Chapter 6: Bound and Sold
640 Words
Panic gripped Su Xiaoxi as she pounded the quilt. Whether it was real or not, she had lost her virginity—her nineteen years of innocence, vanished in a single night.
Her heart raced with guilt and confusion. Then a new shock hit her: her grandfather was still in the hospital! She had come seeking Li Yeting’s help, yet now everything had spun wildly out of control. And the note—where was it?
Ignoring the throbbing in her body, she swung her legs off the bed and searched the room, but the note was nowhere to be found. Frustrated, she tapped her temple and cursed her own foolish bravery. With no other choice, she decided to return home.
She reached for her torn clothes—now nothing but strips of fabric—scowling at the perversion of the man who’d ripped them apart. How was she supposed to leave like this?
A polite knock sounded at the door. Wrapping the blanket around herself like a cocoon, she called, “Who is it?”
The door opened, and a server entered quietly, placing an elegant shopping bag on the sofa without glancing at her. “Miss, Mr. Li asked me to deliver these clothes.”
Su Xiaoxi’s eyes went wide as she recognized the designer logo. “Mr. Li? You mean Li Yeting?”
The server stammered, “Y‑yes.”
She stared at the bag in disbelief. She’d come for help—and somehow ended up sleeping with him?
…
The taxi pulled up on a nondescript street. Su Xiaoxi paid the driver and headed straight for the rundown noodle shop that was her family’s only livelihood. She needed money to pay her grandfather’s hospital bills.
Since her mother died, her father had abandoned them, leaving her and her grandfather to run this little shop. Life was never easy, but they’d managed—until her father embezzled the family business, ran off with her stepmother, and left a mountain of debt.
Now the loan sharks came every few days, demanding repayment. All the shop’s earnings went toward the debt, and Su Xiaoxi took on extra shifts, desperate to right her father’s wrongs. If her grandfather hadn’t fallen ill, she never would have followed that mysterious note to the club…
At least Li Yeting had his moments of mercy—he’d sent her clothes. She clutched the bag, planning to change quickly and sell the outfit secondhand to raise some cash.
Pushing open the noodle shop’s door, she froze. The place was empty. “Auntie?” she called.
With a snap, the glass door slammed shut behind her. She whirled around to see a tattooed man with a shaved head grinning maliciously. “You finally came back!”
A scream pierced the air. “Xiaoxi—run!”
Su Xiaoxi’s heart pounded as she saw her aunt being held at knifepoint, panic etched on her face.
“Run? Who do you think you are?” the thug spat, slapping the aunt across the face.
“Let her go,” Su Xiaoxi said, voice trembling but firm. “This debt is mine. If you want your money, come after me.”
“Ha! Look at those clothes—worth thousands. No money to pay us?” another man sneered, eyeing her designer brand.
She swallowed hard. “Please… give me time. I’ll pay you back.”
The tattooed man laughed darkly. “No time. If you can’t pay today, we’ll tie you up and sell you off—easy to clear this debt in a few months.”
“And with her looks,” the other crook added leeringly, “we’ll make a fortune tonight.”
Su Xiaoxi’s blood ran cold. As they closed in, she braced herself—this was her fight, and she wouldn’t go down without one.
- Writer
