Chapter 1

Chapter One: A Drunken Folly in the Red Dust

"Take it all off? Even the underwear?"

"Of course! How can I do my job if you don't take it all off? Hurry up!"

"Doctor Wu, I don't even have a boyfriend yet."

"You silly girl, what year is this? Your thoughts are still so conservative!"

"Doctor Wu, my heart is beating so fast."

"Hurry up! Stop dilly-dallying, are you going to do it or not?"

"It's my first time!"

"Everyone has a first time in this line of work. Just do it quickly! Be careful, gentle, and don't touch that area. That's the man's lifeline, and it's all he has for doing good deeds and having children."

"Oh!"

"Quick, take it off, time doesn't wait for anyone!"

"I'm still scared..."

"How old are you? Still so shy? Take advantage of your youth and change your profession. You can't do this job! Do you know what a nurse is? A nurse is someone who cares for people. If you can't even take off a man's underwear, how can you do nursing work? I don't believe you haven't seen this in your anatomy class."

"…I have, but it's different. This is the real thing."

"Exactly! If you've seen it, what's the difference? Don't think too much about it! Think of it as a noble and great cause. You're doing it for work, for the people, for the job, to help others!"

"Um, that's right. Good, good, be a bit gentler, a bit slower, you're doing well!"

"Alright, wash up. Yes, wash everything, including that area! Look, there's even blood on it! A doctor's heart is like a parent's. Treat him as if he were your son!"

"…I understand! Doctor Wu, I promise to complete the task and take good care of this patient."

...

A scream woke Li Yi from his nightmare, drenched in sweat. The dream's scene faded like morning mist dispersing at sunrise, leaving the world clear and bright. He closed his eyes, breathing heavily, and looked around.

This was a shabby ward, far worse than the private clinic downstairs. Li Yi frowned, wondering what kind of place this was. Four beds lined the room, made of iron and painted yellow, with rust spots where the paint had peeled off. The other three beds were empty, with dirty and faded bedding, stained and limp, like an old man's face, listless and spiritless.

The curtains were tightly drawn, letting in weak sunlight. The floor was damp, clearly just mopped, with a strong smell of disinfectant that tickled the nose. There was no air conditioning or floor fan in the ward, only a dilapidated ceiling fan, silent and covered in thick dust, with two spiders leisurely weaving their webs.

The wind outside was strong, blowing the curtains to and fro. The old building, though lacking air conditioning, was cool and comfortable. The undulating curtains annoyed Li Yi, and he wanted to see the world outside.

Li Yi tried to pull the curtains, but as soon as he moved, a searing pain shot through his right leg. The pain reminded him that he had been in a car accident!

Car accident!

In a flash, he remembered the accident, the beautiful girl he had pushed away from the car that should have killed her, the blood-red Lamborghini, and the terrified woman's face in the car window, so beautiful and stunning.

"Ouch!" Li Yi's head ached. He clutched his head, his mind in turmoil, the events of the night of the accident replaying in his mind like a fast-forwarded movie.

That night, Li Yi was in a terrible mood, though he couldn't quite remember why. People in the red dust world often get entangled in trivial matters that seem important at the time but are meaningless afterward. That night, he drove alone, went to a bar, and drank heavily, trying to numb his lonely heart with alcohol.

In a corner, a woman dressed provocatively caught his eye. She had delicate features, red lips, and golden curly hair. In her left hand, she held a highball glass with a dark red, crystal-clear liquid, which the bar's colorful lights made look mysteriously alluring. Her right hand, with a delicate finger, elegantly held a long, brown Moor cigarette.

She wore a silk camisole with a large hand-embroidered peony on the chest, accentuating her ample bosom and deep cleavage. A mini red leather skirt hugged her waist tightly, revealing her round, firm buttocks and the dark, deep crease between her legs, which tantalizingly appeared and disappeared as she moved.

Seeing such a beauty, any normal man would want to touch her and feel her skin. The men in the bar, being normal, either stared directly or glanced indirectly, trying to catch her attention, but she seemed oblivious, her almond eyes fixed on Li Yi at the bar.

Li Yi was drunk and had no interest in flirting that night.

However, he became the prey of the beauty. She gracefully rose, her long heels tapping rhythmically on the floor, drawing several gazes.

"Handsome, can you buy me a drink?"

Her ample chest rubbed against Li Yi's arm, her smooth thighs pressed against his back, and her long lashes fluttered, sending powerful electric currents.

"No... one drink is too little. If we're drinking, let's have a bottle!" Li Yi slurred, his lower body reacting shamelessly.

The woman smiled, snapped her fingers at the bartender, and said, "Jack Daniel's, two bottles."

Li Yi corrected her with a smile, "No, Louis XIII, three bottles, two for me, one for you! I never take advantage of women."

The woman's eyes sparkled, her face radiating a different kind of happiness and excitement. She extinguished her half-smoked cigarette, and as she lowered it, she accidentally touched Li Yi below, moaning softly, "So big!"

The experienced bartender, ignoring their flirtation, glanced at a fat middle-aged man nearby.

The man nodded slowly, and the bartender politely smiled at Li Yi, "Please wait a moment," and went into the wine cellar.

The man followed.

The bartender bowed slightly and said with a smile, "Mr. Lu, the young man ordered three bottles of Louis XIII."

Mr. Lu, with a face full of scars and cunning eyes, said, "The usual."

The bartender's face lit up. He took three bottles from the shelf, placed them on a tray, and carried them out. A genuine bottle of Louis XIII costs nearly ten thousand yuan, so three bottles would be thirty thousand. Mr. Lu had hinted that the bottles were fake, costing only a few dozen yuan each, and he would get a thousand yuan per bottle as a kickback.

Having worked in the bar for a long time, the bartender was used to such practices. Mr. Lu had connections and wasn't afraid of trouble, and if trouble arose, he could handle it. But this was the first time in his career that he had such a big order, and the commission from three bottles would equal his monthly salary.

However, trouble did arise.

The woman took a small sip, unable to tell the difference. Drinking such high-end wine was a first for her. She thought ordering a few hundred yuan worth of Jack Daniel's would be enough to fleece the mark, but he was unexpectedly generous, ordering Louis XIII and three bottles at once! She was an expert in the nightlife scene and could see that this man was different. She praised herself for her keen eye and chose the right mark, while also complimenting the wine, "Good wine! This glass must cost thousands of yuan!"

Li Yi, an expert in wine, immediately noticed something was wrong and spat it out, splashing the bartender.

"What the hell! What are you trying to pull? Think you can fool me? I tell you, I often use this stuff to rinse my mouth at home! Hurry up, bring me the real thing!"

The bartender, not one to back down, wiped his face, rolled up his sleeves, and shouted, "Security, someone's trying to stiff us!"

Suddenly, seven or eight thugs appeared, surrounding Li Yi.

The woman, seeing the situation, quickly fled.

Li Yi, still drunk, sneered, "What? Trying to extort me? I'm sober enough to know what's going on! Selling fake wine and trying to beat me up?"

Mr. Lu walked over, his face stern, and asked, "What's going on?"

The bartender bowed and said, "Mr. Lu, this guy is trying to stiff us!"

Li Yi laughed, "Who do you think I am? A few thousand for wine is nothing. I often throw a few thousand to beggars. I'm not afraid to spend money, just not on something not worth it!"

Mr. Lu was taken aback by Li Yi's confidence. Could this guy be someone important?

At that moment, a few plainclothes officers approached, apparently Mr. Lu's acquaintances, and greeted him.

Mr. Lu's face lit up, "Ah, Chief Zhang, it's been a while! What brings you here today?"

Chief Zhang glanced at him, "Trouble? Why all the commotion?"

Mr. Lu pointed at Li Yi, "A pretty boy trying to stiff us."

Chief Zhang glared, "In my jurisdiction, this is unacceptable!"

His subordinates understood and moved to grab Li Yi.

Li Yi, still half-drunk, shouted, "You're selling fake wine, and you're not going to do anything about it? Why are you arresting me?"

Chief Zhang glared at Li Yi, his fist clenched, and shouted, "I don't need a reason. I'm the Deputy Chief of the Dongcheng District Police, Zhang Yishan! I can arrest you if I want to!"

Li Yi, strong and taller than the officers, used his strength to break free, punched Zhang Yishan in the forehead, and shouted, "You think I'm afraid of you?"

Zhang Yishan, enraged, shouted, "Damn it, get him! If he's hurt or killed, it's on me!"

The officers and thugs, about a dozen in total, pounced on Li Yi, raining blows on him like a storm of fists.

Li Yi, not one to take a beating, quickly ducked, grabbed Zhang Yishan, and pushed him to the ground, blocking the others and ran out of the bar.

Zhang Yishan, weakened by years of drinking and womanizing, groaned in pain. His subordinates, more concerned with his well-being, helped him up. Li Yi took the opportunity to flee.

Stumbling out of the bar, Li Yi, still tense, heard the roar of an engine and the screech of tires. As a fellow car enthusiast, he recognized the sound of a V12 engine revving at 7500 RPM in just three seconds.

In the city center, during peak hours, street racing? What kind of lunatic?

As Li Yi marveled at the audacity, a woman in a white dress, with long hair and a slender figure, passed by him.

Li Yi was momentarily stunned. Holy crap! Such a beautiful woman? I wonder what her face looks like. I hope she doesn't turn around and scare a row of buildings to death!

In just a few seconds, the engine's roar was still in his ears. The thugs, wielding knives and clubs, rushed out of the bar, shouting, "Bastard, don't run!"

The indifferent crowd continued on their way, the city's neon lights still casting a colorful glow, and the tall buildings still lit up, telling stories of joy and sorrow.

Under the calm night mist, Li Yi sensed the presence of death.

Life and death, a moment's decision.

Li Yi shouted, "Be careful!" and without thinking, rushed towards the girl, pushing her away. A thug, running fast, caught up and grabbed Li Yi, "Damn it, you still dare to..."

The woman turned, about to see who dared to molest her in broad daylight...

Li Yi only had time to glance at her before the thug's grip tightened, and he couldn't break free. He watched helplessly as the luxury car, like a monster, sped towards them.

"Bang—!"

"—Ah!"

"—Huff—!"

Then, he heard the screams of passersby, the screeching of tires, the woman's scream, and finally, the sound of metal hitting his body and bones breaking.

Li Yi even heard the faint hiss of his soul leaving his body.

The last image etched in his mind, of this vivid yet bloody world, was the pale face of the woman in the car, her long, dark lashes revealing eyes filled with fear and pain.

---

End of Chapter One