I went to the airport with my best friend to support her favorite celebrity, but I ended up crushing on his manager instead. While everyone else was screaming for the idol, I wolf-whistled at the manager in the black suit. “Hey handsome, how long are you?” Realizing the accidental double entendre, I panicked and tried to fix it: “I meant your height! I was asking how tall you are!” The Manager: “…” I chased him for a month, until he finally sighed and told me, “Stop wasting your time on me. I have no intention of dating right now.” So, I listened. I moved on and started chasing an indie rocker instead. But the man who “had no intention of dating” ended up pinning me against a wall in a dark alley. “Didn’t you want to know how long I am?” he growled. “Then measure it yourself.” 1 The VIP arrivals hall at LAX was absolute chaos. My best friend, Chloe, was gripping my arm so hard I was losing circulation. “Oh my god, Maya! He’s coming! He’s coming!” I stood on my tiptoes, trying to see over the sea of heads. “Where? I can’t see anything.” Chloe pointed, practically hyperventilating. “Eight o’clock. The hottest guy there.” I squinted. A man in a sharp black suit rounded the corner. Gold-rimmed glasses perched on a high nose bridge, and a luxury mechanical watch peeked out as he tucked his phone into his pocket. “The guy in black? Damn, he is hot!” As soon as I said it, the group of superfans next to me shot me a look of pure disgust and shuffled away. “Not him!” one hissed. “That’s Noah Thorne, Evan Jiang’s manager. The one in the mask is Evan!” Sure enough, Noah waved his team of assistants forward. They formed a protective circle around a tall figure in a baseball cap and mask. The fans surged forward like a tidal wave. I hung back, dragging my feet. Noah had hung back too. He checked his watch with a frown. I stared at the way his collar button strained slightly. My brain completely short-circuited. Over the deafening screams for Evan, a sharp, flirtatious wolf-whistle cut through the air. Mine. “Hey handsome! How long are you?” The tunnel went dead silent. Noah Thorne’s hand froze on his phone. Through his lenses, his narrow eyes squinted slightly. He pursed his lips, and his ears—visible thanks to his short haircut—turned a bright, furious red. I clapped my hands over my mouth, realizing what I’d just yelled. Chloe looked at me like I was a criminal. I frantically tried to backpedal. “I-I-I-I meant your height! I was asking how tall you are!” Noah pushed his glasses up his nose, gave me a flat look, and walked away, his pace significantly faster. Further ahead, Evan Jiang, who was signing autographs, had clearly heard the commotion. His eyes, visible over his mask, crinkled into a smile. He looked at Noah’s retreating back and raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the show. “Bro~” he teased, dragging out the vowel. “The lady asked you a question.” Noah shot him a cold glare. “Shut up.” Some fan site admin caught the whole thing on video. It trended on Twitter for three days. #HowLongIsEvansManager became the internet’s new favorite mystery. “What do you actually know about Noah Thorne?” I tossed my phone onto the couch and looked at Chloe expectantly. “You’re seriously crushing on him?” I nodded shamelessly. “Maya, you’re asking the impossible. He’s a ghost. All anyone knows is he’s the industry’s ‘Ice King’—an asexual workaholic machine. He literally sent a group of stalker fans to jail last month.” I sighed, debating if I should give up. But my brain kept replaying his cold face and those red ears. I searched him online. Nothing. Besides knowing he was a manager, his digital footprint was cleaner than a burner phone. “So mysterious…” I muttered, ready to dig deeper, when my phone rang. It was my brother, Liam. He needed a ride. The background noise was loud—clinking glasses and chatter. I sighed and grabbed my keys. When I pushed open the door to the VIP lounge, I saw my brother, already drunk. “Maya! Over here!” he waved. I frowned and walked over, ready to scold him, but stopped dead. Sitting opposite my brother was Noah Thorne. He was still wearing the same clothes from the airport, but the room was warm, so he’d undone the top two buttons of his shirt. Seeing me, he raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. “This is my baby sister,” Liam slurred, introducing me. “Total bookworm. Super introverted. Never leaves the house.” He looked at Noah. “Since you know everyone, Thorne, you should introduce her to some nice guys when you have time.” I nearly tripped over my own feet. I stood there, guilty as charged, not daring to speak. Bro, I read smut, not literature. And I only stay home during the day because I’m out all night! “Introverted?” Noah chuckled softly. He took a sip of his drink, his gaze lingering on me for a few seconds before shifting away. 2 I felt prickly under his gaze and quickly changed the subject. “Liam, you’re drunk. Let’s go home.” Liam waved me off. “Not yet. Sit.” I sat down helplessly and stole a glance at Noah. He leaned back in the leather sofa, collar open, exposing a sharp collarbone. Under the dim lights, his profile was dangerously sexy. “Bro,” I tugged Liam’s sleeve. “Is he your friend?” “Yeah.” “Why didn’t you ever mention him?” “I did! I told you about him last month. Remember? The guy you said sounded ‘pretentious and stuck up’!” “You’re drunk!” I lunged to cover his mouth, but it was too late. My brother doesn’t know the meaning of ‘inside voice.’ He even pointed a finger right at Noah. The whole table looked at us. My face burned. I waved my hands frantically. “I didn’t! I don’t! Don’t listen to him!” Noah let out a light laugh, put down his glass, and looked at me with a half-smile. I wanted to dig a hole and die. I decided to throw my drunk brother under the bus. “He forced me to say it!” I sold him out without hesitation. The table laughed. I wanted to apologize to Noah properly, but as I stood up, my heel got stuck in the carpet. I lost my balance. As the world spun, a warm hand firmly caught my waist. My mind went blank. I was staring straight at a small mole next to Noah’s Adam’s apple. The room went silent. You could hear a pin drop. Until a confused voice came from the floor. “Huh? Why am I on the ground?” My brother rubbed his forehead, stumbling to his feet. “Maya, why is your face so red?” “Thanks! Bye!” It was the perfect chance to get close to him, and I ran away like a coward. Back home, I realized I forgot to get his number. Lying in bed, my brain was full of Noah’s face. His scent, that mole, that smile. I covered my face and rolled around. I was done for. I was obsessed. I jumped out of bed, heated some milk, and knocked on my brother’s door. “Liam, you awake?” He was breathing evenly. I shook him hard. “What?” He put on his glasses, looking confused. “You drank too much. I was worried you couldn’t sleep. Here’s some milk.” Liam: “…” “Oh, were you sleeping? I thought you were awake.” Liam: “…” “Drink the milk.” I smiled sweetly. My brother sighed. “You have three seconds. Tell me what you want, or get out.” I pursed my lips. “You haven’t texted Noah to tell him you got home safe.” Liam snorted. He grabbed his phone, sent the message, and pushed Noah’s contact card to me. I grabbed my phone and ran back to my room, happy as a clam. 3 My phone buzzed in my hand. I jumped up like a carp. I screamed silently at the ceiling three times, then tremblingly opened the chat. [Hi Noah, it’s Maya. Liam’s sister.] [We got home safe.] [Thanks for saving me tonight, otherwise I would’ve had a concussion.] I pressed send and clutched the phone to my chest. Three minutes later, he replied. [1.] …One? As in “Okay”? Outside, the wind rustled the leaves. I rolled over and tried again. [When you helped me, I think my lipstick might have smudged on your white shirt.] [Should I pay for dry cleaning?] [Or maybe I can buy you dinner to apologize?] [Also, sorry about the airport thing today. Really.] This time, I waited five minutes. [No need.] [It’s late. I’m going to shower. Goodnight, Miss Vance.] How do I reply to that? I opened the “Flirting 101” guide Chloe sent me. I confidently typed: [Shower?!] [Sending me a message like that in the middle of the night… feels a little flirtatious.] Almost immediately, the “typing…” indicator appeared. A minute later, Noah deleted the last message. [It’s late. I’m going to boil water. Goodnight.] Me: “…” Well played. He successfully piqued my interest. I spent the whole night drafting “Operation: Seduce Noah.” Using my brother’s connections, I got an internship at Noah’s agency. As for how much I begged and pleaded… let’s not talk about it. The result is what matters. I stared at my new ID badge: Maya Vance. Today was the monthly trainee evaluation. A group of teenage boys were auditioning. Noah stood there, arms crossed, frowning. “Stop.” He knocked on the table. “The chorus sounds like a goose being strangled. And you—too many unnecessary body rolls. It looks greasy.” When I pushed the door open, a dozen eyes shot toward me. My brother must have called ahead, because Noah didn’t look surprised. “Hi everyone, I’m Maya, the new intern.” Noah nodded and pointed to the chair next to him. “Sit here.” Then he addressed the staff. “She’ll be shadowing me for a while.” Everyone nodded, but they looked at me… weirdly. Me: ??? I thought it was because I was a nepo baby. Half an hour later, I understood. That look wasn’t judgment. It was pity. Noah Thorne was scary! He was like a precision machine. His insults were toxic and accurate, leaving no survivors. “You call this dancing? The toddlers at my nephew’s kindergarten have better coordination.” “Is this a pig farm? Keep eating like that and we’ll debut you as ‘The Missing Abs’.” “You submitted this proposal? Do you get paid to manufacture garbage?” … The posters on the wall seemed to pale under the fluorescent lights. The room was dead silent. Luckily, I was new, so the fire wouldn’t burn me today. I carefully took out my phone under the table to text Chloe. [Noah looks like an Angry Bird when he’s mad.] [So hot. Want to kiss.] [I must have him!] [Cat heart emoji] Chloe, who usually replies instantly, was silent. I looked up, confused. My colleagues were staring at me in shock. I followed their gaze to the giant projector screen at the front of the room. There, massive and bright, was my Cat Heart Emoji. Me: “…” I forgot I was texting him last night. I clicked the top conversation by mistake. Haha. Mystery solved. Chloe didn’t reply because she never got it. I shrank into my chair, trembling, not daring to look at Noah. “It does look like him.” Evan Jiang was leaning against the doorframe, trying not to laugh. “Sister has a way with words. Though her taste in men is questionable.” I buried my head lower. “That’s all for today,” Noah announced, ignoring Evan. Everyone exhaled and fled. Noah turned to me, still quail-ing in the chair. “Not coming?” I squeaked “Oh” and scrambled to follow him. His leather shoes clicked on the tiles like a countdown timer. I counted the marble patterns, heart in my throat. He stopped suddenly. I slammed right into his back. “Miss Vance.” Cedar and sandalwood filled my nose. I stumbled, but he caught my elbow. I looked up. I could see my reflection in his glasses. “Does your seduction plan include following me into the men’s restroom?” I jumped back. The sign clearly said MEN. “Sorry! I spaced out!” “My office is that way.” He pointed. I nodded to leave, but he called out. “Miss Vance. I have contracts to handle, brands to manage, and teams to coordinate. I really don’t have time to play romance games with you.” My grip on my shirt tightened. His voice was deep, like a cello. He thought being harsh would scare me off. But I wasn’t listening to his words. I was staring at that mole near his Adam’s apple. “Miss Vance, do you understand?” His cold voice snapped me back. “Mmm… mumbling something… want to kiss.” Noah: “…” 4 From that day on, I chased him openly. He hated mixing business with pleasure. So I worked diligently, and then tried to get close during breaks. But Noah was avoiding me. After finding his office empty for the 108th time, I went to the breakroom to drown my sorrows in coffee. I stood on the terrace by a lemon tree, spamming his WeChat. [Noah, are you really not interested?] [Toads can dream of eating swan meat, right?!] [Think about it. Once I fly away, don’t regret it!] … No reply. I sighed. I heard hushed mocking from the kitchen. “The boss went crazy again today. Made the intern cry over a typo in the PPT.” “He’s a Gold Medal Manager. Eyes only for data, no humanity.” “How long do you think the Princess will last?” … My nails dug into my palm. I threw the terrace door open. “Wondering if I’ll last? Why not ask me?” The three employees jumped. I poured an iced coffee. “That ‘typo’? The intern wrote Evan Jiang’s name as ‘Evan Chang’ in the press release. Do you know the fan war that would cause? The studio would be torn apart.” The youngest girl turned red. “But he was too…” “Too what? Too harsh? I don’t think being strict about work is a flaw. But making a mistake, letting others clean up the mess, and then badmouthing the boss? That’s just stupid and mean!” The breakroom went silent. “Well said!” A voice startled me. Evan Jiang was leaning against the doorframe. I realized Noah was standing right behind him. His glasses reflected the light, hiding his eyes. I didn’t know how long they’d been there. The gossips turned pale. “Back to work,” Noah said. They fled. Evan winked at me and left too. It was just us. “Thank you for speaking up. But you don’t need to do that next time.” His voice was flat. “Why?” “It’s unnecessary.” “It is necessary!” I spun around, glaring. “What right do they have to talk about you like that?” He handed me a tissue, looking at my reddened eyes. “I’ve heard worse. You don’t need to make enemies for me.” “But it hurts my heart!” I yelled it before I could stop myself. Noah’s breath hitched. He took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Maya…” “You want to say I’m meddling, right? I don’t want to hear it!” He was silent for a moment. He went to pour coffee. “Go back to the office.” “You go back yourself!” I slammed my cup down and stormed out. At the elevator, I heard him on the phone. “Don’t cancel the meeting. I’m on my way.” Noah Thorne never stopped for anyone.

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Every night after my livestream, I slowly peel off my silk stockings in front of the mirror. I know there’s a camera hidden behind the glass. But the man watching doesn’t know my secret: this delicate, alluring cam-girl is actually a man. 1 “Thanks for hanging out, fam! See you next time!” I blew a kiss to the camera and ended the stream. Standing up from my gaming chair, I stretched, my back popping satisfyingly. To cater to my audience’s tastes, I was wearing a pleated schoolgirl skirt and black silk stockings. The cropped top rode up with every movement, exposing a stretch of pale skin. I sat on the sofa, facing the mirror, admiring my own long legs as I slowly peeled off the stockings. Why the sofa? Because it’s the perfect triangulation point between the mirror, the computer, and the smoke detector on the wall. All three contain hidden pinhole cameras. I’ve known about them for a while. I also know they were planted by three different men. Every night, I deliberately undress here to tease them. But I never take off too much. Because if I reveal too much, they’ll discover my secret: I’m a man. 2 I was born with fair skin and a soft voice. Add in my slender frame and small bone structure, and when I dress as a woman, I’m a knockout. Men lose their minds over me. Since moving into this apartment complex, three men have targeted me. The camera in the mirror was installed by my landlord. He’s in his forties, chubby, with a perpetually friendly face. You’d never guess he was a voyeur. My computer has remote control software installed. It can turn my machine on and off and access the webcam. Even when I shut down the stream, the person on the other end can turn the camera back on. The culprit is the guy next door. He’s a freelancer with thick black-rimmed glasses, very quiet and polite. One day, my computer got a “virus” (which he planted), and he “fixed” it for me, installing the spyware in the process. The last camera is hidden inside the smoke detector. I bought it from the guy who delivers my bottled water. The first time he delivered, he wouldn’t shut up about fire safety. I played the concerned girl and let him install the detector. These three cameras monitor every inch of my living room and my daily life. Why haven’t I called the police? Because I planned this. These three men are essential pieces in my game. 3 I tossed the stockings onto the sofa and slowly unbuttoned my top. Underneath, I wore a loose camisole. I knew that behind those three lenses were three pairs of hungry eyes and three flushed faces. A smirk played on my lips as I walked into the bathroom. Watching but not touching must be torture. How long can they hold out? After all, they’ve had copies of my house key for a long time. 4 The landlord had the first key. He claimed he didn’t keep spares, but I knew he was lying. He has a history of letting himself into female tenants’ apartments. But with me, he’s still observing, biding his time. When I go out, I leave a spare key under the doormat. My neighbor and the water delivery guy didn’t miss the opportunity; they took it, copied it, and put it back. But none of them have dared to enter while I’m home. Looks like I need to add some fuel to the fire. I picked up my phone and spoke loudly, pretending to be on a call. “Yeah, this place isn’t working out.” “I’ll probably move soon.” “When? Not sure yet, maybe next week…” I put the phone down, smiling. The bait is set; now I just wait for the fish to bite. Time ticked by. At 4:00 AM, I heard a soft click at the door. Who would it be? The lock turned, and the door pushed open silently. Light footsteps approached the bedroom. The door creaked open, and I saw his face in the dim light. It was the neighbor, the freelancer. He stood by my bed, his glasses reflecting a predatory gleam. His hand reached out, trembling, hovering inches from my face before pulling back. Instead of touching me, he pulled out a camera and started taking pictures from every angle. I imagine my photos will soon be added to his wall of trophies. Among his collection, I’m sure I’m the crown jewel. He took photos for a full thirty minutes. He stared at my exposed arm for a long time before finally leaving. Once he was gone, I finally let myself sleep. I slept until noon. After washing up, I went out for lunch. While eating, I pulled up the live feed of my apartment on my phone. Hehe. They don’t know that I have way more cameras hidden in my house than they do. The landlord appeared on the screen. He seemed impatient. He’d entered shortly after I left. He marched into the bathroom, grabbed my underwear, and… relieved himself. I watched with interest, my lunch forgotten. Soon, he groaned and closed his eyes in ecstasy. When he was done, he put the underwear back and left. I finished my meal and strolled back. On the stairs, I ran into Julian. Julian lives upstairs. He’s a writer. He always wears turtlenecks and silver-rimmed glasses—very clean-cut and handsome. I know Julian likes me. Every time he sees me, he gets this shy smile. If I hold eye contact too long, he blushes. He knows my schedule and manufactures “chance encounters.” He knows I’m a streamer; he’s my top moderator, “SimpleJay,” always tipping and chatting. He even brings me homemade red date soup, claiming he “made too much.” Honestly, I kinda like him too. Unlike the three creeps with their cameras, Julian looks at me with pure affection, no lust. In this society, a pure boy like him is rare. So, I flirt back. I nurture the relationship. After all, killing him will be so much more satisfying when he’s deeply in love with me. 5 We chatted on the stairs. I bit my lip and leaned in close. Just as my body was about to brush against his, he stammered an excuse and ran away, face burning red. I smirked and went inside. I started my stream. Fans flooded in. “Goddess is online!” “I would trade ten years of my life for a girlfriend like you.” “Check DMs, please!” I basked in the praise and digital gifts. Suddenly, my phone buzzed. An anonymous text. “I know who you are.” My pupils contracted. Cold sweat trickled down my spine. I apologized to the chat and cut the feed. Sitting in my bedroom, my face went dark. Looks like I have to accelerate the plan.

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A year after our divorce, my ex-husband, Mark, called me out of the blue. His tone was nasty. “Come pick up your daughter’s body. She got hit by a car at the intersection near school.” “But honestly, she only has herself to blame. Running into the street without looking. I know the guy who hit her. I already talked to him—he’ll pay some damages, and we’ll call it even.” Hearing this, tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. I was about to scream at him. But the next second, my daughter’s sweet voice called out from the other room, pulling me back to reality. “Mom, is dinner ready? I’m hungry.” I forgot. I called her out of school today. So… who was the girl who died? 1 “Mom, is dinner ready? I’m hungry.” My daughter’s voice snapped me out of my panic. I finally remembered: Lily was home sick today. She complained about a stomachache late last night, so I let her sleep in. The house had been so quiet all morning that I momentarily forgot she was there. When Mark called, I really thought my world had ended. When we divorced, Mark didn’t want custody because she was a girl. He told me to take her. Even though I knew being a single mom would be hard, I gritted my teeth and took her. Who could trust a child in a household like his? No matter how hard it was, I had to keep my baby with me. My only wish was for her to be safe and happy. For the past year, it had been just the two of us against the world. She was my reason for everything. If something had happened to her… I wouldn’t want to live either. Thank God it wasn’t her. I choked back my tears, put down the ladle, and rushed into the living room to hug her tight. My voice was trembling, softer than usual. “Baby, just a little longer. Dinner is almost ready.” “You need to eat something light since your tummy hurts. I made soup. We’ll eat soon, okay?” “Okay.” Feeling her warmth, the giant stone in my heart finally dropped. Guilt washed over me, remembering how I yelled at her yesterday for struggling with her homework. Now I realized, as long as she’s healthy, nothing else matters. I went back to the kitchen to check the soup. Three to five minutes. Mark called again. This time, he was shouting. “Where the hell are you? We don’t have time to wait around. If you don’t get here, we’re leaving the body on the side of the road. You can pick it up whenever you feel like it.” His coldness chilled me to the bone. Even if he thought it was our daughter, how could he be so heartless? She is his biological child. How could he be this vicious? Did we owe him something? Or did divorce just make us mortal enemies? I was about to explain that he made a mistake, that Lily was safe at home. But then I changed my mind. My voice went flat. “Fine. Dump it there. Someone will call the cops eventually.” Mark exploded. “Are you insane? I said you’d get paid! What more do you want? Do I need to carry you there in a sedan chair?” No matter how vile his curses got, I didn’t react. “No need. I said I’m not coming, so I’m not coming.” He started panicking. “Are you even human? Your daughter is dead and you won’t even come to collect the body?” He confirmed one last time, his voice menacing. “You’re really not coming, are you?” “Nope.” Before hanging up, he snarled, “Fine. Just you wait.” 2 “Mom, are you and Dad fighting again?” Lily had been listening. She looked worried and reached out to hug me. “Mom, don’t be mad. I’ll be good. I won’t make you mad.” I picked her up and held her close. “It’s okay. Mom isn’t mad. I wouldn’t waste my anger on people like that.” “Hey, didn’t you say you were hungry? I’ll serve you first. Go eat.” “Okay!” Lily is such a good kid. Gentle and sensible. But she’s suffered with me. I run a market stall, so I usually drop her off at school super early to go buy supplies. She grew up independent because I wasn’t around enough. It hurts to think about. But life is hard, and we do what we have to do. After settling Lily, I sat down to eat. Before I could take a bite, someone pounded on the door. THUD THUD THUD THUD. Violent knocks. But when I opened the door, no one was there. Just a large cardboard box. It looked heavy, and there was a dark red liquid seeping from the corner. Next to it was a heavy black plastic bag. My gut screamed danger. My heart pounded against my ribs. I steeled myself and looked inside the box. I almost lost my soul. Inside was the body of a child. The head was crushed, unrecognizable. As a mother, seeing this… tears flooded my eyes instantly. “AHH!” I screamed, collapsing to the floor. Lily ran out. “Mom? What’s wrong?” I scrambled to cover her eyes. “Don’t look! Go back inside! Don’t come out no matter what you hear!” I pushed her back into her room. After calming down slightly, I called 911. “Police? I need to report a crime. Someone dumped a body at my door.” Even the dispatcher was shocked. “Ma’am, stay safe. Officers are on the way.” Thirty minutes later, the police arrived. My hands were still shaking. Not from fear, but from rage. I knew exactly who did this. The officer asked gently, “Are you and your family okay?” My lips trembled. “I’m fine. It’s just… cruel. I feel bad for this child.” The officer started taking notes. “Do you know who this child is?” “No.” Then I gave them the crucial lead. “But I know how she died.” “My ex-husband called me at noon. He said my daughter was hit by a car and offered me money to settle it privately. I refused.” The officer’s eyes widened. “So the body in this box is your daughter?” I told the truth. “No. Actually, I don’t know who she is.” The officer looked confused. “Okay… can you come to the station to give a statement?” 3 I glanced back at the house. “Yes, but please wait. I need to get my phone.” Actually, I needed to check on Lily and give her instructions. “Lily, Mom needs to go to the police station. Lock the door. Don’t go anywhere. Wait for me, okay?” “Okay. Mom, are you in trouble?” She’s young, but she’s sharp. I couldn’t hide everything. “No trouble. Just helping the police uncles with some questions. I’ll be back soon. Don’t worry!” “Mm.” She nodded seriously, her big eyes full of trust. I went back outside. The police were bagging the body for the coroner. I got into the squad car, worrying about Lily the whole way. At the station, I sat across from the detective and explained everything. He looked disgusted. “Arrogant. Killing someone and acting like this? Bring in the ex-husband, Mark Dou.” While waiting, I sat there picking at my nails, anxious. The officer noticed. “Water?” “Yes, please.” Holding the warm cup helped a little. A while later, the officers returned with Mark. And his current wife, Wanda. Why was she here? During the interrogation, the mystery unraveled. The girl was hit by Wanda. Mark was covering for her, talking about “knowing the driver.” No wonder he was so protective. Seeing them made my blood boil. Seeing her made it worse. Their dirty affair ruined my marriage. Wanda was the mistress who made my life hell until I couldn’t take it anymore and divorced Mark. A man who changes heart is dangerous. If I hadn’t left, I would have been beaten. “Alright, which one of you hit the girl?” the detective asked. “And who is she?” Mark looked confused. “Isn’t she Sarah’s daughter, Lily?” “Officer, we didn’t flee the scene! We called Sarah immediately!” “We admitted our mistake! We wanted to solve it!” “We’ll pay whatever damages. We accept the penalty.” “Ask Sarah! We called her!” Mark was frantic, but he was answering the wrong question. The detective glanced at me, then back at Mark. “What’s the point of asking her? Who told you it was her daughter? Her daughter is alive and well.” 4 Mark and Wanda froze. Then Mark shouted, “Impossible! We’re divorced, but I know my kid! She was wearing the exact same dress Lily wore last week! I couldn’t be wrong!” Now that he mentioned it, I remembered. I bought Lily a dress like the victim’s. It was a knock-off of a designer brand. Same color, same style, just cheaper fabric. No wonder Mark got confused. The detective turned to me. “Ms. Su, what do you think?” “It’s definitely not my daughter!” Mark cut in. “If it’s not your daughter, who is it?” “How should I know?” I snapped. Seeing him made me sick. Everyone except me was confused. The detective asked, “Ms. Su, can we see your daughter?” “Of course. I have to pick her up.” “Okay, I’ll have an officer drive you.” Soon, a police car dropped me home. “Mommy!” Lily ran into my arms. “Good girl.” I turned to the officer. “See? She’s fine.” The officer looked relieved. “I’m glad she’s safe. But… could you bring her to the station just to verify?” “Okay.” I grabbed a jacket for Lily and we went back. This time, Mark and Wanda looked like they’d seen a ghost. Their pupils were shaking. Mark stammered, “She’s really alive… then who did we kill?” Wanda started trembling. “I don’t know! Will I go to jail? Honey, I don’t want to go to jail!” With the evidence piled up, they had no choice. They wanted to settle privately, but they couldn’t find the victim’s family. There was no one to pay off. Jail was inevitable. Wanda was sentenced to two years. She was the driver, and her incompetence caused the death. Mark hated me. He harassed me daily. He was furious he couldn’t find the girl’s family. If they could get a “letter of forgiveness” from the family and pay them off, Wanda might have avoided jail time. But since he was stupid and couldn’t find them, he took it out on me. “Are you sick? The girl isn’t mine! Why are you bothering me?” “Coward. You only know how to bully women and children.” “If you want to know who she is, go to the school and ask!” It dawned on him. “Right! Why didn’t I think of that?” He tried to leave, but this time I stopped him. He had smashed my window three times. I grabbed his shirt. “Pay up. You’re not leaving until you pay for the damages.” Mark, cornered, finally folded. “Fine! I’ll pay! Poor trash. You and your daughter have cheap lives.” Slap! I struck him across the face. Insult me all you want. Insult my daughter, and you die. Mark was stunned. “You crazy bitch! You dare hit me? I’ll make sure you can’t live in this town!” “Try me!” Talk is cheap. Even a rabbit bites when cornered. “I have things to do. I’m letting you off today.” Mark left, rubbing his face. Meanwhile, the police station received a missing person report. The couple who filed it were local tycoons.

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When Julian Thorne’s ex-fiancée showed up, I finally learned he came from old money. To chase me—a broke college student from the boonies—he had cut ties with his family and broken off his engagement with his childhood sweetheart, Clara Vance. Julian was panicking, but Clara was calm and collected. “Relax,” she said smoothly. “I just wanted to see what kind of woman was worth giving up the Thorne empire for.” Suddenly, floating text appeared in the air above us: [Lol, the scumbag is acting tough now. Wait until he gets tired of being poor with the mistress. He’ll be begging for forgiveness!] [Clara is such a queen! Go study abroad, girl, and come back to slap him in the face with your success!] [Fast forward seven years! I want to see the scumbag dump the mistress and kneel before our Clara!] Reading this, Clara’s smile deepened. “I wish you happiness.” Seven years later, we ran into her on the street. Julian and I were squatting on the curb, eating kebabs. Clara, draped in Prada and clutching an Hermès bag, looked at us with pity. “Julian Thorne, is this really the life you wanted?” 1 “Yeah,” Julian answered without hesitation, though he looked confused by the question. The pity on Clara’s face froze. The cheering floating text in the air froze too. [Wait, did I hear that right? The scumbag went from billionaire heir to this, and he’s still acting tough?] [LMAO, seeing how successful and glowing Clara is, he’s definitely regretting it inside. He’s just saving face because the mistress is right there.] [Going from Michelin stars to street food… how could he not regret it?] [Tsk tsk, remember how arrogant he was when he broke off the engagement? Only seven years later, and look at him—] [Wait… why is the scumbag still so hot? And the mistress… damn, why did she get so pretty?] I almost laughed reading that last comment, but the spicy chili powder hit the back of my throat, and I started coughing violently. “Slow down, no one’s fighting you for it,” Julian said, immediately unscrewing a bottle of water for me. He took the spicy skewer from my hand and angled the portable fan directly at my face. This smooth sequence of actions shocked not only the floating comments but also Clara, who looked like she had something stuck in her throat. [Something’s wrong. It’s been seven years. The billionaire heir has been eating bitterness with the poor girl for seven years. He should be sick of her by now.] [According to the original plot, the second male lead should feel humiliated right now. He should be trying to talk to Clara, get blocked by the villainess, have a huge fight with her, and then realize how ugly the villainess is compared to Clara!] [I get it! They’re acting! He’s deliberately showing off to prove his choice wasn’t a mistake!] [Exactly. Seven years later, they’re eating street food while Clara is thriving. Men and their egos. He’s just holding on for dear life!] Clara’s frown relaxed as she read the comments. Her confidence returned. Seeing me hacking up a lung, she opened her bag, pulled out a pack of tissues, and handed them over like she was bestowing a royal favor. “Here.” “Thanks.” Julian took them naturally, opened the pack, and wiped the sweat from my forehead, looking worried. “Better? Still hurt?” [He won’t even look at Clara. Afraid he’ll break character if he does?] [Male Lead #2, we see you. King of Pretending.] Empowered by the comments, Clara’s face lit up again. She looked me and Julian up and down, then glanced at the busy kebab stand behind us. Her face, undeniably beautiful, wore a perfect, polite smile, but her eyes were dripping with contempt. “I remember you used to refuse to eat street food. Said it was dirty.” “I didn’t expect you to change so much in just seven years.” Clara looked at Julian, issuing an invitation. “It’s been seven years. Want to go to our old spot and catch up?” Then she looked at me as if she’d just remembered I existed. “If Ms. Miller doesn’t mind, she can come too.” [Clara is so gentle and kind, even to the scumbag ex and the mistress.] [She just wants to watch the drama unfold. Love this petty queen energy!] I couldn’t take it anymore. When Julian pursued me, he had already broken off his engagement with Clara. Before that, I was busy with school and part-time jobs; I barely knew who he was. If you say Julian wronged Clara by breaking the engagement, I accept that. But the label of “mistress”? I wasn’t taking that. Julian stood up, half a step ahead of me, and spoke bluntly. “It’s been years. When did you lose your sense of boundaries?” “Do I need to remind you of our relationship?” “Asking me out in front of my wife, and saying she can come ‘if she doesn’t mind’?” “Clara Vance, this isn’t like you.” Clara froze. She couldn’t believe her ears. “What did you say?” The floating text went silent for a second, then exploded: [WTF? What did the scumbag say? How dare he talk to Clara like that?] [Heh, acting tough now. Wait until later.] [Keep acting. The more you pretend now, the harder you’ll cry when you’re kneeling for forgiveness later.] Despite the comments’ support, facing Julian’s cold rejection, Clara turned bright red. “My mother just asked me to check on you. Don’t overthink it.” “Since you’re not willing, I won’t stay. Goodbye.” Clara had arrived draped in jewels and confidence, looking down on us from high above. She left flustered, angry, and in a hurry. “Weirdo,” Julian muttered, frowning. He turned back and saw my dark expression, instantly panicking. “Wife!” “I didn’t know she was back! I didn’t know my mom sent her! I haven’t contacted her in seven years! I don’t know why she’s acting like we had some great romance. Even though we were engaged since we were kids, I never liked her…” “Okay,” I interrupted him. “I believe you.” Julian let out a breath, looking at me with puppy-dog eyes. “Your face looked so scary just now. You scared me.” I glanced at him. “Want me to make it up to you?” Julian nodded excitedly. “Yes, yes!” I turned back to the kebab stand. “Boss, ten more lamb skewers!” Julian immediately added, “And a stir-fried noodle! Extra vinegar, extra spicy!” While waiting for the food, I thought about Clara, feeling unsettled. “Julian, do you regret being with me?” I looked at him seriously, sitting on his little plastic stool. “You used to eat Michelin-star meals. Now you’re eating street food with me. Do you feel wronged?” He looked horrified. “Wife, don’t scare me!” “Aren’t we back in River City to discuss a business deal and relive some memories?” “Why are you talking like we’re broke and can only afford street food?” 2 I paused. Right. We aren’t poor anymore. The old Julian could afford Michelin stars. The current Julian, with money earned by his own hands, can still afford them. The old Maya Miller was a poor student from the mountains. The current Maya Miller is a self-made millionaire, a well-known young entrepreneur in Shanghai. It’s all because of Clara and those weird floating comments! Who says poor people have to stay poor forever? I fought my way out of poverty to a top university in the capital, winning scholarships every year. Doesn’t that prove my capability? “Wife, maybe we should go back to Shanghai?” Julian looked at me with worry. “I feel uneasy here. Clara is acting weird, and my parents…” At the mention of his parents, Julian’s eyes went cold. When he looked back at me, they softened again. “They still haven’t given up. I don’t want them ruining our mood.” “Honey, I know. But this deal is important for the company.” I touched his face, soothing him. “Once we finish business, we’ll go straight back, okay?” Julian sighed and pulled me into a hug, surrounding me with his fresh citrus scent. “Don’t let anyone or anything affect how much you love me, Maya. Trust me.” I trust him. I trust Julian won’t be like the comments say, abandoning me for Clara after seven years. I trust I won’t end up like the “original ending”—abandoned by “Julian,” chasing a sugar daddy, and getting tortured to death by the wife. I trust we aren’t side characters meant to be slapped down in Clara’s “Big Female Lead” life. I trust we are the protagonists of our own lives. I found out I was a supporting character in a novel seven years ago, when Clara asked to meet me. Seven years ago, Clara was even more composed than she is now. Perhaps she was certain Julian would regret choosing me. Her gaze was mocking and disdainful, her tone incredibly frivolous. “So you’re Julian’s little girlfriend?” I didn’t know about Julian’s background then. Hearing this provocative question, alarm bells rang in my head. “Who are you?” Clara was surprised. “You don’t know who I am?” [Stop pretending. You stole her fiancé, and you don’t know who she is?] [This white lotus isn’t very good at acting.] [Look at her clothes. So cheap. Dark and skinny. Not even one-tenth of our Clara. The second male lead must be blind.] [He’s the second lead for a reason. Whatever, he’s just having fun. Give it a few years of poverty, he’ll regret it.] That’s when the comments appeared. I was shaken but tried to hide it. I quickly realized Clara could see them too, and she believed every word. The comments said Clara was the Heroine, and my boyfriend Julian was the Second Male Lead. They were childhood sweethearts engaged to be married. But Julian fell in love with me in his sophomore year. Me—a mountain girl with nothing but four bare walls, relying on financial aid to attend college. To be with me, Julian broke ties with his parents and canceled his engagement to Clara. He gave up his identity as a billionaire heir and moved into a cramped apartment with me. They thought love could conquer all, but a few years later, he grew tired of poverty and tired of me. Just then, Clara returned from abroad in glory. Compared to her brilliance, I was short-sighted, timid, greedy, and stupid. Julian regretted his choice. He broke up with me to pursue Clara again. But I wouldn’t let go, and Clara wouldn’t accept him back. I pestered Julian, making a fool of myself. In the end, driven by greed, I became a mistress to a wealthy man, was set up by his wife, fell into a beggar’s den, and died a horrific death. Julian returned to the Thorne family, living off a meager allowance. As for the Heroine, Clara, she naturally ended up with the even richer and more powerful Male Lead. Julian became nothing more than a regretful footnote in her life. How absurd. I had just graduated. I had $12,000 in savings from four years of hard work, and several high-paying offers from big tech companies in my inbox. I was looking forward to a bright future. Yet the comments told me I would never escape the mud of poverty. That I would die a miserable death because of greed. I didn’t want to believe it, but I was scared. The day I met Clara, I broke up with Julian. The six-foot-tall boy squatted on the ground, crying his eyes out, asking why. “I admit, I was wrong not to tell you who I was. But I really didn’t make you a mistress.” “I broke off the engagement so I could chase you properly. Maya, I really like you.” I squatted down and told him seriously, “I like you too, Julian.” “But the fact is, your parents won’t agree to you being with a woman from a completely different class.” “We won’t have a future.” “And I’m really afraid of trouble. You don’t want your love to become an obstacle for me, do you?” Looking at Julian’s red eyes, I thought, I am so cruel. But I was terrified of being poor. I fought my way out of the mountains to set roots in this big city, to carve out a piece of the sky for myself. I didn’t want, and wouldn’t allow, my hard-fought life to become a backdrop for someone else. I suffered so much; the rest of my days should be sweet. Julian didn’t pester me. Choking back sobs, he said okay, packed his bags, and moved out of my rental. Then, I accepted the offer farthest away from here, in Shanghai, without looking back. Julian’s family company was a giant in River City. As long as I stayed here, there was risk. Only by going far away, to a place they couldn’t reach, could I truly be safe. And I was right. But what I didn’t expect was that Julian followed me to Shanghai. “I know your worries. So I will prove to you that my love won’t bring you trouble.” That was twenty-three-year-old Julian, incredibly solemn, yet unable to hide his nervousness and hope. “If you want, it can be the seasoning of your life, or… your support.” “Actually, what I wanted to say back then was, if you want, you can even treat me like a dog.” Thirty-year-old Julian buried his face in my chest, eyes watery and full of love. “Just don’t leave me.” “I won’t leave you.” I kissed his beautiful eyes, my hand familiarly tracing his abs. “You’re so good, how could I bear to leave you?” Julian isn’t the naive rich boy from the “original plot” who doesn’t understand the real world. And I am not the Maya who sells her body for wealth. So I will never meet that ending. 3 [See? What did I say? The second male lead is acting so well in front of the mistress, but he’s still obsessed with Clara!] [Hehe, the face-slapping scene is coming!] [Why is this mistress haunting us? Hasn’t she realized the guy is sick of her?] [So what if she realized? She can’t leave him. She’s still dreaming of marrying into wealth!] [Hey, are the second male lead’s parents here?] [They’re here! Over there!] When Clara appeared in front of me and Julian, crowned by floating text, I wasn’t surprised. She, however, seemed shocked to see Julian at the banquet. “You don’t have an invitation. How did you get in?” [He snuck in, obviously! Coming to beg you to take him back. Clara, baby, reject him swiftly! Slap that scumbag in the face!] “Who said we didn’t—” Julian started to explain, but Clara sighed and interrupted him. “Julian, what happened between us was years ago. Can you stop harassing me?” “I don’t want to make a scene.” Julian froze. “Huh?” I rubbed my temples. From the moment I saw Clara again in River City, I knew this trip wouldn’t be peaceful. But I didn’t expect this. Even though Julian and I were dressed impeccably, showing no signs of poverty, Clara still chose to believe the floating text, convinced he snuck in to beg for forgiveness. “Hey, isn’t that Julian Thorne? How did he get so run-down?” “Watch your mouth. Are you looking down on our ‘True Love’ Prince?” A few smirking rich kids approached, winking at Julian. “Regretting it? Want to eat crow?” “Too late. Our Clara won’t look twice at a man who eats street food.” These people were all from Julian’s old circle. But since Julian broke the engagement and left the family, they had joined Clara’s camp. Their malice was palpable. [Look at their faces! So ugly!] [Hahaha! Satisfying! Does the scumbag know he was wrong now? Thought love could pay the bills?] [Without the Thorne family name, who does he think he is? Not fit to carry Clara’s shoes!] “Julian? What are you doing here?” Julian’s parents appeared from the crowd, their faces dark. Their critical eyes stabbed me like needles. “Why are you still hanging around this woman?” The rich kids started chattering, saying Julian snuck in to beg Clara. Clara lifted her chin arrogantly. Julian’s parents’ expressions softened slightly. “At least you’re not completely stupid!” “Hurry up and apologize to Clara. Ask her to give you another chance!” Clara smiled faintly. “Uncle, Auntie, don’t be like that.” She glanced at Julian. “It’s impossible for me and Julian now. I wish him and Ms. Miller a long and happy life together.” Mrs. Thorne glared at me with hatred. “What happy life? With a woman like this who can’t be shown in public…” “Mom!” Julian couldn’t take it anymore. “Can you give me some respect in public?” “Maya is my girlfriend. We are very happy! She is not ‘unpresentable’!” “And thank you for your blessing, Miss Vance. I will definitely live a long, happy life with Maya.” Julian held my hand and looked coldly at Clara. “But you… I sincerely suggest you see a psychiatrist.” Clara’s expression went blank for a second. “What?” “Which eye saw me harassing you?” “This is the second time you’ve rushed up to me saying these weird things. Our engagement is ancient history. I’m incredibly happy with my girlfriend. Can you please rein in your narcissism?” […Wait, the second male lead doesn’t seem like he’s acting.] [If he is, those words are brutal.] [Does he still love the mistress? But they’re almost thirty. Poverty should have crushed their spirits by now.] [How dare he talk to Clara like that! AHHHHH!] [He played the role so hard he played himself? If he’s not here to beg Clara, why did two poor people who eat street food try so hard to get into this banquet?] [It has to be for Clara and his parents!] [Hold on, guys upstairs. Why assume they are poor? Is eating street food a crime?] [Look closely at them. Their faces, their energy… they don’t look defeated like in the original plot.] [Yeah, and those clothes… they look like bespoke couture, not rentals.] [? Are you guys crazy? Since when do scumbags and mistresses have fans?] [Clara, don’t believe them. He’s regretting it deep down! He’s just trying to look like he has a backbone so you’ll soften up.] [That must be it!] [Wow, the audacity. Breaking the engagement embarrassed Clara so much!] Even the comments were sensing something was off. But Clara, whether from overconfidence or inability to accept that Julian didn’t regret leaving her, refused to believe him. Her embarrassment turned to ice. “Julian, do you think saying this makes you look principled?” “If you weren’t harassing me, how did you know I’d be at this banquet? How did you appear in front of me so perfectly?” “If your relationship is so great, you shouldn’t have brought her here to see me.” Clara looked at him with pity. “We haven’t been in the same world for a long time. Give up.” 4 “Give up, Julian!” “Take your little wife back to the slums. Clara moved on ages ago. Don’t drag her back into the mud.” “Hey, Julian, how did you guys sneak in without invites?” “If you don’t leave, I’m calling security.” Facing the ridicule, Mr. and Mrs. Thorne’s faces were black as coal. “Embarrassing! Why did you come back?” “You don’t have half the sense your brother has! If it were him…” Veins popped on Julian’s forehead. He silently pulled me to leave. I held his hand, looped my arm through his, and patted him gently. “Miss Vance, I’m really curious. Why are you so sure Julian is here to beg you?” “The security here is strict. How could two living people sneak in so easily?” “Is it impossible that we received invitations and entered legitimately?” I asked earnestly. Clara’s mocking smile deepened. “Ms. Miller, even if you’re vain, you shouldn’t lie in front of so many people.” She looked at Julian. “Julian, take your girlfriend and leave. If security comes, it’ll get ugly.” Julian’s parents chimed in. “Leave! How long are you going to shame us?” “It doesn’t matter if you shame yourself, don’t drag the Thorne name down!” “Go! This isn’t a place for you!” The crowd behind Clara jeered. “Don’t infect us with your poverty.” “Still not leaving? Want us to call security?” “Call them.” I spoke calmly. “Call security right now.” Since Clara is still immersed in her “Big Female Lead slaps scum” fantasy… Let reality wake her up. Clara frowned, as if disgusted by my audacity. The rich kids behind her quieted for a second, then burst into exaggerated laughter. “Wow, Julian, your girlfriend has personality!” “Is she trying to be the stubborn heroine from a romance novel to get our attention…” “What’s going on here?” Arriving before security was the host of the banquet, and our business partner, CEO An. A woman in her forties, well-maintained, sharp, with a concerned smile. Clara glanced at us, then spoke to the woman with practiced elegance. “CEO An, I’m so sorry. If not for me, these two wouldn’t have snuck in to cause trouble…” CEO An looked at her strangely. “Miss, what are you talking about?” “President Miller and President Thorne are my invited guests. They are my partners for the upcoming project.” Clara’s expression froze solid. Julian’s parents looked at us in disbelief. The rich kids laughing at Julian looked like choked ducks. Silence. “Sorry you had to see that, CEO An.” I sighed lightly and briefly explained the history between me, Julian, and Clara, as well as Julian’s relationship with his parents. “So I sincerely suggest Miss Vance visit a psychiatric department. Having an imagination isn’t a sickness, but confusing fantasy with reality isn’t great.” Clara’s face turned purple. She glared at the floating text in the air, hiked up her dress, and ran. The rich kids scattered awkwardly. “Julian, you child, so you’ve achieved so much in Shanghai! Oh my, why didn’t you tell me and your father?” Mrs. Thorne’s face was a complex mix of joy, regret, blame, and resentment. Mr. Thorne had thicker skin, acting as if he hadn’t just insulted Julian. “You… have done well.” Julian ignored them, looking at me pleadingly. I smiled apologetically at CEO An. She understood immediately and laughed. “Regarding our cooperation, I have some details to discuss with you two.” She looked at Julian’s parents. “Excuse us, Mr. and Mrs. Thorne.” After the banquet, Julian’s parents blocked us at the door. Mr. Thorne was blunt. “How much money is in your company accounts?” “Take it out to help the Thorne Group. Once we weather this storm, you can come back and help your brother.” Mrs. Thorne added, “Thank your father! He’s still willing to give you a chance…” “I am not a Thorne anymore.” Julian cut her off. “Mom, Dad, didn’t you kick me out seven years ago?” “Child, what nonsense is that?” Mrs. Thorne was anxious. “It’s been seven years. Are you still holding a grudge against your parents?” “Not a grudge. A fact. Didn’t you just say I was embarrassing and not half as sensible as my brother?” Julian smiled mockingly. “Now that you see I’m not as destitute as you imagined, that I have my own career, you’re pretending to be loving parents?” Mr. Thorne felt anger, not shame. “You really won’t help us?” “When you turn sixty, I will fulfill my legal obligation to support you financially. Monthly payments. Other than that, I hope you continue as you have for the last seven years: pretend you don’t have a son.” Julian took my hand and walked away. Mr. Thorne screamed behind us, “You think having a little business makes you special?” “Compared to the Thorne Group, it’s nothing! You’re too young and arrogant. You’ll go bankrupt sooner or later!”

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The 500-person “Fried Noodle Fan Club” group chat for the food stall outside our university campus finally hit max capacity. Then, the owner kicked me—his most loyal customer—out of the group. “The group is full, and I don’t feel like making a new one, so I’m cleaning up the member list,” he announced. I laughed so hard I cried. I stared at the “You have been removed from the group” notification and fell into deep thought. Back in the day, I personally dragged hundreds of classmates into this group chat. I posted three separate rave reviews on the campus forum recommending his fried noodles. I spent at least $1,200 at his stall over the years. And I was the first one he kicked? I didn’t go argue with him. Instead, I screenshotted the notification and forwarded it to every major campus group chat I was in. Hundreds of students saw it. They instantly rallied, leaving the group en masse and boycotting his stall. Watching his group chat numbers plummet, “Brother Lee” finally panicked and begged me to come back. 1 It was late at night, and I couldn’t sleep. A notification popped up from the “Brother Lee’s Fried Noodles” group chat. [The group has reached the 500-member limit. Since many seniors are graduating and leaving, and new freshmen need to join, I won’t be making a second group chat. I’ll be cleaning up the member list tonight.] My roommate, Sarah, who I had dragged into the group, saw it too. She slapped my bed curtain. “Chen, don’t worry. There’s no way he’s kicking you. When you first took me there, I thought you were a paid shill for his stall. You brought him so much business over the years.” I yawned, ready to go back to sleep. Suddenly, a message popped up on my screen: “You have been removed from the group ‘Brother Lee’s Fried Noodles’.” My drowsiness vanished instantly. I almost fell out of my bunk bed. Seeing my reaction, Sarah realized something was wrong. “Holy crap, did he actually kick you? That makes zero sense!” I was stunned. I rubbed my eyes and looked again. Confirmed. I was out. I couldn’t sleep now. Three years. Rain or shine. I was his most loyal customer. And I was the first one kicked when the group got full? 2 Sarah tried to comfort me. “Maybe he misclicked? I’ll pull you back in!” I waved my hands frantically. “You mean he accidentally clicked my profile, accidentally clicked ‘Remove Member,’ and then accidentally clicked ‘Confirm’? That’s a lot of accidents.” Sarah finally realized the intention. “Wait… the group has 500 slots. It says 499 members now. He literally kicked just you to make space? That is insane!” I laughed bitterly and spread my hands helplessly. Sarah jumped off her bed, furious. “This guy is burning bridges! Think of how many customers you brought him! If it weren’t for you, that stall would have folded years ago! You have to go talk to him! We aren’t taking this!” I calmed down. I told my fuming roommate, “He sent that announcement and only kicked me. It was premeditated.” Sarah’s face was red. “So we just let it go? Swallow this insult?” 3 I looked her in the eye. “Of course not.” I didn’t go to the stall to argue. I didn’t ask Sarah to confront him in the group. I simply took a screenshot of the “You have been removed” notification and posted it in several 2,000-member campus-wide Discord servers and GroupMe chats. “Looks like Brother Lee’s Fried Noodles is over, guys. Let’s disperse. Plenty of other food options near campus.” Lee had no idea his business was about to implode. There are tons of food stalls outside the university gates. Three years ago, I was starving and dizzy, so I grabbed a $5 fried noodle box from the closest vendor. That was Brother Lee. From then on, I was his biggest fan. I recommended him to everyone. I even suggested he start a WeChat group for pre-orders and promotions to get more customers. Three years later, the price has gone up to $8, and he quietly kicked me out of the group. I laughed in anger. Suddenly, I didn’t like fried noodles anymore. Sarah was analyzing the situation like a detective. “I remember! Last Friday and Saturday, you walked past his stall twice without buying anything. He must be salty about that.” I thought about it. “Probably.” Sarah muttered, “You can’t let this slide. I’m so mad for you!” I pulled up my blanket in my bunk. I knew Lee was in for a world of hurt. Since I could bring him business, I could certainly take it away. 4 The next day after class, I walked past Lee’s stall. He ignored me completely, enthusiastically greeting the freshmen. “All the students love my fried noodles! Even the professors pre-order from me!” He skillfully tossed the noodles on the flat-top grill. The oil sizzled, turning the noodles golden brown. “Freshmen, join my WeChat group! You can order ahead!” Usually, I’d buy a box. This time, I walked away without a glance. Back in the dorm, Sarah whispered, “I thought it was a mistake, but he saw you graduating soon and figured you wouldn’t spend money anymore, so he kicked you preemptively!” I patted her shoulder. “Customers who leave because of price might come back. Customers who leave because of attitude never return. Unfortunately for Lee, he’s about to lose thousands of potential customers.” Sure enough, my screenshot was being forwarded like crazy. In just one morning, dozens of students left “Brother Lee’s Fried Noodles” group. Lee, oblivious, posted cheerfully: “Seniors who are graduating, feel free to leave the group to make space. And please invite your juniors to join before you go!” He thought it was natural for us to bring him new customers. But as the member count dropped, Lee realized something was wrong. He panicked. “Don’t just leave! Invite some new students! Tell your friends!” Sarah told me that after he sent that, fifty more people left instantly. The 500-person group was down to 200. 5 Finally, someone noticed that I, the group’s resident chatterbox, hadn’t said a word all day. “Where’s OrangeJuice? Haven’t seen her around lately.” (“OrangeJuice” was my username). I was active in that group daily. Half the people there knew me. Lee definitely saw the message. But he pretended not to. He skipped over it and replied to a pre-order below. “Jiang, three orders of noodles? Transfer the money and pick them up at 4 PM.” Sarah’s eyes widened. She waved her phone at me. “This is ridiculous. Just because you didn’t buy noodles twice last week, he turns on you?” I rubbed my temples. “Don’t worry. The masses have sharp eyes. His stall won’t last three days.” Sarah, loving the drama, typed in the group: “The person who brought you all here was kicked out by the owner! Of course you can’t see her!” The group exploded.

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After my brother got into a car accident, he claimed he was a time traveler from the future. He stormed into my office and shouted “Brother-in-law!” at my notoriously icy boss, Julian. I nearly died on the spot. I had just been chewed out by Julian for a mistake at work. If I angered him further, I was definitely getting fired. I tried to drag my brother out, but he grabbed Julian by the belt. “Brother-in-law, you haven’t confessed yet? Are you a ninja?!” “You have my sister’s name tattooed on your lower back! What are you waiting for?” I didn’t understand a word this kid was saying. Julian looked furious, his face turning red. That night, as I was drafting my resignation letter, I accidentally saw the messages Julian had sent to my brother. [How many kids do your sister and I have in the future?] [Do they look like her or me?] [Divorce crisis?] [Did someone try to seduce her? Who is the bastard?!] 1 When I got the call from my mom, I had just walked out of my boss’s office, freshly scolded. “Mom, is Tyler awake?” Tyler is my brother, a senior in high school. Two nights ago, he got into a car accident riding his bike home from late study hall. He’s been in the hospital ever since. If I hadn’t been so worried about him, I wouldn’t have accidentally sent a text meant for a client to my boss, Julian Thorne, which led to the lecture I just endured. “He’s awake! He’s awake!” My mom sounded frantic. “The doctor is checking him now.” I pressed, “How does he look? Eyes, hearing, everything okay? Does he recognize you?” My mom went silent for two seconds. My heart dropped. “Is he deaf or blind?!” “Neither, it’s just…” She hesitated. “He’s saying some really weird stuff.” Suddenly, I heard shouting in the background. “Am I the chosen one?!” Tyler yelled. “Mom! Are you talking to Sis?! Give me the phone!” There was rustling, then: “Sis! Listen to me! I came back from the year 2035! Listen to me and I guarantee we’ll be rich…” I hung up, stone-faced. Did this kid think I had time for games? The company was having cash flow issues, and Julian had been in a foul mood all week. The office atmosphere was like a funeral. Seeing me return from the call, my coworkers shot me sympathetic looks. My work bestie, Sarah, whispered, “Chloe, you okay?” I blinked. “I’m fine.” She gave me a thumbs up. “You have nerves of steel. Getting grilled by the Devil for that long and not even flinching.” “The Devil” was their nickname for Julian. Just as she finished speaking, she glanced behind me and shut up immediately. Julian was walking out of his office. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and impeccably dressed. Even a standard suit looked like couture on him. His face was perfect, sharp and cold. He was on the phone, walking toward the elevator. Once the doors closed, the office collectively exhaled. “Looks like the Devil solved the cash flow problem.” “He really works himself to the bone.” “Yeah, he squeezes us dry, but he squeezes himself harder.” “Hey Chloe, didn’t you go to the same college as Julian? He was your senior, right?” The conversation suddenly turned to me. I nodded. “Was the Devil always like this back then?” I paused. “Like what?” Sarah thought for a moment. “Inhumane.” 2 Julian was indeed my senior, and the president of the volunteer club I joined. We didn’t interact much, and I wouldn’t call us “close.” So I didn’t want to comment on his past recklessly. I laughed it off and went to the breakroom for water. My coworkers were still chatting outside. My mind wandered. Actually, I had an answer instantly. Was Julian inhumane in college? I didn’t think so. Not just back then… I looked around the office. Our company was new, a startup. But the breakroom was always stocked. Since an intern fainted from low blood sugar once, there was always a basket of chocolates and candies. The bathrooms always had emergency supplies for women. When there were business dinners, Julian went alone if he could. If not, he brought male employees… These were small things, easily overlooked. Julian was quietly carrying the weight for everyone. 3 Julian came back before we clocked out. He looked relaxed. Sarah whispered, “Crisis averted. No overtime tonight.” Better than no overtime. Soon, we all got a text: Paid day off tomorrow. Silence for two seconds, then the office erupted. “I love you, Boss!” “Long live Apex Tech!” “I love the Devil!” Just as the last shout rang out, Julian stepped out of his office. The shouter froze, mouth open, and slowly buried his head in his files. Julian didn’t get mad. He just glanced at us coolly. “Go home early.” His gaze landed on me for a split second. I nodded quickly. “Yes, sir.” The boss left, so why should we stay? I packed up immediately. While waiting for the elevator behind Julian, my mom called again. “Your brother left the hospital. He said he’s coming to pick you up from work. That kid…” “Pick me up?” I frowned. “Where is he?” “He should be almost there.” She said Tyler snuck out while she was doing paperwork, leaving only a note. I saw black spots in my vision. “Fine. I’ll take him home.” I hung up as the elevator arrived. I followed Julian in. We stood in opposite corners, but the space still felt suffocatingly small. I stared at Julian’s back, lost in thought. Suddenly, he spoke. “Is your… boyfriend picking you up?” Boyfriend? I blinked. He must have misunderstood the call. “No, it’s my little brother.” Julian’s furrowed brow relaxed almost imperceptibly. He nodded. “My mistake.” Silence returned. I watched the floor numbers tick down to 1. The doors opened, and I immediately saw a figure with a bandaged head looking around the lobby. “Tyler!” I walked over quickly. “What are you doing here?!” “Sis! Sis!!” Tyler looked at me with wide eyes. “You’re so young! I’m not used to it!” Me: “…Are you crazy?” “Sis, let me tell you a secret.” Tyler leaned in mysteriously. “I came back from 2035.” I looked him up and down. “Did the doctor not recommend a psych eval?” Seeing I didn’t believe him, he scratched his head anxiously. His eyes swept over the lobby and landed on Julian, who was talking to the receptionist. Tyler’s eyes lit up. “That… that’s…” He pointed, stuttering. I grabbed his hand. “Don’t point! That’s my boss!” Before I could finish, a deafening shout exploded in my ear. “BROTHER-IN-LAW!” Tyler shook off my hand and sprinted toward Julian. He grabbed Julian in a bear hug and slapped his back hard. “Brother-in-law! We got into that accident together! Did you travel back to 2025 with me?!” “I was so scared being alone here! Thank god you’re here!” Then, he cupped Julian’s face and kissed his cheek. Smack. I turned to stone. My coworkers coming out of the elevator turned to stone. Julian looked at Tyler, then at me, completely stunned. He quickly pushed Tyler away, trying to maintain his dignity. Through gritted teeth, he asked, “Can you tell me who you are?” “Me? Tyler! Tyler Cheng!” Tyler pointed at me. “Your wife’s brother! Your favorite brother-in-law!” Everyone’s eyes snapped to me. 4 My face burning, I grabbed Tyler by the collar to drag him out. But he’s seventeen and strong. He broke free, sat on the floor, and hugged Julian’s leg. My coworkers were mesmerized. Someone even took out their phone. I snapped. “Tyler! What is wrong with you?!” “You don’t understand!” He yelled back, eyes red and teary. “I traveled back to three months before the SATs! Do you think I remember anything? They want me to take the test! That’s a death sentence!” “Mom doesn’t believe me, you don’t believe me! No one believes me!” “You don’t know how mental this is!” Tyler wailed, then turned to Julian. “Brother-in-law, do you really not know me?” “How come we crashed together but only I came back?” Julian finally processed the situation. He looked at me, then at Tyler, with a weird expression. Then he asked the question everyone wanted to know. “What… did you call me?” “Brother-in-law,” Tyler said. “You marry my sister in 2031. You have a daughter, Ruby, in 2032. Oh god, Ruby is a demon child, she…” I covered his mouth. “Shut up. Say one more word and I’ll kill us both.” Tyler shut up. Surviving was more important than narrating the future. I felt like I was losing my mind. I apologized to Julian hastily and turned to leave. Tyler scrambled up to follow me. Maybe because of the concussion, he got dizzy and grabbed the nearest thing to steady himself— Julian’s belt. He yanked Julian’s shirt untucked in the process.

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Jake is five years older than me, but I never called him “Brother.” I watched him date girl after girl, dutifully calling each one “Sister-in-law.” On my 22nd birthday, I waited all day, but Jake never showed up. That night, I made a wish: to stop loving him. When I went downstairs to take out the trash, I saw a familiar figure. It was Jake’s best friend, Wes. “Wes? What are you doing here?” “Jake got caught up. He asked me to drop off your gift.” “Oh. Thanks. Where’s yours?” He smiled. “I prepared two options. You answer my question first, then I’ll decide which one to give you.” “Summer, loving him is exhausting, isn’t it? Why not try someone else? How about being my girlfriend?” 1 I stared at Wes in shock. When did he figure out I liked Jake? I thought I hid it perfectly. I never showed a hint of jealousy in front of Jake. “Wes, I don’t know what you mean.” He pressed his lips together. He was smiling, but his eyes looked nervous. “Let me rephrase. “Summer Lin, I like you. “I’m asking if you’d give me a chance. Will you go out with me?” But he’s Jake’s best friend. The first time I met Jake when I was five, Wes was right there next to him. Technically, I’ve known Wes for seventeen years too. I stared at his face, suddenly remembering the wish I made tonight. Wes chuckled under my gaze. “Why are you looking at me like that? “Am I causing you trouble?” I shook my head. Not trouble, just… surprise. Wes is different from Jake. In all the years I’ve known him, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him date anyone. For a while, I even thought he might be my rival for Jake’s affection. Meanwhile, Jake never had a shortage of women. Thinking of that, my heart stung again. After the sharp pain faded, I looked at him and said: “I literally just wished to stop being single tonight, and here you are, delivered to my doorstep. “Wes, you must be sent by fate. “So I’ll follow destiny. Let’s date!” Wes froze, seemingly surprised that I actually agreed. After staring at me for a moment, he smiled. He turned to his car and pulled out a beautifully wrapped gift box. He handed it to me. “This one is for my girlfriend.” 2 I opened it right in front of him. It was a necklace encrusted with small diamonds. It looked expensive. “This is too much, isn’t it?” I knew his family was wealthy, but usually for birthdays, his gifts were on par with whatever Jake gave me. When it was his birthday, I’d return the favor with something similar. Wes stepped closer and ruffled my hair. “For you, it’s not expensive.” As he got closer, a faint scent of cologne drifted over. It was different from Jake’s scent. His was colder, like bitter lemon filled with ice. I quietly stepped back, creating some distance. Just as I was thinking about how to return the gift, Wes’s phone rang. “Wes, did you deliver the gift?” The night was quiet, so Jake’s voice came clearly through the receiver. Along with the laughter of a girl next to him. “Yeah, delivered.” Wes kept his eyes on me while he spoke. I felt inexplicably awkward. I looked away, but my ears were still tuned to the call. “Good. I called Summer earlier and she didn’t pick up. Thought she might be mad.” Wes chuckled low. “No, she went downstairs to throw out the trash and didn’t bring her phone.” “Makes sense. She’s soft-hearted, never stays mad at me. “Wait, how do you know she didn’t bring her phone? Is she right there? Put her on.” I turned around immediately, terrified Wes would hand me the phone. I just agreed to be his girlfriend. Talking to Jake right now felt wrong on so many levels. Unexpectedly, Wes turned his back to me and lowered his voice: “She can’t talk right now. If you have something to say, tell me, I’ll pass it on.” “Just wish her a happy birthday. Tell her to try and find a boyfriend this year. Every time I take her out to eat, I have to explain she’s my little sister so people don’t misunderstand.” Jake’s teasing voice casually voiced my deepest embarrassment. I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms. Wes laughed softly into the phone. “That won’t be a problem anymore.” Jake paused for two seconds, his voice turning cold. “What do you mean? She’s dating someone?” Wes stepped forward and with his free hand, took mine. I froze, wanting to pull away, but he interlaced our fingers tightly. Wes looked down into my eyes and said quietly: “Yeah. She’s with me. She’s my girlfriend now. If that’s all, I’m hanging up.” 3 After hanging up, Wes didn’t let go of my hand. “Any plans for tomorrow?” I stared at the ground and whispered no. “Then I’ll pick you up tomorrow. We’ll go out. It’s getting cold tonight, you should go up.” I nodded. When he finally let go, I practically fled towards the building. Wes called out from behind me: “Summer, you won’t regret it, right?” I stopped, but didn’t dare look back. “I won’t.” “Good. If you do, I’ll have to start pestering you.” My face heated up. I walked into the elevator without turning back. When I got home, sure enough, there were missed calls from Jake. And a barrage of texts. [Happy Birthday, Summer.] [I was busy, so I asked Wes to drop off the gift since he was passing by.] [Are you guys together?] [When did this happen?] [Why didn’t you tell me?] [I never saw you two talking much, how did you end up dating?] [Did he pressure you? Are you afraid to say no? Don’t be scared, I’ll talk to him.] I looked at the messages. My chest felt tight. I couldn’t describe the feeling. The satisfaction of revenge? Guilt towards Wes? Or was it unwillingness, grievance… After deliberating for a long time, I replied with a simple “Yeah.” Jake immediately tried to call. But I didn’t want to answer, so I declined. Jake sent another message. [Summer, have you really thought this through?] I have. I don’t want to like you anymore. Another message popped up. [Do you like him?] I don’t know. The Wes I knew always seemed distant at gatherings. But that superior face and cold temperament always attracted attention. Tonight, he was the one who confessed. Besides the surprise, I was a little panicked. Now that I’ve calmed down, I feel like agreeing was a bit impulsive. But maybe Wes isn’t a bad choice. Jake called again when I didn’t reply. I accidentally answered. “Summer, are you really with Wes?” Jake sounded anxious over the phone. So he can panic too? I gave a low “Mmhmm.” I heard him curse in frustration. “Did Wes force you? That bastard knows you’re like a sister to me, and he still made a move!” “Summer, you don’t have to be afraid of him, I’ll talk to him—” I cut him off. “I’m not afraid of him. He said he likes me, so I said yes.” And you never said you liked me. So, why are you angry? Jake’s anger cut off abruptly. Then came the sound of something shattering. A woman’s frightened voice screamed, asking what was wrong. Suddenly, all my complicated emotions vanished. Jake belongs to any woman. But he will never belong to me. I should have seen that clearly a long time ago. I looked at the necklace Wes gave me. I whispered: “Jake, I thought you would be happy for me.” I used to just call him Jake. He said it was rude. Why did I call Wes “Brother Wes” but not him? But now that I called him Brother, he wasn’t happy either. Rustling sounds came from the other end, Jake’s voice sounded tight. “Summer, wait for me. I’m coming back now. We need to talk face to face.” The call ended, and a message from Wes popped up. [Summer, if Jake comes back for you, don’t be soft-hearted, okay?] [Give me some face. Date me for at least a week.] I imagined the expression on Wes’s face as he typed that. Probably helpless, with a hint of indulgence. I couldn’t help but smile. I replied with a “Okay.” 4 The next morning around nine, Wes called to ask if I was up. I hadn’t fully woken up yet. “What’s up, Wes?” I heard a soft chuckle on the other end. “Forgot as soon as you woke up, huh?” I suddenly remembered I agreed to go on a date with him last night. I sat up immediately. “Ah, I haven’t forgotten. I’m getting up now.” Wes’s smile deepened in his voice. “It’s okay, no rush. Let me know when you’re ready.” After hanging up, my heart pounded. I buried my face in my hands, regretting everything. Every time I met Wes before, Jake was there. Oh right, speaking of Jake. He said he was coming back to find me today. The more I thought about it, the messier it felt. I didn’t know what kind of crazy fit he was throwing, getting so agitated at the news of me and Wes. He doesn’t like me. Why does he care who I’m with? Last night on the phone, I clearly heard a woman’s voice next to him. I adjusted my mood and set Jake’s notifications to “Do Not Disturb.” I forced myself not to think about him. Since I agreed to be with Wes, I should focus on that. When I got dressed and went downstairs, I saw Wes’s car parked outside. He was leaning against the car door. Wearing a cashmere coat, standing lazily. His indifferent face broke into a smile the moment he saw me. He walked towards me. “Wes, sorry, I overslept.” He hummed an acknowledgement. “So how do you plan to make it up to me?” I didn’t expect him to say that and froze on the spot. “Uh, I’ll buy you dinner?” He smiled and came over to take my hand. “Sure. But I’d prefer if you agreed to another condition.” I didn’t know what condition Wes would propose. But being late for the first date was indeed rude. I could only bite the bullet and agree. “Okay, name it. As long as I can do it.” “Change how you address me. Don’t call me Brother Wes anymore.” “Huh? Then what do I call you?” “Just Wes.” After he said it, he looked down at me. There was a faint expectation in his eyes. I said the name in my heart. When I tried to say it out loud, it felt foreign. “W-Wes.” My voice was tiny. But he heard it. The smile on his lips deepened, and he responded seriously. “Yeah, I’m here.” Leaving aside our relationship status… Wes’s face really was lethal when he smiled. Especially knowing that smile was because of me. It made me even shyer. I blushed and changed the subject. “Let’s go eat. I’m starving.” Wes took my hand without a word. He seemed to really like interlacing fingers. He held my hand like that last night when I agreed to date him. But I wasn’t used to it. After lunch, Wes dragged me to an art exhibition. “Wes, aren’t you here on a business trip? If work is busy, we don’t have to go to the exhibit. You should go back.” His family wanted him to go back and manage the company. But he said he wanted to start his own business before he turned thirty. Before, whenever there was a gathering, he would sit for a bit and leave. During the meal, he’d be constantly answering calls and emails. In my impression, he was a CEO busier than a workhorse. But during lunch today, he didn’t look at his phone once. And now he wanted to take me to an art exhibit. Wes casually said he finished his work last night. Today’s time belonged to me. I blushed, pretending to be calm. “Wes, I’m not a child. I don’t need you to accompany me.” “Oh. Well, I’m a child. I need you to accompany me.” Help, my face is burning.

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Our class got a new transfer student. He was gloomy, silent, and mysterious. I, on the other hand, was a chatterbox who had been exiled to the “VIP Seat” right next to the teacher’s podium for talking too much. Then, text started floating in the air above his head. [He is a mute boy who was bullied mercilessly. After graduation, he turns dark and becomes the ultimate villain.] I zeroed in on the keyword. Mute. A mute! That’s perfect! Mutes can’t snitch on me for talking! 1 Our homeroom teacher, Ms. Sweet, looked expectantly at the class. “Is there anyone willing to be partners with our new student, Jace Thorne…” I jumped up, waving my hands frantically. “Ms. Sweet! Yes! I do! Pick me!” Ms. Sweet ignored me and pushed my head down. “…and sit next to him?” Silence. Everyone looked at each other. Everyone liked their current seatmates. Except me. I was the lonely island in the VIP seat because I wouldn’t shut up. Ms. Sweet sighed, scanning the room. Finally, she looked at me. “Nora, you need to be nice to the new student.” She paused, looking like she wanted to say more. “…Specifically, please talk a little less.” Jace lowered his eyes. A flash of sadness crossed his face. But I was too busy celebrating my new captive audience. I stood up and saluted. “Yes, ma’am! Mission accepted!” I grabbed my desk and dragged it to the second-to-last row—prime real estate. I enthusiastically pulled Jace to sit next to me. “Come on, don’t be shy! From now on, you’re my best listener!” Jace sat down silently. The class rep turned around to say hi. I shoved his forehead. “Back off! Don’t interrupt my bonding time!” I turned back to Jace. “I’m a Pisces, super sensitive. I hate the silent treatment. I need care and affection. My hobby is cooking. I’ll bring you homemade breakfast tomorrow, you’ll love it…” Before I could finish, Jace pulled out a piece of paper. He stuck it vertically between our desks, blocking his face from mine. Then he opened a book and started studying. ? I pondered this. What is he doing? Hide and seek? Interesting. I stopped talking. I hid my face behind the paper wall. After a while, when Jace relaxed… I started laughing. A low, rhythmic, villainous cackle that got louder and louder. Heh… hehe… MWAHAHAHA! Then—SWISH! I yanked the paper away! Jace jumped in his seat, terrified. “Nora!” Ms. Sweet was on the podium, eyes wide, a piece of chalk ready to be thrown. I stood up and bowed. “Teacher, I was wrong! Never again!” When I sat down, Jace pulled a brick out of his backpack. A literal brick. He placed it on the line between our desks. He stuck a Post-it note on it: [DO NOT CROSS] Tsk. A border wall. I sighed deeply. It’s okay. It’s okay. Although my new partner doesn’t understand me yet, I believe that through friendly communication, he will discover my kind nature. Once Ms. Sweet leaves, I have all the time in the world to chat. After all, he really seems to be mute. No matter how much I talk, he won’t tattle to the teacher like the others. Hehehe. 2 Before English class, Ms. Sweet usually picks students to recite passages. I usually survive by mooching off my neighbors. Front desk props up a book. Back desk writes answers on my back. Partner mouths the words. But since my exile to the VIP seat, I hadn’t answered a question right in ages. I was Ms. Sweet’s number one target. Today, back among the people, I was ready. The class rep in front gave me an “OK” sign. The guy behind me tapped my back twice. All systems go. But Ms. Sweet went rogue. Today was a written dictation quiz. All books were confiscated. I looked around. Everyone was writing furiously. I was alone. My paper was blank. I spent all morning thinking about what to cook for breakfast tomorrow. I remembered nothing. I peeked at my mute partner. His profile was sharp, jawline tight. He was writing focusedly. Wait. If he can’t speak, he can’t recite. So he shouldn’t be able to write it down. I’m doomed. We’re both doomed. Ms. Sweet is going to drag us to the office. But when I glanced over, Jace’s handwriting was flying across the page. And it matched the few words I actually remembered. ! I started copying like a madman. So that’s his secret! Silent memorization is more effective than reading aloud! I need to try that. According to my observations, Jace is a genius mute. While everyone else is scratching their heads over math problems, he just looks down, draws one auxiliary line, and boom—solved. I praised him loudly while copying his answers. He panicked and tried to cover his paper. His pale ear was exposed. I leaned in. “Oh my god! You’re a genius egg!” “Bestie, I love you!” “Promise me we’ll be partners forever!” “I can’t live without you and your homework!” “I declare myself your number one fan!” His ear turned bright red. He glared at me, annoyed and embarrassed, and covered his ear with his hand. His neat handwriting was exposed again. Hehehe. I kept copying. Having a partner is the best. 3 To fulfill my promise and prove my love isn’t just talk, I woke up early. I restarted my breakfast career. I made a feast and left some on the dining table for my parents. I walked into their bedroom and ripped open the curtains. “Good morning, Mom and Dad! Today is full of hope!” “Your darling daughter made delicious breakfast! Enjoy!” My mom froze. Then she buried her head under the pillow and kicked my dad out of bed. “Your turn.” My dad got up reluctantly, hair like a bird’s nest. He walked past my breakfast without looking. I was hurt. “You don’t respect my labor!” “I spent so long making this! It’s super delicious!” “You’ll regret not eating it!” Dad pushed me out the door. “Let’s get you to school first. I’ll taste it carefully later.” On the way, he asked if the VIP seat was comfortable. I smirked. “I have a new partner.” “He’s great. I can talk all I want and he never snitches.” “He’s smart too. Memorizes everything silently.” “He’s lucky to have a partner who thinks of him constantly.” “I even woke up early to make him breakfast.” “Being my partner is a blessing for him!” Dad gave me a look of pity. Back in class. I placed the breakfast box on the border brick. I looked at Jace expectantly. “Dear partner, if you are satisfied with my breakfast, can we tear down this wall and unify our territories?” Jace stared at the breakfast for a long time. Sunlight hit his face, his long eyelashes fluttering. My heart sped up a little. He hesitated, then picked up a sandwich. He looked at me. I nodded encouragingly. He took a careful bite. The chewing stopped. Five seconds later. “Blargh…” He ran out of the room. I stood there, stunned. “Holy crap, he’s not mute!” [What kind of elixir did the side character put in the breakfast? The villain spoke!] [Uhh, looks more like lethal poison…] [The villain is puking his guts out. Poor guy.] Huh? What are they saying? Provoking me? My breakfast is the most delicious and nutritious thing in the world! I didn’t even eat any myself! I saved it all for my parents and Jace! I ate a bun from the cafeteria that was mostly dough! These people have no taste! Uncultured! 4 When Jace came back, his eyes were red. He put away the Post-it notes he used to communicate. He gave me the silent treatment. It’s okay. I’m generous. I don’t mind. “Partner, partner, was it good? Delicious, right? I made it just for you. Are you moved? Why aren’t you eating? Don’t like tuna? It’s okay, give me feedback so I can improve. Strawberry flavor tomorrow?” He turned his back to me and read his book. “Do you think silent reading is better than reading aloud? Can you give me some tips? How did you get so smart? Did you eat something special as a kid?” “Send me the link, I need brain food too.” He was silent for two seconds. He turned around, pointed at my brain. Then spread his hands and shook his head. … I’m mad. I’m really mad. I’m never talking to him again! I focused on my book. Trying Jace’s silent memorization method. Memorizing… memorizing… consciousness fading… My head tilted. It hit something soft. Comfy. I rubbed against it unconsciously. Warmth seeped into my forehead. The next second. I was shoved awake. My partner’s neck was flushed red. His back was to me, radiating panic. I rubbed my eyes. Back to memorizing. zzzZZZ…

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The school bully paid me $10,000 a month not to rank first in our class. “Chloe has a fragile ego,” he said. “She can’t handle not being number one. You’re smart anyway; first place doesn’t matter to you.” I took the money and happily sat in second place for three years. Right before the SATs, he found me again. Concise as ever: “One hundred thousand dollars. Don’t take the SATs. Chloe needs to be the city’s top scorer.” He paused, then added, “I know it’s unfair to you. I’ll repeat a year with you next year.” I agreed with a smile. Then I took my full-ride offer to Harvard and flew straight to Boston. Money and a degree? I’ll take both. 1 My homeroom teacher told me to sign up for the Physics Olympiad preliminaries. I walked back into the classroom holding the form and heard Jax Thorne and his lackeys talking about me. “Ten grand? Is Sarah really worth that much?” Jax leaned back in his chair, feet on the desk, looking every bit the unruly rich kid. “What is she worth? Nothing. I’m doing this for Chloe. She was devastated when she got second place last time.” “I hate seeing girls cry. Consider the ten grand the price of her smile.” Jax’s father was a top-ten entrepreneur in the state. Jax was the golden boy, his allowance bigger than most people’s life savings. His lackeys chimed in. “You’re so good to Chloe, Jax. But Sarah is your biggest simp. Aren’t you afraid of hurting her feelings?” Jax scoffed. “Her? She smells like poverty. I heard her sister sells street food to pay for her tuition. It would take her a year to earn ten grand. She should be thanking me!” The classroom erupted in laughter, loud and jarring. I pushed the door open, and the laughter died instantly. Jax took his feet down, rubbing his nose awkwardly. I walked over and dropped a notebook on his desk. “Done. This week’s homework.” He smiled so wide his eyes disappeared. “You like me that much, huh? Little simp.” I held out my hand, face blank. “Fifty bucks.” Jax froze, remembering our deal. I do his homework; he pays me fifty. Who doesn’t like money? Jax’s face darkened as he pulled out a fifty-dollar bill. I reached for it, but he smirked. He threw the bill at me. “Sarah, that’s all you’ll ever be worth.” 2 I squatted down and picked up the bill. The class roared with laughter. “Look, she actually picked it up!” “So embarrassing! For fifty bucks!” Embarrassing? Try being a waitress and having a brat dump soda on you while you smile and apologize. Try carrying heavy packages up six flights of stairs in the heat, only for the customer to reject the delivery. There is only one disease in the world: poverty. When I was born, I already had two older sisters. Two years later, another sister. New lives kept arriving, but none were the boy my parents wanted. Even my name was chosen as a placeholder for a son. When I was eight, the brother finally arrived. The already meager resources tilted entirely to him. My younger sister and I were told to drop out of school. My older sisters united and threatened to stop sending money home if we quit. My parents relented. I learned the power of money then. It makes the stubborn yield. It turns chasms into bridges. For money, I did everything. Waitress, mover. I worked for $8 an hour. But that pittance wasn’t enough to buy my ticket out. Until one day, I saw a post on a forum. [My crush didn’t get first place and is crying. How do I help her?] The user was: AdoringChloe. I stared at it, then typed: [Throw money at the problem.] [If 10k isn’t enough, try 100k. Poverty kills ambition.] 3 School started on Monday, and Jax found me. “Ten thousand a month. Don’t rank first.” I wasn’t surprised. I knew from the start AdoringChloe was Jax. He hated my poverty but valued my brain. Early in the semester, he threw a stack of cash on my desk. Handsome, arrogant face, cold eyes. “Fifty bucks per assignment.” Faster money than waiting tables. To secure this cash cow, I deliberately got close to him, learning his likes and dislikes. Bringing him lunch, running errands. Everyone laughed at me for being a simp. Only I knew how generous he really was. But this time, I refused. “Being first is my dream.” Translation: You gotta pay more. Jax scoffed. “What dreams do poor people have? Focus on eating first.” I bit my lip, looked down, and put on a hurt expression, tears welling up. Jax scratched his hair, annoyed. “Fine! A hundred thousand a month!” I hesitated on how to accept without looking too eager. Suddenly, a glass of water hit me. I was soaked instantly. “What’s so great about good grades? Does being smart give you the right to insult people?” Chloe stood there gripping a cup, apricot eyes full of tears, looking pitiful. Crash— She smashed the glass at my feet. A shard grazed my arm. Blood mixed with water. Passersby stopped to watch. She looked so wronged, pointing at me: “You can fix bad grades, but you can’t fix bad character!” “Instead of studying, you scheme with these dirty tricks. Can you stay first forever?” Her vague words made it sound like I cheated. I looked at her coldly. “Why not?” So, every exam after that, I scored ten points higher than Chloe. Ten points isn’t much; it feels reachable with a little effort. If she scored high, I scored higher. No matter how hard she tried, she was always behind me. Like a carrot on a stick. She ran and ran, but never caught it. After ranking second again, Chloe finally broke down and ran out crying. Jax, heartbroken, blocked my path. “A hundred thousand a month! Do not rank first!” 4 I vacated the throne, and Chloe took the “Millennium Number Two” spot I left behind. My homeroom teacher talked to me, worried I was losing focus. Olympiad quotas required good grades; slacking might get me cut. I decided to tell him the truth. The teacher was stunned. He couldn’t afford to offend the Thorne family, and I was even more powerless. What’s wrong with being a paid second place? He understood and didn’t push. He handed me a form: “City Math Competition. Remember to go.” He sipped his tea. “The State Physics Olympiad is in two days. Good luck. I believe in you!” Capitalist exploiter, treating me like a mule! The city competition wasn’t a big deal, just a few schools. Getting top three was easy. My focus was Nationals. But I didn’t expect Chloe to go too. Jax’s lackeys surrounded her. “Chloe, you’re amazing! City competition? That’s next level!” “I heard geniuses from Prep School #2 are going. It’s hard!” Someone asked, “Did the teacher beg you to go?” Chloe acted shy. “It’s not begging. Glory for the school is my duty.” She stuck out her tongue playfully. She didn’t deny it, so she confirmed it. The class exploded. “Chloe, you’re so cool!” “With your skills, first place is guaranteed!” Chloe lightly hit the boy calling her “Sister-in-law.” “I told you not to call me that! Annoying!” I stood at the door until the hype peaked, then walked in slowly. I sat down, “accidentally” revealing a corner of my registration form. A classmate saw it. “Huh? Sarah, you’re going too?” Dead silence. Then, laughter. “She only got first a few times, then fell off. Now she thinks she can do City?” “With Chloe there, she’s destined for second.” Some defended me. “Like you guys are qualified to go.” “We’ll see who wins.” … I didn’t care. Money-wise, I’m poor. Academic-wise? They were walking into a slaughter. Chloe and I locked eyes. She bit her lip, pale. We both knew. With me there, she couldn’t win. 5 Jax blocked me. “Drop out of the City competition.” Not a request. “Why?” He chewed his lollipop, leaning against the wall, disgust in his eyes. “I hate self-righteous people like you. Arrogant much? Grades are the only thing you have.” I smiled. “You hate me, but you’re still begging me.” Jax bit through the candy. “Two hundred thousand. Drop out.” I checked my balance. This year, running errands and doing homework for Jax, I saved over a million dollars. I tore up the form in front of him. “Relax. I won’t stop your princess from winning.” I turned around and went to the State Physics Olympiad instead. Results came out the same day as the City Math scores. The class was buzzing about the City competition. “Chloe, you got 12th in the city!” “Amazing!” Chloe smiled shyly, tucking hair behind her ear. “Stop it, I’m shy! 12th isn’t that great!” Self-aware. I thought without me she’d get first. “Too humble! Those are the best students in the city. 12th is incredible.” When I walked in, the atmosphere shifted. “Didn’t Sarah sign up? What did she get?” “Heard she didn’t go.” “She acts so tough, then skips the test?” “Scared!” Jax’s lackey spoke up. “City tests aren’t like school tests where you can get lucky. Some people just have two tricks and are afraid to be exposed!” “Going would just shame the school.” Laughter erupted. Jax, who usually mocked me, was silent. “Sarah, we get it. You were afraid Chloe would beat you. But skipping is cowardly.” Chloe hid behind the crowd, smiling silently. I quietly put away my First Prize certificate for the State Physics Olympiad. I smiled at them. “I understand you too.” “Einstein was born before you because the stupid bird flies first.” They froze, faces turning red. I clapped my hands. “Why were there only Three Stooges? Because the rest are here!” Dead silence. Until a laugh broke it. In the corner, Jax covered his mouth, eyes crinkling with laughter. Chloe bit her lip, shoved a desk, and ran out. The girl flew; her tears chased her.

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While filming a survival reality show on a deserted island, the producers confiscated my phone. In a panic, I used my burner phone to text my “sugar daddy” boyfriend, Julian. “We’re screwed, hubby! My lock screen is a nude photo of you!” Julian texted back: “Vivian, you’re just a canary I keep in a cage. Don’t get delusional.” Two seconds later… “Wait, what did you say?” 1 Julian fired off messages like a machine gun. “I haven’t seen you in a month and this is the surprise you give me?” “Does it show my face? Can people tell it’s me?” [Voice Message: 60”] [Voice Message: 60”] “Go ask the production crew for the phone back. Right now.” “No, steal it back. Don’t let anyone see you.” “Forget it, I’ll steal it. I’ve never been this humiliated in my life.” “Where are you filming? Send the address.” “Hello? Speak.” I was squatting behind a pitch-black tent, staring intensely at the screen. I sent the location, but the signal bar just kept spinning. I couldn’t even receive Julian’s messages anymore. I was sweating bullets. Suddenly, the camp loudspeaker blared. “Attention! Vivian Chen has been caught with a contraband phone, violating Island Rule #1.” “Punishment: Team 3 is responsible for making tomorrow’s breakfast.” I watched, dumbfounded, as the director, wearing a ghillie suit, jumped out of the bushes. He grinned evilly. “I knew someone wasn’t playing by the rules. Gotcha, Vivian! Here’s your mission card. Meet at the beach tomorrow at 5 AM.” I took the card. A camera shoved into my face, zooming in on my guilt and forced smile. Just then, a video call started ringing loudly. I answered it in a panic. Julian’s voice was on the edge of exploding. “Hello? What kind of vacation show confiscates phones? Is this even legal?” “Why aren’t you talking? Scared now? What were you thinking setting that as your wallpaper?” The director smelled gossip. Who would I be secretly contacting at midnight? 2 The camera light was blinding, like an interrogation lamp. They were looking for any crack in my expression. The director urged me, “Vivian, rules are rules. The whole country is watching.” My acting skills are floor-level, but I had to protect my meal ticket. I straightened up, put on a polite smile, and spoke into the phone. “The dog probably peed on the bed because he misses me. Uncle Ju, just wash the sheets and remember to walk him.” Silence on the other end for two seconds. Then, a mix of shock and rage: “Vivian Chen, are you treating me like a maid? Do you know who the boss is?” My heart was trembling. I calmly ended the conversation. “Okay, I won’t keep you. I’ll be back in seven days. Bye.” Before he could respond, I hung up. Click. First time hanging up on Julian in my life. It felt… exhilarating. The director took my burner phone and left on a boat. I went back to the campsite. My two teammates looked ready to eat me alive. Kyle, a former boy band idol wearing a khaki windbreaker, asked tentatively, “Vivian, are you saying that tomorrow at 5 AM, Team 3 has to go fishing without makeup or breakfast, wearing headlamps?” I smiled at him. “Yep.” The new “IT girl” actress, Layla, wrapped in a blanket, looked pissed. “Didn’t we all hand in our phones before coming to the island? How did you get caught with one?” I smiled at her too. “I had a spare.” Layla sneered. “The rules said no phones. You did this on purpose, didn’t you?” 3 I swear on Julian’s bank account, I didn’t do it on purpose. I have a work phone and a personal phone. To please my boss, my whole persona is “lovestruck girlfriend.” I fold the wrapping paper from his gifts into origami cranes and hang them up (even though I pay someone else to fold them). Setting his photo as my wallpaper is basic. As for why it’s a nude… Well, Julian’s body is top-tier. Mature, sexy, like a professional model. Those abs, that tight waist, those powerful thighs… it’s art. As for his face, which always looks like I owe him eight million dollars… well, I cropped that out. But Layla obviously didn’t believe me. She was already mad about not being able to go back to the hotel. Now that the cameras were off, her disgust was unrestrained. “I don’t know why resource-hogs like you come on these survival shows. You just cause trouble. Go do it yourself.” 4 Seven years in the industry, I was used to the shade. I didn’t get mad. I smiled. “Can’t help it. Too much business to handle, I forget things.” Layla rolled her eyes. “What are you so proud of? You just have a pretty face. Once Julian gets bored of you, you’ll be nothing.” Kyle was brutally honest. “Vivian, let’s keep our distance. I’m trying to be relatable, I don’t want to get dragged.” They went into their tents, treating me like the plague. They weren’t wrong. Most people in the industry knew Julian was my sugar daddy. Thanks to him, I was acting alongside Oscar-winner Rainie Yu before I even graduated high school. After that, I was in blockbuster after blockbuster. Seven years, non-stop resources. And non-stop hate. An old interview clip of 15-year-old me saying “I want to be a Movie Queen” became a meme. “Movie Queen” became my ironic nickname. My acting was constantly roasted. I didn’t even want to be a serious actress. With my face and Julian’s backing, I could have coasted on variety shows and sweet dramas. But I took this hardcore survival show. Why? Because Julian’s “white moonlight”—his first love—came back last month. Rainie Yu returned after sweeping the international awards. He couldn’t wait to throw all his resources at her. He had no time for his canary. I just wanted to make some extra cash on the side. Who knew I’d screw up on day one? When the director collected phones, my manager handed over the one on the table without thinking. When I realized the phone in my pocket was my personal one, I froze. Because that phone—the one with Julian’s contact info—had a wallpaper of his naked side profile. One night, Julian got a business call and answered it standing by the bed, not bothering to put on a robe. He argued in fluent English, waking me up. I was grumpy, so I took dozens of photos of his waist. The camera panned up, and Julian’s phoenix eyes stared at me, half-smiling. He allowed me to sneak photos. He even let me sit on his lap while he was on the call, making me hold the phone to test the image stabilization. Afterward, he gripped my ankle and whispered, “Who are you going to show off to? Hmm?” “Vivian, canaries should stay in their cages. Don’t cross the line, understand?” I cried and begged for mercy. Since then, I only dared to keep the photos for myself. I never thought there would be a day when these photos faced the threat of public exposure…

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