Shen Li jabbed the cotton swab firmly against the spot on her waist. Lin Ruan cried out, her brows knitting together. “You witch, couldn’t you be a little gentler?” Shen Li scoffed. “Why didn’t you tell *him* to go easy on you?” “Fucking men,” Lin Ruan muttered. Shen Li fell silent, dipping a new swab in antiseptic to clean the wound. A large, dark bruise bloomed across Lin Ruan’s back—a memento from last night. The injury Shen Li was tending to was from today, a nasty scrape from the corner of a table where the skin was broken and the blood had already scabbed over. As she worked, Shen Li said, “I heard from Meng Jue that Gu Minxing and your sister are about to make things official.” Lin Ruan raised an eyebrow. “You could say that. They were over at the house discussing it just last night.” She sounded so nonchalant, as if it had nothing to do with her. Shen Li finished with the wound and tossed the cotton swab into the nearby trash can. “Then why are you still messing around with him?” Lin Ruan stood up, pulling on her dress. “They won’t end up together.” She said it with such confidence that Shen Li didn’t press the matter, moving to the back to wash her hands. When she returned, Lin Ruan hadn’t left; she was waiting, legs crossed, perched on the stool. Seeing Shen Li, Lin Ruan arched a brow. “Wanna go out tonight?” Shen Li adjusted the glasses on her nose and refused. “Meng Jue’s back.” “Tsk.” Lin Ruan couldn’t help but sigh. “I don’t know how he has you so wrapped around his finger.” Not long after leaving the hospital, Lin Ruan realized she was being followed. A flashy, bright red Ferrari. It was the same car she’d seen Zhou Haishan drive when she’d been set up on that blind date with him. Lin Ruan scowled. The guy was like a ghost she couldn’t shake. But she was genuinely scared. After all, Zhou Haishan was the type of man who was capable of anything. She made a series of turns, finally parking in a busy commercial district. With so many people around, she figured he wouldn’t dare try anything in public. Sure enough, the red Ferrari lingered by the roadside for a moment after she parked, then sped away. Lin Ruan pushed open her door and got out. A large shopping plaza stood right beside her. Her mood was already ruined, so she might as well indulge in some retail therapy. She bought a mountain of things, from clothes to lingerie. Finally, she stopped at a jewelry counter and treated herself to a six-figure bracelet, charging it all to Gu Minxing's card. If there was one thing about Gu Minxing, it was his generosity. That, at least, suited Lin Ruan just fine. Lin Ruan tossed her bags of loot into the back seat and started driving home. But halfway there, her car was suddenly rear-ended. The impact was hard enough to kill the engine of her little Golf. The stretch of road was deserted, with hardly any traffic, and a knot of fear tightened in her stomach. She grabbed her phone and called Gu Minxing. It only rang twice before the call was abruptly ended. So cold. Then, through her rearview mirror, Lin Ruan saw him. Zhou Haishan, with another man by his side. They walked over together, one blocking her door while Zhou Haishan rapped his knuckles on her window. Lin Ruan’s first instinct was to hold her ground, but one word from Zhou Haishan sent his buddy back to their car to retrieve a hammer. He tapped it menacingly against her window twice, and Lin Ruan knew she had no choice. She bit the bullet and got out. She wasn’t wearing a jacket, just a single, form-fitting spaghetti-strap dress that hugged every curve of her body. Zhou Haishan’s eyes were practically glued to her. He’d been with plenty of women, many with incredible bodies, but none were as captivating as Lin Ruan. He arched an eyebrow, his voice oozing grease. “Miss Lin, why don’t you do me the honor? Come have some fun.” He said it as if she could actually refuse. Lin Ruan was taken to ‘Meise’, one of Jiangcheng’s more exclusive private clubs. The entire way there, she wracked her brain for an escape plan, but Zhou Haishan watched her like a hawk, his eyes never leaving her for a second. The moment they entered the private room, Zhou Haishan started shouting for everyone to call her ‘Saozi’. The room was packed, and the title echoed from all corners. Lin Ruan’s expression was thunderous. Someone noticed and started to jeer. “Brother Shan, the new Saozi doesn’t look too happy. Haven’t you broken her in yet?” Zhou Haishan’s arm snaked around Lin Ruan’s waist, pulling her into him. “That kind of training is best done in bed. Isn’t that right, Miss Lin?” A wave of nausea washed over her. Forgetting her fear, she glared at him through gritted teeth. “Get your hands off me.” ….. In another private room, someone burst in, looking like he’d just stumbled upon the juiciest piece of gossip. “You’ll never guess who I just saw.” His wide-eyed excitement drew laughter from the others. “Unless you saw the world ending, I’m kicking you out for being so dramatic,” someone teased. The man’s brows shot up. “This is better. I saw Lin Ruan in another room with Zhou Haishan. He had his arm around her waist, and they looked way too cozy.” The room fell dead silent. Slowly, all eyes turned to the corner, to Gu Minxing.