Chapter 1

Failed to win over the male lead, I'm about to be removed.

Yet, I found out that the security guard who is the male lead is actually the owner of that building.

When I asked him to lend me money for treatment, he thought I was vain.

As he wished, I died in extreme pain.

He panicked and brought a suitcase full of cash to burn at my grave.

But I will never come back.

1

Nine years and ten months of trying to win over Lucas Grant, the system issued a warning. Two months left; if I can't succeed, I'll be removed today two months later.

I asked the system, what is the current favorability rating?

System: "Eighty-eight percent."

From the day I started dating Lucas Grant, the favorability stayed at eighty-eight percent, for four years, it hasn't changed. I thought if I continued to be unconditionally good to him, I could raise the favorability to a hundred percent within a year, but I was wrong. During this time, not only did it not increase, there was a subtle trend of it decreasing.

"So what is the method of removal?"

The system was silent for a few seconds: "It's a surprise."

The next second, my phone rang; last week's physical examination by the unit came out, the doctor asked me to go to the hospital.

The moment I saw the exam sheet, it was a big surprise.

Bone cancer, late stage.

I sat opposite the doctor, spending some time digesting this huge surprise, the doctor showed sympathy and told me to go home and discuss with my family, to come treat it early.

I asked the system: "If I succeed in the next two months, will the bone cancer be cured?"

The system said it would.

Truly a miraculous cure.

2

Walking out of the hospital, the doctor asked me to discuss with family, but I have no family; I was hit by a car and came to this world.

The system told me as long as I succeed, I can go back.

In this world, I'm called Evelyn Hayes, an orphan, and the protagonist Lucas Grant was a high school and college classmate.

Lucas Grant was shocked to meet me on the university campus, thinking it was a coincidence, but actually I exchanged points for a chance to see his choices, enrolled in the same university, same major.

I took out my phone, wanted to call Lucas Grant, then recalled he recently said he was seen by his captain answering my call during work which led to a salary deduction, and put the phone back to go directly to his workplace.

Lucas Grant and I attended just an ordinary second-tier college, the major being quite common, Business English.

So after graduating, for a long time, neither of us could find a job.

To save money, we rented a small single room together; later he told me he found a job as a security guard in a building, with a monthly salary of four thousand.

Nowadays many college students become security guards, easy to find on short video apps, I didn't say anything, expressed my support.

Soon I also found a job in a startup as an operational role, the whole company had only three people, me, the boss, and a cleaning lady.

The boss was generous, eight thousand monthly plus social insurance and housing fund.

Arriving at the company downstairs, Lucas Grant wasn't in the security hall, my calls were unanswered.

Coincidentally I was hungry too, so I went to the convenience store downstairs and bought a rice ball.

3

Waiting for the clerk to heat, I sat on a high stool, gazing outside through the glass.

In front parked a Maybach S680, costing several million, Lucas Grant previously saw it roadside and expertly gave me explanations.

After the rice ball heated, I took it, yet in the turning moment, I lost strength in my legs, unable to move.

A few days ago, Lucas Grant had just cut his hair short, now wearing a fitted shirt and trousers, with a dark blue suit draped over his arm.

The moment he got out and tidied his clothes, every gesture exuded elegance.

He clearly looked identical to Lucas Grant, but I dared not acknowledge him.

Shortly, a man in security guard attire jogged over, handed Lucas Grant a set of security clothes, he nodded, spoke something, then got back into the car with the clothes.

I asked the system: "Does Lucas Grant have any brothers?"

System: "That seems to be Lucas Grant."

The rice ball in my hands suddenly lost flavor because I was busy mentally cursing the system and Lucas Grant's ancestors.

One remained silent, one pretended to be poor and deceived me.

In the whole story, I'm just an innocent cabbage, a pawn in the strategy game.

Just then a white-collar worker walked by, dressed in professional attire, with a work badge hanging from her neck, reading, President's Office.

"Hello, is beside you occupied?"

When I first came in the store was empty, I casually put my bag on the stool beside.

Quickly I moved it: "No, no."

"Thank you."

The white-collar lady sat next to me, seeing me stare at Lucas Grant's car, started conversing.

"Handsome, right? That's our boss's son, this car reportedly costs over four million, I could never afford it in my lifetime."

I nodded, indeed handsome, both person and car.

My feelings now were complicated, recalling past experiences, suddenly realizing why my favorability rate stayed stuck at eighty-eight percent.

The day Lucas Grant told me he found a job, I specially went to the outlet to buy a brand-name shirt, costing over four thousand.

But he only glanced, placed it aside, never wearing it, I asked why he wouldn't wear.

He said: "Such expensive clothes, must be worn on important days."

I saw his usual clothes, deliberately cut off tags, thinking it was his pride at work, not wanting others to see low-cost clothes.

Thinking now, maybe afraid I'd discover his identity as a wealthy second generation.

4

Returning home, Lucas Grant hasn't come back, I filed the check-up report into a drawer, locked with a key, and collapsed on the sofa playing with my phone.

The sofa cover I just washed days ago, still carried a pleasant cool fragrance.

That day was a sunny one, after the sofa cover dried, Lucas Grant and I fitted it onto the sofa, hugged together, collapsed on top.

At that moment, I had an illusion he had a two hundred percent favorability for me.

Sudden knee pain, bone cancer symptoms began to manifest.

I curled up on the sofa, cold sweat dripping.

System: "Host, would you like to use points to alleviate pain?"

I raised my hand, hammered my knee twice heavily, asking: "How many points do I have left?"

"One thousand, alleviating pain costs five hundred points per instance, sustaining for a whole day."

Two months before removal, enduring countless pains; these points better be saved.

Key noises from the door, Lucas Grant returned.

Dressed in the security uniform.

I endured the pain, sat up properly, looking at him.

Lucas Grant removed the jacket, revealing a well-fitted white shirt underneath.

"What for dinner?"

He asked me.

"Make it yourself, I ate outside tonight."

I looked at him expressionlessly.

Lucas Grant appeared distressed hearing this, came closer, pinched my face.

"I'm working so hard, are you planning to starve me?"

I turned my face, broke free from his hand: "Is it really that tiring?"

Lucas Grant paused, immediately reacted, nodding emphatically.

"It really is, standing guard nearly kills me with exhaustion."

Looking at his watery eyes, usually only feeling heartache, but now knowing the whole truth, suddenly I'm very tired.

"Aren't you standing right in front of me? You're not dying."

Clearly, I'm the one who's dying.

"My leg hurts, I'm going to sleep now. Remember to shower."

I got up, stopped looking at him, and walked into the bedroom.

5

It was Monday the next day, and I went to work as usual.

My boss is also a rich second generation; her family gave her some money to start her own business after she graduated.

It was almost noon when my boss finally drove her pink sports car to the office.

"Evelyn, order whatever you want to eat."

Madison Burke tossed her phone to me.

There were just the two of us in the company; the cleaning lady usually started in the afternoon, so for lunch, we typically just ordered takeout together with whatever we wanted to eat.

I ordered a light rice noodle dish and handed her phone back.

Madison ordered a spicy rice noodle dish, opened her computer, and started playing the latest trendy Korean drama, and we watched while we ate.

Madison's family made their wealth from coal mining, what's commonly known as nouveau riche, yet she showed none of the arrogance typical of nouveau riche and never treated me like an employee, more like a friend.

"By the way, did you get your health check-up report? Don't forget it."

Gosh, of all the things to bring up, she had to bring up that one; I slurped the noodles off my chopsticks.

"I went to get it yesterday, it's terminal cancer."

Madison rolled her eyes. "Hurry, knock on wood, don't talk nonsense."

I showed her the photo of the report on my phone.

"Seriously, I'm not lying."

She still couldn't believe it, taking the phone to zoom in with two fingers, trying to find some Photoshop traces.

After putting down the phone, her eyes were red.

"Does it hurt? I heard cancer is very painful."

I put down my chopsticks to comfort her.

"Not too painful, don't cry, better start hiring another employee, if I'm not around someday, your company might go bankrupt."

"Where am I going to find such a cost-effective employee like you? You should be getting treatment, why are you still coming to work?"

So, my only advantage is being cost-effective?

I'm the one who's sick, but it's my boss who's crying a river.

"It's all your fault, you've ruined my mood, you're coming shopping with me this afternoon!"

Drying her tears, Madison commanded.

6

After lunch, I took out my phone to start searching for a cemetery. Since the system cleared me, I can't go back, so I can only become a pile of ashes. I lived in a tiny room while alive; when dead, I should at least buy a good place.

These years I've been saving, thinking about buying more things for Lucas Grant to increase his favorability.

So, I only have tens of thousands in savings.

When we got to the mall, Madison looped her arm through mine, and we walked into a luxury brand's specialty store.

She's an old customer, so as soon as the sales associate saw her, they came to greet her and led us into the VIP room.

The new clothes and bags were laid out like cabbages at the market; I couldn't afford them, so I just quietly ate the free desserts.

"Lucas, do you think this dress looks good?"

A delicate girl's voice came from the other side of the wall.

My hand paused for two seconds holding the fork, ears pricked up to listen to the movements outside.

"If you like it, then buy it."

A familiar voice, it was my boyfriend, Lucas Grant.

"I think both colors are nice."

Lucas's tone was indifferent: "Then buy both colors."

The sales associate outside was excited; after they all left, I went out and asked, "What did those two customers just buy?"

The associate thought I wanted to buy too and took a jacket off the rack.

"That young lady just bought this one; it's the last one in our store."

I glanced at the tag, more than eighty thousand.

Looked a couple more times, still more than eighty thousand.

7

Dejectedly, I hung the clothes back and prepared to return to the VIP room.

"Phew, found you, Lucas, you're so clumsy!"

Upon hearing the familiar voice, I instinctively turned around, only to lock eyes with Lucas a few steps away.

Today, he was wearing a casual hoodie, tall and upright, the buzz cut exuding a rebellious aura.

When he saw me, a trace of panic flashed in his eyes.

The girl picked up another brand's shopping bag from the floor and walked toward Lucas.

I curled up a mocking smile and made eye contact with him.

"Wait a moment, I ran into an acquaintance."

Lucas gently said to the girl with his head down.

Suddenly, I felt that the person in front of me was very strange, it seemed I never truly understood him.

Ten years of knowing each other, countless hugs and kisses, and I'm just an acquaintance.

"She's my boss's daughter, I'm accompanying her shopping, don't be mad."

Even at this moment, he's still lying to me.

Does he really think I can't see that he's covered in luxury brands, truly treating me like some country bumpkin?

After standing for a while, my knee started to hurt intensely again. I quietly adjusted my stance to maintain an imposing presence.

"Okay, I'm not blind, are those clothes on you also bought by the boss? Lucas, stop pretending, it's really pointless."

"Or should I call you Young Master Grant? Do you find tricking poor people like me amusing?"

The more I spoke, the more ridiculous it sounded; those moments of eating at street stalls and shopping in wholesale markets together now became incredibly ironic. I was like a clown, while Lucas was a distinguished audience member.

"I'll explain to you when we get back tonight. Stop making a scene."

My heart felt a pang of bitterness; having his lies uncovered, he still felt it was me making a fuss.

I stopped looking at him and turned back to the VIP room.

The dessert on the table was replenished, I took two large bites, unwilling to think anymore.

Madison bought three bags, five dresses, and even several bracelets.

When paying, she took out a pearl bracelet and put it on my wrist.

"This is for you."

I didn't refuse; I didn't have many friends in this world, always focused on completing the task, probably having to trouble Madison later to handle my affairs after death.

"Host, what did you just do? Lucas's affection for you suddenly dropped to seventy percent."

"I exposed him, probably hit a nerve."

Before, I didn't want to expose Lucas because I still had a bit of hope for him, thinking maybe someday his favorability would increase, but at that moment, I felt suddenly disheartened. Rather than waiting for a pathological liar to have a change of heart, I might as well find a better cemetery plot sooner.

8

That night after going home, I packed up my things. When we rented this place, I paid the rent, and Lucas covered the utilities. I felt bad for him standing guard and took on more household chores.

Sure enough, pitying a man brings bad luck for life.

The place was small, and there weren't many things, but I took a picture of that over-four-thousand shirt and listed it on a second-hand website; as for the cheaper items, probably no one would want them, so I tossed them all into the trash.

When Lucas came back, he saw a lot of things missing from the home.

"What exactly are you trying to do?" Lucas looked furious.