Su Qingmiao’s fingers dug fiercely into her palm, but the pain was nowhere near one ten-thousandth of what she felt in her heart.
She was merely a little plaything for him to vent his desire on.
Why… why did it have to be her?
Su Qingmiao was both grateful to and resentful of Jin Boyan.
She was grateful that he had chosen her, because that meant both Mom and Dad could be saved.
She resented him because she did not want to be forced into selling herself…
But it seemed that staying alive was more important than anything else.
She had no choice.
The vibration of a phone temporarily shattered the oppressive silence and stuffiness in the room.
Jin Boyan answered it.
“A-Yan, have you slept enough? Come out for a drink.”
The caller was his childhood friend, Pei Zhao.
“Who’s there?” he asked, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
“I just called A-Yu. He’s on his way here. No one else.”
A-Yu was Shen Siyu.
Jin Boyan gave a faint “Mm.” “All right. I’ll be there soon.”
Then he hung up.
On the other end of the call, a man sat with his head tilted back on a sofa, with a girl sitting beside him.
Pei Zhao ran his fingers through the girl’s long, cascading hair and stroked it lightly.
He closed his eyes, enjoying himself.
After a while, the girl picked up the box of tissues.
Pei Zhao let out a satisfied breath.
He kissed the girl on the cheek and praised her without reservation. “Darling, you’re really good!”
The girl smiled seductively, her lips a vivid red. “As long as you liked it.”
*
Jin Boyan did not look at her again and went straight to the dressing room.
The room was very quiet. Su Qingmiao had heard the entire phone call clearly.
She secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Since he had something to do, could she return to school now?
Su Qingmiao picked up her backpack, changed her shoes, and stood quietly by the door, waiting for him.
Soon, Jin Boyan came out, already changed.
He wore black trousers and a simple T-shirt in the same color. The understated outfit made him look exceptionally distinguished.
He was tall and lean, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist—the sort of man who would look especially good even wearing a sack.
“Can I leave now?” She looked at his somewhat stern features.
“Come with me.” He walked over, his face expressionless. “I’ll take you back to school when we’re done.”
Su Qingmiao did not want to stay with him any longer, and she wanted even less to meet his friends.
She felt that her position was awkward.
A little anxiously, she said, “I can go back by myself. You don’t have to trouble yourself by taking me.”
“You can drop me off at a nearby bus stop. I’ll take the bus back.”
Jin Boyan changed his shoes and picked up the car keys beside him.
He glanced at her, his tone cold and low. “Don’t make me repeat myself.”
Su Qingmiao: “…”
*
The car eventually stopped outside a bar called Milan Bar.
Su Qingmiao followed close behind Jin Boyan as he walked inside.
She had never been to a place like this before. Her clear, moist almond-shaped eyes looked around curiously.
The music pounded through the room. Men and women twisted their bodies wantonly on the dance floor, while the air was filled with mingled scents of alcohol and hormones.
Su Qingmiao looked at the people dancing. Some men already had their hands on women’s thighs, some women had their arms wrapped around men’s waists, and others were kissing passionately.
…How intense.
Embarrassed, Su Qingmiao tried to look away, but she unexpectedly walked right into the person in front of her.
She had not been prepared for it. The tip of her nose hurt terribly, and tears immediately sprang to her eyes.
Through her blurred, tear-filled vision, she saw the man, who had turned around at some point.
Jin Boyan had both hands in his trouser pockets. Looking down at her as she covered her nose, he curved the corner of his lips ever so slightly.
“Why are you looking all over the place instead of watching where you’re going?”
Su Qingmiao glared at him angrily, wanting to say, It’s because you suddenly turned around.
How could this man’s chest be so hard? He was so annoying!
Just then, a drunken man stumbled over from behind her.
Amid the crowd of women dressed extremely revealingly, the man spotted the pale pink figure before him. Her exposed arms and calves seemed to glow white, like delicate flowers.
Just from her back, he could tell she was the sort of innocent young girl who had kept herself well covered.
“L-Little sister, did you come here to have fun alone? Want Big Brother to keep you company?”
The strong, murky smell of alcohol drifted over from behind Su Qingmiao.
The man had just raised his arm to put it around her shoulder when Jin Boyan suddenly pulled Su Qingmiao into his arms.
Narrowing his eyes at the man, his gaze dark and his voice cold and dangerous, he said, “Are you looking to die?”
“You want to lay a hand on my woman?”
Only then did the man recognize who was standing before him. He was so frightened that he could barely speak. “Y-Young Master Jin?”
“Get lost.”
The drunk man hurriedly bent at the waist and apologized. “I-I’m sorry, Young Master Jin. I’ll leave right now!”
Jin Boyan’s strong arm was wrapped around Su Qingmiao’s waist, while the tip of her nose was filled with his crisp, clean scent, so different from the air in this place.
She came back to herself and looked up.
Her eyes fell on the tense line of his jaw. Her fingertips had unconsciously grasped the fabric at his waist.
Jin Boyan lowered his eyes to look at her still-damp gaze.
That look again.
Hazy, innocent, pure—it made a man’s lower abdomen tighten…
His Adam’s apple rolled heavily.
“T-Thank you.” Su Qingmiao quickly struggled free of his arms.
Jin Boyan only frowned and directly took her hand, leading her forward.
His palm was very large, easily enveloping her small hand. He gripped it tightly, tight enough to hurt a little, as though he was afraid she would run away.
Su Qingmiao had just wanted to say, Can’t you be gentler? But when the words reached her lips, she swallowed them.
She obediently followed him toward the private room.
*
The door to the private room opened.
Two men and one woman were seated inside.
One of the men wore a dark blue shirt and black trousers, giving off the air of a carefree young heir. A girl in a red dress with a beautiful figure leaned against him.
The girl was very pretty, though she looked somewhat familiar. For the moment, Su Qingmiao could not remember who she was.
The other man wore gold-rimmed glasses, gray trousers, and a white shirt. He had a gentle, refined air.
When Pei Zhao saw Jin Boyan appear at the door with a girl, the cigarette between his lips nearly fell out.
Shen Siyu, on the other hand, remained perfectly calm. After all, he had already met her once the night before, although she had been asleep with a fever at the time.
Jin Boyan had already led Su Qingmiao to the sofa opposite them before releasing her hand.
Su Qingmiao sat quietly, her eyes lowered as she stared at the toes of her shoes.
“A-Yan, what’s going on?” Pei Zhao’s gaze swept over Su Qingmiao.
When had Jin Boyan ever brought a woman with him?
Even Pei Zhao, his childhood friend who had grown up with him, was seeing this for the first time!
He had seen countless women, but honestly, this was the first time he had encountered a girl with such exquisitely delicate features.
She was pure, yet carried a hint of tempting allure.
And she was even carrying a schoolbag? She looked like a high school student.
Interesting.
“Your girlfriend?” he asked with great interest.
Jin Boyan crossed his long legs and slowly raised his eyes. His thin lips parted slightly.
“No.”