That day, the huge Xia family mansion was busy from top to bottom. On the streets, not a single servant could be seen resting. White silk ribbons hung along the eaves, and the stone lions at the gate were painted.
The dull sound of drums and gongs marked the farewell for the head of the Xia family. Three days of endless banquet tables gave full face for Old Master Xia after his death.
Madam Cao didn’t allow Xia Xunqian to wear mourning clothes for Old Master Xia.
She said he didn’t deserve it.
Late at night, after everyone had gone to sleep, Xia Xunqian knelt in front of the funeral hall for two hours.
Incense smoke swirled above his head, and the wild wind blew through the hall, making the white silk dance.
Xia Xunqian didn’t feel scared. The sun, people’s hearts—both were scarier than a coffin.
Old Master Xia’s coffin was carried out before dawn. Xia Xunqian followed behind all the way.
When he returned to the Xia residence, all his belongings had been thrown out.
Paintings, clothes, and even a box of books—everything except the medicine he needed.
According to Madam Cao, he didn’t deserve such expensive medicine. If he wanted to survive, he had to sell it himself.
“You’re so delicate and pretty. You’re best suited to be kept by a boss. Go sell yourself!”
“Spread your legs and you’ll be swimming in gold and silver!”
The floor was a mess, mud and paste piled up like a grave.
Xia Xunqian looked up at the mansion’s front gate. Even in broad daylight, it felt suffocating inside.
Old Master Xia was dead. Xia Xunqian had never intended to come back. The paintings he wanted were ruined, which was fine—made things easier.
He bent down and picked up a small box from the ground.
Inside was a silver bracelet that tinkled when moved.
He took it.
After leaving the Xia residence, Xia Xunqian went to the house he rented outside.
This made him realize, truly, that he couldn’t support himself.
The hospital recommended better medicine, but it was three times as expensive. He couldn’t even afford the basic medicine now.
He tried several jobs, but the reasons for being fired were almost always the same.
A task that should take an hour took him half a day.
And half a day was needed to make his medicine to survive.
A month later, Madam Cao found out where Xia Xunqian lived.
That day, she came looking for trouble, furious from somewhere.
She violently pushed open the door of his rental house, smelling of alcohol and barely coherent.
“You bitch! Why aren’t you dead yet!” Madam Cao shouted angrily.
“Why aren’t you dead!”
“You’re as cheap as your mother!”
She hated Xia Xunqian’s mother, and hated Xia Xunqian even more.
Drunk and furious, she threw all of Xia Xunqian’s things around the room.
The noise was so loud that it attracted the police.
Both of them were taken to the detention center.
The Xia family came to bail Madam Cao out. Because she often dealt with these people, a few words were enough, and they were released.
It was meaningless.
The police asked Xia Xunqian if anyone could bail him out. If not, he would be detained for fifteen days.
“Any family?”
The question was so ironic it made Xia Xunqian laugh bitterly.
“No family,” Xia Xunqian muttered.
“The detention room has no bed. This isn’t a serious matter. Even though she came to get you, you did hold a knife. If you had family to write a promise, it would help. Alone, you can’t argue against several mouths,” the officer gently reminded him.
Xia Xunqian pressed his lips together bitterly.
Family…
Where would he get family from?
Listening to the officer, Xia Xunqian suddenly remembered the man he saw at the Feng family ancestral hall six months ago.
Feng Lin…
Xia Xunqian looked at the officer beside him, his eyes full of complex emotions.
Six months ago, Feng Lin said he would call Xia Xunqian when leaving the Xia mansion.
He could sleep in someone else’s bed, but never made that call.
Despicable and contradictory.
Xia Xunqian didn’t answer the officer. Everyone was calculating.
“What about friends?” the police asked again.
After a long pause, Xia Xunqian muttered, “No friends.”
The officer sighed softly. Madam Cao was notorious for her arrogance; he probably knew she was at fault.
A man brought Xia Xunqian a cup of hot water.
“I’ll see if she’s willing to reconcile.”
Then the officer left.
Xia Xunqian sat on the bench in the interrogation room.
Feng Lin’s face in his memory was wrapped in a hazy shadow, impossible to focus on.
Xia Xunqian smiled bitterly.
Living under others’ roofs seemed destined to disturb his fate.
He didn’t know what Xia Li had said to Madam Cao to get her to agree to reconcile.
But as soon as Xia Xunqian left the police station, someone was waiting.
He was pushed into a car.
There was no time to react.
Once seated, Xia Xunqian’s eyes were covered with a black cloth!
The next second, his wrists were tied with thick rope. A few strong men tried to restrain him—it was easy.
“Let me go! Hng…!” Xia Xunqian struggled, but it was useless.
The black car drove off quickly. Xia Xunqian didn’t even see the faces of the men.
After some time, he was dragged out, down a dark alley, and thrown roughly onto a soft sofa!
It was a closed room, filled with the smell of alcohol.
Someone then pulled the black cloth off Xia Xunqian’s eyes.
He looked coldly.
It was Xia Li!
Xia Li looked at him with a sharp, playful smile.
Those black eyes were fierce.
“I brought you out, of course, there’s a price,” the voice was cold, without warmth.
Xia Li’s lips curled into a small smile.
“You can’t blame me—big bosses all like clean little ones.”
“You’re the prettiest in all of Youdi. Today, you’ll stay here and entertain my client properly!”
Xia Xunqian was tied up and couldn’t stand. He propped himself up, forcing calm.
He breathed heavily, never showing weakness in front of anyone at the Xia residence.
Even now, he faced this with his weak, sickly body.
He tugged at the ropes, hiding all fear under his light eyes.
“You want me to serve your client like this?”
Xia Li snorted coldly.
“Some people are born to like conquering wild cats with claws.”
“You fit his taste perfectly.”
Saying this, Xia Li stood up and walked to the door.
Xia Xunqian’s heart raced; his palms were sweaty.
The door slammed shut, and Xia Li’s muffled questioning voice came from the doorway.
A low, heavy tone:
“Are you sure Mr. Feng is coming today?”
“Today, he’s guaranteed to like her—looks obedient but fierce at heart!”