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Beastly Hearts
墨書 Inktalez
Editor handed me a stack of documents, urging me to study them thoroughly and reminding me not to share them with anyone.
As I took the documents, I felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity with the icons on the pages; they seemed vaguely recognizable, yet I couldn't pinpoint where I had seen them before.
Once home, I spread the materials out on my desk and began to read carefully. The documents were all about PUA—various cases, analyses, and even some prevention tips.
I read through them repeatedly, and the more I did, the more familiar they felt, as if I had experienced this myself. But how could that be? My parents were strict but certainly not cruel; in fact, they were quite doting on me, so there was no way I could have been subjected to PUA tactics.
So where was this sense of familiarity coming from?
Lost in thought, I didn't even notice when my husband stood behind me.
"What are you looking at?" he asked.
I jumped in surprise and turned around to see him, letting out a sigh of relief.
"It's some materials Editor gave me for research," I explained.
My husband frowned slightly, seeming a bit displeased. "Why did he give you that?"
"He said there was a task assigned, but he didn't specify what it was," I replied.
He glanced at the documents and said, "Work can wait; you should get some rest, dear."
His voice was sweet enough to almost be syrupy, and under such temptation, I readily agreed.
I studied the materials for several days but made no progress at all. The strange expression on Editor's face when he handed me the documents lingered in my mind.
I quickly took out my phone and called Editor.
The call connected swiftly, and his cheerful voice came through. "Hello, Xiao Zhou, how's it going? How's your research on those materials?"
"Not bad, Editor, but please tell me honestly—what's your purpose in all this?" I asked.
"What purpose? It's for sales! The female lead genre is hot right now; I want to create a special issue on women experiencing PUA to warn our female readers against being deceived. It’s a win-win: justice served, traffic gained, money made—what’s not to like?"
I scoffed lightly. "A month ago, you had a different take on a PUA proposal." I was amused and frustrated; Editor was still joking around with me!
After a moment of silence, Editor sighed, "Since you've already guessed, I won't hide it from you any longer."
It turned out that Editor's niece, Lin Wan'er, had recently fallen victim to PUA tactics. The man claimed to be an executive at A Well-Known Company and approached Lin Wan'er with promises of helping her secure a job there.
Believing him wholeheartedly, she gradually fell into his trap under his guidance. He first borrowed all her savings, claiming he needed it to invest in a project that would yield high returns. But what was the outcome? Not only did she lose all her money, but she also ended up in significant debt.
Even more terrifying was the fact that the man exerted various forms of psychological control over Lin Wan'er, ultimately leading to her mental breakdown. By the time Editor learned of this situation, his niece had already become mentally unstable.
Editor's family immediately took her to the police, hoping to catch that scoundrel. However, the man had long since fled, leaving behind only a rented apartment. Inside that apartment, Editor found some documents. He thought perhaps these materials could provide some clues, so he handed them over to me, hoping I could help investigate.
"This is how things unfolded, Xiao Zhou. Everyone knows your capabilities; you're the only one who can handle this matter well. I'm counting on you," Editor said earnestly.
Ah, here comes the flattery. This task is challenging, but justice is something everyone yearns for, myself included. "Please keep me updated on your niece's situation; let me know as soon as you have any news. You know every piece of information is crucial," I replied.
With Editor's promise, I felt a bit more reassured.
That night, my husband noticed I was still sorting through the materials and couldn't help but remind me, "Honey, it's getting late; you should rest."
I glanced at the clock and realized it was almost midnight. "Okay, I'll go take a shower right away," I replied with a smile.
His concern warmed my heart, but I didn't see the shadow that flickered in his eyes when he caught sight of my documents.
The next day, my husband suddenly said to me, "Honey, my dad wants to come over for a while."
I thought for a moment; with my mother-in-law gone, Father-in-law was alone. We had been married for quite some time now and he hadn't visited yet, so I nodded in agreement.
I assumed it would be a normal visit; little did I know how naive I was. For instance, Father-in-law believed that food must be cooked to medium doneness—never fully cooked—otherwise the meat wouldn't be tender.
When I got home from work, the place was a complete mess. Clothes were strewn across the sofa, various snacks cluttered the coffee table, and even the floor was littered with dirty clothes and pants. I was taken aback and couldn't help but complain a bit.
To my surprise, my husband impatiently replied, "What's the big deal? My dad used to live like this too. You just need to get used to it." I tried to reassure myself that it was only for a few days and that there was no need to create conflict or spoil the mood.
However, what I didn't expect was that my father-in-law would become increasingly unreasonable.
One day, I went shopping with a few friends and came back with a low-cut dress. The moment my father-in-law saw it, his expression darkened immediately. "Dressing so revealingly, are you trying to seduce someone?" he exclaimed. It was just a dress; why did he have to make it sound so scandalous?
"Dad, it's just a dress. Many people wear things like this nowadays," I explained. But he scoffed dismissively, "That kind of clothing isn't suitable for you. Don't wear it again." With that, he turned and walked away, leaving me trembling with anger.
I couldn't understand why things had changed so drastically. We had gotten along well before; why was everything different now? My father-in-law kept insisting that women should stay at home, supporting their husbands and raising children instead of working. I held my frustration in, feeling like a ticking time bomb ready to explode at any moment.
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