I worked four jobs a day to save up for my boyfriend's tuition, while he always "worked his way through school" at the campus swimming pool until late at night. Until I saw him on someone else's Instagram story, laughing in a Porsche: "Pretending to be poor and tricking her is so satisfying! She actually believes my family owes a million dollars, and transfers all her hard-earned money to me!" I rushed to the swimming pool to confront him, but suddenly, floating text appeared before my eyes like a livestream chat: [The male lead is holding your roommate, hooking up in the swimming pool's sauna!] [His bro is keeping watch at the door, specifically to block you, the female supporting character!] Sure enough, his bro blocked my path: "There's no one inside. Go look somewhere else!" The floating text continued to scroll wildly: [Good thing he stopped her, wouldn't want to ruin the male lead's good time!] I smiled and casually posted on the university's anonymous confession board: "Emergency! My boyfriend works at the swimming pool and might be trapped in the sauna!" "The temperature is already 185 degrees Fahrenheit, and I can't reach him! What should I do?!" 1. The swimming pool was right in front of me. Newly built, very grand, it even had a sauna that was free for students. Suddenly, a few lines of text drifted across my vision: [Holy shit! The male lead's reaction time is insane! He grabbed the female lead and ducked into the sauna!] [The door is locked from the inside! Spicy! This temperature, this humidity, they really know how to play.] [The male lead pinned the female lead against the wall and kissed her, his hands are already inside her clothes... The female lead's moans are so slutty.] I stared at the tightly shut wooden door at the end of the corridor. The digital display next to it showed a glaring red number: 176°F. The floating text continued: [Don't worry, Jake is keeping watch. Once the vicious female supporting character leaves, they can come out.] I looked up and, sure enough, saw the vice president of the swimming club, Jake, walking toward me. He was Ethan's best bro. The text scrolled rapidly: [Quick! Jake! Hurry up and stop her!] "Chloe? Swimming this late?" His smile was a bit stiff. "Is Ethan in there?" My voice was hoarse. He threw his hands up, but his body firmly blocked the path to the sauna area: "Ethan? Haven't seen him. Maybe he finished his swim and left? You should check somewhere else." It felt like my heart was being squeezed. I remembered the photo I saw just a little while ago on the Instagram of a guy I had recently added during a dorm sweep. Ethan was leaning against a black Porsche, the Rolex Submariner on his wrist gleaming coldly. The caption read: "Congrats to Mr. Ethan on the new ride." Scrolling further down, there was another video. He was in a VIP lounge, laughing with his friends: "Pretending to be poor and tricking her is so fucking entertaining. You guys haven't seen it, she works four jobs a day just to save money for me." "Hauling luggage in the morning, sorting packages at lunch, running errands in the afternoon, and sweeping dorms at night." "Her hands get blistered and bleed, she just wraps them in tissues and keeps going." He laughed so hard he bent over: "The best part is, she actually believes my family is a million dollars in debt. Every month when her paycheck hits, she transfers half to me first, saying she's helping me pay off the debt." "I use her money to buy you guys drinks, and she even tells me to drink less because it's bad for my health." I watched that fifteen-second video ten times. My stomach churned. Then my phone vibrated. It was a message he had just sent: "Chloe, I just finished studying and left the library. I'm going to the pool to relax a bit. Go to bed early, don't overwork yourself." So I rushed over, wanting to demand why he lied to me. But now, the floating text told me he was holding another woman, hiding in a high-temperature sauna. I stared at Jake: "I thought I heard voices coming from the sauna. Do you hear that?" Jake's face paled slightly, then he shook his head: "You're imagining things. It's the sound of the steam generator working." I took out my phone and dialed Ethan's number. I heard the busy signal through the receiver. The floating text provided a real-time commentary: [The male lead glanced at his phone, saw it was the female supporting character calling, and hung up immediately! He looks totally annoyed, then put his head back down to keep kissing the female lead...] I put my phone down and smiled at Jake: "Maybe I am just imagining things. I'll get going then." As I turned around, I opened the university's anonymous confession board. Ethan, Mia. One stole my money, the other stole my trust. You guys like excitement, right? Alright, let me make things a little more exciting for you. 2. My fingers flew across the screen. Post title: "URGENT! Is there a problem with the pool's sauna? The temperature is terrifyingly high!" "I was just walking past the new pool and noticed the sauna temperature display is hitting 185°F! And there are weird noises coming from inside, like something banging against the door? My boyfriend said he was coming to swim tonight, and now I can't reach him. I'm really worried he might be trapped inside!! PLEASE SHARE!!!" I attached a photo of the temperature display: 180°F. The floating text: [The female supporting character made a post! Did she figure something out?!] [This is going to blow up! The male lead's phone buzzed again, it's a warning message from Jake!] [The temperature is 185°F! The female lead, Mia, is starting to cough, saying she can't breathe. The male lead is still comforting her, 'It's okay, just hold on a little longer, we can go out once she leaves'.] My fingers trembled violently, almost dropping the phone. The person hooking up with my boyfriend was my roommate, Mia! I remembered how she would always link her arm affectionately through mine and say: "Chloe, Ethan treats you so well, you're so lucky!" Even last night, she told me: "Chloe, working so many jobs is too hard on you. Forget about Ethan, I'm heartbroken for you!" My heart felt like it was gripped by an icy hand, hurting even more than when I saw Ethan's video. The feeling of double betrayal made me nauseous. Jake's phone vibrated as expected. He pulled it out, glanced at it, his face instantly turning white. His fingers flew as he typed a reply. "Chloe, you should go back. There's really nothing going on here. The administrator will be here to check soon, you're just in the way." His tone grew urgent, trying to push me toward the exit. I stood my ground, my voice not loud but firm: "I'm not leaving. My boyfriend might be inside. I won't leave until I see him come out safely." "You!" Jake was getting desperate. Just then, footsteps approached from the pool entrance. Two guys in basketball jerseys poked their heads in. "Hey, are you the one who posted about the sauna having a problem?" One of the guys asked, holding his phone with the screen glowing, showing the confession board page. Like grasping at straws, I pointed at the temperature display: "Yes! Look, it's 182°F! And I heard banging sounds from inside!" The two guys exchanged a look and moved closer. The floating text provided a live broadcast from inside the sauna: [Temperature is 182°F! The male lead pinned the female lead on the bench... they're making a lot of noise.] [The wooden walls are thumping... no wonder it can be heard outside.] [Mia is moaning, can't tell if it's from pain or pleasure...] Sweating, Jake blocked the two guys: "Don't listen to her nonsense! It's a machine malfunction, the temperature display is wrong! I've already called maintenance!" "We still have to see if anyone is inside!" the guy in the jersey frowned. Jake yelled, "I said there's no one! The sauna is closed at night, the doors are locked!" I seized the keyword: "Locked? Then why did my boyfriend say he was at the pool, but now I can't reach him? Why are there banging sounds from inside?" Jake choked on his words. The other guy had already walked up to the sauna door and pressed his ear against it: "It seems... there really is a sound? Very muffled, a thud... thud..." A crowd began to form, students who had seen the post and come over. A girl asked me quietly, "Hey, does your boyfriend... treat you really well? You seem so worried about him." I lowered my head, tears instantly welling up: "His family's financial situation is really bad, it's very hard for him. I just want to work a few extra jobs to help lighten his load..." I held up my hands, covered in band-aids and old and new scars. "It's nothing, really. It's just that sometimes when I'm too tired, it breaks his heart and he tells me to stop working... even though he's exhausted himself..." "Oh my god, what happened to your hands..." the girl gasped. "I've seen her! She sorts packages at the mailroom, crouching there all afternoon!" a bystander chimed in. "I've seen her too! She always eats the cheapest food at the dining hall!" Sympathetic gazes fell on me. Jake, isolated and unsupported, could only stand firmly in front of the sauna door, repeating: "Maintenance will be here soon! Everyone disperse! Don't crowd around!" The temperature display jumped to 185°F. 3. The crowd kept growing. Over a dozen students gathered outside the sauna corridor, whispering amongst themselves. Some were recording videos, others were calling their friends to come watch the "drama." The frequency of the floating text surged: [Temperature is 185°F! The female lead is screaming that she can't take it anymore!] [The male lead is still moving... incredible stamina.] [But they're both sweating profusely, like they've been pulled out of a pool.] "Jake! Move! Let someone check inside!" A tall athlete couldn't stand it anymore and stepped forward to push Jake aside. Jake stood there like a pillar, his face flushed red: "No! Nobody goes in without the administrator's permission! That's the rule! Who takes responsibility if something goes wrong?!" "Then call the administrator!" "I did! They're on their way!" "By the time they get here, whoever is inside will be steamed alive!" The athlete pointed at the display: 187°F. Jake grew hysterical: "I said there's no one inside! It's a machine malfunction!" "If there's no one, what are you afraid of? What's wrong with letting us take a look?" During the scuffle, the pool manager and a maintenance worker in uniform finally arrived in a hurry. The manager, a middle-aged man, frowned deeply at the sight of the crowd. "What's going on? What's everyone doing here?" Jake looked like he'd found his savior: "Mr. Wang! You're finally here! This student insists there's someone in the sauna, says the machine is broken and the temperature is high. I tried to stop them from going in..." Mr. Wang looked at me, then at the display showing 187°F, his face turning serious: "Miss, how can you be sure someone is inside?" I wiped away tears and showed him my chat history, my voice thick with crying and anxiety: "Manager, my boyfriend told me over an hour ago that he was swimming here. Then I couldn't reach him." "I really heard banging and faint cries for help from inside just now!" "The temperature is so high, what if... what if he really is in there? Please, open the door and check!" The surrounding students chimed in: "Manager, just open the door and take a look, it won't hurt!" "Yeah, what if there really is someone? This temperature can kill!" "This girl is so good to her boyfriend, working so many jobs, she wouldn't make a scene for no reason!" Mr. Wang hesitated, looking at the maintenance worker: "Lee, look at this temperature..." Lee, the maintenance worker, leaned in close to the door to listen, touched the door panel, and his face changed: "Manager, the door is scorching hot! And... there really seems to be movement inside! Like... a body hitting the wall?" The floating text: [Temperature 190°F! The female lead passed out!] [The male lead finally stopped, he's barely hanging on himself.] [He's looking for his phone to call for help!] Mr. Wang finally gave the order: "Open the door! Lee, hurry!" Jake still tried to stop them: "Manager! The keys are in the administrator's office! It's too late to get them now!" "Then pry it open!" the athlete shouted. Jake spread his arms wide: "You can't pry it! This is university property! You'll have to pay for the damage! Wait for the keys!" "Is money more important than human life?!" questions erupted from the crowd. "I said there's no one inside! What human life?!" Jake's eyes were bloodshot. I cried even harder, my body trembling slightly: "Manager, if something happens to my boyfriend... I won't live either! I worked all those jobs just so we could have a future together! If he's gone, what am I supposed to do..." These words, coupled with my miserable appearance and scarred hands, completely ignited the crowd's emotions. "OPEN THE DOOR!!!" "If you don't open it, we're calling the cops!" "Take pictures! Record video! Post it online! The university is leaving them to die!" Sweat beaded on Mr. Wang's forehead as he roared at the maintenance worker: "Lee! Get your tools! Pry it! I'll take responsibility if anything happens!" Lee hurriedly ran to grab a crowbar. Jake's face was ashen, retreating to the side, muttering: "It's over... Ethan is finished..." Right at that moment, the university president hurried in, looking stern: "What's going on? Who's trapped in the sauna?" 4. The arrival of the president quieted the scene for a moment. Mr. Wang quickly went to greet him: "President, here's what happened. This student suspects her boyfriend is trapped in the sauna, we're currently handling it..." The president glanced at the temperature display: 190°F. His brow instantly furrowed. "This is nonsense! With the temperature this high, what are you waiting for?!" He looked at me, his gaze sharp: "Miss, are you certain your boyfriend is in there?" My tears fell even faster, my voice shaking violently: "I'm not sure, but he said he was swimming here over an hour ago, and now I can't reach him by call or text. I heard sounds coming from inside, and I'm so scared! His name is Ethan, a junior in the law school." "Ethan?" The president seemed to recognize the name. The floating text rolled frantically: [Temperature is 194°F! The male lead is banging on the door! His hands are red from the heat!] [He turned his phone on! But it shut down immediately due to the heat!] [The female lead is completely unresponsive...] [The male lead is starting to bash his head against the door! He's gone crazy!] I raised my scarred hands, crying so hard I could barely breathe: "President! I worked all those jobs just so I could help him a little... Nothing can happen to him..." Several girls nearby had started wiping away tears as well. "Director, open the door!" "Yeah, this is terrifying!" The president's face was grave as he issued the order immediately: "Mr. Wang, open the door right now! Whether there's someone inside or not, we must confirm it immediately!" "Yes! Lee, the crowbar!" Mr. Wang yelled. Lee finally ran back with the crowbar. The crowd automatically parted to make a path. Jake was pinned against the wall by two guys, his face ashen, still muttering: "Don't open it... you can't open it..." "Pry it open!" the president said decisively. Lee forcefully wedged the tip of the crowbar into the door seam. The wooden door was already somewhat warped from the intense heat. Just as he was about to apply force, a guy in a baseball cap at the back of the crowd suddenly muttered in confusion: "Ethan? Wait... that name sounds familiar..." He frowned, seemingly trying hard to recall something. Lee pushed down for the third time. Creak! The door lock groaned under the immense pressure. At the exact same moment, the guy in the baseball cap suddenly slapped his forehead: "I remember now!" He looked at me, his expression bizarre: "Miss, the Ethan you mentioned... is that the rich kid Ethan?" Just then, Lee gritted his teeth and forcefully pried the door completely open.
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