Chapter 3

A burst of laughter came from behind my neighbor’s door.

The person inside tried to cover it up. “What kind of idiot is the male lead in this show? Jeez.”

I coughed loudly. At last, he closed his door.

Lu Yan’s face was stormy, and his body trembled faintly.

Afraid he might get violent, I slowly edged backward into my apartment.

Lu Yan clenched his fists and stared deeply at me. “I know Zheng Ziyu hurt you, but you don’t have to make up an excuse like this. I’ll give you time to think it through.”

He turned and strode away, his back every bit as resolute as Zheng Ziyu’s had been.

I stood there in silence.

Then I slunk back into my apartment and opened the app.

My inbox was overflowing with spectators hungry for drama.

I tapped into Zheng Ziyu’s post.

She had updated it ten minutes ago.

[Yes, I loved him for ten years, but that doesn’t mean I’m willing to be used as a prop in their relationship. Do they have to humiliate me to prove how much they love each other?]

[I was blind for those ten years.]

[Love made me see him through rose-colored glasses. Now that the love is gone, he’s nothing.]

[At this point, all I can do is wish you a lifetime of happiness. Whatever happens between you from now on has nothing to do with me. Don’t bother me again.]

Every sentence hit its mark.

People had already started attacking me.

[She only had an unrequited crush, and she’s already let go. Was humiliating her really necessary?]

[Devoted Girlfriend, control your boyfriend. She only wanted closure for her crush. Your man was the one who ran over to tell her yes.]

[Pomelo leaves.jpg]

Were these people insane?

I was so furious that I threw a flurry of punches at the air.

Then I jammed my feet into my slippers and knocked on the door next door.

He’d been enthusiastic enough about eavesdropping, but apparently opening his door would kill him.

I knocked for three minutes before the man inside finally opened it at a leisurely pace. “You were talking so loudly. How is it my fault that I heard…”

I cut off his speculation. “Quick, give me the recording from just now.”

The camera outside my apartment was broken, and the replacement was still on its way.

He blinked and glanced at the camera with its blinking red light. “What happened?”

I rolled up my sleeves and ground my teeth. “An epic battle against two lunatics. Eight hundred rounds of verbal warfare.”

Within three minutes, I received a video from Chen Beizhou.

As expected of a gamer—his hands were fast.

I headed home while the file downloaded.

Chen Beizhou trailed after me. “Where’s the flame war? Let me in. I’m a professional troll. Hello…”

I shut the door in his face.

Was being publicly shamed something to be proud of?

I blurred the faces and uploaded the video, tagging Zheng Ziyu and Lu Yan with the caption: [Are you two deaf?]

Chen Beizhou’s recording ended just after Zheng Ziyu left.

The spectators swarmed in immediately.

[Classic episode: I only see her as a little sister~]

[Stop making a scene~]

[So who exactly was using whom as a prop…?]

[Sending signals to someone who loves you when you already have a girlfriend is trash behavior. Male lead confirmed scumbag.]

[How do we define a stolen kiss, exactly? If you post about it online without worrying he’ll find out, was it really stolen?]

[I wanted to say this after the first post. Asking whether he would’ve loved her when he’s already in a relationship—who was that supposed to make uncomfortable?]

The pressure in my chest finally eased.

I replied to everyone who had insulted me earlier.

[Humiliate her? Oh my freaking God. Childhood sweethearts bully a poor, helpless woman; honest fool forced to suffer in silence.]

[Who are you calling Devoted Girlfriend? Besides, he’s my ex now. Insult me again and he’s your husband.]

[Pomelo leaves.jpg]

I was in the middle of my glorious comeback spree when the system informed me that the post was gone.

What a shame.

WeChat chimed several times in a row.

I opened it to find screenshots from Chen Beizhou.

They were of Zheng Ziyu’s post. He wrote, [I was afraid rage would fry your brain, so I archived it for you.]

This man certainly had experience.

I sent him a fist-and-palm salute sticker. [A true man of honor.]

He sent a sticker back.

Wait. How had he found that post?

[How did you see it?]

He was good with computers. Had he hacked my phone?

The more I thought about it, the more terrifying it seemed.

Chen Beizhou: [The app recommended it because we’re nearby.]

…Sorry. I’m a little too vigilant for my own good.