Morning sunlight poured into the presidential suite on the top floor of the hotel.
Women’s clothing was scattered across the floor, each piece torn to varying degrees. The square box on the table was already empty, and a lingering scent filled the air.
The bathroom light was on, and the sound of running water could be heard from inside.
Shao Kunye stood beneath the showerhead. Hot water cascaded over his strong, well-built body. Fresh scratch marks covered his chest and back.
After a while, the sound of the water stopped.
He casually grabbed a towel, wrapped it around his waist, and walked out of the bathroom.
When Shao Kunye stepped out, he saw Wen Xi sitting blankly on the bed. She looked like a small animal that had suddenly wandered into an unfamiliar territory. The blanket was wrapped tightly around her from the neck down. The skin exposed above the blanket was covered in shocking marks, clearly revealing the madness of the previous night.
Hearing the footsteps, Wen Xi lifted her head and happened to meet Shao Kunye’s deep, unfathomable black eyes.
She shivered unconsciously and instinctively pulled the blanket tighter around herself.
Wen Xi remembered everything.
She remembered how she had ended up outside Shao Kunye’s room and how she had clung to him, begging him to help her escape.
The more she thought about it, the paler her face became. The faint blush that had risen from the warmth of the room disappeared completely.
Fragments of last night continued to surface in her mind.
How Shao Kunye had carried her into the room.How he had taken off her clothes.How he had pressed her down onto the bed and taken what he wanted.
Every scene was vividly engraved in her mind.
Last night, Shao Kunye had taken her again and again—from the room, to the bathroom, and even onto the balcony. Their traces had been left everywhere.
Seeing her expression, Shao Kunye knew she had remembered everything. He walked to the bedside and looked down at her from above.
“Looks like you remember.”
Wen Xi’s throat was dry. After screaming all night, her voice had become hoarse beyond recognition.
“Th-thank you.”
Shao Kunye raised an eyebrow, as if he had just heard a joke.
He had slept with her, and she was thanking him?
“Thank me for what?”
Wen Xi lowered her gaze and said softly, “Thank you for saving me.”
If Shao Kunye hadn’t taken her away from Chen Jinpeng last night, she would now be lying in Chen Jinpeng’s bed.
Wen Xi had once overheard Jiang Songde chatting about Chen Jinpeng. He had said that Chen Jinpeng had sadistic tendencies and liked to torture his bed partners with various tools.
Many women ended up hospitalized for half a month after spending just one night with him.
Shao Kunye curled his lips slightly.
“Not only did I save you, it also cost me several million. You’re even more expensive than those who sell themselves.”
The words were not pleasant, but Wen Xi understood.
She and Shao Kunye only had that kind of relationship, yet he had lost five percent of his profits just to save her.
If it were her, she might also feel angry.
Wen Xi lowered her head and spoke quietly, “I’ll work hard and pay you back.”
Shao Kunye sneered faintly.
At that moment, Wen Xi suddenly seemed to remember something. Her heart trembled, and she abruptly grabbed Shao Kunye’s arm. Panic filled her expression.
“Right—Liyang!”
Shao Kunye watched her sudden reaction without much interest.
“What about that little bastard?”
Wen Xi looked completely flustered.
“Uncle Jiang… they… they’re going to sell Liyang…”
Before she had been sent to the hotel yesterday, Wen Xi had clearly heard Jiang Songde say that they were going to sell Wen Liyang to human traffickers.
A whole night had already passed.
Something must have happened to Wen Liyang by now.
Shao Kunye’s brows moved slightly.
The Jiang Family was going to sell that child?
Wen Xi clutched Shao Kunye’s arm tightly. Her eyes reddened, and her trembling voice was filled with pleading.
“C-can you save Liyang too?”
Shao Kunye laughed.
“I saved you, and that’s still not enough? Now you want me to save your child too? Do you think I’m easy to talk to, or do you think I’m some kind of sucker?”
Wen Xi’s eyelashes trembled with shame, but she still said, “He’s also your son…”
“So what?” Shao Kunye’s voice was cold. “Did I ask you to give birth to him?”
Wen Xi lowered her head as if she had no argument. Tears fell onto the blanket, soaking a small patch.
Just when Shao Kunye thought she would shamelessly keep begging him like last night, she suddenly lifted the blanket and got out of bed.
The bruised and purple marks covering her body were fully exposed to the air.
The lighting had been dim last night, but now Shao Kunye noticed something else.
Wen Xi’s back was covered with scars.
Old and new scars overlapped, spreading densely across her body.
It was obvious she had been abused for years.
Shao Kunye frowned slightly.
The moment Wen Xi’s feet touched the floor, her body weakened and she collapsed onto the ground.
As if she couldn’t feel pain, she supported herself against the floor and struggled to stand up. Her thin body picked up the clothes scattered on the ground and began putting them on. Because of last night’s excess, her legs trembled uncontrollably.
She could barely walk, yet she still wanted to save someone.
At this rate, she probably wouldn’t even make it out of the hotel lobby.
An inexplicable irritation rose in Shao Kunye’s chest. Before he realized it, he had already spoken.
“Han Tao.”
Hearing his voice, Han Tao pushed the door open and entered.
“Young Master Shao.”
Han Tao had been waiting outside since early morning. He had originally come to ask what time Shao Kunye planned to leave, but when he pushed open the door earlier, he saw someone lying in the bed.
At first he had been confused. Young Master Shao hadn’t called for any women last night, so how could there suddenly be someone in the bed?
But after taking a closer look, he realized it was the Jiang Family’s adopted daughter.
Although he didn’t understand how Wen Xi had ended up in Shao Kunye’s bed, Han Tao had sensibly withdrawn and waited outside until now.
Now that he entered again, he saw Shao Kunye sitting on the edge of the bed with a dark expression, while Wen Xi had just finished putting on her clothes nearby.
Even with her hair covering part of her neck, the bright hickeys were still faintly visible.
“The Jiang Family sold that kid Wen Liyang. Go get him back,” Shao Kunye said, interrupting Han Tao’s thoughts.
Han Tao froze for a moment before realizing Shao Kunye was referring to that child—Young Master Shao’s son.
“Yes.”
The door opened and closed again within a minute.
When Shao Kunye withdrew his gaze, he saw Wen Xi still standing there, staring at him with wide eyes.
Her expression seemed to say: Didn’t you say you wouldn’t save our son?
Shao Kunye ignored her and simply called the hotel to have breakfast delivered.
Soon a lavish breakfast filled the entire table, personally brought by the hotel manager.
Wen Xi didn’t move. She stared blankly at the food.
She had no appetite at all.
Anyone who didn’t know better might think she had been forced by Shao Kunye last night.
Suddenly Shao Kunye tapped the table.
The person across from him awkwardly raised her head.
Shao Kunye said impatiently, “Eat.”
“I don’t want to.”
Wen Xi’s voice was very soft, clearly distracted. Anyone could tell she was still worried about Wen Liyang.
Shao Kunye had no patience for coaxing.
“Fine. If you don’t eat, your son won’t be coming back either.”
Wen Xi trembled and looked at him nervously. There wasn’t the slightest hint of a joke on his face.
“I—I’ll eat.”
She immediately picked up a spoon and began slowly feeding herself spoonfuls of porridge.
From the painful expression on her face, anyone would think she wasn’t eating porridge—but something far worse.
An hour later, a faint sound suddenly came from outside the door.
Shao Kunye saw Wen Xi immediately lift her head, her body tensing.
The door opened.
A small figure rushed in.
“Mom!”
“Liyang!”
Wen Xi’s eyes widened. She threw down the spoon and ran over.
She hugged Wen Liyang tightly.
“Liyang, are you okay?”
Wen Liyang shook his head vigorously like a rattle drum. He buried his face in Wen Xi’s arms, his small body trembling slightly, clearly frightened.
“Young Master Shao, when I arrived, the traffickers were just about to resell him. If I had been a little later, he would probably have been sold already,” Han Tao reported.
Shao Kunye raised an eyebrow with interest.
The Jiang Family was suddenly so eager to dispose of both Wen Xi and Wen Liyang. That was rather interesting.
However, Shao Kunye had no interest in their intentions.
Whether this mother and son lived or died had nothing to do with him.
Last night had simply been an accident.
It wouldn’t happen again.
Wen Xi carefully checked Wen Liyang over and confirmed that he wasn’t injured. Only then did the tension in her chest finally ease.
She looked up at Han Tao gratefully.
“Th-thank you.”
Han Tao replied expressionlessly, “You’re welcome.”
Wen Liyang looked warily at Shao Kunye in the distance.
“Mom, why is this bad guy here?”
Wen Xi hurriedly covered his mouth.
“Uncle Shao saved you. You can’t say that.”
Uncle?
Shao Kunye narrowed his eyes at Wen Xi.
From Dad to Uncle. That was quite a jump in seniority.
But Wen Xi simply thought Shao Kunye probably didn’t want Wen Liyang to call him father, so she had said it that way.
She could tell that Shao Kunye didn’t want to be involved with them and definitely wouldn’t acknowledge Wen Liyang as his son.
At that moment, Han Tao stepped forward.
“Young Master Shao, the car is waiting downstairs.”
“Let’s go.”
Shao Kunye didn’t bother correcting the title. He didn’t want this illegitimate child anyway. He casually tossed the napkin he had used to wipe his mouth onto the table and stood up to leave.
However, after taking only a few steps, he heard footsteps following behind him.
When he turned around, he saw Wen Xi holding Wen Liyang’s hand and trailing after him.