If Her Flag Breaks

Friday

Morning

6:00 AM

From the moment he woke up, Su Cheng felt dazed, his mind wandering constantly as he pushed his bicycle aimlessly down the street. He nearly collided with a lady.

Fortunately, the lady was kind and didn’t scold him. She merely glanced at his school uniform before smiling and walking away.

But when Su Cheng snapped out of his daze and recognized her, he froze—it was Cornelia’s mother!

Today, she had changed her hairstyle. Dressed in a black dress with a grocery basket in hand, she strode away gracefully in high heels.

Watching her retreating figure, Su Cheng was utterly bewildered.

This hairstyle was a major problem!

It was a side ponytail braided into a plait, making her look more mature and refined compared to before—like a proper housewife.

Su Cheng felt lost. His thoughts were a mess.

Last night, Liu Qingyue had brought up topics like "web novel protagonists" and "anime protagonists" during their chat.

Though he had refuted her arguments at the time, it was just an excuse to avoid seeing himself as the main character.

After all, people who thought of themselves as protagonists often met terrible ends—there were countless examples. So he refused to entertain the idea unless undeniable proof slapped him in the face.

But now, Cornelia’s mother had suddenly switched to a death flag hairstyle—how could he not be shocked?

In anime, characters with this kind of hairstyle usually died within a few episodes, or only appeared in flashbacks.

And now…

Su Cheng didn’t know what to do. He could argue with Liu Qingyue using words, but when an actual hidden flag appeared right before his eyes, he felt nothing but confusion and helplessness.

Should he intervene, or was he overreacting?

Su Cheng stopped in his tracks, tilting his head up at the sky, his emotions in turmoil. He had no idea what choice to make.

Forget it. When lives are at stake, I should at least figure things out first!

With that thought, he pulled out his phone and called Cornelia, but she didn’t answer—probably still asleep. Left with no other option, Su Cheng decided to temporarily shelve contacting her and instead follow Mrs. William.

He was going to snap this death flag in half!

Even if the chance was one in ten thousand, he couldn’t just stand by and do nothing!

Mrs. William, don’t be afraid!

Why? Because I’m coming for you!

Just as Mrs. William entered the supermarket with her grocery basket, his phone buzzed. He quickly answered.

"Mmm… why are you calling so early?" Cornelia’s voice came through—soft, sweet, and tinged with sleepy delight.

Su Cheng frowned. "Did your mom change her hairstyle?"

Cornelia fell silent for two seconds before replying, "Why do you ask?"

"No reason. I just saw her. She went grocery shopping."

Cornelia sighed, her tone laced with resentment. "Lately, she’s had a lot of free time. Suddenly, she wants to be a proper mother—she’s even been watching TV shows about how to be a housewife…"

Her voice turned pitiful. "Now I have no freedom. She restricts me every day—won’t even let me play games. It’s so annoying…"

"Uh… I see…" Su Cheng hesitated before offering, "Well, at least you can play during breaks."

"Mhm~"

After hanging up, Su Cheng took a deep breath, telling himself to stay calm.

It was confirmed—this was Cornelia’s mother.

So then…

Without another word, he parked his bike outside the supermarket and strode inside.

But the moment he entered, his heart sank.

Mrs. William was chatting with a group of ladies!

"You look so young and beautiful, ma’am!"

"That’s right, we’ve never seen you around before. Did you just move here?"

The ladies crowded around Mrs. William, firing off questions with eager curiosity.

Their enthusiasm left Mrs. William slightly flustered, but she maintained a polite smile. "Yes, I was quite busy before, but I have some free time now, so I came to shop."

Realizing how dismissive that sounded, she quickly added, "Since I’m new here, I’d appreciate your guidance."

The ladies nodded understandingly.

"Don’t be so formal! We’re neighbors—helping each other is only natural."

"Exactly! And you seem so gentle and capable… You must be a wonderful mother."

The compliment made Mrs. William smile, though she touched her cheek modestly. "Not at all. I just want to do my best as a mother now that work isn’t as demanding. I still have a lot to learn from all of you."

"Don’t say that—we’re all just sharing experiences."

"But being a proper housewife takes real effort."

"True. Cooking and cleaning every day is exhausting. But seeing my husband and child enjoy my meals with happy smiles… That’s my greatest joy."

The ladies chattered away enthusiastically.

Listening to them, Mrs. William smiled faintly—but there was a hint of envy in her eyes.

Because this was exactly the kind of family atmosphere she had always longed for.

"I can't wait for that day."

Mrs. William daydreamed aloud.

"Well, you'll have to work hard for it."

"I'll learn from all of you seniors and strive to be a proper wife."

"Heh, good luck with that."

Everyone exchanged smiles and offered their sincere encouragement.

At that moment, Su Cheng, who had been standing to the side, had a complicated look on his face as he stared intently at Cornelia's mother, his emotions in turmoil.

Because Cornelia’s mom had just triggered another death flag.

It was like a soldier showing his girlfriend’s photo to his comrades before battle, saying, "Once this war is over, I’m going home to get married."

Damn, the buffs have already stacked to two layers.

Soon, the group of ladies ahead finally began selecting ingredients, and Mrs. William quickly followed them.

Su Cheng took a deep breath and decided to tail Mrs. William.

As they walked, Mrs. William and the other ladies chatted about the art of being a wife, from the minutiae of daily life to household chores.

Su Cheng followed behind, his heart growing heavier by the minute. He couldn’t shake the feeling that a thick, ominous aura was rising from Cornelia’s mother’s head…

His mind raced for a solution, sparks of inspiration flashing through his thoughts.

By then, Mrs. William and the other ladies had finished picking their dishes and were preparing to leave.

Just as everyone was saying their goodbyes, Su Cheng—still wearing his mask—hurried to catch up and walk beside her.

"Uh…"

Mrs. William, holding her basket of groceries, blinked in surprise as she glanced at the masked boy next to her, recognizing him as the Flame City Private Academy student who had nearly bumped into her earlier.

A little puzzled, she asked, "Is there something you need?"

"Ma’am, your hairstyle is dangerous."

Su Cheng muttered the words under his breath before turning and walking away.

Mrs. William was left utterly bewildered.

But Su Cheng didn’t give her time to react—instead, he turned and bolted, pushing his cart as he ran. Only when he was far enough did he finally let out a long exhale.

"What a rude child."

Surprisingly, Mrs. William wasn’t angered by Su Cheng’s abruptness. Instead, she watched his retreating figure with amusement before lowering her gaze to inspect her own hair, frowning slightly.

"It suits me perfectly… Why would it be dangerous?" she murmured to herself.

……………………

Meanwhile, Su Cheng ducked into a quiet alley and pulled out his phone to call Cornelia.

"When your mom gets home, tell her that her hairstyle is really ugly and she should change it!"

"Wh-what? Why would I do that?"

Cornelia’s confused voice came through the phone.

"Because I’ve been studying feng shui lately, and your mom’s hairstyle has terrible energy. I think it might bring bloodshed. I felt like I had to warn you."

"B-bloodsh-shed?!"

Cornelia stammered in shock before her voice turned urgent with worry. "Is it serious? Will my mom be okay?"

To Su Cheng’s surprise, Cornelia didn’t doubt him at all—instead, she immediately fretted over her mother’s safety, making his heart twist with mixed emotions.

This level of trust went beyond mere friendship…

Who would’ve thought she’d believe something so absurd?

"Of course! Feng shui is a mysterious thing," Su Cheng forced a chuckle, trying to reassure her. "Don’t worry, as long as she changes her hairstyle in time, it’ll be fine."

"But what if she doesn’t listen? Or if she insists on keeping it?" Cornelia pressed. She knew her mother’s stubbornness—once she made up her mind, she wouldn’t budge.

Su Cheng fell silent before sighing helplessly. "Well… then you’ll just have to cut her hair yourself."

"WHAT?!"

"Go. Show the world you’re ready to risk it all. Now is the time to protect the person who matters most to you."

…………………

"Hopefully, that’ll do it."

After hanging up, Su Cheng gazed up at the sky and muttered, "Even if Cornelia might get beaten for this… it’s cruel, but it’s to save her mom."

Her filial devotion might be misunderstood by her mother and others, but heaven and earth could bear witness to her sincerity.

…………………………………………

Villa District

Cornelia sat on the sofa, her chin resting on her hands as she stared blankly out the window, lost in thought. In her grasp was a pair of scissors.

Then, she heard a knock at the door.

Snapping out of her daze, she quickly tucked the scissors into her skirt before walking over and opening the door a crack.

Her mother stood there, holding a basket full of fresh produce.

"Mom!" Cornelia exclaimed brightly.

"Go wash up. I’ll make breakfast for you."

Mrs. William smiled warmly as she stepped inside, placing the basket on the kitchen counter before heading off to cook.

"But… your new hairstyle is so ugly!"

Cornelia suddenly frowned, her voice dripping with disdain. "It’s absolutely hideous."

Mrs. William froze mid-step, her smile stiffening.

Slowly, she turned to face her daughter, her expression unreadable as she took in Cornelia’s scrunched-up face of disgust. Her heart twisted with indescribable emotions.

"I didn't hear you clearly just now. Who... did you say looks absolutely hideous?" She forced a strained, insincere smile as she spoke.

"You!" Cornelia crossed her arms and coldly spat out the word.

To save her mom, she had no other choice.

Right now, she weighed ninety pounds—eighty-nine of which were pure defiance.

Mrs. William: "……"

Did she hit her rebellious phase after just a few days?

She kept the smile on her face but thought to herself, "Fine, Mom looks absolutely hideous, happy now? Go wash up."

Cornelia: "No. You hurry up and change that hairstyle, or I’ll have no choice but to help you change it myself."

"……"

Hearing the threat, Mrs. William’s cheek twitched. She glared at Cornelia with exasperation. "You brat, haven’t I been accommodating enough? Do you even hear yourself right now?"

Cornelia flinched when she saw her mom’s anger, barely holding back tears, but she mustered her courage. "...I don’t care. You have to change your hairstyle today!"

Meanwhile, upstairs, Andrea stepped out of her room upon hearing the commotion. She paused, watching the mother-daughter argument unfold in the living room below.

Mrs. William took a deep breath, steadying herself, then turned to Andrea. "Andrea, is there something wrong with my new hairstyle?"

Andrea shook her head. "This hairstyle perfectly complements your noble elegance. How could there be anything wrong with it?"

"You wicked woman!"

Cornelia was fuming. This woman was indirectly harming her mom—what a conniving witch!

"You’re lying! It looks absolutely hideous!" Cornelia huffed, pointing accusingly. "I don’t care, Mom. Change it now."

Andrea frowned slightly, clearly offended by Cornelia’s insult to her taste.

She continued, "The hairstyle is fine as it is. It doesn’t need changing or any adjustments."

Cornelia bit her soft pink lips in frustration.

Then, she slipped her hand under her skirt before looking up at her mom. "Mom, I’m sorry… Could you come closer? Maybe I didn’t see it properly. Let me take a better look."

Mrs. William hesitated but eventually stepped closer, crouching in front of Cornelia.

Cornelia reached out with her delicate, pale fingers, gently running them through her mom’s hair—slowly, deliberately.

But the next second, both Andrea upstairs and Mrs. William froze, their expressions shifting to shock, disbelief, and utter confusion as they stared at what Cornelia pulled out from under her skirt.

Snip.

The sound echoed through the villa’s living room.

The scene shifted—the villa was peaceful and quiet, but then—

"CORNELIAAAAA!!!"

A deafening roar shattered the silence.

The entire villa shook violently from the force of the scream.

………………………………

Meanwhile, at Flame City Private Academy—

Su Cheng parked his car and entered the classroom, only to find Li Guanqi absent. He took his seat—the protagonist’s spot.

Back row, by the window—the throne of kings, the seat of legends.

It was the perfect position for a harem romance protagonist: a vantage point to observe the entire class while enjoying the view of the sports field outside.

"I wonder how Cornelia’s doing…"

Su Cheng gazed out the window, clasping his hands together in prayer as he murmured devoutly, "May the Goddess of Wisdom, Aqua, grant you the wit to overcome this trial…"