Chapter 54: Escape

As soon as Zeng Xu finished speaking, mocking laughter erupted around him. The people attending this kind of gathering were clearly the same type as He Wei. To them, women were akin to objects, something to be exchanged among so-called "friends." And Zeng Xu, in their eyes, was just like those women, with the only difference being that he was a man. There were quite a few men like Zeng Xu in the circle, and their interest in men over women was merely a pursuit of thrill, as the pleasure of conquering a similar kind couldn’t be found in women. "Mr. He, I know you’re not interested in me, but what about Zhou Xue? Otherwise, you wouldn’t be going to such lengths for her, would you?" Zeng Xu knew their plan with Zhou Xue had probably been discovered, but he had no choice but to continue. "I know where she is, which saves you the trouble." He Wei leisurely sat on the sofa, signaling with his eyes for him to continue speaking. He Wei didn’t believe someone like Zeng Xu would help so easily without expecting something in return. "The condition is: you have to let me leave." He Wei was genuinely amused by him this time, as though he had heard a particularly funny joke. And indeed, in He Wei’s own house, surrounded by his people, did he really need assistance finding someone? However, what Zeng Xu said was true; although it wasn’t difficult to find her, it was time-consuming. He Wei had to go to another city for business tomorrow and wouldn’t return for about half a month. He was impatient; as long as he fed Zhou Xue that thing, it wasn’t hard to make her obedient. "Alright. Tell me, where is she?" "Brother Wei, this..." He Wei raised his hand to interrupt the person beside him, and that person’s companion also tugged at his sleeve, "Mind your own business with Brother Wei’s affairs. If you’re interested in that Zeng Xu, there’s a way to get him." The person who was about to speak fell silent and stepped aside. "Follow me." Zeng Xu led He Wei and the others to a corner of the courtyard but stopped short, pointing to a darker area, "It’s there, you can send someone to check it out." Clearly, Zeng Xu wanted to leave but didn’t want to offend Zhou Xue, since given Zhou Xue’s current status, she could easily manipulate him. "Ha, you’re quite smart, trying not to offend either side." He Wei saw through his intentions, but had no interest in Zeng Xu, "You can go." Zeng Xu obediently walked towards the exit. As per agreement, he was supposed to leave with Zhou Xue, but now, he couldn’t even protect himself and had no choice but to feel sorry for Zhou Xue. "Don’t blame me, I’m sorry." Having walked away, Zeng Xu looked back at the brightly lit villa in the distance, apologizing to Zhou Xue in his mind. He turned and continued his determined escape. Meanwhile, Zhou Xue was still waiting in the darkness for the so-called chance to escape, unaware that Zeng Xu, who had given her hope, had long betrayed her. Zhou Xue hid in a corner among the bushes. After running out of the villa, she found a spot to hide, discovering there was a place to conceal herself among the bushes, and squeezed herself in despite the expensive gown getting torn. She couldn’t understand why there was a space large enough to fit an adult here, but she didn’t have time to think about it; her priority was to hide until she could leave. However, she hadn’t been hidden long before she heard footsteps approach unevenly. She tensed up, shoulders hunched, fingers tightly gripping her gown, her face — pale from the cold weather — appeared even more ghastly. She held her breath, trying to catch what the people outside the bushes were saying, but they were too far away, and she heard nothing, adding to her anxiety. After a while, unable to withstand it anymore, Zhou Xue quietly peeked toward the villa, seeing nothing unusual. She crouched and crawled out, moving slowly along the wall toward the gate. She thought she’d seize the chance to escape now. It was all her own stupidity; He Wei clearly had a history of offenses, so why did she foolishly trust him again? And Zeng Xu was no better; even if he promised to save her this time, it was just him making up for his previous misdeeds. If she managed to escape successfully this time, she vowed never to trust anyone easily again! But, could she really escape... The answer was obviously no. She barely took a few steps before bumping into someone, wearing a familiar coat, with a familiar perfume scent that disgusted her. Zhou Xue stumbled and fell onto the cold grass. Without looking up, Zhou Xue could imagine He Wei’s smug face, surely mocking her stupidity and overconfidence. "Why did you stop? Keep going." He Wei was indeed smiling, suddenly finding Zhou Xue somewhat "adorable," adorably foolish. How had he treated her initially? She actually still trusted him, even starting to develop feelings for him. He had long noticed that Zhou Xue was actually sneaking glances at him in the elevator, her gaze quite familiar, similar to those women before, mixed with a hint of admiration. But all these women eventually ended up being discarded. Having witnessed his parents’ loveless marriage since childhood, He Wei had no faith in the concept of love; everything could be acquired with money and power. And reality supported this belief; with just a beckon of his finger, these women would willingly sleep with him, even accepting the "wife-swapping games" of He Wei’s circle. He Wei never kept a woman for long; as soon as he noticed a change in their gaze, a new round of "wife-swapping games" would begin. Their gaze was easily recognizable, just like Zhou Xue’s in the elevator. A woman who likes a man stops being her initial self, becoming troublesome, and He Wei detests trouble. He Wei was somewhat interested in Zhou Xue; he hadn’t expected her to be like those women — a trouble in the end — leading to today’s gathering disguised as a sleazy party. Initially, before coming, He Wei felt a bit regretful, having liked the naïvely foolish Zhou Xue. But thinking about it now, he wasn’t so reluctant anymore. He Wei squatted down and lifted Zhou Xue’s chin, brushing his fingers against her smooth cheek, "You’re adorably stupid, almost making me reluctant." Zhou Xue disdainfully avoided his hand, "You make me sick." Her words elicited a hearty laugh from He Wei, with the crowd behind him joining in, as what Zhou Xue said was true — their actions were indeed sickening, yet they indulged in it. He Wei stood up and commanded the onlookers, "Tie her up and take her to the third-floor bedroom. Tonight will be unforgettable for her." Emphasizing "unforgettable," He Wei intentionally heightened his tone, while the accompanying Meimei sensibly stepped forward, placing the previous box of candy in He Wei’s suit pocket, then kissed his cheek before retreating back to the hall. "Let’s head back!" Upon He Wei’s command, the group returned to the villa. A decadent night was about to unfold.