Reborn: The Return of the Villainous Mr. Liu

"Wouldn't MrPerfect think that somebody else is trying to take advantage of your friend's relationship with him? Or if she poses as some other account and tells her friend that she is actually the original account holder, then he might lose his trust in her."

Guiying stiffened.

"I mean if the harasser could threaten your friend that she knows her secrets, then he can do anything. It's obvious to assume that he might know her chat history too. Something similar had happened to my classmate back in college," Zhan Yahui rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "That other friend was really mad at her for lying to him with another online identity. She had actually played a prank upon him, but it backfired. He never talked to her again. It was scary for him. You cannot really say much about these online chat applications, you know. It's already hard to trust people here."

Guiying looked further uncomfortable. She created Warlord account to stay in touch with MrPerfect, but if he ended up hating her then what would she do?

He wasn't somebody like Ai who would believe her without any doubts. Telling him that CherryBlossom's account was no more and instead to believe in some random user's words would be difficult for MrPerfect.

He was just another user behind the screen. She never met him or talked to him. Why would he believe her? He might feel suspicious even if she had the conversations between them to prove her claim. What if he thought that it wasn't CherryBlossom but some other user trying to fool him? Or worse if he thought that CherryBlossom wasn't as innocent as he thought?

There were many what-ifs in this case as she couldn't figure out how MrPerfect would react, think and feel. It was a gamble.

Guiying left Reading Point because she didn't want MrPerfect to know her secrets and start hating her. But if talking as Warlord was risky as well, then there was no point.

I...I need to find another way...

She rubbed her sweaty palms together and awkwardly smiled at Zhan Yahui. "Y-you are right...I will tell my friend about this..."

"Are you okay? Why does it seem that you are trembling?"

"H-Huh? Oh no no! I am fine," Guiying quickly stood up in nervousness. "I will take my leave. I have a lot of work."

Zhan Yahui smiled. "Yup. I will be waiting for your drafts."

*Flashback ends*

'Guiying' bit the tip of 'her' thumb as 'she' now told that piece of conversation to everyone. To 'her,' that conversation was practically meaningless at that time. 'She' didn't think much of it, but...

Was that Zhan Yahui manipulating Guiying?

'She' looked at Zixin and now that 'she' had spent quite some time with him, 'she' could firmly tell with her eyes closed that Zixin would have never doubted CherryBlossom. A man like him would have not thought of Guiying as suspicious.

He might have even come forward to help Guiying resolve the mess of online harassment she faced, 'she' thought.

'I will always be here. I will definitely help you.'

Not 'might', Zixin would have definitely helped her...

But with the threat of exposing Guiying's alter ego loomed above her, she was already anxious about taking any wrong step. If thought from Zhan Yahui's perspective, it was actually easy to make Guiying unsure of her decision.

Then just before the Shanghai Festival was about to start, Zhan Yahui questioned what was wrong with 'her' at Dream High. This was when Zixin had sent a letter to CherryBlossom requesting her to meet him after the festival and 'Guiying' had torn the card and thrown it in the dustbin in a fit of anger.

I never told Zhan Yahui about MrPerfect wanting to meet Guiying in Shanghai so...

'Her' eyes flashed with suspicion.

Did she pick up the torn bits of the card from the dustbin and learn about that meeting?

'She' remembered Zhan Yahui was strangely staring fixedly at 'her' before she had left the room.

But I thought that was because I wasn't acting like Guiying usually did.

'She' shuddered.

Was it because she guessed that something was up in regards to MrPerfect?

No, but she did ask me why I was behaving differently all of a sudden...

'Guiying' gritted her teeth.

What is it!? Did Zhan Yahui look at me that way because of Guiying acting weirdly or because she had doubts regarding MrPerfect!?

But then 'she' remembered another conversation with Zhan Yahui at Shanghai when MrPerfect never arrived to meet Guiying. She had walked up to 'her' near the lake and said,

'So I guess he didn't come.'

'I didn't expect that certainly but then again I know how cruel MrPerfect aka Liu Jun is. If he didn't want to meet the fool inside me, then why bother sending any letter? But it's okay. It only strengthens my resolve even more to completely destroy Liu Jun one day. That day...will come soon.'

'Guiying' slowly widened her eyes.

How...How did she ask that question when she wasn't supposed to know about the meeting? And I was so angry at MrPerfect then that it didn't occur to me to question it either...

Then there was the part of how it was actually Zhan Yahui who had helped secure the footage for 'her' when Jun and Shui were stuck inside the elevator at the fest. 'She' had asked a favor from Zhan Yahui but...

Now that I think about it, Zhan Yahui readily helped me without asking many questions. Shouldn't she have tried to stop me? Shouldn't she have thought that it was weird of Guiying to harm someone? She even told me to hide her involvement in that matter...

When Jun had interrogated 'Guiying' about the Shanghai's incident, 'she' naturally refused to take any blame.

But when 'she' met Zhan Yahui later and expressed 'her" doubts of Jun not really recognizing Guiying in any way at Shanghai, she had said,

'That's why heed my suggestion. If you want to go anywhere with your revenge, don't utter even a word about MrPerfect to anybody. Just like Liu Jun did everything in silence, you stay in the shadows too. Ruin him, but don't let him know who was behind it. Revenge is best served cold.'

'Guiying' stumbled at the place where 'she' stood and felt 'her' brain would short-circuit at any moment.

What the heck...? She didn't only manipulate Guiying but me too.

Was I...Was I being played like a freaking puppet this whole time...?

'She' almost collapsed on her knees but a certain someone pulled 'her' into his arms and prevented her from falling.

"I am here with you Guiying. Always," a soft and warm voice echoed in 'her' ear.