"Danger" simply means "not safe"—a risk that threatens your life or well-being. The term sounds severe, but risks vary in scale. There’s the kind where you nick your pinky finger or stub your toe on a table corner. Then there’s the kind that leaves you brain-dead or shattered beyond recognition. Both extremes fall under "danger."

But which is truly terrifying? Or does "danger" hold other meanings?

People often label unfamiliar or unknown things as "dangerous," then cautiously probe them. Once confirmed safe—or with minimal risk—they shift to satisfying endless curiosity. But what about false unknowns? Is an unknown wrapped in a genuine shell more perilous than a pure unknown?

Imagine two identical doors before you. The left one bears a sign: "DANGER INSIDE. ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK." The right has no warning. Which do you choose?

If you pick the left, you brace yourself beforehand. No shock, no betrayal—just boredom. Zero thrill. But choose the right? You get sheer terror, fury at being deceived… or maybe a tiny surprise. After all, the right door might just open to an ordinary, trap-free room.

So we gamble, picking the option with at least a fifty-fifty chance.

Theorize this further: What if the genuine brings disappointment and dullness, while the counterfeit brings danger and lies? Would you choose boredom or excitement? If counterfeits satisfy curiosity and deliver thrills through exploration—but genuineness offers none—what then?

Don’t laugh. I always pick the first option in both dilemmas. Contradictory, right? I crave the curiosity and adrenaline of the unknown, yet refuse to be hurt by deception—physically or emotionally. I won’t let lies exhaust me.

Enough sophistry. Back to reality—

"Can’t you be clearer? ‘Literally’ is way too vague!"

I trailed the girl practically sprinting ahead. Xia Mo was relocating—she likely thought crowded places were unfit for this talk. She sought emptiness.

"Lu Zixuan…"

Her steps slowed. We’d already left campus. With only one afternoon exam—English—dismissal hit at four. Plenty of time before heading home. I didn’t mind walking with her. Not that I *wanted* to—absolutely not!

"…is dangerous! And her origins are unknown. Stay away from people like her—"

After long hesitation, that’s all she offered. She’d clearly weighed her words, choosing only this fragment to share. But how was this different from her earlier "literal meaning"? Or that phone call days ago? Was she toying with me?

She always hid half her thoughts. Lately, Xia Mo seemed to conceal things from me. This "sharing" relied entirely on her willingness to speak. What she withheld or revealed depended solely on her mood—

When was the last time we walked like this alone? I couldn’t recall. The memory had blurred, faded.

"By the way… she lives in your neighborhood now, right?"

I nodded instinctively—then froze. A chilling detail surfaced. She’d mentioned it so casually, like stating the weather. *Had she been following us?* My mind raced, scrambling for any memory of me telling her, or us walking together with Zixuan… Nothing. Only the image of that day: the three of us parting ways, her back vanishing alone.

"You’ve been stalking us?! That’s messed up! How could you?!"

She stayed silent. No reply—or none possible. My tone wasn’t questioning; it was an explosion. My volume had long drowned out street chatter.

"Your reaction’s normal… Maybe only I’m abnormal. I’m used to stalkers, after all…"

She halted, head bowed. I’d walked several steps past before turning. Her eyes hid beneath long bangs—I couldn’t read her expression. Whatever she felt, it wasn’t positive. Any brightness would be forced.

Then, in a heartbeat, she became the familiar, joking Xia Mo. She lifted her head, beaming. "My family has resources. I’d never do it myself. Relax—"

Her face held no shadow. Had I been sharper, I might’ve caught the flicker of a choked-back sob.

"I know your family’s rich and powerful! But stalking’s wrong—even if you didn’t do it personally!" I protested. Her smile froze solid.

"I wasn’t stalking *you*! Why scream at me like that?!"

Her words snapped me awake. I hadn’t realized my voice nearly drowned the shopping street’s roar. True—I’d yelled. But why such rage?

"So what? Stalking’s still wrong. Sorry for shouting—it was my fault. But Zixuan’s just a girl. Don’t do it again… No. *Never* do it again."

I lowered my voice, as she’d asked. Yet this volatile version of myself was unfamiliar. Maybe everyone hides a beast inside. However docile the surface, it eventually breaks loose.

"A girl? *Hah*… Am I not one too? You weren’t this furious when I asked for your help! That shady stranger matters more than me?!"

Her tone shifted—not anger, not jealousy. Back then, I naively chalked it up to jealousy. Now I know: it was the resolve of a heart turned to ash.

"Why think that?! These are separate issues! Don’t mix them!"

"They’re the *same*! Stay away from her *now*! I’ve dug into her past—she has *nothing*. Do you really believe someone with no history could love you? Or will you blindly trust any girl who shows interest? Even if it’s counterfeit?! Then your feelings are worthless! You’re just a doormat!"

She snarled, face flushed crimson—not from charm, but fury. She glared. I refused to back down.

"So… you see me that way too?"

"Eh?!"

My sudden question startled her. Fear flashed in Xia Mo’s eyes. She’d never expected me to fight back.

"You treat me as a tool too. Using my feelings to make me your boyfriend. Was the rooftop that day just a step toward your goal? Our dates—all just tactics? Why keep this rotten relationship?"

I laughed coldly. Only now did I see how much I’d poured into this—enough to lose myself. True, I’d never been in love before. My first romance. I’d invested too deeply in this counterfeit thing… and only now woke up.

"Don’t forget—I still have leverage over y—"

"Tell everyone if you want. I don’t care. It was just an excuse to save face anyway! Did you think everything would bend to your will?! And you dug into someone’s private life? *Hah*—stop pretending you’re so noble!"

"Are you breaking up with me?!"

"When were we ever together?"