Su Jin stood outside the weathered apartment door with Luo Xian by her side. The entrance was a cluttered mess of broken furniture and discarded items, the stench of neglect and despair seeping into the chilly air.
The first time Su Jin moved into this place, she had been overwhelmed by its squalor. But over time, she learned to accept it. Complaining wasn't an option for someone like her. Her life had become a relentless cycle of work, earning, and surviving. Once a cherished flower nurtured in the safety of a greenhouse, she had been forced to grow into a hardy weed that adapted to any environment—because there was no alternative.
The door was slightly ajar, a sign that her father was home. Su Jin's heart raced as she stood frozen, unable to take another step forward. Luo Xian waited patiently by her side, saying nothing but observing her intently. She didn't notice the flicker of pain and worry in his gaze as he watched her struggle.
Does she really live here? he wondered, his expression hardening.
Finally summoning her courage, Su Jin pushed the door open. The sight inside struck her like a blow. Her father lay sprawled on the dilapidated sofa, surrounded by empty liquor bottles. The small, cramped apartment reeked of alcohol and decay.
Hearing the noise, her father stirred, his bloodshot eyes fluttering open. "You're back," he mumbled, his voice slurred. But his casual indifference vanished the moment he saw Luo Xian standing behind Su Jin.
A jolt of recognition lit up his bleary eyes.
"L-Luo Xian?" he stammered, sitting up abruptly. His face split into a nervous smile.
Luo Xian's reputation preceded him. Even when Su Jin's father had been riding high before his business collapsed, he'd known better than to dream of an audience with the formidable Luo Xian. And now, after years of gambling and drowning in debt, Luo Xian's appearance in his shambles of a home felt like a lifeline—a chance to escape the abyss.
"Mr. Luo! What an honor!" he exclaimed, hurrying to extend his hand for a handshake. Luo Xian didn't move. His icy gaze bore into the older man, and the hand was withdrawn hastily.
Turning to Su Jin, her father demanded with poorly concealed excitement, "What's going on here? How do you know Mr. Luo?"
Su Jin couldn't bring herself to answer. Her throat was dry, her words caught between shame and frustration. Before she could gather her thoughts, Luo Xian stepped forward, slipping an arm around her shoulders in a protective gesture.
"I'll get straight to the point," Luo Xian said, his deep voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "I want your daughter. I'm taking her with me."
Su Jin's breath hitched. She turned to her father, searching his face for any sign of protest, some shred of paternal instinct. Instead, she saw his initial shock give way to a growing smile—wide, eager, and brimming with something close to greed.
"Well, well, isn't that… wonderful?" her father declared, his voice trembling with excitement.
"Dad," Su Jin whispered, barely audible. "Why?"
But her father didn't seem to hear her. He was too busy envisioning the possibilities that Luo Xian's wealth and influence could bring.
"This is such a blessing for you, Su Jin," he gushed. "Mr. Luo is a great man, and you… you're so lucky to have caught his eye."
Luo Xian's sharp gaze flicked toward Su Jin, noticing the way her body trembled. Her pale face betrayed the turmoil within her. He softened his grip slightly and murmured, "You can still change your mind."
But Su Jin closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. When she opened them again, there was a resigned determination in her expression. "Continue," she said.
Her father didn't seem to notice the undercurrent of despair in her words. Instead, he focused entirely on Luo Xian, practically groveling.
"Mr. Luo, let me tell you, my Su Jin is the perfect match for you. She's obedient, well-mannered, talented, and beautiful. She even plays the piano like a professional. You two are a match made in heaven!"
Luo Xian arched an eyebrow. Obedient? He highly doubted that.
"Su Jin," her father continued, "you should be grateful. Go pack your things and follow Mr. Luo. He'll give you the life you've always deserved."
The pain in Su Jin's chest was unbearable. Her father hadn't once asked her what she wanted. He didn't care who Luo Xian was or what his intentions might be. To him, she was a means to an end, a way to escape his own misery.
"Dad," Su Jin said, her voice cracking, "I don't want this."
Her father's cheerful façade crumbled into frustration. "Don't be ridiculous, Su Jin! This is the best thing that could ever happen to you."
Luo Xian's expression darkened. His voice was cold, almost lethally so, as he cut in. "Are you scolding her?"
The weight of Luo Xian's presence made Su Jin's father falter. He quickly backpedaled, forcing a nervous chuckle. "No, no! Of course not. I would never scold Su Jin. She's my precious daughter."
"Su Jin," he said, switching back to a tone of forced cheer, "you should really start packing. Don't keep Mr. Luo waiting."
"What do you want?" Luo Xian asked abruptly, his tone unreadable.
Su Jin's father hesitated for a moment before grinning slyly. "Well, Mr. Luo, since we're practically family now, I was hoping you could help me out. Things… haven't been easy lately."
Su Jin watched her father with growing disbelief and heartbreak. The man standing before her was a stranger—a shadow of the father who had once taught her to value her dignity.
"How much?" Luo Xian asked, pulling out a checkbook.
"Five million," her father blurted, the words tumbling out before he could think.
Su Jin's knees nearly buckled. Five million? Her father had sold her for five million.
Luo Xian scribbled the amount on the check and handed it over without hesitation. Her father's eyes gleamed as he snatched it up, bowing deeply in thanks.
Su Jin couldn't take it anymore. Shaking free of Luo Xian's grip, she bolted to her room, slamming the door behind her. She leaned against it, tears streaming down her face. She had lost—completely and utterly.
Luo Xian knocked on the door, his voice uncharacteristically tense. "Open the door, Su Jin."
Inside, Su Jin wept silently. Her father hadn't even hesitated. Before she could make a choice, he had already decided her fate.
"If you don't open this door," Luo Xian said, his voice hardening, "your father will regret it."
The door creaked open moments later. Luo Xian pulled her into a tight embrace. She felt numb, like a doll with no will of its own.
"Let's go," she said quietly, her voice devoid of emotion. "I have my things."
As they stepped out of the apartment, Su Jin glanced back one last time. Her father stood there, smiling and waving, utterly oblivious to the pain he'd caused.
"Su Jin," he called out, "you've made it! Don't forget about your old man. I'll be counting on you to take care of me in the future. Be good to Mr. Luo, alright? Treat him well!"
Su Jin turned away, her face expressionless. The words burned themselves into her memory, a scar she would carry forever.