It was a sweltering September day, and the car’s air conditioning was blasting.

Yet, a cold sweat broke out across my back.

This Lu Chen.

Even if I were reborn ten times over, I still wouldn’t be able to outplay him.

Fortunately, I had never categorized him as an enemy from the very start.

Lu Chen steered the car into a narrow alleyway.

The suffocating pressure and terror he’d inflicted on me during that kidnapping suddenly came rushing back.

His fingers tapped rhythmically and languidly against the steering wheel.

He parted his lips, his words laced with a profound, lingering ambiguity: “Yu Qiaoqiao—what is your relationship with her?

“Or rather, is she really Yu Qiaoqiao at all?”

My scalp went numb.

Lu Chen was terrifyingly intelligent.

Or perhaps, he had been keeping his eyes on “Yu Qiaoqiao” from the very beginning; otherwise, how could he have noticed someone like me—a complete stranger—the moment we met today?

I felt like my brain wasn’t up to the task.

The “lovestruck” persona the system forced upon me made it impossible to overthink these things; if I thought too hard, I felt like I was going to crash.

I clenched my hands together; my palms were slick with sweat.

I asked Lu Chen, “What about you then?

“Why have you been fixated on Yu Qiaoqiao?

“She doesn’t owe you anything, does she?”

A strange, unreadable emotion flickered in Lu Chen’s eyes. His voice turned hoarse as he whispered:

“That’s right.

“It’s I who owe her.”

It was a sweltering September day, and the car’s air conditioning was blasting.

Yet, a cold sweat broke out across my back.

This Lu Chen.

I couldn’t outplay him even if I were reborn ten times over.

Fortunately, I had never categorized him as an enemy from the very beginning.

Lu Chen steered the car into a narrow alleyway.

The suffocating pressure and terror he’d inflicted upon me during that kidnapping suddenly came rushing back.

His fingers tapped rhythmically and languidly against the steering wheel.

He parted his lips, his words laced with a profound, lingering ambiguity: “Yu Qiaoqiao—what is she to you?

“Or rather, is she truly Yu Qiaoqiao at all?”

My scalp went numb.

Lu Chen was terrifyingly intelligent.

Or perhaps, he had been keeping his eyes on “Yu Qiaoqiao” from the very start; otherwise, how could he have noticed me—a complete stranger—the moment we met today?

I felt like my brain wasn’t up to the task.

The “love-struck” persona the system forced upon me made it impossible to overthink things; if I thought too hard, I felt like I was going to crash.

I clenched my hands together; my palms were slick with sweat.

I asked Lu Chen, “And what about you?

“Why have you been fixated on Yu Qiaoqiao all this time?

“She doesn’t owe you anything, does she?”

An unreadable emotion flickered in Lu Chen’s eyes. He lowered his voice, his tone raspy:

“That’s right.

“It’s I who owe her.”

It was the sweltering heat of September, and the car’s air conditioning was blasting.

Yet, a cold sweat broke out across my back.

This Lu Chen.

Even if I were reborn ten times, I still wouldn’t be able to outplay him.

Fortunately, I had never categorized him as an enemy from the very beginning.

Lu Chen steered the car into an alleyway.

The sense of oppression and terror he had inflicted upon me during that kidnapping suddenly came rushing back.

His fingers tapped lazily against the steering wheel.

He parted his lips, his words laced with a profound, lingering meaning: “Yu Qiaoqiao—what is your relationship with her?”

“Or rather, is she even really Yu Qiaoqiao?”

My scalp went numb.

Lu Chen was terrifyingly intelligent.

Or perhaps, he had been keeping his eyes on “Yu Qiaoqiao” from the very start; otherwise, how could he have noticed me—a complete stranger—the moment we met today?

I felt like my brain wasn’t up to the task.

The “love-struck” persona the system forced upon me couldn’t handle this kind of deep thinking; if I thought too much, I felt like I was going to crash.

I clenched my hands together; my palms were slick with sweat.

I asked Lu Chen, “Then what about you?”

“Why keep staring at Yu Qiaoqiao?”

“She doesn’t owe you anything, does she?”

An inexplicable emotion flickered in Lu Chen’s eyes. He lowered his voice, his tone raspy:

“That’s right.”

“It’s me who owes her.”

It was the sweltering heat of September, and the car’s air conditioning was blasting.

Yet, a cold sweat broke out across my back.

This Lu Chen.

Even if I were reborn ten times, I still wouldn’t be able to outplay him.

Fortunately, I had never categorized him as an enemy from the very beginning.

Lu Chen steered the car into an alleyway.

The sense of oppression and terror he had inflicted upon me during that kidnapping suddenly came rushing back.

His fingers tapped lazily against the steering wheel.

He parted his lips, his words laced with a profound, lingering meaning: “Yu Qiaoqiao—what is your relationship with her?”

“Or rather, is she even really Yu Qiaoqiao?”

My scalp went numb.

Lu Chen was terrifyingly intelligent.

Or perhaps, he had been keeping his eyes on “Yu Qiaoqiao” from the very start; otherwise, how could he have noticed me—a complete stranger—the moment we met today?

I felt like my brain wasn’t up to the task.

The “love-struck” persona the system forced upon me couldn’t handle this kind of deep thinking; if I thought too much, I felt like I was going to crash.

I clenched my hands together; my palms were slick with sweat.

I asked Lu Chen, “Then what about you?”

“Why keep staring at Yu Qiaoqiao?”

“She doesn’t owe you anything, does she?”

An inexplicable emotion flickered in Lu Chen’s eyes. He lowered his voice, his tone raspy:

“That’s right.”

“It’s me who owes her.”

It was a sweltering September day, and the car’s air conditioning was blasting.

Yet, a cold sweat broke out across my back.

This Lu Chen.

Even if I were reborn ten times, I wouldn’t be able to outplay him.

The only saving grace was that I had never categorized him as an enemy from the very beginning.

Lu Chen steered the car into a narrow alleyway.

The sense of oppression and terror he’d instilled in me during that kidnapping suddenly came rushing back.

His fingers tapped rhythmically and languidly against the steering wheel.

He parted his lips, his words dripping with profound meaning: “What is your relationship with Yu Qiaoqiao?

“Or rather, is she even really Yu Qiaoqiao?”

My scalp went numb.

Lu Chen is terrifyingly clever.

Or perhaps, he’s been keeping his eyes on “Yu Qiaoqiao” from the very start. Otherwise, how could he have noticed me—someone he’d never met before—the moment we saw each other today?

I felt like my brain wasn’t up to the task.

The “love-struck” personality the system forced on me couldn’t handle this kind of complexity; thinking too hard felt like it would cause a system crash.

I clasped my hands together, my palms slick with sweat.

I asked Lu Chen: “What about you?

“Why have you been fixated on Yu Qiaoqiao all this time?

“She doesn’t owe you anything, does she?”

A strange, unreadable emotion flickered in Lu Chen’s eyes. His voice went hoarse as he whispered:

“Yes.

“It’s me who owes her.”

It was a sweltering September day, and the car’s air conditioning was blasting.

Yet, a cold sweat broke out across my back.

This Lu Chen.

Even if I were reborn ten times, I wouldn’t be able to outplay him.

The only saving grace was that I had never categorized him as an enemy from the very beginning.

Lu Chen steered the car into a narrow alleyway.

The sense of oppression and terror he’d instilled in me during that kidnapping suddenly came rushing back.

His fingers tapped rhythmically and languidly against the steering wheel.

He parted his lips, his words dripping with profound meaning: “What is your relationship with Yu Qiaoqiao?

“Or rather, is she even really Yu Qiaoqiao?”

My scalp went numb.

Lu Chen is terrifyingly clever.

Or perhaps, he’s been keeping his eyes on “Yu Qiaoqiao” from the very start. Otherwise, how could he have noticed me—someone he’d never met before—the moment we saw each other today?

I felt like my brain wasn’t up to the task.

The “love-struck” personality the system forced on me couldn’t handle this kind of complexity; thinking too hard felt like it would cause a system crash.

I clasped my hands together, my palms slick with sweat.

I asked Lu Chen: “What about you?

“Why have you been fixated on Yu Qiaoqiao all this time?

“She doesn’t owe you anything, does she?”

A strange, unreadable emotion flickered in Lu Chen’s eyes. His voice went hoarse as he whispered:

“Yes.

“It’s me who owes her.”