The guy I’d been crushing on for ages, the class president, finally went public with his relationship. At a party, his girlfriend, Chloe, deliberately asked me, “What’s your ideal type?” I looked at Liam’s face and described a type that was the complete opposite of him. I never expected that the next day, his best friend, Julian, would show up at my door, holding a video from the party. As I stared at him, confused, he slowly said something that left me stunned for the entire day. “You’ve been crushing on me? Why didn’t you say something sooner?” 1 After Julian’s words, the bubble tea I’d just sipped went down the wrong pipe, and I choked for a full minute. He sat across from me, looking completely smug, and shoved his phone into my face. “What are you shy about? Didn’t you say it yourself? Your ideal type? It matches me word for word.” In the video, I was staring at Liam, the class president, speaking each word clearly. “My ideal type is someone outgoing, confident, and humorous.” He slowly lowered his phone, a triumphant grin on his face. “Though I have a lot of people chasing me, I guess I can reluctantly let you cut in line.” “Just chase me for a month, and I’ll consider saying yes. But…” I watched the non-stop chatterer in front of me, emotionlessly closing the door on him. Julian’s sports car was flashy. Me, riding my bicycle next to his sports car, was even flashier. Through the lowered window, Julian’s mouth never stopped moving. “A month might be a bit long, but you need patience when you’re chasing someone, right?” “I’m a perfectly good guy, you know, not just anyone gets my attention.” My head was pounding from the noise, so I stopped and flipped him off, twice. Just as I was about to turn and pedal furiously away, the last voice I wanted to hear chimed in. “Aubrey? Why are you riding your bike to school today?” Liam walked up from behind me, hugging a stack of books. His expression turned a little unnatural when he saw Julian’s sports car. “Hey, buddy, why aren’t you in class yet?” Liam was the class president, always the first one there for our 8 AM classes. Everyone called him the straight-A student. “Something came up.” I used to wait for him at the cafeteria entrance every morning, and we’d walk to class together. He was never late for school. Today, he was probably having breakfast with Chloe. A knot of unease tightened in my chest as I slowly pushed off on my bike. Liam walked beside me, frequently turning to look at me. “Aubrey, why are you with Julian?” Though he asked quietly, Julian still heard him. “She wants to chase me. I’m teaching her how to win my heart.” In my peripheral vision, Liam’s hand crumpled the corner of his book. I glanced at Julian under Liam’s scrutinizing gaze but said nothing. Julian saw I didn’t object and got even more hyped up. He practically leaned half his body out of the car window. “She just insisted on buying me rings, saying I should wear one on both middle fingers.” “Honestly, I don’t think it’s necessary, right, buddy?” “Rings, at this point, giving them as a gift…” CRASH! A loud crash, mixed with Liam’s startled cry, rang in my ears. The moment that power pole bent sideways, I just wanted to close my eyes and pretend I hadn’t heard anything. 2 After paying at the front desk, I walked back. Julian was clutching his leg, complaining to the doctor. “Aren’t you embarrassed enough?” He heard my voice and instantly turned, pointing at his leg, tears silently streaming down his face as he looked at me. Just as a tear was about to trickle into the corner of his mouth, I rushed over and wrapped his head in my jacket. “Doctor, quickly!” After a round of wailing, I sat on the exam bed, cold-faced, waiting for the doctor to disinfect the bite marks on my arm. “Julian, why didn’t that power pole just crush you?” He rubbed the cast on his leg, wiping away tears. “Don’t say such mean things. I promise I’ll be with you, okay?” So I brought up the topic of buying him rings again. It was already afternoon when everything was finally over. Watching him flit around my apartment like a hummingbird, I couldn’t help but frown. “When are you finally leaving?” He tore open a bag of chips, shoved them into his mouth, and shook his head. “If I don’t leave, then pay me back. Towing fee, medical expenses, travel costs. SnapChat or PayPal?” “Physical payment.” He then opened a carton of milk and covered his face, feigning shyness. Just looking at him made an irrational anger flare up in me. I immediately pulled out my phone and dialed 91

Only then did he hastily hobble over on his cast, looking at me with pleading eyes, “Is a bank transfer okay?” After tearfully transferring a four-figure sum, he was finally allowed to stay. After all, he’d crashed his sports car and broken his leg; going home could be life-threatening. But I didn’t know my kindness would lead to my own suffering. It wasn’t until I’d showered and was about to go to bed that night that I truly realized. “Julian, open this door right now!” I pounded on the door until my palms were numb before he finally spoke. “No way. I’m a pure, innocent young man. How can I sleep in the same room as you?” From his broken, muffled voice, I knew he was stifling laughter. I kicked the door once, then resignedly trudged towards the living room sofa. The cheap sofa I’d bought was narrow and hard. I didn’t fall asleep until the early hours of the morning. Julian drifted out like a ghost and stood in front of the sofa. He startled me. “What are you doing?” “Your room is too hot, my allergies are acting up, I can’t sleep.” His voice sounded muffled. “So what do you want me to do? Do you expect me to go out and buy you medicine right now?” “I want to sleep here.” Suddenly, for no reason, the sofa became prime real estate. I bundled my blanket around me and got up, heading into my room. Instead of going straight to my pillow, I first glanced at the notebook on my desk. In the moonlight, I felt like something was off about it. But it was definitely still in its original spot. After struggling for a bit, I finally locked it in the drawer before feeling safe enough to sleep. 3 Julian no longer had his sports car, so he had to ride my bicycle to school every day. “Why don’t you take a cab?” “All my money went to you, how can I afford a cab?” He sat on my back seat, carrying my backpack, applying an egg to his eyes, and instantly sounded aggrieved. All I could do was channel my speechless frustration into furiously pedaling the bike. The moment we entered the classroom, I felt Liam’s scrutinizing gaze. I had planned to ignore him and sit in the back, but Julian pulled me to the front row. “My leg hurts; I can’t hop that far.” He sat between Liam and me, constantly yawning. I wasn’t doing much better; I was incredibly sleepy. I had barely fallen asleep in the early morning, and at 6 AM, he was already standing by my bed, eyes swollen. He complained that the wind chimes in the living room kept ringing and wouldn’t let him sleep. Unable to stand his constant nagging, I had to get up and throw the wind chimes into the trash. Those wind chimes, Liam had given them to me. Anyway, there was no reason to keep them anymore. I scoffed internally. They were just leftovers that Chloe didn’t pick. Why was I still keeping them like they were precious? As if sensing something, Liam suddenly turned to look at me. He was trying to pass something to me over Julian. Before I could even see what it was, a weight settled on my shoulder. Julian had slumped onto my shoulder, fast asleep. I immediately straightened my head. Phew, that was close. I almost kissed his forehead. If I woke him up, who knew how he’d try to gross me out? He’d probably start yelling about crushing on him, or physical payment, and charge at me. Who could handle that? The teacher’s palpable stare from the podium made me squirm. While she turned to write on the board, I nudged Julian’s head. But not only did he not move, he actually rubbed his head against my shoulder. Damn it, I wondered if his bright blond hair would bleed onto my shirt. It definitely would, otherwise why was my face flushing so unbelievably red? “Admit it, Aubrey, you’re totally smitten with me, aren’t you?” Julian once again held up his phone, a triumphant expression on his face. On the campus gossip page, a photo of me, red-faced, holding Julian’s head while taking notes, had gone viral. The photo was cleverly taken; not even a corner of Liam’s clothing was visible. I stared at it for a few seconds, not taking his bait. But then he suddenly put down his phone and twisted himself into a pretzel. “But you’re being way too obvious! Now everyone in school knows you like me.” “You’re making it impossible for me to refuse you, you sneaky thing.” Watching him bury his face in his hands, I silently picked the hotdog out of his bowl. 4 Actually, everyone knew I liked Liam. Because no matter the event, if I was told Liam would be there, I’d join. What I said at that party was just my childish way of fighting back. So I didn’t quite understand why Julian was so certain I had a crush on him. But undeniably, Julian had managed to distract me. He was there when I had class, followed me when I studied, and waited for me when I worked. When I was with him, I rarely thought about Liam. “Aubrey, do you think I’d look better with golden hair?” “Hmm.” I was busy with my part-time job, answering out of habit. “You’re so perfunctory! I’m such a handsome, gorgeous guy, and you don’t cherish me.” Julian was really good-looking. Golden hair would probably look great on him. He complained, but the next day, his hair was indeed a different color. After I got my paycheck, I took him to the orphanage. This was something I had promised him. He always ate the snacks I stockpiled at home. I told him those were for the kids at the orphanage. As soon as he heard that, he clamored to come along and even filled up a bunch of toys himself. With free labor and the kids getting toys, I had no reason to refuse. But when we arrived at the entrance, he hesitated, carrying two large bags of snacks and toys. “Aubrey, should I have dyed my hair black before coming?” I looked at his shimmering golden hair under the sun and nodded. Because the kids here loved new and exciting things. Once inside, his bright blond hair might be in trouble. Ms. Eleanor was delighted to see me back. She pulled me aside, saying I’d lost weight, telling me to eat more, not to stress too much about studying, and that my health was most important. I promised her everything, and also told her not to work too hard. She looked at Julian, who was distributing snacks to the children, and whispered to me, “Girl, this boy is quite nice, but why is his hair still so yellow?” Ms. Eleanor adjusted her glasses, a look of profound confusion on her face. In the warm autumn sun, Julian held a child in one arm and read a storybook. I stood beside Ms. Eleanor, watching him from afar through the window. A warmth inexplicably bloomed in my heart. During dinner, Julian sat next to Ms. Eleanor, looking very respectful. Although everything seemed peaceful, I felt like something was off. I couldn’t help but ask him if he was uncomfortable. He straightened his back, “No, it’s great here, very comfortable.” “Then why are you acting so strange?” He eyed Ms. Eleanor, then secretly asked me, “Strange how?” “You usually eat like you’re trying to win an eating contest, but today you only ate one bowl.” Ms. Eleanor chuckled upon hearing that and immediately sent a child to get him more rice. He buried his face in his bowl, muttering through clenched teeth, “Aubrey, don’t I have any dignity?” 5 From the day we returned from the orphanage, the notebook in my bedroom drawer started getting thinner day by day. The weather also grew colder. I wanted that failed crush to fall away from me like autumn leaves. But things rarely go as planned. Someone posted photos of Julian and me entering and exiting the hospital together on the campus gossip page. There was also a related post. The title was scandalous enough to match the big ‘HOT’ icon in the bottom right corner. *The Scandalous Link Between a Broke Genius and a Rich Heir* It contained photos of Julian and me appearing together. Every line questioned our relationship. The conclusion was that I was pregnant with Julian’s child, and he accompanied me to the hospital for an abortion. Although many people below didn’t believe it, saying the person I liked was clearly Liam. “The only difference before and after entering the hospital is Julian’s cast is gone. Is the poster saying that cast was their child?” “And anyone with eyes knows Aubrey has always liked Liam.” But the internet went wild, of course. “What’s the point of liking him? Liam doesn’t like her back.” “Yeah, Liam and Chloe are all lovey-dovey, why would they get involved with her?” “I’m not surprised by this at all. You haven’t seen the way Julian looks at Aubrey…” “I just can’t believe Aubrey is like that, she always acted so high and mighty before.” I was immediately called in by the Dean of Students and received a full afternoon of lectures in her office. When I came out, I ran into Liam standing at the door. “Aubrey, are you okay?” I didn’t respond, just stepped aside to let him pass. “I believe you’re not that kind of person.” That night, when I opened my front door, Julian was nowhere to be seen. I numbly went back to my bedroom and took out the notebook, preparing to tear off a page as usual. But looking at the blurred words, I found it strange. Every page I flipped to had them. Yet, I had never spilled water on it. I rummaged through the trash for the page I had torn out yesterday, and sure enough, the handwriting was also blurred by water stains. Before, when Julian was here, I always tore pages in the dark at night, so I had never noticed. This notebook contained the record of my crush on Liam since high school. From the first time I realized I liked Liam, to Liam officially starting a relationship. Every single word was about Liam. My mind was a mess. As I slowly searched for memories related to the notebook, I suddenly thought of the night Julian first came to my place. His broken, muffled voice, his sneaking out in the middle of the night, his swollen eyelids the next morning. And his complaints about the wind chimes Liam had given me in the early morning. Moment after moment flashed before my eyes. I touched those circular watermarks, and a faint guess began to form in my heart. 6 The post was deleted, but I hadn’t seen Julian for a week. After that campus post came out, I hadn’t seen him since. He hadn’t replied to any of my texts either. Instead, my contact with Liam involuntarily increased. I don’t know why, but I always seemed to run into Liam everywhere. During class, he no longer sat in the front row, nor was he the first to arrive. Instead, he’d wait for me downstairs, follow me to school, and then sit in the back of the classroom with me. “Liam, you have a girlfriend now. Please be more mindful.” “Aubrey, Chloe and I aren’t what you think. I have my reasons.” But I didn’t have time to listen to his troubles. “Don’t you want to know why someone like Julian would be friends with me?” Liam and I sat on a bench in front of the school’s artificial lake. I was indeed curious why Julian would be friends with Liam. Because I had known Liam since high school, and had a crush on him. Julian, I met him after I started college. One day, he just suddenly appeared by Liam’s side, calling him his best buddy. Back then, I thought male friendships just formed that quickly. But now, Liam and Julian were completely opposite personalities. And Julian’s family background was also different from ours. I was an orphan. Liam lived with his grandma. Aside from our grades, we were at the bottom rung of the school’s social ladder. Liam was a bit better off than me, though. He was nice to everyone, and with his handsome face, many people liked him. As for me, I was busy working part-time every day and was indifferent to everyone. Even if I was pretty, people would just say I was acting high and mighty. But I didn’t care what others thought. Because I knew no one else could help me live my life. But Julian, I didn’t know why he was different from everyone else. From the very beginning, he showed me a lot of enthusiasm. Even when I ignored him, he would still come and talk to me. Before this incident, I hadn’t even truly looked at his face. “He and I aren’t close at all.” “He just attached himself to me. You know, he’s different from us, people are willing to believe them.” Seeing I wasn’t looking at him, he continued. “I inexplicably became his best friend, and then inexplicably watched him get close to you.” “Only now do I understand that he was trying to get close to you from the very beginning.” “Actually, I’ve wanted to tell you for a long time, Julian isn’t a good person. Don’t let him trick you.” 7 I became the protagonist of a campus post again. This time, it was with Liam. The photo showed us sitting on a bench, heads down. The title: *Shocking! Broke Girl Steals Another’s Boyfriend After Her Man Dumps Her.* After twenty years of being invisible, I never thought I’d become a campus celebrity overnight. Three days after the post came out, Julian finally reappeared. He looked a lot thinner, and his hair was dyed black. He seemed like a different person, no longer as flamboyant as before.

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I used to confess my feelings to my crush all the time, thinking he couldn’t hear me. Today, after learning a few sassy lines, I was ready to go all out. “Hey, big guy, I was just thinking… wanna hop on a ‘rocking horse’ with me?” The guy, who usually didn’t react, suddenly scooped me up. His voice was husky: “Sure.” “That guy by the window is so hot.” “Yeah, but he’s so cold. He never talks to anyone.” The guy with sharp, clear eyes sat by the window, his slender, pale fingers slowly turning the pages of a book. Countless girls had already fallen for his good looks, trying to get his contact info, only to be silently rejected. But would a small setback like that deter a genius like me when it came to dating? I swaggered over, book in hand, and sat right next to him, trying to strike up a conversation. “Hey, what year are you, and what’s your major?” He didn’t answer, just tilted his head, avoiding the sunlight streaming through the window. His perfect profile looked even more aloof, like a painting. While drooling over him, I suddenly had an epiphany. “No wonder so many people talk to you and you don’t answer.” “You’re deaf!” The hand holding his pen tightened slightly, then quickly relaxed. He just quietly moved his chair further away from me. Of course, I didn’t think he was annoyed. Based on my decade-plus history of reading web novels in elementary school, this classic ‘gorgeous, brilliant, and tragic’ type – you know, the kind who’s got it all but is always suffering – usually gets weird looks from people. So when I tried to be nice, he must have felt uncomfortable and instinctively moved away. Poor little thing! Channeling my inner simp, I scooted even closer to him. Our breaths mingled softly. I pretended not to notice his ears faintly reddening, and instead, pressed down on his notebook, slowly enunciating his name: “Ju-lian Ha-yes.” Then I turned my head, looked him straight in the eyes, and smiled sweetly. “Your name sounds so good.”

Julian Hayes’ amber eyes reflected my image. As if unused to such closeness, he sharply recoiled, gathering his things and getting up to leave. He looked like he was fleeing for his life, as if from a monster. But that’s okay. He hadn’t rejected me outright, so it probably meant he didn’t dislike me. Tomorrow, I’ll come back to harass… oh, I mean, care for him. Hehe. The next day, same time, same place. Julian Hayes showed up promptly at his usual spot. But this time, he didn’t sit down immediately. He looked around, as if searching for something. Only after confirming that the seat I’d occupied yesterday was empty did he slowly relax, pull out the chair, and sit down. Bright sunlight streamed through the window, highlighting his white shirt and outlining his lean, strong waist. Julian Hayes bowed his head, earnestly flipping through his book, the scene looking peaceful and beautiful. I quietly admired him for a while before emerging from behind the bookshelf with a thick stack of textbooks. Ignoring his ‘saw a ghost’ expression, I sat down next to him. “Were you waiting for me?” Julian Hayes didn’t speak, just averted his gaze. His pale pink lips were pressed into a thin line, a silent rejection. But I’ve always been shameless, so I just pretended not to notice. “Julian Hayes, I don’t understand these few problems. Can you teach me?” His books on the desk were covered by my textbooks. Julian Hayes turned his head, silently staring at me. I slapped my forehead, realizing he couldn’t hear. “My bad, my bad, I completely forgot you can’t hear.” As soon as the words left my mouth, before Julian Hayes could react, I suddenly took his long, pale hand gently. I slowly traced out words on his warm palm: “Teach me.”

The touch of our skin was incredibly clear. My sudden action made Julian Hayes stiffen. When he came back to his senses, his first instinct was to pull his hand away. My fingertips slid lightly along his palm, but just as he was about to fully withdraw, I suddenly grabbed his fingers tightly. As I held his hand firmly, I deliberately looked into Julian Hayes’ eyes. I slowed my words, mouthing to him: “Hey, you haven’t agreed to teach me yet.” Julian Hayes’ ears were so red they looked like they could bleed, and his gaze visibly flitted around in panic. After a long moment, he pulled out a pen, put it in my hand, and gestured for me to write on a notebook. His eyes, so close, watched me intently, as if silently pleading. I blinked, suddenly feeling guilty for bullying the poor guy. Since my trick had worked, I released his hand. “Thank you!” The distance between us returned to normal. Julian Hayes subtly let out a breath, took the notebook that was in front of me, and wrote neatly. [Which one don’t you understand?] His handwriting, like him, was elegant and beautiful. Julian Hayes finished writing and pushed the notebook back to me, looking earnestly at me, waiting for my answer, incredibly well-behaved and serious. But to his surprise, I directly rested my arm on his and used his notebook to reply. [All of them.] Our breaths once again drew infinitely close. The sweet scent of my shower gel and Julian Hayes’ cool, pleasant scent slowly mingled. His pupils trembled, boundless emotion flickering, which instantly turned into deep exasperation when he saw my answer.

His slender fingers delicately hooked my sleeve, pulling me back as I tried to escape. Julian Hayes used his elegant handwriting to write over my words. [I’ll wait for you at the library at this time every day from now on.] And just like that, I gained a free private tutor, and a very dedicated one at that. When Julian Hayes said he’d teach me problems, he taught me problems. He didn’t do anything extra. After our fixed study time each day, he’d go about his own business. But I couldn’t bear to leave after such a short time, so I’d just stick around, reading and reviewing, occasionally chatting with him by writing notes. All my unspoken thoughts finally found a home; Julian Hayes was like my personal trash can. And one with top-notch confidentiality. Though he rarely paid attention to me and his replies were few, his notebook gradually became filled with my handwriting. As time passed, I started wanting to tease Julian Hayes again. While he was reading, I’d slowly write on the notebook. [Even if you can’t hear me, it’s okay. Being deaf isn’t your fault.] [You have me. I’m willing to be your ears for life.] Julian Hayes glanced at me, then lowered his head to continue reading. But his handsome face was clearly flushed. His reaction was so cute that I buried my face on the desk, giggling for a long time before stopping. From that day on, I started paying attention to Julian Hayes outside the library. His daily routine was simple: classes, library, eating, sleeping. So I easily figured out his movements. After staking him out for a few days, I found that he didn’t seem to have many friends. He was always alone, even when he went to eat. He felt even more pitiful. So I deliberately went to the cafeteria to “accidentally” run into him.

Ignoring the surprised looks from passersby, I carried my tray and sat across from Julian Hayes, giving him a bright smile. “What a coincidence.” Julian Hayes glanced at me, then acted like he hadn’t seen me, lowering his head to quietly eat his meal. Even though he didn’t acknowledge me, he clearly didn’t reject me either. How does that saying go? Silence is the best permission. The cafeteria food was just okay, barely edible. But to test Julian Hayes’ limits, I deliberately picked a piece of sweet and sour pork from his tray and popped it into my mouth. Then I narrowed my eyes in a smile, praising it without reservation. “So good.” Julian Hayes’ chewing paused. He was clearly startled by my outrageous behavior. He covered his mouth, coughing for a good while, unable to stop. I smoothly handed him a bottle of water, silently wondering: *Is he going to hate me now? Is he finally fed up with my harassment and about to publicly reject me?* I waited for a full thirty seconds before Julian Hayes finally put down the water bottle. Then, he picked up his forks and continued eating. At the same time, he silently pushed the side of his plate with the sweet and sour pork towards me. At that moment, my heart started pounding uncontrollably. I already knew Julian Hayes was a good student. Now, his charm level just shot through the roof. I’m never one to be shy. Since my heart was racing, I decided to go for it. Julian Hayes paused his eating, looking down at my foot lightly kicking his shin. Then he opened the notes app on his phone, typed a line, and showed it to me. [What’s up?] I didn’t take his phone, but deliberately looked into his eyes and said: “Wanna add me on SnapChat?”

Even though I wanted to flirt with him, I didn’t have high hopes. After all, Julian Hayes was known as the hardest guy to get in school. But to my surprise, the moment he clearly understood my lip movements, he nodded in agreement. Then he switched to the scan interface, silently urging me with his eyes. I opened my mouth, swallowing the words I’d planned to say to save face. Just like that, I confusingly added Julian Hayes on SnapChat. Back in my dorm, my roommate looked at my dazed expression and asked, confused: “You’ve been running out all the time for days, and then you come back smiling like you just won the lottery. Spill it, did some hot guy steal your soul?” That girl, she guessed pretty accurately. I looked at her with admiration and sincerely asked: “Babe, can you teach me how to date?” Although I usually called myself a dating expert, I’d never actually been in a relationship; I was a blank slate in that department. I was so afraid of doing something wrong and scaring off the hot guy I was about to get. My roommate was so shocked she almost fell off her bed. While imparting her wisdom, she also pressed: “Which guy in school is so charming that he managed to capture the heart of our department’s beauty queen?” I feigned modesty and waved my hand. “It’s my crush, and it’s still early days. I’ll definitely tell you the moment I officially get him.” I’d heard my roommates gossip about Julian Hayes before. They said he was nicknamed ‘Ice Prince’ and rarely spoke to anyone. If I told them I had a crush on Julian Hayes, they definitely wouldn’t believe me. It was better to wait until we were officially together before sharing the good news. Speaking of which, Julian Hayes was quite pitiful. He was deaf and couldn’t hear, so of course he couldn’t talk to people. The poor guy was already struggling, how could people misunderstand him?

To comfort Julian Hayes, the first thing I did after getting into bed was to send him a SnapChat message. [Hey, quick question, what time is it?] [I don’t mean anything else, just reminding you it’s time for us to be together.] [A little cat goes: Meow meow meow.] [A little dog goes: Julian Hayes, I’m your dog, I’m only loyal to you for life!] Julian Hayes replied quickly, almost instantly. But no matter what I sent, he only replied with six dots. […] I stared at the chat box, brewing for a long time, deeply understanding my shortcomings. It seemed that flirting online was really not my strong suit. After all, with a screen between us, Julian Hayes couldn’t fully feel my overflowing emotions. So I decided to change tactics and ask him to meet offline. [I heard amusement parks are the best date spots for couples.] [And tomorrow’s my birthday, so how about it, wanna go together?] Julian Hayes still replied quickly. […Okay] If I hadn’t been sharp-eyed, I would have almost missed his reply. I didn’t expect Julian Hayes to be so easy to ask out! I was so happy, I wanted to run laps for the entire dorm, or maybe even the whole campus, just to burn off all that excitement. My roommates, hearing that I was going on a date with my crush tomorrow, happily started scheming for me. “Remember to bring your ID and charger. I’ll send you the link to that super nice hotel near the amusement park.” “This lingerie set is so innocent-sexy. Wear this tomorrow and I guarantee you’ll hit a home run!” Huh? Was this really something I should be hearing at my age? My face burned red, and my mind raced with all sorts of ‘dirty’ thoughts as I spent a night filled with sweet anticipation. By the time my roommates had picked out my outfit and done my makeup, Julian Hayes was already waiting outside when I went downstairs.

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At 00:45 AM, a woman with a knife appeared in our dorm room, killing my roommate on the bunk below. The police investigated, but strangely, they declared there was “no such person.” It was like the killer was an invisible ghost, utterly untraceable. It was 0:45 AM. I was still scrolling through videos in our dorm when I got a text from my roommate, Brianna. * “Don’t make a sound. There’s a woman with a knife right outside our dorm room!” I thought Brianna was just messing with me, so I didn’t reply, intending to go back to my videos. But then, the next second, I heard the old wooden door creak open. A chill shot down my spine. I immediately turned off my phone, even muting it to avoid any noise. Then, I heard slow footsteps coming further into the dorm room. In the dead silence of the early morning, those footsteps echoed on the floor, sounding incredibly eerie. * *Tap… tap… tap…* Every step made my heart pound. How could a woman get into the school? The campus gates had security, and RA Lopez was downstairs in the dorm building. How did she even get in? I clamped my mouth shut, terrified to make a sound, my breathing turning shallow and careful. I wondered what her purpose was in coming into our dorm, but before I could think of anything, the footsteps stopped. Through a tiny gap in my bed curtain, I could see her. She had stopped right in front of my bed! Her head was bowed, looking at Brianna’s bed. Her long hair hung over her face, and she wore a red dress. The gap in my curtain was too small, so I couldn’t make out her features. She was holding a fruit knife. Suddenly, she looked up towards my bed. I quickly slammed my eyes shut, pretending to be asleep, terrified she’d see me. Several minutes passed with no movement. I forced myself to open my eyes again, peeking through the gap. The woman stood in front of Brianna’s bed, staring for a long time, muttering something under her breath… Maybe it was just the profound quiet of the early morning, but I could barely make out a few words. * “How… not enough… kill you…” Just a few fragmented words. I had no idea what she was talking about. But I could tell she was here for Brianna. Yet Brianna usually got along well with everyone. I’d never heard anyone badmouth her or mention her having enemies. I didn’t dare call the police. I was afraid the woman would hear me. And I certainly didn’t have the courage to stop her. My heart was racing, hammering against my ribs. Then, I heard a sharp gasp from the bunk below. I watched as the woman with the knife started stabbing Brianna, over and over again. In just a few moments, the gasps died out. I heard the woman’s footsteps as she left. Shaken to my core, I tried to compose myself. After two hours, once my emotions had somewhat settled, I called Professor Miller. Our advisor was terrified and rushed to the dorm, immediately calling Dean Harrison and RA Lopez. Professor Miller and Dean Harrison stared at the blood pooling on the floor from Brianna’s bed. They didn’t even dare pull back Brianna’s bed curtain, calling the police directly instead. Police sirens wailed outside the campus gates soon after, and officers quickly arrived at our dorm. The sirens woke up a lot of students. Some, still in their pajamas, rushed out of their rooms, curious to see what was happening at our dorm. But Professor Miller quickly herded them back inside. Seeing Professor Miller and Dean Harrison arrive, I finally dared to get out of bed. My legs were shaking so badly I could barely stand. Professor Miller woke up our other two sleeping roommates, Lillian and Harper. I was still in shock, but they were barely awake. But when they heard Brianna was dead, they both sobered up instantly, horrified. The police pulled back Brianna’s bed curtain. Everyone gasped at the sight. Before she died, Brianna looked like she’d seen something truly terrifying. Her eyes were wide open, staring forward, never closing. Her neck had several deep cuts, almost severed. Her entire bed was soaked in blood, which had already flowed onto the floor. Aside from the body, no murder weapon was found at the scene. Not even a single fingerprint of the killer was discovered. I turned away and dry-heaved a few times, forcing myself to look at Brianna despite the nausea. The police quickly removed Brianna’s body and took the three of us from our dorm to the police station. The police questioned us separately. Here’s what we each said: **Police:** “Were you the one who called your advisor to report Brianna’s death?”

I nodded, then told the police everything I knew about that night. **Police:** “Why didn’t you call the police or your advisor immediately after the killer left?” **Me:** “I was just so scared. I was afraid the killer might still be outside, and I was too terrified to even know how to explain it to Professor Miller.” The officer looked into my eyes with an expression I couldn’t quite describe. **Police:** “We checked the surveillance cameras. No woman entered your dorm room.” That statement sent chills down my spine. It meant the killer was one of us, already inside our dorm. **Me:** “Are you saying… the killer was inside our dorm?” The officer looked at me with suspicion, as if I was the killer. **Me:** “No, Officer, why are you looking at me like that? You don’t think I’m the killer, do you?” **Police:** “According to your description, if this woman truly existed, there’s a strong possibility she was already inside your dorm room.” **Me:** “But it couldn’t be me, right? If it were me, why would I call our advisor? Wouldn’t that be walking straight into a trap?” **Police:** “It’s not unheard of for the killer to try and play the victim.” **Me:** “Brianna was the one who texted me about that woman. And I don’t know if she only sent it to me, because Lillian and Harper were both asleep. You can ask them if they got the text too, right? Besides, that woman had long hair, almost down to her waist. Look at me; I have short, dyed hair.” I showed the officer my phone, and he confirmed that the text message had indeed come from Brianna. I still couldn’t understand why the killer targeted Brianna, yet Brianna still texted us to warn us. What truly scared me was the officer saying the killer was in our dorm. The officer then asked about Brianna’s usual behavior at school. I told him everything I knew honestly. Meanwhile, in another interrogation room, the police were questioning Lillian. Lillian was typically very timid, sitting there without daring to look up, answering only when asked. **Police:** “While you were asleep, did you hear anything?” Lillian shook her head. **Lillian:** “I usually sleep very soundly, it’s hard to wake me up. But I did hear some noise, like someone rummaging through things. I wasn’t sure. I thought maybe they were getting up to use the restroom, so I just went back to sleep.” **Police:** “And then?” Lillian shook her head again, adjusted her glasses, and looked timidly at the questioning officer. Harper, on the other hand, was yawning, looking utterly impatient in her interrogation room. She sat cross-legged, leaning back casually in her chair. **Police:** “Sit up straight!” The officer barked, and Harper finally sat properly. Harper was always very blunt and carefree. **Police:** “What were you doing on the night of the incident?” **Harper:** “I was definitely sleeping, duh?” **Police:** “Did you hear anything while you were asleep?” Harper hesitated, then shook her head. **Harper:** “Not really, I guess. I was so tired that night, and when I’m out, I’m out. I don’t know anything.” The officer looked at Harper with a questioning gaze, making Harper visibly uncomfortable. **Harper:** “What are you looking at me for? Brianna’s dead. Aren’t you supposed to find the killer? Why are you dragging us here in the middle of the night for questioning? Are you suggesting someone in our dorm killed Brianna?” The officer slapped the table hard, startling Harper into silence. **Police:** “We currently suspect the killer was in your dorm room!” Harper’s eyes widened at that statement, and she didn’t say another word. Both Lillian and Harper confirmed that they had also received the text message from Brianna. The police kept us for a long interrogation, not letting us go until morning. When we got back, I was exhausted from not sleeping all night, but the thought of someone dying in the bunk below kept me awake. Plus, the dorm was sealed off by the police, so we couldn’t go in. We had to find Professor Miller. It wasn’t until past 8 AM that Professor Miller arranged a new dorm for us. He also demanded we keep everything confidential and even promised us guaranteed admission to a prestigious graduate program. It turned out Dean Harrison had immediately suppressed the incident. All posts about it on campus forums were deleted by administrators. But it didn’t stop the whispers among students. Everyone talked about it privately, knowing that if Professor Miller or the school leadership heard them discussing it, they would be disciplined. Hearing about the guaranteed grad school admission, and then recalling the police saying the killer might be in our dorm, I couldn’t help but feel a prick of fear. I had previously read news about people killing roommates for a guaranteed grad school spot. And our school had been fiercely competing for those spots recently. I looked at Lillian. She was lying on her newly assigned bed, her bed curtain tightly drawn. I wondered what she was doing in there. Harper was already fast asleep. I was too tired to think much more, so I lay down and drifted off. When I woke up, it was already past 5 PM. I sat up, feeling hungry, and decided to go to the dining hall. When I brought food back from the dining hall, Lillian and Harper were already awake. Lillian was reading, while Harper was casually scrolling through videos on her phone. I ate my food, my mind wondering why these two could be so calm. If the killer was one of us three, would it be Lillian or Harper? I looked at Harper, then at Lillian, and suddenly something clicked. **Me:** “Lillian, weren’t you planning on applying to grad school recently?” Lillian looked up at me when I spoke. For some reason, I saw a flicker of panic in her eyes. **Lillian:** “Yeah, but my mom wouldn’t let me. She said it was enough that she put me through college and told me to get a job after graduation.” **Harper:** “Well, you don’t have to worry anymore, do you? Brianna just did you a huge favor!” Harper said it, her tone so casual, it made me angry. That guaranteed grad school slot came at the cost of Brianna’s life, and she was making jokes about it as if nothing had happened. I knew Lillian’s family didn’t want her to pursue grad school, so she was incredibly driven to get that guaranteed spot. That’s why I suspected she might have had a twisted motive, especially since she and Brianna weren’t usually on good terms. But Harper’s tone made me wonder if they were in on it together. Yet Harper and Brianna usually had an okay relationship, like fake friends, otherwise Harper wouldn’t joke like that. The thought of living in the same dorm as them filled me with dread, but the holidays were approaching, so I just had to endure it. At 9 PM, we got a call from Professor Miller. The police had found us again and taken us to the interrogation room. **Me:** “Didn’t you already question us?” I asked the officer in the car. **Police:** “We’ve made some new discoveries. We need to talk to you about some new developments.” Harper looked impatient. **Harper:** “Can’t you just ask us in the dorm? Are you going to keep us until morning again?” **Police:** “This is a matter of life and death. Please cooperate with the investigation!”

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After the zombie virus outbreak, my boyfriend of six years traded me to a shelter just to get himself in. Just as despair consumed me, a cold voice echoed in my mind. “Ding! Host, you have successfully bound to the Apocalypse Spa System. Please actively complete tasks to redeem rewards.” Six months ago, the zombie virus swept across the globe. Communication networks crumbled, resources dwindled, and the human living environment became severely polluted. Due to the initial outbreak, I had a habit of stockpiling supplies. My boyfriend and I survived the early days of the apocalypse thanks to my stash. Once our last bit of supplies ran out, we had no choice but to venture out in search of a shelter. I thought we’d found hope, but it turned out to be a trap. As a condition for entry, my boyfriend, Caleb, didn’t hesitate. He traded me. I heard stories. Before me, that “shelter” had already discarded over a dozen women, their bodies battered and bloody, after they’d been… used. I frantically escaped the shelter, hiding in an abandoned factory. Caleb and the shelter’s people searched relentlessly for me. “Boss Victor, don’t worry. She’s just an ordinary girl, no powers. She can’t have gotten far.” I huddled inside a discarded paint drum, biting my lip hard, my body trembling, not daring to make a sound. Tears streamed down my face. Six whole years. From college sweethearts to building a life together. The man who swore to protect me forever was now dragging me straight to hell. I couldn’t even feel the heartbreak anymore. My immediate problem was figuring out how to survive. I was terrified of being found by the shelter’s people, and equally terrified of the zombies roaming outside the factory. I could only curl up, frozen in place. As my consciousness faded, a cold, mechanical voice suddenly rang out in my mind. “Ding! Host, you have successfully bound to the Apocalypse Spa System. Please actively complete tasks to redeem rewards.” I was completely dumbfounded. “What system did you say?” The mechanical voice in my mind spoke again: “Host, it’s the Apocalypse Spa System. In short, you will operate a spa in the apocalypse with the assistance of this system.” “Now, please name your spa.” A spa? Those words felt both intimately familiar and utterly alien. In the apocalypse, when even basic necessities like food and clean drinking water couldn’t be guaranteed, taking a bath was an unbelievable luxury. Just staying alive was a miracle. Who would dare to dream of quality of life? “Then let’s call it Utopia Spa.” If I could truly operate a spa in this apocalypse, for someone like me, who grew up loving those big, luxurious spas, it’d be my personal paradise. “Ding! Utopia Spa successfully named. Now issuing Host a Newbie Welcome Pack: Administrator Room and First Floor Spa Area unlocked.” As the system’s voice faded, a magnificent, golden building suddenly rose from the ground in the heart of the city. A flash of white light blinded me. When I opened my eyes again, the stench of decay was gone. Before me was a lavishly decorated lobby. A glittering crystal chandelier, opulent leather sofas… I instinctively pinched my thigh. *Ow!* Not a dream! The decor, the vibe… it screamed luxury spa. A *super* luxurious one! “All supplies within Utopia Spa are unlimited. The Administrator has permanent free access. Please proceed to the Administrator Room to verify your identity.” I followed the system’s prompts and found the Administrator Room. Pushing open the door, I saw a spacious, brightly lit room. The closet was stocked with all sorts of daily necessities. Before I could even be surprised, the voice in my mind spoke again: “Administrator identity verification successful. Utopia Spa is officially open for business. Utopia Spa offers absolute safety, capable of shielding against all natural and man-made disasters. Now granting the Administrator a five-consecutive-draw grand opening bonus. Please accept.”

“Congratulations, Host! You have drawn: one automatic bread vending machine, one automatic beverage vending machine, one automatic instant noodle vending machine, one medical kit, and ten sets of clean clothes.” As soon as the system finished speaking, I rushed to the vending machine, scanned my face, pulled out a loaf of bread, and devoured it. I was starving. I hadn’t eaten a single bite since escaping the shelter. After quickly filling my stomach and chugging a bottle of water, I finally felt human again. “Ding! Host task: Please serve one guest and successfully persuade them to purchase a membership card. Task reward: First Floor Fruit Buffet and Second Floor Sauna & Hot Stone Bath areas unlocked.” The system’s voice rang out. I froze. This was the apocalypse. Where was I supposed to find a guest who’d want a membership card? But then I thought of the fruit buffet and the hot stone bath… A membership card. I *had* to get a membership card. My KPIs had to be met! Before that, though, there was one other thing I needed to do. I wrinkled my nose, smelling the paint fumes still clinging to my hair, then glanced at my clothes, so dirty their original color was unrecognizable. I decided a shower was in order. Just like the luxurious spas I remembered, the shower area was stocked with all sorts of free toiletries. The moment the showerhead sprayed hot water, I closed my eyes in pure bliss. A *hot* shower! Such a luxury was unimaginable in the apocalypse. A moment later, I spoke, a little shyly, “System, do you have a scrub mitt?” “Yes, Host. Would you prefer the gentle type, regular type, or heavy-duty type?” I looked down at myself, feeling my face flush. “Uh, let’s go with the heavy-duty one.” After changing into clean clothes, I leaned against the front desk, waiting for my first guest. Sometimes, a few zombies would shuffle past the door outside. At first, I was terrified. But gradually, I realized those zombies acted as if they couldn’t perceive the building at all; they didn’t even glance its way. Filled with relief, my courage grew, and I even pulled a stool right up to the door for a closer look. It wasn’t until nightfall that a figure finally stumbled towards the entrance. I focused my gaze. It looked like a person. He paused, startled, when he saw me through the glass door, then his eyes widened in shock as he scanned the building up and down. He seemed unable to believe such a place could exist in the apocalypse. The situation was urgent; the zombies behind him were closing in fast. He had no time to hesitate, rushing up the steps. “Please, open the door!” I snapped my fingers in the air. The door opened automatically. He lunged inside just a second before the zombies could grab his clothes. Strangely, the zombies didn’t follow him in. They simply stiffened for a moment, then mechanically turned and shuffled away. He stared, wide-eyed, almost convinced he was hallucinating. Even though it was all a bit bizarre, he knew he was safe for now. The tension drained from his body, and he collapsed onto the floor, gasping for breath. My gaze fell on him. He was covered in dust and bloodstains, his face obscured, but from his build, I could tell it was a man. Oh no, it was a *guest*! I immediately put on my best smile and stepped forward. “Hey there, handsome. Want to sign up for a membership?”

“Where is this place?” Jax looked around, his gaze finally settling on the beautiful woman in front of him. She was tall and strikingly pretty, her red dress making her skin appear as white as snow. He could even catch the faint scent of shampoo from her hair. In this apocalypse, where everything else was ruins, this place defied all logic. They said the prettier the woman, the more dangerous. He instinctively clutched the zombie core in his pocket. He’d risked his life for this; he couldn’t let this woman trick him out of it! “This is Utopia Spa, and I’m the sole Administrator here,” the beautiful woman said, her voice equally pleasant. Utopia Spa? Was it the kind of spa he was thinking of? Jax found it hard to believe. Water and electricity had been cut off a week after the apocalypse began. But this brightly lit, spotless lobby, wasn’t it exactly how he remembered a spa looking? The Administrator seemed to sense his doubt and slowly explained: “That’s right, this is exactly the kind of spa you’re thinking of. We’re open 24 hours. Just one zombie core makes you a lifelong VIP. Zombie cores can be exchanged for points on your membership card, which can be used for all services and products here. One zombie core equals ten points, and the daily entry fee is two points.” He knew that outside, a single zombie core barely bought a stale biscuit. Jax didn’t hesitate. He immediately pulled a zombie core from his pocket and declared, full of swagger, “Sign me up for a card!” He placed the zombie core into the machine at the front desk, then pressed his fingerprint according to the prompts on the electronic screen. The membership card was processed. As the machine spat out the card, a notification sound played. “Beep! Activation successful. Cardholder: Jax, Current Balance: 10 points.” “This facility operates on a self-service model. This card allows you to make purchases at any self-service machine within the spa. This card is for the cardholder’s personal use only and cannot be transferred. Lost cards can be reissued.” “Entry fee: 2 points deducted. Current balance: 8 points. Towels, bath supplies, and toiletries are all included in the entry fee and do not require additional purchase. Please feel free to retrieve them from the sterilization cabinet in the spa area.” Jax clutched the small, golden card in his hand, a wave of emotion washing over him. He’d been so busy surviving and fighting zombies. How long had it been since he’d had a proper bath? “Welcome to Utopia Spa! VIP card in hand, sir, right this way! One gentleman!” The Administrator’s voice suddenly boomed. The loud announcement startled Jax, and he nearly dropped the card.

“System, those lines are so cheesy. Can we stop saying them?” “No, Host. This is standard procedure. Only by actively operating Utopia Spa can you unlock more areas.” This damn system was a pain! “Congratulations, Host, you have completed the task! Task rewards: Fruit Buffet and Hot Stone Bath areas are now unlocked.” All my earlier annoyance vanished. “You truly are the best system ever!” Since the zombie outbreak, I hadn’t eaten fresh fruit. God, I was *so* craving fruit. Tears of pure longing *might* have just started streaming from the corners of my mouth. *Mmm, mmm, mmm…* I was about to tell Jax about the newly unlocked areas, but when I turned around, he was already gone. Whatever. He’d probably see it himself once he went in for his shower. I strode straight to the Fruit Buffet. The buffet counter had a row of windows, each labeled. Watermelon, strawberries, apples, bananas, oranges… and more. Just press a button, and a portion of machine-cut fruit would come out of the corresponding window. All free. A moment later, I was lounging in a massage pool, a fruit platter in hand. I ate watermelon while enjoying the water jets massaging my back. Each piece of watermelon was perfectly cut into bite-sized portions. Eating them with a fork, one by one, was incredibly convenient. (There were special trays by the pool edge to keep things from getting into the water.) I squinted my eyes, every fiber of my being radiating pure bliss. “Ding! Host task: Please serve three guests and successfully recruit two scrubbers. Task reward: Second Floor Buffet Restaurant area unlocked.” The system’s voice suddenly announced. What?! A buffet restaurant area? I was instantly energized. I scrambled out of the massage pool, shoving the remaining watermelon from my plate into my mouth. Used fruit platters went right onto the fruit buffet counter, where a machine automatically cleaned them. At my strong suggestion, the system put up a large sign by the spa entrance. “Huh, your spa is hiring scrubbers?” Jax had just finished his shower, his hair damp, wearing a bathrobe with the “Utopia Spa” logo, and carrying a platter full of various fruits. He looked completely different from when I first saw him. I blurted out in surprise, “Whoa, you’re actually that pale?” Jax froze for a second, then his face instantly flushed bright red.

This was my first time being an HR manager, and I honestly had zero experience. I fumbled for a moment before asking my first question: “Do you have any prior experience as a Human Epidermal Debris Removal Specialist?” Jax stared blankly. “A what now?” He’d never heard of that job before. I calmly explained, “You know, a scrubber. Have you ever done it before?” Jax’s mouth twitched. “No.” I frowned and let out a soft “Tsk.” “But I can learn!” Good. Teachable. “Congratulations, you’re hired.” Jax blinked, surprised. This was the fastest job interview he’d ever had; he got hired after just one question. “So, what’s the salary and benefits like?” He rubbed his hands together, eyes full of anticipation. Such a luxurious place, the pay must be great, right? He’d hit the nail on the head. I gave a dry, awkward laugh. “System, how much should we pay our employees?” The system was silent for two seconds. “Host, please pay attention. We’ve only earned one zombie core since opening. We don’t have money to pay anyone yet.” My words caught in my throat. It made perfect sense. I couldn’t argue with that. “Well, about the salary… we won’t have it in the beginning, but later… Hey, don’t leave!” Jax’s voice was full of resentment. “Boss, do I look like an idiot?” I pursed my lips. “Even if there’s no salary, our employees get free food and lodging here…” Jax immediately slid back on his knees. “Boss, I think I’m perfectly suited for this job!” Right now, countless people couldn’t even get a hot meal or a safe night’s sleep, and who knew when they’d die? To find such a clean, safe job with free food and lodging in this apocalypse? It was beyond amazing. I was a bit surprised by his rapid change of heart. Jax, however, mistook my hesitation and quickly rolled up his sleeve to show me his biceps. “Boss, I might look thin, but I’m an A-rank strength ability user. Scrubbing will be no problem.” I took the hint. “Take a day off. You start work tomorrow.” Great. Half of the scrubber recruitment task was done. Though, a strength-based ability user as a scrubber… I silently lit a candle for the future male guests. To complete the system task faster, I sent Jax out to the nearest base on his first day to drum up business. Just as I thought I’d have to wait a few more days for guests, the main door suddenly rattled with frantic banging. “Is anyone inside?!” “Open up! Help us!” Through the glass door, I saw five people. They were all injured to varying degrees, one of them the worst, leaning on another person, barely able to stand. Blood dripped steadily from his wound. It was an emergency. I quickly opened the door to let them in, then found some medicine from the medical kit I’d received from the system’s lottery, and handed it to them. They gratefully accepted the medicine, thanking me profusely. “You can recover here. There are vending machines over there if you need water and food, you can buy it yourselves.” They had been so focused on treating their wounds that they only now looked around their surroundings. “There are actually vending machines!” “They even have instant noodles here! Hey, how do I open this machine?” I explained the spa’s facilities to them. After a brief discussion, they decided to each get a membership card and immediately bought five days’ worth of entry. I thought the next few days would be peaceful. But I underestimated the ugliness of human nature.

Lying in my Administrator Room, under a blanket and enjoying the AC, I suddenly heard the system’s alarm blare in my mind: “Alert! Detecting malicious resource waste within the establishment. Administrator, please proceed to the lobby immediately to handle the situation.” I arrived in the lobby, shaking with fury at the sight before me. Half-eaten fruits were discarded everywhere on the coffee tables and the floor. Strawberries were missing their tips, watermelons had only their reddest parts eaten… all the fruits were gnawed on for their sweetest bits then tossed. Some fruits had only a single bite taken out of them before being thrown onto the floor. Empty instant noodle cups and bread wrappers were scattered everywhere. There was a large puddle of spilled instant noodle broth on the floor tiles, mixed with banana peels, giving off a strange odor. And the culprits were sprawled out on the sofas. “What are you doing?!” I roared, my voice thick with anger. They merely glanced up at me, not seeming to think they’d done anything wrong. “Just relaxing, what else?” “I’m talking about all this on the tables and the floor! Do you know how many people out there can’t even get a meal, can’t even get a drop of clean water? Why are you wasting food?” I was livid, but they just shrugged it off. “Whether they eat or not, what’s it got to do with us?” “Besides, aren’t these fruits provided free to customers? We like eating them this way, so what?” “We’ve already paid our entry fee. The customer is king! Do you even know how to run a business?” How could people be so shameless? I actually laughed, a cold, angry sound. “This establishment provides free fruit for customers to *eat*, not for customers to *waste*.” “What do you mean?” I pointed at the discarded fruits. “It means exactly what it sounds like. What you *eat* is free. What you *waste*? That’s going to cost you.” As soon as they heard “cost,” they instantly bristled. “You say it costs, and it costs? Why?!” I said icily, “Because this spa is mine. You trashed my property and wasted my food. You’ll compensate me for it.” But they laughed, as if they’d heard the funniest joke in the world. “This is the apocalypse! We’re not paying, what are you gonna do? Call the cops? Hahahaha…” I wasn’t angry at all, because I had the system. “No worries. Your card balance has already automatically paid for your damages. Now, you actually owe me 500 zombie cores. That 500 zombie cores is for medical fees. Based on current prices outside, you’re getting a deal.”

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When the zombie virus outbreak began, everyone in my family except me fell victim to it. I watched helplessly as my parents succumbed to the infection, becoming mindless walking corpses joining the zombie horde. Unwilling to abandon my only remaining family member, I made the decision to keep my zombie brother. 0 My brother had turned into a zombie. I couldn’t bring myself to kill him. So, I locked him in a room, like keeping a rabid beast. On my brother’s 18th birthday, my parents had taken him on a two-week trip abroad, splurging on the celebration. I was too busy with work to join them on the vacation. It wasn’t until the third day after they returned— A new virus outbreak was reported overseas. I panicked. I remembered my brother mentioning they had indulged in various exotic local delicacies. The ingredients were rare deep-sea creatures rarely seen. I had scolded him at the time: “Reject wild game, protect nature.” Little did I know, disaster would strike so soon. On the fifth day after their return— Late at night, I heard shuffling footsteps in the living room. I turned on the light to see my mother, blood streaming from her eyes, dark tears flowing down her cheeks and into her mouth. I let out a terrified scream. Mother’s voice sounded like a demonic chant, “Run… quickly…” Her gait was extremely twisted. “Sophia… run quickly…” Mother’s eerily quiet voice was unnaturally clear in the silent living room, sending chills down my spine. “Mom, don’t be afraid! I’ll call an ambulance right away!” I ran back to my room, trembling, to find my phone. Roar— A strange cry rang out! I suddenly turned around. Father emerged from the pitch-black room, his gray pupils like two hollow sockets. Tears streamed down my face in terror: “Dad?” He lunged at me with claws outstretched, his bluish fingernails still stained with clots of blood. I was so frightened my legs went weak. I stood rooted to the spot, my limbs stiff and immobile. Just as Father’s sharp fingers were about to grab me. Mother suddenly rushed over, biting Father’s shoulder and tightly gripping his body as she charged onto the balcony. I heard the sounds of a fierce struggle. They were howling like wild beasts. Soon. The endless night fell silent once more. I peeked out to see the empty balcony, windows wide open, chaos everywhere. A cold breeze brushed my face, the air permeated with the stench of putrid blood. 0

By dawn, the zombie outbreak was in full swing. I huddled on the couch, watching the news reports from various regions on TV. [A new virus suddenly erupted last night. The infected develop symptoms rapidly, including loss of bodily control and biting or scratching others. Once infected, there is no cure.] [The entire city is now under emergency containment. Any infected individuals found will be dealt with on the spot. We urge all residents to stay indoors, take precautions, and await rescue.] [There are still many mysteries surrounding the new virus. Medical experts are working around the clock to develop countermeasures and rescue plans, which will be announced to the public as soon as possible.] [Based on current information, the zombie virus is transmitted through bite wounds and scratches. Zombies are extremely sensitive to sound but lack cognitive abilities. We urge residents to remain as quiet as possible.] Still in shock, I walked to the balcony and looked down— Outside was a scene of apocalyptic devastation. My mother and father had already joined the zombie horde. They walked with a stiff, twisted gait, their limbs rigid. “Sis…” A hoarse voice plunged me back into the depths of fear. I turned to see my brother stumbling out of his bedroom, the door now open. His skin was starting to turn blue, his black pupils covered by a grayish fog. “Don’t come any closer! Go back!” I grabbed a mop handle, assuming a defensive stance. “Lucas, be a good boy and go back to your room. I won’t hurt you!” My brother’s footsteps halted. He opened his mouth, struggling to form words, “Mom… Dad… are they okay?” I didn’t dare get too close. “They’ve both turned into zombies. It’s just the two of us left in the family now. As long as you behave, I won’t abandon you.” My brother lifted his head, black tears streaming from his eyes. He wailed in agony, retreating step by step. When he was fully back in the room, I rushed over to close the door, lock it, and remove the key. I knew my brother would soon lose his mind completely, becoming a mindless walking corpse. To kill my own brother with my own hands – my only remaining family in this apocalypse. I couldn’t do it. So I made a bold decision: to keep a pet zombie. 0

Ten days after the virus outbreak— All cities had fallen. Zombies ran rampant. Corpses littered the streets. As the first city to discover zombies, ours had long since become a ghost town devoid of human life. An eerie silence pervaded everything. Zombies wandered aimlessly along the roads, stumbling as they walked. Occasionally a patrol helicopter would fly overhead, its thunderous roar filling the air. The zombie hordes would immediately chase after the helicopter’s direction, running in a frenzy. I watched as our food supplies dwindled, lost in thought. If things continued like this, I’d starve to death before getting bitten by zombies. I decided to discuss strategy with my zombie brother. I took out the key, opened the bedroom door a crack. I quickly tossed in a piece of raw pork. I had to keep my brother fed, otherwise if he lost control and bit me, it would be all over. “Lucas, I have a task for you,” I coaxed him like a child, carefully negotiating. My brother wolfed down the meat, his bluish face still smeared with crimson blood. A door separated us, him inside and me outside. “There’s a Walmart superstore downstairs. I don’t know how much food is left, but go grab whatever you can find. The more the better. Preferably instant foods with long shelf lives.” “Also power banks – it’s been 10 days since the zombie outbreak, so power banks should still work. Grab several if you can. In case the electricity goes out, we can use them for emergencies.” “And drones, the kind that can be remotely controlled. With one of those, we can see what’s happening outside and avoid danger if needed.” “The water supply station is on the ground floor next door. There should be stockpiles of bottled water in the warehouse. At this rate, the water will be cut off within two weeks. If we stock up on water now, we’ll have drinking water, water for washing, flushing toilets…” I rambled on and on. All the stress and anxiety I’d bottled up over these past few days came pouring out in that moment. I didn’t know how much my brother understood. I only knew that my brother still retained a shred of rationality. That tiny bit of humanity that hadn’t mutated was clinging on through our blood ties. I didn’t know how long it would last. 0

I didn’t lock my brother’s door. I hoped he could find food, so at least we wouldn’t starve to death. After venting my anxieties about facing the apocalypse, I returned to my room alone. A few minutes later, I heard footsteps. It was my brother! He had come out! Then I heard the click of the front door lock. Very faint, as if trying not to attract zombies. My heart raced – had my brother really left? I crouched by my bedroom window, peeking out. After a full ten minutes, my brother finally appeared on the empty concrete road below. He stumbled along, his gait as bizarre and grotesque as all the other zombies. The difference was, his brain hadn’t been completely ravaged by the zombie virus. I watched as he successfully entered the supermarket doors. The moment his figure disappeared, my heart pounded like a drum. I worried the supermarket would be a hellish scene of carnage inside. I worried whether my brother could make it back home safely. I even feared, what if something happened to him and he turned into a mindless walking corpse like our parents – what would I do then? I stared at the time ticking by on my watch, second by agonizing second. After a full hour, my brother emerged! Tears of joy nearly fell from my eyes. My brother was pushing a shopping cart piled high with food and various necessities! He slowly made his way back. My heart surged with emotion – my brother truly hadn’t changed. He was still my dearest family! I no longer kept my guard up against him, opening the door and quickly tidying up the living room and study to make space. Ten minutes later, my brother lugged two bags of food upstairs, drenched in sweat. His body trembled with excitement when he saw me. “Roar… Sis… for you…” he mumbled, barely intelligible. My emotions finally broke. Tears flowed freely as I said, “Good boy. Don’t worry, we’ll rely on each other to survive this.” My brother set the bags down and turned to go back downstairs for more food. He was only 18 years old. His thin frame now bore the weight of both our lives. 0

My brother worked tirelessly all day. He moved all the food from the supermarket back to our home. Thankfully the water and electricity hadn’t been cut yet, so I started sorting everything. I rewarded my brother with a big chunk of pork. He sat in the corner, gnawing away contentedly. I took inventory of our supplies. Beef, pork, lamb, chicken, duck… the meat filled an entire freezer. To prepare for potential power and water outages, I decided we should eat the refrigerated food first. I organized the rest based on expiration dates. Instant noodles, self-heating hotpots, rice noodles, cold noodles, and other instant foods – over 20 boxes in total. Vacuum-packed sausages, chicken feet, pork rinds, pork knuckles, pig’s trotters, duck necks, etc. – seven large bags. These foods had long shelf lives and were easy to store, so we didn’t need to eat them right away. Canned fish, canned luncheon meat, canned braised pork, canned pork knuckle, various canned fruits – over a dozen boxes. Canned goods usually lasted about two years, so I stacked them in the closet to eat last. For vegetables, we only had pumpkins, potatoes and sweet potatoes – three large sacks. I put those on the balcony to use as needed. My brother had also thoughtfully grabbed 15 power banks, 7 charging cables, 13 packs of toilet paper, and two bags of sanitary pads. After organizing everything, I asked my brother, “How was the supermarket? Anything else left?” My brother rotated his grayish-white eyeballs, mumbling incoherently: “Roar… veggies… all rotten. Water… fruit… also rotten.” I asked him again: “Did you find any drones?” My brother shook his head stiffly, “Roar… tomorrow… look again. Getting… dark.” I felt relieved. With my brother here, our survival crisis was well-managed. This time, I didn’t lock him in his room. He had worked tirelessly to bring back food, saving my life. I would no longer be wary of him.

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When I rescued young entrepreneur Adrian Pierce from his creditors, he was in a complete mess. But it was nothing compared to how devastated I was when he ruined my family years ago. I pinned his hands behind his back against the floor-to-ceiling window of the hotel room, shattering his pride mercilessly. He cried, saying he hated me. “Hate me then,” I whispered, kissing away the tears rolling down his cheeks, as gentle as a loving partner. The Venetian Grand Hotel. Looking down from the presidential suite’s window, the streets were bustling with traffic. The streetlights below had come on, resembling a string of golden jewels winding through the vast cityscape shrouded in darkness. In the distance, neon lights reflected on the face of the man by the window, flickering like cheap makeup, both eerie and gaudy. Adrian Pierce’s face was pressed against the glass, his hands tied behind his back, half-kneeling in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, occasionally letting out a whimper. When I had brought Adrian here, he had struggled fiercely, earning himself a few punches and kicks. His expensive suit was now torn in several places. Standing behind him, I admired his disheveled state for a moment before chuckling and removing the gag from his mouth. “Does Mr. Pierce have anything to say?” I asked mockingly. As air finally rushed into his mouth, Adrian gasped for breath but still tried to put on a brave face. “You… aren’t you afraid I’ll call the police?” I laughed softly as if I’d heard a good joke. “If you dared to call the police, why have you been hiding for so long?” I leaned in close to his ear and whispered, “You can try calling them. Let’s see who gets locked up first – me, or you being torn to pieces by your creditors.” My hot breath tickled Adrian’s ear as I spoke lazily. I saw him trying to dodge away, his skin behind the ear trembling. “What do you want from me?” Adrian asked, both confused and wary. I clicked my tongue twice, feigning a grieved tone. “Mr. Pierce, why put it so harshly? This isn’t ‘kidnapping’. I merely invited you for a reunion. It’s been many years since we last met, hasn’t it, Uncle Adrian?” I deliberately dragged out the words “Uncle Adrian,” putting on a nostalgic expression. Hearing these words, Adrian’s heart skipped a beat. He thought to himself, “So it’s finally come to this.” He tried to steady himself and softened his tone, “Lily, what happened back then… I didn’t expect things to turn out that way. But… the money I’ve been sending over these years was for your education. Seeing you doing well now, Uncle Adrian… can finally feel at ease.” Lily was my childhood nickname. Years ago, when Adrian worked for my father, he would occasionally see me visit and call me by this name with a smile, secretly slipping chocolates I loved into my little backpack. The gentle and refined Uncle Adrian appeared in my teenage years like a ray of sunlight in a forest, fulfilling all my fantasies about the word “beautiful.” And now I saw this beam of light kneeling in a patch of shadow, struggling to keep his back straight, trying to maintain some composure. “Didn’t expect…” I repeated softly, a smile curling at the corners of my mouth. “After my father went bankrupt, he ended up in a psychiatric hospital. My mother remarried, taking my younger brother with her, leaving 14-year-old me alone in a boarding school in America. Your ‘didn’t expect’ certainly absolves you of all responsibility, doesn’t it, Uncle Adrian?” Adrian was momentarily speechless. “But don’t worry, I’m not here for revenge,” I said, taking out a wine glass and slowly pouring some red wine. “I haven’t touched a cent of the money you sent. Just now, I used it to pay off part of your debts. As for the rest, there’s no rush. After all, there are still ten days until the deadline on the promissory note you signed for your creditors.” This confused Adrian even more. He tried to turn his head, pressing against the glass, wanting to read something from my expression. But constrained by the ropes, he could only turn half his body towards me. “You paid my debts? Why?” “I want to make a deal with you, Mr. Pierce.” “What kind of deal?” I didn’t rush to answer. Instead, I picked up the wine glass, took a small sip, then crouched down, smiling as I looked at Adrian. My gaze traveled from his long legs, narrow waist, the hint of collarbone peeking out from his shirt collar, his sexy Adam’s apple, and finally settled on his thin lips. Then, to his astonishment, I kissed him. Our lips and teeth intertwined in a passionate dance. Dark red wine trickled down the corners of our tightly pressed mouths, flowing over Adrian’s fair chin and neck, disappearing into the depths of his shirt. When the kiss ended, we were both breathless.

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I used to be the Empire’s strongest Alpha general. To avoid scaring my sweet little puppy, I desperately hid my true identity, pretending to be gentle and kind in front of him. Until one night, I saw him twist his slender waist and effortlessly climb onto an enemy’s back. With a flick of his wrist, the man was dead. That familiar figure made me instantly recognize him as the enemy general I had been fighting for so long. I was stunned. Injured, I tried to escape on the spot. But to my surprise, he clung to me, his fingers teasing my waist. “Babe, I’m already pregnant. Are you really going to abandon your wife and child?” As soon as I entered the room, a rich milky scent overwhelmed me. I stared at the man I had just rescued lying on the bed. His cheeks were flushed, and his eyes gazed at me dreamily. He was a poor little thing I had picked up at a nightclub. Seeing him being bullied, I had my subordinate arrange a hotel room for him and give him suppressants. I don’t know if my subordinate misunderstood my instructions or was distracted by urgent matters, but they left him alone in the room. As I approached, he grabbed my arm, tears welling up in his eyes. His fluffy hair nuzzled against my chest, exposing his delicate neck. “Please, help me,” he begged, his voice soft and tearful. Combined with the rich milky scent, it was hard for me to control myself. I resisted the rising heat and pushed him away, “Didn’t you take the suppressants?” Although this poor Omega was now begging me to mark him, it was just the instinct of all Omegas in heat. I didn’t want to take advantage of someone in a vulnerable state. He opened his hazy eyes, the corners slightly red, and reached out to hook my neck again, his grip surprisingly strong. “No, I couldn’t find them. Babe, I only want you. Please.” I took a deep breath and gripped his chin, “Are you sure?” He frowned, whimpering constantly as if in pain, and wrapped his arms around me, rubbing against me restlessly. I chuckled and pulled out a bunch of suppressants from under the pillow. “Aren’t these right here?” His face paled, a flash of panic crossing his features. He fidgeted with the hem of his shirt and bit his lip, looking at me. “I only want you, babe.” Tsk, tsk. What a cunning little cat. But I didn’t mind. Having gotten my answer, I didn’t hesitate to bite down on his delicate neck. The taste was indeed as delicious as I had imagined. He cried out in pain, clutching my collar tightly, staring at me in a daze as tears rolled down his cheeks. “Amelia, I like you.” My heart skipped a beat, the heat in my body rapidly subsiding. I immediately pulled away from him and swiftly pinched his pressure point. I knew very well that without my permission, my subordinates wouldn’t casually reveal my name, and I hadn’t exposed my identity just now. “Sweetheart, what did you just say?” I watched him warily, trying to search my memory for this face. But I couldn’t recall ever seeing him before. As if frightened, his face paled slightly. “Isn’t Amelia your name?” He pointed to my lighter that had fallen nearby. Indeed, my name was engraved on it. It was my habit to mark all my belongings. I felt slightly relieved, but still suspicious. My hand traced from his arm to his fragile scent gland, pressing lightly. I could destroy it at the slightest sign of danger. His body trembled, but instead of shrinking away as I expected, he moved closer, seemingly without any defense against me. I narrowed my eyes, caressing his vulnerable scent gland. He looked up at me, his eyes red-rimmed and glistening with tears. Soft moans escaped his lips. “Babe, my pheromones really like you.” “And what about you?” I chuckled, my fingers lifting his shirt inch by inch until I was sure there were no dangerous items on his body. “I like you too.” The tips of his ears turned red as he pressed his chest closer to my hand. I smirked and indulged myself without hesitation. He responded as I wished, crying beneath me. But lost in this blissful moment, I failed to notice the triumphant smile on his face.

Early the next morning, after tucking him in and wiping away the tears from the corners of his eyes, I headed to the military headquarters. My subordinate handed me the information they had gathered about him. This man called Ethan had a simple background – just an orphan struggling to survive in society. I smiled, guessing that Ethan might be following me for money. But I didn’t mind. After all, I had marked him. He couldn’t escape even if he wanted to. He was destined to be mine for life. “General, I still think we can’t keep this person,” my subordinate suddenly spoke up. I shook my head, indicating that I didn’t mind even if he came for money. The subordinate hesitated for a moment, then handed me a photo. “Ethan bears some resemblance to that masked general. I suspect he might be here to steal our military secrets.” The photo showed the side profile of the enemy general after removing his mask. Although the image was blurry, there was indeed a resemblance to Ethan. In an instant, I became alert and rushed back to the hotel. The moment I opened the door, I was stunned. Ethan’s fair skin was exposed, wrapped in red rope that snaked up to a bow at his neck. He wore fluffy cat ear accessories on his head and was kneeling on the bed, his pristine thighs on display. Perhaps due to embarrassment, his fair skin had taken on a faint reddish hue, incredibly alluring. He kept his head lowered, his eyelashes fluttering, the tips of his ears red. He didn’t dare look at me. “Babe, I’ll be very good. Please don’t abandon me.” His voice was timid, with a hint of tears. I hugged him tightly but didn’t rush to untie the bow. Instead, I caressed his fingers. His fingers were beautiful – slender and fair, with a thin layer of calluses between them. Not like someone who often handles guns. “Babe, what’s wrong?” Ethan tilted his head, looking at me with a blushing face, as if he didn’t know what I was doing. I traced from his fingers to his arm, gripping his joint tightly. My teeth grazed his scent gland. “I really want to dislocate all your joints, so you can only lie in bed at my mercy.” I figured that if he really was the enemy general, he would have lashed out by now, given how much I was provoking him. But Ethan only breathed heavily for a moment, his heartbeat quickening slightly. The pheromones he emitted remained gentle, without a trace of fear or anger. “As long as you’re willing, I’ll be your plaything,” Ethan licked his lips, his voice tinged with excitement. Feeling the changes in his body, I chuckled and bit down hard on his scent gland, mumbling, “You’re quite the pervert.” Ethan let out a soft moan, seemingly accepting this label. His body trembled as he panted heavily, “Help me, babe.” I untied the rope, staring at the red marks left by the tight binding, and pressed down hard on them. Tears immediately welled up in Ethan’s eyes. He grabbed my hand, his voice hoarse, sounding both pleading and delighted, “It hurts.”

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I Bought a Mystery Box for Fun, But It Turned My Life Upside Down I impulsively bought an expensive mystery box just for fun. To my disappointment, I only got a black collar. Frustrated, I was about to leave a bad review for the seller when I suddenly realized that my actual package was still in transit. Suddenly, the classroom door burst open. “Don’t touch my package!” Lucas, the campus heartthrob, rushed in and tried to snatch the package from my hands. “Put it down!” I shouted angrily. Lucas’s body trembled, and he stumbled backward, almost falling to the ground. Instinctively, I grabbed his hand to steady him. However, I pulled too hard, and Lucas crashed into me. My hand accidentally touched his firm backside. Damn! So perky and bouncy! Lucas pushed me away abruptly, his face turning red. He glared at me, biting his lip in a way that made my heart race. But I quickly came to my senses. He was Lucas, the untouchable golden boy of our school. Rich family, decisive personality, every girl’s dream guy. I was just a student from an ordinary background, with my only claim to fame being my identity as a cosplayer. He was someone I couldn’t afford to offend. I fingered the collar in my hand and looked at him playfully. “This is…” His face turned bright red, and his eyes darted around. He snatched the collar from my hand. “It’s for my dog.” I raised an eyebrow. “Really? What kind of dog? This collar seems too big.” “My Poodle has a thick neck,” he explained hastily, gesturing around his own neck. So, he was into the same kind of thing as me. I licked my lips, a determined smile crossing my face.

How adorable. He could have said nothing, but instead, he exposed his true nature. What an innocent puppy. But I didn’t intend to call him out. I just silently watched as Lucas hurriedly grabbed the leash from the package as well. As I watched his retreating figure, I glanced at the discount coupon left in the box and chuckled, “Don’t you want your cashback?” He rushed back to snatch the coupon, his face turning an even deeper shade of red, completely unlike his usual cool demeanor. Seeing his flustered state, I decided not to tease him further and handed him the coupon, complaining, “Geez, these discount coupons are so ridiculous nowadays.” Just as I was about to leave, his cold fingertips brushed against my palm. The sensation was like an electric current running through my heart, making me shudder. I clearly saw Lucas’s Adam’s apple bob up and down, and faint red marks were visible on his fair neck. I couldn’t help but swallow hard. “Anything else, Lucas?” I asked. He narrowed his eyes, blocking the light from the window, exuding a dangerous aura. “Do you know how to use it?” I licked my lips, sensing this might be a test from Lucas. “I used to, but not since my dog ran away,” I replied. Lucas stared at me for a moment before taking a few steps back. “Keep this a secret. The school doesn’t allow pets.” Watching his calm departure, I raised an eyebrow, wondering if I had misjudged his preferences. Still, knowing his secret could be useful. It might help me get his assistance with my graduation thesis later on.

A few days later, I saw him in the lab, soaking wet from head to toe. He was scolding my younger brother, Jack. Through his wet clothes, I could clearly see his milky white skin, slightly defined abs, and cute little marks on his chest. Perhaps my gaze was too intense, as he frowned and looked in my direction. He seemed to remember something, and the tips of his ears turned red. Jack, upon seeing me, tried to hide behind me. But I didn’t want to reveal that I had such an embarrassing brother. “Shut up!” I snapped. The lab fell silent. Jack gave me a resentful look and reached for the experimental materials on my desk. “Put that back and get over here! Are you asking for trouble?” I tapped the desk, my tone unconsciously becoming harsher. “Thud—” A loud noise drew my attention. I looked up to see Lucas kneeling on the ground, picking up papers, the tips of his ears bright red. My heart leaped with joy, and I was about to approach him, but he quickly grabbed his backpack and hurried away. Since we weren’t in the same group, I asked Jack for Lucas’s contact information. To my surprise, Jack told me that Lucas had already added me after seeing my cosplay photos as Yan Yu from “Love at First Sight.” I was secretly delighted and sent him a message apologizing for startling him earlier, actually hoping to gauge his reaction. To my disappointment, he flatly refused. I felt frustrated by my own clumsiness in scaring him off. Unexpectedly, when our advisor invited us out for dinner, I ran into Lucas, who had claimed to be sick at home. His cheeks were flushed, and his eyes were hazy, clearly having had a bit too much to drink.

I didn’t want to bother with him, but my friend called me over. As I approached, I saw Lucas skillfully mixing drinks. With his expressionless face and tightly buttoned shirt, he was the epitome of restrained allure. My friend teased, looking at him, “Lily, do you think someone so perfect might have any weaknesses?” The other students around us started joking, “What, are you planning to blackmail the handsome guy with his secrets?” My friend glared at them before turning back to me. Lucas was also staring at me intently. Considering his prominent family background, I decided to play it safe. “I don’t know him well enough to say,” I avoided his gaze, looking down at my glass, feeling inexplicably dejected. Suddenly, a drink was placed in front of me. Remembering that this cocktail contained raw egg white, I felt a wave of nausea. My friend quietly asked why I wasn’t drinking. “It’s disgusting, makes me sick,” I said, only realizing how it sounded after the words left my mouth. I looked up to see Lucas’s face turn pale. I wanted to explain, but before I could open my mouth, he excused himself, claiming to feel unwell. After the meal, when everyone else had left and I was about to head home, I suddenly heard soft crying. I walked over to find Lucas crouching on the ground, sobbing quietly. His face was still flushed from the alcohol, his entire face rosy, with tears hanging from his eyes. He looked like an abandoned puppy, gazing at me with such a pitiful expression. “Will you be my mistress?” he asked abruptly. His sudden frankness caught me off guard. Before I could answer, he curled up like a snail retreating into its shell and started muttering to himself. “I knew you’d be disgusted by me too. I disgust myself, but I just can’t control it…”

He clutched his hair tightly, whimpering like a helpless puppy without shelter. It was a complete contrast to his usual demeanor, and I couldn’t help but reach out to pat him. The soft strands of his hair made my heart melt. His body suddenly trembled, and he looked up at me, his eyes still misty. I knew he had misunderstood, but I didn’t want to explain too much. In a similar situation before, I had been tricked and even recorded, so I decided to be more cautious this time. Although I did have feelings for him, I decided to test the waters first. There were always fake dominants in the scene, and I was afraid of falling into another trap. I slowly asked, “Why do you have those kinds of thoughts about me?” His voice was still hoarse as he stammered out his reason, “From the first time I saw you, I thought you were like the sun, so bright and brave. You dared to stand up to your parents and live freely.” He sniffled and nuzzled against my hand, smiling bitterly, “I’m perverted, aren’t I?” I suddenly felt that he was very similar to me. It was because of my parents’ lack of understanding that I had a huge fight with them, and even faced repeated attacks from relatives around me, falling into self-doubt over and over again. My nose tingled with emotion as I ruffled his hair, looking at him seriously, as if I was looking at my past confused self. “Humans are all perverts to some degree, otherwise where would the Seven Deadly Sins come from?” His eyes immediately lit up, and he nodded vigorously, looking at me cautiously, “Can you accept me? I know you’re in the scene too.” I withdrew my hand, shrinking my neck and touching my nose. “We’ll see how you behave.” In truth, it wasn’t that I couldn’t accept him, but I wanted to test his sincerity. He immediately jumped up excitedly and knelt before me. “Mistress, do you want to play a game?” I shook my head, refusing him. It wasn’t the right time yet; I needed to make sure he wouldn’t pose a threat to me before making a move. After all, in my years in the scene, I knew the negative impact an unruly sub could have on their dominant. Before leaving, I smiled and told him to call me “sister” from now on. Even though I was younger than him, I preferred being called “sister.” He nodded and softly called me “sister.” His sweet voice made me feel a little tipsy, and I gently kissed his forehead.

The next day when we met again, I saw him helping a senior girl fix a printer. A feeling of possessiveness washed over me, uncomfortable with someone else monopolizing what I considered mine. I decided to send him a message and wait for him in the break room. Time ticked by slowly, and just when I thought he wouldn’t come, he burst into the room. Due to his rush, his cheeks were flushed, his hair half-dry, clearly just out of the shower. He smelled faintly of camellia. I sat with my legs crossed, surveying the nervous Lucas in front of me. “I’m sorry, I wanted to make a good impression on you, sister,” he said. I stood up, and although I was displeased with his tardiness, I didn’t show it. I handed him a blindfold, my voice calm, “Put this on.” Seeing him obey without question, my mood improved. I grabbed his tie and led him to the full-length mirror. He stumbled along, as if I were his only support. I enjoyed this feeling of being in control. I stroked the black mole under his left ear and gently bit it. His body shuddered violently, his face turning bright red. He moved his lips as if to speak. I lightly touched his lips, chuckling, “Be good. Stand still and count to five minutes silently. This is your punishment for flirting with others!” He shook his head, “I didn’t…” “You’re being naughty!” He immediately fell silent. But I couldn’t let him off so easily. I ran my hand down his abs, and his body instantly stiffened.

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My boyfriend always gushed about my figure, saying it was a *crime* I wasn’t a model. After I graduated and couldn’t find a job, he kept pushing me to audition for modeling gigs. He even picked out the scantiest bikini for me. Once I landed the job, I called him, excited to share the news. But then I overheard him telling someone, “A girlfriend this hot? Five grand is *my* loss for her.” My name is Skylar, and I’m 22. After graduating, I couldn’t find a decent job, so I decided to audition at an advertising agency my boyfriend recommended. He said it was for modeling. Before I went, he gave me detailed instructions, “Go find Derek. Do exactly what he says.” “Once you get the job, you’ll make at least this much.” He mouthed ‘fifty thousand.’ Fifty thousand a month. Chasing that kind of money, I bit the bullet and bought a form-fitting outfit. My boyfriend had an urgent matter come up. He sounded apologetic, “Skylar, I really can’t get away. You’ll have to go alone, I’m so sorry.” I knew he was busy, so I found the audition location myself. Only when I got there did I realize it was in a remote suburb. “Is Derek here?” I pushed open the door but saw no one. Suddenly, a large hand clamped over my mouth from behind, dragging me deeper inside. I bit his hand, trying to escape. But another person was blocking the exit, cutting off my escape route. Just as despair washed over me, the man in front suddenly spoke, “Jason, what the hell are you doing? You’re scaring your girlfriend half to death!” I turned my head to see it was my boyfriend, Jason, who had covered my mouth. He was clutching his bleeding hand. “You’re ruthless, Skylar.” “Serves you right,” I glared at him fiercely. The man who had just spoken up for me was Derek. He was a burly man with a full beard. He looked me up and down, nodding repeatedly. “Good bone structure. You’re Skylar, right? Follow me.” I followed Derek to the dressing room door. He took a tiny black bikini from a nearby hanger. “Put this on.” I felt a blush creep up my neck. “Do I really have to wear this?” Seeing my hesitation, his expression hardened. “Fine, don’t. You can leave with Jason right now.” Jason quickly stepped in, trying to smooth things over, pushing me into the dressing room. I didn’t dare waste time. Trembling, I changed and came out. “Alright, do a catwalk for me,” Derek instructed. It was my first time wearing something like this, walking in front of a group of men. I felt incredibly self-conscious and awkward. Derek saw my rigid posture and started yelling at me. “You’re here to model and show off your body! Head up, chest out!” When I didn’t get it right, he even smacked me hard with a thin stick. The spot where he hit me immediately swelled and turned red. I forced myself to straighten, trying desperately to meet his demands. He continued to criticize me from head to toe. All my previous confidence was completely gone. Finally, I was utterly exhausted, but he still shook his head. “Your basics are terrible. If you want to pass this audition, you’ll have to take a ten-day crash course.” “Okay,” Jason quickly agreed for me while I was still debating whether to continue modeling. “Alright then, come in and pay up.” I clutched my bank card and walked in, quietly asking Jason on the way how much it would cost. He mouthed ‘one hundred thousand.’ What? A hundred thousand? I only had exactly a hundred thousand in my card. It was all my savings, accumulated over a long time. I hesitated, unable to make up my mind. But Jason snatched the card and swiped it. “Skylar, you’ll earn this back in just a month.” There was nothing I could do. The money was paid, so I moved into the company’s dormitory. The three girls I shared the room with weren’t exactly friendly. That very night, one of the girls, Ashley, doused me with water and locked me in the bathroom.

The next morning, I woke up in bed, my body burning with fever. Derek cursed at me, saying incredibly cruel things. “You’re too delicate for this; go be a glorified escort at a club instead.” Ignoring my discomfort, I still got dressed and went to the training area. “Perfect, we have a drink commercial. Time to cool you down.” As soon as I stood under the canopy, someone turned on a massive water hose. A deluge of icy water cascaded over my head. A wave of freezing cold made me shiver uncontrollably. I didn’t know who was pulling a prank, but my head felt fuzzy, and I collapsed to the ground, only to be helped up and led away. But I remembered the dorm wasn’t in this direction. I forced my eyes open, and next to me was a creepy, balding man. He had a vice-like grip on my arm, and I couldn’t break free. “Who… who are you? Where are you… taking me?” I asked, my voice weak. The man just said, “You upset Derek today and delayed things. He told me to give you private lessons.” I didn’t quite believe him, but I was forced to follow along. We walked down a long corridor to the furthest room in the corner. I felt an inexplicable dread about that room. So I clung tightly to the doorframe. “Sir, can we just have the lesson here?” The man loosened his grip and chuckled. “Alright. Wait here; I’ll go get the props.” Seeing him actually release me, I started to think maybe I was overthinking things. The man came out carrying a basket of items, picking out a fluffy fox tail and handing it to me. “Put this on. You’re playing a fox now. We’ll be shooting an ad for a gaming company soon, and if you do well, this role is yours.” He made it sound so official, so I tried my best to follow along. “Let me help you put it on,” the man offered, unexpectedly enthusiastic. But I dodged his hand. “No, thank you.” With the fastest movements of my life, I slipped the fox tail over my red swimsuit. When the man realized he couldn’t take advantage, his attitude shifted. “Lie down and wag your tail.” I obeyed, lying on the floor and wagging my tail. “Your movements are too weak; the tail barely moved.” As he spoke, he placed his hand on my waist, trying to make me move more. My whole body was burning with fever, and I just felt tired. After a few attempts, I couldn’t hold myself up anymore and collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath. But the man harshly cracked a whip. “Get up! You think you can rest after that little bit of effort?” I quickly pleaded, “Sir, I’m really sick and have no strength left. Can we stop for today?” The man’s eyes flickered. “Alright, I’ll help you back to rest.” Seeing him being so reasonable, I quickly thanked him. “Thank you, Sir.” I don’t know how long we walked, but then I heard a door open. I felt myself being helped into a room and laid down on a bed. “I’ll help you take your clothes off,” someone said. I tried with all my might to refuse, but I couldn’t even lift a finger. I could only feel my clothes being removed. A cold draft from somewhere made me shiver uncontrollably. Suddenly, someone tucked a warm, soft pillow into my arms. The pillow was large, and I hugged it, drifting off to sleep. But for some reason, the pillow kept moving, making me itch. I hugged it tighter and scolded it softly, my voice slurring, “Stop moving…”

As I lay in a hazy state, there was a knock on the dorm door, and the thing in my arms pulled away. I woke up in the middle of the night to a cool fever patch on my forehead. Only one girl was in the room, on a video call, not wearing any clothes. I blushed as I listened to her sweet talk her boyfriend. When I heard her walking towards me, I closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep. She was the one who poured cold water on me, making me sick, and now she was changing my fever patch. She was muttering to herself, “Why isn’t she waking up? If she doesn’t, she won’t be able to leave.” “What exactly do you want?” I suddenly opened my eyes. The girl jumped. “Hmph, do you even know what kind of place this is? If you get a chance, run.” My heart skipped a beat. “What? Isn’t this an advertising agency?” I heard footsteps outside the door. The girl instantly reverted to her previous cold demeanor. “Don’t think you can play sick and slack off just because you’re new!” The door opened, and Jason walked in, anxiously feeling my forehead. “Skylar, why did you suddenly get sick? Did one of them bully you?” I shook my head. “No, I just suddenly got sick. Jason, I want to go out and get an IV drip.” Jason glanced at Derek by the door. Then he picked me up and carried me out. That night, I was hooked up to an IV in the infirmary, and Jason stayed by my bedside, his eyes filled with worry that didn’t seem fake. So, when he asked me again who had bullied me, I told him, “There’s a bald, heavy-set man around Derek. He almost… harassed me.” Jason’s eyes widened in fear for a split second when he heard about him, then he said, “That bastard! I’ll teach him a lesson!” I wondered if I’d seen wrong, so I just went back to sleep. When I woke up again, Jason asked me, “Skylar, do you still want to be a model?” Seeing my hesitation, he didn’t say anything. But soon after, I ran into Brittany, my high school arch-nemesis, the former queen bee. She had become a model and started dating the company’s owner. They fell in love at first sight, got married, and had kids. When she saw me again, she sneered, “Oh, still cramped in a tiny apartment with your poor boyfriend, I bet.” A surge of anger immediately burned through me. I immediately told my boyfriend, “I’m still going to be a model, and I’m going to make a name for myself!” My boyfriend hugged me tightly. “Skylar, you’ll definitely become an amazing model!” Fueled by determination, my recovery from this illness was faster than ever. After only half a day on the IV, I voluntarily asked to return to work at the agency. That afternoon, when Ashley saw me, she looked surprised. “You’re back?” she blurted out. Seeing everyone looking at her disapprovingly, she quickly tried to cover it up. “I mean, you got better so fast.” I walked up to Derek. “Derek, I’ve thought it through this time. I won’t leave until I make something of myself!” Derek’s plump face beamed with joy. He held my hand, stroking it repeatedly. “Good, it’s good you’ve come around.” I promptly said, “Please assign me some work!” Derek happily assigned me a trainer. “Go find Lenny. He’s been here forever, and he’s excellent at what he does. Just listen to him.” I smiled and turned to greet Lenny. “Lenny, you… it’s you!” It turned out to be the man who had harassed me that night. Derek’s eyes swept over us. “What’s wrong?” I quickly walked over to Lenny. “Oh, Lenny was the one who brought me back when I fainted that day. Thank you, Lenny.” Jason, seeing my swift change in attitude, left feeling completely reassured. Ashley couldn’t understand why I had suddenly returned and why my attitude had changed so drastically. That evening, while I was showering, she squeezed into the bathroom. She turned on the faucet and started talking to me. “Why did you come back?” I smiled as I undressed. “To be a model and make a ton of money, of course.” “You… forget it, you’re hopeless.” Ashley left. Of course, I knew what she meant. She wanted to tell me, “This place is a deep hole; once you’re in, it’s nearly impossible to get out.” She probably wanted to tell me even more: “Your boyfriend, Jason, sold you out.” I knew that too. That day, bored in the infirmary, I went to look for Jason. He was smoking in a corner. Talking on the phone. I planned to sneak up and surprise him. But then I heard Derek’s voice on the phone. “How could you take the girl away after you took the money?” Jason said casually, “You don’t get it. I have a plan. Later, get her high school classmate to provoke her. Skylar has strong self-esteem; she needs to make the decision herself.” “A hundred thousand is too much? Fifty thousand came from her card, we split that. The other fifty thousand is for her services. Aren’t I being a loyal brother, bringing in such a prize?” So, that was the truth. My burning heart instantly plummeted into an ice-cold abyss. I don’t know how I made it back to the infirmary. While he was buying me food, I finally made up my mind and dialed a number: “I’m willing to work with you…” The next morning, I woke up early to practice my catwalk. Derek saw me as he was leaving. “Come on, stop practicing. Let’s go make some money.” Behind him were three or four girls I didn’t recognize.

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It took me five minutes to turn my arrogant, self-proclaimed elite wife into a penniless woman, saddled with a debt of eight hundred million dollars! Just five minutes ago, for her brother who had recently undergone a minor procedure, she was gripping my hair, forcing me to kneel. She claimed the wedding anniversary cake I made had upset her poor brother. What a cruel irony. She wanted me to mourn the very scandal she had orchestrated and buried herself. She demanded I kneel and repent, but every time I had bent my knee in my past life, it was paid for with the blood of my entire family. This time, I was reborn. I wiped the cream from my face and made just one call. “Dad, I’m done playing.” Game over. The reckoning begins. *** My eyes snapped open again, my face covered in cold, sticky cream. From beside me, my brother-in-law, Bryce, wailed shrilly, “Chloe! He did it on purpose! He knows I just had surgery and I’m in a bad mood, and he still made this to provoke me!” I was back at our third wedding anniversary party. Back to the moment my nine-tiered fondant cake, which I had made with my own hands, was smashed into my face. In my previous life, it was from this very day that my life spiraled into hell. To prove I wasn’t trying to steal the spotlight, and to avoid putting Chloe in a difficult position, I had knelt before Bryce and apologized in front of all the guests. I told myself he had just had a procedure, his emotions were unstable, and I should be understanding. But my tolerance only emboldened their bullying and contempt. This life, I wouldn’t. Chloe rushed over, not to help me, but to immediately shield her brother, Bryce, in her arms, anxiously checking his hands. “Bryce, are you okay? Are you hurt?” She spun her head towards me, her eyes like poisoned daggers, and roared, “Daniel, get down on your knees and apologize to Bryce!” Her voice was exactly the same as when she’d announced my parents’ deaths in my memory. I didn’t move. I simply reached up, scraped a bit of cream from my cheek with my fingertip, and then slowly, deliberately, put it into my mouth to taste. It was sweet. My favorite white chocolate. I had spent three months learning to make this cake. My silence and this bizarre gesture plunged the entire ballroom into an eerie, suffocating stillness. All eyes focused on me, filled with the casual disdain of people watching a good show and a hint of confusion. Chloe’s brows furrowed. She felt I was challenging her authority. “I told you to kneel! Are you deaf?!” She stepped forward, just like in my past life, reaching out to grab my hair, intending to shove me to the ground. A sharp pain shot through my scalp. This familiar ache instantly cleared my head. The surrounding guests began to whisper: “This Daniel is truly uncouth. Look at him, he looks like an idiot.” “Exactly, he’s from an orphanage. Just no manners.” My mother-in-law, Beverly, that vicious woman who, in my past life, had simultaneously urged me to be magnanimous and helped her daughter scheme against me, now played her usual ‘peacemaker’ act. She walked over, tugging on Chloe’s sleeve, her tone, however, clearly blaming me. “Daniel, just give in. Bryce isn’t feeling well. Apologize, and this whole thing will blow over. We’re family. Don’t let outsiders laugh at us.” I looked at these three culprits, watching their sickening performance of ‘loving siblings’ and ‘doting mother,’ and I smiled. I pulled out my phone from my pocket, unlocked it for everyone to see, and dialed the number etched into my very soul. In my past life, the owner of this number died on a highway in Ocean City, trying to save me from my misery. The phone rang only once before it connected. “Hello?” It was my father’s voice. Deep and steady. It took all my strength to keep my own voice perfectly even. “Dad.” “Hmm? Daniel?” The voice on the other end immediately became surprised and gentle. “What makes you suddenly call your dad?” I spoke each word deliberately, with every ounce of restraint, uttering the code I had buried for two lifetimes. “Dad, I’m done playing.” This game of love I had deluded myself into believing, this marriage that had destroyed my family, I wasn’t playing anymore. Chloe’s face darkened when she saw me on the phone. She thought I was calling for help, which made her feel utterly humiliated. “What are you doing? Who are you calling? I’m telling you, no one can save you today! You have to kneel before Bryce!” On the other end of the line, my father fell silent for two seconds. With his intelligence, he instantly grasped the immense crisis hidden behind my words. His voice immediately became calm and authoritative. It was the powerful aura of the Global Capital founder. “Got it. Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Do as I say.” Just one sentence, telling me to hold steady. I understood. The game was changing. And this time, I was the dealer. “I’ll kneel to your brother once I hang up the phone,” I told Chloe, my voice so calm it felt foreign to her. She thought I was giving in, a triumphant sneer spreading across her face as she released her grip on my hair. The call wasn’t disconnected. I heard my father calmly giving instructions on the other end. I held the phone to my ear, spoke into the receiver in a low voice – just loud enough for my father to hear, and for Chloe and Bryce standing nearby to catch every word. “Chloe, you want me to kneel, are you asking me to mourn the illicit child you had with Bryce?” My words dropped like a bomb into a deep pool, creating not chaos, but a dead silence. A silence more profound, more suffocating than before. The guests’ murmurs were cut off as if by an invisible hand. Everyone’s expressions froze. The triumph and malice on Chloe’s face shattered instantly, replaced by a bone-deep terror. She instinctively took a step back. “You… you’re spewing lies! Daniel, you’re crazy!” Her voice became shrill and piercing, betraying her guilt. “Crazy?” I smiled, but the mirth didn’t reach my eyes. “Am I crazy, or do you think everyone else is blind? Do you dare, in front of all these prominent figures in Ocean City, to point at your brother beside you and swear that the child you were carrying was in no way related to him?” Bryce’s wailing stopped abruptly. He shrieked like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, “You B-word! You’re talking nonsense! Chloe, tear her mouth out!” His reaction was too extreme, only confirming his inner panic. My father-in-law, Richard, the CEO of Horizon Group, finally couldn’t maintain his composure. He abruptly rose from the main table, his face turning a furious shade of purple. He pointed at me, his finger trembling violently. “This is outrageous! Our Parker family must have been blind to let Chloe marry a rabble-rouser like you! Security! Where’s security?! Get this lunatic out of here!” Several security guards moved at his command, their eyes hostile as they approached me. Chloe also reacted then, her fury making her lose all reason. Like an enraged bull, she charged at me, aiming for the phone in my hand. She thought I would cower and tremble at her roar, as I had in the past. But I simply watched her with cold detachment. The moment she lunged, I didn’t retreat. Instead, I swiftly spun to my left, subtly extending my foot to trip her. Chloe’s momentum carried her forward uncontrollably. With my trip, she completely lost her balance, stumbled awkwardly for several steps, and then crashed headfirst into a nearby table laden with champagne towers. *Smash!* The sound of shattering glass was sharp and piercing, echoing exceptionally loud in the silent ballroom. Golden liquid and glass shards flew everywhere. Chloe’s forehead was instantly gashed open, blood mixing with champagne trickling down. Her expensive dress was stained with wine and cream. She looked like a rabid dog. This sudden scene made all the guests gasp. “Chloe!” Bryce’s scream pierced the silence. He rushed over to help Chloe up. Seeing the blood on her forehead, he immediately pointed at me and shrieked furiously, “You B-word! How dare you hit my sister! You even laid hands on her!” Chloe steadied herself with her brother’s help. She wiped a hand across her bleeding forehead, and seeing the crimson on her fingertips, any remaining reason in her eyes was completely consumed by rage. “You’re dead!” She growled, tearing off her pretense, and once again charged at me recklessly. This time, the two security guards behind her followed closely, forming a crescent-shaped encirclement, completely cutting off my retreat. Father-in-law Richard’s face was ashen. He watched everything with a dark, tacit approval in his eyes. In his view, they had to use the toughest methods today to completely suppress my spirit and violently stifle this shocking Parker family scandal in its infancy, using fear and brute force. “Mr. Parker, what’s going on here?” A leisurely voice, clearly enjoying the drama, cut through the crowd. It was Mr. Davies, the CEO of Vanguard Group, Horizon Group’s arch-rival. “On such a joyous day, why does it look like an all-out brawl? Anyone who didn’t know might think Horizon Group has cash flow problems, making the CEO resort to public bullying of his son-in-law.” His words were like a subtle jab, hitting Richard right in the gut. Richard snapped, “Mr. Davies! This is my family’s private matter, it’s none of your business!” “Family matter?” I clutched my cold phone, a chilling smile playing on my lips. “Mr. Parker, are you sure this is just a family matter? I believe everyone present clearly heard what I just said. Chloe and Bryce, secretly pregnant with his child. If that gets out, it won’t just be a family matter; it will be social news, an incestuous scandal shocking enough to send Horizon Group’s stock price freefalling!” Every word I uttered was like a heavy hammer, striking fiercely at the Parker family’s nerves. My mother-in-law Beverly’s face was already ashen white. She rushed forward, fully revealing her true colors as a shrew. “You’re lying! Don’t waste words on him, tear his mouth out! Grab that damn phone and smash it!” Given her mother’s command, Chloe’s movements became even more frantic. I was forced to retreat repeatedly, my back quickly pressing against the cold wall. I had nowhere left to go. Chloe smirked, her voice squeezed out through gritted teeth, “Daniel, I’m giving you one last chance. Kneel, and hand over your phone!” I looked at her, and at the gloating eyes behind her. I gripped my phone tightly in my palm. My other hand, swift as lightning, grabbed a heavy bronze statue from the decorative table behind me, aiming it without hesitation at the nearest security guard. “Anyone who takes another step forward, I’ll smash his head in.” My voice was low, but carried a desperate, do-or-die resolve. The security guard was shaken by the unfeigned determination in my eyes, and instinctively froze. My gaze swept past them, like two sharp swords, directly piercing the root of all evil: Richard Parker. “Mr. Parker, have you really thought about the consequences? Stop your rabid children now, and there might still be room for maneuver. Once they truly lay a hand on me, I promise you, every scream heard from the other end of my phone will become a death knell for your Parker family, for your Horizon Group.” I raised my phone. The screen was still lit, the call duration ticking mercilessly, second by second. This gesture made Richard’s pupils constrict sharply. But if he backed down now, the Parker family’s reputation would be utterly ruined! The immense sense of humiliation and the long-standing contempt he felt pushed him to make the most foolish decision. Richard finally gave his last command, his voice hoarse and venomous, “Grab him! I’ll take full responsibility for anything that happens!” Just at this critical moment, the heavy double doors of the ballroom were leisurely pushed open from outside. A devil-may-care, yet incredibly soothing, voice drifted in: “Well, well, what’s all this commotion? Mr. Parker, are you hosting a wedding anniversary, or a family martial arts show?” It was Scarlett Davies! She walked in like a socialite strolling through her private garden, clad in a show-stopping, floor-length pink dress, an unlit cigarette dangling from her lips, her hands casually tucked into her pockets.

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