episode_0004

As expected!

If she did nothing, her mother would lock her in this mansion, leaving her to wait helplessly for the return of the true heiress, Su Qingya. The outcome would be just like the first simulation.

But if she followed the second simulation’s approach—telling Su Qingya she wanted to visit her family—her mother would be lured away, no longer standing in the way of her escape.

This was the game’s mechanic!

This was exactly the effect Xu Nian wanted.

A chance to come and go freely.

As long as she had that freedom, the possibility of slipping away from the city with a sack of cash would skyrocket.

With that in mind, Xu Nian decided to run another simulation to test her odds of escaping now.

But she only had one simulation left…

Whatever. Opportunities were meant to be used—no point in hoarding them.

“Start the simulation.”

[Ding~ Host has initiated a simulation.]

[One simulation count deducted. Remaining simulations: 0.]

[Note: Simulation counts exhausted. Complete daily tasks to replenish.]

[Simulation commencing…]

[Through certain means, you diverted your mother’s attention. She was no longer an obstacle to your plans. You successfully retrieved your hidden stash of cash, hopped into the sports car your father gifted you last birthday, and hit the highway, leaving behind the city that held both nostalgia and danger for you.]

[You traveled intermittently, changed all your contact details, and settled in a remote town in Huaguo with enough money to coast through life without a care. You intended to live out your days in peace.]

[Two months passed in the small town. No one disturbed you—not even your adoptive parents showed any signs of searching for you. You knew that once the true heiress returned, it was only natural for a fake like you to be cast aside. Otherwise, how else would you meet the standard tragic fate of such stories? Everyone had their own lives to live, and you were content with the solitude.]

[A year went by in the town. The slow pace of life made time itself feel languid. The elderly neighbor who often played chess with you, noticing your youth and lack of companions, tried to set you up with his relative’s son. You politely declined, clarifying that you preferred women. The old man was startled but then mentioned that his relative’s son was a “male wife” and might still fit the bill. You declined again.]

[Another half-year of peaceful life passed. One day, news reports spoke of growing unrest in the world—creatures known as “Emotion Beasts” had emerged from somewhere, feeding on the emotions of living beings and causing disasters in pursuit of specific emotional energy. The public was urged to stay vigilant.]

[You knew that by the time the news broke, the situation had likely been festering for a while. The authorities were just no longer able to suppress it.]

[Instinctively, you sensed that knowing this wasn’t a good thing. But what did it matter to you? You’d mastered the art of carefree idleness. Let the tall ones bear the weight of the sky—none of this concerned you.]

[Several more months of tranquility followed. Far from the epicenter of chaos, the odds of danger reaching you were negligible. At the very least, you never encountered any Emotion Beasts, nor did you spot any signs of peril in the town.]

[A few more days passed uneventfully. You were at home, watching anime as usual, when the doorbell rang.]

[You were instantly on guard. You had no friends in this town. The chess-playing old man had recently passed away peacefully—you’d even attended his funeral banquet. You hadn’t ordered takeout either. So who could be at your door?]

[You peered through the peephole but saw nothing.]

[A bone-chilling cold crept over you, seeping into your very bones.]

[Whispers of fear coiled around your ears, as if someone had wrapped their hands around your throat, choking the breath from your lungs.]

[When you turned around, you saw someone unbelievable—your ex-girlfriend, Su Qingya. You’d thought your paths would never cross again in this lifetime, yet here she was.]

[Stammering, you greeted her and tried to bolt for the door, only to find it mysteriously locked by some unseen force.]

[Your ex said nothing. She pinned you to the couch and unleashed a year and a half’s worth of pent-up emotions onto you, deaf to your pleas for mercy.]

[“Xu Nian! Do you have any idea how I’ve suffered all these days?”]

[“Every single day has been torture—I’ve gone mad missing you!”]

[“Why did you try to leave me? Why did you lie to me?”]

[“Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?”]

[“This time, I won’t let you escape again~ Nian Nian.”]

[“I’ll make sure you stay by my side forever!”]

[“Forever!”]

[She forced a mysterious liquid down your throat. The dose was so potent that you might spend the rest of your days in darkness.]

[Simulation complete.]

[Unlocked Ending: Exquisite Doll.]

[You believe the purest form of love is becoming her plush teddy bear—a companion to soothe her wounded heart, even if it costs you your consciousness and sanity. This is the best way you can stay by her side.]

[Such heartwarming romance.]

[Please select your reward:]

[1. Chess skills capable of defeating the town’s old master.] [2. A lock-picking technique to open any door.] [3. A potent hallucinogenic dark elixir.]

Xu Nian stared at the blue interface’s text, frozen in place.

From the start, she had successfully fled the city and enjoyed a stretch of peaceful life.

The emergence of supernatural forces wasn’t surprising either—otherwise, how could Su Qingya’s bizarre behavior in the first simulation be explained?

But what was the meaning of Su Qingya tracking her down?

She’d vanished without a trace—how was she still being pursued?

In other words, even if she ran, Su Qingya would hunt her down, capture her, and turn her into a glorified teddy bear—or worse, a stress-relief toy.

A shudder ran down Xu Nian’s spine, as if ghostly whispers were curling around her ears.

She couldn’t breathe.

The pressure she felt now dwarfed even the frustration of solo-laning against a marksman-support duo while the enemy jungler and mid-laner camped her, all while her own team flamed her for “not knowing how to play.”

So, escape was off the table.

On reflection, trying to flee from a yandere was irrational to begin with.

But if she couldn’t run, what could she do?

What was the right move?

Xu Nian’s mind spun at full throttle.

Damn it! Damn it!

Then, in a flash, a possible solution surfaced in her thoughts.