He lowered his voice as if sharing a secret, his voice as cold as if it were poison.

Zi Xi's breath hitched for a second.

She could almost picture the scene.

The live stream chat was filled with frantically popping comments, the principal's pale face, the parents' panicked expressions, and the smug alternate personality.

Zi Xi suddenly felt like clapping.

This is true tit-for-tat, not just simple violent retaliation, but making the perpetrators taste the bitterness of social death, which is the greatest punishment for those bullies.

She finally understood why her alternate personality had been calling Xue Xunzhi a coward.

The appearance of the alternate personality was never intended to harm Xue Xunzhi.

It was to protect him as he tried to escape.

Zi Xi gently placed her hand on his wrist, her warm palm pressed against his throbbing pulse.

She could feel the taut muscles beneath his skin, like a trapped beast ready to escape at any moment.

"Listen to me, it's true that I fell in love with him first, but you are also him."

She softened her voice, yet it carried an undeniable strength.

"Like sunlight and shadow, the daytime brings warmth to the world, and the nighttime allows all things to rest; you are two sides of the same coin."

"The person he was back then was also you. You protected yourself. You're not a monster. You're amazing!"

Her fingertips traced the lines on his palm.

The alternate personality's breathing visibly paused for a moment.

"You were the child who cried under the covers, and you were also the one who stood up to resist later."

"You are not a monster, you are your own hero, you are amazing."

She suddenly gripped his hand tightly, offering him warmth.

Upon hearing Zi Xi's words, the alternate personality's pupils contracted slightly, and without warning, a tear fell onto their clasped hands.

“I never hoped that you could merge, nor did I want anyone to disappear, but there is only one body. Could you... try to coexist peacefully for a little while?”

"No matter what, don't abuse your bodies anymore, after all, these are your bodies."

Zi Xi looked directly into his eyes and continued speaking.

"Peaceful coexistence?"

"You mean you want me to fall in love with that coward?"

The alternate personality, with golden tears streaming down its face, gave a defiant sneer, its eyes flickering uncertainly.

"At least don't let your body get so damaged that you end up in the hospital; it would break my heart."

"It's fine to be jealous, but please don't joke around with your bodies. You're sharing the same body..."

"It's the same soul that would be moved by me."

Zi Xi sighed helplessly, gently wiping away the tears from the corners of his eyes with her fingertips, her voice suddenly softening.

The ward suddenly became so quiet that you could hear the IV drip falling.

The alternate personality sniffed, turned its face away, and its Adam's apple bobbed a few times.

"...Do you think this is child's play? Or that we're acting in a movie? You...it's terrifying that an ordinary girl can accept two different personalities..."

After a long while, he finally spoke in a hoarse, nasal voice.

"Of course not."

"But you are all my Xue Xunzhi, and that will never change."

Sensing his softening, Zi Xi suddenly leaned closer and gently kissed his cheek in his astonished gaze, just as she usually did to the main personality.

The alternate personality's fingers curled slightly, and its eyes darkened.

Do you know what we're doing?

"Schizophrenia, personality disorder... complete psychosis."

"If you stay with us, people will point fingers at you."

"One day you'll not be able to take it anymore... and you'll leave us. What normal person would accept that their boyfriend has two completely different people living inside him? You'll feel disgusted, you'll feel horrified... and you'll definitely leave in the end."

He turned his head away, avoiding Zi Xi's gaze, and gave a self-deprecating smile, his fingertips unconsciously digging into his palm, his voice filled with an unprecedented sense of despondency.