Chapter 404: Chapter 404: Unspoken Rules
She felt as if she were on the verge of collapse, unsure of how she had managed to drive. However, the car had somehow made its way back to the television station, and then she followed everyone to a nearby hotel for the celebration banquet.
“Xiao Qing, what’s wrong?” Li Haonan asked, looking at Jiang Xiaoqing with confusion.
“Nothing!” Jiang Xiaoqing shook her head, then said, “I’m just… just really happy today. So excited!”
“Is that so?” Li Haonan was obviously puzzled but didn’t expose Jiang Xiaoqing. Instead, holding a glass of red wine, he said, “Come on, let’s have a drink. The success of tonight’s event, our contribution wasn’t small at all. We’re waiting for the station head to give us a big red envelope!”
“Hmm!” Jiang Xiaoqing was distracted and didn’t hear what Li Haonan had said. Her mind was preoccupied with the evening’s events. She didn’t know whether to keep her appointment tonight, whether to trade her body for a peaceful future.
Throughout the banquet, Jiang Xiaoqing still hadn’t made a decision.
...
For her, making such a decision was extremely difficult, an arduous task. After all, it was indeed hard. Especially for a proud woman like Jiang Xiaoqing. She had always regarded her body as the most sacred thing, so much so that she had never had a boyfriend in her twenties. Jiang Xiaoqing had utopian values about love. She hoped to find a boyfriend and then date for years, or even a decade, with a strict rule against any physical contact during the relationship, waiting only until the wedding night to give her body to her husband in the most sacred manner.
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But she had never considered how few men today could actually do that?
When the banquet ended, many people were drunk. Several invited celebrities were also stumbling with inebriation. One famous male star had taken a fancy to Jiang Xiaoqing from the moment he entered the television station. In his heart, she was doomed to be his prey that night. So, during the banquet, he took the initiative to drink a few toasts with Jiang Xiaoqing. Out of politeness, she drank them all, turning her cheeks a bright red.
At that moment, the male star walked over and said politely, “Miss Jiang, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen and the one who has moved my heart the most.”
“Thank you!” Jiang Xiaoqing, upon hearing this, blushed slightly.
“I wonder if Miss Jiang is free tonight?” the male star asked with a hint of gentlemanly demeanor, “How about coming to my place for a visit? I’ve recently acquired a few antiques at an auction. I was hoping Miss Jiang could help me appreciate them, what do you think?”
“This…” Jiang Xiaoqing didn’t react at first, but when she noticed his gaze roaming over her body as if he couldn’t wait to devour her, she realized that the so-called antique appreciation was just an excuse—in plain terms, a proposition for her to spend the night at his place. Upon hearing this, she shook her head, “Sorry, I’m not interested in antiques. Besides, I have plans this evening and am not available to go out.”
“Really?” The male star looked disappointed.
“Yes!” Jiang Xiaoqing immediately nodded and said, “So, Mr. Liu, if you’re looking for someone, you can find someone else. I’m not available!”
“Alright then!” The male star understood her refusal.
A smile curled at the corner of Jiang Xiaoqing’s lips, a cold laugh escaped her, and then she said, “Excuse me, I must leave.”
After speaking, Jiang Xiaoqing turned and left, placing her wine glass on the table.
The male star watched Jiang Xiaoqing’s departing figure with a trace of irritation in his heart. Though annoyed, he was powerless to do anything to her. After all, she was a hostess at the television station, and he was in the entertainment circle. There was no conflict of interest between them, otherwise, with his capabilities, he might think of a way to teach her a lesson. After many years in the entertainment industry, he had a broad network of connections. Yet, there was no reason for him to trouble her.
Jiang Xiaoqing left the hotel and walked slowly towards the outside. When she saw the black BMW car, a wave of pressure hit her suddenly, and it brought with it an overwhelming pain. She had been hounded for debt repayment by loan sharks for three months now. During these three months, she didn’t know how she had managed to survive. Furthermore, as time progressed, the creditor’s methods became increasingly vicious. They started with phone harassment, incessantly demanding she pay the money back, then escalated to knocking on her door for debt collection, even splashing paint and writing slogans outside the rented house. Later, they resorted to blocking her at home, intercepting her on the street, kidnapping…
No one knew what moves they would use next; but one thing was certain—Jiang Xiaoqing was terrified. She was deeply afraid of being pursued in this way, and fear spread through her heart, causing unbearable pain.
Now, there was finally a way to break free from their pestering. Although the price was steep, why endure long-term pain if she could experience short-term pain? As the saying goes, better a short pain than a long one. Jiang Xiaoqing’s heart ached; she looked down at the street lights’ camouflage. It was already half-past eight. She had half an hour left until the appointed time.
After hesitating for a moment, Jiang Xiaoqing finally moved, walking out slowly and then getting into the driver’s seat. She drove towards the outside, finally feeling a firm belief in her heart. She decided to take this step; no longer did she wish to live a life like an old book or a life where she was constantly chased. Even if it meant sacrificing her first time, it was a price worth paying.
Rumble…
The anxiety in her heart was unleashed on the BMW car. With a press of the gas pedal, the car roared to life. The acceleration of a BMW was unquestionable. The speed surged, and she was pushed back in her seat with the forceful motion.
Whoosh…
The black BMW car, like a streak of black lightning, just surged forward into the night. In that instant, it sped off as if it were a herd of wild horses running wildly.
The Four Seasons Hotel. It’s one of the better hotels in the provincial city. It meets the four-star standard.
The BMW car stopped at the entrance. Jiang Xiaoqing pushed open the car door and looked around. The entrance was already filled with numerous luxury cars: Porsches, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and Bentleys… a multitude of luxury vehicles without end.
Jiang Xiaoqing sighed. Among so many cars around, perhaps one of them belonged to the man who bought her for the first time. At the thought, a shiver ran through her. She couldn’t believe that she, who had once held her head so high, was now lowering her proud head. This filled Jiang Xiaoqing’s heart with immense melancholy.
Standing at the entrance of the hotel, Jiang Xiaoqing was filled with emotion. She had stayed in countless hotels, but this was the first time she felt so many emotions. She looked around at the hotel’s surroundings, wanting to remember the appearance of the hotel where she would give up her first time. A woman’s first time is engraved in her memory, always fresh and unforgettable. She walked step by step towards the elevator, her footsteps heavy.
Just as she reached the hotel lobby, her phone suddenly shook.
“The other party is waiting for you in Room 1308. Hurry up!”
The text was short, and she knew without looking that it was from Xiao Han. Seeing the room number, Jiang Xiaoqing trembled even more. She had reached this point, and it seemed there was no turning back. Even if she wanted to retreat, there was simply no chance to do so.
Jiang Xiaoqing felt extremely uncomfortable, tormented by intense pain. It was as if she was walking on a narrow bridge. She wanted to go back, but didn’t dare to turn around; she wanted to go forward, but the path ahead was shrouded in mist, with no idea how much further she had to go.
After checking in at the front desk, Jiang Xiaoqing stood at the elevator with her room key in hand.
Ding dong…
The elevator doors opened. Jiang Xiaoqing looked up to see an empty elevator.
It was as if this empty space was not just an elevator, but a point of no return. Once she stepped into this elevator, it seemed she could never turn back. Jiang Xiaoqing hesitated for a long time, conflicted for a long time, feeling very empty inside. At last, she gritted her teeth and walked into the elevator, pressing the button for the thirteenth floor.
The elevator slowly ascended and finally stopped at the thirteenth floor.
The elevator door opened, and Jiang Xiaoqing hesitated to take that step. This step felt overwhelmingly heavy and filled her with an indescribable sadness.
As the elevator doors were closing, for a split second, Jiang Xiaoqing felt as if several sturdy men in black were rushing towards her. She cried out in alarm, “No… no!”
She rushed forward to block the closing doors with her hand. The doors were sensor-activated, so they quickly reopened. Jiang Xiaoqing hurried out of the elevator.
The doors of the elevator slowly closed again, and the numbers began to change.
Jiang Xiaoqing ran for a bit, then looked back; the elevator doors had closed. She was now deep in the corridor of the hotel’s thirteenth floor. Along the hallway were closed doors, and Room 8 was a suite, the most luxurious one on each floor, located at the easternmost end—the equivalent of the best room in ancient inns, with the best lighting and the largest area.
Jiang Xiaoqing stood at the door of Room 8, clutching a key card, her heart aching intensely.
After hesitating for a long time and standing at the door for a full ten minutes, she was like a statue, holding the key card for a very, very long time without moving. She was very silent, eerily silent.
A good while later, she finally made a move. She first looked at the key card in her hand, then, with stiff and mechanical movements, swiped it over the lock.
Beep…
The key card made a soft sound as it brushed over the lock’s head.
Then, the door of the room opened. Jiang Xiaoqing immediately pushed the door and entered. The room was pitch-dark; she guessed the other person might not be keen on turning on the lights. Nevertheless, Jiang Xiaoqing followed their wishes. She walked in slowly.