When Shen Zhizhou was suffering from liver failure and his life was hanging by a thread, Tao Tao didn't hesitate to step into the operating room and donate half of her liver to him. Watching the man she loved dearly recover on the hospital bed, with all his indicators returning to normal, she felt it was all worth it. But then she accidentally discovered that the nurse was cutting the liver just taken from her into small pieces and feeding them to stray animals! Furious, she rushed up and demanded to know who gave them the audacity to be so reckless. That liver was meant to save Shen Zhizhou's life! Without it, he would die! To her shock, the nurse replied, "It was Mr. Shen who instructed me to do so." Tao Tao was in utter disbelief. She dragged the nurse to Shen Zhizhou's room to confront him. But as soon as they reached the door, she heard a room full of laughter. "This Tao Tao is so easy to fool. One word from Brother Zhizhou and she rushed to donate her liver." "What's so surprising? It's not her first time. The last time it was a kidney, before that a cornea, and at the beginning, bone marrow. Each time she believed without question and donated without hesitation." "Is there anything left we can take from her next time?" "Let's cut out more of her liver; the stray cats seem to love it." "Just leave enough for her to stay alive. If she dies, Brother Zhizhou can't continue his revenge." "It's all because she was seen giving Brother Zhizhou cookies by Liu Xinran! Brother Zhizhou has liked Liu Xinran for so many years and was so close to being with her. But because of Tao Tao's stunt, Liu Xinran left him and went abroad." "Exactly. Liu Xinran said she would only return if Brother Zhizhou could prove he had no feelings for Tao Tao at all. Now, Liu Xinran should believe that Brother Zhizhou doesn't like Tao Tao, right?" "If she doesn't, we'll just take more from Tao Tao until Liu Xinran is convinced." "But isn't there nothing left to take from Tao Tao?" "If we can't take anything else, we'll just drain her blood and pour it down the drain, giving the rats and cockroaches a feast…" Listening to the mocking laughter from the room, Tao Tao felt chilled to the bone. She thought her sacrifice was saving her lover, but it was all just to win back Liu Xinran? Through the glass on the door, she could clearly see Shen Zhizhou, who had just been pale-faced, now standing with his arms crossed, smiling and chatting with his friends. He wasn't sick at all! He was just pretending to lie on the hospital bed to deceive her again and again, to extract organs from her body to prove his devotion to Liu Xinran! Tao Tao could hardly believe what she had just heard until the nurse broke free from her grasp and hurriedly said, "You heard it, right? It was really Mr. Shen who instructed me to do it. Please don't report me, or I'll lose my job!" Tao Tao waved her hand lightly. "You can go." The root of all this was Shen Zhizhou; she didn't want to argue with a nurse just following orders. She simply felt the world was absurd. All those years of Shen Zhizhou being gentle and considerate to her were just an act to create the illusion that she was willingly donating her organs. Even though a part of her liver was gone, it was her heart that hurt. She clutched her chest, slowly sliding down the wall, biting her lip to keep from crying out. She was shaking with suppressed sobs, as she let her tears flow unchecked, eyes squeezed shut in despair. "Brother Zhizhou, I've sent the video of feeding the stray cats to Liu Xinran." Shen Zhizhou asked, "Did she reply?" "She sent an 'OK'." His friends immediately erupted with excitement. "Liu Xinran must be satisfied now, right? Brother Zhizhou's patience has finally paid off!" Ding-a-ling-ling— Shen Zhizhou's phone rang. He picked it up, his voice incredibly gentle. "Xinran, do you believe my intentions now? Great, I'll pick you up at the airport when you return." His friends were all jubilant. "Congratulations, Brother Zhizhou!" "Don't forget to invite us to the wedding feast!" Just then, Tao Tao's phone also rang. The laughter from the room came to an abrupt halt, and someone hesitantly asked, "Did I just hear Tao Tao's ringtone? It's Brother Zhizhou's favorite song, quite distinctive." "Did she come? Did she hear everything we just said?" "I'll go check." Tao Tao quickly silenced the call, forcing her weakened body into the nearby stairwell. After a moment, someone looked around and then returned. "There's no one in the corridor; we must have heard wrong." Tao Tao hid in the darkness, letting her tears fall freely as she closed her eyes. When the phone rang again, she answered it. "Brother." Her brother's voice was gentle on the other end. "Tao Tao, are you really not coming with me? Mom and Dad asked me to take good care of you before they passed. I'm really worried about leaving you alone in the country…" Tao Tao exhaled deeply and softly replied, "Brother, I'll leave with you."

Her brother didn't notice anything unusual and simply asked her, "Did you convince Shen Zhizhou to go abroad with you?" "... No." "What? You're leaving alone, and he has no objections? You two are deeply in love, can you really bear to leave him?" Tao Tao gave a bitter smile. Deeply in love? The so-called love was merely a performance by him to please Liu Xinran. She thought she had found someone to spend her life with, even planning to marry him and have children together... Looking back now, she realized how foolish she had been! When she talked about having kids with him in the future, Shen Zhizhou probably laughed at her in his heart, mocking her for overestimating herself and being naive. "Tao Tao, are you still listening?" "I'm here, " Tao Tao replied. "Brother, from now on, I don't love him anymore." "Did you have a fight?" "We're no longer connected in any way." She asked her brother to help her purchase a plane ticket, and he comforted her, "It's over, let it be. I'll find someone better for you in the future." Her brother was going abroad for long-term work in Europe, so he needed some time to settle everything back home. Therefore, their departure was scheduled for two weeks later. Tao Tao hung up the phone, wiped her tears, composed herself, and pushed the door open to leave the stairwell. Since she had decided to leave, she needed to take care of matters at home—discard what needed to be thrown away, donate what could be given, and after decluttering and simplifying her life to start afresh, she would be a brand new Tao Tao. Having undergone a major surgery, Tao Tao stayed in the hospital for a week. Leaving required her to recuperate properly first. She followed the doctor's advice diligently. Besides, she asked the nurse to buy nutritious meals to aid her recovery. By the time she was discharged after seven days, though still weak, her spirits had noticeably improved. Taking a taxi back home, she found the house empty except for the little cat that came to rub against her. This cat was, in a way, the one that brought her and Shen Zhizhou together. Shen Zhizhou had brought this stray cat to her, claiming he didn't know how to take care of it and asking for her help. Tao Tao took in the cat, brought it to the pet hospital for treatment, bought various snacks and toys for it, and Shen Zhizhou often visited to see it. Gradually, they became familiar with each other. Later, Shen Zhizhou confessed his feelings to her, and naturally, they got together. Thinking back, the initial fostering of the cat was probably a meticulously planned scheme by him. The cat, unaware of everything, continued to rub against her affectionately. Tao Tao picked up the cat, stroked its fluffy little head, and then took it to a pet store, asking them to help find another adopter. The store clerk was a bit surprised, "Isn't this cat the one that brought you and Mr. Shen together? Why are you giving it to someone else?" Tao Tao simply said, "I'm moving and can't give it the attention it deserves." She had merely given Shen Zhizhou some cookies, which made Liu Xinran so resentful that she needed Shen Zhizhou to continuously hurt her to ease her anger. Surely, when she returned, she wouldn't tolerate this cat either. Tao Tao had already lost so much, she couldn't let the cat suffer further. Finding it a new home in advance was better than leaving it at Shen's house to be tormented by Liu Xinran. "Please help find someone who truly loves cats to adopt it, " she requested. The clerk agreed, "Don't worry, you can come meet the adopter yourself. Once you approve, they can take the cat." Feeling slightly relieved, Tao Tao returned home only to run into Shen Zhizhou, who had just been discharged. He smiled and said, "Tao Tao, I owe my life to you this time." Tao Tao's response was indifferent, "You'll be fine." "Thank you for saving me repeatedly despite everything." Shen Zhizhou approached her, attempting to embrace her, but Tao Tao felt a wave of nausea. She pushed him away, standing at a distance. Confused, Shen Zhizhou asked, "Tao Tao, what's wrong?" "I'm feeling dizzy and nauseous from anemia." "Let me help you rest then?" "Don't come near me." Shen Zhizhou furrowed his brows, scrutinizing her closely. Previously, whenever he came home from the hospital, Tao Tao would prepare a feast to help him recuperate, despite having just been discharged herself. She would fuss over him, showing great care and concern. But today, her cold demeanor was unexpected. He stepped forward and said, "I want to eat stir-fried pork liver, a traditional dish you make. Will you cook it for me?" Pork liver? Tao Tao recalled her liver being removed, all for a stray cat, and felt a chill in her heart. She sneered, "I don't have the energy; I can't cook. Ask someone else to do it." "But there's only you and me at home, no one else. Please, you cook, and I'll open a bottle of wine. Let's celebrate tonight... " "Celebrate what? Celebrate Liu Xinran finally recognizing your sincerity and deciding to return to rekindle your romance? Or celebrate how I've been played like a fool by you time and again?" Shen Zhizhou sensed her displeasure in her words and asked again, "Tao Tao, why do I feel like you're in a bad mood? I just recovered from a serious illness, shouldn't you be happy?" "No, we both just had surgery, we shouldn't drink." Shen Zhizhou paused, biting his lip in regret; he'd completely forgotten about it. "Sorry, that was careless of me. Then no wine, we'll just have water." "I told you, I can't cook. If you want to eat, go out. I'm going to rest." Shen Zhizhou took a few steps after her but suddenly remembered something, "Tao Tao, did you see the cat? Why hasn't it come out to greet me?"

Tao Tao paused for a moment. "Probably went out to play." "This little cat, always causing trouble. There are so many bad people out there. What if it runs into someone who abuses animals? I read a news story the other day about a psychopath who removed a kitten's liver. It's absolutely appalling." Tao Tao let out a cold laugh but didn't turn around. "Yes, taking out a kitten's liver is appalling. But what about taking out a human's liver?" Shen Zhizhou's body stiffened. "That's a deranged killer." "Yes, a deranged killer." Sensing something unusual, Shen Zhizhou cautiously asked, "Tao Tao, do you regret donating your liver to me? Your liver saved my life; it was for a good cause. That psychopath just threw the kitten's liver away like trash. I'm not like him." Indeed, you're not like him. He only discarded a kitten's liver, but you shredded mine and fed it to stray cats. You're far more cruel. Shen Zhizhou softened his tone, speaking gently, "You should rest now. No need to cook tonight. I'll take you out for dinner." ... Tao Tao initially thought going out for dinner meant a restaurant. But to her surprise, Shen Zhizhou took her to a private room in a high-end hotel. As soon as the door opened, she saw seven or eight people inside, all of whom she recognized as Shen Zhizhou's close friends. They were the same group who joked about drawing her blood to feed mice and cockroaches back in the hospital room. "Hey, look who's here!" "Make room for sister-in-law!" Shen Zhizhou courteously pulled out a chair for her, speaking softly, "Tao Tao, have a seat." His friends started teasing again, "Wow, Zhizhou, buddy is really good to sister-in-law. Such attentive service." "Are you guys flaunting your relationship again? We single folks are going to suffer here." Shen Zhizhou jokingly scolded, "Can't you guys stop teasing even while eating." He helped Tao Tao to her seat and then sat beside her, carefully using serving chopsticks to place food on her plate. "Tao Tao, this is your favorite broccoli." "And this, stewed tofu, very light and full of protein." "And this pig liver, good for your blood. Have some more." "And this chicken soup, I specifically asked them to brew it with ginseng. It's very nourishing; drink up." In the past, seeing Shen Zhizhou so diligently serving her food would have moved Tao Tao to tears. But now, looking at the pig liver on her plate, she began to tremble involuntarily. Was this to replenish her blood so it would be easier to draw later? His tenderness and care now only made her feel a chill down her spine. "What's wrong, Tao Tao? Are you cold?" Shen Zhizhou handed her a bowl of chicken soup. "Drink this hot soup to warm yourself up." Tao Tao took the chicken soup and drank it in one go. As the warm liquid settled in her stomach, she felt alive again. But soon after, a sharp pain shot through her abdomen. She fell from her chair, clutching her stomach and curling up on the floor. "Tao Tao! What's wrong?" The last thing she saw was Shen Zhizhou's anxious face. Before losing consciousness, she thought—Shen Zhizhou was so worried, probably because if anything happened to her, he wouldn't be able to draw blood to please Liu Xinran anymore. —— When she woke up, the smell of disinfectant filled her nostrils. The doctor was a bit upset. "You just donated a liver not long ago, and your body is still weak. Why are you taking diet pills? You're not even overweight!" Tao Tao was baffled. "I didn't take any diet pills." "Didn't you? Your blood contains a high concentration of laxatives. Isn't that from taking diet pills?" "I really didn't, and I didn't take laxatives either... " "How could you not have taken them? Did the laxatives appear in your system out of nowhere? Think carefully about what you ate today." Today... She hadn't eaten anything. Just the bowl of chicken soup Shen Zhizhou served her! Chicken soup, laxatives... Was it him?! Ring, ring— The phone rang. It was Shen Zhizhou's ringtone. Back when she was still devoted to him, she had bought matching phone cases to symbolize their relationship, both in light blue, with only a small different design in the corner. It seemed Shen Zhizhou had taken the wrong phone, leaving his behind with Tao Tao. She looked at the screen showing an incoming call: [Huizi]. Huizi was one of Shen Zhizhou's closest friends, Tao Tao knew that. She pressed the answer button. On the other end, there was a burst of laughter and noise. "Zhizhou, buddy, congrats on another successful revenge!" "Just after donating a liver, she got hit with strong laxatives. Tao Tao might survive, but she'll surely suffer!" "Haha, I got that laxative from a vet clinic. It's for cattle weighing hundreds of kilos. It's incredibly potent!" "I just sent this news to Liu Xinran. She replied with a flying kiss emoji in the group chat! It's the first time in years! Seems like your recent acts of revenge finally won her over!" "Zhizhou, buddy, why aren't you saying anything?"