Only after Lu Yebai had left did Meng Xi'er calm down from her state of terror.
Earlier, she'd almost been killed by him again.
She took a slow breath, gently touching the painful scar on her neck, a look of perplexity crossed her face.
He really wanted to kill her.
She looked down at her wrists, covered by wristbands, her face expressionless for a moment.
If she stayed here, she might really die.
That's what she thought.
Lu Yebai would kill her with his own hands this time, no need to use someone else's.
But, she had nowhere else to go...
No father, no mother, no home...
From being the Mayor's beloved daughter, she turned into a street rat chased by everyone, five years in prison had ruined all her future prospects.
Meng Xi'er, what should you do?
She quietly asked herself, then she held her shoulders tightly.
She wanted to cry out of misery, but not a single tear could she shed; her tears had already dried up during those five years.
************************************
Meng Xi'er started thinking about finding a job for herself.
She couldn't stay in the Lu family's house forever, it wasn't just about the hatred Lu Yebai felt for her. Her living there felt like she was a parasite, not only would the servants there look down on her, but she also felt disgusted at herself. And, in order to leave the Lu Family, she needed money.
Upon hearing about her job hunt, Mrs. Lu exclaimed in surprise, "Xixi, why would you want to expose yourself like that? You've just returned, besides, the Lu family won't disregard your needs. Wouldn't it be better for you to stay here quietly?"
"I can't sit idle." Meng Xi'er explained to her, "I want to get out and see the world. Auntie, you know that Xixi isn't one to sit still."
Mrs. Lu indeed knew Meng Xi'er's character; being lively as a bird since childhood, she could never stay still.
"Alas, well, find any job you like, treat it like a game."
In these few days, Meng Xi'er went out early to look for a job and returned home late. Her schedules avoided Lu Yebai's company time, they hadn't bumped into each other even once.
The pinch on her neck made her wear high-collared clothes for a long time. Even in the peak of summer, she wrapped her neck up. This was the lesson Lu Yebai gave her, warning her not to appear in front of him. The scars that reached her bones wouldn't ever fade away, even when the pinch marks did. Meng Xi'er believed she'd never forget that night, Lu Yebai's cruel look in his eyes and his chilling warning.
He wouldn't love her, she should've known earlier.
After three days of leaving early and returning late, Meng Xi'er surprisingly found a job.
It was a newspaper company, hiring a junior staffer to make tea and run errands, with a monthly salary of two thousand and five hundred.
This salary might be considered too little for the old Meng Xi'er to even buy a bag, but for her now, it's still some money.
That day, just as Meng Xier got off work at the newspaper office, she received a call from the Lu family's butler.
"Hello?"
"Miss Xixi, it's like this, we can't reach the young master on his phone. Can you help us to find him? We can't spare any personnel here..."
Meng Xi'er hesitated for a moment before saying softly: "Alright...where is he?"