In the city of Jing, on Wutong Road.
The sky suddenly brightened and then darkened. Not far off, a bolt of lightning stretched across the sky, followed by a thunderous roar, startling Gu Xiaonian.
She clutched her bag, walking on the peaceful street, swallowing hard involuntarily.
She intended to bike home after her self-study session. However, to her surprise, someone had punctured her bike's tire. Engrossed in reading and test papers, she found herself still at school at eleven o'clock at night, with no one else around. Left with no other choice, she decided to walk home.
The late-night wind was chilly. Gu Xiaonian, in her sleeveless student dress, looked innocent and pretty.
As she was passing through a strangely quiet alley, a shadow suddenly pounced at her, forcing her to the ground.
"Hmm..." Gu Xiaonian’s eyes widened, frightened by the intense and scorching aura of the man.
"I'll pay a million for one night with you. It will be over before you know it." In the dark, the man’s features were nothing but a vague blur. All Gu Xiaonian could comprehend was a gruff, deep voice echoing in her ear.
Gu Xiaonian shook her head, fearfully screaming, "I don’t want this… let me go… don’t touch me.”
She had heard from the news about recent appearances of sexual predators, but she never thought she would actually encounter such an event.
"Hold still, good girl, it will be over in a jiffy. I won't hurt you," the man spoke, his impatience becoming evident. His breath was heavy and muddled. As Gu Xiaonian struggled desperately, he pinned her legs down and forcefully pried her arms apart.
Tears flowed from Gu Xiaonian's eyes, her delicate, beautiful face streaked with them.
"Please... spare me, I beg you." She didn't want this to happen, never.
"I'll be gentle," the man said lasciviously, planting a kiss on Gu Xiaonian's cheek.
At some point, it had begun to drizzle. The raindrops fell on Gu Xiaonian's face.
Gu Xiaonian was in excruciating pain, being pressed to the filthy ground by a man who kept violating her.
The man's voice sounded like a demon, ringing over and over again in Gu Xiaonian's ears.
"Good girl," the man sighed, holding onto Gu Xiaonian.
Gu Xiaonian's tears had long since dried up, her pure white school dress was made wet by the rain and clung to her body.
There was a trace of mud on her ethereal and slender legs, making Gu Xiaonian look even more ragged.
"Boom!" With a dull thunder strike, Gu Xiaonian became as passive as a fish, letting the man torment her, slowly closing her gray irises.
That night, she lost the most precious thing a woman could have, and at the same time, a nightmare began.
......
A month later.
The Gu household was brightly lit.
Gu Zefeng stretched out his hand and slapped Gu Xiaonian’s face, roaring at her, "I sent you to school, but you refuse to behave. You're messing around out there, humiliating me."
"Dad, just kill this woman to save us the Gu family from being gossiped about by our neighbors," a man with dyed yellow hair, looking like a small thug, disdainfully spoke to Gu Xiaonian while picking his teeth.
This was Gu Xiaonian's brother, Gu Yunfeng.
"That’s right, dad. This morally corrupt woman will bring shame to the Gu family if allowed to stay," a cold voice emanated from upstairs, full of delight in calamity and disaster. It was Gu Xiaonian's sister, Gu Qingrou.
Hearing the words of the two, Gu Xiaonian looked palely at the furious Gu Zefeng and said, "Dad, I didn’t, I was raped, I didn’t go astray."
"Shut up, you have the audacity to speak. Who knows if you were violated by someone or simply made a fool of yourself. I am very disappointed in you, leave the Gu's house immediately!" Gu Zefeng said harshly at Gu Xiaonian.
Gu Xiaonian stared blankly at Gu Zefeng, unable to stop the tears from flowing down her face.
She didn't even know who the man was. If she did, she would have reported him to the police long ago.
But why didn't her family pity her at all? Why do they want to expel her from the house?
"Mom, I really didn't go bad. I am a victim. I will report to the police. I want to catch that scoundrel." Gu Xiaonian looked towards Wang Lan, who had been silent, as nobody was listening to her.
Wang Lan looked at Gu Xiaonian weakly, and then shifted her gaze: "Xiaonian, you are pregnant before marriage, which makes us a laughingstock. Our Gu's family can’t afford to lose this face. You better leave now, go quickly, or your father will beat you to death."
"Dad, mom, I am really the victim, I didn't..."
"You dare to call the police? You still think we haven't lost enough face? Are you leaving or not? If not, I'll kill you!" Gu Zefeng angrily picked up a broom at the door and was about to swing it at Gu Xiaonian.
Gu Xiaonian was terrified, and tears kept streaming down her face.
"Leave, now!" Wang Lan held Gu Zefeng and shouted at Gu Xiaonian.
While both Gu Yunfeng and Gu Qingrou just watched Gu Xiaonian with their lips pursed in cold eyes.
Gu Xiaonian hung her head and slowly walked towards the door in a daze.
"Don't ever say you are from the Gu's, we can't afford to be disgraced by you. After today, once you step out of this door, you will have no relation with our Gu's family. Whether you live or die out there, it has nothing to do with us." Gu Zefeng's ferocious voice echoed from behind Gu Xiaonian.
Gu Xiaonian clenched her fists tightly, her tears ceasing at once.
In her bleak life, her own family had abandoned her, and she was left with nothing.
That nightmare changed her life forever.
Seven years later.
Jingzhou City People's Hospital.
A woman, dressed in a light, floral dress, weaves her way through the quiet hallway.
She is strikingly beautiful, with sharp, delicate features and large, radiant eyes, yet shadowed with urgency. Her bright and tender lips, as red as fresh blood, quiver slightly.
Upon reaching the doctor's office, Gu Xiaonian politely knocked at the door. Only after receiving a response, she pushed the door open and entered.
"Miss Gu, you've arrived," the doctor said gently, setting down the medical records he was holding.
"Dr. Wang, have we really found a suitable bone marrow donor to save my son?"
"Yes, we have identified a perfect match for your son right here," the doctor answered.
"Who is it?" Gu Xiaonian asked, her entire body trembling with excitement.
Seven years ago, pregnant and unwed, she was driven out of the Gu family. Alone, she moved to Jingzhou. She had considered aborting the illegitimate child, but in the end, she couldn't bring herself to do it. After the birth of her child, Gu Xiaonian knew she had made the right choice, her child was so well-behaved and understanding.
Sadly, three years ago, her child was diagnosed with leukemia. Only a bone marrow transplant could save him now.
"This donor... he's rather prestigious," the doctor replied hesitatingly, a look of sympathy shot at Gu Xiaonian.
Although the perfect marrow match was found, this particular donor was somewhat a thorny issue.
"Who is he? I don't care who it is, even if I have to beg him on my knees, it's a price I'm willing to pay," Gu Xiaonian paused before regaining her composure, her determination clear in her gaze.
Seeing that resolution in her eyes, the doctor said slowly, "He is the richest man in Jingzhou City, the president of the Shang Corporation, Shang Lengyu."
"Shang Lengyu…" Gu Xiaonian stared blankly at the doctor, murmuring the name under her breath.
…