Bai Song stood at the doorway, staring in astonishment at what was ostensibly a standard hotel suite but had been arranged with such warmth that it seemed as though a happy little family had been living there long-term.
The dining table in the living room was even set with red wine, fresh flowers, and steak, the tablecloth patterned with the rustic countryside scenery she loved. The deep crimson wine in the transparent stemmed glass made Bai Song’s heart lurch something about this place felt deeply wrong.
Hesitating to step inside, she was suddenly shoved forward by Tong Jiahui, stumbling and nearly falling into the room.
Tong Jiahui glanced around, her smile growing colder. “Song, do you remember what I told you back then?”
Bai Song shivered. “What?”
Tong Jiahui’s eyes darkened instantly. “Right, how could someone as heartless as you ever remember my words?”
“Jiahui, I—”
Tong Jiahui picked up the wine glass, swirling it twice before her gaze abruptly locked onto Bai Song’s face. “I said we were celebrating our one-year anniversary. Did you forget? Or maybe you never even remembered.”
She watched Bai Song closely, not missing the suppressed panic and fear in her eyes, her own dark gaze filled with bitter self-mockery and scorn. “After all, to me, it was a relationship. To you, it was just finding a free, convenient housekeeper.”
Her voice was icy, coiling around Bai Song’s throat like a venomous snake. Bai Song trembled violently.
In a sudden motion, Tong Jiahui flipped her wrist, splashing the entire glass of wine onto Bai Song’s face. The crimson liquid dripped down her hair and cheeks.
Caught off guard, Bai Song gasped as the wine stung her eyes, tears flooding out instantly. The burning pain forced her to hunch over, hands pressed to her face.
Tong Jiahui grabbed her hair, yanking her head up to meet her gaze.
Bai Song’s face twisted in pain, her tear-blurred eyes pleading silently.
Tong Jiahui studied her for a long moment before suddenly cracking a smile. “Bai Song, I thought I hated you that if we ever met again, I’d want to tear you apart piece by piece. But now I realize.”
A chill ran down Bai Song’s spine, her body shaking uncontrollably.
“I do hate you. But I don’t want you dead.” The violence in Tong Jiahui’s eyes surged wildly, her pupils dark with bloodlust. With a sharp flick of her hand.
Thud! Bai Song crashed to the floor.
It didn’t hurt, but the shock left her paralyzed.
Before she could even get up, a series of heavy crashes echoed through the room.
Tong Jiahui had overturned the entire table. The carpet spared the dishes from shattering, but Bai Song lay sprawled in the wreckage, staring up at her in terror.
She was beginning to regret coming here with Tong Jiahui. The woman before her was utterly unhinged.
“An anniversary, I put so much thought into this. How could we let it go to waste? Of course we have to celebrate!” Tong Jiahui’s smile was grotesque, her eyes locked onto Bai Song. “But not our one-year. No, we’re celebrating a fresh start.”
A fresh start, where their roles were completely reversed.
Bai Song was dragged up by her collar, the fabric tightening around her throat, turning her face red as tears welled in her eyes.
Her teeth chattered uncontrollably, unable to utter a single word.
The next moment, Bai Song was thrown to the ground again, a bottle of red wine thrust before her. She lifted her eyelids, her face a picture of confusion.
Tong Jiahui’s eyes were icy: “What’s a celebration without drinks? This is your favorite back then, I went through a lot of trouble to get it.” She gritted her teeth, enunciating each word clearly, “Song Song, savor it properly.”
Bai Song’s eyelashes trembled slightly as her gaze fell on the wine bottle.
Well, at least it was red wine. Drinking an entire bottle shouldn’t be too bad.
Her eyes burned with humiliation, but after a tense standoff, she finally reached for it with a shaking hand.
Tong Jiahui pressed a hand down on her shoulder, pinning her firmly to the ground, her voice dripping with mockery. “How boring.”
Bai Song’s pupils constricted. “Wh-what are you doing?”
Tong Jiahui smirked coldly. “What do you think?”
“!” Bai Song suddenly remembered the flirtatious messages she had entrusted to the system. She had skimmed them before, but they were so explicit that her vision had blurred with pixelated censorship, leaving her dizzy and unwilling to continue.
If not for Tong Jiahui bringing it up now, she might have forgotten about it entirely.
Tong Jiahui curled her lips. “Song Song, don’t worry. Whatever you desire, I’ll make sure to fulfill it for you, one by one.”
Bai Song’s voice quivered. “System, did you write this?”
The system took a drag from an imaginary cigarette. “Back then, I finally had a legitimate chance to disable the censorship filter. Got a little carried away.”
Bai Song: “…”
The system lamented, “Had I known it would come to this, I wouldn’t have read those shamelessly explicit novels. I should’ve stuck to the Core Socialist Values instead.”
Bai Song felt like she couldn’t breathe. Her lips trembled. “L-let me see.”
The system fell silent for a moment before sighing. “Better not. I’m afraid you might lose the will to live.”
Bai Song: “.The unknown is the most terrifying.”
The system: “Too obscene. Got banned. Can’t see it even if you wanted to.”
Bai Song: “!” What the hell did you write?!
The system: “I was too young back then. Thought any position was possible could’ve screwed the heavens, the earth, even the air. So, sorry.”
Bai Song: “…” No, no, don’t apologize. I’m starting to panic.
Bai Song was genuinely panicking now. “Jiahui, p-people could die from this.”
Tong Jiahui paused briefly, then flashed a bewitching smile. Under the dim, sultry lighting, she looked as alluring and venomous as a serpent. Softly, she murmured, “Back then, I thought I’d die too. But I survived and thrived. Song Song, human potential knows no limits. I believe in you.”
Bai Song stared at her in horror, as if looking at a stranger. Her lips turned pale. “Jiahui, you really want me dead, don’t you?”
Tong Jiahui merely smiled, saying nothing.
Bai Song shut her eyes, turning her head away in shame.
Tong Jiahui scoffed. “Why act so innocent, Bai Song? Isn’t this exactly how you like to be treated? Back then, didn’t you cheat because you thought I wasn’t adventurous enough?”
Bai Song’s lashes fluttered faintly, her face flushed scarlet whether from fear or humiliation, it was impossible to tell.
Tong Jiahui’s tone was light, as if casually remarking on the pleasant weather. “Let’s go out and have some fun.”
Tong Jiahui grew increasingly agitated as she spoke. She grabbed Bai Song’s hair, watching as pain misted over her eyes, her own expression twisting into madness. “Let me help you. Whatever you want, just tell me, and I’ll fulfill! Every! Wish!”
“!” With those last three words forced through gritted teeth, Bai Song’s body curled in on itself, tears streaming down her cheeks as she sobbed uncontrollably. “Jiahui, please let me go. I’m begging you, enough. I don’t want anything, nothing at all.”
Her trembling hands reached for Tong Jiahui, only to be violently thrown to the ground. Tong Jiahui loomed over her like an immovable mountain, pinning her in place.
Staring at Bai Song’s deathly pale face, Tong Jiahui’s eyes darkened, her throat dry and tight.
All these years, she had tried to start anew but no one could spark even the faintest interest in her.
It was always Bai Song. Her eyes, her heart, held nothing but Bai Song.
Whether it was love or hatred, Bai Song alone could stir her emotions with the slightest provocation.
And only Bai Song could make her feel such excruciating pain, as if life itself were unbearable.
Years of restraint had coiled her like a spring pressed to its limit now it had snapped back with full force.
She couldn’t hold back any longer. Dragging Bai Song to the bed, she threw her down.
Bai Song collapsed onto the mattress, vision swimming with static.
Tong Jiahui leaned in, nipping at the tip of Bai Song’s ear, savoring the panic her closeness elicited. With a smirk, she whispered, “Service complete, Miss Bai. It’s time for you to leave.”