Chapter 2

Qin Wu said nothing. He didn't hang up, either. He simply left me waiting.

I didn't bother with pleasantries.

"Qin Wu, what's the idea, freezing my supplementary card?"

His voice cooled.

"Jiang Si, haven't you had enough?"

Now I was angry too.

"I said unfreeze it! And transfer me another five million! I'm broke!"

He cut me off.

"After six months of this, what are you trying to pull now?"

The comments started flooding in again.

【He's really sick of her.】

【She brought it on herself.】

【Even that girl playing sweet and obedient couldn't get anywhere. The original caused so much trouble before that Qin Wu's immune by now.】

His voice was still icy.

"What does your being broke have to do with me?"

"Everything! I'm your sister! Hurry up and unfreeze it!"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because it's my card," Qin Wu said flatly. "I don't have to let you use it."

The comments kept coming.

【He's right. It's his account. Why should he?】

【She used to burn through money, too. He's been patient enough as it is.】

【LOL, did she seriously think he'd spoil her forever?】

I couldn't be bothered to read them. My patience had run out.

"Qin Wu, last time. Are you unfreezing it or not?"

"No."

"Fine," I said. "Keep it. I'll ask Mom and Dad."

I used to go to Qin Wu because he handed over money readily, without all the questions.

Asking my parents was a pain.

They didn't like how rebellious I was. Mom, especially, could lecture for hours.

Fine. I'd take the lecture. Better that than putting up with Qin Wu's attitude.

I wasn't about to let him take it out on me!

The comments were roaring with laughter.

I was about to hang up when a sudden silence fell at the other end.

Then Qin Wu spoke in an entirely different voice.

"What did you just say?"

"I said keep it." I frowned. "Are you deaf?"

"Say it again."

"What's wrong with you?" I was genuinely annoyed now. "I don't want it if you won't give it to me. What's there to go on about? I'm hanging up."

"Wait."

His voice had changed.

"Wait for what? You won't give me any money. Do you think I've got time to stand here talking nonsense?"

"Jiang Si."

"What?"

Silence for two seconds.

Then he laughed.

The comments filled with question marks.

【???】

【Qin Wu, what are you laughing at???】

Goose bumps rose on my arms.

"Qin Wu, what's so funny? Have you lost your mind?"

He didn't get angry. His voice only softened, so much it made my scalp prickle.

"Sweetheart."

Something was very wrong.

"Who are you calling sweetheart?"

"You."

The comments exploded.

【??????】

【Wait??? Weren't they just fighting???】

【Qin Wu, seriously??? How do you switch that fast???】

I was even more bewildered than they were.

What the hell?

Someone had hijacked my body. Had someone swapped out the person inside his, too?

"Qin Wu, are you sick? I'm talking about my card. What are you playing at?"

He answered as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Call me your husband. I'll unfreeze it right now."

4

I stared at my phone, wondering if there was something wrong with my hearing.

"Qin Wu, has someone put a spell on you?"

"No." He actually sounded pleased. "Say it once, and I'll send you the money."

The comments went completely wild.

【Wait wait wait, what is happening??】

【Wasn't he an iceberg a second ago? How did he turn into a lovesick puppy??】

【Whatever. I ship it.】

【Ship what? This is completely out of character for both of them??】

I ignored the comments.

There was only one thought in my head: Qin Wu was insane. He'd definitely lost it.

"You're sick," I informed him calmly. "Unfreeze it or don't. I'm asking my parents."

"Go ahead." He didn't sound worried. "Dad's in Paris. Mom's in Brussels. It's still the middle of the night over there."

He paused, amusement in his voice.

"Besides... last time Mom video-called, she told me she'd freeze your credit card if you dyed your hair another ridiculous color."

Me: "..."

Beside me, Tony offered a quiet reminder.

"Um, Miss Jiang? The dye's already on. We're just waiting for it to develop. The total is eight thousand four hundred."

I drew a deep breath.

The comments dissolved into laughter.

【HAHAHA TRAPPED ON BOTH SIDES!】

【Jiang Si: What did I do to deserve this??】

【So: she can't get money from her parents, Qin Wu wants her to call him her husband, and she's stuck at the salon unable to pay HAHAHA.】

【This has to be the most humiliating moment of her life.】

I stood there, expressionless, for about ten seconds.

Then I spoke into the phone.

"Qin Wu, don't you think you're being childish?"

"No."

"You're twenty-six."

"Yes."

"You're twenty-six years old, doing this. Aren't you embarrassed?"

"No." He sounded as composed as if he were reading a financial report. "You call me your husband. I give you money. Perfectly fair."

He nearly made me laugh with fury.

"What makes you think I'd call you my husband for eight thousand four hundred yuan?"

Qin Wu was silent for a second.

Then he said something even more infuriating.

"Consider it an advance. You're hardly going to stop at eight thousand four hundred."

The comments went berserk.

【He knows her too well.】

【Obviously. He's watched her grow up.】

【That's just how the original is. Completely shameless when she asks for money, and never a small amount. Eight thousand four hundred today, eighty-four thousand tomorrow. Nothing like that well-behaved agent.】

【So Qin Wu predicted her prediction???】

【Why am I kind of starting to ship this?】

I breathed in deeply.

And again.

"Qin Wu."

"Hm?"

"You'd better pray I never get the upper hand."

A very soft laugh came from the other end.

Then my phone vibrated.

I looked down.

Transfer notification: 500,000 yuan.

Note: You don't have to say it.

I stared at the note for three seconds.

Then hung up.

The comments: 【!!!!!!!!】

【SHE DOESN'T HAVE TO SAY IT?????】

【Isn't that just another way of saying he'll give her money anyway???】

【Qin Wu, where did all that icy disdain go?? Did a dog run off with it??】

【I hereby declare him the most hopelessly lovesick man I've seen all year.】

【Are you sure he's lovesick? Aren't they siblings?】

【You call THAT sibling behavior???】

Ignoring them, I went to pay.

"Let me know when we're done."

I sank onto the sofa and closed my eyes.

I was furious.

The entire world was trying to piss me off!

That agent had taken over my body. Infuriating.

Qin Wu had frozen my card and refused to unfreeze it. Infuriating.

The floating comments wouldn't shut up. Even more infuriating.

Lovesick, my ass.

All of them could get lost!

The comments kept chattering.

【The original's so fierce.】

【But she's fierce with absolute conviction HAHAHA. How does she manage to be so sure she's right?】

【That's what happens when you spoil a girl rotten.】

By the time my hair was finished, evening was drawing in.

I stood outside the salon, checking the result in my phone's front camera.

Tony really was good.

The neon highlights blazed almost painfully in the sunset against the brilliant dark green of the rest of my hair. Nobody on this street stood out more than I did.

I nodded, satisfied.

Now this was me.

The comments went quiet for a second, then erupted.

【Holy shit, she looks amazing???】

【Wait, I thought this was going to be a disaster. How does that color suit her so well???】

【The agent used that face to play the sweet innocent. The original comes back and turns it straight into a rebellious party girl's. Same face, completely different vibe.】

【Mission agent: All my hard work, wasted.jpg】

5

My mood had improved considerably.

Then I realized something.

I'd only brought my phone.

No change of clothes. No skincare. No makeup. Not even a hair clip.

How exactly had that agent been living for the past six months?