NOVEL WEB Chapter 78: Who was that girl?
The banquet was lively just seconds ago. Music, laughter, the clinking of glasses,
And then everything stopped.
All eyes turned to the dance floor, where Ethan stood with the masked girl who had been dancing with him. Their movements had slowed. Then... it happened.
Without warning, the masked girl grabbed Ethan by the collar and pulled him into a deep, full-blown kiss,not a peck, not something gentle,this was a full tongue invasion, lasting over two straight minutes.
"Wait, is this legal?"
"Bro… she's eating him alive!"
Gasps echoed. The background music was still playing, but nobody heard it anymore.
Some girls clutched their chest, feeling betrayed. A few even teared up.
Boys around the hall looked on in disbelief.
"Lucky bastard…"
"That's a f*cking god right there…"
"I was born in the wrong timeline."
In a corner, a group of well-dressed boys stood huddled like it was a football team meeting.
One of them whispered, "Natalie hayes's sister called him brother in law , he even danced with the Jasmine carter and the other girl, they are all top notch beauty, now this masked chick?"
"From this day forward, I shall be his Fatty Wang. He is my god."
Across the hall, three girls stood frozen.
Natalie, glass in hand, jaw wide open:
"Who the fck*—!?"
Jasmine, brain on overdrive:
"Analyzing height, posture, dress cut, heel type, scent pattern… who is this girl…?"
And then there was Rhea.
The quiet one. The calm one. The soft-spoken support character.
She vanished from her spot like a gust of wind.
In the blink of an eye, she appeared beside Ethan and the masked girl like a character teleported straight from a cultivation novel.
"Who the fuck are you, bitch?"
She didn't yell,she said it cold and sharp, like a knife hidden in velvet.
She softly pushed the girl away from Ethan, eyes still locked on her, lips trembling in restrained anger.
Then she turned to Ethan and snapped,
"You seemed to be enjoying that a lot, huh?"
"Who is this chick? Do you even know her? Why would she do that suddenly?"
Ethan blinked. This side of Rhea? He had never seen it before.
"I've never seen her this pissed… well, I guess it's kinda expected," he muttered in his mind.
He took a deep breath. "Yes. I know her."
More murmurs echoed through the room like wildfire.
"He KNOWS her?"
"God-tier rizz confirmed."
"Not even drama series have this much plot."
"Is this some kind of rich playboy cultivation system novel or something?"
Natalie stepped in next, face composed but her eyes burning.
She stared at the masked girl and asked calmly,
"We invited very few people here. We know all our guests personally.
So who are you with? And how did you get in?"
The masked girl chuckled softly, like she didn't even consider it a real question.
She leaned closer, just enough that only Natalie, Rhea, Jasmine, and Ethan could hear her whisper:
"Entering was easy.
Your staff? Your security? All of them were lazy and dumb.
Even if they weren't, there's nothing I can't bypass."
Natalie's eyes widened. "What did you just say?"
Before she could snap, the girl turned to Ethan and said calmly,
"Ethan, can we talk? Alone. Just for a minute.
It's urgent."
Instantly—
"Hey! Not now!" The most up‑to‑date version is on M4VLEMP4YR.
All three girls,Rhea, Natalie, and Jasmine,spoke in unison.
"You better answer our questions first."
"You think you can just kiss someone and drag them away?"
"You owe us an explanation!"
Ethan raised his hand gently.
"Wait. I'll tell you everything. Just give me a minute.
Don't worry,she's not someone dangerous."
The girls didn't like it, but the way Ethan said it, calm and assured, made them pause.
He gave a small smile to each of them. Then turned to the masked girl.
"Alright. Let's talk."
But as they began to walk away, the camera phones around the hall finally came back to life, capturing photos, whispers turning into trending topics, and one fat boy proudly declared—
"Even if I don't get a girlfriend this year, I will follow him to the end.
Hail God Ethan!"
Ethan followed the masked girl silently, the noise of the banquet growing distant with every step. They reached the rooftop,quiet, open, touched by moonlight.
The girl turned to him.
Without a word, she slowly removed her mask.
Long black hair fluttered in the wind. Her eyes sparkled under the moon. That face… still as beautiful as ever.
Ethan's lips curved into a small smile. "What did you want to talk about… Serena?"
She chuckled. "I knew you recognized me."
He laughed softly. "Of course I did."
But then, her smile faded.
Her expression turned serious,almost heavy.
"Ethan… it's serious. Really serious this time."
Ethan's smile vanished too.
Serena took a small breath, trying to steady her voice.
"The people who were after you,the ones behind the bus attack,they've figured it out.
I can't fool them anymore."
Ethan's brows furrowed. He remembered the explosion.How she saved him that day.
"I didn't expect them to find me… I thought I was one step ahead.
But now they're after my life. So I ran. I've been hiding, fighting in the shadows."
Her voice trembled slightly at the end. But she steadied herself.
"I came here tonight because I had to warn you.
I knew they'd never expect me to appear at the Hayes family banquet.
I knew they wouldn't think I'd meet you here, of all places.
So I took the risk."
Ethan stood still, staring at her.
She was doing all of this,for him?
He remembered every time she appeared—on that bus, in the alley, back then in school… always protecting, always watching. Never asking anything in return.
"Why?" he thought. "Why does she take all the risk for me?"
He stepped closer to her.
Then gently, he placed his hands on her cheeks.
"You know… I never said thank you."
Serena blinked, eyes wide.
"Thank you for always saving me."
"Thank you for always being there."
"But now,I don't want you to do this alone."
"Don't take all the risks. What if something happened to you?"
His voice was calm, but underneath was real pain.
Serena looked at him, her eyes soft.
Then she stepped into his arms and hugged him.
"I know you're capable. You've changed a lot."
"You're strong. But you have to become stronger. Much stronger."
"For now, I'll handle it alone. But if you want me to stop risking everything,
Then hurry up and catch up, Ethan."
Her voice dropped into a whisper.
"And don't worry about me. I'm not going to die easily."
The hug tightened. Her body trembled slightly now.
Then, she whispered:
"Ethan… I really love you.
Every moment, every life… I want to be with you."
Ethan could feel her sincerity,raw, real, and breaking.
He hugged her tighter.
They stayed like that, heart to heart, for a long minute.
But then Serena gently pulled away.
"I have to go now. It's already time.
Go back,the girls are probably waiting for you."
Ethan asked, "Don't you feel jealous?"
She just smiled.
"Bye, Ethan."
And then,she jumped off the rooftop.
With a silent grace like a shadow, she vanished into the night.
Ethan stared after her.
"I won't let you carry it alone. Not anymore."
Back at the Hall
Ethan returned to the main hall. Rhea, Jasmine, and Natalie were waiting just outside, arms crossed, faces sharp.
The moment he arrived—
"Who was that girl?"
All three asked at once.
He looked at them, then turned to Natalie.
"I lied to you."
Natalie narrowed her eyes. "About what?"
"The bus incident."
Now all three girls leaned in.
"What do you mean?"
Ethan exhaled.
"The bus attack was planned. It wasn't an accident.
It was meant to kill me.
If Serena hadn't been there… I would have died."
Their expressions changed immediately.
"What?!"
Jasmine's eyes widened. "Someone… wanted to kill you?"
Ethan nodded. "I don't know who they are or why they're after me.
But they won't stop.
And now… because she saved me, they're targeting her too."
The air grew quiet. None of the girls had anything to say. Their earlier jealousy had completely vanished.
Jasmine spoke first, softer this time.
"But… who is she? Why is she doing all this?"
Ethan replied, his gaze distant.
"Her name is Serena.
We've known each other a long time.
She was… my girlfriend."
All three girls blinked.
"What?"
He continued.
"But something happened. She vanished.
I came to this city just to find her.
And then,I saw her again on that bus.
As for how she knows everything, or what she's caught up in…
I don't have all the answers."
Meanwhile, Outside
Far beyond the banquet walls, Serena stood on a high ledge, watching the stars.
Her voice, soft and filled with emotion, escaped her lips.
"Ethan… it's the 20th loop.
I've failed every time. Either I died,or you did.
Fate has never been on our side."
She clenched her fists.
"But this is my last loop.
If I fail now,I'll cease to exist."
Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
"But I'll try my best.
Even if I disappear…
Please, Ethan, don't forget me."
A single tear rolled down her cheek as the wind swept her hair.