Meanwhile, after Mu Qiqi had followed her aunt home, her uncle unexpectedly gave her a thorough measuring look in delight. "You're eighteen now? Growing in all the right places I see… I guess you are born rich, oh, that white skin of yours…"
"See, what did I say? Your uncle definitely likes you," Mu Qiqi's aunt said happily beside her ear. "You can live happily with me from now on and ignore that Mu family."
Mu Qiqi lowered her backpack. She found her uncle's gaze very uncomfortable, but she held back and said, "Thank you, Uncle."
"I still have to get to work," her aunt then told her. "Now that you're here, just rest up for the day. I'll take you to a school nearby for a visit on the day after tomorrow—you still have to finish your studies."
Mu Qiqi panicked, especially because she would be alone with her uncle with her aunt away. "Aunt Zipei," she quickly said, "I want to follow you…"
"Don't be afraid, your uncle is going out later as well. You can just lock the door from the inside afterward." Her aunt was still feeling fortunate then, believing that her husband was really willing to accept Mu Qiqi.
Mu Qiqi said nothing more, but the fear inside her did not diminish.
Once both adults left the house, she quickly locked the door.
Her uncle who was only pretending to leave sneered. "Quite the sharp one, but what good is that broken door?"
It was not long before he returned with another three to four men. Once they reached outside the house, he said, "This one I'm introducing you is satisfaction guaranteed: The Mu family's disowned daughter, and still very fresh…"
Mu Qiqi's fear grew even as she listened to what was happening outside.
"Qiqi, Qiqi… it's your uncle, I bought something to eat… hurry up and open the door."
Mu Qiqi did not reply. Her palm was full of sweat, and she knew that her life was over once she opened the door, and it would be the same even if she did not. All she could do was only hope that her aunt would hurry home.
"Break the door!" Mu Qiqi's uncle told the thugs who came with him, having lost all patience.
With a loud crash, the door was kicked down. Mu Qiqi's back was to the door, with only despair in her heart.
"Oh, Qiqi, you're so naughty…"
She burst into tears at the sight of her uncle's vicious face, but there was no way she would escape the burly men.
"Uncle, please… let me go, I beg you… I can do anything for you…"
"How about two hundred thousand? That's what you're worth, but can you give me that?"
Mu Qiqi turned her head towards the window behind her. It was the third floor, but it was better than being sold off. With that thought, she turned at once, opened it and tried to jump…
But her uncle simply reached out to catch her long legs, preventing her from leaping off…
Perhaps expecting that she would continue resisting, one of the thugs knocked her unconscious and threw her over his shoulder.
"Quite the merchandise. No way I'm selling it to some average bloke…" The buyer smiled sinisterly as he left, while Mu Qiqi's uncle simply took the money and left to have a good time.
Who cares about her? She was just some disowned kid.
***
Sheng Xiao had his assistant visit the house of Mu Qiqi's aunt but he had arrived too late: she had already been taken away. Even if her aunt was throwing a fit, could she go against a man who was no different from an animal?
"Young Master, what should we do now?"
"Return to Jianchuan, and check where she's sold off too…"
It was not as if he cared about some girl's business, but there was a voice in his head that kept telling him that he would regret it if he ignored her.
"Yes, Young Master."
***
After being taken away, Mu Qiqi recovered to find herself in a small, dark room with food and water. However, she felt no hope, just as she did not know what awaited her.
Mu Tangxue was enjoying all the pleasures in life, while she had fallen to the point where she was sold for quick money…
It was impossible to not hate her twin sister, because she very much did!
Soon, night has come and Mu Qiqi heard something moving outside. She knew someone was coming for her but had nowhere to run.
When the steel doors to the room, a woman in a short fur skirt entered with two other women who grabbed her and took her out of the room.
"Pretty-up her a bit. Don't hurt her."
Mu Qiqi was then taken away, given heavy make-up and forced into a rather exposing little black dress—clothing unbefitting her age.
"Take her to Hill Hotel, Room 1105." The woman who turned out to be the leader instructed her lackeys after giving Mu Qiqi a good look, even warning her once she saw her dejected face. "And you, don't try anything stupid or I'll have someone break all your limbs. You'll end up on the streets begging! Know that you've already been sold to us, so stop acting like some saint fighting to death for her honor…"
Restrained, Mu Qiqi was sent to a hotel and locked inside Room 1105 without being given a moment to catch her breath.
Someone stood watch outside the door, perhaps waiting for the buyer.
She hid beneath the bed, finding her life hopeless…
Soon, voices could be heard outside the door before it swung open.
Mu Qiqi screamed by instinct to call for help, only to be caught by a large man and thrown onto the bed.
"Stop resisting, I don't have the strength to carry you anymore!"
Mu Qiqi fell silent. The voice sounded familiar.
Gingerly turning on the bed lights, she found a pale Sheng Xiao sitting on the floor. She froze on the bed for some reason.
"You…"
"Wash your face, ugly." Sheng Xiao was hurt, but that did not reduce his threatening presence.
"I…"
"I'm hurt. What do you think I could do to you?"
Mu Qiqi felt brief relief at those words and briskly rushed into the bathroom, cleaning herself from head to toe.
'Am I saved?'
Mu Qiqi could not help asking herself, because she was afraid, even when it's the people around her.
There was no one she could trust, even if that person was someone she knew.
What if he was more savage than her uncle? What should she do?
Mu Qiqi locked herself in the bathroom at the thought, afraid to take even a step outside.
***
Sheng Xiao waited for two hours by the bed, but after Mu Qiqi did not appear for two hours, he endured his pain and called the hotel management to open the bathroom door.
He simply told the hotel manager that someone had killed herself in the bathroom, and the manager arrived quickly with a pale face from fright, unlocking the door as fast as he could!
"Stupid!"
Mu Qiqi was sitting on the toilet and spacing out, foolishly believing hiding inside was safe.
Sheng Xiao threw a towel on her head. "Come out."
Mu Qiqi was holding herself, meekly walking to him when he said, "Help me take my pants off."
She panicked, with tears welling in her eyes. "I…"