Desperate to make him stop, Niannian pounded her fists against the man’s back, blow after blow.
One, two, three…
But her limbs were completely drained of strength; even with all her might, hitting him felt like punching a pile of cotton.
And the harder she struggled and struck out, the more agitated the man seemed to become.
Humiliated and frantic, Niannian dug her five fingers deep into his bare back.
With a sharp rip, her fingernails sank deep into his muscle.
Her nails came away caked with flesh and tissue, followed instantly by a pungent, metallic reek of blood.
A wave of intense nausea hit her, and she nearly vomited on the spot.
Caught in the throes of heavy intoxication and arousal, Huo Sheng’an didn’t seem to feel any pain at all, letting out not a single sound.
In the dead of night, the world was utterly silent, while Niannian’s heart hammered uncontrollably against her ribs.
She fought desperately, but the lingering effects of the drug left her limbs limp and powerless.
She parted her lips to scream for help, but no matter how wide she opened her mouth, not a single sound escaped.
The man locked her tightly in his arms, his mouth pressing fierce, bruising kisses all along her neck and collarbone, biting down ruthlessly…
Like a helpless little rabbit awaiting slaughter, Niannian struggled with every fiber of her being, yet failed to break free from his iron grip.
After living through a whole lifetime already, she thought bitterly, all the martial arts and self-defense I mastered are completely useless right now.
Overwhelmed by panic and despair, Niannian burst into silent tears, large droplets streaming down her face.
Completely oblivious to her distress, the man only intensified his assault, his kisses trailing steadily down her neck…
Driven to absolute despair, Niannian fought on until the drug dragged her under once more, plunging her back into unconsciousness.
When she finally blinked awake, the dark of night had receded, giving way to the pale light of dawn.
Her eyes fluttered open to a completely unfamiliar environment in the dim morning light.
The first thing that caught her gaze was a sea of bright, dazzling red.
A red thermos, red enamel mugs, and in the corner, a red washstand holding an enamel basin decorated with a pair of swimming carp.
Crimson bedsheets, a bright red wedding quilt, pillowcases embroidered with a pair of mandarin ducks, and even the double-happiness characters plastered across the walls.
Scattered all over the floor were the shredded remains of a red bridal gown.
A jolt of dread pierced Niannian’s heart, and a sinister realization flooded her mind.
Where on earth is this? How did I end up here? she muttered to herself.
Today was supposed to be Gu Qianqian’s wedding day. Could this be the bridal chamber she was supposed to share with Huo Sheng’an?
Did Qianqian really call off the wedding at the last minute?
Recalling the secret tryst she had overheard in the cornfield between Qianqian and Hu Wangze, Niannian suddenly wondered if Qianqian had actually gotten pregnant.
And looking back at how uncharacteristically sweet and attentive Qianqian had been with that glass of wine, everything clicked into place.
The pieces rapidly fell together in her mind: Qianqian must have gotten pregnant by another man and, terrified of exposure, decided to ditch the wedding. But too cowardly to openly break off the engagement with the Huo family, she hatched a vicious scheme to trick Niannian into coming home and acting as her scapegoat.
How could I have been so stupid? she cursed herself. I already sensed she was up to no good, yet I still drank that wine.
Right, that glass Qianqian handed me definitely had something in it.
Regret gnawed at her insides. She had been utterly foolish—at that moment, she felt so humiliated she wanted nothing more than to die.
Yet a second thought sparked inside her: I’ve been given a second chance at life; I refuse to cave in this easily. No matter what happens, I have to survive and fight back.
Burning with furious rage, Niannian dug her fingernails so deep into her palms that her knuckles turned white.
She clenched her jaw until it ached, her face stained with tears.
Struggling to push herself up from the bed, she was met with a splitting, concussive pain thumping inside her head.
Peering down, she saw her own chest and collarbone covered in dense, angry patches of red marks.
Heat rushed to her face, burning her skin like fire.
It’s over. Everything is ruined. I’ve been defiled like this—how am I supposed to face anyone ever again? My university dream is completely shattered.
Niannian seethed inwardly, vowing that she would exact a reckoning no matter what it took.
Shamed and terrified, her face flushed scarlet, the heat burning all the way up to the tips of her ears.
Damn you, Gu Qianqian. Once I get back on my feet, I’ll tear you to pieces.
And as for the bastard who had violated her last night, she swore she would never let him off the hook either.
She mentally cursed every single ancestor of the man down to the eighteenth generation.
At that exact moment, a rustling sound broke the quiet of the room, startling her.
Jumping, she snapped her head up to find a tall, imposing figure standing not far from the bed.
Broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted, and long-legged, the man was dressed in a crisp, immaculately ironed military uniform. His posture was as straight as a pine, and the two red bars and three silver stars on his shoulder epaulets gleamed with harsh, glaring light.
In the dim morning glow, Niannian made out his sharply chiseled facial features and eyes as deep and dark as a stagnant pool.
His expression was ice-cold; combined with the military uniform and an aura like a glacier, the sheer pressure rolling off him was suffocating.
Though they hadn’t seen each other in years, she recognized those brows instantly. He had lost the rebellious arrogance of his youth, replaced by the sharp maturity and weight of the passing years.
Without a doubt, this man was Huo Sheng’an. After all her twists and turns through the years, she had ultimately failed to escape this man’s clutches.
A chill ran down Niannian’s spine. The man looks human enough on the outside, but last night he acted like an absolute monster.
The memory made her cheeks burn with humiliation. She hastily pulled the quilt up, wrapping herself tightly from head to toe.
Peering out from over the edge of the blanket, she glared at him and spat coldly:
“Huo Sheng’an, you son of a bitch. I hate your guts.”
Hearing her voice, the man paused mid-motion as he was buttoning his shirt, glanced back at the woman huddled in the bed, and replied with absolute nonchalance.
“Why would you hate me? Isn’t that just what a wedding night is supposed to be like?”
Trembling with rage, Niannian choked back her fury for a long moment before hissing three words through her teeth:
“You bastard.”
Huo Sheng’an wore an unbothered, devil-may-care expression. “Don’t waste your energy yelling at me yet. I’ve got a pressing military assignment, so I have to head back to base right now.”
His voice was slightly husky, low and resonant, yet his tone was as cold as a blade.
Clenching her fists, Niannian poked her head further out of the blanket. “You cowardly bastard—you ruin a person’s life and then just want to walk away like nothing happened?”