**Last Night**
After dropping off the two girls who got drunk off a sip of alcohol, Mu Nanqiu drove back, following the address Hua Mingye had sent her. She arrived at a café, scanned the room, and spotted Hua Mingye in a quiet corner by the window.
Hua Mingye was alone, having arrived early to wait.
Mu Nanqiu narrowed her eyes, observing her from a distance. She had to admit, when Hua Mingye was quiet, she exuded an undeniable elegance.
*She must have something to say to me,* Mu Nanqiu thought. *Good. I have questions for her too.*
She walked to the table and sat across from Hua Mingye, casually ordering a coffee. As the waiter turned to leave, Hua Mingye suddenly called him back and ordered two matcha cakes.
Mu Nanqiu said nothing, just watched her calmly.
When the matcha cakes arrived, placed before them, three minutes passed without a word. Though silent, the air crackled with their unspoken clash of wills.
Five minutes, ten minutes—Hua Mingye finished her cake. Staring out the window, she let out a reluctant humph and said, “Fine, I lose.”
Mu Nanqiu took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and looked at Hua Mingye’s nonchalant demeanor. She voiced a question that had been gnawing at her for a while. “If I hadn’t bought the item Su Yao put up at the auction house that day, you would’ve bought it, right?”
“…”
A ripple crossed Hua Mingye’s usually composed face. She turned her gaze from the window to meet Mu Nanqiu’s eyes.
They locked eyes, staring… until Hua Mingye smiled.
Leaning forward, elbows on the table, she propped her chin on her hands. Her eyes narrowed into slits, her pure smile turning sly and foxlike. “Yes, I would’ve bought it.”
“And then?”
Mu Nanqiu’s gaze darkened. She recalled details—Hua Mingye had been casting bait for all sorts of “fish,” cutting the line after reeling some in, only to cast again. But with Su Yao, she’d been patient, carefully playing the line. That wasn’t normal.
She realized Hua Mingye was screening, selecting a target that met her criteria—and Su Yao fit the bill.
“And then?” Hua Mingye echoed, tilting her head in mock confusion.
Suddenly, she gave a playful smile, dodging the question and countering with one of her own. “A-Qiu, do you know how to make someone love you so much they’d give everything for you?”
Mu Nanqiu stared, her gaze icy.
Seeing no response, Hua Mingye continued, “You make them lose everything first. Then, you become their everything. They’ll fear that one wrong move will make you abandon them, so they’ll stay passive, entirely under your control.”
“You really are… the same as ever,” Mu Nanqiu said, her tone hardening. “So, you found that girl, Yun Qing, and did exactly that. And it worked, didn’t it?”
Hua Mingye’s words amused her, and she teased, “A-Qiu, you and I are only different on the surface. Inside, we’re the same.
“When we were kids, I’d show off my pretty dolls to you, but you were never interested. It’s so disheartening when someone doesn’t care about your favorite toys. It’s been like that since we were young.
“I thought you were indifferent to everything—until the day you snatched my toy.
“I was so angry, yet so thrilled.”
Hua Mingye’s gaze drifted to the untouched cake in front of Mu Nanqiu. She loved sweets, and since they were close, taking a bite wouldn’t hurt.
“A-Qiu, if you’re not eating, I will.”
Out of courtesy, she gave a heads-up, but her hand was already moving. Halfway there, Mu Nanqiu swatted it away.
Hua Mingye winced, rubbing her hand. *That hurt!*
She looked at Mu Nanqiu with mock resentment, as if saying, *You’re not eating it, but you won’t let me either? Some nerve, Miss Mu!*
Mu Nanqiu rolled her eyes and said coldly, “Did I say you could touch my stuff?”
They exchanged a glance, then both turned away, refusing to look at each other.
**The Next Evening**
Seeing Teacher SteamedBun’s game invite, Mu Nanqiu’s gaze deepened.
*Should I come clean? No, that won’t do…*
With Wang Jing as a cautionary tale, brute force wouldn’t work miracles. Too much pressure would only make Su Yao retreat. She needed to take it slow, weave herself into Su Yao’s life, and leave her mark.
“Looks like I need to build some goodwill offline first.”
…
Back to Su Yao. Mu Beizhi was miserably pretending to know nothing, stuck as the third wheel—or, as netizens called her, a rich weirdo with a fetish for watching her “sponsored” healer flirt with a pretty boy in-game.
She wanted to explain, but with her sister next door, she didn’t dare kick anyone out. Wearing several metaphorical hats, she kept quiet and played the game.
Ugh, this game was *so* fun.
Meanwhile, Su Yao chatted incessantly with Mu Nanqiu, bragging about her drinking prowess—claiming she could down a thousand cups without getting drunk—and sharing how she went shopping for clothes today.
Her lively words radiated joy.
Late at night, after gaming, Su Yao crawled into bed.
She turned off the light and lay down.
Though exhausted, she couldn’t sleep. Her chest felt tight and uncomfortable. It was her first time wearing a bra, and she wasn’t used to it. She’d always been free and unrestrained before, so this new “protection” felt restrictive.
*You’ll get used to it,* she told herself.
Lying there, adjusting, she eventually drifted into sleep.
A calm sea, sandy beaches, golden sunlight, and a gentle breeze—everything was serene and beautiful. Then, she saw dark clouds gathering on the horizon. The wind turned cold, the warmth fleeing. Curious, she watched.
*What’s that?*
The black clouds surged overhead in an instant, relentless winds howling. A storm was coming. The once-calm ocean roared with towering waves, crashing onto the shore, pulling her into the deep sea.
Tides rose and fell, over and over.
A tsunami—a tsunami within her body.
Su Yao opened her damp eyes to the dim room, the warm air from the AC gently blowing. She panted softly.
Another strange dream. What would happen this time?
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