’t beat yourself up.” “But you must talk to your mom. I don’t know how she got my number. And I hope she won’t call during missions unless it’s an absolute emergency.” I nodded furiously. Mom probably went through my phone and wrote down Miller’s number. Thanking Miller, I walked heavily towards the Chief’s office, bitterness filling my heart. If not for that call, she would be in custody. If she acted alone… Panic set in. I gripped my shirt, knuckles white. Before I knew it, I was at the Chief’s door. Just as my knuckle rapped on the wood, my pocket vibrated. 4 I stumbled back in fright, finger hovering over the “decline” button. I really didn’t want to answer, but I knew if I didn’t, she’d keep calling. I retreated five meters from the office and answered. “Honey, your Aunt May’s dog went missing in the middle of the night. Ask your colleagues if they can check the surveillance cameras?” “Surveillance isn’t something we check on a whim. Even if we could, you want us to check cameras in the middle of the night for a dog?” I clenched my fist, thumping my chest twice to keep from suffocating. “Where’s your compassion? Aunt May is worried sick! The puppy is only a month old. How will it survive out there?” “Where can a one-month-old puppy go? If police looked for cats and dogs all day, who would respond to emergencies?” “I am working right now! Text me if you need something! Stop calling, okay? Do you understand?” “What kind of job works in the middle of the night? You’re my daughter. Can’t I call you? Does the police department control that too?” … Mom was winding up again. I felt like I’d pass out from lack of oxygen. I hung up, closed my eyes, took a deep breath, gathered my courage, and knocked on the office door again. Chief Wu stopped what he was doing and looked at me gravely: “Zhou, you need to handle your personal matters.” “If this happens again, I’m transferring you out of Criminal Investigations.” “Understood, Chief,” I answered meekly, head down. “Go on. Continue the stakeout for the next few days. I hope you don’t make the same mistake.” Two days later, we found traces near the suspect’s home again. This time, the arrest point was an alley in an old residential area. Three teams again. Just in case, the Chief even dragged a soon-to-retire female officer along, fearing my mom’s death calls would sabotage me again. After four hours, we finally got the go-ahead. As the three teams crept towards the suspect, a familiar figure in a floral shirt burst into view. It was my mom. I cursed internally! She ran towards me with a bag of groceries, took a deep breath, and screamed at the top of her lungs: “Daughter! The killer is right there! Catch her!” 5 As soon as the words left her mouth, the woman dropped her fan and bolted. People in the alley scattered. Heads popped out of windows everywhere to watch the show. “F*ck!” Three teams jumped in fright, cursed in unison, and gave chase. I almost cried. I lunged to cover her mouth. But her mouth was faster than a train. By the time I got to her, she was done screaming! Ignoring my breakdown, the moment the gag failed, I sprinted after the suspect. Maybe it was the adrenaline, but my feet felt like they were on fire. I was flying. Gritting my teeth until they hurt, I leaped over the fruit stand she overturned, the bicycles she pushed down, the bottles rolling everywhere. I actually outran all my colleagues and tackled her to the ground! Only when I felt the cold, solid steel of the handcuffs at my waist did I feel alive again. My handcuffs. Thank god you were there this time. I cuffed her to a pipe, let out a long breath, and collapsed beside her, soul gone, waiting for backup. “Zhou, your mom’s scream… that was something!” Colleague Chen panted, forcing a smile. I knew he was mocking me. Before I could recover from the lion’s roar, my mom arrived with her groceries. Rage consumed me. My face turned red: “Mom! Why did you yell? Were you afraid she wouldn’t run? What if I didn’t catch her?” Mom smiled sheepishly: “But you caught her. And I was worried. I was afraid you didn’t see her.” I was speechless. “Didn’t see her? We squatted here for hours! You think we were playing?” “Mom, can you please listen to me? Don’t disturb me when I’m working. I’m begging you!” Mom slammed the groceries on the ground, hands on hips, volume up eight notches: “I was worried about you! Was I wrong to remind you the killer was there? Do you even consider me your mother?” “You shouldn’t have reminded me!” I shot back. Jones rushed up to pull me away, saying: “Forget it, forget it. At least we caught her. Auntie meant well. Don’t fight on the street.” Hearing this, Mom exploded like a firecracker: “Meant well but did wrong? What did I do wrong? Didn’t you catch her?” “If you didn’t catch her, would you blame me? Would I be the murderer then?” Her voice trembled. She sat on the ground, kicking her legs, wailing loudly. “I gave birth to you, raised you for thirty years, gave you my heart and soul, and this is how you see me? Why is my life so bitter?” Jones turned pale, scrambling to help her up, voice trembling: “Auntie, I didn’t mean that!” “What did you mean? You just think I’m old, useless, and in the way!” Jones was terrified: “No! I’m just bad with words! Please get up, the ground is cold!” Mom glanced at him amidst her sobs and cried even louder. After half an hour of coaxing on the street, she finally sniffled and laid out her condition: “I’ll go home, but you must go on a blind date.” I stopped dead, swallowing my soft words, face dark: “Then you can sleep here tonight.”

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I run a midnight library that takes in the homeless. We offer bread for a dollar and free hot water. Every night at 9 PM, the library opens its doors on time. Anyone who wants to come in and read must leave behind a single strand of hair. 1 The guy called “Melon” was pissed. “Why the hell can’t I go in?” The group of middle-aged guys around him started complaining too. “You let us in but not our boss? Are you looking down on Melon?” “Yeah, why can’t our boss enter?” “We’re just migrant workers looking for jobs in the city. We don’t have much money. Heard we could crash here for the night. Why are you blocking us?” Melon was clearly unhappy. I kept a straight face. “Sorry, the rule is you have to leave a strand of hair to enter. This gentleman is bald, so he can’t come in.” Melon slammed his hand on the counter, cursing, “What kind of bullshit rule is that? What’s wrong with being bald? You’re discriminating against me!” “Please keep it down.” “Keep it down my ass! explain yourself clearly today, or I’m smashing this dump.” As soon as he said that, the guys around him got aggressive. “Boss, if you can’t go in, none of us are going in. Who cares about reading? We’ll just sleep under a bridge.” “Yeah! Sleep under a bridge!” “Before we sleep under the bridge, let’s trash this place first!” “Yeah! Trash it!” Melon looked at me sideways. “My brothers are loyal. We want to make it big. Staying here tonight is doing you a favor. Apologize to me, and we’ll let this slide. I, Melon, mean what I say.” Seven pairs of eyes stared at me, waiting for my response. I sighed helplessly. “I didn’t make the rules. They were passed down from my ancestors. If you’re not afraid of dying here, go right ahead.” Hearing this, they all started snickering. Melon said, “Kid, is this a midnight library or a midnight slaughterhouse? A black market inn?” Another one added, “I don’t believe it. You dare to kill people in broad daylight?” The guy in the back chimed in, “Boss, he’s just bluffing. Slap him twice, and he’ll behave.” Melon scolded, “We’re in the city now, we gotta be civilized. Talk about slapping people again, and I’ll slap you.” The guy shrank back and shut up. Melon turned to me again. “Kid, don’t say Melon didn’t give you a chance. You’re still green. Go open a private room, bring us some good food and drinks, let us sleep well, and I’ll be nice to you tomorrow morning.” “Are you sure you want to enter?” Melon said coldly, “I’m definitely staying here tonight.” I nodded and told the others, ” The rest of you, leave a strand of hair.” They burst out laughing. “Are you really putting on a show? A library asking for hair.” “I heard hair is used for paternity tests. You’re not looking for your daddy, are you? How about I be your daddy? Come on, call me ‘Daddy’.” “I’ll leave you some of this.” One guy rubbed a ball of stinky toe jam on the counter. “Hurry up.” “Fine.” I compromised. “I’ll take you in.” Laughter echoed through the library. I sighed silently. They were all going to die, yet they were still so cavalier about it. 2 The library was full of people reading. Lying down, sprawling, leaning, curled up. It was incredibly quiet. Most of them were regulars who came almost every day. Compared to the guys behind me, they knew the rules better. They would respectfully pull out a hair in front of me, place it on the counter, and whisper, “I’m going in.” Once inside, they wouldn’t make a sound. Such customers deserved the name “library.” The seven men muttered behind me, constantly discussing everything in the library. The lights were too dim. Not even a bed. What’s the use of reading so many books? Of course, Melon’s view was the most popular. “This little building would make a great brothel.” Agreement all around. In a corner on the third floor, I opened a room. Inside was a long table and a few chairs. Melon told me, “Go get some food, some dumplings. We’re migrant workers. Serve us well, and I’ll put in a good word for you when I’m on TV.” The guy next to him added, “And a case of beer.” I said, “The library only provides bread and water, a dollar each.” Melon’s face darkened. “Bread is fine. Bring us 20. We’ll pay later.” I grabbed some bread from the storage room and went back to the third floor. I heard them talking inside. “Will the cops find us here?” “Shhh… keep it down. Who would think we’re in a library?” “Boss is the best. I admire him.” “Why does that guy want our hair? Is he gonna test it?” “You don’t know shit about testing. Let me tell you, city folks just love to act pretentious. If they don’t pretend for a day, they’ll die.” I stomped my feet loudly as I approached the door and knocked. “Seven breads, water is self-serve.” Melon raged, “Didn’t I ask for 20? Are you deaf?” “Limit one per person, $7 total. Cash or card?” “Who pays upfront? Put it on the tab, we’ll pay when we leave.” I nodded and turned to leave, but Melon grabbed my arm and pinned me to the table. “Kid, we’re new here. Don’t leave tonight. Stay and tell us about this place.” He signaled, and the guy next to him locked the door. “Take my chair.” He offered his chair to me and squatted in the corner by the door. “What do you want to know?” I asked. Melon grinned. “I just want to know why you keep people’s hair.” 3 I was pinned to the chair, surrounded by people. “How should I address you gentlemen?” The guy behind me said, “This is our boss, and we are his brothers.” “Then I’ll call you Boss to Number Seven.” They were hostile, but I had no choice. I slowly began the story of the library. In the 31st year of the Republic of China, 1942, a great drought hit the Central Plains, followed by locust plagues, leading to the horrific Henan Famine. Starving bodies lay everywhere, people resorted to cannibalism, and with the war, it was a living hell. Han Mozhai, a merchant from Southeast Asia, couldn’t bear to see his homeland suffer. He returned with money and supplies, built a study hall to serve as a school and shelter, and named it “Cold Boat Cottage,” meaning “In the bitter cold river, I wish to be a ferry boat.” In 1944, the Japanese army launched the Henan-Hunan-Guangxi campaign with crazy air raids. A bomb landed in the corner of Cold Boat Cottage and exploded violently. Strangely, all the villagers taking shelter there, some less than 5 meters away, were unharmed. The bomb blasted a 2-meter-wide hole in the corner, bottomless, emitting a stench of sulfur and rot. A few brave villagers went to look. After just two glances into the hole, smoke poured from their orifices, and their bodies exploded. When the bodies were dragged back, the doctor found their internal organs incinerated, but no burns on the surface. The villagers panicked, thinking it was a new Japanese weapon, and fled. Only Han Mozhai remained. Han was terrified too. He knew about weapons but had never seen a bomb like this. Unwilling to abandon the cottage, he convinced some strong villagers to throw construction waste into the hole from a distance to block it. But even after throwing in all the waste, the hole couldn’t be filled. Han was certain this hole wasn’t caused by a new bomb. It was something unexplainable. Rumors spread that the bomb had opened a gate to hell, and the King of Hell was coming for souls. Seeing the cottage could no longer protect the villagers and his efforts were in vain, Han despaired. He even thought about looking into the hole, willing to die to know what it was. Just as he lost all hope, a small, thin old man named Luo Yansheng visited, demanding to see the hole. Han warned him it was fatal to look, but Luo was fearless. He walked quickly to the hole and started circling it. Seeing he didn’t intend to look inside, Han asked what he was doing. Luo said, “Where there are poisonous snakes, there must be an antidote within five steps. Where there is ghost fire, there must be a grave within five steps. This hole is so vicious, the solution must be within five steps.” Hope rekindled in Han. He grabbed a hoe and followed Luo. After a few circles, Luo pointed to a spot. “Dig here!” Han was puzzled but obeyed. Being a merchant, he tired quickly. Luo grabbed the hoe and dug himself. Despite his size, he was strong. After a while, he dug a pit half a person deep. Han asked, “How are you sure we’ll find something here?” Luo replied without looking up, “How many days has the hole been here?” “Over half a month.” “Over half a month, and weeds have grown everywhere around the hole except here. Isn’t that strange?” Han realized his oversight. After another while, Luo shouted, “Here it is!” 4 Luo Yansheng pulled out a broken stone tablet, neither jade nor gold, a foot long and half a foot wide. The pit was less than half a meter from the cottage’s foundation. The tablet was covered in unintelligible symbols, but Luo studied it with fascination, not sleeping or eating for a day and night. Han Mozhai brought him food and asked what was written on it. Luo said, “This tablet was written by Peng Zu to mourn his mount. So, Brother Han, you built Cold Boat Cottage on top of the Meng Huai’s tomb.” Han, having lived in Southeast Asia, knew nothing of Peng Zu or Meng Huai. Luo explained. Peng Zu lived over 800 years through several dynasties and was an ancient ancestor. He had a mount named Meng Huai, resembling a badger-boar, covered in red bristles, running like a ball of fire. Though it looked like a pig, Meng Huai could communicate with animals and humans, cast spells, and was fierce and agile—brain and brawn combined, invincible. Later, warriors wove red hair into their armor to symbolize Meng Huai’s power. After Meng Huai died, Peng Zu built a tomb and inscribed a tablet. But while its body died, its spirit rampaged underground, carrying the tablet for thousands of years, nearly breaking out of hell several times. Han realized the hole was made by Meng Huai crashing through; the bomb just opened the surface. With the cause found, Han asked for the solution. Luo said there was only one way: The Ten Thousand Threads. Meng Huai’s invincibility relied on its bristles—impervious to water, fire, and weapons. Especially after absorbing evil spirits underground for millennia. To defeat Meng Huai, you must first defeat the bristles. To do that, human hair must be thrown into the hole for it to capture. The human body is sacred, the head being the peak of yang energy. Hair is the most yang element. If Meng Huai wraps itself in hair, the bristles will slowly be neutralized by the yang energy. But one person’s hair isn’t enough. It needs the hair of many, many people. In modern terms, hair is like a virus. The more people contribute, the harder it is for Meng Huai to develop antibodies. As for how many, Luo calculated: three hundred million. At that time, the entire population of China with hair was barely three hundred million. Luo sighed. “The fewer people know, the better. We can’t alert the authorities. Three hundred million hairs… only our descendants can achieve this, generation by generation.” Han immediately said, “I have a plan. We’ll keep the cottage open. Any homeless person can stay if they leave a hair. We’ll educate people and collect hair. The authorities won’t bother a charity shelter. If we pass this down, one day we’ll have enough.” So, Luo moved into the cottage, running the school and library with Han. They built a secret room to hide the hole. This continued for over eighty years, until now. I finished the story. The room was silent. After a while, Melon said, “Kid, are you telling a fairy tale? What cottage, what mirror?” Another guy said, “Boss, he means there’s a monster underneath that makes people’s insides explode.” Melon slapped him. “I understood that!” He turned to me. “What happens if we don’t leave hair?” I said coldly, “You’ll die.” He stared at me, then burst into laughter. “I’ll die? Hahahaha… I’ll die!” The mocking laughter surrounded me for a long time. “You’re good, kid. You should be an actor. You’re the first person to tell me I’ll die.” I said, “If you’re too loud, you might attract Meng Huai. Maybe it’s already under your feet.” Melon instinctively looked down at the floor, realized I was scaring him, and got angry. “Let it come eat me then! Or I’ll make a sandwich out of you!” Creak… A strange sound came from the floor. Creak creak…

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My mom is a country woman through and through. When she saved me, I had already turned into a zombie. But Mom didn’t get it. My head was missing a chunk? She thought Grandma just let me sleep on one side too long as a baby. I only ate raw meat? She scolded me for being a picky eater. My face was blue and purple? She accused me of stealing her foundation. Later, Mom became the only person among the survivors who knew acupuncture. When they tried to drive me out, Mom stood in front of me, shielding me with her small body. “I can cure my baby girl! I swear it!” 1 When my mom, Sue, found me, I had been a zombie for three days. She had been working in the city for years and finally came back to our village. That day, the sun was scorching. Mom was carrying a bamboo basket to pick vegetables in the field when she saw me crouched under an old crooked tree, gnawing on a dead crow. A large chunk of my skull was missing from the back of my head. “Penny, why are you sleeping out here?” Mom rushed over in three steps. She grabbed me by the back of my collar. “Look how dirty the ground is. Get up.” I made a guttural noise in my throat and turned to bite her. Mom was quick. She pulled a green onion from her basket and stuffed it into my mouth. “Snacking before dinner again? Let’s go home and eat!” Mom dragged me home. I stumbled along behind her, half the green onion falling out of my mouth. Mrs. Zhang, passing by, screamed and ran away from ten meters out. Mom muttered, “What’s wrong with that woman? Looking at my daughter like she’s seen a ghost.” Back home, Mom pressed me onto a stool and wiped my face with a wet towel. My skin was already turning a bruised purple. The whites of my eyes were a muddy yellow. “You little brat, did you steal my foundation again? You look like a corpse with all that makeup.” Mom scrubbed my face hard, rubbing off a piece of rotten skin. “This cheap makeup is terrible. It’s peeling off.” I opened my mouth to bite her. Mom casually stuffed a piece of cured pork into my mouth. “Stop fussing. Let me comb your hair.” She picked up a wooden comb. She paused when she touched the missing part of my skull. “This head shape… Your grandma really let you sleep flat on your back too much. The back of your head is practically caved in.” She touched the depression. “But hey, city folks like this look now. They call it… high cranial top? A high-fashion face.” At dinner, Mom stir-fried a plate of greens. I didn’t touch it, focused only on gnawing raw meat. Mom slapped the table in anger. “Picky eater! Only eating meat and no veggies, just like your father.” She fished a piece of salted pork out of the jar and threw it to me. “Eat up, eat up. You need to put on some weight.” At night, I tried to sneak out to bite people. Mom chased me back with a broom. “Running out in the middle of the night? What if you get kidnapped?” She found a rope and tied me to the bedpost. “Sleep.” Early the next morning, Uncle Li ran over, banging on the door. “Sue! It’s bad! People in town have turned into man-eating monsters!” Mom was sewing a mask for me because I kept trying to bite her. She stitched three layers of cotton together and stuffed it with dried orange peel. “What nonsense. There are no monsters.” She didn’t even look up. “Did you watch too many horror movies again?” “I’m telling the truth! Hey! Penny, she…” Uncle Li pointed at me. I was snarling at him. Mom slapped the back of my head. “Where are your manners? Say hello to Uncle Li.” I let out a roar. Uncle Li jumped back three steps. Mom kept nagging. “This kid is going through a rebellious phase. Bites everyone she sees. I made her a mask. Do you want one for your boy too?” Uncle Li ran for his life. Mom fed me Chinese medicine every day—ginseng, aconite, whatever she could find. She even gave me moxibustion therapy daily. Amazingly, it actually calmed me down. Seven days into the outbreak, our village was the only one with living people nearby. Mom went to the fields as usual, watering and fertilizing. I wandered around the fields with her, scaring off any zombies that tried to approach. They seemed afraid of me. “Penny, help Mom catch some bugs.” Mom pointed at a green worm on a cabbage. I grabbed it and popped it into my mouth. Crunch. “Oh my god, spit it out!” Mom pried my mouth open. It was already gone. At lunch, Mom packed the stir-fry into a lunchbox and cut a plate of meat for me. “Eat slowly, don’t choke.” She sighed watching me wolf it down. “Look at you, a nice girl eating like a starving ghost.” 2 Until one day. A group of survivors passed through our village. Their leader, Dr. Lin, turned pale when he saw me. “Ma’am, your daughter is a zombie.” Mom scoffed. “Zombie? What’s that?” “Her eyes are yellow!” “It’s jaundice. She just needs some herbal tea.” “She’s drooling!” “Kids do that when they’re teething.” Dr. Lin ran out of patience and tried to tie me up. Mom grabbed a rake and charged. “Who dares touch my daughter!” She chased those grown men off like chickens. The survivors had no choice but to camp at the village entrance. They discovered Mom’s greenhouse was the only source of fresh vegetables for miles. It became even harder to chase them away. They came every day to trade. Mom traded cabbage for salt. Radishes for matches. Chives for a half-empty jar of chili sauce. The chili sauce wasn’t essential, but Mom traded for it anyway because she realized I liked spicy food. It was one of the few tastes I could still register. Dr. Lin tried to reason with her. “Sue, your daughter has really turned. She’s dangerous.” Mom stuffed a piece of ginger candy into my mouth. “Nonsense. Would a zombie eat candy out of my hand? Why hasn’t she bitten me?” “But…” Mom glared. “But nothing. My girl is so good. She can’t be a zombie.” Life went on like this until one day, a young guy from the survivors tried to steal vegetables from our house and I scratched him. More than twenty people surrounded our house with hoes and shovels. “Hand her over! Or we’ll beat you too!” They shouted. Mom shielded me behind her, gripping the kitchen knife she’d used for ten years. “This is my daughter! She doesn’t bite. If you drive her away, I go too!” “She’s a zombie, lady!” “Bullshit.” Mom was shaking with anger. “My girl isn’t some monster like you say! She’s just picky, just rebellious, just… just…” She stammered and turned to look at me. I was squatting on the ground, guarding the vegetables I had just saved, indifferent to the commotion. Everyone fell silent for a moment. Mom pulled a handful of mugwort from her pocket, lit it, and waved the smoke around me. “See? You say monsters are afraid of mugwort? My daughter isn’t!” The thick smoke made me sneeze, but I didn’t move. Dr. Lin pushed up his glasses. “Ma’am, mugwort repels zombies, but that’s just something we discovered by accident. There’s no scientific proof it works on all of them. Maybe your daughter is an exception. Look at her! Is that human? Stop lying to yourself…” “Shut up.” Mom pulled out a few silver needles and stuck them into my head, desperate to prove I wouldn’t bite. “This is my family’s ancestral acupuncture. I can definitely cure her.” Strangely enough, after those needles went in, my cloudy eyes cleared for a second. I opened my mouth and let out a garbled sound: “Mom…” Mom froze, then burst into tears. “Did you hear that? My daughter called me Mom. Do zombies call their moms?” The survivors looked at each other. Finally, they sighed and dispersed in twos and threes. Before leaving, Dr. Lin secretly slipped a notebook to Mom. “Ma’am, your daughter is a miracle.” “If you insist on keeping her, help me record her daily life.” Mom threw the notebook back. “I won’t. Don’t know many words.” He was completely defeated. That night, Mom gave me a bath and changed me into new clothes. “Baby, I don’t care if you’re human or ghost. You’re my flesh and blood.” She said while sewing up the clothes I had torn during the day. I mumbled in response, playing with the rag doll Mom made to comfort me—even though I had already chewed off half its body. The apocalyptic moon was big and round. Mom hummed an off-key tune as she sewed. “Sleep now. Mom will make braised ribs tomorrow.” I tilted my broken head and leaned on Mom’s warm shoulder. In this world overrun by zombies, only my mom thought her daughter was just a little picky, a little rebellious, and a little different. 3 Ever since Mom “cured” me with mugwort and needles, she became even more convinced that the zombie virus was a hoax. “What zombie? It’s just what young people call ‘sub-health’.” She chatted with Mrs. Zhang, who came to trade for cabbage, while rubbing medicinal oil on my forehead. “Look at my Penny. A few needles and she’s fine. She even eats vegetables now.” I was squatting in the corner gnawing on a corn cob—cob and all. Mrs. Zhang’s eyelid twitched. “Sue, her teeth… is that normal?” “Takes after her dad. He used to chew pig trotters like that.” A few months later, more refugees arrived. They walked around me in wide circles. Until someone discovered I could scare away other zombies. One night, three zombies were clawing at Old Xu’s window. His wife came running to our door, crying and screaming. “Sue! Lend us your Penny!” Mom was cutting my nails. “It’s the middle of the night. My girl needs her sleep.” She hid me behind her back. Mrs. Xu was desperate. “Two pounds of cured meat!” “Deal.” Mom put my homemade protective gear on me. “Go help your Auntie Xu, baby.” I roared and charged out. The three zombies turned and fled. Mrs. Xu watched through the crack in the door, dumbfounded. “It’s a miracle…” The next day, the whole village knew I could repel zombies. Dr. Lin, being a man of science, came to see Mom. “Sue, this might be due to pheromones.” Mom didn’t understand his western medicine theories. “What mones?” “No, I mean…” “Two pounds of cured meat per visit.” Mom held up a finger. “Discount for a monthly subscription.” Just like that, I became the village’s alternative security guard. During the day, I was tied by the vegetable patch to scare away sparrows (and secretly eat them). At night, I patrolled for zombies. Once, I accidentally ate Auntie Li’s guard dog. Mom compensated her with twenty eggs and bandaged the dog herself. Back home, she scolded me. “That’s a guard dog! You can’t just eat it!” She stuffed a handful of bitter wormwood into my mouth. “Remember this lesson.” It was so bitter I stuck out my tongue and yelled. Mom stared at me and noticed something. “Baby, your tongue turned red? It was purple a few days ago.” She pried my mouth open to check. Dr. Lin heard about it and ran over that night to collect a saliva sample. Mom didn’t want him touching me but reluctantly agreed for half a pound of sugar. “A miracle. The virus activity is decreasing.” He held the test tube up to the light. “The child just has too much internal heat. Once the heat goes down, she’ll be fine. You city doctors make a fuss about everything.” Mom didn’t believe a word he said. But Dr. Lin’s propaganda worked. He said I still had a bit of brain left. My IQ was now roughly equivalent to a puppy. The villagers weren’t as afraid of me anymore. Children got curious and threw stones at me from afar. Until I broke the rope Mom tied me with and chased them for a mile. After that, they switched to giving me gifts. Silkworm pupae, grasshoppers with missing legs, fat cicadas. Mom accepted them on my behalf and gave back handfuls of fresh vegetables. “Courtesy demands reciprocity. We must be generous.” She taught me. Even though I wasn’t strictly “human” anymore. 4 A man in a suit arrived in the village. He claimed to be an official from the city shelter. He nearly wet his pants when he saw me. “Th-that’s a zombie!” He screamed, hiding behind Dr. Lin. Mom was drying sweet potatoes. She frowned. “Sir, watch your mouth.” She broke a piece of dried potato and stuffed it into my mouth. “She bites!” “Whose kid doesn’t bite? It’s normal to fight.” Mom pointed at the bratty kids chasing each other in the distance. “Look at them. Last month they knocked out Grandma Liu’s dentures.” The official was stumped. He said they needed a meeting to decide my fate. Mom was unhappy. “Just because he wears a suit, he thinks he can give orders? Why should we listen to him?” She combed my hair as she spoke. “Baby, if they chase us out tomorrow, Mom will take you to the back mountain.” The comb scraped against the gap in my skull. She touched it gently. “We have a melon shed there. It’s okay. As long as Mom is here, we have nothing to fear.” The meeting the next day was chaotic. Old Xu led the group supporting me for my service in protecting the village. Auntie Li led the opposition, saying I was a ticking time bomb. She definitely held a grudge about her dog. Mom sat in the corner, silent, weaving a grasshopper cage for me. In the middle of the argument, the village alarm sounded. A massive horde of zombies, attracted by the smell of humans, had arrived. A black mass, at least twenty of them. The official dove under the table immediately. “Hand over the zombie girl! Now!” Mom grabbed me. “Over my dead body!” Suddenly. I broke free from Mom’s grip. Howling, I charged into the horde. Old Xu described the scene later as “a hungry wolf entering a flock of sheep.” Except the sheep were zombies. I tore them apart one by one. Intestines dragged all over the ground. By the time Mom arrived with the villagers, brandishing rakes and sickles… They only saw me sitting on a pile of corpses. Gnawing on half an arm. “Penny!” She roared. My hand shook, and the arm dropped to the ground. “How many times have I told you? Don’t eat that dirty stuff.” Mom grabbed my ear and dragged me back, pretending not to see the pile of limbs at my feet.

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My introverted, hearing-impaired husband has been acting weird lately. He’s glued to his phone all day, refuses kisses, refuses hugs, and goes to bed before 6 PM. Until I secretly checked his phone and found his chat logs with a lawyer. “Mr. Lawyer, if some scumbag is hitting on my wife, what can I do? Can I sue him?” “It’s not my wife’s fault. She’s just being bewitched. The Tarot cards said we’d grow old together. I’m not delusional. I’m not going to bed early because I’m scared she’ll bring a man home. The Tarot said she won’t divorce me…” “Wait, why are you telling me to prepare for a divorce? I get it now. You want to trick me into divorcing her so you can have her! Keep dreaming, you homewrecker! All men are homewreckers…” 1 After a long day at work, I rubbed my sore shoulders and pushed open the front door. The huge house was cold and empty, save for a dim sconce light in the living room. Obviously, my husband, Liam, had gone to bed early again. This was the fourth time this week he’d gone to sleep without waiting for me. I massaged my temples wearily, stepping into the slippers Liam had handmade for me, and walked into the kitchen. The aroma of food hit me immediately. Just like before, he had made dinner and left it warm on the stove before going to bed. But I had no appetite today. I walked upstairs quietly. Memories of Liam from the past few days flooded my mind. I was always working late, so I missed our morning goodbye kiss—a ritual we promised to keep when we got married. The lunch he packed for me often came back home untouched in my bag because I was too busy to eat. My job in the lab meant I couldn’t wear jewelry, including the necklace and earrings he gave me, and even our wedding ring. After work, I went straight to comfort my best friend who was going through a divorce, instead of coming home. Recently, my ex-fiancé returned from abroad and tried to meet me through mutual friends, though I rejected him every time. I shook my head, dismissing my own suspicions. Liam is my ex-fiancé’s half-brother. True to his nature, he is sober, introverted, and quiet. A car accident at eighteen left him deaf in both ears. Since then, unable to hear and unwilling to speak much, his status in the family plummeted. He became somewhat submissive. Our marriage was an accident, precipitated by his rebellious brother suddenly calling off our engagement. According to his family’s housekeeper… Liam’s brother stole all his savings and tried to force him to marry me in his stead. Liam refused resolutely and was beaten half to death by their biased father. The day after, Liam came to me, covered in bruises and blood, yet trying his best to look strong. “I know the person you want to marry is my brother, not a useless mute like me.” “I tried, but I really couldn’t stop my father. Clara, he hit me so hard…” I watched this man nearly lose his life trying to save my happiness. A tear fell from the corner of his eye, landing right on my heart. My heart clenched instantly. I decided right then and there to marry Liam. After two years together, I knew Liam was a deeply loyal and traditional man at his core. He poured all his energy into his work. If he had problems, he kept them to himself and digested them alone. So, he wouldn’t be throwing a tantrum over these trivial matters. With his personality and experience, he’d probably think such behavior was too dramatic. 2 I pushed open the bedroom door. Liam was lying on the bed, back to me. His hearing aids were on the nightstand. His breathing was light, as if he were asleep. But he wasn’t someone who usually slept early. For the past two years, he’d keep me up until the early hours almost every night. Only after I hoarsely whispered every sweet nickname I could think of into his ear would he reluctantly let me go. In some aspects, Liam was a beast in sheep’s clothing, completely at odds with his cool exterior. I walked softly to the bed and touched his face. Liam turned over just then, eyes closed, his cool, thin lips brushing against my palm. A shiver ran through me. In those few seconds, it felt like he had licked my palm ingratiatingly. I cleared my throat and pushed him. “Liam, wake up.” I don’t know if he took sleeping pills, but it took several hard shoves to wake him. His soft hair was messy from sleep, his dark eyes moist. Being stared at by his thick, intense gaze made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. “Liam.” I suppressed the discomfort. Knowing he reads lips, I leaned close to his face. “Wake up, I have something to tell you.” As soon as I said that… Liam’s pupils shrank. His body under the quilt trembled uncontrollably as he tried to maintain his composure. I continued, “It’s just that recently outside…” “I don’t want to hear it right now!” Liam finally snapped out of it, turning his face away expressionlessly, his voice hoarse. My smile froze. I just wanted to share some work troubles. Why this attitude? Now I was even more sure he wasn’t mad about trivial things. Because he didn’t even want to listen. 3 In the awkward silence that followed… Liam lowered his eyelashes, casting an uneasy shadow under his eyes. When he spoke, his tone was filled with fragile helplessness and pleading, begging for my softness. “Clara, my… my hearing aids are broken.” “So can we not talk today? At least wait until I get them fixed…” Oh, so his hearing aids were broken. I paused for a few seconds, then couldn’t help but smile. “Okay, let’s talk after you fix them. My sign language sucks anyway.” Liam stared intently at my lips. Understanding what I said, he took a breath like a survivor of a disaster, his tense shoulders relaxing slowly. I was about to get up but remembered something and sat back down. “By the way, can you go fix them yourself?” “I know a guy who’s really good at this. I can take them to him, and he’ll have them fixed in a day.” Hearing this, Liam suddenly gripped the bedsheet, his knuckles turning white. I reached out my hand. “Give them to me. It’ll be quick.” Liam was silent for a long time. He struggled to lift the corners of his mouth, trying to smile, but it looked worse than crying. “…One day?” “Is it that urgent? Are you in a rush, or is he in a rush?” “That shameless homewrecker, does he even know…” His voice dropped lower and lower. I couldn’t hear clearly. “Liam, what are you saying? I didn’t catch that.” Liam snapped back to reality, deep regret flashing in his eyes. He shook his head repeatedly. “Nothing, I didn’t say anything. I was talking to myself. You wanted to fix my hearing aids?” Liam spoke calmly. He picked up the hearing aids and clenched them in his hand. Veins popped on the back of his hand, and a faint cracking sound came from his palm. I was about to reach out to take them. But Liam let go, and the hearing aids fell to the floor, shattering into pieces. I was stunned. How did they break like that from just falling? Liam lowered his head, his bangs hiding the emotions in his eyes, his voice sounding disappointed. “Oh no, how unlucky. My hand slipped. They’re smashed.” “Can they still be fixed in a day now?” I scratched my head. “Uh, probably not.” Liam pursed his lips, his eyes silently lighting up, showing a faint smile. I bent down to pick up the pieces. “Liam, let’s just buy new ones tomorrow.” The smile on Liam’s face froze. Seeing him silent, I waved my hand in front of him. “Liam, did you understand me? I said we’ll get new ones…” “No need!” Liam interrupted me urgently, meeting my eyes then quickly looking away. “Really, no need, Clara.” “I’m used to these. I’ll find a way to fix them. It just needs a little time.” “Clara, give me some time. Let me breathe.” At this point… He choked up, swallowing hard with great difficulty. “Please… I beg you.” I didn’t understand, but I wouldn’t force him. “Okay, we’ll do it your way.” 4 Liam fell silent. It was as if those few sentences had drained all his strength. He seemed to have fallen into an abyss, surrounded by darkness, his breathing slow and heavy. I thought he hadn’t slept well, so I stood up. “Alright Liam, you sleep first, I’m going to…” Before I could finish. Liam shuddered and suddenly grabbed my wrist, his grip strong enough to crush bone. I hissed in pain. “Liam, what are you doing?” “Sorry, Clara…” Liam quickly let go, pursing his lips in guilt, blowing gently on my red wrist. “Sorry, does it still hurt?” I looked down at him, my breath hitching. Liam looked incredibly attractive from this angle—curled lashes, red lips. When he spoke, his prominent Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. It was so sexy. It was amazing. Liam’s appearance hadn’t changed a bit in my memory. He was a pretty boy growing up, and now he was a beautiful man. He had always been this good-looking. Not getting an answer, Liam looked up at me, his gaze shattering, his smile desolate. “Clara? Why aren’t you talking?” “What are you thinking about? Thinking about things, or thinking about someone?” “Do you think of someone else even when you’re with me…” I couldn’t hear what he was saying anymore. All I could see were his kissable lips. So, I couldn’t resist bending down and kissing him. Liam’s eyelashes fluttered violently. He instinctively moved closer, pressing his lips tighter against mine, trying his best to please me. I could feel his breathing quicken, his hands tentatively hugging me, then holding me tighter and tighter. Amidst our intertwined breaths… I vaguely felt a cold drop of liquid land on my collarbone. …Liam seemed to be crying.

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After three years of a secret marriage where Sebastian Stone never touched me, I’d had enough of his cold shoulder. I asked for a divorce. His handsome face remained expressionless, his voice indifferent. “Suit yourself.” Then, the moment the door clicked shut, I heard a familiar voice in my head: [My wife wants a divorce! It must be some other guy seducing her! Damn it!] [That shameless little homewrecker, daring to leave a hickey on my wife’s neck? Does he think I’m dead?] A pause, then the voice cracked with a sob: [Why does my wife want to leave me? Is it because I’ve been slacking on my workouts? But my abs are still rock hard!] [Or does she think I can’t satisfy her, so she went looking for some foxy man? Boohoo~ I always let her finish first…] 1 My heart trembled, and my legs went weak. Maybe I was just starved for affection, but lately, I’d been having those kinds of dreams more often. The Sebastian in my dreams was nothing like the man in reality. By day, he was buttoned-up, ascetic, and distant, his shirt always buttoned to the very top. The eyes behind his gold-rimmed glasses were as cold as a dead pool. But in my dreams… His desires were insatiable, completely unrestrained. Glasses off, those narrow, phoenix eyes burned with lust, fierce and dangerous. Pressing me against the floor-to-ceiling window, the cold glass against my back contrasting sharply with his scorching body heat that threatened to melt me… His long fingers showed no restraint, moving with undeniable force, mapping every inch of my body. This extreme contrast was driving me crazy. I felt like I was losing my mind, unable to tell which version of him was real. 2 In the morning, the sound of gym equipment echoed from the fitness room. Passing by the half-open door, I saw Sebastian working out. He was shirtless, the muscles of his back rippling with every movement. Sweat trickled down the groove of his spine, disappearing into the waistband of his low-slung sweatpants. He was panting softly, his voice husky and sexy. Even though I had asked for a divorce, he seemed completely unbothered. Disappointed, I was about to turn away. Suddenly, he shifted his posture. In the sunlight, his eight-pack abs were strikingly defined. His V-line cut deep into his waistband, rising and falling with his breath, tantalizingly visible… My throat tightened. I stopped in my tracks, swallowing involuntarily. Sebastian got up to grab a towel. His gaze swept over me standing outside the door, and his hand paused. Then, he casually looked away, his voice as cold as ever. “The divorce papers… I’ll have my assistant send them over.” His words hit me like a bucket of ice water. “Okay.” I clutched my nightgown and turned to leave. Suddenly, that inner voice exploded in my mind: [I can’t look up! My wife is wearing my favorite silk nightgown today! The hem is so high up her thighs! If I look again, I’m going to pitch a tent…] [I’ll scare her. She’ll think I’m disgusting and want to run away even faster.] [Is she really going to divorce me? Does she want me dead?] [Or did she find out…] I whipped my head back, catching his gaze before he could look away. Sebastian quickly turned his back to me, but I saw the tips of his ears turning red. Sweat rolled over his Adam’s apple, down his chest, and vanished into the valley of his abs. With his back to me, he wiped his sweat, his Adam’s apple bobbing violently. “Anything else?” Before I could answer, the voice rang out again: [Why isn’t she leaving? Did she find out I stole her underwear? I swear I locked it in the safe after I used it… wait, the lace one from this morning is still by the treadmill! I didn’t hide it yet… and it still has…] Sebastian stole my underwear? And it still has what on it? My eyes went wide, heart pounding like a drum. I pretended to walk casually towards the treadmill. Just as I got close, Sebastian sidestepped to block my view, frowning slightly. “Anything else?” I stood on my tiptoes, peering over his shoulder. Sure enough, a glimpse of lace peeked out, glistening slightly in the sunlight… “N-nothing.” I fled back to my bedroom and locked the door, my cheeks burning. Was that really Sebastian Stone? 3 I went to work with mixed feelings. That evening, my boss took me to a business dinner. Good, I thought. Coming home late means avoiding him. But when I pushed open the door to the private room, Sebastian was there. Thankfully, no one knew about our relationship. But somehow, I ended up seated to his left. All night, I sat on pins and needles, afraid to look at him. After a few rounds of drinks, the executives opposite us were flushed. Sebastian seemed tipsy too… or something else. Under the table, his long leg kept brushing against my calf. I tried to dodge, practically sitting on the edge of my chair. The voice returned, full of resentment: [We’re not even divorced yet, and she won’t even look at me? Are these ugly old men better looking than me? Do they have eight-pack abs? Do they have a V-line?] [It’s all their fault, peacocking in front of my wife. Who are they trying to seduce? Do they think I’m dead? I’m going to ruin all of them tonight!] My hand shook, dropping my chopsticks. I squatted to pick them up and didn’t see whose legs were whose. What I did see was a shocking outline in Sebastian’s suit pants. My face flushed crimson. I stood up too quickly. Bang! My head hit the table. I yelped in pain, gritting my teeth. My boss asked with concern, “Moon, are you okay?” As soon as he spoke, the inner voice chimed in: [Moon? Since when are they on a first-name basis?] First-name basis? I frowned. Did Sebastian misunderstand something? My name is Luna Luo. My colleagues call me Moon. It’s normal. I rolled my eyes internally. [Scumbag! How dare you touch my wife’s hand…] Crack! The wine glass in Sebastian’s hand shattered. Bright red blood flowed from the cut. Everyone stared, faces pale. They called for a waiter to bring a first aid kit. Sebastian spoke calmly: “Miss Luo, could you help me bandage this?” Since he named me, I couldn’t refuse. Then, I heard a secret delight in my mind: [I knew it. My wife still cares about me.] [Was she scared just now? It’s all my fault. I didn’t want this to happen, but every time I touch her, my body reacts…] His eyes flickered, and the thought shifted: [Dammit, is she dressed this sexy for that old man?] I looked down at myself. Long-sleeved shirt, knee-length pencil skirt. Covered up completely. Where’s the “sexy”? And “old man”? My boss is 32. That’s hardly old. I carefully dabbed disinfectant on his wound with a cotton swab. My fingers trembled slightly as I touched him. His long fingers curled slightly, his palm burning hot. [Her hands are so soft and fragrant. Not like mine… rough and useless.] I couldn’t look at my hands the same way anymore. This dog! Is his brain filled with nothing but filth? I bandaged him up, trying to stay calm, but then he lowered his voice: “Miss Luo, you’re very skilled with your hands.” His warm breath tickled my ear, sending shivers down my spine. I looked up into his deep eyes behind the glasses. The undercurrents there made my knees weak. “Done.” I pulled my hand back quickly, voice tight. Sebastian leaned closer to whisper: “Thank you, Miss Luo.” His breath hit my ear again. [Her ears are red. So cute. Want to bite…] The dinner finally ended. Relieved, I grabbed my bag to leave. At the hotel entrance, a large hand stopped me. “Miss Luo, I’ll drive you.” Sebastian had followed me out. His black trench coat made his shoulders look impossibly broad. Before I could refuse, he opened the passenger door. [Hmph, I won’t let that old man get a chance.] I had no choice but to get in. The car smelled of cedarwood—his signature cologne. 4 The car glided into the night. Back home, Sebastian went straight to the bathroom. I collapsed on the sofa, finally able to breathe. A while later, the bathroom door opened. Sebastian walked out wearing only a towel around his waist. Water dripped from his wet hair, sliding over his Adam’s apple. He bent over to get a glass of water right in front of me, and the towel “accidentally” slipped lower. [Why isn’t she looking? Are my abs not defined enough? I’ll do 200 more crunches tomorrow…] I quickly looked away. I didn’t see him frowning at his reflection in the mirror behind me. I grabbed my clothes and rushed into the bathroom. Just as the door was closing, Sebastian’s voice (the real one) spoke up. “What you took… are my clothes.” “I like wearing them, okay? It’s not the first time. Why can’t I…” wear them? When I realized I was holding a pair of men’s briefs, the air froze for a few seconds. “Of course you can, if you like them.” The corner of his mouth twitched up. He stared at me, then at the “stolen goods” in my hand. I threw the hot potato back at him and slammed the bathroom door. Middle of the night, I woke up thirsty. Groggy, I went downstairs for water and saw the study light on. Through the crack in the door, I saw Sebastian staring coldly at his computer screen. On the screen was a zoomed-in photo of me at the dinner tonight. [That bald guy’s hand was three centimeters from my wife! And this fatty, where is he looking?!] I vaguely saw words like “Acquisition” and “Layoffs” flashing on the screen. [Dare to covet my wife? Your company goes bankrupt tomorrow…] I quietly retreated to the bedroom, heart racing. A thought crossed my mind. Maybe I never really knew Sebastian Stone. 5 At the gala, crystal chandeliers cast a brilliant light over the luxurious crowd. As a rising star in the business world, Sebastian was surrounded by admirers. In his sharp suit, his eyes were cold and distant. Completely different from last night. I suddenly remembered hearing at work that the companies of those clients from last night were acquired overnight, and the managers fired. Suddenly, a gentle voice came from behind— “Luna.” I froze, turning slowly. It was Julian. My ex-fiancé. “Luna, can we talk?” He wore a light gray suit, smiling just like the boy who confessed under the cherry blossom tree years ago. Julian had tried contacting me recently, but I blocked him. My life, which should have been ordinary, became a spectacle because of him. The night before our wedding, Julian disappeared. On the wedding day, with the groom missing, I became a joke overnight. The shock sent me into a deep depression. I even attempted suicide, but was saved. I clenched and unclenched my fists, taking a deep breath. Finally, I smiled at him. “Sure.” Since he delivered himself to me, let’s end this. I walked ahead; Julian followed. Just like countless times walking home from school, he kept a respectful distance. I could see him whenever I turned back. Reaching a secluded corner, I stopped, turned, and raised my hand. Slap! The sound echoed in the quiet corner. “Julian, you owed me that.” “Now, we’re even.” As I turned to leave, Julian grabbed my hand. I lost my balance and fell into his arms. “Luna, I’m sorry. I regret what happened back then.” “Can you give me another chance…” Just then, Sebastian appeared nearby. His gaze fixed on us “hugging.” He strode over, grabbing Julian by the collar. The next second, he punched Julian, sending him crashing into tables and chairs. Wine glasses shattered, red liquid splashing onto Julian’s white shirt. “Stay away from my wife.” Sebastian’s eyes were terrifyingly dark. Julian wiped blood from his mouth, raising an eyebrow. “Mr. Stone, why the panic? I just wanted to catch up with Luna.” “Are you afraid we’ll rekindle an old flame?” That line snapped Sebastian’s last thread of control. He swung again, but this time Julian was ready. They brawled. It was chaos. Julian’s forehead was bleeding. Sebastian fought viciously, seemingly losing his mind. “Stop it!” I tried desperately to pull Sebastian away, but he grabbed my wrist. His hand froze in mid-air, pain flashing in his eyes. “Wife, I…” His voice was terrifyingly hoarse. [She’s protecting him? After all these years, she still can’t forget him? Is it because I’m not good enough?] [I want to lock her up. No one can touch her. No one can take her away from me!] “Sebastian, you’re hurting me!” My eyes reddened with pain. He loosened his grip but didn’t let go. He hoisted me onto his shoulder and walked out.

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As a corporate slave, the person I envied most was the CEO’s sister who sat in the next cubicle. I worked 996 for a base salary of $3,000, while she did nothing for a base of $300,000. She never had to suck up to idiot clients. Even if she threw red wine in an investor’s face, her brother would make me take the fall. But then, the Luo family discovered that Lola wasn’t their biological daughter. I was. My best friend warned me not to go back: “That family is obsessed with her. They’ll just think you’re an intruder. They won’t love you.” “Especially your brother. He’s a total sis-con.” I waved her off: “We’re all adults here. Who cares about love when you get a golden ticket to high society?” If the Luo family accepts me, I’ll play nice. But if they dare give my shares to Lola, I’m going to raise hell. 1 The Luo family threw a press conference for me. Lola, the princess who used to sip boba while dumping her work on me, was sitting in the main seat, eyes red. I found it odd. As the returning biological daughter, why was I in the side seat? Just as I was about to make a speech, Lola suddenly stood up and ran off crying. The moment she ran, my former boss—now my brother, CEO Luo—and Mr. and Mrs. Luo all chased after her. Leaving me alone on stage, staring at a thousand people in awkward silence. I was curling my toes in embarrassment, wondering if I should crack a joke, when the speakers suddenly broadcasted the Luo family’s voices. “It’s okay, we’re just acknowledging her. You are still the only princess of the Luo family.” That was Dad’s voice. Then CEO Luo’s: “Exactly, Sis. At the end of the day, she’s just an employee under me. If she knows her place, I’ll call her sister. If she tries to take your things, I’ll kick her out of the company.” The audience was confused: “Oh snap, they forgot to turn off the mics!” I facepalmed. I served that idiot boss Lawrence for years. He was obsessed with PR. How could he make such a rookie mistake? Obviously, it was intentional. To let everyone know my place and give me a warning shot. The envious looks from the crowd turned into disdain. Mom’s voice chimed in: “Don’t be scared, baby. We won’t let her in the house. You’re still the only princess in the manor.” The scrutiny from the crowd burned. Anyone else would have slinked away in shame. But I stayed glued to my chair, waiting for fifteen minutes until they came back. Seeing me still there, their faces darkened. They clearly didn’t expect me to have skin this thick. Joke’s on them. I finally got my golden ticket; only an idiot would give it up over some mean words. “Ahem, well, Penny, your return was sudden. The house isn’t ready yet. Why don’t you stay in your rental for now? Mom will give you an allowance to find a better place.” A manor with thousands of square feet needs prep time for one room? They just didn’t want me home. Lola hid behind Mom, smirking at me. I nodded: “Sure.” Lawrence gave me a “you know what’s good for you” look. “But since I’m back, an allowance isn’t enough, right?” I pivoted: “I heard you prepared shares for my sister. Where are mine?” They were stunned. 2 Lawrence, clearly used to ordering me around, adopted his boss persona: “What nonsense! Do you think you deserve that?” I nodded and stood up: “Fine. I see you don’t genuinely want to acknowledge me. Then I won’t acknowledge you either.” I started walking away. Mom panicked and stopped me. After all, they were a prominent family. The news of the switched babies was already out. If people found out I didn’t actually rejoin the family, it would look bad for them. “We need to discuss the shares. You’ll get them later.” “No. Now.” We’re adults. Why play stalling games? Lawrence frowned: “Stop causing trouble!” “Look, I’m your biological daughter and sister. You won’t let me come home, and you won’t give me any compensation. What was this press conference for? A show?” “Let me guess, these reporters are your paid dogs too? I’m leaving.” “Sister!” Lola called out to me with red eyes. She bit her lip, looking pitiful: “You… you misunderstood. I meant… we were afraid you wouldn’t adapt to the new environment, so we thought you should stay in your rental first.” I laughed: “Princess, only rich people can’t adapt to poor houses. Since when can’t poor people adapt to a mansion?” Lola’s eyes got redder, tears threatening to fall: “I… I’m sorry. Sister, just come home…” Lawrence blocked her: “If you don’t know how to talk, shut up.” “None of your business!” Lawrence froze. As his corporate slave, I always smiled on the outside while cursing him on the inside. “Mr. Luo, you are my brother now. Is it appropriate to speak to me like a subordinate?” Lawrence frowned. I looked past him at the crying Lola: “Princess, don’t be so aggrieved. After all, I should have been living at home since birth.” 3 In the Rolls-Royce, the family sat in sullen silence. Mom occasionally wiped Lola’s tears. I was the only one enjoying the ride, touching everything, curious about the starry ceiling. “Later, the heir of the He family will pick you up. You can get to know him,” Mom said with hesitation. “What’s our relationship with the He family?” Lawrence said impatiently: “Arranged marriage from childhood.” I glanced at Lola: “Then he must know Sister.” Lola bit her lip, clutching her dress. Lawrence sneered: “Of course. They have 26 years of history. You can’t compare.” Mom tried to smooth things over: “Penny, we respect your choice. The agreement was with the He family heir and our daughter, but Lola grew up with him.” “If you don’t like him, we won’t force you.” I picked at a sticker on the window. If I couldn’t understand my bio-mom’s hint, my years in the corporate world were wasted. I soon met Harrison He. Tall, long legs, 6’1″, my type. But Lola opened the door first. “Harry!” She threw herself into his arms. Saying nothing, just crying. Harrison was flustered for a moment, then looked up and saw me. His brows furrowed. Lola sobbed, pulling away from him, seemingly remembering something, and pushed Harrison towards me: “Sorry, Sister, I… I didn’t mean anything. I’m not trying to steal Harry…” Harrison looked at Lola in surprise. Lola bit her lip, tears falling: “Go. You were betrothed to Sister… I… I’m just a fake…” Seeing his love in pain, Harrison’s eyes flashed with heartache. He looked at me coldly: “I don’t like her.” “No, Harry.” Lola shook her head: “You two are the real match.” I raised my hand: “Um…” “I don’t like her means I don’t like her. I only like you,” Harrison ignored me. I coughed: “No, I wanted to say…” “Forget it, Harry, Sister is back…” Lola cried. “Hello?” “So what if she’s back? A low-class girl from the gutter wants to steal your things?” “But…” “Are you guys done yet!” I was genuinely annoyed. Lola quickly blocked Harrison: “Sister! I won’t steal your man! Don’t misunderstand! I know my place!” “You really want to give him to me?” I stared at her. Lola froze, sobbed once: “Of course…” “Okay.” Lola’s eyes widened. Harrison refused: “I don’t want you.” “Do you get a say in this?” I lifted my chin: “I heard we signed some agreement? Breaching it costs a fortune.” “You can marry Sister, but pay the penalty.” The agreement was a joke between the families back then, but the penalty was astronomical. If I wanted to be serious, it could be enforced. Harrison gritted his teeth. “See? If you don’t want to pay, be a good boy and marry me.” Harrison clenched his fists. I raised an eyebrow at Lola: “Thanks for the gift, Sis.” “Sister!” Lola suddenly dropped to her knees with a thud. 4 If you told me yesterday that the princess in the next cubicle would kowtow to me, I’d think you were crazy. But Lola really banged her head on the floor, forehead red: “I beg you, let us be together! Even though you and Harry are betrothed, you are the real daughter of the Luo family. You can have anything you want later.” “But I only have Harry…” Harrison hugged her tight, glaring at me: “You’re going too far!” Lawrence shoved me hard: “You’re bullying her again!” Mom and Dad also rushed to comfort Lola. Mom looked at me: “Penny, don’t make it hard for your sister.” “I’m not making it hard for her.” I stepped closer to Lola: “Sister said herself she wanted to give him to me. Did I confirm it with her?” “Since you decided to give him up, why act like I robbed you when I accepted?” I squatted in front of Lola: “If you don’t want to give, don’t say it. Because if you say it, I will take it.” Lola shrank into Lawrence’s arms like a frightened deer. I sneered and stood up, glancing at the glaring Harrison: “Relax. I was just teasing you. I don’t like you.” Harrison choked. He gritted his teeth hard. Strange. When I said I wanted him, he didn’t like me. When I told him the truth that I didn’t like him, he wasn’t happy either. 5 The next morning, a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace appeared before me. Seeing my parents’ smiling faces, I knew— Something fishy was going on. Sure enough, Mom spoke: “Penny, about the shares. We thought about it. We will definitely give them to you.” “But the transfer to Lola was already effective. Wait until we expand the business, then you’ll get every penny you deserve.” Dad added: “Yes, you are our biological daughter. Don’t worry.” So that’s the play. Yesterday the transfer hadn’t happened. One night later, the shares were in Lola’s name. Does this look like they plan to leave me anything? But… I picked up the necklace, worth less than ten grand, and reddened my eyes: “Okay. Who asked you to be my mom and dad…” Mom’s eyes flashed with guilt. I wiped my tears: “I know I wasn’t raised by you. Even as your biological daughter, I’ll never get the same treatment as Sister.” “I understand. I won’t ask for a single share. Don’t worry.” “How can you say that? Silly child!” Mom hugged me: “You are our daughter. That won’t change!” Dad nodded: “We are happy you’re sensible, but don’t say things like that!” I sniffled: “Do you really love me?” “Of course! How can parents not love their child!” “Then… transfer me to the overseas branch. I don’t want shares, just let me manage the branch.” They froze.

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In the middle of the night, I was scrolling online when I came across a disturbing post. “What should I do if I’ve fallen for my female tenant? I’ve never liked anyone this much before.” At first, I thought it was just some sweet, secret crush story. But the more I read, the weirder it got. The photos he posted looked exactly like the hallway in my building. The description of the tenant matched me perfectly. But I’m not the tenant; I’m the landlord. People in the comments were giving him advice: “Women just play hard to get. Just go for a forceful kiss, and she’ll give in eventually.” “Women love persistence. Plus, you’re handsome, OP. She won’t be able to refuse you. That’s how I got my wife. Once you sleep with her, she’ll listen to everything you say.” The more I read, the creepier it felt. Isn’t this just sexual harassment? Then, my tenant, Lucas, sent me a message. 1 “Hey, are you there? There seems to be something wrong with the plumbing in my apartment. Can you come take a look?” If I hadn’t seen that post, I probably would have gone over. As a long-time landlord, I’m handy with changing lightbulbs, fixing pipes, and unclogging toilets. I always try to help my tenants with whatever I can. But now, I was terrified. Not only was the post creepy, but I had just done a full inspection of my property a few days ago. The water pressure, pipes, and electrical wiring were all fine. How could something break as soon as he moved in? I looked out the window at the dark sky and shivered, even though it was summer. A cold draft seemed to seep under my clothes. I decided to assume the worst. With trembling fingers, I typed a reply. “I’m not home right now, and I don’t really know how to fix pipes. I’ll ask my boyfriend to come over tomorrow and check it out. What time works for you?” The status at the top changed to “typing…” repeatedly. He seemed to be struggling with how to respond. I didn’t wait for his reply and went to wash up. Maybe it was just my imagination, but I felt like eyes were watching me from the shadows. I skipped the shower and dashed into my bedroom, jamming a doorstop under the door before I felt somewhat safe. Picking up my phone, I saw Lucas’s reply. “How about 8 PM? I get off work then.” I let out a sigh of relief. Maybe it was just a coincidence. After all, most apartment building hallways look similar, and there are countless girls with long black hair who are 5’6″. Plus, the poster said he liked his female tenant, which wasn’t me. Most importantly, Lucas looked very ordinary. You wouldn’t notice him in a crowd. He wasn’t the handsome guy in the post’s profile picture. They say “eyes are the window to the soul,” but who knew such a dirty heart could hide beneath a decent exterior? Just then, I saw the poster like a comment suggesting he force himself on the girl, and he replied, “DM me.” This guy was definitely up to no good. Like many others, I saved the post to see what he would do next. But now I had a problem: where was I going to find a boyfriend for tomorrow? I was single. Thinking quickly, I called my close guy friend, Gary. I asked him to come over tomorrow and pretend to be my boyfriend. Better safe than sorry. Pretending to have a boyfriend could avoid a lot of trouble. 2 The next day, as I was leaving my apartment, I ran straight into Lucas. I rented him the unit above mine. The elevator wasn’t broken, so he was intentionally waiting there. When I opened the door, I saw him take a step back, meaning he had been standing right against my door. My heart dropped. Flashes of news stories about women living alone being murdered raced through my mind. I regretted not asking Gary to come earlier. “Miss Shen? I thought you weren’t home?” His words sent a chill down my spine. He thought I wasn’t home, yet he was waiting outside my door. What was he planning? Suppressing my fear, I said coldly, “I got back late last night. What are you doing here? My boyfriend will be here soon. If you’re free, he can come check your pipes now.” Lucas scratched his head, looking sheepish. “My cat ran out. I thought I heard meowing coming from your place. Did it hide in there?” As he spoke, he tried to peer into my apartment, his eyes darting around. “I don’t have a cat. Go look somewhere else.” Ignoring me, he took a step forward and jammed his foot in the door. “Let me just check quickly. I won’t bother you, just let me in.” I instinctively tried to close the door, but I was no match for a grown man’s strength, even a skinny one. “Stop it, or I’m calling the police!” Just then, my savior arrived. “Hey! What do you think you’re doing?” Gary grabbed Lucas with one hand and threw him against the opposite wall. Lucas hit the wall with a thud and slid to the floor, groaning. “Trying to break in? I’m calling the cops!” Gary pulled out his phone, looking ready to dial 911. Ignoring the pain, Lucas scrambled up and started apologizing to Gary. “No, no, don’t! I just wanted to look for my cat. She tried to close the door on my foot, so I pushed back. I wasn’t breaking in, it’s a misunderstanding.” “I’m not the one you should be apologizing to!” Lucas then turned to me, still shaken, and bowed in apology. Calming down, I wanted to verify something. “This is my boyfriend. Didn’t you say your pipes were broken? Let’s go check them out.” Lucas’s expression flickered for a second before he said, “Oh, I managed to fix it myself yesterday. It’s fine now. Sorry for the trouble.” He turned and left quickly, not mentioning the cat again. I couldn’t focus on work all day. My mind kept replaying Lucas trying to force his way in. If Gary hadn’t shown up, I couldn’t imagine what would have happened. Sitting on my sofa, Gary handed me a glass of warm water. “Are you okay?” “I’m fine. How did you get here so early?” Gary stuffed a bun into his mouth. “Your message last night freaked me out. I came straight here from the airport this morning. Good thing I did. “How long is his lease? Break it. Having someone like that around is a ticking time bomb.” So I texted Lucas, telling him I wasn’t going to rent to him anymore. He didn’t reply for a long time. But then I saw an update on that creepy post. “My female tenant has a boyfriend. He’s dark and muscular, but I think I still have a chance. Girls these days like pale, thin guys like me.” “Today, I went to look for my lost cat at her door. She talked to me and was giving me the eye, but her boyfriend saw and punched me.” “Now she says she doesn’t want to rent to me anymore. Her boyfriend must have put her up to it. Can anyone tell me what to do?” Now I was certain the poster was Lucas. Even if it was a coincidence before, this couldn’t be. The profile picture was definitely stolen. Some commenters were starting to see the truth. “Being a homewrecker is despicable.” “Even if you’re handsome, breaking up a couple is wrong.” But some still believed that good looks justified anything. “She was giving him the eye too. It’s not one-sided.” “OMG, he’s handsome and loves cats? I’m in love.” “If there’s mutual attraction, I love a forbidden romance.” “Keep pursuing her! Maybe she’ll dump her boyfriend for you. Tenant to landlady, what a upgrade.” I forwarded the post to Gary. “‘Dark and muscular’? I call this a sun-kissed tan. I worked hard for this! What does he know? Who would like a twig like him that gets thrown across the hall? My lean muscle is what’s in style!” Gary swiped left to check the poster’s profile. “Huh? Wait a sec. This photo.” 3 “What about the photo?” Gary started gloating, pointing at the profile picture. “This guy is the son of my company’s CEO. He’s usually super arrogant. What do you think he’d do if he found out Lucas stole his photo and is posting this garbage online? “Or if the CEO found out someone was ruining his son’s reputation?” Gary chuckled and forwarded the post directly to his CEO. “Big news! The CEO’s son wants to be a homewrecker!” He waited exactly two minutes and fifty seconds before deleting the message. I asked if he was worried about getting in trouble. He shook his head. “The CEO isn’t that petty. He might even thank me for the heads-up before his son does something worse.” I silently prayed for Lucas. Sorry, not sorry. Lucas was still replying to comments. “Thanks for the support, everyone. I won’t give up! I’ll chase my female tenant even if I have to be the other man!” Hilarious. He’s the tenant, yet he pretends to be the landlord. How insecure is he about his status? He clapped back at comments calling him a homewrecker. “You don’t know shit. This is pursuing true love!” “I know you’re just jealous because you don’t have love and are miserable. I’m handsome and have multiple properties. Stay mad.” “I’m not blind. I know she was giving me the eye. When she came to view the apartment, she wore a short skirt. If that’s not seduction, what is?” Oh my god. Wearing a short skirt is seduction? Then every girl on the street is seducing him. It’s summer! If I don’t wear a skirt, should I wear snow pants? The more I read, the more disgusted I felt. How can a man be so ordinary yet so confidently delusional and deceitful? That familiar commenter, “Wild Soul,” was back with advice. “Don’t doubt yourself. Women wear short skirts to seduce men. I couldn’t control myself because my wife wore a short skirt. She cried and made a fuss afterwards, but eventually she married me. Went from a village girl to a city wife, living the good life. You’re too gentle. Just take what you want when her boyfriend isn’t around. She won’t say no.” This is literally inciting rape. Do they think the internet is a lawless place? I saved screenshots as evidence and consulted a lawyer, but he said without a concrete act, it’s hard to file a case. I was furious but helpless. Women face so much danger and malice in this world. Wearing a skirt is seen as an invitation, and walking on the street can get you “picked up.” It’s terrifying. Wild Soul’s comment got a lot of hate, but he didn’t care. He just blocked anyone who criticized him. I checked his profile. He was a piece of work. He posted about how trafficking women wasn’t bad because it provided labor for rural development. He claimed women weren’t having kids because they were too educated, and that women reading too much was bad for national unity. He even advocated for shortening compulsory education to increase birth rates. Total psycho. That night, Gary slept in my guest room. He skipped work, afraid something might happen to me. My mom told me to move out immediately. Losing money was better than losing my life. Talk about bad luck. A landlord forced to move by a tenant. While I was packing, Gary shouted from the window. “Our CEO’s son is going upstairs with a baseball bat and five huge guys! His face looks red, maybe his dad slapped him. Now he’s taking it out on Lucas.” Gary and I hid in the stairwell and watched the young man kick Lucas’s door. “Open up!” When Lucas didn’t answer, the guy had someone pick the lock. “You’re the one impersonating me online and ruining my reputation? You ugly freak!” 4 The young man and his crew stormed into Lucas’s apartment. They ignored Lucas’s threats about trespassing. Like he knows anything about the law. Reading his posts, I was convinced he was legally illiterate. I wanted to get closer to hear, but Gary pulled me back. “Come on, don’t listen. We might get beaten up too.” “Are they that violent?” “Why do you think I said he’s arrogant? His family cleans up his messes. Lucas is screwed, but he deserves it.” Gary hummed a tune as we went back inside. An hour later, Lucas’s account posted an apology, admitting to stealing photos and making everything up for clout. This post didn’t get as much traction as the previous ones. “Stole photos? And lied about being the landlord? The whole ‘giving the eye’ thing was probably his delusion too. What a loser.” “He definitely got caught. He must be hideous to steal photos like that.” “So who’s the guy in the photos? He’s totally my type.” Someone found the CEO’s son’s account. Lucas had cropped him out of group photos. He thought no one would notice, or at most he’d just have to delete them. But he messed with the wrong person and got a visit. Serves him right! I saw the young man and his five goons leave the complex. Lucas messaged me, saying he wanted to break the lease. Probably afraid the CEO’s son would come back. “Sorry, my job changed, so I have to break the lease.” Seeing his message, a huge weight lifted off my chest. I agreed immediately. Before leaving, he asked for his deposit back, claiming he was broke. I pretended to be hesitant but agreed to avoid further entanglement. When he left, he was on crutches with a bandaged head. He tried to give me a bag of oranges. Ignoring my refusal, he reached through the door and dropped them in the entryway. “Thank you so much. I fell out of bed recently and broke my leg. I’m short on cash, so thanks for returning the deposit.” Fell out of what bed to break a leg? But I didn’t ask. I just murmured a polite response and hurried him along. He seemed to miss the coldness in my tone. “Thanks for taking care of me. I haven’t met a girl as nice as you in a long time. If only you were my girlfriend.” My internal alarm bells rang again. I flashed back to him trying to force his way into my apartment. Gary yanked the door open, glaring at Lucas. “Are you leaving or not?! Trying to steal my girlfriend? Who do you think you are?” He acted like he was going to hit him. Lucas stumbled back on his crutches. “No, no, I was just joking. Wishing you happiness and a baby soon. My ride is here, bye.” Just when I thought it was over, Lucas posted again. “She definitely likes me. I broke the lease, said I had no money, and she returned the deposit without a word. She really likes me. I saw tears in her eyes when I left. She must be reluctant to see me go. But she’s shy and won’t admit her feelings.” Shameless! Most commenters were shocked too. “I’m a landlord too. Returning the deposit quickly just means she wants you gone ASAP.” “Are you sure those tears weren’t from fear?” “Photo thief. You don’t even dare use your own pic. You must be ugly.” “Get lost! Seeing your posts is bad luck!” Lucas replied to the last comment. “You don’t understand. She loves me. I’ll take care of her forever. We’ll have lots of kids. I’ll have my mom propose to her family, and then I’ll prove you all wrong.”

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The day before her graduation party, my sister was raped and murdered in a back alley. And I was trapped in that day forever. Countless times, I thought, “If only I hadn’t wanted ice cream,” “If only I hadn’t taken the shortcut to get home faster…” maybe she would still be alive. When I opened my eyes again… I was back in that summer. 1 That year, it was the hottest summer on record. The temperature hit 106 degrees. My sister, Maya, was the top scorer in the city. I had just barely scraped into a prestigious high school. Our future was bright. Maya’s familiar voice reached my ears again after ten years: “Take a shortcut? Don’t you want to catch Grey’s Anatomy at 7:30?” Tears gushed out uncontrollably. Through my blurry vision, the clock on the wall behind Maya read 7:15 PM… The countdown to death had begun! I shuddered and almost screamed: “No! Mom and Dad said those alleys are dangerous!” Maya was startled by my outburst: “Since when are you such a chicken, Dodo?” “Okay, okay, we won’t take the shortcut. Don’t cry!” I looked at Maya’s vivid, lively face. The face that had been crushed and covered in blood in my nightmares countless times. I swore in my heart. This time, I absolutely would not let anything happen to Maya! 2 My voice was tight: “I saw on the news recently that bad things happen in those alleys. Let’s stick to the main road!” Maya chuckled: “Alright, safety first. Good job!” She spoke to me like I was a child. She was only three years older than me. She was just a kid too, but she always yielded to me, spoiled me. And because of me, she lost her future. I stared at the digital watch on my wrist. 7:17 PM. In my past life, not wanting to miss the drama at 7:30, I insisted on taking a shortcut and dragged Maya into the alley. At a fork in the alley, a dark figure suddenly lunged out and covered Maya’s mouth with a towel. I screamed my lungs out, but no one answered in the deserted alley. Maya slumped to the ground. The man picked up a brick and smashed it into my head. I fell into a stinking pile of garbage, like a dying fish, watching helplessly as Maya was stripped and murdered. Thinking of this, I couldn’t stop shivering. It was still light out at this time in summer, and there were plenty of pedestrians on the street. Street vendors were selling hot dogs and pretzels on the sidewalks. My palms were sweating profusely. My throat was dry. I kept comforting myself. He wouldn’t dare to commit a crime in broad daylight, right? Maya turned to look at me: “Dodo, I noticed you haven’t said a word the whole way. Did the sun rise in the west today?” Yeah, I used to be a chatterbox. I could write a dissertation on whether Team Edward or Team Jacob was better. When Maya called me “Little Sparrow,” I proudly declared I would become a teacher even more talkative than her homeroom teacher. Maya laughed, saying, “I pity the class that gets you.” That noisy me, full of longing for the future… Died with Maya that summer. The smile was still on Maya’s face. “Wait, don’t tell me—” Her voice cut off abruptly. All expression on Maya’s face froze instantly, eyes widening in shock. Bright red blood sprayed from her slender neck. She opened her mouth, seeming to want to grab something, and fell straight forward. “Ah—” “Psycho—” “Murder—” Chaos erupted around us, screams filling the air. My mind went blank. A cold blade plunged fiercely into my back. The immense impact made me stumble forward. I turned my head in excruciating pain— It was that masked man! Those eyes were staring straight at me. Why! Why did we meet him again this time! He roared like a beast: “B*tches!” “You all deserve to die!” 3 In my past life, he was the same. While stripping Maya, he kept cursing. “Deserved!” “I’m doing God’s work!” “Women deserve to die!” As if he harbored monstrous hatred. But we didn’t even know him… Opening my eyes again, I gasped for air. Looking around, I was back in the convenience store. The clock on the wall read 7:15 PM. Maya’s voice rang out again: “Take a shortcut? Don’t you want to catch Grey’s Anatomy at 7:30?” I immediately rushed inside the store, turning back to Maya: “I want to see what snacks they have.” Maya followed me in, looking puzzled: “Weird. Usually, you can’t even miss the opening theme.” I thought hard. Maybe that killer just wanted to commit a random crime? Not finding anyone in the alley, he went to the main street. In the first timeline, when the police found him, he had already committed suicide at home. The police came to my house with a photo asking if I knew him. I had never seen the man in the photo. Neither Maya nor I could have known him. It shouldn’t be a revenge killing… I read in detective novels that people like him might just hate society. So this time, we’ll stay in the store a bit longer. Surely we can avoid him, right? 4 I touched every bag of chips on the shelf, picked it up, put it down. That summer, the packaging for Lay’s chips hadn’t changed yet. In elementary school, Maya, being in middle school, had a daily allowance of two dollars. It was a huge sum to me. I pestered her to buy me chips. One bag each. It tasted better than any Michelin-starred meal. “Miss.” A little boy looked up and pleaded: “Can you help me get the magic pills?” I froze: “Magic pills?” Maya chuckled, reaching up to grab a pack of Maltesers and handing it to the boy. The boy jumped happily: “With these magic pills, mom and I can live forever!” Magic pills… I used to chase Maya around, shouting spells from Harry Potter. The sunset completely covered the small shop. Memories of the past glowed golden in the evening light. Interrupted suddenly by the shop owner’s voice— “What do you need?” Then a raspy voice: “Lighter.” The owner said lazily: “Two bucks.” I instinctively peeked out from the aisle. It was him. He was still wearing a mask! He took the lighter, excitement flashing in his eyes, and unscrewed the cap of the water bottle in his hand. The owner shouted: “Hey! What are you doing!” Immense fear struck me. I screamed at the top of my lungs: “Run!” “He’s crazy!” But it was too late. The convenience store was instantly engulfed in flames. The smile on Maya’s face was replaced by terror in a split second. A woman’s cry came from outside. “Save my son! He’s only five, he’s still inside!” “Please, save him!” … 5 4 dead, 1 injured in the convenience store fire. In this sudden disaster, I was the sole survivor. Burns covering 90% of my body left me lying in a hospital bed all day. Sinking into endless regret. My self-righteousness not only failed to save Maya… But killed more innocent people. In the first timeline, the memory of the shop owner giving us wedding candy was still vivid. Her face was all smiles: “My brat is finally getting married! You all must come to the wedding next month!” And now? She would never see her son get married. And that little boy, his mom used to complain to neighbors at the street corner: “All he does is play! Got a zero on his test! I’m so mad.” Just yesterday, she jumped from the roof, leaving a long letter on the table. She said in her next life, she still wants to be his mom. I killed them. My parents’ hair turned white overnight. My once-talkative father became silent, and my mother’s eyes were swollen like walnuts, yet she forced herself to comfort me: “Don’t be scared, Dodo… being alive is good, being alive is good…” “Mom and Dad will always be with you…” Neighbors whispered at the door: “Sigh, the Luo family is cursed. Their eldest daughter could have gone to Ivy League.” “Exactly. The younger one got into a top high school too, and now…” “How will they live… a good family, ruined.” Yes. A good family ruined. I am everyone’s curse. Why wasn’t it me who died? Maya’s classmates, some held acceptance letters from top universities, becoming elites in big tech companies years later. Some became influencers with millions of followers. Some started businesses, went abroad, started families… Only my sister. Only she was left forever, lonely, in that hottest summer. When I was about to drown in despair, a man in uniform entered the ward. He walked to my bed, holding a photo of a man, looking solemn: “Do you know this person?” That face… I wanted to tear him to pieces! In the first timeline. They had already asked me with this photo. The man in the photo had an extremely ordinary, dull face. Corners of his mouth slightly drooping. Looked like he was about our age. I searched my memory for this face again. But I really didn’t know him. I shook my head. The police officer frowned tightly. His next words made me gasp. “However, when we investigated his home, we found something extremely unusual.” “His room was covered with photos of your sister!” My heart stopped. “And in his diary, we found a lot of content about your sister. He described your sister, Maya, as his girlfriend.” “Think carefully, did your sister ever mention this person?” No! Impossible! Absolutely impossible! She said before college, she would only focus on her studies! I struggled, wanting to ask more— What else was written in his diary? What was his motive? The police officer’s lips were still moving, but I couldn’t hear any sound. My vision went black.

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My mom never let me eat junk food. After getting sucked into a horror game, I found myself hiding in a convenience store, a double cheeseburger in one hand and a large boba milk tea in the other. While other players were scrambling for their lives as the Final Boss descended, I was determined to die on a full stomach. I didn’t stop chewing. Suddenly, the Boss roared: “Bean! You’re eating that trash again?!” Holy crap. Mom? 1 It took me exactly 0.1 seconds to accept my fate after getting pulled into this survival horror game. Why? Because I got lucky. I spawned in a convenience store. I looked around. Potato chips, fried chicken, burgers, pizza… It was all seducing me. My mom never let me touch this stuff. She called it “garbage for your gut.” But then she died, I became an orphan, and I was too broke to afford it anyway. A player next to me whispered, trembling, “There’s definitely something wrong with this food! Don’t fall for it! Everything in a horror game is a trap!” Really? I looked at the burger sitting right in front of me. It smelled heavenly. My stomach growled. Grrr. It’s just a cute little burger. What could possibly go wrong? Eating poison is better than starving to death. So, I picked it up and took a huge bite. Juicy patty, fresh lettuce—satisfaction. I demolished the burger in seconds, then reached for a bag of chips. Crunch. So crisp. So salty. I washed it down with a grape-flavored boba tea. Life was good. Seeing me eat with such gusto, the others started getting restless. “Is it actually safe?” “I’ve run so many dungeons, I’ve never seen edible food.” “But… look how happy she looks.” They stared at me. When I reached for a pack of spicy jerky, they finally broke. “Give me that self-heating hot pot!” “I want the strawberry milk!” “Pass me the cup noodles! Beef flavor!” The store was instantly filled with the aroma of MSG and grease. But a second later, they all started puking. “What the hell?! There’s hair in these noodles! Blargh.” “This isn’t milk… Gag… it’s… blood…” “Help! Get it away! There are fingers in this box! And an eyeball!” I stared at the mess in front of them, dumbfounded. The spicy jerky in my hand hadn’t changed. It was oily, spicy, and delicious. Definitely just jerky. The others looked at me with suspicion. “Yours is fine?” I offered a piece kindly. “You can try it.” They backed away like I was the plague. “This is sus. Why does she get special treatment?” “I heard this dungeon buffs little girls. It’s creepy.” Suddenly, someone had a dark thought. Their eyes glinted cold. “Hey… what if we kill her?” “Then her inventory becomes ours.” My cheeks were stuffed like a chipmunk. “Huh? Me?” Tears instantly streamed down my face. I garbled out, “Don’t kill me! I have no dad, no mom, I just wanted a full meal for once! Can’t you let me live a little longer?” Look, when you’re out in the world, sometimes you gotta play the pathetic card. A big, burly guy couldn’t watch anymore. He stepped in. “Forget it. Why are you bullying a little girl? Even if you take her stuff, who says you can eat it?” “The Boss hasn’t even shown up yet. One more person is one more meat shield.” And just like that, they didn’t kill me. For three days, I didn’t take a single step out of that store. After some testing, we realized that only the hot dogs I personally grilled were safe to eat. So, I set up a stall. The others protected me. I fed them. 2 This horror game ran on a points system. More points meant stronger skills. Reach 10,000 points, and you get to return to the real world. Everyone else earned points by fighting ghosts. I earned points by selling sizzling hot dogs. Sell one, eat one as a reward. One day, everyone went out to hunt, leaving me alone in the store. Suddenly, the door was smashed open. My sign—”Sizzling Dogs, 2 Points Each”—fell to the ground and shattered. I was furious. But the intruders were holding high-level weapons and looked like they meant business. I immediately turned into a coward. Their leader grinned, “There really are supplies here! Haha, and they only left one girl to guard it.” “Get her. Kill her, and this place is ours.” Kill me? Again? I was out of options. Just as his blade was about to come down on my head, a mechanical chime rang through the air. [DING.] [ATTENTION PLAYERS. THE DUNGEON BOSS IS APPROACHING.] [WARNING! WARNING!] A Boss? Since when did this game have a roaming Boss? Wait, if the Boss is coming, what do I do? I can’t fight. I can’t run. I hesitated for exactly one second before deciding to just lay flat. Whatever. Everyone dies eventually. The gang panicked. “I thought the Boss was dormant! Why is it awake?” “Just our luck! Why now?” “Boss, think of something!” “I don’t want to die here! I want to go home!” They tried to run, but an invisible force locked everyone inside the store. But… this pressure felt weirdly familiar to me. I took a bite of a hot dog. Yeah, definitely familiar. I took a sip of boba. Tsk. I remembered. This chill down my spine was the exact feeling I got when my mom used to catch me sneaking snacks. The store was enveloped in a dark gloom. The bad guys were paralyzed with fear, collapsing on the floor. I leaned against the counter, ignoring the black fog creeping toward me. “Hmph. If I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die full.” Burp. “Man, I actually kinda miss my mom. Will I see her if I die?” Thinking of that possibility, I wasn’t scared anymore. My appetite surged. I reached under the table for a hidden chocolate bar. I wanted to die sweet. Suddenly, a furious voice exploded from the air: “Gu Bean! You are eating that trash again!” Holy crap. Mom?! Reflexively, I hid the snacks behind my back. I looked around. Nothing but black fog. I whispered tentatively, “Mom?” “Mom, is that you?!” My mom was dead. Does your mom really come to pick you up before you die? That’s awesome! Tears of joy shot out of my eyes. I screamed, “Mommy! You finally came for me!” “Mommy, Mommy, where are you?” “I was wrong! I won’t sneak snacks anymore!” “Mommy look, I grew taller! Oh, and I got first place in my finals! Teacher says I’m smart, I can definitely get into an Ivy League school!” “Mommy, I’m gonna make so much money, you won’t have to work anymore!” But no matter how much I shouted, there was no response. The black fog thickened. I started to suffocate. Death was closing in, but Mom wasn’t answering. I felt sad. I mumbled, “Mommy… I miss you so much.” Fate is cruel. I was adopted. Mom raised me all on her own. When I started middle school, she ran into a robber on her way home from work. She died on the spot. I became an orphan again. Then, on my sixteenth birthday, while buying a slice of cake, I got stabbed by some psycho taking revenge on society. Everyone enters the horror game for a reason. The rule is: escape the game, revive in reality. I didn’t really care about living. I just missed my mom. Suddenly, a human shape materialized in the black fog. A red floral dress. Gentle features. Kind eyes. She stood in front of me, stunned for a long moment, before whispering, “Bean… you’ve grown so big.” 3 It really was Mom! I threw myself at her, but instead of a warm hug, I felt like I was drowning. I couldn’t breathe. Mom quickly stepped back. “Sorry, sorry! Bean, I forgot. I can’t hold you tight right now.” She was one with the black fog. The tighter she held me, the more fog I inhaled, the faster I suffocated. I had so much to say to her. She glanced at the snacks around me and started counting, frowning deeply. “Five hot dog sticks, two bottles of milk, three instant hot pots, three bags of chips… Bean, you’re eating too much.” I felt guilty. “I can’t help it, Mom. I was hungry.” “And you never let me eat this stuff before, so I lost control…” Mom interrupted me. “Eat. Just eat. Do you feel sick anywhere?” My stomach used to be incredibly sensitive. Before Mom adopted me, I ate out of garbage cans. It ruined my gut. As a kid, even an egg would make me throw up. That’s why Mom controlled my diet so strictly. Science-based feeding. Once, I snuck some spicy strips and ended up in the ER, puking and having diarrhea. I saw Mom crying secretly that night. I never asked for junk food again. But weirdly, eating all this trash in the game didn’t hurt at all. I ate, slept, ate again. I was living the life of a piglet. Mom sighed in relief, then looked at me seriously. “Bean, are you willing to come find me?” I nodded furiously. “Yes! Yes! Yes! Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!” Mom said her current form was just a projection. Her real self was somewhere else. She gave me a route and put a Peace Amulet around my neck. She said it could block death once. Before she left, she wasn’t reassured, so she spawned a massive pile of food out of thin air. “Bean, remember what I told you. Eat well, sleep on time, drink water. And… be a coward when you need to be. Don’t worry, Mom will protect you.” Mom’s figure blurred, her voice fading. Finally, the black fog retreated like a tide. Looking at the unchanged store, I felt dazed. Did I really just see Mom? “Bean! Are you okay?!” My companions were back. The one calling me was the burly guy, Big Mike. There were corpses scattered on the floor, blood everywhere. The bandits were dead. But the ground around my feet was spotless. Big Mike was nervous. “Kid, how did these guys die? Did the Boss show up? How… how are you alive?” The others looked at me with new suspicion. The amulet on my neck felt warm. I grinned at Big Mike. “My mom told me to go find her. Will you guys come with me?” Mom said it wasn’t safe alone. I needed bodyguards. Besides, without my hot dogs, they couldn’t eat anything safe. So I laid out my terms: “Come with me, and I’ll cover your meals.” No one wanted to starve to death in a horror game. But after hearing the route, Big Mike hesitated. “Bean… the route you described… it’s full of Triple-S Rank anomalies.” 4 Huh? Is it hard? No wonder Mom gave me a skill: Infinite Hot Dog Spawning. Sprinkle some chili powder… chef’s kiss. Mom was definitely afraid I’d go hungry. Big Mike thought about it and said, “Bean, I know you miss your mom. But is it possible that wasn’t your mom? What if it’s a demon tricking you?” Would it? Trick me for what? Scamming a minor is highly unethical. Besides, I’d made up my mind. Even if it was a scammer, I was going. What if it was Mom? Big Mike hesitated, then slammed his fist into his palm. “Screw it. I’ll go!” I was surprised. Big Mike smiled, though his eyes were tearing up. “The nearby monsters give low points. I can’t waste time… My wife is waiting for me.” Mentioning his wife, a blush appeared on his dark, rugged face. Hearing this, others stepped up. “I’ll go too. My kid is waiting. She’s only six!” “I’m in. This place is hell, I’m not sitting here waiting to die.” “Take me!” “I’m following the Hot Dog Princess. I don’t wanna starve.” Soon, our squad arrived at the first stop: The Lame Old Lady’s Cabin. As soon as we approached, the smell of rot hit us. Grey skies. Broken windows. Howling wind. A crow in a tree cawed, shook its wings, and flew off. The others circled me (the cook) for protection. Big Mike warned, “The Lame Old Lady is high level. A fully geared team of a hundred was wiped out here once. Careful.” The temperature dropped. Everyone hugged their arms. “Why is it so cold?” “Where is she? Show yourself!” The rickety wooden door slammed shut behind us. Bang. A rasping, slow voice came from the house: “Kind travelers… can you help me build a fire?” The Lame Old Lady appeared. Her face was drooping, features indistinguishable, covered in black blood. We froze. Suddenly, she raged, her voice piercing: “You won’t even help with a small favor? Then die!” A gale force wind blew. The old lady moved with unnatural speed, growing several times in size. Players hacked at her with axes and knives. Because the commotion attracted nearby players wanting to steal the boss kill, the scene became chaotic. I huddled in a safe corner. I noticed something. The more people attacked her, the stronger she got. Eventually, her voice boomed: “You all deserve to die! Be buried with me!” Screams echoed. Blood stained the ground. Bodies vanished after death, leaving only stains. In the end, only a few people managed to drag me out. Big Mike was heavily injured. He leaned against a tree in our camp, crying. “Honey… I don’t think I can make it back…” Recalling what happened, I had a theory. At midnight, I clutched the amulet. While everyone slept, I snuck back to the Lame Old Lady’s cabin. Here, the sky was permanently stuck in twilight. The old lady was by the well, drawing water. Sensing me, her body didn’t move, but her head spun 180 degrees. She grinned stiffly. “Young one… can you help me carry the water inside? I want to take a bath.”

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My mom has a brain tumor. My dad just got laid off. Meanwhile, the billionaire trust-fund baby I’m dating is pretending to be broke, making me DoorDash to support him. I overheard him joking with his friends: “The delivery girl is the best kind. She puts out on the first date without costing me a dime.” “You act a little pathetic, and she feels sorry for you. She’s practically paying me to date her.” My heart shattered. But then, a notification chimed in my ear: [Congratulations, Host. You have bound the “Pretend Poor, Get 100x Cashback” System.] [From now on, every cent you spend on Julian will be returned to your account 100x.] That night, I bought him a $1,500 tie. As my bank balance exploded by the millions, I overheard him complaining to a friend: “So annoying. I lost a $150,000 watch at the golf course this afternoon.” 1 I was delivering an order to an exclusive private members’ club when I saw my boyfriend sitting in the center of the VIP booth. He waved his hand and popped a bottle of vintage wine worth $50,000. That was two years of my salary. I desperately wanted to convince myself that it wasn’t Julian. But he was wearing the cheap, clearance-rack shirt I had bought him. Someone looked him up and down, laughing. “Julian, you’ve been playing the ‘starving artist’ game with that delivery girl for two years. Aren’t you bored yet?” “You don’t get it.” He swirled his wine glass, looking every bit the arrogance prince he was. “These girls who’ve been single since birth are pure. They’re naive, clean. She gave it up without me spending a penny.” “She actually feels bad for me. She rushes to spend her own money on me. She’s not like those gold diggers who only want cash.” He paused, the corner of his lips curling up. “Honestly, after a while, it gets kind of addictive.” The people around him burst into laughter. “That’s hilarious. She’s cheaper than a hooker!” “Julian talks a big game, but he was ruthless when he fired her dad.” “Yeah, her mom’s sick, her dad’s laid off, and Julian’s pretending to be unemployed while she feeds him. Isn’t that a bit cruel?” I trembled. I never realized that Julian was that Julian—heir to the Sterling Group. My dad had worked at a Sterling subsidiary his whole life. Six months ago, he was fired for no reason. My dad aged ten years overnight. I felt a sting in my nose. I didn’t understand why Julian would do this. But Julian, sitting on the velvet sofa, just laughed lightly. “If I don’t make her life hard, how can I test how much she loves me?” The room roared with laughter again. “True. Poor people are used to suffering anyway. A little more won’t kill them.” “So Julian is just building her character. Did the delivery girl say thank you?” The laughter was piercing. Julian’s mocking expression was the knife. My heart ached violently, and then, a mechanical voice rang in my brain: [Congratulations, Host. You have awakened the Pretend Poor 100x Cashback System.] [From now on, every penny you spend on Julian will be legally returned to your account at 100 times the value.] [Please confirm binding.] I looked at Julian in the booth. Someone asked him, “Of all the women you’ve tested, this delivery girl has lasted the longest, right?” “For real. You think this gutter rat might actually fly up the branch and become Mrs. Sterling?” Everyone looked at Julian. He just scoffed. “Who would be stupid enough to take a game seriously?” His tone was lazy, indifferent. “When I get bored, I’ll toss her a few bucks and dump her.” My heart died right there. [Beep. Countdown: 3 seconds. Please choose.] I didn’t hesitate. I gritted my teeth. “Bind the system.” 2 The moment I stepped out of the club, my parents called. “Chloe, honey, don’t send so much money home…” “Keep it for yourself. If you starve, Mom and Dad will be heartbroken.” I looked down at the takeout orders hanging off my scooter. “It’s okay, Mom, Dad. I’m working on a big project recently. The company loves me. I have plenty of bonuses.” A guilty sigh came from the other end. “It’s all my fault. If I wasn’t so useless, if the company hadn’t fired me, you wouldn’t have to work so hard.” I held back tears. My dad worked hard his whole life. Julian treated his livelihood like a game, a prop for his twisted amusement. Why do the poor deserve to be played with like this? I clenched my fist, hatred burning in my chest. On the other end of the line, I heard a suppressed groan of pain. “Mom, is your head hurting again?” She was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor years ago. Not immediately fatal, but agonizing. She needed imported painkillers just to function. The only cure was surgery. Surgery that cost a fortune—at least $150,000 to start. My mom tried to hide it, but her voice was shaking. My eyes were wet, but my voice was steady. “Mom, don’t worry. I will cure you.” After hanging up, I called Julian immediately. “Jules, where are you?” The background noise on his end was loud, but he didn’t skip a beat. “I’m waiting for an interview. Is it urgent?” My voice smiled, but my eyes were cold. “Come home early tonight. I have a surprise for you.” 3 When Julian came home, he hugged me from behind. He tilted his head. “What surprise?” I smiled, acting mysterious, and told him to close his eyes. Gently, I tied a tie around his neck. A niche luxury brand. A tie worth five figures. When he opened his eyes, he was genuinely surprised. He knew that spending $1,500 on a tie was an impossible luxury for someone like me. He stared at me, hesitating. His eyes asked, Why did you buy me something this expensive? I smiled innocently, rubbing his face. “Because you deserve the best.” Julian had once put this tie in his online cart, and I had accidentally seen it. Back then, he stammered, “I’ve never worn anything this nice. Just putting it in the cart to dream.” Julian seemed dazed. “Just because I mentioned it once?” I looked at him with total devotion. “If you say it, I take it to heart.” His gaze softened. The emotion on his face didn’t look fake. “Chloe.” He buried his face in my neck, murmuring. “You are so good to me.” I smirked, feeling satisfied. Because at that exact moment, the notification chimed in my head: [Congratulations, Host. $150,000 has been deposited into your bank account.] 4 Julian couldn’t stop touching the tie. He took a dozen selfies in the mirror before finally taking it off to shower. He left his phone wedged in the sofa cushions. I slid the screen open. I saw the message he sent to his “The Boys” group chat. He posted ten photos of the tie. “See this? The hillbilly bought it.” The group responded immediately: “Not bad. The delivery girl finally has some taste.” “She really spent it all, huh? That’s gotta be months of her wages.” “Running thousands of deliveries just to buy a tie. She’s obsessed with you, Julian.” Julian’s replies were smug. “I mentioned it once, and she remembered.” “Ask yourselves, which of your women would do that for you?” The group chimed in with envy: “I’m actually jealous. Maybe I should pretend to be poor to find a girl.” “I’m tempted. I’m tired of fancy meals; maybe I need a taste of something plain.” Nausea rolled in my stomach. I used to trust Julian so much I never checked his phone. If I had, I would have seen he had two accounts. One with monthly bills in the hundreds of thousands, posting luxury cars and parties. The other, pretending to be broke, posting only about me. I scrolled up. It got more disgusting. Julian pretended to be unemployed, eating my food, living in my apartment, faking sympathy: “Baby, I’m sorry I’m a burden. I’ll try hard to find a job so you don’t have to work so hard.” In reality, his “interviews” were just parties at high-end clubs. A single bottle of wine he opened for fun cost more than I made in years. He’d come home satisfied, pretend to be depressed about the “failed interview,” and test me: “I’m sorry, I’m useless. I don’t deserve you.” And stupid me, fresh from delivering orders under the scorching sun, would comfort him softly. Julian played me like a fiddle. All for that one line: “I want to test how much she loves me.” I put the phone down, disgusted. Julian walked out of the bathroom in a towel. He scanned the room. “Babe, have you seen my watch?” I shook my head. He frowned, cursing under his breath. “Damn it, must have lost it outside.” Julian loved reading watch magazines. I used to look at them with him. Once, I pointed at the watch on his wrist and a Patek Philippe in the magazine worth $150,000. “These look so similar.” “Dummy, it’s a high-quality fake.” He tapped my nose, smiling sweetly. “If this was actually worth a hundred grand, I’d pawn it immediately.” “I’d pay for Mom’s surgery so you wouldn’t have to work.” It was a lie, but it sounded sweet at the time. Now, it was just a joke. Who knew the watch was actually worth $150,000? Wait. $150,000? My heart skipped a beat. The System chimed in right on time: [Host is clever! You guessed right.] [The System is law-abiding. We don’t print money.] [The money returned to your account is actually drained from Julian’s assets.] 5 Julian lost a $150,000 watch. But he just shrugged it off. “Whatever, it’s just a watch. I’ll buy another one later.” I froze. $150,000. That was my mother’s life. I worked 9-to-6, delivered food at night, and did odd jobs on weekends. Three jobs. Six hours of sleep. I worked myself to the bone, and I still couldn’t scrape together the surgery fee. To him, it was a toy he didn’t mind losing. I stared at his back and smiled bitterly. Julian, oh Julian. You love pretending to be poor and playing me like a monkey? Since you love acting so much, I don’t mind making you actually poor. I started treating Julian like a king. Whatever he mentioned, whatever he wanted. I bought it. The System had reminded me: [Only money spent on items Julian actively requests or mentions will trigger the 100x return.] Maybe I was too good to him. His eyes started to change. He would often stare at me and ask seriously, “Chloe, why are you so good to me?” I would cup his face, faking pure adoration. “Because I love you 100%. I’d do anything for you.” He didn’t even realize he was falling for me. When my earnings hit $5 Million, the System unlocked a reward: Remote Monitoring. I could now see and hear Julian whenever I wanted. In the private club, Julian was back in the VIP seat. His bros were staring at the new watch on his wrist. “Julian, I thought you wouldn’t wear anything less than a Patek?” “Don’t remind me. I lost that thing.” Julian glanced at his new watch—a $5,000 piece I bought him—and actually smiled. “But honestly, after wearing flashy stuff for so long, something simple isn’t bad.” His friends weren’t stupid. Julian would never buy a “cheap” $5,000 watch. Someone bought it for him. They started mocking him. “It’s a cheap watch. Don’t tell me you’re falling for the delivery girl over some small favors?” “Exactly. Buying you gifts isn’t a real test. You need a big test!” “Poor people value money over life. If she’s willing to give you her mom’s surgery money, that’s true love!” Some people felt uncomfortable. “Come on, that’s too much. She saved that money for years. You want to ruin her family?” “Joking about her mom’s life is low.” “Chill,” someone laughed. “Does Julian need her pennies? It’s just a test. He’ll give it back.” “Yeah, if she passes, maybe Julian will actually reward her.” Julian twisted the watch on his wrist and smirked. “Fine. If she passes this test, I’ll reward her by making her my official girlfriend.” He scanned the room, his tone turning sharp. “And you’ll all have to call her Sister-in-law.” “If I hear anyone call her ‘delivery girl’ again, I’ll cut out your tongues.” Silence filled the room. When Julian left to pick me up from work, they started whispering again. “Julian is actually catching feelings for the delivery girl.” “He’s been living in a rental with her for two years instead of his mansion. It’s obvious.” “Maybe the hillbilly really will become Mrs. Sterling.” I laughed. Mrs. Sterling? If Julian keeps this up, he won’t be inheriting an empire. He’ll be inheriting an electric scooter to deliver noodles.

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