Chapter 4

Because of Mara, my fortune cookie stall turned into a viral hotspot, and I became the face of cold-blooded cruelty.

Some people tried to sneak in and buy her a fortune cookie. However, the moment one of them handed me a birth chart, I saw right through it.

"That’s not yours. That’s Mara Kessler’s. I’m not selling."

Others tried to prove me wrong. They even brought a girl with the exact same name and birth details as Mara.

"My name and birth chart are identical to hers. If I eat it and get pregnant, then you have to sell her one. Mara, if this helps you, I’m willing to get pregnant!"

Mara’s eyes filled with gratitude as she held the girl’s hand.

I calmly handed over a fortune cookie.

The girl ate it. Within moments, she started experiencing morning sickness.

The crowd immediately turned smug.

"See? Nothing bad happened. Rainie, what do you have to say now?"

I said coldly, "It has nothing to do with her birth chart. I’d rather never make fortune cookies again for the rest of my life than sell to Mara."

The moment those words fell, everyone looked at me like I had lost my mind, as though I was heartless beyond reason.

No one came to buy my fortune cookies anymore. Even a mother who had once tearfully thanked me after giving birth to twins spat at me as she passed by.

Only Mara remained. She stayed kneeling in front of my stall, staying there for an entire day.

She developed a fever. Barely able to hold on, she clutched her husband’s memorial portrait and crawled toward me, pleading.

"Rainie, even if I don’t get pregnant, I won’t ask for a refund. Please, just let me try once…"

I stepped aside, avoiding her. My voice was as cold as ice. "Stop wasting your time. Even if you kneel here until you die, I still won’t sell to you."

At that moment, the crowd’s anger hit its peak.

Even the livestream viewers were flooding the chat, shouting for me to die.

I paused.

Under everyone’s stunned gaze, I folded my sign in half, tossed it onto the ground, then turned away.

"Fine. If I can’t deal with this, I’ll walk away. I’m done making fertility fortune cookies."

After that day, I shut myself away completely.

Mara grew desperate, searching everywhere for news of me.

However, I lived deep in the mountains, so there was no way she could find me so easily.

Until one day, after I returned from gathering herbs, the moment I stepped inside my house, everything went black.

When I opened my eyes again, I was in an unfamiliar room.

Several phones were set up in front of me, livestreaming. Mara stood there, along with the five online supporters who had helped her the most.

"Rainie, I’m sorry." Her eyes shimmered with tears as she pushed my fortune cookie cart toward me. "I didn’t want to kidnap you, but I had no other choice. Please, help me fulfill my husband’s final wish."

I closed my eyes, my heart hardening. "I won’t do it. If you want, kill me."

Mara’s expression changed instantly. "You—"

I looked at everyone, my expression deadly serious. "I’m not lying to you. Either let me go, or kill me. If she eats my fortune cookie, everyone here will suffer. The consequences will be worse than killing me."

One of the men stepped forward and kicked me. "So you won’t take the easy way, huh? Damn it! It’s just a biscuit with a lousy paper. I’ll do it myself!"

Another person stopped him. "No. It only works if she makes it."

They exchanged looks.

The next second, they tied me tightly to a chair with ropes. To make sure I couldn’t escape, they even prepared to break my legs.

A man raised a hammer high, about to bring it down.

"Stop!" My voice cracked with desperation. "I’ll make the fortune cookie for her!"

The moment I spoke, the room fell silent.

Mara stared at me, her eyes shining. "You’ll do it?"

The livestreamers immediately aimed their cameras at me, afraid I might take it back.

I gave a bitter smile and shook my head. "You’ve already kidnapped me. I can’t escape anyway. But let me make one thing clear. Since you’re all so determined to make her eat my fortune cookie, don’t regret it."

Mara and the others exchanged glances, then lit up with excitement.

"We won’t regret it!"

I nodded and told them to untie me.

"Follow the process. First, write your name and birth details on a piece of paper. Then burn it to ashes and wrap it inside."

One of the livestream viewers, worried I might try something, quickly asked, "Mara, what do you want on the paper?"

She thought for a moment. "Something for delicate features and big eyes. Write that into the fortune. She has to be beautiful. And add a perfect test score. Write it in so she’ll be a genius child…"

"Mara, just one last step. Put your husband’s hair in."

I didn’t stop them. I mechanically wrapped the fortune cookie—crescent, fragrant, perfectly sealed.

Mara took it. A strange glint flashed in her eyes as she spoke softly, "Rainie, don’t worry. I’ll thank you properly."

I didn’t even have time to stop her.

She opened her mouth and swallowed the fortune cookie in one bite.

Too late.

And yet, nothing happened to her stomach.

Just as everyone turned to look at me, I spoke quietly, "Run. Someone’s stomach is about to explode.

"And everyone who has ever eaten fertility fortune cookies before… is going to die."