"Frank He, we're done. Stop tailing me. You're so irritating—you'll never redeem yourself, and you'll only make me hate you more."
Her words struck like shattered glass, each syllable sharp and relentless.
Frank stood frozen, cheeks burning as strangers pointed at him. He couldn't fathom her boldness. In his eyes, she was merely attractive—nothing unforgettable.
This woman was his ex, Zara Xinran. They had split long ago, yet she insisted that Frank still harbored feelings for her. Every encounter became an opportunity for her to hurl barbs and boost her own status. Frank found it revolting.
"Are you done? Move aside—I need my delivery."
Frank signaled Zara to step aside. The door remained blocked by her stubborn stance, adding to his mounting frustration.
"Don't let me see you ever again! You're infuriating!"
Zara snapped, her face hardening with anger. Deep inside, she plotted for her current boyfriend to teach Frank a lesson—she wouldn't tolerate any loss of face.
Frank was a college sophomore, new to romance. He had once been involved with Zara, a classmate, but their brief affair had soured quickly. Now, Zara was dating the school basketball captain. Frank had calmly let her go—a move that only fueled her contempt.
Her scorn was understandable to her pride. Frank's detached calm came off as disdain, as if he were completely unmoved by their breakup. So every time they crossed paths, especially when her boyfriend was around, she made sure to remind him of her superiority.
But Frank's popularity at school—especially in his department—kept the basketball captain in check. Only Zara couldn't control her bitterness.
Shrugging off her venom, Frank grabbed his delivery and headed back. In his dorm, he unboxed his new smartphone—a leading domestic brand boasting impressive features at a low price.
After fiddling with it for a while, Frank set the phone aside. A sleepless night had left him utterly exhausted; if not for the excitement over his new gadget, he would have collapsed into sleep.
In a daze, the phone rang softly. Bleary-eyed, Frank answered without noticing that his new phone still lacked a SIM card.
"Hello, this is the Heavenly Court Buckle Customer Service. Congratulations on upgrading your Buckle. You now have the privilege to create a chat group. Would you like us to set it up for you?"
A saccharine female voice spoke. Still half-asleep, Frank mumbled an incoherent "yes."
"Your first chat group is now active. Would you like to share its number so other Immortals can join?"
The robotic tone continued. Frank, too confused to object, merely listened.
"Thank you. Your Buckle Group service is now active. Enjoy your experience."
The call ended abruptly. Frank dropped the phone and drifted back to sleep.
After a while, the chime of a new message stirred him. Groggy, he checked the alert—and his eyes widened in disbelief.
"Bella Baihua has requested to join your Heavenly Court chat group."
Earlier that night, he had logged into QQ on his new phone and unwittingly created this odd group. To his surprise, members were already joining—even those with strange names. In fact, one applicant's avatar was so stunning that Frank couldn't bring himself to reject the request outright.
He tapped "Agree" and soon saw the prompt: "Bella Baihua has joined the group." Curious, Frank visited her profile. She looked otherworldly—her beauty was ethereal, like a luminous painting come to life. His heart fluttered, yet he hesitated to approach.
"Hey, I'm the first to set up a group. Where are the other Immortals? So slow!"
Bella Baihua teased in the chat.
Frank rolled his eyes. Just because you look mystical doesn't mean you're an immortal, he mused. Was this breathtaking beauty a bit unhinged? It was a pity if so.
"Group master, are you there? Hey, Natural Daoist Friend, add me as an admin!"
Bella Baihua called out. Frank's chat nickname was "Nature," so she addressed him in that familiar tone.
Speechless, Frank hesitated. Despite suspecting she might be a little off, her allure was undeniable. Reluctantly, he granted her admin rights. With only the two of them in the group, he quickly dismissed the matter—though he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling about Bella Baihua.
Overjoyed with her new role, Bella began celebrating, describing a scene that shimmered like a surreal mural—imagine the cascading glow of liquid silver under a moonlit sky. Frank, too weary to truly appreciate it, barely registered her vivid imagery.
"Thanks, Natural Daoist. I owe you nothing—just a small technique I've perfected as a gift for fellow daoists. Don't mention it."
She sent a message along with a file.
Frank casually clicked on the file—only to find it empty. He chuckled at his own impulse. What if it were a virus? Irritated, he silenced the group chat. He never noticed, however, the thin ray of green light seeping from his phone, disappearing into his hand and then his body.
After topping up his phone, Frank headed to the cafeteria. His stomach growled after hours of fasting, and he silently hoped to avoid that self-absorbed woman.
But fate intervened. The moment Frank stepped into the cafeteria, he spotted—from across the room—the last people he wished to see: Zara Xinran and her boyfriend.
Quietly, Frank veered to the opposite side. He wanted no trouble. In the past, such encounters meant relentless prodding—like a rabid dog eager to assert its dominance.
Trouble, it seemed, was inevitable. Just as he was about to leave, Zara's gaze locked onto him. She wasn't about to let him slip away.