Chapter 1

My wealthy best friend suggested I send my daughter to an elite kindergarten.

“Lín Wēi, your little girl chases after my son every day. This time she’ll definitely follow him to the elite kindergarten too. Seems she’s dying to be our daughter-in-law!”

“But our Ruìrui is meant to date someone from high society! Don’t let your Tángtang get any ideas about our Ruìrui! She’d barely qualify as a nanny for our family!”

Her words made me deeply uncomfortable.

Just then, danmaku appeared:

[Hilarious. The villainess’s whole family are bootlickers. Living in a regular apartment but always trying to climb up to the male lead’s family in their villa.]

[Waiting for the female lead to show up. Once she does, the male lead won’t spare this annoying childhood friend a single glance!]

[Just you wait. The villainess will end up dying of despair when her love goes unrequited. So satisfying!]

I looked at Tángtang, still innocently playing with Xiāo Ruì, and said firmly, “We’re not going to the elite kindergarten. We’re going to Sunshine Kindergarten!”

My daughter—her life absolutely must not be ruined over a man.

If this is destiny, then I will defy fate for her!

1

I held Tángtang’s hand as we walked into the opulent living room of my best friend Sū Màn’s villa.

My sweet, naive daughter darted away from me like a little rabbit, heading straight for her dear Ruìrui.

“Ruìrui, is this your new robot model? It’s so cool!”

Her little hand hadn’t even touched the clearly expensive robot model on the coffee table before Ruìrui snatched it away and pulled back sharply, his small face full of disdain. “Don’t touch my limited edition model with your dirty hands!”

My heart felt like it had been pricked by a needle.

Sū Màn, sitting on the leather sofa, covered her mouth and chuckled. “Oh my, Lín Wēi, look at your girl. Coming to find our Ruìrui every few days—she likes my son so much, dying to be our daughter-in-law, huh?”

Even though I knew it was meant as a joke, I still felt extremely uncomfortable.

The innocent friendship between two children was being twisted into something so calculating.

I was about to retort.

Suddenly, my vision flickered like an old TV with static, and several lines of text floated into the air before my eyes:

[The villainess’s fate begins! She’s destined to go crazy for our male lead, be crazy about our male lead!]

[Hilarious. The villainess’s whole family are bootlickers. Living in a regular apartment but always trying to climb up to the male lead’s family in their villa.]

[Waiting for the female lead to show up. Once she does, the male lead won’t spare this annoying childhood friend a single glance!]

My pupils contracted. I thought I was so angry I was hallucinating.

But then, a blood-red danmaku slashed across my vision like a curse:

[Just you wait. The villainess will end up dying of despair when her love goes unrequited. So satisfying!]

My mind went completely blank, as if struck by lightning.

Dying of despair? My Tángtang?

I whipped my head toward Tángtang, still innocently playing with Xiāo Ruì. My heart felt like it was being crushed by an invisible hand—the pain was so sharp I couldn’t breathe.

No! Absolutely not!

“Lín Wēi? What are you spacing out for?”

Sū Màn’s lazy voice pulled me back to reality. She was admiring her freshly done nails. “I’m telling you something important. Ruìrui is about to start kindergarten—we’ve decided on Elite International. Tuition starts at two hundred thousand a year, all-around development, a true cradle of the elite! The key thing is, all the kids there come from wealthy or influential families. Great for building connections.”

“Our Ruìrui is meant to find a girlfriend from high society! Don’t let your Tángtang get any ideas about our Ruìrui!”

Her words were like a serpent’s tongue—revolting.

Pure, innocent childhood affection, twisted into some kind of “scheming”!

The danmaku before my eyes was still partying:

[Of course the villainess will chase after our male lead to Elite International!]

[Our male lead gets elite education—morals, intellect, physique, aesthetics, labor, all-around development. Irresistible!]

[Later, the villainess falls hopelessly in love with the male lead just because he helped her deal with some bullies. Tch, what a love-brain!]

So that’s how it is… So my daughter’s tragic ending was sealed the moment we chose a kindergarten?

A fury I had never felt before instantly overwhelmed my reason.

I took a deep breath and cut off her endless chatter. “We’re not going there.”

Sū Màn froze.

I said clearly, “We’re going to Sunshine Kindergarten.”

Sū Màn sneered. “That dump where they make kids roll around in the mud all day?”

“Building real, practical skills is a good thing.”

I bent down and scooped up Tángtang, who was still gazing longingly at Ruìrui.

Sū Màn recovered and spoke with a condescending tone. “Lín Wēi, I know your husband doesn’t have money. If it’s not enough, you can borrow from me. We’re sisters—just write an IOU and I’ll lend it to you. Your Fāng Táng isn’t particularly gifted to begin with. If she falls behind at the starting line, she’ll be finished!”

I looked at the mocking danmaku before me, then at my precious daughter in my arms, and smiled faintly.

“No need. I don’t care about winning or losing. I am confident I can give my daughter a life of health and happiness.”

With that, I hugged Tángtang and turned to leave.

Behind me were Sū Màn’s enraged shouts and the danmaku’s even wilder mockery.

But I didn’t care anymore.

From this moment on, I have only one goal—to defy fate!

My daughter—her life absolutely must not be ruined over a man.

2

The first two days after sending Tángtang to Sunshine Kindergarten, I was on edge.

The little one pouted, clinging to my leg and refusing to let go. “Mommy, I want to go play with Ruìrui…”

Every time I heard it, my heart clenched, terrified that the damn “plot force” was pulling her back.

But on the third day, when I went to pick her up, I saw a different scene.

She came running out of the yard with flushed cheeks, holding up an adorable clay teddy bear. “Mommy! Look! I made this!”

In her eyes—eyes that had been so dull just days ago—there now sparkled little points of light.

I crouched down and hugged her tightly. “Baby, you’re amazing! You created this bear all by yourself!”

She nodded vigorously and started chattering away. “We watered little vegetable sprouts today! The teacher said I watered the best!”

“We did morning exercise running, and I came in third—faster than the boys.”

“In the afternoon, the teacher taught us to make cookies. I packed some specially for you to try.”

When we got home, she pulled out a little paper packet from her backpack like it was treasure. Inside were slightly over-baked cookies. “Mommy, try them! I made them with my own hands!”

I accepted them as if they were precious, took a bite. Maybe they weren’t gourmet by any standard, but to me, they surpassed every delicacy in the world.

“Baby,” I looked at her and said seriously, “See? You can make such a cute teddy bear, bake cookies, take care of little sprouts. You’re so capable!”

She blinked her big eyes at me.

“When you become interesting and capable yourself, you’ll attract friends who truly appreciate you, instead of…” I paused, “chasing after someone. We need to be our own sun, understand?”

She seemed to half-understand, but nodded obediently. “Mm! I made the teddy bear with Zhāozhāo today. She’s my good friend!”

In that moment, half the weight on my heart finally lifted.

She would make new friends. Gradually, she would forget Xiāo Ruì.

As long as she no longer crossed paths with Xiāo Ruì, she wouldn’t walk toward the villainess’s tragic ending.

3

Tángtang’s kindergarten life was joyful and fulfilling.

One day, she independently made a colorful fruit salad and even carved a little flower out of radish as decoration.

Proudly, I took a nine-grid photo and posted it to my social media, captioning it: “My little chef, a delicacy made with her own hands!”

Likes and genuine compliments quickly poured in.

But soon, a glaring comment slipped in.

Sū Màn: “Oh wow, aspiring to be a chef from such a young age? Well, I suppose it’s a wise choice. Average intelligence—might as well play to your strengths!”

Right after came her new video post.

In the video, Ruìrui, dressed in a little suit, was playing Moonlight Sonata on a grand piano.

The danmaku appeared right on cue:

[Hilarious. They’re really training a little cook, huh?]

[Compared to our Chopin-playing male lead, it’s the difference between heaven and earth!]

[Now the villainess is even less worthy of our male lead!]

I sneered and was about to close my phone when Sū Màn called directly.

“Lín Wēi, what is wrong with you?”

Her voice carried exaggerated bewilderment. “Are you seriously grooming Tángtang to be a housewife? Well, that works too. She can cook for my son someday—at least it counts as a skill. Even if she can’t be my daughter-in-law, being a nanny isn’t bad either.”

“Looks like you’ve gone to a lot of trouble trying to get Tángtang into a wealthy family!”

My fingers gripping the phone turned white at the knuckles.

So, in the eyes of this so-called best friend, my daughter and I were really that lowly?

This self-important woman.

Just because she married some nouveau riche husband, she thinks she can float up to heaven!

I spoke into the receiver, my voice cold as ice. “Sū Màn, listen carefully.”

“My daughter learns to cook so she can live a rich, vibrant life for herself, so she can love life—not to serve your son!”

“Our family has never wanted to climb up to yours. If you think I’m not worthy of being your friend, then let’s just stop contacting each other from now on.”

I took a deep breath and said decisively:

“I have no patience to listen to you seeking a sense of superiority over me every single day.”

With that, I hung up directly. Blocked. Deleted. All in one smooth motion.

The danmaku before me went crazy:

[Tch, the villainess’s mom is so dramatic!]

[Acting tough now, but she’ll have plenty to cry about later!]

[Waiting for her to get slapped in the face!]

I turned off my phone and walked to the window, looking out at the bright sunshine outside.

The world, finally, was quiet.

4

A month after cutting off contact, I received Ruìrui’s birthday party invitation, delivered by Sū Màn’s messenger.

The gold-foiled card was like a silent provocation.

Tángtang looked up at me with expectant eyes. “Mommy, it’s Ruìrui’s birthday. Can we go? I prepared a gift for him.”

Looking at my daughter’s clear, pure eyes, I couldn’t bear to ruin this innocent childhood friendship.

“Alright, we’ll go.”

She had spent an entire week needle-felting an adorable, lifelike brown puppy out of wool roving, carefully placing it into a gift box.

When we arrived at the villa, the overwhelming luxury hit me, stirring an involuntary pang of inadequacy.

But a child’s world is pure. Tángtang only wanted to reunite with her little playmate.

Holding the gift, Tángtang ran up to Ruìrui and said excitedly, “Ruìrui, happy birthday.”

Seeing the handmade puppy, Ruìrui’s eyes noticeably lit up. He reached out to take it.

“Oh, what’s this?”

Sū Màn snatched it first, weighing it in her hand, and chuckled lightly. “Tángtang is so thoughtful. But next time, don’t bother making these worthless little things. We don’t have a suitable display case for them.”

[So shabby! She actually had the nerve to give something like this?]

[Our male lead is so well-mannered—he didn’t even throw it away on the spot!]

[So excited! Is our female lead about to appear?!]

Tángtang’s little face went pale instantly. She stood there at a loss.

Just as I was about to reach out and take the puppy back, Xiāo Ruì gently took it and said softly, “Thank you for your gift.”

Thankfully, the young Xiāo Ruì hadn’t yet been corrupted by his mother’s indoctrination.

Just then, there was a stir at the entrance.

A little girl in an expensive princess dress, as delicate as a doll, walked in accompanied by a nanny.

Sū Màn and her husband immediately rushed over with beaming smiles.

“Oh my, Princess Xīxī is here! Please, come in!”

The girl handed over a Lego set that was clearly expensive.

Ruìrui’s attention was instantly captured. He circled around the little princess, tossing the handmade puppy aside and never glancing at it again.

Unwilling to let my daughter’s heartfelt gift be casually discarded, I quietly picked it back up.

On the way home, Tángtang kept her head down.

As we neared our apartment complex, she finally couldn’t hold it in anymore and asked, her voice tinged with tears, “Mommy, why did Ruìrui ignore me as soon as that big sister showed up? Are more expensive gifts better? Is the puppy I made not good?”

I crouched down, wiped away her tears, looked into her eyes, and said every word clearly:

“Not at all. Your puppy is the most wonderful gift in the whole world. The thought behind it is priceless.”

“But, baby, appreciation goes both ways. If he doesn’t treasure your heartfelt gift, then we take it back and give it to someone who knows how to appreciate it.”

She seemed to half-understand, but she clutched that rejected puppy tightly.

[Sour grapes!]

[The villainess’s mom is so good at making herself look good!]

[Just can’t admit the male lead is more noble than her daughter!]

The danmaku kept clamoring, but my heart was completely calm.

Today wasn’t a wasted trip after all.

Letting my daughter see their hypocritical true colors early on—that was a good thing.

5

After that birthday party, our two families completely severed ties.

I poured all my energy into raising Tángtang.

The “special forces” model of Sunshine Kindergarten not only conducted an hour of physical training every morning but also offered specialized instruction in boxing, cooking, and handicrafts.

All practical, real-world skills. The foundation it built was incredible.

She discovered the joy of exercise in kindergarten, and in elementary school, she proactively asked to learn boxing on her own.

She said, “Mom, sweating feels amazing. And I feel like I can protect myself now!”

Her posture grew more and more upright, and the confident sparkle in her eyes could no longer be ignored.

Through elementary and middle school, I worked hard to help her with her studies, but her natural talent in that area was truly average—her grades stayed in the middle range.

I never lost heart, nor did I ever compare her to others. I always encouraged her: “Studying isn’t the only path. Our Tángtang surely has even greater talents!”

And sure enough, the handicraft hobby and cooking skills she had started cultivating since kindergarten exploded in middle school.

By chance, she encountered dough figurine sculpture.

Ordinary dough in her hands seemed to be given life. Figures from ancient and modern times, birds and beasts—everything was vividly lifelike.

She opened a video account to share her creative process. With exquisite craftsmanship and a unique artistic aesthetic, she quickly went viral, gaining millions of followers and becoming a well-known “dough sculpture creator.”

She even received an invitation to the National Dough Sculpture Competition.

So we decided to pursue the art specialty track, building on Tángtang’s artistic talent.

In the college entrance exam, with her outstanding artistic specialty and qualifying academic scores, she was successfully admitted to the design program at a top-tier 985 university!

The summer after the exam, she didn’t idle. With the full support of our entire family, she created her personal dough sculpture brand, “Sugar Sculpt,” opened a studio, and took custom orders. The products sold out as soon as they launched, and her livestream follower count soared.

Before long, we had actually earned our family fortune through our daughter’s talent and moved into a spacious, bright villa!

After the move, I asked Tángtang to prepare a few of her representative works as gifts for the new neighbors.

When we knocked on the door of the neighboring villa, a graceful, elegant young woman answered.

Our eyes met, and we both froze.

It was Xīxī.

The “little princess” from that birthday party.

She had grown into a poised young lady—still beautiful, but with a gentle, warm expression.

She looked at Tángtang’s dough sculpture fairy with delighted surprise. “Oh my god, this is stunning! Are you the creator behind ‘Sugar Sculpt’? I’ve been following you for ages!”

Even more coincidentally, we learned that the two of them had been admitted to the same university, just different majors.

The two girls chatted enthusiastically and agreed to go to orientation together.

As we left, Xīxī casually smiled and said, “My boyfriend is also at our school. He can help us carry our luggage when the time comes.”

My heart jolted, and I asked as nonchalantly as I could, “Your boyfriend? Is it Xiāo Ruì?”

“That’s right! How did you know, Auntie?” Xīxī smiled sweetly.

I forced a smile. “I attended Xiāo Ruì’s birthday party years ago and saw you there once. It just came to me.”

Xīxī smiled gently at that. “So we have that connection too.”

I looked at Tángtang. Her face showed no unusual reaction—just a moment of realization. “Oh, it’s him. It’s been so many years, I almost forgot.”

In that moment, my heart was flooded with wild joy. My daughter—she had finally escaped the fate of falling in love with the male lead!

But looking at the neighboring villa, a trace of unease rose in my heart.

Becoming neighbors with the female lead—was this coincidence, or was the preordained fate still entangling us?

6

On orientation day, Tángtang and I dragged our luggage and waited in front of Xīxī’s villa.

The sunlight was beautiful. Tángtang wore a simple white T-shirt and jeans, her posture upright, her aura clean—carrying a quiet, confident beauty.

“Xīxī, I’m here!” Tángtang called inside with a smile.

“Perfect timing, I just finished packing too.” Xīxī came out, accompanied by the nanny carrying her luggage.

Just then, a black luxury car glided smoothly to the curb.

The car door opened and a young man stepped out.

White shirt, black trousers, tall and straight.

Backlit, I couldn’t make out his specific features, but his striking silhouette and cool, noble bearing were already evident.

It was Xiāo Ruì.

He had grown into his features—even more handsome than in childhood. Truly someone you’d spot instantly in a crowd.

Tángtang looked over at the sound. When her gaze landed on his face, a clear flash of admiration crossed her eyes.

The most instinctive appreciation anyone feels when seeing something beautiful.

But the danmaku twisted it into the stirrings of love.

[Here it comes! The fated encounter!]

[The villainess is stunned! Knew she couldn’t resist our male lead!]

[Plot force activating! The villainess is about to start causing trouble again!]

[Even though I hate the villainess, it’s only when she stirs up drama that the male and female leads’ conflicts intensify and their feelings deepen!]

Ruìrui exchanged a glance with Xīxī, nodding with a hint of intimacy.

Then, his gaze settled on Tángtang.

A flicker of surprise and confusion crossed his eyes.

“You’re… Fāng Táng?”

He paused, as if searching his memory, then the corner of his mouth curved slightly upward.

“I remember you. When we were kids, on my birthday, you gave me a handmade puppy.”

In that moment, the air seemed to freeze.

Xīxī stood to the side, a gentle smile on her face.

I looked at Tángtang.

Tángtang was looking at him, her gaze clear, without a single ripple—just a polite, distant, faint smile.

“Really? That was so long ago, I barely remember.”

[Whoa?! Playing hard to get! Definitely playing hard to get!]

[She’s leveled up! This villainess has gotten way more sophisticated!]

[My heart aches for our Xīxī, our female lead. The angsty plot is about to begin!]

[Male lead, snap out of it! Don’t let her bewitch you! Just wait for the crematorium chasing wife arc!]

[But thankfully the villainess dies of despair in the end. At least that’s satisfying!]

Dies of despair…

The fateful scene replaying. Those four words, like poison-dipped ice picks, stabbed viciously into my heart once again!

I looked at the devastatingly handsome male lead before me, the beautiful and kind female lead, and my daughter—who had just begun to bloom and still had an infinite future ahead of her…

No! I absolutely will not allow it!

I absolutely will not let my daughter walk toward that irredeemable ending again!

7

From then on, I closely monitored Tángtang’s attitude toward Xiāo Ruì.

Only after confirming over and over that Tángtang had absolutely no interest in Xiāo Ruì did I finally relax a bit.

One weekend, I went to the university town to visit Tángtang.

Mother and daughter had a nice hot pot meal outside. As we walked back to her campus, the sky had already darkened.

Near the school, two burly men reeking of alcohol blocked our path, their eyes gleaming with ill intent.

“Hey ladies, spare some cash?”

One of them, slurring with a drunk burp, reached out to grab Tángtang’s arm.

Instinctively, I shielded Tángtang behind me, my gaze turning icy.

“Auntie! Tángtang!” Xīxī’s clear, urgent voice came from not far away.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her and Xiāo Ruì also heading this way.

Xiāo Ruì sprinted over, brow furrowed, striking a protective stance in front of us. He shouted at the drunk men, “What do you think you’re doing? Stay away from them!”

Before the words had even fully left his mouth, one of the drunk men cursed and swung a punch straight at Xiāo Ruì’s face!

Xiāo Ruì clearly had no experience with this kind of situation. He instinctively backed up, frozen.

Just as the fist was about to connect, Tángtang, standing behind me to the side, moved!

She stepped forward, precisely deflected the drunk man’s wrist with a clean, efficient motion, and backhanded him with a resounding slap.

Xiāo Ruì stared at her, still in shock.

But Tángtang turned her head and gave me a mischievous grin. “Mom, how about a little warm-up?”

I nodded, and we struck simultaneously.

Tángtang and I had been practicing boxing for years. Dealing with blustering drunks like these was child’s play.

A few crisp grappling moves later, the two guys who had been so arrogant were lying on the ground groaning.

I straightened my slightly ruffled collar, calm and composed.

I looked up—and met Xīxī’s face, full of shock and… admiration?

The girl’s eyes were wide, looking from Tángtang to me and back, as if she’d discovered a new continent.

As for Xiāo Ruì, his expression was even more complicated.

Shock, embarrassment, and a hint of incredulous scrutiny.

He was examining Tángtang as if truly seeing her for the first time.

[??? Did someone get the wrong script? How is the villainess’s mom this good at fighting too?]

[What happened to the hero saving the beauty? The male lead got totally upstaged!]

[Wait, Tángtang’s fighting moves just now—was that kind of cool?]

[Wasn’t the villainess supposed to be dazzled by the male lead’s charm? How did the tables turn completely?!]

The danmaku had completely lost it.

Xiāo Ruì opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to say something.

I didn’t give him the chance. I said directly to Tángtang, “Let’s go. We’ll walk you back to your dorms.”

Xīxī had stars in her eyes and followed eagerly. “Auntie, Tángtang, you two were so cool just now!”

“Where did you learn boxing? I want to learn too…”

Looking at them, eyes full of yearning for strength, not a trace of dependence on anyone else, I smiled with relief.

See? Girls can protect themselves just fine. No need to rely on the male lead to shine.

8

Tángtang’s eighteenth birthday arrived.

I booked a private room at a nicely appointed restaurant near her campus and invited a few of her close classmates and friends. Xīxī and Xiāo Ruì were also there.

The atmosphere was lively at first.

Xīxī gave Tángtang a carefully wrapped slender gift box.

Tángtang opened it. Inside was a set of custom, exquisite art brushes, with Tángtang’s initials finely engraved on the handles.

“Wow! Xīxī, you know me so well!” Tángtang cried out in delighted surprise, hugging Xīxī happily. “I love this gift!”

You could tell Xīxī had put real thought into it. This gift hit right at Tángtang’s heart.

Just then, one of the friends Xiāo Ruì had brought—probably a bit tipsy—nudged Xiāo Ruì with his elbow, winking suggestively. His voice wasn’t loud but wasn’t quiet either, just loud enough for half the table to hear.

“Xiāo Ruì, nice going! Your childhood sweetheart and your official girlfriend getting along so well? A girl in each arm—living the dream, huh?”

At these words, the table instantly quieted. Several pairs of eyes darted among Tángtang, Xīxī, and Xiāo Ruì.

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

Xiāo Ruì was holding his wine glass. He just tugged at the corner of his mouth, revealing an ambiguous, faint smile.

No confirmation, no denial. His attitude was so vague it was infuriating.

Xīxī’s smile froze instantly. She looked down helplessly, her fingers subconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes.

The eyes that had just been sparkling were now noticeably dimmed.

[It’s starting, it’s starting! The male lead is being ambiguous with the villainess. Time to start tormenting the female lead!]

[My heart aches for our female lead. Look at that hurt little expression…]

[It’s fine. The more the female lead suffers at the start, the more satisfying it’ll be when the male lead chases after her later.]

A nameless anger surged in my heart. This Xiāo Ruì, two-timing with such poor character—I truly don’t understand how he qualifies to be the male lead!

Right at that moment, Tángtang set her chopsticks down with a crisp clack.

She looked coldly at Xiāo Ruì and the guy who had stirred up trouble.

“I think there are some things that need to be formally clarified. Xiāo Ruì and I are merely ordinary university classmates. There’s no ‘childhood sweetheart’ storyline. Please don’t misunderstand.”

She paused, walked over to Xīxī’s side, gently took Xīxī’s hand, and raised a bright, resolute smile.

“I cherish, deeply cherish, my friendship with Xīxī. So, I’d appreciate it if certain people would stop making these tacky, misleading jokes. I don’t like it, and Xīxī wouldn’t either.”

The room was so silent you could hear a pin drop.

Seeing Xiāo Ruì remain silent, Tángtang took the initiative. “You certainly don’t want to be the subject of rumors either, do you? Xiāo Ruì.”

“Mm.” Xiāo Ruì’s faint smile froze completely on his face. His fingers tightened slightly around his wine glass. His face alternated between red and white, unbearably awkward.

And Xīxī looked up, staring blankly at Tángtang, who had stood up for her. Her eyes seemed to be suddenly infused with light, brightening little by little.

[Why isn’t the villainess following the script? Shouldn’t she have already fallen for the male lead? Why is she drawing a line in the sand?]

[Whoa, the villainess just went straight for it! Didn’t give the male lead any face at all!]

[But the male lead’s ambiguous attitude is seriously gross! Why do I suddenly feel like the villainess and the female lead are a better pair?]

[Wait, the villainess is out of character. How is the plot going to torment the female lead now? How is the crematorium chasing wife arc supposed to play out?!]

9

After that, Xiāo Ruì’s attitude toward Tángtang reverted to that of a stranger—cold and distant.

I was deeply gratified that my daughter no longer had to walk toward that tragic ending.

I had thought Xīxī also wouldn’t have to endure any more torment-the-female-lead plotlines.

But then, suddenly one day, Xīxī’s family went bankrupt.

Overnight, Xīxī went from a wealthy heiress to someone saddled with debt.

She politely declined the invitation from Tángtang and me to join our startup together. Every night, she played violin at a high-end Western restaurant to earn money.

Worried about her safety returning to the dorm late at night, Tángtang and I often came to the restaurant to eat and wait for her to finish her shift.

“Princess Xīxī playing the violin—so elegant. She’s practically glowing!” Tángtang said with full admiration.

On stage, Xīxī played the violin with focused concentration. The melody flowed beautifully.

Suddenly, I saw Bái Líng walk in, arm in arm with Xiāo Ruì.

Bái Líng was the department beauty in Xiāo Ruì’s major. Recently, she had suddenly started aggressively pursuing Xiāo Ruì.

Because of this, Xiāo Ruì and Xīxī had been fighting constantly.

The violin music came to an abrupt halt.

“Gù Qiàn, look at yourself right now.” Xiāo Ruì’s voice cut harshly through the quiet restaurant. “Performing in a place like this—aren’t you ashamed?”

Xīxī clutched her violin, her knuckles white. “I’m working!”

“Working?” Xiāo Ruì sneered. “Isn’t it just that you need money? Can’t you set aside your pride and come ask me for help? Do you think I wouldn’t help if you asked? Still think you’re some princess?”

Bái Líng nestled against Xiāo Ruì. “Ruì, don’t be angry. Maybe she’s hoping to make some new friends here. After all, the people who dine at this kind of restaurant are all wealthy or well-connected.”

The tea was practically overflowing, and yet Xiāo Ruì was eating it right up.

“So that’s it!” Xiāo Ruì raised his voice. “Are you trying to find yourself a sugar daddy here?”

[The plot is finally back on track!]

[Looks like the system has completely given up on Fāng Táng as the villainess and replaced her with Bái Líng.]

[The male lead still loves the female lead. He’s just stubborn with his words.]

[But, suddenly the male lead feels so disgusting. Why does he have to humiliate the female lead like this?]

At Xiāo Ruì’s words, Xīxī’s face turned deathly pale, her eyes filled with utter disappointment.

“Xiāo Ruì, that’s enough!”

Tángtang shot to her feet and shielded Xīxī.

“Who do you think you are? Xīxī is earning money with dignity through her own talent—what’s wrong with that?”

Xiāo Ruì frowned and opened his mouth to retort, but Tángtang gave him no room to speak.

“While she needed help the most, what were you doing? You were fooling around with another woman!”

Xiāo Ruì’s face turned livid. “You…”

“You talk a good game, but would you bankrupt yourself to pay off her debts?” Tángtang sneered. “Your own mind is full of filthy thoughts, so you assume everyone else is the same? Aside from relying on your family, what can you actually do?”

The surrounding patrons whispered and pointed.

Tángtang took Xīxī’s hand. “We’re leaving! This kind of man isn’t worth your tears!”

A perfect performance—full marks. Didn’t give the scumbag a single chance to complete a sentence.

Good. My daughter had finally grown into a rose with thorns.

10

Xīxī and Xiāo Ruì entered a cold war just like that.

In daily life, Xiāo Ruì and Bái Líng came and went as a pair, looking more like boyfriend and girlfriend.

If they had just broken up like that, it would have been fine. But I felt inexplicably uneasy, sensing that the plot’s force was still controlling everything from the shadows.

And sure enough, not long after, news of Bái Líng being diagnosed with “kidney failure” spread like wildfire across campus.

Xiāo Ruì took an extended leave of absence, keeping vigil by her hospital bed day and night—the very picture of a devoted boyfriend.

Tángtang and I both felt something was fishy.

Until that afternoon, when the danmaku before my eyes suddenly started flooding the screen:

[High alert! Death literature is here!]

[The female lead is about to be pressured into donating a kidney!]

[The female lead dying on the operating table is exactly when the crematorium chasing wife arc begins!]

[Can’t wait to see the male lead consumed with regret!]

Occasionally, one or two normal danmaku would appear:

[Does no one think the female lead is completely innocent? Can someone please save the female lead?]

[So the female lead just loses her life, and the male lead is left with… lifelong regret?]

Xīxī was Tángtang’s good friend, and more than that, a kind, wonderful girl. She deserved a bright future. How could I bear to watch her walk toward that tragic ending?

I immediately called Tángtang. “Tángtang, get to the hospital! Something’s happened to Xīxī!”

When we burst into the hospital, Xiāo Ruì had Xīxī cornered at the end of the hallway.

His voice was casual, laced with coaxing. “Xīxī, you’re the only match. You’re so kind-hearted—you couldn’t bear to watch her die, right?”

Xīxī shook her head, tears streaming.

He gripped Xīxī’s wrist tightly. “Are you still jealous at a time like this? I’ll be heartbroken if she dies. You’ve never been able to bear seeing me heartbroken, have you? What? Now that you’ve found a sugar daddy, my feelings don’t matter anymore?”

Xīxī’s face was white as paper, her whole body trembling. “Xiāo Ruì, I will never harm my own body for her sake!”

“It’s just one kidney, not your life!” Xiāo Ruì interrupted impatiently. “Save her life and I’ll make it up to you, I promise. You need money, right? I can help pay off your debts…”

“Enough!” Tángtang rushed forward and shoved him away. “What do you have to ‘make up’ with? You’re just a trust-fund baby coasting through life. Can you even make decisions about your family’s wealth? She is NOT donating this kidney!”

Xiāo Ruì was humiliated and enraged. “Fāng Táng, this is none of your business!”

“How is it not my business? When you’re trying to harm my friend’s body, I have every right to get involved! What’s more, you’re being played for a fool by a con artist!”

Xiāo Ruì’s face filled with fury. “What nonsense are you spouting?”

Tángtang sneered and held up the evidence on her phone. “Bái Líng’s physical last week was completely normal. Did this illness just drop out of the sky?”

Xiāo Ruì’s expression changed drastically. “You’re lying! I saw her diagnosis report myself!”

Tángtang didn’t flinch. “Whether I’m lying—the police will decide! I’ve already called them!”

At that moment, Bái Líng stormed out of the VIP ward aggressively.

“Fāng Táng, I suggest you mind your own business! It’s not your kidney!”

Tángtang turned to Xiāo Ruì and laughed. “See that? What kidney failure patient can bellow like that? Xiāo Ruì, use your brain for once!”

Seeing this, Bái Líng flew into a rage and raised her hand to strike Tángtang.

Before I could step in, Tángtang’s backhand landed with a crisp slap. “Falsifying medical records, deceiving someone into organ donation. Bái Líng, you were deliberately trying to kill Xīxī! Murder—that means prison time!”

Xiāo Ruì was about to join the fray when I stuck out a foot, sending him sprawling face-first.

Bái Líng, clutching her face, helped Xiāo Ruì up and sobbed against his shoulder—but dared not take another step forward.

The police arrived quickly.

Faced with the evidence, Bái Líng had no choice but to admit she had faked the illness.

Xiāo Ruì, utterly incredulous, turned to Xīxī with a face full of guilt after he processed what had happened.

“Xīxī, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I didn’t know it was fake…” Xiāo Ruì floundered, trying to explain.

“You didn’t mean to?” Tángtang cut him off sharply. “You just cared more about the Bái family’s power and influence! In your eagerness to latch onto the Báis, you threw away even the most basic human decency!”

Xīxī, her face ashen, said calmly, “Fake or not, the fact that you wanted me to donate a kidney was real. The fact that you don’t love me anymore is real too. Xiāo Ruì, from this moment on, we are completely through. No more ties between us.”

It was as if Xiāo Ruì, like a paper-thin character, had a moment of awakening. His face filled with panic. He stepped forward to take Xīxī’s hand but was evaded.

He began explaining incoherently, “Xīxī, I was just trying to make you jealous, trying to scare you. Actually, as long as you had just softened toward me, I had already decided I wouldn’t let you donate the kidney. I won’t be stubborn anymore. I apologize. Let’s make up, okay?”

Xīxī’s tears flowed. Her lips trembled. “We’re breaking up.”

Tángtang supported the nearly collapsed Xīxī and said softly, “It’s all over now.”

[??? So this is the crematorium chasing wife arc starting?]

[The kidney donation plot was just skipped like that? What kind of death literature is this?]

[The person above is sick. Why do you have to let the female lead die? Isn’t a strong, powerful female lead awesome?]

[The former villainess redeeming the female lead white moonlight—what kind of divine plot development is this? Love it, love it!]

11

After the kidney donation incident, Xīxī completely fell apart.

She shut herself in her dorm room all day, not answering calls, not replying to messages.

When we visited, she was always staring out the window blankly, her eyes so hollow it was heartbreaking.

Seeing her like this, I felt a knife twisting in my heart.

Just then, danmaku drifted across:

[Now that the kidney donation plot was skipped, will the female lead get depression? Or attempt suicide?]

[She has to reach a death ending for the male lead’s crematorium chasing wife arc to work.]

[I really hope the female lead wakes up! Female lead, pull yourself together! Dying for a scumbag isn’t worth it!]

[Thank goodness the villainess is here. She should be able to help the female lead out of the shadows.]

I didn’t want to let Xīxī wallow in self-destruction. I quietly contacted Xīxī’s parents.

They rushed over from their hometown overnight. Seeing their daughter in this state, they wept on the spot.

“Silly child,” Xīxī’s mother held her tightly. “You are our life itself! If anything happened to you, how would we go on living?”

Xīxī’s father’s face was streaked with tears. “It’s Dad’s fault for being useless, letting my princess suffer like this. If the sky falls, Dad will hold it up. Just live well—that matters more than anything.”

In the warm embrace of her parents, Xīxī finally burst into loud sobs.

She cried for a long time, then lifted her head. Her eyes gradually cleared. “Dad, Mom, I was wrong. Being desperate over a scumbag—it’s so not worth it.”

She looked at the sunlight outside the window and said softly, “Our family living well together—that’s more important than anything.”

The next day, Xīxī took the initiative to find Tángtang. The two girls talked through the entire night on the sports field.

“I’ve thought it through,” Xīxī’s eyes were resolute. “Love isn’t the entirety of life. I want to live for myself, for the people who love me.”

Tángtang hugged her happily. “Together! Let’s make everyone who looked down on us unable to reach us someday!”

[Crying, crying!]

[The female lead has finally awakened!]

[Thank you, villainess! Thank you, Auntie!]

[Finally broke out of the female rivalry plot. Girls’ friendship is what I’m here for!]

[Death literature transformed into vibrant, powerful women! Love it, love it!]

From that day on, Xīxī was like a changed person.

She joined our startup team and threw herself wholeheartedly into building the business.

Having faced life and death, she finally had her great awakening.

True strength isn’t being crazy for love—it’s cherishing life and living as your true self.

12

The “Sugar Sculpt” studio grew more and more successful.

Tángtang handled creative design, and Xīxī managed business operations.

The two worked in perfect sync, blending traditional dough sculpture craftsmanship with modern aesthetics.

The products were a massive hit upon release.

The exquisite dough sculpture artworks didn’t just sell well domestically—they also received overseas orders.

In just one year, “Sugar Sculpt” grew from a college startup project into a company with over twenty employees.

At the anniversary celebration, Tángtang and Xīxī stood side by side on stage.

Under the spotlight, the two girls were confident, poised, and radiant.

“People often tell us what girls should grow up to be.”

Tángtang smiled as she spoke. “But now we’ve proven that girls can grow up to be anything they want to be.”

Thunderous applause erupted from the audience.

Meanwhile, things were not going well at all for Xiāo Ruì and Bái Líng.

Once the honeymoon phase passed, the two spiraled into a bitterly resentful relationship.

Bái Líng found a new lover and began abusing Xiāo Ruì both emotionally and physically—even demanding he donate his cornea for her new boyfriend.

The danmaku exclaimed:

[Whoa? Why does this plot feel so familiar?]

[Has it reversed? The male lead is now the one being tormented?]

[Crematorium chasing wife turned into crematorium chasing husband?]

[Now the male lead can truly understand what Xīxī was going through back then!]

[Abusing your wife feels good in the moment, but karma always comes around!]

The Bái family was powerful and wealthy, with a stranglehold over the Xiāo family’s business.

Xiāo Ruì had to go through hell before he finally managed to break up with Bái Líng.

Later, remembering Xīxī’s kindness, Xiāo Ruì tearfully begged Xīxī many times to get back together—but unsurprisingly, he was rejected mercilessly every time.

[The queen shines alone. Scumbag, begone!]

[The queen is busy building her empire. Who has time for a scumbag?]

[This is the perfect ending!]

[You two queens are amazing!]

[So satisfying!]

[Powerful women for the win!]

At the year-end entrepreneurship summit, “Sugar Sculpt” won the Best Startup Project of the Year award.

Accepting the award, Tángtang and Xīxī said, “We want to tell all girls: don’t be a supporting character in someone else’s story. Be the protagonist of your own life. Your worth doesn’t need to be proven by anyone’s love.”

Tángtang and I exchanged a smile.

We had once nearly become sacrificial pawns in a tragedy.

But now, we had rewritten the ending with our own hands.

Girls, please always remember—your life should be written by your own pen!