| Author: Nan Sheng’s Fish | Original Source: SFACG |
| Translator: Silva | English Source: Re:Library |
Opening her eyes, everything she saw remained blurry.
Suddenly feeling parched, Sherry instinctively tried to get up to find some water but ended up rolling off the bed.
“Thud!”
Her head hit the step in front of the bed directly, but due to her dry throat, she couldn’t even let out a cry of pain. Thus, Sherry could only open her mouth wide, emitting a faint whimper, her forced-open eyes becoming the only outlet for her pain. Tears streamed down her face from the pain.
“Ugh… Cough… Cough…” Struggling to get up, Sherry finally saw a vase on the bedside table. At this moment, she noticed the vase not because it was beautiful but because she saw the transparent liquid inside it through the clear glass.
With almost no hesitation, she struggled forward and poured the liquid into her mouth. Luckily, it was water.
This water finally alleviated the fiery sensation in her throat somewhat.
But as she was about to put the vase back, she suddenly saw a box of pills next to where the vase had been placed. She picked one up and found it to be a commonly seen contraceptive pill. Underneath the pill box, Sherry even saw a box of used c̲o̲n̲d̲o̲m̲s̲.
“Ahem…” Sherry tried to get up, but her head became increasingly confused. She remembered the injection the two people who came in earlier had given her, and the way they looked at her before leaving—it was like they were looking at an item, something that could be freely traded.
Her foster father, the elder she had lived with for more than ten years, had sold her to these b̲a̲s̲t̲a̲r̲d̲s̲ because of some drugs…
Why… Why did she have to go through all this…? Was Heaven truly unfair to her? Not even allowing her a bit of care and love…?
Feeling powerless, Sherry slid down the edge of the bed, and the box of pills and c̲o̲n̲d̲o̲m̲s̲ fell to the ground due to her movements.
A s̲e̲x̲ s̲l̲a̲v̲e̲, is this to be her fate?
Sherry’s eyes went blank. Facing the gorgeously decorated ceiling, she thought of the abuse from Jason, the violation from Brian, she thought of her teacher, she thought of her classmates… She thought of… Nancy…
When she walked out of here tomorrow… What would await her?
I’m only seventeen…
I don’t want… I really don’t want…
Suddenly, Sherry’s body stopped trembling. She leaned on the edge of the bed, collapsed onto the balcony, and pulled open the unlocked balcony door.
The wind… The chilling night wind…
…………………………
“Miss Nancy, the thing you’re looking for is upstairs.”
On the ground floor of the Shang Family Mansion, Samuel had a slight smile on his lips as he looked at the snow-haired girl beside him, pointing towards the staircase in front of them.
Upon hearing Samuel refer to Sherry as a ‘thing,’ Nancy lifted her head and gave Samuel a cold glance before lifting her foot to ascend the stairs.
But just as she was about to act, her wrist was suddenly grabbed. Turning around, she saw Su Xiaoyu, who had followed closely, with Donovan and Charlie behind him, both wearing smiles.
“What’s the matter, my feline friend? Worried I’ve set up some traps upstairs?” Samuel squinted, looking at Su Xiaoyu with a smirk, who immediately returned the challenge without showing any weakness.
“Alright, Xiaoyu, since it’s come to this. I believe Mr. Shang will handle everything.” Nancy also sneered as she glanced at Samuel, then broke free from Su Xiaoyu’s grasp. After tossing him the bag containing her handgun, she ran upstairs without looking back.
“……” Su Xiaoyu looked at the bag in his hand, then at the direction Nancy had left, pondered for a moment, and then took out a talisman, folding it into a paper crane. He tossed it into the air, and the paper crane glided gracefully before flapping its wings and following Nancy upstairs.
“Heh heh…” Pretending not to notice Su Xiaoyu’s small actions, Samuel backed away with his hands behind his back, looking grim as he stood behind Donovan.
Meanwhile, Donovan was engaged in a conversation with Charlie.
“Officer Charlie seems to have a soft spot for the younger generation. To mobilize such a force over a misunderstanding, I must say I admire your enthusiasm,” Donovan glanced at the officers from the Supernatural Abilities Division at the door, immediately defining Samuel’s actions as a misunderstanding.
“There’s a difference in perspective, Elder. Your nephew unlawfully abducted an innocent civilian. If nothing happens to her, it’s fine. But if something does, whether it’s the media, friends, or the general public, they won’t just sit idly by.”
“After all, if they don’t speak up this time, the next time such a thing happens to them, no one will speak up for them, will they?” Charlie’s lips curled slightly, clearly implying something beyond the words.
“The Longmen Gang is ultimately a grassroots organization, Mr. Donovan. If the senior members of the Longmen Gang dare to accept transactions involving civilians, then next time, it might be the Speaker’s beautiful daughter who suffers, isn’t that right?” Charlie adjusted his hat with a businesslike demeanor, clearly showing his bias towards Nancy and indirectly challenging Samuel.
“Hehehe… Officer Charlier, you’re being too harsh. Samuel did go a bit too far this time. How about we discuss compensation after Miss Sherry comes down?” No one wants to have a dispute over money, but if there is one, it means you didn’t offer enough.
Donovan didn’t want to conflict with the rising star of the police force over the daughter of a drug dealer and decided to end the conversation by softening his stance.1
………………………
“Sherry!”
Just as she pushed open the door, Nancy didn’t see Sherry on the bed; instead, she saw the wide-open balcony door.
At that moment, Nancy felt as though her heart was about to freeze. Could it be that she was too late after all? Sherry…
This had nothing to do with any system mission or sympathy. She was her friend, a girl who would hide away and protect even the slightest hint of care she received!
Nancy discarded the handgun she had been hiding in her sleeve, rushed to the balcony in three quick steps, relieved to see the haggard figure standing in the night breeze.
“Sherry!”
“Nan… cy?” Sherry turned back upon hearing the voice, her face filled with disbelief. “Why are you here…”
“Yes, I’m here. Can you come down first?” Nancy looked at Sherry’s position, which was a perfect spot for suicide, and her heart raced with anxiety.
“Nancy… Do you know? My father sold me here for three bags of drugs…”
“I’m only seventeen… I never expected anything from them… Why are they doing this to me?”
“I don’t want to… I really don’t want to…”
“I…”
Sherry was on the brink of a mental breakdown, partly due to the drug Jason used on her and partly from the dual psychological and physical trauma.
Now, Sherry finally saw the person she cared most about, the person who witnessed her at her lowest…
“I…” Sherry reached out her hand towards Nancy, her slender hand trembling as if trying to grasp onto something.
Then, with a bitter smile, Sherry fell backward!
“B̲a̲s̲t̲a̲r̲d̲!” Nancy cursed inwardly, but luckily, she was prepared. With three quick steps, she rushed forward, disregarding any safety measures, and narrowly caught Sherry’s outstretched hand!
“Don’t think dying alone will solve anything, you b̲a̲s̲t̲a̲r̲d̲!” Nancy gritted her teeth, bracing herself against the balcony’s edge and forcefully pulled Sherry up with both hands!
Crack! The impact of the girl in nothing but a thin school uniform pressed against Nancy sent waves of agony through her chest, almost making her cough up blood.
Though Sherry had Nancy as a cushion, the force of the impact was clearly uncomfortable for her too, as Nancy distinctly heard her muffled groan.
From silence to choking sobs, and finally to loud wails.
In the chilling night breeze, the tears of the broken-hearted girl soaked Nancy’s chest in an instant.
The world remained as melodramatic as ever.
But right now… Nancy felt like everything was okay. As long as she was alive, wasn’t it?
