The blood-red sunset drew near the darkening horizon as the howling wind swept through the buildings, the City alive with the clamor of people and the ceaseless blare of car horns.
Qin Haiyue walked alone down the street and arrived at a quiet Villa District.
There was no noise here, only the sound of the wind and the setting sun on the horizon. With an indifferent expression, Qin Haiyue showed her Identity Card to the Security Guard before entering the complex, then made her way to her own doorstep.
She stepped past the face-recognition Gate Lock, opened the door, and was greeted by a luxurious Living Room. Through the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, the beautiful sunset could be seen clearly. As she entered, the voice-activated lights flickered on, and a faint “click” echoed conspicuously through the house.
Clearly, no one was home. She was long used to it. Tossing her Schoolbag aside without a care, she sprawled out on the sofa, and a slight crack appeared in her always-cold and impatient face.
Her mood was irritable. She clicked her tongue, picked up her Mobile Phone, and got ready to order some random takeout to settle dinner.
“Bzzz—Bzzz—”
Right at that moment, the phone suddenly vibrated. She paused, staring at the caller ID.
A rare trace of hesitation surfaced on her face. After a moment’s uncertainty, she answered the call.
“Hello, Mother?”
Her tone was no longer as icy as usual.
“Yes, it’s me. Haiyue, do you still remember what day it is today?”
On the other end was a middle-aged woman’s voice, still carrying a hint of laughter. The background was filled with noisy chatter, as if she were on a bustling, crowded street.
“I don’t know…”
Qin Haiyue replied offhandedly, frowning slightly as she gazed at the now pitch-black sky outside the window, her mind wandering.
“Today is your Birthday, you know?”
Birthday?
“Oh.” The crease between her brows softened a bit, but her tone didn’t change.
“Oh, come on, don’t be so cold. Your Father is still abroad on business, and I just finished attending your Little Sister’s parent-teacher meeting, so you might have to spend your Birthday alone at home this year. I’ll transfer you more money, so buy whatever you like, alright? Take care of yourself, okay?”
The girl’s hand clenched the phone a little tighter.
“Didn’t you say today is my Birthday?”
“Yes, that’s why I’m sorry I can’t be with you today. Haiyue, I still need to chat with your Little Sister’s Homeroom Teacher, so I’ll hang up now. You must take good care of yourself, alright?”
“Beep—beep—”
The busy tone echoed harshly in the empty Living Room of the villa.
Qin Haiyue lay on the sofa, dazed, the bustle from the call and her mother’s lively words seeming to still ring in her ears. A nameless anger rose in her chest, growing ever more restless.
“Ding!”
A crisp Message Notification sounded from her phone. She picked it up and glanced at it; it was a Money Transfer from her mother.
The amount was large, probably what an ordinary person would need to work for more than a decade without spending a cent to save. But Qin Haiyue didn’t feel happy at all; instead, she was furious. She took a deep breath, then suddenly flung her phone against the wall. The screen shattered like snowflakes, fell helplessly to the ground, and made a sharp “click.”
She didn’t even know why she was angry. Was it just because her parents didn’t come home for her Birthday? She didn’t think she was such a sentimental person, but the fury surging in her chest simply wouldn’t subside.
She stood up, her gaze moving to the wall, and finally realized where her anger stemmed from.
On that wall hung a Family Portrait of four people. Her parents stood in the back row. On the left was a blonde, blue-eyed man with prominent Western features, while on the right stood a gentle-smiling Asian woman.
Sitting in front of them were their children, both girls. One had black hair and black eyes, her tiny hands gingerly resting on the leg of the blonde girl next to her. She seemed tense, deliberately keeping her distance from the blonde girl, and her eyes avoided the camera.
The blonde girl was, of course, Qin Haiyue. Even during a photo, her gaze held impatience. Being stared at by those cold, sharp eyes would make anyone nervous, wouldn’t it?
Qin Haiyue fixed her gaze on the black-haired girl’s face, staring at her timid yet cute features, a storm of emotion surging in her chest.
Jealousy.
Yes, jealousy.
They were twins, both her parents’ children, yet the care they received was worlds apart. The Little Sister always had their Mother by her side, and even Father visited her far more frequently. This gap only widened as they grew older.
As she grew up, living alone had fostered her independent and indifferent nature, so she didn’t need much affection from her parents. Yet every time she saw her Little Sister’s timid, gentle face—one that always aroused others’ desire to protect—she couldn’t help but feel a strange rage.
Especially today…
As she stared at the photo, she suddenly froze. Walking over, she picked up the shattered phone from the ground. Pressing the power button, she found that, fortunately, it still turned on.
The dim glow illuminated her eyes.
She flipped through her gallery and found a photo: a black-haired, pink-eyed girl, her face deathly pale, tears glistening at the corners of her eyes, her gaze hollow, filled with despair.
“Hahaha…”
Suddenly, she burst into laughter. Comparing the two again and again, she suddenly thought they looked so alike.
The same weakness, the same beauty. But they were different: one was doted on by all, like a flower basking in endless affection. The other…
Perhaps just a wild weed that no one would care about, even if it was trampled and crushed.
She could suffer any violence, bear any twisted desire. No one would know, and no one would want to know.
Just thinking about it was thrilling…
Casually, she ordered a New Mobile Phone online. Gazing out at the City as night fell ever deeper, she grew more and more eager for tomorrow’s meeting with the Little Pitiful One.
How should she torment her then? Money? No, she didn’t have much—fifty yuan a week was probably her limit. Continue humiliating her in the girls’ restroom, like today? No, repetition would be boring. What she wanted was to see that girl show even more interesting expressions in front of her.
After much deliberation, Qin Haiyue still couldn’t think of a good idea.
Well, there was no rush. She couldn’t escape anyway. She could think about it when she saw her tomorrow.
“……”
The night was long. In the villa, far from the City’s bustle, the roar of cars could sometimes be heard. Qin Haiyue took a deep breath and calmed her mood. She really felt she was becoming more and more peculiar.
But she was in a great mood. Discovering Ye Xingmian’s Female Body this morning had truly been a surprise—definitely the best gift she’d received this year.
Still, there were some concerns.
She couldn’t let anyone else discover Ye Xingmian’s Female Body. She hated having her favorite toys taken by others, even sharing was out of the question. So she had to keep her well hidden.
Yes, not just the girl herself. Now, Qin Haiyue also wanted to keep this secret.