On the day my boyfriend of seven years proposed to me. Just as I was about to say yes, rows of floating text—livestream comments—suddenly appeared in front of my eyes. [LMAO, the side character is actually crying. Does she really think the Second Male Lead is going to marry her?] [Doesn't she know he's only proposing because he's drunk and mistook her for the Heroine?] I pretended not to see them, nodding my agreement through tears. Afterward, some busybody told me the "truth." Everyone was certain I would throw a fit. But not only did I not make a scene, I magnanimously forgave Liam. They didn't know I was a "Strategy Gamer." As long as the Second Male Lead proposed to me, my mission was complete. Three days later, the System confirmed with me: [Mission Complete. Initiate world exit?] I lay in the bathtub, smiling with relief: [Yes.] 1 Looking at the barrage of comments floating in the air, I froze for a moment. Subconsciously, I contacted the System. After running a diagnostic, it told me: [There's a slight glitch. I've already submitted a ticket.] I nodded. In front of me, Liam stared blankly, asking again: "Evelyn, will you marry me? "Please, marry me, okay?" He was obviously a little drunk. Everyone's eyes were on me. Like they were watching a play. It was clear they all knew Liam had mistaken me for someone else. I still nodded. Liam looked at me affectionately and slid the ring onto my finger. But the next second, someone in the crowd said: "Liam, you got the wrong girl. That's Evelyn." Liam froze. His gaze landed on my face. Instantly, his expression stiffened. "Why is it you?" A flash of regret passed through his eyes. A few busybodies next to me explained: "Sorry, Evelyn, Liam made a mistake. "He thought you were Sophia." Everyone was waiting for my reaction. Expecting me to break down crying the next second, or start a huge fight with Liam. After all, who could tolerate their boyfriend of seven years doing something like this? Liam even chimed in: "I drank too much." I twitched the corner of my mouth. Only after hearing the System announce the mission's success did I speak: "It's okay." I simply asked the System: [Can I leave now?] It paused: **[Of course. [In seven days, you can return to your own world. [Are you sure you want to leave everything here behind and choose to exit this world?]** I gave an affirmative hum. [Yes.] [Okay. Due to the glitch troubleshooting, the departure time will be in seven days.] I nodded. It just so happened I still had some things to take care of in this world. 2 While the atmosphere was tense, Sophia's voice emerged. "Why is it so quiet? "Is Evelyn here? Did the proposal work?" Her gaze landed on Liam and me. "I just mistook her for someone else." When Sophia walked out, Liam instinctively explained. As if he was worried I would take this proposal seriously. I didn't speak. Seeing the awkward atmosphere, others started to smooth things over. "Come on, come on, let's keep the party going." Only I stood rooted to the spot. Sophia looked at me with an apologetic smile: "Evelyn, I'm so sorry. He was holding a diamond ring and saying he wanted to propose. "I thought he was looking for you, so I called you. "You're not mad, are you?" Yeah, I rushed over here because I got a call from Sophia. ... Liam sat to the side, drinking the hangover remedy brought by a waiter. Hearing this sentence. He just said faintly: "It's fine." Consider it him bailing Sophia out. 3 Ever since Sophia returned from abroad seven days ago, Liam had barely come home. At first, he just lied about working overtime. Even when he was home, one call from Sophia and he would immediately drop me and leave. Later, I saw his messages with Sophia and learned everything. That day I got angry and made a scene. Liam just coldly left me with one sentence: "You should know your place." Then he slammed the door and left amidst my confusion. He didn't come back after that. Until this morning. Sophia updated her Instagram: [People who are loved don't have to shell their own walnuts.] The picture showed the background of Liam's office, and she was holding a jar of shelled walnut kernels. It was the jar I had peeled for Liam a while ago, worried that working too much overtime was bad for his health. I stared blankly for a long time. Looking at my scarred hands. I finally saw this relationship clearly. The Heroine will always be the Heroine. Even though I stayed by Liam's side for seven years, it couldn't compare to the seven days she had been back. ... I came to this world after a car accident. The System told me my mission was to redeem the Second Male Lead. But when I approached Liam, he was cold and detested me. Back then, he wore a faded T-shirt, his bangs slightly covering his eyebrows. Since he wasn't willing, I gave up. Even though the System told me if I gave up, I wouldn't be able to return to my own world, it didn't matter. I was an orphan anyway; it was the same wherever I was. But later, I became Liam's junior in college. When he was drugged, I was the one who took him to the hospital. That day, Liam actively pursued me. I agreed immediately. Two people who weren't living great lives coming together seemed to give life a taste of happiness. When I worked part-time during holidays, Liam got off work earlier than me and stood at the door to pick me up. The year we graduated college, he started a business, and I accompanied him. Just like that, I followed him for seven years. Even though I knew he was the devoted Second Male Lead, I firmly believed everyone had a past. The Heroine had also gotten her happy ending with the Male Lead. 4 And right now, Sophia sat next to Liam, speaking in a delicate voice: "Evelyn, that jar of walnuts in Liam's office was pretty good. Where did you buy it?" Seeing Sophia's interest, Liam's gaze also fell on me. He was mostly sober now and hadn't explained what just happened to me. He seemed to be waiting for my answer. After a long time, I calmed the emotions in my heart and looked at Liam. "The shop on 2nd Street in Southtown. "Since there's nothing else, I'll head out first." With that, I prepared to turn and leave. Sophia's friend called out to stop me. "Evelyn, that ring on your hand was handmade by Mr. Xie. Please take it off. "I mean, Mr. Xie only proposed and gave it to you because he mistook you for Sophia. Obviously, the owner isn't you." My fingernails dug deep into my palm. Enduring the pain in my heart, I smiled. "Of course." With that, under Liam's gaze, I took off the ring without hesitation. I casually tossed it into the decorative fountain behind me. I strode away without looking back. The floating comments in front of my eyes were still jumping: [The side character is mad, right?] [Honestly, anyone would be mad. She's been with the Second Male Lead for seven years. Seven years, a heart that won't warm up isn't worth warming up anymore.] [Finally a normal person. I also want to say, is the author's moral compass really okay? Since the Second Male Lead hadn't cleared his heart, why pursue the side character?] 5 After getting home, someone anonymously sent me a video. Opening it, I heard the voices of Liam and his best friend. "Bro, Sophia went to the bathroom, no one else is here. Talk to me. Evelyn said yes, why didn't you just roll with it? Why explain immediately and embarrass her? "She's waited for you for seven years. In a few more years she'll be thirty. She's not getting any younger. "Tell me the truth, when do you plan to marry Evelyn?" In the video, Liam swirled his wine glass and thought for a moment: "Never." Everyone went silent. After a long time, he continued: "If I hadn't been drunk and mistaken her for Sophia this time, there is no way I would have proposed to her." ... After the voice stopped. I subconsciously looked up and saw myself in the floor-to-ceiling mirror, face covered in tear streaks. Tears can fall without you realizing it. These words were cruel to the extreme, every word punishing the heart. Like mocking how cheap my seven years of emotional investment were. Even if I didn't want to admit it, from twenty to twenty-seven, in the best years of my youth, how could I not have loved him? And I also discovered that when I cry, I look somewhat similar to Sophia. I finally understood Liam's words: "You should know your place." So that's what it meant. He treated me as the Heroine's substitute.
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