Bai Song’s eyes were dull and vacant. It took her a long moment to process what had been said before she stiffly turned her head to meet Tong Jiahui’s mocking gaze. Her lips moved slightly, but no sound came out.
Tong Jiahui chuckled. “What, was my service not up to par? Did I fail to satisfy you, Miss Bai? Should I give it another go? This time, make sure to savor it properly!”
Bai Song’s pupils constricted in fear. She wanted to retreat, but her body had no strength left. All she could do was watch helplessly as Tong Jiahui smirked provocatively.
Even with her eyes closed, the image of Tong Jiahui’s sinister smile burned in her mind.
Tears streaming down her face, Bai Song pleaded, “Enough, Jiahui, enough. I’ll leave, I’ll leave right now. Please, just let me go.”
Tong Jiahui glanced at Bai Song, her eyes brimming with impatience, as if disgusted that Bai Song had dirtied her space.
Bai Song: “…” Did I really make the mess?
As the restraints on her body vanished, Bai Song curled up slightly. She had no strength left, but she feared what Tong Jiahui might say if she didn’t move.
After all, the other woman was merely tired from using her hands, whereas Bai Song her body couldn’t take it anymore, and her kidneys certainly couldn’t either.
With great effort, she managed to sit up on the bed, only to realize the state she was in.
Her eyes widened in shock as she looked at Tong Jiahui.
Tong Jiahui casually flicked her long hair. “I’m tired.”
Bai Song: “!”
A smirk tugged at Tong Jiahui’s lips. “But if you like it, take it with you. It’s already dirty anyway saves me the trouble of cleaning up.”
Bai Song flushed crimson with humiliation and anger, but she didn’t dare retort, afraid she wouldn’t be allowed to leave. So she swallowed her pride.
Tong Jiahui kept staring at her, making Bai Song’s hands tremble uncontrollably.
Beads of sweat dotted Bai Song’s forehead as she exhaled shakily and inched her way to the edge of the bed.
Her clothes were stained beyond recognition, there was no way she could wear them outside.
Tong Jiahui glanced at her pleading eyes before coldly turning away and heading to the bathroom.
“Wait!” Bai Song called out hoarsely, her voice rough and grating, worse than a duck’s quack.
Speaking hurt. Bai Song swallowed hard, about to ask for clothes when Tong Jiahui cut her off without even turning around. “Don’t worry, I’ll handle your parents’ matter. As for you,Hah.”
Her icy tone was like a dagger, plunging straight into Bai Song’s heart.
A chill ran through Bai Song’s entire body, and every word she had wanted to say died in her throat.
Her legs wobbled weakly as she leaned against the wall, shuffling out of the room step by step.
She didn’t notice the inscrutable look in Tong Jiahui’s eyes as she watched her pitiful retreat, nor how Tong Jiahui’s nails dug into the doorframe, nearly gouging the wall.
Bai Song: “Tong Jiahui is such a scumbag, just letting me go back like this.”
System: “Maybe what goes around comes around. When you played her, you were even more ruthless than when she pulled your pants down.”
“Miss, miss, are you alright?”
Bai Song, pale as a ghost, stumbled down the stairs like a zombie. The receptionist was startled and rushed over to support her.
“I’m fine, just bad cramps.” Bai Song forced out the words, her forehead glistening with cold sweat. She didn’t refuse the receptionist’s help, allowing herself to be guided to the lobby sofa.
Though she wore long sleeves and pants, the marks on her neck and wrists were impossible to hide. The receptionist hesitated before saying, “Let me get you some hot water.”
Bai Song hugged a cushion, curling into herself. “Thank you.”
The receptionist quickly brought over a cup of steaming hot water, hesitating for a long while before asking, “Should I call the police for you?”
Bai Song shook her head wearily, trying to force a smile but lacking even the strength for that. Her eyes could barely stay open. “No need.”
The receptionist didn’t press further, silently placing some snacks in front of her and murmuring, “Eat something to regain your strength,” before walking away, glancing back every few steps.
Bai Song slumped on the sofa for a long time, drawing curious looks from passersby. Compared to others taking a brief rest, her disheveled appearance was too conspicuous some even pulled out their phones, perhaps considering calling the police for her.
Summoning her last reserves of energy, Bai Song took out her phone and called a ride, forcing herself to leave the hotel.
Back home, Bai Song developed a high fever and spent several days bedridden. Fortunately, she didn’t have to work, or she might have felt like she was truly dying.
But those days were unbearable. Her injuries weren’t severe enough for the hospital, yet the inflammation from home treatment made her wish she could just lose all feeling below the waist.
Before she could fully recover, Tong Jiahui called.
Bai Song had long deleted Tong Jiahui’s number. Answering absentmindedly, she politely said, “Hello.”
Silence stretched on the other end not due to poor signal or an empty line, as Bai Song could clearly hear steady, deliberate breathing.
Her scalp prickled. “Jiahui? Is that you?”
Still no response. After a long pause, Tong Jiahui’s icy voice came through: “You deleted my number?”
Bai Song pressed her lips together, her voice uneasy. “I forgot to save it last time.”
Tong Jiahui scoffed. “I’ve never changed my number.”
“…” A chill ran down Bai Song’s spine, her whole body trembling. “I lost my phone once. Couldn’t recover the old contacts.”
A soft, mocking laugh crackled through the line, a flimsy lie both knew was false. Tong Jiahui didn’t dwell on it, though. Instead, she demanded, “Come find me now. You have half an hour.” She named an upscale club.
Bai Song had never been there, but the place was infamous, almost everyone knew of it.
Humiliation and anger flared on her face. “Tong Jiahui, I’ve already done what you asked. What more do you want?!”
Tong Jiahui replied coolly, “Bai Song, do you ever listen? I told you, this game starts and ends when I say so.” Her laugh was sharp. “Know your place. Is your body really that valuable? Did you think one night could save your parents’ company? Keep them out of prison?”
Bai Song froze. She’d truly believed that night was the end not the start of an ongoing nightmare.
Remembering how she’d nearly been rushed to the hospital by the taxi driver afterward, Bai Song hovered her thumb over the end call button.
As if sensing it, Tong Jiahui sneered, “I’d advise against running. Unless you want your parents to get special treatment in prison.”
With that, her patience ran out. The call disconnected.
Bai Song clutched her phone, sprawled on the bed with a dazed gaze fixed on the ceiling. “System, let’s run away. Just thinking about it makes my kidneys ache.”
The system paused. “Do you remember why we couldn’t forcibly leave the last world?”
Bai Song abruptly sat up. “I’d rather go back as a fool, I—” She roughly ran her hands through her messy hair, her inner turmoil like a caged beast with no outlet.
The system said, “Tong Jiahui truly loves you.”
Bai Song: “Want me to pass that kind of love to you?”
Bai Song knew these words were pointless now. Gritting her teeth, she said, “How about you exchange me for stomach cancer instead? Let me just die outright.”
The system: “Last time, we accidentally resolved Tong Yao’s emotional knot, but Tong Jiahui might not fall for the same trick. Dying would be considered a forced exit and cause irreversible damage to your soul.”
When Bai Song arrived at the club, just as she was about to call Tong Jiahui, someone escorted her to a private room and demanded she change into the outfit Tong Jiahui had requested.
Only after the person left did Bai Song realize, what the hell kind of outfit was this? It was practically lingerie.
A sailor uniform, a pleated skirt so short it barely covered her thighs, and panties made of three thin strings.
Just one glance made her burn with shame, let alone wearing it.
Her phone suddenly rang. Staring at the familiar string of numbers, Bai Song thought she’d better save the name later.
Tong Jiahui’s voice came through: “Put on the clothes and follow the person here.”
Suppressing her humiliation and anger, Bai Song gritted out, “No way. How could anyone wear something like that outside?”
Tong Jiahui fell silent for a moment before suddenly laughing. “Not wearable? Isn’t this the exact uniform you’ve always dreamed of?”
Then, her tone abruptly turned icy. “Hurry up and change. My patience has limits.”
“…” Bai Song forced herself to look back at the scraps of fabric. Clinging to the thought that she wasn’t from this world and would be free once she left, she slowly changed into the outfit.
Led to the door of another private room, her guide motioned for her to enter alone without even knocking for her before walking away.
Taking a deep breath and steeling herself, Bai Song gently pushed open the door that might as well have been the gates of hell.