Have a Piece of Cake

Bo Rong first met Lin Han at a members-only club.

Bo Rong had landed a big order that would earn her a hefty commission. The customer had bought an expensive, two-tier birthday cake. On the way there, Bo Rong glanced at the cake in front of her for what felt like the hundredth time, yearning for it and envying whoever would get to eat it. She silently calculated how long she would have to deliver takeout before she could afford a cake like that.

When she arrived, she lifted her helmet and broke into a bright smile, offering her wishes. "Is someone celebrating a birthday? Happy birthday to her."

The woman looked at her in surprise. "No one's birthday."

"Sorry, it's my birthday today, so I just assumed..."

"Would you like a slice of cake before you go? Think of it as a birthday present." Lin Han handed her the signed receipt. Her peach-blossom eyes looked almost affectionate, their outer corners lifting slightly, as though she had been born to beguile people.

Later, when Bo Rong ran into her again while delivering takeout, the woman asked, "Want some cake again?"

Two slices of cake, and Bo Rong had sold herself.

It would be a long time before she could think of it without gritting her teeth. She had always believed that what she and Lin Han shared was pure love, with nothing to do with money or desire.

That was, until Lin Han took out a bank card and coaxed her, saying, "I might need to get married to appease my family."

Bo Rong coaxed her, too.

She coaxed Lin Han into thinking she'd agreed, then dragged her to every place where they might make memories, indulging themselves day and night and leaving behind traces of their passionate entanglement.

In the end, Bo Rong took the bank card and left a three-page letter, every page of it cursing Lin Han for having a brain eaten by a dog.

The final two lines were a calm notification:

"I took the money. After deceiving me for so long, it's what I deserve."

*

Three years later, they met again at the club where they'd first met. Bo Rong put down the delivery and turned to leave.

"Lin Han, I'm not eating cake anymore."

"And I'm not going to be your lover."

Lin Han chased after her and took her hand, almost pleading. "I won't lie to you this time."

Reader advisory:

1. No marriage. The second female lead has a past relationship with a woman. This is a melodramatic pursuit-and-reconciliation story. Readers who require perfect characters or have high moral standards, please don't read. Readers who insist on spotless characters are kindly asked to pass.

2. The female lead has an abundance of self-worth. She isn't insecure or self-deprecating. A chaotic, sweet girl x a seductive wild rose with a flawed understanding of love (who later turns over a new leaf). Delivery worker x rich heiress.

3. Readers who care about educational qualifications, please don't read. The female lead ran away from an arranged marriage in the mountains, and her final qualification is a correspondence degree.

4. This is a spin-off featuring the secondary couple from the author's previous work, Her Good Little Sister. Some details and timeline elements conflict with the earlier work; this story takes precedence.

5. That's all for now. I'll add more if I think of anything.

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