Chapter 389: Never Been Right
"Speak."
"Damn it, Zhang Laidi, are you blind? Didn't you see my message?" Chengcai cursed.
"I saw it," I replied. "Why are you sending me these things?"
"I'm showing you how slutty you look!" Chengcai sneered. "What do you think? Aren't you dating someone? What would he think if he saw these?"
"Just tell me your goal directly." I cut to the chase.
"Zhang Laidi... don't you get tough with me, I want money," Chengcai said. "Two million and three thousand—transfer it to my card, or you're finished."
"Two million? That's blackmail," I said.
"So what if it's blackmail?! So what if it's fraud?" Chengcai snorted. "You're not going to pay?"
"I don't have that much." I glanced down at the voice recorder. "I can't afford two million."
"Ask your boyfriend for it!" Chengcai yelled. "If you don't have it, doesn't he?"
Hearing that, I finally let out a cold laugh. "But there's one thing I don't understand. If you want two million, why two million and three thousand?"
"I'm being nice!" Chengcai sounded delighted. "I had your photos color-printed! Cost me three thousand! These are your pictures—I'm making you famous, so you have to reimburse me."
"Wha—"
I was briefly stunned. I never expected that answer.
"Chengcai, you—"
"Zhang Laidi, don't worry, those three thousand photos are all under my bed. If you pay up, that's it. If you don't... then I'll start pasting them all over the streets of Chengdu."
Hearing this, I looked out at the pitch-black night through the window, then coldly turned off the recording function on my phone and also switched off the voice recorder.
No need to record what came next.
"Chengcai... this isn't good," I said in a gentle tone. "Don't get excited first. Give your sister some time to raise the money, okay?"
"Of course!" Chengcai laughed. "Once you've got the money, just transfer it to me."
"No." I shook my head. "Chengcai, a sum this large directly transferred into your bank account would attract the police's attention."
"What?"
"I'm a lawyer," I said. "Mom and Dad don't know what a lawyer is, but you should, right? I know the law."
"Two million all at once—would the cops get involved?" Chengcai asked.
"Yes." I spoke earnestly. "Think about it—you don't even have a job, so how could you earn two million? The police would ask you, wouldn't they? What would you say then?"
"Hmm—" Chengcai hesitated. "Then what do you suggest?"
"I'll give you cash."
"Cash?"
"Yeah." I agreed. "Since the law says I can't withdraw two million at once either, I'll need a bit more time. I'll take it out over five days."
"Is that so?" Chengcai thought for a moment, then said, "Zhang Laidi, I'm warning you, don't try any tricks. Five days from now, bring the two million home."
"Fine. But I have to make this clear with you in advance—if you leak my photos, I won't give you the money."
"What?!" Chengcai was taken aback. "Zhang Laidi, have you lost your mind? You think two million is the end? Two million is just a warning! If you don't behave from now on, those photos could end up anywhere! You got that?"
"Is that so..." My gaze grew even colder, and I felt the last taut string in my mind snap. "You open your mouth and demand two million, and it's just a warning?"
"So what? I'm being reasonable. Right now only the family has seen these pictures. But if you don't behave in the future, I can't guarantee it."
"The family has seen them..." I slowly lowered my head, pressing the phone tightly to my ear. "And what did they say?"
"My wife doesn't care, but Dad loves them. He's already put them up in his room. After you left, you didn't know—Dad's room used to have that college girl's photo from over ten years ago. It had faded, so now he's finally got new ones."
I felt a jolt in my chest, as if my hair were standing on end.
Chengcai spoke as if telling a joke: "Women who've been to the city really are different—skin so fair and clean. Just like Mom said—if I'd known you were such a slut, I should've added another twenty thousand. Old Ma got a real bargain, haha!"
Ha ha ha ha.
Truly hilarious.
I clenched my teeth, bared a grin, and wept.
Didn't they know why those photos were taken of me?
Didn't they know why I ended up like this?
Now Butcher Ma had been dealt with. Only my family remained.
Why weren't they dead yet?
It was really too funny.
"Chengcai, don't worry. I'll be home in five days and give you all the money." I was still smiling.
"Haha! Just be obedient! We're blood siblings—would I ever hurt you?"
"Yes."
Hanging up on him, I let out a deep sigh.
Great. My days of suffering were almost over.
I sat in the room, not a trace of sleepiness left.
I watched the people coming and going on the street, watched the midnight traffic. The world was so vast, yet there was not a single pure land that could hold me.
The next day, I invited Sun Jiaqi over to my place. This was the first time I'd let him into my home since we'd established our relationship.
I knew I only had five days left. In these few days, I didn't want to leave him with any regrets.
"Chenze..." Xiao Sun looked at me, puzzled. "You called me over so early today. Don't you need to rest some more?"
"No." I smiled. "Jiaqi, do you have any wishes?"
"Wishes?" He blinked, a hint of caution in his expression. "Why ask all of a sudden? Did something happen?"
"Is there anything you want to do with me?" My eyes sparkled as I asked. "If the world were about to end, is there any unfulfilled wish you have?"
I slowly began unbuttoning my clothes.
Even though I knew I was already filthy, Jiaqi was a man after all, with his own needs.
I couldn't let my psychological aversion prevent him from even touching me—that wouldn't be fair to him.
Tears streaming down my face, I kept unbuttoning. Crossing this hurdle felt so painful.
"Chenze." Jiaqi stopped my hands that were undoing the buttons. His face full of sorrow, he said, "If the world were about to end, I wouldn't want to take off your clothes. I'd only want to put a wedding gown on you, so that in the last moment before the world ends, you'd be the happiest bride on earth."