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From outside the door came Aunt Mei's voice, noticeably more courteous than before.
"Miss Xia, are you awake?"
Xia Zhiyao steadied herself and replied in a hoarse voice,
"...Please come in."
The door opened, and Aunt Mei entered carrying a tray.
When she saw Xia Zhiyao fully dressed and looking much more refreshed, a faint smile appeared on her face.
"Miss Xia, you're awake. That outfit is beautiful—it suits you very well."
"You must be hungry. This is your lunch."
She placed the tray on the small round table. It held a large bowl of seafood congee, several delicately prepared local side dishes, and a small plate of sliced fruit.
"Thank you... Aunt Mei," Xia Zhiyao said awkwardly.
As Aunt Mei straightened the bed, she spoke gently.
"Mr. Shen specifically instructed us about those clothes before he left last night."
"He had someone rush to Golden Scissors, the finest tailor in the city, to collect them overnight. Only the master tailor there possesses craftsmanship of that caliber. Normally, even a single outfit requires a three-month wait. But with a single word from Mr. Shen, they didn't dare refuse and worked through the entire night."
Xia Zhiyao's fingertips brushed against the cool silk.
Yet to her, it felt scorching hot.
That man...
Last night, he had tormented her until she was barely alive. Yet before leaving, he had actually remembered something like this?
Even more unsettling was the sizing.
The shoulder width.
The waist.
The bust.
Every measurement fit her perfectly.
It was as if he had measured her himself......with his own hands.
The thought alone made warmth creep across her face once more.
"Oh, right." Aunt Mei spread a fresh set of sheets over the bed after removing the bloodstained ones. "Mr. Shen also said that if you feel bored, you're free to take a walk in the courtyard. Just don't cross the security boundary surrounding the White Building."
Xia Zhiyao nodded gently.
"Thank you."
Aunt Mei looked at her pale complexion and the lingering fear in her eyes. She let out a soft sigh but said nothing more before quietly leaving the room.
Once again, Xia Zhiyao was alone.
She wrapped both hands around the cup and lowered her gaze.
She knew those clothes were never a gift.
They were a collar.
As long as she wore them, she was no longer a piglet that could be dragged away and thrown to the dogs at any moment.
Instead...
She had become a canary branded with Shen Yu's mark.
The irony was almost unbearable.
Yet for now, it was the only thing keeping her alive.
It seemed that her obedience the previous night had left Shen Yu with a fairly favorable impression of her. At least for the time being, he probably had no intention of killing her.
Being a powerful man's plaything......was still better than being torn apart and devoured by dogs.
Xia Zhiyao repeated those words to herself.
She had hoped that one day, after he lost interest in her, he would finally let her go.
After finishing her meal, Xia Zhiyao walked over to the window.
From there, she could see a stretch of lawn below. Beyond it stood towering perimeter walls and watchtowers.
The atmosphere felt oppressive.
Suffocating.
She wanted to go outside and get some fresh air.
Summoning her courage, she pushed open the bedroom door.
The long corridor was completely deserted. She walked to the end of the hallway and pushed open a heavy door. Dazzling sunlight and warm, humid air rushed toward her.
Outside lay an enormous courtyard— or rather, a training ground.
In the distance, security personnel, stripped to the waist, drilled beneath the blazing sun. Their thunderous shouts echoed across the grounds.
Instinctively, Xia Zhiyao retreated into the shade.
She only wanted to find a quiet place to stand for a while...and breathe some fresh air.
She slowly walked along the base of the White Building's outer wall, her attention drawn to a cluster of bougainvillea blooming brilliantly in the distance.
Its vivid purplish-red blossoms were the only splash of color amid the cold, steel-gray landscape.
Xia Zhiyao merely wanted to get a little closer for a better look.
She didn't even realize that she had stepped off the concrete path and onto the lawn, gradually leaving the White Building's protective shadow behind.
"Hey, look over there."
Not far away, several members of the security team who had just finished training noticed her. Bare-chested, their sweat glistened beneath the blazing sun with an oily sheen.
A blond-haired white man let out a flirtatious whistle.
Another man with dark skin and local features narrowed his eyes before grinning at his companions as he spoke in the local language.
"Nong sao aloun mai? Mai hen korn loei."
"New maid? Who cares where she's from? She's damn good-looking. Di ma!" (Come here!)
Xia Zhiyao froze.
Although she couldn't understand exactly what they were saying, she recognized those looks immediately.
They were the same looks Grandpa Ba's guards had worn whenever they looked at the girls, the gaze reserved for merchandise...and play things.
A chill ran down her spine.
Without hesitation, she turned around, intending to retreat to the safety of the White Building.
But she was too late.
Three tall, powerfully built men spread out in a fan-shaped formation, cutting off her retreat.
The leader, the dark-skinned man, had a long knife scar running across his neck. He flashed a grin, revealing a row of yellow-stained teeth.
"New helper? Or the laundry girl? Why don't you stay and chat with your big brothers for a while?"
As he spoke, he reached out, intending to touch her face.
"Don't touch me!"
Xia Zhiyao stumbled backward repeatedly, her entire body trembling with fear.
Scar-Neck's hand paused in midair.
He clearly hadn't expected this woman, who looked as timid as a little white rabbit, to dare raise her voice at him.
The grin on his face widened, and became even more lewd.
"Hahaha! You've got quite a temper. I like 'em spicy."
As he spoke, he reached out to grab her once more.
Just as that filthy, grime-covered hand was about to brush against her sleeve—
Bang!
A dull warning shot rang out.
The bullet struck the concrete less than half a foot in front of Scar-Neck's feet. Stone fragments and dust burst into the air with a sharp puff! Several scorching pebbles ricocheted off the ground and struck the tops of his feet.
Scar-Neck froze.
The other two security personnel nearby instantly turned pale.
Xia Zhiyao turned toward the direction the gunshot had come from.