Rebirth of Bamboo Horse

When the Lab Exploded and My Childhood Friend Begged Me to Save Him

I was standing outside the burning laboratory when suddenly, messages appeared in the sky:

[The male lead has been reborn! This explosion wasn't an accident—he planned it. Of course this doormat side character will rush in to save him just like last lifetime.]

[He's so clever! After the fire started, he even poured some gasoline inside. If he burns the female side character to death, he won't have to marry a scarred woman out of gratitude like last time. The female lead had to be his caged bird for eight years!]

[Once he built his business using the side character's dowry, he smothered her with a pillow so the female lead could marry him instead.]

[I remember the female lead is the side character's sister, and she's already pregnant with the male lead's baby, right? So scandalous—a forbidden affair between a sister-in-law and her brother-in-law!]

[Hurry up and save him! We can't wait to see the sweet romance between the real leads!]

Save him?

I pretended to be frightened, backing away to a safe distance before dramatically fainting.

His voice grew weaker and weaker.

I couldn't help but smile.

"Jake, this lifetime, I'm going to destroy you!"

1

Flames licked at the laboratory windows, distorting my shadow.

Jake's hoarse voice called out: "Emma! Save me!"

But he was clearly confident I would rush in—there wasn't a trace of real panic in his voice.

I remained silent, standing still.

In my previous life, I rushed into the fire and dragged him out, but half my face was permanently scarred with centipede-like marks.

He held me while crying, promising to take care of me forever.

But behind my back, he complained I embarrassed him in public.

He forced me to hand over the gold bars and property deeds my grandfather left me, claiming they were compensation for the "suffering" my scarred face caused him.

More messages exploded across my vision:

[Hurry up! The female lead is waiting outside. Once the fire gets bigger, she'll "rescue" the side character's corpse. Then she'll put on a show about sisterly love, maybe even trick the grandfather into leaving the inheritance to her!]

[Why isn't the side character moving? Won't she regret it if something happens to the male lead?]

Through the smoke, Jake coughed constantly. Seeing I hadn't responded, he finally started to panic.

"Emma, I can see you! Why aren't you coming to save me?!"

"My... my leg is trapped and I can't escape! Don't worry, the fire isn't too big yet, I'll be fine. Once we get out, I promise I'll marry you!"

I stared intently at his anxious face in the flames, suddenly remembering his cruel words in my previous life as he smothered me with a pillow:

"If you hadn't clung to me, using that life debt to force me into marriage, I would never have married an ugly, scarred freak like you! You ruined my love with Olivia. You deserve to die!"

I smirked, my laughter covered by the crackling flames.

If Olivia w...