My whole class got sucked into a “Simp Battle Royale.” [Rule 1: All simps must die.] [Rule 2: Expose a simp to survive.] Upon hearing this, the class president immediately pointed at the drama club president. “I report her! Her boyfriend got caught cheating multiple times, and she forgave him every single time. I have the chat logs right here!” The drama club president looked shocked, opening her mouth to argue, but—pop—she instantly dropped dead. A golden “Immunity Token” materialized in the class president’s hand. Seeing this, chaos erupted. Everyone started pointing fingers, screaming accusations. The classroom turned into a bloodbath. I watched, heart pounding in my throat. Suddenly, my roommate’s ex-boyfriend raised his hand and pointed straight at me. “I report Leeann! She’s a huge simp too! She deserves to die!” 1. My heart skipped a beat. “What are you talking about? I don’t even have a boyfriend! How can I be a simp?” But Brad, my roommate Jessica’s ex, glared at me with pure hatred. “I don’t care! I’m reporting her!” The system paused for a moment before pinging: [Reporter, please submit evidence.] Brad’s eyes widened in confusion. “Evidence? No one said I needed evidence!” The next second, Brad exploded. Literally. Blood splattered everywhere. Jessica screamed, a high-pitched wail of terror as she watched her ex turn into a red mist. System: [Reporters must provide evidence. False accusations result in immediate termination.] The room froze. People who were about to blindly accuse others slowly lowered their hands. Jessica stared at the spot where Brad used to be, dazed. I reached out to comfort her, but she slapped my hand away. “This is all your fault! If it wasn’t for you, he wouldn’t be dead!” Jessica screamed, her face twisted with hate. “We broke up because you told me to! And now he’s dead because of you!” “You ruined everything!” Her accusations hit me like a bucket of ice water. We were classmates. Jessica and I were roommates. Back then, she was the one constantly complaining about him to us. “Brad is so annoying! I don’t get what’s going on with him and his ex!” “I checked his phone yesterday. He’s liking all her posts again.” “No DMs, but who knows if he deleted them?” We’d try to offer advice, but she’d instantly defend him. “But I know Brad. He’s a good guy deep down. Nothing happened.” After a few rounds of this, we learned to shut up. But two days later, she’d be throwing her phone again. “Ugh! He met up with his ex yesterday!” “He said it was just lunch, nothing else.” “Should I believe him?” Knowing her pattern, we stayed silent. Every time she complained, she’d turn around and make up with him, making us look like the bad guys for doubting their “true love.” But silence wasn’t enough for her. She grabbed my arm, forcing me to look at her. “Leeann, tell me! Should I break up with him?” I saw she was still on a voice call with Brad. I didn’t dare say anything definitive. “I don’t know… it’s between you two. Just think it over carefully.” “Think it over?” Brad’s furious voice boomed from the phone. “Think about what? Breaking up?” “Leeann, you snake! You just can’t stand to see other people happy!” “You’d love it if we broke up, wouldn’t you?” I was screaming internally. I never said break up! I said think about it! Jessica couldn’t win the argument with him, so she hung up and cried all night. Our dorm took turns comforting her until dawn. The next day, we all looked like zombies with dark circles under our eyes. And Jessica? She put on a full face of makeup and went on a date with him. We were speechless. But then, the cycle repeated. Jessica came back broken again. She was fine during the day, but the moment the clock struck midnight, the waterworks started. She cried for a month. None of us slept. Eventually, we learned Brad dumped her to chase his ex again. He failed, obviously. Now all three of them were miserable. But Jessica didn’t blame Brad. She blamed us for the breakup. She probably told Brad we forced her to break up with him. That’s why Brad hated me enough to try and kill me to save himself. And now Jessica was screaming, “You killed my boyfriend! You pay for this!” I looked at her, my heart turning cold. If she was going to be ruthless, so was I. I spoke to the System. “I report Jessica. Her boyfriend was emotionally cheating with his ex, and she knew but pretended not to see it.” “Even after he dumped her, she tried to get back together.” “Check her chat logs with him. It’s all there.” Under her terrified gaze, I smiled. “I won’t tell you to break up this time.” “Go be with him in hell. Forever.” System: [Audit passed.] In a flash, Jessica dropped dead. 2. A golden Immunity Token appeared in my hand. I looked around. Out of forty students, less than twenty were left. Some died for being simps. Others died for failing to report one. Listening to the reasons, I realized my classmates’ love lives were a mess. Amidst the carnage, I gripped my token tight. In this game, being a gossip queen was a survival skill. Being out of the loop was deadly. Take Sarah, the rich girl who spent every holiday traveling and ignored everyone. She was panicking. She stood there, teeth clenched, thinking hard. Finally, she spoke up. “I report myself! I’m a simp!” “I always fall for deadbeats, spend all my money on them, and get cheated on.” “Even after breaking up, I beg them to come back.” Sarah pulled out her bank transfer records. “Here’s the proof!” Everyone froze. Is she suicidal? Seeing our confusion, Sarah smiled nervously. “There’s a bug, don’t you see?” “Simps must die. But reporting a simp grants life.” “If I report myself, the merit cancels out the sin, right? I survive!” The System paused, seemingly processing this logic. In the terrifying silence, several others who couldn’t find anyone to report followed her lead and reported themselves. A second later, they all—including Sarah—exploded. System: [Repeating Rule 1: All simps must die. Immediately.] Boom. Only fifteen people left. We looked at each other in horror. Once identified as a simp, it was instant death. No loopholes. 3. The remaining fifteen of us were ushered into the next round. My Immunity Token vanished. System: [Round 2: Multiple Choice.] [Identify which of the following statements indicates a true breakup.] [A. We’re done. I will never get back with him. If I take him back, I’m a dog.] [B. This time it’s real. Trust me. This is absolutely the last time. We are completely over.] [C. We broke up. He said he doesn’t love me anymore.] [Please choose.] The class president, Chloe, spoke first. “Easy. ‘Shortest answer is usually right.’ It’s C. Plus, C sounds dead inside. Probably real.” The vice president, Mark, disagreed. “This isn’t the SATs, Chloe. No patterns here.” “I think it’s B. The tone is so firm. Definitely real.” The academic decathlon winner, David, shrugged. “I could argue A is the most sincere because it’s the longest. I choose A.” Bella, the class beauty with the most dating experience, laughed. “At a time like this, just look at the content.” “What do you mean?” Chloe frowned. Bella didn’t answer. She turned to the System. “Can I choose now?” System: [Yes.] Bella said something confidently. We saw her lips move, but no sound came out. The System muted her. We couldn’t cheat by copying. [Answer correct. Proceed to next level.] Bella vanished. That was correct? The rest of us exchanged glances. “What did she pick?” Mark asked. No one knew. The gym jock, Mike, waved his hand. “There are only three options. Let’s just brute force it.” “At worst, two people die. The rest survive.” Easy to say, but who volunteers to be the canary in the coal mine? Silence. Mike grit his teeth. “Nobody? Fine.” He turned to a quiet kid in the corner, Tom. “You go.” Tom was poor and Mike bullied him often. Usually, Mike would pay him off afterwards, so Tom endured it. “If you try it, I’ll pay for your sister’s college tuition,” Mike promised. Tom’s eyes lit up. He hesitated. His sister was in high school. College was expensive. Mike was rich. “Five seconds,” Mike said coldly. “If you don’t, I’ll sue you for all the money I gave you before.” Carrot and stick. Tom turned pale. He couldn’t pay that back. “Five, four, three…” “I’ll do it!” Tom cried. “I choose C.” “The simpler the statement, the heavier the meaning. I think C is right.” He summoned the System. His lips moved silently. System: [Answer incorrect. Immediate termination.] Tom’s eyes bulged in terror. He looked at Mike one last time, hoping he’d keep his promise. Then he was gone. Mike patted his chest, relieved it wasn’t him. He forced another student to try. That student picked A. “The longest one has the most detail!” System: [Incorrect.] Dead. Mike grinned. “So the answer is B.” 4. He summoned the System with total confidence. “I choose.” He spoke his answer. To everyone’s shock, the System boomed: [Answer incorrect. Immediate termination.] Mike exploded. “Impossible!” Chloe screamed. “We tried all three options!” David was sweating bullets. “They were muted when they chose.” “Maybe one of them lied about what option they picked? Maybe they tried to trick us?” “We might have been played.” Panic set in. According to David, everyone before us was unreliable. Only Mike seemed honest because he thought he had the answer key. So B is definitely wrong. It’s still a 50/50 shot between A and C. David wanted to force more people to test, but the muting made it useless. We’d never know what they actually picked. We had to guess blind. Mark frowned. “Screw it. I’m picking.” Several others followed suit, unwilling to overthink it. They all died. Chloe looked confused. “This doesn’t make sense. Statistically, someone should have picked the right one by luck.” She lowered her head, thinking. Suddenly, her brow cleared. “I know.” She spoke to the System. [Answer correct. Proceed to next level.] Chloe vanished. Watching her leave, I remembered Bella’s words: “Just look at the content.” I finally understood. “System, I’m ready to choose.”

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I ordered the first pumpkin spice latte of the season. One sip, and a strange, fishy smell shot straight to my brain. Something was wrong. I immediately messaged the shop. The owner swore up and down that everything was sealed and sanitary, even sending a video of the process to prove his innocence. To show his sincerity, he sent me a fresh one for free. But this time, I received a DM from the delivery driver: [Tsk. Is my special sauce that good? You want another cup?] [Wait for me. I’m coming up! I’ll give it to you fresh…] Boom! My brain exploded. That fishy smell was… My hands shook as I dialed 911. But the next second, a slimy, excited male voice came from outside my door: “Hey beautiful, didn’t you want your latte? Open the door and sign for it!” 01 My heart hammered against my ribs. I knew I had encountered a predator. Suppressing my fear, I tiptoed to the door. Through the peephole, I saw a man in a yellow delivery uniform. His cap was pulled low, hiding most of his face. He stood motionless outside my door, holding a takeout bag. I was terrified. I didn’t dare make a sound. With trembling fingers, I texted 911. Only when I got the confirmation reply did I relax my grip on the phone, realizing my palms were slick with sweat. I absolutely could not open the door before the police arrived. BANG! BANG! BANG! The sudden pounding made me jump. “What the hell? Are you not home?” The driver’s voice rose, laced with agitation. He kicked the door hard. The frame shook violently, and I almost screamed. I clamped my hand over my mouth. The driver scratched his head aggressively. “So boring. I rejected ten other orders just to come here. Thought I could have some fun. Just my luck!” SPLAT. He smashed the latte onto the floor. Watching him turn to leave, I started to relax— Then my phone rang at max volume! 02 Shit! I forgot to mute it! I fumbled with the phone, pressing the wrong buttons in my panic. By the time I silenced it and looked back through the peephole, I was staring directly into a bloodshot eye. I stumbled back two steps. I quickly covered the peephole with my hand. “Hey beautiful, so you are home. Why don’t you come out and get your order?” His disgusting voice seeped through the door. I quickly pulled up a recording of a deep male voice I kept for emergencies. “Just leave it at the door.” He paused, clearly not expecting a man inside. But he persisted: “No can do. Boss said this is a remake, I have to watch you check it personally.” I played the next recording, more aggressive this time: “I said leave it at the door! Stop yapping or I’ll come out there and wreck you!” It worked. His voice instantly turned submissive: “S-sorry bro! I’m leaving!” He stuttered. “L-latte is here. Please don’t give a bad review!” I counted his fading footsteps. Until I heard the elevator ding. Only then did I collapse on the floor, gasping for air. 03 The hallway was dead silent. Even the mechanical hum of the elevator was gone. Just the thumping of my own heart. I gathered my courage to look through the peephole again. But it was pitch black. Like something was blocking it. My blood froze. A chill shot up my spine. Did he really leave? Or was he squatting right outside the door, waiting for me? The thought made me shiver. Suddenly, my phone buzzed in my pocket. A DM from the driver: [You’re naughty. You’re alone, right? Trying to trick me?] [So slutty, wearing red heels. Since you’re too shy to open the door, I had to release some tension on your shoes first.] [Look. All my essence. You drank it earlier too. Thick and creamy, right?] [Image attached] The photo loaded. My shoes outside the door were covered in a suspicious milky liquid, glistening under the hallway lights. Thinking about what I had just swallowed… My stomach convulsed violently. I clamped a hand over my mouth, but couldn’t stop the retching. I doubled over and vomited on the floor. The sour smell filled the entryway. “Ooh, little beauty, did you throw up?” His sickening laugh came from right outside the door. “Why pretend to be innocent? Living alone in a fancy apartment like this? Who knows how many men you’ve swallowed.” Fighting the nausea, I shook with rage. “You’re sick! I called the cops! Get lost!” “Hahaha…” His laughter grew manic. “I tampered with the elevator. 43rd floor… by the time the cops climb up here… hehe.” He wasn’t even afraid of the police? What do I do? He paced back and forth. Step. Step. Step. Each sound stomped on my heart. “You think you’re safe in there?” His voice was right against the crack of the door. I could smell the stale cigarette smoke on his breath. “I checked. You’re the only one living on this floor…” My heart sank. Buying this condo drained my savings. To save money on rent, I moved in the day I got the keys. Management wasn’t fully set up. Most units were empty. It was a workday. The building was a hollow shell. And he knew it. “Baby…” His voice turned sickly sweet. I heard his hand caressing the door. “Don’t worry. I’ve got good technique. I’ll make you feel amazing.” Regret washed over me. If I hadn’t ordered that damn latte, would none of this be happening? 04 A faint metallic scratching sound came from the lock. I froze, pressing my ear to the cold door. That— That was the click of a key sliding in! He was trying to pick the lock! It had been eight minutes since I called 911. The police needed time. The floor was empty. No one would hear me scream. The click-clack of the lock tumbling grew urgent. No! I can’t let him in! I scrambled to the console table, my shaking fingers barely able to hold my own keys. It took several tries to jam my key into the lock from the inside. I pushed the sofa against the door with everything I had. Then the coffee table. I gripped my pepper spray like a lifeline. This was my last stand. The picking noise outside got frantic. I stared at the handle, watching it vibrate violently as he tried to brute force it. Suddenly— SNAP! A crisp sound of metal breaking. “Fuck!” He cursed, throwing his tools on the ground. Footsteps receded. Did he give up? My legs gave out, and I slid to the floor. My shirt was soaked with cold sweat, clinging to my skin. Ten minutes later. Rapid knocking. “Hello, Ma’am? Police. Did you call 911? Please open the door.” I let out a long breath, standing up on shaky legs. I dragged the heavy furniture away. Just as my hand touched the handle— A thought flashed through my mind. Wait! He said he broke the elevator. 43 floors. How did the cops get here so fast? And why wasn’t he out of breath? “What’s going on?” The “cop” outside sounded impatient, pounding harder. “Didn’t you call us? Open up or we’re leaving!” I bit my lip hard, forcing myself to think. “O-officer.” My voice trembled uncontrollably. “Please remove the thing blocking my peephole… I… I need to see your badge…” Silence outside. Seconds later. That familiar voice returned. “Wow, you’re smarter than you look.” His tone was maniacal. “Let’s play a game. Room Escape? You try to escape, and I try to get in!”

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My breakup with my ex-boyfriend was ugly. The year he loved me the most, I took three million dollars from his mother, aborted our child, and betrayed him. He knelt outside the operating room, crying and begging me not to be so cruel. He said he would hate me forever. Six years later, we met again. He had found a beautiful girlfriend from a prestigious family and was about to get married. And I, at my lowest point, went to him to borrow some money. He forced me to attend his wedding, wanting me to watch him marry another woman. He asked me, “Do you regret it?” He didn’t know that I had raised our child alone. And that child was sick and dying. 1. Six years after the breakup, I reunited with Julian in the most humiliating way possible. It was a class reunion. No one expected Julian to show up. Someone joked, “Boss Julian never keeps in touch. Why did he suddenly decide to come this year?” “Did you hear Chloe was coming and still have feelings for her?” I sat in the corner, my back stiffening. I looked up to see Julian with a cigarette in his mouth, staring at me coldly. Everyone knew how much Julian loved me back then. He was the young master of a wealthy family, but he fell in love with me at first sight. That year, he cut ties with his family for me. He gave up power and money, fighting desperately to be with me. We lived in a tiny rental apartment, sharing a single cup of instant noodles or a bowl of porridge. It was hard, but we were happy. Every intimate night, we interlaced our fingers and swore to be together forever. Until later, when I got pregnant. His mother gave me three million dollars to abort the child and leave him. That day, Julian knelt outside the operating room, pounding on the door. He cried and begged me over and over: “Baby, please! I’ll work hard, I’ll make money, I’ll support the family. I’ll earn many, many three millions for you to spend, okay?” “Please, don’t leave me, don’t give up on our child…” I lay on the operating table, biting my lip hard to keep from crying out. Through a thin door, I listened as Julian said he would hate me for the rest of his life. 2. No one knew just how ugly our breakup was. People were pushing me towards Julian, laughing and asking him, “Boss Julian used to love Chloe more than his own life. How could he bear to let her go?” Everyone was egging us on, talking about getting back together. Julian’s friend glanced at me with a sneer and suddenly said, “What kind of woman can’t Boss Julian get? Who does Chloe think she is to make my bro pine for her?” He said there was a woman who had been with Julian for three years. That woman was gentler and prettier than me, more suited to be Julian’s girlfriend. Julian had been with her for three years, and his friends all called her “sister-in-law.” Rumor had it they were getting married soon. The laughter stopped, except for Julian’s friend, who was still smiling and inviting everyone to Julian’s wedding. He threw the invitation at me. It hit my face and fell into my lap. I looked down and saw Julian’s name on it. Next to his was another girl’s name. Her name was Sophia. It sounded like the name of a good girl. I thought she must be more sensible and obedient than me, better at caring for people, and wouldn’t make Julian sad all the time. Six years apart, meeting again after a long time… knowing Julian is doing well is enough. I held back the tears that were threatening to fall, looked up, and said to Julian: “Congratulations.” Julian stared straight at me. Hearing me say congratulations, he suddenly laughed, crushed his cigarette, and said coldly, “Chloe, don’t come to the wedding.” “My wife won’t be happy to see you. If she’s unhappy, my heart will ache.” I clutched the thin red invitation and paused. I nodded with a smile and whispered, “Okay.” 3. That day, everyone said it seemed Julian really didn’t love me anymore. No one expected that we had once loved so deeply. In the end, he was getting married, and the bride wasn’t me. Everyone thought Julian would wait for me forever. Everyone was curious about who this Sophia was, to make Julian so captivated and doting. I knew Julian didn’t want to see me again, so I left the reunion early. On the way home, a friend sent me a photo of Sophia. Sophia looked very pure in the photo. I heard she loved to smile and act cute, exactly the type of girl Julian liked. My friend asked me, “Chloe, don’t you think Sophia looks like you when she smiles?” “Do you think Julian still loves you? Is it really over between you two?” I exhaled gently, remained silent for a long time, and then smiled, “It doesn’t matter anymore. I don’t care.” I didn’t want to be entangled with Julian anymore. I thought he would never know that I secretly gave birth to our child, hiding it from everyone. That child was sick and dying. 4. This year was the poorest and hardest of my life. I worked desperately to make money, wanting my child to have the best medicine so he wouldn’t be in so much pain when he was sick. For money, I could thicken my skin and go to a class reunion to borrow from people, or work as a hostess in a club, drinking until my stomach bled. I thought that would probably be the last time Julian and I ever saw each other. Until a few days later, the girl named Sophia found me. Sophia had probably heard from others that she looked like me and wanted to meet me. She came to the club with a few friends and asked for me by name. One girl asked me, “You’re Chloe? Julian’s first love?” Her eyes were full of contempt, looking at my heavy makeup as if to say I was dirty. I clenched my fists, suppressing my temper to avoid trouble, and just asked if they wanted drinks. If not, don’t stop me from making money. The girl probably felt I wasn’t giving her face and shouted at me, “What’s with that attitude? I asked you a question, are you deaf? Don’t be ungrateful.” She pointed to a bottle of hard liquor and said, “Fine, Chloe, you like money, right? Drink this whole bottle in one go, and I’ll give you twenty thousand dollars.” Drinking that bottle would probably land me in the hospital. Sophia pretended to be anxious and advised the girl, “Didn’t we agree just to take a look and not make things difficult for Chloe?” “Although people say she’s good at seducing men and told me to be careful of her, and even Julian said I was too naive and afraid she would bully me.” “But I’m fine.” I listened quietly to Sophia’s words and understood. She was telling me how much Julian liked her and how much he hated me. I smiled and didn’t speak, just asked her friend, “It’s a deal, right? I drink the bottle, and you give me twenty thousand.” Then I picked up the bottle and started chugging. Everyone was stunned, not expecting me to really risk my life for money. Sophia pulled my hand and gently persuaded me, “Chloe, how can you ruin yourself like this for money?” “We women should know shame. I didn’t want to say it for fear of hurting you, but you know, Julian hates women like you the most…” I finished the bottle, endured the severe pain in my stomach, interrupted her, and asked, “Where’s the money?” “What Julian likes or hates is none of my business. I just want the twenty thousand you promised.” Sophia frowned, looking at me with disappointment, and said softly, “Chloe, to be honest, that twenty thousand is just pocket change to me. I could give it to anyone, but I can’t give it to you.” “You can blame me, but I’m doing this for your own good. I can’t watch you continue to degrade yourself…” Her friend pushed me and laughed, “I was just playing with you. I’m not giving you the money. What are you gonna do about it?” I laughed coldly along with her, then raised my hand and smashed the bottle. The flying glass shards cut Sophia’s leg, drawing blood. Sophia’s tears fell instantly. The women who were noisy just moments ago fell silent. The next second, the door to the private room opened, and Julian stood there, staring at me coldly. I froze, afraid to look into his eyes. Julian saw me wearing heavy makeup, drinking with men for money, and trying to please them. Actually, I wasn’t afraid of people looking down on me, I just didn’t want Julian to know I was living so miserably. But in the end, even that small wish didn’t come true. I could only try my best to pretend I didn’t care, forcing myself to look up and watch Julian pull Sophia into his arms and gently wipe away her tears. Then he asked me word by word, “Chloe, who are you bullying in front of me?” “You want money? Fine. Apologize first.” I watched Julian protect Sophia and remembered how he used to protect me a long time ago. I knew Julian wanted me to make Sophia happy. It didn’t matter. For money, I would do anything. Sophia hid in Julian’s arms, smiling secretly at me. I looked at the wound on her leg, picked up a piece of broken glass, and slashed myself hard. Then I held out my bloody hand and said calmly to Julian, “Give it to me. Twenty thousand.” Julian looked at me, and his eyes suddenly turned red. Sophia saw Julian’s expression, and the smile on her face froze. She took out a bank card, put it in my hand, and said softly, “Chloe, I’m giving you money today not because I owe you, but because I don’t want things to get ugly over a little money like you did.” I couldn’t be bothered to watch her act high and mighty anymore. I took the money and turned to leave, but Julian grabbed me. He called my name and cursed through gritted teeth, “Chloe, doesn’t it f***ing hurt? Will you die without money?” His tightly furrowed brow made it seem like he was hurting for me. I shook off his hand forcefully, turned back, and sneered, “I’ve always been a woman who loves money, Julian. Didn’t you know?” “Mind your own business, and mind your woman. Don’t mess with me again.”

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In the middle of a 104°F heatwave, the new dorm manager cut off the AC for our room—and only our room. Turns out, she was the future mother-in-law of our pregnant roommate. “Only weak girls need AC in weather like this,” she declared. “My precious grandson is going to be a man. He needs to build his masculinity in the heat.” In our past life, my two other roommates and I tried to reason with her. We told her it was superstition, that prolonged exposure to extreme heat could cause heatstroke and endanger both the mother and the baby. Scared by our warnings, the dorm manager grudgingly turned the AC back on. But when our roommate eventually gave birth to a girl, the manager blamed us. She claimed the AC “cooled off” her grandson’s masculinity and turned him into a girl. To get revenge, she had her thug of a son sneak into our dorm at night and torture the three of us to death. When I opened my eyes again, we were back to that moment. The manager was ranting about her grandson’s “masculinity.” I exchanged a look with my other two roommates. None of us argued. Instead, we immediately went to the RA and requested a room transfer. Let him build his masculinity. I want to see what kind of monster she cooks up this time. 1 “Don’t say I never treat you well.” “You three better take good care of my precious grandson. Soak up some of that masculine energy.” “Maybe it’ll help you find a man as good as my son someday.” In the dorm, the new manager, Mrs. Liu, had her nose in the air, acting like she was bestowing a great honor upon us. Hearing these familiar words, I snapped back to reality. I had been reborn. Back to the day Mrs. Liu cut our AC. In my last life, my roommates and I took turns persuading her. We finally got her to turn the AC on. But our reward was her calculated revenge. The most chilling part was that we did it for her pregnant future daughter-in-law, our roommate, Sarah. Yet when we were being tortured to death by her thug son, Sarah just watched coldly. “Serves you right,” she sneered. “Who told you to meddle?” “If it weren’t for you, my precious son wouldn’t have turned into a useless girl.” “You made Liam and his mom blame me. You deserve to die.” Remembering the agony of my past life, a chill ran down my spine. Then I noticed Sarah staring at me. Just now, hearing Mrs. Liu refuse the AC, Sarah was unhappy too. A small, stuffy dorm in 104-degree heat is basically an oven. But she didn’t dare openly defy her shrew of a future mother-in-law. So she looked at me with pitiful eyes. “Chloe…” I knew what she wanted. She wanted me to be her mouthpiece. In my last life, I stood up for her. And the result? She threw me under the bus, and I ended up dead. This time, I scratched my head, stared at my phone, and pretended I was deaf. Seeing I wasn’t biting, Sarah turned to my other roommates, Lily and Jess. But they also kept their heads down, glued to their phones, ignoring her. Seeing a scene so different from my past life, a thought flashed through my mind. I quickly made a group chat with Lily and Jess. Me: [Did you guys come back too?] Lily: [You too?] Jess: [You too?] We exchanged glances. We had all been reborn. Back to before everything went to hell. 2 Mrs. Liu was still rambling. “Lily, you’re in charge of bringing food for my grandson. Get nutritious stuff—sea cucumber, abalone. How else will he grow strong?” “And you, Jess. Take my grandson out for sunbathing every afternoon. Bring fruit, too. Cherries are acceptable.” The three of us rolled our eyes in unison. Mrs. Liu spoke as if these were facts. She demanded the best. But she never mentioned money. She was clearly trying to mooch off us. And she acted like we should be grateful. She wasn’t done. She turned her imperious gaze to me. “As for Chloe, you’re responsible for…” I started coughing violently, cutting her off. Mrs. Liu looked at me with disgust. “What do you have? Don’t pass it to my grandson.” “So unlucky,” she muttered. I shook my head weakly, coughing harder. “I… cough… I don’t know…” “Cough… but don’t worry… cough… I will definitely… help take care of… your grandson… cough cough…” I made a move to lunge towards Sarah. Mrs. Liu, terrified for her “grandson,” blocked me immediately. “Stop! Stop! How can a sick person get near my grandson?” “If you infect him, can you afford the consequences?” I looked at her innocently. “But… but didn’t you just say I should serve your grandson?” Meaning: You asked for this. Why are you blaming me now? Mrs. Liu didn’t care about logic. She only cared about the baby. She practically threw herself on the ground, throwing a tantrum. “I don’t care! Move out of this dorm right now!” “If my grandson catches anything from you, I won’t let you off!” Since she insisted… I “reluctantly” agreed. “Okay… okay… cough…” “I’ll… move out as soon as possible…” Seeing this, my roommates followed suit. One claimed a headache and fever. The other said she had chickenpox recently and was still contagious. Seeing all three of us “useless,” Mrs. Liu cursed up a storm. As she shooed us out, she couldn’t help but make snide remarks. “You girls have no luck.” “My grandson is enduring this heat so he’ll be born with masculine energy.” “I wanted you to serve him so you could catch some luck and find a husband.” “Guess you don’t deserve that blessing.” Her tone was smug, as if serving her unborn grandson was the highest honor. We had just spoken to the Resident Director about switching rooms. Since he approved, we were already packing. Hearing Mrs. Liu, we rolled our eyes again. Whatever. Whoever wants that “blessing” can have it. We sure as hell don’t. 3 Before we left, Sarah grabbed our hands, squeezing out a few fake tears. “Chloe, you guys are leaving…” “I’ll be scared all alone in the dorm…” My eyes almost rolled into the back of my head. Scared? Scared no one will wait on her hand and foot. In our last life, Sarah used her pregnancy to boss us around like servants. If we didn’t do exactly as she pleased, she’d clutch her belly and cry pain. We endured it because we were roommates. And look where that got us. Now? Whoever wants to serve her can go ahead. We quit. But we had to put on a show before leaving, just in case she tried to stop us. I pinched my thigh hard, forcing out some tears. “Sarah… cough… we don’t want to leave either…” “But… cough… we’re afraid of infecting… cough… infecting you…” The moment I coughed, Sarah snatched her hand back like she’d touched fire. Her eyes were full of undisguised disgust. When I looked up, she quickly masked it with a fake sad face. “Chloe… since you’re leaving…” “Can you leave me something to remember you by?” “I’ll miss you guys so much…” She stared greedily at the designer bags in my closet. She was basically trying to rob me in broad daylight. I sneered internally. She wasn’t even hiding it anymore? My family is well-off. As an only child, my parents spoil me. Many of those bags were birthday gifts. In our last life, Sarah constantly “borrowed” my bags. She needed one for a date. She needed one to show her parents she was doing well so they wouldn’t worry. I believed her lies and lent them to her. She never returned them. Whenever I asked, she’d make excuses. If I pressed, she’d clutch her stomach and wail. She just wanted to steal them. And now she wants more? Keep dreaming. 4 I pretended not to understand her hint. I blinked innocently. “Sarah, I really want to leave you something.” “…Cough… but I don’t know if this sickness spreads through contact…” “If… cough… the germs get on the stuff and infect the baby… that would be bad…” Hearing that her precious grandson might get sick, Mrs. Liu stepped in immediately. She glared at Sarah. “What do you want their stuff for?” “Can those trashy things compare to my grandson?” “If anything happens to him, I’ll skin you alive.” Sarah was terrified. She smiled ingratiatingly. “Mom, I know.” “I was just saying it. I didn’t think Chloe would take it seriously.” I was speechless. So if I gave it to her, it would be my fault? And calling her “Mom” before the wedding? Sarah really has no shame. But none of this mattered anymore. That night, Lily, Jess, and I moved into a new dorm room. It was empty, so it was just the three of us. Perfect. We didn’t want another Sarah. 5 That night, the building group chat exploded. “I can’t take it anymore… can someone handle this dorm manager? @ManagerLiu” “She forced me and my roommates to move to Room 103.” “And she expects us to wait on her pregnant daughter-in-law? Is she insane?” Another girl chimed in: “I thought moving was no big deal to avoid trouble.” “But this lady demands we buy expensive food and drinks for the pregnant girl? With what money? She didn’t give us a dime!” Before the gossip could settle, a third girl spoke up: “The craziest part…” “This psycho cut our AC in 104-degree heat.” “She said her grandson can’t have AC or he won’t have ‘masculine energy.’” “If you want masculine energy, why don’t you send your daughter-in-law to live on the sun?” “Did you get dropped on your head as a baby?” The chat was filled with onlookers eating popcorn. The three girls kept tagging @ManagerLiu, demanding an explanation. Finally, Mrs. Liu replied. Her words made everyone want to vomit blood. “Serving my grandson is a blessing you earned in a past life.” “What do you know? He’s a man born with masculine energy.” “Maybe you’ll get lucky and find a man like my son later.” “You’ll be thanking me then.” Her tone wasn’t apologetic at all. She was proud. Like we were the unreasonable ones. The chat went nuclear. “What is this? Did a fossil from the Qing Dynasty come to life?” “Someone call an ambulance, she’s having a stroke.” The three girls didn’t take it lying down. They went to the Resident Director the next morning. After hearing the story, the RD moved them back to their original room and summoned Mrs. Liu. Surprisingly… Mrs. Liu wasn’t fired. Rumor had it she fell to her knees, crying about how hard her life was and how she was just worried about her grandson. She begged for another chance. The RD, soft-hearted, gave in. But she was on thin ice.

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During a road trip through Tibet, my brother and sister-in-law egged my nephew on to feed spicy beef jerky to a Tibetan Blue Bear. Seeing the bear panting and making goofy faces from the spice, the three of them laughed hysterically, filmed it, and uploaded it online. Who knew? The video went viral overnight, racking up over a million views. Desperate to become influencers and cash in, they spent the next day specifically hunting for bears to feed. That’s when I noticed something terrifying. The bear currently performing tricks for my brother’s camera… was the exact same bear we fed yesterday. 1. I peered through the half-open car window. The bear was chomping down on the food, drool stringing from its jaws to the ground. It looked goofier than your average predator. That was exactly why my brother, Brad, and his wife, Karen, couldn’t tear themselves away. The bear, having just swallowed a stick of spicy jerky, was waving its paws and sticking its tongue out in a way that looked almost human. It was “cute.” My family was losing their minds laughing. Brad, holding the phone, shifted angles. “Danny, get closer! Yeah, right there. Smile big for the camera!” Karen was directing from the side. “Danny, give him another piece! I think he wants more. We need different angles for the compilation video later.” We had stopped a few times to feed bears without incident, but sitting in the backseat, I felt a knot tightening in my stomach. Something was wrong. I pulled out my phone and pulled up the video they posted last night. This bear was too unique. Not just its mannerisms, but that specific patch of grey-white fur on its neck. It was identical to the one in the video. This was the same bear. Yesterday, it had stared at them, eating everything Danny threw at it, drooling everywhere. The comments section was blowing up: “OMG, never seen a bear that greedy!” “It’s a foodie bear! So cute!” Maybe I was staring too hard. The bear, having just finished a handful of cookies, swivelled its black, beady eyes and locked onto me. It sent a chill down my spine. I immediately rolled up the window, locked the door, and pressed my back against the seat, taking a deep breath. This bear wasn’t right. It was too harmless. It acted like a circus animal, knowing exactly what moves would make the tourists happy. I turned to our local guide. “Dorje, how far to the next campsite?” “Not far,” Dorje said. “Maybe thirty miles.” “That close? Won’t these bears follow us?” Dorje laughed at my paranoia. “No way. Tibetan Blue Bears only chase prey for a hundred yards or so. They give up quick.” Seeing my pale face, he added, “Relax. The spot is safe. I take tourists there all the time. Never had an accident.” I quickly Googled it. He was right. Bears usually don’t stalk prey over long distances unless they are starving. But what if this bear was different? We had seen plenty of wildlife. These bears weren’t starving. So why would it follow us for a whole day just for some snacks? No. It wasn’t the snacks. Sure, human food is tasty, but for a massive predator, a few sticks of jerky isn’t even a snack. It’s a crumb. Plenty of tourists feed bears on this highway. There was no reason to target us specifically. Unless the food wasn’t the jerky. Unless the food… was us. 2. It took ages to drag them back into the car. My nephew, Danny, kicked my shin the moment he got in. “Why are you rushing us? I wasn’t done feeding the bear!” Karen rolled her eyes. “What? Are you jealous because we went viral?” She turned to Brad, using her whiny voice. “Babe, you know what kind of people act like this? It’s always family. They just can’t stand seeing you do better than them.” I opened my mouth to explain, but Brad cut me off. “Summer, can you stop being such a hater? Have you forgotten who beat up the neighborhood bully for you when we were kids?” I hadn’t forgotten. I also hadn’t forgotten that the bully only hit me because Brad stole his Gameboy. But now wasn’t the time for history lessons. I showed them the comparison photos. “Look at the fur pattern. It’s the same bear. It followed us.” They brushed it off. “You’re seeing things.” Dorje looked at the photos. “Huh. They do look alike. But bears look similar out here.” Seeing nobody believed me, I put my foot down. “For safety, I think we should cancel the ‘Starry Night Camping’ plan. There’s a town with a hotel another 150 miles up the road.” Karen shrieked. “No way! The camping is the highlight of the trip! We aren’t canceling!” Brad frowned. “Stop being dramatic. The guide says it’s fine. Do you know more than the local expert now?” Danny went feral. He reached over the seat and yanked my hair. “We are camping! You bitch! You stole my money and now you ruin my fun! Die!” The brat had a grip like a vice. I screamed in pain and pinched his arm as hard as I could until he let go. Seeing my red eyes and Danny’s tears, Karen pulled her son into a hug. “He’s just a child! You’re a grown woman hurting a nine-year-old? Are you human?” She started fake crying. “I never even spank him, and you pinch him until he bleeds? Brad, look!” Brad glared at me from the passenger seat. If Dorje hadn’t been driving, he probably would have hit me. “Summer, if there is a mark on him, you’re paying for it.” I had organized this trip to fix my relationship with my brother’s family. Clearly, that was a mistake. I decided to respect their fate. “If you guys are camping, I’m staying in the hotel.” “No,” Brad said. “One car. We stick together.” “Dorje can drop you guys off, take me to the hotel, and come back.” “Absolutely not!” Karen snapped. “The hotel is the opposite direction of tomorrow’s sights. Why should we waste time on you?” She sneered. “You picked a hotel so far away… what if the car doesn’t come back? You want us stranded in the wild? I knew you were up to no good. Inviting us on a trip… probably hoping we’d disappear so you get Mom and Dad’s inheritance.” I couldn’t win. I was forced to go to the campsite. But I refused to leave the vehicle. I locked myself in the driver’s seat with my backpack. 3. The Tibetan night sky was indeed beautiful. Brad and Karen’s livestream was popping off again. Danny’s bear-feeding photos were trending. They were bragging to their fans, encouraging them to come out. “Guys, get here ASAP! The bear cubs are so cute!” I tried commenting, warning people that bears are omnivores and dangerous, but my comments were drowned out by fans mocking me for being a buzzkill. Exhausted from the excitement, the three of them fell asleep in their tent. Silence enveloped the plateau. I started dozing off, watching the stars through the sunroof. Suddenly, the car lights flashed twice. Someone had hit the lock button on the remote. I sat up straight. There were only two keys. Brad had one. Dorje had the other. Brad and Dorje wouldn’t prank me. That left Danny. I looked at the tent near the dying campfire. It was silent. If Danny was messing around, he wouldn’t be this quiet. Click. Someone pulled the door handle behind me. It was locked. A bad feeling washed over me. I held down the internal lock button with one hand and slid down in the seat. Click. Another sound. My heart hammered. I pressed the lock again. Because someone had unlocked it with the remote, the interior lights had turned on. Someone tried the door again. Suddenly, a massive, furry face pressed against the driver’s side window. Beady black eyes scanned the interior. I curled into a ball under the steering wheel, covering myself with my backpack, praying it didn’t see me. 4. Thanks to the window tint and my hiding spot, the bear didn’t spot me. It circled the car once and seemed to wander off. I grabbed my phone to text Brad, but hesitated, afraid the light would give me away. THUMP. The car shook violently. Something heavy had climbed onto the roof. I remembered reading that bears are incredibly smart and vengeful. When released into the wild, other animals run; bears come back to the driver’s side to settle the score. They even check under the car. That bear had memorized our faces. It knew exactly how many of us there were. It was hunting us. I covered my phone with my jacket sleeve to block the light and sent texts to Brad and Dorje. [Danger. Bear outside the tent!] Ding! Ding-dong! Crisp notification sounds rang out in the silent night. One was Brad’s, coming from the tent. The other was Dorje’s. It came from just outside the car—but nowhere near the tent. My blood ran cold. I had heard strange unlocking sounds earlier. I suspected Dorje was already dead. He was the most experienced, the first threat to neutralize. I had hoped he just dropped his keys. But now, with the bear lying on the hood of the car, blocking the windshield with its massive bulk, I knew. Dorje was gone. The bear was staring through the glass, looking for me. Suddenly, voices came from the tent. Brad and Karen had woken up. They saw the bear outside their tent. But unlike me, they weren’t screaming in terror. They were screaming in delight.

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I actually turned into a dog. Not my childhood sweetheart’s dog, but his depressed younger brother’s dog. The System said I have to lick him a hundred times to turn back into a human. “If it’s too hard for you, forget it. After all, you like someone else.” How can I forget it? My heart was screaming yes, please. If his brother wasn’t so aloof and unreachable, I wouldn’t have liked him in the first place. 1 I was reborn as a Bichon Frise belonging to a sickly, depressed boy. The System told me I needed to lick him a hundred times to become human again. “Lick where?” The System blushed. “Anywhere.” My paw pressed against his rock-hard abs. Hmm, premium dog food. “Baby, are you hungry?” Being looked at with concern by a face as handsome as Asher’s would melt even the coldest woman’s heart. The brooding, silent god of the school was calling me “Baby” in private. I like the contrast. I licked and slurped like a starving ghost, and his entire face turned red. Gone was his usual pale, sickly look. The System gave a thumbs up: [Impressive. You even got the depressed boy to overheat.] In my memory, Asher was gloomy and sensitive. Because he was sickly from a young age, he was always “less than” compared to his older brother. His parents’ favoritism was wider than the Pacific Ocean. Living in his brother’s shadow gave him childhood trauma, he was isolated at school… And finally, he developed depression. The only thing he could confide in was this little Bichon. After transmigrating into the dog, the System said: “If it’s too hard, forget it. You like his brother, so this feels a bit like forcing you to cheat.” Forget it?! My heart was screaming yes, please. If his brother wasn’t so aloof and unreachable, who would like him anyway? 2 Asher treated the dog very well. Premium beef, foie gras, fish—everything was on the menu. Not being a corporate slave and just being a dog was actually quite happy. I planned to enjoy the good life for a while, finish the mission, and run. But good times don’t last. Asher got kicked out of the family home by his brother. The reason was that Blake lost something important and suspected Asher hid it. Asher didn’t say a word. He packed his bags and left. Seriously? Is this how the world treats depressed people? The System said: [Of course. He has the ‘Gloomy Male Lead Rise to Revenge’ script. Later, a heroine will come to heal his emotional wounds.] [Then he becomes the Wolf of Wall Street and takes back the family empire.] I was excited: “So I have the ‘Redemption Heroine’ script?” The System rolled its eyes at me: [Didn’t you die from food poisoning after eating a sketchy discount meal at the start?] Me: …Right. Asher moved into a rental. During the move, his psychosomatic symptoms flared up, and he couldn’t stop shaking. I trotted over with his medicine in my mouth. He stared at me, tears streaming down his face. “Baby, you should go. I can’t afford you anymore.” “No more steak or bird’s nest soup for you.” “No more soft, fragrant bed.” “Maybe I’m just a failure. No one will ever like me.” In that moment, my heart squeezed. Asher really seemed to have only me in his life. In that family, his father didn’t care, and his mother didn’t love him. He could only confide in a dog— Like how he was actually an illegitimate child, a half-brother to Blake. Like how all the bullying he suffered after middle school was allowed by the family. Like how if he didn’t move out, the next one to die would definitely be him. 3 After moving into the rental, Asher found me even clingier. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, I slept on his abs. Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, I slept on his thighs. Trying to use doggy warmth to comfort him. “Baby… you can’t sleep there.” “It’s dirty…” “Come here, let me hug you…” Yeah, Asher was blushing furiously because of me. He was talking more, too. This was a good start. But when he ate takeout with me in the rental, he was always guilty. “Baby, you’ve lost weight being with me.” “Just endure it a little longer. I’ll go make money.” The System was shocked: [Lost weight? I can’t tell the difference between her and a pig anymore!] I looked at my chubby paw. Right, I need to be a pretty dog. So I resolutely picked up my chicken drumstick and dropped it in Asher’s bowl. Asher was so moved that his tears fell into his chicken rice. The boy swore he would earn ten million. With newfound motivation, he went to work at a construction site the next day. 4 Asher moved bricks during the day for $200 and studied at night. He missed his SATs because of his depression. This time, to give me a better life, he was going to take back everything that belonged to him. Because moving bricks was exhausting, Asher fell asleep almost immediately after studying. He hadn’t needed sleeping pills for days. In the warm duvet, tucked in his arms, I traced his tired features. “System, seeing my man work so hard for us ‘mother and child,’ I feel happy but also heartbroken.” The System sneered: [Your man has another woman outside.] My pupils dilated. [The Male Lead met the Female Lead today.] [The heroine inspected the construction site today and took a liking to him.] [This is just the first step. She will visit the site many times to bond with him.] [With money and love thrown at him, I don’t know how he could refuse.] The System said the heroine was the daughter of a real estate tycoon. She had an arranged marriage with Blake, but hated it. So she hated Blake too. Until she met Asher, understood his pain, saw his gentle heart, and fell madly in love. She redeemed him with money and love. Hearing this, I couldn’t hold it in. Why didn’t a passing celebrity come to redeem me when I was eating discount meals and dancing for eight hours in my rental? Justin Bieber, Harry Styles… what are you guys doing? [I advise you to finish the mission and leave quickly. You aren’t the one to redeem him anyway. Why bother?] Makes sense. I’m just a passerby. Finish the mission and go. The rest is none of my business. I asked the System: “How many more licks to become human?”

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I am the perfect wife, cultivated by the Sterling family specifically for Julian Sterling. Julian loathes me. He distances himself from me. He thinks I’m just a useless vase, a trophy wife. Little does he know, “All-Purpose” is literal. I am the Michelin-star chef who cooks his favorite meals. I am the secretary who handles every detail of his business. I am the mysterious fighter who took down ten men to save him when he was kidnapped. Even his online confidante, his “soulmate,” is just me playing a role. “No one understands me better than you. I want to meet you, babe.” When I received that message, my hand trembled. I decided to move up my departure date. 1 When I went downstairs, Julian was having breakfast at the dining table with his best friend, Zach. “Morning, sis-in-law. Just waking up?” I smiled, tacitly accepting the jab. Zach glanced at Julian teasingly. “Look at you, wearing her out like that.” Julian let out a dismissive snort. We’ve been married for two years, but no one knows we’ve never slept together. Julian resents this marriage arranged by his grandfather. He doesn’t know my background. We have no emotional foundation. He thinks I’m a talentless gold digger who used dirty tricks to marry him. So, he despises me. In two years, the number of times we’ve spoken can be counted on one hand. Julian took a sip of the abalone porridge and frowned slightly. “The porridge tastes off today.” I was pouring water at the island counter and exchanged a look with the butler. The butler quickly interjected, “The head chef is sick these past two days, sir. We have a replacement.” Zach, unconvinced, took several large gulps. “It tastes fine to me. Julian, you’re too picky. A chef who meets your standards must be a god. Let me borrow them for a couple of banquets sometime.” “Dream on,” Julian said, wiping his hands slowly. “Grandfather found the chef. Even I haven’t seen them. They just send the food over at mealtimes.” The ligature marks on his wrists still hadn’t faded. The purple and blue bruising was shocking to see. Zach winced looking at it. “Did they catch the guys who kidnapped you?” “They caught the kidnappers,” Julian said, his gaze deepening as he thought of something. “But they haven’t found that person yet.” A week ago, Julian returned from a business trip. He was tailed and kidnapped on the way back from the airport in the middle of the night. It was premeditated. The gang executed a precise plan, snatching Julian and vanishing from all surveillance cameras instantly. The kidnapping shocked the entire city. The heir to the Sterling empire, taken. Half the business world stayed up all night. Grandfather Sterling remained calm. He made one phone call, then told everyone to wait. The police couldn’t find Julian. But a mysterious figure did. Riding a motorcycle, leading a highly trained team, this person raided the kidnappers’ den at night, rescued Julian, and dropped him off at the gates of the Sterling estate at dawn without saying a word, disappearing into the morning mist with the roar of an engine. “Who does that? Doesn’t want money, doesn’t want fame. Is he Batman?” Zach asked. “It was a woman,” Julian said. “What?!” Zach’s eyes widened. I slowed my steps on the stairs. Julian’s voice was low. “When she brought me back, my arms were around her waist. It was slender but strong. And her helmet hid long hair. I’m certain she’s a woman.” “Did you see her face?” “No. I only saw a small red mole behind her ear.” … I subconsciously touched the back of my ear and closed my bedroom door. The first time I met Julian was at the old Sterling manor. It was New Year’s Eve. After giving out red envelopes to the younger generation, Grandfather Sterling gave Julian a special gift. “Meet Chloe. Your future All-Purpose Wife.” Julian stood there, stunned. That day, he threw a massive tantrum. He smashed dishes, overturned tables, but ultimately bowed to Grandfather Sterling’s financial power. I stood aside, silent the whole time. Julian probably never paid attention to the words “All-Purpose.” He hated me. He ignored me. He thought I was just a useless vase. He didn’t know “All-Purpose” was literal. I am the chef who suits his taste buds perfectly. I am the secretary who manages his work flawlessly. I am the mysterious fighter who took down ten men to save him. … I was born in a remote village. My biological parents sold me to traffickers when I was five. The Sterling family’s charity saved me. Grandfather Sterling picked me out of a group of children. He gave me food, clothes, and training in every skill imaginable, all centered around Julian. Julian grew up studying abroad. He looks rebellious, but he has zero romantic experience and no guard against women. The moment he returned, business rivals tried to use honey traps on him. From maids to secretaries, plants were everywhere. So, I stepped in. My mission was to eliminate all threats around Julian. Once he securely held the position of Sterling heir, I would vacate the position of Mrs. Sterling. Then, Grandfather Sterling would send me abroad to study, and I would be free for the rest of my life. To repay the Sterling family’s kindness, I valued Julian’s life more than my own. Unexpectedly, Julian misunderstood my dedication. “SpongeBob, I’ve decided to divorce her as soon as possible.” “I thought she married me for money. But I’m realizing something is wrong. She seems to have fallen in love with me.” “If she falls deeper, she won’t leave easily. I’ve thought about it, and I need to propose a divorce now.” Julian sent these messages under the username “PatrickStar.” I sat by the window, smoking a cigarette in silence. Then I replied: “What did she do to give you that idea?” Julian would never dream that his online soulmate, SpongeBob, was also me. 2 I realized I could block the women around him physically, but I couldn’t stop online threats. To save trouble, I created a perfect online persona to keep his standards high so he wouldn’t look at anyone else. He thought I was a once-in-a-lifetime soulmate. I knew every book he read, every movie he watched, every place he visited. Our hobbies and values matched perfectly. I’ve studied Julian for so long. This was easy for me. Even my username was designed to match his. Thanks to this identity, he told me everything, saving me a lot of trouble. “She gets jealous. Last time at the manor, a neighbor’s sister I played with as a kid asked for my number. My wife glared her away.” Oh god. That woman just rented the mansion next door. She’s three years older than him and clearly hunting him. Only Julian would believe she’s just a “neighbor’s sister.” “Every time we eat, she steals glances at me. She thinks I don’t see it.” Okay, that’s on me. I’m a perfectionist with my cooking. Every time Julian eats my food, I can’t help but check his reaction. I’ll reflect on that. “Recently, I had an accident. She stayed by my bedside in the hospital for a day and a night.” I fell silent. I saved him from the kidnappers and got injured myself. We were treated in the same hospital, and he saw me. To cover my tracks, I lied and said I had been watching over him the whole time. “It seems your wife really loves you,” I typed, feeling nauseous. Whatever he wants to think. Step one of playing the perfect online friend: Unconditional validation. Julian replied quickly: “I’m just worried. She loves me so much, even if I ask for a divorce, she won’t agree.” “You never know until you try. Maybe she’ll agree immediately.” “SpongeBob, you’re adorably naive. Have you never been in a relationship?” … Thinking about the expression on Julian’s face as he typed that gave me goosebumps. “Many women see love as their whole life. They won’t give up easily.” I typed furiously: “Idiot. You don’t know women. Stop talking nonsense.” This was how we interacted online. The harder I roasted him, the happier he was. He said this was the kind of friend he wanted. “What if?” My heart started to race. After the kidnapping, Grandfather Sterling promised to send me abroad in two months. I was planning to find a way to divorce Julian. If he brought it up first, that would be perfect. “Want to make a bet?” “Bet on what?” “If she agrees to divorce, I’ll give you any gift you want. If she refuses, can I meet you?” I stared at the last few words. Julian’s next message came through. “No one understands me better than you. I’ve wanted to meet you for a long time, babe.” My hand shook. What does he mean? SpongeBob is SpongeBob. Why “babe”? Is he doing this on purpose? I thought for a moment and typed “Okay.” I was definitely going to agree to the divorce. Then we’d part ways, and all my identities would vanish from his life. I didn’t care what he was thinking. As for the gift… I needed to think about what to fleece him for as a parting gift. Julian moved fast. Three days later, divorce papers were placed in front of me. “The compensation is clearly outlined. Take a look. If you have other demands, speak up.” He looked calm, fully prepared. The alimony was tempting, but I’d just return it to Grandfather Sterling anyway. I glanced at it briefly, frowned, and wiped the corner of my eye. Seeing my expression, Julian spoke as if he expected this. “Crying is useless. I won’t change my mind. Instead of being sad, think about what else you want.” “Oh, no. An eyelash fell in my eye.” I finished wiping my eye and held out my hand. “Pen?” Julian froze. It took him a while to speak. “You agree?” He tapped his long fingers on the desk, sneering. “If you’re trying to act cool to get my attention, save it. I’m serious.” Impatiently, I took a pen from the drawer myself. Just as I was about to sign, Grandfather Sterling called. I stepped away to answer. “Chloe, this wasn’t a normal kidnapping. Someone was pulling the strings. I need you to find out who. After the investigation is closed, I will personally arrange your divorce.” When I put the pen down, I clearly saw the contempt in Julian’s eyes. “If you don’t agree, why pretend to be so free and easy just now? Such hypocrisy.” I grabbed my dress, holding back an eye roll. “I can’t divorce right now.” “Save it. I will get this divorce.” Julian pushed the papers toward me. “Tell me your demands soon. Signing is good for both of us. Don’t make me hate you more.” He got up and left. I saw him type something on his phone. My alt account pinged. “SpongeBob, looks like you need to schedule a time to meet me.” 3 Since Julian started managing the group with Grandfather Sterling, he’s been so busy he has to schedule meals with his friends weeks in advance. But when it comes to meeting his online friend, he’s got all the time in the world. “Any time works. Up to you.” “Location? Just send a pin, I’ll be there.” “Busy? No problem, I can pick you up from your office.” I stalled for days until Julian started getting suspicious. Helplessly, I hired a small-time actress online for a high price. To meet him in my place. We agreed on the phone: five thousand dollars for one meal. But the moment the actress, Layla, saw Julian, things spiraled out of control. “PatrickStar? I didn’t expect someone with such a cute username to have this kind of… vibe.” In the restaurant. Layla rested her chin on her hand, eyes glued to Julian. Honestly, it was my first time seeing Julian like this too. No stiff suit, no haute couture. He wore a regular bomber jacket, hair unstyled. He looked like a fresh college grad. He looked down and smiled. “What kind of vibe?” I was sitting a few tables away, coaching Layla through an earpiece. “Don’t initiate topics. Just nod, smile, and bluff your way through.” Layla paused, ignoring me. She pretended to adjust her clothes, pulling her collar down to show cleavage, and crossed her legs, extending a long, pale leg into the aisle. “A very… seductive vibe.” She leaned closer to Julian with every word. Visibly, Julian frowned slightly. “SpongeBob?” “Mmhmm?” “You’re different from online.” “Is it because I’m so beautiful in person that you can’t handle it?” … Layla was lost in her own performance, oblivious to the world. I took advantage of her bathroom break, put on sunglasses and a mask, and intercepted her. I warned her to stop improvising. Layla looked me up and down and scoffed. “You don’t dare meet him because you’re ugly, right? Lady, if you’re ugly, don’t online date. Just let me have him.” She transferred my five thousand back, plus another five thousand. “Consider this a transfer fee.” The heir to the Sterling Group, sold for five grand. If Julian knew, he’d explode. I blocked Layla’s path. “You saw him. He’s handsome.” “So? You want to meet him yourself? Can that face under the mask be seen?” “I mean… you have to pay more.” “…” Layla looked at me with disdain and reluctantly transferred another two thousand. “Fine. Enjoy your date. Hope you guys get married.” Selling an identity I couldn’t take with me? Nice. I hummed a tune and walked out. While washing my hands, I heard Layla’s excited voice from a stall. “Girl, you won’t believe it! I caught a big fish! He dresses plain, but that watch on his wrist is worth five million! Definitely a hidden billionaire. I just Googled him—he’s the heir to Sterling Group! I’m latching on. Watch me marry into money!” Layla had good eyes. I hadn’t even noticed the watch. I turned my head and saw the five-million-dollar watch. Looking up, Julian stood like a statue at the bathroom entrance. Face pale, lips tight, visible shock and disappointment. He didn’t even glance at me. He turned and strode away before Layla came out. Uh oh. My husband just got his heart broken. 4 “It was all fake. Everything was fake.” “I thought she was different. Different from other women. I looked forward to meeting her so much. How could it be like this?” “SpongeBob… why are you like this?” … Julian and Zach got wasted. The kidnapping threat wasn’t fully resolved, so for safety, I went to pick him up myself. Zach helped him into the car. “I’ve never seen Julian like this. He won’t tell me what happened.” “It’s fine. Heartbreak is like that. He’ll be fine in a few days.” Zach paused. “Heartbreak?” I didn’t elaborate. “Thanks for your help. I’ll take him home.” “Wait.” Zach blocked the car door, reaching out to fix my collar that had flipped inside. “I’m kind of envious of Julian. Gets drunk and has a gentle, beautiful wife to take him home. Drive safe, sis-in-law.” I frowned. Zach’s bold move felt offensive. I gave him a cold look. ” knowing his tolerance is low, you still let him drink this much. You call yourself a best friend?” Zach chuckled, looking down. Then he shrugged. “If he didn’t get drunk, how would you come pick him up?” Weirdo. I ignored him and drove Julian home. Neither of us liked having people around, so the staff were gone at night. I struggled to get Julian into bed, fed him some hangover soup, and was about to take off his coat when he grabbed my wrist and pulled me close. Looking at Julian’s face inches from mine, I froze. “SpongeBob.” “I’m not. You’re mistaken.” I tried to push him away, but he didn’t budge. “Do you remember? The first year we met, the New Year’s gift you sent me?” That was also the first year of our marriage. New Year’s at the Sterling house is lively, but cold. Uncles and aunts feigned concern while picking at his faults. Cousins scrambled to please the grandfather. Compared to them, Julian, whose parents died early, seemed awkward and silent. Julian left the gathering early. He came home to see me, a forced wife, and went into his study without a word. At the same time, I got a message from Grandfather Sterling: “Julian is hurting. Chloe, it’s New Year’s. Make him happy.” Chloe couldn’t make Julian happy. SpongeBob could. So I bought a talking plushie, recorded a “Happy New Year” message, and pretended it was a delivery to his office. Late at night, Julian ran to the office without hesitation. He came back with the plushie, smiling. “I was so happy then.” “Since my parents died, I never received a New Year’s gift prepared with genuine care.” I felt a pang of sympathy. Before I could react, Julian’s face changed. He pinned me to the bed, furious. “But why are you so fake too?!” My wrist hurt. I frowned and slapped him. “What are you doing?!” Julian’s head snapped to the side. He buried his face in my neck, repeating “Why?” I couldn’t push him off. When I finally broke free, he still gripped my wrist tight. Exhausted, I slept on the edge of the bed. The next morning, I opened my eyes to see Julian fully dressed, standing by the bed looking down at me. His eyes were full of disgust. “Is this your tactic?” ? “You don’t want a divorce, so you can’t wait to climb into my bed? Don’t think I don’t know what you’re plotting.” Julian leaned down, gripping my chin. “I will never acknowledge you as my wife. You disgust me.” I slapped his hand away. “Are you sick?” Forget roasting him; we barely spoke in two years. Julian was taken aback. Unfortunately, I have morning grumpiness. Seeing Julian picking a fight first thing in the morning pissed me off. “If your last name wasn’t Sterling, I wouldn’t have anything to do with you.” Julian sneered. “Admit it? You only married me because I’m the heir.” True enough. I didn’t argue. I just gave him a timeline. “Don’t worry. Maximum one week. I will divorce you.” “You better keep your word.” His attitude made me want to see him suffer. So I asked deliberately: “You drank so much yesterday. Something sad happen?” “…” “I saw you wearing clothes you don’t usually wear, and you ordered flowers. Meeting someone important? Why were you unhappy after meeting them?” “…” SLAM. Julian stormed out. I lay in bed, laughing after twisting the knife. Then I checked my phone. New intel: “Kidnapping case leads found.”

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There was a strange food stall on my way home from work. It opened at 11 PM every night and closed at midnight. But the owner never sold anything. That night, I tried to buy some braised beef, but I was refused. Later, I fell asleep in my bed, only to wake up tied to a chair in front of that very stall. The owner said someone had stolen food when she wasn’t looking. If we didn’t find the thief, everyone who visited the stall tonight would die. 1 I was completely bewildered when I woke up tied to a chair in front of the food stall. I distinctly remembered going to bed. Why was I suddenly here? I wasn’t the only one confused. Several other people were tied up next to me. “What the hell is this?! Killing people over stolen food? Are you insane?” A guy with bleached blond hair shouted what we were all thinking. The stall owner walked up to him, her expression dark. “You’re so agitated. Did you steal my food?” “Your food is trash! Let me go, or I won’t be polite!” The blond guy cursed, and the others started chiming in. “Yeah, it’s just some braised meat! Tying us up is ridiculous!” “Exactly! I don’t care who ate it, I’ll pay for it! How expensive can it be? I’m in the middle of a multi-million dollar deal! If I lose it, can you afford to compensate me?” A middle-aged man wearing a thick gold chain struggled against the black ropes binding him. “Right! Kidnapping us in the middle of the night over a snack? You’re sick!” “Let us go, or I’m calling the police!” While they shouted insults at the owner, I stayed silent. The owner’s cold gaze swept over us, sending a chill down my spine. These people weren’t using their brains. We were all in different places, doing different things, and suddenly we were all tied up here at the same time. Could this owner be a normal human? I had always felt this stall was weird. It only opened for one hour, late at night. I never saw any customers, just an old lady fussing over her pots. I’ve walked this route for two years. I only saw it when I worked late. I only knew it closed at midnight because I passed by after a late team dinner once. Tonight, I was starving after overtime and just wanted a late-night snack. The owner told me she wasn’t selling, so I left. Who could have predicted this? The owner listened to their complaints without saying a word. Suddenly, I felt the black ropes tighten around me. “Ah! It hurts!” Everyone started screaming. The ropes constricted tighter and tighter, threatening to crush us. “Are you still noisy?” The owner asked. Everyone shook their heads frantically, terrified into silence. The next second, the ropes loosened slightly. I gasped for air. “Answer me. Who stole my food?” No one dared to speak. We looked at the owner with fear in our eyes. Except for the blond guy, who still had a death wish. “Killing people over a snack? Don’t let her scare you! She’s just an old lady, how can she kill us? The ropes probably have some mechanism in the chairs!” The owner walked up to him, her face grim. “You’ve been unusually agitated from the start. It must be you.” “I didn’t…” Before he could finish, his eyes went wide, and he went limp. 2 The owner’s hand sliced open the blond guy’s stomach and reached inside, rummaging around in his stomach. Blood dripped everywhere. “Ahhh! Grandma, I’m scared!” A five-year-old boy to my right screamed. His grandmother quickly covered his eyes. I almost threw up, turning my head away in horror. The owner pulled her hand out of the guy’s body, holding something. “You stole my food. This piece of braised beef is proof.” The blond guy was dead as a doornail. He couldn’t argue. The owner tossed the beef back into the pot. We looked at each other, terrified. When she turned around again, I mustered up the courage to speak. “Boss, you found the thief. Can you let us go now?” “No.” I was confused. “Why?” The owner’s face darkened. “I only found one piece of beef. Other food is missing too. Someone else among you stole from me!” Her sudden rage made us tremble. “What will it take for you to let us go?” The man with the gold chain asked. The owner glanced at him. “Find the thief. Then the rest can go.” “How do we find them?! Are you going to gut us one by one?!” The Gold Chain Boss suddenly shut up, realizing that might be exactly what she planned. “No! Please let me go! I didn’t steal anything, I beg you!” A girl in a white dress started sobbing, pleading with the owner. The owner was unmoved. “It’s 3 AM. You have one hour. The thief must confess before 4 AM, or everyone dies!” She ignored us and went back to sit at her stall, staring at us. “Who ate it?! Step forward! Don’t kill us all!” The Gold Chain Boss roared. Others joined in. “Yeah, whoever did it, own up! We’re innocent!” No one stepped forward. Confessing meant getting gutted. The thief wouldn’t dare. Shouting wouldn’t solve anything. “Stop arguing! This isn’t helping!” I shouted. The Gold Chain Boss snapped back, “You got a better idea?” “I do.” I looked up, and everyone’s eyes fell on me. “The thief won’t confess. Instead of waiting to die, we should find them ourselves.” “How?” I looked around. “Everyone recount what happened when you were at the stall. We vote for the most suspicious person and let the owner check their stomach.” “Right! If she finds the food, the rest of us live!” The Gold Chain Boss laughed. But the girl in the white dress disagreed. “But we’re sending someone to their death. We’d be accomplices to murder.” “Accomplices?! If that person hadn’t stolen, we wouldn’t be here! It’s their fault! If you don’t agree, I’m voting for you first! I’m innocent, and I don’t want to die!” The Gold Chain Boss was fierce. The girl turned red with fear. Others agreed. “Yeah, if you don’t agree, we vote for you.” “I’m voting for you too. Better you than me.” “In chaos, kill the saint first. I vote for you.” Everyone ganged up on her. The girl cried, “It’s not me! I didn’t steal!” 3 “Wait!” I interrupted. “We can’t vote blindly.” The Gold Chain Boss sneered at me. “Playing hero? Should we vote for you instead?” “That’s not what I mean. Listen to me.” I looked at everyone. “If I’m right, the owner can’t kill indiscriminately. What’s the difference between us voting randomly and her gutting us one by one? She could just kill us all, but she gave us time to find the real thief. That means killing innocents carries a penalty for her.” I swallowed hard, watching the owner. She didn’t get angry, so I continued. “With the blond guy, he was acting suspicious, so she was 80% sure before she killed him. Now, if we vote randomly and she kills an innocent, she might stop caring and just kill us all to find the food.” 4 AM was the deadline. If she didn’t find the thief by then, she would be punished. That punishment must be worse than the penalty for killing innocents. So she gave us an hour. If we find the thief, she avoids punishment. If we fail, she has to kill everyone to find the food. This hour is our only chance. “You have a point. If we guess wrong, she might just wipe us out.” The Gold Chain Boss agreed. I nodded. “Let’s go one by one. Tell us what happened at the stall. We find the real thief!” Besides the Gold Chain Boss and the white dress girl, there was a grandmother holding a boy, and a young couple. Everyone looked at each other, hesitant to start. I had nothing to hide, so I went first. “I take this road home from work every day. I worked late tonight and was hungry, so I stopped to buy some food. The owner said she wasn’t selling, so I left. I was there for less than a minute.” The owner spoke up. “When you asked, I didn’t look up. I didn’t see what you did during that minute.” “What about the others?” Everyone here was a suspect. I didn’t rush to clear my name. I wanted to see who was more suspicious. Following my lead, others started talking. The Gold Chain Boss said, “I was at the KTV nearby for a meeting. My driver had a stomach ache and went to the bathroom, so he parked on the roadside. I saw the stall and wanted some food. The owner refused. I cursed a bit, she ignored me, so I kicked the stool next to the stall and left.” The owner said slowly, “After you kicked the stool, I turned to fix it. I couldn’t see what you did when my back was turned.” So, the Gold Chain Boss was very suspicious. Rich boss meets disrespectful stall owner, curses, gets ignored, kicks a stool, and steals a bite while the owner is distracted. The logic held up. Others thought so too, looking at him suspiciously. The Boss got angry. “What are you looking at? She said no, so I didn’t eat! I kicked the stool out of anger, but I didn’t steal!” 4 The girl in the white dress spoke next. “I was shopping. saw the stall on my way home. I wanted to try it, but no one was there. I waited a bit, no one came, so I left.” Everyone looked at the owner. Such important food, and she left the stall unattended? The owner didn’t care. “I went next door to get some noodles. She saw the empty stall and approached. She’s a suspect.” The girl had never met the owner, yet the owner knew she was there. This owner definitely wasn’t normal. Maybe not even human! Now, only the couple and the grandma-grandson pair were left. The boyfriend said, “We were on a date, walking around. My girlfriend wanted food, so we stopped. The owner refused. My girlfriend was upset, so I tried to persuade the owner. She still refused, so we left.” The owner stared at the boy. “You came inside to bug me for a long time. While we talked, your girlfriend wasn’t in my line of sight.” The girlfriend retorted, “I just stood there watching you talk! I did nothing!” The owner looked away, seemingly unconvinced. Finally, the grandma and grandson. The boy was buried in his grandma’s arms, terrified by the blond guy’s death. The grandma trembled. “I live nearby. Took my grandson for a walk. He wanted the food. I asked, she refused. He really wanted it, so I begged her. She wouldn’t sell, so we left.” The owner looked at the boy this time. “While I was talking to you, your grandson was running around. He left my sight multiple times.” “My grandson is a good boy! He wouldn’t steal!” The boy peeked out. “I didn’t steal.” “See? Children don’t lie.” The grandma swore up and down. The owner fell silent. She was waiting for us to choose. Right now, the Gold Chain Boss seemed the most suspicious. He tried to force a sale, got rejected, kicked a stool. He had the strongest motive. I looked at him. He noticed and roared, “It wasn’t me! I was mad she wouldn’t sell! I offered money and she refused! I kicked the stool because I lost face! I’m rich, I don’t need to steal food!” “Who knows? Maybe you just had to have a taste?” Others nodded. The Boss panicked. “Really not me! Don’t frame a good person!” “Vote and find out!” The white dress girl, remembering his threat earlier, pointed at him. “I vote for him!” “Me too!” The boyfriend joined in. His girlfriend echoed, “I vote whoever babe votes for.” I slowly raised my hand and pointed at the Boss. The grandma and grandson did the same. The Boss was so scared he peed himself. “It’s not me! You’re wrong!” No one cared about his screams. We all hoped it was him so we could go home. The owner stood up and walked towards him.

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My adopted brother, whom I’ve had a crush on forever, has always been cold to me. I thought he just wasn’t the smiling type. Until one night, I heard his raspy voice calling someone’s name: “Sisi.” Heartbroken, I packed up my pet snake and moved out. Suddenly, floating text comments appeared before my eyes: [Girl, you are killing me! He wasn’t calling a girl’s name! Snakes make a ‘hissing’ sound!] [The Male Lead is never going to hiss again. He’s probably trying to poison himself mute right now.] [Did you seriously not notice that your pet snake and your brother never appear at the same time?] 1 The day I moved out, a crack finally appeared in Liam’s icy facade. He frowned slightly, lifting his eyelids. “Why?” I avoided his gaze, flustered. “I graduated. I can support myself now. It’s not good to keep living at home.” I was adopted by the Landry family. This reason should be reasonable enough. I really couldn’t say the truth. Hearing him call someone else’s name made me feel sad and awkward. I just wanted to run away. Liam has always been a cold, self-restrained person. But that night, when he called “Sisi,” his voice was low and raspy. Like it was soaked in some deep emotion. Just thinking about it still shocks me. My suitcase was packed and sitting by the door. As expected, Liam didn’t ask me to stay. He just opened the door to his study, dropping one sentence: “Don’t forget to take your pet.” He was cold to me, and cold to my pet. He never visited my little snake, let alone touched it. Now, he couldn’t wait to kick it out too. I was heartbroken. I grabbed the snake, terrarium and all, and left alone. 2 The floating comments—like a livestream chat—appeared after I moved into my new apartment. I unpacked my stuff and collapsed on the sofa. My little white snake slowly crawled out of the open terrarium, climbing up my calf. Its cool scales pressed against my bare skin. Like always, I bent down and scooped it up. It climbed up my arm and settled on my shoulder. I started to suspect the mushrooms I fried for lunch weren’t fully cooked. Lines of text started popping up in front of my eyes. [Why did she move out?! My favorite trope of angsty tension under one roof is gone!] [Forget tension, the plot is about to hit the highway and you’re still driving a tricycle.] What are they babbling about? Highway? I just got my driver’s license; I’m not allowed on the highway yet. I looked down and started googling “What to do for mushroom poisoning.” I’ve heard of seeing little green men, but never floating text. While my mind wandered, I switched to WeChat and saw Liam pinned at the top. His profile picture was pure white. The messages stopped a day ago. Me: “Brother, I’m moving out.” Him (replying much later): “Okay.” So perfunctory. I got dumped before we even started dating. I buried my head in my knees, ready to cry my eyes out. I forgot the snake was still on my shoulder. It suddenly slipped into my collar, then stopped. Leaving a cold, slippery sensation. And… a snake tongue that didn’t retract in time. The snake seemed stunned too, freezing in place. My scalp tingled. I frantically fished it out. It still left a faint red mark. Emo mode paused. The text scrolled by rapidly. [Male Lead be like: Sorry, I type slow.] [Female Lead: Stop pretending.] [He wasn’t being perfunctory! You were playing with him at the time; he couldn’t free his hands. He typed that ‘Okay’ with his tail!] [Holy crap! Just joined the stream and it’s already this spicy.] [Liam must be in heaven.] I understood the words, and my face instantly turned red. Is this snake… Liam? He always wears gold-rimmed glasses. Is he a cobra? (Note: ‘Spectacled Cobra’ in Chinese/culture reference) Suspicion: Hallucinations from mushroom poisoning. 3 I put the snake back in the terrarium and wanted to text my best friend. To tell her I might be tripping on mushrooms. My finger swiped, and I saw the messages I sent her last time. Me: “It’s over. I have no chance.” “Liam seems to like someone!” “He even called her ‘Sisi’!” “Sob.” The comments seemed to be peeking at my screen. [Girl, you are killing me! He wasn’t calling a girl’s name! Snakes make a ‘hissing’ sound!] [The Male Lead is never going to hiss again. He’s probably trying to poison himself mute right now.] [Did you seriously not notice that your pet snake and your brother never appear at the same time?] Hey, didn’t I put on a privacy screen protector? I deleted the unsent text. I looked hesitantly at the terrarium by my feet. The white snake was wrapped around a grape vine, head raised, staring quietly at me. It and Liam… really never appeared together. [Question Xu Xian, Understand Xu Xian, Become Xu Xian.] (Reference to the Legend of the White Snake, a man who fell in love with a snake demon) [Try this, feed Liam some realgar wine. If he faints, he’s a snake. If not, he’s a snake demon.] I pursed my lips. I found Liam’s number in my contacts and dialed it. The white snake’s eyes seemed to widen. Then, its tail started rattling. I don’t know the principle behind it, but… I understood. I hung up. 4 That night, I was drawing on my tablet in my room. I actually received a message from Liam first. “Forgot to tell you.” “The snake cousin gave you back then… it’s a rattlesnake.” [Male Lead trying to cover his tracks.] [What rattlesnake rattles with a ringtone sound?] My cousin gave me the snake. In high school, I was stressed and randomly wanted a pet snake. My cousin heard and brought one over. “Home-bred. Different from the ones you buy.” “Long life span, smart, obedient, clingy. Great emotional support.” “Knows to find food when hungry, knows to come home when it rains.” It was true. It understood all my commands. It was clingy, often wrapping around my calf. It slept with me at night. I thought I found the perfect snake. Turns out it was my brother. …It feels really weird. My secret crush and my favorite pet merged into one. Whatever. I can pretend I don’t know. I put down my pen and tablet, opening the door. The white snake had crawled out of the terrarium at some point and was waiting at the door. I hesitated, then squatted and held out my hand. It climbed onto my shoulder and shook its tail. The tail made a shhh-shhh sound, clear as day. [Male Lead trying SO hard to prove he isn’t himself.] [He doesn’t dare let her find out he’s a pervert.] [That is a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake. In the US, they bite more people than any other snake…] Maybe beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I felt like this snake looked a lot more handsome now. It leaned in, nuzzling my cheek with its nose affectionately. Tentatively, its tongue flicked the corner of my mouth. Leaving a cold, wet sensation. My breath hitched. I took it off, put it outside the door, and locked it quickly. [Male Lead got rejected just like that. But a snake is kinda hard to accept.] [Only in novels. If I saw a snake that big in my house, I’d move out overnight and leave the deed to the snake.] I threw myself onto the bed, burying my head in the quilt. My face was burning. It took a while to calm down. I texted my best friend. “Can you understand Xu Xian?” The comments were shocked. [???] [So you’re shy, not rejecting him?]

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I accidentally got drugged and ended up in bed with my nemesis for twenty-four hours straight. Afterward, my friend asked how it was. To save face, I bluffed: “All looks, no substance. I didn’t feel a thing, and it was over.” My nemesis just happened to overhear me. With a smirk, he dragged me back to that same hotel room. He pressed me down, slowly removed his hearing aids, and mouthed the words: “If I take these off, I won’t stop.” “Don’t cry and beg for mercy like last night.” “Anyway… I can’t hear you.” 1 Riiip— I tore Julian’s custom-made shirt in half. Lying on top of him, my fingers traced erratic paths over his abs, eliciting low pants from him. Just as I reached for his belt, he grabbed my hand, signing frantically. I barely made out that he was saying no. “Damn it, Julian! Do you want me to die here?!” “I’m like this, and you still won’t touch me? Is it because you can’t get it up?!” “If you can’t, get me another man!” I started sobbing. Who knew I’d get drugged at a gala? And this drug was potent—it burned away all my reason. If I didn’t get relief soon, I felt like I would explode. Julian paused, his sharp Adam’s apple bobbing. He signed again. He asked: “You won’t regret this?” I lost my patience, propped myself up, and kissed him hard. “If you’re a man, just do it! Why so much talk?!” 2 I woke up the next day aching all over, my throat dry as sandpaper. Holding my waist, I tried to get up for water, but my eyes landed on Julian sleeping beside me. He was asleep, hair messy, neck covered in visible scratches and hickeys. It was a scene of debauchery. Especially the large bite marks on his chest. My breath hitched, brain spinning. Who am I? Where am I? What did I do? Who is this man? Then came the internal scream. Holy crap! I slept with my nemesis, Julian, for a whole day and night!!! Ignoring the shame, I threw on my clothes and fled the room on trembling legs. Back home, my parents, who had been searching for me, looked me over and sighed in relief seeing I was safe. “Oh, Chloe, have you seen our Julian?” Before I could recover, a voice cut in, making me shiver. It was Julian’s mother. I looked up and saw Julian’s parents in my living room. They looked like they’d been there for hours. His mom couldn’t hide her worry. “That boy disappeared right after the gala last night.” “We checked the cameras. You left together.” “Why did only you come back?” Meeting her gaze, my heart tightened, and my eyes darted away guiltily. Of course I knew where Julian was. I was just rolling in the sheets with him. If our parents found out, they’d definitely try to set us up. But Julian is my nemesis. We can’t be together. Besides, yesterday was just an accident. 3 While I was wracking my brain for an excuse, Julian’s mom’s eyes lit up. She rushed behind me. “Julian—” As soon as she spoke, a heavy, sharp gaze landed on my back, scraping like a knife. I turned stiffly to find Julian looking at me. He signed that he was fine, then lifted his eyelids to look at me. He signed: “Why… did… you… leave… first?” He looked just like last night when I was on top of him, and he tirelessly signed, asking if the pressure was okay. Memories flooded back. I turned and fled upstairs. Back in my room, I locked myself in the bathroom and dunked my head in water to wash away the explicit images. “Chloe Vance, stop thinking about X-rated stuff!” I forced myself to calm down. So what if I slept with Julian? No big deal. Julian surely wouldn’t care. He probably felt disgusted. Just pretend nothing happened. Like how he used to distance himself from me. 4 Julian and I were childhood sweethearts. Our families lived close, so we were inseparable. Back then, Julian’s hearing was fine. He didn’t need hearing aids. Every day after school, I’d run to find him, and he’d patiently play with me. Until we were ten. Julian got a high fever. Delayed treatment left him with hearing loss. He had to wear hearing aids. From that day on, the gentle boy changed. He became moody. He became silent, withdrawn, locking himself in his room, refusing treatment. I tried to cheer him up, but he’d throw things, throw tantrums, and yell at me to go away. Even at that age, I could feel it clearly. He didn’t want to see me. He rejected me. But I’m stubborn. The more he pushed me away, the more I showed up, challenging him on everything. As we grew up, he kept distancing himself. So he became my nemesis. 5 I hid at home for three days. My best friend, Penny, kept trying to get me out, but I refused. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to go out; my waist felt like it had been snapped by Julian. Julian is nearly 6’3″, broad shoulders, narrow waist, arms bulging with muscle. He could lift my 100-pound frame with one hand. That night, he pinned me against the wall with one arm, pushing my body to its limits again and again. And he still wouldn’t let me go, dragging me to different spots in the room. I suspect he’s addicted. On the fourth day, when I recovered a bit, I accepted Penny’s invite. The moment we met, she asked what happened between me and Julian. “Spill it! What’s going on? He’s been asking me about you non-stop.” Julian asking about me? My first reaction was disbelief. He’s avoided me for years. Shouldn’t he be avoiding me like the plague? But under Penny’s interrogation, I confessed we slept together. “WHAT?! YOU SLEPT WITH—” Penny looked shocked, her voice rising dangerously. I covered her mouth just in time to avoid alerting the whole bar. “Chloe, you’ve got skills. Sleeping with Julian?” “So, how was he? Was it intense?” Penny elbowed me, grinning mischievously. My face turned crimson. I didn’t want to admit it, but Julian was… good. The communication was the only issue. Sometimes things got too intense, and his hearing aids would fly off. No matter how much I begged, he wouldn’t stop. I ended up clinging to his ear, sobbing broken pleas for mercy.

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