Chapter 1, Part 1

When I came to pick up Gu Huaibei, I happened to see my cousin Ji Ruwei handing him a room card.

Ji Ruwei pressed most of her body against Gu Huaibei’s arm, and from afar, I could see the pale expanse of her chest.

“Huaibei, don’t you want to try being a dance student?”

Leaning against the doorframe, Gu Huaibei’s face was exquisitely handsome, like a mountain about to topple. When he saw me, he smiled faintly.

“An Nan, what do you think about being a dance student?”

My heart involuntarily clenched.

“It’s fine, as long as you’re happy.”

Amidst the bewildering pain, I remembered why I had come to fetch Gu Huaibei.

“It’s just that this month... I need to pay living expenses. Can you give me 100,000?”

Ji Ruwei wrapped her arms around Gu Huaibei and laughed exaggeratedly.

“I didn’t hear wrong, right, An Nan? You’d beg a man for money and lose your dignity just for 100,000? Aren’t you ashamed?”

In the past, I never took 100,000 seriously.

But times had changed. The Ji family had fallen, and Gu Huaibei had shattered all my wings.

That afternoon, the hospital called for the third time this month demanding payment. If I couldn’t pay, my mother would be forcibly discharged.

Gu Huaibei coldly observed my embarrassment.

“What part of you is worth 100,000?”

My voice trembled. “Please, I beg you... I will pay you back.”

Gu Huaibei curled his lips into a strange smile. “Fine, then go open a room nearby to wait comfortably, and buy something with the errand fee. You know my size, right, wife?”

Ji Ruwei’s eyes and brows brimmed with pride.

It felt like a knife was carving into my heart. After four years of marriage to Gu Huaibei, all that remained now was enmity.

“Okay.”

When I returned with the items, Gu Huaibei stared at the box with an unreadable expression.

Suddenly, he pulled out a card and slammed it against my face. Though it was just a thin card, it seemed to pierce through to my bones.

“Take the money and get lost!”

My grip on the bank card turned white. “Fine. Hope you have fun.”

I turned and left, not noticing Gu Huaibei nearly snapping the room card behind me.

Weak and drained, I lay on the bed when my phone lit up with a green message.

“No news from him yet. Still want to keep looking?”

I transferred part of the money to the person on the other end.

---

“Keep looking, no matter what!”

After transferring the money, I closed my eyes in despair. I didn’t know when this torment would end.

The hotel’s soundproofing was poor, all sorts of indecent noises invaded my ears relentlessly.

I couldn’t tell which were Gu Huaibei and Ji Ruwei’s, or if all of them were. Burying my head in the blanket, my pillow soaked with tears.

Just as I was suffocating, the door was knocked on forcefully.

“Ji An Nan, three seconds to open the door.”

I was surprised, but as soon as the door opened, I was shoved against the wall.

Gu Huaibei bit mercilessly at my neck.

“An Nan, you’re so generous. Come to think of it, our Nan Nan here is also a dance student. Your sister can’t compare to you.”

His lips roamed over my neck while one hand slipped under my shirt.

The word “dance” nearly brought me to tears. Before everything happened, I should have been a rising star in dance; now, I was Gu Huaibei’s prisoner.

The lips on my neck had probably just kissed another woman all over.

Overwhelming sorrow and disgust spread through my body.

“Huaibei, can you at least let me be today?”

Gu Huaibei paused, then burst into laughter.

“Ji An Nan, let you be? What right do you have to ask for mercy?”

His actions grew crueler and crueler.

I felt piercing pain and knew without seeing that I was bleeding.

Such torment was not uncommon.

The ordeal ended only in the early morning, my lips stained with bruised bites and blood.

In a daze, I wondered if Gu Huaibei would hold her in his arms like before, soothe her gently, and kiss away her tears.

But when I opened my eyes, he was already getting dressed.

He glanced at the bloodstained sheets for a moment, then resumed his usual mocking expression.

“You barely earned that 100,000 tonight. Who could be worth more than you?”

“Your sister’s still waiting next door. Once you’ve had enough, get lost.”

I closed my eyes, finally saying nothing.

In the middle of the night, I couldn’t sleep from the pain. I reached out and touched my forehead—it was burning hot. I had a fever.

After resting for a while, even the tearing pain in my lower body did not lessen.

Going to the hospital was the best choice now, but when I went to the underground parking lot, my car was gone—Gu Huaibei had taken it.

---

I stood there for a long time, then went back upstairs to hail a cab.

It was late at night, and cabs were hard to find. I laughed bitterly and decided to walk a bit, hoping to flag one down.

Before I could, a drunk man tried to block my way.

“Where are you going, little sister? Want to have some fun with big brother?”

His hands reached for my shoulders. I pushed hard several times to get him off.

Fear grew in the dark. I tried desperately to walk away, but the pain in my body made me slow.

After a few steps, the man grabbed me from behind, choking my neck so I couldn’t scream.

A tidal wave of terror pressed on my heart. I struggled wildly but had no strength due to the fever.

He dragged me into an alley. I gathered all my strength to stay calm.

“Tell me how much you want. I didn’t catch your face, so don’t worry—I won’t call the police.”

The man seemed to consider my words.

I seized the chance, fumbling for my phone in my pocket to try and call for help.

But he noticed, yanking my hair so hard it felt like my scalp was tearing.

“Filthy bitch, you wanna call the cops?”

He snatched my phone, pinning me against the wall. Overwhelmed by his strength and my terror, my cries were futile.

“Anyone, help!”

My shouting enraged him. He slapped me across the face without mercy. Blood filled my mouth.

My head rang. Blood trickled from my nose.

His hands reached my waist, pulling my clothes down relentlesslyI'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.