Chapter 2The Borrowed Mask

My sleepiness vanished instantly.

Looking up, I saw the girl from before, head down, brows furrowed, fiddling with her phone.

And today, I happened to be wearing the latest Chanel dress.

On my wrist was indeed a Van Cleef & Arpels bracelet.

How could everything coincide so perfectly?

I felt my breathing quicken.

I immediately scrolled through the post. The OP's name was Xiang Xiang, and the person helping her was called Little Sprout.

Little Sprout's latest reply: [What are you afraid of? If once or twice doesn't work, try again. Are you afraid she'll refuse? There are plenty of ways. If she doesn't help, force her. Moral kidnapping works wonders.]

Xiang Xiang (poking fingers): [But I... I'm afraid she'll scold me...]

Little Sprout: [Do this. Offer to buy it from her for ten bucks. If she doesn't agree, offer fifty, finally a hundred. Girls are thin-skinned. If she still doesn't agree, wipe your tears towards the men nearby. Someone will feel sorry and help you.]

Xiang Xiang replied with a heart emoji: [Sister Sprout, you're so nice. I'll go right now.]

Little Sprout (cheering): [Relax, you'll definitely succeed.]

I stared at my phone in horror. Before I could react, I saw the girl who wanted to borrow the mask crossing the seats again, walking over.

Head down, biting her lip, she shoved a crumpled ten-dollar bill at me.

The money looked like she had saved it for a long time.

"Hey girl, my family isn't well off. Can I... buy a mask for ten dollars?"

"I... can give you fifty too..."

Seeing I didn't take it, she turned and pulled another crumpled fifty from her pocket.

Now I was certain. She was the OP, Xiang Xiang.

And I was the sucker she chose, the scam target.

I never expected the first big event of the New Year to be this.

My heart raced, fingers trembling.

Breathing was difficult.

I couldn't imagine a girl who looked so innocent would plot something like this.

If more people got involved, I wouldn't be able to escape.

I immediately stood up, wanting to flee my seat and hide in the bathroom. Xiang Xiang, sharp-eyed, grabbed my hand, raising her voice, eyes brimming with tears as she pointed at my backpack. "Hey girl, I just saw it. You have a pack of Capybara collab masks in your bag, nine left. I'm not greedy, I just want one. Is a hundred dollars really not enough for one?"

I trembled as I shook off her hand, voice shaking. "I don't have any. I won't sell. I've used those masks."

My lips quivered.

Xiang Xiang's voice became even more aggrieved, pretending to wipe tears. "Hey girl, do you look down on poor people's money? Don't worry, I earned this through hard work, it's not dirty."

This directly incited dissatisfaction from the suit guy next to us. He crossed his legs. "What's wrong with you? Dressed so well but cheating people out of money. You have the nerve to ask a hundred for a mask? I'm afraid these clothes were bought by selling yourself too!"

The older women and men rolled their eyes at me. "We thought it was weird just now, hugging the bag so tight. Are you afraid we covet your broken masks? Usually, I wouldn't take that thing even if given for free."

Xiang Xiang continued to wipe tears.

She was young, and her crying looked pitiful.

How could the suit guy stand it? He stood up, pointing at me and cursing. "Speak up! Are you giving the mask or not? Believe it or not, I'll hit you!"

Saying that, he tried to snatch my backpack to get the mask.

I was anxious.

The suit guy was too strong. I reached out several times but couldn't touch it.

Xiang Xiang held her breath, staring at him tightly.

Seeing the suit guy unzip the bag and take out the pack of masks, I rushed over with all my might, knocking him away with my back, tearing open the masks, throwing them on the ground, and stomping on them.

"Not giving. I bought these myself. I give if I want to give. No one can rob me if I don't give. If you want to be good people, go buy masks yourselves. It's not like the conductor doesn't have any."

"Damn, dog stuff, heart so black." The suit guy spat in front of me.

The older woman waved at Xiang Xiang. "Girl, go buy from the conductor. Only one dollar each. Stay away from this black-hearted person."

Xiang Xiang stared at the suit guy and shook her head. "Gra... Grandma, I'm fine. I don't want it anymore. I can endure it, won't trouble others."

She bit her lip, glared at me viciously, and returned to her seat.

I sat back down heavily, heart beating faster and faster, wrist trembling uncontrollably.

In my panic, I immediately took out my phone, unlocked it, clicked on the post, and pressed special follow.

Sure enough, the post updated again.

Xiang Xiang: [Sister Sprout, what to do? That person doesn't have masks anymore. Did she see through me?]

Little Sprout: [Impossible. She's stupid, doesn't have that kind of brain.]

But soon I realized something was wrong.

What does this sentence mean?

As if the replier knows me.

Also, I never took out that pack of masks from my backpack. How did she know I had a pack of masks, and nine left?