Chapter 1

Jiang Suliu had a new deskmate.

Coming from a top-tier wealthy family, one that even the school board fawned over, Jiang had heard about this before school started.

His new deskmate’s name was Yue Yin, and she seemed to blend into the background of the class. Rumor had it that she was brought in by her stepmother from the Shen family, a neglected “baggage” child with no friends.

He imagined her as a timid, insecure, pitiful girl.

But the moment he actually saw Yue Yin, Jiang Suliu’s casual assumptions were completely overturned.

The girl had long, black hair with blunt bangs framing her face, eyes clear and innocent, and features both delicate and refined. Her fair skin complemented a cute butterfly hair clip pinned beside her ear.

She was stunningly beautiful, almost unreal, focused on sketching something on a blank sheet of paper on the desk.

The scene in her drawing was unusual. At its center was a silver moon, surrounded by strange creatures celebrating. The twisted lines resembled tentacles, or perhaps eyes, and evoked a sense of a boundless universe.

“Jiang Suliu?” Noticing his gaze, the girl lifted her head.

Her eyes were crystal clear and innocent, holding a pen with her slender, fair fingers. “Hello, I’m your new deskmate, Yue Yin.”

When she looked up, her gaze was almost mesmerizing, like a mountain spring—an image so striking that it seared itself into his memory.

For a moment, upon seeing her face, Jiang Suliu felt as if he’d glimpsed snowy mountains through the mist, his heart skipping a beat.

The next second, Yue Yin pushed her drawing towards him, earnestly asking, “Would you like to learn about our Heavenly Father and Savior, Hydra, the Moon of a Thousand Faces?”

Jiang Suliu: …?

He instinctively glanced down, seeing text printed on the flyer:

“Do you want to become the ruler of the world?”

“Do you desire the power to make wishes come true and gain eternal life?”

“Do you wish to amass boundless wealth?”

Jiang Suliu paused. “What is this?”

Yue Yin blinked, her eyes hopeful. “Join now as a follower of the Goddess for only 998, and you could become a High Priest!”

Whatever intrigue Jiang Suliu had felt instantly dissipated.

He folded up the strange flyer, gave Yue Yin a polite smile, and replied, “Thanks, but no thanks.”

Inwardly, he thought, This girl is crazy.

…

Half an hour later.

Yue Yin, the newly-appointed “Chūnibyō” girl, was walking home, carrying a heavy schoolbag, her expression tense.

With her delicate features and furrowed brow, she drew many a sidelong glance from other students.

Next to her walked a boy of about seven or eight, chattering non-stop. “Sis, your face looks like someone just died. Did they find out I did your summer homework for you?!”

His tone was indignant. “I told you to do it yourself! You didn’t listen and even threatened to hit me if I didn’t help…”

The boy, Shen Xiaodi, was at a loss. He barely even managed his own homework, yet he’d ended up doing it for his second sister!

Yue Yin sighed deeply and held her chest as if in pain, declaring, “Oh, the world has fallen! How dare mere humans reject a god’s invitation?!”

Shen Xiaodi stopped in his tracks, exasperated. “Sis, are you still stuck in this Chūnibyō phase?”

Ever since she was kidnapped and then returned, she’d been acting like a full-blown, over-the-top Chūnibyō.

He’d outgrown his “superhero” phase by the end of elementary school, yet his sister still boldly claimed, even in public, to be the Many-Faced Moon. She was on another level of “cringe.”

As they walked, Shen Xiaodi glanced around, discreetly putting some distance between himself and Yue Yin.

Unaware of her brother’s opinion, Yue Yin was lost in thought, for she was indeed a being from the void—a god known as the Many-Faced Moon to her followers. She was fond of sleep and occasionally enjoyed scaring curious humans by creating unsolvable mysteries.

One moment, she had been watching a petty squabble among her fellow gods over a measly offering. The next, she had been thrown into a supernatural urban novel.

The story followed Shen Baozhu, an innocent, angelic girl from a privileged background who, due to her special constitution, often attracted ghosts and found herself in strange, eerie situations.

Thankfully, Shen Baozhu had the protagonist’s aura of protection and would always manage to escape unscathed, even winning the heart of the dark, villainous ghost king who was initially intent on destruction. After a series of entanglements, they ended up in a sweet, albeit bizarre, happily-ever-after.

Yue Yin had initially found it amusing—until she found herself in the story as a minor villain.

Her character, Yue Yin, was the unfortunate stepdaughter brought into the Shen family after her father’s untimely death, and her mother had remarried. After her return to the Shen household, she found herself in a series of unfortunate events whenever Shen Baozhu’s ghost-attracting aura came into play.

Having been found not long before, Yue Yin’s timing in entering this world was, at least, convenient.

Living as a human was exhausting—school, exams, and even making money after being thrown out of the house.

Just as she was lamenting her situation, she spotted a milk tea shop out of the corner of her eye.

“Hey, Shen Xiaodi, lend me twenty for a milk tea,” she said, reaching out a hand.

Living as a “ghost” in the household meant Yue Yin had a meager allowance, and whatever she’d had was already gone. Since arriving here, she’d been relying on her half-brother’s reluctant generosity.

Shen Xiaodi clutched his pocket protectively, his gaze wary. “You still haven’t paid back the last money I lent you!”

“I’ll pay you back when I get some money!” Yue Yin promised, slinging an arm around his shoulder. “We’ll live the high life, just you wait!”

Shen Xiaodi rolled his eyes. “Stop promising stuff, Yue Yin. Just the other day, you dragged me to ‘tell fortunes,’ claiming you were great at it and that we’d make a fortune together. Instead, two days passed without a single person falling for it, and even the park guards said that joining you meant starving half the time. Even begging has better odds!”

Yue Yin went silent. “Are all Earthlings this blunt?”

As they approached the milk tea counter, Shen Xiaodi sighed. “What do you mean, Earthlings? Are you from outer space?”

Yue Yin: …Better to keep quiet and not embarrass the aliens.

The two siblings, bantering all the way, finally reached the Shen family home.

With her father on a business trip and Shen Baozhu away for a dance competition, accompanied by Yue Yin’s mother, the only ones left at home were Yue Yin, Shen Xiaodi, and a few housekeepers.

Upon entering, they heard the television airing a news report about a series of recent kidnappings involving teenage girls. Fortunately, the latest victim had been rescued.

The girl in question was none other than Yue Yin.

Even in her youth, she’d had terrible luck: losing her father, going missing for years, and, soon after returning, getting kidnapped.

“Those people are the worst!” Shen Xiaodi said angrily, glaring at the TV.

He wished he could jump through the screen and take down the kidnappers himself.

With a worried expression, he turned to Yue Yin. “Officer Zhou called earlier, asking how you’re doing. He said those criminals escaped and that you should stay indoors for a while since it’s still dangerous.”

But when he looked over, he saw Yue Yin, oblivious, happily devouring a yogurt from the fridge.

Shen Xiaodi felt faint.

How could he have such a clueless sister, obsessed with food and delusions of divinity?

“She doesn’t even realize that those kidnappers are after her. It’s dangerous out there!” He muttered.

Frustrated, he shouted, “You took the last yogurt?! This means war!”

As the siblings fought over yogurt, footsteps echoed on the stairs.

A housekeeper named Auntie Zhang stood at the top, looking down with disdain. “Back so late, Yue Yin? Please mind your manners, don’t bring shame to the Shen family.”

“Raised outside, indeed. You have no grace. And now you’re fortune-telling around the neighborhood, tarnishing the family’s reputation.”

Auntie Zhang, who had worked with the Shens for over a decade, saw herself as the head of the household. Since Yue Yin’s return, she had viewed her as nothing but a bothersome freeloader.

Yue Yin took another yogurt, curious. “What does tarnishing the Shen family have to do with you? You’re not family.”

“A mere servant so invested in the Shen name—do you have stock in Shen Corporation or something?”

Auntie Zhang bristled. Working for the Shens for so long, she considered herself part of the family.

“Miss Yue Yin, show some respect!” she demanded, glaring.

With a disdainful snort, Auntie Zhang muttered just loud enough, “Some people are just parasites, clinging to the Shens for benefits. Not even family, yet acting as if they belong here. How shameless.”

Yue  Yin took a sip of her yogurt drink, surprised by Zhang Sao’s intense reaction. She said calmly, “I’m not a member of the Shen family, but neither are you, right? Why the double standard?”

Besides, her original self wasn’t the “freeloader” everyone kept labeling her as.

Her biological father had been a wealthy businessman in City A, and when he passed away unexpectedly, he left a considerable inheritance for his wife and daughter. This wealth was under the control of Yue Yin’s mother, enough to cover Yue Yin’s living expenses and school fees.

Zhang Sao hadn’t expected Yue Yin, who used to be quiet and submissive, to talk back like this. She sneered, “Just keep acting high and mighty. When Mr. Shen and Miss Shen get back, I’ll be waiting to see how you continue to strut around.”

With that, Zhang Sao stormed off.

Watching her leave, Yue Yin’s younger brother turned to her with a worried expression. “Sis, will she tell on you?”

This was a common occurrence—Zhang Sao and the others would deliberately provoke Yue Yin, then run to their parents to complain, which only ended with her being scolded.

Yue Yin watched Zhang Sao’s retreating figure, her eyes curving into a smile. “It’s okay. She’ll be taken care of.”

In this house, Yue Yin was an outcast, with no fatherly love or maternal care. Even after a major incident like her kidnapping, no one showed genuine concern. Her only real support was her younger brother from her mother’s second marriage. Considering her status in this family, it was no surprise that even the housekeeper felt she could be disrespectful.

Then, as one of the other maids, Xiao He, came to clear the dishes, she muttered, “Miss Yue Yi, you’re really out of line.”

Xiao He added, “Zhang Sao is so much older than you. You should respect your elders. Maybe you should go apologize.”

Yue Yin smiled faintly, “Oh, really?”

She glanced outside, feigning a moment of concern. “If nothing unexpected happens, maybe something will happen.”

She put a hand over her mouth, pretending to be alarmed. “Goodness, with it being so dark out, I hope Zhang Sao doesn’t run into any…unwelcome company.”

Xiao He paused, stunned. “Miss Yue Yin, there’s no need to curse someone like that… Talking big like a child.”

The next second, a terrified scream pierced the night from outside.

Everyone in the vicinity froze, and the tray in Xiao He’s hands clattered back onto the table, ringing sharply.

That voice… it was Zhang Sao?

Words caught in Xiao He’s throat, and she turned pale.

Yue Yin’s lips curled up in a satisfied smile.

Standing up with a serene expression, she lightly placed a hand on Xiao He’s shoulder and said sweetly, “Respect your elders, Xiao He. Why don’t you go check on her?”

Please. She was an evil god.

Not some kindhearted soul ready to forgive and forget. Grudges were made to be repaid on the spot.