周明轩 opens the door, his face sullen like a painting that’s been stepped on. "What's the matter?" he snarls, eyes flicking between Lin Snow梅 and the girl beside her. The air is thick with the stench of hypocrisy. He's like a dog with two masters, wagging his tail for whoever pays him attention.

Lin Snow梅 smiles coldly, the kind of smile that would freeze water. "Just checking in," she says, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "How’s my precious little 'sister' doing?"

Pain flashes in the girl’s eyes, but she quickly hides it behind a rehearsed smile. "I'm fine, of course," she replies, her voice shaky. It's obviously an act, the kind that crumbles under the slightest scrutiny.

The moment the door closes behind the trio, the girl,陈若曦, throws her head back and lets out a sob that’s been trapped inside her for too long. "How could he do this?" she whispers, tears streaming down her face. "He said he loves me, but then he brings her here like this!"