Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“No. It’s because of something else,” An Xiaoning answered.
“You don’t ever tell me the truth.”
“Your Highness, I’ve always been speaking nothing but the truth. You just don’t ever choose to believe me. Your Highness, don’t you find that you’re acting really strangely of late? You’re always asking such random questions,” An Xiaoning said frankly.
Tuoba Gucheng did not respond.
“Your Highness, you often remind me to watch my words and mannerisms, telling me not to harbor any wishful designs on you, and I’ve been doing as you instructed. I’ve never dared to harbor any designs on you. Please remember your words too, Your Highness,” An Xiaoning added.
“I know what to do. I’m just testing to see if you’ve really done as you were told. Do you really think I’d develop feelings for such an ugly person like you? You’re only my bodyguard,” he said coldly.
“I’ve always kept your words in mind,” An Xiaoning said with a faint smile.
Tuoba Gucheng was infuriated to see her nonchalant attitude, though he had no idea why.
In the end, Tuoba Gucheng was pulling a long face ever since they disembarked from the boat and gave her a hard time for the next consecutive days.
—
Mei Shuangshuang sold her father’s jade pendant to a pawn shop at a price lower than the original value.
Mei Shuangshuang was over the moon upon receiving the cash she got in exchange.
She rented a studio apartment in a luxurious estate, bought some furniture, and began cohabiting with her new boyfriend, Xiaozong.
Several days later, she began to sense something unusual about Xiaozong.
“Why don’t you go to work?”
“Because I’m staying home to accompany you. It won’t matter even if I don’t show up at the office. My family owns the business anyway. Don’t you want me to stay home and spend time with you?” Xiaozong answered, giving her a kiss.
Mei Shuangshuang shook her head and said, “Of course I do.”
“That’s good. Otherwise, I’m going to think that you’re just a money-grubber like those gold-digging women out there.”
Upon hearing his words, she hurriedly retorted, “Of course I’m not like them.”
Xiaozong pulled her into an embrace and said, “Good that you’re not. By the way, did you see my friend at the nightclub that night?”
“You mean that chubby guy?” Mei Yangyang asked.
“Yes. He may be chubby, but he’s really wealthy. His family runs a business too. He mentioned that he’d like to come over to our place for dinner tonight and discuss some matters with me.”
“Can’t you guys go have dinner outside?” Mei Shuangshuang asked in displeasure, for she was superficial and detested the sight of chubby people.
“But he’s my friend and I’d like to take the chance to introduce him to my girlfriend. Don’t you want to become a part of my social circle and get to know more about my life? I was thinking of taking you to meet my parents sometime after introducing you to my friends,” he said, smiling.
Mei Shuangshuang beamed with joy and said, “Alright, he may come over then. Go outside and buy some takeout, I don’t really know how to cook.”
“Alright.”
In the evening, Xiaozong proceeded to buy six different dishes and a carton of beer.
The chubby friend arrived with some gifts, which Mei Shuangshuang accepted while saying with a smiling, “Oh, you shouldn’t have.”
“It’s for you. It doesn’t cost that much.”
“Thank you, then. Take a seat, we’re about to have dinner soon.”
“Alright.”
Xiaozong came out of the kitchen with three glasses. He then opened a can of beer and poured it into the glasses, one for each of them. The three then began eating and drinking together.
During dinner, Xiaozong emptied a packet of powder into Mei Shuangshuang’s glass while she left the table to go to the bathroom. He swirled the glass gently. The two friends then chuckled in unison.
As expected, Mei Shuangshuang was knocked unconscious a while later and laid her head against the table.
Realizing that their plan had worked, the chubby friend immediately stood up and stuck both hands beneath her armpit to fondle her breasts.
Meanwhile, Xiaozong continued with his meal and entered the bedroom after having had his fill, leaving his friend to continue groping and raping Mei Shuangshuang.
Turning a blind eye to what was going on, he proceeded to rummage through Mei Yangyang’s purse and took out her mobile phone, bank card, and personal identification card. He then sat down in front of the computer and logged on to her online banking account, transferred all her money to a virtual payment system, and transferred it back to his own account.
Such major cash transactions would usually require one to two working days to process. Thus, he was not in a hurry.
He then sat by the side and began filming a video of Mei Shuangshuang getting drug-raped using his mobile phone.
It was already past midnight by the time Mei Shuangshuang came to.
She was lying stark naked on the bed beside her boyfriend.
Feeling sore and achy from head to toe, Mei Shuangshuang struggled to help herself up and got out of bed to pour herself a glass of water, which she chugged down before going to sleep.
She continued to sleep until the afternoon of the next day and woke up to the aroma of fresh food.
“Xiaozong…”
Upon hearing her call, Xiaozong zoomed toward the bedroom from the living room and said, “Hurry and get up. I’ve already bought us some food. You must be hungry, aren’t you?”
Mei Shuangshuang nodded and proceeded to wash up while placing a hand on her aching back. She then went out of the room to have lunch.
It felt as if nothing had happened before.
“How many times did we go at it last night? My entire back is sore and aching.”
“Several times. Who told you to be so beautiful? I can’t control myself at all when we are in bed,” he said with a chuckle.
Feeling extremely flattered, Mei Shuangshuang said, “It’s a widely-recognized fact that I’m beautiful. What time did your friend leave last night?”
“You got drunk so I helped you onto the bed and he left afterward. You really can’t hold your liquor well. You were knocked out after just a couple of drinks,” Xiaozong said solemnly.
“I can usually handle my liquor rather well. But I don’t know what happened last night. I didn’t even drink that much. Let’s go out to buy some clothes later,” said Mei Shuangshuang, rubbing her temples, which were hurting.
Thinking to himself that she would definitely pay for the clothes by card since she did not have much cash on her, Xiaozong hurriedly countered, “I don’t really feel like going out. Let’s just stay home. Oh no, you had a hard time last night, Baby. You ought to get some rest today.”
Mei Shuangshuang snorted with laughter and said, “That’s all your fault, isn’t it? You made me so sore all over. By the way, you mentioned that your friend’s family runs a business. But why does he seem so much like a country bumpkin to me? He doesn’t give off the vibe of a wealthy man’s son at all.”
“Heirs of wealthy families all prefer to keep a low profile these days. Which rich person would still flaunt his wealth like a boorish nouveau riche? It’d be too ostentatious and attention-seeking to wear thick gold chain across your neck,” said Xiaozong.
“I could tell from the way you acted. You’ve kept a really low profile. I wouldn’t have thought that you were a wealthy heir if I didn’t know that you drove a Mercedes,” she said with a smile, resting her chin on her hand.
“Why?”
“Because there isn’t a single piece of designer clothing on you at all. The entire outfit you were wearing when we first met probably cost less than 2000 dollars. None of it was from a luxury label either,” said Mei Shuangshuang, hitting the nail on its head.
“You’re not dressed in designer clothing either,” said Xiaozong, who was surprised to hear how brand-conscious she was.
What he meant was, just like him, she wasn’t dressed in any designer clothing, although she was supposedly affluent.
Mei Shuangshuang continued to puff herself up and put on a facade. “Seems like we both don’t enjoy dressing ourselves in luxury labels.”
“Yeah,” Xiaozong said with a chuckle.
They both had an ulterior motive of their own. She was looking to marry Xiaozong, who she thought was an actual heir of a wealthy family, while he was simply after her money.
