Chapter 389: Never Been Right

"Speak."

"You son of a bitch, Zhang Laidi, are you blind? Didn't you see my message?" Cheng Cai cursed.

"I saw it," I replied. "Why are you sending me this stuff?"

"I'm showing you what you look like, you slut!" Cheng Cai jeered. "How about it? Aren't you playing around with your boyfriend? What would he think if he saw this?"

"Get to the point," I said bluntly.

"Zhang Laidi... don't get fierce with me. I want money," Cheng Cai said. "Two million and three thousand yuan—transfer it to my card, or you're done for."

"Two million? That's extortion," I said.

"So what if it's extortion?! What if it's fraud?!" Cheng Cai snorted. "You won't give me the money?"

"I don't have that much," I said, glancing down at the voice recorder. "I can't afford two million."

"Ask your boyfriend for it!" Cheng Cai shouted. "If you don't have it, he must, right?"

Hearing that, I finally let out a cold laugh: "But there's one thing I don't understand. If you want two million, why exactly two million and three thousand?"

"I'm being generous!" Cheng Cai sounded thrilled. "I took your photos to get color prints! It cost three thousand yuan! These are your photos, after all. I'm making you famous, so you have to reimburse me."

"What..."

I was slightly stunned, never expecting that answer.

"Cheng Cai, you..."

"Zhang Laidi, relax. Those three thousand photos are all under my bed. If you pay up, we're good. If not... I'll go post them on the streets of Chengdu."

Hearing that, I looked out at the pitch-black moonlight, then coldly turned off the phone's recording function and the voice recorder.

What came next didn't need to be recorded.

"Cheng Cai... this isn't right," I said gently. "Don't get worked up. Give your sister some time to raise the money, okay?"

"Of course!" Cheng Cai laughed. "Once you have the money, just transfer it to me."

"No," I shook my head. "Cheng Cai, transferring such a large amount to your bank card will attract police attention."

"What?"

"I'm a lawyer," I said. "Mom and Dad might not know what that means, but you should. I understand the law."

"Transferring two million at once will get the police involved?" Cheng Cai asked.

"Yes," I told him earnestly. "Think about it—you don't even have a job. How could you earn two million? The police will question you. What would you say then?"

"Hiss—" Cheng Cai hesitated. "So, what should we do?"

"I'll give you cash."

"Cash?"

"Yes," I agreed. "The law doesn't allow withdrawing two million at once, so I'll need a bit more time. I'll do it over five days."

"Is that so?" Cheng Cai thought for a moment, then said, "Zhang Laidi, I warn you not to play tricks. In five days, bring the two million home."

"Alright. But I have to say this upfront—if you leak my photos, I won't give you the money."

"What?!" Cheng Cai was stunned. "Zhang Laidi, are you crazy? Do you think two million ends it? It's just a warning! If you don't behave later, who knows where these photos might show up! Got it?"

"Is that so..." My gaze grew even colder, as if the last taut string in my mind had snapped. "You're demanding two million, and it's just a warning?"

"So what? I'm being reasonable. For now, only family has seen the photos, but if you don't listen, anything could happen."

"Family has seen them..." I slowly lowered my head, pressing the phone tightly to my ear. "What did they say?"

"My wife doesn't like looking, but my old man does. He's already put them up in his room. You left before, so you don't know—his room used to have that faded photo of the female college student from over ten years ago. Finally, he has new ones now."

I felt my heart sink with a thud, as if even my hair was standing on end.

Cheng Cai went on as if telling a joke: "Women who've been to the city are something else—skin so fair and smooth. My mom was right; I should've added two more million for how loose you've been. What a bargain for that Lao Ma, ha!"

Ha ha ha ha.

It was truly hilarious.

I gritted my teeth, forced a smile, and tears streamed down.

Didn't they know why those photos were taken of me?

Didn't they know why I've ended up like this?

Now that the horse butcher has been dealt with, only my family remains unresolved.

Why haven't they died yet?

It was really too funny.

"Cheng Cai, don't worry. I'll be home in five days with all the money," I said, still smiling.

"Ha! As long as you listen, we're good! We're brother and sister, after all. I wouldn't harm you."

"Yes."

I hung up and let out a deep sigh.

Thank goodness—my days of suffering were about to end.

I sat in my room, not a trace of sleepiness.

I watched the people bustling on the streets, the traffic flowing at midnight. This world is so vast, yet there's no pure place for me.

The next day, I invited Sun Jiaqi to my home. It was the first time I'd let him come since we got together.

I knew I only had five days left, and in that time, I didn't want to leave him with any regrets.

"Chen Ze..." Sun Jiaqi looked at me puzzled. "Why call me over so early? Don't you need more rest?"

"No need," I said with a smile. "Jiaqi, do you have any wishes?"

"Wishes?" He blinked, looking cautious. "Why ask that all of a sudden? Is something wrong?"

"Do you have anything you want to do with me?" I asked, my eyes sparkling. "If the world were about to end, do you have any unfulfilled wishes?"

I slowly began unbuttoning my clothes.

I knew I was already tainted, but Jiaqi is a man with his own needs.

It wouldn't be fair to him if I held back just because of my own aversion.

Tears flowed as I kept unbuttoning, feeling the agony of overcoming this hurdle.

"Chen Ze." Jiaqi stopped my hand, his face full of sorrow. "If the world were about to end, I wouldn't want to take off your clothes. I'd want to drape you in a wedding dress, so you could be the happiest bride in the world at the very last moment."