“Xin’er, you fell off again?” Ji Ting looked at Lin Xin’er, who had just tumbled off the sofa, a trace of something unreadable flashing through her eyes. “How many times has it been now?”

Lin Xin’er sat up from the floor, rubbing her aching back.

She had that dream again.

Although calling it a ‘dream’ wasn’t exactly accurate, since it always consisted of only a few fragmented, fleeting images.

An abyss so deep it seemed bottomless, a crudely made puppet doll, and a blurry figure standing at the edge of the cliff.

Lin Xin’er’s gaze remained dazed, clearly not fully awake. “How did I fall asleep on the sofa?”

“When I came out of my room, you were already lying there.” Ji Ting replied without looking up as she tidied her things.

Lin Xin’er sat blankly on the floor, watching Ji Ting move around. “You’re heading out?”

“Mm, I’m going to pick up my clothes from the laundry shop.”

A hint of confusion crossed Lin Xin’er’s face. “You haven’t picked it up yet?”

Ji Ting finally turned back and smiled at her. “Xin’er, did you sleep yourself silly? I was always planning to go today.”

Lin Xin’er frowned slightly but said nothing.

“Don’t just sit there. Didn’t you say you had an appointment this afternoon? If you don’t get ready now, you’ll be late.”

An appointment? Lin Xin’er tilted her head and thought for a moment. Right, she had ‘work’ this afternoon.

She got up from the floor and also began preparing to head out.

“I’m off, then.” Ji Ting tossed out those words and left briskly.

Ji Ting was Lin Xin’er’s tenant. Lin Xin’er had originally lived alone in this two-bedroom apartment, but having 90-plus square meters all to herself always made the place feel a bit too empty.

So she cleared out the side room that had been used for storage and posted a rental ad online.

Her requirements for a tenant were simple, just three— single female, with a legitimate and stable job, and no bad habits.

Ji Ting had quickly responded to the ad. Given the nature of Lin Xin’er’s ‘work’, living with someone else wasn’t ideal, but Ji Ting was undoubtedly a perfect tenant.

A Ph.D. graduate from a top domestic university, Ji Ting now works at a research institute. She was always buried in her research, rarely at home, and never interfered in Lin Xin’er’s affairs.

There was only one thing that always stuck in Lin Xin’er’s mind.

This perfect tenant had only one rule— under no circumstances was the landlady allowed to enter her room.

Thinking of that, Lin Xin’er glanced at the tightly shut door.

Humans were like this. The more you were told not to do something, the more curious you became.

Still, curiosity aside, Lin Xin’er knew where to draw the line.

So ever since Ji Ting had moved in, she had never once entered the side bedroom again.

She had casually asked Ji Ting what kind of research she did, but Ji Ting had only offered a mysterious smile and thrown out two words— ‘State secret.’

This girl…… was she secretly developing nuclear weapons or something?

Lin Xin’er shook her head to brush away her wild thoughts and then stepped out as well.

There was just one thing Lin Xin’er had always overlooked— why would someone like Ji Ting, a national elite, need to rent a place?

────ρя

This translation is by Pocketrobbin at S h a n g h a i f a n t a s y . c o m

Xingyao Jewelry, VIP Reception Room

“Actually, I’m getting married.” Lin Xin’er said the words softly, her head lowering shyly as if embarrassed.

The woman sitting across from her gave a professional smile and said, “Congratulations, Ms. Chen.”

At those words, a trace of darkness flickered in Lin Xin’er’s eyes. “But my father doesn’t approve of this marriage. He thinks my boyfriend’s career isn’t mature enough yet.” As she spoke, she looked up expectantly at the woman across from her. “So Ms. Zhang, you must help me pick out a diamond ring on my boyfriend’s behalf, one that will move my father.”

Ms. Zhang, a veteran in the business, understood immediately. She smiled professionally and said, “Don’t worry. I’ll definitely choose a ring worthy of Ms. Chen.”

Lin Xin’er nodded with satisfaction. “Thank you. Please contact me once you’ve made your selection.”

Ms. Zhang nodded, pulled out a business card, and handed it to Lin Xin’er. “This is my card. You can reach me anytime.”

Lin Xin’er glanced down. ‘Xingyao Jewelry, Marketing Department Manager— Zhang Yue.’

A faint, barely noticeable smile tugged at Lin Xin’er’s lips, though her expression remained full of grateful sincerity. “Thank you so much, Ms. Zhang.”

Leaving the VIP room, Lin Xin’er maintained the poised and gentle demeanor of a wealthy young lady. She stepped out of Xingyao Jewelry’s main doors and casually hailed a taxi.

“To Piaoxiang Café.”

Slumping into the backseat, Lin Xin’er shed all trace of her earlier ladylike demeanor.

The driver, receiving the address, began heading toward the café.

Lin Xin’er pulled out her phone and made a call. Her tone was identical to how Zhang Yue had just sounded, “Hello, Mr. Wang? This is Zhang Yue, the one who contacted you earlier. Yes, sorry to keep you waiting. Alright, I’ll be there shortly.”

She hung up and smiled faintly at her phone.

By the time she arrived at the café, it was already 3:30 p.m. In an inconspicuous corner, she spotted her target— Wang Wei.

Wang Wei was a young man in a black suit, hair immaculately styled.

Lin Xin’er sneered inwardly. He looked the part of a gentleman, but he was nothing more than a beast in a suit.

“Mr. Wang? I’m Zhang Yue.”

Lin Xin’er sat across from him and casually handed over the business card Zhang Yue had just given her.

Wang Wei glanced at it for a moment before giving a slight nod.

“As I mentioned before,” Lin Xin’er began, “if I weren’t desperate for cash, I’d never sell the ring at such a low price.”

Wang Wei didn’t respond. Instead, he took a sip of his coffee and asked, “I have a distant relative working at Xingyao Jewelry too, and she’s also in the marketing department. Her name’s Li Qian. Do you know how she’s doing?”

A flicker of something flashed in Lin Xin’er’s eyes. She looked at him and replied, “You must be mistaken, Mr. Wang. We don’t have anyone named Li Qian in our department.”

Wang Wei smiled, setting down his coffee cup. “Maybe I remembered wrong.”

Lin Xin’er smiled back. She had memorized every single name in Xingyao Jewelry’s employee directory.

“I’m willing to accept the price you offered. But I need to see the item first.”

“No problem. I’ll prepare the paperwork and get in touch with you again.”

When Lin Xin’er left Piaoxiang Café, it was precisely 4:00 p.m. She walked a short distance, then hailed another taxi to head home.

The car came to a stop in front of an ordinary residential complex. Lin Xin’er’s home was on the 21st floor. She opened the door and entered the apartment, clearly exhausted. There was no one inside, but on the sofa lay Ji Ting’s clothes— the same ones she had sent out for dry cleaning. It seemed Ji Ting had come back but gone out again for something.

Lin Xin’er opened the fridge and found only a single can of beer sitting there, lonely and cold.

Her outstretched hand hesitated for a moment, then she took the only can of beer anyway.

She walked into the bedroom and casually tossed her phone onto the table. Scattered across the table were seven or eight phones of different brands and models.

Sitting down in front of the computer, she took a sip of the chilled beer and let out a relaxed sigh.

After casting the net for so long, it was finally time to pull it in.

Lin Xin’er was, of course, not Zhang Yue, the jewelry store manager. She wasn’t some Ms. Chen either. She wasn’t getting married. In fact, she didn’t even have a boyfriend.

It was all just a scam.

Lin Xin’er had never known who her real parents were. Her adoptive parents had only ever told her that they picked her up off the street. Her family had been so poor that she dropped out after middle school. Then, one night, her adoptive parents vanished without a trace.

But Lin Xin’er didn’t resent them. After all, they weren’t her blood relatives, and they had raised her for so many years. That was already more than enough.

Since she couldn’t continue her education, she had to find a way to support herself. But what could she do? That question tormented her for a day— until she discovered a certain talent of hers, which was deception.

While other kids studied language and math, Lin Xin’er was learning the art of trickery and performance. While other kids developed well-rounded skills, she honed her abilities in swindling and deceit.

She knew lying went against morality, but aside from lying, Lin Xin’er truly had no other skills.

Her latest target, Wang Wei, was a scammer himself— a lowlife who specialized in deceiving naive young girls.

Lin Xin’er had heard of him for a long time. She finally came up with a plan to teach Wang Wei a lesson.

As soon as she opened the computer, the group chat from her middle school class started flashing non-stop.

【Ah Pei: First love, haven’t you woken up from your nap yet?】

【Cuihua: Can you be normal for once?】

【Ah Pei: Last night you were still calling someone ‘my sweetie’ and now you’re asking them to act normal in front of everyone……】

【Cuihua: →_→ Xiao Dai, look at your fellow patient. Aren’t you thrilled?】

【Xiao Dai: Dr. Ye, I need treatment. I just took an arrow to the knee.】

【Ye Long: Give up on treatment already~】

【Ah Pei: Dr. Ye’s a dentist. He can’t treat the arrow wound on your knee ╮(╯_╰)╭】

【Cuihua: ( ⊙ o ⊙) Yeye is a dentist?】

【Ye Long: No, Lao Lin is.】

【Ah Pei: Then what are you? Urology?】

【Ye Long: Gynecology.】

【Ah Pei: 0.0  I often feel like I’m a woman. When can you examine me?】

【Ye Long: Come in when you’ve got time. Don’t give up hope.】

Reading the chat, Lin Xin’er couldn’t help but smile helplessly. It had already been a year since they graduated college, yet everyone was as goofy as ever.

Her fingers danced quickly across the keyboard.

【Lao Lin: I’m here. Who was looking for me?】

【Xiao Dai: Reporting to Dr. Lin, we’ve got a lunatic over here. How do we handle it?】

【Lao Lin: Put them down humanely.】

【Xiao Dai: Roger that!】

【Ah Pei: You can’t do this to me! I’m pregnant with her baby!】

【Ye Long: ……Drag him out and shoot him for ten minutes!!!】

【Cuihua: Xin’er, what time do you leave for work every day?】

【Lao Lin: Work?】

【Cuihua: Don’t tell me you’re still in school?】

【Lao Lin: ……No, it’s just that I don’t have a fixed schedule.】

In the circle of her middle school classmates, Lin Xin’er’s identity was that of a dentist.

When she graduated middle school, she told everyone she was going to high school in another city. No one knew she had actually dropped out.

Over the years, she had ‘completed’ high school and college at the same time as them and had ‘become’ a dentist.

She had played this role perfectly, and even at reunions, she never slipped up.

After closing the chat window, Lin Xin’er downed the rest of her beer in one gulp and clicked into the romance novel she had been following lately.

Lin Xin’er normally didn’t read romance novels, but this one— 《All Splendor Fades》— was too entertaining to pass up.

Not because the plot was particularly fascinating, but because joining thousands of readers every day to roast the author in the comments was just too much fun.

It had become her daily ritual to unwind.

But when she clicked into 《All Splendor Fades》 today, she saw the status had changed to ‘Completed.’

The corner of her mouth twitched as she stared at the word count in the top right corner. Only 113,000 words?! Damn it! Had the author finally cracked under pressure from all the criticism and rushed the ending?

Lin Xin’er couldn’t accept it. How could the author take away the only joy in her life?

Grumbling, she clicked into the final chapter like always and patiently read through it.

And then she could only let out a hollow laugh.

Before the passionate love between the male and female protagonists could even spark, the female protagonist had been framed by the villainess and jumped off a cliff to her death?!

What the hell?! Did the author even consider the male protagonist’s feelings? Was he just there for background decoration?

Suppressing the rage bubbling in her chest, Lin Xin’er prepared to have a ‘chat’ with the author about life.

But no matter how she moved the mouse, it wouldn’t respond. Finally, the screen turned completely white.

A blinding flash of light made her squint, and she instinctively shut her eyes.

When she opened them again, a fierce-looking stranger stood before her.

But that wasn’t the scariest part. The scariest part was that the man was holding a knife— and the blade was buried in her body.

Lin Xin’er looked down at the dagger embedded in her abdomen, fresh blood trickling out from the wound.

She could no longer suppress the panic that had surged to her throat. With a scream, she shouted in terror, “Help!!! Someone’s being murdered!!!”

Robbin: This is the very first translation I did and I finally decided to transfer it here. The quality is poor so I’m re-editing it as I go. This won’t have advance chapters, but I have no fix schedule since I’m only squeezing this in with my current project. ฅ՞•ﻌ•՞ฅ