"Can we… still sleep?"
"Ah!"
A startled scream tore through the room. Ansel Nan was abruptly doused with cold water, jerking awake in shock.
"Who—who splashed me with cold water?!"
Jiang Siren beside her stirred as well. Through the haze, his gaze met Sebastian Kane's impassive eyes, and his drunken stupor vanished in an instant.
"I'm sorry, Yu-ge," Jiang Siren stammered, swiftly lifting Ansel from the bed. "I'd had too much to drink… I thought this was my bed."
Ansel widened her eyes in astonishment. In all the years she had known Jiang Siren, she had never witnessed him behave with such cautious deference toward anyone.
"But it's just my bed… why splash me with cold water? You're a grown man—why bother with a little girl like me?" she protested, her voice quivering.
"It matters," Sebastian's voice cut through the darkness, icy and unwavering. "I find it filthy."
Ansel froze, struck as if by lightning.
Clara was mid-shower when an unexpected flurry of live comments appeared before her eyes. Startled, she thought for a moment that someone could see her. Only when she read the words did she realize otherwise:
[Sebastian is outrageous!]
[It's just that Baozhu slept in his bed, yet he splashed her with cold water? And he claims it's dirty—yet he just bit and licked the side character, enjoying it thoroughly!]
[Such a cruel male supporting character, no wonder he's so cheap! May he be doomed with the gold-digging side character!]
[Hmph! I hope the male lead and Baozhu wreak havoc on this cruel character's bed in a hundred and eighty positions!]
[Full support!]
Clara's face flamed crimson as the comment mentioning "bit and licked the side character" dragged forth images she had deliberately tried to forget.
Shut your brain!
The next morning, Clara arrived at the school library. She juggled eight part-time jobs: photo editing, illustration, video editing, voice acting online, bridal modeling, dog walking, AI training, and occasional domestic services. Anything that could earn money, she had tried.
This weekend should have been fully booked, but Ansel's required quality development hours were incomplete, threatening her graduation. Jiang Siren, wanting to help his junior, formed an activity group and drafted Clara in to fill numbers. She had deliberately cleared her schedule to produce the PPT together.
The meeting was set for eleven at the library entrance. Yet by half-past, no one had appeared. Clara called Jiang Siren. No answer.
After numerous attempts, Jiang finally picked up, impatient.
"What is it?"
"Where are you? It's Saturday. We agreed to work on the PPT together. Where are you?"
"Can't you do it yourself?"
"It's a group project. You want me to do it alone?"
"Ah, Siren," a female voice chimed in, "let's meet at the new café in South City with Senior Clara. I also wanted to check it out."
"All right, as you wish," Jiang Siren replied indulgently.
At that moment, live comments floated before Clara's eyes.
[The male lead is picking bed linens with Baozhu! The theme: a day as her boyfriend!]
[So sweet! Is this any different from a newlywed couple?!]
[Baozhu is kind, she can't leave the side character hanging—meeting at the trendy café!]
[Damn side character! Using a PPT as an excuse to sabotage the couple!]
Clara did not wish to interfere, but her adoptive mother's illness required money. The Vu family, controlling her, had sent her adoptive mother abroad, cutting all contact. They insisted that only if she married Jiang Siren could she see her mother.
Navigating to the South City café, Clara found it remote, unreachable by public transit. Upon arrival, the café was barely populated, still in trial operation. She chose a window seat, and her phone rang—her best friend.
"Clara, emergency!"
"I'm sending you a WeChat contact; train this AI for me!"
"Your role: carnivorous girlfriend. A one-night fling scenario—he's a distant, cold male at first, gradually becoming possessive and obsessive later."
"Please, darling! Once I'm done, I'll reward you with eighteen templates for fun!"
After the call, Clara's WeChat had a new contact. The avatar was striking—a pale-skinned young man holding a camera, obscuring most of his face, set against a vivid blue sea. The name: Tsuki—Romanized for "moon."
Her friend, a computer science student, had launched a "Virtual Boyfriend" studio for single women, providing emotional value. Clara had trained AI before, for different roles. Though differing from her personality, AI work reduced embarrassment and offered substantial payment—forty thousand yuan this time.
She noted the keywords: one-night stand, female pursuing male, carnivorous girlfriend, initial high-cold demeanor, later obsessive and possessive male. After deliberation, she typed in the friend request:
[Can we… still sleep?]
In the library, Sebastian Kane worked on a thesis. A WeChat message flashed—Jiang Siren.
[Yu-ge, sorry about last night. Ansel and I invite you to dinner to make amends.]
The location: a Black Pearl restaurant downtown. Sebastian's expression remained cold as he deleted the message. Though unfamiliar with Jiang's fiancée, he knew it was not Ansel.
He despised homewreckers—the thought of someone interfering in another's relationship disgusted him.
A while later, a new friend request appeared:
[Lazy Clara]: Can we… still sleep?
Normally, AI accounts passed instantly. But Clara stared for a full minute before acceptance. Perhaps this was part of the AI's aloof persona. Determined to claim her forty-thousand-yuan fee, she added:
[I have last night's video.]
The request was immediately accepted.
[Tsuki]: ?
Only a question mark—remarkably cold.
Clara typed rapidly:
[Lazy Clara]: If you don't want anyone to see the video, meet me at our usual spot tonight, don't be late.]
[Tsuki]: Running after pleasure again?]
Her fingers froze. How did this AI know about last night? Clara was genuinely startled. Though aware AI could monitor phones, she exited the chat, intending to focus on her thesis.
Hours later, she looked up—five p.m. Clouds had gathered, heavy and leaden, foreshadowing a storm. Jiang Siren had not appeared.
As she packed her laptop and ordered a ride, no vehicle arrived despite multiple fare increases.
"Sorry, miss, we're closing," a waiter said. The café was nearly empty. Clara, remembering her own past as a kidnapped child, felt unease at being alone.
"Hello," she showed her phone to the staff. "I can pay—could you take me to the subway station?"
"Sorry, miss. We all live nearby and aren't heading into the city," the waiter apologized.
Clara nodded, standing under the café eaves as lights dimmed. The last lamp remained, casting a warm glow. Thunder split the sky—a heavy rain approached.
Frustrated, Clara called Jiang Siren. No answer.
[Don't bother the male lead—Baozhu twisted her ankle, he's at the hospital with her!]
[So sweet! He stayed with Baozhu!]
[Baozhu even hired ruffians to tease the side character, so the male lead could save her!]
[Baozhu is so kind!]
Clara's eyes sharpened—two male figures approached from a distance.
A black Rolls-Royce Phantom roared past low buildings, spraying rainwater. Sebastian Kane was inspecting the suburban site for a drone base. Reclining in the back, his phone buzzed with voice messages from Jiang Siren:
[Yu-ge, are you in South City?]
[My fiancée is at the café—can you help escort her back?]
A photo followed. As it slowly loaded, Sebastian's gaze drifted out the window. The streets were dark, empty; two drunken men were approaching a woman. Through the misted air, a familiar face appeared—matching the tear-streaked visage from yesterday's dream.
"Stop the car."
Sebastian stepped out. Meanwhile, the phone abandoned on the leather seat loaded Jiang Siren's fiancée's photo—Clara. Yet Sebastian did not glance at it.