Chapter 30: Just a punishment

Lying on the ground, her forearm trembled violently.

The white-haired girl covered her forearm, bowing her head silently.

Ning Wan sat calmly in the chair, leisurely watching the girl in front of her.

“Get up.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she beckoned with a finger.

“Mm.”

A sound escaped from her nose as Lu Weizhu pushed against the ground and slowly got up, her right leg trembling.

Ning Wan pushed the table, creating some distance between the chair and the table.

“Come here.”

She straightened her back and patted her thigh.

“…Mm.”

Obediently taking two steps forward, Lu Weizhu let her right arm hang down, protecting the bandaged forearm with her left hand.

Frowning slightly, Ning Wan’s tone lacked anger, which made Lu Weizhu feel somewhat dissatisfied.

Grabbing Lu Weizhu’s wrist, she pulled the girl onto her lap.

Ning Wan cradled Lu Weizhu’s chin with one hand and supported her cheek with the other.

Her fingertips touched the delicate skin, and holding the thin girl, Ning Wan felt a strange illusion.

Was the girl in front of her really her doll?

Dolls only obey, but this girl sometimes did things that displeased her.

Ning Wan’s eyes darkened.

“Originally, I wanted to talk to you about your sister.”

She held Lu Weizhu’s frail shoulders firmly.

The girl was so thin that she felt weightless in her arms.

Ning Wan didn’t think she was heavy at all.

“…?”

Mentioning her sister, Ning Wan noticed the doll in her arms stir slightly.

“Lu Weizhu.”

Ning Wan lowered her head, resting her chin atop the girl’s head.

“Your sister is sick and needs a lot of money, right?”

“In other words, this shameful job I gave you is very important to you.”

As her words fell, Lu Weizhu’s head shook slightly, her fingertips trembling, her body stiffening.

Ning Wan realized she truly held the girl’s lifeline in her hands.

“Can you tell what’s important and what’s not? Since my money means so much to you, then you should put me first, shouldn’t you?”

Ning Wan’s tone was calm, but Lu Weizhu heard a faint threat beneath it.

“I…understand…”

Lu Weizhu swallowed hard and murmured softly.

Her voice was so quiet that Ning Wan felt somewhat displeased.

“I don’t need you to quit your job, but I don’t want a repeat of today. You were two hours late, and that made me very angry.”

Ning Wan tightened her grip slightly, her fingers sinking into the soft flesh of Lu Weizhu’s shoulder.

She heard a muffled groan from the girl, probably from the pain.

I’m sorry.

The private room was too quiet, and Ning Wan’s tone was too calm.

Lu Weizhu felt the calmness was hiding a killing intent.

Her instincts told her this was not going to be simple.

Clenching her fists, nails digging into her skin, Lu Weizhu waited nervously for what would come next.

“A pet that makes her Owner angry—tell me, should she be punished?”

Ning Wan spoke gently, but the danger in her words was no longer concealed.

“……”

Lu Weizhu’s face paled.

How was she supposed to answer?

Of course, she knew the answer Ning Wan wanted to hear.

But could she say it out loud?

Could she degrade herself to please the person behind her?

Tears began to gather in her eyes again.

Lu Weizhu had been crying a lot lately.

She didn’t want to cry, but whether she cried or not was beyond her control.

One trouble after another came knocking, each one wounding her fragile pride.

Silence, silence—there was a moment when Lu Weizhu wanted to explode.

She thought about pushing the person behind her away, about yelling at this bastard, but she couldn’t.

Whenever she thought about her only family, about money, all her rebellion and anger died unborn.

She wouldn’t explode in silence, but would perish in silence.

Lu Weizhu had no choice; she could only walk step by step toward destruction in silence.

“……”

She was already this far gone in her downfall—how much worse could it get?

Feeling somewhat despondent, Lu Weizhu lowered her head.

A tear fell onto the back of her hand, the warm drop shattering the silence.

“……”

Her voice was hoarse as she spoke.

“Go pick up the chair and sit properly.”

Satisfied with the answer, Ning Wan pushed Lu Weizhu out of her arms.

She pointed to the chair that had toppled not far away.

Lu Weizhu obediently went over, stood the chair up, then stood dumbfounded beside it.

“Sit down.”

Ning Wan glanced at Lu Weizhu.

She picked up a bottle of red wine and pulled out the cork.

Taking two high-stemmed glasses, the red liquid poured from the bottle, filling the glasses.

“Drink.”

Ning Wan pushed one glass toward Lu Weizhu and lifted the other to her own lips, taking a sip with her eyes narrowed.

“…?”

Sitting on the chair, staring at the wine glass, Lu Weizhu felt at a loss.

She had hardly ever drunk alcohol and didn’t understand Ning Wan’s intentions.

Wasn’t she…supposed to punish her?

“Miss Ning, you’re not—”

“I’m telling you to drink.”

Before Lu Weizhu could finish, Ning Wan interrupted her, her tone cold.

“I understand.”

Gritting her teeth and caring little about anything else, Lu Weizhu grasped the glass and tentatively took a sip.

“…”

The taste was a bit bitter, with a hint of fruitiness.

Lu Weizhu shivered slightly, displeased with the flavor.

“Cough cough…cough cough…”

She clenched her teeth and downed the entire glass of red wine.

Choking on it, she coughed repeatedly.

“More.”

While Lu Weizhu was still coughing, Ning Wan pushed another glass toward her.

The dark red liquid looked like blood, and Lu Weizhu felt faint.

“Wah…”

“Drink.”

She waved her hand weakly, but Ning Wan forced the glass to her lips.

With no choice, Lu Weizhu drank the wine again.

After two glasses, Lu Weizhu felt her hands and feet grow hot.

“Keep going.”

Another glass was pushed over.

Lu Weizhu couldn’t refuse.

She could only follow Ning Wan’s wishes and drink glass after glass of red wine.

Gradually, her mind grew warm and her head pounded. She felt dizzy, limbs weak.

“Keep going.”

“One more.”

Ning Wan did not relent.

Once one bottle was empty, she opened another.

Glass after glass, soon Lu Weizhu could barely hold the glass, the wine spilled onto her clothes, mixing with the bloodstains on her shirt.

“Burp…I…I really can’t drink anymore…”

Lu Weizhu had completely lost her reason, barely able to sit upright.

Her body reeked of alcohol, eyes glazed over, blue orbs full of grievance.

“My stomach…hurts so much.”

Leaning over the round table, a fresh glass of red wine tipped over, the liquid running across the table onto the floor.

The smell of alcohol grew heavier in the air.

Lu Weizhu clutched her abdomen.

She was already drunk.

Her eyes darkened as Ning Wan watched the intoxicated girl, throat moving slightly.

The girl’s cheeks were flushed, a faint red tint that drew attention.

The only pity was the cheap shirt and trousers spoiling the image.

“Lu Weizhu, who am I?”

Ning Wan slowly walked to Lu Weizhu’s side and pinched the bandaged hand.

“Ah…ha…I…I don’t know…”

Her head pounding, Lu Weizhu swayed, holding her forehead.

With a graceful breath, more enticing than that rainy night, the girl before her lost almost all consciousness.

Ning Wan was finally satisfied.

She helped Lu Weizhu up and carried her out of the private room.