On the first day of classes, my roommate gives me a crystal bracelet as a welcome gift. Without thinking, I quickly adorn it around her mother's wrist.

In my past life, my roommate wanted to be a social butterfly. She was determined to have a hundred boyfriends by the time she graduated. But no matter how reckless she was, she never ended up conceiving.

On the other hand, I kept getting pregnant and having countless miscarriages. But unlike her, I had never been in a relationship.

The entire university mocked me, labeling me promiscuous and shameless.

During my 66th miscarriage, I died on the operating table from severe bleeding. It was only after death that I realized the crystal bracelet my roommate gave me had somehow linked our wombs together.

As soon as I opened my eyes, I realized I had gone back to the first day of the semester.

"From now on, we'll be roommates. This crystal bracelet is a little welcome gift. It's said to bring good luck," Ruby declared, her words brimming with excitement. With a cheerful smile, she placed the delicate bracelet into my hand.

Staring at the familiar crystals, I suddenly realized I had been reborn.

"Thank you for the thoughtful gift, but this bracelet looks expensive. We've just met, so I don't think it's appropriate for me to accept something so costly. I'm afraid I can't take it." As I spoke, I tried to return the bracelet to her.

Ruby and her mother, Edith Klein, were dressed in plain clothes. Their attire seemed to reflect a life far from luxury. Still, something about the situation felt off.

Though there were four of us in the dorm, Ruby was only offering the bracelet to me.

Daniel gently placed his hand over mine. "Ruby's offering the bracelet to you out of kindness. You'll be roommates for the next four years. Accepting it is just basic courtesy."

"Exactly," Ruby chimed in. "If you don't take it, you're just being rude to me."

A smirk played at the corner of my mouth. Daniel was my best friend growing up. The only reason I had even applied to this university was because of him. But before the semester even started, he was already getting close to Ruby in the freshmen group chat. He had even told me to keep my distance from him.

I reached out, grabbing his hand. "I think this bracelet would look good on you. Why don't you try it on?"

Startled, Daniel yanked his hand back and stepped away. "But this is Ruby's gift to you. How can you give it to me? Won't that upset her?"

Sure enough, Daniel knew exactly what this bracelet was capable of.

I quietly stashed it away, deciding not to say another word.

When Ruby and Daniel weren't looking, I seized the chance and quickly slid the bracelet onto Edith's wrist. As I watched the bracelet glow with an eerie light, I knew that her bond with Ruby had been successfully forged.

Edith ran her fingers over the bracelet, a smile crossing her face. "It's good that you're so sensible. I can't believe my daughter insisted on giving you such an expensive gift. I couldn't bring myself to part with it.

"With that outfit, I'm guessing you're trying to turn some heads. Just make sure you don't lead Ruby down the wrong path in the future. Anyway, I'll take the bracelet back. Don't let her know, or she'll make a fuss."

I smiled. "Don't worry, Mrs. Winslow. I won't say a word."

In my past life, I had worn this same bracelet. The instant it made contact with my skin, something unseen threaded my womb to Ruby's.

Her goal was to sleep with a hundred boys. She'd stay out all night, diving into new fantasies with each of them. But no matter how promiscuous she was, she never conceived.

Meanwhile, I found myself constantly pregnant, only to suffer endless miscarriages. But unlike her, I had never been in a relationship.

Before long, the news of my repeated pregnancies and miscarriages spread across the university. Nearly everyone I encountered blamed me for being reckless.

No matter how much I tried to explain, no one would believe me. Even the doctors at the hospital shook their heads when they saw me. "Young women today have no respect for themselves. They don't bother with precautions and treat their bodies like they're disposable."

During my 66th miscarriage, I bled out and died on the operating table.

But this time round, I wouldn't let Ruby's plans succeed. Edith would have to bear the consequences of Ruby's actions.

Once the enrollment process was complete, Ruby took it upon herself to invite everyone in the dorm for a meal. As we gathered around the dinner table, she proudly declared, "My goal is to become the most famous social butterfly on campus and date a hundred guys. A person as charming as me should definitely make the most of it."

My two roommates and I couldn't help but frown at her words.

Catherine spoke up without hesitation, "Isn't that a bit much? It sounds like you're turning relationships into some kind of game. Besides, isn't that guy sitting next to you your boyfriend? Doesn't it bother him when you say things like that?"

Before Ruby could respond, Daniel quickly interjected, "You're missing the point. This is about embracing openness and freedom. I find Ruby's carefree attitude incredibly captivating. Besides, I'm Ruby's official boyfriend. Everyone else is just passing shadows. As long as Ruby has me in her heart, why should I care?"

With that, the two of them held hands and shared a sweet smile.

On the other hand, my roommates and I exchanged knowing smirks, silently poking fun at the scene in front of us.

I shook my head. Daniel was so smart and kind back in high school, but now, he was someone entirely different. I couldn't even remember what had attracted me to him back then.

Ruby went on excitedly, sharing her "grand plan".

"There are eight major departments at our university, and I'm planning to have ten boyfriends in each one. I'll keep a few spots open for the men outside campus. If I can manage to snag a couple of professors, that'd be a nice bonus.

"So, what do you think? Doesn't that sound fair? This way, everyone gets a shot at being with me."

I knew better than to try reasoning with Ruby. I nodded along, pretending to be impressed by her "brilliant" plan.

Catherine, however, couldn't help but chime in, "If you're planning to date so many guys, you might want to take some precautions. Getting pregnant by accident would be a nightmare, and abortions can really take a toll on the body."

Ruby waved her hand dismissively. "I don't use protection. The best experiences are without barriers. Don't worry, I won't get pregnant."

I acted shocked. "How is that even possible? Are you infertile or something?"

Ruby shot me a glare. "What nonsense are you talking about? As long as I don't want to get pregnant, I won't. But when I do, it'll happen. I've got my own secret."

As she spoke, her gaze flicked to my wrist. The moment she saw the crystal bracelet, a smug grin spread across her face.

What she didn't know was that the bracelet on my wrist was just a cheap knockoff I had bought at a random shop off campus. The one she had given me was now resting on Mrs. Winslow's wrist.

That night, neither Ruby nor Daniel came back to the dorm.

My two roommates and I quietly agreed to stay out of it. Of course, that meant we didn't cover for her during room inspections.

At 12:00 am, Ruby messaged the freshmen group chat.

"The bed at the hotel near campus is so uncomfortable. I woke up with a sore back and legs."

Along with the message, she shared a photo of herself in a bathrobe. It showed her lying on the bed with one shoulder bare.

Almost immediately, the group chat was flooded with messages from several guys.

"Why are you sending us this photo so late? How's anyone supposed to get any sleep now?"

"Are you sure the bed alone is what's making your legs feel weak?"

Seeing she had caught their attention, Ruby casually shared her WhatsApp details. "Message me if you want to have some fun."

Since Ruby stayed out all night, the RA reported her as missing, and the whole thing ended up on record. But instead of blaming her, Daniel put the blame on me for not covering for her.

"You two are roommates. What would it have cost you to have her back? Are you really jealous just because I picked her over you? Why don't you take a good look in the mirror? How could you possibly compare to Ruby? What right do you have to be so upset?"

Rolling my eyes, I brushed him off and made my way back to the dorm.

It was only the first week of the semester, and Ruby already had three boyfriends. Every time I came back from the library, she'd be downstairs, tangled up with a different guy.

A few of our coursemates had begun to take notice. While some judged her as shameless, others admired her bold personality.

A kind student gently warned her, "Sleeping with so many people will affect your health. As a young woman, it's important to look after yourself."

Ruby waved off the concern. "I'm perfectly healthy. I don't need your advice."

Her words silenced the room.

It was true; Ruby never fell ill.

In my past life, every gynecological problem she should have experienced fell on me instead. I made endless trips to the hospital seeking treatment.

Now, I wondered if her beloved mother would be able to handle what was coming.

For the following two weeks, Ruby continued her pattern of moving from one guy to another every three days. She was seldom in the dorm.

One afternoon, she called me out of the blue. "Hey, Victoria. My mom's sick. Can you come to the hospital?"

I immediately sensed this was no ordinary illness. Of course, I couldn't miss the drama.

When I arrived, Ruby and Daniel both looked tense. Their eyes quickly landed on the crystal bracelet still wrapped around my wrist. Seeing it there, they finally let out a sigh of relief.

I acted like I hadn't noticed their reaction. "What's wrong with Mrs. Winslow?"

Ruby let out a weary sigh. "The doctor said she's two weeks pregnant. She's also dealing with a serious gynecological issue. Apparently, it's the result of excessive sexual activity… When my dad found out, he yelled at my mom and stormed out. They still need more tests to figure out if the pregnancy can continue."

I looked over at Mrs. Winslow on the hospital bed. She was rubbing her belly, her face glowing with joy at the arrival of this new life.

Suddenly, Ruby seemed to recall something and gripped my arm nervously. "Victoria, have you been feeling any discomfort lately?"

I nodded. "Yes. I've noticed I've gained some weight. Plus, my period hasn't come yet. Since I'm here at the hospital, I'll grab some medicine later."

Hearing that, Ruby visibly relaxed, her shoulders dropping.

I couldn't help but smirk. While it was true I had put on some weight recently, the blame rested squarely on the irresistible food surrounding our campus. As for my period, it wasn't technically late. It had simply shifted on its own from the end of the month to the middle.

In the end, Mrs. Winslow was unable to keep the baby. Given her age, the risks of childbirth were considerable.

The doctor cautioned her to be vigilant about hygiene and take proper precautions. Failure to do so could lead to even more serious complications.

Nevertheless, neither Mrs. Winslow nor Ruby seemed to take the warning seriously.