In the amber glow of the living room, the three friends sat close together on the floor rug. In a small office nook in the corner, Nan Pan was working on his laptop, but his fingers paused frequently as his attention drifted toward their conversation.
Huan Jing took Anya's hand in her own. Her voice didn't hold a one-sided defense for Zain, but rather a deep, gnawing worry.
Huan Jing: "Anya... for how long? I saw the terror in the Boss's eyes. He's going mad trying to find you."
Anya instantly snatched her hand back. She lowered her head, a hardness settling over her features that had never been there before. She gripped a loose thread on the sofa and twisted it violently.
Anya: "I am not going back to him. He harbored a suspicion against me that I couldn't even have imagined. Was my love that cheap to him?"
Kaiya, who was setting down tea cups nearby, froze. She looked into Anya's eyes—there was rage there, but behind that rage lay a profound, hidden longing.
Kaiya: "Don't be a fool. He is your husband; that is your home. You've dedicated your entire life to his name. How will you live without him now?"
A bitter smile played on Anya's lips. She looked toward the window, where the skyscrapers of Shenzhen glittered in the distance.
Anya: "What husband? What marriage? Our marriage was just a contract... a compromise."
Kaiya immediately grabbed Anya's shoulder and spun her around. Her voice was now stern and solemn.
Kaiya: "A compromise? Anya, don't lie to yourself. The vows you both took in front of everyone were real. Even if it started with conditions, what you have lived is deeper than any 'real' marriage."
Anya's words caught in her throat. Her hand instinctively moved to her neck. Beneath her hoodie, she wore the ring pendant Zain had given her. Her fingers brushed the cold metal.
As she felt the ring, Zain's face flashed before her eyes—not the 'Wolf,' but the protector she had seen when they first met.
Anya crushed the pendant into her fist. A single tear escaped and fell directly onto her palm. She remembered how Zain had promised to protect her from every flame in the world... and today, he was the one who had dealt her the deepest wound.
Scene 2: The Training of the "Wolf"
A mischievous yet profound smile spread across Kaiya's face. She leaned toward Anya and Huan Jing, lowering her voice as if she were plotting a secret military strategy. She patted Anya's hand and gave her a crooked smirk.
Kaiya: "We aren't letting him off, Anya... we are going to punish him. A punishment that will make that 'Wolf' think a hundred times before he ever growls again."
Confusion clouded Anya and Huan Jing's faces. Anya blinked her tear-heavy lashes, unable to fathom how she could punish a man as powerful as Zain Yan.
Anya: (Softly) "How... how can I punish him, Kaiya?"
Kaiya flicked her head in a particular style and directed her gaze toward Nan Pan in the corner. Nan Pan, sensing Kaiya's sharp eyes, suddenly went still. She pointed her finger at him as if he were a living, breathing example.
Kaiya: "I will teach you how to keep a husband in the palm of your hand. When they make a mistake, you don't kill them with tears—you kill them with silence and indifference. Make them realize that your presence is their luck, not a guarantee."
Kaiya's expressions shifted by the second—at times she looked like a cunning fox, and at others, a protective older sister. She raised her voice slightly toward Nan Pan, her tone a unique blend of command and affection.
Kaiya: "Nan Pan! Stop working and make some 'night snacks' for us. My friends are hungry."
Nan Pan looked at Kaiya for a moment, then without a word, he smiled, closed his laptop, and headed for the kitchen. Seeing this total devotion, Kaiya turned back to Anya and winked, as if saying— 'See? That's what I call training.'
Anya listened, but her fingers were still playing with Zain's ring. In her heart, the fire of hatred for Zain wrestled with the new stirrings caused by Kaiya's talk of 'punishment.' Huan Jing leaned her head on Anya's shoulder with a sigh of relief. The clatter of utensils and the aroma of spices drifting from the kitchen lightened the room's heavy atmosphere. Anya closed her eyes, preparing herself for the morning when Zain Yan would stand before her. This time, she wouldn't cry. This time, she wouldn't be the 'prey.'
Scene 3: The Three Rules of Retribution
The kitchen was filled with the scent of spices, but Nan Pan's focus was entirely on the whispers of the three girls at the dining table. He leaned over the pan, trying to eavesdrop.
The moment Kaiya noticed his spying, she scared him off with a piercing look. Nan Pan instantly averted his gaze and went back to stirring the vegetables.
Kaiya was now in full 'Coach' mode. She leaned in close to Anya and Huan Jing, tapping her fingers on the table as she began delivering her 'Tips.'
Tip 1: The Resentment. "First—Anger. When Zain comes tomorrow morning, keep that fire in your eyes that terrifies him. He needs to feel that he hasn't just hurt a person, but a soul."
Tip 2: The Ignore. "Second—Silence. If he speaks, don't listen. If he comes close, move away. Let your silence make him restless."
Tip 3: The Chili! Kaiya's eyes sparkled. "When he finally comes to appease you, feed him the spiciest food imaginable and eat all the sweets yourself. He needs to know that your hatred is more bitter than any chili."
Anya listened. A new light flickered in her dull face. She nodded slowly. "This is a good plan, Kaiya. It's time to make him realize his mistake."
Huan Jing was so impressed she pumped her fist in the air. "Why just Anya? I'm going to try this on Qian! After all, he's the Boss's man too."
Kaiya looked at her friends and pointed to her phone. "Starting tomorrow, I want updates in our group every second. And Anya, you won't go straight home tomorrow. You go straight to the office. Let him feel your absence."
Anya pulled her hoodie cap back slightly. Her eyes no longer belonged to a helpless girl, but to a woman who knew how to reclaim her dignity.
Scene 4: The Wounded Soul
In the silence of the night, Kaiya laid out a spread of snacks on the table, but no one had the appetite to eat. Anya and Huan Jing went to sleep in the same room. Anya fell asleep quickly, but sleep was nowhere near Huan Jing's eyes.
Scene 32: Buried Memories and Deep Pain
Huan Jing watched Anya's innocent face as she lay in bed. She remembered the old days when Ruan Jian had left Anya's life. Anya had been broken then, too, but she had composed herself. She always kept a smile on her face for others, as if she felt no pain. But today?
Huan Jing brushed a stray hair from Anya's forehead, tears welling in her own eyes. "Anya... you finally started crying, and look what you've done to yourself. Where do you get the strength to endure all this?"
Scene 33: The Burning Fever and Sisters' Love
The moment Huan Jing touched Anya's forehead, she recoiled. Anya's body was burning like an inferno.
Huan Jing: (Panicking) "Anya? Anya, wake up!"
Kaiya rushed into the room. Anya's breathing was rapid and shallow. Kaiya placed her hand on Anya's brow and turned pale with worry.
Kaiya: "She has a very high fever! This is the result of all that crying and stress. We know that no matter how tough she acts on the outside, she is fragile within."
The two worked together immediately, placing cold compresses on Anya's forehead. Kaiya adjusted Anya's blanket and took her hand.
Huan Jing: "Zain has completely destroyed her, Kaiya. This fever... her soul is wounded."
Kaiya wiped the sweat from Anya's face. Her lips held that familiar 'big sister' concern.
Kaiya: "This girl always shares everyone else's pain but buries her own deep inside. Look, even in her sleep, she's gripping that ring so tight... she hates him, but she can't rip him out of her heart."
Both friends sat by Anya's bedside throughout the night, changing the compresses and patting her hand. Anya murmured slightly in her sleep, perhaps whispering Zain's name, but every tear that escaped her closed eyes was a witness to her agony. Kaiya and Huan Jing made a vow—tomorrow morning, when Zain arrived, he would have to answer for Anya's condition.