Chapter 48

"Is there something strange about my eyes?" Chu Tianshu felt uncomfortable under Ning Xin's gaze and turned his eyes to Ma Li and the others. "Oh, maybe I'm still shaken up. If it weren't for you, I would have been detained, and then sent to a labor camp?"

Ning Xin burst out laughing: "Haha, you're so funny, you're making it sound too serious. Did you get traumatized in there?"

"No. I'm just wondering how they managed to show up."

"They heard I was being bullied and snuck out to come. How about it, can I join you in a fight next time?"

"Wait. Didn't your mom tell you not to fight with others?"

"Hehe, you're my boyfriend now, how can I just stand by and watch you fight?"

Chu Tianshu laughed: "Haha, you made that up, and you actually believe it?"

Ning Xin pouted: "Hey, the way you talk makes it sound like being my boyfriend is a big burden."

"Alright, alright, I feel honored, okay?"

"Hmph, that's too fake, you're just fooling me, right?"

"It seems you're not only beautiful but also very smart."

Ning Xin smiled and said: "Then why won't you let me be your girlfriend?"

"Princess Ning, how can you be so persistent?" Chu Tianshu laughed helplessly and pointed at Ma Li and the others: "Can you let me off? If I become your boyfriend, they'll eat me alive."

"Hmph, they dare?" Ning Xin raised her head, looking very pleased with herself.

Xiaoqiang saw and asked loudly: "Hey, Princess Ning, what are you two whispering about so warmly?"

Ma Li also walked over and said: "Princess, let's go back. If we stay any longer, you'll really get a spanking."

How interesting!

Ning Xin proudly introduced her friends to Chu Tianshu. They were Ma Li, Xiaoqiang, Tiedan, and Dilei, all from military families.

Ma Li was a tough soldier, a lieutenant colonel and staff officer in the Qingyuan Military District. Xiaoqiang was a bit shorter, the youngest son of the deputy staff officer of the military district. Tiedan and Dilei also came from military families.

After the introductions, Wei Shijie said: "Let's go, I'll take you back. Otherwise, your mom will worry."

Ma Li said: "Old Wei, you don't trust us with Princess Ning?"

Wei Shijie replied: "How could I not? Ma Brother, I took Princess Ning from her mom, so I have to be responsible for returning her."

Ma Li said: "Alright, the car is full anyway. Xiaoqiang, take them in a taxi. I'll take Old Wei and Princess Ning."

Xiaoqiang agreed, smiled at Chu Tianshu, and stood by the roadside with the others waiting for a taxi.

Ning Xin secretly made a face at Chu Tianshu and followed Wei Shijie to the Hummer.

Ma Li shook hands with Chu Tianshu and whispered: "Brother Chu, don't make Princess Ning unhappy, or I won't be your friend anymore."

Chu Tianshu nodded and waved goodbye to Ning Xin and the others.

The Hummer drove off, leaving a trail of dust.

Chu Tianshu smiled, shook his head, and walked alone on the brightly lit street.

After all the commotion, it was already midnight.

Standing by the roadside, he tried to hail a taxi, but after waiting for a while, he didn't see a single one.

Usually, taxis were as numerous as cattle, but why were they all gone now? Chu Tianshu was puzzled. He looked around and saw that many leisure and entertainment venues nearby had long rows of taxis parked outside their doors.

Well-dressed guests and heavily made-up women kept coming out, either parting ways or going together, getting into taxis and driving off.

Chu Tianshu finally understood. At this hour, the nightlife was winding down, and the business at the entrances of the leisure venues was booming. Taxi drivers naturally didn't want to cruise the streets.

Chu Tianshu didn't want to join the crowd of men and women. Seeing a car parked by a foot massage parlor, he walked over and waved, but found no one in the car.

He looked around, tapped on the car, and called: "Driver, come out!"

A woman dressed like a seductress came out of the foot massage parlor. She looked at Chu Tianshu and said with a flirtatious smile: "Wukong, stop tapping. The driver is giving a massage inside. Do you want to come in and enjoy it with him?"

Chu Tianshu almost burst out laughing. These days, even seductresses dared to joke with the Monkey King.

Seeing Chu Tianshu shake his head, the heavily made-up seductress looked disappointed, swayed her big hips, and went back inside.

After waiting for a while by the car, the driver still didn't come out, probably enjoying himself.

Damn, this is near the police station. Chu Tianshu shook his head with a bitter smile. No wonder there was only one car; the driver wasn't waiting for customers but looking for a seductress to enjoy himself.

With no other choice, Chu Tianshu walked toward the main road.

He had only taken a few steps when a faint fragrance wafted over. Chu Tianshu swallowed hard, didn't turn around, but glanced sideways.

The lighting was dim, and he couldn't see clearly, but from her attire, he could tell it wasn't the same seductress as before, but a more alluring one.

Chu Tianshu didn't dare to stay any longer, fearing the seductress would try to entangle him, and quickened his pace.

But the seductress kept following him.

Damn! Could it be that I look like Tang僧, and the seductress has targeted me?

Chu Tianshu's blood boiled, and he felt flustered and at a loss.

"Hey, wait..." The seductress, wearing high heels, couldn't keep up with Chu Tianshu and called out.

Chu Tianshu stopped, his foot halfway forward, and thought the seductress's voice sounded familiar.

Hesitating, the seductress caught up and said: "Sir, sorry, can I borrow a light?"

Her voice was extremely soft and seductive, making Chu Tianshu's scalp tingle. It was midnight, and a seductress asking a stranger for a light was a bit too much of a pick-up line.

Chu Tianshu pretended to be calm and turned around: "I don't smoke, I don't have a light."

"Ah, it really is you." The seductress screamed excitedly and grabbed Chu Tianshu's arm.

Chu Tianshu was startled and quickly shook off her hand.

"Brother Chu, it's me, Xiaomin." The seductress hugged Chu Tianshu's arm again.

Who? Chu Tianshu stared at the seductress.

"Xiaomin, I'm Zheng Xiaomin."

If the seductress hadn't said her name, Chu Tianshu wouldn't have believed that the heavily made-up woman in front of him was Zheng Xiaomin, the receptionist.

"Xiaomin? How can it be you?" Chu Tianshu asked in surprise.

"Brother Chu, why are you out so late?" Zheng Xiaomin was even more surprised.

To avoid misunderstanding, Chu Tianshu pointed to the nearby police station and blurted out: "I just came out from there."

Ah? Zheng Xiaomin covered her mouth in surprise.

As soon as the words were out, Chu Tianshu realized he had made things worse. Running to the police station at midnight couldn't be a good thing; he must have been caught in the act. His face turned red, and he quickly added: "There are really few taxis here."

It seemed he was trying to say, "I'm not here for seductresses, I'm waiting for a taxi."

Seeing Zheng Xiaomin still doubtful, Chu Tianshu had to explain further: "I went out with my classmates to have a drink. We encountered some bad guys bullying a girl, and I helped her. I ended up getting arrested."

Zheng Xiaomin smiled faintly and said, "I knew Brother Chu wasn't that kind of person."

Chu Tianshu was puzzled and asked, "Xiaomin, why are you out so late?"

Zheng Xiaomin, who had been smiling a moment ago, suddenly lowered her head and said nothing.

Chu Tianshu said, "Xiaomin, it's dangerous for a girl to be out alone at night. Come, I'll take you home."

They walked a few steps.

Suddenly, Zheng Xiaomin stopped.

"What's wrong?" Chu Tianshu also stopped and asked with concern.

"Brother Chu, you go back first. I... have some things to do."

Chu Tianshu was a bit angry: "No, do it tomorrow. A girl shouldn't be out so late. Your mom will worry."

Zheng Xiaomin slowly raised her head, tears welling up in her eyes.

Chu Tianshu suddenly remembered that her mother was still in the hospital and comforted her: "Xiaomin, don't worry. Your mom will get better."

Zheng Xiaomin couldn't hold back her tears, and they streamed down her face.

Chu Tianshu said, "Xiaomin, don't cry. If you have any difficulties, tell me, and I'll try to help."

Zheng Xiaomin couldn't stop crying and threw herself into Chu Tianshu's arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

A man and a woman passing by stopped and pointed at them from a distance.

After Zheng Xiaomin had her fill of crying, Chu Tianshu helped her to a bench by the roadside, and they sat down side by side.

Under Chu Tianshu's persistent questioning, Zheng Xiaomin tearfully recounted the reason for her distress.

It turned out that after her mother used the 30,000 yuan sent by Tian Keming for the first surgery, she was diagnosed with acute suppurative cholecystitis. If not treated promptly, her life would be in danger, but the family could not afford the 100,000 yuan surgery fee.

Zheng Xiaomin's parents were laid-off workers from the Qingyuan Instrument Factory. The family relied on her father's meat stall for a living, earning only about 2,000 yuan a month. Zheng Xiaomin had good enough grades to attend a third-tier university but had to give up due to the high tuition and applied for a receptionist position at the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission.

Her mother had been hospitalized for nearly two months, and the initial treatment costs had drained the family's savings. The first surgery had used up the 30,000 yuan sent by Tian Keming, and they owed nearly 10,000 yuan for hospitalization and conservative treatment. The hospital had issued an ultimatum, demanding that the debt be paid by Monday or they would be forced to discharge her.

Zheng Xiaomin had no hope of raising 100,000 yuan, but to pay off the 10,000 yuan debt, she had decided to sell herself. She planned to use her virginity to raise the money for her mother's initial conservative treatment to prevent her condition from worsening immediately.

Determined, Zheng Xiaomin had secretly run to a nearby high-end entertainment venue to find a buyer tonight.