Chapter 33: The Greedy Deceiver Part 1

There was still some time before 7 PM. Zhang Xingyan suggested playing some games, like charades, but some people rejected the idea.

Wang Jianxi said, “Sister Xingyan, we have to go upstairs to find food later. We don’t know what’s up there. If we have to complete some grueling task to get food, it’ll take a lot of energy. Let’s conserve our strength. Don’t waste it.”

Hearing Wang Jianxi mention “waste,” many people recalled her earlier remark: “Arriving early is a waste of time. It’s what idiots do.” Although this situation wasn’t about arriving early, Zhang Xingyan couldn’t help wondering if Wang Jianxi was silently calling her an “idiot” right now when she spoke of “waste.”

People were always very sensitive when something might involve them.

“Oh.” Zhang Xingyan didn’t say anything else and sat on the sofa with a smile.

Seeing Zhang Xingyan’s enthusiasm seem to plummet instantly, Wang Jianxi had no idea what she’d done to offend her. She felt that Zhang Xingyan’s reaction was a deliberate snub. She didn’t say anything further and leaned against her wife, Tang Su, lowering her head to play with Tang Su’s fingers. In her eyes, hidden from others, was pure disgust.

Really giving herself airs. An unpopular hostess, daring to embarrass me! I’ll have to find a chance to make her look like a fool on the show…

The atmosphere grew awkward. It was Wu Shuyi, who had a bit more life experience, who smiled and broke the icy mood. “Jianxi was just thinking of our well-being. In that case, why don’t we watch some TV for a while? I wonder what dramas are airing lately, if they’re any good…”

Wu Shuyi found the remote control beneath the TV and changed the channel from the Production Team’s message. But the channel button wouldn’t work on anything except the movie category.

Wu Shuyi gave a small laugh. “The show won’t even let us watch regular TV. Good thing there are movies to watch, at least.”

Wu Shuyi clicked on the movie section, revealing a list of numbered files, 1 through 10. Ten untitled movies.

Han Hao said, “The Production Team is just cruel! They won’t even show the movie titles, making us pick blindly! They’re probably all low-rated films they’re afraid to let us see the names of.”

Wu Shuyi kept scrolling between 1 and 10, unable to decide which numbered movie to pick.

At that moment, Tang Su suddenly turned and looked at Lian Mei. “Lian Mei, which one do you think we should watch?”

Being suddenly singled out, Lian Mei raised an eyebrow slightly and said casually, “6. Channel 6 is the movie channel, right?”

As soon as Lian Mei finished speaking, Wu Shuyi clicked on movie number 6. She had been hesitating precisely because she was waiting for someone to make the decision. Whether it was good or bad, she wouldn’t have to take responsibility. No one could blame her for wasting time.

Some people’s time was very precious, after all.

The eight of them sat on the sofas. Han Hao first turned off some of the villa’s lights and drew the curtains, plunging the living room into darkness.

The large sofa spanned the room. Seated from left to right were Lian Mei & Xie Moluo, Wang Jianxi & Tang Su, Zhang Xingyan & Han Hao, and Zhao Chun & Wu Shuyi.

The giant TV screen slowly lit up. Two large movie title words then brightened the screen. It was a foreign film, Spirit Child.

The movie slowly began.

[The Female Lead was a newly enrolled university student: pretty, innocent, and full of energy. As she walked arm-in-arm with her roommate past the basketball court, the Male Lead and his roommates, sitting on the sidelines drinking water and chatting, spotted her. The beautiful Female Lead instantly caught their eyes. Seeing her amazing figure, pretty face, and bright, sunny smile, the Male Lead immediately made a bet with his roommates: he would win her over within a month.

His roommates teased him, saying he was slipping, needing a whole month for that type. Feeling slighted, the Male Lead cut the time in half, proclaiming he’d have her in two weeks. He was the school’s famous playboy; though only a sophomore, he’d had girlfriends numbering in the double digits.

Snatching an unopened sports drink from his roommate, the Male Lead ran toward the Female Lead. As he was about to catch up, he called out to her back, “Hey, miss! You dropped something!”

The Female Lead stopped, turning back with a puzzled look. The Male Lead had already reached her, flashing a bright, sunny smile. Tall and fit in his basketball jersey, handsome and dashing, he was clearly school-heartthrob material.

Scratching his head with one hand, as if shy, he extended the drink toward her with the other. “You dropped your drink.”

The Female Lead was stunned by the Male Lead’s good looks. Hearing this, her face instantly flushed. Stammering, she said, “This drink isn’t mine.”

“I clearly saw you drop it…” The Male Lead thrust the drink directly into her arms. Faltering slightly, he added, “Um, did you maybe drop two? I drank one of them. Look, could I get your contact info so I can pay you back for it?”

With the hint dropped so blatantly, the Female Lead understood what he meant. Face flushed crimson, she opened her contact details for him to scan.

After scanning, the Male Lead immediately backed away, waving his phone. “I’ll add you—make sure you accept! Bye!”

The roommate, who had been playing mute the whole time, nudged the Female Lead with her elbow after the Male Lead left and teased, “Not bad, huh? School’s barely started and a hot Senior Brother is already asking for your number! Looks like you’re in for some romance!”

The Female Lead laughed shyly. “No way, it’s nothing. Don’t talk nonsense.”

The roommate deliberately teased her, running back toward the dorm and yelling, “I’m telling the other two in our room you’re about to be off the market! You’re the first one in our dorm!”

The Female Lead chased after her, playfully hitting her. “Stop spreading rumors…”

“HAHAHAHAHA.”

The smile blooming on the girl’s face was exceptionally radiant under the tree-lined walkway.]

“Idiot. She’s about to be played.” Xie Moluo’s almost inaudible voice drifted into Lian Mei’s ear.

Lian Mei looked at Xie Moluo and leaned close to whisper with a low laugh, “Don’t worry, I’d never deceive you.”

Xie Moluo wasn’t flustered at being overheard. She glanced sideways at Lian Mei, gave a cold snort, and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, “You’re the one deceiving me. Stay away from me.” With that, she manually pushed Lian Mei away.

Lian Mei, pushed aside: “…”

Left with no choice, she turned her attention back to the TV screen.

The movie plot progressed just as Xie Moluo predicted. The Male Lead unwaveringly waited for the Female Lead outside her dorm every morning, noon, and night, sending good morning, noon, and night texts…

In less than two weeks, just ten days, the Female Lead agreed to be his Girlfriend.

Only half a month into dating, the Male Lead got her into bed. Their unprotected, passionate encounters happened several times a week. Soon enough, the Female Lead was caught and became pregnant.

Pregnant as a freshman. The Female Lead couldn’t even process it. Terrified and panicked, she told the Male Lead, leaving the decision about the child to him. Without hesitation, the Male Lead chose abortion. Although the Female Lead was thinking the same, seeing his utter lack of hesitation chilled her heart.

They split the cost and went to the hospital to terminate the pregnancy. But at the hospital, after examining the test results, the Doctor said the Female Lead wasn’t pregnant. Both were shocked. Then the Male Lead complained she had tricked him, saying she was pregnant when she wasn’t. They ended up arguing at the hospital, parting on bad terms. Returning to school, they broke up, never to speak again.

But unnoticed by anyone, the Female Lead’s belly grew larger day by day, and she gained weight. She tested with pregnancy kits—not pregnant. She went to the hospital—not pregnant. Yet, strangely, her stomach continued to swell. No matter how many abortion concoctions she drank, nothing worked.

To avoid being seen as abnormal by her schoolmates, she applied for a leave of absence. Months later, in a cramped, run-down little room, she gave birth to a stillborn infant. Just as she breathed a sigh of relief, about to secretly toss the dead baby into the trash, the stillborn suddenly opened its eyes. Its pupils were blood-red, continuously oozing blood. Then, with a horrifyingly distorted face and mouth twisted at an unnatural angle, it let out a hair-raising, piercing shriek—]

“Holy sht! I thought it was some angsty coming-of-age story. It’s this ghost crap!” Han Hao could no longer hold back a string of eloquent curses.

The Production Team is too cruel! The “Spirit” in Spirit Child means vengeful spirit!

But whoever pressed the pause button froze the film on a terrible frame—directly on the dead infant’s face.

In the dark corridor, the wind rustled the black plastic bag lining the trash can. Paired with the distorted, blood-oozing face of the stillborn, the horror atmosphere was at its peak, thoroughly terrifying the more timid guests.

Lian Mei propped her chin on one hand, resting her elbow on the sofa. The earlier plot was too cliché and disgusting. It finally got slightly interesting after the stillborn’s birth, and then they suddenly paused? This was unsatisfying. The movie was less than halfway done. The second half likely focused heavily on the stillborn, otherwise, the movie wouldn’t be called Spirit Child. That “spirit” was clearly a vengeful one.

Amid the screams around her, Lian Mei guessed the rest of the plot. Probably the stillborn wreaking havoc and seeking revenge?

Tsk, tsk. Ultimately, you have to use protection when you’re getting it on. It’s the best way to protect yourself.

Although Lian Mei had spent many lifetimes as an animal, she never lost her human intelligence. Every time the Head of the Atonement Group, Chief Sin, saw her return fully lucid, she would pat her shoulder approvingly and let her rest for a few days before starting the next mission cycle.

Even thinking about how she’d been thrown into the Atonement Team made Lian Mei choke up. She felt she was completely innocent!

Lian Mei’s heart was a river of sorrow. But as her gaze fell upon Xie Moluo sitting beside her—eyes wide open, staring blankly at some point, hands tightly clenching her pants—her mood suddenly lifted.

Oh, scared but still trying to act tough!

Lian Mei leaned over and spoke in a low voice behind Xie Moluo. “What are you looking at?”

Xie Moluo flinched violently, then tried hard to look unafraid as she turned to Lian Mei. “Can you speak normally, please?”

Lian Mei shrugged. “Fine, you’re not scared. So, you want to keep watching?”

Xie Moluo, upon hearing this, replied earnestly, “Someone else is scared. We should switch to a different movie. This one isn’t suitable to continue.”

Lian Mei let out a low chuckle. She rested her chin on Xie Moluo’s shoulder and whispered, “Does that ‘someone’ include you? Tell me, the person who withdraws from the show tonight… it wouldn’t be you, would it?”

Xie Moluo forced a stiff smile onto her lips. “…Don’t worry, it’s impossible for me to withdraw! Absolutely impossible!”

Just then, Wu Shuyi, who couldn’t stand these things the most, had her eyes squeezed shut, clutching her husband Zhao Chun next to her and crying out, “Is it off yet?”

Zhao Chun, being braver, and especially since his image was that of a tough guy, couldn’t show any fear. He calmly soothed his Wife while grabbing the remote from the coffee table and turning the TV off. Only then did the terrified guests slowly open their eyes.

Wang Jianxi noticed the living room was very dark and bossed Lian Mei to go open the curtains.

Lian Mei raised an eyebrow. “You sure?”

Wang Jianxi didn’t understand why Lian Mei asked that, assuming she was just being difficult. She instantly turned cold. “Of course. Can’t you see how dark it is in here?”

Lian Mei swept her gaze around. Everyone gestured with their eyes for her to open the curtains. A flicker of amusement passed through Lian Mei’s eyes. She nodded, got up, grabbed the curtains, and yanked them open with one swift motion.

Countless rays of light streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, flooding the living room with sudden brightness. The abrupt light made many squint. Once their eyes adjusted, several pairs instantly widened, their bodies unconsciously shrinking back.

Wh-What the fck?! What is that thing on the glass? What is that thick, long thing?