"Mom," Yun Anan began, lifting her pale face. Her heart plunged as if submerged in icy water. "What if... what if I like Huo Siqing, too?" *Crack—* The word was barely out of her mouth before Shen Qiuyu’s hand flew across her face. A vicious slap. She erupted in a furious tirade. "You worthless little tramp! Have you forgotten every single thing I’ve taught you? Did it all go in one ear and out the other? I told you not to take what belongs to your sister, to always let her have her way! And now you have the gall to go after her man?!" The force of the blow left a ringing in Yun Anan’s ears and the coppery taste of blood filling her mouth. Yun Anan pressed her lips into a thin line, willing the tears back from the brim of her eyes. She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, her cheek already swelling, a livid red handprint blooming across the skin. "I didn't come here to fight with you," she said, her voice steady. "I need to borrow some money. I can write you an IOU." "No money. Every cent we have has gone to Xinyue’s medical bills. Where would we find extra? I won't tell anyone about this crush of yours on Mr. Huo, but you'd better bury that thought deep inside and never let it see the light of day. Don't even think about competing with Xinyue. Do you hear me?" Shen Qiuyu raised her hand again, her face a mask of warning. A bitter sting pricked Yun Anan’s nose. She held back her emotions, and seeing that her mother truly had no intention of lending her the money, she stood up and left. "Poor Miss Anan," one of the maids whispered after she had gone. "Just yesterday, the madam bought Miss Xinyue a mountain of new clothes and jewelry. One of her bags alone cost over three million. But for the eldest miss... nothing." "Shh, keep your voice down! Do you want to lose your job?" The hushed, pitying conversation of the maids in the living room reached her ears. Yun Anan’s steps faltered. A strained smile pulled at her lips, the movement sending a sharp pain through her cheek. Slowly, she walked out of the Yun family home. The Yun family had a long legacy in medicine, descended from a line of imperial court physicians. Her father, however, had disdained traditional Chinese medicine, abandoning the family’s heritage to champion the development of Western practices. While they weren’t fantastically wealthy, a sum like three million was little more than pocket change to them. Pushing the thoughts away, Yun Anan was grateful she carried the portable salves she made herself. She took out a small jar and gently dabbed the ointment onto her swollen cheek, hissing at the sharp sting. It really hurt. Tossing the cotton swab aside, Yun Anan hailed a cab to the small clinic. She lingered near the clinic until nightfall, unable to bring herself to leave. She crouched in a small alley, her gaze fixed with a painful longing on the signboard bearing her grandfather's calligraphy. The one thing her grandfather had left her, and she probably didn't have the power to get it back. Suddenly, a series of frantic, stumbling footsteps echoed from the depths of the alley, mixed with ragged, heavy breaths, drawing closer and closer. Lost in her own sorrow, Yun Anan didn't notice until the sound was right upon her. A powerful force yanked Yun Anan up from the ground. Before she could react, the man in front of her pulled her into his arms. His scorching hot jaw pressed into the crook of her neck, his entire weight leaning on her. The faint, metallic scent of blood enveloped her. "Help me," the man’s voice was a low, deep rumble, his hot breath ghosting over her shoulder with each gasp. "I can give you anything." The sound sent a shiver of fear straight to her core. This was not a man to be trifled with. Yun Anan trembled, trying to push him away, but his grip was like iron, squeezing the air from her lungs. Just then, another set of footsteps clattered at the alley's entrance, accompanied by a cacophony of angry shouts. "Do you have any idea what happens if he gets away? You bunch of idiots!" "If I don't find him, I'll have all your heads!" Hearing those voices and feeling the weight of the man pressed against her, the color drained from Yun Anan’s face. She struggled desperately, but even in his seemingly weakened state, she couldn't break free. The footsteps were turning into the alley. Yun Anan’s heart hammered against her ribs in a frantic rhythm. A wave of panic washed over her. They wouldn't mistake her for his accomplice, would they?