"Miss Xie, your physical examination passed, the contract is officially in effect, and the first payment has already been transferred to the bank account you provided!" The sharp, grating voice on the other end of the phone holds no emotion, yet reveals a faint trace of disdain.
Xie Xiaoyi feels a tightness in her chest. She tells herself, let them look down on her. She, who has nothing but her body, even lacking dignity, never expects respect from others.
"Thank you."
A strong sense of humiliation chokes her, and the sound that Xie Xiaoyi manages to squeeze out is as soft as a mosquito's buzz. She clutches her phone tightly, her heart pounding. Even though she has yet to fulfill the obligations stipulated in the contract, she feels anything but calm.
"Good, be ready at six o'clock, we'll pick you up."
"Yes."
A black sedan stops outside the school gate. Xie Xiaoyi quickly gets in, and the car takes her to the city's most famous hot spring villa area.
Xie Xiaoyi timidly enters the seemingly dreamy building, carefully avoiding touching anything in the room. She is afraid that any accidental damage to the items would cost more than she can afford.
Following the woman's instructions, Xie Xiaoyi took a shower, laying naked on the stranger's large bed, covered lightly by a cool quilt.
Turning off the light, only the darkness matches her current state of mind. The bright lights would only shame her to the point of nowhere to hide.
She can't help but ask herself again, is what she’s doing really right?
Once she takes this step, there's no turning back.
Perhaps, strength is just her facade, deep down she is just a cowardly woman. Unable to tread the difficult path with courage and determination, she opted for this seemingly smooth shortcut.
Trading her body for a year, in exchange for a worry-free life in the latter half, whether this transaction is right or wrong, profit or loss, she does not know.
Some things are irreversible and further contemplation is simply futile.
The door opened, spilling a wash of white light into the darkness, a silhouette backlit in the glow.
"You can go and come back in the morning," a pleasant baritone voice said.
Xie Xiaoyi stared at the silhouette, the figure seemed to stare back at her. After speaking to someone outside, the door closed, the room plunged back into pitch black, darkness so thick it felt tactile.
His voice was youthful, deep, and magnetic. Those mere words tightened her heartstrings.
Although she couldn't see clearly, she knew he was tall and well-built.
She sighed inwardly. As the woman said, the man who bought her wasn't an old, obese man.
"Do you want the lights on?"
He had walked towards the bed. He stood at its side, emanating an oppressive aura as he looked down at her.
Even though Xie Xiaoyi couldn't clearly see him, a deep sense of pressure caused her body to tremble under the thin blanket.
Exhaling a sigh, being sold to one man seemed slightly better than being handed over to many. At least, she hadn’t sunk to a place where every man could have his way. At least... it wasn't... very filthy.
"Please, don't turn on the lights." She mumbled into the blanket, hiding her face. She was scared to face what was coming.
"Okay!" He agreed readily.
As he settled by the bed, her whole body shook more violently.
In the darkness, the only sound was the rustling of fabric. She closed her eyes, pretending that she was in a distant world, feeling no one's presence but her own, let alone a man ready to possess her by his side.
Suddenly, everything was silent again. As the corner of the blanket lifted, he rolled over, landing on top of her.
"Ahh..."