Chapter 17: They Endured the Bitterness of Love
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To consider oneself a gift and accompany Mu Xue for a day—Taoxi really dares to dream! Yun Zhi showed no expression as she pulled out a blindfold from her backpack and put it on, coldly uttering two words: "Cannot."
She wasn’t eager to see Taoxi’s hopeful face right now.
Afraid that seeing his disappointed eyes would inevitably make her want to help by asking Mu Xue if there was any solution.
If there was none, fine; but if there really was a way, one could imagine the huge trouble that would bring her.
This was a real-life drama where human deceit and unresolved feelings intertwined!
Who, having met their beloved once and knowing she was living well in another world—where the beloved seemed to have started liking him too—could resist meeting her a second, third, or nth time?
Over time, Taoxi might as well just immigrate and settle in the mysterious world!
Taoxi had gotten what he wanted, but what about his friends and family in the real world?
If they investigated carefully, they might not know where he went, but they could trace that before his disappearance or death, he had frequent contact with Yun Zhi.
When that happened, Yun Zhi’s life would be anything but peaceful.
She would never voluntarily get involved after foreseeing that it would only lead to major trouble.
Anyway, if Taoxi wanted to send messages to Mu Xue, it wasn’t only through her—if his desire to see Mu Xue was strong enough, Mu Xue could see him in her dreams.
But from Yun Zhi’s understanding of Mu Xue, even if there was a way to let Taoxi enter that dark and dangerous world, Mu Xue would never willingly lead him into it.
Seeing Yun Zhi’s firm refusal, Taoxi was disappointed for a few seconds but soon regained his spirits and started considering more conventional gifts.
After the plane landed and no one was around, Taoxi asked Yun Zhi some questions.
For example, did she have to contact “friends below” only on the full moon or moonless nights?
Before Yun Zhi could answer, Taoxi guessed, “Yun, I think it must be on moonless nights. Recently, when you received that batch of potions, both Z City and N City had overcast skies; no moon was visible at night.”
Yun Zhi felt a chill down her spine.
When did she even get the ability to contact those “friends below”? She knew nothing about it!
Yun Zhi thought: I’m not, I don’t!
This misunderstanding was hard to clear up.
She felt troubled.
Seeing Taoxi start rambling about gifts again, she warned him: “Taoxi, some things are better left unspoken; don’t keep bringing them up.”
Taoxi glanced around: “There’s no one else here, right?”
On the plane, he hadn’t spoken directly but sent messages first, and even now spoke quietly to avoid being overheard.
If a passerby who knew him and Mu Xue—and knew Mu Xue had died last year—heard about it, it would only bring trouble to Yun Zhi.
Yun Zhi said quietly, “No one’s around, but that doesn’t mean there’s no ghost.”
Yun Zhi added, “Other ghosts haven’t received gifts, only one has. If many ghosts knew about this, wouldn’t they start competing, envying, excluding, and scheming to snatch—”
Her tactic was to use magic against magic.
Taoxi: “...!!!”
Damn, even ghosts have such strong envy?
Taoxi immediately shut up.
He didn’t mention the matter again until after choosing the gifts and handing them to Yun Zhi.
* * *
Yun Zhi and Taoxi headed straight to the auction house for registration, appraisal, submitting consigned items, signing contracts, and so forth.
Besides the rare “Red Across the Mountains and Rivers” stamp and the Emperor’s Green bracelet, Yun Zhi also brought out the batch of gems Qin Tianhai had given her as a token of gratitude.
According to Qin Tianhai, these jewels were newly made, not secondhand.
Yun Zhi kept some favorite designs for herself: two pairs each of classic ruby and sapphire earrings and two ruby and sapphire necklaces for herself and Ran Yao.
Since the stones were relatively small, their total value was around five million.
The rest were put up for auction.
The starting bid for the stamps was 3.8 million, the bracelet 30 million, and the gems altogether started at 10 million, but the final prices would surely surpass these.
The auction house also gave Yun Zhi and Taoxi invitations to a VIP lounge.
Next came a three-day preview period.
On the first day of preview, Yun Zhi visited the exhibit hall.
Her consigned stamps and the Emperor’s Green bracelet attracted much attention.
Jewels from the High Martial World, with designs differing from common market styles, intricate, gorgeous, and exquisite, were especially popular with ladies.
More than other jewelry, many women asked which famous designer had created them and whether custom orders were possible.
The staff uniformly answered that these were private collections consigned for auction, with only a few pieces available.
It was expected the formal auction would fetch good prices.
* * *
On the second and third days of the preview, Yun Zhi did not return.
She had received more detailed information about Chi Xiaoyu’s online girlfriend, preparing to fulfill his commission: to meet the online girlfriend on his behalf.
It had been five months since Chi Xiaoyu’s passing—not too long—and fortunately, he remembered her phone number.
Yun Zhi asked Taoxi, who had extensive social connections, to recommend a friend skilled in hacking.
She added the friend, nicknamed Xiao Jiu.
They didn’t pry too deeply but confirmed the phone number user had not changed and was still in Haicheng.
Yun Zhi sent a friend request from a new WeChat account, with a verification message: “I’m a friend of Chi Xiaoyu (Chi Yu). He left a gift for you; I’m here to pass it on.”
Soon, the user “Tang Xiao Tang” accepted her request.
Her avatar was a beautiful woman gazing at the sky, a poetic silhouette full of atmosphere.
Yun Zhi sent the avatar and nickname screenshot to Chi Xiaoyu.
He exclaimed, “Yes, that’s my Xiao Tang! I vaguely remember her WeChat ID ends with 888. Yun Zhi, you have to arrange a meeting!”
Yun Zhi was speechless.
Chi Xiaoyu had told this online romance everything—his real name, university, major—but had never seen her photo or known her real name.
He only knew she was smart but from a poor family unable to afford university, now working at a flower shop, about his age.
She often shared beautiful pictures and videos of flowers.
Which flower shop it was, no one knew—a deliberate air of mystery.
Her parents were chronically ill, unable to work, and she had a younger sister in middle school to support.
She was very kind and strong.
Yun Zhi, having experienced great family upheaval herself and extreme poverty, had no time for online romances, working multiple jobs just to earn enough.
But these were just her personal thoughts—maybe this “Tang Xiao Tang” really used the money from Chi Xiaoyu to care for her family and sister.
Yun Zhi began chatting with Tang Xiao Tang.
Tang Xiao Tang bluntly said, “Just send the gift to me directly.”
She immediately gave an address—a parcel pick-up point.
Yun Zhi asked, “Did you know Xiao Yu died in an accident?”
Tang Xiao Tang said, “Yes, I couldn’t contact him later, so I called his roommate who told me.”
Tang Xiao Tang added, “Why did you keep the gift so long before thinking of giving it to me?”
Yun Zhi was a bit speechless. This person talked only about gifts and showed no sadness or mourning for Chi Xiaoyu’s death.
He had worked for her three and a half years, but she was that cold?
Yun Zhi explained, “The gift was custom-made and took time. Xiao Yu said it would be ready before the Qixi Festival. It’s still some time away, so it just got finished. The shop couldn’t contact Xiao Yu and reached me since I was his backup contact.”
Tang Xiao Tang asked, “What kind of gift? If it’s cheap, just keep it.”
Yun Zhi: ...
At this point, her impression of Tang Xiao Tang plummeted.
Probably because Yun Zhi’s new account was female, Tang Xiao Tang knew she couldn’t scam money from her by pretending to be a poor but strong woman.
Chi Xiaoyu was gone; no steady supply of money or gifts anymore, so she didn’t even bother pretending.
But Chi Xiaoyu’s commission was to meet his online girlfriend, so the conversation had to continue.
Yun Zhi said, “The gift is beautiful and precious. If I weren’t close to Xiao Yu and knew he liked you, I’d want to keep it myself.”
Tang Xiao Tang retorted, “How could you? Don’t you have a conscience? You don’t like Xiao Yu, do you?”
Tang Xiao Tang pressed, “Just tell me, what do you want to get the gift from me? I don’t have time to beat around the bush.”
Tang Xiao Tang was no fool. If the girl really just wanted to deliver the gift, the topic should end after the address.
She had seen Chi Xiaoyu’s photos—a simple, square-faced, strong-browed handsome guy, fitting the 70s-80s ideal.
Now he looked a bit old-fashioned and didn’t know how to dress.
Maybe some girls liked that type.
Yun Zhi said, “Before he died, his biggest wish was to meet you on Valentine’s Day. I want to meet you on his behalf and give you the gift he prepared.”
Afraid she’d refuse, thinking it a waste of time, Yun Zhi quickly added, “This gift is priceless to me. If you don’t want to come out, I’ll keep it.”
She sent a photo.
On the table lay a pair of intricately made sapphire earrings; beside them, two ceramic cat figurines cuddling, shown from behind.
These figurines were indeed made by Chi Xiaoyu for Tang Xiao Tang, not for Qixi but for the Valentine’s Day meeting.
The taller black cat held a candy; the smaller white cat held a blue cartoon fish.
The base was engraved with “Yu [red heart] Tang.”
Chi Xiaoyu had ordered this at a ceramic shop, planning to pick it up on February 13, but he passed away on the night of February 12.
Yun Zhi had visited this shop after hearing about it, and the young couple who owned it hadn’t sold or discarded the piece, keeping it as a sample, waiting for the customer.
After confirming Chi Xiaoyu’s information and her mission, they gave it to Yun Zhi with a beautiful gift box.
Yun Zhi casually placed the cats on the table, backs to the camera, while the sapphire earrings took center stage in the photo.
Tang Xiao Tang immediately assumed the earrings were the gift.
She scoffed, “Where did he get money for real gems? Not some rhinestones from a dollar store, right?”
But on reflection, if it were rhinestones, why bother custom ordering? Labor costs would exceed the stones.
Yun Zhi said, “So you don’t want the gift Xiao Yu prepared? Fine, it stays with me.”
This time, Yun Zhi sent a crisp, slightly teasing voice message.
Since the other party mistakenly thought she liked Xiao Yu, she let the misunderstanding continue.
Tang Xiao Tang couldn’t stand Yun Zhi’s voice.
Just from hearing it, she knew this must be a pretty girl—how could she not want the gift, and how could it be rhinestones from a dollar store?
Tang Xiao Tang said, “I’m free this afternoon. Where shall we meet?”
Yun Zhi chose a café near the parcel pick-up point, at three o’clock, as agreed.
Tang Xiao Tang warned, “Don’t make excuses and not give me the gift.”
Yun Zhi assured, “Don’t worry. Xiao Yu’s gift has both your names engraved underneath. As long as you come, I’ll give it to you.”
Tang Xiao Tang believed this was something Xiao Yu had made. Before Valentine’s Day, he had mentioned preparing a gift with their names.
But when asked what it was, he wouldn’t say, wanting to surprise her.
After losing contact, she remembered his roommate’s number, called, and upon hearing of his death, asked about the gift.
The roommate scolded her harshly, calling her cold-hearted for accepting so much from Xiao Yu and not attending his funeral, accusing her of wanting the gift, and blocked her.
Unexpectedly, he had also prepared a Qixi gift, with their names engraved—such a tacky thing.
Engraving made the gift hard to resell.
If the gems were real, even removing the engraved metal setting, the stones could fetch a good sum.
Where Xiao Yu got the money was none of Tang Xiao Tang’s concern; his parents were wealthy, his biological father a mid-level manager in a large company, his mother remarried to a man owning rental property—maybe they had a conscience and gave the money.
* * *
Meanwhile, Yun Zhi knew nothing of Tang Xiao Tang’s thoughts.
She forwarded the chat records to Chi Xiaoyu.
Despite his infatuation, seeing Tang Xiao Tang lacking any mourning for him and only asking about the gift chilled his heart.
Moreover, when Tang Xiao Tang thought the gift was just the earrings and said to keep it if it was cheap, she immediately changed her tone.
He knew Yun Zhi cared about money due to her difficult family situation, but also felt she cared about him, often worrying about his well-being, asking about his meals, and comforting him.
Whenever exhausted, Chi Xiaoyu recalled Tang Xiao Tang’s sweet words: “Xiao Yu brother, you’re all I have,” “Without you, what would I do?” and found new strength.
He spent nearly all his earnings over three and a half years supporting her.
His parents didn’t favor him, but his living expenses were sufficient if he wasn’t extravagant.
If not for Tang Xiao Tang, he wouldn’t have had to work so hard during university.
His roommate Li Zhuang said she was a scammer, but he didn’t believe it and fell out with Li Zhuang over it.
Only after his death did he realize Li Zhuang was right—Tang Xiao Tang only loved his money.
If not planning to meet her and start a formal relationship, spending even more money, why else would he work till 11 pm during holidays?
Why, after a long day and skipping dinner, exhausted and hungry, would he still text her to coax her to sleep, failing to watch the road carefully?
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He wouldn’t have fallen into an uncovered manhole.
But meeting Tang Xiao Tang had become an obsession.
Even knowing she was probably a scammer, Chi Xiaoyu said, “Yun Zhi, please help me meet her. Ask if she ever had any true feelings for me? If she feels any guilt about my death?”
She hadn’t killed him, but his death was closely linked to her.
Yun Zhi replied, “Okay, I’ll ask this afternoon.”
Both knew the truth deep down.
But sometimes, when so much has been invested, the emotional cost is too high to accept the cruel truth.
They instinctively make excuses: maybe she had other hardships?
The meeting was set for 3 pm, but Yun Zhi arrived at the café at 2 pm.
Taoxi was busy preparing gifts for Mu Xue, acting separately.
Tang Xiao Tang said she’d wear a white dress.
Yun Zhi guessed Tang Xiao Tang wouldn’t want to lose face in front of a possible rival after hearing her voice and would dress nicely.
Yun Zhi didn’t reveal her own features, only promising a voice call at three o’clock.
She ordered a cappuccino and two small cakes, took a fashion magazine from the shelf, and sat in a corner.
Just as she opened the magazine, a woman in a white dress walked in.
Yun Zhi looked up and instinctively turned on the camera button on her coat.
After toggling it, she realized she probably had the wrong person.
Not only was the meeting time at 3 pm, but the white-dress woman looked much older.
Tang Xiao Tang and Chi Xiaoyu were the same graduating class from high school, and Yun Zhi was about 21, while Chi Xiaoyu was 23 before transmigration, 17 after, hence calling her “sister.”
Tang Xiao Tang, even if older starting school, shouldn’t be over 25.
The white-dress woman was at least in her forties.
Men might not notice, but women could tell.
The crow’s feet around her eyes were more pronounced than Ran Yao’s at 43.
But since the camera was on, Yun Zhi didn’t turn it off.
The woman’s loose chestnut curls somewhat resembled Tang Xiao Tang’s avatar.
So Yun Zhi, hiding behind the magazine, glanced several times.
The woman didn’t order but walked directly to table nine, where a young chubby man sat with two coffees and two cakes.
He stood up awkwardly: “Hello, you must be Xiao Tang. Please sit.”
Yun Zhi was baffled.
Same dress, hair, and name?
Could this be a coincidence?
She looked closer.
From seven or eight meters away, she could see the woman clearly.
She had a slim figure, fair skin, and if she had decent features and makeup, she wouldn’t look bad.
But she was bare-faced.
She had pronounced buck teeth, uneven yellowed teeth.
Sparse, faint eyebrows.
A flat nose, many freckles on her cheeks.
Two centimeters below her left eye was a large black mole with a long black curl.
The man was slightly nearsighted without glasses; upon seeing her face up close, his expression changed to shock and disappointment, and his polite smile became strained.
As the woman sat, he hesitated before sitting.
“Xiao Tang, are you really Xiao Tang?”
His tone was uncertain.
The woman spoke with a pleasant accent: “Of course I’m Xiao Tang, Dun Dun. I never said I was beautiful; I said I was ugly many times. You said you cared about my soul, not my looks. Does that mean our two years of love were fake?”
Her face was full of accusation, disappointment, and sadness.
The man said, “But you told me you’re 22 this year… you don’t look 22, more like 42!”
The woman frowned, displeased: “I told you I have breast cancer and am undergoing chemotherapy, so I look older. I’m enduring the pain to meet you. This is our first and probably last meeting. And yet, you only care about my looks.”
She began to cry, took a handkerchief from her bag, wiping tears.
Yun Zhi’s senses detected the handkerchief smelled of medicated oil.
The man didn’t know how to respond to his two-year online girlfriend turning into an “old girlfriend” like this.
She never claimed to be beautiful but often sent pretty photos—hands, legs, collarbone, back—inviting imagination, followed by “I’m actually ugly,” which no one believed, thinking it was modesty and wanting to be loved for her inner self.
The man, embarrassed, stood and said, “I have to go now! Let’s not contact each other anymore!”
But the woman suddenly grabbed his arm: “You scumbag! Breaking up right after our first meeting? Are you human? I kept you company for two years and have cancer; at least pay a breakup fee!”
Her voice rang loudly through the café.
The few customers and two staff turned to look.
The man’s face flushed; he tried to pull away but hesitated, afraid to hurt a cancer patient.
He didn’t want to become a murderer.
“Let go! Let go! It’s just a breakup fee; I’ll give you whatever you want!”
Her voice choked: “I have no money for treatment; the next round costs 50,000 yuan…”
The man said, “Fifty thousand? I don’t have that kind of money! I gave you over 40,000 in the past two years for your parents’ treatment and your sister’s schooling. I saved nothing for myself. The most I can give you now is 5,000—it’s my last month’s salary. I have to borrow living expenses and next month’s rent from friends.”
Yun Zhi was speechless.
Even the persona was the same: ill parents, younger sister to support.
This white-dress woman was the real Tang Xiao Tang.
Chi Xiaoyu and her names together hinted at their true relationship—“Yu Tang,” “Fish Pond,” Chi Xiaoyu was just a fish in her pond!
In the end, the man transferred 5,000 yuan on the spot to escape.
After being released, he sprinted out of the café.
Yun Zhi, with good hearing, even heard him muttering on the sidewalk: “Block her! Block immediately! Damn it!”
She silently sympathized with him for three seconds before bursting into laughter.
Tang Xiao Tang stood with hands on hips, scowling, “What are you staring at? Never seen a beauty before?”
The customers were speechless.
No, they had never seen such a “beauty”!
The nearest table was a middle-aged man who quickly finished half his coffee and left, probably to avoid becoming the next target.
Other customers had many complaints but dared not speak, fearing being targeted.
No one knew if she really had cancer or was faking it; better to avoid trouble.
People thought she’d leave after extorting the breakup fee.
Instead, she sat down and devoured the man’s coffee and cake.
Since he paid when ordering, and she was his date, the staff said nothing.
After finishing the second coffee and cake, customers expected her to leave.
But she just pushed the empty dishes aside and took out a mirror and makeup from her bag.
The staff and customers exchanged awkward glances.
Yun Zhi guessed Tang Xiao Tang was preparing makeup for the 3 pm meeting with her.
After some hesitation, Yun Zhi decided to wait and see.
A female staff came over, collecting the empty dishes and gently advised, “Ma’am, if you have cancer, you should rest early at home.”
They feared she might faint and cause trouble.
Tang Xiao Tang paused applying foundation, snapped, “You have cancer! Your whole family has cancer! How dare you curse me!”
The staff looked aggrieved but dared not argue.
Wasn’t it she who claimed to have breast cancer?
Who knew if it was true? She didn’t think lying to get breakup money was cursing herself?
Tang Xiao Tang complained, “I have two more appointments at 3 and 3:30 here. Don’t try to kick me out. Are there no empty tables for you?”
The staff forced a smile, “Please, sit anywhere you like,” and hurried away.
Worried Chi Xiaoyu might be anxious, Yun Zhi took a photo of Tang Xiao Tang.
Tang Xiao Tang shifted to get better lighting and faced away.
Her photo showed only a slim back with loose chestnut curls.
Chi Xiaoyu, seeing the familiar back from Yun Zhi’s photo, was excited: “It’s her! That’s Xiao Tang’s back!”
After excitement, he asked Yun Zhi to confirm if the illness and family situation were real.
Yun Zhi replied, “Okay, I’ll ask later.”
Chi Xiaoyu was puzzled: “Why do you sit behind her, several tables away? Haven’t you talked yet?”
Yun Zhi: “Don’t worry, you’ll witness a miracle soon. Find a quiet private spot and watch the video I sent—it’s a bit shocking.”
A little spoiler was fine, but not too much.
Saying simply “Tang Xiao Tang isn’t the young beauty you imagined” wasn’t as impactful as seeing the video and hearing the man call her “Xiao Tang.”
She wanted Chi Xiaoyu to learn from this bitter lesson and be more cautious in love.
He had already reset his account and was reborn; it was time to open his eyes.
Chi Xiaoyu was puzzled: “Witness a miracle? What does that have to do with meeting my online girlfriend? I didn’t commission a magic show!”
Chi Xiaoyu was heartbroken, expectations high.
Maybe Tang Xiao Tang was really beautiful—a miracle?
If so, even if she had scammed him for years, maybe forgiveness was possible.
A beautiful woman’s misdeeds were easier to forgive.
That was the legend: “Bad girls, good men.”
Even dying for her would be “dying under the peony flowers is still romantic.”
Chi Xiaoyu regretted never seeing a peony flower but was still obsessed.
Yun Zhi waited over half an hour, refreshed her coffee and magazines, and finally saw Tang Xiao Tang after makeup.
Before makeup, she was quite unattractive, even ugly.
After makeup, sparse eyebrows became willow leaves, freckles vanished, the flat nose was contoured, wrinkles hidden.
The large mole was covered with a cute strawberry bandage.
Lipstick was applied, but buck teeth and yellowing remained, so still not pretty, just less ugly.
Tang Xiao Tang packed up makeup except the mirror and took out a black celebrity mask.
Wearing it, her fair skin and small face instantly transformed her into a glamorous beauty.
Not stunning, but with chestnut curls, bangs, and enlarged eyes from colored contacts, she looked like a beauty.
If Yun Zhi hadn’t come to change magazines, she wouldn’t have seen her bare face again.
Tang Xiao Tang admired her work and put away the mirror.
She checked the time—2:50, almost 3 pm—and started texting.
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Yun Zhi felt her phone vibrate on silent.
She checked; it was from Tang Xiao Tang.
“Where are you? I’ve been at the café waiting for a long time.”
“Hurry up, don’t be late. I’m busy; I have another appointment at 3:30.”
Yun Zhi wondered who the next appointment was with. Another online boyfriend?
Seeing her urgency, Yun Zhi didn’t want to waste more time and put the magazine back.
Still, to avoid mistakes, she sent a voice request in Tang Xiao Tang’s chat window.
The made-up Tang Xiao Tang answered immediately, “Hey? Where are you? I’ve been waiting for you at the café forever!”
Confirmed: no mistake.
Yun Zhi said, “By the cashier! Actually, I’ve been here since 2 pm.”
She waved and smiled.
Tang Xiao Tang was stunned.
She remembered this woman as very pretty, with a natural look and subtle lipstick, more lively than many famous actresses.
Every customer secretly glanced at her flawless face.
She had been at the café before Tang Xiao Tang arrived, so the latter’s ugly real self and behavior had been witnessed.
Tang Xiao Tang angrily hung up and confronted Yun Zhi: “Why didn’t you say you were here? Enjoying watching me make a fool of myself?”
Yun Zhi was speechless.
She took out the gift box containing the ceramic cat figurines: “A gift from Chi Xiaoyu.”
Even knowing the other was likely a scammer, Chi Xiaoyu decided to send the gift anyway.
No matter the attitude, he wanted her to see the thoughtfulness behind it.
It was a combination of “Yu” and “Tang,” with engraved names.
Though the gift’s price wasn’t high, the sentiment was priceless.
Chi Xiaoyu wanted to know if she would be moved seeing the cats.
Yun Zhi asked, “Want to open and see?”
Tang Xiao Tang: “Hmph, I would have opened it anyway to avoid you swapping it.”
She returned to her seat and ripped the ribbons.
The box felt heavier than expected; a pair of sapphire earrings with a box shouldn’t be so heavy.
Soon, the 10 cm tall cat figurines appeared.
Tang Xiao Tang angrily asked, “What is this? Where are the sapphire earrings Xiao Yu prepared?”
Yun Zhi said, “Are you mistaken? The earrings are my personal items that accidentally appeared in the photo. The cats have engravings underneath.”
Tang Xiao Tang flipped the cats over and saw “Yu [red heart] Tang.”
She couldn’t believe it: “He only prepared this for me? You said the gift was precious?”
Yun Zhi replied, “This gift carries Xiao Yu’s love; the sentiment is priceless. Isn’t that precious?”
She asked Chi Xiaoyu’s question: “Did you ever have any true feelings for Xiao Yu? He worked late nights to earn money for you, chatted with you on the way home, and fell into the sewer because he wasn’t paying attention. Do you feel nothing for his death?”
Tang Xiao Tang’s reaction was to smash the ceramic cats on the floor, shattering them.
Fortunately, nearby customers quietly moved seats, avoiding harm.
Yun Zhi was several meters away and safe.
Tang Xiao Tang tore off her mask, saying, “What do you know? You, born beautiful, can snap your fingers and get riches others work a lifetime for. What right do you have to question me?”
“Yes, I scammed Xiao Yu. He was a fool and easy to dupe!”
“I’m 42, claimed to be 22, and he believed it!”
“My parents are fine; I lied about their illness and he believed.”
“I once had true feelings but after vocational school, working three jobs to support my husband’s university, he married a younger beautiful woman and despised me and my son for being ugly. We only had a wedding banquet, no official certificate, and I can’t even sue him!”
“True feelings? What’s that? Can it feed me? Pay for my son?”
“Worst of all, my son is obsessed with a flashy female streamer; he spends the money I earned on her, thousands per gift, ten times in a row. He’s an adult now, I can’t get the money back!”
“Xiao Yu’s death is not my fault; blame his own stupidity!”
Yun Zhi’s expression turned serious: “If you want to blame, blame your unfaithful husband.”
“Your son stealing money to buy gifts is his problem and your failure, not Xiao Yu’s.”
“Xiao Yu did nothing wrong; you owe him.”
“He’s gone, but you’ve scammed more than just Xiao Yu. That man Dun Dun just gave you 5,000 yuan. The store’s surveillance recorded everything.”
“I’ve reported to the police.”
Yun Zhi had quickly sent a brief message to hacker Xiao Jiu: “Help report.”
Xiao Jiu could see the café’s surveillance clearly.
Tang Xiao Tang was indifferent during Yun Zhi’s speech, but panicked after “reported to police.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, I was just saying nonsense.”
She grabbed her bag, ready to leave.
But Yun Zhi calmly said, “Tang Cuihua, I know your phone number and address. Running won’t help; the police will come for you.”
When Tang Xiao Tang desperately clung to Dun Dun for breakup money, Yun Zhi had the hacker trace her identity.
Hearing her real name, Tang Cuihua panicked and ran out.
She hurriedly put on her mask, perhaps for safety and anonymity.
If she couldn’t return home, she planned to flee Haishi by taxi.
But she barely left the café when she collided with a man.
She shouted, “Watch where you’re going!”
Seeing Yun Zhi hadn’t followed, she relaxed a bit.
The man was tall, burly, tattooed, clearly intimidating.
He was unhappy she ran out without looking and blamed him.
Seeing her masked face, he grabbed her arm: “Tang Tang, is that you? I’m Xiao An! We’re meeting here at 3:30! You came early? What a coincidence, I wanted to come early too!”
Xiao An was also Tang Cuihua’s online boyfriend.
Because he gave money generously, she sent him makeup photos showing only eyes.
She planned to keep the mask on when meeting, claiming facial injury to hide imperfections, playing the victim for more money.
But Xiao An was nothing like his photos—he was muscular, dark-faced, with a tattooed arm.
His photos were of a refined young man; reality was a complete mismatch.
Tang Cuihua cursed her luck meeting her next online boyfriend while trying to escape.
Xiao An gently asked, “Tang Tang, what’s wrong? Are you being bullied? Tell me who, and I won’t let him off.”
Tang Cuihua trembled, “You’re Xiao An?”
He shyly smiled, “I use a gentler online name; young people like cute nicknames.”
Tang Cuihua: ... she understood all too well.
A passerby holding a laptop approached: “Sir, this woman is a scammer. She recently scammed another online boyfriend of hers for 5,000 yuan.”
That was a man who stayed late at the café working and watching the drama.
Xiao An was shocked.
Tang Cuihua hurried to defend, “No, Xiao An, don’t believe him. It’s a misunderstanding.”
The passerby continued, “She took off her mask—no makeup, very ugly! Ugly isn’t her fault, but pretending to be a beauty to scam is wrong!”
Xiao An: ...!!!
Without hesitation, he ripped off her mask.
Her heavy makeup wasn’t pretty, but not ugly either.
Passerby said, “Bro, tear off that bandage too! That big mole!”
Xiao An obeyed.
“Whoa!” he gasped—such a huge mole with a long black hair.
That ruined the “atmospheric beauty” illusion.
Passerby added, “She’s 42 with an adult son and told both her online boyfriends she’s 22. I wonder if she told you the same?”
Xiao An angry: “42? Son grown up? I’m 29 and still single! You can scam my money but not my feelings, Tang Tang. We’re not done!”
Passerby: “She’s not Tang Tang, it’s Tang Cuihua!”
Xiao An grabbed her arm: “Let’s go to the police! You must return my money!”
Tang Cuihua struggled but couldn’t break free, dragged like a chick.
“I’ll pay you back! Please don’t go to the police!”
Xiao An insisted, “No! You scammed my feelings too! You made me suffer fake love for a year; you deserve to know the pain of jail for fraud!”
Nearby was a police station; Xiao An dragged her just ten meters when two officers arrived.
The passerby explained, “Officers, she’s the suspect!”
Yun Zhi hadn’t expected such a development.
Afraid Tang Cuihua might do something extreme if pressured, like breaking more things, she planned to follow discreetly after paying the café’s cleaning fee.
Hacker Xiao Jiu could track Tang Cuihua’s phone location; Yun Zhi wasn’t worried about escape.
But after paying, Tang Cuihua did nothing else and was taken to the police by her next online boyfriend.
The café’s surveillance was copied by the police.
Since it involved Yun Zhi’s nominal friend Chi Xiaoyu, Yun Zhi was also summoned for a statement.
The police noted Chi Xiaoyu was deceased, but after tallying the scammed money, recoverable amounts would be returned to his parents.
Yun Zhi knew some of Chi Xiaoyu’s family background; though they didn’t love him, they never withheld support, which was a form of repaying their upbringing.
Yun Zhi didn’t follow up on Tang Cuihua’s case.
The woman had scammed over 200,000 yuan from Xiao An alone and was sure to face jail.
Yun Zhi’s mission was to meet an online girlfriend, but it ended up delivering a prison tear song instead.
Back at the hotel, Yun Zhi exported the day’s video footage, unedited, and sent it to Chi Xiaoyu.
The video was over two hours long.
Four hours later, Chi Xiaoyu messaged again.
Those four hours included watching the video and emotional breakdown and recovery.
“Yun Zhi, you did a great job. Five stars.”
“Wuwu, my dream Xiao Tang just disappeared like that!”
Yun Zhi comforted, “Think positively. At least after tasting this bitter love, you won’t be so easily scammed again. Last life you just lost money; this life, if scammed, might be worse.”
Chi Xiaoyu wondered, “Why? I’m broke now, no money to be scammed.”
Yun Zhi said, “Because your body this life can get pregnant by a scumbag woman.”
Chi Xiaoyu: ...
“You sure know how to comfort.”
Chi Xiaoyu: ...t__t
His tears, barely held back, burst forth again.
[Congratulations, you have perfectly completed Chi Xiaoyu’s commission and earned a five-star rating, rewarded 500 points!]
[Total points 1490; your level has increased to Lv2.]
[You meet the criteria to unlock the points store. Would you like to spend 1000 points to open it? Yes/No]