"Qingqing, are you free tonight? Your Uncle Ye has an important business dinner tonight, but his secretary unexpectedly fell ill and has taken leave, can you take her place and accompany him tonight? It's perfect since you're studying finance, you can learn more about real-world business. Take this as an opportunity to broaden your horizons. The dinner is at the XX Hotel at 9 o'clock tonight, don't be late... Oh, and remember to dress up a bit, don't always be in sportswear, alright?"
At the library, listening to her mother's rare tender voice on the phone, a sense of irony flashed in Cheng QingQing's eyes.
Broaden her horizons? Wasn't this just drinking and eating at a business event? Could there be any academic research involved?
Humph, she's just used as a readily available tool, out of convenience.
She nonchalantly replied with a hum, no longer listening to her mother's façade of motherly care, and hung up the phone.
...
At night, neon lights were flickering.
Cheng QingQing arrived on time at the XX Hotel, wearing a clean white shirt, a pair of tight jeans, and flat shoes. Her simple, laid-back attire exuded an air of freshness and cleanliness.
She really didn't want to come, but her dependence on others for living left her with no choice.
As she opened the compartments' door, a cloud of smoke hit her face. Could hardly breathe in the room filled with smoky air, Ye's father and his business partner were chatting while holding a cigarette in one hand and a glass of golden liquor in the other.
Only when they heard the door opening did they stop talking and turn to look. Trapped in their fiery gaze, Cheng Qingqing felt uncomfortable all over, wanting to flee this troublesome place.
"QingQing, you came dressed like this?" Ye's father frowned at Cheng QingQing's casual outfit.
"Hey, beauty looks good in anything, hehe." Director Liu stared droolingly at Cheng QingQing, sitting quietly there. Of course, in his eyes, she would look more appealing without any clothes.
He was not fond of prostitutes from hotels with an illustrious history, but clean and innocent-looking school girls. They were more fun to toy with, although Cheng QingQing isn't particularly stunning in appearance, when the lights go off, aren't they all the same?
"Director Ye, this must be the top scholar from your family, she indeed has an academic flair. Come on, sit here." Director Liu gestured towards the seat next to him.
Cheng Qingqing gave a polite smile, placed her purse on the seat he had pointed out, and chose to sit a little farther away from him.
Director Liu didn't mind, anyhow, Cheng Qingqing couldn't escape tonight, sooner or later she would be his.
Moreover, she would later be his nominal wife, which wasn't a bad deal at all. A wife dropped from the sky was a major fortune, he didn’t believe she would reject him.
"Qingqing, should you not present a toast to Director Liu?" Mr. Ye handed her a glass of wine.
"I can't drink," Cheng Qingqing declined without any hesitation. The smile on Director Liu's face froze for a moment, as this was the first time anyone had ever rejected him so directly. Director Liu gave an unsatisfied look at Mr. Ye.
"If you don’t know how, just learn. This wine isn’t high proof, it won't intoxicate you," Director Liu said with a cryptic smile and greasy face, smiling so wide that he seemed like he could trap a fly between his lips, sweat or oil dripping from his skin.
"Qingqing," noticing Cheng Qingqing's hesitation, Mr. Ye, with a serious look on his face, promptly nudged her with his elbow, his gaze fiercely fixed on her.
One hundred million in financial aid, if she dared to ruin it, he would make her pay.
Seeing Mr. Ye's uncompromising attitude, Cheng Qingqing reluctantly picked up the wine cup and took a sip.
After she drank her wine, Director Liu burst into hearty laughter, raising his own cup to take a sip as well.
Listening to his laughter, Cheng Qingqing felt goosebumps run down her spine. The sight of Director Liu's belly shaking with his laughter was something Cheng Qingqing couldn’t bear to look at. She felt grateful for wearing glasses or her disdain would have been starkly visible.
"Qingqing, our two families will frequently do business together in the future. You should treat my place like yours; come over whenever you are free," said Director Liu with a broad smile, his heavy hand covering Cheng Qingqing's, patting it casually, showing affection as an elder would to a younger one but his gaze fell upon Mr. Ye in the back.
Feeling disgusted, Cheng Qingqing subtly pulled her hand away and wiped it vigorously underneath the table. Were it not for her mother’s admonition not to anger her stepfather, she would have stormed out already.
Still, she didn't know why, but she felt the temperature of the room rise gradually, causing an uncomfortable heat to rise within her.
Mr. Ye's gaze drifted over to Cheng Qingqing, seeing her flushed complexion, he nodded at Director Liu.
"Director Liu, I'm going to step out for a moment. In the meantime, Qingqing, please take good care of Director Liu. We must not be rude that would lose face for our family." Father Ye picked up the papers and went out, leaving Cheng Qingqing and Director Liu alone in the small room.
Cheng Qingqing was somewhat restless, feeling warmth radiating throughout her body. She glanced at the air conditioner on the wall, displaying prominently the figure 20, even though the heat within her seemed to be increasing. She didn’t understand why, and she loosened her collar a little.
Director Liu had already discreetly moved closer to Cheng Qingqing. Her demeanor was nothing he had not seen before, he had witnessed it in numerous, others before her. He was well acquainted with such occasions.
"Qingqing, let's have another drink." Director Liu poured the glass full, hoping to push Cheng Qingqing to the brink of drunkenness again. Cheng Qingqing, oblivious to his intentions, kept waving her hand, saying that she couldn’t drink anymore.
Director Liu was getting closer. At the moment his hand was about to land on Cheng Qingqing's legs, Cheng Qingqing could no longer bear it and started pondering escape from the box: "Excuse me, Director Liu, my stepfather has been out for quite some time. I should go and check on him."
"Qingqing is a caring daughter. But your stepfather is a grown man. He doesn't need your concern. Let's sit and chat some more." Director Liu forcefully held Cheng Qingqing down. One hand tightly gripped Cheng Qingqing's slender waist and pinched.
Cheng Qingqing spun her head around, and said sternly, "Director Liu, please behave yourself!" After speaking, she managed to move a few steps towards the door, but Director Liu read her intentions. He grabbed Cheng Qingqing's wrist forcefully. The smile on Director Liu's face was gone, and he growled menacingly at Cheng Qingqing, "Do not forget your place !”
Director Liu violently held Cheng Qingqing's chin. The smell of him turned Cheng Qingqing’s stomach, and the disgusted expression on her face made Director Liu even angrier. He tightened his grip on Cheng Qingqing's chin. Cheng Qingqing cried out in pain.
"Disgusted? You have no say in this. Before long, you will have to face me in bed every day, you can't escape haha." Director Liu's sudden statement made Cheng Qingqing's mind rush, but she still asked, "What do you mean?"
"What do I mean? You don't know that your stepfather has sold you to me for one billion! All to save his crummy company. But I must say, the money was well spent. You appear to have quite a figure beneath those clothes. How about we have our wedding night tonight?"
Cheng Qingqing's head throbbed. Suddenly, she remembered the wine Father Ye had given her a while ago.
He- He had drugged her!