She hated the fact that her own family — her foster family, at least — wanted her to stay, to endure this system, to play along with the farce.
They had told her it was the only way to survive.
The idea of leaving, of finding another base or creating her own life outside of Crystal Cove, had crossed her mind many times, but she knew that wasn't an option.
If she left, where would she go? What would she do?
The other bases were no better, and with her foster family's insistence on staying, she felt trapped, unable to make a decision for herself.
The counterman only chuckled, shaking his head with an exaggerated sigh.
"You say that now, but I wonder how long you'll keep pretending. You'll be serving someone soon enough. Maybe you'll find that 80-year-old man a bit more to your liking. Who knows, he might treat you better than most around here."
Xi Ping's mind froze for a moment. Her brow furrowed in confusion.
