"There's ten million in the account, a secret stash I saved behind your mother's back. Use it first, and ask for more if it's not enough."
Qin Yuanlong handed the card to his son, who took it with trembling hands.
"A man must walk down the chosen path with unwavering resolve. Go, son, your father will support you with all his might."
"Dad..."
"I believe you can carve out your own world."
Qin Ze nodded with immense determination.
............
At the same time.
Sun Xiaoxiao, having narrowly escaped death, lay curled up in her cramped rented room.
The sound of an argument erupted outside the door again.
"Damn it! Hand over the money!"
"There's no money left, really no money left... This month's rent, utilities, and Xiaoxiao's tuition fees..."
*Slap!*
A loud slap echoed.
It was followed by her mother's soft sobs.
"Please, don't hit me anymore, Xiaoxiao will hear..."
Her drunk father spat.
"If you have no money, find a way! Your body can still be used, and the girl has grown up, still a virgin. She can fetch a good price."
"Sun Goushi! I warn you! Don't you dare lay a hand on Xiaoxiao! Otherwise... otherwise I'll fight you to the death!"
Sun Xiaoxiao numbly covered her ears and stared blankly at the drifting clouds.
The eerie, invading horror, the infernal flames of the bride in red, classmates burned to mummified corpses, and the ghost-like, terrifying ghost-faced monster, its nails scratching against the glass, emitting a bone-chilling screech.
And Kong Ning, her best friend...
Kong Ning's distorted face before death reappeared, a haunting nightmare she couldn't shake.
She hadn't slept for three days. Every time she closed her eyes, all she saw was Kong Ning's curse.
Kong Ning's outstretched hand, as if seeking help, or perhaps dragging herself into hell as company.
"Why didn't I grab your hand then..." Sun Xiaoxiao's head throbbed.
Memories of Kong Ning flooded her mind—
'Do you need help? I can help you, haha, no need to thank me, who asked me to be the class monitor.' Kong Ning's smiling eyes were incredibly gentle.
'Hey! You guys, don't bully Sun Xiaoxiao, or I'll report you to the teacher! Don't be afraid, let's go home together, it's on the way.'
It wasn't on the way at all. Sun Xiaoxiao only learned much later that Kong Ning's home was several blocks away. She just wanted to fulfill her duty as class monitor and protect this introverted, unsociable classmate.
But this kindness became Sun Xiaoxiao's only warmth.
Sun Xiaoxiao also learned about Kong Ning's family. Orphaned, she had a difficult life, and she had fought her way to her current position through her own efforts.
Perhaps because their families were filled with misfortune, the two quickly became best friends, inseparable, saving each other.
On Kong Ning's birthday, Sun Xiaoxiao used the money she saved from her evening job to buy her a smile-faced hairpin and personally helped her put it in her hair.
Kong Ning was overjoyed. They ran hand in hand through the tree-lined path of the school, bought a Orion pie together at the convenience store, stuck a candle on it, and sat on the steps of the teaching building to make a wish.
The wind was calm then, the stars were bright, and the burning candle was warm.
Kong Ning said: "After my parents died, no one ever celebrated my birthday. This is the most unforgettable birthday for me."
Sun Xiaoxiao said: "Make a wish."
Kong Ning smiled: "I hope we'll be good friends forever."
Sun Xiaoxiao nodded vigorously: "Yes, we'll be together forever."
*Hoo~*
The candle was blown out, and they split the Orion pie in half, leaning their heads together, savoring it bite by bite.
Orion, good friends.
That smile-faced hairpin, however, lay quietly in Sun Xiaoxiao's palm.
"So, I hate myself."
"Why didn't I hold your hand back then, Ning Ning..."
"I just want to live... Will you forgive me..."
*Drip.*
A crystalline tear dropped onto the hairpin, and it suddenly emitted a faint, ethereal purple light.
Sun Xiaoxiao looked at the hairpin with tear-blurred eyes. This time, she wasn't afraid.
A grayish-brown face slowly emerged from the purple light.
Ghastly, distorted, its nose and mouth bulging, long hair covering most of its face, trailing directly to the ground.
Beneath the hair, its large mouth opened, revealing sharp, uneven beast-like teeth, saliva dripping from them. Its long tongue protruded more than two inches from its mouth.
It bore no resemblance to a human; it was a complete monster.
But its mouth was clicking and clacking up and down, emitting deep, strange muffled sounds—
"Good, friend..."
"Good friend..."
Sun Xiaoxiao felt a spiritual energy sprout from her heart. She had actually awakened her spiritual power!
The monster did not attack Sun Xiaoxiao. Instead, it kept mumbling "good friend" while extending its thick, sharp hand.
Sun Xiaoxiao looked at it, tears streaming uncontrollably.
"It's you who returned, isn't it? Ning Ning."
"You're not going to take my life? Don't you hate me for not saving you?"
The monster stretched its hand further forward, right under Sun Xiaoxiao's eyelids.
It clicked its large mouth and said indistinctly, "Forever, forever... together..."
Sun Xiaoxiao suddenly wiped away her tears and placed her slender hand into the monster's palm. Blood immediately flowed from where their hands met, but she didn't care, interlocking their fingers tightly.
"Ning Ning, you're giving me another chance, aren't you?"
The monster let out a terrifying, sinister grin.
"This time, I will absolutely not let go."
Sun Xiaoxiao smiled gently, using her other hand to gently tidy the monster's hair and placed the smile-faced hairpin on its head, exactly where she had put it on Kong Ning.
Just then, Sun Xiaoxiao's room door was violently kicked open, and her drunk father staggered in.
"Move it! I've raised you for so many years, it's time you repaid me! Serve those men well and bring back money to see me!"
The father's large hand grabbed Sun Xiaoxiao's thin arm.
Sun Xiaoxiao struggled and was dragged to the doorway, only to find her mother lying unconscious outside. She became furious and punched her father in the chest.
However, the girl's strength was weak, and the man didn't budge. He even glared at her with drunken, contemptuous eyes.
The next second, the monster attached to the hairpin moved.
It acted in perfect unison with Sun Xiaoxiao, swinging its giant fist at the man.
*Bang!*
The man was sent flying backward, crashing into the wall and groaning in pain.
Sun Xiaoxiao looked at the hairpin monster in astonishment.
The monster gave the man a middle finger and clicked, "Good friend, forever, together..." (From now on, I will protect you.)