Called out on his true feelings, Yu Nanzhi was taken aback for a moment, but unwilling to admit it, he chose to refute on the spot, “Who said I want to win her back? I just can’t stand her.”
The old butler understood perfectly but remained silent.
The car sped away into the rainy night, with Li Chengru watching from an upstairs window as it departed. Afterward, he went to the ward to give Ji Liao a few words of advice before leaving the hospital.
They had thought that after this night, Yu Nanzhi would no longer bother them. However, on the first afternoon after Lu Chengqing’s condition stabilized and she was discharged from the hospital—three peaceful months later—something utterly unexpected happened.
Ji Liao clocked in for work as usual. Just as she was getting ready, someone specifically requested her. The front desk was manned by a 16 or 17-year-old part-time worker nicknamed Xiao Beibei. When she saw Ji Liao, she bounced excitedly and happily said, “Sister Liao, do you know? You’ve hit the jackpot this month!”
“Hit the jackpot? What jackpot?” Ji Liao looked utterly confused.
Xiao Beibei clung to her arm, grinning. “You’ll have to treat me to ice cream, or I won’t tell.”
Kids will be kids, always trying to bargain with treats. But since she could afford it, it wasn’t a bad trade for some news. “Fine, one isn’t enough? I’ll buy you two. Now tell me, what jackpot did I hit?”
Xiao Beibei leaned close to her ear and whispered, “A handsome guy signed up for a membership card just for you, topped up 500,000 in one go, and said he’s booking you for five years.”
“500,000 in one go!” Ji Liao exclaimed in shock. “Who’s that loaded?”
“It’s me!” A deep voice came from the doorway, making Ji Liao’s entire body tense up instantly.
That man’s voice—she would never forget it, even if she were beaten to death. It was the distinct tone of a hell demon, and he had come to claim her life.
The oblivious Xiao Beibei hopped excitedly and said to Ji Liao, “Yes, that’s him! He’s the one who topped up 500,000 for you.”
The familiar, loathsome scent of mint filled the air, making Ji Liao nauseous. Before she could rush to the restroom, her arm was grabbed. “What? You can serve others, but not me?”
The seemingly intimate remark drew sidelong glances from several people in the lounge. Though they couldn’t see clearly, they all wore puzzled expressions.
“You know each other?” Xiao Beibei asked, pointing hesitantly between the two.
“We do.”
Ji Liao immediately retorted, “We don’t.”
She didn’t want anyone to know about her past identity. Here, she was just an ordinary massage technician, not the young lady of the Ji family, nor the Young Mistress of the Yu Family.
She didn’t want any of it—none of it. The only thought in her mind was to escape this place.
Xiao Beibei frowned, even more confused. “So, do you know each other or not?”
Ji Liao replied coldly, “It doesn’t matter. Even if we did, it was just a passing acquaintance. There’s no need to dwell on past connections.”
A shadowy smile tugged at Yu Nanzhi’s lips, the nameless fury inside him burning hotter than ever. This wasn’t the first time—Ji Liao was growing increasingly ungrateful.
“Fine, if you say we don’t know each other, then we don’t. Starting today, I’ve booked you exclusively for five full years. During these five years, you will be my exclusive technician. Without my permission, you cannot massage anyone else. I will come every day, and I expect you not to be late.”
He hadn’t even done anything yet, but those words alone plunged her into a hopeless abyss.
Five years—once, he had given her five years of imprisonment, and now he was going to trap her in another five years within the cage he had built?
No, this was too cruel for her.
The stars of last night would never know the darkness in her heart, just as Yu Nanzhi would never understand her pain.
“Beibei, return the money to this gentleman. I refuse to massage him.”
“Return it?” Xiao Beibei was instantly shocked. “Sister Liao, this is a rare opportunity to make money. Shouldn’t you think it over?”
Five hundred thousand was a huge sum, and it would be a pity to give it back. Moreover, this man had said he would book her for five years—whether he came or not, she would still get her commission.
Ji Liao didn’t care. She was determined to refuse Yu Nanzhi. “Then let him choose someone else. I, Ji Liao, disdain earning his money.”
“Ji Liao, how dare you refuse me!”
Like a sudden clap of thunder on a clear day, anyone would tremble at such a sound. The swift, forceful restraint left Ji Liao no time to think before he tightly gripped her wrist.
“You’re insane!” Ji Liao gritted her teeth in anger. Already a victim of fate, she now faced another calamity, leaving her no room to breathe amidst the twists and turns of her troubled life.
Yu Nanzhi truly couldn’t understand how he was being insane, nor did he realize he had already fallen into the whirlpool of love.
By the time he came to his senses, Ji Liao had turned pale with panic. Since Cheng Shuangshuang’s death, she had been stumbling along a precarious path, inadvertently wandering into a dark road with no light in sight. No matter how careful she was, she couldn’t escape the fate of sinking into the mire.
Was she pitiful?
No, not pitiful, because she was still alive, while the one who shouldn’t have died could never come back to life.
Yu Nanzhi released her and responded expressionlessly, “I’m not insane. If you still remember what happened back then, don’t argue with me, because you know my methods are far from merciful.”
That arrogant attitude and tone again. Ji Liao bit her lip and remained silent for a long while, her reddened eyes filled with unmistakable hatred. After some time, as if she had come to a realization, she took a few deep breaths to suppress her trembling, then picked up her blind cane to feel her way into a room. “Come on, if you like, I’ll make you even more comfortable.”
She told herself it was just like massaging a mad dog—it was fine, no need to be afraid. As long as the mad dog didn’t bite, everything would be manageable.
Her words were quite surprising and also rather suggestive.
Beibei, being young, had no idea what had happened between them. Seeing Ji Liao suddenly relent, she stood there and breathed a sigh of relief. “Sir, our Sister Liao has agreed to serve you now.”
“Hmm.” For a moment, Yu Nanzhi looked genuinely pleased.
Inside the room, the lighting was bright, and several beds were arranged around, all covered with white sheets and towels.
Ji Liao instructed him to undress and lie face down on the bed.
It was Yu Nanzhi’s first time in a massage parlor. Hearing her words, his cheeks flushed involuntarily, but the thought that she always massaged others like this made him inexplicably angry.
“To think the once Heaven’s Proud Daughter has fallen so low as to earn money by serving other men. Heh… truly shameless.”
Heh… truly shameless!
Hearing his words, Ji Liao’s anger surged and she spoke without thinking, “Yes, indeed I’m shameless. After all, where else could a blind woman go? If someone has special needs, I don’t mind lying down comfortably either.”