The ambulance whizzed away, stirring up a wave of heat.

"Waste of money! Better off dead! Toss it in!"

The manager grumbled and gestured for the hastily wrapped up quilt to be thrown into the trunk of the car, and with a bang, the trunk was closed, as if doing so could cover up the spread of sin.

I couldn't call the police, let alone seek medical treatment. Even though the ambulance had arrived, we could only stand by as the manager sent it away.

I could only watch, helpless, as Ah Yun's body gradually cooled. I was too useless to save her.

I hated my status at that moment. If only I were not a cabaret girl, things could be different.

Amidst the manager's insults, I silently got into the car, and saw Ah Yun on her last journey.

Looking at the pale, smiling woman on the tombstone, my eyes welled up with uncontrollable tears. I squatted down and slowly burned the funeral money, the smoke stinging my eyes, making it difficult to keep them open.

Burn more, it's all for you. Ah Yun, don't worry about me where you are.

I stayed in the cemetery until nightfall. As the light rain started to pour, I trudged back to the Di Hao Entertainment. As soon as I stepped in, I heard the manager's furious voice, "Where have you been? Someone has requested you, hurry up!"

Seeing his agitation, I gave a blank nod.

The thought that he might be one of Ah Yun's murderers filled me with an uncontrollable urge to rush up, smash a bottle over his head, and let him experience the unbearable pain. But I couldn't.

I returned to my room, changed into a dress that outlined my figure, and strode into the private box.

The semi-transparent frosted glass door was very soundproof – only a faint moaning sound could be heard from outside.

Bracing myself, I took a deep breath and plastered on a professional smile.

Ah Yun once taught me, "Don't slap a smiling face, especially that of a beautiful woman."

No sooner had I opened the door than a fat hand reached out, grabbed my wrist and pulled me roughly over. I stumbled in the process, sparking a round of hearty laughter from the man. The room was filled with laughter, making the overall atmosphere in the box quite pleasant.

In this position, I sat up straight with the wine glass and drowned the man in one gulp. Looking sideways at him, I coyly said, "What's the rush?"

"No rush, no rush. I'm always the most patient one," came the ominous reply from the smirking Boss Wang whose hand began wandering over my body. He's a small goods wholesale boss who has been trying to get me on stage, which I have repeatedly declined. I wondered if I could avoid that fate today.

Gritting my teeth against the nausea, I obediently sat down, assessing the situation in the room.

This was the most luxurious box in the club, largely decorated and spacious.

What captures attention, however, is the man sitting in the center of the box's sofa.

His facial features were defined, a few buttons of his white shirt undone, revealing glimpses of a firm chest. His long, muscular legs were elegantly crossed, and an air of unrivaled authority exuded from him, despite his silence.

There was a woman beside him, her charming smile attempting to persuade him to drink, but he waved her off.

Others seemed to look to him as a leader, gauging his mood before they even dare to drink or sing.

I thought to myself, "Who comes to such a place, and keeps his composure like a sage? This man really is peculiar."

All of a sudden, the man's sharp gaze swept over me. I was startled and quickly averted my eyes, pretending to gaze affectionately at Boss Wang beside me.

Boss Wang's wandering fat hand had already slipped behind my back, slowly grinding against me. Feeling my shudder, Boss Wang became even bolder. I had no choice but to pick up my wine glass and, with a fake smile, continue serving him drinks.

Suddenly, amid the twittering and burbling in the room, an untimely shriek rang out.

Looking back, I realized that the person who was screaming was Bai Xiaoshi.

She was a known entity to me, an orphan, who had been lured in by her friends because of her good looks and was unable to leave once she had signed the contract. I heard rumors a few days ago that she was stubborn, had angrily hit a customer, spew cursing words and threatened to call the police. She was indeed an innocent soul.

I frowned, observing the situation, sensing that Bai Xiaoshi is likely to get into trouble today.

A drunken man was pulling her into a private compartment, and Bai Xiaoshi was struggling to resist.

This kind of minor incident is usually considered part of the fun, and if both parties are half-hearted about it, it would suffice. However, the guest today encountered Bai Xiaoshi, a newcomer.

The drunken man got hit by Bai Xiaoshi's resistance, setting him off immediately. He cursed, "Damn you, foul whore! You damn shameless bitch!"

He exerted all his strength and pinned Bai Xiaoshi to the ground, beginning to rip off her clothes. Everyone watched with great interest.

"No! Please don’t!" a scream.

As the sound of clothes being torn echoed through the air, Bai Xiaoshi’s white shoulder was revealed. The skin of a nineteen-year-old girl was extremely smooth, and the atmosphere in the room tightened as she was exposed.

Boss Wang's hand tightened around my waist. Out of breath, he whispered into my ear, "Let's go out and have a good talk elsewhere."

I was still watching Bai Xiaoshi as he began to escort me out.

Seeing that I was looking at her, Bai Xiaoshi pleaded for me, "Sister Huan, please help me!"

The despair in Bai Xiaoshi's voice proved to be an aphrodisiac for men, and the men laughed lasciviously, their actions becoming more and more outrageous.

Suddenly, I recalled, had I cried like this in the past? If it wasn't for Ayun, would I be able to survive till now?

The first time I met A-Yun was here in this private room. A group of young men who were all seemed rather unpleasant demanded my company for all night or threatened to shut down the venue.

I was the only hostess that night. Whether or not I could survive until next day was entirely up to fate.

Back then, I was a rookie. I had never encountered such predicament before and it terrified me to tears, desperately clinging onto the door.

Later, people described my sobbing as if my parents had just passed away.

My mind was a blur and I shivered uncontrollably, utterly clueless about what had happened. Sitting on the tiled floor outside the private room, it felt as if I had fallen into hell. My whole body felt cold.

Until the wee hours, when A-Yun appeared. She had very beautiful legs, even if I forget about her face, I probably would still remember those two slender and smooth legs. She stood before me, encouraging me to stand up.

Through sobs, I said my legs were numb. Amused at my plight, she helped me to my feet and half-jokingly said, "Today I am in a good mood and I'm helping you out. You're lucky, remember this favor, alright?"

I nodded haphazardly and followed her nervously.

That was our first encounter.

I still remember the exact moment when I first heard about A-Yun's misfortune. Then I was laughing at someone's poor joke.

Who was A-Yun? When I joined the Imperial Hao Entertainment, she was the most sought-after hostess, outshining everyone, so much so that even the arrogant manager gave her some respect, not daring to offend her.

However, a lively person like her showed me great kindness, stood up for me, treated me like her own sister. At times, I've often wondered how tragic my days might be if I hadn't met A-Yun.

I always thought that she could live on forever.

Until she was found dead in the messy restroom, her emaciated body was full of needle marks, and the ambiguous air that still lingered, all suggested what had happened.

But I didn't believe what the manager said, I didn't believe that she had chosen to live in degradation until her demise.

As my recollection was drawing to a close, Bai Xiaoshi's scream brought me back to reality.