Volume One, Chapter 10: The True and False Wei Hongying

“Xinghe, you shouldn’t be so reckless. Your deduction is correct, but this cursed mirror has three hidden properties.”

“First, when the mirror’s functions are restricted, it resets its current state and changes its position.”

“Second, if no living being passes in front of the mirror for a long time, it will move to another location.”

“Third, the mirror randomly refreshes its appearance location every day.”

At this moment, the one lecturing Chu Xinghe was Wei Hongying—or more precisely, the Wei Hongying who had just stepped out of the mirror.

“Of course, this isn’t entirely your fault. It’s because someone distracted you. If I had been by your side, such an accident would never have happened.”

Wei Hongying had already adjusted the mirror to a safe angle to avoid accidentally reflecting Chu Xinghe inside it, while also proving that her abilities were far superior to those of a certain woman who only caused trouble.

“You...” The real Wei Hongying’s chest heaved with anger. She had considered many possibilities but never imagined that this impostor would want to compete with her for Chu Xinghe.

“Hongying, calm down first.” Chu Xinghe pulled Wei Hongying behind him, his gaze never leaving the Wei Hongying who had come out of the mirror. “Thank you for sharing this information. May I ask one more question? What effect does your appearance have on the original Hongying?”

Chu Xinghe had initially thought this Wei Hongying would be an enemy, but instead of attacking him, she kindly shared insights about the cursed mirror. This made him consider communicating with her.

Wei Hongying beckoned him with a finger, wearing an expression that seemed to say she had him completely figured out. “Want to know? Then come closer. I’ll only tell you one thing.”

“Xinghe, don’t go! She’s definitely trying to harm you.” The real Wei Hongying blocked Chu Xinghe’s path, harboring no goodwill toward this copy of herself.

The mirror-born Wei Hongying didn’t argue; she only smiled sweetly at Chu Xinghe.

“It’s fine. If she really wanted to harm me, there’d be no need to say so much,” Chu Xinghe reassured, gently patting Wei Hongying’s hand before releasing it and walking straight toward the mirror’s Wei Hongying.

“Xinghe...” Wei Hongying’s heart ached again. She still couldn’t help Chu Xinghe and had to watch him take risks for her.

“Can you speak now?” Chu Xinghe stood before the mirror’s Wei Hongying, faintly catching the same subtle fragrance as the real Wei Hongying.

---

“Not close enough, still too far. It should be like this.”

With that, the mirror’s Wei Hongying stepped forward and embraced Chu Xinghe, burying her head in the hollow of his neck, greedily inhaling his scent.

“Let go of him!” The real Wei Hongying rushed forward to separate them, fearing something might happen to Chu Xinghe.

“I’m fine.” Chu Xinghe raised a hand to block Wei Hongying. He was startled at first but realized that she only embraced him, without any further intentions.

“Rest assured, I love him even more than you do.” The mirror’s Wei Hongying peeked from over Chu Xinghe’s shoulder, looking at her original self with disdain.

“Bold words! Anyone can say that!” The real Wei Hongying was both embarrassed and furious—embarrassed that her reflection spoke so freely, furious that the imposter dared to boast so shamelessly.

Caught between the two, Chu Xinghe pretended not to hear. Though he sensed a deep connection between Wei Hongying and his past self, it was the first time he’d seen such candid openness.

“Let’s get back to the main topic. You, the mirror’s reflection, how do you affect the original?” Chu Xinghe asked.

The mirror’s Wei Hongying didn’t break her promise. She took Chu Xinghe’s hand and placed it on her waist, rubbing her head against his shoulder before speaking softly.

“Do you want to hear the good effects first or the bad?”

“Good effects? Are there any?” Chu Xinghe asked in surprise—this was unexpected.

“Yes. For example, I can accompany you alongside the original. Whatever she has, I have too. Even things she dares not try, I can.” Her small hand wandered restlessly along Chu Xinghe’s back, her tone suggestive.

“You... you...” The real Wei Hongying was too embarrassed to face anyone. Such licentious words coming from this woman—who was her own clone—meant she herself harbored the same thoughts.

“Ahem, let’s talk about the bad effects,” Chu Xinghe coughed. Now was not the time for romantic distractions.

“The bad effects? Well, it’s not that terrible. At worst, I might want to kill the original and take her place,” the mirror’s Wei Hongying said calmly, uttering something horrifying with a serene expression.

Chu Xinghe’s face immediately changed. He tried to break free from her embrace. This was really bad.

“Don’t struggle, I’m not finished. I won’t kill her. If I did, you’d hate me forever, wouldn’t you?” A trace of regret flashed in her eyes. She wished Chu Xinghe hadn’t come with her; then she could have killed that useless woman and claimed him for herself.

---

Chu Xinghe was stunned. If this wasn’t an act, how deeply did she love him—to suppress even her murderous intent for his sake?

“But even if you don’t intend to act, what if the cursed mirror controls you?” Chu Xinghe was still uneasy.

The mirror’s Wei Hongying shook her head against his shoulder. “You both overestimate and underestimate it.”

“What do you mean... never mind. Tell me, is there a way to restore her to normal?”

Chu Xinghe had no time to discuss strange philosophical matters. His only concern was how to bring Wei Hongying back to her true self.

“Yes.” The mirror’s Wei Hongying stepped away from his embrace, wrapping her hands around his neck. Her enchanting eyes gazed at him with abandon, her red lips parting and closing. “If I die, she will return to normal.”

“So, Xinghe, will you kill me?”

She looked at him so defenselessly, tilting her exquisite face upward to reveal a fair, swan-like neck, inviting him to strike.

Chu Xinghe stared into her eyes, seeing his own reflection shimmering like a pool of water. His grip loosened and tightened again, caught in a tormenting struggle.

“There must... must be another way, right?” Chu Xinghe was on the verge of madness. How could he bring himself to do it?

If this mirror-born Wei Hongying were just an empty shell, biting the bullet and killing her would be easier. But her demeanor and words clearly showed she possessed human thoughts and feelings—she was, in a sense, truly Wei Hongying.

“You want to correct the mistake, but I am the mistake itself. No matter what you do, you cannot avoid me in the end,” the mirror’s Wei Hongying said despondently, yet her joy was unmistakable. She had gotten the answer she sought.

The more she smiled calmly, the heavier Chu Xinghe’s heart grew. His eyes involuntarily drifted to the cursed mirror. A bold thought surged uncontrollably.

“What if... if I could master the cursed mirror? Could I then...”

Before he could finish, the mirror’s Wei Hongying pressed a slender finger against his lips. An expression of rare fear flashed across her face.

“Xinghe, it’s tempting you.”