After precisely catching Jiang Fan’s unusually obvious reaction, Anna looked at him curiously and asked,

“What’s wrong? Your expression looks really weird, bro?”

Jiang Fan snapped out of it quickly. He adjusted his mindset, smiled, and shook his head at Anna. “Nothing much. I just mistook your friend for an old acquaintance. Got a bit nostalgic for a moment.”

That’s right. Anna’s friend was indeed someone Jiang Fan knew intimately—so well he could pinpoint the exact spots of the two small moles on the inside of her thigh.

Guxuetong. A woman Jiang Fan considered nearly as dangerous as Mu Yuli.

After his first rebirth, Jiang Fan had urgently sought ways to escape being killed by Mu Yuli. He’d tried winning her heart gently. Sadly, that version of him lasted only three months before Mu Yuli grew bored. He realized then she least needed a doting boyfriend who obeyed her every whim.

Next, he’d sought other women whose backgrounds might counter Mu Yuli. Among them, Guxuetong became an inescapable nightmare. So much so that in later rebirths, he shrank his social circle drastically, fearing her or women like her. Only recently had he begun emerging from that shadow.

Though described this way, Guxuetong wasn’t actually terrifying. Quite the opposite—in Jiang Fan’s eyes, her beauty rivaled Mu Yuli’s, whom he deemed the most alluring. Her personality wasn’t nasty like Mu Yuli’s either. She never demanded he act a certain way. Even when he admitted juggling multiple relationships, she’d seriously accepted it. So why did he fear her? Simple.

This woman… was a yandere.

Ever since Jiang Fan “conquered” her, Guxuetong clung to him daily. Even during his school classes, she’d brazenly barge in, ignoring stares, and plop onto his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. At the bar where he worked nights, she’d dominate him shamelessly. If he ignored her, she’d silently watch him for hours—no exaggeration, not a single word spoken. Only when he said he “needed to be with his girlfriend” would she ease up slightly. But would Mu Yuli tolerate Guxuetong near him?

Impossible.

Guxuetong’s special status shielded her even from Mu Yuli. So Mu Yuli forced Jiang Fan to ditch her. But he couldn’t shake her off! Soon after, Mu Yuli—cleaver in hand—sent Jiang Fan back half a year with a radiant smile.

If he tangled with Guxuetong again, Mu Yuli’s threat aside, just being with her would make Jiang Fan experience true social death. Imagine knowing a couple glued together intimately everywhere—would you call them normal? Jiang Fan thought such people were seriously messed up.

“Oh, I see,” Anna said, her sharp eyes catching the trace of hesitation Jiang Fan showed upon seeing Guxuetong. She instantly guessed the truth. “But judging by your reaction, bro… could it be your ex-girlfriend?”

Jiang Fan had already composed himself. He slightly shook his head, smiling. “Sis Anna, your imagination’s wild. She was just a middle school classmate. Now you’re bringing up exes… Do I look like a playboy?”

Anna stroked her chin, grinning mischievously. “Hmm, actually, bro, you do seem popular with girls. It’d shock me if you’d only had one girlfriend.”

“Sorry to disappoint,” Jiang Fan shrugged innocently, spreading his hands. “But in this life, I only got my first girlfriend two months ago.”

“Just kidding, bro, don’t be mad.” Anna apologized, then remembered something. “Oh right—I still owe you money from yesterday. How about grabbing a meal later? To thank you for your generosity.”

Jiang Fan couldn’t accept—he was avoiding Guxuetong like the plague. He flatly refused. “No thanks, it was nothing. I often help homeless people. If you feel bad, Sis Anna, we can hang out another time. Today, I have to take her somewhere. Won’t disturb you two.”

“I see…” Anna didn’t push. She nodded. “Then at least let me repay you now. No refusing—I hate owing people.”

Since it was just money, Jiang Fan smiled and agreed. “Sure, if that’s what you want, Sis Anna, I have no problem.”

Relieved he didn’t refuse, Anna stood up, waving. “I’ll find my friend first. Still broke—my food and shelter depend on her mood~” She spoke with fake sorrow, but her relaxed face showed their bond was strong.

After she left, Jiang Fan watched her approach a nearby two-seater table. The woman there drew every eye. Even after seeing countless beauties, Jiang Fan couldn’t help silently admiring Guxuetong again. Her silky hair flowed loosely down her back—not messy, but enhancing her serene elegance. Book in hand, calm Guxuetong didn’t seem like a shy bookworm. She radiated the wisdom of a mature, graceful older sister. Like winter plum blossoms, just seeing her felt refreshing.

When Anna whispered in her ear, Guxuetong set down her book and glanced over. Jiang Fan averted his gaze instantly. Only after a long while did he feel her eyes leave him.

“Xuetong, what’s wrong?” Anna teased, echoing Jiang Fan’s words. “Staring so long—does he remind you of someone?”

Guxuetong didn’t react. She handed Anna her phone and returned to her book, reading silently. Anna wasn’t annoyed; she knew her friend’s nature.

Unbeknownst to Anna, Guxuetong had felt a strange pull watching Jiang Fan’s profile. Unable to pinpoint it after long observation, she dismissed it.

Hmm… probably just an illusion.

Guxuetong told herself this inwardly.