After more than ten hours of extreme flight time.

Upon arrival, it was evening in Los Angeles, with a bright moon and sparse stars. Shi Sui looked up at the deep blue sky. In this moment, she felt as if she were in another lifetime.

She suddenly returned to the dormitory. Her roommate, who had just finished a party in the dorm yesterday, came out rubbing her eyes. Seeing her at the door, she exclaimed in surprise in English: “Lily, how come you’re back?”

Shi Sui pushed her suitcase through the door, briefly answering: “I just suddenly wanted to come back.”

After undergraduate graduation, Mihuizi had returned to China, and Luna was Shi Sui’s new roommate during graduate school – a queen of the social scene who loved throwing parties.

Because of this, when Shi Sui opened her room door and saw wine bottles and game cards scattered everywhere, she helplessly paused at the doorway.

“Oh, sorry.” Luna rushed in to pick up the bottles, but her hands weren’t steady, and half a bottle of unfinished wine spilled on the floor again.

“Sorry,” Luna repeated, “sorry…”

Shi Sui wearily waved her hand: “It’s fine, I’ll clean it up.”

After the exhausting journey, she hadn’t closed her eyes for a day and a night.

After cleaning up all the mess, she was utterly exhausted.

Shi Sui didn’t even make the bed, just lay straight down on the carpet, closed her eyes, and fell into a deep sleep.

When she woke up again, bright daylight was streaming through the window, warm sunshine falling on her cheeks.

The dormitory was very quiet. Probably to avoid disturbing her, Luna had left early.

Looking at the time, it was almost noon. Shi Sui had slept for more than ten hours.

Pressing her dizzy head as she sat up, Shi Sui looked around.

This small dormitory where she had lived for almost three years wasn’t large, basically just fitting a bed, a desk, and a small window by the bed that always let in sunlight.

Shi Sui hadn’t slept this well in a long time.

Every part of the new house in Hangzhou was exquisitely decorated, embodying her parents’ hard work.

But in comparison, she hadn’t slept as deeply there as she did here.

After spacing out for a while, Shi Sui finally turned on her phone, which had been on do-not-disturb mode.

Before boarding the plane, Shi Sui had messaged her parents, not mentioning returning to school but using the excuse of traveling abroad.

The two were confused.

Li Yin asked in the group chat: [Why do you suddenly want to travel abroad?]

Shi Sui replied: [I wanted a spontaneous trip]

Li Yin: [When will you be back? Is Xiao Li going with you?]

Shi Sui selectively answered: [We’ll see]

Seeing the message, Li Yin helplessly looked at Shi Yue: “This girl is becoming more and more willful.”

“She’s all grown up, let her be.” Shi Yue said with infinite indulgence.

Ever since learning that Shi Sui and Yan Tingli had been dating for five years and were even at the stage of discussing marriage, both felt somewhat dazed.

Yes, Suisui was no longer a child. After three years abroad alone, she had grown into an adult more independent than themselves.

After replying to her parents, Shi Sui held her breath for a moment before scrolling down to look at Yan Tingli’s chat window.

It was empty.

He hadn’t sent her anything.

Shi Sui’s chest didn’t relax because of this, instead being filled with an even more anxious emotion.

After pondering for a long time, she suddenly remembered something and found Gao Linhan’s chat window. After typing and deleting for a while: [Are you busy today?]

He replied after a long time, with the typical deadened feeling of office work: [We’re busy every day]

That was good.

Shi Sui replied: [Then go ahead and be busy]

But Gao Linhan’s character never collapsed – even when busy, he never forgot to gossip: [You and Brother Yan, are you getting married?]

Was Yan Tingli planning to announce it to the whole world? Shi Sui sneered.

Perhaps the free air of America gave Shi Sui back her confidence, and for the first time she replied crudely: [Marriage my ass]

Huh? Didn’t Yan Tingli say this morning that he was leaving for a few days to get married and have a honeymoon?

Almost as soon as Yan Tingli mentioned leaving, the entire technical department was suppressing their excitement, just short of throwing a party to celebrate.

God knows how high-pressure and terrifying it was to work under Yan Tingli.

Yan Tingli’s intelligence and reaction ability were on a completely different dimension from ordinary people. Even though they were already elite among elites, trying to keep up with his thinking was exhausting to the point of death.

When work wasn’t done well, Yan Tingli’s upbringing meant he wouldn’t scold, but being swept by his half-smiling, indifferent gaze and feeling the contempt from a higher dimension was worse than being yelled at.

Now that Yan Tingli wasn’t there, what was the difference from having a vacation?

Seeing Shi Sui’s reply like this, Gao Linhan’s excitement froze for a second.

Another fight?

No! You absolutely must get married!

He hurriedly tapped the screen with his question: [But didn’t Brother Yan say—]

Halfway through typing, a gentle voice suddenly came from behind: “Having a good chat?”

Gao Linhan shuddered violently, his phone dropped to the floor with a “clatter.” He turned his chair to face Yan Tingli’s smiling eyes, looking at him.

“Cough, Brother Yan.”

Yan Tingli’s gaze slowly fell on the phone on the floor.

Gao Linhan immediately understood, picked it up, and scrolled through the screen in front of Yan Tingli.

They had only exchanged a few messages.

Yan Tingli stared coldly for a long time.

Someone’s knuckles rested on the back of his chair. Gao Linhan sensed him leaning closer, as if drilling the next words into his brain: “If she asks you, just say I’m at the company.”

“Understand?”

Although he didn’t know why, Gao Linhan had never had much principle: “Understood, understood.”

On this end, Shi Sui looked at her phone thoughtfully.

It seemed Yan Tingli was very busy recently and hadn’t discovered she had left yet.

Shi Sui bit into a hamburger, squinting at the sun outside the window, just about to breathe a sigh of relief.

On the screen, Yan Tingli’s chat window jumped with a new message: [Mom and Dad said you went traveling. Where did you go to play?]

Shi Sui stared at this message for a long time, her brain taking forever to process it.

The conversation was just too normal.

So normal that it seemed like she had just gone out to play for a few days, and Yan Tingli, having heard the news, casually asked about it.

Not knowing what trick he was playing now.

Shi Sui turned off her phone expressionlessly without replying.

The days back in California brought peace to Shi Sui’s heart.

She rested for several days straight, watching shows after waking up and resting late at night. There was no complicated workplace to attend, and no 3.0 monitoring her every moment.

Everything was so comfortable.

Shi Sui would occasionally secretly ask Gao Linhan for news, and the answers were all similar – Yan Tingli seemed to be at work, doing nothing unusual.

This made Shi Sui feel both strange and subtly uneasy.

But she had come with a go-for-broke mentality anyway.

If Yan Tingli wanted to do something, she couldn’t stop him anyway. Better to stay far away and give up struggling. At this distance, it would be more effort for him to come over.

After finishing her shows that evening, Shi Sui was contentedly preparing to sleep. Just as she closed her eyes, her phone buzzed.

Shi Sui frowned, habitually going to turn on do-not-disturb, but when she saw the message on screen, she suddenly sat up straight in bed, staring directly at what Yan Tingli had just sent: [Suisui, how about September 6th? The almanac says it’s very auspicious.]

What about September 6th? How about what? The day after tomorrow would be September 6th in China time. What did he want to do?

A bunch of question marks popped up in Shi Sui’s mind.

At this moment, a new message appeared on screen: [As our wedding anniversary]

Psycho!

Shi Sui irritably tapped the screen: [In your dreams!]

After replying, she threw her phone aside, lay down on the pillow, and forced herself to sleep.

This sleep was rather light, and Shi Sui woke up early in the morning.

Just as she opened her room door, she saw Luna coming back from outside, yawning and wearing Harley Quinn makeup.

Seeing Shi Sui, Luna’s yawn was cut in half: “Did I wake you up?”

“No, I woke up by myself.” Shi Sui looked at her curiously. “Where did you go?”

“The school’s cosplay party!” Speaking of this, Luna said excitedly, “It’s jointly organized by the dance and music clubs, right in the school auditorium. So many people play there every night.”

Shi Sui, who had been going between the apartment and the cafeteria daily, really didn’t know about this.

“Lily, if you keep staying in your room, even the Los Angeles sun won’t prevent you from getting moldy.” Luna said in an exaggerated tone, “Why don’t you come play with me?”

Shi Sui blinked, somewhat tempted by what she said.

After resting for so many days, her body was indeed too sluggish and needed some activity.

Moreover, she wasn’t sure if Yan Tingli would appear out of nowhere and come directly to her apartment. Comparatively, participating in activities would be safer.

“Then let’s go together tonight.” Shi Sui agreed.

Luna yawned again: “Okay, but let me sleep first.”

Luna had extremely vigorous energy – five hours of sleep could make her fully revived.

When she woke up and saw Shi Sui still in her nightgown watching shows, she said “oh”: “You’re planning to go to the cosplay party like this?”

Shi Sui realized: “Does everyone have to cosplay?”

“What’s fun about not cosplaying?” Luna pulled her along, saying excitedly, “Come with me, I have an outfit that’s perfect for you.”

“Ta-da!” Luna pulled out an elaborate white dress with intricate work and a veil from her messy cosplay costumes.

Shi Sui looked at the red “bloodstains” in the center of the dress and asked in surprise: “What is this cosplaying?”

“A vampire bride!” Luna poked her head out from behind the dress, giving a thumbs up, “Very suitable for you.”

“Why?” Shi Sui was puzzled.

“Your eyes are very dark, and your hair is black too.” Luna said, “Very atmospheric.”

Shi Sui thought about how black had an ominous symbolic meaning in the West, and vampires in movies and TV always used such elements.

Although she didn’t like this symbolism, she respected local cultures and said nothing.

“Oh right,” Luna picked up another set of a sexy red dress – the suspender stockings angel character she would cosplay today, “Lily, can you help me with makeup?”

Shi Sui, with her art background, could naturally handle complex cosplay makeup easily. She smiled and agreed.

This makeup session lasted almost until dark before Shi Sui finished dressing both herself and Luna.

Luna was generous with praise: “You’re the most beautiful vampire bride tonight.”

“And I’m the most beautiful, sexy angel.”

Shi Sui looked at her and smiled.

To fit the character, she deliberately used the whitest foundation, making her entire face exceptionally pale, with realistic bloodstains at the corners of her lips.

At the very center of the dress, at chest level, were deliberately printed bloodstains.

Shi Sui looked in the mirror – this appearance combined with a deathly expression was indeed somewhat eerie at first glance.

The party started at eight in the evening.

Shi Sui didn’t attend large parties often, so she looked around curiously.

The venue was large, with dynamic music and lighting. Various classic characters moved about, each dancing and swaying to the music. The whole scene was extremely exciting.

Luna was a social expert who knew countless people.

As soon as they entered, fresh faces came up to greet them.

Seeing Shi Sui beside her, they were generous with praise: “Oh, you’re the most suitable vampire bride I’ve ever seen.”

Shi Sui smiled back gladly.

It had to be said that occasionally participating in this type of activity and socializing was indeed relaxing.

After moving around the venue with Luna for a few rounds, Shi Sui suggested she rest for a while.

The high heels she was wearing today were also Luna’s and didn’t fit properly. Finding a quiet spot to sit, Shi Sui unconsciously took out her phone to scroll.

Then she saw the latest message that popped up on WeChat, from Yan Tingli: [I see you, my little bride]

Shi Sui’s fingertips trembled as she jerked her head up.

But at this moment, the music throughout the venue became louder and more frenzied, the lighting more dazzling, and more and more people crowded in. Accompanied by the overwhelming cheers and screams throughout the venue, the atmosphere reached its climax.

Trying to find Yan Tingli among so many people in strange costumes was almost impossible.

At the same time, many cosplay partners appeared before Shi Sui, inviting her to take photos.

Her appearance today was eye-catching enough. Various “Captain Americas,” “Spider-Mans,” and “Deadpools” came forward to interact. Shi Sui barely managed to respond.

But her gaze drifted among the crowd.

After refusing this “Spider-Man’s” request for a cheek kiss, Shi Sui was preparing to get up and leave when suddenly there was an amazed gasp from the crowd.

A male voice, clear and thin as snow, cold and pleasant, with an inherently noble British accent: “My immortal bride, do you await me in the shadows?”

When Yan Tingli walked over, the crowd automatically made way for him, but their gazes followed his movement.

He wore the most ordinary mask distributed at the venue, only revealing his cold white jawline and lips that appeared particularly dark red in the dim light.

Yan Tingli wore only the most ordinary black suit from his wardrobe, with a dark red pigeon blood brooch pinned to his lapel.

But he was tall with a slender, straight posture.

Walking over unhurriedly, he looked like a medieval aristocratic vampire.

Even Shi Sui couldn’t look away for a moment, even feeling her heart beating in sync with his approaching footsteps.

Until Yan Tingli half-knelt in front of her.

Before Shi Sui could react, her calf was grasped by cool knuckles, and she felt the touch of a metal chain on her leg again.

Her eyelashes trembled.

Watching him unhurriedly fasten that ankle chain with the tracker back on her, a surge of anger rose in her heart. Her foot in high heels immediately tried to kick at him, but Yan Tingli seemed to anticipate her movement and removed her high heel first.

The next second, amid everyone’s screaming cheers, Shi Sui felt her body lighten as he scooped her up with one arm, his other hand smoothly hooking the ill-fitting high heels.

“I’ve come to take my bride home.”

He held her tightly – Shi Sui definitely couldn’t break free. Noticing the camera flashes around them, she was both embarrassed and annoyed, finally burying her flushed face in his chest.

Only Yan Tingli’s chest resonated with calm, confident laughter.

At least he knew shame enough to wear a mask.

But what about her???

Shi Sui glared back at him angrily, and where no one could see, pinched his lower back hard with her fingers.

Yan Tingli carried her out of the venue. As the distant noise gradually faded, he threw off his mask, the pretended smile disappeared, and his gaze finally became the icy coldness of someone ready to settle accounts.

Shi Sui was thrown into the back seat of the car.

Her chin was lifted, his lips turned down as his fingertips rubbed her lips somewhat roughly, trying to wipe away the bloodstains deliberately painted at the corners of her mouth for realism.

Shi Sui was displeased and bit him: “What are you doing? It hurts.”

Yan Tingli’s expression was indifferent: “Wipe it off. I don’t like it.”

Then he reached behind her back, pulling down the zipper, about to undress her.

Shi Sui angrily slapped his hand away, scolding: “Can’t you pay attention to the occasion? Where is this? School!”

Yan Tingli still stubbornly tried to undress her, saying flatly: “The clothes, take them off. I don’t like them.”

Shi Sui: “……”

Perhaps changing environments made Shi Sui’s wings unconsciously harden again as she lifted her chin: “I don’t care if you like it or not. I won’t change clothes here.”

“There are spare clothes in the car,” Yan Tingli’s face showed his patience was exhausted, “Change.”

Shi Sui confronted him with her black and white eyes.

Here, there were no parents, no colleagues, and no 3.0 constantly monitoring.

Nothing could suppress her true thoughts anymore. Shi Sui said calmly, “Yan Tingli, don’t you understand? I hate your tyranny and coercion, which is why I constantly want to escape from you.”

Yan Tingli’s eyes still held obsessive coldness, his tone full of disdainful mockery: “Do you think you still have the ability to escape from my hands?”

Shi Sui was silent for several seconds.

Suddenly, she pointed from the car window toward a building opposite the school’s main building.

“Three years ago, I watched from the cafeteria as you stood there looking for me all day, then left.”

Shi Sui looked at him quietly as she spoke.

She felt Yan Tingli’s knuckles gripping hers tighten.

With a force that almost seemed to crush her, his voice became somewhat hoarse as he said word by word: “Do you think I couldn’t guess?”

Shi Sui looked at him in surprise.

“The result is enough for me.” Yan Tingli said expressionlessly, “At least from now on, you can’t escape from my palm.”

Shi Sui gritted her teeth: “But I will never voluntarily walk toward you. Is this what you want too?”

Yan Tingli stared at her for a long time, his eyelashes lowering, slowly moving.

After a long while, a mocking curve appeared at the corners of his lips as he pinched her chin up to face him directly: “Haven’t we always gotten by like this all these years?”

Shi Sui couldn’t refute this.

“It doesn’t matter,” Yan Tingli continued, rubbing her lips with his fingertips, methodically wiping away the last bit of painted blood: “As long as I’m happy.”

Shi Sui looked at him powerlessly, unable to say another word.

Yan Tingli then lowered his head forcefully, kissing her freshly cleaned lips without allowing refusal.

Stubbornly consuming the last bit of hateful bloodstains.

While kissing, he said to himself, “I chose a good date for our wedding.”

“Tomorrow morning, we’ll go to the Los Angeles registry office to get married, then to the embassy for notarization.”

“When we return home, we’ll tell Mom and Dad that we got married in Los Angeles and had a honeymoon while we were at it.”

Each sentence made Shi Sui’s spine stiffen.

And Yan Tingli seemed unable to see her expression, only continuing to look with disgust at the dress with bloodstains she was wearing.

He hated such unlucky things, hated such lifeless attire.

His knuckles continued pulling at the back zipper without question.

But Shi Sui dodged with a pale face, her chest heaving, her mind completely blank – so blank she thought of nothing.

Her whole body frantically screamed the word “escape.”

Shi Sui pushed open the car door and ran outside, not caring that her bare feet touched the ground.

Yan Tingli expressionlessly took long strides, got out of the car, and slammed the door shut.

He caught up in two steps, grabbing her hand from behind.

His upbringing from childhood made him speak with calm, clear tones – it was bred into his bones.

No matter how unstable his emotions, they never showed obviously on the surface.

But at this moment, his chest heaved as he stared at her like a beast that had been lying in wait for a long time and finally couldn’t bear it anymore.

“Shi Sui,” Yan Tingli raised his voice for the first time, word by word, hoarse as if his throat had been rolled over by burning coals: “Try running away one more time!”

Shi Sui turned around, stubbornly staring at him: “You only know how to force me.”

“So I will never voluntarily walk toward you.”

Yan Tingli suddenly gripped her neck tightly, asking expressionlessly: “Do you think I can’t bear to lock you up?”

“If you lock me up,” Shi Sui’s expression was calm as still water, “Then I’ll just die.”

Yan Tingli’s eyes became increasingly red at the corners. He grinned, almost trembling as he laughed.

“Good.” He said while laughing, “Then let me strangle you now.”

Shi Sui raised her neck, glaring at him viciously: “Go ahead and strangle me. I told you, I’d rather die than marry you!”

As her words fell.

After a long time, Yan Tingli’s expression went from gloomy to ancient well stillness.

His gaze reached a point that almost made Shi Sui feel terrified.

This was the first time Shi Sui truly felt the boundless darkness from Yan Tingli that almost swallowed her – completely irrational, definitely not the minor skirmishes of the past.

The main activity of the entire school was the cosplay party in the auditorium. Here, there was only the passing wind and an atmosphere so tense it was almost solidifying.

“A year ago, I bought a villa with a basement in Los Angeles.” He tilted his head, smiling strangely, “Although I didn’t want it to come to this.”

He spoke while walking forward.

His gaze fell on her like a fine net, making Shi Sui tremble all over.

“But you forced me to this,” Yan Tingli smiled happily, but his eyes held only hollow bewilderment.

He murmured in a low voice: “What I want has always been simple.”

“Always simple.”

Why wouldn’t she give him even a little bit?

Why?

Suisui.

Shi Sui shook her head and backed away, but there was nowhere to escape.

Yan Tingli’s cold hand gripped hers. Under the night sky, his complexion indeed looked like a gloomy medieval vampire.

A breeze passed, rustling the green leaves on the treetops.

Shi Sui’s gaze passed powerlessly over Yan Tingli’s shoulder, looking blankly at a point.

She was exhausted to the point of resignation.

The words “let’s get married” were on the tip of her tongue.

Suddenly, she saw something. Shi Sui’s pupils trembled, and all the blood in her body turned cold in an instant.

Her body reacted faster than her brain.

Shi Sui pushed Yan Tingli away with force.

At the same time, a sharp gunshot rang out in the quiet campus.

Shi Sui looked down at her pierced shoulder blade, red seeping out and merging with the painted blood on her chest, indistinguishable from each other.

She could only see vast amounts of fresh blood filling her entire vision.

Shi Sui took one last look at Yan Tingli’s pale, childlike, helpless expression after she had pushed him aside.

An absurd thought flashed through her mind –

Had her karmic retribution come this quickly?!