On New Year's Eve, a strange girl kept asking to borrow things from me. "Hey girl, do you have any tissues?" "Hey girl, I think I got my period. Do you have a pad I can borrow?" The third time, a forum post popped up on my phone. [Fam, my chosen target isn't cooperating at all. What should I do?] I scrolled up. The OP said she was an ordinary person who could only afford the slow train. Her mom demanded she cough up 200,000 for her brother's wedding. If she couldn't, she'd have to marry the cripple at the east end of the village. The top-voted comment suggested this: [This is simple. Find a random unlucky passerby to scam!] [For example, pick a naive-looking college student, preferably a girl. Ask to borrow something—tissues, a pad, or a mask. As soon as she lends it to you, clutch your stomach and fall over. Claim there's something wrong with the item. Then you decide how much she pays.] 1 ??? My phone slipped from my hand and hit the floor with a thud. My heart skipped a beat. Just three minutes ago, I boarded the slow train home, ready for New Year's. Unexpectedly, the girl in front of me walked up, saying she had a runny nose and wanted to borrow a pack of tissues. Originally, I wanted to say yes. But reaching for my bag, I remembered the tissues were in my checked luggage, so I could only shake my head apologetically. Next, she asked for a pad. But my period wasn't due, so I didn't have any on me. Until the third time. She lowered her head, eyes shifting, asking to borrow a mask. This time, I actually had one. Just as I was about to unzip my backpack and get one for her, this post popped up on my phone. I didn't want to look at it, but the OP said she was on a slow train, going home for New Year's. And so was I. But as I read on, something felt wrong. The things the OP borrowed were exactly what that girl just asked me for. Down to the last detail. For a moment, my mind was in chaos. But the girl in front of me looked well-behaved, nothing like the person in the post. Seeing I didn't answer, the girl tugged lightly at the hem of my clothes. "Hey girl, just lend me a mask. It's winter, and there are so many people on the slow train. I'm worried the air isn't clean and I'll get sick. I... don't have money to see a doctor." Before I could answer, an older woman next to me urged, "You girl, come on. We're all women here. When you're out and about, you should help each other!" Another older man nodded. "It's not easy for a young girl. She already asked. How can you have the heart to refuse? Look at you, a student, dressed so well, yet your heart is so black." "Exactly, exactly. A mask isn't anything expensive. Why fuss over it with a little girl?" A man in a suit grinned. Originally, I really intended to give it. But right now, my right eyelid was twitching, and I felt panicked. Thinking of the post's content, I felt uncomfortable. Seeing I didn't move, the suit guy started cursing. I got angry too. Besides, giving or not giving is my freedom. I zipped up my backpack, picked up my phone, and sat back down. "Little sister, sorry, I used up my masks. You should ask someone else." The girl bit her lip and left. I planned to close my eyes and rest for a while. Just then, my phone dinged. The post updated. [What to do? The target I chose won't listen at all. She's clearly dressed so well, new Chanel from head to toe, Van Cleef & Arpels on her wrist. Obvious she's not short on money.] [But she won't take the bait. How can I make her pay me back the 200,000?] 2 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? 3 The more I thought, the colder I felt. My heartbeat accelerated involuntarily. The post continued to update. Little Sprout: [It's almost noon. Impossible she won't eat. If she doesn't give a mask, ask her for food.] Xiang Xiang (heart emoji): [Sister Sprout, you're so smart.] Little Sprout (waving hand): [Don't mention it. I don't need to teach you the rest, right? Finish eating, clutch your stomach and roll on the ground. By then, the five hundred thousand will be in hand. If she doesn't give food, even better. Grab it directly, eat, fall down. Many ways, as long as you make contact, everything is OK.] Xiang Xiang sent a smiley face. During this time, more and more people were watching the post. Many netizens retorted, saying they were going too far. [Your own business, why let an innocent person take the bullet? If you can't do it yourself, you want to drag others down.] [Exactly. I sympathized with you before, thinking your parents favored boys over girls, helping you think of ways. Now I wish you'd marry over there immediately. Birds of a feather.] [You guys actually believed it. This post is obviously staged. Trying to build an account, right?] [I don't think so. Obviously that Little Sprout is jealous and hateful. Maybe she even knows that unlucky person. Otherwise, how could she say exactly nine masks? Miss wearing Chanel, Van Cleef & Arpels, using Capybara masks on the slow train, be careful. You're being targeted.] Little Sprout panicked and cursed directly: [Shut up. Who... who said we know each other? What do you know? Besides, I'm happy with money earned by ability. I think you're just sour grapes.] Xiang Xiang (agreeing): [Sister Sprout is right. Why are there so many rich people and we are poor? They can afford Chanel, use luxury brands, they should take out money and share. That's fair.] I gripped my phone tighter and tighter. Breathing rapidly. I had no idea what deep hatred that person opposite had for me, wanting to put me to death, and even seeming to know me well. I originally planned to eat a boxed lunch to pad my stomach. After all, I got up late in the morning and hadn't eaten anything. But now, to avoid everything happening in the post, I had to swallow my saliva and sit there motionless. Anyway, there was still an hour before getting off. At worst, I wouldn't eat. I hugged my backpack, stomach rumbling. Just then, the slow train stopped. Quite a few people got on and off. Just at this moment, a rider in yellow rushed through the car door, carrying takeout and placing it in front of me. "Li Le Guo, right! This is the Szechuan Pork Slices set you ordered. wish you a pleasant meal and enjoy the ride." I was completely dumbfounded. My heart went thump thump. What happened! I didn't order anything at all. I immediately called the rider. He held the delivery slip, blinking at me. "Customer, don't joke. The person on this slip is Li Le Guo, seat 11 window side, phone tail number 5356. All this matches your information." "Impossible, I really didn't order. I don't even have a food delivery app." The delivery rider scratched his head. "Customer, I have other deliveries. If really not, ask your friends and family if they ordered." Finished, the rider ran off the train. Looking up again, I saw Xiang Xiang tilting her head, watching me, grinning proudly. My mind was getting messier. Just then, my best friend Yu Hui Hui sent me a message. [Babe, you're almost home, right? I specially ordered train takeout for you. Mildly spicy Szechuan Pork Slices, can't let my babe starve.] 4 Yu Hui Hui? Little Sprout? Could they be the same person? I didn't even dare to think about the guess in my heart. Yu Hui Hui and I grew up together, went to primary and middle school together, and agreed to go to the same university in the future. However, in the first year of high school, Yu Hui Hui dated a blonde boyfriend, and we had a fight because of this. I threw the fifty-cent bracelet the blonde gave her into the trash can. "Hui Hui, we agreed to take the college entrance exam together, to see a different world. How can you date now? This is senior year, the most important time." Yu Hui Hui pushed me away with a face full of disgust. "Guo, did you study yourself stupid! What's the use of learning those things. Look at this guy in my family, elementary school diploma earning thirty thousand a month, a small boss. College students come out and still work for these small bosses." "But don't you want to see the outside world anymore? Maybe your thoughts will be different later. Besides, the exam is coming soon. You can study first and talk about these later." Yu Hui Hui shook me off directly, blowing on the bracelet like a treasure. "Enough. Aren't you just jealous seeing me find a rich boyfriend? Yes, your family is good, buy whatever you want. Unlike me, I only have myself to rely on. Since our values don't align, let's not be friends." After that day, Yu Hui Hui skipped class every few days, even missed the college entrance exam. The day I walked out of the exam hall, she sat in a BMW, looking at me with disdain. "Heh, what you have, I will have too." Later I went to university. Yu Hui Hui blocked me, until she added me back not long ago. At that time I was packing my backpack to go home for New Year's and answered her video call. In the picture, Yu Hui Hui smiled brightly, only showing her face, much thinner than before. I showed her the Capybara collab masks I bought. I opened one and put it in my pocket, leaving nine in the backpack. Yu Hui Hui asked me when I was going home, train number and seat. I told her without reservation. At that time I really thought our friendship could be restored. But now, my mind was in a mess. A thought told me Yu Hui Hui was very likely Little Sprout. Otherwise, how could it be so coincidental, everything matched. But I couldn't understand why she hated me so much. To find out the truth, I immediately switched to my alt account and questioned under the post. Me: [Sister Sprout, I also think you're right. Rich people should give us money. They clearly have so much money yet show off. Pity I'm so stupid, surrounded by poor people. I don't know luxury brands, don't know who to scam.] [Sister Sprout, I also want big brand bags, five-figure clothes. I'm not convinced. So many rich people, what's wrong with one more me.] Until I posted ten consecutive comments, Little Sprout liked them and actively added me as a friend. [Sister, don't rush, let's chat in detail.]
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