Chapter 82: Falling into the Abyss

Recording her feelings in her diary, Lu Weizhu stayed with Lu Weiyu in the hospital room for a while longer.

She remained until midnight, and only when she saw Lu Weiyu fall asleep did she get up.

She picked up her diary, intending to return to her rented apartment.

A diary is something that absolutely shouldn’t be seen by others—it’s best kept hidden.

Shaking her head, she slowly walked out of the ward and bumped straight into Lin Li.

The girl’s dark circles were even heavier, and her steps were light and unsteady.

Lin Li was absent-minded, not noticing Lu Weizhu’s presence until their shoulders brushed and they collided. Only then did Lin Li realize someone was there.

“Sorry, sorry.”

She apologized twice in a row, weakly. Lin Li didn’t have the energy to figure out who was standing in front of her.

She was just too tired.

“You should take care of your health and try to get some rest… Lili?”

Glancing to the side as she watched Lin Li pass by, Lu Weizhu felt a little heavy-hearted.

Having had a similar experience herself, she knew that when money was this tight, resting wasn’t just a matter of wanting to—it was simply impossible. Money and time wait for no one.

Her words probably didn’t mean much. Who doesn’t want to rest? But seeing Lin Li’s dark circles, she still felt the need to remind this new friend.

“Sigh.” Letting out a sigh, Lu Weizhu continued walking.

She arrived smoothly at the foot of her apartment building. Nothing unexpected happened—no sneaky, obsessed women, and certainly no sudden appearance of a sugar daddy.

“Maybe it’s really not that unlucky, right?”

Lu Weizhu smiled as she walked into the stairwell.

“Yo, you’re back?”

At the door to her rented apartment, an uninvited guest leaned against the wall, phone in hand, the screen casting light over a small area.

Lu Weizhu immediately regretted her previous words.

The glow from the phone screen illuminated the unwelcome guest’s sly smile.

Lu Weizhu stared at the white-haired figure in front of her and took a small step back, almost tumbling down the stairs.

“Y-you… Why are you here?”

Her heart leapt into her throat. Instinctively, Lu Weizhu thought that Ning Wan must have seen the photo of her and Bai Yun together and had come to settle scores.

After all, even Bai Lu had seen it. Wasn’t it possible that Ning Wan had seen it too?

“Can’t I come if I have nothing to do? Or are you saying that you took my money and don’t want to do your job?”

Ning Wan had a mocking smile at her lips.

“Uh… It’s not like that.”

Lu Weizhu secretly let out a sigh of relief. She bowed slightly and carefully walked to the door of her apartment.

Ning Wan stepped aside, leisurely watching her.

With trembling hands, Lu Weizhu took out her keys and opened the door.

“… Welcome home, Master.”

After hesitating for a long while, Lu Weizhu remembered what Lin Li had told her at the hospital and recalled Lin Li’s exhausted face.

A year, a year—at most, just one year.

Lu Weizhu silently recited this in her heart, deciding to abandon her pride completely and do her best to please these two, at least to give them some peace, and herself a bit of comfort. She didn’t want to experience the pain of suffocation and broken bones again.

Entering the apartment, Lu Weizhu glanced at the empty floor.

There were no slippers at home, but even if there were, she figured Ning Wan wouldn’t bother changing into them. After all, Ning Wan had always looked down on her and likely wouldn’t show her any courtesy.

“Learned to behave now, huh.”

That “Master” sounded just right to Ning Wan. So what if she looked like her? Wasn’t she still going to be trampled underfoot obediently?

Ning Wan relished the feeling of lording it over others, especially since the person before her had once come between her and Bai Lu.

She walked into the apartment she’d barely visited before and sprawled lazily on the sofa, her mind drifting back to that drunken night.

At Bai Lu’s birthday party, there were rarely a few good friends. In high spirits, she’d downed two bottles of red wine and most of a bottle of baijiu. Then, with her brain muddled, she ran off to find Lu Weizhu. Had she made a fool of herself?

Ning Wan glanced at Lu Weizhu, who sat stiffly at her side.

Come to think of it, it had been a while since she’d used this expensive “toy” she bought.

Sitting beside Ning Wan, Lu Weizhu didn’t move a muscle.

“Did you… wait long?”

The silent atmosphere was finally broken by Lu Weizhu, who carefully asked, her pale blue eyes filled with a hint of uncertainty.

“What do you think?”

Ning Wan raised her brows.

M

Lu Weizhu fell silent again.

She cautiously studied Ning Wan’s face but found no unusual expression.

Then she thought, if this person really were upset, wouldn’t she have already pushed her down and toyed with her at will?

So, was she just playing with her now, waiting to see her reaction?

Lu Weizhu tried to read Ning Wan’s mind.

There was, at most, a year until Lu Weiyu could leave the hospital. During this year, Lu Weizhu had to manage her relationship with both benefactors carefully and not let anything slip.

“I’m sorry, I had something to do, so I came back late. Um, actually, you could have called me earlier. I’m sorry for making you wait so long.” Lu Weizhu put her diary aside and knelt on the floor in front of the sofa.

Since her benefactor looked down on her, wouldn’t she want to see her grovel?

Lu Weizhu’s mind was a mess.

Without speaking, Ning Wan narrowed her eyes as she looked at the girl before her.

She seemed… different.

=

Lu Weizhu clenched her fingers tighter as time dragged on with no response. Her heartbeat grew faster; she couldn’t fathom Ning Wan’s silence.

She’d already debased herself by kneeling, but it seemed useless?

Suddenly, Lu Weizhu felt ridiculous. Was she just being foolishly clever again?

A wave of humiliation rushed to her face, turning her cheeks scarlet.

Her gaze flickered; in just a dozen seconds, Lu Weizhu’s mind raced through countless thoughts.

She bit her lip. She was already kneeling—her lost dignity wouldn’t come back just by standing up. That would only make her look even more pathetic. It was better to keep going.

With that resolve, Lu Weizhu carefully inched forward two steps.

She glanced at Ning Wan, receiving only a slightly curious look, as if waiting to see what she’d do next.

Closing her eyes, Lu Weizhu gently cupped one of Ning Wan’s hands, lowered her head, and nuzzled into Ning Wan’s palm.

Just like a real pet, she sought out affection. “Master?”

She tried calling softly.

“Mm?”

Ning Wan responded. But now Lu Weizhu hesitated—what next? What was she supposed to do now? Why had she surrendered to her benefactor in the first place? For peace, of course.

“Um… I’ll be good, okay? Could you maybe stop bullying me all the time?”

She stopped nuzzling, honestly feeling ashamed of herself.

“What do you mean, bullying? When a pet makes a mistake, shouldn’t the master punish it?”

Ning Wan sat up, suddenly understanding—this girl wanted to “surrender” so she could feel a little better.

Should she grant her wish and treat her a little nicer? Ning Wan hadn’t decided yet.

Lu Weizhu’s face flushed even redder, steam practically rising from her head.

She had to be crazy. If not, how could she do something so ridiculous?

Even so, Lu Weizhu knew there was no turning back.

After hesitating a moment, she gently pulled back a few of Ning Wan’s fingers and cautiously took Ning Wan’s index finger into her mouth.