"Stop." The voice was low and magnetic, laced with an undeniable authority that froze her in place. Qiao Yu's feet rooted to the spot, but she didn't turn. "Is there anything else, Mr. Bo?" "You're here for the money, aren't you? What's the rush?" Qiao Yu’s fists clenched, a sense of dread creeping over her… *Slap!* Bo Hanshi tossed a thick stack of cash onto the table. He arched an eyebrow, a spectator enjoying the show. "Finish this bottle," he said, "and the money's yours." Drinking… A shiver ran down Qiao Yu's spine. She swallowed hard. "Mr. Bo, I'm sorry. I'm allergic to alcohol." Bo Hanshi laughed, a soft, dismissive sound. "Is that right?" he murmured. "I don't recall." Utterly indifferent. He didn't recall… Her allergy was severe. Even a low-alcohol fruit wine would cover her in hives. Hard liquor could send her into anaphylactic shock. Six years ago, after accidentally drinking something with alcohol, she had broken out in angry red welts all over her body. Bo Hanshi had been frantic with worry. He’d carried her on his back to the hospital in the middle of the night. When the IV drip made her arm swell, he had sat by her side, massaging it all night long. Back home, he had personally applied ointment to her rashes. He'd told her then he would never let her touch another drop of alcohol, that he couldn't bear the thought of losing her. Yes, he didn't recall… which meant there was no escaping this drink. A heat rose in Qiao Yu’s eyes. She sniffled hard, wiping away the moisture at their corners before turning around. A pale smile stretched across her lips. "Alright, I'll drink. I hope you're a man of your word, Mr. Bo." If he told her to drink and she refused, she wouldn't be leaving. She knew all too well how much Bo Hanshi hated her. It was a bottle of vodka—a searing 56% alcohol. The kind meant for cocktails, not for drinking straight. Even for someone without an allergy, a whole bottle would probably burn a hole through their stomach. Little Xiangsi was waiting for her at home. If she drank this, she could go home. Qiao Yu glanced at the stack of cash. It was thick. She smiled. "This stack… is it thirty thousand?" The man's cold, dark eyes stared right through her. "Thirty-five thousand. For one bottle of vodka. You're getting a great deal." "Yes, it's a great deal…" Little Xiangsi's tuition was covered. With that, Qiao Yu reached out and grabbed the bottle… "Hanshi!" Jiang Yuchuan lunged forward, his hand clamping down on the bottle. "This is insane, you could kill her!" Jiang Yuchuan couldn't just stand by. Qiao Yu had been a student at Imperial Capital University, same as him; she was technically his junior. Six years ago, their group of friends had been close. He couldn't just watch this happen. Besides, he didn't believe for a second that Bo Hanshi felt nothing for her anymore. Tonight, he had hoped to use Bo Hanshi's birthday as an excuse to invite Qiao Yu and mend their broken relationship, but he never imagined… it would backfire so spectacularly. "Chuan'er, since when is it your place to interfere between Hanshi and Qiao Yu?" Lu Zhilv, who always relished a bit of drama, chimed in. "Qiao Yu said she'd drink, so let her drink." He’d never liked her, always thought of her as a walking disaster. If it weren't for her, Bo Hanshi would never have spent three years in prison. The corners of Qiao Yu's eyes burned red, but she kept a faint, brittle smile plastered on her beautiful face. "It's fine, I'll drink. It's Mr… Mr. Bo's birthday. I'll drink… I wouldn't want to spoil the mood." Her voice was already thick with unshed tears. She grabbed the bottle and brought it to her lips, tilting it back. The fiery liquor poured down her throat like shards of glass, tearing at her from the inside. Tears streamed down her face, unstoppable. She was drinking too fast, and the alcohol choked her. "Cough, cough, cough…" Almost instantly, her face, her neck… all of her exposed skin flushed a deep, angry red. The allergy was taking hold. Jiang Yuchuan snatched the bottle away. "That's enough! I invited Qiao Yu here tonight. If anyone's drinking more, I'll drink it for her!" Qiao Yu's head was spinning, but her mind was painfully clear. She wiped the liquor from the corner of her mouth, looked at Bo Hanshi, and cracked a smile. "Happy birthday, Mr. Bo." The man sat there, unmoved, as cold and merciless as a statue. His handsome, chiseled face was shrouded in the dim light. Qiao Yu couldn't read his expression. It was as if… she didn't know him at all. That was right. Six years was enough to change a person beyond recognition. The Bo Hanshi of six years ago wore cheap white shirts. Now, he sat before her in an expensive, custom-tailored one, yet he felt farther away than ever before. Bo Hanshi said nothing more, which was his signal that she was free to go. Lu Zhilv picked up the stack of cash from the table and tossed it at her. Qiao Yu failed to catch it. The bills scattered around her feet. "Miss Qiao, earning money is never easy. Guess it's your lucky night. The boss is in a good mood for his birthday, so he's letting you off the hook." Qiao Yu nodded. She crouched down, her hands already covered in red hives, and began to pick up the money. "Thank you, Mr. Bo. Thank you, Mr. Lu. Thank you, Mr. Jiang." Just as she reached for the last bill, an expensive, handmade leather shoe pressed down on it. Bo Hanshi stared down at her, his expression imperious, as if he were looking at a speck of dust. Qiao Yu tugged at the bill, but his foot remained planted. Her head bowed, a single tear splashed onto his shoe. Her voice was a raw whisper. "Mr. Bo… please. Let me go." "Do you feel wronged, Qiao Yu?" "No… I don't." She didn't dare. This was what she owed him. A cold, humorless smile touched the man’s lips. "Those three years I spent inside. One thousand and ninety-five days. Every single one of them, I was just like you are now—crawling, just trying to survive. You don't get to feel wronged, Qiao Yu. Consider tonight a small interest payment on that debt."