9

Cen Lingqiu considerately handed her a tissue.

Wen Zhi took the tissue, wiped her mouth, and curiously asked, "It's not the girl I'm thinking of, is it?"

"Mhm."

"You…" She frowned, not daring to believe it. "Did you go too far? How did you end up putting her in the hospital?"

"…"

Wen Zhi thought she had sent Yu Mingjiao to the hospital.

But she hadn't done anything.

"It's not what you think." Cen Lingqiu casually explained, "It was for other reasons."

Wen Zhi looked at her with suspicion.

Cen Lingqiu, feeling awkward under her gaze, changed the subject. "By the way, Wen Zhi, did you mention wanting to move last time?"

"Yeah, but I haven't found a place I like yet. Are you going to move in with me?"

"Sure, I'll find a place."

"Up to you, just don't choose somewhere too remote."

After returning from the hospital, Yu Mingjiao went back to her apartment.

Lying on her bed, she was still in a bit of a daze. She thought she would be trapped in that manor forever, dying there without ever returning to her home.

She had only been trapped in that massive tomb for just over a month, but it felt like an eternity.

Time moved too slowly in that place.

Amidst the haze, a sense of disbelief arose in her.

That she could leave so openly was actually because of Lin Qiu.

Yu Mingjiao lay among her dolls, wondering what that woman would feel when she found the hospital room empty.

Surprise? Rage? Regret at having given her the phone?

Whatever the reaction, it surely wouldn't be pleasant.

A bit of a shame, really, that she couldn't see it firsthand.

With half a month left until school started, Yu Mingjiao spent her days cooped up in her room, keeping the curtains tightly drawn, with only a small lamp lighting the space.

She didn't like darkness, but she also couldn't stand the bright sun.

Her body weak from the hospital stay, it took her almost two hours to return to her apartment, exhausting her completely. She fell asleep without even changing her clothes.

She didn't know how long she slept, but eventually, the heat woke her, and she opened her eyes.

She lay there dazed for a long time before getting up, rolling her wheelchair over to open the curtains.

It was already dark outside, and one by one, the streetlights were flickering on.

The neighborhood was quiet, with only a few people trickling home from work.

Her gaze was empty, unfocused.

When her hazy consciousness finally returned to her body, she slowly moved her wheelchair.

She drank some water, took a bath, and changed into pajamas.

After finishing everything, she sat on the sofa and looked at her phone.

From the time she had been trapped in the manor until now, no one had sent her a single message.

If she had really died in that manor, her body rotting away, no one would have known.

She turned off her phone and tossed it onto the coffee table, not touching it again.

Yu Mingjiao's life had fallen into a state of chaotic stagnation. She didn't like going out, didn't want to see anyone, and had no friends. She spent her days in her dark room, sleeping, drawing, and spacing out.

She called it sleeping, but she hardly slept.

Her insomnia was severe, and whenever she did manage to fall asleep, she had nightmares. It had been a long time since she had slept well.

She was very tired, but she couldn't sleep.

She glanced at the clock.

It was only just after 1 a.m.?

She didn't know how many days had passed since she returned from the hospital.

In these days, she hadn't spoken a word, and no one had come to see her. It was as if she had been isolated from the bustling world, building a dimension of her own.

In the manor, she had desperately wanted to return home, almost as if it were a fervent desire.

But now that she had left and come back home, she realized she wasn't as excited as she had thought she would be, nor did she feel any joy.

Yu Mingjiao seemed to have lost her ability to feel—no joy, no sadness, no hunger.

It wasn't that she was tired; Yu Mingjiao simply found everything meaningless.

She had deteriorated from the manor's madness into numb indifference.

But this was actually her normal state.

For twenty years, apart from drawing, she was merely a hollow shell.

The air conditioner was set too low.

Cold.

The room was so quiet.

The wound on her wrist hurt.

So lonely.

Yu Mingjiao curled her frail, sickly body into a ball, hiding among her dolls.

With no food or bandages left at home, Yu Mingjiao couldn't continue hiding in her apartment.

She put on a mask and hat, covering herself tightly, opened the door, and went downstairs to the supermarket. She bought her items quickly and returned to the apartment complex.

However, as she approached her building, her sharp eyes noticed a certain car.

A silver-gray Bentley.

She paused her wheelchair, staring straight at the car's license plate, her brows furrowing in a dark shadow.

Yu Mingjiao picked up her phone and dialed a number, her voice cold: "Hello."

When the elevator reached the 9th floor, Yu Mingjiao exited, raising her lashes to see the person she had expected.

A man was leaning against her door, looking at his phone. Hearing the sound of the elevator, he glanced over.

"Mingjiao." The man straightened up, tilting his head with a cold smile. "Long time no see."

Lin Dong.

Yu Mingjiao gripped the armrests tightly, her lips pressed firmly together, as waves of hatred and disgust surged within her.

Even though her revulsion for Lin Dong was strong enough to make her want to vomit, she showed only calm indifference on the surface.

Yu Mingjiao didn't look at him as she calmly passed by, using fingerprint recognition to open her door.

She didn't close the door behind her, entering the apartment on her own.

Lin Dong stepped in without hesitation, following her inside, his voice barely containing his anger.

"Mingjiao, why didn't you tell me you were leaving our home?"

"I just ate something." Yu Mingjiao kept a distance of over a meter from him, her deep, cold eyes fixing on him. "Don't disgust me."

Lin Dong laughed, "Mingjiao, your words really hurt."

Irritated, he ruffled his hair. "I just returned to the country today. As soon as I got off the plane, I went to the manor and found you were gone. Mingjiao, I'm really curious—how did you get out?"

With no communication devices, limited mobility, and surveillance, it should have been nearly impossible to escape.

Yu Mingjiao sneered, "You want to know?"

"Of course."

His toy had run away; naturally, he was angry.

But she didn't immediately answer him. Instead, she glanced at her phone, a slow smile forming on her lips.

His temper flaring, the man couldn't hold back anymore. He took a few large strides forward, gripping her shoulder with a cold voice, "Talk."

"You should ask your sister." Yu Mingjiao tilted her head, "I'm sure Lin Qiu will tell you."

"What do you mean—" Just as he was about to press further, heavy footsteps sounded at the door, and he turned his head.

Several police officers approached, showing their badges to the man. "Mr. Lin, we have received reports accusing you of intentional kidnapping. Please come with us to confirm the situation."

Lin Dong realized what was happening and sharply looked at Yu Mingjiao.

Yu Mingjiao gave him a cold, fake smile, even tilting her head innocently as if mocking his stupidity.

It dawned on Lin Dong that Yu Mingjiao had allowed him to enter on purpose. Normally, she wouldn't have let him set foot inside her home.

So, she had planned this. She had been waiting for him.

She must have reported to the police after leaving the manor, then waited for him to return to the country, stalling him until the police arrived.

Lin Dong had underestimated her cunning.

The man was taken away by the police. They asked Yu Mingjiao some related questions and told her to come by the station the next day to make a formal statement. After that, they left, kindly closing the door behind them.

The living room fell silent again.

Yu Mingjiao went to the bathroom to change her clothes, feeling that the clothes he had touched were filthy.

After changing, she began re-bandaging her wrist, thinking about what had just happened.

After leaving the hospital, she had gone to the police.

A month ago, she had returned to her old home to retrieve something. Her old home was in an alley, in a remote location. That night, as she walked through the alley to head back to the city, a car suddenly blocked her path. Before she could react, something hit the back of her head.

Just before losing consciousness, she saw the car's license plate.

When she woke up again, she was already in the manor.

She knew this was Lin Dong's doing.

She had memorized the license plate number, and after being discharged, she reported it to the police along with the scabbed-over wound on her forehead.

Although there were no cameras in the alley, the police had pulled footage from other places, tracked down the car owner, and the rest was straightforward.

Lin Dong came from a powerful family with hidden influence. He might get off quickly—Yu Mingjiao could predict that.

But it didn't matter. All she wanted was to make Lin Dong suffer a bit, and more importantly, to ruin Lin Qiu's day.

Lin Qiu would probably hate her even more now.

Would she come to question her?

She definitely would.

After all, Lin Qiu adored her brother, but her stupidity had allowed Yu Mingjiao to carry out her plan, putting her dear brother in a ridiculous and humiliating position.

Yu Mingjiao sat in her wheelchair, covering her face with both hands, hiding her dark, crazed eyes.

She was really looking forward to seeing that woman's enraged expression.

You have to come, Lin Qiu.

Cen Lingqiu had been quite busy these past few days. On one hand, she was moving house, and on the other, the male lead had gotten into trouble and was being held at the police station.

Cen Lingqiu went to see him, only to be bombarded with questions.

Mostly, he asked why Yu Mingjiao had left the manor—whether it was her doing.

Cen Lingqiu pretended to be deaf, ignoring him. Eventually, she got fed up and stopped visiting, leaving the matter to the lawyers.

To be honest, she was hoping the male lead would stay there for a while, so he wouldn't bother the female lead so much.

But that wasn't realistic. After all, he was the male lead of this world, and the plot had to continue.

Still, Cen Lingqiu deliberately stalled for a few days. When the original host's parents and grandfather found out, they took action, and the male lead was finally released.

However, the old man was furious and gave him a beating with a golf club, ordering him to reflect on his actions in the study for a while.

The male lead was terrified of the old man and had no choice but to comply.

By the time everything was resolved, the summer had cooled a bit.

And university had started.

After Lin Dong was taken by the police, he didn't come looking for Yu Mingjiao again, nor did Cen Lingqiu. In fact, Yu Mingjiao hadn't seen her since leaving the hospital. Originally, she thought Cen Lingqiu would confront her over her brother's situation, but it was as if she had disappeared.

Yu Mingjiao continued her dismal life.

Classes were dull too. One afternoon, she finished early and returned home, only to find the corridor cluttered with various pieces of furniture, with movers constantly bringing them into the apartment opposite hers.

Yu Mingjiao wasn't interested in her new neighbors, but the items were blocking her way.

Expressionless, she said, "You're in the way, uncle."

A mover responded quickly, "Sorry about that, miss. I'll move it right away."

He hurriedly moved the box in front of Yu Mingjiao, but it was overfilled, and something fell out. She looked down.

It was a box of candies.

The candies seemed familiar to her. After a moment, she realized they were just like the ones Cen Lingqiu had given her last time.

Her new neighbor had terrible taste.

But it was just a box of candies, so Yu Mingjiao didn't think much of it. She picked it up and intended to leave it at their door for them to bring inside.

As she placed it on the ground, a tattooed hand picked up the box. "Thanks."

Wen Zhi looked up and locked eyes with Yu Mingjiao for a few seconds.

"Holy—"

Wen Zhi couldn't help but exclaim.

Yu Mingjiao was unfazed, uninterested in her sudden reaction. She nodded casually and turned back to her door, unlocking it and closing it behind her.

Leaving Wen Zhi staring in shock at the opposite door.

Wasn't that Yu Mingjiao?

Wen Zhi had seen her from afar before, her striking beauty leaving a deep impression.

Wasn't this the girl Lin Qiu hated and constantly bullied?

And she lived right across from them.

What was Lin Qiu thinking, choosing this apartment?

Wen Zhi quickly messaged Cen Lingqiu.

Cen Lingqiu's response was brief.

[Oh, I know.]

Wen Zhi typed back rapidly.

[?? Babe, what do you mean you know?]

[Busy, talk later.]

Wen Zhi was left speechless by her curt reply.

What kind of reaction was that?

Cen Lingqiu had just finished an interpretation session and was driving home.

Today was her first day moving into Xi'er Apartments. It had taken quite a bit of effort to secure a place directly across from Yu Mingjiao.

She had specifically chosen this apartment to be closer to Yu Mingjiao.

Her self-destructive tendencies were still between eighty and ninety percent. According to the system's requirements, she had to bring them down to below twenty percent to complete the task.

To ensure the mission's success, Cen Lingqiu decided it was best to keep a close eye on her.

The female lead's birthday was in winter. As long as she could safely see her through her birthday, her task would be complete.

And only by getting closer to the female lead could Cen Lingqiu figure out the root of her self-destruction and tear it apart.

Cen Lingqiu parked her car, then for some reason, glanced up at the rooftop.

The apartment buildings weren't very tall, the highest only ten stories.

From where she stood, she could see part of the rooftop. She vaguely made out a figure up there, though it was too high to see clearly. All she could discern was a dark silhouette, like someone sitting in a chair.

Black, a chair.

Long black hair, a wheelchair, and a high rooftop.

Cen Lingqiu frowned.

Was it her?

She didn't dwell on it, preferring to see for herself.

Cen Lingqiu took the elevator to the rooftop, quickly unlocking the door.

The rooftop was simple—mostly open space surrounded by railings, with a few clotheslines holding white shirts and girls' dresses.

The sky was tinged with orange, like dye spreading through water, and the sunset had yet to fully engulf the daylight. The horizon still held a deep blue.

The last light before nightfall fell upon the rooftop, swallowing the figure of a girl with black hair and a white dress, turning her into a vividly colored painting.

It seemed she sensed something.

The girl suddenly turned her head.

The wind stirred her long black hair, and her white dress fluttered slightly, like a lotus swaying in the breeze.

Perhaps surprised, the girl's calm eyes widened slightly, her hand still gripping the paintbrush.

Behind her, the sky was a wash of orange.

Cen Lingqiu stood at the door, still slightly out of breath, her gaze fixed on Yu Mingjiao, unable to look away for a long time.

"Lin Qiu?" Yu Mingjiao spoke first, her brief surprise quickly returning to a cold demeanor.

"Are you painting?" Cen Lingqiu walked over, noticing the painting on the easel.

Yu Mingjiao questioned, "What are you doing here?"

After a moment's thought, she realized, "Ah, you're upset about what happened to your brother, so you're here for revenge?"

"No." Cen Lingqiu touched the easel, feeling the dampness. "I saw someone on the rooftop from below and thought it might be you, so I ran up."

"Me?" She was puzzled.

"Mhm."

Cen Lingqiu's gaze was calm.

Yu Mingjiao took a moment to understand what Cen Lingqiu meant.

When she did, she found it amusing.

She sneered, her lips twitching: "You think… I was going to kill myself, so you rushed up here to save me?"

Cen Lingqiu raised an eyebrow, humming in agreement.

She's crazy.

Yu Mingjiao's face twisted into a more pronounced sneer. This wasn't what she had expected. She had been looking forward to Cen Lingqiu's ridiculous and angry reaction, like a clown who had lost its red nose.

But not this concern for her well-being. This "good person" act didn't fit.

It made Yu Mingjiao unable to understand her.

She feared this uncertainty, as if it might pull her into a deep, dark lake where she couldn't see the terrifying creatures lurking below.

"But you—" Cen Lingqiu suddenly leaned in, bringing her face close. Yu Mingjiao instinctively backed away.

"You've gotten so skinny," Cen Lingqiu finished her sentence.

Yu Mingjiao coldly replied, "That's none of your business."

Cen Lingqiu shook her head, "Too skinny, not attractive anymore."

Yu Mingjiao had always been thin, but in just over ten days, she had lost even more weight.

Her collarbones were sharply defined, her chin tapering to a small point, her skin pale, and her eyes darker than ever.

Only her hair seemed to have grown longer.

It was clear she hadn't been eating properly—likely going hungry for days at a time.

Low appetite was also a sign of self-destructive tendencies.

Yu Mingjiao had no desire to live, so naturally, she had no interest in eating. Food held no appeal for her.

Cen Lingqiu, on the other hand, loved good food. Perhaps it was because, in her past life, she was often hungry—her grandmother always gave the best food to her grandson, leaving her with little.

So, later on, she developed a unique love for food. She enjoyed the comfort that good food could bring, one of her few interests.

The satisfaction of taste could warm a person.

She wondered if this desire could work for Yu Mingjiao, if it might make her a bit happier, reduce her self-destructive tendencies.

Cen Lingqiu wanted to try.