Chapter 2

The next morning we each left for work.

A delivery notification came through on my phone.

Earlier, my boss, Mr. Lawrence, had asked me to order him a full set of the newest Apple products.

Paige and I worked at the same company but in different divisions.

The pickup point downstairs from my place had shut down, so I'd used Paige's address instead.

I texted her on WeChat, asking her to sign for it.

She replied with an OK.

Before I clocked out, I was scrolling through my social media feed

when Paige's new post jumped out at me.

The photo was the full set of Apple products I'd bought, but the caption read:

【My boyfriend just had to buy it. What can I do but spoil him?】

Below it there were already more than a dozen likes and comments:

【Damn, Paige, you're so generous!】

【That's our power woman!】

【Your pretty-boy boyfriend must be over the moon.】

Paige replied, unbothered: 【It's just a little money. As long as he's happy.】

Looking at that post, I felt a wave of nausea.

My stuff, and she was using it to build her power-woman image?

I messaged her right away: 【Delete the post.】

She sent a few laughing stickers first, then a voice message, laughing without a care: "Oh please, it's not a big deal."

"I was just putting on a little show for my friends. Do you really have to make such a huge thing out of it?"

I replied: 【If you won't delete it, then reimburse me for the money.】

She let out a cold laugh: "See, this is exactly why I call you a freeloader."

"You're living in my apartment, and now you've got the nerve to come asking me for money? You think you're in any position to?"

Then she went on: "Other guys buy their girlfriends bags and cars. Did I ask you for any of that? I posted one thing on my feed and you're acting like it's the end of the world. Why are you so petty?"

I looked at the stream of voice messages and said it again: 【Delete the post. Give me my stuff.】

Grinning, she spelled it out one word at a time: "I'm not deleting it. And today I'm going to cure you of that stingy habit of yours."

Looking at my phone, I wasn't the least bit surprised.

She'd pulled this trick countless times before.

The moment I didn't give in to her on something, she'd switch straight to the silent treatment.

In her words, it was punishment.

She said it was to teach me a lesson, to show me what the rules were.

Once in college, I was worn out from studying for finals and didn't go with her to eat at the dining hall. I just went back to my dorm and had a slice of bread.

She froze me out for a full week.

In the end I had to grovel and apologize before she'd hold me and, pretending to be hurt, say:

"Do you have any idea how much it upsets me when you don't eat properly?"

"To make sure you remember this lesson, your fine is sending me a five-twenty cash gift."

I was out of my mind back then. I actually thought she only acted that way because she cared about me too much.

When I got home from work, she was already back.

The full set of Apple products was sitting on the coffee table.

I walked over to pick it up, and she slapped my hand away.

"Go on. Tell me what you did wrong today."