[H-Index: 90]

Lin Ao, fast asleep, was jolted awake by a slap.

For a moment, he thought Xiao Fan had come to kill him again.

He steadied himself and looked over. It was Gu Wanqing.

"What the hell was that for?"

Lin Ao flared up at once. He'd agreed to break off the engagement, hadn't he? He'd even sent her a text last night, inviting her over to discuss things amicably. And now she'd greeted him with a slap!

"I... I didn't mean to. I'm sorry."

Gu Wanqing awkwardly drew back her hand, her eyes fixed on Lin Ao's status panel.

Several of the stats had changed.

[Character's current state/thoughts: So wronged. I didn't even do anything~]

[Character's affection: 50.]

[Character's heartbeat: 110.]

"Why do you keep staring at me? Sit down somewhere. We need to have a proper talk!"

What was with this woman? Her gaze was a little scary!

Gu Wanqing sat down in a daze. This wasn't a hallucination. It was real!

She could actually see Lin Ao's status panel?

And just now, all sorts of information had appeared in her mind, along with familiar scenes. She hurriedly tried to sort through them.

"Ahem, Miss Gu... Wanqing, I asked you here so we could discuss our engagement amicably."

Now that Gu Wanqing had sat down, Lin Ao was eager to get straight to the main point and cut ties with her as soon as possible.

"Ahem. Since you brought it up, that proves you don't have any feelings for me either. So let's discuss how to break off the engagement."

Lin Ao was talking about breaking off the engagement, but Gu Wanqing was absorbed in the memories that had appeared in her mind. She hadn't heard a word he said.

She'd seen Lin Ao die over and over in different ways.

Every time, she'd watched him die with her own eyes—and she'd even been smiling!

Why? Why had the version of her in those scenes acted like that?

And hadn't she loved Lin Ao since they were children? How could she have fallen out of love just like that?

That wasn't like her at all.

Every time, Xiao Fan and other people had appeared by her side.

Somehow, she'd ended up involved in Lin Ao's death.

She'd watched Lin Ao grow more and more desperate, struggling with everything he had, only to be mercilessly killed by Xiao Fan and the others each time.

Back then, she hadn't tried to stop them. She'd even taken part in the hunt.

Why?

She hadn't wanted any of that. She'd loved him.

Then came the final scene.

Lin Ao had grabbed her by the throat, raving as he kept asking why. She'd even spat in his face.

In every scene, Lin Ao had never killed her. This time was no different—he tossed her aside.

As he turned away, Xiao Fan had somehow crept up behind her and pulled out a handgun.

"Bang!" A gunshot rang out!

Lin Ao collapsed to the ground. Only then did she break free of some kind of restraint, and her own feelings came rushing back to her.

"No!!!!!"

Why? Why had this happened? She snatched the gun from Xiao Fan's hand. Xiao Fan thought she was going to fire another shot into Lin Ao, so he handed it over without hesitation.

"Bang!" Another shot rang out.

She ended her own life.

"Um, we can sign a contract. I can offer you a figure and compensation you'll be happy with."

Lin Ao took a contract from behind him and handed it to Gu Wanqing.

Gu Wanqing took it mechanically without reading a single word.

She bit her lip, staring at Lin Ao with a complicated expression, tears streaming down her face.

She tore the contract to shreds, then threw herself onto Lin Ao.

Her tears wouldn't stop. She buried herself in his arms, breathing in his scent and feeling his warmth.

He... was still alive!

Lin Ao was utterly stunned. The woman had torn up the contract like a madwoman, then swept into his arms in a gust of fragrant air and burst into sobs.

This was bad! Lin Ao lowered his head and hoped the dampness on his chest was just tears. Please, let it not be snot.

Lin Ao was at a loss, his hands hovering uselessly in the air. He was terrified of women crying.

Heaven, you saw that, right? I didn't hug her! She threw herself at me!

[Character's current state/thoughts: Helpless, at a loss. What do I do? What am I supposed to do?]

[Character's heartbeat: 120]

[H-Index: 60]

"Um... Wanqing... You could read the contract first. If you don't think the amount is enough... we can..."

Was the amount not enough? She hadn't even looked at it. Why was she crying? The Lin Family was rich and powerful. Was their compensation really not good enough?

"Shut up! Let me cry for a while!"

Gu Wanqing spoke into his chest, her voice muffled. All she wanted now was to let her feelings out.

Seeing Lin Ao again—and finding him still alive—was wonderful.

"Okay!"

Lin Ao truly had no idea what to do when a girl cried. He was afraid that speaking too loudly would upset her, but also that pushing her away would make her cry even harder.

He could only keep holding his hands up helplessly.

Lin Ao's brow furrowed, and veins began to bulge.

An hour had passed!!!!

A whole hour!!

Why hadn't she gotten up yet? How did she do it? What kind of person could cry for that long?

Had I not offered her enough? She hadn't even looked at the contract before she started crying!

Crying was one thing, but she was... she was... moving around!

Though she was really soft.

Bah!

What on earth went on in women's heads?

Gu Wanqing was still sobbing softly in Lin Ao's arms, but she was faking it. She just wanted to stay in his embrace a little longer.

After all those times, this was the first time she'd truly gotten close to Lin Ao.

Judging by his status panel, he didn't seem like the cold, heartless sort, either.

And the panel's changing stats were really interesting.

[Character's current state/thoughts:] From [Helpless!] to [Damn it!] to [Do that again!] to [Help!]

[Character's heartbeat:] Bouncing back and forth from [120] to [130].

[H-Index:] From [60] to [80], then back to [60], then up to [80] again.

Gu Wanqing was doing it on purpose. As she cried in his arms, she would give a little wiggle. When the H-Index rose to [80], she'd go still again. Once it fell back to [60], she'd wiggle against Lin Ao once more.

She'd discovered he was so easy to tease. Had that unapproachable look and complete lack of interest in women been an act?

Footsteps sounded outside the hall.

Lin Ao's parents had been gone for nearly two hours. They wanted to come back and see how the talk was going.

But when they entered, they found Gu Wanqing sprawled on top of Lin Ao.

Why hadn't those two gone to a bedroom? What were they doing in the hall?

"Dad!!! Mom!!!"

When Lin Ao saw his parents, he was like a man spotting his rescuers. He hurriedly called them back just as they were about to leave and give the two of them some privacy!

Li Wanyu was now holding Gu Wanqing and soothing her.

Lin Dong had gone to fetch several expensive belts from the room. He tied Lin Ao up and dumped him on the sofa!

When Li Wanyu came in, Gu Wanqing had already sat up. Her eyes were red and swollen.

Her face was streaked with tears, and her tear-filled eyes made her look so pitiful.

Li Wanyu and Lin Dong immediately began scolding Lin Ao, asking Gu Wanqing whether he'd bullied her. She kept saying she was fine and that it had nothing to do with Brother Lin Ao.

To Lin Ao, Gu Wanqing was the textbook definition of a green tea. Didn't saying that just make things look even more suspicious?

Before Lin Ao could explain, Lin Dong had already pinned him down.

"Wanqing, if you've been wronged, tell Auntie! I'll beat that brat to a pulp!"

Li Wanyu tenderly wiped Gu Wanqing's tears while Lin Dong cracked his belt through the air several times, making it snap. It scared Lin Ao half to death. He thought he was about to be reborn all over again.

"Dad! Mom! I can't hold it in anymore! We came here today to discuss breaking off—"

Lin Ao couldn't take it any longer. He was willing to risk getting whipped with a belt if it meant telling them the truth.

Before he could finish, Gu Wanqing hurried over and cupped his face in both hands.

Lin Ao saw the sly look in Gu Wanqing's eyes as her delicate face drew closer and closer.

He was panicking inside, silently shouting, No! No! No!!!

Her tempting scent filled his nose, and a trace of sweetness spread through his mouth.

"Mmm... mmm~"

Why was this woman using her tongue?!

Lin Ao's parents tactfully left the hall.

Lin Ao was devastated.

It was over. It was all over!

He'd said he would stay away from women starting today. If Xiao Fan found out about this, would he ever be able to live in peace again?

[Character's current state/thoughts: Excited and despairing! My first kiss! I'm doomed!]

[Character's affection: 80]

[Character's heartbeat: 120]

[Current goal: Escape the female demon's clutches!]

[H-Index: 90]