He tricked the female lead into becoming his boyfriend, but then went on to criticize the male lead.

The entire building was eerily quiet, with only Sang Jiuning's soft footsteps echoing in the corridor, each step like a gentle patter on her own frantic heartbeat.

She slowly climbed the steps to the third floor, her fingertips clenching slightly, and even her breathing became unconsciously soft.

For the past week, Wen Zhaoci had been so cold to her that he was almost a stranger. He didn't send her messages or contact her. That sudden indifference was making the taut string in her heart about to snap completely.

She couldn't help but wonder if it was some kind of uncontrollable plot twist at work.

After this thought popped into her head, Sang Jiuning felt constantly anxious. She feared that this fragile relationship would ultimately succumb to the predetermined course of events.

She came to the laboratory building today specifically to test the waters.

She wanted to test whether what was trapping them was an unwarranted cold war or an irresistible plot manipulation.

If the plot forces him to distance himself from her... does that mean the next step is a predetermined breakup scene?

Once the thought popped into her head, it took hold of her mind and wouldn't go away.

Sang Jiuning slowly stopped at the open laboratory door, her gaze fixed on the tall, aloof figure inside.

Wen Zhaoci sat upright at the lab table by the window.

He stood with his back to the door, intently staring at the laptop in front of him. On the huge external monitor next to him, dense lines of code scrolled rapidly, and strings of obscure characters refreshed quickly, making it dizzying to look at.

His fingers, with distinct knuckles, were fair and slender, rapidly typing on the keyboard. The rhythm of his typing was extremely fast, neat, and steady, and every movement revealed an unwavering focus that no one else could disturb.

In the corner of the lab table sat a glass of iced Americano that had stopped cooling down. Fine water droplets condensed on the glass, indicating that it had been sitting there for a long time. He was too busy to even take a sip.

Sang Jiuning's heart sank little by little.

He seems to be really busy, so busy that he has completely forgotten about her.

Countless fragmented guesses surged in her mind, causing her great turmoil.

What if it's truly an uncontrollable force beyond the control of the plot? What if his indifference is entirely part of a pre-written script, leaving him with no choice but to act?

Will he quickly get tired of her, become perfunctory with her, and then break up with her in the coldest and most heartless tone?

The more I thought about it, the more suffocated I felt, as if an invisible hand was gripping my chest tightly, and a feeling of suffocation swept over my entire body.

Her heart suddenly raced, the pounding sound echoing clearly in her ears. Tension, grievance, and fear intertwined, making her eyes slightly hot.

No, we mustn't panic.

Sang Jiuning took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the stinging in her eyes.

Even if they really had to break up, even if the ending was already predetermined, Sang Jiuning absolutely could not be pathetic. She had to be dignified and poised, and would never cry and make a fool of herself.

She reached out and took out her phone, quietly turning on the front-facing camera.

The screen reflected her delicate features, her makeup was clean and clear, and the lipstick on her lips was full and natural, without any smudges.

Her long, jet-black hair cascaded smoothly over her shoulders, silky and sleek. She wore a simple pink three-quarter-length flared-sleeve lotus-patterned top paired with light-colored wide-leg jeans, looking fresh, clean, and perfectly appropriate.

Very good, respectable enough.

After mentally preparing herself, she took a step and quietly walked into the laboratory.

The wooden floorboards made a very slight creak, but Wen Zhaoci, immersed in the world of code, seemed completely unaware of it.

Even after she stood beside him, he didn't turn around, but his typing speed inexplicably increased, with a hint of imperceptible urgency.

Sang Jiuning lowered her gaze to the huge display screen, where intricate code snaked and twisted, a field she couldn't understand at all. Her gaze slowly moved upward, landing on his profile.

The boy's features were exquisitely sharp, with slightly downturned corners that gave him an air of aloofness. His long, thick, curled eyelashes drooped down, casting a small, light shadow beneath his fair eyelids. Sunlight streamed through the glass window onto his sharply defined profile, making his skin appear pale and his features sharp and hard.

He kept his eyes down the whole time, staring intently at the screen, his expression indifferent yet serious, as if everything around him, including her beside him, was just insignificant air.

Sang Jiuning's heart sank completely.

She could clearly see her complete reflection clearly on the computer screen.

He clearly saw it.

He knew she had arrived the moment she walked in.

But he stubbornly refused to turn around, to speak, and to spare not even a glance.

it is as expected.

As expected, it was an uncontrollable force of the plot.

The predetermined plot is forcing him to distance himself from her and become indifferent to her.

The bitterness in my heart instantly overwhelmed me, and a dense, tingling pain spread through my veins to every part of my body.

She had been holding her breath, thinking that even if they broke up, she would do it with composure and dignity. But when she saw his cold and focused profile, all her strength crumbled instantly.

It turns out that being deliberately ignored by someone you like is such a hurtful thing.

Her heart clenched and throbbed, a sharp pain repeatedly crushing against it.

The next second, warm tears fell without warning, dripping onto the light-colored jeans and spreading out a small, shallow water stain.

At first, she just shed silent tears, large teardrops rolling down her cheeks. Later, the grievances in her heart reached their peak, and she couldn't help but tremble slightly on the shoulders. Soft sobs escaped from her throat, gentle and aggrieved, with a strong nasal tone.

In the quiet laboratory, where only the sound of keyboard typing could be heard, the faint sobbing sound was particularly clear and abrupt.

The next second, the crisp knocking sound abruptly stopped.

Wen Zhaoci stood up almost instantly, her movements quick and flustered, completely losing the calm and composure she had shown while immersed in her work.

He turned around abruptly, looking down at the little girl beside him who was crying. His dark, deep pupils were instantly filled with panic and helplessness, and his cold and aloof aura completely collapsed, leaving only extreme tension.

"Baby?"

His voice was noticeably hurried, his tone panicked. He immediately raised his long, slender hand and carefully tried to wipe away the tears on her face, his movements so gentle that he was afraid of hurting her.

"Why are you crying? Who bullied you?"

Sang Jiuning was completely immersed in her grievances and sadness. Her heart was filled with bitterness and tightness. The grievances, anxieties and speculations that had accumulated for a week finally erupted, and she couldn't control her emotions at all.

Tears streamed down her fair cheeks uncontrollably, like beads from a broken string.

She looked up at him with wet, blurry eyes, her soft voice trembling with sobs, each word accusingly uttered: "You're the one who bullied me!"

"Wen Zhaoci, you're bullying me!"

"You've ignored me for a whole week; you're giving me the silent treatment!"

She became increasingly aggrieved as she spoke, her sobs coming out intermittently, but clearly audible in the empty, quiet laboratory: "You're such a jerk! Waaah... You're deliberately ignoring me, you just want to break up with me, right?!"