WonNovels

Word of the Week and I were also a spiteful couple, badmouthing and punching each other, and finally threatening, “Whoever doesn't get divorced is a dog.”  

On the way to divorce, we cursed each other with the vilest words. 

But when the tanker truck came crashing through, he jerked the steering wheel and met it on his side. 

It kept me alive for 0.01 seconds longer.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back in the summer at the end of my sophomore year of high school. 

Word of the Week was also holding a bouquet of flowers and asked if I wanted to try them. 

The next moment, he raised his eyes with a sickly look on his face. 

The moment I met his eyes, I knew that he had also returned.  

1 

I found a stack of Xu Nian's portraits in Zhou Yuya's safe. 

My heart and mind were broken, and I knew that he was dead. 

Without a second thought, I rushed up to him, gave him two big slaps and scratched his face.

At first he just ducked.

Then he got impatient and pushed me away. 

“What's gotten into you, are you sick?”  

I grabbed the portrait and smashed it in his face. 

“I'm sick, you're the one who's sick. You're the one who's sick. Are you sick of secretly painting your sister-in-law?” 

Looking at the drawings all over the floor, Zhou Lyric's eyes also turned red. 

“Xu Sisi, I've never seen someone as mean and vicious as you.” 

“You're just jealous of Xu Nian, you're just not nice. But you just can't compare to her, not even a fraction of her.”

“Why weren't you the one who died in the first place?” 

I've heard these words too many times.  

But every time I hear it, it still makes me lose my mind. 

I picked up the stool and charged. 

“Death to you!”

That day we fought our way into the police station. 

The police thoughtfully asked me if I was being domestically abused. 

I sneered.

“Who are you looking down on?”  

“It's called assault. Do you understand?” 

Although I was cloaked, țùₕ face and bruises. 

But Zhou Zi has also got a bloody head.

I finished this round. 

When we came out of the police station, we pointed at each other's noses. 

This marriage must be divorced.

Whoever doesn't divorce is a dog.  

2 

Who would have thought we would die on the way to divorce? 

The second before the tanker hit me, I was still cursing him as a dead pervert hiding in a dark corner, peeping and masturbating.

Zhou word also face as black as the bottom of the pot, gritted teeth. 

“It's Xu Nian that I like, from beginning to end.”

“If you didn't look exactly like her, do you think I would be with you?” 

“Cissy Xu, don't take a piss and see how you compare to Xu Nian.”  

What I hate most in my life is being compared to Xu Nian. 

Even if she's dead, I still have to live under her shadow. 

On what grounds?

My hand is already grabbing Zhou Yuya's hair. 

Come on, let's die together!

In the next second, a piercing sound rang out as the tanker truck rushed out of control.

My mind went blank.  

Only to see Zhou Lyric also white face, jerked the steering wheel and met it with his side. 

I was lost in thought as I looked at him. 

I looked at this man who had been with me for ten years. 

We never got along well.

Arguments, fights, there was no break in these ten years. 

Why didn't we separate? 

He was asked, and I was asked.  

I didn't say a word. 

He smoked sullenly. 

No one could say why. 

Like that year when he looked wan and held a bunch of wilted flowers and asked me if I wanted to try them.

How strange. 

Obviously a few days ago he had just rejected my confession, saying he didn't want to fall in love and was only focused on his studies. 

How come after a few days he wanted to open up?  

I didn't know until much later that he actually went to Xu Nian to confess, but was politely rejected by Xu Nian. 

He was so disappointed and sad that he saw me. 

He saw the face that looked exactly like Xu Nian's. Subconsciously, he walked towards me.

Subconsciously, he walked towards me. 

He used me as his double.

To remember Xu Nian through me. 

Ten years.  

He deserves to die! 

He deserved to die! 

Who needs him to trade his life for mine? 

Just let me live 0.01 seconds longer. 

It's bad luck. 

Forget it. We're all dead and buried.

From now on, all the grudges of the past will be turned into a wisp of smoke.  

I just hope I can open my eyes in my next life. ...... 

Fuck! 

As soon as I opened my eyes, I saw the seventeen-year-old Zhou Yuya.

Why are you sure it's seventeen? 

Because he was hugging a bunch of wilted blue skittles with his dead fish face.

I don't like swallows. 

I like roses, red roses, passionate, romantic and flamboyant.  

Zhou said that I was vulgar, and he looked at me with disdain. 

He asked me if I knew what the language of swifts was. 

“Don't you think they look like little swallows flying lightly? It symbolizes freedom and being uninhibited. Don't you think it's beautiful?”

I don't think so. 

I only know that roses represent love.

Roses are always given between lovers.

But I never received a bunch until I was hit by a tanker truck.  

It's good to be born again to this moment, and even more bad luck. 

And the most obscure thing is that Zhou Lyric also raised his head. 

The moment we looked at each other, we both saw the familiar look in each other's eyes.

Ha! 

Almost without thinking I knew that he had returned as well. 

3 

This year's summer was especially hot.  

Some of us are going to senior high school, some of us are going to cram schools, some of us are going to one-on-one classes at home. 

I was the only one who hung around every day, leaving the house at the crack of dawn and reluctantly running home only at dinnertime. 

Today was no different. 

I kicked small stones along the way, the resentment in my body could be felt five meters away.

I was nervous the moment I saw Zhou Yuya.

I liked him. 

The first person I liked at the beginning of my love life, sour and beautiful.  

But he rejected my confession. 

On his face was a detached smile, saying that he was only focused on his studies at this stage and did not want to fall in love. 

I was ashamed, annoyed and sad, held back my tears and ran away, vowing never to like him again. 

But when he walked towards me with slow steps, I couldn't help but stand still with my heart beating wildly. 

He said, “Want to try?”

Almost without thinking, I nodded my head back and forth.

This undignified, bottomless, positionless act of love brain was the greatest shame of the rest of my life.  

Starting over again, I didn't hesitate to sneer at him and silently raised my middle finger. 

Word of the Week also licked his back teeth, stuffed the flowers into the trash can, turned around and left. 

Ten minutes later, in front of my house, we met again.

Shen Fang, full of wariness and suspicion, held the door and stared at Zhou Yuya. 

“Who did you say you were looking for?” 

Zhou Yuya was rarely at a loss for words, even with restraint and caution. 

“Auntie, I'm looking for Xu Nian. Can you let me see her, I have something to say to her.”  

“What are you looking for Xu Nian for? Who are you?” 

Shen Fang's aggressiveness had turned into substance, her eyes round and fierce. 

Zhou Lyric also seemed to be intimidated, mumbling and still trying to speak. 

I made an annoyed 'tsk' sound. 

“Didn't you say that I don't like you, why did you still come to my house?”

“You think looking for Xu Nian she can help you?”

“Don't you know she's the one I hate the most?”  

“Come with me!” 

Greeting Shen Fang's suspicious gaze, Zhou Lyric was also pulled downstairs by me. 

4 

Zhou Ziyou grimaced and shook me off.

“I know you're back too.” 

“I don't want to count the past grudges. If you feel that I have wronged you, then I apologize to you.” 

“But Xu Sisi, you should understand that our rebirth to this point in time is a chance given to us by God.”  

“I will protect Xu Nian, no matter who it is, no one can take her away from me, not even herself.” 

“I don't expect you to help me, but don't mess up or I won't let you go.” 

My face was expressionless as I listened to Zhou Yuya's deep emotions and warnings. 

When he finished, under his furious gaze, I let out a cold laugh.

“What are you?” 

“Idiot!”

Everyone loved Xu Nian.  

She was excellent, kind, and wonderful. 

In school, she always ranked first in her grade, and was the seed candidate to hit Qingbei to get the top prize in the college entrance examination. 

She participates in various competitions, sings and dances, and is good at piano, chess, calligraphy and painting. 

But she will not be superior because of their own excellence, to the teacher, to the classmates, always gentle ground with three laughs. 

At home, she is the pride of her parents, is the hope of the family, is the existence of all praise.

She never disobeyed the elders, well-behaved. No matter who puts forward what kind of high demand, she always nodded obediently.

But it was this kind of her, at the end of the college entrance examination that year, in the year she got the first prize of the college entrance examination, at the time when her parents were having a big banquet, accepting the envy and jealousy of all the people, she climbed up to the top of the building, and ended her life with a single leap down.  

No one knows why she killed herself. 

Including me. 

It was only later, as I grew older, as I rewound my memories over and over again, that I glimpsed the patina underneath the beauty. 

5 

And Zhou words also did not have a happy ending, I slowly returned home. 

Just opened the door to see Shen Fang is carrying a cup of milk to Xu Nian.

Her gaze was gentle as she caressed Xu Nian's long hair.  

“Mom will send you to Ms. Bai's place in a while, she said that you're making fast progress, but you can't be proud, you must keep working hard.” 

“Right, did you really not recognize that boy just now? Give your cell phone to mommy and she'll check it.” 

“Nian Nian, it's a critical moment, you must not be like Xu Sisi and hang out with those boys.”

“Cecilia Hsu is dead. You're all I have left. You have to fight for it.” 

“Okay, drink the milk while it's hot.” 

Shen Fang noticed my presence a long time ago.

But she didn't care, and even rolled her eyes at me in disgust.  

I silently thought to myself, as an already ruined daughter, I can't bear this bad reputation for nothing. 

So I took a few steps forward, snatched the glass in Xu Nian's hand, and smashed it on the ground with a clatter. 

“Xu Sisi, what do you want?”

Shen Fang yelled hysterically. 

I raised my eyebrows. 

“If I can't drink this milk in the future, she, Xu Nian, won't be able to drink it either.” 

Did I ever drink milk when I was very young?  

I don't remember. 

Anyway, I haven't touched the good things in the house since I can remember. 

All that fine food, well-matched and nutritious meals, just as my chopsticks tried to reach over, Shen Fang would slap me on the back of my hand. 

“What are you eating, this is what I prepared for Nian Nian.”

“It's a waste even if I give it to you.”

“Might as well feed it to the dog. The dog can still watch the house. What can you do?” 

At first I would cry and beg for it.  

But I'd get nothing but a severe beating in return. 

Shen Fang always beat me to death. 

She raised her hand high, and her slap fell heavily, with a loud 'pop', I was hit so hard that I was knocked away from my face, and half of my face along with my head went numb.

“Xu Sisi, have you turned against the world?” 

“You still want to drink milk? Don't you think about it, do you deserve that grade?”

“Compare yourself to Nian Nian, don't even look at yourself.” 

“Get out of here. You're not welcome in this house.”  

With that, she picked up the whip on the desk and wanted to hit me. 

This time I didn't take it, I ran away, pushing over tables, chairs and vases as I ran. 

The house resounded with crunching sounds, and the house became more and more messy.

Shen Fang screamed and chased after me. 

No matter how chaotic, no matter how noisy, Xu Nian just sat there obediently, quietly watching, neither helping nor stopping anyone, even picking up the book on the table and starting to read it without a care in the world.

Until I grabbed her cell phone.

Finally, she looked up at me.  

A moment of doubt appeared in her cold gaze, then stiffness. 

Stiffly, she watched as I rushed into her room with her cell phone in hand and slammed the door with a 'bang'. 

The first thing I tried to do was to unlock the door to my room.

Instead, I realized that the lock cylinder was broken and didn't have that function at all. 

I could only hold my back hard against the door.

Outside the door was Shen Fang's kicking and yelling. 

With a twisted and happy smile on my face, I took out my cell phone and opened it, yelling with a crying voice.  

“Hello, 110? My mom is going to beat me to death, come here, come and save me.” 

6 

Shen Fang was taken away. 

She faced 24 hours of detention after she continued to resist, scratching the neck of a police officer and threatening to beat me to death.

The policeman looked at me compassionately and asked if he needed to help me contact other relatives. 

He politely told me that there was only so much they could do, and that if I insisted on having Shen Fang detained, I would be in a much more difficult situation when she came out. 

I nodded and thanked him for this.  

But at the same time insisted that she must be detained. 

“No matter what, at least I can get a good night's sleep.” 

The policeman looked at me with a more heartfelt gaze. 

At the same time he pointed at Xu Nian. 

“Is that your sister or your sister? Is she alright?”

Compared to my pathetic face, Xu Nian, who had been expressionless and isolated, seemed to be more worrisome.

I let out a bitter laugh, nodded my head, and said in a voice that Xu Nian could hear, “She's, uh, brain-dead, stupid!”  

Xu Nian froze and seemed to clench her teeth. 

Out of humanitarianism, the police contacted our father, the one who was always away, working hard to earn money, and who only came back for holidays and when Xu Nian achieved something significant. 

He politely apologized to the police, saying he would be back in time and restrain his wife. 

But I knew that he wouldn't be back for at least the next two days.

Sending the police away, I yawned.

Xu Nian looked at me with a puzzled expression. 

I stretched, lifted my foot and entered Xu Nian's bedroom, unceremoniously lying down on her bed.  

About five minutes passed and footsteps sounded. 

When I opened my eyes, Xu Nian was standing beside the bed, looking at me with a sullen face. 

“This is my room.” 

“Oh.”

“Please get out.” 

“And what if I don't go out?”

“This is my room.”

Is that the only thing you can say?

Don't you always write essays that you can use as models?

“What? This bed is your favorite, do you like it?”

Xu Nian didn't say anything again, just pursed his lips tighter and looked at me with a deeper gaze.

“Since you don't like it, lend it to me for a night. It's the first time I've slept in such a soft bed with such a fluffy quilt.”

“Good bye, remember to bring the door for me when you go out.”

Closing my eyes, I no longer cared about her.

I don't know how long it took, but she finally left, and really did close the door for me.

It's just that the action of closing the door wasn't really gentle.

I see, so she has emotions too.

I thought it was really unearthly.

Rolling over, I buried myself under the covers.

Speaking to Xu Nian, I wasn't squeezing on her.

In this three-room home, there was no room for me.

At first there was, the smallest, darkest study.

Then Xu Nian started playing the piano, and in order to put down that hundred-thousand-dollar-plus piano, Shen Fang emptied my room and partitioned off the balcony with a retractable door.

The space there is so small that even a single bed can't fit.

Shen Fang bought a folding bed.

Xu Guoyong disapproved: “You're too bad, so how can Cissy live?”

Shen Fang did not care: “What should we do then, the house is so big. Mr. Bai said that Nian Nian has a special talent for piano and can become a master. For Nian Nian's sake, we have to give in. If she's as capable as Nian Nian, I'll cling to her too.”

After hearing this, Xu Guoyong was silent for a long time, and finally sighed and said nothing more.

From then on, I lived in the cramped balcony.

I have lived there for nearly ten years.

I hated Shen Fang, hated Xu Guoyong.

One of the most hated is Xu Nian.

She frankly enjoyed everything, and in the face of Shen Fang's harshness, shortchanging, and scolding of me, never țű₉ had a word for me.

I had looked at her expectantly countless times, and in the end it all turned to disappointment.

Even I felt that the look she gave me was cold, condescending, and carried with it an unimpeded pleasure.

She hated me as much as I hated her.

But on what grounds did she hate me?

This night I slept in a daze and had countless dreams.

In my dreams there was Shen Fang, there was Xu Guoyong.

But more than that, there were Xu Nian and Zhou Yuya.

Xu Nian, who fell off the building, his brain cracked and his face disfigured.

Everyone was screaming and breaking down.

One by one, they shook my shoulders and questioned me, “Why weren't you the one who died?”

Those hideous faces became clearer, and it was Zhou Yuya's face.

He was choking me, gritting his teeth.

“Why aren't you the one who died?”

7

I woke up from my dream in a sweat.

When I opened the door, I saw Zhou Yuya standing in the doorway, facing Xu Nian, blushing and looking like a deer in the headlights.

He was as innocent as he could be.

“Xu, Xu Nian student, good morning.”

“Have you had breakfast?”

“I bought some, do you want to try it.”

He raised his hand as if offering a treasure.

It's not just some, it's a lot.

Xu Nian held the door and didn't let him in.

Her voice was gentle but detached.

“No, thank you.”

“May I ask what you came to my home for?”

Zhou Lyric also stiffened, his eyes wandered and landed on me.

“I'm, I'm looking for Xu Sisi.”

Word of the Week was also a bit lost, mourning his face and not saying a word along the way.

Even I was indifferent when I passed breakfast from his hand.

After eating a bowl of wontons and drinking a cup of soy milk, he handed me a meat bun in his hand.

“Chen Ji's beef bun, you always say you want to eat it, grab it while they're still open.”

I stopped walking.

Chen Ji's Beef Buns, with their thin skin and large fillings, oily and slightly spicy, were my favorite breakfast throughout high school, with a cup of freshly ground soy milk, satisfying.

I did say many times that I missed this breakfast.

But Word of the Week never responded to that either.

It turned out that it wasn't that he didn't hear me or didn't take it to heart, but he just didn't want to talk to me.

Thinking this way, I kicked Zhou Yuya's leg in the stomach.

Zhou Lyrics also retreated with a breath of cold air.

“You're sick.”

“You're crazy again!”

“You don't want to talk to me? I don't want to talk to you.”

“Goodbye.”

“Never again.”

He yelled furiously at my back.

Two hours later, in a dessert house, we looked at each other.

“What are you doing here?”

“Welcome.”

His face is blank, mine is a fake smile.

The name of this dessert store is “A Dessert House”, which is owned by Zhou Yuya's cousin.

At the moment, he was questioning his cousin.

“Did you hire her?”

“Know the law, she's underage.”

The cousin smiled.

“If you don't tell me, I won't tell you, who knows she's underage.”

Word of the Week stared back and turned her head to question me again.

“Why did you come here to look for a job?”

“Did you recognize that this stupid big sister is easy to cheat?”

“Why are you looking for a job?”

“Lack of money?”

I curled my lips and said, “None of your business.”

The whole afternoon I was ushered in and out, and Zhou Lyrics sat in the corner, like an angry blowfish.

After a long time, when I looked over again, he had fallen asleep with his head tilted back and his mouth open.

Cousin took her arm to corner me.

“Does my brother like you?”

“Are you having an affair?”

I cleared the table expressionlessly.

“He likes my sister.”

“Huh?”

“My twin sister who looks exactly like me.”

“Hm, double literature? Is he that much of an animal?”

“Huh.”

“Wait for me, I'll go beat him to death.”

Good news number one, Word of the Week was beaten up by his sister, so she jumped up and down and scrambled out of the dessert store.

Good news two, I got the part-time job on a trial basis, and the pay is ten dollars an hour, doubled on holidays, and billed monthly.

From the dessert store out, the word of the week is also still squatting in the corner.

When he saw me, he stood up.

“If you have a fart, let go.”

“Can't you talk properly?”

“If you don't let me go, I'm leaving.”

“What did you say to my sister and why did she hit me.”

I rolled my eyes, not wanting to talk to him at all.

Zhou Yuya, however, pulled me back.

“Xu Sisi, you've been staying at the balcony?”

“Why?”

“Your house obviously has three rooms, why do you live on the balcony?”

“Then you bought such a big house and customized a three-meter bed because of this?”

“But why do you sleep in the study every time I'm not home?”

“And ......”

More?

You're not going to stop, are you?

I shook him off impatiently.

“We don't have anything to do with each other anymore.”

“Not now, not ever.”

“Stay out of my business.”

“Keep your nose out of my business.”

What's it got to do with him?

Yes, I want what I need.

I bought such a big house and customized a three-meter bed because I never had one.

But a house that big, a bed that big, scares me.

It's empty and makes you panic inside.

Only nestling in a den full of stuff and lying on a narrow sofa bed can make me feel safe.

How ironic, how sad.

I thought my grown-up self could make up for the lack of youth.

But it turned out to be the barrenness of my life.

8

When she got out of the detention center, Shen Fang called the teachers of various cram schools and asked Xu Nian to make up for her missing classes.

Then she hurried into the kitchen to cook a nutritious meal for her big baby.

At first she glared angrily and tried to hit me again.

I waved my cell phone.

“I'll even call the police if you try.”

Shen Fang gasped.

“Give Nian Nian's cell phone back.”

“No. You can either buy her a new one, or she can stop using it from now on.”

Shen Fang's face turned red with anger, and she pulled Xu Nian in for a good examination, asking her if I had bullied her during the past 24 hours.

Xu Nian was listless, shaking her head, țṻ² not saying anything.

This look fell in Shen Fang s eyes is that I definitely did not do anything good.

But she was too scrupulous to really make a move against me.

She could only stroke her own chest.

“It's really a sin, how did I give birth to such a scourge as you?”

“I should have strangled you in the first place for not learning anything and for bullying Nian Nian.”

“Why didn't I strangle you?”

With no outlet for her anger, she finally chose to ignore me.

She just pretended I didn't exist.

The food wasn't mine, the dishes weren't mine, and even the water in the house was moved to Xu Nian's room.

In response I shrugged and went to the balcony.

Eat a few slices of toast a sandwich with the light from the window, spewing flavor.

From that day on, Shen Fang completely excluded me.

If it is not afraid of outsiders talking about it, it is estimated that I can not even enter this family door.

But I don't care in the slightest.

Every day, I get up early to go to work and come back only at nightfall.

When I'm hungry, I eat bread, and when I'm thirsty, I drink mineral water.

The only annoying thing is that the word of the week is always there.

It started to rain heavily this day.

At first it was a bit stuffy, but then the wind blew and brought a bit of coldness.

When I came out of the store, I shrank my neck and hesitated about how to go.

Zhou Zi also handed over an umbrella.

“Here, it's for you.”

I ignored it and moved to the side.

He made an annoyed “tsk” sound.

“What are you trying to do? Are you not going to go home, or do you want to run back in the rain?”

With a glum color on my brow, I raised my eyes to glare at him.

“What do you want?”

Zhou Lyric's hand tightened.

“I want to ask you a question.”

“Why did Xu Nian jump off the building?”

“Xu Sisi, aren't you in the least bit anxious?”

“That's your sister, connected to you by blood, one mother, she would jump off a building, commit suicide, and die.”

“Don't you want to change and save her?”

“You should be by her side, protecting her and taking care of her, not here making money.”

Zhou Yuya's words were loud and impassioned.

So righteous, so affectionate.

My original tit-for-tat slowly dissipated, and I even laughed out softly at him.

He froze.

A little confused, a little puzzled, a little wanting to speak.

And without giving him another chance to speak, I turned and dashed off into the rain.

9

It was raining so hard, splashing down on me.

It made it impossible for me to open my eyes, and my clothes were instantly soaked.

But I had absolutely no intention of stopping and ran back home in one breath.

My clothes were all plastered to my body, dripping water downwards, it was unbearable.

I knocked on the door, no one answered.

Knocked harder again, still no one came to open it.

Exhaling a cloudy breath, I sat down against the door, somewhat exhausted.

My body was limp and shivering.

When I touched my forehead, it was a little hot.

It's really a blessing and a curse, I probably have a fever.

Shen Fang won't open the door for me.

Xu Nian won't care about me either.

I'm even less qualified to have the key to this home.

I guess I should be the most miserable and useless reborn person.

Leaning against the door, I drifted off to sleep.

I don't know how much time passed when the door suddenly opened.

Facing the light from the hallway I saw Xu Nian, standing there in a nightgown with her long hair down.

I bumped past her into the house.

Couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter.

“It's been a long time coming, you'd even open the door for me?”

“I thought you couldn't wait for me to die out there.”

Xu Nian didn't say anything, only closing the door and squatting down, taking a towel to wipe the water stains on the floor.

Unlike Shen Fang's indifference.

Xu Nian was the one who really didn't care, didn't care, didn't matter.

It was as if I was a stranger, or a transparent person.

She couldn't see me.

Doesn't want to see me either.

So why ask me for help?

“Xu Nian, have you ever, even once, wanted to stand up for me?”

“In this family, you're favored, you get all the advantages, but you've never said a word for me.”

“Are you especially proud of yourself? Are you especially happy to step on me, to see me treated poorly and abused, while you live like a little princess?”

“Do you hate me that much?”

Xu Nian still didn't say a word, but the movements of her hands stopped.

I waited.

One second and two seconds passed, one minute and two minutes ticked by.

The light in my eyes slowly went out, and my feet moved slightly, wanting to turn around.

Xu Nian stood up with vigor.

The towel fell to the floor.

Her arms tightened to the point of trembling.

Suppressing her voice, she yelled out in a low voice.

“Yes, I hate you, I hate you to death.”

“Xu Sisi, you're a waste of space.”

“When did your memories start? Six years old? Eight years old? Or ten?”

“I was two.”

“When you were still building blocks and playing with dolls, I could memorize the entire Three Character Classic.”

“Mom was so happy, she called Dad and asked me to recite it to him.”

“She told Daddy to hurry back and take me to the hospital for an IQ test.”

“120, here are my test results. IQ level is high, and I'm in a relatively prominent part of the population. But that's about it.”

“But mom won't listen. She just thinks she gave birth to a genius.”

“Geniuses have to be nurtured in the way geniuses are nurtured and invested in education.” ”She thinks of a bright future.”

“I said I wanted candy, and she said no, geniuses can't have candy.”

“But Dad bought me two anyway. I ate the lychee-flavored one and left the strawberry-flavored one for you.”

“That was the last lollipop I ate.”

“Cecilia Hsu, how can you live such a carefree and uninhibited life?”

“I've begged you, don't go out to play, study and read with me, keep me company.”

“But you can't sit down, you can't learn, you're a loser.”

“You're a loser. You're just a loser who gets beat up and yelled at and abandoned by your mom.”

“But I'm a genius.”

“l'll die if l go from genius to loser.”

“She'll kill me.”

10

A bolt of lightning cut through the darkness of the night, reflecting Xu Nian, whose eyes were wide open.

Her eyes were red with uncertainty, helplessness and fear.

Then a thunderclap exploded in my ears.

I couldn't help but shake, a piercing chill spreading from my fingertips to my entire body.

“What are you babbling about?”

“Who would kill you? Shen Fang?”

Xu Nian shook and raised her hand to wipe away her tears.

“You don't understand. You don't understand anything.”

“Have you ever been in a room that couldn't be locked?”

“There's always someone quietly standing behind you.”

“She can't read what's in the books, but she'll speak up out of the blue and say you're too close to the books, that you're sitting in the wrong position, that you can't walk away.”

“You can't let up for a second. Those eyes are like a shadow, like a gangrene.”

“Have you ever been stared at in your sleep?”

“Open your eyes and there's a man standing right in front of your bed.”

“Wiping your sweat, tucking you in, grabbing your hand, or doing nothing but looking at you quietly.”

“You're all I have. You're all I have. You have to work hard. You can't slack off, you can't fall behind. You have to take first place and be the best one. My child should be the best. Only if you are the best will dad come back and not want us, otherwise what are we going to do, I'll just have to drag you to your death.”

Saying all of this seemed to have used up all of Xu Nian's strength.

She braced herself against the sofa, and it took a long time before she was able to stand up again.

Her voice regained its calmness.

“Mom took sleeping pills and won't wake up tonight.”

“You came in on your own, it has nothing to do with me.”

She went back to her room on wobbly feet, a wandering soul.

I dropped into a chair, having lost my strength.

There were things I no longer wanted to ask.

Including those words under the bedpan.

11

Xu Nian's suicide was a mystery.

She didn't leave a word, not a single word.

Shen Fang almost tore down the whole house, trying to find the truth about Xu Nian's suicide.

Until the bedpan was lifted, everyone froze in place.

The crookedly carved words, like a pair of large hands, strangled everyone's throats.

[Save me, save me, save me ......]

[Xu Sisi ......]

[Save me ......]

Why does Xu Nian want someone to save her?

Why is my name on it?

Shen Fang hissed as she pinched my neck.

“What did you do to Nian Nian?”

“Did you do this to her?”

“Cissy Xu, why don't you go to hell?”

“Why aren't you the one who died?”

I don't understand.

Why?

Did Xu Nian ask me to save her?

Or was it because of me that she needed saving?

At that moment Shen Fang's hatred for me had left me indifferent.

I was in deep uncertainty.

Xu Nian, what exactly are you going to say to me?

That night, I commandeered her room.

After she closed the door, I crawled under the bed.

There wasn't a speck of dust there, cleaner than the floor outside.

Tapping the bright light of my cell phone, I shone it at the bedpan.

Dense, crooked writing had taken up half the space.

With a trembling hand, I touched it to my name.

So, Xu Nian, are you asking me to save you?

12

Shen Fang glared at me, “How did you get in here?”

I sipped my porridge in my old mind.

“Locking me out, last night was the first and last time. Otherwise ......”

“Otherwise? Otherwise how?”

Shen Fang sneered, “This is my house, you can only enter if I let you in, if I don t let you in ...... Xu Sisi, what are you doing?”

She lost her voice and screamed, wanting to go forward but not daring to.

I pulled Xu Nian s hair and fished out the scissors and stuck them on her scalp.

She didn't move a muscle, and didn't say a word except for a muffled grunt at the very beginning of the pain.

Shen Fang's entire body was shaking, angry and anxious.

“Let go of Nian Nian, what the hell do you want?”

I raised my eyebrows, “Don't move. Otherwise I won't know if I'm cutting her hair or her neck with a pair of scissors.”

Shen Fang huffed out a breath of cold air.

“Cissy Xu, ah!”

With a click, a large strand of Xu Nian's waist-length hair was cut off by me.

Shen Fang cried out in pain, as if it was her flesh I was cutting.

This cry pleased me, and without any discipline or beauty, I swung the scissors, each stroke carrying a full measure of ruthlessness.

Wisps of hair fluttered down, strewn haphazardly on the ground.

Shen Fang's cries echoed in my ears.

At this moment, Xu Nian was in a sorry state, her hair was jagged and of different lengths, and broken hair was everywhere.

But she kept her eyes downcast, as if none of this had anything to do with her.

Finally I threw down the scissors.

The next second Shen Fang hissed and rushed at me, pushing me out with one hand.

She trembled as she held Xu Nian's face, the look in her eyes as if her rare treasure was being trampled on.

She yelled again and fished out a bench.

I pulled my legs up and ran out the door.

But still, as I neared the door, I was hit on the back by the flying bench.

It hurt so much that I let out a breath of cold air.

But my footsteps did not stop, thumping quickly ran downstairs.

I collided with Zhou Lyric, who was on his way up the stairs.

“What's wrong with you? Why is your face so white, where did you get hurt? What was that noise upstairs, did you and your mom have a fight?”

“Get lost!”

13

Zhou Lyric also pulled me with a bad face.

“Why are you always like this?”

“Xu Sisi, can't you talk properly?”

“You're like a stone in a latrine. You're so stinky and hard.”

“Can't you change your temper?”

“No matter what, that's your mom, you ......”

I took a deep breath and shook him off.

“Early in the morning, don't force me to slap you with my big mouth.”

“Xu Sisi ......”

“Zhou word also!” I looked at him coldly, “Young master who grew up in a honeypot, stay away from me, stay away from our family, and stay away from Xu Nian.”

Zhou Yuyi's lips pursed into a straight line, his face gradually sank.

“I can't do it.”

“Xu Sisi, I won't give up on Xu Nian this time, no matter what.”

“I'll protect her, and won't let her come to any harm!”

“Ha.”

I laughed out coldly, my smile full of sarcasm.

“Protect her? Who are you?”

“Does she remember who you are?”

“You don't know anything and you want to be a hero, stupid.”

14

The days went by slowly and steadily.

I'd made a clean break with that family.

As long as I'm there, the atmosphere in the house will drop to freezing point, just like an ice cellar.

Shen Fang took Xu Nian to get her hair fixed.

Now she's like a tomboy.

She was even colder to me.

She doesn't even look at me.

I still left early and came home late every day, busy as ever.

The only thing that got in the way was Zhou Lyric as well.

After disappearing for three or four days, he started showing up at the dessert house every day.

Staying for a day at a time.

We didn't have any communication.

But I knew that he often looked at me blankly.

Soon, a big part of the summer vacation passed, and I got the first paycheck of my life.

At the same time, the day I was waiting for arrived.

Tomorrow, Xu Nian was going to attend a concert in the city, broadcast live throughout.

For such an important occasion, our day-to-day old father is obliged to be there.

Shen Fang's nervousness was visible to the naked eye.

She guarded Xu Nian, letting her play the repertoire over and over again.

While talking to her so that she wouldn't be nervous, she repeatedly chanted, “Be sure to perform well, no mistakes, absolutely no mistakes.”

In response, I let out a cold snort.

Shen Fang glared at me with hatred.

In the morning, before dawn, Xu Nian was called up by Shen Fang and started playing again.

I annoyingly buried myself under the covers and drifted off to sleep again.

By the time I woke up again, they were already gone.

In the dessert store, there were quite a few people today.

After a busy day, my cousin winked at me.

“Where's my stupid brother? Why isn't he here today?”

“I don't know, he's probably off doing some exercise.”

“What the hell?”

I laughed and didn't explain.

When I got home in the evening, Shen Fang was so happy that she danced around, saying that Xu Nian was her pride and joy.

It seemed like the show was perfect.

But there was no sign of Xu Guoyong.

“Yo, where's my old father? Passing through the house three times without entering?”

Shen Fang's face stiffened, obviously poked by me.

“What do you know, your father is very busy. Where else would you get all this food and drink from, do you think it's easy to make money?”

“Really, I thought he was busy coaxing his little wife.”

“What are you talking about?”

“All right.” I shrugged my shoulders, “Let's just say I'm talking nonsense.”

Shen Fang stopped me with a grim face.

“Do you know something?”

I smiled but not smiled, grinding Shen Fang's patience, seeing that she was going to explode, I slowly opened my mouth.

“I saw him walking in with a woman in his arms at the Grand Hotel.”

Shen Fang was struck by lightning, her face twisted like a ghost.

Grabbing the bag on the table, she rushed out without looking back.

I hate Xu Guoyong more than Shen Fang.

When I was young, I relied on him.

He wasn't as biased and mean as Shen Fang.

He always disapproved of Shen Fang's behavior: “The palm of your hand is meat, where are you like that.”

So I told him all my sadness and grievances.

I said, “If mom and dad get divorced, I want to follow dad.”

Xu Guoyong rubbed my head with both heartache and relief.

But that night, when he and Shen Fang were arguing, he blurted out, “Si Si all want us to divorce, don't want to follow you, you see how much of a failure you are as a mom.”

Xu Guoyong turned around with his luggage and left.

Shen Fang looked at me sorrowfully, grabbed my hair and dragged me from the living room to the kitchen, where I was made to kneel all night.

I called Xu Guoyong in tears.

Begging him to come back, saying I was scared.

He scolded Shen Fang on the phone and comforted me.

But never came back.

Is this love?

Shen Fang told me bluntly that she didn't love me.

Xu Guoyong told me that he loved me, that his heart ached for me, but he did nothing, and at the end of the day he had to tell me that he loved me, but he just couldn't help it.

15

Xu Nian removed the wig from her head and slowly stood up, ready to go back to the bedroom.

“Remove your makeup, change your clothes, and follow me.”

Xu Nian's footsteps paused, but there was no follow-up.

“I'll only wait for you for ten minutes, I'll leave when the time is up.”

“Where are you taking me?”

“To sell you.”

Xu Nian was stunned for a moment.

The way she looked at me blankly made my mood inexplicably pleasant.

I knocked on the table.

“Get a grip.”

Xu Nian shuddered, turned around, and headed for the bedroom, her steps getting faster and faster, and tripping over herself as she neared the door.

Eight and a half minutes later, Xu Nian walked out of the bedroom.

Thousands of white dresses, but rare face flushed scarlet, but also some gasping for breath.

Must have been in a real hurry.

I raised my chin and took the lead to walk towards the door.

Xu Nian followed behind me step by step.

No matter when I turned around, she was always a meter away from me.

At the first stop, I took her to 'a dessert house'.

Cousin's eyes widened.

“It really does look exactly the same.”

“But you two are so easy to tell apart, your sister is quiet and you are jumpy.”

I laughed.

“Originally they are different people, of course they are easy to recognize.”

Taking a piece of cake and serving a cup of coffee, I placed it in front of Xu Nian.

“The hottest matcha cake in the store, cappuccino, try it.”

Xu Nian blinked and obediently picked up the spoon.

“I work here part-time, and I'm here every day when I'm not at home. The boss is very nice, and my coworkers are kind, there's just a lot to learn.”

“This cappuccino, it took me half a day to learn, the pulling is a bit difficult. You should learn it in an hour.”

“Recently I've been learning how to make cakes from the master, it's quite interesting.”

Xu Nian took small bites while quietly listening to me.

I took away half of the cake.

“Save some for your stomach and eat something else later.”

“Is there anything you want to eat?”

Xu Nian thought for a moment.

“Roadside stalls.”

So I took her to the university town.

It took an hour and a half to walk from street to street, and back again.

Xu Nian's face was a little white.

“Stomach ache?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Let's not eat, let's go, let's take you to the next place.”

The bus traveled for 20 minutes and we got off.

Xu Nian looked at the familiar building in front of her, and was a bit confused.

I didn't explain, but led her into a small building not far away.

On the second floor, the third room on the left, I took the key and opened it.

“The space is very small, a bed, a washstand and a bathroom, the table and chairs over there are ones I bought myself.”

“It can't be helped, this is the cheapest of the rental houses near our school.”

“I rented it using Sister Zhou's identity information, she helped pay for a year, and I gave it to her on a monthly basis.”

Saying that, I put the key in Xu Nian's hand.

“This door can be unlocked, and this is the only key. When someone knocks, you can choose to open it or not.”

“Do you want to stay here for the night?”

Xu Nian clutched the key in her hand tightly, her fingertips turning white.

A minute passed, and I didn't wait for her answer any longer, walking out of this rented room.

Outside the door, I sat crouched for a long time until I heard the sound of the room door unlocking.

The corners of my mouth lifted a few inches, and I slowly got up and went downstairs.

16

Shen Fang has never been a nice person to be around.

She was obstinate to the point of paranoia, controlling, and anything out of her control would drive her crazy.

One of the things that ignited her emotions the most was Xu Guoyong.

Xu Guoyong doesn't answer her phone calls.

Xu Guoyong does not take her out.

Xu Guoyong doesn't come home.

“Do you know how busy I am?”

“Do you know how hard it is to raise a family?”

“So I'll take care of the kids while you make money?”

Shen Fang is a paper tiger. She's shrewd and unreasonable.

But when it comes to Xu Guoyong, she retreats again and again.

As long as he comes home.

As long as he doesn't get a divorce.

Xu Guoyong is having an affair, and she doesn't know anything about it?

No way.

She just turned a blind eye and deceived herself.

Now that I broke the news, Shen Fang is going absolutely crazy.

She stormed into the hotel and beat up Junior.

Xu Guoyong was furious and kicked Shen Fang out.

But what he didn't expect was that someone reported that the hotel was involved in pornography, which not only attracted the police, but also the reporters who trailed behind.

This scene was fully recorded by the camera.

The one who should go into the hospital went into the hospital, and the one who