"Wait." Liang Zhiyi released him and opened her wallet, pulling out a wad of cash and thrusting it into Wen Ying’s hands. She shot her a wink. "A little tip for you, Miss Wen. No need to tell your boss, hmm? I was very pleased with your performance tonight." Wen Ying’s hands came up automatically. She looked down at the colorful foreign bills in her arms, her mouth falling open, but no words came out. Seeing her reaction, Liang Zhiyi let out a small "oh." She said apologetically, "My apologies. I just got back from a trip to Europe. I'm afraid you'll have to go to the trouble of exchanging them at the bank yourself." Wen Ying thought that if she had any self-respect, she would throw the money right back in their faces and tell them she didn't want their filthy cash. But she had no pride, no dignity. Besides, she needed the money. Why pretend to have high principles? She wasn't that kind of person to begin with. A smile pulled at the corners of Wen Ying's lips again as she met Liang Zhiyi's gaze. "Thank you, Ms. Liang." This time, it was Liang Zhiyi who paused for a moment. She probably hadn't expected Wen Ying to accept the money so readily. She quickly recovered her smile. "Don't mention it. You earned it." With that, she linked her arm back through the man's beside her. "Xingzhou, let's go." Before he left, Huo Xingzhou's gaze, cool and indifferent, swept over Wen Ying. Wen Ying offered him the perfect "thank you for your patronage" smile, then returned to the performance area to finish her work. By the time the restaurant closed, it was already eleven at night. Tonight, Wen Ying had not only earned double her usual pay for the gig but also pocketed the tip Liang Zhiyi had used to humiliate her. All in all, a fruitful night. Shamelessness, she realized, was the surest way to get rich. Wen Ying stood by the side of the road, deciding to splurge on a cab home for once. But a moment later, a Rolls-Royce pulled up in front of her. Just as Wen Ying was about to step back, the window glided down, revealing the man’s cold, chiseled features. "Do I need to invite you in?" She froze, not expecting him to be waiting for her here. "I already delivered the burn cream to Zhonglou, Mr. Huo…" "Wen Ying." His reply was just two words, spoken evenly, but the chill in his dark eyes betrayed his rising anger. Wen Ying had rarely seen him like this. Fearing a scene if they lingered, she pressed her lips together and quickly got into the car. She placed her hands on her knees. "Shouldn't you be with Ms. Liang, Mr. Huo?" "I told you to wait for me at Zhonglou. What were you doing?" It took Wen Ying a moment to squeeze out two words. "Working. A gig." Huo Xingzhou’s voice was icy. "What, you think two million a month isn't enough for you now?" There was another person in the car—Huo Xingzhou's assistant in the driver's seat. This was the first time he had ever spoken of their arrangement so openly in front of a third party. Wen Ying’s face paled, her fingers tightening slightly. Her last, useless shred of decency made her burn with shame. Huo Xingzhou's voice continued, laced with a casual, mocking tone. "So what's your number? Three million? Five?" After a few seconds, Wen Ying took a breath and turned to look at him. "Are you saying, Mr. Huo, that I'll still be expected to take care of your... needs every week while you're married to Ms. Liang?" As the conversation veered into increasingly personal territory, Chen Yue finally couldn't take it anymore and quietly slipped out of the car. Inside, the atmosphere dropped to freezing. Huo Xingzhou's expression was grim, his thin lips barely moving. "Are you actually upset that I'm marrying her, or is this just another excuse?" His question left Wen Ying speechless. Then again, what was the difference? The outcome was the same. Wen Ying softened her tone. "I just think that Ms. Liang loves you very much. Since you're getting married soon, perhaps it's time for you to settle down and focus on your family." Huo Xingzhou scoffed. "I didn't realize you had such strong morals." "It's not about morals," Wen Ying said, her expression unchanged. "It's my principle: I don't sleep with married men." He said it lightly, "Do you really think I would call off my wedding for you?" Although Wen Ying had never considered the possibility, never harbored the slightest hope, his words still felt like a tiny needle pricking her deep in the heart. It didn't hurt much, but a numbness spread through her limbs. She had already surrendered, so why was he still going in for the kill? "So—" Wen Ying started. The man's voice cut her off. "So, from the day you started seeing me, you should have known I would eventually get married. That's not a good enough excuse." Wen Ying's mouth opened, but she didn't know what to say. Huo Xingzhou lifted her chin, the pad of his thumb stroking gently across her slightly parted lips. His voice, low and cold, was slow and deliberate. "Wen Ying, I don't have much patience. I can let you act out once, but don't make me waste my time on this nonsense again. Understand?" Wen Ying struggled to lift a hand, gripping his wrist to try and pull it away. "I told you, the man I like is back. I don't want to have anything to do with you anymore. Even without Ms. Liang, I..." A smirk touched Huo Xingzhou's lips, but the frost in his eyes deepened. He enunciated each word with chilling precision. "Are you trying to force me to show this man you like just how depraved you can be in my bed?" Wen Ying’s pupils dilated. Her heart felt as if it were being squeezed by a fist, and a bitter acidity surged into her throat, rendering anything else she might have said meaningless. "Know your place," Huo Xingzhou continued coldly. "Someone like you shouldn't be chasing after love. It's pathetic." When he let her go, Wen Ying's jaw throbbed as if it had been dislocated. She shrank into the corner, trying to steady her breathing. Huo Xingzhou withdrew his hand, his voice flat. "This weekend. I want to see you at Zhonglou. Don't make me say it again." Wen Ying knew that was her dismissal. She could get the hell out now. Cupping her chin with one hand, she scrambled out of the car. A minute later, the Rolls-Royce, a rolling symbol of status and power, pulled away from the curb and disappeared down the street. For the first time in her life, Wen Ying began to regret ever getting tangled up with Huo Xingzhou. She had thought it was a simple transaction; when the time came, they would make a clean break and forget they ever knew each other. But she'd never imagined Huo Xingzhou would have no intention of letting her go. Wen Ying lowered her lashes and turned to leave, but a familiar male voice suddenly called out from behind her. "Wen Ying." Her shoulders went rigid. She spun around in disbelief. Out of the darkness, a tall, slender figure emerged, stopping a few feet in front of her with a gentle smile. "I didn't expect to run into you here." A single, profound truth dawned on Wen Ying: never talk about people behind their backs. The first time she'd used Lin Qingyan as an excuse with Huo Xingzhou, she'd immediately gotten news that he was returning to the country. The second time she'd used Lin Qingyan as an excuse, he had appeared before her less than two minutes later.