Wu Man thoughtfully said she’d go bathe and get ready, leaving the living room space for Zhui Ye to digest his emotions.

After a short while, when she came out, Zhui Ye showed no signs of having cried.

He sat somewhat stiffly on the sofa, looking at Wu Man with words on the tip of his tongue.

The two made eye contact in midair. Somehow both felt a bit awkwardly at a loss.

As if they’d suddenly switched identities, each like sleepwalking—dazed, yet carrying a kind of completely unguarded innocent simplicity.

Zhui Ye said hesitantly: “Then… then I’ll head back tonight.”

Wu Man froze slightly. She didn’t speak, so Zhui Ye took it as tacit agreement and stood up walking toward the door.

He walked very, very slowly—about as slow as a sloth.

Just as he was about to turn the door handle, Wu Man cleared her throat and spoke: “Stay tonight.”

Zhui Ye came to an emergency brake, quickly walking back to stand before her saying: “That wouldn’t be appropriate!”

He said it forcefully and resolutely, without half a trace of inappropriateness.

“You’re still injured, stop running around.” Wu Man pointed to the guest room, “There happens to be one empty, you can sleep there.”

Zhui Ye visibly deflated: “Oh…”

Wu Man laughed, teasing him playfully: “What’s that little brain of yours thinking?”

Beyond her expectations, yet exactly like something he’d say, he stated directly: “I’m thinking whether I can sleep together with you.”

“…”

Wu Man’s cheeks instantly became like a pressure cooker, puffing out hot steam.

She glared at him: “Your imagination is quite beautiful.”

Zhui Ye pretended innocence: “What is Sister thinking? I just meant holding you while sleeping.”

Wu Man rolled her eyes at him, taking a set of new bedding from the cabinet and arranging it on the guest room’s empty bed.

Zhui Ye stuck behind her, his tone somewhat resentful.

“Sister, I came to find you today because tomorrow I have to join the crew for the co-production film… you won’t be able to see me for a while.”

Wu Man’s arranging hands paused: “I can visit you on set.”

“Really?” Zhui Ye suddenly became cheerful, but couldn’t help sighing slightly, “But this is… a very extraordinarily meaningful night. Really won’t sleep together?”

Wu Man didn’t continue engaging, finishing making the bed and crisply saying goodnight. Her ears were as hard as iron walls.

Zhui Ye sat on the bed edge, watching helplessly as Wu Man walked out the guest room door and returned to her own room.

He slumped his shoulders in defeat. Before long, the corners of his eyes and brows were染 with an infatuated smile, diluting that bit of helplessness. He stood up and walked to the bathroom, planning to clean himself up and resignedly sleep.

However, when he came out after washing and passed Wu Man’s room, he discovered her door wasn’t completely closed, revealing a crack that seemed to both refuse and welcome. Even the light inside wasn’t off—a small night light was still on.

His hand drying his hair froze in midair.

*

When Wu Man was half-asleep, she felt a surge of humid heat slip into the blanket behind her, pressing against her overwhelmingly.

In her daze, she felt like she was soaking in a hot spring. The water temperature was very hot, yet wouldn’t scald anyone, comfortably ironing every inch of skin.

She wore a camisole nightgown. The water rose over her shoulders, flowing along her spine to her waist.

So Wu Man hazily lifted her eyelids and looked down—Zhui Ye’s arm had reached over, encircling her, fitting her into his embrace. As if they were two puzzle pieces naturally meant to embrace in this position.

“Who let you come in?”

Though Wu Man asked this, her tone wasn’t surprised, nor did she truly mean to demand accountability.

Zhui Ye, treating her like something fragile, brought his chin close to her sharp shoulder and nuzzled lightly, saying with tacit understanding: “Because Sister forgot to close the door.”

He involuntarily tightened his arms, unable to describe the softness in his heart.

The person in his arms clearly took all his emotions into her eyes, yet wouldn’t express it sincerely. She’d only clumsily leave him a crack to discover for himself. Like her affection—a mimosa plant, shy of showing itself to others. Only blooming alone when no one was around.

If not for Yu Jiaze making such a scene coming to the door tonight, he’d have had no idea she’d paid such a price behind the scenes.

Only today did he understand what deep meaning was hidden behind her words “let’s jump together.”

“Sister, can’t we just pay the Tang family back? Or find someone else who’s a kidney match? In any case, I’m not willing… Tang Yingxue doesn’t deserve it at all.”

He tightened his arms, asking unwillingly.

Wu Man patted his hand: “It’s fine. You can live normally with one less kidney. Just consider I bought an apple. What’s more, nothing’s set in stone yet—Tang Yingxue is still living perfectly well now.”

“You’re still joking with me at a time like this?”

“I already signed an agreement with Tang Jiarong. This matter is settled, nothing more to say.” Her voice gradually softened, instead comforting him, “Besides, saving a life is also a meritorious deed. I’ve done plenty of things that damaged my karma over the years. Consider it accumulating blessings.”

She used to not believe in deities, so she feared neither heaven nor earth, as long as she could live well.

But now, embraced by the luxury of happiness, she was actually willing to believe in deities. Afraid of karmic retribution, trying to do good deeds, afraid that what might happen would never happen. So suffering a bit of loss, she felt was also quite good.

“Really no need to be nervous. This matter is just an empty promise—maybe Tang Yingxue will live her whole life peacefully without getting sick? Be optimistic, it’s fine.”

Zhui Ye didn’t know what to say, feeling stuffed up in his heart.

His Sister, even after being ground down for years, was still that rebellious young girl he’d first met back then, forever sharp, forever unwilling to fold her wings, whistling as she flew past, casting deeply colored shadows on his wilderness.

Sister circling with scars was far more moving than before, and even more heartbreaking.

He closed his eyes, his lips pressing against that mark on her butterfly bone.

The small night light at the bedside was hollow. Light was divided into fragments through the holes, crystallinely projecting onto her solitary back, making the birthmark look especially enchanting.

Wu Man felt itchy, murmuring softly: “What are you doing?”

“I’m kissing a galaxy.”

Zhui Ye murmured, his tone carrying infinite tenderness, embracing his universe even more tightly.

At this extremely romantic moment, Wu Man’s stomach went “gurgle.”

Zhui Ye froze, laughing out loud in a muffled voice.

“Sister is hungry?”

Wu Man embarrassedly touched it: “Didn’t eat much at dinner.”

He got up: “What’s in the fridge? I’ll go make you something.”

Wu Man quickly pulled him back: “Don’t fuss around in the middle of the night… and there’s nothing in the fridge anyway.”

“Can’t let my Sister sleep on an empty stomach.” His tone was like coaxing a child, “I’ll order takeout. At this time… McDonald’s? KFC? You don’t eat those…”

“Of course I don’t eat them now.” Wu Man blinked a few times, sharing with him, “But let me tell you a secret—actually when I was little, I really craved KFC.”

She still remembered it was middle school when the first KFC opened at the street corner.

On an early-dismissal summer evening, she walked past the entrance carrying her schoolbag. The hot air rushing out from inside dispersed the heat wave around her, also carrying a special aroma—fried chicken, light cream… She took a deep breath and stopped there, unable to move.

The allowance her mom gave her wasn’t nearly enough to buy anything. She saved up for several days before finally having enough for a hamburger.

She took one bite, so delicious she couldn’t bear to take a second bite. She carefully tucked it into her schoolbag, thinking she’d slowly eat it tonight.

But being her first crime, she had no experience and was quickly discovered by her mom.

She said with a dark face: “Do you know this kind of junk food will make you fat? The most important thing for being on camera is your figure! This kind of thing—I’d feed it to dogs before I’d feed it to you.”

So she could only watch helplessly as her mom ruthlessly threw the hamburger with only one bite taken into the trash.

“Later I secretly bought it a few more times, getting more and more experienced. I knew hiding it behind the flower pot, she wouldn’t find it.” Wu Man said somewhat proudly, “The Tao rises one foot, the devil rises ten.”

Zhui Ye hugged her tightly.

“I so wish there was a time machine…” he murmured at her shoulder, “let me travel back to that KFC entrance and take little you to eat that entire store empty.”

Wu Man couldn’t help imagining the current Zhui Ye taking her teenage self into KFC—the image was very strange, yet had a subtle heart-tickling quality.

She teased seriously: “Wow, then thank you, big brother.”

Zhui Ye froze, unable to restrain himself from pouncing onto the bed, pinning her down, saying through gritted teeth: “Say that again?”

“Say what?”

“Don’t play dumb, what you just called me.”

Wu Man deliberately let out a loud yawn, closing her eyes and saying drowsily: “Aiya, sleepy now, sleep sleep.”

“…”

Zhui Ye’s teeth itched with frustration. He could only helplessly pinch Sister’s waist.

*

Although Zhui Ye slept beside her, Wu Man still woke with a start in the middle of the night.

Feeling for her phone, she saw it was still only 4 AM.

She gently and quietly extracted herself from his embrace. Young people in their early twenties slept so deeply—Wu Man gazed at his sleeping face, feeling envious.

She tiptoed out of bed, ran a few laps downstairs, and brought back soy milk and fried dough sticks. The little one was still sleeping.

She could only huff and puff eating her own portion. Before Zhui Ye woke, the doorbell rang.

The person who came was Zhao Boyu. Because there was a formal press conference for establishing the studio tonight, the two needed to go over the procedure in advance.

Wu Man just hadn’t expected he’d come this early… Thinking of Zhui Ye still sleeping in the room, she couldn’t help feeling troubled, because she hadn’t wanted to expose their relationship to too many people so quickly.

Zhao Boyu came in carrying a large box: “Saw this delivery at your door, brought it in for you on the way.”

“Delivery?”

Wu Man furrowed her brow. She’d never bought anything online, much less such a large package.

Her heart had a vague prediction… this was probably sent by Yu Jiaze.

She quickly tore it open to look—as expected, it was things she’d left at the villa without taking. The car keys he’d given her, bags, jewelry, even trophies from over the years.

Zhao Boyu glanced at the box, also guessing seven or eight parts of the truth in his heart.

Wu Man closed the box, saying calmly: “Bring this to tonight’s press conference.”

“What are you bringing these for?”

“Since he sent them, might as well make use of them.”

Zhao Boyu muttered: “What mystery are you selling?” He glanced at the two breakfasts on the table, his eyes lighting up: “Not bad, you know to care about me now? Even bought me breakfast in advance.”

He sat down, took a straw and inserted it into the soy milk cup, then heard a low-pressure voice saying: “That’s mine.”

Zhao Boyu’s hand shook, suspecting he hadn’t woken up properly and was having auditory hallucinations.

However, that voice drew closer until it sat down before him.

A still somewhat drowsy face, messy hair—clearly Zhui Ye had spent the night in Wu Man’s room.

Major speechless event! How did this gentleman suddenly pop out?!

His gaze swept over him, then over the awkward-looking Wu Man…

She cleared her throat: “Originally didn’t want to tell you so soon, but since you’ve run into it, won’t hide it from you. He…”

Just as she was about to continue, Zhui Ye grabbed the conversation, perking up energetically and straightening his back, looking proud: “I’m her boyfriend.”

Zhao Boyu digested this for a few seconds, calming down to ask: “When did this happen?”

“Last night.”

Zhao Boyu instantly transformed from eating melon to an old father’s protective mentality: Zhui Ye was so young and famous, with the key being so many romantic scandals—no matter how you looked at it, he didn’t seem like a reliable romantic partner.

He really wanted to grab Wu Man’s ear and shake her awake. This kind of young beauty—sleep with him once and be done? Actually playing for real?

He secretly bet to himself: within three months, they’d definitely break up!

On the surface, he probed: “What’s your attitude toward this relationship?”

Please don’t tell him they wanted to go public like He Huiyu. He’d perform dying on the spot.

Wu Man glanced at Zhui Ye: “Haven’t discussed it yet.”

However, Zhui Ye answered without hesitation: “My attitude is it must be hidden. This is a necessary means to protect Sister well. The scandal between her and Yu Jiaze has been boiling on the internet recently. I don’t want her to suffer criticism because of me.”

Hearing this, Wu Man only felt her heart kneaded again by him.

Her original intention was naturally the lower profile the better, but she feared saying so directly would hurt Zhui Ye, so she’d been vague about it.

She didn’t want to give him the feeling that he was someone who could never be openly acknowledged, only settled for as a second choice.

But he didn’t care at all.

Because he’d learned to sheath that blade edge that dared fight the world. As much as possible, not letting the airflow it stirred up cut his beloved.

*

Zhui Ye had wanted to go to the press conference venue to support her, but since the two had chosen to protect this relationship, he absolutely couldn’t appear. After leaving Wu Man’s home, he went directly to the set, opening a live stream to watch on time.

Meanwhile, Zhao Boyu had someone pull that large box to the press conference venue, still not knowing what medicine Wu Man was selling in her gourd.

At 8:08 PM, the press conference started on time.

Following the procedure step by step, at the segment formally announcing she’d already terminated her contract with Yu Xing, Wu Man dragged that large box of trophies onto the stage.

She gripped the microphone, looking at the mass of media below, raising her eyes to look directly at the camera.

“What I’m about to say next may hurt people who like me, but precisely because you like me, I must say it.”

“Since my debut, I’ve received various honors and awards large and small. I was once proud of them, but now, I’m ashamed of them.”

She reached into the box and took out those trophies one by one. Each time she took one out, she read out the award’s name.

Finally, these trophies were all displayed on the table, arranged into a pillar of shame.

“All of these awards were snatched by me using disgraceful means from the actors who should have truly won them.”

As soon as these words came out, whether the media at the venue or viewers watching on screens, all gasped.

Zhao Boyu standing below even staggered and would have fallen if Wei Wei hadn’t supported him.

Although rumors of her buying awards were already known to everyone, being confirmed by the person herself gave it definition—she’d forever be mocked to the earth’s core.

Wu Man’s calm gaze swept over them, then she bowed deeply.

“Here, I must apologize to these people. I’m also willing to bear all evaluations from the public.”

“I won’t deny my past. I indeed did unfair things before, and I don’t know how to make amends. Most of what I’ve earned over the years has already been donated to charity organizations, not to obtain forgiveness. But things that don’t belong to me, I won’t keep for myself anymore.”

“From now on, I won’t use such despicable means to break the rules again. I’ll compete with my real acting skills. That’s all.”

She raised a utility knife, extremely firmly scratching out and erasing her name from the trophies.

*

Inside the villa study, Yu Jiaze propped up a tablet, expressionlessly watching her nearly crazy yet resolute actions.

What she erased wasn’t just her name, but the mark he’d left in her life.

He laughed in extreme anger, sweeping the tablet to the floor.

The screen instantly shattered into pieces, reflecting Yu Jiaze’s face in utter fragmentation.

That shattered face was now pressed against a phone, dialing a call.

The dark reflection like an Asura.

The room echoed with a summons from hell—

“That video, release it.”

“Since she likes self-destruction so much, I won’t show her any mercy.”